Category: Movies

“Master of the World” (1961) / Z-View

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Master of the World (1961)

Director:  William Witney

Screenplay by: Richard Matheson based on two novels by Jules Verne: Master of the World and Robur, the Conqueror

Starring:  Vincent Price, Charles Bronson, Henry Hull, Mary Webster, David Frankham  and Vito Scotti

Tagline:  The fabulous adventures of the man who conquered the earth to save it!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

While investigating a volcanic crater, Prudent (Hall), his daughter Dorothy (Webster), her fiance Phillip (Frankham) and US agent John Strock (Bronson) are taken aboard a flying machine!  Robur (Price), the genius who invented the flying warship, plans to create world peace by destroying all ships of war in every country.  Refusing to release his captives, they watch helplessly as Prudent orders the destruction of war ships and all crew aboard.  Safe in the sky out of range of any weapons from below, Prudent strikes at will.  Despite the odds, the captives decide to try an escape attempt or bring about the destruction of the flying fortress even at the cost of their own lives.

Charles Bronson was still several years away from becoming an international star when Master of the World was made.  Vincent Price is great as the crazy genius who believes to stop wars he must destroy armies.  Vito Scotti provides comic relief for most of the film, but at the end gets to go for a tear or two.

Master of the World earns 3 of 5 stars.

“The Mysterious Island” (1929) / Z-View

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The Mysterious Island (1929)

Director: Lucien Hubbard, Benjamin Christensen (uncredited), Maurice Tourneur (uncredited)

Screenplay by:  Lucien Hubbard based on Jules Verne‘s novel, The Mysterious Island

Starring:  Lionel Barrymore, Jacqueline Gadsdon, Lloyd Hughes and Montagu Love

Tagline:  METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER’S Dramatic Spectale Based on Jules Vern’s Immortal Novel!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Count Andre Dakkar (Barrymore) is a brilliant scientist and beloved ruler of an island kingdom.  Dakkar along with his daughter Sonia (Gadsdon) and her fiance (who is also Dakkar’s right hand man) have invented two ships that can go undersea.  Just as they are about to test the first ship, the island is attacked by the evil Baron Falon’s  (Love) army.  Falon wants the island country and undersea ships for his own!

The attack damages the first ship which sinks to the bottom of the ocean.  The crew realizes they have no way to surface and will die at the bottom of the sea… if they are not killed by the strange creatures and gigantic monsters that live on the ocean floor.  Meanwhile, Sonia hopes to use the second ship to save the crew of the first vessel.  Little does she know the horrors that await…

The Mysterious Island has some cool special underwater effects, but truth be told, I was enjoying the less scifi aspects of the film more.  Still, you cannot go wrong with Lionel Barrymore in a Jules Verne adventure!

The Mysterious Island earns 3 of 5 stars.

“The Nice Guys” (2016) / Z-View

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The Nice Guys (2016)

Director: Shane Black

Screenplay by:  Shane Black, Anthony Bagarozzi

Starring:  Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Margaret Qualley, Keith David, Gil Gerard, Murielle Telio and Kim Basinger

Tagline:  They’re not that nice

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Holland March (Gosling) is a sketchy private eye trying to earn enough dough to support himself and his daughter.  So when he’s offered money by Misty Mountain’s aunt to find Misty, March takes the case (and the cash) even though everyone knows the porn star is dead.  March thinks he’ll spend a couple of days “earning” the advance and then he’ll let the old lady down easy.  That all changes when Jackson Healy (Crowe) puts a beating on March and tells him to drop the investigation.  Rather than take another whoppin’, Healy agrees.

When Healy gets home, two thugs are waiting for him.  They rough him up in an effort to get information about the Misty Mountain case.  Fortunately he has nothing to give them.  After the roughnecks split, Healy goes back to March and convinces him that they should team up to solve the case.  Soon they’ll find that they’re way over their head with hired assassins and government officials wanting them dead.

The Nice Guys has it’s moments.  Crowe and Gosling’s characters are mismatched enough that there’s humor and chemistry in them working as a team.  Angourie Rice is excellent as Gosling’s young, but smart-beyond-her-years daughter.  Basinger has a small but important role.  The plot was a little more convoluted than needed, but that’s a small nit to pick.  I’m surprised The Nice Guys didn’t warrant a sequel.

The Nice Guys earns 3 of 5 stars.

RIP: Wolfgang Petersen

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Wolfgang Petersen, the German filmmaker who gained international fame with Das Boot (which he wrote and directed), died August 12, 2022 from pancreatic cancer.  Mr. Petersen was 81.

Das Boot aka The Boat told the story of a WWII, German U-boat crew.  The film was nominated for six Academy Awards (including Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay).  After that Hollywood called and Wolfgang Petersen would go on to direct crow-pleasing movies for the rest of his career.  Some of his feature films include: The Never-Ending Story; Shattered; In the Line of Fire; Outbreak; The Perfect Storm and Troy.

My favorite Wolfgang Petersen films are In the Line of Fire and Shattered (which he wrote, directed and produced!).

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Wolfgang Petersen’s family, friends and fans.

“Wild Oranges” (1924) / Z-View

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Wild Oranges (1924)

Director:  King Vidor

Screenplay by:  King Vidor based on Joseph Hergesheimer’s novel Wild Oranges.

Starring:  Frank Mayo, Virginia Valli, Ford Sterling, Nigel De Brulier and Charles A. Post

Tagline:   She taught him to love her-this world wanderer who sailed the seas to escape women’s lures and the one he couldn’t forget!

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

When John Woolfolk’s (Mayo) wife dies in a tragic accident, he sets sail around the world on his small sailboat with no specific port in mind.  One night Woolfolk drops anchor in a remote inlet.  When he goes ashore he meets a Millie (Valli), young woman who lives with her grandfather (De Brulier) in an old house in the woods.  Woolfolk learns that an escaped homicidal maniac lives in the swamp nearby and has been terrorizing them.  Woolfolk plans to get Millie and her grandfather away to safety… but is unaware that the maniac knows of his plan!

King Vidor created a silent film with modern sensibilities.  Charles A. Post plays the homicidal maniac, but his character isn’t just a mustache-twirling villain.  I won’t go so far to say that his character is misunderstood, but I did like that there were layers to Post’s performance.  Wild Oranges has one of the most realistic, brutal and extended fight scenes I’ve ever seen in a movie from that era.  While there is silent movie melodrama and exaggerated poses in some scenes, Wild Oranges turns the corner into more realistic filming/acting choices.

Wild Oranges earns 4 of 5 stars.

“END OF THE ROAD” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The poster and trailer for End of the Road looks better than I thought it might.  Since it is on Netflix, it’ll be a no-brainer to check it out!

Queen Latifah and Chris Bridges star in this road trip thriller about a mom of two kids who relocates across the country with her kids and brother. The family’s move to the southland is thrown into complete chaos when they witness a murder on their road trip. Now, the murderer will stop at nothing to find them.

“Bandit” Starring Josh Duhamel, Elisha Cuthbert and Mel Gibson – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The poster and trailer for Bandit starring Josh Duhamel, Elisha Cuthbert and Mel Gibson are here!

Gilbert Galvan Jr (Josh Duhamel), a charming criminal, escapes from prison and assumes a new identity. After falling in love with Andrea (Elisha Cuthbert), a caring social worker he can’t provide for, he turns to robbing banks and discovers that he’s exceptionally good at it. Addicted to the rush and money, he turns to loan shark and gangster Tommy Kay (Mel Gibson) for bigger opportunities.
Based on the true story of The Flying Bandit.

Cast: Josh Duhamel, Mel Gibson, Elisha Cuthbert

Available in THEATERS, on DIGITAL and ON DEMAND, September 23rd, 2022

RIP: Gene Lebell

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Ivan Gene Lebell, martial artist, actor, stuntman, professional wrestler, and real life tough guy passed away in his sleep on August 9, 2002, at the age of 89.

Gene Lebell began training in wrestling and judo before the age of ten.  After earning his black belt, Mr. Lebell went to Japan to further his training.  When he returned to the US, he competed in the Amateur Athletic Union National Judo Championships, winning the heavyweight title at the age of 22.  In 1963, Mr. Lebell agreed to fight a boxer who claimed he could beat any martial artist.  Gene Lebell choked him out in the fourth round.  Using his martial arts training it was easy for Gene Lebell to transition into professional wrestling where he often was used as an enforcer during big matches.

Gene Lebell’s reputation as a martial artist brought him to the attention of Hollywood where he got work as both a stuntman and actor.  With over 250 stunt credits and over 150 acting credits on his resume, odds are you’ve seen Gene Lebell on television or feature films.

Television appearances include: The Jack Benny Program; The Munsters; Gomer Pyle; The Man from UNCLE; Mission Impossible; The Green Hornet; Batman; The Wild, Wild West; Mannix; The Rockford Files; Kung Fu; Kojak; The Six Million Dollar Man; Starsky & Hutch; Knight Rider; The Fall Guy; Walker, Texas Ranger; Married with Children; The X FIles; More Wild, Wild West and The Shield.

Feature Films include: Blacula; Walking Tall; Earthquake; The Towering Inferno; The Killer Elite; Rocky;  Every Which Way But Loose; The Jerk; Raging Bull; Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid; City Heat; Remo Williams; Rush Hour; Runaway Train; Rocky IV; Die Hard 2; Marked for Death; The Last Boy Scout; Waterworld; Strange Days and Spider-Man 2.

There’s a famous story that when Gene Lebell was working on a Steven Seagall film, the star said that due to his martial arts training, no one could choke him out.  Mr. Lebell took exception to the statement.  Seagall allowed Gene Lebell’s  to place him in a chokehold to prove his point.  Steven Seagall not only lost consciousness but also control of his bowels.  While Steven Seagall denies this ever happened, there are others who claimed to have been there and seen it happen.

Gene LeBell was a man’s man, a 10th degree Black Belt; and appeared in some of my all-time favorite movies and television shows.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and fans.

“Dig” Starring Thomas Jane and Emile Hirsch – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Dig starring Thomas Jane and Emile Hirsch.  Yeah, deal me in.

The house of a widowed father and his daughter who suffers from major hearing loss is up for demolition. After arriving at the construction site they are soon taken hostage by a dangerous couple who will stop at nothing to retrieve what lies beneath the property.

CAST: Thomas Jane, Emile Hirsch, Harlow Jane, Liana Liberato

DIRECTOR: K. Asher Levin

“Carter” (2022) / Z-View

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Carter (2022)

Director:  Byung-gil Jung

Screenplay by:  Byeong-sik Jung, Byung-gil Jung

Starring:  Joo Won, Kim Bo-Min, Sung-Jae Lee and Mike Colter

Tagline:  No Memory, One Mission

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

A man wakes up in a hotel room with no memory of who he is or how he got there.  A voice in his head tells him his name is Carter, a transmitter only he can hear is in his ear, a bomb has been implanted in his head and his mission is to rescue a young girl whose blood is the key to a cure to a virus quickly spreading around the world.  With that we’re off and running.

Carter is an all out action film with a small mix of sci-fi and a touch of zombies.  The movie takes place in real time and features over the top stunts and seldom slows down.  This is the film’s greatest strength and perhaps biggest weakness.  The fight scenes are so over-the-top we quickly understand that Carter is going to be able to take out dozens of attackers without so much as a scratch.

Normally this would be a turn-off, but the fight scenes take place in unique situations (outside of a building stories above the street, on motorcycles, in three side-by-side vans speeding down crowded streets, falling from an airplane without a parachute while engaging in a gun battle to get a chute, on a train, on a helicopter, from a truck to motorcycles, etc.) that it is easy to suspend disbelief.

I really enjoyed Carter, but was in the right frame of mind for an all out action film.  I hope we get a sequel.

Carter earns 4 of 5 stars.

RIP: Olivia Newton-John

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Olivia Newton-John, singer and actress, passed away yesterday after a long battle with cancer.  Ms. Newton-John was 73.

When she was just 14, Olivia Newton-John began singing professionally in small coffee shops.  Not long after she began  appearing on Australian television shows.  In 1965 she won a talent contest and the following year traveled to Great Britain where she recorded her first single, “Till You Say You’ll Be Mine”.  In 1971, Ms. Newton-John’s first solo album, If Not For You was released.  This was the first of 26 albums she would release over the course of her long career.

The mid-70s was a sweet spot for Olivia Newton-John.  She had ten number one singles including:  “I Honestly Love You” (1974); “Have You Never Been Mellow” (1975); “Please Mr. Please” (1975); “Something Better to Do” (1975);  “Let It Shine”/”He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” (1976); “Come on Over” (1976) and “Don’t Stop Believin'” (1976) .

In 1978, Ms. Newton-John co-starred with John Travolta in Grease which became the number one movie of the year.  The Grease soundtrack also went to number one and spawned three singles.  In 1980, Olivia Newton-John co-starred in the cult favorite Xanadu with Gene Kelly and Michael Beck.  Ms. Newton-John easily transitioned to making music videos (a relatively new art form at the time) and had one of the most popular with her “Physical” release.  For the rest of her career, Ms. Newton-John easily transitioned from acting to singing as she took on projects that interested her.  She was also an activist who supported environmental and animal causes as well as cancer research.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Olivia Newton-John’s family, friends and fans.

“JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass” (2021) / Z-View

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JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass (2021)

Director:  Ibrahim Hamdan, Oliver Stone

Starring: John F. Kennedy, Walter Cronkite, Lyndon B. Johnson, Jacqueline Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gerald Ford, Oliver Stone, Whoopi Goldberg (narration) and Donald Sutherland (narration)

Tagline:  None

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

Ibrahim Hamdan and Oliver Stone look at documents and findings declassified by the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992 that bring into question the finding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.  If you’re at all interested in the conspiracy theories behind the assassination of President Kennedy, then JFK Revisited is worth a watch!

JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass earns 4 of 5 stars.

RIP: Clu Gulager

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Clu Gulager passed away last night from natural causes.  He was 93 years old.

After a two year stint in the US Marine Corp, Mr. Gulager attended Northeastern State University in Oklahoma.  He later transferred to Baylor University where he graduated.

Mr. Gulager’s career began with guest appearance on the television series Omnibus.  He would continue with tv guest appearances until he landed a co-starring role as Billy the Kid in The Tall Man series which ran for 75 episodes.  Mr. Gulager’s first feature film appearance was a co-starring role in The Killers with Lee Marvin.  Mr. Gulager spent the rest of his career alternating between television and feature film roles.

Television appearances included: Wanted Dead or Alive; Have Gun – Will Travel; The Untouchables; Alfred Hitchcock Presents; Wagon Train; The Alfred Hitchcock Hour; Dr. Kildare; The Name of the Game; The F.B.I.; The Glass House (movie); Medical Center; Bonanza; Mannix; The Wonderful World of Disney; Kung Fu; Ironside; McCloud; Cannon; The Streets of San Francisco; Police Story; Hawaii 5-0; Knight Rider; Magnum PI; The Fall Guy; and Walker, Texas Ranger.

Some Clu Gulager’s feature films include: The Killers; The Last Picture Show; McQ; Shaft; Get Christie Love; A Force of One; The Return of the Living Dead; A Nightmare on Elm Street 2; The Hidden; I’m Gonna Git You Sucka; Vic and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

I am a Clu Gulager fan.  He would pop up in many, many of the television shows I watched as a kid.  Mr. Gulager also co-starred in The Glass House a television movie that was ahead of it’s time for the portrayal of life in a prison.  Clu Gulager also starred in Vic, a short directed by Sage Stallone.  Mr. Gulager continued to appear in television shows and movies throughout his career making everything that he appeared in better.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Clu Gulager’s family, friends and fans.