Buried Treasures: Toys (1992)

Words: Saam Das

The passing of Robin Williams earlier this year shocked the world - he was the most searched trend on Google in 2014, above Ebola and the World Cup, a testament to the quality of his work. One of his final films, 'Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb' is in UK cinemas this week but we'll instead reflect on one of his earlier, and most underrated works, Barry Levinson's imaginative 1992 film 'Toys'.

Buried Treasures: Humble Pie - Performance: Rockin' The Fillmore

Humble Pie - Performance: Rockin' The Fillmore (UK Release: 28 Oct '13) // Words: Simon Opie

In the 1970s, live albums became highly popular and hence profitable. So labels started recording almost everything by way of live performance, although much has leaked out over the years and is often of questionable quality. Back then, rock music still retained some common roots with jazz – bands played more than one set per night – and both genres exploited the live album as a way of capturing the dynamic quality of the music that often did not come across in studio recordings.

Buried Treasures: The Iron Giant (1999)

'The Iron Giant' (1999) // Words: Saam Das

You'll probably know director Brad Bird from the incredible Pixar animated features 'The Incredibles' and 'Ratatouille', and his move into the live action arena with 'Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol'. However, his breakthrough came in 1999 with 'The Iron Giant' - a heartfelt adaptation of Ted Hughes' 'The Iron Man' that appealed to adults and children alike.

Buried Treasures: Lungfish - Talking Songs For Walking (1992)

Lungfish - 'Talking Songs For Walking' (1992) // Words: Simon Opie

Recently, I’ve been thinking about my favourite bands of all time, and somewhere near the top, and creeping ever upwards, are Lungfish. Part of the Dischord label stable of Washington/Baltimore hardcore bands, their music seems to have outlasted almost all their stablemates. Perhaps that’s because it’s always had a tangible spark of originality, and because the band members are exceptionally talented individuals.

Buried Treasures: Contact (1997)

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially. // Words: Saam Das

Robert Zemeckis is one of the most lauded directors of his generation, helming classics such as 'Back To The Future', 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' and 'Forrest Gump'. Carl Sagan was one of the world's foremost science communicators. When their powers combined, 1997 God-pondering science fiction film 'Contact' came to life with a relatively muted reaction.

Buried Treasures: Stephen Malkmus - Stephen Malkmus

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially. // Words: Simon Opie

Released 10 years ago, this fine album launched Stephen Malkmus’ solo career and signalled the end of Pavement who were officially on hiatus. In fact, it was the first album by The Jicks, Malkmus’s new band, but the record label, Matador, insisted it went out under his name. It’s packed with great songs about whimsical subjects like Yul Brenner, being recruited by Turkish Pirates, the Trojan War and various tales of a hippie lifestyle.

Buried Treasures: Heavenly Creatures (1994)

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially.

'Heavenly Creatures' (1994) // Words: Matthew Paskins

Two girls are running up a wooded path. The camera comes lolloping after them. They’re wailing and you can’t completely tell if it’s because they’re terrified, or excited. Although, as the roar continues it sounds more ragged and more animal. The film stock changes to black and white, still focused on their running legs, and this time they’re running along the deck of a ship, waving to a behatted man and a smartly dressed woman; the adults turn and we see the edge of his glasses, his pipe.

Buried Treasures: Sunshine (2007)

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially.

'Sunshine' (2007) // Words: Saam Das

I haven't been especially taken with either of Danny Boyle's last two films - the multiple Oscar-winning 'Slumdog Millionaire' nor '127 Hours' - and it pains me that a thought-provoking film like 'Sunshine' has been overlooked in favour of the aforementioned offerings. It's far from perfect sci-fi but the film counts Quentin Tarantino as one of its most prominent fans.

Buried Treasures: Manic Street Preachers - Gold Against The Soul

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially. We encourage you to seek these treasures out.

Manic Street Preachers - 'Gold Against The Soul' // Words: Emily Solan

Amazingly this long forgotten treasure from the Manic Street Preachers back catalogue managed to chart at #8 in the UK chart, amid mixed reviews. But 18 years on, many barely remember this classic, full of raw meaningful lyrics from the Glamour Twins - especially the sorely missed Richey Edwards.

Buried Treasures: Jack Hayter - Practical Wireless

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially. We encourage you to seek these treasures out and hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

We're very pleased to have another guest blog from Jamie of Audio Antihero, following his piece on Nosferatu D2 last May.

Words: Jamie Halliday

Now given that I run Audio Antihero Records: Specialists in Commercial Suicide, you’d think that I would have my hands full worrying about my own Jack Hayter (Hefner/Dollboy/Spongefinger) solo release....but I can’t resist the temptation to be an old blowhard and so here I am, spreading the good word about his solo debut, 2002’s 'Practical Wireless'.

'Practical Wireless' is a record that should probably have been guaranteed a respectable cult status on principle alone. Released on the intimidatingly hip Absolutely Kosher Records (Xiu Xiu, Mountain Goats, Life Without Buildings), recorded back to back in a kitchen with Hefner’s final LP 'Dead Media', produced by Darren Hayman and featuring Hefner alumni on various instruments (it’s like the folk equivalent of Eazy E’s 'We Want Eazy') - in a post-Hefner world, this should have been just what the people wanted?!

Buried Treasures: Dear Wendy (2005)

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially. We encourage you to seek these treasures out and hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Words: Alicia McBride

Director: Thomas Vinterberg
Cast: Jamie Bell, Alison Pill, Bill Pullman and Chris Owen

When I bring 'Dear Wendy' up in conversation I am usually greeted by a blank look. Nobody seems to have heard of it, which is a shame because many films have tried to tackle the issue of gun crime in America but none in such a unique way as 'Dear Wendy' - but then the screenplay was written by Lars Von Trier so chances are it was always going to be a little bit mental.

The film centres around a group of teenagers in a small, non-descript American town who, for various reasons, all feel bored, lonely or discontented until the founding of The Dandies. Dreamt up by their leader, Jamie Bell's Dick Dandelion, it is a club where everyone must own a gun. Evenings are spent memorising facts about firearms, studying gunshot wounds and practicing firing their weapons.

Buried Treasures: Mary And Max (2009)

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially. We encourage you to seek these treasures out and hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

We're extremely grateful to have this guest post from Vicki Isitt, who contributes to a number of blogs including our pals HeyUGuys, as well as running her own blog.

Words: Vicki Isitt

Director: Adam Elliot
Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Toni Collette, Eric Bana

Every time I put my 'Mary And Max' DVD in and the introducing theme music starts up I feel as though I’m being hugged. The music just envelopes you and the tone is warm, fun, simple and most importantly, has heart. A perfect fit for the film.

'Mary And Max' is a heartwarming animation about two people’s pen pal friendship and every-one’s desire to be accepted and loved. It follows the lives of two people of completely different ages, on different sides of the world, connecting in a strength of friendship most of us wish we could have.

Mary (Toni Collette) is an 8 year old girl from a small suburban town in Australia with eyes the colour of muddy puddles and a birthmark and colour of poo, while Max (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is a 44 year old Jewish man with Asperger’s Syndrome living in New York City. One day in the post office Mary picks at random someone to write to in New York, so she can find out where babies come from in America, and a few days later, Max receives her letter.

Buried Treasures: Jarcrew - Jarcrew

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially. We encourage you to seek these treasures out and hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Words: Simon Opie

Jarcrew - 'Jarcrew' (2003)

"Who dares wins" is true only to the extent that it does not say everyone who dares wins. In a similar way, the oft-quoted Vince Lombardi, famed NFL coach, once said that "if winning isn’t everything, why do they keep the score?" But perhaps it would be more interesting to ask why those who get the highest score don’t always turn out to be the winners. The road is long...so it seems about time to reassess the achievements of a band from a small Welsh town who could by now be rich and famous, but for the fact that they fell apart before they could deliver on the promise of their self-titled debut album***.

Buried Treasures: New Order - Technique

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially. We encourage you to seek these moments out and hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Words: Rajan Lakhani

Album: New Order - 'Technique'

Sandwiched between a re-release of their defining single 'Blue Monday' in 1988 and arguably the best football record made, 'World In Motion' in 1990, twenty years later, we perhaps overlook New Order's 1989 album 'Technique'. It still provides the best example of why New Order are seen as alternative music’s great innovators, introducing rave culture to indie and setting the groundwork for the likes of The Prodigy.

With his marriage breaking down, Bernard Sumner, lead singer of New Order, decided to get away to the acid-house haven of Ibiza with his band-mates, where they recorded much of this album. Fusing together synth-pop, guitar-rock and contemporary dance, New Order importantly updated their sound and showed they remained ahead of their field.

The result is a heady, addictive mix of dancefloor anthems ('Round And Round', 'Fine Time', 'Vanishing Point') and melancholy, melodic guitar-driven songs ('All The Way', 'Love Less', 'Guilty Partner'), which means the album never becomes one-dimensional. All of the band shine on this album and everything comes together organically – the beats, lyrics, Peter Hook’s bass, the melodies – in each track, meaning this is their quintessential album.

Buried Treasures: The Kingsbury Manx

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially. We encourage you to seek these moments out and hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Words: Simon Opie

Band: The Kingsbury Manx

I usually have a lot to say – always contradictory since my opinion varies with my mood – concerning the subject of the best album of all time. But I have no doubt at all as to the best gig I ever attended – from really a lot of contenders. It was Calexico at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire sometime at the start of the 21st century.

Why was it so good? Well, Calexico were on fine, improving form, with a great crop of new songs to play and a Mexican mariachi band joining them on stage for a stunning finale. I joined in from the floor with frenzied dancing that I imagined to be far cooler than I am sure it actually appeared to be. But the real icing on the cake was the support act – The Kingsbury Manx (yes, who doesn’t eat the icing first). Apart from anything else, I don’t think I had ever heard a band quite like them before.

Buried Treasures: Brother To Brother (2004)

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially. We encourage you to seek these moments out and hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Words: Paul Dean

DVD: 'Brother To Brother'

Director: Rodney Evans
Cast: Anthony Mackie, Daniel Sunjata, Larry Gilliard Jr, Aunjanue Ellis

Generally speaking, I like surprises. I suppose I don’t really like muggings, but mostly I find the unexpected to be quite the morale booster. I didn’t know quite what to expect from 'Brother To Brother' and I certainly had no idea it was going to be such a good film.

Buried Treasures: Fuckintosh

Buried Treasures is a feature dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially. We encourage you to seek these moments out and hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Words: Simon Opie

Artist: Fuckintosh

According to Fuckintosh's bio, Fuckintosh is "more than a disturbing name - Fuckintosh is a disturbing artist, a disturbing sound and a disturbing hairstyle." According to Rough Trade, Fuckintosh, the Brooklyn based computer artist, is midway between old school cut-up (e.g. Negativland) and modern mash-up (e.g. 2 Many DJs) cultures.

Buried Treasures: Don't Look Now (1973)

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially. We encourage you to seek these moments out and hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Words: Paul Dean

'Don't Look Now' (1973)


If you have an interest in cult cinema or in films that are just plain strange, then you might well be familiar with 'The Man Who Fell To Earth', in which David Bowie walks around being a slightly-out-of-place alien, a role he probably wasn't reaching far for at all. This was directed by British filmmaker Nicolas Roeg some time in the mid seventies and I worry that this space oddity will remain will remain his most famous film, the title that he is remembered for. This is completely unfair, because the same period also saw Roeg direct one of my favourite horror flicks and what is surely one of the best British contributions to the genre, 'Don't Look Now'.

Buried Treasures: Larsen B - Marilyn

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially. We want to share these wonderful moments with you.

Words: Saam Das

Song: 'Marilyn' by Larsen B


Today, the Mercury Music Prize nominations were revealed. As usual, I'm not overly bothered. But I do like the fact that the Mercurys always seem to pluck an album or two out of complete obscurity and provide a platform for it to be recognised. Something that we also try to do here at FADED GLAMOUR, albeit with much less success.

Buried Treasures: The Long Good Friday (1980)

Buried Treasures is a column dedicated to things we feel have gone underappreciated, often both critically and commercially. We want to share these wonderful musical and cinematic moments with you.

The Long Good Friday (1980) // Words: Paul Dean

Good Friday may already have passed but let me tell you about what is surely one of the best British films ever made, and also the one that launched the big-screen career of one of Britain’s best actors, Bob Hoskins. I’d better be quick, there’s a remake in the works and I need to convince you to see the original while it still remains untarnished and unmarred by whatever inevitable pish is released.