Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Michael Kronenberg is a man of many interests. Michael is into film noir, art, boxing (although not MMA) and more.
Recently Mike posted the Tweet above. I wasn’t aware that Ali was at one time going to fight Wilt Chamberlain. I have to agree with Ali’s prediction had he fought Chamberlain. “Timber” indeed!
Diversions of the Groovy Kind recently turned their sights to Mr. Miracle and the splash pages drawn by Marshall Rogers and Michael Golden. They are more than worth a look.
Mark Mancini and the Mental_Floss present 14 Campy Facts About Ed Wood. Here are three of my favorites…
1. IT’S THE BRAINCHILD OF FORMER COLLEGE ROOMMATES.
In 1981, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski—both freshmen at the USC School of Cinema-Television—met each other in a cafeteria line, hit it off immediately, and arranged to become roommates. During their senior year, the duo began joining forces on an assortment of screenwriting projects, kicking off a partnership that continues to this day. Together, they have co-written Problem Child (1990), The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996), Man on the Moon (1999), and Big Eyes (2014). On the small screen, they also developed the hit FX series American Crime Story, which recently completed its first season with The People v. O. J. Simpson.
Before graduating from USC in 1985, Alexander and Karaszewski briefly considered making a documentary on history’s most enigmatic director, Edward D. Wood, Jr. Although this project went unrealized, they eventually returned to the subject. In 1992, author Rudolph Grey published Ed Wood: Nightmare of Ecstasy (The Life and Art of Edward D. Wood, Jr.), a thoroughly researched oral biography of Wood and his work. The book inspired Alexander and Karaszewski to pen a 10-page story treatment for a new biopic about the eccentric, cross-dressing auteur.
3. COLUMBIA PICTURES DROPPED THE FILM AFTER BURTON INSISTED ON SHOOTING IT IN BLACK AND WHITE.
One month before production began, Ed Wood hit a snag. Burton was fortunate enough to hire his first choice for the role of Bela Lugosi, actor Martin Landau, and makeup artist Rick Baker made Landau look uncannily similar to the Hungarian movie star. Nevertheless, after watching the first color tests, something felt a bit off. That’s when everyone realized that they’d only ever seen black-and-white photographs of Lugosi. Immediately, Burton decided that Ed Wood couldn’t be filmed in color.
The movie was being developed by Columbia Pictures, whose higher-ups disagreed with Burton’s decision to shoot in black and white. “They were saying, ‘Look, we can’t get our cable money, we can’t get our foreign video money, we won’t be able to exploit the movie in a lot of markets if it’s in black-and-white,” Alexander recalled. Still, Burton held firm. Realizing he wouldn’t budge, Columbia abandoned the picture. Fortunately, Disney was there to pick it up—and allowed Burton to follow his creative instincts.
9. PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE’S LEADING MAN IS IN IT.
Although he appeared in more than 30 movies and worked with visionaries like Steven Spielberg and John Ford, Gregory Walcott is chiefly remembered for playing the main character in Plan 9 From Outer Space. “It’s enough to drive a puritan to drink!” Walcott vented in 1998. Regardless, when Tim Burton’s Ed Wood came around, he made a quick cameo as a prospective investor in one scene. The film marked Walcott’s final film appearance; the actor passed away in 2015.
Each Dawn I Die (1939)
Director: William Keighley
Screenplay: Norman Reilly Raine and Warren Duff based on the novel by Jerome Odlum
Stars: James Cagney, George Raft, Jane Bryan
The Pitch: “Hey, let’s make a prison drama!”
Tagline: Slugging their way to adventure!
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
When newspaper reporter Frank Ross exposed government corruption he is framed for a manslaughter charge and sent to prison. Holding out hope for evidence to exonerate him, Ross is beaten down by the system (not to mention the prison guards). Seeing no other way out, Ross teams with infamous gangster Stacey (Raft).
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If you’re a fan of fanzines, then you’ve got to check out Ken Meyer, Jr.’s monthly column Ink Stains. Each month Ken (who is an amazing artist) posts… well, let’s let Ken explain…
I have a collection of over 200 fanzines from the 60’s-80’s that I plan to scan and talk about, one at a time. I hope to have some of the participants answer a few questions. Many of those participants are established comics professionals now, while some have gone on to other things. I will show a few snippets from each zine and give you a link to download a pdf of the whole thing, which I hope all of you will do!
For Ink Stains 32, Ken took a look at Phase [Part 1 of 3 is linked] from 1971. Published by Phase Publications/Sal Q.
Until Ken’s post, I had never seen or even heard of Phase. It’s an interesting argument that Phase isn’t really a fanzine, it’s a prozine. Look at the names of those who contributed to Phase – Neal Adams, Mike Kaluta, Berni Wrightson, Tony DeZuniga, Rich Buckler, Ken Barr, Frank Brunner, Jeff Jones, Gerry Conway, Ernie Colon, Tom Sutton and more! Keep in mind that in most cases we’re not talking just spot illos but full stories!
I’d say that although the contributors are pros, they’re also fans. Don’t we have better nits to pick?
Ah, the memories of the glory days of fanzines. Thanks to Ken Meyer, Jr. for making these available!
Marnie (1964)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Screenplay: Jay Presson Allen based on the novel by Winston Graham
Stars: Tippi Hedren, Sean Connery, Martin Gabel, Diane Baker, Alan Napier and Bruce Dern.
The Pitch: “Hey, Hitchcock wants to make ‘Marnie’!”
Tagline: On Marnie’s wedding night he discovered every secret about her . . . except one!
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Wealthy businessman, Mark Rutledge (Connery) falls in love with a beautiful pathological liar and thief (Hendren) when she tries to steal from his company. Rather than turn her over to the police he decides to find the origin of her compulsions.
This film has all of Hitchcock’s flourishes but falls way short of his best for me.
Rating:
I remember when I first saw this Mike Zeck frontpiece for Savage Sword of Conan. It made me want my own Zeck Conan art and so Conan was the first sketch I ever got from Mr. Z.
One of the things I’ve al love about the ole Savage Sword of Conan magazines were the different artists who appeared there. Diversions of the Groovy Kind posted the Mike Zeck piece above along with Conan riffs by Ron Wilson and Joe Rubinstein, Carl Potts and Neal Adams, Keith Pollard, Don Newton, Pat Broderick and Kerry Gammil.
Looking for Danger (1957)
Director: Austen Jewell
Screenplay: Elwood Ullman
Stars: Huntz Hall, Stanley Clements and Lili Kardell
The Pitch: “Hey, let’s do another Bowery Boys movie!”
Tagline: It’s a royal delight when Sach crashes the Sultan’s harem and teaches the gals with the seven veils to rock ‘n roll!
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
The boys remember the time during the war when they were sent to spy behind enemy lines in an Arabian land disguised as Nazis.
Rating:
Rory Kurtz killed it on his take on a Drive poster which is also available as a limited edition print.
Source: Mondo.
Of Mice and Men (1939)
Director: Lewis Milestone
Screenplay: Eugene Solow based on the novel by John Steinbeck
Stars: Lon Chaney Jr., Burgess Meredith, Betty Field, Charles Bickford, Roman Bohnen, Bob Steele and Noah Beery Jr.
The Pitch: “Hey, let’s turn Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men into a movie!”
Tagline: A mighty novel! A sensational stage success! Now! The year’s most important picture!
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
George (Chaney, Jr.) and Lennie (Meredith) are old buddies who travel from farm to ranch looking for work just barely getting by during the depression. George is a strong giant of a man with the brain of a child. Lennie constantly looks after George whose strength and lack of mental aptitude is always getting him them in trouble. Although they dream of one day owning their own little place, it will probably never happen.
George and Lennie get work on a ranch owned by a mean old man and his son, Curley (Steele). Curley takes an instant dislike to George. Curley distrusts all the men on the ranch because of his attractive wife (Field), but he especially hates large men. Lennie warns George to stay away from both Curley and his wife. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean that they will stay away from him.
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Check out this very cool Enter the Dragon poster created by Grzegorz Domaradzki.
The Birds (1963)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Screenplay: Evan Hunter from The Birds by Daphne Du Maurier
Stars: Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Suzanne Pleshette, Jessica Tandy, Charles McGraw, Ruth McDevitt, Lonny Chapman, Joe Mantell, Malcolm Atterbury, John McGovern, Karl Swenson, Richard Deacon, Elizabeth Wilson, Bill Quinn, Doreen Lang, Alfred Hitchcock and Veronica Cartwright.
Tagline: Suspense and shock beyond anything you have seen or imagined!
The Plot…
Something strange is happening in Bodega Bay.
Birds have randomly attacked individuals. At first it is thought to be a coincidence. Then a farmer is found dead, with his eyes pecked out and other wounds that appear to be caused by birds.
And now the birds are gathering…
Thoughts (Beware of spoilers)…
Another classic from the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. This is one of a few movies I was always allowed to stay up and watch even on a school night as a kid.
Most of the birds seen in the film are real. Hitchcock said that 3,200 birds were used during filming. They were combined with mechanical birds and special effects. Hitchcock used several effects houses including MGM, Disney and FOX.
Hitchcock wanted the film to close with out a “The End” title card to leave the audience with a sense of unresolved terror.
The Bodega Bay school house where scenes were filmed was reportedly haunted. When Hitchcock was told this he was thrilled to be filming there.
Hitchcock’s movie and Du Maurier’s story only share a bayside town setting and birds attacking humans. Du Maurier’s story takes place in Britain with a man protecting his wife and two children at their isolated cottage.
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Empire Online presents The 50 Greatest Action Movies. It’s not a bad list. I’ve seen 43 of the 50. Keeping that in mind, here are, in alpha order, my ten favorite action movies using just the movies on their list…
Narrowing down the list was tough. I tried to eliminate some movies if they were more drama or sci-fi than action. With that said, this list is still pretty subjective. A movie that would have made the list had it been a choice would have been Rambo.
Any thoughts?
Backtrack (2015)
Director: Michael Petroni
Screenplay: Michael Petroni
Stars: Adrien Brody, Jenni Baird and Bruce Spence
The Pitch: “Hey, let’s make a ghost movie with Adrien Brody!”
Tagline: Nothing haunts like the past.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Psychologist Peter Bower (Brody) is having a terrible time dealing with the death of his daughter. He was teaching her to ride a bike when he became distracted and she was struck by a truck and killed. Bower begins to have dreams of the dead and even starts to see them while awake.
As Bower sorts out the meaning of his visions, he also tries to remember what distracted him and lead to the death of his daughter. Bower believes that they are linked. Following the clues, he returns to his boyhood home and a secret that ties it all together.
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Me-TV presents 11 Tiny Errors You Never Noticed in The Andy Griffith Show. Here are three of my favorites…
ANDY REFLECTS – “The Bookie Barber”
Outside the barber shop, Andy tells Barney that one of his ears is longer than the other. After the quip, he walks off camera, presumably down the street. However, as soon as he exits the frame, watch the glass of the shop window. In the reflection, you can see Griffith immediately stop and hunch over, presumably under the camera. He awkwardly stands there for the rest of the shot.
TUBA – “The Mayberry Band”
You can see the reflection of the film crew and equipment in Andy’s tuba. Though warped around the curve of the horn, it’s an interesting glimpse at the set, as you can see ladders and rigging.
BARNEY IS PLUGGED IN, TOO – “Opie the Bird Man”
A handful of episodes later, another microphone cable can be spotted, running up Don Knotts’ pant leg. Look for it in an overhead shot, when Andy and Barney talk to Opie, who has climbed up a tree.
