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RIP: Ted White

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Alex Bayouth who was known professionally as Ted White, stuntman and actor, died yesterday at the age of 96.  Mr. Bayouth enlisted in the marines when he was 17 and served at Iwo Jima!  He played football at the University of Oklahoma and was also a Golden Gloves boxer.  Because of his size and athletic ability, Mr. Bayouth decided to pursue a career as a stuntman/actor.

Mr. Bayouth was known professionally as Ted White.  As an actor/stuntman, Mr. White amassed over 150 credits performing on television and in feature films.  Clark Gable, John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Richard Boone and Fess Parker are just five of the stars for who Ted White served as a stunt double.

Some of  Ted White’s television appearances include: Maverick (actor); Cimarron City (actor/stunts); Perry Mason (actor); Wagon Train (actor); The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (actor/stunts); The Andy Griffith Show (actor); Bonanza (actor); Mannix (actor); Mission: Impossible (actor); Daniel Boone (actor/stunts 15 episodes); Marcus Welby (actor); Kojak (actor/stunts);  Kung Fu (actor); Kolchak: The Night Stalker (actor); The Streets of San Francisco (stunts); The Six Million Dollar Man (actor); Police Story (actor); The Rockford Files (actor); Matt Houston (actor/stunts); Spenser for Hire (stunts);  The Fall Guy (actor); Magnum PI (actor) and The X-Files (actor).

Some of  Ted White’s feature films include: Sands of Iwo Jima (actor); Creature from the Black Lagoon (stunts); Giant (stunts); The Naked and the Dead (stunts); Rio Bravo (actor/stunts); The Horse Soldiers (stunts); The Alamo (actor/stunts); The Misfits (stunts); Cat Ballou (stunts); The Cincinnati Kid (stunts); Point Blank (actor/stunts); Will Penny (stunts); Planet of the Apes (stunts); They Call Me Mister Tibbs (stunts); Prime Cut (stunts); Soylent Green (stunts); Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (actor/stunts); Rollerball (stunts); King Kong (stunts); Tron (actor); 1941 (stunts); Bronco Billy (stunts); Used Cars (stunts); Escape from New York (stunts); Against All Odds (actor); Romancing the Stone (actor); Ruthless People (stunts); Death Wish 4 (stunts); Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (actor); Road House (stunts); Starman (actor); Silverado (actor); 2 Fast 2 Furious (stunts) and Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift (stunts).

What an amazing career Ted White had.  As I compiled the list of some of his television and movie credits, I was truly shocked at how many of my favorite tv shows and movies he appeared in.  Although Ted White is most famous for playing Jason in Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter, it was not one of his favorite roles.  In fact, he turned down the change to return in the sequels.  Interestingly enough, many fans feel that Ted White was the best at playing Jason.

The role that first came to mind for me was when he played an escaped convict who returned to Mayberry to get even with the law officer that put him away — Barney Fife.  It’s one of my favorite Andy Griffith Show episodes. Ted White was a legitimate tough guy — a marine, a college football player, a boxer and a stunt man.  Coupled with his talent for acting, he put together a career to make any actor proud.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ted White’s family, friends and fans.

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THE DONUT LEGION by Joe R. Lansdale is Coming!

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Joe Lansdale is on my must-read list for ANY novel that he writes.  I emphasize any because Lansdale writes in whatever genre strikes his fancy.  His upcoming novel is titled The Donut Legion.  Here’s the synopsis…

Edgar award-winning author Joe R. Lansdale beams a light on an East Texas town held in the grip of conspiracy.
Charlie Garner has a bad feeling. His ex-wife, Meg, has been missing for over a week and one quick peek into her home shows all her possessions packed up in boxes. Neighbors claim she’s running from bill collectors, but Charlie suspects something more sinister is afoot. Meg was last seen working at the local donut shop, a business run by a shadow group most refer to as ‘The Saucer People’; a space-age, evangelist cult who believe their compound to be the site of an extraterrestrial Second Coming.

Along with his brother, Felix, and beautiful, randy journalist Amelia “Scrappy” Moon, Charlie uncovers strange and frightening details about the compound (read: a massive, doomsday storehouse of weapons, a leashed chimpanzee!) When the body of their key informer is found dead with his arms ripped out of their sockets, Charlie knows he’s in danger but remains dogged in his quest to rescue Meg.

Brimming with colorful characters and Lansdale’s characteristic bounce, this rollicking crime novel examines the insidious rise of fringe groups and those under their sway with black comedy and glints of pathos.

Pre-orders are available now.  Deal me in.

Dead Man (1995) / Z-View

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Dead Man (1995)

Director:  Jim Jarmusch

Screenplay by:  Jim Jarmusch

Starring:  Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Crispin Glover, Lance Henriksen, Michael Wincott, Eugene Byrd, John Hurt, Robert Mitchum, Iggy Pop, Gabriel Byrne, Mili Avital  and Billy Bob Thornton

Tagline:  Sometimes it is preferable not to travel with a dead man.

The Overview:  Beware of spoilers…

William Blake (Depp), a mild-mannered accountant, travels by train to a small town on the edge of the frontier.  There he meets a prostitute named Thel (Avital) who takes him home.  The next morning Thel’s ex-boyfriend, Charlie (Byrne) confronts Blake and Thel while they’re still in bed.  Charlie shoots at Blake.  The bullet hits (and kills) Thel and then strikes Blake in the chest when the bullet passes through her.  Blake picks up Thel’s gun and kills Charlie.  Blake then hightails it out of town.

Although he escaped into the wilderness, Blake’s chest wound is serious.  He passes out.  When he comes to he is surprised to find a huge Native American named Nobody (Farmer) standing over him.  Nobody says that the bullet is too close to his heart to be removed.  Blake is a walking dead man.  Nobody says he will help Blake prepare for his journey back to the spiritual world.  Along the way Blake has run-ins with many unusual characters including the three notorious killers hired by Charlie’s dad (Mitchum) to avenge his son’s murder.

Jim Jarmusch brought together an all-star cast to tell a strange, almost mesmerizing tale,  Dead Man was shot in black and white, with fadeouts after each scene enhanced by an improvised Neil Young soundtrack.  Truth be told, I started to watch Dead Man years ago and couldn’t get into it.  This time, I loved every minute.  Dead Man earns 4 of 5 stars.

“The Wizard of Oz” (1925) / Z-View

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The Wizard of Oz (1925)

Director: Larry Semon

Screenplay:  Larry Semon, L. Frank Baum Jr. based on The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Starring:  Larry Semon, Dorothy Dwan, Frank Alexander, Charles Murray, Josef Swickerd, Oliver Hardy, Mary Carr and Spencer Bell.

Tagline: The Thrilling Comedy Cyclone! The Wonderful Land of Oz! The Den of Man Eating Lions! The Famous Scarecrow and Tin Man! The Startling Airplane Rescue! The 100 Foot Leap for Life! All combined in the greatest screen novelty ever made.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

The movie begins with a toymaker reading The Wizard of Oz to his granddaughter…

Dorothy (Dwan) is a just-turned 18 year old who was left on Auntie Em’s (Carr) doorstep as a baby.  In reality, Dorothy is the rightful heir to the throne in the land of Oz.  When a tornado deposits Dorothy, and three farmhands in Oz, the evil Prime Minister Kruel (Swickerd) realizes that the true ruler has returned.

Kruel sends his soldiers to do away with Dorothy and crew.  To escape, one of the farmhands disguises himself as a scarecrow, another a tin woodsman and later the third ends up in a lion suit.  Will Dorothy survive and be crowned queen?  Will Prime Minister Kruel and Lady Vishuss be deposed?  (Psst!  It’s a kid’s book, so what do you think?)

Larry Semon was a popular comedian of the day.  Semon wrote, produced and starred in this version of The Wizard of Oz.  The Scarecrow gets most film time and he’s played by, you guessed it, Larry Semon.  Semon had a love for big budgets and tons sight gags. The Wizard of Oz has both.  We get a lot of visual gags, and the ending even features Semon climbing and swinging between towers while being shot at with a canon, a leap to a rope ladder from a passing plane and more.

A young pre-Laurel & Hardy, Oliver Hardy appears in the film playing the farmhand who becomes the Tin Man.  Spencer Bell (an African-American actor) is billed a G. Howe Black and appears in a few scenes that even at that time were thought as demeaning as his billing.

The Wizard of Oz (1925) earns a 3 of 5 star rating.

“Witness to Murder” (1954) / Z-View

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Witness to Murder (1954)

Director:  Roy Rowland

Screenplay:  Chester Erskine, Nunnally Johnson (uncredited)

Starring:  Barbara Stanwyck, George Sanders, Gary Merrill,  Jesse White and Claude Akins

Tagline: No one would believe what she saw that night… not the police… not her friends… no one — but the murderer himself!

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Looking out of her window one evening, Cheryl Draper (Stanwyck) witnesses a murder committed in an apartment across the way.  The murderer sees the police arrive, and by the time they get to his room, he’s hidden the body in an empty apartment.  Albert Richter (Sanders) greets the police as if he’s been awakened from a sound sleep and he couldn’t be more accommodating.  The police report back to Miss Draper that she was mistaken.

The next day Miss Draper sees Richter putting a trunk into his car and driving away.  She’s convinced that he’s disposing of the body.  Draper decides to get into his apartment to find evidence and then go to the police.  Unfortunately for Cheryl Draper, it’s like the movie’s tag line says: No one believes what she saw that night… not the police… not her friends… no one — but the murderer himself!

Witness to Murder was released in 1954, the same year as Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window.  The release year isn’t the only thing the films have in common,  The plots of each have someone witness a murder in an apartment across the way and no one believes it but the murderer.  Hitchcock’s film is a classic, and Witness to Murder is under-rated.

Witness to Murder wastes no time to get the story going.  The black and white photography adds a feeling of menace.  Although Barbara Stanwyck is the first billed star, it is George Sanders who steals the show.  While the “insane” woman aspect of the movie is dated, Sanders’ portrayal of a sociopathic killer who is always steps ahead of the witness and cops could have been written today.  Several familiar faces show up: George Sanders, Gerry Merrill, Jesse White (the Maytag repairman!) and even an unbilled Claude Akins.

Witness to Murder is a fun ride.  Clocking in at a fast-paced one hour and twenty-three minutes, it’s a journey you might enjoy.  I did and that’s why I give Witness to Murder 4 of 5 stars.

“Love and a .45” (1994) / Z-View

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Love and a .45 (1994)

Director:  C.M. Talkington

Writers: C.M. Talkington

Starring:  Gil Bellows, Renée Zellweger, Rory Cochrane, Peter Fonda and Michael Bowen.

Tagline:  In The End There Are Only Two Things That Matter…

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A convenience store thief (he’s got it down to a science) and his fiancé are on the run for Mexico.  Chasing them are cops, two loan sharks and the thief’s crazy ex-crime partner.  Love and a .45 tries hard to be outrageous, hip and cool.  Characters named Watty Watts, Starlene Cheatham, Billy Mack Black, Dinosaur Bob and Creepy Cody give you an idea of what we’re dealing with.  Tarantino Lite.

Renée Zellweger is so young here that she doesn’t look like the movie star she would become.  Rory Cochrane as Billy Mack Black is good.  I saw Love and a .45 years ago and liked it better than my recent viewing, so your mileage may differ.  Love and a .45 gets 2 of 5 stars.

Craig’s 2021 Best Movies, Books, and Posts Lists!

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End of the Year lists are fun and so I decided to compile a few of my own. I hope you enjoy them. Below is my Best Of list for 2021…

Movies and Limited Series

In 2021, I watched 372 movies. Most were streamed. The only film I saw in a theater was Rocky vs Drago, Sly Stallone’s Director’s Cut of Rocky IV. Although the total movies watched was less than last year, it was still nearly double of what I saw prior to retiring.  My favorite films and limited series released in 2021 included:

  • Army of the Dead
  • Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali
  • No Sudden Move
  • Rocky IV: Rocky vs Drago Director’s Cut
  • Midnight Mass
  • Who Killed Malcolm X?

Books

In 2021, I read 39 books (5 more than last year). Prior to retiring I usually read about 20 – 24 per year so the increase is a good sign that I’ll some day make it through my book cases of “to be read” books.  My favorites from this year included:

  • The Revelators by Ace Atkins
  • Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden
  • Two in the Head by Eric Beetner
  • She Rides Shotgun by Jordan Harper
  • Paradise Sky by Joe Lansdale
  • Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cosby
  • Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby
  • The Heathens by Ace Atkins
  • The Driver by Hart Hanson
  • My Darkest Prayer by S.A. Cosby

My Most Popular Posts of the Year

I continue to find some surprises in what became my most popular posts each year. Here are the top ten for 2021 and some thoughts for each…

10. Michael Biehn Talks “Tombstone” – broke into the top ten. I’m not surprised due to the continuing popularity of Tombstone.

09. Jack Benny in “Casablanca” – dropped from the 7th spot to the 9th. I love that Jack Benny is still popular enough to make the top ten for the year since I consider him very under-rated.

08. Gadot & The Rock Strike a Pose – Two of the most popular movie stars in the world together? Yep and that’s why they came in at #8.

07. Top 10 Most Iconic Horror Movie Villains – dropped from #5 to #7 for the year. Horror movie posts remain popular but maybe a bit less this year than last year.

06. The Girl Who Didn’t “Flinch” Trailer is Here! – This one surprised me more than any other post. A crime film from a director and cast I didn’t know and it not only made the top ten most popular posts of the year but also nearly made the top 5.

05. Rare “Batman” Screen Tests: Lyle Waggoner & Peter Deyell and Adam West & Burt Ward – I love that this one got a lot of love this year.

04. Dracula Through the Ages – was our 4th most popular post last year. Horror movies always get love and Dracula counts (see what I did there) as horror.

03. Louis Meyers: Evidence He was the Zodiac Killer – came in the #2 spot last year. Real life horror trumps fictional this time.

02. Schwarzenegger in “King Lear” & Robin Williams in “Jack and the Beanstalk” – was our most popular post last year and clocks in at #2 this year.

01. The TWILIGHT ZONE New Year’s Eve Marathon is Coming and the Full Schedule is Out! – was the most popular post of the year and surprised me almost as much as The Girl Who Didn’t “Flinch” Trailer is Here!

My All-Time Most Popular Posts

There weren’t many changes on the All-Time Most Popular Posts list. One post managed to break through while the others mostly stayed in their same spots. Let’s see how things shook out…

10. Dracula Through the Ages – made it into the top ten!

09. Gadot & The Rock Strike a Pose – was in the 9th spot last year and remained there this year.

08. Real Clown or Horror Movie Clown? – was in the 7th spot last year and dropped to 8.

07. Joel Osteen in Jacksonville – dropped one spot from 6th to 7th.

06. TOP 10 MOST ICONIC HORROR MOVIE VILLAINS! – moved up 2 spots from 8 to 6 this year.

05. Steve Reeves as Superman – was the #5 all-time most popular post last year and continues to be this year.

04. New Billy the Kid Photo Discovered – was the #4 all-time most popular post last year and continues to be this year.

03. Zodiac Killer Code Cracked? – was the #3 all-time most popular post last year and continues to be this year.

02. Louis Meyers: Evidence He Was the Zodiac Killer – was the #2 all-time most popular post last year and continues to be this year.

01. Schwarzenegger in “King Lear” & Robin Williams in “Jack and the Beanstalk” – was #1 last year and continues to be our most popular post of all-time.

It’s always interesting to see which topics resonate with fans and continue to be popular long after their initial post.

The Commando Starring Michael Jai White & Mickey Rourke – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The poster is pretty boring but the trailer for The Commando shows promise.  If you’re looking for a drive-in movie, then The Commando will fit the bill.  I’d watch.

ComingSoon is debuting the exclusive trailer, key art, and new photos for the upcoming action crime thriller The Commando. Starring Michael Jai White (Spawn, The Dark Knight, Black Dynamite) and Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler, Sin City, Iron Man 2) Saban Films will release the film in theaters, on Digital, and On Demand on January 7, 2022.

“In this edge-of-your-seat crime thriller, an elite DEA agent (White) returns home after a failed mission when his family makes an unexpected discovery in their house – a stash of money worth $3 million,” reads the official synopsis. “They soon face the danger and threat of a newly released criminal (Rourke) and his crew who will do whatever it takes to retrieve the money – including kidnap the agent’s daughters. Stakes are high and lives are at risk in this head-to-head battle as the agent stops at nothing to protect his family against the money-hungry criminals.”

“The Many Saints of Newark” – A New Poster and Trailer are Here!

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The new poster and trailer for The Many Saints of Newark is fire.  Check out the amazing cast and equally amazing behind the camera talent they’ve lined up for this film.  October 1st can’t get her fast enough.

New Line Cinema’s “The Many Saints of Newark” is the much-anticipated feature film prequel to David Chase’s groundbreaking, award-winning HBO drama series “The Sopranos.”

Young Anthony Soprano is growing up in one of the most tumultuous eras in Newark’s history, becoming a man just as rival gangsters begin to rise up and challenge the all-powerful DiMeo crime family’s hold over the increasingly race-torn city. Caught up in the changing times is the uncle he idolizes, Dickie Moltisanti, who struggles to manage both his professional and personal responsibilities—and whose influence over his nephew will help make the impressionable teenager into the all-powerful mob boss we’ll later come to know: Tony Soprano.

“The Many Saints of Newark” stars Alessandro Nivola (“Disobedience,” “American Hustle”), Tony winner Leslie Odom Jr. (Broadway’s “Hamilton,” “Murder on the Orient Express”), Jon Bernthal (“Baby Driver,” “The Wolf of Wall Street”), Corey Stoll (“First Man,” “Ant-Man”), Michael Gandolfini (TV’s “The Deuce”), Billy Magnussen (“Game Night,” “The Big Short”), Michela De Rossi (“Boys Cry,” TV’s “The Rats”), John Magaro (“The Finest Hours,” “Not Fade Away”), with Emmy winner Ray Liotta (TV’s “Shades of Blue,” “Goodfellas”) and Oscar nominee Vera Farmiga (“Up in the Air,” “The Conjuring” films).

Alan Taylor (“Thor: The Dark World”), who won an Emmy for his directing work on “The Sopranos,” is helming the film from a screenplay by series creator David Chase & Lawrence Konner, based on characters created by Chase. Chase, Konner and Nicole Lambert are producing the film, with Michael Disco, Marcus Viscidi, Toby Emmerich and Richard Brener serving as executive producers.

Taylor’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Kramer Morgenthau (“Creed II,” “Thor: The Dark World”), production designer Bob Shaw (“The Wolf of Wall Street,” “The Sopranos”), Oscar-nominated editor Christopher Tellefsen (“Moneyball,” “A Quiet Place”) and costume designer Amy Westcott (“The Wrestler,” “Black Swan”).

“The Many Saints of Newark” was shot on location in New Jersey and New York, and several beloved characters from the original series that inspired the film are featured in the movie. During its six-season run, “The Sopranos”—widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential television drama series of all time—was honored with 21 Primetime Emmy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, and two Peabody Awards, to name only a portion.

New Line Cinema Presents, In Association with Home Box Office, a Chase Films Production, “The Many Saints of Newark.” The film is slated for release in theaters nationwide on October 1, 2021 and will be available in the U.S. on HBO Max for 31 days from theatrical release. It is being distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and has been rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, sexual content and some nudity.

The TCM Classic Film Festival is Coming Soon! Full Line-up is Here!

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The TCM Classic Film Festival runs this year from May 6th through the 9th.  It is totally virtual and this year TCM is teaming with HBO Max to…

…feature more than 100 films, brand new conversations with over 30 special guests, rarely seen gems from the TCM archives and special presentations.

Here are the films/events that I look forward to…

May 6th
11:15pm  TCM  Mean Streets (1973) – A young hood in New York’s Little Italy contends with saving the neck of his hotheaded best friend from the local loan shark and struggles with the religious guilt prompted by his lifestyle.

May 7th
1:30am  TCM  Dr. X (1932) – TCM premiere of recently restored version. The new two-color Technicolor master was restored by UCLA Film and Television Archive and The Film Foundation in association with Warner Bros. Entertainment.

8:00pm  TCM  Plan 9 From Outer Space Table Read (2020) – Television premiere. SF Sketchfest Presents a table read of Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959), adapted by comedian Dana Gould and featuring Maria Bamford, Bobcat Goldthwait, Oscar Nuñez, Laraine Newman, Bob Odenkirk, David Koechner, Janet Varney, Jonah Ray, Paul F. Tompkins, Gary Anthony Williams, Baron Vaughn, Deborah Baker Jr. and Kat Aagesen.  (Followed by the original Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959) film at 9:30pm.)

May 8th
3:15am  TCM  let me come in (2021) – World broadcast premiere presentation of Bill Morrison’s experimental short featuring decayed film reels from the lost, German silent film Pawns of Passion (1928). Co-presented by The Los Angeles Opera with composer David Lang and soprano Angel Blue, and in partnership with the Library of Congress Audio Visual Conservation Center.

4:00am  TCM  Underworld U.S.A. (1961) – A bitter young man sets out to get back at the gangsters who murdered his father.

6:00am  TCM  TEX AVERY: THE KING OF CARTOONS (1988) – Documentary about the life and career of animator and director Frederick Bean “Tex” Avery.

7:00am  TCM  TEX AVERY AT MGM (1943-1955) – Compilation of cartoons directed by Tex Avery during his years at MGM. Featured cartoons: Red Hot Riding Hood (1943), Bad Luck Blackie (1949), Deputy Droopy (1955), Screwball Squirrel (1944), King-Size Canary (1947), T.V. of Tomorrow (1953) and Symphony in Slang (1955).

8:00am  TCM  I LOVE TROUBLE (1947) – TCM premiere. A private detective is hired by a politician to check on his wife’s background.

8:00pm  TCM  THEY WON’T BELIEVE ME (1947) – World premiere of a recent 4K restoration from the nitrate film. This restoration returns the film to its original 95 minutes thanks to the return of 15 minutes of original footage cut by RKO at the film’s reissue in the 1950s. A philandering playboy with a wealthy wife and two girlfriends ends up on trial for murder when two of the ladies turn up dead, and he’s the most likely suspect.

10:00pm  TCM  LADY SINGS THE BLUES (1972) –  The story of jazz singer Billie Holiday: from her early life of poverty and abuse, through her successful career and eventual downfall from heroin addiction.
*** Presented in partnership with the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, featuring conversation with Jacqueline Stewart, TCM Host and Academy Museum Chief Artistic and Programming Officer

May 9th
8:00pm  TCM  SO THIS IS PARIS (1926) – World premiere restoration featuring a new score by composer Ben Model. A married doctor falls for a dancer while his wife develops an attraction to the dancer’s husband.

9:30pm  TCM  THE GOODBYE GIRL (1977) –  Paula is a divorced mother and ex-Broadway dancer, who learns that her lover has left her only when aspiring actor Elliot arrives to sublet the apartment in the middle of the night. Their uneasy truce blossoms into love.
*** NEW! Conversation with Richard Dreyfuss

11:45pm  TCM  FAME (1980) –  Five outstandingly gifted students at New York’s High School of Performing Arts are followed as they prepare for careers in show business. A budding singer, two actors, a dancer and a musician polish their crafts as they struggle to excel academically in the demanding school.
*** NEW! Conversation with Debbie Allen

2:15am  TCM – BREATHLESS (1960) – A petty criminal, wanted for the murder of a police officer, returns to Paris where he meets an American girl who hawks newspapers. They become lovers, but eventually the police pressure her into betraying him and revealing his whereabouts.

HBO Max created a TCM hub where “starting at 8pm ET on Thursday, May 6 Festival programming will be presented in specially-crafted themes for you to explore featuring exclusive new interviews with actors and filmmakers, special presentations by notable film experts, rarely seen archival content and a wide selection of beloved classic movies curated by the experts at TCM.”

Click here to view the full TCM schedule and here to view the HBO Max offerings.

THE DUSK by Segura, Little & Hahn on Kickstarter Now!

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THE DUSK, is a new graphic novel created by Alex Segura & Elizabeth Little (writers) and David Hahn (artist), with Ellie Wright (colorist) and Taylor Esposito (letterer).  It is on Kickstarter now.  Here’s the synopsis…

Down below the abandoned skyscrapers and crumbling colonial architecture, beneath the buzzing lights and ragged billboards, is a fading, floundering city propped up by vice, extortion, and fear. This is BLACKSTONE—a dark, mirror image of Boston or Philadelphia. A city whose history dates back to the earliest days of our nation.

A once-mighty industrial titan—now teetering on the edge of oblivion. A city that used to mean something. Blackstone public defender Jaime Nuñez – former baseball hero, now a divorced dad to a precocious teen – is always trying to do his best. But the criminal justice system is not without limits. When Jaime comes into an unexpected fortune and some surprising, super heroic tools, he discovers there might be another, more direct way to do some actual good in the world.

Here are some preview pages.  Click on them to see a larger view.

The Dusk Kickstarter offers digital, individual issues as well as an all-in-one graphic novel. There are variant covers (Gabriel Hardman, Derek Charm, Rebekah Isaacs, Jamal Ingle, Francesco Francavilla, Howard Chaykin), t-shirts, and more that can be added on.

I jumped on this Kickstarter, The Dusk looks like a fun ride. Click here for more info.

Craig’s Best of 2020: Novels, Movies and Blog Posts

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End of the Year lists are fun and so I decided to compile a few of my own. I hope you enjoy them.

Movies

In 2020, I watched 453 movies. Most were streamed. I usually see a little over 200 movies per year so retirement and the pandemic helped increase my viewing. My favorite films released in 2020 included:

  • Arkansas: An under-rated, quirky crime drama.
  • Dracula: Technically a 3 part mini-series, but the first two episodes were near perfect and the third didn’t ruin the experience (but did fall off quite a bit).
  • Extraction: A surprisingly well done action film that had heart.
  • Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom: My favorite film of the year – the screenplay, acting and direction were top shelf. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom deserves a boatload of Oscars.

Who’d have thought that two of my favorite films would star the Hemsworth brothers?

Books

In 2020, I read 34 books. I usually read about 20 – 24 per year so retirement and the pandemic also worked to increase my novel consumption. My favorites from this year included:

My Most Popular Posts of the Year

I always find some surprises in the most popular posts from the year. Here are the top ten for 2020 and some thoughts for each…

10. David Fincher’s “Mank” – The Poster and Trailer are Here! Fincher is always a fan favorite, and Mank’s poster and trailer were no exception.

09. Facts About Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery”. The popularity of this post surprises me since it deals with a short story, but horror is always a favorite subject with many of our readers.

08. Peter Stults’ “28 Days Later” Starring Richard Burton. I love that this remains a top post. Stults’ alternative movie posters are a blast. He chooses great stars to recast in cool movies.

07. Jack Benny in “Casablanca”. This one makes me smile. I love that it made the top ten.

06. Sly Stallone Starring in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” Video! Sly Stallone makes the list!

05. TOP 10 MOST ICONIC HORROR MOVIE VILLAINS! I told you horror posts are popular.

04. Dracula Through the Ages. I wasn’t kidding. Horror posts are popular.

03. Jackie Daytona Commercial for “Lucky Brews Bar and Grill”! The popularity of this post surprised me. Sure, it has the horror connection, but mixed in is a great amount of humor. Add to that it is for an under-rated horror/comedy (that I hope you are watching) and we get our third most popular post of the year!

02. Louis Meyers: Evidence He Was the Zodiac Killer. Any post about the Zodiac Killer always get a lot of views. This one has even racked up the most comments. 

01. Schwarzenegger in “King Lear” & Robin Williams in “Jack and the Beanstalk”. This posts gets more hits than any other post on the site. It’s not horror, it’s not about a real life killer or Sly Stallone, but it is our #1 post again this year.

My All-Time Most Popular Posts

I thought it might be fun to close out with a look at our all-time most popular posts. Did any or most of 2020’s greatest hits make the all-time list? Let’s see…

10. The Life and Times of Deputy U.S. Marshall Bass Reeves. I’m glad that this post remains popular. Our post about Marshall Bass Reeves (a true life hero) went up years before a comic series and movie about him were made. Don’t you love it when we’re ahead of the curve?

09. Gadot & The Rock Strike a Pose. Of course two of the most popular movie stars in the world together in a candid would make our most popular list.

08. TOP 10 MOST ICONIC HORROR MOVIE VILLAINS! Our #5 most popular post for 2020 is our all-time #8 most popular post… and of course it’s horror.

07. Real Clown Or Horror-Movie Clown? This is creepy. Normally I don’t have a problem with clowns, but some of those real clowns were downright scary.

06. Joel Osteen in Jacksonville This has been popular one since it first appeared.

05. Steve Reeves as Superman Of course Steve Reeves never got the chance to play the Man of Steel, but if he had, he would have made a good one.

04. New Billy the Kid Photo Discovered This posts hits on crime and history with the chance of a new discovery. That’s a great combination of topics and popular with a lot of folks.

03. Zodiac Killer Code Cracked? Again we have crime, history, a new discovery and I would even argue horror to make for a popular post.

02. Louis Meyers: Evidence He Was the Zodiac Killer This was not only our #2 all-time favorite, but also the #2 favorite for 2020. And it generated quite a few comments and e-mails.

01. Schwarzenegger in “King Lear” & Robin Williams in “Jack and the Beanstalk”.01. Schwarzenegger in “King Lear” & Robin Williams in “Jack and the Beanstalk”. The #1 post for 2020 is also our #1 all-time favorite. 

It’s always interesting to see which topics resonate with fans and continue to be popular longer after the initial post.  I wonder how many of our all-time favorites will make the list in 2021?  Time will tell… and so will I…. next year!  

“The Batman” Trailer and Craig’s Thoughts…

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Warner Bros. dropped the trailer for The Batman and it is rightfully getting a lot of positive buzz.

Truth be told, I hadn’t much interest in The Batman until seeing this trailer.  While Batman is my favorite DC comic character and I’ve enjoyed all of the Batman movies to some extent, the change of director, star and focus of the new film left me with a wait and see attitude.  Now that I’ve seen the trailer let’s talk…

  • Pattison as Batman looks good.  Because of the way the modern films have designed the suit, anyone (within reason) could be Batman.  I like that this suit isn’t as flashy as previous ones.
  • Zoë Kravitz is an excellent choice for Catwoman.
  • Take out the Batman and Catwoman and the movie still looks like something I’d want to see.
  • The supporting cast is excellent.
  • I like that Matt Reeves co-wrote and is directing.
  • I like the title The Batman and that Batman is working with the police.  The whole film has a Batman: Year One vibe and that is a great thing.
  • The only thing that I question at this point, is Batman says, “I am vengeance” when I always felt that Batman was more about “justice”.
  • The Batman is now on my must-see list and I can’t wait to see more.

From Warner Bros. Pictures comes The Batman, with director Matt Reeves (the Planet of the Apes films) at the helm and with Robert Pattinson (Tenet, The Lighthouse, Good Time) starring as Gotham City’s vigilante detective, Batman, and billionaire Bruce Wayne.

Also in the star-studded ensemble as Gotham’s famous and infamous cast of characters are Zoë Kravitz (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Mad Max: Fury Road) as Selina Kyle; Paul Dano (Love & Mercy, 12 Years a Slave) as Edward Nashton; Jeffrey Wright (the Hunger Games films) as the GCPD’s James Gordon; John Turturro (the Transformers films) as Carmine Falcone; Peter Sarsgaard (The Magnificent Seven, Black Mass) as Gotham D.A. Gil Colson; Barry Keoghan (Dunkirk) as Officer Stanley Merkel; Jayme Lawson (Farewell Amor) as mayoral candidate Bella Reál; with Andy Serkis (Planet of the Apes films, Black Panther) as Alfred; and Colin Farrell (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Dumbo) as Oswald Cobblepot…

Based on characters from DC. Batman was created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger. The Batman is set to open in theaters October 1, 2021 in select 3D and 2D and IMAX theaters and will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

The MGM 31 Day Movie Challenge

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I saw the MGM 31 Day Movie Challenge and thought it would be fun to play along.  Except for days that ask for a very specific movie I’m going to use favorite films that are great but less likely to be chosen.  Here we go…

  • Day 1:  Movie I’ve watched the most – Rocky.  No surprise there.  Also in the running would be some other Stallone films, Enter the Dragon with John Wick and World War Z offering some newer challenges to the throne of most watched.
  • Day 2: Movie that makes me cry – Saving Private Ryan.  When old man Ryan asks if he is a good man something always seems to get in my eye.
  • Day 3: Movie that make me laugh – Steamboat Bill, Jr.  Made over 90 years ago by the great Buster Keaton.  It’s a silent film that still resonates.
  • Day 4: Movie with a number in the title – District B13 (2004).  A little known action film with tons of parkour and fun.
  • Day 5: Movie with a teacher – Rope directed by Alfred Hitchcock.  Two college men host a dinner party with their murder victim hidden in the same room. James Stewart stars.
  • Day 6: Movie from the 90s – Last of the Mohicans.  I’ve been wanting to watch this again… now even more!
  • Day 7: Favorite musical – The Wizard of Oz!  Musicals aren’t my favorite genre, but The Wizard of Oz is one of my all-time favorite movies.
  • Day 8: Movie from the 80s – Nighthawks.  Sly Stallone is ahead of the curve with a buddy movie about terrorism in the United States.  At the time a lot of folks thought and said, “That could never happen here.”
  • Day 9: Movie with a person’s name in the title – Rambo.   Stallone returns to the character with one of the best films of the series.
  • Day 10: Movie that reminds you of your mom – Conan, the Barbarian.  My wife and I took my mom to see it and she spent the last half of the movie in the lobby.  She hated it.
  • Day 11:  Movie with a color in the title – Black Rain.  Another under-rated film.
  •  Day 12: Your favorite Rom-Com – The Apartment.  I’m not a huge Jack Lemmon or Shirley MacLaine fan, but they are perfect in The Apartment.
  • Day 13: Movie from the year I was born – Elevator to the Gallows.  A man murders his boss who is also the husband of his mistress.  Unexpected events lead the police to his trail…
  • Day 14: Your favorite horror flick – Night of the Living Dead.  George Romero’s movie’s impact is felt to this day.
  • Day 15: A  movie from the 70s – Enter the Dragon.  The best Bruce Lee and martial arts movie of all-time.  Pure perfection.
  • Day 16: Your favorite movie to quote: Rocky Balboa.  “Life ain’t all sunshine and roses… It’s not how hard you can hit. It’s how hard you can be hit and…”
  • Day 17: Movie from the 60’s – Requiem for a Heavyweight.  One of the best boxing movies of all time.  Written by Rod Serling, directed by Ralph Nelson and starring Anthony Quinn, Jackie Gleason and Mickey Rooney.
  • Day 18: Film based on a book – To Kill a Mockingbird.  Classic book and classic movie.
  • Day 19: Favorite Action/Adventure movie: Since I’ve listed Enter the Dragon, Rocky and Rambo and because John Wick is an obvious choice, I’m going with The Adventures of Robin Hood directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Errol Flynn in his greatest role.
  • Day 20: Favorite comedy – The Great Race.  I’ve come to love this movie more with every viewing! (Maybe I’m more of a Jack Lemmon fan than I knew.)
  • Day 21: First movie I saw in a theater – It may have been Goldfinger, Help! or Mary Poppins.
  • Day 22:  Movie that stars my favorite actor or actress – Cop Land.  Sly held his own with Deniro, Keitel and Liotta.
  • Day 23: Favorite cult classic – From Dusk Till Dawn.  I love this film!
  • Day 24: Favorite film series – Rocky.  No surprise there.
  • Day 25: Favorite remake – Dawn of the Dead directed by Zack Snyder.
  • Day 26: Favorite Holiday Movie – National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. (Yeah, I love A Christmas Story, too.)
  • Day 27: Movie with the Best Soundtrack – Sharkey’s Machine directed and starring Burt Reynolds.  More folks should give that soundtrack a play.
  • Day 28: Movie made by my Favorite Director – Paradise Alley directed by Sylvester Stallone.  His first directorial effort and it is under-rated.
  • Day 29: Favorite Animated movie – The Incredibles.
  • Day 30: Favorite Childhood movie – The original Planet of the Apes!
  • Day 31: Movie that starts with the first letter of your name: Cabin in the Sky.  Made in 1943 with an all black cast and it is amazing.  One of my all-time favorites.

RIP – Robert Forster

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Robert Forster, the actor best known for his Academy Award nominated role in Jackie Brown has passed away at the age of 78 from brain cancer.

Forster was one of those rare actors who made everything in was in better.  I first became aware of Forster in the tv series Banyon.  I liked him better than the show and often that seemed to be the case.  The same could be said for his appearances in Reflections in a Golden Eye; The Black Hole; Alligator; The Delta Force; and so many more.

Forster was quoted in a 2018 interview with the Chicago Tribune…

“My career went like this for five years and then like that for 27. Every time it reached a lower level I thought I could tolerate, it dropped some more, and then some more. Near the end I had no agent, no manager, no lawyer, no nothing. I was taking whatever fell through the cracks.”

But Forster hung in taking whatever parts he could that would pay the bills.

Quentin Tarantino was a fan and had Forster audition for Reservoir Dogs. Ultimately Tarantino gave the part to Lawrence Tierney, but had another idea for Forster.  And that was the male lead in Jackie Brown.  Forster was nominated for an Academy Award and that restarted his career.  Better roles continued, and Forster worked until his death — having two films, El Camino: A Breaking Bad Story and Phil coming out in 2019.

I loved Forster’s acting and his attitude about life.  As he told this interviewer…

“You gotta be ready… Accept all things that give you a good attitude.  Deliver excellence right now… And never quit. You can win it in the late innings if you don’t quit.”

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Robert Forster’s family, friends and fans.