“Rocky III” Alt Poster by Jean-Baptiste Roux
Jean-Baptiste Roux created this very cool Alt Rocky III poster. Pretty clever how Roux worked the Rocky statue into the logo.
Source: JoBlo.
Category: Movies
“I Walk Alone” (1947) starring Burt Lancaster, Lizabeth Scott & Kirk Douglas / Z-View
I Walk Alone (1947)
Director: Byron Haskin
Screenplay: Charles Schnee, Robert Smith (adaptation), John Bright (adaptation) based on Beggars Are Coming to Town by Theodore Reeves
Stars: Burt Lancaster, Lizabeth Scott, Kirk Douglas, Wendell Corey, Kristine Miller, Marc Lawrence, Mickey Knox, Bobby Barber and Mike Mazurki.
Tagline: He Fell for the Oldest Trick in the World. If You Want to Pump a Guy… Send a Dame.
The Plot…
Frankie Madison (Lancaster) and Noll Turner (Douglas) were best friends and bootlegging partners. It was 50-50 right down the line. On their last run, they got into a gunfight with thieves who attempted to hijack their load. The noise brought the police. Deciding it was best to split up, Frankie stayed with the truck of bootleg hooch, and Noll split.
Frankie was caught, convicted and sent to prison. That was 14 years ago.
While Frankie was in prison, Noll took the money he and Frankie had, and invested it in a bar. He then sold the bar to buy a better nightclub. It took work, but Noll built it into an exclusive hotspot. Noll became very rich.
Now that Frankie’s out, he’s ready to join Noll. They’d always agreed that everything would be 50-50. Frankie never ratted out Noll. Frankie did the time. He and Noll were best friends and business partners. Noll would never double cross Frankie.
Would he?
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster made seven movies together. This is the first.
Eddie Muller called I Walk Alone a landmark crime film because it marked the first time movie outlaws moved from working outside the system to becoming legitimate operators working within the system.
I Walk Alone (1947) rates 4 of 5 stars.
“This is Zodiac Speaking” (2024) / Z-View
This is Zodiac Speaking (2024)
Director: Phil Lott (Eps. 1-3), Ari Mark (Eps. 1-3)
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
Arthur Leigh Allen has been one of the top suspects, if not THE top suspect, of being the Zodiac killer for years. David, Don and Connie Seawater were children when their mother had a relationship with Arthur Leigh Allen. As kids they thought Mr. Allen was just a nice man. He treated them and their mother well. Now as adults they believe he was the Zodiac killer and they have evidence to prove it.
Robert Graysmith who investigated the case and wrote ZODIAC: THE SHOCKING TRUE STORY OF AMERICA’S MOST ELUSIVE SERIAL KILLER weighs in as well.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
This is the Zodiac Speaking does an excellent job of summarizing the case as well as presenting the new evidence in an interesting and compelling manner. While many documentaries would have padded several episodes, the story is presented in just three.
This is Zodiac Speaking (2024) rates 5 of 5 stars.
“Outside” (2024) written & directed by Carlo Ledesma / Z-View
Outside (2024)
Director: Carlo Ledesma
Screenplay: Carlo Ledesma
Stars: Sid Lucero, Beauty Gonzalez, Marco Masa and Aiden Tyler Patdu.
Tagline: You can’t keep out what’s already inside.
The Plot…
A zombie outbreak has arrived. Francis (Lucero) takes his wife, Iris (Gonzalez) and their two sons, Josh (Masa) and Lucas (Patdu) to his father’s remote farm. Francis finds his mother is a zombie. He kills her. Francis then finds his father dead by suicide.
Iris believes the family should continue north. There are reports of a human stronghold that will provide safety. Francis overrules her. The family will barricade the house and stay on the farm until it is safe to go outside.
Iris will soon realize, it might be safer out there.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Outside is a zombie story, but the emphasis is not on the apocalypse. There are a few scenes with zombies, but the focus isn’t on THAT danger.
Outside (2024) rates 2 of 5 stars.
“The Long Kiss Goodnight” (1996) written by Shane Black, directed by Renny Harlin, starring Gena Davis & Samuel L. Jackson / Z-View
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)
Director: Renny Harlin
Screenplay: Shane Black
Stars: Geena Davis, Samuel L. Jackson, Yvonne Zima, Craig Bierko, Brian Cox, Patrick Malahide, David Morse, Joseph McKenna, Melina Kanakaredes, Alan North, Edwin Hodge, G.D. Spradlin and Rex Linn.
Tagline: Eight years ago she lost her memory. Now, a detective must help her remember the past before it buries them both. What’s forgotten is not always gone.
The Plot…
Samantha Caine (Davis) is a small town schoolteacher. Life is quiet. Life is good. Samantha is happy. She lives with her daughter and boyfriend. Samantha has come a long way in eight years. That was when she was found on a Jersey beach, pregnant and with no memory of her past.
At first Samantha hired the best detectives to try to discover her past. They all struck out. Mitch Henessey (Jackson) is a shady PI. Mitch lucked onto a suitcase with info that may help Samantha.
Samantha is shocked when a crazed convict breaks into her house to kill her. Samantha is even more dumbfounded by the fighting skills she didn’t know she had. The killer calls Samantha by a different name. He obviously knew her. In a fight to the death Samantha wins.
Mitch shows up. Samantha and Mitch decide to follow the clues the suitcase provides. Samantha will discover the truth to her past. The people that thought Samantha was dead will realize the job needs to be finished.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The Long Kiss Goodnight came at the right time. Writer Shane Black was at the top of his game. His screenplay provides the right mix of over-the-top action and humor. Director Renny Harlin was also killing it. He’s supported by a great cast. Gena Davis is perfect as the school teacher/assassin. Samuel L. Jackson wasn’t yet THE Samuel L. Jackson and is perfect as the guy who just wants to do one thing right. Kudos to Craig Bierko for owning all of his scenes. Brian Cox and David Morse are also perfectly cast.
Samuel L. Jackson has said that this was his favorite role.
Gena Davis and Renny Harlin were married when this film was made.
The Long Kiss Goodnight was ahead of it’s time. Now female action heroes are fairly common, but this was a groundbreaking role by Gena Davis.
The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) rates 5 of 5 stars.
“TMZ Presents: OJ How He Did It” (2024) / Z-View
TMZ Presents: OJ How He Did It (2024)
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
Harvey Levin was a young reporter who covered the OJ Simpson murder trial. Levin was there from the start and has insights never before shared. Levin shares how he believes OJ Simpson’s murder of Nicole Kidman and Mark Goldman went down.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Levin’s theory is plausible. He does a good job of presenting the background of the trial with news footage and new interviews with some of those involved.
Levin’s theory is new, but not groundbreaking. Now if he had gotten an interview and Al Cowlings opened up, THAT would be the story!
TMZ Presents: OJ How He Did It (2024) rates 3 of 5 stars.
RIP: Teri Garr
Teri Garr died today due to complications from multiple sclerosis. Ms. Garr was 79.
Teri Garr’s parents were both in showbusiness. Her father was an actor/comedian. Ms. Garr’s mother was a model, dancer and costumer. As a young girl Teri Garr studied dance with a focus on ballet.
Ms. Garr graduated from North Hollywood High School. She then attended San Fernando Valley State College, but dropped out after two years. Teri Garr moved to New York City. She studied at the Actors Studio and the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute while pursuing an acting career.
Teri Garr’s first roles were often uncredited roles in films and television as a background or go-go dancer. 1968 was a big year for Teri Garr. She received a feature role on Star Trek in the episode Assignment Earth. Ms. Garr earned her first feature film speaking role in The Monkees movie Head. Jack Nicholson wrote the film and knew Teri Garr since they were in the same acting class.
Teri Garr is probably best known for her roles in Young Frankenstein; Close Encounters of the Third Kind; Tootsie and Mr. Mom. Ms. Garr was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress for her work in Tootsie. Throughout her career Teri Garr worked on television, in feature films as well as theater throughout her career.
In 2002, Teri Garr announced that she had multiple sclerosis. In 2006, she wrote her autobiography SPEEDBUMPS: FLOORING IT THROUGH HOLLYWOOD. Ms. Garr retired from acting in 2011.
Television projects that feature Teri Garr include: Mr. Novak; What a Way To Go; Dr. Kildare; Batman; The Andy Griffith Show; Star Trek; That Girl; Mayberry RFD; Room 222; It Takes a Thief (2 episodes); This is the Life; The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour (12 episodes); The Ken Berry ‘Wow’ Show; Banyon; The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour; MASH; The New Dick Van Dyke Show; The Odd Couple; The Bob Newhart Show (2 episodes); The Girl with Something Extra (4 episodes); Barnaby Jones; McCloud (6 episodes); Cher; Maude; Law and Order; Hunter; Saturday Night Live; Fresno (6 episodes); Sesame Street; Tales from the Crypt; Good & Evil (11 episodes); Dream On (2 episodes); Murphy Brown; The Legend of Prince Valiant (2 episodes); The Larry Sanders Show; Adventures in Wonderland (6 episodes); Good Advice (13 episodes); Women of the House (12 episodes); Frasier; Sabrina the Teenage Witch; Friends (3 episodes); ER; Dr. Katz; King of the Hill; Batman Beyond (10 episodes); Felicity; The Downer Channel (2 episodes); What’s New Scooby-Doo? and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Feature films that Teri Garr appeared in include: A Swingin’ Affair; Fun in Acapulco; Viva Las Vegas; Roustabout; Red Line 7000; Head; The Conversation; Young Frankenstein; Oh, God!; Close Encounters of the Third Kind; The Black Stallion; One from the Heart; Tootsie; The Sting II; The Black Stallion II; Mr. Mom; After Hours; The Player; Dumb and Dumber and Ghost World.
I probably first saw Teri Garr in one of her many guest television appearances. My favorite Teri Garr role was in Young Frankenstein. She made quite an impact on this young boy. It was always nice to see Ms. Garr’s name in the credits of television shows or movies. She was also a fun guest on talk shows. Ms. Garr always came off as a nice person, the kind you’d like to know as a friend.
Out thoughts and prayers go out to Teri Garr’s family, friends and fans.
“Lake George” starring Shea Whigham & Carrie Coon – The Poster and Trailer are Here!
I like the poster and trailer for Lake George. Shea Whigham always picks interesting roles and always delivers.
Deal me in.
When ex-con Don (Shea Whigham), fresh out of prison, visits mobster Armen (Glenn Fleshler) to collect some money he’s owed, he’s instead assigned a final task: to take care of Phyllis (Carrie Coon). Don tries to carry out the job, but he finds he can’t pull the trigger.
Instead, the pair of misfit oddballs set off on a road trip together, as their lives and standing with Armen become entangled. Phyllis soon reveals that she has designs of her own and proposes a little tag team action to Don: combine forces with the aim to steal money – a lot of money – from the people who want her dead. Don must decide whether his allegiance lies with Armen, or with the wily, charismatic woman he was supposed to kill.
Starring Shea Whigham, Carrie Coon, Glenn Fleshler and Max Casella
Directed by Jeffrey Reiner
In theaters and on digital December 6
“The Hidden” (1987) starring Kyle MacLachlan & Michael Nouri / Z-View
The Hidden (1987)
Director: Jack Sholder
Screenplay: Jim Kouf (as Bob Hunt)
Stars: Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Nouri, Claudia Christian, Clarence Felder, Clu Gulager, Ed O’Ross, William Boyett, Larry Cedar, Katherine Cannon, John McCann, Lin Shaye, James Luisi, Frank Renzulli, Duane Davis, Kristen Clayton and Danny Trejo.
Tagline: A new breed of criminal.
The Plot…
Los Angeles Police Detective Tom Beck (Nouri) is informed that he will partner with FBI Special Agent Lloyd Gallagher (MacLachlan) to capture Jack DeVries. DeVries until recently had never committed a crime. Then without warning DeVries went on a crime spree robbing, killing and leading police on a high speed chase. DeVries was now at the hospital suffering from multiple gunshots and injuries from a car crash. He was not expected to live through the night.
Gallagher tells Beck to join him. They rush to the hospital. They find DeVries dead body on the floor. Strange thing is, that Jonathan Miller, the comatose man that shared the room is missing. Gallagher tells Beck to put out an APB on Miller. But it is too late. Miller has already beaten a store owner to death, killed three people at a Ferrari dealership and stolen one of their best cars.
Beck begins to realize that this crime wave isn’t of this Earth. What else could he be missing?
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Watch for Danny Trejo to show up long enough to get killed.
The most interesting part of the film to me takes place as Nouri’s character comes to realize what he’s dealing with.
The Hidden (1987) rates 3 of 5 stars.
“Orang Ikan” – Two Posters and the Trailer are Here!
The trailer for Orang Ikan is here.
Deal me in.
“The Corpse Vanishes” (1942) starring Bela Lugosi / Z-View
The Corpse Vanishes (1942)
Director: Wallace Fox
Screenplay: Harvey Gates; story by Sam Robins, Gerald Schnitzer
Stars: Bela Lugosi, Luana Walters, Tristram Coffin, Vince Barnett and Angelo Rossitto.
Tagline: KIDNAPPED BRIDES Are The Victims Of His Terror! Prepare to shudder when you see the strange practices of this doctor who sacrificed beautiful women for the sake of a mad love!
The Plot…
Someone is killing young brides on their wedding day. No one can figure out why they are dying. Or who is stealing their corpses. Then Patricia Hunter (Walters), a young reporter, notices the brides are all wearing orchid corsages. She decides to investigate.
The clues lead Patricia to Dr. Lorenz (Lugosi). Lorenz lives in a remote mansion with his younger wife. Dr. Lorenz seems nice enough, but the wife is a bit cold. When a terrible storm hits and washes out the bridge to town, Patricia is forced to spend the night.
What Patricia doesn’t know is…
- …Dr. Lorenz has been behind the murders of the brides. Lorenz takes their glandular fluids for injection into his wife. These fluids make his elderly wife appear young for a brief time.
- …in the Doctor’s cellar laboratory a crazy old hag and her two sons live. One of the sons is a cruel dwarf. The other is a feebleminded hulk. The three assist Dr. Lorenz with the murders.
- …also in the cellar is a room with the bodies of the dead brides.
Patricia doesn’t know these things… but she is about to find out.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Beware of poor copies. The movie is in the public domain.
Angelo Rossitto plays the dwarf son. Mr. Rossitto is best known for his roles in Tod Browning’s Freaks and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. His career spanned 60 years and over 100 resume credits.
The Corpse Vanishes is a low-budget, quickly shot B picture and it plays like one.
The Corpse Vanishes (1942) rates 2 of 5 stars.
ROCKYfest 2024
Last year the city of Philadelphia held the first Rocky Day. Rocky Day was a city holiday to celebrate the release of Rocky in 1976. Rocky Day was such a hit that this year it has expanded into Rockyfest! Rockyfest will feature city-wide events that run from November 29th – December 8th.
The schedule of events include:
- November 29 – December 8: The Rocky Philadelphia Bus Tour
- December 3: Rocky Day
- December 4: Real Life Rockys Mural Unveiling
- December 5: Southpaws Yappy Hour at the Docks
- December 6: Rocky Date Night at Penn Ice Rink
- December 6 – 8: Rocky Movie Marathon
- December 6 – 7: Rocky U with Dr. Farber
- December 7: Rocky Date Night at The Zoo
Attend for the day or the entire week plus! A great time is guaranteed for Rocky/Stallone fans.
“The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story” (2006) / Z-View
The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story (2006)
Stars: Dusty Rhodes, Dick “the Bruiser” Afflis, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, Eric Bischoff, Tully Blanchard, Gerald Brisco, John Cena, Ted DiBiase, Ric Flair, Terry Funk, Superstar Billy Graham, Mike Graham, Jimmy Hart, Bobby Heenan, Jerry Lawler, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, Vince McMahon, Dick Murdock, Gene Okerland, Pat Patterson, Roddy Piper, Bruce Prichard, Harley Race, Dustin Rhodes, Ron Simmons and Hulk Hogan.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
The life story of Dusty Rhodes. Born the son of a plumber in Austin, Texas, he became one of the most beloved professional wrestlers in the world.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Dusty Rhodes, at one time, was one of the highest paid and most successful wrestlers in the world. Everywhere he went Rhodes rose to the top. Even when Dusty Rhodes was older, he was wanted as a writer and booker for promotions.
What I admire about Dusty is that he was able to figure out how to make each situation he was in work. Even when Vince McMahon gave Rhodes a silly persona and a polka-dot outfit, Rhodes was able to make the character a fan favorite.
Rhodes was king on a microphone. His “hard times” speech is considered a classic by wrestling fans. One of my favorite Rhodes’ quotes is: “I have wined and dined with kings and queens and I’ve slept in alleys and dined on pork and beans”.
The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story (2006) rates 4 of 5 stars.
“White Zombie” (1932) starring Bela Lugosi / Z-View
White Zombie (1932)
Director: Victor Halperin
Screenplay: Garnett Weston based on THE MAGIC ISLAND by William Seabrook
Stars: Bela Lugosi, Madge Bellamy, Robert Frazer, John Harron, Brandon Hurst, Clarence Muse and Frederick Peters.
Tagline: With These Zombie Eyes he rendered her powerless – With This Zombie Grip he made her perform his every desire!
The Plot…
Madeleine Short (Bellamy) and her fiancé Neil Parker (Harron) arrive in Haiti. They are guests of Charles Beaumont (Frazer) and staying on his huge plantation. Charles secretly loves Madeleine and wishes she would marry him. Desperate to have Madeline, Charles visits ‘Murder’ Legendre (Lugosi).
Murder is the owner of a huge plantation. Everyone knows that Murder’s plantation is worked by Haitian zombie slaves. Murder has the ability to turn people into mindless beings that follow his every command. Charles wants Madeleine to love him. He believes Murder can make this happen.
Murder agrees to help. But the truth is he has other plans for Madeleine.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
White Zombie was filmed in less than two weeks on a budget of $50,000.00. Reportedly up to 10% of the budget was Lugosi’s salary.
White Zombie was one of Bela Lugosi’s favorites of the films he made.
Beware of poor copies since the film went into public domain in 1960.
White Zombie (1932) rates 3 of 5 stars.
