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“Brian’s Song” (1971) starring James Caan & Billy Dee Williams / Z-View

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Brian’s Song (1971) 

Director: Buzz Kulik

Screenplay: William Blinn, based on I AM THIRD by Gale Sayers, Al Silverman

Stars: James Caan, Billy Dee Williams, Jack Warden, Bernie Casey, Shelley Fabares, David Huddleston, Judy Pace, Harold ‘Happy’ Hairston, Stephen Coit, Stu Nahan, Dick Butkus and Doreen Lang

Tagline: An inspiring true story of friendship and courage.

The Plot…

Brian Piccolo and Gayle Sayers are rookie running backs drafted to the Chicago Bears. Piccolo is white, outgoing and a jokester while Sayers is black and shy.  Despite their differences and competing for the same position, they become friends. When both make the team they become the NFL’s  first interracial roommates and best friends.

Their friendship deepens when Piccolo assists Sayers through a long arduous knee rehabilitation. Later Piccolo becomes sick and Sayers is ready to return the favor.  That’s when they learn Piccolo has an aggressive terminal cancer.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Brian’s Song was nominated for eleven Primetime Emmy Awards and won five…

  • winner Outstanding Single Program – Drama or Comedy – Paul Junger Witt (producer)
  • nominee Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role – James Caan
  • nominee Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role – Billy Dee Williams
  • winner Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Drama – Jack Warden
  • nominee Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama – A Single Program – Buzz Kulik
  • winner Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama – Adaptation – William Blinn
  • nominee Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition – For a Special Program – Michel Legrand
  • winner Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for Entertainment Programming – For a Special or Feature Length Program Made for Television – Joseph F. Biroc (cinematographer)
  • nominee Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Editing – Marvin I. Kosberg (sound editor), Harold E. Wooley (sound editor), Wayne Fury (sound editor), Ralph Hickey (sound editor), Paul Laune (sound editor), George C. Emick (sound editor), Monty Pearce (sound editor)
  • nominee Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Mixing – William J. Montague (sound mixer), Alfred E. Overton (sound mixer)
  • winner Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for Entertainment Programming – For a Special or Feature Length Program Made for Television – Bud S. Isaacs (editor)

Louis Gossett Jr. was cast as Gayle Sayers.  Gossett tore his Achilles’ tendon before filming started and was replaced by Billy Dee Williams.

Brian’s Song was so popular in the US that it received a theatrical run in Europe.

Stu Nahan who plays a sportcaster in some of the Rocky movies plays a speaker at one of the awards ceremonies.

One of the best made-for-television movies ever.  It’s better than most feature films.

Brian’s Song (1971) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“The Girl in Black Stockings” (1957) starring Lex Barker, Anne Bancroft, Mamie Van Doren & John Dehner / Z-View

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The Girl in Black Stockings (1957)

Director:  Howard W. Koch

Screenplay: Richard Landau, based on the short story “Wanton Murder” by Peter Godfrey

Stars: Lex Barker, Anne Bancroft, Mamie Van Doren, John Dehner, Ron Randell, Marie Windsor, John Holland, Diana Van der Vlis, Richard H. Cutting, Larry Chance, Gene O’Donnell, Stuart Whitman and Dan Blocker.

Tagline: One Will Die Tonight!

The Plot…

When a party girl is found brutally murdered, Sheriff Jess Holmes (Dehner) has no shortage of suspects. They include:

  • David Hewson (Barker), a LA lawyer on vacation
  • Beth Dixon (Bancroft), Ed Parry’s former personal assistant
  • Ed Parry (Randell), the paralyzed, wheelchair-bound lodge owner
  • Julia Parry (Windsor), Ed’s sister and caretaker
  • Norman Grant (Holland), a once-famous actor hoping for a comeback
  • Harriett Ames (Van Doren), Norman Grant’s much younger lady friend
  •  Joseph Felton (O’Donnell), a guest who just recently arrived at the lodge
  • Joe (Chance), an employee of the lodge

Sheriff Holmes has his hands full. More will die before the murderer is revealed!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Girl in Black Stockings was filmed on location at the Parry Lodge in Kanab, Utah.

Top-billed Lex Barker played Tarzan in five movies prior to making this.

Anne Bancroft would go on to be nominated for an Academy Award as Best Actress in a Leading Role five times, winning once in 1963 for her performance in The Miracle Worker.

Stuart Whitman and Dan Blocker appear in small roles.

The Girl in Black Stockings (1957) rates 2 of 5 stars.

“Black Mass” (2015) starring Johnny Depp / Z-View

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Black Mass (2015)

Director:  Scott Cooper

Screenplay: Mark Mallouk, Jez Butterworth based on BLACK MASS: WHITEY BULGER, THE FBI AND A DEVIL’S DEAL by Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neil

Stars: Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson, Joel Edgerton, Kevin Bacon, Jesse Plemons, Rory Cochrane, David Harbour, Adam Scott, Corey Stoll, Julianne Nicholson, W. Earl Brown, Bill Camp, Mark Mahoney, Brad Carter, Scott Anderson, James Russo and Juno Temple.

Tagline: Based on the true story of one of the most notorious gangsters in U.S. history

The Plot…

When FBI agent John Connolly (Edgerton) is assigned to the Boston area where he was raised, he gets an outrageous idea.  Growing up, Connolly was friends with James “Whitey” Bulger (Depp).  Bulger now controls one of the major crime gangs in Boston.  Connolly wants to make Bulger a FBI informant.

Reluctant at first, Bulger agrees when he realizes he can use the FBI connection to his advantage.  Protected by his “FBI informant” status, Bulger uses the information he gets from Connolly to take out rival gangs.  Bulger becomes even more powerful.  Realizing he’s been used Connolly has no recourse but to protect Bulger.  Bulger’s hunger for power continues to drive him to commit worse crimes.  Soon Connolly will be unable to protect Bulger, and even more importantly himself.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

As outrageous as it sounds, Black Mass is based on real-life criminal James “Whitey” Bulger.  Bulger’s brother was a US senator.  Whitey was at one time #1 on the FBI’s Most Wanted List!  Bulger was, as the film shows pre-end credits, captured and sent to prison.  While in prison, he was repeatedly stabbed and beaten to death by prisoners.

Johnny Depp is unrecognizable as Whitey Bulger. Depp has said that this role is his favorite performance of all the roles he’s played.  For his part Depp was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role.

Depp is supported by an outstanding cast.  Special mention to Joel Edgerton, Jesse Plemons and Juno Temple for their performances.

Black Mass (2015) rates 5 of 5 stars.

“Is That Black Enough for You?!? (2022)” written & directed by Elvis Mitchell

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Is That Black Enough for You?!? (2022)

Director:  Elvis Mitchell

Writer: Elvis Mitchell

Stars: Elvis Mitchell (voice), Margaret Avery, Harry Belafonte, Suzanne De Passe, Antonio Fargas, Laurence Fishburne, Sheila Frazier, Whoopi Goldberg, Samuel L. Jackson, Glynn Turman, Mario Van Peebles, Billy Dee Williams  and Zendaya

Tagline: Is That Black Enough For You?!? How One Decade Forever Changed the Movies (And Me)”

The Plot…

Elvis Mitchell, the writer and director of Is That Black Enough for You?!?, is a film scholar and film critic.  Here he explores the history and impact that African-American cinema had on all films and American culture.  There is an emphasis on the 1970s.  The film makes use of film clips as well as interviews with many of the artists who lived through this period.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I greatly enjoyed Is That Black Enough for You?!?.  The two hours and 15 minutes flew by.  It was interesting to see the history of how African-Americans were portrayed in movies and the impact the late 60s and early 70s had when more black artists were able to take control of their films.  The interviews are the glue that holds it all together,  The film clips reminded me of many movies I’d seen in my youth and many more I’d like to see.

When the film was over, it left me wanting to dig deeper into the history of black artists such as Paul Robeson, Mantan Moreland (who sadly wasn’t mentioned), Oscar Micheaux and many others.  The topic is so huge it would be hard to cover in just one film and I’m sure that fed in to Mitchell’s decision to focus on the late 60s though the mid 70s.  I would love to see a streaming series that took a deeper look.  Elvis Mitchell, are you listening?

Is That Black Enough for You?!? (2022) earns 4 of 5 stars.

“Men in Black” (1934) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Men in Black (1934)

Director:  Ray McCarey

Writer:  Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Phyllis Crane, Charles Dorety, Billy Gilbert  and Bud Jamison

Tagline: A TONIC for the “BLUES”!

The Plot…

The boys are recent graduates (because they’d been there too long) from a medical school sent to work at a hospital.  There our guys respond to a variety of calls with the type of success/zaniness you’d expect.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Men in Black was the third Three Stooges short and the only one to ever be nominated for an Academy Award. (It was nominated for Best Short Subject – Comedy. If only it had won.  Can you imagine future ads proclaiming The Stooges as Academy Award Winners?)

Curly forgot a line and adlibbed his famous “Woo-woo-woo” which would go on to become one of his trademark phrases.  Men in Black also contains many bits that would often turn up in Stooges shorts – the boys going into a quick huddle; breaking a plate glass door window repeatedly as they run through/by; pulling objects (bicycles, a horse, a go-cart) out of a closet that are obviously too big to fit, etc.

Men in Black earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Billie” – The Trailer is Here!

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I want to see the documentary, Billie!

Billie Holiday had one of the greatest voices of all time and changed the face of American music. She was a woman of breath-taking talent and global popularity while also stirring controversy. She started a notable rebellion singing “Strange Fruit” which exposed the realities of Black life in America and earned her powerful enemies. Raw, emotional and brutally honest, Billie is filled with never-before-heard interviews from musical greats like Charles Mingus, Tony Bennett, Sylvia Syms and Count Basie.
Director: James Erskine

Ken Meyer, Jr. Presents Steranko, Ditko, Black, Greim and Much More!

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Ken Meyer, Jr. presents a monthly column called Ink Stains. In the column Ken (who is an amazing artist) posts a fanzine from his collection.  Here’s Ken…

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!

In Ink Stains 109, Ken shares with us Comic Crusader #13 which is amazing considering the talent this fanzine contains.  Comic Crusader #13 features a cover by Jim Steranko (!), an illo by Steranko inked by Bill Black, a 19 page story written & illustrated by Marty Greim, a Bill Black full page illo (plus spot illos  by Wild Bill), an 8 page Mr. A story written an illustrated by Steve Ditko (!), a Gil Kane back cover and much more!  What a classic fanzine.

As always, thanks to Ken for bringing back great memories of fandom!

Ken Meyer Jr.’s Ink Stains 45: Sinnott, Eisner, Ditko, Harvey, Black and More!

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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 45, Ken took a look at Collector #29 from 1974 from Bill G. Wilson.

Collector #29 is a huge issue and features –

  • Color Star Trek cover
  • Very cool cowboy drawing by Joe Sinnott (dedicated to Bill – Black?)
  • An interview with Walter Koenig (Chekov from Star Trek)
  • Star Trek art and articles
  • John Byrne Star Trek art
  • Captain Marvel art and articles (full pager by Bill Black)
  • C.C. Beck art and articles
  • Ken Barr full pager
  • RC Harvey story and art
  • Kurt Schaffenberger full page with Captain Marvel, Superman and Lois Lane
  • Steve Ditko comic story
  • Two full page drawings of The Thing from Another World
  • Art and articles about The Shadow
  • Art and articles about The Spirit
  • Bill Black full page Spirit piece
  • Additional art by Bill Black, Clyde Caldwell, John Byrne, Steve Ditko, Will Eisner, Steve Fabian, R.C. Harvey, Don Newton, Joe Sinnott and more.

I’d never seen Collector 29 before but would have really been blown away back in the day seeing so many pros and fans coming together in a fanzine.

Ah, the memories of the glory days of fanzines.  Thanks to Ken Meyer, Jr. for making these available!

Ken Meyer Jr.’s Ink Stains 42: Steranko, Adams, Black and More!

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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 42, Ken took a look at Collector issues 16, 17, 18, 19, 21 from 1969-1971.   Edited and published by Bill G. Wilson.

I’d never seen issues of Collector before reading Ken’s columsn.  The issues are full of the stuff that fanzines were known.  These issues feature:

Collector 16 features –

  • a Don Newton Batman cover
  • Sketches by Steranko, Giordano, Buckler, Adams
  • Photos of comic legends [Adams, Kane, Frazetta, and more]  at an early convention.
  • Tons of fan art

Collector 17 features –

  • Don Newton interview, art and photos of Don and his studio
  • Tons of fan art and articles

Collector 18 features –

  • Shazam cover by Bill Black (earliest art I’ve seen from my buddy)
  • Bill Black pin-up of Green Lantern
  • Ad for Bill Black’s Paragon fanzine!
  • Fan art and articles

Collector 19 features –

  • Joe Sinnott Thing sketch
  • Sketches from Steranko/Sinnott, Gene Colon, Bill Black and Steve Ditko
  • Fan art and articles

Collector 21 features –

  • Art from Dan Adkins, Don Rosa and Tom Sutton
  • Fan art and articles

Ah, the memories of the glory days of fanzines.  Thanks to Ken Meyer, Jr. for making these available!

Ken Meyer Jr.’s Ink Stains 39: Kane, Byrne, Barr, Black and More!

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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 39, Ken took a look at Collector 28 from 1973.   Edited and published by Bill G. Wilson.

Collector 28 is a nice find.  I’d never seen it before reading Ken’s column.  Chock full of the stuff that fanzines were known for this issue features:

  • A color Ken Barr cover
  • Art by Don Rosa, Alan Hanley, Bill Black, a Don Newton portfolio, John Byrne, Gil Kane and more.
  • Articles on Star Trek and The Shadow and more.

Ah, the memories of the glory days of fanzines.  Thanks to Ken Meyer, Jr. for making these available!

Ken Meyer Jr.’s Ink Stains 16: Steranko, Black and Much More!

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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 16, Ken took a look at Comic Crusaders 10 from 1970.  Edited and published by Martin L. Greim.

Comic Crusaders 10 aka The Convention Issue.  I’d never seen this issue before Ken’s column and I’m glad I didn’t miss out.  The highlight of the issue is of course the Steranko full pager [posted above] but I also got a real kick out of seeing my buddy, Bill Black’s photos [man, he was young!] and art.

Other highlights include: a cover by Martin Greim, photos of legendary comic artists taken at a 1970 convention, an article on Super Heroes on Film with art and written by Bill Black, spot illos by Dan Adkins, Bill Black, Dennis Fujitake, Rich Corben, and more!

Ah, the memories of the glory days of fanzines.  Thanks to Ken Meyer, Jr. for making these available!

Black’s Back

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It’s been a while since we heard from my buddy, Bill Black.  Bill is a comic writer, artist, and publisher.  He’s also a film-maker.  Bill wrote in to say that he’s working to get his films carried by Amazon.com.  If that happens it’d be a great thing for Bill and his fans.  Until then Bill’s films can be purchased through his CultRetro site.

Welcome to the 21st Century, Wild Bill

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My buddy, Bill Black, has moved AC Comics into the 21st century!

Everything, and I mean everything that a fan could love about Bill’s diverse product line is available with a click.  Femforce is here.    Giant Women [yes, giant women] are here.  Bill’s dvd line is available [with selected trailers].    If you’re into Golden Age Heroes, then click here.   Western Reprint fans will want to click on this.   You can even click here to read Femforce:Origins.

I can’t wait to see what Wild Bill has planned for the 22nd century!

"Z" and Wild Bill

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I love getting mail from my buddy, Jim Ivey. He doesn’t use a computer so it’s snail mail only. The great thing is, that Jim always includes a doodle or two. His most recent letter contained caricatures of me and Bill Black. Jim used photos from his 83rd birthday bash for reference. You read that right, Jim’s 83 and still full of “prunes and macaroons” as he often says.

I not only hope I have as much energy as Jim when I’m 83, I wish I had it now.