Walking Distance

Ever heard the saying that you can't go home again? Well, Martin Sloan actually does! "Walking Distance" is one of the best Twilight Zone episodes ever. 

...it taps into the desire of all of us to return to that place (Real or imagined) where we were carefree and worry-free. The scene where Gig Young (Martin Sloan) realizes that he cannot stay in the past is masterfully directed and filmed, 

with all of the characters leaving the scene except young, who is left alone in the dark on the merry-go-round. Just a wonderful scene. Everything about this episode is well done. I agree that the scene with his father is very powerful as well. It is clear that Sloan will go back to

his own time with a renewed sense of vigour and leave that summer to his 11 year old self. He will look for "merry-go-rounds" in his own way and his own place.
(imdb.com)

And here's the parting conversation between Martin and his father:

Robert Sloan: Martin.
Martin Sloan: Yes, Pop.
Robert Sloan: You have to leave here. There's no room, there's no place. Do you understand that?
Martin Sloan: I see that now, but I don't understand. Why not?
Robert Sloan: I guess because we only get one chance. Maybe there's only one summer to every customer. That little boy, the one I know - the one who belongs here - this is *his* summer, just as it was yours once. Don't make him share it.
Martin Sloan: Alright.
Robert Sloan: Martin, is it so bad where you're from?
Martin Sloan: I thought so, Pop. I've been living on a dead run, and I was tired. And one day I knew I had to come back here. I had to come back and get on the merry-go-round, and eat cotton candy, and listen to a band concert. I had to stop and breathe, and close my eyes and smell, and listen.
Robert Sloan: I guess we all want that. Maybe when you go back, Martin, you'll find that there are merry-go-rounds and band concerts where you are. Maybe you haven't been looking in the right place. You've been looking behind you, Martin. Try looking ahead.

Walker Books

Mystery Train

‘He hears the train a comin', it's rollin' 'round the bend, and he ain't seen the sunshine since he don't know when…’

Jim Jarmusch's cult classic from 1989 set in Memphis. Three stories, two Japanese teens crazy about 50s music, gunshots, beautifully crafted sideburns and Sun record studios.  Elvis everywhere in the shadows.

Film title taken from Elvis’ cover of Junior Parker and the Blue Flames ‘53 track. Driving rockabilly number derived from gut-thumping Delta Blues. Both versions recorded and released on Sun, naturally.

Here’s Robert Ebert’s excellent take on the film:

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-mystery-train-1989

Teds, tats and territory

nikkatsu

Teddy Boys...

Just some of the sartorial-image-street-influences that morphed into Man in a Zen Ambulance

...and Teddy Girl - Picture Post

Rokabiri Zoku

Hong Kong Rockabilly Festival

And Colonel Tom Parker, naturally...

'Hi-octane action erupts across a pulp Zen world'

Pulp Zen Warriors

Largely unloved and unknown, The Loveless fused 50s and 80s retro cool. Sportster Debbie provided the look for Rei Nishimura in Zen Ambulance. Rei weren’t no samurai by blood and packed a Midnight Special instead of a katana sword but I reckon she pretty much had the same bad-arsed attitude. Sure knew how to use that Special.

Female samurai. Despite popular misconceptions, onna-bugeisha took up katanas and naginata glaives to fight to the death in bloody encounters across medieval Japan.

Rei lowered her gun, turned around and Luther followed her as she walked back to their room. 

     “You just shoot the Demon of Death, Rei?” he said, unable to contain the excitement in his voice. “You kill him stone dead?”

     “Like I told you,” she said, “big guns ain’t always better.”

Go, Rei!

http://thevintagent.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/the-loveless-way-beyond-torn-up.html

http://www.kusuyama.jp/blog/the-powerful-onna-bugeisha-female-samurai-warrior/