The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

We're talking the original 1974 version.

From the first eruption of the kick-ass soundtrack, it is clear that this is a crime thriller for grown-ups. Robert Shaw leads a quartet of dangerous and semi-dangerous men who take a New York subway train hostage.

You may recall that in the mid-seventies, NYC seemed on the verge of utter collapse, and that is reflected in the picture of the politicians, mid-level managers and regular stiffs trying to deal with the crisis-- this is one of those quintessential New York City movies.

The battle of wits between Shaw and a rumpled but clever Walter Matthau is gripping and the chaos that surrounds the crime is riveting. It's a fun and exciting caper that influenced, among others, Tarentino. Smart, funny, suspenseful-- the film delivers on many levels.

(Note-- you'll recognize many many familiar faces from film and tv here, but you might not catch that one of the bad guys is played by Earl Hindman, whose face went on to become famously unknown as Wilson on Home Improvement)

Note by Note/Story of Anvil

Here are two documentaries that make you proud and excited to be a musician.

Note by Note follows the creation of a Steinway concert grand piano, from the point when it was just a tree to the time when it takes its place as one of the world's premiere performance instruments.

Steinway still makes these by hand, and the creation of such a piece of artistry takes a full year. The film does not honor just the piano itself, but the hand-made craftsmanship that produces it. The film-makers pointedly show how the piano comes out of a setting not unlike any other blue-collar factory, and the craftsmen who create it look like guys who would also be at home in Pittsburgh making steel.

Interspersed are interviews with a variety of piano giants, and these help heighten the sense of craftsmanship and technique, the sheer artisanship behind any sort of piano performance. Anyone who spends time around pianos needs to watch this.

The Story of Anvil is another animal entirely. Anvil is a hair-metal band, born in the eighties and influential for a short time, before fading into near-obscurity. This documentary catches up with the two founding members today, and while the entire feature has a certain real-life Spinal Tap quality (the band heads out on a European tour "organized" by a woman whose love of the music far exceeds her actual talents as a manager), it is ultimately a heart-breaking movie.

The two players are full of heart and love for what they do, despite the fact that thirty years on, they still can't afford to quit their day jobs. If you are not a heavy metal fan, you will still be moved and entertained by this film (if you are a fan, you may find that the inclusion of actual Anvil music is a bit sparse for your tastes). Their partnership goes back to their early teens; they fight and struggle and act generally like brothers. Their stories are fascinating and their journey is an odd sort of inspiration for anyone who feels the need to play.