Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
This week we have Rocky by Jamie Cosley. This piece was gifted to me by my pal (and fellow sketch collector) LittleJohn and his wife Patricia. I think Patricia was sending LittleJohn and I a subtle message about “What the Fox Says.” Thanks to Jamie, LJ and Patricia! – Craig
Way back in 2007, December 31st to be exact, I wrote about my five favorite novels of the year. The Terror by Dan Simmons made the list. Here’s what I said then:
The Terror by Dan Simmons is a novelization of the true doomed 1840s Franklin expedition to find a Northwest passage. History tells us there were no survivors and the men died from exposure, starvation and worse. Simmons’ story combines all of the interesting historical details and adds a new menace, a creature which feeds on men. The Terror was a national best seller. Stephen King listed it as one of his favorite books of the year. Who am I to argue with Stephen King?
AMC has greenlit 10 hour long episodes to air in 2017 with Ridley Scott and David W. Zucker serving as Executive Producers and David Kajganich on board to write and take the reins as showrunner. This is a project worth keeping an eye on.
Source: Variety.
Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932)
Director: Robert Florey
Screenplay: Robert Florey from a story by Edgar Allan Poe
Stars: Sidney Fox, Bela Lugosi, Leon Ames (aka Leon Waycoff) and Arlene Francis.
The Pitch: “Horror movies sell. Let’s combine Edgar Allan Poe and Bela Lugosi.”
The Tagline: “Innocent Beauty – this was her wedding eve. On the wall a shadow . . the beast was at large grinning horribly-cruelly. What was Her Fate?”
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Bela Lugosi is the insane scientist, Dr. Mirakle who secretly experiments with blood transfusions from his circus ape to women he kidnaps. Despite the fact that each woman dies, Mirakle continues his experiments. (Hey! Isn’t that the definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?)
When the ape takes a liking to a woman in the audience, she becomes his next victim… Camille L’Espanaye [Fox] is up for the next Apefusion unless her fiance can convince the police what the madman is doing.
If you’re a Bela Lugosi fan, then you’ll enjoy this more than those who aren’t.
Rating:
One of the things the fourth of July weekend means is Syfy’s Twilight Zone Marathon. About one third of all the episodes will be shown and you can see the schedule here. Hope you rediscover a classic or discover a new gem!
I’m a huge Abbott & Costello fan. (Who isn’t?)
I’ve seen / listened to Abbott & Costello’s classic Who’s on First routine hundreds of times and it always gets a chuckle.
Did you ever wonder how Abbott & Costello might deal with buying a new computer…
ABBOTT: Super Duper Computer Store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: Thanks I’m setting up an office in my den and I’m thinking about buying a computer.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: No, the name’s Lou.
ABBOTT: Your computer?
COSTELLO: I don’t own a computer. I want to buy one.
ABBOTT: Mac?
COSTELLO: I told you, my name’s Lou.
ABBOTT: What about Windows?
COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?
ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?
COSTELLO: I don’t know. What will I see when I look at the windows?
ABBOTT: Wallpaper.
COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.
ABBOTT: Software for Windows?
COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?
ABBOTT: I just did.
COSTELLO: You just did what?
ABBOTT: Recommend something.
COSTELLO: You recommended something?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: For my office?
ABBOTT: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?
ABBOTT: Office.
COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!
ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.
COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let’s just say I’m sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?
ABBOTT: Word.
COSTELLO: What word?
ABBOTT: Word in Office.
COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.
ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.
COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?
ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue ‘W’.
COSTELLO: I’m going to click your blue ‘W’ if you don’t start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? Do you have anything I can track my money with?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: That’s right. What do you have?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?
ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.
COSTELLO: What’s bundled with my computer?
ABBOTT: Money.
COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?
ABBOTT: Yes. At no extra charge.
COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?
ABBOTT: One copy.
COSTELLO: Isn’t it illegal to copy money?
ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.
COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?
ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT !
(A few days later)
ABBOTT: Super Duper Computer Store. Can I help you?
COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?
ABBOTT: Click on ‘START.’
Source: Bits & Pieces.
San Andreas (2015)
Director: Brad Peyton
Screenplay: Carlton Cuse from a story by Andre Fabrizio & Jeremy Passmore
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Alexandra Daddario and Paul Giamatti.
The Pitch: “Let’s make a movie with the Rock.”
The Tagline: “ A rescue pilot survived an earthquake, this is what happens next…”
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
The San Andreas fault has triggered a series of major earthquakes causing buildings to fall, tsunami waves and an ever-increasing series of dangerous situations. Think collapsing super-structures, electrical fires, panicked crowds and more. Ray Gaines is a rescue pilot trying to get to his estranged wife and teenage daughter and nothing is going to stop him.
San Andreas takes us back to a time when disaster movies were the rage – think The Poseidon Adventure, Earthquake, The Towering Inferno, well, you get the idea. Now add in modern special effects and The Rock and I think you smell what I’m cooking.
Rating:
Hey! Here’s the poster and trailer for Viral.
Viral looks pretty good, if you like this type of thing. I do. The trailer made me jump. Point of full disclosure: I’ve been known to jump during tv commercials… but the movie does appear to have a high scare quotient.
Diversions of the Groovy Kind is a regular stop on my daily website visits. You’ll always find something cool like this post of The Hulk! #16 (June 1979) featuring a story by Doug Moench with art by Mike Zeck and John Tartaglione and colors by Steve Oliff.
Triple 9 (2016)
Director: John Hillcoat
Screenplay: Matt Cook
Stars: Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrelson, Aaron Paul, Kate Winslet, Gal Godot and Norman Reedus.
The Pitch: “Let’s make a gritty crime movie — look at the cast we have lined up!”
The Tagline: “A deadly heist needs a killer distraction”
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
A crew of dirty cops are being blackmailed. In order to get out from under, the cops plan a huge heist during a Triple 9 (that they will manufacture). A triple 9 is code for “cop down” and the cop going down is the rookie not in their crew.
I was hoping for more [look at that cast!], but I did like Triple 9.
Rating:
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The Revenant (2015)
Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Screenplay: Mark L. Smith & Alejandro G. Iñárritu (based in part on Michael Punke‘s novel)
Stars: Leonardi DiCaprio and Tom Hardy.
The Pitch: “Alejandro G. Iñárritu and Leonardo DiCaprio want to make a movie together.’”
The Tagline: “Revenant: (n. One who has returned, as if from the dead.)”
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
An 1820 expedition into the frontier for beaver finds itself under attack by Indians. While making their escape, scout Hugh Glass is savagely mauled by a bear. Fearful that they will be found by the marauding Indians, the Captain of the expedition leaves Glass and his young son in the care of John Fitzgerald [Hardy] who promises to stay with Glass until Glass dies. Fitzgerald will then catch back up to the expedition.
When Glass doesn’t die, Fitzgerald decides to help things along. He is caught by Glass’ son burying Glass alive. Fitzgerald kills Glass’ son and leaves Glass for dead. Glass slowly recovers and must make his way across the frontier fighting Indians, and the elements with his goal of revenge giving him a reason to live.
I liked The Revenant quite a bit, but probably not as much as most. The action scenes were amazing. The cinematography was beautiful. No complaints with the acting or direction. I did feel that a bit too much time was spent looking up a trees and with Glass’ visions. The ending was unexpected and didn’t quite ring right with me. Still, I really liked The Revenant and all the awards it won may be an indication that I’m picking nits.
Awards Won:
Another 70 wins & 156 nominations.
Rating:
When I was a kid, one of the most controversial comic book stories played out in Green Lantern / Green Arrow #85 and #86. In the story written by Denny O’Neil and pencilled by Neal Adams, Green Arrow discovers that his ward is a drug addict. That story did more to keep me away from drugs than any “just say no” campaign.
Bone Tomahawk (2015)
Director: S. Craig Zahler
Screenplay: S. Craig Zahler
Stars: Kurt Russell, Patrick Wilson, Matthew Fox, Richard Jenkins, Lili Simmons, David Arquette, Sid Haig, Michael Pare, and Sean Young.
The Pitch: “S. Craig Zahler is a writer/director to watch. Let’s give him the 1.8 million he needs to make ‘Bone Tomahawk.’”
The Tagline: “May the Lord have mercy and grant you a swift death.”
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
A raiding party of cannibalistic Troglodytes are led to farm on the outskirts of a small western town. The cannibals kill some settlers and kidnap others. The town folk are too frightened to go after them except for the Sherriff [Russell], the injured husband [Wilson] of the woman kidnapped [Simmons], the old deputy [Jenkins] and a gunfighter [Fox].
What begins as almost a character study turns into one of the most tense, frightening and violent movies in recent history. The characters are so well written/played that I loved their interactions and the pace leading up to the action. It was also fun seeing name actors in smaller roles. Jenkins as the old deputy is a joy!
S. Craig Zahler moved to the must-watch list with Bone Tomahawk.
Rating:
Mark Mancini and Mental_Floss present 13 Thrilling Facts About The Original House of Wax. Here are three of my favorites…
8. IT COMES WITH AN INTERMISSION.
Prior to the late 1970s, “epic” films would often treat their viewers to a built-in bathroom break. Midway through screenings of Gone With the Wind and other, extra-long classics, the action would pause, the theater lights would brighten, and the word “Intermission” would appear onscreen. Ordinarily, this practice was reserved for movies with bladder-testing runtimes of two and a half hours or more. By comparison, House of Wax flies by with its breezy 88-minute runtime. Yet, unconventionally for a short picture, it contains an intermission. Why? Screening the 3D film required two projectors running simultaneously. The respite was necessary because it allowed theater employees to change both reels an hour into the movie.
9. A FUNCTIONING GUILLOTINE WAS USED IN THE CLIMAX.
Toward the end of the film, Igor gets into a big fight with Sue’s boyfriend, Scott, played by Paul Picerni. From the get-go, there’s no doubt about which one has the upper hand, as Igor seizes poor Scott and shoves his head under a guillotine in the museum’s French Revolution display. Luckily, the police arrive in time to rescue our hero, pulling him out of harm’s way seconds before the blade comes crashing down.
Just like his character, Picerni came dangerously close to getting his head chopped off, Louis XVI-style—because this guillotine was 100 percent real. Rather than film the scene in segments, de Toth wanted to shoot the whole thing in one take. With blithe nonchalance, he told Picerni to go and stick his head under the razor-sharp blade of this death device.
Naturally, Picerni objected. At a 2006 House of Wax Q&A, the star reminisced at length about the argument that followed. “I asked de Toth, ‘How are you going to control the blade?’ He said the property master was going to sit on top of the guillotine, holding the blade between his legs, then let it drop after my head was removed.” When the actor opined that this sounded dangerous, de Toth replied, “What are you, chicken sh*t?” In the end, Picerni agreed to do the scene in one take, on the condition that a metal bar be inserted under the blade to keep it from falling prematurely.
11. BELA LUGOSI ATTENDED THE PREMIERE—ALONG WITH A GUY IN A GORILLA SUIT.
Although the star of Universal’s Dracula (1931) did not appear in House of Wax, he did help promote it. The film’s world premiere was held at the Paramount Theater in Los Angeles on April 16, 1953. As a publicity stunt, Lugosi was invited to attend the big event. Clad in a vampire cape, he emerged from his limousine with a chain link leash, which was attached to an actor in an ape costume—a clear homage to the 1952 comedy Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla.
Werewolf of London (1935)
Director: Stuart Walker
Screenplay: John Colton (based on a story by Robert Harris)
Stars: Henry Hull, Warner Oland and Valerie Hobson
The Pitch: “Monster movies are making dough. Let’s make a werewolf movie!”
The Tagline: “Beware the Stalking Being – Half-Human – Half-Beast!”
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
While on a expedition to Tibet, botanist Dr. Glendon [Hull] is attacked and bitten by a strange beast. Although he survives and returns to his home in London, Glendon turns into a werewolf each night of a full moon.
Will Gelndon find a cure before he kills again or he is discovered to be the werewolf terrorizing the city…
Rating:
