Picea Pungens

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Big Time is a 1988 American musical film directed by Chris Blum.

Summary

A concert film centering on singer Tom Waits featuring songs from the albums Swordfishtrombones, Rain Dogs and Franks Wild Years.[1]

Production

Filming took place in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California.[2]

There were no known existing 35mm prints of this concert film until an archival one appeared in the late 2010s.[3][4]

Cast

Songs

  • "Frank's Wild Years"
  • "Shore Leave"
  • "Way Down in the Hole"
  • "Hang On St. Christopher"
  • "Telephone Call From Istanbul"
  • "Cold, Cold Ground"
  • "Straight to the Top (Vegas)"
  • "Strange Weather"
  • "Gun Street Girl"
  • "9th and Hennepin"
  • "Clap Hands"
  • "Time"
  • "Rain Dogs"
  • "Train Song"
  • "Sixteen Shells From a Thirty-Ought Six"
  • "I'll Take New York"
  • "More Than Rain"
  • "Johnsburg, Illinois"
  • "Innocent When You Dream (Barroom)"
  • "Big Black Mariah"

Critical response

Jon Pareles wrote a negative review in The New York Times, saying even fans of Waits would find it "frustrating and off-putting" and that it "turns Mr. Waits's performance into a freak show."[5] Richard Harrington wrote a negative review in The Washington Post, describing the film as "More an indulgence than a concert" and the songs as "often intriguing" but "only rarely [...] listenable".[6] Jeffrey M. Anderson, in a mixed review for Combustible Celluloid, described the film as "a treat" for fans of Tom Waits and "one hell of a show."[7] Time Out magazine called it a "magnificent movie" and "A concert film unlike any other".[8] TV Guide gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, calling it "more performance than music" and a "work that demands to be taken on its own terms."[9]

Formats

Big Time was issued on LaserDisc, VHS in Japan, UK and Yugoslavia, but was only issued on VHS in North America.[10] No official DVD[11] or Blu-ray edition has yet been released, though the film was made available for streaming on the Amazon Prime platform on September 1, 2020.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ TLA Film and Video Guide 2000-2001 - Google Books (pg.56)
  2. ^ Roxie
  3. ^ Film Streams
  4. ^ Tom Waits's Big Time Is Beautiful, And I'm Sorry You Can't Watch It|Stand By For Mind Control
  5. ^ Pareles, Jon (September 30, 1988). "Review/Film - 'Big Time,' a Look at the Rock Star Tom Waits". The New York Times. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
  6. ^ Harrington, Richard (October 1, 1988). "'Big Time'". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
  7. ^ Anderson, Jeffrey M. (September 15, 1988). "Big Time (1988): Tom Waits for No Man". Combustible Celluloid. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
  8. ^ MC. "Big Time". Time Out. Time Out Group Plc. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
  9. ^ "Big Time". TV Guide. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
  10. ^ Discogs
  11. ^ Tom Tapes: The Cinematic Appearances of Tom Waits and His Music - Page 2 - Taste of Cinema
  12. ^ Archer, John. "Amazon Video Announces New Films And TV Shows For September (2020)". Forbes. Retrieved September 9, 2020.

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