Category: Movies

Behind-the-Scenes on “The Princess Bride”

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The Princess Bride is one of those movies that the only people I know who don’t like it, haven’t seen it.  Truth be told, I didn’t think I’d like The Princess Bride, but after seeing it, loved it.

Recently, Princess Bride director, Rob Reiner attended a live screening and provided commentary and behind-the-scenes anecdotes.

Thanks and an extra finger for his right hand to Bill Crider for the post.

Sly Stallone, John Herzfeld & Kickstarter “Reach Me”

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John Herzfeld is one of Sly’s oldest friends — they met at the University of Miami when both were students there.  Sly and John have remained friends over the years.  

John Herzfeld is best known as a writer/director on films such as 15 Minutes (starring Robert Deniro); 2 Days in the Valley and Inferno: The Making of The Expendables.   

Herzfeld has been working to get his movie Reach Me made.  Herzfeld has filmed most of Reach Me, but wants to add a few more touches and so he’s gone to Kickstarter to raise the additional funds.

Reach Me stars Sylvester Stallone, Lauren Cohen, Terry Crews, Cary Elwes, Elizabeth Henstridge, Tom Berenger, Kyra Sedgwick, Kelsey Grammer, Thomas Jane, Tom Sizemore, Danny Aiello, Danny Trejo and Nelly.

Below is Herzfeld’s pitch and here’s a link to his Kickstarter page.  How often does the chance come along to help get a movie made… especially a movie featuring Sylvester Stallone?  I’m in.

 

9 Actors That Have Played the Same Role 6 Times

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Recently Den of Geek looked at 9 Actors That Have Played the Same Role 6 Times.

  • Hugh Jackman as Wolverine: Initially I had a problem with Jackman as Logan.  Jackman is just too tall!  I’m okay with him in the role now.  However, when Jackman turns over the claws to someone else, let’s make sure the new guy is vertically challenged.  Okay, Bub? For the record I have probably seen about half of Jackman’s outings as Wolverine.
  • Leonard Nimoy as Spock: I’ve seen all Nimoy’s appearances as Spock. Nimoy is, and forever shall be, Spock.  I do admit that Zachary Quinto is an awesome follow-up in the role!
  • Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa:  This may be hard to believe, but I have seen all of Stallone’s appearances as Rocky.  Let’s cut to the chase.  To many, Stallone is Rocky.  I’m sure someday someone will step into the role when the movie is remade.  Ugh.  (And yeah, I know the role is being played by another actor on Broadway.  I also know that Sly may return to the role in the rumored film, Creed.)
  • Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger:  I saw the first and third outings.  Surprised there haven’t been more… not that they’re my cup of tea.
  • Daniel Radcliff as Harry Potter:  I’ve never seen a single Harry Potter movie.
  • Tyler Perry as Madea: I’ve never seen a single Madea movie, although the clips I’ve seen have been funny, so I wouldn’t be against watching them.
  • Sean Connery as James Bond:  I’ve seen every Connery Bond film (except Never Say Never) multiple times.  Connery is the best Bond.
  • Roger Moore as James Bond: I enjoyed Moore’s Bond, uh, more when I was a kid.  Waaay tooo campy towards the end of his run.
  • Jim Varney as Ernest: I’ve never seen a single Ernest movie.  Don’t know that I ever will…

Here’s a couple of questions…

Have any actresses played the same role 6 times?  Halle Berry as Storm — have there been six appearances?  Others?  

What actor/actress has played the same character the most times in movies?  And how many times?

10 Movies Rated 100% Fresh

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According to Rotten Tomatoes these Ten Movies that are rated 100% Fresh.

  1. Evil Dead – I saw it when it was first released.  You may be surprised to read that I didn’t care for it. 
  2. The Road Warrior – I saw this when it was first released and loved it.  Saw it more than once in theaters and many, many times over the years.
  3. The Bride of Frankenstein – Although not old enough to have seen this in theaters, it’s a favorite.
  4. KiKi’s Delivery Service – Never saw it.
  5. Roger & Me – Never saw it.
  6. Them! – One of my favorite horror films!
  7. The Odd Couple – I watched the tv show as a kid, but have never seen the movie.
  8. The Witches – Another I’ve missed.
  9. Toy Story and Toy Story 2 – Seen ’em both.  I think they’re over-rated.
  10. Wallace Gromit in the Wrong Trousers – Never saw it.

So I’ve seen 5 of 10 (if you count both Toy Stories as one).  Of the five, I really liked 3.

What’s your average?

“Parkland” a New Angle on the JKF Assassination (Updated)

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I’m more impressed with this poster to Parkland than the original that was released.  I’m totally impressed with the cast and story…

PARKLAND is a retelling of the JFK assassination as told by the many affected by it on the day it transpired, including doctors, nurses, cameramen, F.B.I. and Secret Service agents, and the Vice President who would take control of the nation after that fateful day.

JoBlo has more details and stills that make me think that Parkland  is going to be a winner.

Dave Wachter and Jimmy Bobo

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Dave Wachter is back and he brought his take on Sly from the Bullet to the Head. I met Dave a few years ago and became an instant fan. I wasn’t the only one to discover Dave’s fantastic sketches! How can you not like a great guy who is a terrific artist?

At HeroesCon this year I asked Dave to draw Sly from his first major movie, the Lords of Flatbush and another piece of Sly from his latest film, Bullet to the Head.  Last week, you saw Dave’s take on Sly as Stanley Kowalski, so this week we have Sly as Jimmy Bobo.

You can see more of Dave’s art at his site. – Craig

15 Real Life Tough Guys

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Yahoo Movies recently posted their list of 15 Real Life Tough Guys.  Here’s their list and my thoughts…

  • Dennis Farina: was a former cop and came off as a legitimate tough guy.
  • Mel Brooks: served as a demolitions man in the war.  Lacked the size to be considered a classic tough guy and probably had a better chance of killing someone with laughter.
  • Steve Buscemi: a former fire fighter who returned to help out in that role after 9/11 makes Buscemi tough guy in anyone’s book.  However, not a classic tough guy in the movie tradition.
  • Bryan Cranston: He is the one who knocks.  Of course he was also the dad in a sitcom I never watched.  Then again, he was questioned in a real life murder.  Not a traditional movie tough guy, but I ain’t tellin’ him that.
  • James Doohan: a WWII hero.  In his day, I’ll bet Doohan could kick some buttocks.  Never made it big as a movie tough guy, but that’s not what this list is about.
  • Clint Eastwood: would make anyone’s top five movie tough guys.  Glad to see him on a real life tough guy list as well.
  • R. Lee Ermey: Movie tough guy? Check.  Real-life tough guy? Check.
  • Samuel L. Jackson: Cool in the movies and real life.  Tough in the movies, I’ll buy.  Real life — not one of the actors whose name rushes to mind.
  • Dolph Lundgren: Yes, a movie and real life tough guy.  Heck, any man who dated Grace Jones had to be tough.
  • Lee Marvin would be my first or second choice for movie and real life tough guy.
  • Steve McQueen: I was never a big Steve McQueen fan.  I liked him in The Getaway though.  He wouldn’t have made either list for me.
  • Robert Mitchum: is a genuine tough guy — movie or real life.
  • Jack Palance: is another that should easily make both lists.
  • Mickey Rourke: later day Mickey Rourke makes both lists.  Mickey Rourke that started out as the pretty boy actor, was a real life tough guy, but not a traditional movie tough guy.
  • Danny Trejo: has made his career being a tough guy.

I have just one question.  How could Charles Bronson not have made this list?

“New” Theory on Who Killed JFK – “JFK: The Smoking Gun”

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I was just five when President Kennedy was assassinated.  I was on vacation with my grandparents in Florida.  My grandfather had taken me with him on a quick trip to a supermarket.  A man came running into the store yelling that the president had been shot.  All of the adults seemed scared.  We hustled back to the hotel and my grandparents stayed glued to the tv to get the latest updates.

As the years passed, there was always a lot of talk about “who was really behind” the assassination.  Was it the mob?  LBK?  Castro?  With each passing year it seemed another theory rose up to explain how the most powerful man in the world was killed.  I read each theory and filed it away.  None seemed more plausible than it was a lone nut with a high powered rife.

Still, I was always willing to give the next theory a listen.

Now there’s a new documentary that is …

based on the work of Colin McLaren, a veteran Australian police detective who has undertaken a four-year investigation into the killing.

His theories are based on the work of Howard Donahue, who spent two decades probing the assassination and whose work was presented in the book Mortal Error: The Shot That Killed JFK, by Bonar Menninger.

This theory postulates that Oswald fired the first shot that hit President Kennedy.  Then as Secret Service Agent George Hickey drew his weapon and jumped on the back of the President’s Limo, his gun accidentally discharged shooting President Kennedy in the back of the head.  This theory also explains the…

…the different ballistic profiles of the two bullets that struck Kennedy… Mr Menninger insisted that they do not believe that Agent Hickey intentionally fired at Kennedy. Rather, the Huffington Post reported him as saying, ‘this was a tragic accident in the heat of the moment.’

But the pair do allege that the government moved swiftly, with the help of Kennedy’s brother Robert, to cover up the Secret Service’s involvement and save the agency from embarrassment.

While I don’t think that this new theory is more likely than a lone gunman with a high-powered rifle, I am willing to give it a listen.  JFK: The Smoking Gun will be broadcast on the Reelz Channel on November 3.

Thanks to Joey and the Huffington Post for the link.

Dave Wachter & Stanley Kowalski from “Lords of Flatbush”

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Dave Wachter returns with his take on Sly from the Lords of Flatbush. I met Dave a few years ago and became an instant fan. I wasn’t the only one to discover Dave’s fantastic sketches! How can you not like a great guy who is a terrific artist?

At HeroesCon this year I asked Dave to do Sly from his first major movie, the Lords of Flatbush and another piece of Sly from his latest film, Bullet to the Head. Next week, you’ll see Dave’s take on Sly as Jimmy Bobo.

Until then, you can see more of Dave’s art at his site. – Craig