“The Horror of Dracula” by Hans Woody!
Hans Woody created this cool alt poster of Christopher Lee in The Horror of Dracula. It’s available in two limited editions from Mondo!
Category: Celebs
“It Ain’t Over” – The Trailer is Here!
While I’m not a regular viewer of baseball (by any stretch), I’d like to see It Ain’t Over.
Only in theaters in the New York Tri-State Area and Los Angeles May 12. Coming soon to a theater near you.
Directed By: Sean Mullin
Lawrence Peter “Yogi” Berra is one of baseball’s greatest. He amassed ten World Series rings, 3 MVP awards and 18 All-Star Game appearances. He caught the only perfect game in World Series history. Yet for many his deserved stature was overshadowed by his simply being himself and being recognized more for his unique personality, TV commercial appearances and unforgettable “Yogi-isms,” initially head-scratching philosophical nuggets that make a lot more sense the more you think about them. In telling the whole story, It Ain’t Over gives Berra his due in following the life of a savvy, commanding, bad-ball hitting catcher with a squat frame but also a D-Day veteran, loving husband and father and, yes, product endorser and originator (mostly) of his own brand of proverbs now ingrained into everyday life. Granddaughter Lindsay Berra tells his story along with his sons, former Yankee teammates, players he managed, writers, broadcasters, and admirers (such as Billy Crystal), plus photos and footage on and off the diamond. Berra famously said, “I’d be pretty dumb if I started being something I’m not,” and It Ain’t Over lovingly makes clear he stayed who he was for the benefit of baseball and everyone else.
“Duel” (1971) directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Dennis Weaver / Z-View
Duel (1971)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Writer: Richard Matheson
Stars: Dennis Weaver, Jacqueline Scott, Gene Dynarski, Lucille Benson, Tim Herbert, Charles Seel, Shirley O’Hara and Carey Loftin.
Tagline: A duel is about to begin between a man, a truck, and an open road. Where a simple battle of wits is now a matter of life and death.
The Plot…
David Mann (Weaver), a salesman, is having a bad day. He had an argument with his wife and she’s still ticked. He has another stop to make before heading home and it’s a long drive both ways. Mann’s day is about to get a lot worse when on a remote section of road an old tanker truck is creeping along. Mann finally gets a chance to pass and does. Almost immediately the tanker takes the lead back and then quickly slows down. As Mann tries to pass again, the trucker tries to force him off the road. The trucker makes it clear he plans to kill Mann. Miles out on a deserted road, what chance does Mann have?
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Duel was the tv movie that put Steven Spielberg on the map. He had directed a some television episodes (Marcus Welby, Night Gallery, The Name of the Game, The Psychiatrist, Columbo and Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law) prior to helming Duel. The response to Spielberg’s tv movie was so good that Spielberg was brought back to shoot additional scenes to bring the film to feature length. Duel was given a release in Europe, Australia and even a limited US release.
Richard Matheson provides the screenplay based on his short story of the same name. Matheson’s resume contains so many winners and Duel is on that list.
Dennis Weaver does an excellent job of acting especially since he’s often the only person on screen. It’s interesting to note the number of other performers who actually appear in the film because it’s Weaver and the trucker from hell that we remember.
I watched Duel when it premiered. I was spending the night at my grandparents. My grandpa and I watched together. (We both liked it a lot.)
Duel earns 4 of 5 stars.
“Listen, Judge” (1952) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View
Listen, Judge (1952)
Director: Edward Bernds
Writer: Elwood Ullman
Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Kitty McHugh, Vernon Dent, Emil Sitka, John Hamilton and Gil Perkins.
Tagline: They’re very long on laughs as very short-order cooks!
The Plot…
The boys are door-to-door repairmen hired to fix a doorbell. When our guys cause such a commotion that the chef and his staff leave, the Stooges are hired to cook and serve at a high class dinner party. What could go wrong?
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Listen, Judge was the first Stooges short released after Curly’s death. The film borrows from three previous Stooges outings: A Plumbing We Will Go (the courtroom chicken scene); They Stooge to Conga (the whole doorbell repair sequence) and An Ache in Every Stake (the food preparation scene).
Shemp having a chicken escape from his suit jacket immediately after a judge finds the boys not guilty of being chicken thieves due to a lack of evidence is hilarious.
Listen Judge earns 3 of 5 stars.
THE EXPENDABLES – As a Saturday Morning Cartoon!
If THE EXPENDABLES was a Saturday morning cartoon this could be the opening…
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Source: deadmanssh0es59
RIP: Tom Sizemore
Tom Sizemore died yesterday the result of a brain aneurysm. suffered on February 18, 2023. Mr. Sizemore remained in a coma and never regained consciousness. He was 61.
Tom Sizemore acted in feature films and television throughout his career. His first major role was in Sylvester Stallone’s Lock Up. That same year Mr. Sizemore also had smaller parts in Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July and Penn & Teller Get Mugged. Over the course of his career Tom Sizemore accumulated well over 200 acting credits. Although Mr. Sizemore had little trouble getting roles in major features and high profile projects, he sometimes struggled in his personal life.
Some of Tom Sizemore’s feature film appearances include: Lock Up; Penn & Teller Get Mugged; Born on the Fourth of July; Blue Steel; Point Break; Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man; Passenger 57; True Romance; Striking Distance; Wyatt Earp; Natural Born Killers; Strange Days; Devil in a Blue Dress; Heat; The Relic; Saving Private Ryan; Enemy of the State; Bringing Out the Dead; Get Carter (voice only); Pearl Harbor; Black Hawk Down; Dreamcatcher and Reach Me.
Some of Tom Sizemore’s television appearances include: China Beach (6 episodes); Witness to the Mob; Witness Protection; Sins of the Father; Justice League (2 episodes); Robbery Homicide Division (13 episodes); Dr. Vegas (6 episodes); Superstorm (3 episodes); CSI Miami; Crash (5 episodes); Southland; Entourage; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia; Hawaii Five-0 (5 episodes); The Red Road (7 episodes); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2 episodes); Lucifer; Shooter (6 episodes); Twin Peaks (6 episodes) and Cobra Kai.
I first became aware of Tom Sizemore is in Lock Up with Sylvester Stallone. It was also Mr. Sizemore’s first major film role. He would “appear” with Sly Stallone in two other films: Get Carter and Reach Me. I put appear in quotes since Tom Sizemore was a voice on the phone in Get Carter. Although you didn’t see him, his distinctive voice added gravitas to the role. My favorite Tom Sizemore role was Sergeant Horvath in Saving Private Ryan, but he was also so good in so many other parts. For a period of time it seemed Tom Sizemore was part of every big movie I was excited to see. And he always made them better.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tom Sizemore’s family, friends and fans.
THE LEGEND by John Rivoli!
John Rivoli is back with his latest ROCKY painting, THE LEGEND!
“Men in Black” (1934) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View
Men in Black (1934)
Director: Ray McCarey
Writer: Felix Adler
Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Phyllis Crane, Charles Dorety, Billy Gilbert and Bud Jamison
Tagline: A TONIC for the “BLUES”!
The Plot…
The boys are recent graduates (because they’d been there too long) from a medical school sent to work at a hospital. There our guys respond to a variety of calls with the type of success/zaniness you’d expect.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Men in Black was the third Three Stooges short and the only one to ever be nominated for an Academy Award. (It was nominated for Best Short Subject – Comedy. If only it had won. Can you imagine future ads proclaiming The Stooges as Academy Award Winners?)
Curly forgot a line and adlibbed his famous “Woo-woo-woo” which would go on to become one of his trademark phrases. Men in Black also contains many bits that would often turn up in Stooges shorts – the boys going into a quick huddle; breaking a plate glass door window repeatedly as they run through/by; pulling objects (bicycles, a horse, a go-cart) out of a closet that are obviously too big to fit, etc.
Men in Black earns 5 of 5 stars.
“What The Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears?” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!
I want to see WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS?. Check out the trailer below, and you may want to as well.
A political thriller with a classic rock band at the heart of the action, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS? is a feature-length documentary that unravels the details of the band’s controversial Iron Curtain Tour, featuring present-day interviews with band members and historians, the unsealing of government records, and documentary footage that has been suppressed for over 50 years. In Select Theaters March 2023.
“AGENT ELVIS” – The Official Trailer is Here!
I absolutely love the look of Agent Elvis. Deal me in.
He’s Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll by day, and Agent Elvis, a spy vigilante saving the world, by night.
FULL CAST: Matthew McConaughey, Kaitlin Olson, Johnny Knoxville, Niecy Nash, Tom Kenny, Don Cheadle, Priscilla Presley, Jason Mantzoukas, Asif Ali, Ed Helms, Christina Hendricks, Kieran Culkin, Fred Armisen, Chris Elliott, George Clinton, Craig Robinson, Simon Pegg, Ego Nwodim, Gary Cole, Jamie Costa, Tara Strong, Dee Bradley Baker, Jim Meskimen, Carlos Alazraqui, Cree Summer, Ilia Volok, Tony Cavalero, Michael Leon Wooley, and Eric Bauza.
MORE INFO ON AGENT ELVIS: This ten episode, Netflix adult animation series from Sony Pictures Animation is an irreverent action comedy starring Matthew McConaughey as Elvis Presley and follows Elvis as he lives a double-life as a secret agent. The show was created by Priscilla Presley and John Eddie, and was developed by Co-Showrunners Mike Arnold and John Eddie, who also serve as Executive Producers along with Executive Producers Kevin Noel, Matthew McConaughey, Priscilla Presley, with Fletcher Moules serving as Co-Executive Producer and Seranie Manoogian as Producer. Jamie Salter, Corey Salter, and Marc Rosen with Authentic Brands Group also served as Executive Producers. Vancouver-based Titmouse served as the animation studio with Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Antonio Canobbio, and Ben Kalina serving as Executive Producers and Gary Ye as Supervising Director, Chris Thompson as Art Director, and Josue Sanchez as Editor. Robert Valley created original character designs, and Agent Elvis’ wardrobe was designed by John Varvatos. Music and original score was composed by Tyler Bates and Timothy Williams.
Rambo by Adam Shippee
Adam Shippe, a long-time Sly Stallone fan, shared his take on Rambo and it’s a great one!
“The Woman King” (2022) starring Viola Davis / Z-View
The Woman King (2022)
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Writer: Dana Stevens from a story by Maria Bello, Dana Stevens
Stars: Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, John Boyega and Angélique Kidjo
Tagline: Inspired by true events.
The Plot…
Nanisca (Davis), leads an army of women warriors. She also has the ear of Dahomey’s King Ghezo (Boyega) as he prepares for a potential war with the Oyo. As Nanisca trains a new group of warriors, she also encourages King Ghezo to get out of the lucrative slave trade business with the Porteguese.
When Nanisca and a group of her warriors free women abducted by the Oyo, it is the spark needed to set the war in motion. The Oyo outnumber the Dahomey and as the tension escalates, the new warriors will have to be ready for the battles to come.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The Woman King is extremely well done. It was nominated for two Screen Actors Guild Awards (Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture and Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role – Viola Davis); won the American Film Institutes Movie of the Year award; was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture: Drama – Viola Davis; nominated for 5 Hollywood Critics Association awards: Best Action Film, Best Director, Best Cast Ensemble, Best Actress (Viola Davis), Best Picture to name just a few of the honors The Woman King has earned.
Viola Davis is convincing as a woman who could lead woman and battle men. Her women warriors went through rigorous training to get in shape for months prior to filming and it paid off on screen.
The Woman King earns 4 of 5 stars.
“The Scarlet Clue” (1945) starring Sidney Toler & Mantan Moreland / Z-View
The Scarlet Clue (1945)
Director: Phil Rosen
Writer: George Callahan based on the character by Earl Derr Biggers
Stars: Sidney Toler, Mantan Moreland, Ben Carter, Benson Fong, Virginia Brissac, Robert Homans and Leonard Mudie
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
Charlie Chan (Toler), aided by his valet Birmingham (Moreland) and his son Tommy (Fong) are working for the US Government tracking down spies trying to steal radar secrets. The trail leads to a radio station where one of the many suspects is murdered… with no visible cause for the death! As Charlie gets closer to solving the murder, the more at risk he, his son and Birmingham become!
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The Scarlet Clue features a murder that’s pretty shocking for a Charlie Chan film made in 1945.
Mantan Moreland and Ben Carter recreate two of their nightclub acts for the film. The more screen time a movie gives Mantan, the better the film will be.
At one point Charlie, his son and Birmingham are learning about the dangers of some of the radio station equipment. In the scene it appears that Sidney Toler was actually shocked!
The Scarlet Clue earns 4 of 5 stars.
RIP: Ricou Browning
Ricou Browning died on February 27, 2023, from natural causes. He was 93.
Best known as the actor who played The Creature from the Black Lagoon in all of the movie’s underwater scenes, Mr. Browning was much more. Over the course of his career Ricou Browning was an actor, stunt man, writer, producer and director.
Ricou Browning was born in Fort Pierce, Florida and he majored in physical education at Florida State University. Mr. Browning worked as a performer at both Wakulla Springs and Weeki Wachee Springs. When a camera crew came to Weeki Wachee it was Mr. Browning who showed them around and swam underwater for their test shots. They liked what they saw and Ricou Browning was offered the part of the Creature for all underwater filming. Mr. Browning could hold his breath for extended periods of time and that was a plus for the role. Mr. Browning was brought back to play the Creature in both sequels, Revenge of the Creature and The Creature Walks Among Us.
As an actor Ricou Browning appeared in: Creature from the Black Lagoon; Revenge of the Creature; The Creature Walks Among Us; Sea Hunt (tv – 1 episode); Flipper’s New Adventure and Flipper (tv – 2 episodes).
Ricou Browning wrote or co-wrote: Flipper; Flipper’s New Adventure; Flipper (tv – 33 episodes); Salty; Island Claws; Flipper (1996) and Flipper (tv – 34 episodes).
Ricou Browning severed as director for: Flipper (tv – 37 episodes); Thunderball (2nd unit – underwater sequences); Around the World Under the Sea (underwater sequences); Gentle Ben (tv – 14 episodes); Off to See the Wizard; Island of the Lost (underwater sequences); Hello Down There (underwater sequences); Primus (2 episodes); Joe Panther (2nd unit); Hot Stuff (2nd unit); Caddyshack (2nd unit); Salty; Mr. No Legs; Nobody’s Perfekt (2nd unit) and Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (2nd unit).
Ricou Browning performed stunt work for: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (stunt diver); Don’t Give Up the Ship (Jerry Lewis’ underwater swimming double); The Heavenly Kid (stunt coordinator); Opposing Force (stunt coordinator).
Ricou Browning will forever be linked with one of the Classic Universal Movie Monsters, The Creature from the Black Lagoon. If that was the only thing he ever did, Mr. Browning’s legend would live forever. As you can see from his resume, he was a rare talent who could do it all.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ricou Browning’s family, friends and fans.
“Last Sentinel” starring Kate Bosworth – The Poster and Trailer are Here!
Although the poster for Last Sentinel is boring, the trailer looks interesting.
Set in the near future, a skeleton crew of soldiers is stranded at sea on an abandoned military outpost awaiting the arrival of reinforcements or an enemy invasion, whichever comes first.
Starring: Kate Bosworth, Thomas Kretschmann, Lucien Laviscount, and Martin McCann
Directed by: Tanel Toom
Release Date: 3/24/23
