The Hot Spot

The 1990 movie The Hot Spot, directed by Dennis Hopper and based on a 1953 novel called Hell Hath No Fury, was the sweatiest noir since 1982’s Body Heat. It’s a coiled, twisting tale of robbery, blackmail, adultery and (maybe) murder, but the best thing about it is its soundtrack. Assembled by producer Jack Nitzsche, it’s mostly a collection of simple blues riffs and melodies (the exception being the orchestral “Gloria’s Story”), but the band he put together to play them is what makes all the difference. John Lee Hooker on acoustic guitar and vocals. Miles Davis on trumpet. Taj Mahal and Roy Rogers (the slide player, not the singing cowboy) on guitar. Tim Drummond on bass. Earl Palmer on drums. Together they create a kind of atmospheric, dreamlike version of Delta blues. Hooker hums and murmurs isolated phrases (“moanin’, groanin’”, “that ain’t right, that ain’t right”, “sad, sad, sad”) almost to himself and plays guitar in his gnarled, twanging style as Davis, who was always a stunning blues player, blows cutting, muted lines beside him. The other guitarists fill in around them, and Palmer slaps out deeply felt, minimal grooves (“Bank Robbery” is a particular highlight), turning the whole album into a shimmering heat mirage best heard in the dark.