“Paradise Alley” (1978) written, directed and starring Sylvester Stallone / Z-View

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Paradise Alley (1978)

Director: Sylvester Stallone

Screenplay: Sylvester Stallone

Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Lee Canalito, Armand Assante, Frank McRae, Anne Archer, Kevin Conway, Terry Funk, Joyce Ingalls, Joe Spinell, Aimee Eccles, Tom Waits, Frank Pesce, Ray Sharkey, Frank Stallone, Ted DiBiase, Dory Funk Jr., Don Leo Jonathan, Gene Kiniski, Dick Murdoch, Ray Stevens  and Paul Mace.

Tagline:  Three brothers… One had the brains, one had the muscle and one had the suit. Together they had a million dollar dream.

The Plot…

The Carboni brothers, Lenny (Assante), Cosmo (Stallone) and Victor (Canalito) are just getting by.  Lenny, who returned from the war a hero with a limp, is an undertaker.  Cosmo lives by his wits, always looking for a fast buck.  Victor hauls ice.

After an evening in Paradise Alley where real (not scripted) wrestling matches take place, Cosmo gets an idea.  Victor could become a professional wrestler with Cosmo as his manager.  Lenny sees that Cosmo has a good idea, but fears that Victor could be exploited.  Victor likes the idea of the brothers working together so Lenny becomes his manager and Cosmo his trainer.

Victor becomes a popular, winning wrestler.  This puts him in the crosshairs of Stitch Mahone and Frankie the Thumper.  Stitch is a local mobster and Thumper is a big dumb brute who happens to be an undefeated wrestler.  As Cosmo begins to have concerns that Victor is being pushed to fight to often, Lenny starts working on a fight with Frankie the Thumper.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Sly Stallone wrote, directed, starred in and sang the title song for Paradise Alley.  It was his directorial debut.

Paradise Alley was Terry Funk’s, Lee Canalito’s and Tom Waits’ feature film debut.

Frank McRae as Big Glory and Terry Funk as Frankie the Thumper own their scenes.

The final wrestling match in the Paradise Alley ring during a pouring thunderstorm is amazing.

I rate Paradise Alley higher than most folks.  Keep in mind that I am a huge Sly Stallone fan.  Your mileage may vary.

Paradise Alley (1978) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Desperation Road” starring Garret Hedlund & Mel Gibson – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Desperation Road is one to keep an eye on.  Great source material, starring Garret Tulsa King Hedlund and co-starring Mel Gibson.  Yeah, deal me in.

In a small Mississippi town, justice and the law are two very different things. Academy Award Winner Mel Gibson (Braveheart), Garret Hedlund (TRON: Legacy), and Willa Fitzgerald (Scream: The TV Series) star in a modern noir thriller based on the acclaimed novel by Michael Farris Smith about two lost souls tortured by the mistakes of their past and bound by a secret that keeps them running.

RELEASE DATE: October 6

CAST: Mel Gibson, Garrett Hedlund, and Willa Fitzgerald

BE USEFUL by Arnold Schwarzenegger!

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Arnold Schwarzenegger has a free daily newsletter.  It’s full of short valuable tips on physical & mental health as well as a peak behind the curtain to see what Arnold is reading, watching and thinking.  Arnold also has a new book coming out on October 10th.  It’s called BE USEFUL.  Here’s the lowdown…

The seven rules to follow to realize your true purpose in life—distilled by Arnold Schwarzenegger from his own journey of ceaseless reinvention and extraordinary achievement, and available for absolutely anyone

The world’s greatest bodybuilder. The world’s highest-paid movie star. The leader of the world’s sixth-largest economy. That these are the same person sounds like the setup to a joke, but this is no joke. This is Arnold Schwarzenegger. And this did not happen by accident.

Arnold’s stratospheric success happened as part of a process. As the result of clear vision, big thinking, hard work, direct communication, resilient problem-solving, open-minded curiosity, and a commitment to giving back. All of it guided by the one lesson Arnold’s father hammered into him above all: be useful. As Arnold conquered every realm he entered, he kept his father’s adage close to his heart.

Written with his uniquely earnest, blunt, powerful voice, Be Useful takes readers on an inspirational tour through Arnold’s tool kit for a meaningful life. He shows us how to put those tools to work, in service of whatever fulfilling future we can dream up for ourselves. He brings his insights to vivid life with compelling personal stories, life-changing successes and life-threatening failures alike—some of them famous; some told here for the first time ever.

Too many of us struggle to disconnect from our self-pity and connect to our purpose. At an early age, Arnold forged the mental tools to build the ladder out of the poverty and narrow-mindedness of his rural Austrian hometown, tools he used to add rung after rung from there. Now he shares that wisdom with all of us. As he puts it, no one is going to come rescue you—you only have yourself. The good news, it turns out, is that you are all you need.

“Night of the Living Dead” (1968) directed by George Romero / Z-View

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Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Director: George A. Romero

Screenplay: John Russo, George A. Romero

Stars: Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea, Karl Hardman, Marilyn Eastman, Keith Wayne, Judith Ridley, Kyra Schon, S. William Hinzman, Bill Cardille, John A. Russo, Russell Streiner and George A. Romero.

Tagline:  They won’t stay dead!

The Plot…

When the dead suddenly begin reanimating with a craving for human flesh, a group of strangers find themselves together in a deserted farmhouse.  As the group argues about their best moves for survival, the dead continue to gather outside!  Soon the farmhouse will be overrun.  The clock is ticking.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Night of the Living Dead, shot on a shoestring budget with most of the cast taking their first acting roles, reinvented and revitalized zombie movies.  Investors in the film, many of the people who worked on the film behind the scenes and some of locals ended up taking on-screen roles as well.

Although NotLD is one of the most profitable independent films of all-time.  Sadly, George Romero didn’t see much of the profits due to his little understanding of distribution deals.  To make matters worse, the film was released with no copyright notice which at the time placed it in the public domain.  Anyone or any company could make a sell copies of the movie with no proceeds going to George Romero or his investors.  That’s why there are so many crappy versions available.

NotLD takes place on the first day of a zombie apocalypse.  No one knows what is going on or the best course of action.  One of the interesting aspects of NotLD is that Harry Cooper argues that everyone is safer in the basement.  Cooper is the least likeable of the group and a different course of action is taken.  Turns out Cooper’s idea was the best.

Night of the Living Dead (1968) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“War of the Colossal Beast” (1958) produced and directed by Bert I. Gordon / Z-View

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War of the Colossal Beast (1958)

Director: Bert I. Gordon

Screenplay: George Worthing Yates, story by Bert I. Gordon

Stars: Sally Fraser, Duncan ‘Dean’ Parkin, Russ Bender, Jack Kosslyn and Rico Alaniz.

Tagline:  The towering terror from hell!

The Plot…

When it is learned that Glenn Manning aka The Amazing Colossal Man is alive, the Army captures him for further study.  Manning was caught in the fallout from an atomic bomb test.  Although Manning survived the blast, radiation caused him to grow 60 feet tall.  Now horribly disfigured and brain damaged, Manning is a threat who may be beyond curing.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

War of the Colossal Beast is the sequel to The Amazing Colossal Man released a year earlier.

The movie gets more exciting once the army captures the Amazing Colossal Man.  A word of warning:  Be very careful should you ever give a giant an injection.  The scenes at the end outside the observatory are the best.  The last minute or so of the film appears in color and the change is effective.

War of the Colossal Beast (1958) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Terminator 2: Judgement Day” starring Sly Stallone by G.R. David!

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G.R. David created this al poster for Terminator 2: Judgement Day starring Sly Stallone.  Let’s let David explain…

What if Sylvester Stallone had been the Terminator? Actually, he was! That happened in an alternative universe in one of the best scenes from Schwarzenegger’s movie “Last Action Hero” (one of the most underrated action movie of all time). In this movie there are a lot of funny Easter Eggs and cameos, and the Blockbuster Video Store scene in particular is the funniest by far.

I did many years ago a poster photomontage of the display that appears in that scene. Now, I’ve drawn the poster. It must be stated that it is not a replica of that display; I clearly made some changes (a different Stallone’s face adding sunglasses and just his surname at the top of the poster).

You can see more of G.R. David’s art at his Instagram page.

“Ice Station Zebra” (1968) starring Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, Patrick McGoohan & Jim Brown / Z-View

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Ice Station Zebra (1968)

Director: John Sturges

Screenplay: Douglas Heyes, Harry Julian Fink, W. R. Burnett based on Ice Station Zebra by Alistair MacLean

Stars: Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, Patrick McGoohan, Jim Brown, Tony Bill, Lloyd Nolan, Gerald S. O’Loughlin, Ted Hartley, Ron Masak, Sherwood Price, John Orchard, William O’Connell, Michael T. Mikler and Jonathan Goldsmith.

Tagline:  An American nuclear sub. a sky full of Russian paratroopers–and a race for the secret of Ice Station Zebra!

The Plot…

A Russian satellite containing information vital to the security interests of Russia and the United States has crashed in the Artic circle.  Commander James Ferraday (Hudson) of the US nuclear submarine, Tigerfish, has been directed to retrieve the information at all costs.  In addition to his crew, Ferraday is transporting a marine unit that will provide support should Russians attempt to intervene.

While in route, three men are delivered to Ferraday’s sub: David Jones (McGoohan), Boris Vaslov (Borgnine) and Captain Leslie Anders (Brown).  Jones is a British intelligence agent.  Vaslov a Russian who defected to Britain.  Anders is a seasoned soldier sent to command the marine unit.  When it becomes obvious that an traitor is onboard, Ferraday’s suspects are one of the new arrivals.

In a race to retrieve information vital to freedom of the world, Commander Ferraday will find himself in the ultimate showdown with a battle-hardened Russian military unit, and a traitor willing to die to stop Ferraday.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Ice Station Zebra was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Cinematography (Daniel L. Fapp) and Best Effects, Special Visual Effects (Hal Millar, J. McMillan Johnson).

Ice Station Zebra is an action thriller layered with the mystery of a traitor willing to die to make sure the Americans don’t succeed.  The reveal of the traitor is well done and the way the secret is kept from the characters in the movie (even after the audience learns the traitor’s identity) is clever.

Ice Station Zebra was reportedly Rock Hudson’s favorite of his films.  Howard Hughes loved the movie so much he would call the television station he owned and demand they play it. (This was in the days before cable, VHS and DVD players,)  Viewers would call and complain that the scheduled shows/movies were pre-empted, but Hughes didn’t care.

I’m a fan of the Ice Station Zebra poster above.  They don’t make ’em like that anymore.

Ice Station Zebra (1968) rates 3 of 5 stars.

The 10 Most Underrated ’90s Movie Heroes!

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Robert Vaux came up with his list of the 10 Most Underrated ’90s Movie Heroes.  Vaux’s list is an interesting one, although we only had one hero in common.  Before you click over, below is my list and rationale for my choices of the 10 Most Underrated ’90s movie heroes.

10. Frank Horrigan from In the Line of Fire (1993): Horrigan was a young Secret Service agent who was part of the team assigned to protect President Kennedy the day he was assassinated.  Now he’s older, guilt ridden and determined to save the current President from a clever psycho.  Horrigan could be retired on a beach somewhere, but he’s still willing to give his life to protect the leader of the free world.  Yeah, that’s a hero.

09. Butch Coolidge from Pulp Fiction (1994): Although Butch accepts money to take a dive, he gets two chances to redeem himself (and does both times).  Butch doesn’t follow-through on the set-up.  Later Butch and the a man who wants to kill him are captured by two sadistic rapists.  Butch has a chance to escape but puts his life on the line to save the man who wants him dead.  Wouldn’t you say that qualifies as a hero?

08. Samantha Cain (Charly) from The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996): Samantha begins the movie as a small town school teacher.  We could stop right there since most teachers are heroes.  But if that isn’t enough for you, by the end of the movie the President offers Samantha a chance to return to the CIA.

07. Lornette “Mace” Mason from Strange Days (1995): Mason is a bodyguard who puts her life on the line repeatedly to save a friend.  Hero?  Check.

06. John Patrick Mason from The Rock (1996): Despite being held without a trial for 30 years, Mason agrees to help take down an elite military unit threatening to kill untold thousands.  Qualifies as a hero in my book.

05. Cameron Poe from Con Air (1997): is a former Army Ranger which by itself makes him a hero.  Then when three men attempt to assault his wife, he takes them on.  Hero again, right?  Well, since Poe accidentally kills one and is sent to prison, maybe not.  But when Poe is on a flight of convicts who take over the plane, Poe works to assist the police.  So, hero again, right?

04. William Wallace from Braveheart (1995): William Wallace led the battle to free his Scottish countrymen from the rule of the tyrant King Edward I of England.  Anyone willing to give their life for the greater good is a hero.

03. Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan from The 13th Warrior (1996): Ahmed is a lover and poet.  When he is banished to the North, Ahmed ends up traveling with Viking warriors.  Ahmed, despite his fears, joins the warriors to defend a small village from bearlike human cannibals.  John Wayne said, “The definition of a hero is someone who is scared but saddles up anyway.”  Ahmed qualifies.

02. Freddy Heflin from Cop Land (1997):  When Heflin learns of the corrupt police living in his community, he risks his life to save another cop and expose the criminals.  Heflin does this despite the NY Detective shutting down his investigation and no other cops willing to take a stand.  Heflin is a hero.

01. Hawkeye from Last of the Mohicans (1992): Hawkeye risks his life repeatedly to save others, even people who have wronged him.  Hawkeye even offers his life in exchange for the life of another.  Hawkeye is recognized as an honorable man by his friends and enemies.  If only all heroes were as worthy of the title “HERO” as Hawkeye.

“Torpedo Run” (1958) starring Glenn Ford & Ernest Borgnine / Z-View

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Torpedo Run (1958)

Director: Joseph Pevney

Screenplay: Richard Sale, William Wister Haines

Stars: Glenn Ford, Ernest Borgnine, Diane Brewster, Dean Jones, L.Q. Jones, Philip Ober, Richard Carlyle, Don Keefer, Kimberly Beck, Biff Elliot, Al Freeman Jr., Frank Gorshin and Robert Reed.

Tagline:  The greatest submarine picture of them all !

The Plot…

Lt. Cmdr. Barney Doyle (Ford) commands the US submarine Greyfish.  Their orders are to find and destroy the Shinaru, the Japanese carrier that led the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Doyle learns that the Shinaru is protected by battleships and “shield” ships carrying US prisoners including women and children.  Two of those prisoners are Cmdr. Doyle’s wife and two year old daughter.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)

Torpedo Run was nominated for one Academy Award: Best Effects, Special Effects (A. Arnold Gillespie, Harold Humbrock)

There are some tense scenes when the Greyfish goes into a mined harbor and later when a submarine crew needs to abandon ship underwater to another sub!

Ernest Borgnine is especially good as second-in-command Lt. Archer ‘Archie’ Sloan.

Glenn Ford’s character’s tough decision makes him unlikable and I didn’t feel there wasn’t a solid enough redemption arc.

Torpedo Run (1958) rates 3 of 5 stars.

RIP: Bob Barker

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Bob Barker, the revered game show host and animal rights activist died today at the age of 99.

Bob Barker attended Drury College on a basketball scholarship.  Mr. Barker joined the Naval Reserve during World War II.  He finished his degree in economics after the war.  While in college Bob Barker began working on radio.  After graduation, he continued to pursue this line of work.

In 1956, Bob Barker became the host of television’s Truth or Consequences.  He hosted the program through 1975.  In 1972, Bob Barker was picked to host the revival of The Price Is Right.  He served in this capacity until June 2007.

Some of Bob Barker’s other appearances include: This Is Your Life; Dream Girl of ’67 (5 episodes); Miss Universe 1967 – 1980; I’ve Got a Secret;  The New Truth or Consequences (198 episodes); Tattletales (21 episodes); Match Game (40 episodes); Dinah! (14 episodes); Match Game PM (8 episodes); The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (2 episodes); The Price is Right Special (6 episodes); The Price is Right Salutes (6 episodes); The Price is Right Million Dollar Spectacular (16 episodes); The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (6 episodes); The Bold and the Beautiful (2 episodes); The Price is Right (6,719 episodes); Inside Edition (3 episodes); Entertainment Tonight (9 episodes); Bonanza; Happy Gilmore; How I Met Your Mother; Family Guy (3 3 episodes); WWE Raw and SpongeBob Squarepants.

Bob Barker won 19 Daytime Emmy Awards…

  • 14 times for Outstanding Game Show Host, as host of The Price Is Right
  • 04 times for Outstanding Game Show, as executive producer of The Price Is Right
  • Lifetime Achievement Award (1999)

Bob Barker is also a member of the Hollywood Walk of Fame; the Television Hall of Fame (class of 2004) and the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame (class of 2008).

Bob Barker was the perfect host.  He not only was comfortable on camera but was able to put contestants at ease.  You always got the feeling that what you saw, was the real Bob Barker.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends and fans.