Category: Celebs

RIP – Felix Silla

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Felix Silla, whose acting career spanned 55 years, died yesterday after after a battle with pancreatic cancer.  While you may not instantly recognize Felix Silla’s name, you’ll be surprised at the number of roles you saw him play.

One of his most famous was as Cousin Itt in the tv series The Adams Family.  That wasn’t the only popular show that featured an appearance by Felix Silla.  He also had roles on: Bonanza, The Monkees, Petticoat Junction, The Girl from UNCLE and Star Trek.  Sila appeared in the movies Point Blank and Planet of the Apes.  He followed those roles as a regular cast member of HR Puffinstuff.

Other television highlights include: Bewitched, Night Gallery, Mary Hartman, Battlestar Gallactica, a regular role on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Mork & Mindy, and Married with Children.  Movie highlights include: The Black Bird, Demon Seed, Kentucky Fried Movie, Under the Rainbow, The Sting II, Meatballs II, Spaceballs and Batman Returns.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Felix Silla’s family, friends and fans.

Elvis Presley’s Graceland – Facts You Might Not Know!

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I like Elvis Presley’s music and maybe even a few of his movies.  So I’m not what you’d call an Elvis fanatic, but truth be told, I wouldn’t mind visiting Graceland.  There’d be something cool to be able to walk around in Elvis’ mansion (now a tourist hot spot) that has been kept like it was when Elvis lived there.  

Ellen Gutoskey posted 9 Rockin’ Facts About Elvis Presley’s Graceland and it was a fun read.  Before you click over for the full story, here are my three favorites…

ELVIS BOUGHT GRACELAND WHEN HE WAS ONLY 22 YEARS OLD.  (Elvis paid $102,500.00 for the mansion and almost 14 acres of land.  $102,500 in 1957 dollars equals $950,127.58 in 2021.  That shows you how popular and how much dough Elvis was bringing in at such an early stage in his career.  – Craig)

GRACELAND’S JUNGLE ROOM DOUBLED AS A RECORDING STUDIO.  (This is probably the most famous room in the mansion.  Elvis recorded his second to last studio album in the Jungle Room.  It’s cool to know that John Cougar Mellencamp, Kid Rock, and Lisa Marie Presley (Elvis’ daughter) also recorded albums in the Jungle Room. – Craig)

ELVIS KEPT GRACELAND’S KITCHEN STOCKED WITH VERY SPECIFIC ITEMS.  (A lot has been made over the years of Elvis’ love for fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches.  Other items that Elvis wanted to always be available included: banana pudding, ingredients for meatloaf, fudge cookies, fresh orange juice, ice cream, brownies, shredded coconut, hot dogs, ground round steak, biscuits, and gum. 

Looking at that list I’d  say: banana pudding only if it contained Nilla Wafers, meatloaf is a good idea for leftover sandwiches, I’d substitute chocolate chip for fudge cookies, fresh orange juice is good but with Elvis money I would have a McDonald’s Iced French Vanilla Coffee maker installed, ice cream is a must and make sure we have Hershey’s syrup, brownies are a big YES, pass on the shredded coconut, yes to hot dogs (all beef), yes to ground round steak, big YES to biscuits and pass on the gum. – Craig)

“Fast & Furious 9” – The Trailer is Here!

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The trailer for F9, the next in the Fast & Furious saga, is here.  It’s all that you’d expect.  There are the returning franchise stars, big-name new additions to the cast, a plot that takes the stakes even higher and stunts/special effects that are mind-blowing.  You’re either down with that or not.  Either way is fine.  As for me, I’ll put my brain on hold, fire up some popcorn and enjoy F9.

No matter how fast you are, no one outruns their past.

F9 is the ninth chapter in the Fast & Furious Saga, which has endured for two decades and has earned more than $5 billion around the world.

Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto is leading a quiet life off the grid with Letty and his son, little Brian, but they know that danger always lurks just over their peaceful horizon. This time, that threat will force Dom to confront the sins of his past if he’s going to save those he loves most. His crew joins together to stop a world-shattering plot led by the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever encountered: a man who also happens to be Dom’s forsaken brother, Jakob (John Cena, the upcoming The Suicide Squad).

F9 sees the return of Justin Lin as director, who helmed the third, fourth, fifth and sixth chapters of the series when it transformed into a global blockbuster. The action hurtles around the globe—from London to Tokyo, from Central America to Edinburgh, and from a secret bunker in Azerbaijan to the teeming streets of Tbilisi. Along the way, old friends will be resurrected, old foes will return, history will be rewritten, and the true meaning of family will be tested like never before.

The film stars returning cast members Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel and Sung Kang, with Oscar® winner Helen Mirren and Oscar® winner Charlize Theron. F9 also features Grammy-winning superstar Cardi B as new franchise character Leysa, a woman with a connection to Dom’s past, and a cameo by Reggaeton sensation Ozuna.

F9 is produced by Neal H. Moritz, Vin Diesel, Jeff Kirschenbaum, Joe Roth, Justin Lin, Clayton Townsend and Samantha Vincent. www.thefastsaga.com

Stallone, Lundgren, Biehn, Stevenson and Schwarzenegger: The Ultimate Team-Up!

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The other day we were talking about how huge a movie cross-over with John McClane (Die Hard) and Jack Bauer (24) would be.  Can you imagine a cross-over featuring Sly Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Michael Biehn, Ray Stevenson and Arnold Schwarzenegger reprising the roles as seen above?  Click on the photo to see a biggie-sized version.

Source: Nekro-comix.

Special Thanks to Big5Army (@Kirk Spencer AKA Pork Carnitas) for the heads-up!

“In Search of Tomorrow: The Definitive Sci-Fi Documentary” – The Trailer is Here!

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If you’re a fan of 80s sci-fi (and I’ll bet you are), you’ll want to check out the trailer to In Search of Tomorrow: The Definitive Sci-Fi Documentary.  I love seeing the stars (some we haven’t seen in a while) talking about the genre and standout sci-fi movies of the 80s.

In Search of Tomorrow is the upcoming long-form documentary about ‘80s sci-fi movies from CREATORVC, the minds behind ’80s horror documentary In Search of Darkness. Executive produced by Robin Block and written/directed by David Weiner (In Search of Darkness Parts I & II), In Search of Tomorrow features over 75+ celebrity, artist, and expert interviews as it dives deep into ’80s sci-fi cinema. To learn more about In Search of Tomorrow, please visit www.80sscifidoc.com.

“The Mosquito Coast” starring Justin Theroux and Melissa George – The Trailer is Here!

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I like this trailer for The Mosquito Coast starring Justin Theroux and Melissa George.

The Mosquito Coast is adapted from Paul Theroux’s best-selling novel of the same name and in 1986 had been made into a movie directed by Peter Weir, starring Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren and River Phoenix.  I’ve never read the book or seen the 1986 movie, but I’d be interested in seeing the latest mini-series adaptation.  Check out the trailer below and see if you don’t agree.

A brilliant rebel (Justin Theroux) and his wife (Melissa George) take their family on the run to protect them, but end up exposing them to more danger than ever. At every turn of their adventure, they encounter increasing threats and intensifying moral choices from which there’s no turning back. Watch April 30 exclusively on Apple TV+ https://apple.co/_MosquitoCoast

​Adapted from the best-selling novel by Paul Theroux, Mosquito Coast is executive produced by Neil Cross, Rupert Wyatt, Paul Theroux, Justin Theroux and Edward L. McDonnell. Alan Gasmer, Peter Jaysen and Bob Bookman also serve as executive producers for Veritas Entertainment Group. The series was developed by Neil Cross and Tom Bissell, created for television by Neil Cross, and is a Fremantle Production for Apple TV+

“Those Who Wish Me Dead” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The Those Who Wish Me Dead poster and trailer are here.  The poster is nice but, oh man!, that trailer is good.  It should be though, with the director and cast it has.    Those Who Wish Me Dead is now on my must-see list.

From New Line Cinema comes the thriller “Those Who Wish Me Dead,” starring Angelina Jolie and directed by Taylor Sheridan.
Oscar winner Jolie (“Girl, Interrupted,” the “Maleficent” films) stars as Hannah, a smoke jumper still reeling from the loss of three lives she failed to save from a fire when she comes across a traumatized 12-year-old boy with nowhere else to turn.
The film also stars Nicholas Hoult (the “X-Men” films), Finn Little (“Reckoning”), Aiden Gillen (“Game of Thrones,” “Peaky Blinders”), Medina Senghore (“Happy!”), Tyler Perry (“Vice,” “Gone Girl”), Jake Weber (“Midway,” “Homeland”), and Jon Bernthal (“Ford v Ferrari,” “Wind River”).
Oscar nominee Sheridan (“Hell or High Water,” “Wind River”) directed from a screenplay by Michael Koryta and Charles Leavitt and Sheridan, based on the book by Koryta. Steven Zaillian, Garrett Basch, Aaron L. Gilbert, Kevin Turen and Sheridan produced, with Steven Thibault, Ashley Levinson, Andria Spring, Jason Cloth, Richard McConnell, Kathryn Dean, Michael Friedman, Daria Cercek and Celia Khong executive producing.
The director’s behind-the-scenes creative team included his “Wind River” director of photography Ben Richardson, production designer Neil Spisak and costume designer Kari Perkins, and his “Yellowstone” editor Chad Galster and composer Brian Tyler.
New Line Cinema presents a BRON Studios/FILMRIGHTS Production, in Association with Creative Wealth Media, a Film by Taylor Sheridan, “Those Who Wish Me Dead.” It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures. The film is set for release in the U.S. in theaters and on HBO Max on May 14, 2021 and will be available on HBO Max for 31 days from release.
“Those Who Wish Me Dead” is rated R for strong violence, and language throughout.

The Twilight Zone: “It’s a Good Life” Trivia

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The Twilight Zone is one of my all-time favorite shows.  Some of the original TZ episodes rate with the best television has ever had to offer.  One of the most popular Twilight Zone episodes is “It’s a Good Life” which starred Billy Mummy as a little boy who could read minds and would destroy anyone or anything that displeased him.

MeTV posted 9 Little Details You Never Noticed in the Twilight Zone Episode ”It’s a Good Life”.  I was surprised by some of the facts listed.  Here are three and my thoughts on each before you click over.

It has the longest opening narrative in Twilight Zone history.  (Serling’s intro clocks in at 2 minutes which doesn’t sound like much, but when you consider that is 10% of the episode’s running time, it is quite a bit.  Still I wouldn’t change a word. – Craig)

They made a sequel in 2003. (The sequel appeared on the rebooted Twilight Zone tv series.  Both Billy Mummy and Cloris Leachman, as his mother, returned to reprise their roles.  I had no idea that there was a sequel!  I need to find and watch it. – Craig)

Rod Serling was working on a feature film adaptation when he died. (Sadly, Rod Serling died at such a young age.  I wonder if there is a surviving script?  It would be cool to at least know how he planned to handle the story for a feature length film. – Craig)

“Spiral: From the Book of Saw” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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I like both the poster and trailer for Spiral: From the Book of Saw.  The trailer is especially good.  I like the cast led by Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson.  I really liked the first Saw movie, but hardly remember those that followed it.  Perhaps Spiral will raise the bar.

A criminal mastermind unleashes a twisted form of justice in Spiral, the terrifying new chapter from the book of Saw. Working in the shadow of his father, an esteemed police veteran (Samuel L. Jackson), brash Detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks (Chris Rock) and his rookie partner (Max Minghella) take charge of a grisly investigation into murders that are eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past. Unwittingly entrapped in a deepening mystery, Zeke finds himself at the center of the killer’s morbid game.

Spiral stars Chris Rock, Max Minghella, Marisol Nichols, and Samuel L. Jackson, and is produced by the original Saw team of Mark Burg and Oren Koules. The film is directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by Josh Stolberg & Pete Goldfinger.

A Lionsgate release, Twisted Pictures presents, a Burg/Koules production.

“Wrath of Man” Directed by Guy Ritchie & Starring Jason Statham – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The Wrath of Man poster and trailer are here.  I’m disappointed in the poster.  For me, it doesn’t give the feel of the film.  Ah, but the trailer, I do love it.  Guy Ritchie directs a great cast that includes Jason Statham, Holt McCallany (we need to see more roles for this guy!) and Josh Harnett.

Deal me in.

Jason Statham and director Guy Ritchie are back in action. Watch the WRATH OF MAN trailer now and see it in theaters on MAY 7.

A mysterious and wild-eyed new cash truck security guard (Jason Statham) surprises his coworkers during a heist in which he unexpectedly unleashes precision skills. The crew is left wondering who he is and where he came from. Soon, the marksman’s ultimate motive becomes clear as he takes dramatic and irrevocable steps to settle a score.

Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Screenplay by: Guy Ritchie and Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies
Cast: Jason Statham, Holt McCallany, Jeffrey Donovan, Josh Hartnett, Laz Alonzo, Raúl Castillo, Deobia Oparei with Eddie Marsan and Scott Eastwood

RIP: Jessica Walter

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Jessica Walter, star of stage, television and movie screen for over 60 years died in her sleep on March 24th at the age of 80.  No cause of death was given.

I probably saw Jessica Walters for the first time in the premiere episode of Flipper.  I would have been five.  After that she appeared with regularity, guesting on many shows that I enjoyed: The Fugitive, The FBI, The Name of the Game, Mannix, The Immortal, Love American Style, Mission Impossible, Alias Smith & Jones and Medical Center — and those are just the shows I regularly watched, she appeared in many others.

Then in 1971, Jessica Walter appeared in the role that always comes first when I think of her.  She played Evelyn Draper, the psycho woman who becomes obsessed with Clint Eastwood in Play Misty for Me.  That role and that movie was well ahead of it’s time.  There’s a scene (and if you’ve seen the movie or the poster you know the one) where Walter literally caused me to yell out loud.  Thankfully, we were at the drive-in with just my family.  Walter was nominated for a  Best Actress Golden Globe for her performance.

Had Mrs. Walter’s only role been that in Play Misty For Me, it would have still warranted notice here.  After Play Misty For Me, Jessica Walter continued to alternate between television, feature films and stage roles always making everything she was in better for her being there.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jessica Walter’s family, friends and fans.