Author: Craig Zablo

“House of the Rising Sun” directed by Brian A. Miller, starring Dave Bautista, Amy Smart, Danny Trejo, Dominic Purcell and Craig Fairbass / Z-View

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House of the Rising Sun (2011)

Director: Brian A. Miller

Screenplay: Chuck Hustmyre and Brian A. Miller; based on HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN by Chuck Hustmyre

Stars: Dave Bautista, Amy Smart, Dominic Purcell, Craig Fairbrass, Tim Fields, Jesse Pruett, Joe Ochman and Danny Trejo.

Tagline:  They took his badge. He kept the gun.

The Plot…

Ray Shane is an ex-cop and ex-con.  Shane did a five year stretch for corruption.  Now he’s head of security for the strip club called “The House of the Rising Sun”.  The strip club is actually a front for an illegal gambling club.  That’s where the real money is made.

One night on Shane’s watch, the club is robbed.  Things go from bad to worse when Shane discovers the safe was holding $300,000.  That much cash should never have been on hand.  Worse still, the club owner’s son is killed during a shootout with the masked thieves.

Both the cops and Ray’s underworld boss consider Ray the prime suspect.  The cops are looking for just enough to arrest Ray.  His boss needs just a bit more info to place a hit on Ray.

If Ray doesn’t find the real killers soon, it will be too late.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)… 

House of the Rising Sun features Dave Bautista’s first starring role in a feature film.  Bautista is backed up by a decent supporting cast for a low-budget crime film: Amy Smart, Dominic Purcell, Craig Fairbrass and Danny Trejo.

The movie had potential but falls short of expectations.

The movie is based on HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN by Chuck Hustmyre.  Here’s what Hustmyre said in the paperback release of his novel:

If you’ve seen the low-budget Lionsgate action movie, “House of the Rising Sun”, first let me apologize.  I wish I could give you back those wasted ninety minutes of your life.  The movie is a TERRIBLE adaptation of my novel.  And yes, I wrote the screenplay, but director Brian A. Miller hijacked my original script and turned what could have been a decent neo-noir crime thriller into a godawful mess…

Hustmyre wrote more, but I think you get the gist.

House of the Rising Sun (2011) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Rocky” Alt Poster by Sahin Düzgün!

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Sahin Düzgün is a graphic designer and poster artist from Berlin, Germany.  Sahin is also a movie enthusiast with great taste as you can see from his alt Rocky poster above.

Here is what Sahin had to say about his design:  Against the odds, under the lights, and with the heart of a champion — a design inspired by the ultimate underdog story.

Apollo: Ain’t gonna be no rematch.
Rocky: Don’t want one.

“Conan the Barbarian” Alt Poster by Yvan Quinet!

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I love the intensity that Yvan Quinet brings to his Conan the Barbarian alt poster.  Quinet has made it available in a limited edition…

Available here:
https://www.yvanquinet.com/giclee-print

– 24″x 36″ GICLEE print
– Printed on Studio Etching Rag 295gsm
– 20 copies
– Signed and Numbered

You can see more of Yvan Quinet’s art at his website and/or his Instagram page.

Steranko’s “Outland” Adaptation!

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One of the greatest movie to comic adaptations is Steranko’s Outland.  It ran for six months in Heavy Metal.  Sadly, the adaptation has never been reprinted.  John Dell called the series “Steranko’s narrative masterpiece”.  Who could argue that?

Click on the source link below to see more Steranko Outland art in an Outlandish size.

Source: John Dell at the Official STERANKO Fan Page

“Eeinie Meanie” (2025) written & directed by Shawn Simmons, starring Samara Weaving, Karl Glusman and Andy Garcia / Z-View

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Eeinie Meanie (2025)

Director: Shawn Simmons

Screenplay: Shawn Simmons

Stars: Samara Weaving, Karl Glusman, Andy Garcia, Jermaine Fowler, Marshawn Lynch, Randall Park, Mike O’Malley, Elle Graham, Kyanna Simone, Chris Bauer, Chelsey Crisp, Phuong Kubacki, Tim Neff and Steve Zahn.

Tagline:  She can get away from anything. Except him.

The Plot…

Edie Meaney had a rough childhood.  When she was 14 her drunk, drug-abusing parents had her driving them home.  When a cop pulled Edie over, her dad ordered her to speed away.  She did and a high speed chase was on.  Edie crashed.  The wreck killed her mom and left her dad a paraplegic.

Edie spent the rest of her teen years in one terrible foster home after another.  Finally on her own as a young woman, Edie fell in love with John.  John was a small time hood who worked for a crime boss named Nico.  Nico planned robberies.  John did them and Edie drove the getaway car.  It was Nico who nicknamed Edie, Eeeny Meanie.

Edie finally came to her senses.  She realized her life could only end in jail or dead if she didn’t change.  So she did.  A few months ago she left John and a life of crime behind.  She got a job at a bank to put herself through college.  Things were finally off to a good (and legitimate) start.

Then Edie discovers she’s pregnant.

The baby is John’s.  So she decides to let him know.  That’s when she learns John owes Nico a lot of money.  Enough to get him killed.  Of course if Edie will drive getaway on a big score, Nico will forgive the debt… and save John’s life will be saved.

Buckle up!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)… 

The framework for Eenie Meanie is well known but there are twists to keep it interesting.

Andy Garcia is having a great second career as THE bad guy.

Eeinie Meanie (2025) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Wick is Pain” (2025) starring Keanu Reeves, Chad Stahelski, David Leitch / Z-View

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Wick is Pain (2025)

Director: Jeffrey Doe

Stars: Keanu Reeves, Chad Stahelski, David Leitch, Scott Adkins, Daniel Bernhardt, Halle Berry, Hu Chen, Common, Jason Constantine, Jonathan Eusebio, Laurence Fishburne, Daniel Hernandez, Anjelica Huston, Basil Iwanyk and Mark Dacascos.

Tagline: The making of a killer franchise.

The Plot…

Wick Is Pain takes us behind the scenes detailing how the John Wick franchise came into existence.  Wick is Pain features current interviews with Keanu Reeves, Chad Stahelski, David Leitch as well as Wick franchise co-stars and stunt people.  Integrated into the interviews are behind-the-scenes footage from the Wick films.

We learn how the screenplay initially titled scorn morphed into John Wick.  How and why the first film almost wasn’t made… and the surprising celebrity that saved the day.  We are taken on a journey that explores why two men best known as for stunts were given the reins of the first movie.  How the first film changed action films forever.  We also learn that the road for each film had its own challenges both in front and behind the camera.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)… 

Wick is Pain is a fun, informative ride.

Keanu Reeves enthusiasm is contagious.

Wick is Pain gets my highest recommendation.

Wick is Pain (2025) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“The Wagons Roll at Night” (1941) starring Humphrey Bogart, Sylvia Sidney, Eddie Albert and Joan Leslie / Z-View

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The Wagons Roll at Night (1941)

Director: Ray Enright

Screenplay: Fred Niblo Jr., Barry Trivers based on Kid Galahad by Francis Wallace

Stars: Humphrey Bogart, Sylvia Sidney, Eddie Albert, Joan Leslie, Sig Ruman, Frank Wilcox, John Ridgely, Clara Blandick, Aldrich Bowker and Garry Owen.

Tagline:  FOR THE MILLIONS WHO CHEERED “THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT”!

The Plot…

Nick Coster is trying to hold his combination circus/fair together.  It’s not an easy life.  Caesar, one of his lions is getting meaner by the day.  To make matters worse his lion tamer is an alcoholic whose drinking is getting worse.  Add in the day to day troubles and Nick is just keeping his head above water.

The circus had just arrived at the outskirts of another city when Caesar escaped.  Nick gets word and heads into town.  He fears the worst — that he will have to out down Caesar because the lion killed someone.

To Nick’s great surprise, a young shopkeeper named Matt Varney has trapped Caesar in his store.  Matt used a chair to direct the beast into a corner and then barricaded it.  Word spreads quickly that Matt Varney tamed the lion!

As his crew captures Caesar, Nick sees a way to cash in.  Word will spread about the handsome young man who tamed Caesar, the King of Beasts!  Nick offers Matt a job.  Matt is hesitant.  He was afraid of Caesar, but did what needed to be done.  Nick says that he will have his lion tamer train Matt and promises to bring Matt along slowly.  Matt agrees.

The publicity works.  People from city to city come in droves to see the brave young man.  Although the old lion tamer does most of the work, the crowd is happy to see Nick in his limited role.  Nick is happy to keep his word and not push Matt to do more than he’s ready for.

That all changes when Matt falls in love with Nick’s sister.  Matt doesn’t want her to have anything to do with circus people.  When Matt refuses to stop seeing Nick’s sister, Nick begins to push Matt to take more of a role in the lion cage.  Caesar is getting worse and Matt’s not ready.

Welcome to the big top!  The show’s about to start!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)… 

The Wagons Roll at Night is considered to be the first “A” film to star Humphrey Bogart.

If you only know Sylvia Sidney as Juno, the overworked, cynical chain-smoking and very dead caseworker in the afterlife that she played Beetlejuice you’re in for a treat.

The Wagons Roll at Night (1941) rates 3 of 5 stars.

Burt Reynolds’ Best Movies

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Rob Hunter at /Film came up with his list of Burt Reynolds Best Movies.  I decided to play along and came up with my list as well.  Before (or after) you click over to read Hunter’s rationale for his choices, you can (if you’re so inclined) read my thoughts below.

Burt Reynolds Best Movies

Hunter

Zablo
01. Deliverance

01. Smokey and the Bandit

02. Smokey and the Bandit

02. Sharky’s Machine

03. Hooper

03. Longest Yard, The

04. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

04. Hooper

05. The Longest Yard

05. The Last Movie Star
06. White Lightning

06. Driven
07. Fade In

07. Man Who Loved Cat Dancing, The

08. Hustle

08. Malone
09. Heat

09. Heat
10. Sharky’s Machine

10. Deliverance
11. Navajo Joe

11. End, The

12. The End

12. W.W. And the Dixie Dance Kings

There are three films on Hunter’s list that I haven’t seen: The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Fade In and Navajo Joe.

Now the rationale for my choices…

12.  WW and the Dixie Dance Kings – this is kind of a sentimental choice.  My mom and dad were divorced and we had moved out of state.  Dad was down visiting and took us to see the film.  Dad wasn’t a movie guy, but he enjoyed Burt Reynolds.  Great memories, even if the movie isn’t.

11.  The End – I thought this was really funny when I saw it during its theatrical release.  Re-visited it years later and was surprised it didn’t hold up as well.  The movie takes off once Dom DeLuise shows up.  Wish he made his appearance sooner.

10. Deliverance – Arguably it features Burt Reynolds best acting of his career.  The movie has one of my favorite Reynolds’ scenes – when Ned Beatty is getting molested and the camera cuts to Reynolds ready to shoot an arrow.  It would rate higher if the movie was one I liked to revisit.

09.  Heat – A serviceable action picture with Reynolds as a bodyguard whose dream stays out of reach because of his behaviors.

08.  Malone – Made the year before Heat, and about the same quality.  Reynolds is ex-CIA who helps a family survive small town corruption.

07.  The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing – Burt Reynolds is joined by Sarah Miles,  Lee J. Cobb, Jack Warden, George Hamilton, Bo Hopkins and Jay Silverheels (!) in a western.  I thought the Reynolds character was so cool!  (Hey! I was in 8th grade.)

06.  Driven – I’d always hoped to see Burt Reynolds and Sly Stallone co-starring in a movie.  While it wasn’t the action-fest that could/should have happened earlier in both stars’ careers, they did get to share the screen.

05.  The Last Movie Star – Made at the very end of Reynolds’ career.  I believe it to feature his best performance.  I wish more people would see this film.

04.  Hooper – Reynolds plays an aging stunt man.  He’s joined by Sally Field, Jan-Michael Vincent, Brian Keith, Hal Needham, Adam West and even Terry Bradshaw.  I saw it twice during it’s theatrical run.  Good times.

03.  The Longest Yard (1974) – Although Reynolds appeared in the Adam Sandler remake, the original is the one to see!  I first saw this with our 10th grade football team. Our coach arranged for us to go see it as a team.  What a perfect film for a tenth grader.  We started calling ourselves “Mean Machine” and it must have worked.  We were county champs that year.  Great memories and the film holds up still.

02.  Sharky’s Machine – I love this film.  I hoped that we’d see some sequels with Reynolds continuing to direct and star.  It wasn’t to be, but at least we have this gem. Oh, and what a great soundtrack!

01.  Smokey and the Bandit – Jackie Gleason, Sally Field, and the black Trans Am!  I love this film.  You can see the joy that they had making it.  My brother-in-law (RIP) could do a great Bufford T. Justice impersonation.  Great memories.

 

“First Blood” Alt Poster by Charlie Griak!

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Charlie Griak has created an amazing First Blood alt poster.  Here’s part of what he said about the film…

I created this poster as a tribute to First Blood, a film that’s become one of my all-time favorites. I love its raw emotional intensity – this movie really stuck with me.

Click on the link and see Charlie’s complete statement and more of his amazing art.