Category: Celebs

Jack Nicholson – His Most Iconic Roles!

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Layla Halfhill at /Film posted Jack Nicholson’s 15 Most Iconic Roles Ranked.  Her list is a good one.  Truth be told, I think when you’re talking about Jack Nicholson’s most iconic roles, they can be boiled down to three. Before you click over to Halfhill’s article, here are my picks and rationale for my choices…

3.  Randal McMurphy, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest – This is the movie that made people sit up and take notice of Nicholson’s acting.  For the longest time it was his most iconic role.

2.  Colonel Nathan Jessup, A Few Good Men – I chose this as Nicholson’s second most iconic role and it all boils down to the “You can’t handle the truth” scene.  While the role is not as iconic as my choice for #1, I’ll bet that the A Few Good Men line is quoted more often than “Here’s Johnny!”

1.  Jack Torrance, The Shining – Most people think of this role whenever Nicholson’s name is mentioned. Although Stephen King would argue, he was great in the role for Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.

RIP: Marilyn Eastman

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Marilyn Eastman, best known for her role in George Romero’s classic Night of the Living Dead, died yesterday at the age of 87.  No cause of death was given.

Ms. Eastman not only co-starred in Night of the Living Dead, she was also one producing partners of Image Ten – the company formed to finance the movie.  It’s interesting to note that Marilyn Eastman played Helen Cooper, the wife of Harry Cooper played by Karl Hardman, who was her real-life business and life partner.  In addition, Ms. Eastman also worked on make-up, props and assisted with the editing for Night of the Living Dead.

After filming of Night of the Living Dead, Marilyn Eastman returned to work at Hardman/Eastman, Inc., the production company she and Karl Hardman had created prior to the making of the horror classic.  Ms. Eastman would continue to make and/or appear in commercials and industrial films for the rest of her career.   In addition, Marilyn Eastman had roles in an episode of Perry Mason in 1960 and the movies Houseguest (1995) and Santa Claws (1996).

The only film/tv show I ever saw Marilyn Eastman act in was Night of the Living Dead.  I cannot tell you how many times I’ve see it, but I do know I’ve spent more time watching Ms. Eastman on screen than many, movie/tv stars with dozens more credits.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Marilyn Eastman’s family, friends and fans.

“Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Netflix comes up with interesting documentaries and Blood Brothers looks to be another good one.  Deal me in.

Blood Brothers tells the extraordinary and ultimately tragic story of the friendship between two of the most iconic figures of the 20th century: Muhammad Ali, the greatest boxer of all time, and Malcolm X, the Nation of Islam’s – and black America’s – most incendiary and charismatic leader.

This was the unlikeliest of friendships – the brash Olympic Champion who spoke in verse to the amusement of the white press and the ex-con intellectual-turned-revolutionary who railed against the evils of white oppression and dismissed sports as a triviality. But their bond was deep, their friendship real.

“Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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I like the poster (dig that shadow) and trailer for Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster.  Deal me in!

Beginning just before his debut as Frankenstein’s creation, BORIS KARLOFF: THE MAN BEHIND THE MONSTER compellingly explores the life and legacy of a cinema legend, presenting a perceptive history of the genre he personified. His films were long derided as hokum and attacked by censors. But his phenomenal popularity and pervasive influence endures, inspiring some of our greatest actors and directors into the 21st Century – among them Guillermo Del Toro, Ron Perlman, Roger Corman & John Landis all of whom and many more contribute their personal insights and anecdotes.

Sly Stallone’s Prison Movies Ranked!

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Yesterday we ranked every Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie, today we’ll rank Sly Stallone’s prison movies.  The idea came from Ryan Simon’s Every Sylvester Stallone Prison Movie Ranked From Worst To Best at ScreenRant.  I imagine there are a couple of surprises in my rankings…

Simon

Zablo

8. Escape Plan 2: Hades (2018)

8. Escape Plan 2: Hades (2018): I agree with Sly’s assessment.

7. Escape Plan: The Extractors (2019)

7. Escape Plan: The Extractors (2019): Sly & Bautista had chemistry and don’t that Stallone fight scene.

6. Lock Up (1989)

6. Demolition Man (1993): I like Demolition Man, but wish it had the same tone throughout as the opening helicopter scene.

5. Judge Dredd (1995)

5. Escape Plan (2013): I almost put this in the 4th spot. Sly & Arnold!

4. Escape Plan (2013)

4. Judge Dredd (1995): I wish they’d left out Rob Schnieder and played it straight. Armand Assante from Paradise Alley!

3. Victory (1981)

3. Tango & Cash (1989): Sly & Kurt Rusell in a fun action film!

2. Tango & Cash (1989)

2. Victory (1981): Not flashy, but directed by John Huston and co-starring Michael Caine! Also under-rated.

1. Demolition Man (1993)

1. Lock Up (1989): is under-rated in my book!

Arnold Schwarzenegger: Ranking His Action Movies!

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Kyle Wilson at ScreenRant posted Every Arnold Schwarzenegger Action Movie Ranked From Worst To Best.  I love lists and decided to play along.  Here’s how things shook out:

Wilson

Zablo

28. Batman And Robin (1997)

28. Conan The Destroyer (1984): I couldn’t believe the drop in quality from Conan to Conan the Destroyer.

27. Red Sonja (1985)

27. Red Sonja (1985): Sometimes it is better to say nothing.

26. The Expendables 3 (2014)

26. End Of Days (1999): I don’t remember much about End of Days other than not liking it.

25. The Expendables (2010)

25. The 6th Day (2000): See above.

24. The Expendables 2 (2012)

24. Batman And Robin (1997) was an all around over-the-top mess.

23. Collateral Damage (2002)

23. Collateral Damage (2002): I don’t remember much about this at all and that’s never good.

22. The 6th Day (2000)

22. The Running Man (1987): This just didn’t work for me on any level – it wasn’t funny and it wasn’t scary.

21. Terminator Genisys (2015)

21. Kindergarten Cop (1990): I thought it was just okay.

20. Raw Deal (1986)

20. Raw Deal (1986): I want to revisit Raw Deal. I thought it was okay with the potential to be better. I want to see how it has aged.

19. Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (2003)

19. Terminator Genisys (2015): Another okay film.

18. Conan The Destroyer (1984)

18. Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (2003): See above.

17. Eraser (1996)

17. Red Heat (1987): Like Raw Deal, this had potential. I need to revisit it.

16. End Of Days (1999)

16. The Last Stand (2013): was better than I thought it would be.

15. Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)

15. Terminator: Dark Fate (2019): While not on the level of the first two Terminator movies, it is better than those that followed.

14. Escape Plan (2013)

14. Last Action Hero (1993): I liked this film!

13. Red Heat (1987)

13. Total Recall (1990): Another Arnold classic!

12. Sabotage (2014)

12. Escape Plan (2013): I liked it and was surprised at how well received it was by fans and critics.

11. Last Action Hero (1993)

11. The Expendables 3 (2014): Sly and Arnold IV (see above for III).

10. The Last Stand (2013)

10. The Expendables 2 (2012): Sly & Arnold II.

9. Kindergarten Cop (1990)

9. The Expendables (2010): Finally Sly and Arnold together in a movie!

8. Conan The Barbarian (1982)

8. Conan The Barbarian (1982): I am a big fan of this movie. I would love to see King Conan with the right script and director.

7. True Lies (1994)

7. Eraser (1996): I liked this better than most folks. I need to revisit it.

6. Commando (1985)

6. Sabotage (2014): Nice change of pace for Arnold. I’m a huge fan.

5. The Running Man (1987)

5. True Lies (1994): I wish we had sequels to this one.

4. Predator (1987)

4. Commando (1985): A great mix of action and humor!

3. The Terminator (1984)

3. The Terminator (1984): A classic!

2. Total Recall (1990)

2. Predator (1987): A classic. Too bad we never got a sequel with Dutch!

1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

1. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991): IMHO, Arnold’s greatest film!

Video: Orson Welles Interviewing Burt Reynolds

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What we have today is an excerpt from the unsold and unaired pilot for The Orson Welles Show.  The show was planned for a 90 minute time slot and would feature Orson Welles interviewing/interacting with guest celebrities.  While Mr. Welles was a fantastic director and actor, I’m not sure his strong suit would also include interviewing others.  I also find it somewhat funny that both Burt Reynold and Orson Welles appear to be wearing the same outfit.


Source: WrongReel.

“Goldfinger” – Behind the Scenes Trivia!

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Matthew Jackson, at Mental Floss, came up with some really great trivia items in his 18 Behind-the-Scenes Facts About Goldfinger.  Before you click over here are three of my favorites and my thoughts on each…

THERE ARE KEY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE BOOK VERSION OF GOLDFINGER AND THE MOVIE.  (In the novel Goldfinger plans to steal all the gold from Fort Knox.  In the movie he plans to set off a dirty bomb in Fort Knox making the gold there unusable.  The movie version is a cleverer idea and aligns more with what a Bond villain would do. – Craig)

GOLDFINGER ESTABLISHED MANY JAMES BOND FIRSTS.  (There are things we expect to see in every Bond film and Goldfinger established many of them: a cold open with Bond on an unrelated mission; an opening theme performed by a popular recording artist; and established the relationship between Bond and Q. – Craig)

GOLDFINGER’S FAMOUS LASER BEAM SCENE CAUSED A HEADACHE FOR THE VISUAL EFFECTS TEAM. (This is perhaps the most iconic scene between Bond and a villain and it is interesting to read how the scene was created and why the sweat we see on Connery’s face is real as the laser beam inches towards his crotch. – Craig)

Sly Stallone Recognized for Having a #1 Box Office Movie for Six Decades Straight!

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I love that Deadline recognized Sly Stallone for having a number #1 film at the box office for six decades straight!  Mindboggling, isn’t.  And there is more to come.  Click on the photo above to see a bigger scan.

Here’s Sly’s response posted on his official instagram:

Thank you for making me feel like I’m on top of the world. It’s been a great career thanks to all of you! Keep punching, sly. Thank you @jamesgunn

“Small Engine Repair” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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It wasn’t until I watched about half of the first trailer below that I thought, “Yeah, this is going to be one for me.”  I like both the trailers and the poster for Small Engine Repair.  Deal me in.

Frank (John Pollono), Swaino (Jon Bernthal) and Packie (Shea Whigham) are lifelong friends who share a love of the Red Sox, rowdy bars and Frank’s teenaged daughter Crystal (Ciara Bravo). But when Frank invites his pals to a whiskey-fueled evening and asks them to do a favor on behalf of the brash young woman they all adore, events spin wildly out of control. Based on Pollono’s award-winning play, Small Engine Repair is a pitch-black comedic drama with a wicked twist, and a powerful exploration of brotherhood, class struggle and toxic masculinity.

Directed by John Pollono

Starring: Jon Bernthal, Shea Whigham, Jordana Spiro, John Pollono

In theaters 9/10/21.