North by Northwest (1959)

Posted on by

North by Northwest (1959)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Screenplay: Ernest Lehman

Stars: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Jessie Royce Landis, Leo G. Carroll, Martin Landau, and Edward Platt


The Pitch: “Hey, Hitchcock wants to make a new movie.”

Tagline: Alfred Hitchcock takes you…. North by Northwest!

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Roger Thornhill (Grant) is mistaken as a U.S. spy by foreign agents.  Thornhill is kidnapped and brought to  Philip Vandamm (Mason) for questioning.  Thornhill is totally at a loss since he isn’t a spy.  Thinking that he just won’t speak, Vandamm orders his agents to kill Thornhill.

Thornhill escapes and goes to the authorities who don’t believe his story.  Vandamm is a rich, respected man who is scheduled to speak at the United Nations.  Thornhill goes to the U.N. to speak to Thornhill and ends up framed for his murder.  Now on the run from foreign agents and the police, Thornhill led on a cross-country chase to prove his innocence.

North by Northwest has it all: drama, suspense, humor and romance.  A true classic!

Rating:

“The Wild, Wild West” (TV Series) – 3 Trivia Items You Might Not Know!

Posted on by

The Wild, Wild West  was/is one of my all-time favorite shows.  Here are three pieces of trivia about the show you may not know…

ROBERT CONRAD LOVED DOING HIS OWN STUNTS.

The star was always ready for a fake fight. In the book A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers, series stuntman and stunt coordinator Whitey Hughes fondly recalls Conrad’s zeal for fisticuffs: “Bob’s favorite expression was, ‘Get ’em up, Whitey, get ’em up! Put the needle in ’em!’—meaning ‘Get the [stuntmen’s] adrenaline going.”

CONRAD WAS ALMOST THE STAR OF ‘I DREAM OF JEANNINE’ AND ‘THE A-TEAM.’

The Wild Wild West was just one of many leading roles for Conrad, who also headlined series such as Black Sheep Squadron and the aforementioned Hawaiian Eye. However, his resume could have been drastically different. He was one of the finalists up for the role of astronaut Captain Tony Nelson on I Dream of Jeannie (which eventually went to Larry Hagman) and he reportedly turned down the role of Hannibal on The A-Team.

RICHARD PRYOR’S FIRST SCREEN CREDIT IS PLAYING A VENTRILOQUIST ON THE SHOW.

The groundbreaking stand-up comic appears in “The Night of the Eccentrics,” the season two premiere and first episode broadcast in color. Pryor plays Villar, a creepy ventriloquist. However, it was Ross Martin who provided the voice of the dummy, Giulio.

***These bits of trivia came from a Me-TV article that is no longer available.  I had linked to it in my original post.***

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Posted on by

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Director: John Huston

Screenplay: John Huston based on the novel by Dashiell Hammet

Stars: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George, Peter Lorre, Barton MacLane, Sydney Greenstreet, Ward Bond and Elisha Cook Jr.

The Pitch: “Hey, let’s make The Maltese Falcon with Bogart in the lead.”

Tagline: A guy without a conscience! A dame without a heart!

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A woman (Astor) shows up unexpectedly at the office of private detectives Sam Spade (Bogart) and Miles Archer.  She needs help and because she’s a looker, Miles jumps at the chance to take lead on the case.  Within hours Archer is found dead and Spade is drawn into a very different case — involving the acquisition of a priceless statute… The Maltese Falcon.

The woman hopes to get her hands on the Falcon before Kasper Gutman (Greenstreet) and his two gunmen (Lorre and Cook) find it.  To do this she will need Spade’s help.  Spade is up to the challenge but with the cops breathing down his neck for the murder of his partner (who DID kill him?) and more murders to come, Spade may be in over his head.

The Maltese Falcon is a classic.

Rating:

Should Movies Use CGI to Bring Actors Back from the Dead?

Posted on by

Can you imagine what the cast of The Expendables would have looked like if it had been made in the 1970s?

What if Sly decided to do a movie where a young Barney Ross and Stonebanks [Mel Gibson] brought the team together?  CGI could be used to de-age older actors or “bring back” dead actors for a role.

The technology is there.  In fact it was Sarah Moran’s Should Movies Use CGI to Bring Actors Back from the Dead? (at Screenrant) that got me thinking about this again.  (The article is worth a read even if you’re not a Star Wars fan.)

While I’d love to see a movie with some of my favorite departed movie stars in their prime co-starring together, there are other considerations.  How would the departed star have felt? Does it matter? Is it morally or ethically right to use a person’s likeness for a role he/she may have not approved of?  (I’m thinking advertisements mostly here.)   Would you be interested in seeing old stars “revived” for new roles.

What are your thoughts.  I’d love to see your comments.

Pandemic (2016)

Posted on by

Pandemic (2016)

Director: John Suits

Screenplay: Dustin T. Benson

Stars: Rachel Nichols, Alfie Allen, Missi Pyle and Paul Guilfoyle.

The Pitch: “Hey, let’s make a zombie movie that looks like a video game.”

Tagline: You Are Humanity’s Last Stand.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

You know the drill.  A virus has swept the world turning people into crazy fast zombies.  Survivors are either trying to live on the big city streets or worse yet the suburbs.  If you’re lucky you’re safe behind the walls of a military complex where doctors are working on a cure.

Lauren is a doctor who was separated from her family.  Not allowed to attempt to check on them, (the suburbs are way too dangerous), instead she is sent with three others (a driver, a gunner and a scientist) on a rescue mission into the city.

When things go bad, Lauren decides to head to the suburbs to check on her family.

Most Pandemic is shot as a first person shooter game.  And it feels like one at times.  Whether that is a good or bad thing depends on if you prefer watching games or movies.

Rating:

Saul Goodman Gets His Own Collectible Figure

Posted on by

Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul fans are going to be all over this Saul Goodman 1/6 scale figure.

The Saul Goodman figure stands approximately 12″ (30.5cm) tall, features an authentic likeness to the character portrayed in the critically acclaimed ‘Breaking Bad’ television series drama, and includes a finely tailored suit and some of Saul Goodman’s most essential accessories…

  • 12” (30.5cm) tall articulated figure featuring tailored clothing

  • Head sculpt with realistic likeness to the character portrayed in the series

  • Formal suit

  • Formal red shirt

  • Silk tie

  • Gold pin

  • Blue ribbon

  • Pocket square

  • Wingtip shoes

  • One (1) Briefcase (openable)

  • One (1) Gold Watch

  • One (1) Laptop

  • One (1) Newspaper

  • One (1) Money rolls

  • Six (6) interchangeable hands:
    – One (1) pair of relaxed hands
    – One (1) pair of fists
    – One (1) right hand for holding
    – One (1) right pointing hand

For more info and photos check out SideShowToy.com.

12 Lively Facts About Corpse Bride

Posted on by

Mark Mancini and Mental_Floss present 12 Lively Facts About Corpse Bride.  Here are three of my favorites…

4. THE CHARACTER DESIGNS WERE ADAPTED FROM TIM BURTON’S ROUGH SKETCHES.

In 2003, Burton approached Spanish artist Carlos Grangel with a copy of the Corpse Bride script and some illustrations of the main characters that the director himself had drawn. “Here are my sketches,” Burton told Grangel. “I want you to push them and explore every character.” The final designs Grangel came up with did not depart significantly from Burton’s original drawings.

By the way, you might have noticed that Victor—Corpse Bride’s protagonist—looks an awful lot like the actor who voiced him: Johnny Depp. Burton swears this was coincidental. Speaking at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2005, the director said that the characters were all designed “long before” any of the voice actors were cast. In Burton’s words, when Depp signed on, “We felt like it was such good karma because [Victor] did resemble Johnny.”

9. THERE’S A NOD TO RAY HARRYHAUSEN.

Arguably the patron saint of stop motion animation, Ray Harryhausen used the art form to breathe life into all manner of movie monsters. From 1959 to 1981, his rampaging dinosaurs, hissing hydras, and sword-fighting skeletons invaded cinemas all over the world. He also inspired an entire generation of artists and filmmakers—including Burton, who credits Harryhausen with kindling his lifelong passion for stop motion. At one point, the world-famous animator paid a visit to the set of Corpse Bride, where he received a hero’s welcome. “The day he came by, production sort of ground to a halt,” Johnson recalled. “Everyone had a chance to talk to him. It was amazing for all the animators.” The crew gave their idol an on-screen shout-out in the film; when Victor plays some light piano music right before he first meets Victoria, you can see Harryhausen’s last name engraved upon the instrument.

10. DANNY ELFMAN WAS ASKED TO PLAY BONEJANGLES AFTER NOBODY POPPED OUT AT THE AUDITIONS.

Without question, the jazziest song in Corpse Bride is an exposition number called “Remains of the Day.” Singing the ballad is Bonejangles, a one-eyed, big-jawed skeleton with a flair for the theatrical. As Elfman was writing the tune, he did so under the assumption that the character would have a rich, raspy voice. “We auditioned 25, 26, [or] 27 people at least,” Elfman said in the promotional video above, “and I recorded three different singers.” In the end, none of them sounded satisfactory to the creative team. Burton therefore gave the role of Bonejangles to Elfman himself. Because the character needed a gravelly voice, this job took a toll on the musician’s vocal cords. “Every time I did Bonejangles, I was hoarse for the rest of the day … it was really brutal,” Elfman recalled.

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Posted on by

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Director: Ethan Coen and Joel Cohen

Screenplay: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy

Stars: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Garret Dillahunt, Tess Harper, Barry Corbin, Stephen Root, Rodger Boyce, Beth Grant, Kit Gwin, Gene Jones, Myk Watford and Kelly Macdonald.

The Pitch: “Hey, the Cohen Brothers want to make No Country for Old Men.”

Tagline: You can’t stop what’s coming.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

In the badlands of modern day Texas, Llewelyn Moss (Brolin) comes across a massacre – a massive drug deal that went sideways.  Among the dead bodies Moss finds two million dollars in cash.  Moss takes the money and leaves the scene unreported.  When the drug dealers discover the missing money, they send Anton Chigurh, a psycho hitman (Bardeem) to track down the money.  Chigurh kills without remorse and the bodies start piling up as he tracks Moss.

Once Moss realizes that someone is on to him he prepares for the worst having no idea how bad it will get.

No Country for Old Men is a modern day masterpiece.  It is a film that will stick with you.

Rating:

Mr. Miracle, Barda and Oberon by Kevin Nolan

Posted on by

Last week I posted a Kevin Nolan piece that had Batman chained by Catwoman with Robin in the background looking down.

A few days later I posted the story behind Jack Kirby’s creation of Mr. Miracle.

Then I came across a piece by Kevin Nolan of Mr. Miracle and Barda chained with Oberon in the background looking down.

What does it all mean besides Kevin Nolan’s an amazing artist?  Who knows, but isn’t that reason enough for the post?

Source: Bendis!

Hell or High Water (2016)

Posted on by

Hell or High Water (2016)

Director: David Mackenzie

Screenplay: Taylor Sheridan

Stars: Ben Foster, Chris Pine, Jeff Bridges, Gil Birmingham and Gregory Cruz.

The Pitch: “Hey, let’s make a modern day western.”

Tagline: Justice isn’t a crime.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Two brothers, one an ex-con and one recently divorced, have a plan to pay off the family ranch’s reverse mortgage before the foreclosure deadline.  Oil has been discovered on the ranch which will set them up for life, if the payment can be made to the Texas Midland Bank (which has a reputation of keeping people in debt until they can no longer pay and then taking their land).

Their plan involves robbing several Texas Midland Banks.  Nobody is supposed to get hurt or killed.  Of course we all know how such plans work out.  And the brothers didn’t count on Texas Ranger, Marcus Hamilton.

Rating:

Ken Meyer Jr.’s Ink Stains 19: Toth, Adams, Buckler, Byrne and Much More!

Posted on by

If you’re a fan of fanzines, then you’ve got to check out Ken Meyer, Jr.’s monthly column Ink Stains.  Each month Ken (who is an amazing artist) posts… well, let’s let Ken explain…

I have a collection of over 200 fanzines from the 60’s-80’s that I plan to scan and talk about, one at a time. I hope to have some of the participants answer a few questions. Many of those participants are established comics professionals now, while some have gone on to other things. I will show a few snippets from each zine and give you a link to download a pdf of the whole thing, which I hope all of you will do!

For Ink Stains 19, Ken took a look at CPL 11 from 1974.  Edited and published by Robert Layton [aka Bob Layton of Iron Man fame].

CPL was a quarterly fanzine published by Bob Layton and it was one of the high water marks of comic fanzines.  CPL always had art from pros as well as soon to be pros and you could tell that the writers and artists for CPL loved comics.

CPL 11 featured a cover by Alex Toth, full page illos from Rich Buckler and spot illos from Neal Adams, John Byrne, Don Maitz, Jim Starlin, Gil Kane, Clyde Caldwell, and Dan Adkins.  Let’s not forget the writers of CPL 11: Steve Gerber, John Byrne, Roger Stern and CC Beck. Oh, and there’s a Rog 2000 strip by Stern and Byrne.

Ah, the memories of the glory days of fanzines.  Thanks to Ken Meyer, Jr. for making these available!

A Christmas Story (1983)

Posted on by

A Christmas Story (1983)

Director: Bob Clark

Screenplay: Jean Shepherd & Leigh Brown & Bob Clark 

Stars: Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon and Darren McGavin.


The Pitch: “Hey, let’s make a movie based on Jean Sheperd’s In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash.”

Tagline: Sometimes Christmas is about getting what you really want.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

1940’s. Indiana.  Christmas is coming and all little Ralphie wants is a Red Ryder BB gun.  His mom is against it – “You’ll shoot your eye out.”  Even Santa says, “You’ll shoot your eye out kid.”  But Ralphie won’t give up on his wish.  Now if he can just survive school, the local bullies and living with his crazy little brother, he just may get his wish.

A Christmas classic!

Rating:

Some Tidbits Behind Jack Kirby’s Creation of Mr. Miracle

Posted on by

My favorite Jack Kirby creation from his DC days is Mr. Miracle.  Above is Jack Kirby’s original presentation piece for the World’s Greatest Escape Artist.  Sure the colors of his costume are different but the thing that jumped out at me was the gun.

Mark Evanier [whose blog you should be reading daily!] has an explanation for both of the changes and more.  And Mr. Evanier should know.  He had at least a knuckle in Mr. Miracle’s creation.

“Escape from L.A.” (1996) / Z-View

Posted on by

Escape from L.A. (1996)

Director: John Carpenter

Screenplay: John Carpenter & Debra Hill & Kurt Russell

Stars: Kurt Russell, Steve Buscemi, Stacy Keach, Peter Fonda, Cliff Robertson, Valeria Golino, Stacy Keach, Pam Grier and Bruce Campbell

The Pitch: “Hey, let’s reteam Carpenter and Russell for a new Snake Plissken yarn.”

Tagline: Snake Is Back.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Snake Plissken (Russell) is sent to the island of LA to retrieve a government device that can shut down all electronics worldwide.  Snake has ten hours to get in, get the weapon and get out before he dies due to an injection of a lethal virus.

Sounds just like Escape from New York, right?  It is… almost every beat is the same only not as good.

Escape from LA suffers from bad special effects and scenes that don’t play as well as the original.  Remember when Snake had to fight Ox Baker with spiked baseball bats?  In Escape from LA he has to make 5 baskets in 10 seconds playing full court.  Remember in EFNY when Snake had to fight and escape from cannibals?  In EFLA he has to fight and escape from a doctor who overuses plastic surgery.  And don’t get me started about the surfing scene.

If you’re a fan of Snake Plissken and love EFNY, you might find Escape from LA tolerable.  I liked it… but I loved Escape from New York.

Escape from LA rates 3 of 5 stars.

Rating:

15 Intriguing Facts About Walt Disney

Posted on by

Stacy Condradt and Mental_Floss present 15 Intriguing Facts About Walt Disney.  Here are three of my favorites…

2. HE WAS A HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT.
Walt was just 16 when he left school to join the Red Cross Ambulance Corps, wanting to do his part in World War I—but because he was just shy of the minimum age requirement of 17, he forged a different date on his birth certificate. Disney didn’t see much action, however. He was sent to France in late 1918, not long after the armistice was signed that ended the fighting. He still helped where he could, driving Red Cross officials and performing other tasks, before he was discharged in 1919.

12. HIS HOUSEKEEPER WAS A VERY WEALTHY WOMAN.
Thelma Howard was the Disney family’s live-in housekeeper and cook for three decades. She was hired in 1951 and quickly became part of the family, even making sure the fridge was well-stocked with hot dogs—Walt liked to eat them cold as a snack when he got home from work. As part of her annual Christmas gift, the Disneys gave her stock in the company. She never did anything with them—and by the time she died in 1994, the woman was a multimillionaire because of them. She left nearly $4.5 million to poor and disabled children, and roughly the same amount to her disabled son.

14. ONE OF HIS LAST WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS WAS RATHER MYSTERIOUS—AND INVOLVED KURT RUSSELL.
Shortly before his death, Disney wrote “Kurt Russell” on a piece of paper. It was later found on his desk, and, according to Disney historian Dave Smith, the notes were among Disney’s last few written words. At the time of Disney’s death, Russell was a largely unknown child actor working for the studio. No one has any idea what Disney was referring to with his note—including Kurt Russell.