“Dracula” (1979) starring Frank Langella, Laurence Olivier, Donald Pleasence & Kate Nelligan / Z-View

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Dracula (1979)

Director: John Badham

Screenplay by: W. D. Richter based on DRACULA by Bram Stoker and Dracula (1924 play) by Hamilton Deane
and John L. Balderston

Starring: Frank Langella, Laurence Olivier, Donald Pleasence, Kate Nelligan and Trevor Eve.

Tagline: Throughout history, he has filled the hearts of men with terror, and the hearts of women with desire.

The Story:

The ship, the Demeter, is found floating just off shore.  All of the crew have been murdered.  Count Dracula (Langella) is the only passenger to survive.  He’s unable to explain what happened.

Dr. Jack Seward (Pleasence) hosts a dinner party to welcome the charming new arrival to their community.  Dracula tells them that he has come to England to partake of all that life offers.  Lucy Seward (Nelligan) finds herself attracted to Dracula, despite being engaged to Jonathan Harker (Eve) who is there with her.  What nobody knows is that Dracula is a vampire with plans to make Lucy his bride.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

I saw Dracula when it was first released in 1979.  I’ve rewatched it a few times since.  I liked it best on the initial viewing.  Since then I’ve found this version’s focus on making Dracula more of a lover weakens the character.

I also find the supporting characters in this version less interesting.  Reinfeld should be pathetic and sometimes scary.  This version’s Renfield is just gross.  The relationship between Harker and Lucy doesn’t have chemistry.  When she shows an interest in Dracula, Harker doesn’t look more than a little peeved.  The audience doesn’t have a lot of, pardon the expression, “stake” in what happens between them.  Finally, Dracula should be menacing.  He should be frightening. When he enters a room, men should get a feeling that a apex predator is among them. Here he looks like he would be more at home in a disco than a castle.

In the play Dracula, the two main females’ names are inverted. Mina becomes Lucy and Lucy, Mina.  Director John Badham also inverted the names.  His rationale?  He “felt like Mina was a dopey name and that Lucy was kind of a nice name.”

Frank Langella is quoted as saying that Sir Laurence Olivier only took the part because he needed the money.  It is also reported that Olivier would only appear in the film if his character was killed.  That way he wouldn’t be brought back for a sequel. Donald Pleasence said in an interview: “We had a really good time but it was an awful film…Larry (Olivier) and I did it for a laugh.”  Sometimes it is hard to love a film that the actors hold in such low regard.

“That’s the Spirit” (1933) starring Noble Sissle, Cora La Redd, F.E. Miller & Mantan Moreland / Z-View

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That’s the Spirit (1933)

Director: Roy Mack

Screenplay by:  Unknown

Starring: Noble Sissle, Mantan Moreland, F. E. Miller, Buster Bailey, Cora La Redd

Tagline:  None.

The Story:

F.E. Miller and Mantan Moreland play two night watchmen assigned to a pawn shop rumored to be haunted.  The rumors are true. As Miller and Moreland look on, small figures come alive and perform.  Ghosts make appearances.  Miller and Moreland are supposed to protect the pawn shop… but who will protect them?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

That’s the Spirit is a short featuring an all black cast.  It is thought to be Mantan Moreland’s first film appearance. That alone makes it worth a watch.  That’s the Spirit  also features some of the finest musical / dance performers of the day, No wonder one fan said it was “one of the greatest all-black jazz shorts ever made.”

Opening Scene from “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” starring Kurt Russell & Wyatt Russell!

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Deal me in.

John Goodman reprises his role from Kong: Skull Island as Monarch official Bill Randa in this kaiju-packed opening scene from the Apple TV+ series.

Following the thunderous battle between Godzilla and the Titans that leveled San Francisco, and the shocking revelation that monsters are real, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters tracks two siblings following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to the secretive organization known as Monarch.

Clues lead them into the world of monsters and ultimately down the rabbit hole to Army officer Lee Shaw (played by Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell), taking place in the 1950s and half a century later where Monarch is threatened by what Shaw knows. The dramatic saga – spanning three generations – reveals buried secrets and the ways that epic, earth-shattering events can reverberate through our lives.

Hailing from Legendary Television, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is co-developed and executive produced by Chris Black and Matt Fraction. Matt Shakman directs the first two episodes and serves as executive producer alongside Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell from Safehouse Pictures, Andy Goddard, Brad Van Arragon, and Andrew Colville. Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita executive produce on behalf of Toho Co., Ltd., the owner of the Godzilla character. Toho licensed the rights to Legendary for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters as a natural byproduct of their long-term relationship with the film franchise.

Starring Kurt Russell, Wyatt Russell, Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett and Elisa Lasowski, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters‘ premieres globally with the first two episodes on Friday, November 17 on Apple TV+, followed by one episode every Friday through January 12.

“Bye Bye Barry” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Barry Sanders is one of the greatest running backs in NFL history.  Some folks even place him above Jim Brown and Gayle Sayers.  Although a Chicago Bears fan my whole life, I loved watching the Detroit Lions when Barry Sanders played.

Deal me in.

Bye Bye Barry is the long-awaited, feature-length documentary that reveals, in intimate detail, the unprecedented journey of Detroit Lions running back, Barry Sanders. One of the giants of American Football, Sanders displayed a style and flair that has never been replicated. But at the peak of his game, Sanders did the unthinkable. At age 31, he walked away from the game, never to return. Twenty-four years after the decision to retire from the NFL, Bye Bye Barry tackles one of the greatest mysteries in sports history: Why did he retire when he did?

“Around the World” (1943) starring Kay Kyser, Mischa Auer & Joan Davis / Z-View

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Around the World (1943)

Director:  Allan Dwan

Screenplay by:  Ralph Spence

Starring: Kay Kyser, Mischa Auer, Joan Davis, Wally Brown, Alan Carney, M.A. Bogue,  Georgia Carroll, Chester Conklin, Barbara Hale and Marcy McGuire.

Tagline: The musical that’s going places – and momma does she move!

The Story:

World War II is underway.  Kay Kyser takes his band on a tour of military bases around the world to entertain our troops with song, comedy and pretty girls.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Kay Kyser and his band were popular on radio, feature films and television.  Kyser combined real musical talent with comedy and wasn’t afraid to let members of his troupe shine.  Around the World is filled with songs interspersed with one liners, sight gags, double talk and musical silliness.  Oh, and there’s a story that runs through the different stops.  It has a surprisingly sad, yet inspirational ending.

“Top Secret!” (1984) directed by Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, starring Val Kilmer / Z-View

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Top Secret! (1984)

Director:  Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker

Screenplay by:  Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker, Martyn Burke

Starring: Val Kilmer, Lucy Gutteridge, Omar Sharif, Jeremy Kemp, Warren Clarke, Ian McNeice,  Michael Gough and Peter Cushing.

Tagline: Shhh!

The Story:

While on tour in East Germany (a very Nazi-like place), rock-and-roll superstar, Nick Rivers (Kilmer) falls in love and is drawn into international intrigue.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

I put off seeing Top Secret! for years decades because of less than stellar reviews.  Recently I saw a clip of Val Kilmer, Lucy Gutteridge and Peter Cushing in the Swedish bookstore scene.  The scene was staged so that it could run backwards in the movie.  The end result is English dialogue playing backwards for Swedish and the actors pulling off very interesting effects. Check out the scene and see what I mean.  I thought that was extremely clever, so I decided to give the movie a chance.

There are sight-gags galore.  I was surprised/amused by the abuse that Omar Sharif took.  The cow-disguise and the underwater fight scenes were worth the price of admission.  If I was to pick any nits, I’d say take out a song or two and add more silliness.  Still, if you’re a fan of Airplane-type humor, then you’d probably enjoy Top Secret!.

“Fargo: Installment 5” – The Teaser – “You’re In Trouble” is Here!

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Deal me in!

“This is all just a misunderstanding.” Installment 5 of FX’s Fargo premieres 11.21 on FX. Stream on Hulu.

The latest installment of Fargo is set in Minnesota and North Dakota, 2019. After an unexpected series of events lands “Dorothy ‘Dot’ Lyon” (Juno Temple) in hot water with the authorities, this seemingly typical Midwestern housewife is suddenly plunged back into a life she thought she had left behind.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” – The Trailer is Here!

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Deal me in!

Director Wes Ball breathes new life into the global, epic, franchise set several generations in the future following Caesar’s reign, in which apes are the dominant species living harmoniously and humans have been reduced to living in the shadows. As a new tyrannical ape leader builds his empire, one young ape undertakes a harrowing journey that will cause him to question all that he has known about the past and to make choices that will define a future for apes and humans alike.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is directed by Wes Ball (the “Maze Runner” trilogy) and stars Owen Teague (“IT”), Freya Allan (“The Witcher”), Kevin Durand (Locke & Key”), Peter Macon (“Shameless”), and William H. Macy (“Fargo”). The screenplay is by Josh Friedman (“War of the Worlds”) and Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver (“Avatar: The Way of Water”) and Patrick Aison (“Prey”), based on characters created by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver, and the producers are Wes Ball, Joe Hartwick, Jr. (“The Maze Runner”), Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver, Jason Reed (“Mulan”), with Peter Chernin (the “Planet of the Apes” trilogy) and Jenno Topping (“Ford v. Ferrari”) serving as executive producers.

“Shōgun” – The Trailer is Here!

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Deal me in!

FX’s Shōgun – OFFICIAL TRAILER | An epic saga of war, passion, and power set in Feudal Japan. Coming February 2024 on Hulu and FX.

Based on James Clavell’s novel, FX’s Shōgun is set in Japan in the year 1600 at the dawn of a century-defining civil war. Lord Yoshii Toranaga is fighting for his life as his enemies on the Council of Regents unite against him, when a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a nearby fishing village.

“The Bride of Frankenstein” (1935) directed by James Whale, starring Boris Karloff, Colin Clive & Elsa Lanchester / Z-View

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The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Director:  James Whale

Screenplay by:  William Hurlbut, story by William Hurlbut, John L. Balderston based on premise suggested by FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Starring: Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Elsa Lanchester, Valerie Hobson, Ernest Thesiger,  Gavin Gordon, Douglas Walton, E.E. Clive, Dwight Frye, Billy Barty, Walter Brennan, John Carradine and Una O’Connor.

Tagline: A BRIDE FOR THE MONSTER COMES TO LIFE IN A SCIENTIST’S LABORATORY!

The Story: 

The Bride of Frankenstein picks up immediately where Frankenstein ended.  Miraculously, although severely injured, Henry Frankenstein (Clive) is not dead. As the crowd breaks up, some carry Henry back home to recover.  Meanwhile the monster, also thought to be dead, has survived the destruction of the windmill.  It climbs out and begins to wander the countryside.

Once healthy enough, Henry pays a visit to his friend Doctor Pretorius (Thesiger).  Pretorius shares results of his experiments and encourages Henry to continue efforts to create living creatures from cadavers.  Henry is hesitant.  Despite Pretorius’ pleas, Henry refuses.

Things heat up when the monster returns, Pretorius prevails and Henry is forced to create The Bride of Frankenstein.  We learn there’s one thing worse than an upset bride.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

It’s rare that a sequel is better than the original.  The Bride of Frankenstein is one of those rare ones.

Universal wanted a follow up after the success of Frankenstein.  Director James Whale was hesitant to return.  It took four years and multiple writers to come up with a suitable script.  Once Whale and the script were in place, Karloff, Clive and Frye returned to reprise their roles.

Elsa Lanchester isn’t listed in the opening credits instead a ? is used to name who was playing the Bride. The same was done in Frankenstein when a ? was listed instead of Karloff’s name as the actor playing The Monster.  Despite being the title character the Bride only appears for a few minutes at the very end of the film.

The scene where Henry visits Doctor Pretorius and is shown the little people he created has always seemed a bit out of place to me.

The Bride of Frankenstein has more humor than the original, but the balance is right and it doesn’t detract from the film.  I’m looking at you, Una O’Connor.

There are some surprising uncredited cameos in The Bride of Frankenstein. Billy Barty plays a baby, while Walter Brennan and John Carradine show up as town folk.

The Beatles’ “Now and Then” Short Film Trailer is Here!

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I’m excited to hear the new single and looking forward to the short documentary.

Now and Then’s eventful journey to fruition took place over five decades and is the product of conversations and collaborations between the four Beatles that go on to this day. The long mythologised John Lennon demo was first worked on in February 1995 by Paul, George and Ringo as part of The Beatles Anthology project but it remained unfinished, partly because of the impossible technological challenges involved in working with the vocal John had recorded on tape in the 1970s. For years it looked like the song could never be completed. But in 2022 there was a stroke of serendipity. A software system developed by Peter Jackson and his team, used throughout the production of the documentary series Get Back, finally opened the way for the uncoupling of John’s vocal from his piano part.

As a result, the original recording could be brought to life and worked on anew with contributions from all four Beatles. This remarkable story of musical archaeology reflects The Beatles’ endless creative curiosity and shared fascination with technology. It marks the completion of the last recording that John, Paul and George and Ringo will get to make together and celebrates the legacy of the foremost and most influential band in popular music history.

“Frankenstein” (1931) directed by James Whale, starring Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, Boris Karloff & Dwight Frye / Z-View

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Frankenstein (1931)

Director:  James Whale

Screenplay by:  Garrett Fort, Francis Edward Faragoh based on FRANKENSTEIN by Mary Shelley

Starring: Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, Boris Karloff, Edward Van Sloan, Dwight Frye and Marilyn Harris.

Tagline: The Man Who Made A Monster!

The Story: 

Dr. Henry Frankenstein (Clive) dreams of creating a living being from body parts stolen from cadavers.  Frankenstein’s hunchbacked assistant, Fritz (Frye) steals the corpses of  recently hung criminals.  When Frankenstein achieves success, his creation becomes uncontrollable.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Although based on Mary Shelley’s famous novel, the movie uses her story as a springboard.  The “monster” looks different than Shelley described thanks to make-up artist Jack P. Pierce.  Universal copyrighted the look through 2026.  In the novel the “monster” is intelligent and able to carry on conversations.  It was quite a shock for me as a kid reading the novel after seeing the movie.

Although Boris Karloff isn’t listed in the opening credits, and is covered by heavy makeup throughout the film, Frankenstein made him a star!