Monthly Archives: April 2010

I’m In a Jess Franco State of Mind

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I'm In a Jesse Franco State Of Mind

Blog discovery of the year? It may be a bit premature to say this in APRIL, but it’s hard to argue with I’m In A Jess Franco State of Mind–a blog that’s been discussing Franco since 2006. Franco’s movies aren’t for the faint of heart–most either instantly love Jess Franco or hate him completely. Turntabling is in the first category–Franco is one of the all time greats in one sense or another. He’s a frickin’ genius even if he doesn’t mean it.

From his greatest serious works (Venus in Furs, the Diabolical Doctor Z) to the masterpieces of hysteria and excessive zoom-lens abuse that are Virgin Among the Living Dead and Vampyros Lesbos, Franco is something wholly other–a filmmaker who plays by his own rules and creates freakish worlds populated by perverts, drooling halfwits, innocent victims turned predatory vampires, and halpless cuckold significant others who just don’t get that their old bed buddy has started batting for the other team…which in this case is the living dead.

I’m In A Jess Franco State of Mind has so much wonderfulness for a Franco fan to explore that you won’t know where to begin. Start from the newest posts and just work your way backwards, it’s better that way. That any blog has survived since 2006 is quite impressive, that a blog specifically about Jess Franco has been going so long is nothing short of brilliant. This is our new favorite blog and we don’t mind raving about it.

Roma Violenta: Rare Italian Crime Soundtrack Sounds from the 70s

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Roma Violenta Rare Italian Crime SoundtracksStelvio Cipriani, Goblin, Paolo Vasile and plenty of other Italian names soundtrack fans know well make strong appearances on this awesome collection of soundtrack sounds from the best Italian crime thrillers of the 70s. La Polizia Ha Le Mani Legate? Got it. A Pugni Nudi? Yes indeed.

There are some great cuts compiled here on Roma Violenta, and if you’re just now discovering the Italian crime genre with all its delights, you owe it to yourself to check this Cinevox CD out–it’s a whole new world of 70s disco-rock madness just waiting for you. Consider this CD to be a gateway drug to a longtime obsession with collecting these soundtracks—we did.

Roma Violenta is a new, sealed import CD from Italy. Buy it now from Turntabling while supplies last for $16 plus shipping. Overseas shipping is available on this disc.





Shure Whitelabel Integrated Phono Cartridge

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Shure Whitelabel D2 Phono Cartridge record needleA hundred dollar record needle? Well, the DJ in me wants to correct that line to read phono cartridge, but yes, this Shure Whitelabel integrated phono cartridge DOES sell for $100+. Since it’s aimed at party DJs and club DJs, it’s built for heavy-duty use rather than casual record spins–there’s something to be said for a record needle built to withstand an evening of abuse in the club.

And since a DJ can write off the expense of high-end record needles as a legitimate business expense, why not?

Replacement needles are essential for any vinyl junkie, but even more so for the people who spin for a living. What some like about this one, aside from the gold plated connectors or the forward mass design made for better center-of-gravity conditions for playing and scratching, is the color scheme. It’s kinda hard to see a black phono cartridge against the black vinyl in the dim light of a club.

Some record lovers thing a record needle is a record needle. Others are quite picky. We fall somewhere in the middle. It’s enough to be able to spin the LPs at home with decent sound quality from a typical, well-designed phono cartridge…but anybody who wants to play for hours on end three or four nights a week? A rugged design plus the Shure Whitelabel cartridge’s adjustable overhang (50mm – 54mm to help maintain the forward and backward adjustment of a standard-mount headshell, letting you tweak the adjustment whether you’ve got an S-arm or a straight-arm turntable) means you should probably take a look at a couple of these.