Alex Ogle Gets Carter!

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Alex Ogle’s riff on Sly Stallone as Jack Carter is a banger.

Alex Ogle is a freelance artist and storyteller.  I love Ogle’s use of stark contrast and negative space.  He says, “My favorite part of my illustrations are the sections I don’t draw.”  That reminds me of Alex Toth’s famous quote: “Strip it all down to essentials and draw the hell out of what’s left.”  That’s not easy to do, but Ogle has mastered it.

You can see more of Alex Ogle’s art at his website and his Instagram page.

“Who Killed Teddy Bear? (1965) starring Sal Mineo, Juliet Prowse, Jan Murray and Elaine Stritch / Z-View

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Who Killed Teddy Bear? (1965)

Director: Joseph Cates

Screenplay: Arnold Drake, Leon Tokatyan; story by Arnold Drake

Stars: Sal Mineo, Juliet Prowse, Jan Murray, Elaine Stritch, Frank Campanella, Bruce Glover, Tom Aldredge, Rex Everhart  and Daniel J. Travanti.

Tagline: Recommended for Mature Audiences

The Plot…

Norah Dain dreams of being an actress.  In the meantime she works as a nightclub dj.  Norah’s life is turned upside down, when she begins receiving obscene phone calls.  The caller knows what she is doing daily.  It’s frightening to think that he’s stalking her.  Norah gets the police involved when a decapitated teddy bear is left in her apartment.

Detective Dave Madden is assigned to the case.  When Madden suggests that anyone, including himself could be the caller, Norah becomes concerned.  She learns that Madden is still dealing with the loss of his wife who was raped and murdered.

Could Detective Madden be Norah’s stalker?  Or someone even worse?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Arnold Drake who came up with the story and co-wrote the screenplay for Who Killed Teddy Bear had a career writing comic book stories.  Drake was the co-creator of many characters including The Guardians of the Galaxy, Deadman, The Doom Patrol, Havok, Polaris and others.

 The camera loves Juliet Prowse. Sadly Who Killed Teddy Bear? would be the last time she would appear in a feature film.  For the remainer of her career she performed on television and stage.

The film straddles the line between noir and exploitation.  And features some suprising scenes for its time.

Watch for a young Daniel J. Travanti, who would in 16 years gain fame for his role as Captain Frank Furillo on Hill Street Blues.

Who Killed Teddy Bear? (1965) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Dirty Hands” – starring Patrick Muldoon, Denise Richards, Michael Beach and Kevin Interdonato – The Poster and Trailer is Here!  

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The poster and trailer for Dirty Hands, starring Patrick Muldoon, Denise Richards, Michael Beach and Kevin Interdonato is here!

Deal me in!

When a routine drug deal goes sideways a kingpin’s son is murdered. The Denton Brothers, Richie (Patrick Muldoon) & Danny (Kevin Interdonato) find themselves in a fight for their lives just to survive the night.

Richie’s girlfriend, Sheila (Denise Richards), struggles between her loyalties to Richie and his boss (Michael Beach) as rival leader, Rodney (Guy Nardulli), and his gang are out for blood.

Dirty Hands is written and directed by American actor/filmmaker Kevin (The Bastard Sons) Interdonato.

Dirty Hands is produced by Peter Dobson, Kevin Interdonato, Nicholas Larrabure and Guy Nardulli. With action scenes by fight coordinator Jason Mello.

Frank Frazetta’s “A Man Called Dagger”!

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This is a rare Frank Frazetta piece.  Titled A Man Called Dagger, it was created around 1968 for a proposed movie of the same name.  A Man Called Dagger was to be a new entry into the popular James Bond knockoff genre.

The painting was never used.  Producers ran into budgetary issues and the production came to a halt.  Although the film was eventually made by a new studio, the art was never used.  It is thought that the new studio didn’t know about Frazetta’s contribution.

Frazetta’s A Man Called Dagger art was discovered in 2020 and added to later editions of Frazetta art books.

Click on the art to see a biggie-sized version.

Source: Frazetta Art Museum.

“Black Tuesday” (1954) written by Sydney Boehm, starring Edward G. Robinson, Peter Graves & Jean Parker / Z-View

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Black Tuesday (1954)

Director: Hugo Fregonese

Screenplay: Sydney Boehm

Stars: Edward G. Robinson, Peter Graves, Jean Parker, Warren Stevens, Jack Kelly, Hal Baylor, James Bell, Vic Perrin, Russell Johnson, Lee Aaker, James Bacon, Harry Bartell, Arthur Batanides, David Bond  and Milburn Stone.

Tagline: Rough… ruthless… real!

The Plot…

Vincent Canelli sits on death row.  In just a few minutes he will walk his last mile.

At least that was what was supposed to happen.

It didn’t.  Canelli with the help of his crime partners, pulled off an exciting, clever and deadly escape.  From death row!

Now Canelli is on the lam with five hostages, the prison priest, the prison doctor, one of the guards who made Canelli’s time in prison miserable and a young reporter covering the execution.  Caneilli has also brought along Peter Manning, another con on death row.

With the entire police force on alert, Canelli and his crew’s odds of escape are low.  Therefore they are willing to kill anyone who tries to stop them.  The police are also ready to shoot to kill.

What chance do the hostages have?

Sound the alarm, there’s been a prison break!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Black Tuesday is surprisingly dark even for noir movies of the era.  It was banned by the Memphis Censor Board because of its brutality.

Black Tuesday, along with Key Largo and Double Indemnity, are my three favorite films starring Edward G. Robinson.

Lee Aaker of Hondo and Rin Tin Tin fame appears uncredited.  Also look for Russell Johnson (best know as The Professor on Gilligan’s Island) as one of the convicts.

Milburn Stone co-stars along with Peter Graves in Black Tuesday.  Graves would go on to fame in the television series Mission Impossible.  Milburn Stone would get his most famous role as Doc on Gunsmoke which starred James Arness.  Arness is brother to Peter Graves.

Hats off to Sydney Boehm for writing such a bold, brutal noir.  Boehm also wrote The Big Heat (one of my all-time favorite films).

Black Tuesday (1954) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All-Time”Parts 1-3” (2020): Part 1 – “Midnight Madness”; Part 2 – “Horror & Sci-Fi”; Part 3 – “Comedy & Camp” / Z-View

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Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All-Time, Parts 1 – 3 (2020)

Director: Danny Wolf

Writers: Paul Fishbein, Irv Slifkin, Danny Wolf

Stars: Kevin Pollak, John Waters, Illeana Douglas, Joe Dante, Jeff Goldblum, Michael McKean, Bruce Campbell, Jeff Bridges, Rob Reiner, Gina Gershon, Fran Drescher, John Turturro, Pam Grier, Amy Heckerling, Roger Corman, Joe Morton, Ed Neil, John Sayles, Rob Zombie, John Cleese, Kevin Smith and Sean Young.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Joe Dante, Illeana Douglas, John Waters and Kevin Pollack talk about the all-time best cult movies in a three part series.  Clips from interviews with those who starred in the films are included.

  • Episode 1: Midnight Madness.
    Films covered include: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Pink Flamingos, The Big Lebowski, Eraserhead, The Warriors, Point Break, and Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!.

 

  • Episode 2: Horror and Sci-Fi
    Films covered include: Horror – Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead , The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The Evil Dead, The Devil’s Rejects, Re-Animator, The Human Centipede, Blade Runner, A Clockwork Orange, Death Race 2000, The Brother from Another Planet, Liquid Sky and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension.

 

  • Episode 3: Comedy and Camp
    Films covered include: Comedy – Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Office Space, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Napoleon Dynamite, Clerks, Kingpin and Super Troopers. Camp – The Room, Showgirls, Plan 9 From Outer Space, Glen or Glenda, Female Trouble, and Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Phantom of the Paradise.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Episode 1 brought back great memories of midnight showings that were popular in the 70s and 80s.  Films that never found an audience, got a second chance with these late night showings.  Fans of the films made them hits.

Episode 2 looks at films that often didn’t do great on their initial release due to bad or little marketing, but found a hard core audience over time.  This was my favorite episode — although I’ll never understand how (and hope to never see) The Human Centipede was greenlit.

Episode 3 explores cult comedies and camp films — movies so bad that they are “good”.  While I don’t think a movie can be so bad it becomes good, Ed Wood’s films are hard to not keep watching once you start.  It’s hard to believe that they’re not comedies and even better to watch with the right crowd.

Time Warp: The Best Cult Films of All-Time, Parts 1 – 3  (2020) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Cape Fear” Trailer is Here – starring starring Javier Bardem, Amy Adams, and Patrick Wilson!

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Here’s the trailer for the new Cape Fear mini-series debuting June 5th.

Do we really need a third Cape Fear?  I don’t know, but I asked the same question about the first remake.  But it turned out pretty well and I have high hopes for this reincarnation.

This summer, fear takes hold. Cape Fear premieres June 5 on Apple TV https://apple.co/_CapeFear

A thrilling new series from executive producers Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg starring Javier Bardem, Amy Adams, and Patrick Wilson.

Created for television by Nick Antosca.

Inspired by the 1991 remake directed by Martin Scorsese and produced by Steven Spielberg, a storm is coming for happily married attorneys Anna (Amy Adams) and Tom Bowden (Patrick Wilson) when Max Cady (Javier Bardem), the notorious killer they are responsible for putting behind bars, is let out of prison — and he wants vengeance.

Hailing from UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, and Amblin Television, “Cape Fear” is based on both the novel “The Executioners,” which inspired Gregory Peck’s Universal Pictures feature (1962) of the same name, as well as the acclaimed 1991 remake directed by Scorsese.

The series is executive produced by Steven Spielberg, who produced the 1991 film, alongside Scorsese.

Creator Nick Antosca showruns and produces alongside Alex Hedlund for Eat The Cat, and Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey produce alongside Spielberg for Amblin Television. Academy Award nominee Morten Tyldum will direct the pilot and serve as executive producer. The series is developed and produced through Antosca’s overall deal at UCP, where he’s been based since 2017.

“The Breed” (2001) starring Adrian Paul, Bokeem Woodbine and Bai Ling / Z-View

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The Breed (2001)

Director: Michael Oblowitz

Screenplay: Christos N. Gage, Ruth Fletcher

Stars: Adrian Paul, Bokeem Woodbine, Bai Ling, James Booth, Ming Lo, Paul Collins, Reed Diamond, John Durbin, Zen Gesner and William Hootkins.

Tagline: Vampires Live Amongst Us

The Plot…

Another time.  Another place.

Detective Stephen Grant’s partner is killed when the two are following leads on a recent series of bizarre murders.  The murderer, a tale pale man, is shot several times to no effect.  The killer escapes by climbing up a sheer building wall.

After Detective Grant files his report, he is brought in for a secret meeting.  Grant learns that the killer is a vampire.  Although reluctant to believe, Grant is introduced to his new partner, Detective Aaron Gray.  Detective Gray is also a vampire.

Grant learns that vampires live among us.  Most want to live among humans in peace.  To that end, they have made themselves known  to government leaders.  However a minority of vampires don’t trust humans.  The murderer is one of them.

Grant and Gray are assigned to track down the serial killing vampire and put an end to him.  What Grant and Gray don’t know is that a conspiracy to wipe-out all vampires is being put in place by humans distrustful of the vampires’ intent.

Neither the humans plotting to kill all vampires nor the vampires distrustful of humans want Detectives Grant and Gray to succeed.

That makes them expendable.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I like the premise and setting of the film.  Vampires living among us and wanting a peaceful integration while some vampires and humans are fearful of that seems logical.  Having the film take place in a recognizable but slightly different future worked for me.

The Breed is an interesting mash-up of a buddy movies, conspiracy films, horror, a touch of romance, sci-fi, and alternate reality that just misses the mark for being better than good.  But good isn’t bad.  I enjoyed The Breed, but hoped it would be better.

The Breed (2001) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Tear the Roof Off-the Untold Story of Parliament Funkadelic” (2016) / Z-View

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Tear the Roof Off-the Untold Story of Parliament Funkadelic (2016)

Director: Bobby J. Brown

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

In the late 1950s, George Clinton formed and led a doo-wop group he called The Parliaments.  In 1968, while leading The Parliaments, Clinton formed another group using the backup singers for The Parliaments.  This second band was named Funkadelic.

Seeing the popularity of the two bands, and using his experience as a producer-writer-frontman, Clinton moved to Detroit and talked the band members into coming along.  The Parliaments morphed from doo-wop to become a funk band with members creating sci-fi inspired personas.  Meanwhile Funkadelic developed a sound that blended funk with psychedelic rock.

As both bands popularity grew, so did Clinton’s influence over the band members.  Clinton ultimately combined both bands who performed under the named name Parliament-Funkadelic.  This new band, led by Clinton, had a rotating roster of musicians.  Clinton furthered his producing power by creating two female bands, Brides of Fukenstein and Parlet.

Clinton was on top of the world.  His bands were popular, they were creating hits and the money was rolling in.

But all was not good.  Allegations came that Clinton was using his power and influence to pay band members in drugs, partially or not at all.  Further allegations of female band members being sexually abused.

This is that story.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

When I was in high school Clinton’s funk bands were popular.  I liked some of their songs, but didn’t know much about them.  When I saw the trailer for the documentary I was intrigued.

Even the musicians claiming that Clinton did them wrong, also called him a great showman and a musical genius.  But as one band member said, “…a genius can be a liar and a thief.”  Another claimed his signature was forged on a contract.  A female singer said she was beaten and raped.

By the late 1970s, although these stories weren’t known by the general public, many (most?) of the band members left the group.  Casablanca Records, Clinton’s label folded due to financial problems.  In the early 80s,  Clinton had financial problems of his own as well as a drug problem.

Sadly, stories like George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic’s rise and fall happens all too often in showbiz.

Tear the Roof Off-the Untold Story of Parliament Funkadelic (2016) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Hondo”(1953) starring John Wayne, Geraldine Page, Ward Bond, Michael Pate and James Arness / Z-View

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Hondo (1953)

Director: John Farrow, John Ford (uncredited, final scenes only)

Screenplay: James Edward Grant; based on The Gift of Cochise by Louis L’Amour

Stars: John Wayne, Geraldine Page, Ward Bond, Michael Pate, Leo Gordon, Tom Irish, Lee Aaker, Paul Fix, Rayford Barnes,Frank McGrath, Chuck Roberson and James Arness.

Tagline: First she was afraid he’d stay—then she was afraid he wouldn’t.

The Plot…

Hondo Lane, a US Calvary dispatch rider, discovers a woman named Angie and her young son living alone on the frontier at the edge of Indian territory.  The woman says her husband is due back any day.  The truth is her husband has been gone for far too long.  He may be dead or perhaps he just took off.

Because the Apache Vittorio is threatening war, Hondo offers to take Angie and her son to the nearest Calvary fort.  Angie refuses.  She doesn’t believe the Apache will go to war.

She is wrong.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Hondo was nominated for two 1954 Academy Awards.

  • Nominee for Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Geraldine Page
  • Nominee Best Writing, Motion Picture Story – Louis L’Amour

Louis L’Amour won a nomination for Best Writing, Motion Picture Story.  Both L’Amour and the producer of Hondo questioned the honor.  They pointed out that the Hondo screenplay was based on L’Amour’s short story.  Therefore the nomination was withdrawn and only four films were list in this category on the final Oscar voting ballot.

Pal, the dog that played Sam, was the original screen Lassie.

John Wayne produced Hondo.  Wayne wanted Glenn Ford to star.  Ford didn’t care for director, John Farrow and turned down the opportunity.  So Wayne decided to take on the role.

John Ford directed the battle scenes at the end of the movie. John Farrow had to leave due to another film commitment. Ford, uncredited, took over as a favor to John Wayne.

Hondo was originally released in 3D.

Hondo gets better with every viewing.

Hondo (1953) rates 5 of 5 stars.