Jane Russell

Fine & Dandy
$16.98
This was the only solo album Hollywood icon Jane Russell recorded, now on CD for the first time! The Hollywood legend is best known for her movies (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Outlaw, Macao) but the lady sang too--and still does, at age 88! Fine and Dandy was her only solo album, released in 1959, and now on CD for the first time. Featuring standards and arranged by Billy May, Russell sounds great in stereo. Bonus tracks include rare private recordings. Blessed by Russell herself, this is a must for fans of glamour and movie stars!

The Magic of Believing
$16.98
"The Magic of Believing" uses the orignal mid-1950's Capitol LP of the same title as its corner stone, which features 13 selections from the Capitol LP and one Capitol single, all performed by a trio made up of Russell, Beryl Davis and Connie Haines, who later had a solo RCA sacred album released. Sepia label did a wonderful job with the restoration of the old recordings...they sound fresh and timely, and the trio has a nice blend similar to The Fontane Sisters or Andrews Sisters. One of the tunes the trio covers is The McGuire Sisters semi-hit, "He's Got Time." The other selections on the CD are solos by Jane Russell with a few duets with Johnny Desmond and Mary McCarty that are nice. One of the good things about this CD is that the label passed on the lousy duets Russell recorded with the so-called singer, comic, Bob Hope...Hope could manage to spoil any artists' recordings, as he did with legends like Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney, as well as Russell. All in all, this is a nice CD with a fine booklet!

Outlaw, The
$6.99
Anyone who's followed Howard Hughes (or film in general) for any amount of time is familiar with the director's penchant for controversy. After all, controversy sells tickets (remember the hoopla about Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ?). By all accounts, his 1941-43-46 film (the staggered releases were due to various bans and censorship) The Outlaw succeeded dramatically on all accounts, becoming immortalized by the very forces that acted to suppress it in its day.

What's all the controversy about?

Sex, naturally.

The Outlaw was the debut appearance of the soon-to-be icon Jane Russell and her ample bosom, which caused quite a furor back in the days when married couples slept in separate beds and skirts were ankle-length. Russell and Hughes leave absolutely nothing to the imagination--in fact; he even designed a special bra to augment and display as much of Russell's chest as possible. Couple this with an innuendo laden script, and the blatant sexuality expressed by the actors in all facets of their performances, and you'll understand why this was a bit too steamy for the 1940s.

Whenever you watch a movie today and experience/enjoy the ubiquitous female bodies/sexuality that pervades them, you owe it to yourself to pay homage to the film that made all of this possible, the one that broke all of society's conventions.

This version of The Outlaw has been fully colorized for the first time, adding even more sizzle and life to this smoldering gem, insofar as that is possible! The color is as good as any first-generation true color film, and I feel it adds to the experience (having seen both versions).

Definitely worth a look for anyone interested in the history of film.

The Paleface
$9.99
It may not be politically correct. It may seem quaint in some of its assumptions. Paleface is still downright funny.