Category: Movies

I’m “Toy Story.” Which Pixar Movie are You?

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When I took Buzzfeed’s Which Pixar Movie are You?  I got Toy Story.  It went on to say…

You are a natural leader and pioneer while also being easily approachable and well-liked — a balance you maintain perfectly. You may also have a thing for the ’90s.

I’d like to think that all those characteristics are true, except for the thing for the 90’s.  I’m a 70’s guy.

 

Thomas Boatwright’s Rocky Balboa Watercolor

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Thomas Boatwright is back again this week [just as promised]!

Thomas recently ran a watercolor sketch sale and I jumped on board for a couple.  Thomas came up with the idea of bookending the Rocky series.  Here is his take on Rocky.  The watercolor above is his riff on Rocky Balboa.  Great idea by Thomas and I love the way the art turned out.

If you’d like to see more of Thomas Boatwright’s art check out his blog and his DA site. Send him some love.

If you get commissions, you should consider a piece from Thomas. He keeps you totally in the loop on his progress, finishes his commissions on or ahead of schedule, has very reasonable prices, is a fantastic artist and always gives you more than you’re expecting!   – Craig

Thomas Boatwright’s Rocky and Adrian

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Thomas Boatwright is back!

Thomas recently ran a watercolor sketch sale and I jumped on board for a couple.  Thomas came up with the idea of bookending the Rocky series.  Here is his take on Rocky.  I’ll be back next week with his riff on Rocky Balboa.

If you’d like to see more of Thomas Boatwright’s art check out his blog and his DA site. Send him some love.

If you get commissions, you should consider a piece from Thomas. He keeps you totally in the loop on his progress, finishes his commissions on or ahead of schedule, has very reasonable prices, is a fantastic artist and always gives you more than you’re expecting!   – Craig

19 Things You Probably Didn’t Know about Pretty Woman

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Did you notice the title on the movie poster above?

You were probably expecting to see Pretty Woman the title the movie was released as.  Did you know that the movie was originally titled $3,000?  It was because the was the price for a night with Julia Roberts’ character.

Well, she was a high-priced hooker, you know.

Studio execs didn’t think that their movie if titled $3,000 set the tone of the romantic comedy that they wanted to sell.  So the title changed to Pretty Woman.

Did you know Christopher Reeve, Denzel Washington and Daniel Day-Lewis were reportedly considered for the lead male role… Al Pacino, Albert Brooks and Sylvester Stallone were offered the role as well and turned it down before it went to Richard Gere

You’ll learn all that and a lot more if you check out Buzzfeed’s 19 Things You Probably Didn’t Know about Pretty Woman.

Z-View: “The Fastest Gun Alive”

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The Pitch: ”Hey, let’s do a western and call it ‘The Fastest Gun Alive.’ The title alone will sell it.”

“Let’s do it!”

The Tagline:  “WHAT HAPPENS in the next few minutes makes one of the most dramatic climaxes of any story you’ve ever seen!”

The Overview:  Broderick Crawford is Vinnie Harold the leader of a trio [along with John Dyner and Noah Beery, Jr.] of bank robbers and the self-proclaimed fastest gun alive.   Harold takes every opportunity to challenge and kill other fast-draws.

Glenn Ford plays George Temple, a shopkeeper in a frontier town.  Temple doesn’t drink, doesn’t wear a gun and has more than a couple of secrets.  One is that his real name is George Kelby, Jr. and the other is that he may be the fastest gunfighter ever to strap on a gun belt.  Temple/Kelby just wants a quiet life with his wife.  He knows that if the townspeople find out his real name, his prowess with a gun or the notches it contains, his life in the town is finished.

Yet, keeping the secret is killing Temple.  The men in town look down on him.  Temple isn’t considered a real man – he doesn’t drink or carry gun.  Temple doesn’t work with his hands — he’s storekeeper who sells dresses and candy.  When the men begin talking about how fast Vinnie Harold was when he gunned down Clint Fallon, it is more than Temple can take.  He starts drinking and talking about how fast he is with a gun.  No one believes him until he proves it.

Unfortunately for Temple and the town, Vinnie Harold and his crew are on the run from a posse and all roads lead to their quiet little town.

*** Beware – minor spoilers are found below ***

The Good

  • The story for The Fastest Gun Alive is deeper than your typical 50’s cowboy/gunfighter movie.  The psychology of being the “fastest gun alive” makes it clear that being #1 is not only an obsession, but frightening to everyone (including the person who is the fastest).
  • Glenn Ford is excellent as this flawed hero.  As his secrets come out, you realize the depth of his character’s struggle with being “the fastest gun alive.”
  • The supporting cast contains a lot of familiar faces: Russ Tamblyn, Lief Erickson, John Dehner, and Noah Beery, Jr.
  • Special props to John Dehner in his role of Broderick Crawford’s second in command.
  • Broderick Crawford’s hand motions and body language before he enters into a gunfight.

The Bad:

  • Broderick Crawford as Vinnie Harold. Harold is obsessed with being the fastest gun alive and will go to any lengths to prove it.  Harold is a big, loudmouth bully with the gun speed to back up his mouth.
  • How quickly the townspeople are ready to turn.

The Ugly:

  • How out-of-place and how much I liked Russ Tamblyn’s dance scene.

Rating: