Category: Celebs

“Hog Wild” (1930) starring Stan Laurel & Oliver Hardy / Z-View

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Hog Wild (1930)

Director: James Parrott

Screenplay: H. M. Walker, Stan Laurel

Stars: Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy.

Tagline: Amnesia! Mr. Hardy was beginning to forget things but Mr. Laurel had no fear of losing his memory – As a matter of fact, Mr. Laurel never had a memory to lose.

The Plot…

Stan and Ollie plan to spend the afternoon together having fun.  But first, Ollie’s wife insists that Ollie install the radio antenna on their roof.

Oliver and Hardy on a rooftop installing an antenna!  What could go wrong?

But is using the car as the base of a ladder that Ollie has climbed to the top of the best idea?  Let the go times roll!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Hog Wild (1930) clocks in at just 19 laugh filled minutes.

Stan and Ollie on a rooftop — deal me in.

Hog Wild (1930) rates 5 of 5 stars.

RIP: George Foreman

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It was announced that George Foreman died on March 21, 2025, at the age of 76.  No cause of death was given.  George Foreman was a boxer, preacher and business man.

George Foreman was just 19 years old with 20 amateur fights when he represented the United States in the 1968 Olympics.  In four Olympic bouts, only one went the distance.  George Foreman won the Heavyweight Olympic Gold Medal.

The following year, George Foreman turned pro.  Mr. Foreman was 37 – 0, with 34 knockouts when he fought Joe Frazier for the Heavyweight title.  Mr. Frazier was 29 – 0 with 25 knockouts.  George Foreman won the title with a technical knockout in the second round.  (Joe Frazier suffered six knockdowns in two rounds before the ref stopped the fight.)

George Foreman defended his title against José Roman (KO, round 1) and Ken Norton (TKO, round 2) before taking on Muhammad Ali in the fight known as The Rumble in the Jungle.  Ali, using a strategy he later called “Rope-a-Dope” leaned back on the unusually loose ropes with his guard up and let Foreman wail away.  Ali took some heavy shots but was able to weather the storm.  In the eighth round, with Foreman arm weary, Ali came off the ropes and with his own flurry of punches ended the fight.  Ali had won the Championship.

George Foreman fought some exhibition bouts and five more sanctioned fights earning wins over Ron Lyle (KO, round 5), Joe Frazier (TKO, round 5); Scott LeDoux (TKO, round 3); John Denis (TKO, round 4) and Pedro Agosto (TKO, round 4).  Mr. Foreman then lost a unanimous 12 round decision to Jimmy Young.

In his dressing room after the fight, George Foreman became ill and felt as if he was dying.  At this point, Mr. Foreman wasn’t religious, but felt as if God was telling him to change his ways.  Although he didn’t retire, he stopped fighting and became an ordained minister.  He preached on street corners before becoming the minister of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Houston.  Mr. Foreman also opened a youth center.

Then in 1987, at the age of 38, George Foreman announced a boxing comeback.  He said the money would be used to help his youth center.  Although very heavy and out of shape, George Foreman won the comeback fight by KO in four rounds.  Big George (as he came to be known) won four more fights (1 by KO and 3 by TKO) before the year was out.  In 1988, he had nine fights (!) winning all by KO or TKO.  In 1989, George went undefeated with five wins.

Despite his age, George was piling up wins and getting closer to another title fight.  He also had endeared himself to the public.  Before his comeback, George Foreman acted much like Sonny Liston (a fighter he admired for his tough no-nonsense persona).  Now George was outgoing, happy and modest.  He began to do advertisements.  George Foreman worked out a deal to be spokesman and allow his name to be used on the George Foreman Grill which became a national best-seller.  Mr. Foreman earned more from sales of the grill than he did as a professional boxer!

After going undefeated in five (all by TKO or KO) fights in 1990 the title fight was getting closer.  In 1991, Big George lost a unanimous decision to Evander Holyfield.  Mr. Foreman won three more fights and then finally got another shot at the title.

On June 7, 1993, at the age of 44, George Foreman won a unanimous decision over Tommy Morrison to win the WBO Heavyweight title.  Then in November, Mr. Foreman defeated Michael Moorer by KO in the 10th to win the WBA and IBF heavyweight titles.  He defended his titles four more times.  He lost by decision to Shannon Briggs in 1997.  George Foreman was nearly 49 years old!

I was always a fan of George Foreman, especially after his comeback.  In his first fights I was in awe of his strength and power.  I loved that he won a Gold medal for the U.S. in the 1968 Olympics.  For his comeback, I enjoyed the transformation for Liston-like personality to someone that seemed to enjoy life and inspire others.  George Foreman was one of a kind.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to George Foreman’s family, friends and fans.

RIP: Wings Hauser

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Wings Hauser born General Dwight Hauser died on March 15, 2025of natural causes.  Mr. Hauser was 77.

Wings was born in Hollywood, California.  His father, Dwight Hauser was a director and producer.  His brother, Eric Hauser, is also an actor.  Wings got the nickname Wings while playing high school football and it stuck.  Although Wings Hauser made his film debut with a small role in First to Fight in 1967, instead of acting he pursued a singing career.

In 1975, RCA released the album Your Love Keeps Me Off the Streets with Wings Hauser using the stage name Wings Livinryte.  The album wasn’t a success, but the same year Wings scored a role on Cannon.  He was credited as Wings Livinryte.  It soon became clear that Wings would have more success acting.  Mr. Hauser would branch out into screenwriting and directing as well.

Some of the television projects that feature Wings Hauser include: Cannon; The Young and the Restless (15 episodes); Movin’ On; Baretta; Emergency; Aspen; Magnum PI; The Fall Guy; Ghost Dancing; Jessie; Hunter; Hardcastle and McCormick; MacGruder and Loud; Airwolf; The Long Hot Summer (2 episodes); The A-Team (2 episodes); Dark Horse; The Last Precinct (8 episodes); The Highway Man; Perry Mason: The  Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel; Freddy’s Nightmares; Hardball; China Beach (4 episodes); Lightning Force (13 episodes); The Young Riders; Space Rangers; Roseanne (5 episodes); Route 66; Walker Texas Ranger; Marker; High Tide; Kung Fu: The Legend Continues; JAG; Murder, She Wrote (4 episodes); Beverly Hills 90210 (6 episodes); Arli$$ (2 episodes); Kingpin (4 episodes); CSI: Miami; Third Watch; Eyes; House; Monk; Mystery Woman: Wild West Mystery; Cold Case; Bones; Saving Grace; The Mentalist; Criminal Minds; The Defenders; CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Hawaii Five-0; Rizzoli & Isles and Castle.

Some of the feature films that Wings Hauser appeared in include: First to Fight; Who’ll Stop the Rain; Vice Squad; Hear No Evil; Mutant; A Soldier’s Story; Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life is Calling; Tough Guys Don’t Dance; Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time; Tales from the Hood; Original Gangstas; Life Among the Cannibals; The Insider; The Blue Lizard; The Stone Angel and Eve N’ God: This Female is Not Yet Rated (TM).

I probably first saw Wings Hauser in Baretta.  Whatever the role was, it wasn’t long before I began to recognize Wings Hauser because he appeared in so many programs and movies that I watched.  A profile of Wings Hauser in Entertainment Weekly once called him “the biggest star you’ve never heard of”.  Thing of it was, movie and television fans not only knew of him, they appreciated seeing him listed in the credits.

Out thoughts and prayers go out to Wing Hauser’s family, friends and fans.

“Out of Time” (2003) directed by Carl Franklin, starring Denzel Washington, Sanaa Lathan & Eva Mendes / Z-View

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Out of Time (2003)

Director: Carl Franklin

Screenplay: David Collard

Stars: Denzel Washington, Sanaa Lathan, Eva Mendes, Dean Cain, John Billingsley, Robert Baker, Alex Carter,
Antoni Corone, Terry Loughlin, Nora Dunn, Tom Hillmann, Arian Ash and James Murtaugh.

Tagline: How do you solve a murder when all the evidence points to you.

The Plot…

Matt Whitlock (Washington) and his wife, Alex (Mendes) are separated.  He loves her, but realizes she’s moving on.  Their jobs were a big part of the problem.  Matt is Chief of Police in the small town of Banyan Key, Florida.  Alex just was promoted to detective in Miami.

Since the separation Matt has been secretly seeing Ann Merai-Harrison (Lathan).  They were a thing years ago.  Ann’s married to an ex-NFL quarterback named Chris (Cain).  It’s a bad marriage.  Chris has hit Ann more than once.

Things get worse when Matt takes Ann to a doctor’s appointment.  They learn Ann has an aggressive incurable cancer.  Ann’s only hope is an expensive new treatment.  She plans to take a cash payment on her life insurance policy to cover the cost.  Her hopes are dashed when she learns that it will take time to get the money.  Time she doesn’t have.

After some consideration, Matt decides to take the money from the evidence locker. He gives the cash to Ann. Matt made a major bust and had nearly $500,000 in the evidence vault.  The money has to stay put until after the trail and that’s months away.  Ann’s insurance will pay off by then and he’ll replace the cash.  No one will ever know it was missing.

At least that was the plan.

Matt gets a call of a major fire with two fatalities.  The blaze is at Ann’s house.  It appears Ann and Chris were killed before the fire was set.  Matt remembers that Ann had made him the beneficiary of her substantial life insurance.  The money Matt gave Ann is missing.

As the evidence unfolds, Matt realizes that he will be the main suspect.  He was secretly sleeping with the victim and is the beneficiary of her life insurance.  A neighbor saw him sneaking out of her house on at least one occasion.

Matt can’t imagine that this can get any worse.  Then he gets a call that the Feds have another case involving the cash in the vault — the cash Matt gave to Ann that’s now missing — and the Feds are on their way to get it.

Matt needs to find the killer(s), the cash and the clock is ticking.  Soon he will be… Out of Time.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Denzel Washington attended Mainland High School in Daytona Beach, Fl.  It’s the same high school that Vince Carter (and I) attended.  Denzel was there before me and Vince after.

I love the ever increasing tension in this film.

Carl Franklin and Denzel Washington worked together before on Devil in a Blue Dress.  I wish they had done more films together.

The balcony fight scene is a standout.

Denzel Washington and (just the right amount of comedic relief from) John Billingsley made for a great team.

Out of Time (2003) rates 4 of 5 stars.

From the World of John Wick — “Ballerina” —  The second trailer is here!

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From the World of John Wick — Ballerina.  The second trailer is here!

Deal me in.

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina – in theaters June 6! Starring Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, with Ian McShane, and Keanu Reeves.

Taking place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Ballerina follows Eve Macarro (Ana de Armas) who is beginning her training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma.

“Pay Day” (1922) written, directed and staring Charlie Chaplin / Z-View

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Pay Day (1922)

Director: Charlie Chaplin

Screenplay: Charlie Chaplin

Stars: Charlie Chaplin, Mack Swain, Edna Purviance, Syd Chaplin, Albert Austin, John Rand, Loyal Underwood, Henry Bergman  and Al Ernest Garcia.

Tagline: See Charlie juggle bricks and dodge the foreman—and hide his pay check from his wife.

The Plot…

Charlie Chaplin is a construction worker.  On pay day Charlie’s wife takes his cash (even the money he’s hidden).  Charlie sneaks enough of it back for a night out drinking and having fun. Too much fun (and drinking) and Charlie discovers getting home won’t be easy.

And Charlie knows his wife will be waiting.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Pay Day was Charlie Chaplin’s last short and reportedly one of his favorites.

Pay Day (1922) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Sin City” (2005) directed by Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller; starring Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba & Benico Del Toro / Z-View

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Sin City (2005)

Director: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller based on Sin City created by Frank Miller

Screenplay: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez

Stars: Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, Devon Aoki, Alexis Bledel, Powers Boothe, Jude Ciccolella, Jeff Dashnaw, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, Elijah Wood, Carla Gugino, Josh Hartnett, Rutger Hauer, Greg Ingram, Nicky Katt, Jaime King, Michael Madsen, Frank Miller, Brittany Murphy, Nick Stahl, Nick Offerman, Jason Douglas, Michael Clarke Duncan, Rick Gomez and Tommy Flanagan.

Tagline: Walk down the right back alley in Sin City and you can find anything.

The Plot…

Four interconnected tales from Sin City…

The Customer is Always Right… A hitman that marks don’t see coming until it is too late. (Bookends the movie.)

That Yellow Bastard… For Detective John Hartigan (Willis) it’s his last day on the job.  He’s thinking about the thick steak his wife has waiting for him at the end of his shift.  But first, Hartigan is going to have a run-in with a serial killer who preys on children. Hartigan learns that the sick bastard is the son of a Senator, and is now prepping his next victim.  Hartigan knows this can only end one way.  He’ll save the child or die trying.

The Hard Goodbye… Marv (Rourke) is a ex-con hardcase.  Last night he had a one night stand with a goddess named Goldie.  She was beautiful beyond belief.  Marv wonders why she picked a big scary mug like him when she could have any man she wanted.  He’ll have to work it out later.  He just woke up.  Goldie is in bed beside him.  Dead.  Someone snuck in and murdered her while they were sleeping.  And now Marv hears cops coming up the stairs.  Someone set him up.  Someone killed Goldie.  Marv knows once he finds the killer the hell he sends the murderer to will seem like heaven after what Marv does to him.  But first the cops outside his door…

The Big Fat Kill… When Shellie’s ex-boyfriend, Jackie Boy (Del Toro) shows up unexpectedly with his crew, he’s surprised to find Shellie’s new boyfriend, Dwight (Owen) there.  The events that follow will lead to a potential turf war… unless Dwight and some of his friends from Old Town can set things right.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Sin City, the movie, is what Robert Rodriguez called a “translation” of three of Frank Miller’s Sin City graphic novels – The Hard Goodbye; The Big Fat Kill, That Yellow Bastard and Miller’s Sin City short, The Customer is Always Right.  They are some of my all time favorite comics and the movie is a beautiful “translation”.

Quentin Tarantino is listed as a guest director.  Tarantino directed the scene between Dwight and Jackie Boy before the cop pulls the car over.

Rodriguez filmed the opening “intro” before Miller agreed to the Sin City “translation”.  Rodriguez wanted to prove that Miller’s Sin City tales could work as a movie that complemented the comics.  The comic panels from each tale were used as storyboards.

Robert Rodriguez working with Frank Miller to bring Sin City to the big screen was a dream project for me.  Magnificent casting was the icing on the cake.  If you like the comics, you should enjoy the movie.

Sin City (2005) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Paradise”: Season 1 (2025) starring Sterling K. Brown; Julianne Nicholson and James Marsden / Z-View

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Paradise: Season 1 (2025)

Created by: Dan Fogelman 

Director: Glenn Ficarra & John Requa (Eps. 1-2; 7-8); Gandja Monteiro (Eps. 3-4); Hanelle Culpepper (Eps. 5-6)

Teleplay: Dan Fogelman (Ep. 1); Dan Fogelman & Katie French (Ep. 2); Jason Wilborn (Ep. 3); Scott Weinger (Ep. 4); Stephen Markley (Ep. 5); Gina Lucita Monreal (Ep. 6); John Hoberg (Ep. 7); Nadra Widatalla (Ep. 8)

Stars: Sterling K. Brown, Julianne Nicholson, Sarah Shahi, Nicole Brydon Bloom, Aliyah Mastin, James Marsden, Krys Marshall, Cassidy Freeman, Scott Lawrence, Richard Robichaux, Gerald McRaney, Rafael Cabrera, Eddie Diaz, Roberto Portales, Christopher Sanders, Matt Malloy, Tuc Watkins, Geoffrey Arend, Charlie Evans, Ian Merrigan, Vien Hong, Carlos Sanz, Michelle Meredith, Glynn Turman, Ca’Ron Jaden Coleman, Micah Fitzgerald, Amy Pietz, Joe Holt, Tyler Jacob Moore, Walter Belenky and Jon Beavers.

Tagline:  Read between the lies

The Plot…

Xavier Collins (Brown) is part of the President’s Secret Service detail and the last person to see him alive.  The President was killed sometime during the night.  When Xavier is brought in for questioning, he realizes that it may be up to him to find the person who killed the President.

And the answer to that isn’t the biggest plot twist!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I went into Paradise: Season 1 thinking it would be a murder mystery with behind-the-scenes intrigue, double crosses, action and more.  It is, but on a much larger scale than I imagined.  The first episode plot twist is a shocker and sets up the entire season.

Paradise has a great cast of actors.  Standouts include Sterling K. Brown, Julianne Nicholson, Aliyah Mastin, James Marsden, Glynn Turman and Jon Beavers.

I love all episodes of Paradise, but episode 7 is a standout.

Paradise: Season 1 (2025) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“F1” starring Brad Pitt – The Poster & Trailer are Here!

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Here we have the poster and trailer for F1 starring Brad Pitt.  The trailer looks to hit many of the same beats as Driven starring Sly Stallone.  Who doesn’t love the old gunfighter coming back to teach the young hotshot?

Deal me in.

Meet APXGP. Sonny Hayes and Joshua Pearce. #F1Movie only in theaters this SUMMER.

From Apple Original Films and the filmmakers from Top Gun: Maverick comes the high-octane, action-packed feature film F1, starring Brad Pitt and directed by Joseph Kosinski. The film is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Kosinski, seven-time FORMULA 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton, Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Chad Oman.

Dubbed “the greatest that never was,” Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was FORMULA 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career. Thirty years later, he’s a nomadic racer-for-hire when he’s approached by his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem), owner of a struggling FORMULA 1 team that is on the verge of collapse. Ruben convinces Sonny to come back to FORMULA 1 for one last shot at saving the team and being the best in the world. He’ll drive alongside Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris), the team’s hotshot rookie intent on setting his own pace. But as the engines roar, Sonny’s past catches up with him and he finds that in FORMULA 1, your teammate is your fiercest competition—and the road to redemption is not something you can travel alone.

F1 also stars Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies, Kim Bodnia, and Javier Bardem, and has been shot during actual Grand Prix weekends as the team competes against the titans of the sport.

Kosinski directs from a screenplay by Ehren Kruger. The film is executive produced by Daniel Lupi. Collaborating with Kosinski behind the scenes are his creative team, including director of photography Claudio Miranda, production designers Mark Tildesley and Ben Munro, editor Stephen Mirrione, costume designer Julian Day, casting director Lucy Bevan and composer Hans Zimmer.

Apple Original Films Presents a Monolith Pictures / Jerry Bruckheimer / Plan B Entertainment / Dawn Apollo Films Production, A Film by Joseph Kosinski, F1, distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, in theaters and IMAX nationwide on June 27, 2025 and internationally beginning 25 June 2025.

“All Souls” (2023) starring Mikey Madison & Gerald ‘G-Eazy’ Gillum / Z-View

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All Souls (2023)

Director: Emmanuelle Pickett

Screenplay: Anthony Ragnone II

Stars: Mikey Madison, Gerald G-Eazy Gillum, Calvin Clausell Jr., Jess Gabor, Xavier Jimenez, Joseph H. Johnson Jr., Samuel Roukin, Eric C. Sun, Faye Tamasa and Craig Ng.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

River (Madison) is a young single parent of a cute 5 year old girl named Jade.  When River is caught with weed, the two arresting cops offer her a chance to walk if she will serve as their confidential informant.  All River has to do is wear a wire to a buy from a major dealer named Silas (G-Eazy).  No one has been able to get close to Silas, but River has an “in”.

Silas got River high when she was sixteen then took advantage of her.  Silas is Jade’s father, although he’s never had any contact with her.  River cut all ties to Silas when she discovered she was pregnant.

Concerned that if she doesn’t set up Silas, the cops will go forward with charges.  She would go to jail and Jade would become a ward of the state.  River (and the cops) know Silas will kill her if it is discovered she is wearing a wire.  The cops promise they’ll be right there and rush in when the deal is done.  Then River will be able to walk away free and clear.

Feeling she has no choice, River takes the deal.

As with the best laid plans, things go sideways…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I’m surprised that All Souls isn’t a better known film.  It is well done from top to bottom.  Kudos to writer Anthony Ragnone II, and director Emmanuelle Pickett.  They’ve created a story that feels and looks like it could be taking place in any town’s drug area.

Mikey Madison is amazing in this role.  I’d never seen her before, but she is definitely an actress to watch. I’d say that even if she hadn’t just won an Best Actress Oscar.

I’d also never seen Gerald G-Eazy Gillum before.  He’s really good as Silas.  Perhaps acting may rival music for a career choice.

All Souls easily rates 4 of 5 stars for me.  I plan to watch it again soon with my wife.  Who knows, further consideration might kick it up to 5 stars.

All Souls (2023) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Chuka” starring Rod Taylor, Ernest Borgnine & John Mills / Z-View

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Chuka (1967)

Director: Gordon Douglas

Screenplay: Richard Jessup, Rod Tayor (uncredited); based on CHUKA by Richard Jessup

Stars: Rod Taylor, Ernest Borgnine, John Mills, Luciana Paluzzi, James Whitmore, Victoria Vetri, Louis Hayward, Joseph Sirola and Michael Cole.

Tagline: They called him saddle-bum…desert rat…pistolero…but where would they have been without Chuka on that bloody summer’s day.

The Plot…

A stagecoach makes it to Fort Clandennon, a remote US calvary outpost located on the frontier.  Accompanying the stage is a gunfighter named Chuka (Taylor).  Chuka rode with the stagecoach after finding it broken down in Arapaho country.  On the stage is Senora Veronica Kleitz (Paluzzi) and her niece Senorita Helena Chavez (Vetri).

Fort Clandennon is under the command of Colonel Valois (Mills).  The soldiers at the outpost, except for Sergeant Hansbach (Borgnine), have been sent there as punishment for past crimes. Sergeant Hansbach is an excellent soldier dedicated to Colonel Valois.  Hansbach takes an instant dislike to Chuka.  The feeling is mutual.

Colonel Valois is concerned with talk of an Arapaho uprising.  His last patrol never returned.  Chuka sees that Valois soldiers aren’t up to an attack and tells Valois they need to leave.  Colonel Valois is insulted and refuses.

But it’s too late.  The Arapaho are on the move.  It looks to be a massacre.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Chuka was one of my favorite westerns when I saw it a child.  It still is.

Rod Taylor, Ernest Borgnine and James Whitmore shine.

The fight between Chuka and Sergeant Hansbach is a perfect cap to their escalating dislike for each other.

The reveal of why Hansbach is so dedicated to Colonel Valois was shocking to me as a kid. (And no, it’s not because of what you’re thinking.)  It was a bold choice for 1967.

Chuka deserves to be better known.

Chuka (1967) rates 4 of 5 stars.