“The Kiss of the Vampire” (1963) / Z-View

Posted on by

The Kiss of the Vampire (1963)

Director:  Don Sharp

Writer:  Anthony Hinds

Stars:  Clifford Evans, Edward de Souza, Noel Willman

Tagline: Giant devil Bats…summoned from the caves of Hell to destroy the lust of the Vampires!

The Plot…

When a honeymooning couple become stranded in a small Bavarian village, they are invited to attend a costume ball hosted by Dr. Ravna.  What the couple doesn’t know is that Ravan is leader of a vampire coven.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

In Kiss of the Vampire, the vampires are more like witches in a coven. The movie’s “Van Helsing”  is bitten by a vampire on the arm.  He cures himself by pouring Holy Water on the bite and then setting his arm on fire.  The Vampire Hunter also uses blood to draw a cross on his chest to force vampires to look away.  Finally he uses black magic to get hundreds of vampire bats to attack and kill the Vampires. Ugh.

Kiss of the Vampire earns 2 of 5 stars.

Philip Marlowe – Who Played Him Best? Ranking the Actors Who Played Him!

Posted on by

 Rory Doherty at Paste recently posted Every Philip Marlowe Performance, Ranked. Before you click over, here’s a comparison of our rankings and my thoughts on each.

Doherty

Zablo

9. Robert Montgomery,
Lady in the Lake (1947)
* George Montgomery, The Brasher Doubloon (1947)

8. George Montgomery,
The Brasher Doubloon (1947)
* James Caan, Poodle Springs (1998) – Haven’t seen yet.

7. James Caan,
Poodle Springs (1998)
* Liam Neeson, Marlowe (2023) – Haven’t seen yet.

6. Liam Neeson,
Marlowe (2023)

6. Elliot Gould, The Long Goodbye (1973) – This didn’t work for me. Gould wasn’t my idea of Marlowe and the film just didn’t resonate with me.

5. Robert Mitchum,
Farewell, My Lovely (1975)
The Big Sleep (1978)

5. Robert Montgomery, Lady in the Lake (1947) – An experiment that failed. Shot so that the audience sees everything from Marlowe’s perspective, it plays like a modern video game with little action.

4. Dick Powell,
Murder, My Sweet (1944)

4. James Garner, Marlowe (1969) – Garner isn’t a bad Marlowe plus we get Bruce Lee too! I’d have like to have seen Garner play Marlowe again.

3. James Garner,
Marlowe (1969)

3. Robert Mitchum, Farewell, My Lovely (1975) & The Big Sleep (1978) – Mitchum plays an “older” Marlowe. He’s not in his prime, but Mitchum at any age is a winner. Plus we get Sly Stallone in Farewell, My Lovely.

2. Humphrey Bogart,
The Big Sleep (1946)

2. Dick Powell, Murder, My Sweet (1944) – Powell was best known for lighthearted musicals prior to this. Surprisingly he makes a cool Marlowe!

1. Elliot Gould,
The Long Goodbye (1973)

1. Humphrey Bogart, The Big Sleep (1946) – Bogart is easily my favorite Marlowe. If only he had made more

Although Doherty limited his rankings to the movie Marlowes, I want to make mention of Philip Marlowe, Private Eye (1983 – 1986), a series that ran for 3 years on HBO. Powers Boothe played Marlowe. It’s been decades since I saw the series, but I remember it fondly. I need to revisit it.

“You People” (2023) starring Jonah Hill, Lauren London, David Duchovny, Nia Long, Julia Louis-Dreyfus & Eddie Murphy / Z-View

Posted on by

You People (2023)

Director:  Kenya Barris

Writer:  Jonah Hill, Kenya Barris

Stars:  Jonah Hill, Lauren London, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sam Jay, Nia Long, David Duchovny, Deon Cole, Andrea Savage, Elliott Gould, Rhea Perlman, Mike Epps and Yung Miami

Tagline: Opposites attract, families don’t.

The Plot…

A chance meeting between Ezra Cohen (Hill) and Amira Mohammed (London) leads to love.  Ezra is broker who wants to be a podcaster.  Amira is a fashion designer.  Ezra is Jewish and Amira is an African-American Muslim.  Despite differences and family issues with their relationship love finds a way… until it doesn’t… or does it?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

You People has a great set-up for comedy. Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Elliott Gould and Rhea Perlman should signal a chuckle-fest.  There are some good laughs, but much of the comedy is hit and miss.  Which is a shame.  It was cool seeing Andrea Savage (Tulsa King) in a small role.

The romance builds and builds and builds, then there’s an incident that changes everything.  And just as suddenly two supporting characters do a 180 and the movie ends.  My suspension of disbelief can only go so far.

You People earns 2 of 5 stars.

“Operation Fortune (2023) directed by Guy Ritchie, starring Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Josh Hartnett & Cary Elwes – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

The poster isn’t great, but the trailer for Operation Fortune looks pretty good.  It should with that cast and director.

Operation Fortune – Only in theaters March 3, 2023. Starring Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Josh Hartnett, Cary Elwes, Bugzy Malone, and Hugh Grant.

Super spy Orson Fortune (Jason Statham) must track down and stop the sale of a deadly new weapons technology wielded by billionaire arms broker Greg Simmonds (Hugh Grant). Reluctantly teamed with some of the world’s best operatives (Aubrey Plaza, Cary Elwes, Bugzy Malone), Fortune and his crew recruit Hollywood’s biggest movie star Danny Francesco (Josh Hartnett) to help them on their globe-trotting undercover mission to save the world.

“The Golden Eye” (1948) starring Roland Winters & Mantan Moreland / Z-View

Posted on by

The Golden Eye (1948)

Director:  William Beaudine

Writer:  Scott Darling based on the character by Earl Derr Biggers

Stars:  Roland Winters, Mantan Moreland, Victor Sen Yung, Tim Ryan and Ralph Dunn

Tagline: Death lurks at every step…as your oriental super-sleuth stalks a desperate killer — below the surface of the earth!

The Plot…

Mr. Manning, the owner of a gold mine wants to secretly meet with Charlie Chan (Winters). So Chan, his son Tommy (Yung) and valet, Birmingham (Moreland) pose as tourists at a nearby dude ranch.  Before they can meet, Mr. Manning is found murdered.  Charlie Chan aided by Tommy and Birmingham soon discover there are multiple suspects.  As they get closer to the killer, he plots their deaths.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Golden Eye is a typical Charlie Chan film.  It runs just over an hour.  Mantan Moreland provides comedy relief.  Charlie Chan has multiple suspects, but discovers the true murderer (and it’s not who you think)!

The Golden Eye earns 3 of 5 stars.

“One Way” (2022) / Z-View

Posted on by

One Way (2022)

Director: Andrew Baird

Writer:  Ben Conway

Stars:  Colson Baker, Travis Fimmel, Kevin Bacon, Drea de Matteo, Storm Reid and Thomas Francis Murphy

Tagline: Kill. Fuck. Play. One Way.

The Plot…

Freddy has been shot.  He’s on the run with a satchel of money.  Killers are following.  Freddy boards a bus as it’s pulling out.  Other passengers include a troubled young girl and a few others who might become problems.  If Freddy doesn’t get help soon, he’ll bleed out.  Plus the killers are closing in…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

One Way is a film that I kept watching, hoping it would get better.  That’s because One Way has an interesting plot, some good actors and looked stylish enough.  Sadly, at least for me, the payoff never came.  I felt like I was stuck on a bus with no way off and the same things kept happening.

Kevin Bacon appears as Freddy’s worthless father. It’s a small but important role. Dre de Matto has an even smaller role as the drug queenpin that Freddy ripped off.  Both are good at playing bad.  Storm Reid is a young girl headed for big trouble.  Her subplot has a twist you’ll see coming from the start.

One Way earns 2 of 5 stars.

“Vengeance” (2022) starring B.J. Novak / Z-View

Posted on by

Vengeance (2022)

Director:  B.J. Novak

Writer:  B.J. Novak

Stars:  B.J. Novak, Boyd Holbrook, Ashton Kutcher, Louanne Stephens, John Mayer, Clint Obenchain, Rio Alexander, Sarah Minnich and Ben Whitehair

Tagline:  Find the story before it finds you

The Plot…

Late one night, Ben Manalowitz (Novak) receives a call. Ben’s girlfriend, Abby has died.  As Ty (Holbrook) explains his sister died of a drug overdose, Ben struggles to remember Abby.  Just as it comes to Ben that Abby was a one-night stand months ago, Ty invites him to her funeral.  Ben tries to get out of going but Ty insists.

When Ben arrives to attend the funeral of a girl he barely remembers, he learns that Abby told everyone that she and Ben were in a serious relationship!  Ty informs Ben that he believes Abby was murdered. He and Ben will search out the killer(s) and get vengeance for her death.  Ben doesn’t think Abby was murdered, but believes that Ty’s search for the killers could mean ratings for Ben’s podcast.  He agrees to stick around and assist with the investigation.  Ben begins interviewing people about Abby’s death… he’s a fish out of water, but the deeper he gets, the more he begins to believe Abby may have been murdered.  If that’s the case, he could be next.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Ben is a New York City boy deep in the heart of Texas.  He barely remembers the woman that he was supposed to marry. Kudos to B.J. Novak for coming up with an interesting plot with tons of comedic opportunities.  The movie is well cast.  I was surprised in a good way by Ashton Kutcher’s performance.

Vengeance plays like a comedy and has plenty of laughs until it doesn’t.  There’s an unexpected 180 near the end that just didn’t work for me.  Your mileage may vary.

Vengeance earns 2 of 5 stars.

“Braek” – The Trailer is Here!

Posted on by

I like the looks of Braek.  Check out the trailer and you might as well.

The McCabe family’s weekend getaway was never meant to be a life-changing experience. Governor William McCabe (Nick Baillie), a respected politician, was looking forward to some rest and relaxation. His beautiful wife Lauren (Melissa Anschutz) and distant step daughter Erin (Alix Lane) strain to enjoy their time together, as the facade of the trophy family has worn dangerously thin. Things take a severe turn for the worse when a charismatic stranger (Kevin Interdonato) knocks on their door and triggers an unexpected chain of events.

CAST: Kevin Interdonato, Nick Baillie, Melissa Anschutz, Alix Lane, Danilo Rocha, John Fallon

“Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

Carol Carpenter was a talented musician and first class singer.  She died way too young.

She was the first in a long line of celebrities to suffer from an eating disorder during an era when the vastly misunderstood phenomenon brought shame and public humiliation.

For the first time, we hear Karen Carpenter’s personal struggle in her own voice through never-before-released recordings—and through the legendary voices of those who knew her and were inspired by her music.

As the #1 American musical act of the 1970s, the Carpenters were on “Top of the World,” producing a string of pop masterpieces, including “Close to You,” “We’ve Only Just Begun,” and “Rainy Days and Mondays.” But behind closed doors, Karen’s quest for perfection resulted in low self-esteem, a disheartening love life, and a public battle with anorexia nervosa, which resulted in her untimely death at the age of only 32.

Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection is a captivating, revealing, and unvarnished documentary providing astounding new insight into the singer’s tragically short life and enduring musical legacy.

Starring
CAROL BURNETT
BELINDA CARLISLE
KRISTIN CHENOWETH
CYNTHIA GIBB
OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN
CUBBY O’BRIEN
SUZANNE SOMERS
CARNIE WILSON

“The Invisible Man” (1933) starring Claude Rains / Z-View

Posted on by

The Invisible Man (1933)

Director:  James Whale

Screenplay:  R. C. Sherriff based on The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells

Stars:  Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart, Henry Travers, Una O’Connor, Forrester Harvey, Holmes Herbert, E.E. Clive, Dudley Digges, Harry Stubbs, Edgar Barrier and Walter Brennan

Tagline:   You’ll hardly believe what your eyes won’t see

The Plot…

Dr. Jack Griffin (Rains) perfects a formula that renders him invisible.  The serum also effects his mind making him power hungry as it slowly drives him insane.  Unable to find a cure, Griffin goes on a killing spree.  How can you find a killer that you can’t see?  Many more will die, if the police don’t figure out a solution.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

When I was a kid, The Invisible Man wasn’t one of my favorites of the classic Universal Monsters.  Years later, watching as an adult, I loved it.  The Invisible Man was directed by James Whale, who also helmed Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein.  These three films assured his place in movie history.

The cast consists of players who would have long and notable careers.  Claude Rains plays The Invisible Man in a role where the star is seldom seen on screen!  Gloria Stewart plays Rains’ love interest.  She would have a career that spans 80 years with perhaps her most famous role (in The Titanic) coming when she was 87!  Other familiar faces include Henry Travers, Una O’Connor, Forrester Harvey, Holmes Herbert, E.E. Clive, Dudley Digges, Harry Stubbs, Edgar Barrier and Walter Brennan!

The Invisible Man was based on a novel written over 120 years ago, the film is 90 years old, yet it still resonates.  That’s because the movie is played straight. It doesn’t have a monster with fangs, or a creature that rises from the dead.  What it does have is a brilliant scientist who goes power crazy.  And that is something we can relate to. It has special effects that were ahead of its time. The Invisible Man is one of the classic Universal Monster movies.  If you didn’t like it as a kid, give the film another shot.

The Invisible Man earns 5 of 5 stars.

RIP: Burt Bacharach

Posted on by

Burt Bacharach died yesterday from natural causes.  Mr. Bacharach was 94.

Burt Bacharach earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Montreal’s McGill University.  He also studied music at the Mannes School of Music, and at the Music Academy of the West in Montecito, California.  Mr. Bacharach was drafted and served two years in the US Army.  This is where he met singer Vic Damone, who was also a soldier.  After they were discharged, Mr. Bacharach worked as a pianist and conductor for Mr. Damone and later other singers such as Steve Lawrence, The Ames Brothers, Joel Gray and Marlene Dietrich.

In 1957, Burt Bacharach met Hal David.  Mr. David was a lyricist and they began writing songs together.  The had back to back hits with The Story of My Life (performed by Marty Robbins) and Magic Moments (performed by Perry Como).  Although Burt Bacharach wrote hits with other lyricists, he is best known for his collaborations with Hal David.

In 1961, Burt Bacharach was impressed with the talents of a session singer.  Her name was Dionne Warwick.  They teamed and over the next twenty years produced 22 Top 40 hits including  “Walk On By”, “Alfie”, “I Say a Little Prayer”, “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again”, and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?”. 

Burt Bacharach would go on to work with or have his songs performed by  Stan Getz, Dusty Springfield,  Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, B.J. Thomas, The Carpenters, Barbra Streisand, Tom Jones, Stephanie Mills, Carole Bayer Sager (his third wife), Neil Diamond, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Luther Vandross, Ronnie Milsap, Elvis Costello, Ronald Isley, Adel to name just a few.

Mr. Bacharach’s music would regularly be featured in films.  He was nominated for 5 Academy Awards for Best Music, Original Song (winning two Oscars – for “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” with Hal David; and “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” with Carole Bayer Sager, Christopher Cross, Peter Allen).  He also won an Oscar for Best Music, Original Score for a Motion Picture (not a Musical) for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Other films that featured Burt Bacharach compositions include: The Blob (1958); What’s New Pussycat; Casino Royale (1967); Night Shift; Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice; Arthur 2: On the Rocks; Goodfellas; Madonna: Truth or Dare; Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story; Forrest Gump; Bad Boys; Dead Presidents; Fargo;  Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery; My Best Friend’s Wedding; I Know What You Did Last Summer; Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me; Shaft (2000); Meet the Parents; Austin Powers in Goldmember; Dawn of the Dead (2004) and so many more.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Burt Bacharch’s family, friends and fans.

“Luther: The Fallen Sun” starring Idris Elba – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

Deal me in!

In Luther: The Fallen Sun — an epic continuation of the award-winning television saga reimagined for film — a gruesome serial killer is terrorizing London while brilliant but disgraced detective John Luther (Idris Elba) sits behind bars. Haunted by his failure to capture the cyber psychopath who now taunts him, Luther decides to break out of prison to finish the job by any means necessary. The film also stars Cynthia Erivo, Andy Serkis and Dermot Crowley, who returns as Martin Schenk.