Category: Books

“The Irishman” / Z-View

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The Irishman (2019)

Director: Martin Scorsese

Screenplay: Steve Zallian based on the book by Charles Brandt

Stars:  Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel, Ray Romano, Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin, and Jesse Plemons.

The Pitch: “Martin Scorsese wants to do a new gangster movie!”

Tagline: His story changed history.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

On his deathbed in 2003, Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran, a former bodyguard and alleged mob hitman confessed to a killing that if true would resolve a mystery that has remained unsolved for decades.  Sheeran’s confessions (of that murder and more) became the basis of I Heard You Paint Houses: The Inside Story of the Mobsters, the Teamsters & the Last Ride of Jimmy Hoffa by Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran and Charles Brandt.  That book became the inspiration for The Irishman.

The Irishman re-teams Scorsese, De Niro, and Pesci, then adds Pacino for good measure. De Niro plays Sheeran who accidentally meets and becomes friends with mobster, Russell Bufalino (Pesci). As the years pass Sheeran works his way into Bufalono’s inner circle because of his willingness to take care of business.  Sheeran’s choices take him down a road that leads inevitably to the loss of his family, friends and the betrayal of those he cares about.

The Irishman is getting almost universal praise.  It should. Scorsese is in top form and gets the best performances from De Niro and Pacino that we’ve seen in years.  Pesci gives his best performance ever.  Pesci deserves all of the awards he’ll receive for this role.  I was worried that Pacino would be too over the top for his role as Hoffa, but he reined it in and pulled it off.

Now to the two nits, many are picking: 1) The de-aging CGI and 2) the length of The Irishman.

I’ll admit that at first the CGI is distracting.  As the film went on it became less so.  Scorsese has said that a lot of attention was paid in the de-aging scenes to make sure the main actors (all 70+) moved age appropriately for their scenes.  (“Uh, Al, let’s do that again.  Remember when you’re getting out of the chair in this scene, you’re 45.”)  There were a couple of scenes where the faces look younger but the body movements don’t have the same snap as a younger man.  Minor distractions in my opinion, but some folks are complaining big time so your mileage may vary.

The second nit some are picking is the length of The Irishman which clocks in at 3 hours and 29 minutes making it the longest movie Scorsese has directed, and reportedly the longest mainstream film released in decades.  I thought the film moved at the right pace.  I was never bored.  I never checked my watch.  It didn’t feel like a three hour plus movie.  Again your mileage may vary.

I loved The Irishman.

Rating:

Things Learned from the “Point Blank” Commentary!

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Rob Hunter at Film School Rejects is back with 32 Things We Learned from the Point Blank Commentary.  Here are three of my favorites before you click over…

3. Boorman acknowledges that there are theories that Walker (Marvin) is dying from the opening gun shots and simply dreams the rest of the movie. Soderbergh asks his opinion on that argument but also wonders if it even matters. “I don’t think it does, but… what it is is what you see.”  [I think this is a cool theory, but no more than that.  – Craig]

11. The scene where Walker surprises Lynne, shoots the bed, and then gets information from her was written to have him interrogating her, but when they shot it Marvin chose to stay silent. Acker continued with her side, and Boorman realized the brilliance of Marvin’s choice. “Lee never made suggestions, he would just show you.” They made the alterations and shot it with Lynne providing all of the info responding to his presence rather than his questions.  [What a really cool choice on Marvin’s part.  He’s supposed to be like this force of nature and his presence alone is able to get Lynne to give up all the details of the double-cross.  Well played, Lee Marvin! – Craig]

4. The fractured structure was intended from the start despite it being highly atypical for a studio picture at the time. Marvin actually called a meeting at the studio with the big wigs to confirm that he had final approval over the script, casting, and more. They said yes, and he replied “I defer those approvals to John” and then walked out of the meeting. Boorman adds that once the film was completed the suits watched his cut and immediately began mumbling about re-shoots. It was released as he intended.  [Lee Marvin comes across as one of those folks who if they like you, they’ll do anything for ya.  If they don’t like you, you’ll know it.  A couple other comments support this. – Craig]

Steranko is…Legendary (King-size Hardcover) is Coming!

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Fans who want Steranko’s legendary run on Nick Fury are in for a treat when Marvel releases the Steranko is… Legendary.  This king-size hardcover will reprint STRANGE TALES 151-168; NICK FURY, AGENT OF S.H.I.E.L.D. (1968) 1-3, 5.  Here’s the lowdown…

Rarely before and rarely since has the comics industry seen a talent as innovative as Steranko. Blending together infl uences from pop art to Salvador Dalí and Will Eisner to Wallace Wood, Steranko’s groundbreaking style is an incomparable visual language. Steranko is…revolutionary! Marvel is proud to present Steranko’s complete tenure on NICK FURY, AGENT OF S.H.I.E.L.D. in a single, massive King-Size edition that showcases all its glory! These are the stories that defined Nick Fury as the premier spymaster, operating in the covert shadows of the Marvel Universe. His awesome tech, his steamy romances, his larger-than-life action-adventure – Steranko was behind it all! Breaking all the old rules of comics storytelling as he went and creating a few new ones too!

Steranko is… Legendary premieres on May 19, 2020.

The Batman: White Knight Deluxe Edition is Coming!

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Sean Murphy (with an assist from Matt Hollingsworth) created one of the best received graphic stories in recent years with Batman: White Knight.  Due to it’s critical acclaim and popularity, Batman: White Knight is getting the deluxe treatment…

A Newsweek Best Graphic Novel of the Year. The impossible has happened: The Joker has become a…hero?

The critically acclaimed Batman: White Knight gets a new deluxe treatment. Quickly becoming a classic Batman story, Batman: White Knight follows the transformation of The Joker into a sane citizen of Gotham: Jack Napier. After reconciling with his long-suffering partner, Harley Quinn, he sets in motion a carefully plotted campaign to discredit the one person whom he views as Gotham City’s true enemy: Batman.

Napier’s crusade exposes a decades-long history of corruption within the Gotham City Police Department and transforms Napier into a city councilman and civic hero. But when the sins of his past return to threaten everything that he has accomplished, the distinctions between savior and destroyer begin to break down for both The Joker and Batman alike–and with them any hope for Gotham’s future.

Writer and artist Sean Murphy delivers an extraordinary examination of comics’ greatest antagonists in Batman: White Knight, exploring justice, corruption, activism and the darkest depths of mental illness. Collecting the acclaimed eight-issue miniseries, including sketches and scripts as well as Sean Murphy’s orginal pencils. This stunning graphic novel also marks the debut of the DC Black Label imprint, which features classic DC characters in all-new, standalone stories written and illustrated by world-class authors and artists.

Batman: White Knight Deluxe Edition premieres on March 10, 2020.

“Rambo III” Collectible Figure from ThreeZero

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Sly Stallone and Rambo fans who collect action figures will want to check out the new Rambo III offering from ThreeZero.  This fully-articulated collectible features a realistic likeness to Sly Stallone as he looked playing Rambo in his third outing.

Details include:

12 inches (~30cm) custom designed action figure body
The head sculpt features a realistic likeness of actor Sylvester Stallone
Black bandana
Jade pendant
Military jacket
Tank top
Military watch
Military pants
Belt
Boots
Military bag
Exchangeable hands
1 pair of fists
1 right holding gun
1 left holding gun
1 right holding knife
1 left holding arrow
1 right holding bow
Weapons:
Compound bow with quiver & 5 arrows
C4 explosive x 1
Boot dagger x 1
Survival knife with sheath x 1
AK with M203 grenade launcher
RPG-7 launcher

“Point Blank” Gets the Cinephilia and Beyond Treatment

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Point Blank gets the Cinephilia and Beyond Treatment.  It’s a thing of beauty.  Click over and you’ll get…

  • Rarely seen production and behind-the-scenes photos
  • Point Blank script
  • Alexander Jacobs discusses the process of adapting Westlake’s novel, the conflicts involved in getting the script to screen, and his approach to screenwriting
  • How the Point Blank script influenced Walter Hill
  • John Boorman on shooting Point Blank his 1st feature film in color
  • John Boorman and Steven Soderbergh Point Blank commentary track
  •  Point Blank. Lee Marvin: A Personal Portrait by John Boorman
  • and much more!

James Carlos Blake’s The Bones of Wolfe

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I’m surprised that James Carlos Blake isn’t a better known name.  Don’t get me wrong, writers know the man.  Crime fiction fans (well read ones) know the name.  I’ve never read a book by James Carlos Blake that I didn’t love.  He’s that good.

Blake’s next novel, The Bones of Wolfe will be released on July 7th.   Here’s the synopsis:

In the newest Wolfe-family adventure from James Carlos Blake, Rudy and Frank Wolfe are engaging in routine miscellaneous business―some legitimate and some less so―for their family when they stumble upon a stash of high-quality pornographic films in a raid. The plot thickens when their Aunt Catalina, the family matriarch aged 115, recognizes her long-lost sister in one of the young performers. Catalina tasks the boys with tracking the girl down, however improbable a connection may be.

This proves to be no simple task. Soon, Rudy and Frank find themselves moving away from world of porn and towards the upper echelons of the Sinaloa drug cartel, where the mysterious woman has become a particular favorite of the head narco. For their aunt, the woman, and themselves, Frank and Rudy must find a way to get her out without alerting the cartel. A tropical storm complicates their quest, but their sprawling family may save them from this obstacle, too.

You know what to do.

Ace Atkins “The Revelators” is Coming!

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The new Quinn Colson novel, The Revelators will be released on July 14, 2020.  If you’re not familiar with Ace Atkins Quinn Colson novels, you should be.

Here’s the synopsis for The Revelators:

In this gripping new crime novel from the New York Times-bestselling author, Quinn Colson is about to find out whether his quest for justice can coexist with his loyalty to the law…

Shot up and left for dead, Sheriff Quinn Colson has revenge on his mind. With the help of his new wife Maggie, rehabilitation, and sheer force of will, he’s walking again, eager to resume his work as a southern lawman and track down those responsible for his attempted murder. But someone is standing in his way: an interim sheriff, appointed by the newly elected Governor Vardaman, the man who Quinn knows ordered his murder. Vardaman sits at the top of the state’s power structure–both legal and criminal–and little does he know, Quinn is still alive. And coming for him.

Quinn will enlist the help of his most trusted friends, including federal agent Jon Holliday, U.S. Marshal Lillie Virgil, and Donnie Varner, a childhood buddy now working for the Feds as an informant. Since Quinn’s been gone, the criminal element in north Mississippi has flourished, with queenpin Fannie Hathcock enjoying unbridled freedom. As an ice storm bears down on north Mississippi and Memphis, and Tibbehah County is isolated from the outside world, the killers will return to finish the job.

But this time, Quinn Colson and company will be waiting, ready to bust apart a criminal empire running on a rigged system for far too long. This is the battle of Jericho, the epic showdown that’s been years in the making. In the end, the war will end–for better or worse.

I can’t wait.

Frank Miller’s “Sin City” Coming as a Live Action and Animated TV Series!

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Frank Miller and Legendary Television have reached an agreement to turn Miller’s Sin City into a television series.  An agreement to bring Robert Rodriguez (Miller’s co-director on the Sin City films) on board is also in the works.

The deal would guarantee a minimum of one season if picked up by a network or streaming service.  In addition to the Sin City tv series, the agreement also provides for a Sin City R-rated animated series!

I love both of these ideas.  And wouldn’t animated Sin City series done in the style of Miller’s graphic novels would be interesting?

For full details check out Deadline’s Legendary Signs Rights Deal With Frank Miller For ‘Sin City’ TV Series; Robert Rodriguez In Talks.

Cooke & Stark’s Parker: The Martini Edition Volume 1 is Available for Pre-Order Now!

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Darwyn  Cooke created the art above for Richard Stark’s Parker: The Martini Edition which collected Darwyn Cooke’s first two Parker books, The Hunter and The Outfit… 

…in a tremendous, special, oversized hardcover edition — with an additional 65-pages of content — encased in a beautiful slipcase!

Richard Stark’s Parker: The Hunter graphic novel debuted in July 2008 to instantaneous popular and critical acclaim. It made the New York Times bestseller list and won coveted Eisner and Harvey awards. The second graphic novel, The Outfit, was released in 2010 and was met with similar response, and won the 2011 Eisner for Best Writer/Artist.

The Hunter and The Outfit tell the story of Parker, Richard Stark’s classic anti-hero, as he returns to New York to settle the score with his wife and partner in crime after they betray him in a heist gone terribly wrong. After evening the field and reclaiming his prize, the Outfit decide to do some score settling of their own… and learn much too late that when you push a man like Parker, it had better be all the way to the grave.

Also contains the short stories The Man With the Getaway Face and The Seventh.

I had ordered a copy of The Martini Edition when it was published in 2011, but it arrived damaged.  When I returned it for a replacement, I was sad to learn The Martini Edition had sold out.

Until  now.  (Actually April 28, 2020.)

IDW is reprinting Richard Stark’s Parker: The Martini Edition.  It’ll have a different cover but the same contents.  I’m betting this edition will sell out quickly.  I’ve put in my pre-order.  If you’re interested, I wouldn’t wait long before doing the same.

Of Mice and Minestrone: Hap and Leonard: The Early Years by Joe R. Lansdale is Coming!

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Of Mice and Minestrone: Hap & Leondard: The Early Years, by Joe R. Lansdale has been announced for May 14, 2020.  Fans are already putting in their pre-orders.  Any book by Lansdale is cause for a celebration, but H&L tales call for a special party.  Here’s what we can expect…

Pull up a seat and sit a spell. Master storyteller Joe R. Lansdale has cooked up a passel of tales for you about the unlikeliest duo East Texas has to offer.

Hap Collins looks like a good ol’ boy, but from his misspent youth on, his best compatriot is Leonard Pine―black, gay, and the ultimate outsider. Inseparable friends, Hap and Leonard attend family gatherings, climb into the boxing ring, get in bar fights, and just go fishing―all while confronting racism, righting wrongs, and eating copious, delicious food.

Chock full of Lansdale’s unique blend of humor, ferocity, and insight, Of Mice and Minestrone delivers five never-before-seen (plus one perhaps familiar) Hap and Leonard stories, a selection of the boys’ favorite recipes, and an introduction from New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Kent.

So come discover the legends of Hap and Leonard, created by Joe R. Lansdale his own self, and featured in the by Hap and Leonard TV series starring Michael K. Williams (The Wire), James Purefoy (The Following), and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men).

8 Out-of-this-World Facts about “The Invaders”

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Me-TV presents 8 Out-of-this-World Facts about The Invaders.  They’re so good I had a tough time picking my top three, but here they are! Then click over for all of ’em!

5.  The show is Jerry Lewis-level huge in France.
The French have a knack for developing cults around unexpected, overlooked pieces of American pop culture. Their Invaders fandom is a prime example, and it’s not just the how of it but the when of it. Thinnes himself explained the genesis of the French Invaders phenomenon in a 2008 interview with Premium Hollywood. “Back in the early ’80s, Patrick Poivre d’Arvor, who is a star anchorman with Télévision Française 1, he had a four-hour show on Sundays and he did a survey with the audience and asked… because they love American television, what would they like to see again,” Thinnes said. “And they got a lot of calls about The Invaders, so TF1 bought a few episodes and tested it and got a huge response. So they began running the series.” The reruns later jumped to cable and an “MTV equivalent,” airing in reruns for two decades.

6. Suzanne Plechette twice sacrificed herself as a friendly alien on the show.
Not all of the aliens on The Invaders had wicked motives. Some helped David Vincent along the way. In particular, Suzanne Pleshette of The Bob Newhart Show stands out, as she turns up twice, as two different such aliens. In the second episode, she plays a stripper who also happens to be an Invaders, albeit a “mutation” who can feel empathy. So she helps David, dying in the end. This is the first time we see the glowing red death of the aliens on the series. In the second season, Pleshette appears again as Anne, a more hot-headed alien who also gives her life in helping David. Those E.T. must have loved shifting into the shape of Pleshette.

7. The Invaders dabbled in zombies, too.
While it was never a huge ratings hit, The Invaders nevertheless spawned an expanded universe of tie-in books and comics. Perhaps the must interesting pulp Invaders novel was Army of the Undead, which centers around the alien Invaders turning humans into mindless “zombies.” What is perhaps most fascinating about its use of zombies is that the paperback hit stands in 1967 — a year before Night of the Living Dead. It was ahead of the curve.