CONAN THE WARRIOR by Barry Windsor-Smith
Barry Windsor-Smith is considered one of the best Conan artists to ever draw the barbarian. This drawing is a great example of “why”.
Source: Eric Fabiaschi.
“Hitler’s Executioners” aka “The Nuremberg Trials” (1961) / Z-View
Hitler’s Executioners aka The Nuremberg Trials (1961)
Director: Félix Podmaniczky
Writers: Joe J. Heydecker, Johannes Leeb
Tagline: THE ACTUAL FILM! Written by Hitler Himself in the Blood of His 6 Million Victims! With Scenes Actually Filmed by Hitler! REVEALED AT LAST!
The Plot…
Documentary covering the Nuremberg trials.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Originally released as The Nuremberg Trials in 1958. Rereleased in 1961 as Hitler’s Executioners.
The movie posters look like they are for a 1950s/1960s horror movie. Sadly, the horror is all too real.
Hitler’s Executioners aka The Nuremberg Trials (1961) rates 3 of 5 stars.
Mark Schultz Pencil Art Gallery at The Bristol Board!
This is just one of the beautiful pencil drawings in the Mark Schultz Gallery at The Bristol Board.
“King of the Roaring 20’s: The Story of Arnold Rothstein” (1961) starring David Janssen / Z-View
King of the Roaring 20’s: The Story of Arnold Rothstein (1961)
Director: Joseph M. Newman
Screenplay: Jo Swerling; story by Leo Katcher; based on THE BIG BANKROLL: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF ARNOLD ROTHSTEIN, KING OF THE ROARING 20S by Leo Katcher
Stars: David Janssen, Dianne Foster, Jack Carson, Dan O’Herlihy, Mickey Shaughnessy, Keenan Wynn, William Demarest, Regis Toomey, Robert Ellenstein, Tim Rooney, Mickey Rooney, John Alban, Fred Aldrich and Diana Dors.
Tagline: THE HELL-BENT, JAZZ-CRAZED ERA AND THE MAN WHO RULED IT ALL!
The Plot…
The fictionalized account of Arnold Rothstein (Janssen).
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Johnny Burke as a child was played by Tim Rooney. As an adult, he is played by Mickey Rooney. Tim Rooney is Mickey Rooney’s son.
King of the Roaring 20’s: The Story of Arnold Rothstein (1961) rates 2 of 5 stars.
THE DEVIL TAKES YOU HOME by Gabriel Iglesias / Z-View
THE DEVIL TAKES YOU HOME by Gabriel Iglesias
First sentences…
Luekemia. That’s what the doctor said.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Mario’s life has gone to hell. His daughter has cancer. The medical bills are piling up. Desperate to save his daughter, Mario takes a job from a friend who lives outside the law. Mario agrees to kill a terrible man.
After, Mario is surprised. Killing comes easy to him. He’s good at it. So Mario agrees to more jobs. Bad people only. Drug dealers and child molesters. Only people who “deserve” it.
Then his daughter dies. His wife leaves him. It was all for nothing.
Mario hates what he’s become. He hates what he’s lost. Mario wants to win his wife back. They could start over. But that would take life changing money. Enough so he and his wife could move away and never work again.
So when Mario learns of a job that could give him that, he agrees. It won’t be a murder for hire hit. No. Something much more dangerous. Mario, an old friend, and a thug named Juanca will cross the border into Mexico. There they will rip off a drug cartel and return to the states. If they’re caught, a slow painful death awaits. If they’re successful, can he trust Juanca or his old friend? Money split two ways goes further than divided by three.
It’s a suicide mission, but if he survives…
Rating:
Marv by Ant Williams!
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 Ant Williams!
“Woman on the Run” (1950) starring Ann Sheridan & Dennis O’Keefe / Z-View
Woman on the Run (1950)
Director: Norman Foster
Screenplay: Alan Campbell, Norman Foster, Ross Hunter (dialogue); based on Man on the Run by Sylvia Tate
Stars: Ann Sheridan, Dennis O’Keefe, John Qualen, Ross Elliott, Joan Shawlee, J. Farrell MacDonald, Steven Geray and Victor Sen Yung.
Tagline: As Startling as Your OWN Scream in the Night!
The Plot…
Frank Johnson (Elliott) is the sole witness to a murder. Just as Johnson sees the murderer, the murderer sees Johnson. In order to save himself, Johnson goes on the run with his wife, the police and the murderer close behind!
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Woman on the Run fell into the public domain. Beware of low-grade copies.
Woman on the Run (1950) rates 3 of 5 stars.
RIP: James Carlos Blake
It was announced that James Carlos Blake died on January 11, 2025. Mr. Blake was 81. The cause of death was pneumonia.
Although Mr. Blake wrote off and on from his teens, it wasn’t until the 1980s that he began to write seriously for publication. At that point James Carlos Blake began to get his short stories published in literary journals. In 1995, his first novel, THE PISTOLEER saw print. It was a finalist for that year’s Best Novel of the West award from the Western Writers of America.
James Carlos Blake would go on to write 13 more novels and gain worldwide recognition (and awards) for his fiction.
I’ve been a James Carlos Blake fan for years. His books are always entertaining. If you’re a fan of crime fiction, then by all means seek them out.
Out thoughts and prayers go out to James Carlos Blake’s family, friends and fans.
“Al Capone” (1959) starring Rod Steiger / Z-View
Al Capone (1959)
Director: Richard Wilson
Screenplay: Malvin Wald, Henry F. Greenberg
Stars: Rod Steiger, Martin Balsam, Fay Spain, Nehemiah Persoff, Robert Gist, Lewis Charles, Joe De Santis, Sandy Kenyon, Raymond Bailey, Al Ruscio, Louis Quinn, Ron Soble, Steve Gravers, Fred Aldrich and James Gregory.
Tagline: It was the age of speakeasies and jazz… when everybody sinned, ginned and broke the laws… while a vicious crime lord almost took over the nation!
The Plot…
The fictionalized account of Al Capone (Steiger).
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Rod Steiger and Martin Balsam would go on to become Academy Award winners but not for this one.
Al Capone (1959) rates 2 of 5 stars.
“Young Dillinger” (1965) starring Nick Adams & Robert Conrad / Z-View
Young Dillinger (1965)
Director: Terry O. Morse
Screenplay: Arthur Hoehl, Donald Zimbalist
Stars: Nick Adams, Robert Conrad, John Ashley, Dan Terranova, Mary Ann Mobley, John Hoyt, Anthony Caruso, Emile Meyer, Frank Gerstle, Wally Rose, Walter Sande, Joy Harmon and Victor Buono.
Tagline: The Big Thrill-Story of the Killer Who Became Public Enemy No. 1!
The Plot…
The fictionalized account of John Dillinger (Adams), Pretty Boy Floyd (Conrad) and Baby Face Nelson (Ashley) joining forces to rob banks throughout the midwest.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Robert Conrad won the role of Jim West for The Wild, Wild West during production of Young Dillinger. Although Conrad plays Pretty Boy Floyd in this one, in 1979 Conrad would play Dillinger in The Lady in Red.
Young Dillinger (1965) rates 2 of 5 stars.
“Dark Winds”: The Season 3 Trailer is Here!
The Dark Winds: Season 3 Trailer is Here!
Looking forward to this.
Sometimes to stop a monster, you have to become one.
The new season of #DarkWinds premieres March 9, exclusively on AMC and AMC+.
“The Devil Rides Out” (1968) starring Christopher Lee / Z-View
The Devil Rides Out (1968)
Director: Terence Fisher
Screenplay: Richard Matheson; based on THE DEVIL RIDES OUT by Dennis Wheatley
Stars: Christopher Lee, Charles Gray, Leon Greene.
Tagline: The beauty of woman… the demon of darkness… the unholy union of “The Devil’s Bride”!
The Plot…
Duc de Richleau (Lee) discovers that his friend’s grown son is mixed up with aa devil-worshipping coven. It may be too late to save him, but De Richleau is going to try.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
It was Christopher Lee’s idea to adapt the Wheatley novel. Lee has said it is one of his favorite of the Hammer films.
The Devil Rides Out (1968) rates 3 of 5 stars.
“Ragtime” (1981) directed by Milos Foreman; starring James Cagney, Elizabeth McGovern & Howard E. Rollins Jr. / Z-View
Ragtime (1981)
Director: Miloš Forman
Screenplay: Michael Weller, Bo Goldman (uncredited); based on RAGTIME by E.L. Doctorow
Stars: James Cagney, Elizabeth McGovern, Howard E. Rollins Jr., Brad Dourif, Moses Gunn, Kenneth McMillan, Pat O’Brien, Donald O’Connor, James Olson, Mandy Patinkin, Mary Steenburgen, Debbie Allen, Jeffrey DeMunn, Robert Joy, Bruce Boa, Jeff Daniels, Fran Drescher, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Jeter, Ted Ross, John Ratzenberger and Norman Mailer.
Tagline: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was Ragtime
The Plot…
An African-American baby is left in the yard of a wealthy family. When the police discover the young unwed mother nearby, they are ready to put the child in an orphanage and the mother in jail. The family decides to take in the mother and child until the mother can get on her feet.
The baby’s father shows up. His name is Coalhouse Walker Jr. He wants to marry the mother and support the child now that he has a job. The wedding is planned and all is looking up until a group of racist firemen put horse manure in Coalhouse’s new car. When the police and the courts refuse to make things right, Coalhouse decides to get his own revenge… against the city.
The famous architect Stanford White has placed a nude statue at the top of Madison Square Garden. Evelyn Nesbit, a former chorus girl reportedly posed for the figure. Now Evelyn is married to millionaire Harry Kendall Thaw. Thaw is outraged and demands that White remove the statue. White refuses. Thaw murders White at a huge social event. The court case will be considered the trial of the century.
These events will converge to become a part of American lore. Like the tagline says, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was Ragtime.”
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Ragtime was nominated for eight 1982 Academy Awards…
- Nominee – Best Music, Original Score: Randy Newman
- Nominee – Best Music, Original Song: Randy Newman for the song “One More Hour”
- Nominee – Best Costume Design: Anna Hill Johnstone
- Nominee – Best Art Direction-Set Decoration: John Graysmark, Patrizia von Brandenstein, Tony Reading, George DeTitta Sr., George DeTitta Jr., Peter Howitt
- Nominee – Best Cinematography: Miroslav Ondrícek
- Nominee – Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: Michael Weller
- Nominee – Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Elizabeth McGovern
- Nominee – Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Howard E. Rollins Jr.
Ragtime would be James Cagney’s final film. He hadn’t appeared in a movie in 20 years. Cagney was in poor health during filming and so in most of his scenes he is seated.
This was also Pat O’Brien’s final film. O’Brien and Cagney co-starred together in several films during the 30s and the 40s.
Jeff Daniels made his film debut in Ragtime.
Ragtime (1981) rates 4 of 5 stars.
“Riff Raff” starring Jennifer Coolidge, Ed Harris, Gabrielle Union, Lewis Pullman, Pete Davidson & Bill Murray – The Trailer is Here!
The trailer for Riff Raff starring Jennifer Coolidge, Ed Harris, Gabrielle Union, Lewis Pullman, Pete Davidson and Bill Murray has won me over.
Deal me in.
Riff Raff – Watch the trailer now! In theaters February 28.
Starring Jennifer Coolidge, Ed Harris, Gabrielle Union, Lewis Pullman, Miles J. Harvey, Emanuela Postacchini, Michael Angelo Covino, Pete Davidson, and Bill Murray.
Oscar nominees Bill Murray and Ed Harris star alongside Emmy winner Jennifer Coolidge and Pete Davidson in this darkly comic crime thriller about how far you’ll go to protect the ones you love. Vincent (Harris) and his family plan to share a quiet New Year’s Eve together until his sketchy past catches up with him and the night reveals secrets no one could ever imagine. Gabrielle Union and Emmy nominee Lewis Pullman also star.
“Gladiator II” (2024) directed by Ridley Scott; starring Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal / Z-View
Gladiator II (2024)
Director: Ridley Scott
Screenplay: David Scarpa; story by Peter Craig, David Scarpa based on characters created by David Franzoni
Stars: Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Peter Mensah, Matt Lucas, Alexander Karim, Tim McInnerny, Alec Utgoff, Riana Duce and Rory McCann.
Tagline: None.
The Plot…
It’s been sixteen years since the death of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, known as the last of the Five Good Emperors. Rome is now ruled by the twin brothers Geta (Quinn) and Caracalla (Hechinger). The twin Emperors care nothing for their subjects. Geta and Caracalla crave power and look to control the world. To that end they sent the great General Acacius (Pascal) to conquer lands in their honor. When Acacius returns victorious, the twin Emperors host on-going gladiatorial games to celebrate.
General Acacius has seen too many soldiers die for no reason other than the demands of the Emperor twins. The Roman people suffer and Acacius plans to return Rome to the people. In ten days his soldiers will march into the city and Acacius will lead the revolt. What Acacius doesn’t see coming is a betrayal.
Macrinus (Washington) also sees the time of the twins rule is coming to an end. Macrinus believes that he can make moves behind the scenes to put himself in power. He buys a young gladiator named Hanno (Mescal). Macrinus plans to use Hanno’s abilities in the arena to make him a for the people. Meanwhile Macrinus will become close friends with the twins. When the time is right, Macrinus will have the twins killed and assume control.
As each faction moves to take control of the throne, the twins learn of the deception. Many will die and Rome may never recover.
Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…
Gladiator 2 was nominated for one Academy Award…
- 2025 Nominee – Best Achievement in Costume Design: Janty Yates, David Crossman
If you’ve seen Gladiator, you’ve seen Gladiator II is a snarky kind of take. But truthfully, it’s not too far off. Both movies hit the same beats. The good news it that the story, cast, direction and special effects are entertaining.
Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal own their scenes. I’m surprised that Denzel wasn’t nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award. (This is the first time he hasn’t been the leading man in a film since Antwone Fisher.)
Some folks were upset that this film makes it appear that Maximus (Crowe) from Gladiator, (supposedly) cheated on his wife since he is the father of Hanno. Granted, if that’s the case, it does tarnish the character. My bigger nit to pick is that Lucilla, who was unlikable in the first film, has done a 180.
Ah, but why complain when we have gladiators fighting: gladiators, baboons, rhinos, sea battles, sharks and more. “Are we not entertained?”
Why, yes, yes we are.
Gladiator II (2024) rates 4 of 5 stars.
