Double Feature: A NIGHT AT EARL CARROLL'S, 1940, Universal, 62 min. Dir. Kurt Neumann. The Wayback Machine now takes you back to the late '30s for a peek inside Hollywood's most glamorous club ever... Earl Carroll's Vanities. From the same stage that later brought you THE BIG T.N.T. SHOW, this venue on the southeast corner of Sunset and Vine was an Art Deco palace created by Carroll had for his high-class girlie show. The theater was emblazoned with cement slab movie star autographs (much like Grauman's Chinese) and a huge neon sign of dancer Beryl Wallace surrounded by the incantation "Through These Portals Pass the Most Beautiful Girls in the World." This, of course, was a bold move to surpass Carroll’s main competitor back in New York, Florenz Ziegfeld's Follies. Variety recognized the film for what it was, "a national plug for his layout by way of an extended trailer that focuses attention on his briefly clad and shapely girls in the stage ensemble." In 1965, this would be appreciated for its camp value; in '09, it becomes a Hollywood preservation artifact and a glorious example for those with an interest in the revival of burlesque. Released one week after FANTASIA, this musical stars Ken Murray with Rose Hobart, plus radio stars Brenda & Cobina (Blake Steward and Elvia Allman) and songs by Hobart, William Brady, Mary Lou Cook, Lillian Cornell and an old vaudeville dance by Lela Moore. The thin plot revolves around Earl Carroll (playing himself) being kidnapped by mobsters at a mayor's convention. Ultra-Rare! THE BIG T.N.T. SHOW, 1966, Phil Spector Productions, 93 min. Dir. Larry Peerce. Phil Spector took over as musical director for THE BIG T.N.T. SHOW in 1965, held at the Moulin Rouge (soon to become the Hullabaloo) on the southeast corner of Sunset and Vine. Youth culture and social consciousness would bond that year with the passing of the civil rights bill and the emergence of folk-rock, but the amped-up spirit of THE T.A.M.I. SHOW had thankfully held on. Beginning with the clang and chime of Spector’s production for MFQ’s "This Could Be the Night," the viewer is thrust into the finest visual representation of excitement on Sunset Strip during 1965 and 1966. The editing conveys the idea of motion, and movement from destination to destination. The Ronettes’ mock ballet in front of the Chateau Marmont. The Lovin’ Spoonful ramble in front of a nightspot leaping, frolicking and running toward the camera. Bo Diddley’s bass player Chester "Dr. Boo" Lindsey teases the crowd and laughs. Donovan and Joan Baez warm up backstage, while The Byrds are seen standing outside Moulin Rouge in the sunny Southern California daylight. Roger Miller beams a campy wave to the kids; Ray Charles evokes power backed by his tremendous orchestra. The dancers shake in a rehearsal hall wearing black nylons, white go-go boots, heavy kiss-curl bangs and thick eyeliner. There’s a nighttime shot of glittering neon signs at Ben Frank’s and the Trip. Among all these greats of "Rock ‘n’ Roll - Folk Rock - Rhythm & Blues - Country & Western" (as advertised on the poster), two stand-out moments arrive via Petula Clark’s brilliantly Spectorized live version of "Downtown" and a rocket-shot closer by Ike & Tina Turner that is a match for James Brown’s set the previous year. The credits of the film admonish the viewer to "be sure to tune in for next year’s show," but next year never came; also organized in L.A., MONTEREY POP would fill the super-bill void two years later. THE BIG T.N.T. SHOW captures that final, tantalizing moment of early rock ’n’ roll energy. (Screened from a digital source) NOT ON DVD Introduction to THE BIG T.N.T. SHOW in between films by Rachelle Spector, Hal Lifson (publicist for Phil and Rachelle Spector) and Domenic Priore.