Category: Movies

“Jaws” Alt Poster by Sahin Düzgün!

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This Jaws 50th Anniversary poster created by Sahin Düzgün is one of my favorites that I’ve seen by him. It’s clever and scary.  Definitely worthy to showcase Spielberg’s masterpiece.

Here is what Sahin had to say about his design:  50 years later and the ocean still feels a little less safe. Jaws didn’t just change cinema – it made us look twice before going for a swim. This poster’s all about tension, silence, and the shape beneath the surface. 🦈🌊

Brody: “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”

“Satan Met a Lady” (1936) starring Bette Davis, William Warren and Marie Wilson / Z-View

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Satan Met a Lady (1936)

Director: William Dieterle

Screenplay:  Brown Holmes; based on THE MALTESE FALCON by Dashiell Hammett.

Stars:  Bette Davis, Warren William, Alison Skipworth, Arthur Treacher, Porter Hall, Olin Howland and Marie Wilson.

Tagline: She recalled how three men met their death…searching for a treasure that had left a trail of blood through twelve centuries!

The Plot…

Detective Ted Shane has just returned to town. Milton Ames, Shane’s former partner reluctantly agrees to work with Shane again.  They parted ways since Shane, a lady’s man, once was romantically involved with Ames’ wife.  Shane has a paying client and money overrides hurt feelings.

A woman named Valerie Purvis wants to hire Shane and Ames to find a man named Farrow.  When both Ames and Farrow are found murdered, Shane realizes there is much more to this case than a missing man.

Shane is soon approached by Madam Barrabas and Kenneth, her slow-witted, trigger happy son.  They want  to hire Shane to find an 8th century jewel-filled ivory horn.  An English gentleman, Anthony Travers, wants to hire Shane to find it as well.  And don’t you know, that’s what Valerie is after too.

Shane, never one to turn down money, decides to play each against the other and accepts payment from all.  Shane’s charm and quick wit have always served him well, but this time he may be in over his head.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Satan Met a Lady is based on Dashiell Hammett’s novel THE MALTESE FALCON.  Screenwriter, Brown Holmes not only changed the title, he changed the names of the characters (including the lead), the sex of the main antagonist and the object everyone wanted.

Bette Davis hated the script and complained to studio head Jack Warner.  She said she would not do the film.  Warner promised Davis better scripts in the future and then suspended her without pay.  Reluctantly Davis agreed to the movie.  Unfortunately she hated the end result and often said it was her worst film.

I recently revisited Satan Met a Lady.  I enjoyed it much more than previous viewings.  I always liked the movie, but this time out liked it even more.  I think in the past I compared this adaption of THE MALTESE FALCON to Huston and Bogart’s take.  Obviously Satan Met a Lady suffered by comparison.  I was also influenced by Bette Davis’ feelings about the film.  This time out, I put past feelings aside and enjoyed a lighthearted 1930s comedy/mystery.

Much of my enjoyment of Satan Met a Lady came from Marie Wilson’s performance as the ditzy, sexy blonde assistant.

Satan Met a Lady (1936) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Young Mr. Jazz” (1919) starring Harold Lloyd and Snub Pollard / Z-View

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Young Mr. Jazz (1919)

Director: Hal Roach

Screenplay: Hal Roach, Sam Taylor, H. M. Walker

Stars: Harold Lloyd, Bebe Daniels, ‘Snub’ Pollard.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Harold is in love.  Unfortunately the girl’s father is way overprotective.  Harold and  his girl make a plan to sneak off for a date.  When Harold picks her up, her father sees and gives chase.  Harold and his girl end up in a dive bar full of thieves and thugs.

Soon enough Harold’s pocket is picked.  When the bill comes due, the hard case bartender will collect one way or another.  Then the girl’s dad enters and in no time at all, his cash is stolen.  Now without a way to pay what is owed, Harold will be in a fight for his life against the bartender and his crook friends.

Last call!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)… 

Young Mr. Jazz is a short (10 minute) short.  Still, Harold Lloyd has ample time to demonstrate his athletic/acrobatic abilities.

Young Mr. Jazz (1919) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“By Any Means” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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I like the poster and trailer for By Any Means.

Deal me in.

When the system is broken, break the rules By Any Means.

Watch the trailer for #ByAnyMeansMovie, only in theatres this September.

Inspired by a true story, a young Black FBI agent (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is sent into 1960s Mississippi to investigate a wave of brutal killings targeting civil rights leaders. Forced to work alongside notorious mafia hitman Greg Scarpa (Mark Wahlberg), he finds himself pulled into a deadly hunt where justice and vengeance begin to blur.

When the system is broken, two men divided by everything agree on one thing: the law has limits. They don’t.

“Forgotten Sweeties” (1927) starring Charlie Chase / Z-View

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Forgotten Sweeties (1927)

Director: James Parrott

Screenplay:  H.M. Walker

Stars:  Charlie Chase, Anita Garvin, Shirley Palmer.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Charlie and his new wife, Lillian, are surprised to learn that Charlie’s ex-girlfriend, Shirley has moved into the apartment across from them.  Worse still, Shirley’s new husband Ira is the jealous type.  When Ira learns about Charlie, things take a turn for the worst.

Let the antics begin!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Charlie Chase was an writer, director and actor.  Although he died at a relatively young age (46), his resume includes 282 acting roles, 174 films as a director and 37 as writer.

Forgotten Sweeties was directed by Charlie Chase’s brother.

Forgotten Sweeties (1927) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Onslaught” directed by Adam Wingard and starring Adria Arjona, Alex Pereira, Drew Starkey, Rebecca Hall, Reginald VelJohnson, Michael Biehn, Eric Wareheim and Dan Stevens – Two Posters and a Trailer are Here!

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Here we have two posters and the trailer for Onslaught, directed by Adam Wingard and starring Adria Arjona, Alex Pereira, Drew Starkey, Rebecca Hall, Reginald VelJohnson, Michael Biehn, Eric Wareheim and Dan Stevens.

Diggin’ the poster above and the clever one below as well.  Those plus the trailer have me sold.

Deal me in.

ONSLAUGHT – In Theaters September 4.

DIRECTOR: Adam Wingard

CAST: Adria Arjona, Alex Pereira, Drew Starkey, Rebecca Hall, Reginald VelJohnson, Michael Biehn, Eric Wareheim and Dan Stevens

“Many Scrappy Returns” (1927) starring Charlie Chase / Z-View

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Many Scrappy Returns (1927)

Director: James Parrott

Screenplay:  H.M. Walker

Stars:  Charlie Chase, Eugenia Gilbert, Anita Garvin and Bull Montana.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Charlie and his wife have Charlie’s brother, Wellington and Wellington’s wife over for dinner.  Things go sideways when Wellington tries to put a move on Charlie’s maid.  Worse still she thinks that it was Charlie getting fresh.  When the maid’s husband gets wind of the advance, all bets are off!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Charlie Chase was an writer, director and actor.  Although he died at a relatively young age (46), his resume includes 282 acting roles, 174 films as a director and 37 as writer.

Many Scrappy Returns was directed by Charlie Chase’s brother.

Many Scrappy Returns (1927) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“The Rink” (1916) written, directed and starring Charlie Chaplin / Z-View

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The Rink (1916)

Director: Charlie Chaplin, Edward Brewer (technical director)

Screenplay:  Charlie Chaplin, Vincent Bryan, Maverick Terrell

Stars:  Charlie Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Eric Campbell, Henry Bergman, Albert Austin.

Tagline: Can you imagine the excruciatingly comedy capers of Charley on a pair of roller skates?

The Plot…

Charlie is a terribly clumsy waiter.  On his lunch hour Charlie likes to go to the skating rink where he is graceful beyond belief.  Still, Charlie being Charlie…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Charlie Chaplin was a man of many talents.  He wrote screenplays, acted, directed, produced, composed music and wrote songs.  Who knew he could also skate so well?

In addition to his physical comedy, Chaplin made me smile when as a waiter he figured a fat man’s dinner bill by the stains on his clothes.

The Rink (1916) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Are Brunettes Safe?” (1927) starring Charlie Chase / Z-View

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Are Brunettes Safe? (1927)

Director: James Parrott

Screenplay:  H.M. Walker

Stars:  Charlie Chase, Lorraine Eason Will Walling.

Tagline: You can only choose one.

The Plot…

Charlie plays a newspaper advice columnist.  Charlie gets a letter from a man saying he hasn’t seen his mother in years and he will not be able to return home.  The man encloses a photo of himself.  Charlie is surprised to see that the man looks exactly like him.

That’s when Charlie gets an idea.  Charlie will travel to the man’s small town.  He’ll visit the man’s mother and see if he can impersonate the man.  It’ll make a great human interest story.

What Charlie doesn’t know, but is about to find out: the man is infamous in the town!  He is wanted for robbing the town’s bank.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Are Brunettes Safe? is a 20 minute silent film from Hal Roach, the producer famous for Laurel & Hardy, Harold Lloyd and Our Gang shorts.

Are Brunettes Safe? (1927) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Eternity” (2025) starring Mile Teller, Elizabeth Olsen and Callum Turner / Z-View

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Eternity (2025)

Director: David Freyne

Screenplay:  Pat Cunnane, David Freyne

Stars: Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner, John Early, Olga Merediz, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Barry Primus and Betty Buckley.

Tagline: You can only choose one.

The Plot…

Larry and Joan have been married for 65 years.  Although they’ve been together for a lifetime, it is Joan’s second marriage.  When she was very young, Joan was briefly married.  Her husband, Luke, was killed in the Korean War.

Although Joan has terminal cancer, it is Larry who dies first when he chokes on a pretzel.

When Larry awakens as a young man, he discovers he’s in the afterlife.  Anna, Larry’s Afterlife Coordinator explains that he must decide in which themed afterlife he wants to spend his eternity.  Once selected, a person cannot change their theme.  Eternity theme salespeople are constantly touting their products.

Larry decides to wait for Joan to make his eternity selection.  That way they can always be together.  Soon enough Joan arrives.  Larry is surprised to find that Joan’s first husband, Luke has also waited for her.  He also wants to spend eternity with her.

Joan is faced with an impossible choice.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Eternity is better than I anticipated.  The Afterlife Coordinators are a hoot.  I also got a kick out of the different themes available for eternity.

Eternity (2025) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“The Incredible Mr. Limpet” (1964) starring Don Knotts / Z-View

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The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964)

Director: Arthur Lubin

Screenplay:  Joe DiMona, Jameson Brewer, John C. Rose; based on MR. LIMPET by Theodore Pratt

Stars: Don Knotts, Carole Cook, Jack Weston, Andrew Duggan and Paul Frees (voice).

Tagline: The man who turned into a fish… and became America’s deadliest secret weapon!

The Plot…

War War II rages.  Henry Limpett, a mild-mannered bookkeeper, would love nothing more than to enlist and help the war effort.  Each time Henry’s tried he’s been rejected due to his many health issues.

Henry, his wife and his best friend George go to Coney Island for the day.  As Henry is looking down into the ocean, he falls.  Henry can’t swim so George dives in to save him.  Despite several attempts, George is unable to find Henry.  Everyone believes Henry has drowned.

But he hasn’t.  Somehow Henry Limpet has turned into a fish!  Even more amazing as a fish, Henry has a power that may help turn the tide of the war!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The film moves from live action to animation once Limpet turns into a fish.

It’s funny how much the fish looks like Don Knotts — or is it how much he looks like a fish?

I saw the film when it was first released. I was five and the theater was full of kids.  We loved it.  I recently re-watched it again with my grandson who is six.  He enjoyed it as well.  Your mileage may vary depending on your age and the audience you’re watching with.

The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964) rates 4 of 5 stars.