Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Every year the Cartoon Art Museum does a fundraiser. Artists take on commissions with the funds raised going to support the Museum. It’s a great cause by awesome artists who share their talents in an effort to support the Museum.
This year one of the two artists I commissioned was Christian “Meesimo” Meesey. As you can see, I asked for Stallone and Mr. T from Rocky III.
Meesimo came through with a knockout addition to my collection.
Got to love this creative alt poster for Reservoir Dogs by Huan Do.
The Lost World (1925)
Director: Harry O. Hoyt
Screenplay: Marion Fairfax; based on THE LOST WORLD by Arthur Conan Doyle
Stars: Bessie Love, Lewis Stone, Wallace Beery, Lloyd Hughes and Arthur Conan Doyle.
Tagline: See the mighty prehistoric monsters clash with modern lovers in a most remarkable story of love, romance and amazing adventure.
The Plot…
Explorer Maple White is missing. His journal details an amazing lost land where dinosaurs still roam! A newspaper sponsors a rescue party consisting of Professor Challenger (an ecentric professor), his butler Austin, Paula White (Maple’s adult daughter), Sir John Roxton, the newspaper’s reporter Edward Malone (reluctantly going to impress his fiancée), Professor Summerlee (who is skeptical that they will find living dinosaurs), and Zambo (an Indian servant).
The rescue team finds more than expected… and may themselves need rescuing!
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The Lost World is the first US (and maybe the world) feature film to feature stop motion animation photography as the primary special effect.
In April 1925, The Lost World became the first in-flight movie shown to passengers on a London to Paris flight by Imperial Airways.
Buyers beware. The Lost World has fallen into public domain so there are many shoddy copies out there.
The Lost World (1925) rates 4 of 5 stars.
I love this Greg Smallwood painting of Batman being stalked by Killer Croc in a sewer. In some ways it reminds me of the Batman painted cards I collected as a kid, but if they were issued by Vertigo. Now this set-up screams of a Batman movie I’d want to see.
Click on the art to see a Killer-Croc sized version.
Weapons (2025)
Director: Zach Cregger
Screenplay: Zach Cregger
Stars: Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Cary Christopher, Benedict Wong, Anny Jules, Howard St. John, Ali Burch, Alden Ehrenreich, Whitmer Thomas, Melissa Ponzio and Amy Madigan.
Tagline: Last night at 2:17 am every child from Mrs. Gandy’s class woke up, got out of bed, went downstairs, opened the front door, walked into the dark …and they never came back.
The Plot…
At 2:17 am, while nearly everyone in Maybrook, Pennsylvania, was fast asleep, 17 children got out of their beds, quietly left their homes and disappeared. Several security cameras caught the children running from their homes into the night. Police were stymied. The children vanished with no clues as to where or why.
When it became clear that all of the children were in Justine Gandy’s third grade class, she became the main suspect. Police questioned Ms. Gandy but there was nothing linking her to the disappearance. It was a strange case. All but one of the children in Justine Gandy’s class were missing. Only one, Alex Lilly, showed up for school the next day. Neither Alex or his parents had any idea what/who was behind the missing children.
Justine Gandy, frustrated with police efforts decides to investigate. She believes that Alex’s parents know more than they are saying.
She will find out just how wrong she is…
Archer Graff, the parent of a missing student, frustrated with police efforts decides to investigate. He believes Justine Gandy knows more than she is saying.
He’ll find out just how wrong he is…
Ring the bell. School’s in.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Netflix premiered Weapons at 2:17 am, the same time as the disappearance of the children.
Amy Madigan was perfect!
Weapons (2025) rates 4 of 5 stars.
Check out this creepy Carrie Alt Poster by Sara Deck!
The Undercover Man (1949)
Director: Joseph H. Lewis
Screenplay: Sydney Boehm, Malvin Wald (additional dialogue) based on Undercover Man: He Trapped Capone by Frank J. Wilson from a story outline by Jack Rubin
Stars: Glenn Ford, Nina Foch, James Whitmore, Barry Kelley, David Bauer (as David Wolfe), Howard St. John, Leo Penn, Esther Minciotti, Angela Clarke, Anthony Caruso, Robert Osterloh, Kay Medford, Patricia Barry (as Patricia White) and Peter Brocco.
Tagline: TOLD WITH THE SNARL OF A MACHINE GUN!
The Plot…
US Treasury Agent Frank Warren has been assigned to bring down the mob boss know as Big Fellow. Every witness or informent is terrified from testifying, paid off or found dead. Then Warren gets a lead from an unexpected source.
Now Big Fellow has targeted Frank Warren and his wife to die.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Big Fellow was of course based on Al Capone.
The Undercover Man marks James Whitmore’s feature film debut.
Leo Penn is the father of actors Sean and Chris Penn.
The Undercover Man (1949) rates 3 of 5 stars.
Mike Deodato created this amazing Wolverine piece. I love the drawing and what Mike had to say about it. Here’s part of it, click over for the full statement…
Age didn’t break Wolverine.
It forged him. Tempered the fire, focused the fury.The scars are not wounds anymore. They’re stories.
Proof that he’s been through everything and somehow still stands — steady, deliberate, unstoppable.
“Loudermilk”: Season 3 (2020)
Created by: Peter Farrelly & Bobby Mort
Teleplay by:
Directed by:
Stars: Ron Livingston, Will Sasso, Anja Savcic, Brian Regan, Jackie Flynn, Timothy Webber,
Ricky Blitt, Tyler Layton-Olson, Viv Leacock, Sam Bob, Laura Mennell and Eric Keenleyside.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
Sam Loudermilk was once a popular music critic. Now Sam is a recovering alcoholic and substance-abuse group leader. Sam has a good heart, but an acid tongue. He doesn’t hesitate to give his opinions on the absurd things/people he comes in contact with. Sam’s best friends are his roomate, Ben (also a recovering alcoholic) and the regulars that attend his group sessions.
In season three Sam deals with…
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
I just discovered Loudermilk this year. The series is funny and has heart. The supporting cast is a hoot. If you enjoy a fun 30 minute sitcom, give Loudermilk a shot.
“Loudermilk’: Season 3 (2020) earns 4 of 5 stars.
Monsters by Barret Chapman! This beauty is available as a limited edition fine art Giclee print.
Marv from Frank Miller’s Sin City is one of my all-time favorite characters. I love seeing artists do their “take” on the big lug. Today we have a Marv by Alex Ogle.
The Big Steal (1949)
Director: Don Siegel
Screenplay: Gerald Drayson Adams, Daniel Mainwaring (as Geoffrey Homes) based on “The Road to Carmichael’s” by Richard Wormser
Stars: Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, William Bendix, Patric Knowles, Ramon Novarro, Don Alvarado and John Qualen.
Tagline: It’s a tough, terrific adventure in grand larceny! But, there’s more than money on his mind…when he mixes with this gal with the million dollar figure!
The Plot…
$300,000 was robbed from a U.S. military payroll. Army lieutenant Duke Halliday wants the money. He knows Jim Fiske has it, but Fiske is on the lam. Duke is in pursuit. Duke’s superior, Captain Blake is after both Duke and Fiske. Blake intends to get the money back.
Fiske makes it across the US/Mexican border with both Duke and Blake not far behind. In Mexico, Duke meets Joan Graham. Fiske scammed her for $2,000.00. Duke and Joan reluctantly agree to work together.
Fiske is desperate. He’s come too far to lose the money. And he’ll kill anyone who gets in his way. Duke and Joan are in his way.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Don Siegel, who would go on to helm classics such as Dirty Harry and Invasion of the Body Snatchers does a fine job in his third outing as a feature film director.
The film’s shooting schedule was disrupted by Robert Mitchum’s 50-day prison sentence for marijuana possession.
Jane Russell was up for the female lead, but Howard Hughes was worried that Mitchum’s marijuana arrest would reflect badly on her. Russell was RKO Studios biggest female star and Hughes nixed her for the role. Lizabeth Scott refused the part, because she was also afraid it would tarnish her career. Jane Greer, who had worked with Mitchum in Out of the Past, got the role.
The Big Steal is the 1940s version of a chase movie.
There’s a couple of unexpected twists at the end. The Big Steal is a fun ride.
The Big Steal (1949) rates 4 of 5 stars.
Sly Stallone as Dwight Manfredi, The Tulsa King by Tony Nasa Gramegna.
The Iron Claw (2023)
Director: Sean Durkin
Screenplay: Sean Durkin
Stars: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney, Stanley Simons, Lily James, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Garrett Hammond, Cazzey Louis Cereghino, Kevin Anton, Michael Papajohn and Holt McCallany.
Tagline: Sons. Brothers. Champions.
The Plot…
The Von Erich family is known in professional wrestling circles not only for their legendary rise to the top, but also the multiple tragedies they suffered along the way.
Fritz Von Erich, although a successful professional wrestler, never became champion. This left him bitter. Fritz had five sons. One died tragically at an early age. The four others were given a strict upbringing and became professional wrestlers. Fritz pinned his dream of winning a championship on his sons. This brought the boys closer together.
A championship was in the family’s future, but also the tragedies of three more sons dying along the way.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The Iron Claw is the true story of the Von Erich family. Some changes were made to timeline of events, which is expected since the film isn’t a documentary. The family was said to be cursed. There were even more family deaths than appear in the film.
Holt McCallany is excellent as Fritz Von Erich.
I have never seen a part more miscast than that of Aaron Dean Eisenberg as Ric Flair.
The Iron Claw (2023) rates 4 of 5 stars.
There have been several attempts to revive The Creature from the Black Lagoon. (And I wish someone would get it done!) John Carpenter was involved with a reboot for a while, but that project never crossed the finish line.
What we see here today is concept art created by Miles Teves. Teves has worked in film/television as a concept artist, illustrator, and makeup FX sculptor since 1984. The illustrations here were created for a possible Creature from the Black Lagoon reboot around 1997. At that time Carpenter had moved on and Ivan Reitman was leading the charge. Sadly, Reitman’s movie never made it to filming.
It’s interesting to note the changes Teves made from the original CFTBL design. Note the tail and a more lizard-like appearance.
Source: Body Snatchers.
