Category: Celebs

“The Protege” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by


Wow!  The Protege has a lot going for it.  The poster works (I didn’t see the Maggie Q image the first couple of looks at it), and the trailer makes me want to see more., Martin Campbell knows how to direct action and the three leads, Michael Keaton, Maggie Q. and Samuel L. Jackson put butts in seats.  I think The Protege is going to be a winner.

On a side note, I like Michael Keaton better as a bad guy and why don’t we see Maggie Q. in more stuff?

Rescued as a child by the legendary assassin Moody (Samuel L. Jackson) and trained in the family business, Anna (Maggie Q) is the world’s most skilled contract killer. But when Moody – the man who was like a father to her and taught her everything she needs to know about trust and survival – is brutally killed, Anna vows revenge. As she becomes entangled with an enigmatic killer (Michael Keaton) whose attraction to her goes way beyond cat and mouse, their confrontation turns deadly and the loose ends of a life spent killing will weave themselves even tighter.

Directed by Martin Campbell and written by Richard Wenk, the film is produced by Arthur Sarkissian, Moshe Diamant, Rob Van Norden, Yariv Lerner, and Chris Milburn.

Lionsgate and Millennium Media present, a Millennium Media / Fourteen Films / I Road production, in association with Campbell Grobman Films / Ingenious Media.

RIP: Norman Lloyd

Posted on by


Norman Lloyd, actor, director and producer with a career that spanned over 70 years, died yesterday in his sleep at the age of 106.  

Mr, Lloyd began his career as a spy in Alfred Hitchcock’s Saboteur.  He acted in Charlie Chaplin’s classic Limelight.  Throughout his career Norman Lloyd alternated between acting in feature films and television, directing and producing.

In addition to Saboteur and Limelight, some of my other favorite Norman Lloyd roles could be found on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, St. Elsewhere, and Wiseguy.  In addition Mr. Lloyd could be found acting in Night Gallery, Audrey Rose, Kojak, Dead Poets Society, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Modern Family just to give you an idea of the range he played.  What a career.  What a life!

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Norman Lloyd’s family, friends and fans.  

Ranking the Films of Stanley Kubrick

Posted on by


Robert Vaux at ComicBook.com decided to look at the Rotten Tomatoes ranking of every film by Stanley Kubrick.  I enjoy this kind of thing and decided to see how I would rank Kubrick’s films..  Here’s how the rankings compare.

Rotten Tomatoes

Craig

13. Fear And Desire

*** Fear And Desire

*** Lolita

*** Barry Lyndon

I haven’t seen the above films so my rating will be for my top 10 Kubrick films.

12. Eyes Wide Shut

11. Killer’s Kiss

10. The Shining

10. 2001: A Space Odyssey: I’ve watched this several times over the decades, but it is just not for me.

9. A Clockwork Orange

9. Eyes Wide Shut: I didn’t care for it. I plan to give it another shot some day to see if my opinion changes.

8. Lolita

8. Killer’s Kiss: I liked it. Another viewing might even move it higher on my Kubrick list.

7. Barry Lyndon

7. Paths Of Glory: I liked Paths of Glory, but not as much as most folks. Perhaps a new viewing will give me a new opinion.

6. Full Metal Jacket

6. The Shining: I think the, uh, shine has come off this one over the years. I still like it although it is more Kubrick than King.

5. 2001: A Space Odyssey

5. A Clockwork Orange: Such a strange film. I look forward to seeing it again since it has been a while.

4. Spartacus

4. Full Metal Jacket: One of my favorite war films.

3. Paths Of Glory

3. Spartacus: Perhaps the greatest epic of them all!

2. The Killing

2. The Killing: If you like crime/noir, The Killing is for you (and me, too).

1. Dr. Strangelove

1. Dr. Strangelove: I love Dr. Strangelove. The perfect mix of humor and drama.

The Monkees: Behind the Music and Farewell Tour Coming!

Posted on by


I was the perfect age to enjoy The Monkees.  They already had a #1 single (Last Train to Clarksville) when their series premiered in September 1966.  I was a month away from turning 8.  The Monkees were instant stars.  In 1967, The Monkees sold more records than The Beatles and The Rolling Stones combined.  

Little did fans know that behind the scenes there was turmoil.  The Monkees had some of the best song writers (Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart, Neil Diamond, Carole King to name a few) and studio musicians (Glen Campbell!) playing on their songs, but The Monkees weren’t allowed creative control or even allowed to play instruments for their records.  They were told what to sing, and when to sing.  Of course this didn’t sit well with them.  Tensions grew after The Monkees went on a sold out tour where they did sing and play their own instruments.  

Despite a popular television show, a feature film, and three number one albums in a row things were about to come off the rails.

The Monkees: Behind the Music is an extremely well done short documentary that looks at the rise and fall of The Monkees.  It’s interesting to note the number of comebacks the group has made over the years with different combinations of Davy, Mickey, Mike and Peter… as well as one outing with Davy, Mickey and song writers Boyce & Hart (who wrote some of the Monkees’ biggest hits).

The Monkees (Mickey and Mike, Davy died in 2012, and Peter passed in 2019) are doing a farewell tour that starts in September 2021, runs for over 30 performances and concludes on November 14th.  I just might have to see them live.  I know that would thrill the 7 year old in me.

 

 

RIP: Tawny Kitaen

Posted on by


Tawny Kitaen, the model and actress, died yesterday at the age of 59.  No cause of death has been released.

Born Julie Kitaen, she began using the nickname Tawny while still in junior high.  Kitaen, who was dating Ratt band member Robbin Crosby while she was still in high school, appeared on Ratt’s first two album covers.  In 1984, she earned a part in the Tom Hanks’ comedy, Bachelor Party.  In 1987, Kitaen rocketed to fame after appearing in three Whitesnake music videos.

Tawny Kitaen’s career spanned 36 years with 45 acting credits.  She was a regular on The New WKRP in Cincinnati which ran for 2 seasons.  Other notable roles included characters on Seinfeld, Married with Children, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.  

Tawny Kitaen’s private life got as much press as her professional career.  In 1989, she married Whitesnake lead singer,  David Coverdale.  They divorced in 1991.  She had an affair with O.J. Simpson while he was married to Nicole Brown Simpson.  In 1997, she married professional baseball player, Chuck Finley.  They had two daughters during their five year marriage which ended in 2002.

I’ll always remember Tawny Kitaen from her appearances in the Whitesnake videos.  I was teaching junior high at the time and 9 out of 10 boys had pictures of her on their notebooks and in their lockers.  According to Marty Callner, who directed the famous Whitesnake videos:  “She (Tawny Kitaen) had so much magic, so much charisma, so sexy, so sweet, I loved her immediately, and I knew, and was right that she would be not only the first, but the ultimate video vixen.”  Who can argue with that?

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tawny Kitaen’s family, friends and fans.

Eric Beetner Drops a Dime to Jason Bovberg

Posted on by


I learned about Eric Beetner through his book reviews.  Beetner (and I) share a love of crime fiction, His reviews, for books that I’d read, were directly in line with my thoughts. So, I picked up some of Beetner’s recommendations.  I liked them.

Then I learned Eric Beetner was a writer of crime fiction and his books earned great reviews. I ordered one and never looked back.  Beetner quickly moved to my must-read author list.  His latest, Two in the Head, is my favorite Beetner tale yet.

Jason Bovberg is an Eric Beetner fan as well.  He recently interviewed Beetner and says, Eric Beetner Has Been Flying Under Your Crime-Fiction Radar … but Not Anymore.  I hope he’s right.

  

RIP: Frank McRae

Posted on by


It is just being reported today that Frank McRae died on April 29th, from a heart attack.  Mr. McRae was 77.  

Frank McRae was a gifted athlete who played college football at the University of Tennessee and upon graduation went into the NFL where he was a Defensive Tackle for the Chicago Bears.  When his playing days were over, McRae’s focus turned to acting.

Frank McRae’s career spanned 34 years with over 60 acting credits on his resume.  Mr. McRae held his on own screen with many of the greats: Charles Bronson, James Garner, Sally Field, Kurt Russell, Nick Nolte, Peter Falk and Arnold Schwarzenegger to name just a few.  Stanley Kramer, Steven Spielberg, John Milius, Robert Zemeckis and John McTiernan were some of the directors who wanted Frank McRae in their films.  Frank McRae appeared in four films starring Sylvester Stallone: FIST, Paradise Alley, Lock Up and Rocky II.  Mr. McRae’s best known role may be Sharkey, James Bond’s friend, in Licence to Kill. 

I was (and remain) a huge fan of Frank McRae.  He made every film he was in at least a little bit better.  My favorite Frank McRae role was when he played Big Glory in Paradise Alley.  Big Glory was a professional wrestler whose better days were long past.  It’s a funny, yet sad supporting role that Frank McRae completely owned.  Another memorable role was his brief but impactful part in Red Dawn… and Lock Up… and well, you get the idea.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Frank McRae’s family, friends and fans. 

Things We Learned About “Speed” from Director Jan De Bont!

Posted on by
Art by Edgar Ascensão

Rob Hunter at Film School Rejects turned his sights to the Speed, then posted 24 Things We Learned from the ‘Speed‘ Commentary by director Jan de Bont.  Before you click over, here are three of my favorites…

Keanu Reeves wasn’t all that interested in starring in an action movie, so De Bont had to convince him that it would be fun. How? By telling Reeves he’d be allowed to do as many of his own stunts as possible on Speed.  (Being able to do stunts safely is probably a big lure to many actors.  Some that are known to do most of their own stunts include Robert Conrad, James Caan, and Sly Stallone. – Craig)

It was Dennis Hopper’s idea to stick his fingers in Jeff Daniels’ nose to lift him up, and while De Bont worried it would look silly he agreed after trying it and discovering it’s actually pretty painful.  (Can you imagine Hopper saying to Daniels and De Bont, “I’ve got an idea, why don’t I stick my fingers up his nose and lift him up?” – Craig)

He says sharp-eyed viewers will spot “hidden” cameras during some of the bus action as they often only had single takes and had cameras in cars, trucks, and elsewhere. (I love it when director’s stick in “Easter Eggs”! – Craig)

“Rogue Hostage” Starring Tyrese Gibson & John Malkovich. The Trailer is Here!

Posted on by

The Rogue Hostage trailer is here.  Tyrese Gibson and John Malkovich star in Die Hard in a hardware store.  I’ll check it out when it comes to a streaming service I get.

PLOT: Rogue Hostage follows single father and former Marine Kyle Snowden (Tyrese Gibson), who is struggling to adjust to life with PTSD. On a routine stop for his job in Child Protective Services, Kyle finds himself and a group of innocent customers trapped inside his stepfather’s store during a hostile take-over by militant maniac Eagan Raize. Disturbing details emerge about Eagan’s violent vendetta against Kyle’s stepfather, Congressman Sam Nelson (John Malkovich), threatening the lives of everyone inside, including the Congressman and Kyle’s young daughter. In a race against time, Kyle must battle against the terrorists as well as his personal demons to secure the store and save everyone. #RogerHostage​

CAST: Tyrese Gibson, John Malkovich, Holly Taylor

Release Date: 6/11/21

Recasting “Escape from New York”

Posted on by
Art by Paul Shippper


A little over eight years ago there was talk that Joel Silver was working with StudioCanal to remake John Carpenter’s Escape from New York along with two other films featuring Snake Plissken.  I was excited for the news and began to think about who would play each part.  Below are my original cast suggestions as well as who I would cast now. 

So… let’s take a look at who should fill the roles in Escape from New York Remake:

  • Snake Plissken was originally played by Kurt Russell.  Then I suggested Guy Pearce.  Now I would cast Wyatt Russell.  I know Wyatt has said he wouldn’t play Snake, but man, that would be perfect casting.

  • Hauk was originally played by Lee Van Cleef.  Then I suggested Stephen Lang.  Now I would still go with Lang.

  • Cabbie was originally played by Ernest Borgnine.  Then I suggested Brian Cox.  Now I would cast Ma Dong-seok (Train to Busan).

  • The President was originally played by Donald Pleasence.  Then I suggested James Gandolfini.  Now I would cast James Spader.

  • The Duke was originally played by Isaac Hayes.  Then I suggested Terry Crews.  Now I would still go with Terry Crews.

  • Brain was originally played by Harry Dean Stanton.  Then I suggested Michael Emerson.  Now I would still go with Michael Emerson.

  • Maggie was originally played by Adrienne Barbeau.  Then I suggested Rosario Dawson.  Now I would still go with Rosario Dawson.

  • Romero was originally played by Frank Doubleday.  Then I suggested Walton Goggins.  Now I would still go with Walton Goggins.

  • Slag was originally played by Ox Baker.  Then I suggested Ryan Hurst.  Now I would still go with Ryan Hurst.

So, what do you think?  Inspired casting or did I miss the mark?

 

 

RIP: Billie Hayes

Posted on by

Billie Hayes who performed on Broadway, in movies and on television died on April 29th at the age of 96.  Her death from natural causes was announced today by her family.

Mrs. Hayes first Broadway appearance was in Leonard Sillman’s New Faces in 1956. She was then cast as Mammy Yokum in the Broadway version of Li’l Abner.  When Li’l Abner was turned into a feature film, Hayes reprised her role as Mammy Yokum.

Billy Hayes first television role was on The Monkees.  Her next television role was the one she became best known for, as Witchiepoo on HR Pufnstuff (tv series) and in the Pufnstuff movie.  After that series ended Hayes appeared once again as Mammy Yokum in the Li’l Abner tv movie.  Hayes went on to make guest appearances on Bewitched, Lidsville (as a series co-star), Donny and Marie, Murder She Wrote, General Hospital and many other shows.  In 1981, Hayes also began doing voice work (on shows such as The Flintstone Comedy Show, The New Scooby-Doo Mysteries, Darkwing Duck, Talespin to name just a few).  She continued doing voice work until she retired in 2016.

Not many performers have a career as long as Billie Hayes.  She was able to successfully transition between stage, feature films and television.  I, like many of her fans, knew her best from her role as Witchiepoo.  I was ten when the series premiered.  My brother and I got into trouble for calling my youngest sister, Witchiepoo.  It’s funny the things you remember.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Billie Hayes’ family, friends and fans.

RIP: Johnny Crawford

Posted on by

Johnny Crawford, best known as one of the original Mouseketeers and for his role on The Rifleman, died yesterday at the age of 75.  Mr. Crawford had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, COVID-19 and pneumonia, but his cause of death was not specified.

Crawford first rose to fame as one of Walt Disney’s original Mouseketeers.  He would then go on to play roles on The Lone Ranger, The Frank Sinatra Show, Have Gun – Will Travel, The Danny Thomas Show, Wagon Train and many other popular television shows before getting his co-starring role on The Rifleman with Chuck Connors.  At the age of 13, Johnny Crawford was nominated for a Prime Time Emmy for his portrayal of Mark McCain, on The Rifleman.  Crawford and Connors developed a friendship that would continue throughout their lives.  When The Rifleman ended, Crawford appeared on an episode of Connor’s follow-up series, Branded.  Johnny Crawford even spoke at Chuck Connors’ funeral decades later.

Johnny Crawford had a brief career as a singing star.  He had four top forty Billboard hits on Del-FI records.  Throughout his life Crawford acted in television and feature film roles, and in 1992, he formed the JCO (Johnny Crawford Orchestra) which performed at festivals and special events.  Johnny Crawford was an extremely talented individual with a career that spanned over 60 years of performances on stage, television and silver screen.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Johnny Crawford’s family, fans and friends.