“Three Loan Wolves” (1946) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Three Loan Wolves (1946)

Director:  Jules White

Screenplay: Felix Adler

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard and Harold “Tiny” Brauer

Tagline: Here Today – Pawn Tomorrow

The Plot…

The boys (Larry, Curly and Moe) own a pawn shop and have a young son named Eggbert.  Eggbert wants to know which of the Stooges is his real father.  So the boys explain that years ago a woman left Eggbert there. She never returned.  The story is told in flashback.  There’s a subplot with gangsters trying to shake down our guys.  This is the first Stooges short where Larry gets center-stage!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Three Loan Wolves was filmed near the end of Curly’s career.  He’d had several small strokes and lost a lot of weight prior to filming.  His timing was off and he didn’t have much stamina.  By all reports his performances were becoming unpredictable.  Director Jules White decided to make Larry the central character for this one.  Most of Curly’s lines were then given to Larry.  Larry does a, pardon the expression, fine job.  It’s bittersweet knowing that the change was due to Curly’s illness.

Harold “Tiny” Brauer is one of two people (the other being Emil Sitka) to work with all six Stooges.

Three Loan Wolves earns 4 of 5 stars.

RIP: Stephan Bonnar

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Stephan Bonnar, the UFC Hall of Fame mixed martial artist, died on December 22, 2022.  He was 45.  No official cause of death was given, but it was believed to be the result of heat complications.

Mr. Bonnar was the first runner-up on Season One of The Ultimate Fighter.  His bout against Forrest Griffin is considered a classic.  As the fight progressed the ratings for the finale continued to climb as viewers called friends to tune in.  The winner of the bout was to get a six-figure contract with the UFC.  Because the fight was so entertaining and competitive, both Griffin and Bonnar received contracts.  Dana White, the President of the UFC said that the Griffin/Bonnar fight saved the promotion (which is now a multi-billion dollar business).

Stephan Bonnar ended his professional MMA career with a 15 -9 record.

I watched the first season of The Ultimate Fighter.  I was also one of the people that called friends during the finale. The Bonnar/Griffin fight truly saved the UFC.  It was because of that fight that the UFC television contract was extended.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Stephan Bonnar’s family, friends and fans.

“The Raven” (1935) starring Boris Karloff & Bela Lugosi / Z-View

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The Raven (1935)

Director:  Lew Landers aka Louis Friedlander

Screenplay: David Boehm based on the poem by Edgar Allan Poe

Stars: Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lester Matthews, Irene Ware, Samuel S. Hinds, Spencer Charters and Ian Wolfe

Tagline: While this mad surgical genius chanted “The Raven,” horrible screams rose up from his torture chamber below!

The Plot…

Dr. Richard Vollin (Lugosi), who is obsessed with Edgar Allan Poe, is called out of retirement to perform a life-saving operation on Jean Thatcher (Ware).  The operation is a success.  Jean and Dr. Vollin become friends.  As the friendship grows, Vollin becomes obsessed with Jean.

When escaped killer Edmond Bateman (Karloff) shows up at Dr. Vollin’s mansion asking for a facelift, Vollin comes up with a sick plan.  He performs the operation, but turns Bateman into a hideous looking monster.  Vollin says he will fix Bateman’s face if Bateman will help him kill Jean’s fiance and father.  Vollin plans to murder them using methods based on Edgar Allan Poe stories.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Although Bela Lugosi had the leading role in The Raven, Boris Karloff got top billing.  In addition Karloff earned $10,000 to Lugosi’s $5,000.  Lugosi was reportedly unhappy to learn this news.

The idea of disfiguring an escaped murderer to make him do your bidding is an interesting take.  Credit to the writers to wrap that idea around an obsession with Edgar Allan Poe.   I wish the end result was as good as the ideas.

The Raven earns 2 of 5 stars.

“Three Smart Saps” (1942) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Three Smart Saps (1942)

Director:  Jules White

Screenplay: Clyde Bruckman

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard, Vernon Dent and Bud Jamison

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The boys (Larry, Curly and Moe) are about to be married to three sisters.  That’s when they learn that their future father-in-law, the warden at a local jail has been locked up.  Gangsters have turned the jail into a club for crooks to gamble, dance and booze it up.  It’s up to Larry, Curly and Moe to break into the jail, get incriminating photos and save their father-in-law.  What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Three Smart Saps is a rare Stooges short where the humor is less dependent on Moe hitting Larry and Curly.  The laughs come (mostly) from the situations the boys put themselves in.  There’s an extended dance scene where Curly takes center stage and really performs.  He was light on his feet and able to move for a big man.

Three Smart Saps earns 5 of 5 stars.

Merry Christmas and “Yes, Timmy, There is a Santa Claus!”

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Merry Christmas!

Several years ago John Beatty and I teamed up to create “Yes, Timmy, There is a Santa Claus!”  John pencilled, inked and colored what I wrote.  The story was published in a charity Christmas comic by Tim Gordon.  

Every couple of years I like to repost the story.  What you see below is the result of our efforts.  I hope that you enjoy them.

“The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special” (2022) starring Dave Bautista, Pom Klementieff and the Legendary Kevin Bacon / Z-View

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The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special (2022)

Director:  James Gunn

Screenplay: James Gunn

Stars: Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel (voice), Bradley Cooper (voice), Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker (voice) and Kevin Bacon

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Mantis and Drax want to get the perfect gift for Peter “Starlord” Quill.  They decide that Peter’s boyhood hero, Kevin Bacon would fit the ticket.  So Mantis and Drax head to earth to kidnap the legendary Kevin Bacon! What could go wrong?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

I love that Marvel is putting together these one hour specials.  The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special is a great follow up to the Halloween Werewolf by Night Special.  It’s also cool that Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Sean Gunn, and Michael Rooker reprise their roles. Drax is always a hoot, and Kevin Bacon running for his life from aliens is more fun than it should be.

Of course like all good Holiday Specials, this one will leave you will a smile and warm feelings.

The Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Special earns 4 of 5 stars.

Humphrey Bogart’s 16 Noirs Ranked!

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Anthony Crislip, at /Film, recently posted All 16 Humphrey Bogart Noir Films, Ranked.  Here’s how our lists compare.

CRISLIP

ZABLO
16. Sirocco *** Tokyo Joe
15. Tokyo Joe *** The Enforcer
14. Knock On Any Door *** Dead Reckoning
13. Deadline — U.S.A. 13. Sirocco
12. They Drive By Night 12. Deadline — U.S.A.
11. The Enforcer 11. Knock On Any Door
10. Conflict 10. They Drive By Night
9. Dark Passage 9. Conflict
8. The Desperate Hours 8. Dark Passage
7. Dead Reckoning 7. The Desperate Hours
6. High Sierra 6. The Harder They Fall
5. The Harder They Fall 5. High Sierra
4. Key Largo 4. In A Lonely Place
3. The Maltese Falcon 3. The Maltese Falcon
2. The Big Sleep 2. The Big Sleep
1. In A Lonely Place 1. Key Largo

*** Means I haven’t seen the film.

My top three might change depending on my mood.  They’re all great.

I would have included Bogart in To Have and Have Not on my list.  It would have come in at #4.

“Interview with the Vampire” Season 1 (2022) starring Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Eric Bogosian, and Bailey Bass / Z-View

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Interview with the Vampire Season 1 (2022)

Directors:  Alan Taylor (episodes 1-2); Keith Powell (episodes 3-4); Levan Akin (episodes 5-6); Alexis Ostrander (episode 7)

Teleplay: Rolin Jones (episode 1); Jonathan Ceniceroz & Dave Harris (episode 2); Rolin Jones & Hannah Moscovitch (episode 3); Eleanor Burgess (episode 4); Hannah Moscovitch (episode 5); Coline Abert (episode 6); Rolin Jones & Ben Philippe (episode 7)

Stars: Jacob Anderson, Sam Reid, Eric Bogosian, Assad Zaman, Bailey Bass, Rae Dawn Chong and Dana Gourrier

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Interview with a Vampire is an adaptation of Anne Rice’s novel, Interview with a Vampire.

In 1910, Louis de Pointe du Lac (Anderson) is a successful black business man.  He owns several brothels and rubs shoulders with many of the city’s civic leaders.  Louis meets and befriends  Lestat de Lioncourt (Reid).  Lestat is handsome, charismatic and somewhat mysterious.  He’s also a vampire! As Louis and Lestat spend time together, their friendship grows.  Ultimately, Lestat turns Louis into a vampire.

Louis is shocked and sickened by what he’s become.  He vows to never see Lestat again… but that doesn’t last.  Lestat teaches Louis how to hunt, the things that will kill a vampire, and how to blend in among humans.  Louis makes Lestat agree to some concessions.  They will prey only on the worst humans.  Lestat agrees, but he’s a remorseless killer.  The promise is a sham. There is more that Lestat keeps secret.

When a fire breaks out in a poor part of town, Louis pulls Claudia (Bass), a young girl, from a burning building.  Claudia is on the verge of death.  Louis saves Claudia by turning her.  Louis and Lestat become her “uncles” and the three vampires live together.

Over time Claudia sees the differences between Louis and Lestat. Louis is compassionate and caring.  Lestat is self-centered and heartless.  A rift forms.  Louis and Lestat are already having issues with their toxic relationship.  Problems increase with Claudia’s need for independence. Plus rumors are growing about strange goings on in Louis and Lestat’s mansion…

All of this is relayed in flashbacks as Louis is interviewed by Daniel Malloy (Bogosian), a cynical writer planning a book on Louis’ life.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Interview with the Vampire Season 1 is a tour de force.  Well written with extremely well cast actors joined by top notch direction results in a wonderful viewing experience.

Jacob Anderson (Louis) and Sam Reid (Lestat) have chemistry.  I knew Anderson from his impressive role on Game of Thrones.  I had seen Reid a decade ago in the mini-series Hatfields & McCoys, but didn’t remember him until looking up his credits.  Reid makes an impact here! Baily Bass as Claudia is an actress to watch.  I’d never seen her before, but imagine she’ll be a household name soon.  She’s that talented.  Eric Bogosian is great as the cynical writer.  I’ve never been a big fan of Bogosian’s but he’s perfect here.

Interview with a Vampire isn’t your typical vampire tale.  These vampires have more desires than just drinking blood. It’s interesting how different aspects of a vampire’s life are explored.  First there’s the loneliness. A vampire is a rare creature that if discovered by humans would be killed.  All of a vampire’s relationships change.  Family and friends know something is different.  Vampires never age.  They are rarely seen during the day.  How  to get rid of the bodies they feed on?  How long before missing people are linked to the vampire?

Interview with a Vampire Season 1, like Anne Rice’s novel, doesn’t shy away from the homosexual aspects of Louis and Lestat’s relationship.  Nothing graphic is shown.  Louis was a closeted homosexual in 1910.  Lestat was uninhibited and took whatever he desired whether it was a woman or a man.  Who’d think that a toxic vampire relationship would make great television.

I loved every episode of Interview with a Vampire Season 1.  There’s a lot of ground to cover between 1910 and 2022.  While many questions were an answered even more were not.  I look forward to Season 2.

Interview with the Vampire Season 1 earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise” (1939) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise (1939)

Director:  Jules White

Screenplay: Andrew Bennison, Mauri Grashin

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard and Dorothy Comingore

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

The boys (Larry, Curly and Moe) are hobos.  After a run-in with a farmer who catches our guys stealing eggs, Curly makes a wish… and it comes true.  Then every time Curly makes a wish, something happens to make it come true.

The boys meet a farm lady with three daughters.  The lady was just swindled out of her land for the oil it contains.  Will the boys be able to make things right?  I’d bet on it!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise is the only Stooges’ short where Moe never hits Larry!  There’s some funny business with the boys trying to work off their debt to the farmer.  The real laughs occur when Larry, Curly and Moe try to get the farm lady’s pump to work.  Although you might think that Curly got the worst of it (and he does in the film); it was Moe who really got an eye injury during that scene.

Oily to Bed, Oily to Rise earns 5 of 5 stars.

“Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery” (2022) starring Will Arnett, Jason Bateman & Maya Rudolph / Z-View

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Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery (2022)

Director:  Laura Murphy

Screenplay: Krister Johnson

Stars: Will Arnett, Jason Bateman, Pete Davidson, Maya Rudolph, Sean Hayes and Dennice Cisneros

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Detective Terry Seattle (Arnett) and his new partner in training, Jason Bateman, have an easy shift. They’re providing security for a photo op at city hall with Santa, the mayor and some orphans.  It’s a cakewalk assignment until the lights go out and Santa is killed.  Seattle and Bateman have until sunrise to solve the crime.  Luckily there are two surprise guests coming to help…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Murderville has a great set-up.  The guests on the show don’t ever see a script.  They don’t even get to see the sets until filming starts.  Then there is a murder. The guest stars try to solve who did it using real clues as they adlib their way through the episode.  At the end, each guest star is given three suspects.  The star then picks the suspect he/she believes is the killer as well as the clues that led to the decision.  It’s fun to play along as a viewer.

Jason Bateman, Maya Rudolph and Pete Davidson are the guest stars.  It’s hilarious that not one of the stars thinks a provided suspect is the killer.  At one point Pete Davidson does something unexpected and Arnett quickly adlibs to keep the bit working.  Oh and Sean Hayes as Santa cannot stop cracking up… even after he’s been murdered!

Who Killed Santa? A Murderville Murder Mystery earns 3 of 5 stars.

SYFY’s 2022/2023 Twilight Zone New Year’s Eve Marathon Schedule is Up!

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SYFY’s 2022/2023 Twilight Zone New Year’s Eve Marathon schedule is up!  The Twilight Zone New Year’s Eve Marathon has been one of our family traditions for decades.  Sometimes we binge watch. Other times we just check in on favorite episodes.  Shadow & Substance (an excellent Rod Serling fan site) has this year’s full schedule.  Before you click over to check it out, let me suggest some favorite Twilight Zone episodes…

December 31, 2022
9:00am – Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
11:30am – The Shelter
2:30pm – Eye of the Beholder
6:30pm – To Serve Man
9:30pm – The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street

January 1, 2023
1:30am – Five Characters in Search of an Exit
7:00am – The Obsolete Man
+++++
This year SYFY is mixing in three episodes from the 2019 series.  I’ve never seen ANY of those episodes, so I plan to check these three out.  You may want to as well.

8:00pm – Meet in the Middle (2019 series)
9:00pm – The Wunderkind (2019 series)
9:57pm – The Who of You (2019 series)
+++++

January 2, 2023
12:30am – The Howling Man
4:30am – The Midnight Sun
6:30am – Third From the Sun
10:00am – Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?
5:30pm – Time Enough At Last

January 3, 2023
2:30am – The Invaders
3:00am – The Silence

The Twilight Zone and quite a few other folks will be live-Tweeting during the marathon.   If you watch, please join in!

“Troll” (2022) / Z-View

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Troll (2022)

Director:  Roar Uthaug

Screenplay: Espen Aukan from a story by Roar Uthaug

Stars: Ine Marie Wilmann, Kim Falck, Mads Sjøgård Pettersen and Billy Campbell

Tagline: Mountains Will Move

The Plot…

A drilling operation accidentally sets of a large explosion in the Norwegian Dovre mountains.  Something huge is unleashed. Whatever was set free is destroying everything in it’s path.  Surprisingly there is little evidence left behind the destruction.

The government brings in a diverse group of military leaders and scientists to brainstorm next steps.  Nora Tidemann (Wilmann), after studying blurring camera images and evidence comes to believe the monster could be a giant troll.  She’s nearly laughed out of the room.

By the time it’s understood that Nora is right, the giant mythological beast is heading for the nation’s capital destroying all that gets in it’s way.  While the city evacuates, Nora and Captain Kristoffer Holm (Pettersen) put together a plan that may stop the creature. If it doesn’t kill them first.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Troll is so much fun!  If someone came to me with the idea of a giant troll movie, I would have passed.  It’s a great thing I wasn’t in charge of greenlighting this movie.  Everyone plays it straight which sets up both comedic and scary scenes.  The troll design is awesome.  If you’re a fan of King Kong and Godzilla, you should love Troll.  Keep an eye out for Billy Campbell of Rocketeer fame in a small role!

Troll earns 4 of 5 stars.

“Dizzy Pilots” (1943) starring The Three Stooges / Z-View

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Dizzy Pilots (1943)

Director:  Jules White

Screenplay: Clyde Bruckman

Stars: Moe Howard, Larry Fine, Curly Howard and Al Thompson

Tagline: Dog-Gone Good Fun!

The Plot…

The boys (Larry, Curly and Moe) claim that they have invented an airplane that will revolutionize flight.  Military and Government inspectors are coming to test their claims.  If the plane is all they say, the boys will get a deferment from joining the military.  If the plane falls short of their claims, the boys will be in the army now.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

In Dizzy Pilots Moe gets the worst treatment, which is rare in any Stooges’ short.  There is extended business when Moe falls into a trough of kick drying rubber that forms around his body.  Larry and Curly shoot air into the gunk and Moe is in danger of floating away.  Larry and Curly’s attempts to get him down are priceless.  Curly gets the most laughs when his Drill Sargent shows the proper way to “present arms” and Curly follows his Sarge’s every movement.

Dizzy Pilots contains about 5 minutes of footages from their Boobs in Arms short, but the scenes fit right in.

Dizzy Pilots earns 5 of 5 stars.