“Streets of Fire” Rare Advance Poster!
Since we were talking about Streets of Fire yesterday, I thought I’d share this rare advance poster today.
“Tarzan Triumphs” (1943) starring Johnny Weissmuller / Z-View
Tarzan Triumphs (1943)
Director: Wilhelm Thiele
Screenplay: Carroll Young, Roy Chanslor ; story by Carroll Young; based on characters created by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Stars: Johnny Weissmuller, Frances Gifford, Johnny Sheffield, Stanley Ridges, Sig Ruman, Philip Van Zandt,
Pedro de Cordoba, George Lynn and Cheetah.
Tagline: A new exciting beauty arouses Tarzan’s fighting heart…as ruthless killers from the sky invade his jungle kingdom on a rampage of murder and worse! You’ll see…NEW TARZAN THRILLS by the thousand!
The Plot…
World War II rages, but until now has not reached the jungles of Tarzan.
Until now.
A squad of Nazi paratroopers has taken over the the lost city of Palandrya. The Nazis are using the citizens as slave labor to mine rare minerals. When the Nazis kidnap Tarzan’s adopted son, Boy, Tarzan is drawn into the war.
“Ungawa!”
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Tarzan Triumphs was Johnny Weissmuller’s seventh outing as Tarzan. Those films were made at MGM. This movie came from RKO. Along with Weissmuller, the studio got Johnny Sheffield (as Boy) and Cheetah. Maureen O’Sullivan (who played Jane in the previous films) was under contract with MGM. That’s why Jane is in England during this film.
World War II was still being fought when Tarzan Triumphs was made. Sol Lesser, the executive producer of Tarzan Triumphs said it was suggested by the US State Department that having Tarzan fight Nazis would be a great morale builder.
If the fort where Tarzan and Boy are held captive looks familiar, it could be because it was the same set used in Gunga Din.
When it comes to killing Nazis even Boy, Cheeta and Boy’s pet elephant take part.
The final scene with Cheetah “talking” on the radio and Nazis in Germany thinking it is Hitler speaking is classic.
If you like Tarzan films of this era, Tarzan Triumphs is one of the better ones.
Tarzan Triumphs (1943) rates 4 of 5 stars.
“Daredevil: Born Again” – The Trailer is Here!
Daredevil: Born Again looks good. This is coming from a guy who pretty much stopped watching mainstream superhero movies. Of course the Daredevil comic (especially under Frank Miller) always leaned heavily into crime stories.
Deal me in.
Marvel Television’s all-new series #DaredevilBornAgain premieres March 4 at 6pm PT/9pm ET. Only on @DisneyPlus.
“Streets of Fire” Trivia!
Matthew Jackson at Mental Floss presents 14 Epic Facts About ‘Streets of Fire’. Before you click over to get all the facts and details, here are my three favorites with my thoughts…
- The film was intended to be part of a trilogy. I would have loved to have seen The Far City and Cody’s Return. Is it too late?
- The ending was originally much darker. In this instance I agree with the studio and Michael Pare: It (the new ending) added honor and nobility to Tom Cody instead of just a guy who will not f******* lose.”
- Streets of Fire was initially a flop. Universal Pictures didn’t really know how to market Streets of Fire. It was so unique… an “action-romance-musical-comic book hybrid”. Thankfully over the years Streets of Fire gained a following. So… as to the trilogy… is it too late? Either to revisit the characters now older… or recast and pick up where we left off.
“Landman”: Season 1 (2023) written by Taylor Sheridan; starring Billy Bob Thorton, Demi Moore & John Hamm / Z-View
Landman: Season 1 (2023)
Created by: Taylor Sheridan, Christian Wallace
Director: Taylor Sheridan (Eps. 1-2); Stephen Kay (Eps. 3-5; 8-10); Michael Friedman (Eps. 6-7)
Teleplay: Taylor Sheridan (Eps. 1-10)
Stars: Billy Bob Thornton, Ali Larter, Jacob Lofland, Michelle Randolph, Paulina Chavez, Kayla Wallace, Mark Collie, James Jordan, Demi Moore, Jon Hamm, Colm Feore, Mustafa Speaks, Mitchell Slaggert, Alex Meraz, Octavio Rodriguez, Ben Browder, Robyn Lively, Emilio Rivera, Andy García and Michael Peña.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
Tommy Norris (Thorton) oversees operations for the M-Tex oil company. It’s Tommy’s job to make sure everything runs smoothly and the company makes money. That means Tommy is in charge of it all – from land purchases, hiring and firing of staff, oil well production, dealing with lawsuits, local law, gangs and whatever else might impede M-Tex’s profit margin.
Monty Miller (Hamm) owns M-Tex. Although he’s a billionaire (on paper), if the oil market crashes, he could lose everything. If the price of oil stays at the “sweet spot” where oil production can expand and profits are made, Miller will become even richer. As many people go broke as get rich in the oil business. And if the rich stay in the business, they risk losing it all. No wonder Monty Miller has had several heart attacks.
This season Tommy will deal with…
- … his son Cooper (Lofland) wanting to learn the oil business from the bottom up. A tragic accident will change everything.
- … his teenage daughter, Ainsley (Randolph) coming to live with him. Ainsley is beautiful and loves attention. Her mother has let her run wild and now it’s too late to tame Ainsley.
- … his ex-wife, Angela (Larter) wanting to get back together. Angela has always used her good looks to get what she wants. Everyone (including Tommy) knows letting Angela move back in is a bad idea. Tommy’s just too in love with her not to try.
- … accidents on the job. Men get injured and some killed. Tommy has to navigate making sure the men are taken care of and the company maximizes profits. These two things don’t always align.
- … cartels using the oil fields for drug deals. When a drug shipment is destroyed, the cartel boss tells Tommy the oil company must pay. This puts a target on Tommy’s back.
- … a hotshot young attorney, brought in by Monty. She immediately takes a dislike to Tommy. He feels the same towards her.
- … escalating troubles with the cartel. Jimenez, the midlevel Mexican crime boss, sees Tommy as the problem. Jimenez is used to eliminating problems.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
We all know Taylor Sheridan can write and direct. He also attracts others at the top of their fields to assist with those chores when he doesn’t himself. For Landman Season 1, Sheridan writes every episode and directs the first two.
Stephen Kay helms six of the ten episodes. Kay is known for directing episodes of The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, The Punisher, Yellowstone, Mayor of Kingstown, Lioness, 1883, 1923 and one of my favorite films, Get Carter (2000). Michael Friedman directs two episodes of Landman. He’s known for direction on Lioness and Yellowstone.
The casting from the biggest to the smallest roles is on point. Standouts include:
- Billy Bob Thorton was born to play Tommy Norris. Thorton is an excellent actor, and I’ve loved him in several roles. This may be my favorite.
- Ali Larter is excellent in a role that I love to dislike.
- Michelle Randolph plays Elizabeth Strafford in 1923. What a different character than the one she plays in Landman. She’s excellent in both. I guess that’s why they call it acting.
- Jacob Lofland is more than holding his own. I’ve seen Lofland before in Mud and Justified, but in Landman he shines.
- Paulina Chavez has to walk a fine line in her role. It would be easy to not like her character, but Chavez is doing a great job to get across the inner struggles of her choices. The scene with her character telling Tommy she won’t be disrespected is a winner.
- Kayla Wallace owns her role as the lawyer who goes for the throat in every interaction. I’d never seen Wallace before in anything, but she’s one to watch. Check out the scene when she tells the room full of attorneys, “This isn’t a negotiation…”
- James Jordan is fun to watch. He has a supporting role in this and Lioness. He helps make both shows so good.
- Jon Hamm – who doesn’t enjoy Jon Hamm’s acting. He brings it every time out. Hamm is very believable as the billionaire in danger of losing it all, but not afraid to take a risk. It’d be easy to play this guy either “too cool for school” or “unsure of what to do next” — Hamm has the right mix.
- Colm Feore – I’ve loved him in every scene he’s in. Great addition to the show.
- Michael Peña, Emilio Rivera and Andy García – had small but impactful roles. It’s always nice when the right people are placed in every role.
- Demi Moore – I think her role is going to become even more important in Season 2.
Taylor Sheridan has another winner.
Special Ops: Lioness aka Lioness: Season 1 rates 5 of 5 stars.
“Back in Action” starring Jamie Foxx & Cameron Diaz – The Poster and Trailer are Here!
Back in Action starring Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz looks like it might be a fun ride. Since it streams on Netflix, watching will be a no-brainer.
Deal me in.
Years after giving up life as CIA spies to start a family, Emily (Cameron Diaz) and Matt (Jamie Foxx) find themselves dragged back into the world of espionage when their cover is blown.
Release Date: January 17, 2025
Genre: Action, Comedy
CAST: Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx
“The Alto Knights” starring Robert De Niro, directed by Barry Levinson – The Poster and Trailer are Here!
The poster and (mainly) the trailer for The Alto Knights has moved that film to the top tier of my “must-see movies” list. My guess is that a ton of awards are in the future for all involved with this production.
Deal me in.
#TheAltoKnights starring Robert De Niro – only in theaters March 21.
From Warner Bros. Pictures, “The Alto Knights” stars Academy Award winner Robert De Niro in a dual role, directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Barry Levinson.
The film follows two of New York’s most notorious organized crime bosses, Frank Costello (De Niro) and Vito Genovese (De Niro), as they vie for control of the city’s streets. Once the best of friends, petty jealousies and a series of betrayals place them on a deadly collision course that will reshape the Mafia (and America) forever.
“The Alto Knights” was written by Oscar nominee Nicholas Pileggi (“Goodfellas”) and produced by Oscar winner Irwin Winkler (“Rocky,” “Goodfellas”), Levinson, Jason Sosnoff, Charles Winkler and David Winkler, with Mike Drake executive producing.
De Niro stars alongside Debra Messing (“Will & Grace”), Cosmo Jarvis (“Shōgun”), Kathrine Narducci (“The Irishman”), Michael Rispoli (“Billions”), Michael Adler (“Peppermint”), Ed Amatrudo (“Till,” “Nashville”), Joe Bacino (“Kick-Ass”), Anthony J. Gallo (“The Irishman”), Wallace Langham (“Ford v Ferrari”), Louis Mustillo (“Cooper’s Bar,” “Mike & Molly”), Frank Piccirillo, Matt Servitto (“Billions”) and Robert Uricola (“Raging Bull”).
Joining Levinson (“Rainman,” “Dopesick”) behind the camera are Oscar-nominated director of photography Dante Spinotti (“The Insider,” “L.A. Confidential”), production designer Neil Spisak (the “Spider-Man” films, “Dopesick”), Oscar-nominated editor Douglas Crise (“Babel,” “Dopesick”), Oscar-nominated costume designer Jeffrey Kurland (“Bullets Over Broadway,” “Tenet”), award-winning casting director Ellen Chenoweth (“Past Lives”) and composer David Fleming (“Hillbilly Elegy,” “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”).
Warner Bros. Pictures Presents an Irwin Winkler Production, a Barry Levinson Film, “The Alto Knights.” The film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures worldwide and released in theaters nationwide on March 21, 2025, and internationally beginning 19 March 2025.
“Cobra: The Strong Arm of the Law” by Eduardo Risso!
The great Eduardo Risso presents…
“Cobra: The Strong Arm of the Law”.
What a great piece. Congrats to the person that commission this beauty!
“The Life of the Party” (1920) starring Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle / Z-View
The Life of the Party (1920)
Director: Joseph Henabery
Screenplay: Walter Woods; based on The Life of the Party by Irvin S. Cobb
Stars: Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle, Winifred Greenwood, Roscoe Karns, Julia Faye and William Boyd.
Tagline: A fast and festive fun frolic in five acts and forty antics. Filled with gambols, girls and giggles and all fussed up with joy.
The Plot…
Algernon Leary (Arbuckle) is a lawyer approached by Milly Hollister and ladies from the Better Babies League. Business men from a milk consortium have worked together to drive up the price of milk. Algernon is attracted to Milly and agrees to take on the case.
Judge Voris, who is hearing the case has been secretly paid off by the consortium. The Judge has his sights on a higher office and discrediting Algernon is first on his list.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The Life of the Party is Arbuckle’s second full length feature. It lacks to fun and joy of his shorts.
The Life of the Party (1920) rates 2 of 5 stars.
Marv by Howie Noel!
Marv from Frank Miller’s Sin City is one of my all-time favorite characters. I love seeing artists do their “take” on the big lug. Today we have Marv by Howie Noel.
A SINGLE SHOT by Matthew F. Jones / Z-View
A SINGLE SHOT by Matthew F. Jones
First sentence…
Before the sun is up, John Moon has showered, drunk two cups of coffee, and changed into his blue jeans, sweatshirt and Timberland hiking boots.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
John Moon has lost a lot. First it was the family farm. Then his wife and child. His work at the factory doesn’t pay enough. Times are tough.
It’s not hunting season, but John decides to risk another poaching fine. John hikes deep into the woods. He spots a big stag and takes a shot. The wounded beast runs off. John doesn’t want the buck to suffer and tracks it. Deeper in the woods, John bends down to check the trail. He hears movement and looks up to see a flash of brown and white. John fires and hears the animal fall.
As John is walking to where the buck fell, he’s suddenly surprised by the wounded animal charging him. He’s gored in the shoulder as he strikes the stag with his rifle. The buck goes down and is soon out of its misery. John is confused. He thought he killed the buck with his second shot.
John pushed through the brush to where he heard the animal fall. It was a young woman. She’s dead. Killed by John. John’s sick. He broke the hunter’s code. Be sure of what you’re shooting before you pull the trigger. John considers his options. Turning himself in won’t change anything for the girl. It’ll destroy his family. And put him in prison. Why was she out here anyway?
John decides to bury her. He looks around. Nearby is a small cave opening. John decides that will be the girl’s final resting place. As he checks it out, John discovers a metal box full of money.
John makes another decision. It’s an easier one. He takes the money. Places the body in the cave. Says a prayer. Then does his best to remove any evidence he was there. Finished, John hikes out.
John is paranoid as the days pass. Bad men have a way of finding what’s theirs. And soon they will.
Rating:
“Backfire” (1950) starring Edmond O’Brien, Virginia Mayo and Gordon MacRae / Z-View
Backfire (1950)
Director: Vincent Sherman
Screenplay: Ivan Goff, Larry Marcus, Ben Roberts; story by Larry Marcus
Stars: Edmond O’Brien, Virginia Mayo, Gordon MacRae, Dane Clark, Viveca Lindfors, Sheila MacRae, David Hoffman, Monte Blue, Russ Conway, John Daheim, John Dehner and Ed Begley.
Tagline: A double-cross that doubled back…with a blonde on the end of it!
The Plot…
1948. Although the war is over, Bob Corey (MacRae) is still in a military hospital recovering from injuries. One surgery to go and Bob will just need some rehab to be good as new. Then he plans to marry his nurse, Julie Benson (Mayo) and open a ranch with his best friend Steve Connelly (O’Brien). Bob and Steve have been best friends since serving together in the war. Steve regularly visits Bob… until he doesn’t show up one day.
Late one night as Bob recovers from his final surgery a strange woman appears in his room. She wakes Bob and tells him that Steve was crippled in a terrible accident. She says that Steve wants to die but she refuses to help him commit suicide. As Bob falls back to sleep, the woman disappears.
Bob leaves the hospital determined to find his friend. As he follows clues, Bob doesn’t get much help. The police are looking for Steve for other reasons. A gambler named Lou Walsh (whose very name scares people) seems involved some how. But who is Lou Walsh?
As Bob gets closer to the truth, people begin to get murdered. The killer now has his sights on Bob and his fiancé Julie.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
The movie was filmed in 1948, but not released until 1950. In those two years Mayo and MacRae had become bigger stars and so their names were moved up to the top in advertising materials.
Backfire (1950) rates 3 of 5 stars.
“Special Ops: Lioness” aka “Lioness”: Season 1(2023); created by Taylor Sheridan; starring Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Michael Kelly with Morgan Freeman and Nicole Kidman / Z-View
Special Ops: Lioness aka Lioness: Season 1 (2023)
Created by: Taylor Sheridan
Director: John Hillcoat (Eps. 1-2; 7-8); Anthony Byrne (Eps. 3-4); Paul Cameron (Eps. 5-6)
Teleplay: Taylor Sheridan (Eps. 1-2; 4-8); Taylor Sheridan; story by Taylor Sheridan and Thomas Brady (Ep. 3);
Stars: Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Dave Annable, Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, James Jordan, Austin Hébert, Jonah Wharton, Hannah Love Lanier, Nicole Kidman, Michael Kelly, Thad Luckinbill, Celestina Harris, Stephanie Nur, Martin Donovan, Max Martini and Morgan Freeman.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
Joe McNamara (Saldaña) is a CIA squad leader in charge of the Lioness program. Their mission is to take out Asmar Ali Amrohi. Amrohi finances terrorism throughout the world. The plan is to give Sergeant First Class Cruz Manuelos (De Oliveira) a false identity and get her close to Amrohi’s daughter, Aaliyah (Nur). Then given the opportunity, Cruz will kill Amrohi or call in an air strike to take out everyone in Amrohi’s vicinity.
Problems arise when Cruz begins to feel a true friendship for Aaliyah. Meanwhile Joe deals issues at home and the Senate Oversite Committee.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
One of my favorite parts of the show are the characters that make up the Lioness squad. The show features a great mix of side missions, Joe’s home problems as well as dealings with politicians.
Taylor Sheridan has another winner.
Special Ops: Lioness aka Lioness: Season 1 rates 4 of 5 stars.
Mike McKone “Gets Carter”
I’ve been a Mike McKone fan since I first saw his art. So when McKone offered a sketch option with the purchase of his sketchbook, it was a no-brainer. I asked for Sly Stallone as Jack Carter or Dwight Manfredi. Mike McKone decided to “Get Carter” and I couldn’t be happier.
Even without the original sketch option, Mike McKone’s sketchbook should be on every art lovers “to be purchased” list. If you can get the sketch, don’t sleep on the deal.
“Prince of Darkness” (1987) written & directed by John Carpenter; starring Donald Pleasence / Z-View
Prince of Darkness (1987)
Director: John Carpenter
Screenplay: John Carpenter as Martin Quatermass
Stars: Donald Pleasence, Lisa Blount, Jameson Parker, Victor Wong, Dennis Dun, Susan Blanchard, Anne Marie Howard, Dirk Blocker, Jessie Lawrence Ferguson, Peter Jason, Thom Bray, Joanna Merlin and Alice Cooper.
Tagline: Before man walked the earth… it slept for centuries. It is evil. It is real. It is awakening.
The Plot…
A priest (Pleasence) discovers a large cylinder of green bubbling liquid hidden in a church. The priest can sense that the container holds something evil. In an effort to discover exactly what the substance is, the priest brings in Professor Howard Birack (Wong) and several of his best students. The team begins running tests to determine the age, make-up and other properties of the green liquid. At the same time others work to decipher the ancient manuscripts found with the cylinder.
The unknown substance is at least 7 million years old, made of pre-biotic material and is quickly evolving. The priest feels the increasing power of the substance and fears that it may be Satan or some other ancient god. Soon homeless people begin showing up outside the church. They stand a stare as if waiting for something. Then the team members begin to experience the same dream – a menacing dark figure coming towards them.
Soon the team will know the truth…
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
I’m a John Carpenter fan, but I feel that Prince of Darkness falls far short of Carpenter’s best work. As always, your mileage may vary.
Prince of Darkness (1987) rates 2 of 5 stars.
