Category: Celebs

“Sergeant Rutledge” (1960) starring Jeffrey Hunter, Woody Strode & Constance Towers / Z-View

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Sergeant Rutledge (1960)

Director: John Ford

Screenplay: James Warner Bellah, Willis Goldbeck, novelization SERGEANT RUTLEDGE by James Warner Bellah

Stars: Jeffrey Hunter, Woody Strode, Constance Towers, Billie Burke, Juano Hernandez, Willis Bouchey, Carleton Young, Judson Pratt, Phil Adams, Rafer Johnson and Toby Michaels.

Tagline: “I want the truth about that night.”

The Plot…

First Sergeant Braxton Rutledge (Strode) stands accused of the rape and murder of Lucy Dabney (Michaels) and the murder of her father, Major Custis Dabney.  Despite being a respected and decorated soldier, the evidence points to Sergeant Rutledge’s guilt.  He was wounded and seen leaving the scene of the crime before going AWOL.

Now on trial, with an mob ready to hang him, Sergeant Braxton knows he has little hope, despite his claims of innocence.  Who is going to believe a black man when he says he didn’t rape and kill a young white girl and her father?  Lt. Tom Cantrell (Hunter), Rutledge’s commanding officer has everything stacked against him as he works to prove Rutledge is innocent.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

This was Billie (best known as Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz) Burke’s last film role.

Rafer Johnson, who plays Corporal Klump, won a Gold Medal in the 1960 Olympics in the decathlon.

Toby Michaels plays Lucy Dabney, the young girl who was raped and murdered.  Michaels is not listed in the credits.

The reveal of who committed the murder is worthy of Perry Mason.

Sergeant Rutledge (1960) rates 4 of 5 stars.

RIP: Tony Lo Bianco

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Tony Lo Bianco, award-winning actor of stage and screen, died June 11, 2024. Mr. Lo Bianco was 87.

Tony Lo Bianco graduated from William E. Grady CTE High School.  He then attended the Dramatic Workshop, where he studied acting and theater production.  In 1963, Tony Lo Bianco founded the Triangle Theater where he served as the artistic director for six years.

In 1963, Mr. Lo Bianco made his first television appearance in an episode of The Doctors.  In 1964, he performed as an understudy on the Broadway play Incident at Vichy.  In 1965, Tony Lo Bianco appeared in the Broadway production of Tartuffe.  Mr. Lo Bianco followed that with a starring role in The Royal Hunt of the Sun on Broadway.  Tony Lo Bianco’s film debut came in 1965 in The Sex Perils of Paulette.

For the rest of his career Tony Lo Bianco would appear on stage, television and in feature films. In 1975, Mr. Lo Bianco won an OBIE (Off Broadway Theater) Award in the category Distinguished Performance by an Actor for Yanks-3, Detroit-0, Top of the Seventh.  In 1983, he was nominated for a Tony Award and won the Outstanding Actor in a Play Award for the Outer Critics Circle for his performance in A View from a Bridge.  In 1985, he won a New York Emmy for Outstanding Individual Crafts for his performance in Hizzoner!

Television appearances of Tony Lo Bianco include: The Doctors; Get Smart; Hawk; NYPD (2 episodes); Hidden Faces; Love of Life; Madigan; The Story of Jacob and Joseph; The Streets of San Francisco; Jesus of Nazareth (4 episodes); Police Story (6 episodes); Magee and the Lady; Champions: A Love Story; A Last Cry for Help; Marciano; Marco Polo (2 episodes); Another Woman’s Child; The Paper Chase; Hizzoner!; The Twilight Zone (1985); Welcome Home Bobby; Blood Ties; Police Story: The Freeway Killings; Night Heat; The Ann Jillian Story; CBS Summer Playhouse; Perry Mason: The Case of the Poisoned Pen; Fredrick Forsythe Presents; Palace Guard (8 episodes); Murder, She Wrote (2 episodes); The Maharaja’s Daughter (4 episodes); Homicide: Life on the Street (3 episodes); Tyson; F/X: The Series; Rocky Marciano; Walker, Texas Ranger; Law & Order (3 episodes); Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Somewhere in Queens.

Feature film appearances of Tony Lo Bianco include: The Sex Perils of Paulette; The Honeymoon Killers; The French Connection; Serpico; The Seven Ups; FIST; Bloodbrothers; City Heat; City of Hope; Boiling Point; Nixon; The Juror; Mafia!; The Day the Ponies Came Back; Friends and Family and Kill the Irishman.

I don’t remember the first time I saw Tony Lo Bianco.  I do remember it seemed he came from nowhere and was holding his own with big name stars: Hackman in The French Connection, Pacino in Serpico, Roy Schneider in The Seven Ups, Sly Stallone in FIST, Eastwood and Reynold in City Heat.  My favorite role is probably his performance as Babe Milano in FIST.  I need to revisit Bloodbrothers.  I remember really liking that film (that had Richard Gere, Paul Sorvino and Tony Lo Bianco as its stars).  It’s evidence of Mr. Lo Bianco’s  talent that he could move from stage to television to feature films with ease.

Out thoughts and prayers go out to Tony LoBianco’s family, friends and fans.

“Mayor of Kingstown”: Season 2 (2023) starring Jeremy Renner / Z-View

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Mayor of Kingstown: Season 2 (2023)

Created by: Taylor Sheridan, Hugh Dillon

Director: Stephen Kay (Eps. 1-3, 7-10); Tasha Smith (Eps. 3-4); Guy Ferland (Ep. 5-6)

Teleplay: Dave Erickson and Taylor Sheridan (Ep. 1); Taylor Sheridan (Ep. 2); Keli Goff (Ep. 3); Evan Ball (Ep. 4); Leon Hendrix III (Ep. 5); Christian Donovan (Ep. 6); Regina Corrado (Ep. 7); Hugh Dillon & Stephen Kay (Ep. 8); Christian Donovan & James Arcega Tinsley (Ep. 9); Regina Corrado & Dave Erickson (Ep. 10)

Stars: Jeremy Renner, Dianne Wiest, Hugh D illon, Tobi Bamtefa, Taylor Handley, Emma Laird, Derek Webster, Hamish Allan-Headley, Aidan Gillen, Michael Beach, Nichole Galicia, Necar Zadegan, Lane Garrison, Gena Shaw, Frank Licari, Dylan Kenin, George Tchortov, Sandrine Holt, Gratiela Brancusi, Matt Gerald, Nona Parker Johnson, Sandra Holt, Dom Kegel, Jimmy Star and Kenny Johnson.

Tagline: You can’t bury the past.

The Plot…

The prison riot is over but the ramifications will be long-lasting.  The major gangs are without leadership.  Gangs, like the universe, hate a void.  Power struggles in the prison spill over into gang wars in the streets.  Mike comes up with a plan to return to status quo, but there will be a cost.  Since the riot, no one trusts anyone.  To complicate matters, Iris is missing and Milo may be alive.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Mayor of Kingstown continues to be well written, well directed, well acted with production values that rival those of feature films.

Jeremy Renner is perfect as the no-nonsense Mike McClusky.  Other standouts in the acting department include Dianne Wiest, Hugh Dillon, Emma Laird, Nichole Galicia, Tobi Bamtefa and Hamish Allan-Headley.  Actually, I should probably list every supporting actor/actress because they are all perfectly cast.

The surprises, twists and ever building tension make each episode must-see tv.  I look forward to season 3 and beyond.

Mayor of Kingstown: Season 2 (2023) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Tomorrow is Another Day” (1951) starring Ruth Roman & Steve Cochran / Z-View

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Tomorrow is Another Day (1951)

Director: Felix E. Feist

Screenplay: Art Cohn, Guy Endore, story by Guy Endore

Stars: Ruth Roman, Steve Cochran, Lurene Tuttle, Hugh Sanders, Ray Teal, Morris Ankrum, John Kellogg, Walter Sande, Philip Carey and Lee Patrick.

Tagline: They take their lives in their hands… when they take each other in their arms!

The Plot…

Bill Clark (Cochran) was thirteen when he murdered his abusive father.  That was 18 years ago.  Clark is now 31 and just released from prison.  Although a man, Clark still has the naivety of a child.  Clark quickly learns that life as an ex-con won’t be easy.

When Clark meets a dance hall girl named Cathy (Roman), straight away he’s attracted to her.  Cathy rejects his offers of dinner, saying that she prefers gifts.  When Cathy gets off work, Clark is waiting.  He gives her a beautiful watch.  After a night on the town, Cathy invites Clark up to her apartment.

Almost immediately after they enter, George Conover (Sanders), Cathy’s “boyfriend” busts in.  Conover pulls a gun and orders Clark to leave.  Clark goes for the gun and in the struggle the gun is dropped and Clark is knocked  unconscious.  Cathy grabs the gun and instinctively shoots George when he lunges for her.  George staggers out and into a taxi headed for the hospital.

Clark comes to.  Cathy asks him what he remembers, which is everything leading up to the struggle for the gun.  Cathy leads Clark to believe that he was the one who shot New York Detective George Conover.  When they learn that Conover has died from his wounds and the police have launched an investigation, Cathy and Clark decide to take off.

If they’re caught Cathy will let Clark take the rap.  And if they make a clean getaway, she can always dump him.  Funny how the best made plans…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Both John Garfield and Burt Lancaster were considered for the role of Bill Clark.

Tomorrow is Another Day has the set-up to be a classic noir film.  Bill Clark was an abused kid who did time in prison but wants to now lead a good life.  He meets up with a beautiful woman that he’s drawn to, but she takes advantage of the relationship.  When she murders another lover, she lets Bill think that he did the crime.  They go on the run.  Everything lining up to be an excellent noir.  Then in the last couple of scenes we get an ending that makes everything “sunshine and roses” (as Rocky Balboa would say).  Still, Tomorrow is Another Day isn’t a bad film, just one that falls short of being really good.

Tomorrow is Another Day (1951) rates 3 of 5 stars.

When Death Came for Frank Miller by Anthony Breznican for Vanity Fair!

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Anthony Breznican at Vanity Fair recently sat down with Frank Miller for an no-holds-barred interview.  Miller, the comics genius behind Sin City, Dark Knight Returns, Batman Year One, 300, Ronin, and so much more openly discussed his addiction, recovery as well as upcoming projects.  This interview, When Death Came for Frank Miller is not to be missed.

Congratulations to Frank Miller for his health comeback.  The Sin City western is music to my ears.

“Assassins” (1995) directed by Richard Donner, starring Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas & Julianne Moore / Z-View

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Assassins (1995)

Director: Richard Donner

Screenplay: Lilly Wachowski (as Andy Wachowski) & Lana Wachowski (as Larry Wachowski) and Brian Helgeland from a story by Lilly & Lana Wachoswski

Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas, Julianne Moore, Anatoli Davydov, Muse Watson, Steve Kahan, Kelly Rowan, Reed Diamond, Kai Wulff and Stephen Liska.

Tagline: In the shadows of life, In the business of death, One man found a reason to live…

The Plot…

Robert Rath (Stallone) is a hitman ready to retire.  Working as an assassin has taken a toll even though Rath has a moral code. He refuses to murder women, children and men undeserving to die.

Miguel Bain (Banderas) is an assassin who loves his job… he wants to be the best hitman in the world.  Bain considers Rath number one… for now.

As Rath prepares to take out a mark, he is shocked when Bain assassinates his target.  The two exchange gunfire until the police arrive.  Rath realizes that Bain is determined to kill him.  He also learns that Bain’s other target is a woman known as Electra (Moore).   Rath plans to save Electra and eliminate Bain.

Of course Bain has other plans…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Wachowski’s sold their Assassins screenplay to Joel Silver at the same time he bought their screenplay for The Matrix (for one million dollars each).  Silver wanted Richard Donner to direct and offered him ten million dollars.  Donner refused unless the screenplay’s violence was toned down and Rath was made more sympathetic.  Silver brought in Brian (L.A. Confidential) Helgeland to adjust the script.

The Wachowski’s didn’t like the changes and asked for their names to be removed from the credits.  The request was denied by the Writers Guild Association.

Donner praised Stallone and Banderas for their performances: “I thought Stallone did one of the best jobs he’s ever done. He totally underplayed, he was quiet, he found the character and he went with it. I thought Antonio Banderas was wonderful.”

Electra’s cat is the same feline that appeared with Stallone in The Specialist.

I am a huge fan of the opening scene when Rath is walking an assassin deep into a swamp to execute him. Their dialogue tells us all we need to know about Rath and his business.

Kudos to Banderas for his manic performance as the hitman who wants to be the best.

I’d always hoped that Richard Donner and Sly Stallone would work together.

Assassins (1995) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) directed by Neil Jordan, starring Tom Cruise & Brad Pitt / Z-View

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Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994)

Director: Neil Jordan

Screenplay: Anne Rice based on INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE by Horace McCoy

Stars: Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Antonio Banderas, Kirsten Dunst, Christian Slater, John McConnell, Bellina Logan, Thandiwe Newton, Indra Ové, Helen McCrory, Roger Lloyd Pack and Stephen Rea.

Tagline: Drink From Me And Live Forever

The Plot…

Daniel Molloy (Slater) is a writer looking for a story.  After a chance meeting with Louis de Pointe du Lac (Pitt), he may have found it.  Louis claims to be a vampire.  Although Molloy is skeptical at first, Louis quickly proves he is what he says.

As Molloy records and takes notes, Louis tells his story. In 1791 Louis was a young, wealthy Louisiana plantation owner.  That changed the evening the vampire, Lestat (Cruise) turned him.  No longer human, Louis and Lestat moved through the night.  Undead but living.  Forced to leave Louisiana, when folks began to suspect Louis and his new friend were behind many disappearances, Louis and Lestat head to New Orleans…

Louis’ tale spans 200 years.  New Orleans.  A new vampire joins them.  Betrayal.  A journey to Europe where they discover the Théâtre des Vampires.  True Vampires putting on plays where they pretend to be humans playing vampires! The victims are real.  To tell more of Louis story would be to say too much.

But I will leave you with this… can an interview with a vampire end well?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles was nominated for two Academy Awards

  • Best Art Direction-Set Decoration: Dante Ferretti Francesca, Lo Schiavo
  • Best Music, Original Score: Elliot Goldenthal

Anne Rice was not initially happy when Tom Cruise was cast as Lestat.  When Rice wrote the novel she envisioned Rutgar Hauer in the role.  She thought of Alain Delon when writing the screenplay.  Then when it was time to cast the role she suggested John Malkovich, Peter Weller, Jeremy Irons or Alexander Godunov.  When Cruise and Pitt were selected for the two leads she suggested that Pitt play Lestat.  That wasn’t to be.  When the film was released, Rice had come around to the Tom Cruise casting.  She said he brought something to the role that she had not foreseen.

While I’m a fan of many of Tom Cruise’s movies and I do really like Interview with a Vampire, I think he was miscast as Lestat.

River Phoenix was set to play Daniel Malloy before his untimely death.  Christian Slater then got the part.  Slater donated his salary from the film to two of River Phoenix’s favorite charities.

The initial scene Stephen Rea shares with Brad Pitt is both funny and a bit scary.  It’s a favorite of mine.

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“The Convert” starring Guy Pearce – Two Posters and a Trailer are Here!

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Two posters and a trailer for The Convert starring Guy Pearce and I’m on board.

Lee Tamahori’s action-filled historical epic stars Guy Pearce as Thomas Munro, a newly arrived preacher in a colonial town in early 19th-century New Zealand who finds himself at the centre of a long-standing battle between two Māori tribes.

Directed by Lee Tamahori
Starring Guy Pearce, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, Antonio Te Maioha, Jacqueline McKenzie, Lawrence Makoare

“Alien: Romulus” – The Trailer is Here!

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The more I see for Alien: Romulus, the more I want to see it.

“Alien: Romulus” takes the phenomenally successful “Alien” franchise back to its roots: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.

The film stars Cailee Spaeny (“Civil War”), David Jonsson (“Agatha Christie’s Murder is Easy”), Archie Renaux (“Shadow and Bone”), Isabela Merced (“The Last of Us”), Spike Fearn (“Aftersun”), Aileen Wu.

Fede Alvarez (“Evil Dead,” “Don’t Breathe”) directs from a screenplay he wrote with frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues (“Don’t Breathe 2”) based on characters created by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett.

“Alien: Romulus” is produced by Ridley Scott (“Napoleon”), who directed the original “Alien” and produced and directed the series’ entries “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant,” Michael Pruss (“Boston Strangler”), and Walter Hill (“Alien”), with Fede Alvarez, Elizabeth Cantillon (“Charlie’s Angels”), Brent O’Connor (“Bullet Train”), and Tom Moran (“Unstoppable”) serving as executive producers.

“Mayor of Kingstown”: Season 1 (2022) starring Jeremy Renner / Z-View

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Mayor of Kingstown: Season 1 (2022)

Created by: Taylor Sheridan, Hugh Dillon

Director: Taylor Sheridan (Eps. 1, 3); Ben Richardson (Eps. 2, 4); Guy Ferland (Ep. 5-6); Clark Johnson (Eps. 7-8); Stephen Kay (Eps. 9-10)

Teleplay: Taylor Sheridan (Eps. 1-10) <Ep. 1 story by Taylor Sheridan, Hugh Dillon>

Stars: Jeremy Renner, Dianne Wiest, Hugh Dillon, Tobi Bamtefa, Taylor Handley, Emma Laird, Derek Webster, Pha’rez Lass, Aidan Gillen, James Jordan, Michael Beach, Nichole Galicia, Michael Reventar, George Tchortov, Scott Gibson, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Necar Zadegan, Derek Basco, Joe Parro, Connor Smith, Mandela Van Peebles, Andrew Howard, Adam Clark and Kyle Chandler.

Tagline: You can’t bury the past.

The Plot…

Kingston, Michigan is a prison town.  The McClusky brothers, Mitch (Chandler) and Mike (Renner) have become unofficial powerbrokers at getting things done.  Their connections to the prison, the cops and the gangs have helped keep the peace, solve crimes and ease tensions.

But there is always a cost.  And sometimes the cost isn’t cash.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Although Kingstown, Michigan is a fictional town, many of the prison scenes were filmed at the Kingston Penitentiary, in Kingston, Ontario.  Series co-creator, Hugh Dillon is from Kingston, Ontario.

Mayor of Kingstown is well written, well directed and well acted.  The production values rival those of feature films.

Taylor Sheridan wrote all episodes and directed two.  The other season one directors include…

  • Ben Richardson directed episodes of Yellowstone, 1883, 1923 and Tulsa King.
  • Guy Ferland directed episodes of Sons of Anarchy, The Walking Dead, The Strain and Yellowstone.
  • Clark Johnson directed episodes of The Shield, The Wire, The Walking Dead and Luke Cage.
  • Stephen Kay directed Get Carter and episodes of The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, Yellowstone and 1883.

Jeremy Renner is perfect as the no-nonsense Mike McClusky.  Other standouts in the acting department include Dianne Wiest, Hugh Dillon, Emma Laird and Nichole Galicia.  Tobi Bamtefa, Hamish Allan-Headley and Pha’rez Lass are new to me, but actors to watch for.  Actually, I should probably list every supporting actor/actress because they are all perfectly cast.

The surprises, twists and ever building tension make each episode must-see tv.  I look forward to season 2 and beyond.

Mayor of Kingstown: Season 1 (2022) rates 5 of 5 stars.