“Tom Horn” (1980) starring Steve McQueen / Z-View

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Tom Horn (1980)

Director:  William Wiard

Screenplay:  Thomas McGuane, Bud Shrake; based on LIFE OF TOM HORN, GOVERNMENT SCOUT AND INTERPRETER by Tom Horn

Stars: Steve McQueen, Linda Evans, Richard Farnsworth, Billy Green Bush, Slim Pickens, Peter Canon, Elisha Cook Jr., Roy Jenson, Harry Northup, Steve Oliver, Bill Thurman, Bert Williams, Bobby Bass, Mickey Jones and Geoffrey Lewis.

Tagline: Before they could settle the West, they had to hang the man who tamed it.

The Plot…

Tom Horn was famous in his own time.  But his time has passed.  Known for his skills as a frontiersman, a U.S. Army scout, a tracker, and a crack shot… Horn is now a drifter.  The Indian Wars are over.  A man with Tom Horn’s skills aren’t in demand.  So Horn just drifted from place to place scrapping by.

Horn is in a small town, when he meets cattle rancher John Coble.  Coble is impressed with Horn’s legend and surprised to find him without work and struggling.  He offers Horn a job.  Coble is a member of a Cattle Rancher Association that has been plagued by rustlers.  The Association agrees to hire Horn to rid the territory of cattle thieves… by whatever means needed.  Horn is assured by the group as well as the US Marshall that once he gives the rustlers fair warning, he is legally allowed to do whatever it takes to get rid of them.  Horn takes the job.

Horn does what he was hired to do.  He rids the area of rustlers.  His methods are violent but effective.  Many men are killed.  The rustling stops.  The Cattle Association  no longer needs Horn.  Especially since they’ve been getting bad press.  When a young boy is found murdered by a rifle shot of the same caliber that Tom Horn uses,  some Association members see a way out.

Horn is set up to take the fall for the murder.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Tom Horn was a troubled production.  Steve McQueen wasn’t happy with the script and ordered multiple rewrites.  The original director, Don Siegel decided to move on.  Siegel was replaced by replaced by Elliot Silverstein.  Silverstein was replaced by James William Guercio.  McQueen fired Guercio after just three days.  McQueen wanted to direct, but since filming had started, union rules prevented an actor to replace a director.  So William Wiard, a television director was brought in to finish filming.  Tom Horn is the only feature film on Wiard’s resume.  Many believe that McQueen directed much of the movie himself.

In addition to the troubles listed above, Steve McQueen’s health was suffering.  He was often short of breath and towards the end of filming even began coughing up blood.  McQueen would learn that he had advanced cancer.  Just a couple of weeks before Tom Horn premiered, The National Enquirer broke the story that Steve McQueen had terminal cancer.  When asked at the premiere, McQueen denied reports of his cancer.

Tom Horn was a real-life legend.  The movie is based on his autobiography that he wrote while in jail awaiting trial.

Tom Horn (1980) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“The Black Camel” (1931) starring Warner Oland and Bela Lugosi / Z-View

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The Black Camel (1931)

Director:  Hamilton MacFadden

Screenplay:  Barry Conners, Philip Klein, Dudley Nichols (uncredited); written by Hugh Stanislaus Stange (adaptation), based on THE BLACK CAMEL by Earl Derr Biggers

Stars: Warner Oland, Bela Lugosi, Victor Varconi, Murray Kinnell, J.M. Kerrigan, Mary Gordon, Dwight Frye and Robert Young.

Tagline: The unsolved secrets of Hollywood

The Plot…

Shelah Fayne is a movie star.  Her friends are beginning to worry about her.  Shelah is thinking of marrying a man she has only known a week.  Shelah will make a decision once she speaks to her favorite psychic, Tarneverro.

When Shelah is murdered Inspector Charlie Chan gets the case.  There are many suspects.  One is the killer.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Bela Lugosi plays the psychic.  Dwight Frye appears uncredited as Jessop.  Lugosi and Frye appeared together in Dracula which was released the same year.

Warner Oland made five Charlie Chan films based on novels written by Charlie Chan creator Earl Derr Biggers.  Sadly The Black Camel is the only one that survived.  The other four were lost due to studio fires.

Robert Young who went on to fame playing Marcus Welby, M.D., makes his film debut in The Black Camel.

Most folks enjoy The Black Camel more than I.  Keep in mind your mileage may vary.

The Black Camel (1931) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Casino” (1995) directed by Martin Scorsese; starring Robert DeNiro, Sharon Stone and Joe Pesci / Z-View

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Casino (1995)

Director:  Martin Scorsese

Screenplay:  Nicholas Pileggi, Martin Scorsese; based on CASINO: LOVE AND HONOR IN LAS VEGAS by Nicholas Pileggi 

Stars: Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe Pesci, James Woods, Don Rickles, Alan King, Kevin Pollak, L.Q. Jones, Dick Smothers, Frank Vincent, John Bloom, Pasquale Cajano, Melissa Prophet, Steve Allen, Jayne Meadows, Jerry Vale and Frankie Avalon.

Tagline: Luck has nothing to do with the games they play.

The Plot…

The year is 1973 and Las Vegas is booming.  Especially for the Chicago Mob thanks to Sam “Ace” Rothstein.  Rothstein has doubled profits for his Chi-town buddies.  Skimmed cash is sent back weekly.  All is great.

Then Rothstein’s childhood pal shows up.  Nicky Santoro is a hothead and mob enforcer known by the cops for his past crimes.  Nicky’s come to Vegas to make his fortune.  Rothstein tells Nicky all will be good if he keeps a low profile.

Of course Nicky’s gotta be Nicky.

Add Ginger McKenna to the mix and things get, uh… explosive.  Ginger is an ex-showgirl, ex-prostitute and con artist.  Rothstein loves her dearly.  She loves what Rothstein can give her.

Let’s roll the dice.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Sharon Stone was nominated for a Best Actress in a Leading Role Academy Award.

Martin Scorsese allowed Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci to improvise much of the dialogue in their scenes.

Scorsese,  DeNiro and Pesci are gold.

Casino (1995) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Violent Ends” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Here we have the poster and trailer for Violent Ends.

Deal me in!

Set in the Ozark Mountains, VIOLENT ENDS follows Lucas Frost (Magnussen), an honest man brought up in a crime family whose only legacy is violence. As Lucas tries to make a peaceful life of his own with his fiancée, Emma (Shipp), he is suddenly pulled back into the family business when his cousin, Eli, perpetrates an armed robbery with brutal consequences.

Director: John-Michael Powell
Starring: Billy Magnussen, James Badge Dale, Alexandra Shipp

MYSTIC by Jonathan Maberry / Z-View

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MYSTIC: THE MONK ADDISON CASE FILES by Jonathan Maberry

First sentences…

I see dead people.
Make a joke.  Go ahead, people do.
Fuck ’em.
I see dead people.
Not all of them.  My life would be too crowded.  Just some.  The ones who need to be seen.
The ones who need me to see them.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Monk Addison is ex-military.  Ex-Private Military Contractor.  A shooter.  If a high stakes target needed to be done, the government wanted Monk on the trigger.  But the killing took a toll.

Monk left the work and the world behind.  He decided to travel the world to find redemption.  And maybe save his soul.

What Monk learned instead was that he had a gift.  He can see and communicate with the spirits of recently murdered people.  Communicate doesn’t really convey what happens.  Monk can see the recently dead.

Yeah.

Once the murdered spirit (ghost?) appears to Monk, there’s a process.  Blood of the victim and holy water are combined.  The mixture is used as ink for Monk’s new tat… of the victim’s face.  His body is covered with faces.  Of the dead.  Of murdered souls who have come (been sent?) to Monk.  As the new body art is finished, Monk experiences (see, hears, feels) everything the victim felt when he/she was being murdered.

The process takes a toll.  But once Monk recovers, he usually knows who the murderer was.  And then Monk goes to work.  And a sniper shot would be too kind.  No, Monk has other skills he learned as a soldier and bounty hunter.  He puts them to use to meet the killer.   Then justice will be served.

+++++

MYSTIC: THE MONK ADDISON CASE FILES features a forward by Jim Butcher.  Jonathan Mayberry brings readers up to speed with About Monk Addison which is followed by eleven Monk Addison tales.

Monk Addison joins the ranks of classic Maberry characters (many who make appearances in some of the tales presented).

Jonathan Maberry has created another winner.  Bring on a Monk Addison full length adventure!

Rating:

“A House of Dynamite” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The poster and trailer for A House of Dynamite are here.  Watching this when it premieres will be a no-brainer.

Deal me in.

From Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow comes A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE.

When a single, unattributed missile is launched at the United States, a race begins to determine who is responsible and how to respond.

Starring Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee, and Jason Clarke.

In select theaters October 3 in the UK, globally October 10 and on Netflix October 24.

Rocky – Painted and Digitized by John Beatty!

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One late afternoon back in 1986, I  got a call from John Beatty.  John said, he was going to work on a painting of Rocky that night after dinner.  He invited me over to watch.  Of course I took him up on the offer.  John worked on the piece through the night.  He finished it in one long session.

The art above is not a picture of that painting.  Years later John was messing around with a photo of the painting and came up with this.

“The Wire” Season 5 created by David Simon / Z-View

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The Wire: Season 4 (2008)

Created by: David Simon

Teleplay by:

  • (eps. 1, 10) David Simon from a story by David Simon, Ed Burns;
  • (ep. 2) William F. Zorzi from a story by David Simon, William F. Zorzi
  • (ep. 3) Chris Collins from a story by David Simon, Chris Collins
  • (eps. 4, 6) Ed Burns from a story by David Simon, Ed Burns
  • (ep. 5) David Mills from a story by David Simon, David Mills
  • (ep. 7) Richard Price from a story by David Simon, Richard Price
  • (ep. 8) Dennis Lehane from a story by David Simon, Dennis Lehane
  • (ep. 9) George Pelecanos from a story by David Simon, George Pelecanos

Directed by:

  • Joe Chappelle (eps. 1, 9)
  • Ernest Dickerson (ep. 2)
  • Scott Kecken & Joy Kecken (ep. 3)
  • Dan Attias (ep. 4)
  • Agnieszka Holland (ep. 5)
  • Seith Mann (ep. 6)
  • Dominic West (ep. 7)
  • Anthony Hemingway (ep. 8)
  • Clark Johnson (ep. 10)

Stars: Dominic West, Reg E. Cathey, Aidan Gillen, Clark Johnson, Tom McCarthy, Clarke Peters, Wendell Pierce, Sonja Sohn, Michelle Paress, John Doman, Deirdre Lovejoy, Lance Reddick, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Jamie Hector, Neal Huff, Corey Parker Robinson, Tristan Wilds, Jermaine Crawford, Seth Gilliam, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Andre Royo, Domenick Lombardozzi, Michael Kostroff, Jim True-Frost, Frankie Faison, Chad Coleman, Robert F. Chew, Method Man, Felicia Pearson and Michael K. Williams.

Tagline: Read Between the Lines.

The Plot…

The economy is hurting everyone.  Budget cuts have forced The Baltimore Sun newspaper to cut personnel.  Carcetti, the newly elected mayor isn’t able to institute the changes he wanted because of the school system shortfall.  Money needed to be diverted there.  This has caused shortfalls for the police who are no longer getting or being paid overtime.  The Major Crimes Unit has been shut down.  This has left the Vacant Buildings Murders and the Stansfield Investigation stopped in their tracks.

McNulty, back to his old drinking ways, comes up with a plan.  He arrives on a murder scene before anyone else.  He then disfigures the corpse and ties a ribbon around the dead man’s wrist.  McNulty figures if there is a serial killer on the loose, the department will have to find funds to investigate.  He leaks the story to a reporter.

A dead homeless person.  The story doesn’t create a buzz.  So McNulty takes it to the next level.  He uses dentures to put bite marks on another homeless person who died on the street.  He leaks the story.  Now it appears there is a serial killer with a sexual fetish preying on the homeless.  The killer seems to be escalating.  More murders are assured.  No one is safe.

The story takes off. Under pressure to catch the killer, the mayor (who wants to run for Governor in the next election) finds funds to bring back the Major Crimes Unit.  McNulty now has access to unlimited overtime that he plans to use to bring down the Stansfield crime family and solve the Vacant Buildings Murders.  Despite institgating a plan that would get him fired and arrested, McNulty seems to have things under control.

Then a Baltimore Sun Reporter claims that the killer is in contact with him.  Although the reporter is lying everyone believes him.  Papers are flying off the stands. The reporter keeps upping the ante with his tales of the killer contacting him.  Soon the FBI is called in.

McNulty knows the reporter is lying but the only way to prove it is to turn himself in.  With the publicity the case is getting, plus the Feds itching to get involved, McNulty feels the noose tightening.

Meanwhile Omar is back to his old ways ripping off drug dealers.  But now there is a price on his head.  And every criminal in the city is looking to collect.

Marlo is feeling his increasing power.  He shuts down the co-op.  Snoop and Chris are turned loose on any who oppose him.  Especially anyone considered a snitch.  Michael, who had been on the rise in Marlo’s organization may be talking to the cops.  If that’s the case, he has to disappear.

The Wire’s final season goes out with a bang.  Not all will survive.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Wire was a Nominee for a 2008 Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series –  David Simon (writer/story by), Ed Burns (story by) for the -30- episode

The Wire‘s final season builds upon everything that came before. It finished as it started: well written, well directed and well acted.

The Wire: Season 5 (2008) earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Boneyard” (2024) starring Brian Van Holt, Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson and Mel Gibson / Z-View

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Boneyard (2024)

Director:  Asif Akbar

Screenplay:  Vincent E. McDaniel, Asif Akbar, Hank Byrd, Koji Steven Sakai; story by Vincent E. McDaniel

Stars: Mel Gibson, 50 Cent, Brian Van Holt, Nora Zehetner, Weston Cage and Randall J. Bacon.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

When the remains of eleven women are found buried in a field, there is no doubt a serial killer is at work in Albuquerque.  The F.B.I. sends in profiler Special Agent Petrovick to assist the team led by Chief Carter.

There are many leads, but evidence doesn’t point to a single killer.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Boneyard is based on a real case. The remains of eleven women were found buried in the desert west of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Several suspects were considered. None were arrested or charged.  If you’re hoping the movie has a better resolution… don’t.

Mel Gibson is featured first on the movie poster.  Gibson also appears prominently in the movie’s trailer.  Boneyard has a run time of 96 minutes.  Mel Gibson gets approximately 15 minutes of screen time.

Boneyard (2024) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Riff Raff” (2024) starring Jennifer Coolidge, Ed Harris, Gabrielle Union, Lewis Pullman, Pete Davidson and Bill Murray / Z-View

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Riff Raff (2024)

Director:  Dito Montiel

Screenplay:  John Pollono

Stars: Jennifer Coolidge, Ed Harris, Gabrielle Union, Miles J. Harvey, Lewis Pullman, Pete Davidson, Scott Michael Campbell, Roger Guenveur Smith, Angelic Zambrana and Bill Murray.

Tagline: Crime is a family affair.

The Plot…

Vincent Gauthier’s life is good.  He quit a life of crime.  He’s reached an age most in his former line of work never do.  Vincent is married to Sandy.  She’s a beautiful much younger woman.  Vincent and Sandy along with DJ (his stepson) are spending winter break at their vacation cabin.

Yes, life is good.

Then in the middle of the night Vincent’s oldest son shows up.  Rocco’s brought his pregnant girlfriend along… and his mom.  Vincent’s first wife.  They’re on the run.  Rocco killed a mobster’s son.

And now the mobster and a hitman are closing in.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Bill Murray and Pete Davidson have good on-screen chemistry.

I was expecting more laughs.

Riff Raff (2024) rates 3 of 5 stars.