Category: Movies

“Listen, Judge” (1952) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Listen, Judge (1952)

Director:  Edward Bernds

Writer:  Elwood Ullman

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Shemp Howard, Kitty McHugh, Vernon Dent, Emil Sitka, John Hamilton and Gil Perkins.

Tagline: They’re very long on laughs as very short-order cooks!

The Plot…

The boys are door-to-door repairmen hired to fix a doorbell.  When our guys cause such a commotion that the chef and his staff leave, the Stooges are hired to cook and serve at a high class dinner party.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Listen, Judge was the first Stooges short released after Curly’s death.  The film borrows from three previous Stooges outings: A Plumbing We Will Go (the courtroom chicken scene); They Stooge to Conga (the whole doorbell repair sequence) and An Ache in Every Stake (the food preparation scene).

Shemp having a chicken escape from his suit jacket immediately after a judge finds the boys not guilty of being chicken thieves due to a lack of evidence is hilarious.

Listen Judge earns 3 of 5 stars.

“Some More of Samoa” (1941) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Some More of Samoa (1941)

Director:  Del Lord

Writer:  Elwood Ullman, Harry Edwards

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Symona Boniface and Dudley Dickerson

Tagline: Gales of laughter in the South Seas!

The Plot…

The boys head to the remote tropical island of Rhum-Boogie in search of a rare tree.  On the island they are captured by cannibals.  Our guys are going to on the menu unless Curly agrees to marry the Chief’s ugly daughter.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

At one point Larry and Moe do a short Amos ‘n Andy bit.

Some More of Samoa earns 4 of 5 stars.

Marco Finnegan Gets Carter

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That’s Marco Finnegan’s take on Sly as Jack Carter! When the opportunity came to get a sketch from Marco I jumped on it. Marco knows what to put in and more importantly what to leave out.  His art style reminds me of Alex Toth and Darwyn Cooke.

I first became aware of Marco’s art when he teamed with Ace Atkins on two Nick Travers graphic novels: Last Fair Deal Gone Down and Crossroad Blues.

I was already reading Ace Atkins novels, so I decided to seek out more of Marco’s art.  If you’re so inclined you can as well on his website or his Twitter.  Marco is currently the artist on 007, Dynamite Comics new James Bond comics.

RIP: Tom Sizemore

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Tom Sizemore died yesterday the result of a brain aneurysm. suffered on February 18, 2023.  Mr. Sizemore remained in a coma and never regained consciousness.  He was 61.

Tom Sizemore acted in feature films and television throughout his career.  His first major role was in Sylvester Stallone’s Lock Up.  That same year Mr. Sizemore also had smaller parts in Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July and Penn & Teller Get Mugged.  Over the course of his career Tom Sizemore accumulated well over 200 acting credits.  Although Mr. Sizemore had little trouble getting roles in major features and high profile projects, he sometimes struggled in his personal life.

Some of Tom Sizemore’s feature film appearances include: Lock Up; Penn & Teller Get Mugged; Born on the Fourth of July; Blue Steel; Point Break; Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man; Passenger 57; True Romance; Striking Distance; Wyatt Earp; Natural Born Killers; Strange Days; Devil in a Blue Dress; Heat; The Relic; Saving Private Ryan; Enemy of the State; Bringing Out the Dead; Get Carter (voice only); Pearl Harbor; Black Hawk Down; Dreamcatcher and Reach Me.

Some of Tom Sizemore’s television appearances include: China Beach (6 episodes); Witness to the Mob; Witness Protection; Sins of the Father; Justice League (2 episodes);  Robbery Homicide Division (13 episodes); Dr. Vegas (6 episodes); Superstorm (3 episodes); CSI Miami; Crash (5 episodes); Southland; Entourage;  It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia;  Hawaii Five-0 (5 episodes); The Red Road (7 episodes); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2 episodes); Lucifer; Shooter (6 episodes); Twin Peaks (6 episodes) and Cobra Kai.

I first became aware of Tom Sizemore is in Lock Up with Sylvester Stallone.  It was also Mr. Sizemore’s first major film role.  He would “appear” with Sly Stallone in two other films: Get Carter and Reach Me.  I put appear in quotes since Tom Sizemore was a voice on the phone in Get Carter.  Although you didn’t see him, his distinctive voice added gravitas to the role.  My favorite Tom Sizemore role was Sergeant Horvath in Saving Private Ryan, but he was also so good in so many other parts.  For a period of time it seemed Tom Sizemore was part of every big movie I was excited to see.  And he always made them better.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tom Sizemore’s family, friends and fans.

“Grips, Grunts and Groans” (1937) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Grips, Grunts and Groans (1937)

Director:  Jack White

Writer:  Clyde Bruckman from a story by Searle Kramer, Herman Boxer

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The boys become friends with Ivan Bustoff, a professional wrestling champion.  Bustoff has a match that evening, but spends the day drinking/carousing with our guys.  A local mobster has placed a big bet on Bustoff and if he’s unable to wrestle or loses, it’ll be the death of the Stooges. So when Bustoff is unable to compete, Larry and Moe disguise Curly as the champ.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

In Grips, Grunts and Groans when Curly smells Wild Hyacinth perfume, it makes him go crazy. (Much like in Horses’ Collars when the sight of a mouse sets him off.)  They could have made more shorts just of our guys going out drinking with Bustoff – think of the misadventures they could have had!

Grips, Grunts and Groans earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Men in Black” (1934) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Men in Black (1934)

Director:  Ray McCarey

Writer:  Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Phyllis Crane, Charles Dorety, Billy Gilbert  and Bud Jamison

Tagline: A TONIC for the “BLUES”!

The Plot…

The boys are recent graduates (because they’d been there too long) from a medical school sent to work at a hospital.  There our guys respond to a variety of calls with the type of success/zaniness you’d expect.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Men in Black was the third Three Stooges short and the only one to ever be nominated for an Academy Award. (It was nominated for Best Short Subject – Comedy. If only it had won.  Can you imagine future ads proclaiming The Stooges as Academy Award Winners?)

Curly forgot a line and adlibbed his famous “Woo-woo-woo” which would go on to become one of his trademark phrases.  Men in Black also contains many bits that would often turn up in Stooges shorts – the boys going into a quick huddle; breaking a plate glass door window repeatedly as they run through/by; pulling objects (bicycles, a horse, a go-cart) out of a closet that are obviously too big to fit, etc.

Men in Black earns 5 of 5 stars.

“The Tutor” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The poster doesn’t do much for me, but I do like the trailer for The Tutor.

An in-demand tutor is assigned to instruct a billionaire’s son from their New York waterfront estate. But what should be a straightforward job is complicated by the student’s disturbing obsession with him, threatening to expose his darkest secrets.

Starring: Garrett Hedlund, Noah Schnapp, Victoria Justice
Directed by: Jordan Ross
Release Date: 3/24/23

“What The Hell Happened to Blood, Sweat & Tears?” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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I want to see WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS?.  Check out the trailer below, and you may want to as well.

A political thriller with a classic rock band at the heart of the action, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS? is a feature-length documentary that unravels the details of the band’s controversial Iron Curtain Tour, featuring present-day interviews with band members and historians, the unsealing of government records, and documentary footage that has been suppressed for over 50 years. In Select Theaters March 2023.

“Killer Klowns from Outer Space” (1988) / Z-View

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Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

Director:  Stephen Chiodo

Writer:  Charles Chiodo, Stephen Chiodo

Stars: Grant Cramer, Suzanne Snyder, John Vernon, Royal Dano and Christopher Titus

Tagline: Alien bozos with an appetite for close encounters

The Plot…

When a couple discover an ship of hostile aliens has landed on the outskirts of a small town, no one believes it. That’s because the ship looks like a big top and the aliens resemble clowns!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Killer Klowns from Outer Space has become a cult classic thanks to video, dvd and television showings.  It probably works best with a rowdy crowd in the mood for low-budget silliness.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space earns 2 of 5 stars.

“The Woman King” (2022) starring Viola Davis / Z-View

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The Woman King (2022)

Director:  Gina Prince-Bythewood

Writer:  Dana Stevens from a story by Maria Bello, Dana Stevens

Stars:  Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, John Boyega and Angélique Kidjo

Tagline: Inspired by true events.

The Plot…

Nanisca (Davis), leads an army of women warriors.  She also has the ear of Dahomey’s King Ghezo (Boyega) as he prepares for a potential war with the Oyo.  As Nanisca trains a new group of warriors, she also encourages King Ghezo to get out of the lucrative slave trade business with the Porteguese.

When Nanisca and a group of her warriors free women abducted by the Oyo, it is the spark needed to set the war in motion.  The Oyo outnumber the Dahomey and as the tension escalates, the new warriors will have to be ready for the battles to come.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Woman King is extremely well done.  It was nominated for two Screen Actors Guild Awards (Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture and Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role – Viola Davis); won the American Film Institutes Movie of the Year award; was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture: Drama – Viola Davis; nominated for 5 Hollywood Critics Association awards: Best Action Film, Best Director, Best Cast Ensemble, Best Actress (Viola Davis), Best Picture to name just a few of the honors The Woman King has earned.

Viola Davis is convincing as a woman who could lead woman and battle men.  Her women warriors went through rigorous training to get in shape for months prior to filming and it paid off on screen.

The Woman King earns 4 of 5 stars.

“The Scarlet Clue” (1945) starring Sidney Toler & Mantan Moreland / Z-View

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The Scarlet Clue (1945)

Director:  Phil Rosen

Writer:  George Callahan based on the character by Earl Derr Biggers

Stars:  Sidney Toler, Mantan Moreland, Ben Carter, Benson Fong, Virginia Brissac, Robert Homans and Leonard Mudie

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Charlie Chan (Toler), aided by his valet Birmingham (Moreland) and his son Tommy (Fong) are working for the US Government tracking down spies trying to steal radar secrets.  The trail leads to a radio station where one of the many suspects is murdered… with no visible cause for the death!  As Charlie gets closer to solving the murder, the more at risk he, his son and Birmingham become!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Scarlet Clue features a murder that’s pretty shocking for a Charlie Chan film made in 1945.

Mantan Moreland and Ben Carter recreate two of their nightclub acts for the film. The more screen time a movie gives Mantan, the better the film will be.

At one point Charlie, his son and Birmingham are learning about the dangers of some of the radio station equipment.  In the scene it appears that Sidney Toler was actually shocked!

The Scarlet Clue earns 4 of 5 stars.

RIP: Ricou Browning

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Ricou Browning died on February 27, 2023, from natural causes.  He was 93.

Best known as the actor who played The Creature from the Black Lagoon in all of the movie’s underwater scenes, Mr. Browning was much more.  Over the course of his career Ricou Browning was an actor, stunt man, writer, producer and director.

Ricou Browning was born in Fort Pierce, Florida and he majored in physical education at Florida State University. Mr. Browning worked as a performer at both Wakulla Springs and Weeki Wachee Springs.  When a camera crew came to Weeki Wachee it was Mr. Browning who showed them around and swam underwater for their test shots.  They liked what they saw and Ricou Browning was offered the part of the Creature for all underwater filming.  Mr. Browning could hold his breath for extended periods of time and that was a plus for the role.  Mr. Browning was brought back to play the Creature in both sequels, Revenge of the Creature and The Creature Walks Among Us.

As an actor Ricou Browning appeared in: Creature from the Black Lagoon; Revenge of the Creature; The Creature Walks Among Us; Sea Hunt (tv – 1 episode); Flipper’s New Adventure and Flipper (tv – 2 episodes).

Ricou Browning wrote or co-wrote: Flipper; Flipper’s New Adventure; Flipper (tv – 33 episodes); Salty; Island Claws; Flipper (1996) and Flipper (tv – 34 episodes).

Ricou Browning severed as director for: Flipper (tv – 37 episodes); Thunderball (2nd unit – underwater sequences); Around the World Under the Sea (underwater sequences); Gentle Ben (tv – 14 episodes); Off to See the Wizard; Island of the Lost (underwater sequences); Hello Down There (underwater sequences); Primus (2 episodes); Joe Panther (2nd unit); Hot Stuff (2nd unit); Caddyshack (2nd unit);  Salty; Mr. No Legs; Nobody’s Perfekt (2nd unit) and Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (2nd unit).

Ricou Browning performed stunt work for: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (stunt diver); Don’t Give Up the Ship (Jerry Lewis’ underwater swimming double); The Heavenly Kid (stunt coordinator); Opposing Force (stunt coordinator).

Ricou Browning will forever be linked with one of the Classic Universal Movie Monsters, The Creature from the Black Lagoon.  If that was the only thing he ever did, Mr. Browning’s legend would live forever.  As you can see from his resume, he was a rare talent who could do it all.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ricou Browning’s family, friends and fans.