Creepy Archives Volume Four

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Creepy Archives Volume Four will drop on December 12, 2023..  It’ll be 232 pages of comic greatness topped by an awesome Frank Frazetta cover.

For over two decades Creepy magazine presented some of the most gripping tales of terror, mayhem, and the supernatural ever told in graphic fiction, and was a showcase of the stellar work of comics legends Archie Goodwin, Frank Frazetta, Reed Crandall, Steve Ditko, and many more.

Long available only as expensive collectibles, Creepy Archives Volume 4 collects Creepy issues #16–#20 in a value-priced paperback edition and includes original letters pages, text features, and ads.

  Deal me in.  Pre-Orders are available now.

“Alien: Resurrection” (1997) starring Sigourney Weaver & Winona Ryder / Z-View

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Alien: Resurrection (1997)

Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Screenplay:  Joss Whedon based on characters created by Dan O’Bannon, Ronald Shusett

Stars: Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder, Dominique Pinon, Ron Perlman, Gary Dourdan, Michael Wincott, Kim Flowers, Dan Hedaya, J.E. Freeman, Brad Dourif, Raymond Cruz and Leland Orser.

Tagline: Witness the resurrection.

The Plot…

Over two hundred years have passed since the events of Alien 3.  On a remote space station military scientists are using DNA from Ellen Ripley (Weaver) to create clone hosts for Xenomorphs.  The current clone, Ripley 8 (Weaver), due to the melding with the alien embryos has increased strength, reflexes and acidic blood.

A group of mercenaries arrives at the space station with cargo for the military.  Soon after two adult Xenomorphs escape.  It then becomes a battle for survival as more adult aliens are released throughout the ship!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I am a huge fan of Alien Resurrection mainly due to the unique characters and actors playing them.  The mercenary crew could be stars of their own movie(s)!  I would love to see some of their adventures.  The mercenary crew consists of…

  • Annalee Call (Ryder) – the newest member of the team.  She’s hiding a secret that will be revealed.
  • Dom Vriess (Pinion) – the mechanic. He’s a paraplegic with a motorized wheelchair (that also has secrets)!
  • Ron Johner (Perlman) – a battle scarred warrior with a bad attitude and short temper.
  • Gary Christie (Dourdan) – the second-in-command who exudes cool.
  • Frank Elgyn (Wincott) – the leader.  He’s cynical and willing to do questionable things to make a buck, but is committed to his team.
  • Sabra Hillard (Flowers) – the co-pilot of the mercenary ship and Elgyn’s woman.

In addition, we have…

  • General Martin Perez (Hedaya) – the commanding officer of the space station.
  • Dr. Jonathan Gediman (Dourif) – one of the scientists experimenting with the adult aliens.  He should know  better than to poke the bear.
  • Vincent DiStephano (Cruz) – one of the space station soldiers who joins the mercenaries in an effort to survive.
  • Larry Purvis (Orser) – a civilian who joins the mercenaries.  Purvis carries a deadly secret.

There is also a subplot which involves Weaver and Ryder.  For me that takes a backseat to the  the characters — the military, mercenaries and civilians in a battle against the aliens on a spaceship heading towards Earth! There are so many fun scenes –

  • The mercenaries entering the ship under military guard.
  • Johner (Perlman) flirting with Ripley 8 (Weaver) and being put in his place.
  • Johner’s (Perlman) interactions with Dom Vriess (Pinion).
  • Dr. Jonathan Gediman (Dourif) as he realizes the adult aliens have outsmarted him.
  • The long shot of a grenade bouncing down a walkway to drop into an escape pod just as an alien does the same.
  • The underwater escape and the discovery that the aliens are following! Plus Gary Christie (Dourdan) and  Dom Vriess’ (Pinion) solution to Dom being unable to swim!

Many people have complained about Ripley 8’s relationship to the aliens as well as the look of the Xenomorph Queen.  I understand the complaints and would agree that these are the weakest parts of the movie.  Still, the things I love about the film far outweigh these concerns.  Alien Resurrection is one that I have watched and enjoyed multiple times.

Alien: Resurrection (1997) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Along Came a Spider” starring Morgan Freeman / Z-View

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Along Came a Spider (2001)

Director: Lee Tamahori

Screenplay:  Marc Moss based on  Along Came a Spider by James Patterson

Stars: Morgan Freeman, Michael Wincott, Monica Potter, Anton Yelchin, Jay O. Sanders, Michael Moriarty,
Penelope Ann Miller and Christopher Shyer.

Tagline: A tangled web of danger and deceit…

The Plot…

When a senator’s daughter is kidnapped, the kidnapper contacts retired Detective and author, Alex Cross (Freeman).  The abductor wants to become famous by taunting the police with the hope that Cross will write a book about the case. Not all is as it seems…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Morgan Freeman and a twist ending are the highlights of this one.

Along Came a Spider (2001) rates 3 of 5 stars.

The All-Time Best Action Movies!

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Variety posted The 50 Best Action Movies of All Time.  Like all lists of this sort it included some films that most might not consider (as action films) and left off others.  Still, lists can be fun. I decided to see how I’d rank the same films.  *** means I haven’t seen the movie.  (And I cannot believe I still haven’t seen Hard Boiled.)

Variety

01. The Road Warrior (1981)
02. Die Hard (1988)
03. North by Northwest (1959)
04. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
05. Enter the Dragon (1973)
06. The French Connection (1971)
07. The Matrix (1999)
08. Aliens (1986)
09. Seven Samurai (1954)
10. Bullitt (1968)
11. Speed (1994)
12. Goldfinger (1964)
13. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
14. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
15. Hard Boiled (1992)
16. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
17. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
18. Ben-Hur (1959)
19. The Wild Bunch (1969)
20. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
21. Heat (1995)
22. The Wages of Fear (1953)
23. Gladiator (2000)
24. Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
25. United 93 (2006)
26. Point Break (1991)
27. Police Story (1985)
28. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
29. Foxy Brown (1974)
30. Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (2011)
31. The Dirty Dozen (1967)
32. Commando (1985)
33. Run Lola Run (1998)
34. Fast Five (2011)
35. The Black Pirate (1926)
36. Casino Royale (2006)
37. Once Upon a Time in China Part II (1992)
38. Inception (2010)
39. Duel (1971)
40. The Raid (2011)
41. The Warriors (1979)
42. Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
43. The Bourne Identity (2002)
44. The Day of the Jackal (1973)
45. Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
46. Hero (2002)
47. Vanishing Point (1971)
48. The Fugitive (1993)
49. Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
50. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Zablo

01. Enter the Dragon (1973)
02. Die Hard (1988)
03. Aliens (1986)
04. Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)
05. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
06. The Matrix (1999)
07. The Road Warrior (1981)
08. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
09. The Warriors (1979)
10. Commando (1985)
11. Casino Royale (2006)
12. Gladiator (2000)
13. Heat (1995)
14. Point Break (1991)
15. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
16. Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol (2011)
17. Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)
18. Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
19. The Bourne Identity (2002)
20. Speed (1994)
21. Fast Five (2011)
22. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
23. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
24. Goldfinger (1964)
25. The Dirty Dozen (1967)
26. North by Northwest (1959)
27. The Fugitive (1993)
28. Duel (1971)
29. The Wild Bunch (1969)
30. The Wages of Fear (1953)
31. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
32. Ben-Hur (1959)
33. Inception (2010)
34. Run Lola Run (1998)
35. Bullitt (1968)
36. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
37. Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
38. Foxy Brown (1974)
39. Seven Samurai (1954)
40. The French Connection (1971)
41. Vanishing Point (1971)
42. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
*** Hard Boiled (1992)
*** United 93 (2006)
*** Police Story (1985)
*** The Black Pirate (1926)
*** Once Upon a Time in China Part II (1992)
*** The Raid (2011)
*** The Day of the Jackal (1973)
*** Hero (2002)

“The Silence of the Lambs” (1991) starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins / Z-View

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The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Director: Jonathan Demme

Screenplay: Ted Tally based on The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

Stars: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Anthony Heald, Frankie Faison, Don Brockett, Stuart Rudin, Ted Levine, Roger Corman, Charles Napier and Chris Isaac.

Tagline: Dr. Hannibal Lecter. Brilliant. Cunning. Psychotic. In his mind lies the clue to a ruthless killer. – Clarice Starling, FBI. Brilliant. Vulnerable. Alone. She must trust him to stop the killer.

The Plot…

A serial killer the press calls Buffalo Bill is murdering women.  He then skins them and leaves their bodies in water without any clues. The FBI investigation is at a standstill.

Clarice Starling (Foster), an FBI agent still in training, is personally selected to interview Dr. Hannibal Lector (Hopkins).  Lector, known as Hannibal the Cannibal, is a serial killer with a genius IQ. He murdered and ate his victims.  Now held in a maximum security prison for the criminally insane, Lector may be the only one with insight on catching Buffalo Bill.

But can Lector be trusted?  The clock is ticking…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Silence of the Lambs is an excellent adaptation of Thomas Harris’ best-selling novel.  It is rightully considered one of the finest movies ever made.

The Silence of the Lambs collected Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Jonathan Demme), Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins), Best Actress (Jodie Foster) and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ted Tally).

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) rates 5 of 5 stars.

RIP: Tony Bennett

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Tony Bennett, who was born Anthony Dominick Benedetto, died today at the age of 96.  Mr. Bennett had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s since 2016.

Tony Bennett was an accomplished artist and singer.  At one point Mr. Bennett thought he might become a commercial artist.  For a while Tony Bennett attended New York’s School of Industrial Art where he studied painting and music.  At 16, he dropped out to help support his family.  Mr. Bennett had been singing at local restaurants since the age of 13, so he set his sights on a career in music.

In 1944, Mr. Bennett was drafted into the US Army.  After the war, he was working as a singing waiter, when Pearl Bailey made him her opening act.  Bob Hope heard Mr. Bennett at one of Pearl Bailey’s shows and offered to take him on the road as Hope’s opening act.  This is when Tony Bennett simplified his name.

Tony Bennett’s first #1 hit was Because of You.  It stayed at the top spot for ten weeks.  Mr. Bennett would go on to have a long a distinguished career.  Just last year Tony Bennett was nominated for 3 Grammy Awards (Record of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Music Video)!  Over the course of his career Tony Bennett has been honored with…

  • 20 Grammy Awards (including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award)
  • a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
  • induction in the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame
  • Society of Singers Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Lifetime achievement award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers
  • Induction into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame
  • Kennedy Center Honoree
  • United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Humanitarian Award
  • National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award
  • Induction into the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame
  • American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award presented by John Lewis
  • Induction into the New Jersey Hall of Fame
  • Guinness World Records for…
    – “oldest person to reach No.1 on the US Album Chart with a newly recorded album”, at the age of 88 years 69 days, for Cheek to Cheek
    – “the longest time between the release of an original recording and a re-recording of the same single by the same artist” for re-recording “Fascinating Rhythm” 68 years and 342 days after the original recording.
    – being the oldest person to release an album of new material at the age of 95 years and 60 days.
    – being the second-oldest person to win a Grammy Award, when he shared the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Grammy with Lady Gaga for Love for Sale, aged 95 years, 8 months, and 1 day.

What a long and distinguished career Tony Bennett had.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tony Bennett’s family, friends and fans.

“Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed” (2023) / Z-View

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Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed (2023)

Director: Stephen Kijak

Stars:
Rock Hudson, Lee Garlington, Armistead Maupin, Piper Laurie, Illeana Douglas and  Linda Evans.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed explores the double life led by Rock Hudson who was Hollywood’s top leading man for years.  Women desired him and men wanted to be like him.  What the world at large didn’t know: Rock Hudson was gay.  The studios worked to keep his secret and Hudson played along (to an extent). Of course the secret could no longer be hidden once Rock Hudson became the first star to die from AIDS.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I was surprised about how so many people were aware that Rock Hudson was gay, but the secret never got out to the public. Hudson was promiscuous, didn’t shy away from going to gay bars, parties, etc. but the secret held.

I’m old enough to remember when the “Rock Hudson and Jim Nabors are getting married” rumor went viral.  My mother and her best friend didn’t believe that Rock Hudson was gay… although they wouldn’t be surprised about Jim Nabors.

I also remember the tons of stories about Rock Hudson having AIDS. The rumors are true! Plus the controversary of Hudson kissing Linda Evans in a scene despite knowing he had the virus.

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed (2023) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Justified: City Primeval” starring Timothy Olyphant | Season 1, Episode 3 Trailer – Backstabbers

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I am diggin’ the return of Raylan Givens!

Raylan and the Detroit Police round up some promising suspects, provoking Carolyn’s ire. Mansell and Sandy move on the Albanian mark. Things with Willa reach a breaking point. Watch new episodes of Justified: City Primeval Tuesdays on FX. Stream on Hulu.

| Visit Official Site https://fx.tv/JCP

Starring Timothy Olyphant, Aunjanue Ellis and Boyd Holbrook. Raylan Givens left the hollers of Kentucky and is balancing life as a U.S. Marshal with being a part-time father. A chance encounter sends him to Detroit and on a collision course with a violent sociopath and a formidable defense attorney.

“The Celluloid Closet” (1996) / Z-View

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The Celluloid Closet (1996)

Director: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman

Screenplay: Vito Russo, Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman, Sharon Wood, Armistead Maupin

Stars: Lily Tomlin, Tony Curtis, Armistead Maupin, Whoopi Goldberg, Harvey Fierstein, Gore Vidal, Farley Granger and Shirley MacLaine.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The Celluloid Closet explores how the film industry, from the silent era to the mid-1990s dealt with members of the LGBT community on screen and behind the scenes.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

It’s interesting to see how the on screen portrayal of this community has changed (or not) in the last almost 100 years.  I also enjoyed the movie scenes that were so obvious if you knew what to look for, but went over the heads of most folks (including me).

The Celluloid Closet (1996) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“A Haunting in Venice” starring Kenneth Branagh – The Trailer is Here!

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I’ve seen the first two Branagh Hercule Poirot movies and am looking forward to A Haunting in Venice even more than them!

Watch the brand-new trailer for #AHauntingInVenice, only in theaters September 15.

The unsettling supernatural thriller based upon the novel “Hallowe’en Party” by Agatha Christie and directed by and starring Oscar® winner Kenneth Branagh as famed detective Hercule Poirot, will open in theaters nationwide September 15, 2023.

“A Haunting in Venice” is set in eerie, post-World War II Venice on All Hallows’ Eve, “A Haunting in Venice” is a terrifying mystery featuring the return of the celebrated sleuth, Hercule Poirot. Now retired and living in self-imposed exile in the world’s most glamorous city, Poirot reluctantly attends a séance at a decaying, haunted palazzo. When one of the guests is murdered, the detective is thrust into a sinister world of shadows and secrets.

Reuniting the team of filmmakers behind 2017’s “Murder on the Orient Express” and 2022’s “Death on the Nile,” the film is directed by Kenneth Branagh with a screenplay by Oscar® nominee Michael Green (“Logan”) based upon Agatha Christie’s novel “Hallowe’en Party”. The producers are Kenneth Branagh, Judy Hofflund, Ridley Scott, and Simon Kinberg, with Louise Killin, James Prichard, and Mark Gordon serving as executive producers. A brilliant acting ensemble portrays a cast of unforgettable characters, including Kenneth Branagh, Kyle Allen (“Rosaline”), Camille Cottin (“Call My Agent”), Jamie Dornan (“Belfast”), Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), Jude Hill (“Belfast”), Ali Khan (“6 Underground”), Emma Laird (“Mayor of Kingstown”), Kelly Reilly (“Yellowstone”), Riccardo Scamarcio (“Caravaggio’s Shadow”), and recent Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”).