1976
Noah’s Barks pages relating to the year 1976.
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UFO Robo Grendizer vs. Great Mazinger
Another team-up between two beloved ’70s mecha, but its storyline is a cut above most of its contemporaries—if only slightly. (read more)
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Grendizer, Getter Robo G and Great Mazinger: Decisive Showdown! The Giant Sea Beast
Three titans of mecha gathered in one feature does little to elevate this above standard ’70s mecha anime fare. (read more)
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The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie is a John Cassavetes character study where a strip club owner is caught between his personal motivations and a mob hit job. Ben Gazzara puts on a fantastically subtle performance and hides his true feelings until the end. However, his character really only faces challenge, not conflict, and this… (read more)
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Assault on Precinct 13
Easily comparable to Escape from New York (EfNY) in quality. Assault on Precinct 13 lacks EfNY‘s apocalyptic visions and set designs, but gains a better put together screenplay that only has ups and no downs. Unlike Halloween, the stuff preceding the main event isn’t trash and has some good humor. When the going gets tough,… (read more)
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Carrie
The imagery of Sissy Spacek as Carrie bug-eyed, drenched in blood as she walks through the flames is as powerful as ever. But Carrie’s tragedy is castrated by incredibly hammy performances that border on a cartoon’s depiction of high school students, as well as a lack of intensity due to the era the movie was… (read more)
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The Tenant
The last of Polanski’s claustrophobic “apartment trilogy.” The themes start to run thin this time around. The mental deterioration is stronger in Repulsion, and the paranoia is much more real and sensible in Rosemary’s Baby. Though Roman Polanski does a fantastic job as the lead, the story is ridiculous and not remotely believable. To say… (read more)
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Flamin’ Groovies – “Shake Some Action” (1976)
With Shake Some Action, Flamin’ Groovies attempt a ’60s pop rock throwback in particular vein of The Byrds. If imitation is the greatest form of flattery, then Shake Some Action must be the most flattering album of all time, as its insistence and success at sounding exactly like a pop rock album that could have… (read more)
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Stevie Wonder – “Songs in the Key of Life”
Musicians rarely have attempted releases even larger than a double album. Rarer still is when it’s the best move in their career. Enter Stevie Wonder’s "Songs in the Key of Life". (read more)
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Queen – “A Day at the Races”
Queen’s albums became a lot less consistent after A Night at the Opera. Fortunately, they didn’t fall too hard yet on A Day at the Races. The biggest problem with this album is that it really is, in many respects, just a lesser version of its predecessor. Many songs here evoke the same feeling. The… (read more)
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Judas Priest – “Sad Wings of Destiny”
Sad Wings of Destiny isn’t the best Judas Priest album, even though it’s good. The production job (even on the original release) is extremely flat. Halford’s vocals don’t soar like they would on later releases. The guitars are still indebted to more traditional hard rock and blues rock than the shredding, roaring heavy metal riffs… (read more)