“Psycho” Alt Poster by Laurent Carbonelle!
I hope you dig this alt Psycho poster by Laurent Carbonelle as much as I do. You can see more of Carnonelle’s art here.
Category: Crime
Sly Stallone as Jack Carter by Gary Shipman!
Gary Shipman is a self taught artist and writer. Shipman has been nominated for Eisner, Harvey and Russ Manning awards. When I saw that Gary Shipman was regularly doing sketchcard (and other) commissions on WhatNot, I decided to try to get one. As you can see above from Shipman’s riff on Sly Stallone as Jack Carter, I succeeded. And he nailed it. Look for more Gary Shipman art here in the near future!
You can see more of Gary Shipman’s art at his webpage, his Instagram page and on his Whatnot stream.
Marv by Ricard Pace!
Marv from Frank Miller’s Sin City is a character I love seeing drawn by different artists. The one above was created by Richard Pace. You can see more of Pace’s art here.
“Justified: City Primeval” | Season 1, Episode 6 Trailer – Adios
A botched kerfuffle sends Raylan’s pursuit of Mansell into chaos. Watch new episodes of Justified: City Primeval Tuesdays on FX. Stream on Hulu. Subscribe now for more Justified: City Primeval clips: http://bit.ly/SubscribeFX
| Visit Official Site https://fx.tv/JCP
Starring Timothy Olyphant, Aunjanue Ellis and Boyd Holbrook. Raylan Givens left the hollers of Kentucky and is balancing life as a U.S. Marshal with being a part-time father. A chance encounter sends him to Detroit and on a collision course with a violent sociopath and a formidable defense attorney.
“The Continental: From the World of John Wick” – The Poster & Trailer are Here!
The three-part event will explore the origin behind the iconic hotel-for-assassins centerpiece of the John Wick universe through the eyes and actions of a young Winston Scott, as he’s dragged into the Hell-scape of 1970’s New York City to face a past he thought he’d left behind. Winston charts a deadly course through the hotel’s mysterious underworld in a harrowing attempt to seize the hotel where he will eventually take his future throne.
“Psycho” (1960) directed by Alfred Hitchcock / Z-View
Psycho (1960)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Screenplay: Joseph Stefano based on Psycho by Robert Bloch
Stars: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam, John McIntire, Simon Oakland, Frank Albertson, Patricia Hitchcock, Vaughn Taylor and John Anderson.
Tagline: The picture you MUST see from the beginning… Or not at all!… For no one will be seated after the start of… Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest shocker Psycho.
The Plot…
Marion Crane (Leigh) in a moment of weakness steals $40,000.00 from her boss. She packs her bags and heads off to meet her lover (who has no idea of what she has done). It’s a long drive so Marion decides to spend the night at the Bates’ Motel. The motel is located off the main road in a remote location. There’s no one else staying there. The place is run by mild mannered Norman Bates who takes care of his invalid mother who lives in the house on the hill.
She should be safe for one night…
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)
After reading the Robert Bloch novel, Hitchcock bought the rights to the book and lobbied Paramount Pictures to get the film made. The studio didn’t have faith in the material. They agreed to a small budget ($800,000) if Mr. Hitchcock would defer his salary ($250,000) and instead take 60% of the gross. It worked out well since Hitchcock ended up making about $15 million!
I love that the movie starts out as a crime film and turns into a horror movie. What other movie has the “lead” actress killed off about an hour in? The top billed actor, Anthony Perkins, doesn’t even appear until about 30 minutes into the film.
Hitchock loved the score by Bernard Herrmann so much that he reportedly doubled Herrmann’s salary. Hitchcock also planned to have the shower scene appear as a silent sequence. After seeing it with the score Herrmann created, Hitch decided it worked better with music.
Anthony Perkins gives a master class in acting when questioned by Martin Balsam.
Simon Oakland shows up for one scene and it’s impact reminded me of Alec Baldwin’s in Glengary Glen Ross.
Psycho is another of Alfred Hitchcock’s classics.
Psycho (1960) rates 5 of 5 stars.
GOTHAM CITY: YEAR ONE by Tom King and Phil Hester!
GOTHAM CITY: YEAR ONE by Tom King (writer) and Phil Hester (artist) has been getting rave reviews. It is coming out in hardcover and Kindle editions on September 5th. Here’s the lowdown…
There once was a shining city on the water, a home for families, hope, and prosperity. It was Gotham and it was glorious.
The story of its fall from grace, the legend that would birth the Bat, has remained untold for 80 years.
That’s about to change.
Superstar creators Tom King and Phil Hester team up for the first time to tell the definitive origin of Gotham City: how it became the cesspool of violence and corruption it is today, and how it harbored and then unleashed the sin that led to the rise of the Dark Knight. Two generations before Batman, private investigator Slam Bradley gets tangled in the “kidnapping of the century” as the infant Wayne heir disappears in the night…and so begins a brutal, hard-boiled, epic tale of a man living on the edge and a city about to burn.
“Justified: City Primeval” | Season 1, Episode 5 Trailer – The Fall of Jericho
Carolyn’s past becomes Raylan’s present. Mansell puts a plan into action. Watch new episodes of Justified: City Primeval Tuesdays on FX. Stream on Hulu.
Starring Timothy Olyphant, Aunjanue Ellis and Boyd Holbrook. Raylan Givens left the hollers of Kentucky and is balancing life as a U.S. Marshal with being a part-time father. A chance encounter sends him to Detroit and on a collision course with a violent sociopath and a formidable defense attorney.
“Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York” (2023) / Z-View
Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York (2023)
Director: Anthony Caronna
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
In the 1990s, dismembered bodies began turning up in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The victims were gay men. It took a while before the police in the different jurisdictions realized they had a serial killer on their hands. The press dubbed the murderer The Last Call Killer.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York is a four part documentary that focuses on the victims, the increased homophobia due to AIDS during this time period, the efforts the gay community took to raise awareness of the murders and the shortcomings of a system where different jurisdictions didn’t smoothly interact. While we do learn who the killer was, how he was caught and the outcome of his trial, he is never the main focus.
Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York (2023) rates 3 of 5 stars.
RIP: Mark Margolis
Mark Margolis, the actor best known for his portrayal of Hector Salamanca in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, died yesterday after a short illness. Mr. Margolis was 83.
After high school Mark Margolis moved to New York where he was a student at the Actors Studio. He worked in both television and feature films throughout his career. In 2012, Mr. Margolis was nominated for a Prime Time Emmy Award as the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama series for his portrayal of Hector Salamanca in Breaking Bad.
Some of Mark Margolis’ television appearances include: Kojak; Muggable Mary, Street Cop; Rage of Angels; Crime Story; The Equalizer (16 episodes); Quantum Leap; Columbo Cries Wolf; Star Trek: The Next Generation; Jake and the Fatman; Tales from the Darkside; Santa Barbara (13 episodes); Guiding Light; Prince Street (6 episodes); Law & Order (3 episodes); Oz (10 episodes); Ed (2 episodes); Sex and the City; Law & Order: Criminal Intent; Crossing Jordan; Waterfront (4 episodes); Kings (2 episodes); Blue Bloods; Breaking Bad (8 episodes); The Good Wife; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Person of Interest (3 episodes); Fairly Legal (2 episodes); American Horror Story (3 episodes); Elementary; Gotham (2 episodes); The Affair (3 episodes); The Blacklist; Snowpiercer; Prodigal Son; Better Call Saul (22 episodes) and Your Honor (5 episodes).
Some of Mark Margolis’ feature film appearances include: The Opening of Misty Beethoven; Short Eyes; Short Eyes; Going in Style; Dressed to Kill; Arthur; Eddie Macon’s Run; Scarface; The Cotton Club; The Secret of My Success; Glory; Ace Ventura: Pet Detective; Absolute Power; The Thomas Crown Affair; End of Days; Requiem for a Dream; Hannibal; Daredevil; Gone, Baby, Gone; The Wrestler; Stand Up Guys and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.
My favorite role of Mark Margolis’ is probably most everyone’s, when he played Hector Salamanca in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. I also loved him in Scarface and Oz.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mark Margolis’ family, friends and fans.
“Body Heat” (1981) written & directed by Lawrence Kasdan, starring William Hurt & Kathleen Turner / Z-View
Body Heat (1981)
Director: Lawrence Kasdan
Screenplay: Lawrence Kasdan
Stars: William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson, J.A. Preston, Kim Zimmer and Mickey Rourke.
Tagline: The called it love. The DA called it murder.
The Plot…
One night in the middle of a brutal Florida heat wave, Ned Racine (Hurt) meets a beautiful woman on the boardwalk. The woman is Matty Walker (Turner). She’s married, but Racine, a notorious womanizer, isn’t fazed. There’s a definite sexual attraction and soon the two are involved in a torrid affair. Matty’s husband is rich, but has an airtight prenup. As Ned and Matty’s affair heats up their thoughts turn to cold blooded murder.
All is not as it seems…
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)
Body Heat is a classic noir. If you’re a fan of Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice, this should light your fire. It made stars of Kathleen Turner and Mickey Rourke. It’s my favorite film written by Lawrence Kasdan. It’s also my favorite film directed by Kasdan. It’s my favorite William Hurt movie.
Body Heat features a twist ending that plays out slowly and adds a whole new layer to everything we’ve seen.
Body Heat (1981) rates 5 of 5 stars.
“Malicious” (2023) – The Trailer is Here!
The McCabe family’s weekend getaway was never meant to be a life-changing experience. Governor William McCabe, a respected politician, was looking forward to some rest and relaxation. His beautiful wife Lauren and distant stepdaughter Erin strain to enjoy their time together, as the façade of the trophy family has worn dangerously thin. Things take a severe turn for the worse when a charismatic stranger knocks on their door and triggers an unexpected chain of events.
Marv & The Yellow Bastard by Ben Oliver!
One of my all-time favorite characters is Marv from Frank Miller’s Sin City. I love seeing other artist’s interpretation of the character. This is a work in progress by Ben Oliver. You can see more of Oliver’s art at his Instagram page.
“Pulp Fiction” (1994) / Z-View
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avery
Stars: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Phil LaMarr, Frank Whaley, Ving Rhames, Paul Calderon, Rosanna Arquette, Eric Stoltz, Steve Buscemi, Christopher Walken, Harvey Keitel, Julia Sweeney, Peter Greene, Kathy Griffin and Quentin Tarantino.
Tagline: You won’t know the facts until you’ve seen the fiction.
The Plot…
Pulp Fiction is the tale of…
- Vincent Vega (Travolta) an enforcer for Marcellus Wallace
- Jules Winnfield (Jackson) an enforcer for Marcellus Wallace
- Marcellus Wallace (Rhames) a mobster
- Mia Wallace (Thurman) Marcellus Wallace’s wife
- Butch Coolidge (Willis) a boxer paid to take a dive for Marcellus Wallace
- Pumpkin (Roth) a small time crook
- Honey Bunny (Plummer) Pumpkin’s partner and lover
- Mr. Wolf (Keitel) a cleaner
Pulp Fiction unfolds jumping back and forth in time as the characters interact. There are seven sequences. Each section focuses on a different main character(s) with the others either not appearing or taking a secondary role. While this sounds confusing, it’s not.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Pulp Fiction was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, Director, Actor (Travolta), Supporting Actor (Jackson), Supporting Actress (Thurman), Film Editing and won for Best Original Screenplay (Tarantino & Avery).
Pulp Fiction was the film that made Quentin Tarantino a household name and reinvigorated John Travolta’s career.
A lot of credit for Pulp Fiction‘s popularity is given to its unique structure. While that does have a lot to do with the movie’s success, we shouldn’t short the story or cast. Tarantino and Avery came up with great characters. They then beautifully cast each role. The stories at first glance seemed to be traditional tropes for crime/gangster films, but each veered into strange new territory. Pulp Fiction became and remains a touchstone for crime films.
Pulp Fiction (1994) rates 5 of 5 stars.
IT DIES WITH YOU by Scott Blackburn / Z-View
IT DIES WITH YOU by Scott Blackburn
Hardback: 304 pages
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (June 7, 2022)
First sentence…
I was bouncing at the Red Door Taproom on a Friday night in January, which all but guaranteed I’d be earning every last cent of my paycheck.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Hudson Miller’s promising career as a boxer is on hold. Suspended for a fight outside the ring, Miller now works as a bouncer as he waits for the commission to decide his future. Late one night, Miller ignores a phone a call from his estranged father. The next morning Miller learns that his dad was murdered in a robbery gone bad. At least that’s what the cops are saying.
After the funeral, Miller is surprised to learn he is the new owner of his dad’s salvage yard. Figuring it will pay more than bouncing, Miller decides to give it a try… at least until he can fight again. Things go sideways when Miller learns that the salvage yard was the hub of illegal activities that may have played a part in his dad’s murder. As Miller digs deeper, he finds himself alone and unsure of who he can trust. His father’s only employee, Charlie Shoaf, a Viet Nam vet who doesn’t rattle easily warns Miller to leave it alone. The cops are no help. Miller is going to get answers even if it kills him.
IT DIES WITH YOU is Scott Blackburn’s debut novel. He had me hooked from the first sentence. He creates characters that feel real and you care about. The mystery of who killed Miller’s dad propels them through a world that you can see outside your window if you live in the rural south. I look forward to whatever Blackburn writes next.
Rating:
