“Being There” (1979) starring Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine & Melvyn Douglas / Z-View

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Being There (1979)

Director: Hal Ashby

Screenplay: Jerzy Kosiński based on Being There by Jerzy Kosiński

Stars: Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, Melvyn Douglas, Jack Warden, Richard Dysart, Richard Basehart and David Clennon.

Tagline: A story of chance

The Plot…

Chance (Sellers) is a simpleminded man who never learned to read or write.  Chance has lived his whole life without ever leaving the property of the old man who raised him.  Although Chance is an excellent gardener, he has learned most of what he knows from watching television (which he dearly loves).  When the old man dies, Chance is forced to leave the old man’s property.

For the first time he ventures out into the world.  When Ben Rand’s limousine accidentally strikes Chance, Rand’s wife, Eve (MacLaine) demands that Chance is brought back to their mansion.  On the ride back, Eve mishears “Chance the gardener” and thinks that Chance’s name is Chauncey Gardiner.”  Eve introduces Chauncey to her much older and sickly husband, Ben.  Ben takes a liking to Chauncey.  Ben misunderstands Chauncey and thinks that he’s a businessman who has fallen on hard times.  As they discuss business, Ben is impressed with Chauncey’s straight talk and comparisons of the economy to taking care of a garden.

Ben is a close advisor to the President of the United States. He plans to introduce Chauncey to the leader of the free world.  What could go wrong.  (And here’s a hint, nothing!)

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Being There is Hal Ashby’s highest rated film according to the IMDb.  It’s also my favorite Hal Ashby film.  Ashby is supported by a great cast.  Peter Sellers is wonderful as Chance.  He received a nomination for a Best Actor Oscar for his role.  Melvyn Douglas also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor (and he won)!  Shirley MacLaine, Jack Warden, Richard Dysart and Richard Basehart (in his last feature film role) are all excellent.

Being There is a comedy with heart that also comments on modern life.  There’s an underlying message that may be different for each viewer, but the film leaves the audience with something to think about.  I first saw Being There in 1980 and wondered how it would hold up.  I’m happy to report it’s as wonderful as I remembered.

Being There (1979) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York” (2023) / Z-View

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Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York (2023)

Director: Anthony Caronna

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

In the 1990s, dismembered bodies began turning up in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.  The victims were gay men.  It took a while before the police in the different jurisdictions realized they had a serial killer on their hands.  The press dubbed the murderer The Last Call Killer.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York is a four part documentary that focuses on the victims, the increased homophobia due to AIDS during this time period, the efforts the gay community took to raise awareness of the murders and the shortcomings of a system where different jurisdictions didn’t smoothly interact.  While we do learn who the killer was, how he was caught and the outcome of his trial, he is never the main focus.

Last Call: When a Serial Killer Stalked Queer New York (2023) rates 3 of 5 stars.

RIP: Mark Margolis

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Mark Margolis, the actor best known for his portrayal of Hector Salamanca in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, died yesterday after a short illness.  Mr. Margolis was 83.

After high school Mark Margolis moved to New York where he was a student at the Actors Studio.  He worked in both television and feature films throughout his career.  In 2012, Mr. Margolis was nominated for a Prime Time Emmy Award as the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama series for his portrayal of Hector Salamanca in Breaking Bad.

Some of Mark Margolis’ television appearances include: Kojak;  Muggable Mary, Street Cop; Rage of Angels; Crime Story; The Equalizer (16 episodes); Quantum Leap; Columbo Cries Wolf; Star Trek: The Next Generation; Jake and the Fatman; Tales from the Darkside; Santa Barbara (13 episodes); Guiding Light; Prince Street (6 episodes); Law & Order (3 episodes); Oz (10 episodes); Ed (2 episodes); Sex and the City; Law & Order: Criminal Intent; Crossing Jordan; Waterfront (4 episodes); Kings (2 episodes); Blue Bloods; Breaking Bad (8 episodes); The Good Wife; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Person of Interest (3 episodes); Fairly Legal (2 episodes); American Horror Story (3 episodes); Elementary; Gotham (2 episodes); The Affair (3 episodes); The Blacklist; Snowpiercer; Prodigal Son; Better Call Saul (22 episodes) and Your Honor (5 episodes).

Some of Mark Margolis’ feature film appearances include: The Opening of Misty Beethoven; Short Eyes; Short Eyes; Going in Style; Dressed to Kill; Arthur; Eddie Macon’s Run; Scarface; The Cotton Club; The Secret of My Success; Glory; Ace Ventura: Pet Detective; Absolute Power; The Thomas Crown Affair; End of Days; Requiem for a Dream; Hannibal; Daredevil; Gone, Baby, Gone; The Wrestler; Stand Up Guys and My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2. 

My favorite role of Mark Margolis’ is probably most everyone’s, when he played Hector Salamanca in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. I also loved him in Scarface and Oz.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mark Margolis’ family, friends and fans.

“Body Heat” (1981) written & directed by Lawrence Kasdan, starring William Hurt & Kathleen Turner / Z-View

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Body Heat (1981)

Director: Lawrence Kasdan

Screenplay: Lawrence Kasdan

Stars: William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson, J.A. Preston, Kim Zimmer and Mickey Rourke.

Tagline:  The called it love. The DA called it murder.

The Plot…

One night in the middle of a brutal Florida heat wave, Ned Racine (Hurt) meets a beautiful woman on the boardwalk.  The woman is Matty Walker (Turner).  She’s married, but Racine, a notorious womanizer, isn’t fazed.  There’s a definite sexual attraction and soon the two are involved in a torrid affair.  Matty’s husband is rich, but has an airtight prenup.  As Ned and Matty’s affair heats up their thoughts turn to cold blooded murder.

All is not as it seems…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Body Heat is a classic noir.  If you’re a fan of Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice, this should light your fire.  It made stars of Kathleen Turner and Mickey Rourke.  It’s my favorite film written by Lawrence Kasdan.  It’s also my favorite film directed by Kasdan.  It’s my favorite William Hurt movie.

Body Heat features a twist ending that plays out slowly and adds a whole new layer to everything we’ve seen.

Body Heat (1981) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Malicious” (2023) – The Trailer is Here!

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The McCabe family’s weekend getaway was never meant to be a life-changing experience. Governor William McCabe, a respected politician, was looking forward to some rest and relaxation. His beautiful wife Lauren and distant stepdaughter Erin strain to enjoy their time together, as the façade of the trophy family has worn dangerously thin. Things take a severe turn for the worse when a charismatic stranger knocks on their door and triggers an unexpected chain of events.

“The Last Voyage of the Demeter” – Exclusive Clip (2023) Javier Botet, Stefan Kapičić

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Based on a single chilling chapter from Bram Stoker’s classic novel DRACULA, The Last Voyage of the Demeter tells the terrifying story of the merchant ship Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo—fifty unmarked wooden crates—from Carpathia to London.

Strange events befall the doomed crew as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage, stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship. When the Demeter finally arrives off the shores of England, it is a charred, derelict wreck. There is no trace of the crew.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter opens in theaters on August 11.

“The Haunted Strangler” (1958) starring Boris Karloff / Z-View

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The Haunted Strangler (1958)

Director: Robert Day

Screenplay: John Croydon (as “John C. Cooper“), Jan Read based on an original story by Jan Read

Stars: Boris Karloff, Anthony Dawson

Tagline: Their wild beauty marked them for death by . . . The Haunted Strangler

The Plot…

James Rankin (Karloff) believes that when the serial killer known as The Haymarket Strangler was executed, they hung the wrong guy. In his efforts to clear the man, Rankin comes into possession of the murder weapon.  As he holds the knife Rankin is compelled to kill…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

To give you an idea of the quality of this one, in order to show Karloff’s transformation from kind old man to sadistic killer, he simply took out his lower dentures and sucked his bottom lip up to show his upper teeth.

For Karloff completists only.

The Haunted Strangler (1994) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Pulp Fiction” (1994) / Z-View

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Pulp Fiction (1994)

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, Roger Avery

Stars: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Amanda Plummer, Phil LaMarr, Frank Whaley, Ving Rhames, Paul Calderon, Rosanna Arquette, Eric Stoltz, Steve Buscemi, Christopher Walken, Harvey Keitel, Julia Sweeney, Peter Greene, Kathy Griffin and Quentin Tarantino.

Tagline: You won’t know the facts until you’ve seen the fiction.

The Plot…

Pulp Fiction is the tale of…

  • Vincent Vega (Travolta) an enforcer for Marcellus Wallace
  • Jules Winnfield (Jackson) an enforcer for Marcellus Wallace
  • Marcellus Wallace (Rhames) a mobster
  • Mia Wallace (Thurman) Marcellus Wallace’s wife
  • Butch Coolidge (Willis) a boxer paid to take a dive for Marcellus Wallace
  • Pumpkin (Roth) a small time crook
  • Honey Bunny (Plummer) Pumpkin’s partner and lover
  • Mr. Wolf (Keitel) a cleaner

Pulp Fiction unfolds jumping back and forth in time as the characters interact.  There are seven sequences.  Each section focuses on a different main character(s) with the others either not appearing or taking a secondary role.  While this sounds confusing, it’s not.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Pulp Fiction was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, Director, Actor (Travolta), Supporting Actor (Jackson), Supporting Actress (Thurman), Film Editing and won for Best Original Screenplay (Tarantino & Avery).

Pulp Fiction was the film that made Quentin Tarantino a household name and reinvigorated John Travolta’s career.

A lot of credit for Pulp Fiction‘s popularity is given to its unique structure.  While that does have a lot to do with the movie’s success, we shouldn’t short the story or cast.  Tarantino and Avery came up with great characters. They then beautifully cast each role. The stories at first glance seemed to be traditional tropes for crime/gangster films, but each veered into strange new territory.  Pulp Fiction  became and remains a touchstone for crime films.

Pulp Fiction (1994) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“The Last Voyage of the Demeter” | A Look Inside Featurette

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The Last Voyage of the Demeter 

Based on a single chilling chapter from Bram Stoker’s classic novel DRACULA, The Last Voyage of the Demeter tells the terrifying story of the merchant ship Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo—fifty unmarked wooden crates—from Carpathia to London.

Strange events befall the doomed crew as they attempt to survive the ocean voyage, stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship. When the Demeter finally arrives off the shores of England, it is a charred, derelict wreck. There is no trace of the crew.

The film stars Corey Hawkins (In the Heights, Straight Outta Compton) as Clemens, a doctor who joins the Demeter crew, Aisling Franciosi (Game of Thrones, The Nightingale) as an unwitting stowaway, Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones, Clash of the Titans) as the ship’s captain and David Dastmalchian (Dune, the Ant-Man franchise) as the Demeter’s first mate.

The film also features Jon Jon Briones (Ratched, American Horror Story), Stefan Kapicic (Deadpool films, Better Call Saul), Nikolai Nikolaeff (Stranger Things, Bruised) and Javier Botet (It films, Mama).

From DreamWorks Pictures and the producers of Zodiac and Black Swan, The Last Voyage of the Demeter is directed by Norwegian horror virtuoso André Øvredal (Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark, Trollhunter), from a script by Bragi F. Schut (Escape Room), Stefan Ruzowitzky (The Counterfeiters) and Zak Olkewicz (the upcoming Bullet Train), based on the chapter “The Captain’s Log” of Bram Stoker’s DRACULA.

The film is produced by Brad Fischer and by Oscar®-nominated producer Mike Medavoy and Arnold Messer for Phoenix Pictures and is executive produced by Matthew Hirsch.

“The Passage” (2019) starring Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Saniyya Sidney & Jamie McShane / Z-View

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The Passage (2019)

Written by: Liz Heldens (eps. 1 & 2); Peter Elkoff (ep. 3); Daniel Thomsen (ep. 4); Joy Blake (ep. 5); Mike Flanagan Dennis Saldua (ep. 6); Kate Erickson (ep. 7); Peter Elkoff & C.A. Johnson (ep. 8); Daniel Thomsen & Vanessa Gomez (ep. 9); Liz Heldens & Joy Blake (ep. 10)

Directed by: Jason Ensler & Marcos Siega (ep. 1); Jason Ensler (eps. 2, 3 & 9); Allison Liddi-Brown (ep. 4); Jeffrey Nachmanoff (ep. 5); Jessica Lowrey (ep. 6); Eduardo Sanchez (ep. 7); Ti West (ep. 8); Mark Tonderai (ep. 10)

Stars: Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Saniyya Sidney, Jamie McShane, Caroline Chikezie, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Brianne Howey, McKinley Belcher III, Henry Ian Cusick, Vincent Piazza, Kecia Lewis, Jason Fuchs and James Le Gros.

Tagline:  Can one girl save humanity?

The Plot…

Tim Fanning (McShane), a scientist working on a cure for alzheimer’s disease, accidentally became infected with a virus that gave him strange powers and a thirst for human blood.  Now Fanning is held in a secret medical facility behind thick glass walls as the US government experiments on ways to create a race of super soldiers. Although progress has been made, each subject has gained the same powers as Fanning and a desire for human blood.

Now the scientists want to experiment using a younger subject.  Agent Brad Wolgast (Gosselaar) is sent to bring a young, newly orphaned girl named Amy Bellafonte (Sidney) to the facility.  When Wolgast learns what is planned for Amy, he decides to help her escape.

But it may be too late for everyone… Fanning and the other experiment subjects have a secret power that the scientists don’t know about.  Fanning can psychically communicate with each of them. They are planning an uprising!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Passage is one of my all-time favorite series.   It is well written and well directed.  The production values are top notch.  It features one of the best casts possible.  Every role from the leads to the smallest parts are perfect.  I plan to revisit The Passage every few years just to relive the great viewing experience.

The Passage (2019) eearns 5 of 5 stars.

RIP: Paul Reubens

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Paul Reubens, the actor best known for his character Pee-Wee Herman, died yesterday from cancer.  Mr. Reubens was 70.

Paul Reubens began his career as a stage actor and comedian.  He developed his Pee-Wee Herman character for a stage show.  The Pee-Wee Herman Show proved so popular that HBO picked it up for a special.  The special was an instant hit.  Reubens was approached to bring the character to the big screen.  Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure was directed by Tim Burton.  The movie was so successful it spawned a Saturday morning program geared to kids (Pee-Wee’s Playhouse) and a movie sequel (Big Top Pee-Wee).  When the series ended, Paul Reubens stepped away from the character and took time off from acting.

When Paul Reubens returned to performing he alternated between television, movies and voice work.  Later in his career he would return to his Pee-Wee Herman character for a few videos and guest appearances.

Some of Paul Reuben’s television appearances include: Working Stiffs (2 episodes); The Flintstone Comedy Show (2 episodes); The Pee-Wee Herman Show (movie); Dream On; Mork & Mindy; Madame’s Place; All Star Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Saturday Spectacular; 227; Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie; Sesame Street (3 episodes); Christmas at Pee-Wee’s Playhouse; Pee-Wee’s Playhouse (45 episodes); Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Murphy Brown (6 episodes); Everybody Loves Raymond; Alley McBeal; Rugrats (2 episodes); Reno 911; 30 Rock; Dirt (3 episodes); WWE Raw (2 episodes); The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway; Batman: The Brave and Bold (4 episodes); Tron: Uprising (17 episodes); The Blacklist (5 episodes); Gotham (3 episodes); What We Do In The Shadows; DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (5 episodes) and The Connors.

Some of Paul Reuben’s movie appearances include: The Brotherhood; The Blues Brothers; Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie; Meatball’s Part II; Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure;  Big Top Pee-Wee; Moonwalker; Batman Returns; The Nightmare Before Christmas; Matilda; Doctor Dolittle; Mystery Men; Blow; Pee-Wee Gets an iPad and Pee-Wee Goes to Sturgis.   

I’m old enough to remember when Pee-Wee Herman went viral.  Pee-Wee was everywhere.  I was also impressed with Paul Reuben’s commitment to the character.  He wouldn’t do interviews or appear anywhere except as Pee-Wee.  It was always fun seeing Mr. Reuben’s non-Pee-Wee appearances later in his career.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Paul Reuben’s family, friends and fans.