The Big T.N.T. Show

While this is filmed in black and white, and producer Samuel Zarkoff is better known for horror films, this followup to the TAMI show from the same company a year earlier holds it's own with any of these early music concert films. Filmed live over 2 days this one, like TAMI brings together a lot of great music. One of the great electric music sequences is Pet Clark going into the audience singing her hit Downtown. It is one of many great music moments. Clark upstage Joan Baez here which is natural as she is more seasoned at this point. Baez seems nervous on stage and does one song that is totally wrong for her. The pacing and production of the film is really good. I wish both TAMI and this one had been filmed in color. After all American International was doing films like Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine in color during this time period. I am guessing tight budgets or maybe the black and white success of the Beatles Hard Days Night or the Dave Clark 5 Having A Wild Week-end could be part of the reason? For those of us fond of 1960's music, this film is a joy to watch.

Back in the 90s I set out to find a copy. It was explained to me copyright issues kept it being released. In early 00s I found a unauthorized DVD with both films by way of Japan. It's all performance here, very little of the stupid packaging that TV appearances cluttered the performers. And no lipsynching! I saw this at a large urban theater in 65 with girls screaming in the audience. Kinda cool memory. Now quality print on YouTube.

A motley assortment of music acts encompassing various genres such as folk, pop, and R&B perform live in concert at a Hollywood club in 1966. Ray Charles gets things off to a rip-roaring start with a spirited performance of "What'd I Say." Petula Clark impresses with a lovely and classy rendition of her big hit "Downtown." Bo Diddley lays down some thunderous earth-shaking beats as well as busts a few funky dance moves. The Lovin' Spoonful are quite charming with their one two punch of "Do You Believe in Magic?" -- the group hilariously flubs the intro to this song! -- and "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice." Joan Baez holds her own with a solid set; her inspired cover of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" stands out as a highlight (and, yep, that's none other than Phil Spector on piano). The Ronettes are a ball of infectious happy fire as they bring the house down with "Be My Baby" and a particularly dynamic version of "Shout." The Byrds score a bull's eye with their three songs, with "Mr. Tanbourine Man" proving to be the best and most memorable of the bunch. Country singer/songwriter Roger Miller makes an amiable impression as he performs a pleasing medley of "Dang Me," "Engine Engine #9," "King of the Road," and "England Swings." Things go a tad off track and get a bit too sober for comfort with Donovan's performance of four folk tunes, which to be charitable are pleasant enough. Fortunately, Ike and Tina Turner end the festivities on a rousing note with their ferociously thrilling closing act. Director Larry Peerce maintains a quick pace and astutely captures the vibrancy and excitement of the event. David McCallum makes for an acceptable host. Bob Boatman's sharp black and white cinematography provides a neat crisp look. The go-go dancers strut and shake their stuff with spirited abandon. A real blast from the past.

First, find a chance to see this - amazing live performances. And while you are viewing - Ray Charles leads off, later Bo Diddly and other black artists perform to a room of WHITE teenagers. OK, now you have a taste of the USA in 1966, post 1964's ground breaking civil rights actions. But even in "progressive" Los Angeles (remember the Watts Riots occurred only a year before) we had a long way to go. This is in no way a political film - just good 60s music performed by the artists. Yet, we can learn from this how we can be better to as we strive for equality.

Great performances to remind us that even Donovan, and Petula Clark, could send teenagers into hysterical screaming frenzies with their music. Nice sharp black-and-white photography by Larry Peerce. (And check out the knee-high white socks worn by Tina Turner's backup singers!)

"The Big TNT Show" will be screened Saturday, 9/19 at 7:30 pm in the Packard Theater at the Library of Congress Packard Campus Audiovisual Conservation Center in Culpeper, VA. The screening is free, but reservations are advised. Call (540) 827-1079, x79994, or (202) 707-9994. This is the third film in a Rock and Roll series that also includes "Ferry Cross the Mersey" on Friday, 9/18/09 at 7:30 pm, and "Let the Good Times Roll" on Saturday, 9/19 at 2:00 pm. Also showing with "Ferry Cross the Mersey" will be the short "Rhythm 'n' Greens" featuring the Shadows. The theater is located at 19053 Mount Pony Road, Culpeper, VA. More details: http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2009/09-161.html

Amazing documentary capturing the pop music scene of the mid-1960s. Where else can you see Joan Baez, The Ronettes, Bo Didley, Ray Charles, Ike & Tina Turner, The Lovin' Spoonful, Roger Miller, The Byrds, and on and on and on on the same bill. Didley followed by Baez is a trip in itself, but then a few acts later Baez comes back out backed by a full orchestra doing the Phil Spector-arranged "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (you'll see Phil himself on keyboards). Then Ronnie comes out and does "Be My Baby" and "Shout" with some really hot moves. Spector produced and directed, which explains the eclectic mix and incredible production values. Too bad this isn't out on video. Bill Bielby

Great fun to look back at this film of headliner acts taking part in a musical review in a disco type setting. TV star David McCallum introduces acts like Ray Charles, Petula Clark, The Byrds, Ike & Tina Turner, Bo Diddley, James Brown, Roger Miller, The Ronettes and more. A very diverse collection of artists and musical styles. A time capsule showing the hair styles and clothing that went with the music. Relax, gear down and enjoy.

I finally got to see this when it was on cable this month, and it was worth the wait! I admit, I was looking forward the most to the Ike and Tina Turner Revue, James Brown, and the Ronettes, but we watched the entire thing and we were not disappointed. James Brown (who, the story goes, was in some sort of stand-off with Mick Jagger about who the better dancer was...needless to say, he wipes the floor with Mick) was incredible. There were some acts that were slower-moving, such as Donovan, but I guess they figured the audience needed a breather. Bo Diddley is another of the highlights, especially with a trio of beautiful back-up singers/dancers...they are dressed in formal Supremes-style evening gowns and big beehives, but manage to look completely bad-ass, and one of them even plays a bass while doing her little dance routine. The Ronettes are wonderful, doing "Be My Baby" as the crowd of mods and teeny-boppers goes nuts. Ronnie Spector's voice will give anyone with a soul chills in that song, and she really looked like she was having fun, though she did write later in her autobiography that Phil Spector yelled at her afterwards for improvising and not doing the song exactly the way he had instructed her to in rehearsal, proving that Phil Spector is brilliant as far music goes, but not that wonderful of a person. Speaking of which, Phil Spector may not exactly be the poster child for sanity, but he sure knew what he was doing when he put this concert together. Speaking as a dancer who specializes in 60's dance moves, I can honestly say that the go-go dancers (who are shown in footage at the beginning, and grand finale of the film) are the most talented I've ever seen, and trust me, I've seen a lot of footage from that era. The highlight of the movie has to be the Ike and Tina Turner segment, and that is saying a lot, considering some of the mind-blowing performances that come before it. They do a great medley and include full-length versions of "I Think It's Gonna Work Out Fine" among others. Even Ike appears to be having the time of his life--I don't think I've ever seen him actually smile on-stage before, but he can't keep the grin off of his face when he happily and smoothly duets with Tina. He might not be a stellar human being, but he definitely deserves credit for his musical talent and ability to entertain. Other than the very minor complaint of Tina's usually perfect fashion sense deserting her for maybe the only time in her life (she has a cute outfit but a bizarre leather 'hat' that looks like a long, deflated Jiffy-Pop Bag), the performance is flawless, and they blow the roof off of the place. Watch for the moment when she goes into the audience to involve them in the show during a slower number-she picks out a young mod guy to sing to, and his eyes are as big as saucers. When she sings, "tell me...do you wanna be my man?" he can't even answer coherently when she hold the mike up to him. The choreography and dance moves are so show-stopping and high energy (even for them) that no-one could follow them-- Spector was smart in saving them for last. The Ikettes and Tina are obviously having so much fun that their feet barely seem to touch the ground, and during the big finish "Tell the Truth", Tina moves so fast that she is literally a blur! You can see why Mick Jagger asked her to teach him how to dance. I keep meaning to re-watch the entire movie, but when I rewind, I can't make it past Ike and Tina's segment-never get tired of seeing them shake a tailfeather! I defy anyone to sit still while watching the last 15 minutes of this film. Since this is almost impossible to find, don't miss it the next time they decide to run it on television! I only give it nine out of ten stars because it isn't in color. I hadn't been born at the time this was filmed, but watching it, I felt like I was in the audience.

i have only seen the trailers to this movie and the T.A.M.I. show movie since i was about twelve yrs old--i remember that these were excellent concert films, with some all time world-class performances, especially by James brown, Ike and Tina, the stones, the beach boys, the byrds, Marvin Gaye, the supremes-and, as far as i can tell, all live performances, no lip-synchs!---try pulling that off w/ the divas of today-one of the reasons tom hanks' movie 'that thing you do' is so good, is that it perfectly portrays not only the look, but the feel and emotion of that era-a time when your peers wouldn't let you get away with lip-synching even if you had the nerve to try---everyone gave the best performance they could because they were inspired by, and wanted to impress, their fellow entertainers---these movies evidently are not available on video or disc---why not, and who has the rights to these movies so tied up that i cant even discover who actually owns them, much less if they will ever be released-someone is withholding on a gold mine ---could it be that legendary genius-wacko Phil spector? if anyone has any idea who or what owns these movies, please let me know, i will do what i can to get them to release these classics to video and DVD--i can be quite persuasive