The “Bad Times at the El Royale” Poster & Trailer are Here!
I’m diggin’ this poster and trailer.
Yeah, I think I’m in for a good time at Bad Times at the El Royale.
“Escape Plan 2: Hades” Overseas Poster
Here’s an overseas poster for Escape Plan 2: Hades. To see a much bigger version check out IMPAwards.com.
The 50 Greatest Comedies
Empire Magazine took a look at The 50 Greatest Comedies. Using just their list, here are my top three with their rankings & comments as well as mine…
12. Dr Strangelove
Stanley Kubrick‘s jet black comedy famously stars Peter Sellersplaying three separate roles and wildly improvising in all of them. He’s the buttoned-down British Group Captain Lionel Mandrake; the ineffectual US President Merkin Muffley; and the mechanically-armed cartoon ex-Nazi Dr Strangelove (real name “Merkwürdigliebe”) who can’t quite get out of the habit of calling the president “Mein Fuhrer”. Sellers was also supposed to play Texan Air Force Major TJ “King” Kong, but injured himself and couldn’t work in the fighter plane’s cockpit (he was replaced by Slim Pickens). Devastatingly deadpan, this has the darkest of all imaginable endings, which is all the more impressive given that it originally climaxed with a pie fight. Kubrick, wisely, thunk again.
Dr. Strangelove is the perfect mix of comedy and drama with a strong message that will leave you laughing at the absurdity of nuclear escalation. Dr. Strangelove is played straight which makes it all the funnier. Some comedies aren’t as funny on repeat viewings but Dr. Strangelove offers increased pleasure with each visit. And remember, “There’s no fighting in the war room!”
35. Young Frankenstein
Slap bang in the middle of Mel Brooks‘ 1970s run of movie parodies, Young Frankenstein is obsessive in its devotion to the Universal take on Frankenstein’s monster (down to using the same props and lab equipment as the 1931 film) but also willing to go to any length for a gag. Physical humour brings the wordplay to life, and there’s even a legendary dance number in ‘Puttin’ On The Ritz’. Brooks and co had so much fun shooting that the writer-director even added scenes near the end of production just so they could keep on going, resulting in a disastrously long first cut that required a marathon editing session to bring down to the swift, 106 minute final running time.
Young Frankenstein is the perfect merging of two genres (horror and comedy) to create a classic. Brooks was at his best with a cast in sync with his vision. Blazing Saddles was released around the same time as Young Frankenstein, but while Blazing Saddles seems a bit dated, Young Frankenstein is timeless.
34. Step Brothers
Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly play pampered fortysomethings whose juvenile worlds collide when their single parents get married, in this classic Adam McKay comedy. Often overlooked as the difficult third album following Anchorman and Talladega Nights, it can actually hold its head high in that company, and Reilly is great Ferrell foil. The pair are currently at work on Etan Cohen’s Holmes And Watson.
I absolutely love this movie. This pairing of Ferrell and Reilly is perfect. So many laughs and stuff that would just get eye-rolls from other actors. Sure, I’ve seen this same pairing in other comedies, and they’re ok. Step Brothers rules.
Since we’re talking comedies, I have to give shout-outs to 3 movies that I saw in crowded theaters and the audiences (myself included) roared with laughter throughout the viewings:
- Airplane (the original)
- 10 (yeah, with Bo Derek and Dudley Moore)
- Richard Pryor Live in Concert
I’ve seen them at home and without the large audience, they just weren’t quite as funny.
Here’s Christopher Nolan’s Video Analysis of His Story Construction for “Memento”!
Here’s Christopher Nolan’s Video Analysis of his story construction for Memento!
Stephan Franck Interview – “Silver” Conclusion and More!
Stephan Franck is the genius (writer & artist) behind Silver which he describes as…
… an original universe built around Bram Stoker’s original Dracula, and it begins 40 years after the events of the novel, into the noir/pulp era of the 1930s. You meet James Finnigan, who is the most notorious conman/gentleman-thief of his day, as he teams up with Rosalynd “Sledge” Van Helsing (granddaughter of the original Van Helsing, and altogether the last of the Van Helsings), to steal a mystical treasure hidden in Dracula’s castle. Finn, of course, brings his known associates—a fun assortment of conmen and grifters of all kinds—as well as the kind of amoral attitude that puts him immediately at odds with Sledge. Lastly, the team enlists Tao Leu (or more accurately, he enlists himself), who is a 10-year-old boy with the gift of second sight and who might be the biggest scoundrel of them all.
With the fourth and final volume now on Kickstarter, Franck sat for an interview with Johhny Hughes at Comic Crusaders.
Sylvester Stallone’s Career Tells a Story of Going the Distance
Illustration by Agata Marszałek
Matt Singer at The Dissolve takes a look at Sly Stallone in Sylvester Stallone’s Career Tells a Story of Going the Distance. Here are just a couple of quotes that stuck out…
… no matter how badly the odds are stacked against him, Rocky just won’t quit. For him, survival is just as good a victory as a knockout.
The same goes for Stallone.
And if THIS next quote doesn’t get you to want to read the full piece, I’m surprised you read this far.
(Sly)’s the only man alive who’s had a No. 1 box-office hit in each of five consecutive decades. It hasn’t always been easy; after his remarkable early success and a long run as one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood, he bottomed out in the dregs of direct-to-video thrillers. But years after his action-hero peak, Stallone returned to his roots and sparked one of the most remarkable comebacks in movie history. When things looked their bleakest, he rallied for one more climb up the Art Museum steps. This is the story of how Sylvester Stallone went the distance.
Bruce Lee Facts You May Not Know
In 2018, Jacob Oiler and SYFYWire presented From Bruce Lee’s Big Break to His Tragic Death: 8 Gems Gleaned from a New Biography. Although the article is no longer available, here are three of my favorites from it…
Lee likely died from heat stroke.
While there were many, many versions of Lee’s controversial death (in the bed of his mistress, Betty Ting Pei, no less), the typical assumption that an allergic reaction to a painkiller was the cause of his “death by misadventure” ignores the recent strides medicine has made in diagnosing heat stroke. A month before his death, Lee collapsed under similar circumstances, feeling dizzy and having seizures under hot and sweaty conditions. These symptoms, along with highly elevated body temperature (which past diagnosis had erroneously categorized as feverishness) and the fact that Lee had sweat glands surgically removed from his armpits weeks before his first collapse, point to one of the leading causes of death for young athletic men. That Lee was known to overwork, lose weight, and lose sleep when making films only bolsters the case that his death on July 20, 1973 (the hottest day during that Hong Kong summer), was likely caused by heat stroke.
Roman Polanski once suspected Lee of killing Sharon Tate.
Lee was a fight choreographer for some of Hollywood’s biggest names in the ‘70s and a regular in their party scene. He hobnobbed with Steve McQueen, Roman Polanski, Sharon Tate, and James Coburn. So when Charles Manson’s followers horrifically killed Tate, Sebring, and three others at a house Polanski was renting, the tragedy struck especially close to home for Lee. Tate and Polanski were clients, while Sebring was one of Lee’s closest friends in town. But when Lee mentioned to Polanski that he lost his glasses — the director knew that an unidentified pair of horn-rims were found at the house — Polanski grew suspicious and took the actor to buy a new pair. But when Lee’s prescription didn’t match that of the evidence at the scene, Polanski thankfully relented.
Batman and a hairdresser were responsible for Lee’s early Hollywood career.
Jay Sebring, Hollywood hairdresser and karate enthusiast, had seen Lee perform a controversial demonstration and speech at the 1964 Long Beach International Karate Championship. He also cut the hair of William Dozier, a TV producer looking to cast Charlie Chan’s son for a prospective James Bond-esque show titled Number One Son. Dozier loved Lee for the role and was producing the longshot Batman show at the time. The success of the campy superhero adaptation would determine whether the studio accepted his next project… and Lee. Batman was a hit and, though Number One Son was nixed, the success of Adam West’s detective meant that superheroes were hot — and The Green Hornet wasn’t far behind. That meant Lee could be Kato, who crossed over onto Batman for a few episodes. Lee and Burt Ward (Robin) even lived in the same apartment complex.
Jack Carter & John Wick by Andy Bennett!
Last week I shared Andy Bennett’s riff on a Jack Carter and Lono from 100 Bullets. I liked Andy’s work on it so much, I’ve ordered a Jack Carter & John Wick piece for pick-up at HeroesCon this year. Although Heroes is still a couple weeks away, Andy shared with me the piece that will be waiting for pick-up. Yowzers! (And don’t you just love the nod to Tango & Cash?)
If you’d like to see more art from Andy, you can by clicking here.
The Original “Jonny Quest”
The original Jonny Quest ran on ABC during the prime time 1964 – 1965 season. Most series, especially a cartoon series, that ran for such a short time would hardly be remembered. Yet Jonny Quest came back in two television series, two television movies, at least one comic book series and three computer games.
When it premiered, I was the perfect age for Jonny Quest. Check out the video below and you’ll see why Jonny Quest made such an impact.
10 Huge Action Hollywood Action Heroes in Tiny Early Television Roles
Heroes & Icons present 10 Huge Action Hollywood Action Heroes in Tiny Early Television Roles. Here are three of my favorites…
SYLVESTER STALLONE ON ‘POLICE STORY’
Rocky and the Rifleman, together? Now that’s mucho macho. In “The Cutting Edge,” Chuck Connors plays veteran cop Sgt. Ed Peebles. Naturally, he is teamed with a young partner, Elmore Caddo, played by Sly Stallone in his first television role. Airing a year before Rocky hit screens, the episode included a prescient line of dialogue. “They actually call me ‘Rocky,'” his character says. “I prefer that.”
BRUCE WILLIS ON ‘MIAMI VICE’
Moonlighting made Willis an immediate star in 1985. His resume was light leading up to that breakout role. A year earlier, he earned his first television credit in a very early episode of Miami Vice, “No Exit.” With pleated pants, puffy blouses and wavy hair, he oozed ’80s style — and made a pretty sleazy arms dealer.
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER ON ‘STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO’
The cult film Hercules in New York introduced the Austrian strongman to American audiences in 1970, but Arnie mostly kept to flexing competitions the rest of the decade. In 1977, he bulged his way onto the boob tube making his TV debut on an episode of The Streets of San Francisco dubbed “Dead Lift.” It was not much of a stretch (though it was a significant flex) as he played a champion bodybuilder named Josef Schmidt.
Extended Clint Walker Video Interview
Clint Walker fans will want to check out his extended Television Academy interview where Walker talks about…
…the many odd jobs he held before embarking on a film and television career. He tells how he ventured out to Hollywood and landed a role in Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments,” and how the role led to other film projects and eventually a contract with Warner Brothers. Walker then details the series for which he’s best know, Cheyenne, in which he played the title character, “Cheyenne Bodie.” He describes auditioning for the role, how he kept in shape, and the many stunts he performed on the program. He outlines the show’s production schedule, speaks about his co-stars and famous guest-stars, and explains the importance of Cheyenne as television’s first hour-long Western. He explains why he believes Westerns were so popular in the 1950s and why their popularity waned. Walker then talks of his famous contract dispute with Jack Warner, chronicles how Ty Hardin came to play the lead in Cheyenne, and gives his reasons for returning and then ultimately leaving the program. He talks about other film and television appearances, including those in “The Night of the Grizzly,” the made-for-television movie Yuma, and the series Kodiak. Stephen J. Abramson conducted the interview on September 21, 2012 in Beverly Hills, CA.
The video is broken into chapters for easy listening.
“Hotel Artemis” Character Posters and Trailer Are Here!
There are several new character posters for Hotel Artemis that you can see here. And check out the new Hotel Artemis trailer below!
The Overlooked Second Roles of TVs Greatest Western Stars
The fine folks at Heroes & Icons present The Overlooked Second Roles of TVs Greatest Western Stars. Here are three of my favorites and my thoughts…
JAMES ARNESS IN ‘HOW THE WEST WAS WON’
Twenty years is a long time to play a character. And that was just the beginning. Arness kept pinning on his Marshal badge in Gunsmoke TV movies up until the mid-1990s. Audiences could not get enough of Matt Dillon for four decades. In the middle there, from 1977–79, Arness headlined How the West Was Won, a loose adaptation of the 1962 film that began as a miniseries. The veteran cowboy actor played Zebulon “Zeb” Macahan, a rugged pioneer, tracker and Army scout who moves his family from Virginia to the frontier. Bruce Boxleitner and Eva Marie Saint rounded out the stellar cast.
I was a huge fan of How the West Was Won and Zeb Machan was my favorite character. He was a no-nonsense frontiersman who seemed so different from the heroes on tv at that time. I’d like to see the series again to check out if it holds up to my memory of how good it was.
CHUCK CONNORS IN ‘BRANDED’
Former three-sport professional athlete Chuck Connors cut an impressive figure as a TV cowboy. His imposing presence also made him suitable as an indomitable villain, as he so often portrayed later in his career. However, two years after The Rifleman star hung up his Winchester, he slid into a new uniform, portraying unjustly disgraced cavalry captain Jason McCord on Branded. McCord was a vagabond, wandering the country like the Fugitive or Incredible Hulk, seeking to prove himself. Connor’s broad shoulders wore the massive chip in it well. Alas, kicking off in 1965, the series lasted a mere two seasons. Perhaps it was doomed to be an outlier, as the show was a rare scripted drama from Goodson-Todman Productions, a studio best known for churning out hit game shows like The Price Is Right, Family Feud, Match Game and Password.
I was a huge fan of Branded. It hit at a great time for me as I was really into the whole Custer legend. The thought that a man survived the battle and was unjustly branded a coward made for good drama.
JAMES GARNER IN ‘NICHOLS’
Nichols was a reunion between James Garner and Warner Bros., his first work for the studio since his iconic role as Maverick. The two lead characters had much in common, from their black hats to their sharp wit to their similar adventures. However, Nichols took some unexpected turns. For starters, our hero rode a motorcycle, not a horse. Then, after shaky ratings, producers killed off Nichols — only to replace him with his twin brother, Nichols. This new Nichols had a mustache. The great Margot Kidder co-starred as the love interest, yet somehow audiences just did not click.
Nicols was a different spin on the western. It was set at the turn-of-the-century and the hero drove a motorcycle! I loved it… but you know the series is in trouble when they kill off the star’s character… even if he returns as his twin brother.
Around this same time there was another series set in the turn-of-the-century west called The Bearcats that I liked. It didn’t last long either.
30 “Alien” Franchise Movie Facts That Will Blow Your Mind
Gem Seddon and GamesRadar present 30 Alien Facts That Will Blow Your Mind. Here are three of my favorites…
11. Blow its bloody head off!
In Aliens, the Marines scatter when the xenomorphs peel away from the walls, retreating to the safety of the APC. One pesky creature manages to get its sharp talons wedged into the doors; and then gets its head blown off by Hicks.
After endless takes where actor Michael Biehn struggled to get the barrel into the alien’s jaws, the crew came up with a way. They simply started with the gun in its mouth, pulled it out, and reversed the shot. Proof that sometimes the coolest tricks don’t require CGI.
5. Terminator connection
Preliminary Aliens drafts had Bishop mention that he was created by Cyberdyne Systems – the technology corporation responsible for creating Skynet in the Terminator saga. It was later switched to Hyperdyne.
One element that does remain happens aboard the drop ship. In the special edition, Hudson’s “ultimate badass” rant about the Marines’ arsenal of weapons, makes reference to a “phased plasma pulse rifle.” The weapons the Marines use are in fact, M41A pulse rifles. This line is a cheeky connect between James Cameron’s previous film, in which the T-800 asks a gun store clerk for a “phased plasma rifle.”
Bill Paxton, who plays Hudson, also appeared in The Terminator as one of the street punks at the observatory.
1. Kane’s last supper
Ridley Scott deliberately kept the actors off the Alien set while production designers and the effects crew dressed the scene for Kane’s last meal. Despite having read the script, none of the principal leads knew what was going to happen. So when the chestburster emerges from John Hurt and a stream of fake blood blasts a stunned Veronica Cartwright, her shocked reaction and scream? Completely authentic.“Everyone was wearing raincoats,” Weaver later recalled. “We should have been a little suspicious.”
The article contains so many more interesting facts. It’s definitely worth a read!
Atomic Pulp Comics Are Coming!
I would by THAT comic in a second! Of course, I’m a huge fan of Rick Burchett’s art, but the mock-up cover Chris Mills designed just (no pun intended) screams that this will be a fun comic. Although it is just a mock-up, Mills has announced some very interesting and exciting news. Take it away, Chris…
I’m currently planning a line of action-adventure comics featuring my own versions of some old, public domain comic book heroes. My goal is to take characters from the 1940s and re-invent them in a 1970s-1980s style — which was my favorite era of comics.
Chris currently has plans for two on-going titles: Space Crusaders and Sleuth Comics with a third title, Savage Sagas, being a one-shot.
This is exciting news and something I hope you’ll consider supporting. I know I will.
Check out Chris’ site for full details.
