Comic Book Plus Forum
All And Everything => Watcha ... ? => Topic started by: narfstar on April 11, 2010, 02:43:59 PM
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I finally got around to watching the last episode of Dollhouse. Interesting concluded series. It could have an annual movie like Alien Nation did which would be cool. I almost gave up on Dollhouse early on thinking it was going to be nearly the same show every time. Boy was I wrong as it developed into a visual novel that had a Beginning -middle- and end. I loved Stargate and Atlantis gave up on Universe as too dark. I guess the popularity of the dark Battlestar Galactica made them decide to go that direction. Not for me I did not like the new Galactica although I loved the old. I also gave up on Fringe.
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I'm a big Buffy and Dr. Horrible fan, but I don't have the desire to watch Dollhouse.I think the premise just doesn't appeal to me, though I might end up watching it for Dusku alone (hubba-hubba). ;D
Right now, I'm mixing Babylon 5 with Star Trek TNG, with Star Trek : Enterprise and saturday morning cartoons sprinkled on the top. :)
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I'm a big Buffy and Dr. Horrible fan, but I don't have the desire to watch Dollhouse.I think the premise just doesn't appeal to me, though I might end up watching it for Dusku alone (hubba-hubba). ;D
If you think the premise is lame, that's what I thought before I watched it. If you think it's endorsing slavery, it isn't.
The only disappointment I had was it ended. Give it a try. :)
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Dollhouse turned out much different that what the first season led you to believe. Like I said I about gave up on it but boy did the last season turn everything around and was really good scifi. I have been meaning to watch B5 again. Had not seen it since the original run.
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Dollhouse turned out much different that what the first season led you to believe. Like I said I about gave up on it but boy did the last season turn everything around and was really good scifi. I have been meaning to watch B5 again. Had not seen it since the original run.
I watched the entire B5 run last year, it held up quite well.
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I'm not much of a TV guy but admit to being totally enthralled by all things Lost. This final season has been truly awesome. I recently enjoyed watching the first couple seasons of Survivors from the BBC and watch Breaking Bad on AMC. My wife likes the foodie and HGTV stuff, so I end up watching Good Eats and Iron Chef a few times a week too.
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My weekly consumption includes --
New shows:
1) Life Unexpected
2) Supernatural
3) Vampire Diaries
4) Smallville
Syndicated:
Geo. Lopez
Bernie Mac
Everyone Loves Raymond
With the FIFA World Cup coming up in June, I will upgrade my cable service and more than likely get caught up on a ton of SF Channel. ;D
B.
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I watch Celebrity Apprentice, and Kim Possible, Cars, Ice Age, yes....I do have a toddler :)
Not sure if anyone heard of Christopher Hart - who wrote Cartoon Cool, but that is the kind of animation I like retro 50/60's. But which is pretty current with Kim Possible, and some of the new batman animation cartoons....
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The new Doctor Who started here in Britain 2 weekends ago. I like the new Doctor and some of you "hubba, hubba" guys might be impressed with the new assistant. I watch very few USA shows and haven't seen any of those mentioned apart from Star Trek. But I really enjoy The Mentalist and Leverage, (although Leverage is very good entertainment, it's a shade off the quality of the British show, Hustle, on which some of it is based.) Anyway, Baseball has started and we also have an hours Aussie Rules highlights show, so very little time left. And IPL cricket has been on most days and I like to catch some of that.
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Hey Paw my wife and I watch Leverage together and really enjoy it. I have heard Hustle is better but never got around to trying it. I watch the Mentalist when I can to just enjoy.
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Narfstar, don't know where you are but the new Phantom show is on SY FY(is that how you spell it?)And I discoverd today that I have that channel on Virgin cable. If you have access, and can find The Phantom, let me know, please.
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SyFy's website gives no info on an upcoming Phantom series. Sure hope their is one done well
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I usually like to watch TV or movies on DVD but most of the shows my wife and I watch are dramas - House, Criminal Minds, Law & Order SVU, White Collar. I also like Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares. Not a big fan of reality TV but like those two.
For some reason, it really annoyed me when Sci-Fi changed its name to SyFy. Didi they think people couldn't figure out how to pronounce it so they had to spell it phonetically? "Hey, let's watch the new show on Sky-Fee!"
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The new Doctor Who started here in Britain 2 weekends ago. I like the new Doctor and some of you "hubba, hubba" guys might be impressed with the new assistant. I watch very few USA shows and haven't seen any of those mentioned apart from Star Trek. But I really enjoy The Mentalist and Leverage, (although Leverage is very good entertainment, it's a shade off the quality of the British show, Hustle, on which some of it is based.) Anyway, Baseball has started and we also have an hours Aussie Rules highlights show, so very little time left. And IPL cricket has been on most days and I like to catch some of that.
I was really taken by Mentalist, but I lost step somewhere around the beginning of the second season. :-\
Don't know about the new assistant, it's gonna be really hard to top off the last one...err...imdb-ing....Billie Piper, yeah. ;D
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My wife and I are doing Netflix on our TV. (Our son has Wii.)
We're currently watching Dresden Files, which I'm really into.
My wife had a few days off work and watched the whole (so far) Weeds series.
(IMO Mary-Louise Parker is an incredibly sexy 40-something. I turn 60 in June.)
We're also fans of Lost -- I HATE the poor info / noise ratio for Lost tho.
Also we're watching V.
And I'm still watching Heroes, tho I've had to adjust downwards my expectations of the series.
Peace, Justice, Happiness, GOOD HEALTH,
Bob
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I stopped watching Heroes the middle of the second season. I am enjoying Lost hope it ends sensible and they do not blow it.
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I stopped watching Heroes the middle of the second season. I am enjoying Lost hope it ends sensible and they do not blow it.
I'm with you Narf, I cannot comprehend how people enjoy that show. Its like a third rate X-Men in my book. ;D ;D ;D
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Tried Heroes. Pretty poor. Tonight in UK, White Collar starts. So we'll give it a try. Saw the Dalek Doctor Who episode Saturday and while it was enoyable, there were holes big enough to drive a bus through. And the new Daleks? Weird. Hope I get used to them. I sense a marketing ploy here. The old versions looked really scary, I thought. These new designs look like bulky, technicolour, steroid powered toys.
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Another show my wife and I watch together is Ghost Whisperer.
Bob
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I'm into the third season of Babylon 5, and I'm having a religious expirience with this show.
I have never before seen such awesome eclecticism of spiritual ideas, legends and beliefs, executed with such optimism and in such irreverent spite of prevalent real life expectation that bad stuff should overrun every ray of light and hope.
Last time I felt something like this, I was 7 and watching Star Wars. ;D
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Holy macaroni! Babylon 5 was a while ago. I loved that show. Entertainment, action, good characters, great spaceships, glamour.
I watched the first episode of White Collar last week and it was very enjoyable, without having to think too much. And as episode 2 is on here tonight, my wife and I have kept aside an hour and a glass of wine each to sit down and be entertained.
Just ended in U.K is Foyle's War, these last 3 stories being set immediately after the end of W.W.2. As usual, not only do we have a crime, or crimes, but a lot of good social comment on those times. Well written and acted with the excellent Michael Kitchen as Foyle.
If you're in U.K. you'll know about this series, if elsewhere, try to track it down. I don't think you'll regret it.
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Holy macaroni! Babylon 5 was a while ago. I loved that show. Entertainment, action, good characters, great spaceships, glamour.
I watched the first episode of White Collar last week and it was very enjoyable, without having to think too much. And as episode 2 is on here tonight, my wife and I have kept aside an hour and a glass of wine each to sit down and be entertained.
Just ended in U.K is Foyle's War, these last 3 stories being set immediately after the end of W.W.2. As usual, not only do we have a crime, or crimes, but a lot of good social comment on those times. Well written and acted with the excellent Michael Kitchen as Foyle.
If you're in U.K. you'll know about this series, if elsewhere, try to track it down. I don't think you'll regret it.
I used to watch your "Spooks" (retitled MI-6 in the Americas) when it was on PBS.
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The British Edge of Darkness mini-series is one of my favorites.
Bob
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Now, I don't have cable so many of my responses will be DVD or Netflix (Instant). The series I have been watching most recently have been Teen Titans, Batman:TAS, Superman: TAS, the Tick, and Quark. Movies I just got finished watching were (personal rating in parenthesis): Alice In Wunderland (***), and Repo: the Genetic Opera (****).
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I have heard that Repo was so bad no one liked it. Apparently not so. Of course all tastes are different and you must usually judge for yourself
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I finally got around to watching the last episode of Dollhouse. Interesting concluded series. It could have an annual movie like Alien Nation did which would be cool. I almost gave up on Dollhouse early on thinking it was going to be nearly the same show every time. Boy was I wrong as it developed into a visual novel that had a Beginning -middle- and end. I loved Stargate and Atlantis gave up on Universe as too dark. I guess the popularity of the dark Battlestar Galactica made them decide to go that direction. Not for me I did not like the new Galactica although I loved the old. I also gave up on Fringe.
I loved Dollhouse. I really think there were some interesting directions they could have taken that series. I was disappointed it couldn't find an audience, but sticking it on Friday nights was a death nell.
Never liked Fringe, although I gave it 1 1/2 years. I think the only reason I came back for Season 2 was because it looked like Spock might become a regular, and he didn't.
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We seem to have the same taste Jedi. I am glad I did not give up on Dollhouse it turned out good. I think having a conclusion can make a series a lot better not drawing a non story. I wanted to like Fringe but it just lacked something
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I said I'd watched the first White Collar but I've given up on it already. My wife and I both thought it was very weak with little or no tension. Saw a couple of episodes of Castle but it's formulaic and I'd probably only watch more if there was nothing else to do and that's not going to happen.
Here, the new season of Lewis ( the follow on from Morse) has been enjoyable - and complicated. A cast of luminaries in last week's episode. Tried Luther, the new detective show because it was described as a good procedural. And it wasn't. Neither a procedural nor particularly good. He's a renegade, loose cannon cop who does stupid things. The psycho was good and chilling. So, tonight, during dinner, we're listening to cricket on Radio 4 as England take on Sri Lanka in W.Indies in the 20/20. And later a satire news show and the wonderful Outnumbered. (I hope I've got the listings right). Anyone ouside U.K. isn't going to be able to see this, I think, and if you're here and haven't seen it, do so now.
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Don't get to watch much, but "Mentalist" and "Leverage" are two favorites. Paw was right- "Hustle" was better but had a very limited run in the US. (AMC network, I think.) Don't get BBC-America, but I can get the new Dr. Who episodes on free On-Demand service. I really liked David Tennant as the Doctor and was fully prepared to hate Matt Smith in the role, but so far he's been quite good. I also like the updated Tardis and new "feel" as well. Let's face it- where else can you find Spitfires mixing it up with a Dalek cruiser? Cheers, Jeff
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Matt Smith has done a good job as the doctor so far. I am enjoying the series.
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Bowers, we intend to sit down this evening with a glass of wine to watch The Mentalist. As for the good Doctor, I like Matt Smith in the role and thought the first part of the Weeping Angels story was pretty scary. Not so sure about the new rainbow Daleks, though. Do I sense a marketing ploy? And, as I mentioned Outnumbered earlier, I should report that last night's episode was the funniest yet. And so excrutiatingly embarrassing a couple of times it was hard to keep my eyes on the screen. Laughed so much I got indigestion.
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Paw,we just get a trickle of Brit shows on our side of the pond. Public Broadcasting does pick up a lot of the mysteries. I enjoy "Lewis". The comedies we get are usually a year or two behind. Hey, is "The Royal" still running? Love the soundtrack music on that show! Have to agree with you about the new colored Daleks being a possible marketing ploy. So what if we go out and buy mini-Dalek action figures for our kids and grandkids... and they turn out to be real and the next wave of the Dalek invasion? ARGHHH!!!
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Since the alternative universe Walter showed up on "Fringe" we've taken to calling the first Walter Bishop "Altered Walter" and the second "Alternate Walter".
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Yeah, no real complaints with Matt Smith as the Doctor so far, or Amy :-*
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"Hey, is "The Royal" still running? Love the soundtrack music on that show!" bowers.
The simple answer is, I'm not sure. All sorts of odd things going on with our main commercial chanel, ITV. They cut back on a number of series incl. The Bill and, I think, The Royal. Reason I'm not too sure is that STV, which is the ITV station in Scotland, has money problems and decided to bodyswerve a number of shows that were supposed to be nationwide. Our cable service fortunately now seems to include the English broadcasts. You probably didn't want to know all that, but there you are.
If you enjoyed the soundtrack on The Royal, try Heartbeat, preferably the early ones. There must be a station showing it over there.
We've got a 4 part series on BBC about modern art, and it's excellent. The 1st part was on Warhol and last night's was on Matisse. Not only an eyeopener but very entertaining and at times, moving.
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I have a hard time considering Warhol as a talented artist. What he and Polluck did was not real talent they just got people to believe it was and pay big bucks.
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Interesting! Businessman first, artist (perhaps) second? It would be good to read your impressions after having watched the prog. I came away with a different insight into Warhol. Mind you, I don't know what you'll make of the Matisse episode and his influence on Rothko. I've recently seen Warhol, Rothko, etc at Tate Modern in London and, as a complete contrast the wonderful Scottish Colourists show at GMA Edinburgh. Also, the Glasgow Boys exhibition at Kelvingrove which, despite the cramped and unintelligent layout, was very worthwhile. Don't want to get too far off subject so I'll await any further comments - if there are any.
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Sounds like a great series, Paw - maybe PBS will pick it up next year. Last year, PBS aired an excellent series on the Impressionists and the "American Masters" series showcasing artists, musicians, writers and more continues.
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I was just watching Cube Squared / Hypercube on Net Flicks, until my wife decided that she wanted to watch a comedy.
She switched over to TV, then went back to bed.
Before Cube Squared, I was watching some Japanese kids' cartoon with nudity and dandelions.
Before that, I was watching some postmodern (is Kathy Acker postmodern or what) pseudo-softcore porn movie or rather erotic movie about a woman selling tickets at a porn theater and becoming obsessed with one of the customers. Not much to the movie.
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I've just watched parts of the worst ERB adaptation I've ever seen. (Too painful to watch the whole thing!) "Princess of Mars" on the Syfy channel-- where should I begin? The ill fitting latex masks with waggling rubber tusks on the TWO-ARMED Tharks? The obvious zippers on the back of their costumes? A John Carter ,soap actor Antonio Sabato Jr., who cannot even fake swordfighting? (or acting) Dejah Thoris played by aging ex-porn star Traci Lords? The final fight filmed in an obviously Terran natural gas refinery? This production used only a few elements of the John Carter story and twisted them terribly. The rest was a hack writer's self-indulgent piece of crap with a ludicrous ending. The Burroughs family should sue! Leave it to Syfy and Asylum Productions to ruin a great tale. On the brighter side, I've read the big budget Disney version is now filming in the UK. Cheers, Jeff
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I've just watched parts of the worst ERB adaptation I've ever seen. (Too painful to watch the whole thing!) "Princess of Mars" on the Syfy channel-- where should I begin? The ill fitting latex masks with waggling rubber tusks on the TWO-ARMED Tharks? The obvious zippers on the back of their costumes? A John Carter ,soap actor Antonio Sabato Jr., who cannot even fake swordfighting? (or acting) Dejah Thoris played by aging ex-porn star Traci Lords? The final fight filmed in an obviously Terran natural gas refinery? This production used only a few elements of the John Carter story and twisted them terribly. The rest was a hack writer's self-indulgent piece of crap with a ludicrous ending. The Burroughs family should sue! Leave it to Syfy and Asylum Productions to ruin a great tale. On the brighter side, I've read the big budget Disney version is now filming in the UK. Cheers, Jeff
About the only thing you left out was: the piles of dead spiders, and the bad special effects when the flying bugs/bees got shot, (green blobs splatting, very cheesy S.E.).
I can't believe I watched the whole thing!
Geo
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I do not know if the final Survivor was discussed yet. I do not thinks so. Did anyone else hate it as much as me? Makes me wish I would have stayed with my decision to give it up after the start of the second season. But unfortunately I did not.
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Currently working through Tom Baker era Doctor Who, on a break from modern doctor who ;)
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Nice one, Nyarlathotep, as I love Pyramids, Fang Rock and Talons, among many others. My favourite doctor is Patrick Troughton. As an after dinner treat we're about to watch the new Top Gear (on Watch Again), as it was on last night and we were out.
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Nice one, Nyarlathotep, as I love Pyramids, Fang Rock and Talons, among many others. My favourite doctor is Patrick Troughton. As an after dinner treat we're about to watch the new Top Gear (on Watch Again), as it was on last night and we were out.
I've not actually seen any of his, I'll have to take a look once I get through Baker and Davidson.
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First two doctors never showed in US. I do not care for 3rd Doctor. Tom Baker is my favorite. I have seen 4th-6th doctor episodes at least twice and pretty much all the rest since. I enjoyed the 5 Doctor episode where it brought the first five together.
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The first 2 Doctors adventures were in b&w., but don't hold that against them. Also, the pace of stories is very different from nowadays but we are talking about early episodes which introduced Daleks, Cybermen, Ice Warriors and Time Lords. In fact, Troughton seemed to spend most of his time fighting Cybermen and the odd Dalek or million, in his inimitable clown like way. He was so good.
As you know, there are so many b&w episodes missing but many of these stories are available, complete, as audios with linking commentary. There are a good substitute for stuff you're never going to see.
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I have a vhs tape with a couple early doctor 1 and 2 episodes
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I agree, the black and white era ones often had a very good depth of plot and character, with a very different pacing than the later ones. The Aztecs in particular comes to mind.
I do remember at least some of Hartnell era episodes were shown in the US on PBS in the 80's. I recall seeing An Unearthly Child for the first time that way.
Speaking of missing episodes, a company called Loose Cannon Productions (http://www.recons.com/default.htm) has made a number of reconstructions of missing stories using the original audio, pictures, and occasional draft clips. Pretty neat.
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I have a vhs tape with a couple early doctor 1 and 2 episodes
Was it home recorded, and if so do you happen to know which episodes? A number of missing episodes have been found on such tapes.
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This was a media produced tape. The first two docs were never shown in this area. Since VCR's have been around since the late 70's it is not unlikely that the episodes were taped and are stored somewhere. SciFi fans like to collect.
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Sources are reporting that a big screen version of Doctor Who, written by former showrunner Russell T. Davies, is slated for release in 2012. Those same sources are also reporting that Johnny Depp has been confirmed in the iconic role of The Doctor.
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2010/06/johnny-depp-starring-in-big-screen-doctor-who-adaptation
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Sources are reporting that a big screen version of Doctor Who, written by former showrunner Russell T. Davies, is slated for release in 2012. Those same sources are also reporting that Johnny Depp has been confirmed in the iconic role of The Doctor.
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2010/06/johnny-depp-starring-in-big-screen-doctor-who-adaptation
What... I mean... what?! As much as I would welcome a new movie, this doesn't exactly fill me with exuberant optimism...
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I have a few Dr. Who tele-snaps reconsructions of missing stories, on VHS. As they are copies (of copies, in some cases) the quality can be poor but you get a feel for these old stories and I suppose Loose Cannon are the same sort of thing. They were done and circulated by the fan community. God help us if that Who-Depp movie ever sees the light of day
We have a new show on ITV, called Identity and we watched the first episode last night. All about identity theft and a Scotland Yard unit dedicated to foghting it. This was frightening and set us worrying just how safe our personal details were. Definately want to see the next one.
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In France, we only had the fourth Doctor from 1989 - and I think the series wasn't that successful because I don't remember having seen the slightest bit of it in my childhood. The new series is being broadcasted since 2005, but I watch it on UK DVD - and I like it!
Other series I've been watching recently are Heroes (only have the first two seasons on DVD), Hero Corp (a French comic series with retired superheroes forced to fight again), Flash, Twin Peaks and Super Dimension Fortress Macross. I watch all on DVD, because there are basically no interesting series broadcasted nowadays on French TV. Still waiting for new episodes from House MD and Desperate Housewives.
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Last night on BBC1, Sherlock started. This involves some of the folk behind Doctor Who and re-invents Holmes in the same way Who was done. Set in the present, Cumberbatch makes a good, young Sherlock and his depositions sound just like Matt Smith in Doc. Who. And the excellent Martin Freeman is Dr. Watson. Lots of purists will be annoyed by this new version, I think, but it makes for wonderful, well shot and lit, fast, spooky entertainment. At least this first story does. Fingers crossed they can keep it up.
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BBC's Survivors was a good series unfortunately cancelled after the second season. Final episode concluded the "story arc" but left it ready for me and me wanting more.
Is anyone watching Hot in Cleveland? This is passing up Big Bang as the best current tV comedy. Absolutely hilarious.
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This past year I have been getting into many of the British shows after a friend lent me collections of Dr. Who Season 3 and Torchwood Seasons 1 & 2. Since then I've been watching many more such shows on BBC America-Dr. Who (almost all caught up on the current revival), Primeval, Survivors, Ashes to Ashes, Being Human, Demons, and probably a few others I'm forgetting.
Among the current American shows I'm following are Warehouse 13, Haven, Leverage, Bones, CSI: NY, Criminal Minds, The Gates, Fringe and the occasional CSI.
Some old show I catch on the Encore Westerns channel are Maverick and Lawman.
I do a (nearly) weekly Movie Night over at some friends house where we watch old stuff on 16mm, DVD and VHS. Last Night we watched Captain Video Chapter 7-(1951), Pop Tuttle's Movie Queen-(1922), The Second Hundred Years-(1927)-(Laurel and Hardy), Dog Shy-(1926)-(Charley Chase), The Knockout-(1923), Hula-La-La-(1951)-(Three Stooges), plus a bunch of rare Abbott and Costello stuff including several Easy Pop Popcorn commercials, Lou Costello home movies, and some newsreel footage of the boys (including two versions of them doing their "Who's on First" routine that I had never seen).
Joe M
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WOW Joe. Please make sure this stuff is preserved. Much of this stuff is public domain. PLEASE digitize and upload these to several sites.
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Well most of this stuff is already available on DVD from one source or another and the gentleman who owns the Abbott and Costello material has plans to put out as much of it as he can on some DVD collection also.
Joe M
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josemas, first off, how do you find the time for all this telly? I'm retired and can't find time enough for half of that. But I see you've been watching Primeval and I should have mentioned this show before 'cos it's really good fun with great effects. How far along are you with the series and do you know it was canceled by ITV?. Rumour has it that BBC have bought the idea and will produce more, which would be good as it all finished a bit untidily with loose ends everywhere. Don't want to say too much and give the game away.
Ashes to Ashes never got me the same way Life on Mars did.
I also enjoy a couple of American shows, particularly The Mentalist and Leverage and I've recently seen a couple of Warehouse 13 and I think I can catch up on one of our cable chanels.
I don't think humour travels well and apart from Cheers and Mash, I don't find most of the other American stuff funny. Oddly enough I love A.& C. ,3 Stooges and lots of American slapstick. British comedies I've been watching recently include Outnumbered, Miranda and The I.T.Crowd ( by the bloke who did Father Ted) but I don't think you'll get them in N. America, they're very British and IT Crowd's seriously socially incompetent cast ---well you have to see it to believe it.
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josemas, first off, how do you find the time for all this telly? I'm retired and can't find time enough for half of that. But I see you've been watching Primeval and I should have mentioned this show before 'cos it's really good fun with great effects. How far along are you with the series and do you know it was canceled by ITV?. Rumour has it that BBC have bought the idea and will produce more, which would be good as it all finished a bit untidily with loose ends everywhere. Don't want to say too much and give the game away.
Ashes to Ashes never got me the same way Life on Mars did.
I also enjoy a couple of American shows, particularly The Mentalist and Leverage and I've recently seen a couple of Warehouse 13 and I think I can catch up on one of our cable chanels.
I don't think humour travels well and apart from Cheers and Mash, I don't find most of the other American stuff funny. Oddly enough I love A.& C. ,3 Stooges and lots of American slapstick. British comedies I've been watching recently include Outnumbered, Miranda and The I.T.Crowd ( by the bloke who did Father Ted) but I don't think you'll get them in N. America, they're very British and IT Crowd's seriously socially incompetent cast ---well you have to see it to believe it.
josemas, first off, how do you find the time for all this telly? I'm retired and can't find time enough for half of that.
Careful budgeting of my time. I work nights and usually watch a couple of shows in the morning when I get home before hitting the sack. Of the shows I mentioned they don't all run at the same times- a number of them are in summer reruns now while a batch of the others are summer cable or network replacement shows. I often work my way through series on DVD collections too. Either re-watching old favorites or catching up on series I missed.
But I see you've been watching Primeval and I should have mentioned this show before 'cos it's really good fun with great effects. How far along are you with the series and do you know it was canceled by ITV?. Rumour has it that BBC have bought the idea and will produce more, which would be good as it all finished a bit untidily with loose ends everywhere. Don't want to say too much and give the game away.
I just started watching season three. Didn't know that it had been canceled. Sorry to hear that. I hope BBC does pick it up.
Ashes to Ashes never got me the same way Life on Mars did.
I have yet to catch the original Life on Mars. I've only seen the American remake with Harvey Keitel. I keep hoping that BBC America will rerun the original one of these days.
I also enjoy a couple of American shows, particularly The Mentalist and Leverage and I've recently seen a couple of Warehouse 13 and I think I can catch up on one of our cable chanels.
Warehouse 13 is now in its second season here in the USA and I'm very much enjoying it. They did a recent episode that was very comic book orientated which I got a real kick out of.
I don't think humour travels well and apart from Cheers and Mash, I don't find most of the other American stuff funny. Oddly enough I love A.& C. ,3 Stooges and lots of American slapstick. British comedies I've been watching recently include Outnumbered, Miranda and The I.T.Crowd ( by the bloke who did Father Ted) but I don't think you'll get them in N. America, they're very British and IT Crowd's seriously socially incompetent cast ---well you have to see it to believe it.
I haven't followed American sitcoms closely for some time but thanks to DVD collections over the last year or so I have started catching up on some-Third Rock From the Sun, Friends, Sex and the City, Seinfeld, The Office (the American remake) and a few others (with more waiting in the wings until I can fit them into my schedule).
The only recent Britcoms I've seen (courtesy of BBC America) are the two seasons of The Inbetweeners and occasional episodes of The Peep Show and That Mitchell and Webb Look. Over the years I've enjoyed a number of older British comedies that have played here in the states such as The Goodies, Monty Python, Benny Hill, The Two Ronnies, Fawlty Towers, Black Adder, Mr. Bean, Ripping Yarns, and several others I'm sure I'm forgetting.
Joe M
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I watch a lot of tv because I am ADD and a multitasker. I am uncomfortable doing only one thing at a time. If all I am doing is watching TV I will start tapping on something or whatever. This used to annoy my family when I was a kid and before anyone ever heard of ADD. Now I usually do whatever I want on the computer while watching TV and often carrying on a conversation. So when kids at school try to use ADD as an excuse I tell them channel and get more done not less.
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O.K. that makes sense. Quick ramble here as we've just finished dinner and I've eaten a alot of pasta and drunk a few glasses of wine. I'm glad I checked the listings for tonight 'cos Sherlock is on half an hour earlier. Josemas, try and find New Tricks, a BBC show - perfect casting of great British actors and good stories. Also Hustle. As for comedy, the Miranda show I mentioned is really good and she is credited with bringing back the pratfall to British tv. Most of the older shows you mention are still very funny but I don't enjoy M. & W. but David Mitchell is seriously good in a couple of comedy quizzes currently on tv and radio. As he is in Jam and Jerusalem, which is very English (as opposed to British)
Checked on our Watch Again and there are lots of episodes of Warehouse 13 to watch. Should have said, I still enoy CSI, although the Miami one stinks.
Narfstar, I read while watching certain tv shows and I think I understand, although maybe you're watching not very good tv. My wife was a teacher and I've shown her your kids ADD approach. I think she approves.
Al of you, try to find the Quatermass tv serials from the BBC. There is a box set and it pulls togetherthe surviving episodes of Q. Experiment, Q 2 and Q. and the Pit. Seriously good and frightening, old fasioned b&w tv s.f.
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BBC America is showing the season finale of Dr. Who-- really good season! Only one episode I didn't much care for (the stairway one). Hope they can keep up the quality for next season. PBS is also giving us new (at least new to us) episodes of Poirot, Lewis, and that Swedish guy played by Kenneth Brannagh. Also new episodes of Leverage. Anyone remember Timothy Hutton's previous series, "Nero Wolfe"? He both produced and co-starred in this series, along with the recently deceased Maury Chaykin. The series had a wonderful '50s look and feel. Hutton also cleverly used the same group of actors to play different characters throughout the series, giving it a real "theatrical group" type of feeling. Definitely some very good TV. Cheers, Bowers
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I did not watch Nero Wolfe sounds like I missed a good series. I tried the PBS British mysteries several years ago but found them too low key. I too really thought this to be one of the Dr's best seasons
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I very much enjoyed Timothy Hutton's take on Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe when it ran on A & E. The adaptations generally stayed quite faithful to Stout's original stories. I just wish it had run longer.
Anybody here remember Tim's actor father the late Jim Hutton in the 1970's series Ellery Queen? Another favorite of mine back then which I'd like to see again.
Joe M
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I remember the "Ellery Queen" series very well. Well written scripts which never told us whodunnit until the last moment. My favorite part was the end where Hutton addressed the audience, gave a clue or two, and then challenged us to solve the mystery. You actually had to use your "little grey cells". I don't believe their famous radio sleuth character, Simon Brimmer, ever did correctly deduce the solution. Great show! Cheers, Bowers
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I don't watch actual broadcast television. I watch DVDs or Netflix. So here is what I have currently frying my brain:
The Tick (the too-short live action series)
The Greatest American Hero (Complete Series)
Torchwood (Ssn.2)
Black Adder (ssn. 2)
The only time I actually watch something on regular TV is Pro Wrestling or somebody else was watching something and I don't change it to be polite.
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I do not think I will ever understand why anyone watches Pro Wrestling but a lot of people do. I guess I could say I do understand why they watch it but just don't see the entertainment value myself. To each his own.
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I do not think I will ever understand why anyone watches Pro Wrestling but a lot of people do. I guess I could say I do understand why they watch it but just don't see the entertainment value myself. To each his own.
Live-action stunt work, performance art without the pretentious pseduo-intellectual artsie fartsie, fit women in tights.
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fit women in tights.
Now that is something I can understand and appreciate :-*
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All those are good reasons, especially the fit women in tights. lol
There is also the old "Face vs Heel" aspect still going on in wrestling today. I used to like it a lot more then I do now. But compared to America's Got Talent or <Insert Reality Show Name Here> I find it comforting that there was a time when we watched TV to get away from reality and Pro Wrestling is not reality.
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Some of the vintage films we watched at this week's Movie Night included-
CAPTAIN VIDEO-Chapter 8-"Invisible Menace!"
One of the more interesting aspects of this serial is the way they tint scenes red or green when they are on planets other than Earth. I've seen tinting used on plenty of silent films but it became pretty rare after talkies took over.
HIS DAY OUT-1918-King Bee-
A Billy West comedy short with a young Oliver Hardy in support. West was considered the best of the Charlie Chaplin imitators. This was a cut-down version. I've seen prints that run considerably longer.
THE STRANGER-1918-King Bee-
Another Billy West short comedy. Actually we watched two different prints of this film- both of which contained footage absent from the other. The owner of the prints plans to do an edit/restoration to come up with a more complete single print.
FOLLOW THE CROWD-1918-Rolin-
It seem like 1918 films were the theme of the night. At least this one didn't star Billy West but was one of Harold Loyd's early films featuring the "glasses" character that would make him one of the most famous comedians of the silent era.
QUEEN OF HEARTS-1936-
Our feature film of the week was this very enjoyable British musical-comedy starring the great Gracie Fields. Directed by former silent comedian Monty Banks (who would wed Gracie a few years after this film was made).
Joe M
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I have watched some "old" stuff on the computer. Not really a lot of fun. I think your way of doing it with others is the way to make it more enjoyable.
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I have watched some "old" stuff on the computer. Not really a lot of fun. I think your way of doing it with others is the way to make it more enjoyable.
You are absolutely correct. I watch plenty of TV shows on my own and usually do a night each week with the wife where we watch a movie and some old TV shows but the weekly Movie Nights with my friends really do enliven the experience of watching old features and shorts.
Theatrical films, especially in decades past, were designed to be viewed by crowds and work better that way (particularly comedies).
Joe M
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I used to have "Guy Movie Night" with my younger brother and best buddie on weekends. But my schedule changed and now I work weekends and they work during the week. :(
What did I start watching now? Still going through the Greatest American Hero. Finished up the other shows and started watching Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and Superman TAS.
Movie night with MrsCharlie caught us watching "Dr. Who: The Keys of Marinus" which is a really old Doctor Who adventure with William Hartnell as the Doctor. It started off pretty slow but got better as it went along and ended up being a decent 'movie'. We also watched "Aliens vs Monsters" which was 'okay' but I recently seen "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" which was a much better animated film so I wasn't impressed by AVM. And, finally, "Blood, the Last Vampire" which is a Japanese flick which you may have seen before called "Blade, but with Wesley Snipes replaced by a Japanese Schoolgirl and all the Vampires wearing ninja jammies." I actually liked it. I think every schoolgirl should carry and learn to wield samurai swords.
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Yeah Meatballs was pretty cool. Prince of Persia was enjoyable fluff
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Among the goodies watched at this week's Movie Night were:
Chapter 9 of the Captain Video serial.
A Doggone Mix-up-1938-a two-reel Harry Langdon comedy.
Harem Scarem-1931-a two-reel Al St John comedy.
Hollywood: The Golden Years-1961-an early documentary on silent films, hosted by Gene Kelly and produced by David Wolper (who's death last week prompted us to pull this one out for a watch).
Yesterday and Today-1953-another even earlier documentary that also looked at silent films. What was interesting about viewing this film was the fact that one of my buddies was in the process of preparing an audio commentary to go with the film's upcoming DVD release and was able to give us info beyond what the film provided, actually correcting some misidentifications made in the film.
Joe M
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At this week's Movie Night, in addition to the Captain Video serial (Chapter 10-Menace of the Mystery Metal) we watched a bunch of British and French stuff including:
Showtime-1959-a BBC show, hosted by magicain/entertainer David Nixon, which featured a very late appearance by Chico Marx (of Marx Bros fame).
TV Heroes-"David Nixon"-1995- a short Tames-ITV bio program on the above mentioned British entertainer.
Time Shift-"Missing Presumed Wiped"-2003-a very interesting BBC documentary on how so much of the early British television programming was lost and the efforts being made to recover it. We followed this up with viewings of a couple of the "rescued" shows.
A Show Called Fred-1956-an episode of this early, very low budget, British television comedy show featuring Goon Show regulars Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan (along with several other talented actors and comedians). Sellers does an enjoyable Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde spoof. Certainly an early influence on the Monty Python boys (and other British comedians of the 1960s and 70s).
At Last the 1948 Show-1967-an episode of a program that was a direct precursor to Monty Python with half the Python crew working on this, often hilarious, show. Pop-eyed Marty Feldman was also a regular.
And we finished the evening by viewing a nice bunch of transfers from 28mm film of rare pre-1920 short films (mostly French) that varied from Max Linder comedies to WWI documentary footage.
And in case you guys think that all I do is watch old movies and read old comics I also got out this weekend to see the Arizona Derby Dames in action! I'm talking Roller Derby-tough babes in fishnets battling it out in the semi-finals! Fine family entertainment with the Coffin Draggers beating out the Brutal Beauties, the Bombshells and the Runaway Brides to advance to the championship bout (against the unbeaten Schoolyard Scrappers) next month! Be there are be square!
Joe M
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Good TV is getting pretty scarce lately. No more "Dr. Who" for the season and only two more episodes of "Leverage". Everything else is either reruns or really awful reality shows. Time to bust out some videos! Felt like a bit of swashbuckling , so I watched "Gunga Din" (the punch-spiking scene is priceless) and a French flick with Belmondo called "That Man from Rio". Ah, there's nothing like a hunt for lost treasure , a few narrow escapes, and a good old barroom brawl to lift one's spirits. Cheers, Bowers
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Yes, good tv is scarce. Reduced to reruns of Murder in Suburbia. So we've been watching the occasional film. In the last week we've seen Saloon Bar ( British b&w) with Gordon Harker; Night of the Big Heat with Lee, Cushing, Patrick Allen; The Body Snatchers with Allen (again) and Jason connery and The Terror (The Edgar Wallace story) Great fun. No chance tonight 'cos I've got to do my Italian homework and my wife is away out.
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Bowers,
Agree with you that Gunga Din is a great little adventure flick. I watch it about once every decade. Come to think of it I'm about due for another look at it. I once caught a documentary on director George Stevens (who directed the film) that features some neat 16mm color behind-the-scenes footage of the making of Gunga Din.
I've never seen That Man From Rio but your description sounds enticing so I'll keep my eye open for it.
Joe M
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Paw,
We watched a nice 16mm print of Saloon Bar at one of our Movie Nights a few months back. I'm always up for watching anything with Gordon Harker in it. He's great in both comedies and dramas.
Also a big fan of Cushing and Lee but don't think I've ever seen Night of the Big Heat. Sounds like a noir film.
Which version of The Terror did you watch, btw?
Joe M
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I have a few Gordon Harker films ;- Saloon Bar; 2 of the 3 Inspector Hornleigh stories; The Phantom Light and something else that not only have I forgotten the title but I can't find right now. Night of the Big Heat is an S.F./horror movie based on a book by John Lymington. Originally released in 1967, it had a dvd release in 2004 in a series called Masters of Horror. Well worth looking out for.
The Terror is the 1939 version with Wildred Lawson, Bernard Lee, Arthur Wontner and Alastair Sim.
This weekend I've got lined up The Long Arm (The Third Key in USA, I think) starring Jack Hawkins. An excellent, beautifully filmed, police procedural.
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Paw,
Thanks for the info on Night of the Big Heat. I'll definitely keep an eye out for that one.
We watched the same version of The Terror that you mentioned at a Movie Night several years back.
As for Gordon Harker I've seen him in a number of movies from late 1920s silents on through to the neglected little comedy gem Small Hotel (1957).
He's always a delight whether he has the lead (such as in the Inspector Hornleigh movies) or providing support to Will Hay, Jessie Matthews, Bobby Howes and others. You might want to check him out in The Frog (1937) and The Return of the Frog (1938) both of which are adapted from Edgar Wallace mysteries.
Joe M
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Well done! That was it - The Frog. Now if only I can lay my hands on it. So much stuff - so little space.
This afternoon (Sunday) we went to the pictures in Bo'ness, a small town on the shores of the Forth, where there is the Hippodrome. This is the oldest purpose built cinema in Scotland and a few years ago it was refurbished and reopened by the local council. Today we saw Went the Day Well with Leslie Banks plus a great cast. A sort of propoganda thriller made during WW2 with stirring music by William Walton.
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We watched Went the Day Well at one of our Movie Nights about a year ago. One of my buddies had been building it up for a few weeks before we ran it so we were really looking forward to it and were not disappointed.
Still there's nothing like viewing a film projected in a theater (especially a nice old restored theater) with a crowd like you had the chance to see it. I try to get out to view recent releases at the theaters two or three times a month and when my job situation was different I would get off to film conventions like the Cinecon where we would watch a slew of old movies in the theaters for several days.
We have one old restored theater here in Phoenix-The Orpheum. They mostly run live shows there now-a-days but occasionally have a "Silent Sunday" where they run a vintage silent film or two with live musical (organ) accompaniment.
Joe M
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And in Sept. at The hippodrome, they're showing A & C. Meet Frankenstein. How can you beat it?
Want to come along?
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Watched Errol Flynn in DOn Juan last night, and am currently plowing thru season 8 of the XFiles and collection two of Dark Shadows.
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Does anyone watch Sanctuary? I was thinking of getting the Blu-Rays for Season 1-2, as it looks up my alley, but also kinda cheap.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanctuary_(TV_series)
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I watched the first few episodes but it did not catch my interest. I did not care for Warehouse 13 but decided to give it another try. Seems almost like a remake of the old Friday the 13th series. I find some episodes much better than others. Haven has been interesting for the most part
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MAD MEN ....'nuff said.
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MAD MEN ....'nuff said.
Yeah Mad Men is great. The wife and I are working our way through the DVD set of season 2 now (and looking forward to further seasons after that).
Some of the goodies watched at my most recent Movie Night-
Captain Video Chapter 11-Weapon of Destruction"-
At Last the 1948 Show-1967-another "lost" episode that was found. It's interesting to note the various sketches that the Pythons recycled from this show in their later live performances.
The Marty Feldman Comedy Machine-1971-former Goon Spike Milligan co-starred in this comedy sketch show and this particular episode featured the great Groucho Marx (looking elderly but game) appearing in several sketches.
One Pair of Eyes - No, But Seriously...-1969-Marty Feldman takes a serious look at comedy and interviews several other noted British comedians such as Peter Sellers, Eric Morcombe and Dudley Moore.
At the theaters this past month I've seen-
Inception-I really liked this one about things happening within a dream within a dream within a dream, etc... I'm glad I saw it in theater as you really do have to pay attention as things are happening on various levels and to try watching it at home where multitasking temptations are always lurking would surely have caused me to miss something.
Salt-decent spy/action/thriller which generally kept my attention but ultimately left me thinking I'd watched a pilot for a TV series.
The Expendables-lots of fighting and blowing up stuff (and also a bit more violent than I was expecting) but generally light weight fun watching a boatload of action stars doing their thing.
The Last Exorcism-pretty effective low budget horror flick with no big name actors. Not nearly as violent as I was expecting (Eli Roth of Hostel fame was the producer) and with surprising few fancy special effects.
I've also been recently working my way through the Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941) serial. It's a very good, action packed serial which was based on the very early Captain Marvel stories before they had really nailed down the character.
I've already seen it twice over the years but this has been my wife's first viewing of it. She has been really taken aback by Cap's sometime violent nature where he occasionally does something like pick up a machine gun to mow down a group of baddies or casually tosses another off the top of a high rise to his doom.
He really does come across as more like the Punisher than the Big Red Cheese most of us are familiar with.
Joe M
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SALT was fun to watch but nothing special. I figured too much out too soon so it was pretty predictable.
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I've recently finished several DVD collections including the following.-
ALIAS-THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON-2002/2003-(22 episodes)-I never followed this series during its initial run but often heard good things about it so this past year I've started working my way through the entire five season run and have been pleased with the twists and turns and the layered plotting in the show. I did notice that about two-thirds of the way through this season they simplified some of the plotting details. I hope it doesn't end up dumbing down the series as I move into Season Three later this year.
And three documentary series
THE WAR-2007-(7 episodes)-I also never caught any of this Ken Burns' series on World War II when it first ran so was glad to finally catch-up on it. WWII is such a vast subject that Burns wisely decides to limit his approach to it by examining the war from the points of view of people who lived in a selected four American cities/towns and how it affected persons from those communities both at home and on the front-lines. Lots of great footage-much of which I had never seen before. He dug up lots of color footage both from archives and from home movies which is always welcome as so much of the documentary footage that was released in earlier decades was only black and white. Interviews with various surviving participants is shown along with the original footage. Episodes tend to run an hour-and-a-half to two hours.
JAZZ-2001-(10 episodes)-I only watched the first half of this series (again produced by Ken Burns) when it first ran on PBS (as post WWII Jazz doesn't do much for me). Still I was glad to finally see the whole series which does have some great clips throughout and even though it didn't convert me to being a fan of modern Jazz I now understand a bit more about it and its various permutations. Episodes generally run an hour-and-a-half to two hours.
EYES ON THE PRIZE-1987-(6 episodes)-Wow, it's been nearly a quarter of a century since this series on the civil rights struggle in America (1954-1965) first ran on PBS when I last viewed it. Time flies! Apparently it was unavailable for a number of years because the rights to use certain clips had expired. Having finally re-cleared the rights, the series is now out on DVD and available for broadcast again. Lots of great footage and interviews with people who were involved makes this one definitely worth a watch.
Joe M
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Had another interesting Movie Night this past week.
In addition to a few more chapters of our Captain Video serial here's a few of the goodies we watched.
A Misfit Sailor-1925-2 rls- This was a comedy short starring Billy Dooley (his very first comedy in fact, IIRC). Dooley was a tall, lanky comedian who's bones seemed to be made of rubber which made him perfect for knock-a-bout comedies. He had a starring series for the Al Christie studios from 1925 until 1929 when the public's fascination for sound slowed the careers of many physical comedians. For some reason he almost always wore a sailor outfit. While he isn't among the top flight of silent comedians his films are consistently full of slapstick gags that can generally please most crowds.
McVeagh of the South Seas (aka Brute Island)-1914-5 rls- An early feature film directed, co-written and starring Harry Carey. Carey had just left an acting apprenticeship under famed director D. W. Griffith when he made this little independent feature which certainly owes some of its tone to Joseph Conrad and some of it's competent directing to Griffith's influence. After this film Carey would soon find sucess as a popular western star, often working with the great John Ford as his director.
A Thief Catcher-1914-1 rl- This was the film I was really excited to see. Until earlier this year it was thought to be a lost film. When it was discovered by a film collector at an antiques sale last year he thought it was probably just another old Keystone comedy made by famed comedy producer Mack Sennett. He didn't even bother to look it over until months had gone by. When he did unspool it this past spring he thought he recognized one of the actors playing a member of the Keystone cops. He wasn't sure though so he had one of the foremost silent comedy experts in the U. S. confirm his speculation as to the actor's ID. He was right. He had found not only a lost film but one that featured the famed Charlie Chaplin in one of his earliest roles!
(You all can find out more details about this discovery by googling the film's title as the discovery got international attention.)
Since then a few hundred people have gotten to see the film via presentations at films conventions like Slapsticon and Cinecon. Likely it's first public showings in over 90 years.
Anyway one of my Movie Night buddies (the above mentioned guy who confirmed Chaplin's ID in the film) managed to get an advance DVD burn of the film (there is a planned DVD release to the general public next year) which he ran for us at our Movie Night. So cool!
Best
Joe
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You have the right way to watch these movies to make them fun. A night with friends. While I like the old silent movies I seldom bother to watch them because you actually have to take the time to watch the whole thing. My TV time is usually also spent doing other things while the tV is on. Watching with a group of enthusiast would make the time investment worthwhile. I also am not a fan of going to the movies for the same reason of not being able to do something else while watching.
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Don't know about Sanctuary and don't know if we got it here. For my wife and I, the start of the American Football season has made a big difference, with 2 live NFL games a week and, for me, lots of College. As they are on in the early hours, we have to tape and watch later. Also, a new series of New Tricks has started on BBC. Easily up to it's usual high standard - good stories, excellent cast and occasionally rather funny.
On my way back to a some semblance of normality, I visited a pal a couple of days ago and, apart from talking comics, we watched a couple of episodes of Sword of Freedom, an old British series with Edmond Purdom as Marco del Monte. This show is one of a number of particularly British young peoples, early evening, historical adventures. While, in N. America, there were a lot of westerns like Range Rider, Boots and Saddles (which I loved). Lone Ranger, etc. Here we had Robin Hood, The Buccaneers, Ivanhoe. William Tell, S.o.F. and more. I remember S.o.F. as being action packed and exciting but it hasn't really stood the test of time. Most, if not all, of these series are out on dvd, if anyone is interested. My pal also loaned me Target Earth and The Monolith Monsters. Half way through Target Earth and seriously looking forward to M.M.
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I liked all those old black and white adventures. I used to get up early just to watch Robin Hood before going to high school. Paw have you watched the Sharpe series. I LOVED IT! I usually wait ten years before watching a rerun but have already watched Sharpe three times in less than ten years and would not mind watching it again.
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The wife and I are nearly through season one of Richard's Greene's The Adventures of Robin Hood and about a third of the way through The Adventures of Lancelot (with The Buccaneers waiting in the wings).
Good stuff!
Best
Joe
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The wife and I are nearly through season one of Richard's Greene's The Adventures of Robin Hood and about a third of the way through The Adventures of Lancelot (with The Buccaneers waiting in the wings).
Good stuff!
Best
Joe
Richard Greene's Robin Hood is among my favorites. I recently saw the feature length film of it (I had no idea it even existed until it popped up in the local library). I have the first season on dvd, and hoping to add the other shortly.
B.
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Titles plus short clip of S.o.F. here:-
http://www.ovguide.com/tv/sword_of_freedom.htm
I didn't realise that you had these shows in N.A. Apart from S.o.F., I was a big fan of The Buccaneers and Ivanhoe. Also Sir Lancelot, with William Russell of Dr. Who fame as the star.
There was a series of pocket comics based on t.v. shows. Here's a cover. I have this issue and a few more in my own collection:-
http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/tv/children/other/sword_freedom_comic.jpg
The Whirligig site has a lot of stuff on British t.v.shows. (the quality of the clips is poor) Have a look for No Hiding Place. One of my all time faves.
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Paw, we had a lot of Brit series over here when I was growing up. Loved "Ivanhoe", "Lancelot", and "Robin Hood". I actually picked up some "Robin Hood" and "Lancelot" DVDs at the Dollar Store! Also remember "Sword of Freedom" although I'm not sure if it had the same title over here- great opening shot with the dagger flying over Purdom's shoulder and hitting the painting. Another of my favorites was "The 77th Bengal Lancers." Lotsa great stuff from across the pond. Cheers, Bowers
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Familiar with all of them except Sword of Freedom
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I watched the season premiere of "The Mentalist" last night. Pretty good, but a little bit of a letdown after last season's finale. I had to rewatch the finale last week and I Googled William Blake's "Tyger, Tyger burning bright..." to see if I could decipher Red John's clue. Somehow, I ended up on a site discussing this very thing. Lots of little clues and "coincidences" I hadn't noticed before. I love a show that makes me think! I also tried to watch the highly promoted new sci-fi (?) show, "The Event". Flashbacks and rewinds can be very effective story-telling devices if used properly and sparingly. Unfortunately, the writers and director went way overboard. Instead of creating suspense, it seemed to be just a jerky progression of scenes which told very little story and became more annoying than anything else. In a one hour format, I would rather see one good story than bits and pieces of three! That's why I quit watching "Heroes". Cheers, Bowers
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I have only watched a few of the new shows. Did not like Running Wilde although K. Russell is a beauty.
S@$t my Dad says was pretty good and of course Big Bang rocks. I missed the first two episodes of Nikita but am watching the third may be pretty good. I have not watched The EVent yet looks like I may wait until a couple episodes to make some sense out of it if it is worth watching. I have not watched CHASE yet anyone else watched it.
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Watched Blue Bloods with my wife since she is a big Tom Selleck fan. The characters are watchable and I realize coincidence is neccessary but this went WAAAAAAY to far. This show is in bad need of some plot editing to not so absurdly rely on coincidence and cirmumstances going their way.
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I'm transfixed by Swamp People, Ice Road Truckers, Sanford & Son, Ghost Adventures; pretty much I can be found watching shows on Bio, History/HCI, Travel Channel, Discovery, TvLand, Gospel Music Channel (no lie, Amen is a great show).
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I like those kinda shows to boox but only for awhile. They repeat the same scenes so often and use the same scenarios that most hour long shows should be no more than a half hour maybe less. If they were only a half hour I might like them more. But they go where the money is and reusing scenes is cheap
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Here's rundown on some of what I've been watching lately.
New fall TV Season:
Much of what I watch of prime time shows is usually stuff my wife watches and records while I'm at work and which I then watch early the next morning when I get in from work. She likes a lot of crime and sci-fi shows which is generally okay with me.
Returning shows:
CSI: NY got off to a rocky start with a way too quick wrap up to last season's cliffhanger probably necessitated by having to spend time explaining the departure of one main character and introducing another. Bounced back rather well with the second episode.
Criminal Minds also had a rather weak opening episode that wrapped up the cliffhanger from last season. Disappointing. The second episode was much better as it was specifically centered around the departure of one of the long time main characters but the writer's had plenty of time to put this episode together and did a good job of it.
Bones got things back together after last season's ending, that sent most of the main characters in different career directions, and had a pretty good opening episode. The introduction of a new character that will create a different dynamic between the two leads started in the opening episode and accelerated in the second episode. This is currently one of my favorite shows.
Fringe seems to me to be moving in a darker direction. My wife's not to crazy about what she's seeing so far. I'm taking a wait and see attitude.
Human Target- well, I'm just gonna have to continue waiting on this one because Fox pushed its season premiere back, with almost no warning, to mid November.
New shows:
Hawaii Five-O was not a show I watched much in its original incarnation but so far I'm liking the character interplay in this revival.
The Defenders also has an enjoyable interplay between the characters. I'm especially enjoying James Belushi's character. This one is also a loose remake of another old show but I remember next to nothing about the original.
The Event is one I'm still taking a "wait and see how it develops" attitude. I was more pleased after two episodes than after just seeing the pilot so that's a bit promising anyway.
At the theaters this past month:
I haven't got out much to see new films lately but here's what I did see.
Going the Distance was a pretty good romantic comedy with some nice chemistry between the leads and a good supporting cast. The ending was a bit too convenient but getting there was enjoyable enough.
Blood Bath of the Bat Beast is a film that was made by a buddy of mine (Larry LoPresti) who has been getting me to help him on these projects of his since we were teenagers in high school together and were shooting on 8mm. The film had its local premiere here in Phoenix last night. On this film I helped Larry by doing a variety of tasks such as running second camera, story boarding a sequence, helping with set FX, playing a small part, and basically doing whatever needed to be done if I was available to help when ever they were shooting. I won't comment on the film itself. You can Google the title and view a few clips and read some about it There may even be a review or two up by now (I know that there's at least one online review of a rough cut we screened last year).
Some recent Movie Night goodies.
Well we finished up the Captain Video serial (which went on a few chapters too long, IMHO) and moved on to Battling With Buffalo Bill which is a 1931 western cliffhanger starring Tom Tyler (Captain Marvel, The Phantom) and which looks to be action filled.
General Electric Television Theater-"The Incredible Jewell Robbery"-1959- this television show is famous for being the last appearance of the 3 Marx Bros together on film ( a later TV pilot was filmed but never broadcast). Starring mainly Harpo and Chico, with Grouch just doing a cameo, the film is basically done almost entirely in pantomime and generally works. Not a comedy classic but it was nice to finally see the complete episode of the boy's film farewell.
Gussle Rivals Jonah-1915-Keystone-2rls starred Charlie Chaplin's less famous (but still very talented) brother Syd in this typical knock-a-bout Keystone comedy from the period. Got its share of laughs from the bunch of us that night.
Blood and Steel-1925- was a railroad adventure movie starring Helen Holmes. Holmes was a very popular serial star in the teens and railroad centered films were a popular genre well into the 1930s. This rather low budget affair was made toward the end of Holmes' career and had too little action and not enough railroad stuff to be a crowd pleaser.
When Ambrose Dared Walrus-1915-Keystone-2 rls- was another slapstick Keystone entry starring Mack Swain and Chester Conklin as the title characters. Again no classic but it generated some laughs.
Nurse Wanted-1906-Biograph- was a very short comedy that seemed to have been filmed back east-possibly New Jersey. I always find it fascinating to watch some of these really old films especially when they show a lot of location shooting-often of places and times long gone. We noted the passing in the background of a small steamboat down a river during one sequence. There's something you don't see much now-a-days.
The Balloon Goes Up-1943 was another interesting slice of history this one being a bit of the WWII variety. The film is a musical-comedy starring the popular music hall and radio duo of Ethel Revnell and Gracie West who play a sort of Cockney Mutt and Jeff team (Ethel, at over six feet tall, is the Mutt to Gracie's much shorter Jeff). The two only made a few low budget (but quite successful) films together so it was nice to finally get to see one. The balloon's referred to here are barrage balloons. You can Google that to find out how important they were to the Brits in WWII.
Best
Joe
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I totally envy your movie nights. I had a hard time watching the entire Phantom serial by myself. Watching with a group has to be the way to go.
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The Phantom serial, as with most chapter plays, really has to be watched no more than 2 or 3 episodes at a time. As Scotland's biggest (self proclaimed but not in the fatty sense) Phantom Phan, even I had to watch this in small chunks. Apart from that, it's great. But I'm biased.
Watched The Monolith Monsters when my wife was out. Great, corny entertainment.
On t.v., New Tricks continues its high standards. Also we've been watching the odd re-run of Midsomer Murders with John Nettles. Starting to enjoy Castle which seems much more entertaining than when I tried it in it's 1st. series.
Only seen a trailer for The Event and might give it a try.
Lunch is ready. Got to go.
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Tonight is "Wallender" with Kenneth Brannagh on Masterpiece Mystery, followed by New Tricks on PBS. Anyone know if this is still in production? Cheers, Bowers
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New Tricks. The new series is now on on BBC. What can I say except that the standard is easily as high as previous series. Altogether, seriously good television. Wallender I never really got in to but I don't know if you're aware that BBC? were showing the original Swedish series here with subtitles. Might be worth your while looking for it. It got good reviews.
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I totally envy your movie nights. I had a hard time watching the entire Phantom serial by myself. Watching with a group has to be the way to go.
Serials are great to watch with an appreciative crowd. Just like the kids who used to view them in the theaters years ago we moan about the "cheater" chapters and razz them when they have a lame resolution to a cliffhanger (hero walks out of plane that has just plunged to earth and merely dusts himself off as if he only tripped over his own feet!) or an outright fake resolution (hero who was clearing seen being shot and falling off roof in previous chapter cliffhanger is then is shown dodging bullet just before it hits him in next chapter).
Of course we also make note of such things the kids probably didn't catch back then (such as cost-cutting tricks like the use of stock footage from earlier films or serials).
Best
Joe
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Has anyone ever heard of The Blue Lady OTR? I have two episodes from 51. First episode had a funny ending. Lady PI in a blue dress and mask.
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Has anyone ever heard of The Blue Lady OTR? I have two episodes from 51. First episode had a funny ending. Lady PI in a blue dress and mask.
That's probably The Lady in Blue which was a 15 minute Saturday morning series aimed at kids that ran in 1951 on NBC. I heard that there were a couple of episodes circulating but have never listened to them.
I've heard that the main character seems similar to Lady Luck (from Eisner's Spirit section) and that she has a Cockney maid. Sound like your episodes?
Best
Joe
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That is it. I have two episodes of anyone wants them
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Anyone else watching the NO ORDINARY FAMILY. Not great but pretty good and has been a fun watch. Just watched an 1977 William Shatner movie KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS. I can not believe it was listed as two stars. It was so bad it was fun to watch. Chuck remains fun with my son and I laughing often. I like the new comedies Mike and Molly and Sh$%T My Dad Says.
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Anyone else watching the NO ORDINARY FAMILY. Not great but pretty good and has been a fun watch. Just watched an 1977 William Shatner movie KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS. I can not believe it was listed as two stars. It was so bad it was fun to watch. Chuck remains fun with my son and I laughing often. I like the new comedies Mike and Molly and Sh$%T My Dad Says.
I'd like to check out No Ordinary Family but it runs opposite something else (I forget exactly which show right now) that the wife and I catch so I guess I'll have to wait until rerun season (or a DVD collection) to watch it.
I remember watching Kingdom of the Spiders at some drive-in back when it came out. You're right it's one of those flicks that is so bad, it's good!
I'm not currently watching any sitcoms. The wife isn't big on them so I usually catch up on them later via DVD collections.
Best
Joe
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Yeah No Ordinary is on OnDemand. I am planning on catching up on it soon.
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We had another Movie Night get-together last night and here are some of the films we watched.
Battling With Buffalo Bill-Chapter 2-"Circling Death"-1931-Universal-This episode of the chapter-play managed to use a fair amount of footage from some of Universal's silent westerns to make this serial seem "bigger" than it actually was.
A Lover's Lost Control-1915-Keystone-2 rls-Syd Chaplin leads the list of Keystone players in this slapstick ensemble-the best part being the chase sequence at the end.
Half-way to Hollywood-1938-Columbia-2 rls-Tom Kennedy and Johnny Arthur have the leads in this comedy short directed by comedy star Charley Chase. Columbia shorts of this period all look slick and well done and are generally pretty funny as many of the comedy practitioners of the 1920s and 30s ended up there around this time as most of the other film producers either dropped or severely curtailed their production of short subjects in the second half of the 1930s.
The Thrill Hunter-1933-Columbia-60 minutes-A feature starring B-Western star Buck Jones in a non-Western role. Jones, who was a pretty decent actor, plays a blowhard who manages to get a job as a Hollywood action star who does his own stunts. Since he really doesn't know had to drive a race car or fly a plane this creates some funny experiences. There's also the usual boys gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl plot along the way.
Best
Joe
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Started watching Northern Exposure again. Only have the first 3 seasons though. Also still enjoying The Adventures of Pete & Pete. There are only a few current shows I watch - House, CSI, Law & Order SVU, NCIS. I abhor most reality shows but enjoy Kitchen Nightmares and Hell's Kitchen. I mostly watch DVD's while playing a computer game or reading one of my thousands of digital comics.
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Pete and Pete is a classic.
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Yes. Too bad my wife doesn't appreciate it. I think part of the reason I like it is that it was filmed here in NJ. I can recognize some of the places.
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Oh yeah my wife does not appreciate that type of humor at all either. Must be a guy thing
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She loves all those crime dramas. I do to but can't take too much at any one sitting as they depress me. I need to balance it with something fun. I find it funny how she'll watch the dramas, and gets upset over some of them especially ones involving kids. Sometimes she'll cry because she starts thinking about our daughter. So I'll say to her "Well don't watch it then!" "But I like this show!" she replies.
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We are all well aware that women make no sense to men and vice versa
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Started watching Northern Exposure again. Only have the first 3 seasons though. Also still enjoying The Adventures of Pete & Pete. There are only a few current shows I watch - House, CSI, Law & Order SVU, NCIS. I abhor most reality shows but enjoy Kitchen Nightmares and Hell's Kitchen. I mostly watch DVD's while playing a computer game or reading one of my thousands of digital comics.
I'm with you regarding reality shows. I can't think of a single one that I've ever been able to get into. I've had other people recommend Northern Exposure to me before but have not yet got around to checking it out. I had never heard of The Adventures of Pete and Pete until you mentioned it but after Googling it I see that it's a mid 1990s cartoon series. I'll keep and eye open for it on Nickelodeon or Boomerang.
Best
Joe
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Pete and Pete was not a cartoon series it was live action.
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Pete and Pete was not a cartoon series it was live action.
I remember that one...but somehow, my memory has it as a cartoon series! ;D ;D ;D
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Pete and Pete was not a cartoon series it was live action.
Narf, thanks for the correction. I guess I just assumed it was a cartoon when I read it was a Nickelodeon series (not a channel I watch much) as I thought they only produced animated series (probably another wrong assumption on my part).
I paid better attention when I looked it up this time and see that there were three seasons broadcast in just over two years (1993-95) with a total of 34 episodes originally aired (and several special episodes beyond that).
Seasons one and two seem to be available on DVD too.
And I see that one of my favorite character actors-Steve Buscemi-guest-starred on a couple of episodes so that gives me an even bigger inducement to check it out.
Best
Joe
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Nick had some great scifi series. Adventures of Alex Mack and Alan Strange. I enjoyed watching both of those with my son.
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Avengers is running now on DisneyXD. Looks good but the short episodes previews are a pain on DVR. The regular series should be good. Antman may be my favorite.
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I just finished Heroes: Season4, and just started Robotech (anime series)
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I enjoyed Robotech, one of the first anime series I got into. Evangelion was another old anime that was good until the final episode ruined the whole thing.
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Loved Robotech. I also briefly played the pen and paper game which wasn't too bad. I like Thundercats and Silverhawks which weren't exactly of the anime genre but similar.
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Just watched a movie called The Centurion and enjoyed it. UK movie so it may not appear on US TV. Set during the Roman invasion of Britain. Lots of blood but a pretty good story.
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I'm up to about episode 30 of Robotech so it is nearing the end of the Macross Saga (the whole series is multigenerational).
We (MrsCharlie and me) also finished watching Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman ssn. 2. Thisi si a good series (IMO) to get your wife to watch with you since it has a superhero (yes!) but also a lot of the storyline focuses on the relationship between the title characters.
I started watching Fullmetal Alchemy, which is an anime about these two child prodigys in a world where alchemy is a respected science. Anyway, they tried to bring their mom back to life but since this is such a reality rending task they ended up one stuck in a suit of armor for a body and the other missing an arm and a leg.
And one for the weird as heck category. An old Japanese variety show called Vermillion Pleasure Night.
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Some recent Movie Night viewings.
Battling With Buffalo Bill-Chapter 3-"Between Two Tribes"-it was noted this week that with his mustache and goatee Tom Tyler (playing Buffalo Bill) looks a good deal like Johnny Depp.
Home Canning-1948-RKO-2 rls-starring the master of the "slow burn" Edgar Kennedy. This was one of Kennedy's last comedy shorts in a long successful career. It's quite funny but we were all distracted by how emaciated Kennedy looks, most likely already suffering from the throat cancer that would kill him a few months later.
Versus Sledge Hammers-1915-Essanay-2 rls-Cross-eyed Ben Turpin is the most notable comedian in this typical slapstick entry from the popular Snakeville Comedies.
A Dog's Life-1918-First National-2 rls-I've been recently reading Glen David Gold's novel Sunnyside, in which Charlie Chaplin is one of the main characters and which the making of this film was discussed so I specifically requested a viewing of this film which I hadn't seen in over a decade.
Step Forward-1922-Sennett-First National-2 rls-Ben Turpin heads the cast of this Mack Sennett comedy concerning comic shenanigans on a trolley that Ben is the driver of.
60 Minutes-"Market Street"-2010-this was a segment from a very recent episode of the CBS show where one of my film research buddies was interviewed and in which he was able to identify the approximate date of the filming of a noted film shot on San Francisco's well known Market Street prior to the famous 1906 earthquake. A great example of film sleuthing.
Best
Joe
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I saw that segment of 60 minutes, interesting. I usually do not watch the show but was checking to see if any sports delays for Undercover Boss
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Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes has a good SA feel to it. Don't like Iron Man's voice. Hate Wasps uniform. My favorite character is Ant Man I hope they use him more.
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Sorry to be a bit slow. Holidays and ongoing family stuff eat up so much time. But we have seen some t.v. and a couple of films. New Tricks keeps up it's high standards and just when you think it can't get better, it does.
The Mentalist is still enjoyable.
We watched a couple of films late on last night. First was Meet Simon Cherry from 1949 with Hugh Moxey as The Rev. A sort of Father Brown figure.
Then the first P.C.49 film based on the radio show and the strip in Eagle. Wonderful british b & w nostalgia.
BBC showed The Quatermass Experiment (called something else in the States) a few nights ago. Although we have it on disc, still watched the opening 15 minutes. Great stuff.
For anyone who enjoys nostalgia stuff, there are new releases of Famous Five serials out now. These were made in the mid 50's by the Childrens Film Foundation and I remember seeing one of them at the Odeon Club matinee when just a lad.
Also out are 3 of the Paul Temple films from the 50's.
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Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes has a good SA feel to it. Don't like Iron Man's voice. Hate Wasps uniform. My favorite character is Ant Man I hope they use him more.
Narf, what channel and day is this running on?
Best
Joe
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Sorry to be a bit slow. Holidays and ongoing family stuff eat up so much time. But we have seen some t.v. and a couple of films. New Tricks keeps up it's high standards and just when you think it can't get better, it does.
The Mentalist is still enjoyable.
We watched a couple of films late on last night. First was Meet Simon Cherry from 1949 with Hugh Moxey as The Rev. A sort of Father Brown figure.
Then the first P.C.49 film based on the radio show and the strip in Eagle. Wonderful british b & w nostalgia.
BBC showed The Quatermass Experiment (called something else in the States) a few nights ago. Although we have it on disc, still watched the opening 15 minutes. Great stuff.
For anyone who enjoys nostalgia stuff, there are new releases of Famous Five serials out now. These were made in the mid 50's by the Childrens Film Foundation and I remember seeing one of them at the Odeon Club matinee when just a lad.
Also out are 3 of the Paul Temple films from the 50's.
We watched one of the Paul Temple films-Bombay Waterfront (1952)- at one of our Movie Nights last year. It's the only one I've ever seen. We also watched some of the 1950's Quatermass episodes on our Movie Nights a while back, As I remember some of the episodes were missing from the collection and considered lost.
Those 1950s British serials sound interesting. In the U.S. the last theatrical serials were released in the mid-1950s. Disney continued the tradition on the Mickey Mouse Club television show for a few years after that with some serials like The Hardy Boys and Spin and Marty.
Best
Joe
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This past week I watched an interesting episode of Lawman entitled "Yawkey" (1960). It was written by Richard Matheson (The Twilight Zone, Star Trek, I Am Legend, The Incredible Shrinking Man, Duel, The Legend of Hell House, etc, etc...).
Spoiler Alert!
It was basically an early example of what they refer to now-a-days as "suicide by cop" where a noted gunslinger leaves the lawman with no choice except to fight him in a duel.
Everyone expects the gunslinger to win and he does indeed beat the lawman to the draw but apparently because he has tired of his life he failed to load his gun and is killed.
I couldn't figure where they were going with the plot until just before it happened as I just don't ever remember seeing this sort of storyline in shows from this period before.
Best
Joe
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I've been buying issues of Lawman from a pal and have thoroughly enjoyed them. Dan Troop is great in the comics. Thing is, I don't think I've ever seen the t.v.show.
Quatermass Experiment. There are only 2 episodes of the serial still existing (plus, I think, a few very short snippets of other episodes.) Although, rumour here has it that there is a pirate of almost the whole serial taken from BBC tapes around the time of the omnibus showing. Condition is said to be terrible.
The BBC showing I mentioned was the later Brian Donleavy film from Hammer. There is a box set of all 3 Quatermass t.v.serials currently available here, with the 2 existing eps. of Experiment plus the script and also Q11 and Q & the Pit.
Bombay Waterfront is one of the 3 Paul Temple serials now available and I'm about to order them.
The Famous 5 serials are on Amazon and Play and I'm sure all other reputable dvd sites will have them. You may need a multi region player.
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The Encore Westerns Channel started showing Lawman here in the states on weekday mornings earlier this year and I've been usually catching anywhere from one to three episodes per week. It's my first viewing of these shows since one of our local channels reran them back in the 1970s. It holds up even better than I remember and there are the interesting guest stars and writers who pop-up on the series.
Who does the art on the Lawman comic? Dan Spiegle maybe? I know that he did all of the issues of Maverick that I have.
The Quatermass shows we watched were those various television serials you mentioned. I have also seen the Brian Donlevy Hammer film which was released here in the U.S. as Enemy From Space.
Speaking of Hammer I found out that they are back in the film-making business yesterday when I went to see Let Me In at my local cinema. It's a remake they've made of a Swedish film and is a well done horror film. Young Chloe Grace Moretz (from the Kick-Ass film) is quite good as a pre-teen vampire.
My buddy who runs our Movie Nights has an multi-region player which is one reason we do see a number of the British shows we run (including those Quatermass episodes). Maybe we can snag those Famous 5 serials for a future Movie Night.
Best
Joe
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Lawman - yes, Dan Spiegle did the one I'm looking at now. Looks good - nice blacks. But Toth did one of the issues -#3 or 4 perhaps. Don't have it.
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I looked it up for you paw broon, Toth art on issue 2-4 of Lawman for your information.
Geo
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You can find a few Lawman comics at http://sites.google.com/site/bwesterncowboycomics/ Also a recording of the theme song along with the lyrics. Cheers, Bowers
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Last night I watched a very strange but somewhat entertaining interpretation of Sherlock Holmes on PBS. It was titled "Sherlock" (what else?) and depicted a modern-day Holmes described as "a highly-functional sociopath". Also an updated Afghanistan War vet Dr. Watson. The episode was VERY loosely based on "A Study in Scarlet", but you probably wouldn't recognize it as such. Purists will hate it, but if taken on its own merits, it was kind of good. Plenty of small, quirky moments of black humor and fast paced direction kept the story moving right along. I'll probably watch next week's episode just to see how far out of the box they can take this character and still be entertaining. Cheers, Bowers
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May have give the PBS Sherlock a try
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I wanted to watch this new PBS Sherlock but on Sunday it ran opposite one of my wife's regular crime shows so I'm gonna try to catch it when it is rerun later this week.
Best
Joe
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Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes has a good SA feel to it. Don't like Iron Man's voice. Hate Wasps uniform. My favorite character is Ant Man I hope they use him more.
Is that the movie or is it a series?
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Thanks, Geo.
As for Sherlock - you've not been paying attention. I mentioned this a while ago when it was shown here. Yes, I suppose some purists will hate it but, and I'm an AC Doyle fan, and I thought it was excellent entertainment. Cumberbatch is really good as sherlock and Martin Freeman is excellent, as usual. It is a series, albeit of only 3 episodes but they are longer than the usual. It was so popular in G.B.that a new series has been comissioned.
I trust you took my mention of Whitechapel to heart. It is seriously good. We've just finished (last night) the second 3 parter. While the first serial was about the Ripper and modern day copycats, the new one goes back to the Krays (look them up and be horrified). Stars Rupert Penry-Jones (Spooks) and the always excellent Phil Davis. Be prepared though, it's a bit heavy at times.
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Right again, Paw. You did mention "Sherlock" last summer- I just plain forgot. I'm really surprised PBS got it this quickly- usually we're at least a year behind, sometimes two. We're just now getting the newer episodes of "New Tricks". BBC America did give us "Dr. Who" and "The Inbetweeners", but wasted a lot of broadcast time showing "Star Trek" reruns. I will certainly keep my eyes open for "Whitechapel " and hope that PBS will pick it up. Anything else good coming up? Cheers, Bowers
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BTW, PBS is running the Sherlock series here in the U.S. under their Masterpiece Mystery! umbrella title which runs in prime time on Sunday nights in most markets.
Best
Joe
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Some of this past week's goodies at Movie Night-
Hollywood-1980-Thames--We've been re-watching this 13 part documentary series at Movie Night over the past several months and finally finished up the last episode this week. The series, produced by film historian Kevin Brownlow, is arguably the best series ever done on the history of film. It only covers the American film scene of the silent era but does it magnificently! Stately narrated by James Mason, filled with many interviews of participants of the era-all now long gone, and filled with loads of clips of the films being talked about, the series is always interesting, informative and entertaining. My initial viewing of this series three decades ago helped further ignite my already growing interest in films and film history and I have re-watched it several times since (I believe this was my 5th viewing of the entire series). Highly recommended!
Battling With Buffalo Bill-Chapter 4-"The Savage Horde"-in the "There's Something You Don't See Very Often in a 1930's Kiddie Serial" (or "How Did They Slip That One Past the Censors") department---after a narrow escape from a fierce battle with Indians, Buffalo Bill and his companions stop to catch their breath and gather their wits when actor William Desmond (big stuff during the silent era but now growing long in the tooth and playing mostly supporting roles) decides he can best comfort the lovely and "amply endowed" Lucille Browne by rather obviously...ahem... "copping a feel"...(as we used to say in high school). To her credit Miss Browne rolls with it (so as not to ruin the take-after all these serials didn't have much budgets and retakes could be costly) and finishes the scene (although we were all betting she slapped him silly as soon as the director yelled "cut"!
A Film Johnnie-1914-Keystone-1 rl-
Mabel's Strange Predicament-1914-Keystone-1 rl-
The above two films were from Charlie Chaplin's first year in films and were from the recent DVD collection which showcases restored versions of these early films. We watched these two films in their entirety and skimmed through several others to check out their quality. We were duly impressed with much of the restoration work (although also noted some unfortunate missed opportunities) but were generally put off by the fact that we felt the films were run at too slow a speed-something which can be deadly for comedy films. The musical tracks were a mixed bag-some quite good, some less so, but none that were considered gawdawful.
Charlie's White Elephant-1916-Movca-1/2 rl-within two years of his entrance into films people could not get enough of Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin couldn't turn out new films fast enough to satisfy the public so some enterprising individuals got the idea of turning Chaplin into an animated cartoon character (he was also made into a comic strip character-some drawn by E. C. Segar) to try to satisfy this Chaplin-mania. The trouble was most of these animated adventures of Charlie were pretty awful (as clearly shown in this offering) and pleased neither Charlie, the critics or the public. Understandably, they did not last very long.
Spook Spoofing-1928-Roach-MGM-3 rls-The Our Gang (aka The Little Rascals) comedies were one of the longest running (1922-1944) and most popular series of theatrical shorts ever produced, bridging the gap from silent films to talkies (almost) effortlessly. This late silent entry was a good choice to show with Halloween only a few days away as the Gang spends much of their time in a graveyard. We were also happy to be treated to a rare viewing of the original 3 reel version of the film as many of the prints circulating of it today have been cut down to 2 reels.
Match Play-1930-Sennett-Educational-2 rls-An early talkie from the Mack Sennett Studios, interesting mainly for the appearance of two actual golf pros (who's names totally escape me now) joining comics Andy Clyde and Bud Jamison for some mild laughs on the links.
Horror Maniacs-(aka The Greed of William Hart)-1948-Another good entry for our Halloween Movie Night was this feature by Britain's chief horror star of the Golden Age of Films-Tod Slaughter! The film, one of Slaughter's last feature films and based on the lives of notorious grave robbers Burke and Hare, is a very low budget affair. "How low budget is it?" you ask. Well when British censors, for some obscure reason, objected to the use of Burke and Hare's real names in the film the producers had to re-dub throughout the movie wherever the characters were called by name changing the names from Burke and Hare to Hart and Moore. This slight extra expense completely blew their budget for a film score so the film was released with no score and thus seems even cheaper and older than it actually is.
Seen at the theaters recently-
Machete--This started out as a faux trailer run during Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarentino's double feature movie Grindhouse a few years back and apparently it generated enough interest to get made into an actual movie. It's exactly what it tries to be-a low budget, often over the top, exploitation movie-the sort that used to fill the drive-ins in days gone by. The main difference between those films and this one is the quality and number of stars in secondary roles. While usual character actor Danny Trejo plays the lead he is supported by the likes of Robert DeNiro, Jesica Alba, Steven Segal, Michelle Rodriguez, Lindsay Lohan, Cheech Marin, and Don Johnson. If you are at all a fan of exploitation films you'll probably enjoy this!
Devil--M Night Shyamalan wrote (but did not direct) this pretty effective little horror film. The film has no big name stars (although you'll probably recognize, even if you can't name them, several of the character actors in it) and is fairly low budget. Worth a watch.
Let Me In--Continuing in the horror vein (it is Halloween month after all) I caught this effective remake of the Swedish horror film Let the Right One In (which I have yet to see but hope to view soon). The film also marks the re-entrance into films of Hammer Films, a company that produced many popular horror films between the 1950s and 1970s. I won't say much about the story as it might give away too much but I do give it a thumbs up!
Some DVD collections watched recently-
Adventures of Captain Marvel-1941-Republic-12 chapters--This was my third viewing of this chapterplay since I first saw it back in the early 1980s so it held no surprises for me but I still enjoyed it immensely. My wife had never seen it before and was initially taken aback by the occasional bouts of ultra violence from the Big Red Cheese (it's based on the very early Whiz Comics stories before Cap's character had been really defined) but she even had to admit that the film had superior special f/x for its time including what were probably the best flying effects until the Superman movie of 1978.
The Lone Ranger-1938-Republic-15 chapters--I have been wanting to see this serial for years so was very happy to find it included on a cheapie DVD collection of mostly television episodes of The Lone Ranger and other television western series. Unfortunately the quality of their source material was not very good-ranging from barely acceptable down to practically unwatchable! There's just enough there to let me know that there's an exciting cliffhanger still awaiting for me to view it but this collection is not going to be where I accomplish that.
Black Adder II-1986-BBC-Technically this wasn't a DVD collection but rather a VHS collection that a friend gave me when they upgraded to a DVD collection but it still contains the second of four short (6 episode) series (plus a few specials) that introduced me to British comedian Rowan Atkinson. In all of them Atkinson plays a different member on the Black Adder family tree, all of whom appear to have no redeemable qualities whatsoever. All of the series are set in different historical eras. This one takes place during the reign of Elizabeth I. It's been close to a couple of decades since I last viewed these so I have been enjoying them immensely. They're all cleverly and ribaldly written and Atkinson is very ably supported by some equally talented comic actors such as Tony Robinson, Tim McInnerny, Miranda Richardson, Patsy Byrne, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. A great bonus for me was the inclusion on this set of Black Adder: The Cavalier Years (set in Cromwellian times) which had originally been broadcast in 1988 on a Comic Relief special and which I had never seen!
Shotgun Slade-I've seen a few scattered episodes of this 1959-1961 (78 episode) series over the past few years on various collections but this cheapie 15 episode collection was my first really fair sampling of the series.
The series starred Scott Brady, an actor who's film career had never really taken off and whom, by this point, was looking to television for more steady employment. The most notable thing about the series is its crossbreeding of the western and detective genres with Brady playing western detective Shotgun Slade. He gets his nickname because the shotgun is his weapon of choice. If his real first name was ever used I didn't catch it in any of the episodes I saw.
The one other item of note about the series is its use of a jazz score which was very popular with detective series about that time (think Peter Gunn) but which really seems strange on a western series until you get used to it.
If these episodes are examples of the typical writing on the series I'll be kind and say it was "lackluster." Not even the occasional interesting guest star (Ernie Kovacs, Vitto Scotti, George Kennedy, Alan Hale) seemed to liven things up and while I've heard some people say the series is "so bad it's good", for now, based on this sampling, I'm gonna have to go with a "so bad it's bad." verdict.
Best
Joe
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I remember the first time I say Black Adder. I could not believe how off the wall and funny it was. I did watch it several years later which was a couple of years ago. I did not find it as funny as the first but still funny.
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Just watched a 1962 SCI FI film called "the Creation of the Humanoids".
The old style color film was a bit degraded, and the sound track a bit buzzy, but all in all a very interesting story.
The Humanoid Robots were fairly well done, and had a sense of humour and irony, with unexpectedly humourous reactions.
Programing was never mentioned, they used the term "circuited" as if everything was a matter of hardware rather than software.
There were some thought provoking discussions on the soul and what humanity really means, and the sum total of individual identity.
I think this may be one of the earliest attempts to introduce artificial intelligence to movie goers in a rational manner. The process by which they download the memories of deceased humans and place these in a robot brain is much like the genesis of the Cylons as shown on Caprica. Many of the same questions come up, and the robots that pass for human don't know that they are not human.
The acting is done more in the manner of a stage play.
PS
Saw the first two Sherlock Eps, very entertaining.
The "Walking Dead" premiere looked promising. I'd read the first episode of this graphic novel online years ago.
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I also caught the first episodes of both Sherlock and The Walking Dead over the weekend and will be back for further episodes of both.
Best
Joe
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josemas, does the copy of the Lone Ranger serial you have have Spanish subtitles? Mine has and the reproduction is poor.
Halloween, my wife and I went to The Hippodrome (the first purpose built cinema in Scotland, refurbished and reopened a few years ago by the local council.) to see A. & C. meet Frankenstein. What a great afternoon's entertainment. Never seen it on the big screen even though I can act it!
http://www.falkirk.gov.uk/services/community/cultural_services/museums/museum_venues/hippodrome/hippodrome.aspx
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Saw the repeat of Walking Dead of IFC. It was OK but I did not see anything special in it.
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josemas, does the copy of the Lone Ranger serial you have have Spanish subtitles? Mine has and the reproduction is poor.
Paw,
My copy of The Lone Ranger serial does not have Spanish subtitles but is also a pretty wretched copy. It's on a collection called Gun Justice featuring The Lone Ranger from Mill Creek Entertainment. The collection also includes episodes of such television cowboy shows as The Cisco Kid, The Gabby Hayes Show, The Adventures of Kit Carson, The Roy Rogers Show, Annie Oakley, Judge Roy Bean, Cowboy G-Men and The Lone Ranger. All of the television episodes that I've looked at so far are of pretty acceptable quality (looking to have been transferred from 16mm syndication prints for the most part). It is only the serial that looks so poor. I really can't complain much though as I think it only cost $5.00. Still it would be nice to see The Lone Ranger serial in a nice copy.
Best
Joe
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Just watched the "Sherlock" cliffhanger ending- WOW! Very original and effective portrayal of Moriarty. Hope PBS gets some more. Well, no more Brit mysteries for awhile. Masterpiece Theater is back. I must say I liked it much better when "Mystery" and "Masterpiece Theater" were two seperate entities, instead of having to share a time slot, as they now do. Anyway, the upcoming MT previews did not really strike my fancy so I guess I'll be catching up on my reading Sunday nights. Cheers, Bowers
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British mini is on DVD called Pillars of the Earth. Pretty good my wife and I are enjoying it. Period piece in the 12th century
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Where did you pick this one up, Narf? Sounds interesting. Cheers, Bowers
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Doctor Who the Fifth Series, just bought it on BluRay.
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Amazon has it. Stars Ian McShane who I remember from a TV show where he was an antique dealer who solved mysteries. Can't remember the name of the show but wish it would have reruns as I really liked it.
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Are fond memories better to keep than finally getting to watch an old favorite? I loved the program Werewolf that debuted when the Fox Network debuted. Saw a couple of episodes and now think how boring. I so looked forward to getting to see it again now that is shattered. Oh well no big deal just TV series with plenty to watch. I still want to see the old Fox show Beans Baxter which I guess would be something like Cody Banks. It may disappoint me also. I remember the girl's name was Cake and she looked deliscious.
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Lovejoy, right? I can't remember if I used to watch it on PBS or A&E, but I remember the show, and it's available on DVD.
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I just finished watching the final episode of the current Sherlock series over the weekend and was wondering if anyone knew if this was the first filmed attempt to put Holmes into a contemporary setting since Universal made those Holmes films in the 1940s (starring Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce) that had a WWII background with Homes taking on various Nazis, spies and saboteurs.
Best
Joe
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Lovejoy that was it. It was on PBS when I watched it. He plays a very different character on Pillars. Amazon recommends AGORA if you like Pillars. has anyone seen it? It sounds good.
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I just finished watching the final episode of the current Sherlock series over the weekend and was wondering if anyone knew if this was the first filmed attempt to put Holmes into a contemporary setting since Universal made those Holmes films in the 1940s (starring Basil Rathbone & Nigel Bruce) that had a WWII background with Homes taking on various Nazis, spies and saboteurs.
I remember two unrelated TV movies, one from 1987 ("The Return of Sherlock Holmes") and one from 1993 ("1994 Baker Street: Sherlock Holmes Returns"), both of which featured a cryogenically frozen Holmes who had been revived as a fish-out-of-water story in America set in the TV movies' respective decades. Not sure if there have been other attempts at "contemporary" Holmes stories.
-- Kevin
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Yes, Lovejoy. Repeats have been shown here recently on a satellite channel. As for Sherlock Holmes, there are a number of films and t.v.shows on internet archive, here:-
http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=sherlock%20holmes%20AND%20collection%3Amoviesandfilms
My wife and I have been watching re-runs of Dangerous Davies, The Last Detective with Peter Davison. Originally based on the books by Leslie Thomas, which are really fun reads, this is a well done, slightly down at heel cop show. You should be able to find it somewhere in USA.
I get slagged of a bit now and then by friends for liking Midsomer Murders but I don't mind 'cos it's good, light entertainment - and very well lit. Now I've admitted that, some of you are welcome to join in laughing at me.
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Lovejoy was a lot of fun. I'll be on the lookout for "Dangerous Davies"- Peter Davison is one of my favorites. I really enjoyed him in the long-ago "Campion" series and "All Creatures Great and Small". He wasn't a half-bad Doctor either. Cheers, Bowers
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I don't know anything about Midsummer Murders to get a laugh. Peter D had the misfortune of following the ultra popular (in the US) Tom Baker Doctor. It took me a while to get used to him but I did enjoy his run. The third Doctor is the one I just could not get into. It would be good if more non-US series and movies make it to archive for all to enjoy. There are still a lot of TV series that I have never seen a single episode of.
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Lately I've been watching Tick: Season 2 (animated) and Mythbusters. My brother likes to hang out at my house and he loves Mythbusters so I am becoming a casual fan of the series.
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I don't know anything about Midsummer Murders to get a laugh. Peter D had the misfortune of following the ultra popular (in the US) Tom Baker Doctor. It took me a while to get used to him but I did enjoy his run. The third Doctor is the one I just could not get into. It would be good if more non-US series and movies make it to archive for all to enjoy. There are still a lot of TV series that I have never seen a single episode of.
Hey, Pertwee is my second favorite Doctor, and yes, to illustrate a cliche, Baker is my favorite. But, Peter Davison was my third favorite, and I'm uncertain beyond that. But, Matt Smith has really won me over, and I think my wife is about kick me, because she's really only into David Tennant.
It's funny, when it comes to Doctor Who, most people's favorite is based on who they were first introduced to in the role.
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Often the same with James Bond. You always remember your first ;D
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Does anyone know when the Doctor's next season will begin? Or even the reruns of this season? Cheers, Bowers
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They are supposed to start the next season in March, but I'm not sure when they'll start showing those episodes in the U.S.
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I recently finished watching a couple of DVD collections of 1950's US television series.
Terry and the Pirates-this was a short-lived syndicated series originally broadcast in 1953. The 16 episodes I viewed may or may not be the entire series (some sources suggest there may have been 18 episodes).
I found the series to be a fairly faithful adaptation of the comic strip as it was then depicted by George Wunder featuring several characters from the strip such as Terry Lee, Hot Shot Charlie, Chopstick Joe, Burma and the Dragon Lady. The regular actors playing these parts are all fine and there are some occasional interesting guest stars such as Phyllis Coates (Lois Lane from The Adventures of Superman television series) and Keye Luke ("No. 1 Son" from the Charlie Chan movies). Another interesting note about the actors is that William Tracy, who plays Hotshot Charlie in the series, had previously played Terry Lee in the 1940 Columbia Terry and the Pirates theatrical serial.
The series, which is aimed at kids, is adequately written but shows its low budgets and suffers accordingly by confining almost all of the stories to indoor sets which is something not conducive to doing a good adventure series.
Northwest Passage-this was a 26 episode series that was originally aired in 1958-1959 by NBC. By the mid to late 1950s most of the major film studios had decided to stop trying to fight television and instead jumped aboard and began producing series of their own. This series was produced by the elite of studios-Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)-and shows the slickness that a major studio could bring to a production. Another plus is that the series was produced in color as NBC was the first network to really begin pushing color series as a selling point.
The series was "sort of" a western as it was set during the French and Indian War (aka the Seven Years War) during the mid 18th century in what was then the western region of the American colonies. The series stars were Keith Larsen, Don Burnett and Buddy Ebsen (just a couple of years before he became Jed Clampett on The Beverly Hillbilles) as members of Rogers' Rangers who fight the good fight against the French and Indians.
The 10 episodes on the set I watched were generally all entertaining and I would welcome viewing more of them.
Best
Joe
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I can just barely remember watching "Terry" on TV. I do remember Terry and Hotshot were always swigging Canada Dry ginger ale. (Their sponsor) I do remember "Northwest Passage" much better. I was about 8 or 9 at the time, and had just become aware of The French and Indian War. This was a pretty cool series for a kid, but seeing some episodes later, as an adult, I noticed the acting was a bit wooden. Also a few glaring errors, such as sometimes outfitting Brit redcoats c. 1760 in Napoleanic uniforms and other stuff like that. All- in- all, I did enjoy the series. Does anybody remember a series called "The 77th Bengal Lancers"? I think it was produced in the mid-fifties. I've been looking for some episodes on DVD, but have not been successful. I did, however, find a Dell 4-Color of this series. Cheers, Bowers
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Don't know Bengal Lancers. I've seen wee bits of T & Pirates and wasn't keen enough to follow that up. I think it was from the t.v.show.
Never thought to mention this before but I trust all you Dr. Who fans are keeping up with The Sarah Jane Adventures. Although done by Childrens BBC, it can still be exciting and quite thoughtful at times and Matt Smith turns up. Not only that but Jo Grant also co-stars in the Matt Smith 2 parter. Go on, you know it makes sense.
Found episodes of Dragnet on the internet and have been watching now and then - they're great.
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I think the Syfy Channel showed just a handful of Sarah Jane episodes last year- I only got to see two because they were shown very, very late at night. I did enjoy them. Cheers, Bowers
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If Terry and the Pirates is PD I wish someone would put them up at Archives.org
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Never thought to mention this before but I trust all you Dr. Who fans are keeping up with The Sarah Jane Adventures. Although done by Childrens BBC, it can still be exciting and quite thoughtful at times and Matt Smith turns up. Not only that but Jo Grant also co-stars in the Matt Smith 2 parter. Go on, you know it makes sense.
I have been waiting for this series to come out on Netflix for the last coupla months. So far we got the whole new series of Dr. Who, Torchwood ssns 1 & 2. And a big stack of the classic series.
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Some recent Movie Night viewings.
The Crackerjack-1925-C.C. Burr- Johnny Hines was the star of the amusing comedy feature that was shot down in the wilds of Florida!?! Hines, although pretty much forgotten by all but silent film buffs these days, was a very popular comedian in the 1920s and made a string of well received features throughout the decade.
Texas Cyclone-1932-Columbia- A Tim McCoy B western with a young John Wayne and a "fairly young" Walter Brennan in supporting roles. I've always found McCoy to be one of the more consistently dependable B-Western stars. This film proved no exception to that observation.
Do Detective Think-1927-Roach-MGM-2 rls- A fairly early and very funny Laurel and Hardy film. They're still working on defining their "Stan & Ollie" characters at this point but have many of the major components in place. I've seen this film numerous times but it never fails to get laughs from me!
That's the Spirit-1945-Universal- An enjoyable little musical comedy fantasy with a fine cast including Jack Oakie, Peggy Ryan, Andy Devine, Gene Lockhart, Arthur Treacher, Buster Keaton, and Irene Ryan (better known later on as Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies).
Moguls and Movie Stars-2010- We only watched some bits from this documentary series on the history of film (currently running on TCM), at my request, because I wanted to see some of the parts where one of my Movie Night buddies was interviewed for the series.
My friend consented to this but didn't want to sit through much more of the series than that because he had been so unimpressed with the preproduction when he filmed his bit-as apparently the series assignment was given to the lowest bidder (who knew very little about film history-"and it showed" he said, when they interviewed him) and then further had its budget cut while still under production (not a good sign!).
Plus more episodes of the 1931 serial Battling With Buffalo Bill which continues to be light on plot and heavy on action. In other words, a fine Saturday morning chapterplay!
Recent DVD watches
The American President-2000- This is a documentary series of 10 one hour episodes that originally ran on PBS. Since each episode has to cover four presidents allowing, on average, less than 15 minutes per president there isn't any great depth given to any individual. While the series did uncover a goodly number of photos and paintings of the presidents that I had never seen I didn't learn much that I hadn't already known. It's probably best for someone wanting an introduction to the subject.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo-2009- I found this Swedish movie to be a pretty straightforward adaptation of Steig Larsson's excellent mystery novel. As with most book adaptations there are pieces cut out and things are condensed but overall I thought they did pretty fair justice to the original story. Noomi Rapace was perhaps a bit too pretty as the story's unlikely protagonist Lisbeth Salander but generally quite good in the role otherwise. Soon to be remade as a Hollywood movie.
Let the Right One In-2008- Here's another Swedish movie recently watched. This one has already been remade by Hollywood (as Let Me In) and is probably still playing in some theaters (I saw it just over a month ago). It was interesting to compare the two films. The Hollywood remake didn't stray too much the Swedish original. There's a bit more action in the American version and the kids look more "American" but quite a number of the scenes play out almost exactly the same and both films keep their early 1980s setting. I was surprised at how much the little apartment complex in Los Alamos, New Mexico looked like that in Sweden though. For fans of vampire movies who are tired of the Twilight/Vampire Diaries take on the subject.
Best
Joe
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I just watched Kick A** and really liked it.
In a totally different vein I watched the silent Dr Pickle and Mr Pride with Laurel and Hardy. These movies are best watched in double speed. All the laughs twice as fast
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I just watched Kick A** and really liked it.
In a totally different vein I watched the silent Dr Pickle and Mr Pride with Laurel and Hardy. These movies are best watched in double speed. All the laughs twice as fast
Yeah, I enjoyed Kick-A** too when I saw it at the theaters last year. I didn't mind the scattered deviations from the source comics as they still stayed faithful to the spirit of the story.
Silent films were shot, for the most part, with hand-cranked cameras and certain genres such as comedies, action films, and westerns were almost always cranked slower than real life speed so that when projected they would move faster and have an extra "bounce". Anybody who transfers such films to video at a slow speed to try to make them look "natural" will literally kill them for anyone trying to watch them.
BTW, for those unaware of it, the Dr. Pickle and Mr. Pride film which Narf references is a 1925 silent comedy short starring Stan Laurel that parodies Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Best
Joe
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Last night we watched Final Appointment with John Bentley. A British b-movie from the 50's and a bit of Carry on Admiral with David Tomlinson and Brian Reece (who played P.C. 49) Not part of the Carry On series and seeing it again after all those years we thought it was a bit duff. Not going to see (or want to watch) Kick A** as I like virtually nothing by Mark Miller. He and Frank Quitely were doing a drink and chat session in a new Glasgow G.N. shop a couple of weeks ago and it was probably well attended. I suppose he's a decent enough wee guy but it's been a while since I chatted to him (mainly prior to his fame). I always think his stuff is very derivative and a bit unpleasant under all that gung ho violence. Or, perhaps he's fooling me and millions of others and is being satirical about U S A and superheroes.
Also, with so much American football on here, incl. College games, a lot of time is taken up with watching that. Plus, the cricket test series between England and Australia is on now and although we don't have Sky, we get a highlights show every night . Great stuff.
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Some recent Movie Night viewings:
No Limit-1935-ATP-80 min. C: George Formby, Florence Desmond
Look Up and Laugh-1935-ATP-79 min C: Gracie Fields, Dougie Wakefield, Billy Nelson,
The two above films are fine examples of British musical comedies of the 1930s. Neither of them are really classics but both are well done enjoyable examples of their type. Formby and Fields (along with Will Hay) were the biggest British comedy stars of the 1930s and 1940s, providing many with much needed laughs during the bleak days of the Great Depression and World War II.
Tired Businessmen-1926-Roach-Pathe-2 rls A silent Our Gang comedy which has a lot to do with the theme of kids being cruel to each other. That doesn't necessarily sound like perfect material for a comedy but it generally works here due to the slapstick manner in which the pranks are played.
Battling With Buffalo Bill-1931- We're still enjoying this serial as we move toward the final chapters. There really hasn't been a dud of a episode yet.
At the theatres lately:
Red-I've never read the graphic novel or miniseries that this movie was based on so have no idea how faithful it is to the original source but did generally like this action film which mainly stars an older crop of actors strutting their stuff including Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Brian Cox, and Richard Dreyfuss.
Nowhere Boy-I really enjoyed this biopic on the teenaged John Lennon. The movie mainly concentrates on his complicated relationship with his Aunt, who raised him, and his actual Mother. His emerging interest in music and the forming of the band that would eventually become the Beatles takes place only in the background of the the main story. The film features some excellent performances by the three leads and was supposedly based on a book written by Lennon's sister but I don't know enough about his early life to say how accurate they were with the facts.
Jackass 3-I was in the mood for some slapstick and this was the closest I could get to it at the movies the day I saw this. Some very funny bits mixed with some that literally had me and the rest of the audience gagging and quite a few that just had me shaking my head at how stupid these guys can be. The movie is probably best seen on a widescreen TV with a bunch of buddies while drinking some beers. Of little interest to women.
Some DVDs recently watched:
My Super Ex-Girlfriend-2006- C: Uma Thurman, Luke Wilson The Lil' Missus and I watched this comedy a weekend or two ago and found it to be enjoyable Saturday night fare.
Bandolero-1968- C: Jimmy Stewart, Dean Martin, Raquel Welch, George Kennedy, Will Geer Despite some pretty good chemistry between Stewart and Martin (playing two brother reunited some years after the American Civil War) this Western never really clicks story wise but, boy, Raquel sure looks hot (flashbacks to my youth and that poster of her in the fur bikini from 1,000,000 B. C.)!
Nothing But Trouble-1944- Laurel and Hardy in one of their later efforts. The boys find it easier to get work during the manpower shortage caused by WWII. Buyer beware! Far from their best but still has its moments.
Rocky Jones, Space Ranger- I just watched the first three episode story arc ("Beyond the Curtain of Space") from this 1954 syndicated sci-fi television show, While clearly aimed at kids the series has better special effects than most similar such shows from that era that I have seen. They may have been able to afford a bigger budget because nearly all of the episodes were done in these 3 episode arcs which were later combined into feature films and released theatrically thus giving the producer's more of a chance to make money off the shows.
Kolchak-2005- This television series was the short lived revival of the Kolchak, The Night Stalker series from the 1970s (which the Lil' Missus and I rewatched a couple of years ago). I really had a hard time getting into to it at first because it was much grimmer and totally lacked the humor of the original series (this really was not the Karl Kolchak I knew). By the time I got to the last few episodes I was getting into it a little more but then it was over.
Best
Joe
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Secretariat was a movie my wife and I both loved.
Tangled is another Disney classic my wife and I both loved.
True Grit was a huge disappointment. Ponderous and boring. We kept hoping it would pick up but it never did.
Bridges mumbled and no one used contractions. These rough characters talking all proper may have been meant to be cool but was really annoying. The only redeeming part of the movie was the Mattie character.
Red was a very good action flick.
Knight and Day was just OK.
Black Swan was terrible. If you like artsy fartsy you may enjoy it otherwise it was a complete downer.
How to Train Your Dragon is another great animated movie. We got it because someone on TV rated it as one of the top 5 for the year. We were not disappointed.
Skyline was an exciting movie. Don't go by most reviews. The reviewers that did not like it seemed to dislike it because they were expecting a different kind of movie. It was not about the aliens or the military effort to stop them. The movie was about a small group of characters trying to survive. Be sure to watch the end. The ending explained a lot and left me wanting a sequel. It was not perfect but my wife and I both liked it. Since it lost money we will probably never get the sequel that looks to be intended and expected. I think the sequel would have a much wider appeal based on the movies ending and potential.
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Well this week from Christmas to New year's brought both the Doctor Who Christmas special-"A Christmas Carol" (Doctor Who style--at least I don't think the flying shark was in Dickens' original story) and the premiere of the new season of Primeval (which was rumored canceled at one time).
On DVD-
Hondo-1953-John Wayne stars in this solid western based on an early Louis Lamour novel. Originally released in 3-D.
The Adventures of Robin Hood-Season One-(39 episodes)-1955-1956-For earlier generations Robin Hood was Douglas Fairbanks or Errol Flynn but for kids who grew up in the late 1950s he was personified by Richard Greene who starred in this very popular series which still holds up well over a half century later.
The Way West: How the West was Lost and Won 1845-1893-(4 1/2 episodes)-1995-Doing a documentary on such as vast subject as what the title suggests is a daunting task. Film-maker Ric Burns does an admirable job as he concentrates mainly on the plains wars with the last half of the series almost exclusively on the Sioux.
Mogambo-1953-Clark Gable remakes his earlier 1930s film-Red Dust. Ava Gardner looks great and the film benefits quite a bit from much actual African location shooting although that at times is oddly juxtaposed next to obvious studio shot scenes. Still I think I prefer the earlier version.
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians-1964-The Lil' Missus and I watched this one on Christmas Eve. It's low budget but actually rather goofy fun.
Fancy Pants-1950-Well I had Bob Hope and Lucille Ball for Christmas in this vintage western-comedy.
The Three Stooges Collection Volume Two 1938-1939-Since Sony finished up this series of 8 volumes collecting all 190 Three Stooges theatrical shorts I've been watching one every Saturday morning. That means I can run through the entire canon in less than 4 years-and then start all over again!
Robin and the 7 Hoods-1964-Bing Crosby steals the film from the Rat Pack in this prohibition era gangster musical-comedy.
Huey Long-1985-This Ken Burns produced documentary was a nice follow up to the bio I read on Long last month. Burns managed to dig up a good deal of newsreel footage as well as some self promotional films of Long's which he interposes between interviews of people who knew the Kinfish and stills of the day.
Vamonos Con Pancho Villa-1935-My last feature of the year was this vintage Mexican feature by Fernando de Fuentes about the revolutionary years of the 1910s in Mexico. The film follows six buddies from one small town as the battles take their toll. The DVD also has the original censored ending-which was found on a lone battered surviving print some years back.
At the Theaters-What with the usual Holiday hassles I didn't get out to the cinemas much this month but did manage to see-
Skyline-A pretty fun alien monsters attack sci-fi film. No big name stars. The only actor I even recognized at all was the leading actor, Eric Balfour (who plays a supporting role on the SyFy Channel's series Haven). It didn't do particularly well at the box office but I also heard that it was produced relatively inexpensively so it's hard to say whether or not there will be a sequel.
Some of our Movie Night viewings-
In addition to reaching the penultimate chapter of our serial Battling With Buffalo Bill we watched a slew of comedy shorts including-
The Maniac Juggler-1907-Pathe-1/2 rl-Wacky little French film.
Bachelor Buttons-1912-Vitagraph-1/2 rl-An unlikely situation for a comedy arises when John Bunny, who was probably filmdom's biggest comedy star prior to Charlie Chaplin, becomes discouraged and attempts to hang himself. He is fortunately saved by his faithful dog.
Sin on the Sabbath-1915-L-KO-1 rl- & Vendetta in a Hospital-1915-L-Ko-1 rl-When Charlie Chaplin rose to stardom in 1914 several imitators started making movies wearing garb similar to the tramp clothing that Chaplin favored. As these two films (both of which survive in incomplete form) show clothes (worn here by Billy Ritchie) do not a comedian make.
The Hair of Her Head-1915-Vitagraph-1 rl-Not all silent comedies were in the slapstick mode. The stars of this film, Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Drew, were very popular with the public in their more genteel type of situation comedies right up until Sidney Drew's death in 1919. On a side note- Drew was the Uncle of actor John Barrymore who, in turn, was the Grandfather of today's actress Drew Barrymore.
His One Night Stand-1917-Keystone-Triangle-1 rl-There are no stars of note in this late Keystone film (the Keystone name would be defunct within the year) which never-the-less was an enjoyable if not particularly notable one.
Fuelin' Around-1949-Columbia-2 rls-Plenty of slapsticky violence in this Shemp-era Three Stooges comedy.
So You Want to Play the Piano-1956-Warner Bros-1 rl-The Joe McDoakes comedies were one of the most successful of the late theatrical short series, George O'Hanlon played McDoakes. His voice will be instantly recognizable to anyone who grew up watching Hanna and Barbera's The Jetsons as the voice of George Jetson. His wife is here played by Phyllis Coates, who essayed that role in the McDoakes comedies often after leaving the television series The Adventures of Superman.
The Big Circus-1959-This was our only feature film viewed over the Holidays at our Movie Night gatherings. Irwin Allen, later known for his special effects laden television and theatrical films (Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, The Time Tunnel, Land of the Giants, The Poseidon Adventure, and The Towering Inferno) here tries to do his version of Cecil B. DeMille's hit circus film-The Greatest Show on Earth. He assembles a great cast which includes Victor Mature, Red Buttons, Rhonda Fleming, Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Gilbert Roland and Katherine Grant. Unfortunately it never quite jells and there's a bit too much talk and not enough action. Given his later reputation for delivering on special effects its especially disappointing too when, what could have been a spectacular train wreck sequence rivaling that of DeMille's, takes place almost completely off screen.
Best
Joe
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Good to hear I was not the only one who liked Skyline. I think most would if they know what to expect. I just watched the Dr Who Christmas Carol on DVR. It was OK not a favorite but OK. I used to watch Santa Conquers the Martians every year on Chiller Theater the Saturday night scifi/horror show hosted by Chilly Billy Cardilly who was Bill Cardill who was used as the newscaster for the original Night of the Living Dead. Was a double feature but turned to single in its later years. Cardill used to do little skits like the Mighty Carson Art Players from the Tonight Show. He had a character that could not lie that we just loved. The show was often sponsored by Subaru.
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Narf, the wife and I both agree with you on "Secretariat" and "Knight and Day". The new "Leverage" episodes were pretty good and I also caught the Doctor Who Christmas Carol and really enjoyed it. The rest of my viewing has been catching up on DVDs. Watched several "Boston Blackie" movies - Chester Morris and his snidely humorous interpretation of Blackie is always entertaining. Also used some gift cards to pick up several used discs of the "Sharpe's Rifles" series, another favorite of mine. I also downloaded some episodes of Dick Powell's "Richard Diamond , Private Detective", for the drive to work. Several episodes of this series were written by the late Blake Edwards, and his writing is a wonderful blend of adventure and humor. Great new year to all- Cheers, Bowers
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My son is a big Boston Blackie fan Bowers. I probably would be but have not had a chance to watch any. I love the Sharpe series. I normally wait ten years to watch reruns but only a couple on Sharpe and could probably watch them again.
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I picked up my Blackie discs about four years ago on e-bay. Amazon.com has a link to a 15 movie set for about $40.00 from somebody named Skaryguy.com, but it looks like it may be a pirate. Some oldtime radio companies do sell a combination disc with both radio and tv episodes. Sharpe's Rifles discs are pretty easy to find but can be quite pricey. Luckily for me there is a discount video/bookstore outlet (Hastings) in our city. I've been able to buy about ten episodes, mostly used for about $ 10.00. New ones are around $25.00. Certainly not cheap! Cheers, Bowers
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Blackie is public domain so they are not really pirated. I burned my Sharpe disks when it ran on BBC America. So I have a set. Netflix carries them but not online. They also do not carry it as any kind of series so you can only get one DVD at a time send it back wait for another. Which for anyone who has not seen Sharpe I would recommend as well worth it. The strong attitude of superiority by birth is strange to Americans were we practice superiority by wealth. Being sarcastic of course because we are supposed to practice equality and advancement by personal effort. Reality is what what is.
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Good to hear I was not the only one who liked Skyline. I think most would if they know what to expect. I just watched the Dr Who Christmas Carol on DVR. It was OK not a favorite but OK. I used to watch Santa Conquers the Martians every year on Chiller Theater the Saturday night scifi/horror show hosted by Chilly Billy Cardilly who was Bill Cardill who was used as the newscaster for the original Night of the Living Dead. Was a double feature but turned to single in its later years. Cardill used to do little skits like the Mighty Carson Art Players from the Tonight Show. He had a character that could not lie that we just loved. The show was often sponsored by Subaru.
We had some of those horror hosts over the years out here in Phoenix too. The last one was Edmus Scarey (real name Ed Muscare) who was still going strong and was quite popular into the late 1980s when he vanished from the airwaves abruptly in the wake of an unfortunate child molestation incident.
Best
Joe.
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The new season pf Primeval did start at the weekend and did not disappoint. This series was cancelled and I think it was something to do with ITV's financial problems but it's back with a bang. Don't want to give the story away, although anyone who has seen the trailer will have a good idea. A year has past since Connor, Abby and Danny were stranded in the past........ Monsters are still well done and my wife and I both thought it was rather exciting. Get on board ASAP.
Too much american football and cricket to watch many films but we squeezed in Smokescreen, a well done British b&w B film with Peter Vaughn and Gerald Flood. Also, 7 Days to Noon, a Boulting Brothers from 1950 with Andre Morell. How to make taut little thrillers in an easy lesson? Just watch this.
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The new (to us, anyway) series of Castle started here last night. What an explosive storyline. Very exciting, great villain, bit of a stonker all round. Don't know how far behind we are in U.K so if anyone is going to talk about plots, please keep it very general. Ta.
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Just watched the new episode of "Primeval" and enjoyed it very much. I had never even heard of this show until reading Paw's post. It just very recently became available on BBC America (which I don't get). I do however get their small "On Demand" selection of programs and, luckily, "Primeval" was on the list. Hope to see some of the earlier episodes sometime. Cheers, Bowers
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We got the DVD of Grown Ups from Netflix. We did not even finish watching it and sent it back. What a waste of talents
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New season of Hustle started on BBC last night. Nice, easy, good fun watch with a really good con.
NFL playoffs for us tonight. Just made a meatball sauce for spaghetti, so that with a bottle of decent Italian red and hours of football is just about perfect.
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I will be making chili a little later for supper. I have to drink my glass of red wine about half an hour before bed because it puts me to sleep. Believe it or not my favorite is in a box. Franzia Chillable Red I really enjoy. Since taste is subjective, the higher price may not mean it tastes better to me and I like my box :)
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Blackie is public domain so they are not really pirated. I
Narf,
I think you may be in error about this. One of my film buddies had me look up several of the Chester Morris Boston Blackie movies in the Film Superlist a few years back and all of the titles he had me check had their copyrights renewed.
Best
Joe
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Well the guy selling them on ebay has burned discs. Scaryguy may have something to be afraid of if reported.
Pretty sure the OTR are public domain. I mentioned burning my Sharpe DVD's but I do not sell them they are mine which is legal :)
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Classic Dr. Who, Inspector Gadget, the Jackie Chan Adventures, Have Gun Will Travel, and a seriously campy gore-flick from Japan called Samurai Princess that I thought from the preview would be a serious movie. (Boy, was I surprised when the bad guy had a rocket propelled chainsaw for a foot)
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I watched a pretty neat movie called Heroic Trio dubbed Japanese film on IFC
I watched a couple of episodes of Have Gun will Travel last night.
Hey a rocket propelled chainsaw foot sounds cool.
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I watched a pretty neat movie called Heroic Trio dubbed Japanese film on IFC
I watched a couple of episodes of Have Gun will Travel last night.
Hey a rocket propelled chainsaw foot sounds cool.
Ah, The Heroic Trio. Very fun 1990s Hong Kong flick with three top Asian actresses of the era-Maggie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh and Anita Mui. I used to rent a lot of Hong Kong videos back in the 1990s from Chinese and Vietnamese video shops. It was about the only way to see them back then. Now they're much more available via the internet, cable, satellite, DVD etc...
There's a sequel to The Heroic Trio called The Executioners which I never thought was as good as the first.
I gotta admit Charlie also caught my attention with that "rocket propelled chainsaw foot" reference. I'll have to look for that one!
Best
Joe
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Has anyone seen the 1960s Italian movie, "the Three Fantastic Supermen"? http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061646/
I saw it and wanted the poster when it was shown at a Saturday matinee when I was a kid in the 1970s:
http://www.moviepostershop.com/the-three-fantastic-supermen-in-the-orient-movie-poster-1020507592.jpg
It was pretty stupid, but .. nice poster.
I watched a pretty neat movie called Heroic Trio dubbed Japanese film on IFC
I watched a couple of episodes of Have Gun will Travel last night.
Hey a rocket propelled chainsaw foot sounds cool.
Ah, The Heroic Trio. Very fun 1990s Hong Kong flick with three top Asian actresses of the era-Maggie Cheung, Michelle Yeoh and Anita Mui. I used to rent a lot of Hong Kong videos back in the 1990s from Chinese and Vietnamese video shops. It was about the only way to see them back then. Now there much more available via the internet, cable, satellite, DVD etc...
There's a sequel to The Heroic Trio called The Executioners which I never thought was as good as the first.
I gotta admit Charlie also caught my attention with that "rocket propelled chainsaw foot" reference too. I'll have to look for that one too!
Best
Joe
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I remember watching Heroic Trio and thoroughly enjoying it. Haven't seen the sequal or 3 Fantastic Supermen and the others in the series. Extracts here:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tVBr2RXjd4
Always fancied it. Forgive me if I've mentioned this before but there are a load of Turkish superhero films out there, which used to be on sale from Onar Films. I have some of them and they are pretty awful, but fun. Heaven only knows how the makers got away with it as they rip off Batman, Superman, Cap America, Phantom. Spy Smasher, El Santo, some James Bond music and much more. I think You Tube has clips of Killink, a Turkish version of Kriminal and Killing, which was an Italian costumed villain in photo strip comics.
Just checked and I'm glad I didn't post a link to Killink on youtube as I'd forgotten how adult it is.
There is also stuff such as Puma Man, Argoman and lots more cheap superhero movies available. I particularly enjoy Neutron, even though he is more a masked wrestler.
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I do not appreciate those types of movies as much as I once did. I was a big fan of the Mexican wrestler heroes but not so much any more. I would like to see clips of all those characters. The 3 Supermen poster does look cool like Stuntman. I put up some of those Italian Photo comics on GCD recently. BTW does anyone here know anything about the UK comic Tiger? It went through several combinations but need to know what issue numbers it carried which titles.
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Re. Tiger, I hope this is what you need. There were a total of 1555 issues but they were only numbered up to #245. Title started in 1954 and on 21st. Oct. 1959, it merged with Comet, becoming Tiger and Comet.
(That's when you find those great Jet Ace Logan stories, which had run in Comet.) On 15th. May 1965, Tiger merged with Hurricane, becoming Tiger and Hurricane (Now it has the excellent Val Venture by Jesus Blasco.)
On 5th. Apr. 1969 it became Tiger and Jag, having swallowed up Jag.) And finally, on 1st. Nov. 1980 it merged with Speed and became Tiger and Speed. Title came to an end on 8th Nov. 1965. There were 2 unnumbered and undated issues between June and Aug. 1959 and it went fortnightly (as opposed to weekly) Mar - Apr. 1974. There were also hardback annuals from 1957 to 1987.
Most of the above is accurate, I think. Tiger was part of a stable of weeklies published by Fleetway and always seemed to me when I was young, to play second fiddle to The Lion. The other great publisher of weekly comics (originally storypapers) was D.C. Thomson, a Scottish company, who had Hotspur, Adventure,
Rover etc. I'll try to find some web refs. now for Tiger and Thomson stuff and get back if I find them.
If this isn't what you wanted, sorry. But let me know what other info.you require.
A bit on Tiger (the rest of the blog's worth a look, too. Lew's a really nice guy :-
http://lewstringer.blogspot.com/2010/12/fleetway-annuals-for-1986.html#uds-search-results
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Thanks Paw big help. So it looks like when it merged Comet it stopped being numbered on used just the date like so many others. I will try to get all this set up at the GCD.
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Some Tiger covers:-
http://www.comicvine.com/tiger/49-37555/
If you type in the following names,you'll get a few covers of each comic. Lion; Hotspur; Adventure; Rover; Rover and Wizard. Enjoy.
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Here's a link for the DVD of "The Three Fantastic Supermen": http://www.gottaseedvds.com/catalog/item/1369047/1763430.htm
for those inquiring minds.
Here's one in english, (3 movie set): http://www.ioffer.com/i/3-fantastic-supermen-set-162565221
Geo
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Anymore low brow new comedies. Previews to Grown Ups looked funny so I got it from Netflix. Neither my wife nor I liked it so did not even finish watching it before sending it back. It was replaced by Get Him to the Greek. I gave up on it and sent it back. Now i know better.
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Some recent Movie Night viewings
Radio Parade of 1935-1934-Associated British Pictures-BIP- Will Hay leads the cast of this musical comedy which features quite a number of the popular British radio and music hall performers of the day. The final sequences were filmed in the rarely used Dufaycolor. A real crowd pleaser with the Movie Night group. We were especially surprised and pleased to see that one of the color sequences featured the famed blues-jazz singer Alberta Hunter (the only film of her in her prime, IIRC).
The Phantom Light-1935-Gaumont-Gainsborough Years before he was directing classics like Black Narcissus and The Red Shoes, Michael Powell was learning his craft by directing quota quickies like this one. To be fare this film does have a slightly better budget than many such quota quickies and Powell makes the most of it getting some great location shooting in Wales that adds considerably to the film's atmosphere. The films lead is the always reliable Gordon Harker and blond Binnie Hale adds a lot of sex appeal to the film.
Cinema Europe: The Other Hollywood-1995-(6 one hour episodes)- Kevin Brownlow and David Gill's worthy followup to their earlier documentary Hollywood (1980) which like its predecessor covers the silent era of film.
So You Want a Television Set-1953-Warner Bros-Vitaphone-1 rl- & So You Want to be a Gladiator-1955-Warner Bros-Vitaphone-1 rl- a couple more delightfully funny entries in the Joe McDoakes comedy series demonstrate why this series was so popular and lasted so long.
We also finished up our Western serial Battling with Buffalo Bill-1931- (overall a thumbs up from the group) and started our next serial The Spider Returns-1941- which we have high hopes for because it is directed by one of our favorite serial directors, James W. Horne.
On DVD
Pandorum-2009- Interesting sci-fi-mystery story with Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster and a few others trying to find out what has gone wrong when they unexpectedly wakeup from hibernation aboard a huge spaceship.
Lost Boys: The Tribe (uncut)-2008- So-so followup to the 1990s original about a group of vampires. Has some humor here and there that livens it up but ultimately just mediocre.
Toy Story 3-2010- IMHO Pixar just can't turn out anything but winning films. I have yet to watch a film of their's that I didn't like. A big hit with both the Lil' Missus and myself.
The Day the Earth Stood Still-2008- Remake of the 1950s sci-fi classic in which an alien arrives on earth a creates a big stir. Not bad but nowhere near as good as the original.
Los Cronocrimenes (Timecrimes)-2008- Pretty neatly written (if relatively low budget) sci-fi tale of time travel. Best to pay close attention to it and see if you can unravel what's actually going on.
Best
Joe
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Anyone remember Timothy Hutton's previous series, "Nero Wolfe"? He both produced and co-starred in this series, along with the recently deceased Maury Chaykin. The series had a wonderful '50s look and feel. Hutton also cleverly used the same group of actors to play different characters throughout the series, giving it a real "theatrical group" type of feeling. Definitely some very good TV.
I'm watching NERO WOLFE right now. I had NO IDEA Maury Chaykin had passed away until this minute. I never heard about it at all last summer. Damn. It's a funny thing, I've seen him in a couple of other parts, and I don't think I ever would have thought of him as Wolfe. But he was superb in the role.
I've seen 3 different actors play Wolfe. My first was William Conrad. The show was good-- Conrad was AWFUL. And I like Conrad. The problem was, he had all the abusiveness and none of the class.
I've also seen the 1977 tv-movie with Thayer David (from DARK SHADOWS). He was by a wide margin the BEST thing about it (David Hurst as Fritz a close second). The rest was dull, uninspired, and had NO style at all. Despite this, I actually give David a slight edge on Chaykin. It's a shame he didn't get to do more. He actually passed away before his NW film was finally aired by the network, which kept dragging its feet.
THE GOLDEN SPIDERS was very impressive, but when they came back for the regular series, there was a MASSIVE jump in quality. That's when Hutton took over. I never really liked anything he did before that, but Archie Goodwin seemed a role he was born to play. One of the best decisions they could have made was to make Archie the main character (which he did not appear to be in the 1981 series). He's SO likeable, you just wanna follow everything he does.
NERO WOLFE is one of those rare series where the quality was SO good, it stands apart from most of the detective series made over the years. I'd put it in the same class with the Jeremy Brett SHERLOCK HOLMES, the David Suchet POIROT, and the Powers Booth PHILIP MARLOWE (well, the 1st season, anyway, the ones with the Maurice Binder opening credits).
NW is also one show where I find the plots almost impenetrable, and often impossible to follow... but the show has so much STYLE, I don't care! I'm usuallly enjoying myself too much, figuring, why worry about the plot, it'll make sense by the end.
I wish they'd done a LOT more.
It recently occured to me there was another actor in the 80's who COULD have, should have played Wolfe. He was the right size for it, he was able to project both power and sensitivity, AND, in real life, he loved orchids!
Raymond Burr.
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Peter D had the misfortune of following the ultra popular (in the US) Tom Baker Doctor. It took me a while to get used to him but I did enjoy his run. The third Doctor is the one I just could not get into.
Peter Davison also had the misfortune of having mostly-unlikeable companions, dodgy writing at least half the time, and a general attitude of the producer to make him seem helpless instead of dynamic.
MY 1st "Doctor" was actually Peter Cushing (the 2 feature films), so when Jon Pertwee arrived in the US, I wondered for some time, what connection do these stories have with those movies? Philadelphia's Channel 17 even had the stupidity to begin the run with "The Silurians", SKIPPING Pertwee's excellent debut story "Spearhead From Space", which went unseen in my area until the mid-80's! (It's funny, Pertwee actually goes thru that whole story "doing" Troughton.)
The real irony of the early Pertwee run was, his character was SO surly and angry about being stuck on Earth, the show's recurring VILLAIN, The Master (Roger Delgado) wound up having much more charisma, even though he kept killing so many people! I liked watching Delgado much more than I did Pertwee.
The 1st story where Pertwee began to melow out was really "Day Of The Daleks"-- and wouldn't you know, THAT was the last story Channel 17 ran! I dind't get to see the rest of his run until the 80's, either. By the time you get to "The Time Warrior" (the one that introduced Sarah Jane Smith), he was back using the TARDIS again, and a much "happier camper".
But long before I got to see that, for me there was a "jump" from "Day Of The Daleks" to "Robot" (the 1st Tom Baker story). I recall seeing a photo of Baker, and wondering, could this GOOFY-looking guy be The Doctor? But I got to LIKE him by the end of his very 1st episode! (Ditto for Sylvester McCoy.)
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That's when Hutton took over. I never really liked anything he did before that, but Archie Goodwin seemed a role he was born to play. One of the best decisions they could have made was to make Archie the main character (which he did not appear to be in the 1981 series).
This has ALWAYS been the attraction of the "Nero Wolfe" series, prof. The stories are ALL told in the first person by Archie Goodwin. The TV show was just being faithful to the premise that, IMHO, is what made the books and stories work in the first place. Often Archie could be as surprised as the reader by the denouement.
Never saw the shows, but credit where it's due: Rex Stout.
Peace, Jim (|:{>
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I know that. The thing is, the '81 series DIDN'T. Maybe that's why it ended after only 13 episodes? I don't think Archie narrated the '77 movie, either... With Timothy Hutton, they finally got it RIGHT.
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I figured as much, prof,
but wasn't certain that all of the people reading the post were aware of it.
Have you ever noticed how timeless most of Stout's Wolfe stories are? When I re-read Fer de Lance a while back, I was amazed that a book written in 1934 could seem so modern. There are very few (less than a dozen by my count) anachronisms. I found that to be true in many other of the Wolfe canon also.
Peace, Jim (|:{>
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I think I have several of the OTR. It is not a series that I have had time to sample yet. I think I will give it a try. Most series like that are pretty close to the book. OTR story quality was pretty good on high profile series.
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I too was a fan of the Hutton/Chaykin version of Nero Wolfe. The series wisely did faithful adaptations of Stout's stories (one episode for the short stories and two episodes for the novels). While the books, written between the mid 1930s and mid 1970s, were always set in whatever time period the books were written (although, as Jim has noted, there were usually only a few bits in each book that would give the time period away) the series compromised and set the show in the 1950s (right in the middle of Stout's run) which worked out pretty well overall.
I've always wanted to see the short lived 1930s Wolfe movie series which began only a few years after Stout began writing the books. I know some people who have seen them who like them and others who say they aren't much good. Stout reportedly didn't care for them and thereafter refused to let any more movie adaptations of Wolfe be done.
I always though that Sydney Greenstreet (Kasper Gutman-the fat man in The Maltese Falcon-1941) would have been the perfect person to play Wolfe on screen. While he never got that chance he did get to play Wolfe on radio in the 1940s.
Best
Joe
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"But long before I got to see that, for me there was a "jump" from "Day Of The Daleks" to "Robot" (the 1st Tom Baker story). I recall seeing a photo of Baker, and wondering, could this GOOFY-looking guy be The Doctor? But I got to LIKE him by the end of his very 1st episode! (Ditto for Sylvester McCoy.)" profh0011.
Nice to find someone giving Sylvester a bit of appreciation. 2 Scottish actors have now played The Doctor - Yeah for the wee guys! National pride apart, I also enjoyed Sylvester in the role even though some of his stories were pretty poor. Particularly enjoy Ghost Light and Curse of Fenric.
Never been a big Tom Baker fan but some of his stories are among the best Doctor tales - Pyramids of Mars; Fang Rock; Weng-Chiang; Image of the Fendahl. Said it before and love to repeat it, my favourite Doctor, incl. the new ones is Patrick Troughton. But then, I was lucky enough to watch them on BBC as they went out.
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josemas, Phantom Light is quite a favourite of ours. Seen it so often I could act it. There is another "lighthouse" comedy thriller, Back Room Boy, with Arthur Askey You probably know of this one but, if not, it's well worth a look. How about Ask a Policeman with Will Hay? The point of this one is that there isn't a lighthouse - only a headless horseman, smugglers and marvellous antics from Hay and co.
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I think I would have liked Patrick Troughton if I had not started with Baker. I think your favorite Doc is like your favorite Bond. The one you get started with. I need to give Patrick Troughton another try now that I am older and well past Baker. I have enjoyed all the recent Docs.
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Not just another "submarine" movie"
Tonight's quote:
"Have you recently sold any pre-atomic war surplus submarines, and if so, to
who?"
: )
Henry
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I think I would have liked Patrick Troughton if I had not started with Baker. I think your favorite Doc is like your favorite Bond. The one you get started with. I need to give Patrick Troughton another try now that I am older and well past Baker. I have enjoyed all the recent Docs.
Where does that leave me? My first was Peter Cushing! Then Jon Pertwee, then Tom Baker, then Peter Davison, THEN I got to see Patrick Troughton (via "The Five Doctors").
And then it wasn't until Colin Baker came along they ran William Hartnell's available stories, along with Patrick Troughton's.
I recall a lot of Americans HATED Colin Baker, and for that matter, couldn't stand William Hartnell. I think this is because he was so unlikeable in his first 3 stories. But by the time you get to the end of the 13th episode (the point where they weren't sure if the show was going to be cancelled or renewed for the rest of the season), he mellowed out a lot, and finally got to be friends with both Barbara & Ian. (Ian, of course, was the REAL hero of the early stories.)
Although my best friend maintains Peter Davison is HIS favorite Doctor, I still think he tended to be bland, and his stories needed much better writing. I liked Colin Baker much more... but HIS stories needed even BETTER writing. It wasn't until Sylvester McCoy came along I felt they really had a "great" Doctor again. I LOVED him from the first. He actually became my FAVORITE Doctor! But about half of his stories made me shake my head and wonder, "WHAT are they DOING??"
My tastes never seem to be typical of the average fans. MY favorite McCoy stories are...
PARADISE TOWERS
DELTA AND THE BANNERMEN
REMEMBRANCE OF THE DALEKS
THE GREATEST SHOW IN THE GALAXY
THE HAPPINESS PATROL
BATTLEFIELD
SURVIVAL
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I need to watch some of the first three doctors episodes. I did like the Cushing movies.
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It's saddo time again. So, my favourite Doctors in order are:-
Troughton, Davison, Smith, Hartnell (apart from anything else, this was the very beginnings of the show and the sense of wonder, to me, was so exciting. He's the Doctor who first faces the Daleks and Cybermen - when they still looked frightening). Can't stand McGann, in anything and I've never liked Eccleston.
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josemas, Phantom Light is quite a favourite of ours. Seen it so often I could act it. There is another "lighthouse" comedy thriller, Back Room Boy, with Arthur Askey You probably know of this one but, if not, it's well worth a look. How about Ask a Policeman with Will Hay? The point of this one is that there isn't a lighthouse - only a headless horseman, smugglers and marvellous antics from Hay and co.
Paw, Am very familiar with Ask a Policeman which is a favorite Hay film of many of the Movie Night regulars. While we know of Askey and have seen a few of his films we have not gotten around to Back room Boy yet but I'll give 'em all your info and I'm sure we'll turn it up one of these nights.
Best
Joe
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"Can't stand McGann, in anything and I've never liked Eccleston."
I remember when that movie first aired... thinking McGann was the best thing in there by a wide margin. Recently, I re-watched my entire collection. When I got to the McGann movie... oh man. It was MUCH WORSE than I remembered it! And-- he was AWFUL in it. The script, so obsessed with continuity, didn't help.
I've only seen Eccleston in 2 things, the other one where he played a bad guy. Going in with NO advance knowledge at all (it's been very difficult avoiding info until i get to see the thing), I got to like his Doctor immediately. Funny thing that didn't occur to me until about a year or two after he left... he reminds me of what the 1st Doctor might have been like, when HE was a lot younger. (shape of the face, long black coat) It still freaks me out that they went in, knowing, in advance, that the guy was only gonna do ONE season. Doesn't that strike anyone as NUTS?
I used to think, why didn't they just bring McGann back for the one season? But having watched his film again, I'm glad they didn't.
David Tennant, on the other hand, from the beginning made me think, "Peter Davison DONE RIGHT".
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Speaking of Golden Age does anyone else love Hot in Cleveland. LMAO every episode
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Speaking of Golden Age does anyone else love Hot in Cleveland. LMAO every episode
I like looking at :o Valerie Bertinelli :o in the commercials, but I rarely watch sitcoms anymore.
B.
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I like to laugh. I am a big fan of sitcoms. And VB is still HOT
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Haven't seen "Hot in Cleveland" yet, but it looks like a dynamite cast. I'll have to give it a try. Found an episode of "Hustle" I hadn't seen yet on AMC-on Demand. Sure hope they'll be showing more of these. Cheers, Bowers
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Ah, the tragedy of "unsold pilots"-- TV shows that never were.
Today:
THE ADVENTURES OF NICK CARTER (1972)
Decades before Now Comics gave GREEN HORNET a "generational" slant (which DC then ripped off endlessly with their own books), NICK CARTER existed as a series of pulp novels spread over no less than 3 completely different, seemingly-unrelated eras. He began life as an 1890's Private Eye (possibly even pre-dating Sherlock Holmes!). He was much later revived as a 1940's hardboiled P.I. (in the style of Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade & Mike Hammer). In the 60's, he became a SPY.
But this tv-movie appears to be set in the ROARING 20's. How about that?
It amazes me how tv series of the 60's have their own look, feel & style. Ditto for the early 70's. Ditto for the late 70's, except the late 70's didn't have much style at all.
Anyway, THIS thing seems to have aged well, in my eyes at least. Everything about it screams that it could have easily become an addition to the NBC MYSTERY MOVIE line-up, the way HEC RAMSEY with Richard Boone did. (That was a detective-western hybrid set about the turn of the Century.)
I suppose one could say this was an early-70's "private eye" follow-up, thematically, to THE WILD WILD WEST's 60's spy thing. Especially as it stars ROBERT CONRAD.
Best scene so far: he calls Dean Stockwell a lier. Stockwell yells for the band to stop playing, then demands, "WHAT did you call me?" Carter (Conrad) replies, "I said, you're a..." And as he finishes his sentence, he's ALREADY throwing one punch, THEN, takes out TWO OTHER guys. The Adam West BATMAN should have had fights THIS GOOD. What I said about the late 70's? NOBODY in the late 70's had fights THIS good. The censors saw to that.
Also in the cast are Neville Brand (Robert Stack's "Al Capone") as a crooked police Captain, and Shelly Winters (Adam West's "Ma Parker") as a MADAME. Also, Arlene Martel (Mr. Spock's fiancee "T'Pring") as a HOOKER. It's funny, that's the 2nd thing I saw her in in the last month or so.
It makes you wonder, what fates decided on which pilots get sold, and which don't. There's a lot of JUNK on TV, and you can't help but feel there's a lot more TERRIFIC stuff that somehow, just never made it.
Henry
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Phantom had a TV pilot. Power Pack had a TV pilot. Aquaman had a pretty good TV pilot that never got aired due to the merging of UPN and WB
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Watched THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951) again last night. I've completely lost track of how many times I've seen it now. And it seems to keep getting better.
Weird but true: what inspired me to watch it this time was, my current watching of the 1966 BATMAN. Just got to the beginning of the 2nd season. In the "Archer" story (with Art Carney), one of the henchmen is crooked accountant "Alan A. Dale"-- incredibly annoying SNOBBISH guy, played by... Robert Cornwaithe. It blew my mind, the number of times I've seen this, and THE THING, that I never realized "Alan A. Dale" was the same guy who played "Professor Carrington"!
"I'm your friend! You're smarter than us, wiser than us, USE that wisdom! We can communicate-- we can HELP each other!"
"SLAM!!"
(well, he had it coming)
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Weird but true: what inspired me to watch it this time was, my current watching of the 1966 BATMAN. Just got to the beginning of the 2nd season. In the "Archer" story (with Art Carney), one of the henchmen is crooked accountant "Alan A. Dale"-- incredibly annoying SNOBBISH guy, played by... Robert Cornwaithe. It blew my mind, the number of times I've seen this, and THE THING, that I never realized "Alan A. Dale" was the same guy who played "Professor Carrington"!
I really am tardy in watching Batman on the Hub channel. Thing is, as a youth I watched the heck out of that show. Did you see the recent Green Hornet marathon on Syfy? I enjoyed it very much! ;D
B.
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Ah, the tragedy of "unsold pilots"-- TV shows that never were.
THE ADVENTURES OF NICK CARTER (1972)
I remember watching this movie a couple of times back in the 1970s. It was fun much in the way that Conrad's Wild Wild West was fun to watch.
Best
Joe
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Phantom had a TV pilot. Power Pack had a TV pilot. Aquaman had a pretty good TV pilot that never got aired due to the merging of UPN and WB
I saw the Phantom pilot on SyFy last year. So-so. Really didn't care for the new costume at all.
I caught the Aquaman pilot somewhere too. I think it was an extra on some DVD collection or something.
Never heard about the Power Pack pilot but did like the initial run of the comic. Do you remember where the pilot ran?
Best
Joe
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I really am tardy in watching Batman on the Hub channel. Thing is, as a youth I watched the heck out of that show. Did you see the recent Green Hornet marathon on Syfy? I enjoyed it very much! ;D
B.
Ah heck. I missed it! Maybe they'll run them again. Except for a few episodes seen on video back in the 1990s it's been many years since I've seen the 1960's TV Hornet.
Didn't know about Batman/Hub channel either. Thanks for the heads up!
Best
Joe
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I was rather shocked to learn that ABC yanked THE GREEN HORNET off the air right at the end of its 1st run. That is, they never let it have a proper rerun season! How can you do that? This means, every episode ran ONCE. And with only 30 episodes, there wasn't enough for a proper syndication package, so it wound up one of those shows that only turned up on weekends-- if you were lucky. (I wasn't Nobody around here ever ran the thing.)
To make it worse, the Green Hornet guest-appearance on BATMAN-- one of the STUPIDEST episodes that entire year (on which even Roger C. Carmel managed to out-do himself in the bad acting department, no easy feat), has run often as part of that series. So most people have the impression that THE GREEN HORNET was as silly a show as BATMAN-- when it wasn't!
But then, my bigger pet peeve back then was the way the first half of BATMAN ran opposite the first half of LOST IN SPACE for a year-and-a-half. and they were my two favorite shows at the time! Every week, I had to miss HALF of one of them, and didn't get to see most of those stories in their entirety until either the rerun season, or later, when they went into syndication.
It would have been so much better if BATMAN had aired Thursdays and Fridays...
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Flash back experience.....I remember that. It hit me when mentioned.
But then, my bigger pet peeve back then was the way the first half of BATMAN ran opposite the first half of LOST IN SPACE for a year-and-a-half. and they were my two favorite shows at the time! Every week, I had to miss HALF of one of them, and didn't get to see most of those stories in their entirety until either the rerun season, or later, when they went into syndication.
It would have been so much better if BATMAN had aired Thursdays and Fridays...
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It's funny, but decades later, watching BATMAN again, I can still remember which stories I saw all the way thru the 1st time, and which I walked in on the 2nd half (because I'd been watching LIS the night before).
Another flashback... somehow, when the 2nd season for both shows started, it totally slipped my mind about LOST IN SPACE. I watched the first 2 weeks of BATMAN, and never changed the channel when 8 o'clock rolled around. The 3rd week, my brother insisted on watching LIS, so I watched BATMAN that week upstairs on my Dad's B&W tv. At 8 o'clock, I came down... and was stunned to see my first view of LIS-- IN COLOR. Not only that, it was the episode "The Ghost Planet", probably the MOST "serious" episode of the 2nd season. And the firts thing I saw was the Jupiter 2-- with its landing legs down. I had missed the first 5 episodes of the series (and those 5 were never rerun by CBS-- I had to wait for the show to go into syndication to see them). So I had never seen the landing legs before! Really wondered, WHAT had I missed?
Of course the next week they crashed-landed AGAIN, so it was back to the same old thing they had the 1st season, only this time, in color, and a LOT sillier.
My brother must have loved "The Ghost Planet". He did an (unfinished) comic-book adaptation of it shortly after seeing it.
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I remember having the same conflict when Batman started opposite Lost in Space but we didn't have a second TV set (or one in color-at least not until after both Batman and Lost in Space had finished their network runs) so we had to pick one or the other.
We ended up watching Batman and only the second half of Lost in Space. Finally got to see those LiS episodes in their entirety (and in color after we finally got a color TV in the Fall of '68) when it was in daytime syndication.
Best
Joe
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I was never a fan of the Batman t.v. show. It always seemed a bit silly and corny to me and the only reason I want the Bats./ G.H. crossover is because I have the complete G.H. series on dvd. Now there is a great t.v. show. Lost in space also never appealed except for Smith and the robot and I have only seen a few episodes. A lot of American progs. either didn't show here or were on in different parts of the country. Rin Tin Tin, for example, showed in Wales but not in Scotland, I think. And we had only BBC for ages before a 2nd. chanel, ITV, started up in the late 50's, I seem to remember. And even then we didn't have it in our house. I went to a neighbours house to watch Superman as they had the new aerial which was needed to tune in ITV.
At recent cons and marts in Glasgow, there heve been a couple of dealers selling copied dvd's of tv pilots and that's where I found the Phantom pilot, also Archie, Batgirl and G.H. among others. The Phantom is not bad and could have made an enjoyable series. Also Archie.
This weeks Primeval was the best yet. This is becoming a really convoluted plot with lots of question in the air about the Anton Lesser character, the, supposedly, lost in time Victorian couple, Prospero and lots more. Great monster this week, plus Abby in peril.
Sitcoms - We don't watch or enjoy many USA shows, which is strange as my wife and I were great fans of Mash, Cheers, All in the Family and many more. On British tv we watch Miranda, Not Going Out, Lead Balloon, IT Crowd and reruns of Dads Army, Allo - Allo, Fawlty Towers and so on.
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Paw, I think a lot of it has to do with how old one was when they first viewed a television series. I was 7 years old when Lost in Space and Batman started and 8 years old when the Green Hornet ran on TV.
I didn't even realize originally how camp those first two series were.
Now I enjoy them both for the nostalgia and for the performances. I really get a kick out of Jonathan Harris' Dr. Smith on LiS.
Batman also had a lot of great guest stars playing the villains. Many of them excellent film and stage actors. All having a great time playing their roles to the hilt! Is it silly, corny...yeah sure... but it's still fun!
Best
Joe
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I was 6 when LOST IN SPACE debuted, 6-1/2 when BATMAN debuted the following January. As space shows go, LIS always seemed a step down from FIREBALL XL5 (which disappeared here just before LIS started). As for BATMAN, I recall wondering, "What's with the outfit?" I'd never seen a "superhero" before!
LIS started out comparitively serious, and didn't get really silly until its 2nd season, when someone made the foolish decision to deliberately "compete" with BATMAN. (The same sad fate befell THE WILD WILD WEST and THE MAN FROM UNCLE, turning all these once-great shows into parodies of themselves.) BATMAN was funny from the beginning (though at that age, I didn't realize it!). But with its 2nd season, it lost the delicate balance that made it an adventure show with humor, and it degenerated into a sitcom that wasn't even funny most of the time.
All the same, there are so many actors I came to know over the years who I saw for the first time on these shows, including Cesar Romero, George Sanders, Jack Kruschen, Roddy McDowell, David Wayne, Victor Buono, Malachi Throne, even Vincent Price!! And of course, one of my favorite 2nd-season LIS episodes (wedged in there among the really, really stupid ones) was "A Visit To Hades", with Gerald Mohr, who, a year later, became the voice of Reed Richards on the FANTASTIC FOUR cartoons.
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I remember my friends and I waiting with very high expectations for the debut of "Batman" on TV. Needless to say it was a truly jaw-dropping experience! I don't believe I've ever been so disappointed by any program before or since. I'd watch it with chums to be social, but I never could really get in to the spirit of the show. Wasn't a really big fan of "Lost in Space" either. Did enjoy "The Green Hornet" and both "Uncle" series. Also was addicted to a sort of espionage/quest series called "Coronet Blue"-- watched faithfully and, dammit, they never showed the final episode! Many years later I looked up this show on the Internet Movie Database so I could find out how it ended. Cheers, Bowers
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For anyone who's interested I went to SyFy's website and found out that they are running a 9 hour marathon of Green Hornet tomorrow Friday January 28th. There is also an 8 hour marathon on Wednesday February 9th and another 9 hour marathon on Thursday February 24th.
Between these three marathons they should be running all 26 Hornet episodes at least twice.
Best
Joe
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For anyone who's interested I went to SyFy's website and found out that they are running a 9 hour marathon of Green Hornet tomorrow Friday January 28th. There is also an 8 hour marathon on Wednesday February 9th and another 9 hour marathon on Thursday February 24th.
Between these three marathons they should be running all 26 Hornet episodes at least twice.
Best
Joe
This is pretty awesome! Either the past marathon was well received or they are pulling out the stops on GH promotion -- either way a win-win for us! ;D
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A Green Hornet marathon? What a great way to spend your time. Hope you've got lots of tape space ready.
Our experiences here with t.v. in the early 60's were somewhat different. In 1960 I was 11 and already into comics - American and British - and had seen Superman on our neighbour's t.v. (I used to walk around shouting KIMOTA, in the hope I'd turn into Marvelman, 'cos I knew I didn't come from Krypton) but it was the Avengers that really hooked me. Steed and Mrs. Gale were superheroes without costumes, although Mrs. Gale's fighting suits come close. Although it was a stangely altered reality, the show seemed grown up and that is what probably made me look at Batman as a corny and silly. As we also had Doctor Who, and everyone was talking about the Daleks, there wasn't much else you could wish for. Mind you, thinking about it, I also loved Ivanhoe, Range Rider, William Tell and lots of others. so I'm probably just waffling.
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One of the channels ran William Tell here and I watched and enjoyed them all.
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I'm looking forward to the GH marathon- Syfy's finally doing something good! Never got to see William Tell, but I did really enjoy the Avengers. The black and white episodes seemed to be better written and less campy than the later ones. Of course, there was also "The Prisoner", but this was a bit later. Be seeing you, Bowers
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"The black and white episodes seemed to be better written and less campy than the later ones."
Some might argue it's the color, but the thing is, this is a phenomena that has turned up with so MANY tv series, I tend to think it's just a matter of better scripts early-on, and the quality taking a nose-dive once something was successful and the producers didn't care anymore. It just happens that in the mid-60's, any show that ran from B&W to COLOR, well, the COLOR episodes tend to look bad.
I've sometimes thought it was good that THE OUTER LIMITS didn't make it to color. That thing being entirely B&W makes it all the scarier.
On the other hand, I'm glad STAR TREK didn't arrive until COLOR. So the best episodes ARE in color, and, sadly, so are the really bad ones. (Mind you, one of my all-time MOST-HATED episodes was early in the 1st season. Took me decades to figure out it was quite probably a bad rewrite of a script that had been REJECTED-- then, the original got shot as-is almost 2 years later anyway when the then-producer was running out of handy scripts. Now let's see if anyone can guess what I'm referring to... heehee)
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As for THE AVENGERS, would you believe, my very 1st episode was "EPIC"-- which may be one of the gooniest Diana Riggs ever. But I saw it on a B&W set, and didn't notice. Later, I saw about half the Linda Thorsons. (Took me awhile to find where the stupid network had moved it to! The idiots put it up against the highest-rated show on the other network, which KILLED it-- for everybody. Grr.) In the 70's, I got hooked watching reruns, and got to see all the B&W Diana Riggs. In 1978, THE NEW AVENGERS arrived here, on late-night (it was considered "too violent for prime time"-- which shows you how bad prime time had gotten here that year), and run completely out of sequence.
I think it was around 1990 the Cathy Gale episodes FINALLY turned up here. Yeah, it took that long!! I figured out that A&E was cutting 8-1/2 minutes from every episode. It's amazing those things still make sense! I'm missing a few of them, but I've watched my tapes of the 2nd & 3rd season about 3 times so far, and they keep getting better-- even the "dull" ones in season 2 improve with repeat viewing. Dr. King is "okay" at best, but I do like Venus Smith a lot. Cathy is one very impressive character... but I keep thinking, if I ever met her in real life, I don't know if I'd like her too much.
I'm in the middle of re-watching the Purdey & Gambits again right now, and I'm having the exact opposite reaction. For at least 20 years, I had such a thing for Joanna Lumley, but watching her again now, Purdey is just too damn FULL of herself. I don't know how Gambit puts up with her. And she's way too cocky-- her fooling around almost got her KILLED on several occasions. (See, she's not as good as she think she is-- and I think she resents knowing, if she admits it to herself, that Gambit is BETTER as his job than she is.)
Maybe my taste in women is changing. Last year I watched my entire DOCTOR WHO collection in sequence, and just about the only girl that didn't impress me this time was... Sarah. That never happened before.
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I remember watching THE NEW AVENGERS and SAINT late night probably around 1978 also. I did like the original Roger Moore Saints but also liked the Ian something ones also.
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Tonight:
THE DOORBELL RANG (2001)
I had no intention of watching the whole thing... but it was just so good, and I was tired, and needed a break.
This is the NERO WOLFE 2-hour story where the Timothy Hutton / Maury Chaykin series really GOT GOOD. Hutton became one of the exec. producers, and, directed this one. They introduced the loud big band jazz score, and the pacing was lightning-fast. Maybe too much. I was never able to figure out any of these, and that never really bothered me, but it's maddenning when I get to the end and STILL aren't sure who did what to who and why.
STRANGE thing... this was the first time I've manage to watch BOTH versions of "THE DOORBELL RANG" less than a month apart. I re-watched the 1977 version with Thayer David as Wolfe just a few weeks ago. Here's the strange part. The 1977 version has pretty much NO STYLE at all. Being made-- and set-- in the late 70's-- does that a lot. But even though I had just seen that version, and so KNEW the story this time around, and even though the 2001 version has about 100 times more style... the 1977 version is MUCH EASIER to follow the plot!
I'm afraid, for instance, that the relavance of the story's title to the murder involved got completely lost in the redo. It's no wonder I couldn't make heads or tails of this thing.
I don't regret the Chaykin version having so much style... but I get the feeling in the case of this story at least, that maybe too much style got in the way!
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"I remember watching THE NEW AVENGERS and SAINT late night probably around 1978 also. I did like the original Roger Moore Saints but also liked the Ian something ones also."
CBS ran THE NEW AVENGERS Fridays at 11:30 PM during the 1978-79 season, and RETURN OF THE SAINT in 1979-80.
I had seen the odd SAINT episode and film before, but nothing really grabbed me. Then I started watching Ian Ogilvy... and within a few months, I was amazed that not only did I love his show, and the character he played, but he became my FAVORITE actor!! At the time, I had no idea that I'd seen him before... He was in quite possibly my favorite Tara King episode of THE AVENGERS, "THEY KEEP KILLING STEED". And, he was the hero of the GHASTLY, awful, horribly violent and disturbing film, WITCHFINDER GENERAL.
CBS never re-ran RETURN OF THE SAINT, so I had to tape it off Channel 9 when they had it on about 2:30 AM. And they skipped one of the 24 episodes, so I'm still missing one all these years. CBS did run the Roger Moore SAINT episodes sometime after the Ian Ogilvy ones, and that's where I started taping, the color seasons. It was years later I caught the earlier B&W episodes, also on Channel 9. I found most of them were adapted from the books!
I had also started reading the SAINT books, and got 25 of them, which I read more-or-less in sequence. By then, I'd managed to see most of the movies from 1938-up, and what struck me from the word "go" was that the Simon Templar in the books reminded me of ONLY ONE actor-- Louis Hayward! He was so perfect in THE SAINT IN NEW YORK. It's a shame RKO had such low budgets on those things. He left after only one film, replaced by George Sanders, who had to be the least-likely actor to ever play the role.
After one positively abominable film, his 2nd one, THE SAINT IN LONDON, seems to have been written specifically for him, as he "works" in there much better than his 1st one. It's also taken me decades to feel that ...LONDON may be the best SAINT film from the period, despite the absence of Hayward. Templar's in his element (England), Gavin MacLeod is the BEST Inspector Teal EVER, and Sally Gray... (SIGH!!) She should have played Patricia Holm.
I recently learned author Leslie Charteris was so distressed by the RKO films that after 5 of them with Sanders, he yanked back the film rights! A UK company made the next 2, but if I got this right, RKO wound up distributing them anyway. Hugh Sinclair should not have had that moustache... all the same, I rank THE SAINT'S VACATION as one of the 3 best films from that era. Once again, it's got MacLeod & Gray, plus, Cecil Parker gets my vote for the "classiest" SAINT villain ever!
It's probably time I dug out all my tapes to watch again...
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I had also started reading the SAINT books, and got 25 of them, which I read more-or-less in sequence. By then, I'd managed to see most of the movies from 1938-up, and what struck me from the word "go" was that the Simon Templar in the books reminded me of ONLY ONE actor-- Louis Hayward! He was so perfect in THE SAINT IN NEW YORK. It's a shame RKO had such low budgets on those things. He left after only one film, replaced by George Sanders, who had to be the least-likely actor to ever play the role.
After one positively abominable film, his 2nd one, THE SAINT IN LONDON, seems to have been written specifically for him, as he "works" in there much better than his 1st one. It's also taken me decades to feel that ...LONDON may be the best SAINT film from the period, despite the absence of Hayward. Templar's in his element (England), Gavin MacLeod is the BEST Inspector Teal EVER, and Sally Gray... (SIGH!!) She should have played Patricia Holm.
I recently learned author Leslie Charteris was so distressed by the RKO films that after 5 of them with Sanders, he yanked back the film rights! A UK company made the next 2, but if I got this right, RKO wound up distributing them anyway. Hugh Sinclair should not have had that moustache... all the same, I rank THE SAINT'S VACATION as one of the 3 best films from that era. Once again, it's got MacLeod & Gray, plus, Cecil Parker gets my vote for the "classiest" SAINT villain ever!
RKO did distribute the first Hugh Sinclair Saint film The Saint's Vacation-1941) but the second one (The Saint Meets the Tiger-1943) ended up being distributed in the U.S. by Republic. I've never seen the later or the final Saint film in the series (The Saint's Girl Friday-1954-RKO) in which Louis Hayward returned to the role. The earlier Saint films play on TCM now and then.
Even though Charteris may not have liked the Sanders' Saint films they were very popular with the public so RKO immediately moved Sanders into the very similar Falcon series. Then when Sanders grew bored with the role someone came up with the clever idea of replacing him with his actor/brother Tom Conway (who comes across as a mix between his brother and swashbuckler Errol Flynn). In The Falcon's Brother (1943) Sanders' character Gay Falcon is killed off and Conway, as Tom Falcon, takes over the series for the next nine films. After RKO dropped the series in 1946 it was revived a couple years later by Film Classics for three low budget films starring John Calvert. The Sanders and Conway Falcon films also pop up on TCM.
Best
Joe
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We're in the fortunate position that The Saint and The Avengers have regular runs on certain free to air channels but I had forgotten the Ian Ogilvy series, which I really enjoyed. I take the point re. Sanders - I never liked him much anyway. Didn't he play The Falcon in 1 or 2 films? Before Tom Conway. I will have to borrow the Saint films and, fortunately, I know a man who has them. T.V. here seems to show the early Bulldog Drummond films rather than The Saint. The series very quickly went downhill after the first 3 or 4. I have the Drummond books (some of them as Yellowjackets) and they are really fast and a bit violent, for the time, that is. They are also very non-pc. and very anti-semitic. So, be warned, if you fancy trying them.
Sorry if I've mentioned this before but the Paul Temple films are now available here - region 2, of course. And for those who haven't seen them, they are well worth tracking down. I just bought Bombay Waterfront and will try to fit it in this week.
"Maybe my taste in women is changing. Last year I watched my entire DOCTOR WHO collection in sequence, and just about the only girl that didn't impress me this time was... Sarah. That never happened before." profh0011
Interesting and almost blasphemous. SJS is the best. Always has been, always will be. Do I sound a bit obsessed here? Actually I am also a fan of Zoe, Polly and Leela.
I don't know if you've seen Absolutely Fabulous in the States but if you have, you will have seen the comic talents of Ms Lumley. Only my opinion but it's a "fall off your chair laughing" show
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Strange but true: my 1st SAINT movie was THE SAINT STRIKES BACK, which I consider the worst one ever! It's almost impossible to follow, and the dialogue, clearly written for Hayward, just sounds completely "wrong" coming out of Sanders' mouth. Now here's the kicker... when I was reading the books, ANGELS OF DOOM-- on which that film was based-- became my favorite novel ever! But I figure it might take 3 hours to adapt properly, not 60 minutes. The film version is so compressed and convoluted, very little of it makes sense at all.
So THE SAINT IN LONDON is kind of a shock, as the dialogue is written just for Sanders, and he feels so "right" in the role despite himself. This film was based on a short story, and does a much better job adapting it.
Sanders did 5 films-- 2 really good ones (LONDON and TAKES OVER), two merely average (DOUBLE TROUBLE and IN PALM SPRINGS) and one awful (STRIKES BACK).
I wonder if them switching distributors might be why Sinclair only did 2 films? And yes, I haven't seen the 9th one (GIRL FRIDAY). How come that film NEVER turns up???
With the greatest amount of difficulty, I managed-- just barely-- to get all 120 Roger Moore episodes on tape. This was between the color episodes rerun on CBS late night, the B&W episodes on Channel 9, and several 2-parter syndicated separately as "movies" (this was a bane of syndication in the 70's & 80's-- often the best episodes MISSING from syndication packages, like where every Ron Ely TARZAN 2-parter was missing). Moore's acting is MUCH better in those than it ever was in the Bond films. It's ironic-- he plays Templar MUCH more serious than the guy in the books, yet, refused to ever take Bond (a character with no sense of humor) serious. He'd have been much better off doing big-budget SAINT films in the 70's.
For years, I suspected that, due to his completely-different background (and how he made his money), that Ian Ogilvy's Templar was somebody else-- and since he so closely resembled Hayward, I joked maybe he was the son of the original. Then many years later I found out the series was going to be called SON OF THE SAINT, but Charteris nixed it! (Gee, I was right!)
I've also got the Andrew Clarke tv pilot (he's just too stiff) and the 6 Simon Dutton tv-movies (they're too serious and dull), and the Val Kilmer film --which I was really afraid I wouldn't like-- but it became my favorite film the year it came out. I think I went to see it 3 times. I was recently reading about how drastically it was changed before release, and I have to say, I'm glad they did.
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Absolutely agree that Louis Hayward was an excellent Saint. His portrayal of Templar as a totally charming yet curiously cold-blooded avenger made us believe Simon was, indeed, a very dangerous man. I'm currently watching "The Green Hornet" marathon on Syfy. Haven't seen any of these since they first aired. I had forgotten how the Black Beauty was driven through a room in the house to reach the secret exit. (Wonder what brand of carpet cleaner Kato used?) Anyway, it's nice to see them again- if you can, catch an episode or two. Cheers, Jeff
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What amazed me when I got up to the novel THE SAINT IN NEW YORK, was realizing how toned down the movie was! In the book, Templar takes a commission to clean up the racketeers. (He gets PAID!) In the movie, he decided it might be interesting to make "one entirely altruistic gesture". Then there's the kidnapped girl. I believe in the movie, it was purely a kidnapping for ransom, but in the book, she was kidnapped because her father wasn't "staying in line", and they grabbed her just to teach him a lesson. During her rescue, in the film, Templar shoots one guy, then trips another on his way out the door. In the book, he shot at least 3 more guys in the living room on his way down the stairs! I always loved the line, "Don't you think a girl with a name like Viola Throckmorton has enough problems already without getting herself kidnapped?"
Of course, my favorite bit in the film is where he hitches a ride with Fernack. "Be honest, Fernack. Don't you think the law in its zeal sometimes loses all track of right and wrong?" "Templar, it's my job to catch criminals, and put a stop to them. Why if an archangel came down to Earth and parked illegally, I'd have to give him a ticket." "Yeah, but a Saint oughta be able to get his ticket FIXED!"
That film was my favorite for a long time, mostly on the basis of Hayward alone. But in recent years, I think ...IN LONDON has surpassed it, for all the elements in the film combined. (If only ...IN LONDON and ...VACATION had had Hayward in them... wow.)
Another real fave of mine is AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (1945), the first of 4 adaptations of TEN LITTLE INDIANS.
I also saw a stage version of it back in the 90's. One big difference was the ending, which might offend some today. They explain why the hero didn't get killed by the heroine... "Thank God women can't shoot straight!"
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"And Then There Were None"- WOW! What a cast- Huston, Hayward, and Fitzgerald plus a couple of my very favorite character actors, Mischa Auer and C. Aubrey Smith. First saw it on the late show about 50 years ago. I was a twelve year old boy sitting in the dark and watching this mystery unfold. The surprise ending was a total "gotcha". Cheers, Bowers
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The movie Agora. I got it from Netflix thinking it was Christian based but it was actually anti Christian. My wife and I figured that out after only a few minutes so I checked IMDB and sure enough it was anitChritian.
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"And Then There Were None"- WOW! What a cast- Huston, Hayward, and Fitzgerald plus a couple of my very favorite character actors, Mischa Auer and C. Aubrey Smith. First saw it on the late show about 50 years ago. I was a twelve year old boy sitting in the dark and watching this mystery unfold. The surprise ending was a total "gotcha". Cheers, Bowers
The 1st time I saw it (with my Dad, I think), I thought the casting was a bit of a "cheat". The only actors I knew going in turned out to be the HERO and the KILLER! Many years and many movies later, I realized my Dad was right when he said it was an "all-star cast". I've gotten to know almost every person in there from other movies.
My feeling about Agatha Christie whodunits is, there's 2 ways to cast them. Either every actor should be relatively obscure, or every actor should be a big-name star. It's the only way to "play fair"!
Sadly, CBS in the 1980's made a number of TV movies, all updated to the present day, and in every case, the BIGGEST "name" actor turns out to be... well, you get the picture.
My favorite AC film is still DEATH ON THE NILE. Dad & me went to see that TWICE! (He almost never did that.) I absolutely could not predict where the thing was going the first time, but the way it was done, every single detail was SO clear, I didn't get even the slightest bit lost by the end. And the amazing thing was, the 2nd time, knowing everything in advance, it didn't ruin the film at all! It was SO good-- it just seemed like an entirely different film the 2nd time. I always feel it's very important not to blow the ending of one of these for someone. You only get ONE chance to see it "cold". (My best friend blew the ending of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS for me, which may be part of the reason it's never impressed me that much... apart from Albert Finney, of course. My friend said, "It came out ten years ago-- I assumed you MUST have seen it by now!" Never, never do that...!)
On the other hand, there's EVIL UNDER THE SUN. I've seen it at least 4 times (maybe more), and each time, I can never keep all the details straight! I guess they wanted something much more complex than DEATH ON THE NILE, and they found it.
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Tonight:
THE WOMAN IN GREEN
Funny thought struck me when "Lydia" was putting Holmes under hypnosis (or thought she was), is that in the last few years, the one film of Basil Rathbone's I've probably seen more often than any other is TALES OF TERROR, where he plays a hypnotist!
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Batman the Brave and the Bold: Mayhem of the Music Meister.
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I just downloaded the Green Hornet movie serials but have not watched them yet. I may watch the new GH movie and take it something separate from real GH continuity. A silly GH is not the GH
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With the greatest amount of difficulty, I managed-- just barely-- to get all 120 Roger Moore episodes on tape. This was between the color episodes rerun on CBS late night, the B&W episodes on Channel 9, and several 2-parter syndicated separately as "movies" (this was a bane of syndication in the 70's & 80's-- often the best episodes MISSING from syndication packages, like where every Ron Ely TARZAN 2-parter was missing). Moore's acting is MUCH better in those than it ever was in the Bond films. It's ironic-- he plays Templar MUCH more serious than the guy in the books, yet, refused to ever take Bond (a character with no sense of humor) serious. He'd have been much better off doing big-budget SAINT films in the 70's.
I suspect the decision to have Roger Moore play The Saint more seriously in the television series was a decision of the producers as Moore had already proved he could play a role demanding humor quite well during his season as Beau Maverick on Maverick in the early 1960s.
In the Bond series when Moore took over the role the producers also wanted something different than the way Connery had been playing it thus the lighter approach.
In both cases the producers probably made the right decision (even if some of us purists to the original sources didn't agree) as The Saint series did very well on TV with a more serious Saint and the Bond series revived when Moore came on board.
Best
Joe
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Tonight: one of my all-time favorite movies...
WRONG IS RIGHT (1981)
What an incredible cast! What an amazing script! What a scary look into a possible future (???) that now seems to have ACTUALLY COME TRUE!!!
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I don't thing I have ever seen it. I put it on my netflix list
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Last week:
THE DOORBELL RANG (1977 and 2001)
I actually watched the 1977 version a month ago, 3rd time I think. Last Thursday I watched the 2001 version, and with the earlier one so clear in my mind, was amazed at HOW DIFFICULT it was to follow the plot of the 2001 version! I mean, even having just seen the other version, and both versions DO follow the book rather closely, I could see where the difference in emphasis on certain things made the version with Maury Chaykin & Timothy Hutton almost impenetrable at times. So, the NEXT day, I watched the Thayer David-Tom Mason version AGAIN. Even though certain scenes (like the preparations for the charade with the actors impersonating Wolfe & Goodwin) were cut to the bone (3 minutes, say, instead of 10-15), EVERYTHING was crystal-clear. I'm sure the 2001 version was MUCH closer to the book, but this may be a good example where certain changes in a movie CAN be an imporvement.
Last night:
CHAMPAGNE FOR ONE
Very entertaining, but unlike most Agatha Christie's where all becomes clear at the end, in this case, the ending was the MOST CONFUSING part of the whole story. I had to think about it for hours afterwards to get it all straight as to who was related to who and did what to who else and why.
All the same... I LOVE this series!!
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Some recent Movie Night viewings.
His Musical Sneeze-1919-Fox-Sunshine-2 rls- Lloyd Hamilton stars in a very wacky slapsticky entry. Virginia Rappe, best known for her untimely death a couple years later (google her), plays the female lead. Print had Danish intertitles but was easy to follow. I think this one is available on the web for anyone interested in checking it out.
Make the Connection-1955- Silent comedians Buster Keaton and Harry Gribbon guest star on this game show hosted by Gene Rayburn. Panelists include Betty White, Eddie Bracken and Laraine Day. Buster demonstrates how to throw a pie.
The Horror Hall of Fame: A Monster Salute-1974- ABC originally aired this on Halloween night back in 1974 and I don't think it was ever rerun after that. The special is hosted by Vincent Price has guest stars such as Frank Gorshin, John Astin and John Carradine. Price affectionately and with some humor looks at clips of old movie horrors and their stars and talks about the horror genre in general.
So You Want a Model Railroad-1955-Warners-Vitaphone-1 rl- Another excellent Joe McDoakes entry where our hero becomes completely obsessed with the model railroad that was supposed to be a Christmas gift for the kid.
Free Rent-1936-Columbia-2 rls In addition to their very popular Three Stooges shorts Columbia produced tons of other comedy short series. Some had long runs, others very short runs and a number of them somewhere in between. This series series starred the Mutt and Jeff pairing of big Tom Kennedy and shorter Monty Collins. In this one Collins and his freeloading brother-in-law Kennedy get thrown out of Monty's rented home and build a trailer for their families to live in so they can "live off the land." Things don't go as planned. Pretty amusing.
The Spider Returns-1941-Columbia We're three chapters into our new serial and so far it's proving popular. Plenty of fights, stunts and things getting blowed up real good! Director James W. Horne also throws in the occasional bit of humor (villain or hero doing an extra broad "take") to keep things from getting too serious.
On DVD
John Adams-2008-HBO- Kudos to HBO for turning out one of the best biopics that I have ever seen. Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney are perfect as John and Abigail Adams. HBO also wisely decided to adapt David McCullough's top notch bio on Adams as a miniseries which gives it time to do proper justice to the source. The DVD also has a neat featured that when accessed brings up panels under the film frame that provide historical background on whats going on at any current point in the narrative which, for me at least, added even more to the viewing experience.
M Squad-1957-NBC- Some friends gave me this set which features the first fourteen episodes of this 1957-60 cop series. Police procedurals were popular after the monster success of Dragnet earlier in the decade and many imitators followed throughout the 1950s. What sets this one apart is the casting of Lee Marvin in the lead. Marvin plays the hard edged Lt. Frank Ballinger as he tracks down criminals preying on Chicago. Ballinger is not afraid of engaging in fisticuffs and getting a little rough now and then in a way Dragnet's Joe Friday seldom did. Although the film is set in Chicago it was mostly shot in LA. The producers cleverly got around this by sending Marvin up to Chicago for a few days each season and shooting a bunch of shots of him walking and driving around numerous areas of the Windy City. Then it was back to LA where all interior shots and additional exteriors (studio backlots or carefully chosen locations) were shot. The better episodes have a nice noirish quality to them and the series actually benefits from being shot in black and white. Occasional interesting guest stars also appear-I spotted Deforest Kelly in a couple of episodes. This set from Timeless Video is apparently a teaser set for their complete collection of the series.
Best
Joe
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I've never seen M SQUAD, but for decades I've had the soundtrack LP! Includes music by Stanley Wilson, Benny Carter, Johnny Williams and the theme song is written by Count Basie! (I'm pretty sure the theme was the song parodied by the theme to POLICE SQUAD! (IN COLOR).
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I'm not surprised to hear that Count Basie did the theme song for the show. Jazz themes on television shows gained popularity around this time. The most famous is probably the theme for Peter Gunn by Henry Mancini but I've recently watched such shows from this era as Johnny Staccato (a cool show with John Cassavettes) and even the western show Shotgun Slade which also had Jazz theme music.
Best
Joe
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Johnny Staccato was an excellent show, nice performance from John Cassavetes, and great theme music from Elmer Bernstein. Oddly, mostly forgotten, but surprisingly still influential.
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It is so frustrating that I have never seen JOHNNY STACCATO, or PETER GUNN, or MIKE HAMMER (the version with Darren McGavin!). But I believe I have the themes for all 3, on Rhino's CRIME JAZZ comps.
"Peter Gunn" got a revival back in 1977, courtesy, oddly enough, of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. I recall going to see them in concert twice that year, and the 2nd time, riding home on the subway, I overheard two guys in the next chair discussing the instrumental they opened the concert with. They thought it was really cool, but didn't know what it was. One of them said, "It sounded like something from a BOND movie!"
I finally learned what it was when the live album came out some time later. Then, in 1980, it appeared in the movie THE BLUES BROTHERS. Several years later, The Art of Noise did a version (with Duane Eddy sitting in on guitar). Around that time, it was used on a TV commercial advertising Trump Casino. In the 90's... COUNTLESS "surf guitar" bands started doing covers of it.
I do have both PETER GUNN revivals on videotape... the 1967 feature film with Craig Stevens (and nobody else from the show, and he was looking a bit too old for it by then), and the redo in 1989 with Peter Strauss, which I liked MUCH better than the '67 film. (Go figure!) Blake Edwards got his daughter to play the secretary. What a sweetie!
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Several years ago Peter Gunn and Johnny Derringer and some other shows that I do not remember were run in place of reruns of the regular shows one summer. They may have done it for two years that way. I liked because it gave me a chance to see some shows that I had never seen before. Archive.org has some episodes if you want to check them out
http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=peter%20gunn
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Timeless released the complete Johnny Staccato on DVD a few months ago. There were also a couple volumes of the Peter Gunn series released on DVD a few years back but they are out of print now.
BTW, Timeless has also recently released some other vintage TV series on DVD which may be worth checking out-Soldiers of Fortune-(1955-1957) with John "Lawman" Russell and Chick Chandler, State Trooper-(1956-1959)-with Rod Cameron and Coronado 9-(1959-1960)-also with Rod Cameron.
Best
Joe
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I fancy Johnny Staccato and remember watching some episodes when I was much, much younger.
Been watching the last part of this series of Primeval. Very good and frustrating 'cos as an answer to what is going on is revealed, 2 or 3 new questions are raised. An old face returns in this one and lots of dodgy goings on. This weeks Hustle was the best yet. I've said that before but it's true. This one was a great con. And Castle is just good entertainment week after week.
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The last few weeks I've started re-watching my SHERLOCK HOLMES tapes again, as well as NERO WOLFE. I suppose I should dig out my Agatha Christie's to make it a trifecta (heehee).
I have 2 Arthur Wontner films-- THE TRIUMPH OF SHERLOCK HOLMES and SILVER BLAZE, and 4 Basil Rathbones-- THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, THE WOMAN IN GREEN (terrible copy) and TERROR BY NIGHT (excellent copy from TCM-- but I would swear it was remastered at the wrong SPEED! --every character's voice sounds an octave too low).
If was funny how 2 consecutive NW episodes had someone murdered in the living room-- the 1st time, driving Wolfe nuts, the 2nd time, Archie. Someone suggested they were done this way because some stations insist on running it in a 2-hour format. Remember when they used to just run ONE hour of something a week, SAME TIME every week, and it was expected?
I guess next up will be the Ronald Howard / Howard Marion Crawford SHERLOCK HOLMES tv series. I got most of these off PBS, but somehow missed a handful of them. (I hate when that happens, it's next-to-impossible to get ahold of just a FEW particular episodes when you already have all the others).
I often think Marion Crawford would have made a perfect Sir Hugo Drax if they'd ever adapted the novel MOONRAKER accurately. (Honor Blackman would have been perfect for Gala Brand.)
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Today:
REBECCA
Terrific story, great cast. I still recall being fascinated the 1st time I saw this, because I recognized it as the source material for half of the "1970 Parallel Time" story on DARK SHADOWS. Except, without the supernatural elements.
I keep thinking watching it again today, if I were a character in the story, that psycho-B****-from-hell Mrs. Danvers would have gotten her sorry self fired early-on. How do some people hold onto their jobs?
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She might have been union ;)
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;D
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I guess next up will be the Ronald Howard / Howard Marion Crawford SHERLOCK HOLMES tv series. I got most of these off PBS, but somehow missed a handful of them. (I hate when that happens, it's next-to-impossible to get ahold of just a FEW particular episodes when you already have all the others).
Millcreek has an inexpensive complete set of this series out. I think mine set me back all of $5.00. I've only watched a couple of episodes and haven't been particularly impressed so far.
Best
Joe
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I agree with Joe- this wasn't really a very good series. I feel that Howard, even though a competent actor, totally missed the character in his portrayal. Too good-natured and even just a bit of a twit. The scripts, on the other hand, were fairly well written and usually entertaining. The production values were not bad for the time. I suppose my only gripe with the series was the casting (or miscasting) of Howard in the role. It does make me wonder- could his father have pulled it off? Cheers, Bowers
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I guess next up will be the Ronald Howard / Howard Marion Crawford SHERLOCK HOLMES tv series. I got most of these off PBS, but somehow missed a handful of them. (I hate when that happens, it's next-to-impossible to get ahold of just a FEW particular episodes when you already have all the others).
Millcreek has an inexpensive complete set of this series out. I think mine set me back all of $5.00. I've only watched a couple of episodes and haven't been particularly impressed so far.
Best
Joe
I have this set on DVD also. It is a gem! I used to watch the episodes on the local PBS every Sunday night and loved it! It became the end of my weekend ritual.
B.
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Just finished watching Edward G. Robinson's 1938 crime farce "A Slight Case of Murder", evidently based on a play by Damon Runyan. Although I had seen the 1950's Broderick Crawford remake ("Stop, You're Killing Me") I had never seen the original. Most of the cast were Warner's B movie character actors, but they were just great, as was Robinson. I think I enjoyed this just as much or better than his other two crime-comedies, "Larceny, Inc." and "Brother Orchid". Cheers, Bowers
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I love a good laugh. I will have to check these out. I probably saw them forty years ago on late night tv. Brother Orchid sounds familiar. They are probably available at archive to watch online.
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Just a reminder for anyone interested, the SyFy Channel is running another Green Hornet marathon tomorrow. This marathon is scheduled to run all the episodes not aired in the last marathon (along with a few repeats).
Best
Joe
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Just finished watching Edward G. Robinson's 1938 crime farce "A Slight Case of Murder", evidently based on a play by Damon Runyan. Although I had seen the 1950's Broderick Crawford remake ("Stop, You're Killing Me") I had never seen the original. Most of the cast were Warner's B movie character actors, but they were just great, as was Robinson. I think I enjoyed this just as much or better than his other two crime-comedies, "Larceny, Inc." and "Brother Orchid". Cheers, Bowers
I've also seen all of these over the years (except for that Broderick Crawford remake which I'd never heard of until now) and enjoyed them all. I tend to agree with you that A Slight Case of Murder is probably the best of those three Robinson crime-comedies.
Best
Joe
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boox909 wrote:
"I have this set on DVD also. It is a gem! I used to watch the episodes on the local PBS every Sunday night and loved it! It became the end of my weekend ritual."
This may sound blasphemous... but it just occured to me, the 50's SHERLOCK HOLMES struck me much the same as the Cathy Gale AVENGERS. That is, the 1st time I watched them, I thought, "Hmm... okay." The 2nd time, "Hey-- this is getting better." I suppose as long as something isn't completely AWFUL, sometimes, it can be seen as fun to watch.
I mean, in the case of Holmes, there have been SO MANY versions!!! And since Jeremy Brett, there continue to be SO MANY new versions!!! Aside from wondering, "WHY??" (clearly money is at the root of it, pure and simple), it seems to me, NOBODY has done Holmes anywhere near as good as Brett since Brett.
So, compared to so many of these, the Howard-Crawford HOLMES isn't so bad! (Yes, I'd love to see the Douglas Wilmer series-- and the Peter Cushing series that followed it... but neither of them EVER turned up in the US. Oh well, at least I have THE MASKS OF DEATH, which was fabulous!)
By the way, what's anyone think of the Arthur Wontner-Ian Fleming version?
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So, compared to so many of these, the Howard-Crawford HOLMES isn't so bad! (Yes, I'd love to see the Douglas Wilmer series-- and the Peter Cushing series that followed it... but neither of them EVER turned up in the US. Oh well, at least I have THE MASKS OF DEATH, which was fabulous!)
A & E Video released a DVD set of the surviving episodes of the Peter Cushing Holmes series in the U. S. a little over a year ago. I've often seen it available for prices in the $5.00-15.00 range.
Best
Joe
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boox909 wrote:
"I have this set on DVD also. It is a gem! I used to watch the episodes on the local PBS every Sunday night and loved it! It became the end of my weekend ritual."
This may sound blasphemous... but it just occured to me, the 50's SHERLOCK HOLMES struck me much the same as the Cathy Gale AVENGERS. That is, the 1st time I watched them, I thought, "Hmm... okay." The 2nd time, "Hey-- this is getting better." I suppose as long as something isn't completely AWFUL, sometimes, it can be seen as fun to watch.
I mean, in the case of Holmes, there have been SO MANY versions!!! And since Jeremy Brett, there continue to be SO MANY new versions!!! Aside from wondering, "WHY??" (clearly money is at the root of it, pure and simple), it seems to me, NOBODY has done Holmes anywhere near as good as Brett since Brett.
By the way, what's anyone think of the Arthur Wontner-Ian Fleming version?
It's been so long since I viewed any of the Wonter-Fleming Holmes films that I have no memory of them at this point.
I've only viewed a couple episodes from the 1950s Howard series so far so will reserve final judgment until I've got the entire series under my belt.
Certainly agree with you that the Brett series is the tops.
Know what you mean about something not having to be great to be fun to watch. Probably why I enjoy so many AIP movies from the 1950s-1970s era.
Best
Joe
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(Yes, I'd love to see the Douglas Wilmer series-- and the Peter Cushing series that followed it... but neither of them EVER turned up in the US.
I just learned that BBC Warner released a DVD set of the surviving Wilmer Holmes episodes in the U. S. a few months ago. SRP is $19.98 but it can often be found for less.
Best
Joe
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The Wontner films have a rather older than usual Holmes (he's "retired" in one of them), and a great deal of deduction (more than you usually see in a Rathbone film). On the other hand, Rathbone tends to be more "dynamic", and I've recently seen his intensity compared to Brett's.
After reading multiple reviews of Ronald Howard yesterday, and the feeling than many find him a likeable, more "human" Holmes, I was reminded of Christopher Plummer's portrayal. At the time, I ranked Plummer equal to Rathbone-- although he was VERY different. I ranked Ian Richardson as better than Rathbone, though sadly he only got to do 2 stories. The last time I watched my collection, I found Richardson's THE SIGN OF FOUR the best of several different versions I've seen, and vastly better than Brett's version! (Though I've seen reviews to the contrary-- it's interesting reading so many differernt and often contradictory opinions of things like this.)
I also knew there was a lot of personal problems and tragedy in Brett's life, but yesterday I found out a lot I didn't know, reading the Wikipedia article about him.
One thing they didn't mention was he appeared in a 1979 TV version of REBECCA, in the Laurence Olivier role. That I'd love to see!
Still no DVD player, and no money to worry about it, which is frustrating given how CHEAP so many things are these days compared to the prices of VHS tapes!
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Been watching the Adam West BATMAN series again, and today, I think I may have seen the inspiration for the 90's cartoon character of Harley Quinn. In "THE PENGUIN'S NEST" / "THE BIRD'S LAST JEST", among his gang is a girl in a bright red outfit with a high-pitched voice who seems a lot more homicidal than most girl sidekicks on the show. Twice, "Chickadee" (Grace Gaynmor) was quick to pull a gun on someone, the 2nd time, Aunt Harriet. When she did this, she yelled out, "ALRIGHT, Batman-- better GIVE UP, or I'll BLOW the old lady's BRAINS out!" Unusual dialogue for this show, especially from a female!
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Still no DVD player, and no money to worry about it, which is frustrating given how CHEAP so many things are these days compared to the prices of VHS tapes!
Know what you mean about about money being tight. I've had lots of ups and downs this past decade and the last few years have been particularly tough on a lot of us.
DVD players can be picked up very cheaply if one watches for sales. The last three DVD players I bought were all under $20.00.
Due to the sluggish economy discs can often be picked up very cheaply. Check out places like Big Lots, Half Price Books and Dollar stores for remainders and such. Have picked up numerous films for $3.00 or less there and whole seasons of TV shows for $10.00 or less.
Or better yet see if your local library has any to check out. Ours has a great selection. The HBO John Adams series I recently wrote about came from our library. They've also got tons of documentaries (currently rewatching World at War and Ken Burn's Baseball-an episode per week of each), plenty of classics (recently rewatched Clark Gable in Mogambo) and award winning films (have Attenborough's biopic on Chaplin with Robert Downey, Jr. in the wings).
Best
Joe
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I've found some surprisingly good dvds at the Dollar Store- Flash Gordon, Cisco Kid, and several Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes episodes. Some of the cartoon discs feature some very incredible animation from long-gone studios, as well as the better known Fleischer and Lanz stuff. The library is also a great resource. I just checked out a six-part BBC documentary titled "Egypt". Great series which I never even knew existed. Loved the way the series was presented- a combination of drama, flashbacks, and narration. BBC knows how to get it right. Cheers, Bowers
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Tonight:
THE UNIVITED (1944) with Ray Milland & Alan Napier (2 decades before THE PREMATURE BURIAL).
*****SPOILERS*****
I watched this for the 4th time today. I decided to take a break in the middle
(after dinner). Good thing, not long after I fell asleep for about an
hour-and-a-half. A couple hours later, I got back to it (with a late-night
snack). And I FINALLY made it thru, wide-awake.
This is a very "subtle" movie, no doubt because of the Production Code. There's
a lot to the mystery that I suspect would have given the Hayes Office fits. But
I've figured it all out now.
A pair of EVIL LESBIANS was at the heart of the entire thing! (Not that
lesbians are inherently evil of course... just that the two in this story were.)
I've heard some people object to modern fans "transferring" their own modern
thoughts and sensibilities onto old movies where there wasn't really anything
there. But I am sure that is NOT the case in this movie. What we have is quite
definite-- but almost hidden in very mild, vague language, so as not to "offend"
anybody who saw it back in 1944.
I definitely reccomend this film if you've never seen it. I heard about it for
ages, and it quickly became a favorite of mine... even if, for whatever reason,
it's taken me THIS long to be able to follow the plot all the way thru. (It's
nice when the "light" finally goes on in my head, and I think, "Oh-- I get it!")
Henry
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Last night we watched Hustle, which was really good and sharp - getting a bit difficult to find words to do it justice - and a rerun of the latest Top Gear. This is the one where they go to Albania. Can't figure out how they get away with it but you have to try and catch this one. Funniest thing we've watched this month. I also bought a box of the 70's Paul Temple tv show - with Francis Mathews in the role - and although the film and production are dated some of the episodes are still entertaining. I was curious to see these again because I've been ordering reprints of the Paul Temple newspaper strip from All Devon Comic Collectors Club and the strips are very well done.
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I never considered watching Top Gear. Without revealing too much why was it so funny?
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Any trip to places like Albania should at least be odd. But a Yugo doubling as a Bentley? Albanian mafia refs., dead man in the trunk, stolen Mercs, chased by the polis, slapstick and all those MIG fighters. My wife was sore laughing. It's just silliness and a bit objectionable at times. Oh, and by the way, they've succeeded in insulting Mexico and it's people to the extent of ambassadorial complaints, so apologies to anyone from there but it wisnae me.
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Last night: A STUDY IN TERROR
John Neville made an excellent Holmes, while Donald Houston was merely an average Watson (just there to look confused, or astonished).
What amazed me this time around (at least the 3rd time I've seen this) is the number of actors in it I was familar with from other films, several of whom I never "connected" before. Examples: Donald Houston (one of the "traitors" in WHERE EAGLES DARE), Anthony Qualye (THE GUNS OF NAVARONE), Barry Jones ("Claudius" in DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS, as well as the very 1st OUTER LIMITS I ever saw, "The Borderland"), Cecil Parker (my favorite Saint villain in THE SAINT'S VACATION), Frank Finlay (Van Helsing in the BBC COUNT DRACULA, the villain in SHAFT IN AFRICA, one of Richard Lester's THREE MUSKETEERS, and of course, he played the same character in this film and MURDER BY DECREE), Robert Morley (THE ALPHABET MURDERS among other things, he was really excellent as Mycroft in this!). Two that really surprised me were John Fraser ("The Monitor" in "Logopolis", the final Tom Baker DOCTOR WHO story, I did not recognize him at all clean-shaven), and Judi Densch (6 "007" films and AS TIME GOES BY !!--she's so YOUNG in this!).
Then there's director James Hill, whose name I recognized from 3 episodes of THE SAINT (with Roger Moore), 7 episodes of THE AVENGERS and 2 of the very best episodes of THE NEW AVENGERS.
Lot of good people involved for what might be called a "slasher" film!
Today I'm watching THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, and while interesting, is quite a come-down on all levels compared to the earlier "exploitation" flick.
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Last night: A STUDY IN TERROR
Last saw this back in the early 1970s. Also read the book around the same time. Holmes and Jack the Ripper. Something that other authors would tackle later but I believe that this was the first time it was done. The book also has a wraparound story which involves Ellery Queen (the first Queen book I ever read) and is definitely worth a read if you liked the movie.
Best
Joe
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It's amazing the sort of thing you can find at the IMDB. Turns out the Billy Wilder film involved 3 different film companies, and one of them was the SAME company that made A STUDY IN TERROR. They only did about a dozen films, but their output looks interesting (in an "exploitation" sort of way).
Wilder apparently at first wanted to cast Peter O'Toole & Peter Sellers (who'd beein in both WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT and CASINO ROYALE) but then decided to use "lesser-known" actors. I have a hard time picturing Sellers as Watson, but I think O'Toole would have been much better as Holmes.
So last night I watched Gene Wilder's THE ADVENTURE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES' SMARTER BROTHER, which feels like a follow-up to YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN (considering Wilder, Marty Feldman AND Madelaine Kahn are all in it). Funny thing... Leo McKern's Moriarty looks a lot like the guy from the Arthur Wontner films. Also, it's the ONLY film I have with Douglas Wilmer as Holmes! (And Thorley Walters as Watson)
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I've found some surprisingly good dvds at the Dollar Store- Flash Gordon, Cisco Kid, and several Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes episodes. Some of the cartoon discs feature some very incredible animation from long-gone studios, as well as the better known Fleischer and Lanz stuff. The library is also a great resource. I just checked out a six-part BBC documentary titled "Egypt". Great series which I never even knew existed. Loved the way the series was presented- a combination of drama, flashbacks, and narration. BBC knows how to get it right. Cheers, Bowers
If you don't mind lower (ripped-from-vhs mostly) quality video you might might enjoy some of the 50-or-thereabouts to 100 movie packs released by Mill Creek. If you're not familiar with them already. http://www.amazon.com/Horror-Movie-Pack-Bela-Lugosi/dp/B000NVIGD4 (http://www.amazon.com/Horror-Movie-Pack-Bela-Lugosi/dp/B000NVIGD4) http://www.amazon.com/Spaghetti-Western-Collection-11pc-Cleef/dp/B003XMKUFC (http://www.amazon.com/Spaghetti-Western-Collection-11pc-Cleef/dp/B003XMKUFC)
Again, the quality of most of these movies would be about on par with an old VHS (with a few better and a few worse) and most of the movies are in the public domain so you could find them for free online. But these gigantic genre movie sets do pack a lot of convenience for your buck.
PS- As is pointed out in several reviews from that 100 movie pack you should be aware that if you buy several sets from MC it's pretty much guaranteed to not be a question of *if* but rather *how many* of the same movies they'll have. So always want to check that. And Mill Creek has in recent years taken to producing much higher quality 11 - 15 movie compilations of films they actually license, mostly 70s/early 80s horror from what I've seen.
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Just finished watching a NERO WOLFE 2-parter. And my mind is SPINNING. These things are SO complicated, but this one ("DEATH OF A DOXY") is complicated in a way unusual even for this show. Trying to figure all the connections of people, and the motives for 2 different killings, and the details of Wolfe "earning" $50,000 plus an additional $50,000 for a woman who helped... and let's not forget actress Kari Matchett, who played TWO completely different, unrelated characters IN THE SAME STORY, and the personality of one of them just flipped me out when I saw this earlier. Quite a bit this time, too, but it's been too soon since I saw an earlier episode where she played someone I liked even more (but who got murdered, which really bugged me no end). I guess my taste in women keeps evolving. I guess it's like the one line in the story, about Archie might have considered marriage, but he'd "never be able to keep up with her" (if you saw how this character talked and acted, you'd understand why).
All the stories in the 1st season were set in the 50's, but this was looks like it was set in 1966. Wild fashions, etc. etc.
I was just thinking the other day, these mysteries are SO complicated, I'm actually getting the feeling I should pop the tape in IMMEDIATELY (or the very next day) and watch the same story AGAIN, just so I can see if I can figure out what the HELL I just watched!
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Maybe after I retire I will attempt to watch such complicated movies. My mind is to preoccupied now ::)
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All the stories in the 1st season were set in the 50's, but this was looks like it was set in 1966. Wild fashions, etc. etc.
That's interesting. My memory of the show was that they were all set somewhere in the 1950s. I guess I misremembered that.
Death of a Doxy (which is one that I don't believe I've ever read) was published in the mid 1960s so maybe there was something in that story that they felt had to have a 1960s setting when they adapted it.
Best
Joe
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I have to get into Nero Wolfe. I read the books when I was young because my dad went on about how good they were - and he was right.
We've been watching more episodes of Gideon's Law (a box set) with John Gregson as Commander Gideon of Scotland Yard. B&W, just under an hour each part and quite gritty at times and from the mid '60's. Guest stars incl. Jack Hedley, Gerald Harper, George Baker, George Cole, Gordon Jackson. A good, well made police procedural.
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"Death of a Doxy (which is one that I don't believe I've ever read) was published in the mid 1960s so maybe there was something in that story that they felt had to have a 1960s setting when they adapted it."
Kari Matchett actually plays 2 parts in the same story! Briefly, in 2 scenes, she's Lily Rowan, a quiet, serious brunette (or is it redhead?) who's Archie's steady girlfriend, of whom I've read neither has any intention to ever settle down. But for most of the story she plays Julie Jacquette, a vivacious blonde singer & actress. Between her personality and dialogue, and her fashions, I don't think this would work unless it was set in the mid-60's.
It's amazing the wide range of personality types she plays over the course of this series.
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Just saw Shyamalan's "Devil" movie, and wow. Just wow. Even excusing the premise that one of the people trapped in an elevator is literally Satan. The kind of thing that would be best suited to a weak episode of Night Gallery, but here stretched over a feature-length film.- this was bad. I'll save you the time and just post the "best" scene in the movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZo2oz97Ijg&feature=feedf
Can't argue with THAT empirical evidence I guess.
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Just chilling with The Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian in Blue-Ray, waiting till the next one in the series comes out which is in April on the 8th.
Geo
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Just saw Shyamalan's "Devil" movie, and wow. Just wow. Even excusing the premise that one of the people trapped in an elevator is literally Satan. The kind of thing that would be best suited to a weak episode of Night Gallery, but here stretched over a feature-length film.- this was bad.
I didn't find this film nearly so bad. I wasn't expecting much though. I knew it was a low budget (by Hollywood standards) sort of film with a non star cast so I wasn't expecting much more than a "TV movie of the week".
It probably wouldn't have even gotten a theatrical release if Shyamalan's name wasn't connected with it. His actual involvement with the film wasn't as deep as some of his earlier films. He was just one of several producer's of the film and actually only wrote the original story. He neither directed the movie nor wrote the film's screenplay.
Best
Joe
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Just saw Shyamalan's "Devil" movie, and wow. Just wow. Even excusing the premise that one of the people trapped in an elevator is literally Satan. The kind of thing that would be best suited to a weak episode of Night Gallery, but here stretched over a feature-length film.- this was bad. I'll save you the time and just post the "best" scene in the movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZo2oz97Ijg&feature=feedf
Can't argue with THAT empirical evidence I guess.
I've thought the same of every Shyamalan film I've seen. They would have made great one hour episodes of an anthology series, but just don't have the legs for a 90-120 minute film.
Also the acting is inexplicably flat, no matter how accomplished the actors. Theres little depth to any character, even the main players.
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His surprises are often not much of a surprise
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Last night: THE SIGN OF FOUR (1983)
My personal favorite version of the three that I have of this story. This is the one Sy Weibtraub (TARZAN!) produced with Ian Richardson as Holmes, at the time, my vote for possibly the GREATEST Holmes actor ever. (And to think, Jeremy Brett started his series the SAME year! But Richardson's got here first.) David Healy, who I've seen in a few things (including a favorite RETURN OF THE SAINT episode) had done extensive voice-work on Gerry Anderson shows. Oddly enough, Inspector Layton (who the IMDB claims was Lestrade but had his name changed in the dubbing process!) was played by Terrence Rigby, who'd been Tom Baker's Watson. Meanwhile, the film opens with the elder Mr. Sholto played by Thorley Walters, who'd played Watson opposite Christopher Lee, Douglas Wilmer AND Christopher Plummer! Somehow, until last night, I never recognized him in this.
The film (as several people at the IMDB stress) is heavily re-structured, and reminds me on that score of Connery's DR. NO in that in actually eliminates MOST of the "mystery"-- for the audience. We SEE it all happen, then watch as Holmes figures it out (and Layton, DOESN'T). Richardson is one of the most energentic and good-natured Holmes ever, laughing so much one feels he's enjoying being smarter than everyone else, at least when he's working on a case.
Although the Jeremy Brett-Edward Hardwicke version only a few years later steers much closer to the book, I found I enjoyed this one much more. It's just so full of ENERGY, including the climactic boat chase, where the director somehow manages to make 2 relatively slow-moving boats look exciting.
For the life of me, I can't imagine why Healy failed to return for the follow-up (which I saw first, HBO ran them in the wrong order). Weintraub & Richardson were set to do an entire series of these, but apparently threw up their hands when they saw the Granada version being made at the same time.
I was meaning last night to watch the Brett version tonight... but completely forgot until just this moment. Instead, I watched MOTHER HUNT on NERO WOLFE. I could just about follow this one (a rarity), though I'm still not sure WHY it was so important for the guy who pulled the "prank" to cover his tracks that he wound up KILLING two people to do it. (Every one of these things feel like they should have an epilogue, and there never is one.)
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Over at the IMDB, quite a few reviews of the Ian Richardson THE SIGN OF FOUR put it down by comparison to Jeremy Brett's version, JUST because Brett's is more faithful to the book.
Well, I watched Brett's again last night, and seeing the two so close to each other, the differeences (and similarities) were all the more apparent. In Brett's (and presumably the book), Miss Marston comes to Holmes at the start of the story, we then meet Thadeus Sholto, then we find his brother's been killed. All without seeing more than the barest glimpse (in the opening credits) of who did it, and virtually NO idea why. Strangely, Major Sholto in this version died 6 YEARS before the story started, instead of 3 days. Which got me thinking... WAIT a minute! Am I to believe Jonathan Small hung around for 6 years until the Sholto brothers FINALLY found the treasure?? Or did he just happen along at that moment?
This isn't the nly such instance like this in the Brett film. He has Wiggins and the "Irregulars" searching for the missing steam boat. At one point, one of the boys finds it. Then, Holmes, in disguise, visits the yard. Later still, he explains that he realized if it was missing from the river, it must be in for repairs. And yet, the man working on the boat says he can find nothing wrong with it.
Now, in the Richardson version, Holmes realizes the bit about the repair yard, and visits the wife of the boat owner in disguise to learn WHICH yard. At which point, Wiggins confirms, yes, it is there. So Wiggins gets the extra money, but we never see this in the Brett version, where it appears they found it independantly of each other. Also, the whole reason Small & Tonga were hanging around was they wanted to get "The Grand Mogul" gem, but this is never even seen in the Brett version, and only mentioned offhandedly. So I can't fathom, purely from watching the Brett version, WHY they were waiting around, as if asking to be found and arrested?
Then of course, almost the entire last half hour is nothing but ONE LONG INTERMINABLE FLASHBACK to what happened 10 years earlier in India, and then at the island prison. Someone pointed out that Arthur Conan Doyle had this "problem", that his stories were ideally short stories, and he did 4 novels, and ALL of them have serious structure problems. I only recently noticed how both A STUDY IN SCARLET and THE VALLEY OF FEAR (neither done by Brett) featured LONG flashbacks to events in America, with someone tracking someone else to Europe for revenge in BOTH stories. In one, a man who loved a murdered woman wants revenge on her killer. In the other, a criminal wants revenge on the lawman who broke up his gang. And here in THE SIGN OF FOUR, we have a convict wanting revenge for the army officer who betrayed not only him and his partners, but his own fellow officer as well, who he murdered.
By having the entire flashback at the end, andhaving it go on and on and ON for so long, it makes the entire last part of the story exhaustingly anti-climactic. I swear... they "fixed" this with Ian Richardon! Someone I know often made a strong point than many bad books have been turned into great films. While the reverse is certainly also true, I do wonder sometimes if some novelists really know what they're doing at all.
Tonight I'll be watching the 3rd version I have on tape... the one with (of all people) Charlton Heston. If memory serves, while the Richardson one changed things by starting with a sequence where major Sholtoi died and his sons found the treasure, the Heston version actually STARTS in India!!! --then jumps ahead several years.
Anybody seen any of these-- or any OTHER versions of this story on film?
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I do remember seeing Heston's "Crucifer of Blood" a few years ago, but was not very impressed with it. Between the Richardson and Brett versions, I must say I do prefer the Brett version but both were very good. Also found a reference to another version filmed in Canada, starring Matt Frewer. Evidently Hallmark had made four 90 minute Holme's episodes, all starring Frewer. The reviews were pretty tame, and one hinted that these may have been aimed at a more juvenile audience. Still, I'd certainly like to see them. Also found a reference to an early '80s animated version, starring Peter O'Toole as Holmes. (O'Toole would also much later play Conan Doyle in "Fairy Tale: A True Story"). Our local PBS is also rerunning the new "Sherlock" series. Not to get political , but there is currently an effort by some politicians to completely defund PBS and NPR. So guys, watch these shows while you can because I doubt anyone else will pick them up! Cheers, Bowers
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When my son was little we had an animated Hound of the Baskervilles that was pretty good. I do not remember who did the voices
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Narf, there was, indeed, a series featuring O'Toole as Holmes. "The Baskerville Curse" was one of the episodes. Cheers, Bowers
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I was really surprised to read the other day that Billy Wilder originally wanted Peter O'Toole to star in THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (and with Peter Sellers as Watson!!). While I can picture O'Toole, Sellers is another matter...
Several years back I watched 6 different versions of "HOUND" in one week, taking notes to keep track of which characters & events were in each version (or not). Thinking of that inspired me to finally do the same with THE SIGN OF FOUR. I originally viewed "CRUCIFER" as just an "interesting footnote" (as so many Holmes films tend to be), but watching all 3 of these as a set somehow made it more interesting. I actually enjoyed most of the changes in the story, at least, until the last 15 minutes. (Someone at the IMDB referred to it as, "THE SIGN OF FOUR meets THE MALTESE FALCON".)
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Now here's some stuff I didn't know about the Ian Richardson series vs. the Jeremy Brett series...
http://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/world/irichardson.php
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I think O'Toole would have made a rather good Holmes! I believe it's really difficult to bring a book to film, as the mediums are so very, very different. What seems to be a subtle nuance in one may come across as heavy-handed or "hammy" in the other. In some films, such as "The Maltese Falcon", it helped to have Hammet working on the screenplay. Even though some of the dialogue was almost word-for-word, the script was written as a movie, not as an adaptation of the book. I have no idea if Hammet was happy about this or not, but it worked! Each medium must tell the story in its own way to be successful. In some cases, I find that I enjoy the film version better than the book. I don't particularly care for Agatha Christie's writing, so I really don't much care if "Poirot" or "Partners in Crime" follow her stories or not. I just want to enjoy a good show. Cheers, Bowers
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I understand what you mean about "different mediums" and agree to a point. A perfect example that comes to mind is CASINO ROYALE, where I always hated the 2nd half of the book. the TV adaptation actually skipped the entire 2nd half. But when they did it with Daniel Craig, they COMPRESSED the entire book into the 2nd half of the movie, then compressed the 2nd half of the book into not 1/4th but 1/8th of the film... leaving another 1/8th at the end for an all-new ACTION climax. They took a book I remembered reading with such clarity from decades bvefore, and brought it to LIFE on the screen (something I hadn't seen happen in ages), and, in my view, IMPROVED on the thing.
But that doesn't happen all the time... or even that often.
The unfortunate tendency in Hollywood is not so much to "adapt" but to use the concept of "adapting" as an EXCUSE to throw away the book and for whoever's doing the movie to use it to show off their own ideas, obsessions and EGOs. If ia book is really good enough to make a movie from, it deserves more respect than that.
That said, the various DRACULA adaptations, each so completely different from each other, continue to fascinate me. It may be one of the only instances I can think of where, perhaps because each film is SO different, instead of comparing one against the other, they each wind up standing on their own merits. In the case of the 1958 Hammer film, where the STRUCTURE of the book is just about all that remains, I wind up feeling, "TO HELL with the book-- this is a DAMNED good movie!"
:D
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Amen, Brother! Cheers, Bowers
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Yes the woes of adapting a good book. Dean Koontz only allowed TV adaptations where he could have more control since he felt they screwed up the movies. On the other had John Grisham is adapted pretty faithful and sometimes almost word for word. Dracula is a special case. It has not been so much adapting the book but utilizing an interesting character.
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In the 60's there was an article in FAMOUS MONSTERS which discussed the argument of which famous version of DRACULA was closer to the book-- Lugosi or Lee? Kinda silly, when you look back on it. Then Jess Franco did his version-- also with Lee-- and attempted (BADLY!) to be the first time the book was followed. Some years back I recall watching it and thinking, good script, cast, sets, locations, costumes, music, etc. In other words, potentially, a good movie. But you look at the finished product... LOUSY directing, sound, lighting, editing, and some of the worst camera work in the history of film (I understand Franco's regular cameraman is notorious in this score).
7 years later, the BBC tried it again, and was vastly more successful. A few minor changes, but the main detriment was being shot on videotape, so it had a look similar to 70's DOCTOR WHO. When I watched all my DRACULA films as a marathon the other year, the only thing I really found myself wishing about the film was... as GOOD as Louis Jourdan was, (AND HE WAS TERRIFIC!!) I really wished they'd gotten Christopher Lee to do it! because as BAD as Jess Franco's film was (AND IT WAS!), Lee was FANTASTIC in it. and I had just read the novel... and in my mind, there was no question. Lee's version of the character WAS exactly what Bram Stoker had written. The guy was a totally EVIL BASTARD!
Having read the book, the BBC version felt like a "Reader's Digest" version. And the Jess Franco film felt like a "Reader's Digest" version of the BBC film! To be honest, I came away from the book feeling that, the only way to do it "properly"-- if anyone ever really wanted to-- would be "DARK SHADOWS" style. That is, about a solid MONTH's worth of daily half-hour episodes. It would take THAT much film to get the whole thing down!!
So, when it comes to being "faithful", I just enjoy the Louis Jourdan film. But the Lugosi film, the Lee films (each of them has something to reccomend them, they somehow managed to squeeze a little bit of the book into EACH one of his somewhere, strange as that seems), all continue to grow on me over the years. Even the recent BBC version, which has more twists and changes than even the Hammer film, is interesting on its own terms.
One thing I found interesting was how most versions try to "explain" Renfield (if he's in the film at all). There's a reason for this. There IS no explanation for him in the book. I kept hoping there would be, but the entire thing with Renfield at the insane asylum seems like a badly-developed sub-plot tacked on where it didn't belong. I came away feeling a good editor would have insisted the whole thing be cut before publication! Really. I suppose one could say some of the screen-writers are doing a better job than Stoker did on that score.
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THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1983)
Most Visually Beautiful Version of "Hound" *********
What a stunningly BEAUTIFUL movie!!! By far the most visually sumptuous version of this often-filmed story, and between the directing and editing, one of the most exciting. Although they strayed from the book in a few places, mostly adding new things rather than leaving things out, it generally follows the story. All the new additions are balanced out by simplifying ("dumbing down"?) the dialog (MOSTLY obvious if you happen to watch it back-to-back with other versions) and TIGHT editing. There's hardly a casual entry shot anywhere in the film. Like the "007" movies, characters don't walk into a room, CUT!, they're already there and talking. Someone complained this was "too long", yet it feels CRAMMED with so much detail, I almost wish it were at least 15 minutes longer.
Ian Richardson, in retrospect, reminds me of an older version of Ronald Howard's Holmes-- lively, impish, full of energy and humor. Donald Churchill (inexplicably replacing David Healy from the previous Richardson film) seems to be doing a somewhat laid-back Nigel Bruce impression. Denholm Elliot is delightfully "amiable" (a word Holmes uses to describe him) as Dr. Mortimer. Edward Judd (who I recall from THE NEW AVENGERS episode "TO CATCH A RAT") is the butler Barrymore, while Eleanor Bron ("Ahme" from HELP!) is his wife. Stapleton is played by Nicholas Clay, who'd been "Lancelot" in John Boorman's EXCALIBUR! Laura Lyons (a character who only appears in certain versions, including this one, Tom Baker's and Jeremy Brett's) is played by Connie Booth (from FAWLTY TOWERS) while her husband, not seen in any other version, is the larger-than-life booming figure of Brian Blessed. His addition gives the film an extra suspect and red herring.
This is simply an incredible movie to watch, although I do feel Tom Baker had a MUCH better script (though much poorer budget-- NOBODY mentions his, everybody goes on about Jeremy Brett's, which was SO BADLY directed it was a crime!). Continuing with comparisons, I was amazed some years ago when I decided the Basil Rathbone version, overall, was simply the "BEST FILM", although Peter Cushing's is incredibly fun to watch on its own merits (just as his version of DRACULA also was-- no surprise, same director there).
I've seen SEVERAL versions of HOUND since this, and several others I haven't mentioned before this, but NONE of them come anywhere close to this (or Rathbone, or Cushing, or EVEN Baker!!).
Oh yes, and the ending, where Holmes reveals to Sir Henry exactly who Beryl really is, proves to be one of the best-written scenes in the film. Intelligent, and sympathetic. Wonderful piece of work!
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Tonight:
CALLING BULLDOG DRUMMOND (1950)
Walter Pidgeon, who earlier had played NICK CARTER, now takes on this long-running character. He's called out of retirement by Scotland Yard to tackle a robbery gang that appears to consist of ex-military men. The baddies are played by Robert Beatty (2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY) and Bernard Lee (THE THIRD MAN, DR. NO and many sequels). Hugh Drummond's longtime best friend "Algie" this go-round is played by David Thomlinson (MARY POPPINS). Beating THE AVENGERS to the punch by over a decade, Drummond is teamed with a WOMAN police sergeant, who at one point tells him, "We're LIBERATED now, we can vote and everything." (Very close to what Joanna Lumley told John Steed in THE NEW AVENGERS!)
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Prof,
I'm really enjoying your commentaries on many of these mystery series films. Bringing back memories of flicks viewed years and even decades back. Also you're hitting on a few I've never gotten around to seeing yet (such as those Ian Richardson Holmes films).
My favorite Bulldog Drummond film, of those I've seen (and there are several I've never seen) is, by far, Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back-1934-with Ronald Colman. It's better budgeted than most of the films in the series and Colman is just perfect in it. I last saw it about ten years ago and can't remember a lot of the specifics but can remember how I enjoyed its fast pacing and sense of humor. Colman also has a great supporting cast in it-Loretta Young. C. Aubrey Smith, Una Merkel and Warner Oland (taking a break from his Charlie Chan series and returning to his former villain type roles (most notably as Fu Manchu).
Best
Joe
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Just to let the Doctor Who fans here know that Nicholas Courtney (The Brigadier) has died.
http://quadradinhos.blogspot.com/2005_08_01_archive.html
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Some recent Movie Night viewings.
We've had a boat load of early short films rolling in lately
Galloping Bungalows-1925-Sennett-Pathe-2 rls- C:Billy Bevan, Andy Clyde, Jack Richardson, Sunshine Hart, Alma Bennett. None of us had ever seen this Sennett film so we were pleasantly surprised to find it had a wild chase sequence in it worthy of being included in any of the many compilations of silent comedy car chases that have been assembled over the years.
The Hazards of Helen-Chapter 21-"A Life in the Balance"-1915-Kalem-2 rls- The film chapterplay was still establishing its format in 1914 when The Hazards of Helen serial/series was launched. It ran for for an astounding 119 episodes/chapters from 1914-1917. Helen Holmes starred in the first 48 episodes and was replaced by Helen Gibson for the remainder.
The Switch Tower-1912-Biograph-1 rl- famed director D. W. Griffith continues his work refining the language of film during its early days with this railroad drama involving a group of counterfeiters.
Milk the Baby-1938-Terry- Very few of the many hundreds of animated cartoons that Paul Terry produced during the Golden Age of animated theatrical cartoons are ever seen today. A few PD toons of his later, better known series characters such as Mighty Mouse and Heckle and Jeckle show up on budget DVDs but that is about it. This one is really nothing special but it does have some spot on caricatures of Hollywood celebs Edna May Oliver and W. C. Fields enlivening up the works.
Mabels Stratagem-1913-Keystone-1 rl, Won By a Fowl-1917-Keystone-Triangle-2 rls-, Cursed By His Beauty-1914-Keystone-1 rl-, Hard Cider-1914-Keystone-1 rl, His Second Childhood-1914-Keystone-1 rl,- A slew of Keystone comedies ranging from rural, alcohol themed hi-jinks to suspected infidelity with the ice-man. Plenty of butt gags (Walt Disney must have ate these up when he was young).
Ups and Downs-1911-Vitagraph-1 rl-, Bunny Dips in Society-1913-Vitagraph-1 rl- Popular comedian John Bunny stars in both of these. In the former, which is mostly a drama with some humorous bits, he plays the father of a daughter who has trouble adjusting to married life and a downshift in lifestyle. In the later he plays a character that could easily have been a model for George McManus's Jiggs in the Bringing Up Father comic strip which debuted around this time.
Motor Boat Mamas-1928-Sennett-Pathe- 2rls- Lots of comedians, bathing beauties, chases and slapstick.
plus several unidentified film clips from some of comedian Harold Lloyd's Lonesome Luke films.
3 more episodes of The Spider Returns- I loved the chapter 5 cliffhanger which has the Spider about to be dropped into a fiery pit as the floor of the room he is in begins to swing down under him!
Firing Line-1967- In this episode host William F. Buckley and his guest comedian Groucho Marx (what an unlikely combo!) tackle the subject "Is the World Funny?"
J. L. Baird's Phonovsion-2004- John Logie Baird was one of the pioneers of television in Britain. Some of the signals from his broadcasts from the 1920s and 30s were captured on records but until someone came up with the idea of feeding and translating the signals on those records through a computer there was no way of viewing them. Now there is. What we watched was a short documentary on Baird and his work, the surviving broadcasts that have been found and transferred, plus a recreation of his system that was broadcast in 1967. We, unfortunately, watched them on a big screen TV which considering that they were only originally broadcast with a 30 lpi signal and designed to be watched on a really tiny screen, meant that they looked terrible on that huge big screen. Oh well.
Captain Kangaroo-(a partial episode)-1962-one of the best known shows for generations of American kids this ran mornings on CBS from the 1950s into the 1990s. This particular episode has the Captain interacting with his cohorts Mr. Green Jeans and Bunny Rabbit, welcoming a former vaudevillian guest star (who plays a variety of odd musical instruments) and introducing a Terry Toon starring Lariat Sam. Boy did this bring back memories!
On DVD
Murder in the Museum-1934-Willis Kent- a really low budget murder mystery starring Henry Walthall (who's starring roles were a good decade behind him). So-so at best.
Death on the Nile-1978- The prof praised this one recently and since its been sitting in my "to be watched" pile for ages I moved it right up to the top. The wife and I re-watched Murder on the Orient Express last year and found this All-Star follow up, which neither of us had ever seen before, equally enjoyable. The DVD also had an vintage "Making of" documentary included which gave insight into the filming process. Recommended.
The Name of the Rose-1986- Another murder mystery. This one set in the 14th century and starring Sean Connery, F. Murray Abraham and a very young teen-aged Christian Slater. Very nice atmosphere and art direction as Connery investigates a series of murders in an abbey that has him walking a thin line between truly solving the crimes and angering the Papal investigators looking for a more supernatural reason. Many of the supporting actors were excellently chosen, primarily for their looks, from among various European countries (the film was shot both in a real 14th century abbey in West Germany and on sets in Italy). The DVD also included a vintage West German documentary about translating the book to the screen as well as a new interview with the director. Recommended.
Cosmo Jones in Crime Smashers-1943-Monogram A moderately amusing low budget comedy-mystery. Frank Graham (sort of a Wally Cox type), repeating his lead role from the CBS radio series The Adventures of Cosmo Jones (which was still running when this film was shot) was best known for his work in radio and for providing voices in many Golden Age animated cartoons. The film is also enlivened by the supporting comic antics of Edgar "Slow Burn" Kennedy and Mantan Moreland (Birmingham Brown from the Charlie Chan series). Gale Storm provides some feminine beauty to the proceedings.
At the Movies
I usually get out to the theaters two-three times per month but for various reasons have only gotten out once since early December.
True Grit-2010- Really, really enjoyed this one. Everything about it is good. The acting, direction, locations. It's been four decades since I both read the novel (although I do plan on going back and rereading it soon) and saw the original movie so my memory of both of those, which I enjoyed at the time, is very dim although I'm sensing that this movie version is a bit more faithful to the book than the original. Recommended.
Best
Joe
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Prof, I'm really enjoying your commentaries on many of these mystery series films. Bringing back memories of flicks viewed years and even decades back.
What amazes me in the number of instances where I find myself enjoying these things MUCH more than I had before. Maybe it's my state of mind, maybe it's a greater awareness of certain actors and what else they did (I love the IMDB!).
I looked up Margaret Leighton (who played Sgt. Smith) and found I had seen her in 3 other things, but ALL near the end of her career. She was in SPACE:1999 ("Collission Course"), which was awful (aren't they all?), FRANKENSTEIN: THE TRUE STORY (saw this again 2 years ago, MUCH worse than I remembered it), and FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE (fabulous film, one of Amicus' best anthologiues, she played the spiritualist who tries to get rid of an invisible monster-- the whole sequence was played for laughs).
I'd actually forgtoeen somehow that Robert Beatty (the film's villain who at times looked almost too young to recognize) was in WHERE EAGLES DARE, which I just watched again a month ago! He's the actor who impersonates a general and is allowed to be kidnapped, as part of an insanely-complex scheme to ferret out traitors in Whitehall. My favorite Richard Burton film, which, it turns out, HE was partly responsible for. When asked what kind of film he'd LIKE to make, he detailed a list of suggestions, which somehow found its way to Alistair MacLean, who produced a brand-new script in under 2 weeks. And here, I'd always thought it was based on a novel-- not the other way around! (There is actually a website dedicated just to that one film, which is SO complex & in-depth I couldn't believe what I'd found. Nice to know it's got lots of fans.)
I have seen some other BULLDOG DRUMMOND films, including the 1st one with Ronald Colman. Joan Bennett's the heroine in that, almost unrecognizable, she's so young! His sidekick "Algie" in that one (I forget the actor's name) reminds me a lot of "C-3PO", if you know what I mean. I've also seen BULLDOG DRUMMOND ESCAPES, which was my first glimpse of Ray Milland as a young and dashing action hero. He was replaced in the sequels, which were okay. had a really bad signal on the tv station that ran those, and wound up decided to wipe my tapes. One of these days I must seek out these things on DVD. (Yeah, one of these years...) Next up will be DEADLIER THAN THE MALE, the mid-60's film with Richard Johnson (who I just saw as Watson in THE CRUCIFER OF BLOOD). I recall it being somewhat of a "spy" movie, but that's no big stretch, considering THE LONE WOLF and THE SAINT often did favors for the Secret Service. (Templar was usually recruited at the airport on his way out of the country to go on vacation, and had to postpone his fun for a different sort of "fun".)
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MONSTROUS incompetence! UNFORGIVEABLE incompetence!!!!!
Yes... tonight I watched the JEREMY BRETT version of "HOUND".
Good God. It keeps getting worse. Watching it back-to-back with Ian Richardson's, I can see not only what they changed in the Richardson version (his veered from the book, JUST like Rathbone, JUST like Cushing), but also, sadly, tragically... that EVERY-- SINGLE-- CAMERA SHOT-- in the Brett version was VASTLY inferior to EVERY-- SINGLE-- CAMERA SHOT in the Richardson version.
Amazing, isn't it? 3 very different versions, all veered from the bnook in different ways (Cushing's more than the others by far). And all 3 wound up being FANTASTIC movies. Brett's hones to the book closer than any other version ever done... and it's a piece of S***!!! (This hurts even more when you remember that the first 2 full seasons of Brett were as near to perfection as TV had ever, ever seen at the time.)
Minor details... the litigious "Mr. Franklin" was in the Rathbone version. "Laura Lyons" (the failed painter's wife) was in the Richardson verion. BOTH are in Brett's (AND Tom Baker's). Which makes sense... because they're father and daughter.
Among other crimes against "mystery", the Brett version-- and presumably, THE BOOK!!!-- reveal way too much to the audience way too early. So there's hardly any suspense or surprise at the end. The climax of the Brett film doesn't happen... it just sort of... "is". You're not thrilled, you're not surprised, you're just... letft shaking your head in dismay. this is followed by an awkward, stammering epilogue that borders on the amateur... and finished with a parting moment that anyone in their right mind would have cut from the film. There's so much DEAD SILENCE in this, as if long, meaningful stares or slow, panning shots over EMPTY countryside is supposed to make the story seem profound. Nope. Just boring.
Well, I'm planning to watch TOM BAKER tomorrow night. Almost the same script, and even less money, but STILL a better finished product. This, despite an AWFUL Watson and a Henry Baskerville 6 inches shorter than he should be. (HAH!!!) But at least Laura Lyons is played by Caroline John, one of my all-time fave WHO girls.
Hey, that reminds me. In the Brett film, possibly the BEST guest-actor is the guy who played Franklin-- Bernard Horsfall! WHAT A VOICE! He was in 3 different DOCTOR WHOs over the years, plus ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE.
After Baker, I may well pull out Rathbone again. Even though I only watched it a couple months ago. It's THAT good. Why not?
there is ONE strange thing about the Rathbone version... and it's not the infamous reference to "the needle". (An aside-- is it REALLY cocaine they're referring to in a 1939 production code-era movie??? Couldn't it REALLY be that "the needle" in question was EVIDENCE in a crime because it's what Stapleton tried to use to MURDER Sir Henry, when the dog failed?) Here it is-- Sir Henry gets engaged to marry Beryl Stapleton. Jack's sister. Well, Jack turns out to be a Baskerville. In most versions, Beryl is really Jack's WIFE. But they never mention that in the Rathbone version. Since they DON'T mention it, coupled with the whole way Beryl (Wendy Barrie) seems so innocent of anything going on, it seems in this version she really IS Jack's sister. Well... if she's Jack's sister, doesn't that make HER a Baskerville, too? What's that about marrying your cousin??
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I have seen some other BULLDOG DRUMMOND films, including the 1st one with Ronald Colman. Joan Bennett's the heroine in that, almost unrecognizable, she's so young! His sidekick "Algie" in that one (I forget the actor's name) reminds me a lot of "C-3PO", if you know what I mean. I've also seen BULLDOG DRUMMOND ESCAPES, which was my first glimpse of Ray Milland as a young and dashing action hero. He was replaced in the sequels, which were okay. had a really bad signal on the tv station that ran those, and wound up decided to wipe my tapes. One of these days I must seek out these things on DVD. (Yeah, one of these years...)
Just watched Joan Bennett's father, Richard Bennett, in one of those Keystone comedies I mentioned in my previous post-Cursed By His Beauty (1914). Bennett's daughters Joan, Constance and Barbara all made occasional appearances in their father's films. All three daughters went on to appear in films as adults with both Constance and Joan (some may remember her from Dark Shadows late in her career) having quite lengthy careers. Their sister Barbara's film career was shorter but her son, Morton Downey, Jr., made it into show business.
Colman's first Bulldog Drummond film doesn't come close to his second. BD Strkes Back is so much better on almost every level. If you ever get a chance to see it don't pass it up.
Best
Joe
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Been hearing good things about that sequel. I may have only seen the 1st one once (twice at most) and it's been a long time since either way. My main memory was it felt VERY primitive, barely past a silent film, and the acting didn't impress me much. It must have been at least a decade later (maybe more) before Ronald Colman suddenly became one of my favorite actors, and everything I've seen him in over the last decade has been fabulous. RANDOM HARVEST, PRISONER OF ZENDA, etc. (I watched the DOCTOR WHO take-off on ZENDA maybe 10 times over the years without ever once seeing the original. Later that month, TCM was running the Stewart Granger version, but having just seen Colman, I gave it a pass. Wish I had seen it, just out of curiosity, but I've been disappointed by too many remakes.)
It floored me when I realized that Dr. Strange (for most of Ditko's run) was a dead ringer for Colman. See LOST HORIZON. In that film, "The ancient one" isn't Chinese-- he's Jewish! (The earlier, cruder episodes, Doc was Vincent Price! That just has to indicate influence of the film THE RAVEN, doesn't it?)
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Tonight:
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1982)
Yes-- one year before Sy Weintraub mounted his epic, big-budget all-star cast "Hollywood" style version with Ian Richardson, BARRY LETTS did his BBC shoestring budget videotape version-- with Tom Baker.
But it's not fair to compare THOSE two, even though they're so much alike and yet so different. No, what's fair is to compare this with Granada's version with Jeremy Brett. Because these two ARE SOOOO similar. And yet... I can attest that EVERY scene in the Baker version is SUPERIOR. More ENERGY! More CLARITY! More TENSION! And more DIALOGUE. In many scenes, the exact same words are spoken, which tells me both versions did follow the book, but there's just MORE in this one. In fact, there's so much more, it seems Tom Baker was running off at the mouth at high speed just to fit it all in! NO dead air-- NO long, boring silences. This thing MOVES like lightning!
I take it back. THIS is the MOST FAITHFUL version. I know, I really should actually READ the blasted book to be absolutely sure, but from closely comparing the versions, my instincts tell me this is probably the closest we'll ever see (unless someone ever decides to do a 3-hour version...).
In his autobiography (one of the most disturbing books I have ever read in my life), Tom Baker said he felt he was terrible in this part. I disagree. He may not LOOK like Holmes, but he FEELS like Holmes. And he is, by far, the BEST thing about this version, after the script itself. Although he didn't write it, when "script editor" Terrence Dicks' name came up in the end credits, I APPLAUDED. DAMN, this is GOOD!!!
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All the talk of complicated Nero Wolf plots and Sherlock Holmes and I watch cheap sci-fi. Just watched a move called Clone Hunter. It was cheap with bad special effects. I am glad I do not have to have perfection to watch a movie. I remember how the first episode of Lord of the Rings bored me. It had great special affects but was not that interesting. I thought the next two were better. Clone Hunter was good old fifties style sci-fi fun.
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There's a lot to be said for good old '50's sci-fi movies with cheesy special effects! One of my very favorites was "Them". I guess I always was a sucker for giant mutant ants. Cheers, Bowers
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Speaking of great, cheesy old sci-fi movies the Lil Missus and I watched -Atomic Rulers (of the World)(1965) last night. This was one of four movies that popped up on American television in 1964-1965 and starred the super-hero Starman! These were cobbled together from a 1950s Japanese series/serial featuring a character named Super Giant.
I remembered being entirely enraptured when I first viewed these at the age of six back then. I had already been taken by reruns of The Adventures of Superman as well as such those of such masked heroes as Zorro and The Lone Ranger so I was familiar with the mystery man/superhero concept on the screen. These movies just further cemented my love for the super-hero genre that was growing at the time.
Over the last few years I've now re-watched three of those four American versions and find that they hold up well (in a cheesy, crappy f/x , just lots of fun sorta way).
On a side note I do remember being very disappointed when I ran across DC's 1960s revival of their Golden Age Starman. Of course, at that time, I had no idea that the Dc character preceded the Japanese character by a good decade and a half so I just thought that DC had done a crummy job of adapting the character from those great films that I had so enjoyed. I remember having much the same feeling when I ran across Gold Key's Lost in Space (which I had never seen before 1965 and which had recently been renamed from its original title of Space Family Robinson). I loved LIS at the time and just thought that Gold Key had totally screwed it up- again not realizing that the comic had been around longer than the TV show.
Best
Joe
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Been hearing good things about that sequel. I may have only seen the 1st one once (twice at most) and it's been a long time since either way. My main memory was it felt VERY primitive, barely past a silent film, and the acting didn't impress me much.
Actually the first Bulldog Drummond movie, like most early talkies, seems very primitive both by today's standards and compared to most late silent movies-which were often lushly and fluidly photographed.
Once sound took over Hollywood in the late 1920s that fluidity ground to a halt for awhile. Actors had to often just stand around wherever the mike was hidden and clearly enunciate their lines. Over the next few years with adventurous directors pushing artistic boundaries and numerous technical strides being made much of what had been lost was eventually regained.
Best
Joe
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When I haven't been busy trying to study lately I've been watching Sherlock Hound. An Italian/Japanese co-production where Doyel's London is re-imagined with all the characters as anthropomorphic dogs, except Holmes ("Hound" in the English version) who is, of course, a fox. I was feeling very nostalgic after all of the talk of Sherlock Holmes films a few pages back, the conversation reminded that it had been too long since I'd last fallen under the spell of those tales years ago. Nice to spend some time with the Doctor and the Detective again, and this incarnation of them is so adorable at times it almost hurts.
Innocent without being dumb, sweet without being condescending and peppered with action without being violent, it's the kind of thing I'd want my kids to watch if I ever had any.
If you're in the US the entire series has been made available on youtube http://www.youtube.com/show?p=K162qI1LPF8 though the episodes are listed out of order for some reason.
Too bad its been relegated to being a footnote in Miyazaki's career (he helped start it and directed some of the episodes) instead of appreciated on its own merits as a series.
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thanks for the link Rat
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No problem. Hope you enjoy it :) what's listed as episode 2 (the show's adorable re-imagining of the Blue Carbuncle) is a great place to start. Though the proper first episode is on the list as #11, oddly enough a takeoff of The Five Orange Pips (klan replaced by pirates) and is also good.
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2 today...
FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE
My favorite "spaghetti western" in which Clint Eastwood returns and is totally upstaged by the real hero of the picture, Lee Van Cleef as Col. Douglas Mortimer. Some years back when I was in the habit of channel-hopping I wound up watching the first half-hour of this multiple times, and strangely enough THAT's how I got to like the film so much. The 2 introductory sequences (first Van Cleef, then Eastwood) were both so well done I couldn't take my eyes off the thing. Then the 3rd introductory sequence is when we meet "Indio", and calling him the villain of the piece doesn't do him justice. He's a MONSTER incarnate, and it cracks me up that they had the nerve to cast the SAME actor who had played the villain of the previous film, FISTFUL OF DOLLARS, in a different and even nastier role.
As I watched this again today, I was reminded that no less than THREE different bits of this movie have found their way into my own stories, twice as deliberate tributes, the third subconsciously. These are 1)the rape scene with the dead boyfriend's body lying right there, 2)the "shooting the hat" scene, and 3)the kid who befriends the stranger who just arrived in town. (The rape scene was the one that slipped in subconsciously-- I was trying to do a tribute to a NIGHT COURT episode!)
I still remember being shocked when I first figured out years back that Van Cleef played two completely different parts between this and THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY (in the latter, HE was the villain). But then, more and more comments I'm finding online suggest the 3 films aren't REALLY connected, and Eastwood isn't necessarily playing the same character in them. Could be!
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1959)
Strange but true-- THIS was the very 1st "HOUND" I ever saw. It remains one of my favorites, DESPITE the fact that much of it has NOTHING to do with the book it takes its name from! From that alone, you can tell it's a Hammer Films production. One of their trademarks (in addition to garish color, gothic horror, violence and sexy women in low-cut outfits) was playing around with any source material they were supposedly "adapting" and winding up with films that bore almost no resemblance to the original stories. Truthfully, when one compares a Hammer "remake" to a more famous, earlier version by Universal (or in this case, Fox), it's quite noticeable that they often scour the book for bits NOT used in the previous film version, so their films wind up being as "DIFFERENT" from the previous versions as possible.
Anyway, Peter Cushing, one of my all-time favorite actors, does one of his best roles here. He's actually quite similar to Jeremy Brett's version, but if anything, even more manic. Andre Morell proves one of the BEST Watsons (and certainly one of the best to be in a HOUND adaptation). And Christopher Lee gets to show off more of his acting ability than any other 10 Hammer films combined. Compared with almost every other Henry Baskerville, he doesn't seem quite "right" for the part, but this is a Hammer, after all, and in his own offbeat way, he's VERY good at it.
Then of course you have Francis DeWolff as Dr. Mortimer, who seems to have been cast specifically to have someone who looks similar to Lionel Atwill's Dr. Mortimer-- but while Atwill's character was (almost surprising for him) a nice guy, DeWolff is arrogant, argumentative, and egotistical, and for a good part of the film, a PRIME suspect, even though he's the one who brings Holmes into the case.
One outstanding part of the film is the flashback showing the legend of Sir Hugo. Cutting right to the chase, this version STARTS with Mortimer already at Baker Street and his story in progress, allowing more time to show off just what an unspeakably "godless" bastard Hugo really was. He not only kidnaps a local girl, he has the nerve to beat up and torture her father for daring to OBJECT to his wish to RAPE his daughter! But when he winds up delibrately KILLING the girl instead, well, that's just going too far.
Funny thing, after having watched these 5 different versions in 5 days, I'm actually tempted to watch the Ian Richardson version AGAIN. With all the different characters and plot elements between the different versions, I'm not surprised that years ago I felt compelled to take notes as to what was in each film.
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FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE
I still remember being shocked when I first figured out years back that Van Cleef played two completely different parts between this and THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY (in the latter, HE was the villain). But then, more and more comments I'm finding online suggest the 3 films aren't REALLY connected, and Eastwood isn't necessarily playing the same character in them. Could be!
The Man With No Name was a creation of United Artists when they handled the American release of the movies. Technically he has a different name in all three movies, he's Joe in one, Blondie in another, and Manco (or something like that) in For a Few Dollars More.
This is actually not that rare when it comes to Euro-Westerns. Actors would switch from one character to another in multiple sequels, there would be tons of unofficial sequels (the Sartana and Django series are good examples of that), and the names of the movies are switched around from one country to another.
The original Django was so popular in Germany that for years after every other movie that Franco Nero starred in was re-named to make it appear as if it was a Django sequel, even though there was only one official sequel, and it was made some twenty years later. There was also a ton of Spaghetti Westerns with the name Django worked into the title that are completely unofficial sequels.
There are also a lot of Euro-Westerns with names like Fistful of Lead, One Dollar too Many, and For a Few Dollars Less. There was even a Spaghetti Western actor that went by the name of Clint Westwood.
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As I understand it, THE GOOD THE BAD THE UGLY was actually released in the US before the other two. Which may explain the following...
Some years back, I figured out what "the man with no name" really refers to. In GOOD BAD & UGLY, the whole plot revolves around the search for stolen gold hidden in a cemetery. Tuco knows which cemetery, Blondie knows which grave.
As it turns out, the money is actually hidden in an UNMARKED grave. So, the secret Blondie had for half the movie was, he knew the grave had NO NAME on it.
I saw the movie all the way thru 3 times before this ever occured to me.
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As I understand it, THE GOOD THE BAD THE UGLY was actually released in the US before the other two. Which may explain the following...
Some years back, I figured out what "the man with no name" really refers to. In GOOD BAD & UGLY, the whole plot revolves around the search for stolen gold hidden in a cemetery. Tuco knows which cemetery, Blondie knows which grave.
As it turns out, the money is actually hidden in an UNMARKED grave. So, the secret Blondie had for half the movie was, he knew the grave had NO NAME on it.
I saw the movie all the way thru 3 times before this ever occured to me.
The films were released in the proper order in the U.S, all the same year, Fistful in January, For a Few Dollars More in May, and the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly in December of 1967.
I believe the Man With No Name idea came from the original source material for Fistful of Dollars, the Kurosawa film Yojimbo, because the Toshiro Mifune character uses a gibberish name as an alias, and follows a rather similar course of action to that of Eastwood in Fistful of Dollars.
My question is this, is the Stranger from High Plains Drifter the same character? And, it strikes me as interesting that Harmonica from Once Upon a Time in the West has a lot of the same characteristics, but he was played by Charles Bronson. Is it possible that Sergio Leone originally intended to have Clint play that character?
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FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE
I still remember being shocked when I first figured out years back that Van Cleef played two completely different parts between this and THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY (in the latter, HE was the villain). But then, more and more comments I'm finding online suggest the 3 films aren't REALLY connected, and Eastwood isn't necessarily playing the same character in them. Could be!
The Man With No Name was a creation of United Artists when they handled the American release of the movies. Technically he has a different name in all three movies, he's Joe in one, Blondie in another, and Manco (or something like that) in For a Few Dollars More.
This is actually not that rare when it comes to Euro-Westerns. Actors would switch from one character to another in multiple sequels, there would be tons of unofficial sequels (the Sartana and Django series are good examples of that), and the names of the movies are switched around from one country to another.
The original Django was so popular in Germany that for years after every other movie that Franco Nero starred in was re-named to make it appear as if it was a Django sequel, even though there was only one official sequel, and it was made some twenty years later. There was also a ton of Spaghetti Westerns with the name Django worked into the title that are completely unofficial sequels.
There are also a lot of Euro-Westerns with names like Fistful of Lead, One Dollar too Many, and For a Few Dollars Less. There was even a Spaghetti Western actor that went by the name of Clint Westwood.
That's interesting. I'm familiar with this kind of movie making/branding and marketing but in a very different place. Namely the ever divisive Hong Kong Brucesploitation genre of martial arts films, which gave us actors such as Bruce Le, Dragon Lee and Bruce Li with movies like "Bruce Lee the Invincible" "Fist of Fury 2" "Bruce Lee in New Guinea" and countless others. I personally love the genre and its actors and believe they played an incalculable role in cementing the memory and legend of the man and his work. Even if many (maybe most?) of those films are bad-to-dreadful as films they're fascinating as studies of popular culture of the time, and usually good as a late night brain rotter if you're in the right mood.
I had no idea this exact sort of thing was going on with Italian films at the same time, I suppose you just can't get away with that kind of misleading marketing these days.
Cross cultural norms in what some might call "sleaze" cinema, very interesting.
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FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE
I still remember being shocked when I first figured out years back that Van Cleef played two completely different parts between this and THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY (in the latter, HE was the villain). But then, more and more comments I'm finding online suggest the 3 films aren't REALLY connected, and Eastwood isn't necessarily playing the same character in them. Could be!
The Man With No Name was a creation of United Artists when they handled the American release of the movies. Technically he has a different name in all three movies, he's Joe in one, Blondie in another, and Manco (or something like that) in For a Few Dollars More.
This is actually not that rare when it comes to Euro-Westerns. Actors would switch from one character to another in multiple sequels, there would be tons of unofficial sequels (the Sartana and Django series are good examples of that), and the names of the movies are switched around from one country to another.
The original Django was so popular in Germany that for years after every other movie that Franco Nero starred in was re-named to make it appear as if it was a Django sequel, even though there was only one official sequel, and it was made some twenty years later. There was also a ton of Spaghetti Westerns with the name Django worked into the title that are completely unofficial sequels.
There are also a lot of Euro-Westerns with names like Fistful of Lead, One Dollar too Many, and For a Few Dollars Less. There was even a Spaghetti Western actor that went by the name of Clint Westwood.
That's interesting. I'm familiar with this kind of movie making/branding and marketing but in a very different place. Namely the ever divisive Hong Kong Brucesploitation genre of martial arts films, which gave us actors such as Bruce Le, Dragon Lee and Bruce Li with movies like "Bruce Lee the Invincible" "Fist of Fury 2" "Bruce Lee in New Guinea" and countless others. I personally love the genre and its actors and believe they played an incalculable role in cementing the memory and legend of the man and his work. Even if many (maybe most?) of those films are bad-to-dreadful as films they're fascinating as studies of popular culture of the time, and usually good as a late night brain rotter if you're in the right mood.
I had no idea this exact sort of thing was going on with Italian films at the same time, I suppose you just can't get away with that kind of misleading marketing these days.
Cross cultural norms in what some might call "sleaze" cinema, very interesting.
Okay, now we're starting down a path where I can go on forever, and ever. Asian action cinema is probably my favorite general genre, followed by westerns, and I could probably write the most rambling, long-winded, and trivia-packed book on either subject.
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I like westerns but can not set through a kung fu movie
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What we need is a kung-fu western (oh wait, Carridine did that...)
;D
HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER is about a sheriff who's killed (and depending on who you ask, either his brother avenges him, or he comes back from the grave to do it himself-- heh). it is most definitely a "tribute" to the style of the italian films, though.
However, my late friend Jim Neal strongly suggested years back that TWO MULES FOR SISTER SARA did feature the same character, as evidenced by his clothes, his m.o., his use of dynamite... I like to think, if the films are connected, in whatever order they may take place (and let's just completely forget about "historical accuracy" when it comes to weapons, heh), that TWO MULES is the "final" film, as after that I imagined he settled down with Sara.
"Do you mind taking off your hat?"
"There' NO TIME for that!!"
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Today:
DEADLIER THAN THE MALE
It's been at least 20 years since I saw this, and I'm shocked how much MORE I'm enjoying it this time. From the opening scene, you can tell by the fashions, the hairstyles, the decor, and THE MUSIC that this is a "60's" film thru-and-thru. And, it's packed to the gills with a veritable "all-star cast" of English character actors, including Laurence Naismith, Nigel Green, Elke Sommer, the incredibly gorgeous Justine Lord ("The Girl Who Was Death"!!) and other too numerous to list (or remember without looking them up). All led by a young and dashing Richard Johnson ("Who?"), some 25 years before he played Dr. Watson opposite Charlton Heston ("Oh, him..."). You know, he might have made a good BOND...
Perhaps the toughest thing to get my head around is that, while this has a better script and directing than most of the Roger Moore "007" films (but is just about on a par with Roger Moore's "SAINT" episodes), it's really a BULLDOG DRUMMOND movie. No, really. Honest! (I'm not making this up!)
Pity the theme song is so bad... Oh well, now if I can just work my way thru all the commercial breaks on this videotape...
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Tonight:
SHERLOCK HOLMES (1980)
Now here's an odd one. This is the sort of thing I wish would be done more often-- a film (or video, or wehatever) of a LIVE STAGE PLAY, recorded for posterity for future generations and those who would otherwise never get the chance to see it.
This was a performance of the William Gilette play from WAYYYYYY back, the very same one which introduced the line "Elementary, My dear Watson" that was never once uttered in an Arthur Conan Doyle story.
Among the cast: FRANK LANGELLA as Holmes (I wish there was a tape of his DRACULA stage play), Richard Woods as Dr. Watson, Stephen Collins (from STAR TREK: TMP and SEVENTH HEAVEN) and Dwight Schultz (THE A-TEAM) as 2 of the baddies.
Lots of fun as everything is over-acted for the sake of projecting to the audience, long hesitations waiting for applause or laughter to die down, and other dramatic or melodramatic things you only tend to see in a live performance. Back in the early 90's, for several years I got regularly into the habit of going to a local theatre to see live plays, and it requires a somewhat different mindset than watching something made for TV or the movies. In this case, even though I'm watching something on TV, the mindset for enjoying a live play is still the same.
Langella is not by any means the best or most authentic Holmes, but then I doubt William Gillette ever was, either! If you would ever have a chance to see this, I reccomend it, if nothing else, it's lots of fun!
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Well I'm about 18 episodes into those Green Hornet marathons that I recorded off of the SyFy Channel. I haven't seen most of these since their original broadcasts during the 1960s (when I only saw them in black and white) but find that they are much as I remember them. Now I'm recognizing a guest-star actor or two (such as stuntman/actor Harvey Parry or Jeffrey Hunter-Captain Pike in the original Star Trek pilot) that would have escaped me during my childhood watchings.
A pity these episodes were chopped up so SyFy could cram in more commercials as they generally look great. I'd love to get a DVD collection of them. Sorta' surprised that it hasn't happened what with the release of the new movie and all.
BBC America finally wrapped up our season of Primeval (we're always, at least, a few weeks behind the original broadcasts in Great Britain) this past month and started running the new season of Being Human on the same day. Watching the new season of the BBC's Being Human has been sort of strange because SyFy is currently about half way through their first season of the American remake which has a totally different cast and is generally covering territory already covered in the original British series. So I'm going a little schizo bouncing back and forth each week between the two versions of the same series.
Best
Joe
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The Green Hornet series. The dvd set I have of this is a bit dodgy and I bought it a couple of years ago at a Glasgow Collectormania thingy. I now think it's a copy of a box set because there are no ad. breaks and the quality, apart from the pilot episode, is good. I'm now sorely tempted to watch the first serial tonight, or at least the first few episodes 'cos my wife is going out with some pals for a bit of a jolly to a classy Italian restaurant in Edinburgh and she doesn't really like this stuff.
Don't want to say much about Primeval as I don't know how far on you are (apart from, Holy Macaroni, that was good). In the same way, I don't want anyone telling me what happens in the new season of Castle as it doesn't start here till next week.
Not fond of Being Human.
We recently re-watched Girl In The Headlines which co-stars a young Jeremy Brett. This is a b&w British policier with Ian Hendry and Ronald Fraser made in 1963. Quite gritty in places and really well done.
Last night, probably because it was mentioned recently, we watched Ask A Policeman. Laughed our socks off.
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I've seen a few of those bootleg Green Hornet DVD-R sets out there but have been holding out for the real thing.
The wife was the first one to watch Being Human (she's very much into the vampire stuff) and I started watching because I was off work those nights when it was on and then I got into it too (I'm more into werewolves which this series also has).
Don't believe I've ever seen Girl in the Headlines. I'll watch for it.
Ask a Policeman-one of Will Hay's best. IMHO.
Best
Joe
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Just got done watching "SCAT! DARN CATWOMAN" Although ABC ran this story OUT OF SEQUENCE originally, and so it has been run OUT OF SEQUENCE every single time it's been seen on TV ever ever since, on MY videotapes I copied it IN THE PROPER sequence. See... this was the LAST Julie Newmar episode of BATMAN. (Or it should have been, barring HALFWIT IDIOT programmers.) And after her debut story, I'd rank it as her 2nd-best story.
It's like this... in the "SANDMAN" story, Batman tells Catwoman he'll put in a good word for her after she betrays her partner.
In "CATWOMAN GOES TO COLLEGE" (run last-- those IDIOTS), she's let out of jail on parole. Could it be any more obvious it was intended as a DIRECT sequel to the SANDMAN story?? At the end, she regrets having to go back to prison. She also tells Bruce Wayne he's a nice guy, but her "heart belongs to Batman".
"THAT DARN CATWOMAN" opens with her out of jail again, and this time with a young protoge, "Pussycat" (Leslie Gore). Robin is drugged, instantly becomes a "bully", attacks Chief O'Hara, and wants to make time with Pussycat. (In the previous Cat-story, Robin had told Batman, "You may have been taken in by her, but, I'M too young for that sort of thing.") At the cliffhanger, Batman is strapped to a giant MOUSE-TRAP, and Robin is sawing away at the rope holding it up. Catwoman says she wants Batman to become her partner-in-crime-- OR, Robin will be the cause of his death!
So in Part 2 (which network viewers had to wait 6 DAYS to see), Batman agrees, and after taking a Bat-pill (for a headache-- HE claimed), she drugs him. "Heyyy, Cat-baby-- you got -- a lot of CLASS!" Next thing, the COPS are out to arrest Batman. They try tracing the line of the Bat-Phone, but he's worked out something to send them to the wrong address. When an "anonymous tip" send the cops to the Cat-Lair (netting both Pussycat AND Robin, just as he was trying to put the moves on her), Catwoman says they'll need another place to hide out. She asks Batman to TRY and remember where the Batcave is (the drug causes amnesia), and he slowly remembers, then pulls out a spray can. "What's that?" WHOOSH! And she's unconscious. BATMAN was FAKING it!
When she wakes up, she's IN THE BATCAVE! (Her first time there, following the likes of Molly, Miss Limpet, Penguin, his 5 guinea pigs, and later, The Joker, Penguin again, and 3 henchmen.) She asks if there isn't something he wants to DOOOOOO... but he says, first, the heist. She's pleased at how much of a crook he's become. Later, at the Gotham Mint, she asks him to put her arms around her, but just then, her men arrive. "We're READY for the job, boss!" "Your timing is INCREDIBLE!!"
Inside the vault, they find Robin waiting. Somehow, this doesn't bother her-- she thinks he "escaped" from the cops. (Actually, Alfred delivered a Bat-antidote, so Robin's alright now.) Batman reveals he was "acting", and merely wanted to find out the weakness in the Mint. FIGHT ensues, Catwoman flees, stealing the Batmobile.
"Chief O'Hara, may I borrow your police car?"
"Are you insured?"
"GIVE HIM the KEYS, O'Hara!!!"
: D
The Duo pursue, and via remote-control, cause the Batmobile to grind to a halt, next to a waterfront warehouse. Catwoman runs and reaches the roof. Batman follows. "You'll NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!!!" This continues until she reaches an unexpected edge. He offers to help her reform. She suggests he marry her. He says a wife would interfere with crime-fighting. She says as an ex-crook she could be a great help. "What about Robin?" "Oh.... we'll KILL him." "I can see you're not ready to take your place in society." "I guess you're right. Give me your hand..."
As he reaches out, she suddenly FALLS backwards. Looking over the edge, down to the river 100 feet below, there's no trace of her. Batman is left in tears.
In the epilogue, everyone seems convinced she's dead and won't be coming back.
You can see how MIND-NUMBINGLY STUPID it was for them to have run the "COLLEGE" story about a month after this... right?
Henry
PS: My theory is, whether she survived or not, Eartha Kitt was NOT her-- but somebody else, who decided to call herself "Catwoman", since the "real" one, as far as anyone knew, was DEAD! But you only "get" this if you watch them in the RIGHT sequence.
PPS: IF you watch Newmar's episodes in the "correct" order as I suggest, guess what? the VERY NEXT episode after her "death" features Lee Meriweather as heiress "Lisa Carlson". Really, now... her character SHOULD have been "Kathy Kane". (Think about it!)
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Henry,
Good analysis of those Catwoman episodes of Batman. I suspect you're right and that they were written in the order you point out. However they seem to have been produced in the order that ABC ran them, judging by the productions numbers assigned each episode. ABC did occasionally run episodes out of order of production (for example the Penguin three parter that was originally run after the That/Scat Catwoman two-parter was actually produced prior to that CW two-parter) but not those particular Catwoman episodes.
For the record here's the production numbers for each of those Catwoman episodes.
The Sandman Cometh (1) (#9715-1)
The Catwoman Goeth (2) (#9715-2)
That Darn Catwoman (1) (#9743-1)
Scat! Darn Catwoman (2) (#9743-2)
Catwoman Goes to College (1) (#9749-1)
Batman Displays His Knowledge (2) (#9749-2)
Best
Joe
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Didn't watch the Hornet serial last night. Instead took in Dr.Who - The War Machines. This is the first Polly story and despite the cardboard effects, there was enough Quatermass style impending doom atmosphere to make it enjoyable. Hartnell, as often happened, had problems with his lines, but, do we care? No, 'cos it's just too much fun.
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I suspect you're right and that they were written in the order you point out. However they seem to have been produced in the order that ABC ran them, judging by the productions numbers assigned each episode.
I might ask, WHAT "production numbers" and where did you get these, but never mind. It's very possible that the availablility of certain guest-stars may have dictated production order. In this case, for example, Leslie Gore as "Pussycat". I've also heard that (supposedly) sometimes more than one week of stories with a particular guest star (Cesar Romero or Burgess Meredith) may have been filmed back-to-back, then "spreads out" weeks apart from each other.
What continues to surprise me about the show over the years is how many things can make a LOT more sense with just a tiny bit of work or thinking (which the writers usually didn't bother with). If you reverse the order of those last 2 Newmar stories, a couple weeks later, Bruce Wayne gets involved with "Lisa Carson", an heiress whose father sees Bruce as a potential son-in-law. She's played by Lee Meriweather. I've long believed KATHY KANE was based on her, since BATWOMAN debuted in the comics the same year she was MISS AMERICA. Just think-- they could have introduced Batwoman on the show, and not needed to create a new Batgirl.
Someone else just suggested it would have made more sense to have "Scat! Darn Catwoman" was the season finale. Not only was it on the heart-rending side, but the 1st scene in the 1st episode of the 3rd season apparently has Batman & Robin wondering if they'll ever see Catwoman again. (Presumably they were referring to a story that was never filmed, but really...)
I still love the bit where O'Hara asks if Batman has car insurance...
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Tonight-- ONCE AGAIN--
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1983)
Yes, I watched it AGAIN! After sitting thru 5 versions back-to-back, beginning with Ian Richardson, I decided I just had to see Richardson all over again. That makes twice I've seen Peter Cushing's in 6 months, twice I've seen Basil Rathbone's in 2 months, and twice I've seen Ian Richardson's in 2 WEEKS.
Having now watched the 2 most faithful-to-the-book versions back-to-back (the interminable Brett & the incredible Baker), it becomes much easier to see ALL the places this version deviates. A lot of younger movie fans seem to rank film adaptations these days SOLELY on how close to the book they are, or not, but I think that is missing a lot of important points. Like, when you have a film THIS gorgeous, with such beautiful location work, sets, an incredible cast, a GREAT, intelligent script, FABULOUS directing & editing, and WONDERFUL music... why complain? And, like DRACULA (maybe even more so), I find it fascinating to take note of the various changes, and how in some ways they make the story more interesting, or gripping, or even better-sturctured than the real thing.
From the start... Sir Charles dies in "the gazebo" rather than outdoors. In the "legend" flashback, a horse falls into the bog, and as Sir Hugo is trying to strangle the peasant girl, the hound LEAPS upward out of the bog, as if FROM HELL itself! (What a great visual!) Sir Henry has NO intention of ever travelling to Baskerville Hall, he merely wishes his lawyers to settle the estate... until someone tries to SHOOT him dead in London. Lestrade is in Grimpen from the start, as we find HE was the one who originally apprehended Selden (the escaped murderer). Holmes' disguise as a gypsy (a deviation introduced in the Rathbone version) is repeated here and greatly expanded ("YER FORTUNE, SAAAAIRR???"). Poor Dr. Mortimer's dog, Sheba, runbs off at the sound of the hound, and is KILLED by it! Barrymore finds the remains of the note from Laura Lyons and passes it on to Watson early in the story, rather than midway thru. Laura's husband Jeffrey appears in this version, and becomes a chief suspect-- especially after his WIFE is murdered!
A major change I had to watch these films back-to-back in this fashion to realy take note of occurs when Holmes & Watson finally get to talk with Laura Lyons. In the book (presumably, as it was IDENTICAL in both the Brett & Baker versions), Sir Charles received a note to meet her. Her marriage had fallen apart, he'd befriended her, and helped set her up in business as a typist. Further, he'd agreed to help pay legal fees for her divorce, and idea hatched by their "go-between"-- Jack Stapleton-- who offered to MARRY Laura if she could obtain a divorce. But Laura did not show up for the rendezvous, and in both Baker & Bret's versions, we DON'T KNOW WHY. That bothered me. Both versions reveal at this relatively "early" point (75% in) that Stapleton LIED to Laura, because Beryl was Jack's WIFE!
In the Richardson version, Laura was having an AFFAIR with Sir Charles, and did not show up on the night of his death because Stapleton (the go-between) sent her husband Jeffrey an anonymous note telling of the affair, he came home, stopped her leaving, because (As Holmes put it), Sir Charles "had to be there ALONE". In this version, she doesn't get to tell Holmes WHO the go-between is, because onec more, the husband intrudes, giving them an excuse to borrow a scene from an entirely different story, as Jeffrey twists an iron fireplace poker-- and Holmes-- UN-twists it! But after they leave, Stapleton sneaks in and murders Laura to silence her, and Jeffrey winds up in jail accused of it. Holmes says "I was mistaken" and that the case is solved, to give Stapleton the impression that he's in the clear to murder Sir Henry. It's only as Holmes sets his trap he reveals Stapleton is the murderer, pushing this reveal much further to the end than in the book, Brett or baker versions.
For the climax, HOLMES fights the dog rather than Sir Henry, and after, Holmes, Watson & Beryl are all trapped in a hut by Stapleton, who plans to murder all 3 of them. But Holmes gets the drop on him, Jack runs, and falls into the bog, despite Holmes trying to pull him out.
And finally, the reveal that Beryl was Jack's wife is saved for the VERY last scene, where Sir Henry, a most sympathetic, caring person (the romance of them falling in love was built up even better here than it was in the Rathbone version), merely tells her, "That's all over for both of us now. I would like to WALK upon the moor.", as he takes her hand.
It continus to amaze me that there are no less than FOUR very different films based on the same book that I love equally. Maybe someday someone may do a really "faithful" version which is ALSO beautiful, EXCITING, and a grerat movie at the same time. But I'm beginning to doubt it...
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I might ask, WHAT "production numbers" and where did you get these, but never mind. It's very possible that the availablility of certain guest-stars may have dictated production order. In this case, for example, Leslie Gore as "Pussycat". I've also heard that (supposedly) sometimes more than one week of stories with a particular guest star (Cesar Romero or Burgess Meredith) may have been filmed back-to-back, then "spreads out" weeks apart from each other.
I first encountered the production number data on Batman quite a few years ago in some magazine I was reading that specialized in television series logs and such (can't remember the mag's name right now) but you can access the production numbers easily at epguides.com.
You're speculation about guest star availability dictating production order is quite possible. Another possibility I thought of is when a particular script gets caught up in rewrites causing it to fall behind in the move toward actual production.
We'll probably never know for sure unless someone involved in the original productions comes forward with the answers.
Still I find all your evidence compelling about which order those Catwoman episodes were originally written in. It just makes so much more sense the way you lay them out.
Best
Joe
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A lot of younger movie fans seem to rank film adaptations these days SOLELY on how close to the book they are, or not, but I think that is missing a lot of important points. Like, when you have a film THIS gorgeous, with such beautiful location work, sets, an incredible cast, a GREAT, intelligent script, FABULOUS directing & editing, and WONDERFUL music... why complain? And, like DRACULA (maybe even more so), I find it fascinating to take note of the various changes, and how in some ways they make the story more interesting, or gripping, or even better-sturctured than the real thing.
I don't think it's just younger movie fans who have problems with movies that deviate from original print sources. I've been hearing this complaint from people for many years.
It usually doesn't bother me when a film has its own variations unless they do a really hatchet job of something I figured had real film potential.
Best
Joe
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It usually doesn't bother me when a film has its own variations unless they do a really hatchet job of something I figured had real film potential.
I agree. But I suppose that goes for any movie or series, adaptation or not. One of my pet peeves is sequels that don't live up to their potential. Take the HALLOWEEN movies (or, for God's sake, DONT!). HALLOWEEN 4 is my favorite in the series. Who would have seen that coming? But HALLOWEEN 5 is an INSULT to 4, and 6 went thru a dozen script drafts, each worse than the one before it, until they "assembled" a script (that's the word I read!!) from the "cheapest" elements of the dozen, with apparently no concern if the finished product made any sense at all. The result was-- surprisingly-- a well-made film, but the story was still a piece of S***. And then the director, after-the-fact, pulled a HATCHED job, added 20 NEW minutes to the film while cutting 20 existing minutes, and in the process, eliminated any "style" the original edit had. As my best friend (a big fan of these things) called it, "a bastaradization of an abortion".
With a bit more care, a LOT of things might be a lot better.
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You're speculation about guest star availability dictating production order is quite possible. Another possibility I thought of is when a particular script gets caught up in rewrites causing it to fall behind in the move toward actual production.
Still I find all your evidence compelling about which order those Catwoman episodes were originally written in. It just makes so much more sense the way you lay them out.
I was really surprised some years back when I taped the episodes that there was such obvious continuity between those stories. ("COLLEGE" and "SCAT!" were both written by the same guy, Stanley Ralph Ross-- he had the best sense of humor on the show.)
The previous Cat-story, however, was an example of behind-the-scenes chaos. Writer Ellis St. Joesph figured out where the 2nd season had gone wrong, and determined to do better. The producer told him his script, "THE SANDMAN COMETH", was the best they'd ever had. But before it was filmed, all hell happened. First, it was decided to add The Catwoman to the plot (because Julie Newmar had been promised so many episodes that year). Second, Robert Morley, who'd agreed to do it, backed out because he didn't want to share screen time with some other villain. And somewhere in there, the millionaire they were going to fleece was changed from a man to a woman (which made utter nonsense of the fact that her MULTIPLE husbands ALL had the same last name-- what did she do, go thru a a whole set of brothers???).
I see Charles Hoffman was listed on the finished script. After writing the worst episodes of the 1st season, he was promoted to story editor. Figures-- the worst writer gets put in charge of everybody else's scripts. His stuff is NOT funny-- only ridiculous. Which is a shame, as "funny" can forgive a lot of sins. (see the 3rd season's "King Tut" and "Shame" episodes-- written by Stanley Ralph Ross. They border on NIGHT COURT-level humor. They're just about the only 3rd-season stories I can stand to watch!)
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Lonnnnnnnnnnnng movie today.
Quotes:
"Unk... unk... There's NO NAME here!"
"And there's NO NAME on this, either."
...and...
"There's two kinds of people in this world, my friend. Those with loaded guns--
and those who dig. You dig."
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Tonight:
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (1946)
I still remember when my Dad watched this with me around 25 years ago. He said it was an "all-star cast". In the years since, I've come to know almost every actor in this film from other movies, and realize he was right. But at the time, I thought the casting was "cheating"... because back then, the only actors I knew were the hero and the murderer!
This has been filmed at least 4 times (3 times by Harry Alan Towers-- when he gets ahold of something, he doesn't quit). But this is the earliest, and probably the best version. Among the cast are Walter Huston, Judith Anderson, C. Aubrey Smith, Barry Fitzgerald, Richard Haydn, and one of my favorite actors who've I've seen paifully few films with-- Louis Hayward!
The 1st time I saw this, I had already seen THE SAINT IN NEW YORK (1938) multiple times, and it's actually very easy to picture the character he plays in this as being "Simon Templar", in all but name.
This is of course the classic story where 10 people are lured to a remote island, and one by one are killed. It takes almost half the story before they realize ONE OF THEM is the killer. But which one?
Most strange was finding out recently that the 1932 Sherlock Holmes film A STUDY IN SCARLET (which has absolutely nothing to do with the book of that name) has a VERY similar plot, and came out BEFORE Agatha Christie wrote her novel! Can it be a coincidence that she wrote something so similar, or did the movie inspire her?
I've also recently read online a description of how the book ends, and I must say, the MOVIE is a definite IMPROVEMENT. (I'd say the same goes for anothe story set on an isolated island-- THE ISLAND OF LOST SOULS-- and for almost the exact same reasons. I sometimes wonder about the judgment of some of these novelists...)
About 15 years ago I had the chance to see a live stage version of this. The plot was very similar, and the main change was the addition of some humor at the end, with the line, "Thank God women can't shoot straight!"
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My first exposure to this story (and Agatha Christie) was via the 1965 film adaptation (retitled Ten Little Indians) when it was run on TV in the late 1960s. Not quite as stellar a cast as the 1946 version but when the Lil' Missus and I re-watched it last year we still thought it held up pretty well.
I'm planning on showing her the '46 version soon as she's never seen it before and I managed to snag an inexpensive DVD of it.
Best
Joe
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I thought this time around it would be fun to watch both the Jeremy Brett HOLMES and the David Suchet POIROT at the same time. So last night I dug out my Agatha Christie tapes.
But before I get there, I'm now planning to watch the older films first-- WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (another of the best AC films ever), the 4 MISS MARPLEs, TEN LITTLE INDIANS (I understand that was directed by the same guy who did the MMs), and even THE ALPHABET MURDERS (which is a real abortion, but I do like the Marple cameo in it-- the look she gives Poirot shows she holds him in utter contempt as a complete idiot).
Before Suchet, my favorite Poirots are DEATH ON THE NILE (John Guillerman) and EVIL UNDER THE SUN (Guy Hamilton). Even the 3 updated ones Peter Ustinov did for CBS, I like better than the Albert Finney film. Go figure. Ustinov's final one, APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH, however, was really badly directed. I understand Michael Winner has a rep for doing bad movies... how did the guy ever make THE BIG SLEEP so incredibly good?
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Ahh- Miss Marple. My first taste of Marple was, of course, the Margaret Rutherford series. I'm sure these are nothing like the books, but I absolutely loved her interpretation of the character. She played Jane Marple with a flair no one else has come close to. Her mugging and ramblings were priceless. I saw these a very long time ago- wonder if I'd still like them as much today? Just saw her the other day in "Blithe Spirit" as Madame Arcati, a bumbling medium. (Interestingly enough, "A Blithe Spirit" was also her epitaph!) I never cared much for Joan Hickson's interpretation. She played the character with a bit too malicious for my tastes. Cheers, Bowers
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I had NO idea at the time... in fact, back then, I had NO idea it was even an "Agatha Christie"... but way, way back, I caught THE ALPHABET MURDERS when the network ran itr some weekend evening. Couldn't make heads or tails of it.
My "official" 1st AC film was DEATH ON THE NILE, which I saw in a theatre-- TWICE! Amazing how KNOWING every detail of the plot doesn't ruin that one-- it just turns it into a completely different movie. (I love that it is told SO clearly it is impossible to get confused... at least, once you've reached the end.)
My "1st" Miss Marple was THE MIRROR CRACK'D. I didn't know what to make of it. Saw that in a theatre (just lucky, it disappeared in 7 days flat). Funny but true-- I had NO IDEA Angela Landsbury was NOT really that old when she did it. Great make-up job.
Later I saw Helen Hayes (who I loved in THE SNOOP SISTERS in the 70's). What a sweet lady!
Joan Hickson took a long time to grow on me. I taped most of them as they premiered, but compared to POIROT, it wasn't doing it for me.
I can't recall exactly whe I taped the 4 Margaret Rutherford films, but I got all of them off commercial TV (and they may still have the commercials, I forget). Careless of me not to get better copies off TCM when I had the chance. I will say, they definitely got better the 2nd time I watched them.
Imagine my shock, after having seen those 4, to catch THE ALPHABET MURDERS again... and to realize Rutherford had a wordless cameo in it. Poirot is written as a FOOL in that film, and HER character clearly knows it!
The sheer irony is that when David Suchet finally did THE ABC MURDERS, it was, truly, one of the VERY BEST of the series. Wow. How does one take a story THAT good and completely murder it, as they did in the late 60's? It's just one of those films from a breif period when everyone in the film industry seemed to go completely nuts, throw out all the rule books, and any sense of logic. But on top of anything else, Robert Morley would have made a much better Poirot than he did a Hastings. Honestly!!)
I understand there's not one but TWO Miss Marple series since Joan Hickson... and blast it, I haven't seen any of them!!!
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PBS Mystery has shown both the Geraldine McEwan and Julia McKenzie series. Both are pefectly acceptable, and some episodes are quite good. McEwan plays Marple with a bit more "heart" and gives us a glimpse or two of her past, why she never married, etc. Neither McKenzie nor McEwan really makes the role her own and, unfortunately, many of the episodes are just remakes of the earlier series. Must say I prefer "Poirot" or "Partners in Crime". Cheers, Bowers
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Tonight:
THE ADVENTURE OF THE CLAPHAM COOK
This must be only the 3rd time I've ever seen this. Hugh Fraser looks so young in this! About halfway thru, I was suddenly reminded of "THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE", as I realized there just HAD to be an elaborate con going on... but to what end? After watching the entire NERO WOLFE series, I must say, Japp is such so refreshing. A "reasonable" Chief Inspector. By comparison, Wolfe & Cramer DESERVE each other-- they both such insufferable blowhards!
Some years back I watched my entire AC collection-- everything I had-- in chronological sequence. I figure, no need for that this time. More to the point, a few days ago I watched "A SCANDAL IN BOHEMIA", and thought it would be fun to watch Jeremy Brett & David Suchet AT THE SAME TIME. Never did that before!
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This is interesting because my wife and I both love Joan Hickson as Marple but don't enjoy the Geraldine McEwan version. Poirot gets almost endless reruns here and you can watch one pretty much at will. We're just getting through the Hickson Marple series again - last night was A Pocketful of Rye.
I thoroughly enjoy the Margaret Rutherford films and of course Stringer Davies as her sidekick. Have I spelt that correctly? I watched Rutherford in Happiest Days of Your Lives, the other night. It also stars Alastair Sim and Joyce Grenfell (from the original St. Trinians films) and a few other British stalwarts. Great fun.
Michael Winner, who many people here see as a right annoying old sod, also made Lawman with Burt Lancaster, one of my favourite westerns. By the way, I don't see him as that; I find him quite refreshing as he speaks his mind. Don't agree with a lot of what he says but he says what he thinks.
Japp is rather good, isn't he. Philip Jackson was the bad guy in last night's New Tricks rerun - so different from his Poirot part.
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I've also seen Rutherford in THE VIPS (the one about the people stranded by a blizzard at an airport), and THE MOUSE THAT ROARED (she plays the Queen, doesn't she?).
Anybody but me seen Tony Randall's AWFUL turn as Poirot? The whole thing looked like they desperately wanted Peter Sellers but couldn't afford him, so... And if the film was going to be SO insanely crazy (not quite CASINO ROYALE but heading that way), the least they could have done was sprung for color film.
Anybody but me seen Ian Holm as Poirot? It's not quite a "real" POIROT story, but it is interesting in a fantasy "what if" sort of way. (After seeing him as villains for decades, my favorite role of his was as Father Benito in THE FIFTH ELEMENT. He's such a well-meaning, if somewhat inept, character. I love how, after he SLUGS Bruce Willis, Willis wakes up, dig his ex-boss out of the freezer, and tells him, "I'll take the job." Definitely my favorite Bruce Willis movie.)
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5th Element was a cool movie. I think it was less than successful because it did not appeal to those who were not die hard sci fi fans. Pardon the pun
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(After seeing him as villains for decades, my favorite role of his was as Father Benito in THE FIFTH ELEMENT. He's such a well-meaning, if somewhat inept, character. I love how, after he SLUGS Bruce Willis, Willis wakes up, dig his ex-boss out of the freezer, and tells him, "I'll take the job." Definitely my favorite Bruce Willis movie.)
Here's one of the props from Fifth Element, prof, in the apartment of Jean-Claude Mazieres in Paris. Did you ever see the special feature with him and Moebius on the Director's Cut disc? Awesome!
http://www.bpib.com/paris/Karen@Jean-Claudes.jpg (http://www.bpib.com/paris/Karen@Jean-Claudes.jpg)
Peace, Jim (|:{>
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5th Element was a cool movie. I think it was less than successful because it did not appeal to those who were not die hard sci fi fans. Pardon the pun
FUNNY!
I recall sitting in the theatre, not knowing what the plot was or where it was gonna go... I'd seen so many overly-serious bordering on depressing sci-fi films by then... so when the scene switched to NYC, and the flying cab (straight out of HARRY CANYON or THE LONG TOMORROW), it was rather jarring. And the tone continued to get lighter as it went, despite the immmense seriousness of so much of the situation. Of course, when Ruby Rodd appears, it goes right off the deep end into comedy. I've seen it multiple times on TV since, and each time, it just kept getting better. I slowly came to feel it was one of the best-structured stories I had ever seen. Even if it hadn't been such a sumptuously-designed visual feast, the writing alone was just incredible.
My comics-shop guy said he thought it was played for laughs way too much. I feel sorry for people who feel that way...
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My comics-shop guy said he thought it was played for laughs way too much. I feel sorry for people who feel that way...
Me, too. I have always thought that the best part of life is the part played for laughs. Humor doesn't negate seriousness, just moderates it enough to make it palatable. I agree, prof. Good film.
Peace, Jim (|:{>
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"Would you mind if I-- gave it a try?"
"No, no, not at all. Go right ahead."
"Okay..."
"BLAM!!!!"
"Anyone else wanna NEGOTIATE?"
(the President:)
"Now I wonder where he learned to NEGOATIATE like that?"
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Probably from Indiana Jones.
(|;{>
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It's nuts, but I'm actually watching TWO different SHERLOCK HOLMES TV series at
the same time-- Ronald Howard AND Jeremy Brett. And so far, I'm enjoying Ronald
Howard more...
Today:
THE CASE OF THE PERFECT HUSBAND
What a surprise, to see a "known" actor guest-starring in this one. It was
Michael Gough-- the earliest and youngest I've ever seen him. And wouldn't you
know, his character is summed up by Holmes as, "the most INSANE murderer I've
ever encountered"!
Whatta guy...
Inspired me to look him up at the IMDB, and relive old times by reading reviews
of some of his films, including KONGA and TROG, both of which I actually saw on a big screen while down in Houston in '71! Apparently, back then, if you were making a movie in England and wanted an actor to play a really nasty S.O.B., you'd get Gough.
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Is that from "Mars Attacks"? I love that film.
"Would you mind if I-- gave it a try?"
"No, no, not at all. Go right ahead."
"Okay..."
"BLAM!!!!"
"Anyone else wanna NEGOTIATE?"
(the President:)
"Now I wonder where he learned to NEGOATIATE like that?"
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I saw Trog at a drive-in. I did not see Konga at the theater but did see King Kong Vs Godzilla I think it was a double feature with Tarzan's Three Challenges. Amazing the odd little things that come to you.
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Back in 1971 I spent 6 months in Houston, TX. There was this old place, the Venus Theatre, which ran triple-features on weekends for a BUCK! What a deal. Usually "themes"-- Elvis, westerns... I like the "horror" weekends.
I can't recall all the bills, but among the films I saw there (some of them as much as a decade old at the time) were KONGA, REPTILICUS, GODZILLA VS. THE THING (that actually was a triple-feature), CORRUPTION, THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD, TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA, TROG, and how's this for a quadruple-bill: THE OBLONG BOX, THE CRIMSON CULT, HORROR HOUSE and THE CONQUEROR WORM. I was astonished some time back to find out that what I saw was the "uncut" version of that, in England, they had about 4-8 minutes missing, and at least one UK critic still thought it was "utterly depraved".
I know one week they ran THE VAMPIRE LOVERS, DUNWICH HORROR and something else, but "VL" was "rated M" and my Mom wasn't able to take me that weekend.
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Just down the street from where my folks moved to in 1966 was a closed up theater called the Sombrero Playhouse. It had opened up sometime in the 1950s and put on live productions (I once saw an old playbill there for some show that they had done featuring Groucho Marx) but eventually folded. It was closed up when we moved into the area but in the 1970s it was reopened as a repertory house. They would run second run features, animation festivals ( I first saw Fleischer's Betty Boop and Superman 1930s & 40s cartoons there), classic double bills (A favorite of mine was the Errol Flynn DF of Adventures of Robin Hood and Captain Blood with the audience joining in for the chants of "Blood! Blood! Blood!"), silent films (saw some of my first Chaplin and Keaton features there) and, of course, vintage horror and sci-fi (I can well remember seeing It Came From Outer Space and Creature From the Black Lagoon in 3-D there). It was also one of the first theaters in the country to start running the Rocky Horror Picture Show at midnight on the weekends. IIRC, admission was all of $1.50. It was eventually done in by competition from video, cable and the rising value of prime business property locations and was torn down in the early 1980s. Almost all of our numerous drive-ins also vanished in the same time period.
BTW, Vampire Lovers was released with an "R" rating which is why you couldn't get in without a parent. The short lived "M" (for mature) was just a precursor to the equally short lived "GP" rating which was itself replaced by the current "PG" rating. None of which I've ever seen keep any kid out of a film.
A number of those later Hammer films tossed in enough nudity to get themselves an "R" rating in the states.
Best
Joe
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You're probably right about that rating. Most times as a kid, my parents would take me, but down in Texas, it got a bit odd, as I recall my Mom got a part-time job and apparently sometimes she'd be working on movie day. For the quadrupal feature, she got a friend of hers to take me, who wound up falling asleep for half the afternoon! Mom was a big horror fan, so for her to MISS Vincent Price, Boris Karloff and Christopher Lee, there had to be some good reason.)
In the late 70's-early 80's there was a tiny local theatre, the Woodcrest (just off one of the exits of I-295) which for awhile got into the habit of running old movies on very short, rotating basis. That is, the films would only play for 2-3 days, and you had to get their monthly calendar to know what was playing which days.
Among the films I saw there were PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM, and a double-feature of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE and GOLDFINGER. Not long after, they had a double-feature of THUNDERBALL and YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, but I missed that one due to some last-minute schedule conflict (grrrrrrrrrrr). I always wanted to see YOLT on a big screen, the visuals in that are incredible, even while the story makes LESS sense each time I see it.
Actually, I recall the 1st time I went to that theatre, it was to see a double-feature of THE DEVIL IN MISS JONES and DEEP THROAT. I'm pretty sure they weren't regularly running "X"-rated films at the time... but these were already considered "classics".
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Last night:
MURDER SHE SAID (1961)
This is the 3rd time I've seen this, and I was delighted to find myself enjoying it more than before. Also, this time, I finally was able to follow the plot all the way thru, and "got" the solution of the mystery. This has been happening more with me lately (although some of those NERO WOLFEs are still almost impenetrable).
The biggest kick i got was when most of the family under suspicion turned up, and among its members were both Ronald Howard (Sherlock Holmes) AND Thorley Walters (Dr. Watson). And this time, I even recognized the day-maid as Joan Hickson (Miss Marple).
Thorley Walters was clean-shaven and looked very young in here, and those eyes-- good grief, more than ever, I swear he was a dead ringer for a guy I used to work for once. Brilliant software writer, but dangerously unstable personality. (My nickname for him-- after I was FIRED-- became "Psycho-B******-from-Hell") Walters once played a character even closer to that ex-boss of mine, when he was the police inspector in FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED.
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My city also had a couple of run-down theaters showing cheap flicks at even cheaper prices. These were located in the unsavory section of town, but of course that didn't deter us a bit! The Ritz showed triple features, usually westerns or war movies with an occasional Jayne Mansfield or Mamie Van Doren for spice. The Cinema showed foreign films, featuring one "serious" film, such as something by Fellini, and then a comedy. This was where I was introduced to the Brit "Carry On" series and Belmondo's "Man From Rio" and "Man From Hong Kong", along with other French farces. What a great time to be a teen! Cheers, Bowers
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You would think the warm south would have more drive-ins than the colder north, but not so. Not many around where I live now in TN. The area I grew up in less than 50-80 miles East of Pittsburgh, PA is riddled with Drive-ins. A really nice thing about Drive-ins is the food is affordable not priced like sit down theaters. At one of the drive-ins they have a snack bar that could operate on its own. It is better than fast food and even some restraunts. In defense of sit down theaters is they receive little to none of the box office for the first two weeks of a movies run. Few movies make it past the first let alone second week now. They must make their money off food. No one forces anyone to pay the outrageous prices so why not get as much as you can. I NEVER buy sit down movie food.
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The Complete Metropolis, the original Fritz Lang silent epic, with about 25 minutes of restored footage. Pretty neat, I just bought it on Blu-Ray, and I should have bought it sooner. Makes me want to come up with a list of other great silent movies that are in need of a better release... I have to say, having the big screen with the Blu-Ray player in the basement has really fulfilled any desire that I ever had for a symbolic Man-Cave, it's kind of like having a private movie theater, at least once the wife, and the daughter go to sleep...
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I still remember when my best friend first told me about the new AMC movie chain. 8 square rooms (not shoebox-shaped), 4 on each side of a central snack counter. Wider chairs, wide armrests with cup-holders, more leg-room, lights on the aisle floor to see where you're going, and, HOT DOGS. None of which existed in any theatres I went to the whole time I was growing up in the 60's & 70's! THIS is called "competition"!
Multiplexes were obviously the wave of the future, as theatres could no longer survive on any single film, in the wake of first cable, then videotape. And it made so much sense to design a theatre from scratch, rather than the horrid mess that resulted from so much jury-rigging of formerly HUGE rooms, cut into 2, or 4 smaller ones. I do miss the huge screens, but in an AMC, or most other modern chains, because of the shape of the room vs. the size of the screen, the best place to sit is often in the BACK! Certainly no closer than the middle. (I guess the front row is for making out these days-- heh.)
Over the last 25 years, I've seen theatres expand the variety of food they sell. I don't recall those hot dogs being so exhorbitant when they started, but I suppose they were forced to as distributors screwed them over financially.
My Dad always used to say, don't eat the hot dogs here, wait until after the movie, then get them at the mall across the street. And generally, he was right. It might not stop me getting one or two if I was by myself, but if we went together, I'd usually hold off until after. And in winter months, wearing a heavy coat, I almost always sneak in a CAN of soda. Not only is it cheaper, but my favorite soda is Dr. Pepper, and I have NEVER found any movie theatre (or fast food resturant) who has decent Dr. Pepper. You can only seem to get it good at the supermarket!
On the down side was Loew's movie chain. They opened a mammoth place across the street from Cherry Hill Mall, about 22 or more rooms. Most of them were "stadium" seating, which made my Dad dizzy. But the big problem was, whoever was running the place, they'd pump LOUD music over the sound system all thru the building. You couldn't get away from it. Not in the lobby, the food area, the bathrooms, even outside the building when you were leaving to get back to your car. What the HELL do they have speakers OUTSIDE for? It was as bad as staying home, the way some of my so-called "neighbors" are. Those idiots just had the damn music up too loud! (Come to think of it, I've run across the same thing in the shopping malls sometimes. Music on the sound systems turned up so loud you can't even think. I would prefer quiet, gentle "elevator music" to that. Yes, I actually MISS "easy listening"-- the orchestral kind.)
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The teen clothing stores are deafening. Of course most of the teens are already half deaf from ear buds cranked up.
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I think it was about 15 years ago I noticed a new theatre chain around here, the RITZ. They specialized in "art" films, imports, and reissued restorations. I LOVE going to see restorations of old movies! Dad and me went to see GONE WITH THE WIND (which I hated, but I knew he loved, and I figured, if I was ever gonna sit thru this THING again, on a big screen is the way to do it-- I was right!). On another occasion, we went to Philly to see THE THIRD MAN. I'd only just seen it on PBS 6 months earlier. I figure, anytime I pay to see something I've already seen on TV, I must like it. Later, I went with a friend to see TOUCH OF EVIL, without even having a clue as to what it was about. Years before that, I went to Philly to see CITIZEN KANE. (Gee, that's no less than 3 films with Orson Welles!) One of the Philly places also ran MST 3000: THE MOVIE, which I went to with my best friend. The "movie" in question was THIS ISLAND EARTH. Apparently, the felt FORBIDDEN PLANET was "too good" to make fun of. Last time I remember going to the Philly place was for THX-1138. I did not like that movie at all when I'd seen it before-- and I went anyway! Yep, it was much better on a big screen, plus, of course, they'd added some new stuff.
The Ritz chain doesn't sell hot dogs or any other kind of hot food (that I recall), but they do have some very peculiar kinds of snacks and drinks I've never seen in anyother theatre chain. I guess it's nice to see a company wanting to have their own unique identity.
I just remembered, Dad and me also got to see the restorations of both REAR WINDOW and VERTIGO. Somehow, until then, I'd never seen them before! I know they were out of circulation for most of my life, but they had been put out again in the 80's, and I completely missed them then. Didn't see them until their 2nd reissue, after they'd been restored.
Strange but true: when I got to the end of VERTIGO, I suddenly realized what Brian DePalma was doing with BODY DOUBLE. Years later, it hit me that the unusual story structure was very similar to Ian Fleming's 1st novel, CASINO ROYALE. You think the story's over... so why does it just keep going and going and going? (Ohhhhh... THAT's why!) :D
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To heck with hot dogs-- if you're ever in Portland Oregon, check out the Laurelhurst Theater on Burnside. Great selection of micro-brews and excellent pizza. What a way to enjoy a $3 movie! Cheers, Bowers
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Philly's "TLA" (Theatre of the Living Arts) has been known to run movies, but mostly these days they run live rock & roll shows. I saw Nancy Wilson there (Ann's sister, from Heart) and it was brought to my attention that they sell pizza there. And as I recall, DAMN GOOD pizza!
I also saw Los Straitjackets there, the year they did their "Twist Party" tour with "Kaiser George", the lead singer of the Scottish band The Kaisers.
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Philly's "TLA" (Theatre of the Living Arts) has been known to run movies, but mostly these days they run live rock & roll shows. I saw Nancy Wilson there (Ann's sister, from Heart) and it was brought to my attention that they sell pizza there. And as I recall, DAMN GOOD pizza!
I also saw Los Straitjackets there, the year they did their "Twist Party" tour with "Kaiser George", the lead singer of the Scottish band The Kaisers.
I remember when the TLA was a full-time movie theater. They used to show different movies everyday and I can't even begin to count how many different movies I went to see there, everything from Citizen Kane to Das Boot.
I'm sure I saw some concerts there, but I can't for the life of me remember which ones. Was that the venue where Jane's Addiction played one song, walked off the stage, and caused a riot? If so, I was actually at that show.
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I used to go to "Upstairs At Nick's" a lot. The sound in the place was always terrible, the area near the stage unusually cramped, and then they put up a higher stage which forced them to remove the drop-ceiling, which I suspect made the sound even worse.
One night, and I have no idea which band it was, the opening act messed around on stage for almost a half-hour, apparently tuning up, but never quite getting it right. And then, they packed up and went home, I couldn't believe it!
But once in awhile, you'd get 3 great bands back-to-back. My impression was, this only happened when the bands themselves got involved in the booking process. You'd have 3 bands where the various members were all friends of each other, and all knew their stuff. But too often, you'd get an amateurish warm-up band, a great 2nd band, and then a headlining band who was just AWFUL-- nothing but noise, no actual music. (I know, it's personal taste, but still...)
Today: WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (1957)
I was planning to watch this tonight, but I couldn't fall back to sleep this morning, and wound up watching most of it (for the 6th time at least) before breakfast! My favorite Billy Wilder film, and my favorite Charles Laughton film.
As someone pointed out, Laughton's character is recovering from a near-fatal heart attack. Some months after finishing the film, Tyrone Power DIED from a heart attack. (Sheesh)
I like noting various character actors. This time around, I was surprised at how much screen time John Williams had (as "Brogan-Moore"). I'd seen him only a few DAYS earlier as one of the high council on the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA episode, "War of the Gods" (his final acting job, it turns out).
Of course, I've seen Torin Thatcher in a lot of things. I always remember him as "The Space Trader" on LOST IN SPACE, but have probably seen his STAR TREK more times than anything ("Return of the Archons"). Someone suggested his role in JACK THE GIANT KILLER may have been the inspiration for "Baron Mordo" in Steve Ditko's DR. STRANGE!
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Let me off if I've mentioned this before, please, but just 6 miles down the road from us is The Hippodrome, Scotland's oldest, purpose built cinema. Recently refurbished and run by the local council, it's a small round hall with a wee balcony and comfy seats. There's a silent film festival coming up but they also show new big filmsand a bit of amateur and experimental stuff.
Last night, we watched an episode of Shadow Squad, a British tv prog. from the late 50's. I bought the dvd this week and it contains the only 4 remaining parts of the show plus one episode of Skyport, a spin-off. I remember seeing the odd bit of S.S. when I was young and have always wanted to find it again. It went out live and now you can see the joins but it's great fun. The rest tonight? Hopefully.
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I'm trying to picture a "round" movie threatre.
We used to have the Valley Forge Music Fair. Round room, with a slowly rotating stage. I went there a number of times, to see The Limeliters, a 4-part "jazz festival" consisting of Dizzie Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Count Basie & Ella Fitzgerald, a "Big Broadcast" show replicating a live 1940's radio broadcast, Harry Blackstone Jr. (not a good idea, they could only sell half the seats, and if you were too far to the side, could see things onstage you weren't supposed to), and, TWICE, The Monkees!
Tragically, shortly after the last time I went, it was torn down to make room for a shopping center. Like we really NEED more of those!
I read that some (not all) of THE AVENGERS 1st season were actually broadcast live. The rest were, like DARK SHADOWS, recorded "live-on-tape" a few days before, with pretty much no editing. Blows my mind to think-- HOW do you do an 'adventure" show on TV, LIVE?? I understand a few of the 1st season have survived, but I've only seen back to the 2nd (with Dr. King, Venus Smith, and Cathy Gale).
After a several-year delay (for no particular reason), I'm finally finishing off re-watching THE NEW AVENGERS (I love Purdey & Gambit). When I'm done, I may start at the beginning again. I've actually been thinking it might be fun to watch THE AVENGERS, SECRET AGENT, and THE SAINT all together in rotation for once! Unfortunately, I've only got 5 of the half-hour episodes of DANGERMAN... all that were available when I was putting the collection together. I understand the entire run is on DVD now... ehhhhhh, one of these years!
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Why would you want a live audience for and adventure. It is the audience laughter that makes them valuable in comedy. Much better than laugh tracks IMHO. I soon grew tired of the Monkees TV show but not their music. I still love Partridge Family music
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I still LOVE the first 4 Partridge Family albums, especially the 3rd (SOUND MAGAZINE) which has a more "grown up" feel than the others. (The 4th is the Christmas album, of course.) Not sure I'd care for the show now.
THE MONKEES, on the other hand, is to date the only TV series I ever BOUGHT the entire run of-- on videotape! I got the Rhino "box set". The main "problem" is, each tape has 3 episodes on it, and each set of 3 is in numerical order... but they're not consecutive. I believe this happened because they started out producing "best of" tapes, then, after-the-fact, decided, "Oh, let's do the entire series!" So you need the enclosed book, and tape guide, to be able to watch it in order-- switching between tapes BETWEEN EVERY EPISODE!!! Crazy.
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Tonight:
MASTER OF THE WORLD
The last 2 weeks, I keep thinking a Vincent Price movie would be good for a weekend, but I've been running out of them. But I got this a few years ago off TCM, and it was sitting in the "Jules Verne" stack.
Not a great film, but a fun one. American International trying to veer into Walt Disney territory (think "20,000 LEAGUES"), but on a miniscule budget.
I completey forgot Henry Hull (JESSE JAMES, THE RETURN OF FRANK JAMES, "If there's ever gonna be any law and order in these here parts, the FIRST thing we gotta do, is take out ALL the lawyers, and SHOOT 'em down like DOGS!") was in this, as the weapons manufacturer. As "Robur" said, "the crowning irony"-- as HIS mission is to END all wars.
The hero of the film, oddly enough, is Charles Bronson. The girl falls for him, her fiance tries to KILL him, Robur's men shoot him TWICE... the poor guy goes thru ("G"-rated) hell!
As usual, Daniel Haller (production designer) and Les Baxter (music composer) raise anything they work on to a higher level. Can't help though but wonder what Roger Corman might have done with this.
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Great double-feature today...
EXCALIBUR
...and...
MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL
It's astounding how many visuals in the John Boorman film are almost identical
to those in the earlier parody. My late best friend once said HOLY GRAIL
"ruined" EXCALIBUR for him, as it made it impossible for him to watch it without
cracking jokes. I didn't have that problem. However, I did think it would be
fun to watch the comedy later the same day, as I'd never done that before.
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I, too, just finished watching "Master of the World". Yes, American International was the king of extremely low-budget (but fun) films. One of my very favorite classic films was the 1939 Korda brothers "The Four Feathers" The Kordas filmed hours of breathtaking color scenery and magnificent battle sequences. To help recoup their investment, some footage was sold or rented to other film companies and were used in several films of the '40s and '50s. The footage from the Battle of Omdurman was used for the Egyptian scenes in "Master of the World", in some cases with the negatives reversed to give the same footage a different look! Unfortunately when they superimposed the "Albatross" over these scenes, the result was really quite less than successful. Oh well, we never really did expect very much from A.I. films, but we did keep watching them. Cheers, Bowers
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As a kid, I never even thought about "stock footage", the way some people complain abouts its use on Irwin Allen's THE TIME TUNNEL. I'd never seen the films being reused, so it was all new to me.
What I found interesting was finding out that the whole "declaring war on war" angle was apparently NOT in either of the 2 novels, but was added by the film-makers, clearly to tie the theme of the story in with Captain Nemo in 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA (the film which clearly kicked off an entire cycle of "Jules Verne" and Verne-type films). I get the impression I'm one of the few who's actually read those books, but it's been decades-- at least since 1970.
The Verne books I've read are: (in the late 60's-early 70's)
ROBUR THE CONQUEROR
MASTER OF THE WORLD
FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON
AROUND THE MOON (hads to get this from my school library)
THE PURCHASE OF THE NORTH POLE
...and many years later (mid-80's)...
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH
THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND
I was quite surprised to find Captain Nemo remained an enigma in 20,000 LEAGUES. His "origin" is not revealed until MYSTERIOUS ISLAND. 20 years after I read them, I discovered Verne had revealed Nemo's origin in the 1st book. He was a Polish Prince whose family was murdered by the Czars. As France was allies with Russia at the time, his publisher CUT that out of the book! So in the sequel, he wrote an alternate origin, in which he was an Indian prince who lost a rebellion against the British. France didn't like the Brits, so that was "okay". This flipped me out, as the original, unpublished origin wound up virtually intact in the 1929 film THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, which, as someone said, was not meant to be a literal adaptation but rather more an amalganation of "the world of Jules Verne". Further, if you ignored the very ending of that movie, it actually serves as a PREQUEL to the later Disney film, as the "origin" they added seems to relate directly to the 1929 film. Either, in typical Hollywood fashion, they loked at earlier films rather than the book they were supposed to be adapting, or, they also knew about the unpublished part of the novel.
Meanwhile, Herbert Lom in the Harryhausen sequel does look Indian, not British. While never specifically stated, the villains of the Disney film (the ones who murdered Nemo's family and wind up killing him at the end) are clearly British troops. However, it turns out the whole "message in a bottle" and assault on the volcano island fortress, came from an entirely unrelated book, AGAINST ALL FLAGS. Hollywood does love to "mix and match"m, don't they? In retrospect, I do think the Disney film works better damatically than the novel.
Imagine my surprise to find FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON ended on a cliffhanger. Structurally, the book and its sequel are very similar to the 2 "MOON" books Herge did with Tintin-- DESTINATION MOON (whose spaceship is IDENTICAL to the one in the George Pal movie) and EXPLORERS ON THE MOON, except Tintin & co. did reach the moon while the characters in the Verne book-- lucky for them-- didn't.
They lived to appear in the 3rd book, THE PURCHASE OF THE NORTH POLE. All 3 books are rather humorous, but especially the 3rd one, which I found out-and-out hilarious. An actor like Henry Hull would have been very much at home if anyone had ever done a movie based on that story.
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I think you might be giving American International a little too much credit when you suggest they were trying to tie in the "war-on-war" theme to the Capt. Nemo mythos. I rather think they were just cranking out a very cheap anti-war exploitation film to cash in on the political feelings of the time. A.I.'s formula seemed to be- obtain a property for little or no royalties, hire only one or two recognizable actors, use every cost-cutting device you can find (stock footage, minimal special effects, stock musical score, etc.), shoot a lot of scenes, and then try to cobble together a coherent film. If it made a profit, do a sequel! Or two! I very seriously doubt if following the original story was ever a concern for these guys. My God, look what they did to Poe's work! A.I. knew it's place and never aspired to greatness. Instead, they created movies people paid to see and enjoy, no matter how bad they really were. By doing this so well, they became a cherished part of our cultural heritage. Cheers, Bowers
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"Thank you, so much."
Last night, after MONTHS of not being able to find them, I unearthed my CHARLIE CHAN collection. Today, I started with the earliest one, which I suspect I haven't seen in at least 15 years...
CHARLIE CHAN IN LONDON (1934)
As you might expect by the date, the style of this is very "stagey" and in spots actually reminds me of DRACULA (1931). Very quiet, very serious, very dignified murder mystery. A man convicted of a brutal killing 3 months earlier is sentenced to hang in 3 days' time, when his sister finds out Chan is in town and asks his help. Before you know it, one of the house guests he questions, who seemed nervous, winds up DEAD, and he realizes the real murderer is on the premises!
Featured in the cast are E.E.Clive (the burgomeister from BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN and a Scotland Yard inspector in THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES), Alan Mowbray (Watson's alleged army pal in TERROR BY NIGHT) and a very young and handsome Ray Milland (BULLDOG DRUMMOND ESCAPES, THE UNINVITED, THE PREMATURE BURIAL).
As expected, the 1930's Honolulu "answer" to Lt. COLUMBO manages to find the real killer before the end of the picture.
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I think you might be giving American International a little too much credit when you suggest they were trying to tie in the "war-on-war" theme to the Capt. Nemo mythos.
Oh, that was somebody else's idea at the IMDB. Until yesterday, I had no idea "war on war" WASN'T part of the books (and I READ the books!). A lot of reviewers seemed to just dismiss the film as a "20,000 LEAGUES" knock-off. That seems to be where the "war on war" thing came from (unless someone else's memory was way off). Jules Verne did a lot of 'variations on a theme", though, as with the comparitively obscure AGAINST ALL FLAGS, in which a genuine pirate is using a submarine. Apart from the last half-hour of the Disney film, I don't know of anyone else who's ever done an adaptation of that one.
I love Corman's POE films (not so much the later ones after him). In the last several years, they've become like an annual tradition for me, watching all 8 in sequence as a set. Not that long ago I read an entire collection of Poe stories, including several that served as the inspiration for some of those films. I think what Richard Matheson and the other writers did was astonishing!
Take something that, on the surface, seems an obvoous choice for adapting into a film-- and a film that you'd think was close to its source-- HOUSE OF USHER. In the original story, Roderick invites his best friend to stay, in order to help him dig himself out of a depression. While he's there, the friend learns of Roderick's ailing sister, who halfway thru the story dies. In the film, the lead had never met Roderick, but had gotten engaged to Madelain while they were at school. On arriving, Roderick does everything he can to drive the man away, and as the story slowly unfolds, his madness becomes more and more obvious, and his predictions self-fulfillng. He claims she's going to die and that's it, but then he MAKES SURE IT HAPPENS! The emotional involvement is increased so dynamically from the original story, it's amazing to behold.
And that's not even my favorite!
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Taped several Chan movies off AMC before they changed their format. The last time they showed the series they felt they had to include an Asian-American panel discussing how Hollywood should never have cast Oland or Toler as Chan. P.C. strikes again! Most of the Chan episodes were short, fast-paced and pretty well written. I'll probably have to look into replacing the tapes with DVDs one of these days. Cheers, Bowers
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Philly's Channel 17 used to run the CHANs Saturday nights at 11 PM, just as they had the Rathbone HOLMES films earlier. Ah, the 70's.
I taped a number of them off 17, I think, in the 80's. Mostly bad prints at the slow speed.
However, I later got some of them off AMC in the 90's. What frustrated me was, with "series" films, they NEVER made a point of giving them a regular time slot, or running them in sequence!
By comparison, TCM does like running series films in sequence... BUT, usually, they do it as "marathons". Who has ALL DAY or ALL NIGHT to tie up putting tapes in?
The last one I got ahold of-- I forget the title-- turned out to be the one that introduced "Birmingham Brown" (Mantan Moreland). He was one of many suspects, but returned as Chan's regular chauffer.
My copy of ...IN LONDON was off Channel 17. Strangely enough, they were NOT runinng them in sequnce at the time, which I can tell by which films are all together on that one tape. I had 5 movies on one tape-- but the other 4 I managed to replace with AMC versions.
It's sad that anyone should be objecting to non-Asian actors playing Asian roles. (I liked where one person said nobody seems bothered when Charles Bronson playes Mexicans-- since he's Lithuanian.) At least they're not complaining about Chan being a negative racial stereotype. I always see him as a GOOD representation of Asians, considering he's always the SMARTEST character in the films, he relentlessly honest, and he's a poster child for "family values".
As far as I know, the only time Chan was played by an Asian actor was in the 70's cartoon show (which focused on his GRAND-children). Chan was voiced by none other than Keye Luke-- who'd been Lee Chan (#1 son) in the 30's!
I've often thought it might have been fun if at some point someone had done a movie where Charlie Chan crossed paths with Fu Manchu...!
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I have the DVD's of the Fu Manchu series and they were actually pretty good
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Narf, was this the movie series or the TV series? Cheers, Bowers
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tv series
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Last year I decided to watch my FU MANCHU movies again... in REVERSE order! This way, EACH film is less bad than the one before it.
The really sad thing is, when I started the marathon with THE FIENDISH PLOT OF FU MANCHU, you watch the first couple minutes, and it doesn't seem that bad. And it's obvious, it actually has a BUDGET! But... oh my God... with every passing minute, it gets worse and worse and WORSE. I mean, I've seen a lot of "bad" movies in my time. Some are actually fun to watch. This ISN'T one of them. It genuinely blows my mind that anyone could possible have written something THAT bad. And, filmed it.
You know, if Harry Alan Towers had that kind of budget, HIS Fu films might have really been something!
Well, it takes a special case to make CASTLE OF FU MANCHU look good-- BY COMPARISON. And possibly only CASTLE could make BLOOD OF FU MANCHU look like a terrific film-- BY COMPARISON!!
By the time you get to VENGEANCE OF FU MANCHU (with the fabulous Douglas Wilmer), you're actually up to a "TV" budget look and feel. Shame the film is so downbeat and draggy.
That said, BRIDES OF FU MANCHU is my favorite of the 5 Chris Lee flicks. It was a noticeable step down in budget from the 1st one, but it makes up for it by being a lot more FUN! (If you call dropping an inocent woman into a snake pit and slamming the lid "fun"...) Fu is diaboliocal. Lin Tang (Tsai Chin) is just an incredibly EVIL B****!!! And Douglas Wilmer-- fresh from the SHERLOCK HOLMES tv series, well, he's just my favorite Nayland Smith. By the way, does anyone here know WHY he didn't do the 2nd season of the SH series? When he dropped out, they tried to replace him with John Neville (from A STUDY IN TERROR), but he either turned them down or was unavailable, and so they wound up weith their 3rd choice-- Peter Cushing!!! (Outrageous, but true.)
Legend has it Harry Alan Towers sunk more money into THE FACE OF FU MANCHU than any other film in his entire career... and when the box-office wasn't as good as he hoped, decided to do the usual hack producer thing and put LESS money into each successive sequel. (Gee, just like PLANET OF THE APES.) It's a nice film... it's just a LITTLE on the dull side. And the climax doesn't build up as much as simply arrives.
Of course, the grand finale of this for me was THE MASK OF FU MANCHU. It took me ages to finally see this thing, after reading about it so much in Forry Ackerman's FM. And it keeps getting better each time I see it! Boris Karloff is so polite, so cultured, so TOTALLY RUTHLESS. And his "ugly" daughter Fah Lo See (Myrna Loy) is so enthusiastically twisted & kinky. And what about those DEATH-TRAPS!! I love the blatent racism in this film, EVERYBODY comes off badly. I just wish the "offensive" stuff (which was removed, I hear, in the 70's-- then put back later, from an inferior source) were as "remastered" and pristine as the rest of the film. Every time someone goes off the deep end, the picture & sound quality drops for a moment. It's like the STAR TREK pilot when it was reconstructed-- all the previously-missing bits have BAD sound.
My favorite bit has to be...
"Would you like women such as this for your wives? Then KILL the white man-- and TAKE his women!!"
Modern movies have nudity, sex, violence & profanity up the wazoo-- but NOBODY wants to touch material like THIS!
MGM apparently went out of their way, before the Production Code came in, to make the most offensive film possible. And good for them for doing it. My understanding is both Fu and Nayland Smith are MUCH worse in the film than they are in the novel, where at least they have a grudging mutual respect for each other. This comes across clearly in the WALLY WOOD comic-book adaptation, which I believe was based on the novel, not the movie. The strange bit about the comic is, it takes place not in Mongolia, but the Middle East! Which makes it more "current" than when it came out. Anyone know how it was in the novel?
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It's sad that anyone should be objecting to non-Asian actors playing Asian roles. (I liked where one person said nobody seems bothered when Charles Bronson playes Mexicans-- since he's Lithuanian.) At least they're not complaining about Chan being a negative racial stereotype. I always see him as a GOOD representation of Asians, considering he's always the SMARTEST character in the films, he relentlessly honest, and he's a poster child for "family values".
I remember when some of this hubbub was going on and there actually were some people complaining that Chan was a negative stereotype. However when anyone from the press actually interviewed any of them in any depth it became clear that none of these folks had ever even watched a Charlie Chan movie! Sheesh!
As far as I know, the only time Chan was played by an Asian actor was in the 70's cartoon show (which focused on his GRAND-children). Chan was voiced by none other than Keye Luke-- who'd been Lee Chan (#1 son) in the 30's!
Actually Chan was played by Asians in the first three filmings of Biggers' books.
George Kuwa (Japanese) played Chan in House Without a Key (1926).
Kamiyama Sojin (Japanese) played Chan in The Chinese Parrot (1927).
E. L. Park (Korean) played Chan in Behind That Curtain (1929).
As far as I know the first two films are lost. I have seen the last one. It's an early talkie and very creaky. Most notable nowadays for an early appearance by Boris Karloff.
Four of Oland's early Chan films are lost too. Of his early films only The Black Camel (1931) survives. Some years back a print did turn up of the Spanish language version of Charlie Chan Carries On (1931) where Chan was played by Manuel Arbo. It was filmed on the same sets as Oland's English language version.
IIRC, there are also some 1930s & 1940s Chinese made Chan films where Chan is actually played by Chinese actors. I only vaguely remember reading about these films though.
I've often thought it might have been fun if at some point someone had done a movie where Charlie Chan crossed paths with Fu Manchu...!
Well, on a side (but related) note, Warner Oland did play both Fu Manchu (for Paramount from 1929-1931) and Charlie Chan (for Fox from 1931-1937). The two series briefly overlapped for him. I always thought it would have been neat if he had played both characters in a film.
Best
Joe
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Republic's 1940 serial Drums of Fu Manchu is a lot of fun. Among Republic's best! It was our weekly serial at my Movie Nights a few years back. Everyone enjoyed it.
I also just remembered a neat Warner Oland appearance as Fu Manchu. It's in the early 1930s hodge podge Paramount on Parade which has a skit in which Oland (as Fu) meets Sherlock Holmes and Philo Vance!
Best
Joe
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My first exposure to Fu was a really nice looking hardback of the BRIDES novel. I got it because it was old and in good condition. Unfortunatly not worth a lot because it did not have the dust jacket. But I enjoyed having and I read it. I liked it. I got some of the paperbacks and enjoyed reading them also. Not sure which ones I have but I may know where they are. I think I may have MASK I will have to look.
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josemas wrote:
"George Kuwa (Japanese) played Chan in House Without a Key (1926).
Kamiyama Sojin (Japanese) played Chan in The Chinese Parrot (1927).
E. L. Park (Korean) played Chan in Behind That Curtain (1929)."
Now how did I forget this? I typed up a list of these DECADES ago.
Would it be accurate to say Keye Luke was the first Chinese actor to play Chan? The cartoon series was a sort-of follow-up to the earlier Tv movie with Ross Martin, as both featured the grand-kids. Not sure it was ever shown on the networks, it's possible the cartoon was actually aired first!
"Four of Oland's early Chan films are lost too. Of his early films only The Black Camel (1931) survives. Some years back a print did turn up of the Spanish language version of Charlie Chan Carries On (1931) where Chan was played by Manuel Arbo. It was filmed on the same sets as Oland's English language version."
Been reading about that the last 2 days. It seems both ...IN LONDON and ...IN PARIS were lost at one point. I know LONDON turned up by the 80's, since that's when I taped it off the local station, when they ran it with all the others. Not sure about PARIS, it does seem to me they had a tendency to skip straight from LONDON to EGYPT, so PARIS may have only turned up later.
I found out there were quite a few instances where they filmed 2 versions of early sound films, for different markets, as they hadn't quite hit on the idea of DUBBING them into a different language. I've seen the Spanish DRACULA. Parts of it are better than the Lugosi version! A lot of Italian (and Hong Kong) films are shot silent, and EVERYTHING is dubbed. Often they have actors speaking several different languages while shooting, but it doesn't matter, since there's no sound.
Just watched ...IN EGYPT, also taped off the local station. VERY bad print, scratches thru a lot of scenes, and the opening credits looked like they'd been tacked off after-the-fact. Very odd. If I'm to judget by the order of films on these tapes, at the time I got these, Channel 17 appears to have been running them almost AT RANDOM. Sad, incompetence like that, when it's so easy to do it right with just a little bit of research.
Chan is never a "stereotype"... but sadly, "Snowshows" (Stepin Fetchit) IS... and most annoying.
Kinda cool when at the end, Charlie pulls a gun on the murderer-- and his whole demeanor, voice, accent changes just for a moment.
"IIRC, there are also some 1930s & 1940s Chinese made Chan films where Chan is actually played by Chinese actors. I only vaguely remember reading about these films though."
Interesting. There are no doubt tons of foreign films of some series that we never get to see here in America. I recently saw posters for some foreign BATMAN films that were probably not legally licenced from DC.
"Well, on a side (but related) note, Warner Oland did play both Fu Manchu (for Paramount from 1929-1931) and Charlie Chan (for Fox from 1931-1937). The two series briefly overlapped for him. I always thought it would have been neat if he had played both characters in a film."
Still never seen those films. Nuts! Personally, I'd have rather seen Oland's Chan facing down Karloff's Fu Manchu.
Or how about Cushing's Sherlock Holmes against Lee's Fu Manchu?
"I also just remembered a neat Warner Oland appearance as Fu Manchu. It's in the early 1930s hodge podge Paramount on Parade which has a skit in which Oland (as Fu) meets Sherlock Holmes and Philo Vance!"
Haven't seen that... but I have seen CRAZY HOUSE, which features a cameo by Rathbone & Bruce as Holmes & Watson. One line is, "I'm Sherlock Holmes. I know EVERYTHING!"
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There were a few Hong Kong movies from the 1990s that are sometimes credited as featuring Charlie Chan as a character, but I'm not so sure if they are really the same Charlie Chan character that we are thinking of, because I've seen one of them called Madam City Hunter, and the character named Charlie Chan has nothing to do with the Earl D. Biggers character even though it is included on the list of movies featuring that character on IMDB.
There are several Filipino movies featuring Batman, a Hindi language Indian movie about Superman (they actually recycled footage from the first Christopher Reeve movie for most of the special effects shots), a Turkish film featuring an evil Spider-Man, in that movie the heroes are Captain America, and the Mexican wrestler Santo. There was also a Japanese Spider-Man TV series and a Hong Kong version of the Green Hornet where the hero bore more of a resemblance to Kato than the Hornet.
Plus there is the infamous Turkish version of Star Wars...
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"There are several Filipino movies featuring Batman, a Hindi language Indian movie about Superman (they actually recycled footage from the first Christopher Reeve movie for most of the special effects shots), a Turkish film featuring an evil Spider-Man, in that movie the heroes are Captain America, and the Mexican wrestler Santo. There was also a Japanese Spider-Man TV series and a Hong Kong version of the Green Hornet where the hero bore more of a resemblance to Kato than the Hornet.
Plus there is the infamous Turkish version of Star Wars..." Menticide
Here we are again, on about those really awful but great fun foreign versions of characters we know in different forms. I'm intrigued by the Hindi Superman and will try to find some trailers. Also the Filipino Bats. I've previously mentioned the Turkish ones and I do enjoy them. So many superheroes - so many rip-offs. The best are the Kilink (Killing) films, where a version of the Italian/French villain rampages around with the most bazarre supporting characters and bad taste plots. The Italian films of Kriminal, while entertaining, are nowhere near as outrageous as these. Kriminal was a comic while Killing was a photo comic, if you see what I mean.
There's also the Mexican Batgirl, which I bought at a Glasgow Con. some years ago. And, although I don't have it, there are a series of Turkish Tarzan films. But more than the rest, I'd love to see the H.K. Green Hornet movie.
You can find Superargo, Neutron, Blue Demon and other superhero movies somewhere on line and I'm embarrassed to say that I can't remember where I downloaded them from.
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If you find them again let me know.
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"I'd love to see the H.K. Green Hornet movie."
I'm reminded of the day I went to a center-city Philly theatre that had seen better days for a weekend triple-feature.
HONG KONG SUPERMAN -- a H.K. "chop-socky" flick of predictably low budget & quality, but still lots of fun, somehow. Nothing whatsoever to do with "Superman", mind you.
BLACK SAMURAI -- Jim Kelly stars in a film based on a series of novels from the period. Better than the H.K. stuff, but nowhere near the heights of ENTER THE DRAGON. Still we get to see him drive one of the COOLEST-looking cars I've ever seen (slicker-looking than anything James Bond ever drove!!), and at one point, he gets to use a Bell Rocket Belt (as seen in THUNDERBALL and LOST IN SPACE!).
KATO'S REVENGE -- yes, the highlight of the afternoon, the "main feature", was a film consisting of 3 episodes of THE GREEN HORNET spliced together. WOW. I hadn't seen the show since it was first-run, and this was about 13 years later, so it was quite a charge. I agree with the attititude that the tv show was one of the most "authentic" translations from one medium to another ever done (radio to TV), especially as I've heard a number of the radio episodes. Van Williams is the epitomy of cool, and Bruce Lee-- WOW. What an ACTOR! He has so little screen time, yet he RADIATES presence in every frame of film he appears in. His Kato is not a sidekick-- it's clear they're partners. And the fight scenes-- WOW! The one that stuck in my head was when they broke into a room and took out several thugs in only a few seconds. With the baddies lying on the floor, Green Hornet pulls down the brim of his hat, and in very determined fashion, walks straight out of the room. Kato, right behind him, looks over his shoulder, and his swaggering body language speaks volumes. Without words, he's clearly saying, "Kicked YOUR asses, didn't we??" Whatta guy! With all that natural charisma, it is criminal that he was so ignored by Hollywood.
One of these days I gotta see the 2 GREEN HORNET serials from the 40's. I undertand Keye Luke played Kato!
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Here's a fight scene from the Hong Kong version of the Green Hornet:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfYSNAY4gYg&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfYSNAY4gYg&feature=related)
Captain America and Santo vs. Spider-Man:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApADy30CK6g&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApADy30CK6g&feature=related)
Another Turkish wonder, or should I say a super wonder:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9oI7Fd3Uec (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9oI7Fd3Uec)
A similar oddity from India:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_4C7TDyVfs&feature=fvst (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_4C7TDyVfs&feature=fvst)
How about something completely different from Japan? Actually, this is something that I wish I had a DVD of:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcxioU7AMM4&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcxioU7AMM4&feature=related)
The interesting thing about that one is that it actually is an official release, fully licensed, and endorsed by Marvel Comics.
That's enough for now, but trust me, I will return with even more torture...
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But more than the rest, I'd love to see the H.K. Green Hornet movie.
I used to have a copy of it, but it's one of many movies that I left behind when I moved. Man, do I miss being able to hit Chinatown everyday. If profh0011 still lives near Philly, I can tell him exactly where to rent a copy of it...
Well, that's if the store that I am thinking of didn't decide to dump all of their VHS tapes...
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BLACK SAMURAI -- Jim Kelly stars in a film based on a series of novels from the period. Better than the H.K. stuff, but nowhere near the heights of ENTER THE DRAGON. Still we get to see him drive one of the COOLEST-looking cars I've ever seen (slicker-looking than anything James Bond ever drove!!), and at one point, he gets to use a Bell Rocket Belt (as seen in THUNDERBALL and LOST IN SPACE!).
The Lil Missus and I have been watching some episodes of the 1970s Saturday morning CBS-Filmation live action sci-fi show Ark II and they use the Bell Rocket Belt in just about every episode we have watched so far.
Bruce Lee-- WOW. What an ACTOR! He has so little screen time, yet he RADIATES presence in every frame of film he appears in. His Kato is not a sidekick-- it's clear they're partners. And the fight scenes-- WOW! The one that stuck in my head was when they broke into a room and took out several thugs in only a few seconds. With the baddies lying on the floor, Green Hornet pulls down the brim of his hat, and in very determined fashion, walks straight out of the room. Kato, right behind him, looks over his shoulder, and his swaggering body language speaks volumes. Without words, he's clearly saying, "Kicked YOUR asses, didn't we??" Whatta guy! With all that natural charisma, it is criminal that he was so ignored by Hollywood.
I've read interviews with Bruce Lee where he repeatedly comments on the fact they they were always telling him to "slow down" his moves so that the camera could see what he was doing in the fight sequences on The Green Hornet. The guy was so fast it was unbelievable.
One of these days I gotta see the 2 GREEN HORNET serials from the 40's. I undertand Keye Luke played Kato!
You're correct Keye Luke did play Kato in the serials. Luke was one of the busiest Asian actors in Hollywood working steadily from the mid 1930s right up until shortly before his death in 1991 (when he was well into his 80s).
Best
Joe
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5 for 5... I feel like I'm reliving the spirit of Channel 17 when they used to run 5 series movies in a week. So far it's...
CHARLIE CHAN IN LONDON
CHARLIE CHAN IN PARIS
CHARLIE CHAN IN EGYPT
CHARLIE CHAN IN SHANGHAI
CHARLIE CHAN'S SECRET
...PARIS and ...SECRET were both nice prints, uncut, no doubt off AMC (back when it was a "real" movie channel, heh). The other 3 were from Channel 17, probably in the early 80's. Somehow, my copy of ...SHANGHAI appears to be missing maybe the first 10 MINUTES! Not sure how that happened.
For ...SECRET, the comic relief was the English butler. One of my favorite character actors, Jonathan Hale, was in this one. He's got such a terrific voice and such expressive eyes. I think whatever I see him in, I'll always think of him as Inspector Fernack, the put-upon NYC detective in the RKO SAINT films. My fave bits with him were when Templar (Louis Hayward) tries to smooth-talk him into being on his side, and later, when George Sanders keeps finding Fernack standing over YET ANOTHER fresh corpse, and can't help jokingly accuse the COP of being the murderer (even thought he clearly KNOWS the guy didn't do it). "Oh, Henry..." "Now see HERE! I didn't do THIS!" "Holy cow, Saint, this guy's a mad-dog killer!" (see THE SAINT TAKES OVER)
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The love for these old movies is dying with each successive generation. My 29 year old son is unlikely to watch a black and white movie. Fewer and fewer of my students even know who the three stooges are let alone the little rascals. Maybe in their 50's they will be able to enjoy the oldies. I do not think so though because their will be no notalgia involved that adds to our pleasure.
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I suppose that's true for a lot of people, but I've always been an oddball. Most of the really old movies I enjoy I never saw until decades after they were made, and in many cases, not until I was already in my 30's or 40's. I recall the feeling that James Stewart, for example, is an actor who probably appeals to a more "mature" audience. I never liked him until I started getting older. Then there's Ronald Colman, who I never saw at all until the last 10 years. And then of course there's George Sanders. I first saw him back in 1966 (you can guess where!!), but despite getting hooked on watching and re-watching those SAINT films, he really didn't become a favorite of mine until the last 15 years or so.
Lately I find my increased knowledge and familiarity with a lot of actors allows me to enjoy and appreciate a lot of old movies EVEN more. A good example was AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. 25 years ago (I think), my Dad told me it had an all-star cast. The only actors I knew in it were Louis Hayward & Barry Fitzgerald (oddly enough, BOTH for SAINT movies!). But by 15 years later, I knew almost every actor in the thing.
Which brings me to tonight's film... TEN LITTLE INDIANS. Harry Alan Towers (producer) hired George Pollock (fresh from 4 consecutive MISS MARPLE films) to direct this remake, again, with an all-star cast, only this time 1965-style. It's not bad, though the blaring jazz music makes me wanna throw something at the composer in spots. And some of the acting is excessively over-the-top. But the most outrageous thing may be the climax, where they apparently borrow a page from William Castle by having "FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MOTION PICTURE HISTORY", a "WHODUNIT BREAK"!!
"Do not be surprised by the next thing you see!" "BLAM!!!"
I suppose one of my favorite bits was Shirley Eaton-- my favorite of all the Connery Bond girls-- having such a big part in a movie.
Actually, there's 2 "Bond girls" in this, but I'm not sure the other one really counts-- since Daliah Lavi was in CASINO ROYALE.
Stanley Holloway, who I now associate with MY FAIR LADY, is also in most of the film. His version of "Blore" seems a bit less dim than the one in the '45 version.
I kept thinking how much Hugh O'Brien resembled Jim Steranko's Nick Fury, except I know that's supposed to be Burt Lancaster (whole different personality). Then again, he gets into a knock-down drag-out fight with one of the other characters that goes on for two minutes, apparently because someone thought the audience needed a "wake up". O'Brien is a lot more "macho" and "earthy" than Louis Hayward was, but I guess that goes for the female love interest as well. (Put another way, they DIDN'T actually have sex in the '45 film.)
Apparently, there's a LOT more versions of this than I've seen. Harry Alan Towers alone produced 3 of them! Anybody seen any of the others?
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The love for these old movies is dying with each successive generation. My 29 year old son is unlikely to watch a black and white movie. Fewer and fewer of my students even know who the three stooges are let alone the little rascals. Maybe in their 50's they will be able to enjoy the oldies. I do not think so though because their will be no notalgia involved that adds to our pleasure.
Unless you are in your late forties (or older) you're unlikely to have been exposed to much in the way of black and white films or television (in the U.S. anyway).
That said, I've run into plenty of younger folks who aren't much interested in watching anything older than say 1980 or 1985.
Remember some years back when Ted Turner started "colorizing" old black and white movies. He, and others, felt that the main reason younger viewers weren't watching older movies was because so many of them were in black and white. They figured that if they added color to those movies they would attract more younger viewers.
Well they figured wrong.
The main reason most younger viewers weren't watching older movies was because they were......old! They had little interest in anything "old" (meaning anything more than a few few decades in the past). Thus Turner and company gave up on "colorization" (which the real old film lovers detested anyway) and concentrated on using their older film library in projects like TCM.
Now there are just TCM and a few other cable/satellite channels that cater to this diminishing demographic group that does enjoy older films.
These channels may eventually fade away too but with downloads becoming the thing of the future many (and quite like more) of these older films will probably become available via that channel.
Best
Joe
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Well here's a rundown on some of what I've been watching the last few weeks-
Movie Nights
The Spider Returns continues to entertain us as our weekly serial. James W. Horne is always sneaking in little bits of humor. You have to watch the villain's henchmen to catch the best bits. In one scene we caught a couple of them playing jacks and in another playing pat-a-cake. LOL!
We're still working our way through a big collection of early short comedies and dramas that my one buddy recently acquired. Some examples include-
A Fishy Affair-1913-Keystone, A Fatal Sweet Tooth-1914-Keystone, Smith's Pony-1927-Sennett, His Bitter Pill-1916-Keystone, Hearts and Planets-1915-Keystone, Oriental Love-1917-Keystone, The Revenue Man and the Girl-1911-Biograph, Wanted a Nurse-1915-Vitagraph, Her Awakening-1914-Majestic, and Luke's Movie Muddle-1916-Rolin.
Plus a partial episode of The Danny Kaye Show from 1966 with Danny, Ella Fitzgerald and Buddt Grecco doing a musical number together and Danny doing a funny pantomime skit with Harvey Korman and Joyce Van Patten. I hadn't seen this show in over four decades so this brought back a lot of memories.
On DVD
Bolt-2008- The Lil Missus and I watched this Disney animated feature which I thought was one of their better recent (non-Pixar produced) features.
Fantastic Voyage-1966- The special effects in this still hold up surprising well 45 years later. Plus Raquel Welch still looks great!
Man in the Vault-1956- A fairly decent little crime noir film. IMHO, the ending doesn't work as well as the parts leading up to it though. Produced by John Wayne's production company- Batjac but with no big stars although Anita Ekberg, Beery Kroeger and Paul Fix were in support.
A drive in triple feature-
Kingdom of the Spiders-1977- Arachnids go wonky on William Shatner and company. A variation of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. Filmed in northern Arizona. And no, that's not a spider on Shatner's head- merely one of his early toupees!
The Mini-Skirt Mob-1968- AIP biker film in which Diane McBain (Surfside Six) wants revenge on the dude who dumped her for Sherry Jackson (The Danny Thomas Show). McBain has so much hair spray on her big hair that she doesn't need to wear a helmet when riding her hog. Patty McCormack (The Bad Seed) plays McBain's little sister. Filmed in southern Arizona.
Chrome and Hot Leather-1971- Yet another AIP biker film. Green Berets come after bikers when one of the guy's little sisters (played by a very young Cheryl Ladd) gets offed by the cyclists. Peter Brown (Lawman) and Marvin Gaye (the famous soul singer) play two of the Green Berets. Many laughable bits including all the military guys non regulation hair cuts (I guess AIP wasn't paying them enough to cut their hair) and the way none of the ordinance that the Berets toss at the bikers (which includes grenades, mortars and bundles of dynamite) seems to have much more blasting power than a cherry bomb! Not filmed in Arizona.
A James Coburn triple feature-
Our Man Flint-1965, In Like Flint-1967 and The President's Analyst-1967- Three great examples of why Coburn was so popular. He's at the top of his game in these movies. The first two are his delightful spoofs of the whole spy craze of the 1960s while the later riffs on so many things from the 60s it would take a page to list 'em. Just go watch them!
Also finally finished watching the last of The Green Hornet episodes from the SyFy Channel marathon. I especially enjoyed the episode "Alias the Scarf" with John Carradine. Also caught Carradine in one of the later Lawman episodes-"The Actor". I'm now on my second cycle of Lawman trying to catch the episodes I missed the first go round.
Plus the Lil Missus and I have been watching episodes of Planet of the Apes (1974), Voyagers! (1982), Hogan's Heroes (1965), Zorro (1958), The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1957), Wild Wild West (1965), The Hunger (1997), Star Trek (animated-1974) The Shirley Temple Show (1960) and Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1956).
And this morning I just finished watching a hilarious Three Stooges short-All the World's a Stooge (1941). The Stooges as dentists-need I say more?
Best
Joe
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josemas wrote:
"The main reason most younger viewers weren't watching older movies was because they were......old!"
I don't think I ever quite had that attitude, but even so, it does seem my appreciation for films from before my time increases the OLDER they get! (Especially if I can see GOOD prints. Frankly, in the 70's & 80's, almost EVERY movie and half the TV shows in syndication had BAD, faded, worn-out prints. This was before TV stations switched to videotape-- and later still, DVD. TCM only seems to run movies IF they're available on DVDs.)
"Fantastic Voyage-1966- The special effects in this still hold up surprising well 45 years later. Plus Raquel Welch still looks great!"
Saw that again a few years back on TCM. Fun flick, one of those "60's sci-fi epics" that can either be taken as horribly dated, or, just plain fun, depending on your attitude. THIS is the film, of course, that kept Welch out of THUNDERBALL. I often think Donald Pleasence should have been in there, too-- picture him as Kuntze, the nuclear scientist hired by SPECTRE. Then again, I really think Telly Savalas would have made a better Emilio Largo. He's my single favorite Bond movie villain, but he might have been a better "fit" as Largo, the top-level SPECTRE man who's also a man of action. AND, they wouldn't have had to DUB his voice, the way they did with Adolpho Celi (I wonder how many films Robert Rietty appeared in OFF-camera like that?).
I think FANTASTIC VOYAGE would be a perfect double-feature with VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, and not just because of the title.
"McBain has so much hair spray on her big hair that she doesn't need to wear a helmet when riding her hog."
:D
I'm trying to remember where I've seen her recently...
"Yet another AIP biker film."
It's almost surprising AIP didn't do an Edgar Allan Poe biker film... isn't it? (Hey, maybe there's an idea there!) Didn't they also do THE BORN LOSERS, with "Billy Jack"? Like a Bruce Lee movie without Bruce-- ex-military guy turned pacifist, who KEEPS giving the bad guys one more chance to clean up their act... until he just can't F****** take anymore. Some baddies are just too stupid and arrogant to live. I didn't care much for the better- know sequels.
"Not filmed in Arizona."
Which raises the question-- was it supposed to TAKE PLACE there?
"Star Trek (animated-1974)"
Watched these again not that long ago. Confirmed my long-held belief. The cartoons, on average, were BETTER than the 3rd season of the original show!!!
"The Stooges as dentists-need I say more?"
"OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW!!!"
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Tonight:
THE ALPHABET MURDERS (1965)
Not-So-Swinging Sixties Poirot ***
This review may contain spoilers ***
Some years back I was astonished to learn, decades after-the-fact, that THE ALPHABET MURDERS was actually my first introduction to Agatha Christie. I had no idea. I'd seen it on the network (one of their weekend movies, I forget which day). The only parts I could actually remember was the murder in the swimming pool, and the climb on that precarious crane. Everything else, a complete blank. I suppose that says a lot. (My first "real" Christie was DEATH ON THE NILE, which I enjoyed so much, I saw it TWICE in 2 weeks. Again, no clue, no connection that I'd ever seen "Hercule Poirot" before.)
Somewhere in the mid-90's, I taped this film off TNT, and could not believe what I was seeing. There's been a lot of really wild, "crazy" films made in the mid-late 60's, in the wake of THE PINK PANTHER and A SHOT IN THE DARK, and I'd say this definitely fits in that category. The odd thing is it being in B&W. Most of those "insane" films that tended to break all the rules of storytelling were in bold Technicolor.
Inspired by the reviews at the IMDb, and already engaged in re-watching my AC collection in its entirety, I decided to watch this again (3rd time or 4th, not quite sure). Armed with the rather surprising knowledge that this was directed by Frank Tashlin, who not only did Jerry Lewis movies but (more importantly!) BUGS BUNNY and other WB cartoons, I figured I'd give this another shot with a more open mind.
Well, there's good and bad. LOTS of bad (which many others have pointed out), so let me start with that. Tony Randall is all wrong for the part, he's too tall and thin, and he's doing a French accent, not Belgian (which suggests he watched Peter Sellers for research). Ron Goodwin's "French" music is repetitive to the point of annoyance, which is a shame, considering how much I enjoyed his work in the 4 MISS MARPLE movies (all of which I just finished watching again, and all of which have GOTTEN BETTER on repeat viewings).
Something no one else has mentioned, it makes NO SENSE for Hastings to be working for the British Secret Service, OR be concerned with "protecting" Poirot and wanting to keep him safe by getting him out of the country and back to Belgium, by force if necessary. This was the kind of "joke" they used to do in McCLOUD stories when he was out of his territory. But Poirot LIVES in England, not Belgium! This entire "subplot" distracts terribly from the plot, and help to make a confusing story almost impossible to follow. The whole sense of wild, crazy, frenetic storytelling, because of an INEPT script, makes trying to follow the plot a waste of time. But worse, I could easily accept a POIROT film played for laughs. IF it was funny. This ISN'T. I often say, the worst "crime" of a comedy is to NOT be funny. There are a FEW laughs here-- but only a few.
The best moment in the entire film is when Miss Marple & Jim Stringer cross paths with Poirot & Hastings. Not only is she commenting on how "anyone with half a brain could figure it out", when she looks at Poirot as they pass, her SILENT glare says it all without words. An unspoken, "My God, what a BLITHERING IDIOT you are!" Perhaps that goes for the screenwriter.
The look of the film is fine, the camera-work well-done and interesting. But for me, the highlight is the cast, so many wonderful characters actors I recognize from other things. Robert Morley (MURDER AT THE GALLOP-- perhaps HE should have played Poirot???), James Villiers (FOR YOUR EYES ONLY's snobbish "Chief of Staff", NO WAY I could ever believe that was Bond's "best friend" from the books), John Bennett (THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD and DOCTOR WHO's "The Talons Of Weng-Chiang"), Cyril Luckham (DOCTOR WHO's "White Guardian"), Maurice Denham (DOCTOR WHO's "The Twin Dilemma"), Julian Glover (my 2nd-favorite Bond villain in FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, DOCTOR WHO's "City Of Death" and countless other English TV shows), Clive Morton (DOCTOR WHO's "The Sea Devils"), Patrick Newell ("Mother" on THE AVENGERS and DOCTOR WHO's "The Android Invasion") and even Windsor Davies (FRANKENSTEIN MUST BE DESTROYED, UFO and the voice of "Sergeant-Major Zero" on TERRAHAWKS!).
So, yes, so much talent, but so much lacking in the script department-- the single MOST important element, which needs to be there before anything else is ever considered. It's possible George Pollock may have done better, but it would all depend if he had a say in the writing or not. Again, I'd be very interested in seeing someone actually do a comedy POIROT, if they could do it right. MURDER BY DEATH wasn't it-- and neither is this. Ah well.
Oh yes-- the MOST clever part of the story (which I'm SURE was not in the novel), came up at the climax of the film-- when it was revealed that an apparent suicide WASN'T-- and, that it tied neatly in with the very BEGINNING of the film. Moments like that had me feeling the film ALMOST could have worked as a straight mystery. OR, a comedy. Instead of neither. (Just a year later, one of my favorite TV series of the 60's-- BATMAN-- often suffered from the SAME problem.)
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josemas wrote:
"The main reason most younger viewers weren't watching older movies was because they were......old!"
I don't think I ever quite had that attitude, but even so, it does seem my appreciation for films from before my time increases the OLDER they get! (Especially if I can see GOOD prints. Frankly, in the 70's & 80's, almost EVERY movie and half the TV shows in syndication had BAD, faded, worn-out prints. This was before TV stations switched to videotape-- and later still, DVD. TCM only seems to run movies IF they're available on DVDs.)
Actually while TCM does run a good number of films that are also availalble on DVD they have also run quite a number of Warners, MGM, RKO, Columbia and Paramount films that have never been available on DVD-especially some of the older 1930s-1950s films .
I think FANTASTIC VOYAGE would be a perfect double-feature with VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, and not just because of the title.
A fine pairing- showcasing two of the better 1960s sci-fi films.
"McBain has so much hair spray on her big hair that she doesn't need to wear a helmet when riding her hog."
I'm trying to remember where I've seen her recently...
Last thing I saw her in was in was some cheapie horror film back in the 1990s.
"Not filmed in Arizona."
Which raises the question-- was it supposed to TAKE PLACE there?
No I don't think so. I was just goofin' on that fact there because it was the only one of those three grindhouse flicks that I recently watched that wasn't filmed in my home state.
"Star Trek (animated-1974)"
Watched these again not that long ago. Confirmed my long-held belief. The cartoons, on average, were BETTER than the 3rd season of the original show!!!
It's certainly better written overall than the original's third season but the live action show does have slightly more animation in it.
They must have spent so much money on the voice actors and scripts that there was next to nothing left for the actual animation giving it the distinction of being only slightly more animated than Clutch Cargo.
"The Stooges as dentists-need I say more?"
"OW OW OW OW OW OW OW OW!!!"
Best bit was when they decided to blast the cement (that they had dumped in) out of the mouth of the poor schmuck they were working on. It boggles the mind!
Best
Joe
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josemas wrote:
"Actually while TCM does run a good number of films that are also availalble on DVD they have also run quite a number of Warners, MGM, RKO, Columbia and Paramount films that have never been available on DVD-especially some of the older 1930s-1950s films."
I miss TCM. I had my cable shut off 3 years ago and haven't been able to afford it since. But 2 months before that, they moved TCM to a "digital-only" channel, which would have cost me MORE than I was already paying. Sheesh.
I'm having Comcast over today to upgrade my internet service, but only because it's absolutely necessary due to my job. (And the company I work for isn't reimbursing me-- so I'm really hoping the change in the way I'll be doing my job pays off the way they hope it will.)
"No I don't think so. I was just goofin' on that fact there because it was the only one of those three grindhouse flicks that I recently watched that wasn't filmed in my home state."
I kinda figured that. The phrase "Not filmed in Arizona" somehow reminded me of Jules Feiffer describing how in the 30's every comic-book magician had a black sidekick "NOT named Lothar".
"It's certainly better written overall than the original's third season but the live action show does have slightly more animation in it.
They must have spent so much money on the voice actors and scripts that there was next to nothing left for the actual animation giving it the distinction of being only slightly more animated than Clutch Cargo."
Yeah, that's Filmation for you. STAR TREK was a major step UP for them after ARCHIE, the DC superheroes and JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. I was reading some of the actors would not have been used, except (I think) Leonard Nimoy objected, and said he wouldn't do the show UNLESS they also hired his friends. But they drew the line at just so many, which is how Walter Koenig didn't appear-- but, wound up writing a script instead. There's a FEW 3rd-season episodes I love, but so many that just should have been so much better than they were...
"Best bit was when they decided to blast the cement (that they had dumped in) out of the mouth of the poor schmuck they were working on. It boggles the mind!"
My Dad's best friend used to work as a trouble-shooter for Pan Am Airlines. Once when he came home to visit, he came over to our house for a barbeque. Thousands of miles the guy had travelled... and he spent half the afternoon indoors on a gorgeous day watching The Three Stooges.
One of my brother's favorite bits involved them digging up someone's yard, broken water pipes, and a cook who spent half the story unable to stand up, he kept falling onto the floor as water kept spraying everywhere.
Decades later, one of my favorite bits on the show WINGS was when Casey Chappel (Amy Yasbeck) discovered Brian watching THE THREE STOOGES... and then told him, "We can't sleep together anymore."
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Being someone who has always been most concerned with story I could easily accept the poor animation in the Star Trek cartoons. I have watched them since but did not originally because I assumed they would be bad because of the animation. I was wrong. Prof if you have good internet then you have hulu available. Lots of old and new movies and TV and it's FREE. You have to put up with advertisements like the pre DVR days but it's FREE. I watched the first episode of WKRP yesterday. They have several Indian movies some bollywood. I have not given them a try yet but plan to.
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I think one of my biggest objections to watching films on my computer is, sitting in my computer chair while doing it. I always stretch out real "comfy" to watch TV, and somehow, trying to watch something in my "work" chair (and I can't really move the computer or furniture around in this room at all) just rubs me the wrong way.
Oh well...
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"If you find them again let me know." narfstar
I'm pretty sure some of them were on Monsterpiece Theatre but the site has disappeared. There was another site which I think was associated with it and that too has gone. Yes they were. Just checked my hard drive.
Last night we watched The Hijackers,a British B film, 1963 which is part of a double bill dvd with Smokescreen. These have been released by Renown Pictures but they are region 2. Here's the site:-
http://www.renownpicturesltd.com/buyprojects.asp
They also have 3 Paul Temple films and the seedy Cover Girl Killer, an intriguing little thriller.
These films are brimming over with British 2nd. string actors and it's great fun picking out the faces.
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I watched Spysmasher Returns (b/w based on Fawcett Comics character) and thought it was alright. It is a paste-up of a serial so if you leave the room, gotta pause it or it'll leave you behind.
Also, found Reaper ssn1&2 on NetFlix instant. Directed by Kevin Smith (?) or at least the first couple episodes were, I saw it changed by episode 8 but I didn't pay that close to when it happened. About a slacker who is recruited by nefarious means to hunting escaped souls from Hell in order to return them. It's like Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Ghostbusters.
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Tonight: no kidding:
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS --with Alfred Molina!!! (NO S***!!!)
I watched Albert Finney last night. Damn near fell asleep for half the film (not
the film's fault). This is sort of like when I watched the various versions of
THE SIGN OF FOUR and THE HOUNDS OF THE BASKERVILLES-- and even, THE DOORBELL
RANG, back-to-back. Why not?
Utterly bizarre thingie for tonight-- all this AGGRAVATION today about computers, software & technology (I have to take my computer to Woodbury tomorrow to get no less than 3 problems looked at at the same time), and the Molina film ("updated" to 2004) is loaded with this stuff!!! I suppose this is very much in the tradition of tons of Sherlock Holmes and James Bond and Saint films, all "updated" to whatever year the films are made in (cuts costs, that's for sure). It's not the updating I mind-- so much as being reminded to such an overwhelming degree, how SICK I am of technology changing so fast NOBODY can keep up with it.
I'm taking this as a sign I was "meant" to watching this movie, TONIGHT.
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well watch and enjoy ;D
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Currently making my way through Adventures of Captain Marvel on youtube. Interesting to think of how early into his comic career this was made. He must have been an instant success to warrant such a well made serial so soon.
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I agree they must have known he was a hit right away
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Are the serials public domain?
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All 12 chapters are available on the Internet Archive, so they must believe them to be PD. In my opinion, their stance appears to be "We believe these items to be in the public domain and are sharing them in good faith. If you have a claim to any of these items, prove it and we'll take them down." (Not a quote, just the way I understand their position- I could be wrong.) Cheers, Bowers
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While there are a fair number of serials in the public domain there are also quite a few that are still protected by copyright. Adventures of Captain Marvel, for example, is still under copyright.
Best
Joe
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This week:
CHARLIE CHAN AT THE CIRCUS (featuring his entire family)
CHARLIE CHAN AT THE RACE TRACK
CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA (w/ Boris Karloff!)
CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OLYMPICS
...and, last night...
DEATH ON THE NILE (1978)
All these years, and still my favorite Agatha Christie film! Incredibly well-structured, clearly told, stunning photographed, impeccibly cast. And lots of humor to balance out a series of surprisingly BRUTAL killings! My Dad and I both liked this so much, we wound up going to see it twice, about 2 weeks apart. Because the story was so clearly told, and because of it mystery nature, the 2nd time was like watching an entirely different movie. And we enjoyed it both times-- and every time since.
Among the cast and apparently often under-rated is David Niven, in one of my favorite roles of his as "Colonel Race", a private investigator friend of Poirot's who might be described as a "more intelligent" version of Captain Hastings. Usually unflappable (except when dragged against his will into a tango with an inebriated Angela Landsbury), I got a laugh each time he'd say something like, "I do with you'd speak some KNOWN language..."
Apparently Albert Finney suffered so much under hot makeup on the prevous film (same producers), he turned down the chance to do it again working in EXCESSIVELY hot desert conditions. Our gain, as I've always enjoyed Peter Ustinov's portrayal of Poirot much more. I still remember how thrilled I was when I found out he had returned for a 2nd film, EVIL UNDER THE SUN. (And he did 4 more after that, though none on the level of the first 2.)
Of the 3 films featuring Egyptian locations shot in 2 years (the others being THE SPY WHO LOVED ME in '77 and "Lost Planet Of The Gods" in '78) this is by far my favorite. I remember when I watched SPY wondering how Jaws got to the top of that temple, and ...NILE answered the question by showing the stairway built into the temple wall. There's a moment just before the failed murder attempt where the cast slowly all wander in different directions, and as the camera shows various views, the music stops and there's just long moments of dead silence. I found myself thinking just then, it was as if Stanley Kubrick had stepped into the film just for that one sequence. And then the huge stone falls (having been pushed), but misses. But of course, it's only a minor diversion, as the main course was still to come.
Definitely another one of those stories you just NEVER want to blow the ending of for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. As Poirot says, "We already know almost all there is to know... but what we know, seems-- incredible!"
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The Lil Missus and I just watched Death on the Nile a few weeks back on DVD. An extra on the disc was a "making of" documentary.
It was interesting to learn that they built an exact replica of the riverboat back on stage in Britain. All of the night scenes were filmed on that set and some of the day sequences too.
They had to do this because there was no access to electricity for night shooting on location there in Egypt along the Nile.
Best
Joe
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I went out at 9 PM to Corrollo's and got an ITALIAN HOAGIE (mmmmmm!!!) and
watched one of my all-time favorite movies...
EVIL UNDER THE SUN (1982)
*******SPOILERS**********
Years back, when I'd seen this film 3 or 4 times already, I realized just how
complicated it was, because I could NEVER remember or keep track of who did what
when. Tonight, I think I finally managed it. Turns out, there's TWO
inter-related mysteries in the film. One, the LOGISTICS how who, how and WHEN
the murder took place. But the other, which somehow, I had NEVER really taken
account of before, involved the murder victim, who was romanced into leaving a
Broadway show after only 3 weeks by a man who gave her a fabulous diamond, but
who BROKE the engagement after only 3 days but without returning the diamond.
And after marrying someone else, had an AFFAIR with yet again someone else,
who-- WAIT FOR IT-- STOLE the diamond and replaced it with a fake. This is what
brought Poirot into it at the beginning of the film, and it was trying to COVER
the robbery that caused the MURDER!!!
No wonder it's taken me THIS LONG to really, really "get it".
Oddly enough, this ALMOST indecipherably complex plot was what I used as the
basis for my own Agatha Christie tribute back in 1992-93, "A GUN IN PARADISE".
But I tossed in a "DANGERMAN" tribute while I was at it. Along the way, I "cast"
nearly all the employees at the place I worked in Northeast Philly in the story.
Naturally, I cast my boss as the murderer.
Ironically, Guiy Hamilton did 1 of my favorite "007" films, but also, 3 of the WORST. (3!!! And in a row!!) But he did 2 Agatha Christies (the other being the "quiet, quaint" and slow-moving THE MIRROR CRACK'D) and this one. He also did THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE, which is not only a film about the American Revolution, but also, a comedy!
I wish the producers who did ...ORIENT EXPRESS, ...NILE, ...MIRROR... and ...SUN had continued. How much better Peter Ustinov's next 3 Poirots might have been if they'd been big-budget all-star cast period pieces. (Mind you, that didn't help APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH...)
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What a hectic week...
Just found out Elizabeth Taylor passed away on Wednesday March 23, at the age of
79.
I had no idea when I was watching her Thursday night in THE MIRROR CRACK'D.
(1st film of hers I ever saw on a big screen.) The "big names" were Liz, Rock
Hudson, Tony Curtis & Kim Novak; Liz & Kim's bitchy cat-fighting is one of the
highlights of the film, some of the best insults ever slung between 2
characters.
"Why Marena, dear, you've not only KEPT your figure, you've ADDED so much to
it."
One of myu favorite roles of her had to be Wilma Flintstone's MOTHER in the
live-action film THE FLINTSTONES. In one scene, the main characters return home
from a night on the town, only to find the house has been burglarized, and both
"Mom" and Dino are lying on the floor, tied up. Fred yells, "DINO!" and steps
RIGHT OVER his mother-in-law to untie his pal, and doesn't even notice Liz until
Wilma hollers across the room about her.
I finally got to see the INFAMOUS film CLEOPATRA some years back on TCM. What
astonished me was reading how there was almost TWO HOURS of footage missing, cut
just before it was originally released. Having watched various versions of the
story (and the Marlon Brando JULIUS CAESAR) had led me to believe that not only
is the siege of an Egyptian city missing (seen in full glory in the Timothy
Dalton tv-version), but possibly that Richard Burton may have actually filmed
the famous "soliloquy" that Brando performed so magnificently in HIS film.
Anyone know one way or the other? Who wouldn't love to see Burton deliver the
famous "Friends, Romans, Countrymen" eulogy, that incited a crowd to start a
CIVIL WAR, in revenge for the murder of their country's leader?
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I just watched got the Warriors series from Netflix. The true stories of such as Spartacus and Attila. Having watched Spartacus on Starz it is interesting
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Tonight...
"Do you realize what you've done? You've MURDERED it. You've MURDERED a flower. To think, I was incarcerated for MERELY murdering a MAN..."
:o
I know, I only saw this a couple months ago, but I like it so much, I just felt in the mood to watch it again.
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Feeling really tired AND really STRESSED-OUT today... and just finished sitting thru a really AWFUL movie, which, inexplicably, has tons of the most long-winded heapings of non-stop praise I've ever seen for any film at the IMDB...
CONAN THE BARBARIAN (1982)
This may be only the 2nd time I've ever sat all the way thru this. First of all, the first 20 minutes could be completely snipped off and you'd have a better film. WHAT is it with Hollywood that they're so DAMNED obsessed with showing (and giving) characters origins? I just did some reading about CONAN, and as I always suspected, the "origin" in the movie has NOTHING WHATSOEVER TO DO with anything Robert E. Howard ever wrote. (Gee, just like in the film THE SHADOW, or THE SAINT, and I bet several others.)
The first half-decent scene is when Conan stumbles into a cave and finds a sword. For a moment, it looks like the skeleton holding it is about to come alive. I'm PRETTY SURE it did in the short story that scene was based on. NOT here. That almost made me feel like I was watching a John DEREK movie, instead one by John MILIUS.
The only decent acting in the film is by Max Von Sydow... I could have stood to see him at the film's ending again, since the heroes all put their lives at risk to rescue the guy's daughter (and one of them died in the process).
Nearly every action scene in the film seems to have been shot in SLOWWWWWWWWWWWW-MOTION. Did they think they were doing a Japanese or Italian film (never mind Dino DeLaurentis' involvement)? Near the beginning, there's a scene where James Earl Jones just stares at somebody without saying a word for two whole minutes. I MEAN COME ON! Later on, his acting is just abysmal. I swear, they only got him in here because he was having a wave of noteriety as the voice of Darth Vader. When he started calling Arnold "My SON..." you could just about puke.
One interesting thing I learned so far today at the IMDB... the planned 3rd film, CONAN THE CONQUEROR, fell into "development hell", and eventually became... KULL THE CONQUEROR. Which, by comparison, I feel is one HELL of a GREAT, FUN film, and gets my vote as the BEST Robert E. Howard film EVER made.
I have CONAN THE DESTROYER on the same tape, and strangely enough, I don't think I ever watched it ALL the way thru. I recall taping this off HBO or some channel back in the 80's, but didn't actually watch it at the time. And I don't think I EVER played the tape back! I did catch ...THE DESTROYER on TNT or some channel years back, but never saw it uncut.
Honestly, though, I think some of the reviewers at the IMDB have their heads in the clouds. I've seen lots of my fave films get ripped to shreds, but this is a rare instance where something SO BORING got such OVERWHELMING loads of praise. (While at the same time, several reviewers listed several other "S&S" films they thought were awful... and THOSE I liked!)
Wanna see a good "Conan" film? See THE SWORD AND THE SORCERER, with Lee Horseley, which came out 2 WEEKS before CONAN THE BARBARIAN. Much cheaper, and LOTS more fun.
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Have you seen the new Soloman Kane movie. Pretty good.
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Tonight:
A CARIBBEAN MYSTERY (1983)
I was so looking forward to seeing this again. What a DELIGHT Helen Hayes is as
Miss Marple. I honestly think I enjhoyed her much more than Angela Landsbury.
Funny thing, reading IMDB reviews, several people pointed out that although this
was "updated", it aapparently follows the book CLOSER than the later Joan
Hickson version! GO FIGURE.
The other actors I'm familiar with are Maurice Evans (BEWITCHED, PLANET OF THE
APES), Bernard Hughes, Brock Peters (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, STAR TREK 6, DEEP
SPACE NINE, and the STAR WARS radio shows!!). It also features Kurt Russell's
EX, Season Hubley (looking MUCH better than she did in ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK).
The rest are American "TV" actors who I can't really put a face with a name, but
one guy was apparently the star of SIMON AND SIMON.
I admit I've seen this 3 times now... once when it was first-run (and I taped
it), again about 10 years ago (when I watched my entire AC collection) and again
tonight. But I'd forgotten all the details of the story. The thing is, this may
be the ONLY Agatha Christie film I've ever seen when the identity of the
murderer was PAINFULLY OBVIOUS to me no more than 15-20 minutes in!
**********SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!************
The Major talks about 2 similar cases of women attempting suicide, being saved,
then later succeeding. And, it coming out that BOTH were married to the same
man! "Very suspicious".
So the NEXT scene, the wife of the owner wakes up from a nightmare, and says she
"NEVER" has nightmares. My very first thought was, "Is someone drugging her?"
The rest of the movie, I kept hoping it wouldn't be that obvious...
I was rather surprised when at one point, watching Helen Hayes, it suddenly
crossed my mind, I was wondering how my Mom might have been if she'd been
healthy, happy, and lived to a ripe old age.
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Last night , I watched a rerun of Masterpiece Mystery's "The 39 Steps". If you've seen it, you will have noticed the scene with an homage to Hitchcock. Having seen all four versions of this film, it's probably my second-favorite, with the Hitchcock/ Robert Donat version as my favorite. Oddly enough, the 39 steps in the title refers to something completely different in each version. I have no idea which version is truest to Buchan's novel and don't much care- I enjoy the films for their own sake. Also read that a fifth version is possibly going to be in the works. I guess good stories never die! Cheers, Bowers
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I checked online, and sure enough, somehow the last 3 Joan Hickson MISS MARPLES are all ones I never saw or taped. And all 3 were done less than a decade earlier, either by Angela Landsbury or Helen Hayes. So, so far, the only MM I have 2 versions of it "4:50 FROM PENNINGTON", with both Joan Hickson and Margaret Rutherford. (The funny thing is, Joan Hickson appears in BOTH versions! In the Rutherford version, she's the day housekeeper who refuses to stay in the mansion after dark.)
Tons of stuff to catch up on if my financial state ever finally turns around.
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hulu and archives.org are free
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The murder mysteries continue...
CHARLIE CHAN ON BROADWAY
CHARLIE CHAN AT MONTE CARLO
The latter was sadly Warner Oland's last film. Crazy but true: the same actor appears in both of the above films, playing 2 different police officers (one in NYC and the other in Monaco!).
Last night:
MURDER WITH MIRRORS
Helen Hayes' last film. This got terrible reviews at the IMDB, but I liked it, if only for her-- AND Leo McKern as the booming-voiced police inspector who reluctantly teams up with her. John Woodvine, who was so memorable in the DOCTOR WHO story "The Armageddon Factor", has a key role as Jane's lawyer, who tells her something is "very wrong" at a school for "wayward young men".
Something I completely missed was that some of the plot elements made their way into the Margaret Rutherford film MURDER AHOY. I don't believe anyone at the IMDB mentioned this, but someone did at Wikipedia (while they all the same insist that film ISN'T based on any of her novels... I guess it's like some of those Basil Rathbone HOLMES films where they used elements from the original stories incorporated into otherwise "new" stories... sort of like most of the "007" films!) If I'd realized this, the identity of the murderer might have been more obvious. Most reviewers said it was, but I didn't see it coming at all. Not like Hayes' A CARIBBEAN MYSTERY, where I thought I'd figured it out only 20 minutes in, something I'm NEVER usually able to do with Agatha Christie stories.
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Last night:
THIRTEEN AT DINNER
I'm tossing around whether to jump ahead with the David Suchet series so I can watch LORD EDGEWARE DIES tonight for comparison...
Today:
THINK FAST, MR. MOTO
I love this. There's almost 35 minutes of the film that goes by before you find out which side of the law Peter Lorre is really on. What a fantastic character he plays! Some mistake the series for being a Japanese "Charlie Chan", but really, he's Japan's answer to JAMES BOND. And you know what? Even to the very end of the film, they never admit the truth to the audience! He claims he's the owner of a big import-export firm, who felt he had to take matters into his own hands, and only plays at being a policeman "as a hobby". In later films, he portrayed as a member of Interpol. But one of the later films does strongly suggest he's really working for the Japanese government all along. I suppose given the real-world climate the films were made in, they tried to avoid showing that too much. But I have read 4 of the novels, all great stuff. He's a very interesting character in there. The formula of the books usually has him cross paths with innocent people in the wrong place at the wrong time. He takes it upon himself to help them out of it... provided it doesn't get in the way of his actual duty. I suppose that makes him about halfway between Bond and Simon Templar.
I decided to dig these out now because I'm out of Warner Oland films, and the 3rd MR. MOTO features Lee Chan!
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Comparing POIROT versions... (just posted at the IMDB)
Unfortunately, most of the Suchet "remakes" I haven't seen yet... (DAMN!)
However... I just watched THIRTEEN AT DINNER and LORD EDGEWARE DIES back-to-back. WOW. The Ustinov version is loud, garish, annoying, yet fun. The updating didn't bother me that much because-- let's face it-- we've seen updates in so many of those Basil Rathbone HOLMES films, Roger Moore SAINT episodes, and every single JAMES BOND film ever made! If anything, it was the attitude of some of the American characters that got on my nerves, and all the time spent with them and the movie crew took away time from solving the murder properly. There were a few points that seemed to come out of left field, as if something was missing. Like, how did Poirot get ahold of the letter? What the HELL was the significance of the glasses? By comparison, with Suchet, it was a joy to see so much focus on the reunion of the main cast (even if this was not in the book, well, I'll admit the awful truth-- I have never read a single AC book!!). The unfolding of several key plot points-- like Poirot's talk with Lord Edgeware, where he wonders HOW is it possible the man's wife DIDN'T know he'd changed his mind, and several of the red herring motives were all spelled out much clearer in the Suchet version.
I've seen LORD EDGEWARE DIES now at least twice (or 3 times, but I'm not sure). It might have been better if I hadn't seen the Ustinov version the night before, but having done so, the Suchet version was ASTONISHINGLY well-done! The ending, instead of being brash, was jaw-dropping, as detail after detail slowly comes out, and you see the horror in Jane's intended's face, while inwardly, we feel the PAIN of Poirot, for surely, he was taken with her, even if he would NEVER admit it.
DEATH ON THE NILE and EVIL UNDER THE SUN are 2 of my favorite films of all time, period... so it'd be tough for anything to beat them. I'd still like to see the remakes. As for ...ORIENT EXRPESS, despite it being so high-profile and a huge success, I never cared for it that much. I know it's nuts, but I actually enjoyed the Alfred Molina version BETTER.
And then there's THE ABC MURDERS, which I've read is thought of as one of the best AC stories ever. The Suchet version lived up to its reputation. On the other hand, I watched the Tony Randall version again a couple weeks ago. I wanted to like it so much... it's got so MANY actors I know and like in it... but Randall is SOOOOOO BAD in it, and like too many "insane comedies" of the 60's, the storytelling seems designed to be as indecipherable as possible. When the bit from the very start of the film about the high-diver comes back to bite you at the end, it was a shock. Up to then, I didn't think the writer was paying attention to what he was doing AT ALL.
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L
THINK FAST, MR. MOTO
I love this. There's almost 35 minutes of the film that goes by before you find out which side of the law Peter Lorre is really on. What a fantastic character he plays! Some mistake the series for being a Japanese "Charlie Chan", but really, he's Japan's answer to JAMES BOND. And you know what? Even to the very end of the film, they never admit the truth to the audience! He claims he's the owner of a big import-export firm, who felt he had to take matters into his own hands, and only plays at being a policeman "as a hobby". In later films, he portrayed as a member of Interpol. But one of the later films does strongly suggest he's really working for the Japanese government all along. I suppose given the real-world climate the films were made in, they tried to avoid showing that too much. But I have read 4 of the novels, all great stuff. He's a very interesting character in there. The formula of the books usually has him cross paths with innocent people in the wrong place at the wrong time. He takes it upon himself to help them out of it... provided it doesn't get in the way of his actual duty. I suppose that makes him about halfway between Bond and Simon Templar.
I read most of the Moto books a few years ago and you're right- they are much more spy novels than they are detective novels.
One other thing that struck me about the books too was that Moto seemed to be more of a supporting character in each one- always hovering around the edges of what was happening with the other characters- and only occasionally moving to center stage.
I haven't watched any of the movies in years but I remember thinking (when reading the books) that they would have had to beef up Moto's role in those films adapted from the books.
Best
Joe
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The Mysterious Lady-1928- It's been mentioned in this thread before how early film talkies (late 1920s/early 1930s) often seem very creaky by today's standards. This late silent-a spy/romance vehicle for Greta Garbo- is a fine example of how creaky they look compared to late silent films too. Visually this film is so much more adept than the talkies that were being released at the same time one wonders why people were so willing to give up on silents.
Chaplin-1992- The first time I watched this back in the 1990s I was so irritated by all of the stuff they "got wrong" that I didn't pay attention to it's good qualities. This time I tried to concentrate more on the "good stuff". At the top of that list is the great performance of Robert Downey, Jr. as Charlie Chaplin. I doubt there is any other living actor who could have pulled it off so well. Kudos also to Geraldine Chaplin for her portrayal of her own grandmother.
Also a big plus are the number of fine recreations they did of Chaplin's films in progress, often building big sets for scenes that were only seen for short sequences in the final film.
Men of Action-1935- A fast paced little B movie (running barely an hour) starring the young Frankie Darro. The film (about the battle against saboteurs of a dam under construction) looks much better than it's budget because of the judicious use of stock footage of the building of the real Hoover Dam well edited into the location shooting done for the film
Sweetie-1929- An early musical-comedy talkie taking place on a University campus. Director Frank Tuttle keeps things moving much better than many other talkies from the same period (although the sound itself is a bit weak). A good cast is headed by the vivacious Nancy Carroll, Helen Kane (Betty Boop in the flesh), Jack Oakie and Stu Erwin.
University/College films were very popular in the second half of the 1920s but fell out of favor as the Great Depression set in. This film was released only three days after the 1929 stock market crash and was one of the last really successful examples of this genre from that era.
The film does have one of the most un-PC pieces I have seen in quite a while. During the film's climatic football game the home team crowd breaks into their new school song "Alma-Mammy" while donning identical black stereotype masks. Very bizarre and sure to really throw a modern audience.
The Phantom of the Opera-1962- This is Hammer Film's take on the famous story that has been adapted to film several times. While this is not the best of the bunch it's also hardly the worst (my favorite is still Lon Chaney's 1925 original). The late Michael Gough has the best role (playing a real S.O. B.) in it.
The Mechanic-1972- Charles Bronson at the top of his popularity plays a hit man who after years of being a loner takes on an apprentice (a young Jan Michael Vincent) when he begins having health issues. While hardly a likable profession Bronson's hits are mostly shown as rub outs of other, less likable, criminals. Has a few interesting twists. Recently remade I understand.
Escape By Night-1937- A pleasant little B movie from Republic Studios concerning some criminals who reform after they take refuge on a rural farm where they end up taking to farm life and turn on their former lifestyle and compatriots. Notables in the cast include the always delightful Anne Nagel and Ward (Wagon Train) Bond.
Best
Joe
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It looks as if THINK FAST, MR. MOTO actually was an adaptation of a novel, but I'm not sure how close or far afield it went. Much of the focus in the film was on the son of the owner of the shipping company. He never found out for sure until the last 5 minutes which side Moto was on-- and then, I think Moto still lied to him about his exact occupation.
Hammer's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA isn't considered one of their best, but it still managed to be fun. Some time back I ran across it on TV, and it hit me how every frame of film just screamed "Hammer Films"! It's amazing how recognizable the style of their output was. It strikes me the film almost completely ignores the book (and the Chaney film) and is mostly a remake/variation on the Nelson Eddy-Jeanette McDonald musical-comedy version (which, oh, BY THE WAY, also has Claude Rains in it, almost wasted, you'd think he WOULD have made a good Phantom after watching THE INVISIBLE MAN, but instead, they just made him sad and pathetic...)
I kinda like how Herbert Lom was allowed to become heroic, but his death at the end just seemed to be there because the guy was suppsoed to die at the end, and how they did it wasn't given much thought. Someone online pointed out, after Michael Gough was such a BASTARD, he never really got what was coming to him!
Chaney's version has long been my favorite-- it's the ONLY one to this day that even attempts to follow the book-- except, they changed the ending to make it more visually exciting. The original ending from the book, apparently, was one of the few things left intact in the Claude Rains version. Kinda reminds me of how they put back the book ending of THUNDERBALL when they did NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN... and doing so only made it obvious it was a better idea when they changed it! (I love making comparisons like that.)
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My wife and I went to see the Mechanic remake. Not great but not bad either. We enjoyed it but it was not particularly memorable.
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Among the goodies this week...
THIRTEEN AT DINNER
DEAD MAN'S FOLLY
MURDER IN THREE ACTS
I hate to say it, but when the actor with the biggest reputation and paycheck winds up playing the killer, it just doesn't seem fair.
Tonight:
APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH
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Just watched APPOINTMENT WITH DEATH again. Still trying to figure out, was it BETTER than the 3 CBS tv-movies, or WORSE?
It does seem unamimous that either way, it was a MAJOR step down from the 4 previous feature films, all produced by the same production team. In this case, the new company was Golan-Globus, who apparently were the 1980s' answer to American International. And, the director this time out was Michael "DEATH WISH!" winner, who, apparently, has exactly ONE good film in his entire career (THE BIG SLEEP).
It seems to start out alright, but the faults include an undeveloped script, poor directing, poor acting, poor camera set-ups, and poor editing. Some complain the music in inappropiate, but I'm not sure.
I did like the one comment that it was "a B-movie masquerading as an A-movie".
I guess that's better than "a home movie masquerading as a feature film".
:)
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Several of those home movies masquerading as feature films have cost little and made a lot. I don't think I have watched any of them but sure wish I would have made the money off them.
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I always remember this... CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN magazine had an alphabetical movie guide column, where each film listed had one brief paragraph to describe it. It was PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE they described as "a home movie masquerading as a feature film".
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Let's see if anyone can I.D. this quote from tonight's movie...
"She killed him!"
"No... she-- EXECUTED him!"
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It was PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE they described as "a home movie masquerading as a feature film".
This reminds me.
The Lil' Missus and I watched something that I never thought I would see this past weekend.
Tor Johnson wrestling Pippi Longstocking!
The mind boggles!!!
Best
Joe
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OOOOPS, the page looks strange. There only seem to be bits of it there and the site is really slow. I'll leave this till later and see if it corrects itself.
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Among the goodies this week...
MR. MOTO TAKES A CHANCE
MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING
MR. MOTO IN DANGER ISLAND
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (1982)
MURDER IS EASY
SPARKLING CYANIDE
THE MAN IN THE BROWN SUIT
SPIDER'S WEB (1982)
What continues to amaze me is how much MORE I'm enjoying many of these than I did when they were newer.
Except for the remake of WITNESS... I can only surmise it was its being a "Hallmark Hall Of Fame" production that was the problem, as I've seen several of those, and without exception, every single one was DULL beyond belief!! In this case, it was mind-boggling. they almost re-used the script from the Billy Wilder film WORD-FOR-WORD, they had an INCREDIBLE cast of actors, and the director (Alan Gibson) was responsible for 2 of my all-time favorite Hammer Films!! So-- how on Earth did they manage something where the finished result was so DREADFULLY dull, where every actor looked like they being held back from giving proper performances?
Ralph Richardson, Diana Rigg, Donald Pleasance... so many terrific actors, all of them NOT standing out at all. Only Michael Gough gave what I would expect was a "normal" performance from him, but he only ha d a few lines. (Of course there's Beau Bridges, who, as the one American character in the thing, went completely the other way and over-acted to ridiculous extremes. OY!)
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This weekend I'm going to try to watch Stargate, the Extended Cut, Inception, and Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Those should keep the wife and me out of trouble this weekend.
Geo
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With dinner today:
DICK TRACY MEETS GRUESOME
Some feel this is the best of the DT films. Maybe. Having seen all 4 of RKO's series, my own feeling is Morgan Conway looked and acted better as Dick, plus, his 2 films had "Junior" in them. I think they had 4 different Tess Trueharts-- what's up with that? Anne Gwwynne in this one, it turns out, was BAD girl "Sonja" in FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE. and how's this for cross-studio promotion: an ambulance drive was played by Lex Barker, who had just taken over in RKO's TARZAN series!
But there's no doubt... Boris Karloff COMPLETELY steals this movie. He gets to act-- really act-- more than in most films I've ever seen him in. He goes thru so many moods, though most of them are menacing. And he's one really CAGEY customer. In the 2nd half, especially, he keeps saying and doing things which prove there is an almost brilliant intellect inside that cold-bloodedly MURDEROUS frame. (At one point, he plans to dump a guy who had been his devoted best friend-- into an INCINERATOR. Yikes!!)
I've seen a lot of "B" series films in my time, including the SAINT and FALCON series, both made at RKO. I think these 4 films beat them all. It's got more mood, pacing, style, better acting, driecting, action... man, they really threw themselves into these. Tracy is like a prototype for Joe Friday-- except he's got more personality. (Byrd seemed very stiff in the 3rd film, perhaps he resented coming back to the role, but in this one he seems more relaxed, at ease, natural.) But if there's one film this reminds me of in style and pacing, it's THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD-- also made for RKO! i guess back then studios really did have their own recognizable styles.
RKO, of course, when they went out of business, sold their lot to Desilu... who wound up making THE UNTOUCHABLES, and years later, both STAR TREK and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. That's some legacy, hmm?
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Maybe. Having seen all 4 of RKO's series, my own feeling is Morgan Conway looked and acted better as Dick,
Wow! Henry you're the first person I have ever run into who preferred Morgan Conway to Ralph Byrd in the Tracy role!
Having seen the 4 Republic serials, the 4 RKO movies, a number of the 1950s television episodes, the Warren Beatty fiasco and (a zillion years ago) the animated cartoon Tracys, for me, Byrd's version is the best Tracy brought to the screen.
Best
Joe
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THE NEW AVENGERS:
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Saturday night:
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (1959)
Sunday night:
WHERE TIME BEGAN (1978, actually follows the book closer)
right now:
Rick Wakeman's JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (1974)
(now this DOES follow the book; to get a more faithful adaptation, you'd have to read the "Classics Illustrated" comic-book)
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Saturday night:
JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (1959)
Sunday night:
WHERE TIME BEGAN (1978, actually follows the book closer)
right now:
Rick Wakeman's JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH (1974)
(now this DOES follow the book; to get a more faithful adaptation, you'd have to read the "Classics Illustrated" comic-book)
I've seen that 1959 version (that's the one with James Mason and Pat Boone, right?) and the fairly recent Brendan Fraser version (as well as the 1960s animated version) but that's about it for me.
I didn't realize it had been adapted so many times.
Best
Joe
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Last night, Send For Paul Temple, the first of the series from 1946 and a bit slower and not as well acted but the story is classic Francis Durbridge.
ITV is now showing the new series of Midsomer Murders and like Taggart before it, they've managed to change the main character as the John Nettles D.C.I. Barnaby retired and Neil Dudgeon is now the new D.C.I. Being Midsomer Murders, the new guy turns out to be Barnaby's cousin, so the oddness continues. The first 2 stories are very entertaining. Still loving Castle and The Mentalist.
We're both pleased that baseball is back because we've been suffering withdrawal symptoms since the NFL finished. Our digital chanels are also showing Aussie Rules football and Indian Premier League Cricket. Lots to watch and not enough time to do it and read comics.
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"I didn't realize it had been adapted so many times."
Me either. At the IMDB, they usually have a link named "Connections", and if you click on that, you'll get either other films in a series, or other versions of the same story.
JOURNEY... appears to have been done in '59, '67 (the Filmation cartoon series), '78 (the Spanish film I watched last night), '89, and at least 4 times since then. they have 3 different versions listed for 2008!! I mean-- honestly! That's like when 3 "Wyatt Earp" films came out within a year of each other.
*******POSSIBLE SPOILERS********
I recall in high school this hardbound reading book we had in English class contained, right in the middle of otherwise all-text stories, a comic-book version of JOURNEY, which I'm assuming must have been a reprint of the "Classics Illustrated" version. Around the same time, I heard Rick Wakeman's 45-min. musical version, and found that it followed the story exactly as the comic-book had. It wasn't until the mid-80's that I got around to reading the novel. There was a bit of a "surprise ending" that related to a line of dialogue on the Wakeman album that explained something the Wakeman version didn't. After the storm at sea, Lindenbrook checks his compass and finds they've wound up only a few miles away from where they first set sail. But it turns out, this was NOT true! They were more like about a thousand miles away from there... the surprise ending revealed that once back home, he figured out that the electrical storm had reversed the polarity on his compass. For weeks, he couldn't figure out how they'd ever ended up in Italy!
A few years after reading the novel, I got ahold of a "book on tape" version. It was 3 cassettes long. It allowed me to experience the book again without the trouble of actually having to READ it! (It's very long-winded and "technical".)
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(It's very long-winded and "technical".)
Yeah I remember thinking the same thing the one and only time I read it. I much prefer Verne's The Mysterious Island (which I've read three times).
Best
Joe
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Funny story... Back in art school, I rode the train every, and had time to either catch shut-eye, or read. I went thru a pile of SAINT books, plus, 3 whole Jules Verne novels that had been sitting around the house for around 15 years. 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, and THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND.
As you probably noticed, MYSTERIOUS ISLAND starts out frightfully "bleak" and hopeless-seeming. But slowly, painfuly slowly, things improve, and continue to do so until just about the climax of the book. (It shares this with the Harryhausen movie-- heh.)
Now, my late best friend Jim was a speed-reader. He was also rather psychologically "detached", and until the last few years of his life, had an increasingl problem "relating" to people on any kind of really deep, personal or emotional level. I often got the feeling when he'd tell me he'd read an entire novel in ONE SITTING that he just wasn't getting any EMOTIONAL effect from it at all. He'd get the plot, the details... and NOTHING ELSE. It was kinda sad.
ANYWAY... he told me he'd "tried" to read MYSTERIOUS ISLAND 3 times... 3!! And he had to put it down each time just about 50 pages in. (It's about 300 pages long.) Well... about a WEEK after I told him I'd managed to read it (it took me 2 or 3 weeks to do so), he announced, proudly, that he finally HAD read it.
I found it funny... because, apparently, I'd "shamed" him into doing it!
:D
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I've also got a JOURNEY... "story". My "introduction" to it was-- get this-- an amusement park ride of that name at Dorney Park in Allentown, PA. It was one of those "tunnel-boat" rides, filled with monsters, ending with a long ramp up and a high-speed downward slide into water (SPLASH!). There was a pterodactyl mounted on the entrance of the ride. I loved it.
The first "film" I saw was the 1967 Filmation cartoon series, which featured Ted Knight as the voices of both Lindebrook and Count Saknussem. Ony later did I see the '59 film.
About 1996, I was listening to the book-on-tape, and my attention was drawn to the sequence where, while waiting for a ship, the professor takes his nephew to the top of the tallest cathedral steeple, to help him get over his fear of heights. Back when I was very young, we used to visit Barnaget Light beach every summer, and a few years in a row, I climbed to the top of the lighthouse. Until one year, when I got halfway up, and suddenly-- HAD-- to stop. I was never quite sure if it was something psychological going on in my life (very likely) or just that I was growing taller and it was having an effect on my balance, but all of a sudden, I found myself afraid of heights.
In 1996, we went to visit Barnaget Light, first time since the 60's. It wasn't a beach anymore, it'd been turned into a wildelife preserve. But the lighthouse was still there. At one point, on my own, I went up to it, walked inside, and began climbing the stairs. I wasn't in the best of shape, got out of breath, and actually had to sit down on the FLOOR when I reached the top to catch my breath and relax. But once I had, I slowly stood up, looked at the door, and calmly walked thru it onto the balcony. I went to the railing, and looked DOWN. It was amazing. NO nervousness at all! I had OVERCOME my fear of heights! I was in the process of overcoming a lot of fears that year in general, and it was exhiliarating to find this was one of them. The fact that I was in the middle of listening to that part of the story at that exact moment was just one of those amazing "meant to be" moments.
Less than a month later, and for the only time in my life (so far), I WALKED OUT of a very bad, abusive job situation. I've never been the type to quit a job when I don't have another one waiting for me-- but I've never regretted doing it in that instance. (Companies really should not treat all of their employees like SCUM as a given thing. It's not productive for either side.)
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Today:
CHARLIE CHAN IN HONOLULU
This film is a RIOT. In Sidney Toler's debut, we get sons #2 & 5, Richard Lane as a loud, brash, fast-talking cop who may not be what he seems, Marc Lawrence as a convicted murderer, George Zucco as a rather "mad" psychiatrist who keeps the brain of a Chinese murderer alive in his suitcase, and a tame lion named "Oscar" who keeps roaming around free scaring people. I laughed from beginning to end. Most reviews at the IMDB say this had "too much comedy", but I don't mnd comedy as long as it's FUNNY-- and this is!
Trivia: while Lee Chan had been played by Keye Luke, Charlie's son-in-law is played by Philip Ahn. Both Luke & Ahn were "Masters" on KUNG FU!
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While looking up some of the Dick Tracy films on imbd I clicked the news article link, and found an interesting little article about Warren Beatty and The Tribune Co.'s legal battle for control of the character. Good Lord- you don't suppose he's thinking of a sequel? Cheers, Bowers
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No they are not old but my wife and I watched some good inspirational movies on Netflix.
Treasure Blind, Soldiers of Change and Smile are all feel good movies.
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Today:
CHARLIE CHAN IN RENO
"Pop! Tell these guys I'm not crazy!"
"Must first convince self of same."
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Most of my current shows are winding down-a few have already ended (Being Human-BBC, Being Human-SyFy and The Defenders) and the rest will be finishing their seasons over the next few weeks (Hawaii Five-O, CSI: NY, Crimnal Minds, Criminal Minds:Suspect Behavior, Bones, Fringe, and The Event).
To fill those spots I've already started watching AMC's new crime series-The Killing (which is strong on characterization) and there's a new season of Doctor Who starting next weekend.
After that I'll have to wait until Summer when some other shows I follow return (Leverage, Haven, Torchwood, & Warehouse 13). There's also a new sci-fi series starting this Summer which I may catch-Falling Skies. Also may try to catch up in reruns on some others-CSI and Nikita.
Best
Joe
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This weekend:
THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (1929)
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA (1954)
This is probably the first time watching the Disney film where it felt like a "sequel". (If you've seen the '29 film you know exactly what I mean.)
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This weekend:
THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (1929)
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA (1954)
This is probably the first time watching the Disney film where it felt like a "sequel". (If you've seen the '29 film you know exactly what I mean.)
We just popped 20,000 Leagues under the Sea in last night, my wife called it very boring, I have to admit the fight scene at the end of the movie made me laugh, it was so bad.
Geo
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Yeah some of those old movies have to be judged on the special affects of the time. We have become jaded. Just check out Harryhausen's Sinbad movies. They were state of the art and so exciting in their day.
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DVDs recently watched-
Monsters Vs. Aliens-2009- Dreamworks animated feature. While certainly not in the Pixar league the Lil' Missus and I found this one to be an enjoyable enough Saturday night movie.
Mothra-1961- Where I grew up in Phoenix there was this show that ran on TV on weekends called World Beyond. I caught many 1950s and 60s sci-fi flicks there over the years growing up. Lots of AIP films and plenty of Japanese monsters too. Mothra was among the later. Hadn't seen it in many years and certainly not in the beautiful color widescreen presentation seen here on the Icons of Sc-fi: Toho Collection DVD set.
Gang Bullets-1938- Gangsters get run out of big city. Land in smaller town. Threaten to corrupt officials. Fair to middlin.'
The Hudsucker Proxy-1994- Part of my new "watch a Paul Newman film a week" thing since I read that Newman bio. Here's one I had never seen before. Crazy Coen Bros shenanigans. Newman having fun in a supporting role.
The Girl Who Played with Fire-2009- The Swedish adaptation of the second of Stieg Larsson's Lisbeth Salander novels comes across as a very condensed version of the book (even at over two hours long) and never quite captures the book's depth or nuances. Noomi Rapace and Micahel Nyqvist are good in the lead roles though.
Affair in Trinidad-1952- Glenn Ford and Rita Hayworth are re-teamed in an effort to recreate the sizzle they brought to the screen in Gilda (1946). Rita has some nice numbers in it but the script is ultimately too trite in this weakish noir effort.
Beowulf -2007- CGI animated version of the famous Old English epic. It's been decades since I read this in high school but my dim memory sez that the first half of the film is reasonably accurate to the source material. Beyond that I can't remember as by that point in the film I was bored with the mannequin looking CGI actors and started dozing off. The Lil' Missus found it more entertaining than I did though.
The World at War-1973- I've been watching an episode a week of this series for a while now and finally finished it this past week. I first saw this on my old black and white TV when I was a teenager back in the 70s and was somewhat surprised by how much color footage there was when I re-watched the entire series on DVD. The DVD set also has all of the subsequent specials, culled from leftover interviews and the miles of documentary footage still on hand, that they put together after the initial (26 episode) series. IMHO, the best documentary series on war ever and one of the best documentary series on any subject ever. Highly recommended.
Secrets of the Dead-"Executed in Error"-2008- A couple of years ago I read a book, Thunderstruck, about the "crime of the century" where the American Dr. Hawley Crippen was tried and executed for the murder of his wife in 1910 in Britain. The trial was famous for its use of cutting edge forensic science which was instrumental in bringing in a guilty verdict against Crippen. In this show they examine some of that evidence against modern forensic techniques and find out that the DNA from the body parts (said to have been Mrs. Crippen) reveals that the body parts were not only not her's but were from some man. Recently released prosecutions documents from the trial also revealed that police suppressed evidence they found that corroborated Crippen's statement that his wife had left him sometime before. What, at one time, seemed like a killer brought to justice now appears to be, quite possibly, a miscarriage of justice.
Best
Joe
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Love Godzilla, Mothra, Gamera and all those other great Japanese monsters. I've managed to get many of the films on dvd but as lots weren't available here in the U.K., I have American, French, Japanese versions. Of course, it helps to have a multi region player. Thinking about this has put me in the mood to watch The Mysterions again.
Last night we watched 2 Avengers episodes - The Superlative 7 (Donald Sutherland is the guest star) and Never, Never Say Die with Christopher Lee. To get the Blackman and Rigg episodes on dvd, I had to buy the Dutch and French sets but they're not dubbed, all you have to do is disable the Dutch sub-titles.
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Reading reviews of 20,000 LEAGUES at the IMDB, it's amazing the differences of opinions of different people. Many feel it's Disney's greatest achievement, some feel it's an achievement DESPITE Disney (heh), others feel it's dull, boring, annoying, or some combination of those, while quite a few B**** and complain that "It doesn't follow the book!" (There's a AWFUL lot of those kind of reviews for an awful lot of movies at thre IMDB. While there may be some point to it, to judge a film solely on its fidelity to a book is often missing the point. As one person I know liked to say, "Many terrible novels have been turned into terrific movies.")
By a mile, James Mason and his Nautilus are the best parts of the Disney film, making me wish either Disney had done the sequel, or, better, that Charles Schneer had worked out a deal to RE-USE Disney's Nautilus (and its Captain) in his film.
Unfortunately, I was unable to locate my copy of Harryhausen's MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (I would swear I have it on tape somewhere!!), so, since it was handy, instead, last night I watched...
JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (1963)
Wow. I love this movie from beginning to end. It's one of the most stunningly beautiful films I've ever laid eyes on. The color is dazzling! I have read a version of the story (way back in the 60's) and am aware that the film made drastic changes to the details and structure of the story, but in the long run, I feel they made good choices, as what they wound up with really "works" as a movie.
And so many terrific English actors, so many of whom I've become more familair with over the years. Honor Blackman (THE AVENGERS, GOLDFINGER, DOCTOR WHO: "Terror of the Vervoids"), Patrick Troughton (Hammer's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, DOCTOR WHO seasons 4-6, THE SCARS OF DRACULA, THE SAINT, SINBAD AND THE EYE OF THE TIGER), Douglas Wilmer (SHERLOCK HOLMES, THE BRIDES OF FU MANCHU, THE VAMPIRE LOVERS, THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD, THE SAINT, OCTOPUSSY), Nigel Green (THE FACE OF FU MANCHU, THE IPCRESS FILE), Michael Gwynn (THE REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN), Nancy Kovack (DIARY OF A MADMAN, STAR TREK: "A Private Littlle War"), Niall McGinnis (NIGHT OF THE DEMON). Director Don Chaffey later did a ton of TV, including THE AVENGERS, THE PRISONER, the 80's MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE.
But it's obvious the real star of the film is Ray Harryhausen, between Talos the bronze giant, the harpies, the Hydra and the 7 sword-fighting skeletons! And of course, Bernard Herrmann really adds weight and serious awesomeness to every scene (even if he's swiping from several of his own previous scores all the way thru the film).
This is one of those where I first saw it when I was a kid (in the 60's), later saw it on a theatrical reissue (late 70's) and now find myself loving it EVEN MORE as the years go by! It amazes me how much more "adult" it feels than the earlier 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD (which revels in its own "storybook" look and feel). I'd put JASON on a equal footing with GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD as far as the overall tone of the film goes, except GOLDEN VOYAGE has better-developed characters, and even more "real-world" look to its fantasy world, and possibly the hottest-looking heroine in all of 70's fantasy films (Caroline Munro).
One thing that stands out more with each viewing, it's almost painfully clear that the end of the film was setting up a SEQUEL, to tell the rest of the story, the return voyage, and the showdown with King Pelias. WHY was a 2nd film never made?
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Loved the more the merrier monster movies. Gamera was like a superhero to me. I lost interest when they got to Godzilla vs ......
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If GODZILLA was Japan's answer to KING KONG (or, more accurately, THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS), then MOTHRA must surely be Japan's answer to MIGHTY JOE YOUNG. Both plots involve a "good" monster, show-business, and cute girls who just wanna go home.
My favorite Japanese giant-monster films include...
GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS
MOTHRA
GODZILLA VS. THE THING
GHIDRAH THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER
KING KONG ESCAPES
DESTROY ALL MONSTERS
TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA (nice way to go out, a return to decent storytelling after too many "silly" films)
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How do I choose my favourite monster movies? I've been giving this a ponder and in no particular order:-
Godzilla (the original) There was a BFI release a couple of years ago with a lovely re-mastered print.
Destroy All Monsters
Final Wars
Any of the b&w Gamera films.
And a couple of British ones;
The Giant Behemoth (Andre Morell) (a sort of Quatermass movie without Quatermass - Morell played Bernard Quatermass in the t.v. Quatermass and The Pit)
X The Unknown (Dean Jagger) In this a giant, black, radioactive, disgusting blob wreaks havoc in the highlands of Scotland.
Actually, this is getting silly. There are so many I enjoy it's too difficult to decide.
And what about the monster in The Quatermass Experiment? Great final scene in Westminster Abbey.
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I don't know anything about Midsummer Murders to get a laugh. Peter D had the misfortune of following the ultra popular (in the US) Tom Baker Doctor. It took me a while to get used to him but I did enjoy his run. The third Doctor is the one I just could not get into. It would be good if more non-US series and movies make it to archive for all to enjoy. There are still a lot of TV series that I have never seen a single episode of.
Hey, Pertwee is my second favorite Doctor, and yes, to illustrate a cliche, Baker is my favorite. But, Peter Davison was my third favorite, and I'm uncertain beyond that. But, Matt Smith has really won me over, and I think my wife is about kick me, because she's really only into David Tennant.
It's funny, when it comes to Doctor Who, most people's favorite is based on who they were first introduced to in the role.
Well, just in case anyone hasn't heard yet, Elisabeth Sladen died yesterday, that would be Sarah Jane, one of my all-time favorite Doctor Who companions. Also, oddly enough, this weekend, series six is beginning...
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Really upset and saddened by Elisabeth Sladen's death. I've been a fan since I first saw her with Pertwee. She was so good and her comeback with Tennent brought a tear to the eye.
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Really a shock. Another very talented actress leaving us. Oddly enough, I had just rented some episodes of the "Sarah Jane Adventures" a few weeks ago. I had forgotten how good they were. Glad she was able to make a comeback, though. Sadly, Bowers
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What a week! Never watched these all as a set before...
CHARLIE CHAN'S MURDER CRUISE
CHARLIE CHAN AT THE WAX MUSEUM
MURDER OVER NEW YORK
CHARLIE CHAN IN RIO
CASTLE IN THE DESERT
On top of that, I've also continued watching Jeremy Brett as SHERLOCK HOLMES, David Suchet as POIROT, and Leo McKern as RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY. (I only have a handful of the latter.)
And last night... THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL. I've now lost track of how many times I've seen this!
"My wife... she's so amusing."
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It takes a special kind of movie for me to be inspired to sit thru it twice in less than a month...
EVIL UNDER THE SUN (1982)
From the 1st time I saw this on HBO, it immediately became one of my favorite movies. I'd hoped for 4 years by then that Peter Ustinov would return for a 2nd outing as Poirot (after DEATH ON THE NILE), and I was not disappointed. If anything, I've long considered this one of, if not the, MOST complicated Agatha Christie murder plots I've ever seen. Each time I would watch the film, I found myself unable to keep track of all the details!! It happened multiple times... until last month, when, FINALLY, by the end of the film, I found that for the first time, I actually "GOT IT". And I realized what the problem was. There were 2 related, convoluted plots, not 1. On the one hand, there was the events concerned with the murder. But on the other, the events that took place over the months leading up to the murder-- and which formed the MOTIVE.
Stunning location scenery, incredible cast, some of Guy Hamilton's best work ever as a director (this blows 3 of his 4 "007" films completely out of the water), and glorious Cole Porter tunes all thru the picture. I don't think I've done an IMDB review of this yet, but if I did, I'd give it 10 stars, something I never do.
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After slowly plowing thru the episodes in production order, today I finally reached the last of THE NEW AVENGERS. A lot of terrible things have been said about the 4 episodes designated as "The New Avengers In Canada". Much of it called for. However, The first 3 of the 4 episodes each at least had interesting premises: a "perfect" double-agent which turns out to be a 20-story office building with a talent for murder; a group of "indestructible", utterly ruthless killers; and a hidden, MOVEABLE, missile base. But "EMILY" gets back to the excessively over-worn tread in this series of a "mere" double-agent whose identity is unknown (NOT ANOTHER ONE!!!). And after a completely pedestrian first half, the second half just falls right off the board when it turns into a "comical" chase involving an antique automobile, the handprint of the double-agent in question on its roof, and Steed's HAT, taped on top of it to keep the prints intact until they can reach the crime lab. This might have been stretching things in a half-hour series. For an hour... it's unbearable. And to think, this was how it all ended. Makes me wish the money had run out 2 weeks earlier. "THE GLADIATORS"-- now THAT was a "great" episode!
As soon as I'm done, I'm planning to dig out my tapes of the series and start all over with the Dr. King, Venus Smith & Cathy Gale. Only this time, I'm thinking of watching them in rotation with 2 other series from the same period-- DANGERMAN, and THE SAINT! (If you've never seen the B&W Roger Moore episodes, you've missed the BEST one he ever did.)
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A friend lent me the Dangerman DVD's. I tried it but could not get into it
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I can understand what you mean. I recall the first time I watched SECRET AGENT (my PBS station only got the later, hour-long episodes), and it seemed somehow "dull", or perhaops too "serious" compared to most other 60's adventure shows. Patrick McGoohan was in many cases the SOLE reason for watching. And I have to admit, in my case, I soon realized that of all the 60's TV adventure heroes, John Drake's personality most reminded me of myself! (Simon Templar was someone I wanted to be more like; John Drake was someone who seemed I already was, IF I had a job like that.)
Took me years before I got the urge to watch them again, but I must say, they did start to "grow" on my the 2nd time around. A lot of the Cathy Gale episodes of THE AVENGERS were like that. I thought many of them, particularly the 2nd season (her 1st), were DULL. But on 2nd viewing, they got better. Of course, what amazes me about them is, when A&E ran them, they were butchered mercilessly. I found ONE commercially-available videotape before A&E got the show and rented it, and one day, I managed to watch both copies of the same episode AT THE SAME TIME, on 2 different VCRs. The A&E copy was missing 8-1/2 MINUTES!!! I mean-- good grief. It's a miracle those episode still make sense!
Come to think of it, Roger Moore's SAINT episodes also grew on me over time. This was different from Ian Ogilvy's RETURN OF THE SAINT-- those I loved the first time around!
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Harper-1966- My Paul Newman movie for the week. Adapted from Ross McDonald's first Lew Archer novel-The Moving Target (which I last read about three decades ago). This was my first viewing of the movie in at least a couple decades too. I remember it being a very cool and current type movie when I first saw it in the early 1970s. Now it seems more dated because the way they make movies has changed so much since then. I still find it cool though. Newman is wonderfully laid back as Lew Harper (don't ask why his name was changed from Archer to Harper as I've read several reasons and they all differ) and he has a great supporting cast that includes Julie Harris, Robert Wagner, Shelly Winters, Lauren Bacall, Janet Leigh, Strother Martin, and Arthur Hill.
Baseball-1994- I'm not a baseball or big sports guy but I do love this Ken Burns documentary series because it is so full of history and its examination of the sport is such a great reflection of society and how it and the sport changed over the years. I've heard that he did a couple new episodes last year to bring this up to date but I haven't seen them yet.
Secrets of the Dead-"Battle for the Bible"-2007- Another episode of the PBS documentary series. This one examines the battles that went on in England to get the Bible translated into English so it could be more accessible to the common man during the 16th and 17th centuries as the Protestant Revolution went on in Europe.
The X-Files: Season Five-1997-1998- In general I found this season to have a lighter overall tone than the earlier seasons with humor quite prevalent in several episodes. The final show sets things up for the 1998 theatrical movie that came out during the Summer of that year between seasons 5 and 6.
Food, Inc.-2008- A documentary that looks at the changes that have gone on during the last few decades in America as to how our food is now grown, raised, etc.. Sobering and I suspect that it only scratches the surface of the subject. Still recommended.
Studio One-"Pontius Pilate"-1952- Well it's Easter week so I dug out this early live television show from an Easter broadcast of nearly 60 years ago. This largely fictionalized story about the Roman prefect who played a part in the crucifixion of Christ is quite well acted and ends with a plea for tolerance among all people. Lead roles are well played although I must confess that whenever I see Cyril Richard (who plays Pilate here) I always think of him as Captain Hook from my repeated watchings of those annual reruns of the Mary Martin version of Peter Pan when I was a kid.
Best
Joe
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I've got both HARPER movies on one tape (recorded off commercial TV in the 80's, so, bad signal and faded prints). I watched them both again a few months ago. I think they're slowly growing on me, though not as much as THE MALTESE FALCON or THE BIG SLEEP have. I have such a deep love for things from the 60's (probably because I grew up then), yet a lot of movies I've seen from that decade either haven't aged well, or require a special mindset to really enjoy them.
An example would be Irwin Allen's VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (1961). I was initially disappointed with it compared to the TV series (which I had been a regular viewer of when it was first-run). It took at least 4 viewings-- and in particular, getting to see it UNCUT and in WIDESCREEN beforer it really started to grow on me. I have a feeling now the TV series would seem odd by comparison.
Of course, all 8 of Roger Corman's POE films are now favorites of mine, but I've had decades of watching some of them for them to grow on me as much as they have.
HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, on the other hand... that one I loved from the 1st time I saw it! Seen it about 7 times now (so far). the funny thing is, I saw the remake first... found it "interesting", but then, when I saw the original, I liked that much better.
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Comcast free "On Demand" finally gave us something really good! Seasons three and four of "Primeval" and the new season of "Dr. Who". Great new twist in the story line of "Primeval". They've only shown the first episode of the Doctor, a two-parter, but it seems to be as well-done as last season. Cheers, Bowers
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I caught the premiere of the new season of Dr. Who on BBC America this past Saturday. They're off to a good start with the Doctor out West wearing a Stetson and meeting Richard Nixon all in the same episode!
Best
Joe
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A fascinating article about the Sidney Toler CHARLIE CHAN films. I never knew, for example, that wne Fox ended their series, HE bought the rights! Clever guy. I've been surprised at the IMDB by how many peolpe prefer him in the role to his prdecessor, Warner Oland.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/13/movies/homevideo/13kehr.html?_r=1
Henry
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As a young kid watching them on a small black and white TV I did not know it was a different actor so I liked them both equally. When I got older and realized it I tried to not differentiate so I could still enjoy both.
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I feel sure it was Toler's deadpan monotone that Joey Foreman was doing a parody
of with the character "Harry Hoo" on GET SMART.
"Two cigarettes indicate there were two smokers in room and one non-smoker."
"Perhaps two smokers and TWO non-smokers."
"Perhaps two smokers and FOUR non-smokers!"
"Well then what you're saying is, there could have been as many as FIFTY people
in this room, provided only TWO of them were smokers."
"Precisely."
"Must have been awfully crowded in here."
(At that moment, two homicide detectives grab their cigarettes before leaving
the scene of the crime.)
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As of a few hours ago, I've been working my way through a bunch of Boston Blackie movies. Once I've finished that, I am considering the idea of entering into a Durango Kid festival, but I'm also hearing Eddie Dean calling, so, either way it will soon be a B-Western fest for me.
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My son is a big Boston Blackie fan
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Thanks to TCM, I managed to get most of the BOSTON BLACKIEs on tape 3-4 years ago. I really liked the first one, after that it settles into a nice pattern, although it bugged me a fgew films in that they contradicted the brief continuity of the series. In the 1st one with Chester Morris, half the plot hinges on the fact that the cops have nbever gotten Blackie's fingerprints, because he's never been arrested or served time! Yet a few films later, it becomes part of his history from then on that some years back, he DID serve time, and although he was paroled, the cops refuse to believe he's gone straight.
I had to agree with whoever said that, if the cops mistrusted him for a couple of pictures, okay, but by the 3rd or 4th time, it just makes them look INCREDIBLY stupid. Someone said the same thing about McCLOUD. It's clear from early-on that Chief Clifford realizes how sharp and unusually good at his job Sam McCloud is. Yet by the 4th season, Clifford was having fits and conniptions every time McCloud crossed his path, mostly because McCloud bends the rules every chance he gets in order to get the job done. It did make for great comedy, but I was happy that by the 6th season they'd toned it down with the Chief some.
A similar series I picked up at the same time as BB was THE LONE WOLF with Warren William. As far as I know, his character never did time. I loved his debut, THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT, where he had a butler, a daughter and a steady girlfriend. But someone must have decided to tinker with the format, because starting with the 2nd film, the daughter and girlfriend were gone, and the butler was recast with a MUCH more outrageous actor in the part (who at times could be downright ANNOYING). Following the death of Warren William, they cast Gerald Mohr in the part, while simultaneously tiknkering with the concept by changing him from a rich retiree to an ex-serviceman looking for work. Perhaps this made him more relatable to movie audiences, but you wouldn't do a thing like this with Simon Templar, would you?
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At the Movies-
I have been way off in my usual cinema going for the last several months. This past weekend was only the second time this year I'd gotten out to see a movie. Hope to get back on track there soon.
Battle Los Angeles- This movie seemed to get really ravaged in every review I stumbled across when it came out a few weeks back but since it was still playing at my local multi-plex I figured the public must have liked even if the critics didn't. Well I liked it too. It's kind of a standard war story with a standard plot and some standard characters I've seen in many war films featuring such types as- the new Marine Lt. fresh from his class and ready to fight but unsure of himself,-and the veteran Sgt. with a checkered past (he lost his whole squad in his last action in the middle east) and ready to retire who gets foisted on a new squad who have little faith in him,- and all the various enlisted men from all parts of the country under them. The main switch here is that instead of a WWII (or wherever) setting the Marines are fighting invading aliens in Los Angeles. It's a very simple movie with decent effects, lots of action, and some heroic characters you can care about. Only small complaint was that it might have been a smidgen too long. So the critics can go jump in the lake.
Best
Joe
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I, too, have been pretty lax in theater-going but have found a great way to remedy that situation. Our local "2nd run" theater has recently started a "One Dollar Wednesday" policy. Great way to catch up on recent movies. Last night we saw (and enjoyed) "Unknown" and will be watching "Battle Los Angeles", which will be coming soon. Also saw the trailers for "Green Lantern"- any opinions on if this movie will be any good? Cheers, Bowers
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Not so fond of Boston Blackie but I enjoy The Lone Wolf. Always preferred Roger Moore's Saint to Ian Ogilvy - especially the b&w episodes. Last night, we watched the new Castle. Excellent. Tonight the Twins game was a bit one sided so a couple of Diana Rigg Avengers episodes should cheer us up.
My pals saw Thor last night and are raving about it.
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THE RETURN OF CHARLIE CHAN (1971)
Happiness Is A Warm Clue *****
A number of classic detective characters had revivals in TV-pilots in the early 70's, including Stewart Granger as SHERLOCK HOLMES, Robert Conrad as NICK CARTER, and, it figures, Ross Martin as CHARLIE CHAN. The 1st 2 were "period" pieces, but CHAN was a sequel to the Fox & Monogram series, updated to the present-day (1971) and featuring 2 of his kids grown up plus several grand-kids in cameo. It could have been interesting, but like the others I mentioned, it didn't sell. Not only didn't it sell, it wasn't even aired until 8 years after it was made! That's gotta hurt.
I usually have no problem watching "old" movies or TV shows, but somehow this one screams "1971" a little too much. The fashions, the loud blaring jazz music, but worse (and this is something I bet most viewers aren't even aware of), the style of directing and editing. I just came off watching my entire CHARLIE CHAN collection, and the entire way this thing is written, directed, acted, photographed & edited is just JARRING beyond belief. Among other annoyances, too many close-ups, too much fast-cutting between 2 or more things going on at the same time... Honestly, if you want to revive a "classic" character, would it HURT that much to study the STYLE of the old films and try to bring at least a LITTLE of that ambiance to the present project?
One thing that bugged me in many of the late-70's and 80's "revivals" was the way so many stories insisted on telling us that our heroes had "retired" and stopped doing their thing. STAR TREK, WILD WILD WEST, THE MOD SQUAD, MAN FROM UNCLE... I'd forgotten this trend actually started almost a decade earlier. But then, nobody had ever seen this film when most of those sequels were being made.
Something that I actually found amusing in this film was that no less than 3 of its leads were not using their regular accents. Not only is Ross Martin playing a Chinese detective, but Leslie Nielsen (FORBIDDEN PLANET) is playing a Greek tycoon, while Richard Haydn (AND THEN THERE WERE NONE) is NOT doing his usual "nasal" whine thing. Actually, Ross Martin's regular voice creeps in far too much of the time. He LOOKS right in the part, but he doesn't SOUND right. I'd have almost preferred if they'd gotten Joey Foreman, who played "Harry Hoo" on GET SMART (doing a dead-on Sidney Toler impression).
I kept rattling my brains trying to figure out where I'd seen Louise Sorel before... I narrowed it down to one of the NBC MYSTERY MOVIES (yes, she did a BANACEK) or STAR TREK. But I'd forgotten it was "Requiem For Methusaleh", where she played the last of the various women Jim Kirk FELL HARD for. I'm astonished to see how many episodes of daytime soap-operas she's been in since! Wow.
The story itself is monstrously over-complicated. Having watched tons of murder mysteries in the last few months (SHERLOCK HOLMES, POIROT, MISS MARPLE, MR. MOTO, and yes, CHARLIE CHAN), this may get the vote for the MOST indecipherable. I just saw it, and have almost no idea who did what to who and why.
Ironically, THIS film was apparently the inspiration for the cartoon series THE AMAZING CHAN AND THE CHAN CLAN, which debuted on Saturday mornings just a year later. In that, they got Keye Luke (alias "Number One Son" Lee Chan) to do the voice of Charlie. It's too bad nobody thought of having him star in THIS first.
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The Ross Martin Charlie Chan TV movie is one of the few Chan movies that I've never seen. Thanks for your outlook on this odd piece of Chanmania, Henry.
Best
Joe
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I found a blog devoted to movies series, written in the most CYNICAL way imagineable... some of it was hilarious, but definitely cynical. The guy had one section devoted to Chan. And I posted a message, telling him, HEY, you forgot Ross Martin! I had seen the cartoon show in 1972, but at the time had no idea that it MAY have been a spin-off of the UNAIRED and unsold pilot. I still have no proof, but it was made one year later, and both featured Charlie's grand-kids. the tv movie mentions (but didn't show) that some of Charlie's grandkids had "started a rock band". No kidding! A bit of reading online reminded me, THIS was a big part of the premise of the cartoons. A sort of Chinese "Josie and the Pussycats"-- I'M NOT making this up!!
Charlie himself-- voiced by Keye Luke, would appear briefly in each episode. This reminds me of THE PEBBLES AND BAMM BAMM SHOW, which had Fred & Barney's kids grown up as teenagers, hanging out with their high school friends and having adventures, while Fred & Barney would show up briefly in each episode.
Ahhhh so, 70's were indeed strange time for cartoons.
Unless I have some more that have been mis-filed, I have one more Chan film left to watch, today... the one with Peter Ustinov. (My main memory was, it wasn't NEARLY as awful as the Peter Sellers FU MANCHU film. Or the Miles O'Keefe TARZAN. You know the one...)
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Okay, the short form... this week:
DARK ALIBI
SHADOWS OVER CHINATOWN
THE CHINESE RING
THE RETURN OF CHARLIE CHAN
CHARLIE CHAN AND THE CURSE OF THE DRAGON QUEEN
Peter Ustinov, somehow, is slightly better than Ross Martin, but seems to be in a completely different movie from every single other actor. He plays it straight, he actually has the ONLY REALLY FUNNY lines in the film, but the rest is a mess. No need to do a "comedy" CHAN, more than half the originals WERE funny already! They should have gone for wit, not slapstick. Put another way, if they wanted to do over-the-top comedy, they should have tried for MARX BROTHERS... instead, I think they went with RITZ BROTHERS. (I've seen CRAZY HOUSE, which is why I say this.)
Meanwhile, at night...
THIS ISLAND EARTH
FORBIDDEN PLANET
THE WAR OF THE WORLDS
Did you know both Robert Cornwaite & Paul Frees (from THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD) have cameos in WOTW ? Never noticed that before.
I was considering watching THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL tonight, but instead, went with THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES. I had to watch a GOOD murder mystery to get the really BAD one out of my system.
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Tonight:
"Why we doin' this?"
"For the good old American way. For the money, for the glory, and for the fun.
Mostly for the money."
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I mentioned the Scottish elections recently and yesterday was polling day. Needless to say there's wall to wall coverage on t.v. and radio. Also, there are local council elections in England and that means the U.K. chanels are covering this and our results. It's important because, in Britain we are being asked if we want to change the voting system from first past the post to AV. And in Scotland, the SNP (the independence party) were thought to have a good chance of doing well. They've been running Scotland as a minority government for the last 4 years. This morning it looks as if they will be the biggest party and be able to form a majority government. Never happened before and the whole thing is rather exciting. Not a lot of time to watch much else. Except Castle, which was great and tonight we'll make time for The Mentalist.
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Tonight:
GOLDEN RENDEZVOUS (1977)
This is the movie that made me a fan of Richard Harris. Alistair Maclean thriller about a ship hi-jacked by terrorists. It's been compared to DIE HARD a decade early. The funny thing is, the first time I saw this, about 20 minutes in, I realized I'd seen it before... on DOCTOR WHO! Only there, it was part of "The Trial of a Time Lord"-- "TERROR OF THE VERVOIDS" to be exact. Writers Pip & Jane Baker kept insisting they were doing "an Agatha Christie tribute", but I think that was just a dodge so people wouldn't realize how closely they were plagiarizing Maclean!
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Do you know, you're right. Never thought of that before. Nice one.
In case anyone is even remotely interested in the democratic process in Scotland, the SNP won an outright majority for the Scottish parliament. Labour took a right battering and the Liberal Democrats (who are in coalition with the Tories in Westminster) were almost wiped out. Doesn't mean we'll all vote for independence, it's just that many folk here feel that the SNP did a no' bad job as a minority administration that we've given them the chance to do even more.
Spent way too much time watching the drama unfold on tv and radio.
Hope I haven't bored you but it was exciting for us.
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Currently watching 3 early-60's UK shows in rotation at dinnertime...
THE AVENGERS
DANGER MAN
THE SAINT
Got thru the first 3 I have of each, today THE SAINT was "The Careful Terrorist", one of the few that took place in America (NYC), one of only two Roger Moore episodes to feature Inspector Fernack (Alan Gifford, he's no Jonathan Hale), and the only one to feature "Hoppy", his dim-witted ex-gangland assistant (here played by Percy Herbert, who'd been in Harryhausen's THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND). Both Fernack & Hoppy are on the "stiff" side as far as acting goes, and considering how many SAINT stories had him working with some kind of friend or sidekick, it's almost a shame the bulk of Roger Moore's 120 episides had him almost exclusively as a "lone wolf" (no relation to Michael Lanyard, heh).
Oh yeah-- the villain in this was was played by Peter Dyneley, who (I knew it sounded familiar!) was the voice of Jeff Tracy on THUNDERBIRDS!
I just found out courtesy of the IMDB that there was a French SAINT film made in 1966 that I've never seen. I wonder if I ever will?
For breakfast I'm current watching SHERLOCK HOLMES (Jeremy Brett) and POIROT (David Suchet) in rotation, while last Saturday, I began watching the 1930's-40's SAINT films. I figure between those and THE FALCON films I'll have a few months at least before I run out and have to dig out something else. This'll give me a chance to watch all those George Sanders flicks back-to-back (9 in all) plus the others, and being able to compare them with the 60's stuff. Sort of like when I was watching Ronald Howard & Jeremy Brett's HOLMES at the same time.
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Henry, while waiting for this morning's episode of Lawman to come on I was both reading your post (in which you were talking about Roger Moore in The Saint) and watching the tail end of a 4th season episode of Maverick in which Moore was playing Beau Maverick.
It was an episode entitled "Dutchman's Gold" which I've seen a few times. It's based on a real story. The Lost Dutchman was a real character who found gold in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix, where I live. I grew up hearing the various stories and hiked through the mountains on a number of occasions as my Dad was an avid hiker and often took me along when I was a kid and teenager. Even got lost once up there once (but that's another story).
The Superstitions are desert mountains but when they came to show them at the end of the Maverick episode Roger Moore and company (sitting on horseback on an obvious Hollywood stage) looked up, in some awe, at the mountains and then they cut to a stock shot of some high altitude mountain range (The Rockies?) with Pine trees growing on them that looked not a bit like the Superstitions!! While most people viewing the show wouldn't have had a clue I couldn't help but laugh at the scene! :D
Best
Joe
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Back when I still had cable (been without it for over 3 years), I ran across a station running MAVERICK, which I had somehow never seen until then (apart from 2 episiodes of the late-70's revival). And the thing I found most baffling was, it seemed as though the station was running about a dozen episodes in rotation, over and over. I mean-- WTF??? About half were James Garner, the other half with Roger Moore. Don't recall them running any of the Jack Kelly's.
It amused me when, after all these years, I just recently read that Dirk Benedict based his portrayal of Lt. Starbuck on BATTLESTAR GALACTICA after James Garner! All of a sudden, I could SEE it!
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Back when I still had cable (been without it for over 3 years), I ran across a station running MAVERICK, which I had somehow never seen until then (apart from 2 episiodes of the late-70's revival). And the thing I found most baffling was, it seemed as though the station was running about a dozen episodes in rotation, over and over. I mean-- WTF??? About half were James Garner, the other half with Roger Moore. Don't recall them running any of the Jack Kelly's.
It amused me when, after all these years, I just recently read that Dirk Benedict based his portrayal of Lt. Starbuck on BATTLESTAR GALACTICA after James Garner! All of a sudden, I could SEE it!
It's weird that you never caught any of Jack Kelly's episodes of Maverick as he's in more episodes than any of "Mavericks" in the series being the only actor who appeared in all five seasons of the show. I first remember watching it with my Mom when it was in rerun syndication playing afternoons on a local station in the early-mid 1960s. Caught it again as a teen when another local station reran in afternoons in the 1970s and then again in the mid-late 1980s running late nights on yet another local station. It is my favorite of all those Warner Bros western shows and apparently the favorite of a lot of others judging by how often it has been rerun over the years.
The Encore Westerns Channel has been running it for quite a while now and also added Warners' Cheyenne two or three years back and then last year Warners Lawman. Maybe they'll yet add some more of Warners westerns such as Sugarfoot, Bronco and Colt 45.
And if the Encore Mysteries Channel would start adding some of those 1950s and 60s detective shows (77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, Surfside Six, Peter Gunn, Johnny Staccato,Bourban Street Beat, etc, etc...) I'd be real happy.
Never heard the story about the Benedict/Garner connection but now that you mention it I can see it too!
Best
Joe
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Yeah, Warner Brothers pretty much had a monopoly on early sixties TV with their stable of westerns and several detective series. Well-written and with good casts, including several of Warner's old contract players. Made for a time when the whole family could watch the same program and all ages would actually enjoy it. Cheers, Bowers
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Yeah, it happens a lot, I mean, it took me until the middle of the 5th season of NIGHT COURT before I ever turned it on, and I was a fan of Harry Anderson from back when he was appearing on SNL!
And I didn't get around to seeing James Whale's version of THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK until about 4 years ago, even though I remember my Dad mentioning it as far back as the late 60's. Her used to rave about Louis Hayward, but long before I saw ...MASK I saw THE SAINT IN NEW YORK, and then AND THEN THERE WERE NONE.
In truth, I did see Jack Kelly once... during BRET MAVERICK. The very 1st MAVERICK I ever saw involved James Garner going thru elaborate shennanigans in order to "clean up" a lot of things he had going on in town, because he had a sucker coming on the stagecoach, and he didn't want any distractions once the guy arrived. This went on for the entire episode, until, finally, everything was sqaured away, and he waited for the stage to arrive. So imagine his surprise and disappointment when the guy who stepped off the stage was... Jack Kelly, who had ALSO been hoping to fleece a sucker. Obviously, they couldn't pull a scam on EACH OTHER. ;D
The following week, Garner had the week off, and the entire episode focused on Jack Kelly! I haven't seen these since they were first-run in the late 70's.
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And I didn't get around to seeing James Whale's version of THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK until about 4 years ago, even though I remember my Dad mentioning it as far back as the late 60's. Her used to rave about Louis Hayward, but long before I saw ...MASK I saw THE SAINT IN NEW YORK, and then AND THEN THERE WERE NONE.
The wife and I just watched Louis Hayward last weekend in The Fortunes of Captain Blood (1950). He is just as good playing in swashbucklers as he is playing suited smooth guys like the Saint or the Lone Wolf.
In truth, I did see Jack Kelly once... during BRET MAVERICK. The very 1st MAVERICK I ever saw involved James Garner going thru elaborate shennanigans in order to "clean up" a lot of things he had going on in town, because he had a sucker coming on the stagecoach, and he didn't want any distractions once the guy arrived. This went on for the entire episode, until, finally, everything was sqaured away, and he waited for the stage to arrive. So imagine his surprise and disappointment when the guy who stepped off the stage was... Jack Kelly, who had ALSO been hoping to fleece a sucker. Obviously, they couldn't pull a scam on EACH OTHER. ;D
The following week, Garner had the week off, and the entire episode focused on Jack Kelly! I haven't seen these since they were first-run in the late 70's.
Henry, I think you're misremembering something here.
Kelly only worked with Garner twice in the late 70s and early 80s playing Bart Maverick. He appeared with him in the pilot movie The New Maverick (1978) which was the setup for the short-lived (8 episodes) 1979-80 series Young Maverick which actually starred Charles Frank as Ben Maverick (the son of Beau Maverick [Roger Moore]).
Kelly next appeared in the very last episode of Garner's 1981-82 (18 episode) series Bret Maverick. Your description sounds like this episode. He was supposed to become a regular in the show during its second season but the show was unexpectedly cancelled before that could happen. He would have both teamed up with and alternated with Garner if this had come about (just like in the original series).
The Encore Westerns Channel often runs Bret Maverick on Saturdays so I've had a chance to review those shows in recent years. Also picked up the DVD of The New Maverick pilot movie. I haven't seen any of those Young Maverick episodes since the initial run but am pretty positive that Kelly is only in the pilot movie and Garner only in the pilot movie and first episode (in a cameo).
Kelly did later play Bart Maverick in an episode of Lee Majors' The Fall Guy and one of those Kenny Rogers' Gambler movies.
Best
Joe
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It's been many years since I saw any Maverick nad, as far as I know, it's not shown anywhere here.
I think some of you might be interested in a ne detective show that's recently started here in ITV . Vera is a 2 hour crimi with Brenda Blethyn as DCI Vera Stanhope. Set in the north east of England, the 4 stories are adapted from the novels by Ann Cleeves, 2 0f which I've read. A bit unsettling and well done all round, this is good viewing.
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No, I'm not mis-remembering, what I said was exactly what I saw, and exactly what you described. Obviously, I started watching ONE week before it got yanked off the air, so I only ever got to see the last 2 episodes!
Without looking it up, I'll take a guess the later thing was the 3rd Kenny Rogers movie, THE GAMBLER: THE LUCK OF THE DRAW, a 4-hour 2-part story which featured cameos by about a DOZEN different western heroes from 60's TV, as well as David Carridine as Kwai Chang Caine-- 2 years before KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES. An episode of that show later involved "Dark Shadows"-style time travel, and featured further appearances by 2 or 3 of the same characters who'd been in the GAMBLER movie a few years earlier. (I'd have to look it up to be sure WHICH ones.)
Don't you love crazy S*** like this?
By the way, anybody ever see Garner on EIGHT SIMPLE RULES FOR DATING MY DAUGHTER ? After the sudden death of John Ritter, he became a regular on the series, playing Katie Sagal's father. Her mother (and his ex-wife) was briefly played by Susanne Pleshette. I really got to love that show, despite never seeing it until it was already in reruns.
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I think some of you might be interested in a ne detective show that's recently started here in ITV . Vera is a 2 hour crimi with Brenda Blethyn as DCI Vera Stanhope. Set in the north east of England, the 4 stories are adapted from the novels by Ann Cleeves, 2 0f which I've read. A bit unsettling and well done all round, this is good viewing.
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Sounds good, Paw. We'll probably have to wait a year or so, but eventually it will find it's way across the pond. Anyway, please keep posting these program alerts so we know what to look for. Still hoping for a new batch of "Sherlock" and season 5 of "Primeval". One of our local college/pbs stations has been showing an international collection of detective shows, none in English but all with subtitles. Last week I watched a French episode of Maigret with Bruno Cremer in the title role- not bad. Cheers, Bowers
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No, I'm not mis-remembering, what I said was exactly what I saw, and exactly what you described. Obviously, I started watching ONE week before it got yanked off the air, so I only ever got to see the last 2 episodes!
Henry, you got me thinking about this. Your description of Kelly's appearance on that episode was not what I was disputing only the statement you made where you said "The following week, Garner had the week off, and the entire episode focused on Jack Kelly!"
I last watched these Bret Maverick episodes a couple of years ago and was pretty sure that Kelly only had a small role in the final episode of the series (and thus could not have had a starring part in any other episode of the series) so I looked it up. Here's what TV Rage says about the episode-
The Hidalgo Thing- Episode number: 1x18- Production Number: 167517- Airdate: Tuesday May 04th, 1982
Syn: Tom Guthrie is running for re-election as sheriff and wants business partner Bret Maverick to keep a low profile in the campaign but Bret is working on one of the biggest scams of his life and isn't about to be kept under wraps.
Episode Notes: Jack Kelly, who had co-starred with James Garner in the original Maverick series, made his only appearance in the revival series with a brief cameo at the end of this episode. He was slated to become a regular in the series' second season but the show got canceled by NBC.
That's why I was suggesting that maybe your memories over the decades since you saw these Bret Maverick episodes were merging with your memories of Kelly's alternating with Garner from the original Maverick series. I have certainly done that sort of thing often enough (seemingly more often the older I get!).
Without looking it up, I'll take a guess the later thing was the 3rd Kenny Rogers movie, THE GAMBLER: THE LUCK OF THE DRAW, a 4-hour 2-part story which featured cameos by about a DOZEN different western heroes from 60's TV, as well as David Carridine as Kwai Chang Caine-- 2 years before KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES. An episode of that show later involved "Dark Shadows"-style time travel, and featured further appearances by 2 or 3 of the same characters who'd been in the GAMBLER movie a few years earlier. (I'd have to look it up to be sure WHICH ones.)
I did watch this movie once back when it first ran, mainly because it featured all those old western characters making appearances in it, but don't really remember anything about it.
By the way, anybody ever see Garner on EIGHT SIMPLE RULES FOR DATING MY DAUGHTER ? After the sudden death of John Ritter, he became a regular on the series, playing Katie Sagal's father. Her mother (and his ex-wife) was briefly played by Susanne Pleshette. I really got to love that show, despite never seeing it until it was already in reruns.
I only caught a couple of episodes of the show when Garner came on it when they first ran. Did it run for long after he joined the cast?
Best
Joe
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We watched 8 Simple Rules regularly. I think Garner was on two years along with David Spade
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I've never looked it up, and I admit I haven't seen it since it was on first-run... so it's possible I DIDN'T see the next episiode. Maybe I just ASSUMED that Jack Kelly was gonna star in the next epsode, but never actually saw it.
I remember the Garner episiode I saw as being one of those "Rube Goldberg" plots, where to do THIS, Garner had to do THIS, but to do THAT, he had to do THAT... there's a DEEP SPACE NINE that was like that, and I figure they probably thought they were being clever and original, but very little on the late-model ST's ever really was. (I swear to God, more of TNG was paying tribute to dozens of 60's TV shows than it ever seemed to actually "do" STAR TREK. Including the first TNG feature film, which borrowed heavily from the movie THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO. You think I'm kidding?) :)
In any case, I know I was disappointed that I FINALLY got to sit down and watch James Garner, and the next thing, they up and cancelled ths show. (A friend of mine was poking fun at me recently because 3 or 4 resturants in this area ALL closed up right after I started frequenting them. As if I had anything to do with a still-collapsing economy.)
I was reminded of how I finally got hooked on GUNSMOKE... during its 20th season. Oh, great, I start watching, they cancel it.
Incidentally, the internet is great in allowing one to look up almost anythig instantly, but every so often, I run across INCORRECT info online. Some halfwit at the DC Comics message board some years back once got on my case because information listed in several episode guides ran counter to MY personal info, which I KNEW was right, because I was there and saw the show first-run. AND, my info matched what was published in a book back in 1968! Some people get things wrong... and then everybody else follows their lead. it does happen. When you have memory like mine, it can be downright scary sometimes. So many people I know say they can't remember what they were doing last week, I can't FORGET some things that happened 30-40 years ago.
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We watched 8 Simple Rules regularly. I think Garner was on two years along with David Spade
I believe the show ran 4 years. 2 with John Ritter, 2 with Garner & Spade. The strange thing was, the longer I watched, the more I realized that because of some very good writing, they managed to make EVERY character on the show likeable-- even David Spade, whose character seemed designed to be annoying as hell when he first appeared. The only character on the show I never got to like was the father (played by John Ritter). So, bad it sounds, I preferred the show after he was gone. (I know that doesn't sound nice, but there it is.)
I initially started watching because I'd gotten hooked on watching CHARMED, and Kaley Cuoco had become my favorite person on the show (she was only in the 8th season!). So I wound up watching her on 8 SIMPLE RULES much more than the other show. When THE BIG BANG THEORY debuted, my best friend told me she was gonna be on it, so I checked it out. I thought it was AWFUL when it started... and I only watched for her. But over the first 2 months, to my surprise, the writing steadily improved. And so I was experiencing the unusual phenomena of watching the SAME actress on 3 different Tv series AT THE SAME TIME! (That hadn't happened with me since the late 60's when I used to watch I LOVE LUCY, THE LUCY SHOW and HERE'S LUCY all at once.)
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THE SAINT STRIKES BACK (1939)
Awkward, Confused Jumble **
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
After Roger Moore, this was my very first SAINT film with George Sanders. Over the years, he's become one of my favorite actors, and there's quite a few other decent actors in this film. However, this gets my vote for the WORST Saint film ever made-- and let me tell you why.
I sat thru this thing at least 3 times and could not make heads or tails of the plot at all. And then, not long after seeing Louis Hayward in THE SAINT IN NEW YORK, I started reading Leslie Chartis' books. Imagine my surprise and shock when I got to "ANGELS OF DOOM", on which this is VERY loosely based, and not only was it was straight-forward, easy to understand, exciting, entertaining and in places downright hilarious, it also became my favorite novel of all time. It also "explained" to me exactly what was WRONG with this movie!!!
They took a story that by rights should have been done as a 3-hour film (2 at the absolute minimum) and crammed it into just about 60 minutes. Is it any wonder it makes almost no sense at all? Never mind that they also decided to set it in the WRONG country (San Francisco instead of London), they gutted the plot so much that in order to get even the basics across, about 95% of the film is just people standing around talk talk talking.
So the plot structure is awful, the directing is appallingly bad, and half the acting in the film is stiff and lifeless, even from normally very talented actors.
And then of course there's George Sanders, who's COMPLETELY miscast as Simon Templar. I never even really understood the whole aura of "The Saint" until I saw Louis Hayward in action; to date, NOBODY else has ever brought the character to accurate life before (NOT EVEN Roger Moore!! --who usually plays it too SERIOUS, which is mind-boggling when you consider he never took James Bond seriously). The dialog Templar spouts in much of this film would be impossible for ANY actor to deliver credibly, EXCEPT for Louis Hayward, and I doubt even he could have made the story in this one fly. Maybe it wasn't just RKO's low low budget that caused him to depart after only one picture-- maybe he read the script, too.
In all fairness, and despite himself, the next 4 SAINT films all had the dialog tailored specifically to fit Sanders' personality. How else could he have done such an INCREDIBLE job in THE SAINT IN LONDON, or THE SAINT TAKES OVER (the latter of which, an "original" story, is actually a thinly-disguised-- and BETTER-told-- remake of THIS mess! --and with the same 3 actors in the leads!).
Half the actors in this I've seen in other "B" movies from this period, and most of them do far better jobs elsewhere. Truthfully, the only one who comes off unscathed is Jonathan Hale, and you can't help but feel sorry for his Inspector Fernack, for the dizzying way Templar leads him on a confused merry chase, on his way to becoming a "hero" at the end.
As if everything else wasn't so bad, at the end of the film, the "big reveal" as to the true identity of the main villain ALSO is told entirely thru confused dialog, and we find that the baddie got KILLED-- off-screen! I just watched this again today, and the whole time, I wanted to throttle the person who wrote the screenplay!
It's no wonder after 6 RKO films, series creator Leslie Charteris PULLED the plug and took back the rights. Ironically, RKO distributed the 2 British-made films that followed, and simultaneously did THE FALCON series, initially also with Sanders, which was based on a novel that was the subject of a plagiarism lawsuit brought against it by Leslie Charteris! I guess that didn't bother RKO any...
Finally, allow me to recommend much better Simon Templar films...
THE SAINT IN NEW YORK
THE SAINT IN LONDON
THE SAINT TAKES OVER
THE SAINT'S VACATION
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Incidentally, the internet is great in allowing one to look up almost anythig instantly, but every so often, I run across INCORRECT info online. Some halfwit at the DC Comics message board some years back once got on my case because information listed in several episode guides ran counter to MY personal info, which I KNEW was right, because I was there and saw the show first-run. AND, my info matched what was published in a book back in 1968! Some people get things wrong... and then everybody else follows their lead. it does happen. When you have memory like mine, it can be downright scary sometimes. So many people I know say they can't remember what they were doing last week, I can't FORGET some things that happened 30-40 years ago.
Oh I totally agree with you on this.
Some years back I was doing a lot of serious film research. I made several trips over to USC, in Los Angeles, to go through through the files of the Hal Roach Studios which they had in their special collections. I was digging tons of information out of original production books, original payroll ledgers, etc...
Sometime later I tried dealing with the IMDB to update the info they had on the early Roach productions. They were pretty good on taking any new info I had to add but sometimes it was really hard getting them to correct bad info that they already had. Their reasoning was that some of the information I was wanting to correct was already in print in numerous sources so it must be correct. I tried explaining to them that it was just a case of someone decades back making a research error and that it was then repeated in all the various books and articles that came afterwards. I let them know that I was actually working with primary sources and gave them details and contact information at USC so they could confirm I had been there, etc... but still I got nowhere in some cases. I sometimes felt like I was just pounding my head against the wall trying to help them out and eventually just gave up.
Best
Joe
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The instance in question was-- get this-- the 2nd-seaons STAR TREK episode "Friday's Child". It's the 2ND "Klingon" story, and the one which guest-starred Julie Newmar. Of the 3 Klingon stories that year, it's very obvious it was made 2nd and should be viewed 2nd. But (at least here in Philly) it was run 4th-- about a week or two before the END of the season!
As a kid, I almost never saw every episode of ANYTHING. But STAR TREK really got to me during its 1st season, and when they moved it from Thursday to Friday, I was able to stay up without having to haggle with my parents, and managed to see EVERY SINGLE EPISODE of its 2nd season! This was quite memorable for me, as it was the 1st time I had EVER managed it in my life. (Sort of like how, in 1973, THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD was the very 1st movie I saw in a theatre where I did NOT get up from my seat, not even once, for the entire movie. It's just the sort of thing that was quite memorable to me.)
Now according to uber-fan Bjo Trumble STAR TREK CONCORDANCE book, "Friday's Child" was scheduled for early-December '67. I can guarantee to you, it DID NOT AIR on that date-- at least, not in Philly. It may even have been listed in TV GUIDE, but something else ran that night. Don't ask me what. I clearly remember it airing right near the end of the season, and in Gene Roddenberry's book, THE MAKING OF STAR TREK (which came out a few months later!) that's where it was listed. I mean, what more authoritative source could you have for ST info than the show's creator? Why on Earth would he have it listed at the end of the season, BEFORE the rerun season started, unless it did not air until that point?
Well everywhere you look, it's listed in December '67. Last year, I watched the episodes (more or less) in production order, so it was definitely the 2nd Klingon episode I watched. And it makes sense for it to be early that way. But that's not where it aired. At least, not here. And presumably, not in L.A., either.
Incidentally, the other day I watched a GET SMART where Siegfried makes a brief but very agitated appearance at the beginning of the story, and puts a quarter-of-a-million-dollar preice on Max's head. Since I taped it in the 90's, it's always been very obvious to me this must have been Siegfried's 1st appearance. Max never meets him in this one, and he's not even listed in the credits! But NICK AT NITE or whoever ran it in the middle of the 3rd season episodes (and you knbow it's earlier because of the opening credits).
I checked the IMDB yesterday, and apparently, NBC ran it about in the middle of the 2nd season. But I bet if you were able to track down the production order, it may well have been the 1st one done that year. Sometimes I really wish networks on both sides of the Atlantic would stop screwig around with shows' running order. The only time running shows out of order ever made sense was with DOCTOR WHO, where location filming dates are often dictated by the weather. (You can only have so much good weather depending on time of year.) They often planned the order of stories before any of them were filmed, whatever order they were shot in. Even so, the show's 25th season was run WRONG, and has been run wrong and listed wrong ever since (the "character development" makes this obvious)... blasted sports getting the way of more "important" things! ;D
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"blasted sports getting the way of more "important" things"
This is a statement frequently echoed in my family ;D
Something I like about the GCD is their efforts to correct mis-information. They strive hard to be the most accurate possible. Nothing is put on live without being checked by at least one editor. If they have any questions is it discussed. If info that has been reported is wrong it is noted. The verifications process has run some people off but has information is better validated than most other sites.
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Today: David Niven double-feature!
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
THE PINK PANTHER
The 1st may be Niven's favorite role, but the latter is my favorite Niven movie. It's almost like a cross between Alfred Hitchcock and the Marx Brothers. The opening section, where the narrative jumps between multiple locations, has been imitated many times since, but maybe never better. (Perhaps without realizing it, I did it myself a few years ago in one of my own stories.)
But a bizarre as it is, my favorite part of the movie is the part that doesn't seem to have any reason for being there... Fran Jeffries' singing "Meglio Stasera". I suspect it sort of takes the place of where an Intermission would have gone. Also, it's possible Blake Edwards hoped it would be a break-out hit single... but if so, it's VERY peculiar that her version of it has NEVER turned up on any LP or CD!! (It's on mine, but I had to create a custom version myself.) She is so GORGEOUS in that scene!
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Last night the 3rd episode of Vera. The bleakest one yet. I think the makers have "outbleaked "Wallender. Great tv but if it is show in N. America, I think you'll need sub titles. We had a bit of trouble to start with, with the accents. This episode also starred Danielle Nardini. Well done.
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THE AVENGERS: "WARLOCK"
"The Devil's Bride" on a teeny-weeny budget! *****
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
A scientist with a side-interest in psychic & occult phenomena becomes a victim of that very thing when the leader of the "group" he joined turns out to be using his influence to sell secrets to the highest bidders.
Although the 2nd Cathy Gale episode filmed ("DEATH DISPATCH" was first), "WARLOCK" was clearly designed & intended to introduce her to the series, and to Steed. It's downright criminal it was run 18th that year instead of 1st, as even with an "introductory" scene at the beginning snipped out, the entire remainder of the story screams that this is Steed & Cathy's 1st time working together!
With his slyly sinister looks and manners, Peter Arne is a fine mix of polite authority and ruthless criminal, never letting his more violent "business partner" worry him. Apart from several later AVENGERS episodes, I've also seen him turn up on THE SAINT ("The Revolution Racket"), THE OBLONG BOX (my favorite of the non-Corman Vincent Price POE films) and no less than 3 PINK PANTHER films (RETURN..., TRAIL... and CURSE...).
With his beady eyes and bald scalp, John Hollis presents a more blunt and brutal form of evil, as his politeness in getting info all too quickly gives way to violence and murder. He's turned up prominently in 2 SAINT episodes ("The Saint Plays With Fire", "The Fast Women"), played a kindly scientist on DOCTOR WHO ("The Mutants"), Billy Dee Williams' sidekick in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and, uncredited, Ernst Stavros Blofeld (or a lookalike henchman-- who can say for sure?) in FOR YOUR EYES ONLY (voice dubbed by Robert Rietty in any case).
I do wonder why a story so clearly meant as an introduction of a new character was filmed second instead of first, but whatever. Cathy Gale presents a VERY impressive character here, giving Steed info he needs with both authority and open suspicion. Her whole demeanor shows she either doesn't like or doesn't trust this shady guy who's asking about things she knows are more dangerous than most people suspect. So what a surprise (or should it be?) when he finds her sneaking into an apartment he's already broken into, and for the same reason he's there. In the process, he finds it's a mistake to sneak up on her, as she neatly flips him onto the floor before he can even get "What are YOU doing here?" out of his mouth. Definitely not your average 60's TV woman!
As the story progresses, she continues to keep him at arm's length, and you can read so much into Patrick Macnee's body language and facial expressions it's a delight to watch, as clearly Steed doesn't know what to make of his new acquaintance. Dropping him off, she tells him "Why don't you do your OWN work?", a reference to the way Steed enjoys letting other people do his work for him. Later, he sneaks into the baddie's lair and disguises himself in a monk's robe, only to be discovered when the man he took it from recovers and gives the alarm. Considering this was (or should be) the 1st Cathy episode, it's funny this brings to mind the 1st Purdey episode, where once again Steed, disguised in a monk's robe, was found out. ("Sieg-- HEIL! Sieg-- HEIL! Sieg..." "Rule Britannia?")
Steed is once more surprised when Cathy turns out to be even more resourceful than he realized, and saves the day at the end. When he asks why she showed up even though she WASN'T really in a trance, she tells him, referring to her time in Africa, "When I find something worth hunting, I like to be in on the kill." Their mutual smiles show that, at the end, they HAVE become friends! If you watch "DEATH DISPATCH" right after this, her whole attitude in that story toward him makes more sense than if you see that one first. What a good start to a great partnership!
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Excellent episode, indeed. As for dates, Warlock was recorded on 7th. July '62 and broadcast in U.K. on 26th. Jan. '63. Death Despatch was recorded on 23rd. June '62 and broadcast on 22nd. Dec. '62. Both on ITV. (Source - The Ultimate Avengers by Dave Rogers 1995) and I believe the info. is from ABC-TV.
Only for info. Please correct me if I've got it wrong.
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I think it was from one of Dave Rogers' books I got the production order. It's just strange that in this case, even that isn't exactly "right", as the 2nd Cathy episode filmed SHOULD be seen 1st. (and vice-versa, I think)
What susprises me at the moment (and I must have noticed this earlier) is that the 6 Venus Smith episodes were filmed WHILE the Cathy Gale episodes were also being filmed. I'd have thought they'd have all been done before, as a set. I like her, in an entirely different way than how I like Cathy.
By the way, I know it's a US-UK thing, but putting the day before the month just confuses me when I read it!
;)
Just got up to my 1st SECRET AGENT episode, "Fish On A Hook". I just confurmed it, there were 45 episodes of this. Well, my PBS station ran 44 of them. Isn't that a big "WTF"??? This was NOT aired, and I got ahold of it later from my video store. However, the sound quality on the rental tape was AWFUL, really harsh on my ears. (Almost makes me wonder if the tape wasn't a bootleg.) Tremendous cast in this one-- Dawn Addams, Zena Marshall ("Miss Taro" from DR. NO), Martin Miller (who I always remember from the PRISONER episode "It's Your Funeral"), Vladek Sheybal (FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE) and Peter Bowles!! (TO THE MANOR BORN)
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Watched GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS again last night. As expected, at least half of the IMDB fan reviews consist of slamming the film in favor of its original Japanese version. I can understand that, but, never having seen the original, I'm stuck with the heavily re-edited version which features Raymond Burr. His intense, sombre commentary on the TOTAL DESTRUCTION of Tokyo must add something to make up for whatever was cut in the process.
One person at the IMDB message boards made an interesting commentary on how the original film was a sci-fi allegory for WW2, between the way the Japanese army REPEATEDLY attacks Godzilla, thereby provoking his attack on Tokyo (something MISSING in the US version) to the fact that Godzilla attacks Tokyo TWICE in the 2nd half of the film (mirroring the TWO atomic bombs dropped on the country). I never made this connection before! One bit of commentary left in the dubbed version, which seemed to slip right by, was when the older scientist, when asked of the cause of Godzilla's radioactivity, states plainly he believes it's the direct of result of "repeated H-Bomb testing". Well, it was AMERICA who was doing that, so without naming names, he put the blame for big "G" squarely on the US!
Then you have the scientist, Dr. Serizawa, who accidentaly stumbles upon a TERRIFYING chemical reaction which can destroy all organic life in water, and "turn Tokyo Harbor into a graveyard". Fearful that his discovery could be used as a weapon in the wrong hands, he refusesd to allow its use, until he finally relents, destroying all his notes first, and then committing suicide at the end of the story to make sure no one else will ever get their hands on what he knows. What a powerful anti-war statement.
The main purpose of creating the "Americanized" version of the film, apparently, was to take a COMPLETELY Japanese movie and make it something they could sell to an audience who still remembered all too recently World War 2. One reviewer noted how Burr's reporter character in every scene treats the Japanese characters like normal people, NO racism, NO prejudice, NO slurs. Gene Roddenberry would have been proud.
Tonight, I've got GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN ready to go. Nowhere near as good as the original, it shares with SON OF KONG in being a very quickly knocked-out sequel made simply to "cash in" on the success of the earlier film. The original's director and music composer did not return, only the special effects guy, and the sped-up fight scenes (intended to be slowed-down) were the result of a cameraman mistaking instructions. (HONESTLY!) The effects guy liked what he saw, and left it in. Sheesh. Tragically, the film ALSO got "butchered" for American consumption, including changing the name of the lead monster. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE???
I understand that it's only in the last 4-5 years that the original Japanese versions of these things have finally become available over here. ONE of these days...
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Having watched both versions, on the big screen in both cases, I can attest to the fact that they do have a number of differences. There is more than a half an hour of footage removed from the 1956 American version. Now, that said there is an equal amount of footage added, so it kind of evens it all out, but it also creates a completely different movie. The feel of the 1954 original is very different, it's exceedingly political, and metaphorical, and might I add, understandably so. But, the 1956 version removes most of that context in favor of a sort fun, but silly monster romp, thus creating two drastically different films. Which one is better? Well, in my opinion, I think I slightly prefer the 1954 version, if for nothing else it's serious nature, but on the other hand the 1956 version works on another level, in that it doesn't take itself as seriously, and hence it works as a monster movie, instead of the political allegory that it was supposed to be originally.
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"it doesn't take itself as seriously"
That's really something, considering it's probably the most deadly-serious, sombre, frightening GODZILLA film ever made!
I gotta see the Japanese versions of these one of these days...
By the way, someone online suggested exactly what crossed my mind-- that the special effects shots in the sequel were left as they were (done wrong) not so much because the director liked them, but because the schedule was so rushed they just didn't have time to redo them. (Makes sense to me.)
One comment I found online suggested the 2nd film did have an underlying theme (something nobody else even noticed), which was the idea of people who've survived a great tragedy trying to put their lives back together. Many pointed out that the climax of the film takes place only halfway in-- the 2nd half is mostly taken up with the characters trying to move on... until Godzilla shows up AGAIN.
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I gotta see the Japanese versions of these one of these days...
It has been neat watching the original Japanese versions of these films that have been coming out on DVD over the last decade or so however the American edits are not always drastically different than the originals .
I recently watched Mothra (1961) on the Icons of Scifi:Toho Collection (which has also has The H-Man [1959] and Battle in Outer Space [1960] in the set) and all three films have both the Japanese and American cuts.
I went back and checked out the Japanese version of Mothra after the Lil Missus and I watched the American cut and found very little difference. The Japanese edit has some scenes that run just a little longer than the American cut (adding a few minutes to the film) but nothing that either adds to or takes away from the film by their presence or absence.
Best
Joe
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All these years, and there's still so many Japanese giant-monster movies I've never seen! (It's disgraceful, I know...) MOTHRA is one I do have on video. Love it. Especially once I realized that, while GODZILLA was Japan's "answer" to THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS, MOTHRA is japan's "answer" to MIGHTY JOE YOUNG. Both films involve "good" monsters, cute girls, singing, and show business.
Although they use fictional names in the film, I'm convinced the nightclub where the 2 girls are put on display is supposed to be in Las Vegas. Yes, the villains are Americans!!
It's funny that my first exposure to Mothra was GODZILLA VS. THE SEA MONSTER. (Also my 1st Godzilla movie, I think.)
Back in 1971, I got to see GODZILLA VS. THE THING (Mothra) on a big screen, on a triple-bill with KONGA and REPTILICUS. What an afternoon!
I think it was about a year later (though I can't be sure) that I got to see a double-bill of YOG, MONSTER FROM SPACE and DESTROY ALL MONSTERS. I know it was a few years after DAM came out, so I'd been looking forward to it for some time.
No matter how you look at it, these things are MEANT to be seen on a BIG screen! :o
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Okay, my memory was a bit off. It's Tokyo that gets trashed again in MOTHRA, until the last section, where it's the (ahem) fictional "New Kirk City" in "Rosilica" (it looks like Los Angeles to me!) The film is a jab at capitalism; the villain lets GREED over-ride all other considerations, as he lies, steals, kidnaps, murders, and lets thousands of innnocent people die (and billions in property damage rack up) all while denying any responsibility, and REFUSING to simply let those 2 girls go home! (What a B******!)
The whole time I was watchig tonight, that guy reminded me of the owner of my last company...
:)
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No matter how you look at it, these things are MEANT to be seen on a BIG screen! :o
Totally agree!
(Still glad they're available on DVD though as the chance of seeing more than a few selected older movies on the big screen is unlikely.)
Best
Joe
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Last night:
KING KONG VS. GODZILLA
I hadn't seen this is around 30 years. Yep, it's just as dumb as ever, only now I know why.
For one thing, it was INTENDED as a comedy! But for another, it seems the US version was even more altered than the 2 previous Godzilla movies. Mind-boggling, isn't it? At least 10 minutes of original footage was CUT, and replaced with new US footage. Most of what's missing is humor and character development. I thought most of the people in this film seemed to be lacking any real personalities. The only ones who come across decently are the 3 guys from the Pharmaceutical copany-- the owner, and his 2 stooges.
Watchng this film right after MOTHRA is amazing, because "Mr. Tako" is a lot like the villain of the earlier film-- except, rather than someone to hate and despise, Tako is someone to LAUGH at. He strikes me as Japan's answer to Groucho Marx-- with a bit of J.Jonah Jameson thrown in (although this was BEFORE the creation of JJJ, which maskes me wonder if someone at Marvel was inspired by this movie...!).
There's one scene where Kong destroys a train, but, saves one girl before he does it. And the film's "hero" yells, "You can't attack him now-- he's holding my SISTER!" Now, unless MY Channel 9 copy is MISSING something, there was no lead-up to this at all, and I was left thinking, "What kind of coincidence is THAT?" (It could be among the scenes cut from the US version, but it could also be a case of a local station butchering films as usual.)
All the "new" scenes involving a UN commentator and a scientist try to take the film "seriously", but the result instead makes it feel disjointed and schizo. No wonder people have been laughing AT the film for decades, instead of WITH it.
I also suspect that Kong becoming stronger via electricity is somehow a leftover idea from when the film was supposed to star a giant-sized FRANKENSTEIN. It's funny that NOBODY at the IMDB made this connection!
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I saw KK vs Godzilla at the theater as a kid. I LOVED IT. Still enjoy watching it. These corny movies have been around and shown over and over so there is an affection for them.
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I'm still missing most of them (and there are still many I have never seen yet!), but I do have a few of my faves coming up... DESTROY ALL MONSTERS, KING KONG ESCAPES, and TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA. (They went out on a high point with that last one!)
Meanwhile, tonight... THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (1961). One of the coolest Jules Verne movies ever; one of my favorite Harryhausen flicks; one of Herbert Lom's best roles; and some of the most awesome Bernard Hermann music ever! (Looked for this for months... turns out it was in the same box as GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN.)
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I thought I was in scifi heaven when I first saw Destroy All Monsters. Not just one but a bunch of these wonderful creatures. Japan knew how to make this little boy happy.
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I felt the same way. I missed it on its initial release, but managed to see it on a double-bill with YOG, MONSTER FROM SPACE. 11 Japanese monsters on a BIG screen!!! And it really was one of their better stories, too.
After that the bottom dropped out, until TERROR..., where they at least managed to end the run on an "up" note (I always rememeber thinking it was played as "serious" as ULTRA MAN, which usually managed to be better than the feature films from the same studio.)
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Tonight's film...
Guy rides into town, in the first 10 minutes, he kills 3 men and rapes 1 woman! (But they ASKED for it!!!)
Come on, you can name the film!
;)
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Nope. But then again, I'm not the world's biggest film buff. Curious, though.
Some of you may be interested to know that Primeval, series 5, starts tomorrow night, here in U.K. on Watch. This is a bit odd as Watch is a digital channel that loads of people either don't know about or can't get. Also, I was sure it was supposed to be on ITV, one of the terrestrial stations, which everyone can get.
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I believe we only got to see a few of the first seasons shows here on the Sci-Fi Channel before they pulled it. It was different though.
Geo
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Tonight's film...
Guy rides into town, in the first 10 minutes, he kills 3 men and rapes 1 woman! (But they ASKED for it!!!)
Come on, you can name the film!
;)
"High Plains Drifter"
At the end he paints the town red and renames it Hell, then burns it to the ground.
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"I never did know your name."
"YES, you do."
(Mordecai has just finished inscribing the tombstone of the murdered marshall, Jim Duncan. The camera focses on this for a reason. As The Stranger rides off, he and his horse VANISH into thin air.)
Over at the IMDB, there are multiple discussions about who this guy really was...
1) Jim Duncan's brother
2) Jim Duncan's GHOST
3) THE DEVIL
"You can't mean the church!"
"I mean ESPECIALLY the church!"
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Some of you may be interested to know that Primeval, series 5, starts tomorrow night, here in U.K. on Watch. Great! Now if only BBC America or On Demand will pick it up, I can find out what happened to Connor. Excellent season finale for the Mentalist, but was it real? The new Leverage season starts next month- should be good. Cheers, Bowers
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Mentalist was really good. And yes it has to be real not to ruin it. Chuck finally was great but so is every episode. My wife and I look forward to Leaverage together. BTW on a sad note one of my son and my favorite shows to watch together was No Ordinary Family which I thought was great every show got canned.
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Narf, it does seem that more than a few good shows will be cancelled. Is this to make way for more cheapo "reality" programs (which are about as unscripted as professional wrestling), or is the industry in such a panic that they refuse to give shows a chance to build an audience? Cheers, Bowers
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Well I finally watched an episode of the early CBS television program Suspense that I have been wanting to see since I first heard about it. It was the September 29, 1949 episode entitled "The Comic Strip Murder".
The show starred Lili Palmer, Don Briggs and Eva Marie Saint. However what makes it really neat for us comics fans is the fact that Dick Ayers did the art for the detective comic strips shown in the episode and also Dick's hands "stunt doubled" for actor Don Briggs whenever they needed a closeup of the artist drawing his strip.
Quality of the surviving episode is just "okay" (as the process of making kineoscopes was still fairly new at the time) but it is watchable and likely as good as it is ever going to be. I'm just glad it has survived as so many other live shows from past decades are lost either because they were never recorded in the first place or because the recordings were later discarded.
Anyway for anyone who wants to check it out it's available on the Suspense:The Lost Episodes: Collection 1 DVD set (or in the bigger box set that also includes collections 2 & 3). Quite a few name actors make appearances in these early Suspense episodes including Leslie Neilsen, Boris Karloff, George Reeves, Ray Walston, Anne Francis, Kim Hunter, Barry Nelson, Paul Newman and many more.
Best
Joe
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"or is the industry in such a panic that they refuse to give shows a chance to build an audience?"
Ever since the late 70's, it's been getting worse and worse.
I knew things had really gone to hell when POLICE SQUAD! (in color) was only given the go-ahead for 6 episodes (not 13), and, they yanked it off the air after only 4.
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Sorry, forgo to say that we watched the 1st episode of the new series of Primeval this week and it was another behind the settee start. Excellent, disgusting monster and more intrigue than you can shake a stick at. And Ben Miller is funny.
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This week:
THE ABC MURDERS
DESTROY ALL MONSTERS
GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER
GODZILLA ON MONSTER ISLAND
GODZILLA VS. MEGALON
The last is not only aimed squarely at kids, it's also got the most deliberatly HILARIOUS monster fight ever filmed, at the end. Godzilla is reduced to being a guest-star in his own film, but when he finally arrives at the scene where 2 of the screwiest-looking monsters ever are beating the C*** out of the robot, "Jet Jaguar", a genuine "WWF"-style pro wrestling tag team match begins-- only, with monsters!!! The only film in the series where I wound up laughing uncontrollably-- it's that funny.
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This weekend:
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (w/ Pierce Brosnan)
2nd time for me, 1st since it was 1st-run. I tried to like this... but there must be THOUSANDS of reasons why the 1956 version is superior. On every single count. (Except maybe the "prologue" which should have been cut entirely.) 6 hours (including the commercials, must be 4-1/2 hours without them), and just SLOW. And DULL. No "pep" like the other one, and the "political correctness" that cropped in when the American Indians atacked the train was appalling. Also, Peter Ustinov gives the worst acting performance in the entire film, and possibly of his entire career. Which really hurts, as he's one of the 4 main characters.
TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA
Wow. What a DAMN GOOD film. The climax was a bit disappointing, somehow, but otherwise, this was the only "G" film of the 70's that took itself as serious as an episode of ULTRA MAN.
GODZILLA 1985
Oh-- WOW. This was just a GREAT film!! Story, production, directing, acting, editing, camerawork, effects, music... They out a lot of money and WORK and CARE into this one. I've heard the Japanese version is even better... but it'll still be a while before I see any of those.
Oh yeah, and this had the CUTEST actress I've seen in any of these films yet.
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On my viewing list for today:
Gorgo
Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla
The episode "Crossover" from Season 2 of DS9.
Then I'll go down for a nap, as I have to work the night shift tonight. ;)
Hey profh0011, I don't suppose you're over on the Toho Kingdom forums?
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No, but I've seen it.
While many IMDB reviewers these days are obsessed with a film being "accurate" to a novel to the total exclusion of all other considerations (never mind that, yes, as it happens, some BAD novels have become GREAT movies), in the giant monster category, the obsession right now seems to be, "the JAPANESE version is BETTER!"
While I have no doubt of this... the sad truth is, for decades, they were never available, and so far, I have not seen ANY of them (nor am I likely to ANYTIME SOON).
So, for example, I find myself of mixed feelings when I watched GODZILLA 1985 last night, and found it MAGNIFICENT... then, today, I read about the EXTENSIVE changes made from the original version, and I have to shake my head and wonder, "What's WRONG with these people???" (The US companies that made so many damn changes to what had been a damn good movie in the first place)
In the case of G'85, the idea of adding Raymond Burr (because the film was a direct sequel to the '56 film and he was in the US version of that) was a good one. the WAY they added him, though, makes you shake your head, as he's not integrated with the other characters (despite his being a journalist and the film's main character ALSO being a journalist!), and the characters he is seen with, mostly US Army types, are ALL written and played as COMPLETE IDIOTS!!! (Rumor has it the US version was supposed to be a COMEDY! Hence, one line left in, "Quite an urban renewal program they've got going there." Shades of the purely-US "G" movie of 15 years later. Is it ironic that the Americans made the Americans look so stupid, while at the same time trying to make the Russians look EVIL?) It was only played as straight as it was in the US version-- with Burr being VERY serious and sombre-- because BURR insisted on it! Gotta love him for that.
Just found out this weekend that the oil crisis of the 70's was what led to the suspension of the Godzilla series in the mid-70's. Never knew that! Also, the '84/''85 film didn't do well at the box office, especially the '85 film (which was universally panned, probably by people who never even saw it, like one guy at work I remember who rudely dismissed it the instant I mentioned having seen it), and that resulted in Toho not even bothering to distribute ANY of the later sequels in the US... until GODZILLA 2000. (Oddly enough, I keep running across opinions saying "2000" was better than any of the films that never made it here. Maybe there's a connection?)
Today:
THE SAINT'S DOUBLE TROUBLE
George Sanders did 5 SAINT films (and 4 FALCON films). Of the 5 where he played Simon Templar, 2 were TERRIFIC, 2 were "okay", and 1 SUCKED--BAD. This was one of the "okay" films.
Sanders plays 2 parts, including the film's main baddie, and Bela Lugosi is his partner in crime. I didn't catch his name, but there's also a rather funny, likeable (and dumb) henchman in this. Here's a favorite scene...
"Hey, boss. Just saw an accident down at the pier. Woman ran her car right inta the river!"
"Oh, suicide, hmm?"
"Yeah, she... hey-- YOU ain't the boss!"
"What makes you say that?"
"Y-- you ain't wearin' the same clothes you were last time I saw ya!"
"Are you sure?"
"Yer Saint Augustine!"
"Now, just keep your hands where I can see them..."
This is the only movie I know that mentions Camden, NJ in the script.
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I saw Godzilla 1985 at the cinema. It was a rundown crappy theater in Wilmington, DE. It may not even be there anymore, but I saw a number of oddball movies there, like that one, Warriors of the Wind (the highly edited English dubbed version of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind), and some really schlocky sword and sorcery movies. But, that's beside the point, the problem with my first viewing of Godzilla 85 was that for the first half of the movie their was no sound, for some reason the soundtrack wouldn't work, and when I complained, the employees merely said sorry, and nothing else. They didn't offer to refund my money, or to give me a pass to another film, or anything else. So, I sat there, and watched without any sound. Eventually the sound kicked in, but it was a little too late.
Later I watched the Japanese version, but without any subtitles. Their was quite a bit of footage that was not in the American version, it seemed a little more dramatic, and there was some sort of political allegory going on (it wasn't just anti-Russian, it was anti-American too, and mostly just anti-Cold War).
My biggest problem with the American version was not necessarily the atrocious actors that were placed around Burr. It was the ridiculous product placement. There was an ad campaign at the time for Dr. Pepper that featured Godzilla, because of that New World Pictures put Dr. Pepper soda cans, and machines all over the place. It was really blatant and annoying to me.
As far as the other sequels go, Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla was one of my favorites of all of them, and Godzilla vs. Destroyer was a really good end to the series.
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Small towns had small theaters before TV took over. We had a small town theater until the some time in the sixties. The two movies I remember watching there (I did not know they were second run or low budget I was just happy to see a theater movie) were King Kong vs Godzilla and Tarzan (The Fearless or Seven Challenges not sure which). I think that may be why I still love King Kong vs Godzilla it invokes fond memories.
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I remember the days of small theatres. All the ones in Camden were gone by the time I was growing up (the shame is, my Dad's favorite, The Mercury, was 2 blocks from our house!). But from time to time, you used to be able to see 2nd-run (or much older) films for cheap. And then there was The Venus down in Houston, which back in '71 had 3 films on the weekend for a BUCK!
Among the films I recall seeing there...
KONGA
REPTILICUS
GODZILLA VS. THE THING
CORRUPTION
TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA
THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD
THE OBLONG BOX
THE CRIMSON CULT
HORROR HOUSE
THE CONQUEROR WORM (uncut-- good God!!!!)
These days, the nearest equivalent is the Ritz chain, which specializes in obscure, limited interest, "art" foreign imports, and reissues of old classics films. There's 2 in downtown Philly (both near the river) and one out in Voorhees NJ. Among the films I've seen at these places...
CITIZEN KANE
TOUCH OF EVIL
VERTIGO
REAR WINDOW
GONE WITH THE WIND
BEST IN SHOW
THE THIRD MAN
THX-1138
MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATRE 3000: THE MOVIE
Along with the very cushy seats (well, at least in the 2 Philly theatres), they also have the most unusual variety of drinks & snacks, stuff you can't find in any other theatres. (But I just stick to Coke...)
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Well our VCR started acting up the last few weeks and I ended up missing the last few episodes of several of the current series I was following but did manage to catch all of the Fringe and Bones shows as well as stay current on the new Doctor Who episodes as they've been running. Hope to have a new VCR before the Summer shows start.
Other films and shows watched recently.
Insidious-2011- Got out to the theaters again, caught this low budget horror film and was pleasantly impressed. The film-makers get their scares the old-fashioned way with good camerawork, musical score, acting, a decent script and very little reliance on CGI effects. No big name stars but I did recognize Patrick (Watchman) Wilson and Barbara (Boxcar Bertha-a guilty pleasure from my youth) Hershey.
3 animated features that the Lil Missus and I viewed and enjoyed-
Megamind-2010-Dreamworks- Most fans of superhero comics should get a kick out of this one.
Ice Age: The Meltdown-2006-20th Century Fox- Sequel holds up well enough with a good number of humorous scenes.
How to Train Your Dragon-2010-Dreamworks- Probably the best of the three. Vikings and dragons, oh my!
At Movie NIght-
Graft-1931- Bumbling reporter stumbles onto the murder of a DA and some crooked politics. Regis Toomey , who spent most of his film career in supporting roles, has the lead here but I kept watching Boris Karloff when ever he was in a scene. Apparently director James Whale was watching Karloff too while they were filming this and decided he had found the man to play the monster in his next movie- Frankenstein (1931).
The Dick Van Dyke Show-Season Four (1964-65)- We've been working our way through this set for a while. One of the best sitcoms of all time with a great cast and writing.
D.W. Griffith: Father of Film-1993- Three part documentary series does a fine job of covering this pioneering film director.
The Spider Returns-1942-15 chapters- Not as violent as the first Spider serial (and way tamer than the Spider of the pulps) but plenty of action and humor made this a winner with our crowd.
The Ernie Kovacs Show-1950s- We actually watched quite a number of bits from the new Kovacs DVD set available from Shout factory. Some notable skits included Kovacs spoof of the Adventures of Superman TV show-"Superclod", the complete Saturday night color special Kovacs did in 1957 and a piece from the Tonight Show (when Kovacs was filling as host in between Steve Allen's departure and Jack Parr's taking over) which takes us on a tour of Kovacs and wife Edie Adams' Manhatten flat. Adams arrives part way through the live skit still wearing her Daisy Mae costume, which she was wearing just down the road on Broadway, where she was appearing in Lil' Abner (for which she was to win a Tony award).
Making of a Shooter-c.1946- Interesting (but incomplete) educational film in an old Cinecolor print. Looks like it might have been made by the NRA but we couldn't say for sure as the credits were missing from the print we viewed.
Continuing my Paul Newman fest-
Our Town-2003- Actually a filming, by Showtime, of the Broadway revival of the play. A few other recognizable faces are also in the cast (Jane Curtin comes most immediately to mind). Interestingly enough Newman had done a live version Of Our Town (playing a different part) on TV in the mid 1950s (with Frank Sinatra, among others, in the cast) which is apparently extant and which I'd be curious to see to compare the two.
The Hustler-1961- I forgot how good this movie is. Seems more like a 1950s noir film than a 1960s film. Perhaps because it was so beautifully filmed in black and white. Some great supporting roles- especially by Jackie Gleason and George C. Scott. The 2 disc DVD set has a number of additional features (documentaries/commentaries) which give a ton of info about the film.
Inside the Actors Studio-"Paul Newman"-1994-/Inside the Actors Studio-"Robert Redford"-2005- After viewing these two episodes I now know where author Shawn Levy got a number of his quotes and stories about Newman for his biography that I read recently. Loved seeing the bit where Newman stops to tickle the ivories with a little boogie woogie as he finds a piano while ambling across the theater's lobby after his interview.
Odds and Ends
Green Acres- Season One (1965-66)- One of the great wacky sitcoms of the 1960s. Whenever I hear someone refer to this a a piece of corn pone (or some such remark) I know that they either just don't get it or have probably never even really watched it!
Jack Armstrong-1947-15 chapters- Rather so-so serial with John Hart in the lead. I always thought of Hart as the uncharismatic guy who subbed for Clayton Moore on a season of The Lone Ranger. He's a little younger here in this serial but no more charismatic. A neat space ship shown in each chapter opening is very under utilized in the chapter-play.
The Gauntlet-1977- This is the Clint Eastwood film that many remember for its Frank Frazetta movie poster. It's pretty much as bad as I remember it with the whole scene at the end where the gauntlet of police fire thousands of rounds into Clint's bus while standing directly across the street from each other (an action that in reality would have had them mowing each other down!) epitomizing its stupidness of plot. This time though I enjoyed it for it's extensive shots of the Phoenix (where a good chunk of it was filmed)of my teenage years (if not for the story).
The X-Files-Season Five (1997-98)- Lighter in tone for most of the season until the very end when they set things up for the feature film that came out between this and the 6th season.
Five-1951- Interesting, low budget, sci-fi film about a small group, of survivors of an mass atomic bombing. It's produced, directed and written by Arch Oboler who was most famous for his radio work (Lights Out) as so is a little talky at times but still manages to hold your interest throughout.
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and fall of Jack Johnson-2004- Excellent two-part documentary on the famous boxer by Ken Burns and co. They managed to dig up a ton of stills and film of the legendary pugilist. Recommended.)
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia Season One (2005)- Edgy, but at times very funny, recent sitcom. My only question is where's Danny Devito? I was told he was in the show but didn't see him in any of the shows this (admittedly short-6 or 7 episode) season.
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T-1953- Saw stills of this as kid and was intrigued espeically upon learning that it was written by Dr. Seuss and had Hans Conreid, of all people, in the lead. Finally got to see it on TCM several years back and found it a flawed little gem. When I ran across the DVD at Big Lots I snatched it up and ran it for the Lil Missus who was not impressed and who's only comment was "Well I'm glad you liked it."
Alias Season Three (2003-04)- Still keeping to the simpler, less layered, storyline approach that they switched to part way through last season left me a little less satisfied with this season as a whole.
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest-2009- Swedish move winds up their adaptation Steig Larsson's popular trilogy. While still a good deal condensed from the books I found this one and improvement over the previous film. Noomi Rapace has really grown on me a Lizbeth Salander.
Religulous-2008- Bill Maher asks some hard questions of various religious figures (in between his monologues). Commentary track on the DVD gives you more insight into him and his approach. Sure to offend some.
SSSSSSS-1973- Strother Martin ("What we have here is failure to communicate") finally gets a lead role as mad scientist sort who turns his unwitting assistants (one of whom is here played by a young Dirk "Battlestar Galactica" Benedcit) into reptiles. Fun!
Best
Joe
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OUR TOWN -- I saw the Hallmark Hall of Fame version (I think) with Hal Holbrook. Somehow, that left me hating Holbrook for many years... until I saw him on EVENING SHADE, where he stole every scene he was in. Later on, strangely enough, he was the reason I got hooked on reruns of DESIGNING WOMEN-- before I realized he was only in a handful of episodes!
GREEN ACRES -- I'm suddenly reminded how my brother told me when he was in college, this was his Frat House's favorite show. "Arnold says..."
THE GAUNTLET -- saw this in a theatre (twice I think), and, had the actual full-size theatre poster on my wall for awhile! I spent much of my time in high school writing humorous excessively-violent crime comics, and when I saw this movie, my thought was, "Oh my God! Hollywood has caught up to me!" A year later, a scene in this film (where a cop is ambushed on the road by a hit squad who thinks Eastwood is driving the car) was parodied in REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER, the only good 70's Clouseau film.
SSSSSSS -- Oh, man! This sounds like MST3000 should have tackled it. I've enjoyed Strother Martin ever since he turned up as a prospector in the 2nd-season opener of LOST IN SPACE (where he was responsible for BLOWING UP the entire planet they'd been stuck on for the previous season).
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Green Acres and Get Smart are the best examples of doing something right. This type of humor is seldom done right and then successful. Sledgehammer was another example but that series did not make it. The Naked Gun movies were far more successful than the series which spawned them.
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I'm plowing thru my GET SMART tapes again (sadly incomplete, I seem to be missing the end of season 4 and beginning of season 5 somehow). I've seen these so often, it's fascinating to watch the show evolve, not just the love story between 86 & 99, but also the style & quality of the writing when they switch producers.
I think season 3 went thru 3 different production teams-- serious, idiotic, and in-between. Then I notice what must have been a budget cut in season 4, because for half the season, all of a sudden, they have 4 guys writing all the episodes-- the producer, exec producer and the 2 story editors. And during this "committee" writing period, both Max & 99 are played much dumber than usual. (Sort of how most of the characters on THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES got dumber the longer the show was on.) It got better later on, as they began having fewer and different writers again. Some really good stories came out of the 5th season, but I'd love to strangle whoever changed the opening credits sequence-- both the visuals, but especially the earlier theme song arrangement, which had lasted 4 seasons. I find myself shutting the sound off every time the 2nd version of the theme song comes on.
It's also amazing how Larrabee became SO MUCH dumber in season 5. I think it wound up making Max seem (heh) smarter than the previous season. I prefer when Max is a klutz, but not an idiot.
One of my favorite 4th-season stories is the 2-part "Prisoner Of Zenda" tribute SEQUEL. 4 writers worked on that-- the producer & story editor (they cut from 2 to 1 of those) for part 1, a woman for the first half of part 2 and Don Adams for the 2nd half of part 2. The change in comedy style is noticeable. Part 1 is stadard GET SMART material (and not bad). Part 2 focuses on Max & 99, and is unusually heart-warming. Then the climax of the story dives headlong into lunacy, which includes an UNCREDITED cameo by Don Rickles (who James Caan, also uncredited, calls "dummy"), and a thug named "Otto" who tries to retrieve a gun from a vat of molten bronze ("I'LL get it!"), causing Caan to comment, "Good help is hard to find."
Although the show had its share of bad episodes, I think it's safe to say it never "got bad" in general. Except for those 5th-season credits.
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THE AVENGERS: BULLSEYE
Cathy Gale: Company Director ******
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
This is one of those talk-talk-talky episodes that was bit tough to get thru first time, but has continued to get better on subsequent viewings. To investigate possible irregularities at a weapons-manufacturing company (their product is somehow finding its way to African revolutionaries), Cathy (with behind-the-scenes help and prodding by Steed) finds herself first owning a large number of shares, then being voted to the firm's board of directors. Before you know it, board members begin dropping like flies, and the police wind up eyeing Cathy as a likely suspect!
Among the cast are Ronald Radd, who I always remember from THE PRISONER episode "Checkmate" as the man Number Six convinced he could be trusted. I've seen him on a number of AVENGERS and SAINT stories over the years, and here he plays a high-rolling investor determined to buy out the company so he can re-sell it at a profit-- and he always gets what he goes after. It's fascinating to watch when Cathy, suspecting HE may be the murderer, poses as a journalist to pump him for info, but soon a mutual admiration begins to grow between the two.
Far shadier is Bernard Kay, who I always remember from the overlong Jon Pertwee DOCTOR WHO story, "COLONY IN SPACE", where as one of the unscrupulous Mining Company officers, he proved to have more scruples than his C.O. Here, his character is quite surprised when he tries to tackle Cathy and meets physical resistance he obviously didn't expect from a woman.
I'm guessing Patrick Macnee had most of the week off when they were doing this, as he only appears in a few scenes, giving Cathy info, then stealing her away from her new admirer at the end, warning her, "You've got to be careful, you never know WHERE you might end up with his type!" (At which point, she makes SURE to set a dinner date with the man. Take THAT, Steed!)
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I managed to sang all five seasons of Get Smart on DVD last year for some ridiculously low price (about $50) but have not worked them into my watching schedule.
Henry, your post has encouraged me to get going on that.
Best
Joe
Best
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If I'm not mistaken, Chris Hayward, one of the main writers for seasons 4-5, one of the story editors of season 4 and PRODUCER for season 5, was also one of the regular writers for ROCKY & BULLWINKLE! (Which may explain some things about the change in writing style.)
I'd also highly reccomend GET SMART AGAIN, the 2nd (of 3) sequels. Although Don Adams said he didn't like it, I rank it among the all-time best "reunion" films I've ever seen. Nearly every main character from the show makes an appearance, and most of it strikes me as a loving tribute to the show. I especially enjoyed the way Max & 99 were shown, 20 years later, to be still married and still very much in love --a total contrast to MOST tv series of the late 80's (and a total contradiction of the earlier revival movie, which I tend to write off as "never happened"!).
The later revival series had a lot of potential, but was almost completely derailed from the word go by the casting of Andy Dick (AAAUGH!!). When I watched the episodes again a few years ago, I was surprised they weren't nearly as bad as I remember them being (left-handed compliment, huh?). I liked the lead girl a lot (very sexy, if a bit too cocky & confident). My favorite episode remains the one with Siegfried & his daughter. Best line in the entire short run:
"My whole life, my father lied to me. He told me he was a doctor on a cruise ship!"
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SECRET AGENT: "YESTERDAY'S ENEMIES"
"Why Did You Do It?" ********
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
State secrets are being passed on in Beirut, and Drake is sent to nail the one who's doing it. He finds the "local office" terribly under-staffed but plows ahead anyway, getting some help (but very little) from the native locals. Thru a very complex, twisted series of investigations, he finds the man under suspicion is really innocent, all along believing he's been doing official favors for his own government. The real culprit turns out to be an EX-British agent, kicked out 20 years earlier for being "unreliable", who, incredibly, set up his own privately-run spy ring, as a way of proving his worth to the people who tossed him out years before.
A very intense story filled with fascinating characters, surprises, suspense, and possibly the most shocking, downbeat ending in the entire run of the series. I don't know why "PRISONER" fans never seem to mention this episode, anyone who watches this might suspect that the events in this story may have led to "Number Six" turning in his resignation in anger and disgust. (The duplicity and deviousness of Drake's boss and the man's general attitude at the end of the story is all too real and believable. My last employer was a lot like that.)
Among the familiar faces in the cast are Aubrey Morris, who I've seen in many things (and used to often confuse with Freddie Jones); Peter Copley (also many things, but in particular, the Tom Baker-Lis Sladen DOCTOR WHO story "PYRAMIDS OF MARS"); a very lively Joan Hickson (who will probably be forever known as MISS MARPLE); and top of the list, Howard Marion-Crawford (in between his runs as Dr. Watson in the Ronald Howard SHERLOCK HOLMES series and Dr. Petrie in the Chris Lee FU MANCHU films). Also worth noting is Maureen Connell, who plays Drake's contact in Beirut, a very likable and attractive lady, who looks to have dropped out of the acting biz right after doing this story.
Marion-Crawford plays a somewhat shady character, but in the long run he manages to be so likable despite himself. It's almost a shock to see Drake be so much more hard-nosed and almost cold-blooded for a change by comparison. Drake's hard-lined attitude is then contrasted by the story's conclusion, when he realizes the people he's so absolutely loyal to may not be worthy of that loyalty. Not to be missed!
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Strange but true: today's SAINT episode ("The Charitable Countess") inspired me to dig out tonight's movie-- NIGHTHAWKS (1981). Why? Nigel Davenport is in both of them! (I'm staring at his face thru the whole Roger Moore story, wondering where the HECK do I know that face from?? Then I saw his name, and immediately remembered.)
Also strange but true: for many years I connected in my head NIGHTHAWKS with THE FRENCH CONNECTION. Similar style, both involve foreign baddies in NYC, tough cops, lots of scene-changes, and chases involving trains. Then recently, I read that NIGHTHAWKS actually started life as "French Connection III"-- but Gene Hackman turned it down. Whatta ya know? I was right!
I actually went to see this film in a theatre purely on the basis that Keith Emerson wrote the score. No kidding! Didn't have any idea what it was about until the film started.
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This week:
VOYAGE INTO SPACE (5 eps. of Johnny Sokko and his Flying Robot)
THE BLUES BROTHERS
NIGHTHAWKS
THE SAINT TAKES OVER
WISH UPON A STAR
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Veronica Mars was a great show. It is on Netflix. I only watched the last season after it had been recommended so much by others. I have just finished the first and started the second season. I think it was not successful because it did not appeal to the target audience of 17-25. I did however capture the over 40 crowd
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Today:
KING KONG (I woke up too early, then wound up missing HALF the movie while stretched out in front of it. Maybe I should rewind and watch again tomorrow?)
THE AVENGERS: "The Removal Men" (Venus Smith's 2nd story, of 6.)
...and...
THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE
Guy Hamilton directs a historical comedy based on a George Bernard Shaw play. Stars Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, and, stealing every scene he's in, Laurence Olivier. In supporting roles as a couple of real A**H***s, Harry Andrews and Alan Cuthbertson!
"Forgive me, sir, we're only doing this..."
"Because you're PAID to."
"I'm sorry you take that view, sir. If you knew what my commission cost me, and what my pay is, you'd think better of me."
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Memorial Day weekend-4 military movies-
To the Shores of Tripoli-1942- Smart ass John Payne is trained by DI Randolph Scott with subplot of Payne trying to romance GI nurse Maureen O'Hara. He comes in line just in time to join the fighting after the Pearl Harbor bombing. Beautifully filmed in technicolor and shot at the Marine training base at San Diego.
Bataan-1942- Small group of GIs hold the Japanese at bay until the bitter end. Surprising effective (and gritty too) considering the vast majority of the movie was shot on studio interior sets subbing for the Bataan jungles. Good cast includes Robert Taylor, Lloyd Nolan, Desi Arnez and George Montgmery.
Back to Bataan-1945- John Wayne and Anthony Quinn help lead Philippino guerrillas against the Japanese in harassing battles until the day when the Americans can return in force to retake it from them. Worthy followup to the first film with less reliance on studio sets.
The Hurt Locker-2008- Excellent movie about a small group of GIS who have the job of taking care of the many explosive devises being used by the enemy over in the Iraq War. Nice use of middle east location shooting adds an authenticity to the film. DVD has commentary track by the film's author and writer that gives good background info on the film
Seeing Marvels-
Thor-2011- I got out to the theaters again and really enjoyed this one. Recommended.
Punisher: War Zone-2008- Very violent (well it is the Punisher) and given an "R" rating for such. I did feel that Ray Stevenson was the best cast Punisher of the three movie versions to date. Not bad but I'm not really a huge Punisher fan.
On TCM-off to Europe-
J'Accuse-1919- Not based on the Dreyfus case but a love triangle story with WWI and its horrors taking place between the personal drama. French director Abel Gance was one of the best directors around at this time.
Kameradschaft-1931- Fairly early German talkie about miners trapped underground and efforts to rescue them. Handsome looking and engaging.
And the rest-
The United States Steel Hour-"Bang the Drum Slowly"-1956- Actually part of my continuing Paul Newman fest. Newman is quite good as a baseball player (pitcher) who's roommate (Albert Salmi-catcher) is diagnosed with a terminal illness. A young George Peppard is also in the cast. Remade years later as a theatrical movie with Michael Moriarty and Robert DeNiro in the Newman/Salmi roles. I picked this up on a collection at the Library called The Golden Age of Television. I remember watching this series on PBS back in the 1980s. It represented many GA television live dramas along with new intros that often featured interviews with the people involved in the original production. The DVD collection also has commentary tracks on some of the episodes (including this one) by the directors.
The Three Stooges Collection Volume Three-1940-1942- Prime period for the stooges. Curly is still in good health and they are still getting good mileage from their budgets. They do their two spoofs of the European fascist dictators in this period. It's also interesting to note the a gags lifted from previous comedies. Onto Volume four!
Plus a couple of Tennessee Tuxedo cartoons on a recently acquired DVD Collection. These were my first exposure to Don Adams.
Best
Joe
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Excellent Memorial Day lineup! "Bataan" was always one of my favorites. It seems to be a remake of "The Lost Patrol", but can well stand on it's own merits. Gritty? Absolutely! I'm a bit surprised that some of the closeup violent death scenes made it past the censors. And read Robert Taylor's lips as he goes down fighting with his machine gun blazing. Pretty heavy stuff for 1942. Cheers, Bowers
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We missed the 2nd. episode of Primeval but managed to catch it on rerun and it is excellent. Without spoiling it for anyone, I'll just say it is claustrophobic, taut, funny in places and the (supposed) bad guy wasn't even in this one. Linda loves this show but is almost behind the sofa during it. This has replaced Doctor Who as my must watch. By the way, there is quite an interesting discussion re. Doctor Who currently on:-
http://www.comicsuk.co.uk/Forum/index.php
This week, a Campion story - Peter Davison as Campion - with Ian Ogilvy as guest star. Then, an episode of Gideon of the Yard with John Gregson as Gideon. This was a good story of a bullion robbery from an airport. George Baker was guest star.
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Ian Ogilvy is my favorite actor (since Peter Cushing passed away), and I enjoy him in almost everything I see him in (although I may never watch WITCHFINDER GENERAL again... AAAAAUGH!)
About the only time I've ever seen him playing someone unpleasant (or at least, very unhappy) when he was in the MAIGRET tv-movie with Richard Harris.
One of my favorite bits with him was when KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES did a sequel to the "Magnicifent Seven" story with Patrick Macnee and Robert Vaughn. They brought both those guys back, and added Ogilvy to the mix (maybe Roger Moore wasn't available?). When we first see him, he's kissing this woman... and when he stops, he looks at her, and asks, "What was your name again?"
:D
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Ogilvie is excellent in this episode. It's a long time since I saw Witchfinder General. Maigret is great and I've occasionally caught some of the French t.v. series when on holiday but I remember the original british series from many years ago, with Rupert Davies and I thought itwas very good. Ewen Solon, who was in the Doc. Who story, Moonbase, played Lucas.
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I remember this "Campion" episode very well. I really enjoyed Ogilvie in this one- a very different sort of role for him. A few murders, Ogilvie as a song and dance man, exploding bicycles- what's not to like about this one? This one is my second favorite "Campion" episode- "Sweet Danger" is still my favorite. Cheers, Bowers
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THE SAINT: THE MAN WHO WAS LUCKY
When "Protection" Leads To M U R D E R ********
"Lucky Joe Luckner" runs a protection racket. When one of his intended victims refuses to pay, he decides to "make an example" of him. But when he accidentally beats the man TO DEATH, he realizes he also has to kill the man's partner, who SAW it. Complicating matters is Luckner's girlfriend-- who's really in love with his next intended victim!
Another GREAT episode adapted from a Leslie Charteris short story. Roger Moore is in top form here. As AWFUL as he was as Bond (AND HE WAS), that's how GREAT he is on this show, especially in the B&W episodes. In one scene, he overhears Luckner slapping around a woman. A henchman tries to stop him. "Where do you think you're going?" "I'm not-- YOU are!" Templar twists the guy's arm then kicks him in the rear. Stepping into Luckner's office... "Who the heck are you?" "Let me introduce myself." BACKHAND slap to the face, then RIGHT hook to the jaw, sending the guy FLYING across the room. YYYEAH! And he does it with a smile.
This also introduces Inspector Claude Eustace Teal to the TV series, here played by Campbell Singer. Singer was the first of no less than 4 DIFFERENT actors to play the part on the series, and as I recall, he was BY FAR the best! They must have had some trouble filling the slot as they went thru 3 different actors in quick succession, before finally "settling" on Ivor Dean, who appeared in MOST of the episodes. I never liked Ivor Dean's portrayal of the role, and wouldn't you know, the LEAST of the 4 actors is the one who got the steady job. (It's just like comic-books!) The only other thing I've seen him in was THE AVENGERS episode "Who's Who?", where he was one of Steed's superiors in the Ministry (and a thick-headed one at that). Apparently he also played Dr. Watson in a 1951 SHERLOCK HOLMES production-- I'd love to see that!
The villain of the piece, "Lucky Joe Luckner", is played by Eddie Byrne, who puts across a really contemptuous piece of human garbage. Half the time watching the story, I kept thinking he was a dead-ringer for Norman Osborn! I've also seen Byrne in Hammer's THE MUMMY, THE VENGEANCE OF FU MANCHU, and 3 more SAINT episodes.
The climax, where the audience is left in suspense, guessing, involves Simon pulling off an elaborate con-job in order to get a confession of the murder out of the Luckner. As he tells Teal, "I am going to hand him to you on a plate!" All Teal can say is, "If ANYTHING happens to him, I'm going to put you away FOR LIFE!" Still, at story's end, despite himself, Teal congratulates Templar for what he did.
Also in the fine cast are Harry Towb as the good-natured mild-mannered Marty O'Connor (the intended target), who I've seen in DOCTOR WHO ("Terror of the Autons"), THE AVENGERS ("Killer") and the 1954 SHERLOCK HOLMES ("The Split Ticket"). Teal's sidekick is played b John Forbes-Robertson, who I've seen in THE NEW AVENGERS ("Dirtier By The Dozen") and THE LEGEND OF THE SEVEN GOLDEN VAMPIRES (as Dracula!). "Cora", the girl loved by Marty & lusted after by Luckner, is played by Delphi Lawrence, who was the shady lady in the DANGER MAN episode "View From The Villa". The vivacious Jane (who decides to trust Simon, despite her fear that he might be "one of those talkers") is played by Vera Day, who doesn't seem to have done much film work, which is a shame. But oddly enough, I did see her in LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS, made much, much later in 1998!
Any fan of Roger Moore NEEDS to see these early stories-- they're really him at his all-time BEST. All the same, I can't help but wondering, watching him here, how it might have been in Louis Hayward had done a SAINT TV series in the 50's, instead of THE LONE WOLF?
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THE AVENGERS:
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How do you guys remember so many actors and details? It amazes me. BTW My wife and I watched the scifi mini-series THE LOST ROOM. From Netflix we anxiously awaited the second and final DVD. It had really good reviews but boy were we disappointed. The wrap up left us wondering why we bothered as very little was wrapped up. The conceptual use of "random" can be used very effectively in humor. I don't like it in scifi. It is not imaginative but just the opposite outside of humor. When things can just be manipulated at the writers whim, I have no interest in his whims, I want explainations.
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"How do you guys remember so many actors and details? It amazes me."
It amazes ME, too, sometimes. I've just watched so much TV over the years (and have a particular liking for English TV shows & movies), stuff sticks. The IMDB, I admit, is a big help, as it helps me nail down INSTANTLY what someone appeared in. Lots of cases of late where I've seen an actor in different things over decades, but never connected he was in this AND that.
Like, Barry Jones, who played Claudius in "DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS"-- most intelligent, reasonable character in the whole damn story-- and it turns out, I never noticed, the 1st thing I ever saw him in was the very 1st OUTER LIMITS I ever saw as a kid, which scared the living hell out of me-- "THE BORDERLAND". Then, just the other week, I saw him a SAINT episode playing a husband whose wife schemes to get incriminating photos so she can divorce him and take him to the cleaners... even though, SHE's the one who's actually cheating on HIM! She gets a reaction from her hubby she wasn't expecting...
"The wrap up left us wondering why we bothered as very little was wrapped up."
Now why do you suppose HALLOWEEN 6 comes to mind when you say that? (What a MESS!!!)
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THE SAINT: THE ROMANTIC MATRON
The Romantic "Revolutionary" *******
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Two seemingly-unrelated plot threads dominate this episode set in Buenos Ares, a city said to be "recovering" from the corruption of the Per
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At Movie Night this week-
The Dick Van Dyke Show-"Coast to Coast Big Mouth"-1965-DVD- The first episode of the fifth (and final) season is one of the best as Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) drops the beans on national television about her husband Rob's (Dick Van Dyke) boss/television comedy-variety show star- Alan Brady (Carl Reiner) being bald and wearing toupees! Hilarious!
The Son of Tarzan-Chapter 1-"The Call of the Jungle"-1920-National Film Corp-DVD- Well we stated our new serial this week. This is one I had been wanting to see for some time too. For many years it was thought that only a battered feature cut down of the serial had survived then a complete (if also somewhat battered) version of the serial turned up about a decade or so back. The DVD we watched looked like it was transferred from an "okay" VHS source. Watchable but just so.
It has been a bit more than four decades since I read the book but from my vague memories of it they seem to be staying fairly faithful to the source so far in this first chapter. Of course I suspect that will change as they start having to come up with cliffhangers to accommodate the serial format.
The Winning Wash-1915-Kalem-1 rl-DVD-R- A comedy starring the popular Mutt and Jeff team of Lloyd Hamilton and Bud Duncan (generally known as Ham and Bud). These guys made well over a hundred wacky one reelers between 1914-1917. This one has the boys getting a job in a Chinese laundry and making a shambles of things. A few chuckles but not up to their better efforts. To be fair the surviving print was missing some footage so there may have been some good bits among the lost sections. Somewhat surprisingly most of the Chinese in the film were played by Asian-American actors and not whites in "yellowface."
Neptune's Naughty Daughter-1917-Century Film-1 (of 2) rls-DVD-R- Another incomplete early comedy (only the first half) starring Alice Howell (who's hair looks like she combed it with an egg beater) mostly consists of slapstick bits on the beach (with some nice bathing beauties cavorting about).
Oh! Those Bells-"Too Many Spooks"-1962-Screen Gems-16mm- A very short-lived mid season replacement show starring the Wierre Brothers (Harry, Herbert and Sylvester). After Columbia closed down its short film division in the late fifties some of the people involved in those moved into television comedy production. This is one of the series they came up with. Not terribly funny- this episode has the boys moving into a reputed "haunted house" after their landlady gives them the heave-ho.
A Wrestler's Bride-1933-Sennett-Paramount-2 rls-16mm- Toward the end of his career long time comedy producer Mack Sennett had more misses than hits. This is one of those misses (starring Eddie Gribbon, Joyce Compton, Arthur Stone).
His Pest Friend-1938-RKO-2 rls-16mm- A pretty funny Leon Errol comedy with Errol suspecting his wife of infidelity when she is actually being secretive in order to arrange a surprise for their wedding anniversary.
Wife to Spare-1947-Columbia-2 rls-16mm- Fairly funny Andy Clyde comedy has Andy trying to straighten out his ner-do-well brother-in-law's indiscretions only to find himself the victim of the blackmailers.
Wedded Bliss-1944-Columbia-2 rls-16mm- Funny remake of Charley Chase's Man Bites Lovebug (1937) starring rotund Billy Gilbert in the Chase role. His best friend (Vernon Dent) coerces Billy into coming onto his wife (Christine McIntyre) so that Vernon can feign jealousy and somehow impress his wife. She overhears their plans and decides to go overboard when Billy starts romancing. Meanwhile menacing manservant (Frank Lackteen) doesn't know it's all an act and starts throwing knives, etc..- all making for a good number of comedic moments.
Best
Joe
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Just watched the latest episode of Doctor Who. A unique and cool episode with a slightly different look at the Doctor. I need to rewatch the last several years episodes to refresh my memory on characters, etc. I did figure out the big reveal shortly before the Doctor did.
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Just watched the latest episode of Doctor Who. A unique and cool episode with a slightly different look at the Doctor. I need to rewatch the last several years episodes to refresh my memory on characters, etc. I did figure out the big reveal shortly before the Doctor did.
I figured out the big secret a couple of months ago when they showed the little girl in the alleyway regenerating. At first I was confused, then it all just came together in my mind, and I said to myself, 'I know what they're up to.'
Actually, I didn't say it to myself, I said it to my wife, and then I said it to boox.
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Yeah, Menticide nailed it. I blew up his cell phone last night after the show. ;D ;D ;D
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Well you beat me to it then. SPOILER ALERT if you have not watched the latest episode do not go to the bottom of this post.
Seems strange to think of Amy as the Doctors mother-in-law doesn't it. They almost became romanticly involved. Rory the father-in-law started out as kinda a goof.
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Too true, Narf...this show is soooooo good!
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The Doctor giggling like a little school boy was so different. Very cool episode of a really cool series.
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I've been amazed with how much I've enjoyed the last season and the current one. Matt Smith is a thoroughly enjoyable Doctor and the writing is quite exceptional.
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What we need here is a separate thread for "New" DOCTOR WHO, so people who haven't seen the latest can avoid finding out stuff they don't want to know in advance.
Last night-- again...
HOUSE OF USHER (1960)
"Is there NO END to your horrors?"
"None-- whatsoever."
The movie and the short story each seem to follow a similar path, but are quite different, and each works very well in its own way. It's a bit mind-boggling after seeing the film (especially as many times as I have) to realize that in the original story, the un-named narrator and Roderick are old friends!
"...the house-- itself-- is evil!"
"Roger, I can't say this line, it doesn't make any sense!"
"Vincent-- that line-- is what allows us to make the picture."
"Okay, in that case, I can MAKE it work."
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*********SPOILERS!!!!***********
Normally, when I watch the Roger Corman POE films (and they've become
"perrennials" for me), I tend to space them out a week apart. NOT this time.
Sunday I watched HOUSE OF USHER, last night PIT AND THE PENDULUM, and tonight, THE PREMATURE BURIAL.
Just found something interesting online... while this movie was made in 1962, it
seems ONE year earlier, the tv series THRILLER had as its 2nd episode "The Premature Burial". And according to what I've read, it has NEARLY the IDENTICAL plot as this movie!! So while Roger may hve been "recycling" plot elements from
his 2 previous POE films (and it seems just as likely parts of them were
"borrowed" from the short story this was based on), it's equally possible he may
have caught the Boris Karloff show and decided to do his own variation on THAT.
Get this-- BOTH versions feature a man who suffers from catalepsy, a scheming
woman who marries him for his money, and plans to get rid of him ASAP so she can then marry a far-less-wealthy guy she's REALLY in love with. (Sorry if that
SPOILS the Ray Milland film for anybody... I did warn you.)
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The last few days...
TALES OF TERROR
THE RAVEN
THE COMEDY OF TERRORS
THE HAUNTED PALACE
THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH
THE TOMB OF LIGIEA
You wouldn't believe it... but the one Jacques Tournier did was in some ways the MOST disturbing!
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ROCK AND ROLL HIGH SCHOOL
Day 1: "Please excuse Riff from class today, as her mother has died." --Mr. Randall
Day 2: "Please excuse me from class today, as my father has also died." --Riff Randall
"Isn't it sad when some families have to suffer so much?" --Kate Rambeau
Day 3: "Please excuse me from class today as my goldfish has ALSO died." --Riff Randall
"Well, you know they say this kind of thing always comes in threes." --Kate Rambeau
Day 4: "SO! Your parents and your goldfish died, hmm? Well I have PROOF that you LIED! Boys-- show her the EVIDENCE!" --Principal Togar
(The 2 hall monitors bring forward the goldfish bowl, with the goldfish in it.)
"HEY! He got BETTER!" --Riff Randall
"I suppose her PARENTS are still alive, too..." --Principal Togar
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ROCK AND ROLL HIGH SCHOOL
A Roger Corman movie that I've never seen.
I always seem to keep missing this one.
Best
Joe
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Here's the current shows I'm following-
Well with Doctor Who on hiatus until the end of Summer I'm now catching Outcasts, The Inbetweeners (season 3), and the Syfy version of Battlestar Galactica on BBC America Saturday nights. I'm also hoping that they squeeze in season 5 of Primeval too before the Doctor returns.
TNT just started the new season of Leverage and are also running the new series Falling Skies (I've recorded but not yet watched the first two weeks of this later) on Sunday nights.
Torchwood, Haven and Warehouse 13 should also kick in sometime next month.
Best
Joe
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Isn't Starz going to their own version of Torchwood also?
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Just watched a real masterpiece... SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES. First Walt Disney movie in 15 years (1983) that was really, really well-made... and in spots, SCARY AS HELL. 6 months or so later, they created the Touchstone subsidiary just to make "PG" films for the teenage market. They tend to be better-made than their "G" films.
Jason Robards is great in this. I think everything about every aspect of the movie is as perfect as it could be. Ray Bradbury wrote the screenplay, and said it was the first time anybody in Holywood ever did one of his stories right. So much of the dialogue is like poetry.
I'm surprised Jonathan Pryce hasn't done POE films. He's one sick, scary guy!
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I remember SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES got some pretty good reviews when it came out but didn't do much at the box office. I'm surprised it hasn't gotten more of a push in the DVD after market to finally find its audience.
Best
Joe
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Well with Doctor Who on hiatus until the end of Summer I'm now catching .........
Torchwood, Haven and Warehouse 13 should also kick in sometime next month.
I got the feeling 'River' will be the reason for the next spin-off from Doctor Who.
Can't wait Torchwood to start again though. ;)
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Falling Skies started out OK. Not great but pretty good
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Well with Doctor Who on hiatus until the end of Summer I'm now catching .........
Torchwood, Haven and Warehouse 13 should also kick in sometime next month.
I got the feeling 'River' will be the reason for the next spin-off from Doctor Who.
Can't wait Torchwood to start again though. ;)
I was under the impression that Torchwood was over for good. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see it return, but I thought that Children of Earth marked the end of the entire series. Then again, I might not care for Torchwood without Owen...
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Somehow or other I never saw SOMETHING WICKED... until it got on cable. WOW. Scariest film the Walt Disney company ever made. It was a shock (and a delight) to see them finally do something that hadn't gotten "kiddie-fied" in some nauseating way.
So last night I'm reading at the IMDB, and find about half the reviews are riping it to pieces, mostly because it isn't as accurate to the novel as it coujld have been. (And this, with Ray Bradbury having written the screenplay!) It seems the studio did a test-audience preview, and it got bad reviews, so they held it back for an entire year while they tampered with it. Some scenes got replaced, some extra effects were added, and the entire score was replaced. Now, I can only go by the finished film (not having seen the earlier version OR read the book), but I've always been impressed.
Someone complained that Jason Robards was too old, and several complained that Jonathan Pryce was too YOUNG!
And then there's the guy who, on finding out that Steven Spielberg had written a script which was rejected, suggested, maybe we should have gotten THAT! (I've seen enough Spielberg films to be sure he would have included something nauseating related to the kids... In Spielberg's universe, kids are cruel and irresponsible punks whose bad behavior is always accepted as normal because, well, "they're kids".)
All I remember was, back in 1986, I got to see Ray Bradbury in person, and he said it was the first time Hollywood ever got one of his stories "right".
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Well with Doctor Who on hiatus until the end of Summer I'm now catching .........
Torchwood, Haven and Warehouse 13 should also kick in sometime next month.
I got the feeling 'River' will be the reason for the next spin-off from Doctor Who.
Can't wait Torchwood to start again though. ;)
I was under the impression that Torchwood was over for good. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see it return, but I thought that Children of Earth marked the end of the entire series. Then again, I might not care for Torchwood without Owen...
I was just looking through the new TV guide and they have a write up on the new season of Torchwood. John Barrowman and Eve Myles are back as Captain Jack and Gwen. This season is a 10 part series subtitled Miracle Day. Guest stars this season include Bill Pullman, C. Thomas Howell, Mare Winngham, Nana Visitor and John de Lancie. I imagine their moving from BBC America to Starz here in the U.S. means we'll be getting it unedited now.
I still haven't seen the third season-Children of Earth yet so I'll probably be a bit lost on some of the current details.
Best
Joe
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Primeval series 5 has just ended here and what can I say, except try and find it. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Nailbiter of a finale. Who will survive? Will anyone make it through? Happy ending? Total destruction? Sting in the tail? And where has that train gone? Oh, and will there be another series? Some of the most disgusting monsters yet.
The Mentalist. We've finally seen the 2 part end of series. What a jawdropper. Is there another series?
Castle. Help! all the good stuff has finished.
Except Lewis, which is on tonight. Think I've set the video correctly. If not I'm in serious trouble with the wife.
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Paw, according to the CBS website, The Mentalist will return in September. Still waiting for Primeval 5. Cheers, Bowers
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Just watched 2012, I like the alternate ending much better then the one they used. Also checked out Prince of Persia.
Geo
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The Warrior's Way, I was pleasantly surprised. I will not go as far as to say that it was excellent, but it was quite good. I do feel the need to warn those of us with young children that it is very violent, but rather cartoon-ish in that sense. The neat thing about the film is that it was a brilliant blend of Alexandro Jodorowsy and Sergio Leone, kind of surprising when you consider that this is a Hollywood movie, directed by a Korean filmmaker. Overall, I do recommend it. Plus, as a die hard Chang Cheh fan, who grew up on a steady diet of Shaw Brothers' movies, it was nice to see Ti Lung as the main villain. Although, I do suspect that the Geoffrey Rush role would have been a better fit for the late David Carradine.
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Recent Movie Night viewings-
Beggar on Horseback-1925-Paramount-4 (of 6) rls- Edward Everett Horton had a long career in films working primarily as a supporting actor almost right up until his death in 1970. In the 1920s he had a number of leading roles, mostly in comedies. Unfortunately many of them are lost and some like this one only survive in incomplete form.
Dude Ranger-1934-Fox- A George O'Brien western adaptation of a Zane Grey novel that benefits greatly from some beautiful location shooting at Zion National Park (and from the beauty of leading lady Irene Hervey).
So You Want to Be on a Jury-1955-Warner Bros-1 rl- The guys specifically ran this Joe McDoakes comedy because I was scheduled to report for jury duty the next day. My group was excused from duty and I didn't have to serve so I got the last laugh.
The Son of Tarzan-1920- Continuing our new serial. All of the silent Tarzan film adaptations that I have seen so far have been more faithful to the Burroughs stories and this is no exception. Except for the occasional wild gesticulations (that many people think are stereotypically the norm of silent films) this serial is doing a good job of staying faithful to the Burroughs spirit.
At the theaters-
Midnight in Paris-2011- I actually had planned to go see the new X-Men movie but when I saw that the new Woody Allen movie had opened wider and was now playing at my nearby cinema I jumped all over it. The first Allen movie that I've seen in the theaters in about five years. Owen Wilson plays a screenwriter vacationing in Paris with his fiancee. He's trying to finish his first serious novel and dreams of Paris in the 1920s. One night after imbibing a bit much he finds himself taken there where he meets the likes of Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Cole Porter and others. I found it delightful (although it does helps if you have a working knowledge of the popular writers, singers, artists and filmmakers of the 20s). Wilson does a fine job playing the role that Woody himself would have essayed a few decades back. Shot entirely in Paris.
Unsold TV pilots of the 1950s-
Here Comes Tobor-"Tobor and the Atomic Submarine"-1956- A kid with E.S.P., a cool looking robot sidekick, some cold war buzz, and a nut job wanting to rule the world! If they had showed this to me as am eight year old kid I would have been all over this show.
Captain Fathom-1955- This one had the potential of being a precursor to Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea with the noted Curt Siodmak on as a co-writer/creator but it was undone by a shoddy miniature sub that looks like something I carved out of balsa wood as a Cub Scout rather than the majestic Seaview designed by the Lydecker brothers for Irwin Allen. There's also way too much stock footage of of sea flora and fauna with the skin diving crew oooing and ahhhing at it.
Sea Divers-1958- This one looks like it tried to quickly climb on the success of Ziv's Sea Hunt starring Lloyd Bridges. They figured they'd give us two divers instead of one and also added a beauty of a female sidekick who spends much of her time in swimsuits and short shorts (this last ploy worked for me). Not bad but nothing special either.
Counterspy-1958- Continuing our underwater themes- this pilot has much of its underwater footage shot in Florida but its really the second unit footage shot in England that helps give some authenticity to this cold war drama. Otherwise also nothing special.
Some early live TV-
Studio One-"The Storm"-1949- Marsha Hunt stars as a woman who begins to believe that her new husband may be a homicidal maniac.
Studio One-"Dark Possession"-1954- Geraldine Fitzgerald stars in this Gore Vidal story about a woman receiving threatening letters accusing her of murdering her late husband. Leslie Neilsen is in support
Kraft Television Theatre-"Patterns"-1955- A powerful drama about the ruthlessness that sometimes goes with big time business execs. Written by Rod Serling. I first saw this back in the early 1980s and it still hasn't lost it's impact.
Lights Out-"Dark Image"-1951- The popular horror-suspense radio show first made it to television as a series of specials in 1946 and then as a regular series from 1949-1952 (for as total of 160 episodes) before it was undone by being scheduled opposite the powerhouse of I Love Lucy. In this episode a newly-wedded woman starts seeing strange images in a mirror that formerly belonged to her husband's dead lover.
Lights Out-"The Faceless Man"-1951- Robert Sterling has plastic surgery to fix his deformed face and then confronts the woman who previously rejected him. This series was one of the earliest precursors of later shows like The Twilight Zone and Thriller.
General Electric Theater-"The Golden Key"-1956- Ronald Reagan hosted (and occasionally acted in) G.E. Theatre and eventually took on producing chores. This one stars Joe E. Brown (a popular film comedian of the 1930s and 40s) in a fairly straight role as an older former railroad man who is befriended by a young boy.
General Electric Theater-"The Honest Man"-1956- A humorous episode starring Jack Benny. Benny doesn't have to stretch his acting abilities too much in this one. Zsa Zsa Gabor and Charles Bronson (as Jack's brother-in-law!) are in support. This one was actually filmed instead of performed live.
Some odds and end on DVD-
Passport to Danger-1954-1955-(39 episodes)- I watched 10 episodes of this cold war espionage series. Its competently (if fairly cheaply) produced by the Hal Roach Studios but gets by mainly on the charm of its star- Cesar Romero (as diplomatic courier Stephen McQuinn)-and the occasional interesting guest star.
The National Parks: America's Best Idea-2009-PBS-(six 2 hour episodes)- Another winning documentary series from Ken Burns and co. which traces the history and impact of America's national park system. One thing that struck me while watching this series was how often the parks were fought against by the businessmen, politicians, and people in the states where they were created but how most of those people eventually came to not only embrace but cherish those same parks that they fought against.
Su Excelencia-1966-Posa Films- Later Cantinflas comedy which has some humorous lines but is overlong and a bit preachy in the end.
Our Hospitality/Hospitality-1923- Fine Buster Keaton comedy which has been reissued on DVD along with the recently rediscovered early work print (which runs considerably shorter than the final cut) of the film. It's very rare where we get such an opportunity to see such works from filmmakers let alone from the silent era.
The Head-1959- Nicely atmospheric German horror film about mad scientist who keeps a head alive in his laboratory and plans further experiments along these lines.
Best
Joe
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This week...
THE SILENCERS (lame)
MURDERERS' ROW (not bad)
THE AMBUSHERS (awful!)
THE WRECKING CREW (pretty good)
You know your film series has a problem with the main villains are Victor Buono, Roger C. Carmel, Karl Malden, Albert Salmi & Kurt Kaszner. At least the final film had Nigel Green, a definite step up.
I'm surprised to find the guy who directed the 1st & 4th ones also did the initial 2-parter that launched THE UNTOUCHABLES (with Robert Stack).
The 1st & 2nd films contain a TON of elements that found their way afterwards into YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (a film made up entirely of bits swiped from earlier movies-- I'm not kidding). The 4th film is the only one that actually feels like a "real movie" (well, part of it anyway), and had fight chroegraphy by Bruce Lee. The 2nd one had the BEST opening credit sequence, and a score by Lalo Schifrin-- the same year he started on MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. And as goofy as she was, my favorite girl in the series was in the 2nd film-- Ann-Margaret!
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I watched the first episode of Land of the Giants on Hulu. They have all the Irwin Allen scifi series
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This week...
THE SILENCERS (lame)
MURDERERS' ROW (not bad)
THE AMBUSHERS (awful!)
THE WRECKING CREW (pretty good)
You know your film series has a problem with the main villains are Victor Buono, Roger C. Carmel, Karl Malden, Albert Salmi & Kurt Kaszner. At least the final film had Nigel Green, a definite step up.
I'm surprised to find the guy who directed the 1st & 4th ones also did the initial 2-parter that launched THE UNTOUCHABLES (with Robert Stack).
The 1st & 2nd films contain a TON of elements that found their way afterwards into YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (a film made up entirely of bits swiped from earlier movies-- I'm not kidding). The 4th film is the only one that actually feels like a "real movie" (well, part of it anyway), and had fight chroegraphy by Bruce Lee. The 2nd one had the BEST opening credit sequence, and a score by Lalo Schifrin-- the same year he started on MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. And as goofy as she was, my favorite girl in the series was in the 2nd film-- Ann-Margaret!
The Wrecking Crew is honestly the only Matt Helm that I really liked. I love the books, but the films mostly didn't work for me. One of the interesting aspects of that movie is the stunt team, not only did Bruce Lee work on it (as you pointed out), but the rest of the stunt team reads like a who's who of the martial arts scene at the time. Joe Lewis, Ed Parker, Mike Stone, Chuck Norris, and a whole bunch of others. Most of the big competition champions of the era.
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I haven't seen any of the Matt Helm movies since watching them on TV in the 1970s. I did enjoy them- probably because I've always been a fan of Dean Martin. I also vaguely remember a Tony Franciosa TV movie and brief series from the mid 70s.
I've never read any of the Donald Hamilton books but recently checked to see which ones my library had and was surprised that they had none. Those books used to be so common. You'd see them everywhere.
Best
Joe
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Last night, the Golem (1920), absolutely brilliant. I'm not sure why, but I have a deep love for silent movies, maybe it's because the narrative is almost entirely visual, and that might also explain my love for comics.
Now (quite literally), I'm watching Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth. It always gets me thinking and coming up with new ideas, very good material for any would-be writer to contemplate...
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I think I"m fighting off a bout of old classic horror films.
I've been watching The Vampire Bat (Lionel Atwill & Fay Wray) and thinking about digging out my Carnival of Souls, White Zombie, and the Spanish language version of Dracula.
Since I'm not reading many new comics at the moment, these films are my mind candy. ;D
I am going to dig out my copies of Nosferatu and Dr. Caligari...and Menticide has me chomp'n to see The Golem.
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The Wrecking Crew is honestly the only Matt Helm that I really liked. I love the books, but the films mostly didn't work for me. One of the interesting aspects of that movie is the stunt team, not only did Bruce Lee work on it (as you pointed out), but the rest of the stunt team reads like a who's who of the martial arts scene at the time. Joe Lewis, Ed Parker, Mike Stone, Chuck Norris, and a whole bunch of others. Most of the big competition champions of the era.
After the first 3, it feels like the whole series was starting over again! Far less stupidity, a believeble plot, a decent villain, decent stunt scenes, a new MacDonald (John Larch replacing James Gregory, the rumor being they wanted to CUT Gregory's salary and he decided not to return), no "Lovey". It's also the only one (at least on my prints) where they actually plaster the name of the NEXT film onscreen at the end... which is ironic, as they never made the next one. Rumors include failing box office and Dean being bored, but apparently it was Sharon Tate's murder that really caused Dean to quit (she was apparently scheduled to come back in the next one).
It's rare indeed that a 4th installment of any film series should turn out to be the BEST one! (Especially when the 3rd one sucked so bad.)
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I think I"m fighting off a bout of old classic horror films.
I've been watching The Vampire Bat (Lionel Atwill & Fay Wray) and thinking about digging out my Carnival of Souls, White Zombie, and the Spanish language version of Dracula.
Since I'm not reading many new comics at the moment, these films are my mind candy. ;D
I am going to dig out my copies of Nosferatu and Dr. Caligari...and Menticide has me chomp'n to see The Golem.
Back when I was still in film school, I seriously dreamed of making a movie based on Brother Power the Geek, and I thought the best way to do it would be to interpret it like Caligari. I was already obsessed with Caligari, but I thought to properly translate Brother Power to film was to give it a similar treatment.
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I dug out White Zombie ... now I'm watching the 1933 version of King Kong on TCM...which reminds me that I own the DVD.
I'll move on to Carnival of Souls later tonight, but I want to catch some of the Twilight Zone marathon on SyFy...the Custer episode is a favor, and I hope I get to see the Confederate Rebel Satanist episode if it runs.
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Thanks for the heads up on the tzone marathon. I just flipped it on and they are running episode 1. I love INFO. Back in the olden days when you watched an old series you never knew from whence it came. I love that they now have episode numbers.
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Last night, the Golem (1920), absolutely brilliant. I'm not sure why, but I have a deep love for silent movies, maybe it's because the narrative is almost entirely visual, and that might also explain my love for comics.
Now (quite literally), I'm watching Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth. It always gets me thinking and coming up with new ideas, very good material for any would-be writer to contemplate...
One of my Movie Night buddies just recently acquired a 16mm print of The Golem so we'll probably be re-watching it before long.
I've never seen the Campbell doc series (I'll have to see if my library has it on DVD) but am currently working my way through Kenneth's Clark's Civilisation which I haven't seen in its entirety since the 1970s.
The last couple of nights the Lil Missus and I watched Gammera the Invincible (1965), The Invisible Man (1933) and episodes of Zorro (1958), Mad Men (2008), The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1957), The Secrets of Isis (1975), The Munsters (1965) and a few Betty Boop cartoons from the 1930s.
Best
Joe
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Yesterday:
TONY ROME
LADY IN CEMENT
1st time I watched both of these in the same day!
I've seen the first one 4 or 5 times by now, and the plot is still almost impossible to follow... plus, once the resolution arrives, the film ends almost too abruptly, no sense of satisfaction, despite the hero having actually done a big favor for the married couple who hired him. Jill St. John is by a wide margin the best part of the movie, but other than that, it's too downbeat all the way thru.
The 2nd one is often knocked in comparison to the 1st, but I've always liked it better. Maybe it's because in this one not everyone is miserable all the time. Raquel Welch gets to do some decent acting (no kidding), but despite her presence, the best thing about this one, by a mile, is Dan Blocker! The story comes across as a modern-day variation on FAREWELL MY LOVELY, with a hulking thug hiring the hero to find a missing girlfriend. The difference is, in this case, the guy KNOWS the girl set him up, and, despite himself, gets to be friends with the detective over the course of the story.
A big problem with my prints of the films-- especially the 2nd one-- are, they're from local stations, faded color, and HORRIBLY butchered. I mean, not only whole scenes appear to be missing, but almost every scene had bits of dialogue missing right in the middle of sentences. Was this thing badly mistreated, or did someone just feel the need to crudely chop out naughty or suggestive words?
The station also ran about a 3-minute "movie about the movie", no words, just loud jazz music, showing behind-the-scenes clips of the making of the film. I'm pretty sure it's not actually part of the movie, more like the kind of thing they used to run in theatres sometimes, or on late-night TV to fill an empty slot at the end of a movie. (These days, if a film runs short, they usually just ADD MORE COMMERCIALS.)
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FIREFLY marathon on Science Channel today!!! ;D ;D ;D
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Tonight:
MATT HELM (1975)
Pilot for the short-lived tv series with Tony Franciosa. In this, Helm has retired from the spy game to become a private eye. The style and tone of the whole thing, apart from radiating pure "70's", is, Matt Helm has become Tony Rome! (Or, someone suggested, Richard Diamond. But I never saw that show.) Val Bisoglio plays the obligatory police captain who's constantly threatening to pull his P.I. license, James Shigeta plays a fellow gambler and wealth of obscure information. (There's another Tony Rome connection-- this version of Helm is constantly puttng down bets on longshots at the race track.) It crossed my mind that a slightly older Shigeta might have been perfect as Charlie Chan. Are they EVER gonna cast an actual Asian in that role again??
This thing was made JUST early enough in the 70's to miss the anti-violence crusade that CASTRATED late-70's action shows, and a car-chase on the freeway that literally erupts in one car EXPLODING in traffic is actually EXCITING. 2 years later, this kind of thing would have been impossible. All the same, as "COOL" as Franciosa was on SEARCH (he always came across as the agent who was too good to ever follow orders), he seems bored in this.
Patrick Macnee plays a shady international crook. Harry Rhodes plays the agent of an African country who's trying to PREVENT a take-over. John Vernon is an arms dealer. Not a bad cast... Better than I remember, but not as good as I'd have preferred.
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Rebirth of Mothra III no on Encore Action
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I remember going to the pictures to see the Matt Helm movies and I'm sure I enoyed them but I don't know if I could sit through them nowadays. Also, the Tony Rome films were, I thought really good, at the time but if I want to watch classic P.I's I'll go for Big Sleep which is so classy or Farewell my Lovely - the Dick Powell version, Powell makes a great Marlowe. Gamera and many other monster movies, incl. Quatermass and the other Quatermass style fims, I could watch till my eyes fell out.
Last night the new series of New Tricks started on BBC. We'd been looking forward to it and the 1st. episode didn't disappoint - a re-opened cold case, dodgy dealings, twists and turns, corporate horribleness, nasty people, humour and a great cast. Try and catch it if you can.
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Sometime last year I watched every Philip Marlowe in my video collection. Some good, some okay, some AWFUL. For the longest time, there seemed to be a curse on this character, as far as my video collection was concerned, as so many that I jhad were really bad prints from local stations-- and then of course the 2nd season of the HBO series was when there was so much interference with the cable in my neighborhood, I wound up dropping the channel because I was paying extra for a horrible signal.
TCM helped fill out several of these, including MURDER MY SWEET, THE BIG SLEEP, LADY IN THE LAKE (awful!!), and MARLOWE (a film that seems like it should have been a lot better than it was-- and really, instead of the generic title, should ahve been called THE LITTLE SISTER). Unfortunately, both my Mitchum films are still awful, horrible prints.
I wound up watching 3 different film versions of "Farewell My Lovely". And here's the weird part. The Robert Mitchum version I found WAY too downbeat and horribly depressing. (This is in contrast with his BIG SLEEP, still one of my all-time fave films.) The Dick Powell version is okay, but has never grabbed me as much as Bogart's BIG SLEEP from the same period. The crazy thing is... my favorite version turned out to be THE FALCON TAKES OVER with George Sanders & Alan Jenkins. It makes about as many changes to the plot as the other 2, but in the end is just a lot more FUN to watch. Maybe that's not why people watch Marlowe films... but given a choice, I'd rather watch the Sanders version than Powell or Mitchum. Go figure!
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Since I've been on a silent kick lately, I was going through my collection, and I remembered a movie that I used to have on VHS, but no longer have a copy of it. Unfortunately, it is not available on DVD either. Does anyone know where I can find a copy of the 1927 version of Napoleon?
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Since I've been on a silent kick lately, I was going through my collection, and I remembered a movie that I used to have on VHS, but no longer have a copy of it. Unfortunately, it is not available on DVD either. Does anyone know where I can find a copy of the 1927 version of Napoleon?
To the best of my knowledge Abel Gance's Napoleon has only been released on region 2 & 4 DVDs. Copies of the old VHS release are available still from Amazon.
These all are releases of the 1980 restoration.
The film has been further restored (twice) since then though- adding over a half hour of footage that was still missing from that 1980 restoration. No sign of any release of these more recent restorations.
Napoleon is a movie that is best experienced with an audience and live musical accompaniment if possible. The whole triptych sequence at the end gains so much more power that way.
Unfortunately legal squabblings between the British Film Institute, Universal and Francis Ford Coppola (all of whom have some rights in the restorations) have played a part in both limiting live screenings and a wider DVD release of the film.
Best
Joe
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I remember going to the pictures to see the Matt Helm movies and I'm sure I enoyed them but I don't know if I could sit through them nowadays. Also, the Tony Rome films were, I thought really good, at the time but if I want to watch classic P.I's I'll go for Big Sleep which is so classy or Farewell my Lovely - the Dick Powell version, Powell makes a great Marlowe. Gamera and many other monster movies, incl. Quatermass and the other Quatermass style fims, I could watch till my eyes fell out.
Last night the new series of New Tricks started on BBC. We'd been looking forward to it and the 1st. episode didn't disappoint - a re-opened cold case, dodgy dealings, twists and turns, corporate horribleness, nasty people, humour and a great cast. Try and catch it if you can.
This talk of the 1960s Matt Helm and Tony Rome movies has me curious to rewatch them. Not sure if they'd hold up well or not but I did enjoy my recent revisiting of that era's Flint movies with James Coburn.
Not sure if we get New Tricks here in the States. If so I've never run across it.
Best
Joe
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Sometime last year I watched every Philip Marlowe in my video collection. Some good, some okay, some AWFUL.
Henry, Have you ever seen the Michael Shayne movie Time to Kill (1942) with Lloyd Nolan. I finally caught it a couple years ago at one of our Movie Nights. It is actually the first film adaptation of Chandler's Philip Marlowe story The High Window. We all found it fairly breezy and enjoyable.
It was remade as The Brasher Doubloon in 1947 with George Montgomery (now as Marlowe) which I last saw in the 1980s but which I remember as more serious and somber than the earlier film.
Best
Joe
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Nope, those 2 I haven't seen. Last year, when I decided to watch my entire Marlowe collection (it seemed a good time,with those recent TCM additions) I did a lot of reading, and found out a lot about Marlowe I didn't know. Like, how GUNSMOKE was created specifically to be a "western" version of Philip Marlowe, dark, serious, and sometimes bad endings. Or about those movies you mentioned which I've never seen yet. (I did catch Lloyd Nolan in a McCLOUD movie in the 70's, much older of course. I think I've also seen him in something else from the 40's, but forget what it was just this moment.)
Then there's Philip Marlowe on radio-- NONE of which I've ever heard (yet). On radio, he's been voiced by Dick Powell (2 different versions of "Murder My Sweet", in 1945 and 1948), Van Hefflin (a series that only ran 3 episodes), Gerald Mohr (at the time considered the MOST POPULAR voice on radio!!! --he did 118 episodes! There were 119, but one of them William Conrad filled in as Marlowe-- how's that for a connection, "Matt Dillon" doing Marlowe?).
There was also Philip Carey on TV (26 episodes), and again on radio, in England, Ed Bishop (5 episodes).
ALL of this is stuff I haven't seen (or heard).
Someone also mentioned the Stacy Keach MIKE HAMMER episode "Harlem Nocturne" was a blatently obvious adaptation of "Farewell My Lovely", although, if it's the episode I'm thinking of, they also included the climax of "I The Jury" in there. After the "jokey" excesses of season 2, this season 3 episode got my vote for the "sexiest" episode of MIKE HAMMER Keach ever did.
And finally, 2 fairly recent films I haven't seen, RED WIND (an episode of Showtime's "Fallen Angels" series) with Danny Glover, and POODLE SPRINGS (HBO) with James Caan. Anybody seen any of these?
Of all of the above, the part I can't figure is, WHY didn't they get Gerald Mohr to do the 50's TV series??? I love him in THE LONE WOLF, FANTASTIC FOUR (the voice of Reed Richards) and LOST IN SPACE ("A Visit To Hades"). Like Warren William (the previous Lone Wolf), he died way too young.
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Since I've been on a silent kick lately, I was going through my collection, and I remembered a movie that I used to have on VHS, but no longer have a copy of it. Unfortunately, it is not available on DVD either. Does anyone know where I can find a copy of the 1927 version of Napoleon?
To the best of my knowledge Abel Gance's Napoleon has only been released on region 2 & 4 DVDs. Copies of the old VHS release are available still from Amazon.
These all are releases of the 1980 restoration.
The film has been further restored (twice) since then though- adding over a half hour of footage that was still missing from that 1980 restoration. No sign of any release of these more recent restorations.
Napoleon is a movie that is best experienced with an audience and live musical accompaniment if possible. The whole triptych sequence at the end gains so much more power that way.
Unfortunately legal squabblings between the British Film Institute, Universal and Francis Ford Coppola (all of whom have some rights in the restorations) have played a part in both limiting live screenings and a wider DVD release of the film.
Best
Joe
The first time I saw the movie there was a full orchestra and multiple screens. I saw it in New York City as a kid. It would have been the early 1980s and I think it was at Radio City Music Hall. I know you can buy it on VHS, but the cheapest you can find it for is around thirty bucks, and I can justify that on blu-ray, or perhaps a Criterion DVD, but on VHS, that seems a bit too pricey.
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I thought they were only doing Blue-Rays now, not DVDs?
I just bought Robinson Crusoe on Mars the Blue-Ray edition from the Criterion Collection when it came out.
I'm I wrong on this?
Geo
The first time I saw the movie there was a full orchestra and multiple screens. I saw it in New York City as a kid. It would have been the early 1980s and I think it was at Radio City Music Hall. I know you can buy it on VHS, but the cheapest you can find it for is around thirty bucks, and I can justify that on blu-ray, or perhaps a Criterion DVD, but on VHS, that seems a bit too pricey.
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I thought they were only doing Blue-Rays now, not DVDs?
I just bought Robinson Crusoe on Mars the Blue-Ray edition from the Criterion Collection when it came out.
I'm I wrong on this?
Geo
They do appear to still be making both...
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Plenty of stuff still coming out on DVD. Most of the major companies are releasing in both formats but a number of the smaller companies have only taken tentative steps into Blue Ray and are still mainly releasing in DVD. When I go into stores in the Phoenix area such as Frys Electronics or Best Buy which carry large selections of DVDs and Blue Rays I would say that DVDs still have at least 80% of the shelf space. The stores, supported by the major companies, advertise Blue Rays a lot but people have been slow to embrace the format.
I suspect that there are a variety of reasons why Blue Ray has yet to catch on with a lot of people. The fact that it was heavily launched just as the economy was going down the drain is one, another is the fact that a lot of people don't find that big a difference between the two and are sick of the constant format changes every few years so they don't want to invest in this upgrade, and then there are a number of people who are turning more and more toward the download option and not even dealing with such things as CDS, DVDs, or Blue Ray discs. I suspect that this later will be the way most people will eventually go.
Best
Joe
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Did anybody else catch the neat in-joke in last Sunday's Leverage episode-"The 10 Lil' Grifters Job"? Nate and the crew infiltrated a murder mystery party where everyone was disguised as some famous detective.
Timothy Hutton went as Ellery Queen and wore the exact same clothes that his father, Jim Hutton, wore in the fondly remembered 1970s Ellery Queen TV series. A nice tribute to his old pop!
Best
Joe
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Plenty of stuff still coming out on DVD. Most of the major companies are releasing in both formats but a number of the smaller companies have only taken tentative steps into Blue Ray and are still mainly releasing in DVD. When I go into stores in the Phoenix area such as Frys Electronics or Best Buy which carry large selections of DVDs and Blue Rays I would say that DVDs still have at least 80% of the shelf space. The stores, supported by the major companies, advertise Blue Rays a lot but people have been slow to embrace the format.
I suspect that there are a variety of reasons for Blue Ray to catch on with people. The fact that it was heavily launched just as the economy was going down the drain is one, another is the fact that a lot of people don't find that big a difference between the two and are sick of the constant format changes every few years so they don't want to invest in this upgrade, and then there are a number of people who are turning more and more toward the download option and not even dealing with such things as CDS, DVDs, or Blue Ray discs. I suspect that this later will be the way most people will eventually go.
Best
Joe
I probably wouldn't be buying blu-rays yet, but when the TV in my daughter's room broke, my wife and I moved the TV in our room into her's, and bought a new one. We got a special deal, a big screen HDTV, with a free blu-ray player, and now I'm buying blu-ray discs, when I can find them at a good price. I still think a lot of them are pricier than they need to be and some of them really aren't any better than the regular DVD.
Case in point, the Killer, one of my favorite movies. I was so excited to buy the blu-ray, but the picture was grainy, washed out, and I swear that the old laser-disc I had years ago looked a hundred times better than this.
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I probably wouldn't be buying blu-rays yet, but when the TV in my daughter's room broke, my wife and I moved the TV in our room into her's, and bought a new one. We got a special deal, a big screen HDTV, with a free blu-ray player, and now I'm buying blu-ray discs, when I can find them at a good price. I still think a lot of them are pricier than they need to be and some of them really aren't any better than the regular DVD.
Case in point, the Killer, one of my favorite movies. I was so excited to buy the blu-ray, but the picture was grainy, washed out, and I swear that the old laser-disc I had years ago looked a hundred times better than this.
I have to agree, I was a late change over person too. The time I went to the hospital in 2009 and had to stay home for a while my wife agreed to get a new HDTV we had been talking about for months, just got it a bit sooner. I then later picked up a Blue-Ray player when the DVD/VHS player crapped out on us.
I've only been really impressed with the latest films that have been shot in HD, some directors are still shooting the old way as it covers up a lot of necessary evils like poor backgrounds or makeup for the actors, (HD shows every little flaw in a face, backgrounds etc.).
As to the price, yep they are to high, (they did a survey years ago and found the price point was $19 for a DVD/VHS), so that's why you see brand new releases at $19.95-24.95 range for the first week or so. What gets me is they bump the price up after that and it stays that way for months, (overpriced) and not selling.
Also agree on the poor transfers of older films to Blue-Ray, one comes to mind, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition, very poor grainy picture through out. I was very surprised Spielberg gave his blessing on that release.
But HDTV 1080P is not the problem, the other technologies needs to catch up with it so we can see it as we would looking out a window or looking at a mountain in the distance.
Plus I've heard rumors of a new technology that makes Blue-Ray look like a VHS tape if you can believe that, (nothing lately about it though).
Enough of my rantings for now. ;D
Geo
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Tonight:
THE DUNWICH HORROR
-or- "Gidget Goes To HELL"
:o
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I probably wouldn't be buying blu-rays yet, but when the TV in my daughter's room broke, my wife and I moved the TV in our room into her's, and bought a new one. We got a special deal, a big screen HDTV, with a free blu-ray player, and now I'm buying blu-ray discs, when I can find them at a good price. I still think a lot of them are pricier than they need to be and some of them really aren't any better than the regular DVD.
Case in point, the Killer, one of my favorite movies. I was so excited to buy the blu-ray, but the picture was grainy, washed out, and I swear that the old laser-disc I had years ago looked a hundred times better than this.
I have to agree, I was a late change over person too. The time I went to the hospital in 2009 and had to stay home for a while my wife agreed to get a new HDTV we had been talking about for months, just got it a bit sooner. I then later picked up a Blue-Ray player when the DVD/VHS player crapped out on us.
I've only been really impressed with the latest films that have been shot in HD, some directors are still shooting the old way as it covers up a lot of necessary evils like poor backgrounds or makeup for the actors, (HD shows every little flaw in a face, backgrounds etc.).
As to the price, yep they are to high, (they did a survey years ago and found the price point was $19 for a DVD/VHS), so that's why you see brand new releases at $19.95-24.95 range for the first week or so. What gets me is they bump the price up after that and it stays that way for months, (overpriced) and not selling.
Also agree on the poor transfers of older films to Blue-Ray, one comes to mind, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition, very poor grainy picture through out. I was very surprised Spielberg gave his blessing on that release.
But HDTV 1080P is not the problem, the other technologies needs to catch up with it so we can see it as we would looking out a window or looking at a mountain in the distance.
Plus I've heard rumors of a new technology that makes Blue-Ray look like a VHS tape if you can believe that, (nothing lately about it though).
Enough of my rantings for now. ;D
Geo
Oddly enough, Close Encounters was on the short list of movies I was about to buy on blu-ray. I was trying to think of visually fantastic movies that I like, the ones that would look really good in the format, and on the big screen TV. Thanks for the warning.
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For $15 you might still want to give it a try anyway. You get a collectors book with it, plus a poster, two Blue-Ray disks, one with the extras, and one with the 1977 Original Theatrical Version, 1980 Special Edition, 1998 Director's Cut. That's a heads-up on whats on there.
Geo
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SECRET AGENT: SUCH MEN ARE DANGEROUS
Investigating "The Order" *******
A man nearing the end of his prison term is offered a suspicious job once he gets out, and he decides to inform the authorities about it. Next thing you know, Drake is substituted for the man, and finds himself a recruit in a top-secret "Order" with neo-Nazi leanings bent on "removing" anyone in the government they deem a "menace to society".
A particularly tense, nerve-wracking story to sit thru. Some episodes of SECRET AGENT are very entertaining, but others (like this one) just keep me on the edge of my seat while thinking I'm glad I DON'T have Drake's job!
Interesting connections, this was directed by Don Chaffey, who did JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS, and from that cast he's included John Cairney (who played "Hylas", Hercules' friend who died too young) and Jack Gwillim (who played the booming-voiced "King Aeetes", who used the Hydra's teeth to create unliving skeletal soldiers). I love looking up info like this online, especially when I know I recognize someone but not from where. Also in the cast is Erik Chitty as the butler (but who made an indelible impression on me as the librarian in the Tom Baker DOCTOR WHO story, "The Deadly Assassin").
It was Lee Montague as the French Major Latour who really got on my nerves, though. He was just TOO cold-blooded when it came to murder, and it the sort of person one really wishes the world COULD be rid of. (The character, not the actor!)
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Just a heads up that tonight is the season premiere of Warehouse 13 on SyFy. SyFy is also premiering tonight the new series-Alphas-which TV Guide refers to as "a new breed of super-hero.
Best
Joe
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The last few days...
DEAD OF NIGHT (1946)
TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942)
SCARFACE (1932)
MARS ATTACKS
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Just got back from the cheap cinema, I know the reviews were pretty lousy, but I rather enjoyed Thor. Very Larry Lieber/Jack Kirby inspired, thankfully not a lot Stan Lee's influence present.
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Iron Man 2, I bought the blu-ray months ago, but just now got around to watching it. After watching Thor, I can see how they are tying all of these movies together, and it's brilliant. So, I have to say that being a Marvel fanboy actually pays off, because DC never tried this on celluloid.
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DRACULA (1931)
Never thought I'd say this, but after seeing countless Dracula films and quite a lot of various adaptations of the book... this film just KEEPS getting better each time I see it! Bela Lugosi & Edward Van Sloan (and to a lesser degree, Dwight Frye) all seem to be operating on a different level from all the other characters in the story, as if they all exist in their own separate "world". Van Sloan's Van Helsing is one cool character, far more open & not the secretive guy in the book AT ALL. (Of course, in the novel, Dracula & Van Helsing NEVER come face-to-face until the finale at Castle Dracula.) I wish I could see him in more movies.
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DRACULA (1931)
Never thought I'd say this, but after seeing countless Dracula films and quite a lot of various adaptations of the book... this film just KEEPS getting better each time I see it! Bela Lugosi & Edward Van Sloan (and to a lesser degree, Dwight Frye) all seem to be operating on a different level from all the other characters in the story, as if they all exist in their own separate "world". Van Sloan's Van Helsing is one cool character, far more open & not the secretive guy in the book AT ALL. (Of course, in the novel, Dracula & Van Helsing NEVER come face-to-face until the finale at Castle Dracula.) I wish I could see him in more movies.
I've been watching this one all week...I plan to watch the Spanish language version over the weekend.
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"All week"? Do you mean, you're watching it in little installments, or the whole thing over and over again?
;D
Tell you the truth, the last 2 times I watched it, it was so late I had trouble keeping my eyes open the last half-hour. I think I may rewind the tape and JUST watch the last half-hour again tonight.
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"All week"? Do you mean, you're watching it in little installments, or the whole thing over and over again?
;D
Tell you the truth, the last 2 times I watched it, it was so late I had trouble keeping my eyes open the last half-hour. I think I may rewind the tape and JUST watch the last half-hour again tonight.
I'm a weird one in that I will watch a film in multiple sessions at a spurt. I usually will watch a film that really catches my interest at least ten times in a row if I have it on dvd. Multiply that by a few such sessions and you can see why I've watched Judge Dred at least 50+ times...and it is technically a horrid film, but my technique allows me to brainwash myself into liking nearly any film. ;D ;D ;D
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I'm a strange one... or at least, I have my OWN tastes when it comes to things. Despite having read maybe 50 JUDGE DREDD comics, I liked the movie MORE than the comics!
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The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, I have yet to read or watch any of the Harry Potter stories, I'm just barely old enough to be more of Tolkien fan, but seeing as how my daughter is four years old, I am probably going to need to start reading the Potter books soon, and I guess I'll wait to watch the movies with her. Although, with my luck she'll be more into the whole Twilight thing, just like her mother.
BTW, Judge Dredd wasn't a dreadful movie, but I'm still a much bigger fan of the comic.
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The Night Stalker, one of my favorite TV movies ever, as I was informed by Boox the other night, they are going for yet another attempt at a remake. Why bother? As decent an actor as Johnny Depp maybe, he is a sorry replacement for Darren McGavin.
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The Night Stalker, one of my favorite TV movies ever, as I was informed by Boox the other night, they are going for yet another attempt at a remake. Why bother? As decent an actor as Johnny Depp maybe, he is a sorry replacement for Darren McGavin.
The Lil' Missus and I re-watched The Night Stalker movies and series with Darren McGavin two or three years back. I thought that the movies still held up really well. I remember originally watching them in the early seventies when they first aired as Movies of the Week and being really impressed at the time and so was happy that they were as good as I remembered.
The series, on the other hand, just wasn't in the same league. Not horrible, mind you, but it suffered from much lower budgets and from losing Dan Curtis as producer. Curtis knew had to squeeze everything he could out of a a small budget from his years working as a daytime soap opera producer (Dark Shadows) but the new producers couldn't quite pull it off and the show suffered from inconsistent writing and effects. McGavin, alone, just couldn't hold it together.
I suppose I'll eventually see this new Johnny Depp version (the Lil Missus and I both like him) but, like you, I'm keeping my expectations low.
Best
Joe
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I loved both tv-movies when they first aired. I wished they'd done more (I read they couldn't agree on the 3rd script and so it never happened). When I heard about the weekly show, I thought, how are they gonna do that without running out of ideas real fast? (A standard complaint of my Dad's with tv shows, but I think it really applies here.) I was frankly surprised it was as GOOD as it was. I understand there was some behind-the-scenes confusion over who was supposed to be in charge of the show, and Darren McGavin and his wife both worked themselves to death to make it as good as possible, and much better than the network would have cared to. But after 20 episodes, they'd had it. I think it's a good thing it ended when it did. It wasn't around long enough to get REALLY bad.
I wish I had a complete set of uncut episodes. Most of mine came from THE CBS LATE MOVIE, which cut all the opening credits, except for 4 of them, "re-edited" into 2 abominably-bad "movies" (with 2 stories intercut together to make them look like they were taking place at the same time, instead of simply splicing 2 full episodes back-to-back as-is-- McCLOUD's 1st season was also mutilated in this same fashion, what was WRONG with syndicators back then???).
I tend to think the 2nd movie was the high point, partly because Dan Curtis directed that one himself! DAMN, he was good. It's just sad that Kolchak's 2 girlfriends from the movies were never seen after their stories.
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I think that if the network had allowed Dan Curtis to remain with the series it would have worked a whole lot better. He managed to keep Dark Shadows going for quite some time.
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I wish I had a complete set of uncut episodes. Most of mine came from THE CBS LATE MOVIE, which cut all the opening credits, except for 4 of them, "re-edited" into 2 abominably-bad "movies" (with 2 stories intercut together to make them look like they were taking place at the same time, instead of simply splicing 2 full episodes back-to-back as-is-- McCLOUD's 1st season was also mutilated in this same fashion, what was WRONG with syndicators back then???).
Henry if you do ever get a DVD player you'll be happy to know that both movies and the series are available complete and uncut again in that format. I was very glad to be able to see them again like that after seeing those atrocious TV movie re-edits of the series.
Best
Joe
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I think that if the network had allowed Dan Curtis to remain with the series it would have worked a whole lot better. He managed to keep Dark Shadows going for quite some time.
Actually the network did want Curtis to stay on as the series producer but he was more interested in doing movies at that period in time so he turned the series down (which I don't think they were expecting) and that left them scrambling to find a new producer post haste.
Best
Joe
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I would have preferred a series of movies. For the same reason I loved the NBC MYSTERY MOVIES so much, the format allows you to do fewer (and better) scripts per year, and have more time for character development and humor. When McCLOUD ended, Glen Larson wanted to do BATTLESTAR GALACTICA the same way-- but at the last minute, ABC insisted on it being a weekly. This resulted in 4 "bad" episodes in a row. In retrospect, those episodes are actually kinda fun to watch... but they weren't the kind of thing the show was designed for.
In the long run, BG predicted HILL STREET BLUES' habit of being on the air for so many weeks, then off for so many weeks to let production catch up, which almost became the norm for most shows later on. It pissed me off to learn that BG actually had very good ratings when it was cancelled-- ABC yanked it because they felt it was "too expensive".
Along similar lines, the revival of WKRP IN CINCINATTI (which I'm watching again right now) made money its 2 years in syndiaction-- but the backers felt it didn't make ENOUGH. Overwhelming GREED is destroying this entire planet right now...
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This has been going on for awhile now. If a film (or series) doesn't "live up to expectations" (even if it does make money) then it is often considered a failure these days.
Best
Joe
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Original Battlestar Galactica sound effects and scenes were reused to save money on Buck Rogers
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Captain America movie marathon coming this Thursday on SyFy.
Both TV movies from the 1970s and the 1990 movie will be shown.
I haven't seen the TV movies since the 70s and have never seen the later flick.
Best
Joe
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Captain America movie marathon coming this Thursday on SyFy.
Both TV movies from the 1970s and the 1990 movie will be shown.
I haven't seen the TV movies since the 70s and have never seen the later flick.
Best
Joe
You just set my Thursday!!!! ;D ;D ;D
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Let's see, the last few days...
DRACULA
MARK OF THE VAMPIRE
DRACULA'S DAUGHTER
SON OF DRACULA
HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN
Is it strange that after so many years, most of these just keep getting better? (Or, if not, just screwier?)
Strange but true... MGM wanted to do an unauthorized adaptation of DRACULA. They almost got sued over it, so the script got heavily re-written and became LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT. A few years later, they decided to do their own "vampire" movie in response to DRACULA, and recruited both Tod Browning and Bela Lugosi, but this time, Universal almost sued them over similarities, so they changed it (but not quite that much) to a semi-remake of LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT. Having just watched DRACULA and MARK OF THE VAMPIRE back-to-back, it's mind-numbing they still didn't get sued anyway! So many characters, situations, and even bits of dialogue, nearly-identical. If it wasn't for the "twist" ending, MARK... might be looked at as nothing but a rip-off of the Universal film. I wish the silent film still existed, because while MARK... is technically very well-done, story-wise, I can't shake the feeling LONDON... may have made more sense. (I've got the "restoration", but as it consists of still photos, it takes a lot of concentration to get thru it and follow the plot.)
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Captain America movie marathon coming this Thursday on SyFy.
Both TV movies from the 1970s and the 1990 movie will be shown.
I haven't seen the TV movies since the 70s and have never seen the later flick.
Best
Joe
You just set my Thursday!!!! ;D ;D ;D
DVD recorder time... I already have the 90s one and I know the two TV ones were pretty crappy too, but I need them for the collection anyway. Now, I need to get my hands on that Doctor Strange TV movie too.
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Movie Nights have been someone scarce this Summer what with various people going off on vacations and all but we did squeeze one in recently-
The Mad Doctor-1941-Paramount- Basil Rathbone has the title role playing a villainous role (a man who marries woman and then kills them for their money) in between his appearances as Sherlock Holmes. Apparently based on some actual events.
The Wolf-1926- One of my buddies picked up a nice 16mm print of this film. Fearless the dog is the hero of this 2 reel flick. Dog heroes were very popular in the 1920s with Rin Tin Tin and Strongheart being the best known.
plus episodes of The Son of Tarzan (1920) and The Dick Van Dyke Show (1965).
Some of what the Lil Missus and I have been watching-
The Invisible Man Returns (1940)-Universal- I have a special fondness for this entry in the series because it was the first one I ever saw as a kid (not counting his cameo in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein).
Mega Piranha (2010)-The Asylum- This company-The Asylum- seems to specialize in doing quick ripoffs of popular movies that go straight to video (they came out with a Thor movie just before the recent theatrical release) and cable (SyFy runs quite a few of their films). Some are just awful but some, like this one, can be fun as long you don't expect much.
The Invisible Woman (1940)-Universal- They go for laughs with this one. Fine cast including John Barrymore, Virginia Bruce, Charlie Ruggles, Edward Brophy and Shemp Howard.
The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)- One of our favorite John Wayne movies features fine Henry Hathaway direction, a rousing Elmer Bernstein score and and an excellent cast that includes Dean Martin, Earl Holliman, James Gregory, George Kennedy, Dennis Hopper and Paul Fix.
Rikki Tikki Tavi-1974-Chuck Jones- I remember seeing this cartoon adaptation of the Rudyard Kipling story on TV back in the 70s so was very happy to find it on a DVD collection of six Chuck Jones cartoons that I ran across at Big Lots.
plus episodes of Hogan's Heroes (1965), The Addams Family (1965), Ark II (1976), Honey West (1966), The Wild Wild West (1965), Voyagers (1982), Zorro (1958), The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1957), Mad Men (2008), The Munsters (1964), Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1956) and some Disney Pluto cartoons from the 1950s.
Some odds and ends-
Sukiyaki Western Django (2007)- Takashi Miike directs this wild take on Spaghetti westerns- Japanese style. Filmed in English (although you'll probably need to use the subtitles as most of the actors seem to be speaking their lines phonetically and aren't always easy to understand).
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)- I'm on a Woody Allen kick now and trying to catch up on some of his more recent films that I have missed. This one is an interesting romance story with Scarlett Johansson. Rebecca Hall and Javier Bardem. Filmed on location is Spain.
Shock (1977)- Italian horror king Mario Bava thriller. Okay but no where near as good as some of his 1960s classics (Black Sabbath, Black Sunday).
Man in the Saddle (1951)- Decent Randolph Scott western. Great Technicolor location shooting and a nice knock-down drag-em-out fight sequence between Scott and John (Lawman) Russell help enliven it.
Flying Leathernecks (1951)- John Wayne and Robert Ryan head the cast in this Technicolor WWII flick (produced by Howard Hughes) that makes use of quite a bit of actual 16mm color documentary footage (easily distinguishable because of the difference in sharpness and wear between it and the new 35mm footage). First time viewing this one since the 1970s.
The Host (2006)- Korean monster flick. Cool looking monster but at two hours it goes on a bit too long.
Plus a few more Tennessee Tuxedo cartoons (1963) and the first episode of the the King Kong cartoon series from 1966 featuring Kong and friends as well as Tom of T.H.U.M.B.
Best
Joe
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There's been a lot of tv cartoon series based on movies, but I think the KING KONG series having a live-action spin-off with KING KONG ESCAPES has to be almost unique, doesn't it? And the crazy thing is, it wound up being (in my opinion) one of the BEST Japanese giant-monster movies ever made! (Certainly one of my top favorites.)
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(http://captain-america.us/gallery/data/media/1/1979_cap_01.jpg)
About the only reason to watch this is Christopher Lee.
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ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN
Bela Lugosi is SOOOO cool in this film.
FRANKENSTEIN (1931)
THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1957)
First time I ever watched these 2 back-to-back, and in the same night!
There's only one scene in the Hammer Film that really mirrors the Universal one, and it's when they cut down the criminal hanging by the roadside.
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There's been a lot of tv cartoon series based on movies, but I think the KING KONG series having a live-action spin-off with KING KONG ESCAPES has to be almost unique, doesn't it? And the crazy thing is, it wound up being (in my opinion) one of the BEST Japanese giant-monster movies ever made! (Certainly one of my top favorites.)
Until recently I never knew that the Kong cartoon series was related to the movie. I saw the movie for the first (and I believe last) time about two years after the series ran and remember next to nothing about it but you have piqued my interest so I'll have to see if it's available on DVD.
I didn't remember much about the cartoon series either (except for the cool theme song which has been engrained in my head since the age of eight) until I picked up this set. Rankin and Bass (best know for the Holiday animated classic Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer) produced the series under the name of Videocraft but the actual animation was farmed out to Toei Studios giving the cartoon an anime look of sorts.
Best
Joe
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(http://captain-america.us/gallery/data/media/1/1979_cap_01.jpg)
About the only reason to watch this is Christopher Lee.
So which of the two TV movies is this from? My three decade plus memory of them is that they were both pretty mediocre (although I still had the Lil' Missus record them for another look).
Curious
Joe
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(http://captain-america.us/gallery/data/media/1/1979_cap_01.jpg)
About the only reason to watch this is Christopher Lee.
So which of the two TV movies is this from? My three decade plus memory of them is that they were both pretty mediocre (although I still had the Lil' Missus record them for another look).
Curious
Joe
It could have been the first one, but I was watching the second one at the time, and just thinking about how awful Reb Brown was, and how much I hated the costume. I am such a Cap fan, that I can be awfully forgiving, and I probably was very forgiving when I first saw those, but boy has Cap ever been mistreated by filmmakers over the years. I'd say so much so, that even if this new movie is only so-so, it would be such an improvement over the past that fans like me will feel the need to praise it.
Just an observation...
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I've never seen these tv Cap. shows. I dug out the serial the other night and had another go but it's pretty poor. Apart from carrying a handgun, he doesn't really get to use it as it's always kicked/knocked out of his hand. Not a lot of technology available back then to make the shield hit umpteen things and come back to his hand.
We've been watching New Tricks, re-runs of Castle and The Mentalist (both of which are on tonight) and I borrowed a copy of Caltiki, The Immortal Monster which I saw about 10 years ago. It's still good entertainment. Time to tell me I've no taste????
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I've never seen these tv Cap. shows. I dug out the serial the other night and had another go but it's pretty poor. Apart from carrying a handgun, he doesn't really get to use it as it's always kicked/knocked out of his hand. Not a lot of technology available back then to make the shield hit umpteen things and come back to his hand.
We've been watching New Tricks, re-runs of Castle and The Mentalist (both of which are on tonight) and I borrowed a copy of Caltiki, The Immortal Monster which I saw about 10 years ago. It's still good entertainment. Time to tell me I've no taste????
The two TV movies were an attempt on the part of CBS to develop it into a full-fledged series. They also tried it with Doctor Strange (one pilot movie, nothing else), Spider-Man (which lasted for about thirteen episodes, I have a few of them on VHS, and a DVD-R copy of the pilot) and of course their one true success in this venture was the Incredible Hulk.
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The two TV movies were an attempt on the part of CBS to develop it into a full-fledged series. They also tried it with Doctor Strange (one pilot movie, nothing else), Spider-Man (which lasted for about thirteen episodes, I have a few of them on VHS, and a DVD-R copy of the pilot) and of course their one true success in this venture was the Incredible Hulk.
My vague memory of the Dr. Strange TV movie is that it was was much better than the two Cap movies. I'd certainly like another look at it.
I'm surprised that the old Spider-Man TV series hasn't gotten a DVD release what with the success of the theatrical movies in recent years. I did catch a couple episodes of those again on TV when sci-fi (or someone) ran them a few years back. Not too bad but hampered by the budgets and effects technology of the era.
Best
Joe
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I've only ever seen the DR. STRANGE movie once, when it was first-run. But the following things always stuck in my head...
1 - Peter Hooten looked like he stepped right out of Frank Brunner's artwork
2 - it was better than SPIDER-MAN, HULK and CAPTAIN AMERICA
3 - Both "The Ancient One" (an English actor, John Mills) and "Morgan Le Fey" (Jessica Walters, of PLAY MISTY FOR ME) seemed to have stepped right out of the previous year's run of SPIDER-WOMAN (Wolfman & Infantino) more than any DR. STRANGE comics ever done. Was someone reading the wrong comics for inspiration?
Since then, I read, to my surprise, that FRANK BRUNNER actually worked as a consultant on the film. WHOA!!!
Haven't seen it since the 70's, but recently, I did see the MANDRAKE movie from a year or so later. DR. STRANGE was also WAYYYY better than THAT!
Essentially... from a time period (the late 70's) when damn near EVERYTHING on TV really sucked, especially adaptations of "classic" chartacters, DR. STRANGE... wasn't bad. (Not "great", but NOT BAD!)
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I've never seen these tv Cap. shows. I dug out the serial the other night and had another go but it's pretty poor. Apart from carrying a handgun, he doesn't really get to use it as it's always kicked/knocked out of his hand. Not a lot of technology available back then to make the shield hit umpteen things and come back to his hand.
We've been watching New Tricks, re-runs of Castle and The Mentalist (both of which are on tonight) and I borrowed a copy of Caltiki, The Immortal Monster which I saw about 10 years ago. It's still good entertainment. Time to tell me I've no taste????
I was thinking this morning that I needed to see that serial eventually. Later on today my wife, my daughter, and I were bouncing around some of the local thrift stores, and I found a copy of the complete Captain America serial from 1944 for a mere one dollar.
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I've seen the CAP serial 3 times. To me, it just keeps getting better. The crusading district attourney, his beautiful yet tough-as-nails woman assistant (she packs a gun, too), the main villain who is one of the most UNSPEAKABLY evil, ruthlessly murderous S.O.B.s I've ever seen in an "old" movie (Lionel Atwill was NEVER this rotten in anything else I've seen him in), and of course, fight scenes that could have stepped right out of a Jack Kirby comic and an obsession with high explosives. What's it got to do with "Captain America"? WHO CARES?
Legend has it the film was well under way in pre-production as a MR. SCARLET serial when they realized MR. SCARLET had dropped in popularity, so they just changed the name and costume. I know that's nuts, but it makes more "sense" (heh) than any ideas that they just "got" CAP all wrong.
Tragically, like Bruce Lee & ENTER THE DRAGON, the star died shortly after filming completed. Damn. I wish they'd have done a 2nd one.
I need to see MORE serials!!! I always wondered, since there were so many of them, why some TV station didn't just get ahold of a whole PILE of them, and run them all in the same time slot, one chapter a day. They could go on for a year or more without ever running the same episode twice! That's how I'D run a station. Give people a reason to KEEP tuning in!!
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Think Fast, Mr. Moto
I love all of these movies, but I was surprised to hear that Peter Lorre couldn't stand making them, and was more than happy to see the series end. What a shame, he was great in the role.
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I enjoyed Peter Lorre in pretty much anything he did. Many of the movie seriels are in pd and available online. I saw the new Cap movie and it was OK. Not great but pretty good. I don't think the 3D added much but had moments. I am not big on ranking things but my wife liked Green Lantern better than Cap although she liked both.
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I enjoyed Peter Lorre in pretty much anything he did. Many of the movie seriels are in pd and available online. I saw the new Cap movie and it was OK. Not great but pretty good. I don't think the 3D added much but had moments. I am not big on ranking things but my wife liked Green Lantern better than Cap although she liked both.
I was supposed to go see Captain America this weekend, but my plans fell through. I will more than likely see it pretty soon.
I found a boxed set of Mr. Moto DVDs this weekend for five bucks and I am currently working my way through them. I have been a big fan of Peter Lorre for as long as I can remember. I saw a copy of the Criterion Edition of Fritz Lang's M in a clearance bin at Borders last week. Lorre was excellently creepy in that movie. From what I have heard, they will be marking everything down even further starting today, I think it might a good day to check the store out again.
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I need to see MORE serials!!! I always wondered, since there were so many of them, why some TV station didn't just get ahold of a whole PILE of them, and run them all in the same time slot, one chapter a day. They could go on for a year or more without ever running the same episode twice! That's how I'D run a station. Give people a reason to KEEP tuning in!!
I remember back in the 1960s when Batman was very popular one of our local stations did run a Republic serial chapter (or maybe two-my memories a little vague on the details) each afternoon weekdays. I always made sure to get home from school in time to catch them.
When I was living in New Jersey attending the Kubert School we had a station that ran chapters of Buster Crabbe's three Universal Flash Gordon serials and his Buck Rogers serial each Saturday. AMC, back in the 1990s and TCM more recently have also run chapter-plays on Saturday mornings.
I have older friends who remember regularly seeing serials run on TV in the 1950s.
Nowadays I always seem to have two or three serials going. I watch one every Friday morning (currently re-watching Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars-1938) and we always have one going at Movie Nights (currently Son of Tarzan-1920) plus the Lil' Missus and I occasionally work one into our movie watching schedule. I tend to go for a chapter a week rather than one a day.
Most sound serials are extant and many are available on DVD so there are enough out there to keep me happy for years to come.
Best
Joe
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"What a shame, he was great in the role."
"Please don't be alarmed. I'm merely trying to break into the safe."
;D
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Today:
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HOLLOWS Part 2
Wow.
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"What a shame, he was great in the role."
"Please don't be alarmed. I'm merely trying to break into the safe."
;D
This may sound a bit silly, but since he was a Judo expert, Mr. Moto was technically the first martial arts hero depicted in American cinema.
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Interesting observation great trivia fact
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Today:
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HOLLOWS Part 2
Wow.
The Lil' Missus and I recently watched the DVD of Part 1 and she is pestering me to take her to see Part 2 so I expect we'll be checking it out in the near future.
Best
Joe
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As might be expected, the overwhelming majority of reviews I read yesterday (after seeing the film) were complaining incessantly about this or that from the book wasn't in the movie, or was changed, etc... There's a thread at the IMDB which focused on the idea that movie adaptations should be able to be stand on their own and be judged by their own standards. I've never read the books (and probably never will with my current habits), and I enjoyed the first 7 films in a row immensely. I can't think of ANY other film series which didn't really go bad MUCH earlier than this.
I liked most of the 8th film... though I will admit, within its own internal logic, even I had a few problems. But not enough to dismiss it like too many films. I do think it might have helped if it were, say, another 5 or 10 mintes LONGER, to fit in a lot of things that seemed essential, especially considering it was the grand finale of an 8-film storyline! (Has anyone, outside of TV, ever attempted anything like this???)
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THE AVENGERS: MAN IN THE MIRROR
Not Much Fun at the Funfair *****
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Steed catches hell from his latest superior, "One Six", for showing up late for a briefing, and for having a "lone wolf" attitude. A cipher clerk has (ALLEGEDLY!) committed suicide, and Steed's job is to find out if it was really that or murder. Re-doing all the secret codes (or not) hangs in the balance, though Steed wisely suggests they should probably be changed anyway.
Now, because Steed found a ticket for a "funfair" (combination penny arcade & haunted house) in the dead man's effects, he convinces (CONS!) his attractive singer friend Venus Smith into taking his dog Sheba for a walk there, and snapping some pictures while she's at it. And as luck would have it, WHO should turn up in one of the photos, but the man who supposedly COMMITTED SUICIDE a week earlier!
I'll be honest here... while I find myself getting into these early videotaped stories more and more, even I found this one a bit on the dull side. Had this been done on film (and possibly on location), the funfair at the very least could have made it quite visually interesting. But on video in a cramped studio, it's reduced to being a too-serious, somewhat twisted character study.
A few bits of business involve, will the wife of the funfair owner run off with the foreign spy when he gets the traitor out of the country? Is the wife of the traitor being up-front with Steed after she confides that she knows her husband is alive? And why DID Venus go back to the funfair ON HER OWN, anyway?
As usual for these 6 oddball episodes, it's Venus Smith that makes it worth sitting through. By this point, it's clear she knows what Steed does for a living, they just don't discuss it. "I believe you-- I BELIEVE YOU!! --THOUSANDS wouldn't." (Hilarious.) So when she finds the recording studio has been burgled while she was working, or when someone later starts pointing a gun in her face, she's not as surprised as she might have been a few stories ago. WORRIED, yes, but not surprised.
Steed shows a lot of what appears to be very genuine warm affection for her. I have no trouble understanding that. The more I watch her episodes, the more I find myself thinking, of all the "Avengers girls", Venus is the one I'd probably most like to have for a girlfriend.
Among the guest cast are Ray Barrett (the voice of "Commander Shore" on STINGRAY and "John Tracy" on THUNDERBIRDS) as the villain, and David Graham ("Dr. Beaker" on SUPERCAR, "Prof. Matic" on FIREBALL XL5, various voices on STINGRAY, "Gordon", "Brains" and "Parker" on THUNDERBIRDS, and Professor Kerensky in the Tom Baker-Lala Ward DOCTOR WHO story, "City Of Death") as Venus' record Producer.
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Just finished watching Dylan Dog Dead of Night, not bad, it was rather fun, but I still prefer the comic book, and I really do not see why they had to make so many changes for the film.
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I have not read the comics so I may enjoy the movie more
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People in Hollywood always talk about how "in any adaptation, changes have to be made from one medium to another". Now, while it may be true (according to one writer I know) that "many bad novels have been turned into GREAT movies", surely the reverse is also true. And too often, it's not the difference in the mdeium that the question (as with Roger Corman's POE films), but the egos of people involved depserate to put their own stamp on something, sometimes, just to justify their jobs!
The JAMES BOND 007 films have seen both extremes-- terrific books turned into AWFUL movies, and good books turned into GREAT movies. As good as DR. NO was (mostly because of Sean Connery), I've always felt the book was vastly superior. The movie eliminated any sense of mystery in the first 10 minutes (whereas the book did NOT reveal what was really going on on that island UNTIL the dining table scene), and all the truly perverse weirdness of the baddie was also eliminated, including the "obstacle course" nature of that pipe, not to mention the giant octopus.
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE was seriously re-structured, as just about HALF of the novel went by before Bond was introduced, and the entire plot involving the decoding machine was made TWICE as complex by adding S.P.E.C.T.R.E. to the mix. Then again, they added an "action" climax not in the book (the boat chase & explosions), much as was done decades later with CASINO ROYALE.
ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE, on the one hand, wound up being the closest to the novel, while at the same time, nearly every scene in the movie had changes-- but for once, the changes resulted in the film being MUCH BETTER than the already-good book.
But then you've got things like DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER, LIVE AND LET DIE, THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN, MOONRAKER... you wonder, how is it even possible for such abortions to have been concocted? Funny how 3 of those are 3 of the earliest books, and the 4th was the last of the novels. Maybe not great literature, but I enjoyed all 4 novels, and feel they deserved a lot more respect than they got-- especially LALD and MOONRAKER. As it is, they seem more inspired by Dean Martin's "Matt Helm" films than anything from Fleming.
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The Moore Bond's were a product of the time. They were my first theater Bonds so to me he was Bond and the movies were fun. They have not held up I'm afraid, but at the time I loved them and thought Moore was the better Bond.
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The Connery Bond's are also a product of their time. Most of his just seem to hold up better, over all, than Moore's Bond films. Not that Moore couldn't make a good Bond film-The Spy Who Loved Me, for example, is still one of my favorite Bond films.
I remember taking my youngest brothers, along with the Lil Missus (when we were first dating), to see it when it was initially released. It was their first Bond film and they loved it then and still like it now.
The Lil Missus, on the other hand, just went along because we all wanted to see it and doesn't really give two hoots about any of the Bond films to this day. Women! Sheesh!
Best
Joe
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Looking back, what seems strange to me now is, most of the 70's had movies that were deadly-serious, intense, VIOLENT, profane, sexy... and yet, here you had "James Bond" movies-- a series that, when it started, had been condemned by every organized religious group on the planet for being offensive and obscene-- and they were going completely the other way! I mean, I keep wondering how it might have been like if George Lazenby had stuck around, and the films had gotten as violent and sexy as I found out the newspaper strips got in the 70's?
Yeah, THE SPY WHO LOVED ME was very impressive, my favorite film that year. I guess it was the first one that seemed like a real "James Bond movie". Moore even played it (mostly) straight for the first 45 minutes or so (up until the fight in the Egyptian temple, which then turned into outright slapstick-- I mean, it was REALLY FUNNY!!!). If only Gerry Anderson had been doing something that entertaining at the time...
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY remains my favorite Moore film. It's got SO MUCH actual Ian Fleming material squeezed into it, Moore acts (mostly) serious for much of it, it's got my 2nd-favorite Bond movie villain of all time (Julian Glover), and-- dare I say it-- my favorite Bond girl ("Bibi Dahl", Lynn Holly Johnson). The thing is, in recent years, whenever I watch it, I still love it, it's just that these days I find myself wishing Timothy Dalton had been in it instead of Moore. (They were really thinking about him that year! But then Moore came back...)
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Recently watched:
BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN
SON OF FRANKENSTEIN
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
HIGH ANXIETY
YOU'LL FIND OUT
HORROR OF DRACULA
I just noticed after all these years, the piano player in the lounge where Mel Brooks sings (doing a Sinatra impression) is Murphy Dunne, from THE BLUES BROTHERS!
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You know what else I can't figure out? As NASTY and VIOLENT as the early-mid 70's movies were, how come nobody did any MIKE HAMMER films in that whole period? You'd think he would have been a perfect fit! (Actually, there were "Mike Hammer" films... except in those, he was called "John Shaft"... heh heh heh)
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(Actually, there were "Mike Hammer" films... except in those, he was called "John Shaft"... heh heh heh)
;D ;D
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Okay, I'm glad somebody thought that was funny...
Let me explain. My introduction to SHAFT was actually the promotional trailer for SHAFT'S BIG SCORE, run at the end of THE CBS FRIDAY NIGHT MOVIE to fill out time (remember those days?). It may seem nuts, but until that moment, I had no idea "Shaft" was the name of a private eye. A year later, "Are You Man Enough" by the Four Tops turned up on the radio, and became a fave of mine (side-by-side with "Live And Let Die" by Wings). I thought it was funny that James Bond went to Harlem the same time SHAFT IN AFRICA came out. A couple months later, a TV magazine article was titled, "You can't put THAT John Shaft on TV!", about the TV-movie series. The write-up was so bad, I never watched (then again, CBS was dumb enough to schedule their rotating series opposite NBC's rotating series-- isn't that like putting BUCK ROGERS on in the same time slot as DOCTOR WHO ?).
I finally saw SHAFT on CBS, when they ran it in a 90-min. slot. Think about that. The movie's 2 hours. HOW MUCH did they cut? Amazing it still made sense-- and became a fave of mine overnight. Only several years late. (I even wrote a comic-book story during my senior year in high school that was a tribute to it. I had Robert Stack team up with Richard Roundtree.) The sequels never turned up on the networks. SHAFT'S BIG SCORE turned up on Philly's Channel 6 on the midnight show. I immediately got to like that BETTER than the 1st one! SHAFT IN AFRICA turned up a few years later on some cable channel, around 2 AM. The TV movies, years later still, at 4 AM. (Somebody really did not like these movies.)
In 1983, Stacy Keach debuted as MIKE HAMMER. I'd heard about the guy for some time, but made sure I watched when Mickey Spillane did a radio interview to promote it, talking about the earlier Kevin Dobson film, and totally disavowing the Armand Assante film in between (which he had nothing to do with). To this day, Tanya Roberts is my favorite Velda, even though she only did that one movie. (She would have come back, but they dragged their feet, and by the time they did the sequel, she was off filming SHEENA.) I always remember, about 15 minutes in, suddenly realizing that in the 70's, SHAFT had been a "black" variation on HAMMER. Both ex-cops with friends on the police force who break every rule in sight and sleep with every woman who crossed their paths. (Actually, I'm not sure Richard Roundtree's character was an ex-cop... but later, his NEPHEW was!)
And here's the punch line. BOTH Mickey Spillane (who created HAMMER) and Ernest Tidyman (who created SHAFT) at one time, used to work for MARTIN GOODMAN! (So, LUKE CAGE was continuing a tradition...)
8)
"That man's trouble, he's been to my house!"
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Nice comparison there between Hammer and Shaft, Henry. Never really thought about it before but certainly seems apt.
Didn't know that Tidyman had worked for Goodman either. Was it in comics or for his sweat mags?
Best
Joe
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I suspect it was for his magazines, not the comics.
What I didn't realize for many years was that Ernest Tidyman was WHITE. So I guess having guys like Roy Thomas, John Romita, Archie Goodwin, George Tuska & Steve Englehart all doing HERO FOR HIRE was also continuing a tradition. At least Billy Graham-- like Gordon Parks-- was BLACK.
"Mom-- is it because I'm black?"
--Bill Russell (SNL)
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The last few days...
THE BRIDES OF DRACULA
DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS
DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE
TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA
I actually saw TASTE... in a theatre back in 1971, when I was down in Texas. My first time seeing Christopher Lee as Dracula on a big screen. Decades later, I read a crazy story about the film. Lee did not want to come back, and they wrote a story about one of Dracula's disciples, "Lord Courtley" (Ralph Bates). Presumably, the plot involved Bates, a worshipper of Satan and Dracula (in Hammer's universe, possibly the same thing), who gets killed during a black mass, then comes back for revenge against the 3 men who killed him.
Well, the distributor, Warner Bros., REFUSED to put up the money for production costs-- UNLESS Lee was in the film! So they had to do a hasty rewrite, in which Courtley's dead body serves as the host for the ressurected Dracula. It did not make sense for Dracula to want revenge against men who killed his SERVANT-- but that's what they had in the film! Anyway, they had to BEG Lee to come back for the film, feeding him a "guilt trip" about how all these actors and technicians would be out of work if HE didn't do the film. So he did.
The following year, the same thing happened again. They did a "reboot" of their 2 big franchises. THE HORROR OF FRANKENSTEIN was a remake of the 1st Peter Cushing film, only with Ralph Bates instead, and sick humor added. SCARS OF DRACULA was also meant to restart the Dracula series, only with a different actor, and a LOT more sex and violence. But again, WB refused to back the film without Lee. So Lee appeared in a film written for somebody else... and ironically, wound up with more dialogue than all his other Drac films put together. I bet he was annoyed. Not that he had all the dialogue, but because all the other films didn't, and this one was intended for someone else. (He was paid by the day, so they wrote scripts that limited his screen-time. Sounds counter-productive, doesn't it? Roger Corman didn't have this "problem" with Vincent Price...)
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Source Code: experimental government program that is used to prevent a terrorist attack on Chicago, one movie with a "good" ending.
Geo
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Walking Dead, oddly enough my wife has been bugging me to watch it because she watched the series first run, and bought the blu-ray. The odd thing is zombie movies are hardly the type of thing that she'd normally watch, but she got hooked on it, and I can see why it's a pretty decent show.
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Recently watched "Source Code" and enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Did anyone else catch the two little "tips of the hat" to Quantum Leap? Saw "Super 8" last week- not great, but the best damn train wreck I've ever seen on the big screen! Also saw a couple of episodes of "Zen" on PBS Mystery. Not a big fan of Rufus Sewell, but I did like the two episodes I watched. New Inspector Lewis episode next week. I've been trying to get back into "Leverage" this season, but the writing just doesn't seem up the usual standard. Cheers, Bowers
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I was not impressed with Super 8 but the train wreck was pretty cool. I could not put my finger on it but I think you are right about the writing on Leverage. I still love Parker.
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Last night, Slam Evil, The Phantom film. Tonight there's an old Hancock's Half Hour on the radio and later we have the new Castle on t.v.
We tried Body of Proof but not sold on it yet. We'll keep an eye on it. You don't seem to get it in N.America but keep looking for New Tricks, it is really excellent and as it's a BBC show, it should show up somewhere.
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Been a fan of "New Tricks" for years, Paw. Our local PBS station has been showing newer episodes this year, but we're probably still at least a year behind. By the way, is there any word on possible new episodes of "Sherlock"? Only a little over a month till the new season of "The Mentalist". What can they do to top last season's finale? Cheers, Bowers
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I was not impressed with Super 8 but the train wreck was pretty cool. I could not put my finger on it but I think you are right about the writing on Leverage. I still love Parker.
The Lil Missus seems to feel the same way as youse guys about Leverage this season- that it has slipped a notch or so. I'm still enjoying it though and they got a lot of good will from me when they did that episode where Timothy Hutton did the tribute to his Dad's version of Ellery Queen.
Best
Joe
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"Been a fan of "New Tricks" for years, Paw. Our local PBS station has been showing newer episodes this year, but we're probably still at least a year behind. By the way, is there any word on possible new episodes of "Sherlock"? Only a little over a month till the new season of "The Mentalist". What can they do to top last season's finale? Cheers, Bowers"
New Sherlock coming up in the autumn. Yeeeeeeeaaaah!!!!!! And heaven only knows what they're going to do with The Mentalist.
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Last night on the local college cable channel "Prof. Fred's Movie Madness" aired possibly one of the worst sci-fi movies ever made. I believe the title was "Attack from Space", one of the Japanese "Starman/ Super Giant" series. Where to begin? The hero's ludicrous costume? (Looks kind of like a butterfly!) The ridiculous laugh as he beats up the evil minions? Jaw-dropping special effects, such as reversing a film clip of a man rolling down the stairs so it looks like Starman kicked him up the stairs? Fight scenes that go on forever because everybody, even the ones that were shot, keep getting up and coming back for more? Spaceship doors opening in space without losing any cabin pressure? The list goes on and on. This movie is so bad it could not have been released-- it must have escaped! Cheers, Bowers
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Don't know if I should admit this or not but here goes, I have, not only, Attack From Space but also Evil Brain From Outer Space and Atomic Rulers of the World. And, yes, I bought them and I've watched them and you're bang on, they are so awful. But isn't that part of the fun? I'm sure there must have been other Starman movies as the ones I have are from 1956, 1964 and 1965 - unless that's their American release dates. Having seen such truly enjoyable films such as The Mysterians and War in Space, I was keen to see more and unfortunately Starman was waiting for me. Oh well.
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Yikes!
I have loved the Japanese Starman movies ever since I first saw them on television as a little kid and while much of Bower's description is spot on it's really no worse than much of what goes on in many GA (or even SA) super-hero comics.
Starman (or Super Giant as he was originally named in Japan) paved the way for such later Japanese celluloid heroes as Ultraman and Kamen Rider. In Japan the films were originally released (from 1957-59) as a nine episode serial/series consisting of three two-part story lines and three stand alone episodes. Episodes originally ran anywhere from 39-57 minutes each. The four American Starman adaptations edited the six two-part story lines into three single movies and the three stand alone episodes into one very convoluted movie.
While they may be a guilty pleasure I still enjoy watching my DVDs of the American Starman movies and would love to someday see the original Japanese versions.
Best
Joe (standing up for Truth, Justice and the [wacky] Japanese Superhero way)
PS The four American Starman movies (all released directly to television in the mid 1960s) are Atomic Rulers of the World, Invaders From Space, Attack From Space and Evil Brain From Outer Space (collect 'em all).
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You're right, gentlemen. Even though it was an awful movie, it did have a quirky charm. I have to admit that I did watch the whole thing! Wonder what gem Prof. Fred has in store for us next week? Cheers, Bowers
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Once again I've just watched some of my favorite series films... over the last
few days, the final 3. To use (ahem) "alternate" titles...
DRACULA TODAY
DRACULA IS DEAD AND WELL AND LIVING IN LONDON
DRACULA AND THE ARMY OF KUNG-FU ZOMBIES
Not the actual titles, but fun flicks all the same. And Peter Cushing is Prof.
Van Helsing in all 3 of them!
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Once again I've just watched some of my favorite series films... over the last
few days, the final 3. To use (ahem) "alternate" titles...
DRACULA TODAY
DRACULA IS DEAD AND WELL AND LIVING IN LONDON
DRACULA AND THE ARMY OF KUNG-FU ZOMBIES
Not the actual titles, but fun flicks all the same. And Peter Cushing is Prof.
Van Helsing in all 3 of them!
I'm going to guess that it would be a safe assumption to say that the Kung Fu Zombie one was the Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires. Correct?
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Yep.
Believe it or not, that's the 2nd movie I used that description for. I'd have to look it up (can't remember the name), but way back when, I actually saw a movie which starred Cameron Mitchell as the captain of a sleazy cruise ship, which takes passengers to an island that somehow got over-run by the living dead. I also recall Tina Louise was in it (though I may be mistaken). It was R-rated, contained a lot of nudity, and I took to calling it "THE LUST BOAT AT THE ISLAND OF KUNG-FU ZOMBIES".
This was a few years before I finally saw the final Hammer Dracula film on TV.
Something funny struck me last night... LEGEND... actually has a similar plot structure to ENTER THE DRAGON (made the same year, I think). It involves a journey, several flashbacks, and 3 major fights-- each one bigger than the one before. The first, on the streets of a town, involves maybe 12 people. the 2nd, in a cave, involves maybe 20. The 3rd, maybe 50 people. (At least it looks that way) And then, after that, the FINAL battle is between just the hero and the villain.
It amazes me how many people gave LEGEND... good reviews, including those who feel it's ridiculous. It's just very fun and watchable. I don't understand the incompetence of Warner Bros. They apparently were the ones who suggested Hammer do a pair of "modern day" DRACULA films, then, refused to distribute the 2nd one. And they didn't distribute LEGEND... either. Both SATANIC RITES... and LEGEND... finally made it to theatres here 5 YEARS after each was made, with stupid name changes and heavy editing. It's ironic that on TV, LEGEND... was more intact than when it was in theatres here.
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Yep.
Believe it or not, that's the 2nd movie I used that description for. I'd have to look it up (can't remember the name), but way back when, I actually saw a movie which starred Cameron Mitchell as the captain of a sleazy cruise ship, which takes passengers to an island that somehow got over-run by the living dead. I also recall Tina Louise was in it (though I may be mistaken). It was R-rated, contained a lot of nudity, and I took to calling it "THE LUST BOAT AT THE ISLAND OF KUNG-FU ZOMBIES".
This was a few years before I finally saw the final Hammer Dracula film on TV.
Sounds to me like you're thinking of Kung Fu Cannibals...
Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires is dumb, but fun. I just liked the idea of seeing a Hammer/Shaw Brothers co-production and I'm a big David Chiang fan. Plus, the movie was actually co-directed by Chang Cheh, although he did not receive any on-screen credit, I think he was mostly responsible for the action scenes. Although Chang is not a household name, he's more influential than one might think, and his former apprentice is a household name, that's a guy known as John Woo.
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Enter the Dragon is actually a year older than Seven Golden Vampires, but it influenced a lot of movies. Plus it was influenced by a lot of films that came before it.
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I was reading that LEGEND... wound up inspiring an entire genre of Chinese vampire movies.
ENTER THE DRAGON, of course, is one of my all-time favorite films. Much better than the James Bond movies from the same period, and a hint of what they might have been like had George Lazenby stuck around instead of Roger Moore. It's so tragic that Bruce Lee died 2 weeks before it hit theatres.
I actually saw Lazenby in a "chop-socky flick" (what my late friend Jim called lower-end martial arts films), THE MAN FROM HONG KONG. It was one of those with hilarious fight scenes that went on for 10 minutes at a stretch, where the combatants never seemed to get tired, no matter how many times they were batted about. Lazenby played the film's VILLAIN, who comes to a nasty end at the finale. The film's theme song was "Sky High" (I forget who the band was who recorded that).
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I was reading that LEGEND... wound up inspiring an entire genre of Chinese vampire movies.
ENTER THE DRAGON, of course, is one of my all-time favorite films. Much better than the James Bond movies from the same period, and a hint of what they might have been like had George Lazenby stuck around instead of Roger Moore. It's so tragic that Bruce Lee died 2 weeks before it hit theatres.
I actually saw Lazenby in a "chop-socky flick" (what my late friend Jim called lower-end martial arts films), THE MAN FROM HONG KONG. It was one of those with hilarious fight scenes that went on for 10 minutes at a stretch, where the combatants never seemed to get tired, no matter how many times they were batted about. Lazenby played the film's VILLAIN, who comes to a nasty end at the finale. The film's theme song was "Sky High" (I forget who the band was who recorded that).
The Man from Hong Kong was an attempt to turn Jimmy Wang Yu into the next Bruce Lee (which is actually kind of funny, because he had been a kung fu star in Hong Kong before Bruce Lee was). The song your thinking of was performed by Jigsaw.
The Hong Kong vampire movie craze was big in the eighties starting with Mr. Vampire (1985). But, these vampires are a little different, they are Jiang Shi, which is more of a zombie than a vampire. They tend to be depicted as stiff (rigor mortis has set in), so their knees can't bend, and they travel by hopping. The creature was featured in one of the Mario Brothers games. The Mr. Vampire movies were generally comedic in nature.
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Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires is dumb, but fun. I just liked the idea of seeing a Hammer/Shaw Brothers co-production and I'm a big David Chiang fan. Plus, the movie was actually co-directed by Chang Cheh, although he did not receive any on-screen credit, I think he was mostly responsible for the action scenes. Although Chang is not a household name, he's more influential than one might think, and his former apprentice is a household name, that's a guy known as John Woo.
Also been a fan of David Chiang's work ever since I first saw him back in the early 1970s in The New One-Armed Swordsman which was playing on a great triple bill that also included Lady Kung Fu (with Angela Mao) and The Chinese Connection (with Bruce Lee) at the long gone (but never forgotten) Cinema Park Drive-In.
Best
Joe
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Aha! Yep, Jigsaw. I recall the song on the radio before seeing the film on HBO (my best friend's family got cable maybe 5 years before I did).
Also, yep regarding the vampires. Anyone who's seen 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES knows why I refer to them as "Kung-Fu Zombies", they look more like zombies than they do traditional vampires. EVEN the "Golden" ones. The exception is the leader of the pack, who wound up being possessed by the spirit of COUNT DRACULA at the beginning of the film, in a manner somewhat similar to when "The Master" took over the body of "Tremas" (Anthony Ainley), killing him in the process.
It's funny, a reviewer at the IMDB pointed out that in SATANIC RITES, you had an ex-"Doctor Who" fighting a guy who at one point in the film refers to himself as "The Master". I keep thinking if Amicus had kept doing DR. WHO movies, it would have been cool to see Cushing vs. Lee in exactly that capacity.
2 "007" connections... Julie Ege was one of the 12 girls at Blofeld's clinic in OHMSS, and David DeKyser, who DUBBED Dracula's voice, also dubbed Tracy's father in OHMSS.
Although continuity between the Hammer films is dodgy at best (it's been suggested they may actually take place in 3-- or 4-- completely separate continuities), my own belief is that the French girl in BRIDES OF DRACULA was Leyland Van Helsing's mother, and Leyland was (probably) Lorrimer Van Helsing's father. Romance or not, I kinda doubt Lorrimer's mother was Chinese.
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Menticide wrote:
"Sounds to me like you're thinking of Kung Fu Cannibals... "
I had to look it up... YOU'RE RIGHT! But my confusion had a reason...
""Raw Force" is like an ultra-sleazy and perverted version of Love Boat, with additional Kung Fu fights, demented cannibalistic monks, white slaves trade, energetic zombies and a whole lot of lousy acting performances."
THAT's it. When I saw it, it was released under the title "RAW FORCE". Obviously, the other title is more accurate, less vague (and a lot more fun).
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Okay, here's what I really think. This entire section of the forum, if expanded, could turn into a brilliant fanzine devoted to the art of trashy cinema. What do you guys think? I say yep!
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Okay, here's what I really think. This entire section of the forum, if expanded, could turn into a brilliant fanzine devoted to the art of trashy cinema. What do you guys think? I say yep!
Much of the what one used to read in the old fanzines has moved to blogs and forums already so there's no reason why we can't have some banter and discussion along those lines. This section of the forum certainly seems flexible enough to handle that.
Best
Joe
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According to the Daily Mail, they actually enhance our reading pleasure.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2024884/Spoilers-actually-enhance-enjoyment-films-TV-shows-books-ruining-them.html
I disagree in the extreme... and I posted a reply which has already offended someone at one message board.
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Okay, here's what I really think. This entire section of the forum, if expanded, could turn into a brilliant fanzine devoted to the art of trashy cinema. What do you guys think? I say yep!
Much of the what one used to read in the old fanzines has moved to blogs and forums already so there's no reason why we can't have some banter and discussion along those lines. This section of the forum certainly seems flexible enough to handle that.
Best
Joe
I was just thinking back to the days when I was working as a security guard. I worked the graveyard shift and I must have every single fanzine out there at the time. Back then Tower Records used to keep a pretty decent selection of movie related ones in stock.
Speaking of the odd world of cinema, I just picked up 42nd Street Forever Vol. 3. It's a collection of old b-movie trailers from the 70s and 80s. Everything from Kung Fu movies to horror flicks, very entertaining.
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According to the Daily Mail, they actually enhance our reading pleasure.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2024884/Spoilers-actually-enhance-enjoyment-films-TV-shows-books-ruining-them.html
I disagree in the extreme... and I posted a reply which has already offended someone at one message board.
I agree with you Henry. This is a lot of bunk. Using Columbo as an example to prove their theory doesn't work. Even though you knew who did the crime and why in those shows the fun was in watching the process of how Columbo worked it out. The spoiler there would have been in revealing to us how he figured it out.
The Columbo approach was also something that was very entertaining in the hands of a very talented actor such as Peter Falk but not something which any old actor could pull off anywhere near as successfully.
Best
Joe
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I was just thinking back to the days when I was working as a security guard. I worked the graveyard shift and I must have every single fanzine out there at the time. Back then Tower Records used to keep a pretty decent selection of movie related ones in stock.
Yeah I remember picking up quite a few at Tower back in the day too. Some I would just buy off the newstands and some I eventually got subscriptions to (such as Hong Kong Film Connection, Oriental Cinema, Video Watchdog, Asian Trash/Cult Cinema and others I'm sure that I'm forgetting). I think VW is the only one still being published these days.
Speaking of the odd world of cinema, I just picked up 42nd Street Forever Vol. 3. It's a collection of old b-movie trailers from the 70s and 80s. Everything from Kung Fu movies to horror flicks, very entertaining.
42nd Street! My first encounter with it was soon after I arrived back at the Kubert School in 1979. I took a bus into the city (Manhatten) and as soon as you came out of the bus terminal you found yourself on 42nd Street. At that point in time the XXX movies and live sex shows were already taking over many of the theaters and it only got worse before I left in 1984. I heard that they eventually cleaned up the area but that was long after I left and I have no idea what going on there now.
Most of the sort of movies that played on 42nd Street during its hay day were films that I saw at drive in theaters out here in Phoenix in the 1960s and 70s. Many wonderfully enjoyable AIP, Blaxploitation, martial arts, Eurotrash, cheapie horror flicks and the like I first viewed back then under the open stars.
Best
Joe
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I was just thinking back to the days when I was working as a security guard. I worked the graveyard shift and I must have every single fanzine out there at the time. Back then Tower Records used to keep a pretty decent selection of movie related ones in stock.
Yeah I remember picking up quite a few at Tower back in the day too. Some I would just buy off the newstands and some I eventually got subscriptions to (such as Hong Kong Film Connection, Oriental Cinema, Video Watchdog, Asian Trash/Cult Cinema and others I'm sure that I'm forgetting). I think VW is the only one still being published these days.
Speaking of the odd world of cinema, I just picked up 42nd Street Forever Vol. 3. It's a collection of old b-movie trailers from the 70s and 80s. Everything from Kung Fu movies to horror flicks, very entertaining.
42nd Street! My first encounter with it was soon after I arrived back at the Kubert School in 1979. I took a bus into the city (Manhatten) and as soon as you came out of the bus terminal you found yourself on 42nd Street. At that point in time the XXX movies and live sex shows were already taking over many of the theaters and it only got worse before I left in 1984. I heard that they eventually cleaned up the area but that was long after I left and I have no idea what going on there now.
Most of the sort of movies that played on 42nd Street during its hay day were films that I saw at drive in theaters out here in Phoenix in the 1960s and 70s. Many wonderfully enjoyable AIP, Blaxploitation, martial arts, Eurotrash, cheapie horror flicks and the like I first viewed back then under the open stars.
Best
Joe
I used to read all of those, I even almost wrote a piece for Oriental Cinema, but I can't remember why I decided not to. Asian Cult Cinema is still being published. I also used to like Cineraider quite a bit, Giant Robot was fun, and one of the oddest mags that I used to read fairly regularly was something called Murder can be Fun. Shocking Images was a fairly fun magazine devoted to the most gory of horror movies. There was a really neat little fanzine that was photocopied and I think it was only available in the North East area, it was published out of New Jersey, it was entirely devoted to horror movies, and I can't for the life of me remember its name, but it was one of my favorites. Psychotronic was another good one, as was the British magazine Impact, and European Trash Cinema. So many mags, so little memory on my part.
The 42nd Street DVD is a lot of fun. Well worth seeking out. I found at Borders today, it was marked at 20 bucks, but it was supposed to be 50% off. When they rang me up, the movie was actually 2 bucks, super great deal. I'll have to go back and see if I can find the rest of the series.
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I was just thinking back to the days when I was working as a security guard. I worked the graveyard shift and I must have every single fanzine out there at the time. Back then Tower Records used to keep a pretty decent selection of movie related ones in stock.
Yeah I remember picking up quite a few at Tower back in the day too. Some I would just buy off the newstands and some I eventually got subscriptions to (such as Hong Kong Film Connection, Oriental Cinema, Video Watchdog, Asian Trash/Cult Cinema and others I'm sure that I'm forgetting). I think VW is the only one still being published these days.
Speaking of the odd world of cinema, I just picked up 42nd Street Forever Vol. 3. It's a collection of old b-movie trailers from the 70s and 80s. Everything from Kung Fu movies to horror flicks, very entertaining.
42nd Street! My first encounter with it was soon after I arrived back at the Kubert School in 1979. I took a bus into the city (Manhatten) and as soon as you came out of the bus terminal you found yourself on 42nd Street. At that point in time the XXX movies and live sex shows were already taking over many of the theaters and it only got worse before I left in 1984. I heard that they eventually cleaned up the area but that was long after I left and I have no idea what going on there now.
Most of the sort of movies that played on 42nd Street during its hay day were films that I saw at drive in theaters out here in Phoenix in the 1960s and 70s. Many wonderfully enjoyable AIP, Blaxploitation, martial arts, Eurotrash, cheapie horror flicks and the like I first viewed back then under the open stars.
Best
Joe
BTW, I had a friend that attended the Kubert School back in the 90s. We had planned on attempting to start our own comic book company, but we had a falling out, and never quite reconciled. That was a long time ago and I live on the other side of the country now. But, Boox can attest to the fact that I still write scripts for one of the books that we had planned on releasing back then, and no, it's still never saw the light of day, just a stack of scripts, and a writer that still believes in it. Just thought I'd share that little memory.
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(re-posting from another board)
I have never once been able to predict how an Agatha Christie murder mystery would go in advance, but it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I'm too much in awe of how she, as a writer, thinks, and the incredible way she put together such complex puzzles where every piece fits so perfectly.
I go out of my way to avoid knowing what's coming. In the case of DOCTOR WHO on the Sci-Fi Channel, I had to shut off the sound and avert my eyes because at every single commercial break they ran promos for next week's episode during THIS week's. Idiots. I may have been the only person in the US who was actually surprised when, at the cliffhanger halfway thru David Tennant's 1st season finale... (CENSORED!!!!!) ...showed up.
"a genuinely well-written story should pay to re-read/re-watch/re-whatever, so that, even knowing exactly what is going to happen in it, the story should still be enjoyable."
Classic example for me: DEATH ON THE NILE (1978). I had NO IDEA where it was going, who did it or why. But it was so well-told, that by the end of the movie, I was not only STUNNED, I was able to follow every single plot point, and remember them. 2 weeks later-- my Dad (who enjoyed it as much as I had) and me went to see it AGAIN-- and enjoyed it JUST as much. It was an entirely different experience, and has been ever since (I must have seen it a dozen times by now). But in cases like this, you ONLY get ONE chance to see it "cold"-- not knowing in advance. I consider it downright CRIMINAL for anyone to blow the surprises on a thing like that.
And I've had it happen more than once.
"He was on Earth ALL THE TIME!"
"The bad guy is REALLY HIS FATHER!"
"It's the only murder mystery where EVERYBODY DID IT!"
And then there's the one I came up with myself...
"The killer is the ONLY ONE who COULDN'T POSSIBLY have done it."
I loved APOLLO 13. A lot of that had to do with being very much interested in the space program since a very young age.
I do think "historical" films are in a genre of their own. Similar to Biblical films. I doubt anyone watches something like THE LAST DAYS OF SODAM AND GOMORRAH and is surprised by what happens to the city at the end.
However, many stories are designed to have surprised. In those cases, I cannot fathom why ANYONE would want to know details in advance. In the case of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, my best friend BLEW THE ENDING for me before I ever got a chance to see it. As a result, I never got the chance to see it "cold", and will never know if KNOWING the ending in advance is why I wound up not liking it in the long run.
"The last page often dosn't reveal much"
"BLAM!"
"How COULD you?"
"it was EASY."
...and...
"She was a double agent. YES, I said WAS. The bitch is DEAD now."
"Personally I don't like spoilers. Personally I like the personal satisfaction of figuring out the plot of a book/show/movie/video game before it ends. If I am spoiled on it, then I lose the fun of trying to decipher the ending before it happens. That being said I do also enjoy re-reading/watching something as well, so I can see how the creator crafted the complete tale and tied it all together."
I think that's exactly how I feel. I like having the chance to experience something NOT KNOWING in advance what's going to happen, whether I can figure it out or just go along for the ride and be surprised.
Then, on repeat viewings, you can see just how good (or not) a story is. If it REQUIRES "surprise" to be entertaining, I think something's wrong.
SOYLENT GREEN, apparently, was a "mystery" that was totally ruined as soon as people found out the ending. Worse, I get the feeling that movie, by its very existence, turned an important social problem into a trivia joke, to the point where nobody's wanted to deal with it head-on for decades since. (over-population)
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Back when I was much more into movies, I went to a lot of them. I remember seeing "The Sting" on opening day. Nobody was able to publish a spoiler because nobody had seen the movie. I still remember "getting it" about five seconds before the rest of the audience and I literally burst out laughing. I couldn't help myself. And here was this train full of dead bodies and everyone in the audience is in shock and I'm laughing out loud. Priceless.
That experience could NEVER have occurred if everyone knew the ending in advance. I treasure that moment as, usually, I'm the LAST person to "know."
I want to be in the dark.
Peace, Jim (|:{>
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Asian Cult Cinema is still being published.
Are you sure about this Henry. The last issue I received (#64) back in 2009 was followed by a notice from publisher Thomas Weisser that he was suspending publication because he and his wife had to move to Japan to attend to some urgent family matters that could keep them tied up there for awhile. I think that he has since returned to the States but as far as I know he has not (yet anyway) resumed publication (although I'd certainly love to hear otherwise).
He still has his website where he sells Asian Cinema DVDs active so there is hope.
Best
Joe
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Asian Cult Cinema is still being published.
Are you sure about this Henry. The last issue I received (#64) back in 2009 was followed by a notice from publisher Thomas Weisser that he was suspending publication because he and his wife had to move to Japan to attend to some urgent family matters that could keep them tied up there for awhile. I think that he has since returned to the States but as far as I know he has not (yet anyway) resumed publication (although I'd certainly love to hear otherwise).
He still has his website where he sells Asian Cinema DVDs active so there is hope.
Best
Joe
I'm not Henry, but that's okay, the name is Jay. I saw that they were still offering subscriptions on the website, so I assumed, when I probably shouldn't have. That got me thinking too, I haven't picked up a copy of the mag in sometime, probably not since before my daughter was born, and she's four years old. Wow, time is flying by. Plus, I haven't chatted with Ric Meyers (who used to write for that mag) in even longer than that.
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I'm not Henry, but that's okay, the name is Jay. I saw that they were still offering subscriptions on the website, so I assumed, when I probably shouldn't have. That got me thinking too, I haven't picked up a copy of the mag in sometime, probably not since before my daughter was born, and she's four years old. Wow, time is flying by. Plus, I haven't chatted with Ric Meyers (who used to write for that mag) in even longer than that.
Sorry Jay. I read yours, Henry's and Jim's posts real quick (and through very tired eyes) and got youse guys confused in me head when I made my quick reply.
Know what you mean about time flying and all. Sometimes a couple decades ago seems like just yesterday.
Best
Old Tired Joe
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We don't go to the pictures much nowadays. It's too noisy and punters eat, slurp and talk through the film. Although there is a multiplex in our town, where all that racket is allowed, we are lucky that we have a refurbished, old-fashioned cinema nearby - the oldest purpose built one in Scotland - and that's where we've gone recently on our few cinema outings. Good atmosphere.
We watched the latest New Tricks last night and I'm running out of superlatives. Tim McInerny was as creepy as usual. Never mind The Mentalist, what about Castle? Where do they go from that shock ending?
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The following, just posted at the IMDB, concerns the Bogart film THE BIG SLEEP. If you haven't seen it and don't want things BLOWN for you, do not read any further.
*****SPOILERS!!!!!*****
"The biggest flaw...is how the film handled Regan. In the book he's Vivian's husband."
I was thinking about that while watching again last night.
"why does anyone give a $#!t about Regan? He was friends with some old guy, and not even for that long, and then he disappeared. Big deal, this happens to everyone. The General is old enough to have it happened to him a billion times."
They tried to explain it by saying the General was probably worried Regan was involved in the blackmail scheme.
"Now that I know he was actually his son-in-law I can better understand why he was so upset. In fact, it raises the stakes for every major character in the story. Not only is everyone's motivation clearer, Chandler can end the story properly, when Marlowe confronts Vivian with what he's learned. Why the hell did they leave this out of the movie? Because you couldn't end it the way they did. Wasn't that a nice ending? First hour and 55 minutes and 45 seconds were ruined, but that last 15 seconds was incredible.
In the movie, Vivian shows up at Canino's house at the end? How? Why?"
Vivian lied and said she was going to meet Regan in Mexico, but didn't go, because the border police would have noticed she was alone. (That does sound lame, doesn't it?) I believe the two above points are DIRECTLY related.
"Why would the wife of the guy who (she thought) ran away with Mona Mars be hanging out with Mona Mars?"
One gets the impression that, more than anything, they wanted to stress the Bogart-Bacall romance MORE than the "plot". The first time I saw the film, I noticed, wait a minute, Marlowe DID NOT get the girl in the book! I figured they wanted a more "Hollywood" happy ending. DITTO for Eddie Mars getting killed by his own men. In the book, he gets away scot free!! I did like that change... especially when the row of bullet holes suddenly appeared in the closed door.
Because Marlowe ends up with Vivian, she's in at the climax. And for her to be there, she's at Canino's house. And for her to be THERE... well, since it WOULD make no sense for her to hang out with the woman her husband supposedly left her for, in the movie, she was never married to Regen. She was married to some NEVER-SEEN "Mr. Rutledge" who divorced her before the story ever started.
I never thought about this until your post! What I'm seeing appears to be a "domino" effect. Make one change, and you have to make another, then another...
In the end, you have viewers confused and wondering and argueing, WHO killed Regen (even though they clearly SAID who in the film).
It took a long time, and a lot of viewings, but the Bogart BIG SLEEP has slowly grown on me to become a favorite... IN SPITE of itself. But the last time I watched the Mitchum version... WOW. I am still IN AWE of that film. Which is really saying something, considering how many BAD movies Michael Winner made in his career. I guess he was allowed ONE really "great" one. (Even though a lot of IMDB reviews don't feel that way.)
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SECRET AGENT: TO OUR BEST FRIEND
Would you want to work for these people?? ********
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Drake is assigned, begrudgingly, to go to Istanbul and check up on a longtime friend he's known for 10 years, who the head office suspects has become a double-agent. He doesn't believe it... but it's his job to find out the truth, one way or the other. First, entirely on his own initiative, he sets up a raid on a Russian spy HQ which goes wrong. It looks very bad for his friend, but the man's wife begs John to talk it out, before revealing that, to save their marriage, her husband "had" to tell her what he really did for a living. Which in turn, sets Drake off in a new direction.
And while this is going on, he's very nervous about his own people, sent there to either arrest his friend, his BUMP HIM OFF if he tries to run.
Really top-notch cast in this one, starting out with Donald Houston, who played Dr. Watson in A STUDY IN TERROR, and was one of the double-agents in WHERE EAGLES DARE. The wife is played by Ann Bell, who I saw, much later in "The Underdog" episode of POIROT. In addition, the Russian spy "Ivan" (with whom Drake deliberately stages a traffic accident) is T.P. McKenna, who I've seen in 3 different AVENGERS episodes, including "Death At Bargain Prices", and the Sylvester McCoy DOCTOR WHO story "The Greatest Show In The Galaxy", where he played "Captain Cook", the self-serving obnoxious blow-hard explorer. Finally, blink and you'll miss him, the Russian interpreter in the pre-credit sequence is Robert Rietty, who dubbed various voices in THUNDERBALL, YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE and FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, among others. (He's probably better-known for his voice than his face!)
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Once again, DO NOT READ THIS if you haven't seen the film and don't want plot points blown for you.
ON the other hand, if you've watched MURDER MY SWEET a dozen times already and still can't figure it out, read on...
: )
Henry
PS: There's lot more at the IMDB site in this one thread, "Help! I'm confused!!!! Is there a coherent explanation anywhere!"
*****SPOILERS!!!!!*****
"I would love to know what happened!"
Me too.
"The key thing that Marlowe eventually discovers is that Ann's stop-mother, Mrs. Helen Grayle, is actually Velma Valento, the woman Moose has been looking for."
This is THE key piece of information that they hold back until nearly the end of the movie. The first time I got a sense of it in the film was when Marlowe, out of nowhere, tells Moose he's found Velma. WHA'...??? I didn't get that.
Sometimes it's fun, KNOWING a plot (after you've seen it or read it), to watch again, this time knowing in advance, and being able to piece everything together because you've seen it before. But NOT this time. KNOWING in advance who Velma really was, I STILL could not make heads or tails of this plot!!!
"When Marlowe sees Mrs. Florian making that phone call, she is calling Velma (Mrs. Helen Grayle) to let her know that a detective named Philip Marlowe is looking for her."
4 or 5 times I'vbe watched the film, I still didn't "get" that. What kind of screenplay was this, anyway?
"I certainly didn't catch all of that from watching the film."
Me either!
"Chandler built his plotline for the novel by combining three short stories he'd previously published in Blask Mask magazine"
Just like THE BIG SLEEP was based on 2 shorter stories. Did this guy have a shortage of story ideas?
""Ann Grayle" -- the stepdaughter -- doesn't exist in the book; "Ann Riordan," on the other hand, is a freelance writer who happens upon the scene after Marriott is murdered and takes an interest because her deceased father was a cop. Establishing this cinematically would have weighed down the continuity, however."
I found it ironic that the only version of this story that DID feature "Ann Riordan" was-- heh-- THE FALCON TAKES OVER.
I believe Ann Riordan also appeared in a couple episodes of the Powers Booth TV series, played by Kathryn Leigh Scott (one of my favorites!).
"I lost interest about 1/3 of the way through."
I keep hoping it'll make more sense on repeat viewings. Not so far.
"that scene at the Coconut Beach Club was a huge risk for Velma/Mrs. Grayle, if she knew that Moose was going to be there. If Moose had spotted her, that would have blown a few things wide open for her"
KNOWING Mrs. Grayle was Velma, that thought was going thru my mind, too. Moose showing up at that exact moment, she had to have gotten Marlowe there just so he'd be a target. I just wasn't sure why until in read this thread. (5 viewings of the film certainly didn't help. I'm not usually dense with mysteries like this...)
"It is possible that Velma/Mrs. Grayle wanted Moose and Amthor to get connected so that Moose might bump off Amthor, or even Amthor could have bumped off Moose? Just a thought... They were both problems to her."
A very good point. As it happens, Moose DID kill Amthor. It was funny how when Marlowe blurted that out, he realized he'd made a mistake, since Mrs. Grayle WANTED both Amthor and Marlowe out of the way.
"I remember reading once a really long time ago that Chandler said his plots were so confusing that sometimes even he wasn't sure what was going on with them - especially in the Big Sleep."
The irony, for me, is that the 1st time I saw thru THE BIG SLEEP-- the version with Robert Mitchum-- I had NO TROUBLE WHATSOEVER following every single detail of the plot. (Do you know, there are actually people online who COMPLAIN about that movie's plot being told in such a crystal-clear fashion???)
I'm really glad that amidst all the discussions about which Marlowe is best of which version of this story is best, that there was at least ONE thread actually discussing the "plot" (and I use that word loosely-- heehee).
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Movie Night viewings-
A String of Diamonds-1926-Van Pelt-Rock-2 rls, A Dumb Romeo-1926-Van pelt-Rock-2 rls. Detective K-9-1926-Van Pelt-Rock-2 rls- Three more films starring our favorite canine hero Fearless.
The Old Fashioned Way-1934-Paramount- Hilarious W, C, Fields comedy feature. Way too long since I last viewed this.
Blotto-1930-Roach-MGM- Prohibition era comedy with Laurel and Hardy getting drunk (or at least thinking they are getting drunk). Classic!
Der Golem-1920- Great art direction in this German film take on the ancient Jewish legend. Hadn't seen this for quite some time.
A couple of 1967 episodes from the second season of Batman (taken from studio masters!)-"The Black Widow Strikes Again" and "Caught in a Spider's Den"- Tallulah Bankhead having a wonderful time hamming it up in one of her last roles.
Perry Mason-"The Case of the Libelous Locket"-1963- A 6th season episode that was done while Raymond Burr was recovering from cancer surgery. We only see Burr briefly twice (laying in bed) and the load of the acting is taken on by guest star Michael Rennie as a law professor solving the case.
Circus World-1964- Big budget Samuel L. Bronston production (which probably looked much better on a Cinerama screen) has a lively cast (John Wayne, Rita Hayworth, Lloyd Nolan, Claudia Cardinale, Richard Conte) which can't quite overcome a mediocre script.
New Brooklyn to New York Via the Brooklyn Bridge (1899-Edison), New York City in a Blizzard (1902-Edison), Eastside Urchins Bathing in a Fountain (1903-Edison), Madison Square, New York (1903-Biograph), Ice Skating in Central Park (1904-Edison), The Skyscrapers of New York (1906-Biograph) and Over the East River-(1919-Ford Motor Co.)-all short doumenatry glimpses of New York from the late 19th and early 20th century.
plus more episodes of the 5th season of The Dick Van Dyke Show, our current serial The Son of Tarzan (we're about half way through it at this point) and we also recently started a Ric Burns documentary series New York (1999).
Watching stuff with the Lil Missus-
Despicable Me-2010- Funny recent animated feature about battling bad guys.
The White Seal-1975- Another Chuck Jones take on a Rudyard Kipling tale. I didn't find this one nearly as engaging as Rikki Tikki Tavi.
Invisible Agent-1943-Universal- This one is pretty much a straight adventure romp with Jon Hall in the title role tackling the Nazis! Peter Lorre is on hand as a Japanese agent (and he thought he'd left those sort of roles behind with the Mr. Moto series).
The Invisible Man's Revenge-1944-Universal- A return to form with Jon Hall (playing a different character from the previous film) out for revenge against those he feel has wronged him.
Battle in Outer Space-1960-Toho- Fine special effects for the era. Lots of neat battle scenes on the moon which looks like it was modeled on Chesley Bonestell's famous moonscape paintings.
Land of the Minotaur-1976-Crown International- So-so Greek/British/USA co-production about pagan cult kidnapping victims for sacrifice. Enlivened mainly by Peter Cushing and Donald Pleasance in the lead roles and some interesting Greek location shooting.
The Creeping Terror-1964-Crown International- Unintentionally hilarious super cheap sci-fi flick where the monster looks like a piece of carpet with hoses and other nick knacks attached to it. Victims have to practically leap into the monster's "mouth" in order to be eaten. I remember seeing this as a kid on World Beyond (our local weekend sci-fi television movie showcase for years) but I'm sure I didn't laugh so hard then.
Plus episodes of The Outer Limits (1963), Zorro (1958), Mad Men (2008), The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1957), The Adventures of Isis (1975), The Munsters (1964), Hogan's Heroes (1965), and some Popeye cartoons from 1936 and Walter Lantz cartoons from the 1930s and 50s.
At the Theaters-
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2-2011- Finally took the Lil Missus to see the final chapter in the HP saga. I must say that I wish that they had started doing these two-part adaptations two or three movies back as the last few movies seemed so heavily edited down from their literary sources while this last did more justice to the book by being presented over two movies.
Captain America: The First Avenger-2011- I really enjoyed this one and felt that they got a lot more right than wrong. Looking forward to The Avengers next summer.
Cowboys and Aliens-2011- Nothing special but a decent Summer movie with plenty of action. Certainly a lot better budgeted than Charles Band's 1994 take on the same theme (Oblivion-Full Moon Entertainment).
This and That-
The X-Files:Fight the Future-1998- Watched this just before starting the the 6th season of the show.
Captain America-1979 and Captain America II-1979- As weak as I remember them from over three decades, Now though they really scream 1970s TV at me-the editing, pacing, music, etc...
Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things-1972- This film seemed to pop up perennially at the Phoenix drive-ins throughout much of the 1970s but (except for a one time stumbling onto a brief bit airing on late night TV) it always seemed to elude me until now. It's very low budget but also pretty enjoyable. The no-name actors do an overall good job and the script is actually rather fun
Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars-1938-Universal- The second of Buster Crabbe's three FG serials isn't as well budgeted as the first and Jean Rogers (as Dale Arden) is not dressed anywhere nearly as sexy as she was in the earlier chapterplay either (which was certainly a disappointment to the many dads who took their kids to see the serial back in the day) but its still pretty fun Saturday morning stuff.
Battlestar Galactica (mini series and first season 2003, 2005) Took me a while to get into this recent SyFy channel remake of the 1970s series (now airing weekends on BBC America) but they had me hooked about half way through the first season.
Outcasts (2011) I never really warmed up to this sci-fi series which recently finished its 8 episode run on BBC America. I may take a skip if its back for a second season.
The Inbetweeners (2010) The third season of this Britcom was even raunchier than the first two (even with BBC America's bleaping and fogging) but still often funny.
Falling Skies (2011) This 10 episode Steven Spielberg/TNT sci-fi production grew on me and I think I'll be back for next season if it's renewed.
Andy Barker P. I. (2007) This was a short (6 episodes) NBC comedy series (co-created by Conan O'Brien) about a CPA/amatuer detective that was probably just a little too esoteric and off the wall to catch on with a general audience but I enjoyed it.
plus some odd ball 1930s cartoons from a collection called Cultoons!: Rare, Lost and Strange Cartoons.
Best
Joe
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Well, last night was another episode of "Prof. Fred's Movie Marvels". This week's entry was "Teenage Zombies", featuring a slinky female evil scientist in skin-tight dress and bullet-bra, communists, a gorilla, a herd of dumb kids, and a sheriff with a REALLY bad wig! (And, oddly enough, no real zombies.) Sadly, even all of the aforementioned elements could not save this picture. Two of the cast members did go on to make their marks in Hollywood , but not as actors. IMDB has some good trivia notes on this flick. Cheers, Bowers
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I never could get into the new Battlestar and gave up after the second season because it just was not FUN to watch. I watch to enjoy. I do really like Falling Skies and my wife even watches and enjoys it with me. I tried to watch Outcasts but it could not hook me. My wife and I do watch Alphas and it is enjoyable. Not as good as Skies. I enjoyed the old Flash seriels and the scantily women when I watched them some decades ago. I never saw Andy Barker but being esoteric makes it sound intriguing to me. Any remember Beans Baxter? I loved that early Fox show.
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I never could get into the new Battlestar and gave up after the second season because it just was not FUN to watch. I watch to enjoy. I do really like Falling Skies and my wife even watches and enjoys it with me. I tried to watch Outcasts but it could not hook me. My wife and I do watch Alphas and it is enjoyable. Not as good as Skies. I enjoyed the old Flash seriels and the scantily women when I watched them some decades ago. I never saw Andy Barker but being esoteric makes it sound intriguing to me. Any remember Beans Baxter? I loved that early Fox show.
The new Battlestar is definitely grimmer than the old series and while I also wouldn't call it fun it is intriguing and has some interesting character development going on. For me, at least, not everything I watch has to be fun. Sometimes I watch for edification or other reasons.
Falling Skies is also somewhat grim (although a toned down Spielbergian sort of grim) but what I mostly like about it are the characters and their interaction (some good actors working on this show).
I'm also getting into Alphas. Really enjoyed the most recent episode with Bill (very strong ex-F.B.I agent) and Greg (autistic young man with remarkable powers for tracking broadcast waves and such) teaming up to track down kidnappers and save a young woman.
Am also enjoying the second season of Haven but my favorite show this summer is the third season of Warehouse 13. Now that is a show that is really fun with great character interaction and occasionally some intriguing ideas!!
Best
Joe
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Not everything I watch has to be fun but it has to at least leave not feeling down. BG got to be a total downer. I have tried to watch W13 and while I like some of the characters the overall show just does not grab me. I also lost interest in Haven. While I would like to know all the secrets they are not revealing enough. I figure like most of that type of show it will be canceled before all is revealed leaving PO'ed. Or like LOST leaving me feeling like I wasted all those years watching it. So I figure I might as well quit before I get too upset. I love the Greg character on Alphas. He brings a lot to the show. I can not over emphasize the need for good characters and characterization on any show. You can often put up with a lot of missteps if you like the people. All the episodes of Leaverage may not be gems but as long as they have Parker I will watch. The others characters are a winning group and individuals but ya gotta luv Parker.
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Not everything I watch has to be fun but it has to at least leave not feeling down. BG got to be a total downer. I have tried to watch W13 and while I like some of the characters the overall show just does not grab me. I also lost interest in Haven. While I would like to know all the secrets they are not revealing enough. I figure like most of that type of show it will be canceled before all is revealed leaving PO'ed. Or like LOST leaving me feeling like I wasted all those years watching it. So I figure I might as well quit before I get too upset. I love the Greg character on Alphas. He brings a lot to the show. I can not over emphasize the need for good characters and characterization on any show. You can often put up with a lot of missteps if you like the people. All the episodes of Leaverage may not be gems but as long as they have Parker I will watch. The others characters are a winning group and individuals but ya gotta luv Parker.
I, personally, don't find the new BG a total downer as, even though they are in a very grim situation with things seeming grimmer all the time, they still struggle valiantly on, accomplishing scattered small victories and keeping the spirit of humanity alive. Of course I still have plenty more episodes to go and it could get a whole lot worse.
Haven't watched Lost yet but may check it out someday on DVD as a number of people have recommended it to me. I have heard though from several people I know that they didn't care for the finale. Sorta the same reaction I heard from some people about The Sopranos (another series I may check out someday).
I tend to agree with you that Greg (on Alphas) and Parker (on Leverage) are probably the most appealing characters on those shows but it helps that they have a good cast of other characters to play off against.
Best
Joe
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I hope there aren't any *****SPOILERS!!!!!***** in what I'm about to say... Read (or avoid) at your own discression.
I had absolutely no intention of watching the new BATTLESTAR GALACTICA until my best friend just happened to mention when it was on, and that weekend I was feeling particularly down and not doing anything, so, I just sort turned it on. Oh GOD did it start out BAAAAAAAAAAD.
It's the closest thing in my experience to being mesmerized by a train wreck. I kept watching.
Somewhere during the 2nd season (how did I ever get that far?) I suddenly noticed a very unexpected phenomena. The show was getting better. What I mean is, they had started out with every single character-- every one of them-- being unlikeable. But by the end of the 2nd season, due to the writing, there had been genuine character growth in every character I could think of. EVEN the villains were becoming more sympathetic, or at least, interesting.
It really was like a much more downbeat version of DEEP SPACE NINE (at least one of the main people involved in both).
I also noticed another phenomena. I began PREDICTING major points in the show. That realy flipped me out. It was like, I was on the same wave length as the writers. Something I had actually written in my own BG fan-fiction parody tribute many years earlier, turned up almost verbatim on the show (and my book had such a small print run, I can't believe anyone involved with the show ever read it).
When they got to the sequence with The Pegasus, I was really hooked. Unlike the original Commander Cain, the one on the new show had allowed themselves to become totally corrupt and evil. And yet... even THIS character was given a chance, and actually started to redeem themselves. Except, they'd gone too far, and PAID for it. Never thought I'd have regretted seeing THAT person get WHACKED.
It was bizarre-- and fascinating-- to see how story elements and ideas from the old show were reincarnated in the new one, often completely out of sequence. Like, after having skipped the original episode 3 (where Ray Milland tries to convince the refugees to stop running and settle down on a new "safe" planet"), they finally decided to do a variation on that story, beginning at the end of the 3rd season. And the 4th season (if memory serves) turned into a viscious sci-fi allegory for Iraq-- with the American Army "cast" as the CYLONS! (And some people complain that George Lucas put too much current politics into his later movies.)
Perhaps the high point of the entire series for me was when the Galactica returned to RESCUE the colonists from their new planet. It was shocking and possibly pointless what they did to the Pegasus, but the image of the Galactica pulling a very short space warp INTO the atmosphere of the planet, and the entire squad of Vipers launching right thru the flames of re-entry friction was probably the most exciting moment in the entire show.
Sadly, my cable got cut off and so far I have never seen the last season... and so I have been AVOIDING any discussion of it. I wanna be able to watch it someday, "cold", without knowing anything in advance.
Unfortunately, the episodes leading up to the last season, it seemed to me someone must have decided the show was beginning to get TOO "upbeat", and so they went out of their way to screw over certain characters, AGAIN, to no good purpose.
A big complaint, early-on, of the original BG was, you had this tragically downbeat premise, and yet the stories were played far too upbeat and silly. What always saved the old show for me was, just about EVERY character on it was extrememly likeable. While watching the redo, many times I found myself thinking, if only the old show had been written THIS good-- or, if only the new show had actors and characters I could actually care about more.
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The last few days...
THE BIG SLEEP (1946)
MURDER MY SWEET
MARLOWE (alias "THE LITTLE SISTER")
FAREWELL MY LOVELY
THE BIG SLEEP (1978 / my favorite Marlowe movie!!)
Somehow when Marlowe interrupts a potentially romantic scene to repeatedly ask the older Sternwood sister "What's Eddie Mars got on you?", it's a lot FUNNIER with Robert Mitchum than Humphrey Bogart.
Oh, by the way, MARLOWE actually gets my vote for the movie with the most impossible-to-follow plot.
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This week Prof. Fred treated us to a double feature- "Attack of the Giant Leeches" ('nuff said) and a 1952 television adaptation of "A Connecticut Yankee" starring Thomas Mitchell as Hank and Boris Karloff as King Arthur. This was an episode of "Studio One in Hollywood", a popular anthology series in the earlier days of TV. I didn't even know any of these still existed. Even though Mitchell was a bit old for the role, he was still pretty good and Karloff is always a treat. This same channel is also airing a new local series, "Let's Watch A Movie". Featured this week was "Galactic Raiders"- sorry I didn't have time to watch it. Anyway, if you're on cable, check out the local access and college channels sometime. You never know what you might find! Cheers, Bowers
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This week Prof. Fred treated us to a double feature- "Attack of the Giant Leeches" ('nuff said) and a 1952 television adaptation of "A Connecticut Yankee" starring Thomas Mitchell as Hank and Boris Karloff as King Arthur. This was an episode of "Studio One in Hollywood", a popular anthology series in the earlier days of TV. I didn't even know any of these still existed. Even though Mitchell was a bit old for the role, he was still pretty good and Karloff is always a treat. This same channel is also airing a new local series, "Let's Watch A Movie". Featured this week was "Galactic Raiders"- sorry I didn't have time to watch it. Anyway, if you're on cable, check out the local access and college channels sometime. You never know what you might find! Cheers, Bowers
The Lil Missus and I watched Attack of the Giant Leeches several years ago. Not quite as low budget as the The Creeping Terror but pretty close and goofy fun in its own way.
There are actually quite a few episodes of Studio One that survive fortunately. IIRC a number of kineoscopes of the episodes were found in some old shed at a Westinghouse (the sponsor of the show for many years) site some years ago and sent to one of the film archives. Prior to that the majority of episodes were thought lost. Other odd episodes have also turned up here and there prior to and since then.
I've been working my way through a particularly nice collection of them that I got from my local library. It contains about 20 episodes and features many name stars (Eddie Albert, Chester Morris, Art Carney, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Leslie Neilsen, Lee Remick, Ralph Meeker, Sal Mineo, Theodore Bikel, Jack Lemmon, Glenda Farrell, Eve Marie Saint, Cyril Ritchard, Berry Kroeger, Marsha Hunt, James Daly, Miriam Hopkins, Elizabeth Montgomery, Robert Cummings, Franchot Tone, Edward Arnold, Charlton Heston) and writers (George Orwell, Rod Serling, George Axelrod, Gore Vidal, Reginald Rose, William Shakespeare, George S, Kaufman, Ring Lardner, Emily Bronte).
The Lil Missus and I watched that Studio One episode of "A Connecticut Yankee" last year on an Alpha Video DVD collection of old TV shows. Not bad but quite low budget. Mostly interesting for seeing Karloff and Mitchell, IMHO.
Best
Joe
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Been watching online some old shows from my childhood. Highway patrol here:-
http://www.videosurf.com/video/highway-patrol-oil-lease-8604788
Man with a Camera:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUldgn-j3ck
Sea Hunt:-
http://www.videosurf.com/video/sea-hunt-mark-of-the-octopus-8598838
Johnny Staccato:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td5gaxpRK0c&feature=youtube_gdata
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Thanks for the heads up on those old episodes,Joe. I'll be looking for them. Also thanks to Paw for the links to "Man with a Camera" and "Johnny Staccato". Haven't seen those in years. I actually get to watch "Highway Patrol" and "Sea Hunt" back-to-back almost every morning at 3a.m. (I have to be at work by 5, so I'm usually up at that ungodly hour!) Now if I could only find some episodes of Peter Lawford and Phylis Kirk in "The Thin Man" series. Definitely nowhere near as good as the films, but still a lot of fun. Cheers, Bowers
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Now I'm starting to find shows I've never seen. Lots of American shows didn't screen here when I was young(we only had one channel for years, then we got ITV. Amazing, 2 stations and only broadcasting for bits of the day), so I'm thrilled to find them. Sky King here:-
http://www.videosurf.com/video/retrovision-media-presents-sky-king-three-59735904
Sergeant Preston of the Yukon (been reading his Dell adventures):-
http://www.videosurf.com/video/sergeant-preston-of-the-yukon-complete-episode-relief-train-1308423568
Videosurf also seems to have the Rifleman and a lot more.
You probably know all this but I didn't, so if you can suggest other old shows I should be searching out, let me know.
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Really liked both "Sky King" and "Sgt. Preston". "Rifleman" is more about the father-son relationship, but still has some action. "Have Gun , Will Travel" with Richard Boone as a Shakespeare-quoting gun for hire was also a favorite as was Steve McQueen's "Wanted, Dead or Alive". Warner Bros. not only had a stable of westerns, but also quite a few private-eye series, such as 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye, and Surfside 6. These might be worth a watch. Cheers, Bowers
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The last few days...
THE WORLD OF HENRY ORIENT (watched twice in 2 days!!)
DR. STRANGELOVE
THE PINK PANTHER
I suppose when I first saw this movie as a kid on TV in the 60's, the long scene with the Princess on the tiger rug seemed a bit dull. The older I got, though, the better it was.
"Meglio Stasera", though, has ALWAYS been one of my favorite moments in the film, even if it makes NO SENSE being there! I figure it's the equivalent of a non-existent intermission, when people could go to the lobby or whatever and not miss any of the plot. I LOVE the song... and Fran Jeffries really turns me on.
However... the TWO very, very long scenes with Clouseau & his wife in the bedroom have long bored the hell out of me. The first time I watched the pictue, I put up with them, but on each suibsequent viewing, they got worse and worse. THEY really seem to go on forever. And decades later, I found out, they were inserted at the last minute, in order to give Sellers more screen time.
Tonight, for the first time, I took advantage of my VCRs fast-forward scan, and SKIPPED both scenes. Sure enough, I enjoyed the entire film much more this way. Let's face it, David Niven was SUPPOSED to be the star in this one. Peter Sellers got his shot in the sequel.
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Needed a break from painting my house, so I watched one of my very favorite Bogart movies, "All through the Night". This 1941 romp featured Bogart and crew fighting Nazi spies in New York City and featured just about every Warner contract player the studio could cram into it. This is a comic/adventure tale that takes off quickly and doesn't stop- a lot of fun to watch! The wife and I also watched the new film , "The Debt". While the acting was very good, the film was awfully predictable and sometimes a bit plodding. A good film, but we both felt it wasn't worth the full price we paid to see it. Maybe a matinee. Cheers, Bowers
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THE AVENGERS: "THE UNDERTAKERS"
"What with death duties, being rich hardly seems worth the trouble."
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Steed has the cushy job of escorting a top scientist who's just made a major breakthrough on a voyage to New York, and bids Cathy Gale a fond farewell. It's clear he was trying to invite her along, but she preferred having him out of her hair for awhile. But the scientist's wife informs Steed that her husband has suddenly decided to enter into "meditation" at an exclusive country rest-home, Adelphi Park, at which no one, apart from relatives, are ever allowed to visit. Thus begins a very twisted tale involving deception, doubles, marital infidelity, tax fraud on a massive scale, and a quaint funeral parlor whose specialty is MURDER!
As a series, THE AVENGERS continued to slowly evolve from beginning to end, and this episode marks another step in that. Apart from being shot on video, it looks and feels very much like a 4th-season episode with Mrs. Peel. You've got a mystery that slowly unfolds as the story progresses, some interesting locations, an unusual premise, and some very eccentric characters, especially the scientist's wife and the greedy funeral director.
It also marks several first for the series. 1)Steed is seen wearing a pin-stripe suit, making him more "Edwardian" than ever; 2)the action climax is shot entirely outdoors on film; and 3)the epilogue features Steed & Cathy drinking champagne.
At its core, "THE UNDERTAKERS" is Malcolm Hulke's BRILLIANT satire (or vicious attack, take your pick) as the insanity of the British tax system. 15 years before Robert Holmes took aim at it in the DOCTOR WHO story "THE SUN MAKERS", Hulke points out how the Inland Revenue will take 80% of a millionaire's money when he dies-- UNLESS of course they give it away as a gift, but only if this is done at least 5 years before they die.
As Batman's nemesis The Joker once said, "And you SEE why I am FORCED to crime!" Frankly, apart from the various murders committed in order to keep the scheme a secret, I'm on the side of the CROOKS in this one! The clue to the mystery first crops up when the scientist's wife tells Steed, "What with death duties, being rich hardly seems worth the trouble." And she's right. It's well-known that many of English's richest have fled the country, in order to avoid unconscionable high-income tax brackets. What those in government fail spectacularly to realize is, if every person in the country paid the exact same percentage of their income on a flat-rate basis, they'd probably be taking in far more than they are, since EVERYONE would be paying their actual "fair share". (And that goes for the US as well as the UK.)
Pretty deep thinking for "light entertainment", HMM???
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Pheeeeewwww!!!!!!!!!! Politics in The Avengers. But I really don't want to get into our tax system (which is a bit different now) and the politics except to say that I have seen the episode many times and, like many from the time, it's very good. But then, I'm an Avengers nut.
British shows from my youth that I loved, and still do, include No Hiding Place - great theme tune:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_rXXSp5N-c&feature=related
I found a dvd with the few surviving episodes, a couple incomplete, but worth watching nonetheless.
Dixon of Dock Green, which hasn't stood the test of time and was a low key police show - you'll see what I mean. The other parts of the episode are on the page:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdNAuDtf7vI
Fabian of the Yard. A nasty villain in this one. The other parts are on the page. :-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gT7EJvc2XQ
Haven't inserted a link for Billy Bunter because I'm sure you'd all shout at me. Heaven only knows what you'd make of it. Search on Google videos if you feel the need. Brilliant, funny, absolutely useless, cowardly, venal character from The Magnet, a famous British storypaper. Many to read here:-
http://www.friardale.co.uk/Magnet/Magnet.htm
Can't find Dial 999 with Robert Beatty online, which surprises me as I bought a dodgy dvd 2 weeks ago with the surviving episodes, none of which have been released commercially. My dad loved this show.
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Trivia questions: what do the following have in common?
I THE JURY (1953)
THE OUTER LIMITS: "Demon With A Glass Hand"
MARLOWE (1969)
BLADE RUNNER
And, what do these have in common?
MARLOWE (1969)
THE NIGHT STALKER
Mickey Spillane's MIKE HAMMER (w/ Stacy Keach)
And, these?
THE MALTESE FALCON
THE BIG SLEEP
I, THE JURY
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Trivia questions: what do the following have in common?
I THE JURY (1953)
THE OUTER LIMITS: "Demon With A Glass Hand"
MARLOWE (1969)
BLADE RUNNER
The Bradbury Building in LA.
(|:{> (do I get a No-Prize?)
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Trivia questions: what do the following have in common?
And, what do these have in common?
MARLOWE (1969)
THE NIGHT STALKER
Mickey Spillane's MIKE HAMMER (w/ Stacy Keach)
Darren McGavin (ain't Google grand? I've never even SEEN these).
(|:{>
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And, these?
THE MALTESE FALCON
THE BIG SLEEP
I, THE JURY
All three are the first novels featuring famous hard-boiled private eyes-Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe and Mike Hammer, respectively. All three novels have also been made into feature length films at least twice.
BTW just heard that the Darren McGavin Mike Hammer TV series from the 1950s is coming out on DVD. Looking forward to finally seeing that one.
Best
Joe
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JVJ wrote:
"The Bradbury Building in LA."
ALRIGHT!!! You're the FIRST person who got this one!!!
I think I THE JURY may make the best use of the location. Lots of high-angle shots looking down, and Mike has a BRUTAL fistfight on one of the upper-level open staircases.
"Darren McGavin (ain't Google grand? I've never even SEEN these)."
While McGavin did play Hammer in the 50's, I don't recall him popping up anywhere on the Stacy Keach show, and he wasn't in the James Garner movie.
ALL 3 lead characters drive a 1964 Ford Mustang!
"All three are the first novels featuring famous hard-boiled private eyes-Sam Spade, Philip Marlowe and Mike Hammer, respectively. All three novels have also been made into feature length films at least twice."
Very good! I wasn't quite sure about that. I knew they weren't the first movies of those characters, but there were the first novels, hmm? Not what I was looking for, but terrific anyway.
Elisha Cook Jr. is in all 3 films.
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Just watched MY GUN IS QUICK for the 3rd time. It's the 3rd Mike Hammer movie from the 50's. Seems this one company bought the rights to Spillane's 1st 3 MH novels, and filmed all 3-- but, each one with a completely different cast and crew. WTF??? Depending on who you ask is which one is better or worse than the others.
I personally prefer Biff Elliot in I, THE JURY. He's an animal, but totally incorruptible, and manages to figure out an impenetrable plot that I couldn't make sense of. I love the description someone had of him online-- "He's like a Dead End Kid all grown up and packing a rod."
KISS ME DEADLY was directed by Robert Aldrich (HUSH HUSH SWEET CHARLOTTE, THE DIRTY DOZEN). It's got the best cast, the best direction, the best production values. Just one problem. NO likeable characters at all. NOT EVEN the "heroes". This is because the director and the screenwriter both held the material in utter contempt. Mike & Velda's main business is deliberately setting up clients for blackmail. Pat Chambers holds him in utter contempt. And the only reason "Mike" sticks his nose into the story's case is he hopes to cash in on it big time. Justice, revenge, none of these even come into play. And the only way you know who the villains are is, they're 10 times WORSE. Monsters who kill in the most brutal ways imaginable, even when it's totally not called for. The novel's jewel theft plot was replaced with a sci-fi one involving a miniature nuclear pile, which explodes at the end of the film. It's like a private eye story crossed with an episode of THE OUTER LIMITS. It's viscious, mean-spirited, nasty, and has almost no redeeming features. Some people like it that way. About the 2nd or 3rd time I watched it, I finally figured out what was wrong. Sheesh. Too bad. Ralph Meeker COULD have been the best Hammer ever-- except, with that script, he never got the chance.
Funny thing-- after decades, I believe I connected that Meeker was the role model for "Nick Fury" in the comics. Meeker played some "unstable army types" in movies I haven't seen yet (hence, SGT. FURY AND HIS HOWLING COMMANDOS-- Sgt. Fury is a MANIAC!!!). And, the way he looks in KISS ME DEADLY, he's a dead ringer for NICK FURY , AGENT OF SHIELD, the spy series set in the 60's. I even found photos from one movie where he wore an eyepatch-- just like Fury in the SHIELD series. Fury has long been one of my all-time favorite comics heroes, and it took a long time before I realized he was probably a big inspiration for my own character, The GUN! And I had no idea who Meeker was for decades, but in recent years I finally put two and two together.
MY GUN IS QUICK has a low-low budget. Half the sets are blank, the director tends to set up a camera and let it roll, as if you were watching a stage play. I kept thinking, if I did this as a comic, I'd be thinking about all kinds of cuts and camera angles to break it up and make it more visually interestring. Anyway, this one stars Robert Bray. I had no idea who he was until I looked him up... turns out, when I was a kid, I used to watch him on TV every week!! He was "Ranger Corey" on LASSIE! Funny thing... several people online feel Bray may have been the most authentic to the books of any Mike Hammer. Go figure.
I just remembered... there's a line near the end where this woman who turns out the be the baddie says, "Be kind to me, Mike." That's the SAME line Mary Astor said to Humphrey Bogart in THE MALTESE FALCON!! Of course, Bogart's reaction wasn't what she wanted to hear... "You're taking the fall!"
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THE AVENGERS: DEATH OF A BATMAN
Steed & Cathy vs. Insider Trading *****
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Attending the funeral of his old army "batman", Steed learns the man, who worked as a draftsman, somehow legally racked up an enormous fortune. This leads to he & Mrs. Gale investigating the financial dealings of a bank and various investment transactions.
Put simply, "DEATH OF A BATMAN" may be the single most TEDIOUS episode of THE AVENGERS ever made. I know some stories do lean on the "technical" side, but this is ridiculous. If it weren't for the various characters involved, the details of the story would be enough to baffle or bore anyone who wasn't into finance and accounting right into unconsciousness.
Further, I must admit this is the 2nd episode in a row where, until one of the parties involved decided to resort to MURDER to cover up his illegal dealings, I was, frankly, on the side of the crooks! They were helping various small English companies to succeed in the world market, and thereby strengthening the country in general. And while they did it by illegally using insider information AND selling and re-buying other people's stock holdings in order to make a profit, NOBODY was getting hurt.
The more I thought about this, it reminded me of a pair of James Bond stories... CASINO ROYALE, and the 1987 movie THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS. In both, someone entrusted with certain funds decided to mis-appropriate said funds, in order to make themselves a huge profit, after which they would take the original money and put it to the use it was supposed to go to in the first place. Of course, the Russian government did not take kindly to one of their agents (or generals) doing this, so I suppose the English government wouldn't either.
Highlights of this story, as I said, are the guest cast, which this time includes Philip Madoc (who I always remember for his various appearances on DOCTOR WHO). The main perpetrator is played by Andre Morell, while the son of the man who died and thereby started the whole investigation (and who gets greedy when he finds out what's going on) is played by a very young David Burke. I kept staring at him, wondering, "Where have I seen him before?" Only when I looked him up online did I realize that this story featured, effectively, 3 different "Dr. Watsons" in the cast! 1-Andre Morell (THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, 1959), 2-Patrick Macnee (SHERLOCK HOLMES IN NEW YORK, 1976) and David Burke (THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, 1984).
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One of these days I've got to sit down and watch all of The Avengers episodes in chronological order. Over the years I've viewed them in a very hodge-podge way. I think that I've got about half of them now on DVD so if I can eventually track them all down I'll go for it.
Best
Joe
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A big problem with THE AVENGERS is, unlike DOCTOR WHO, where in the 80's PBS stations tended to add more to their line-up (I think the distributor kept adding episodes to their package as they became avaialble), THE AVENGERS have never been aired as a single package.
In the early-70's, the Diana Rigg & Linda Thorson episodes were in syndication.
Beginning in 1978, THE NEW AVENGERS were run on the CBS LATE MOVIE. They ran them 3 times-- in 78-79, 2 years later in 80-81, and 4 years later, in 84-85. But they never once ran the complete series. The 1st time, ALL the opening credits were cut! The 2nd time, they put them back (lucky for me that was the time I taped most of them), but, they skipped a couple episodes, and started the first one 10 minutes EARLY (who the hell starts a show EARLY??). The 3rd time, they pulled a double-butcher job-- they SPED UP THE FILM, and, cut scenes from every episode.
In the 80's, the Rigg & Thorson episodes turned up on PBS-- but most of them were FUZZY prints. It was suggested many years later, they were BOOTLEG copies.
Around 1990, A&E finally ran the 2nd & 3rd seasons, but every episode had 8-1/2 minutes cut for commercials. How did they even make sense? Also, due to some scheduling screw-ups, there's a few of them I NEVER saw. GRRRR.
So I've been putting up with this somewhat dodgy collection ever since...
At least, thanks to Dave Rogers' books (the 3rd one in particular), I do know what the production order on most of them is. This was especially important to me for THE NEW AVENGERS, as there is a certain amount of character development over 2 seasons, and CBS mixed episodes from both seasons together completely at random. (Idiots!!! It's like some people at the networks spent most of their time trying to figure out new ways to F*** up runs of tv shows.)
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Picked up a few odds and ends at a local thrift store last night. I actually do buy VHS regularly, because I usually just transfer them to DVD-R, and then get rid of them. Plus, they are much cheaper than DVDs/Blu-Rays, and sometimes I manage to find stuff that isn't available on disc either.
The Treasure of Bengal, nothing fantastic, but still a kind of fun adventure flick from Italy. This was actually from the 50s, it's set in India, and stars (go figure) Sabu. I grabbed it because the packaging piqued my interest, but it turns out it's really rare, and it's never been released on disc.
The Black Hole, hadn't watched it in years, and buying the tape was cheaper than renting it. Still pretty dumb, still pretty fun, and they need to get around to releasing this on Blu-Ray. I'm sure the Blu-Ray is coming soon actually, because they are supposedly remaking it, and the remake is going to be directed by the same guy that directed Tron Legacy. I can't help but think that this director is probably my age and grew up watching a lot of the same stuff that I did.
A Challenge for Robin Hood, pretty neat little movie from Hammer Studios, and odd change of pace for the company that is best known for their horror films. Again, it turns out this has never been released on DVD either.
UFO the Unsolved Mystery, this is a funny one, and I recommend it for the giggle factor. Boox can attest to the fact that I watch a lot of these UFO documentaries, not because I necessarily believe, but because a lot of my fiction stories are inspired by this stuff. This particular documentary is kind of infamous in UFO buff circles, because of the inclusion of a well-known hoaxer. The hoaxer that I refer to is a man by the name of Richard Doty, he is well known amongst UFO researchers, because he tends to pass around completely bogus, and outlandish stories. In this doc, he appears in shadows, with his voice altered, using the codename of Falcon, and telling ridiculous stories about aliens that are living on secret military bases, and working with the US government. His claims don't seem too silly, until he starts to explain how the E.T.s like Tibetan music, and strawberry ice cream. And, yes, this is not available on DVD either, although, I do think it would sell if it was, because of the silliness factor, and the fact that it has become quite infamous over the years.
I also picked up a surprise for Boox, don't forget to check the mail next week buddy...
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I know that there are a lot of hidden treasures out there. I have a Starblazers VHS that I do not think was ever put on DVD. Probably some others also. I also have some TV shows that I do not know of ever airing again.
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A Challenge for Robin Hood, pretty neat little movie from Hammer Studios, and odd change of pace for the company that is best known for their horror films. Again, it turns out this has never been released on DVD either.
I have saved my old VHS copy of this 1967 release as well because I believe that it is the only Hammer title released in the U.S. by Anchor Bay that never got a DVD release.
BTW, Hammer did, at least, one Robin Hood film prior to this- Sword of Sherwood Forest-(1961), with Richard Greene repeating his role of Robin from the popular TV series and with Peter Cushing and Oliver Reed in support. As far as I know this one has never gotten either a VHS or DVD release (at least here in the States) although I did get to see it on cable about 20 or so years back.
Best
Joe
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TCM did run SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST a few years back, which makes me suspect it might have gotten on DVD. Interesting to see Hammer's Terrence Fisher doing something other than horror. As several someones pointed out online, it's very odd that they got Richard Greene from the tv series to play Robin Hood, but NO OTHER ACTORS from the show. On the other hand, usually when Hammer does a feature film inspired by a tv series, NONE of the tv actors are in their films. So which is odder-- the lack of the rest of the cast, or the fact that they actually DID get the tv star to reprise his role?
Also interesting was getting to see Peter Cushing swordfighting, and actually playing a baddie who wasn't as bad as some of the other characters in the story.
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A Challenge for Robin Hood, pretty neat little movie from Hammer Studios, and odd change of pace for the company that is best known for their horror films. Again, it turns out this has never been released on DVD either.
I have saved my old VHS copy of this 1967 release as well because I believe that it is the only Hammer title released in the U.S. by Anchor Bay that never got a DVD release.
BTW, Hammer did, at least, one Robin Hood film prior to this- Sword of Sherwood Forest-(1961), with Richard Greene repeating his role of Robin from the popular TV series and with Peter Cushing and Oliver Reed in support. As far as I know this one has never gotten either a VHS or DVD release (at least here in the States) although I did get to see it on cable about 20 or so years back.
Best
Joe
Joe,
Sony Pictures put this out on dvd in 2010.
"Sword of Sherwood Forest [videorecording] / Columbia Pictures presents a Hammer Film production ; produced by Sidney Cole and Richard Greene ; written by Alan Hackney ; directed by Terence Fisher. Culver City, Calif. : Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, [2010]."
I remembered getting it from my local library last year (at the height of my Richard Greene Robin Hood kick) and finding it very odd that it had nothing to do with continuity from the television series. Sony put some other odd Robin Hood offerings on dvd also and they are floating around.
B.
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BTW, Hammer did, at least, one Robin Hood film prior to this- Sword of Sherwood Forest-(1961), with Richard Greene repeating his role of Robin from the popular TV series and with Peter Cushing and Oliver Reed in support. As far as I know this one has never gotten either a VHS or DVD release (at least here in the States) although I did get to see it on cable about 20 or so years back.
Best
Joe
Joe,
Sony Pictures put this out on dvd in 2010.
"Sword of Sherwood Forest [videorecording] / Columbia Pictures presents a Hammer Film production ; produced by Sidney Cole and Richard Greene ; written by Alan Hackney ; directed by Terence Fisher. Culver City, Calif. : Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, [2010]."
I remembered getting it from my local library last year (at the height of my Richard Greene Robin Hood kick) and finding it very odd that it had nothing to do with continuity from the television series. Sony put some other odd Robin Hood offerings on dvd also and they are floating around.
B.
Thanks Boox,
I must have missed that one. As I remember Greene was the only one from the television series to repeat his role. Prior to originally seeing the film I had only seen a couple episodes of the series. Now having a number of them under the belt it would be interesting to watch the feature film again.
Best
Joe
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It's funny, but I've only ever seen Richard Greene in 3 things...
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1939) as Sir Henry Baskerville
SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST as Robin Hood
BLOOD OF FU MANCHU and CASTLE OF FU MANCHU as Sir Dennis Nayland Smith
Okay, maybe that's 4 things... What's astonishing is that most TV series have bigger budgets than those 2 Jess Franco films did (YIKES!).
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It's funny, but I've only ever seen Richard Greene in 3 things...
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1939) as Sir Henry Baskerville
SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST as Robin Hood
BLOOD OF FU MANCHU and CASTLE OF FU MANCHU as Sir Dennis Nayland Smith
Okay, maybe that's 4 things... What's astonishing is that most TV series have bigger budgets than those 2 Jess Franco films did (YIKES!).
I didn't realize that was Greene in Baskervilles...gotta watch that again soon.
B.
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Last night we watched a couple of Blu-Rays, neither one of which looks or sounds as good as the medium should, but both are very good movies. First we watched Dario Argento's the Bird with the Crystal Plumage, excellent thriller, and still a lot of fun. Then we watched John Woo's the Killer, a movie that I have always loved, and still do, in fact, one of my favorite movies of all time.
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The last few days:
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
FISTFUL OF DOLLARS
MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL
DARIA: IS IT COLLEGE YET?
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THE AVENGERS: NOVEMBER FIVE
Cathy Runs For Office; Steed Manages Her Campaign *****
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
You'd think a story about a stolen nuclear warhead would be really THRILLING, wouldn't you? Guess again!
It all starts with the results of a local bi-election (the sort of thing MONTY PYTHON liked to make fun of, except if they were involved, at least it would be more entertaining to watch). As results are read off, and one candidate congratulates the other, the winner begins to read his acceptance speech... when he's SHOT DEAD (in the face!!). Horrors. As the question of WHO will take his place in the run-off election is raised, the plot begins to thicken (and into a near-impenetrable mess).
As with several (many?) other AVENGERS episodes, "NOVEMBER FIVE" focuses on a particular field of endeavor. In this case, two-- politics, and marketing. The center of attention in the story turns out to be an advertising and marketing firm whose specialty is handling political campaigns. And trust me-- it's even more tedious than it sounds. Eric Paice, whose own specialty seems to be especially tedious stories (he penned 8 AVENGERS episodes, all within the first 3 seasons) somehow manages to take what should be a gripping mystery and turns it into the kind of thing that made a show like MONTY PYTHON almost a necessity.
As the plot progresses, it comes out that 3 very different motivations stem from the theft of the bomb. 1)One of the people who stole the bomb sends the government a blackmail note demanding a huge sum of money for its safe return (well, that was to be expected, right?). 2)Someone else decides to use the information about the theft to cause a scandal and BRING DOWN the current government, forcing them to resign in disgrace. 3)Another person involved in the theft has been offered another huge sum of money NOT to return the bomb, but rather, let it be DETONATED right in the House of Parliment! If you can work your way thru this morass, it follows that 1) and 3) cause a falling-out between the baddies.
As usual, it's characters who save the day... albeit, in this case, only barely. Arthur Dove (David Davies) proves to be the least corrupt of the characters involved, and actually comes across rather honest and charming, especially when he's flirting with Mrs. Gale while admitting he's bored to tears by his long-time wife, who's stuck with him thru thick and thin. And Mrs. Ellen Dove (Ruth Dunning) admits also being bored to tears by her husband, while mostly amused by it all, and winds up making friends with Cathy at the same time. When both Doves nearly fall victim to the story's REAL baddies, you can't help but be overcome with anxiety, hoping that somehow, rescue will come before it's too late. And sure enough, it does. In fact, my favorite moment in the story is when Mrs. Dove lays into one of the baddies while Cathy takes care of the other.
I can only imagine that once the show switched to film production, and Brian Clemens & Albert Fennell were in charge, stories like this were deemed "too cerebral" and were replaced with those containing more visuals, more action, more location filming, and more outrageousness. Speaking of visual, I'd say Production Designer Douglas James put in the best work in this story, as his "Ad Agency" set looked like it would have been right at home in one of the Diana Rigg episodes.
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X-Men First Class, I wasn't expecting much, but I think this might be my favorite X-Men movie yet. The real star of the movie is Magneto and I think Michael Fassbender does a great job with the character. James McAvoy is pretty good as Professor X too. Kevin Bacon struck me as completely the wrong actor for Sebastian Shaw, but he surprised me, and although he still struck me as wrong for the role, he was still quite good in the film. Not a perfect movie by any stretch of the imagination, but still worth a look.
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Some TV series recently watched on DVD.
Sons of Anarchy-Season One- Recommended to me by several friends. Engaging storyline of biker gang, their families and their battles with rival gangs and the (not always so clean) forces of the law. I'm ready for season two!
The Mary Tyler Moore Show-Season One- Looking at this CBS series again after four decades it doesn't seem nearly as groundbreaking as it did in 1970 but holds up well because of the great building of the characters in the show.
Interestingly enough in Malcolm Gladwell's book Blink it was mentioned that the pilot of this show did not do well in advance screenings with test audiences. The main reason it did not do well is because it was too different (single woman trying to make it on her own in the working world) for them to adjust to in just one episode and it took the show a few months for audiences to get used to it and embrace it. The same thing happened with All in the Family which premiered a few months later on CBS.
The DVD set also has an excellent "making of" documentary on it as well as other extras.
Foreign Intrigue (Dateline Europe)-Vol 3- After WWII and right up into the 1960s a number of U.S. companies shot quiote a few television series and movies in various parts of Europe. Restrictions on how much money foreign countries could remove from various European countries and tax advantages were the main reasons many of these sort of productions were set up. Sometimes the U.S. companies worked in conjunction with European companies already there and sometimes they did all the producing and provided. at least, part of the crew. Quite often Americans were brought over to star in the films/series with native actors doing most of the supporting roles.
Foreign Intrigue was basically a cold war era espionage/adventure show that ran for four seasons (156 episodes) from 1951-55. It changed formats and casts three times in those four years. The first two years it starred Jerome Thor and Sydna Scoot, then James Daly and Anne Preville took over the starring roles, and finally Gerald Mohr was cast as the lead. Many (although I'm not sure all) of the episodes were shot in Sweden giving them a different look than most other American shows of the period. It was produced by Sheldon Reynolds (who also shot the 1954-55 Ronald Howard Sherlock Holmes series). After first run syndication the series was also offered in separate packages showcasing the different formats and casts and had the first two seasons renamed Dateline Europe, with the following seasons renamed Overseas Adventure and Cross Current respectively.
Well this DVD only had four episodes from the first two seasons of the show so it's really hard to judge the entire series but they are all competently written with some nice noirish moments and some well done suspense action when needed. I'm game for more.
Black Adder the Third- I have a special fondness for this Black Adder series because it was the first that I ever caught. Very funny and bawdy!!
Sheena, Queen of the Jungle Vol 1- a 1956-57 syndicated series. This DVD contains 5 of the original 26 episodes broadcast and gives one a pretty good idea of what the series was like. It's pretty standard jungle fare but benefits from a couple things-the location shooting in jungle areas of Mexico and the casting of Irish McCalla as Sheena. McCalla looks perfect as Sheena and since the role doesn't call for much in the way of acting (monosyllabic Johnny Weissmuller-Tarzan speak) she does fine in that department as well.
I have a friend, who is about a decade older than me, who actually got to see McCalla, in costume as Sheena, at some supermarket promotion in Ohio during the original run of the show. She made such an impression on his nine year old mind that he's been a fan of the zaftig woman type ever since.
Brenner- A pretty good father/son half-hour cop series originally shown as Summer replacement series by CBS in 1959 and repeated as such over several of the following Summers with occasional "new" (previously unbroadcast episodes) being doled out up until the Summer of 1965. 15 of the total 26 episodes are on this DVD set. Set in NYC and shot on location there (although there is not as much use of actual location shooting-as opposed to studio shooting- as I would have liked). A few name stars pop up inepsiodes including a young (and unbilled) Gene Hackman
Civilisation- I first watched episodes of Kenneth Clark's 13 episode 1969 BBC series on PBS in the 1970s. Since then I've caught various episodes being rerun here and there but this was the first time that I've ever worked my way through the series from beginning to end. An excellent look at the changes and advancements in Western art from the Middle ages onward.
The DVD set also contains a recent interview with producer David Attenborough who talks about the making of the series. Interestingly enough one of the big selling points was that it was to be shot in color! The BBC, having finally worked out a lot of their bugs with color broadcasting, was ready to have a series to show it off and what better a showcase than the great art of the last several hundred years!
Best
Joe
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I remember being blown away the first time I saw Black Adder. I was later exited when I found sequels had been made. Some really funny stuff. I am a huge Keeping Up Appearances fan as is my whole family
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My wife and I also love "that Bucket woman". I also enjoy anything with Frye and Laurie- "Jeeves and Wooster" was a riot! Cheers, Bowers
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The last week or so:
THE VILLAIN
DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID
I THE JURY (1982)
GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE
THE FALCON'S ALIBI
THE MAN WITH TWO BRAINS
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
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The last week or so:
THE VILLAIN
DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID
I THE JURY (1982)
GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE
THE FALCON'S ALIBI
THE MAN WITH TWO BRAINS
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
A nice eclectic mix to watch.
Best
Joe
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Some of what the Lil' Missus and I have been watching lately-
Godzilla vs. the Thing-1964-Toho- The Big G against Mothra. The DVD has both the American release and the original Japanese version. Surprisingly, for a change, the American version seems the longer of the two, with one brief sequence (of American military taking action) shot only for the U.S. cut.
The Haunting in Connecticut-2009- Fairly decent recent spooker.
Rebirth of Mothra-1996-Toho- Relaunch of the series. Pretty fun. Done before CGI took over so the fine effects are mostly green screen, puppetry and good-old-fashioned guy in monster suit.
Corruption-1968-Titan-Columbia- Peter Cushing as doctor who's wife's face gets severely disfigured when hot lights fall on her. He can fix it but only with continual applications of fresh skin from "unwilling" donors!!!
Army-Navy Screen Magazine- These were WWII newsreels that the U.S. showed only to servicemen. A somewhat different slant than the regular newsreels aimed mostly at civilian audiences. Also included were special cartoons such as the Private Snafu and Hook series which could get a bit more risque than standard cartoons of the era.
Plus episodes of The Buccaneers (1956), Zorro (1958), Ark II (1976), and The Adventures of Sir Lancelot (1957).
Best
Joe
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CORRUPTION was one of those I saw on a triple-bill down in Houston. I'm not really sure what the other 2 films were that day, but I am pretty sure CORRUPTION was the middle of the 3. Really "sick" film, but in a weird, fun sort of way. the climax-- the beach house invaded by the biker gang, the doctor and his wife being held prisoner, and the gang member who decides to check out the freezer (what IS that thing all wrapped up in there?) really stuck with me. Amazing to think I haven't seen it since 1971.
I suspect the main attraction that day was TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA.
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I just dug out my DVD-R copy of the unreleased 1994 version of the Fantastic Four and it got me thinking of a few oddities that I am looking for. If anyone has any of these titles, I'm looking for them, and would be more than willing to workout a few trades.
The Spirit (1987 TV Movie)
Justice League of America (1997 TV Movie)
Legends of the Superheroes (1979 TV Show)
The Space Giants (1967 TV Series)
Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot (1967 TV Series)
I'm looking for a bunch of other stuff too, but these are currently at the top of my list. I have a lot of similar stuff myself and I can produce a list if need be.
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CORRUPTION was one of those I saw on a triple-bill down in Houston. I'm not really sure what the other 2 films were that day, but I am pretty sure CORRUPTION was the middle of the 3. Really "sick" film, but in a weird, fun sort of way. the climax-- the beach house invaded by the biker gang, the doctor and his wife being held prisoner, and the gang member who decides to check out the freezer (what IS that thing all wrapped up in there?) really stuck with me. Amazing to think I haven't seen it since 1971.
I suspect the main attraction that day was TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA.
Wow! Pretty darn good memory for a flick last seen 40 years ago! Sometimes I forget stuff I watched last week!!!
This was the first time viewing Corruption for the Lil' Missus and me and since we're both Peter Cushing fans it was a nice treat.
Best
Joe
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The Spirit (1987 TV Movie)
Justice League of America (1997 TV Movie)
Legends of the Superheroes (1979 TV Show)
The Space Giants (1967 TV Series)
Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot (1967 TV Series)
Legends of the Superheroes recently became available from Warner Archives on DVD.
I remember The Spirit TV movie but have never seen it rerun since it's initial airing.
A 1997 JLA movie? How did I miss that??
I've never seen the two 1960s TV series although the names sound familiar. I must have read something about them in the past. Are they Japanese?
Curious
Joe
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At the theatres lately-
Rise of the Planet of the Apes- I grew up with the original Apes series and was (and am) a big fan of them. I was very disappointed with the attempted relaunch a few years ago by Tim Burton (who's main body of work I'm also a fan of) so didn't want to get my hopes up too much for this one.
I came away pleasantly pleased overall with it.
It's more or less a reworking of material originally covered in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes and actually, to my mind, gives a more plausible explanation for how things came about.
It seems to have done well enough at the box office to warrant a sequel which I look forward to seeing.
Apollo 18- From as far back as I can remember in my childhood the space race was being regularly covered on TV and to me astronauts were just as cool as the cowboys and detectives that I also saw on television so I'm always a bit of a sucker for a good astronaut movie (The Right Stuff is a favorite of mine).
This one just doesn't quite work for me though. Its got a neat concept- found footage of a secret Apollo mission that shows a mission gone horribly wrong. However some of the main characters actions don't work for me as they don't seem to ring true for trained, intelligent astronauts. If it shows up on cable you can give it a watch but I wouldn't rush out to see it.
The Debt- Pretty well done story (that bounces back and forth between events of 1965 and 1997) concerning Israeli agents tracking down a Nazi war criminal in East Berlin and what people think happened and what really happened and what has to be done to correct that. Some nice performances especially by Helen Mirren.
Best
Joe
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For those of you who enjoy New Tricks, a new series has been announced - at the same time as James Bolam (Jack Halford) has announced he's leaving. Now I'm worried. The makers seem to be trying to encourage him to appear in one episode, I suppose so they can write him out on screen. Who do they get in to replace him? Will the others want to continue? I'm starting to sound like a soap.
We've been watching more episodes of Dial 999, with Robert Beatty. Did you get that in N.America? Great guest stars incl. last night, William Hartnell - pre Dr.Who. He was quite menacing. Plus some episodes of 77 Sunset Strip. We'd forgotten how much we used to enjoy them.
I'm surprised some of you enjoy Keeping up Appearances. I didn't think the humour would travel well but a lot of it is slapstick and that seems to be universal. So, if you can find it, have a look at early My Family and any of Outnumbered.
Also, Doc Martin has started again and is again on our must watch list.
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The Spirit (1987 TV Movie)
Justice League of America (1997 TV Movie)
Legends of the Superheroes (1979 TV Show)
The Space Giants (1967 TV Series)
Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot (1967 TV Series)
Legends of the Superheroes recently became available from Warner Archives on DVD.
I remember The Spirit TV movie but have never seen it rerun since it's initial airing.
A 1997 JLA movie? How did I miss that??
I've never seen the two 1960s TV series although the names sound familiar. I must have read something about them in the past. Are they Japanese?
Curious
Joe
Yes, both were Japanese series, very similar to Ultraman.
(http://www.ultramanstuff.com/images/SpaceGiants1.jpg)
(http://www.stomptokyo.com/otf/Johnny-Sokko/Sokko8.JPG)
I will have to check Amazon for the Legends disc. I remember it being pretty bad even then, but childhood memory thing.
I never finished watching the Spirit. I watched the first twenty minutes or so, then my friends showed up, and convinced me to go see Robocop with them. I liked Robocop, but would have liked to have finished watching the Spirit too.
The JLA movie was a pilot too.
(http://opieblue.typepad.com/my_weblog/images/jla_pilot.jpg)
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A new television network popped up ... YOUTOO ... offers regular showings of the West-Ward Batman and THE GREEN HORNET!
Check it out.
B.
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There were 3 "giant monster" shows from Japan that made it to Philly in the 60's... ULTRA MAN, THE SPACE GIANTS, and JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT.
ULTRA MAN was by far the finest. Some people liked to make fun of it in later years, but that was uncalled-for. It had a sense of humor, but it also had real heart, and was often dead serious. They knew how to mix tragedy & slapstick side-by-side and make it work in Japan, that's for sure! I only had one problem with the show, and it wasn't the show, it was the bloody tv station running it. Tradition was, a show would get about 2 runs, average 6 months, then be replaced with something else. Maybe 6 months or a year later, they'd run it again, ditto. This happened with ULTRA MAN a few times, until, in the 70's, they started running it again... and KEPT running it. I mean for like 8 straight years without a break. I'm sorry, I don't care how much I like anything, I want something else! So I eventually got bored and stopped watching. Well, you guessed it. By the time I was ready to watch it again, they'd stopped... and HAVEN'T RUN IT SINCE. Bastards!!!!!
Compare this with SPACE GIANTS, effectively one long serial. I seem to recall they ran it twice. PERIOD. Never since. WTF???
JOHNNY SOKKO was a riot. From the word go, I saw it as a parody of ULTRA MAN combined with GIGANTOR. And that's saying something. Little kid with a gun. Baddies acting like gangsters from THE UNTOUCHABLES, and trying to KILL the kid all the time. The most idiotic giant monsters ever!! And the main baddies weren't far behind, once "Spider" got killed after about 8 episodes. But there were problems. Several episodes were clearly,blatently shown out of sequence (there was a lot of continuity on this show). And, when they got to the end of the run-- a mere 25 episodes-- they stopped. PERIOD. It's never been seen again. EVER. Except for the compilation movie, VOYAGE INTO SPACE (5 episodes including the first 2 and the last 1), which I managed to tape. Seen it multiple times since, but always wishing I could see the entire series.
By the way, I'd swear there's a lot of Jack Kirby influence on JOHNNY SOKKO. Jerry Mano reminds me of Jimmy Woo, and one of the monsters was very similar to "The Octo-Sapien" Jack came up with for THE HULK. They also use radio-pens like U.N.C.L.E. What a fun show!
What is wrong with TV programmers????? If they have their way, before long, every station out there will be running the same shows all the time non-stop. And worse, the same "favorite" episodes non-stop. I picture them eventually narrowing it down to ONE episode of ANDY GRIFFITH, being run 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
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There were 3 "giant monster" shows from Japan that made it to Philly in the 60's... ULTRA MAN, THE SPACE GIANTS, and JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT.
They were still playing them in the 70s, I don't remember if it was Channel 29, or Channel 48, but between those two channels I was watching all three, and more. I'd catch the Shaw Brothers' movies on Black Belt Theater, the Hammer stuff on Creature Double Feature, and regular showings of Marine Boy, Speed Racer, and others on weekday afternoons.
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THE TWELVE CHAIRS
A crazed Ron Moody, a very young Frank Langella, an extremely annoying Dom Deluise, and an almost unrecognizable Mel Brooks, in a Russian period piece tragedy / comedy that borders on being a classic "heist" story. And anyone who's seen any of those before the Production Code went away knows, NONE of them ever had happy endings.
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I remember ULTRA MAN all thru the 70's (before it just disappeared), but I never found anyone running the other 2 after their initial runs in the 60's.
Ditto MARINE BOY, or any Japanese cartoons in B&W (ASTRO BOY, 8TH MAN, PRINCE PLANET, GIGANTOR). All gone by the 70's.
I could never understand why SPEED RACER was so popular that they kept running that over and over and over...
SPIDER-MAN was also run NON-NON-STOP thru the 70's. With the 2nd & 3rd seasons completely out of order. Then the newer channel 57 ran it in the early 80s, and that's when I taped it. Still watching those to this day!
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A new television network popped up ... YOUTOO ... offers regular showings of the West-Ward Batman and THE GREEN HORNET!
Check it out.
B.
I'd love to have that one added to our satellite lineup but I expect we're more likely to get another home shopping network or some such dreck that I'll never watch.
There are a zillion channels that I have to wade through to get to the few that I actually watch on any regular basis and I every time I hear about some neat new channel it seems we never get it.
Sigh
Joe
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We never got any of these Japanese series in Phoenix when I was growing up. I'm sure I would have loved them as I ate up the Japanese movies like Starman, Godzilla and Gamera.
I do remember seeing a few episodes of 8th Man while visiting my Grandparents in Pennsylvania in the mid 1960s. I think they came in on either a Philadelphia or Baltimore channel (they were pretty much equidistant from both cities).
After reading about it in Asian fanzines for years I finally got to see Ultraman when I picked up the first DVD collection a few years back.
More recently I finally snagged the second Ultraman collection (containing the remaining episodes of the series) as well as another vintage Japanese series -Iron Giant, IIRC (I'm too lazy to run in the back room and double check the title right now) but haven't worked either of them into my watching schedule yet.
I also picked up a dollar DVD with some 8th Man episodes and some episodes of Prince Planet are included as extras on my Something Weird Starman DVDs.
Best
Joe
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When I first saw it (and several times since), STAR BLAZERS completely, utterly blew my mind. Having just watched the first 2 seasons again after a long stretch, I can say the show is STILL absolutely awesome. But you know, it's not the sort of thing I can watch that often. I think it's because the stories are TOO "big", the events too devastating, etc.
I love episode 51 more than I can describe. Seeing a SPACE battleship operating underwater, then flying thru that crystal-clear blue sky toward the apparently unstoppable enemy... wow. But how many times can you watch that ONE story, or that one episode in the middle of a 26-part story?
So, and I realized this almost 20 years ago (when I managed to get ahold of a pair of "best of" tapes), 8TH MAN remains my favorite Japanese cartoon. It's fun, it's quirky, it's moody, it's sometimes spooky, but it's also sometimes goofy as hell. Usually, all at the same time. And where there is a lot of continuity on the show, each episode can still be watched individually. which really makes me wish I had ALL of 'em instead of only 10.
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We never got any of these Japanese series in Phoenix when I was growing up. I'm sure I would have loved them as I ate up the Japanese movies like Starman, Godzilla and Gamera.
I do remember seeing a few episodes of 8th Man while visiting my Grandparents in Pennsylvania in the mid 1960s. I think they came in on either a Philadelphia or Baltimore channel (they were pretty much equidistant from both cities).
After reading about it in Asian fanzines for years I finally got to see Ultraman when I picked up the first DVD collection a few years back.
More recently I finally snagged the second Ultraman collection (containing the remaining episodes of the series) as well as another vintage Japanese series -Iron Giant, IIRC (I'm too lazy to run in the back room and double check the title right now) but haven't worked either of them into my watching schedule yet.
I also picked up a dollar DVD with some 8th Man episodes and some episodes of Prince Planet are included as extras on my Something Weird Starman DVDs.
Best
Joe
Iron King, right? I'm only guessing because I bought that one too.
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I remember ULTRA MAN all thru the 70's (before it just disappeared), but I never found anyone running the other 2 after their initial runs in the 60's.
Ditto MARINE BOY, or any Japanese cartoons in B&W (ASTRO BOY, 8TH MAN, PRINCE PLANET, GIGANTOR). All gone by the 70's.
I could never understand why SPEED RACER was so popular that they kept running that over and over and over...
SPIDER-MAN was also run NON-NON-STOP thru the 70's. With the 2nd & 3rd seasons completely out of order. Then the newer channel 57 ran it in the early 80s, and that's when I taped it. Still watching those to this day!
Well, if they weren't being shown in the seventies there would have been no way that I could have been watching them, I wasn't born until the early seventies. Since I know I saw them, some channel in Philly was showing them then, or perhaps some channel in Delaware. But, someone was showing them.
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Paw, you mentioned Doc Martin was back- are these new episodes or reruns? Sorry to hear about James Bolam and "New Tricks". We're about two years behind on the newer episodes. The wife and I are wondering if there will be another season of "Lark Rise to Candleford", her favorite Brit soap. Last Monday was the "Castle" season premiere and tomorrow "The Mentalist" returns. Both well-written and worth watching. Also waiting to see how they butchered the U.S. version of "Prime Suspect"-the trailers were pretty awful! Cheers, Bowers
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I just thought I'd note that here in Phoenix we recently lost one of our last remaining Drive-In Theatres- the Scottsdale 6. The Drive-In's owners, West Wind Drive Ins, were unable to reach a new lease agreement with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community who owns the 29 acre lot that the Drive-In has operated on for the last three decades.
This leaves the state of Arizona with only two remaining drive-ins, the Glendale 9 on the west side of town (also operated by Wind Wind but on land that they own) which is open year round and the Apache Drive-In near the mining town of Globe which is only open from Spring until Fall.
From what I could find out there were still 374 operating drive-ins in the U.S. in 2010- down from about 4,000 in 1958.
Now there's one less.
Sigh
Joe
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Bowers, our local ITV station, STV, is showing new to us Doc Martin but it might have been screened in England previously. The first 2 episodes were really good.
Lark Rise.... seems to have run it's course but we now have Downton Abbey. Not that keen on it and not a patch on Lark Rise. We're waiting desperately for both Mentalist and Castle. Both are must see shows for us. We've also tried Body of Proof and I like the character but just wish it wasn't quite as sentimental at times. Rizzoli and Isles (have I spelled that correctly)? has just started and we missed it. So we'll have to try and catch up on Watch Again.
We used to get Spectreman here, and I always thought of it as a sort of poor man's Ultraman but it was good fun. When I was young we had the cartoon, Gigantor, the Space Age Robot and I still remember the song.
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Also like Rizzoli and Isles- TNT does produce some really good shows. A far cry from it's humble beginnings over 30 years ago! Who would have thought that showing old sitcoms and even older movies would become such a great cable empire? My favorite feature from the old days of TNT was the newscast. Hosted by Bill Tush (yes, that is an anagram!) and The Unknown Newscaster who wore a paper bag over his head. Also Brother Gold who recited rock and disco lyrics as a sermon. Great and innovative stuff which gave Mr. Turner his well-deserved success. Cheers, Bowers
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Speaking of humble network beginnings, FX was very cool. It ran Batman and had shows that talked about what was on. An early host was Jeff Propst of Survivor fame and I got an autographed letter because a comment of mine was read.
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This week:
MARGIN FOR MURDER (Kevin Dobson as Mike Hammer!!)
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Lon Chaney-- and Rick Wakeman!!!)
THE TWELVE CHAIRS (I may never watch this again)
STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE (the "expanded" VHS version)
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT (again?)
MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL (Again!!!)
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Above the Law (aka Righting Wrongs)-1986- One of my favorite Hong Kong action flicks from this period. Starring the very under-rated Yuen Biao who, along with Cynthia Rothrock, Karen Sheppard, Peter Buckingham and Sammo Hung's stunt team do some really serious ass-kicking fights and stunt-work. Dragon Dynasty's DVD has both endings, a Bey Logan commentary track and recent interviews with Biao, Rothrock and Cunningham.
The Great Ziegfeld-1936- Lavish MGM musical about the great showman with William Powell great in the title role and excellent support from MGM's "Galaxy of Stars." A huge hit in its day is still enjoyable to watch to those who like GA musicals.
Crank-2006- Jason Statham is one of my favorites of today's current action stars. In this flick he plays a mob guy who has been poisoned and has to keep his adrenalin pumping in order to keep the poison at bay until he can find an antidote. He doesn't play a very likeable guy in the film but because just about everyone else he comes up against is an even bigger S.O.B. you still find yourself rooting for him. Moves along at a very rapid clip so you don't really have time to spot all the plot loopholes until it's over.
Captain America-1990- Finally got around to watching this Cap movie recorded off Syfy's recent broadcast. Of course it was pan and scanned, edited for content and time (gotta cram in more of the same ol' commercials) so it was hardly an ideal viewing. That said, it had the look of the relatively low budgeted horror/sci-fi films that Charles Band was also shooting for Empire Pictures in Italy at this time- which may explain why we have Mussolini and his fascists instead of Hitler and the Nazis (and the Red Skull is now Italian too!!). So-so.
Ride 'Em Cowboy-1932- & The Big Stampede-1932- The first two entries in John Wayne's B Western series (done for Warner Brothers) were his first starring roles after he flopped when Fox tried to make him a star in the big budgeted The Big Trail (1930). It would take him the rest of the decade but by the beginning of the 1940s he would be a star. The six wesetrns that he did for Warners all look good and are made to seem even higher budgeted then they actually were by Warners' judicious use of footage from Ken Maynard's much higher budgeted 1920s western series for First National (a company that Warners had bought out just a few years before).
Rest Stop: Don't Look Back-2008 (uncut version)- Rather brutal recent horror film which is a sequel to first Rest Stop movie. I never quite figured it all out as to who was actually a ghost and all. Probably hoping they me back for another but I'm certainly in no hurry and not really that curious.
Curse of the Aztec Mummy-1957- We used to get these Mexican monster and masked wrestler playing on TV in Phoenix when I was a kid and I loved 'em because it was like watching superheros going up against monsters! The masked wrestler in this one is Angel and this film is the second of three in the Aztec Mummy series (All available in a cool DVD collection).
A Throw of Dice-1929- This big budgeted epic is a German-Indian co-production from late in the silent era. It was the last of three such films which were all hits in Europe at the time and which helped pave the way for the Bollywood of the future. Beautifully restored by the BFI.
Get Carter-2000- Sylvester Stallone's reworking of the Michael Caine hit of the early 1970s. It's not bad but my dim memories of the Caine original has it paling in comparison (which I must rewatch again soon). Caine also plays a supporting role in this remake.
The Whip and the Body-1963- Another winner from director Mario Bava. Incredibly atmospheric, beautifully shot and scored tale of murder and subsequent haunting with Christopher Lee and Daliah Lavi in the lead roles.
Best
Joe
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Last night and this morning, Battle of the Planets. I've been on an anime kick lately, after watching a bunch of old Star Blazers, Battle of the Planets was a nice change of place, no complex serialized storyline, just simple stand alone adventures, and a lot of fun.
Tonight, Doctor Who season finale, can't wait...
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Tonight, Doctor Who season finale,
Yep, and right after that Merlin starts again. ;D
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My wife and I both enjoyed Terra Nova a lot
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Green Hornet --- I tried but I couldn't do it. Horrible movie.
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Green Hornet --- I tried but I couldn't do it. Horrible movie.
Really, that bad? I was thinking about checking it out...
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Tonight, Doctor Who season finale,
Yep, and right after that Merlin starts again. ;D
Not the best season closer yet, but that was pretty good, and I'll probably remember that for sometime.
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If you can accept GH as a bumbling A-hole you might be able to watch it. I could not.
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Lately:
MONTY PYTHON LIVE AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL
RETURN OF THE SEVEN
LIFE OF BRIAN
TIME BANDITS
YELLOWBEARD
THE MEANING OF LIFE
STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN
THE BIG BOSS
THE FALCON'S ADVENTURE
FIST OF FURY
WAY OF THE DRAGON
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I think that The Green Hornet movie just started playing on one of the various movie channels (Starz?) that we get so I'll probably check it out but am not expecting much.
Here's how my Fall 2012 television watching has been shaping up so far-
Returning crime shows- CSI, Criminal Minds, and Hawaii Five-O (all CBS shows)
New crime show-Unforgettable (also CBS), Luther (BBC America)
Returning sci-fi- Fringe (Fox), Battlestar Galactica (reruns on BBC America)
New sci-fi/horror- Terra Nova (Fox), Bedlam (BBC America)
Coming up yet later this Fall- American Horror Story (starting this week), Free Agents (British version-starting next weekend), The Walking Dead (starting later this month), White Chapel (starting at the end of this month), Bones (returning next month but having an abbreviated season due to star Emily Deschanel's pregnancy), Leverage (returning next month also).
Down the line are special Christmas episodes of Haven, Doctor Who and (maybe) Warehouse 13.
Best
Joe
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Haven't seen many movies recently, but have enjoyed some pretty good programs. I'm currently watching Ken Burn's 3-part documentary, "Prohibition", on PBS. Part 2 starts tonight. Also caught Hugh Laurie's New Orleans blues performance as well as a new (to us) Brit series, "William and Mary" with Martin Clunes. Good stuff on PBS this week! Finally got to see the "Doctor Who" finale and loved it. I'm a bit peeved with "The Mentalist" writing staff- no spoilers, but the first two episodes this season just didn't seem up to their usual standard. Not sure where this show is heading. Cheers, Bowers
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My wife and I are still enjoying the mentalist but it has become somewhat predictable and mundane. If they do not come up with something new I suspect it will be the last season.
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Last week:
GAME OF DEATH
GAME OF DEATH ("The footage")
ENTER THE DRAGON
SPELLBOUND
KUNTUCKY FRIED MOVIE
AIRPLANE!
CHARLIE CHAN IN LONDON
BAD CHANNELS
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Just watched STAR TREK III: THE SEARCH FOR SPOCK. Funny, all these years and I'm still picking up new stuff. Until tonight, I never noticed Miguel Ferrer is in this. He's James B. Sikking's right-hand man. I got a vague feeling he looked familiar, but when I saw his name in the credits I still was surprised. I know why it took this long... he STILL HAD HAIR in this one. (Unless it was a toupee.) Made him look very different.
Of course, John Larroquette is still completely unrecognizable, despite the modified Klingon make-up actually allowing you to see the actor's faces (UNLIKE the stupid 1st movie where it was impossible) but a couple of his lines, you can almost tell it's his voice. He's got a great exchange with Kirk... "I do not deserve to live!" "Fine. I'll kill you later." (A take-off on a scene from COMMANDO-- or was there an earlier film both were referencing?)
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Last week:
GAME OF DEATH
GAME OF DEATH ("The footage")
ENTER THE DRAGON
SPELLBOUND
KUNTUCKY FRIED MOVIE
AIRPLANE!
CHARLIE CHAN IN LONDON
BAD CHANNELS
I recently snagged a DVD of Kentucky Fried Movie at Big Lots and am really looking forward to seeing it again-it's been years. Extras on it include Super 8mm movies shot on the set-behind the scenes- which should be interesting too.
Best
Joe
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I guess I was just in the mood... Just watched the "Al Feldstein & Johnny Craig"
movie again... TALES FROM THE CRYPT. What a cast!
Ralph Richardson
Geoffrey Bayldon
Joan Collins
Chloe Franks
Ian Hendry
Peter Cushing
Richard Greene
Patrick Magee
...and Bach's "Tocatta & Fugue In D Minor" as the theme song!!!
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I bought "Earth Dies Screaming" from Amazon. 1964, British, b&w s.f. with Willard Parker, Virginia field and Dennis Price. Dopy but odd looking robots and an English village setting. Most enjoyable.
Pathfinders in Space is due next week, can't wait. On tv, Doc Martin is seriously entertaining.
I also watched, "Unearthly Stranger" this week. Another British bw alien invasion chiller. Quite claustrophobic.
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I was given a couple of bins of VHS tapes several regular movie tapes and many taped from cable movies and TV programs. I just found a copy of a seldom seen film starring the American action movie and western star Steve McQueen, one of the most popular of American motion picture actors.
The reason this film is seldom seen is that most McQueen fans found the title ( a Enemy of the People) misleading and the content a bit over their head.
McQueen's character is a scandinavian public health officer in the 1880's who discovers that the spring waters feeding the local health spa and resort are polluted by run off from an old tannery.
He attempts to warn the public of the dangers and ends up censored by the town and declared an Enemy of the People. Theres a lot more to it, but you'd have to watch the film to really get the message, which suprisingly is that Democracy doesn't always work if the majority of the people are uninformed and refuse to listen.
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One of the few McQueen films that I've never seen. I've seen the stills in which he is virtually unrecognizable with long hair and a heavy beard.
I remember reading at the time that it was a very personal project of McQueen's. He worked for scale to get the film made but ultimately it was barely released in the U.S. (and then only long after it was shot). It's based on an Ibsen story (or play).
Best
Joe
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This past week...
THE MUMMY (1959)
A HARD DAY'S NIGHT
THE CURSE OF THE MUMMY'S TOMB
THE VAULT OF HORROR
TARZAN THE APE MAN (1932)
HELP!
CHARLIE CHAN IN PARIS
THE MUMMY'S SHROUD
BLOOD FROM THE MUMMY'S TOMB
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Just watched the first episode of "Bedlam". Sort of reminds me of "Ghost Whisperer" with a gritty edge to it! I think I'll keep watching this one. Also caught up on this season's "Leverage" episodes. Didn't care for the first few, but they got much better as the season progressed. New mystery on PBS, "Case Histories" with Jason Isaacs. You might remember him as Lucius Malfoy in the Potter series, or the ever-so nasty Col. Tavington in "The Patriot". Fun to see him playing a private-eye divorced dad with a stable of very strange clients. Predictable, but it does have it's moments. (Warning-some of these moments are definitely not for the kiddies!) Cheers, Bowers
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As we've been on holiday for a few days, we've seen hardly any t.v. but on our return, Pathfinders in Space dvd had arrived. Just had a quick look at disc 1 and I really fancy this.
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Today's movie: TARZAN AND HIS MATE. I had a tape marked "uncut" years back, which came off AMC, but then-- on the 2nd try-- TCM finally ran the version with all the long-missing footage put back in. It wasn't 2 minutes like they kept talking about, it was more like 20 minutes. This is only the 2nd time I'm seeing it in this form.
MGM got a 2-picture deal with Edgar Rice Burroughs. He was so disappointed with earlier films, he wasn't expecting much, but apparently the 1st MGM film with Johnny Weismuller really impressed him. He felt it captured the wildness of the series, even though it changed so much (no mention of his background or origin, NO education, the entire story of how Jane first meets him, etc.)
You can tell in the dialogue of the 1st film they were already planning the 2nd one.
The 2nd film, structurally, is almost identical to the first-- so typical of Hollywood sequels. You have the caravan, the native attack, the climb up the cliff, someone falling off the cliff, the arrival of Tarzan, someone in the party trying to kill him, and most of the party getting killed on the way out.
The change was, in the 1st, they spent a lot of time with Jane first meeting and getting to know and fall in love with Tarzan. In the 2nd, Harry Holt (Neil Hamilton), who fell in love with her, tries to convince her to come back with him, but to no avail. His partner, shown chasing a married woman early in the film, shows no restraint around Jane, either, and HE winds up trying to kill Tarzan.
The whole point of the 2nd safari was to put together one big enough to just go in, get the ivory, and come out, and Jane promised, this time, Tarzan would protect them. But it wasn't so easy.
2 ASTONISHING, jaw-dropping scenes, almost back-to-back, involve the Ubangi attacking the safari as they near the Mutia Escarpment. There's supposedly several HUNDRED porters in the safari, and DOZENS of murderous natives attack, and there's no way to tell how many get killed on both sides!!!
Then, just before they reach the top of the cliff, GORILLAS start hurling boulders down, knocking quite a few porters to their deaths!! (Even a gorilla or two winds up falling, after they're shot.) The level of blood-thirstiness in this film is MIND-BOGGLING. I read somewhere they were deliberately trying to "compete" with the previous year's KING KONG. It's like whatever happened in the 1st film, it's amped up 10 times in the 2nd.
Then you get to the underwater swimming scene. Reportedly, 3 different versions of this were distributed to different theatres back in 1934. In one, Jane's wearing her usual outfit. In the 2nd, she's topless. In the one I now have, she's completely NAKED-- and this scene goes on for 2 whole minutes!!
Things get strange and frustrating when, after having promised them safety, Jane finds out Tarzan REFUSES to help the safari steal the ivory, and orders them to leave without it. This is when Harry's partner, Martin, decides to kill Tarzan, and claim he died in an accident. Heartbroken, Jane leads the safari back out... until a tribe of savages, with their own herd of man-eating LIONS, corners the lot. EVERYBODY gets killed, except Jane, who's rescued by Tarzan just before the end.
This movie just blows my mind. I can't believe how brutal it is.
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MGM The Lion Roared showed the nude Jane scene
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You know something that bugged me today? Reading IMDB reviews, it seemed like every single person who reviewed that movie just felt they HAD to mention "It wasn't really Jane, it was someone else who did the nude swimming scene". Also, every single person who mentioned THE APES felt the just HAD to say "obviously men in apes suits". I saw nothing "obvious" about it. All I saw were AGGRESSIVELY VIOLENT GORILLAS! (Oh yeah, and they kept calling them "chimps"-- when they're GORILLAS, for cryin' out loud.) First, they hurled boulders to knock porters off that cliff to their horrible deaths. Later, they attacked the "lion eater" tribe, knocking them out of the tress so they'd get eaten by their own lions.
I think too many people are incapable of "getting into" a film and spend too much effort focusing on how it was done.
At any rate, I do believe ...AND HIS MATE was the last time we got to see "the great apes" until GREYSTOKE, where everybody kept making such a "BIG DEAL" about Rick Baker's "most realistic ape suit ever". I enjoy the fantasy. But young people seem incapable of "working with it". It's like when you see a stage magician... do you know how DUMB it is for someone to loudly point out, "Oh, IT'S FAKE!" Well... yeah. But they're missing the point.
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In Phoenix, when I was growing up, one of the local stations ran Tarzan Theatre on Saturday afternoons (right before John Wayne Theatre) so I got to watch and re-watch most of the Tarzan movies multiple times.
The only Tarzan movie I've watched though over the last decade has been the Herman Brix serial The New Adventures of Tarzan (1935).
Your nifty description of Tarzan and His Mate has got me itching to see that one again, Henry.
Now if they'd only find the footage from Tarzan Escapes that was cut before it was generally released and restore it to the film!
Best
Joe
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I went in knowing tonight's movie was lousy... and I enjoyed it ANYWAY!
Here's one of the FUNNIEST negative reviews I've read of late, of...
WAR-GODS OF THE DEEP (with Vincent Price!)
http://www.1000misspenthours.com/reviews/reviewsn-z/war-godsofthede...
More thoughts from one of my yahoo groups...
"It sure ain't the cream of the AIP/Price stuff. Disappointing in a lot of ways but still better than Master of the World, which I think is the weakest of the lot."
Really? I got a copy of that off TCM. Wish I had a TCM copy of WAR-GODS OF THE DEEP (what on Earth were they thinking changing the title, it's now more commonly known as CITY IN THE SEA, from the EAP poem). Someone jokingly suggested a film like this would be a lot more fun if the leads had been Doug McClure & Caroline Munro-- and, hey, why not, Terry-Thomas. Someone else (I think) suggested Price took the role TOO serously, and as it wasn't written very well, it came across as bland, and they felt a more over-the-top madman performance would have been better suited.
There's 3 things that bug me about the film. First, I can't stand totally unreasonable characters. They try to add some sympathy or pathos to "The Captain" by bringing up his dead wife in the portrait, but for most of the film, it's clear he's just INSANE, as none of his actions in the story make any damn sense at all. Second, a minor point, but when John Le Mesuir is explaining the escape plan, my mind starts to to shut down. It's too complicated, and you never get a real sense of how the tunnels are laid out. Third, and everyone online feels this way, the "chase scene" is the most boring underwater sequence ever put to film.
With all the blatent influences on hand-- 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH, MASTER OF THE WORLD, nobody mentioned THUNDERBALL, which came out the same year! That's often knocked for the "boring" underwater fight, but that's a high-speed roller-coaster ride compared to the action sequence in this thing. Cutting it to the bone would have helped.
I also got very confused when I saw them return to "the temple", as I thought they'd walked from there to the rest of the place (maybe they did and it was blocked off by guards?). THEN, they find the exit blocked, and decide to get back into the diving suits. I had to THINK about it too much to understand, WHY are they putting them back on when they just got them off? But after they leave, the exit apparently becomes un-blocked... or maybe Price knew a different one... as HE walks up a stairway straight to the surface, where he dies of old age in the sunlight, like DRACULA.
Someone else suggested a giant octopus atacking the city might have helped... funny thing, on my tape, I also have Amicus' WARLORDS OF ATLANTIS, which does feature a giant octopus, other giant monsters, AND, Doug McClure! There's apparently a DVD with both CITY IN THE SEA and AT THE EARTH'S CORE. Apart from wondering how someone managed to put out one package with both an AIP and an Amicus together, I have a feeling WARLORDS OF ATLANTIS is a slightly better "fit".
"Also I'd say, viz linked review, Masque of the Red Death shows a good movie can be made from a slimline source -- and Pit and the Pendulum -- I think the Poe originals are about 10 pages or something (read them years ago; Pit may be even shorter) -- just vignettes really."
MASQUE is 3 pages. Amazing! The FIRST time I saw the film, I thought it was really slow and padded out. But over the years, it has continued to grow on me, and a few viewings ago (it's really become a perennial for me), I came to think of it as not only a masterpiece, but a genuine "WORK OF ART".
PIT AND THE PENDULUM is also a blast. One friend of mine ranks it as his favorite of the set. I hadn't realized it at first, but apparently the plot of the film was made up from bits of various POE stories all thrown together.
"Surprising how bloodless Tourneur's direction is..."
Charles Bennett, they say, wrote the screenplay, but, producer Louis M. Heyward, who took over once Corman left, felt the SICK COMPULSION (here we go again) to keep adding and changing the screenplay while they were shooting. Tourneur was apparently PISSED, and Vincent Price, who had more respect for Bennett AND Tournour, was also not pleased. Heyward was involved in THE OBLONG BOX, CRY OF THE BANSHEE, MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE, SCREAM AND SCREAM AGAIN... someone online said every one of his films feel like first drafts, like they just hadn't worked out all the logic of the plots.
This is funny, as the middle of WAR-GODS..., where they're talking with Price and looking out the window over the lost sunken city, began to remind ME of an episode of LOST IN SPACE ! And how many times have I said the 3rd season stories ALL feel like they were shot from first-draft scripts, as if, with just a LITTLE more care, they could have been so much better.
Something only mentioned in ONE review I found, was that David Whittaker ALSO contributed to the script, but apparently, only the odd bits of dialogue, and mostly, the more clever ones. But this did nothing to help the plot itself. Whittaker was (if memory serves) the original story editor on DOCTOR WHO, and contributed some scripts during Patrick Trroughton's time on the show.
"Comedy of Terrors, a bit later, I'll defend vigorously"
You'll defend it later? That one was made earlier (I think). Almost painful to watch in spots, but still good for some sick laughs. "Is there no morality left in the world?"
Final thoughts... the bit where they got from the house on the cliff, down thru a hidden passage, and find the "temple" where someone is about to be executed, seems like it may have influenced INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM. If so, Spielberg was swiping from a 3rd-rate movie. Also, the house on the cliff, the hidden passage leading to danger UNDERWATER, also cropped up in "O'RYAN GANG AND THE DEEP SIX", in NEW GODS #4.
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josemas wrote:
"Now if they'd only find the footage from Tarzan Escapes that was cut before it was generally released and restore it to the film!"
Strange but true: I read online of how in 1954, TARZAN THE APE MAN and TARZAN ESCAPES were reissued to theatres on a double-bill. And-- get this-- it was the UNCUT version of TARZAN ESCAPES!
See, there's 3 versions of that film. The original, the studio was not happy with, and so about 90% of it was re-shot from scratch. No kidding! the only bit that was left intact, and which they did a lot of tricky re-writing in order to make it fit into the new version, the was the "giant bat attack". Originally, this took place outdoors, and the characters went into a "forbidden cave" to escape. In the redo, the "giant bat attack" takes place IN the cave.
This WAS released to theatres!! However... it seems, although the first 2 MGM films were considered "adult" pictures, THE NEW ADVENTURES OF THE TARZAN promoted the idea that "Tarzan" was for family audiences (despite the incredible violence about halfway thru). As a result, a lot of mothers and their kids were HORRIFIED by the "giant bat attack", and it wound up being hastily cut from most prints. It's possible theatres had a choice to run the "long print" or "short print", even as they'd earlier had the choice of Jane swimming clothed, topless of NAKED.
So the UNCUT version still existed as late as 1954. But when the MGM DVD set was put together, apparently no one involved was aware of this, and never bothered to look for the missing footage!
The absurdity of it is, 40 people go into that cave, 15 come out, and in the edited version that's been on TV ever since, there's no explanation for what happened to the other 25 people.
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Tonight: maybe the WEIRDEST western ever made for TV in the 70's...
KUNG FU (1972)
This has ALL 3 of Charlie Chan's sons in it!
Tommy -- Benson Fong
Jimmy -- Victor Sen Yung
Lee -- Keye Luke
Plus, a PILE of other "CHAH-NEE" actors, including Robert Ito (later of QUINCY, M.E.) who gets hisself SHOT dead halfway thru. Also, Philip Ahn, who played the Prince of Saturn in BUCK ROGERS (1939).
Baddies include Albert Salmi (the "space pirate" from LOST IN SPACE) and Barry Sullivan (who I swear SHOULD have played Commissioner Gordon in the 60's, he was a dead ringer for the guy in the comics).
Sadly, this is the only one I have. I'm missing ALL 3 SEASONS.
But I do have EVERY episode of KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES (I think, even though some of them were run out of sequence, and as the show was heavy on continuity, it was obvious). I also have KUNG FU ("The Movie") from 1985; KUNG FU: THE NEXT GENERATION (1986 unsold pilot reduced to "never happened" status when ...LEGEND CONTINUES came along); THE GAMBLER: THE LUCK OF THE DRAW (features a Caine cameo); David Carridine's SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE appearance as Caine ("The man of the cloth wears not the clothes of the pimp"); and, CIRCLE OF IRON, not related, except the film was written by Bruce Lee and Carridine plays all 4 parts intended for Lee if he'd ever been abvle to raise the money for it in the late 60's.
Now if only I'd have taped that episode of WILD WEST TECH where David took over the show from his departing brother Keith... who played "middle" Caine in the KUNG FU pilot movie.
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I remember really being into Kung Fu during its initial run in the 1970s. With the exception of the SNL episode and The Gambler TV movie I don't believe I ever seen any of those followups or related shows. I'm pretty sure the original series is out on DVD so may get around to re-watching it again one of these days.
The pilot movie with its Charlie Chan tie-ins sounds especially fun now that I'm much more familiar with the old Chan movies
Best
Joe
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The cast-list for the KUNG FU pilot is like a "who's who" of Asian actors in Hollywood at the time. I have a strange feeling it may have been the 1st time I ever saw Keye Luke. According to the IMDB, about 14 different actors who appeared in the pilot wound up coming back to play other parts later in the series.
It was a shame about the 1985 tv-movie, when I re-watched it years later I realized just how much of it was left hanging, and they never really did a follow-up. The next year, they filmed the ...NEXT GENERATION pilot, set 100 years later, once more with Brandon Lee, but this time, without Carridine. While I really liked the 1985 revival film, the 1986 pilot wasn't very good, and I'd say it was a good thing it went unsold.
By comparison, ...THE LEGEND CONTINUES took the same basic concept, yet added so much to it, I came to love it as much or more than the original series. (Seems to me Carridine played Caine's grandson in one of those, and great-grandson in the other... but I forget which was which.) Chris Potter (Peter Caine), Kim Chan (Lo Si, alias "The Ancient"), and Robert Lansing (Paul Baisdell) all became favorite characters of mine. I think the thing I most appreciated about the sequel was that it DIDN'T have "THE FUGITIVE" plotline, either of the hero being on the run from the law, or, searching for someone he never finds for most of the run. I suspect I'd have enjoyed the original series even more if it had not been doing "THE FUGITIVE" so much. (Once, with David Jansen, was enough for me...)
For many years, I was under the imnpression that the "supernatural mysticism" seen so often in ...LEGEND CONTINUES had been introduced in the 1985 tv-movie (and before that, on the SNL episode!). But now I read they had actually introduced genuine supernatural elements in the 3rd season of the original series. I can't remember what it was up against, but I know that, apart from the opening 2-hour story, I never saw the rest of the 3rd season. I'm sure I was watching SOMETHING ELSE quite regularly at the same time, and probably intended to see KUNG FU again during the rerun season. Unfortunately-- infuriatingly-- KUNG FU had no reruns in its 3rd season. Gee, the same thing they did to THE GREEN HORNET. I swear, the 3 networks (ABC in particular) often seem to act in very self-destructive ways, when it comes to how they treat their programming.
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I swear, the 3 networks (ABC in particular) often seem to act in very self-destructive ways, when it comes to how they treat their programming.
May be one reason they lagged behind CBS and NBC in the ratings for so many years back in the day.
Best
Joe
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Hollywood and Hollywood writers have always been out of touch with "real" people. I am sure all of us have watched shows and think real life is nothing like this when it was the intent that it be real. I liked both Kung-fu series but did not like the mysticism.
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Today I was SO worn out, I did something I can hardly believe... With very few exceptions, I have not watched STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION since it was first-run (24 YEARS ago). So far today, I have just watched the first 14 episodes in a row!!!
You know what's funny? The show is actually fun to watch in a sort-of tacky way. Some of the character quirks are amusing, before they became really annoying. And I'm reminded of some of the early relationship dynamics, which, it seems to me, got totally screwed over the longer the show was on the air.
Like-- it's obvious Picard & Beverly are attracted to each other. WHY did they spend most of the run not having this go anywhere? Then there's Will Riker & Deanna Troi, who the moment they meet are like a really bad, awkward retread of Will Decker & Ilia. They're so stiff at first it's unbelieveable. I think all the acting got 10 times better after the 2-hour pilot. Anyway, the story that introduces Lwaxana was a hoot, and also showed that, despite whatever the hell the problem is, Will & Deanna do somehow care for each other deeply. So... WHY didn't it EVER go anywhere (until the 2nd feature film?). Both Wesley & Data are far less annoying here than they later became.
Strange but true: while I saw the show from the first episode (and taped every single one of them), my Mom never saw it until somewhere in the 3rd or 4th season. And when she did, she got HOOKED, big-time. She started watching it every time it was on. Since they got to running the stories twice a week, that means, while I saw each story ONCE, she saw each one FOUR TIMES!!!
At some point, she got around to seeing reruns of the 1st season. I always remember walking thru the dining room, where she spent most of her time sitting watching the small tv on the table, and noting she was watching the 2-hour pilot. And she looked at me and says, "This is the DUMBEST story I've ever seen!" That's after having seen dozens (maybe a hundred or more) later ones.
I've noted I have a lot more tolerance for "bad" films when I can't sleep, and that may account for my being able to sit thru so much of this today.
It's a shame that my favorite woman on the show's 1st season, Tasha, got killed off suddenly when Denise Crosby announced she wanted to quit the show. She may not have been my favorite kind of woman as far as face or personality, but I have a feeling I might have gotten along with her. By the episode "Angel One", she seemed to be loosening up a lot. I can't understand the complaint about her "not having enough to do". Her movie career sure didn't take off... (Doesn't that seem to be a running thing in the 80's and beyond? People quitting successful shows and then regretting it?)
A few times early-on, I found myself thinking how this might have gone if Paramount hadn't been so cheap. After the tremendous success of STAR TREK IV, the push was on to finally do a new tv series. But because the actors' salaries kept getting bigger and bigger by then, the decision was made, purely monetary, to do an entirely new series, with CHEAPER actors.
What stands out is the thought that the "cruise ship" version of the Enterprise was said to be a brand-new ship fresh out of dry dock (just like at the end of ST4). And the "battle bridge" seen in Ep.1 was clearly the bridge from the movies.
I liked how about 10 episodes in, you finally saw a rectangular hallway (like on the old show). Those octogonal vertical halls from the movies get on my nerves.
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"I liked both Kung-fu series but did not like the mysticism."
The 1st timne I saw it was in the '85 tv-movie when you suddenly saw Caine meditating, and he was FLOATING above the floor (like he was Dr. Strange). I thought they were following SNL's lead, not realizing they'd already introduced this stuff in the 3rd season.
What annoyed me about ...THE LEGEND CONTINUES was the way the kept running certain episodes clearly out of order, when that show had SO MUCH continuity! For example, I'm sure the 2nd & 3rd episodes were in the wrong order-- that early!-- and one of them introduced the supernatural stuff.
And would you believe, from what I've read, BOTH the old and new series had new episodes run AFTER the final stories? How dumb do you have to be to do that?
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I loved and watched every episode of ST:TNG originally but have only watched an occasional rerun. I hated Q and the whole Q concept.
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"I hated Q and the whole Q concept."
Ditto. As a one-off, or a very rarely-recurring figure, maybe, but he turned up way too often. And he was FAR more annoying than Squire Trelane ever was (heehee). The only episode with Q I actually liked was the one where he was de-powered by his people in punishment for being TOO arrogant, and Guinan wound up giving him all kinds of trouble.
Bizarre but true: in the late 80's, John DeLancie appeared in the pilot episodes of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE and the reunion movie GET SMART AGAIN! (fortunately, only a cameo in the latter)
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At about the same time, De Lancie was also a character on "Days of Our Lives". He played "Eugene" the nutty professor/scientist. Didn't have much to do except provide comic relief. I think his role lasted only for a short time, perhaps to help attract younger viewers. He left the series in a very original way- he was performing an experiment and POOF! He was gone. Really! Cheers, Bowers
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Just finished watching the first episode of "Whitechapel"--WOW! I believe it was Paw who gave us a heads-up a few months ago to be looking for "Bedlam" and "Whitechapel". Was he ever on the money! Both are excellent programs. (Of course not for the kiddies) Now if we can just get another run of "Primeval" and "Sherlock". Also rewatched the Ken Burns 3-part "Prohibition" documentary. What I like most about Burn's work is that he doesn't get preachy or over-moralize the issue. Both sides were pretty fairly represented. Even learned a lot about the bootlegging biz in my own Pacific Northwest. Cheers, Bowers
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Just finished watching the first episode of "Whitechapel"--WOW! I believe it was Paw who gave us a heads-up a few months ago to be looking for "Bedlam" and "Whitechapel". Was he ever on the money! Both are excellent programs. (Of course not for the kiddies) Now if we can just get another run of "Primeval" and "Sherlock". Also rewatched the Ken Burns 3-part "Prohibition" documentary. What I like most about Burn's work is that he doesn't get preachy or over-moralize the issue. Both sides were pretty fairly represented. Even learned a lot about the bootlegging biz in my own Pacific Northwest. Cheers, Bowers
I've also been enjoying Whitechapel and Bedlam. Good stuff! My thanks also to Paw for the heads up.
Didn't catch Burns' series Prohibition but will be soon starting a re-watch of his series The West.
Just learned over the weekend that BBC America will be running the 5th season of Primeval on Saturdays after Bedlam finishes. Starts November 12, IIRC. They'll run that right up til Christmas when it should be time for the Dr. Who Christmas episode.
From what I understand about Sherlock there won't be any new episodes until sometime in 2012 when we'll get three new episodes. Episode titles I've seen listed are "A Scandal in Belgravia", "The Hounds of Baskerville", and "The Reichenbach Fall".
Best
Joe
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Thanks for the schedule info, Joe. It's very much appreciated. I don't get BBC America as such, but I can get some of the series through my cable company's "On Demand" feature. As for the rest I have to wait until PBS picks them up. Cheers, Bowers
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Whitechapel etc. Glad to be spreading the word. Is this the first Whitechapel? Because, if so, there is a follow up with, what appears to be, the resurrection of the Krays. And if you found the ripper a bit chilling, just wait.
My pal loaned me a set of Sgt Preston of the Yukon (series 2) Just started watching them. Entertaining.
Recently released on dvd is Pathfinders in Space (1960-61), a pre Dr. Who, British, childrens, s.f.serial - done live on the proverbial shoestring but quite imaginative for all that. Set contains:- Pathfinders in Space; Pathfinders to Venus; Pathfinders to Mars. It's on Amazon U.K. but it's region 2.
It seems that we're getting PBS here and I think my cable provider will have it. Curious.
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Paw, if I'm not mistaken, BBC America is going to be running the two Whitechapel series back to back (a total of six episodes). We just had episode two of the first series this past Wednesday and will wrap that up next week.
Sometimes we get the Brit stuff almost as quick you do (Dr. Who) and other times it seems to take months or even years.
Best
Joe
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I just watched (again) one of the best STAR TREKs EVER!!!!!
True to my earlier intent, and to my own shock, I am continuing to watch every ST in my collection in chronological order. I watched ST5 in between seasons 2-3 of ST: TNG. Now, after watching 111 episodes (in less than 2 weeks!!!!!), I watched ST6. DAMN!!!! I LOVE this movie!!!!
It's pretty obvious they might not have decided to do a "final" ST film if ST5 hadn't been so seriously flawed. I read the other day some feel ST5 almost "killed" the series. While ST 2, 3, 4, & 6 are all SOOOOOO damn good, in retrospect, I do feel a bit of regret that nearly every ST movie was formed by behind-the-scenes B.S. All the problems behind the 1st one, Nimoy wanting to quit during the 2nd one, Nimoy coming back in the 3rd one, The Enterprise having been blown up in the previous film when they did ST4... as for ST5, I'm not sure what to say. After the end of ST4, couldn't they just, for once, have started a ST film with them already out there in space, like on, oh, say, every single episode of the original show???
Even ST6 starts with The Enterprise-- ONCE AGAIN!!! -- in space dock. The closest we got to the opening of a 60's episode was that The Excelsior was on patrol at the start.
There's so much good stuff in here. If this hadn't been designed to be a "farewell" movie, it could have stood alone as possibly the BEST ST film ever made. I kinda think it already may be anyway.
You know, the more I watch this, the more obvious it is that Valeris was supposed to be Saavik. It would have had a lot more "emotional" depth if it had been. Kirk hates Klingons for the death of his son. Saavik-- it was hinted-- was in love with David, and would have had a motive for being part of the conspiracy. All thru the film, Spock & Valeris have these question-and-answer things that refect what was going on in ST2. Kim Catrall was getting Kirstie Alley's lines!
I find it interesting that The President of Earth bears a striking resemblance to "Bem" from the cartoon episode. Also, got a laugh to see Rene Aubojonois almost a year before he made his debut as Odo.
Nicholas Meyer's love for Sherlock Holmes turns up in 2 bits of dialogue-- Spock, refering to "one of his ancestors", and Christopher Plummer saying "The game's afoot!" (he had starred as Holmes in MURDER BY DECREE, and a TV adaptation of "Silver Blaze" which I have never seen, before that).
I should look up Chris Eidelmann. What else did this guy do? His score is FABULOUS!!!
To sum up... ST6 blows every single TNG story completely out of the water on every level. (And that reminds me, I think the engineering section in this movie is really the one from the TNG tv series. It doesn't look anything like it did in any previous movie.)
Did you ever notice how BIG the bridge is in this film? For some reason, after ST4, they rebuilt the bridge completely from scratch for ST5, some said, to more resemble the one on the 60's series. I may be wrong, but while the one in ST resembles the one in ST6, it looks MUCH bigger to me! I'll have to check that out.
To me, the only shame of this film is that it WAS the last one.
And if they weren't gonna do anymore movies about Kirk, they damn well should have done some starring Sulu.
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I've seen all of the Star Trek movies but (with the exception of the first movie which I know I rewatched when they ran a version with more footage on TV) I don't believe I've ever completely set through any of them a second time.
I catch bits and pieces of them when the Lil Missus is rewatching them (she has them all on DVD and really is much more into rewatching shows than I am) so have seen some parts again.
My memory of them was that the odd numbered ones were on the weak side and the even numbered movies on the plus side.
The enthusiasm of your post and got me thinking about them again. It's been awhile so maybe I'll give the series a rewatch.
The Lil Missus and I have been occasionally rewatching episodes of the 1970s ST animated series which I find dreadfully animated (although not necessarily badly designed) but overall quite well written for a kid's animated series of that era.
Best
Joe
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Wasn't the animated using strips written for the actual show? At least the same writers
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I JUST got done watching the Robert Mitchum version of THE BIG SLEEP! I forgot a few actors I know... Richard Todd plays the police commissioner, John Mills plays the Scotland Yard inspector who's Marlowe's friend, and Don Henderson plays the owner of the garage. (Henderson has a small part in STAR WARS, and was also the main villain in a late-80's DOCTOR WHO story.)
Between John Mills and Colin Blakely, the film sports 2 different "Dr. Watsons". (Mills was in THE MASKS OF DEATH, Blakely in THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES.) I love noticing stuff like this.
Some people do not like this movie. I love it. I love every frame of it. I consider it an almost-PERFECT film. Gorgeous locations, incredible cast, PRECISE script. There's not a line wasted (unlike the '46 version). Every bit in it advanced the complex plot, with nothing getting in the way of clarity. I completely understood it the FIRST time I saw it. Oddly enough, my over-familiarity with the story NOW, and my having seen the Bogart film many more times than this, in a way makes it a bit more difficult to follow on its own terms. By that I mean, I know the story so well, that watching it tonight, there were moments where I wasn't quite sure the story makes as much sense as I know that it does, because some parts fly by so fast, and I'm not paying as much attention as I was that first time. (Does this make sense?)
I should probably watch it a few times all on its own, without the other version. Then it could "live" more in my mind.
I love how they SHOW things in flashback, just like DEATH ON THE NILE (made the same year). It makes it much easier to follow what was going on, because you don't just hear people talk abot things, you see them happen. This includes the chauffer, who you didn't even see in the '46 film. Here, Marlowe passes the guy outside the mansion, then we see the same scene in flashback later.
Also... a major point of contention in both the novel and the '46 film, was NOBODY (including Raymond Chandler) was sure who killed the chauffer. In this film, you SEE it happen!! He drives off a pier and kills himself. It's not really explained. But it makes sense. He was in love with Camilla, and murdered the man who was taking naked photos of her to use for blackmail purposes (and possibly to include in porno books). In the process, he steals the film of her. But then someone else steals the film from him! So he committed murder, and all for nothing. Distraught, he kills himself. Makes sense to me.
Oliver Reed is so CREEPY in this as Eddie Mars. He seems polite at times, yet you keep sensing something's not right. The full scope of the motivations don't come out until the very end of the film... at which point, Mars has walked away scot free. See, the Hayes Office wouldn't like that-- that's why he got killed in the original.
Camilla is SHOWN in flashback at the end, so the audience knows what happened and why the entire plot hingers around her actions. SHE couldn't get away with it in the Hayes Office's eyes, either, so it's hinted at so vaguely that it probably flew right by the censors without then even realizing the stunt they'd pulled.
Camilla (Candy Clark) is MUCH crazier in this film. That's what makes it such a tragedy... there's moments where I kinda liked her. But then, there's other moments... (Candy Clark was one of my favorite characters in AMERICAN GRAFFITTI. I also liked McKenzie Phillips in there.)
The film has 3 acts. 1) The blackmail scheme 2) Eddie Mars' missing wife 3) Gen. Sternwood finally asks Marlowe to find Rusty Regan. The final act is shockingly short.
Instead of the climax between Marlowe & Mars as made up from scratch in the '46 film, the '78 film follows the book, and goes from Marlowe's 2nd meeting with Sternwood to the incident with Camilla to his conversation with the older sister. She thinks he wants money. He explains just how "greedy" he is (in a sarcastic way). And he's got a great line where he says he's trying to let a sick, old man die in peace without thinking that his daughters are "perverts and killers". And then, as he departs, his voice-over touches on the title of the story, which is never even mentioned in the '46 film. There IS no voice-over anywhere in the '46 film. This film has it from start to finish. It may not be a happy ending, but for once, I don't care. This movie is MAGNIFICENT. I just wish I had a better print of it.
Actually, there's only one thing that bothers me about this... sometimes the sound is a bit hollow. All this gorgeous, intelligent magnificence let down by a "technical" flaw... (I bet they could fix that, though, with the right technology, remastering, etc.)
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Wasn't the animated using strips written for the actual show? At least the same writers
I don't know if the scripts had originally been planned for the original series but they definitely used some of the same writers.
Best
Joe
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Anyone watching the new shows Grimm and Once Upon a Time?
I have only watched the first episode of Grimm and liked it but have not watched the others yet. Once Upon a Time my wife and I watch and enjoy together. Interesting concept to see how it plays out. We also watch the new Shows Revenge and Ringer. OUAT, Revenge and Ringer seem best suited for one good season and wrap it up. Good stories that will wear old if continued.
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The Lil Missus and I are watching both Grimm and Once Upon a Time. I wonder if it was the success of DC's Vertigo title Fables that influenced the networks to pursue such similar concepts as a weekly show.
Best
Joe
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I have seen some messages calling them network Fables rips. Given the age and experience of network writers I would say it is very likely the success of Fables that prompted their efforts. BTW I just watched Machete. One of the best intentional Drive In B movies. Had the right elements done right.
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Wasn't the animated using strips written for the actual show? At least the same writers
Yep, a lot of the same writers, but they were new stories for the animated show. A lot of the episodes were pretty good, especially since they could do things with animation that they couldn't afford to do live action. It was a Filmation production, they were also responsible for the New Adventures of Superman, I was just watching their Superboy cartoons last night.
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STAR TREK VI: THE UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY
THE BIG SLEEP (1946)
THE BIG SLEEP (1978)
HALLOWEEN (1978)
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Wasn't the animated using strips written for the actual show? At least the same writers
Yep, a lot of the same writers, but they were new stories for the animated show. A lot of the episodes were pretty good, especially since they could do things with animation that they couldn't afford to do live action. It was a Filmation production, they were also responsible for the New Adventures of Superman, I was just watching their Superboy cartoons last night.
My only real problem with the animated ST is that the animation is so extremely limited. Much of the artistic design of the show-from the addition of alien characters to the crew to the look of various "sets" is just fine and even quite well done at times, IMHO. Its kinda' like they spent all their money getting most of the original actors, good scripts, good art direction and then had almost no money left to do the actual animation.
I have a friend who recorded the shows on reel to reel tape back when they originally ran and says that he misses little by just listening to those now-a-days as there was so little movement to see in the video aspect of the show. Am exaggeration, of course, but you get my point.
Best
Joe
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Saturday mornings in the 70's were a wasteland. The censors had a field day, and totally gutted it of anything fun, exciting, etc. It's a miracle anything watchable got on the air at all. This is something you have to remember when looking at the STAR TREK cartoons. Believe it or not-- at the time-- it was, by a wide margin, the BEST damn thing on!!! And, it actually did manage to capture the look and feel of the original show, between the writing, the actors, the design of the ship (something the Gold Key comics never bothered with), and even getting some real science-fiction writers involved (something that was few and far between in the 3rd season, and virtually non-existent on ST:TNG).
But you also have to realize it was Filmation. The same company that did ARCHIE, and JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. Try watching that show, and you'll see that by comparison, on every level, STAR TREK was a real masterpiece. I believe ST was the first Filmation show to make extensive use of rotoscoping (for the Enterprise). This was continued and expanded with some of their later shows, like BATMAN, TARZAN, and FLASH GORDON. (The FLASH GORDON cartoon feature film was probably the greatest piece of work ever achieved by the studio; not only did it have extensive rotoscoping, and it took its subject matter seriously, it also had ALMOST no reuse of animation from start to finish.)
Some of the episodes were disappointing, but I feel in general they had better stories than most of the 3rd season. For a ST fan almost from the word go, it was a real treasure. My biggest disappointment was that they only did 16 episodes the 1st year-- and then, only 6 the 2nd. (6 !!! Cheap B******s!!!) Did studios and networks really think kids were happy to just keep watching the same few stories over and over and over??
Regarding the budget... I understand they originally only wanted to spring for Shatner, Nimoy & Kelley. I believe Nimoy told them he wouldn't do the show unless they got the rest of the cast. They agreed, but fell short by ONE actor... Walter Koenig. To make it up to him, they wound up filming a story he wrote.
I was also a bit disappointed (and baffled) by the music. WHY change the theme song? And why not use ANY of the original music? I only recently learned that Ray Ellis did the score (he did the classic jazz music on the 1st season of SPIDER-MAN / 1967). Seems to me it should have been relatively inexpensive to reuse existing music from the original 3 seasons-- and there was so much of it. Instead, we got NEW music, but not that much, and what we did get was reused over and over for all 22 episodes.
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Animated Flash Gordon feature film? Did not know such existed. Sounds like it is worth watching.
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FLASH GORDON: THE GREATEST ADVENTURE OF ALL was intended to be Filmation's masterpiece. And I think it was. Well-written, a loving tribute to the Alex Raymond strip, with lots of rotoscoped spaceships and very little repeated animation. They even revealed the never-seen "engines" that drove the planet Mongo across space, something I'd have thought someboyd should have looked into decades before.
It was, apparently, intended for theatres, but they could not find a distributor-- anti-cartoon sentiment was so powerful in the US, the fact that it was not a "kiddie cartoon" sunk their chances. But Dino DeLaurentiis' company picked up the foreign rights, and got it into theatres in Europe. Dino had never seen FG before. he was so impressed, he got inspired to do one of his own. I'm not kidding! Less than a year later, Dino's FLASH GORDON was in theatres. Who in Hollywood could have accomplished such a feat at the time? Of course, I always felt it could have benefitted from a little more work on the script... (I've read totally conflicting reports about the making opf the film in recent years, but the above is what I read BACK THEN. I'm beginning to think a lot of people love re-writing history after-the-fact, usually in very self-serving ways.)
Filmation cuit up their feature and added a ton of new material to flesh it out to 13 episodes for Saturday morning. Lots of the feature did not wind up in the serial version at all. But 3 YEARS later, NBC ran the feature intact on a Friday night. I was stunned. It was so much better than what I'd seen on Saturday morning.
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I remember a Flash Gordon tie-in toy play set that I had at the time, it was among my favorite toys back then. Right up there with my Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, and superhero toys.
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Some good stuff on TV this week. Really enjoyed the finale on "Whitechapel"- am eagerly awaiting more! "Bedlam" is getting spookier, and the ghosts are getting bolder and more vicious as the plot develops. At last! A new (to us) season of "Primeval". " The Mentalist" is starting to bounce back from a weak premiere, and it's about time. It seems to me that network TV is starting to gain ground on the cable channels. Not because their programming is all that great, but because cable is going into a real slide. History Channel has gone to an all UFO, prophecy, and Bermuda Triangle format, Arts and Entertainment and The Learning Channel have gone pretty much all-reality, SciFy produces absolutely ludicrous movies, and the list goes on. AMC and TNT are the two bright spots, producing some fairly decent original programming. Cheers, Bowers.
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Some good stuff on TV this week. Really enjoyed the finale on "Whitechapel"- am eagerly awaiting more! "Bedlam" is getting spookier, and the ghosts are getting bolder and more vicious as the plot develops. At last! A new (to us) season of "Primeval". " The Mentalist" is starting to bounce back from a weak premiere, and it's about time. It seems to me that network TV is starting to gain ground on the cable channels. Not because their programming is all that great, but because cable is going into a real slide. History Channel has gone to an all UFO, prophecy, and Bermuda Triangle format, Arts and Entertainment and The Learning Channel have gone pretty much all-reality, SciFy produces absolutely ludicrous movies, and the list goes on. AMC and TNT are the two bright spots, producing some fairly decent original programming. Cheers, Bowers.
I just watched the start of the second story (about the Krays) on Whitechapel a couple of hours ago. Looks to be as good as the first.
I too was glad to see the latest season of Primeval finally show up over here in the States.
I still like such shows as Haven, Warehouse 13 and Alphas on Syfy but agree that many of their movies can be on the goofy side (although I don't necessarily find that a bad thing all of the time).
I'd add FX to your list of cable channels with some good programming. I very much enjoy Sons of Anarchy and Justified and am recently getting into American Horror Story.
Best
Joe
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FLASH GORDON: THE GREATEST ADVENTURE OF ALL was intended to be Filmation's masterpiece. And I think it was. Well-written, a loving tribute to the Alex Raymond strip, with lots of rotoscoped spaceships and very little repeated animation. They even revealed the never-seen "engines" that drove the planet Mongo across space, something I'd have thought someboyd should have looked into decades before.
I must confess I too had never heard of the Flash Gordon: The Greatest Adventure of All but it certainly sounds like its worth a watch from your description.
It was, apparently, intended for theatres, but they could not find a distributor-- anti-cartoon sentiment was so powerful in the US, the fact that it was not a "kiddie cartoon" sunk their chances. But Dino DeLaurentiis' company picked up the foreign rights, and got it into theatres in Europe. Dino had never seen FG before. he was so impressed, he got inspired to do one of his own. I'm not kidding! Less than a year later, Dino's FLASH GORDON was in theatres. Who in Hollywood could have accomplished such a feat at the time? Of course, I always felt it could have benefitted from a little more work on the script... (I've read totally conflicting reports about the making opf the film in recent years, but the above is what I read BACK THEN. I'm beginning to think a lot of people love re-writing history after-the-fact, usually in very self-serving ways.)
Back in the 1970s Phoenix was a popular market for doing advance test screenings of films. I remember that DeLaurentiis' Flash Gordon was one of those and I tried to go see it but the crowd was so large that I couldn't get in. A friend of mine did though and talked to him later after the final cut premiered and he mentioned that it had been tinkered with quite a bit between the test showing and its premiere.
Best
Joe
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Saturday mornings in the 70's were a wasteland. The censors had a field day, and totally gutted it of anything fun, exciting, etc. It's a miracle anything watchable got on the air at all. This is something you have to remember when looking at the STAR TREK cartoons. Believe it or not-- at the time-- it was, by a wide margin, the BEST damn thing on!!! And, it actually did manage to capture the look and feel of the original show, between the writing, the actors, the design of the ship (something the Gold Key comics never bothered with), and even getting some real science-fiction writers involved (something that was few and far between in the 3rd season, and virtually non-existent on ST:TNG).
But you also have to realize it was Filmation. The same company that did ARCHIE, and JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH. Try watching that show, and you'll see that by comparison, on every level, STAR TREK was a real masterpiece.
To be honest after the early 1970s, as I entered my teens, I found myself watching less and less Saturday morning shows. The animated Star Trek was one of the last that I watched regularly. It was the fact that the shows were generally well written that did keep my interest.
Some of the episodes were disappointing, but I feel in general they had better stories than most of the 3rd season. For a ST fan almost from the word go, it was a real treasure.
I tend to think that you are correct and that the animated series had a higher degree of good scripts than did the 3rd season of the original ST.
My biggest disappointment was that they only did 16 episodes the 1st year-- and then, only 6 the 2nd. (6 !!! Cheap B******s!!!) Did studios and networks really think kids were happy to just keep watching the same few stories over and over and over??
Actually it was pretty common for Saturday morning shows back then that ran more than one season to have less shows produced in succeeding seasons.
Here's a few examples of Filmation's other shows that illustrate my point-
Shazam- S1-15, S2-7, S3-6
The Secrets of Isis- S1-15, S2-7
Sabrina and the Groovie Ghoulies- S1-13, S2-2
Jason of Star Command S1-16, S2-12
Filmation's biggest success was Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids which ran from 1972-1985 (13 seasons) and only produced a total of 59 episodes! 14 episodes the first season and never more than 8 episodes in any season to follow with some seasons seeing no new episodes produced at all!
So to answer your questions- Yes, the studios and networks did expect kids to keep watching the same shows over and over again. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't.
Best
Joe
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"Sabrina and the Groovie Ghoulies- S1-13, S2-2"
2 !!! Why did they even bother?
By comparison, when the WB BATMAN premiered, I understand they did 65 the first year. Not sure how many in succeeding years. Sadly, I got fed up with the show after one season, because of the way they kept scheduling it. Anytime there was any continuity betwen stories, they always ran them out of sequence. And they kept interspersing reruns with new episodes, which made it very difficult trying to tape the new ones, as day after day (sometimes for weeks) it was nothing but reruns, and you never knew when the new ones would turn up.
There's a lot of people getting paid really good money to do work that bad...
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[
By comparison, when the WB BATMAN premiered, I understand they did 65 the first year. Not sure how many in succeeding years. Sadly, I got fed up with the show after one season, because of the way they kept scheduling it. Anytime there was any continuity betwen stories, they always ran them out of sequence. And they kept interspersing reruns with new episodes, which made it very difficult trying to tape the new ones, as day after day (sometimes for weeks) it was nothing but reruns, and you never knew when the new ones would turn up.
There's a lot of people getting paid really good money to do work that bad...
Batman-the animated series worked out to- S1-60, S2-10, S3-10, S4-5 (a total of 85 episodes) plus a couple feature length movies along the way in there somewhere.
I can sympathize about trying to follow and record such a show. After the first twenty episodes the scheduling of new episodes started getting increasingly erratic and after the forty fifth episode -Good Luck- on trying to catch when ever they would schedule a new one!
It has become so much easier these days to just wait for a whole season of a show to come out on DVD or become available online somewhere.
Best
Joe
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Last month, after years of using dial up service, I upgraded my ISP and have started checking out places I can watch videos online (something that was excruciatingly difficult to do with dial up)..
I thought I would mention some of the neat 1950s and 60s shows I found recently at Hulu.com
Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot- the entire series- I'm finally getting to see this one and it is a hoot!
Highway Patrol- Season One (39 episodes) & Sea Hunt- Season One (39 episodes) I used to watch these two 1950s series regularly as a kid in the 1960s but haven't seen much of either since the early 1970s. Very cool revisiting them.
My Mother the Car- the complete series- possibly both the nadir and the epitome of 1960s sitcoms. Kinda' like watching a terrible disaster - fascinating and repelling at the same time.
Man With a Camera- the entire series- Charles Bronson as a tough guy reporter/photographer in this 1950s series.
Others I have seen there but haven't yet checked out include Alfred Hitchcock Presents,The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Bat Masterson, The Buccaneers, The Cisco Kid, The Donna Reed Show, Father Knows Best, One Step Beyond, The Roy Rogers Show, Tales of Tomorrow, The Addams Family, Adam 12, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Bewitched, The Big Valley, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Dragnet (60s version), Gigantor, Green Acres, I Dream of Jeannie, Ironside, Land of the Giants, Lost in Space, McHale's Navy, Milton the Monster Show, Mister Ed, Night Gallery, The Outer Limits, Prince Planet, The Time Tunnel, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.
I'm sure there are other vintage shows that i haven't spotted there yet too. They also have a number of current and more recent series. You can search alphabetically or by decade or by genre.
I should also mention a neat modern serial that they have there. The Mercury Men- a recent production that is a fun update of those wonderful fun old black and white, low budget chapter-plays. I'm just over halfway through it's 10 episodes. Chapters run about six-eight minutes each.
Enjoy
Joe
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"Batman-the animated series worked out to- S1-60, S2-10, S3-10, S4-5 (a total of 85"
Utterly ridiculous!!!
But this means I actually do have most of them... (sheesh) And all these years I thought I must be missing a ton of them...
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I finished watching the new version of A Better Tomorrow this morning. Wow, not as good as the original. But, what remake is? This is a very good movie, if you ignore the original, and pretend it's not a remake. I do not mean that as a swipe, because this movie works, but it has its faults, just like the original, and it has some moments that will hit you square in the gut. It's great if you watch it on the right level, it has its short-comings too, but in the end, it works, and it's pretty cool. Check it out...
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"Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot- the entire series- I'm finally getting to see this one and it is a hoot!"
I only got to see it once. Channel 17 in Philly ran all 25 episodes (I read online there's 26, but I only saw 25!! I woudln't put it past them to have SKIPPED one) once, then yanked it off. (Rumor has it it was seen again around here, but, again, if it was, I sure as hell never knew about it.)
I always thought of this as a sort of parody of ULTRA MAN, SPACE GIANTS, and of course, GIGANTOR. I mean, the villains were so funny, the monsters were just plain ridiculous in design, and you had the insane mixture of a little kid hero and tons of violence (so many machine-guns!!). I bet the parents censor groups in the late 60's had heart attacks over this one.
I couldn't help but notice that (as far as I could tell) some of the episodes were blatently run out of sequence. You had Dangor The Executioner, who was obviously the same character as Fangor, only before some horrible mutilating accident. And Fangor appeared first.
I've only seen most of these once, except for the 5 episodes that were edited together in the absurdly-titled VOYAGE INTO SPACE compilation film. I've got a bad copy of that, and have seen it many times! It never fails to put a big smile on my face.
Jerry Mano reminds me a bit of Jimmy Woo from THE YELLOW CLAW series, while the "Nucleon" monster reminds me a lot of the "Octo-Sapien" from a HULK episode in TALES TO ASTONISH.
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Never seen Johnny Sokko
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THE DEVIL'S BRIDE
HOUSE OF USHER
PIT AND THE PENDULUM
THE PREMATURE BURIAL
THE CHURCH
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I found episodes of Man With a Camera on the internet and have watched some - they are very enjoyable.
Once you start looking, lots of stuff turns up but some sites wont let anyone outside N.America view some programmes.
We have been watching a new show here and, although it's not gritty, serious and dark - quite the opposite, in fact - it's great entertainment. Death in Paradise stars Ben Miller (Primeval and one half of Armstrong and Miller) and it's set on a W. Indies island which used to be French and is now British. There is a murder and Scotland Yard send an Inspector. A wee bit of a Doc Martin character but quite funny and diverting. Also, in some episodes you can wallow in Don Warringtons amazing voice. Danny John Jules, the cat in Red Dwarf, also stars.
We now have the new Mentalist episodes - so-so, we'll see how it goes.
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Will be watching for "Death in Paradise"- sounds pretty good. Always glad to see Ben Miller and Danny John Jules. I didn't want to give any spoilers when I earlier gave a poor review on the new season of "The Mentalist". Now, I have to ask wasn't the season premiere pretty awful? The first few episodes seem to depict Jane as being more smug and self-righteous and not as charming. Why do writers have to mess with a successful character? Anyway, the later episodes are better. Happy Thanksgiving to all and don't get trampled on Black Friday! Cheers, Bowers
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TALES OF TERROR
THE RAVEN
MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM
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Tonight: Sandra Dee, Dean Stockwell, Ed Begley, Lloyd Bochner & Sam Jaffee in...
GIDGET GOES TO HELL
;)
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Tonight: Sandra Dee, Dean Stockwell, Ed Begley, Lloyd Bochner & Sam Jaffee in...
GIDGET GOES TO HELL
;)
aka The Dunwich Horror.
Weird your bringing this up now as I'm right in the middle of reading a collection of Lovecraft stories.
On the other hand I don't always associate Dee with Gidget as I have never seen any of the movies where she plays the character but instead have Sally Field etched into my mind from her portrayal of Gidget in the 1960s TV series.
Best
Joe
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THE DUNWICH HORROR is one of many films that at the IMDB has provoked almost violent contrasts of opinions. Most of the negative opinions, it seems to me, are from younger people who are absolutely OBSESSED with the singular idea that a movie is good or bad based solely on whether it's faithful to the book or not. I find this an increasingly narrow point-of-view to take. It would certainly make it almost impossible for anyone to enjoy any James Bond, Edgar Allan Poe or Jules Verne films.
Trivia: there's 3 "Battlestar Galactica" connections in this film. No kidding! The Director, Daniel Haller, directed one of the very best BG stories, the 2-part "War Of The Gods"; Lloyd Bochner played "Commander Leitner" the the Nazi-like "Eastern Alliance" (in the episodes "Greetings From Earth" and "Baltar's Escape"); and Ed Begley's SON was a regular on the show!
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HEAVY METAL (1981)
"This is great. Eighteen years of nothin', and now twice in one day! What a place."
...and...
"The rising moon climaxes our love, Den. It is a sign."
"YES. A SIGN."
("I had no idea what she was talking about!")
...and...
"But WHY can't we get married? We laugh, we have a lot of fun together, we have highly proficient sex..."
"Look, let's just say we're different and leave it at that, okay?"
"Whatta ya mean-- different?" ("SPROING!")
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TARZAN FINDS A SON! (1939)
This may be the greatest film ever made starring a 5-year-old actor. Honestly, people who don't like "Boy" are crazy. What a kid!
Only 2 things really bother me about this film. First is Henry Stephenson's character getting shot in the back, the same way the "comic relief" guy did in the previous film. 2 films in a row where the most symnpathetic character is killed by someone they knew. That ain't right. Sure, the person who did it came to a bad end, but that's not enough...
Also, I think they missed a real bet here. MGM never gave their Tarzan an "origin" story. Along comes "Boy" who is said to be the nephew of "Lord Greystoke". Just imagine if, halfway thru the film, Henry Stephenson's character had recognized that TARZAN was actually Lord Greystoke!! That would mean HE had as much legal right to keep Boy as the greedy relatives. It would have supplied a more complex dynamic with all the other characters, as well. (It seems absurd that in the MGM series, both Jane and Boy are heirs to great estates-- but Tarzan is a complete mystery.)
Henry
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I enjoyed last night's episode of Leverage which concentrated on the ladies and had Jeri Ryan returning as Tara Cole. A nice little break from the usual. I like to see them both guest star Ryan and try something a bit different (like this episode) more often.
Best
Joe
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I just read that two lost episodes of Dr. Who have been found.
More at this blogsite.
http://from-the-archive.blogspot.com/
Best
Joe
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Great news. It was an item on news this morning and they managed to forget to tell us which episodes they were. Typical.
Death in Paradise keeps up its standards and, because we were on holiday, we have a couple of episodes to catch up on.
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Tonight:
CLEOPATRA JONES AND THE CASINO OF GOLD (1975)
I can hardly believe I've only ever seen this once before, and way back in the 80's. This was one FANTASTIC, fun movie from beginning to end. And here's a review that really sums up EXACTLY what I was thinking as I watched it...
http://blackholereviews.blogspot.com/2007/08/cleopatra-jones-and-casino-of-gold-1975.html
Yep, Tamara Dobson is like the black Mrs. Peel. EVERY scene she has a different outfit! Made me think, how come Diana Rigg didn't switch from spy to private eye and do something like this in the 70's?
Music by Dominic Frontiere-- yeah-- THE OUTER LIMITS guy. Although this is more in the vein of Lalo Schifrin's ENTER THE DRAGON, but a bit more "fun" and ecclectic.
With a black woman teamed up with a Chinese woman fighting a heroin ring in Hong Kong, this feels like it could have been the inspiration for "Daughters of the Dragon" in THE DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU. Only about 100 times more fun.
The final shoot-out has to be seen to be believed. This film puts THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN to shame. (As did ENTER THE DRAGON.)
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I just watched SUPER aka The Crimson Bolt. Love it or hate it, it is a must see for the super hero comic reader.
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Just watched Brian DePalma's SCARFACE, first time in 20 years. When I saw the 2 little kids step out of the hotel, about to get into the car, I started LAUGHING!!! (I knew what was coming.) ;D
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I've gotta admit I've never cared for DePalma's version of Scarface (although I do like the original Paul Muni version). DePalma is a very hit and miss director with me. I like some of his earlier films (Sisters, Phantom of the Paradise, Carrie) but most his later films (that I've seen) are poor to middling. The most recent I've seen was his very disappointing adaptation of James Ellroy's The Black Dahlia.
Best
Joe
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Yesterday: SCARFACE (Brian DePalma)
Tonight: BLOODY MAMA (Roger Corman!)
It's funny. My Dad tended to dislike movies that were "slow" or "too long". SCARFACE is both, yet he LOVED it! Go figure.
Unfortunately, my copy of BLOODY MAMA was from a local UHF station, and is missing a lot of profanity (and who knows what else). After the film, I have an interview with Shelly Winters, Robert Walden & Don Stroud. At one point, Stroud jokingly asks, "How can they show this on TV?" and it's suggested it's been trimmed down to 15 minutes.
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Scarface never interested me because of two long and slow. I saw Bloody Mama at the movie theater way back when
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Recently read that Hollywood is having a terrible fourth quarter this year and they don't know if it's just bad / indifferent movies or nobody has money to go see them. Probably a combination of both. The wife and I will be seeing "The Warhorse" Christmas Day and will take all the grandaughters to "TinTin" later in the week. What is everybody else going to see? Has anyone seen John Sayles' latest film, "Amigo"? Didn't get much of a release, but should be out on dvd soon- still looking for a copy. Stars Chris Cooper and takes place during the Phillippine Insurrection (or war of independence, depending upon your views). Sayles is one of my very favorite writer/directors, and does period movies very well. Most of his movies are just about regular people facing extraordinary situations, but he never fails to concentrate on the humanity (good or bad) of his characters. "Matewan", "Eight Men Out" and "The Secret of Roan Inish" are three of my favorite Sayles films. Happy viewing and Christmas Cheer to all- Bowers
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Scarface never interested me because of two long and slow. I saw Bloody Mama at the movie theater way back when
Strange but true: Dad and I watched both versions of SCARFACE "back-to-back"-- well, over 2 consecutive Saturday nights. Considering his age, he dismissed the Howard Hawks version because the acting was too primitive (watching it again recently, I noticed by a mile the BEST acting in the film was from Boris Karloff-- it's no wonder he went on to become a big star). I suspect he preferred the DePalma version because of the violence, profanity, and half-naked women. (heh heh)
Myself, I was actually taken with the way the DePalma film added a completley new 45-min. sequence in between when Tony kills his boss and takes his girl, AND, when he kills his best friend for sleeping with his sister (not realizing, they'd gotten married). The original was a thinly-disguised bio of Al Capone, who was still "in power", and the ending of it was Hawks' idea of what Capone should have coming-- gunned down like a mad dog by the cops. Didn't happen that way in real life, did it?
Instead, in the remake, Tony inadvertenly crosses his Bolivian partner Sosa, who sends out his private army to take Tony down. It was a sad commentary on the 80's, that the cops were powerless, but the drug lord wasn't. Watching it agan the other day, I was struck by what real UGLY ANIMALS most of that hit squad was made up of. Except for the one in the dark glasses, who quietly snuck up behind Tony and shot him in the back. A real "pro". Not like the IDIOT who charged in blasting and shot THE WRONG PERSON (Tony's sister Gina). I mean, if that guy had waited, Gina might have killed Tony herself, saved him the trouble, and most of the hit squad might have made it out of there alive. (Funny the things that go thru my head while watching something like this.)
By comparison, I learned watching a History Channel documentary about the real-life Colombian drug lord that for over a decade the authorities found it impossible to put a stop to the guy. Until, one day, during a police raid, one of the cops SHOT him IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD. Nobody could verify if it was an accident or deliberate. But it came down to the fact that it became the ONLY way the guy was ever gonna be stopped. I thought about it, and suddenly realized, Howard Hawks had predicted the outcome-- DECADES before the fact.
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Have finished plowing at mind-boggling speed thru the entire run of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION (not watched at all since it was first-run) and am now halfway thru Season 6 of DEEP SPACE NINE. Last time I watched these was on cable reruns, 5 times a week (some station was running them around 4 in the morning...) The problem facing me right now is, out of 34 videotapes, tape 29 is MISSING. I'd HATE to skip it and then find it after I was done...
Also watching my CHARLIE CHANs again, and the early TARZANs.
And just this week, started on THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN! Damn, I love this show!!!
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Wow!
That's a heckuva' lotta TV watching there Henry!
Seven seasons of ST:NG and now nearly that much of ST:DSN.
How long did that take you?
Curious
Joe
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I highly recommend that everyone watch the Chinese movie AFTERSHOCK. This was far better IMHO than anything from Hollywood. Deeply impacting.
Even if you do not watch many movies this is a must see.
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Earlier this week:
BANANAS
I got a much -better copy of this a few years ago off of TCM, and it keeps getting better each time I see it. I LOVE the opening sequence with Howard Cosell. The scene in the magazine store is priceless. What's with the woman who keeps looking? And then after he tried to keep a low profile, the check-out guy yells across the room, "GUY WANTS A COPY OF ORGASM, HOW MUCH IS IT?"
Does anybody else find Louise Lasser INTENSELY annoying???
Who else recognized Sylvester Stallone on the subway?
You know what I wish? I wish he'd hire somebody with some actual creativity to do his opening credits. At some point around 1980 or so, EVERY SINGLE MOVIE began to have the exact same opening credits. It's a shock when I look at one of his early ones, and am reminded that, yes, movie credits sequences ARE supposed to be creative. Watching opening credits on most of his films is like having a paperback book with the cover ripped off.
The next night...
EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX *
*but were afraid to ask
My favorite section is the one with John Carridine-- he's SO over-the-top!
"They called me MAD! --but I showed them!!"
The last sequence is also cool... it's got Tony Randall, Burt Reynolds AND Oscar Beregi in it (I know, nobody knows who that last guy is, but I always remember him for playing foreign bad guys on shows like GET SMART)
Last night:
SLEEPER (my first "real" Woody Allen film... and still one of the funniest)
Tonight:
LOVE AND DEATH
(This movie has SO many great lines in it!!)
"You LOVE Russia, DON'T you?"
"Of course."
"You wanna make a CAREER of the army, DON'T you?"
"Well, let's not get carried away..."
"From now on, YOU'RE gonna clean the mess AND the latrine!"
"How will I tell the difference?"
"Alright-- ONE, TWO, ONE, TWO, ONE, TWO..."
"Three comes next in case you're having a problem..."
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Movies I loved in my teen and early 20's I often do not enjoy much now. While I enjoyed parts of Banana's when it was on not long ago, it could not completely keep my attention. I need to watch Sleepers again as I really liked it a lot way back then.
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Finally got to watch the last episode of the season (or possibly the series) of "Primeval". Seems like they had everything pretty much wrapped up but left an opening for another season. I guess ratings and cash flow will decide the issue. The IMDB boards spoke of a possible move to Canada for the show, with a new cast. Don't think that would turn out very well. Also found out about a new season of "Doc Martin"! Don't know when we'll get it over here, but maybe PBS will pick it up. The wife and I saw "War Horse" Christmas Day and both really enjoyed it. Sort of a chick-flick with machine guns! "Tin Tin" next week. Cheers, Bowers
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I started watching Doc Martin and really enjoy it. My wife and I watched 3 movies over Christmas break. The most enjoyable was Mission Impossible with lots of improbable stuff but enough fun to make them overlookable. Sherlock Holmes was OK with a really good ending. Darkest Hour was good but nothing special and not worth three D.
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A couple of days ag Turner Classic Movies showed the Dr Who feature film "Daleks, Invasion of Earth 2150 A D".
I was pleased as punch, I've wanted to see this movies for quiet a while.
I DVR'ed it, but Charter Cable's new cable box does not allow recording movies on VHS anymore.
The earlier Dr Who feature film is available for viewing on YouTube.
Peter Cushing plays the Dr in both.
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Lately...
BANANAS
EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX *
*but were afraid to ask
SLEEPER
LOVE AND DEATH
MANHATTAN
STARDUST MEMORIES
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S SEX COMEDY
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I have both the Peter Cushing Docs on VHS somewhere if they have not deteriortated
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"INVASION EARTH: 2150 A.D." (as it was listed in TV GUIDE way back when) was my introduction to DOCTOR WHO. After seeing both movies (the 1st one afterwards, probably why it's always been a disappointment to me), my next exposure was "THE SILURIANS" (in color, with, as it turns out, a lot of cuts made to allow for commercials). Took quite some time for me to figure out how the heck the movies and the TV series were related.
Many years later, I got to see "THE DALEK INVASION OF EARTH" when it turned up on PBS in the mid-80's. Awesome, devastating, overwhelmingly downbeat story-- the single most frightening "alien invasion" story in the show's entire history. But I prefer the movie version by a mile. Better pacing, more visually spectacular (love the movie spaceship and Robomen). Some might think it's too "fun" for a supposedly "serious" story, but I don't care. I'd rather watch it than WAR OF THE WORLDS anyday.
Apart from Peter Cushing, Bernard Cribbns is a lot of fun, and Roberta Tovey as Susan is just adorable. I've long thought if I ever had a daughter, I'd want her to be like Susan.
Oh yeah, and Phillip Madoc's cameo role is just terrific! (What a bastard.) ;)
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Sherlock starts on BBC tomorrow and the very last series of Hustle starts next week. As it's Hogmanay, the t.v. is poor tonight. But the saving grace could be, yet again, Jools Holland taking us into the New Year with his R'n'B Orchestra and piles of guests. That, with champagne, coquilles st. jacques and home made shortbread should make for a satisfying start to the New Year. All the best.
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currently at the end of Season 1 Star Trek: Next Generation and in the middle of 7th Season of X-Files. From the movies in my watching queue are Silent Hill and The Thirteenth Floor.
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Thanks for joining in the convo GeoRW ;D I loved Next Gen but prefer to watch it occasionally as I catch it on TV rather than in heavy doses. I never liked X-Files except the movie.
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In the past I watched NextGen occasionally in the TV as well, but I missed a lot of the parts. Now I started to watch it properly, with a bit of nostalgia :-) Same with X-Files.
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josemas wrote:
"How long did that take you?"
I just finished DEEP SPACE NINE today. The whole thing (TNG / DS9) took just about 2 months. WOW. I always figured it would take me years to plow thru those, if I ever got the urge to dig 'em out. I have seen a lot of the DS9's on reruns, at a rate of 5 episodes a week, when someone was running tham at 4 AM. But this was the first time I've seen them without commercials. Much better this way!
2 things about the finale continue to bug me.
One, the structure of the story involving the Pah Wraiths, almost seems tacked on, and works against the entire "big epic climax" they spent so long building to. Having TWO problems like that going on at the same time (the war, the Wraiths), and coming to a head at the SAME TIME, is bordering on ridiculous.
Two... after they spent so many YEARS before finally letting Odo and Kira get together, he announces "it's time" he rejoined the link. I can see his feeling the need to cure his people from the plague, AND, share his knowledge and experiences with them, so they can learn to trust "solids". HELL, if he'd done this years earlier, there might never have been a war. (Not that that stopped the female changeling he DID link with from continuing the war earlier.) But considering the way the female changeling changes her tune SO IMMEDIATELY after linking, WHY does Odo seem to think he'll NEVER be coming back??? WTF??? It just seems like a totally out-of-left-field violation of everything they built up in his characters for 7 whole years of the show.
Of course, you also have Miles leaving for Earth, AT THE SAME TIME. And Worf going to Kronos, AT THE SAME TIME. And Nog, becoming Grand Nagus, AT THE SAME TIME. It just seems forced, because they figured it was gonna be the last episode.
A few days back, I found myself thinking back over a lot of the major events in the show (sort of like I did after seeing the 1897 sequence on DARK SHADOWS), and I realized something I don't know if anyone ever made note of. Gowron, who was absent for most of Season 7 (until he showed up, started acting STUPID, and got himself KILLED by Worf!!) was, in a way, VERY much responsible for the war happenning in the first place. Gowron attacked Cardassia, thinking they'd been taken over by the shape-shifters... when, they HADN'T. As a result of this, Worf objected, and Gowron took all titles and properties from Worf's family. As a result of Gowron occupying Cardassia, Gul Ducat negotiated with The Dominion to make Cardassia part of the Dominion, giving them a foothold in the Alpha Quadrant. (And someone had the stupidity to say Ben Sisko was "the man who started the war"-- HUH?? WHEN? HOW?) It's funny that Gowron was unseen for so many episodes, and when he did finally turn up again, he got himself killed because of his arrogance and stupidity, going to his death STILL insisting "You-- will not-- have--this-- day..." * A**H***!!!
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The last few days...
DARLING LILI
ANIMAL HOUSE
1941
It's been quite a while since I dig out 1941, and I've forgotten how many times I've seen it. But tonight was the first time I connected in my head that a LOT of thie film's style and structure reminds me of IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD.
THE highlight remains the jitterbug contest, right in the middle of the film.
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My wife and I watched War Horse she loved it I hated it. I consider it a chick flick. I found the movie to be strong together contrived tidbits to pull at your heart strings. It ended up having the opposite affect on me. Almost from the beginning things were designed to go wrong so they could be made right. Not itself a bad thing but when the whole movie is made up of contrived events it soon gets old. I usually love overcoming all odds/obstacles movies but this one goes to far.
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This seemed the best place to post this, without starting a new thread.
Just posted at the IMDB, in the thread titled,
Re: who did people think the man in black was before H6 came out??
I missed both H4 & H5 when they came out. The week before H6 came out, I rented both H4 & H5, and watched both back-to-back, a day apart.
H4 was a wonderful surprise. I enjoyed everything about it, especially the main characters. The shock surprise ending, while horrifying, was very clever.
By comparison, H5 was a piece of S*** on almost every level. From the opening credits and the opening scene (which totally undercut the previous film's ending), to the way they completely ignored the possibilities of the previous film's cliffhanger, to how they stetched scenes out interminably and filled the running time with endless, pointless violence and brutality, to the way they slaughtered anyone you cared about. This was a BAD film made by BAD people. And from what I've read, the 3 stars (Donald Pleasence, Ellie Cornell & Danielle Harris) who all held H4's writer & director in high esteem, felt the writer & director of H5 had both done a terrible job.
So, when you throw in the entire "Man In Black" mystery-- which NOBODY involved even bothered to figure out in advance-- it's just the film-makers showing their complete lack of care and utter CONTEMPT for the paying audience.
When it got to the end of the film, all I could think of was... "Oh my God. They did this entire STUPID film, JUST to set up the NEXT one." And they hadn't even bothered to figure out what the next one would be.
NO WONDER H5 bombed at the box office. NO WONDER it took 6 years to raise money to make H6. NO WONDER H6, despite whatever clever ideas might have slipped into its make-up (by accident, probably), was an EVEN BIGGER piece of S*** than H5.
And NO WONDER H7 went out of its way to pretend H4, 5 & 6 "never happened".
Some people should just be barred from ever working in the movie industry...
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Believe it or not the Halloween series is one that I never watched. I had burned out after the first few Friday 13th movies so never bothered to get into Halloween series
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There's really only a small part of the series that's worth watching...
HALLOWEEN (it never "needed" a sequel, even though the final scene screamed for one)
HALLOWEEN 2 (but ONLY the last 10 minutes!! Before that, the rest of the film is "obligatory" CRAP!)
HALLOWEEN 4: THE RETURN OF MICHAEL MYERS (believe it or not, this is my favorite of the series, and I think it's an even better film than the 1st one)
When they did the 4th film (really, the 3rd "Michael Myers" film), the intention was to start a yearly "franchise". They did such a surprisingly, amazingly GOOD job on the first new one, it makes what happened the following year all the more DISGRACEFUL. There's only 2 scenes in H5 I like at all... one with the dog, and other with the shower. After that, it goes to HELL and never recovers. And neither does the entire series. What a waste...!
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The last few days:
THE NEW ADVENTURES OF TARZAN
TARZAN AND THE GREEN GODDESS
FORCE: FIVE
THE BLUES BROTHERS
THE BIG BRAWL
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I watched The New Adventures of Tarzan serial a couple of years back and was pretty impressed with several aspects.
1. Herman Brix was very well cast as Tarzan. I understand that he was personally chosen by Burroughs for the role.
2. The character of Tarzan was the most faithful to the Tarzan of the novels that we were to see in sound films for many years.
3. The excellent location shooting added greatly to the film's atmosphere.
On the downside the film seemed a bit cruder technically then those being produced concurrently by MGM showing it to be the small independent production that it was.
Also all the prints that currently seem to circulate of this are just not that good looking. If some nice original 35mm prints would turn up it would give one a better chance to appreciate the film.
My two cents
Joe
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The NEW ADVENTURES behind-the-scenes was a real-life soap-opera. The producer, Ashton Dearholt, first met ERB in 1929, at which point ERB fell in love with Dearholt's wife (but presumably didn't act on it). MGM wanted Herman Brix, but due to an injury, they went with Weismuller instead. Though he publicly supported MGM's films, ERB, as usual, was very unhappy with the way Hoollywood contionued to portray his character. After MGM's 2-picture deal, he formed a company with Dearholt to do Tarzan properly. While scounting locations in Guatemala, Dearhold fell in love with his leading lady, Ula Holt. On return to Hollywood, he brought her back and installed her in his home-- which did NOT thrill his wife! She left, taking the kids... and soon after, MARRIED ERB!! (Is this nuts?)
Dearholt played the main villain in the picture, Raglan.
Just before their "expedition" began, Dearholt ran out of money, so ERB wound up putting up the rest to make the picture. Now low on cash, he went back to MGM and extended their deal, which is how we got 4 more MGM pictures. Lousy sound equipment saw to it NEW ADVENTURES had terrible sound, and low budget and lack of an actual studio is probably why it wasn't tweaked on return to Hollywood. When the serial was ready to go, MGM, not wanting competition, threatened all their theatres that if they ran Dearholt's picture, they would not get MGM's next Tarzan film. (Those greedy bastards!) Most complied. The film did very well overseas, but almost no one in the US got to see it. So ERB wound up shooting himself in the foot with that 2nd MGM deal.
After a careful reading over at the ERBzine site, I've discovered that the 1st feature version contains material from only Chapters 1-2 (Ch. 1 must have been a REALLY long chapter!!) as the big scene with the machine-gun mowing down countless savages only takes place in Ch.2. The 2nd feature, TARZAN AND THE GREEN GODDESS, comprised highlights from Chapters 2-12!! Totally nuts.
Inexplicably, 20 years after it was made, the NEW ADVENTURES feature was re-dubbed in England. But along the way, Tarzan's voice was replaced by an annoying nasal voice. On my bad prints taken from a local station in the early 80's, I noticed Tarzan's voice is completely different between the 2 features. Apparently, the UK redub is the only version of the 1st feature curtrently known to exist. (Is this insane??)
Despite ALL that, I got a kick out of watching them again. Brix looks and feels like the real guy, and his tree-swinging is at least as impressive (if not more so) than Weismuller. If it hadn't been for MGM's deliberate sabotage, there might have been more of these. By the late 30's, Brix took acting lessons, changed his name to Bruce Bennett, and spent the rest of his career trying to distance himself from the character of Tarzan.
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Henry,
Thanks for all the info. I'm sure I read some of this ages ago but a good bit of it was new to me also.
I've always liked Brix/Bennett. He appeared in some of the best serials of the 1930s including Daredevils of the Red Circle, The Fighting Devil Dogs and The Lone Ranger.
I suspect that the acting lessons did help some and got him supporting roles in such high prestige films as Treasure of the Sierra Madre and Mildred Pierce.
Even then though he was doing a lot of bit parts and such. I've seen him in uncredited parts in several Three Stooges films.
Never-the-less he had a pretty long career in films (check out his IMDB entry) and lived to a very ripe old age- passing away at age 100 in 2007!
Best
Joe
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When I watched my entire TARZAN collection (whnich still has a lot of holes in it) some years back, I had the impression that Brix got better as the serial went on. I didn't realize until this week, reading up on it online, that the 1st feature had been re-dubbed, and that the redubbbed UK version was the only one known to be available. His own voice can be heard in ...GREEN GODDESS.
I also figured (incorrectly), based on the FLASH GORDON feature versions, that they split the serial in 2 halves to make the features. But it seems some early serials had VERY long 1st chapters (this includes TARZAN THE FEARLESS, where the 1st chapter was apparently an hour in length, compared to 15-20 minutes for later installments). That horrifically violent scene (which I suspect might never have made it past the Production Code a year later) only happened in chapter 2. Mind-boggling! When I watched the 2 features some years ago, I figured that scene was probably in chapter 6 or 7. The story never quite reached those heights again (at least, not based on what was included in the 2nd feature).
Brix most reminds me of Jock Mahoney (who was up for the part after Lex Barker, but was passed over in favor of body-builder Gordon Scott). Someone at the ERBzine site said Brix "didn't have the physique" for it-- which I disagree with. I'm sure they probably feel the same way about Mahoney. Personality-wise, both also remind me of Ron Ely, who came across a bit too "nice" in his initial 13 episodes, but "toughened up" for the remainder of the series (even as Gordon Scott got much tougher in attitude in his last 2 TARZAN films).
There's a wealth of info about this stuff online, but the ERBzine site is positively mind-blowing, how much they have in one spot. That site goes on forever!! A couple years ago, I contributed some rare Russ Manning material, and have been meaning ever since to scan in some Manning Sunday pages they're missing (and some they have, but which I have better versions of). Only so much time... ;D
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Ron Ely was lucky he got out of the Tarzan TV series when he did.
From Wikipedia
Like Jock Mahoney, Ely insisted on performing his own stunts when playing Tarzan. Unlike Mahoney, Ely was not a professional stuntman and sustained seventeen different injuries during the first season. These included singeing his arms and legs running through a burning village (Village of Fire); being bitten in the forehead by a "tame" lion (in a later fight with the same lion, Ely was bitten on the lower left thigh); falling down a hill and ripping the skin off the tops of his feet; falling twenty-five feet off a vine and separating his shoulder; and falling off another vine and breaking his other shoulder, fracturing three ribs and spraining both wrists.
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Injuries were all too common among actors playing Tarzan.
I remember seeing a picture of Mike Henry years ago where he had a huge bite on his chin given to him by a chimp in one of his Tarzan films.
We recently finished watching The Son of Tarzan serial where the actor (Kamuela Searle) playing Korak (the son of Tarzan) was nearly killed in the final chapter when his co-star elephant rescued him from being burned at the stake by pulling the stake (with the actor on it) out of the ground and carrying him off through the jungle and depositing him safely on the ground.
Well that's how it was written to happen anyway.
In the serial after the elephant pulls the stake free and dashes through the jungle you can see Searle (who was tied to the pole through his midriff but was only pretending to have his hands also tied above his head) frantically trying to push branches out of the way as he is pummeled by them in the dash. Then the elephant "dumps" the stake with Searle still attached to it onto the ground. Ouch! Hardly what I'd call being safely deposited on the ground.
Searle was so badly injured that the final scenes of the film had to be completed with a double and a bit of rewriting. The studio played up the accident to imply that Searle had actually died from his injuries in order to drum up ticket sales. Searle did eventually recover and made at least one more film before he actually died, from cancer, when in his early thirties.
Ely had the misfortune of actually playing this sort of role while committing to the grueling schedule of a TV series. I remember reading years back that one of the "falling from a vine" accidents, which was captured on film, had the story worked around it so that Tarzan was shot while swinging through the jungle, thus explaining both the fall and why Tarzan had his arm in a sling after that.
Best
Joe
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"Unlike Mahoney, Ely was not a professional stuntman"
And to think, with Mahoney, it was a tropical disease that did him in during the making of his 2nd film (it was said he noticably lost weight over the course of the story).
Sy Weintraub must have liked Mahoney, though. First he cast him as a villain against Gordon Scott (who years earlier had won the role instead of Mahoney), they he had Mahoney star in 2 films, then cast him in 3 different roles opposite Ron Ely (twice as villains). I don't think I realized this the first time I watched TARZAN GOES TO INDIA (that I had previously seen him in "The Deadly Silence" 2-parter, where he was possibly the nastiest of all of Ely's villains).
Mahoney remains one of my favorite Tarzans. While each re-casting gives me the impression of watching a different version of the characters-- as if you've slipped into a different "universe"-- I can actually believe Mahoney and Ely are the SAME version of the guy, except with Mahoney being an older, tougher version. (And I might put Brix in between them.)
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All this talking about Tarzan......
Do you know this site/page?
(Didn't want to make a hotlink, so you'll have to change hxxp into http.)
hxxp://www.briansdriveintheater.com/tarzan.html
In case this site is new to you, just go to the index page and have a look around.
hxxp://www.briansdriveintheater.com/index.html
Have fun, you'll notice several movies/actors, that have been talked about here, can be found there.
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I mentioned that Sherlock is back on our screens and I have to report that last night's episode was an absolute belter. The Hounds of Baskerville has the lot including making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Seriously spooky at times and the observations/deductions are marvellous.
I haven't said anything re. the 1st. story, A Scandal in Belgravia, as I don't know what to make of it and I,m not that wild about the original.
My only concern about Sherlock is that the makers, having found a great villain, use him to excess. I was thinking that The Mentalist gets it about right with the use of Red John.
Really hard keeping up with everything on t.v. with all the American football on right now. We can't stay up so we record and have a number of discs still to watch. Good excuse for a wee party, though.
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Still waiting for the new "Sherlock" episodes. PBS won't be showing any mysteries until this summer and, hopefully, we may get "Sherlock" then. Instead, we get over two months of "Downton Abbey", both repeats of last year and the new episodes. (Omigod!) Great cast, but I just can't stand this series- probably because I dislike all the characters! "Leverage" season finale coming up this week. I nearly gave up on this series early in the season but the episodes got much, much better as the season progressed."The Mentalist" has also improved after a really terrible season debut. Cheers, Bowers
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Still liking Leverage although more for the characters now than the stories. The stories are OK but getting formulaic. The Parker/Hardison romance is pretty cool. I am glad they have downplayed Nate's drinking. I have a feeling next year will be its last. Mentalist is still fun. I still watch Burn Notice although the long breaks diminish interest. I watch a lot of comedies also. Tim Allen's Last Man Standing is predictable but still funny and I can not help liking Two Broke Girls. Hot in Cleveland and Big Bang continue to bring the biggest laughs.
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From what I read at the BBC America website we won't be seeing episodes of Sherlock until May here in the States.
I enjoyed last week's episode of Leverage (with Tom Skerritt back as Nate's father) which continues into this weekend's season finale.
Another one I've been liking - AMC's western Hell on Wheels is also winding up this weekend too.
BBC America has a new one- The Fades, which I'm going to be checking out, starting this weekend.
Also coming up soon in my current watching schedule is Alcatraz (new crime/syfy show) and Being Human (US version) starting next week, and in February The Walking Dead returns and Being Human (UK version) starts a new season.
And...I'm still sticking with these current shows Hawaii Five-O, Unforgettable, Grimm, CSI, Criminal Minds, Bones, Fringe, Once Upon a Time, CSI: NY, and Pan Am.
I think that's about it for what I'm watching among current shows.
Best
Joe
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Yeah Leverage was good. I have not tried Hell on Wheels might give it a shot. I am looking forward to Alcatraz it looks promising. I was talking with some others teachers this morning who did not enjoy Grimm and I did not either, but we like Once Upon a Time and so does my wife.
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CHARLIE CHAN IN PANAMA
TARZAN'S DESERT MYSTERY
CHARLIE CHAN AT THE WAX MUSEUM
TARZAN'S MAGIC FOUNTAIN
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Sorry to bore you re. Sherlock again but I'm going to. Last night was the last of the 3 new adventures. I can't spoil it for you. Wouldn't be fair. Suffice to say the title is, "The Reichenbachs Fall" and viewers are singing its praises with the most common comment being, "simply stunning". Says it all, really.
P.S. Want to know how weird, mad, utterly chilling a villain can look? Look no further than this.
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Can't wait for them to show up over here in the States, Paw.
Best
Joe
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Digging through my dvd shelves, I found a serial I hadn't watched and sat down for the first few episodes. Government Agents v. Phantom Legion is good fun. What a good title and there is a great fight in a garage just prior to the cliffhanger. Once again all those hats stay on heads. A few more episodes tonight.
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Don't know that one
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Government Agents Vs Phantom Legion is a pretty good (if somewhat generic) later (1951) Republic serial. While budget constraints are already becoming evident it still has some well staged fight sequences and has that Republic slickness to it.
There's a couple of "no names" playing the "star" parts but the bad guys are a bunch of the typical guys that you'll recognize (even if you don't know their names) from many serials and B westerns of the era.
Best
Joe (who's weekly serials are currently Sky Raiders (1941), Gordon of Ghost City (1933) and Secret Agent X-9 (1945) )
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Holy cow! What a show... ("There oughta be a law against them." --they're
talking about COMICS!!!)
http://blastr.com/2012/01/fox-news-station-slams-se.php
:o
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Here we go again.
I noted a while ago that Catwoman, seemed to be regularly losing her kit in the new 52 and I did wonder how it would play with certain elements in N. American society. Mind you the comparison to Betty and Veronica is molto strano, given the sex symbols they were to many young blokes.
Seems odd also that kids can easily get their hands on extremely violent computer games and yet Fox is having a go at DC.
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It's always easier to tackle "the little guys".
What cracked me up right at the end of CONFIDENTIAL FILE (the 1950's show), was it was directed by Irvin Kirshner, who decades later, directed THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.
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Hey, it's my first post to this thread: I just watched A Day At The Races. Marx Bros. 1937. Timeless. Killin' time after a rough day.
(|:{>
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Been a long time since I watched a Marx Brothers
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Love the Marx Bros- recently snagged a DVD double feature of their films The Big Store/Go West which I'm looking forward to revisiting.
I really got into comedians of that era (Marxes, W. C. Fields, Mae West, etc...) when I was a teen but I really wonder if teens today even know who they are.
Best
Joe
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Incredibly, my first exposure to The Marx Brothers was on a BIG screen! Back in the 70's, there was a tiny theatre in this area that specialized in running old movies. They sometimes had horror or science-fiction for weekend matinees. That's where I got to see KING KONG ESCAPES for the first time, and THE BRIDES OF DRACULA for the 2nd time (after already having seen it on TV).
One weekend, the weekend matinee movie had not arrived on time... and the manager ran the regular week-night film instead-- which happened to be A DAY AT THE RACES. I didn't know what to make of it.
Many years later, I saw it again on TCM, and on reading up on it, found it was not considered one of their best-- but the most bizarre part of the film was the extended "musical" section with the mostly-black cast, which seemed to have walked in from some other movie!
I've seen several of their other films (THE COCOANUTS, ANIMAL CRACKERS, DUCK SOUP, and a couple others), and have liked most of them more than RACES.
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It's been a long time since I watched a Marx Bros. film - my wife isn't keen on them. Mind, she can't stand Abbott and Costello and I fall off the couch laughing at them. What tickles her funny bone are Will Hay and Arthur Askey films and I've brought her round to some modern t.v. shows, e.g. Big Bang Theory; I.T. Crowd; Not Going Out and she loves Black Books, sadly finished now but repeated regularly. The last 3 are British shows.
B.B.T. has some resonances of I.T. Crowd.
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We had a theater just down the street from the house where my folks moved us to in the mid 1960s called the Sombrero Playhouse. It had opened sometime in the 1950s as a live performance theater and among the actors who played there was Groucho Marx!
The Sombrero had closed up by the time we moved into neighborhood and remained so until the mid 1970s when it reopened as a repertory theatre showing second run and even older movies. It also became one of the first theaters in the country to do the Rocky Horror midnight shows.
I saw many movies there including animation festivals of Betty Boop and Superman, a number of classic silent comedies (Chaplin and Keaton) and all kind of themed double-bills including some of the Marx Bros films!
When I returned to Arizona from New Jersey in the mid 1980s the Sombrero was gone replaced by a generic looking office complex. Video was even then slowly killing off rep theatres but more importantly the land had just become too valuable. Almost all of the valley drive-ins had also closed while I was gone for the same reason.
Sigh
Joe
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BATMAN
BATMAN RETURNS
BATMAN FOREVER
BATMAN AND ROBIN
BROADWAY DANNY ROSE ("Vendetta!!!") :D
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BATMAN
BATMAN RETURNS
BATMAN FOREVER
BATMAN AND ROBIN
Those first two Batman movies were good but then they just kept throwing in more and more villains and heroes and that final one was just a mess!
Best
Joe
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THE UNTOUCHABLES (with Tom Amandes). Haven't seen this since it was first-run. AMAZINGLY well-done series, totally blows that lousy (YES IT IS) Brian De Palma movie out of the water.
It was a toss-up between watching this or my collection of the Robert Stack series first, and I decided to go with the remake first, since it's been longer since I've seen it.
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Josemas wrote:
"Those first two Batman movies were good but then they just kept throwing in more and more villains and heroes and that final one was just a mess!"
Despite its flaws (yes, it has them), I continue to find the 1989 film IMMENSELY watchable and enjoyable.
The 2nd film, however, almost made me feel ill... it is BAD... REALLY, REALLY bad on so many levels and in so many ways it would take all day to really describe in detail what bothers me about it. But "The Penguin" (NOT!!!) never, ever should have been in that film at all, especially not the way he was conceived and portrayed (which had absolutely nothing to do with any Bat-comics, ever). Also, as much as Christopher Walken can be fascinating to watch, every single line of dialogue he had made me want to smash his face in. One of the single most annoying, conceited (and in some scenes, even STUPID) villains ever created.
That said, as horrifically, mind-numbingly bad as her character was envisioned (again, totally throwing away decades of comics in favor of something completely new and different apparently dreamed up over a drunken weekend), the ONLY scenes in the film that really stand out as good are the ones involving Michelle Feiffer (but ONLY after her "rebirth"), Michael Keaton (once again, THE best actor in the film), and Michael Gough.
I was amazed to find out that at one point, Keaton & Feiffer were dating (though I don't know if they still were by the time this movie was made). My single favorite scene is when the two first meet. It's been so AWFUL, every single element of every scene, awful to the point of unwatchable, and suddenly, this BRILLIANTLY-played scene intrudes, as if it stepped in from some other movie.
"Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle."
"Oh, yeah, we've met."
"Umm-- no, we haven't."
"Ah! You now what? You're right. I mistook me for someone else."
"What?"
That's not ANY version of Bruce Wayne ever seen before 1989, but it sums up Michael Keaton's version to a "T".
Now, after all my criticisms of the 2nd film... it's a masterpiece compared to the 3rd... and the 4th.. I mean, there's not one scene anywhere in the 3rd film as inspired as the "good" ones in the 2nd movie. Not one.
About the ONLY thing I found interesting in the 4th film were a FEW of the scenes with Poison Ivy. But only a few. At least half her scenes were unbearably awful, too. She still looks good compared to Arnold. What brain-damaged IDIOT decided to put Poison Ivy AND Mr. Freeze in the SAME story??? Not one thing about the film makes any sense at all. NOT ONE!
And as for casting... if somebody wanted to make a film with Mr. Freeze... for God's sake, WHY didn't they just get MICHAEL ANSARA and be done with it??? ("SUB-ZERO" was advertised at the beginning of the B&R videotape. And it's at least 10 times better a movie. The ultimate irony?)
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THE UNTOUCHABLES (with Tom Amandes). Haven't seen this since it was first-run. AMAZINGLY well-done series, totally blows that lousy (YES IT IS) Brian De Palma movie out of the water.
It was a toss-up between watching this or my collection of the Robert Stack series first, and I decided to go with the remake first, since it's been longer since I've seen it.
I didn't even know there had been a series remake of The Untouchables. Must have slipped completely under my radar.
All I remember about the DePalma version was his blatant rip-off of the Odessa steps sequence from Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin. I just remember thinking at the time what a ballsy thief he was for taking one of the most famous scenes in film history and copying it the way he did. Probably wouldn't have bothered me if someone had done such a thing in some "B" movie but for such a big name director to do it in an "A" movie.
About a year or so back I did watch the original 2-part pilot to the Robert Stack version which ran on Desilu Playhouse.
Shortly after that I watched a similar series from that time called The Lawless Years (with James Gregory) which at first I thought was an attempt to cash in on the success of The Untouchables (Like Warner Bros' The Roaring Twenties) but which I subsequently learned had actually preceded The Untouchables. It wasn't nearly as good as The Untouchables and probably only lasted as long as it did (two seasons, IIRC) because The Untouchables created an interest in the era.
Best
Joe
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Interesting. James Gregory had a prominent role as a newspaper reporter in the 1959 film, AL CAPONE, which starred Rod Steiger, one of the most authentic-looking Capones in film history (the other being Louis Giambalvo in 1981's THE GANGSTER CHRONICLES, a series Robert Stack personally criticized for its total lack of any "heroes").
I don't recall if I ever actually watched THE ROARING TWENTIES as a kid (I may have and just forgotten), but we had the soundtrack LP around here for as long as I can remember. Dorothy Provine was apparently a real hot number.
It's probably ironic (or something) that the one role I most remember James Gregory for is General Ursus in BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES. ("The only GOOD human-- is a DEAD human!!") That film should either never have been made-- or, it should have been TEN TIMES better than it actually was. From what I read, it could have been... which makes it all the more tragic that it wasn't. DAMN STUIDOS...
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I watched Ferris Beuler over the weekend. Still funny
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The last couple days...
JOHNNY DANGEROUSLY (did you know your last name is an adverb?)
PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM (one of my all-time favorites)
SILENT MOVIE (only the 2nd time I've seen this)
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We've been watching series 2 of Body of Proof. It's easy, light, not too gruesome entertainment. Plus, falling of the couch at Big Bang Theory.
Tonight, 3rd. story in new series of Hustle, which is always a good bet. The first 2 were good fun. Blue Murder, a Manchester set police procedural runs at the same time on another channel, so we have to decide which one to watch live and try to catch the other on watch again.
We tried part one of Suits but have missed subsequent episodes. Not sure if we'll try to catch up.
I'm on a G-Men theme right now and after Government Agents v. Phantom Legion, I'm now watching Flying G-Men with a masked hero, The Black Falcon. It's a bad print but in some episodes the action just doesn't stop.
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Recently:
TARZAN'S MAGIC FOUNTAIN
TARZAN AND THE SLAVE GIRL
TARZAN'S PERIL
TARZAN'S SAVAGE FURY
TARZAN AND THE SHE-DEVIL
What I'd like to know is, how come Lex Barker had 5 different Janes???
It was suggested by someone at the IMDB that producer Sol Lesser missed an opportunity to upgrade Lex Barker's vocabulary. He looks intelligent and educated, but still talks "Weismuller" (well, maybe a bit better, but not much).
His 2nd film should have had ...SLAVE GIRLS in the title, since there was a whole harem of them.
TARZAN'S PERIL was Lesser's 1st attempt to really upgrade the series, as it was the first to be shot on location IN AFRICA (earlier films had used African footage shot for other films). It was also planned to be shot IN COLOR, but somehow that didn't work out, apparently a lot of the color footage was lost or destroyed, and what remained was printed in B&W. It's a more "authentic"-feeling film than Barker's other 4, as it's the only one with a noticeably BLACK supporting cast-- including a really beautiful Queen of the main tribe. (All his other films have these strange "lost white tribes".) It also feels more "adult" and intense. George Macready, who I recognized from 2 episodes of THE OUTER LIMITS, plays one of the nastiest villains the series has seen to date!
...SAVAGE FURY introduced a new "boy" in the form of Joseph Martin (Tommy Carlton), an orphan (like Jai, much later on the TV series), who I liked quite a bit, and showed real "Boy"-like courage in a couple of scenes. Inexplicably, he didn't return for the next one.
The highlight of ...SHE-DEVIL is Raymond Burr in full "villain" mode, and Tom Conway, looking quite a lot older than he did in his previous appearance.
I wish I had better copies of these. All 5 of my Lex Barkers were taped off the local Philly station back in the early 80's, and were BUTCHERED. I have no idea how much I'm missing of the stories.
Next up: "Muscle Beach Tarzan"! (Gordon Scott)
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I watched and re-watched many of those Tarzan movies on KPHO's Tarzan Theater on Saturdays when I was a kid but I don't believe I've seen of any of Barker's since then. Awhile back I re-watched a few of the Scotts and Mahoneys when they ran in widescreen on TCM and a few Weissmullers there also but for some reason I've never yet revisited Lex (although I have seen him in a few non-Tarzan roles since then).
Best
Joe
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I just posted the following at the IMDB... I figured I'd share it here as well.
The list here has 42 episodes. That tallies with my own information. I taped the entire series when it was first-run, and there were 42 episodes, ending with the 2-parter where Al Capone got convicted for income tax evasion.
That last episaode was like a "Twilight of the Gods" thing-- unlike the Robert Stack or (shudder) Kevin Costner versions, in this one, after so many episodes, they went ALL-OUT to have one collosal epic violent "blast". Even so, the final scenes seemed a big let-down to me, it somehow didn't "feel" like it was "the end".
Now I look at the IMDB, and they have 44 episodes listed-- 2 of them AFTER the "last" one. WTF??? There's no information for most of the episodes of this show listed here at the IMDB, and these last 2 don't even have air dates. Again-- WTF???
Is somebody B***S***ing here, or were there 2 "final" episodes-- which NEVER got run??? It's a sad thing when Hollywood keeps screwing up the ENDINGS of too many shows. Half the time, it seems, you don't even know when a show's finale airs. Instead of going out on a high note, they somehow just fade away...
My own personal disappointment with the way the 42nd episode ended was, NO mention of Ness' wife. I mean-- is that it? After intending it to be just a separation, out of nowhere she sends him divorce papers, and you never hear about her again. He just left it like that? Didn't he even TRY to change her mind? What kind of a hero is that? (I wouldn't have ended this series like that.)
Then again, if there are 2 "final" episodes I've NEVER SEEN... I wonder what's in them?
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Henry,
I did a little crosschecking for you regarding this 1990s version of The Untouchables. Epguides has 42 episodes listed for the series which matches what you had originally. I then looked at those odd two episodes at IMDB and here is what I figured out.
Both episodes (Halstead Hollar and The Crusible) were dated 1993 which means they must have been either a first season episode or from the first part of season two (assuming they had the dates correct at IMDB).
Looking through the epguides first season and comparing it to IMDB's first season I see that epguides' season one episode 17 episode is Halstead Holler while IMDB's simply sez Episode #1.17 so it is pretty clear that IMDB has misspelled and counted that episode twice.
Going from there I soon found that epguide's and IMDB's third episode from season two is The Crucibles which makes it pretty clear that IMDB's other additional episode is another misspelled duplicate episode.
So the 42 episode total stands.
As to the lame ending. Maybe they were hoping/planning for a third season to explore further the issues you raised and it just didn't happen. Shows, unfortunately, get cancelled all the time without having plot-lines resolved.
Best
Joe
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Thanks. 2 different people figured this out for me. It's nice to know that, for once, I actually DO have EVERY SINGLE EPISODE. I've put in much more time and effort on some shows and still come up short, due to erratic scheduling (is it any wonder I'm convinced many TV execs are hardcore drug addicts?).
One thing I remember comparing back when was how each version of "the Al Capone story" had a DIFFERENT explanation for how the Feds were able to put him away for Income Tax evasion.
In the Robert Stack version (the 2-hour DESILU PLAYHOUSE story, before THE UNTOUCHABLES ever became a weekly series), all of Ness' efforts came to nothing. Someone ELSE in the Treasury Department, some anonymous accountant, dug up the info, and brought up the case. Ness didn't care, as long as Capone was put away. At the end, the narrator made a point of saying that except for when they crossed paths at the courthouse, the day Capone was being hauled away to jail, the two of them had NEVER MET.
I forget what they did in the Rod Steiger AL CAPONE movie. I need to see that again, and get myself a copy of it. However, in the early-70's film CAPONE, with Ben Gazarra, his right-hand man, Frank Nitti, turned over the tax records, saying, "Capone was an animal. He was always shooting at someone across the street. What he never realized was, the guy he had to worry about was the one on the SAME side of the street as he was-- and one rung DOWN the ladder." Nitti was played by Sylvester Stallone!
In 1981's THE GANGSTER CHRONICLES, Ness and his suad are never even mentioned. it's like, in that univere, they don't even exist. In TGC version, Lucky Luciano (Michael Nouri) was the one who somehow got the tax records to the Feds, to not only get rid of his rival (Louis Giambalvo, my vote for the BEST Capone on screen, ever), but also for revenge for Capone beating the crap out of Charlie's ex-girlfriend, Chris Brennen (Markie Post!).
The 90's UNTOUCHABLES made a huge freaking EPIC out of it. not only did they drag out the Capone story for 42 episodes, the tax case finale took 2 entire episodes. In this one, Fed Paul Robbins has the idea, but Elliot keeps dismissing it... until one of the witnesses they hauled in commits suicide while in custodey, and he's put ON SUSPENSION. Then, after a rival Capo tries to kill Capone (while Capone was showing interest in running for Governor), Elliot contacts Nitti with a deal-- the tax records, for Capone's safety.
Then, after ALL the Capos conspire together to betray Capone (each supplying records books to a pile of them-- except the one guy who refused, who the SHOT dead), the guy they ignored, Frankie Rio (Al's other right-hand), started his own little war to take back what the rest tried to grab. Next thing, Nitti regrets betraying his best friend, goes to see Al, begos forgiveness, and almost commits suicide in front of him! But instead, Al takes him back, and sends him out to murder the ONE loud-mouthed little rat of a Capo who wanted Capone dead in the first place.
Nitti had been baby-sitting the book-keeper for Elliot-- until he had his chage of heart. But when he plans to take the guy out and kill him, Nitti's GIRLFRIEND, who kept pushing HIM to be "the king of Chicago", calls ness herself, and his qaud rescues the accountant, and get him to the courthouse JUST as the judge was about to dismiss the entire case. Talk about building up a mountan of suspense!!!
After that, I realized this morning WHY the ending bothered me so much. there was NO epilogue, other than when Ness & Capone exchanged words, and then Ness & the boys going out for dinner. It felt very much like they fully intended to do at least a few more episodes. Especially when they had Nitti and his entire crew walk by Ness just before the end. They threw everything into that episode, the downfall of Capone, I feel, was MORE satisfying than the end of the Dominion War in DEEP SPACE NINE-- but-- no epilogue!
There was a real-life happy ending. Tom Amandes, who played Ness, and Nancy Everheard, who played his wife, were married in real life, and are STILL together! I like that...
Funny thing-- Paul Regina, who played Nitti for 42 episodes, 12 years earlier, had played the TEENAGED Charlie Luciano in the 1st episode of THE GANGSTER CHRONICES! I haven't watched this show in over 25 years (not since before I ever watched my first NIGHT COURT episode with Markie Post). That 1st hour is like a dark, perverse version of the 1978 SUPERMAN movie, as Luciano (and his friends) are all played by 2 or 3 different actors from childhood to teen years to adults.
At the rate I'm going, in a couple days I'll be starting in on the Robert Stack series. I put in an immense amount of work to get the 75 episodes I have... it's a shame that, due to erratic reruns in the 80's or 90's, I was never able to get all the ones I'm still missing. (It got SO aggravating, when I managed to make it to 75, I threw my hands up and said, "ENOUGH! To HELL with this.") >:(
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I watched the unaired pilot of Wonder Woman. It was not like any incarnation of WW that I know of. But you know what I really liked the darn thing. It never went to post production as you could still see the ropes lifting things and in one place is an indication to "add cop cars here." If it had not been WW it could have used GA superheroin like Miss Victory and worked well. It never would have been a big hit but it could have done OK in syndication
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I've been watching a lot of classic animation this past week.
Cartoon shorts dating from 1920 to 1940.
Little animated wonders produced by the likes of Fleischer, Terry, Van Beuren, Lantz and Mintz.
Some of the most interesting were a batch of the Oswald the Rabbit shorts done in the year after the character was taken away from his creator, Walt Disney, by Charles Mintz. Of the 26 Oswalds made by Disney in 1927-1928 I had already seen the 13 that Disney released to DVD which were then the only ones known to be extant (since then 2 more have turned up) so was somewhat familar with the charcter as he existed at that time. In 1928-1929 Mintz's brother-in-law George Winkler produced 26 more Oswalds but only 8 were known to be extant. I tracked down 7 of those.
For the most part they are indistinguishable from the Disney Oswalds of the previous year which is not particularly surprising because Mintz had surreptitiously hired away most of Disney's staff before forcing Walt out. You can see animators like Rudy Ising and Hugh Harmon starting to work out bits of business that would be refined and elaborated on when they moved to Warner Bros. as producers of the Bosko shorts in 1930. Likewise Friz Freling, who after being canned by Walt, was rehired by Mintz to work on his Oswalds is seen here doing his first cartoon directing which is pretty much in the mold of the earlier Disney toons. The most important new face turning up directing Oswald is Walter Lantz who pretty much also works along in the already established style.
The series converted to sound part way through this season and I was curious to see how that aspect compared to what Walt was doing with the Mickey Mouse cartoons but unfortunately all of the Winkler Oswalds I found were silent prints so no comparison could be made.
In 1929 Mintz found himself in the same boat he had put Disney when his distributor, Universal, took Oswald away from him and hired Walter Lantz to produce the Oswald from there on. Mintz, like Disney, did fine as he soon began producing cartoons for release by Columbia which he did pretty much right up until his death in 1939.
Best
Joe
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I know very little about that period, but it sounds to me like the animation biz had some rotten personalities involved in it.
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INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956)
I keep trying to remember if I ever watched this again after I taped it way back in the 80's. If not, this was only the 2nd time I've seen it. I kinda laughed to myself, at the beginning, saying, "From the director of DIRTY HARRY!"
Of course, then, the other image I have in my head is Kevin McCarthy as the villain in UHF.
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I know very little about that period, but it sounds to me like the animation biz had some rotten personalities involved in it.
I think that's probably true about a lot of businesses, then and now.
Best
Joe
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DRACULA (1931)
It's amazing to me how some films, after you've seen them 20 times or more, can keep getting better!
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U.S. tv is getting pretty dismal, with most of the series in repeats. PBS recently aired some good biographies on "American Experience" (Annie Oakley, Billy the Kid, and Jesse James) and "Nova" did a great episode on a possibly unknown DaVinci drawing. Watched two very good journalism/suspense series from BBC America- "State of Play" (Bill Nighy is great!) and "The Hour". Both are fast-paced and very well written. Joe's recent post about classic animation got me to break out my old VHS tapes and watch some with my granddaughters. "Hoppity Goes to Town" (The Fleischer's unsuccessful challenge to Disney) was well received by the kiddies, as were the old Lantz and Warner classics. Cheers, Bowers
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Just finished THE GANGSTER CHRONICLES (a mere 13 episodes) for the first time since the early 80's. It's amazing how many actors were on this show that became better-known later on, especially Joe Penny (Ben "Bugsy" Siegel) and Markie Post (Chris Brennan). Even Robert Davi (Vito Genovese), who at one point was warned, under threat to his life, to STAY OUT of the narcotics business, later starred as the drug lord "Sanchez" in LICENSE TO KILL.
I've got the Robert Stack UNTOUCHABLES lined up... but first, I'm thinking of watching THE GANG THAT COULDN'T SHOOT STRAIGHT and THE COTTON CLUB.
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Just saw this for the 2nd time in almost 30 years. It's a time capsule, really takes you back to a period when the rules of movie-making had been tossed out the window, and the results were hit-and-miss.
I wish people would stop going on and on and on about Robert DeNiro... he got 5TH billing, for cryin' out loud. JERRY ORBACH (who's almost unrecognizable, he's so young!) got TOP billing and deserves it.
Strange but true... my best friend raved about Jimmy Breslin's book for years, and finally loaned me his copy to read. I read it, loved it. Then, sometime later, I saw the movie. My Dad always said, if you're ever gonna see a movie and read the book it was based on, see the movie FIRST-- otherwise, the movie will ALWAYS disappoint. He'd be right on this one. I'm NOT one of those fanatics who feels a movie "MUST!!!!" be accurate to a book it's based on... but a LITTLE more accuracy here might have helped.
Examples: the BEST, most MEMORABLE line in the book, is nowhere in the film. It's when Sally Palumbo gets up in the morning, and Big Momma sends him on his way to go to "work". Every day she hands him his gun and says the same thing... "NO MISS!!!" (Translation: If you SHOOT somebody, make sure you HIT 'em!)
Second, the most memorable set-piece in the book was the hit on Baccala at the Italian resturant. The one that went wrong. I was reminded, all over again, that this was changed... LORD KNOWS WHY!!! In the movie, they kidnap Water Buffalo, sic the lion on him, and he has a heart attack. In the book, after they fail to kill Baccala (I'm not sure, it's been so long, but I THINK they shot and missed!!), they run out of the resturant to escape. Water Buffalo runs out into the street, and they RUN HIM OVER with their car-- BY ACCIDENT!!! Later that night, they throw him off the Verrazano Narrows Bridge... where instead of hitting the water, he hits a tugboat. At least they kept the last part.
It cracked me up to realize Herve Villazhaise was dubbed for the entire film by PAUL FREES-- best known as the voice of Boris Badenov-- who also narrated the entirely of Roger Corman's THE ST. VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE.
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I agree that the movie always disappoints after the book, even a not great book. I read the 7% Solution and liked the book even though it was long and not that good. The movie disappointed. But I have found that I can't read a book after I have seen the movie. It may be just me but the effort of reading just is not there when I have an idea what is supposed to happen
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I almost never read novels these days anymore. But in the 70's & 80's, I used to read a lot of novels, as well as novelizations. Sometimes I'd read those before seeing the movies. Crazy, huh? In those cases, the movies STILL disappointed, either because the novelizations fleshed things out and added stuff that wasn't there, or they were based on scripts where the movie had been changed, or edited, sometimes leaving stuff out.
THE BIG SLEEP with Robert Mitchum was actually my introduction to Philip Marlowe, Raymond Chandler-- AND Robert Mitchum. That film gets a lot of hate at the IMDB, but it's one of my favorites, to this day. Not long after seeing it, I read the novel. WOW. One of the few instances where the movie obviously followed the book, almost page-for-page (other than taking place in the wrong decade and the wrong country-- heh). There's one sequence early-on that's different... but if I'm not mistaken, it was a point of contention, where the book failed to explain an important plot point-- and the movie, DID.
ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE was a crazy thing. The first time I saw it, ABC split into 2 parts over 2 consecutive Mondays. A week between halves!! By a wild coincidence, I was up to that book in my protracted reading of all the bond books. I read the book IN BETWEEN the 2 halves of the movie. Over the years and many times I've seen the movie, I slowly came to realize that, while the movie steered closer to the book than ANY other Bond film, ever-- it also had changes in almost every single scene. And for once... the movie was a HUGE improvement. How often does that happen? They took a damn good book-- and made an even better movie out of it!
It crossed my mind this morning that, stylistically, THE GANG THAT COULDN'T SDHOOT STRAIGHT reminds me a bit of Woody Allen's BANANAS. Both were made around the same time, and both almost have a semi-documentary feel about them. But BANANAS was a LOT funnier. It's too bad, because that Jimmy Breslin book really was a riot.
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If you watch the 1970 feature film HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS, you'll see exactly where so much of the 1979 DRACULA comes from. The entire plot structure, certain key scenes, even a couple of camera shot (the first time you see Dracula walking, it's a close-up of his boots). Both have the vampire arrive at the beginning, on the run at the end, and connive to get the boyfriend out of the way so he can have dinner with the guy's fiancee. Just watched the '79 film again tonight, and something I hadn't noticed before, both have the vampire hunter STAKED to death, so killing the vampire is left to the wimpy boyfriend! And then, BOTH have a completely un-called for "ambigious" bit at the very end, half-suggesting that maybe the vampire ISN'T dead and might return for a sequel. (Sheesh.)
By the way, having read the novel, I now feel Christopher Lee is the ONLY actor who really, really captured the personality of the guy in the book. He was a MONSTER!!
The 1977 BBC version is BY A WIDE MARGIN the most accurate to the book (if one really cares about such things) and on that score, totally puts the Coppola film to shame. It also has the very BEST Van Helsing in Frank Finlay. He's so close to the guy in the book-- except for his character being modified JUST a tiny bit, to make him a little nicer, and less culpable in the death of Lucy and NEAR-death of Mina. In the book, Dracula almost succeeds because Van Helsing is TOO SECRETIVE-- and then, SEXIST. Mina proves she's the smartest person in the story, and after she does so much, Van Helsing decided to leave her out of things, "for her own protection". And doing this leads DIRECTLY to her almost becoming a vampire. Makes me wonder if Bram Stoker didn't write it that way deliberately, to make a point of how stupid that kind of sexist attitude is.
The '77 version is let down by only 2 things-- the unfortunate cheap look of being shot on VIDEO (and the related video "effects"), and, it NOT having Christopher Lee. Louis Jourdan is WONDERFUL-- but he's almost too nice! it was a real missed opportunity, to finally "do the book" right, but NOT to get the actor who was practically born to play the part (and who loves the novel as much as he does). I can only imagine they wanted to distance themselves from the Hammer Films... or maybe the Jess Franco adaptation (which ALSO starred Lee).
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The Lil Missus and I have three horror flicks we'll be watching soon which I haven't seen since the 1970s.
One is Jess Franco's Count Dracula (1970) which I remember having a great beginning and then going downhill from there. It is the one Dracula movie though that I always thought had the most accurate looking Dracula as to Bram Stoker's description in the novel.
The other two are Dan Curtis' productions of Dracula (1974) and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1968) both of which starred Jack Palance. My vague memory of both of these is that they were very good but it has been a long time since I've seen either. Hope they hold up well.
Best
Joe
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I have the Dan Curtis DR. JEKYLL, it is a wonderful piece of work. That story, I've found, is yet another one where over multiple versions, EACH one is significantly different, yet each one manages to be fascinating in its own right. For example, if memory servers, in the silent (with John Barrymore), Jekyll's future father-in-law dislikes the fact that Jekyll is so "pure", and so "not ready" to be a suitable husband for his daughter. The man actually encourages, virtually DRIVES Jekyll to debauch himself with as many women as possible, to get it out of his system, so he'll then be ready to settle down in marriage. Outrageous, isn't it? By comparison, the "classic" version with Frederic March, the future father-in-law is such a stuck-up stick-in-the-mud, even the slightest HINT of impropriety has him on the verge of cutting off his daughter's engagement. (He seems to represent, onscreen, the forces that created The Hayes Office and The Production Code!) Talk about opposite extremes!
Some of the later music used on DARK SHADOWS was actually written for and made its debut in the DR. JEKYLL film, first.
If the Louis Jourdan COUNT DRACULA feels like a "Reader's Digest" version of the novel, the Jess Franco COUNT DRACULA feels like a "Reader's Digest" version of what the BBC did 7 years later. I personally enjoy BOTH versions, though the Franco film is seriously let down on the technical side (horrible camera-work, sound, editing, lighting, the works). I do have the score on CD, though (downloaded from someone's blog). It's rather monotonous, but somehow "works" for the film, and I like to jokingly call it the "EVIL" version of THE THIRD MAN score.
I'm frustrated that, somehow, I never did get a copy of the Dan Curtis DRACULA. I've seen it-- ONCE-- but not since the 70's! Damn.
Every time I watch something Curtis directed himself, his skill and talent continues to rise in my eyes. If he were still alive and active as a director, he'd be on my short list of directors I'd love to have turn some of my own stories into movies. He really knew what he was doing.
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DOCTOR WHO: TERROR OF THE AUTONS
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I was just looking over the feature films I've watched the last couple of months.
A rather eclectic bunch.
Unstoppable-2010-Denzel Washington suspense flick.
The Social Network-2010-excellent script about the founding of Facebook.
The Man Who Wouldn't Die-1942- Lloyd Nolan in another fun Michael Shayne mystery.
Paul-2011-sci-fi comedy.
Bag of Bones-2011-Pierce Brosnan in so-so adaptation of Stephen King book.
Winnie the Pooh-2011-very enjoyable Disney old school animation.
Taming of the West-1939-Wild Bill Elliott B-Western.
Dinty-1920-Wesley Barry and the other kids in the film steal the movie from the adult stars in this comedy-drama.
Invasion of the Star Creature-1962-ultra cheap-o drive-in sci-fi flick. The stuff I grew up watching on World Beyond.
House on Bare Mountain-1962- Bob Cresse does his best take on playing a ripoff of Jonathan Winters' old granny in this incredibly cheap (shot in three days) grind-house flick that has almost no plot and has at least one third of it's barely one hour running time consisting of gratuitous nudity.
Rango-2011-fun animated feature.
My Week with Marilyn-2011-great cast, great script!
Hoopla-1933-Clara Bow looks great in this pre-code story of carney workers. Her last film. A remake of the silent film The Barker.
Kung Fu Panda 2-2011-fine animated sequel.
Super 8-2011-J.J. Abrams/Steven Spielberg collaboration reminded me of my younger days shooting films on 8mm.
That Man Bolt-1973-Fred Willimason Blaxploitation classic. I somehow mixed this one when I was doing a weekly Blaxploitation fest some years back so was glad to finally run it down.
Bedazzled-1967- showed the Lil Missus this excellent comedy variation of Faust starring Peter Cook and Dudley Moore (and Raquel Welch as Lust -Va-va-voom)!!!
The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo-2011-I found this American remake to be better than the Swedish original.
Cross Country Cruise-1934-a fun pre-coder. Something of a variation on It Happened One Night.
Frankenstein Meets the Space Mosnter-1964- another World Beyond sci-fi cheapie from my childhood returns.
Invasion of the Bee Girls-1973-this seemed to be always playing at one drive-in or another during my teen years but I never caught it until now. Better late than never.
Calgary Stampede-1925-fine Hoot Gibson western shot partially on location in Canada.
Fright Night-2011- not bad but I still prefer the 1980's original.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs-2009-animated feature was better than I expected.
Hollywood Story-1951- Richard Conte in a rather obscure but interesting film that's main story concerns his research into a 1920s Hollywood mystery (loosely based on the William Desmond Taylor murder).
Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus-2009- lame low budget sci-fi effort from The Asylum.
The Artist-2011- my favorite film of 2011. Nuff said.
and currently watching Beyond the Fringe-1964- once thought lost this film of the gala farewell performance of the famous stage performance was recovered a few years ago and shows Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Alan Bennett and Jonathan Miller bridging the comedy gap between the Goons and Monty Python.
Best
Joe
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Linda and I are enjoying Body of Proof, despite the occasional mawkishness.
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New British slang for me. What is mawkishness?
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Tonight:
SON OF DRACULA (1943)
A minor masterpiece, which continues to grow on me more with each time I see it.
Some years back, it hit me this film really felt like the blueprint for the Barnabas Collins story on DARK SHADOWS. You've got a big mansion ("Dark Oaks"), 2 sisters, 1 blonde and 1 brunette, the latter of whom is obsessed with "morbid" thoughts; there's this mysterious stranger from Europe who's not what he says, and who gets involved with the brunette; the jealous boyfriend, who investigates the "Count"; there's also the sheriff, the doctor, the lawyer, and, get this-- the expert on occult matters, a heavy-set guy with a foreign accent (curisously, the "Count" doesn't have a foreign accent, but the vampire-hunter DOES). There's the "guest house", the room in the basement where someone finds a coffin, and even mention of a "playroom" in the mansion.
The plot, the pacing, the writing, the acting, the special effects, all top-notch (probably the BEST use of effects in any Universal "Dracula" movie outside of the A&C comedy). The only thing that drags it down a bit, is the casting of Lon Chaney (Jr.), and to tell the truth, for most of the film, he's pretty damn good! One of his better performances, I'd say. I just have trouble accepting him as THE "Count Dracula". Halfway thru, it was suggested he might be a "descendant", and frankly, that would make more sense to me. Perhaps Universal thought so too, for the next time "Count Dracula" appeared, in HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, mention was made of the sideshow coffin containing "the skeleton of the ORIGINAL Count Dracula!" (After being cremated at the beginning of DRACULA'S DAUGHTER, there would be just the skeleton left. And that would sidestep how the guy got destroyed in America but wound up touring Europe. Of course, my own theory is that SOD takes place AFTER A&CMF-- partly because his "excuse" for being absent in the daytime is doing "scientific research", which sounds like a carry-over from HOUSE OF DRACULA and the A&C movie.)
Perhaps the most disturbing element of the story is that the brunette ("Kaye") deliberately lures Dracula, marries him, then plans to destroy him, so she and her true love can be undead immortals together. After she becomes a vampire, she's creepier than the Count!!!
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It has been a really long time since I watched the Universal Dracula and Frankenstein movies. You got me wanting to.
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Did anyone watch the River? I have not. I figure it was going to be great or horrible. Then I worry that if it is good it will have a terrible ending like Lost
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"It has been a really long time since I watched the Universal Dracula and Frankenstein movies. You got me wanting to."
Don't forget The Wolf Man, he's tied in so much with them.
And make sure you include WEREWOLF OF LONDON. I saw that once, in the 90's, as part of a marathon I did with my Dad of all those films. And what amazed me was to learnb that the "cure" for being a wereolf was IDENTICAL to the one used in HOUSE OF DRACULA-- so I put both films in the same continuity. Especially since it finally "explained" to me why Larry Talbot was still having his problem in the A&C movie.
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Did anyone watch the River? I have not. I figure it was going to be great or horrible. Then I worry that if it is good it will have a terrible ending like Lost
I watched the first two episodes on Hulu the other day. It was okay. I was wondering if it is going to be miniseries or an ongoing series though. I think I would get tired of it if it if kept on going with the current plot-line (the search for the missing husband/father) too long.
As to how it will end who can say? Sometimes I think it's better to concentrate on enjoying the journey of the series/movie/book rather then to lay too much emphasis on the ending.
Best
Joe
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"New British slang for me. What is mawkishness?" narfstar
A bit scmaltzy, in this case.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mawkish
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thanks Paw I did not think it was a dictionary word figured it was just slang
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Nessun problema 'n' 'at, pal. A wee bit Italian and some West of Scotland corrupt English there. Lots of glottal stops here and you'd find me difficult to understand at times when talking fast with certain friends. Mind, in Italian class, we occasionally have to explain some Scottish words because she can't get the accent and local words confuse her. Much worse for us, grappling with the Italian subjunctive. Great fun.
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The last week or so...
Doctor Who:
SPEARHEAD FROM SPACE
TERROR OF THE AUTONS
THE MIND OF EVIL
THE CLAWS OF AXOS
COLONY IN SPACE (severaly edited)
THE DAEMONS
THE SEA DEVILS
THE TIME MONSTER
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THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL
THE NIGHT STALKER
Just noticed-- Elisha Cook Jr. is in BOTH of these!
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Lovely, all those Pertwee stories. I'm particularly fond of the Autons and The Daemons. We've been listening to him as CPO Pertwee on The Navy Lark, a British radio comedy from the '60's. which also starred Leslie Philips.
Friday night was the last ever Hustle. This has been a good season, as have the others, but what can I say about the final episode - it had the lot and I bet you were all expecting a happy ending! Or were you? I'm spoiling absolutely nothing by saying that. You'll just have to search it out and be entertained.
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The Lil Missus and I watched Count Dracula-(1970) last night. It was better than I remembered it. I suspect that my one previous viewing of it back in the seventies was edited for time so that they could cram in more commercials as it was also nice to see the whole thing too.
The films main drawback is its low budget but director Jess Franco still manages to squeeze some atmosphere out of it (helped by a nice musical score) and I consider it one of the most faithful adaptations of Stoker's novel.
Good cast too. Christopher's Lee's best portrayal of Dracula, IMHO, is aided immensely by Herbert Lom's fine Van Helsing and Klaus Kinski as Renfield in giving depth to the production.
Thanks for the little bit of info on The Navy Lark radio series Paw. I had recently noticed that our local library had a number of episodes but knew nothing about the series and had not yet gotten around to researching it.
Best
Joe
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Been watchin' another pile of vintage cartoons.
Following up on my viewing of the 1928-1929 Winkler/Mintz produced Oswald cartoons I proceeded to examine the 1929-1930 Walter Lantz Oswald toons.
I tracked down 15 of them and they give one a fascinating view of a medium in transition.
Lantz is on record as describing their early efforts at producing sound cartoons as improvised dubbing sessions done after the cartoon was animated. Well the earliest Lantz cartoons look just like he describes. All of the sound (mostly music and sound effects with only an occasional squeal or exclamation to give "voices" to the characters) definitely seems like an afterthought.
It doesn't take long for things to improve as within a few months the animators first start experimenting with designing the gags to go with the music and effects.
A few months after that they have the characters slowly and carefully enunciating actual words as the animators get a feel for how to "do" this new phenomena of sound.
By the end of the season they got the essential mechanicals of it down and one can't help but appreciate it all when viewed in an order such as I did.
On top of all this Lantz had to rebuild much of the animation staff as some of the previous crew left with Mintz and some, such as the invaluable Hugh Harman and Rudy Ising, left to form their own studio. You can really see a decline in quality of the animation on some of the early shorts from this season but things soon level out in that respect as Lantz puts the right people into the right spots and things start looking good even as they work through the mystery of "sound."
After finishing viewing the Lantz toons I decided to check out some of the Mintz cartoons form the same period but had much less luck tracking them down.
Mintz is one of those characters whom not much has been written about. He's mainly known as the "guy who stole Oswald from Disney".
He got into the animation biz when he married Margaret Winkler in the mid 1920s.
Winkler had been a producer/distributor already for a few years and had worked with the Fleischers on their Out of the Inkwell (KoKo the Clown) cartoons as well as Pat Sullivan's Felix the Cat cartoon series. She had also helped a young Walt Disney get his feet wet in the business by launching his Alice in Cartoonland series.
Well soon after the marriage Margaret got shunted off to pregnancy and being a housewife and Charles took over the running of the animation business which at that point was mainly Disney and Sullivan. Sullivan was becoming an increasing chore to deal with so in 1927 Mintz dumped the popular series, formed his own production studio (with Margaret's brother George to help), licensed the popular King Features character Krazy Kat, signed a deal with Paramount Pictures (the biggest studio in Hollywood at the time) to distribute and proceeded to make Krazy Kat cartoons that looked a lot more like Felix the Cat then anything George Herriman had ever drawn. Mintz then pushed Disney into giving up the Alice series and going with the less expensive to produce Oswald series (before taking that away from him a year later).
Mintz was riding high for the next two years.
Then things began to turn against him. In 1929 the motion picture industry was going through the painful, and costly, transition to sound pictures. Paramount had been distributing both Winkler's Krazy Kat cartoons and the Fleischer's Koko the Clown cartoons, both of which were popular. They decided though that with all the money going into sound production that they only needed to spend money on one cartoon series and since the Fleischers were the only ones with as much experience with sound as Disney (having produced a bunch of Song Cartunes even before Disney began to experiment with sound on Mickey Mouse) Mintz was the one to go. Then Universal yanked Oswald away from him and Mintz found himself with only one series and no distributor. Mintz was quick on his feet though and he soon hooked up with poverty row Columbia Pictures and they began to distribute the Krazy Kat cartoons.
Then the stock market crashed and the Great Depression began. Some days you just can't win. But then again maybe he had it coming.
Anyway the three Mintz pictures I managed to get a look at were all Krazy Kat pictures. One was a fairly early one from 1927. one was the final silent Krazy released by Paramount from 1929 and the last was the first sound Krazy Kat released by Columbia shortly after the final Paramount cartoon. All were competently done if highly derivative of the Felix pictures and all looked pretty much the same. With the exception of addition of sound (obviously a post-dubbed afterthought) there was very little change in the style of the productions. Tough to really judge the guy's output from such a limited sample though.
Hopefully I can track down some later Mintz productions to get an idea of how his cartoon production advanced.
Best
Joe
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A lot of people at the IMDB seem to rate some films PURELY on how faithful they are to the book-- or not. Which is not really fair, as a lot of GREAT movies have been made that were loosley based on TERRIBLE books. But of course, the reverse is ALSO true (and we must never forget it-- heehee).
DRACULA has been "lucky" in a way, as so many adaptations have been made, which have each been SO different from each other, and most of them, SO interesting in their own way! It's fun to watch, sometimes the ones that veer farthest from the book are the most fun (Hammer's 1958 DRACULA with Lee & Cushing immeidately comes to mind).
That said, in truth, I feel there are really only TWO adaptations that really, genuinely try to follow the book-- and they're both named "COUNT DRACULA". The first is thr 1970 version with Lee, Lom & Kinski. Technically, it's a TERRIBLY-made movie... and yet, from all I've seen and read, it it, nontheless, Jess Franco's undisputed MASTERPIECE. (heh) I mean, he REALLY TRIED on this one!! It's just a shame he still dind't have a decent budget, and that he couldn't bring himself to fire that AWFUL camerman who's apparently shot every single one of his atrocities-- I mean movies-- over the years.
I make fun, but I really do LIKE the film-- in spitre of its shortcomings. Lee looks EXACTLY as Dracula should, the story-- for the most part-- tries to follow the book-- Herbert Lom is pretty authentic to the novel-- and it's even got a decent Harker for a change. They do make a few notable deviations. Oddly enough, Dracula & Val Helsing to NOT cross paths anywhere in the book-- AT ALL-- until the end. But that doesn't make for good drama. (A friend of mine suggested that Bram Stoker, like many famous authors, had not quite gotten the hang of writing when he hit it big with his FIRST NOVEL.) Also, they BURN Dracula at the end. Which looks terrific. Oddly enough, right around the same time, Chris Lee went down IN FLAMES after being struck by LIGHTNING (that's gotta hurt!) in SCARS OF DRACULA, a film that was actually written and intended for SOME OTHER ACTOR... until the distributor refused to put up the money UNLESS Lee was in it. I'm guessing that explains the pasty white make-up, and the fact that he got MORE DIALOGUE in SCARS... than all his other Hammer DRAC films put together.
Now, what you need to do, is watch the 1977 BBC version with Louis Jourdan & Frank Finlay. WOW!!!!! Jess Franco's feels like a "Reader's Digest" version of this... whiole this feels the same for the novel itself. This one ALSO deviates a bit. Once again, Drac & Van Helsing have a verbal confrontation NOT in the novel, presumably because, ever since the stage play with Bela Lugosi, everyone doing the story feels there SHOULD be one! Also, Van Helsing is a BIT nicer-- and less culpable-- than he was in the book. By that I mean, in the novel, he's SO secretive, he doesn't want to let anyone know what's going on until he's SURE, that it leads directly to LUCY'S DEATH. NO S***. If he-- and Jon Pertwee's Doctor-- had TOLD people around him what was going on, things would never have gotten so bad.
Would you believe, I've seen the Lugosi film DOZENS of times by now, and this last time (about 2 weeks ago), it finally struck me, that with the MAJOR compression of the story for the stage version, all the time they spend trying to save Mina in the last 3rd, that actually came from the part of the novel where they're trying to save LUCY. By the time Mina is victimized in the novel, all involved already know about Dracula, and have been hunting him down. He goes after HER almost as a way of "sticking" it to them, to say, "You DARE come after me? THIS is what you're gonna get."
By comparison, the Fernando Fernandez comic-book version (painted in full color), has him go after Mina because he fell in love with Lucy, so attacking Mina was a form of "revenge".
And by comparison, again, the whole "reincarnation of lost love" angle in the Coppola version, had been used in several films before-- including THE MUMMY (1932), THE MUMMY'S GHOST, HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS, Dan Curtis' DRACULA, and BLACULA (with William Marshall), but had nothiong to do with the book. In the book, Dracula is PURE EVIL!!! When I read the novel, I realized, the ONLY actor who ever "did" the guy in the book, was Christopher Lee.
You know, one version I'm missing, but which I saw twice in theatres (which should tel you how much I liked it) is Mel Brooks' DRACULA: DEAD AND LOVING IT. It's a loving tribute to Lugosi's film, but also pays tribute to Terrence Fisher, Francis Ford Coppola, and EVEN John Badham! Oh yeah-- and I'm SURE Mel based his Van Helsing on Frank Finlay. (With a little bit of Jack Klugman thrown in. "I STILL got it!")
I never seem to get tired talking about Dracula. ;D
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I don't write much but enjoy reading you guys thoughts
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Tonight:
COUNT DRACULA (1970)
Thanks for giving me the idea! (I dug the '77 tape out as well while I was at it.)
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Paw Broon:
"We've been listening to him as CPO Pertwee on The Navy Lark, a British radio comedy from the '60's. which also starred Leslie Philips."
Never seen or heard any of those, but I have seen him in a copple of CARRY ON film cameos.
Isn't it nuts that, after the surprising success of Patrick Troughton, they cast Pertwee specifically for his COMEDY skills-- but instead, he went completely the other way and played the character all serious and often unpleasant?
Then 5 years later, they cast a guy known for playing VILLAINS... and HE winds up doing it with a lot of comedy.
I was lucky to see Jon Pertwee in person on stage where he had the entire 2nd HALF of a "cabaret" show all to himself. What immense TALENT and ENERGY that guy had! I joked that, if they'd ever had him AND Bonnie Langford on the same stage together, they'd blow the roof right off the building. :)
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The 1977 Dracula is high on my list to rewatch but as yet I haven't acquired it on DVD. My memory of it is that it was very good but I haven't had a chance to see it since the early eighties.
Still have the Dan Curtis version coming up (as soon as the Lil Missus and I get a free evening together) so that will have to hold me.
We have rewatched all of the Universal and Hammer Draculas in recent years but your mentioning the Mel Brooks spoof makes me wanna see if I can't snag that one too.
Best
Joe
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"I was lucky to see Jon Pertwee in person on stage where he had the entire 2nd HALF of a "cabaret" show all to himself. What immense TALENT and ENERGY that guy had! I joked that, if they'd ever had him AND Bonnie Langford on the same stage together, they'd blow the roof right off the building." - profh0011
Lucky indeed.
Some of the Who people turn up at collector cons in Glasgow and they always attract barraloads of fans.
After the Doctor Who list, I dug out The Daemons and watched the first 2 episodes - great stuff.
Bonnie Langford was on Strictly Come Dancing recently.
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Josemas:
"The 1977 Dracula is high on my list to rewatch but as yet I haven't acquired it on DVD."
It' would definitely be on my list of DVDs to get, one of these days. My videotape has a couple of disturbing glirches, 2 places where the picture TOTALLY cuts out, the first time for almost 2 minutes, the 2nd time for maybe 30 seconds. I'm not sure what happened, but I suspect either the channel went off the air temporarily, or my cable service was interrupted by something. Really WEIRD.
Watching it now, in segments. I just got up to the point where Lucy dies, followed by Jonathan & Mina returning from Budapest. I really LOVE this film!
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This week:
THE NIGHT STRANGLER
COUNT DRACULA (1970)
COUNT DRACULA (1977)
The BBC version is SO MUCH BETTER on every level than the Jess Franco version (a fair comparison, they're just about the only 2 adaptations that actually-- GASP!-- try to follow the book). However, there is one section in the '70 film that feels like it should have been in the '77 film, but isn't (I suspect they just ran out of time). That's when Dracula hired that ship to take him back to his homeland, and then the vampire-hunters discover it, and realize, if they travel over-land, they can get to his castle first! The '77 film is SO long and comprehensive by that point, I guess they couldn't include everything.
One scene from the book that stands out in my mind that has never turned up in any version of the film, is when the break into Dracula's house in London, to destroy his boxes. They do this in broad daylight, and avoid trouble with the police because Arthur Holmwood-- who by then had inherited his late father's title "Lord Godalming"-- told a constable it was HIS property. And WHO was gonna argue with a titled Lord? It was one of the advantages to having someone filthy stinking rich among the heroes. Actually, the closest this scene ever came to the screen was in the 1958 Hammer film, where Michael Gough, without a single word of dialogue, casually waves some money in front of the frontier border guard, inspiring the man to give up information he kept saying he wasn't allowed to give to anyone. It was a brief moment of humor in an otherwise mostly-serious and intense (and exciting) film.
Ironically, the Coppola / Oldman version is the ONLY one to feature all 3 of Lucy's suitors (the doctor, the cowboy and the rich guy), but it "makes up for it" by stealing the whole "reincarnation of lost love" subplot from THE MUMMY and other similar films, which had nothing to do with DRACULA! (Although, one might argue it was "borrowed" from "Jewel of the Seven Stars", another Stoker novel. But its more obvious source is the various Mummy films-- and HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS.)
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Tonight:
HORROR OF DRACULA (1958)
...because, that's why!
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I just watched the animated movie Gene-Fusion. Not bad.
Doc Martin (which I love thanks to Paw's recommend) just jumped a bunch of episodes. Went from not really dating to getting married but did not. It had my favorite episode where she was about to take the Doc to bed but got him drunk. She tells him just don't talk but then he tells her how he loves her and she is the thing he hopes to get a glimpse of everyday. She says he can talk if that is what he says then he falls asleep from drinking. Next episode has the cop find out his fiancee is a con artist. Then it jumps to the marriage episode and a new cop. That is episode 30something then it jumps to episode 50 something next. Hope they pick up inbetween.
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Last night:
THE BRIDES OF DRACULA
Kinda follows, doesn't it? It's obvious they had a bigger budget for this than "CURSE" and "HORROR", the Count's "villa" looks more palatial than Dracula's "castle" did in the earlier film. And how about that Peter Cushing-- the world's most unlikely "ACTION HERO"!!
With this film distributed by Universal (which means they probably put up the money for Hammer to make it), there's also some very obvious visual tributes to Universal's 1930's films, which Hammer seemed hell-bent on AVOIDING before. The shot of the stagecoach arriving in town near the inn is very similar to the one at the beginning of DRACULA (1931), while the climax, taking place at a windmill, seems an obvious swipe at FRANKENSTEIN (also 1931).
Incidentally, for anyone who's seen the entire Hammer DRACULA series, it appears Dr. Van Helsing winds up with the French girl at the end. I feel certain SHE is the mother of his son, seen in LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES, and grandmother to Lorimer, seen in DRACULA A.D. 1972 and THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA. (When else would a busy vampire-hunter have time for romance?)
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I need to watch some classics. I did just watch the Frankenstein Syndrome. A very different and dark take. Interesting only in the different take. The movie itself not very worthwhile.
My wife and I both really liked the new to DVD movie DREAM HOUSE.
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A new Whitechapel 2-parter started last night in ITV. Penry-Jones and Phil Davis and the young detective still there and this time they're involved with the Boogeyman. I have to admit that the hairs on the back of my neck went up a couple of times during this first part. Seriously spooky at times and beautifully filmed.
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A new "Whitechapel"? Hope it won't take a year to get it over here. The last two were quite excellent. Still waiting for the new "Doc Martin" episodes. Stumbled onto a new series, "The Finder". Yep, that's what he does- finds things. Lackluster debut, but it gets a little better every week. His bizarre methods and the objects sought can make a up a decent story. Given time this one might be pretty good. Needed to be swashbuckled this week, so I watched "Scaramouche" and one of my very all-time favorite films, "Gunga Din". The granddaughters especially enjoyed the scene where Annie the elephant tore down the jail. Wasn't 1939 a really great year for movies? Cheers, Bowers
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The new Whitechapels are supposed to air in the U. S. via BBC America starting March 28th. The new episodes of Sherlock should start airing via PBS on May 6th.
I finally got to start sampling Doc Martin myself when I found the first four seasons available at Hulu last week. Watched the pilot and am looking forward to more.
!939 was definitely one of the best years ever for movies. No doubt about it. Besides Gunga Din there was Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Wizard of Oz, Destry Rides Again, Gone With the Wind, The Women, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Light That Failed, Ninotchka, Union Pacific, The Roaring Twenties, Wuthering Heights and probably several more I'm forgetting at the moment. All classics!
Best
Joe
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I like the sound of "The Finder" but don't recall seeing it anywhere on our listings.
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Thanks for the schedule info, Joe. I'll be waiting! Paw, "The Finder" is on the Fox network over here and seems to be a "throw-in" to replace something else that was cancelled. Probably won't last very long, but it can be delightfully quirky at times. Watched Hugh Laurie ("House", "Jeeves and Wooster") and his touring blues band on PBS a month or so ago and it was KILLER! When the wife and I saw he was bringing this tour to town in June we ran down to the box office the first day tickets went on sale. Crap! All the great seats were gone in the first hour, but we still got some decent ones. The venue is a lovingly restored 1920's quasi-Egyptian/art deco style movie theater in which I spent many, many hours in my younger days. You have to love it when these wonderful old buildings can get a second lease on life and serve a useful purpose. Cheers, Bowers
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The last few days...
HORROR OF DRACULA
THE BRIDES OF DRACULA
DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS
DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE
Sometimes I just can't help myself...
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The Finder is a spinoff from Bones. Since Bones is having an abbreviated season this year (due to star Emily Deschanel's pregnancy) The Finder is filling that time-slot quite a bit.
The Lil Missus and I watched the Bones episode that was a pilot for The Finder but found all the characters too annoying to followup with watching it as a regular series.
It hasn't done particularly well in the ratings so far, except when it goes up against reruns on the other networks, so it's kinda' iffy whether it will be renewed or not.
Best
Joe
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The Lil Missus and I watched Dracula (1974) this past weekend and it was as good as I remembered. Jack Palance is excellent as Dracula. Really savage and animalistic at times. Some nice location shooting in England and Yugoslavia gives it some appropriate atmosphere. I noticed some music tracks that producer Dan Curtis recycled from Dark Shadows but they worked well here.
The DVD also had some interviews (apparently from the mid 1990s) with Palance and Curtis and Curtis confirmed Henry's hunch that the "reincarnation of lost love" subplot was indeed borrowed from Dark Shadows by screen writer Richard Matheson and himself.
Palance admitted that he had never seen the finished film but received frequent praise for it and had been offered chances to reprise the role on various occasions.
Best
Joe
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Took a break from watching all those Oswald cartoons to check out a bunch of "banned" cartoons which basically means those with offensive stereotypes in them. Quite a few date from the WWII period but there are plenty from earlier and some even from after the war.
Some of the best were those that relied heavily on music such as Lantz's Scrub Me Mama With a Boogie Beat and Cow Cow Boogie and Warner's Tin Pan Alley Cats and Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs which while sometimes having caricatures of African-Americans that really make you wince, also have very lively tunes that still make the toons worth watching.
Some of the worst were the anti-Axis WWII cartoons with the Germans, Italians, and (especially) the Japanese being caricatured as vultures, hyenas, monkeys, etc.. The worst along these lines I ran across was the very unfunny Warner's cartoon Tokio Jokio (1943).
Few of these have aired on TV since the early 1970s (or earlier) but have popped up on some DVD collections or show up on Youtube and the like.
Coming up next- The Fox and the Crow.
Best
Joe
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Talk about making you wince! The Wizard had a, what is now notorious, strip, titled, "Spadger's Isle. This was on the front page for a while and here are a few examples. Not films but a big part of British reading at the time:-
http://www.kellyscomics.com/wizard-old-comics-3.php
Scroll about half way down. You can't really miss them.
I saw some examples at a friends house recently which were more worrying and cringeworthy but they are of their time.
Many of the covers on this site are simply superb.
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One of our PBS stations finally came through for us and is starting to show the new "Doc Martin" episodes. Great to see Robert Daws ("The Royal", "Jeeves and Wooster") make a guest appearance. Also some new (to us) episodes of "William and Mary". Oddly enough, they sometimes show these programs back-to-back. Interesting to watch Clunes shift from a warm, empathetic character to a socially inept ass (albeit with good intentions). All three regional PBS stations are starting up their fund raising "Pledge Break" seasons, so it'll be awhile before we get to see any more of these programs for awhile. Sure nice to know they bought them, though. Cheers, Bowers
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Were more Doc's produces after his babies birth?
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Hi, Narf. The last episode of season 4 (2009) showed the baby being born in a pub. The show was out of production for a couple of years, but returned in 2011 for season 5. This new season begins with Martin and Louisa returning to Port Wenn with the baby. Cheers, Bowers
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So now I gotta wait for season 5 to get to the USA. Martin is so "un"cool
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The last few days...
TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA
SCARS OF DRACULA
DRACULA A.D. 1972
THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA
...well, that wasn't really a surprise, was it? ;)
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Narf, I live in a small city (under 300,000 metro pop.) in the Pacific Northwest, so we're a pretty small TV market. If we have season 5, the rest of the U.S. can't be very far behind. Cheers, Bowers
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Over twice the size or our total pop :) But we do get our tv from Chattanooga. I need to check to see if it has come here.
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The last few days...
TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA
SCARS OF DRACULA
DRACULA A.D. 1972
THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA
...well, that wasn't really a surprise, was it? ;)
I'd have been surprised only if these hadn't been the next ones you watched.
Best
Joe
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Over twice the size or our total pop :) But we do get our tv from Chattanooga. I need to check to see if it has come here.
I believe that the new season of Doc Martin is beginning next week here in Phoenix on our local PBS channel but I'm going to hold off on watching until I've caught up on the earlier episodes via Hulu.
Best
Joe
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Last night:
LOVE AT FIRST BITE
Surprise!
I like "7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES", but it's the only one of the 9 Hammer films that tends to "drag" in the middle, and I'd seen it too recently to wanna sit thru it again this soon. So it was fun, by comparison, to see another "Dracula in the modern world" film right after "A.D. 1972" and "SATANIC RITES". This is an amazing film in many ways. It would have been so EASY for it to have been totally idiotic and completely disrespectful. But George Hamilton really did something incredible with his performance. It was like Adam West's Batman-- he played it with absolute sincerity, making even the most absurd scenes believable, and taking the more "serious" scenes to a higher level than you'd expect in a "comedy".
Now, when Richard Benjamin comes in, and later, Dick Shawn, THEY feel like they walked in from some entirely different movie (the one most people probably expected the film to be).
"What do you think of... THIS!!!"
".....I'd say, you should find yourself a nice JEWISH girl."
"Oh S***, it's the other one, isn't it."
Susan Saint James seems to straddle the 2 "worlds" nicely. She's so crass at times, you'd almost think "Vladimir" (never saw him called that in any other movie) might have been disappointed, but throughout, he sees her as better than she does. And eventually she comes around. "It must be YOUR decision." Clearly, this is NOT Chris Lee-- or Bram Stoker. THAT Dracula was a total B******!
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Love at First Bite is one of the Lil Missus's favorite vampire movies. She's still watching her old VHS tape of it as I haven't yet snagged it for her on DVD.
Best
Joe
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My three current weekly cliff-hangers-
Zorro's Fighting Legion-1939-Republic-12 chapters- this one is a rewatch. I think that this is my favorite of the Zorro serials. So much great action action and swashbuckling. Reed Hadley (later to star in TV's Racket Squad and Public Defender) makes a fine Zorro too.
The Green Hornet-1940-Universal-13 chapters- We recently started watching this one at our weekly Movie Nights. Apparently it was such a big hit that they immediately started working on a sequel (which we actually already watched several years ago) with pretty much the same lead cast. The one main difference being that Gordon Jones was replaced by Warren Hull in the sequel (for what reason I'm not sure of as both do a fine job as Britt Reid/Green Hornet). When the serial was first released the U.S. was inching closer to WWII and it is carefully pointed out in chapter one that Kato (played by Keye Luke) is Korean.
Manhunt of Mystery Island-1945-Republic-15 chapters- Just started this one and judging by the first chapter it's gonna be a good one- with heroic Lance Reardon (Raymond Bailey) leading the search for the missing Dr. Forrest (inventor of the radiatomic power transmitter) to Mystery island where he runs up against the villianous Captain Mephisto! Lots of fun!
Best
Joe
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Green Hornet is a very enjoyable serial and I really like Warren Hull (also in The Spider). Oddly enough, despite my love of serials, I haven't seen Zorro's Fighting Legion! (There is a current mention of Zorro on Vintage Comics Forum with examples of his appearances in the weekly, L'Audace but it's in Italian).
Can't find The Finder anywhere. Last night, a new episode of Body of Proof, a series we both enjoy. Tonight, the next Mentalist of the new series. We have something called, "Alcatraz" starting here next week - is it worth a look?
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In another comic list, several were big fans of Alcatraz. I did not like the first episode so I did not see any more. Some said that by the fourth episode it was really good. So if you go by them you should like it.
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Isn't it just bizarre how, in LOVE AT FIRST BITE, both "George" and "Louise" (as in, Jefferson) show up-- as a minister and judge, respectively-- and "Jay" (Ralph Manza) also has a cameo, once again as a limo driver? That's one weird "shared universe".
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The Lil Missus and I are watching Alcatraz and so far it's keeping our interest. A combination of crime show with some (mostly unexplained so far) sci-fi elements thrown in. It's been doing good in the ratings and thus seems likely for renewal.
I read that they are filming a spin-off of Primeval up in Canada but can't seem to find a straight answer about another season of the original series. Has anyone heard anything definite?
Curious
Joe
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Isn't it just bizarre how, in LOVE AT FIRST BITE, both "George" and "Louise" (as in, Jefferson) show up-- as a minister and judge, respectively-- and "Jay" (Ralph Manza) also has a cameo, once again as a limo driver? That's one weird "shared universe".
I wonder how many young kids who might happen to catch the movie these days would even get those connections?
Kinda' like some of those WWII or Great Depression era references in Looney Tunes I saw as a kid that went over my head back then.
Best
Joe
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Green Hornet is a very enjoyable serial and I really like Warren Hull (also in The Spider). Oddly enough, despite my love of serials, I haven't seen Zorro's Fighting Legion! (There is a current mention of Zorro on Vintage Comics Forum with examples of his appearances in the weekly, L'Audace but it's in Italian).
Can't find The Finder anywhere. Last night, a new episode of Body of Proof, a series we both enjoy. Tonight, the next Mentalist of the new series. We have something called, "Alcatraz" starting here next week - is it worth a look?
In addition to The Green Hornet Strikes Again serial and both Spider chapter-plays Hull also starred in the Mandrake the Magician serial. Fine in all (although I wish they had made him wear a mustache in the Mandrake cliff-hanger).
Other than that he mostly appears in B movies (many for Columbia Pictures whom I believe he was under contract to for a while) often in supporting roles. I've seen him in a couple Boris Karloff pictures as well as one of the Warren William Lone Wolf films.
Best
Joe
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Isn't it just bizarre how, in LOVE AT FIRST BITE, both "George" and "Louise" (as in, Jefferson) show up-- as a minister and judge, respectively-- and "Jay" (Ralph Manza) also has a cameo, once again as a limo driver? That's one weird "shared universe".
I wonder how many young kids who might happen to catch the movie these days would even get those connections?
Kinda' like some of those WWII or Great Depression era references in Looney Tunes I saw as a kid that went over my head back then.
Best
Joe
I'm just getting this strange image in my head that George Hamilton's DRACULA exists in the same universe as George Peppard's BANACEK. (Now, wasn't there a tv show years later where Sherman Hemsley played a minister?)
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Thanks chaps, for the opinions on Alcatraz, we'll give it a try.
I'd forgotten about Warren Hull being Mandrake and, although I have the serial, I haven't watched it since I got it quite a while ago.
Rumours abound re. Primeval in Canada but like you, I can find nothing concrete. You never know.
Watched an old b&w film this week, "Space Master X-7, an enjoyable load of old cobblers.
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I wish they would have run more serials on TV when I was grown up. In this area, the only ones they ever seemed to show were the 3 FLASH GORDONs and the 1 BUCK ROGERS. And I clearly remember a stretch where the local channel was running ...TRIP TO MARS, BUCK ROGERS and ...CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE, but not the '36 FLASH GORDON. I mean... WTF???
In the 80's, NJN (PBS in Trenton) ran all 4, at a rate of 1 chapter per week. I managed to tape all of them that way.
In the late 90's I managed to get both BATMAN (1943) and BATMAN AND ROBIN (1948) off of AMC (I think). They ran the complete serials, without any breaks at all, a day apart, Monday and Tuesday night, both at 1:30 in the morning! I caught the 1st one totally by accident, saw it was about to come on in a couple minutes and scrambled to slap a blank tape into the VCR. The next day, just on the odd chance, I checked to see what they had scheduled, and sure enough it was the sequel. I really love the '43 film, in some ways, as much or more than the '66 tv series.
I also got CAPTAIN AMERICA (1943) on videotape by mail-order. Fabulous action, and the most intensely nasty S.O.B. Lionel Atwill ever played in his career. Ity really captures the fight scenes Jack Kirby put on paper-- if NOTHING else. And there's a reason for that. It's not that they got it so wrong... it's that the entire thing was planned & written as a MR. SCARLET serial, but at the last minute, they changed their minds and made it something else. Martin Goodman, apparently, was not thrilled... (heh)
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Last night:
FLASH GORDON: THE GREATEST ADVENTURE OF ALL (1979)
Filmation's finest creation ever!!!
Tonight:
FLASH GORDON (1980)
Of all the really idiotic movies out there, this has to be the most MAGNIFICENT. Incredible cast (barring the lead), absolutely dazzling production & costume designs (some of which make no sense at all), even more sex & violence by far than the Filmation feature, some really intense, EXCITING sequences, side-by-side with some of the DUMBEST dialogue ever uttered in a movie. Talk about schizo... The one thing I can say without reservation, this film's got WAY better music than the Filmation version. The combined talents of Howard Blake (who scored many Tara King episodes of THE AVENGERS) and the rock group Queen push this film completely "OVER THE TOP"!!!
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OK I hate to admit it but I was 17 and stationed on Staton Island when a movie was playing in NYC called Flesh Gordon.
A sex spoof of Flash. I remember the movie being hilariously funny. I do not know how well the humor would hold up and it is probably less sex than would be on Cinemax now but it was pretty raw for the time.
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My Dad never saw that movie, but he used to deliberately quote Queen Fria from ...CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE (1940) when she referred to him (thanks to her accent) as "Flesh Gordon". (No kidding!)
Someone sent me a copy of FLESH GORDON about 6 years ago, so I finally got to see it. It was quite entertaining. The "sex" parts were rather tame, but the rest of the film was actually far better-- and more "on target" than one might expect. In many ways, it seemed to capture the feel of the comic-strip better than the Dino DeLaurentis "epic".
I JUST found my copy of BARBARELLA tonight-- of course, I should have guessed, it's on the same tape as the 1980 FG. Guess while I'm at it, I might as well watch both of them. One reviewer at the IMDB correctly noted that BARBARELLA had a HUGE influence on Dino's film, in look, style, everything. I might say, "How very ITALIAN".
A pity THE ADVENTURES OF STELLA STAR, also in that style, comes across as merely, mostly, "tacky".
And meanwhile...
I cannot believe the timing of this. I watch FLASH GORDON (1980) for the first time in ages, and TODAY, Brian Blessed gets in the news!!!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1334574/Brian-Blessed-accused-throttling-Savoy-diner-insulted-films.html
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I cannot believe the timing of this. I watch FLASH GORDON (1980) for the first time in ages, and TODAY, Brian Blessed gets in the news!!!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1334574/Brian-Blessed-accused-throttling-Savoy-diner-insulted-films.html
Didn't this happen a year or so ago or is Blessed acting up again?
Curious
Joe
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FLASH GORDON: THE GREATEST ADVENTURE OF ALL (1979)
FLASH GORDON (1980)
BARBARELLA (1968)
CLASH OF THE BIONOIDS
"I'LL show you the correct way to approach a girl! Just watch Jet Jocket in action!"
--Roy Fokker
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Never heard of Clash of the Bionoids.
Barbarella is another one that is rather tame by today's standards but was pretty wild for its time. They made a sequel to Flesh Gordan which was absolutely horrible. It lacked anything that made the first one entertaining.
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About 25 years back, someone gave me a bootleg copy of CLASH OF THE BIONOIDS, which, I understand, is a HEAVILY-butchered (to the point of near-incoherent) edited version of MACROSS: DO YOU REMEMBER LOVE? Many years later, I bought a copy of the latter. I've got both out and intend to watch them back-to-back, to really see and compare the difference.
They have a long tradition in Japan of redoing movies as TV shows and vice-versa, often with wildly drastic changes in the character designs, art styles, and stories. I believe in this case, MACROSS: DO YOU REMEMBER LOVE? came first, followed by a 26-episode MACROSS tv series. A major change was, in the feature, Earth was apparently wiped out in the opening scenes (or before them), while in the tv series, about 95% of Earth is wiped out, abut 20 episodes into the show. The scenes in episode 52 of STAR BLAZERS where Prince Zorda goes completely stark raving mad, and in retaliation for the Earth DARING to stand up to him, decides to destroy everything, was nothing compared to this. Zorda took out a few cities, but the attack in the MACROSS series actually destroyed most of the Earth's cities in a single episode. It was monstrous.
A VERY peculiar thing happened when MACROSS came to America... it was combined, after-the-fact, with 2 completely-unrelated other series, structured to make it look like one big, long epic saga, with 20-year-gaps between the 3 sections. And they renamed it ROBOTECH, to tie it in with a previously-existing-but-unrelated toy line. I don't think it really worked. Especially when they took the major concept of MACROSS-- "protoculture" (the extremely "alien" concept-- to the aliens-- of men and women living together and "co-operating"-- and turned it into some kind of "technology" thing. It just didn't make sense, it was never properly explained, and when I found out the original meaning of the word, before it was bastardized for the US market, it just made me shake my head in dismay.
What was infuriating to me was, the Philly station running the show, about halfway thru, decided to run 2 episodes a day. One in the morning, one in the afternoon. And you had to watch BOTH to follow the story. I swear, these TV programmers must all be drug addicts, the kind of decisions they make. Before I found out what had happened, I'd wound up recording EVERY-OTHER episode in the 2nd half of the run. (GRRRRRRRRR) So my collection, or half of it anyway, makes no damn sense at all to watch.
On top of that, I never did tape the 1st episode... though, about 15 years after I was taping the series, I ran across it on cable, by accident, before I knew it was coming on. So I was finally able to see it, but still don't have it on tape. I do have the comic-book based on that episode, though, and read it at least a year before the show ever turned up on American TV. (Go figure.)
MACROSS seems to be a TV series that was immensely popular when it first ran in Japan, but one which they've never quite managed to do a proper sequel to. SOUTHERN CROSS, which became the 2nd part of the "ROBOTECH" series in the US, was described to me as a "BAD sequel". ROBOTECH 2 got about 5 episodes into production before the studio doing it went bankrupt. MACROSS II-- completely unrelated to ROBOTECH 2-- also only lasted a handful of episodes.
Eternity Comics, for quite along while, was "adapting" the un-filmed ROBOTECH 2 as comic-books. it started out nice... but then, they got bogged down by countless specials, one-shots, mini-series spin-offs, etc. All of which diluted and distracted from the main story... which may account for why they NEVER FINISHED the story. If all that talent had focused on knocking out episodes of the main story, maybe the damned thing could have been finished by now.
By the way... most strange may be the ROBOTECH comic published briefly by DC, based on the toy line put out some time before MACROSS was ever bastardized and turned into "ROBOTECH" for the U.S. market. (This stuff gets so confusing, my friend Kevin, who's really into it, is the only one I know who can keep it all straight.)
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Barbarella is another one that is rather tame by today's standards but was pretty wild for its time. They made a sequel to Flesh Gordan which was absolutely horrible. It lacked anything that made the first one entertaining.
Thanks for reminding me, before this week is out I gotta watch FLESH GORDON again.
For some years, I tended to view the 1980 FLASH GORDON as virtually Dino's "BARBARELLA 2". Similar subject matter and style, though, unlike "WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT 2" (alias, CASINO ROYALE), the 2nd attempt worked MUCH better than the 1st!
Note, each is "of its time", at least, as far as writing style and music goes. How many films did Terry Southern do screenplays for in the late 60's? THE MAGIC CHRISTIAN, CANDY, BARBARELLA... all 3 of these involve characters who just seem to float from one random episode to another, with no drive or momentum to the overall movie. Very "late 60's", a time when the "rule book" of movie storytelling seemed to get tossed out the window.
BARBARELLA has a combination of "lounge" and "psychedelic pop", while FLASH GORDON has an "opera-rock" and "orchestral" score.
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I also got CAPTAIN AMERICA (1943) on videotape by mail-order. Fabulous action, and the most intensely nasty S.O.B. Lionel Atwill ever played in his career. Ity really captures the fight scenes Jack Kirby put on paper-- if NOTHING else. And there's a reason for that. It's not that they got it so wrong... it's that the entire thing was planned & written as a MR. SCARLET serial, but at the last minute, they changed their minds and made it something else. Martin Goodman, apparently, was not thrilled... (heh)
The same sort of thing happened with Republic a few years earlier. They were so sure that they would be getting the rights to do a Superman serial in 1940 that they paraded it in the trades and wrote a script for it. Then Paramount and the Fleischer Bros. got the screen rights to do Superman as a series of animated cartoons and Republic was left with a Superman script and no rights to the Man of Steel. Since there was no sense in letting such things go to waste they retooled the script a bit and came up with The Mysterious Dr. Satan where the character of The Copperhead filled the role originally intended to played by Superman.
Republic then did acquire the rights to one of Superman's biggest comic book rivals, Captain Marvel and turned out a humdinger of a chapter-play featuring the Big Red Cheese.
Best
Joe
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Yes, Captain Marvel is a belter. I know I've mentioned this before but I always thought that Copperhead was a Batman replacement, if only because of the name, Wayne, and the lack of superpowers, but then again, what do I know?
We watched Alcatraz and although it was a bit formulaic, we enjoyed it enough to keep up. Sam Neill was really good in it.
Last night's Castle was the one with the "superhero" vigilante and there was a copy of Avengers #1 on show plus scenes in a comic shop.
There is a topic on comics on t.v. on:-
http://www.comicsuk.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3756
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Just recently finished watching the short-lived 2009-2010 (13 epsiode) series Crusoe (based on Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. It was quite fun with Crusoe here being depicted as a sort of island bound MacGyver with him and Friday battling natives, pirates, etc... between flashbacks as to his home life before being shipwrecked and cutaways as to how his family is fairing without him.
One of the best things about it is Sam Neill in a very slimy duplicitous villain role. They must have known that they were going to be cancelled as they wrap up a number of plot-lines in the last two episodes sending old Sam off to a rather nasty fate.
The series also had the coolest tree-house since Disney's Swiss Family Robinson (1960).
Been a fan of Neill's work ever since catching him in Reilly, Ace of Spies back in the early 1980s. Watching him in Alcatraz is one of the best things about that series.
Best
Joe
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You've got me there. I don't know anything about Crusoe. There has been an upsurge in British t.v. of more historical dramas with new versions of Dickens books (because of the anniversary); Treasure Island; Bronte and a revival of Upstairs Downstairs, among others.
Have I mentioned Foyle's War? If not, you should keep a look out for it. Michael Kitchen stars as Foyle and it's set during W.W.2 in a British coastal town. He's the local police superintendent and there are some compelling, sad, well written stories and some disturbing murders plus a look at the devious machinations of the powers that be in wartime.
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Hi, Paw. I've watched "Foyle's War" quite regularly. It's been shown on at least three, possibly more, seasons of "Mystery". Quite a good blending of both the war and mystery genres. Haven't seen "Alcatraz" yet, but hope to soon. I'm also a fan of Neill and totally agree with Joe about his work in "Reilly, Ace of Spies". Taped most of the episodes long ago, and still enjoy watch them. Also saw something last year about a new series in the works showing Inspector Morse as a young man. I think it was just a trailer and I haven't heard or seen anything since. Anyone know anything about this one? Also, has anyone seen "John Carter" yet? Cheers, Bowers
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Today:
THE AVENGERS: "Traitor In Zebra"
This has several actors who later appeared in DOCTOR WHO--
Noel Coleman -- "General Smythe" in "THE WAR GAMES"
Richard Leech -- "Gatherer Hade" in "THE SUN MAKERS"
William Gaunt -- "Orcini" in "REVELATION OF THE DALEKS"
Honor Blackman -- "Professor Lasky" in "TERROR OF THE VERVOIDS"
Leech plays a real murderous bastard in this one. It's also got Katy Wild, who played the mute girl in "THE EVIL OF FRANKENSTEIN".
THE AVENGERS: "A Surfeit of H20"
This has Geoffrey Palmer, who much later starred in "AS TIME GOES BY".
FLESH GORDON (1974)
This has some cool stop-motion animatin by Jim Danforth, and a cameo by John Hoyt, who was in the STAR TREK pilot, "The Cage" (he played the Doctor).
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All youse guys talk about Flesh Gordon has me jonesing for a rewatch. I've only seen it once way back in the 70s at the old Sombrero Playhouse. I do remember it being pretty fun. Never saw the sequel.
Best
Joe
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FLESH GORDON is really fun, if you don't mind "soft porn", which is what it is.
But it's done with such love and affection for the original source material they're spoofing. The guy who played the "Zarkoff" character actually SOUNDS just like Frank Shannon from the Universal serials. Parts of it seem to follow the serials more than the later Dino DeLaurentis film. Come to think of it, there are little tips-of-the-hat in there to all 3 Universal serials. The beginning, the part where they land and are immediatley accosted by the baddie's soldiers, the hero tossed into the arena shortly after, a trap door the hero falls down (this was moved to much later in the story). Then, they seem to have combined Aura (Ming's daughter who has the HOTS for Flash) with Azura ("Queen of Magic") from TRIP TO MARS. She gets hot and heavy with the hero in a manner very similar to the 1980 film (which suggests Dino was loking at this as much as any other version for inspiration). Finally, the climax involving a massive explosion on the towers of the baddie's fortress is straight out of ...CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE.
On the other hand, there's these 3 "rapist" robots that have to be seen to be believed-- they're possibly the single FUNNIEST visual in the entire film, and I'd swear at least one of them came from some other low-budget serial way back when. (Another one of them, I swear, looks just like "Mr. Peanut", the trademark of Planters.)
The spaceship flying scenes look right out of LOST IN SPACE-- and I mean that as a huge compliment. They look so "REAL"!
But a big surprise is the stop-motion animation of Jim Danforth, who I believe had already done Hammer's WHEN DINOSAURS RULED THE EARTH. At one point, there's what appears to be a tribute to THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD, and at another, KING KONG!
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The production value of Flesh was rather high for a soft core. I saw the movie at a theater about 17 blocks from downtown Manhattan. I remember because I walked it. I was a 17 year old GI stationed on Statan Island going downtown on the weekends. Later it came to a downtown theater with the girl who played Dale actually there.
BTW the movie Candy was mentioned. I remember it only because it was the first R rated movie I ever saw. I remember my dad took me to see Planet of the Apes right before I went in the Army and the song Billy Don't be a Hero just came out. I was hoping it was not a sign :o
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Tonight:
VOLTUS V
Somehow, I taped this off cable in the 80's, and never watched it until now. Not really a movie, more a compilation of the first 4 episodes of a Japanese cartoon show.
What really surprised me, was, ever since the early-80s, I had the SHOGUN WARRIORS toy that was based on this show-- and never made the connection. It was "Combatra"-- 5 separate vehicles which combined to form a giant robot. In the case of the toy, about 18" tall!!!
While some Japanese cartoons are for all ages (STAR BLAZERS, MACROSS, ULYSSES 31), VOLTUS V, despite its violence, strikes me as an 80's reincarnation of GIGANTOR. That is, no emotional depth, just action, action, action. So, I'd say it was a kids' show. The kind that would NEVER have been seen in America for the whole of the 1970's.
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Last night, at ONE in the morning, I put on HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER. I watched about 75% before I went to sleep.
Tonight, I watched the last part. What a GREAT film. So spooky... and funny... and subtle.
At the IMDB, there must be 20 different threads all discussing the true identity of "The Stanger". How stupid are people to go to a message board, and all start NEW threads instead of responding to existing ones??
Similarly, there's at least 6 threads ALL discussing whether "The Stranger" RAPED 2 women in the film, or not, and if Eastwood is saying that women WANT to be raped. I mean really.
Meanwhile... damnedest thing last night. I've found a lot of connections reading the IMDB, checking out what different actors appeared in. But last night, just about 1:30 AM, while watching the film, I was looking at this one actress' face, and it suddenly hit me, WHERE I'd seen her before.
Now keep in mind, I've seen this film AT LEAST a dozen times by now. But the other film I'd seen her in, I've seen AT LEAST 20 TIMES-- and never, ever made a connection.
The character of "Sarah" (wife of the hotel owner) is played by Verna Bloom, who got 2ND BILLING in the film, right after Eastwood. I always wondered why. She was one of the only 2 people in the town who turned out to be decent-- when the Marshall was killed, she tried to stop it. Later, she's the one who says to The Stranger, "I've heard that the dead can't rest in an unmarked grave. Do you believe that?"
The only other film I've ever seen her in was ANIMAL HOUSE. She was "Mrs. Wormer"-- the Dean's wife!!
I NEVER NOTICED before!!!
What's funny is, her husband was played by John Vernon, who was in both DIRTY HARRY and THE OUTLAW JOSIE WALES.
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This is the best movie that I have seen in years. My wife loved it also. Take the whole family it is absolutely fantastic.
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I was hoping to see John Carter this weekend but some family activities are keeping me too busy to get away.
Maybe next weekend.
Best
Joe
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I think word of mouth may make the movie a success despite poor marketing and critics. I WANT A SEQUEL
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I've heard some mixed comments about JOHN CARTER, but most seem to have enjoyed it. So many of my top favorites over the years have been among the most-hated films (judging from reviewers), I've found it's best to make up my own mind! ;D
That said...The movie poster for this thing is AWFUL. It's static, it's vague, it's BORING AS HELL. And what "pea-brained, vaccuum-skulled, sieve-headed idiot" (to quote Arnold Drake) decided for what STUPID reason to name the movie "JOHN CARTER" (maybe some people will think it's a sequel to "GET CARTER"?).
It should be JOHN CARTER OF MARS!!! And it should say "From the creator of TARZAN"!!!
I found no less than 5 FRANK FRAZETTA paintings connected with John Carter Of Mars, and in my view, at least 4 of them would have made FABULOUS movie posters. Plus, there's one by Boris Vellejo that's not bad either.
WHAT IS THE MATTER with these marketing people??????
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The last 2 days...
THE THREE DOCTORS
CARNIVAL OF MONSTERS
Tonight...
THE TIME WARRIOR
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I think that Disney did not want to pay the ERB estate anything so the went with PD as possible. Why the completely horrible poster after investing 200 Million is beyond me. But I did love the movie. I am completely engrossed in Hunger Games and hope to finish it tomorrow so I can take wifey to see the movie. I can not bring myself to read a book after the movie so I am reading the book now and LOVING IT. I think that those who like the Hunger Games should give John Christopher's Tripods trilogy plus prequel a try.
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The last 2 days...
THE THREE DOCTORS
CARNIVAL OF MONSTERS
Tonight...
THE TIME WARRIOR
Would I be correct in my guess that these are all Dr. Who stories?
Curious
Joe
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Would I be correct in my guess that these are all Dr. Who stories?
Yep.
The last time I dug out my WHO tapes, I watched all of them in sequence (even the ones I really dont like!). This time, I'm just watching certain ones I really like, as I'm just in the mood. Last month I watched most of the ones with "The Master" (Roger Delgado) except for FRONTIER IN SPACE, which I've never cared for (and which leads directly into a story I like even less). This time I'm picking up with the later Pertwees and will probably keep going straight into the Bakers (skipping any I don't care much for).
This is sort of the reverse of the old days when if you just happen to tune on some show you used to watch, at random, it always seemed to be one you REALLY DON'T like and have seen too many times. (All these years, and I still appreciate having a VCR.)
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Just received in the post, The Avengers series 2 box set which includes the existing 2 and a 1/2 Ian Hendry stories from series one, all nicely re-mastered and I got it half price. Tried a couple of stories at random to have a nostalgic wallow. A few night ago we watched The Quatermass Experiment (the film version with Brian Donlevy, not the original t.v. serial of which only a couple of episodes still exist). Well made and atmospheric with Jack Warner as the police inspector, doing his usual down to earth, simple bible man stuff.
I'm not that keen on Frontier in Space either. Trying to figure out what follows it without looking it up. Struggling to remember 'cos I'm knackered.
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"I'm not that keen on Frontier in Space either. Trying to figure out what follows it without looking it up. Struggling to remember 'cos I'm knackered."
There are quite a few over-long WHO stories that can be described as "runarounds", as the plot goes in circles as a way to pad it out (quite like FLASH GORDON'S TRIPS TO MARS). I remember the 1st time I saw it, thinking "FRONTIER IN SPACE" was perhaps the only WHO "runaround" where I didn't mind so much. Even so, had it been 4 or 5 episodes instead of 6, I bet I'd have liked it a lot more.
PLANET OF THE DALEKS followed on, and was another 6 parts. In effect, since the 2 stories are connected, it seems an attempt to recreate THE DALEK MASTER PLAN, which was 12 parts plus a separate prologue (13 in all). I think part 3 of PLANET... was only available as a B&W copy in the 80's, so my PBS station ran it as a movie with the B&W part MISSING!!! (So it's one of 2 Pertwee episodes I've still never seen.)
The last 2 days:
THE TIME WARRIOR
INVASION OF THE DINOSAURS (pts. 2-6)
DEATH TO THE DALEKS (only a 4-parter, but still cold have been better at 3)
After falling completely in love with Jo all over again (that's 2 runs in a row she had that effect on me), Sarah's kinda funny. She was my absolute FAVORITE female character on TV for the whole of the 80's, and yet, the last time I watched my collection, she was one of the only girls on the show who didn't affect me at all. (It's as if I somehow "got over her"...)
She starts with such a fire in her and a real chip on her shoulder, all bull-headed and getting herself into so much trouble (starting with suspecting The Doctor to be the baddie in her debut story), before drastically lightening up by her 3rd story, and becoming so much nicer, more likable, and almost frantic at times. Lis Sladen may be an Aquarius, but Sarah feels more like a Gemini (borderline-schizo). There's moments in her first 2 stories where she makes Jo seem much smarter than she is, but beginning with her 3rd, there's moment where she begins to seem smarter than THE DOCTOR. I think that, coupled with her firery temper, is what made her and The Doctor such a great team (much like The Doctor and Romana II).
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I came rather late and haphazardly to Dr. Who catching them here and there in the 1980s and 90s on my local PBS station in the edited into movies format. I have never seen them in any kind of chronological order.
I've done better with the new Dr. Who series. I started watching the season three episodes on DVD at the same time that BBC America was running season 4. Have kept up with subsequent seasons while catching reruns of most episodes from seasons one and two.
I also have acquired the Peter Cushing Dr. Who feature films on DVD but haven't gotten around to watching them yet.
We watched the BBC Quatermass TV serials at our weekly Movie Nights a few years back. Good stuff. IIRC, only the first series was missing episodes.
I also have seen and enjoyed the Hammer feature film adaptations that Paw mentioned.
Best
Joe
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Just a reminder that BBC America is premiering the new season of Whitechapel tonight for anyone here in the states who watches the show.
Best
Joe
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Josemas:
"We watched the BBC Quatermass TV serials at our weekly Movie Nights a few years back. Good stuff. IIRC, only the first series was missing episodes.
I also have seen and enjoyed the Hammer feature film adaptations that Paw mentioned."
Wow, this is the first I've heard that the TV versions are available (albeit with some missing in the 1st story). I've only seen the 1st & 3rd feature films.
Of course, there's been some tributes done on DOCTOR WHO. "Spearhead From Space" reportedly has the IDENTICAL opening sequence as the 2nd Quatermass serial. "The Daemons" borrows quite a lot from the 3rd one. "The Ark In Space" borrows heavily from the 1st one (as does part of "The Seeds Of Doom").
And "Remembrance Of The Daleks" obliquely mentions "Bernard" in the dialogue.
Brian Donlevy is mostly known for villains, particularly the VERY nasty S.O.B. in DESTRY RIDES AGAIN (with James Stewart & Marlene Dietrich). Meanwhile, Andrew Keir has prominent roles in DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS and INVASION EARTH: 2150 A.D.
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I watched DOCTOR WHO as it came. My intro was actually INVASION EARTH: 2150 A.D., followed months later by DOCTOR WHO AND THE DALEKS (which has always been a disappointment to me, by comparison with the sequel).
Then followed Jon Pertwee. Philly's Channel 17 ran "THE SILURIANS" to "DAY OF THE DALEKS". Reportedly, they syndicated 3 seasons, but Channel 17 skipped the "pilot" and cut if off after the 1st story in the 3rd year, effectively runnnng only 2 years' worth. First, 1 ep. per night, M-F at 7:30 PM (escept for the last ep. of "DAY OF THE DALEKS", which they announced would be on Friday at 10 PM, as they apparently decided to cut the show off at that point). About a year later, it turned up again, one ep. per WEEK, Saturdays at 11:30 AM. All were cut for commercial time.
Then in May '79, Channel 12 (PBS) got Tom Baker's 1st 4 years. They began running it 1 ep. per week, Friday's at 10 PM. But after about a month, they began running it 5 times a week, at 7:30 PM (or was it 6:30 PM?). But for the first 8 months or so, they ran the stories at random. I sent them a copy of the episode list I got from STARLOG magazine, and the wrote back, thanking me and saying when the show would begin on Saturday at 3 PM, they would start over from the beginning and run complete stories each weekend, in the correct order. They did! At that point, they were all cut for commercial time, even though it was a PBS station, that's the copies they got from the distributor. Those "edits" also had unneccesary coming attractions at the beginning and end of every episode, narrated by Howard Da Silva. (The HORROR!!)
When Baker's last 3 seasons arrived, they were seen fir the first time in "movie" versions, all edited together (sometimes BADLY!!). But these versions, apart from the cliffhangers, were otherwise UNCUT, and Baker's 1st 4 seasons turned up in the same form as well. Later still, UNCUT versions of all of his individual episodes (and other stories as well) turned up. Some of those stories I wound up taping 3 or 4 times apiece, trying to get the best possible copies.
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Some features watched in the last few weeks-
Tron: Legacy-2010- When I saw the first Tron movie, about three decades ago, the computer graphics were state of the art. Now they seem downright primitive. This is an okay sequel.
Silver Spurs-1922- Lester Cuneo was a western star in the silent era. He is virtually forgotten now-a-days except by the most knowledgeable fans of the genre. If this so-so entry is a typical example of his work it may explain why he's pretty much forgotten.
The Kid Stakes-1927- Enjoyable silent kid comedy. Also a rare example of a silent Australian feature film.
The Peacock Fan-1929- Middling late silent mystery flick.
I'll Tell the World-1934- Fun pre-code story of fast-talking newspaperman played excellently by the neglected Lee Ttracy.
Bridesmaids (unrated)-2011- Funny, raunchy comedy.
Allegheny Uprising-1939- After doing a loan-out to appear in John Ford's Stagecoach Republic Pictures moved John Wayne right back into B westerns. When Stagecoach came out and it became clear it was a hit Wayne was again loaned out and re-teamed with Claire Trevor in this colonial era "western". It's no Stagecoach but is pleasant enough film with good production values and a great supporting cast, most notably George Sanders (appearing here between Saint films).
Hugo (in 3-D)-2011- I really enjoyed this one. Enjoyed everything about it. The cast, the story, the production design and direction. It's also probably the best film I've ever seen in 3-D (and I don't usually bother [or care] to catch a film in 3-D).
G-Men from Hell-2000- Wacky, low budget adaptation of a Mike Allred comic (which I never heard of). It really does have that weird feel that some of Allred's comics have. Decent cast and competent direction help too. And as a bonus since I picked it up at the 99 Cent Only store it was a lot cheaper than any comic books now-a-days.
Black Swan-2010- Intriguing psycho-sexual thriller.
My Friend from India-1927- Okay light silent comedy with Franklin Pangborn (who played supporting roles in tons of talking features) playing the lead here.
The Losers-2010- Pretty decent adaptation of the DC-Vertigo comic series. Nothing special but easy to watch action film.
Red Cliff Part 1-2008- John Woo returns to Hong Kong (after years of making fair to middling films in the states) and turns out his best film since leaving there in the first place. Epic tale of early Chinese history (which may or may not be accurate as I know very little about their history of that period) has much of the male bonding, slick action and other trademarks of his vintage work. Looking forward to the sequel.
Terror Beneath the Sea-1966- Somehow I missed this one over the years. Rather low budget Japanese sci-fi flick with cheesy fish men fighting a young Sonny Chiba and a number of European actors.
In Old California-1942- John Wayne, playing a physician of all things, gets caught up battling the bad guys amidst the background of the gold rush. Nice supporting comedy played by Edgar Kennedy and Patsy Kelly.
Tangled-2010- Disney's recent animated take on the Rapunzel story. Fun.
Edge of Darkness-2010- Boston cop (Mel Gibson) tries to track down the killers of his daughter and finds himself caught up in a big cover-up conspiracy. Kept my interest even if it's no classic.
They Drive by Night-1938- Excellent little Hitchcockian thriller with Emlyn Williams playing a recently released ex-con who finds his girlfriend murdered when he goes to visit her on his first day out of prison. Of course he's the chief suspect and spends much of the film on the run. Very well directed and photographed. Good work by the supporting cast, especially by Ernest Thesiger (The Bride of Frankenstein). Also watch for William Hartnell in a small role as a conductor (billed as Billy Hartnell).
The Sand Pebbles-1966- I haven't seen this since I was a kid. Then I thought it was too slow and didn't have enough action but after recently watching the roadshow version released on DVD I found it to be a much better film than I did in my youth. Lots of good characterization in the script.
Best
Joe
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Re. Quatermass - only episodes 1 & 2 of the 6 episodes of The Quatermass Experiment t.v. serial still exist. The box set is available on Amazon U.K. but it'll be regions 2 & 4.
profh0011, you're bang on with those Dr Who refs. Not only does Remembrance mention Bernard but I seem to remember a reference to the British Rocket Group. There are other movies which could easily be Quatermass movies. For example The Giant Behemoth , which stars Andre Morell (Quatermass in Q and the Pit t.v.) as the scientist. And X the Unknown with Dean Jagger as Dr. Adam Royston.
Someone mentioned Rapunzel and now I can't see who it was but Rapunzel turns up in Dr. Who, The Mind Robber (Troughton) If you haven't seen the b & w. Dr. Who with Hartnell and Troughton please try to find them. Some of them are excellent, despite the dodgy scenery and generally slower tempo. Troughton is my favourite Doctor and, remember, you also get to watch Zoe.
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People always say your first Doctor is your favorite, but my first was Peter Cushing, followed by Jon Pertwee, then Tom Baker... and my favorite is Sylvester McCoy! (Go figure) I only recently read that after Colin Baker was fired by the BBC, the producer (JNT) specifically went looking for "a Patrick Troughton type". Boy, did he find one!! Even so, those IDIOTS who were so hell-bent on driving the BBC's #1 BIGGEST money-maker worldside OFF the air tried to prevent McCoy from being hired. I think they were just determined not to approve ANYBODY, they just wanted to use every excuse they could to screw the show over. Anyway, despite a rather dodgy 1st season (after all this time, I do like "PARASIDE TOWERS" and "DELTA AND THE BANNERMEN"-- there, I've said it), I did like McCoy from the very first. I tend to think his GOOFY side is what makes his "mysterious" side work so well. You just don't expect someone who looks like THAT to be dangerous.
Over time, I came to realize that Patrick Troughton was my 2nd favorite, and Tom Baker, my 3rd. Crazy, huh? (Peter Cushing might be higher on the list, except he only did 2 stories, and they're not exactly part of the same continuity! Although, his 2nd film remains my #1 FAVORITE Dalek story, bar none.)
A good friend of mine has offered the opinion that Roger Delgado would have made a better Doctor than Jon Pertwee. ;D If you watch the scene in "THE CLAWS OF AXOS" where he's messing about with The Doctor's TARDIS, you can see what he means.
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Not a lot to argue with there. Delgado would have been excellent as The Doctor, if he hadn't made such a great villain.So, your favourite is the wee Scottish actor? McCoy gets put down too much when it should be JNT and the BBC. But the BBC have a bit of a track record of treating badly, shows which make them lots of money. I've always liked Sylvester as the Doctor, despite a few truly poor stories. Both those stories you mention are good entertainment and can I add Ghostlight and Remembrance? Oddly, Tom Baker is not at the top of the pile for me although 4 or 5 of his adventures rate as among the very best Doctor Who stories - Pyramids of Mars; Talons of Weng Chiang; Horror of Fang Rock; Masque of Mandragora; Actually, as I write this, I realise there are quite a few more that I really enjoy. So much for me being decisive.
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Without looking them up, I suspect all of the stories you listed were written by Robert Holmes. What a guy!
I liked Colin Baker a lot; but he got ALMOST as much bad writing as Peter Davison (who was absolutely fantastic in CAMPION, showing what he could have done on WHO if he'd ever had even the slightest chance). There's a very long-winded thread at the IMDB titled "The Worst Doctor" where I've learned almost more than I'd care to about what was really going on wrong behind-the-scenes during JNT's long run. It's a shame.
Anyway, I saw an interview with McCoy on PBS before he did his first story. I took to him immediately! He said, "They brought me in for an interview with the producer. Then they brought me in for an interview with the head of drama. Then they brought me in for an interview with the head of programming. And they hired me ANYWAY."
"TIME AND THE RANI" gets ripped to pieces for so many reasons, and yet, while I agree with most of them, I STILL loved watching McCoy in that story. "DRAGONFIRE", however, is a mess, a case of an "amateur fanboy" writer cramming too many ideas into a single script without any sense of control or logic. On top of everything else, they got rid of a girl I really liked, in a scene that made no sense at all, and introduced a girl I genuinely HATED. After that, I never would have guessed how much "REMEMBRANCE OF THE DALEKS" would turn things around for the better. By the time "THE HAPPINESS PATROL" came along (another fave of mine), I'd really gotten to LIKE Ace.
I recently read a funny story about Andrew Cartmel, story editor on the last 3 years. When he had his job interview, JNT asked what he hoped to accomplish if he got the job. Cartmel said, "I want to bring down the Thatcher administration." Somehow, THAT got him the job. Halfway thru his time on the show, "THE HAPPINESS PATROL" was the result.
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Just came from The Hunger GAmes. It followed the book very well and was well done. My wife and I both enjoyed it although she enjoyed John Carter much much more. Highly recommended
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Lately:
PLANET OF THE SPIDERS
ROBOT
THE ARK IN SPACE
THE SONTORAN EXPERIMENT
REVENGE OF THE CYBERMEN
TERROR OF THE ZYGONS (I really love this last one!)
Tonight:
PLANET OF EVIL
Oh yeah, and yesterday:
THE AVENGERS: "Man-Eater Of Surrey Green"
(which must be one of the inspirations for THE SEED OF DOOM on WHO)
Funny the kind of stuff you can notice or find put watching old shows, and checking up at the IMDB. The main scientist in this one later played the main villain in the pilot for THE NEW AVENGERS, "The Eagle's Nest". Meanwhile, the sweet old lady scientst who came up with the plant-killer, had much earlier played the manager of the hotel frequented by underworld types in THE SAINT IN LONDON (with George Sanders).
It shuld be noted that when THE AVENGERS was starting up, they said they were casting for a "George Sanders type". When I read that, it suddenly "explained" the whole series to me! (I finally understood who and what John Steed was really all about, as a character.)
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Re. Avengers. The box set of Season 2 has, as an extra, the only surviving episode of Police Surgeon. This is the series that is mistakenly thought to be the forerunner of The Avengers. Although it stars Ian Hendry, it really has no other connection with The Avengers. This episode has Michael Crawford as a young tearaway and the story is sub Dixon of Dock Green. Here's some Dixon of Dock Green:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdNAuDtf7vI
Avengers with Ian Hendry here:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90cBE9TUyOw
Terror of the Zygons - Great fun.
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That could go either way. Although, officially, and LEGALLY, "Numbr Six" on THE PRISONER is not "John Drake" from DANGER MAN, pretty much everyone assumes he is, except in name. (To avoid licensing-ownership problems)
So, in theory, the same could have happened with Ian Hendry's 2 nearly-identical Doctor characters. At the very least, POLICE SURGEON inspired the character he played on THE AVENGERS. It cracks me up that George Sanders' version of Simon Templar (as opposed to anyone else's) may have inspired John Steed.
Been reading a very long-winded blog about DOCTOR WHO where the writer looks at the show from a psychological and socialogical way (among other things). I was amused when he described TERROR OF THE ZYGONS as a "critique" of the entire UNIT era, showing just how little sense it all made... but at the same time, being done with so much love and care, that it wound up becoming one of the best UNIT stories anyway. I also got a kick when he described Broton in disguise as the Duke of Forgill as "acting like a Bond villain", even in front of his own men, who know who he really is!
That's the story where Sarah finally loosens up, stops griping ALL the time, and becomes a much nicer person (or, as someone put it decades ago, that's when she starts to be more like Lis Sladen than the "character" created 2 years earlier).
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Yes, of course, you're correct. The episode was as exciting as an empty wardrobe. As for George Sanders as The Saint being a sort of model for Steed, I have to tell you that I was aware of Steed long before I knew much about Sanders.
Re. Ian Hendry, have any of you seen him in, "Girl in the Headlines"? An excellent British b&W crime thriller, which also stars a young Jeremy Brett. Have a look:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KI58hHWNuQ
All this talk of Dr. Who has made me fancy watching some. I know you mention the best Unit story but I also think a contender is The Invasion. And those opening scenes in Web of Fear which is sort of pre-Unit.
Sarah Jane Smith has to be my favourite companion, followed, very closely, by Zoe
Just noticed youtube have this film, a Jack Hawkins classic police procedural, "The Long Arm" Britain as she was. Anachronistic but well made and acted. I have a beautifully re-mastered copy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leLbsFT5rgA&feature=related. A few other good British films on the page. For typical Laughs, try, "The Ghost Train"
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I'm pretty sure I saw George Sanders first... as Mr. Freeze on BATMAN!
Sometime later (late '66-early'67?) I saw my 1st AVENGERS episode-- of all things-- "EPIC" w/ Peter Wynegarde and the insane plot to make a snuff film about the murder of Mrs. Peel. For many years I mistakenly thought it was one of the B&W eps., because I saw it on a B&W TV. Took forever for me to see it again, and when I finally did, I couldn't believe what i was seeing. Must go down as the "gooniest" color Peel ep. they ever made. (And that's saying a lot.)
Somewhere in the mid-70's I saw THE SAINT STRIKES BACK, my first exposure to Sanders as Templar. Didn't do anything for me. Quite a few years later, I came to the realization that of his 5 films, that was by a wide margin his WORST. I became a huge SAINT fan n the 80's, collecting every version on film I could get, and reading a pile of the books. Only ONE actor ever capturted the character from the original stories-- Louis Hayward. If you watch ...STRIKES BACK you can tell it was written with him in mind. So it has 2 things against it... they tried impossibly to cram what should have been a 2 or 3-hour film into 60 minutes (it's a HORRIBLE MESS!!), and, Sanders does a TERRIBLE Hayward. But in his 2nd film, ...IN LONDON, they adapted a short story, and the dialogue was written specifically to fit Sanders. (Sort of like Roger Moore in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME)
...IN LONDON is the best of the SAINT films, really captures the whole "world" from the book-- his flat, his M.O., his friends, and has the best Teal ever in Gordon MacLeod. Sanders is still "wrong" for the part... but he's so GOOD at what he does in this one, you don't mind! (Again, like Moore in SPY)
Currently watching..
THE AVENGERS (B&W Mrs. peel season)
THE SAINT (B&W Roger Moore)
SECRET AGENT
THE UNTOUCHABLES (Robert Stack)
ROBOTECH (Macross Saga)
DARIA
Plus the last week, a complete DOCTOR WHO story each night! Never did that before. Tonight: PYRAMIDS OF MARS.
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I just watched the failed pilot 17th Precinct. One of the most imaginative shows that I have seen. I don't know what it would take but a major effort needs to be put forth to have this produced.
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Coincidentally, I've also been watching a bunch of, mostly vintage, pilots lately.
I don't have time to go into much about them now but here's a quick rundown
Colonel March of Scotland Yard-actually three pilots shot in Britain in 1952 and starring Boris Karloff as the title character.
Mike Hammer-1958- Darren McGavin playing Mickey Spillane's tough P.I. a bit lighter then he was in the books.
The Adventures of Superpup-1958- Aimed at the wee kiddies.
The Adventures of Superboy-1961- A failed attempt to recapture the magic of The Adventures of Superman.
It's About Time-1966- Sherwood Schwartz's followup to Gilligan's Island (using some of the same sets and music) was a favorite of mine and my friends in the third grade but didn't catch on with the public in general.
Wonder Woman-1967- William Dozier looking for a followup success to Batman and failing.
Batgirl-1967- Having bombed with Wonder Woman, Dozier had better luck with Batgirl. With just a slight tweeking she was rolled into the Batman series to give it a little oomph.
The Robinsons:Lost in Space-2004- Directed by John Woo, of all people, this revival of the popular sixties series is much more serious than the original.
Best
Joe
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We watched Cowboys and Aliens on dvd during the week and thoroughly enjoyed it. Actually, the cowboy bits were just as good as the aliens.
Somewhere I have a dvd with failed pilots on it and I seem to remember that there is a Batgirl try out on it. Same one? I have to find it.
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JOE where did you find It's About Time. I LOVED that show and have not been able to find it since its original run. I have heard that My LIVING DOLL copies have surfaced and would love to see those. Mr. Terrific is another that does have DVD but usually not cheap. I may break down and buy unless someone has one they will lend.
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I saw IT'S ABOUT TIME when it was first-run. I was always under the impression it got to a 2nd season, but many years later found out it apparently switched formats midway thru its one year, from the past to the present. We always preferred the past. I wonder what they might have done if it had lasted longer?
My Dad picked up a favorite line from that show which he used to refer to for many years after... "KLON-- KILL!!" He'd say this any time Mike Mazurki turned up in some movie or TV show. (Of course, Mazurki had a part in one of his favorite movies-- SOME LIKE IT HOT.)
I never realized the GILLIGAN'S ISLAND connection. Weird but true: anybody besides me ever connect that GILLIGAN'S ISLAND and LOST IN SPACE ran the SAME 3 years? And I understand both shows were renewed for 4th seasons, but then cancelled after-the-fact, so neither one of them had final "wrap parties".
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I've never seen the Darren McGavin MIKE HAMMER (possibly the only version I haven't seen yet), but I understand he said he had NO interest in doing it, that he was SURE it wouldn't go over with TV audiences, UNLESS it was played with a lot of humor. So he did. It's notable that 25 years later, Stacy Keach's version was done the same way.
Apparently Robert Aldrich's KISS ME DEADLY (with Ralph Meeker), which went completely the other way (and also turned Spillane's P.I. hero into an amoral scumbucket) deeply offended certain portions of the movie-going audience (as well as the censors, who had the film CUT before it got to theatres). Each of the 3 Hammer features in the 50's had something different to reccomend it, but I'm afraid on repeat viewings that KMD begins to remind me of what DC did in the 90's to a few of its longest-running characters.
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This past week:
PLANET OF EVIL
PYRAMIDS OF MARS
THE ANDROID INVASION
THE BRAIN OF MORBIUS
THE SEEDS OF DOOM
Tonight:
THE MASQUE OF MANDRAGORA
I have never, ever plowed thru so many of these this fast before!
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I never knew the GI connection to About Time but I loved both shows
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I saw the It's About Time pilot on youtube. Fairly mediocre quality but it is what it is. It was also split into two or three parts so you'll have to look for them all. I think they may have a couple more episodes there as well.
Since upgrading to high speed internet about six months ago I've slowly been getting more and more into checking out video stuff online- something that was almost impossible on my old dial-up service.
Anyway I have noticed that on youtube (and elsewhere) some of this stuff comes and goes pretty quickly so if I have time I try to squeeze it into my watching schedule before its gone.
Best
Joe
P.S. Does anyone know if the opening animation for It's About Time was the work of the Jay Ward and Bill Scott. It certainly reminds me of their work (Bullwinkle and Rocky, Dudley Do-Right, George of the Jungle, etc..)
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I almost forgot. A DVD set of My Living Doll just came out a couple of weeks ago and is listed on Amazon and elsewhere. I think it's only half the season though as it's labeled volume one. I barely remember this series which ran when I was in second grade.
Best
Joe
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all I remember is loving it at the time
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"Anyway I have noticed that on youtube (and elsewhere) some of this stuff comes and goes pretty quickly so if I have time I try to squeeze it into my watching schedule before its gone." josemas.
I'm probably trying to teach my granny how to sook eggs here but you can download the youtube stuff to your hard drive or external drive. I use netvideohunter and it's easy. Has to be for me. I've found any number of old British films and tv shows and also things such as Highway Patrol, Man With a Camera. Some of this stuff just isn't available.
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"Anyway I have noticed that on youtube (and elsewhere) some of this stuff comes and goes pretty quickly so if I have time I try to squeeze it into my watching schedule before its gone." josemas.
I'm probably trying to teach my granny how to sook eggs here but you can download the youtube stuff to your hard drive or external drive. I use netvideohunter and it's easy. Has to be for me. I've found any number of old British films and tv shows and also things such as Highway Patrol, Man With a Camera. Some of this stuff just isn't available.
I've been thinking about downloading some video stuff to a flash drive for later viewing which is what I used to do at the library with the files at GAC and DCM before I got the high speed service.
I'm a bit paranoid about just downloading too much stuff onto my hard drive as it's easy to forget about it and stuff keeps accumulating until you start having problems with your computer because its so full of downloaded clutter. Something along those lines happened with our last computer and I'm extra protective of our current one.
Best
Joe
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Checked over on youtube yesterday and found out that they must have around a dozen episodes of It's About Time there. More than I thought and not bad considering the show only ran 26 episodes. Any way I watched another episode and then checked around for more TV pilots and found a couple:
T.H.E. Cat-1966- Anyone remember this one with Robert Loggia as Thomas Hewitt Edward Cat. A very cool action show that I really liked when I was a kid. Only ran one season.
Captain Nice-1967- This was one of the shows that attempted to cash in on the success of Batman. Superhero stuff played for laughs. Didn't last long but I enjoyed it then and now. I do now recognize Buck Henry's influence all over it. Something which I never caught as a kid.
Best
Joe
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"T.H.E. Cat-1966-" josemas
Is this the same show which was adapted by Dell? There were 4 issues in 1967?
There was also Gold Key comic one shot of Captain Nice in 1967.
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I think I have all 4 THE Cat and I know I have Cap Nice. Loved that TV show. Found the unaired pilot of Mr Terrific on youtube and watched the Its About Time pilot. Never thought about looking for these on youtube thanks for the hint.
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This week:
THE HAND OF FEAR
THE DEADLY ASSASSIN
THE FACE OF EVIL
THE ROBOTS OF DEATH
THE TALONS OF WENG-CHIANG
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Read some complaints about this story's racism on a blog. Here's my reply...
When I came in, Leela was running thru the sewer, chased by a giant rat. Perhaps it was the SAME giant rat seen in THE NEW AVENGERS episode, "GNAWS"? Anyway, NA got here before DW. I was so enamored of Sarah-Jane at the time, when the rat grabbed Leela, I remember yelling at the TV, "Yeah! Yeah! GET her!!" I doubt I'd have said that about Sarah... or Purdey.
So this one took me a bit to figure out. Come to think of it, the 2nd time I saw it, I came in at the beginning of Part 2, when that hatchet was thrown at Tom Baker. This sort of thing can be maddening. Certain stories over the years I've seen myself missing the beginning, then, on repeat viewing, missing a bit LESS of the beginning, until, eventually, I do see the beginning. Strange phenomena. (With TCM, I eventually started going to their website and compiling a month-long list of films I might want to see. That way, I could actually manage to have the tv set on to that channel before the movie started.)
I have never had a problem with this story. Ever. Maybe because I understand the traditions of the story, and just thoroughly enjoy them as they are?
In the early-to-mid 70's, comic-book writer Doug Moench said he had great difficulty, while writing MASTER OF KUNG FU, of dealing with the main character Shang-Chi's origins. Because Shang's father was none other than Dr. Fu Manchu. To this day, I still have trouble understanding this. Fu Manchu, in my eyes, does not represent ALL Chinese. He is what he is-- a SUPER-VILLAIN who just happens to be Chinese. Oh, yes, and he's very racist about it.
But then, so was Sir Denis Nayland Smith, at least, if you've ever seen the 1933 MGM film THE MASK OF FU MANCHU. I understand that film went out of its way to be as "sensationalistic" as possible-- including its racism-- far more, in fact, than the book it was adapted from!
Having read the 1951 comic-book adaptation of the same story, with art by Wally Wood, one can see far more civility and mutual respect between Fu and Sir Denis than was on display in that Boris Karloff movie. Of course, the comic had Fu raising an army of bloodthirsty racist ARABS, while the movie had an army of bloodthirtsy racist ASIANS. (Anyone know which it was in the novel?)
A stranger-but-true thing about the MGM film was, while many "pre-Code" films vanished or were heavily censored once the Hayes Office began enforcing The Production Code (late-'35-early'36), MASK remained intact-- until the mid-70's, when Asian groups complained and the film's most excessively racist dialogue was removed. But then, some years later, it was put back-- except, from an inferior source. So while, in its current form, the film looks pristene and clean as if it were "made yesterday", every time the "offensive" stuff comes up, both the picture and sound quality DROP. In those moments, it's like watching a kinescope film copy of DOCTOR WHO that's been returned from overseas. "Do you want women like this one for your brides? Then KILL the white man-- and TAKE his women!" Ohhhh... what a movie!
It'd be interesting to hear opinions about various "Blaxploitation" films of the early-mid 70's, which were often every bit as "offensive" to all sides involved. "What is this BLACK thing, Shaft? YOU ain't so BLACK!" "And you ain't so WHITE, baby!"
I'd never actually noticed that Litefoot and Jago represented BOTH the book Watson AND the Nigel Bruce variety, side-by-side! Now that is clever. Just saw Christopher Benjamin in "Koroshi", the only 2-part DANGER MAN ever made, where John Drake tries to stay as far as he can from him (in the exact same way Sean Connery tries to avoid Rowan Atkinson in NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN). Also in "Koroshi" is Burt Kwouk, playing a chauffer who turns out to be a sword-wielding baddy. So... would Lee Sien Chang have been less "offensive" if Burt Kwouk had played him?
I wish the idea of "educating" Leela had continued. She was so good at proving herself better than the people who looked down at her, it was a nice source of humor. Also, considering her "Avengers girl" look in the next story, I wish she'd have visited modern-day England (or maybe swinging sixties London), in something other than a tribute to a Hammer horror film.
You know what we really need? More crossovers like this...
CHARLIE CHAN VS. FU MANCHU
TARZAN VS. FU MANCHU
DOC SAVAGE VS. FU MANCHU
...and the really obvious one...
MR. MOTO VS. FU MANCHU !
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"Blaxploitation" , well, yesterday I returned a copy of Truck Turner- Isaac Hayes and Yaphet Koto - to the friend who lent it to me . This bloke is a fan of blaxploitation and other seedy genres. I didn't really enjoy it, not for any racist content that it might have had, more that it just wasn't very good, imo. But then, I prefer old British b&w movies and the "hip" talk just leaves me cold.
I don't understand why Talons is racist, or considered racist. At the period in which the story is set, there was a big oriental presence in London and some of it was malevolent. Talons is simple a great story with some excellent characters. And you're right about Litefoot and Jago. There was a lot of speculation at the time that there could easily have been a spin-off. Shame it never happened.
You're probably not aware of this but, in and around Glasgow, in the mid to late '60's, (actually in the '70's also) there was a huge problem with gangs and one of the most notorious called themselves The Tongs - slogan, "Tongs ya bass" on walls everywhere. They and others caused serious mayhem at times. A rival gang was the Toi and I remember seeing some of their graffiti on a wall in Airdrie - not far from Glasgow and where I was brought up - which said, "too late yanks, TOI rule the moon"
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I watched those movies in the mid seventies when I was in the army. There was a theater off post that would have a double feature. I saw several of the martial arts movies of the time there.
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This week...
HORROR OF FANG ROCK
THE INVISIBLE ENEMY
IMAGE OF THE FENDAHL
THE SUN MAKERS
UNDERWORLD
THE INVASION OF TIME
Tonight... Mary Tamm! (Or as I now like to jokingly call her, "Hernoine Granger all grown up")
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Sy Weintraub's run as TARZAN producer was a strange, mixed bag. When he took over, he continued to "upgrading" of the series, and did so by finally ditching the Weismuller dialogue and having the first "educated" Tarzan since Herman Brix. TARZAN'S GREATEST ADVENTURE, as someone online suggested, also feels quite a few years ahead of its time, a lot more "serious" and "gritty", almost as if it were made in the 70's or 80's. The odd thing is, he kept Gordon Scott (who'd already done 3 features and a TV pilot), rather than re-casting and starting fresh. The effect is that Scott appears, between the earlier features, the TV pilot, and the Weintraub films, to be playing 3 different versions of the same character. In addition to improving his diction, between films his look somehow changed just enough to make him seem a lot TOUGHER. All of a sudden, he's not "Muscle Beach Tarzan" anymore-- he's someone you DON'T wanna mess with!
Scott did 2 films-- one with Anthony Qualye & Sean Connery as the baddies, the other, TARZAN THE MAGNIFICENT, with John Carridine & Jock Mahoney as the baddies. Carridine had probably one of his biggest roles ever in this one, and also plays possibly the NASTIEST S.O.B. of his entire career! Mahoney, who'd been passed over as Tarzan way back when Weismuller stepped down (I used to think it was when Barker did, but this was even earlier), had starred as THE RANGE RIDER on TV. I wonder how his western fans reacted to seeing him play such a VISCIOUS baddie?
Now this is where it gets real strange. Weintraub kept Scott when he took over, instead of recasting the part where it would seem to make sense. His first 2 films were very successful. So it's at this point, after 2 successful films, that Weintraub decided-- okay, NOW he wants to recast, to have a "new look" for the ape man. Does this seem NUTS???
Weintraub actually had villain Sean Connery in mind for the role... but he'd already signed for DR. NO. So, his 2nd villain became his 2nd choice-- Mahoney! 13 years late, Mahoney finally took over the part. I thought he was fantastic. Scott may have a more impressive physique, but Mahoney is the better actor. Physically, he most reminds me of Herman Brix, but character-wise, he most reminds me of an older, tougher Ron Ely. (Gordon Scott, who was very agreeable to depart the role, went to Europe, and amazingly enough, had even more success doing "barbarian" movies! What a guy.)
Mahoney did 2 films-- both set outside of Africa-- TARZAN GOES TO INDIA and TARZAN'S THREE CHALLENGES. I liked both films... but on the 2nd one, he got some tropical illness, lost about 40-50 pounds while continuing the shoot the film, and afterward, took a year-and-a-half to recover. Scott might still have been doing these if not for Weintraub's decision... now, Weintraub had to recast AGAIN!
Going back (more or less) to the "Scott" style of physique, he next cast Mike Henry. While several previous Tarzans had been swimmer, Henry was a football player. It showed, too, as one of his favorite "moves" in fight scenes closely resembled a football "tackle". He did look, as many have said, as if he stepped out of a Frank Frazetta painting... but compared to Scott or Mahoney, his Tarzan didn't seem quite as intelligent. Somehow, his personality didn't quite fit. Even so, he did 3 films-- back-to-back! 2 of them, ...VALLEY OF GOLD and ...THE GREAT RIVER, took place in Central and South America (Mexico and Brazil, respectively). Only ...THE JUNGLE BOY took place in Africa (though it was filmed in Brazil-- go figure). The first 2 of these had him in regular clothes at the start of the stories, before switiching to loin cloth (and a VERY skimpy loin-cloth, too!). ...VALLEY OF GOLD in particular was promoted as "James Bond of the Jungle", with Tarzan being wrongly described as an "agent" (clearly by people who never actually watched the film).
The idea was to do 3 films in quick succession, followed by a TV series, and release the films during the summer months between TV seasons. But this went wrong when Henry contracted illnesses and injuries in his 2nd & 3rd films, then sued Weintraub for endangering his health! So at the last minute, he was replaced with Ron Ely, who, in my view, turned out to be a big improvement, as he was possibly the best actor to ever play the part. It just got very odd when, after each of the 2 TV seasons, one of the Mike Henry films was released. I can remember sitting in a theatre back in 1968, seeing the promo for ...JUNGLE BOY, and saying, "That's not the real Tarzan!"
Now here's the other part that must have been confusing. In ...GOES TO INDIA, he teams with a young Indian boy named Jai, who was bossy and obnoxious for most of the plot. In ...VALLEY OF GOLD, his young co-star was Manuel Padilla Jr., as "Ramel", a boy from the hidden valley. The follow-up, ...GREAT RIVER, had Padilla return, this time as "Pepe", the sidekick of the river-boat captain. In ...JUNGLE BOY, they had Steve Bond (who later went on to be a soap star in the 80's, as well as appearing in an Andy Sidaris flick) as Erik, a boy who was lost in the jungle for 6 years after his father died in an accident. The TV series had Padilla playing a 3rd role, "Jai", who started out as an orphan living at "The Settlement", but who, after the first 13 episodes, apparently was adopted by Tarzan, and begin to live with him in the jungle, and also dress like him.
You'd almost have thought a story like ...JUNGLE BOY could or should have been the introduction for Tarzan to have a kid sidekick, but "Erik" went back to civilization. And fans of the Tv series must have thought it was odd to see the kid who played "Jai" in a different role (and with a different Tarzan) when ...GREAT RIVER came out in '67.
Adding to the confusion (at least online) is the number of other "feature films" listed which seem to have been released before, during and after the Mike Henry films, all of which were really Ron Ely 2-parter re-edited into features.
The only logical, sensible way to watch these, is to see all 3 Mike Henry films first, as a set, THEN watch the TV series. Even though, really, it's clear they're playing 2 DIFFERENT versions of the same character-- and not just because of the difference in actors.
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Nice look at those Tarzan flicks of the 1960s, Henry. I rewatched the Scott and Mahoney films several years back when TCM ran them in widescreen (which I recommend if you ever get a chance to view them that way) and found that they all held up very well. They all went up a notch or two in my evaluation of the series and currently are some of my favorites.
I haven't seen any of the Mike Henry films since the seventies and don't remember them very well. I would also like to see the Ron Ely television series again as my memories of it are that it was pretty good.
Best
Joe
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Been without cable for 4 years, so any recent TCM premieres I've been missing. Sadly, most of my TARZANs were taped in the early 80's off local channels. The films were butchered, as was the TV series.
Among other things, would you believe? Both ...GREATEST ADVENTURE and ...JUNGLE BOY got run in B&W, despite their being in color (the commercials on those days were in color-- WTF was going on with that station?).
To add to the stupidity... when I taped the TV series, they were running 2 episodes each Sunday afternoon, back-to-back-- with the "middle" credits cut out, as if they were movies (which they weren't), not so they could run them uncut, just so they could squeeze in even more commercials. And the really insane thing was, they didn't run ANY of the actual 2-parters!! At the time, all 5 of them were syndicated separately in their "movie" versions, a plague of late 70's-early-80's. No kidding, when I taped STAR TREK, its one-and-only 2-parter, "The Menagerie", was missing. Lucky thing in that case I managed to tape the "movie" version separately. No such luck with the TARZANs.
So among other things, I' haven't seen "The Deadly Silence" since the early 70's. It was my first exposure to Jock Mahoney. He plays probably the NASTIEST villain in the entire TV series! Also among the missing is "The Blue Stone Of Heaven", with William Marshall as a character who declares himself to be a tribal "god". This was the same year he appeared on STAR TREK.
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I remember having the thought, that in both "TALONS" and "ARMAGEDDON" it felt like it should have been The Master, but wasn't. And frankly, when The Master did turn up in "TRAKEN", I found it very disappointing. The best part, at the time, seemed the visual of Tremas turning into The Master (with a vague resemblance once again to the original), but in retrospect, too many follow-ups were even more disappointing.
By comparison, as of 2 days ago I'm now sorry nobody ever thought to cast Peter Jeffrey as a regenerated Master. With that personality and charisma, he could have equalled Delgado in a way Ainley never did.
Meanwhile, I've always seen "ARMAGEDDON" as one of Mary Tamm's finest appearances. She's absolutely gorgeous in this. And her character and relationship with The Doctor has been coming along so wonderfully, it's easy for me to imagine that exactly how it continued the next season could have happened if she had just stuck around. So why didn't she??? Then again, considering Bob & Dave broke up, and Holmes quit the show, and John Leeson left, and Anthony Read... what was going on just then? Good grief. (And how on Earth didn't they have Cyril Luckham at the end?)
By the way, when The Doctor gets sarcastic with The Shadow about his TARDIS security in part 3, he reminds me of Hartnell again. Shapp, meanwhile, reminds me an awful lot of Bernard Cribbins. Which made me suddenly think, this story might have been fun if Peter Cushing had starred in it.
I did enjoy Drax. Someone suggested he'd have been a good fit beside Colin Baker. Too bad nobody ever thought of doing that!
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Feature films watched the last few weeks.
Without Warning!-1952, The Vampire-1957, and The Return of Dracula-1958 - Arthur Gardner and Jules V. Levy produced a number of good little programmers in the 1950s- usually either noirish crime thrillers or monster flicks. All three films here benefit from location shooting (especially the neglected noir Without Warning!) and solid photography. In the late 1950s they turned primarily to television production and found success there (primarily with westerns such as The Rifleman, The Big Valley).
Mr. District Attoney-1941- Fast paced and full of delightful banter between the male and female leads, this adaptation of the popular radio series (and later a long running DC comic) gets my thumbs up. Peter Lorre appearing as one of the villains helps too.
An American Werewolf in London-1981- I really liked this werewolf flick when it came out and think that it still holds up pretty well three decades later.
Spaceballs-1987- I finally caught the one Mel Brooks movie I've never seen (just in time for it's 25th anniversary). Not bad but nowhere near as good as such classics of his as Young Frankenstein, The Producers and Blazing Saddles.
Sky Rider-1928- Champion is the dog star of this so-so action picture. He was one of many Rin Tin Tin wannabes in the 1920s.
The Adventures of Tin Tin-2011- I've been a fan of Herge's Tin Tin ever since I discovered him via his serialized adventures in Children's Digest back in the 1960s. I really enjoyed this Steven Spielberg motion-capture adaptation of The Secret of the Unicorn (which was actually the first Tin Tin story I ever read). I hope they do more.
Conflict-1937- My first viewing of this atypical John Wayne movie. Wayne is a member of a group of grifters who run a fake boxing scam which they move from one small community to another. Interesting little B movie.
Dakota-1945- John Wayne, as a professional gambler, heads a good cast (especially Walter Brennan) through a rather middling script in this Republic A western as he goes up against some town boss baddies (Ward Bond, Mike Mazurki).
The Spirit-2008- Too much Frank Miller and not enough Will Eisner.
The Gladiator-1938- I've been wanting to see this movie based on Philip Wylie's 1930 novel for years. The novel, about a man who acquires super strength, is supposed to have been an influence on teenagers Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster when they created Superman a few years later. I've never read the novel (although I vaguely remember reading a Roy Thomas comic adaptation of it years ago) so don't know how close the movie follows the book but suspect they take some liberties as the film is used as a vehicle for Joe E. Brown (who was a popular film comedian of the 1930s). I enjoyed it but I also like Joe E. Brown comedies.
Radar Secret Service-1950- Fast paced programmer has law enforcement using the latest technology (radar, helicopters) to go after the bad guys. Good cast includes John (Bulldog Drummond) Howard, Ralph (Dick Tracy) Byrd and Tom (Detour) Neal
Derailed-2002- Not bad, direct to video, Jean-Claude Van Damme action flick set on board a train. Not as well budgeted as his 90's films but they did well with what they had.
Hot Rod Gang-1958, Hot Rod Rumble-1957- A perfect 1950s drive-in double feature. Hot Rods, hot chicks, hoods and Rock n' Roll (in the person of Gene Vincent and his Blue Caps, no less)!
The Viking-1931- Amazing location shooting on the ice flows of the arctic area give an authenticity to this very basic story of seal hunters. A very young Charles Starret (years before he played the Durango Kid) has the lead. Tragically a couple dozen members of the crew were killed in an explosion while shooting additional footage for the film.
Dracula: Pages From a Virgin's Diary-2003- I was quite impressed with this adaptation of the balletic stage version of the Stoker story. It's a fairly bare-bones version done very stylistically- shot in black and white with some very effective use of limited color (primarily tinting and toning) and silent (with some limited sound effects and of course a very effective music track).
Village of the Giants-1965- If I hadn't caught the opening credits I'd have sworn that this was an AIP movie. Teens eat wacky food invented by kid genius (Ronny Howard!) and grow and grow and...well you get the idea. Johnny (Rifleman) Crawford, Tommy (various Disney and Beach movies) Kirk and Beau Bridges play some of the teens and popular singers such as Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon and the Beau Brummels appear as themselves. Very loosely based on H. G. Wells' Food of the Gods.
White Oak-1921- Western with a very Victorian attitude to it starring William S. Hart.
War Horse-2011- Steven Spielberg's old fashioned and highly enjoyable story of a boy and his horse and a war that got in the way.
Colt 45-1950- Solid Randolph Scott western beautifully shot in Technicolor. Alan Hale's penultimate film (he died before it was released).
Best
Joe
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Haven't seen any of those films but there are a couple I now fancy.
Last night the 2nd episode of the new series of Vera, starring Brenda Blethyn as DCI Vera Stanhope and based on the character created by Ann Cleeves. Set in Northumberland, these are bleak, well made police stories and Blethyn is excellent as always. Good supporting cast. With any luck they will appear stateside.
We watched Sherlock Holmes, the film version with Robert Downey. Lots of action, not much of excitement. Enjoyable enough.
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Like Green HOrnet I did not make it far into the Spirit. My wife liked War Horse but I did not. I found it to be trying too hard to pull your heart strings to the point of failing rediculously. Everything was so contrived it drove me crazy.
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Whatta ya know? An entire feature film scored with KPM production music!
I knew something was funny when I heard an excerpt of "I Gotta Get The World Off My Back" (Alan Hawkshaw / KPM 1015), but then at a particularly tense scene, what turns up but "Trap Door" (David Lindup / KPM 1018), a genuine "Spidey" track.
This was the 2nd of 2 films made in SOUTH AFRICA starring James Ryan as martial-arts hero "Steve Chase"-- who just happens to be a dead ringer for the MIKE ZECK version of "Shang-Chi". I'm not kidding!!! Both films have terrific action and a bizarre sense of humor. It's almost like what you'd get if Roger Corman did a kung fu flick.
Anyway, I also recognized at least one other KPM track, but coudln't identify it. Going to the IMDB, I see they have listed Laurie Johnson, Keith Mansfield, Wilbur Hatch, Igo Kantor, Richard Markowitz & Fred Steiner, all for "Composer: stock music". I'm afraid that so far, the music part of the IMDB listings is so confusing, even I haven't quite figured out how to make additions, since they're obviously missing at least 2 composers (as noted above).
Like "FORCE FIVE" with Joe Louis, the story structure and some of the characters in this rather closely resemble "THE A-TEAM", only with karate. For some reason, the Wikipedia article on the film spends 75% of its time describing a special-effects shot that was later greratly expanded on in the film "THE MATRIX". Sheesh.
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Just a reminder to those of you here in the States. Most PBS stations will begin running the new episodes of Sherlock this coming Sunday, May 6th. So check your local listings.
Best
Joe
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Sherlock? You are all in for a treat and do not, under any circumstances, look at spoilers. The finale is to die for.
We watched the most recent Big Bang Theory (here, that is) last night - the haircut. Indigestion from laughing so much.
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The Lil Missus has not been much into sitcoms over the past couple decades so in just the last few years I have started getting around to watching sitcoms from 1990-on via DVD. Coincidentally The Big Bang Theory season one is currently part of my Saturday night/Sunday morning watching schedule.
Best
Joe
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The last year before my cable was cut off, Kaley Cuoco became the first actress since Lucille Ball (in the late 60's) where I found myself watching her on 3 different shows at the same time!! (her new show, plus reruns of CHARMED and EIGHT SIMPLE RULES)
I genuinely thought THE BIG BANG THEORY was awful when it started, and only watched because of her. But after about 2 months, I was pleasantly surprised when I realized, hey, the writing was improving!
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Lately:
DESTINY OF THE DALEKS
CITY OF DEATH
THE CREATURE FROM THE PIT
NIGHTMARE OF EDEN
THE HORNS OF NIMON
Crazy but true: the last 4 of these, each one has ONE actor who seems to think they're on the 60's BATMAN show. (Prof. Kerensky, Lady Adrasta, Tryst, Soldeed) When someone else's acting is so over-the-top they almost make Tom Baker at his goofiest seem like a straight man, something's not quite right.
I pointed out to someone the other day, I never saw "Tryst" as reminding me of "Dr. Strangelove". I'd say he's more like "Dr. Fassbender" (from WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT) --which is even worse. Anyone who's ever seen that film, by the way, I was reading that Fassbender was actually written for Groucho Marx. When I found that out, suddenly, I realized how every single line Peter Sellers had in the film would have been so much funnier if Marx had done it instead.
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Mostly been downloading public domain films from the Internet Archive and burning these to DVD to watch on my bedroom TV that has a built in DVD player and VCR.
A member of another board has been offering old VHS tapes for cost of postage so I had him send me a large sized flat rate box full.
The gentleman who had previously owned the tapes turned out to be a special effects artist, and had done the special effects for the 1978 TV movie "Doctor Strange". A tape of Doctor Strange was included in the box along with many seldom seen old sci fi films.
Other tapes from the box that I've recently watched are "the Mummy's Shroud", "Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires", "Horrors of the Red Planet", "the Flame Barrier", and the TV movie "Gargoyles" (not the animated film).
From the Internet Archive I've watched "Sword of Lancelot", "Under Capicorn", "Ikarie" (eastern bloc sci fi classic), "Cold Sweat" (early Charles Bronson action film), and many others.
Suprisingly many made for TV movies and non U S made films of the 70's and 80's were never properly copyright protected.
Same goes for a few big screen classics of the 50's and 60's.
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Flame Barrier sounds intrigueing. What is it about?
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Well Flame Barrier is an odd sci fi film.
The majority of the film is a standard jungle expedition type story of the 50's, but theres a mystery going on.
A wife of a wealthy tech magnate of the day, sort of a Tony Stark type, hires two brothers to guide her into the Yucatan to find her husband or confirm his death. She would be unable to touch her husbands wealth for seven years unless a body was found.
The husband had disappeared along with a well equiped party while searching for a private satelite he had sent up weeks earlier.
The wife and her party keep finding strangely burned human corpses along the way, and the deserted camp of the scientists with the only living thing around a chained chimpanzee. The chimp had been in the lost satelite.
If you want to watch the film, telling any more would spoil it for you.
Not a great film, but an interesting twist.
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thanks since it free at internet archive I will have to check it out
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thanks since it free at internet archive I will have to check it out
Not sure that it can be found online, it was one one of the VHS tapes my friend sent to me.
You might try youtube
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I did not pay enough attention between messages. Archive was mentioned then your tapes. Was if copyrighted? May be something that the archive can use.
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I did not pay enough attention between messages. Archive was mentioned then your tapes. Was if copyrighted? May be something that the archive can use.
I don't know what the copyright status would be, if its fallen into public domain it will show up on the archive sooner or later.
I checked and found that Flame Barrier is offered for download on a few movie sites, and the trailer was listed on youtube.
The film was fun to watch, since I had not seen it since I was a teenager, but not much of a film by standards of the day much less these days.
It does have much the feel of the old comic books, or the short stories found in the old mens magazines.
They might do well to consider this film suited to a modernized remake, it has some good elements.
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I saw some reviews and they seem to agree. Lots of plodding boring parts but some really good elements.
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One I haven't seen in ages...
THE OCTAGON
Apparently one of the earliest "ninja"-themed movies, Chuck Norris is forced to confront his step-brother who went totally bad and set up a terrorist training school somewhere in Central America. The entire movie takes itself way too seriously, and the dialogue is so vague and clipped you never get a sense of who most of the characters are or why they do anything. The most outstanding personality, Lee Van Cleef, who heads an anti-terrorist vigilante group (you can't count on the police to do anything) disappears halfway thru once he bumps off someone he's been after for years.
Clearly the best part of the film is the long, protracted action scenes in the last half-hour, when Norris, at first single-handedly, has to take on an endless procession of masked killers, many of them in a complex training arena that gives the film its name. Parts of it look like the writer was very inspired by Moench & Gulacy's MASTER OF KUNG FU. The lead girl reminds me of Leiko (without being Asian) while Van Cleef could be standing in for Black Jack Tarr. Also, the "Octagon" fight scenes look like they stepped right out of "The Devil-Doctor's Triumph" in GIANT-SIZE MOKF #2. But the film feels like it has no heart, no soul. The action scenes are terrific, but you can't help but feel ENTER THE DRAGON was superior on ever single level.
Norris' next film, EYE FOR AN EYE, turned all this around, and was the first time he really exuded "personality" in one of his films. (Plus, it was a lot more fun.)
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Just finished watching the first episode of the new batch of Sherlock episodes. Excellent! Really looking forward to the next couple.
Well it looks like all my regular shows are winding down for the season (some have already wrapped) and will be over within a couple weeks. Only Lost Girl (a Canadian show that Syfy picked up) has enough episodes in the can to continue running through the summer. So far I've only scoped out five summer series (Falling Skies, Alphas, Haven, Leverage and Warehouse 13) to watch and none of those even start until June or July.
I expect I'll catch up on a few more of those older series I discovered online (Doc Martin, Highway Patrol, Sea Hunt, etc...).
I also discovered recently that our local library has started getting in more DVD sets of television series. The Lil Missus and I did a mini-marathon of Dexter season one last week and, somewhat surprisingly, really liked it so I have already reserved season two.
This week I'm watching a set of vintage Dr. Who-"The War Games" from 1969 (last of the BW episodes) starring Patrick Troughton. Henry has been giving the good Doctor such fine plugs lately I was itching to watch some and then the library got in a number of collections of the Doctor (both old and new series) and my wish was fulfilled. Lots of neat extars on the DVD set too.
They also have the first three seasons of both Castle and The Mentalist which I know has been plugged on this board a few times (Paw, was that you?) so will be checking out both those series too.
Anyway looks like I'll have plenty of good watchin' this summer!
Best
Joe
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AN EYE FOR AN EYE
Chuck Norris's 1st really "GREAT" film. He plays a cop whose partner (Terry Kiser) is murdered, suspects a leak in the Police Department and quits when his actions are under suspicion. When his late partner's news-reporter wife (Rosalind Chao) is also murdered, he teams up with her father (Mako) to track down the killers, and bust the drug-smuggling operation. LICENSE TO KILL with Timothy Dalton had a vaguely similar plot, but this one, while it starts out dark & nasty, is a lot more fun to watch, with just the right mix of action, violence, characterization, humor and a bit of romance. Also in the cast are Richard Roundtree (almost playing the "Capt. Bollin" role from SHAFT'S BIG SCORE), Christopher Lee (more a "Bond villain" here than he was in GOLDEN GUN) and Professor Toru Tanaka as an indestructible henchman ("Odd-Job", anyone?). Yep, when the cops close in on the drug lord's lair at the end, this feels more like a Bond movie than LICENSE TO KILL did!
Norris & Mako made such a great comic team, it's a shame they never did a sequel to this.
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Oh. never seen Castle or The Mentalist? We love them and are on our don't miss list.
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Right on, Paw- we never miss them either. Actually, my oldest son indirectly works on "Castle" - he audits the cost of the background music for this and some other ABC programs. After months of waiting, we finally got to watch the first episode of the new run of "Sherlock". WOW! Absolutely well worth waiting for. The new "Whitechapel" run is also quite good, especially the Bogeyman episode. "The Finder" is back after a short disappearance, but probably won't get picked up for renewal. Not a "must-see", but it can be fun. Took the granddaaughters to see "Pirates- Band of Misfits" and a good time was had by all. Great little sight gags and wonderful voice characterizations. The Queen Victoria role was played as a deranged Bette Davis doing Elizabeth the First - priceless! We're going to try and see "The Raven" this weekend. Cheers, Bowers
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We're also fans of Body of Proof.
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I was especially pleased to find that Hulu TV has all 61 episodes of "Lexx". I've been watching a couple of episodes per day.
An amusing surreal Sci Fi series.
I'm also a fan of the Castle series, mainly because Stanna Katic is such a babe. I first saw Stanna in the Librarian episode "the Judas Chalice".
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Picked up Castle season one from the library this past weekend and am currently working my way through that.
I'm not familiar with Lexx. I'll check into sampling a few episodes at Hulu.
The Lil' Missus and I plowed through season two of Dexter last week and are game for season three. A very different type of crime series.
Best
Joe
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Dexter is facinating
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Dexter Season 3 and 4 are the best two so far IMO.
It's a show I like very much but still find it uncomfortable rooting for a very cold blooded killer.
Nurse Jackie is also very, very good and again, you are rooting for a lying, cheating drug abuser. We live in confusing times.
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Then there is Weeds and Breaking Bad. Not interested in Nurse Jackie or Weeds as I think they actual promote the bad. I never got into Breaking Bad but I understand that a man is driven into dealing to pay medical bills. Given the corruption of our system I can sympathize with the character and idea behind it. I think of Dexter as a good guy hero doing the world a favor.
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Body of Proof series 2 finished here last night. What a finale! We'll miss that but fortunately the new series of Lewis started Wed., so we'll watch it on watch again this weekend.
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Oh, I love 'Breaking Bad' as well! I've never seen 'Weeds' though I've always heard good things about it.
'The Big C' is on my list to see.
The common thread among all of these seems to be superior acting and shorter seasons so there's no filler in them unlike network tv.
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My wife started as a big fan of Big C but lost interest shortly into the second season
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Saw DARK SHADOWS this week. Fun flick. Steve Bissette compared it to MARS ATTACKS, so I figured, what the hell, gotta see that!
Meanwhile, I uncovered a missing piece of my collection I've been looking for for YEARS. That is, I was sure I'd taped this damned thing... but for quite a few years now, have not been able to find it. Tonight I watched it!
DRACULA (1972)
Yep-- DAN CURTIS's adaptation of the novel. That's 3 different adaptations of the same book, all done with in 7-year period...
1 - Jess Franco w/ Christopher Lee & Herbert Lom (Spain)
2 - Dan Curtis w/ Jack Palance & Nigel Davenport (USA)
3 - ?? (BBC) w/ Louis Jourdan & Frank Finlay (England)
Franco's was the 1st time anyone actually attempted to "do the book". But low budget & the world's worst cameraman really hurt. Mind you, HIS film had the ONE actor in the entire world who actually brought the book's version of Count Dracula accurately to life.
Dan Curtis's version, I have not seen in more than 25 years!!! You'd think I'd be thrilled out my mind to finally sit down and see it again. Well... not really. The most amazing thing is how Curtis' directorial style is so RECOGNIZABLE, between this, the 2 NIGHT STALKER movies, and the 2 DARK SHADOWS movies. (Even though he didn't actually direct "THE NIGHT STALKER", somehow, the style is near-identical.) There's too many deviations from the book here, including, oddly enough, 2 that stand out as coming straight from the HAMMER version by Terrence Fisher. That is, Jonathan GETS KILLED at the castle and is turned into a vampire, and is killed by his friend. And, Van Helsing YANKS curtains open to let sunlight into the room. (Then, he runs him thru, and I mean all the way thru, with a PIKE.)
THIS is the first "Dracula" to feature the idea of reincarnation, or at least, a hint of it. In this one, Lucy is the dead ringer for his late wife. So when she's destroyed, he goes mad, then goes after Mina. The Fernando Fernandez painted comic-book version was similar to this, except without the reincarnation angle. In that one, Dracula simply fell in love with Lucy, so when she was killed, he went after Mina in REVENGE. In the book, Lucy just happened to be his 1st victim. He went after Mina when the group of vampire-hunters began hunting him, but made the mistake of leaving Mina alone ("for her own protection"-- boy did they F*** up there).
For a Dan Curtis film, there's a lot of dead air. Robert Cobert did a new score (apparently) but only seems to have written music for about half the film. As a result, there are some long sequences that just feel flat.
Strangely enough, Castle Dracula's interior seems too "new", more like a mansion than a stone castle. This is another thing it shares with the Hammer version.
Simon Ward plays Arthur Holmwood, a character who is another element in common with the Hammer version. I kept thinking, between him and the actor who played Jonathan, it seemed they got the roles reversed, except Arthur is in almost the entire film, while Jonathan is the victim. Nigel Davenport is NOT my favorite Van Helsing, not even close (after Van Sloan, Cushing & Finlay-- and Finlay is actually THE BEST, hell, Herbert Lom still comes in at least 4th). Truthfully, I kept thinking of the TERRORIST-hunter Davenport played in NIGHTHAWKS (which would make Rutger Hauer that film's counterpart of Dracula!).
To sum up... it's "nice", and I guess, for Americans at the time who had not had the chance to see Franco's "masterpiece" (compared to all his other films, it really is) it must have seemed the "most faithful" version ever made.
UNTIL 1977, when the BBC totally blew this and EVERY OTHER VERSION ever made before OR SINCE right out of the water.
Louis Jourdan, ironically enough, is the least-faithful element in that film to the book. Instead of the cold-hearted monster Bram Stoker wrote, Jourdan is a smooth-talking, stylish, sarcastic SON OF A BITCH. He's got 10 times more personality than the real thing, and his best scene is probably the one where he confronts Van Helsing (damn near every adaptation has one of those, and there never was one in the book). Van Helsing says some kind of prayer to ward off Dracula, who waves his hand dismissingly and says, "Yes, yes, it ALWAYS sounds more impressive in LATIN."
If you haven't seen this yet, I give the Jourdan film my HIGHEST reccomendation. It really is the BEST adaptation of DRACULA ever, ever made. (Mind you, I still love the LUGOSI film, and the Terrence Fisher-Hammer film with Christopher Lee & Peter Cushing. That one's just so damn much fun, you just don't care if they almost threw the book away when they did it.) Frank Finlay IS the Van Helsing in the novel, except for a slight modification, which actually makes him MORE likable. (And I'm convinced Mel Brooks' Van Helsing was based on Finlay's.)
Never would have thought that I'd rate Jess Franco's version ABOVE Dan Curtis. Curtis' may be better made, from a technical standpoint, but Franco's is just better to WATCH. Gee, who saw that coming?
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A lot of people don't realize that Jack Palance had played the part of Dracula, Jekyll & Hyde, and Jack the Ripper.
BTW
Palance's patented snarling intake of breath is the result of his short carreer as a boxer. He was beating his opponent like a drum and thought the guy was out on his feet. He said that he stood back to let the guy have room to fall and next thing he knew he was waking up in a hospital where surgeons were busy removing part of his nose and facial bones from his brain. Afterwards he always had trouble getting a good breath through his nostrils.
The nearly unconsious boxer had thrown one wild punch with everything he had left and ended Palance's dreams of a boxing carreer.
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Didn't know any of that. Great stuff. Thank you.
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When I finally updated the list, I realized there were exactly 69 of them (not counting the 1962 TV appearance by Bert Freed or the later stage play which was later still adapted into the 1st Peter Falk film).
Yesterday morning I watched the one I've seen more than any of the others (most of them I've only ever seen ONCE apiece).
PRESCRIPTION: MURDER (1968) predates the rest of the series by 3 years, has a far-less-rumpled looking Lieutenant, and a twist at the end where it seems there was a suicide following the murder.
About midway thru, this low-key thing made me LAUGH out loud for almost a minute, something I haven't done in some time. It was the point where Gene Barry (the hero of WAR OF THE WORLDS among other things) describes in accurate detail Columbo's personality, while Columbo continues to maintain his outward "absent minded idiot" facade. By this point, Columbo has focused on TOO MANY details for him to possibly be "as stupid as he seems" (as Julian Glover once said refering to Tom Baker's "Doctor").
And in the very next scene, Columbo interviews the killer's actress-girlfriend-- and his ENTIRE PERSONALITY changes drastically, shockingly, almost violently. We see a man who knows EXACTLY what he's doing, and is both ANGRY and VERY DETERMINED to do whatever it takes to bring about justice. WHOA!!!
This was often forgotten in the latter part of the 70's, as the series went on and on and became far too formulaic. The "facade" often became TOO convincing, and audience members might have been forgiven actually believing it was the reality. He seemed to get more "retarted" as he went. (Just as, during Diana Rigg's time on THE AVENGERS, one might have actually mistaken John Steed for a "gentleman". HE'S NOT!!!)
This was what I liked about the revival, once they got past the fairly-awful 1st new season. When Peter Falk took over the show as co-executive producer, suddenly, he began to "play" with the format. Not every episode was like every other one. You got to see, more and more, the "REAL" Columbo, when he was not around the suspects. And you got to see just HOW MUCH his superiors valued him.
A lot of the later ones may have had lesser-known actors playing the killers, but more and more, Falk became the real star, instead of aging former-TV heroes turned BAD GUYS to pay the bills. The 70's series really has a cynical air about it, when you look at it that way. So many beloved "good guys" MURDERING other people for the flimsiest of reasons, then trying to prove how smart they are afterwards-- and failing miserably.
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I love Columbo! At the moment I am getting an episode a week on satellite and it is eagerly awaited Sunday evening viewing ... but keeping an eye out for a big discount on the complete box set.
The roll call of murderers is quite summat ... Johnny Cash to Donald Pleasence, Robert Vaughn (ah .. but did he), and Patrick McGoohan twice!
By far the best TV detective
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This is good and so subjective. We've always loved Columbo, especially the early series but, whether he's the best tv 'tec? Over the years, I was a fan of Chief Supt. Lockhart in No Hiding Place, (admittedly nowadays a bit obscure and ancient) But can you really beat Jeremy Brett as Holmes? Up there also has to be Broderick Crawford in Highway Patrol. Johnny Staccato was moody and dark. But, and I hope the non-British viewers will excuse my presumption, Frank Marker in Public Eye just about takes the buscuit. And there is a box set available but not of the first series, I think. Check out the intro. on you tube.
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Paw,
I would go further and say that Columbo and Miss Marple are by far the best fictional detectives ever created. :)
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I also went to see the Dark Shadows movie, just this past Friday. My wife is a huge Johnny Depp fan (big surprise there) We both agreed that the film was one of the worst movies we had ever seen. It was just moribund.
There was no plot to speak of, and certainly nothing even remotely funny happened.
The ending? Quite literally everyone ended up worse off, making the film a tragedy (in more ways than one)
--David
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David, never having been interested in Dark Shadows, I can't comment on it, apart from saying that I read some poor reviews in the papers.
My wife is also a big J.D. fan but not even that would get her watching it.
Mark, gauntlets having been flung, I have to ask, which version of Miss Marple? For me it has to be Joan Hickson and that's despite being a Margaret Rutherford fan(excellent in The Runaway Bus, with Frankie Howerd).
Fast moving up my list is Beckett in Castle but that's probably the same for most guys on this site.
I think a list of favourite t.v. 'tecs from members would be interesting. I'll work on one.
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WHY is this board going all goofy (s t r e t c h e d out all over the place) the last few days? It can't just be my browser... no other site I go to regularly is doing this.
I took Steve Bissette's advice and went to see DARK SHADOWS. He compared it to BEETLEGUISE and MARS ATTACKS. He was right. When I thought about it, I realized Tim Burton "did" to DARK SHADOWS what Dan Curtis and Terrence Fisher "did" to DRACULA. In each case, the film reflects the director more than the source material. Sometimes, that's not a bad thing.
On COLUMBO...
Robert Culp -- 3 times
Jack Cassidy -- 3 times (plus a 4th on MRS. COLUMBO)
Patrick McGoohan -- 4 times!!! (plus he directed the one after that)
McGoohan's 3rd time as murderer became my FAVORITE episode in the whole series!
I like Margaret Rutherford (her cameo is the best thing about THE ABC MURDERS), and I love Angela Landsbury. Joan Hickson is okay, but they're a little dull for my tastes.
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Not at all sure about Angela Lansbury, probably because I can't stand Murder, She Wrote. Could it be the sheer Englishness of the Hickson adaptations? Because the standard of acting is very high and Hickson was a very accomplished actress.
I'm obviously on plums here with my shout for Frank Marker 'cos, I bet none of you even know what I'm talking about. Recently, I bought a box set of 77 Sunset Strip and am working my way through them. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed it all those years ago.
As for the board, I'm seeing it as "normal", in fact it's tight and neat.
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Paw I agree
I was going to say ... "and the worst ever TV detective series was Murder, She Wrote" ... but I thought it best not to. But whoops I have now
Also, Jean Hickson is by far the best Miss Marple. Just like Columbo she is well off the radar and playing mind games.
As a parting shot, in my opinion Sherlock Holmes is a braggart with an inferiority complex.
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Put me down for "Columbo" as well, but definitely not for Hickson. I always felt she played the role with a touch of malice and nastiness and was not near as fun to watch as Margaret Rutherford. Also agree on "Murder She Wrote". The only really good thing about this series was it gave a LOT of actors who hadn't worked in years an occasional job. No doubt Lansbury had something to do with this. Cheers, Bowers
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OOOERRRR! Sherlock? That's controversial. But I agree he's like spoiled wee boy at times - depends who's playing him. Jeremy Brett gives a good performance in Girl in the Headlines which stars Ian Hendry. A good murder/police procedural. Available on dvd.
You can watch an episode of No Hiding Place here:-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_rXXSp5N-c
Public Eye extract here:-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX-14TnrXA0
Highway Patrol here:-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJ90YcbggRo
Girl in the Headlines and other extracts here:-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL_sX3J4b0A
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I also went to see the Dark Shadows movie, just this past Friday. My wife is a huge Johnny Depp fan (big surprise there) We both agreed that the film was one of the worst movies we had ever seen. It was just moribund.
There was no plot to speak of, and certainly nothing even remotely funny happened.
The ending? Quite literally everyone ended up worse off, making the film a tragedy (in more ways than one)
--David
I'm avoiding the film because it was made clear in its promotion that it was not true to the original series. Dark Shadows is hardly my idea of a comedy ... the film will recoup via dvd and foreign markets, but it will always be thought of as a flop by us middle aged nerds that watched the show in its heyday.
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Thanks for the warning my wife wanted to see it. We both watched the original
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PBS aired a new Brit mystery last Sunday, "Vera". Really didn't care for this one. I found the title character , DCI Vera Stanhope, to be equally obnoxious to the suspects, victim's family, fellow officers, and me! Also, not terribly bright. Sure hope they don't show all eight episodes. History Channel showed a three-part historical drama "The Hatfields and McCoys", giving us another take on this famous feud. Very well done with a great cast, including Kevin Costner, Bill Paxton, Mare Winningham, Powers Boothe and even Joe Absalom (Al Large from "Doc Martin"). Don't know if it was completely historically accurate, but a very fine piece of work. Speaking of "Doc Martin", one of the PBS channels showed both of the Doc Martin movies, "Doc Martin" and "Legend of Cloutie", based on the character in the film "Saving Grace". These were made before the TV series was filmed and Clunes plays a very different "Doc", Dr. Martin Bamford. Pretty funny, especially the scenes concerning the local Jello vigilante. Up soon from TNT- a new "Leverage" season. Cheers, Bowers
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We watched Vera from the start, having read the books, which are a bit different from the tv show. But as the series wore on, it all became too hard and depressing to watch and we gave the last one a miss. A new season of Leverage is what we need, I hope.
Watch out for the new season of Lewis, there are a couple of excellent storylines in there. Some good points being made in the guise of a detective show.
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I watched "The Hatfields and McCoys" and was very surprised to see Joe Absalom pop up! Big fan of him on "Doc Martin". Still haven't seen the "Saving Grace" movie but have really enjoyed "Doc Martin" series. See Hugh Laurie, you don't have to be a complete dick to play a 'crusty' doctor. (not a fan of House.)
Haven't seen "Vera" but can recommend an older one called "Wire In The Blood" and my all time favourite of the genre - "Cracker".
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My wife and I have watched half of H and H probably watch the rest tomorrow. The love of Doc. Martin has spread around the world.
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I remember "Cracker" very well- Robbie Coltraine was great! Also not a "House" fan, but I am a big Hugh Laurie fan, both as a musician and an actor. His earlier work , such as "Jeeves and Wooster" is side-splitting. I didn't like "House" because I hated the character. Laurie has to be a good actor to pull off such a nasty, arrogant, and mean-spirited role, and keep it on TV for so long. And he's one of the few Brit actors who can actually sound American! Keep looking for "Saving Grace" and the "Doc Martin" movies to see a totally different take on the character. Cheers, Bowers
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EPIXDR with the DR for Drive-In has a lot of the cheesy movies that seem popular here. I just watched Requiem for a Vampire in French with subtitles. Very little talk so it did not much matter. Cheesy 70's fun
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Yes Bowers, Saving Grace, especially, is worth looking out for and see what you think about Bill Bailey, who's also in a comedy series titled Black Books, with Dylan Moran and Tamsin Greig. All very strange, rude, a bit surreal at times and funny. I wonder if the humour will translate.
There's some info. here:- http://www.channel4.com/programmes/black-books
I couldn't get into House either, like you because of the character not Hugh Laurie.
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Thanks for the link, Paw. "Black Books" looks pretty good, so I'll keep an eye out for it. unfortunately, the link wouldn't let me view an episode. Your comments and info regarding Brit TV are always welcome! Cheers, Bowers
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Oh I absolutely agree Hugh Laurie is a great actor - he can really pull off the American accent can't he? I've been a fan since I first saw him in Black Adder which I'm surprised nobody has mentioned yet.
Black Books is on VisionTV up in Canada which is kinda funny as it's a religious network and Black Books is far from that! You'd expect Bless Me Father or something safer like that. Vision shows several Brit shows which is where I first saw Doc Martin. PBS also shows it now. History Detectives is one of the few 'reality shows' I can stand if it even qualifies as one.
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I so loved Black Adder when it took me by surprise on PBS many many years ago. I have not seen it in many years and that long before I had ever heard of Hough L or House, which I did not watch.
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Indeed, Yoc, how could we possibly have forgotten "Black Adder"? One of the greatest casts and some of the most hilarious writing I've ever enjoyed. I believe the WW1 series was my favorite, although all were excellent. Cheers, Bowers
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Absolutely agree with you all that the Black Adder shows were tops for laughs. I originally caught them on A & E back in the late 80s and early 90s and I rewatched them again on video over the last couple of years and found them just as funny as I remembered them
Best
Joe
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A quick heads up to those in the U.S. and who may be interested that the season premiere of Falling Skies is tonight on TNT. They'll be showing the first two episodes of season two.
Best
Joe
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I love DVR it already knew and was prepared
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Found a strange, yet fun little series tucked away on Syfy- "The Mercury Men". Shot in black and white video, this is a loving homage to 1950s scifi. (And, yes, it does feature a brain in a jar!) The League battles energy beings from Mercury intent on crashing the moon into the earth. Shot mainly in a parking garage and an office building, this is very low budget but surprisingly entertaining. Episodes last about seven or eight minutes each and I'm not really sure when it's shown. I watched ten episodes on my cable's "On Demand" feature and could see them all back-to-back. Cheers, Bowers
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I found The Mercury Men myself sometime last year. IIRC, it was available for free viewing on Hulu. I think I put in a plug for it here at the time but can't remember for sure. I certainly agree it was a lot of fun in the same way that those old serials and 50's sci-fi movies are. Hulu also had some interesting (and often fun) behind the scenes, making of, and plugs for the show available for viewing.
Best
Joe
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I watched Superman vs The Elite and found it more propaganda than entertainment. If, like me, you blame Superman and Batman for all the deaths caused by Luthor and Joker because S & B did not kill them, knowing what they would do, then you will not like this movie either. Those who would do what is best for the majority always end up being extremist bad guys instead of good guys.
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Thanks for the Mercury Men recommendation. Thoroughly enjoyable and look forward to the sequel. Did anyone watch any of the other shows recommended on the Mercury Men Utube location?
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"I watched Superman vs The Elite and found it more propaganda than entertainment. If, like me, you blame Superman and Batman for all the deaths caused by Luthor and Joker because S & B did not kill them, knowing what they would do, then you will not like this movie either. Those who would do what is best for the majority always end up being extremist bad guys instead of good guys." narfstar.
I'm not familiar with Superman vs The Elite but the point you raise interests me. But, without translating it to real life and staying with comics, I was always surprised at the expectation, historically, in comics, that heroes don't take lives. I used to worry when reading LSH that this was so stupid at times (desperately trying to remember which Legionnaire accidentally killed a bad guy and was ejected for it). There would have been big differences in outcomes had superheroes been allowed by the editors to occasionally kill seriously bad guys. Also, accidents always happen and when you're wielding heat vision, a big mace or sword, lightning bolts, someones going to come a cropper. As I detest the new Luthor as a character, it would have been great had Superman done away with him years ago. I'm curious to hear other opinions on this.
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Starman caused something to become heavy and it killed but I think it ended up being an android or something. I believe at one time Superboy was so extreme that he would not kill ANY LIVING THING. Of course this is unavoidable especially with what we know of the microscopic organism we kill by the thousands everyday.
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Been catching up on the latest season of Nurse Jackie.
I've been really, really enjoying it and the series as a whole. It's like Dexter, rooting for a criminal, but with a perfect cast and no wasted space each episode is a joy.
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Starman caused something to become heavy and it killed but I think it ended up being an android or something. I believe at one time Superboy was so extreme that he would not kill ANY LIVING THING. Of course this is unavoidable especially with what we know of the microscopic organism we kill by the thousands everyday.
In one of the very first Superman stories it was told that Clark had served as a rifleman in some post WW1 dust up, possibly a South American brushfire war.
After realizing that he was invulnerable to bullets he swore never to take a human life, and never to directly interfere in human wars (other than attempt to prevent war when possible).
Being invulnerable to the earthly weapons normally used in wars his serving as a soldier had proven to have had no meaning, no courage no risk and no real commitment was required of him in such a situation.
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Yoc Dexter is only technically a criminal. IMHO he would be a hero. I did not find Nurse J likeable enough to watch
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"I watched Superman vs The Elite and found it more propaganda than entertainment. If, like me, you blame Superman and Batman for all the deaths caused by Luthor and Joker because S & B did not kill them, knowing what they would do, then you will not like this movie either. Those who would do what is best for the majority always end up being extremist bad guys instead of good guys." narfstar.
I'm not familiar with Superman vs The Elite but the point you raise interests me. But, without translating it to real life and staying with comics, I was always surprised at the expectation, historically, in comics, that heroes don't take lives. I used to worry when reading LSH that this was so stupid at times (desperately trying to remember which Legionnaire accidentally killed a bad guy and was ejected for it). There would have been big differences in outcomes had superheroes been allowed by the editors to occasionally kill seriously bad guys. Also, accidents always happen and when you're wielding heat vision, a big mace or sword, lightning bolts, someones going to come a cropper. As I detest the new Luthor as a character, it would have been great had Superman done away with him years ago. I'm curious to hear other opinions on this.
Early Golden Age Batman is my absolute favorite run of the character. He had no compunction about ending the life of any bad guy he came across. Also, anyone remember when Captain America went into a guilt fest after shooting someone (in the 1980s I think)...it was a major plot line...which I found stupid given all of the villains Cap sent to an early grave in the 1940s. Its like when Jim Shooter forbid Wolverine to kill...scorpion & frog fable anyone?
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I was in the middle of watching the COLUMBOs in my collection. I have almost the entire revival run, but very few of the originals. One more to go on the originals before I move on, but I need to dig out more tapes and re-file stuff.
In the meantime, I've been watching KOJAK. I have absolutely none of the original TV series, but, I have the original 3-hour pilot, and the entire revival series of movies. The pilot was only ever run once... and not again until after Telly Savalas died. So I actually saw that last. I'm not even sure if I taped the 2 one-off movies before or after the brief ABC MYSTERY MOVIE run. This is the first time I've ever played the tapes back. So I got to at least see them in the right order this time.
3 so far... THE MARCUS-NELSON MURDERS (1973), THE BELARUS FILE (1985), and THE PRICE OF JUSTICE (1987). Man. Are these things INTENSE. Serious to the point of being borderline-depressing. Man. Are they ALL like this???
When THE PRICE OF JUSTICE starts, We learn Kojak, short of being kicked down again (as said in the previous film) or kicked out (as he suspected by the end of the previous film) has been promoted, and put in charge of a "special crimes task force". Gee. It's like STRIKE FORCE (with Robert Stack) without any sense of humor at all.
Maybe there's a reason I never got hooked on this show in the 70's. I know I watched a handful of episodes. Some shows, you get hooked on... some, not. Oh well.
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I found Kojak and Streets of San Fran as no fun to watch. I found Columbo too formulaic and did not care for it either
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Been following the super-hero "Thou shalt not kill" discussion with interest. I think the decision was not so much character-driven as the simple fact that the Comics Code Authority simply would not allow it! Hence, heroes that killed in The Golden Age, but not in The Silver Age. Cheers, Bowers
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I think the Leave It To Beaver and Father Knows Best all's well theme went through comics. Like TV things changed. I think the fact that most comic creators are liberal had a lot to do with the no kill in later years.
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tonight:
WISH UPON A STAR (w/ Danielle Harris) 3rd time I've seen this
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Narfstar:
"I found Kojak and Streets of San Fran as no fun to watch. I found Columbo too formulaic and did not care for it either"
Now, STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO, I remember watching quite a lot. I actually "cast" both Karl Malden and Michael Douglas as characters in the comics I wrote in high school. (Minor supporting characters, but still...)
Although it started out very interesting, COLUMBO got too repetitive-- and slow and dull and infuriating-- the longer it went on. And when it came back, the 1st new year was even worse! But then.. the 2nd new year, Peter Falk took over as co-exec. Producer-- and began to "play" with the format. Suddenly, I thought they were doing the BEST episodes in the show's entire history. What a turn-around! Patrick McGoodhan's 3rd go as murderer became my favorite episode of the entire run. Even he said he enjoyed himself so much, he was looking forward to doing a 4th one. (Took about 8 years to get around to it, though...)
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I remember watching The Marcus-Nelson Murders back when it first ran (nearly 40 years ago). I remember that it was based on an actual crime story and was pretty gritty. I was pretty impressed with it at the time but just never got into Kojak as a series.
The Streets of San Francisco I watched fairly regularly for the first few seasons. Didn't see much of the last season or two due to a night job I got while in high school. Haven't seen it at all in the years since.
Best
Joe
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Last night and this morning, I watched THE BIBLE: IN THE BEGINNING again. All 3 hours. And you know what? It really is better to split it up over 2 days. It's just too damn long-- and "sombre"-- for one sitting. Especially the story of Abraham (George C. Scott). I finally clocked it today-- the Abraham story is 80 minutes, all on its own. The funny thing is, the movie "ABRAHAM" (with Richard Harris), is 3 hours long-- and seems to go by much faster than those 80 minutes with Scott.
People at the IMDB keep referring to it as a "Hollywood" film, or describing what decisions John Huston made as far as making it. They're missing the point. Huston directed, but this is NOT the director's movie-- it's the PRODUCER's movie. That being Dino DeLaurentis. The thing was filmed in ROME (and thereabouts) and has a pile of Italian actors, side-by-side with the ones from England and America.
I first saw this when it came out in 1966, in a theatre. I was halfway thru 4 years of Catholic school at the time. I remember being thrilled to see the stories brought to such vivid life in a movie, but at the same time, surprised at the overall look. This did not look like any depiction I, as a kid, had seen in books, paintings or "Hollywood" films. This film looks like CONAN THE BARBARIAN. It's not "fantasy"-- it looks like someone went back in time and filmed it on location in a world that was absolutely PRIMITIVE. The Tower Of Babel is a good example-- it may have been "built", but it's so "rough" in its design, it's mind-boggling. Actually, I keep wondering it they actually built a tower that tall, or if much of it was done with opticals. It looks to me like it wouldn't have been possible for a mere movie to build something that big as a prop, and if they did, it looks like it would have been immensely dangerous to film on and around.
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I've seen my share of Biblical epics over the years but some how that one has always eluded me. Your description of the art direction makes it sound interesting enough to watch for that reason alone.
Best
Joe
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I may have seen it many years ago but you make me want to check it out now
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Just read Roy Rogers #35 and in 1 story, Roy convinces a gun shy chap that, with practice, he can shoot to disarm, disable without killing and Rogers states that that's what he does. Immediately after, I read The Activity #6 and that is a completely different comic in every way. Narfstar, if you haven't already had a look, please try to find it. Your opinion, after what you said above, would be of interest - not just the deaths, they are soldiers after all, but the "politics", if that's what it is at the end.
We watched, Inspector Hornleigh on holiday, last night and it was great fun. With Gordon Harker and Alastair Sim.
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Tonight:
BATMAN
"Can somebody tell me, what kind of a world we live in, when a man, dressed as a bat, gets all my press??"
I really like this thing. The sad thing is, it's the ONLY one of the feature films I can say that about.
On the other hand, I LOVE the 1943 serial...
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Here we go again...
"Is there no end to your horrors???"
"None. None whatever."
(Anyone care to take a guess?)
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The last few days...
HOUSE OF USHER
PIT AND THE PENDULUM
THE PREMATURE BURIAL
TALES OF TERROR
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Last night and this morning, I watched THE BIBLE: IN THE BEGINNING again. All 3 hours. And you know what? It really is better to split it up over 2 days. It's just too damn long-- and "sombre"-- for one sitting. Especially the story of Abraham (George C. Scott). I finally clocked it today-- the Abraham story is 80 minutes, all on its own. The funny thing is, the movie "ABRAHAM" (with Richard Harris), is 3 hours long-- and seems to go by much faster than those 80 minutes with Scott.
I found a two tape boxed set of this film in a bin of old VHS tapes given to me by a relative. I haven't rewatched the film yet but did run both tapes through to be sure they weren't degraded in storage. The tapes played fine, though they'd been packed away for several decades.
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Yeah I have some old tapes from over twenty years ago that still work while some DVD's newer that died.
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The last few more days...
THE RAVEN
THE HAUNTED PALACE
THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH
THE TOMB OF LIGEIA
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My summer addiction started toning BIG BROTHER
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Just a heads up to those in the U.S. that the new season of Leverage starts tomorrow on TNT.
Best
Joe
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Comic Store Heroes staring Midtown Comics in NY, NY
I liked it better than Comic Book Men
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We've found a station showing recent episodes of Leverage. Plus, re-runs of Lewis which weren't shown on STV because of the dispute.
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HEC RAMSEY: THE MYSTERY OF THE CHALK HILL
Devastation ********
*****SPOILERS!!!!!*****
Back when I compiled my own index of the NBC MYSTERY MOVIES, I was missing a few issues of TV GUIDE, including the one with the date of this film. As a result, I always figured this must have been the 2nd "HEC RAMSEY" film made, because it was the only one, aside from the pilot, "THE CENTURY TURNS", to feature Sharon Acker & Brian Dewey as Hec's girlfriend Nora Muldoon and her young son Andy. So I was surprised to check it out online and discover it was run last that season. But knowing network programmers and their habits, perhaps this was made 2nd, but "held back" for a reason?
Hec finally gets tired of inexperienced Sheriff Oliver Stamp's demands and harassment concerning his methods of apprehending felons, and decides to quit his job, take one with his old friend Charlie Hollister in another town, and asks Nora to marry him. She accepts, he leaves and begins preparation for the wedding. But en route, her stage coach is held up-- and, shockingly, both she and her son are murdered. This entire film takes place in broad daylight, but it's one of the darkest films ever shown as part of the MYSTERY MOVIE cycle.
Rather than cover the rest of the plot, I'd prefer to mention the astonishing cast in this film, some of whom do the best acting jobs I've ever seen from them. This includes Pat Hingle, who my Dad loved watching so much in "HANG 'EM HIGH", who gives one of the most intense, and emotional portrayals of his career as a man slowly having to face the truth about certain events and people. Also in the cast is Bruce Davison, who may always be remembered best as the star of "WILLARD", as an aspiring artist who seems to have a problem with telling the truth. Smaller roles are filled by Jeanette Nolan as Hingle's wife (I always remember her as Dan Fielding's mother on NIGHT COURT), Bernie Hamilton as the too-"obvious" suspect (he was the police captain on "STARSKY AND HUTCH"), Henry Jones (who I first saw on the idiotic "LOST IN SPACE" episode "The Curse of Cousin Smith") as the town doctor, Leo Gordon ("THE HAUNTED PALACE") as a trigger-happy saloon owner, John Anderson as the artist who taught Davison how to paint, but not how to feel, and Robert Fuller ("EMERGENCY") as "Dixie", the gunfighter-brother that Davison's character looks up to so much.
I remember with some amusement that Harry Morgan, who played the barber-doctor-best friend Amos Coogan, was, for a time, a regular on both "HEC RAMSEY" and "M*A*S*H". I always preferred him on "HEC RAMSEY" (and on "DRAGNET").
It's a shame this show only lasted 2 seasons. I wonder why NBC had such a bad run of luck trying to find successful additions to "COLUMBO", "McCLOUD" and "McMILAN & WIFE"?
(7-17-2012)
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I suspect it was because it was a western. Westerns were out of favor during that era. I know I did not watch it for that reason.
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I suspect it was because it was a western. Westerns were out of favor during that era. I know I did not watch it for that reason.
They didn't mention the details, but 2 different sites mentioned that Richard Boone had "unresolvable problems" with Universal, and HE was responsible for the show ending. Sheesh.
That reminds me, at the same time, almost the same thing happened with George Peppard & BANACEK (both shows ran the same 2 years; BANACEK was the only one of the "Wednesday"/"Tuesday" movie series to run more than 1 year.)
I'd forgotten that HEC RAMSEY was one of Jack Webb's productions.
I'm also watching B.L. STRYKER (just finished the 7th of 12 movies). I was very annoyed when that show ended after only 2 seasons, as someone at ABC decided to cancel the entire MYSTERY MOVIE cycle. Then, they changed their mind. So COLUMBO continued... and continued... but Burt Reynolds and Ossie Davis were already doing EVENING SHADE. Some network execs, you just wanna slap silly.
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Finally getting to catch up on some viewing favorites. "Leverage" and "Lewis" are shown at the same time in our market, so I have to use our cable company's "On Demand" feature to see them both. Not a bad thing, as one can fast-forward through all the commercials. The two new "Lewis" episodes have been quite good, as was the "Endeavor" Inspector Morse prequel. "Leverage" was back with a bang! Looks like a good new season. Also caught up on "Falling Skies". Not a must-watch for me, but I'm liking the new direction the story line is taking. Hey, does anyone know if there will be a new series of "Doc Martin"? That show just keeps getting better. Cheers, Bowers
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As much as my wife and I love Doc Martin I would hate to see them continue after that ending. It was such a good way to bring it to a close that anything else would be jumping the shark.
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Over the last week...
SPIRITS OF THE DEAD
WAR-GODS OF THE DEEP
THE OBLONG BOX
CRY OF THE BANSHEE
MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE
THE SPECTRE OF EDGAR ALLAN POE
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I Just watched Mercury Man on Netflix. Not bad from a superhero standpoint. Not thrilled with anti-American sentiment though
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Bowers, Levrage has been good - highly entertaining and we're watching re-runs of Lewis, as I said above. But there's not a lot else on right now that takes our fancy, apart fom Big Bang and some repeats. What we do have is the third series of 2012, which is a satire on the Olympic "deliverence" team. Very funny and the writers pick out the absurdities of corprate speak and useless commitees. Very sharp.
Doc Martin, narfstar and Bowers. They can't bring it back. At least, I hope not.
We bought the 1st. series of Hustle, it was going cheap, and watched the 1st. episode last night and it still stood up.
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Doc Martin had the perfect ending, anything else would be anti-climactic. Something completely different for those with Netflix is the anime Sgt Frog. Very funny stuff with a lot of references to things you all will recognize.
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Falling Skies continues to keep me on the edge of my seat. One of me and my wife's favorites
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New seasons of Alphas and Warehouse 13 start tonight on Syfy for those interested here in the U.S.
Best
Joe
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You guys are probably right about Doc Martin- might as well go out as a winner. Paw, I have seen an episode of "2012", and it is quite funny. Narf, interesting comment on "Mercury Men". I hadn't really noticed it, but I'll watch them again soon. I believe I can claim the honor(?) of finding the worst piece of garbage "reality" show ever to be shown on TV. It's called "Honey Boo Boo" , and is about a smart-ass young girl with an attitude and a nasty mouth. Also a family whose main topic of conversation is about scratching their butts and this was only the trailer. How could The Learning Channel have sunk so low? Oh, the humanity! Can anyone top this? Cheers, Bowers
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Oh, I don't fancy that but I dislike most reality shows. We seem to be following N. America and some of our shows are sinking to new depths. But I don't think I can beat that one.
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I am a Big Brother addict but that reality show sounds really bad. Mercury Man not Mercury Men is a Tiawanese movie on Netflix
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Oops! Sorry, Narf- I should have read more closely. Cheers, Bowers
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I've been so busy between the new job and uploading files that I haven't dropped a listing of my feature films watched in quite a while. So here's a very quick rundown, with zero commentary, of nearly three month's worth. As usual a very eclectic mix.
The Lost Continent-1951, The Foreigner-2003, Whatever Works-2009, Gamera Vs. Gaos-1967, The Invisible Killer-1941, Vendetta For the Saint-1969, Die 3 Groschen Opera (The Three Penny Opera)-1931, The Body Beneath-1970, Where the Wild Things Are-2009, Bruno-2009, V for Vendetta-2005, Creature-2011, Wake Island-1942, Fort Worth-1951, To Hell and Back-1955, Hercules and the Captive Women-1961, Halls of Montezuma-1950, Hatfields and McCoys-2012, Dark Shadows-2012, Jiggs and Maggie Out West-1950, Tall Man Riding-1955, Super Shark-2011, The Reaping-2007, Eaten Alive-1977, Tough to Kill-1979, Wide Open Faces-1938, L' Opera de Quat' Sous (The Three Penny Opera)-1931, Rock of Ages-2012, Sky Racket-1937, Blood of Dracula-1957, Piranhaconda-2012, Haunted Gold-1932, The Mask of Diijon-1946, The Glass Key-1935, The Last Airbender-2010, Tundra-1936, Jackie Chan: Kung Fu Master-2009, The Telegraph Trail-1933, Silent Men-1933, The Musketeer-2001, The Lincoln Lawyer-2011, The Chase-1946, Why Sailors Go Wrong-1928, Red Cliff, Part II-2009, Frankenstein's Daughter-1958, Hanna-2011.
Best
Joe
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yeah my thoughts were how eclectic.
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Not much of anything these days.... I've had discs of Sanford & Son or Our Gang on, generally my tv is set to the Weather Channel which I only check on for morning weather. Sometimes I might watch some of the ghostie stuff on Bio, History, or Travel channels.
Oh, I've watched Avatar a few more times and the Matrix.
Yup, I'm boring.
B.
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Sanford and Son, Weather Channel and Our Gang I agree on. You have no idea how much I despise those ghostie hunter shows. Now I do like the ghostie shows that point out that it seems the only people who see the ghosts are people who already believe in ghosts. I am one of the few here who really did not care for Avatar or Matrix. But I just watched an old early 1960's cheezy movie so what do I know. It is old childhood favorite that the all knowing critics give one star. It is Year 2889 or some future year where atom bombs were dropped. This man has a little safe place for he and his daughter but of course others show up. I have a newer cheezy sci-fi movie called Robot Holocaust on DVR to watch later.
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Robot Holocaust? ::lol:: That made me laugh out loud! Sounds like a perfect venue for Magnus, Robot Fighter! ;D
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It looks really low grade. It will either be a great fun watch or a waste of time. Usually no inbetween on these.
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The last couple days...
THE MALTESE FALCON
THE BIG SLEEP
...again!
Tomorrow night: Robert Mitchum!!! :)
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My latest Lockout, a sci-fi flick.
Geo
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I am watching the 1983 Strange Invaders. Early 80's movie still with the 70's feel. I am not a fan of the seventies style movie feel. I am trying to ignore that and enjoy the sci-fi and seems like an OK movie.
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We've seen so little of the lists mentioned. And we're bogged down by Olympics warm up stuff - can't get away from it. So I dug out the Quatermass and the Pit tv serial and interspersed episodes with a bit of Devil Girl from Mars. Great stuff. At least ther has been test cricket on radio with S.Africa here for 3 against England. I mentioned to Mark that England got a right humping but, oddly enough, no response. ;)
(Is this the first time I've used a smiley)?
Opening ceremony tonight. Wonder if the fireworks will set off the local missile batteries - see 2012.
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I just do not get into sports. Olympics holds very little interest to me. Cricket looks so unbelievably boring to me. I guess if you understand the game you like it. I think few people outside of the UK have any interest in cricket.
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Cricket? Apart from India, Australia, N. Zealand, S. Africa, Bangladesh, Pakistan, West Indies, Sri Lanka,and Scotland, Canada, Netherlands have international teams
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Cricket is absolutely huge in Asia, massive megabucks! Nowadays I would guess that actually England (not UK as it is mainly played in England) of the major test countries is probably the least supported??
Anyway I think it is a shame that the commercialism has got so great in it and also most of our team seem to be South Africans. I don't care whether you are white, black, yellow, green or purple, but I would like it that the majority of a national team doesn't have a foreign accent.
Paw will understand when I say I hanker back to the days of Arlott, Johnson et al and discussions of the cakes at tea time. Plus of course Dickie Bird. All that has gone now :(
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Americans are just a faster paced people. I remember watching British mysteries and thinking how slow paced. Many movies also were slower paced than US. Not a knock just a matter of taste. My wife and I watched a British "slasher" move and liking it after giving it time to engage us. It had very different pacing than we were accustomed to. The lack of scoring in soccer has made it less popular in the US than in most other countries. High school soccer is one of the few sports I just can bring myself to watch my students play. I find pro soccer boring so you can imagine my opinion of high school soccer.
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Cricket is absolutely huge in Asia, massive megabucks! Nowadays I would guess that actually England (not UK as it is mainly played in England) of the major test countries is probably the least supported??
Anyway I think it is a shame that the commercialism has got so great in it and also most of our team seem to be South Africans. I don't care whether you are white, black, yellow, green or purple, but I would like it that the majority of a national team doesn't have a foreign accent.
Paw will understand when I say I hanker back to the days of Arlott, Johnson et al and discussions of the cakes at tea time. Plus of course Dickie Bird. All that has gone now :(
Money is certainly what sports is about in this age. I doubt that very few Olympians are in their sport purely for the love of sports. And I agree with you on national teams...after all, it is supposed to be a national team in the nationality sense, so I would expect a national team from India to not have Texan accents. As an aside, I still ponder the fate of the North Korea Soccer team after their losses in the last World Cup ... I still find it interesting that one of their members was born and raised in Japan, but within a some sort of pro-North Korean ethnic set up.
Wake me up when football (the real kind, not that European stuff) starts.
B.
PS: I'm just joking about the "not that European stuff" ;D ;D ;D
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My three current weekly cliff-hangers.
Young Eagles-1934- A couple of Boy Scouts must survive when the small plane they are traveling in crashes in a South American jungle.
Junior G-Men-1940- The Dead End Kids go after the bad guys in their first serial.
The Painted Stallion-1937- Excellent cast, headed by Hoot Gibson (in his only chapter-play) and Ray "Crash" Corrigan, along with some beautiful location shooting, are all pluses in this western serial.
Best
Joe
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Mark, couldn't agree more re. national teams and Arlott and co. But I enjoy the weirdness that Blowers comes out with and Agnew is a very good commentator.
Soccer - football to most outside N.America - leaves me cold even though, as a lad, I supported my local 1st. Div. team. Nowadays with the sectarian horribleness of the 2 big Scottish teams and the fact that soccer can be really boring I just don't want to know.
American football, on the other hand is great entertainment and, confession time, I've followed the Bengals for a long, long time. Don't bother telling me how sad I am. (They were good at one time). Linda and I watch a couple of games a week during the season and I also take in some college games. As an appetite whetter for the coming season, a cable channel here is showing some CFL. It's just enough to take the edge off.
I also enjoy Rugby League but see very little as we don't have Sky sports and RL is much more exciting than Union, imo.
Also Aussie rules football is about as fast as team sports can be.
That opening ceremony was pretty good in parts. Britain is and has been an amazing country and some of that was reflected in last night's show. So, Mr. Romney has had a go at us - aw, the wee soul. Away and count your money! What? Politics raising its ugly head. Not here anyway, I hope.
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Americans are just a faster paced people. I remember watching British mysteries and thinking how slow paced. Many movies also were slower paced than US.
Not sure if there's a connection, but last night, I think for the first time, I managed to watch THE BIG SLEEP (1978) the very next night after THE BIG SLEEP (1946). The Bogart film is overflowing with "witty" dialogue, and the plot is almost impossible to follow. Some of this is because the Productin Code did not allow much of the book to make it into the movie. This included nudity, marital infidelity, drugs, murder, mental illness, and a pornography racket. On top of that, after an initial cut seen only bny the Armed Forces, the film was seriously reedited with a lot of new footage and some scenes cut, and the new footage (most focusing on Bogart & Bacall) is so "distracting" it makes it almost impossble to actually follow the "plot".
But I first saw THE BIG SLEEP in a theatre in 1978. It's a VERY complex story. and yet... I had NO TROUBLE following the plot, at all! Oh, sure, for most of it, I didn't really know what was going on. Almost every time someone got KILLED, it seemed to come out of nowhere, and let you wondering, "What the HELL is going on???" And it's not until the ENDING that it ALL really comes together. Whoa. Does it.
What I really noticed last night (having watched both versions back-to-back), is how LITTLE dialogue the remake actually has. It's amazing. I mean, they leave plenty of room for characterization (and between the script and the cast, EVERY character stands out from every other character-- you can't get confused, nobody looks or acts like anybody else, it's one of the best casts I've EVER seen in ANY movie). But the dialogue doesn't get in the way of the plot. The dialogue is about 90% pure PLOT. You have to pay attention... but if you do, it's amazingly CLEAR storytelling, for such a confusing story. Which, for this kind of story, I think, is exactly the way to do it.
As a result, even though the film is CRAMMED with detail, detail, detail, when you weatch it, it seems to be slowwwwwwwww and leisurely. You actually have time for each detail to sink it. The only exceptions, really, are the scene with "Harry Jones" (Colin Blakely) in Marlowe's office, where he spils out a HUGE amount of plot detail in a very few minutes (fortunately, much of it is accompanied with visual flashbacks-- in the style of an Agatha Christie movie!), and, the finale, with "Charlotte Sternwood" (Sarah Miles), where we find out EXACTLY what happened to her "missing" husband, and EXACTLY how "Eddie Mars" (Oliver Reed) is tied up with just about EVERYTHING that happened in the entire film.
Eddie gets blown away by his own men by accident in the Bogart film, because somebody had to get it, in the Production Code's eyes. But it seems to me they left out HALF of what he was actually guity of in that versino, while here, AFTER he gets off scot free, we find out he's guilty of far more than we ever imagined. I kinda wonder now (after seeing this version at least 6 times), did Eddie go free in the long run? Does he actually extort money from Charlotte, after her father dies? Or did his scheme fall apart-- was he pulled in by the cops-- or did somebody else punch his ticket as a result of his just being a no-good bastard in general?
This remains my favorite Robert Mitchum film.
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I'd have to disagree as The Bogart version is just so watchable. I'd read the book before seeing the film so perhaps that's why I like the movie so much and the fact it's so classy. Other noirs we enjoy are The Blue Dahlia; the Glass Key; This Gun For Hire and, if I could remember the title, Dick Powell as Marlowe.
As for British films being slow, the number of times my wife and I look at each other when watching an American film/tv show and say how long it is to get into it, is surprisingly often. Classic British policiers seem to get right to the point - no extraneous filling. I can recommend some examples on you tube if anyone is interested.
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My favorite Robert Mitchum role was in Cape Fear ... a real goosebumps film. One of my favorite actors, plays a great baddie and but I also like his lighter stuff as well.
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Agree on Mitchum and Cape Fear. The remake of Cape Fear was actually pretty good.
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As it happens, the Bogart version of THE BIG SLEEP has become a real fave of mine over the last 10 years. I'm sure I've seen it more times than the Mitchum version. Most fans of the film (myself included) would probably say it's fun to watch for the characters and the dialogue. But the plot?
The crazy thing is, I saw the Mitchum film in a theatre. I had no trouble following it. Then I got the novel and read it. I had no trouble following it. Later, I saw the Bogart film. I coldn't make heads or tails of it. And this was already knowing the story! I think that says a lot.
Eventually (maybe after 4 or 5 times) I was finally able to follow the plot... but to a large degree, it's better if you just enjoy the characters, because they get in the way of the plot, anyhow. (heh)
I can't help but feel part of it was an attempt to do a sort of "MALTESE FALCON 2". The two films do make a terrific double-feature (I do have a tendency to watch them back-to-back, or within a few days of each other).
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Excellent list of noirs , Paw. I believe the title of that Dick Powell film is "Murder, my Sweet", and it is one of his best. Love the special effects! "The Blue Dahlia" is not only a great film, but also features Hugh Beaumont, America's Dad! We grew up with this guy as "Ward Cleaver" (an iconic father) on the very long-running "Leave it to Beaver" series. Let me recommend a couple more of my favorite noirs- Dick Powell in "Cornered" and Lorre/ Greenstreet in "The Mask of Dimitrious". Cheers, Bowers
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Bowers, thanks for the suggestions. I'll try to find them. You're right about, Murder My Sweet.
We also are fans of Double Indemnity. Leave it to Beaver is a bit of a mystery to me - never seen it. But I will now look it up.
Don't know if it counts as noir, as it's in colour but we are planning a viewing of Bad Day at Black Rock, a particular favourite of mine. Ryan is a seriously good bad guy, Marvin hams it up to great effect and Tracy is simply excellent. There is an atmosphere of impending danger all the time.
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YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN LEAVE IT TO BEAVER??????? I still love this TV show. It is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES. My wife's also. It is hard to explain why some shows hold up so much better than others. Yes this is 1950's morality plays but so darn good. It is similar to "Father Knows Best" or "Donna Reed" or "My Three Sons." But it is the better of the shows.
Be sure to start with the early episodes when Beaver was the youngest and work your way up.
BTW: My wife and I just watched the movie IN TIME. It has some big gafs but overall a very intriguing and interesting movie.
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And you've got me again with the other 3 you mention. Remember, we had 1 or 2 chanels back in the '60's (if that's the correct period) and American progs. were more like, Lassie, Champion, Boots & saddles, Highway Patrol etc.
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I believe many of these are available on Hulu. It makes sense that the adventure shows would be exported more than the domestic shows. They would be more relatable. Not that most Americans could actually relate to the lives pictured in those shows. My home was nothing like their homes.
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Crazy but true: My favorite film version of "Farewell My Lovely" is the one with George Sanders: THE FALCON TAKES OVER. It's just "fun".
But I was also reminded the other day, I actually have 4 adaptations of it on videotape. The 4th is entitled "HARLEM NOCTURNE", and is an episode of the 3rd season of MIKE HAMMER with Stacy Keach. No kidding. (Although, I suspect there's also a bit of "I, THE JURY" in that episode as well. If it's the one I'm thinking of, it was probably the sexiest episode they ever did on that show.)
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Re. The Falcon, I always preferred, Tom Conway - laugh as you wish.
Nostalgia bites now with me talking about those American shows. I loved Boots and Saddles; Range Rider;Highway Patrol; Whirlybirds; 77 Sunset Strip, Sea Hunt. Fortunately, I've managed to find copies of many of them and they still thrill.
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"Boots and Saddles", "Grey Ghost" and McKenzie's Raiders" were all pretty good westerns dealing with the cavalry. Would love to find episodes of any or all. Also "77 Sunset Strip"- the first of Warner's long and successful line of detective programs. We are lucky to still get "Highway Patrol" and "Sea Hunt", but at 3 in the morning! Cheers, Bowers
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I've never seen RANGE RIDER, but I'd love to, based purely on liking Jock Mahoney. He's one of my favorite TARZANs, and funny enough, he played a couple of the nastiest TARZAN villains ever seen, as well! (He was also one of Julie Newmar's henchmen in her 1st Catwoman story.)
I haven't seen SEA HUNT with Lloyd Bridges since the 60's. But I do have a whole season of SEA HUNT on tape with Ron Ely! (His daughter, played by Kimber Sissons, was REALLY cute.)
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I don't have Sea Hunt on disc but I've been watching episodes on youtube, here:-
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sea+hunt+&oq=sea+hunt+&gs_l=youtube.12...12681.12681.0.13796.1.1.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0...0.0...1ac.
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YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN LEAVE IT TO BEAVER??????? I still love this TV show. It is one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES. My wife's also. It is hard to explain why some shows hold up so much better than others. Yes this is 1950's morality plays but so darn good. It is similar to "Father Knows Best" or "Donna Reed" or "My Three Sons." But it is the better of the shows.
Be sure to start with the early episodes when Beaver was the youngest and work your way up.
LITB is also one of my all-time favs. I've currently been alternating watching DVD episodes of it with Dennis the Menace on Tuesday mornings.
Best
Joe
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I've never seen RANGE RIDER, but I'd love to, based purely on liking Jock Mahoney. He's one of my favorite TARZANs, and funny enough, he played a couple of the nastiest TARZAN villains ever seen, as well! (He was also one of Julie Newmar's henchmen in her 1st Catwoman story.)
I haven't seen SEA HUNT with Lloyd Bridges since the 60's. But I do have a whole season of SEA HUNT on tape with Ron Ely! (His daughter, played by Kimber Sissons, was REALLY cute.)
A number of episodes of Range Rider have popped up on DVD because they were allowed to go PD. A complete DVD set of Mahoney's other Western series, Yancy Derringer is due out this Fall.
I never saw the Ron Ely version of Sea Hunt. It must not have played in my area as I likely would have checked it out if it did.
Best
Joe
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I'll be honest and say that there isn't much to the SEA HUNT revival. Except for the gorgeous, stunning underwater photography, Ron Ely (one of my favorite actors) and Kimber Sissons (who is just so damn cute it almost hurts me to look at her). It's a very 'low key" "laid back" show with some advrnture or crime plots here and there... but sometimes, that's good enough. It's also one of the only half hour dramas I know of that was made after the 70's.
The last few days:
MARLOWE (1969) -- I've come to the conclusion that this film is TOTALLY incoherent. After watching it carefully 6 TIMES, I finally had to go to Wikipedia to read the plot of the novel, before I FINALLY understood who did what and why. GEEZ. You can't blame the director for that. (Can you?) It really should have been called 'THE LITTLE SISTER".
THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD (1970) -- still my favorite horror anthology film
LITTLE CAESAR (1931) -- barely, barely this side of a silent film. Edward G. Robinson, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and George E. Stone ("The Runt" from BOSTON BLACKIE) are all so young in this sometimes you can hardly recognize them. Well, except for Robinson, of course. "YEAH!!!" It makes me shake my head to think how he brings about his own downfall, almost the same way Paul Muni did in SCARFACE-- by trying to kill his best friend! He's not only an animal, he's an idiot, too. (But don't call him "Yella", SEE?)
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Was the Sea Hunt revival the same time as the Get Smart revival. During a writers strike old scripts were re-shot as new episodes. Get Smart used Don Adam's son
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I remember the writers strike was when MISSION: iMPOSSIBLE was revived (1987?). Personally, I'm sick of people dismissing that show for that reason, as I loved the characters, most of the stories, and ONLY A FEW of the scripts were recycled. The rest were new.
As I recall (sure I could look this up-- but so you anyone else-- hint hint) SEA HUNT was a bit later, and GET SMART quite a few years later. The 2nd movie, GET SMART AGAIN (in my view, the ONLY really good revival) was around 1988 or so. The series with Andy Dick (the one really amjor mistake on their part) was at least 3 years later, maybe 5 or so. Seems that way in my memory.
Mike Nelson, as I recall, was a "lone wolf" type on the original show. But he was a widower with a gorgeous daughter in the sequel. They had a running joke that she couldn't cook (causing repeated disasters in the kitchen). That wouldn't have bothered me, I'd do the cooking myself.
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I remember the writers strike was when MISSION: iMPOSSIBLE was revived (1987?). Personally, I'm sick of people dismissing that show for that reason, as I loved the characters, most of the stories, and ONLY A FEW of the scripts were recycled. The rest were new.
As I recall (sure I could look this up-- but so you anyone else-- hint hint) SEA HUNT was a bit later, and GET SMART quite a few years later.
The Mission Impossible revival ran from 1988-90, the Sea Hunt revival from 1986-87 and the Get Smart revival ran for a few weeks in early 1995.
Of course recycling old scripts was nothing new. The 1974 Planet of the Apes series recycled old Rawhide scripts, for example.
Best
Joe
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Like I said, I could have looked it up... I had a feeling SEA HUNT was on when I was still working at this one particular job I was at from 1980-88. I remembered telling someone there about Mike Nelson's daughter... who turned up in Philly making an appearance on a radio talk-show to promote the TV series.
I also remember John DeLanci turning up as a baddie in the 1st episode of STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION, a year later in the 1st episode of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE (He was reponsible for murdering Jim Phelps' protoge, inspiring Phelps to come out of retirement), and then, as a minor baddie in the movie GET SMART AGAIN! You couldn't get away from that S.O.B.
Phelps broke his tradition of leaving the baddies wondering when he stood there in plain sight as the cops hauled away his friend's murderer, just to let the guy know, without words, "Yeah-- I'M the one who brought you down." It was personal, see. (A dozen episodes later, when his new team member Casey was murdered in the pre-credit sequence, he did the same thing. Phelps got meaner when he got older! At least, to the bad guys.)
I always picture Jim Phelps sitting in some penthouse suite, watching the 1st M:I feature on a large-screen TV, and shaking his head, knowing that the events in that movie were NOT anything he or his people were ever involved with.
He probably then planned a sting operation to rip off a ton of money from the movie studio that was trying to ruin his reputation. And they'd never know he was the one who did it.
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Watched TALES FROM THE CRYPT last night, watching THE VAULT OF HORROR tonight.
Legend has it Max Gaines LOVED the first film, but HATED the 2nd film, and pulled back the rights so a 3rd film never happened.
Now, the 1st one was directed by Freddie Francis (reknowned for his art directing), while the 2nd was directed by Roy Ward Baker (who's made some terrific flicks, and some turkeys). The 1st has STYLE, the 2nd... not so much. The 1st has a FANTASTIC cast, the 2nd... not so much. But I'd say, if I had to nail it down to ONE thing, it's the choice of stories. The 1st has 5 terrific stories. The 2nd one... well, 3 of the stories I really DON'T care for. Only the 5th one is an out-and-out classic, and, DAMN, that one's got both Denholm Elliot AND Tom Baker in it!!!
If there's one thing EC horror comics have as a common thing, it's ROTTEN characters who come to HORRIBLE ends.
I don't think all horror stories have to go that way. But a lot sure do.
It occured to me, while watching this... if someone ever got it into their mind to do a CHAMBER OF DARKNESS movie, they need look no further than COD #5 to have at least 2 FANTASTIC stories right off the top. One was written by H.P.Lovecraft ("The Music Of Erich Zahn") and had art by Johnny Craig of all people (!!!). The other was by JACK KIRBY. Neither story has gruesome violence in it, either. Can you imagine someone taking Craig's & Kirby's pages and using them as STORYBOARDS, basing the production design and the camera angles EXACTLY on what they did???
The only question I'd have would be... I';m sure they'd have to license the rights FROM MARVEL. But what about the Lovecraft story? Would that one require 2 DIFFERENT licenses-- one for the story, the other for the adaptation and art, to be able to do it as it was in the comic?
Any thoughts? (And what OTHER stories would fit such a film?)
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I'll have to check some books and see what I think
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It occured to me, while watching this... if someone ever got it into their mind to do a CHAMBER OF DARKNESS movie, they need look no further than COD #5 to have at least 2 FANTASTIC stories right off the top. One was written by H.P.Lovecraft ("The Music Of Erich Zahn") and had art by Johnny Craig of all people (!!!). The other was by JACK KIRBY. Neither story has gruesome violence in it, either. Can you imagine someone taking Craig's & Kirby's pages and using them as STORYBOARDS, basing the production design and the camera angles EXACTLY on what they did???
The only question I'd have would be... I';m sure they'd have to license the rights FROM MARVEL. But what about the Lovecraft story? Would that one require 2 DIFFERENT licenses-- one for the story, the other for the adaptation and art, to be able to do it as it was in the comic?
Filmmakers would have to get a license to visually adapt the comic book if it's still under copyright, but Lovecraft's original story itself is in the public domain ("The Music of Erich Zann" was published in 1922) and could be freely adapted without further permissions.
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I'd like to see the Conan story "Queen of the Black Coast" done as a film using the comic book adaptation as the story board. That was probably the most memorable of the Conan illustrated stories, a real work of art.
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At the coo's tail as usual. Last wed. STV's late news show (this is Scotland's main commercial chanel) had an interview with Frank Quitely and "comics guru" John McShane. (I think he invented that title for himself. He's the guy who ran aka the fanzine, issues of which you can find on CB+) They were discussing Scotland's contribution to comics. I can't give you a link to the show 'cos it isn't available outside the UK. Sorry.
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The last week or so...
THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD
TALES FROM THE CRYPT
THE VAULT OF HORROR
ASYLUM
FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE
THE MONSTER CLUB
...as well as...
MALIBU EXPRESS
HARD TICKET TO HAWAII
CONTINENTAL DIVIDE
FIVE DAYS ONE SUMMER
WRONG IS RIGHT
LAURA
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HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS
NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS
...as well as...
GUNN (1967)
PETER GUNN (1989)
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Suddenly we've got a few days of good weather and sunshine so we're trying to eat in the garden, tidy up the garden and go for walks, so, little time for telly. But as this wont last any time at all, all the shows we missed we'll try to catch up on watch again.
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Oh yeah, and this morning...
LOST HORIZON (1937)
My copy is 116 minutes. Figure that one out.
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Just watched something that might appeal to Hitchcock fans: PRAYING MANTIS (1982), a 3-part suspense thriller that ran on MYSTERY! It features Jonathan Pryce (SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES) and Cherie Lungie (EXCALIBUR, THE SIGN OF FOUR), and a small cameo by Douglas Wilmer. (No other actors I was familiar with.) It starts out with marital infidelity, but then takes a nasty turn into a murder conspiracy, blackmail, suicide... It's one of the sickest things I've seen in ages, story-wise. One review I read suggested it "should have been made in the 40's".
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Doctor Who: the Five Doctors, just picked up a handful of classics DWs, should be preoccupied with things to watch for a while. I also recently bought the first two seasons of Sherlock on bluray. All of that should keep me busy until the new season of DW starts...
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I've now seen LOST HORIZON 3 times. Now this is very strange... I first saw it (I think) on commercial TV in the late 60's. It had such a powerful impact on me, at some point (late 60's? early 70's?) I had a VERY vivid dream about one particular scene in the film, which stuck in my head so strongly, that I was reminded, decades later, of the dream.
In the 80's (sometime) I taped the film off of PBS (or was it AMC?). "Uncut", uninterrupted, but dodgy film quality, which got better or worse in different scenes. But I didn't watch when I taped it, and never actually played the tape back...
About 5 years ago (or more) I finally saw it for a 2nd time, on TCM, in its currently "restored" edition. A lot of the film is STILL in terrible shape (quality-wise) but they put back in a lot that was cut over the years, including 7 minutes where they had sound but no picture, so (like the 1984 METROPOLIS restoration), they filled the gap with still photos. I neglected to record this version of the film, however.
So 2 days ago, I finally watched my tape from the early 80's. It seems to me it's exactly what I saw on commercial TV in the late 60's, except without any breaks. Afterwards, I did a lot of reading about it online, and learned how long the thing was before it got severely cut by the studio (which was before it got further cut on reissues, etc.) I also read about the differences between the novel and film, and the 3 main changes, it seems to me, were all HUGE improvements. 1)adding a "comic" character (Edward Everett Horton). 2)adding a love interest (Jane Wyatt -- later known for FATHER KNOWS BEST and later still as Spock's mother!) 3)the main character DOES make it back to the valley at the end.
But now we delve into perhaps faulty memory stuff... because, I could have SWORN that when I saw this on TCM some years ago, that Ronald Colman actually DID make it back to ENGLAND... and then realized he had no place there, and was compelled to try to return to Tibet. Yet I could find NO mention of this anywhere online. Is it possible I mis-remembered, or can I possibly be thinking of some other movie??? In the film, he develops amnesia, but then is rescued, but then, on the boat back to England, his memory returns, and he jumps ship.
It's amazing it took me so long to decide to watch this again, as I've talked about this film quite a lot in recent years. Ever since I realized that Ronald Colman & Sam Jaffee were the part of the inspirations for Dr. Strange & The Ancient One.
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I just bought some samurai and ninja instructional videos. I know, that sounds like an odd purchase, but I'm using them as research material for a ninja comic that I've been trying to develop for a long time now. I was telling Boox the other night that if I could actually draw I'd have an entire universe of material out by now...
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We have several artists in our mix. Perhaps you can collaborate
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We have several artists in our mix. Perhaps you can collaborate
I'd be more than happy to talk with anyone that is interested, I even have a number of finished scripts featuring different golden age characters that are in the public domain:
Zanzibar the Magician (Fox)
The Bird Man (Fox)
Bill Wayne the Texas Terror (Lev Gleason)
Solarman (Centaur)
Crom the Barbarian (Avon)
The Sentinel (Centaur)
As well as many original creations of my own...
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We saw the 1st episode of Person of Interest, last night. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Traces of Bourne and Near Death and none the worse for that. Castle is finished here and no new Body of Proof for a while so POI will keep us going. Keep missing Leverage as it's on an odd channel and we keep forgetting about it.
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I enjoy POI. It gets at its best when the character who is a teacher is introduced. I do not want to give anything away so I will leave it at that
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The last few days...
ROCK & ROLL HIGH SCHOOL
BLAZING SADDLES
ANIMAL HOUSE
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
SILENT MOVIE
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The first season of Maverick, the TV show, from '57-'58, with James Garner and Jack Kelly. Also, the first season of the Perry Mason TV show, also from 1957.
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The last few days...
HIGH ANXIETY
HISTORY OF THE WORLD PART I
ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA
TO BE OR NOT TO BE
THE PUBLIC ENEMY
I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAIN GANG
TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942)
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Paw, or anyone else, are you watching the UK Sinbad series? I watched the first episode and it was pretty good.
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No. First I've heard of it but I'm not very up to date, and neither is our telly. I'll watch out for it.
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One of our movie channels recently aired "Thunderbird 6" from about 1968. Hadn't seen any of the Anderson's "Supermarionation" stuff for a long time. The effects were really pretty good for the time, and seeing some of the characters in their "Mod" gear was a blast. "Leverage" keeps getting better- I very much approve of their move to Portland (OR). "Falling Skies " has been very well-written this season. The characters have matured a bit and become less predictable and even dangerous. The new plot elements kept this season rolling right along and set us up for a great season finale. Loved "The Closer" finale- even though the show has been reincarnated as "Major Crimes", it just won't be as fun without Sedgewick! Cheers, Bowers
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I hated the season finally for Falling Skies BECAUSE IT WAS THE SEASON FINALE. It is going to kill my wife and I to wait for the next episode.
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Caught the first episode of the new BBC America series Copper last night- about an 1860's NYC police detective. Pretty gritty stuff. Will be hanging around for more.
Best
Joe
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I've just recently subscribed to Netflix (UK version) and Lovefilm which is a similar service.
I just started watching the Sarah Silverman Program. I've never seen the show before, I don't think I've even heard of her until now. I'm Really enjoying the show, she is quite funny.
I'm also re-watching Southpark, Only Fools And Horses, Blackadder and Red Dwarf as well as the Sherlock Holmes Series.
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Tonight, the 2nd. episode of Person of Interest.
New Tricks . The new series without James Bolam should air soon with Denis Lawson coming in as the new bloke. But Amanda Redman has said she is leaving, so all up in the air again.
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You're right Joe. "Copper" is quite gritty, but I want to see more! Glad to hear about a new season for "New Tricks", Paw, but without Bolam and Redman it just won't be the same. I don't get to see "Person of Interest" very often, but have enjoyed the episodes I have seen. Caviezel is perfect for the role- I think he's highly underrated as an actor. He was on a speaking tour a few years ago and was a guest-speaker at our church. Gave his views on life, faith and how they both complimented and conflicted with his work. Interesting man! Cheers, Bowers
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Now that's the sort of insight I don't normally get as I wouldn't normally look into an actors "other" life. Thank you.
Also last night we found a new (to us) Leverage, a fun one set in the Venezuelan Embassy. Good entertainment.
And you're so right re. New Tricks. We'll try it but we are worried.
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Christians believe that they are all part of the same family. So few actors express Christianity that it makes those that do special to us. So we are always interested in actors who openly proclaim their faith.
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The last 2 days: some real Academy Award-worthy material!!
THE LONG SWIFT SWORD OF SIEGFRIED (w/ Sybelle Danniger)
STACEY (directed by Andy Sidaris!!!)
Okay, maybe not... : )
"If it has no socially redeeming qualities whatsoever... I'll RENT it!" --Jim O'Donnell
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Today:
THE FRENCH CONNECTION
THE BLUES BROTHERS
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FRENCH CONNECTION II
At the IMDB, there's a thread, "Greatest Last Four Seconds Ever???" Here's my reply...
I never saw these in theatres, only on TV (with commercial interruptions... grrr). Non-stop tedium, interrupted by the odd moments of intense action. The subway scene was cool. The attempted assassination leading to the elevated train and car chase was incredible. The shootout in the dry-dock was intense, but somewhat maddening. The shootout in the drug lab, leading to the long, long chase on foot, was thrilling. After all the hell the main character goes thru, and all the hell the audience goes thru, sitting thru both pictures, the ending was ABSOLUTELY called for. It just "had" to end that way.
The only other time I can recall seeing an ending like that-- totally abrupt, yet absolutely "final" and utterly called for-- was HALLOWEEN: TWENTY YEARS LATER. At least half of those movies are a horrid waste of anyone's time. The 1st, 4th & 7th aren't. When Jamie Lee Curtis swings that shovel and DECAPITATES the killer, I actually let out a ROAR of approval in the theatre! There was a group of girls in the place who were making noise for most of the film, and I decided to get into the spirit of things by making even more noise. And the end, I just let out a roar. INTENSELY satisfying!!
So what's frustrating is... A)the idiot producers decided to do another one, B)the opening scene in "8" totally contradicted the ending of "7" (and was an INSULT to the audience), and C)the actual decapitation is CUT anytime they run the film on commercial TV.
Some characters not only deserve to get killed, they NEED to. Can you imagine if someone decided to do a sequel and revealed that Charnier "got better"?
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This is a must see movie. Regardless of your political persuasion everyone needs to see 2016. It very quickly distances itself from the birthers. The majority of the movie comes from Obama's book. If you want to understand our President this movie gives his story.
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Narf,
We would never in a million trillion years agree on this one.
I'll watch Sons of The Desert instead :)
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I think you might be surprised Mark. I did not express any real opinions about the President. You need to watch the movie and I think you will agree that the movie gives insight.
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The last couple days...
THE MUPPET MOVIE
NIGHTHAWKS
THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER
SHARKEY'S MACHINE
My favorite part of THE MUPPET MOVIE, by a mile, was when Mel Brooks turned up. In the last week, I watched just about every Mel film in my collection... and I had completely forgotten he was in this thing!! It especially gave me a kick, as he went thru his whole scene doing a German accent, and not long ago I wrote a story with a character in it who I based on Mel, WITH a similar accent. Crazy...
I never liked THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER as much as the earlier one. Both films, to me, suffer from too many big-budget production numbers, among other things. But the one moment in the film that made me laugh out loud was Peter Ustinov's cameo.
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"Narf,
We would never in a million trillion years agree on this one.
I'll watch Sons of The Desert instead :)" Mark Warner.
Can I just ally myself completely to Mark's reply? I wouldn't want to get involved in a political argument anyway. As for the bust of Churchill, things change. In Scotland we don't have the Queen on our banknotes. No offence to anyone intended.
We watched the first of the new season of New Tricks and it was excellent. Great story, well done. I wont give the game away except to say that Tim McInerrny is suitably chilling and manipulative. We still have grave doubts about the future of the show but we'll keep watching. Also, Only Connect has started again and most of you non-British will probably never see it. A dead brainy connections panel show which can be seriously devious and difficult. Here's a taster with the lovely Victoria Coren:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lskhg/features/quiz
Hope you can access this abroad.
Modifying this to add, BBC Radio 4 World at One:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qptc
Not sure if you can access this ouside UK but if so, go to around 13.30 pm to hear a report re stopping potentially pro-Obama voters in Pa. being able to register. Again I don't want to get involved on this forum in a political discussion but I leave you to make up your own minds.
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Not really wanting to stir up any political discussion just suggesting that everyone watch the movie and make up their own minds.
Has anyone seen the Canadian Showcase series Continuum? I went to the website and it will not play episodes outside of Canada >:( Looks really good.
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Nope, not seen it either. Will have a look.
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Just watched Battleship and Big Miracle with the wife. Both were a good watch.
Geo
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I had not heard of Big Miracle. Even though Battleship bombed at the box office and got bad reviews does not mean that it can not be fun to watch on the telly.
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At Collectormania on Saturday I found a dvd of Masters of Venus, a 6-part serial made in 1962 by the Children's Film Foundation. It's really good fun and, as the blurb acknowledges, is low budget with some dodgy effects. Dad (a prof.) is building a rocket, his 2 kids disturb bad guys with ray guns trying to sabotage it, kids get trapped on the rocket with unconscious crew, rocket takes off and heads for Venus, Stranger goings-on follow. Here's part of an episode:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9R4y6l_Cw4
It was couch potato time, Tues. as we watched Person of Interest, Leverage and The Great British Bake-off with that nice Miss Perkins. PoI was gripping, Leverage was funny and TGBBo had some good recipes. Well, at least it's not Masterchef.
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If you're ever tempted to watch "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians", resist the urge, and save yourself some painful viewing. However, if you can find the less common comic book version of the movie, which was included with a kid's recording of it, it's much better. I'm guessing that, since the reader is really pacing the comic book story, from artist cues, it eliminates much of the awkward timing of the scenes in the movie.
Gee, I need to see if I still have that comic, or if it's one that I lost.
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Saturday night CHILLER THEATER, I used to watch Santa conquer those Martians every Christmas and loved it.
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When I was a little kid, I saw SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS in a theatre on a big screen-- 2 years in a row! Loved every minute of it.
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I'm outnumbered! :P
Perhaps my problem is that I never saw Santa Claus Conquers the Martians as a kid, I just read the comic. I didn't see the movie until a few years ago. The premise of the movie isn't bad, just the execution of it.
Anyway, now you can watch it any time you want to. It's on Youtube and Hulu.
Here, for example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkEumP828D4
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It has been maaaany years since I have seen it but even as an adult I enjoyed it. I suspect you are right that it was because I liked it as a kid
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One of our movie channels recently aired "Thunderbird 6" from about 1968. Hadn't seen any of the Anderson's "Supermarionation" stuff for a long time. The effects were really pretty good for the time, and seeing some of the characters in their "Mod" gear was a blast.
While sorting out my DVD collection last night I found my Thunderbird 6 DVD. I plan to rewatch it today.
I agree with your comments, these episodes are a blast.
The thing I found strangest is the depictions of cold blooded murders by the villians. Thats something you don't expect in what at first look would seem to be a childrens show. There was occasionaly mayhem in the old Jonny Quest animated series, and some found that disturbing at the time.
I dearly love "the Venture Brothers" which captures the unusual qualities of these old series and adds a bit of adult humour as well.
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The last few days...
VICTORY
THE DARK CRYSTAL
THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN
FIRST BLOOD
MANHATTAN
STARDUST MEMORIES
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S SEX COMEDY (my favorite of the batch!)
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Starcrash a fun bad movie could have been made in black and white in the fifties but was made in color in 1979. And Caroline Munro looks great, remember her from Captain Kronos Vampire Hunter.
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I just watched the Amazon video of GRUB a sci fi movie by E-Man co-creator Nick Cuti. Yes it low budget with non-professional actors. It was however written by Nick and is actually a good story. It has CGI by our own profh0011 Henry K. For just $2 you can watch it onlline from Amazon. I checked it out because Henry mentioned that he had done the 3D for the movie.
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Watched the season premier of "Doctor Who" yesterday and was just a little disappointed. It was a good enough story, but I expected more from a premier epiosode. "Copper" continues to entertain. I believe ten episodes were made, so seven more to go. (Again, definitely NOT for the kiddies!) "Leverage" is also great this season- the D.B. Cooper episode was incredible! It was a lot of fun to see the cast playing different characters. However, there are some hints of a change coming. "The Mentalist" comes back Sept. 30. Except for a few good documentaries, PBS has been pretty quiet- lotsa reruns. Heard there will be a "Downton Abbey 3" next year. (I couldn't stand the first two.) Anyway, it's off to California tomorrow for the wife and me to visit the granddaughters, so won't have much time for TV this week. Cheers, Bowers
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Enjoy the family. I thought Doc was pretty cool. I actually thought it was one of the better episodes. SPOILER********************************************
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I did not figure out that she was a Dalek until the Doctor said he could not take her with them. I did get it then before he actually said so. I thought she was going to be the next companion. I like Amy but it is time for someone new. I also enjoyed all the Daleks going Doctor Who not knowing who he was.
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I actually quite enjoyed this 1st episode. Surprising as I normally watch the start and turn off just after half way through as they ramp up all the false emotion and soul searching. The lighting was excellent, I thought, as were many of the effects and Matt Smith is very good and has been since he took over the role. Time indeed for a new companion.
But wasn't there a plot defect. Who did the total transformation? The Daleks needed a genius, it was said, so why did they immediately dump her/dalek on the planet. If it was the Daleks on the planet, that was odd as they seemed incapable of doing much. And if it was Parliament of D's, they didn't give the new creation much of a chance. Some of the story just seemed a bit illogical. I might watch this again as I probably missed something important. Apart from that, the wiping of the Dalek memory of the Doc. was a great moment. Doctor Who?
There is a discussion comicsuk.co.uk re. who would win in Vader v. Daleks. Then, same question for Borg v. Daleks. I know this is silly and getting geeky but the idea intrigued me. And the idea of the hive mind, although we were told it wasn't that, more a telepathic web, is reminiscent of Borg and original Cybermen. Is that right, or am I havering?
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And, I meant to comment on ep. 2 of New Tricks. The 1st. no Jack story. Not bad but I wondered if the plot got a bit lost at one point. The M.P. bit should have been developed more.
Tonight, The Great British Bake Off, with that nice Miss Perkins, then Person of Interest.
There is a problem here with NFL and apart from the Mon. night games on C.4, nobody else seems to have broadcast rights, which is a bit stupd of the NFL not to organise something, what with their efforts to promote the game in the UK and also with the Wembley game and news of the Jaguars playing a game a year here for 3 years.
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THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
(Ian Richardson; Tom Baker; Basil Rathbone; Peter Cook*; Peter Cushing)
*absolutely abysmal, avoid at all costs!!!
CARRY ON REGARDLESS
(This is actually very funny, although it has no real plot)
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Found a copy of "Without a Clue".
Micheal Caine plays a besotted washed up ham actor hired by Doctor Watson to pretend to be Sherlock holmes. There is no real Holmes, the great detective being an invention of Dr Watson who is the real master detective, but a bland little man that no one listens to, so he invented Holmes as a public face that people would respect.
Then Watson disppears and the dipsy actor tries to solve the case himself.
Its hilarious.
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This sounds like something I may have watched many many years ago but deserves checking out.
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I just watched the Amazon video of GRUB a sci fi movie by E-Man co-creator Nick Cuti. Yes it low budget with non-professional actors. It was however written by Nick and is actually a good story. It has CGI by our own profh0011 Henry K. For just $2 you can watch it onlline from Amazon. I checked it out because Henry mentioned that he had done the 3D for the movie.
Oh cool. I missed this post earlier.
I finally saw the thing about 6 months ago. I didn't have a DVD player on my computer before that. It was interesting to finally see it, but at the same time, a bit frustrating. Nick told me some time back he was "disappointed" in it. It's mostly the directing / editing that bugs me. I've gotten so good at doing storyboards (for my own comics) that it seems to me I could have easily laid out that film better than the guy who did it.
I think my main disappointment was that, after all the immense amount of work that I put into building 3D models for it, so little of them wound up in the film. The most baffling thing, for me, was the lack of even a single shot looking down the main hallway. HOW could they not include that? Then again, if I hadn't gone and done a few animation shots-- entirely on my own, with no prompting from anybody-- the CGI work would have consisted entirely of static background shots.
I can sort of understand how it turned out the way it did, though. While I was working on it, I got the strongest impression there was a severe lack of communication between the writer & director. I had just about no contact with the director at all, and the writer (Nick) just never seemed to put any value on my suggestions. Ah well!
My "regular" website is down at the moment, but here's some stuff I set up at my blog... enjoy!
http://professorhszodiaccomics.blogspot.com/2012/08/grub-animations.html
Crazy but true: "GRUB" is a remake of Nick's story (illustrated by Tom Sutton) from CREEPY #28!
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The last few days...
HIGH ROAD TO CHINA
LASSITER
THE SIGN OF FOUR (Ian Richardson)
SOME LIKE IT HOT
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (Tom Baker)
MAN AGAINST THE MOB (1988 w/ George Peppard)
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (Basil Rathbone)
BATES MOTEL
SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT
THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR
THE VAMPIRE LOVERS
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I just got a GREAT old movie off of youtube that I haven't seen in over 25 years on television here in the Chicago area, THE INVISIBLE RAY, with Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi, what a wonderful find! My wife, Peg, and I watch a lot of television together and we're looking forward to new episodes of NCIS and BONES. We also like GHOST FILES - Peg says the chick who "speaks to the dead", makes faces, and makes "iiihhhh" noises - IS MY GIRLFRIEND! AAAHHHH!!! We also just watched another fun season of HELL'S KITCHEN . I am a Democrat and a political junkie, so I'm also big on HARDBALL, MARTIN BASHIR, ALEX WAGNER, and THE ED SHOW on MSNBC - I try to watch FOX NEWS with an open mind, but I always end up getting pissed at HANNITY - sometimes that can be amusing, but mostly I just end up having to change the channel. A lot of what I watch comes from youtube these days, I love seeing old Disney cartoons. I just saw a couple of WW2 classics, DER FUHRER'S FACE with Donald Duck, and DAFFY THE COMMANDO with Daffy Duck. Back to the political stuff, I also watch WASHINGTON JOURNAL, I just love all the crank calls they get - from both sides! As you can tell, I have WAY too much time on my hands, being semi-disabled (early-stage emphysema) and all, but I'll stop here for now. Be warned, though - this is just the tip of the iceberg, I WILL be back with more good time-wasters for ya before you know it! 'NUF SAID!
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Back from sunny California! Great trip. For some reason, our PBS station isn't showing the "Wallender" episodes on Masterpiece Mystery. Instead, we got a rerun of the "Sally Lockhart Mysteries" from about five years ago. I had completely forgotten that this series starred both Billie Piper (Rose Tyler) and Matt Smith (The Doctor)! Great to see them together- good chemistry there. Also, it was an episode I hadn't seen. Hats off to the THIS network for having the courage to show one of my guilty favorites, "The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra". This masterpiece grossed about $100,000 in its one screen release in 2004. While I see it as a loving homage to D-grade sci-fi films of the fifties, there are those who would call this film moronic, idiotic and even inane. To which I proudly reply- "And what's wrong with that?" Tipsy aliens, a mutant who looks like a cross between a walking ear of corn and a lobster, an evil scientist armed with a Gilbert chemistry set, and some of the most unbelievable dialog ever filmed. I laugh myself silly every time I watch this. But be warned- this film is best viewed with several friends and copious amounts of your favorite adult beverage. Same write/director and cast also star(?) in "Trail of the Screaming Forehead". Also, "Castle" fans- TNT will be carrying episodes in syndication this Fall. Cheers, Bowers
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Robin if you are going to watch Foxnews you need to watch THE FIVE. Not exactly balanced with one Dem to 4 Republicans but they always give him the chance to express his opinion. Charles Krauthammer on Special Report at six, would be my number one choice for President of this country. He puts almost anyone else to shame IMHO
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Thank you, narf, I'll probably take you up on that. I really do try to be "fair and balanced" myself, even though I already know which way I'm voting - I just don't like hearing my news "on the street" - don't laugh, I've really heard people say that's where they get their news! Well, maybe it is a LITTLE funny -
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Now that we've got our kitchen back in working order, we've got time to catch up on tv, mostly on watch again. The last ep. of New Tricks was very good and they're managing well with the lack of Jack as this story was well thought out and done. Doctor Who -dinosaurs in space - was great fun and worth another watch and tonight we get their take on Westworld, or do we? Person of Interest is keeping up the quality and we both look forward to it. Actually we're starting to struggle for time to watch all we want to as Dragons Den has started again and The Great British Bake Off continues to be a fun watch - with that nice Miss Perkins of course, and Only connect rolls on while our brains fry trying to work out those fiendish connections. And we've got Sunday Night Football which means taping the game and watching later.
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We used to watch Dragon's Den the the US ripoff of it Shark Tank. Shark Tank started new episodes. I wish the new episodes of Dragon's Den would show here.
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Last night we caught the first episode of The Glades. Might just have been entertaining enough to try the next one. The other cop was Bud from Body of Proof. I like him.
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DIRTY HARRY
MAGNUM FORCE
THE ENFORCER
SUDDEN IMPACT
THE DEAD POOL
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Just watched all of 'The Big C', season 1.
Another great comedy/drama in the vein of Nurse Jackie though not quite as blunt as Jackie can get at time.
Very enjoyable stuff. Already got season 2 on order.
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My wife loved season one but lost interest after starting season two. Let me know how it turns out
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Me and Peg just watched the season opener of BONES - I REALLY wanted Hodgkins to KILL that creepy little computer whiz/psycho killer, maybe, nay, surely, someone else is gonna bump that clown off - I'd do it myself, if I was a character on BONES, that is -
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Week 3 of New Tricks and a new team member? We were a bit concerned as we watched, whether the writers were indulging in a bit of racial stereotyping or putting the stereotyping in the actors mouths at the start. You'll see what I mean when you see the episode. We Scots can be a bit concerned when we realise how little some English know about us. But the story was dark and creepy and the bad guy, well, as unclerobin says, I'd do it myself, if I were a character in New Tricks.
Doctor Who was entertaining enough on Sat. night, in the sections when they got away from the wordy soul searching, that is. Started well with some funny lines and a great effect for the .............. (other protagonist) Watch out for the horse. That had us laughing.
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So that Doctor Who (or 'oo as the cockney types would say) just keeps on rolling along, eh? Man, he's been around forever, around fifty years now! I always liked it that when it was time to get someone new to play the Doctor ("play doctor", heh) they could always get someone RADICALLY different every time by making it a part of the storyline. Unfortunately, I haven't seen the Doctor since Tom Baker portrayed him, that was quite a while ago, even for an old coot like me -
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You have missed some great Doctors and stories. They have grown up some but keep the fun
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So that Doctor Who (or 'oo as the cockney types would say) just keeps on rolling along, eh? Man, he's been around forever, around fifty years now! I always liked it that when it was time to get someone new to play the Doctor ("play doctor", heh) they could always get someone RADICALLY different every time by making it a part of the storyline. Unfortunately, I haven't seen the Doctor since Tom Baker portrayed him, that was quite a while ago, even for an old coot like me -
Yes, I always considered the "regeneration" factor a great device for both the story and the producers! And not just the Doctor, but any Time Lord. Remember when Romana regenerated, for example.
8)
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My wife and I just watched and enjoyed Equilibrium. Only listed as one star, not sure why. We thought it was unique and very interesting.
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THE IPCRESS FILE
FUNERAL IN BERLIN
BILLION DOLLAR BRAIN
ALL ABOUT EVE (George Sanders really makes this movie!)
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Really hit the jackpot this week! Some of our local stations picked up subsisdiary channels when our cable system expanded and have been very hard-pressed to find content. One is changing to "MeTV" which is a mixture of movies and syndicated programs. Along with the more common syndicated stuff ("Mash", "Brady Bunch", "I Love Lucy", "Taxi", etc.) they are showing stuff I hadn't seen in many, many years. Some of the offerings so far are "Peter Gunn", "Burke's Law", "Route 66", "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea", "Get Smart", and many more. Along with "ThisTV", another combo movie/ old syndication network we already get, it looks like some great viewing ahead! Cheers, Bowers
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Dug out my CAMPION tapes again. Just posted this at the IMDB...
I'm watching "LOOK TO THE LADY" again right now, and several things about it make it stand out quite obviously as being intended as an "introductory" story. Quite like the Peter Lorre film "THINK FAST, MR. MOTO", the opening part of the story leaves you wondering WHO are these people and WHAT is going on here?
My question is... WHY did "MYSTERY" here in America apparently run the show COMPLETELY out of sequence???
I taped the series off of "MYSTERY" when it was first-run here, and the order for Season 1 was as follows:
"THE CASE OF THE LATE PIG"
"POLICE AT THE FUNERAL"
"DEATH OF A GHOST"
"LOOK TO THE LADY"
Seeing them this way, by the time you get to the "pilot" episode, "LOOK TO THE LADY", you're left wondering, WHY are Albert & Lugg acting so strangely?? This is also the only story I've noticed where Lugg's first name is spelled out, and Albert gives a lot of background info about himself and Lugg, including that Lugg used to be a burglar, and that "Albert Campion" is an alias.
I know "THE CASE OF THE LATE PIG" was not only run first here, but intended to be run first here (in other words, PBS didn't just air them wrong) because I have the Diana Rigg intro for this story. It happens to be Diana Rigg's DEBUT as host, and the way she talks about Campion, it's obvious it was the "FIRST" episode they were running.
This is either the 3rd or 4th time I seen the stories (they keep getting better) and this thing about "LOOK TO THE LADY" always bothered me, in the back of my head, but I never thought to look it up online, and sure enough, it WAS designed to the "first" story.
WHY do people do things like this???
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bowers, you're lucky, we just got "MeTV" yanked OFF of our cable. As long as you're watching it, may I recommend "Son of Svengoolie" at 9:00 pm (central) on Saturday nights? The guy's a fright flick hosting LEGEND here in the Chicago area - you don't have to watch his movies (they vary WILDLY in quality), just check out HIS segments, AT LEAST his first one. I'm tellin' ya, the man is a hoot -
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unclerobin, I saw him last night hosting "The Mole People". He's all you say and more! Prof, you're so right about "Look to the Lady"- easily my favorite episode from the first season. Have to say that I enjoyed the second season a bit more. I still watch "Sweet Danger" (my favorite Campion episode) and "Mystery Mile" at least once a year. Cheers, Bowers
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There are some gems in every generation. My son got to watch He-Man, Smurfs, Care Bears, Snorks and GI Joe as well as the transcendent Scooby Doo.
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narf, did you see the SMURFS parody on ROBOT CHICKEN? Actually, I think there was more than one. This one was a murder mystery.
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I have never seen Robot Chicken
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narf, ROBOT CHICKEN is on The Cartoon Network, Sunday nights around 10;30 CST. It's part of a block called "Adult Swim", and it's NOT for the kiddies!
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I had heard of it but it did not look of interest. I will have to check it and see if I like it
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Prof, you're so right about "Look to the Lady"- easily my favorite episode from the first season. Have to say that I enjoyed the second season a bit more. I still watch "Sweet Danger" (my favorite Campion episode) and "Mystery Mile" at least once a year. Cheers, Bowers
"SWEET DANGER" was last night. Iain Cuthbertson was such a BASTARD!!! I finally figured out, he wasn't a corrupt government employee, he was a corrupt head of a corporation with political ambitions. Talk about the story being decades ahead of its time!
Lysette Anthony was, by a wide margin, my favorite girl in the entire run of the series. It was only after I saw it the first time that I found out that Albert later MARRIED Amanda. Wow. She later turned up as "Angelique" on the prime-time redo of DARK SHADOWS, and later still, as the doomed Lucy in DRACULA: DEAD AND LOVING IT.
She's got a GREAT scene with Jonathan (Steven Webber) when she confronts him in the cemetery...
"Join me, and I can give you an eternity of endless passion!"
"But-- but-- I'm British!" (and frigid)
(grabbing her breasts) "SO ARE THESE!!!"
Saw that in a theatre twice when it came out! Sadly, not since...
I've often said Peter Davison is more like "The Doctor" in CAMPION than he ever was on DOCTOR WHO. In "LOOK TO THE LADY", this is even more so! It amazes me how many actors had been on WHO before who got much better writing on CAMPION. (Except maybe for Cuthbertson, his role in "The Ribos Operation" could not be topped.)
When Davison confronted Cuthbertson at the end of "SWEET DANGER", he almost reminded me of Tom Baker. I also loved when he yelled at Lugg at the top of his lungs. At first, it looked like he was angry that Lugg almost killed someone, but the truth was, he was really upset because LUGG almost got killed! A little more passion like that (or, a LOT, actually) would have been very called for on WHO. I've always liked Davison as an actor, but too many of his fans on WHO totaly ignore and excuse what was REALLY BAD WRITING.
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Is anyone else watching Revolution? I have been enjoying it. It has kept me interested.
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Is anyone else watching Revolution? I have been enjoying it. It has kept me interested.
Me, I too find it an interesting watch. We'll have to see if it survives and we find out the why and how it was done.
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Saw the season premiere of NCIS last night, glad to see the badguy "get his" - but poor Dr. Mallard ("Ducky"), now he's gonna be replaced at his job for awhile by Jimmy - the most useless character on the whole show (if not on all of television)!
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I dunno, Director Vance is pretty useless! His sole function seems to be walking around being angry at Gibbs and also to be wrong about everything! Rocky Carroll is really a better actor than the role deserves. Do love the show, though. Cheers, Bowers
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A bit late with this but you New Tricks fans might be interested that Denis Lawson, who plays Steve McAndrew, ex Scottish cop, had his 2nd appearance this week and it was good with excellent reactions from the other team members. A very good story again. Don't know if you can see this page outside UK but here's the link:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006t0qx
I get the feeling that BBC are looking at a new show with Redman and her boss in a new situation as it still looks as if New Tricks wont or can't continue.
Great Castle last night with Castle and his maw taken hostage in the bank. I'll tell you, we couldn't work out what was going on till late on in the episode.
NCIS - we've never really taken to it and don't watch it now. Perhaps we're missing something good but there is so much else on now that it'd be difficult to fit it in.
Most important of all, Miranda starts again tonight - falling off chair time.
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I just watched the series finale (ep.90) again, and was inspired to write a review. I wonder if the IMDB will post this?
Henry
WKRP IN CINCINATTI: Ep. 90 / "All-News Format?"
The Wave Of The Future ********
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
For the 2nd time in a season, WKRP's ratings are up-- from #10 to #6. But as everyone wants to celebrate, Andy discovers that Lillian Carlson has decided that, on the advice of a "very expensive" consulting firm, she's going to change the format to all-news. This, despite the fact that the station will LOSE MONEY for the first 18 months, minimum. Total insanity... except to Johnny Fever, who, after going to confront Mother Carlson in person (to her extreme annoyance) finds out that the station, in her corporate scheme of things, is SUPPOSED to lose money. "You've been telling your son you want him to succeed. How do you think he'd feel if he knew the truth?" This shocking revelation came at the end of 4 entire seasons of the show (90 episodes), and in an utterly twisted way, makes sense of so much of Lillian's behavior from the very beginning. It's also a reflection of so much of what's wrong with American business in general, and has been at least since the time the show was first-run, and has only gotten worse and worse ever since.
WKRP, in real life, was a victim of the Reagan Administration. From the moment the Republicans got in in 1980, the mood of the country swung away from humanistic concerns and toward "big business" and making money at all costs and to the total exclusion of all other concerns. They used to call the people who thought and acted that way "Yuppies", perhaps in an attempt to make light of what was, in fact, a very real, serious, DANGEROUS problem.
In the early 80's, it became "unpopular" for TV sitcoms to have intelligent or "controversial" writing. CBS deliberately moved the station around the schedule until ratings fell low enough so they'd have an EXCUSE to cancel it. Right after, it was in the top 10 for the rest of the season. But they weren't gonna change their minds. They wanted it GONE, and they got it gone.
These days, corporations seem to own everything, fewer and fewer businesses are privately-owned, which means there is virtually no real, direct, human connection anymore between those in charge and products and services being generated. Lawyers and accountants, instead of being necessary accessories, are the ones running the show. There seems to be no room for individual initiative or accomplishment. "The bottom line" has become the all-encompassing motivation of those increasingly inhuman, soul-less "people" who make decisions for everyone else, whose only goal in life is to make more money than they can possibly use, and only for themselves.
"I'm sure you didn't mean to hurt anyone. I'm sure the welfare of your employees was the last thing on your mind." Johnny Fever was so right.
Growing up in the 60's, there was a lot wrong with the world, but I always had a feeling there was hope for the future of mankind. These days I really wonder. If things don't turn around soon, there may not be a world left saving.
I know, from watching the revival, that at some point, Andy did leave the station, and the format did change, but then changed back. In this episode, Johnny Fever was shown to be "#1 all the way", indicating that Lillian's EARLIER "consultant" was totally WRONG when he said that Fever was not being used properly. Of course, HE wanted to sell his "programming service"-- in which DJ's who program their own music would be a thing of the past. As they are NOW. We NEED more individual initiative in the world. We need more people like Johnny Fever, and more radio stations (and businesses across the board in every field imaginable) like WKRP IN CINCINATTI. If there were more Arthur Carlsons running things, the world would be a much nicer place.
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I think I saw a WKRP on Hulu recently. I think network execs make enough stupid mistakes on their own without blaming politics. After all most in the industry are far left and extremely Democrat. There is enough blame to go around as the "soul less" businessman tries to maximize profit while the "soul less" lawyers try to bleed them dry with law suits that net little for the "supposed victims" and lots for the law firms. The Repubs cater to business he Dems to lawyers and we the people get screwed.
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Wow, narf, I've been a hardcore Democrat all my life, but what you just said is right on the money!
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I do not really consider myself a Republican because they are just my only choice because I am hard core anti-Democratic party. I still wish Ross Perot had won in 92
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Okay, I'm done talking politics!
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Did anyone else find it too easy to figure out the subject of the painting in the last Leverage? I had guessed it from the very start. I also figured out where the painting was probably hidden. Not one of my favorite episodes as it featured my two least favorite characters. Parker is my favorite then Eliot and Hardison are tied for second.
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Yeah, I gotta admit I saw a lot of that coming too. I guess not all episodes can be winners.
I do like the fact that the producers/writers don't feel constrained to using all of the characters each episode though. The episode from the week before (with just Parker, Hardison and Eliot) was a lot more fun.
Best
Joe
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And I enjoyed that episode much more. Must have been a contractual agreement to get a week off for each.
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HALLOWEEN (1978)
HALLOWEEN 6: THE CURSE OF MICHAEL MYERS (1995)
I never watched these 2 back-to-back before. The "producer's cut" (before it was totally bastardized into the "director's cut" for theatrical release) was a much-better-made film than it deserved to be, because the story was S***. The director apparently wasn't satisfied with that, so he cut 20 or so minutes out of the film and added 20 or so new minutes, in the process turning the entire film into garbage, and making the plot make NO sense at all. A shame, as there were a few actors I liked in there whose time and talent were completely wasted.
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DEATH ON THE NILE (1978)
EVIL UNDER THE SUN (1982)
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"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly".
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"There's gonna be some CHANGES in your MORNINGS, Cincinnati... and they're NOT gonna be pretty!"
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How many are too young to recognize the reference to the classic TV show?
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Of course, I recognize the quote. I just wonder how many (if anyone at all) recognize the quote I replied with? ;D
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The last few days...
THE MIRROR CRACK'D
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE
TEN LITTLE INDIANS
THE ALPHABET MURDERS *
* if you've ever seen this movie... yes, I am a glutton for punishment! It's kinda like HELP! without the music... or funny parts.
"I don't know why they're having so much trouble. It's perfectly simple. The solution is A B C to anyone with half a brain."
--Miss Jane Marple
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I felt a tug at my pant leg - it was a little razor-back hog -
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What'm I watchin..?
Been big into serials lately so I just watched Mystery Mountain with Ken Maynard, both Nyokas [man, that Kay Aldridge was gorgeous!] and just started Miracle Rider with Tom Mix. Never seen a Mix picture before.
I'm big into B westerns, too, the past few years, and I just bought two DVD sets of B westerns of 50 movies each: Tex Ritter, John Wayne, Roy Rogers, Crash Corrigan, etc. Fun stuff.
On TV, I watch the Lone Ranger and the Roy Rogers show. Got through most of the BW Gunsmokes, Lawman and Cheyenne already.
If it doesn't rain today, I may go hiking out at Crash Corrigan's old movie ranch. The western town is long gone, but the foundations are still there as well as quite a few of the natural landmarks I've seen in dozens of westerns...including the cave from both Nyoka serials. On the way is the old Iverson ranch. Not much left, but the Lone Ranger rock [from the show's opening] can still be found easily.
Kurt Hathaway
khathawayart@gmail.com
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profh0011 was asking about the ending of Lost Horizon:
"...I could have SWORN that when I saw this on TCM some years ago, that Ronald Colman actually DID make it back to ENGLAND... and then realized he had no place there, and was compelled to try to return to Tibet. Yet I could find NO mention of this anywhere online."
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Though I recorded it over a year ago, I finally got around to watching the "complete" version about a week ago.....the version with the complete soundtrack with stills in place of any missing footage.
Yes, he did make it back to England, but what struck me is that his whole return is off-screen. That is, there's a scene in a supper club or something of several men at a table discussing his return to England. They may have even discussed his fleeing the ship and disappearing in that same scene, I'm not sure. We never SEE him in England. Next thing we see is him making his way back to Shangri-La.
Kurt Hathaway
khathawayart@gmail.com
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moondood, re. serials, there are a few of us on CB+ who love old serials, me included. I've never watched a Tom Mix before but you've intrigued me. While tending to prefer stuff like The Spider, Green Hornet, Phantom etc. I've also been watching Vigilante (poor copy but it's all I can find in the U.K.), Lone Ranger, and recently, The Vigilantes are Coming (Bob Livingston). We have very few western shows re-running on British t.v. but in the last year Gun Law (Gunsmoke to you) and Maverick have been on an obscure channel at odd times of the day and night. But no Lone Ranger or Range Rider or other favourites of my youth.
Big fan of Dell westerns.
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profh0011 was asking about the ending of Lost Horizon:
I finally got around to watching the "complete" version about a week ago.....the version with the complete soundtrack with stills in place of any missing footage. Yes, he did make it back to England, but what struck me is that his whole return is off-screen. That is, there's a scene in a supper club or something of several men at a table discussing his return to England. They may have even discussed his fleeing the ship and disappearing in that same scene, I'm not sure. We never SEE him in England. Next thing we see is him making his way back to Shangri-La.
Thanks. That's interesting. I've seen the movie 3 times... once on commercial TV (late 60's or early 70's?), once on TCM ("complete" with stills), and the 3rd time-- ironically-- a tape from PBS--I think-- back in the 80's-- which I recorded way back but never played. I clearly remember the supper club discussion scene, but it seemed they were talking about how he jumped ship en route to England.
Makes me wonder if there aren't alternate takes to some scenes, and different takes were edited into different versions of the film.
I also can't help but wonder if what I'm remembering might have been from a different, yet similar film. Any ideas?
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Unfortunately (or, maybe not), the only GUNSMOKEs I have on tape are all of the revival movies. Man, are those things "DARK" and gloomy! (Well, mostly.)
I've read recently that GUNSMOKE was created specifically to be a "western" version of PHILIP MARLOWE. Of course, if you use FAREWELL MY LOVELY as a model, I can see why the show would wind up so "dark" and downbeat at times.
A friend of mine in Wales expressed dismay recently at how something that relentlessly downbeat could have lasted on network TV for 20 years, when so many shows that were so much more fun or exciting to watch died young.
The other month I watched my HEC RAMSEY collection. I'm missing a couple of these... CBS re-ran them as part of their LATE MOVIE in the early 80's, and with few exceptions, they had the horrible habit of not only running shows totally out of sequence, but SKIPPING episodes (they almost never ran a complete set of anything), plus, in the last 6 months or so before they stopped, they cut the time slot so every movie would be cut. If it was designed for 90 minutes, that was bad enough, but any of the 2-hour jobs were horribly mutilated.
Anyway, apart from the episode where Hec's fiancee and her son are murdered (I almost couldn't believe they did a story like that), I found this series infinitely more entertaining to watch than any GUNSMOKE I've seen. I especially like the ones with Harry Morgan in them. the show was made by Jack Webb's company, I guess it's no surprise that a DRAGNET alumnio should turn up as a regular. Crazy enough, Morgan for a while was appearing on both HEC RAMSEY and MASH at the same time. I never liked his character Colonel Potter, but his Doc Amos Coogan was a fun, likeable guy.
Apparently, HEC RAMSEY was cancelled for the exact same reason (or related one) as BANACEK, and both after 2 seasons-- "irreconcilable differences" between the star (Richard Boone, George Peppard) and the producers (or network). Damn shame.
Reminds me of what Richard Widmark said in a TV GUIDE interview about his series MADIGAN. "All I know is, every time I like a show, it gets cancelled after one year." (Again, thanks to CBS reruns, I'm missing one episode of MADIGAN. And it was favorite, too... the one shot in London. I swear the John Wayne movie BRANNIGAN was a remake of that!)
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The older I get the more I appreciate westerns. I wish the "not very popular" Nichols with James Garner would be shown. I remember really liking the show and so did my family. Gunsmoke was never a must see, probably because it was not as much fun or action filled as most other westerns.
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Crazy but true: I never saw GUNSMOKE until the 20th TV season, when I finally tuned in and got hooked. Maybe it was because it was the only western on at the time? They had a regular habit that year of rotating every 3rd week between the 3 lawmen-- Matt Dillon, Festus (Ken Curtis), and the younger guy whose name I forget. I mostly remember an excruitiating 2-parter staring Festus, where he was trapped in the desert with a raving madman prospector played by Strother Martin (who I always recall from the 2nd-season opener of LOST IN SPACE-- heehee). Can you imagine? Those 2 accents together for an entire 2-parter???
Sure enough, I start watching the show, it finally gets cancelled. (grrrrrrr)
I often joke (but with some truth) that my favorite TV westerns were THE WILD WILD WEST, F TROOP, and McCLOUD. A retro sci-fi spy show, a comedy, and a contemprary NYC cop show.
I used to watch a lot of westerns growing up. But then, I used to watch almost anything that was on in the 60's-- it was just rare for me to watch EVERY episode of anything. I recall watching BONANZA for many years. Never saw any of the early ones with Adam until some years back when I rented a couple of "best of" tapes. Little Joe was a LOT of fun to watch when he was really young! My problem with BONANZA is probably that it seemed every episode would start out lookng good, but by halfway in, slow down and get dull. I guess as a kid I had shorter attention span. With VERY few exceptions, I always preferred half-hour shows. (The exceptions being THE OUTER LIMITS, LOST IN SPACE, then STAR TREK, later still TARZAN and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE.)
I also recal watching THE RIFLEMAN, THE LONE RANGER, BRANDED (not too much of the latter).
Last week I watched 2 of my favorite Clint Eastwood westerns a day apart-- FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE (Lee Van Cleef really steals that movie, I love seeing him as the hero), and HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER. ("What did you say your name was again?" "I didn't.")
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My three current weekly serials-
Burn-'Em-Up Barnes-1933-Mascot- Former silent star Jack Mulhall gives a lively performance as a race car driver in this fast-paced production. Young Frankie Darro is also good in support.
The Painted Stallion-1937-Republic- Ray Corrigan and Hoot Gibson head the cast in this fine western entry which benefits from some well chosen Utah location shooting, a very comely starlet (in a skimpy costume) who rides the painted stallion and shoots whistling arrows and an 1820s time period (taking place shortly after Mexico's independence from Spain).
Young Eagles-1934-First Division- Pretty good little independent serial follows two Boy Scouts surviving a plane crash and traversing their way through South American jungles. Not a recognizable name in the cast but everybody is fairly competent in the thespian department. Will be watching my final chapter of this one tomorrow. After that I'll most likely be starting The Monster and the Ape (1945-Columbia).
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All this has got me thinking and trying to remember what westerns we saw in the U.K. late '50's or '60's, apart from Lone Ranger and Range Rider. Boots and Saddles was a favourite, and it was on early in the evening, unlike Cheyenne which was a mid-evening show. My dad enjoyed Cheyenne and I seem to remember that my mother was a fan of Bronco. Also on at various times was Sugarfoot; Wagon Train; Bonanza (like prof, I also thought it was slow and a bit disappointing); Gun Law; Wells Fargo - again, my dad was a huge fan of Jim Hardie); and Maverick. There were others but I forget what they were. There was a show that seemed to be a western called Whiplash, I think, but was perhaps Australian - or am I havering?
Thing is, our home made shows, historicals, were probably even more popular with kids here, e.g. Ivanhoe; Buccaneers; Robin Hood; William Tell; Sir Lancelot etc.
Not sure if I mentioned this before but I recently found a box set of Whirlybirds and it's great.
I don't suppose any of you remember a programme called The Magic Boomerang (strangely enough it was Australian) Opening credits here:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh4zqPyHlII
Also found an episode of William Tell:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2GvmCfyYgw
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Back when I started grammar school, my first lunchbox was a BONANZA. I recall wondering why there were 4 guys pictured on it instead of 3. See, Adam had left before I ever watched (or was old enough to remember him).
As I recall, BONANZA was always on opposite THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW. We used to watch ED SULLIVAN religiously. Which means, there's a good chance we only really watched BONANZA during the summer reruns. I don't think there were any reruns of ED SULLIVAN, so much of it was tied up in being a live show, when it was off, they put something else on, a "summer replacement". (One such year was a show starring the folk group THE LIMELITERS! Nobody but me seems to remember ever seeing this, but I clearly recall the show's "theme song" being an edited version of "Jehosephat", the opening song from their SING OUT! album.)
It was sometime in the 90's I rented a pair of "best of" BONANZA tapes. Even at the time, I found myself really wishing they'd been all from thbe 1st season, in sequence. The 1st episode was so different from the others. The show started with a running sub-plot (no idea how long this went on) about a group of local businessmen who wanted to buy part of the Ponderosa so they could send a logging team in for the lumber. Ben Cartright objected to this in the strongest possible terms on almost religious reasons. So the family was very paranoid, protective, even belligerent toward any strangers wandering onto or across their land, and Virginia City was seen as a dangerous place to visit. This was not the homey, friendly relationship I'd known from all the later stories.
So the businessmen came up with a scheme... they recruited an actress, who they hoped would entice Little Joe to come to town. Once there, while she distracted him, they'd capture him, and hold him prisoner to FORCE Ben to agree to sell part of his land. ONly it didn't quite work. Little Joe WAS taken with her, but, not enough that he didn't SEE what was really going on. And the thing is, he was SUCH a gentleman, he didn't blame her for the set-up! And his attitude REALLY touched her, and she got very angry at the men who employed her. Meanwhile, a group of thugs broke into her room to grab Joe, but he was expecting them, and actually had FUN fighting them off and escaping, making them all look like fools.
Man! How could not admire the hell out of a guy like that?
I wouldn't mind seeing the show one of these days, if I could watch ALL the episodes from the beginning.
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"Lost Horizon" was originally filmed as a six hour epic, with the possibility of being shown in two parts.
They trimmed the film down to 3 1/2 hours for its first showing in front of an audience but found it was still just far too long for the movie goers of the day. The film was then cut to 142 minutes. Three alternative endings scenese were flimed.
If all the edited out footage still existed you could create two or three entirely different stories by skillful editing.
PS
Just starting on the old BBC/sci fi channel six part mini series "Invasion earth".
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For all Western fans, I would like to recommend the TIM HOLT/RED MASK series right here at Comic Books Plus, I've just discovered them (with an ulterior motive - I have a thing for Black Phantom - that Frank Bolle sure could draw the women!) and have been floored by the quality of these books from over 50-60 years ago. There are also Ghost Rider stories in these books - Dick Ayers was GREAT in those days! So I guess I'll have to recommend the GHOST RIDER books, too.
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Yes Robin Ghost Rider has a big following here. Many of the UK shows you mentioned Paw ran on the Sky Angel channels. I was very fond of William Tell.
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It's unfortunate that Nick Simon's SILVER AGE MARVEL site went down a couple weeks after I lost my last job. I'd set up a huge section for GHOST RIDER there (the original, Magazine Enterprises version).
But for now, here's a couple galleries I set up at my blog... enjoy!
http://professorhswaybackmachine.blogspot.com/2011/09/ghost-rider.html
http://professorhswaybackmachine.blogspot.com/2012/05/tim-holt.html
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I just watched the UK/Irish movie Grabbers. It is a scifi movie that is a lot of fun. Better than what the scyfi channel runs.
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Looked up the trailer for "Grabbers" looks like a fun movie to watch. I like how everyone has to get plastered so their blood alcohol level makes them inedible.
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Well we are certainly into the new television season here in the States and here's the current crop of shows that I am following- Bones, Revolution, Alphas (winding up soon), Arrow, Criminal Minds, CSI, Elementary, Haven, Fringe, Grimm, CSI: NY, Bedlam, Copper (winding up soon), Once Upon a Time, 666 Park Avenue and American Horror Story (starting this week).
Plus Leverage, Warehouse 13 and Dr. Who have all recently gone on mid-season hiatus but will be back by the holidays.
I'd be watching even more but my satellite company (DISH) has been feuding with AMC and refusing to carry them for the last several months and so I have already missed season 2 of Hell on Wheels and seem likely to miss the new season of The Walking Dead which is starting today.
Best
Joe
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THE ALPHABET MURDERS (1966)
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (2001)
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1974)
DEATH ON THE NILE (1978)
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I side with Dishnetwork. They have demonstrated that they can cause the providers to back down. Remember they also carry ads. It was once only ads that made them possible. Being off of Dish and Direct causes them to loose that revenue as well as ad revenue. As much as I want to see Walking Dead if Dish gives in there is no stopping the companies from their greed.
I am watching Once Upon a Time and Revenge tonight as well as Dexter. I also watch Revolution and Last Resort
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Remember when AMC (American Movie Classics) carried movies and nothing else, not even (especially) ads? How about MTV (Music TeleVision) and all music, all the time? And VH1? And TLC (Honey Boo-Boo? Excuse me?)? And History Channel? Can't they at least change their names? Court TV did -
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Yes, Unclerobin, they should change their names- but let them keep the initials. Therefore, TLC would become the Terribly Ludicrous Crap network! Cheers, Bowers
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I used to love AMC when it was a commercial-free vintage movie channel. I watched it all the time. Now I only watch the occasional new series they run. Thank goodness we still have TCM for vintage movies.
Best
Joe
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As shows loose their uniqueness others may take their place. As they become more popular they too loose their identity and conform to the standard. I remember when FX was a really cool almost folksy channel. They had their antique show and hosted other shows like the 60's Batman. I have a letter signed by Jeff Propst because I wrote to the show he hosted.
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josemas, I forgot about TMC,that is one GREAT channel, I hope I didn't jinx it by saying that. And narfstar, I remember the early FX, too, the Saturday morning antique shows were my favorite thing about it. IRONICALLY, the host ended up on - AMC! I also remember how they did all of their original programming out of one big, warehouse-looking room. TNT was another channel I REALLY LIKED in its early days.
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My best friend Kevin & I often like to joke, "Remember when AMC was a REAL movie channel?" When they added commercials, it was tragic. I remember on my own cable system, at least 6 months, maybe a year or more went by before they either added TCM, or I found out about it. I've been without cable for several years now (just can't afford it), but shortly before I let it lapse, they moved TCM around to make it a "digital-only" channel, which meant you'd have to spend an ADDITIONAL $10 a month if you wanted it. As if the regular monthly fee hadn't already gotten obscenely high. A shame, the last few years before that, TCM had become my favorite channel.
I suspect when (IF) things finally turn around for me (I keep praying they do, and SOON) that I'll remain without cable, and put the money instead into buying DVDs. That way I can put it toward what i want, and not have to put up with someone else's lousy and limited ideas of programming.
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Haven't really been able to watch much TV lately, so I'm catching up on the replays. This year's "Mentalist" premiere was, unfortunately, awfully predictable, but the second episode was really very much better. "Copper" is getting better with each episode. Glad to see a second season for "Bedlam". Some new cast members and more aggressive spirits give this series some real punch. (What really happened to Jed?) I liked the first few episodes of this year's "Dr. Who", but felt they weren't quite up to the very high standards of last year's excellent scripts. Then saw episodes 4 and 5 and was really blown away- especially by episode 5! This episode had to be a great one, and it certainly was. Definitely rates a big "Yowzah!" Here's some Dr. Who weirdness- I was looking up Alex Kingston (River Song) on IMDB the other day to see some of her other work and discovered she had a small recurring role on one of the "Law and Order" series. The last name of her character was... Pond! Cheers, Bowers
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I like Kevin Smith and I LOVE comic books, but one show I REFUSE to watch again after the first couple of times is COMIC BOOK MEN, which just seems to celebrate the ARROGANCE and GREED in the dealer's world, just watch how they seem to know EVERYTHING about comics, but show no love for the hobby, just the money to be made from it. I realize dealers have to make money, but these guys really seem to get off on paying as LITTLE as possible to someone who is desperate for a buck, then turning around and charging TOP DOLLAR for their wares. I knew dealers like them guys when I was hard-up for a buck, and I knew guys who I considered real bloodsuckers. These guys on the show? The latter.
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A little goof at the end of my last comment: What I meant to say was, "I knew dealers like them guys when I was hard-up for a buck, and I knew guys who I considered fair and square (they'd pay roughly half a book's value, which is WAY MORE than some of these other rip-offs would pay - a LOT of other guys, for that matter). These guys on the show? The rip-offs. And shame on YOU, Kevin Smith, you don't need to be a gouger, you're rich enough already! This show made me lose a LOT OF RESPECT for you.
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I gave up on Comic Book after the first couple of episodes
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McCLOUD: ENCOUNTER WITH ARIES
McCloud
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Hulu has episodes of this funny UK toon
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McCLOUD: TOP OF THE WORLD, MA!
The Country Boy and The Mobster ******
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Bubba White's in town to collect ten thousand dollars. He drove all the way from Dayton Ohio with his mother (in a car--ahem-- "borrowed" from his collection agency boss), booked her into the most expensive hotel suite he could find, then went looking for the people who stiffed him his 10%. What he doesn't realize is, the man he's looking for is a high-level racketeer the NYC cops have been after for at least 7 years, and his own boss-- who works for the racketeer-- is the one who really stiffed him. No surprise-- turns out the guy's been stealing from the racketeer for 3 years!
When Bubba's (stolen) car runs out of gas, he just grabs another one... which brings him to the attention of Sam McCloud & Joe Broadhurst, assigned to stolen car detail. A young boy who saw Bubba helps point Sam in the right direction, and soon he & Joe are interviewing Mrs. White, who's worried about her son. When Sam promises her to find Bubba, Joe points out, "McCloud, you're still assigned to stolen car detail!" "He stole a car, didn't he?" (There's that lateral thinking again!)
When the investigation-- and Bubba's somewhat violent activities-- lead to mobster Jack Faraday, Captain (or is that "Chief"?) Clifford tells Sam to get back to stolen cars, since Clifford CAN'T tell the Police Commissioner the job of nailing the city's biggest racketeer has been assigned to "an exchange student from Taos, New Mexico". "Guess I'll have to make the best of it, Chief." Of course, we know what that means.
Before long, Bubba's boss, who came in at the request of the cops to pick up his car, has been found out by HIS boss, and winds up DEAD in a sleazy hotel room, as part of a frame-up to make Bubba look like the killer. But even a bullet wound in the shoulder is not enough to stop this ex-football linebacker, and, with info gathered by a photographer's model Bubba's befriended, he goes after Faraday. She winds up calling Sam, and HE arrives moments before the rest of the cops do (with warrants), in just in time to save Bubba's life.
The "laid-back" tone of the 2nd season continues here. While this story takes place in far more "gritty" surroundings than the last one did, it still has a "COLUMBO" sort of feel to it, with the focus being more on Bubba and the gangsters than McCloud and the rest of the police. Sam even goes into his "country Columbo" routine when he interviews Faraday in his fancy office, managing to get on his nerves while telling a story about a Taos crook which ends with the abrupt punchline, "They HUNG him." --just trying to shake things loose.
A lot of familiar faces in this one! You've got Robert Webber (12 ANGRY MEN, THE SILENCERS, THE DIRTY DOZEN, REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER) as Faraday, the main villain; Stephanie Powers (THE GIRL FROM UNCLE, HART TO HART) as Jackie Dawn, the tough-as-nails photo model; Joan Blondell (HERE COMES THE BRIDES) as Ernestine White, Bubba's Ma; Bob Svenson (WALKING TALL, Dan Curtis' FRANKENSTEIN) as Charles "Bubba" White; Vincent Gardenia (ALL IN THE FAMILY and countless guest-shots on TV shows) as Barney Sweetwater, Bubba's boss who really caused the whole problem; Milton Selzer (countless TV appearances) as Flynn, the sleazy hotel manager who tries to frame Bubba for murder; Val Avery (another longtime TV vet) as Gruber, Ed Peck (who I recognized as "Col. Fellini" in the STAR TREK episode "Tomorrow Is Yesterday"-- "I'm going to lock you up for two hundred years!!") as the bartender whose bar gets trashed by Bubba; and Antony Carbone (A BUCKET OF BLOOD, CREATURE FROM THE HAUNTED SEA, PIT AND THE PENDULUM) as Dave, Faraday's hit man.
Watching episodes from this season really brings back memories for me, of a time when it seemed TV became a haven for "kindler, gentler", more "human" TV shows. It didn't last. After Viet Nam ended and Watergate happened, it seems to me the whole mood of the country got more cynical and callous. Oh well!
Following this season, producer Dean Hargrove would move on to MADIGAN, followed by-- appropriately enough-- COLUMBO. In the years since, his credits have included PERRY MASON, FATHER DOWLING MYSTERIES, MATLOCK, JAKE & THE FATMAN, and DIAGNOSIS MURDER. And to think it all started with these 7 "low key" McCLOUDs! Meanwhile, Peter Allan Fields' later work included executive story consultant on THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN, RETURN OF THE SAINT (a real favorite of mine), STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION and producer of STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE.
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I recently snagged a season 1 & 2 collection of McCloud at Big Lots and Henry's commentaries have me itching to start watching it. I haven't seen any of this series since the original 1970's broadcasts.
Best
Joe
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I hope you've got the version of Season 1 from Australia. I've been reading that the Australian DVDs are the only ones with the 1st season intact in its original 1-hour format (6 episodes). Sometime in the mid-70's, someone took the 6 episodes and re-edited them into 3 "movies". If they'd done them as if they were "double features", that wouldn't have been too bad, but these were inter-cut to make them appear as one story in each case. TOTAL BUTCHER JOBS!!! 4 episodes of THE NIGHT STALKER also had this done to them.
This is why I decided this time to just skip the 1st season entirely (and also skip the pilot, since it's the one really bad episode in the entire run of the show-- how did something that bad get sold as a seriers?).
I taped all of mine off THE CBS LATE MOVIE in the early 80's. Most are okay, but a few near the end of their run (which was run totally out of sequence) were also butchered. They used to let the movies run as long as they needed to, but at some point, some months before they stopped running them at all, they put some kind of news show on at 2 AM, which meant every movie had to fit into an 80-min. slot (incljuding commercials). Cutting a 90 to 80 is bad enough-- but those 2-hour jobs (120) had to fit as well. You wonder how some of these things made any sense that way.
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Well The Night Stalker DVD collection had everything restored correctly so I'm hoping that they did this set right. No reason not to have original versions on DVDs as they aren't trying to make these an attractive (consistent running times) package for syndication.
That said, I also wouldn't be surprised if some studio bonehead pulled the syndicated versions for the DVD set either.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Joe
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As far as I know, THE NIGHT STALKER episodes weren't edited on CBS... except for every one of them missing the opening credits. THE CBS LATE MOVIE started with running THE NBC MYSTERY MOVIES, and they would leave out the "MYSTERY MOVIE" intro. But when they expanded to other shows, they started cutting those opening credits, too.
The most annoying for me was THE NEW AVENGERS. The first time the ran those, they cut all the opening credits-- even though the theme song appeared several minutes into each episode! So they'd have the "teaser", the "freeze frame", then blink to the story title, still in freeze-frame. 2 years later they restored the theme song. Lucky for me, that was the year I decided to tape it. But they did other things... like starting the 1st episode about 10 minutes EARLY (I'd turned the TV on about 5 minutes early, just in time to notice the story was already running.) Or skipping an episode when they switched from Friday nights at 11:30 to Monday nights at 12:40. Or interrupting one episode with a news break, but leaving the episode running during the newsbreak.
4 years later, when they ran the series a 3rd time, they did a DOUBLE butcher job on it. They began to cut scenes, and, what they ran was running FAST. "Time compression" they call it-- as if nobody would notice, or mind. If I were a sponsor, I'd refuse to have them air my commercials unless they guaranteed me they'd run the shows uncut.
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re: Lost Horizon
I clearly remember the supper club discussion scene, but it seemed they were talking about how he jumped ship en route to England.
Makes me wonder if there aren't alternate takes to some scenes, and different takes were edited into different versions of the film.>>>
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I misspoke. You're correct....they were discussing his jumping ship. I guess when I said he got back to England, I meant he got to civilization. I thought it odd that we didn't see him jump ship, tho--that it was told with the supper club scene.
I was surprised by the various Metropolis prints...those do actually have alternate takes on the same scenes--depending on the country where the prints are found, I think.
I've never heard of that before--except maybe a TV version vs. a theatrical version of modern movies.
Kurt Hathaway
khathawayart@gmail.com
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The first time I heard about "alternate" takes was regarding the film THE ROBE. Now here's something that totally blew my mind when I read about it recently. It seems they put together 2 COMPLETE versions of THE ROBE-- one for CINEMASCOPE and one for "regular". The way they did it, the director deliberately composed the shots different for each of the 2 formats.
When the film turned up on TV in the late 60's, they ran the "regular" version. As a result, every scene looked "right". Nothing appeared to be cut off. However, the version that turned up on TCM-- widescreen-- is NOT the same movie. EVERY SINGLE SHOT is different! It would be interesting to compare them side-by-side, and see if the performances of the actors differed much between the two.
This kinda reminds me of the "Spanish" versions of some films done in the early 30's, when sound just came in. Except in the case of THE ROBE, you had the same actors in the same language. But still, 2 completely different (if very similar) films.
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Moondood:
"I misspoke. You're correct....they were discussing his jumping ship. I guess when I said he got back to England, I meant he got to civilization. I thought it odd that we didn't see him jump ship, tho--that it was told with the supper club scene.
I was surprised by the various Metropolis prints...those do actually have alternate takes on the same scenes--depending on the country where the prints are found, I think.
I've never heard of that before--except maybe a TV version vs. a theatrical version of modern movies."
It keeps sticking in my mind that I saw a scene of Ronald Colman back in England, but depressed and deeply wanting to go back to Shangri-La. But again, it COULD be a completely different movie I'm thinking of. If so, I can't for the life of me think what it might be.
The 1st time I saw METROPOLIS it was the 1984 Georgio Moroder restoration. I LOVED it! There was that one hilarious bit caused by missing footage. The card reads, "Maria escapes." And we see her running down the street! HOW did she get away??? Much later, I saw the mid-90's (?) restoration, which had so much additional footage added back in. The whole scene where she's fighting with Rotwang was there, and we see her escape. I laughed when I finally saw that. "So THAT's how she did it!" I said.
I have both versions on tape, and have been meaning for ages to watch them back-to-back to compare. As much as the longer version is such a wonderful film, the truth is, I got used to the rock score. It's like Chaney's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. TCM has been running a SLIGHTLY better print than the one I currently have. But the orchestral score tends to bore me now, since I've been in love with the Rick Wakeman score for 20 years now.
I can't recall examples, but I have heard of instances where directors have shot 2 different versins of some scenes-- opne with cursing, one without,m for theatre or TV. Oh, I just remembered, John Carpenter did 2 versions of some shots in HALLOWEEN. In the TV version, P.J. Sole's breasts are covered up! (You couldn't really "edit" that properly without it losing too much of the story, or being ver noticable. Though I have seen at least one film where someone "blurred" out conspicuous nudity for a TV broadcast. You could tell something was wrong with the picture, it got very annoying.)
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I just remembered another one I read about not long ago. It was the Chaney PHANTOM OF THE OPERA!! When sound came in, some films were reissued with some scenes redone. PHANTOM was one of those. It turns out, the print that has been in circulation for decades now is the reissue, not the original. Some shots of The Phantom from the original have never been seen since the 20's. Isn't that nuts?
One standout, the opening sequence of the film used to make me shake my head in dismay. There's this long shot of the underground, with someone walking thru the picture... very slow. NOTHING happens. And it goes on forever. Turns out, this scene was NOT in the original version of the film. It was added, and in the reissue, there was a voice-over that set up the story. I have 2 videotapes of PHANTOM. The first was a "Video Yesteryear" version which claims to have been "restored to its proper speed". But if you ever watch that THING, it's awful. Everything is slowed down to an unnatural pace. A 90 min. film becomes 2 hours! (I'm not kidding!) This makes that opening shot even worse.
However, on the Rick Wakeman version, they got Christopher Lee to film an intro desribing the history of the Opera House, the novel, and the Chaney film. And here's the wild part-- he continues talking after the film begins-- right over that opening scene I described above. At first, I thought, "What nerve!" But all these years later, I found out that scene was supposed to have a voice-over with it! So Lee was, in effect, restoring the original intent of the sequence.
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interesting
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Last night we had the first episodes of Elementary and Arrow. Managed about 10 or 15 minutes of Elementary before I turned off but Arrow was very entertaining and even Linda thought it wasn't "too bad" - high praise indeed.
Monday night's New Tricks was seriously good - dark, worrying, convoluted and saw the re-appearance of Tim McInnerney's shadowy character. Manipulative and disturbing. Try to see the episodes in this series in transmission order.
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Second episode of Arrow was really good and adding interesting elements and subplots. Reminds me of Revenge. I look forward to tonights
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So, his sister's nickname is Speedy and Laurel's name is Dinah Lance. I suppose there's no chance of her suiting up and finding a sonic scream?
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I am sure they have some things in the works if the series is successful.
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McCLOUD: SOMEBODY'S OUT TO GET JENNIE
McCloud and The Sensitive Girl ******
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Another very unusual episode begins with a man barely escaping (by accident) a helicopter explosion meant to kill him. Months later, bored with more tedious assignments in "big city law enforcement", McCloud finds himself doing "follow-up" on an insurance investigation of a business exec who was killed in a "helicopter crash". As with most COLUMBOs, the audience spends most of this story knowing more than the hero, as he slowly winds his way into the case.
Robert Devlin (Cameron Mitchell in an unusually sympathetic role for him) ran a company that had big contracts with the military, and his sudden death had the F.B.I. investigating for months. His accountant is also believed to have made off with a pile of money. As McCloud questions insurance man Ira Mastin (Gabriell Dell), who seems overly proud of his old days as a nightclub entertainer, and retired General Ralph Touhy (Barry Sullivan), they both become concerned that under his laid-back country demeanor, that he's gotten more from reading the extensive F.B.I. reports than they'd like.
The one wild card turns out to be Devlin's secretary, Jennie, who may have been in love with Devlin, and who seems to believe he might still be alive. A gentle, sensitive soul with her head often in the clouds, Jennie spent months in a psychiatric ward after Devlin's demise, and in the time since, has changed her name hoping to put her past behind her. But in his most gentlemanly way, Sam slowly begins to get to the truth, and unfortunately this has bad consequences as the guilty parties decide it would be best if they could find a way to drive her BACK into the hospital, for good.
Jennie is played by Julie Sommars, and I'm pretty sure this was my first exposure to her. She returned a couple seasons later playing a very different character, but probably made her biggest dent on TV as a regular on 94 episodes MATLOCK (like this story, produced by Dean Hargrove). But it was in this story she made the biggest impression on me. How could I not fall in love with her character? Also in the cast are Priscilla Pointer as "Shirley", the flirtatious manager of an art gallery who McCloud uses to check the identity of a supposed deceased painter; I thought I recognized her, around 20 years later she played Barry Allen's mother on THE FLASH! Also, among the girls at the General's estate is Anne Randall, Playboy Playmate of the Month May 1967.
Missing in action this time is Joe Broadhurst. If not for J.D. Cannon as Captain Clifford, Sam would almost be on his own this time out.
I saw this when it was first-run, but had almost forgotten it by the time I taped it off THE CBS LATE MOVIE. They used a very memorable (and creepy) scene in their promos, that of a figure appearing to step right out of a painting. It's the sort of thing one might have expected on Rod Serling's NIGHT GALLERY, which had its 2nd season at the time this story aired.
A major sub-plot, involving Sam going to a small town in Mexico trying to track down a man everyone else believes is dead-- based on a painting he did-- could well have been lifted from the film "THE FALCON IN MEXICO" with Tom Conway. There was also a similar plot in an early episode of DANGER MAN, "View From The Villa". Clifford has his best line in the story when he tells Sam, "You've got TWO days. If you can't find him by then... keep riding south." (Don't come back now, hear?)
McCLOUD was my FAVORITE show at the time this aired, and stayed that way right to the end of the run. The 2nd year may not be my favorite, standing out as so "different" from the other 6 seasons, but I feel they're all worth seeing. On top of anything else, they bring back powerful memories for me of a very different time in my life.
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MeTV is apparently a syndicated network showing on a local UHF channel in my area. They show a lot of old TV shows, like Perry Mason, Daniel Boone, Mary Tyler Moore, Columbo, Get Smart, Batman, Wild Wild West, Dick Van Dyke, Remington Steele, and others. So I've been re-watching a lot of old favorites and catching up on shows I never really saw when I was younger, such as the Daniel Boone show.
My girlfriend is upset because we can't seem to get the ION channel any more. They were showing more recent programming like Leverage and some other crime dramas (whose names I can't recall at the moment).
I really don't feel like paying extra for cable, but my gf may insist on it if she can't watch her favorite shows.
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McCLOUD: THE DISPOSAL MAN
Who Hired the Hit-man? ******
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Sam's evening with Chris Caughlin is interrupted when a low-level crook assaults him in a bar, then informs him of a "hit" planned against a prominent businessman. He later denies it, but following McCloud's instincts, Clifford assigns him to act as bodyguard. Sam soon finds himself in a viper's nest, as it seems Arthur Yerby (Patrick O'Neal) has a way of offending everyone whose path he crosses, including, it seems, every member of his family. He's like the murder victim in an Agatha Christie story, except here, McCloud is trying to prevent the murder before it happens, as well as find out who's behind it.
Along the way Sam manages to interview a retired hit-man (Arthur O'Connell), who gives him tips on how someone in that peculiar business operates.
After the last 3 episodes, this is a real step back toward the "traditional" McCLOUD of the the 1st and all later seasons. His occasional girlfriend Chris (Diana Muldaur) is around, writing stories about him that anger his boss, and hob-nobbing with the rich and famous. Clifford gets to be angry & irate in some scenes, while clever enough to "play along" with McCloud's schemes in others. And Sam gets help from-- no, wait, that isn't Joe Broadhurst, it's Richard Thatcher! I don't know what happened to Terry Carter, but James McEachin fills in nicely. His Thatcher, while filling the slot of "helpful black detective" (I don't know what else to call it) is quite different from Broadhurst, if anything he's got a lot more "personality". 2 years later, McEachin would get his own short-lived TV series as part of the NBC MYSTERY MOVIE cycle. If "McCLOUD" was based on "COOGAN'S BLUFF", then "TENAFLY" surely was inspired by "THEY CALL ME MISTER TIBBS!" 15 years later, he could be seen semi-regularly as "Lt. Ed Brock" on the revived PERRY MASON movie series (like this episode, produced by Dean Hargrove).
Also in the cast are comedian Jack Carter as "Frank Gordon", the crook who tips Sam to the contract; Nita Talbot as "Rosalie Hudgins", the hooker who fails to take Sam's advice (I always remember her as the Russian spy on HOGAN'S HEROES); Arlene Martel as "Linda Farley", the strange, long-winded girlfriend of Frank Gordon (she's probably best remembered as "T'Pring" from the STAR TREK episode "Amok Time"); Randolph Mantooth (EMERGENCY) as "Phillip Yerby", perpetually put down by his father; Pat Morita (HAPPY DAYS) as "Felix", the bartender at the beginning of the story; Murray Matheson (BANACEK) as "George Lincoln", Yerby's business manager; and James Olsen as "Thomas Dane", the hired killer of the story title. Olsen's had a long career playing mostly psychos and killers, this episode being a prime example, but I often remember him as the lead scientist (and hero of the film) in "THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN".
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McCLOUD: A LITTLE PLOT IN TRANQUIL VALLEY
"The Loved One" -- Part 2 ******
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Some people are just plain greedy. Marvin Sloan run a nation-wide chain of expensive, exclusive funeral parlors and cemeteries called "Tranquil Valley", where, for "surprisingly reasonable rates", you can be buried like a millionaire. You'd think that would be satisfy some people. So why is he ALSO in the business of hijacking medical supplies, watering them down and then shipping them to South America to sell on the black market?
Marvin's also got a problem. His wife Lucy has been nagging him for months to let her half-wit brother Ralphie (the one with the mind of a 5-year-old) join the operation, because he wants to get out of TV repair. And against all his best instincts, he agrees. You just know things are going to go bad when, with childlike glee, Ralphie, on getting a gun (gift-wrapped!) excitedly asks, "Where's the bullets? Where's the bullets?" Sure enough, during a routine hijacking at a warehouse, Ralphie, nervous and over-anxious, accidentally drops his gun in front of a security guard-- who he then proceeds to SHOOT, before being wounded himself. Now, while he's in a hospital under police guard, his sister Lucy is nagging her husband because HE let her brother get shot and beaten and arrested and what's he going to do to get him out of it? You can bet Marvin is wishing he'd gotten a divorce years ago.
So Marvin does two things. His 2 henchmen KIDNAP McCloud (the arresting officer) and demand a trade of prisoners. Meanwhile, Marvin's lawyer goes to visit Ralphie, at first mistaking him for a whiplash case. "I'm here on a MURDER charge!" "I'm sorry, I had the wrong file." After questioning his client (the guard never pulled his gun, Ralphie shot him in front of 7 witnesses, he gave the police the murder weapon), the lawyer makes an unusual proposal. "I'd like to suggest that you might consider saving yourself a lot of hassle by taking your own life." "WHAT? What kind of a lawyer ARE you???? GET OUT OF HERE!!!"
If you haven't figured out by now, this episode is more of a comedy than usual. I found myself laughing so hard at that last scene.
As usual, producer Dean Hargrove has lined up an impressive cast for this low-key loony-show. Joyce Van Patten (THE GOOD GUYS, UNHAPPILY EVER AFTER) is "Lucy", the pushy, bossy, complaining wife and overly-loyal and loving older sister. Moses Gunn (SHAFT, SHAFT'S BIG SCORE, BATES MOTEL) is "Morgan", the Shakespeare-quoting hired thug. Vic Morrow (THE BLACKBOARD JUNGLE, COMBAT, THE TWILIGHT ZONE movie) is "Richard", the brutal, hypochondriac sidekick. Alfred Ryder (STAR TREK: "The Man Trap") is Dudley, the chemist who branches out into a little murder on the side. Arlene Martel (STAR TREK: "Amok Time") makes her 2nd appearance in a row on the show, this time as the blonde-haired "Tour Guide" whose long-winded spiels about Tranquil Valley pepper the entire length of the episode. Bruce Kirby (COLUMBO and countless other shows) is the "PR Man" who takes photos of Marvin. Burgess Meredith (BATMAN, ROCKY, CLASH OF THE TITANS) is "Marvin", who probably brings the best performance as the story's main villain. But the kicker is Allen Garfield (THE FRONT PAGE, MOTHER JUGS & SPEED, CONTINENTAL DIVIDE) as "Ralphie", the idiot's idiot who should have stayed in TV repair.
No sign of Joe Broadhurst or Richard Thatcher in this one. I seem to vaguely remember Chris Caughlin, but it must have been a brief cameo. At least Peter B. Clifford got to make an impact, when he solemnly stands on the steps of the Criminal Courts Building and silently shakes his head "NO", knowing that by doing so he's probably sealing McCloud's death sentence.
This is just one really WEIRD story, but considering most of the NBC MYSTERY MOVIES tended to have humor alongside the drama, crime & mystery, and given that I LIKE humor with my dramas, I got a real kick out of it.
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I think it's WHTV that's running the Lone Ranger every day. I've loved that show since 1976 when I was 16 [re-runs, of course]. I can't quite put my finger on why I love it so much. I'm a superhero fan--and a cowboy fan, so the blend is irresistible, but still it goes beyond that. Been listening to the old radio show, too--fun, but not the same at the TV show--and it's gotta be Clayton Moore behind the mask for me. His presence and his voice grabs me. As a filmmaker, I can see the cheese in the process, but the sum of the parts still holds up. Wish I coulda met him when he was alive. Was at his Hollywood sidewalk star a couple weeks ago by accident--so that's the closest I'll get, I guess.
Give it a look if you can find it on your TV dial.
On a related note, I was out teaching my son to drive last week and realized we were near the Lone Ranger rock [the stacked rock seen in the show's opening]--so I directed him to the nearest street and told him to stop and look over there. I'd been there before so I knew where it was, but he was somehow less impressed than I. He has his own heroes, I get it.
Kurt Hathaway
khathawayart@gmail.com
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I haven't seen THE LONE RANGER in ages, but I remember loving it back in the late 60's when I watched the reruns. Yep, there's something special about Clayton Moore. My Dad described him as having a voice of "cold steel". The only other actor to touch it was Brace Beemer (on the radio), whose voice may have been even tougher.
I can picture very clearly in my head the "stacked rocks" of the opening credits. It's not the same thing, but as a kid, I remember loving to climb on some similar (if less impressive) rocks behind the Philadelphia Museum Of Art (before a fear of heights somehow took me by surprise as I started growing taller-- isn't that bizarre?).
The oddest "Lone Ranger" has to be the movie serial, which veered drastically from the standard format, and whose plot involved a number of lawmen, all of whom were suspected as being the secret identity of the hero. Which is really odd, considering after the massacre of the Texas Rangers, John Reid became The Lone Ranger and never went out in public as "himself" anymore, since Reid (like Denny Colt in THE SPIRIT) was supposed to be dead!
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McCLOUD: FIFTH MAN IN A STRING QUARTET
Classical Music, Mystery & Murder ******
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
A concert conductor is stabbed in an alley. A student of his, who had a crush on his daughter, just happens by and is accused of the killing. As McCloud investigates, he finds wildly divergent descriptions of the suspect in custody. His landlord calls him a weirdo, the lawyer helping raise funds for a music conservatory says he was potentially dangerous, but all his friends say he was utterly focused on his music and incapable of hurting a fly.
But as his investigation continues, McCloud finds something far more twisted was going on behind the scenes, involving a (supposedly) reformed mobster who's up for the job of harbor commissioner; his lawyer who (coincidentally?) is the one helping to keep the music conservatory open with "anonymous" donations, and who happens to be dating the murdered man's daughter; and how the murder was really meant to bring the conductor's brother, who's been on the run from the mob since he witnessed a hit years ago, out of hiding. (It somewhat blew my mind when this dawned on me, about a third of the way into the story.) McCloud gets somewhat reluctant help from the suspect's friends, the other 3 members of his string quartet, who all work at a deli.
As usual for this show, the cast includes an interesting assemblage of known actors and future familiar faces. This time around there's Rick Weaver (Dennis' son) is "Louis Brocco", the shy, sensitive violin player conned into being in the wrong place at the wrong time, just so he could catch a glimpse of the girl he admires. Gary Collins (THE SIXTH SENSE) is "Kevin Mallory", the "helpful" lawyer whose boss pushes him to commit murder. Neville Brand (THE UNTOUCHABLES' own Al Capone) is "Fred Schultke", the crook-turned-politico who no doubt sees the job as harbor commissioner as an open door to controlling all the narcotics coming into the city for his own profit. Alex Henteloff (the sleaze-ball attorney "Arnold Ripner" in 8 episodes of BARNEY MILLER), Richard Haydn (AND THEN THERE WERE NONE, THE SOUND OF MUSIC) and Avery Schreiber (MY MOTHER THE CAR) are the 3 musicians who wind up helping Sam clear their friend of the murder charge. Shelly Fabares (THE PRACTICE, ONE DAY AT A TIME, COACH) is "Natalie Rudell", daughter of the murdered man. Timothy Carey (HEAD, THE NEW MIKE HAMMER) is the "Apartment Manager" who paints a bad image of the murder suspect, then surprisingly seems to make a pass at McCloud (who departs rather nervously). Lilia Skala (LILIES OF THE FIELD, GREEN ACRES) is "Eugenia Rudell", the conductor's wife, who proves the be the most outspoken defender of Louis Brocco, McCloud's staunch ally and perhaps the most interesting character in the story. Dick Miller (THE PREMATURE BURIAL, ROCK & ROLL HIGH SCHOOL) is the hit-man in the "green hat". Finally, Joseph Wiseman (DR. NO, CRIME STORY) is "Paul Rudell", who is shocked and cannot believe his brother could have been killed for the reason McCloud suggests (until he finds out that's exactly the truth).
This story continues to steer slowly back toward the style of the 1st season, with more action to balance out the long stretches of mystery and character scenes. Joe Broadhurst has a brief but important scene in the story, providiing the crucial link in McCloud's investigation between the lawyer & the ex-mobster.
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I see that three of the new shows that I have been following- Arrow, Revolution and Elementary have been doing well enough in the ratings that each has had a full season of shows ordered.
On another positive note my satellite company settled its feud with AMC just in time for me to watch episode one of The Walking Dead on the internet, episode two on its weekly rerun on AMC and then join in for the regular first run broadcast of episode three.
I see that The Walking Dead has been doing very well in the ratings this season too often beating out such network blockbusters as CSI in key demographic groups.
Best
Joe
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I gave up on the Walking Dead ... started off great and slowly got soppier and soppier ... Zombie films should not be about love triangles and kids. There should be attacks at least every 10 minutes and lots of strange looking mutants. Last one I saw I don't think there was a zombie in sight.
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Alternately, there should be lots of VOODOO involved...
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The Walking Dead just made me laugh, the bits I saw. And vampire stuff just passes me by - don't get it. but if you're going to have a zombie show, surely you need zombies and some voodoo?
Saw the 2nd. ep. of Arrow and now I'm intrigued to find out what happened on the island.
Elementary, well, the guy makes me shudder when I see those tattoos - personal taste.
Last ever New Tricks? and the BBC switched the last 2 eps. around because of the Savile scandal, I think. So what should have been the penultimate part with Gerry and Steve working in Glasgow became the finale and there was a very different feel to the episode. What happens now? Haven't a clue.
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McCLOUD: GIVE MY REGRETS TO BROADWAY
Bullets On Broadway *****
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
The night Sam swaps duty with another officer (he wanted to see the football game, which did not thrill his date Chris Caughlin one bit), the man who took his place gets killed during a "routine" investigation. Sam, feeling guilty ("It should have been me!") gets depressed and begins to think maybe it's time he went back home to Taos.
But then he receives an anonymous note indicating the killing wasn't random, and wasn't an accident. Before long, he's looking into it, and discovers that Det. Arthur Franz, who'd been investigating Broadway producer Malcolm Garnett, abruptly closed the file on the case, shortly before his daughter was offered the lead in Garnett's next show. VERY suspicious!
The trail also leads to Louise Blanchard, an apparently wealthy widow whose husband was swindled by Garnett. She seems very nice on the surface, and appears to find Sam very attractive... until we find out that she's also having an affair with Julian Franco, the man suspected of KILLING Det. Franz! Before this complex web plays out, nearly everyone involved winds up being guilty of something, whether it's bribery or conspiracy to commit murder.
Topping the guest cast this time out is Milton Berle as "Malcolm Garnett". Though famous as a comedian, Berle has repeatedly proved over the years he can do straight drama as well, and be very convincing at it. Barbara Rush (PEYTON PLACE) is "Louise Blanchard"; Rush reminds me a bit of a 60's version of Dana Delany, in that I rank her as one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood, but she always seems to be playing very disturbed or corrupt characters (as seen in her guest-shots on THE OUTER LIMITS, BATMAN, or here). Arthur Mallet (YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, HALLOWEEN, a guest-shot on WKRP IN CINCINNATI) is "Leonard", one of Louise's rich friends who married a wife much younger than he is. Reginald Owen (whose career goes back decades) is "Orville", another of Louise's friends. Vic Tayback (STAR TREK: "A Piece of the Action") is "Thomas", Garnett's bodyguard. Jeff Pomerantz (founder of "Hollywood Says No To Drugs") is "Julian Franco", the painter-sculptor boy-toy of Louise who looks like a porn star and is easily talked into committing murders for her. Lane Bradbury (several episodes of GUNSMOKE and a long list of other credits) is "Carol Harrington", the sweet, talented dancer who's shocked to learn her father may have accepted a bribe to get her a career break. (She was also the wife of actor-turned-director Lou Antonio, who helmed this episode.)
Between the film montage of McCloud roaming around NYC to the tune of Dennis Weaver warbling the song "Another Way", the scenes at the beginning and end of Sam & Chris having dinner together, and an extended "rehearsal" sequence in the theatre, this episode feels very much to me like it was written for the one-hour format of the previous year, but painfully padded out to fit the 90-min. slot.
Also, while the climax, with Sam getting the drop on a killer who was waiting to take him out, was clever, with the 2 main plots, both of which end in rather downbeat fashion, this episode may be my least-favorite of the season. Oh well. Things would change-- BIG-time-- the following year.
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I got hooked on Walking Dead right from the first homage to 28 Day Later (well, they claimed they did it before they saw the film but really?)
Anyways, Mark, as the advertising says somewhere - the monsters of Walking Dead of the live ones. The zombies are more like some long horrible plague that can kill anyone at any time.
This season seems to be focused on the Woodbury plot which was very controversial when done in the comics. 'The Governor' of this town is one seriously nasty guy! I notice the tv show has again decided to change things from the comic giving us a Caucasian as the Gov and so far made him almost sympathetic until the last shot of ep3.
I lump Walking Dead in with some of the best tv going on out there these days. After season 1 I started reading the comic and just this month caught up with the current issue. The comic is almost as good as the tv show but not quite. Just IMO. Haven't had a chance to read either of the novels which are also set in Woodbury.
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Cool, I've seen lots of negative reviews, but now i'll break into my Season Two BD pack.
I got hooked on Walking Dead right from the first homage to 28 Day Later (well, they claimed they did it before they saw the film but really?)
Anyways, Mark, as the advertising says somewhere - the monsters of Walking Dead of the live ones. The zombies are more like some long horrible plague that can kill anyone at any time.
This season seems to be focused on the Woodbury plot which was very controversial when done in the comics. 'The Governor' of this town is one seriously nasty guy! I notice the tv show has again decided to change things from the comic giving us a Caucasian as the Gov and so far made him almost sympathetic until the last shot of ep3.
I lump Walking Dead in with some of the best tv going on out there these days. After season 1 I started reading the comic and just this month caught up with the current issue. The comic is almost as good as the tv show but not quite. Just IMO. Haven't had a chance to read either of the novels which are also set in Woodbury.
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A quick listing of feature films watched since the middle of summer.
Quick Millions (1931), Horrible Bosses (2011), Attack of the Crab Monsters (1957), Keoma (1976), Tombstone (1942), Out of Reach (2004), The Naked Kiss (1964), My Bloody Valentine (2009), The Girl Next Door (1953), City of Fear (1959), Hobo with a Shotgun (2011), The Lost Express (1926), Right at Your Door (2006), The Cotton Club (1964), Crocodile (2000), How to Make a Monster (1958), Not of this Earth (1958), War of the Satellites (1958), Francis the Talking Mule (1949), McFadden's Flats (1935), Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974), Executioners from Shaolin (1977), The Nickel Ride (1975), The Avenging Eagle (1978), The Last Performance (1929), Lonesome (1928), The History Boys (2006), Everything Must Go (2011), Down on the Farm (1920), Golden Earrings (1947), Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011), Commandos Strike at Dawn (1943), The Fighting Kentuckian (1949), The Cheat (1931), Little Big Soldier (2010), Harpoon: Whale Watching Massacre (2009), Highway 13 (1948), Jonah Hex (2010), Things Happen at Night (1948), Five Shaolin Masters (1974), Demon Hunting (2007), Wind Chill (2007), Kaw (2007), Somewhere in Sonora (1933), The Master (2012), Def by Temptation (1990), The T.A.M.I. Show (1964), Battlestar Galactica: Razor (2007), The Crucifer of Blood (1991), The Man with the Iron Fists (2012).
Just as an eclectic bunch as usual.
Best
Joe
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profh0011, neat factoids on Halloween, Phantom of the Opera, etc...you have a better eye than I do on that stuff.
Just watched a documentary on Halloween on youtube--and it had PJ talking about her topless scene. They shot it several times until she went topless, but she didn't explain if it was for the TV version or not. Knowing Carpenter's attitude at the time, most likely not. The success of it took him completely by surprise....though maybe he banked on it going to TV "someday"....almost everything does, after all.
Kurt Hathaway
khathawayart@gmail.com
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I've been heavy into westerns lately--mostly the B variety..and I can catch the Roy Rogers show on WHT, I think it is. Gene Autry TV shows I can find online. But for some reason I can't find any Hopalong Cassidy TV shows online. So, I broke down and bought the complete TV show set on ebay--about 26 bucks, I think. 72 episodes. Seen only 2 of his films, but he's got something going as a cowboy star. On disc 2 of 6 now...and while the show has its low-budget shortcomings, it's interesting to see how several of the episodes have a semi-gothic approach in the story. Enjoyable show.
Kurt Hathaway
khathawayart@gmail.com
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I can not say that I have seen any of the Hoppy TV show. Have you watched Judge Roy Beane? Obscure little show about a pretty famous character, that I really liked.
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"The Crucifer of Blood (1991)"
I've got 3 different versions of THE SIGN OF FOUR on tape. Last year, I watched all 3 back-to-back, just for real comparison' sake.
The Charlton Heston version starts in India, then continues in England, and they make some extensive changes to the plot.
The Jeremy Brett version follows the book, so most of it is a complete mystery, with the flashback to India and the full explanation coming at the end.
My favorite is the Ian Richardson version, which begins with the death of Major Sholto (Thorley Walters). Someone online complained that since the audience saw so much as it happened, it wasn't such a mystery when Holmes got to the scene, but I still think it was very cleverly structured and told. They also added some action sequences at the fair grounds, and, frankly, the climactic boat chase was MUCH more exciting. For whatever reason, the 2 2-parters they did that one year with Jeremy Brett (SIGN OF FOUR and HOUND) were both TERRIBLY-done, but fanatics of the books keep insisting they're the "best". Most authentic adaptations, maybe, but to me, almost unwatchable.
I really wish Sy Weintraub had done all 6 films he planned with Richardson, instead of just the 2 he did.
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I've watched the Basil Rathbone "Hound of the Baskervilles" recently, and its a very well done film for its day.
I liked the Jeremy Bret version a bit more, but its not because it was more entertaining.
The Hammer films version is also very nicely done.
I don't think I've ever seen a poorly done film of this story.
I caught an episode of "Hopalong Cassidy" on the local retro TV channel a couple of days ago.
One thing I really like about Hoppy is that he can be holding a civilized discussion and if things aren't going his way that Colt Peacemaker simply appears in his hand as if it had always been there. It seems like he moves faster than the old style motion picture cameras can capture. You never see him move his hand to his side, its just suddenly there with a cocked pistol pointed at the bad guy.
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My favorite versions of HOUND are (purely in chronological order)...
Basil Rathbone
Peter Cushing
Tom Baker
Ian Richardson
Baker has the BEST script, but also the lowest budget (well that figures). Cushing is the most "different", but in its way is highly entertaining. I tend to think Rathbone is probably the best "movie", though Richardson is a close 2nd to that.
Avoid at all costs the Peter Cook-Dudley Moore film. It is an abomination beyond all belief.
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Up to a wee while ago I would have agreed with the Rathbone version being the best but after watching Sherlock, The Hounds of Baskerville, I have had to reconsider. Might need further watches but it was very good.
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The last couple days...
MY DARLING CLEMENTINE
GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL
I got these about 15 years ago on the same tape. I always like to watch them back-to-back.
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Tonight:
WYATT EARP: RETURN TO TOMBSTONE (1994)
w/ Hugh O'Brien !!! (IN COLOR)
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Henry,
If you ever get a chance check out the 1942 version of Tombstone with Richard Dix as Wyatt Earp. We watched it at one of my weekly Movie Nights a month or two back. An interesting take on the legend.
Best
Joe
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This talk of the various versions of The Hound of the Baskervilles got me wondering if Peter Cushing was the only actor to play Holmes in two different versions of the story- (the 1959 Hammer film and the 1968 television adaptation).
Curious
Joe
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Thanks for the tip about the 1942 film. There's tons of stuff out there I've never seen and would love to, including so many multiple versions of some stories.
I have 6 versions of the "OK Corral" story on tape, and thought for once it would be fun to watch all 6 back-to-back. The perverse thing is, 2 of them are episodes of science-fiction shows!
I've never seen the Hammer HOLMES tv series (it ran 2 seasons, 3 years apart-- the first with Douglas Wilmer, the 2nd with Peter Cushing, both with Nigel Stock) but hope to someday. The few Cushing episodes still in existence have been put out on DVD, and in the back of my mind it's one of the things I'd like to get when I finally start working again.
Sean Connery played James Bond in 2 different versions of THUNDERBALL-- the 1965 film and the remake, NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN.
Frank Finlay was Inspector Lestrade in both A STUDY IN TERROR and MURDER BY DECREE. While very different stories, both dealt with Jack The Ripper! (Doesn't that figure? They have the same actor playing the part in 2 different movies, but there's no way they can be considered in the same "universe".)
On the other hand, there's been a number of instances where an actor has appeared in more than one version of a story, but, in different roles. John Ireland was in both MY DARLING CLEMENTINE and GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL. DeForest Kelley was n both GUNFIGHT... and the STAR TREK episode "Spectre of the Gun".
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Yeah, that was pretty cool. I prefer Murder by Decree, despite its emotional Holmes
Frank Finlay was Inspector Lestrade in both A STUDY IN TERROR and MURDER BY DECREE. While very different stories, both dealt with Jack The Ripper! (Doesn't that figure? They have the same actor playing the part in 2 different movies, but there's no way they can be considered in the same "universe".)
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Once again, I find myself watching a set of westerns. As it happens, I have 6 different versions of the "OK Corral" story, and for the first time, I decided to dig them out and watch all 6 back-to-back.
I started out with MY DARLING CLEMENTINE, directed by John Ford, and starring Henry Fonda, Victor Mature, Tim Holt, and Walter Brennen.
Next up-- on the same tape (I got both of these for my Dad), GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL, directed by John Sturges, and starring Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Rhonda Fleming, Martin Milner, DeForest Kelley, Whit Bissell and others.
Last night, I watched the 1994 tv-film, WYATT EARP: RETURN TO TOMBSTONE. This is a bizarre concoction. They took 4 of the last episodes of THE LIFE AND TIMES OF WYATT EARP tv series starring Hugh O'Brien, colorinzed them, severely edited them to speed up the plot transitions, spliced them together and then added a framing sequence in 1914 starring the 1994 version of Hugh O'Brien, who's relating events of 35 years earlier. The story in this is more complicated than usual, and due to the severe editing job, some of it is not that easy to follow. Someone suggested it would be better if they just reissued the entire series. I noted at the IMDB that after around 225 episodes, the OK Corral storyline was apparently the grand finale of the entire series. Oddly enough, the actual gunfight was the most historically accurate ever done, until the movie TOMBSTONE came along (and the film WYATT EARP 6 months after that).
Tonight: THE GUNFIGHTERS, with William Hartnell. Would you believe? This is the first time I've ever pulled a lone Hartnell DOCTOR WHO story out of the set to watch by itself. I had a big smile on my face the whole time. There's 2 Gerry Anderson veterans in this-- Shane Rimmer as one of the bad guys, and David Graham as "Charlie" the bartender, using the same "Walter Brennen" accent he had on FIREBALL XL5 !
I notice, checking the IMDB, that John Alderson, who played Wyatt Earp in this, while born in England, appeared in a ton of American TV shows all thru the 60's. It looks like they got him back to England just for this story!
Anthony Jacobs, who played Doc Holliday, I've only ever seen in one other thing, an episode of THE SAINT. He's quite a "character" as Doc, and reminds me a bit of American actor Hans Conreid (but with a different accent).
I don't know too many of the actors in this, but Laurence Payne, who played Johnny Ringo, was apparently one of the better-known in England. I see he played one of the main characters, the scientist Dastari, in THE TWO DOCTORS, with Colin Baker, Nicola Bryant, Patrick Troughton, Fraser Hines & Jacqueline Pearce. That was one of my favorites from that season.
Tomorrow night (if I can find it)-- "Spectre of the Gun" with William Shatner as not really Ike Clanton and Ron Soble as no doubt the most cold-blooded, murderous Wyatt Earp ever seen on film. (Soble was apparently a regular on the western series THE MONROES during 1966-67, playing a character named "Dirty Jim".)
Finally, the climax of this mini-marathon will be TOMBSTONE with Kurt Russell. Saw that in a theatre when it came out, was totally blown away by it. I also saw WYATT EARP with Kevin Costner 6 months later, but didn't care for it as much. Reportedly it's much closer to history, but at every point where the 2 pictures tell the same events, Costner comes across as an unlikeable bastard, while in the same circumstances Kurt Russell comes across as flawed yet heroic. In this case, I prefer "Hollywood" to "History".
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Yeah, that was pretty cool. I prefer Murder by Decree, despite its emotional Holmes
I saw MURDER BY DECREE when it came out. Cool film. A STUDY IN TERROR took a bit of adjustment. However, after all these years, I watched both back-to-back recently, and found that I liked the earlier one better now. Must be all those actors I recognize from other things, or the general style it was shot in, or something.
While I probably first saw Frank Finlay in THE THREE MUSKETEERS, I think my favorite role of his these days is Professor Van Helsing in the 1977 BBC COUNT DRACULA. It's a funny thing, but when Mel Brooks played Van Helsing, I think it was Finlay's version he wound up being closest to.
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It was definitely a Baskerville week for me- both the Peter Cushing and Ian Richardson versions were shown this week. Hadn't seen the Cushing version in years- great version, even a bit adult for the times. I do think Christopher Lee was just a bit too old to play the Baskerville role, however. Still, a very enjoyable film. I hadn't seen the Richardson version and was pleasantly surprised- very good telling of this story. I must say that I still prefer Brett's version a bit more. Also saw "Sherlock Holmes" on the SyFy Channel. Another Asylum cheapie, this one was done with the Steampunk crowd in mind. Couldn't make myself watch the whole thing, but some of the VSF mechanical devices were kind of fun to watch. Cheers, Bowers
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Sy Weintraub, who did TARZAN from later Gordon Scott to to Jock Mahoney to Mike Henry to Ron Ely (!!!) got the rights to SHERLOCK HOMES, not long before the character went into public domain. He planned 6 expensive tv-movies, but only got 2 made before the Granada series was announced. I love both, but of late, I find the 2 Richardson films more fun to watch.
I feel the 2 versions of HOUND that are the most similar are the Tom Baker & Jeremy Brett versions. Baker had a smaller budget, but, I feel, a better script, and vastly superior directing. It's very energetic and the characters are all very compelling, while for whatever reason, the Brett version drags, is far too sombre, and worse, the directing and editing are abysmal, especially near the end. I know many people love it, but each time I see it, it gets worse. This really bothered me the first couple times, because, to me, Brett's 1st 2 seasons (26 episodes) were as close to prefection as you could imagine. It was like, what the hell happened?
I also much prefer the Richardson SIGN OF FOUR to the Brett version.
By the way, one of my favorite bits in the Richardson HOUND is when Watson goes out to confront the tramp. "Wait a minute-- I KNOW that song!" "...well it DOES sound better on the violin." Richardson's Holmes is just so good-natured, you can tell he loves his work. He actually reminds me a lot of an older version of Ronald Howard from the 50's.
The film itself has always struck me as a remake of the Rathbone version; note Beryl meets Henry in both on horseback, etc. Comparing multiple versions, the dialogue in the Richardson film has been dumbed-down for Americans, and many parts of the story have been re-arranged, etc. I do like how they leave the truth about Beryl until the very end (you only find out she's married after her husband has been killed). Probably the ony part I'm not too thrilled with is the portrayal of Lestrade (Ronald Lacey). Brian Blessed gets a fabulous bit of acting in, considering his character is mentioned but never actually appears in any other version of the story. I never even recognized "Laura Lyons" as Connie Booth from FAWLTY TOWERS! Although her character is murdered in thois one, she survives in the Baker & Brett versions. Baker has a GREAT scene in his where he tells her she's had a "VERY narrow escape".
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The perfect follow-up to GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL...
THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE !
My favorite Burt Lancaster film, my favorite Kirk Douglas film, and, my favorite Laurence Olivier film!
It's slightly edged out as my favorite Guy Hamilton film by EVIL UNDER THE SUN.
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Does anyone remember a Rathbone Holmes where a dismembered headless torso is found and identified by a tattoo?
I haven't seen this film in forty years and can't remember the title. Its not a Conan Doyle story, though probably has elements of "the Musgrave Ritual".
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Couldn't figure out which film it might be but a look at this should jolt the memory:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_Holmes_Faces_Death
We tried the final series of The Killing, the Danish police thriller, but after the first 2 episodes decided there were too many plot errors and we got a bit fed up with the story, so, that's that. But apart from that mostly Only Connect:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lskhg
The most fiendish quiz on the telly, and not a prize in sight. And the lovely Victoria Coren presents.
American football and re-runs of Body of Proof.
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anyone every hear of these?
Lady Black Cat (1966)
Lady Black Cat Strikes Again (1967)
Director: Cheung Wai-Gwong
Cast: Connie Chan, Wu Fung, Sek Kin
Or this one?
The Black Rose
(Hong Kong, 1965)
In addition to The Spy With My Face, a direct sequel to The Black Rose, also directed by Cheung Wai-Gwong.
been looking for these for a long long time....
Mr. Goldenage
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About 20 minutes into the Hallmark Christmas movie "All I Want For Christmas" shows a toy company office with a wall of Western Pulp covers. Cool
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Kilink Istanbul Da is my DVD pleasure for this evening. My wife hates it but she gets her back rubbed.... https://comicbookplus.com/forum/Smileys/default/grin.gif
RB
Next up is:
El Vengador De Venecia part of the El Guerrero Del Antifaz series &
Amarga Vaerdad also part of the El Guerrero Del Antifaz series
Plus part 2 of Topps 2000
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Uh, Richard, I'm a huge fan of Kilink. I got my films from Onar. You? And if you're feeling in a benevolent mood, could you tell me where you found El Guerrero, please? Live action or animation? You are probably aware that there is a film of Kapitein Rob. Not a patch on the beautiful text strip comic, but just about watchable. Trailer here:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3UDTeGgXmw
Info on the creator:-
http://www.lambiek.net/artists/k/kuhn.htm
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Yes from Onar. Unfortunately Bill passed away from cancer so Onar is no more and I and a whole bunch of us are a really sad and feel for his family. I have several of his releases. And you?
Live Action for El Gurrero. And yes I am aware that there is a film of Kapitein Rob, but have yet to find a copy stateside.
Finding offshore films is very hard, but there are several companies now that are solving my problem to some extent. Captain Swing from Onar I missed though.... drat!
RB
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THE BIG SLEEP (1946)
THE BIG SLEEP (1978)
I love both films... but I much prefer the remake. As long as you pay attention, you can't get lost watching it. Plus, it's got so many fabulous actors in it!!
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prof, I much prefer the original, it's just so classy and atmospheric. B & B sizzle.
Richard, there are half a dozen Onar releases on my shelf, the superhero/villain ones but the one which I can't trace, that I want, is the Turkish Phantom film - which may or may not exist.
Thanks for the info on El Guerrero. I've found the trailer.
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Are you speaking of the Kizil Maske (aka Red Mask the Turkish Phantom) {1968}? go to:
http://secretdefender.sifen7.com/index.php
and go to the Bootleg Video Shelve Collectible section on Turkey (not to mention the other contries they have).
I have not ordered from them yet, this is the company I mentioned that might solve my Onar problem. I too have 7 Onar films. I hope this helps. Glad you found the trailer. Kriminal? Diabolik? Any of those two you like? Let me know. There are other Turkish delights as well by-the-way.
Richard
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I think that's it. Thanks muchly for the link, that'll need a bit of perusing. I wonder if they post to the UK.
I have Diabolik and the 2 Kriminal films but not Mister X. Couldn't even find it in Italy. Kriminal is in Italian with no sub-titles - just as well I go to advanced Italian classes.
I also have the 2 early Fantomas films and the box set of the 5 silent Fantomas films by Louis Feuillade. Great stuff.
Santo and some other Mexican films, including the Batwoman copy are up there as well.
Info on Fantomas here:-
http://www.fantomas-lives.com/fanto4.htm
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Yes I have an extensive collection of Mexican masked movies including Batwoman, Santos, Blue Demon, Neutron and others. From Italy I have Flashman, the 3 Supermen series, SuperArgo (both movies), Argoman, and others. Fantomas I have not gotten to yet. I have all the Diabolik and Kriminal movies plus the Santanik and Phenomenal movies. And a whole lot more from Japan and Hong Kong. I have also have ordered from Super Strange Video as well and they have a pretty extensive collection of movies as well. Movie serials of the 1940's and 1950's in the USA? Yes I have. Copperhead (The Mysterious Doctor Satan), Spy Smasher, Captain America, Captain Marvel, all 1940's and a whole bunch more I can't remember since I am at work and my poor memory is failing me right now.....lol.....chat with U later....
Richard
Thanks for the Fantomas link!
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HEAD (1968)
"Well let me tell you something, son, nobody ever loans money to a man with a sense of humor!"
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The Bogart film has grown on me over the years. That said, for some bizarre reason, the last 3 times in a row I watched it, I had trouble keeping my eyes open all the way thru. I know, I've been under a lot of stress and I'm not getting proper sleep, but this is ridiculous. This most recent time, last weekend, I got up to the first murder, and then Marlowe climbed into the window and saw Geiger laying there dead and Carmen sitting in the chair... and the next thing I know, Mrs. Ruttledge was being held up in Eddie Mars' parking lot, and Marlowe saved her, then punched out the hired hood, saying, "I don't like it when people play games!" And I realized... oh my God, how did I just miss HALF the movie???
A few days later, I wound the tape back to Geiger's house, and watched from there. I shut it off just before Marlowe went to visit Eddie Mars' casino, figuring I'd watch the 2nd half of the story the following night. Which I did. And then, during the last 5 minutes of the film, I started to drop off AGAIN!! This was annoying. (As soon as the film was over, I wound it back to just before Marlowe arrived at Geiger's house for the final time... then watched the climax AGAIN. Much better this time. I always love it when that row of bullet holes appear in the door. When Eddie falls in, you can't help but notice there are NO bullet holes in HIM. heh heh heh.)
That said... the next night, I watched the Mitchum film again. And STAYED ALERT and awake from start to finish. The sheer clarity of the storytelling in that thing continues to amaze me.
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By the way Paw...Do you have the Kilink film.... Disi Kilink which is the Female Kilink?
Also.....last night powered through Prince Of Space, Invasion of The Neptune Men (Space Chief), 3 Fantastic Supermen and a Mad Girl, and Supersonic Man. Prince of Space won most weird, and 3 Fantastic supermen as the most silly, with Supersonic Man the worst of the bunch. Back to Mexican ones today,,,,,
RB
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Having plowed thru my complete box set of THE MONKEES, the last few days have gone like this...
HEAD
33-1/3 REVOLUTIONS PER MONKEE (this is the only item on this list that is real CRAP)
ELEPHANT PARTS
Michael Nesmith in TELEVISION PARTS
The 1st episode of the latter includes Martin Mull doing a "home safety tips" film, in which, among other things, he tells you what to do if your house is struck my an iceberg. Music includes "Eldorado To The Moon".
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prof, I understand your stress problem and I have to admit that the Bogart version doesn't make sense all the time to me either but it just looks so good.
Richard, I don't have the female Kilink but your other mentions earlier made me look at my films and I have Flashman, Puma Man and on my computer, there are 3 Argoman, 2Neutron, Electra Woman and Dyna Girl; Aztec Mummy. Also some British tv b&w childrens serials , Masters of Space; Pathfinders in Space; Famous Five, which are great fun
Never seen a 3 Fantastic Supermen.
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I plan on making a list of my Non USA super hero/anti-Hero movies list soon as I am buying more and more as time rolls by and I don't want duplicate buys. If you're interested I could post that list here if you have a notion to take a look at that list. Let me know.
RB
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I would like to see a list. PD movies can be posted at archive.org if you have any not already there.
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PD movies @ archives.org? really....hmm....gotta go see......
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For the first time in 15 years, I dug out THE MONKEES box set and watched the whole TV series. Wow. I need to do this more often, like I do with GET SMART and WKRP.
So of course, right after, I watched HEAD. But then, I watched 33-1/3 REVOLUTIONS PER MONKEES, the TV special. Yikes!
I finally read up on it the other day, turns out it was written & produced by the creator of SHINDIG, the short-lived music anthology show that replaced the earlier HOOTENANNY, but was itself replaced (on Thursday nights) by BATMAN. The special struck me as a "psychedelic" update of SHINDIG, and the big question was, what the HELL were The Monkees doing in there? Had they dumped all the "conceptual" garbage and focused just on musical guests and music, it could have been a lot better. Trying to pass it off as a "Monkees" special and then apparently having zero interest in actually featuring The Monkees in it (sort of like what the producers of HEAD did, only far worse, as at least there the group and Jack Nicholson wrote the movie) resulted in a complete disaster.
I think if they were going to have Brian Auger & Julie Driscoll, they'd have done better just to have they performing music. (Driscoll, I've read, is the one whose recording of Bob Dylan's "This Wheel's On Fire" was used as the theme song to the TV series ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS.)
That said, I think this was the first time I've ever watched it back-to-back with ELEPHANT PARTS (1981), and while I've seen EP maybe several dozen times over the years, the over-riding thought in my head the whole time was "This was 100 times better than the '69 special!!"
Indeed, I've read that despite high ratings, The Monkees felt burnt out and couldn't decide on what format they wanted the 3rd season of the TV series to be... so they never did one. Nesmith's mid-80's follow-up, TELEVISION PARTS, showed me just how a 3rd season of THE MONKEES could have been-- a musical-comedy anthology show which would combine music videos by the group and various guest-stars (something they seemed to be leaning toward at the very tail-end of the original show) and comedy bits, also with the group or various guest-stars.
It blows my mind how many people were guest-stars on TP, before they became famous, including Gary Shandling, Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld... (Martin Mull, of course, had been around at least since the 70's.)
I don't see why anyone would want the music from the special on CD, but if they did, it would be easy to just copy it straight from the video. I've done that enough time myself, and I'm not even using professional equipment.
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Yes, Brian Auger and The Trinity with Julie Driscoll. That was huge hit here and still gets played on radio. The version on Ab Fab was by Driscoll and Ade Edmondson. Here's info from Wikipedia:-
"The theme song for Absolutely Fabulous is "This Wheel's on Fire", written by Bob Dylan and Rick Danko and performed by Julie Driscoll and Saunders' husband Adrian Edmondson. The song was also sung by Marianne Faithfull and P. P. Arnold for the "Last Shout" special in 1996. Hermine Demoriane sang a French version of the theme song over the closing credits of the episode "Paris".[citation needed] At the end of the episode "Birthday", Edina and Patsy sang the song together using a karaoke machine. More recently, it has been sung by Debbie Harry, who also guest-starred in the 2002 Christmas special "Gay". For series four, a line sung by David Bowie, "Ziggy played guitar", from the song "Ziggy Stardust" played at the end of each episode.
Due to copyright issues, the theme song is missing from many of the US Region 1 DVDs, being replaced by an instrumental version of the song. Also excised from the US DVD release is the musical number from Chicago performed by Horrocks, Gaffney, and Ryan, during a dream sequence in the series 5 episode "Birthin'".
In addition to the official theme song, in 1994, Pet Shop Boys recorded a song for Comic Relief using excerpts of dialogue from the series put to dance music. The single was not officially a Pet Shop Boys release: the artist was simply given as "Absolutely Fabulous". It peaked at number 6 in the UK Singles Chart in July 1994. The music video featured clips from the show and specially recorded footage of the Pet Shop Boys with Patsy and Edina."
The mention of PP Arnold gives me an excuse (if one were needed)to mention The Small Faces and PP belting out Tin Soldier and you can watch and listen here:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcKZoFRpZCI
Get up and jump about 'cos it's sooooooo good.
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Ahh the Trinity......one album in their day and two others many years later......good stuff.....
Brian went on of course to a long career with the Oblivion Express.....Julie had a somewhat lesser career.
I was really bummed back in the Day when Steve Marriot left the Small Faces to form Humble Pie.....and Rod The Mod came along and wrecked the band.....so sad.
Anyways....back to work......
RB
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Narf
As promised here is my list of Non USA Movies that have costumed crime fighters/vigilante's in them. So here they are as follows:
Onar Films Turkey - 10 movies on 7 DVD's (All In Turkish)
(Paw should have most if not all of these or more <wink>)
3 Dev Adam {3 Mighty Men}
Kilink Ucan Adama Karsi & Kilink So Ve Oldur {Kilink Vs the Flying Man & Kilink Strip & Kill} (Double Feature)
Demir Pence Korsan Adam (Iron Pirate)
Kilink Istanbul Da {Kilink In Istanbul}
Superman Donuyor {Superman Returns} & Demir Yumruk Devler Geliyor {Iron Fist: The Giants Are Coming}
(Double Feature)
Casus Kiran (Spy Smasher)
The Deathless Devils & Tarkan Vs The Vikings (No Turkish on this one!) Another Double Feature
& One Non Onar Turkish Film:
Superman In Istanbul
Japan: 5 movies on 3 DVD's
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OOOHH er, missus, is that another Batwoman I see there? And not the Mexican one? I'm sure Avenger X is Mister X, the Italian masked man - I have some comics but the costumes (they change) are different, so I'm not sure if they are related.
As I mentioned above, there is also Puma Man out there, and on my shelves - if I could just lay my hand on it.
There are some masked men historical movies available, incl' The Purple Mask with Tony Curtis;
Mask of The Avenger with John Derek;
Son of Monte Cristo with Louis Hayward
Apart from being a superhero nut, I also love all those historical comics and movies featuring masked men.
For British childrens tv serials-
Pathfinders in Space is available here:-
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pathfinders-Space-Trilogy-ITV-Network/dp/B005IX34BG/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1355417787&sr=1-1
Masters of Venus here:-
http://www.serialsandsuch.com/masters-of-venus
I have the Starman movies but not the others.
Just to be clear, there is 1 Satanik movie and 2 Kriminal films and a documentary? with Kilink, which might be the Satanik/Diabolical Super Kriminal you mention.
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That is the Turkish Batgirl, not the Mexican Batwoman. I have yet to find the Turkish one though....still on the hunt for it. And yes Avenger X is Mr. X the Italian masked man. Pumaman eludes me as well, Amazon has a VHS version but it is going for $37.50 US plus shipping. Not worth it in my book. The Purple Mask I have seen and it is a period piece and typically I prefer contemporary (for their time) movies. Althought The Black Whip Movie serial was rather enjoyable. Which brings me to another subject. I think I have just about every movie serial out there that has a masked/costumed character out there (excluding westerns and period pieces, except the Zorro's Black Whip as mentioned before), and that is another whole area I love to cover. I also have movies from the 1940's (The Shadow for one) that have those masked crimefighters as well.
The Satanik & Kriminal 2 disk DVD I assume is one disk for each and I don't know if it is Kriminal or Kilink just yet until it arrives. I still will get both Kriminal movies once I sort it all out and there is a documentary as well? Do you know how many Diabolik movies there were? Any others you would speak up for? If you care to share let me know. Thanks for the info.
Richard @ work.....
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Defendor (USA 2009) Woody Harrelson - Sandra Oh - Ellias Koteas arrived today.... on the watch list tonight
RB
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Interesting movie but not something I would watch again
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Wouldn't know had a defective disk. Ugh.
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I saw Defendor years ago and it was likeable if not memorable.
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Fenomenal & Diabolik arrived today so they're on for this evening.....
RB
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First Keaton Batman
I just watched this for the first time in probably 20 years. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The movie is a classic.
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Remember when Batman used guns (and killed people with them), hung out in strip clubs, and didn
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Wait a minute, is this a PORNO or just very racy? :)
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well I would call it just very racy, and personally there is no actual sex as all movies that were "mainstream" of that era, and also remember Turkey is a predominately Muslim country even if at the time it was a secular "democratic" government. So that is my take. Your's?
Mr Goldenface.....
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TELEVISION PARTS HOME COMPANION (1985)
A very strange videotape that contained certain bits from the TV series with other bits not featured on the show. One of the recurring bits is a psuedo-documentary about an attempt to prove California could have been colonized by Polynesians by sailing a resturant from Hawaii to California. "Doreen has brought the flaming pig." Contains a much-clearer version of "Eldorado To The Moon", as compared to the one I taped from the broadcast network signal.
The last episode of the TV series, which I recorded before this, was apparently a full hour instead of a half-hour, though I'm not sure it had any commercial breaks. How is that possible? It also contained many bits seen in earlier episodes, though some of them were much longer than seen earlier, as was the Arsenio Hall segment about the depiction of black people on TV, the first half of it was not included in the original broadcast, and so it made much more sense the 2nd time around. "All over the food, all over the food!"
HEART AND SOUL: The Official Monkees Videography (1987)
Documentary containing clips of their reunion tour, interviews, and videos of their new songs.
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Anyone got a lead on Electra Woman & Dyna Girl DL's? Let me know. They only had 8 epsiodes right?
RB
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Michael Nesmith LIVE AT THE BRITT FESTIVAL (1992)
Mike does one Monkees song, some of his 70's material, several songs from AND THE HITS JUST KEEP ON COMIN', only this time with a full band, and then does about a third of his then-new album, TROPICAL CAMPFIRES. "Red" Rhodes, who played on most of his 70's albums, is in the band, as is John Hobbes, who does a trio of his "Five Second Concerts" from the TELEVISION PARTS show. Wonderfully laid-back and at times existential. "And theoretical physicists in the audience?"
The Monkees: JUSTUS (1997)
Video promo tie-in on their reunion album, split between LIVE performaces of the new songs and some very bizarre "comedy" bits.
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Richard, I downloaded some episodes a year ago but can't remember from where. There are bits of episodes here on Yahoo search:-
http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=electra+woman+and+dyna+girl+episodes
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Look for the pilot of an attempted re boot of Electra Woman starring Markie Post as a washed up alcoholic Electra Woman living in a trailer park. Its a riot.
Its listed as unaired but I saw it on cable years ago, don't remember what channel.
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I'll have to go look and see. Thanks guys. Just got through watching the 1926 silent "The Bat"....weird. Up next is "The Confessions of a Super Hero".....Yes Ma.....I bought more stuff......
RB over and out.....
Ok............4 people in costumes out in front of Manns Chinese theatre posing for pictures for "tips"....and the lives they lead.... a documentary.....interesting....sad....in a way...and cruel to an extent I think. Anyways that was followed up with the very entertaining Goldface from Italy dubbed in English.....not much plot but lots of wrestling and fighting.....and lots of bad 60's music! my wife loved it as she got her back rubbed for over an hour....not so on Confessions which she watched as she did with Paperman.....
*A note to Paw* Goldface was the first of 3 titles/DVD's that I purchased from the Treasure Chest. Reasonable shipping if somewhat unusual packing and such! Jewel cases for the DVD's. Goldface (in soft color) was 2nd Gen - source was probable VHS tape.
My other two purchases were the Turk Movies Kizil Maske (Red Mask / Red Phantom) & Casus Kiran II which are both B&W and I will have to let you know about them when I watch them today/tonight. Take care my friend.
Richard
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Shoe Suede Blues: THANK YOU, LOVERS OF THE OPERA (1999)
Live performance at a bar of Peter Tork's band, interspersed with interview segments & humor.
Ben Vaughn: RAMBLER '65 (1996)
Camden, NJ's Ben Vaughn searches for spare parts to fix his 1965 Rambler American car, while simultaneously working to turn the car into a recording studio on wheels. He records his new album, RAMBLER '65, IN the car-- then goes to see Philadelphia radio DJ Jerry Blavat ("The Geeter with the Heater") to get him to play it on the radio so Ben can hear what it sounds like on the car radio!
I've seen Ben play in person about a dozen times, and at one of the shows, I even got to meet Jerry Blavat! (Ben went to L.A. in the 90's and found work in the TV and film industry, beginning with doing the music for the TV series, 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN.)
A brief segment in the middle of the tape is of a live show Ben did at The Khyber Pass Pub on 2nd Street in Philly, where I first saw him. If you look REAL quick, you can catch a (BRIEF!!) glimpse of Palmyra Delran, leader of The Friggs. (Ben & Palmyra were a couple for 16 years.)
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Watched the following yesterday:
Casus Kiran Man of 7 Lives
Kizil Maske I (Red Phantom)
Don't Call Me A Super Hero
The Wraith
Super
The Blue Bulleteer Captured By the Cloak (A double Feature 2nd feature not watched yet)
The top two were turk movies in B&W and were very enjoyable even though the Red Phantom loses sound in the last 10 minutes or so,.....bummer. However these remind me so much of the movie serials of the 1940's and 1950's just more over the top and more sexy.... 3.5 fingers up.
The next 4 are new purchases. Don't know the origin of the first one but it is a really low budget affair and short one @ 45 minutes but none the less was fun. two fingers up.
The Wraith I understand is an Australian character and could be an AU production, nice product staging oor CGI- stiff acting - nice costumes - but ultimately dissapointing. This one gets a fist you know where.....
Super stars that Guy from the office and that girl from Juno. I don't understand the negative reviews on this one. I enjoyed it. It had a payoff and everything a "super" movie should have. Given the bent of the movie it concluded more or less how it should have.....super hero fans hated it because of the bad name it gives the genre. 4 fingers for this one.
Last on my list is a mercy purchase. I love Bill Black and what he does. Every year I try and buy some product of his. Normally I catch up on his Femforce or whatever new superhero book he's done in the last year (normally not a lot of books). I don't buy his B&W reprint books because they are too expensive and really, most of what he has is here or will be some day (and for the most art in color). So since this year seems to be the year of super hero/heroine movies I bought that title and the Nightveil title. I watched the BB one first and found out it's the sequel to Nightveil. O well. Sorry to say these are just barely watchable. Sigh. Sorry Bill. Maybe they will grow on me. I will try the Nightveil one tonight.
More movie madness to come......
Richard
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Someone over at the Serial Squadron and nicely set up easy links to all 36 chapters of Danger Island (which are posted at Youtube).
This serial originally ran as part of Hanna-Barbera's The Banana Splits Adventure Hour back in 1968. I have not seen it since the 1960s but its catch-phrase "Uh-oh, Chongo" has been permanently imprinted into my brain and occasionally surfaces and almost always elicits a smile or comment when used around someone my own age.
Richard (Superman) Donner was the director of Danger Island and a young Jan-Michael Vincent was one of the stars.
Check it out.
http://www.serialsquadron.com/forums/tv/
Best
Joe
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Watched Kick Ass last night nice little movie.....
RB
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I enjoyed Dexter. In my book he was a hero. He only killed those he knew conclusively were murderers.
SPOILER ALERT stop here and do not scroll down if you do not want to know
In the season finally Dexter/Debra became murders themselves for their convenience. They totally corrupted the character.
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It's crazy. I love Bill Black's work more now than back in the 80's when he made a big splash. And I think I owe it to Bill Schelly's retrospectives on "fanzine" characters, plus, Gary Carlson's BIG BANG COMICS. As I look back, I realize most "fun" comics feature characters who haven't been around for decades, getting stale under dozens or hundreds of (ahem) "creators". There's more vitality in a crudely-written-and-drawn fanzine comic than in most Marvels or DCs. If you wanna read a Spidey or an FF, go to the 60's. Iron Fist, Johnny Blaze, Shang-Chi, the 70's. The 80's had loads of new characters. I know there continue to be new characters, but they get lost in the avalanche of "product" from the big two. Yet the guys who post at the Masterworks board seem to feel Marvel (and DC) are "it", period.
Heck, my favorite comic right now is JANE'S WORLD, which has only been around 10 years-- and every single bit of it all done by its creator, Paige Braddock.
As for Black... he's been doing fanzines since the late 60's. All the while his day job was in film production. So scaling back comics and focusing more on direct-to-video items starring HIS comic characters... what a natural idea! Hope I can afford some of them one of these days.
While at my last job, I did a few mail-orders with AC-- mostly westerns and "good girl" books. I'd posted a PILE of AC Ghost Rider reprints at the "Silver Age Marvel" site (heh heh heh) before it went down early last year(GRRRRRRRR).
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Shouldn't DANGER ISLAND be 26 chapters????? I clearly recall they had exactly enough episodes to run the full serial TWICE in one TV season. The odd thing was, they only had 17 weeks worth of cartoons, so those got run 3 times in the same period. Naturally, to see the last 9 chapters of DANGER ISLAND, you had to put up with reruns of THE ARABIAN KNIGHTS and THE THREE MUSKETEERS.
If I'm not mistaken, the guy who played the exile on the island (Chongo was his sidekick) was also a semi-regular on TARZAN with Ron Ely. Watched TARZAN again recently, and this JUST occured to me now as I'm tying!
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The Banana Splits Adventure Hour had 18 episodes during its first season. IIRC, they ran two chapters of Danger island on each episode for a total of 36 chapters. These DI chapters were quite short, usually running somewhere between 4 1/2 -5 minutes long.
From what I was able to find out about the animated segments there were apparently 18 episodes of both the Arabian Knights and the Musketeers produced. I've seen lists of both that include 18 episode titles (and sometimes original broadcast dates).
Btw, there was also a third short-lived animated segment during that first season, Micro Ventures, which only ran for four episodes from November-December 1968.
The only incidental things I remember about the actor who played Chongo, and this is something I heard years later, was that he was a stuntman, martial artist and fight choreographer and that he worked on David Carradine's Kung Fu in the 1970s.
Best
Joe
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I enjoyed Dexter. In my book he was a hero. He only killed those he knew conclusively were murderers.
SPOILER ALERT stop here and do not scroll down if you do not want to know
Thanks for the Spoiler Alert as I have only watched Dexter through season five so far (expecting to view season 6 next month).
I will say that up through the episodes I have watched though there have been, at least, two incidents where he killed people who were not murderers. One killing was done out of anger and the other when he pegged the wrong guy as a killer. Now both of the guys he killed were a**holes, to be sure, but neither of them were murderers. They didn't dwell too much on either of these killings but I sure noted the difference.
Best
Joe
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I'm sorry, but that info about DANGER ISLAND can't be right. I saw the show when it was first-run. They did not have 2 episodes of DANGER ISLAND each week; only 1. And they had exactly half a year's worth of episodes to make up the full story. When the cartoons ran out, DANGER ISLAND continued, and the rest of the show was "reruns". I cannot possibly recall this so clearly unless that's the way it was. I remember feeling 'forced" to sit thru the reruns of the cartoons as the later part of the DANGER ISLAND serial continued. The result of having more episodes of DANGER ISLAND than the cartoons meant that when DANGER ISLAND was rerun, the cartoons that re-ran with it were not the same ones seen during its first run, since they were on a different cycle!
Some years back, I saw a half-hour version of THE BANANA SPLITS in syndication. At the time, it seemed to me that the DANGER ISLAND segments were much shorter than I remembered from when it was on the network. I can only imagine they must have re-cut them for syndication. If the serial was cut into shorter segments (and it may well have been), the total would have been 52, not 36.
I'm not sure about this, but I do recall they always ran THE ARABIAN KNIGHTS early in the first half-hour, THE THREE MUSKETEERS sometime in the 2nd half-hour, and DANGER ISLAND smack in the middle. What may have happened was, it may have been split up around a commercial break at the half-hour point. This way, they would only run the title montage at the beginning (or, "every other segment").
I just checked Wipikepdia... as with so much else, they've got it wrong. They don't even spell Rockne Tarrington's name from the TARZAN series right! (It's "Rao", not "Tao".)
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Henry, your memory of the show sounds sharper than mine. I gotta admit that after 40+ years mine are pretty dim on the specifics.
Maybe someday they'll come out with a complete DVD collection of the series. Until then I'll just enjoy rewatching these chapters of Danger Island.
Uh-oh Chongo
Joe
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Don't throw things at me but I hated Danger Island when I watched Banana Splits as a kid. I liked the Musketeers but my favorite was the Arabian Knights. I remember Dexter's "extra" kills but they were deserving. Next years story line has to fundamentally change who Dexter and Debra are. The part of me that has invested in the series wants to know what happens but another part of my is very upset with the writers and producers.
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Typically for me, there were moments when I found DANGER ISLAND annoying, specifically because it was an ongoing serial. I always had trouble with 2-parters, but this thing went on and on and on! And I'm SURE somewhere in the middle of the first run of it, I missed an episode or two somewhere along the way. Probably had to watch the 2nd run just to catch up on the parts of the story I missed.
I recall ARABIAN KNIGHTS having a more flexible format than THREE MUSKETEERS. It's been decades since I saw either, but it seems to me every single episode of THREE MUSKETEERS felt like every other one. Sort of like ROAD RUNNER, or PEPE LE PEAU. I know this is the kind of criticism that's probably true for a lot of series, but it seemed more true of 3M than many that season. (I may be wrong... but somehow, I doubt it.)
In the long run, my favorite part of the show was THE ROCK & ROLL MUSIC... just like ARCHIE, or THE MONKEES, or LANCELOT LINK, SECRET CHIMP.
Barry White wrote "Doin' The Banana Split". "Blackest" song I ever heard on a Saturday morning kiddie show!!
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I remember Dexter's "extra" kills but they were deserving.
I must say that I totally disagree with you, Narf. The "extra" kills may have been jerks but they were not predators/murderers and hardly deserving of the "death penalty" that Dexter imposes on his usual victims.
Best
Joe
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They were the beginning of the slide, taking away a lot from the show
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Has anyone seen Lightning Raider, or know if it is available anywhere? It sounds very interesting.
http://pdsh.wikia.com/wiki/Lightning_Raider
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Couldn't find "Lightning Raider" on Internet Archive- are we talking about the 1919 fim? I have, however, found some really great 1940's one hour B films on the archive. Recently viewed "Murder on the Air" with a very young Lee J. Cobb and a fun performance by Peter Lind Hayes. Also the Brit espionage "Cottage to Let" (aka "Bombsight Stolen") with a very good cast. Although quality varies widely, one can find lots of thrillers, mysteries, and noir- you just have to search for them! If you want to view an old "quicky", this is the place to find one. Also got to watch the series finale of "Leverage"- gave the reason for the move to Portland. Also left room for a sequel or tv movie. I really enjoyed this series- sad to see it go. The Dr. Who "Snowmen" special gave us a glimpse of the Dr.'s possible new companion. No spoilers, but it's someone we've met before. Hope you all had a great Christmas and will all enjoy a very happy new year. Cheers, Bowers
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Lightining Raider is 1919 and I could not find it at ARchive either. I have not watched the last episode of Leverage yet. The previews at the end of Doctor Who show her in the future adventures. I also like the addition of "Potato Head" as a possible companion as it appears he is also in future episodes
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Has anyone seen Lightning Raider, or know if it is available anywhere? It sounds very interesting.
http://pdsh.wikia.com/wiki/Lightning_Raider
As I understand it most of the serial is lost but the serial squadron guys have posted a short surviving sequence here on youtube,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xeQoT_YM-U
Btw, future Charlie Chan (and Fu Manchu), Warner Oland plays the heavy in this serial.
Enjoy
Joe
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Finally got to watch Defendor yesterday and not such a bad movie. Also watch Spiderbabe, Kekko Kamen disk 1 & 2, along with the double D Avenger (It was an adult afternoon). As one can imagine these didn't have much of a plot. I will skip the Double D Avenger other than to say it was a waste of time (& $2.98 in shipping.), and what is with the Japanese? I mean they're ideas sometimes makes you just scratch your head in wonder. In the evening I watch (by myself) Superheroes, a documentary on "real life" super heroes around the US. Kind of interesting, for the 4 dollars I paid for it, it was not a bad purchase. More to come as the movies keep on rolling in......
RB
Still waiting for my new OS....... :-(
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Thanks for the link, Joe. Pretty good stuff! According to imdb, Boris Karloff also appeared in this serial. Cheers, Bowers
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Watched the "Specials" Last night with Rob Lowe and Jamie Kennedy, a comedy Super Hero movie. Very nice satire. I enjoyed this movie very much. A good saturday night rental if you can find it.
Richard
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Yep, saw it a year or so back and was pleasantly surprised.
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Just heard that TNT did not renew Leverage for a 6th season. Apparently the producer suspected such might be the case which is why the finale the other night ended the way it did.
Best
Joe
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My three current weekly serials.
The Phantom of the Air-1933- solid aviation entry with Tom Tyler in the lead role.
The Trail of the Octopus-1919- restored by the guys at the Serial Squadron.
Mystery Mountain-1934- Just started watching this Ken Maynard western chapter-play. Gene Autry (in one of his earliest film appearances) has a supporting role.
Best
Joe
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Watched Flash Gordon with Steve Holland in the lead role ....very interesting.....three episodes not in order..... TV series from the 1950's. One episode from 1953 where Flash Jane and Zarkoff go back to that year (1250 Years earlier)...to save mankind. Also Watched Avenging Force: The Scarab....this takes in the Heroes of N.E.D.O.R. starring the Woman in Red, The Black Terror and The Scarab, and the Sphinx as the villian. Ugh.
RB
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Star Trek: DAGGER OF THE MIND
Caught up with this tonight.
Some new observations... This is 2 episodes in a row involving deep underground caverns, and a very well-respected man whose reputation seems beyond reproach or question... who just happens to be on some kind of power-mad trip. Roger Corby, and Tristan Adams.
Both Adams' female assistant Lethe and his male assistant Eli have blank expressions. I guess Van Gelder would have, but he fought back too hard.
Morgan Woodward is terrific in this. This time around, I particularly took note of his face when under the Vulcan mind-meld. He looked like a completely different person! One could easily see him as highly intelligent, friendly, reasonable. I wonder, since they never said, was he cured because of Spock, did they have to use the machine again to fix what it broke, or did he just return to normal after enough time had gone by? Kirk's very pained expression at the end of the story suggests the fake memories Adams implanted were still there, and he'd never forget.
The question remains, what would Adams have done with Kirk? Claiming there was "another" accident might have looked TOO suspicious. But the story wraps up before too many questions have been answered, or even raised.
Just looked this up: "S-Bar David" (onscreen credit) is actually Shimon Wincelberg, born in Germany, and according to the IMDB...
Many of his scripts for classic TV shows of the 1950s and '60s centered around Jewish themes and were notable for their unusually correct depiction of Jewish rituals and religious law.
He was a mentor for many Orthodox Jews in Hollywood.
Whatta ya know. Jewish-sounding name, a Jew born in Germany before the Nazis took over, the character names "Lethe" & "Eli" both sound Jewish, and Dr. Adams comes across like a scientist in a Nazi concentration camp, experimenting and enjoying himself at the total expense of the people he has power over.
Could the psudonym "S-Bar David" be meant as a reference to "Star of David"?
Finally... while pretty, and attractive, Helen Noel is neither what I'd call "cute" or a standard Trek female who finds Kirk attractive. She seems to have an attitude problem, but this may be common for psychiatrists.
Funny thing... it took until I saw her name in the end credits... Marianna Hill... when I suddenly remembered what I looked up months ago. She was the B**** IN HEAT in the movie HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER who comes on to Clint Eastwood's "Stranger", then acts all offended at him, then gets RAPED by him. And then, the next day, shoots at him multiple times when he's trying to take a bath, and, totally inexplicably, misses. (Or, did she?)
"Wonder what took her so long to get mad?"
"Maybe because you didn't go back for more."
"When a man like that comes along, you give him what he wants. Until he goes too far."
"Isn't RAPE in BROAD DAYLIGHT still a MISDEMEANOR in this town?????"
The other woman character in the film, by the way, Verna Bloom, later played Dean Vernon's wife in the film ANIMAL HOUSE. I saw both films multiple times without ever realizing that, until I looked it up online.
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Just looked this up: "S-Bar David" (onscreen credit) is actually Shimon Wincelberg, born in Germany, and according to the IMDB...
Many of his scripts for classic TV shows of the 1950s and '60s centered around Jewish themes and were notable for their unusually correct depiction of Jewish rituals and religious law.
He was a mentor for many Orthodox Jews in Hollywood.
Whatta ya know. Jewish-sounding name, a Jew born in Germany before the Nazis took over, the character names "Lethe" & "Eli" both sound Jewish, and Dr. Adams comes across like a scientist in a Nazi concentration camp, experimenting and enjoying himself at the total expense of the people he has power over.
Could the psudonym "S-Bar David" be meant as a reference to "Star of David"?
Henry,
I think his pseudonym is actually S. Bar-David which, IIRC, translates as "Son of David". Very interesting post.
Thanks
Joe
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Almost every review of that episode at the IMDB agrees that something appears to be "missing" from the episode. Was it not written, not filmed, or filmed but then cut for time? The thing is... WHY is Tristan Adams using a therapy machine for TORTURE? My impression was, BECAUSE HE CAN. That, deep down, he's a no-good hateful BASTARD, and he's getting his jollies controlling or destroying other people. After all, who's gonna stop him? He's like a little god with his own private kingdom, and, he's got his reputation protecting him.
But people like that have a tendency to go too far, and it usually leads to their downfall. Needlessly using the machine on Kirk was going too far. What was he gonna do-- kill him? Toss him in a cell and say, "He had an accident trying to use the machine?" 2 such accidents would be too suspicious. Brainwash him to the point where-- maybe-- he'd be forced to forget everything that happened? We don't know any of this.
So the result is an episode with fascinating ideas that makes you think, because just about nothing in it is developed or explained properly.
However, tonight, I did get the impression he reminded me of a scientist at a Nazi concentration camp. So finding out just HOW Jewish the writer was, in its own way, may have explained the whole thing.
I suspect if this had been on TARZAN, it could have been a 2-parter...!
Oh, by the way, according to the IMDB, both "Lethe" and "Eli" apparently come from Greek mythology, not Hebrew. Hmm....
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I meant to look this up before... oops.
S.Bar David did 2 unpleasant STAR TREK episodes-- the other one was "The Galileo Seven", which I never liked.
But, he also wrote the first 5 episodes of LOST IN SPACE (the ones I have on tape!), plus, "Invaders from the 5th Dimension" (a very creepy one), and, "Rendezvous with Yesterday", the pilot episode of THE TIME TUNNEL !
The latter, of course, aired in the same TV season as his 2 STAR TREK scripts.
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Watched Maskeli Seytan (Masked Devil) from Turkey last night with English subtitles along with the full length movie without the watermark in the middle of the whole movie and a superior print, Yarasa Adam (Turkish Batman) also with English subtitles. Got these from a guy or guys from HR. called turkiscult @ http://turkishcult.net/site/
RB
PS I have one of 3 computers up and running and I am reinstalling all my software today, sigh!
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Started watching Deep Space 9 from the beginning. While I did not like the spiritualist part of the show it became a Star Trek favorite
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Richard, I look forward to checking the Turkish movie site. Thanks.
I'd like to suggest you all try to find a new BBC 2-parter called Restless, which was on over Christmas. Espionage with a good mystery and excellent performances. Can't say too much without spoiling things but told in well-organised flashbacks. For Linda and I, it was a riveting 3 hours.
Also on was an adaptation of Ian Rankin's "Doors Open", with Dougie Henshall and Stephen Fry. Edinburgh looked great at times; there's a bit of humour; good bad guys; tricky wee story. Most enjoyable and it should be available outside the U.K.
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Paw I will look for that show and see if I can find it. Sounds interesting. I am about 2/3rds way through my new movie purchases and looking forward to more movies to arrive in my mailbox any day now. I still have several US movies that I have purchased that I have not watched yet so tonight probably will be the night for them. Stay tuned.
RB
PS anyone want a list of all my non USA Movies?
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Pretty good movie. Good story and plot with lots of action.
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Feature films watched in recent weeks-
Frankenstein:The True Story-1973, Petey Wheatstraw: The Devil's Son-in-Law-1977, Argo-2012, Clash of the Titans-2010, Wrath of the Titans-2012, Red Riding Hood-2011, Lincoln-2012, The Thing-2011, The Day of the Triffids-1962, Godzilla, King of the Monsters-1956, Flight-2012, Willard-2003, The Man from Monterey-1933, Mad Monkey Kung Fu-1979, The Green Hornet-2011, The Flying Guillotine-1975, Justice League: Doom-2012, X-15-1961, The Belle of New York-1952, Almighty Thor-2011, The Sun Sets at Dawn-1950, A Carol for Another Christmas-1964, The Devil's Party-1938, That Night in Rio-1941, Convict Stage-1965, The Silencers-1966, The Amazing Spider-Man-2012, The Iron Lady-2011, Pinup Girl-1944, The Hunger Games-2012, Scrooge-1951, The Dark Knight Rises-2012, Days of Thrills and Laughter-1961, Motor Patrol-1950, Counterspy Meets Scotland Yard-1950, The Crowd-1928, Bangkok Dangerous-2008, Western Pacific Agent-1950, Skyfall-2012, The Secret World of Arrietty-2010, Los Tres Garcia-1947, Roaring City-1951, The Stolen Ranch-1926, A Man Called Sledge-1970, Sky Liner-1949, Murderer's Row-1966.
Best
Joe
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Watched "Revenge of the Creature"(1955) last night and was surprised to see a walk-on from a VERY young Clint Eastwood as a lab assistant. Bought some used DVDs last week, so on the menu for this week's viewing are- "The Cheap Detective" (Peter Falk), "Gangs Inc." (Alan Ladd), "Something to Sing About" (James Cagney), and "Mr. Deeds goes to Town" (Gary Cooper). On BBC America, I've finished the second seasons of "Bedlam" and "The Hour". Didn't like the second "Bedlam" as well as the first, but think "The Hour" has been improved by new characters and fuller characterizations. One of our local PBS stations debuted a Britcom last week called "The Cafe", but I missed it. Anybody know if it is any good? Cheers, Bowers
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Chaps, where do you find the time for all those great films and progs? We've had new series of Lewis; Midsomer Murders; Death in Paradise This week and we haven't caught up. Also missed the 1st. part of Spies of Warsaw with David Tennent. Thank goodness for watch again.
Not only not seen "The Cafe", I don't recognise it at all.
Miranda also started and we missed part 2. Now that's a funny show..
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Where do we find the time, Paw? Dunno about others, but this is the slow time of year for me at work. So instead of working six days a week, I only have to work four, giving me some much-needed time to catch up on my family and hobbies! We should be getting "Ripper Street" and "Spies of Warsaw" shortly- looking forward to both. Haven't seen any of the newer "Midsomer Murders" (without John Nettleton) yet. Are they still good? Probably no new mysteries on PBS until late spring, although one of the local channels came up with a few recent episodes of "Hustle". Haven't seen any of those since season four. The "Mentalist" has been pretty good this season with two seperate (or maybe not) sub-plots going on. Unfortunately it is shown at 10 pm on Sunday, so sometimes I fall asleep or just plain forget to watch it! Cheers, Bowers
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Same probelm here with the Mentalist and Elementary.....on too late.....thank god for DVR units! I just DVR it and watch the shows when I have time.....whenever that is......Friday is my day off this week so I can scan and watch movies and stuff! I'm excited!
RB still @ work not working.......
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Same probelm here with the Mentalist and Elementary.....on too late.....thank god for DVR units! I just DVR it and watch the shows when I have time.....whenever that is......Friday is my day off this week so I can scan and watch movies and stuff! I'm excited!
RB still @ work not working.......
That's great.,By the way,did you see doctor who:the snowmen,last month on bbc america,in which jenna-louise coleman made her first appearance as clara,the doctor's new companion?
Just asking!
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Sure did! I think she'll make The Doctor a fine companion. Cheers, Bowers
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I find the new companion acceptable and attractive. I too am a HUGE DVR fan. I did not watch Elementary from the start. I know that I would probably like it but do not want to have another show to catch up on.
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Yeah,you got that right.I Would like to know what you think of once upon a time and revenge!
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The Lil Missus and I very much enjoy Once Upon a Time but I have never seen Revenge.
Best
Joe
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WOLF IN THE FOLD has always been an unusual ST story. It's the 3rd (and final) one from Robert Bloch (PSYCHO, THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD), and involves a serial killer, whose identity seems either all too obvious, or much stranger than anyone could ever have imagined.
Among the guest actors are Charles Macauley, previously seen as "Landru" in RETURN OF THE ARCHONS, and John Fielder, the voice of "Piglet" in Disney's WINNEY THE POOH cartoons, who much later was a regular on Dabney Coleman's series BUFFALO BILL. This is probably the 1st time I ever took notice of Fiedler, everything else I've ever seen him in, I'm always reminded of this story. On the other hand, it took me decades (and looking it up on the IMDB) before I ever realized I'd seen Macauley in anything else. His appearances also include The Monkees' movie, HEAD, where he has the wonderful quote, "The tragedy of your times, my young friends, is that you may get exactly as you want."
In production order, this was the 1st episode of the 2nd season that reused music from earlier episodes. This includes music from THE CAGE (the Orion slave girl dance was reused here for the dancing girl at the beginning of the story) and cues from CATSPAW.
I still recall the 1st time I saw this story, being totally thrown at the way the investigation proceeded, especially once it moved up to The Enterprise. I suppose it figures that the one person who kept objecting to it and making fun of it turned out to be the killer. "Die, die, everybody die!" may be the most memorable line in the story.
THE CHANGELING, I have to admit, is the first episode I've watched this time out that I was really NOT thrilled with, at all. I guess I've seen it too much, and had too many of its plot points ridiculed over the years, and realized just how idiotic and repetitive some things in this one are. I really hate machines that don't work right, and I really hate supposedly "intelligent" computers that don't know their ass from a hole in the ground. "Nomad" keeps saying it's "perfect", and that it's programming is "whole", yet it refuses to recognize that its so-called "programming" was the result of itself being nearly destroyed in an accident and then rebuilt in a completely faulty, seemingly arbitrary way. About the only thinking machine even stupider than "Nomad" had to be "V'Ger", which didn't even recognize what living beings were.
I recall it being quite a shock when Scotty was knocked over on the bridge, and McCoy wound up saying, "He's DEAD, Jim!" Crewmen have been killed before (including in the previous episode), but one of the main regulars? Of course that got turned around moments later. What happened to Uhura was really stupid, though. The whole sequence of her supposedly being "re-educated" was played too much for laughs in the middle of such a supposedly "deadly serious" story where billions of people have been killed, and billions more lives are at risk. I agree with whoever at the IMDB suggested her memories were probably just buried, and it took a certain amount of time and effort to re-connect them.
After Mr. Hengist was beamed out into space and DISPURSED in the previous episode, WHY didn't they do the same thing with Nomad? It seems a big chance they took that that thing would actually blow itself up. (Funny how you notice stuff like this if you watch in production order.)
THE APPLE was summed up by one IMDB reviewer as "Same ship, different day." I also agree with whoever suggested that the entire story seems to have been assembled by someone who looked at previous episodes, borrowed elements from several of them, and threw them together to get a new episode out of it. You've got a so-called paradise with plants that shoot spores (THIS SIDE OF PARADISE), a planet with mindless people run by a computer that is using a tractor beam to pull the Enterprise down out of orbit (RETURN OF THE ARCHONS), and the ship using its main phaser banks to destroy the menacing power source (WHO MOURNS FOR ADONIS). You've even got one of the main characters, this time, Spock, getting killed-- NO, he got better (THE CHANGELING).
The music in this episode, like the previous one, is also made up entirely of cues from previous episodes. Several previous episodes. I recognized cues from CATSPAW (the ominous castle music and the action scenes), SHORE LEAVE (the romantic theme), AMOK TIME (both Spock's theme and the Vulcan planet music). Of course, since this was run by NBC 2 weeks before CATSPAW, most people probably never had a clue that that episode was the source of so much terrific music that got endlessly reused in other stories.
And speaking of CATSPAW... while that story reminded me of a LOST IN SPACE type of story, THE APPLE was actually very similar to a 3rd season LIS story that aired ALMOST the same time-- SPACE PRIMEVALS. That was about a group of apparent cave men who worshipped-- I'm not kidding-- a COMPUTER! SPACE PRIMEVALS aired October 4, 1967; THE APPLE aired October 13, 1967-- 9 DAYS later!! Really-- what are the odds?????
So many 3rd-season LIS episodes seemed like LIS remakes of 1st-season ST stories, including CONDEMNED OF SPACE, VISIT TO A HOSTILE PLANET, HUNTER'S MOON, SPACE DESTRUCTORS, THE HAUNTED LIGHTHOUSE, FLIGHT INTO THE FUTURE... seems to me the closest parallel I can come up with for SPACE PRIMEVALS might be THE GALILEO SEVEN, if only because of the "cavemen". I just find it bizarre that in its 2nd season, STAR TREK was slowly becoming more like its dumber counterpart.
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Slowly getting through the shows we missed but another weekend of NFL shoves us back again. So, the first part of Lewis was very good and as this is the last series, hopefully it'll be quality all the way.
The new Midsomer Murders was highly entertaining and Neil Dudgeon seems a good fit for the show especially as they kept Jones as the sidekick.
This new series of Miranda is butt-clenchingly excruciating to watch at times but fall off the chair funny - I love slapstick.
Death in Paradise is back - Ben Miller and Danny John Jules - and the new series got off to a great start incl. a wee appearance by James Cosmo.
Still not got to Spies of Warsaw. But we caught up on Big Bang. The one with the wormhole. How good was that? Way behind with a number of American shows but our cable supplier gives us opportunities to catch up so we'll get there.
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Watched/downloaded Kilink Vs DJango a western, the 2nd version of Kizil Maske 1968, and both Kriminal movies. The 2nd Red Mask/Red Phantom movie had no subtitles and was a disjointed mess, Kilink Vs DJango in the West was very funny but alas no subtitles there as well. The Kriminal movies were watchable. Also watch Flash Gordon starring Steve Holland Vol. # 3 the first two episodes and you have to love early 1950's TV. Over and out.....
RB
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I Agree with you,richard,however,i have some questions to ask you:
1.Where can i find those movies and tv shows on dvd?
2.When will your blog finally be launched?
Keep up the good work,you are truly the best!
By the way,do any of you guys watch impact wrestling,wwe friday night smackdown,merlin,and green lantern:the animated series?
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Fateman, most of the wrestling I watch these days is on youtube and DVDs, but I DO love the classic stuff! I pretty much quit watching when TNA started getting Dixie Carter involved in their storylines, the MacMahon thing doesn't suit her. Plus Hogan, Flair, etc. were starting to grate. I DID enjoy seeing Mick Foley smack that Love Sponge guy (or whatever they called him) when he left Impact. I miss the old knockout division, too, now it's like WWE Lite. I look in on both WWE and TNA now and again, but I can't say as I've been lured back. Maybe one of these days. It still beats watching the BBC though.
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Big variety there fate. I do like GL as well as Young Justice.
I absolutely hate wrestling.
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Do you guys ever watch batman,she-ra:princess of power,the green hornet,and he-man and the masters of the universe on ME TV?
Just Asking.
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I love Dishnetwork the only thing is I do not have MeTv and I love old shows. I taped and DVDed all the Green Hornets when they were on awhile back. I can only take Batman in very small doses. The Green Hornet though had mostly good rewatchable episodes.
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Even though I have MeTv, most of the shows I really want to watch are on between 1am to 5am. (Still can't afford a dvr unit.) I agree with Narf about Batman in small doses. Do like the Green Hornet and an occasional Lost in Space. The granddaughters like She-Ra. Cheers, Bowers
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I can watch Lost in Space on Hulu
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I see Spies of Warsaw being promoted on BBC America but, as yet, have not seen a start date for it.
They are starting Ripper Street next Saturday and I'm looking forward to that.
The only wrestling I can take is that featured in the old Santo movies.
The Lil Missus and I, like Narf, have Dish, which unfortunately doesn't carry ME TV. Sounds like a great channel though!
Best
Joe
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I finally got up to a 2nd-season episode I HATE with a passion and a vengeance... BREAD AND CIRCUSES. So, F*** it. I skipped it.
That felt good!!!!
JOURNEY TO BABEL -- ah yes, another one of the "classics". Written by D.C. Fontana, this was produced by John Meredyth Lucas, who made his debut on the show as the writer of THE CHANGELING. He went on to write 3 more stories, and produce 10 episodes, including 3 out of the 4 "parallel Earth" stories this season.
My father proved prophetic. While watching BALANCE OF TERROR, on seeing Mark Lenard, he actually blurted out, "Hey, it's Spock's father!" A year later-- he was proven right! I suppose it could be seen as typecasting, using the same actor to play both a Romulan and a Vulcan. Meanwhile, Spock's mother Amanda was played by Jane Wyatt, a veteran of 196 episodes of FATHER KNOWS BEST-- as well as Ronald Colman's love interest in Frank Capra's immortal classic, LOST HORIZON. Lenard would later return in the cartoon series, the film series, and ST:TNG, while Wyatt would return in both the cartoon and film series.
Kirk gets into another knock-down drag-out fight in the hallway, this time with William O'Connell, who later played the cowardly barber in HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER, and a member of the Black Scorpions in ANY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE. He has one of the great classic lines during his death scene, when, after estimating he has 10 minutes to live before an incurable poison kills him, he suddenly keels over and says, "I seem to have miscalculated..."
The plot about Orion raiders would have its own sequel in THE PIRATES OF ORION, the 5th season opener (2nd season of the cartoon show).
Gerald Fried is credited with music this time, and while he may have written some new tracks, what I recognized in this one were reused cues from THE CORBOMITE MANEUVER, AMOK TIME and THE DOOMSDAY MACHINE (the latter by Sol Kaplan, of course). There may be more, but I'd have to study it in detail to be sure. Once again, both "Kirk Does It Again" (for the climax) and the Spock-Decker debate (the aftermath) were reused.
Both Spock and Sarek persist in maintaining that emotions are "human" qualities, but it's very obvious they're both full of it. Vulcans are not without emotions. Vulcans have VERY STRONG emotions. They just supress and hide them and deny they exist. Just as Kirk and McCoy so often try to get Spock to admit to it, Amanda does the same with both her son and her husband. This is the focus of a great joke at the end of the story. "Emotional, isn't she?" "She has always be so." "Indeed. Why did you marry her?" "At the time, it seemed the logical thing to do." The look on Amanda's face tells you she KNOWS he's full of it.
This one never gets old!
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Have you guys ever watched super friends on DVD and you tube?
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I was around when Super Friends was first run. I never really cared for the Wonder Twins or the first couple of kids.
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Yeah, why did the writers feel they had to write kids into the scripts? We wanted to watch the heroes, not some dumb sidekicks! Cheers, Bowers
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Have any of you guys watched legends of the superheroes on dvd yet?
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Movies I have watched this week:
Orumcek
The Black Rose
The Spy with My Face
Lady Black Cat
Lady Black Cat Strikes Again
Vigilante
Krissh
Silver Hawk
Black Mask I & II
been a busy week!
RB @ Work.
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Movies I have watched this week:
Orumcek
The Black Rose
The Spy with My Face
Lady Black Cat
Lady Black Cat Strikes Again
Vigilante
Krissh
Silver Hawk
Black Mask I & II
been a busy week!
RB @ Work.
Wow,That is good news.
Can you Please e-mail me atact1120@aol.comwhen you get the chance?
Thank you very much.
By the way,what do you think of elementary?
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We just came back from seeing Lincoln. My wife is a Civil War buff. It would have been better if shorter and on TV.
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We just came back from seeing Lincoln. My wife is a Civil War buff. It would have been better if shorter and on TV.
Wow,awesome.
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I really enjoyed Lincoln. Top-notch writing and some stellar performances. Daniel Day-Lewis, in particular, gives an amazing performance. I, personally, did not find it overlong but have heard the same complaint from others who saw it. It may depend on how much interest you have in the subject matter. I enjoy reading histories and biographies so it was right up my alley.
Best
Joe
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Have any of you guys watched legends of the superheroes on dvd yet?
I saw them when they first aired back in the late 1970s. I found them kinda' goofy and rather disappointing at the time. I would rather have seen them played straight.
Best
Joe
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Has anyone here seen the new Primeval spinoff- Primeval:New World yet?
I understand it started airing in Canada over Space last October and recently began broadcasting over Watch in the UK. It; supposed to be showing over Syfy here in the States but as yet I've heard no start date.
Curious
Joe
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Yes, indeedy. We watched ep. 2 last night and it was enjoyable. The first part set things up and immediately we had intrigue, a team coming together, a mystery, a blast from the past and a nasty big dinosaur. Can't say much more without spoiling it. We will keep watching although one bit frightened the life out of Linda. She can't stand ******
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Thanks, Paw. I understand that Syfy will be airing the show later this year in the States although no official dates have been given yet. I understand it'll be a 13 episode season.
I did enjoy the first episode of Ripper Street last night on BBC America. I guess you're a few episodes ahead of us on that one.
Best
Joe
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Yeah,right on.,by the way,did you ever watch the 1996 doctor who tv movie starring paul mcgann?
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I've never seen that incarnation of the good Doctor although I've seen McGann in other projects, most recently in episodes of Luther. I understand he appears in one of the upcoming episodes of Ripper Street too.
Best
Joe
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The McGann Doctor is available on dvd. But the best bit in the film has to be Sylvester McCoy, for me. A bit like Dynamite changing important things, this film does the same with the Doctor, to a certain extent. As I'm not a McGann fan, my judgement is perhaps coloured. Nor did I enjoy his Big Finish Audio stories.
Inerestingly, Bernard Cribbins was interviewed this morning on Radio Scotland and, of course, Doctor Who was mentioned but not the Peter Cushing film - odd.
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Although I'd seen random episodes of Doctor Who before (both the old and the new series), I never got into it until this past summer--in a round about way. I'd been searching the internet to watch Hammer horror movies and other horror movies and having some pretty good luck finding these online. I don't have Netflix or use torrents or anything like that, so I was just doing video searches and finding what was available for free. I really got into the Hammer stuff with Peter Cushing and began to appreciate him as a great actor, so I looked for some of his other roles. Which is how I came to watch the first Doctor Who movie starring Cushing.
That got me interested in finding out more about Doctor Who. It was kind of shocking and amusing to me that Cushing's Who is regarded as some sort of red-headed step-child by serious Who fans (a flawed attitude, I think). But nevertheless I ploughed on and found lots of good Who video freely available online, like the McGann movie--which was made here in my hometown of Vancouver even though it's supposed to be San Francisco.
I've watched all of the Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Doctor online. And I've been following the current season, which is available in Canada on Spacecast. I've also watched the first arc of the First Doctor and some of the other Doctors--and I know there's a lot more of these vintage episodes that I could watch online, whenever I get the urge to see more of them.
Not that I would discourage someone from getting the DVDs--but if you're really in a hurry to see the McGann movie or anything else, it's all out there online. You just have to search for it.
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Right now...
THE AVENGERS (Tara King episodes)
THE SAINT (last season of Roger Moore)
KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES (2nd season)
STAR TREK (3rd season)
THE MONKEES (1st season)
STRIKE FORCE (this deserved more than the one season it got; been meaning to get to these ever since I watched all of my UNTOUCHABLES tapes!!)
I also recently was watching DARK SHADOWS, from the introduction of Barnabas. Got all the way up to the downfall of Nicholas Blair. At that point, it seemed like a good place to take a break. Only the 2nd time I saw the 1968 episodes, and I never liked the whole "Cassandra" / Adam" / "Nicholas" / "Eve" story the first time.
Their adaptation of "The Turn Of The Screw" is next. When I get back to it.
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jimmm, you're right, there is so much out there and like you, I don't have Netflix, nor do I use torrents.
The Cushing films are considered a bit naff by some fans but it's Peter Cushing.
You might want a look at this site which covers some of the Audio Visuals releases on audio tape and starred Nick Briggs as the doctor (apart from the first one) I was lucky enough to obtain copies of the shows and some are really good stories.
http://www.justyce.org/
I know I've said this before but Patrick Troughton is my favourite Doctor. (Could that be because of Zoe?)
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Yeah,right on,by the way,any of you ever watch ultimate spider-man and the avengers:earth's mightiest heroes on disney XD?
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I very much enjoy Spidey and the Avengers.
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Thanks for the A/V link.
I find it pretty darn cool that even though the British-Canadian co-production effort to revive Who failed with McGann, he still went on to do many audio versions of the character--and seems to be one of the more popular versions among fans. Of course, I'll always remember him for "Withnail and I."
Back in the late 60s/early 70s--as soon as our family got cable--I'd come home from school to watch Dark Shadows. I have fond memories of that show and watching it with my parents and my siblings--everyone caught up in the whole drama. Lots of great actors in that series. I did not know that Jonathan Fridd was Canadian at the time, but I'm proud to know it now--and it's fun to think that this ordinary looking journeyman actor in his middle age was a heartthrob for many.
I got the 45 single of "Quentin's Theme" (with "At the Blue Whale" on the B side) back when that tune was on the charts. And I also bought the third issue of DARK SHADOWS from Gold Key, which had inside a giant fold-out poster of the cover (featuring Barnabas). I still have the record and the comic, but the poster is long gone.
I never bothered to see the Tim Burton movie (and from all accounts I doubt I would have enjoyed it).
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Yeah,I Never saw the tim burton movie,either.
by the way,you ever watch monchichis on youtube?
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I bought the Lil Missus The Complete Dark Shadows for Christmas.
http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Shadows-Complete-Original-Deluxe/dp/B007PZ6SYK/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1358944714&sr=1-1&keywords=complete+dark+shadows
She has been working her way through the pre-Barnabas episodes from 1966 so far.
I was usually only able to watch it during the summer during its original run as it came on before school let out.
Best
Joe
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Do you know? I've never seen Dark Shadows.
Last night the new Lewis got off to a good start, can't wait for part 2 next week. Death in Paradise was terrific entertainment last night, plus you get Don Warrington and his amazing voice in this story. Missed Primeval so hunting about for a re-show.
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I think DARK SHADOWS was usually on at 3:30 or 4:00 when I was a kid. I remember, the first time I saw it, it was on at a friend's house. I barely had any idea what was going on, but they had some big guy locked up in a basement. Many years later, I figured out it was part of the "Adam" story (their version of FRANKENSTEIN).
My brother started watching it, and like so many things, I began as well, during "The Ghost Of Quentin" story. (Decades later, I found out this was an tribute to "The Turn Of The Screw", also filmed as "The Innocents".) These 2 kids were possessed by a ghost, and their govern-ness (I understood the concept from MARY POPPINS- heh), "Maggie Evans", was being terrified. I took an immeidately liking to her. Actress Kathryn Leigh Scott became my favorite on the show, at least when she was on the show.
Then things got VERY strange. Barnabas, Julia, and Professor Stokes, went down into the basement and decided to use something called the "I-Ching Wands", in order to cast some sort of spell, in an attempt to contact the ghost, and find out WHY the bastard was haunting the house. According to Stokes, once cast. Barnabas would go into a trance, he'd see a door, and walk thru, and once thru, he would find the answers he sought. But instead... he found himself trapped inside a coffin, he realized he was-- get this-- once again under the curse of being a VAMPIRE (!!!!!!!), and, he had somehow been transported back in time to the yar 1897!!! Talk about your "WTF????" moments!!!
I continued watching during this "1897" thing... but after a few weeks, got bored and dropped off. I rarely ever watched every episode of anything as a kid, but continued stories-- especially a story that continued 5 days a week, was just something I was not used to (ewxcept for following daily adventure comic-strips in the newspapers, like MANDRAKE, THE PHANTOM or BUZ SAWYER).
Months later, a bit older, maybe with a bit more patience, I happened to tun in the show again. Things had changed. Now Barnabas had a tentative ally in the form of this beautiful blonde girl named Angelique, who was apparently a witch. It also seemed they had a "history", and had once been enemies, but were not allies. I contined watching as the story ended, then ABRUPTLY moved to 1795, then to 1969, and a new story, about "The Leviathans" started. I got a few months into this... before dropping off again. As you can see, I never quite made it back then all the way thru one of these long, long, LONG storiylines.
I'll pont out now that, while watching the show in reruns in the 1980's, on PBS, I was delighted to see the "1897" story again... and TOTALLY STUNNED when it kept going, and going, and GOING, until I suddenly realized-- MY GOD!!! --when I had started watching again, back then, Barnbas had not travelled back to 1897 AGAIN.. he was STILL there! The "1897" story actually stretched over 9 MONTHS of the show!!! Good grief.
I will agree with the general concensus, however, that the "1897" storyline-- which, by the way, almost neatly breaks down into 3 major sections-- is probably the BEST-WRITTEN in the show's entire run. A close 2nd, in my opinion, might be the first 8 months or so, which focus mostly on Burke Devlin (Mitchell Ryan). I didn't get to see those until about 12 years ago, when I saw them on the Sci-Fi Channel. At that point, the ENTIRE RUN had finally found its way into syndication. I was able, for the first time, to see al the way to the end of the show, then start over at the beginning. So much I'd never seen before. What a charge!
The tragedy of "1897", by the way, is that longtime producer Robert Costello left the show a few weeks before that long story finally drew to a close. For about 8 months, the writing, and the PACING, were damn near as perfect as could be imaginable for such a series. then the new producer took over, and he was apparently in a HURRY to wrap things up, sweep the story under the carpet, and move on ot his new idea, "The Leviathans" (a tribute to H.P. Lovecraft's C'thulu mythos). And as a result, the last 4 weeks (I feel) were CRAMMED into 2 weeks, almost totally ruining the end of the story. I wish Costello had stuck around, if only for just one more month. It would have been much better if there'd been some kind of a clean break, an end to one epic, a beginning to another. But soaps almost never work that way. Too bad they don't follow the example of MANDRAKE or THE PHANTOM, where there is NO overlap.
Hey-- STAR BLAZERS was like that! Each season (made several years apart) consisted one one big 26-episode-long story.
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I remember that our family started watching "Dark Shadows" when it was set in present day, before Quentin's ghost appeared on the scene. I think it came on after "One Life to Live"--which we also watched. I was surprised to find out that the character of Larry on OLTL, played by Michael Storm, was originally played by his brother James Storm who played Gerard Stiles on DS.
Since the whole family was following the series, it was pretty easy to keep up with it. Even if one of us had to miss an episode, the others could fill us in.
A lot of the actors played multiple roles. The story about the hand, which I think introduced the leviathan story, was kind of creepy, but not really my thing. I liked the story with Roger Davis as a werewolf--I forget his character name, since Davis played many different characters--and also Quentin as a werewolf.
Jerry Lacy as Reverend Trask was really frightening. There was a commercial on at the same time, where Lacy played a Humphrey Bogart character. My sister insisted it was the same actor--I couldn't believe it, but of course she was right.
Maggie Evans was my favourite character--the actress who played her was very easy on the eyes. I didn't like Angelique--she was always getting in the way of Barnabas having a good time.
Our family as a whole started to lose interest when the story switched to a parallel universe.
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"Jerry Lacy as Reverend Trask was really frightening. There was a commercial on at the same time, where Lacy played a Humphrey Bogart character. My sister insisted it was the same actor--I couldn't believe it, but of course she was right."
He played 3 different generations of Trasks on the show-- each of them self-serving, corrupt and evil. The original, 1795 version had Victoria Winters condemned as a witch, but was bricked up in the basement by Barnabas. Later, when Julia & Stokes held a seance to contact Trask, so that he could go after the real witch (Angelique), FIRST, his ghost made a point of bricking Barnabas up in the basement!
He also played Tony Peterson, the lawyer who got involved with Carolyn-- and later, "Cassandra" (that B****!).
At certain times over the years, I felt some sympathy for Angelique, wishing she'd clean up her act... but this most recent time of me watching the 1967-68 episodes, I found NOTHING sympathetic about her at all. She was so aggressively selfish, destructive and evil, it was sickening. It wasn't until after Barnabas SET FIRE TO HER back in 1795 (he travelled back in time to save Vicki), and she spent 101 years IN HELL, before being summond back to Earth, that she'd finally... "mellowed" a bit.
There was a very peculiar thing about her timeline and Barnabas. Because of time travel vs. actual time passage, in the 1968 story, he'd become much older than her, but by the 1970 story (which followed the 1897 story) they were once again the same age.
The one time you really could feel sympathy for her was when we found out she'd gotten married... only her husband was a member of the Leviathan cult, and decided power was more important than love, and tried to kill her. Imagine my SHOCK, on watching the reruns of this on Sci-Fi, to learn he was played by the SAME actor who'd broken Billie Young's heart on NIGHT COURT (Geoffrey Scott). Walk about typecasting!
One of my favorite Woody Allen movies is, of course, PLAY IT AGAIN SAM.
"Dames are simple. I never met one who didn't understand a slap in the mouth or a slug from a forty-five."
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Ordered some new movies today from the Tresure Chest:
Darna Vs. The Giant Women
James Batman
Blue Demon vs Satanic Power
Neutron and the Black Mask
Santo vs the Diabolical Brain
And from Amazon:
Sidekick
Zebraman 2
The Tick (Live action) The complete Series
RB @ Work
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Let us forget that last post of mine. Zebraman 2 was a re-order as the one I originally ordered turned out to be a blank DVD and I just returned it so I ordered a new one, from the same guy! which stupid me did not realize. Ugh! so I canceled the order waiting upon my refund. The Tick as already gotten to me and the live action Tick is a crack up.
Now.....Treasure Chest......sigh......not getting those 5. The guy is shutting down his site permanently. That
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I've slowly been trying to watch the William Hartnell Doctor on Dailymotion, but it ain't easy--that Susan Foreman really gets on my nerves. She has to be the most emotionally unhinged character ever invented--despite all her apparent experience with her grandfather, she stupidly ventures into places she shouldn't go and then screams her head off at the slightest threat to her safety. I've never wanted to strangle a fictional character so much.
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It's hard to believe, yes it is, that Susan actually improved as a character over the course of her one season on DOCTOR WHO. She did! But, too little too late.
William Hartnell (the brain), William Russell (the hero!), and Jacqueline Hill (the heart) all got good writing. Carole Ann Ford... not so much. No wonder she QUIT the show.
THE DALEK INVASION OF EARTH was actually the last story taped for the 1st season... but, they "held back" the last 2 stories to get a jump on the 2nd season. Or something.
In a way, THE RESCUE-- part 2, in particular-- is where "The Doctor" REALLY becomes the show's hero. No longer needing to worry about and watch after his grand-daughter, he finally came out of his shell, big-time.
My biggest suggestion about the early stories might be, try watching them one EPISODE at a time. It's how they were designed, and in a weird way, they work much better that way than in "movie" form. I actually took 6 days to watch THE DALEK INVASION OF EARTH last time I watched it. It's such a "huge", totally devastating story, you get much more of the full impact on the horror actually perpetuated on the entire planet if you drag it out as long as possible.
On the other hand, something like THE WEB PLANET, it's difficult to even stand more than one episode at a time... (heh)
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Now, by an almost shocking comparison, the "Susan" of the movies (Roberta Tovey) is WONDERFUL, and so much fun to watch. Peter Cushing actually insisted that he would ONLY do the 2nd film if they brought her back for it. They did, though the other 2 leads were both replaced. (And for the better, if you ask me.)
http://www.filmclub.org/assets/images/film_images/detail/16403-detail.jpg
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Having watched the first Cushing movie first, before watching these Hartnell episodes, I quite agree about Susan. Roberta Tovey is so much better, which is what makes Carole Ann Ford so hard to take.
I am pacing myself and not watching too many of these at a time, because it does get tedious. But since I watched the first Dalek movie first before the TV series, I want to do it the other way around this time for the Dalek Invasion. So once I get that far with the Hartnell series, I'll check out the second Cushing movie--looking forward to it.
Barbara does have her moments, but it really does seem like they pushed Ian to the front (maybe because Russell was better at doing all the action and remembering his lines). Ian is much more like the Doctor in the new series, playing the leading man role.
I haven't read any of the novels that try to fill in the back story for Susan--but from what I've seen on websites, they don't all agree. I prefer to think that Susan was rescued from some horrific situation by the First Doctor, before she went on her travels with him. She must have suffered some deep trauma that retarded her emotional growth and so her PTSD is easily triggered by random stimuli. That's how i explain it to myself, anyway.
I also think the movie version is in an altenate timeline universe, where Susan never suffered such trauma and she has the proper coping skills for a time traveller.
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I had some fun with the Peter Cushing "Doctor"... (warning, some nudity involved)
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yBq9OrOX8FM/T7z6sXUOTDI/AAAAAAAACfk/CHBXgHwesbg/s1600/BUNNY+p004.jpg
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Prof, I really like that.
Having watched Doctor Who from the very start, live, at the time, I always thought Carole Ann Ford couldnae act. And she's just as bad in The 5 Doctors, imo. So I don't think it was just the scripts.
Interesting that Bernard Cribbens was in the movie and all those years later, he turns up as a regular in the revived t.v. show.
And, as was suggested, the show is better watched an episode at a time, with a decent interval to let it settle and build up anticipation for the next one. Apart from The Web Planet. See paint drying, see that Web Planet?
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I really don't think she could act. She was either too over the top or too subdued in every scene.
Watching some video of William Russell now, in 2013, I'm struck by how much he resembles William Hartnell. I don't know what they have planned for the 50th, but if they plan to bring back the First Doctor and they want to use another actor in the role, then Russell would be a perfect choice. Although, with modern technology they could probably just use Hartnell.
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Just made a post about this new Warner animated movie on DCM.
http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/forum/index.php/topic,4203.0.html (http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/forum/index.php/topic,4203.0.html)
One of their best IMO. Certainly more thought provoking than most of the shows.
-Yoc
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Murder: INDECIPHERABLE *******
A year after Stacy Keach's debut as Mike Hammer in "MURDER ME, MURDER YOU", the powers-that-be finally stopped twiddling their thumbs and gave the go-ahead for the follow-up. "MORE THAN MURDER" was the result, and anyone who's ever watched the Stacy Keach HAMMER TV series can attest, many of the regular elements of the show made their debut here. We already got Mike, his office, his '64 Mustang, his "cowboy" mustache, Pat Chambers & Barrington. This time around, we got Lindsay Bloom as Velda, Danny Goldman as "Ozzie the Answer", "The Face" (WHO IS SHE?????), and the catch-phrase, "I'll make a note." There's also Mike's gum-ball machine, and Velda always trying to help him quit smoking. One almost wonders why they bothered doing this as a 2-hour movie, instead of a 2-parter, since the ongoing weekly series began only ONE WEEK after this aired.
There's a lot to like here... the endless parade of large-breasted beauties wearing dresses with low neck-lines, all of whom seem to want to sleep with our favorite P.I.; the endless succession of shoot-outs, punch-outs, and tough-guy wise-cracks. There's also Robyn Douglass (who'd I'd seen in that "1980" show whose full title I make a point never to utter, or even type out), and Lynn-Holly Johnson (my FAVORITE "Bond girl"-- who DOESN'T get to sleep with Mike, either, poor girl).
However, a trend that, while I suppose does go back at least as far as "I, THE JURY" in 1953, continues here and, if anything, escalates totally out of control. That being, the plot is COMPLETELY incomprehensible. Believe me, I know. I've seen this at least 6 times since it first aired. When you've watched as many cop shows, detective shows, murder mysteries and the like as I have over the decades, and you STILL can't follow the plot, I figure it isn't me. And, as I recall, this trend became a fixture of the entire Stacy Keach HAMMER series, from start to finish. It makes me wonder... did they include all the gorgeous women, all the brutal fights and murders, all the hot-tempered ego-posturing, and the cool jazz music score, to distract viewers from the fact that the plots are INDECIPHERABLE? Or are all those elements-- as they were in the Bogart-Bacall BIG SLEEP-- the REASON it's impossible to understand the stories, EVEN at the end when they spell it all out for you?
As much as I did like this (despite itself), and as much as I loved the weekly series, there's one thing I always regretted about it... that because they waited SO LONG to do the 2nd one, they weren't able to get Tanya Roberts to come back as Velda. Damn shame. Of all of them, she was my favorite (with Margaret Sheridan a close second). Lindsay Bloom (who dyed her blonde hair black and lost a lot of pounds because she wanted the role so much) is terrific... but she never made me forget the girl she replaced.
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I used to think, back in the 90's, that they should do a DOCTOR WHO film series, where they'd do big-budget remakes of the earliest stories, and even some missing ones. I figure, they could take AN UNEARTHLY CHILD and THE DALEKS (11 eps.) and narrow them down to 2-1/2 hours, and do something epic like a HARRY POTTER film. Then, for the sequel, INSIDE THE SPACESHIP leading into MARCO POLO (8 eps.). And then they could do THE KEYS OF MARINUS, but this time, maybe with an ending that actually makes sense.
At the time, my pick for The Doctor would have been either Geofrey Bayldon... or, Ian Richardson.
Richardson remains one of my FAVORITE Sherlock Holmes, ever. I keep wishing he'd done more than just the two TV-movies.
Bayldon became one of my favorite character actors over the years. I was actually stunned when I read that he turned down the part of The Doctor back in 1963, because at the time, he'd gotten tired of playing characters much older than he really was. He's got a cameo in Hammer's HORROR OF DRACULA, and he looks MUCH older than Peter Cushing, even though he was much younger!
Geoffrey Bayldon:
http://www.wearysloth.com/Gallery/ActorsB/1154-14923.jpg
Ian Richardson:
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4090/4962927265_fb4c060249.jpg
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By the way, here's the OTHER "Doctor Who"... sort of.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jBulzZSA9-Y/T7z8Gu596pI/AAAAAAAACf0/3eRP0SotRKI/s1600/BUNNY+p006.jpg
Just picture Paul Frees' voice in your head as you read his dialogue.
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Car-Thieves, Incorporated
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
One of my favorite McCLOUDs begins with Sam assigned to a "pilot program" where for the first time in NYC, women patrolmen are teamed with men for patrol car duty. "Who are you? WHAT are you?" asks his new partner, Margaret Sareno, played by spunky Brenda Vaccaro. Within 15 minutes, he saves her from being run over by a car-thief, and has a high-speed pursuit interrupted by an 18-wheeler, sending their car thru the front window of a clothing store.
Next, Sam winds up on late-night stake-out with a longtime veteran of the stolen car unit, Lt. Ed Feldman (Norman Fell). But when Feldman turns up murdered the next day, McCloud proposes what turns into one of the most outrageous undercover scams he ever pulled in his career. Stealing cars from the stolen car-ring, he quickly gets their attention, then, gets hired by them, in an attempt to find out as much about the ring as possible, and discover the identity of the top man. Along the way, he's watched like a hawk, forcing Officer Sareno to pose as his girlfriend so they can pass information along.
I remember watching this when it was first-run, and being delighted from the start, especially with Vaccaro. It seems a shame that, like so many characters on shows like these, they never brought her back for further appearances. The 70's was also a time when the endless flood of cop shows saw many actors known for playing good characters turned up as crooks, killers or worse. So it was that Eddie Albert (the former star of GREEN ACRES) played Roy Erickson ("middle-management", as Sam put it), while Roddy McDowell (PLANET OF THE APES) played Phil Sandler ("psychotic hit-man"-- actually a misnomer, the proper word here would be psychopathic).
Also in the cast were Lloyd Bochner (the top man, Glen Larson would bring him back for "NIGHT OF THE SHARK" and 2 episodes of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA); George Murdock (who would later become a recurring character on BG), and Diana Muldaur (Sam's on-again/off-again girlfriend Chris Caughlin, who shows up at JUST the wrong time and place, to blow Sam's cover!! --OOPS).
Writer Sy Salkowitz, in his only McCLOUD episode, manages the proper tone and balance to things, getting the relationship between Sam & Chief Clifford "just right". The following season, Glen Larson would push Clifford further and further into apoplectic fits of rage, for comedy's sake. This was fun to watch, but it could undermine the believability of things, as the longer the two worked together, the more confidence Clifford should have had in Sam and his way of doing things. As seen here!
Midway thru the story, when it looks like Sam may have been found out (his "references" didn't check out), he suddenly switches gears and ups the odds by "revealing" to his crooked employers that he actually runs a huge car-rental operation in the southwest. The fact that he managed to con the crooks so successfully was somewhat astonishing, and would have made Simon Templar ("The Saint") proud.
The most memorable set-piece is no doubt when the jig is up, and as Sam pursues the baddies, he winds up hanging underneath a helicopter flying over Manhattan. This became one of the scenes used when the opening credits became a montage of flashbacks starting in the 4th season. I also note that during the flight, one of the places they flew over was the remains of the New York World's Fair-- which would be the site of the climax of the following episode!
Finally, the "new" theme song only turns up briefly near the end of the story, while the end credits, strangely, use ANOTHER theme song I've never heard before or since. I wonder how many shows take until their 4th year to finally settle on a theme song they like?
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Just watched Batman, I mean Christian Bale in Flowers of War. I know that most movies could not be made without some coincidences or people doing stupid things or illogical incidents but this movie has too many stupid things. I did not like War Horse because I thought it one contrived heart tugger after another. I did not like Flowers because, though based on true events, it had too many stupid acts and some silly things.
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Interesting, I just watched James Batman from 1966. Latest "watches" along with that would be Darna and the Planet Women, Darna Against the Giants, Super Selami, from the Treasure Chest buyout, and others that I've watched over the last three days while the wife's been away in Dallas TX, as I digitally transfer them from VHS to DVD. There have been others but I've not watched them as I have been busy restoring my two computers back to their original working states. I'm almost there! Meanwhile I keep working my way through the 67 VHS tapes!
Richard.
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Nice one Richard, a Mister X cover. They were originally Italian, I believe and reprinted in France. I have a few of them but was concerned about their status. Also, there were portrait format versions later.
If anyone has any info to confirm, or destroy, my theory, pease post.
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Yes I only wish I had the book. Sigh.....but you are certain more than welcome to post them here if you can that is. Hope all is well.
Kindly
Richard
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Death in Paradise has been great viewing this series and this week's episode was the best yet. Highly recommended.
The last ever Lewis was a good mystery, well acted and a touching final scene. Not to be missed.
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Paw, we still haven't got "Death in Paradise" in our market yet. We should be getting the next (last?) episodes of "Lewis" later this spring or early summer. Finally getting some more recent "New Tricks" - Jack's last appearance was pretty sad. New offerings on PBS are "Call the Midwife" (pretty good), DCI Banks (good, but not a must-watch), and "The Cafe" (pretty awful). The first episode of "Ripper Street" reminded me an awful lot of "Copper". I'll probably watch all the episodes, but no hurry there. TNT is gradually replacing "The Mentalist" reruns with episodes of "Castle", pretty much shown in sequence. I didn't watch the early episodes, so it's nice to catch up. New episodes of The Doctor coming soon! Cheers, Bowers
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Neutron The Atomic Superman
I just watched the first 4 Neutron movies. The first 3 are a trilogy of sorts as they involve Dr. Caronte and the hunt for the Neutron Bomb and the threat thereafter. You get Robots that look like zombies, masked mad Doctors, disfigured mad scientists, cops, TV personalities and more! You get singing in Spanish! The ones I watched were re-dubbed in English. The first three were pretty good for their day given they were in B & W. The 4th movie not so much. The Neutron costume changed to a lesser version Wolf (Who plays the mask Neutron) is not in good shape here and it shows. There is no real plot here (Neutron Vs. the Maniac) just Neutron trying to stop a serial killer.
I also watch the Full Length Astro Girl from Japan I think and also Volta from the Philippines. Another two movies I watched were the JLA and FF movies done for TV. Do you really want to know? Just ask!
RB @ Work.
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And the Power Pack usually bundled with the FF right?
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I Only have the FF sorry...........
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I will see if I can find it and get you a copy. I have it somewhere
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Ahhh that would be so cool....than you Sir Narf Star!
Richard
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As of this week...
THE NEW AVENGERS (still early in the 1st season)
THE SAINT (getting to the tail-end of the Roger Moore episodes)
KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES (just got to the end of the 2nd season, Robert Lansing's farewell)
DARK SHADOWS ("1969"-- The Ghost of Quentin & The Werewolf stories building to their climaxes)
STAR TREK (early in the 2nd season, watching in production order)
STAR TREK (nearing the end of the 4th season as well / just watched "The Slaver Weapon" last night!)
MIKE HAMMER (early in Stacy Keach's 1st season)
THE MONKEES (nearing the end of the 2nd season, watching in production order)
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Recently finished season one of Curb Your Entusiasm and season one of Gunsmoke.
Btw, Henry, "season 4" of Star Trek? What alternate dimension were you watching that in?
;D ;D ;D
Joe
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We're getting Gunsmoke over here on one of the more obscure channels and, of course, I didn't find out about it till recently. Typical.
Death in Paradise has now finished its 8 week run and it has been great entertainment. Ben Miller is perfect in the role and I would suggest you try and find it when it airs in N. America.
Person of Interest continues to be riveting - and worrying. We've also been watching The Mentalist and that's getting a bit shivery at times.
But I noticed that Primeval has been cancelled and I must admit I haven't seen the last couple of episodes. It seems very much like monster of the week, now, with none of the complications of the original. I was excited originally to see .......... in the first episode and hoped there would be more reference to the plots in the original. Sadly there weren't.
We're going into a period of heavy crime dramas, with everybody and their maw greeting their eyes out and David Tennent needing a shave. Not our cup of tea.
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The first season of Gunsmoke seemed to consist of a number of adaptations of radio scripts mixed in with some new stories (I noticed several penned by Sam Peckinpah). It was also interesting finally seeing them all uncut. Just about every episode begins with Matt walking through the Boot Hill graveyard and philosophizing about life and death. These openings must have been the first thing to go when the shows were syndicated to local stations which were looking for footage to excise so they could cram in more commercials. I certainly never remember seeing them in the reruns I saw years later.
Sorry to hear that Primeval has been cancelled. Of course that has happened before so maybe it will get uncancelled again too. The spinoff Canadian series is supposed to be popping up here in the States on Syfy later this year.
Ripper Street is winding up tonight but Grimm was back last night and both Dr. Who and Revolution will be back later this month. Only new shows that I have added in recent weeks are The Following (rather dark cop show) and Continuum (interesting sci-fi cop show from Canada).
Best
Joe
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Feature films watched the last couple of months-
Ponyo (2008), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), Comanche Station (1960), The Lorax (2012), Ipman (2008), Ride Lonesome (1959), Treasure of Monte Cristo (1949), Green Lantern (2011), Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), The Amazing Transparent Man (1960), Decision at Sundown (1957), Django Unchained (2012), 1911 (2011), The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008), The Tall T (1957), Chronicle (2012), Zero Dark Thirty (2012), Oh, For a Man! (1930), Shaolin (2011), Ride the Wild Surf (1964), Going Berserk (1983), Life of Pi (2012), Bonanza Town (1951), The Brothers Grimm (2005), The Hard Corps (2006), Buchanan Rides Alone (1958), The Well (1951), Killing Lincoln (2013), Compulsion (1959), The Bourne Legacy (2012), Prometheus (2012), Panic in the Streets (1950), Jack Brooks, Monster Slayer (2008), Batman: Gotham Knight (2008), Champagne for Caesar (1950), The Ambushers (1967), Seven Men from Now (1956), Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), Gentlemen of the Press (1929), and Duel to the Death (1983).
As usual a real eclectic mix- action, adventure, drama, animated, comedy, religious, musical, war, spy, superhero, noir, martial arts, historical, sci-fi, horror, fantasy, and western. I did really get on a Randolph Scott/Budd Boeticher kick- watching almost all of the films they did together. Other than that I kept it pretty diverse.
Best
Joe
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While waiting for the return of new Doctor Who episodes (as well as the UK Being Human--availabe on Space here in Canada--and Sherlock), I've been pushing ahead with watching all of the old Doctor Who. I'm getting close to the end of the Third Doctor. My favourite companions thusfar are Jamie McCrimmon and Jo Grant.
My favourite Canadian show is Murdoch Mysteries. So happy that the CBC saved it from cancellation. Any UK watchers might be surprised by some of the UK actors that guest appear, as well as series regular Tommy Craig as Chief Inspector Thomas Brackenreid. I expect this series must broadcast in the UK as it is a Canada/UK co-production.
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Yes we get Murdoch Mysteries here and C.I. Brackenreid was in Coronation St. at one time.
This week, a 2 parter based on an Anne Cleeves book, Shetland. Starring Dougie Henshall (Primeval) as D.I. Perez and set in Shetland, this was a good crime mystery and well worth looking out for.
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Just watched the original six episode BBC TV series of "Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy".
Hadn't seen it since its first broacast on PBS in the USA.
Its miles better than the more recent movie, and the movie only covers about 2/3 of whats in the series. The movie cuts short before they get to the Restuarant at the end of the Universe, though it does show a few things not in the series. Endings are completely different.
Also watched the complete series "the Changes". One of those UK "Childrens' series" that most adults would find disturbing, though the mass deaths from disease, murders and torture were off camera.
An excellent story, one that deserves a remake in order to appeal to a wider audience.
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Always enjoyed the BBC mini of The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy from the early 1980s and have watched it, at least, three times over the years. Have never caught the more recent feature version but will probably give it chance one of these days.
I recently learned that Douglas Adams worked as a writer and script editor on Doctor Who during the Tom Baker era. I might want to give some of those a rewatch.
Best
Joe
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I give the answer 42 to so many questions. Every once in awhile someone gets it.
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I remember that I watched the TV version of Hitchhiker many years ago, but it can't quite compare with the radio version which I listened to in my younger days. That whole theatre of the mind thing.
I'm getting close to the Douglas Adams period of Who (I did watch Shada last year), but I've had to slow down a bit to soak in the pleasure of Leela. She ties with Jo Grant and Martha Jones, so far, as being my favourite female companion. Too bad there weren't more Leela (and more Martha Jones) episodes.
I know that Sarah-Jane was Britain's sweetheart and she does become more natural in her acting toward the end of her time with the Doctor, but I can't say I really warmed to her character. She seemed far too fake and her accent struck me as too posh RP. Elizabeth Sladen grew up in Liverpool--I'd think she'd have a Merseyside accent.
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I give the answer 42 to so many questions. Every once in awhile someone gets it.
So Paw, if ever we want to know what is the second sphenic number, the third primary pseudoperfect number, and the third pentadecagonal number. And which is also a meandric number and an open meandric number, along with being a St
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Well, yes, if it was my answer. But better to ask narfstar. And now, pray tell, what did all that mean? And, more importantly, did you make it up?
Jimmm, I seem to remember that Leela didn't last long because Tom Baker didn't like or get on with her. But then he is a bit odd. You're right about Sarah-Jane, at least that's the way I feel about her. As for accents, Jamie was an exception at the time. I know little of Elizabeth Sladen's upbringing or background but not all Merseysiders had the accent and she was playing a journalist in a business where it was better to not have a strong regional accent.
I've always been a huge Zoe fan and Leela was very entertaining, if you know what I mean and I think you do. I don't watch many of the NEW Doctor Who shows. Mostly, I see the start for some humour and Doctor daftness then, as it gets more serious and fraught, I switch off.
Douglas Adams did The Pirate Planet and some of it is great fun.
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You know, it's the strangest thing. From 1979-on, Sarah-Jane Smith was my favorite WHO girl. There's been quite a few others I've liked, some quite a lot, but Sarah was always "it" for me.
Then recently I watched my entire collection, and ALMOST every girl on the show I found myself liking more than I had before. (Tegan was the exception. I wasn't surprised.) But somehow... this time around... Sarah didn't "do it" for me. Maybe my taste in women has changed? Or maybe, ever since the extremely emotional effect she had on me watching "School Reunion", I've finally "gotten over" her? (I have not been able to see ANY of her subsequent appearances.)
Vicki is wonderful. Zoe is adorable. Jo is such a sweetie! And Leela... well, she cracks me up. For a "savage", she talks better than most of the "smart" characters. (Actually, that's the ironic thing about Leela. She's VERY smart. She just doesn't know much yet.)
Of course, Louise Jameson just happens to be the only actor on the show I ever had a one-on-one conversation with at a convention. VERY smart lady! She was the one who pointed out to me how bad some of the writing on English TV really was.
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With Sarah Jane it isn't so much her vocabulary as how she chooses to enunciate her words and some of her acting choices that bug me. Of course, I've watched these Elizabeth Sladen episodes immediately after seeing Katy Manning as Jo Grant and Jo is very natural in her way of speaking and acting.
I can square Leela's heightened vocabulary with her savagery, because of the unique history of her people. They are the descendents of the survey team, who no doubt had a very large vocabulary. It's not really that the Sevateem are mentally deficient--they are just super-religious thanks to the intervention of the Evil One (the Doctor himself).
Of course, on DOCTOR WHO, given the fact that every character is allowed to understand and speak all languages--because of the Doctor's gift to them or because of a psychic link to the Tardis--there's probably some license for what the characters say and how they comprehend.
Most of these episodes I'm seeing new for the first time, but when I was watching "The Ark in Space" (with the Fourth Doctor, Harry, and Sarah Jane) it felt very familiar to me. I think this is one of the stories I saw as a teenager back in the 70s on PBS, but the memory is fuzzy.
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School Reunion brought a tear to the eye - and still does. I even get emotional thinking about it.
Glad you mentioned Tegan, prof. but you surprise me. She was one of my favourites. Can't go into the why of it here.
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Lots of "foreign" language movies trying to figure out which ones I want to burn to disk as a surprise for Mr. Narfstar. Kind of an "International" DVD to keep with the flavor of this site. So far we have:
The National Kid - Japan
The Champions Of Justice - Mexico
The Black Rose -Hong Kong
Next I am not sure......Maybe a Darna Movie and for sure a Turk movie and an Italian one.
RB @ Work
Final Line-up
The National Kid A Japanese production but in Portuguese
The Champions of Justice of S.A. (In Spanish)
Argoman an Italian movie in English
Maskeli Seytan Turkish Movie with hilarious English subtitltes and I use the work subtitles loosely. I've Rated this "R" by the way for adults only. Nothing too graphic but there is breif nudity and some bad language and with all tutk movies a lot of violence.
Then We have what I call a really lovely movie in the Black Rose. Even if it is in Chinese.
Lastly we have a medly/smashup of some old American stuff to round out the 8 hour disk.
So off in the mail it goes tomorrow......I hope Super7 gets done quick and that you like the international theme of this disk. I await your reviews.
RB
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Looking forward to some interesting stuff
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Of course, Louise Jameson just happens to be the only actor on the show I ever had a one-on-one conversation with at a convention. VERY smart lady! She was the one who pointed out to me how bad some of the writing on English TV really was.
S'funny. I was lamenting that, unlike Profh, I've never had any one-on-one encounters with a DOCTOR WHO actor. Certainly not on the level of a Louise Jameson.
But I just finished watching "The Sun Makers" and I really enjoyed the character of The Collector. He was so creepily funny that I wanted to find out who played that part--and to my surprise it was Henry Woolf. Henry Woolf is a British actor who relocated to Canada and he appeared in many different TV shows, movies, and stage plays. I remember seeing him in a Bard on the Beach production of a Shakespeare play in the early 80s. And also around that time, one summer at UBC, I took a theatre history class in Canadian drama (which would count toward my degree in Canadian Studies from the University of Alberta) and our teacher happened to be someone who had many many theatre friends, whom she'd invite to our class to give us the benefit of their experience--and Henry Woolf was one of our guests. I remember that he was quite a charming fellow, full of wonderful anecdotes, but now I can't recall much that he told us, except a few things about working with Harold Pinter in his plays.
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I was telling someone the other day how, in the 60's, apparently DOCTOR WHO was exported and seen in almost every country on Earth... except, the United States, and France (heh).
So the first thing we saw was the Peter Cushing films. Then, Jon Pertwee. I read his first 3 seasons were syndicated as a package, but in Philadelphia, the idiots running the show skipped the first story ("Spearhead") and the last 4 (so the run ended with "Day of the Daleks"-- just when Pertweee was starting to become more likable).
Then in May '79 we got Tom Baker's first 4 seasons-- but the PBS station who ran them spent the first 8 or so months running them COMPLETELY out of order!!! Plus, it wasn't until the Mary Tamm season arrived that they started to run the earlier stories UNCUT... except, when they'd run them in "movie" fashion, quite often, the places where they edited the episodes together were done BADLY, and sometimes missing important bits (like the actual explosion that destroyed the Arctic base in "The Seeds of Doom"). As a result, I was under the impression that the local PBS station had done the edits themselves, though I've been told this was not the case. I would hope when they switched distributors that better edits were generated.
One thing I noticed at a couple of conventions was, that just about EVERY actor who was a regular on the show during JNT's long run as producer was MUCH nicer and more likable than they EVER were on screen. Yes, this included Janet Fielding and Mark Strickson, neither of whom I ever warmed up to in the slightest on the show itself. And this also went for Colin Baker, who may be one of the smartest, and funniest, people to ever appear on the show... but you'd almost never guess, from watching his stories.
I've read recently that EVEN Lis Sladen wound up having severe problems working with JNT. The guy had problems, and far to often they spilled over into the shows being made.
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Our local PBS channels really served us up a treat this week. AT LAST! We finally got "Death in Paradise". Saw the first episode last night and the second is on another channel tonight. Ben Miller is priceless as DI Poole and it's great to see Danny John-Jules again as officer Dwayne (Dibbley?). This one is all you said it was, Paw. We also got some of the newer "New Tricks" with Denis Lawson. I enjoyed his work in "Bleak House" and "Horatio Hornblower"- he's no Jack Halford, but may work out well. Four new episodes of "The Mentalist"- two quite good with very interesting developments, one just so-so, and one where they gave away the surprise ending just by rolling the opening credits! Sorry, no spoilers. I've been watching some BBC specials featuring some episodes of the first two Doctors. We never were able to watch Dr. Who until PBS picked up the show in the mid-70's, and Tom Baker was our first Dr. Seeing some early episodes is interesting, but some of the writing and acting is just plain awful! Anyway, new season this Saturday! Please allow me to wish you all a joyous and meaningful Easter. Cheers, Bowers
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Said it before, I' ll say it again, Troughton is my favourite Doctor, always has been.
For us, the return of Foyle's War is good news. Now we're in the cold war and it's a bit darker and Michael Kitchen is perfect as Foyle. Some old faces return and the arch manipulator in MI5 is going to make for interesting stories.
Keep looking out for Shetland with Dougie Henshal. This is good stuff and you get to see a part of the world you wont be aufy familiar with.
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My brother, my sisters, and I loved to watch British shows when we were growing up. The CBC station here in Vancouver carried a variety of British programs in the 60s and 70s. And when we got cable we could catch other programs on the PBS station in Washington state and sometimes on other channels.
What first attracted us was the funny language (and probably the connection to all the British invasion music we were hearing) and then we came to love the exceptional quality of these shows. Although I never could understand why people liked "On the Buses" or "Benny Hill"--others in my family enjoyed those two shows, but they annoyed me.
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One of the first Britcoms I ever saw was "The Good Life" with Richard Briers. We also got a few programs, such as "Minder", from one of the Canadian channels. Also a local BC comedy show called "Dr. Bundolo"- strange but funny. Cheers, Bowers
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I've been watching some BBC specials featuring some episodes of the first two Doctors. . . Seeing some early episodes is interesting, but some of the writing and acting is just plain awful! Anyway, new season this Saturday! Please allow me to wish you all a joyous and meaningful Easter. Cheers, Bowers
Unfortunately, Space doesn't seem to be broadcasting those classic episodes here in Canada. But looking at what BBC has chosen to broadcast so far, I think there were a lot better stories they could have selected.
Watching all the classic series online as I've been doing, I'd say there were some really good things about the B&W 60s Who. For one thing they had 44 episodes a year (none of this waiting for months on end for another story). Another thing I like is the way one story teases the beginning of a new story at the end.
And I really find that the historical episodes tended to be a lot better than the science fiction episodes. Which makes sense, because the Brits have always been good at doing period pieces--and they would have had all the trained actors, writers, set and costume designers to pull off these stories. Jean Marsh is damned good in The Crusades, with great dialogue. Of course, she was also pretty good as Sarah Kingdom in the science fiction epic, The Dalek's Master Plan.
The last B&W story, The War Games, is another one of my favourites and nicely mixes the historical with the science fictional. It's ultimately a powerfully dramatic story, because you know that this is it for the Second Doctor.
The switch to colour had its own problems. I think B&W is a lot more forgiving of poor set decoration and cheap special effects. The strain of trying to do those colour episodes often took a toll on the kind of stories they could do. Probably the reason the Doctor was stuck on 20th century Earth so often.
One thing I'm curious about is if there was any connection between the creation of Doctor Who and Mr. Peabody and Sherman in the WABAC machine. Peabody and Sherman predate Who and it seems like a similar set-up with the odd scientist and his companion travelling through time. I wonder if they ever met their counterparts.
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One of the first Britcoms I ever saw was "The Good Life" with Richard Briers. We also got a few programs, such as "Minder", from one of the Canadian channels. Also a local BC comedy show called "Dr. Bundolo"- strange but funny. Cheers, Bowers
Bill Reiter aka Dr. Bundolo started out on radio and then continued to appear on local TV in various different formats. There was a kid show he did for awhile. Reiter was a madcap local character for sure.
I think the first British TV show I clearly remember watching is "Ivanhoe" starring Roger Moore. I remember it because I liked the theme song and when it played, I would pretend I was riding a horse and I'd sing out "Ivanhoe." But as for the actual show, I don't remember much, because as a little kid I found it kind of boring.
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We also got "Robin Hood", "Ivanhoe", and "Sir Lancelot" in the late '50s and early '60's. I wondered why Paul Eddington looked so familiar on "The Good Life"- probably because he had played in so many episodes of "Robin Hood". Picked up a few episodes of "Sir Lancelot" on a Dollar Store DVD! Chers, Bowers
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I would get up earlier than I had to getting ready for school just so I could watch Robin Hood
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I've never seen the 1950's series ROBIN HOOD, but I have seen the Hammer Film SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST. The rather unusual thing about that film is, while it was one of several the studio did based on TV series, it's the only one where they got the actual lead actor to also appear in their film version. (Even if NO ONE else from the series did!) I suppose one could view SWORD... as yet another of the endless "alternate" versions of ROBIN HOOD... even though it's got Richard Greene from the TV series in it. (Considering it was directed by Terence Fisher and features Peter Cushing as the Sheriff of Nottingham, it's a minor if mostly-forgotten gem worth seeking out.)
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Sir Narf,
Package arrive yet?
RB
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Wraith looks awesome do you have it?
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No, so far I only have two covers on him. I do know that he is an AU character probably from the 1950's. I am still seeking info on him. How did you like the Super7?
I just finished wachig the Rise of the Black Bat and I have to say it was a rather enjoyable movie update considering most updated butcher the character. This was actually pretty close to the pulp origins. Rent it if you can. 3.5 stars out of 5.
RB @ Work
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No, so far I only have two covers on him. I do know that he is an AU character probably from the 1950's. I am still seeking info on him. How did you like the Super7?
I just finished wachig the Rise of the Black Bat and I have to say it was a rather enjoyable movie update considering most updated butcher the character. This was actually pretty close to the pulp origins. Rent it if you can. 3.5 stars out of 5.
RB @ Work
Wow,That sounds interesting.,I Have one question,however,is the rise of the black bat available on DVD?
Just asking.
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Not comic related but I am really enjoying History Channels Vikings.
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You can order it direct from Tomcat Films.
http://tomcatfilmsllc.com/rise-of-the-black-bat
RB
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You can order it direct from Tomcat Films.
http://tomcatfilmsllc.com/rise-of-the-black-bat
RB
Thanks,you are the best.
Allen
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I finally polished off STAR TREK last night. After REQUIEM FOR METHUSELAH (I decided to skip any other remaining 3rd-season eps, I watched them just 2 months ago), I saw THE COUNTER-CLOCK INCIDENT, the final ST cartoon. Boy, most of them are good, but that one sucked. Just stupid writing. Oh well.
Tonight...
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA !!!!!
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Not comic related but I am really enjoying History Channels Vikings.
I've been enamored by vikings ever since reading a biography of Lief Ericson as a kid and am too enjoying the History Channel's new drama Vikings.
Best
Joe
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Just got back from watching this. My son saw it last night and had to go again today and said we really needed to see it. It was a lot of fun. Best part is Snake Eyes getting Storm Shadow.
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MIKE HAMMER: DEAD PIDGEON
What, No Jury? ********
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
A possibly-crooked cop Hammer never liked is killed (a real change from it being one of Mike's "best and oldest friends") and HE's framed for the murder! After an increasing number of episodes in which Larry Barrington was slowly getting more mellowed-out, he's back to his old tricks again, OBSESSED with nailing Hammer to a wall, no matter what it takes. Pat Chambers is angry, more than usual-- at Mike for not staying off the streets while HE tries to clear him, at a group of crooked cops for assaulting Mike outside a bar, and at Barrington, for letting his personal feeling totally cloud his judgment.
And in the midst of this is the dead man's sort-of widow (they were never officially married), who was once Mike's EX... and who seems to want him back in her life again-- among other things.
Elaine Wilkes plays Mike's defense lawyer Nancy, looking far too young to have actually graduated both college AND law school (in fact, the actress was only 21 when she appeared in this episode-- having been in SIXTEEN CANDLES 2 years before). Robin Curtis (the 2nd "Saavik", from STAR TREK 3 and 4) plays Peggy Ryan, another cop who's being blackmailed by the real killer. And Randi Brooks (THE LAST PRECINCT) plays Sheila Forbes, one really HHHHHOT number who winds up appearing in the sexiest scene ever filmed for this TV series!!! (When I saw this, in the 8-9 PM time slot on a Saturday night, I knew "Family Viewing Hour" was dead and gone.)
Fred Freiberger, infamous as the producer of STAR TREK's 3rd season (and SPACE: 1999's 2nd) wrote this, and even wide awake, I still couldn't quite make sense of the ending. Why is it so hard to keep track of the logic on this show's mysteries sometimes? The most memorable thing was the climax-- a direct SWIPE from Mickey Spillane's "I, THE JURY". Only without the "How could you?" and "It was EASY."
One thing that baffles me about the 3rd season-- apart from the really STUPID name-change to "THE NEW MIKE HAMMER"-- is how, while the show got MUCH more serious and intense and stylish, the theme song became more upbeat and frivolous. If anything, the slower, moodier version from seasons 1-2 would have been a much better fit here, and vice-versa.
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Latest watches have been Mothra V. Godzilla - 37 minutes of the 1964 Darna Movie "...Toud" - The Phantom's "Sign Of The Skull" six Parter. That's been it for Friday night and Saturday time.
\Richard
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Recently finished watching these DVD collections-
Wanted Dead or Alive Season 1 (1957-1958) The series that began Steve McQueen's rise to being one of the Kings of Super-Cool. As I watched these episodes, generally for the first time in forty years, I realized that a number of them were probably shot here in Arizona. The Saguaro cacti being a dead give-a-way to its Sonoran Desert location filming. Some quick research revealed that the show shot on location at Apacheland Studios out in Gold Canyon (east of Phoenix) near the Superstition Mountains (which I hiked numerous times in my younger days).
http://www.apachelandmoviestudio.com/
http://www.apachelandmoviestudio.com/apachelandstudios.htm
http://www.apachelandmoviestudio.com/goldcanyonarizona.htm
http://www.apachelanddays.com/apachelandmovies.htm
http://apacheland.com/
Green Acres Season 2 I've come to realize over the years that this series is so much better than the series that it spun off from (The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction). It gets downright surreal at times with the 4th wall being busted through frequently and the show acknowledging that it's just a TV show. Several episodes this season have fun with the opening credits. One episode has them printed on the eggs that Lisa is collecting from her chickens (much to her consternation), another has them them fickering by on a TV set that Lisa is trying to tune in and yet another has one of the actors trying to avoid being hit by them as they scroll onscreen.
Best
Joe
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Green Acres is a rarity. Most shows with such unique humor only make it three seasons or less. Think Adams Family. GA and Get Smart are exceptions. They were able to remain funny while being so unique and very creative and FUNNY!
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Green Acres was a perfect show and a favourite in our house. But you have to remember it was on CBS with all these other superb shows that had a sort of country theme--and it was itself spun off from Pettycoat Junction which was spun off from Beverley Hillbillies. And CBS was the king network back then. I don't know what lead-in Green Acres had, but it probably won a lot of viewers by being surrounded by other popular shows. On another network it likely wouldn't have done as well.
But then in the 70s, CBS became embarassed by their rural roots and they wanted to be seen as urban and hip, so they dumped all those great shows and put on shows that were supposed to be intellectually superior.
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They did the same thing with Dukes of Hazard and Hee Haw. Both turned out to be popular long running shows. Dukes was actually allowed to run on network but Hee Haw was a syndicated hit.
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Is anyone else watching BBC America's Orphan Black. It sure has me hooked in.
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THE DUKES OF HAZZARD was a lot later. I think that was inspired by SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT (1977), wasn't it? HEE HAW (1968) was like the "country" answer to LAUGH-IN. It was cancelled after 2 seasons. Whereupon it went into first-run syndication, and, because it wound up being picked up by MORE stations than had been running it on the network, it started making MORE money! TAKE THAT, network!!!
Crazy enough, the SAME thing happened with THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW, which had been on the air since the early 1950s (I think). It was cancelled by the network about the same time as HEE HAW, but it, too, continued on in first-run syndication, making MORE money than before it had been booted off the network. That was my Dad's favorite program!
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Narf, "Orphan Black" is one of my new must-watches! Cheers, Bowers
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This is the first time I've heard of Green Acres but our family were regular viewers of Beverley Hillbillies.
Absolutely intrigued by your links to Apacheland, Joe. Thanks. I noticed the "Have Gun Will Travel" card, top left and couldn't find a mention of it on a quick scan through the pages. Was it also filmed there? I loved that show.
Here, last night was the final episode of Foyle's War, ever?
This short 3 episode series has been excellent and a bit darker than the wartime set, long running series. Cold war dirty tricks everywhere and Anthony Horowitz, the writer, doesn't let Britain off easy. No punches pulled here. Watch out for it.
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Jimmm, Wikipedia has a pretty good piece here about the network's "rural purge" of the early 1970s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rural_purge
Narf, you can put me down as another watcher of BBC America's new series Orphan Black.
Paw, yes Have Gun Will Travel did indeed film out at Apacheland,
Best
Joe
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In the late 60's, they got rid of spy shows, sci-fi shows, super-hero shows, any sitcoms with "imaginative" premises, and "rural" shows.
No wonder 1970 or so was so BLAND! :(
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The 70s weren't a total dead zone for these genres. It did bring us such shows as The Incredible Hulk, Kolchak:The Night Stalker, Planet of the Apes, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Logan's Run, Mork and Mindy, and on Saturday mornings- Shazam, The Mighty Isis, Ark II, Space Academy, Jason of Star Command plus animated versions of Star Trek and Planet of the Apes.
There's probably more too but these came to me off the top of my head.
Best
Joe
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I wish I could find it on youtube, but there was this great scene I remember from "Newhart" where Peter Scolari's TV producer character, Michael, is lamenting that all the networks want these days is quality programming, rather than the kind of entertainment he wants to produce. And Bob Newhart's character, Dick, tells him to take heart, reminding him that in the 70s there were all these quality programs (like the Mary Tyler Moore Show and All in the Family), but they soon enough gave way to shows like Manimal and Charlie's Angel. So just hang in there Michael, because it's bound to turn around again.
The scene has always stayed with me--because it's funny on many different levels. Of course, Bob Newhart was part of that quality programming trend, with his own 70s show. And Scolari was part of the trend that followed after it, with "Bosom Buddies" in the early 80s.
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Some pretty good new shows this month. BBC-America gives us "Orphan Black", "Spies of Warsaw", and of course some new episodes of the Doctor. "Orphan Black" is well-written with a good premise, but not for the kiddies. "Spies" is a four-parter featuring David Tennant as a French espionage agent ,pre-WW2. The Doctor's initial "Spoonhead" episode was fairly weak, but the second was much better. Also watching "Vikings" on History Channel. Well-written, acted, and produced but ultra-violent with intense sexual situations, although no real nudity. Not for family viewing. PBS gives us a new season of "Call the Midwife", and the current Masterpiece is "Mr. Selfridge"- both quite good. Read somewhere that new episodes of "Falling Skies" won't debut until June- kinda miss that show. Cheers, Bowers
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I really like Vikings and I hope Orphan Black stays good. What I really dislike is how long it is between seasons of Falling Skies. The show just gets going really great then takes another long break
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I just found My Living Doll on HULU. This program was thought to have had all copies destroyed. It is great that there is always a saver around. I loved this show when it ran originally. In case you are unaware the beautiful Julie Newmar is a robot in this series. I just found it on there today so I have not watched it yet. I am sure it will not be as good as when I was 8 but I will like if for nostalgia's sake at least. Now I know that Mr. Terrific has survived so maybe Hulu will pick it up. They already have My Mother the Car and I also found The Mother In Laws today.
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Mr. Terrific can be bought for a price. Not from me but on the 'net.
RB up late scanning
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I have seen it and almost bought it but I figure as soon as I do it will be offered somewhere free to watch.
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Gotcha, same here.......Lol......I am just waiting it out.....Got Captain Nice that way.
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I ran across some very low quality but watchable downloads of "Quark" online years ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quark_(TV_series)
A great short run (8 episodes) TV sci fi comedy series of the 70's. Very funny stuff.
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I did not like it on its original run but probably would now
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My three current weekly serials-
The Lost Special-1932-Universal- Our new Movie Night serial is one that is loosely based on an Arthur Conan Doyle short story. Plenty of action in a railroad setting in the opening chapter. Hoping it continues along these lines in the following weeks.
Don Winslow of the Navy-1942-Universal- I'm a good two thirds or so into this chapter-play based on the popular comic strip (1934-1955). It's fast moving and did well enough in its day to spawn a sequel (Don Winslow of the Coast Guard). You'll find plenty of comics here at CBM featuring Don's adventures. Dell reprinted the comic strip in issues of Crackajack Funnies and Popular Comics (as well as a couple of issues of Four Color) while Fawcett created new stories for a successful 69 issue run of Don Winslow of the Navy beginning in 1943. Charlton also had Don in a short-lived mid fifties revival.
The Monster and the Ape-1945-Columbia- Only a few chapters into this one but it has been fun. A wacky looking robot and giant ape enliven the action. Robert Lowery makes a fine hero and is at the top of his game here. He would go on to star in another more popular serial, Batman and Robin, in 1949. I remember seeing him on various television shows in the 1960s when I was a kid. He did tons of TV work in the 1950s and 60s.
Best
Joe
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Some DVD collections I recently finished watching-
Doctor Who-"City of Death"-(1979)- Very enjoyable four-part time travel serial written by Douglas Addams. Got a real kick out of John Cleese's cameo in the final chapter. The budget must have been increased for this one too as they actually went to Paris to do some location shooting. Some nice extras on the set include about 20 minutes of behind the scenes video footage that somehow managed to avoid being wiped all these years.
Burn Notice Season Two (2008-2009/16 episodes) Continued good writing on this season will have me coming back for season three. The cast has settled in well with their characters by this point too.
Coronado 9: The Complete Series (1960-1961/39 episodes) Rod Cameron starred in many B movies, westerns and serials in the 1940s and early 50s before segueing into TV work. He starred in three series for Revue- City Detective (1953-1955), State Trooper (1956-1959) and Coronado 9 (1960-1961). After that he kept busy guest starring in numerous television shows and playing the occasional supporting role in feature films until he retired in the late 1970s. In this series he plays PI Dan Adams. The series benefits from having a number of it's episodes directed by William Witney. Witney had spent years directing serials and B westerns. He knew how to keep the pace moving and turn out a solid product on a limited budget. He was a natural for television during it's first couple of decades.
Best
Joe
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Some DVD collections I recently finished watching-
Doctor Who-"City of Death"-(1979)- Very enjoyable four-part time travel serial written by Douglas Addams. Got a real kick out of John Cleese's cameo in the final chapter. The budget must have been increased for this one too as they actually went to Paris to do some location shooting. Some nice extras on the set include about 20 minutes of behind the scenes video footage that somehow managed to avoid being wiped all these years.
Last week, I finished my self-imposed project of watching all of the original DOCTOR WHO. Mind you, I saw all of these online, on free sites, where the quality wasn't so good (in the future I may invest in some of the DVDs). And with a couple of stories featuring Daleks I found it impossible to hunt down all of the stories--parts of the stories, yes, together with short clips from the rest--then I had to fill in the gaps by reading the synopses online. Plus there's those Hartnell and Troughton stories where the video was destroyed, so I had to listen to the audio with the still pictures. But all in all, I feel like I now have a very good knowledge of the 1963 series.
In terms of the Tom Baker Doctor, I have to say that I prefer the Robert Holmes version. Despite its unforgivable Chinese stereotypes, "The Talons of Weng-Chiang" is not only one of the best Fourth Doctor stories, but one of the best of any Doctor Who TV stories.
"City of Death" is pretty good. I like the relationship between the Doctor and Romana II in this one. It shows the positive side of having two people who are lovers in real life working together--Tom Baker and Lala Ward have an easy nature with each other in this story. But on the whole, I can't say I really liked the Douglas Adams stories as much as the Holmes stories. Adams is trying too hard to be funny. And when he's script editor he's goosing the scripts to camp them up. The result, I think, was this silly Tom Baker Doctor which became stamped in everybody's mind (in North America) as what Doctor Who is all about--and what is still parodied on American TV shows to this day. The Adams brand of comedy works perfectly for his HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE..., but it's a little much for DOCTOR WHO.
However, the last season of the Fourth Doctor, after Douglas Adams, was far worse. This version of the Tom Baker Doctor felt cold and dour. The tension between him and Ward comes through in their characters. While Baker was a great talent, he must've been a nightmare to work with.
If there's some kind of karmic relationship between the different iterations of the Doctor, I think just as Baker was a more alien incarnation in reaction to Pertwee's earthy Doctor--so Peter Davison's nice, inoffensive version is a reaction against the hubris of the Tom Baker Doctor.
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I've been watching the old "Starmaidens" British TV series. My sis watched the first episode and nicknamed the two main alien visitors "Man Ho" and "Happy Gillmore". ;D
I like this series.
Favorite bit so far was when the little girl told them she was going to tell her mom and they freaked out and fled in terror, leaping over a high stone wall.
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I do not think I have seen any of these. Are they on Netflix?
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Found them on Youtube.
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thanks
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Jimmm, it's interesting to hear you feel Tom Baker's 7th season was "worse" than his 6th. The 6th has caught a lot of hell over the years, both for its "excessive" humor and its visibily decreased budget. Despite both of those, the entire season (barring that annoying Dalek story) has continued to grow on me over the years. I note that just about every story has ONE actor whose performance suggests they thought they were doing the Adam West BATMAN or something (not that that show couldn't EASILY have been much better with the right attitude in charge). Note the scientist in CITY OF DEATH with the exagerated accent (same actor who played Charlie The Bartender in THE GUNFIGHTERS-- no kidding!), or the guy who played "Tryst" in NIGHTMARE OF EDEN, who goes thru the entire story impersonating Peter Sellers' character from WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT.
Too many science-fiction fans insist that their "SF!!!!" be taken "seriously!!!" all the time, which can get boring, or depressing. JNT & Christopher Bidmead (season 7) went way, way too far the other way, discarding or destroying many things that made the show watchable in the first place. It's difficult enough in England to hold onto actors on any TV series when they keep wanting to move on to the next job, but to deliberately KICK a character who really works and is really popular off a show (Romana, K-9) is practically creative suicide. (Everything they did just "inspired" Tom Baker to quit, too...)
Ironically, the story that caught hell when it first aired, "MEGLOS", in the long run, I found the most fun to watch. It's got a few gaping plot holes in it... but that's an entirely different problem!
For the most part, in the right state of mind, most of Baker's last season does remain at least watchable... UNTIL I get to LOGOPOLIS. Early-on, I was captivated by this, for the most part, I think, because it broke so many "rules", because I had so much trouble figuring out what the HELL was going on, etc. But in the long run... it's where the REALLY BAD writing on the show started. Christopher Bidmead over-worked himself that whole year re-writing everyone else's scripts to bring them in line with his own narrow view of how the show should go, but the final story was a LAST-MINUTE replacement, and it really shows just how rushed he was trying to get the thing out.
In addition, once JNT decided to boot Lalla Ward off the show, and then found out Tom Baker was leaving, he strongly considered bringing back an earlier companion, at least for a few stories, to help "bridge" the transition from the show's longest-running and most popular star to whoever he wound up with. Both Lis Sladen & Louise Jameson were contacted. I believe one was unavailable, and the other turned it down (allegedly) for not being asked first (which sounds childish, so I question the truth of it). Try watching LOGOPOLIS and imagining how it might have gone with Sarah or Leela INSTEAD of that awful, annoying B**** Tegan.
The last time I watchged my entire DOCTOR WHO collection, ALMOST every girl on the show I found myself liking more than I ever had before, except 2 of them. Sarah, for whatever reason, who'd been my favorite since 1979, I had no reaction to at all this last time around. Very strange. (Maybe my taste in women is changing?) Tegan-- I just can't stand. The one bit with Tegan I enjoy is in FRONTIOS, where the Doctor tries to save her life by pretending she's a robot. "I got this one CHEAP because the walk's not right, and of course there's the accent..." That's the REAL Doctor finally showing through, after 2-1/2 years of him being buried under "too nice and wimpy".
If you'd like to see Peter Davison the way I feel he SHOULD have played The Doctor, watch CAMPION. He's brilliant on that, in every scene. He still managed to be a "nice guy", but unlike his Doctor, Albert doesn't take C*** from anyone! (Including his butler, played by Brian "impenetrable accent" Glover.)
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Yes this is pretty much how I feel. The 6th season of Baker tried too hard to be funny, the 7th tried too hard to be serious. One was too campy, while the other was too boring. Seasons 1 - 5 were on the whole much better, balancing the fun with the drama.
Most of the companions I started out feeling indifferent about them, but then I got to like them as time wore on. With some however it was very hard work to like them (Susan, Sarah Jane, Adric, Tegan, Turlough, Peri, Ace), while others became likable very quickly (Stephen, Jamie, Victoria, Jo, Leela, Romana I).
Seeing Hines and Troughton come back in "The Two Doctors" was a highlight for me. It doesn't matter what the story was about (although the indifference to life displayed by many writers was a continual annoyance in all of the classic series--did they really need to kill off so many innocent bystanders?). I was just happy to see the (platonic) love affair between Jamie and the Doctor recognized.
I got a kick in the latest new Who episode when the Doctor meets the Professor and his companion--but when the Doctor calls her the Professor's "companion," the Prof says she's his "assistant." And the Doctor remarks, Oh right this is 1974, so she would be his assistant. A kind of 4th wall reference to the Third Doctor who had assistants not companions.
Given the back to front way I've been getting into Doctor Who. I saw both Peter Davison and Freema Agyeman on LAW & ORDER: UK before I saw then on DOCTOR WHO. Probably a reason that Martha Jones is one of my favourite companions. Yet, I found Davison's seasoned performance on L&OUK much better than his performance as the Doctor. I think the first part of the two-part "Black Orchid"--even though it's a daft story and apparently hated by Who fans--was one of the best bits for the Fiffh Doctor and his companions, because they get to be themselves, just relaxing and having a good time. It's the one story where the Fifth Doctor's gear made sense--a kind of Aha! this is who he is!
I will have to check out CAMPION, if I can find it.
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"The 6th season of Baker tried too hard to be funny, the 7th tried too hard to be serious."
CITY OF DEATH is my favorite from the 17th season, and it's certainly the funniest (but not the silliest). Like THE PIRATE PLANET it benefits from just having a brilliant script (though, unlike the former, it started out as someone else's idea-- I think).
The last couple times I watched THE CREATURE FROM THE PIT, it hit me just how funny it would have been if Geoffrey Bayldon had turned out to be William Hartnell's Doctor (a surprise crossover). It would have probably put Tom Baker's Doctor completely off his game to have himself act condescending toward him.
It's funny, because, something I never noticed before... in the 16th season, Baker suddenly starts to remind me of Hartnell's Doctor (if he were younger of course). I think it's the way he tries so extra-hard to be superior around Romana, only it never quite works. The 16th season may be my favorite of all of them, as the balance just seemed so perfect. Plus, while an occasional "gothic horror" story is nice, having several seasons in a row of nothing but "gothic horror" can get to you after awhile. Where's the variety, like in the earliest seasons?
Of course then there's Mary Tamm. She just cracks me up so much as Romana. A couple years back, when I watched THE RIBOS OPERATION for the first time in some years, it suddenly hit me, early in the story... "Oh my God! It's Hermoine Granger-- all grown up!!" I love the stuff early on, like when she says, "You know, before I met you, I was actually willing to be impressed."
THE TWO DOCTORS is definitely a favorite of mine, as is REVELATION OF THE DALEKS. The irony of the latter is that, the way it's written, The Doctor is hardly in it at all. And then when he is, he's much more laid-back than he had been for the bulk of the season. See THE LOVED ONE with Rod Steiger as "Mr. Joyboy" for the major inspiration for that story. (The "Davros" equivalent character was played by Jonathan Winters.)
That over-reaction thing continued with Peter Davison (too wimpy) and Colin Baker (too abbrasive). Both actors are terrific, but for the most part, got lousy writing. I was shocked when Sylvester McCoy came along, and became my favorite of all the Doctors. He got some flawed writing as well, but the general intent had improved immensely, and I wound up thinking he was so good, it made me want to pretend the previous 5 (or 6) seasons had "never happened".
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Thanks to Captain Audio's recommendation, I have been watching Star Maidens. I have to say that I like it a lot. Of course you have to take it for what it is and when it was. I found it very interesting than when the earthmen confronted the Medusa women it was the Professor not the police that was in charge.
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I'm nearing the climax of the long, long "1897" sequence on DARK SHADOWS. Back in 1969, I dropped off a few weeks in, then came back near the end, never having a clue that it was the SAME story still going all those months later. I remember coming in just before or after Barnabas had been "killed", mainly because my Dad used to keep sarcastically saying "SPIKE in the CHEST!" ("Spike", not "stake"-- heh.)
In the 80's, I watched and taped the entire thing off NJN (PBS). I'm finally watching those tapes now. It's pretty clear that in the last 3rd of the storyline, a LOT of episodes went missing. I wonder if they ever turned up later?
About 10 years ago (how time flies, it's scary), I watched some of this on the Sci-Fi Channel again. As with 1969, I caught a few episodes early-on, when "Edith" ("Grandmother") met Barnabas and then died of a heart attack ("YOU! YOU are THE SECRET!!!"), then switched off, but turned it on for the climax. I don't think I saw as much 10 years ago as I did back in '69.
Now, as crazy as it is, to have the SAME actors playing more than one part in the SAME story-- Thayer David as Sandor Rakosi AND Count Petoffi (with one or two episodes thrown in where he's also Professor Stokes!!), Kathryn Leigh Scott as Rachel Drummond (killed by a possessed Judith, under the control of Dirk Wilkins), AND Lady Kitty Hampshire (THE ACTUAL reincarnation of Josette!!!), and Roger Davis as both Dirk Wilkins AND Charles Delaware Tate, now we have the total insanity of Grayson Hall playing Julia Hoffman, who's gone back in time to 1897... and today, ALSO as Magda Rakosi! If ever 2 characters in this story should have met and traded notes, it would have been Magda & Julia... but I don't think they could figure out a way to do it.
Of course, in another day, David Selby is going to be playing Count Petoffi... while Thayer David will be playing Quentin Collins. (Is that the record? 4 different characters by a single actor in ONE storyline?)
: )
Producer Robert Costello may have felt his time was drawing to a close, as the whole thing feels for weeks now like it's building and building to a gigantic, complex climax. (I just WISH he'd have actually stuck around until the end... when the new guy took over, he SCREWED over everything Costello had spent 8 whole months building up.)
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Just scored all 38 episodes of the 50's TV series "Men Into Space".
Great series. Excellent stories and far above average special effects for the era.
They even used actual experimental high altitude pressure suits in the first/pilot episode.
The suits used later were much less realistic, but pretty much a necessity for the type of filming being done, and with the excellent helmets and air tanks one can over look the thin coverall type suits.
One thing I found really retro was their training for working in zero gee by being suspended by cables from a derrick along with sections of a space station. In real life this sort of training was done in a water tank to simulate weightlessness.
The stories hold up well, mainly because they did not act invincible or all knowing. Mistakes were made and equipment failed, often costing lives or the failure of a mission.
Its Sci Fi with some very real science rather than the technobabble of Startrek and so many TV series that followed.
I first saw these shows as a youngster when they first aired, and I'll always remember Captain McCauley drifting alone in space repeating his name while every radio receiver on Earth was tuned in trying to pinpoint his position and trajectory to guide his rescuers.
Great TV
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This is available on youtube. Youtube's WII app makes watching on TV pretty good. The close caption on older shows is computer generated and hilarious. I put cc on Star Maidens and was LMAO. Every once in awhile it would get a sentence right but then what came next was unpredictable. I like the show but I like it more with cc. It is like watching an autocorrect movie.
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I watched an Italian movie--"Teorema"--on youtube the other day, using the closed caption function. I pretty much had to stand on my head to understand the translation. But I did get most of it and it was a fun exercise in interpretation. Also, being a 60s Italian experimental movie, there are long wordless sections where you don't need translation. Terrence Stamp starred in this movie, so it's worth watching just for him, even though he does almost nothing except seduce everyone in sight.
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I just found My Living Doll on HULU. This program was thought to have had all copies destroyed. It is great that there is always a saver around. I loved this show when it ran originally. In case you are unaware the beautiful Julie Newmar is a robot in this series. I just found it on there today so I have not watched it yet. I am sure it will not be as good as when I was 8 but I will like if for nostalgia's sake at least. Now I know that Mr. Terrific has survived so maybe Hulu will pick it up. They already have My Mother the Car and I also found The Mother In Laws today.
There's a good thread about MY Living Doll and some of the problems that have gone on with finding surviving episodes over at Nitrateville.
http://www.nitrateville.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14710&sid=bc4d8081f085f296b5eecb54c3519e54
Best
Joe
P.S. Here's an informative thread about the problems with the original Dragnet and some other Jack Webb productions.
http://www.nitrateville.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14743&sid=bc4d8081f085f296b5eecb54c3519e54
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THE FACE OF FU MANCHU (1965)
This guy (Christopher Lee) is worse than any Bond villain ever was. In one sequence, he's resposible for the deaths of 3,000 people!!! It's no wonder that at the end, the hero (Nigel Green) BLOWS him to hell without any kind of warning.
I'd swear "Lin Tang" (Tsai Chin) was the inspiration for Wally Wood's "Madame Toy" in his CANNON series.
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This is available on youtube. Youtube's WII app makes watching on TV pretty good. The close caption on older shows is computer generated and hilarious. I put cc on Star Maidens and was LMAO. Every once in awhile it would get a sentence right but then what came next was unpredictable. I like the show but I like it more with cc. It is like watching an autocorrect movie.
Closed caption comes in handy with UK films. In the UK the various accents sometimes makes it difficult to understand what the actors are saying. Scots actors often sound like they have a bad head cold and a snootful of whiskey, which is probably common enough in the highlands anyway.
In a K-9 spin off of Dr Who a robot policeman said "OY(oigh=Grandson), you there, Wots all this then?"
Its actually easier to understand Alex and his Droogies in "A Clockwork Orange" than to understand some UK actors.
PS
Some hill people in the Carolinas still speak unaltered Elizabethan English, which is as hard to understand as Klingon.
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I remember when I was 20 and in the navy and our ship made port at Liverpool (an out of the way stop, after a voyage I won't go into). The captain took us there as a reward, but it was a long Easter weekend and most of the shops were closed (vendors were invited onto the ship where they sold their wares). I didn't get much time off for shore leave, but the night we tied up, my bud J.R. and I went into Liverpool proper and our first stop was at a bar called The American. I remember seeing Blondie on the TV for the first time as I sat at that bar with my bud and the maid behind the bar was talking, but I could not understand a single word she said. It sounded Gaelic, but I know it was probably English. Hers was the thickest accent I'd ever heard--others I could make out more or less. We had to leave that bar when a fight broke out, seemingly for no reason as two blokes proceeded to bash each other faces in with bloody results. Another Liverpuddlian who had befriended us quite quick advised us it was prudent to leave right away as the coppers would be arriving very short (which led to another adventure I won't get into).
Nevertheless, I find it disconcerting when American broadcasters run subtitles under English programs. In most cases, I can usually figure out what the people are saying. And figuring it out is half the fun.
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The thickest accent I've had a challenge dealing with is Brian Glover's as Peter Davison's sidekick on CAMPION. I wish that show had lasted longer. Davison was 10 times better on there than he ever was on DOCTOR WHO. (There's the difference writing can make.)
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Haw, heh, jist a wee minute there, 'n' 'at! Dae youse no' unerstaun whit ah'm talkin' aboot, eh?
Before you click any of these links, be aware - BAD LANGUAGE, all over the shop - SERIOUSLY OFFENSIVE and all on the t.v.
Sorry about that but if you want to hear how it's really done, try a bit of Rab. Rab C. Nesbitt, that is:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k7VoFiagfs
Here's the great Stanley Baxter:-
http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play;_ylt=A2KLqIAQo4JRGx4AFIL7w8QF;_ylu=X3oDMTBrc3VyamVwBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDdmlkBHZ0aWQD?p=parliamo+Glasgow&vid=53455ba928ce8e3251c97db864b5f69c&l=16%3A48&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DV.4953588654276688%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DTfCk_yNuTGk&tit=Stanley+Baxter+-+Parliamo+Glasgow+Sketches&c=2&sigr=11aas0sa4&age=0&fr=moz2-ytff-tyc&tt=b
And the inimitable Jack and Victor:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5-z4iMBFZA
For all you Doctor Who fans Sylvester McCoy guests in this episode, quite sad, this story:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btUjdY2sO00
Quite a few Scottish made shows had subtitles added for showing in England. Caused a great deal of annoyance up here.
Adding Chewin the Fat. Go to 3.41 for the totally useless actor, Ronald Villiers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDzZlcDUr4o
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"Haw, heh, jist a wee minute there, 'n' 'at! Dae youse no' unerstaun whit ah'm talkin' aboot, eh?"
In a more sane universe, Maurice Colbourne's character ("Commander Lytton") would have survived the end of ATTACK OF THE CYBERMEN to become a recurring "shady" character on DOCTOR WHO. And Brian Glover would also have survived, to become a new travelling companion for Colin Baker! (Imagine how funny that could have been.)
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A sane universe? :o While a couple of the links are seriously sweary, I've seen them a few times and still fall off my chair laughing. You might have to experience the wide range of Scottish cultures but Rab, Jack and Victor are representative of a lot of what goes on, in much the same way as Burns and Alexander McCall Smith reflect other aspects in their writing. ;D
As for Lytton - what a great character and, oddly, I suppose, I never have trouble with Brian Glover's accent. But sometimes on my favourite American shows I just can't make out some of the dialogue. ;)
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As a friend of mine in Wales pointed out, the "problem" with Lytton was horribly bad writing. In RESSURECTION OF THE DALEKS, there's no question that he was a BAD guy. He killed countless people that we know of, seemed to enjoy it, tried to kill The Doctor at least once (at a point where we were supposed to start thinking better of him), and even killed some of his own men. Then he walked away at the end as if nothing happened. WTF???? We never even knew FOR SURE if the guy we saw onscreen was supposed to be the "real" Lytton, or a clone, though there didn't seem to be much difference in his case.
Then he spends most of ATTACK OF THE CYBERMEN being so cagey and confrontational with The Doctor, as if all he's doing is enjoying watching the guy squirm. At the very end, we're supposed to believe (simply because we're TOLD so) that HE was working to take down The Cybermen. Well, if that's true, he went about it in the worst, most convoluted & incompetent way possible. Then you have the scene where the Doctor is made to feel "guilty" for having "misjudged" the guy. B***S***!!! Lytton made it impossible for The Doctor to have done anything else. This is bad writing on top of bad writing. Not only do you have a writer who pointlessly throws away a promising character for no good reason, at the same time he goes out of his way to make us dislike the show's hero! I mean-- WTF!!!!!! (The show improved a thousandfold the moment Eric Saward left.)
Just about every "regular"-- and possibly every CHARACTER or ACTOR at all-- who appeared on the show during JNT's run as producer-- got better writing on just about every other show they ever appeared in. Peter Davison was an extreme case. He is so damn likable... but on DOCTOR WHO, he is, in my eyes, absolutely NOT "The Doctor" (barring the odd scene here or there, which turn up in the midst of seasons' worth of otherwise horrible writing). I mean, hell-- he felt more like "The Doctor" to me when he was "Albert Campion"! I love how Albert clearly liked and cared about his manservant "Lugg"-- but at the same time, he would NEVER take any crap from the guy.
Brian Glover is fun to watch, and that includes trying to figure out half the words he's saying.
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Whatcha Watchin'? Right now...
THE AVENGERS -- middle of the 2nd Purdey & Gambit season
THE SAINT -- almost done with Roger Moore, just saw "To Kill A Saint", which turned out to be one of the BEST in the entire run!
KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES -- midway thru the 3rd season, the "Caine family tree" continues to get more complicated, confusing and convoluted (also, the station that ran these back then clearly ran some episodes in the wrong order)
MIKE HAMMER -- getting near the end of the 3rd season
DARK SHADOWS -- November 1969. "Oberon" & "Haza" have appeared. The biggest succession of "WTF???" moments in the show's entire history have just happened. Yes, and Peter Miner took over for the departed Robert Costello. Need I spell it out? "The Leviathans" story has begun... (AAAAAAAAAAUGH!!!)
Oh yeah, and by coincidence (?), last week my latest viewing of the POE flicks got up to THE HAUNTED PALACE. This is why I'm now convinced "Lady Kitty Hampshire" was NOT really the reincarnation of Josette, but instead, had been POSSESSED by her spirit. (Just like Charles Dexter Ward was possessed by Joseph Curwen.)
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I finally got around to watching the last episode of Dollhouse. Interesting concluded series. It could have an annual movie like Alien Nation did which would be cool. I almost gave up on Dollhouse early on thinking it was going to be nearly the same show every time. Boy was I wrong as it developed into a visual novel that had a Beginning -middle- and end. I loved Stargate and Atlantis gave up on Universe as too dark. I guess the popularity of the dark Battlestar Galactica made them decide to go that direction. Not for me I did not like the new Galactica although I loved the old. I also gave up on Fringe.
I liked Fringe but due to my job It kind of got away from me.
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Last night
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When I think of those Sinbad movies I can not help but think of Jane Seymore ;D
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More DS thoughts...
So then you have Barnabas apparently "possessed" (and controlled by) someone those 2 weirdos refer to as their "Master". The show winds up borrowing elelemtns from both THE HAUNTED PALACE and, for most of the story, THE DUNWICH HORROR (although the AIP film didn't come out until AFTER DS had already done their version of it!!).
Lovecraft must have been big around then. The Nov'1970 issue of VAMPIRELLA saw Archie Goodwin doing HIS version of things, with "Who Serves The Cause Of Chaos?", with The Crimson Chronicles filling in for The Necronomicon.
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Feature films watched the last couple of months-
The Cabin in the Woods (2011), Puss in Boots (2011), Wonder Woman (2009), It Happened at the World's Fair (1963), Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012), Black Belt Jones (1974), Rise of the Guardians (2012), Stay Away, Joe (1968), Female (1933), Secrets of Scotland Yard (1944), Three on a Match (1932), It's in the Bag (1945), The Grey (2011), Eight Bells (1935), The Expendables 2 (2012), Moonrise Kingdom (2012), North of the Great Divide (1950), Brave (2012), Fangs of Destiny (1927), The Ninth Guest (1934), Shooter (2007), Lightning Bug (2004), Santo en la Frontera del Terror (1981), Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970), The Virginian (1929), Godzilla Vs. Biollante (1989), My Young Auntie (1981), Loose Ankles (1929), Girl on the Run (1953), The Call (2013), The Beach Girls and the Monster (1965), Paranorman (2012), The Wrecking Crew (1968), The Avengers (2012), Evil Dead (2013), Stark Fear (1963), Wyoming Outlaw (1939), and The Werewolf of Washington (1973).
Several animated features, a couple Elvis movies (including the one he shot in northern Arizona), a Godzilla I'd never seen, finishing up my Dean Martin- Matt Helm quartet and the usual eclectic bunch of films.
Best
Joe
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Wonder Woman (2009)? Is that an animated movie? I know there was the pilot for the Wonder Woman TV show that never got the green light, but I don't remember a Wonder Woman movie.
Most of the movies I see these days are on the internet. I get a few movies on DVD (but only if the price is right and if they're movies I expect to watch more than once), but I rarely go to a movie theatre anymore.
In the 1980s, at university, I took lots of film studies courses, where I met my close circle of friends (all movie buffs, some of whom ended up making movies and/or working in movie theatres). I saw so many movies back then and continued to go to movie theatres every week (back when there were cheapskate Tuesdays), up until the mid-90s. That's when there was a long projectionists' strike and being a working class guy I couldn't cross a picket line. So I learned to live without movies and realized that it wasn't that difficult. After that the ticket prices kept going higher. A movie has to be really special for me to pay those prices now.
There are also some actors that I can't stand--like Jim Carrey and Robert Downey Jr.--who prevent me from seeing any movies they're in.
It Happened at the World's Fair (1963) is one of my favourite Elvis movies. That's a movie I've seen over and over and over again since I was a little boy. Back in '62, our whole family travelled by train from Vancouver to Seattle to see the World's Fair. It was the biggest adventure of my young life. I remember riding the monorail and seeing Superman on the TV in the hotel room.
IT HAPPENED AT THE WORLD'S FAIR became so married with my memory of the actual World's Fair that I feel like me and my family were in that movie. I just love the ending, where Elvis sings "Happy Ending"--we use to sing that around the house all the time. It always brings a smile.
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Jimm, Yes the Wonder Woman feature was an animated production. Something I picked up at Big Lots and which I'm sure cost $3.00 or less.
Here's more about it at the IMDB-
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1186373/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_4
I get a lot of the movies, documentaries and tv shows I watch from our local library which has tons on DVD.
Best
Joe
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Thanks for the link to the trailer, Joe. Does not load on my pad so I'll have ago when I fire up the computer later.
Last week we watched, on dvd, The Long Arm, a beautifully made British police procedural with Jack Hawkins plus, The Ghost Train with Arthur Askey and Richard Murdoch. Old, b&w, nonsense and funny. We could act both of them, we've watched them that often.
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Paw,
I agree that The Ghost Train (1941) is great fun. Directed by the under-rated Walter Forde, who was adept at both comedies and mysteries and who had also directed the earlier 1931 version of The Ghost Train (with Jack Hulbert).
Then there's Will Hay's Oh, Mr. Porter is which is also a variation of the story and one of Hay's best films.
Best
Joe
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Tonight: MY DARLING CLEMENTINE.
I was in the mood for a western... and this is the only one I have with Tim Holt in it!
http://professorhswaybackmachine.blogspot.com/2012/05/tim-holt.html
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"Will Hay's Oh, Mr. Porter" josemas
Oh yes and up there with it is Ask A Policeman.
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Have you ever seen El Senor Tormenta?
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MIKE HAMMER: MURDER TAKES ALL
Stacy Keach's series was inexplicably axed after 3 seasons. Not too long after, they did another TV-movie, this one set almost entirely in in Las Vegas. Someone kidnaps Mike and then straps him into a parachute and pushes him out of an airplane. When he arrives in town, he's pissed. Whatta ya know, shortly after, he's FRAMED for a murder. The rest of the story is his stumbling across one murder after another, and being suspected of being the killer in all cases. It gets frustrating, and worse, boring, very quickly. Perhaps this is why we didn't get to see a SERIES of TV-movies following up this one?
Lindsay Bloom, who had inexplicably VANISHED halfway thru season 3 (a succession of "temps" filled Velda's slot as Velda was reportedly on a long-overdue vacation in Europe and-- apparently-- Rio), turns up, back again, in a 3-minute cameo. As does Pat Chambers, but, thankfully, no ratface Barrington, who always reminds me of an arrogant S.O.B. I used to work with in the 80's.
Ed Winter plays the 1st murder victim; Michelle Phillips plays the Vegas casino head of security who keeps trying to have Hammer arrested over and over and over, Lynda Carter plays a woman who bails Hammer out of jail, and Jim Carrey plays an accountant who gets annoying REAL fast.
Insanely, not long after this, the same producer did COME DIE WITH ME, a total reboot which starred Rob Estes & Pamela Anderson, which had Mike Hammer as a young P.I. living on a boat in Florida, whose career was allegedly inspired by Frank Sinatra's "Tony Rome". Pat Chambers was a woman in that one... (Why? WHY?????)
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This is available on youtube. Youtube's WII app makes watching on TV pretty good. The close caption on older shows is computer generated and hilarious. I put cc on Star Maidens and was LMAO. Every once in awhile it would get a sentence right but then what came next was unpredictable. I like the show but I like it more with cc. It is like watching an autocorrect movie.
I just watched the first part of a English dubbed Perry Rhodan space adventure. There was a closed caption in English option as well so I enabled that. The captioned words were way off from the audio, with Rhodan's named coming out Rodent every time.
Found some interesting German sci fi series , unfortunately with no subtitles or dubbing. The Orion series looks to have been an answer to Star Trek.
Production values (B&W) were mid way between Men Into Space and Ikare XB1.
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Found some interesting German sci fi series , unfortunately with no subtitles or dubbing. The Orion series looks to have been an answer to Star Trek.
Production values (B&W) were mid way between Men Into Space and Ikare XB1.
Very interesting. I'm always looking for German programs to watch, so I can practice understanding the language.
The German title is RAUMPATROUILLE--Die phantischen Abenteur des Raumschiffes Orion. Looking at some of it on youtube, the effects are really good for 1966. Twice as good as STAR TREK (the black and white not withstanding) and ten times better than DOCTOR WHO.
According to Wikipedia, the first episode of STAR TREK aired (in the U.S.) on September 8, 1966, while the first episode of RAUMPPATROUILLE aired (in West Germany) on September 17, 1966. And STAR TREK wasn't run in West Germany until six years later, in 1972. So I think any similarities are purely coincidental.
There were only seven episodes (Folge) made and they all seem to be on youtube.
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COME DIE WITH ME (1994)
Rob Estes as Mike Hammer, Pamela Anderson as Velda, and Darlanne Fleugel as Pat Chambers. REALLY? REALLY????? Oh, yeah, and talk about unmittigated nerve... Kent Williams plays a stoolie. Not only that, but Dr. Joyce Brothers makes her 3rd appearance (as herself, natch) in a Mike Hammer story. That Jay Bernstein...!
I'll be honest... this is actually a good film, well-made, fun to watch. I could tell because I was tired as hell when I put it on and I DIDN'T fall asleep, or even begin to drift off, not even once for its entire length. But I think it would have gone over with the audience MUCH better if they'd just changed the names of the 3 leads. I mean, COME ON!!! It's not just that this cast replaces Stacy Keach, Lindsey Bloom & Don Stroud (FOR NO DAMN APPARENT REASON), but to try and depict "Mike Hammer" as a young, hip, "cool" P.I. living IN MIAMI-- it's just a bit too much of a departure. (I wonder what the HELL Mickey Spillane thought of this?)
I remember liking Rob Estes in SILK STALKINGS. Pamela Anderson used to be so CUTE back in those days (before repeated trips to the plastic surgeon... why? WHY???). And I see Darlanne Fleugel was Rick Hunter's 2nd partner-- the one they KILLED OFF after a dozen episodes, to be replaced by Lauren Lane (before THE NANNY). Fleugel was also in BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS, as Richard Thomas' love interest. Boy, did she change over those years!
Randi Ingerman, who played the crooked woman cop (who hires herself out as a HITMAN!!!), oddly enough, actually reminded me of the character "Chelle" from Paige Braddock's JANE'S WORLD. Strange...!
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I missed this Mike Hammer version completely.
Your posting is the first I heard of it, Henry.
I guess it didn't do particularly well as there were no followups.
Best
Joe
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Some TV collections watched lately
3rd Rock From the Sun- Season Two- Great cast and writing keep this show on a role. The 2 part 3-D season finale was a hoot. What the heck have French Stewart and Kristen Johnston been doing since this series? They're both great in it! A crime that it didn't make TV Guide's recent 60 Greatest Comedies list. Extras on the set included bloopers, interviews and some behind the scenes featurettes.
Secret File USA- a no-frills four-episode DVD set showcasing this mid 1950s espionage series. It starred Robert Alda (father of M*A*S*H's Alan Alda). It's low budget but because it was filmed in Amsterdam it benefits from some authentic European location filming, at times.
I grew up on the fantastic spy/secret agent series of the 1960s (Man from UNCLE, Wild Wild West, Mission Impossible) so getting to see the much grimmer, very cold war espionage series of the 1950s in recent years has been an eye-opener.
The Carol Burnett Show- a 16 episode collection showcasing mainly episodes from the mid 1970s.- every one a winner! The last of the really great comedy-variety shows here in the states. Lots of extras including interviews, documentaries, and an episode of The Gary Moore Show (on which Carol was a regular co-star) from the early 1960s in which Carol plays Supergirl and does her tarzan yell for the first time on network TV.
Best
Joe
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The Carol Burnett Show- a 16 episode collection showcasing mainly episodes from the mid 1970s.- every one a winner! The last of the really great comedy-variety shows here in the states. Lots of extras including interviews, documentaries, and an episode of The Gary Moore Show (on which Carol was a regular co-star) from the early 1960s in which Carol plays Supergirl and does her tarzan yell for the first time on network TV.
Best
Joe
The first time I remember seeing Carol Burnett doing the Tarzan yell was in a Tarzan spoof on THE JACK BENNY SHOW (which would've been in late 1962). I don't think we got THE GARRY MOORE SHOW on our TV, as I don't remember seeing it, though I knew it existed. I mainly remember Garry Moore for hosting TO TELL THE TRUTH (previously hosted by Bud "Superman" Collyer)--and I used to think Mary Tyler Moore was his daughter.
On a tangent, listening to the radio today, I heard that orangutan's can't distinguish music from noise. To generalize, I would assume this is true for all the great apes. Yet Tarzan's ape family were musical, in that they would drum and dance at the Dum-Dum--which might suggest an evolutionary distinction between these apes and others.
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Josemas:
"I guess it didn't do particularly well as there were no followups."
I did so "well", 3 years later, Jay bernstein brought back STACY KEACH for a brand-new series for syndication, MIKE HAMMER, PRIVATE EYE. (heehee)
Kent Williams had an appearance in the 1st episode as Barrington (now Deputy Mayor), but there was a new Velda, an entirely new character replacing Pat Chambers, and Mike picked up a young protoge. Ther local station here did such a chaotic job running it, I threw my hands up after only a few weeks!!! (I never knew when it would be on or not...)
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THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (1929)
Legend has it this was filmed in 2-strip Technicolor, but, no color prints are known to exist. Too bad. Really cool film designed to be the "epitome of Jules Verne", incorporating various elements from several of his books (while having next to nothing to do with the plot of the one it takes its title from). I like how this one online review pointed out that, except for the main character DYING at the end, this could easily be a "prequel" to Disney's 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, showing us in detail the "origin" of Captain Nemo!
Because so much of the plot involves 2 submarines, each crippled in different ways, slowly sinking to the floor of the ocean, I keep thinking a good alternate title would have been, "VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA".
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA (1956)
I still consider this possibly the single best adventure film Disney was ever involved in. Having read the novel in the late 80's, I can somewhat understand that someone felt the "need" to borrow elements from another Verne book ino order to give the film an "action" climax the novel simply didn't have. What's interesting is, I went in this time specifically looking at the film as a SEQUEL (to the 1929 film), and it's amazing how much it makes sense in that light. This is particularly tur regarding the way nemo treats Professor Arronax. One can easily see him thinking of Baron Fallon, a man who put acquiring HIS scientific knowledge (for all the wrong and worst purposes) ABOVE human life. You also wind up with 2 films in a row with a similar ending (the inventor blowing up his own shipyard to prevent others from getting their hands on his work).
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Season Final of Doctor Who was interesting enough.
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The season finale was pretty good.
At the risk of revealing my inner Mary Sunshine, I really like DOCTOR WHO. All of DOCTOR WHO. This might be because I've only become a fan in the past year and after this honeymoon phase, maybe in twenty years, I too will sound like all those darkhearted Whovians that grumble about every detail and pick everything apart.
But the whole reason I was attracted to Who is because it's the one thing that remains intact. Whatever problems it has with continuity are minor when compared with what has been done to the great comics, movies, and TV shows I've loved.
DW is a safe refuge from all the reboots and retcons that have smashed my favourite stories to pieces. For that reason I truly admire DOCTOR WHO, new and old.
I hope we will get to see Paul McGann return in the 50th celebration. And I hope they do something Canadian--since Sydney Newman was Canadian and other Canadian elements have played into the series over its history. I'm bummed out that Clara's leaf used to be a maple leaf and now it's some other kind of leaf. I was sure it was supposed to be a maple leaf to honour Sydney's creative input.
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Like many Americans I started with the 4th Doctor. I liked all those to follow some more than others. I enjoyed many of the stories, despite what some consider terrible writing. I did not like the third Doctor because he was stuck on earth. I have not seen much of the first two.
Arrow seemed more like a final than season final with so much wrapped up.
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I still remember, when the revival was announced, and even several weeks into it, fans were still not sure, is this gonna be a reboot, or a revival? Some weeks into the Christoppher Eccleston season, it became clear... REVIVAL! Considering almost the entire show has changed completely at times when a new Doctor was cast, what point would there have been to follow everyone else's bad habit and throw everything out just to start over?
That said, it flipped me out how well the revival started. Unlike the Paul McGann film (which got just about everything possible as wrong as could be), Eccleston's 1st episode starts out focusing on the human cast, and we have no idea WHO this strange guy calling himself "The Doctor" is. It really allowed the show to build a brand new audience from scratch, while not alienating any of its older fans.
My 1st Doctor was actually Peter Cushing (we're talking "alternate universe version" here-- heh). Then it was Jon Pertwee (except the Philly station skipped his debut story). Years later, Tom Baker (the Philly station ran his first 4 seasons totally out of sequence!!).
After that, it was Peter Davison, William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Colin Baker... and THEN Sylvester McCoy. And the crazy thing is, McCoy became my favorite! (How'd THAT happen?) :)
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Oh, by the way... HERE's my favorite Peter Davison...
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrzag8AIMC1qb7zluo1_500.jpg
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If I did not have so many other things to watch and do I would give Campion a try.
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We have the box set of Campion - great entertainment. New series of The Apprentice started here but some of our American favourites are finished for a while.
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I really enjoyed the season finale of ARROW. Man oh man, wall to wall excitement. And there's something about seeing your hometown in ruins that is attention grabbing (if not exactly entertaining).
Given the gamble that is TV production, I think the ARROW producers planned out the year to be relatively self-contained, just in case the series didn't get picked up for a second season.
With DOCTOR WHO this season, it's felt like really the fall episodes belong with the previous season. While from Christmas onward those episodes are all set-up for the 50th anniversary special and the coming storm next season.
By the way, along with Barrowman and Kingston, there's another connection between WHO and ARROW--which is that Mi-Jung Lee played an unnamed TV reporter in the 1996 TV movie and she's played an unnamed TV reporter in episodes of ARROW. Mi-Jung Lee is a Vancouver TV reporter, as she was back in 1996 (and she's played the same role in several other movies and TV shows).
Of course, if location is a character, then you could also say that the character of Vancouver has played a role both in the DOCTOR WHO TV movie and ARROW. In fact some of the same locations were undoubtedly used in both.
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I wish shows would at least plan to wrap up at the end of the season. Make a wrap up episode for whenever the wrap up might be. Remember a few years ago when all three networks had a scifi show. Threshold, Invasion, and another none finished. Then last year we had Ringer. I would like to have seen endings for Earth 2 and Space Above and Beyond. There may not be enough fans to keep a series going but they need to consider those loyal enough to stick with it. BTW does anyone else use VIGGLE? I am hoping that they are connected to some form or rating not just advertising. I want it known that I am watching Doctor Who and Orphan Black so more can be produced. I believe OB only has two episodes left. I hope it is the end of the show not just the season. Wrap it up not drag it out. Of course I did not think Revenge and Once Upon a Time could keep going as long and as well as they have.
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And finishing off the "Captain Nemo trilogy"...
MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (1961)
I'm pretty sure this was my very 1st Ray Harryhausen film. Isn't that Bernard Hermann something else? Overwhelming, overpowering, AWESOME music score!
Michael Craig (Captain Cyrus Harding) would later turn up on DOCTOR WHO in "Terror of the Vervoids", with Colin Baker & Bonnie Langford.
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It's bad enough for Jon Pertwee's Doctor to be stuck on Earth. Imagine "The Silurians" being my FIRST tv story and wondering what the HELL this has to do with the guy who travels around in space in a Police Box?
Plus, Pertwee's Doctor for most of seasons 7-8 had this colossal chip on his shoulder, angry as hell and obnoxious as a result for being stuck on Earth. When I finally got to see "Spearhead From Space" in the mid-80's, it was a revelation. Pertwee was actually FUNNY in that! Re-watching it over the years, I came to realize an odd thing... he actually goes thru the entire story "doing" Patrick Troughton! This is no doubt because the story was produced by Peter Bryant, who did Troughton's last season. Barry Letts doesn't take over as new producer until "The Silurians". Apparently, the strike ("industrial action") that forced them to record ON FILM and ON LOCATION rather than videotape in studio blew the season's budget, which is why the rest of the season consisted entirely of the budget-saving insanity of 3 7-PARTERS in a row. (AUGH!!!)
To me, while I love "Spearhead", the show doesn't get really watchable until the sequel... "Terror of the Autons". All of a sudden, you have likable characters all around to balance out the fact that the show's hero is an egotistical pain-in-the-ass. Mike Yates (generally good guy), Jo Grant (adorable sweetie, and much smarter than she first appears), and Sgt. Benton (everyone's best friend). Plus, you had this new guy who was handsome, charming, likable, and brilliant... and, unfortunately, a homicidal maniac. It's totally NUTS, but when I watched the 8th season way back in the 70s, I found The Master to be FAR more likable than The Doctor. And he was the recurring VILLAIN!!!
This actually makes sense IF you know what Barry Letts had in mind, but which he was NEVER able to reveal onscreen in the series, due to Roger Delgado's fatal accident between seasons 10 & 11... that The Doctor had somehow been SPLIT into 2 people, and The Master was his other half!! Barry Letts was a big STAR TREK fan... think 1st season episode, "THE ENEMY WITHIN", where Kirk is split in two via a transporter accident. I really wish Letts had been able to finish the story the way he intended. If he had, we wouldn't have gotten an endless succession of TERRIBLE stories where they brought The Master back over and over, each one worse than the one before.
Roger Delgado actually served as the inspiration for one of my own comic-book characters...
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Well when I was watching all those episodes a few months ago, as the end of Troughton came and I knew what was in store with Pertwee, I approached it with trepidation. But my general experience of everything (with small exceptions) is that after my initial discomfort, I came to enjoy the new order. Nevertheless, I was anxious to see the Doctor use the TARDIS again.
I still think it was a dumb move to ground the Doctor, but the good result were all those characters (and the actors who played them) that cast a long shadow through the rest of the series.
What intrigues me about this, on a thematic level, is that we saw the same thing happening in comics around the same time. Wonder Woman, Teen Titans, Green Lantern, Superman, even Batman had some kind of grounding of one kind or another. Also, I think at Marvel there were similar doings with Captain America, Silver Surfer and maybe some others.
While some of this was for the good, in general I find it strange, because it feels like the people behind these changes wanted to stop us from having good fun. It's like your parents telling you to stay in your room and do your homework, instead of going out to play.
Or to use a Paul McGann and Richard E. Grant reference, it's like the end of WITHNAIL AND I, where we go from the gassy goofball romp of the 60s to cutting our hair and settling in the 70s.
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THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND (1929)
Legend has it this was filmed in 2-strip Technicolor, but, no color prints are known to exist. Too bad. Really cool film designed to be the "epitome of Jules Verne", incorporating various elements from several of his books (while having next to nothing to do with the plot of the one it takes its title from). I like how this one online review pointed out that, except for the main character DYING at the end, this could easily be a "prequel" to Disney's 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, showing us in detail the "origin" of Captain Nemo!
Because so much of the plot involves 2 submarines, each crippled in different ways, slowly sinking to the floor of the ocean, I keep thinking a good alternate title would have been, "VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA".
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA (1956)
I still consider this possibly the single best adventure film Disney was ever involved in. Having read the novel in the late 80's, I can somewhat understand that someone felt the "need" to borrow elements from another Verne book ino order to give the film an "action" climax the novel simply didn't have. What's interesting is, I went in this time specifically looking at the film as a SEQUEL (to the 1929 film), and it's amazing how much it makes sense in that light. This is particularly tur regarding the way nemo treats Professor Arronax. One can easily see him thinking of Baron Fallon, a man who put acquiring HIS scientific knowledge (for all the wrong and worst purposes) ABOVE human life. You also wind up with 2 films in a row with a similar ending (the inventor blowing up his own shipyard to prevent others from getting their hands on his work).
You should check out the silent version of 20,000 Leagues under the sea, its available as a free download on the Internet Archive site.
The film is a bit dark and grainy in spots but still very watchable. I was amazed at how well they built the prop Nautilus and there's far more action than you'd expect in a film of that era.
They tell Nemo's back story in full, which other productions only hinted at.
I had just watched the Disney versions of 20,000 Leagues last night. Its a great film and holds up extremely well even by todays standards. James Mason will always be Nemo to me.
PS
The 29 version of Mysterious Island is another personal favorite. I'll always remember the sunken war galley with skeletons still chained to the rows being dragged into position so its battering ram could be used against the sub. Alexander the Great once used warships outfitted with battering rams to attack a Phoenician walled city.
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I don't mind watching short bits on computer, but the way the room and the furniture is set up, I don't watch movies on computer-- only on the TV (on the other side of the room). And I don't at the moment have any way to connect the two (so don't start making suggestions please...) :)
What a surprise when I read 20,000 LEAGUES (in the 80's) and found there was NO explanation for Nemo at all! We knew his crew spoke some "unknown" language-- but what?
Strange but true... Jules Verne wrote the book with Nemo being a POLISH count whose family is murdered by the RUSSIANS! But France was friendly with the Czars at the time, and so censorship reared its ugly head, and that part of the book was cut out before publication.
Later, in THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, Verne revealed that Nemo had been an INDIAN prince who'd taken part in an uprising against the ENGLISH. France has a long history of hating England, so it was perfectly okay for the villains to be English!
What's interesting is when MGM did their film in the late 20's, the fictional country they created was a blatent, OBVIOUS stand-in for RUSSIA undergoing the Bolshevik Revolution (when CRIMINALS seized power under the guise of alleged "cultural reform" and "communism"-- what B***S***!!!). Lionel Barrymore was, in effect, closer to what Jules Verne had in mind than what wound up in the novels!!
Disney added the revelation about Nemo's past (which was not there in the published novel), but carried over having the baddies be OBVIOUSLY English (though referred to as "that country that flies no flag"-- just look at those uniforms!!), and Mason was obviously English as well. So a DISNEY film depicted the ENGLISH government murdering their own citizens... they just didn't come out and say it. You'd think that might have been somewhat controversial post-WW2, wouldn't you?
We don't really know what nationality Herbert Lom is (though he often played foreigners, as when he played the pirate ship captain in SPARTACUS). While Disney expanded on Nemo's character in their film, and added a lot of emotional depth that wasn't in the published novel, I like the fact that Charles Schneer & Ray Harryhausen made Nemo more robust (NOT dying of old age) and still involved in scientific research to find ways to end war. It blows my mind that they took such a LONG, LONG book and squeezed it into a relatively short film, left out 3/4ths of the details, ADDED a pile of stuff that wasn't in the book, and yet, still managed to be very faithful to the overall structure and tone of the novel! That's astounding.
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Polishing off my "submarine" movie marathon...
VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (1961)
This has simply the most insane plot I've ever seen in any sci-fi film. The Van Allen belt has ignited, the temperature keeps rising, and by a certain point, the entire world will be cremated! Unless, an nuclear missile can be fired at a specific time, place, and angle of tragectory, to blow the belt away from Earth. (Who writes this stuff???)
The last 10 minutes are really wild. First, Captain Lee Crane orders Admiral Harriman Nelson relieved of command for irrational behavior. But he's interrupted when an unknown sub tries to destroy The Seaview with torpedos. They're only saved by diving into the Marianas Trench so deep, the other sub, stupid enough to follow, BLOWS up from the pressure! Then, while they're down there, a GIANT OCTOPUS grabs The Seaview!!! They no sooner get away, when someone cuts off the power. Turns out it's the psychiatrist who claimed Nelson was going crazy, who has not only got a lethal dose of radiation, but falls into a shark pool. With only minutes left to fire the missile, suddenly, a religious fanatic holds up a bomb, declaring "It's not right to challenge God's will!" So Crane has to sneak outside the ship in order to fire the missile MANUALLY!
I haven't seen the TV series in ages, but the feature film has become a favorite of mine in recent years (despite its clunkiness in spots). I sometimes wonder what posessed Irwin Allen to do the pilot of the TV series as a REBOOT instead of a sequel? It seems to me some of the characters from this film would have been an asset to the show. But apparently, Allen wanted the show to be DEADLY SERIOUS all the time, and had no room for humor, or romance. In a way, this film is even more like STAR TREK than the TV series was.
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I don't mind watching short bits on computer, but the way the room and the furniture is set up, I don't watch movies on computer-- only on the TV (on the other side of the room). And I don't at the moment have any way to connect the two (so don't start making suggestions please...) :)
I don't watch movies on the PC if I can help, despite having an excellent quality and fair sized flat screen monitor.
There are freeware programs that allow you to burn a downloaded video to DVD. I can recommend DVDstyler.
The first version I installed had a few glitches but the recent updated version works great, allowing up to nine short films (30 min) on a single 4.7 GB DVDR disc.
These play on any DVD player, and you can burn to PAL or NTSC as you prefer.
What a surprise when I read 20,000 LEAGUES (in the 80's) and found there was NO explanation for Nemo at all! We knew his crew spoke some "unknown" language-- but what?
Been a long time since I read it and I'm fairly sure the edition I read was a toned down kid's edition.
Strange but true... Jules Verne wrote the book with Nemo being a POLISH count whose family is murdered by the RUSSIANS! But France was friendly with the Czars at the time, and so censorship reared its ugly head, and that part of the book was cut out before publication.
Later, in THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, Verne revealed that Nemo had been an INDIAN prince who'd taken part in an uprising against the ENGLISH. France has a long history of hating England, so it was perfectly okay for the villains to be English!
What's interesting is when MGM did their film in the late 20's, the fictional country they created was a blatent, OBVIOUS stand-in for RUSSIA undergoing the Bolshevik Revolution (when CRIMINALS seized power under the guise of alleged "cultural reform" and "communism"-- what B***S***!!!). Lionel Barrymore was, in effect, closer to what Jules Verne had in mind than what wound up in the novels!!
Disney added the revelation about Nemo's past (which was not there in the published novel), but carried over having the baddies be OBVIOUSLY English (though referred to as "that country that flies no flag"-- just look at those uniforms!!), and Mason was obviously English as well. So a DISNEY film depicted the ENGLISH government murdering their own citizens... they just didn't come out and say it. You'd think that might have been somewhat controversial post-WW2, wouldn't you?
Though the uniforms look British, the German Colonial troops also wore similar uniforms and pith helmets. I'd have to compare screen caps to a catalog of uniforms of the era.
Belgian colonial troops also wore similar uniforms and helmets as did mercenary companies.
BSA also sold British military small arms under contract to many smaller countries and to Asian royalty for their personal guards.
British Khaki was a result of the Green Uniforms of the British East India company having faded from many washings and the tropical sun. The faded uniforms actually looked more businesslike than when new so Khaki became the color of choice for tropical uniforms and outdoor wear.
I have a USAF officers tropical bush jacket, apparently patterned on the British tropical jacket circa WW2.
We don't really know what nationality Herbert Lom is (though he often played foreigners, as when he played the pirate ship captain in SPARTACUS). While Disney expanded on Nemo's character in their film, and added a lot of emotional depth that wasn't in the published novel, I like the fact that Charles Schneer & Ray Harryhausen made Nemo more robust (NOT dying of old age) and still involved in scientific research to find ways to end war. It blows my mind that they took such a LONG, LONG book and squeezed it into a relatively short film, left out 3/4ths of the details, ADDED a pile of stuff that wasn't in the book, and yet, still managed to be very faithful to the overall structure and tone of the novel! That's astounding.
Herbert Lom is Czech born and moved to the UK in 1939.
There's a bit of the Tartar and/or Mongol in the appearance of many mid and eastern Europeans.
I like the Disney Mysterious Island. Lom's Nemo seemed a bit over the hill though, as Nemo would have been after all he had been through.
The 1916 production of 20,000 Leagues brings a lot into perspective.
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Regarding VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, I know that we watched this TV show every week, even though I was barely able to talk when it first aired. Being the youngest of five, what programs we watched was a constant negotiation--one that I rarely won. I suspect my brother had decided we had to watch this show.
While it had a couple of actors I liked, I found it a really dull show. The title seemed to promise so much more than what it delivered. I vaguely remember the movie and wondering why the TV show was never like that. It's hard to believe that some people thought this was even science fiction.
I remember the Disney version of 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA. And I think I read the book. Our school library had a bunch of science fiction books by Jules Verne and H.G. Wells and I read all of them--which was pretty precocious, since I couldn't have been more than seven years old when I started reading those books. But I have to say I much preferred Wells to Verne.
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I love H G Wells.
Another author not know for science fiction, since the word had not been invented in his day, was Jack London.
His story "the Red One" is the most bone chilling story of an encounter with something from beyond that I can think of other than "Who Goes There?" by John W Campbell. Actually "the Red One" is a much better written story, though gruesome in the extreme, it reminds me a bit of the worst parts of "the Heart of Darkness".
London also wrote of a hunter caught up in a cat and mouse dilemma with a wooly mammoth.
Then the Ambrose Bierce and his classic sci fi horror story "the Damned Thing" which has been filmed but never filmed well. I think "the Damned Thing" was the inspiration for "the Predator".
Another film I like is the Italian "Planet of the Vampires" which is considered to be the inspiration for "Alien".
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I was referring to that we don't know what nationality (if any) Herbert Lom's Captain Nemo was. Lionel Barrymore's strikes me as a fictional version of Russian, while James Mason's is English. I suppose Lom being Czech means he's probably the closest to what Verne originally intended.
As it happens I'm half Polish and half Czechoslovakian (no idea which side of that former country). Just like "Richard Devere" on TO THE MANOR BORN!
My late best friend Jim once commented he wished Disney HAD done THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, if only so the film could have reused Disney's NAUTILUS. I wonder, has one production company ever rented out a prop from another? That would have been a good time for someone to have done so.
I watched VOYAGE quite a bit when it was first-run, but never with the sort of dedication or fanaticism than I did LOST IN SPACE. I guess the same could be said for THE MAN FROM UNCLE. I always preferred GET SMART...!
Oddly enough, while I never had a Jupiter 2 toy as a kid, I did have a Seaview toy. It was seaworthy, and could propel itself thru water. (Of course, unless you use it in a swimming pool, it's kind of limited on that level.) My Dad got me the full playset, which also came with 2 (or 3?) other smaller vehicles (none of which were the Flying Sub) and a pack of about 20 undersea soldiers. I used to team them up with the soldiers from the HORRIBLE HAMILTON playset against the giant monsters from that. ("More" is better.)
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Oddly enough, while I never had a Jupiter 2 toy as a kid, I did have a Seaview toy. It was seaworthy, and could propel itself thru water. (Of course, unless you use it in a swimming pool, it's kind of limited on that level.) My Dad got me the full playset, which also came with 2 (or 3?) other smaller vehicles (none of which were the Flying Sub) and a pack of about 20 undersea soldiers. I used to team them up with the soldiers from the HORRIBLE HAMILTON playset against the giant monsters from that. ("More" is better.)
I had a very detailed model U-Boat when I was a kid, long before VTTBOTS came out.
We had access to a huge swimming pool so I carefully balanced the ballast and set the dive planes at just the right angle so that as the body of the sub slowly filled with water through pin hole leaks it glided through the water like a sail plane through air. It would make it all the way from the shallow end to the deep end in a straight line if not disturbed.
I later on built a Seaview model for a nephew who was too young to do it right, it turned out fine.
BTW I ran across an article stating that Australia had granted Walt Disney corp money to do a remake of 20,000 Leagues under the sea. I bet they screw it up.
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CASTLE OF TERROR (1964)
Italian film whose cast & crew are all inexplicably credited as having "English" names. The dubbing appears to have been done by the same people who've dubbed a lot of foreign cartoons, like SPEED RACER. And it seems to me the one American in the cast was missing from the credits-- Barbara Steele!
Check out this dialogue between two women...
"Yes-- I do love him!"
"No-- you will never be happy with ANY man."
"You're only saying that because you're JEALOUS."
This film apparently had many, many different titles depending on which video version you find. I was thinking last night, a more "sensationalistic" one could have been...
LESBIAN LOVERS OF BLOOD CASTLE
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Watched "Nightmare Castle" AKA "Castle of Fear" awhile back, torture porn but a good story.
"Black Sunday" was bit more enjoyable.
A more modern movie in the same general vein as "Castle of Fear" would be "Castle Freak" from 1995.
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It's been such a rough week-- especially yesterday-- I knew I was in the mood for a comedy tonight.
A week or so back, I'd watched both MY DARLING CLEMENTINE and GUNFIGHT AT THE OK CORRAL. And there was "THE GUNFIGHTERS" sitting there waiting for me. A western, and, a comedy. Perfect!
I swear, this story's even better when I don't "have" to put up with the ones surrounding it. It's now become one of the few DOCTOR WHO stories in my collection I have watched all on its own, and more than once.
Compared to the two earlier "classic" movies, both Earp and Holiday come across as so likable in this. Even Holiday, despite his being so devious and unscrupulous, putting The Doctor in such danger of his life the way he did. Of course, thanks to his "interfering" lady-friend, he winds up going in and saving the day, from hiding.
It's funny how in one scene, The Doctor goes from not having a clue what's going on, to suddenly having to deal with a very dangerous situation. "What do we do NOW, young lady?"
I also got a kick out of it when, on orders from the crooks, Steven hands the Doctor a gun while he's in the jail cell. And as he's twirling it, Wyatt walks up casually, not looking the least bit taken back or worried. And The Doctor turns to him and says, "Would you mind holding onto this for me? People keep giving me guns!"
It's interesting to see the contrast with Wyatt and Holiday from the first half of the story, to the last part, when they both suddenly have an angry vendetta-- Wyatt for the murder of his youngest brother Warren (not Jimmy?), and Holiday when he finds out Ringo has gotten his hands on Kate again.
Not only were there 2 Gerry Anderson actors in here (Shane Rimmer and David Graham), but 3 actors returned for later WHO stories. Laurence Payne (Ringo) came back as "Dastari" in THE TWO DOCTORS; David Graham was "Prof. Krenenski" in CITY OF DEATH; and Lynda Baron, who was not seen on camera, but sang "The Ballad of the Last Chance Saloon" for the entire length of the story, was "Captain Strack" in ENLIGHTENMENT.
I wish they'd done more comedies with William Hartnell. He was really funny when the stories gave him a chance.
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I wish they'd done more comedies with William Hartnell. He was really funny when the stories gave him a chance.
Though Dr Who? can be dead serious at times, the comic element, from Droll to Dark, gives it a special flavor.
Which reminds me, I've noticed a similarity in Tom Baker's Dr and John Lithgow's portrayal of the Alien leader in 3rd Rock from the Sun.
Both seem to be most interested in doing a good job as a comic, perhaps because serious actors recognize that its more difficult to make an audience laugh than to make them cry. Both seem to have been a bit self conscious at first, trying too hard, a sort of learning curve is evident.
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I have often said the movie makes the actor not the other way around. We learn to associate a certain part with a certain actor and think they made it. But that is only after the fact. In reality any number of competent actors could have done the role first and become the icon. No actor is worth the kind of money they make. Comedy is sometimes the exception. There is a special talent to being a good comedian. Over the top comedy is easy, just like over acting. Some comedians are genious while others are over the top hacks. Some are over the top because those movies seem to make money. Some can do both good or over the top while others are just hacks. I sometimes wish I had been around during the silent movie days. I could have been a star. The melodramatic acting that was considered great is so easy to do.
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Hm, but then there's Buster Keaton, the Great Stone Face. Very few could have done what Buster Keaton did.
One of my film studies profs made the argument that there are certain actors who are established in the mind of the audience. Someone like John Wayne or Humphrey Bogart. They bring with them a history that establishes their character and a director can cut through all the exposition, because the audience immediately knows who this guy is.
So for some movies you want that. Other movies, you don't want the audience associating the actor with his other roles, so name actors can be a burden--unless they're someone like Gary Oldman, who can disappear into a part.
Then again, a director might play against audience expectations and subvert them, as Sergio Leone did in ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, casting Henry Fonda as Frank.
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On DOCTOR WHO, it seems William Hartnell was playing the type of character he was already associated with (see CARRY ON SERGEANT). On the other hand, Patrick Troughton had always been a "character" actor, a chameleon who disappeared into his various roles. I never even realized I'd seen him in several different movies until I first learned he'd been on WHO as The Doctor. When I realized he'd played the wizard Milantheus in SINBAD AND THE EYE OF THE TIGER, I immediately thought his Doctor was probably like that. While it did seem I was right, over the years, I've come to feel that Milantheus was, if anything, closer to the First Doctor than he was to the Second! (Especially the fact that he had a young daughter as his assistant.)
Jon Pertwee was an odd case. After the surprising success of Troughton, they deliberately cast Pertwee because they wanted to continue with a "humorous" version of The Doctor. You can actually see this in "Spearhead From Space". But then new producer Barry Letts took over with "The Silurians", and the entire tone of the show changed COMPLETELY, to go along with the total change in format from the previous story. And so you had a "comedy" actor playing the part DEADLY SERIOUS (half the humor comes from the fact that The Doctor is too damn serious for his own good... while The Master is far more likable and charming-- if you ignore all those murders...).
Tom Baker went the other way. Between films like THE VAULT OF HORROR and THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD, he'd been playing villains. Yet right out of the box, in "Robot", he's "doing" Patrick Troughton! When I found out that Barry Letts' original intention was for The Master to be the "other half" of a Doctor who'd been SPLIT into two people, Baker's casting took on a whole different meaning for me. Just imagine if Letts had been able to follow through on his plan... Baker's Doctor might have been the first time we saw the "real" Doctor in years-- or perhaps, EVER-- depending on exactly WHEN he was split. Someone I know suggested it COULD have happened in between "The War Games" and "Spearhead"-- and been done deliberately BY The Time Lords to "teach him a lesson". It's notable that both The Doctor AND The Master are angry as hell AT The Time Lords. Maybe for the SAME reason?
It amazes me how some things I continue to look at and interpret differently, as years keep going by.
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With the latest reveal in the DOCTOR WHO series, I've hatched a theory (which will doubtless never pan out) that at the point of each regeneration it's possible for some (often evil) counterpart to split from the Doctor. The Valeyard, as I remember it, was supposed to be an alternate Doctor who splits between 12 and 13. There apparently could have been an anti-Doc between 8 and 9, as well.
My theory is that the regenerative energy is capable for a short time of, not only changing the Doctor's form, but producing these offshoots. Perhaps sometimes these guys look like the Doctor (both Hartnell and Troughton had evil look alikes), while other times they look very different.
10's clone is sort of the same deal, since he's spawned from the hand that was hacked off just after the 9th regeneration.
This also kind of explains why Romana could try on different forms during her regeneration.
Potentially there might be 12 alternate Doctors.
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"On DOCTOR WHO, it seems William Hartnell was playing the type of character he was already associated with (see CARRY ON SERGEANT)." profh0011
Except that you might not have seen him in Brighton Rock (and a couple of others whose titles I forget)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039220/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_2
Chilling piece of work.
jk, haven't seen the last episode so can't comment (I get fed up sometimes with the seriousness of it all and often enjoy the start of episodes and turn off when it gets too cranked up emotionally) but, your theory is absolutely intriguing and I had never considered the Romana angle.
Also, you write about "It amazes me how some things I continue to look at and interpret differently, as years keep going by."
and I find that I don't feel differently about Tom baker than when watching the show live. I always thought he over-acted and he's never been my favourite Doctor BUT, Some of his adventures are among my all-time favourite stories. At the time, I remember going to school on Mon. mornings and talking over the Doctor Who from Sat. evening and I'm sure Troughton was not popular at the start. The only Doctor we knew was Hartnell and he was gone - tragedy. But quite quickly, this odd, quirky, knowing character, became a bit of a winner. And when T.B. started, some folk thought he was useless - a sort of Harpo Marx with a funny get-up.
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After Peter Cushing and then Jon Pertwee, my first reaction on seeing a photo of Tom Baker was, "Him? That LOONY?" However, one episode into "Robot", I got to like him. (It took me until "Day of the Daleks" before I finally started to warm up to Pertwee!)
Oddly enough, I still have mixed feelings about Baker's era. I rank him as probably my 3rd favorite Doctor, but his era has what I feel is the best writing, pacing, story structure, etc. I just dug out the 16th season to watch. Something I only noticed recently-- and I feel it's not there in his earlier seasons-- is that when Romana shows up, all of a sudden Tom Baker starts to remind me a lot of William Hartnell. ("That's ridiculous for somebody as old as you are!") For the first time, I can really believe that he's playing the SAME character, only much younger-looking.
I've long felt that, to understand what happened with Romana in "Destiny of the Daleks", all you have to do is watch "Planet of the Spiders". She was doing the SAME thing Kam'po did with Cho-Je. "projecting" a future version of herself (several in her case), before actually regenerating. The Doctor did this as well in "Logopolis", except, not exactly being a "normal" Time Lord (for whatever reason), he didn't seem to be aware of it, or in any way in control of it.
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Romana was the first of Tom Baker's girls I took an instant liking to, and her early scenes with Tom Baker are among my all-time favorites in the entire history of the series.
"I did graduate from the Academy with a triple-first."
"I suppose we're supposed to be impressed by that, too."
"Well it is better that scraping by at 51 per cent on the second attempt."
"That information is CLASSIFIED!!!"
The Doctor is supposed to be this brilliant "pioneer" among his own people (according to William Hartnell). This seems to fly in the face of that. Who's telling the truth?
"You're sulking."
"I am not sulking."
"That's ridiculous for somebody as old as you are."
"I am NOT-- old!"
"Seven hundred and forty-nine?"
"Seven hundred and forty-six!"
"You've lost count somewhere."
"Well I ought to know my own age!"
"Yes, but I expect after the first few centuries things start to get a big FOGGY."
It's not just her attitude, but her upper-crust accent that does it. She cracks me up.
I remember a few years ago watching this again, after a few scenes, it hit me what i was seeing... I yelled out at the TV, "It's Hermoine Grainger-- all grown up!" (The girl from the HARRY POTTER series.)
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Fascinating and I realise I have to go back and watch these shows again. I also took to Romana right away but Zoe was the first assistant that I took an instant liking to.
This is an extract from the BBC site about their first meeting:-
"Zoe introduced herself to the Doctor as an
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"on his scepticism, stating her reasoning couldn
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What is NEA? I get what you say and I feel the same way about some things. We go to art galleries a lot, most recently the Peploe exhibition at Edinburgh GMA 1
http://www.nationalgalleries.org/whatson/exhibitions/the-scottish-colourist-series-sj-peploe/highlights-23444
and it was a marvellous experience to see these pictures in sympathetic surroundings. We also go to more modern shows and one of the best last year was finding the Mondrian works at the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague, Netherlands. Now, I don't think you're going to like this but have a look at his evolution from the Windmill to Boogie Woogie.
http://artchive.com/artchive/M/mondrian.html#images
But you will like this, a tasty wee Vermeer. Incredible in the flesh, as it were. (It scrolls through three but it's the view of Delft I'd like you to have a swatch at)
http://www.gemeentemuseum.nl/en/exhibitions/highlights-mauritshuis
How about this self portrait of the main man? How spectacular is that?
http://www.gemeentemuseum.nl/en/organisation/news/five-masterpieces-return-to-the-hague
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What is NEA?
National Endowment for the Arts
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Endowment_for_the_Arts
http://www.nea.gov/
Best
Joe
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Paw Broon:
"Zoe was the first assistant that I took an instant liking to."
Let's see, the order in which I saw the companions...
Tom Campbell (Bernard Cribbins, Susan (Roberta Tovey), Louise (Jill Curzon); then Barbara (Jennie Linden) and Ian (Roy Castle). Yeah, I saw the 2nd one first...
For TV, it was Liz Shaw, then Jo Grant. I liked Liz straight off, Jo took longer to grow on me. They didn't run anything after "Day of the Daleks" here, so the next ones I saw were Sarah-Jane Smith & Harry Sullivan, then Leela, then K-9, then, a couple years later, Romana. (We got Baker's 1st 4 years in May'79; I forget exactly when we got his last 3.)
Of course Zoe's been in my "top 5" for a LOT of years now... she's just so adorable!
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Thanks Joe. What a lot to investigate. I notice there is a Jazz strand. In some ways, I think it is important for the cultural side of life to be emphasised as it's important for society - if you believe in such a thing as society, that is. Coming from a different culture and society, I think there should be some cash spent on giving people the opportunity to see and experience other things that they wont necessarily come across in everyday life. It's where we draw the line, given the current economic problems that is the question.
Some of the stuff I see in The Tate and other places does make me wonder what is going on but, it makes me think and that is important.
Back to Doctor Who.
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When I was staying in Vienna around this time last year, the TV I had in my room only got a couple of English-speaking channels. So one night I happened to watch an episode of DOCTOR WHO, which was the first Martha Jones episode. I got into it because of Freema Agyeman who I recognized from L&O:UK. I also saw her next DW episode.
So that was one reason why I got into watching DW, after I returned home. And it's also why Martha is one of my favourite companions.
By the by, another night in Vienna I saw an episode of an old British series, but I missed the beginning so I don't know what it was called. But it seemed to have been made in the 80s or the 90s. It was about a bunch of people who worked in a London pub or inn (I think it was London, maybe in the East End) and it was a period piece (Edwardian possibly).
That episode was about the young guy who works in the pub. He takes up with a floozy who keeps stringing him along, making him believe she loves him, but all the time using him. Meanwhile another woman in the pub likes this guy, but he's oblivious.
I've tried many search terms on the internet to find this series, but I've come up empty.
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You got me with this one. It's the period piece part that's got me. There was a series with Nicholas Lyndhurst:-
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106014/
But the 2 periods involved 1990's and 1940's.
Eastenders is a soap set in the East End and a lot of it is in a pub but it can't be that.
The film, "Saloon Bar", with Gordon Harker isn't Edwardian:-
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033016/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_1
No, I'm stumped.
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You got me with this one. It's the period piece part that's got me. There was a series with Nicholas Lyndhurst:-
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106014/
But the 2 periods involved 1990's and 1940's.
Eastenders is a soap set in the East End and a lot of it is in a pub but it can't be that.
The film, "Saloon Bar", with Gordon Harker isn't Edwardian:-
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033016/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_1
No, I'm stumped.
Thanks for the effort. It's definitely not those two. It was clearly an episodic series and anchored in its own time period. And I got the feeling that it was about this whole ensemble of characters, but each episode must have directed its focus on a different character.
As far as the time period, I'm totally guessing. I think that it was meant to be set before one of the two wars, but I'm foggy on which one. However it was certainly in the earlier part of the 20th century.
I didn't recognize any of the actors, but they were all good. And the writing was also good.
I've gone through a lot of imdb listings in trying to find it, but no luck. It's the kind of series that could've been shown on PBS, but maybe it never gained an audience.
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Oh, by the way, I know there's a distinction between "travelling companions" and others, but it kinda blurs with Jon Pertwee's era, since he spent so much time on Earth. Basically, MY favorite supportiong character was The Brigadier. So, of course, when I first saw Tom Baker, my favorite stories right off were the 2 with The Brig. It didn't seem right for UNIT to appear in 2 further stories, but without him.
For a while the show seemed to be slowly stripping itself of the UNIT era, one piece at a time. The last piece to go was Sarah. It's no wonder it took me awhile to warm up to Leela. Although, over the years, she has CONTINUED to grow on me. I love how, for a "savage", she's so well-spoken. "Do not worry, Doctor, I will protect you." :)
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One thing I don't like is how they got rid of some companions. I like it when a companion leaves on their own terms. But the departure of many companions was too abrupt.
Sarah seemed to leave on her own terms--although it may have been just a miscommunication. But there were a number of females who, having met some guy for all of five minutes, decide that this is the guy for them and they say adios to the Doctor.
This happened with Susan, Vicki, Jo, and Leela. With Jo, I felt like she really loves the Doctor, but she realizes that it will never work out. In her last story with him, they keep crossing signals. But she meets this scientist, who's like a substitute Doctor, and he's more her own age and human. So she decides to fill the void that can't be filled by the Doctor, by marrying this other guy.
But even after Jo is gone, the memory of her remains. She inhabits the last Pertwee story, as she sends back the blue crystal which he gave her as a wedding gift--the blue crystal that he stole from Metebelis Three, which partly caused the misunderstanding he had with Jo in the first place. And that becomes the source of his ultimate downfall.
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I think when they realize that they will never win over the love of The Doctor they rush to what is available.
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I got the feeling Leela figured out very early-on it wouldn't work out. But she wanted off that rathole planet so much, she made the effort anyway. (Ever notice she was wearing make-up at the end of "The Face Of Evil"?) A lot of people knock her eventual relationship with Andred, but it makes sense to me. He was the closest thing in The Citadel to a "warrior", and had already shown her great patience and respect. I can easily imagine her splitting her time inside and outside The Citadel, and encouraging her husband to do the same.
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I rewatched the anime CHOBITS. I enjoyed it the second time also. Interesting scifi and romance. It has some weak points but overall a good watch.
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Well Orphan Black wound up last night and Revolution's season finale is tomorrow leaving me only Warehouse 13 as a regular watch. For the moment...
However several shows are starting up soon that I'll be checking out-
In the Flesh- a BBC zombie series will be running over three nights starting Thursday June 6 on BBC America.
Continuum- Syfy begins airing season two of this Canadian series on Friday June 7.
Falling Skies- returning to TNT for another 10 episodes on Sunday June 9.
Primeval: New World- Syfy starts airing this 13 episode Canadian spinoff of the original Primeval on Monday June 10.
666 Park Avenue- ABC airs four new episodes of this already cancelled supernatural series beginning Saturday June 22,
Copper- BBC America brings us season two of this original series starting Sunday June 23.
Being Human- the final season of the original British version begins airing here on BBC America begining Saturday July 13.
Unforgettable- On Sunday July 28, well over a year after it was cancelled, CBS brings back this cop show featuring the heroine with ability to remember everything.
Other than these I'm sure I'll also be catching up on some other series via DVD collections.
Best
Joe
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Oh good, three shows I watched last year coming back this summer, even if for a short time. Thanks for the heads up.
Now if only SHERLOCK would come back.
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Revolution has been OK but not as good as I had hoped.
Orphan Black is interesting.
I really look forward to Falling Skies!
Copper looks like it is pretty good but I never watched from the start.
666 I will automatically stay away from.
I am really not a Zombie fan but I do like Walking Dead.
Continuum bored me.
I liked Primevel at the start but lost interest.
Being human did not catch my interest.
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The three shows that I watched last year that are returning now are: BEING HUMAN (UK), 666 PARK AVENUE, and UNFORGETTABLE.
I also watched REVOLUTION--up to a point. I could have continued with it--it was an all right adventure (like some TV shows I enjoyed in the '60s and '70s). But I don't want to watch too many ongoing TV shows and when I saw a door I took it. That door for me was when a certain blonde young person died (not to give away too much of a spoiler). I saw that person as being central to the quest for all the episodes prior and it kinda made it seem pointless that all these characters had been wasting their time for nothing.
I only saw the previous season of BEING HUMAN (UK). Haven't seen the US (or really the Canadian?) version. I got into it without knowing anything about the previous UK seasons and I feel like I don't need to know.
I watched 666 more out of habit than anything else. It wasn't as good as I hoped, but it wasn't as bad as it might've been. I'm interested to know where it might have gone with its story.
I watched UNFORGETTABLE for a strange reason--besides its premise (Marilu Henner must be some kind of real life superheroine--she ages well and has total recall). The show fits in with some other shows: THE MENTALIST, BONES, CASTLE. Probably a few others that I don't know about.
I like to compare and contrast how all these shows work. At the center is a cop team--one male, one female. One--either the male or the female--has some special ability that makes for the conflict between the two.There's some spark between them, but it's not always resolved. They are backed up by a crew of characters. One or more of the back-up characters is a visible minority--usually one of the back-up characters will get married or have a baby or both. There's always a forensics character in the mix (of course, most of the characters in BONES are forensic types--Booth is the odd man out). One or both of the two leads has suffered some trauma in their childhood, so they're damaged goods. Commitment is a problem.
I don't know if anyone has ever written about the common themes in all these shows. Is there a handy label for them? They aren't just buddy cop shows. It's the combination of the male-female dynamic and the oddball character that seems to define the sub-genre.
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Sounds like something you need to explore and write the article yourself Jimmm
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Good for action by I give it an overall thumbs down. Too many contrivances and silly things.
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I also watched REVOLUTION--up to a point. I could have continued with it--it was an all right adventure (like some TV shows I enjoyed in the '60s and '70s). But I don't want to watch too many ongoing TV shows and when I saw a door I took it. That door for me was when a certain blonde young person died (not to give away too much of a spoiler). I saw that person as being central to the quest for all the episodes prior and it kinda made it seem pointless that all these characters had been wasting their time for nothing.
You bailed out way too soon.
Remember the small electronic device they removed from the corpse?
This is very important to the story and how things got where they are.
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from the CAPTAIN COMICS board...
"If you're supposed to be the superior race in the universe. why not try climbing after us?" Smartarse.
Ever since the early 60's, Daleks-- at least n the COMIC-STRIPS-- were shown to be able to HOVER. But we didn't get to see this on TV until a VERY-BADLY-DONE shot in "Revelation of the Daleks" (I had to see it 3 times to be sure, and that was only after reading about it). We got to see a Dalek properly coming up the stairs in "Remembrance of the Daleks". Because the earlier shot was so badly done, I bet most WHO fans thought the shot with McCoy was the first time we'd ever seen them hover.
Wouldn't it have been a GREAT moment in "Destiny", if, right after The Doctor said what he did, the Dalek he was taunting had suddenly started hovering upward toward him? Imagine the look on his face if that had happened, especially right after he said what he did!
"He may be mad, but his computer skills are almost as good as mine."
I LOVE the pained expression on Romana's face after he says this.
"I'm a very dangerous fellow when I don't know what I'm doing."
Another great line. Now, WHY do I think all the best lines in this story came from Douglas Adams, NOT Terry Nation?
Having dug out "The Key To Time", without having watched ANY other WHO stories for months (well, except "The Gunfighters"-- heehee), I pondered whether to then watch the following season, if only because, as lame as some of the production was, it's slowly become one of my favorite seasons, mostly because it's just so damn much FUN to watch. So I did. It's a shame someone felt compelled to do "Destiny of the Daleks". The best thing I can say is, awhile back when I decided to watch ONLY the stories I LIKED, and skip any I didn't, I actually wound up watching EVERY Tom Baker story... EXCEPT "Genesis of the Daleks", which, like "The City on the Edge of Forever" (another "fan favorite") is just too damn DOWNBEAT, depressing and hopeless. Plus, I've seen it too damn many times, and after the previous run when I watched EVERY single story in my collection, I decided that that was the LAST time I would probably EVER watch "Genesis". So, yes, crazy as it no doubt sounds to some, I find "Destiny" more watchable than "Genesis". That doesn't mean I don't wish Michael Wisher had been in it. Replacing Michael Wisher, AND John Leeson, AND Mary Tamm, ALL in the same story... well, it was a bit too much.
On the down side, I now definitely like "The Power Of Kroll" MUCH more than this story. (Isn't that a shock?)
Which makes me think... I wonder that nobody thought to replace Michael Wisher's voice with Phillip Madoc's? HE might have made a terrific Davros. (Then again, he might have made a FANTASTIC Master. As would Peter Jeffrey.)
I've always liked the design of The Movellans, although they don't necessarily make the most impressive baddies. Watching last night, it struck me-- I think it was the hair, color scheme AND material of their outfits-- that they looked VERY much like they might have been a design left over and unused from the intended (and never-filmed) 2nd season of UFO. That was supposed to take place 19 years further into the future (yes-- "1999"). Imagne if the women crew at the expanded SHADO moonbase had been dressed like that! Even the interior of their spaceship screamed "SHADO" to me. It looked much more "Gerry Anderson" than "BBC".
To understand what happened with Romana, one has only to watch "Planet of the Spiders". (See Kam'Po and Cho-Je.) To know WHY... well, that's a bit more difficult. But it's clear Romana got to like and admire The Doctor the longer they were together, but perhaps felt her personality was getting in the way. At least, that's what some fan writing into the DW Magazine once suggested, and I've always like that idea. Her messing with him by wearing first, the same outfit he had, and then, a variation on it, seems to suggest that's exactly the case.
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I don't remember much about the actress that played Romana, but I remembered seeing her in the horror film "Vampire Circus". Something about her persona just never set right with me.
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Lalla Ward often seemed to be a contradiction in terms. She had looks I'd describe as "cute", and could be very sweet, almost like a 60's WHO girl. But then she could fire herself up and be arrogant and "imperial", like a "real" Time Lord.
By comparison, Mary Tamm often seemed to be playing herself...! :)
It's a stretch, but I suppose one might compare their acting styles this way--
William Hartnell / Mary Tamm
Patrick Troughton / Lalla Ward
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Watching Daleks this week. "DESTINY" (mildly amusing), "RESSURECTION" (horrible, overly-complicated, utterly soulless,cold-blooded and excessively violent), "REVELATION" (sick, twisted, brilliant, but with a terrible sound mix and one REALLY bad effects shot-- made up for by one of the coolest characters to ever appear on the show, "Orcini", a Knight of the Royal Order of Oberon). Tomorrow night: "REMEMBRANCE" (the story that single-handedly turned the whole show around, and to my complete shock, actually made me like "Ace").
Naturally, after all this, the only sensible thing to watch Saturday night will be...
Peter Cushing. :)
"Doctor, there's something I don't understand. That police box! Outside, it's perfectly normal, but inside, well..."
"Very good, young man! I like an inquiring mind..."
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Ever notice the resemblance of the first Dr , William Hartnell ,and Peter Cushing?
They don't really look alike but the bone structure of the face is so similar its like a family resemblance. I wonder if they are distant cousins.
In some scenes where Hartnell looks ill or worn down by events and a bit worried the resemblance is striking.
If this shortcut works compare Hartnell's profile, cheekbones , and eyes to photos of Cushing in his later years
http://wifeinspace.com/2011/01/marco-polo/
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It would have been SO easy to have made up Peter Cushing for his movies to look and act exactly like William Hartnell's Doctor. But they took him in such a different direction. If anything, he reminds me of Boris Karloff's character from THE BOOGIE MAN WILL GET YOU (heehee).
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_1PsmU2vP5mk/TSUuUTBJ-qI/AAAAAAAAA5k/0z_OtBk2hhQ/s400/boogieman3.jpg
It's funny that, right after the 2nd Cushing film, Patrick Troughton took the character in a much more humorous direction, even as Cushing already had.
Strange but true: apparently, when Troughton announced he was leaving, they actually asked Peter Cushing to take over from him!!! While he had done a TV series just recently (SHERLOCK HOLMES, where he took over from Douglas Wilmer), I believe by the time he was offered WHO he was concerned about his wife's health, and indeed, she passed away not that long after. I read he was deeply depressed over this, and almost gave up acting entirely, until some friends of his urged him to get back to work to keep himself occupied. I think the first thing he did after his wife passed away was TALES FROM THE CRYPT, where he played a widow. His wife's photo appeared in the film.
I haven't seen in in decades, but someone online pointed out that the character Cushing played in AT THE EARTH'S CORE (opposite Doug McClure & Caroline Munro) was virtually the SAME one he played in the 2 Daleks movies. All 3 films were made by Amicus... :)
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yBq9OrOX8FM/T7z6sXUOTDI/AAAAAAAACfk/CHBXgHwesbg/s1600/BUNNY+p004.jpg
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I saw AT THE EARTH'S CORE at the theater. I remember enjoying it then. I have not seen it in several years. The nice thing about watching it years later is that Caroline Munro will look as good as I remember 8)
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I saw AT THE EARTH'S CORE on TV. Sadly, I wasn't too impressed. Many years later, I saw THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT (same company, same director, same star) on TV. Ditto. A few years after that, I saw it again, on TCM-- in widescreen. Suddenly, it was MUCH better. The story hadn't changed, but apparently, so much of the film was purely visual, that not seeing it in widescreen REALLY hurt the film. (I've found this to be true of many, if not most films, as the years go by.)
Crazy but true: at the same time I saw AT THE EARTH'S CORE on TV, the TARZAN newspaper strip (which my Dad was getting from a friend at work who lived in the next COUNTY, nobody in our area has ever run that strip) was doing "Black Moon Of Skarteris", in which Tarzan returned to the center of the Earth, and met up again with David Innes, etc. etc. Even though it was "only" a comic-strip, Russ Manning (in one of his final stories of his run) managed visuals that totally blew that movie out of the water. As I read each weekly installment, I kept thinking, "Now THIS is what that movie SHOULD have looked like!!"
On the other hand, as I look at old photos, my impression is that Caroline Munro NEVER looked as hot as she did in that film!! (Though "GOLDEN VOYAGE" came close.)
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My favorite image of Caroline Munro is the stable scene in Captain Kronos, where she wears nothing but strategically placed shadows and moonlight.
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She refused to appear nude and turned down Playboy or any role that required her to actually be nude
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Today: the last really great episode of THE AVENGERS... "The Gladiators".
The pre-credit sequence has a KGB agent whose specialty is unarmed combat addressing a line of picked men. He describes how, at the start, there were 112 of them, but it's been narrowed down to 4. And for the mission he has in mind, he only needs 2. How to choose? Simple. They split into pairs and prepare to fight. TO THE DEATH.
Right from the start, you know this is one REALLY SICK M*****F*****!!!
It cracked me up no end when, a few years ago, I realized the actor who played the KGB guy later played Jamie's father on MAD ABOUT YOU. ;D
By the way, of the 4 final episodes, this is only REALLY good episode of "The New Avengers In Canada". Laurie Johnson ressurected the "Cybernaut" music for the score.
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She refused to appear nude and turned down Playboy or any role that required her to actually be nude
That's the reason for the shadows covering the goodies.
Many films have used tricks of lighting and "nude suits" to give the impression of nudity on screen, and also the use of body doubles.
If you ever want to see Catherine Bell in the nude just watch an uncut copy of "Death Becomes Her", Bell was the body double for Isabella Rossellini in that film.
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Some DVD collections watched recently-
Castle: Season Two- (2009-2010) Delightful chemistry between the two leads, a good supporting cast and generally decent writing this go-round will have me coming back for season three.
H.G. Wells' Invisible Man: Season One- (1958) Never saw this British series while growing up although I suppose it probably did get shown here in the States. I would have been all over it if I had the chance back then. Good blend of sci-fi elements with crime and espionage story lines. FX are well done overall for its day. Only 13 episodes this first season. Have the second (also 13 eps) season in my "to be watched" clique.
The Tick: The Complete Series- (2001-2002) Hilarious and much too short-lived superhero spoof series. I can't help thinking that it was ahead of its time and would do better if given a chance now-a-days.
Dr. Who: The Keys of Marinus- (1964) My exposure to Dr. Who was very piecemeal over the years. First caught a stray episode or two in the late 1970s and although intrigued was much too busy between school and work to follow any television show on a regular basis.
Cut to the later 1980s/early 1990s and I finally managed to catch some of the Dr. Who movies that had been cobbled together from the episodes on my local PBS station. A hodge-podge of the various different Doctors in no particular order.
Never followed the individual episodes until a friend lent me season three of the new series a few years back. Since then I've been following it regularly on BBC America where I've also managed to catch a number of the new series episodes I had missed.
It's only recently that I've started checking into the older series via a sampling of the DVD collections that my local library has. This is the earliest storyline I checked out so far and was happy to find William Russell (whom the Lil Missus and I very much enjoyed in The Adventure of Lancelot) was a regular during this period. One thing that surprised me was the Doctor's disappearance for a couple of episodes in the middle of this storyline. I found it odd that the main character would step offstage for such a length and leave the going ons to the supporting cast. Other than that it was an interesting six-part serial. DVD extras included commentary tracks, an interview with the set designer and a stills gallery.
Ark II: The Complete Series- (1976) A Saturday morning sci-fi show that shot its 15 episodes during the summer of 1976 and originally aired them that fall. I don't remember catching it back then. Work and school were taking up increasing amounts of my time and I just wasn't catching much Saturday morning stuff anymore. The Dvd has a number of extras which give a good deal of background on the series. Apparently all of the jet pack footage was shot in just a few days and then incorporated into all of the episodes later. Some fine guest stars also enlivened the series most notably Jim Backus and Jonathan Harris.
Best
Joe
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We love Castle. All that you write about it, i agree with.
The Invisible Man. I'm old enough to remember seeing bits of it originally but it was later than '58 as we didn't have commercial t.v. on our set then but I remember Peter Brady and the bandages coming off and nothing under them. Really spooky at the time. I have a dvd of a selection of episodes but have to watch them on my own as Linda thinks it's daft.
I saw Keys of Marinus when it was broadcast and was thrilled by it. Hartnell did disappear for bits of serials, sometimes holidays but also because he was ill from time to time. Looking at it now, the scenery creaks and the effects, at times are poor but it still enthralls me. At times, there is a real feel of danger.
William Russell was a guest star in Coronation St. some years ago.
When I saw the title, "The Ark", I though for a moment you meant the Doctor Who episode. At some point we should all have a chat about it.
I recently re-watched (for the umpteenth time) Quatermass and the Pit - probably the best one. This is the t.v. serial with Andre Morell, although the film is also very good. You can watch on youtube and here's Ep. 2:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWMMv_1lXF8
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I don't know how a big site like youtube gets away with some shows. They are clearly not public domain. My guess is that it is like I have said about comics. It amounts to advertising. I liked the show Space: Above and Beyond. It is not on Netflix or Hulu so I tried youtube and there it was. The concurrent show that I liked was Earth 2 which is now on Netflix.
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I suspect that it depends on who owns the show that's being posted on youtube. Some shows you can't find at all--probably because the rights owners are aggressive in demanding that they be taken down. While other shows stay without dispute.
I could find some Doctor Who shows on youtube, but finding shows with Daleks proved difficult. Not with all Dalek stories, but with some popular stories. And even using my go-to sites like dailymotion and various foreign language sites didn't always work. I was able to piece together most episodes, by looking around for different parts.
Last year, trying to find the Monkees' head, I had to piece the movie together by going to different sites. But just recently I found the whole movie was up.
In most cases, I'm sure, that shows get posted and stay up until youtube takes them down. So there's a window of opportunity to see them.
Youtube is a useful service for movies that just aren't available in North America. And you're taking your chances if you order overseas--as the DVD is likely to be incompatible (unless you know how to break the code).
If I see something I really like on youtube--or one of the other sites--I will order the DVD, if there's a DVD to be gotten.
Last year watching youtube, I got on a Michel LeGrand/Catherine DeNeuve/Jacques Demy kick and after seeing Les Parapluies de Cherbourg--which I've seen several times over the years--I went on to watch Les Demoiselles de Rochefort--although this was only in bits and pieces (and only some parts with subtitles)--the full movie not available. And after that I watched the whole of Peau d'ane.
Seeing that I could get DVDs of Les Parapluies... and Les Demoiselles... on amazon.ca, I ordered them. But alas, when they arrived they were both in French without subtitles. I can struggle through them--and I pretty much know the stories from memory. Mais--c'est impossible pour d'avoir des DVD en anglais, je pense.
I'm still happy to have those DVDs--because you don't need to understand a word to appreciate the beauty of the women, the music and the dancing--but it's a shame that foreign language movies get so little play in North America. I'm grateful for youtube and those other sites.
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In many ways, for the first 2 years of DOCTOR WHO, Ian Chesterton (William Russell) was the show's HERO! The Doctor started out as a mysterious trouble-maker who tended to pull things out of the fire, after he threw them into it in the first place. Think of it this way...
Ian Chesterton -- John Robinson
Barbara Wright -- Maureen Robinson
The Doctor -- Dr. Smith
Susan -- Penny
;)
This is especially noticable in the first 13 episodes (before The Doctor finally becomes friends with Barbara and stops being almost a villain). When I finally got to see those early episodes (around 1985?), the similarities with certain aspects of LOST IN SPACE (as well as THE TIME TUNNEL) made me believe that unlike most Americans, Irwin Allen probably HAD seen DOCTOR WHO and was (ahem) "inspired" by it.
I would say the point where The Doctor really becomes the show's hero was in the 2nd part of "The Rescue". Susan is gone, he no longer has to worry about protecting her. In the climax, he confronts the baddie single-handedly, and projects an aura that just seems to scream at me that the character audiences tend to recognize from later seasons has finally arrived.
"The Keys Of Marinus" is one of my favorite Terry Nation stories. It's got so much going on, so many ideas, great pacing (for once for such an early story). Watching it in the mid-80's, it also struck me that a TON of things in it inspired things done later on the show (and not just "The Key To Time"). My only problem is, the ending is a total let-down and cop-out, and makes you wonder, what was all that about anyway?
Just watched INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D. (again!). It's got not only "Professor Van Helsing" (Peter Cushing) but "Professor Quatermass" as well (Andrew Keir). I also get a kick out of Philip Madoc's brief role as the black market guy, who comes to a BRUTALLY violent end, a few years before he first turned up on the TV show (he guested on the show 4 different times... twice in the 6th season!).
It's funny that in this, they mention the Daleks burrowing down to the center of the Earth... and some years later, Peter Cushing starred in AT THE EARTH'S CORE, seemingly playing the SAME character (under a different name).
Tomorrow I'm planning to see the other "Dr. Who" film... the one made IN JAPAN! ;D
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Ark II: The Complete Series- (1976) A Saturday morning sci-fi show that shot its 15 episodes during the summer of 1976 and originally aired them that fall. I don't remember catching it back then. Work and school were taking up increasing amounts of my time and I just wasn't catching much Saturday morning stuff anymore. The Dvd has a number of extras which give a good deal of background on the series. Apparently all of the jet pack footage was shot in just a few days and then incorporated into all of the episodes later. Some fine guest stars also enlivened the series most notably Jim Backus and Jonathan Harris.
Best
Joe
Excellent series for its day and holds up well even now.
The world of their future is a tough place, and some stories are pretty dark for what's considered a kid's series.
Been watching "Starlost" excellent series for its day despite sptty production values and low budget. Top drawer sci fi actors of the day in almost every episode, Barry Morse, John Calicos and others less recognized these days but well known in the day.
Sets are very well done considering limited studio space and resources. The video effects were new tech of the day and a bit under developed and not very convincing so they learned to use these less in telling the story.
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More WHO. Last night...
"Careful, darling. I don't think he's as stupid as he seems."
"My dear, NOBODY could be as stupid as HE seems."
...and...
"You know what I don't understand...?"
"I expect so."
Tonight...
"What are you laughing at, you hairy-legged highlander?"
"Nothing. I'm just admiring your diplomatic skills."
...and...
"Perhaps you should see a doctor."
"Are you trying to be FUNNY?"
"No... just... just making a suggestion."
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A question.
I can vaguely remember a movie I saw on TV many years ago, mid 90's I believe it was.
I missed the beginning and had intended to watch the movie from the beginning next time it was on, but I've never seen anything like it since.
The production values were high, especially for the 90's, and I got the impression it was a UK production.
There was a scene of spacesuited figures exploring a huge space craft which had been built by humans centuries before and found drifting. They were in a area that looked much like a shopping mall with plants and small trees in planters, everything was frozen and airless. There was a rupture of a dome roof and space suited figures scrambling to hold on to avoid being blown into space.
I recently watched an old movie called Night Flyers, a Sci Fi film from a story written by the author of Game of Thrones. Theres a similar scene in that film but though large the vessel is not as large as the one in the film I remember and there was no ice or frost or plants. The lighting was also very different since the Night Flyer still had internal lighting.
Does this scene sound familiar?
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Tonight's WHO...
"Just look at that swimming pool! I can't wait to dive into that!"
"That's the problem with young people these days... no sense of adventure."
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The last week or so... the craziest run of DOCTOR WHO I've ever programmed for myself...
INVASION EARTH: 2150 A.D.
CITY OF DEATH
THE TWO DOCTORS
PARADISE TOWERS
THE CREATURE FROM THE PIT
THE MYSTERIOUS PLANET
DELTA AND THE BANNERMEN
I have never watched the show in any form like this before... I'm having a blast doing so!
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Does sound like fun viewing.
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Good Lord is that ALL you people watch is Dr. Who and BBC programming?
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Well, yes. A lot of it is seriously good - and tacky at times.
We do watch a lot of N.American shows in our house and I'm not that keen on the re-boot of Doctor Who, finding my favourite monsters, The Cybermen, being just a bit silly when shown marching in those ranks.
BUT, we haven't had t.v. for a few nights as our telly went on the blink and was shorting out the fuse box, so into the bin with it and we're out looking for a new one. Fortunately we can watch on the computer, if we want to.
And as the weather has improved a bit, there is the opportunity to get out in the garden, go for walks and stroll round Edinburgh, from art gallery to cafe to Botanic gardens. How good is that. With no t.v., we can catch up on our reading.
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Not to sound harsh, but I get a bit peevish about what is called a reboot and what isn't. I can understand why folks who grew up on the classic DOCTOR WHO might not like the revival. But it's not a reboot, it is a revival. And that's what attracted me to it--having only been vaguely aware of DOCTOR WHO when I was growing up and kinda scared about getting into it now because the fans seem to be rabid. It is a revival of a series that respects the continuity of the original.
There might be small continuity gaps, but not big ones like you see with other entertainments. And having now seen all of the original, I see hundreds of gaps in continuity, lots of illogic, thundering chasms of chronological confounding in the original series. The designs for the Cybermen alone were updated several times--which was a good thing, as the first model looked like they were put together with scotch tape and chewing gum.
In fact, because the original was cancelled (or put on indefinite hiatus), a lot of the changes that probably would have happened over the next fifteen years never did. So the revival is almost too attached to the classic series. If it had just kept going, the Doctor would have run through all 13 incarnations long ago. Designs would have been updated much more than they have. The original series at one point tried to get rid of the blue police box. Who knows what horrible depths, as well as heights, it might have gone to. The revival has kept a good 90% of the continuity I'd say.
For sure it's open to criticism--but not as a reboot, which it ain't.
*END OF PEEVISH COMMENT ABOUT DOCTOR WHO*
Changing the subject to anything not BBC related. I went to see BEFORE MIDNIGHT in the theatre the other day. It's likely to be the only movie I will bother to see in a theatre this year. Sadly two of my favourite old second-run theatres have both been closed down in the last year.
BEFORE MIDNIGHT takes place nine years after BEFORE SUNSET which took place nine years after BEFORE SUNRISE. Seeing these movies as they come out is like seeing my own life passing by--although the characters are a few years younger than me at each stage. All of these movies are beautifully shot--the director is doing things, like really long takes, which required a lot of skill--but you're not looking at the brilliance of the direction, because you're caught up in the movie itself.
I hope to be in a theatre seat nine years from now for the next one.
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Man of Steel was OK I enjoyed but could have been better. BTW: I agree Doctor Who was not a reboot but a revival. There had been talk of a female Doctor that would have been a reboot.
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Jimmm, I remember how so many fans awaited the WHO revival with trepidation. Re-boots and (GAG!!) "re-imaginings" were such the rage... and yet, even a couple episodes in, one still wasn't SURE if the new show was a reboot, or e genuine revival. But slowly, it became clear. REVIVAL!!!
Up until JNT, each new Doctor tended to bring with him an almost entirely new era for the show. It's no wonder so many said JNT stayed too long. I doubt anyone would agree with that more than JNT himself, who, right after the BBC ordered him to FIRE Colin Baker, admitted they'd LIED to him and they WEREN'T going to give him some other show to produce... he either stayed with WHO, or he wouldn't work for the BBC for at least another 5 years. I still think it's a miracle he found Sylvester McCoy at such short notice... and note, those same BBC B******s didn't want to hire him, either!
I always thought the new show started in the best possible way it could have... by focusing on the "regular" characters, and slowly, bit by bit, revealing WHO was this strange guy that seemed to know too much and found himself fighting monsters. I was reminded just the other day, it's not until the very end of his 1st episode that he let out that-- oh by the way-- the box travels in time, too! Before that, Rose's first exposure to its interior was actually very similar to that of Roy Castle's in the 1st Daleks movie. Inside-- disbelief-- outside, slowly walking around the entire thing-- then back inside again. For something that had been around since late 1963, they found a perfect way to introduce to BRAND-NEW audiences the simple sense of pure WONDER at such a wild, crazy idea!
JNT never really intended to get rid of the Police Box, by the way. When ATTACK OF THE CYBERMEN was previewed at a convention a few months before it aired, he introduced it by saying, "We.... PLAY with the chameleon circuit." I wish the 2nd half of that story had been a lot less NEEDLESSLY VIOLENT. The first half had a sense of "fun" that had been missing from the entire Peter Davison era (barring the Troughton & Pertwee bits of "The Five Doctors").
I think it's crazy how Derrick Sherwin & Barry Letts each introduced a new Doctor-- before leaving. Isn't it somewhat perverse for an outgoing producer to hire a new star of a series, and do ONE story, then DUMP him in the new producer's lap? This happened with both Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker. And see how VERY different their debut stories were in tone from their 2nd stories (where the new producers debuted).
Now imagine how things MIGHT have gone if JNT & Eric Saward had BOTH left in between "The Twin Dilemma" and "Attack of the Cybermen". Both guys had problems, but together, they were TOXIC, for each other, and for the show.
That said, in my current "jumping around" mini-marathon, I'm watching several Colin Baker stories, but, ONLY the ones I actually like-- "Revelation of the Daleks", "The Two Doctors", "The Mysterious Planet", and, tomorrow night, "Terror of the Vervoids". Robert Holmes surely was capable of writing ANYONE on the show better than anyone else, back then. (He did both "Two Doctors" and "Mysterious Planet".) "Revelation" is by far the best thing Eric Saward ever did, but The Doctor & Peri are still terribly written (for the first half at least) and the BEST-written character in it is Orcini, who Saward needlessly kills off at the end. Among other things, I LOVE the scene where Bostok shouts out, "Behind us!" and Orcini turns, and open fires with his machine-gun, even before he's SEEN what he's trying to kill-- and BLOWS it up!
I haven't liked everything I've seen on the revival, but I did enjoy the hell out of the entire 1st season (it's criminal Eccleston decided to leave so soon after some kind of falling-out with the producer), and while I never fell for Rose Tyler (as I have several other WHO girls), I would have loved to have "known" her. And of course, from the moment he debuted, I saw David Tennant as nothing less than "Peter Davison DONE RIGHT". (I really, really like Davison... just, NOT on WHO!!!)
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Tonight...
(as monsters are seen killing quite a few people...)
"You should be concerned for your passengers! Instead, you're just sitting there laughing."
"They're only economy class- what's all the fuss?"
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I get vexed when I hear classic DW fans complain about the "reboot" as if it's the worst thing that could ever have happened. To use a broad analogy, it's a little like someone, without means to even have a home, overhearing a well-off couple complain about the renovations to their summer home in the south of France.
My Superman, my Star Trek don't exist. They've been rebooted--really rebooted. By comparison DW fans are pretty well off--they should look around them and see how bad it could really be. Relative to everything else, they've been extremely lucky.
The bad and sometimes the good thing about British TV is that the programs have short seasons and actors don't stay on a show for very long. It bothers me that I get into a show and there's only a few episodes to watch and then it's over and if it does return, you have to wait a year or two for more episodes to be made.
I can't think of very many British actors who have had wildly successful careers. It seems more like Canada, where you have a lot of actors who do it as work--and then a small few who go to America in search of fame. So I'd think a British actor who gets on a series would feel like he or she had won the lottery and they would stay on the series as long as they could. The problem for Canadian actors is that most shows get cancelled, but when a program lasts for more than a few seasons, the actors all tend to stay, because they appreciate steady work and the ability to feed themselves.
What upsets me the most about Matt Smith leaving DW is this probably means I will have to wait even longer for more new episodes of DOCTOR WHO. How the series maintains a large following with so many long gaps in production is a mystery to me.
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I used to get that back I the 80's, people who would ask me, WHY do they keep changing girls on WHO? There is a definite difference in attitude among actors between America and England. Here, generally, if someone gets a series that becomes a hit, they tend to stay with it as long as possible. In England, it's just a job, and many actors circulate between TV, films, and, MOSTLY, stage. Stage has become so marginalized in America, it's probably hard to fathom that some people we see on TV or in films might have spent MOST of their career doing live plays and touring around England from city to city. (Before he came to Hollywood, Claude Rains was one of those.)
In the case of WHO, I suppose the trend was established the moment Carole Ann Ford got fed up with the material she was being given, and left after one year. I've been delighted to find that so many fans agree with my own feeling that her replacement, Maureen O'Brien, was a huge improvement!
At the end of the 2nd year, William Russell (who'd effectively been the show's HERO for 2 years) and Jacqueline Hill both left. As did the original producer, Verity Lambert. The show's star, William Hartnell, was very upset by this. Incoming producer John Wiles, who took over several weeks into the 2nd season, apparently didn't like or had a falling out with Maureen O'Brien, had her written out of the show. If it's so hard holding on to actors, you'd think the LAST thing you'd want would be someone in charge deciding they want to REPLACE an actor, especially when they can't even bother coming up with a character worth replacing them with. But this pattern was also established right here.
For its first 6 years, the show used to run anywhere from 39-44 weeks a year. The first real gap came between the 6th and 7th seasons. For a short time, there was a very real possibility the show would end with the 6th year, which is why they wound up finally revealing so much about The Doctor's background in the last few episodes. But when the go-ahead was given to return, they'd already made the decision to change the format completely, AND, cut the season down to only 26 weeks a year (and in fact, season 7 only ran 25 weeks). The start date for the 7th season was also pushed back several months, so for the first time, there was a LONG gap between seasons-- but still , less than a year.
The first time they did have an excessive gap was between seasons 22-23 when they show was "put on hiatus", which turned out to be 18 months. An entire season of stories, already planned, written and ready to go before cameras only days before the decision came down, was lost as a result. This was the direct result of 2 people, higher-ups in the BBC, who despite an endless series of "explanations", in truth, just PERSONALLY didn't like the show, and spent years trying to find ways to get rid of it. The BBC's most-successful program worldwide, as far as sales AND spin-off merchandise was concerned, and the guys in charge deliberately sabotaged it!
When it came back it had been cut from 26 to 14 weeks (they actually claimed the season was "longer" since season 22 had been broadcast as 13 45-min. episodes-- a taste of things to come 20 years later!). During season 23, not only was Nicola Bryant kicked off the show (on the orders of those same BBC guys), but right after the season ended, the producer was ordered to fire Colin Baker-- the show's STAR.
I still think it was completely NUTS that, after it took SO long for the show to finally be revived, and it turned out SO good, that Christoher Eccleston had a falling-out with the producer and decided to leave after only ONE year. Totally insane! His departure hit the news after only ONE episode had actually aired in England... can you imagine how that hit fans at the time? Of course, as I've been reading, nobody picked up the show in America until a YEAR later, by which point they'd already been working on the 2nd new season.
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I read with dismay the reactions to my use of the word, "re-boot". I'm still not sure what others perceive as the difference between that and revival. in relation to films, comics and Who. My big, relatively new Collins dictionary gives reboot as, "To shut down and then restart (a computer system). Now, either I and the rest of you used the word in a context for which it is not designed, i.e. t.v. show, or, I used it correctly in the sense that that is exactly what happened with Who. The show was shut down by the BBC and restarted years later. Revival is listed as, "reviving or being revived; a reawakening of religious faith; a new production of a play that has not been recently performed; a renewed use or interest in". This would apply to Who. I still feel there are enough differences to suggest this is a new vision for a classic t.v. show, just as the new Star Trek films are new visions of a classic t.v. show. I wouldn't mind a bit of enlightenment on the the difference between the 2 terms in the opinion of those who use them differently.
Apart from all that, jimmm, I can think of a quite a few British actors who have had wildly successful careers. And many of our soap stars have been with the shows for decades (those that didn't die in harness, as it were) Also British t.v.shows such as Dixon of dock Green; Z Cars; No Hiding Place; Robin Hood; Hustle; New Tricks; Taggart; Frost and many more were on for ages. But British t.v. does differ markedly from N. America in that we have short seasons. That's just the way it is. Some people prefer that, others prefer the American model.
Back to Who and I do not enjoy the new whatever you want to term it, not because I am a fan of the original series but because I can't take the continual build up to exaggerated shows of emotion and grinding of teeth, in many episodes, displayed by The Doctor. So, I watch the start of episodes and often get fed up before the end of most of them and do something else. Just to add a bit of spice to my wee rant, I repeat, the Cyberman just look silly, not menacing, when marching en masse nowadays. Only my opinion.
And just to try and wind some of you up a bit, Eccleston was a terrible Doctor and I was happy to see him clear off in a huff. Nor do I think he's a particularly good actor as, in the, admittedly, few things I've seen him in, he always seems the same.
As for why the show took so long to come back, you have to remember that the BBC didn't really want the type of show it ended up being, despite it making money. There was and still might be, a bit of intellectual snobbery involved.
I had more to say about Carole Ann Ford but I'll leave it for now.
I await with trepidation, any reactions.
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It seems to me the first time I heard the word "reboot" used to refer to anything other than a computer, it was a comic-book series, where they "started over FROM SCRATCH". And this usually meant from one month to the next, with no break, just, suddenly, EVERYTHING from before was no longer valid, and you were looking at the start of adventures in an entirely NEW continuity / universe.
A good example fo this, in film terms, would be the TARZAN series. Although MGM only did 6 big-budgeted installments (all with Johnny Weismuller), and then stopped, when RKO (who had already done a handful of separate films, I believe) picked it up, it continued on without any change except for the budgets.
However, it's a fair argument to suggest that when Lex Barker took over, even though you had the same studio and same producer, it had slipped into a "different" universe.
More so when Gordon Scott took over. And then again, when Scott did the TV pilot. And then, EVEN MORE SO, when Sol Lesser retired as producer and Sy Weintraub took over.
Strange as it seems, between Gordon Scott, Jock Mahoney, and Mike Henry, it appears we're supposed to believe it's the "same" version of the character... but there are enough subtle differences to suggest this is not the case. However, although Mike Henry was supposed to do the TV show, I cannot imagine in my wildest that he and Ron Ely are the "same" version of Tarzan. (Although, oddly ehough, I CAN imagine Ely and Mahoney as the "same" version-- BUT, only if you imagine Mahoney as Ely when he got older and tougher!)
James Bond of course is a strange one, because while one could imagine Connery & Lazenby as the "same" character (sort of), Roger Moore and anybody else... NO F****** WAY. Ditto, Timothy Dalton (although one might imagine Lazenby & Dalton as the "same" version... sort of.) And yet, you had the same "M", "Moneypenney", and, ESPECIALLY, "Q", in so many films, it's positively insane!
DOCTOR WHO is a unique situation, however. They had William Hartnell DIE onscreen and BECOME Patrick Troughton right before everyone's eyes. The character totally changing his appearance and outward personality (while maintaining his inward personality) became part of the show. And despite a long gap between Paul McGann & Christopher Eccleston, every indication has been give that they are supposed to be the "SAME" version of the character... with one being the 8th and the other the 9th. Which has got to be the only series in film history where this has ever been possible.
What fans no doubt feared was that someone would decide they were going to toss EVERYTHING from the entire 26 seasons out the door and start over from scratch. And that's NOT what they did-- thankfully. (And, frankly-- incredibly.)
On the other hand, these days a good friend of mine in Wales has suggested that HE likes to look at the STAR TREK films as an "alternate universe" version of the TV show's future. And as much as I appreciated them over the years (especially 2, 3, 4 & 6), I've come to agree with him. The Filmation cartoons, however-- THEY ARE "real" STAR TREK. (heehee)
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I get the point about reboot. In the sense of rebooting a computer, it can be used to mean that something shut down and now it's started up again. But I think when it comes to comics, movies, and TV it now means not simply starting a new production, but starting a character or concept all over from the beginning.
Anyway, I got the point that paw boon was making, but it gave me an opportunity to attach my own peeve about the difference between something like DW and something like the New 52. They're two totally different situations.
I used to watch CORNONATION STREET--for many years--until it got to be too much work to keep up with it. I really liked it for being more real than American soaps and there were actors who stayed on never leaving (and anyway, they have a way of letting Gail or Ken take long gaps, before they show up again on the street). But it was just as frustrating there, where most of the actors would leave just as you started to really like them. Some of the houses should have had turnstiles rather than doors for all the times they took new tenants.
In fact, when the new DOCTOR WHO started, it was a CBC co-production with the BBC, and the CBC broadcast DW right after CORONATION STREET as their kind of British block of TV. Which is how I ended up seeing some of the Eccleston episodes. That version of the Doctor, with the jumper and the leather jacket and the Northern accent, fit with his CORONATINON STREET lead-in. Kind of ironic since in Britain one is on ITV and the other on BBC--and I understand that ITV's success is what contributed to the demise of the original DW series.
It was all a plot by Gail--Helen Worth must've been scheming against DW ever since she played Mary Ashe in "Colony in Space."
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I've started to watch the first season of Thierry la Fronde (better known as "Thierry de Slingeraar" in the Netherlands).
I have the complete series, so just 3 more seasons to go......
I'm not sure if the series is well known in the English speaking countries apart from Canada (where it seemed to have been very popular back then).
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And you understand it? Bilingual huh.
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I have the option to use subtitles. ;D
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You could have kept me fooled.
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Tonight on WHO...
"You're too late, Doctor! Nothing can prevent the catharthis of spurious morality!"
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Just dug out my tiny set of UNCLE tapes today for the first time in over 10 years. Don't have a single regular episode... only several movie versions, including the greatly-expanded feature version of the pilot, and, the 80's reunion movie.
Just posted at the IMDB boards...
When I think back to the 60's, I realize that I had a much shorter attention span. I loved half-hour shows, both comedies and adventure shows. (Remember when they used to make HALF-HOUR adventure shows? THE LONE RANGER, THE GREEN HORNET, DRAGNET, etc.) There were VERY few hour-long shows I had the patience to sit all the way thru without getting bored. THE OUTER LIMITS was a rare exception, but for whatever reason, as a kid, I only turned that on occasionally. LOST IN SPACE was the first hour-long adventure show I remember getting really hooked on, but unfortunately, it got sillier as it went.
I sometimes wonder why I watched so little of THE MAN FROM UNCLE. I know I used to watch it occasionally, and even watched some episodes of THE GIRL FROM UNCLE. but it never seemed to be one of those shows I made a point of watching EVERY week.
By comparison, from the day I first ran across GET SMART (about 5-6 weeks into the 1st season), I was HOOKED, and never, ever missed it (unless I was away from, home with my parents somewhere).
Then again, I do seem to have a preference for shows with humor. I much prefer DR. STRANGELOVE, for example, to FAIL SAFE (which is pretty much the identical story).
I know I'm not adverse to COMPLETELY serious shows. I definitely got hooked on MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, starting with its 2nd year. (I don't know what it was up against, but to this day, I have still never seen a single M:I episode with Steven Hill in it! But, like UNCLE, I did read the book about the show, which has really made me wanna get ahold of those episodes.)
Incidentally, one thing I haven't seen anyone mention on this site yet is that UNCLE was almost cancelled during its first 13 week trial period. Ratings were so bad, Robert Vaughn & David McCallum launched a cross-country promotional tour to get the word out about the show, making dozens (hundreds?) of personal appearances. IT WORKED. The show was renewed for the 2nd half of the season, ratings climbed steadily, and by the time the 2nd season arrived, they had a bona fide HIT on their hands.
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I have the option to use subtitles. ;D
My favourite thing is MEISTER EDER UND SEIN PUMUCKL. A few years ago, a friend of mine from Austria told me about this children's program and I started watching it on youtube, but there are no subtitles. Luckily I understand some German.
Trying the closed captioning function on youtube produces an English translation that is absolute nonsense. Trying the closed captioning in German produces a mix of correct translation and utter nonsense--which is very distracting for me. I think that the Bavarian accents are too difficult for the closed captioning feature to interpret.
Amazon.de has some of the DVDs, but the price is too much--especially with shipping. When I was in Austria last year, I looked for the DVDs but the few that I could find were priced too high for my blood.
Anyway, I enjoy the show so much that it helps improve my understanding of German. And there are some episodes I never get tired of seeing, no matter how often I watch them.
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I've started to watch the first season of Thierry la Fronde (better known as "Thierry de Slingeraar" in the Netherlands).
I have the complete series, so just 3 more seasons to go......
I'm not sure if the series is well known in the English speaking countries apart from Canada (where it seemed to have been very popular back then).
Looked this up and from description and stills this seems to be a rip off of Robin Hood set in France and with the sling taking the place of the Bow and Arrow.
Apparently a remake was scheduled to begin in 2012.
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I've started to watch the first season of Thierry la Fronde (better known as "Thierry de Slingeraar" in the Netherlands).
I have the complete series, so just 3 more seasons to go......
I'm not sure if the series is well known in the English speaking countries apart from Canada (where it seemed to have been very popular back then).
Looked this up and from description and stills this seems to be a rip off of Robin Hood set in France and with the sling taking the place of the Bow and Arrow.
Apparently a remake was scheduled to begin in 2012.
Given the multitude of TV shows, comic books and movies about Robin Hood that were being made back then, it's kind of refreshing that the French tried to do something different and didn't just settle for dubbing one of the English productions into French.
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I've started to watch the first season of Thierry la Fronde (better known as "Thierry de Slingeraar" in the Netherlands).
I have the complete series, so just 3 more seasons to go......
I'm not sure if the series is well known in the English speaking countries apart from Canada (where it seemed to have been very popular back then).
Looked this up and from description and stills this seems to be a rip off of Robin Hood set in France and with the sling taking the place of the Bow and Arrow.
Apparently a remake was scheduled to begin in 2012.
Given the multitude of TV shows, comic books and movies about Robin Hood that were being made back then, it's kind of refreshing that the French tried to do something different and didn't just settle for dubbing one of the English productions into French.
Found a clip from the series and it looks like they did this in the vien of the later "Hercules the Legendary Journeys" series. When the meade hall is filled with disco dancing nobles you know they are trying for historical accuracy. Sort of like the modern music of "A Knight's Tale".
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The last couple weeks of WHO...
NIGHTMARE OF EDEN
TERROR OF THE VERVOIDS
THE GREATEST SHOW IN THE GALAXY
THE HORNS OF NIMON
THE LEISURE HIVE
THE ULTIMATE FOE
THE MIND ROBBER
THE HAPPINESS PATROL
MEGLOS
PLANET OF FIRE
Professor Wagstaff's Time Machine (not really WHO but close...)
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Totally intrigued by Professor Wagstaff's Time Machine but can't find it on Amazon.
Not sure if you know about this British time travel t.v. show:-
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Timeslip-Complete-DVD-Region-NTSC/dp/B000BB151G/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1372438382&sr=1-2&keywords=timeslip
One of my favourites.
Although I haven't seen it for ages, isn't Terror of the Vervoids pretty bad?
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Hi, Paw. Found a few six and seven minute bits of "Timeslip" episode 2 on You Tube. I'd like to see some whole episodes. The summer tv season has started- "Falling Skies" is really outstanding so far. Lots of stuff going on, three or four different side-stories. BBC America has followed up "Orphan Black" and "Spies of Warsaw" with a smashing new season of "Copper". Was hot and cold about the last season of "Doctor Who" and I was completely surprised/shocked by the last episode! I didn't enjoy Clara as much as I thought I would- she was awfully annoying at times. I know they have teased us with John Hurt as the new Doctor, but it could just be misdirection. Some have suggested the new Doctor might even be a woman. (Clara?) PBS has a new season of "Mystery" up soon. Our local PBS still offers us "New Tricks", "Midsommer Murders", a new season of "Death in Paradise" (my favorite), and lots of "Larkrise" and "Doc Martin" reruns. Our local channel replaced "D.C.I. Banks" with "Inspector Gently", starring Martin Shaw and set in the mid-sixties. Pretty good. Saw some really interesting trailers of a new Brit series, "Broadchurch" with David Tennant. Looks quite good- has anybody watched it? Cheers, Bowers
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Funny thing about Professor Wagstaff... if you do a Google Search, right away, it comes up at the IMDB under its original UK title-- A STITCH IN TIME (1978). For no reason I can fathom, it was retitled on Prism (in 1983). You could tell, the lettering in the opening credits was done very sloppily and didn't match the rest of the text.
Its US title wasn't listed at the IMDB at all, so I'm adding it. (Like Wikipedia, the IMDB is put together by various contributors. Unlike Wikipedia, it seems a bit less confusing to make changes, and, less likely for someone to delete your changes if they don't have "annotations". It annoys me that many "annotations" at Wikipedia, when it comes to comics, are to interviews which contain FALSE information. But if it's online, it's "official".)
Having read some of the early WHO comics from the 60's, it seems in that vein. It's aimed at kids and stars 2 school-children (Patrick Troughton gets 3rd billing!). Also, for anyone who's seen FRONTIOS with Peter Davison, the guy who plays the young (and initially paranoid) leader of the colonists (bordering on starvation and extinction) plays multiple parts in this, as various generations of a family of obnoxious A**H***s (the present-day version of whom is a really LOUSY school-teacher).
The time machine itself reminds me a bit of Dr. Doom's from FANTASTIC FOUR, in that it's a platform people stand on to be transported. Troughton's character is not that far removed from Peter Cushing's in the 2 (or is it 3? heh) Amicus films.
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Well I don't know if what I am watching qualifies here....
I've been looking through about 25 different movies and serials plus TV stuff & cartoons getting ready to make International Crimefighters From Around the Wordl Volume's 3 & 4. Mostly late at night, good medicine to go to sleep by. But also a great way to get in touch with old favorites and forgotten gems not watched for a long long time. I will be offering these two (and # 5 as well once ready) to DCM since the first three were given away here to I hope some happy consumers.
Richard AkA Vido G (lol)
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Watched SILVER NEMESIS again last night. My earlier suspicions have only been strengthened. There's a point where the Doctor, in very sombre terms, comments that what happened with the asteroid's tragectory may be "the biggest miscalculation since man first crawled out of the primordial sludge" (or some such words). Which made me think of "CITY OF DEATH". Why should he, of all people, think mankind arising be viewed as a bad thing? Simple-- he doesn't. The "miscalculation" would be Scaroth's spaceship exploding, which led to mankind's rise in the first place.
At the end, Ace sums it up. He DELIBERATELY set the asteroid on a faulty course, to draw the attention of The Cybermen, so he could WIPE them out. I also now believe the apprehension on his face as Lady Peintforte is threatening him is just a charade. He has to play it seriously, so The Cybermen will never suspect he's putting them all on. Minutes later, The Cyber-fleet is vaporized!
The big question I find myself pondering is, WHICH version of The Doctor met Lady Peintforte in the first "half" of this story we never got to see? If it was McCoy, it would have to have been when Mel was with him.
Also, despite both the Doctor and Lady Peintforte time-travelling, and The Cybermen looking like "this years' models", I'm not sure THEY were time-travelling. It's possible these guys only "recently" escaped Mondas' destruction in 1986, as suggested by the line about making Earth "the new Mondas". Which might suggest the Doctor who set them all up to fall was Patrick Troughton. His main recurring monsters were The Cybermen, he regenerated as a result of their first meeting, and he fits the description of "that little man". It would also explain why the Doctor had trouble remembering the prediction of Earth's possible destruction, since he set it all up a long, long time ago.
Oh yeah... and Troughton was still doing "historicals" when he started. McCoy mentions "the roundheads".
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Tonight on WHO...
"We shall continue this later. If you need anything-- there are guards outside. MANY guards!!!"
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Anyone else watching Whodunit and enjoying it like my family. We liked the show THE MOLE and this is similar and like combined with Clue.
BTW: Do not go see White House Down. I keep telling myself after a bad movie to check Yahoo and IMDB but forget. Sorry I did as they agreed on how bad it was. Now here is the thing I actually enjoyed watching it. It was so bad I actually had fun watching. Make no mistake the movie was very awful but if you can enjoy a Plan 9 wait until this comes on TV, don't support it with you money, but you can have fun with. Ideal for MST3K if it was still around.
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Just started watching a British sci fi pilot film called "the Uninvited". Looked good from the beginning and really took off when the main character decided to explore the sunken village. This looks like it would have made a great series. Wonder if they may reboot it in the near future?
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Feature films watched the last couple of months-
Night of the Blood Beast (1958), The Undertaker and His Pals (1966), The Covered Wagon (1923), Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012), Bunraku (2010), Don't Answer the Phone (1980), Dragon Heat (2005), Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf (1972), Casbah (1948), Unpublished Story (1942), Two Thousand Women (1944), Prescription Murder (1968), Godzilla Raids Again (1955), Appointment with Venus (aka Island Rescue) (1952), Iron Man 3 (2013), Ransom for a Dead Man (1971), Ellery Queen and the Murder Ring (1941), Shrek the Third (2007), Knight and Day (2010), Cash on Demand (1962), Cast a Long Shadow (1959), The City of Violence (2006), The Snorkel (1958), Fallguy (1962), Land of the Lost (2009), Never Take Candy from a Stranger (1960), Charro! (1969), The Naked Road (1959), Legend of the Fist:The Return of Chen Zhen (2010), The Avenger (1931), These are the Damned (1963), Hit the Saddle (1936), Piranha (2010), Albert Norris (2011), Frankenstein Created Woman (1967), Quartet (2012), Star Trek: Into the Darkness (2013), Bernie (2011), The Cowboys (1971), Air Force One (1997).
Included in this bunch were four Hammer suspense films from the late 1950s/early 1960s which I had never seen (three of the four being quite good), some westerns (Buck Jones' The Avenger was an especially nicely photographed B Western with Buck adopting a dual identity as the Black Shadow to avenge his brother's death while John Wayne's The Cowboys held up extremely well over the last four decades and finally Elvis' Charro! was also better than I remembered it -I particularlly enjoyed the Arizona location shooting-Apacheland and the area around the Superstition Mountains), the two Columbo pilot movies (a segue into the Lil Missus and my beginning our journey through the entire series), Ralph Bellamy's final appearance as Ellery Queen (heavily played for laughs), a trio of British WWII films watched over the Memorial Day weekend (the delightful Two Thousand Women being the best of the group) plus some cartoons, Asian action action flicks, dramas, horror films and more.
Best
Joe
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I would like to find some more Hammer horror movies on the internet. I have been able to watch most of the Frankenstein and Dracula movies, plus some other ones. But there are many Hammer movies I can't find on the net--well, not for free, anyway. I was trying to get SHE yesterday. The best I could find was a French dubbed version, which I might try watching anyhow. Woulld like to find THE MUMMY, too. Or well, anything with Peter Cushing really.
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I've gotten in the habit the last several years of watching all 8 of Roger Corman's POE films in sequence as a set, and then depending on my mood, a few others afterwards. Having polished off the latest mini-marathon, I decided it was time to do the "other" such set... the Hammer DRACULAs. Sometimes I watch these on their own, sometimes along with other Dracula films. Not sure which it'll be this time. Last week was HORROR OF DRACULA (widescreen from TCM), last night, BRIDES OF DRACULA (edited commercial station with a bad signal and technical difficulties from the early 80's). Peter Cushing is SO good in these!
Many years back, I got a book about the history of Hammer Films. It described so many films I have still never seen, and I hope one of these days I can do something about that.
A few years ago, I went to see a horror film-- LET ME IN-- specifically because I read it was a co-production of the newly-REVIVED Hammer company!
If there was any single horror film of the last couple decades I'd say looked and felt like a Hammer Film (except, with a much-bigger budget), it would be SLEEPY HOLLOW. And whatta ya know, it had cameos in it from both Christopher Lee and Michael Gough! Unlike most Hammer Films, though, it had a dense, intelligent script that was on the level of some Agatha Christies I've watched. Highly reccomended.
Christopher Lee's best film, however, which I believe is also his favorite, is THE DEVIL RIDES OUT (released in America as THE DEVIL'S BRIDE). I read it was intended as the first of a series of adaptations of a series of books with the same character, but didn't perform well enough at the box office to warrant a sequel. Too bad. Though he LOOKS like evil incarnate (actually, he looks like "The Master" from DOCTOR WHO!), Lee plays the HERO-- and he gets the BEST script of his entire career. Charles Gray plays the villain, and is at least 10 times BETTER than he was in DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER.
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Or well, anything with Peter Cushing really.
What about Vincent Price???
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I remember seeing lots of Vincent Price movies back in the 70s on the TV. I think maybe KVOS was obsessed with him.
Sure, I like Vincent Price. But I've only "discovered" Peter Cushing in the last year or so. I began watching Hammer movies for Christopher Lee and ended up finding the remarkable Peter Cushing.
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I was a big Price fan in the 70's
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Price became so well known for his horror movies., It's fun to see him in something else. Examples that come to mind are LAURA, where he plays one of the murder suspects (and has a Southern accent).
Another, which I've only see once, is HIS KIND OF WOMAN. It's a very dark, often disturbing film about a gangster who pays a man to help him change his identity (without the guy knowing what's really involved). Price plays a peripheral character in the film, a "famous" Hollywood actor, and adds a much-needed level of outright COMEDY to what otherwise would be a story too nightmarish to stand.
And then of course there's the 5th-season episode of GET SMART he was in as a "mad pharmacist". He really had a knack for comedy!
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Price was excellent at comedy or horror
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I hardly watch any TV, just when I eat, and if there is anyone else in the room I have been banned from watching:
1) Anything b/w, especially Laurel and Hardy
2) Columbo
3) "Stupid old horrors" especially Hammer and Vincent Price
4) "Old crap comedies" Bilko being a prime target
5) Space stuff
6) Sponge Bob/Scooby Doo etc
7) Documentaries, unless they are funny and any animals in them don't get hurt
Basically anything last century is out.
Crap reality shows, any version of Saw or nasty gore is highly recommended, that show about the "good" serial killer etc I should apparently be watching.
Storage Wars/ Pawn Stars and Auction Kings stuff is an agreed compromise..... Doomsday Preppers is now on the blacklist :(
But as I watch < 30 mins a day I can live with this.
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:o
LOCK the door-- and watch whatever the hell you want!
:)
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Did anyone else laugh their butts off watching Ultimate Spiderman where he and hulk switched bodies
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I know this is late, but did anyone besides Levar Burton and I HATE Into Darkness? And don't even get me started on Skyfall. Although it has ruined the entire non-Flemming Bond cannon for me, I must admit it did bring us an increasingly rare phenomenon: a great Mad spoof! Man, Mad is only bi-monthly now. You guys are making me depressed! :'(
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Yesterday, I was thinking about ordering a box set of ASTRO BOY cartoons, collecting the NBC series that ran in the early '60s. I like the comics and I remember liking these cartoons when I was a little kid, but before I put in my order, I started watching the cartoons on youtube. The first episode was not what I expected and I had more hope for the second episode to be better, but it was worse and I had to stop watching it because I was just so bored.
It's not that NBC changed Astro Boy to make it more American--like the other Saturday morning cartoons--in fact that's what I was expecting to see and that would have been interesting. Instead, it feels like they made the more depressing aspects of Astro Boy all the more depressing. Maybe i need to stick with it and watch some more youtube episodes. But right now i feel like I had a lucky escape, by not ordering that box set.
Am I missing something here? If I keep watching will I eventually see the light? If anyone can tell me, I'd like to know.
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Tobor the 8th man was better, check out the you tube video's for him.
RB @ Work
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"a new Brit series, "Broadchurch" with David Tennant"
Bowers, I went on holiday and didn't see your reaction to Timeslip. It's available on dvd.
As for Broadchurch, it was a huge success here and got seriously good reviews. Well worth looking out for, although everyone seems to have a good greet at times.
I mentioned a while ago, "Shetland", with Dougie Henshall (Primeval) - a crime show set in Shetland and very good it was too. Today's paper says it's coming back with a 6 episode run of 2 episode stories. Brian Cox is one of the guest stars. I hope you can get it in N. America.
Our t.v. went on the blink but we went on holiday and haven't yet bought a new one so we've been watching shows on I Player on the computer. The Apprentice is charging towards the finale and it's been an intriguing and, at times, excruciating series. But, one of our favourite radio comedies has transferred to t.v. - something that sometimes doesn't go well, but "Count Arthur Strong" works. Difficult to describe but we fell about laughing. Graham Linehan, the genius behind "Father Ted" is co-writing, so that really helps.
Don't know if this will work outside the U.K. but here's a trailer:-
http://www.countarthurstrong.com/tv-series-trailer-released/
As for Doctor Who, Rory Kinnear is current favourite and he co-stars with Count Arthur.
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"So! It's just you 57 suckers, against Kung Fu Joe! Master of Karate! Kung Fu! Jui-Jitsu! And ALL other shit you ain't NEVER heard of! HA HA HA HA HA HA !!!!!!"
"BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!"
;D
(lost count of how many times I've watched this now)
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Some recent DVD collections watched-
Alias Smith and Jones Season One (1971) One of my favorite western series while growing up. Inspired by the success of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) this started as a mid season replacement show and quickly won over viewers with its blend of humor in the standard western drama (ala Maverick). Good chemistry between the leads (Pete Duel and Ben Murphy), some clever writing and good guest stars (some in recurring roles) make this a fun show to revisit.
Columbo Seasons One and Two (1971-1973) The Lil Missus and I are working our way through the entire run of Columbo movies (there's 69 of them that appeared between 1968-2003). After pilot movies in 1968 and Spring 1971 the regular series launched in Fall 1971 with seven movies the first year and eight the second. Even this early in the run several actors have already appeared twice in different roles including Ray Milland, Robert Culp, Anne Francis and James Gregory. My favorite episode among these early ones is the season one premiere (directed by Steven Spielberg) "Murder by the Book" with Jack Cassidy excellently playing an author who bumps off his writing partner (Martin Milner). Most disappointing episode in this bunch was the second season "Dagger of the Mind". Most episodes were in 90 minute time slots (running approximately 74 minutes without commercials) but occasionally they'd do a longer movie in a 2 hour time slot. "Dagger of the Mind" is one of these longer movies. They spent some money on it too. Actually traveling to England to film the movie. There's also a good cast including Bichard Basehart, Honor Blackman, Wilfred Hyde-White and Bernard Fox. The trouble is the movie is padded out with way too many scenes of Columbo just sightseeing around London. It's like the producers really wanted to show off the fact that "Hey we actually went to England to shoot! Pretty cool, eh!? Hey, looks there's Big Ben and hey, there's Buckingham Palace!" A more clever way of shooting the movie would have been to have worked some clever location shooting into the script and that way you could have had all the neat location stuff without padding out the film.
Dexter Season Six (2011) Another winner of a season with Colin Hanks and Edward James Olmos making a fine pair of nemeses for Dex. And, oh boy, what an "Oh S#!t" moment of a cliffhanger in that last episode.
Inspector Morse Series One (1987) Wow! Has it really been over 25 years since the Morse series began? Revisiting these on something of an alternating basis with Helen Mirren's Prime Suspect.
Eureka Season Two (2007) I caught the occasional episode of this during it's original Syfy run but am enjoying it even more working through the series episode by episode. A nice blend of humor, sci-fi elements and some characters we care about.
The Mary Tyler Moore Show Season Two (1971-1972) The writing remains top notch as the characters already established in the first season continue to flesh out even further. My favorite episode is the one with Ted Baxter (Ted Knight) and his brother, Hal, (Jack Cassidy) continually try to one up each other. Cassidy had originally been offered the Ted Baxter role and had turned it down but agreed to play the brother in this episode. His untimely death in 1976 (burned to death when he fell asleep while smoking) deprived us of a real talent, equally adept at comedy and drama.
White Collar Season Two (2010-2011) Good chemistry between the two leads (Matt Bomer and Tim DeKay) remains this crime show's strong point.
Studio One One of the live anthology show that were very common on American television during its early years. Although many were recorded on kinescope at the time of broadcast the networks were not scrupulous in preserving them. A number of episodes of this series do seem to have survived and have been working their way onto DVD and the internet. These live shows proved a great training ground for young actors including James Dean, Steve McQueen, Warren Beatty, James Coburn, Natalie Wood, Ed Asner, William Shatner, Warren Oates and more.
Best
Joe
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I liked how in the early seasons of THE NBC MYSTERY MOVIES, they would do an occasional 2-hour story, usually (but not always) when it was called for. For example, in McCLOUD's 4th season (I think), when the season finale was "This Must Be The Alamo". It's virtually a blueprint for HILL STREET BLUES, with 4 separate stories running side-by-side, which all collide at the explosive shoot-out at the end.
Unfortunately, some idiot at NBC apparently decided at some point to have ALL the movies be 2-hours long. Especially the first year they did it, you could tell that many of the stories had been written for 90 min. and painfully padded out 2 2 hours. (This was even worse than when they had a 2nd-season ep. of McCLOUD which had been clearly written for a 1-hour time slot, and very painfully padded out to fit 90 min.!! --it's the one with Milton Berle, in case anyone's wondering.)
I believe for the final season, NBC decided to make them all 90 min. again... and I suspect a couple of them may have been cut to fit. (Sheesh) NCB really screwed over the series that season. Originally, they had planned to pull the plug the previous year, but decided at the last minute to do one more. (This explains why 75% of the cast of McMILLAN had been replaced-- they'd all got other jobs before the decision to do one more year had come down!) Also, they kept doubling-up the shows and running them as double-features (2-90's to fit a 3-hour slot), while on certain weeks, having no mysteries at all, instead filling the time with "specials" and misc. crapola.
After they did pull the plug, even then, they decided to do ONE more year of COLUMBO... but all the stories that year were run at random times. You never knew when they'd be on! It's no wonder I never saw any of the last year until they went into syndication.
Robert Culp was the 1st actor to play 3 murderers; Jack Cassidy the 2nd. Patrick McGoohan became the 3rd (but not until the 90's), but he enjoyed it so much, he came back for a 4th, and so, became the record-holder! (Although, much earlier, Jack Cassidy had played a murdered on MRS. COLUMBO... but due to the nature of that series, I'm not sure it's considered valid within the actual "Columbo" scheme of things.)
Does anyone besides me think Peter Falk should have guested on an episode of VOYAGER... just as an in-joke?
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By the way, while I tend to think the quality of the writing and acting slowly dropped over the course of the 70's, and got even worse when COLUMBO was revived (Season 10?), the 2nd year of the revival was when Peter Falk took over as Co-Exec. Producer. All of a sudden, the quality of the writing SHOT UP, they began to "play" with the format, and you were once again reminded that away from the criminals, the Lt. had the SHARPEST mind on the L.A. Police Force. I was shocked. I LOVED it! Last year, I ran all my COLUMBOs (I'm missing most of the 70's, but have all of the 90's). And as soon as I got to the 11th season-- WOW. I've read reviews to the contrary online, but I really feel starting then, the show became BETTER than ever.
The 3rd one with McGoohan was one of my favorites (for once, a killer goes out of his way NOT to "help" the Lt.), as was the one where you discover there has been NO murder... until 100 min. in (including commercials), when the murder finally does occur. WHOA!! There was this hilarious scene where, after he appears to have made a nuisance (and fool) of himself, Columbo's boss tells someone, "Make sure you keep him AWAY from that house!" The very next shot-- Columbo's car RACING to the scene, to get there before anyone can tell him not to. The way he solved that one was brillaint, too. (But in case you've forgotten, I won't tell.)
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I have the first season of McMILLAN & WIFE on DVD, have always meant to get the second season, as well as some of COLUMBO.
All of this makes me mounful for the closing down of the brick and mortar video stores, because I used to like wandering through those stores, looking at whatever DVDs were on sale and buying stuff on impulse. It's not the same when you go online, and you know you will have to wait a week or more for delivery.
About Janeway, when VOYAGER started wasn't she supposed to be married? It seems like they wrote that out as the series progressed. But I haven't seen it in many years, so I'm not sure. Funny to think of Peter Falk as Mr. Janeway.
For anyone who has never seen it, I recommend Wim Wender's WINGS OF DESIRE--in which Peter Falk stars as himself. But I warn you DON'T watch FAR AWAY SO CLOSE. It's supposed to be a sequel, with some of the same actors, but you must not watch it. I wish someone had given me that warning. You can't unsee a thing once it's seen, but I wish I could unsee FAR AWAY SO CLOSE which trampled all over my memories of WINGS OF DESIRE.
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My wife and I just got caught up on Falling Skies. Cool show
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Narf, this season of "Falling Skies" is the best yet. Lots of different ways for the show to go- great writing. Also nice to see Stephen Collins again. Haven't seen him in anything since "Seventh Heaven", many years ago. Paw, a day or so after I posted about "Broadchurch", BBC America rolled a promo stating we'll get it Aug. 7th. The "Count Arthur Strong" link worked great, and I'll be looking for it and "Shetland". PBS just picked up "Dirk Gently", and it's incredibly funny. Alas, only a pilot and four episodes. Cheers, Bowers
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As I just polished off all 45 of my DARK SHADOWS tapes-- and seeing as my collection cut off right in the middle of "1970 Parallel Time" (it was decided the show "wasn't in the proper image of New Jersey Public Television"), I figured, this is the perfect time to watch the 4 different versions I have of DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE, back-to-back. (Frederic March, Michael Rennie, Jack Palance, Anthony Perkins)
The Palance version, of course, was Dan Curtis' very 1st TV movie... so I'll follow that up by watching the others of those I have. (After it had gone missing for more than a decade, I finally located his DRACULA late last year... I'd taped it on the 2nd half of a COLUMBO tape! I usually do a better job mixing things on one tape than that...)
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The Anthony Perkins version is the only one I haven't seen.
I loved Palance as Mr Hyde, he had exactly the right face for it. His Jekyl was more of a challenge but for a man with such a naturally sinister face Palance could be surprisingly mild mannered when he chose to be.
Favorite line when accepting his custom sword cane "the finest steel and the very finest lead" as he crushes the head of the practice dummy.
His face and trademark sneer with animal like intake of breath was the result of facial injuries. He once said this was from his short career as a boxer but I've heard he was also injured in a plane crash while in the service.
I've seen the Fredrick March version again recently, its my favorite, and I once had a rather dog eared book of stills from that film. The figurine of the rape of Psyche by Eros on the table when Hyde assaults his woman was especially dramatic. The bit where Dr Jekyl moves the tip of his cane around the inside of the garter lying on the floor was a play on the old line "he'd put his (blank) where I wouldn't put my walking stick". The scene with the cat killing the bird is especially effective.
I found the Michael Rennie version at the Internet Archive awhile back, very well done for a TV short of the day.
Palance's Dracula is possibly my favorite, the final scene was one of the best Drac deaths ever.
I found a low res file awhile back, but I figure I'll wait for a better quality file or a DVD before watching this film again.
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Local University put on the J&H play a few months ago. I enjoyed it.
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About 10 years back I also saw the John Barrymore version. It's fascinating to me how, like DRACULA, each version of J&H is so different from each other. The Barrymore version, for example, much of the drama ensues because Jekyll's prospective father-in-law doesn't think he's "MAN ENOUGH" for his daughter, and insists he goes out and "sows some wild oats" first. In other words, the guy was virtually pushing his future son-in-law into the arms of prostitutes!!
Compare that with Frederic March, where no matter what the guy does, he's not "stable" enough for the girl's father, and he should "observe propriety" and "WAIT". That version could be seen as a pre-Code statement about the dangers of too much repression!
The CLIMAX! version with Michael Rennie surprised me for the way it apparently is structured more like the novel. It starts with Hyde being killed, then his friend reads the journal and finds out the whole terrible story. I was also surprised at how many little details from this one later turned up in the DARK SHADOWS version with Christopher Pennock (which I saw in its entirety about 10 years ago... but my tapes from PBS in the 80's are missing the 2nd half, when the 2 stories they were doing in "1970 Parallel Time" both really started to get interesting). Another surprise is the emphasis Jekyll's friend places on Jekyll being guilty, since he made a DECISION to do what he did, and continued to do it, even when he had proved his point and saw the possible dire consequences awaiting him.
2 STAR TREK connections in the CLIMAX! version-- "Poole", the butler, was played by John Hoyt (the 1st Doctor, from the Jeffrey Hunter pilot), and, the music was by Jerry Goldsmith!
Dan Curtis did his J&H on videotape in 1968 when DS was doing their (terrible) version of FRANKENSTEIN and BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN. Robert Cobert did a lot of new music for it, and most of it was then recycled on DS.
The Perkins film is EDGE OF SANITY, and it isn't that great, but it does have its interesting points. It also combines the story of J&H with that of Jack The Ripper!
I've also seen the Spencer Tracy version, about 10 years ago, but frankly wasn't that impressed by it. I was more annoyed at the knowledge that for decades, the Frederic March version had been PULLED from circulation to avoid competing with the Tracy version! (I really hate when studios do stuff like that.)
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i saw the Palance, Tracy and March versions of Jekyll and Hyde in my younger days, but not recently. I've never seen the Barrymore version. But I've looked at video clips now for each and I prefer it when the actors have as little help from the make-up department as possible. In that regard, I think Barrymore and Palance used a lot less make-up and most of the change was made through acting.
I think for an actor that's the challenge--to use their physical ability to become a completely different personality. Like Jerry Lewis with the Nutty Professor and Buddy Love. Or Christorpher Reeve with Superman and Clark Kent.
This is why I believe it's a bad move to make Superman and Clark so similar in a movie. Part of the fun is in seeing the actor play this dual role, making us believe in the difference simply through the actor's skill. I haven't seen the new movie, but I'm sure some of the audience were let down by the lack of that dichotomy.
You can see how Jekyll and Hyde influenced the creation of Two-Face. Apparently this was inspired by the Frederick March version. Although to me, Two-Face looks a lot like the Spencer Tracy version.
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I could also see how J&H influenced THE INCREDIBLE HULK. The Michael Rennie version (which seems to be closer to the novel than the Frederic March one) has a bit where, as Hyde, he gets very angry when someone mentions Jekyll, and yells out, referring to Jekyll as "the one man in all the world I hate most!!!"
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The Dan Curtis / Jack Palance JEKYLL & HYDE really is a fabulous piece of work. They had enough time to really develop the story. It's almost a shock how likable Hyde starts out-- before he begins to get excessive. As Gwyn describes it, as time went on, he kept doing worse and worse, as if he was rolling downhill, picking up speed, and nothing was going to stop him.
I was surprised at how MUCH of this version later wound up in the DARK SHADOWS version, including the suspicious chemist who finds out the truth and tries to blackmail him. Oskar Holmolka, of course, I mostly remember from FUNERAL IN BERLIN and BILLION DOLLAR BRAIN. He was a lot more reasonable in the role than John Harkins on DS, who just from the word go came across as a total CREEP! It's funny because I'm watching THE RETURN OF THE MAN FROM UNCLE right now, ahd he turns up in there as a Thrush agent. (This sort of thing happens a lot with me-- stuff will sit in my video collection for years on end, then without any planning I'll run across the same actor more than once in the same week, sometimes in the same DAY.)
The rest of the cast was terrific as well, including Denholm Elliot (the earliest thing I've seen him in), Leo Genn, Torin Thatcher (in a bit part). Robert Cobert really out-did himself. It's funny that so much of the most memorable DARK SHADOWS music debuted in this film, rather than the show. The main title music wound up reused in the film HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS!
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I had practically forgotten watching "the Two Faces of Dr Jekyll" only a few weeks back. It is a forgettable film, and other than having Christopher Lee chewing the scenery in a supporting role has little to recommend it.
One unusual thing was Mr Hyde's clean cut and very civilized appearance compared to the Jekyll persona who was bearded and a bit coarse and not exactly a fashion plate. The brute nature of Hyde was revealed by his actions rather than by his appearance.
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It's been a lot of years, but I just saw EDGE OF SANITY again yesterday. This answers the question nobody ever wanted asked, "What if Jack The Ripper was really Dr. Henry Jekyll?" Depending on your point of view, this is either one really SICK F*** of a movie version of J&H, or, a more-stylish-than-usual SLASHER movie.
Apart from Anthony Perkins (I guess doing those PSYCHO movies and CRIMES OF PASSION wasn't enough for him), the only other people in the cast I recognized were Glynis Barber ("Soolin" from the 4th season of BLAKES 7 and "Beryl Stapleton" from the Ian Richardson version of THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES), making this at least the 2nd time she's played a woman married to a murderer, and Noel Coleman, hardly looking any older than he did 20 years earlier when he played "General Smythe" in the DOCTOR WHO story "The War Games".
Unlike the other 4 versions of J&H I've just sat thru, this one seems utterly pointless, especially as it leads to a BAD ending. When it comes to "Jack The Ripper" movies, I prefer MURDER BY DECREE-- or even better, A STUDY IN TERROR.
The one bit in here I remember seeing in one of the other versions (but I forget which one) was when Jekyll argues that man's "inherent sense of morality" does not "come from God" was was rather "mutually agreed upon"-- then throws out, "But what I DON'T agree?"
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Since we've been discussing various Jekyll and Hyde versions I thought I'd throw in a plug for this collection of PD versions that one of my Movie Night buddies has put out.
http://www.grapevinevideo.com/dr-jekyll-mr-hyde-collection.html
Most versions of the story in one package that I have ever seen and I don't know of anyone who has ever put out that early 1930s Sheldon Lewis version before. A real rarity!
Best
Joe
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The one bit in here I remember seeing in one of the other versions (but I forget which one) was when Jekyll argues that man's "inherent sense of morality" does not "come from God" was was rather "mutually agreed upon"-- then throws out, "But what I DON'T agree?"
Interesting notion. But Laws are by agreement and not inherent, bogus hypocritical morality is a construct of societies and never becomes universal, inherent revulsion towards some particularly vile actions (child molestors etc, matricide, the worst crimes against persons) are not constructions of society. In those instances laws are constructed to deal with something that would otherwise be dealt with by the raw violence of outraged individuals.
From Corpus Juris Civilus "the Justinian Code"
How do Natural Law, Law of Nations, and Civil Law work together to create a legal system?
"Civil law is thus distinguished from the law of nations. Every community governed by laws and customs uses partly its own law, partly laws common to all mankind. . . . The people of Rome, then, are governed partly by their own laws, and partly by the laws which are common to all mankind."
"{N]ations have established certain laws, as occasion and the necessities of human life required. Wars arose, and in their train followed captivity and then slavery, which is contrary to the law of nature; for by that law all men are originally born free. Further, by the law of nations almost all contracts were at first introduced, as, for instance, buying and selling, letting and hiring, partnership, deposits, loans returnable in kind, and very many others."
"The laws of nature, which all nations observe alike, being established by a divine providence, remain ever fixed and immutable. But the laws which every state has enacted, undergo frequent changes, either by the tacit consent of the people, or by a new law being subsequently passed."
So Slavery which is patently immoral and a violation of natural law is a construct of society, an Immoral act sanctioned by a society for its own convenience. Legality does not equal Morality.
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"Legality does not equal Morality."
Something that crminals-- and their lawyers-- often take advantage of.
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"Legality does not equal morality" and consequently illegality may not equal immorality. While at the end of last season they corrupted Dexter, I thought of him as a hero before that. He made 100% sure that the people he killed were cold blooded killers. This resounds with many who often will not admit it to themselves. It is also why Hit Girl was popular as well as Punisher, etc.
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Narf, Dexter had actually strayed from his path at least twice during the first five seasons. He killed once out of anger and once by mistake. Neither of these victims were killers (although both were jerks). The series didn't dwell on either deviation from his norm and apparently they slipped your mind but both cases bothered me.
Best
Joe
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Last night...
"This is great! There's no way I coulda got a chick like this back home! There was only ONE problem..."
"COME WITH US."
"I don't who these ASSHOLES were-- but they sure picked a bad time to interrupt!"
--from HEAVY METAL (1981)
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I do remember one Joe but I that was an accident, I think. And I wish they had just kept him "pure" over the whole series.
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Has anyone else seen THE BOKEN? Rated 3 out of 4 stars. Typical critic crap. This movie was ploddingly slow and did not explain or resolve anything. Kind of artsy fartsy crap critics seem to like. That is why I look at user reviews not critic reviews at Yahoo or IMDB
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Did any ever notice "Doc Ock" from SPIDER-MAN 2 was in the opening sequence of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) ?
He never made it out of that temple... ;D
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Despite my earlier pessimism, there is a new series of New Tricks on BBC. First episode (pt. 1 of a 2 parter) was on Tuesday night and was a good watch. The Brian character is still there but not for long and it looks like Nicholas Lyndhurst is coming in as a replacement. Well worth looking out for.
By the way, Peter Capaldi is now bookies favourite to be the new Doctor. He's not going to be able to exercise his amazing capacity for swearing (see, "The Thick of It) if he is the new Doc.
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Recent collections watched-
Northern Exposure Season 2- Getting more into this funny, quirky dramedy from the early 1990s.
Racket Squad and Federal Men (aka Treasury Men in Action)- Watched collections (8 episodes of each series) of these successful early 1950s crime series. Very much in the Dragnet mode (based on real cases/names changed to protect the innocent, etc..) although both preceded Dragnet onto the airwaves. Still they could have been influenced by the radio version of Dragnet. The first series is about investigations of the bunco squad as it tracks down swindlers, grifters and other con artists who prey on the public. The later is about the feds tracking down counterfeiters and the like.
The Borgias Season 2- Beautifully shot with exquisite attention to period detail and a fine cast headed by Jeremy Irons. Not sure how faithful they actually are to history but the Lil Missus and I found it entertaining.
The Life of Riley- When The Life of Riley made its transition from radio to television in 1949 it lacked its star William Bendix. Bendix was under contract to RKO studios and they wouldn't allow him to do a regular television series. So instead the producers cast a young Jackie Gleason (made up to look older than he was).
I had heard variously that this version of the show was cancelled because- A) it didn't do well in the ratings or B) Gleason wasn't happy doing it and begged out of the show. Doing a little research I found out that neither of these were correct. The show did well with the audiences and critics (it actually won an Emmy) and Gleason enjoyed doing it but the producer and the sponsor had some serious disagreements causing the producer to cancel production after only 26 of the projected 39 episodes were shot.
This DVD collection contains those 26 Gleason episodes and I concur that it is a fine version and that Gleason works well in the role. I wouldn't be surprised if they were recycling radio scripts too.
A few years later Gleason had moved on to his own very successful comedy/variety show but Bendix was free of his studio contract so the show was revived with Bendix as Riley and again did well with audiences.
The Trouble with Father (aka The Stu Erwin Show)-(8 episode DVD collection) From the early 1950s here's another successful situation comedy with the father as a bit of a bumbler who usually causes the situation around which each episode is built. Not that different from The Life of Riley in that respect. Makes me wonder what show was the prototype on which all these others built on?
Doc Martin Series 2- As delightful as the first series. Looking forward to series three.
Prime Suspect 3- Rewatching these I think this is the best one of the first three with Helen Mirren going after a long time pedophile.
Doctor Who: The Beginning- This DVD collection contains the first three stories plus a condensed reconstruction of the lost fourth story. Also some great documentaries, interviews, etc.. that gives one a good history of the creation of the series and how it was during those early days. Great for someone like me who is playing catchup. Henry was certainly right that the Doctor was a bit of a troublemaker in these first stories.
Best
Joe
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I watched the movie Sidekick Last night and it was quite good. Would recommend.
RB @ Work.
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Didn't see the movie, but in "World War Z", Peter Capaldi's character was a W.H.O. Doctor. Coincidence? Anyway, I really liked his work on "The Hour" and I believe he has just the right amount of strangeness to be a fine Doctor Who. Cheers, Bowers
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My Dad often mentioned THE LIFE OF RILEY, and how, as good as Jackie Gleason was, the show wasn't the same as the radio version. What I didn't realize was there was a gap between the Gleason and later Bendix episodes.
The first time I saw the first 13 DOCTOR WHO episodes, I was immediately reminded a LOT of the earliest episodes of LOST IN SPACE. I find it very easy to believe that Irwin Allen had seen the show and gotten inspired. After all, when he did the original LIS pilot, there was no Doctor Smith, and no robot. LIS even had cliffhangers at the end of EVERY episode for its first 2 seasons. Jonathan Harris is almost like a bad parody of William Hartnell. And when Jon Pertwee became The Doctor, and needed a "name" for The Brigadier to use in his official paperwork, he told him it was "Doctor John Smith."
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Doctor Smith cool
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Hey does anyone remember this guy who was on TV in the '60s teaching people how to do art? I remember he had dark hair and a goatee. He might've been the same guy as the one who was on in the '70s and '80s with the perm--but I'm not sure about that.
My aunt had an art kit with this guy's face on the box cover. He might've been Canadian, but I think he had to be American if he had his own kit for sale.
Of course, there were a few of these guys. It's bugging me because I can just picture him as like the quinteseential artist.
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Jimm, could it have been Jon Gnagy? He had a Saturday morning show hawking his "Jon Gnagy Learn to Draw" kits. Definitely had dark hair and a goatee. Never bought the set, but had fun drawing along with him. Cheers, Bowers
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Jimm, could it have been Jon Gnagy? He had a Saturday morning show hawking his "Jon Gnagy Learn to Draw" kits. Definitely had dark hair and a goatee. Never bought the set, but had fun drawing along with him. Cheers, Bowers
You're a star! I did an image search on the name and that's definitely the guy. The image from my aunt's kit even came up on the search and that confirmed it. Jeez, I haven't seen that image in ages--and my aunt passed away a few years ago, god love her. Really chokes me up to see that. Ah the memories!
Thanks.
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Last night:
"How did you know she was a Nazi?"
"She talks in her sleep."
"!!!!!!!!!"
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Tonight...
"The way I see it, everyone COULD have done it, and everyone had a reason for doing it. It's absolutely incredible!"
...and...
"We STILL don't know who killed either woman."
"No, not quite. You see... we ALREADY know almost all there is to know. It's just that, what we know... seems INCREDIBLE!"
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Jimm, could it have been Jon Gnagy? He had a Saturday morning show hawking his "Jon Gnagy Learn to Draw" kits. Definitely had dark hair and a goatee. Never bought the set, but had fun drawing along with him. Cheers, Bowers
I had the kit and watched his program at every opportunity. Very good basic instructions on perspective, proportions, rendering, etc.
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Last night:
"How did you know she was a Nazi?"
"She talks in her sleep."
"!!!!!!!!!"
The wife of a friend was care giver to an elderly woman who left her some personal effects in her will. Imagine her surprise when she found a ancient suitcase filled with NAZI memorabilia, including some documents and a miniature camera that fit inside a matchbox.
We suspected the old lady had been a German spy but found a packet of love letters from a British officer stationed at Gibraltar. We figure he had collected these things in the course of his work.
Many German tourists before the war were recruited to take as many photos as possible near military installations.
The camera is a very simple sturdy device. I think it takes cut off strips of 8mm motion picture film. To operate you point the camera then rapidly open and close its sliding outer case.
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Yesterday:
RETURN OF THE SAINT: "Duel In Venice"
This features the absolute nastiest, scariest villain in the entire series, hired mercenary "Jed Blackett", played by Australian actor Maurice Colbourne. Anyone who remembers his 2 appearances on DOCTOR WHO ("Ressurection of the Daleks" and "Attack of the Cybermen") would barely be prepared for what a complete, over-the-top raving PSYCHO he is in this thing.
After this, I was glad last night's movie was far more light-hearted...
"Ah, m'sieur, who can put a price-- on love?"
"Well I BLOODY WELL can!"
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Fascinating story about the old lady who turned out to be a Nazi.
My quote, of course, came from INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE. The "!!!!!" was the silent reaction when Indy realizes he and HIS FATHER have both slept with the same woman.
A bit later...
"Two ships that pass in the night. I meant as little to her as the next man."
"I WAS the NEXT MAN!!!"
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Tonight...
"I do wish somebody would tell me what this is all about..."
"MURDER! That's what this is about. Ghastly, horrible, OBSCENE murder!!"
(I just love this bit)
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Watched "The Black Knight Returns" 200p from Tomcat Films. Better than most of their movies.
Richard
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Tonight...
"I do wish somebody would tell me what this is all about..."
"MURDER! That's what this is about. Ghastly, horrible, OBSCENE murder!!"
(I just love this bit)
Is that from Hound of the Baskervilles?
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Terry and the Pirates seriel on youtube. Many of these are available on youtube. Terry has lots of action and pretty good story. I prefer the compilations where they have been edited down to a movie though.
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I downloaded the Captain Marvel serial from the Internet Archive years ago. Captain Marvel was as brutal as they come, and appeared to take great delight in dispatching his foes in gruesome manner.
He threw one guy head first from a bridge to impact about 60 feet below with bone crushing force. Another he casually tossed from a thirty story roof top. My favorite was the fight in a garage where he tore a truck engine from a chain hoist and threw it into a stack of crates like a catapult, hitting a hidden gunman in the head.
One sneak that tried to shoot him in the back was scrambling away whimpering and crying like a little girl as the Captain caught him and beat him to death.
The action scenes and special effects are very nicely done for the period.
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Tonight...
"I do wish somebody would tell me what this is all about..."
"MURDER! That's what this is about. Ghastly, horrible, OBSCENE murder!!"
(I just love this bit)
Found it "Dracula 1972 AD".
I figure the script writer was influenced by the lines from "Hound of the Baskervilles", " Murder, refined cold blooded deliberate murder".
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It's too bad we can't run streaming video here. I'd like to run a chapter or so a week here of a serial.
Mr SerialAge.
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You could post a link to the youtube video of a chapter
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Captain Audio:
"Found it "Dracula 1972 AD".
I figure the script writer was influenced by the lines from "Hound of the Baskervilles", " Murder, refined cold blooded deliberate murder"."
The 2 modern-day films get dismissed by so many people, but they've long been 2 of my favorites in the entire series. For one thing, they both have interesting stories (which is not somehting you can say about PRINCE OF DARKNESS, RISEN FROM THE GRAVE, or SCARS OF...
For another, both have Peter Cushing, who raises the level of anything he's in. (One might ask, HOW can you do a "Dracula" movie without Van Helsing?) And he's TERRIFIC in these things, especially the scenes where he's explaining things to other people.
Don Houghton wrote both films, shortly after doing work on Jon Pertwee's run of DOCTOR WHO. I still get a kick out of the NERVE to do a remake of TASTE THE BLOOD OF... only 2 years later, only with a much better story. But there are a few really stupid things in it. When Dracula gives Johnny "the power", he loses his daytime protector (though we never do find out where he was sleeping in the daytime). Second, Johnny never DOES have a servant to protect him, and the way he dies in his own apartment kinda makes him look like the stupidest vampire in movie history.
Finally (and note I saw this multiple times before this really started to bother me), the last act makes very little sense, as when Van Helsing tells Inspector Murray to stay away from St. Bartholf's, and that he "won't find anything there", and, to hold off until after nightfall. Seems to me this is the exact OPPOSITE of how one should search for a vampire-- you do it in the DAYTIME when he's asleep, otherwise, he's up, about and dangerous. Van Helsinbg then goes straight to the church in the daytime and finds his granddaughter in a trance, then lays traps for the later confrontation.
I do love it when, after all those years, Dracuka & Van Helsing FINALLY have a "verbal" confrontation, which they never did in the '58 film (or the novel). "You would challenge me-- I who have commanded armies??" Lee was on the top of his game in this one, even though he has so little screen time.
I do wish they'd had the same actress play Jessica in both films... I mean, Stephanie Beachum & Joanna Lumley don't look anything at all like each other!
I actually saw the sequel first-- it was released to theatres here 5 YEARS after it was made, as Hammer apparently lost their distribution in 1973. Tragic. (If somebody put up the money for production-- and it was usually the distributor-- WHY the hell didn't they actually release SATANIC RITES over her when it was made??)
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NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS (1971)
Haunted by the Past *****
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
As has been pointed out over the years, the 2nd DS feature, "NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS", starts out as a loose variation of the show's "1970 Parallel Time" story. In that, Quentin & his new bride Maggie arrive at Collinwood, where everyone is obsessed with Quentin's late wife Angelique, and are convinced she will return from the dead. That story itself was a variation on "REBECCA"-- right down to a "Mrs. Danvers" character (mentioned in NODS), though with a supernatural twist, in that Quentin's dead wife actually does come back, murders her twin sister and takes her place. On the show, it was one of the best-structured and paced story lines they ever did... until its rather ABRUPT ending, which left me unsatisfied and frustrated.
As for this movie... while elements of "REBECCA" and "1970 Parallel Time" definitely find their way in here, I find this is much more of a remake of the Roger Corman classic, "THE HAUNTED PALACE" with Vincent Price & Debra Paget as the married couple who inherit a mansion with a spooky housekeeper (Lon Chaney Jr.). Price's character, Charles Dexter Ward (the film was a very loose adaptation of the H.P. Lovecraft story) sees a portrait of an ancestor who he is a dead ringer of-- and the spirit of his ancestor spends most of the film trying to POSSESS his descendant. (There is a difference between reincarnation and possession, which sometimes got blurred on the DARK SHADOWS TV series.) The scene where David Selby roughly embraces his wife Tracy, leaving her in tears, then says, "I'll touch you ANY way I like, WHENEVER I like, and if you don't like it, you can always LEAVE!", is straight out of the Corman flick, when Price-- POSSESSED-- tells Debra Paget he wishes "to exercise my husbandly prerogative"-- and then almost RAPES her!! (I'm surprised no one else has brought up this blatant comparison before.)
Another Corman POE film that found its way into this one is "THE TOMB OF LIGEIA", where Verden Fell (Price again) marries Rowena (Elisabeth Sheppard), but is haunted by the memory of his late wife Ligeia (also Sheppard). The multiple camera shots of the tower where Quentin is drawn by Angelique are almost IDENTICAL to the shots of the tower of the abbey where, each night, without his own knowledge, Fell goes to tend to his DEAD wife-- who placed him under hypnotism before she died.
I've always thought "HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS" was too short, and should have been at least 2 hours long, to allow for better pacing and character development of its huge, complex cast. By comparison, the first time I saw "NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS", I thought it was painfully slow, dull and too long for its own good. When I discovered that a full 35 MINUTES had been cut from it before release, I could hardly believe what I was reading. But on further investigation, it appears this film would have been MUCH better if the story as originally written had been allowed to see release without being butchered.
Even so, from reading in detail about what was missing, something tells me that EVEN the uncut version of this film is actually missing its "3rd act". If even the uncut version still ends with Angelique coming back, Quentin fully possessed, and everyone else DEAD, what's the point?
Try watching this-- then "THE HAUNTED PALACE" back-to-back. The moment Price is about the leave the house-- but then stays for "one last thing"-- and becomes FULLY possessed-- is where that film REALLY starts to get interesting! "NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS", in either form, ends TOO SOON for its own good.
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it was a few weeks ago now, but --
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Aside from what may possibly be some minor historical innaccuracies (to the best of my knowledge, Lincoln did not, in fact, hunt vampires, nor do vampires actually exist), I loved this, it was so much bloody (!) fun. Maybe as I had low expectations, but still - I'd watch George Washington: Werewolf Killer by the same people, or FDR: Alien Ass-Kicker.
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How about Captain Berlin Vs Hitler?
True!
RB @ Work
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wickedly cool
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Just bought that today off of Amazon. Wan't cheap and it's proably a very horrible movie. But what the hay! I've watched plenty of bad costumed hero movies, whats one more?
RB @ Home.
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Let me know how bad it is
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Will do my friend.
Richard
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Here are two amazing discoveries I've just made concerning my on-screen crush Jenny Agutter--which somehow got past me all these years.
One is that there wasn't just a movie of THE RAILWAY CHILDREN--there was an actual British TV series starring the same cast (I gather the movie was actually an edited down version of the series). My gosh, why did no one tell me? Now I've got to find that series.
The other discovery is that WALKABOUT and THE RAILWAY CHILDREN came out in the same year. In fact, it seems that WALKABOUT came out six months ahead of the THE RAILWAY CHILDREN--although the order of production might've been the reverse. I always thought there was a safe two or three year difference between them, so it was okay to look on Jenny in WALKABOUT as a woman, while in THE RAILWAY CHILDREN she's an innocent child.
Yikes!
Presumably she was eighteen when both movies were shot, so I think I'm on safe ground, morally. I hope.
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Jimm , she was (is) indeed a babe! Fell in love with her watching "Logan's Run". Have you seen her as the head sister in the series "Call the Midwife"? Cheers, Bowers
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I haven't seen any of her recent work. I'm not sure if I want to. Although from pictures, she seems to have held up pretty well. And of course, I have seen LOGAN'S RUN--multiple times. I think that's where I first noticed her.
When I think about it, I've probably made these amazing discoveries before and they just slip my mind. In a couple of years, I'll probably make the same discoveries. I have an amazing memory for some details and others go right out of my head.
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The last couple weeks...
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
DEATH ON THE NILE
EVIL UNDER THE SUN
DRACULA A.D. 1972
SAMSON AND DELILAH (1984)
HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS
NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS
THE HAUNTED PALACE
THE DUNWICH HORROR
THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA
THE NIGHT STALKER
DR. STRANGELOVE
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Went on a Night Stalker binge and watched "Night Stalker", "Night Strangler", and every episode of the "Kolchak: the Night Stalker" TV series.
Also watched "the Norliss Tapes" pilot film, an attempt at cashing in on the Night Stalker's popularity. It would have made a great series.
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"The Norliss Tapes" was awesome. Roy Thinnes was one of my favorite actors at the time. Does anyone know if episodes of "The Invaders" are available anywhere? Cheers, Bowers
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Well I will be watching Captain Berlin Vs Hitler tonight as it arrived in the mail last night but I was off to see Black Sabbath last night in concert at the Verizon Ampitheatre (what a terrible venue) but a nice concert. And yes Narf I will let you know how it is, although it is in German! Lol......
RB @ Work
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Well sorry to say Narfstar the 40 bucks I paid for it was far from worth it. Being in German wasn't a deal breaker, being a grade b movie wasn't a deal breaker, but being a really bad stage play musical comedy was. Ugh.
RB @ Work
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I love asian dramas and movies.
I have a schedule for each day
so
afternoons
monday-death note- (japanese anime)
tuesday-jumomg-korean drama
wed -alpha-bravo charlie (pakistani drama)
thur-(Tenchijin))-japanese drama
friday poor nastya-russian drama
sat-A DREAM OF THE RED CHAMBER-chinese drama
sun-hunsafar-pakastani drama
evenings-spiral (season 3)
I'm also trying to get through season 7 of weeds.
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Well Richard you never know until you try and sometimes trying costs money.
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Irish are you that muliti-lingual? Sounds like some cool stuff.
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no, i'm not multilingual.
all these have subtitles.
here are links for ones you can watch legally
jumong
dramafever.com/drama/11/1/Jumong/
if you are in the states, you can watch all 81 episides for free with ads. if you are outside, you can
only watch the first fiive episodes. There is a way around it, but i don't think i should talk about that here.
WARNING, WARNING,WARNING, WARNING, WARNING,WARNING.WARNING, WARNING,WARNING
Korean dramas are addictive. Once you start, you may never go back to american dramas again.
poor nastya
viki.com/tv/1354c-poor-nastya-complete
I LEFT OUT THE HTTTP WWW PART OF the adressess. I thought that might be advisable.
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thanks
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no, thank you
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THE DEVIL'S DISCIPLE (1959)
"I assure you sir, we do this not out of any personal malice..."
"But because you're PAID to."
"I'm sorry you take that view, sir. Indeed, if you knew what my commission cost me, and what my pay is, your opinion of me would be much higher."
--General "Gentleman Johnny" Burgoyne (Laurence Olivier) & Richard Dudgeon (Kirk Douglas)
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Seinfeld Season 3 (1991-92)- This show really seemed to be hitting its stride at this point. The writers seem more confident on what they want to explore and the actors have pretty well established their characters.
Life on Mars Season 1 (2006)- I've seen the American version and the British followup series, Ashes to Ashes, but this was my first chance at catching the original BBC series of a cop who finds himself back in the 1970s working on the force after he is involved in a serious accident. Really enjoyed the whole fish out of water storyline and Philip Glenister is always a delight to watch. Looking forward to checking out the second (and final season) before too long.
The Mentalist Season 3 (2010-11)- Overall still pretty good although there seemed to be a slight drop in the quality of the scripts this season.
Southland Season 1 (2009)- Gritty cop show that benefits greatly from on location shooting in some of the rougher sections of LA. Looking forward to watching more.
Dr Who-The Aztecs (1964)- An early story (#6) and a good one. The DVD set has quite a bit of documentary features about the making of the story as well as documentaries about the Aztecs and the conquistadors that the BBC pulled up from their library for inclusion here. One that I found to be a bit of fun was the documentary about the plethora of Dr. Who toys that have come out over the years. Also included is a reconstruction of a mostly lost later story- Galaxy 4 (1965) from season 3.
Homeland Season 1 (2011)- Intense drama about a long held prisoner of war who returns to America and the investigation of him to see whether he has been turned or not.
Dr Who-The Claws of Axos (1971) - Jumped a bit ahead here to the 8th season, color and Jon Pertwee as the Doctor. There's a lot here that looks very silly and seems even more so after watching the documentaries and interviews with the participants. Still a good deal of fun. Especially enjoyed some of Katy Manning's (Jo Grant) comments in her interviews
Best
Joe
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CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (2D)
Haven't seen this in ages. Good stuff, I jumped a couple of times, felt sympathy for the Creature, thought the head scientist was an a$$, and thought Julia Adams was hot.
Interesting commentary as well, including a modern(-ish, probably for the last DVD release) interview with Julia (Julie) Adams.
Such a great monster design. Plus, found out Bud Westmore had nothing to do with it, and the much hotter Millicent Patrick did:
Fun times.
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Quite a bit to catch up on as I was off chasing tenuous links to obscure Spanish comics but lots of new shows on British t.v.
The current series of New Tricks has been realy good, given the cast changes and the recent arrival of Nicholas Lyndhurst has added an intriguing twist to the show. Looking forward to tonight's episode.
BBC are showing a new drama, "What Remains":-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b039ftc5/What_Remains_Episode_1/
We were hooked from the start. Haven't a clue how this will go but, at the moment, well worth looking out for.
There is a new Whitechapel starting this week - might have to get behind the sofa for this one - looks seriously weird and scary.
Dragon's Den doesn't seem to enetertain us as much this season. I think the makers have tried to make it a bit edgier and there seems to be a lot more filler material, so don't know if we'll keep up with it.
However, the pick of the week for us was the 1st. episode of the new series of Doc. Martin. Excellent. And we weren't sure if they could keep up the standard, but we shouldn't have worried. The wedding and................. well, don't want to give anything away.
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This is set in modern Whitechapel, Jack the Ripper's old territory? What's the show like?
There is a new Whitechapel starting this week - might have to get behind the sofa for this one - looks seriously weird and scary.
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Excellent. Here's a bit bout it:-
http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a361644/whitechapel-rupert-penry-jones-phil-davis-steve-pemberton-qa.html
Although a police procedural, it's at times weird, spooky, frightening, with some fine twists and turns and a couple of great characters, including the excellent Phil Davis - you might remember him as the taxi driver in Sherlock.
I should also mention that the new series of Vera is on now. Some of you didn't like it but we thoroughly enjoyed this weeks story.
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A new "Whitechapel" and "Doc Martin"? I'm pretty sure BBC America will pick up "Whitechapel". If you haven't seen the show, believe Paw when he says "weird and scary"! Excellent show. Have been watching Penry-Jones on "Silk"- he makes a wonderful slimeball attorney! Hopefully P.B.S. will bring us the new Doc series. Cheers, Bowers
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I just watched Dredd. Not very worthwhile. I was disappointed. It looks like it might have had some fun 3D.
I am watching an old scifi that I do not remember called BEYOND THE TIME BARRIER. I thought it might be a movie that I remember watching many years ago but not the name. Two guys come out of suspended animation in the future. In the future everyone works because they want to. Everyone can order anything they want but only order what they need. The one guy orders one of everything. I remember one of the items he ordered was a giraffe just because he could. Does anyone have an idea what this movie was?
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Sounds interesting, but I had little luck in tracking it down.
Was it one of these?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_Earth_(TV_pilot)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_New_World_%28television_pilot%29
I just watched Dredd. Not very worthwhile. I was disappointed. It looks like it might have had some fun 3D.
I am watching an old scifi that I do not remember called BEYOND THE TIME BARRIER. I thought it might be a movie that I remember watching many years ago but not the name. Two guys come out of suspended animation in the future. In the future everyone works because they want to. Everyone can order anything they want but only order what they need. The one guy orders one of everything. I remember one of the items he ordered was a giraffe just because he could. Does anyone have an idea what this movie was?
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No not that. I know it had to be fifties or sixties. I watched on late night Chiller Theater. After watching more of BEYOND THE TIME BARRIER I remember having seen it.
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Pittsburgh or New York?
http://www.chillertheatermemories.com/Movies.html
https://sites.google.com/site/chillertheater1962/
No not that. I know it had to be fifties or sixties. I watched on late night Chiller Theater. After watching more of BEYOND THE TIME BARRIER I remember having seen it.
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I am watching an old scifi that I do not remember called BEYOND THE TIME BARRIER. I thought it might be a movie that I remember watching many years ago but not the name. Two guys come out of suspended animation in the future. In the future everyone works because they want to. Everyone can order anything they want but only order what they need. The one guy orders one of everything. I remember one of the items he ordered was a giraffe just because he could. Does anyone have an idea what this movie was?
I vaguely remember that film. The part about the giraffe sounds familiar.
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Man thanks for the link. I do not have time to check it now but will later. It should bring back some fond memories. I watched Chilly Billy Cardilly from Pittsburgh. He is the reporter on the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. They originally showed two movies late night on Saturday. In between they did skits like the MIGHTY CARSON ART PLAYERS from Johnny Carson. I would love to see a collection of the ones of a guy who could not lie.
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A real oddity from Hammer Films, SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST (1960) is their only film based on a popular UK TV series which actually features the star of the show in the movie. The rest of the cast has still been replaced, however, and because of the nature of the story, it almost has to be an "alternate universe" continuity as I see no way it could fit into the run of the TV show.
Robin Hood (Richard Green) faces off mostly against the Sheriff of Nottingham (Peter Cushing), which means you've got "Sir Henry Baskerville" fighting "Sherlock Holmes"-- although Cushing comes across more like "Baron Frankenstein" in this one.
Also in the cast, I realized on my 3rd viewing, are no less than 3 actors who were in JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS-- Little John is Nigel Green (Hercules), the Archbishop of Canterbury is Jack Gwillim (King Aeetes of Colchis), and Friar Tuck (the film's comic relief) is Niall MacGinnis (Zeus). Of course, having Richard Green & Nigel Green together also means you have 2 different "Sir Dennis Nayland Smiths" side-by-side for most of the picture!
Oddly enough, the REAL villain turns out to be "Edward, Earl of NewarK", played by Richard Pasco, who I've never seen in anything else, but apparently played baddies in 3 different episodes of the tv series.
Also in the cast are Derren Nesbitt (WHERE EAGLES DARE) in one of his rare "good guy" roles, Edwin Richfield ("The Sea Devils") as a minor villain, and Oliver Reed (THE BIG SLEEP) as a total bastard, who, inexplicably, had his entire performance dubbed by another actor.
It's a "nice" film, but not a great one, as the plot tends to ramble and never quite builds any kind of momentum, resembling more than anything a 30's serial with the cliffhangers removed. Richard Green was one of the producers, and it's not by one of Hammer's regular writers, either. Still, anything with Peter Cushing, directed by Terrence Fisher is worth a look.
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Feature films watched the last couple of months-
Blood Brothers (1973), Call of the Mesquiteers (1938), The Mouse that Roared (1959), The Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires (1974), Triumph (1917), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012), Maniac (1963), Luxury Liner (1933), Take Shelter (2011), Hoots Mon! (1940), Warm Bodies (2013), Las Doce Sillas [The Twelve Chairs] (1962), The Awful Dr. Orloff (1964), The Butterfly Effect 2 (2006), Battlestar Galactica: The Plan (2009), The Silent Enemy (1930), Gypsy (1962), Three Smart Girls (1936), Charlie Chan in the Secret Service (1944), Red 2 (2013), The Horse Soldiers (1959), Something in the Wind (1947), Riders of Destiny (1933), Under Heavy Fire (2001), Counselor at Law (1933), Sagebrush Trail (1933), Devil Girl from Mars (1954), The Chinese Cat (1944), The Saddle Buster (1932), The Lucky Texan (1934), First Love (1939), Battleship (2012), The Unknown (1927), The Jade Mask (1945), Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011), West of the Divide (1934), MirageMan (2007), The Cheyenne Kid (1933), Blue Steel (1934), Terror Island (1920), Flying Guillotine 2 (1978), Lady on a Train (1945), Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010), The Man from Utah (1934), It Started with Eve (1934), Blue Jasmine (2013), Blue, White and Perfect (1942), History is Made at Night (1937), Can't Help Singing (1944), The Proud Ones (1956), The White Outlaw (1925), The Raid: Redemption (2011), The Impossible (2012).
My usual assortment of films- dramas, westerns, comedies, musicals, mysteries, silents, sci-fi, horror, Asian action films, etc...
Of note-
My starting a chronological viewing of John Wayne's Lone Star westerns for Monogram (a followup to my watching of his Leon Schlesinger-Warner Brothers' western series last year).
A six film Deanna Durbin DVD set- the best one being Lady on a Train which was a humorous whodunnit adapted from a Leslie Charteris story.
A three film Charlie Chan set- all from the mid forties-his Monogram period. All were better than I remembered them. Certainly lower budgeted than his earlier 20th Century Fox films but all were well directed and shot with decent scripts and good casting.
A Michael Shayne film that I had never seen (Blue, White and Perfect).
A Chilean superhero film (MirageMan).
My first viewing of The Mouse that Roared in color (The last time I watched it was in the late 1970s on the old black and white TV I had in my bedroom).
Las Doce Sillas- This Cuban adaptation of The Twelve Chairs is the fourth film version of the story I have seen (The others being the George Formby, Fred Allen and Mel Brooks versions). On doing a little research I was surprised to learn that there are at least 18 film adaptations of the novel!
Best
Joe
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A real oddity from Hammer Films, SWORD OF SHERWOOD FOREST (1960) is their only film based on a popular UK TV series which actually features the star of the show in the movie. The rest of the cast has still been replaced, however, and because of the nature of the story, it almost has to be an "alternate universe" continuity as I see no way it could fit into the run of the TV show.
I saw this film several years ago. I agree with your impressions, but it was good to watch just the same.
I have a number of the TV episodes on disc.
A Canadian series I'd like to see again is "the Vikings". Last I heard all episodes were lost.
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Don't give up hope. It was said for years that all episodes of MY LIVING DOLL were lost but they are now on Hulu.
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There was this "Summerfest" thing a Philly channel ran about 20 years back, "Golden Age Of TV", one episode each of a pile of various shows. I put together 2 tapes, never realizing I had a 3rd with the BEST stuff still never copied to edit out the damned commercials. ROBIN HOOD, FLASH GORDON, CHARLIE CHAN, FU MANCHU. All this time I never realized I had 1 episode of ROBIN HOOD. So, having watched it, I figured, okay, watch the Hammer Film while I'm at it.
The various actors mean a lot more to me now than when I first taped it off TCM (nice sharp clean print in widescreen). I was reading how Jack Gwillim spent 20 years in the Navy before becoming an actor, and some who knew him said he was practically "playing himself" half the time onscreen. While he made a decent good guy in the RH film, I'll always remember him most as the King of Colchis, and that scene where the dragon's teeth come to life. "KILL! KILL! KILL THEM ALLLLLLL!!!!!!!" ;D
You know, I read a children's book version of the "Jason" story way back in the 60's, and the more I think about it, the changes to the story and the structure and order events takes place in really were a HUGE improvement, dramatically, for the JASON feature film. Especially the part about putting that fight scene at the END of the movie. The only down point is, the film seems to end with the story unfinished, like they're setting up a sequel-- that we never got to see. A shame...
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The only down point is, the film seems to end with the story unfinished, like they're setting up a sequel-- that we never got to see. A shame...
Actually any sequel would have been a huge downer after seeing the first film. Jason betrays Medea and casts her out. She can't return home and lives in poverty her children by Jason suffering greatly. The rest of the story is of betrayal,revenge and heart break, no great deeds .
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Yeah, I discovered that from reading online. But knowing "Hollywood", I woudln't have minded if they would have continued to make changes to the story.
I mean, at the very least, Douglas Wilmer should have gotten what was coming to him...
;)
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That reminds me-- I'm sure it must be easy enough to look up, but... are any of Douglas Wilmer's episodes of SHERLOCK HOLMES available? I know about half of the 2nd season, where he was replaced by Peter Cushing, were WIPED, but the other half are out on DVD. But I don't recall hearing one way or the other about the 1st season...
I think Wilmer did those just before he played Sir Dennis Nayland Smith in 2 of the FU MANCHU movies. He's my favorite Nayland Smith. (Another Nayland Smith, Nigel Green, was Hercules in the same JASON film. This kind of trivia keeps sticking my my head...)
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http://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Classic-Starring-Douglas/dp/B003NF97NA
That reminds me-- I'm sure it must be easy enough to look up, but... are any of Douglas Wilmer's episodes of SHERLOCK HOLMES available? I know about half of the 2nd season, where he was replaced by Peter Cushing, were WIPED, but the other half are out on DVD. But I don't recall hearing one way or the other about the 1st season...
I think Wilmer did those just before he played Sir Dennis Nayland Smith in 2 of the FU MANCHU movies. He's my favorite Nayland Smith. (Another Nayland Smith, Nigel Green, was Hercules in the same JASON film. This kind of trivia keeps sticking my my head...)
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Wonderful. One more thing to go after once I'm back working again.
Wilmer did a one-off Holmes story, before doing the series. It looks like 11 of the 13 (or should that be 14?) still exist, a higher percentage than the Cushing episodes. It's crazy how when they decided to do a 2nd season, 3 years later, Wilmer was either unavailable or uninterested, as was their 2nd choice, John Neville! So Peter Cushing, their 3rd choice, did it! Nigel Stock was in both series. (Kind of a reverse on the Richardson & Brett series, where each Holmes had 2 different Watsons.)
Wilmer-- along with Christopher Lee's Watson, Thorley Walters-- made one more appearance a decade later... in THE ADVENTURE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES' SMARTER BROTHER. Outragious, ain't it?
I always get a kick watching THE VAMPIRE LOVERS, where, near the end, Wilmer & Cushing appear side-by-side.
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A Canadian series I'd like to see again is "the Vikings". Last I heard all episodes were lost.
I have the vaguest recollection of this series, but all my searches on the internet turn up nothing about it. Any other details on the series?
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Is the title actually "The Vikings"? When did it air - 60s 70s? Live action or cartoon?
A Canadian series I'd like to see again is "the Vikings". Last I heard all episodes were lost.
I have the vaguest recollection of this series, but all my searches on the internet turn up nothing about it. Any other details on the series?
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The last week or so...
SCREAM OF THE WOLF (1974)
COUNT DRACULA (1977 / BBC)
THUNDER ROAD (1958)
McCloud-- THE SOLID GOLD SWINGERS
SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT
The Night Stalker-- THE RIPPER
"Sam, I don't wanna suggest that you're responsible for my not getting my Lieutenant shield yet... but I KNOW if I crack this case, I'm sure to get it!"
"Now Joe, there's nobody ah know that deserves it more. That's why I'm gonna do everything I can t' see that you get it."
"So you're GOING BACK TO TAOS??"
:D
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Any luck figuring out the movie?
Man thanks for the link. I do not have time to check it now but will later. It should bring back some fond memories. I watched Chilly Billy Cardilly from Pittsburgh. He is the reporter on the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. They originally showed two movies late night on Saturday. In between they did skits like the MIGHTY CARSON ART PLAYERS from Johnny Carson. I would love to see a collection of the ones of a guy who could not lie.
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I looked through 1970 and saw a lot of names that I did not recognize. Which means I have to go to IMDB and look each one up. Not had the time yet. Then I gotta try surrounding years. My guess is around 1970. I really wish someone had the Chilly Billy features between the movies recorded somewhere. I know they are probably not as good as I remember them as a kid, but I want to see his guy who could not lie.
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Bummer. don't you have minions you can have do it for you? ;-)
Apparently, Chilly Billy played the reporter in Romero's Night of the Living Dead.
I looked through 1970 and saw a lot of names that I did not recognize. Which means I have to go to IMDB and look each one up. Not had the time yet. Then I gotta try surrounding years. My guess is around 1970. I really wish someone had the Chilly Billy features between the movies recorded somewhere. I know they are probably not as good as I remember them as a kid, but I want to see his guy who could not lie.
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Yes he did and all of us old fans were well aware that it was hi. I went to the official Chiller Theater site
http://www.chillertheatermemories.com/TheLab.html fun stuff and they have some clips but non of Captain Bad which was my favorite
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Is the title actually "The Vikings"? When did it air - 60s 70s? Live action or cartoon?
A Canadian series I'd like to see again is "the Vikings". Last I heard all episodes were lost.
I have the vaguest recollection of this series, but all my searches on the internet turn up nothing about it. Any other details on the series?
Full title was "tales of the Vikings" beginning in 1959.
Heres a short clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIdbj3QmOho
The Arabic or farsi subtitles, which look to be as old as the film, may indicate this clip came from a copy sent out to the Mideast and hopefully preserved somewhere.
Many Dr Who episodes were salvaged from simultaneous filmed copies sent to small TV stations all over the world after the original videotaped copies were erased.
With luck perhaps some episodes will show up one day.
I'm pretty sure that a small now defunct UHF station nearby has a treasure trove of old films stored somewhere. They once showed what may have been a full length version of "Metropolis" though the film kept breaking and jamming up their projector, the film was probably trashed by that showing. That was around the same time that tales of the Vikings was first shown.
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Ultra cool.
More info:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053543/
http://ctva.biz/Europe/Vikings.htm
The Internet is awesome.
Is the title actually "The Vikings"? When did it air - 60s 70s? Live action or cartoon?
A Canadian series I'd like to see again is "the Vikings". Last I heard all episodes were lost.
I have the vaguest recollection of this series, but all my searches on the internet turn up nothing about it. Any other details on the series?
Full title was "tales of the Vikings" beginning in 1959.
Heres a short clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIdbj3QmOho
The Arabic or farsi subtitles, which look to be as old as the film, may indicate this clip came from a copy sent out to the Mideast and hopefully preserved somewhere.
Many Dr Who episodes were salvaged from simultaneous filmed copies sent to small TV stations all over the world after the original videotaped copies were erased.
With luck perhaps some episodes will show up one day.
I'm pretty sure that a small now defunct UHF station nearby has a treasure trove of old films stored somewhere. They once showed what may have been a full length version of "Metropolis" though the film kept breaking and jamming up their projector, the film was probably trashed by that showing. That was around the same time that tales of the Vikings was first shown.
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JUst watched Mercury Man from Thailand this morning ...good Movie.
Richard
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"A Canadian series I'd like to see again is "the Vikings". Last I heard all episodes were lost."
Could this be "Tales of the Vikings" 1959-60? This featured Jerome Courtland as Leif. As I recall, he was pretty pacifistic for a Viking, always spouting "I do not wish bloodshed". Did have a few bright spots, such as the episode with the giant lens used to set sails on fire. Cheers, Bowers
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While I vaguely remember watching Tales of the Vikings on TV when I was a very young chap--and it would have been on a Canadian channel, since that's about all we got back then--from the internet information provided, there doesn's seem to be any evidence that it was Canadian. Those sources say it was produced by Kirk Douglas and filmed in Europe.
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While I vaguely remember watching Tales of the Vikings on TV when I was a very young chap--and it would have been on a Canadian channel, since that's about all we got back then--from the internet information provided, there doesn's seem to be any evidence that it was Canadian. Those sources say it was produced by Kirk Douglas and filmed in Europe.
This site
http://www.crazyabouttv.com/talesofthevikings.html
Identifies "tales of the Vikings" as a Canadian series filmed in Toronto Canada.
It is a spin off of the earlier "the Vikings" film by Kirk Douglas and much of the action footage was gleaned from that film.
Great movie BTW and apparently in public domain, its available on youtube and the main characters are much the same as those in the more recent "the Vikings" TV series, though the film is set later in Ragnar's career.
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Ah, thanks. Good to see that it was in fact a Canadian production. I guess a lot of the exterior shots were taken from the movie, which must've been filmed in Europe. The shots on the water couldn't have been done in Ontario. I was hoping it might've been shot in my home province of B.C.
When I was in the navy, our ship went to Norway,through the fjords and up past the Arctic Circle--and it's a specatacular site. I also travelled by ship in B.C., but I never had the luck to go up the coast where there are fjords just like in Norway, but this is one of the few areas in North America that could double for the Norse fjords.
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The Director of the series had been the editor for "the Vikings" movie. He was an award winner who did such a great job on the western film "High Noon".
No doubt he knew every foot of film shot for the movie and knew just how to blend it with the later footage shot in Toronto.
The more recent "Vikings" TV series is shot in Canada and Ireland. That's a great series.
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Watched the new Sleepy Hollow but will not be back. They try to tie in Biblical things in unBiblical ways. Has anyone read Under the Dome? I would like to know that it has a "logical" conclusion so I do not waste all my time like on Lost.
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I read Under the Dome and it had a sci-fi rationale behind it. However I notice that they have been taking liberties with the original story so can't say for sure if they will follow the original in that aspect or not. I understand that what was planned as a limited summer series adaptation of the book has done so well in the ratings they plan to continue it so they will likely have to make more changes. I've been following this series on Xfinity so have not yet seen the season finale.
I haven't yet watched Sleepy Hollow either. but the promos look pretty cool.
Best
Joe
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Thanks Joe. I wish they had just let it be and end. I am afraid they are gonna ruin it.
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KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES:
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Space is showing all of the episodes of the new WHO from the beginning in chronological order, with ten episodes per week--starting last week. So I've seen all the Eccleston episodes again. I liked some of them much more this time around. Once you know all the back story of the Doctor from the classic series, there are things you catch that have more resonance.
Also one thing I don't like so much about DW is the way they are always killing secondary characters. I feel it's a cheap stunt. But at least when you've already seen the episodes you're inoculated against that manipulation. I like those episodes where the Doctor actually has a good day and saves everybody.
So I guess Space will keep doing this every week right up to the anniversary.
No spoilers here, please, for what's coming up in the new season (or at least give me spoiler warning). I'm trying to stay spoiler free.
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You lost me with Chilly Billy but you got me curious.
So, all I can do right now is list some stuff I've been watching recently. This season of New Tricks has been excellent and the question in the newspapers re. "did the actors complaining off the storylines pick the wrong time to get out?", is a telling one. Seriously good stories, well acted and quite heavy at times.
The most recent episode of Vera was gripping. Doc Martin makes me laugh, smile, get worried and generally enjoy the experience. The Glades has some good one liners. Whitechapel is just so scary, dark and well done. And, did I mention the new series now showing here, Young Montalbano? This is a spin-off of Inspector Montalbano, the hit Italian crimi. based on the stories by Camilleri. And they are excellent. The Sicilian dialect is really difficult to understand but the show is sub-titled for the U.K.
The Young Montalbano is all new and, obviously, set in Montalbano's past, during his first few cases. This is going to be a cult hit and I hope you will all be able to see it soon.
I found some Charlie Chan movies on a web site and by loading them onto a datastick, I can plug it into my t.v. and watch them in the comfort of my living room.
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Chilly Billy was the local late night horror/scifi host in Pittsburgh. I thought the Doc Martin series reached a good ending with the birth of the baby. I thought it might go down hill but apparently it has not. I suspect it will be on Netflix with the originals and I will catch it then.
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Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931 film)
Starring Frederic March and (a hot) Miriam Hopkins.
Some of the camera direction early on is a bit startling (either innovative or weird or bad depending on your disposition), and really cool when the subjective camera (from Jekyll's perspective) moves to a mirror - and we see his reflection! Awesome.
Hyde's design could appear over the top today, and March and the director present him as a bit funny early one, but he eventually becomes the worst. boyfriend. ever.
And, of course, the transformation from Jekyll to Hyde is pretty cool, using pretty innovative techniques to achieve it. (Hint: gels).
Of course, none of the lovey dovey stuff was in the original story - how could any audience follow a plot without a love interest?
All in all, thumbs up.
Tonight is the Spencer Tracy version.
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I've seen the Spencer Tracy version exactly once, on TCM, about 10 years ago. It was interesting, but that's as far as I'll go. I liked the John Barrymore version better (which I also saw, once, on TCM; a pity I suppose I didn't tape either).
What annoyed me was the very idea that the studio who made the Spencer Tracy version bought up the rights to the Frederic March version just so they could YANK it out or circulation. For DECADES, it was virtually a "lost" film without actually being one... much as the Basil Rathbone HOUND OF THE BASKERVILES actually was until the late 70's, because of the Hammer remake with Peter Cushing. I can't imagine anyone deliberaterly doing a thing like that today. There's too many different versions of some films, and all too often, competing versions hit the box office (or the TV screens) within 6 months of each other. (I'm thinking specifically of TOMBSTONE / WYATT EARP or 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, etc.)
Isn't it amazing how almost every version of JEKYLL & HYDE is almost an entirely different story? Sort of like THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK.
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I actually didn't make it through the Tracy version last night. There was hardly any difference between his Jekyll and Hyde. March's version was much more interesting.
Re. "lost film", that was pretty dickish, but Hitchcock did something similar when he got the rights to the book "Psycho" - he had studio staff buy up all the copies. Wonder if he had them steal from the libraries, too.
Re. another nearly "lost" film: Thankfully, when Stoker's widow sued over "Nosferatu", there were also surviving prints. There's a new Blu-Ray of the last restoration out that's on my Amazon list.
The original story was probably too internal to directly adapt, hence lover interests. I think the story also got a bit conflated with "The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Picture of Dorian Gray" .
I've seen the Spencer Tracy version exactly once, on TCM, about 10 years ago. It was interesting, but that's as far as I'll go. I liked the John Barrymore version better (which I also saw, once, on TCM; a pity I suppose I didn't tape either).
What annoyed me was the very idea that the studio who made the Spencer Tracy version bought up the rights to the Frederic March version just so they could YANK it out or circulation. For DECADES, it was virtually a "lost" film without actually being one... ...
Isn't it amazing how almost every version of JEKYLL & HYDE is almost an entirely different story? Sort of like THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK.
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"when Stoker's widow sued over "Nosferatu", there were also surviving prints"
One of the most insane things I've ever heard concerning movies was that somehow, the judge in that case orders ALL PRINTS of NOSFERATU destroyed. I mean... WTF!!!!! You sue for money, not to destroy artwork.
That's another one I managed to see on TCM, once... a bit frustrated I didn't tape it that night. I have seen the 1979 remake several times, though. It follows the story very closely, except it uses more imaginative camera angles & camera-work. I think they may have changed a few of the details, but I'm not sure. It did seem to me that Jonathan's employer, Mr. Hawkins (a kindly man who dies halfway thru the novel-- under circumstances NEVER explained-- and leaves everything to Jonathan & Mina) in the silent film apparently KNEW what he was sending Jonathan into.
In the 1970 Jess Franco version, Van Helsing (who actually runs the asylum himself in that one), describes how Renfield was a businessman travelling in Transylvania with his daughter. His daughter died under mysterious circumstances, and he was found, his mind unhinged... somewhere not far from Castle Dracula. This was that film's "explanation" for Renfield (there NEVER was one in the book!).
But in the silent version, it seems Mr. Hawkins may have actually MET Dracula, and sent Jonathan in his place on a 2nd trip, to seal the deal. I'm trying to remember if Jonathan dies in that version. I know in one of them, he becomes a vampire at the end of the story...
It continues to amaze me how different each adaptation of DRACULA has been over the years, and, good or bad, each one at least has been fascinating in its own right.
This even goes to some of the comics adaptations. For example, the Fernando Fernandez version (a fully-painted graphic novel), Dracula actually falls in love with Lucy. So when she's killed, he goes after Mina, purely in revenge for having lost the woman he cared for. Definiately not the way it was in the book. There, Lucy was handy, and he went after Mina as a way of giving it back to the vampire hunters who were out to destroy him. No romantic ideas involved at all. (Dracula was a TOTAL bastard in the book... just like Christopher Lee's version!)
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"when Stoker's widow sued over "Nosferatu", there were also surviving prints"
One of the most insane things I've ever heard concerning movies was that somehow, the judge in that case orders ALL PRINTS of NOSFERATU destroyed. I mean... WTF!!!!! You sue for money, not to destroy artwork.
Mmm ... well, if the movie violated copyright (literally, the right to control who makes copies), then it makes some kind of sense. Not great for preservation of art, etc., but makes sense given my limited understanding of copyright. Heh, heh - pirates are the good guys in the long run. Blur-Ray!!
I found the 1979 Nosferatu too slow going. I know they were trying to create a mood, but geez.
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Tonight:
"Suede is the reaper that mows like the harvest."
"What the HELL's THAT supposed to mean???"
:)
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One of the craziest things I ever did for fun with 2 VCRs was to edit together clips from the 1979 movie NOSFERATU and match each scene PRECISELY to the lyrics of the 1977 Blue Oyster Cult song "Nosferatu".
I've spent too much of time time doing the wrong things for a living...
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I LOVE the film MARS ATTACKS! Watched it again just last night. It continues to blow my mind how something can be so aggressively violent and brutal and mean-spirited, yet be presented in such a way as to be so much "fun". And there's so many actors in that thing, almost all of whom get quite memorable little bits onscreen. (Except maybe for Christina Applegate. I saw the thing about 6 times before I finally realized where she was in the film!)
I was thinking about Kirby while watching the film last night, because of the whole attitude of Pierce Brosnan's character in the film, who relentlessly keeps saying the aliens are "an advanced culture, and therefore must be peaceful". Even after they SLAUGHTER everybody at the site of the first landing, he keeps insisting it must have been some kind of "cultural misunderstanding". There's so many idiots in the film, you keep waiting for CAPTAIN VICTORY and the Rangers to come swooping down to clean house on those no-good viscious bastards.
Sylvia Sydney almost steals the movie as "Grandma".
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Have you seen KILLER CLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE?
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I just watched DEMOLITION MAN for the first time in nearly twenty years. What a great movie. It was even better than I remembered it.
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I approve of Sandra Bullock's pants in that one.
Also, when it first came out, I was unduly excited, as I thought they were making Alfred Besters' "The Demolished Man". Because I am a loser.
I just watched DEMOLITION MAN for the first time in nearly twenty years. What a great movie. It was even better than I remembered it.
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I usually approve of Sandra Bullock ::)
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I liked DEMOLITION MAN, too. Wish I'd seen it when it came out. Saw it on TV twice (so far). One of my favorite "middle-era" Stallone films. (I'd say "later", but I'm sure he's done a lot since I've missed completely.)
Personally, I always wished they'd done a follow-up to NIGHTHAWKS. That was my favorite Stallone film! I was rather delighted (though not really surprised) when I read-- decades after-the-fact-- that it had started life as "FRENCH CONNECTION III", only Gene Hackman wasn't interested. There's so much in there that reminded me of FRENCH CONNECTION... only, MORE exciting.
"...and remember, there's NO security!" --Rutger Hauer
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Trying to watch French Connection or most other seventies movies now is a chore. The pacing just does not hold up.
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THE FRENCH CONNECTION was always like that. The one part of the film that grabs you is when the hitman tries to shoot Gene Hackman, he runs up to the roof, then back to street level, then engages in a high-speed car chase where he tries to catch up with an elevated train. I watched the film again only about 6 months ago, and, yes, it's one of the few I would say is a "chore" to sit through. (The sequel is far worse, however.)
NIGHTHAWKS, however, is a whole other matter... that film NEVER slows down! This kind of thing apparently mattered a lot to my Dad, especially as he got older, and once I ran NIGHTHAWKS for him, it became one of his favorite films.
The crazy thing is, from what I've been reading (decades after-the-fact) is that apparently somebody went too far on that score. There were a few scenes that really fleshed out some of the characters that were cut before the films' release, and even the climactic shoot-out was, incredibly, cut to pieces. You see Stallone shoot the villain twice, but the amount of blood afterwards is far more than that should have caused, as, apparently, when they shot the scene, he EMPTIED his gun into the guy. By that point in the plot, it was called for. Why build suspense for the entire length of a movie, only to leave your audience unsatisfied at the end?
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Watched Night Falcon from Thailand last night..... think Spider-Man meets Nightwing......with two female assistants ... really given the fact it was in Thai dialect it was pretty decent action flick.... 3 1/2 bloody thumbs up.
Richard
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Just finished KING OF KINGS (1961). This is a study in contrasts. It reminds me a bit of another film Harry Guardino was in-- MADIGAN (1968). Now let me explain that. MADIGAN is-- supposedly-- a story about a tough detective and his partner trying to track down an insane killer, while the main character's marriage slowly disintegrates. But more than half the film focuses on the Police Commissioner and HIS problems, and except for a couple of very brief scenes where they cross paths, the two parts of the film have nothing in common. Perhaps it was an early example of "parallel" storytelling. All I know is, the first time I saw it, it left me very frustrated.
With KING OF KINGS (which, as someone rightly pointed out at the IMDB site, is, in NO way a remake of the Cecil B. Demille silent film of the same name!!) more than half the film is a "Roman Empire" movie, all about oppulance, excess, depravity, evil, etc. Until about the time of the "sermon on the mount" scene, Jesus is reduced to a bit player in what is allegedly "his" movie. This is not necessarily a bad thing, as the same was done in THE ROBE and BEN HUR (the latter appears to be the film MGM most deliberately was trying to copy in style, right down to the movie poster art). But depending on what you're looking for, this film can be baffling, maddening, frustrating, or simply inspiring. Take yer pick.
For example... virtually all the miracles are described, not shown. The scene where the crowd shouts to free "Barrabus!" --is DESCRIBED, not SHOWN! (When that happened, my jaw dropped, even though today was probably the 5th time I've seen this over the years.) Even the death of Judas-- Barrabus finds his body just as the tree branch breaks, you don't actually see him kill himself.
It is interesting how they expanded certain characters, like Lucius (Ron Randell), the Roman Centurion, who we wind up seeing all the way back to the slaughter of the newborns, the tax census-check-up 12 years later, in Pilate's court, and in charge of the crucifiction. (I've only seen Randell in one other movie-- THE LONE WOLF AND HIS LADY, which was really bad, even by "B"-movie mystery standards.)
Barrabus, as someone said at the IMDB, is expanded from a mere murderer to a freedom-fighting rebel leader (like Judah Maccabbee), and is virtually the main character in the entire film. As for Harry Guardino, I've lost count of how many times I've seen him in DIRTY HARRY or THE ENFORCER.
One of the most prolonged scenes in the film involves Herod Antipas, his wife, and their daughter (his wife apparently hadn't bothered to get a divorce from HIS BROTHER at the time). Someone noted it's almost surprising that after going to such lengths to show Salome's erotic dance for her father, and then the long, long, dramatic scene where she asks for the head of John The Baptist ("HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND???") they don't follow-up and show what happened to HER, afterwards. During the trial of Jesus, she's sitting there on the side, looking as if she has lost her mind. She seems totally in a trance or something, as if all life has gone out of her...
Pilate (Hurd Hatfield, who some years back I finally got to see in THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY) turns out to be a real bastard. They totally skipped the scene where Jesus is interrogated by the Jewish elders, but the trial before Pilate is shown in more detail than in the Bible, with Lucius arguing in Jesus' defense. When Herod sends Jesus back to Pilate, his anger & annoyance grows and he seems to relish having him whipped just for getting on his nerves, rather than breaking any law.
What's interesting is... I read that some 45 minutes of footage was CUT just before release. Makes me wonder, WHAT did they cut? Could it have been any of the scenes merely described in remaining dialogue?
It's still a fascinating film, but now I'm really looking forward to sitting thru JESUS OF NAZARETH again. I remember at the time that was made, it seemed the whole point to it was the do the "definitive" Jesus movie-- and in many ways, I think they succeeded. Even if it has the strange thing where they DON'T actually show any miracles onscreen-- and you never see Jesus after he dies. It struck me the person who did the film may have aimed it at athiests-- to show them it doesn't matter if you believe he was the son of God or not-- his words and his actions were what counted.
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I just watched DEMOLITION MAN for the first time in nearly twenty years. What a great movie. It was even better than I remembered it.
I have a store bought VHS tape of this movie, that I found in a bin of old tapes I was given years ago. I pull it out every now and then.
I agree with others that Sondra Bullock's pants are a major contribution to modern cinema.
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Have you seen KILLER CLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE?
Yep a wacked out movie and fun to watch. Royal Dano is one of my favorites, with a long and honorable career.
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I will have to watch King of Kings. It has probably been over 40 years since I saw it. I think IN SEARCH OF HISTORICAL JESUS was popular around the time Jesus of Nazareth came out. That may have explained the films lack of showing Christ's true Divine nature.
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"Royal Dano is one of my favorites, with a long and honorable career."
He's plays Peter in KING OF KINGS (1961) !
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I will have to watch King of Kings. It has probably been over 40 years since I saw it. I think IN SEARCH OF HISTORICAL JESUS was popular around the time Jesus of Nazareth came out. That may have explained the films lack of showing Christ's true Divine nature.
Much of the Bible ,Old Testament as well as the Gospels, is second third or forth person accounts rather than anyone describing exactly what they themselves saw. Even in supposed first person accounts there's no dispassionate observer telling all as it happens.
Much of the accounts of miracles are like that, and much of what happened at the trial.
When some complain of inconsistencies or contradictions in the Bible they are not getting the point that the Bible passes down a true accurate account of what was said about events. If every witness tells exactly the same story with agreement on every detail an investigator will assume something is fishy and that the witnesses have been coached.
The supposed inconsistencies go a long way towards improving credibility of the overall story. Its counter intuitive, but that's often the way things are in the real world.
PS
IIRC first role of Royal Dano I remember was the dying soldier in "Red Badge of Courage".
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Yes you are correct Captain. Sorta the same thing with the flood of Noah. Almost all cultures have some version of a great flood. Due to the passage of time they came out different but point to a historical fact. If everyone descended from Noah and his family of survivors they would have all known the story but details changed over time.
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GLADIATOR w. Russel Crowe
Was flipping through the channels and saw this was on - edited to take out the loverly violence, so I popped in the DVD. Good stuff.
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I saw GLADIATOR when it came out. Maybe 6 months later, I happened upon THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE on TCM, and realized, it was the same story. Only, much better-written.
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I saw GLADIATOR when it came out. Maybe 6 months later, I happened upon THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE on TCM, and realized, it was the same story. Only, much better-written.
Exactly right. Though I liked TFOTRE better, mainly due to Sophia Loren.
There's a series of novels about an immortal Roman soldier that begins pretty much exactly the way Gladiator starts off. In those books when taken away to be executed the soldier falls into a freezing northern sea and when thawed out centuries later he comes back to life, much like Captain America.
That series is decades older than the Gladiator movie.
Stories often borrow from much older stories, often without the author consciously realizing it.
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I thought both stories had as one of their points the danger of a monarchy where the person in line for the throne may not only not be the best for the job, but could be a danger to the entire country. In this case, the Emperor's son was apparently insane (a running problem with quite a few of the Caesars, it seems-- see also Caligula, Nero, etc.). And tragically, the guy DIED before he could have it publicly known and put in official written documents who he REALLY wanted to take over once he was gone. Given the circumstances, his choice, FOOLISHLY, decides to step aside, so as to, in his mind, avoid a possible civil war (as happened when Julius Caesar was murdered). Had he instead KILLED the Emperor's son himself, he could have saved himself-- and a lot of other people-- an awful lot of trouble.
I found THE FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE to be far better-written, and also much wider in its scope, especially when it touched on the growing depravity of the Senate. They're faced with a situation where those they've conquered and who now have turned from hunters to farmers and supply them with their food, want to become Roman citizens. Instead of doing the sensible thing, having loyal "Romans" guarding the borders, they decided to get offended by such "arrogance" and to make an example of them by SLAUGHTERING the farmers. What a pack of A**H***s. At that moment, you know the fate of Rome is sealed, and deservedly so (not that it hadn't been for centuries already before that).
GLADIATOR dumbed it all down to "just" a one-on-one personal vendetta revenge story.
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"Stories often borrow from much older stories, often without the author consciously realizing it."
Another example of this might be the 1932 film THE MUMMY. It's been pointed out numerous times that there was (allegedly) no precidence for such a story either in Egyptian culture or in Hollywood. Yet a couple years ago I ran across a website which listed a virtual multitude of stories in the "Mummy" genre, in films and books, going back to the turn of the century at least. Of course, most of the stories from before the '32 film are not well-known to modern audiences at all.
In a related bit, ever since DARK SHADOWS it seems there's been a growing number of "Dracula" and vampire stories involving reincarnation, something that had nothing to do with Bram Stoker's novel, but which was the center of the whole 1932 film's story. (Hollywood has a bad habit of mixing source materials-- sometimes deliberately, sometimes unknowingly.)
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Um - did Fall have dudes fighting tigers? Maximus fought tigers. While fighting a dude with a cool mask. WIN.
GLADIATOR dumbed it all down to "just" a one-on-one personal vendetta revenge story.
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"Stories often borrow from much older stories, often without the author consciously realizing it."
Another example of this might be the 1932 film THE MUMMY. It's been pointed out numerous times that there was (allegedly) no precidence for such a story either in Egyptian culture or in Hollywood. Yet a couple years ago I ran across a website which listed a virtual multitude of stories in the "Mummy" genre, in films and books, going back to the turn of the century at least. Of course, most of the stories from before the '32 film are not well-known to modern audiences at all.
The Mummy was suggested by a short story printed in Weird tales in 1930. The story is "A Visitor From Egypt" by Frank Belarusse Long, Jr.
I found the story in a horror anthology many years ago. The Mummy of the Brenden Frazier films is very much like the creature of the short story.
Speaking of Mummies, Bram Stoker, and reincarnation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jewel_of_Seven_Stars
Another likely inspiration for the 1932 Mummy.
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Victor Mature fought a tiger in DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS... and that had a better story all-round than EITHER "FALL" or "GLADIATOR".
"I had a man killed. I ordered him to rise. HE'S STILL DEAD!!!"
--Caligula (Jay Robinson)
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I remember sitting in the theatre watching the Brendan Fraser movie and thinking, I bet I'm the only one in this room who recognizes ALL the earlier films this one is ripping off all at once (including, near the end, LAND OF THE PHARAOHS).
I get the feeling that film wasn't "written", it was "assembled". ;D
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I remember sitting in the theatre watching the Brendan Fraser movie and thinking, I bet I'm the only one in this room who recognizes ALL the earlier films this one is ripping off all at once (including, near the end, LAND OF THE PHARAOHS).
I get the feeling that film wasn't "written", it was "assembled". ;D
I think it was meant that way, sort of like the Indian Jones "Raiders of the Lost Ark" movie being loosely based on the 50's movie "the Secret of the Incas", with a healthy dose of the old cliffhanger movie theatre series action.
"the Rocketeer" was seen as a straight up rip off of "King of the Rocketmen" and the "Commando Cody" series.
This sort of film is more of a tribute than a rip off.
You can't go wrong recreating the feel of this sort of legendary motion picture, locked in the memory of the old timer who actually buys the tickets so his kids can get a glimpse of the magic of those days.
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Sorry to move away from those epic dramas, and religion (well, actually I am happy to move away from religion) but I want to mention the current series of New Tricks. The new boss arrived in last night's eplsode and, while the story was interesting enough, there was a bitof back story to be shovelled in. I think this will work out and the show could continue for a good while with this new cast. Not the first time a show has changed cast and characters and gone on to even greater success, e.g. Doctor Who and Taggart, where the lead actor died, they brought in a new star and went on even though there was no one called Taggart still in the show. But the theme was still by the mighty Maggie Bell.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_from_Another_World
I like the slow burn of revealing the monster and the snappy dialogue.
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Samson v. The Vampire Women.
Monsters? I'll give you monsters!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=umRsp3zTvdk
And you have to take a look at his one:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COX9ZRcYG6k
Santo v. The Martians, anyone:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_UvY5rzhH8
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My You tube channel.....just getting started...... Let me know what you all think.
http://www.youtube.com/my_videos?o=U
RB @ work
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it said no videos found
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Samson v. The Vampire Women.
Monsters? I'll give you monsters!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=umRsp3zTvdk
And you have to take a look at his one:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COX9ZRcYG6k
Santo v. The Martians, anyone:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_UvY5rzhH8
I read a recent vampire/zombie apocalypse type novel that had a charming twist. One of the main characters was a Santos style masked wrestler superhero of the old Mexican monster films.
The wrestler was getting old but still in very good shape so when the vampires (who except for the ancient ones act more like zombies) start devastating the city he decides its his destiny to once more don the mask and go out in a blaze of glory fighting evil just as he had done on film decades earlier.
His adventures are the best part of the book.
One thing I liked was when he gets hold of a pistol its the first real gun he ever held, before that he had only held the rubber prop revolvers his character would take away from the villains and twist in half.
He was living his dream of at last being a true super hero. It was quite touching. Fact is I can't remember the title of the book but remember his character well.
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"the vampires (who except for the ancient ones act more like zombies)"
That's an accurate description of the vampires in THE LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES, Peter Cushing's last appearance as Professor Van Helsing.
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DRACULA (1979)
This amazes me. But not in the usual sense. Great actors, sets, costumes, visuals, action, effects, music, the works... yet somehow, it gets worse each time I see it, not better. The flaws keep becoming more obvious and amplifying.
Apart from anything else, it just REALLY, really suffers next to the BBC version done only 2 years earlier... whose sole flaw is that it was done on cheap-looking VIDEOTAPE.
Of course, the craziest thing about the John Badham / Frank Langella film is, while it's allegedly based on the stage play (and therefore cojuld be seen as a remake of the 1931 Lugosi film), it actually borrows TONS of plot elements & structures and even some character relationships directly from Dan Curtis' 1970 HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS. Except, that's better-directed than this!
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But Langella appeared in the Broadway play. I think that's part of what made the movie important at the time. Although, it's likely that the live theatre production had more energy. But there was this whole mystique about Langella in those days.
I was just thinking about Langella--who appeared in the TV movie MARK OF ZORRO in '74. Granted Guy Williams was my Zorro--but I really liked this movie. And it's partly responsible for me joining the Canadian Armed Forces (Naval Reserve), after I graduated from high school.
Frank Langella was a sex symbol. Women were wild over him. Just the sight of him would make hearts skip. And there hadn't yet been this kind of Dracula--at least not in any popular American movie version within the memory of audiences at the time. So the whole idea of making Dracula young and sexy was seen as new and different in those days.
Sure when put in perspective, the approach to Dracula wasn't really that unusual. But popular opinion rarely puts things in perspective.
At the time, it made me think of the first Night Stalker TV movie--which also seemed novel, but probably wasn't so novel as I thought.
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I understand they changed a LOT between the play and the movie version-- probably a LOT more than the Lugosi version had. One could say the Langella fim is the closest-- more or less-- to being a (SORT OF) "remake" of Lugosi, as both were based on the stage play, and both starred the then-current star of the stage play. And both were from Universal.
Still put in context of the times, it's fascinating to compare it with the Jess Franco version with Christopher Lee, the Dan Curtis version with Jack Palance, and especially, the BBC version with Louis Jourdan. That remains a rare case that proves one CAN do an INCREDIBLY GOOD film by actually following the book (for a change), and in my view features the very BEST Mina, Lucy, Van Helsing, etc. all down the line. Which makes it almost funny that Jourdan's Dracula is the ONE thing in the film that stands out as being VERY different from the book. And that's not a bad thing. To have been MORE authentic, it would have HAD to have had Christopher Lee in it. I often wish they had got him. But Jourdan's interpretation may be something that gives the film an extra level simply missing from what Bram Stoker wrote. Does seem strange to go so far to be authentic, though, and then go completely in another direction with the TITLE character.
You know, of all the changes in the John Badham / Frank Langella version (story structure, chronology of events, character relationships, etc.) I think watching it again the other day, the MOST baffling (and annoying) is probably, WHY THE HELL did they swap the names of the two girls??? Were they just TRYING to confuse people? Did someone just think "Lucy" was a better name for the lead girl than "Mina" ? ? ?
Of course, the entire personality of Mina-- SORRY, "LUCY"-- was completely changed in the film. In the book, she's the strongest, smartest character in the entire story. Even Van Helsing pales next to her (in fact, it's his secretiveness that helps result in Lucy's death, and Mina's NEAR-death-- that and the blatent sexism-- which was TONED DOWN in the BBC film, to make him a more likable character-- and thank goodness for that). In this film, she's flirting with the villain from the word go, right in front of her fiance, then goes to have what turns out to be a romantic dinner with him while her fiance is out of town (again, STRAIGHT out of the Dark Shadows feature film). And she spends more time aggressively trying to help the villain after than fighting him. Even the ending offends me now-- as it seems designed to SUGGEST (against all other evidence or common sense) that somehow, the guy has survived and will be coming back for a sequel, and the look on her face only seems to confirm this. (and again, just like the stupidity of seeing a BAT fly away from the spot Barnabas was KILLED in the DS film. W--T--F???)
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"the vampires (who except for the ancient ones act more like zombies)"
That's an accurate description of the vampires in THE LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES, Peter Cushing's last appearance as Professor Van Helsing.
I have that on VHS and the audio book reading of the story on CD.
A friend had asked if I knew where to download the audio story and I found it listed in the archives of a radio station, the DJ emailed a link so I could download it. That was years ago, when it was much easier to find such things wandering the net. Still have a CD somewhere but lost the file due to a PC meltdown.
Been hoping to find a download of "Curse of the Undead" a vampire/western film with surprisingly good story and top quality actors.
The Vampire gunslinger (Michael Pate) is a fore runner of the sympathetic cursed vampire characters such as Barnabas Collins. Also his exploiting of his invulnerability by taking up the role of gunslinger seems rather a modern take on the vampire.
A reviewer noted how this vampire harks back to the Spanish legends rather than eastern European legends.
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"Curse of the Undead"
Gawd - I saw that on the "Shock Theatre" show decades ago. I thought the overt religiosity of crosses being effective against vampires was stupid as a kid.
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Within the context of vampire lore, crosses make perfect sense, because vasmpirism allegedly began as a cult in direct opposition to and perversion of Christianity. This is why, for example, when someone dies from a vampire bite, they "rise from the dead on the 3rd day".
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Hmm - right, vampires of fiction mainly coming from the eastern European countries, mainly ... Catholic (?) or at least Christian. I was always just thinking of them as sort of generic supernatural characters, but they would be tied to Christian religious beliefs, specifically.
I suppose that implies that, in the movies, god is a Christian god. So how would other religious symbols work? Not at all I guess. My calculator even less so.
Within the context of vampire lore, crosses make perfect sense, because vasmpirism allegedly began as a cult in direct opposition to and perversion of Christianity. This is why, for example, when someone dies from a vampire bite, they "rise from the dead on the 3rd day".
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Well now, that's the fascinating thing about LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES. Laurence Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) is travelling in China when he's approached by someone whose village is being terrorized by these vampire-lords and their army of the undead (who look more like zombies than vampires). As he does in all his appearances in the series, at one point Van Helsing begins explaining how vampirism "works". But then he adds, "in Europe, yes. Here, I'm not sure." This indicates vampirism works differently depending on location & local cultures. He even mentions "Lord Budhha".
It's criminal that Hammer's distribution got all screwed up. The 8th & 9th installments of the DRACULA series both took 5 years apiece to make it to America (and under different names, later restored to the originals on TV). The company wound up shutting down for several years (later moving into TV production), but just before that happened, they had a 10th DRACULA film planned, in which the aging Van Helsing (and his son, no doubt) would be fighting vampires in INDIA !! :)
Of course, Dracula was not supposed to even be in that 9th film (nor was he supposed to be in the 5th installment, either, until the distrubutor refused to put up the production costs unless Christopher Lee was involved).
Different stories follow different lore. I always got a kick out of it when, in LOVE AT FIRST BITE (1979), Richard Benjamin thrust a Star Of David at Dracula, who replies, "I'd say you should marry a nice JEWISH girl." "Oh, DARN it's the OTHER one, isn't it?" One could interpret this by figuring that Dracula, at the very least, does "believe" in Christianity (even if he's definitely not a follower!!). After all, in the Hammer series, Dracula's "master" is apparently SATAN-- although there are some hints in a couple of the films that Dracula himself has become the representation of Satan on Earth. (If so, he needs better script-writers.)
By comparison, in the DOCTOR WHO story "The Curse Of Fenric" (1989), a group of totally inhuman vampires called "Haemovores" from a far future that's been destroyed by industrial polution, are repelled by "belief" in a symbol moreso than the symbol itself. Thus a Russian soldier whose "faith" in the Bolsehvik Revolution is absolute is able to repel them holding a hammer-and-sickle symbol (I find this rather tragic in the context of history), while an Anglican Priest who's losing his faith falters and is killed.
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Then there's the Jewish vampire in "the Fearless Vampire Killers". Great scene where they hold up a cross to no effect and he tells them they have the wrong vampire.
Remember that Vlad Tempes though evil as Satan in many ways was sworn to protect Christians of his country, so any who encountered him or his troops would certainly hold out their crosses so they would hopefully get a free pass.
Non Christians on the other hand got a stake up the bum.
I remember a character in a book, possibly a real historical character, who was a traveling friar and always carried a cross made of lead. Its weight was supposedly a penance but the heavy metal cross was a fearsome weapon against brigands when wielded like a war hammer. Clergy were not allowed to shed human blood so they mainly used blunt impact weapons for self defense.
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What happens if the vampire is an atheist?
Do you hold up "E=mc2"? ;-)
Then there's the Jewish vampire in "the Fearless Vampire Killers". Great scene where they hold up a cross to no effect and he tells them they have the wrong vampire.
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Interesting question!
What comes to mind is... as people lose themselves, are "possessed" when they become vampires, perhaps the faith of the original vampire is what takes over?
Fascinating discussion...
The most radical departure in the Hammer Films had to be in GOLDEN VAMPIRES, when the German lady travelling with Van Helsing and the others gets bitten. She becomes a vampire ALMOST INSTANTLY! This seems a nod to COUNT YORGA, VAMPIRE, but within the context of the specific film, perhaps that's how Chnese vampirism works?
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"By comparison, in the DOCTOR WHO story "The Curse Of Fenric" (1989), a group of totally inhuman vampires called "Haemovores" from a far future that's been destroyed by industrial polution, are repelled by "belief" in a symbol moreso than the symbol itself. Thus a Russian soldier whose "faith" in the Bolsehvik Revolution is absolute is able to repel them holding a hammer-and-sickle symbol (I find this rather tragic in the context of history), while an Anglican Priest who's losing his faith falters and is killed." profh0011
And who played that priest? None other than Nicholas Parsons. 90 this year and still hosting Just A Minute on Radio 4. I have a few old films with him in minor roles and he was the stooge to that great old comedian, Arthur Haynes. He plays a plain police constable in a small but pivotal role on The Long Arm, with Jack Hawkins - one of my all time favourite films. Can't find a link to it but here are Haynes and Parsons. Great stuff:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb2hkKGzaZ8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euGyC8cjviY
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What happens if the vampire is an atheist?
Do you hold up "E=mc2"? ;-)
How's this for a scene.
The Vampire appears and startles the atheist who then quickly pulls a slide rule from his pocket and with a piece of chalk begins scribbling math formulas on the wall of the crypt while expounding on scientific theories that prove the supernatural can not exist.
The Vampire takes this all in calmly then says, Einstein's theories can not explain Dark Matter which by any previous definition of matter should not exist since it has no mass and does not directly interact with matter.
You can not see it or touch it so you can not admit it exists though its all around you.
The Atheist turns pale and begins spluttering his confidence in his own intelligence falters, then a legion of Vampires descend on him draining him of blood as he tries to figure out an alternative theory.
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I like the slide rule part, but I'd just shove it in his chest. (Why is it so easy to penetrate the breastbone in vampires when it evolved to protect the heart?)
As an atheist, when confronted with a vampire (after changing my pants) I wouldn't try to ignore the evidence of its existence, I'd update my worldview to include it. Although in real life, I'd just assume they were a lunatic with a great dental plan ("No, doc, I want fangs - you know, fangs! My plan covers it under cosmetic work").
Y'know, I thought it would be a cool basis for a movie or tv episode if we had a modern 'vampire hunter' convince some other dude of their existence, and they go around killing a bunch. Then it's revealed the vampire hunter is just delusional and they were killing ordinary, albeit strange, people. Dun-dun-dun.
What happens if the vampire is an atheist?
Do you hold up "E=mc2"? ;-)
How's this for a scene.
The Vampire appears and startles the atheist who then quickly pulls a slide rule from his pocket and with a piece of chalk begins scribbling math formulas on the wall of the crypt while expounding on scientific theories that prove the supernatural can not exist.
The Vampire takes this all in calmly then says, Einstein's theories can not explain Dark Matter which by any previous definition of matter should not exist since it has no mass and does not directly interact with matter.
You can not see it or touch it so you can not admit it exists though its all around you.
The Atheist turns pale and begins spluttering his confidence in his own intelligence falters, then a legion of Vampires descend on him draining him of blood as he tries to figure out an alternative theory.
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I like the slide rule part, but I'd just shove it in his chest. (Why is it so easy to penetrate the breastbone in vampires when it evolved to protect the heart?)
Vampires are after all walking corpses, and not entirely material forms. They can turn into a mist to seep under doors and such and shape shift into wolf or bat, so I expect their physical form is rather prone to deformation. Once the surface is penetrated every thing inside is a mass of corruption.
If you want a real hoot watch "Lesbian Vampire Killers", the vamp deaths are something else. A very funny movie.
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BTW Roy without getting into debates, that is about the same thing I would say about macro-evolutionary science. Despite all the contradictory evidence and mathematical total improbabilities, people still choose to believe it because they refuse to accept God. Since we have both said about the same thing no more posts please every knows where each of us stands, and neither will change the opinion of the other.
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Totally agree, Narf. I recognized the thread drift right after I posted - d'oh!
If anyone wants to talk sex, politics, or religion it belongs in another thread.
BTW Roy without getting into debates, that is about the same thing I would say about macro-evolutionary science. Despite all the contradictory evidence and mathematical total improbabilities, people still choose to believe it because they refuse to accept God. Since we have both said about the same thing no more posts please every knows where each of us stands, and neither will change the opinion of the other.
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"(Why is it so easy to penetrate the breastbone in vampires when it evolved to protect the heart?)"
That's why normally they use a hammer-- or mallet.
Of course, Leela (from DOCTOR WHO) once said, "We were taught to thrust UPWARD under the breastbone when striking." (The kindly Victorian gentleman she said this to was rather shocked to hear such talk from what he mistakenly believed was "a lady".)
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Not to be morbid, but I'd kinda like to try that on a corpse. Or have Mythbusters do it .... OMG! I'm totally sending that in - pig corpses for everyone.
"(Why is it so easy to penetrate the breastbone in vampires when it evolved to protect the heart?)"
That's why normally they use a hammer-- or mallet.
Of course, Leela (from DOCTOR WHO) once said, "We were taught to thrust UPWARD under the breastbone when striking." (The kindly Victorian gentleman she said this to was rather shocked to hear such talk from what he mistakenly believed was "a lady".)
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I swear, every time I think about Leela, she cracks me up more. She's one of those rare characters who just continues to grow on me over the years, and I have to admit, I wasn't crazy about her at all at first.
I think one of the things that gets me about her is how, despite her limited knowledge, she's very intelligent. Also, her English is so good, often better than those around her.
It's a shame we never got to see Leela & Romana (Mary Tamm) in the same story. Imagine how those 2 personalities might react off each other.
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I swear, every time I think about Leela, she cracks me up more. She's one of those rare characters who just continues to grow on me over the years, and I have to admit, I wasn't crazy about her at all at first.
I think one of the things that gets me about her is how, despite her limited knowledge, she's very intelligent. Also, her English is so good, often better than those around her.
It's a shame we never got to see Leela & Romana (Mary Tamm) in the same story. Imagine how those 2 personalities might react off each other.
I liked the time she and the doctor were sneaking up on a farmhouse and Leela jumped an elderly gentleman he took for a sentry and the doctor had to stop her from killing him.
I wonder if the writers for Futurama picked the name Leela for the cylops babe because they remembered Leela from Doctor Who?
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IMAGE OF THE FENDAHL has never been a fave of mine. There's some weird things about it... like it can't decide if it wants to be gothic horror (which was getting phased out due to BBC interference) or comedy (which was coming in), and several characters in it die under shocking circumstances that are just not normal even for this show. Plus, between Leela's "new outfit" (I suspect she found some lingerie and mistook it for a dress) and hair, she looks like some kind of street-walker.
On the other hand, she has some great scenes... like when she tells The Doctor, "Do not worry, Doctor, I will protect you." (Quite a change from the usual companion.) Or when she talks of The Doctor having "great knowledge, and gentleness", and they CUT to a scene of Tom Baker angrily kicking some boxes.
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Yep "Image of the Fendahl". I remembered the word Fendahl but forgot the exact title.
I liked this episode because it reminded me of both 50's British sci fi films and Hammer Horror films.
One thing that set Dr Who apart from most such TV adventure programs was the sudden death of characters that really did not deserve it.
An Italian director once said that for a good horror film the innocent must suffer and evil must be destroyed.
You can't really hate the villain till he has injured or killed the innocent.
With the fates in store for villains that cross the Dr's path to be just they first have to be shown to deserve it in spades.
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THE FLY (1958
http://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-fly-v17924 (http://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-fly-v17924)
Good stuff, it seems to be an overlooked classic science-fiction film. It's more creepy, than scary I suppose, but that sense of ... dread is a perfectly valid objective, one you don't see much anymore.
And the Blu-Ray looks great.
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I just watched BILLY THE KID VERSUS DRACULA again 2 weeks ago. This is actually a generally well-made, fun movie. The director did about 300 films between features & TV episodes, many of them westerns, so the western aspects are well-done. The lead actor, I found out, had previously played Dan Reid (John's nephew) on several episodes of THE LONE RANGER. His girlfriend in the film's a real cutie. But the woman doctor almost steals the film. She's the obligatory "Van Helsing" who, while she doesn't believe in the supernatural (at first) does have books on the subject with needed info. I love the scene when Billy's in jail for killing a an, the doctor knows he has to be free to save his girlfriend, so she just grabs the shefiff's revolver and tosses to Billy in his cell. The tone of the picture is not that far removed from the DOCTOR WHO story, "The Gunfighters", which was made the same year!
If there's any criticism of the film, I'd aim it squarely at John Carridine, who seemed to go in with an attitude of utter comtempt for the material, and a determination to let everyone know ON CAMERA what he thought of the movie. As a result, he does the only REALLY BAD acting in the whole film-- from beginning to end! It's mind-boggling.
By the way, I liked how someone at the IMDB site pointed out that complaints about "day for night" shots, which are more like "day for day" here, are invalid, as in the Bram Stoker novel DRACULA, the vampire could walk about in broad daylight. He was just powerless during the day. The "tradition" of sunlight destroying vampires apparently started in the silent German film NOSFERATU. On the other hand, the vampire is never once referred to as "Dracula", so there's no real evidence that he was anything other than some random vampire.
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Is this the film where they planned a fight scene with a moving stage coach, then at the last minute they could not hire the stage coach and staged the fight in the bed of a pickup truck?
The story set in the 1880's about 60 years before that truck was built.
I have a copy of "Jesse James vs Frankenstein's Daughter" that I watch every so often.
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The Friday night "Dracula" marathon continues...
Frank Langella -- DRACULA (1979)
Among a long list of terrific actors, onscreen for most of the film but with ALMOST no dialogue at all, playing Dr. Seward's assistant, is Sylvester McCoy!
Klaus Kinski -- NOSFERATU THE VAMPIRE (1979)
In this one, Jonathan Harker's boss, rather than being "Mr. Hawkins", is "Mr. Renfield"-- who is clearly crazy WHEN he sends Harker on his business trip, and also clearly KNOWS full well what he's sending him into. Sure enough, when Dracula arrives in town later in the story, Renfield calls him "master!". The original silent version of this was where the idea that vampires could be destroyed by sunlight originated. (It wasn't in Stoker's book.)
Charles MacCauley -- BLACULA (1972)
MacCauley is a TOTAL bastard in this one! But his scene, which takes places in the 1700's, is over before the opening credits begin...
Though it took me decades to notice, MacCauley had been in 2 STAR TREKs... "THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS" (as "Landru"!!), and "WOLF IN THE FOLD" (the chief procurator, whose psychic wife is murdered during an ongoing murder investigation). He's also in the movie HEAD (1968), as the guy who gives The Monkees a tour of that dangerous factory. "The tragedy of your time, is that you MAY get exactly what you want."
In the late 80's, he actually took over the role of "Hamilton Burger" on the last few PERRY MASON tv-movies.
BLACULA also featured 2 other ST veterans-- Elisha Cook Jr. ("COURT MARTIAL") and of course, William Marshall ("THE ULTIMATE COMPUTER").
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Some recent collections watched-
Hogan's Heroes Season 1 (1965-66) A favorite from my younger years. I originally watched most of these in black and white as we didn't get a color TV until 1968 but knew they were in color because they always announced at the beginning that the show was "in color". Thus I was a little surprised to see that the pilot episode was shot in black and white. American networks wouldn't completely switch over to color until the Fall of 1966 but more and more shows were getting on board even prior to that.
Mr Lucky (1959-60) Blake Edwards follow-up series to the highly successful Peter Gunn series starring Craig Stevens. It starred John Vivyan and Ross Martin as a pair running a casino on a ship called Mr Lucky's. A likeable series with some great theme music by Henry Mancini. It failed to gather an audience back in its day and only lasted the one season (30 episodes) before disappearing until its recent DVD revival.
Columbo Season 3 (1973-74) 8 movies this season and that's the most we would ever get in any one season. Guest stars this season include Vincent Price, Martin Sheen, Vera Miles, Jackie Cooper, Donald Pleasance, Johnny Cash, Gary Conway, Julie Harris, Robert Culp, Mariette Hartley, Jack Cassidy, Lew Ayres, Ida Lupino, and Robby the Robot. My favorite epiosde this season is once again the one with Jack Cassidy. This was Cassidy's second Columbo appearance and he is again playing the killer of an author- this time played by the well cast Mickey Spillane. Also included as an extra was an episode of the short-lived Mrs. Columbo series.
The Killing Season 2 (2012) I was disappointed when they left us hanging at the end of season one with no conclusion as to the murder mystery we has followed throughout the season. I'm happy to say that we do get our answers this season although things get even grimmer before we do.
Downton Abbey Season 1 (2010) Had to wait forever to get this one at the library as there were a zillion holds ahead of me at the library. It's an excellent series in the Upstairs Downstairs mode. Very nice to see Elizabeth McGovern again too.
Dr. Who-"The Reign of Terror" (1964) The final story arc from the first season. Two of the episodes of this arc were missing although the soundtracks apparently existed. The BBC went to the trouble of recreating them via animation based on the surviving stills. Extras include "making of" documentary and still gallery.
Best
Joe
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I'm searching online for a little documentary movie made in 1970, but so far having no luck. I was hoping to put a link to it on the blog I'm doing about Canadian comics. This movie was called THE SONS OF CAPTAIN POETRY and it was directed by Michael Ondaatje--who most people probably know as that guy who wrote THE ENGLISH PATIENT, but before he became famous for his novels, he was mostly known as a poet and essayist in Canada.
The Captain Poetry in the title of this doc is actually the creation of another poet--bp nichol. I saw this film in university many years ago and I'd like to find it again to refresh my memory--it's not that long--35 minutes according to the IMDB listing.
The thing about the Canadian poets from the 60s--like bp, Ondaatje, George Bowering and Bill Bissett--is that they were of that age when everyone was into comics. And some of the work they produced--especially nichol--was a fusion of undeground comics, fanzines and concrete poetry.
Unfortunately, I think this movie has become too obscure--so it seems unlikely I'll find it.
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I have never seen it, but I guess I'd watch Mrs. Columbo through traumatized fingers. In fact I think it might just be a step too far in my viewing.
Some of those episodes you mention I haven't seen .. but it's strange just how many actors reappear ... almost like strolling players or a acting troop ...
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Until the internet, my information on COLUMBO was somehow missing the fact that Robert Culp played 3 murderers on the show, not 2! So, in the 70's, he tied with Jack Cassidy, who also played 3. Cassidy also played a 4th murderer, on MRS. COLUMBO (but that doesn't quite count, does it?).
Culp turned up in the 90's, but not as the murderer (I think he was the killer's father).
Patrick McGoohan, of course, did 2 in the 70's-- and 2 in the 90's, so he wound up holding the record for tangling with Peter Falk!
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I had divided loyalties when MRS COLUMBO showed up on the TV schedule. On the one hand, it starred Kate Mulgrew, who had played a leading role on RYAN'S HOPE. But on the other hand it purportet to be about Columbo's wife--which strained all credibility. The show was okay but nowhere near the quality of the COLUMBO TV movies. I accepted it as existing in an alternate continuity and not really in the same world as the Peter Falk character.
I see it as a misguided attempt to give Mulgrew her own show--but bring more eyeballs to the program by pretending it has some link to the hugely popular COLUMBO. The great thing about Columbo's wife is that we have to rely on what we hear from the detective about her and construct in our own mind what she must be like. The idea of making a TV show about her totally misses the point--and COLUMBO watchers would not want to see such a show. Which is probably why the series failed.
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I gather that the response at the time to the Mrs Columbo show was pretty negative resulting in the show go through various name changes (from Mrs Columbo to Kate Columbo to Kate the Detective to finally Kate Loves a Mystery) as the producers tried to distance the show from the original Columbo in an attempt to appease watchers. By the time the later episodes aired she was being referred to as a divorcee and had gone through a name change to Kate Callahan. None of the changes worked toward the goal of attracting viewers though and the show was cancelled before its final episode could be aired.
I only vaguely remember watching a couple of episodes back in the seventies and felt then that it was okay but certainly no Columbo. Watching this episode recently I had that feeling that Jimm refers to of it existing in a different continuity.
I notice that there are a couple more Mrs Columbo episodes included as extras inn the fourth and fifth season collections of Columbo coming up so I guess I'll be revisiting her a bit more.
Best
Joe
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Until the internet, my information on COLUMBO was somehow missing the fact that Robert Culp played 3 murderers on the show, not 2! So, in the 70's, he tied with Jack Cassidy, who also played 3. Cassidy also played a 4th murderer, on MRS. COLUMBO (but that doesn't quite count, does it?).
Henry, are you sure that Cassidy was on the Mrs Columbo show? I thought he died a few years before that show aired. My memory could off but I'm pretty sure I'm right on this one. I do remember that Cassidy did appear on a McCloud show that I think aired posthumously.
Best
Joe
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Exactly and she is one of those great often mentioned but NEVER seen characters. Plus Columbo makes up so much stuff about "my wife", cousins, a boss who needs all the t's crossed all to suit his purpose. Plus being rather light fingered and getting another cop to do do his gun test I don't trust him an inch.
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Just checked the IMDB. My mistake. Robert Culp was in the 1st MRS. COLUMBO. I'm not entirely sure from the info there if he was the murderer or not...
Donald Pleasence was in the 2nd!
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I always thought it would have been hilarious if they'd cast Peter Falk in some random episode of VOYAGER... just as an in-joke.
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I always thought it would have been hilarious if they'd cast Peter Falk in some random episode of VOYAGER... just as an in-joke.
Or captain Janeway have a photo of Falk in star fleet uniform on her desk.
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Just checked the IMDB. My mistake. Robert Culp was in the 1st MRS. COLUMBO. I'm not entirely sure from the info there if he was the murderer or not...
Donald Pleasence was in the 2nd!
Ah, okay that clears that up. It was the Donald Pleasance episode that the Lil Missus and I watched. He was the killer. It was actually a pretty good episode.
Best
Joe
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it appears to be included on this:
3 Films by Michael Ondaatje
http://www.mongrelmedia.com/dvd/info.cgi?id=1485
Which could be this:
http://www.amazon.ca/Films-By-Michael-Ondaatje/dp/B0000C89IZ/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1381838693&sr=1-1&keywords=Films+by+Michael+Ondaatje
I'm searching online for a little documentary movie made in 1970, but so far having no luck. I was hoping to put a link to it on the blog I'm doing about Canadian comics. This movie was called THE SONS OF CAPTAIN POETRY and it was directed by Michael Ondaatje--who most people probably know as that guy who wrote THE ENGLISH PATIENT, but before he became famous for his novels, he was mostly known as a poet and essayist in Canada.
The Captain Poetry in the title of this doc is actually the creation of another poet--bp nichol. I saw this film in university many years ago and I'd like to find it again to refresh my memory--it's not that long--35 minutes according to the IMDB listing.
The thing about the Canadian poets from the 60s--like bp, Ondaatje, George Bowering and Bill Bissett--is that they were of that age when everyone was into comics. And some of the work they produced--especially nichol--was a fusion of undeground comics, fanzines and concrete poetry.
Unfortunately, I think this movie has become too obscure--so it seems unlikely I'll find it.
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it appears to be included on this:
3 Films by Michael Ondaatje
http://www.mongrelmedia.com/dvd/info.cgi?id=1485
Which could be this:
http://www.amazon.ca/Films-By-Michael-Ondaatje/dp/B0000C89IZ/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1381838693&sr=1-1&keywords=Films+by+Michael+Ondaatje
Yes it appears so. Thanks for the help.
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Just watched one of the most memorable movies of its day "Fate is the Hunter".
Plenty of A list actors, and some truly meaty roles.
A thinking man's movie.
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THREE THE HARD WAY
Jim Brown, Fred Williamson & Jim Kelly tackle a group of white supremists led by Jay Robinson, who've hired a scientist to perfect a drug that only kills BLACK people.
I kept expecting Jim Brown to say, "What the F***-- I ain't killed anybody in a LONG time!" ...but that's ANOTHER movie! ;D
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Monday night was the last episode of this current series of Doc Martin. Some seriously heavy issues were touched on in the series and a couple of excellent storylines. Plus, at times, pure farce.
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I've been in a Turkish super hero mood of late. Back to back with the movies that have sequels.
RB @ Work
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I found a trailer for the Turkish Phantom movie on youtube. Exciting stuff, mainly because I had heard about itbut was beginning to think it was a myth. The big difference in the costume is tht there is a big skull and crossbones as a chest emblem. What has amused me about Turkish superhero films is the use of classic film music on the sound tracks and in this one, during a fight scene, the Batman t.v.tune is used. When I get back to the pc I will post the link.
If anyone is interested , I found the trailer while looking for Santo and masked wrestler superheroes. I found a lot, all in anish without subtitles. Mind, I'm not sure you need them to watch Blue Demon battling zombies. ;D
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I've 2 of the 3 Phantom Turk movies still hunting for the 3rd one.
RB @ Work
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OK, that woke me up. 3 of them? I was amazed there was 1!
For those who haven't a clue what we're talking about, here's a trailer:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXosKWQ95tE
By the way, if any of you fancy the Mexican Batwoman film, you can find it here:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUyZB_xbG2c
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Really cool motorcycle and fine looking wolf dog. Wouldn't mind struggling through a dubbed or subtitled episode or three.
The Mexican Batgirl is smoking hot, and her costume seems to have been ordered from Fredricks of Hollywood. Worth a look see.
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Yes Paw,
Both movies were made in 1968 by different directors. The guy that played Spy Smasher is the Red Phantom in the 2nd movie. This movie is pretty much a mess plot wise. Not as good as the first one, if you can believe that! I've hunted for the 3rd one for over a decade now with no success. Its called the Red Phantoms Revenge. If you like It's part of my Turkish back 2 back series I can make you a copy of the disk once mine is done. Sound like a deal?
RB @ Work
Attachment is for The Red Phantoms Revenge (3rd Turk Phantom Movie)
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no offense, but does anyone watch anything actually made in this millennium? ;)
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no offense, but does anyone watch anything actually made in this millennium? ;)
Sure. If you look over my occasional listings of feature films watched or collections viewed you'll find a good sampling of 21st century material. I'm also following such current shows as Bones, Sleepy Hollow, Agents of SHIELD, Arrow, Criminal Minds, Elementary, Haven, Grimm, Dracula, The Blacklist, Revolution, and Once Upon a Time.
Best
Joe
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I saw Dracula last night - interesting premise, but I drifted out a few times. I might give it a couple more episodes, but then we'll see. What did you think of it?
Is Agents any good? I"m reticent with no costumed heroes/villains in the mix.
And the PBC Doc on Superheroes was good (at the least the first episode I've seen), just wish is was more like 5-10 hours long instead of 3.
no offense, but does anyone watch anything actually made in this millennium? ;)
Sure. If you look over my occasional listings of feature films watched or collections viewed you'll find a good sampling of 21st century material. I'm also following such current shows as Bones, Sleepy Hollow, Agents of SHIELD, Arrow, Criminal Minds, Elementary, Haven, Grimm, Dracula, The Blacklist, Revolution, and Once Upon a Time.
Best
Joe
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My son and I are really enjoying Shield. Arrow is still pretty good. One of our favorites is Revenge. I am loosing interest in Revolution and Walking Dead. Walking Dead is getting really boring to me, I hope it picks up.
I like the new comedies Back in the Game and Goldbergs. Goldbergs takes us back to the eighties and is fun.
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I am surprised there has not been any mention yet of Tomorrow People. So far I have enjoyed it. It is nothing special but still OK to watch. I did not like the new Dracula.
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My son and I are really enjoying Shield. Arrow is still pretty good. One of our favorites is Revenge. I am loosing interest in Revolution and Walking Dead. Walking Dead is getting really boring to me, I hope it picks up.
I like the new comedies Back in the Game and Goldbergs. Goldbergs takes us back to the eighties and is fun.
The Lil Missus has been having just the opposite reaction to The Walking Dead. She had gotten bored with it last season but as I have continued to watch she would sometimes check it out and this season has found her interest renewed.
She lost interest in sitcoms sometime back in the 1980s and we haven't followed any regularly since then. I sometimes watch collections of them (usually years after they've run).
I've never seen Revenge but based on your recommendation I may try to watch a collection when I can squeeze it into my schedule. My local library has the first two seasons.
Best
Joe
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Revenge is probably our favorite drama. My wife and I look forward to it and hate the end of each season. Just when you think it is time to wrap it up they bring in something to really keep you interested.
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I'm trying to figure out how old I was the last time I went out trick or treating. I have a photo of myself as Barnabas Collins on Hallowe'en--I had some novelty vampire teeth and my father's post office cape and my sisters made me up with dark circles around my eyes and my hair styled with Score to look like Barnabas's hairstyle. So I think the earliest this could've been was '68 when I was ten. But it seems more likely that it was '69, which would have made me eleven. Which seems kind of old to me for trick or treating. It really all depends on when our family started watching DARK SHADOWS.
I also remember going out on a Hallowe'en with the neighbour kid and his friend--that might have been the same Hallowe'en as I'm pretty sure it was my last time. It was the most depressing trick or treat in my experience. In all the other years that I recall, at least one other sibling was with me and we had good fun. This time, I was stuck alone with these two boys. I believe they didn't even bother to dress up--so we were those obnoxious kids who are too old and too cool and just want to get candy. And we got exactly the derisive treatment we deserved. I was so embarassed. But the worst thing was that those two boys had firecrackers and all they were interested in was setting them off and throwing them at things. I kept listening for police sirens, expecting the cops to come and arrest us. At some point, I made an excuse for why I had to get home and I abandoned them to continue their delinquent ways.
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When I was about ten I had a nice hopalong Cassidy black leather jacket.
That Halloween was very cold so I wore the jacket under my costume.
A friend and I pulled the burning bag of dog poop trick on a neighbor but with a wicked twist.
We put a string of firecrackers in the bag positioned so the fuse wouldn't catch fire immediately.
The neighbor did the expected and tried to stomp out the fire, then the firecrackers went off scattering dog poop and burning paper everywhere.
My friend and I ran for it and in the dark I ran straight into a barbed wire fence.
I got a few cuts but the costume and leather jacket looked like I'd been attacked by a were wolf.
If not for the jacket under my costume I would have been very seriously injured, so Hopalong Cassidy saved my hide that night.
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Great story Cap I hope you repented of your evil ways. My wife and I saw Ender's Game yesterday and really liked it a lot. I would be interested to know where it deviated from the book for those who read it.
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I think that Hoppy would've said crime does not pay and justice will out. He was a straight shooter.
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My wife and I saw Ender's Game yesterday and really liked it a lot. I would be interested to know where it deviated from the book for those who read it.
I really liked the book so was curious as to how this film adaptation would turn out. I spoke to a buddy who had seen it and he was disappointed that the movie lacked the character development of the book and went heavy toward the action instead. After talking to him I can't get jazzed up enough now to go see it in the theaters so will probably wait until it comes out on DVD and then check it out of the library for a watch.
Best
Joe
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To be expected in a scifi/action movie. I think it did pretty good with the characters based on the time it had to spend. I would actually say that it conveyed quite a lot in a little time. You can never make friends the way you can in a book but you are not investing the same amount of time to watch a movie as to read a book. The young actor portraying Ender did a fantastic job of showing versatility of emotion.
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On an impulse, I was just watchin' A BIG HAND FOR THE LITTLE LADY, again. I first saw this movie when I was in high school--it was one of the movies that was shown at lunchtime (I saw a lot of great movies that way).
This movie is such a pleasure to watch from beginning to end. Can't say anything else about it, because it's not a movie to be spoiled. But I see that it actually was based on a teleplay from the DUPONT SHOW OF THE WEEK (same writer and director).
One of the best casts for any movie--ever.
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I should say that the impulse was because the man in the green vest mentioned elsewhere in the comments on THE TEXAN comic reminds me of Kevin McCarthy--which got me to look up the movie.
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Finally back on my Dan Curtis marathon. Today I started in on something I've never seen before-- THE WINDS OF WAR. I can see why my Dad liked it.
Meanwhile...
Friday night: OLD DRACULA (perhaps the most unique take ever on the character)
Saturday night: A HARD DAY'S NIGHT
Sunday night: McCloud: THE 42ND STREET CAVALRY
Tonight: HELP!
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I am about to give up on Walking Dead it just does not seem to be going anywhere. The characters have even become boring and poking zombies heads is just getting old.
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Please don't all shout at me at once - I get enough of that form friends here - but I just don't like Shield. It seems daft to me and the characters seem like so many others. I think I would need Dum Dum Dugan to make me feel comfortable with it. But, Person of Interest has started here again and we love it. We are addicted to a couple of British quiz shows - of the no prizes sort - University Challenge and Only Connect, that last being about the hardest, most devious quiz that's been on in years.
Here's the BBC page for Only Connect - and if you can solve those walls, you're better then the 2 of us here! :-[
Anyway, what with being out at things some evenings and piles of American Football to catch up on, there just isn't enough time.
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As I think I've mentioned before, I'm in the process of watching the new series of DOCTOR WHO again, in chronological order--in preparation for the 50th anniversary.
I'm just about done with sesaon 5--the first season of Eleven. The episodes that are the most difficult for me to get through--both for the old series and the new series--are any episodes about mining, drilling, and underground settings. I find these so so so boring.
I know that modern British people have some strange cultural relationship with mining and resource extraction--but I just don't find this at all interesting. It's only interesting in an abstract way as commentary on the political economic issues in Britain--but not great action stories.
I find any of the claustrophobic stories rather annoying. I don't like very many of the space station adventures for this reason, also.
The first time around, the one thing that got me though the Hungry Earth/Cold Blood (episodes 8 and 9 of season 5) is the teaser near the beginning, where Amy and Rory see themselves in the distance--but ten years on. And I kept thinking that would be an important element in the story. But it was never resolved.
Then I thought, as I continued the first time through these episodes, that this scene would somehow figure into the story of Amy and Rory at some point: there would be an episode where we would see the older Rory and Amy come back to this place and see their younger selves in the distance and wave to them. That never happened.
It's like a shoe that never drops. It feels like they planted that bit in there for some reason and then never made use of it.
It's also a question how it works with Rory and Amy's timeline. We know that they aged but in real time they only went from 2010 to 2012 (before the encounter with the Weeping Angels). So who were the Rory and Amy in 2020 that waved to the Rory and Amy from 2010?
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I was thinking about giving up on TOMORROW PEOPLE but the last episode was really good and has me hooked back in.
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I think I'll check out a couple of episodes of Tomorrow People online.
Isn't this a remake of an old British show or am I confusing it with something else?
Best
Joe
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I've watched a few eps of the original "Tomorrow People" years ago.
The episode about the living clothing was remarkably ahead of its time. The series was a bit more advanced than it seemed on the surface.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tomorrow_People
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tomorrow_People_(U.S._TV_series)
I think I'll check out a couple of episodes of Tomorrow People online.
Isn't this a remake of an old British show or am I confusing it with something else?
Best
Joe
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Yes, it does seem to be from the original British series. And you can sample it on youtube:-
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=tomorrow+people&sm=3
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Thanks for the info, gentlemen.
Best
Joe
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Recent collections watched-
Dr. Who-"Planet of the Giants" (1964)- I learned from watching the documentary extras on this set that this storyline (the first story arc from season 2) was originally planned as the opening arc of the series. I've always been a fan of this concept of people shrunk down in size ever since first seeing Attack of the Puppet People on TV and discovering Antman in comic books at age five so I found this great fun.
Sgt Bilko Season 1 (1955-1956)- Prior to viewing this set I had only seen Bilko when a local TV station re-ran it in the 1970s but my schedule was such then that I was only able to catch the occasional odd episode and never developed much of a feel for the show. Watching it in order greatly increased my liking for the series. I hope they follow up with releases of the subsequent seasons.
Justified Season 2 (2011)- This series remains the best example of translating Elmore Leonard to the screen, IMHO. The producers obviously have great respect for the author.
Columbo Season 4 (1974-1975)- Only 6 movies this season. Guest stars included Robert Conrad, Dick Van Dyke, Patrick McGoohan, George Hamilton, Martha Scott, Robert Vaughn, Patrick McNee, Dean Stockwell, Gena Rowlands, and Lesley Ann Warren. I especially enjoyed seeing Vaughn and McNee in the same episode. Another episode of Mrs Columbo is included as an extra with a rather creepy story about a ventriloquist who is going crazy.
The Three Stooges Collection 1955-1959- I've been working my way through the entire run of Three Stooges Columbia shorts (all 190 of them)-one every weekend- for the last three and a half years and finally reached the end today. Over the years that the series originally ran (1934-1959) the costs of producing films had increased dramatically but their budgets had remained the same thus giving them less buying power to produce their shorts and giving them an increasingly cheaper look as the years progressed. This is very noticeable when watching an early Curly short followed by a much later Joe Besser short as often happened when I used to watch them in syndication in my younger days. Because of this sort of exposure to them in the past I used to have a disdain for these later shorts but I found myself with a greater appreciation of their merits by gradually easing into them via these DVD collections.
Finally a sampling of 1950s detective series (all revisits of a sort as I had seen some episodes of all three series prior to this)-
Follow That Man (12 episodes)- (originally Man Against Crime) An early detective series this ran from 1949-1956 and bounced around the networks appearing at various times on NBC, CBS and the Dumont Network. The show broadcast live until 1952 and starred Ralph Bellamy as P.I. Mike Barnett. Frank Lovejoy took over the role in the final season. Only episodes of the filmed seasons of the Bellamy run seem to have surfaced.
Mr. and Mrs Smith (6 episodes) These characters had been around for years appearing in print, stage, radio and film prior to this 1952-1954 television series which ran on NBC and CBS. Richard Denning and Barbara Britton bring a nice chemistry to the husband and wife team who seem to stumble across murders at a regular clip.
Martin Kane, Private Eye (6 episodes) This started as a radio series debuting in August 1949 followed a month later by a live television series on NBC, Martin Kane was originally portrayed on both radio and TV by William Gargan and was followed, in both mediums, by Lloyd Nolan and then Lee Tracy. The radio series ended in 1952 but the television series continued until 1954 with Mark Stevens portraying Kane in the later episodes. The show was revived for a one season filmed syndicated series (shot in Europe) in 1957 with Gargan returning to the role. My collection included live kineoscopes of the Gargan and Nolan versions with laughably clumsy inclusions of plugs for the sponsor- Old Briar Pipe Tobacco- shoehorned into each episode.
Best
Joe
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I'm a little too young to have watched any 1950s TV shows and would only know about them through my older siblings, parents and re-runs.
I was thinking about all the short lived sitcoms that appeared in the '60s. Shows like LOVE ON A ROOFTOP, THE OCCASSIONAL WIFE, HE & SHE. Lots of these shows about young couples and the stresses they endured.
One theme for a lot of sitcoms seemed to be hiding secrets and pretending to be someone you're not.
The extreme examples of this were shows like BEWITCHED and I DREAM OF JEANNIE--but there were many more that didn't involve magic powers.
I'm trying to remember one short-lived sitcom about a young guy who is taking care of his younger sister--they are both orphaned, but he doesn't want her to be taken away from him and he has to pull off some deception to keep her. He's also going to university under an assumed identity.
Now that I think about it, all these sitcoms have a Kafkaesque sensibility where the threat of authority pushes people into bizarre behaviour to avoid some sort of penalty.
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And Disney live action movies often involve orphans.
Now that I think about it, all these sitcoms have a Kafkaesque sensibility where the threat of authority pushes people into bizarre behaviour to avoid some sort of penalty.
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I'm a little too young to have watched any 1950s TV shows and would only know about them through my older siblings, parents and re-runs.
Well I'm too young to have watched any 1950s shows during their original runs but caught some in syndicated reruns in the 1960s and 70s and certainly enjoy exploring the many early shows that have made their way to DVD and the internet.
One theme for a lot of sitcoms seemed to be hiding secrets and pretending to be someone you're not.
The extreme examples of this were shows like BEWITCHED and I DREAM OF JEANNIE--but there were many more that didn't involve magic powers.
Some other 1960s sitcoms that would fit that theme would be Mr. Ed, My Mother the Car and My Favorite Martian. That sort of theme continued, to some degree, into the 1970s (Three's Company), 1980s (Bosom Buddies) and 1990s (3rd Rock From the Sun).
Best
Joe
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Feature films watched the last couple of months-
Randy Rides Alone-1934, The Blonde Captive-1931-, The Grandmaster-2013, Sunshine-2007, Hope Springs-2012, The Pink Panther-1964, Dracula-2006, The Place Beyond the Pines-2012, Dames-1934, The Star Packer-1934, Into the Sun-2005, The Changeling-1980, Snow White and the Huntsman-2012, Side Effects-2013, The Trail Beyond-1934, Men in Black 3-2012, Tower Heist-2011, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey-2012, Horseshoes-1927, A Perfect Gentleman-1928, The Lawless Frontier-1934, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea-1961, Gamera, Guardian of the Universe-1995, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen-2011, 'Neath Arizona Skies-1934, Inglorious Bastards-1978, Submerged-2005, The Case of the Howling Dog-1934, Upstream-1927, Anything Else-2003, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief-2010, Texas Terror-1935, A Shot in the Dark-1964, The Black Camel-1931, The Ghost Breakers-1940, Rainbow Valley-1935, Chinese Zodiac-2012, Frankenweenie-2012, Double Door-1934, The Desert Trail-1935, The Monster Squad-1987, Strangler of the Swamp-1945, The Devil and Daniel Webster-1941, The Dawn Rider-1935, Dredd-2012, Melinda and Melinda-2005, The Angry Red Planet-1959, Partners-1932, Hitchcock-2012, Masquerade-2012, Looper-2012, Paradise Canyon-1935.
Some items of note in this batch are-
Warner Oland's first outing as Charlie Chan (with Bela Lugosi and Dwight Frye in support shortly after making Dracula).
The first Perry Mason film with Warren William playing a pretty debonaire Perry.
My completion of the John Wayne Monogram-Lonestar western series. It was almost like being back in the 1970s watching John Wayne theater again. I think I'll move onto some vintage comedies for my Saturday morning movies next though-maybe some classic Marx Bros or W C Fields.
The first two Pink Panther/Inspector Clouseau movies. I hope to work my way through these chronologically-one a month.
Catching up on some Woody Allen movies missed this past decade.
Best
Joe
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Those short lived shows seem to have never been re-run. At one time 100 episodes meant syndication. Now with all the channels a single season show can be put in syndication. Many of sixties show now show up thanks to youtube. I really liked He and She when it originally ran but that is all I remember about it except the stars.
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Some other 1960s sitcoms that would fit that theme would be Mr. Ed, My Mother the Car and My Favorite Martian. That sort of theme continued, to some degree, into the 1970s (Three's Company), 1980s (Bosom Buddies) and 1990s (3rd Rock From the Sun).
Best
Joe
Of course, THREE'S COMPANY was based on a British sitcom (ROBIN'S NEST--I think). But maybe the British sitcom was influenced itself by American sticoms. It's kind of like a reversal of THE OCCASIONAL WIFE--where the woman pretends to be married and living with her husband (for the sake of keeping his boss happy) but she doesn't really live there, but in the apartment two floors up.
In the '70s, there was also THE GIRL WITH SOMETHING EXTRA--starring John Davidson and Sally Field. But, of course, Sally Field was also THE FLYING NUN--one of the oddest of these oddball sitcoms.
One of my favourites of these type was THE SECOND HUNDRED YEARS, with Monte Markham playing his own grandfather. Monte Markham was a very likable actor.
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Josemas:
"Warner Oland's first outing as Charlie Chan (with Bela Lugosi and Dwight Frye in support shortly after making Dracula)."
A previously-"missing" film. When I was growing up (and possibly until quite recently), the earliest CHAN film available was ...IN LONDON. That was Warner Oland's 6th in the series. Think about that. That's like if the earliest Connery-Bond film available was DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER!
"The first Perry Mason film with Warren William playing a pretty debonaire Perry."
That film made Warren William one of my heroes! It's incredible I can really "see" him as the SAME character from the much-later TV series, even though he looks NOTHING like the other guy. His sidekick still takes all the risks and gets beaten up a lot, but in those early films, Perry is young and fit enough to be chasing the girls himself. The 1st film is the only one where they make out that he runs a large firm with several other attourneys, with him only taking the biggest cases. It's also the one where he most blatently bends the law for the sake of justice. Strangely enough, each of the 4 films he did has a completely different feel and vibe about it. And the 2 that follow (with 2 other actors) each go completely into different continuities.
I recently read that before Perry Mason, William made a long career, being very popular & successful, playing villains-- including SHYSTER lawyers! Then the Hayes Office came in and put a stop to that. When I first saw him as Perry, it crossed my mind he may have been the inspiration for "Ham" in the DOC SAVAGE series.
"The first two Pink Panther/Inspector Clouseau movies. I hope to work my way through these chronologically-one a month."
I LOVE the 1st, though the 2nd remains my favorite. Ironically, the only parts of THE PINK PANTHER that continue to bother me to this day are the 2 long, LONG bedroom scenes which were clearly added after-the-fact to PAD the movie out, once Blake Edwards realized Peter Sellers was stealing the film. I've actually gotten in the habit of fast-forwarding over those scenes lately. Also ironically, my favorite scene in the film has NOTHING to do with the story at all. It's the "music video" smack in the middle, where an intermission might have gone in earlier days. That Fran Jeffries is something else! Her vocal version of the song, insanely enough, has never appeared on the soundtrack album-- so I had to use my computer to create a "special edition" CD with the song as a bonus track.
I really wish Edwards had done at least one sequel that focused on David Niven, who was SUPPOSED to be the star of the series, before they started making the 1st film. At the very least, it's baffling to me he never got Robert Wagner to come back as the lead in a much-later sequel. He did have a terrific couple of scenes in CURSE..., another one of my favorites.
I've never seen INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU (the only one not made by Edwards) but of the 70's revival films, RETURN... is awful, and ...STRIKES AGAIN even worse!! I was by then genuinely shocked that REVENGE... turned out to be a damned good film (at least, until it totally runs out of steam in the last 20 minutes).
TRAIL... never should have been made, but CURSE... is (apart from ONE really wretchedly bad scene-- the one with Harvey Korman)-- extrememly well-written & directed. SON..., at least, was interesting.
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I happen to see a three hour run of Family Matters on the guide this morning and started watching it. I can not believe it has been over 20 years. It is like watching them again for the first time and I am loving it again. Too many shows do not hold up. I remember watching Mr. Belvedere recently and not being impressed. But Family Matters was one of the best.
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"A Shot in the Dark" is my favorite Inspector Clouseau film.
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RE: Pink Panther/Inspector Clouseau- My favorites are the first two films and are the only two I've seen more than once. My memories of Return and Strikes Again (the only two I originally saw in the theaters) are not nearly so negative as yours, Henry. It will be interesting how well they hold up when viewed again. I have the Alan Arkin Clouseau film coming up soon. My memory of that one is that it was pretty mediocre.
RE: Perry Mason- Saw these here and there on TNT and TCM years ago. Looking forward to chronologically going through the series. I understand that Erle Stanley Gardner was not happy with the 30s films and much preferred the 50s Raymond Burr series (which the Lil Missus and I started watching recently).
I first saw (and came to really enjoy) William playing sleazy characters (including lawyers -The Mouthpiece) in pre-code films prior to seeing him as Mason so I came at him from a different direction than you Henry. He's also good in some Lone Wolf and Philo Vance movies that he did after the Mason movies.
I doubt that Mason was an influence on the Ham Brooks character. Despite Monk's frequent references to Ham as a "shyster" he was pretty solid when it came to practicing law.
RE:Charlie Chan. It's a pity that those four early Warner Oland Chan movies remain lost. A Spanish language version of one of them-Charlie Chan Carries On is extant (Eran Treces). It does not star Oland but was shot on the same sets so it gives us an idea of what the Oland film would have looked like. Also Fox's earlier pre-Oland Chan film Behind the Curtain (with Boris Karloff in support) is still around.
Best
Joe
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What I meant was, the moment I saw Warren William as Perry Mason, I thought, this guy SHOULD have played Ham in a DOC SAVAGE movie! (Maybe with Buster Crabbe as Doc.)
I've got a few PHILO VANCE films (seems like every one I have is with a different actor-- come to think of it, that's about what they did), but I also have ALMOST all the Warren William LONE WOLFs. My favorite is his first, which oddly enough has a different actor playing the butler. But it's also got Ida Lupino as the daughter of a Congressman; she's madly in love with him, and he spends the entire film (foolishly?) trying to avoid the possibility of matrimony. (I REALLY liked her character in the film, so my reaction in his position probably would have been very different.)
I've also got 2 of the 3 Gerald Mohr LONE WOLFs made after the war (and after William passed away suddenly). They're okay, but it seems they changed the whole concept of the character too much between installments.
I've also got the final LONE WOLF, with Ron Randell, which strangely feels like they started with a BOSTON BLACKIE script and switched characters. Not very good.
I've never seen it, but one thing I can't figure is how later they did a LONE WOLF tv series with Louis Hayward-- instead of havng him do a SAINT tv series!
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Okay Henry, now I got ya. Yes I agree that William would have been good casting as Ham in a 1930s Doc Savage film. Crabbe sounds like a good choice for Doc or maybe another film Tarzan, Herman Brix.
Best
Joe
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I forget who it was, but somebody actually did a "fantasy" poster for a DOC SAVAGE movie with a painting of Doc very clearly based on Buster Crabbe.
I have the 2 feature film edits of THE NEW ADVENTURES OF TARZAN / TARZAN AND THE GREEN GODDESS. I originally thought the brutal, savage, murderous battle with the natives in the "lost city" was about halfway thru (since it was the climax of the 1st of the 2 features), but on reading up about it recently, it turns out that scene was from chapter 3 or so. Seems they went for broke early in the story, then, it just rambled for another 9 chapters or so. Never regained its momentum. Then again, it's hard to tell... from what i was reading, TONS of sub-plots weren't even mentioned in the 2 feature compilations.
Herman Brix was a TERRIFIC Tarzan. ERB co-produced that film himself, and Brix was the MOST authentic-to-the-books Tarzan ever seen until Sy Weintraub took over the main series from Sol Lesser in the late 50's. Physically, Brix reminds me the most of Jock Mahoney, another real favorite of mine (though it's a shame he didn't get the part a decade sooner).
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This?
http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/topic/37715#.UoGOUyjDPHg
I forget who it was, but somebody actually did a "fantasy" poster for a DOC SAVAGE movie with a painting of Doc very clearly based on Buster Crabbe.
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No, that's the first time I've seen this! I mean somebody did a painting, as a bogus movie poster. I wish I could remember who or where...
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I remember seeing a mock movie poster based on James Bama's cover for the man of Bronze with Arnold Schwarzenegger's face photo shopped onto Doc several years ago when there some some talk of doing a Doc movie with Arnold in the lead. I even had it downloaded as a screen saver for awhile.
Best
Joe
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Apparently Shane Black, director of Ironman III , has the green light for a new Doc Savage movie. In an Interview Chis Hemsworth was mentioned as a prospect.
Hemsworth can project a much more intelligent persona than his role as Thor would suggest, and he is one of very few with both the build and clean cut look.
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I haven't seen any new DOCTOR WHO since the end of season 3...
...but earlier tonight, I saw THE FIVE (-ISH) DOCTORS, with Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, and Paul McGann... with cameos by David Tennant, Janet Fielding, Matt Smith, Steven Moffatt, Russell T. Davies, Peter Jackson, Ian McKellan...
I LAUGHED MY ASS OFF all the way thru this thing!!! Davison wrote & directed it, and it's great to see he, Colin & Sylvester all have great senses of humor about themselves.
Tom Baker appears in a clip from SHADA, and, in the form of a telephone answering machine message...
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Just dialled it up and you're right. Great fun.
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The Five(ish) Doctors is a riot.
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It almost makes me want to go see THE HOBBIT so I can get some of the jokes I don't quite get. There are some jokes in this thing that I probably won't get for another twenty years, if ever.
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I laughed my ass off from start to finish. I've never liked Davison's Doctor, but I DO like Davison (especially on CAMPION), and he did great work here. It's wonderful to see so many involved have such a sense of humor about themselves.
...and Sylvester's STILL my favorite!
"Do you think you could possibly play this scene by yourself?"
"I suppose.... it might actually be an improvement."
(OUCH!) :)
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I'll have to look for this one- sounds great! I watched "Day of the Doctor" this weekend, and was totally blown away. No spoilers , but an incredible revelation and a bold new direction and mission for the series. Also saw "An Adventure in Space and Time" about the birth of the Who series on BBC. Don't know how accurate it was, but a darn fine story anyway! Watched The Mentalist/ Red John conclusion. Again, no spoilers, but a bit of a letdown. Not sure if a new direction will save the show. Cheers, Bowers
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It almost makes me want to go see THE HOBBIT so I can get some of the jokes I don't quite get. There are some jokes in this thing that I probably won't get for another twenty years, if ever.
This explains some of it
http://herocomplex.latimes.com/movies/hobbit-sylvester-mccoys-twin-loves-radagast-doctor-who/#/0
Radagast is the Brown Wizard who works mainly with forest creatures and plants.
He is Bat (blank) crazy but a good guy and very brave.
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Given all the cool theories that people had come up with about Red John over the years--it was kind of disappointing that the answer was rather more straightforward and not a complete mind-bender revelation (in fact, it was kind of obvious toward the end there, which is why I thought it had to be a red herring). Sometimes we overthink these shows.
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I enjoyed the ending for the most part. There were some super stupid scenes that took a lot away from it though. Too not spoil it for those who have not watched it, I will say breadcrumbs was pretty good.
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We haven't seen much of the last Mentalist season and we both thought it was all becoming just a bit too emotional and heavy.
There has been a 3 part series on BBC about the cold war. The first 2 were excellent and Dominic Sandbrook is a good presenter. If you can access this outside the U.K. try this link but I think this show is good enough to travel to N. America.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03j5grr/episodes/guide
I've also been watching the recently found episodes of Dr. Who The Web of Fear and it is as good as I remember it, having been lucky enough to see it first time around. My cable co. have also had a pile of Doctor Who, both classic and new, available. Watched Sylvester in Remembrance the last 2 evenings.
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Some sets and collections recently watched-
The Wire Season 2 (2002) Still a fine example of the police procedural. On the gritty side. Definitely for adults with language and sexual situations.
The Baron: The Complete Series (1966-1967) The only thing that came back to me when watching this one season British color series was the theme music. The show starred American Steve Forrester and was an attempt by ITC to repeat their success with The Saint. It didn't work at the time although I found the series to be a respectable example of the genre rewatcing it today.
Zorro Season 1 (1957-1958) I first watched this series when it was in syndicated reruns in the early 1960s. It, along with concurrent reruns of The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Superman, were what introduced me to the concept of superheroes and masked mystery men. Re-watching it five decades later I still find it to be a wonderful swashbuckler series. Guy Williams is great in the dual role of Don Diego/Zorro. There's also lots of light humor along with the action especially the banter between Henry Calvin (Sgt Garcia) and Don Diamond (Cpl Reyes). Extras included a documentary about the show where I learned that the show would have continued beyond two seasons except Disney couldn't get ABC to commit to doing the show in color. Also included are two of the hour long episodes of Zorro done for Walt Disney Presents after the regular show had ended (using scripts that were prepared for the aborted season three).
Perry Mason Season 1 Volume 1 (1957-1958) It seems like a number of series are getting packaged this way where a season is divided into two sets so the manufacturer can make more bucks from us consumers. They've done this with the entire run of Perry Mason. I used to watch this show in daily rerun syndication regularly as a kid but it's been years since I've seen more then the occasional odd episode. I'd forgotten how crafty Perry could be and how much location shooting they did (at least in these early episodes).
Dr Who-"The Dalek Invasion of Earth" (1964), "The Time Meddler" (1965) & "The Mind Robber" (1968). Well I finished up the last of the William Hartnell episodes they had at my local library- a couple of good story-lines including one with the Daleks. When moving onto the Troughton years I discovered that the library only had one set for this period beyond the one I had watched earlier ("The War Games"). One interesting fact learned about "The Mind Robber" story was that the actor playing Jamie was temporarily replaced in the middle of the storyline because he came down with Chicken Pox and the shooting could not be delayed so the writers quickly came up with a way that a completely different actor could play the role until he recovered and could return to work. Now onto the Pertwee years.
Best
Joe
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The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933)
by Fritz Lang
I'd heard of the character of Mabuse, and had seen Lang's "Metropolis" and "M", and this is the first time I've seen this.
It clocked in (on TCM) around 3 hours, but didn't seem it. It flows quite nicely and the Inspector Lohman character is awesome. Mabuse is a real supervillain.
Blackmail (1929)
by Alfred Hitchcock
This was pretty cool, the first several minutes telling the story without requiring dialogue, although sound was apparently forced on Hitchcock at the last minute.
Except for a minor asynchrony at the beginning, I had no clue that lead actress Anny Ondra's dialogue was dubbed by another actress from off camera - cool.
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Yesterday I watched REMEMBER THE NIGHT on my computer. I was watching it on dailymotion and the sound goes out of synchronization pretty quick into the movie. What I do in these situations is I open two windows and use one window for the sound, while I watch the movie in full screen on the other window. Sometimes I can get the sound in synch, but in this case I had to keep adjusting throughout the movie and never could get the sound totally in synch.
I had heard about this movie earlier in the day, on the radio, from a movie critic who was listing some overlooked Christmas gems from the past. REMEMBER THE NIGHT stars Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck and it came out in early 1940, four years before MacMurray and Stanwyck made DOUBLE INDEMNITY. It's interesting to contrast and compare their characters in those two movies.
It's a rather understated Christmas movie with a screenplay by the great Preston Sturges. It didn't make me cry like some Christmas movies and specials, but it did make me think.
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Ran across a little known Christmas film.
William S Burroughs' " the Junky's Christmas".
A rather disturbing mix of dark live action and stop motion animation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6kHN92Yv48
Haven't tried watching it yet, just fast forwarded to sample it.
Looks like it is a well done art film, and from comments it has an uplifting message.
Not sure I want to watch it till Christmas is over.
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Has anyone else watched Axe Cop and High School USA? Axe Cop is based on the comic. It was originally written by a 5 year old. Totally random in a five year old way. Crazy stuff that can be a lot of fun. High School USA is an Archie parody with characters that look like they belong in Archie comics.
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Insidious (2010) and
Insidious Chapter 2 (2013)
OK. These were not great movies, maybe a cool X-Files episode, which is not a bad thing.
Towards the end of the first one, it didn't seem out of place for the Phantom Stranger to show up and help guide Josh on the astral-plain.
Anyway, I enjoyed them.
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We watched the 3 part, "Death Comes to Pemberley" at the weekend. A tv version of the PD James novel which is a sort of continuation of Pride and Prejudice, with a murder thrown in. Very good indeed, although it could have made 3 x 50 min. episodes as opposed to 3 x 1 hour episodes with a little judicious trimming. Beautifully set, lit and acted. Watch out for it.
There was a festive Midsomer Murders at Christmas and while not the most cerebral detective show, it was a good, easy watch. Neil Dudgeon is quite acceptable as the DCI.
And no-one seems to have mentioned the Christmas Day Doctor Who. I don't want to say much in case I spoil it for the rest of you. The last 10 minutes were the most watched of any programme on British t.v. Really well done, funny, sad, exciting, moving with a bit of a manic madman right at the end. Jenna Coleman played a major character in Death Comes to Pemberley
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I commented on facebook but not here. I thought the last Doctor Who episode was one of the worst. It was pretty dumb IMHO.
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Not sure how much to say re. Doctor Who as many of you might not have seen it yet. I, unlike narfstar, and unusually, enjoyed it. Something that does not often happen with these specials.
However, we watched the new Sherlock last night and were mesmerised. It got a huge audience, confused lots of viewers, left some BIG questions hanging and was thoroughly, if frustratingly, entertaining. Impressive filming, lighting and setting. Better leave plot discussions till more of you own up to having seen it.
There is a new series starting soon on BBC. THE MUSKETEERS. This could be good, with new Doctor Peter Capaldi as Cardinal Richelieu (with a Scottish accent? Here's hoping, as the Musketeers don't seem to have a vestige of a French accent)
Any chance of some of you getting on here to have a chat about the Doctor and Sherlock???
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Sherlock was brilliant IMHO. Just saying.
RB @ Work
Personal Aside - How's the movies going Paw?
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So much to watch - so little time. Movies, is it? Up to my ears in cross dressing, wheelchair bound Fu Manchu. And Killing is a seriously good bad guy. As for the other Turkish Superheroes, they're starting to melt into one another. but it's fun listening out for soundtrack music pinched from mainstream franchises. Found another Bond rip-off in the last one. Keep going, got to keep going.
And don't you think Martin Freeman is the best Watson?
Phantom, Phantom, Phantom.
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I'm glad that this is a supportive, non-judgmental environment where you feel comfortable telling us this.
;)
Up to my ears in cross dressing...
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Ooooopps. Talk about revealing statements. Along the linesof Charlton Lee's Dick (Turpin), which I only noticed today. Gone now thanks to thestuff about giant toy submarines.
If I could just point out, officer, the films came from mr_goldenage. Well, that's my excuse.
Is this all a bit surreal, or what? :-[
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Well I am the culprit here. I sent Paw a bunch of Turkish superhero movies (plus some non Turk super hero ones as well) and one of them had a villian -Fu Manchu - who was a transvesite/crossdresser who sat in a wheelchair (and didn't really need to) who had a henchman who used a glove like weapon (which resembled a kitchen mitt) type gun and a bunch of beauties (nasty ones at that!) who fought our brave hero. So if Paw sounded a bit off here it isn't his fault,and if a bit confused about all these black clad super hero types (yes they do tend to blend all together after a while), and also, to top it all off I sent him some Phantom type movies to just confuse him more.....James Batman indeed! Robin where are you!
RB @ Work
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I ignored another Sherlock but it looks like I gotta check it out now.
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I just watched the Thanksgiving episode of Brooklyn nine nine. I do not care for the star Adam Sandberg's character but the off the wall humor is brilliant.
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My wife and I have been watching PEOPLE ARE FUNNY on Hulu. It has become one of our favorite shows. The prizes they gave and how elaborate they went to pull of tricks was amazing. It is free to watch without Hulu Plus
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People are Funny was a truly amazing TV experience. Probably the most popular program of its day.
Some Japanese TV series seem to have been influenced by People are Funny, though usually a bit cruel.
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Excuse my going back to Sherlock, please, but I think this from The Guardian newspaper will interest some of you. Spoilers, so be careful.
http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2014/jan/02/sherlock-holmes-10-ways-could-have-survived-fall
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Watched the first episode of Sherlock and agree it is really good and I am hooked.
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PBS isn't going to make us wait this year. New season of "Sherlock" starts Jan. 19th! Cheers, Bowers
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bowers,
you should really enjoy Sherlock but I'm sure that Death Comes to Pemberley will be right up your street. Apart from a stellar British cast, the story and production values are excellent. Watch out for it.
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I blasted through both seasons of SHERLOCK in about a day, more than a year ago. It's been a long wait for the next season. Hopefully I'll get to see it before someone spoils it for me (as some British folks are wont to do).
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There's an online channel where I get most of my TV shows (British and American). I've been checking there to see if the new SHERLOCK was available yet--and I had a happy surprise today. So now I have seen it--and the shoe is on the other foot, as I have to keep mum so I don't give away spoilers.
One spoiler-free observation. The chyron words on SHERLOCK are so small on my screen that I have to go close up to the screen to read them and even then they're hard to make out. I don't have a big huge computer screen, but it's not tiny either. I feel like these days they make TV shows for people who have large high def screens that take up half of their living room.
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Ha-ha, now you know how it feels guarding all that spoiler info.
Just to show off, we bought a new Sony t.v. a few months ago and the difference from our old set is amazing. All h.d. now. Those really big sets are too big for our small living room - we just couldn't get far enough away to take in all the screen. So, for example Sherlock, we can read the on-screen words.
These new tellies have usb ports so you can watch from a stick or external drive. And they are wireless enabled meaning I can view youtube direct from the t.v. set. If I can talk Linda into letting me buy a good soundbar, I can watch The Pirates or Dr. Feelgood and turn the vol. right up without ruining the built in speakers.
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Feature filsm watched the last couple of months-
Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), This is the End (2013), Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012), Inspector Clouseau (1968), Meet Dr. Christian (1939), Too Many Suspects (1975), Safety Not Guaranteed (2012), The Man From Planet X (1951), End of Watch (2012), An Adventure in Space and Time (2013), The Courageous Dr. Christian (1940), Mud (2013), Gravity (2013), The Time Travelers (1964), Undiscovered Tomb (2002), Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941), Scoop (2006), King Kong Vs. Godzilla (1964), Dr. Christian Meets the Women (1940), The Assailant (Besouro) (2009), Super (2011), The 3 Worlds of Gullivar (1960), The Case of the Curious Bride (1935), The California Trail (1933), Gold Diggers of 1937 (1936), Remedy for Riches (1940), Thunder in the Pines (1948), The Four Skulls of Jonathan Drake (1959), The Killer that Stalked New York (1950), Don't Bet on Women (1931), The Great Gatsby (2013), Melody for Three (1940), Pacific Rim (2013), Jungle Goddess (1948), Christmas in Connecticut (1945), Silver Lings Playbook (2012), They Meet Again (1941), The Stranger Wore a Gun (1953), Arthur Christmas (2011), Bad For Each Other (1953), Man of Steel (2013), Les Miserables (2012), The Iceman (2012), Two of a Kind (1951), Scrooge (1951), The Glass Wall (1953), Secret Service of the Air (1939), The Masque of the Red Death (1964), Francis Goes to the Races (1951), Marley and Me (2008), 42 (2013), Dick Tracy (1990), Charlie Chan in London (1934), Elysium (2013), The Skull (1965), The Man Who Could Cheat Death (1959), Women's Prison (1955), The Return of the Pink Panther (1975), Madhouse (1974), The Deadly Bees (1967), Night Editor (1946), Francis Goes to West Point (1952), Black Godfather (1974), The Bandits of Sherwood Forest (1946).
A nice mixture of older and newer films- including the six Dr. Christian films starring Jean Hersholt (this was my follow up series to my Saturday morning John Wayne Monogram-Lone Star western watching. And following up the Dr. Christian films a couple of Francis the Talking Mule films (with one more in the cache to go). The second Warner Bros' Perry Mason film, an early Warner Oland, Charlie Chan film, two George Reeves/Ralph Byrd B movies, the first of Warner Bros' Brass Bancroft movies. the next two Inspector Clouseau/Pink Panther movies, the pilot movie for the Ellery Queen 1970s TV series and the first of several Robin Hood films that the Lil Missus and I plan on watching. Plus a good number of vintage noir, horror, sci-fi and fantasy films as well as some holiday films.
Best
Joe
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Yes, it's called the 21st Century - I highly recommend it. ;-)
Seriously, once you switch, you cannot go back. "Standard definition" - I spit just mentioning it.
General rule of thumb - the diagonal of the screen should be less than twice the sitting distance.
I feel like these days they make TV shows for people who have large high def screens ...
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There are many times in any given week when I have cause to regret living in the 21st century. I'm always thinking of ways I might escape from it.
I think my TV screen is high definition, but I haven't used it in a couple of years, since everything went to digital and I don't have a digital box--it's only good for watching DVDs now, but I mostly watch those on my computer. My desktop screen is about the same size as my TV screen, but it might not be high defintion--I should consider buying a new computer screen (or a whole new computer), but I don't think I'd want a screen that was much bigger.
A couple of my sibings have large screen TVs and whenever I visit them, it's an off-putting feeling. The size of the TV is just too big for the room. It's like being in a scene from FAHRENHEIT 451. I expect the firemen will burst in at any moment and conviscate the books I have in my backpack.
I have nothing against movies that are made for theatrical release--but movies made for television ought to be different. And I wonder about the people on the bus who are always watching shows on their smartphones.
Ideally, it would be nice to have the option of seeing these TV shows in an actual movie theatre--but I guess there are all kinds of reasons why that can't happen.
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I loved the Doctor Christian movies
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"I wonder about the people on the bus who are always watching shows on their smartphones."
It's the most IDIOTIC thing I can imagine!
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My 1st-ever H.G. Wells marathon continues tonight. My TCM copy of THE TIME MACHINE has-- maddenningly-- gone missing, and so far refuses to turn up. Since I still don't have a copy of THE FIRST MEN IN THE MOON, that means tonight's film is THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU from Samuel Z. Arkoff. American International (or whatever this is) and Hammer weren't that much different. They tended to have GREAT casts, miniscule budgets, and borderline scripts. This one's actually much better than I remember it. Best way to describe it is "different", the most far afield from the book (I have a book-on-tape, so I know). But I've gotten so much into watching multiple versions of stories in recent years, I'm probably enjoying this more than I did when I taped it (back in the 80s, I think).
What a cast-- BURT LANCASTER as the most "intelligent"-seeming version of Moreau; Nigel Davenport as "Montgomery", the mercenary who's his sidekick; Michael York as Braddock, the main character; Richard Basehart as "the speaker of the law"; and Barbara Carerra as the mystery girl who may or may not be more or less than she seems. This version-- inexplicably-- NEVER makes it clear!
While parts of the film seem "dumbed down", other parts seem more intelligent than the other 2 versions combined-- particularly, any time Lancaster & York on onscreen together.
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Death in Paradise is back on our screens and what a shocker of a 1st. episode. Almost impossible to give any idea of it without major spoilers. Suffice to say we thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Thanks for the heads -up Paw. "Death in Paradise" was one of my favorite shows. Completely enjoyed the first two seasons and am really looking forward to the third. About the only new(er) Brit mysteries our local PBS is now showing are "Father Brown" and some newer (but still several years old) episodes of "Midsomer Murders". "Father Brown" isn't great, but it is good. Also lots of "Foyle's War" reruns. Heard there may be a new season of "The Bletchley Circle" in the future. Saw a very good episode of "Nova" this week about the Zeppelin raids on Britain during WW1. Particularly interesting were the explanations as to why it was so difficult to shoot them down, even using both explosive and incendiary bullets. Also showed the highly unusual materials (yuck!) and methods used to construct the interior gas bags. Ready for "Sherlock" this Sunday! Cheers, Bowers
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Tonight's movie (and I use that word loosely)...
EMPIRE OF THE ANTS (1977)
How's this for an "auteur"? WRITER! PRODUCER! DIRECTOR! And Director of SPECIAL EFFECTS!
What's the problem? It's not Stanley Kubruck, folks. It's "Mr. BIG"... Bert I. Gordon! He's teamed with the infamous Samuel Z. Arkoff (AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL) to do a film that is tackier than anything Roger Corman was ever responsible for, and in many ways, far worse than anything from the old days, because this one's from THE 70's!!
It's got 2 STAR TREK alumni in it-- Robert Lansing and Joan Collins ("ASSIGNMENT EARTH" and "THE CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER") plus a LOST IN SPACE alumni, Albert Salmi ("THE SKY PIRATE" and "PLANET OF THE LOST TREASURE"). It's got some of the WORST writing, WORST directing and WORST acting I've ever seen.
Let me put it this way... earlier today, I was watching a SLASHER movie from the late 70's.. and it had MORE style and better writing & directing than this thing.
One of the dumbest bits on the whole film-- a group of tourists run headlong thru the jungle to escape death. Abruptly-- for no damn reason-- an elderly couple stop, and change direction. "Let's go THIS way!" Within 5 minutes, THEY'RE TOAST.
Anyone who thinks the later non-Corman POE films from A.I.P. were bad, believe me, those things have nothing on this ALLEGED "H.G. Wells" film.
I just realized there was one more person in this film I recognized-- but halfway thru the film, I didn't remember who she was-- Jacqueline Scott, who, on THE FUGITIVE, played Richard Kimble's sister!
Joan Collins is AWFUL in this thing! Her character's a real cranky B****, a few minutes running the the jungle and she looks horrible, and even HER acting is terrible. "I don't care what the rest of you are doing, I'M going THIS way!" 5 seconds later, she stops dead in front of some ants, and starts screaming.
While they were in the jungle, it hit me, this is like JURASSIC PARK (or maybe J.P. 2 or 3) only with NO budget.
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I have not seen the movie probably since it came out. I need to watch it again for some bad goodness.
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THE COLLECTION (2012)
http://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-collection-v562636 (http://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-collection-v562636)
Apparently a sequel, caught this on Netflix. It's simple, over-the-top, etc. etc. -- and I frickin' loved it. If you've ever been watching a horror movie and just wished someone would kill this doucebag (i.e. the serial killer) already, this may be for you.
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I believe I watched the first movie The Collector
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There was a British movie of the 1960's titled "the Collector", about a young weirdo that kidnapped and imprisoned young women. A very disturbing film.
He apparently was not intent on killing or even harming the women, but they ended up dead just the same. I think one died of pneumonia.
He had collections of butterflies and such, just collecting specimens of whatever he found beautiful or of interest.
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Yeah, based on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Collector
Seems like an influential work in that regard.
I enjoyed The Collection, because whenever the movie had something going on and I wished "why doesn't someday do X?" - they did.
There was a British movie of the 1960's titled "the Collector", about a young weirdo that kidnapped and imprisoned young women. A very disturbing film.
He apparently was not intent on killing or even harming the women, but they ended up dead just the same. I think one died of pneumonia.
He had collections of butterflies and such, just collecting specimens of whatever he found beautiful or of interest.
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As a change of pace from watching U.S. and U.K. television shows, I just finished watching a filmed theatrical production of ELISABETH--which is purportedly the most successful (modern) German-language musical [I think THE MAGIC FLUTE is probably the most successful German-language classical musical]. In fact, ELISABETH has been performed continuously in Japan since 1996. A Viennese musical, it was written in 1992 for das Theater an der Wien.
It's a rather dark musical, although it resembles other musicals of the '80s and '90s. Some parts of this performance annoyed me. It's the story of Empress Elisabeth and a lot of the story is told through a narrator in the person of her assassin. The man who killed Sisi is not worth even naming--he was like a lot of modern assassins who just want to be famous for killing someone famous--and it turns my stomach that this creep gets a starring role when he has no good reason to be the star of anything.
But the show stopping number is "Ich geh
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I just watched S II. I had forgotten how silly it was. Yes it was great fun but not to be taken seriously at all.
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Yesterday I finished watching ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. I watched the entire run--the first three seasons and then the Netflix season.
I really loved this series when it originally aired and still have a warm spot in my heart for it. Back then, I felt like the third season was much weaker than the first two. One of the things I didn't like was the whole little Britain story. It's a cute idea and there are some funny bits (the Poppins), but it didn't really work for me--and Charlize Theron does nothing with the part she's given--it's just a nothing sub-plot that goes nowhere.
But the beauty of ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT was that every episode had lots of different plots being advanced with different characters. Even if one part was dull, there were all these other parts that could provide laughs.
That's the problem with the Netflix season. I understand what they were going for--and even admire it--but some episodes really needed the relief of a GOB or a Tobias or a Buster. Because each episode is so overloaded with one character, you tend to get bored with them. And it's just not funny. The unfunniness actually worked with GOB's episodes, but even with Tobias the unfunny reality of the situation nearly took me out of the show.
For this season, they had to film different parts with different actors to work around schedules. But even so, since the whole thing was filmed before it aired, they could easily have edited together scenes, so all the primary characters appeared in each episode.
Some actors had to carry too much of the story. And there's only so much Liza Minnelli or Jeffrey Tambor or Ron Howard that I can take. Jessica Walter had to carry a lot of the plot sometimes--whereas her character was always good in small doses--but this season did show off how talented she really is (and that she still has a good pair of legs).
The character that probably suffered the most was Michael. In the original series, he was always the guy we identified with. He had his failings, but they were never as apparent when contrasted with the failings of his other family members. But in this season, he often comes across as very unsympathetic--which might have been a deliberate choice, but it doesn't give us anybody to root for. Actually, GOB and Tobias were the most sympathetic characters this season.
For some reason, after watching the Netflix season I was put in mind of the Monkees' HEAD. Both are interesting experiments which win points for being very brave, but at the same time I feel very sad for the actors who were let down by the producers that often wasted their talent for no good outcome.
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Recent series and collections watched-
Dexter Season 7 (2012)- the dynamics of the show change dramatically this season. Not necessarily for the better IMHO.
Return to the Planet of the Apes (1975)- this one was one of the last Saturday morning cartoon shows I can remember following in the 1970s. A fairly decent addition to the Apes canon. Artistically well designed (by Doug Wildey) with some scripts using already estaclished characters and concepts from the film series but hurt by the very limited animation executed by the Depatie-Freling Studio (best known for their Pink Panther cartoons).
Adventure Time Season 1 (2010)- a very wack (and fun) recent animated series.
Love That Bob- 4 episodes (1955-59)- Bob Cummings was an underrated actor. He's quite good in such dramas as Alfred Hitchcock's Saboteur (1942) and Dial "M" for Murder (1954) or the Studio One version of "Twelve Angry Men" (1954) but is based remembered for the several comedy TV series he did in the 1950s and 60s. This series (aka The Bob Cummings Show) was the most successful and featured Bob as a skirt chasing fashion photographer.
Topper- 4 episodes (1953-55)- This was a CBS show sticking to what was established in the popular fantasy movie series of the 1930s and 40s (which was based on the Thorne Smith novel). Leo G. Carrol (The Man from UNCLE) plays Topper in a fine befuddled way and is well supported by Robert Sterling and Anne Jeffreys as the ghosts of George and Marion Kerby.
Carnivale Season 1- (2003)- a strange but intriguing series about a carnival traveling around America during the Great Depression.
Person to Person: American Icons- A popular 1950s interview show that was hosted by the legendary newscaster Edward R. Murrow. Each interview is done by Murrow from his New York studio while the subject is in his own home (often with various family members). It must have been quite technically advanced for its time. Each interview runs a little under 15 minutes. Interviewees on this collection are Art Linkletter, Eleanor Roosevelt, Esther Williams, Andy Griffith, Dick Clark, John and Jackie Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, Danny Thomas, Norman Rockwell, Billy Graham and Oscar Hammerstein.
Best
Joe
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I remember watching THE BOB CUMMINGS SHOW as a kid, but it must have been in syndication as I wasn't even alive for most of the time when it was originally broadcast. Ann B. Davis appeared as the popular character, Schultzy. There was also Nancy Kulp as Pamela Livingstone.
Back then both of these women would have freely been described as homely. And for some reason it was funny that they were so desperate to land a man. Being a kid, I understood that this was supposed to be funny, but I didn't understand why. Still don't really.
I also remember watching TOPPER as a kid--again it had to be in syndication, since I was born well after it went off the air. But to me these shows were all new.
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I watched Bob Cummings in MY LIVING DOLL. A show thought all destroyed but now it is on Hulu. I latter saw Bob in late night oldies of his show
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I watched Bob Cummings in MY LIVING DOLL. A show thought all destroyed but now it is on Hulu. I latter saw Bob in late night oldies of his show
Here's a thread at Nitrateville which explains why more episodes haven't been forthcoming.
http://www.nitrateville.com/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14710
It sounds like the gentleman that was putting this together was a bit bullying in his ways and put off a lot of the very people who could have helped him.
Best
Joe
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Something else I've been watching a lot lately is Helene Fischer in concert. About a month ago, I started watching Helene Fischer videos on the internet purely as a lark, but I quickly was seduced by her amazing performances. She sings in clear German (not dialect) so it's a bit easier for me to follow her songs. She also sings a lot in English (and her English is flawless), plus Russian (she was born in Siberia) and other languages on occasion (such as Italian). If she had been born in America, I think she would now be one of the world's biggest superstars--in any event, she's really big in Europe. She puts so much work into every performance--I've noticed that she seems to have no fear of heights as she's often suspended high above the stage. And she really sings.
The thing is I'd like to get some of her DVDs (of which there are many), but all of them are imports and not coded for North America. Even if I could play them on my computer (and I might have to invest in an external Blu Ray drive for my computer), my real desire is to show them to my parents or lend them to other family members--and I doubt their DVD players would play those discs.
It's ridiculous this whole regional system. So far I've had mostly good luck with the imports I've bought, but when I'm in Europe I always have to worry that the DVDs I buy there won't play when I get home. And if I want to buy DVDs here and send them to friends in Europe, I'm never sure if they will play there.
And these DVDs aren't cheap--so it's a big risk to buy something that won't actually play.
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You are bang on. It is a stupid system and we have the same problem sending stuff to your continent. We got round it by buying a multi region machine a few years ago, to supplement our standard player/recorder. Nowadays, Sony, for istance, do a tiny multi region, blu ray player for a fraction of the price of my old one. We are thinking of buying one.
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Not sure about the current generation of DVD players but I have unlocked one before now ... it's (or was) just a software thing. Looked up model on line, a couple of seemingly random button presses and it was playing everything :)
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Sometimes if I fuss with technology enough I can get it to work for me. Sometimes--not always. For example i wanted to get pictures from my phone to my computer, but with my plan it didn't work, so I invested in all kinds of technology just to get pictures from my phone onto my computer and every work around I tried still didn't work--so I just don't use my phone for taking pictures .
But again the problem is giving a DVD to someone else--and they can't play it on their system. This is bad enough with my parents--even I can't figure out how their DVD player works and the danger is you fuss with it until you've totally scrambled their settings. It's even worse sending DVDs overseas to someone else.
Still, if I find a reasonable deal on some import DVDs, I might buy those. I think that, with the right external drive, they could work. There are supposed to be some external drives that will play anything, regardless of origin. However, it's just as possible that I put my money into more technology and it still doesn't do the job, as with my phone.
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You can find multi regional DVD players on EBay relatively cheap these days, I just bought 2 for $58.00 US free shipping and I think they were the Phillips brand and they work fine. Try one.
RB @ Work
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When I last watched this, and swore I'd never watch it again, I meant it. I've watched a pile of WHO stories since then, and had a blast picking and choosing which ones in sometimes-random order.
But last night, "TIMELASH" joined the ranks of the very FEW stories of the series I deliberately pulled out to watch totally out of sequence, all on its own. IN GOD'S NAME, WHY??? --you ask? Well... I've been watching my 1st-ever "H.G. Wells" marathon. "THE ISLAND OF LOST SOULS", "THE INVISIBLE MAN", THINGS TO COME", WAR OF THE WORLDS", etc. My copy of "THE TIME MACHINE" (with Rod Taylor) has annoyingly gone missing, but last week I watched "TIME AFTER TIME" with Malcolm McDowell.
And in a fit of inspired insanity, I decided it might-- might-- be fun to watch this next.
MY MISTAKE. This remains, in my mind, the SINGLE WORST story in this show's history. And it has to go a long way to beat "WARRIORS OF THE DEEP". I mean, when every single aspect of the story, every bit of casting, every bit of production design, every single line of dialogue, and every moment of directing and acting are all so unbelievably, unbearably AWFUL on every possible level... you're left wondering, HOW did such a piece of S*** like this ever get made???
I tell you! It takes a SPECIAL piece of CRAP to make 2 Bert I.Gordon turkeys-- "THE FOOD OF THE GODS" and "EMPIRE OF THE ANTS"-- look like masterpieces BY COMPARISON.
Next Friday: WHO does "WOTW". Of course-- "INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D."
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Three unrelated items I wanted to mention:
I did buy an external blu ray drive yesterday. However, while I have no problem using it to play regular DVDs on either my Mac or my PC, I have yet to get it to play any blu ray discs. I'm not sure where the problem lies, but I might need to load some more software onto my PC and Mac. The 21st century bites.
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I just watched an interesting documentary from 1991 on youtube--listed as THE STRANGE STORY OF JOE MEEK (it originally aired on the BBC on a documentary program called ARENA). It's a disconcerting story--with curious interviews and old footage.
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Just heard that Sid Caesar passed away. Last year, I was watching bits and pieces of YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS and CAESAR'S HOUR--whatever i could find on the internet (being broadcast live, a lot of Caesar's classic work is probably lost to the ages).
Many of Carl Reiner's experiences in doing those shows with Caesar went into THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW (and the show within that show--THE ALAN BRADY SHOW).
Just to mention one of the bits that they did, here's THE CLOCK, featuring Caesar, Reiner, Howard Morris and Imogene Coca [I think there was a similar skit performed on TDVDS].
http://youtu.be/T0SG4YhiuYU
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Re. Joe Meek. Apart from all the stuff shown on the t.v. prog. there was some great, memorable music. Have you heard this one?:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRIgpdNZEvA
One of my favourites at the time and still is. Nearly every local band played this (or tried to) - incl. me when I was the chanter in a band in the '6o's and I don't think we were very good at it!- in numerous church halls and local clubs.
And I'm sure you know this one and not only for his film career:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e4JXwd7XMo
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My brother knows these songs better than I, as he was the target teen demographic buying all these 45s every week. He was always very much into the guitar bands like the Shadows and the Ventures and the Tornados.
But the Joe Meek song that I remember best was "Have I the Right to Hold You." Which, of course, my brother had on a single--which we played to death. It's interesting that the stomping beat on the record was probably not anything to do with the band and all Joe Meek. I liked these kind of stomping beat songs when i was a kid as I could stomp on the floor to the beat (so long as we played the records in the basement--if we did that upstairs, my father would have a fit).
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"Have I the Right to Hold You." That was The Honeycombs and the drummer was a lady called Honey Langtree and I remember at the time, she was considered to make a lot of noise. Not subtle but she could pound out the beat. So I suppose Meek just had to tweak it a bit. I loved guitar bands, particularly The Ventures, and still have and listen to their original British 45 singles.
If you loved stomping along with the beat, you must have had fun with The Dave Clark Five. Mike Smith had a stomp board, at least that was what the music press at the time reported.
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Oh yes the Dave Clark Five were the best for stomping. I remember when the Beatles started to get good word of mouth in these parts (late '63) that my brother maintained, while the Beatles were good, the Dave Clark Five were better.
And while everyone with 20/20 hindsight thinks that Decca went wrong by going with the Tremeloes over the Beatles--lately listining to the Tremeloes, I think they must have been the best live four piece band in England. If you were having a dance, you'd want the Tremeoes to be the band. All four members seemed equally talented, they could all sing and play, and there's a great vibe between them that you see on videos from back in the day.
That's not to knock the Beatles, who were pretty good in their own write.
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The Tremeloes started out as the backing band to Brian Poole and were one of piles of groups from that British pop explosion. Only my opinion but I think they were better after Poole left to pursue a solo career (unsuccessfully). But I have to disagree somewhat in that I prefer The Beatles, if only for the sheer size and diversity of their music. But, then again, back then I was a Rolling Stones fan more than a Beatles fan.
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Well the Beatles are my favourite band under the sun, so let there be no mistake about that. But what I meant was at the time that both the Beatles and the Tremeloes audtioned for Decca--on January 1 '62--I think they were about even. The Tremeloes maybe were a little more polished, while the Beatles were still rough around the edges (and Pete Best would have been their drummer at the time).
But I guess the Tremeloes were still fronted by Brian Poole, so maybe that's why they passed the audition--even though I think they were a better band after Poole left. Of course, the Beatles also briefly were a backing band for Tony Sheridan.
The Tremeloes mostly did covers--most of the bands didn't record their own songs at that time. Decca and the other record companies probably wanted groups that would record the songs they gave them. They had an assembly line approach to producing records--the band was just one cog in that process. So they probably wanted a band that they could control, who would record the songs and then get out of the way on the production and merchandising end.
While the Tremeloes stuck with what they were good at as a four piece cover band doing great live performances--the Beatles continued to evolve, writing their own songs, polishing their image, using new and innovative recording techniques in the studio.
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A few collections recently watched-
Dragnet (1951-1959) 30 episodes- I consider the absence of a complete run collection of the 1950s Dragnet to be one of the major omissions among available classic television. This show and its concurrent radio counterpart (1949-1957) had an influence on just about every police procedural show that followed in its wake. It also spawned three feature films and three television revivals series.
While there's over 300 episodes of the radio show (many of which were also adapted into the TV show) out there (on such places as the OTRR Library and the Internet Archive) that you can check out the same can not be said regarding availability of the TV Show.
Fortunately some of the episodes have fallen into the public domain and have popped up on DVDs from dealers who specialize in PD films. These thirty episodes (of 276 broadcast) give one a pretty fair idea of the show but I'd sure like to see more.
Weeds Season 2 (2006)- Everybody's favorite dope selling Mom returns along with her dysfunctional family and friends for another go-round of raunchy humor.
Mr Peepers (1952-1953)- This was one of those legends from the Golden Age of Television that I heard about but never saw more than short clips of for many years. Since it had been shot live I wondered if much even survived of it. Well fortunately kineosopes of a number of episodes were kept by some of the shows' producers and have been preserved by UCLA (from what I've read 102 out of a total of 127 episodes survive). This DVD collection (the first of two) contains 26 episodes from the early months of the show (it ran until 1955). The show stars Wally Cox as mild-mannered school teacher Robinson J. Peepers and is a fine example of early television sitcoms. Tony Randall, Jack Warden and Marion Lorne are among those who appear in supporting roles.
Best
Joe
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My current weekly serials.
Dick Tracy Returns-1938-Republic- Previously viewed back in the 90s. Looking very nice this go-round on DVD. Solid action as Tracy takes on Pa Stark (Charles Middleton- best known as Ming the Merciless in the Flash Gordon serials) and his sons (a variation on the real life Ma Barker and her criminal sons). Still taking liberties with the strip elements as Tracy continues as a G-Man and most of the supporting characters from the strip remain absent.
Brick Bradford-1947-Columbia- Not bad but nowhere near the budget of such earlier sci-fi/comic strips serials such as Buck Rogers or the Flash Gordon trilogy. Not sure how it compares to the comic strip as I've never read any. Brick always seemed a distant third in popularity behind Flash and Buck.
Masters of Venus-1962-CFF- My first example of a British serial. Rather low-budget but fairly enjoyable so far.
Zombies of the Stratosphere-1952-Republic- Another one that I last viewed about two decades ago. Now, though, I'm really noticing just how much footage is culled from earlier Republic serials (answer: a lot!).
Best
Joe
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First episode of Mr. Peepers is on Youtube. I watched the Val Kilmer Batman Forever. Tommy Lee as Two Face was terrible the character was not well written. I am not a Jim Carry fan but think he fit the Riddler character very well. This Batman movie was most like watching a comic book.
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Joe, Masters of Venus is low budget and I'm glad you're enjoying it. I thought it was good entertainment. Not sure if we have had this conversation before but, if MoV is entertaining you, you might want to try Pathfinders in Space, another early Britsh childrens s.f. serial. And very low budgetagain. Some of it is well thought out, there is a good sneaky bad guy and, if you don't pay too much attention to some of the "effects", it sort of works. But the real big one to try is the excellent Timeslip set of 4 six part serials, all connected. Time travel and s.f. It was a bit of a cult in its time and still stands up well. There are some excerpts on youtube
m.youtube.com/results?q=timeslip%20tv%20serial&sm=
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Watching "Our Man Flint", with "In Like Flint" next up then "The President's Analyst".
In Our Man Flint scientists intent on ending war and pollution are trying to take over the world by inducing Global Warming. Makes you go Hmmm ;D
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Watching "Our Man Flint", with "In Like Flint" next up then "The President's Analyst".
In Our Man Flint scientists intent on ending war and pollution are trying to take over the world by inducing Global Warming. Makes you go Hmmm ;D
Haven't seen those since they came out, but I still remember some scene in one of them of a huge "boulder" bouncing off someone fleeing up a passage as a volcano explodes. Styrofoam effects gone wrong. (|:{>
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Watching "Our Man Flint", with "In Like Flint" next up then "The President's Analyst".
In Our Man Flint scientists intent on ending war and pollution are trying to take over the world by inducing Global Warming. Makes you go Hmmm ;D
Haven't seen those since they came out, but I still remember some scene in one of them of a huge "boulder" bouncing off someone fleeing up a passage as a volcano explodes. Styrofoam effects gone wrong. (|:{>
Too many bikini and teddy clad "pleasure units" running around for me to take much notice of the special effects.
Better quality effects were available even back then, but unlike the Bond films and some others the Flint films were parodies that didn't take themselves too seriously.
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I haven't thought of the Flint films in years, though I enjoyed them (especially the first) when they came out. I liked that they didn't take themselves seriously...I remember a bit in which Flint leads a planeful of Russian (?) passengers in a rousing patriotic song, complete with on-screen bouncing-ball lyric, before bailing out of the plane. I am remembering that right, I hope.
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I'll replay it to be sure but I think they were Cubans though there were plenty of Russian troops in Cuba at the time.
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For those of you who follow some of the British shows, I can report that the current series of Death in Paradise has been good fun and Kris Marshall has fitted in well. Only 1 more episode to go. BBC started a new, short (3 episode) series of Jonathan Creek and the first episode, last night, was highly entertaining - odd, funny, a bit sad on one occasion and some nutty characters. A couple of good mysteries, which neede Jonathan to figure out. Oddly, 2 of the male characters seemed to be trying to be the next David Tennant.
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Joe, Masters of Venus is low budget and I'm glad you're enjoying it. I thought it was good entertainment. Not sure if we have had this conversation before but, if MoV is entertaining you, you might want to try Pathfinders in Space, another early Britsh childrens s.f. serial. And very low budgetagain. Some of it is well thought out, there is a good sneaky bad guy and, if you don't pay too much attention to some of the "effects", it sort of works. But the real big one to try is the excellent Timeslip set of 4 six part serials, all connected. Time travel and s.f. It was a bit of a cult in its time and still stands up well. There are some excerpts on youtube
m.youtube.com/results?q=timeslip%20tv%20serial&sm=
Paw, Thanks for the suggestions. I already have a couple more British serials in the cache to be watched (The Adventures of Dusty Bates-1947 and Five on Treasure Island-1957) but will keep my open for these as well.
Best
Joe
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Watching "Our Man Flint", with "In Like Flint" next up then "The President's Analyst".
In Our Man Flint scientists intent on ending war and pollution are trying to take over the world by inducing Global Warming. Makes you go Hmmm ;D
Rewatched these three a couple of years ago and followed them up last year with the four Matt Helm films starring Dean Martin. All very tongue-in-cheek and mostly a good deal of fun.
Best
Joe
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Got me with that one, Joe. Dusty Bates has an amazing cast. Not only Anthony Newley but Bernard Lee, Wally Patch and Ronald shiner, who was a very famous comic actor here. In fact, one of our favourite old films is Dry Rot starring Shiner, also starring Sid James and Brian Rix. We can act it but it still makes us laugh. Thanks for mentioning Dusty Bates.
I saw the ad last night for a new, short series of "Shetland", coming soon. Stars Dougie Henshall (Primeval) as a detective and set in Shetland. Based on stories by Anne Cleeves who wrote the Vera stories which were on t.v. recently. Last series was good and we're looking forward to it.
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Feature films watched the last couple of months-
We're the Millers-2013, Trog-1969, Young Adult-2011, The Snake Woman-1961, The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent-1957, One Girl's Confession-1953, Francis Covers the Big Town-1952, Caged-1949, Over-Exposed-1956, Come on Danger-1932, His Picture in the Papers-1916, The Wild World of Batwoman-1966, The Big Cube-1968, The Three Stooges Meet Hercules-1962, A Perfect Getaway-(unrated)-2009, The Sandlot-1993, Fear No More-1961, The Girl in the Case-1944, The Longest Yard-1974, Rockin' in the Rockies-1945, The Seventh Commandment-1961, Eight Men Out-1988, The Butler-2013, Flashing Steeds-1925, Turbo-2013, Have Rocket Will Travel-1959, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2-2013, The Number 23-2007, My Best Friend is a Vampire-1988, Thunderbirds-1942, J. Edgar-2011, Oblivion-2013, Dreaming Out Loud-1940, Red Haired Alibi-1932, Hoosiers-1986, Stand Up and Cheer!-1934, The Pink Panther Strikes Again-1976, Code of the Secret Service-1939, Monsters University-2013, Superman II (Richard Donner version)-2006, A Bashful Bachelor-1942, Baby Take a Bow-1934, White House Down-2013, The Heat-2013, The Case of the Lucky Legs-1935, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters-2013, The Wolverine-2013, ...And Now the Screaming Starts-1973, Bright Eyes-1934, Teenage Cavemen-1958, Two Weeks to Live-1943, The Way Way Back-2013, In a World...-2013, Charlie Chan in Egypt-1935, So This is Washington-1943, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning-2006, Battle of Broadway-1938, Mr. Popper's Penguins-2011, Cassandra's Dream-2007, Until Death-2006, and Cafe Elektric-1927.
More Pink Panther/Clouseau, Perry Mason, Charlie Chan and Brass Bancroft. Finished up my Saturday morning Francis the Talking Mule run and followed it up with a trio of Three Stooges features and then the first four Lum and Abner movies.
One strange thing occurred during this batch of films too. I had started watching some early Shirley Temple films and part way through the third one came the news that she had passed away. Weird.
Other than that it's my usual diverse mix-old and new, drama, comedy, mystery, action/adventure, western, war, noir, silent, thriller, musical, exploitation, horror, fantasy and sci-fi films.
Best
Joe
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Just to add some thing made in this millennium ...
Breaking Bad; Ripper Street; Community.
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Aw c'mon now, about 30% of the feature films I recently watched were 21st century films.
I also usually find myself following about a dozen or so current series at any one time these days. Some of the series I'm watching these days are Almost Human, Bones, The Blacklist, Revolution, Arrow, The Tomorrow People, Being Human, Agents of SHIELD, Criminal Minds, Elementary, Grimm, Ripper Street, Vikings and The Walking Dead.
I just like films from all periods and like to mix 'em up.
Best
Joe
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Just kidding.
On a related note - what do you consider an "old" movie. Some people use "old" to refer to stuff that's only 20-30 years old, which doesn't seem that old. "Old" movie to me is like ... 60+ years.
Aw c'mon now, about 30% of the feature films I recently watched were 21st century films.
I also usually find myself following about a dozen or so current series at any one time these days. Some of the series I'm watching these days are Almost Human, Bones, The Blacklist, Revolution, Arrow, The Tomorrow People, Being Human, Agents of SHIELD, Criminal Minds, Elementary, Grimm, Ripper Street, Vikings and The Walking Dead.
I just like films from all periods and like to mix 'em up.
Best
Joe
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Let's see, watched REBECCA again. After DARK MANSIONS, I knew I would. Too many parallels, especially the part where the one woman tricks the other one into wearing the dress for the party that will remind the guy of his DEAD wife. Hadn't even realized, Joan Fontaine played the "matriarch" in the Aaron Spelling thing, and the young bride in the Hitchcock film decades earlier. No coincidence.
Watched THE UNINVITED again. This, I think, finally marks the last uncalled-for epilogue for my Dan Curtis marathon. I'm convinced the bit about Josette going over the cliff comes from this film (that also figures in DARK MANSIONS), plus, there's the woman psychiatrist who runs her own hospital, and is VERY creepy-- just like Julia Hoffman. It's fun to compare things like this, to see what influenced what else and where.
Finished the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE revival. Also, all 6 seasons of WKRP (again!). Closing in on the end of DARIA (again!!!!!). And plowed thru all 8 CAMPION stories (for the 3rd time-- I think).
Just started on the 3rd season of THE A-TEAM. They got rid of Marla Heasley ("Tawnia"), and replaced Lance Legault ("Decker") with a new maniac played by Charles Napier. Stepfanie Kramer was in the same episode. She must have done this just before being cast as the 2nd lead in HUNTER. I almost forgot how really beautiful she is.
Also getting to the 3rd season of HUNTER. I'm missing quite a few 1st & 2nd season eps, unfortunately. He sure went thru a lot of "Captains" before Charles Hallahan came onboard. The show slowly evolved from "stupid but fun" to "professional"-- but TV GUIDE never let them forget they were "From the creators of THE A-TEAM!!!", which apparently realy burned up Fred Dryer in the long run.
6 episodes into SPACE PRECINCT again --3rd time I've seen these, at least. My favorite Gerry Anderson show, it's by a mile the BEST-written and acted and produced thing he EVER did.
Also, 3 episodes into THE OUTER LIMITS. I've decided to watch this as my new Friday night marathon-- one per week. Easier to tolerate, I think. I love the show, but it's not the most fun thing in the world. Works better for me in small segments.
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"Star Cops" is more realistic, better special effects, and had far more interesting stories. I wish the series had lasted longer.
The opening scenes of the first ep "an instinct for murder" were a bit of a shock compared to its contemporaries.
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Just kidding.
On a related note - what do you consider an "old" movie. Some people use "old" to refer to stuff that's only 20-30 years old, which doesn't seem that old. "Old" movie to me is like ... 60+ years.
Oh I guess "old" for me would be around 50 years+ or so at this point but I've run into young people that consider stuff barely a decade old as "old." Sometimes I guess it depends on how old you are as to what constitutes "old."
Best
Joe
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Ever notice how great the music is in modern cop movies?
In the 70's most cop films had back ground music better suited to lower grade porno movies.
I figure "Crime Story" really broke the mold and made great music a necessity for cop films.
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I don't know about that. I find current movies have heavy handed scores that intrude on the movie experience and attempt to manipulate the audience, creating a greater sense of drama than what is actually on the screen. Whereas, a lof of '70s movies that I remember had stripped-down scores--sometimes just a modern jazz score. Of course, cheaper movies did get by on using synthesized music, instead of hiring an actual group of musicians--but one has to remember that many movies didn't have huge budgets and had to make due with less.
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I just watched one of the dumbest episodes of SHIELD.
SPOILERS
To save one agent you kill two and blow up a top secret facility that has some irreplaceable tech. I do not like sacrificing reasonable for action.
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Jimmm Kelly:
"Of course, cheaper movies did get by on using synthesized music, instead of hiring an actual group of musicians"
I think you mean "production" or "library" music.
The 2nd & 3rd seasons of the SPIDER-MAN cartoon (1968-70), the ones produced by Ralph Bakshi and which had Gray morrow doing the storyboards, used a TON of mucis from the KPM & Capitol libraries. GREAT stuff. I suspect if I found myself directing a movie, I'd go for that, instead of either lifeliess modern composers, or "pop" songs that had nothing to do with the scenes (which, as you rightly said, are there to "manipulate" the audience-- to me, they're a cheap-shot short-cut, especially when used in ads or promos... "You LOVE the song-- you'll love THIS!").
https://www1.playkpmmusic.com/pages/category_search/browse.cfm?libraryId=6
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Oh, I forgot SHERLOCK Season 3 - best Best Man speech ever. sob.
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I did some film studies and film making courses when I was at university in the '80s and I also had friends who were making their own movies. From that experience I know that some film productions used music recordings from the Soviet Union to avoid paying royalities. But I also remember that there were guys who had synthesizer machines and they would offer to create your movie soundtrack using their machine--where they could replicate the sound of a full orchestra (or so they said). And if you listen to some movie soundtracks, you can hear that some are entirely constructed from a synthesizer mimicking the sounds of horns and strings.
I rewatched all of the SHERLOCK series last weekend. It's hard to talk about the show, since I never know where people are in watching it and I wouldn't want to give away spoilers. I was wearing my critics hat the first time I watched the 3rd series (I'm going to use the British jargon, since it's a British show), but having watched that series again, I can safely say it was the most satisfying yet.
The episodes I enjoyed most, the second time around from series 1 and 2 were The Great Game and A Scandal in Belgravia. The whole of series 3 hangs together as a complete story and shows everyone working at the top of their game (I could always do with more Lestrade, however).
Unfortunately, even after watching it a second time, I still can't get into The Hounds of Baskerville. It has some nice little moments that don't have much to do with the story--but as a story it leaves me cold.
And this is true of most adaptations I've seen for THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES. And yet because it's the only long form story of Sherlock Holmes by Conan Doyle, it's the one that seems to get adapted most often. I think it's the horror story aspect of the tale that I don't like--it doesn't feel like a real Holmesian story.
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As I understand it, there's 4 Sherlock Holmes novels-- A STUDY IN SCARLET, THE SIGN OF FOUR, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, and THE VALLEY OF FEAR. None of them are typical Holmes stories by any mean, as far as structure goes.
Something very odd I noticed awhile back, is that SCARLET and VALLEY are almost mirror images of each other. Like FOUR, they include long, long passages that are flashbacks to events of years ago in another country. In one, people are chasing after a villain to bring him to justice at whatever the cost, in the other, villains are chasing after an undercover police officer who helped destroy their gang.
Of course, FOUR also involves revenge, but in that case, it's one of the criminals going after the other criminal who betrayed all the others.
Can you say, "variations on a theme"? This can make it confusing, I bet, for some people to remember which story was which.
HOUND has other things involved. Doyle was sick to death of Holmes, and so killed him off in THE FINAL PROBLEM. But the public wanted more. His publisher insisted he do more. So he did HOUND... the entire story, one long flashback to a point before Holmes got killed! And why is Holmes missing from most of the story? Because Doyle was STILL sick to death of him, and wanted to do an entire story where he could focus, instead, on Watson-- who, after all, was much more like Doyle himself!
I find it amusing to look at these things this way... :)
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Original Holmes = 56 short stories and 4 novels
jimm - I have the same problem (not knowing where people are in the viewing). I accidentally read a spoiler for the LAST episode of Season 3! Ugh!!
Hopefully, they will tone down the spoken affection in favor of hinting at it ("show, don't tell").
Hound works as a mystery, as there is no supernatural element, only characters thinking something is supernatural. But its probably adapted most because the other novels are a lots-o-flashbacks. The Peter Cushing TV series versions of "the Sign of Four" and "Study in Scarlet" basically cut out of the flashback elements and just covered the gist in dialogue.
I'm still waiting for an adaptation of "The Adventure of the Lion's Mane" ...
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My mistake about the other three novels. I just assumed they were shorter--but my book, THE COMPLETE SHERLOCK HOLMES TREASURY, is not so complete. It includes HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES which is set off in its own section of the book, but it does not include A STUDY IN SCARLET, THE SIGN OF FOUR and THE VALLEY OF FEAR. I'm not sure why those weren't included in my volume--were they published in THE STRAND? My books purports to print facsimiles of the STRAND stories.
I've read some of the contents of my book over the years (I bough it in 1976), but I've never read it from cover to cover. Maybe I'll set myself the challenge of reading the stories that interconnect with SHERLOCK.
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Not sure about the one you have, but I have one that only includes the stories illustrated by Sidney Paget:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Original-Illustrated-Sherlock-Holmes/dp/0890090572/ref=pd_cp_b_3
Which is awesome, but not COMPLETE. Paget illustrated the Strand stories. A Study in Scarlet appeared (first Holmes story) in Beeton's Christmas Annual (1887) before Paget was hired. Valley of Fear was in the Strand, but must not have been illustrated by Paget.
As some Amazon reviewers said, it's a great volume to have - very light for the size, etc.
My only complete Holmes is some slightly mildewed copy I picked up in a used bookstore, and my Kindle edition.
My mistake about the other three novels. I just assumed they were shorter--but my book, THE COMPLETE SHERLOCK HOLMES TREASURY, is not so complete. It includes HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES which is set off in its own section of the book, but it does not include A STUDY IN SCARLET, THE SIGN OF FOUR and THE VALLEY OF FEAR. I'm not sure why those weren't included in my volume--were they published in THE STRAND? My books purports to print facsimiles of the STRAND stories.
I've read some of the contents of my book over the years (I bough it in 1976), but I've never read it from cover to cover. Maybe I'll set myself the challenge of reading the stories that interconnect with SHERLOCK.
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Yes, mine has the Paget illustrations, too, so it's probably an earlier edition of that. Except that it has a fake red leather bound cover. Very nice looking, I bought it at Cole's along with THE ARABIAN NIGHTS, in the same format. They look very nice--which is why I bought them. And they were cheap (less than ten dollars for both, I think) and have held up quite well over the years.
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Some time back, I discovered that about half of the 1968 Peter Cushing TV series was avaialble on DVD. It's been on my "git" list ever since... but as I'm having trouble just paying my car insurance from month to month, it's still on hold.
I understand the other half of his series-- and possibly ALL of the 1965 Douglas Wilmer series-- were WIPED by the BBC. Bureaucratic idiots.
I've read either 1 or 2 different comics versions of SCARLET. THE VALLEY OF FEAR, I have with Arthur Wontner, and, as a book-on-tape narrated by Christopher Lee!! He does all the voices, and if you didn't know, you'd never guess they were all him.
I have 3 film versions of FOUR-- Ian Richardson (my favorite), Jeremy Brett, and Charlton Heston. Each is vastly different in presentation from the others. Brett apparently follows the book, but I don't judge adaptations solely on that score anymore. His opens with Holmes investigating the crme, and you have the long flashback explaining everything at the end. The Charlton Heston version actually starts with the flashback, and eventually leads up to the murder that starts the book, only to have the climax veer off in a different direction as they change the identity of the killer. The Richardson version starts with the murder, then brings Holmes in to investigate. One reviewer at the IMDB complained that the audience already knew what Holmes was figuring out, but the way the film was done, somehow, that never bothered me.
There's something about Brett's HOUND and FOUR which makes me rank them near the bottom of his entire run. Both were done right after his wife's death and his nervous breakdown, so his health had taken a serious hit. But that's not the real problem. After 2 entire seasons of sheer brillaince, those 2 double-length films suffered frm some of the WORST directing in the entire series. We're talking straight-out-of-film school amateur hour here-- or at least, that's what they felt like. The rest of that season was far, far better.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherlock_Holmes_(1965_TV_series)
Only a couple Wilmer episodes are missing. There's a DVD set of them:
http://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Classic-Starring-Douglas/dp/B003NF97NA/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1394318190&sr=1-2&keywords=wilmer+sherlock+holmes
There are 6 surviving Cushing episodes:
http://www.amazon.com/Sherlock-Holmes-Collection-Peter-Cushing/dp/B001TE6P78/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1394318190&sr=1-1&keywords=wilmer+sherlock+holmes
Wilmer, by the way, is still alive (aged 94). He played a small role as an irate member of the Diogenes Club in the SHERLOCK episode, "The Reichenbach Fall". His Watson, Nigel Stock, was the eccentric scientist in YOUNG SHERLOCK HOLMES. Cool.
Some time back, I discovered that about half of the 1968 Peter Cushing TV series was avaialble on DVD. It's been on my "git" list ever since... but as I'm having trouble just paying my car insurance from month to month, it's still on hold.
I understand the other half of his series-- and possibly ALL of the 1965 Douglas Wilmer series-- were WIPED by the BBC. Bureaucratic idiots.
...
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The obvious man making the dog growls annoys me. Or is that the CREEPING MAN episode. Either way - how hard is it to tape a dog barking? Was it a union problem?
There's something about Brett's HOUND and FOUR which makes me rank them near the bottom of his entire run.
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Ahhhhh, so much to look for (once I'm working steady again).
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There are 4 versions of HOUND that I really love, and more than once have watched back-to-back as a set...
Basil Rathbone (1939)
Peter Cushing (1959)
Tom Baker (1982)
Ian Richardson (1983)
Rathbone is probably the best "movie" overall. baker is by far the most "authentic", and only suffers from low budget, cheap videotape, and being 2 hours instead of 2-1/2 or 3. Richardson has the biggest budget, the most lavish production, a fantastic cast... but also is more of a remake of Rathboone than true to the book. Plus, it "dumbs down" some of the dialogue for American audiences.
Of these, Cushing is furthest from the book... but, like HORROR OF DRACULA, it doesn't matter! It's a BLAST to watch!!
I really wish the Brett version was better, but it gets worse each time I watch it.
On the other hand, the one you want to AVOID at all costs is the one with Peter Cook.
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My Doubleday edition of "the complete Sherlock Holmes" appears to haveall the stories and novels but none of the illustrations.
I may have another Holmes collection with at least some of the illustrations from the Strand.
I have a copy of "Without a Clue", its insanely funny. Micheal Caine is at his comic best in that one as the down on his luck souse of an actor that Dr Watson hires to play the part of the great consulting detective because no one ever listens to Watson who is the real brains behind the duo's sucess.
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Just watched the first disc of the Jeremy Brett Sherlock Holmes series -- on BLURAY!! It's some Spanish set (with English as a language option). Apparently its been released in Japan, Spain, and ... someplace else. But not the UK. Or US. Or Canada.
But I got it as an import.
Not that I watch the show for how it looks, but holy cow - it looks awesome, especially as compared to the DVDs.
Also watched the surviving Peter Cushing Holmes episodes. I liked them, not great, not bad. Cushing's Holmes is a bit too affable for my taste. It was interesting how they gave Watson some of Holmes' lines, like in the Blue Carbuncle, it had Watson giving some insight into the hat's owner. The Brett series did the same on occasion.
Fun. Next up - the Wilmer series?
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I just had to pass this on...
CRAZY-- but true: About a year ago, I found myself watching 2 different SHERLOCK HOLMES tv series at the SAME time. I was alternating between them, every other episode.
Jeremy Brett-- and Ronald Howard.
And here's the crazy part. I was ENJOYING Ronald Howard MUCH MORE!!! :)
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Let me just add to that... many years back, I remember thinking, I could really believe that the Ron Ely TARZAN and the Jock Mahoney TARZAN were the SAME guy-- I mean, the same VERSION of the same guy-- except, Mahoney was older. (Never mind he did his earlier.)
Well, recently, I got the SAME feeling about the Ronald Howard SHERLOCK HOLMES-- that he could easily be the SAME version-- as Ian Richardson. Except, Richardson is when he got older. Both have the same irrepressible sense of FUN about what they do.
"Wait a minute-- I KNOW that song...?"
"Well it DOES sound better on the violin..."
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I've read that Ron Ely got so into the Tarzan role that he thought he could do anything Tarzan could do.
When on location a wild leopard strolled into camp and Elfy tackled it.
If not for the camp cook beating the leopard with a cast iron skillet Ely would have been killed.
True or not I couldn't say.
I enjoy the Ronald Howard Sherlock Holmes TV series eps. Have a few of the DVD collections of these.
Brett is a bit more drawn into Holmes darkside.
The Howard eps had a bit of humour to them, much like the Rathbone movies.
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Ronald Howard also has the benefit of having one of the best-ever Dr. Watsons, in the form of Howard Marion Crawford. In the 60's, he played Dr. Petrie in all 5 Chris Lee FU MANCHU movies.
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Shetland has started it's 2nd. series on BBC. Three 2 parters make up this series. Dougie Henshall as D.I. Perez is well cast and, in this first story, Brian cox simply steals the show. He's not acting, he's being. The other great star is Shetland itself. The photography is excellent and the slowness of the islands, the weather, the remoteness are personalities in their own right. Story's not bad either.
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I have one tape of STAR COPS. To my tastes, it's UNWATCHABLE. It's so DULL, and FLAT, and DREARY. But that's me.
But this made me realize something, and I think it's a perfect comparison...
STAR COPS is like something by Denny O'Neil.
SPACE PRECINCT is like something by JACK KIRBY.
I've noticed over the years several very definite clues that Gerry Anderson (or someone very closely tied to him) was a Jack Kirby fan.
1 - On CAPTAIN SCARLET AND THE MYSTERONS, Spectrum's "Cloud Base" was similar to SHIELD's "Heli-Carrier"
2 - On UFO, the organization was "S.H.A.D.O." -- Supreme Headquarters Alien Defense Organization
3 - On TERRAHAWKS, "Dr. Tiger Ninestein" was one of 9 clones. When one would get KILLED (which happened in the 3rd episode, never mind that it was run out of sequence, dead last), his already-recorded memories would be uploaded into one of the others, and he would be "reborn"-- just like CAPTAIN VICTORY.
The sense of sheer wonder, excitement, imagination and joy I get watching every single episode of this show, SPACE PRECINCT does rather remind me of reading a Kirby book. From the moment it debuted here, it was DISSED by sci-fi fans, mistreated by the local TV stations running it, and cancelled after only one season. Yet I love every frame of every episode of this thing-- which is something I can't even say about STAR TREK!
Among other things, ALL of the main characters are likable people, and even the most bizarre-looking aliens seem more "alive" and "human" than the HUMAN characters on ST: TNG. And they make better and more imaginative use of sci-fi concepts... and do so without beating you over the head with endless "techno-babble" explanations.
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I must have missed Space Precinct. Need to try an episode or 2.
The Terrahawks thing you mention is very familiar, (again, I have never seen it) but not from Kirby. Way before Cap. Victory,
No Man did the same trick in his own title and Thunder Agents.
I have been re watching some Star Trek and other Trek series recently and in a STNG episode the other night, it became so obvious that the only one who could act was Patrick Stewart. Tasha Yar was so wooden and in conversation with Ryker, it was almost embarrassing. Fortunately, this show improved a bit as time went on, imo.
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A good friend of mine in Wales is a huge Anderson fan. He knows so much about several of his shows inside and out, far more than I do. He also feels that FIREBALL XL5 was his best-written show, and STINGRAY the last well-written one. I tend to agree... I even figured out exactly why THUNDERBIRDS wasn't as good as it should have been (and I love that show). But my friend, oddly enough, has never seen TERRAHAWKS or SPACE PRECINCT, both of which had some of the best writing I've ever seen in an Anderson show. It got frustrating because I couldn't even make copies of my tapes to send him, due to the difference in broadcast systems between the US and UK.
I came to the conclusion that Gerry & Sylvia getting DIVORCED must have had a really big effect on Gerry, as sometime after, the writing on his shows began to focus more on characters & less on technology.
Wasn't NOMAN an android or robotic body? CV was a set of clones (apparently kept in cold storage). What made Tiger Ninestein even more perverse was, apparently, his clones each were out in the world living their own lives, until one was needed, and then, they'd step into the machine, and effecively BECOME someone else-- more or less.
TERRAHAWKS was run very much out of sequence in the UK, and even worse in the US. I know that Tiger got killed in the 3rd episode, but apparently, in the UK, someone thought that was too disturbing, and held it back to run 39th (out of 39).
I owe it to Captain Audio for bringing up STAR COPS. It never occured to me before to compare the style and tone of those shows, and the O'Neil / Kirby comparison just jumped out at me. It would be hard to find 2 comics writers with more different attitudes in their work.
I suppose that means it's not really fair to try to compare the 2 shows on any kind of levels of quality. They're simply aimed at 2 completely different audiences (they just both happen to be sci-fi cop shows).
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No Man was Anthony Dunn who cheated death by transferring his mind into a synthetic body, stronger and more durable than a human one. As a Thunder Agent, in " mortal" danger, he can transfer his mind into another robotic body. There are a number of these.
I highly recommend all the Thunder Agent, No Man and Dynamo comics by Tower. They are excellent.
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PBS finally came through for us this month! Not only a new series of "Doc Martin", but also a second season of "Father Brown Mysteries", and a third season of "Death in Paradise". The episodes of Doc have been hilarious- well worth the wait. New season of Father Brown is a bit more fast-paced, with a new DCI. Haven't seen Death yet, but I've been warned it will be a shocker! Also, newer "Midsomer Murders" with Neil Dudgeon replacing John Nettles. Next month we should be getting the third season of "Call the Midwife". PBS has been very good to us so far this year, starting with a dynamite "Sherlock", and now all these goodies. Cheers, Bowers
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I'M GONNA GIT YOU SUCKA
ANIMAL HOUSE
It totally slipped my mind until some minutes into the 2nd one that John Vernon was in both of these.
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I'm wrapping up Season 4 of BREAKING BAD on Netflix, pretty sweet.
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Just started watching "UFO" the TV series.
I can barely remember this series from when it first appeared in the 70's.
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Ah, so you don't remember the female cast? You could be in for a treat.
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Ah, so you don't remember the female cast? You could be in for a treat.
Don't think I ever saw a full episode before now, I worked the night shift back then and seldom watched TV.
No lie about the space vixens in this series, and the costuming did little to hide their assets.
I also noticed the camera man liked to linger on the shapely bottoms as they walked away.
I kept expecting Austin Powers to show up saying "oh Bee-Hay-vah".
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The last few days...
I'M GONNA GIT YOU SUCKA!
ANIMAL HOUSE
1941
"That-- is the CRAZIEST son of a bitch I ever saw!"
--Gen. Stillwell (Robert Stack)
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New TV series I've seen the first two episodes of "the 100".
In the future the remnants of the human race are housed on a huge space station composed of 25 space stations linked together.
Every thing aboard is totalitarian life boat rules, with all infractions even the most minor punished by death.
They clean out death row by sending 100 juvenile deliquents to earth to find out if it can now support human life after 97 years of radioactive desolation and nuclear winter.
It only takes about six hours for these young people to go Lord of the Flies. Also unfortunately for them there are survivors on earth but apparently no longer exactly human.
This sort of survival of a limited number with no back up has been a plot tried numerous times in the past.
You can find a few earlier attempts at making a TV series along these lines during the 70's, and of course the more recent "Lost" used the same basic situations.
Heres a Pilot of one such attempt from 1969, "the New People".
Written by Rod Serling, dated but worth watching.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyv8fiCPpuM
In this case the young people are stranded by an airliner crash on an isolated nuclear test range with buildings and various vehicles and supplies left there after the testing. So its much as if they were survivors of a nuclear war.
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Thanks for the link I am watching it. I liked it on first run. I have the comics.
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Just finished watching the 1982 movie of THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL, starring Anthony Andrews as Sir Percy Blakeney, Jane Seymour as Lady Blakeney and Ian McKellen as Chauvelin.
What an absolutely, brilliant perfect movie. I almost feel robbed that I never got the chance to see this in a movie theatre.
All three actors are wonderful in their roles, but this is a tour de force performance by Anthony Andrews. Simply amazing.
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Thanks for the link I am watching it. I liked it on first run. I have the comics.
Cool, I'd never heard of the New People comic.
Information on the comic and a few scanned pages here
http://www.tvobscurities.com/exhibits/new_people_comic_books/
A series picking up from the old one, with descendents of the survivors still on the island like the people found on Pitcrain island might work on today's market.
Perhaps a few of the original characters still living, trying to guide the development of the island population.
It would be a bit like the situation in "The Earth Abides" which itself would be a fantastic series.
The isolated survivors plot was very well used in the 60's and 70's. "the World the Flesh and the Devil" being a real masterpiece. "the Last Woman on Earth" was probably Rodger Corman's best film, at least of those with a serious story to tell.
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Jimm, you couldn't be more right about Andrew's portrayal of the Pimpernel. I have several versions, and this is the best! Just picked up a disc of the early 50's TV series. Saw it as a very young child and can just vaguely remember the opening sequence- a dropping guillotine and Marius Goring reciting "They seek him here, they seek him there...". Cheers, Bowers
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I was going to try and find the Richard. E. Grant SCARLET PIMPERNEL next, but I think I should hold off on that for a few weeks. To be fair to both the Andrews and the Grant performances, I don't want to be watching one while the memory of the other is so clear in my mind.
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The Grant episodes are also very good- I taped them all many years ago. Grant is not my favorite actor, but he does do a very fine Pimpernel. A bit snider and somewhat more egotistical than Andrews, but it works. All episodes are well written with a bit of humor and fine production values. Martin Shaw is also a great Chauvelin. A series worth watching. Cheers, Bowers
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We enjoyed the Grant Pimpernel stories also but it was a while ago and the details are a bit hazy now.
Don't think anyone has mentioned the 1950's t.v. series, with Marius goring. There's some info here:-
http://www.scarletpimpernel.com/goring.html
As you can see, the t.v. version was based on the American radio show. Amazon have the audio version available:-
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Return-Scarlet-Pimpernel-Starring/dp/185998195X
Here's the dvd:-
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/280-8556232-2260533?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=scarlet%20pimpernel%20marius%20goring
I mentioned the new series of Shetland a couple of weeks ago and this week we watched the 1st. part of the 2nd. 2 parter - if you see what I mean. Excellent, but I wonder how many N. Americans will cope with some of the accents, if it ever gets shown over there. Dougie Henshall is very good as the D.I. and the supporting parts seem to me to have been well cast. Well worth looking out for. This isn't Midsomer or Glasgow or Dixon of Dock Green. The place is almost as important as the rest of it.
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Been watching some 60's UK sci fi horror back to back.
"The Vulture"
"The Projected Man"
"The Island of Terror"
All three involve experiments gone horribly wrong.
"The Vulture" reminds me of lower grade40's-50's Horror comic stories, not very logical, the dialogue stilted.
"The Projected Man" is well filmed, acting reasonable, story a bit depressing.
"Island of Terror" has the saving grace of a fine workmanlike performance by Peter Cushing. A rather large cast and rather gruesome monsters. Creature effects are minimalistic, not great but okay.
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Captain, I'm a big fan of Island of Terror and not only for Cushing. This film features Edward Judd and I'm a bit of a fan of his stuff also. One of my favourites is the British b&w s.f. film, Invasion. Really slow, as if reflecting the increasing heat. Certainly not a classic but most enjoyable.
Those swan sort of monsters are really scary, imo and there is a fair bit of tension built up. Now I fancy digging out the dvd and giving it another watch. Ta.
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Shetland has finished it's 6 week run and the great news is that it has been given another series. Highly recommended.
Don't know if the clips will play outside the U.K. but here's the link:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01s711r/clips
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Just ordered that Russian Sherlock Holmes series on DVD. It therefore will become available on Blu-Ray. ;-0
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Some shows and collections recently watched-
Deadwood Season 1 (2004) and Hell on Wheels Season 2 (2012) A couple of very gritty western series. So unlike westerns of my youth but probably more true to life.
Two's Company Series 1 & 2 (1976-77) A Britcom which I had somehow always missed until now. Great chemistry between the "bickering" leads.
Man with a Camera- Complete Series (1958-60)- A Charles Bronson show in which he plays photographer Mike Kovac who always manages to get caught up in one adventure after another.
Dr Who- "The Sea Devils" (1972), "The Time Monster" (1972) "Inferno" (1970) and "Spearhead from Space" (1970). Really getting into the Pertwee years and the library has a very good sampling of them (as opposed to the darn few collections of Troughton story arcs they have). Lots of neat extras on the sets , as usual, including a good documentary about the move to color in the early 1970s.
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Man with a Camera was a good show and I found some episodes on the internet. Still entertaining.
I've been watching an episode a night of the recovered Troughton classic, Web of Fear, which is free on our cable supplier.
Just as good as I remember.
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Yesterday, I watched a program on HAMLET hosted by David Tennant. This includes many scenes from movies and TV of actors playing Hamlet, as well as Tennant talking to a few actors who have played Hamlet. It was quite a good piece. In it, there are also a few scenes of Tennant playing Hamlet. I've never seen this version of the play--I wonder if others have.
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I finally found an episode of "Shetland" on the net from season 2- "Raven Black". This one was really great-thanks for the heads-up, Paw! Henshall is perfect as Jimmy Perez and it's always good to see Julie Graham. Excellent photography sets off ,as IMDB puts it, "a hauntingly beautiful landscape." Hope to see some more. Also found several episodes of "Jonathan Creek" I'm really enjoying. PBS gave us only about six episodes from season 1 or 2 many years ago, and I've since worn out my VHS tapes rewatching them. The new "Death in Paradise" is great, but I do miss Ben Miller. Also finished the new season of "Doc Martin"- just keeps getting better! This year's "Bletchly Circle" featured two two-part episodes- first one very good, the second just so-so, and neither as riveting as the first season. PBS also is bringing us a spy trilogy with Bill Nighy as Johnny Worricker- looks like it might be good. Cheers, Bowers
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And just when you thought you had caught them all, another Celtic Noir appears. This time it's Hinterland and is set on the west coast of Wales in and around Aberystwyth and is in 2 languages - English and Welsh with subtitles. It's a series of 4 x 90 minute stories with complicated, deep, strong storylines and makes for good viewing.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03sgfbz
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Feature films watched the last couple of months-
Changeling (2008), Three Word Brand (1921), The Beast Must Die (1974), The Help (2011), Spies of Warsaw (2013), The Gatekeepers (2012), Room Service (1938), Dallas Buyers Club (2013), The Case of the Velvet Claws (1936), Hotel Transylvania (2012), At the Circus (1939), Amour (2012), Go West (1940), Dragonball: Evolution (2009), The Sapphires (2012), Ruby Sparks (2012), Last Vegas (2013), The Big Store (1941), Torture Garden (1967), The Last Stand (2012), One Night in the Tropics (1940), The Conjuring (2013), Red Blood (1926), American Hustle (2013), Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978), Buck Privates (1941), All is Lost (2013), The Uninvited (1944), Ace of Cactus Range (1924), Nebraska (2013), In the Navy (1941), Daughter of the Night (1920), Jobs (2013), Hold That Ghost (1941), Point Blank (1967), Jack Reacher (2012), Charlie Chan in Paris (1935), and The World's End (2013).
Another Perry Mason movie (Warren William's last appearance as the lawyer, IIRC), another Pink Panter (the last done while Sellers was alive), the third Brass Bancroft quickie, a couple of Amicus horrors, a few silents (mostly westerns), four later Marx Bros comedies for my Saturday morning movies followed by the first four Abbott and Costello films. All mixed in with a good number of more recent films (most courtesy of my local library).
Best
Joe
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Watching the Eurovision 2014 performances on youtube. For some reason this past week, the comments section below the youtube view screen just continues to load and never shows anything--so I can't check the results there. But from other sources I know who won.
I was pulling for Norway and Spain in the finals--because both had real singers, performing totally live and showing their range. Ruth Lorenzo really sang the hell out of her song--making up for what was otherwise a kind of generic tune for Eurovision. Carl Espen, singing for Norway, is like a cross between Freddie Mercury and Meatloaf.
Early on I was hoping that Latvia would make it into the finals (with their song about baking a cake)--but those eclectic type of songs rarely get into the finals. In a way I guess not winning Eurovision is a sign that a song and a performer are probably too good.
It did send a message, by who did win. I won't say, just in case someone doesn't want the result spoled. I just thought the vocals and the song were nothing special. But the symbolism is important, I guess.
Take that Vlad!
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This movie starts and ends with making everyone laugh. I do not really
like going to the movies. I prefer to watch a movie on TV while I am
also engaged on the laptop. I normally fidget when watching a movie in
the theater waiting for it to end. Not the case with Mom's Night Out.
It kept me so busy laughing out loud that I was enjoying every minute
of it. There were times when it was hard to hear because the whole
audience was laughing so loud. It is a fantastic family movie and one
everyone can enjoy. It has no foul language or sex scenes to worry
about. Those are never really needed except to appeal to the immature.
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This is just getting crazy. I'm watching THE BIG SLEEP (1978) for the 2nd time in less than 2 weeks.
I just LOVE this movie! :D
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If you are a fan of classic sitcoms you need to watch the Mother's Day INSTANT MOM from May 8th on Nick. Great scenes with some classic sitcom mom's with funny punny gags.
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Just rewatched the first 14 episodes of "Sharpe".
Great series.
Noticed that while well done for a TV series the action scenes aren't quite up to those of many historical dramas.
This is something I've noticed about action scenes in many British TV series. It seems like the actors are afraid of damaging the props and scenery.
In the U S film industry (what remains of it) they are less concerned about destroying expensive props and don't seem to mind injurying or killing a stuntman for that matter in order to make the action seem more realistic.
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Back when GOLDENEYE came out, I think it was "007" magazine did an article about the English stuntmen's union. They developed VERY strict rulkes over the years, and a film's stunt coordinator had veto power over a director or producer when it came to giving the go-ahead on any stunt he felt was dangerous, or safe to film.
By contrast, I recal reading an article about MAD MAX which mentioned how the film looked like someone almost had to have been killed in the making of it. I remember also thinking the same thing about the film CLIFFHANGER.
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As a kid, I loved the first 2 Clouseau films. And I thought RETURN OF... was awful. And ...STRIKES AGAIN even worse. Imagine my shock when REVENGE OF... turned out to be prettty good (until maybe the last 15-20 minutes, when it just gets silly).
There's a whole sequence in REVENGE... which I rank as one of the best in the series. It starts with the "audition" for the hit-man, follows with the attempted hit (which goes wrong and Clouseau never even noticed someone was trying to kill him). Then we have the transvestite hitch-hiker who steals his car & clothes, unintentionally saving his life when HE gets blown to hell by the waiting hit-squad-- the destruction of the car being, in my eyes, a blatent swipe/tribute to the Clint Eastwood film THE GAUNTLET, which came out only about 6 months earlier!! Next, news of Clouseau's apparent death cures Dreyfus, who has a run-in with Clouseau as he's about to leave the hospital (but passes it off as a hallucination). My favorite moment of all is probably when Clouseau escapes the nuthouse and goes home, only to find that Cato, OVERNIGHT, has turned his apartment into a high-priced brothel! And for a MOMENT, you can see it in his eyes, Clouseau considers Cato's idea... (This in turn winds up setting up the potential for Clouseau actually going bad, as happens in CURSE OF...) Finally, Clouseau turns up to see Dreyfuss give the eulogy at Clouseau's funeral. This extended series of events is so carefully planned out and well-executed, I cut some slack to the rest of the film, which is merely average at best.
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I've loved Warren William's PERRY MASON from the first moment I started watching THE CASE OF THE HOWLING DOG, where you see he runs a big law firm and only handles the biggest cases himself. Also, instead of his side-kick getting all the girls, WW's Perry chases the girls himself! It was also somewhat jaw-dropping to see how far he would bend (or even break) the law in the name of JUSTICE.
What gets me is how schizo his 4 films are. Each one almost feels like an alternate version of the same character, despite being played by the same actor.
I was recently reading about how popular Warren William was in the 20's and early 30's, playing BAD guys and "shysters". Audiences loved him, no matter HOW ROTTEN he was onscreen. This all had to stop when the Hayes Office began enforcing the Production Code-- which is why he switched to playing actual good guys. His Perry is only one step away from being a "shyster". I've long felt if they'd ever made a DOC SAVAGE movie, WW would have been perfect for "Ham". Given the dates, I wonder if Perry might have been the inspiration for "Ham" in the first place.
http://talkingclassics.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/pmandds1930s.jpg
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The last couple weeks...
MURDER, MY SWEET (1944)
THE FALCON TAKES OVER (1942) This is the comedy version of "Farewell My Lovely".
THE BIG SLEEP (1946) This is the romantic-comedy version of this story.
THE BIG SLEEP (1978) This is the version that makes sense!
HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER (1973)
COOGAN'S BLUFF (1968) This is the film that inspired McCLOUD.
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I've been watching the DVD Box Set of the Russian produced Sherlock Holmes series.
It was roughly contemporaneous (1979-1986) with the Granda Jeremy Brett series (1984-1994).
I liked Watson right away - awesome. Holmes is growing on me (his voice is a bit gruffer than I'd imagine). They joke a bit more than you'd expect, but it fits.
Looks like the producers saddled Holmes with all the visual cliches (calabash pipe, deerstalker, Inverness), but he's taking the job seriously, which is good.
The stories are based on Doyle's, but the combine bits and pieces, as do so many others. But I like it.
It is only available with English subtitles, not dubbing, so it that bothers you, watch out.
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Crazy but true: the last time I watched my Jeremy Brett collection, I alternated between it and episodes of the Ronald Howard series. Every other episode.
And I enjoyed Ronald Howard's series MORE! Didn't see that coming. :)
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Well, the annoying scuffle of teeny-tiny feet is once again heard in my ceiling. And so, having checked the weather forecast, and with NO further rain on the immediate horizon, I have just returned from my back yard where I once again set up my LIVE ANIMAL TRAP to catch a squirrel.
I put both in this time-- Cinnamon Life AND Cap'n Crunch. And I set it up where the STOOOOPID kids next door can't see it from their yard, and won't be inspired to INTERFERE (as I believe one of them did last month).
We'll see how this goes...
Oh. Yeah. And I started a brand-new DOCTOR WHO marathon a few minutes ago. This should be fun!
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Do you guys talk about Comic Book movies in this thread? I've only watched X-Men: Days of Future Past (http://"http://www.ranker.com/list/x-men-days-of-future-past-movie-quotes/movie-and-tv-quotes?page=2&utm_expid=16418821-19.fYivk2gAQXaM6nD77CvZZA.0&utm_referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ranker.com%2Flist%2Fx-men-days-of-future-past-movie-quotes%2Fmovie-and-tv-quotes) recently, but that got my interest well enough. I sometimes wonder if Marvel might might plan a live action TV series of this.
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I think any kinda tv or movies is up for grabs here.
I've been watching my collection of HUNTER, first time in ages. Unfortunately, I'm missing a number of the early episodes, including about half the 3rd season. But from the 4th to the 6th I have all of 'em, and half of season 7.
I just got to the last episode I taped in season 7. It had 2 stories that had no connection whatsoever. In one, Hunter investigates a complicated case involving a serial-killer who's been stealing expensive antique coins, and has also bumped off a part-time call girl who apparently made off with one not realizing its true value. In the other, Chris Novak (Lauren Lane) helps a friend of hers (Denise Crosby) who's been assaulted and robbed (and wound up with a broken arm), which turns out to be the work of an 18-year-old who used money he stole to take his friends to ball games and sit in the expensive seats. NO, REALLY. The kid's mother begs leniency, saying "He's a good boy!", and, SHOCKINGLY, Novak goes along with her, convincing her friend, who says she "wishes she had a gun" when it happened, to try and see HIS side of things.
Since HUNTER started out as TV's answer to DIRTY HARRY, this offended me when it was first aired SO MUCH, I stopped watching-- AND TAPING-- the show then and there. I must not have been the only one offended by all the many changes they made to the series that year. 2 weeks later, TV GUIDE announced NBC had yanked the show off the air in mid-season. To this day, I still have no idea how many episodes they made that never got run (or if they were run, when).
I guess it shows how much I despised these episodes, as, when I later got hooked watching THE NANNY, I had no idea I'd seen Lauren Lane ("C.C. Babcock") before-- on a show I was watching & taping every week yet!
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I've never seen a single episode of Hunter but given how cheap some of the DVD sets of the show are ($5.00 for the complete season one at Amazon) I may check it out one of these days.
BTW, epguides.com shows the series ran 153 episodes over 7 seasons (20-23 episodes per season).
Best
Joe
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Some shows and collections recently watched-
Rectify Season 1 (2013)- Man convicted of a murder is released from prison, after sitting on death row for years, when new evidence raises doubts about his conviction. Follows his troubles adjusting to life on the outside as well as those of others, some who feel he should not have been released. Well done.
H.G. Wells' Invisible Man Season 2 (1959-) Just as good as the first season.
Hannibal Season 1 (2013)- Creepy series about the serial killer made famous in book and film.
Sheena, Queen of the Jungle- 16 episodes (1955-56)- Irish McCalla is perfectly cast in this adaptation of the famous comic book heroine. I'd like to see the remaining 10 episodes of the series turn up.
Life on Mars Series 2 (2007)- The original Brit series has a very different wrap-up from the American series but I like them both.
The Good Life Series 1 (1975) Great Britcom with wonderful cast (Richard Briers, Felicity Kendal, Paul Eddington and Penelope Keith) which I haven't seen in over three decades. It was originally shown over here in the states as Good Neighbors. Looking forward to re-watching more of these.
Cowboy G-Men- 10 episodes (1952-53) Pleasant sampling of this early 1950s western series starring Russell Hayden and Jackie Coogan.
The Fabulous 50s-2003- Documentary of the decade covers some of the high-lights using primarily motion picture newsreel and television footage from the period.
Best
Joe
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Ahh- The Good Life. One of the first Britcoms I ever watched, and still one of the best! Cheers, Bowers
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I believe the Good Life came on after Doctor Who and that is how I got started watching it. I loved it and it was paired in the hour with Fawlty Towers. Summer break and I have been catching up on series that I got behind on during school. Got caught up on Vikings and almost done with Tomorrow People. I plan on starting Orphan Black season 2. I am anxious for Falling Skies to start back it is one of my favorites.
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Yeah, the new season of Vikings was pretty good, and looks to get better in the next season. Falling Skies has been off for way too long- I'm also ready for the new season. Go 2nd Mass.! Cheers, Bowers
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Since many shows wrapped up their seasons last month I'm only following a few right now -Orphan Black, Crossbones, Salem, The 100, and In the Flesh and those later two are ending their seasons this coming week.
I'm also looking forward to Falling Skies and will probably pick up a few more this summer. The Bridge, Under the Dome, The Musketeers, Extant and The Strain are all possibilities.
Best
Joe
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Crossbones is nothing like a Black Beard I was expecting and I have really enjoyed it so far. I do look forward to Extant also. My wife and I watch Under the Dome together. I will try Musketeers and the Strain I had not heard of The Bridge is it scifi?
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Crossbones is nothing like a Black Beard I was expecting
The premise seems to be that these events take place some years after Black beard was supposedly killed, Edward Teach is the ultimate survivor and having faked his death , possibly setting up a lookalike, he intends to reinvent himself and rise to the level of a king of the pirates, controlling the shipping lanes.
There were many who believed Black Beard had not been the man killed in that epic fight, and stories of his beheaded corpse swimming three times around the ship looking for its head.
His penchant for blasphemy and rituals, like forcing the crew to sit with him in the hold while sulphur bombs used to drive rats out were burning led many to believe he had made a deal with the devil.
I will try Musketeers and the Strain I had not heard of The Bridge is it scifi?
"The Strain" is based on a trilogy of books , I've read the first two. It should be a very good mini series.
If "The Bridge" is the series I'm thinking of its a crime drama with many twists and turns. The Bridge of the title is between the U S And Mexico, and where the first of many victims is found.
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I believe that the first season of The Bridge is available at Hulu if you want to sample it.
Best
Joe
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Currently watching season 2 of My Hero TV show... can only watch a few shows at once ... Thermoman gets to be a bit of a bore. Season 1 was better.
RB
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I love My Hero! We are currently loving Acorn TV, we can watch shows that it can be hard to find in the US. Murdoch Mysteries and Midsomer Murders. Just started Republic of Doyle. On NBC, Undateable cracks me up, but it is probably only going to get the one season.
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Feature films watched the last couple of months-
Keep 'Em Flying (1941), Black Dynamite (2009), Captain Phillips (2013), Murder in the Air (1940), The Case of the Black Cat (1936), Ride 'Em Cowboy (1942), Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (2012), World War Z (2013), Mountains of the Moon (1989), Hop-along Cassidy (1935), Olympus Has Fallen (2013), In Harm's Way (1965), The Little Colonel (1935), Ghidrah, the Three-Headed Monster (1965), 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957), Count Dracula (1977), The Eagle's Brood (1935), Curdled (1996), Punishment Park (1971), All-Star Superman (2011), The Neanderthal Man (1953), The Mighty Peking Man (1977), Law Beyond the Range (1935), A Hijacking (2013), Bar 20 Rides Again (1935), Yesterday and Today (1953), I Married a Witch (1942), Machine Gun Preacher (2011), Heart of the West (1936), Trail of the Pink Panther (1982), Saving Mr. Banks (2013), The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013), My Boy (1921), Now You See Me (2013), Call of the Prairie (1936), Texas Cyclone (1932), August: Osage County (2013), Cloud Atlas (2012), The Book Thief (2013), Three on the Trail (1936), The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004), Code of the Fearless (1939), Red Riding-1980 (2009), Charlie Chan in Shanghai (1935), The Trouble with Girls (1969), Transatlantic (1931), Dead Tone (2007), Thor: The Dark World (2013), 12 years a Slave (2013), Mystery Plane (1939), and Defendor (2009).
I finished up my Saturday morning run of the first six Abbott and Costello films and followed it with the first six Hopalong Cassidy films. All very handsome productions with some great locations shooting, Definitely among the upper tier of B westerns being produced back then. From Hoppy I've moved on to the four Tailspin Tommy movies produced by Monogram. Just watched the first one yesterday.
Also squeezed in the final Brass Bancroft movie, another Perry Mason flick (Ricardo Cortez takes over the role from Warren William), the next Charlie Chan movie (the series is really hotting its stride now) and Peter Sellers last Pink Panther movie (his parts being comprised of out-takes and "best of" clips from previous films) which despite being an awful hodge-podge of a movie had me laughing more than I thought it would.
Aside from that its my usual mix of older and newer and a variety of genres.
Best
Joe
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Some series and collections recently watched-
Police Squad!- the Complete Series (1982) A comment is made on one of the extras that the reason this worked as a movie series but not as a television series was because so much of the humor is visual and in a movie theater people are "trapped' and forced to watch the film while with television people are often multi-tasking and not watching the picture closely and thus missing lots of the humor.
In Plain Sight- Season 2 (2009) Season ends on a cliffhanger.
Stories of the Century- 18 episodes (1954-55) This syndicated (39 episode) series has railroad agent Matt Clark (played by Jim Davis) chasing such real life characters as Quantrlll, Geronomo, Jesse James , Billy the Kid and Tom Horn. Events take place anywhere from the 1850s into the 1900s and yet Clark is always the same age!
Judge Roy Bean - 5 episodes (1955-56) This syndicated (39 episode) western series starring Edgar Buchanan is most notable for being shot in color.
26 Men- 20 episodes (1957-59) A well done series that ran for two years (78 episodes) chronicling the cases of the Arizona Rangers in the first decade of the 20th century while Arizona was still a frontier territory (it did not become a state until 1912). Shot at the Cudia City Strudios (which featured an "old western town") on the east side of Phoenix and in locations around the state. Cudia City burned down in 1967 but can still be seen in series like this one.
The Secrets of Isis-the Complete Series (1975-76) This was a Saturday morning series that ran for two seasons (22 episodes) and featured some crossovers with Captain Marvel (who was appearing in Shazam! which was also then running on Saturday mornings). In the later episodes they kept giving her more and more powers which I think would have been a deficit if the show kept going.
The Munsters Season 1 (1964-65) A classic! This (and the similarly themed The Addams Family) only ran for two seasons each (with all episodes in black and white) but are two of the best remembered series of the 1960s.
Dexter Season 8 (2013) All comes to a close.
That's it for now.
Best
Joe
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I love both the Munsters and Addam's Family but I think most people do. I think they are so well remembered because they did not wear out their humor. Few shows have been able to maintain that type of off the wall humor. The exceptions being Green Acres and Get Smart. I like the humor in Judge Roy Bean. I tried Isis on Hulu but could not get into except for her being nice on the eyes. Police Squad is of course hilarious. Dexter ended up OK I think the comic picks up where the series left off.
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There were other 60s comedies will off the wall humor. Gilligan's Island and It's About Time are two that come immediately to mind. The former is very well remembered while the later is forgotten by all but those who saw it first run.
I'd like to be able to sample more episodes of Judge Roy Bean. Buchanan is a likeable lead and easily brings some humor to the role. Maybe some enterprising PD DVD dealer will put together a complete collection.
Isis is definitely aimed at the small fry with each episode having some little moral it wants to get across. I found it easier to watch an episode here and there rather then on any regular basis.
Best
Joe
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Buchanan is the most enjoyable part of Judge Roy series. It's About time was one of my favorites and I have watched some youtube episodes and it is still fun. It's about time and Police Squad and Sledghammer and others are examples of the oddball humor that did not make it or sustain. G Island is another of the rare series that did make it.
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I watched the movie Forever 16 and it was probably a pilot not picked up. I wish it had been. I think it was OK and could have gotten really good
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I've tried to watch IT'S ABOUT TIME, but I find it too clunky to get through it. Maybe I just need to gird my loins and push on through and eventually I'll find the funny. It does have a cast of actors that I like. And it has a really great theme song--as with all Sherwood Schwartz shows--that tells you exactly what the set up is. It would be fun if they could do that for all modern TV shows.
Then again, I never really liked GILLIGAN'S ISLAND either. I'd stare at my siblings and ask why we are watching this. But being the baby of the family, I was overruled and so I had to suffer through all those dumb plots and all that dumb acting and all that dumb canned laughter. Now I have a nostalgic feeling about the show--but that says more about my love for my family, then it does for the actual TV show.
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I started watching Orphan Black season 2 but could not really get into it. I have the episodes of Star Struck and the 100 but have not started watching them. Took awhile to get into the first episode of Falling Skies this year but by the second I am back into it. I was exited to watch Extant but the multitude of various previews has now turned me off to it. I really like watching Under the Dome but am afraid of a LOST type super disappointment.
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Then again, I never really liked GILLIGAN'S ISLAND either. I'd stare at my siblings and ask why we are watching this. But being the baby of the family, I was overruled and so I had to suffer through all those dumb plots and all that dumb acting and all that dumb canned laughter. Now I have a nostalgic feeling about the show--but that says more about my love for my family, then it does for the actual TV show.
For me Gilligan was a show that was perfectly cast with wonderfully absurd writing. As to canned laughter. It seemed like it was omnipresent in all sitcoms back then. I just learned to tune it out.
The Sherwood Schwartz show that I never really liked but watched a lot of because my siblings did was The Brady Bunch.
Best
Joe
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Not a lot as my mother-in-law wasn't doing so well for a while and my sister-in-law has had a major health scare. This getting old stuff is real rubbish!
However, a cable channel is currently re-running Death in Paradise, so late evening it takes our minds of real world things. And we watched the final of Only Connect, which is probably the most fiendish quiz on t.v. Plus Victoria Coren. ;D Don't know if you can view this outside UK but here's the link:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00lskhg
Our new t.v. can access youtube and I found 2 films I hadn't seen for ages when we got back from visiting the other night. Invasion with Edward Judd, and What a Carve Up, with Sid James and Kenneth Connor.
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I just watched the movie RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR. Movie is a downer but interesting. The ending surprised me which means I liked it. I tend to figure movies out so when they take me by surprised they have some merit.
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So far so good it was OK. Looks like they want some of Walking Dead's action
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Some series and collections recently watched-
Dr. Who-"Invasion of the Dinosaurs" (1974) and "The Monster of Peladon" (1974)- My journey through the Pertwee years comes to an end. Our library had a very nice sampling so I got a good taste for this Doctor. I think he's my favorite of the first three (despite those lame puppet dinosaurs in the Invasion story arc). Now onto the the Baker years!
Columbo Season 5- (1975-1976) Six movies this season with several actors returning for another go-round with the good lieutenant including Jack Cassidy, Robert Vaughn and Patrick McGoohan (who also directs a couple of episodes). Other stars this season include Janet Leigh, Ricardo Montalban, Sam Jaffee, Leslie Neilson. Maurice Evans, Sal Mineo and Wilfred Hyde-White.
The Rat Patrol Season 1 (1966-1967) I was in the third grade when this show debuted and it was quite popular with me and my friends. I hadn't seen it since it left the air in 1968 though.
It wasn't as good as I remembered it. Not much character development among the cast regulars as most of the time is spent just squeezing in the storyline for each half hour episode.
I did notice that most of the season was shot in Spain. Something I hadn't caught when I was a kid.
I also remember reading, some years ago, how star Christopher George suffered an injury during the shooting of the first season, when a jeep overturned, that damaged his heart and eventually led to his early death at age 54.
Public Prosecutor (1947-1948)- 8 episodes This NBC show was supposedly the first filmed show for American television. All other shows were still being shot live at the time. More and more filmed shows would emerge in the coming decade and eventually live dramas or comedies on television would become a rarity. John Howard (who had starred in the Bulldog Drummond movie series) stars and invites the watcher to guess who the culprit is in each 17 1/2 minute show (they were shot for a, now, long obsolete 20 minute time slot).
Best
Joe
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I loved watching the Rat Patrol when it originally aired. I will have to give the third Doctor another chance. I would skip over them because he was stuck on earth and I enjoyed the travels.
The Strain has kept my interest. It is nothing special but not bad either.
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Just watched Transformers: Age of Extinction over the weekend. Then, when I get the chance, rewatch some old comic book-based TV cartoons. (http://"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sZgeKa4exk&list=UUN18lrOHuksB10NnHgY0v7g")
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I am not really enjoying Extant. I find myself wanting it to just get over. I would rather it had been a movie all said and done.
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I am not really enjoying Extant. I find myself wanting it to just get over. I would rather it had been a movie all said and done.
Same here, I just don't like the society the characters appear to live in. Their future looks more than a little boring.
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Some more series and collections recently watched-
Good Morning World (1967-1968) Pretty much the same producers and writers that brought you The Dick Van Dyke Show were behind this series which has as its two protagonists a couple of joking DJs. It's fairly typical of some shows of the era and probably would have lasted longer but was apparently up against some stiff competition from the other channels. I had no memory of the show so I guess I must have been one of those watching its competition. Notable today as the show that gave Goldie Hawn her first break (she plays the one DJ;s girlfriend).
Timeslip- "The Wrong End of Time" and "The Time of the Icebox" (1970) Paw recommended this one to me. It's a one season sci-fi show that ran serialized adventures and seems to me to be aiming for the same audience as Dr Who. Originally broadcast in color it survives primarily in black and white kineoscopes. One color episode from the second serial does survive and gives one an idea of how the show originally looked. The show features two young (aprox 12-13 year old) kids who find a way of moving back and forth in time. The first adventure takes them back to WWII and the second into the future.
The Pacific (2010) Excellent miniseries that gives a good depiction of the island hoping battles that the American troops went through during WWII. Brought to you by the same producers who did Band of Brothers.
Castle Season 3 (2010-2011) Another fun season ending on a cliffhanger. This show has become a favorite of the Lil Missus and she watches the daily reruns on cable regularly now.
Best
Joe
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Let's see, lately...
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT -- I only have the first 2 seasons (plus a handful after). GREAT, often instense, the best part is the characters.
JAKE & THE FATMAN -- another one where I only have about a season-and-a-half. I was taping too many shows and felt I had to cut back somewhere. Again, I love the characters on this, though "McCabe" (William Conrad) goes out of his way NOT to be likable. Joe Penny as Jake is fabulous, and Alan Campbell as Derak is also extremely likable. Jake & Derek really remind me of an older and younger brother. You can see how they both light up whenever the other one's around, and they BOTH mostly tolerate their boss.
CARRY ON -- I started watching the movies I have for the 2nd time. ...SERGEANT, ...NURSE and ...TEACHER so far. All low-key with some slapstick, and a wonderful slowly-evolving ensemble cast. They hadn't gotten bawdy & raunchy yet at this stage.
DARIA -- again? I've lost count how many times I've seen these now.
DOCTOR WHO -- after several marathons where I had fun getting more chaotic as I went, this time around, i started from the beginning again to watch them in sequence, which I haven't done in at least 3 years. But this time, while I'm planning to watch most of them, I've decided to SKIP any I just don't care for. Which, oddly enough, included the first 2 Daleks stories (I substituted the 2 Peter Cushing films instead-- NO, REALLY!) Just got to the end of The War Games today. Wow.
Meanwhile, in movies...
MOTHRA -- a real fave, a giant-monster "fairy tale"
KING KONG ESCAPES -- my single favorite Japanese giant-monster film! The villain played by Eisei Amamoto dresses just like William Hartnell did in "The War Machines". I paid tribute to this movie in my "Bunny Roget" cartoons at my blog.
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Talking about GOOD MORNING WORLD reminds me of all those TV shows in the '60s that I always pulled for, but they didn't make it.
It's funny how giddy I would get in September as all the new shows were previewed. Hope sprang eternal for each new series that arrived on the schedule.
One of those series that comes to mind is IT'S A MAN'S WORLD--from 1962. I don't remember much about the show, since I wasn't even in Kindergarten at the time it first aired. There were some young men living on a houseboat. One of the guys was played by Glenn Corbett, who always seemed to show up on some of my favourite TV shows. And another guy was played by Ted Bessell, who later showed up as Donald Hollinger on THAT GIRL. Most of the content was way over my head as these guys had romances with young women. But I always thought it was a cool thing to live on a houseboat.
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I just watched the Monty Python live (mostly) show. It was hilarious!
reminded me of my youth :)
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I don't remember either WORLD show. I found an episode of Tim Conway's Rango on youtube. Only one season, also an episode of the Tim Conway show. Tim Conway is always funny. Monty Python is hit and miss with me. Some of it is exceptionally funny while some of it falls very short.
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CARRY ON SERGEANT
CARRY ON NURSE
CARRY ON TEACHER
CARRY ON CONSTABLE
The 4th introduced Sidney James to the cast, and was also where it slowly, almost imperceptably, began to evolve from low-key humor to bawdy and raunchy. James in this one fills the same slot taken by William Hartnell in the 1st film, with a rather similar plot.
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I mostly watch the International news for the bits and pieces on Ukraine and the "war" going on there and watching that rat "Putin" ( I pronounce it Putt Inn ) the aggressor ..... I know boring.
RB
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CARRY ON SERGEANT
CARRY ON NURSE
CARRY ON TEACHER
CARRY ON CONSTABLE
The 4th introduced Sidney James to the cast, and was also where it slowly, almost imperceptably, began to evolve from low-key humor to bawdy and raunchy. James in this one fills the same slot taken by William Hartnell in the 1st film, with a rather similar plot.
After reading this, I decided to watch CARRY ON SERGEANT off the internet, as I wanted to see how William Hartnell's performance compares with his DOCTOR WHO.
The humour is low-key as stated and quite the contrast to those CARRY ON movies I remember watching on TV in the '60s and '70s.
It seems like British comedies were always trying to scandalize their audience--and I guess they've never succeeded because they keep pushing the edge further and further. The Brits always seem to be ten years ahead of whatever standards of indecency you see on American TV--even on cable.
I just finished binge-watching HIM & HER the other day and it really pushes the limit. At first I had a hard time getting into it--or understanding why it's supposed to be a comedy. But having "Boom Bang-a-Bang" by Lulu at the end of every episode always gave me a reason to push on through to the end--and listen to the whole theme each time ["Boom Bang-a-Bang" won the Eurovision contest for the U.K. in 1969--although it was in a four-way tie with Spain, France and the Netherlands].
If I'm to believe British comedy, the upper class are not even worth anyone's attention because they are so depraved, the middle class is superficial and full of posh pretentions, while the lower class is lazy and ignorant yet somehow noble in their pathetic hopelessness.
Where stand the artists that create these comedies? I ask. I'd guess they're mostly middle class but filled with self-loathing for being middle class--while they seem to both admire and deride the lower class, in which they would never belong because they're too smart.
On HIM & HER, the him and the her are the only two redeeming characters. Yet Steve (played by Russell Tovey) is lazy, ignorant and weak. Though in contrast to everyone else, he's the most sympathetic character. While Becky (played by Sarah Solemani) seems to think she's a bit better than Steve. At least that's what I got from her character--but Solemani wears this inscrutable half-grin of bemusement most of the time, such as to suggest she knows more than she's telling. I could never be sure whether this means Becky really does know more or whether it means nothing at all.
Of all the characters the most evil and horrible is Laura (played by Kerry Howard). The first episode gives no hint of the utterly despicable villain she will become. I think she is possibly the most evil character to ever appear in fiction. I have never wanted a character to meet a horrible end so much. And I think her death would please every other character in the series. It's comforting to think of Shelly (played by Camille Corduri) one day dancing on Laura's grave.
The series seems to be done, but maybe like THE OFFICE it will come back for specials--we can only hope. A "Funeral for Laura" special would probably do very well in the ratings.
BOOM BANG-A-BANG by Lulu, Eurovision '69 (http://youtu.be/4ew43u2gS0Y)
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Interesting observations on the British classes. According to a couple of friends of mind, British government right now is EVEN MORE depraved than American-- which is shocking, to say the least. People need to vote BASTARDS the hell out of office if they ever want anything to change for the better.
I only have the "early" CARRY ONs for the most part, and most with commercial breaks (AUGH!). Taped off Channel 9 in the middle of the night, by the looks of it, way back in the 80s. Somehow I never watched any of them until about 3 years ago, and I found them delightful in a very laid-back way. They remind me of Saturday afternoon matinee shows, where mindless fun for a couple hours was just what was called for.
I'm sure I have the 5th one somewhere, but last night I watched the 6th, CARRY ON CRUISING. My Dad was such a fan of THE LOVE BOAT series, I bet he'd have liked this.
One of my favorite takes on British classes was TO THE MANOR BORN, where Audrey Fforbes-Hamilton looks down on anyone who was a self-made millionaire (as opposed to inheriting it). She starts out as a bit of a monster (albeit a funny one) but over 20 episodes genuinely grows into someone likable. Of course, my favorite character was "Richard Devere" (alias Bederich Pouloveska), and I still remember almost falling out of my chair when I first learned he was-- LIKE ME-- half Polish and half Czechoslovakian.
As for shocking comedy... I recall I initially found ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS impossible to watch... and I adored Joanna Lumley. Maybe that was the reason!! About 8 years later, I happened across it again.. and suddenly got hooked. WHAT had happened to my taste in shows in the meantime???
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More WHO...
SPEARHEAD FROM SPACE --long a favorite since it first turned up in Philly around 1985.
THE SILURIANS --the very 1st WHO tv story i ever saw, sometime in the early-mid 70s.
THE AMBASSADORS OF DEATH --the 2nd one I ever saw... both of these were in color originally, though I missed about HALF of each of them when they were run one episode per night at 7:30 PM, M-F. The 1st one I ever made it all the way thru was INFERNO. As it happens, I have all the then-available stories (1984) in both movie and episodic form, starting with INFERNO, and I haven't watched the individual episodes since the 80s. So I'm planning to do that this time around. Some of the cliffhangers got BUTCHERED in the movie edits, and I'd like to see them intact again.
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I really enjoy the historicals that were done with a lot of humor... so THE ROMANS and THE GUNFIGHTERS are 2 of my favorite stories... the latter, particularly, has become of the very few stories in the entire 26-year run I've pulled out to watch by itself more than once now!
"This here's the Clantons!"
"Oh dear... I mean, what a pleasure!"
...and...
"Marshal, would you mind taking this? People keep giving me guns!"
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I decided not to wait several years again this time... and I've pulled out my CAMPION collection to watch again, only a few months after the last viewing.
My PBS station, obviously, ran the series out of sequence. The pilot-- "Look To The Lady"-- was done in a rather different, BIZARRE style, unlike any of the other stories, and was clearly intended to be seen FIRST, and, among other things, INTRODUCE the characters to the audience. So this time, I'm watching this one FIRST.
Here's something I just posted at the IMDB board, concerning Peter Davison...
"I enjoy Peter Davison as a person and as an actor. The problem with his DOCTOR WHO run was that at least 80% of it was ABYSMALLY-written. CAMPION does not suffer from this problem, the result, Davison is at least TEN TIMES better in CAMPION than he ever was in WHO.
In fact, from the first episode of CAMPION I ever saw, it struck me, quite strongly, that Albert reminds me MORE of the "real" Doctor than Davison EVER did when he was playing "The Doctor". Had he been like this on WHO, I think his run on that show would have been much more entertaining.
The recent 50th Anniversary special-- written by Davison-- only strengthens my feeling on this. He was HILARIOUS in that-- something he was never allowed to be on DOCTOR WHO."
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I've only been following three TV series this Summer- "Musketeers" on BBC US, "Falling Skies" on TNT, and "Crossbones" on NBC. Like "Musketeers" a lot. Well-written and excellent costumes and production values. This series really captures the grittiness of the period, although the modern idioms that pop up are a bit annoying. Peter Capaldi is the ultimate Richelieu. Capaldi sure gets around, doesn't he? "Falling Skies" is an old favorite, but the first few episodes of the season were a bit confusing. Last season's storyline was partially abandoned and a new direction was taken. It's finally come together and seems headed for a blockbuster season finale. "Crossbones" was actually much better than I expected. Malkovich played an exceedingly strange but fascinating Capt. Teach, racked with madness and an equal portion of genius. NBC recently canceled this show due to low ratings, so I'm glad at least a partial resolution was made in the final episodes. Oh, well, NBC can just whip up some more "reality" crap or more cold-case crime documentaries. Ready for the new season of The Doctor- can't wait to see what PC does with the role! Cheers, Bowers
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Peter Capaldi was in LOCAL HERO (1983), a movie beloved by all my movie going friends when I was at the University of Alberta. We would sit around and quote lines, in our best Scottish accents (which weren't very good). Not our most beloved movie from Bill Forsyth--that was GREGORY'S GIRL--but a close second.
Peter Capaldi in LOCAL HERO was a geeky, tall lad--a bit odd but instantly identifiable. Truly the kind of young fellow we wanted to emulate. And he was the same age as myself at that time--just a few months older.
So I'm shocked to see some old, wrinkled, grey-haired gentleman calling himself Peter Capaldi who is supposed to be the new Doctor.
This forces me to consider a few disturbing realities: This Peter Capaldi must be another fellow who has stolen that other actor's name (but I think there are some actor guild rules against this, thus Peter Moffett becomes Peter Davison). Or the original Peter Capaldi has been advanced aged (which happens a lot in DOCTOR WHO) and he's become this old man too soon. Or Peter Capaldi is aging at a natural rate--but then what does that say about me? Am I really so old?
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Jimm, I was also a big fan of "Local Hero" and will have to watch it again to look for Capaldi. The other recent series I saw him in was BBC America's "The Hour". No, Jimm, we're not really old- just much more experienced! Cheers, Bowers
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"CARRY ON REGARDLESS" has not turned up yet. Last week I watched "CARRY ON CABBY", and today, "CARRY ON CLEO". The latter appears to be the point where they left low-key humor behind and evolved into SEX farce. And it was only 1964!!
This one had Joan Sims ("Katryka" in "The Mysterious Planet"), Sheila Hancock ("Helen A" in "The Happiness Patrol"), Jon Pertwee ("The Doctor" in seasons 7-11), and Julie Stevens ("Venus Smith" from THE AVENGERS, season 2!).
Meanwhile on "WHO"...
INFERNO (that's enough of this, I may never watch this nasty piece of work again)
TERROR OF THE AUTONS (still a real all-time favorite for me)
Up next: THE MIND OF EVIL
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I just watched online AL
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Feature films watched the last couple of months-
Songs and Saddles-1938, The Black Pirate-1926, The Wolf of Wall Street-2013, Stunt Pilot-1939, A Good Day to Die Hard-2013, Miracle at St. Anna-2008, On Top of Old Smokey-1953, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom-2013, Sky Patrol-1939, Dolphin Tale-2011, The Utah Kid-1930, Phantoms of the North-1929, The Three Stooges-2012, Red Riding-1974-2009. The Case of the Stuttering Bishop-1937, Little Miss Marker-1934, Fast and Furious 6-2013, Danger Flight-1939, Red Riding-1983-2009, Hill of Utah-1951, Ender's Game-2013, Rush-2013, Justice League: Secret Origins-2001, Here's Flash Casey-1938, Inside Llewyn Davis-2013, Being There-1979, Gravity-2013, Send for Paul Temple-1946, Curse of the Pink Panther-1983, The Blazing Sun-1950, The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms-1953, Detroit 9000-1973, The Cosmic Man-1959, Murder by Death-1976, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty-2013, Everybody's Dancin'-1950, Sharknado-2013, The Cowboy and the Indians-1949, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes-2014, World Without End-1956, Switchblade Sisters-1975, Conductor 1492-1924, Varieties on Parade-1951, Gangster Squad-2013, Billy the Kid Wanted-1941, The Wizard of Oz-1939, The Blue Bird-1940, The Stranger from Venus-1954, Frozen-2013, John Carter-2013, Yes Sir, Mr. Bones-1951, Shinjuku Incident-2009. The Leggo Movie-2014, Spirited Killer-1994, Houdini-2014, Kai Po Che-2013, Square Dance Jubilee-1949, The Wrath of the Gods-1914, Charlie Chan's Secret-1936, and Haywire-2012.
For my Saturday morning movie watching I finished up the quartet of Tailspin Tommy films that Monogram released in 1939 and then I moved onto a collection called Showtime, U.S.A. which I am currently working my way through. They all consist of films with slim plots designed to showcase various singers, dancers and other variety acts of the day.
Also finished up the last of Warners' Perry Mason movies (this one starring Donald Woods), the next Pink Panther movie (this one starring Ted Wass and featuring Roger Moore (!) as Inspector Clouseau), another Charlie Chan movie, the first Paul Temple movie, the second Casey, Crime Photographer movie, several B Westerns (including four beautifully restored Gene Autry films) and my usual mix of sci-fi, horror, silent, crime, war, drama, comedy, animated, musicals and what-not.
Best
Joe
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You really SHOULD NOT give away the ending of that one PINK PANTHER movie. One of the funniest jokes in there depends on it being a complete surprise if you haven't seen it before.
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The last 3 days:
GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS
GIGANTIS, THE FIRE MONSTER
KING KONG VS. GODZILLA
I'm really, really overdue for getting ahold of the original JAPANESE versions of these films...
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You really SHOULD NOT give away the ending of that one PINK PANTHER movie. One of the funniest jokes in there depends on it being a complete surprise if you haven't seen it before.
You know I really didn't think about it. He's very clearly credited, right up front, at such places as IMDB and Wikipedia. I guess that when I did first see the movie, some three decades plus ago, it was a bit of a funny surprise.
Apologies to any who haven't seen the film if I spoiled that for you.
Joe
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No prob.
So... a quick ranking...
THE PINK PANTHER -- a classic, like a Hitchcock film with less gloom and more humor. I LOVE David Niven in this. The only parts of the movie I don't like... whatta ya know, were added after-the-fact because someone decided there should be more Peter Sellers. AUGH!!! Basically, last gasp of an earlier era. Wonderful and classy. (By the way, it took me decades to figure out that ski resort is the SAME one seen in the film FOR YOUR EYES ONLY.) Oh yeah-- and-- insane as this will sound-- my favorite part of the film has nothing to do with the rest of the movie. It's when-- instead of an "intermission", Blake Edwards throws in a MUSIC VIDEO. For no damn reason. Totally stops the film for 3 minutes. And I love, love, LOVE that song!!! (So, WHY isn't it on any version of the soundtrack album? It's on MINE, now... God bless computers.)
A SHOT IN THE DARK -- my favorite of the series. Why don't I have a copy of this in my collection??? George Sanders is so deadpan. Herbert Lom is so... not. (heh)
THE RETURN OF THE PINK PANTHER -- this is the "BACK INTO HELL" of the series. Sellers & Edwards' careers were both on the skids, so they put their differences aside and made a TERRIBLE movie. And it put them both back on top. WTF??? It's too long, it's slow and dull, the plot is INDECIPHERABLE in spots (I've seen it multiple times, trust me on that). And the complete change in Sellers' performance and accent between films is inexplicable, and annoying as hell. Of course, the earlier films were before he had his heart attack, DIED, and was ressurected minutes later. So that might be connected. I like Christopher Plummer, but he's no David Niven. And to this day, I'm stilll not sure if his girlfriend in this is supposed to be Clouseau's EX-WIFE (and if she is, WHY does NOBODY mention it?) or some other woman he's dallying with.
THE PINK PANTHER STRIKES AGAIN -- the previous film was a hit, so they made another one EVEN WORSE. Good God, I hate this film. I know, I know, many don't.
REVENGE OF THE PINK PANTHER -- I was worried after doing a terrible film followed by an even worse one, this one would be the pits. Shockingly... it wasn't. How did this happen? Probably my 3rd-fave of the series. I love the complex plot developments, like Robert Webber hiring a team of killers to attack the guy he hired to kill Cliouseau, just for a demonstration. And then, after such a big build-up, Clouseau dispatching the guy, WITHOUT even realizing he was in his apartment. And later, the redo of then then-current film "THE GAUNTLET", where the transvestite steals Clouseau's clothes & car, and drives straight into a Mafia ambush that blows up the car. Instant result? Dreyfus is cured and released from the asylum. But before he goes, he has a run-in with Clouseau (still alive) who the cops think is a crazy transvestite. He escapes and goes home, only to find out Cato has turned his apartment into a high-priced brothel. THAT QUICKLY. And for a BRIEF instant, you can see Clouseau considering taking Cato up on his offer...!!! (Which I feel leads to the plot twist 2 films later.) The "funeral" scene is just funny as hell, when Dreyfus reads the euology. Now... once things move to Hong Kong, the whole picture FALLS APART. But for 2/3rds of it, it was incredible. Oh, and Dyan Cannon-- WOW!!!!!
TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER -- A travesty, an insult, and too awful to sit through. Joanna Lumley as the reporter is the ONLY good thing in here at all. I could not believe the "tag" at the end, for the NEXT film. WERE THEY NUTS?????
CURSE OF THE PINK PANTHER -- Okay, this one was a SHOCK. Why? it was ACTUALLY FUNNY. In fact, if you cut the long, long scene with Harvey Korman OUT of the film, it would be nearly perfect. (I wanted to KILL the director for having that sequence in there-- it's UNSPEAKABLY awful.) Apart from all the cameos (David Niven, Robert Wagner, etc. etc.) the plot of this thing is amazing, and very clever. I especially loved the bit where the killer from "REVENGE" comes back and finally gets a "big scene". But my favorite bit in the whole film was the cab driver. Killers try to kill Ted Wass, and the cabbie yells out, "Holy SHIT, man, somebody's trying to KILL you!" "I thought you didn't speak English!!" "Don't you know French cab drivers are notoriously unreliable?" A chase ensures, and for half of it, the cab flips over on its roof-- and continues to out-pace the pursuing car, despite sliding along the road on its roof. F***ING HILARIOUS!!! The ending relies almost entirely on surprise-- it's not really that funny, apart from the simple absurdity of WHO they cast to play Clouseau (IN DISGUISE). Overall, a great way to end the series. But really-- what nerve to have Joanna Lumley in 2 films in a row, playing different parts?
You know what I can never figure? WHY didn't Blake Edwards EVER do a sequel starring David Niven-- or-- more recently-- Robert Wagner?? (It was set up right there at the end of the 1st movie!)
By the way, I've seen "ROMANCE" once, but, didn't care for it much... and the more recent thing, FORGET IT. No interest.
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GODZILLA VS. MEGALON (the bottom of the barrel of the original series)
GODZILLA VS. THE SMOG MONSTER (actually disturbing and terrifying in spots... until the big "G" gets involved.
GODZILLA ON MONSTER ISLAND (the serious budget cut really hurt)
DESTROY ALL MONSTERS (one of my all-time faves!!)
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Always loved Destroy all Monsters
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I missed it on its original release, but apparently it was reissued sometime in 1970, which must be when I got to see it in a theatre, on a double-bill with YOG, MONSTER FROM SPACE (about a giant octopus).
I'm annoyed that my copy, taped off a local station, has at least the first third of the final battle missing (damned local tv station butcher-jobs). There's this one obvious CUT (you can see a black swatch move across the tv screen where some idiot made the chop), just at the point when Ghidorah arrives. Everything before that is missing!
I think one of the things that really makes this movie for me is that it takes place a couple decades n "the future"... just like so many of my favorite 60s sci-fi shows like ASTRO BOY, THUNDERBIRDS and ULTRA MAN.
I was just recently reading that the "international" dub jobs done in Japan, which have been circulating for some time now, have apparently been JOINED with the AMERICAN dub jobs done when the films were first released in the US, on recent DVDs. That's good... I'd hate to think only the inferior versions were available! At the time the "international" versions were being circulated, someone misgtakenly descreibed them as "new dubs" that were "inferior to the originals", and that apparently was not the case.
Just watched TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA, the last of the original films, and another opne of the best. After they got so silly with some of the early-70s flicks, I always remember thinkinkg this was the first one they'd done since DESTROY ALL MONSTERS that actually had a "tone" similar to many of the episodes of ULTRA MAN. Inoshiro Honda (director) and Akira Ifukube (score) returned for this one.
Up next: the last one in my collection... GODZILLA 1985 !!!
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I watched SIN CITY. I had watched it once before but was more impressed this time. It was a pretty darn good movie. Has anyone seen A DAME TO KILL FOR?
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I just watched the premier episode of the new series RED BAND SOCIETY. Very unique kinda quirky and I liked it. Not sure it can sustain as a series but it suckered me in.
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Just polished off the 1st season of THE OUTER LIMITS with another episode I first saw way back in 1964 (not entirely sure if it was first run or rerun season)... "The Forms Of Things Unknown". The story is WEIRD enough, but, between the dialogue, the directing, acting, camera work... EVERYTHING... it winds up being one of the most BIZARRE experiences in the entire run of the series. Also, Joseph Stefano's last contribution before he left.
Been watching these as a marathon, ONE episode wach Friday. What kind of crazy luck was it that I should get to THIS particular episode... on David McCallum's birthday??? ;D
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I have found in the last few years that I'm watching everything on my computer. I've packed away my TV and my DVD player, because I never use them (and I have a DVD player for my computer). So I decided to get a new hard drive and a larger monitor and a nice chair for watching things on my computer. However, every website has its own requirements for playing video it seems, so I've been trying different add ons, plug-ins to get the video to work. Just when I think I've solved one problem, the whole thing crashes and I have to try out different solutions.
Of course, I could just watch all these videos on my small Mac airbook--which doesn't have the complications of a PC--but that would mean all the money and effort I spent on my PC was worthless.
I haven't yet tried to load CDisplay onto my new hard drive for looking at my comic book downloads--I expect some more fun there. Ah, Windows! Clearly Microsoft thinks we don't have enough things to do and they want to always keep us busy with new projects. Very thoughtful.
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I got a new laptop and loaded a different comic reader and glad I did. http://sourceforge.net/p/mcomix is one I like a lot more. It is able to read zip or rar without converting first. AND even better it can read a zip file that contains several comics not just one.
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Recently:
"THE TIME MONSTER"
"THE THREE DOCTORS"
"CARNIVAL OF MONSTERS" -- the last Jo Grant story I actually like
"VOYAGE INTO SPACE" (JOHNNY SOKKO compilation film)
"THE WRONG ARM OF THE LAW" -- Peter Sellers, Bernard Cribbins, Lionel Jeffries, and a veritable all-star cast of English comedy character actors
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I got a new laptop and loaded a different comic reader and glad I did. http://sourceforge.net/p/mcomix is one I like a lot more. It is able to read zip or rar without converting first. AND even better it can read a zip file that contains several comics not just one.
I'll take that under advisement and consider it when I get around to loading a comic reader onto my new hard drive.
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GODZILLA 1985
Wow. (Well, except for the American army guys. What a bunch of idiots!)
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"To alcohol-- the cause of-- and solution to--
all of man's problems."
--Homer Simpson
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Godzilla '85? That's the one with the city centre battle between Godzilla and the Super-X? craft with the lasers? If it's that one, it's amazing. What a light show.
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"Godzilla '85? That's the one with the city centre battle between Godzilla and the Super-X? craft with the lasers? If it's that one, it's amazing. What a light show."
Yeah, that's the one. After a decade, Toho decided to get back into it, and with a MAJOR upgrade in the budget, effects, everything. The only thing that really feels "off" is the dialogue among the American military types, sobered down by Raymond Burr's bits. He has some of the best lines in the film, even though, as with the original, his scenes apparently only appear in the English prints of the film (although they were shot at the same time as everything else this time around).
I think I wind up feeling a bit sorry for Godzilla in this one, but also for that Super-X crew. Once the Russian bomb was detonated in the upper atmosphere and their power was cut off-- even briefly-- they were screwed. And when Godzilla deliberately tipped over an ENTIRE BUILDING on top of them... ohhhhhhhh man. Those poor guys.
I saw this when it came out, and was baffled when someone at work dismissed it without seeing it as being some dumb garbage for the kiddies.
What baffled me for years after was that Toho was somehow unable to get U.S. distribution for ANY of their later films, until GODZILLA 2000 came along. (I saw that one in a theatre TWICE!)
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I can see why TOHO could not get any distribution between 85 and 2000, the movies got old quick to the US audience. I can not really see any difference between any one movie and another.
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I know there have been some hates of Gotham around. I think everyone should give it a chance. The first episode was OK and should improve like Shield did. I still like Shield but I am not fond of them now being the hunted outcasts.
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Sadly, comic book fans like to tear apart the very thing they love. Which explains the negativity directed at GOTHAM from a certain segment of the viewership. Otherwise, reaction seems fairly positive and the show has a promising future.
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Just watched I LOVE YOU, ALICE B. TOKLAS again. One of the weirdest things Peter Sellers may ever have been involved with, this is a satire on the culture clash of the late 1960s done in a way only a group of Jewish writers could have managed. It took me 2 viewings for it to cross my mind that the entire 2nd half of the film DOESN'T actually happen except in the mind of the main character, as he's standing at the altar about to be married to a woman he's having second thoughts about.
Perhaps the most bizarre detail of the film is the "Guru", played by Louis Gottlieb, the intellectual "spokesman" of the Folk group, The Limeliters! Apparently, he only appeared in 2 movies, both from the same producer, and both times playing a guru.
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Ha!
I just watched I LOVE YOU, ALICE B. TOKLAS a couple months ago - and agree it's one super odd movie.
About the same time I also watched the depressing The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0352520/) which had some good moments but all in all I can't recommend. I'm a Sellers fan normally but that bio flick made him pretty hard to like.
I thought Agents of Shield improved as season one progressed. So far I'm liking them as the outlaws. If they can make The Absorbing Man interesting I'm really impressed! I guess I'm one of the few people to just heard about the AOS spin-off Agent Carter (http://screenrant.com/marvel-agent-carter-air-time-agents-shield/) that had a flashback scene in the AOS episode of last week.
New shows this year that might be worth a watch to you - Forever, Madam Secretary, Gotham, The Knick (HBO).
Undecided - How To Get Away With Murder, The Mysteries of Laura. Saw a bootleg The Flash pilot that was so-so.
Still solid after all these years - The Good Wife.
I watched the BBC Broadchurch original - I might give the US remake a chance but I'm not holding my breath it'll be as good or better. One hopes it will be better and more faithful than the abysmal US remakes of Cracker and Red Dwarf! The US version of House Of Cards is unique enough to make it interesting. I'm curious how close they will follow the amazingly good UK version that I can't recommend enough. I'm dreading the US remake of Misfits though if they are brave with casting and writing I could see this being a hit, especially if they are given more than a couple episodes to make an impression.
-Yoc
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One thing I really love about the IMDB is being able to check actors' resumes and see what else they were in. For example, in this case, Joan Van Ark, who played Sellers' mother in the film, had been Kirk Douglas' girlfriend in GUNFIGHT AT THE O.K. CORRAL! (I've seen that film at least a half-dozen times and probably would not have made the connection.) Joyce Van Patten, Sellers' fiancee in the film, meanwhile, had played Burgess Meredith's wife in "A LITTLE PLOT AT TRANQUIL VALLEY", a real oddball 2nd-season episode of McCLOUD. Herb Edelman, Seller's partner (or was it boss?), was Robert Stack's boss in STRIKE FORCE.
The Lou Gottlieb thing still weirds me out. I've listened to his albums all my life, and seen him in person twice, yet watching his scenes intently, his voice doesn't sound much like himself, and of course under all that hair it's hard to recognize him either... ;D
I ran across the funniest thing about him last night on Wikipedia...
""After a brief stint reviewing concerts for the San Francisco Chronicle, Gottlieb moved to Morning Star Ranch, his 30-acre (120,000 m2) ranch in Sonoma County, in 1966. Folk singer Malvina Reynolds and her husband Bud had alerted him to the property. Many people will remember fondly "The Digger Farm," as it came to be called, and the impact Lou had as the "resident piano player," as he referred to himself. Gottlieb attempted to leave the land he owned to God. A series of court appeals culminated in the 9th district court ruling that he could not. The ruling centered around the fact that if God was named owner on a quit claim deed, there would be no recourse for the collection of property taxes. The finding, therefore, was that God has no property rights in the state of California."
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Still on the fence for How to Get Away with Murder also and Forever. I do not like Tia Leoni in anything she has been in. She is one of the most lifeless actresses. My wife even agrees. I loved the opening of Laura but when the kids were aloud to act the way they did without a good spanking several times I just could not take any more.
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"when the kids were aloud to act the way they did without a good spanking several times I just could not take any more."
What the hell is that, a Spielberg film?
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New series Mysteries of Laura
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Just watched SWAMP THING for either the 2nd or 3rd time (not sure, it's been a long time).
Somehow, this strikes me as being a better story and better made than ANY of the SUPERMAN movies from the same period.
Man, that Louis Jourdan sure can play some EVIL characters!!
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I have seen Swamp Thing a couple times and enjoy it. #2 not as good.
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I didn't really like the first one. And I never liked seeing Louis Jourdan as a villain--he was better as a leading man.
But THE RETURN OF SWAMP THING with Heather Locklear was a lot of fun--I appreciated that they didn't try to take everything so seriously.
It's funny, the first movie was directed by Wes Craven who is relatively respected as a horror film director. While the second was directed by Jim Wynorski who is a master of the exploitation movie, having directed nearly a hundred schlock shock pictures (most straight to video).
I guess I'll never get any awards for having superior taste in movies (or anything else).
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Watched the Movie Sparks. Got to say it was pretty close to the comic book and it was a really nice little movie. The other movies I watched were Winter Soldier, Iron Man 3, and Thor Dark World. I Liked Thor the best of the 3. Also bought off of Amazon a short called the Legacy of Miss Masque a 21 minute mini movie, not too bad, pretty much in line with the rest of the TomCat releases (Like Captain Battle or Avenging Force: The Scarab).
Richard
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A new season of MURDOCH MYSTERIES started this week. There were some scenes of shocking brutality--unlike what we're used to from previous seasons. The Victorian Era has truly ended. In another series, I might say they were just using the violence to hype the story, but the switch in tone goes with the history of Canada and the world, as 20th century politics get very messy.
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Here's how my Fall TV watching is shaping up-
The Intruders- Just finished it's brief run last night.
Manhattan- Winding up in another episode or two. Hope they bring it back for another season.
Dr Who- Enjoying Peter Capldi's take on the character.
Haven- Only Syfy series I'm currently watching.
Bones- 10 years and still going strong.
Criminal Minds- Ditto- Jennifer Love Hewitt joins the cast.
The Blacklist- Spader rules.
Agents of SHIELD- Enjoyed seeing Crusher Creel/Absorbing Man going up against the agents.
Sleepy Hollow- Plot-wise they seem to throw in everything but the kitchen sink.
Gotham- I'm liking this one so far (especially the villains).
Once Upon a Time- The addition of the Frozen characters is okay and has certainly given the show a ratings boost.
The Mysteries of Laura- Picked up this one on a whim. Somewhat amusing so far. We'll see how it develops.
Arrow and The Flash- Premiered this week but I haven't watched them yet.
The Walking Dead- Premiering tonight. Looking forward to it.
Yet to premiere but I hope to watch- Grimm, Constantine, The 100 and Elementary.
One of my busier seasons in a while.
Best
Joe
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I have only liked two episodes of the new Dr Who so far. Capaldi has been kinda boring to me. SHIELD I like and Once Upon a Time and Gotham. I have not yet watched Arrow of Flash. I started watching Laura but quit when she did not discipline her horrible children
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Given that I'm not a huge fan of the new version of Doctor Who, I have enjoyed Capaldi's version. The Caretaker one was great entertainment. Never mind the stories - I usually watch the start and seldom watch to the end. But Capaldi seems alien, manic, funny, sarcastic, cold and a pleasure to watch.
Despite my thinking Lewis was finished, there is a new series which started last week. Lewis is tempted back to help out Hathaway - now an Inspector - and his new sergeant played by Angela Griffin. This was part 1 of a 2 parter. Intriguing story and I definately want to see this one through.
This is the ITV Player but I doubt you'll be able to use it outside the U.K.
https://www.itv.com/itvplayer/lewis/series-8/episode-1-entry-wounds-part-1
At the pictures last night we saw the Helen Mirren film, "The Hundred-Foot Journey". Very good, lightweight entertainment. And some of the scenery is beautiful.
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This morning:
"INVASION OF THE DINOSAURS part one"
One of the 2 Jon Pertwee episodes I do not have in my collection, and have never seen before. Apart from the other one (which didn't crsoss my mind at the time), I've watched EVERY Pertwee story in sequence this time around, and figured, why not go online and see if someone has it posted? They did, so I watched it.
A somewhat bizarre experience to be watching what was, for ME, a "brand new" Sarah Jane Smith episode. Although, I did read the novelization for this story YEARS before the other 5 parts made it to America back in the mid-80s.
Pertwee's a lot of fun in this. Once he was able to use his TARDIS again, personality-wise, he actually started to be more like the "real" Doctor, which he had rarely ever been since "SPEARHEAD FROM SPACE" (before the shock set in that, yes, he really WAS stranded on Earth). Sarah's a bit of a pain in this one. It's really not until the very end of the 6-parter that she began to finally "lighten up".
Personally, ever since I first saw "THE TIME WARRIOR", it's been my impression that the Doctor took to her immediately, quite possibly, because she reminded him of himself!
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Personally, ever since I first saw "THE TIME WARRIOR", it's been my impression that the Doctor took to her immediately, quite possibly, because she reminded him of himself!
I just watched the first installment of "THE TIME WARRIOR".
I really like the look of the Pertwee episodes, excellent props and costuming.
I agree with your view on the Dr and Sarah. Of course everyone took to Sarah on first sight. A lovely girl, and still a looker when she grew older.
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As I think I said before, I don't see what all the fuss is about with Sarah Jane. But then I wasn't watching these shows when they first aired. Maybe if I was a boy, there would be something that she has that would entice me.
Following after Jo Grant, she just can't compete in my eyes. And what's really off-putting is the way she talks. She sounds like someone who is upper class and insists on letting everyone know it.
Also there's not much chemistry with Pertwee. And there's a kind of sadness that hangs over his final season as the Doctor.
Once Sladen and Baker get familiar with each other, they have a nice rapport and Sarah is an all right companion. But I find her merely innocuous.
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I kinda agree with Jimmm
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Oh no. Surely not. Sarah Jane is quite wonderful. Nuff said.
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My first view of Sarah-- as with most Americans, no doubt-- was in "Robot". In there, she basically reminded of an English version of "Lois Lane". :)
She grew on me... A LOT!!! So it took quite a bit for me to get to like Leela. (Seeing so many of these stories out of sequence-- it took months for my PBS station to get things straightened out-- didn't help.) On the other hand, I liked Romana from the start. It was hilarious to see her classy (and a bit conceited) brush up against Baker, who winds up trying to hard to impress her while falling over himself as he does so.
I had a friend for a lot of years who in some ways reminded me of Sarah, personality-wise. Unfortunately, I had a falling-out with her a few years ago. I'm afraid it colored my reaction to watching Sarah since then. What I mean is... the last time I watched my ENTIRE collection, I actually wound up liking EVERY girl on the show more than I ever had... except for Sarah, who, shockingly, "didn't do it" for me anymore.
There's also Tegan... I NEVER liked her, and I STILL can't stand her! Which is sad, as, in person, Janet Fielding is a very nice person. But then, that goes for just about every regular on the show during JNT's entire run as producer. Except for Sylvester McCoy. HE became my favorite Doctor-- after I'd seen ALL the others!!
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Leela is one of my favourites. Except for maybe the very first story she was in, I liked every story that featured her. And she had nice chemistry with K9.
It's too bad she caught that bad sickness that so many other companions caught. That sickness that makes them fall in love with some guy they've only known for five minutes and leave eveything else behind to spend their lives with that guy. Of all the companions, she was the one I would have bet on beating that illness.
Some day I hope to get to listen to all the audio stories. Too bad they aren't available like OTR. I really would like to hear those actors such as Louise Jameson, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann as they continue their adventures.
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I thought Capaldi was a bit awkward in the first episodes, almost as if he wasn't really sure how he should play the Doctor. I believe his performances are getting stronger as the season progresses. Or maybe I'm just getting used to his take on the character. Some good scripts this year- a bit less action and more character-driven stories. Hope the writers can strike a good balance between those two elements. I'm even starting to like Clara a bit this year- she's actually becoming less self-centered and more of a mature and useful character. She still can't hold a candle to Rose, Amy, or Sarah Jane.
Also enjoying the new "Lewis" episodes and "Gotham". Cheers, Bowers
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I think that Twelve's awkwardness in his role was covered in the script. He's new at being the Doctor and not sure what kind of Doctor he will be. So Capaldi was just playing what's in the script. I'm sure he could have given a different performance if that's what they wanted from him. His Doctor is supposed to show different aspects of the previous Doctors coming through.
This has been something with all the Doctors, especially right after regeneration, as they get used to their new body, new mind.
Even the First Doctor was awkward in the beginning--not sure of what was right or wrong.
Jenna Coleman is probably my favourite actor to appear on DOCTOR WHO since Freema Agyeman.
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I think Freema is the pretties of the companions. Clara and Amy are more in the cute category. I did not care for the first couple of Capaldi episodes but the last couple have been better. I liked the 2D concept and enjoyed it a lot in the very first episode of Outer Limits.
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I was totally surprised when Freema Agyeman was tapped to be the Doctor's companion, but she did an outstanding job. She is a well-rounded actress who is able to play just about anything. Cheers, Bowers
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Freema Agyeman is partly responsible for my interest in DOCTOR WHO. I had seen and liked her in LAW & ORDER: UK. Then when I was in Vienna, the little TV I had in my room provided by the language program only had one English channel and I happened to turn on "Smith and Jones," a few mintues late, so I didn't know it was DOCTOR WHO. Recognizing Agyeman, I began to watch it--figured out this must be DOCTOR WHO. And when I returned home from my studies, that's when I started to binge-watching DOCTOR WHO.
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"Except for maybe the very first story she was in"
"PLANET OF THE IDIOTS" (not the real title) It's no wonder she wanted to get the hell away from there. She was the most intelligent person on the planet!
"Don't you like me?"
"Well yes I suppose I do like you. But I can't go carting everyone I like all around the universe."
Good thing she didn't let that stop her. ;D
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Just watched a recent film that is full of surprises, based on an Egar Allen poe short story. I recommend that if you haven't read it you don't look up the story till after you watch the film. Too many twists that would be spoiled.
It stars such great actors as Micheal Caine, Ben Kingsley, David Thewlis, and Brendon Gleason, plus many fine character actors you may or may not recognize. The cast seems to be mostly veteran UK actors.
The plot will remind you of the best of the old style Horror comics, and the visual effect is much in that style.
The title is "Stonehearst Asylum".
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Yesterday, I was reminded of the TV series ROOM 222, so I watched the first two episodes on youtube. Amazon has DVDs for seasons 1 and 2--I've put them on my wishlist and might buy them when the price comes down. Do they air this show on cable?
This was a really great series and watching it now reminds me a lot of what it was like back in the late '60s/early '70s--except the kids in my high school weren't so old looking. That TV show taught me a lot. Well, it was created by James L. Brooks and the title music was by Jerry Goldsmith.
The wikipedia article on ROOM 222 says that it was in a Friday night timeslot on ABC for most of its run, in between THE BRADY BUNCH and THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY--before it--and THE ODD COUPLE and LOVE AMERICAN STYLE--after it. And my family watched every one of those shows.
Networks now send shows to Friday to die, but back then Friday night was the best night for TV. There was no school the next day and I didn't have to worry about homework, so I could park myself in front of the TV and stay up a little later than usual.
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Over here with New Year past, some new series of old favourites are on our screens. We watched the first episode of the new 3 episode run of Foyle's War, which is now set just after the end of WW2 and Foyle is still being used by MI5. This was a good mystery and made many points about social values at the time and the repercussions of some Nazi atrocities.
Last night was the first episode of the new series of Death in Paradise. Thoroughly entertaining, fortunately, as it took our minds off the raging storm outside. A bit more work for Don Warrington in this episode, which is no bad thing and he looked as if he enjoyed doing it.
The Musketeers are back and despite reviews of the show being all over the papers and radio, we're just not that keen. Richelieu, having regenerated into Doctor Who is no more and the new bad guy is played by Marc Warren. Interestingly it has been moved from earlyish Sat evening to 9pm Friday.
http://www.bbcamerica.com/musketeers/
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THE TERROR
FIVE GUNS WEST
GUNSLINGER (the "MST3000" version)
SWAMP WOMEN
NOT OF THIS EARTH
IT CONQUERED THE WORLD!
ATTACK OF THE CRAB MONSTERS (sound & picture NOT in synch!)
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I just finished up season 3 of the British show "Ripper Street", and I believe it to be some of the best television I have ever seen. Seasons 1 and 2 were very, very good. Season 3 simply jaw-dropping.
About 4 episodes into the Canadian "Strange Empire". The premise of the show: women find themselves mostly without men, having to survive in the Canadian old west. This struggle is contrasted by an offer from the local thug businessman to all become prostitutes in his residence/whore house. As this offer is extended to young teenage girls, the show get a little weird, but I guess in context, that would have been reality. Of course reality might not have offered much real choice. Truly my wife likes this show a bit more than I, but the mix of characters and their motivations is relatively unique. The acting is quite good.
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Just watched one of the strangest movies I've ever seen in my life... Roger Corman's "THE UNDEAD" from 1957. It involves mezmerizsm, psychic time-travel, witchcraft, devil-worship, Shakespearean-style dialogue, and has Satan himself as a character in the story! Initially inspired by a book about reincarnation, it seems this may have inspired bits of THE TWILIGHT ZONE, TALES OF ASGARD, and DARK SHADOWS !
http://thisislandrod.blogspot.com/2011/06/undead-1957.html
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...the marathon continues...
SORORITY GIRL (1957)
HIGHWAY DRAGNET (1954)
MONSTER FROM THE OCEAN FLOOR (1954)
THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS (1955)
THE VIKING WOMEN AND THEIR VOYAGE TO THE WATERS OF THE GREAT SEA SERPENT (1957)
;D
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A PSYCHO spin-off I had COMPLETELY forgotten about-- the 2nd season episode of AMAZING STORIES titled "Welcome To My Nightmare". It's about a young man who's positively obsessed with movies, and prefers them to real life as they're somehow "better"; he "knows how things will turn out". He even brushes off the overtures of a nice girl who would love to have him ask her out. His family thinks he's a hopeless dork, and one of them jokes (?) about having him institutionalized. But one night, he goes out to the movies, and is mystified that a theatre he thought was closed down is open. When he steps in... he suddenly finds himself IN the movie PSYCHO. In the role played by Janet Leigh! And he can see Norman's mother up in the Bates house, preparing to come down and KILL him.
He tries to get back in the car and drive away, but the engine won't start. All the other cabins at the Motel are locked. So instead of, say, running off into the desert, he tries to hide in CABIN 1. How dumb can anybody be?
This was a stunning mix of new material and what, as far as I can tell, was bits of the original film somehow neatly spliced in. It also appears to have been filmed on the actual set used in the films. This was probably right around the time one of the sequels was done.
A bit of trivia is that his sister is played by a young Christina Applegate, a few years before MARRIED WITH CHILDREN debuted.
I hadn't seen this thing since it was first-run! I kinda gave up on the series, as this was the last episode I taped (it's right at the end of the 2nd videotape I recorded). I was really taping too many shows back then.
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Thought I'd do a quick scorecard for my recent TV viewing. BEST NEW SERIES- "Gotham"- Writer/producer Bruno Heller (Mentalist) has come up with another winner. Robin Lord Taylor is outstanding as Cobblepot and Sean Pertwee is a very different Alfred. NEW SERIES WITH PROMISE- "The Librarians"- An offshoot of the made for TV movie franchise. Good premise and cast. Writing gets better as series progresses. STRANGEST NEW SERIES- "Galavant"- What can I say about this one? Sort of a medieval/Mel Brooks-ish musical comedy. You'll either love it or hate it. SAYING GOODBYE TO OLD FRIENDS- This will be the last season for "Mentalist" and "Falling Skies". "Mentalist" probably should have ended with the Red John resolution and the last season of "Falling Skies" was pretty confusing. However, I'll miss them both. RETURNING FAVORITES- "Musketeers" and "Masterpiece Mystery". Marc Warren is an excellent Rochefort, although Capaldi will be very hard to replace on "Musketeers". The new season of "Masterpiece Mystery" started with "Grantchester". A priest and detective combine forces to solve village murders in late 1940s/early 1950s England. A bit similar to "Father Brown", but still quite good. Nice to see Robson Green again. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT- "Doctor Who"- I love Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor, but the writing for this season has been more than a bit substandard. The Danny Pink/Clara story arc had little chemistry and got to be somewhat boring. Other episodes were really hit-or-miss. A few good stories sandwiched in among the bad ones. I'm a big fan of The Doctor, but this show really needs to improve. WORST EPISODE OF THE YEAR-"Doctor Who Christmas Special"- Absolutely awful! Except for a quick appearance from St. Nick, this story had nothing to do with Christmas. The plot device used in this one was so overused it actually became very annoying. I found myself thinking "Oh, please, not again!" The Doctor can be many things, but he should NEVER be boring! Cheers, Bowers
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I can say ditto to most everything Bowers wrote. From the poorly written Dr. Who to the confusing Falling Skies. My biggest disappointed would be the confusing FS because I really liked that series a lot. I have not caught Musketeers but that is my error and I need to correct that. I am one of those who hated Galavant. A series that I have not seen mentioned was last years TURN. I enjoyed the Revolutionary War spy series and hope it was renewed.
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Actually, even though I didn't see the point of THE MENTALIST continuing on last season, I found myself maybe liking it even more, once the pressure of the Red John story was taken off. During most of the run, it felt uneven. Some episodes were procedural--interesting cases, but not the A game--while others were Red John. Once the series was just about the procedural, that aspect of the show was raised to a better level--something approaching COLUMBO status (though obviously that's a bar that no other such series will ever reach). It's almost too bad that Red John dominated so much of the series and they couldn't just develop the whole Mentalist angle on its own.
On the strength of THE MENTALIST, I started watching GOTHAM. Granted, it's top quality--probably the best done comic book TV show of the current crop, from a purely technical perspective. I thought that Penguin's Umbrella was deserving of a mid-season break. It was surprising when they continued on and returned to formula after that. The break gave me time to cool my jets and when I came back to it this month, I wasn't so hot about the series.
Yes, it's a professional job. I have no criticism against it on any other level than that it's just not the worldview I'm into. With the return, I found it so heartless and nasty. And after that, another week off--so I've been questioning if I should tune it in tonight.
The kids on the show make me think of BUGSY MALONE. And there's so much stage blood on the series, I started thinking that this could just be jelly doughnut filling---like BUGSY with the splurge guns. If the series was played on that level--and nobody really got hurt (it is a TV show, so nobody really does get hurt in truth)--then I might stick with it.
But I'm considering leaving it alone and maybe binge watching the whole series instead, once enough episodes have piled up.
I quite like DOCTOR WHO and have no complaints--other than there's not enough of it. They should have a second spin-off series for the spring, just to give us something WHO related to watch.
Did anyone ever watch SELFIE? I tuned in a few minutes of some episodes--just enough until I could not take it and had to turn it off. Every time that I watch twenty seconds of it, my appreciation for Amy Pond diminishes by five percent. I'm down to 10% liking Karen Gillan--from being at 75% in the days of DOCTOR WHO. The SELFIE TV show may have been the worst move of her career. Unless people hate-watched her--which I understand is a thing now. So maybe a lot of TV shows are deliberately made for hate-watching these days.
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Narf, I completely forgot about "Turn". Yes, it was excellent and I think it has been renewed. IMDB gives six unnamed and two named episodes for 2015. Also, "Sons of Liberty" starts next week on History Channel Cheers, Bowers
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CARNIVAL ROCK
MACHINE GUN KELLY
WAR OF THE SATELLITES
TEENAGE CAVEMAN
NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST
Man, am I having a fun week!
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Prof there is just too much new stuff that I have not had time for the good old stuff
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I got my 1st VCR in November 1979. That's why my collection is so huge.
My cable TV got cut off about 6 years ago. I've watched NOTHING but my collection since then.
2 weeks ago, my last VCR gurgled its death throes, and I wasn't gonna risk some of my BEST tapes to that thing. So, I found a CHEAP refurbuished one, and ordered it online.
But until it got here, I had to STOP watching videotapes, completely. Which meant... watching stuff on YouTube, while sitting in front of my computer. Which I've avoided doing all these years, since it's not that comfortable.
But in the last 2 weeks, I watched one Roger Corman movie EVERY NIGHT-- and except for THE TERROR, which I saw about 30 years ago, every single one of these are films I have read about, but NEVER SEEN BEFORE!!
So I'm really O.D.-ing on "NEW" stuff the last 2 weeks! (New, for me!)
I've also been watching ULTRA Q. Every episode in sequence. The first 3 were in color-- the rest have been in B&W. All in Japanese. With NO subtitles. I have to figure out what's going on just by the pictures. The lead character is the lady newspaper reporter, played by the same actress who played "Fuji" on ULTRA MAN. But with her hairstyle & clothes, she's a lot cuter in this one!
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Just saw HIGH SCHOOL BIG SHOT (1959), a terminally downbeat, depressing movie about juvenile delinquency. The only likable characters in it were, surprisingly, a pair of professional crooks, one of whom, a safe-cracker, is played by Stanley Adams. When he and his partner are onscreen, it's almost like you're watching a completely different movie. Best damn performance I've ever seen Adams give! It seems a shame the Production Code in those days did NOT allow law-breakers to get away with their crimes... it kinda "ruins" a lot of "heist" films, where you're actually rooting for the crooks to pull it off.
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Just watched one of the strangest movies I've ever seen in my life... Roger Corman's "THE UNDEAD" from 1957. It involves mezmerizsm, psychic time-travel, witchcraft, devil-worship, Shakespearean-style dialogue, and has Satan himself as a character in the story! Initially inspired by a book about reincarnation, it seems this may have inspired bits of THE TWILIGHT ZONE, TALES OF ASGARD, and DARK SHADOWS !
http://thisislandrod.blogspot.com/2011/06/undead-1957.html
Watched this film just recently. I'd seen it many years ago and it was one of the more memorable low budget efforts of its day.
Another strange one is "the Mask" AKA "Eyes of Hell".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mask_(1961_film)
From the looks of it we have much the same tastes in films, I've watched a number of the films you listed in the last year or so.
I liked the way the Blood Beast was grimly determined to save the human race if he had to kill all of us to do it. Very alien mind at work there.
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For some reason we were never fans of Silent Witness but last night, having read a preview of this new 2-parter, we tuned in, and it was worthwhile. Taut, gory at times - autopsies,other stuff - complicated with Russian oligarchs, Russian agents, a vigilante group and dodgy goings on by a hig place person influancing the police investigation. Part 2 tonight. Looking forard to it, so I hope it doesn't disappoint.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b051hgg5
Later this week, another Death in Paradise which is becoming a bit predictable but still funny enough and with beautiful scenery to make a pleasant hour's tv.
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What a week...
THE BRAIN EATERS
T-BIRD GANG
HIGH SCHOOL BIG SHOT
BATTLE BEYOND THE SUN
ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES
A BUCKET OF BLOOD
THE WASP WOMAN
Amazingly, THE BRAIN EATERS had the exact same plot as NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST, in that an alien (in this case, from under the Earth) mind-controls a human, convincing him it's in mankind's best interests for the ALIEN to take over the entire planet.
T-BIRD GANG has Ed Nelson switch from hero to main villain.
BATTLE BEYOND THE SUN was the Russian space exploration epic redubbed by Francis Ford Coppola, with a pair of genitalia monsters added in one sequence. I'm looking forward at some point to seeing a LOT more of these early sci-fi space flicks I have never seen before, once I'm done with the Roger Corman stuff.
ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES' main interest was the contrast between the "good" romantic couple and the "bad" one. I've read that any film Corman was involved in, he always made strong characters the main focus, which helped "sell" the genre stuff, no matter how tacky it might be.
A BUCKET OF BLOOD is the only one on this list I've seen before-- TWICE before! It's actually the very 1st Corman film I ever saw, way back in 1968 when Philly's SCREAM-IN debuted late Saturday nights with Dr. Shock. I saw it again about 7 years ago on TCM, and was surprised to see The Limeliters' Alex Hassilev as the folk singer in the coffee bar.
THE WASP WOMAN looks to me like it may have been one of the major influences for Jack Kirby's "The Wasp", although his "Jan" has a personality much more like the shrunken princess in 7TH VOYAGE FOR SINBAD. The eccentric scientist is played by the same guy who played the father of the little girl killed in the 1931 FRANKENSTEIN !
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Tonight's movie:
"Come on, baby. Give me one more chance to explain things."
"Sure, why not. It doesn't matter where you go, or what you do, or who you KILL, I'll always love you baby, 'til the day I die."
"GROWWWWWWL!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!"
;D
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THE BRAIN EATERS
T-BIRD GANG
HIGH SCHOOL BIG SHOT
BATTLE BEYOND THE SUN
ATTACK OF THE GIANT LEECHES
A BUCKET OF BLOOD
THE WASP WOMAN
Once again proof we have the same taste in old movies.
Except for "High school big Shot" which I didn't watch all the way through.
I liked "Attack of the Giant Leeches", I first saw it as a youngster and it was horrifying for a kid to watch.
The slow moving and innocuous appearance of the creatures made it that much more terriying. Its a reminder that even such primitive organisms can overcome a human who is out of his evironment.
The method of feeding which kept the victim alive for days as their mind slowly disintegrated was the worst of it.
The illicit love affair and resulting dire consequences reminds me of many of the old horror comics.
"the Brain Eaters" remains one of my favorites.
Bucket of blood was on a double bill with "the Little Shop of Horrors". I have a DVD with both just like I saw them at the theatre so many years ago.
"Creature from the Haunted Sea" is another fun movie. The character I liked best was Antony Carbone doing his running Bogie impression.
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The bizarre double-bill would be CREATURE FROM THE HAUNTED SEA and LAST WOMAN ON EARTH. Same locations, same CAST. Not sure if they were made back-to-back, or, at the SAME time.
Another douible-act like this is BEAST FROM THE HAUNTED CAVE and SKI PATROL ATTACK. The 1st is a heist film (NO, REALLY!!!) crossed with a monster movie, whose climax predicts the one in ALIEN by 19 years!!!!! The 2nd is a WW2 epic. Same locations, same cast, and similar plot trajectory. (In one, they're followed cross-country thru the snow by a monster; in the other, by German soldiers.) Michael Forrest ("Apollo" from STAR TREK) is the hero in both.
And speaking of Antony Carbone... tonight: PIT & THE PENDULUM. Only saw this 8 weeks ago, but that was part of a Poe marathon that got interrupted by a very old VCR that finally broke down after 15 years. Now I'm watching a Corman marathon-- my first ever (if you don't count how many times I've watched his Poe flicks). The mystery structure of this plot is amazing, less a "whodunit" as a "what is going on here?"
Craziest NEW twist-- the scene where "Elizabeth"'s coffin is opened and they find she was really buried alive comes NOT from any Poe story I've read-- but rather, a STEVE DITKO adaptation of 2 of them!!! (I'm not kidding!) Either Corman or Matheson MUST have been comics fans. Chunks of Gilberton's "HOUSE OF USHER" wound up in Corman's PIT AND THE PENDULUM. So, considering some of the themes got recycled from film to film, now I'm having double or triple-visions as I watch some scenes!
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keen observation
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Another douible-act like this is BEAST FROM THE HAUNTED CAVE and SKI PATROL ATTACK. The 1st is a heist film (NO, REALLY!!!) crossed with a monster movie, whose climax predicts the one in ALIEN by 19 years!!!!!
I had intended to mention that one in my last post but couldn't remember the title.
Its actually a pretty good story, and not that bad for a low budget film of that era.
All these B (or C) movie horror films may be guilty pleasures, but thats usually the best kind.
LAST WOMAN ON EARTH
An unusual film to say the least, especially the final scenes.
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When I saw those people plastered up on the wall of the cave, saying it was "too late!", I could have screamed. That was the scene filmed but CUT from "ALIEN" in 1979, and reinserted in the "director's cut" 10 or so years ago.
Corman keeps being ahead of the curve.
I got the book BRILLIANCE ON A BUDGET 30-some years ago, and it's taken me this long to finally get around to seeing soe of these. (The POEs, I've completely lost count of how many times I've seen them by now!)
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Hey Corman made the first Fantastic Four movie and the story was not that bad. I had a little Japanese fun today and watched Rhodan.
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Here's a very early film in the "Mystery Man/Superhero" genre. From 1919, L'atleta Fantasma (The Phantom Athlete).
http://www.mediafire.com/watch/9n52jvhcfzx6hcj/l_atleta_fantasma_1919.avi
Enjoy
Joe
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Pretty cool thanks. Lots of typical hero antics long before Superman.
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About time I updated my list before it gets away from me...
BEAST FROM THE HAUNTED CAVE (a heist film crossed with a monster movie!)
SKI TROOP ATTACK (same locations & cast as above, set in WW2)
BATTLE OF BLOOD ISLAND (WW2 Pacific island flick whose 2nd half turns into a tight, 2-man drama)
HOUSE OF USHER (this was wider widescreen online than on TCM)
THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (really sick horror-comedy, 2nd time I've seen this in 47 years)
LAST WOMAN ON EARTH (low-budget post-apocalyptic drama)
CREATURE FROM THE HAUNTED SEA (same locations & cast as above, the funniest of the 3 horror-comedies)
PIT & THE PENDULUM (one of the BEST Poe flicks, an original sequel to the actual Poe story which contains elements from multiple sources)
THE PREMATURE BURIAL (unmittigated nerve, when you find out at the very end of the movie that this has the exact same plot as PIT & THE PENDULUM, but different)
THE INTRUDER (shocking social commentary, the only film Corman ever made that lost money, and one he was almost lynched while trying to make; featuring the EVIL side of William Shatner!)
TALES OF TERROR (my least-favorite of the 8 Poes, but only because I love the other 7 so much; my favorite part is the final story, with Basil Rathbone)
THE RAVEN (I know it's nuts-- but this is my favorite Jack Nicholson movie!)
THE TERROR (3rd time for me-- the 2nd time was only a month ago!!)
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Movies RUINED for me before I ever had a chance to see them "cold":
PLANET OF THE APES (my cousin Gerry)
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (my best friend Jim)
PSYCHO (a PBS Hitchcock documentary)
CITIZEN KANE (not sure, probably multiple sources)
I could include VERTIGO... except, I didn't realize it was being spoiled for me... and when I finally did see the film, it did come as a surprise, and when I got to that part, I actually laughed, thinking, "So THAT's where he got it from!"
"It came out ten years ago-- I assumed you MUST have seen it by now!"
(my best friend Jim)
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Time for another update on the marathon...
X: THE MAN WITH X-RAY EYES (Ray Milland's favorite of his films, a scientist lets his ambition get away from him as things go from bad to worse and beyond)
THE HAUNTED PALACE ("the" classic Lovecraft film, an odd case where the angry mob is RIGHT and the one reasonable man in the story learns at the climax he's dead wrong)
DEMENTIA 13 (an unusual "PSYCHO" style thriller set in a Irish castle)
OPERACIJA TICIJAN (also known as "PORTRAIT OF TERROR", a Yugoslavia thriller that reminded me a lot of "THE THIRD MAN", with William Campbell & Patrick Magee both trying to get their hands on a valuable missing painting)
THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (this one qualifies as "art" in my book)
THE TOMB OF LIGEIA (a mystery where you don't realize until the climax that the clues have been right in front of your eyes from the very beginning of the story)
VOYAGE TO THE PREHISTORIC PLANET (a Russian space epic about an expedition to Venus, with one Amercian actress replacing a Russian actress, and Basil Rathbone being inserted as the scientist in charge back on Earth, who gets top billing despite not having anything to do with the rest of the movie)
QUEEN OF BLOOD (another Russian film is used for stock footage in this mostly-original sci-fi / horror film that has a LOT of elements similar to the later ALIEN; Basil Rathbone and John Saxon make the most of it.)
THE NAVY VS. THE NIGHT MONSTERS (legend has it the entire cast & crew were ready to walk off the movie when the producer announced he was changing the name from THE NIGHTSTALKERS to the one they used; not that bad of a film, except there's 20 minutes of footage shot after-the-fact to pad it out for TV syndication that adds NOTHING to the story that mostly shows military officers on another location talking talking talking for no purpose, and a jet bomber strafing run that shows just how cheap the effects in this thing really were)
THE WILD ANGELS (Roger Corman sparks an entire genre here, with Peter Fonda, Nancy Sinatra, Bruce Dern, Dick Miller, and poor Frank Maxwell winds up as the only likable character in the entire film that goes out of its way to show just what IRREDEEMABLE SCUM some biker gangs really are made of!)
THE SHOOTING (minimalist, existential, ultra-low-budget western with Warren Oates & Jack Nicholson that plays as a much bleaker, pointless version of TRUE GRIT!)
RIDE IN THE WHIRLWIND (Cameron Mitchell & Jack Nicholson as outlaws chased by a posse who are after a separate band of outlaws, and desperately try to avoid getting stung up for crimes they DIDN'T do, never mind the ones they actually did)
DEVIL'S ANGELS (John Cassavettes as the leader of another biker gang, who learns too late that just because he's the only guy in the gang with any brains and sense of reason, he CAN'T control a mob that unruly and violence-prone; Leo Gordon as the local sheriff caught between violence waiting to explode, and a town who want to see him replaced; in the end, everybody makes the wrong decisions, and Cassavettes rides off just as all hell literally breaks loose and escalates off-camera).
THE ST. VALENTINE'S DAY MASASACRE (I was unable to find this to watch for free, so instead, I watched a 90-min. documentary about the real-life events, which I had once seen years back on The History Channel).
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If you liked "Man with the x-Ray eyes"
Try "the 4D Man".
Robert Lansing as the scientist that goes too far.
"Dementia 13" is an old favorite, I have it on disc and watch it now and again.
"THE NAVY VS. THE NIGHT MONSTERS "
Is another favorite, the first few minutes on the plane are truly chilling.
Only film on your list that I don't remember seeing is "PORTRAIT OF TERROR".
"Queen of Blood" is not that bad, the story deserves an updated remake.
I really liked the scavenged Soviet film scenes, I'd like to see the original these came from.
"Voyage to the end of the Universe" is another film re cut and dubbed from a Soviet era Czech film ''Ikarie XB-1''. both versions have been available on youtube.
The scene of exploring a derelict space craft is very effective. European Sci fi films of that era often had far more realistic space suits than those used in US or UK films.
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These days I'm most interested in finding TV shows online from different periods in my past. I want to relive the experience of watching these favourite shows.
One of the shows I've just begun to embark on watching again is STAR TREK. The recent death of Leonard Nimoy prompted me to do so.
The struggle for me is whether to watch them in the order they were broadcast or in the production order. On the one hand, because I want to relive how I saw these shows as a kid, broadcast order seems right. On the other hand, the continuity works best in the proper production order--you can better see how each character develops from episode to episode.
Finding all the shows online isn't easy and I may have to break down and buy the DVD set. But I've noticed that episodes have been remastered with added effects. Since I'm all about seeing the shows as they were first brodcast, I'd rather not have those added effects.
I suppose I can't be too fussy about this. When the show was first on, we had a black and white set--so I never actually saw any episodes in colour--not until a few years later when we got a colour set and I could watch the shows in syndication.
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What I've found watching STAR TREK in production order is, there is often a lot of little subtle bits of continuity you might never have thought of watching them the other way.
Also, I play with the order in a FEW key cases. For example, I make a point of watching "WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF?" before "THE NAKED TIME". Although they were both filmed and run the other way, it's clear to me they were WRITTEN to be seen this way. They just make more sense this way.
Also, and I know this is nuts... I like to watch "THE OMEGA GLORY" right around the same time as "MUDD'S WOMEN", as both were written as possible pilots. By the time "OMEGA" was dusted off and shot (almost 2 years later), too many of its plot elements had been reused in other stories, making the whole damn thing seem like a really bad rehash that wasn't thought out... rather than the early, crude attempt it was. (It also helps to pretend that planet actually was a "lost colony" of early Earth exploration. NOTHING else makes sense out of the ending at all.)
Another fun bit that crops of as a result of this is, I like to pretend that "Simon Van Gelder" was actually "Ron Tracy" when I watch "DAGGER OF THE MIND".
Another glaring example of continuity screwded by NBC was "COURT MARTIAL", filmed right before "THE MENAGERIE". The opening scenes of "MENAGERIE" actually references events in "COURT MARTIAL", which was run quite a few weeks later!
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A few years back, I was collecting a lot of images of old movie posters, and I was reminded of just how many old sci-fi movies I have still never seen to this day.
Now that I'm going berzerk watching movies online for free, I'm having a blast catching up with loads of stuff I read about decades back. I'm focusing on the Roger Corman films right now, but I fuilly intend to go back and find as many old-fashioned sci-fi space movies as I can when I get a chance.
I just reached a point where several Corman films in a row are NOT available anywhere online, and if this continues, I may start jumping around before long. Right now I'm watching "HELL'S ANGELS ON WHEELS", which was linked on the same page as "THE WILD ANGELS". Though Corman had nothing to do with it, the only actor in I know is Jack Nicholson, who got 2nd billing. This one looks and feels almost like a TV movie compared to some of the others, though that's not a bad thing, as so far it has a coherent plot, and Stu Phillips did the music.
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HOUSE AT THE END OF TIME. My wife and I seldom watch foreign language films that we must read subtitles. This one was a rare and worthwhile exception. It is one of the first and few world wide recognition movies from Venezuela. It kept me guessing and thinking they had made some mistakes until the end. They did a fantastic job of tying up all the ends. I frequently figure out movies, so I love movies that I get taken in by. This one had me on several points. We watched in on Netflix.
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What I've found watching STAR TREK in production order is, there is often a lot of little subtle bits of continuity you might never have thought of watching them the other way.
Also, I play with the order in a FEW key cases. For example, I make a point of watching "WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF?" before "THE NAKED TIME". Although they were both filmed and run the other way, it's clear to me they were WRITTEN to be seen this way. They just make more sense this way.
Also, and I know this is nuts... I like to watch "THE OMEGA GLORY" right around the same time as "MUDD'S WOMEN", as both were written as possible pilots. By the time "OMEGA" was dusted off and shot (almost 2 years later), too many of its plot elements had been reused in other stories, making the whole damn thing seem like a really bad rehash that wasn't thought out... rather than the early, crude attempt it was. (It also helps to pretend that planet actually was a "lost colony" of early Earth exploration. NOTHING else makes sense out of the ending at all.)
Another fun bit that crops of as a result of this is, I like to pretend that "Simon Van Gelder" was actually "Ron Tracy" when I watch "DAGGER OF THE MIND".
Another glaring example of continuity screwded by NBC was "COURT MARTIAL", filmed right before "THE MENAGERIE". The opening scenes of "MENAGERIE" actually references events in "COURT MARTIAL", which was run quite a few weeks later!
Thanks, I'll refer back to this as I go forward in my viewing.
Up to now, I've sort of gone back and forth between broadcast order and production order. I started out with the first pilot, then the first broadcast show, then the second pilot and so on.
As I just watched Mudd's Women yesterday--because I knew it was early in the production order as well as one of the possible pilots--I'll take your advice and view The Omega Glory next.
I guess I may end up watching a few shows more than once as I skip around. But that's no hardship since I love the original series more than words can say.
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I like to start a run of STAR TREK with FORBIDDEN PLANET. (heehee)
Then it's...
THE CAGE (1st Spock)
WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE (1st Kirk)
THE CORBOMITE MANOEVER (1st McCoy)
I have all 3 of these on store-bought videotape. I wish I had more. maybe one of these days... The rest I taped off Philly's Channel 17 in early 1980. The antenna signal was abominable... and a few of the early ones have (GASP!) commercial breaks near the beginning. (I got off work at 5 PM, the show started at 5 PM, and I was using the timer to start the recordings until I got home within 10 minutes.) But they're UNCUT!!! Which makes a HUGE difference, and makes even the worst of all possible picture quality more tolerable than it might be. (So when I see people complaining about different levels of DVD quality, I have to shake my head.)
THE OMEGA GLORY
MUDD'S WOMEN
THE ENEMY WITHIN
THE MAN TRAP
WHAT ARE LITTLE GIRLS MADE OF? (out of sequence, deliberately)
THE NAKED TIME
CHARLIE X
BALANCE OF TERROR
DAGGER OF THE MIND
MIRI (watched this again 2 years ago... will NEVER sit thru it again!!!)
CONSCIENCE OF THE KING
GALILEO SEVEN (skipping this one regularly)
COURT MARTIAL
THE MENAGERIE (2 parts)
SHORE LEAVE
THE SQUIRE OF GOTHOS
ARENA (note how, after 2 light-hearted stories in a row, the pre-credit sequence lures you into thinking you're in for a 3rd... NOPE!!!!!)
THE ALTERNATIVE FACTOR (think of this as an unused OUTER LIMITS episode).
TOMORROW IS YESTERDAY
THE RETURN OF THE ARCHONS
A TASTE OF ARMAGEDDON (2 eps. in a row with planets run by computers)
SPACE SEED (the ending is the best part... ruined later by the movie sequel)
THIS SIDE OF PARADISE
DEVIL IN THE DARK
ERRAND OF MERCY
CITY ON THE EGDE OF FOREVER (another one I skip regularly-- yes, I said that)
OPERATION: ANNIHILATE! (the monsters in this are later mentioned in "THE TROUBLE WITH TRIBBLES"-- really!)
Incidentally, I believe "MIRI" started life as a major rewrite of the shelved "OMEGA GLORY". Think about it!
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My sister was at one time perhaps even more into STAR TREK than I am. She taped all the shows off the TV and then I got her all the store-bought tapes so she would have a whole set. I'm not sure if she still has those. She had a lot of cool stuff that she hasn't hung onto.
If I knew that she would watch them, I would probably get the DVD set for her. Next time I'll see her, I'll have to ask some probing questions to see if she's still interested in STAR TREK.
She's one of the reasons I enjoy these shows so much. I see them as much through my sister's eyes as my own.
FORBIDDEN PLANET is like the prototype for STAR TREK. It even has a Canadian actor as its lead. Actually two--as both Nielsen and Pidgeon were Canadian. TREK held up the two Canadians rule with Shatner and Doohan.
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Both LOST IN SPACE and STAR TREK owed a lot to FORBIDDEN PLANET. The technology, to a large degree, wound up in LIS, while the general concept & attitude became ST.
Which makes it all the more crazy that I never saw FP until around 1980 or so.
It's a shame BATMAN happened to LIS. The guy who wrote the "Batbook" actually said he was always a bigger LIS fan, and he preferred it when the show got... "silly". OY.
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Been on overtime at work for over a year now so have fallen way behind in participating here.
Gonna try to start playing catchup.
Feature films watched since I last posted on this topic[
Philomena (2013), The Warlords (2007), The Brain that Wouldn't Die (1962), Tarzan of the Apes (1918), Geronimo (1993), Hollywood Varieties (1950), Cantinflas (2014), 2 Guns (2013), Contraband (1940), The Flying Saucer (1950), Hollywood Rhythm (1950), Safe House (2012), Godzilla (2014), The Man from Painted Post (1917), Kentucky Jubilee (1951), The Raid 2 (2013), A Volvar Joven (1947), Son of the Pink Panther (1993), The Kid from Gower Gulch (1950), Non-Stop (2014), Phantom of the Opera (1943), Dial Red O (1955), Divergent (2014), Red Raiders (1927), Sudden Danger (1955), The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), Lone Survivor (2014), Calling Homicde (1956), Labor Day (2014), Chain of Evidence (1957), Charlie Chan at the Opera (1936), Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013), Ted [Unrated] (2012), Why Be Good? (1929), Footsteps in the Dark (1957), Last Stand at Saber River (1997), Anzio (1968), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), The Pink Panther (2006), Compliance (2012), The Dragon Painter (1919), Rage at Dawn (1955), Brannigan (1975), Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (2010), Wreck-It Ralph (2012), The Croods (2013), Shaolin Wooden Men (1976), Hangman's Knot (1952), The Apparition (2011), The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), The Fault in Our Stars (2014), The Santa Incident (2010), Ten Wanted Men (1955), Million Dollar Arm (2014), Wild River (1960), Walk the Line (2005), Green Lantern: First Flight (2009), Rocky Rhodes (1934), Home Alone (1991), The Ivory-Handled Gun (1935), Corky of Gasoline Alley (1951), Infernal Affairs (2002), Journey to the Christmas Star (2012), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Edge of Tomorrow (2014), Behind the Candelabra (2013), Stranger on Horseback (1955), A Most Wanted Man (2014), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Noah (2014), Casper's Haunted Christmas (2000), Trouble in Store (1953), The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Her (2013), Miracle on 34th Street (1947), A Christmas Story (1983), A Christmas Carol (1938), We Are the Best! (2013), Cold in July (2014), The Prairie Pirate (1925), One Good Turn (1954), Escape Plan (2013), When a Man Sees Red (1934), About Time (2013), Despicable Me 2 (2013), and 20th Century Boys 1: Beginning of the End (2008)
And that brings me up to the end of 2014.
More to come
Joe
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No fair! You need to COMMENT on each film! (Okay, just the ones worth commenting on.)
:D
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Movies RUINED for me before I ever had a chance to see them "cold":
PLANET OF THE APES (my cousin Gerry)
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (my best friend Jim)
PSYCHO (a PBS Hitchcock documentary)
CITIZEN KANE (not sure, probably multiple sources)
I could include VERTIGO... except, I didn't realize it was being spoiled for me... and when I finally did see the film, it did come as a surprise, and when I got to that part, I actually laughed, thinking, "So THAT's where he got it from!"
"It came out ten years ago-- I assumed you MUST have seen it by now!"
(my best friend Jim)
Scrolling back a bit to this post. With the exception of VERTIGO, I believe I saw all of these on TV when I was young enough that no one had spoiled them for me yet.
VERTIGO was a special case as it had been taken out of circulation for many years. It was thought to be Hitchcock's lost masterpiece. But it was re-released in 1983 and by then I was at university with my film friends and we all went to see this movie that we knew nothing about. After it ended and the houselights came up, i was still sat in my seat unable to move. It took me a good five minutes before I could say anything at all.
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Somehow I missed all 5 of the films that were taken out of circulation, when they were reissued in the early 80s. But I did get to see both REAR WINDOW and VERTIGO when they were "restored" and then reissued again, in the 90s.
Of course, both films found their way into Brian DePalma's BODY DOUBLE-- which I saw in the 80s on cable. I remember somehow I'd loaned a tape of it to my Dad before seeing it myself, and he complained that at some point it after it ended, the tape "turned into a porno". A couple weeks later I watched it, and realized, he'd turned the film off BEFORE it was over!! I kept watching... and then discovered the "everything you thought was going on in the first half was a LIE". thing. Years later, when we saw VERTIGO together, I realized, that was where DePalma got it.
And then... slowly... I also realized that I'd read a novel with the exact same structure, about 15 years before I'd ever seen the DePalma movie. It was Ian Fleming's CASINO ROYALE. I never liked that book when I read it (well, I didn't like the 2nd half-- couldn't figure what the HELL Fleming thought he was doing). But decades later, Hitchcock gave me a new appreciation for it. I've been wondering since... did Hitchcock swipe the idea from Fleming?
I was stunned when I saw the Daniel Craig film, and found out they'd actually adapted the book almost verbatim-- in the 2nd half of a much bigger new story.
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My wife and I have been binge watching Leave It to Beaver. Love that series. Binge watching was her thing but I do not recommend it. She began to see too much repetition that you do not notice watching it in small doses. Has anyone taken my suggestion to watch HOUSE AT THE END OF TIME yet? Would love to know if it got you like it got me.
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Another problem with watching multiple episodes of some shows back-to-back is, the stories begin to blur together, and it can be hard to remember what happened in which episode.
A better alternative is to watch several different shows in rotation, one episode each.
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Just watched the trailer for "House at the End of Time". Looks pretty creepy and downright good!
My spouse and I are also catching up on our Beaver. A new channel is also giving us Burns and Allen, Guns of Will Sonnet, Branded, Circus Boy, and Rin Tin Tin. Cheers, Bowers
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I know youtube has Burns and Allen, I have not checked on the rest. Youtube has IT'S ABOUT TIME. Yes HOUSE AT THE END OF TIME is creepy and good. It took my by surprise in several places which I love when that happens.
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Feature films watched in January and this time, at Henry's request, a few brief comments here and there-
The Wind Rises (2013) always glad to see another Hayao Miyazaki animated feature., The Invisible Man (1975)-pilot for the short-lived David McCallum TV series. FX good for the period., As You Were (1951) the Hal Roach studio teamed Joe Sawyer and William Tracy in a series of eight short comedy features between 1941-1952 All that I've seen are pleasant but nothing special. , Sweet Rosie O'Grady (1943)- fun Betty Grable musical, Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) offbeat vampire flick., 20th Century Boys 2: The Last Hope (2009) the middle installment in the live-action trilogy adapting the popular manga series. Overall satisfying translation to film, The Occupants (2013), Mr Walkie Talkie (1952) Tracy and Sawyer's final film together., The American (2010), Rio 2 (2014), Firewall (2006), 16 Blocks (2006), The Sentinel (1977), Stop That Cab (1951) I never even knew that Sid Melton had starred in some movies. I'm so used to seeing him doing supporting bits in tons of TV series from the 1950s through the 1990s., Charlie Chan at the Circus (1936) a slight comedown after CC at the Opera but still fine fun., Neighbors (2014), The Legacy (1978), Leave it to the Marines (1951), Sid Melton again. Like the previous starring bit the film is made on the cheap and only moderately funny. Locke (2013), 20th Century Boys 3: Redemption (2009), The Crimson Trail (1935) another Buck Jones western. Jones made some very solid oaters for Universal and Columbia in the 1930s, Luck (1923) although unknown to the public now-a-days, Johnny Hines made a series of popular comedies in the 1920s, Hopalong Cassidy Returns (1936) starting a run of watching the second half dozen Hoppy films, The Mark of Zorro (1940)- probably the best Zorro film ever.
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You've watched NEIGHBORS (2014), but have you ever watched NEIGHBOURS (1952) by Norman McLaren?
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As with Lon Chaney over Claude Rains, I MUCH prefer Douglas Fairbanks over Tyrone Power.
:D
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Sorry, but for me the only real Zorro is Guy Williams. I know he never did a movie--although I think some of his episodes were strung together to make a TV movie of sorts.
By the time I discovered those other guys, I was a grown-up and it was too late for them to replace Guy Williams in my imagination.
In fact, my second Zorro after Guy was Frank Langella in the TV movie of THE MARK OF ZORRO (1974). Seeing that movie as a young teenager was partly what made me join the military after I got out of high school, believe it or not.
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I tend to agree that Fairbanks and Williams are probably better in the role of Zorro (although only by a little bit) but I still think the 1940 film is the best Zorro feature in terms of overall production, direction, cast etc...
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I actually did see the Guy Williams "movie" in a theatre, sometime in the 70s, on a double-bill with SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON. (Which is kinda bizarre, if you think about it.)
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If I recall correctly, Fairbanks actually carved the "Z" on his opponent's face. That's a hard-core Zorro! I also think the Power version was the best. Anyone notice that the script for the 1974 Langella TV movie is almost literally word-for-word from the 1940 film version? Anyway, I liked them all. Cheers, Bowers
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THIEF OF BAGDAD 1924 Fairbanks again...and my favourite movie from him. The sets are terrific, and his stunts never fail to amaze me. Like Harvey Korman said in BLAZING SADDLES:'How did he do such great stunts with such little feet???"
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Watching the season finale of TURN. I enjoy learning history while enjoying a good show. This is one of my favorites. Anxious for the next season.
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Yeah, TURN was pretty good. I especially enjoyed the espionage tricks they used, such as secret writing inside a hard-boiled egg. I had to try it, and it works! Cheers, Bowers
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"THE HEAVENS CALL" (1959) is virtually the Russian version of "2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY", only made 9 years earlier. It's a very expensive, visually-impressive film about the future of space travel, with some political commentary thrown in. Of course, it's NEVER been properly translated into English, either by dubbing or subtitles, as it shows the Russians as helpful and the Americans as foolhardy types who need to be rescued from their own folly.
Roger Corman & Francis Ford Coppola just barely managed to maintain the main thrust of the story, while totally murdering the translation & voice dubbing process, when they did their US version, entitled BATTLE BEYOND THE SUN. Astoundingly, some footage from the film also turned up, COMPLETELY out of context, in Peter Bogdonavich's VOYAGE TO THE PLANET OF PREHISTORIC WOMEN, which manages to mangle the Russian film "PLANET OF STORMS" even more than the earlier VOYAGE TO THE PREHISTORIC PLANET did.
I'm guessing someone in Russia actually posted THE HEAVENS CALL at Youtube, it's a pristine print, which looks IMMENSELY better than any of the US butcher jobs I've seen online. Of course, there's NO dubbing... and NO subtitles. Oh well. I did have to read an online review of the actual Russian version to understand a few points of the plot, despite having seen the US version already. But it's such a STUNNING film, visually, for me, I couldn't help watch the whole thing even though I couldn't understand a single word of it.
It seems some of the production drawings from THE HEAVENS CALL actually made their way into Stanley Kubrick's hands. I'm not surprised. There's this one scene of a "shuttle" that takes astronauts from Earth to the huge orbitting space platform where you see 2 characters step out of a circular elevator located in the center of a round room where the design is almost IDENTICAL to the one in "2001" where Ed Bishop stops in to say hello to passenger William Sylvester (as "The Blue Danube" played).
Also, the conversations about Russians & Americans helping each other and sharing information in space exploration reminds me of "2010". Someone suggested that the production team was operating inside a "bubble", as stylistically the film is a lot like a SILENT film... but then, so was "2001"!!!
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SOLARIS Is the Russian feature I actually liked better then 2001..give it a try and see what you think..
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I like a lot of movies more than "2001". It just happens "2001" has a special place in my heart for being such a unique "art" film which I saw multiple times in theatres over the years, etc. etc. etc.
It was interesting seeing a much older film that clearly had to have been some influence on it.
Now if you wanna talk about a really GREAT space movie with a GREAT story, etc..... "2010". (I really get tired of people dismissing it when in so many ways it's a much better "movie". And MUCH more powerful than Clarke's novel it was based on!)
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Wow, somebody else digs that one, too! I KNEW there had to be someone...I enjoyed it a WHOLE lot more...I cared about the characters...and liked the way they dealt with HAL..."Will I dream??" Very powerful.
A very under rated film...
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You know the crazy thing about "2010"? The entire US vs. USSR subplot was created just for the movie. I like to compare the movie adaptation of "2010" to the Disney "20,000 LEAGUES". Both cut half the "technical" stuff but replaced it MUCH more powerful character drama.
It's only a tiny shame "2010" cut the minor sub-plot about the Red Chinese making it to Io before the Russians... and a creature there accidentally destroying their ship, stranding them to a hopeless horrible death from lack of air before anyone could possibly save them. (Now that I think about it, that sub-plot almost seems inspired by the one about the Americans racing to beat the Russians to Mars in "THE HEAVENS CALL", and having their own disaster as a result.)
The only thing from the book I miss in the movie is the BRIEF bit right after the Discovery blows up. ..
"Dave? Are you there? What happened?"
"It's alright HAL. Everything's going to be alright."
HAL was advanced to a superior being, just like Dave had been. That means HAL was a sentient being!!! I actually cried when I read that in the book.
By the way, if you'd like to see William Sylvester (the original Dr. Floyd) in something GREAT, check out the "INTERLUDE IN VENICE" episode of THE SAINT with Roger Moore. it's one of the best episodes in the entire series, and the guest-stars also include Lois Maxwell, and Patrick Troughton (who steals the show even though he's only in it for a few minutes).
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Anyone else watching this. My wife and I really liked the first episode, not so much the second. The third was OK. We find ourselves enjoying it more when they are lawyers, and he uses his powers, than when he is a superhero.
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I ESCAPED FROM DEVIL'S ISLAND (1973), with Jim Brown (in a role suspciously similar to Luke Cage), with Christopher George, and supportng roles by Robert Phillips & Paul Richards. I'm beginning to wonder at this point just HOW MANY "prison" pictures Roger Corman was involved in in the 70s.
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THE ARENA (1973)
What, ANOTHER Pam Grier "women in prison" / "escape" movie produced by Roger Corman? How many of these things ARE there??? Geez. This one stands out from the others for having a much bigger budget, and being a "Roman Empire" film, in which the mistake is the decision to turn women slaves into GLADIATORS... and of course, a revolt erupts at the climax. I did find myself yelling at the screen, "KILL them! KILL THEM ALL! EVERY F***ING one of them!!!" (The Romans, of course, nothing but savage, brutal animals in the guise of "civilization", which deserved destruction and which everyone should be on the alert to make sure that certain elements of our modern world DON'T succeed in BRINGING BACK.)
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"EVIL UNDER THE SUN" (1982), from the first time I saw it on HBO (I never even heard of it until then-- I suspect it didn't even run in my area at all, or if it did, that it vanished after 7 days) , has long been a close 2nd for me after DEATH ON THE NILE as my favorite AC or Poirot film. Unlike "...NILE", though, I had a much harder time remembering the details. I loved the locations, the cast, the dialogue, the music... but it seemed to me they picked that particular story to do because it was the most complex mystery they could find. At the end, it would always make sense, but I could never follow the details or logic of it.
Then, a few years ago, I almost fell asleep on the end. After, I got so annoyed, I went to get a snack, came back, re-ran the tape to exactly where Maggie Smith says, "You mean-- NOBODY did it!" and Poriot replied, "And yet... we STILL have... a body." --and watched the end again.
AND SUDDENLY, after more than 20 years, the WHOLE DAMN FILM made sense to me!!!!
I've seen it multiple times since, and unlike before, each time now, I KNOW exactly what's going on. And why. The why is important. And they don't really stress that in the film itself. But trust me, if you don't understand the motives, the actions are almost impossible to keep track of!!
I think "EVIL..." may have surpassed "...NILE" in my eyes these days. I just love it.
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DOWN AND DIRTY DUCK (1974) -- possibly the strangest animated film I've ever sat thru (and that says a lot). The style of this reminds me a bit of YELLOW SUBMARINE, but while that was charming, this is not. By a very wide margin. Violence, nudity, sex, profanity, drugs, you name it, this thing's got it. And none of it is pleasant. or even cohetrent, in any way. I still can't figure out what the hell a "duck" has to do with anything. Was it a slap at Disney & Warner Brothers? This was originally going to be called "CHEAP", but Roger Corman objected, as apparently he felt audiences would think it referered to the production values.
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COCKFIGHTER (1974) Warren Oates, Richard Schull & Harry Dean Stanton give terrific performances (especially Schull, who steals the movie) in a film that is so "marginal" New World had trouble figuring out how to promote it, it had only limited releases in the US, and was BANNED in many countries for its subject matter (people who make a living training roosters to fight to the death).
BIG BAD MAMA (1974) Angie Dickinson breaks every law in the book in this depression-era crime-spree epic that follows in the tradition of BONNIE AND CLYDE and BLOODY MAMA. Noble Willingham plays a bootlegger who gets killed early in the proceedings, Tom Skeritt plays a bank robber who winds up teaming up with Angie, and Dick Miller plays a Fed who's following her trail of mayhem. Oh yeah, and William Shatner gets 2nd billing.
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DOWN AND DIRTY DUCK ? prof, could it perhaps be rhyming slang? It is here. Unless, of course, there is a duck as a main character. Perhaps it's just the way my mind works ;)
No, I've just checked IMDB and it is about a duck, so I assume that's what a "duck" has to do with it.
As things are improving here, we've had a chance to watch some more tv, but it's been mostly re-runs of Midsomer Murders, Lewis, some Star Trek and Benidorm, which is a truly awful depiction of holidays in a Spanish hotel in Benidorm, but fall off the chair funny. There are a pile of episodes from series 4 & 5 here:-
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xplinr_benidorm-s05e03_shortfilms
Well, we think they're funny. Be warned, bad language, adult situations, weirdness and cringeworthy at times. But I don't think many outside UK will get some of it.
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I've reached a point where if some of these movies are really not interesting me, I let them run while I'm doing Photoshop on the other computer. So I can listen, and look over if anything's interesting. Haven't done this sort of thing in ages, niot since I had a "wired" remote on my VCR and could edit shows without even looking.
In the case of that cartoon, I'm sure the visuals were more interesting than the dialogue, but there you go. Yes, the movie did have a duck in it, I just don't know WHY, and that's after watching the whole thing. There seemed to be some point to it, or some meaning to the word beyond the obvious, but I couldn't figure it out. I figure, the whole thing was done by people ON DRUGS. Let that be a lesson. Don't do drugs. ;D
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CAPONE (1975)
Directed by Steve Carver (who did my favorite Chuck Norris film, AN EYE FOR AN EYE), starring Ben Gazarra, Harry Guardino, Sylvester Stallone, and quite a few dependable character actors. After ALLLLL those el cheapo films made in the Phillipines, it's good to finally see Roger Corman back to doing "classy" pictures again. Although I would say this isn't HALF the film Corman's own THE ST. VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE was, in my eyes it's a FAR better and more watchable film that that over-budgeted soul-less atrocity Brian De Palma knocked out.
Oddly enough, Gazarra is out-acted by nearly every single actor in this film (or maybe the version of Capone he created here is simply so simple and one-dimensional, it only looks that way). The most memorable scene in the entire film for me-- the only bit I really remembered after 30 years-- was at the very end, when Frank Nitti goes to see the sick Capone, who's slowly dying and has already lost his mind. A young hood says he'd have loved to met the old guy in his prime-- he heard he was real smart.
"Smart? HIM? Let me tell you-- he was an ANIMAL. Always shooting guys across the street. That's how he got where he was, and that's how he figured he'd stay there. His big mistake-- the same one Johnny Torrio made-- was, the guy you have to worry about isn't across the street-- he's on the same ladder you are, and RIGHT behind you."
This film chronicles 4 bosses of the South Chicago Mob-- Big Jim Colossimo (who refused to get into bootlegging), his sidekick Johnny Torrio (who wanted peace, not gang wars), his sidekick Al Capone (see above description), and HIS sidekick, Frank Nitti. Each is responsible for getting rid of the one before him! In this version, it's Frank Nitti who is directly responsible for handing over Capone's books to the Feds, bringing about his conviction on income tax evasion. This is foreshadowed less than halfway thru the film, when Nitti is seen planting a bomb in Capone's car-- then, "discovering" it, to make himself self look loyal to Capone. RIGHT.
Each film bio of Capone seems to focus on different aspects of his career.
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JACKSON COUNTY JAIL (1976). After knowing about this film for decades, I finally saw it. Unlike all those earlier "women in prison" movies, this one focuses entirely on ONE woman who's having the worst luck imaginable. Her 2-year boyfriend cheats on her again, she decides to take up an old friend on a job offer in NYC, but makes the mistake of driving there. While in the deep south, she makes the next mistake of giving a screwy young couple a ride... and proceeds to have them steal her car, her I.D., and almost kill her. A diner owner tries to rape her, and when a cop arrives, he locks HER up because she doesn't have any I.D. During the night, one of the deputies tries to rape her (!!!), she KILLS the bastard in self-defense, then if pushed into RUNNING for it by her fellow prisoner, a career criminal headed for death row in another state. What follows is a crazy series of running, hiding, chasing, action & violence, in which the self-professed "thief" is the ONLY one who treats her with any respect in the whole movie!
Stars Yvette Mimieux (probably her highest-profile film after THE TIME MACHINE), Howard Hesseman (WKRP) Severn Darden (he played a total bastard in the 4th & 5th PLANET OF THE APES films), Tommy Lee Jones (the irony of hearing him say the cops don't have time to look for killers is outrageous, considering his role in THE FUGITIVE and U.S. MARSHALS) and Mary Woronov (a fabulous cameo as an outlaw last seen shooting it out with the cops as if it was as natural as breathing). A harrowing story that fortunately for all involved moves SO FAST and is over almost before you know it, it doesn't outstay its welcome.
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Woah, thanks for all the info prof! I had no idea that movie existed. I remember I once bought "Voyage To The Prehistoric Planet" (?) dirt cheap. I think that is also a Russian flick. That one could have been better.
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"I had no idea that movie existed."
Wait a minute-- which one?
I was trying to briefly cover all the films I've been seeing, but it was starting to get away from me, so I figured, at the least, I should talk about some of them one at a time as I finish watching them.
THE HEAVENS CALL was a Russian epic (very much in the style of 2001, but 8 years early) that Corman turned into BATTLE BEYOND THE SUN.
PLANET OF STORMS, about an expedition to Venus, was turned into VOYAGE TO A PREHISTORIC PLANET. Then, 3 years later, it was turned into VOYAGE TO THE PLANET OF PREHISTORIC WOMEN. Not a sequel-- a "remake", this time, with added footage to show the same exact story from the previously-unseen women's POV. Unfortunately, it winds up destroying any sense of mystery, wonder, or SYMPATHY toward said women, as we "discover" every disaster the Earthmen faced in the original film was caused by MURDER-CRAZED religious fanatics trying to destroy "the invaders". What's left of the film also becomes totally disjointed as they cut lots of footage to make room for the new footage.
Both of these butcher-jobs (the 1st one isn't bad, the 2nd one is) ALSO feature some footage from THE HEAVENS CALL-- especially the 2nd one. It was a charge to actually see the original Russian film, with a GOOD, sharp, bright print-- even if, with no dubbing and no subtitles, I couldn't understand a single word of it.
Now I gotta see if some movie fan IN RUSSIA has posted PLANET OF STORMS in its original form online...
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Just had the pleasure(?) of viewing "Voyage to the Planet of Prehistoric Women" a few nights ago. One of the local education channels carries "Professor Fred's Movie Marvels", a public access program out of Seattle. Prof. Fred treats us to some of the most obscure, ridiculous, and just plain worst sci-fi and horror movies ever made. This movie starred(?) one of my all-time favorite 60's Hollywood blondes- Mamie Van Doren. Also a host of blonde hotties in tight capris and clamshell halters. And a rubber pterodactyl! Some of the Russian footage was a bit silly as well, such as the two guys riding a robot out of a lava flow. Well, they can't all be gems! Cheers, Bowers
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Working backwards, now you need to see VOYAGE TO THE PREHISTORIC PLANET... and at some point, PLANET OF STORMS. ;D
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"Queen of Blood" has some good footage from Soviet era films.
In fact the plot of Queen of Blood" is similar to that of the Russian film the footage was taken from.
A alien race tries to visit earth but their expedition crash lands on the planet Mars.
An earth space mission makes a rescue attempt. In both the Human astronauts/cosomnauts launch the rescue ship from a Lunat base.
I've watched parts of the Russian film, but it had neither dubbing nor enlish subtitles. A very nicely done sci fi film from what I saw.
"Voyage to the End of the Universe" is another U S film adapted from a eastern bloc film, edited and with slight plot changes. Its dubbed in english but almost the entire film is there.
I've also seen the original with subtitles. An excellent film.
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EAT MY DUST (1975) -- I may have just reached the dumbest movie in my entire Corman marathon. Ron Howard stars as a young guy who steals a race car belonging to Dave Madden, just so he can impress a girl who doesn't like him by taking her on a joy-ride. MUCH chaos & property damage ensues. Unlike the later SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT, this film doesn't seem to have even a single intelligent character in it. Mindless fun. I think this would have been a perfect candidate for USA's UP ALL NIGHT.
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QUEEN OF BLOOD was another one I saw. Roger Corman said he liked to do 2 similar films back-to-back to stretch out his budget, and I feel sure this was done back-to-back with VOYAGE TO THE PREHISTORIC PLANET, as both featured Basil Rathbone in an almost-identical role. I think little bits of Russian footage found their way into this one as well, but most was new. QOB also seems to be have had a big influence (possibly) on ALIEN !! The spaceship is turned into a breeding chamber, and the Earth scientists feel sure they can contain any possible danger, in the name of research. OH REALLY?
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Atlanta, GA all-girl rock band "Catfight!" back in the 90s did a song titled "Mamie Van Doren", a tribute to the movie bad girl. I kept thinking about that song the whole time I was watching Van Doren in "...PREHISTORIC PLANET". She was also in "THE NAVY VS. THE NIGHT MONSTERS".
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QOB also seems to be have had a big influence (possibly) on ALIEN !!
Could be, but "Planet of the Vampires" had the most influence on Aliens.
The misty half obscured landscape, the shape of the space ships, and the giant alien skeletons found on the derelict space vessel who's distress call lured the explorers into landing are elements very prominent in "Alien".
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There seems to have been a whole generation of movie directors who spent their careers intensely "paying tribute to" other movies-- LOTS of other movies-- more so than actually writing new stories, or faithfully adapting existing ones.
I remember when the Brenden Fraser film THE MUMMY came out, I couldn't believe what I was seeing, as I counted up a LONG list of films it was ripping off, one after another after another. And I felt like I was probably the ONLY one in the theatre who knew WHICH films.
It's only a problem when this kind of thing actually gets in the way of you being able to get wrapped up in the story they're SUPPOSED to be trying to tell.
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Pretty much all film and most literature has some elements inspired by if not directly ripped off from previous works.
Another non english sci fi mystery film you might like is "the Dead Mountaineer Hotel". If you don't mind subtitles that is. A very original story idea, though if you looked hard enough you might find some familar elements from Agatha Christy stories.
I've heard there was an obscure video game loosely based on this film.
As for "the Mummy" much like the Indiana Jones films these hark back to the old Republic studios movie house serials.
Indiana Jones character and costuming is closely based on the Charleton Heston adventurer character in "Secret of the Incas".
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In terms of out of the ordinary, modern, foreign horror movies--or really in this case a psychological thriller--I like WITH A FRIEND LIKE HARRY (2000)--also called HARRY, HE'S HERE TO HELP and HARRY, UN AMI QUI VOUS VEUT DU BIEN--it's a French movie.
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"Pretty much all film and most literature has some elements inspired by if not directly ripped off from previous works."
As a writer, I totally agree, and have long been aware of this.
However... I do feel there's a difference between merely being influenced by other things-- and creating a blatent, obvious shopping list of swipes which you are parading in front of your audience in such a way that they're looking at the swipes MORE than at the story.
Lucas, Spielberg, DePalma all do this... though the worst offender is no doubt Tarrantino.
Frankly, to me, the ONLY time this sort of thing really works is when Mel Brooks does it. ;D
And even so, something like HIGH ANXIETY worked for me better than most films by these other guys, possibly because I've seen SO FEW Hitchcock films.
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Today's movie:
WARNING FROM SPACE (1955)
I got about halfway thru this when I realized what they were doing was Japan's "answer" to THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, using that film's idea as a springboard for a MUCH bigger story! What a cool idea. Parts of this feel almost like a prototype for ULTRA Q, with one of the main characters being a newspaper reporter.
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A Japanese sci fi movie I really liked when i saw it when it first came out was "the Mysterians".
Haven't seen it since so I don't know if I would still like it.
A good fun movie to watch is "Frankenstein meets the Space Monster".
Its more a spoof and parody of 50-60's sci fi, but entertaining despite the over the top portrayals of the smarmy aliens that have come to steal our women.
The alien Queen's perverted little dirtbag of a grand vizier is a classic.
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REVENGE OF THE CHEERLEADERS (1976)
This is what's wrong with movies. In fact, this is what's wrong with America. There wasn't one intelligent, likable character in this entire movie. And yet, somehow, they expected you to root for the title characters, when they were ALL selfish, thoughtless, obnoxious B****es. And it's badly-made, too.
By comparison, ANIMAL HOUSE seems like the slickest, most intelligent, most well-made film in the history of movies.
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Gee Prof, its a porno film about teenage girls gone wild, what did you expect?
If Orson Wells directed it couldn't have been any better.
The general public seems to fawn over skanks, just look at the soap opera characters they follow the most. If the same people lived next door they'd move or burn down their house one dark night.
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I watched "HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD" last night. Without a break. Fun film. Made a LOT more sense than it might have, since half the movies they made fun of, I had JUST watched within the last 2 months!
"I already did this film 3 times."
As soon as I heard that line, I started laughing-- I knew what i was in for.
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GRAND THEFT AUTO (1977)
You know, somehow, I always thought this was a movie about car thieves. Although cars do get stolen in this film, that's hardly the center of the plot.
More than anything, this reminded me of a low-budget variation on IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD !! Completely insane non-stop high-speed action, destruction of property and lust for money from start to finish.
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MASTERS OF MENACE (1990)
After more biker films than I care to think about, at last I come to one that's intentionally funny. I'm only a short ways into this, but I think it's safe to say, this is the ANIMAL HOUSE of biker films. A gang of likable goofs are delberaqtely targetted by an uptight, insane D.A. with political ambitions. My favorite bit so far, after getting 3 years probation, the club decides to hold a party and invites their defense attourney, who shows up with a VERY uptight girlfriend. "We're going IN THERE??" she asks. At the door, they're met by a guy who says, "Too bad you didn't come alone-- plenty of beaver inside!" As if his date isn't shocked and offended enough, when the head of the gang (David Rasche) turns up, he says, "Sorry I didn't meet you at the door, I was upstairs screwing my wife." I loved that line, not only it is "shocking", but it also displays open honesty and a devotion to his marriage. Clearly, the bikers are the GOOD GUYS in this one.
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Did anyone else hate the Flash final as much as I did? Time travel is bad enough when you can change the past, but this episode went way beyond reasonable paradox.
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Time travel can destroy a series. Once they Guex Ex Machina comes out of the bottle you feel you've wasted your time watching previous episodes.
X-men Days of Future Past was great on the surface but downgraded the entire series of films.
They seem to have completely dismissed Jean Grey and her apparent, though bogus, return from the dead.
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Guex Ex Machina
I studied a year of Ancient Greek but I can't translate that.
On a tangental note--because Arthur Darvill mentioned it--I watched the two seasons of BROADCHURCH--which has an astounding number of connections to DOCTOR WHO, yet is nothing like it. Now I'm starting to watch the American version--GRACEPOINT--which is annoyingly similar and different at the same time.
Darvill is remarkably underused in BROADCHURCH.
The hardest thing is the music track. I hate it so much--sometimes I turn off the sound--especially when they have long scenes with no dialogue where people are just staring out at the ocean. The music has these long tension tracks which seem to be building up to something that never actually happens. And then other music cues tell us that this is the most dramatic scene on the show but it isn't
It makes me wish I was a tech genius. I'd design an app that allowed people to manipulate the tracks on their movies and TV shows--kind of like the old equalizers on stereo systems where you could manually manipulate how a recording sounds.
But maybe there already is something like this on state of the art entertainment systems. I wouldn't know.
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It's true! The high-point for soundtrack music WAS the 60s!!!
;D
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...this still doesn't explain how the flying sequences in KING OF THE ROCKETMEN (1949) are FAR more exciting and convincing than in SUPERMAN (1978).
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THUNDER AND LIGHTNING (1977)
A war between big-time moonshiners and some local boys who are determined to stay independant. With David Carridine, Kate Jackson, Roger C. Carmel, George Murdock, Sterling Holloway, Charles Napier, and others I'm sure I've seen in other things. Lots of action in bayou country.
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FIRST SPACESHIP ON VENUS (1960)
Now here's something you don't see everyday... an early sci-fi space exploration movie that's a co-production of EAST GERMANY and POLAND !!! They've got this international crew that includes an older scientist, a black man, a Japanese man, and a Japanese WOMAN. A bit on the dull side, but they've got some really unusual, cool design work going on.
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IIRC King of the Rocketmen used a full sized dummy on a zip line.
The 50's Superman used a form fitting tray that George Reeves lay on, balanced to bank with his body movements.
Don't know about methods used for the 78 Superman , those flying scenes never impressed me that much.
Just finished the 1940's Phantom movie serial. Far better than I'd expected, great story with good actors and plenty of twists and turns, plus a really good if underplayed ending.
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I was STUNNED by the last chapter of "KING OF THE ROCKETMEN". They saved up all their budget for one big, massive special-effects sequence, in which they DESTROYED half of New York City! I didn't see that coming...
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Actually the cataclysm at the end of King of the Rocket Men was from a feature called Deluge, made in 1933. I've never seen the movie. I read in Wikipedia that it was thought lost until Forry Ackerman turned up an Italian-dubbed print in the early 1980s. The tidal wave destruction stuff is on YouTube. Some of the Schufftan shots are rather obvious, but there are nice moments, including the final shot where the hero stands on a tiny islet surrounded by the remains of New York.
The serial's last chapter did have one of the great moments in Lydecker Brothers effects: the sequence where Rocket Man dives at full speed toward the house where the bad guys are holed up...the instant "he" hits the French doors, we cut inside as Dave Sharpe comes crashing through them, rolls, and springs to his feet. It was cut so perfectly that I was impressed all over again when I saw it forty years later.
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Okay, that explains it. I was astonished both by the events themselves, and by the visuals, not believing they'd actually DO that, and that Republic would sprig for the budget for it.
Someone else online said they were expecting a last-minute reprieve, and was shocked when they ACTUALLY had half of New York WIPED OUT. Whoa! And then, in the next scene, the Mayor is going on about how "his administration" saved the day, and they'll rebuild New York, as if nothing that bad happened. (In fact, Rocketman's appearance didn't make that much of a difference.)
I agree about the sequence of him coming in thru the wnidow. DAMN, this thing was exciting!
I'm mainly bothered by the extreme lack of common sense with regard to security on a high-profile research outfit doing work for the government where people are people bumped off one by one, vital inventions are being stolen, and they've got ONE Fed on the scene, and HE gets kidnapped in Chapter 10. By the time they'd narrowed down the suspects to only 2, I'd have thought the only sensible thing to do would be to have BOTH of them locked up until things were cleared up.
BATMAN (1943) had similar problems where the hero was very lax when ti came to keeping his identity a secret. Plus, there were so many times when the whole case could have been wrapped up much earlier than it was, but wasn't. (I love it anyway, and wish they'd done a sequel with the same cast.)
After this, it makes sense any sequel the stakes would have to be upped. It's so bizarre that they replaced the cast and re-named ALL the characters in the 2nd film, though the dilaogue makes it clear that it IS a sequel, even though the films acts like it isn't!
I'll be watching that next...
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Prof, you're right about continuity sloppiness. Of course the individual episodes were meant to be seen a week apart, and I think the studio saved effort by assuming the kids wouldn't remember details from one chapter to the next. Especially cheated cliffhangers. Columbia was terrible about rewriting last week's Big Finish when they showed how the hero escaped doom.
There's another thing that always bothered me in serials: the willingness of human henchmen to help an alien invader. You get somebody like Retik the Moon Menace hiring muggs in suits to do his dirty work. He tells them repeatedly that he's going to destroy their home planet but they never bat an eyelash. Didn't they ever ask each other, "If this guy blows up the earth where does that leave US?"
He might at least have promised to resettle them on the Moon with a bevy of kidnapped earth babes or something like that.
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Someone made a joke about how many cliffhangers had "missing" bits which were suddenly revealed in the flashbacks. In "ROCKETMEN" I was practically laughing about how obvious it was. Every time a car would go off a cliff, I'd figure, next time we'd see them jump out before it went over. The one exception-- which surprised me!!-- was when that car went over the cliff in the MIDDLE of a chapter! But that one hit water, not ground, and the characters were seen swimming to shore.
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"the willingness of human henchmen to help an alien invader"
A factor that also turned up in Kirby's "Fourth World" with "Intergang". Some of those guys had to know upper-management were extra-terrestrial, didn't they?
One of the stories I'm working on involves this angle, with the Earth help not realizing the extent of the alien's plans. Once it comes out, the guy winds up double-crossing his employer.
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By the way, one of the funniest bits in BATMAN (1943) is when Dr. Daka comes to believe there may be an entire organization of "Batmen" fighting them, since several of them must have gotten killed by now. This idea was actually re-used when Adam West turned up on THE HOLLYWOOD PALACE when Milton Berle was hosting (playing Superman).
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The car-over-cliff thing reminds me of a time years ago when I was drawing storyboards for a striving indy action-film writer/director. He'd had one modestly successful low-budget actioner and spent years trying to get another made. He'd written a "the-mob-captured-my-family" feature. At the time there was some public outcry over the level of violence in action films (THOSE were the days). He addressed this by having plenty of car crashes, explosions, etc. without anyone being killed. In my favorite scene two hoods are chasing the hero; he outsmarts them and they drive over a cliff. As they climb out of the wreckage one hood says, "I'm sure glad we were wearing our seat belts!"
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In "the Rocketeer"
The gangsters all turned against the guy they'd been working for when it became a matter of patriotism. New York mob families did help the FBI in securing the docks and rooting out NAZI sympathizers.
The best portrayal of a criminal involved in a sci fi story was "Baby Doll Loring", a hitman hired by Blackie DuQuesne in the Sky Lark stories.
The criminals helping the Moon men were of the pyschopathic killer type, Baby Face Nelson types.
Like the Joker "some men just want to see the world burn".
IIRC the leader of that gang was played by the actor who later played the Lone Ranger on TV.
In the comics Batman once had Alfred take his place for awhile when he was wounded. They rigged a thickly muscle padded suit with spring assisted boots so the elderly Alfred walked with some spring in his step.
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By the way, one of the funniest bits in BATMAN (1943) is when Dr. Daka comes to believe there may be an entire organization of "Batmen" fighting them, since several of them must have gotten killed by now.
There was a Batman story that turned on the same idea--with the Brotherhood of Batmen--in DETECTIVE COMICS No. 222 (August '55), It was called "The Great Batman Swindle"--written by Bill Finger; art by Dick Sprang and Charles Paris. A darn good story.
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"the leader of that gang was played by the actor who later played the Lone Ranger on TV."
Yes, there's no missing Clayton Moore's voice!!
I had seen the COMMANDO CODY tv series way back in the late 60s, but not since. I was thrilled to finally see his other appearance, but after one episode, I felt something was wrong, and read up on those films. That's when I decided to go back and watch KING OF THE ROCKETMEN first. As far as I'm concerned, RADAR MEN is a sequel. It almost had to have been planned as such!
My feeling on this was strengthened when I read how ZOMBIES OF THE STRATOSPHERE was planned as a direcvt sequel to RADAR MEN, but then they changed the hero's name at the last minute (even though both films had the same cast). I mean... what was going on at that studio??
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When I was a kid, and most of the years since, the only serials they ever ran on Philly stations were the 3 FLASH GORDONs (usually in the wrong order!) and BUCK ROGERS. When I started to find out how many serials there were from back then, I lamented that nobody had had the idea of running ALL of them as a single package. You could schedule one chapter each weekday (M-F) and run for years without reruns!
TCM finally did have this idea, but they linmited it to one chapter each Saturday morning. A friend of mine started watching BATMAN recently, then complained that several weeks in as row, it wasn't on when it was supposed to be.....
My set-up here at home makes it rather uncomfortable to be watching in my chair in front of the computer (and I have to keep making sure I'm sitting up straight to avoid recurrance of a lower-back problem-- which flamed up again last night). But I'm thrilled to finally be seeing so much of this stuff.
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When I got out of college in the early 70s I was living in the Bay Area. For some reason local TV stations were showing tons of serials, especially the great Republics. What a treat! The Rocket Man serials, Daredevils of the Red Circle (dynamite!), Spy Smasher, Dr Satan, Masked Marvel, Crimson Ghost, and on and on and on. They also showed a few non-Republic serials, notably Flash Gordon, but the Republics were the tops. It was a Golden Age.
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3 chapters into RADAR MEN FROM THE MOON now. Theyh have the most creative ideas about what it's like on the moon...!!
I think I prefer the actor who played the lead in KING OF THE ROCKETMEN. He seemed to have more personality, somehow.
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In "Zombies of the Stratosphere" Leonard Nimoy has his first screen role as one of the Zombies.
Nimoy said in an interview that when they got to the location to start filming the crate with all the ray guns was missing. They went to a pawn shop in the nearest town and bought a bunch of old .38 police revolvers. He said he felt kind of odd invading the earth with a .38 revolver.
Also in "Radar Men from the Moon" Clayton Moore broke the hero's (George Wallace) nose in a fight scene.
IIRC Clayton Moore's nose looked a bit odd in that film, perhaps from a previous injury. I wonder if the Lone Ranger mask and heavy make up when he was impersonating various characters ala sherlock holmes may have covered up that injury. Looked to me like it was something that would require plastic surgery to fix.
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At the "MMMS" board, someone started a thread, "Your top 5 favorite movies". I replied...
How can anyone possibly narrow down such a list to only 5?
That said, for many years, I used to have a top 4... but it occurs to me just this minute that that list has probably changed of late, as there are certain movies I've taken to watching over and over without ever getting tired of them. And others I simply love a HELL of a lot, even if I don't actually watch them that often.
Oh, what the hell. Completely off the top of my head, in no particular order...
EVIL UNDER THE SUN (1982)
THE BIG SLEEP (1978)
THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD (1973)
PIT AND THE PENDULUM (1961)
2010 (1984)
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I do not prioritize. My tastes chance almost at any time.
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I watched THE COURT JESTER again a few weeks ago, which got me on a Danny Kaye movie watching kick which I'm still on.
But I also just watched THE MARK OF ZORRO with Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone--a great movie in itself, but now I think I have to watch all Basil Rathbone sword-fighting movies, if only to appreciate all the references in the sword fighting scene between Kaye and Rathbone in THE COURT JESTER (that movie uses the candle bit from THE MARK OF ZORRO, with a slight upgrade).
And that's just one track to follow thanks to THE COURT JESTER. This movie has so many references to other movies. I just love it.
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Basil Rathbone was possibly the best real life swordsman of all the actors, with Cornel Wilde second.
Rathbone said Erol Flynn would taunt him while they were filming a fight scene saying you may be the greatest swordsman of all but I will always win because I am the star. Then run him through.
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The latest Danny Kaye movie I was watching is KNOCK ON WOOD (1954). Like a lot of the lesser Kaye movies, it features a few stand out scenes strung together with rather mediocre stuff. Although this one was co-written by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama (they also co-directed it) and shows signs of the sparkling wit that would come through in their script for THE COURT JESTER (1955). The big scene in this one is the ballet sequence which is laugh out loud funny.
The movie seems to have been shot in Hollywood, with exteriors in London, England. As I was watching it, I became aware of sight gags that also appear in A HARD DAY'S NIGHT. It's possible these gags are totally unrelated, although the British setting is a clear link between the two. I strongly suspect that someone on A HARD DAY'S NIGHT had seen this earlier movie and wanted to do some of the same bits.
One Danny Kaye movie that is terribly underrated is A SONG IS BORN (1948). Mainly because it's not much of a Danny Kaye movie--he doesn't sing or dance or do a lot of broad comedy--he's relatively understated in the movie. That happens to fit the character, given this was a colour, musical remake of BALL OF FIRE--with Kaye playing the same role as Gary Cooper in the original. So Kaye's acting is Cooperesque.
But that's a good thing, because often Kaye can upstage the other performers in a movie. In this one, he lets the other supporting actors, singers and musicians share the spotlight. The original movie had some fine performances by great character actors. Likewise this one. But adding to the star power and making this movie exponentially greater are the musicians and singers all gathered together to make beautiful music and tell the story of jazz. Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Charlie Barnet, Mel Powell, the Page Cavanaugh Trio, the Golden Gate Quartette, the Samba Kings and Virginia Mayo.
The director of both movies was Howard Hawks and the dialogue is often word for word the same (based on a story by Billy Wilder and Thomas Monroe). In interviews, Hawks seemed to have little respect for the remake. Which is unfortunate. Hawks is one of my favourite directors and this movie belongs in his list of great accomplishments. It's sad that Americans don't really appreciate their culture. Every school child should see this movie just to hear the greatness of American jazz music. The movie is a national treasure.
The one performer who appears in both the original and the remake is Mary Field playing Miss Totten. She looks virtually the same in both movies. As if Miss Totten might be supporting several such institutions on behalf of her late father. In the second movie, Mary Field is given more to do and is allowed to ham it up--there are no small parts, only small actors--and Mary Field shows that she can be big when the part calls for it.
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I had a serious problem this morning with my old computer (the one I do all my art on) resulting in me having to do OTHER stuff today, and plan to take it in for service tomorrow. So since my nerves sufered such a jolt, it was time to dig out one of the PERRENNIAL FAVES. Two, actually!
THE BIG SLEEP (1946)
And for tomorrow...
THE BIG SLEEP (1978)
...which I love even more!!
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TONIGHT'S MOVIE:
"You don't want money?"
"Oh sure. All I itch for is money. I'm so greedy that for fifty pounds a day plus expenses on the day I work, I risk my future, the hatred of the cops, of Eddie Mars and his pals, I dodge bullets and put up with slaps and say "Thank you very much. If you have any further trouble please call me: I'll just put my card here on the table." I do all that for a few pounds. And maybe just a little bit to protect what little pride a sick and broken old man has in his family, so that he can believe his blood is not poisoned. That his little girls - though they may be a trifle wild - are not perverts and killers."
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I'd like to see "the Dain Curse" again.
Just watched "the Devil Rides Out" and Gene Roddenberry's "Spectre" pilot film.
The wealthy are so easily suspected of evil.
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I just started watching QUATERMASS AND THE PIT (1958) for the first time! My God, it's over 3 hours long, and the picture quality is superb. Plus, after decades of watching so many English TV shows and movies, I know so many actors in this, including Andre Morell as the Professor ("Dr. Watson" in Hammer's "HOUND"), Cec Linder as the archeologist ("Felix" in "GOLDFINGER"), Michael Ripper as one of the bomb squad guys (countless Hammer films), etc.
After this, I plan to watch the 1967 Hammer version, which I haven't seen since abouit 1970.
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QUATERMASS AND THE PIT (1967)
I first saw the film around 1970 (on TV), and hadn't seen it since. I was delighted to find it online, and was about to watch it after all these years, when found the TV version was also online. I'm so glad I watched that first!
Considering the TV serial was 3-1/2 hours long, I was never bored. That's GOOD WRITING! By comparison, when I started watching the film tonight, it reminded me of the comparison between a novel and a feature film (I'm thinking the book "DRACULA" and the BBC version with Louis Jourdan). We're talking one FAST-PACED, densely-plotted piece of work!
The feature looked like it might have been Hammer's biggest-budgeted film, with the large cast, sets, props, effects... it was also much more "visual", especially the climax. On the other hand, I'd say ALL of the characters were "better-drawn" on the TV version. I think it was a shame the feature eliminated the friendship between Roney & Quatermass that in the TV version had existed before the story started. It made Roney's sacrifice at the end all the more tragic in the TV version.
I think BOTH versions were magnificent, in their own different ways. I do think the one way the feature film could have been MUCH better would have been if it had featured the stars of the TV version-- Andre Morell & Cec Linder, as BOTH of them were MUCH more charismatic actors than the film actors.
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LONGSTREET: "The Way Of The Intercepting Fist"
I hadn't seen this since it was first-run!! I'd completely forgotten that Peter Mark Richman was a regular on this show. Or that Louis Gossett was in it. Plus a number of other more obscure character actors I recognize from countless other shows, like Bruce Kirby (he played the truck driver who takes a bribe to avoid worse alternatives).
The last words of advice Bruce Lee gives were exactly what he said in an interview. I found out many years later, those words also turned up in ENTER THE DRAGON... in a long sequence near the beginning that was WISELY cut from that film. All the story points that were cut turned up later in the film, as the story was revealed a bit at a time. Leaving that sequence in would have been redundant, and insulting to the audience's intelligence. Also, it would have slowed down the beginning of the film terribly. (I hope the actual theatrical version is still available... I'd hate to think something that deserved to be cut would be forcibly reinstated on all future prints.)
I remember this being a nice show... but I also remember getting bored with it after about a year. I think I kept hoping Lee Sun would have become a recurring character (which he didn't).
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My wife and I are watching though Stargate SG1 and Atlantis. Great series we like Atlantis the best.
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DRAGONWYCK
I've never seen this movie before... an interesting study in class struggle, and character dynamics... NOT a horror movie, but it has a look and feel that could easily be a warm-up for both the POE series, and DARK SHADOWS!
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I've been watching episodes of "the Champions" a sci fi/spy fi series from the late 60's.
I noticed something familiar about one of the characters. The main male lead looked suspiciously like Sterling Archer, in appearance and clothing choices, and the character's name is Craig Sterling.
I also noticed just how much the color and contrast of the filming and composition of the scenes resembled comic book panels. In fact the appearance very much resembles the style of the "Archer" animations.
I suspect that the creators of "Archer" were influenced by this old spy series.
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I remember liking THE CHAMPIONS on its brief run over here, then being baffled decades later when I ran across numerous reviews knocking the show terribly.
I also recall the show having in common with CAPTAIN SCARLET AND THE MYSTERONS in that they both had episodes where one of the characters spent the entire story being interrogated about past cases (what they call these days a "clip show"). The difference being, in CAPTAIN SCARLET, it was The Mysterons trying to get info about Spectrum, while on THE CHAMPIONS, it was HIS OWN people trying to find out the truth about some of his reports, which seemed to defy logic (due to all 3 heroes not being allowed to tell their own people the truth about their super-powers).
I'd love to see it again, mostly because one of the heroes was William Gaunt, who many years later played "Orcini" in "Revelation of the Daleks".
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I used to watch THE CHAMPIONS back in the '60s when I was a kid. Some day, I'd like to watch the whole series again. The actor who played Craig Stirling was Stuart Damon. Apparently there was also a TV movie in 1983, but I missed that.
Damon appeared on GENERAL HOSPITAL for many many years as Dr. Alan Quartermaine--from 1977 to 2013. Quartermaine was a sanctimonious cad, but I think he may have mellowed in later years.
The thing I liked about CHAMPIONS was it showed how super-heroes could be done seriously and not just as objects of fun. At the time, in the '60s, the only super-heroes on TV were all rather campy and it bugged me that I couldn't get people to respect something that I valued so highly. But people could watch THE CHAMPIONS and take them seriously--probably because they didn't wear costumes.
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Never heard of the Champions it looks pretty good
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My FAVORITE Roger Corman film that he didn't direct...
ROCK AND ROLL HIGH SCHOOL (1979)
"Do your parents KNOW you're Ramones??"
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About the Champions, I noticed that they were a lot more serious than run of the mill TV spy series when it came to bad guys killing anyone that got in their way, and the team seemed to accept sending others to their death with little remorse so long as it got the job done.
The character played by William Gaunt was down right brutal in eliminating some of the bad guys and seemed to delight in breaking mens arms or other body parts, or throwing them out a window to their death. He reminded me of the Movie serial Captain Marvel in the way he didn't hold back. In one scene he had just beaten the devil out of three men and when Craig Stirling showed up and said he would yie them up Gaunt said there was no need, either the men were dead or so badly injured they were no longer a threat.
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By a very wide margin, "Revelation of the Daleks" was the single best piece of work Eric Saward ever did no his far-too-long run on DOCTOR WHO. Even so, many fans have complained about how "sick" and violent it is, along with the fact that the main characters hardly show up in the first half, and have ALMOST no real effect on the proceedings. Saward just wasn't interested in writing "DOCTOR WHO"... so you wonder, WHY was he ever story editor on the show in the first place? (Lot of sick, disturbing stuff going on behind-the-scenes on that show at the time.)
That said, "Orcini" (William Gaunt) was the COOLEST character to turn up on the show that entire season. I love the bit where he and his squire hear a noise, he turns and STARTS FIRING his machine pistol before he can even SEE what he's firing at. Result? One Dalek BLOWN to atoms. But on the down side, it shows just how screwed up Saward was that he would pointlessly KILL OFF the best character he ever created at the end of the story... and he didn't even succeed in killing the bad guy he was paid to go after!
In a saner TV universe, "Orcini" would have become a recurring character, turning up about once a season, to serve as a contrast between personalities and working methods of himself and The Doctor. He was certainly far-better written than "The Master" (Anthony Ainley) was at the time.
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I found another similarity between Craig Stirling and Sterling Archer.
Due to his gift of super powers Craig Stirling is among other things a lightning calculator, Sterling Archer who someone described as borderline autistic has a similar rainman like ability to work complicated math in his head and automatically count every bullet fired by each participant in a gun battle and know exactly how many rounds each has left in his magazine.
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There was ONE review of "ZOMBIES OF THE STRATOSPHERE" at the IMDB that really spelled out and explained the bizarre nature of the serial. I thought I'd pass it on here...
Commando Cody got beat out of a TV episode.
17 May 2006 | by Leslie Howard Adams (longhorn1939@suddenlink.net) (Texas)
The story/scenario for "Zombies of the Stratsophere" was originally written to be used as the fourth episode ( of the eventual twelve) of the Republic-produced "Commando Cody- Sky King of the Universe" syndicated television 1951-52 production season series. The studio unit that was doing the television series, under Associate Producer Franklin Adreon, was also doing the serials (for theatre distribution) and after the first three "Commando Cody" TV episodes were completed, then started production on "Zombies of the Stratosphere" prior to finishing the remaining nine Cody-TV episodes. On April 10, 1952, Adreon sent a memo to all Republic Pictures Corporation departments advising that certain character names in production number 133 (internal house number for the upcoming serial) have been changed as follows: Commando Cody becomes Larry Martin; Joan Gilbert becomes Sue Davis; Ted Richards becomes Bob Wilson; Mr. Henderson becomes Mr. Steele and Hank becomes Dick.
"Zombies" utilized stock footage from various Republic serials, features and one western; all of the 17 flying sequences of the airborn-wired dummy came straight from "King of the Rocket Men.", and the uranium-smuggling airplane sequence was lifted from the Roy Rogers western, "Bells of Coronado," which is why Clifton Young (as Ross)and Henry Rowland (Plane Heavy)show up in this serial. Larry Martin's space ship was recycled from "Radar Men from the Moon", while the Martians flew a new model (created for "Zombies")that featured a transparent bubble-gum turret housing a ray cannon atop the fuselage.
Republic contract-player Roy Barcroft is not seen in the serial but his voice was heard on the radio (chapters 1 and 11) and as dubs for Ross (chapter 4)and Tarner (chapter 7.) There was a fabricated "Introducing Leonard Nimoy" added to the opening cast-sheet when this film was colorized in the '90's, a bit of revisionism catering to Trekkies. Republic Pictures Corporation itself did not pass out "Introducing" credits to players listed ninth in the cast.
Filming started on April 4, 1952 and was completed on May 1, 1952. The budget (expected filming cost of the production) was $172,838 and the finished negative cost came in at $176,357, or slightly four thousand dollars over budget. These were the real numbers and, of course, do not fit the revisionist definitions of budget currently employed by some websites.
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It should have been so "simple". They did 4 stories, it should have been 1 single series. That's how I'm watching them-- pretending they were all ONE SERIES. It makes more sense than what they actually did.
You had 3 sets of actors, and 3 sets of characters-- but not in the same 3 films. Commando Cody is "introduced" in the 2nd one, yet there is NO proper "introduction" for him or his rocket suit. Scenes in the 1st episode of "RADAR MEN..." make it painfully obvious it's a SEQUEL... but it's not (not really, sort of).
I suppose one can just shake one's head and figure, oh well, you can tell Republic was on their way down... :)
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TO THE DEVIL... A DAUGHTER (1976)
One of the very last films from Hammer before the studio went bankrupt. This co-production with a German studio was their 2nd (and final) adaptation of a Denis Wheatley novel, but unlike the previous one, had almost nothing to do with the book. That alone turned out to be the most "Hammer"-like aspect of the movie (the studio long had a habit of throwing the book away when they did so-called "adaptations"), as, in an attempt to update their image, virtually NOTHING of how the film looks or feels (including the choice of font in the opening & closing credits and the almost-total absence of any music score whatsoever) would ever remind anyone of a "Hammer Film".
Despite a confusing script-- which was constantly being written AS the film was shooting (I suspect this was the main reason star Richard Widmark was pissed off for the entire production and kept threatening to fly back to America) the film is generally workable and quite disturbing on a number of levels... until, the ending. Oh dear. Christopher Lee, playing one of his nastiest villains EVER (an excommunicated Catholic priest who still wears the outfit despite now running a SATANIC CULT), went on record in an interview decades ago saying the ending completely RUINED the film. I waited to see what they did. Apparently, after the film was finished, at the very last minute, the studio was worried that the CLIMAX, where Lee's villain runs thru a mystic circle and is VAPORIZED TO ASHES by a sudden bolt of lightning, was "too similar" to the ending of the earlier SCARS OF DRACULA... so they cut the shot out of the film. As a result, Widmark escapes with the girl, and turns to see Lee has... simply vanished. Roll credits. WTF????? Apparently that piece of film has been LOST, preventing any chance of the film ever being "restored" to a more sensible form. Sheesh.
From what I read, the film was a box-office success, but the financial deal Hammer made with the Germans to finance the film saw them make virtually NO MONEY off it, and after only ONE more film, they closed their doors...
Also in the cast are Honor Blackman (THE AVENGERS), Denholm Elliot (THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD), Nastassja Kinski (CAT PEOPLE), and Derek Francis (THE TOMB OF LIGEIA).
HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD (1961)
Reg Park proves he's a far better actor (despite the dubbing) than Steve Reeves in his 2nd Hercules film. This is the BEST one I've seen so far, as Herc must venture into the realm of Pluto to bring back a mystic stone that will (in theory) drive off an evil curse affecting the woman he loves and her entire city. Mario Bava directs, and the film is a visual FEAST of colors not to be missed!!! Strangely, Christopher Lee as the main villain was dubbed by someone else for the English-language version. You gotta wonder at the decisions of some people...
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You probably know that all Italian movies were made without recording sound. Everything was dubbed in after all the scenes were filmed. Some directors would just have the actors count during filming. It didn't really matter, as long as their mouths were moving. The dialogue was put in after, so the actors really could have been saying anything.
This might be why Italian movies (both the great and the small) had so many foreign actors in them. Because there was no worry about language in making these movies. But, I would guess that the original actors were not always available once it came time in post-production to record dialogue for dubbing into the movies.
I think of this method of making movies as being like how Marvel made their comics--with Jack Kirby drawing everything first and then Stan Lee putting in all the dialogue.
While dubbed movies bug me (I like to hear the original actors, even if they're speaking in a language I don't understand), in the case of Italian movies it's not really a concern--as I know every version of an Italian movie (no matter what the language) is going to be dubbed. There's no such thing as an original language version, if you get my drift.
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It's STILL stupid NOT to get an English actor to dub his own voice for the English version.
And please don't bring up Marvel... the ONLY reason Stan Lee wrote dialogue was because he would NOT ALLOW his writers to write their own dialogue. That way, HE could take credit AND PAY for the FULL writing job (and in addition, that way, make it look like a salaried employee had created everything-- so it would be "work for hire" and the company would then OWN everything. It was IN NO WAY a "creative" move, or any kind of actual "collaboration". Wholesale THEFT is more like it.)
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Does anyone else get aggravated when people do really stupid things in shows. Just watched Stargate Atlantis episode. The ship dropped its shields in battle to beam two of the stars onboard. Of course the hits they took nearly took out the whole ship. Of course if the ship had been taken out the two stars would have died also along with the entire crew plus loosing a very important battle ship. Yes it adds excitement to the story, but come on now... They at least would have gone to a little bit safer location before dropping shields. This kind of stuff happened a lot in the show and many others.
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Agreed, it would have been preferable for English-speaking actors to dub themselves. However a lot of those Italian movies, particularly the muscle-man features, were intended only for release in Europe, where the faded American stars still had some name-recognition value. The English versions were created later by an entirely different company. They probably had no contact with the American actors and likely didn
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"The ship dropped its shields in battle to beam two of the stars onboard."
How many times on STAR TREK did Kirk, on a planet, ORDER whoever he left in charge NOT to drop shields, and if necessary, GET OUT OF HERE and "Protect my ship!" ?
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I'd swear the same group of actors dubbed "HERCULES IN THE HAUNTED WORLD" who also did "SPEED RACER"-- and "MAD MAX" (the American dub)-- and the 3rd season of "STAR BLAZERS".
While watching "...HAUNTED WORLD", I laugherd at one point and said, "I could do a better Christopher Lee than this guy!"
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One of my favorite quotes...
"Why don't you let me do YOU? I could do you BETTER than you!"
--Paul Frees (to Rhodes Reason) while dubbing "KING KONG ESCAPES"
Paul Frees turns up in my "BUNNY ROGET" cartoons...
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jBulzZSA9-Y/T7z8Gu596pI/AAAAAAAACf0/3eRP0SotRKI/s1600/BUNNY+p006.jpg
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You're right, Prof. The Speed Racer crew--Paul Fernandez, Jack Curtis, Jack Grimes, and Corinne Orr--did a ton of stuff. In the animation field their work (alone or together) included Star Blazers. Marine Boy, and Galaxy Rangers. I don't know about Mad Max. Here's a dated but interesting article about them:
http://udel.edu/~mm/anime/speed/production/usa.html
I was amused to learn that Corinne "Spritle" Orr was the voice of the Snuggle bear. The two Jacks had distinctive voices and I've found them in the oddest places, for example on an educational record from the late 60s teaching kids about different jobs. One of the "kids" is a dead ringer for Speed's pal Sparky.
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Good point Prof. and Stargate makes a lot of Trek and other scifi references.
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I went to see MAD MAX when it first came out with my best friend Jim. A little ways into the film, Jim commented about Max's superior on the highway patrol, saying, "So THAT's what he looks like!" He had recognized the voice as one of the characters on SPEED RACER. What he didn't realize was, the actor he was thinking of wasn't in the movie-- the entire movie had been dubbed INTO AMERICAN. The distributor didn't think Americans could understand Australian.
MAD MAX was the #1 most successful film in Australian movie history at that point, so a sequel was a given. But when MAD MAX 2-- which surpassed its predecessor in Australia-- got to America, the distributors felt that audiences might stay away, since the 1st one had more or less BOMBED at the box office. So they changed the title... to THE ROAD WARRIOR. (A much-better title, in my opinion!) However, this time, they left the soundtrack intact-- so Americans got to hear Mel Gibson speaking in an Australian accent for the first time.
When MAD MAX turned up on cable, it was still the American dub. That's the one I have on videotape. At some point... the original version turned up on American TV. But I'm not sure when that happened.
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The one time I felt it was a TRAGEDY that that group of actors was used, was the 3rd season of STAR BLAZERS. In my mind, the voices used in the 1st and 2nd seasons were so completely identified with their characters, it just felt "wrong" and VERY distracting, especially considering the art and the MUSIC was still the same. (Allegedly, the actors used for the 1st 2 seasons were "non-union"-- and the people distributing the 3rd season-- MANY years after the earlier ones-- didn't know how to contact any of them! I would have thought after all these years, their identities would have been figured out, and that season could have been RE-dubbed... although I imagine the expense of doing that would be considered too much of a luxury...)
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Its a good thing the original voice actor for Optimus Prime was still around, I don't think the movies would have gone over nearly as well if another actor had voiced the main character.
Just ran across a cute little film on youtube. Its an ancient British sci fi film called "the Supersonic Saucer". What makes it special is almost all the characters are kids.
It reminds me of the various kid oriented sci fi books and comics we have discussed in the past.
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Paul Frees has been turning up on a LOT of the PHILIP MARLOWE radio shows I've been listening to, and in a variety of voices. As has Ed Begley, though I have trouble recognizing him.
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While chained to the drawing board I binge-listened my way through the CB+ Philip Marlowe collection, It was great fun. Many stories are quite good, especially the Chandler adaptations. After a while the writers get lazy. Instead of working for his clues Marlowe depends upon dropped jewelry, forgotten notes, and other deus-ex-machina contrivances.
It was fascinating to hear the two versions of "Red Wind." The scripts are the same except for a few minor differences, so one can compare actors and productions. Though Van Heflin is good as Marlowe, I prefer Gerald Mohr's deeper, stronger voice. The supporting cast is better in the Heflin version (except for a truly bizarre "Lt. Ybarra"), as are the sound effects. Both are quite good, though.
As profh points out, Paul Frees does a lot of work on the series. So does Virginia Gregg, an old radio hand who became one of Jack Webb's repertory company. One guy''s voice was so familiar it drove me crazy trying to identify him--and I said, "Of course!" when it turned out to be Jeff "Michael Shayne" Chandler.
It's funny how often the old Matchbook Cliche surfaces in these shows (and a million other series!). A character just happens to leave behind a matchbook for the Kit Kat Klub, and when Marlowe goes there he finds either a missing suspect or a vital clue. Back when my dad smoked, he always had a stack of matchbooks but none of them had anything to do with his daily life. Often people would give him matchbooks, or he'd find one somebody dropped (a clue!). I'm afraid if Philip Marlowe had gone to NAPA Automotive Supply in Everett, Washington, he could have waited forever and Dad wouldn't have shown up.
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I've been alternating between SAM SPADE (Howard Duff) and PHILIP MARLOWE (Gerald Mohr). I've been enjoying both shows, but really like Mohr's character better. A slight problem is, I keep forgetting which ones I've listened to... but this isn't much of a problem, as so far, EVERY time I've listened to one ogf the storiesd a 2nd time, I wind up enjoyhing it MORE than the 1st.
It took awhile before I began to notice Jeff Corey was Lt. Yabarra. This must have been before he was blacklisted. My 1st exposure to him was STAR TREK ("The Cloud Minders"), but he was also terrific on THE OUTER LIMITS ("O.B.I.T."), and of course, he's the baddie in TRUE GRIT. I've also seen him turn up on NIGHT COURT, in an Ellen Foley episode !
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I'll give Sam Spade a try. Jeff Corey wasn't Ybarra in the Heflin "Red Wind," but I don't know who was. I don't think the actor repeated the role. In "Red Wind" Ybarra only has a few lines, most of them stuff like "Mmh" and "Could be." But the actor sounds like he hasn't a clue what's going on. A last-minute substitute, maybe?
I looked Gerald Mohr up on Wikipedia. His entry makes interesting reading. I already knew Mohr had a long, busy career, but I had no idea just how many parts he'd played on radio and TV. He was even Mr Fantastic in the TV Fantastic Four cartoon. By far the biggest surprise was learning about Mohr's activities in Sweden (he spoke French, German, and Swedish). According to Wikipedia:
In 1964 Mohr, together with his second wife Mai, planned the formation of an international film company, headquartered in Stockholm, with Swedish and American writers. The company was to have featured comedy, adventure, crime and drama shows for worldwide distribution. By then fluent in Swedish, he also planned to star in a film for TV in which his character, a newspaperman, would speak only Swedish. In 1964 he made a comedy Western, filmed in Stockholm and on location in Yugoslavia, called Wild West Story in which, unusually, the good guys spoke Swedish and the bad guys (Mohr, inter alia) spoke in English.
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I'm pretty sure my 1st exposure to Gerald Mohr was what became my favorite 2nd-season LOST IN SPACE episode, "A VISIT TO HADES", where he plays a convicted criminal sentenced to an other-dimensional prison, which just happens to resemble... "Hades". (As Mickey Dolenz later pointed out, "You can't say **** on television!")
"Morbus" (Mohr) drags Smith into his prison and cons him into helping him escape. Apart from anything else, the episode is a rare spotlight for both Don & Judy.
But my favorite moment is probably when, in exasperation, he tells Judy what Smith is on about...
"Oh, the man's an IDIOT! He thinks I'M The Devil and this is HADES!"
(I haven't seen this in decades!!!!)
I'm pretty sure that episode inspired one of my early comic-book stories!
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Whehnever I read a FANTASTIC FOUR comic-book, it's Gerald Mohr I hear as the voice of Reed (ditto, Paul Frees as Ben Grimm-- and, The Watcher.)
I read somewhere that Mohr was considered "the most popular voice on radio" back in the 50s.
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An actor I always liked was Arthur Hunnicutt. He mainly played western or mountaineer characters. He was the star of perhaps the most touching of Twilight Zone episodes "the Hunt".
First time I saw DeForest Kelley on screen was as a young punk gunfighter who angered by Hunnicutt constantly belittling him shot Arthur Hunnicutt in the back. Hunnicutt's last line was "I didn't think that little snake had the sand". The man had a beautiful voice with a slight hillbilly whine to it.
Just finished watching "the List of Adrian Messenger" for the first time in many years. Thats a truly well done movie with many A list actors. Masterful make up with each of the characters in make up designed much like old comic book art protrayals. I think the makeup designs may have been influenced by Will Eisner's Spirit comic villians.
Also found a download of one of the greatest Westerns ever made the original "Monty Walsh". The bronc busting scene alone would be worth the price of admission. The love story is one of the greats of the silver screen.
Theres a scene where Lee Marvin is simply walking down a wooden side walk adjusting his belt and buttoning his coat that displays more talent than most actors can muster for an entire film. The sound track is magnificent.
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"the List of Adrian Messenger"
This is one of those I need to look up just to satisfy my curiosity. I've never seen it... but I've seen the GET SMART version many times. (It's the one with Pat Paulsen.)
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"The List of Adrian Messenger" is a bit underrated. Yes, it's a little dated but still a damn fine tale. It could stand on its own even without the celebrity cameos, although these were really fun. Long ago, I wore out my home- taped version and bought a professional copy which was actually missing part of one scene. They showed a still while carrying on with the audio. Funny- my crappy home-tape contained the full scene. I saw this gimmick used again on some missing scenes in "Lost Horizon". Hopefully both these fine films have been completely restored. Cheers, Bowers
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" Funny- my crappy home-tape contained the full scene."
Was it the scene in the airport rest room where the killer removed his makeup?
As I remember it till now every showing of this film that I saw did not reveal the killer's true face, so far as him removing his mask, till the very end. I think the film worked better that way, as it is finding out who the killer was so early made much of the detective work anti-climatic.
BTW
Despite the hype almost all the scenes of the killer in makeup were not the actor who played the killer out of make up. The actor in most such scenes was in fact the excellent character actor Jan Merlin.
Burt Lancaster for example did not actually appear in the film except in the end credits.
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I remember being a bit flabbergasted when I rented a copy of COOGAN'S BLUFF... and found the MIDDLE of one scene was MISSING! It the scene where Coogan and the girl are walking thru Central Park and talking. There's a reference, right in the middle, which explains the name of the movie. And it's NOT THERE on the "uncut" version! But the local commercial station had the full scene in their print.
I don't think this was a case of someone splicing in bits that were edited out at the time the film was made. I've seen that, and find THAT to be annoying. This felt more like there were 2 SLIGHTLY different edits of the film, and someone put the WRONG one on the videotapes.
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Sometimes with older films a copyright issue with the artist who supplied music for the sound track can result in some scenes being cut from a later VHS or DVD.
Even if the film itself has fallen into public domain the composers and musicians work is still their intellectual property.
In some cases the company making a DVD will just mute the soundtrack at that point or have the music replaced. Thats not always economical.
In some cases a few seconds here or a minute or so there is edited out to give time to commercial breaks when shown on TV and the footage lost.
In the Film "the valley of Gwangi" a scene where an elephant is killed by a dinosaur was cut from TV showings in some areas because it was too graphic for the time. It took quiet some time to restore that lost footage.
With the list of adrian Messenger, cutting the scene that revealed the killers face far too early actually improved the film. It was not necessary to reveal the killer's true face in order to establish that he had been in disguise.
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ATTACK FROM SPACE
Japan's answer to Superman... STARMAN! A sci-fi superhero flick, the climactic fight scene has to be seen to be believed! it's a combination of Captain America, James Bond and Bruce Lee all at once!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG9z_6thov0
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Back when FLASHDANCE came out, I went to see it many times (yes, I'm that shallow). Once when I was visiting a friend in Calgary, I told her we had to see FLASHDANCE, so we went to see it at a small theatre. And by this time I'd probably seen if four times and knew exactly the order of scenes in the movie, but during this screening a whole sequence was left out. I realized that they left out a reel of the movie and after the movie, I went to the people running the film and told them they left out a reel. They kept insisting that no they showed the whole movie, but they were clearly lying and I knew it and they knew it but never admitted to it.
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Jimmm's note reminds me of the way American movies were edited community by community in the days before the Hays Office. Local censors would view a newly-arrived movie and simply chop out parts they didn't like. That was one of the purposes of the Hayes censorship office. The studios could send out "guaranteed clean" movies that (supposedly) didn't require review by local censorship boards--and prevent their prints being chopped to pieces by the locals. Nevertheless the big studios did make custom cuts tailored for different regions--for example cutting black people out of films going to the Deep South.
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I recall 2 James Bond films actually getting cut in the theatres shortly after their debut.
In THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, there's a scene during the tanker battle where someone gets hit by a flame-thrower, and staggers around on fire before falling into the water. I saw that film 3 times on its initial run, and the 3rd time, that bit was missing. I never saw it again until I bought the videotape.
In THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS, near the end, right after Pushkin comes in to congradulate Bond for killing the main villain, Felix walks in and does a surprised double take, saying, "General PUSHKIN??" The 2nd time I saw it-- a week later-- that last bit was cut, and I have never seen it since.
I know in the case of the latter, they were fine-tuning the film as they went, as they were unsure exactly what kind of tone they wanted once Roger Moore was out of the picture. there's an entire scene involving Bond landing on the back of a motorcycle (driven by a famous stunt-biker) in which a bucket of blue paint is dumped on the head of the local police chief that NEVER made it to the theatres. Good call-- it was clearly too much in the style of some of the crap that wound up ruining A VIEW TO A KILL 2 years earlier.
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Cap, it was the scene where Douglas was disguised as a prissy neighbor, coming in to "feed the typist's cat". It couldn't have been a copyright issue as the soundtrack was completely intact- just a few seconds of video were missing, and nobody was in the scene that wasn't in the rest of the film. The manufacturers were probably just working from a bad master. Cheers, Bowers
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In Canada, each province had its own censorship board. They would cut scenes from movies, depending on the rules set by that province and based on the judgement of the board. I knew a guy who worked on the board for Alberta in the '80s. I think this was phased out in the '90s--but I can't be sure and there might be some provinces that still do it.
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Tonight on videotape:
"MR. FIBULI!!! You have FAILED me!"
"Uh, yes, Captain."
"When someone FAILS me-- someone-- DIES!!!"
"AAAAUGH!!!"
"Mr, Fibuli, I hope-- you will not fail me again."
"Uh, no, Captain..."
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Just a note to let everyone know Ant-Man is a FUN movie.
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Thanks for the info, Narf. I was wondering if this movie was going to be any good. Nearly every show I've been watching this season has reached the finale, so it's probably time to catch a film or two.
This year's episodes of "Turn" were excellent with an incredibly good cast. I'm positive Samuel Roukin's portrayal of John Graves Simcoe as a bit of a sociopath can't possibly be accurate, but he does it so well one can make allowances.
Also enjoyed the new "Poldark" on P.B.S. As good as the 1975 version, better than the 1996 effort. Ross is still a self-righteous prig and George Warleggan is still slimy as ever. Good stuff. P.B.S. also showed "The Crimson Fields" , a soap about a field hospital in WW1 France. Not bad- hope there's a second season.
"Atlantis" was much better than last year when it tried to become just another "hack and slasher". Pythagoris with a sword? Really?
This is the final season for "Falling Skies" and they've kicked out all the stops! Tom is no longer the nice guy he was. Time to burn those skitters once and for all!
I heard the season premiere of "Sherlock" will actually be released in theaters- anybody know anything about this? Cheers, Bowers/
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Falling Skies went a different direction last year and I did not care for it. Back to basics again and I like it. Defiance has also been pretty good this year. I reallly enjoy Turn and get the benefit of learning some history. I love to hate Simcoe. I do really hate their portrayal of Washilngton. I know he was not perfect, but their version sucks.
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Tonight's movie:
"HMMPH. My hero. If you were a MAN, I would DIVORCE you!"
;D
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Finished "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell" on BBC America. Excellent series concerning two Napoleonic-era British wizards, at odds whether or not magic should be returned to England. Very good special effects and Marc Warren is a wonderfully evil antagonist from Faerie. Unfortunately, after an exciting buildup, the series ended somewhat abruptly. Less than satisfying finish to what started out as a very good effort. Still, it's worth a watch. Cheers, Bowers
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My Summer series-
Wayward Pines- turned out better than I expected.
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell- looking forward to next season already.
Falling Skies- thankfully back on track for the final season.
Under the Dome- has my interest waxing and waning.
Stichers- a few episodes behind but am liking it so far.
Zoo- ditto.
The Astronaut Wives Club- a favorite this summer but then I was a real astronaut nut as a kid so I may be prejudiced.
Extant- another one where my interest slips at times.
The Whispers- on the disappointing side. I suspect it won't be back.
Humans- winding up tonight but I hope it will be back as I've liked it this season.
and starting next week-
Fear the Walking Dead- I expect it will be a big hit but I also see that they are only doing six episodes for the premiere season.
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These days I tend to binge watch TV series, rather than watch them week to week. However, this summer I was interested in seeing what UNDER THE DOME was all about, so I binge watched the first two seasons and then started in on the third. Too bad I didn't look for some reviews before I did that, as the series starts out promising but quickly gets worse. This season might be the worst yet--although, now I'm looking forward to it each week, just to see how low it can go. Turns out pretty low.
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I learned years ago that if I watch too many episodes in one sitting, they all tend to blur together and then I can't remember what happened in what episode.
Much better to watch several shows in rotation!
On the other hand, there have been some shows I've watched multiple episodes at a time, just to GET THROUGH them. This has included HILL STREET BLUES (I don't even like it anymore apart from seasons 6 & 7), DARK SHADOWS (when you have about 1,000 episodes on tape...) and STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION (I never would have beleieved that after all these years, the 1st season would wind up as the only one I liked!).
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After a 6-month break-- right in the middle of a story-- I got back to DOCTOR WHO again. What sets this current view apart from most others is, this is the first time since the early 80s I'm watching the individual episode versions, instead of the edited movie versions. I have these from "Inferno" (only about half of the Pertwees were run this way in Philly at the time, the rest were not yet in the syndication package) all the Tom Bakers and up to "Terminus". For whatever reason, after that they stopped and only ran the "movies".
Just finished "The Androids Of Tara" last night. Been watching ONE episode at a time. The entire season with Mary Tamm remains one of my favorites! It's sometimes hard to believe she's gone...
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Much better to watch several shows in rotation!
Well I do that, too. After binge watching the entire run of SEINFELD, I went back to it again from the beginning, but just watching one episoe every Thursday night. Although lately I've been giving up that slot to wath UNDER THE DOME. But I'll soon get back to my weekly viewing of Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer.
You may remember a few years ago, when I was laid up, I binged watched ALL of DOCTOR WHO (yes, all of it). Now I'm watching it again, but just one episode at a time, on Saturday afternoons. Yesterday, I started THE REIGN OF TERROR with episode one: "A Land of Fear."
For the original series of STAR TREK, what I'm doing is watching a number of episodes (one or two a day) and then taking a break and coming back at it again a few weeks later, with more episodes. So right now I'm stopped in the middle of season two--watching them in production order.
It's been a hot dry summer in Vancouver and the last thing I want to do is sit at home--so I haven't been watching a lot lately--preferring to be outside in the fresh air.
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BEYOND THE TIME BARRIER
What a DAMNED good movie! Not one single actor I recognized, but a decent script, decent set designs, etc. This could easily have been a feature-length episode of THE OUTER LIMITS.
Although presented as an "American International" film, I saw not one name associated with them, and with MUCH higher than usual production standards (and quality of product), I suspect this was an independant production, and theyv just handled the distribution end of things.
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I've found watching STAR TREK in (mostly) production order is SO much better on so many levels, and there is a surprising amount of "continuity" that is simply not apparent at all the way NBC ran it. Mostly stuff NOBODY ever, ever mentions (not that I've seen).
Like the direct connection between "COURT MARTIAL" and "THE MENAGERIE". The opening scene in "MENAGERIE" refers directly to the climax of "COURT MARTIAL", yet "COURT MARTIAL" was run at least a month later.
You know, I saw the SAME thing in the 2nd season of NIGHT COURT, once I figured out what order the episodes SHOULD be watched in. (Part of it you could tell just by the length of Ellen Foley's hair... heehee)
Each time I've watched DOCTOR WHO lately, I've been doing it differently. A few years ago, I decided to watch EVERY single story in my collection... all "movie" versions, of course, and ONLY the ones that were in syndication in the 1980s. I have NOTHING that was released since... except for "Tomb of the Cybermen", which I got on video the month it came out.
Once, I started just with the Roger Delgado stories. Another time, I started with the Mary Tamm episodes!! (I've liked her from the instant I saw her, and that's only increased over the years. Too bad she only did one year.)
Once, I watched a set of Daleks stories back-to-back-- starting with "Destiny". (I just DON'T LIKE "Genesis". And, I've seen it too many times. The last time I watched it, the time I watched EVERY story, I decided, that was it, the LAST time I'd ever watch it.) I ended my Daleks mini-marathon with the 2nd Cushing film. STILL my all-time favorite Daleks story!
Quite a few years back, I'd watch an entire run by one Doctor, then an entire run by another Doctor... but jumped around, so they weren't in order.
More recently, I actually spent a month or two rotating between 3 or 4 Doctors between EACH story!! That was a LOT of fun! (Mostly, Davison, Colin Baker & McCoy)
The current run (which I started sometime last year), I started from the beginning again... but decided, okay, THIS time, I'm gonna SKIP anything I just don't like!! And, in a fit of absolute absurdity, the first 2 Daleks stories, I watched the Cushing films INSTEAD of the Hartnell versions!!
But thanks to Youtube, this particular run was the ONLY time I have EVER seen the 2 pertwee episodes that were MISSING from syndication in the 80s-- "Planet of the Daleks" part 3, and "Invasion of the Dinosaurs" part 1!!!
Somehow I made it through EVERY Pertwee this time... even the ones I DON'T like. But I did skip "Genesis", and once I get to the JNT era, I'm sure I'll be skipping a LOT more.
The crazy bit was when my VCR broke down right after I watched "The Deadly Assassin" part 3. So for about 6 months, Tom Baker's Doctor was DEAD!!
Decades back, I once dug out "The Android Invasion" to show to a friend who had NEVER seen the show. he got hooked. Yeah-- THAT one, which fans are always knocking! I like it.
For many years, the only stories I ever dug out all by themselves-- totally separate from the rest of the show-- were "Ressurection" (to help me make sense of it-- it really IS a bloody mess, and MY syndication copy is MISSING tghe music and sound effects from the 2nd half!!), and "Terror of the Vervoids" (because I just adore Bonnie Langford).
However, in recent years, a 3rd story has been added to that number... "The Gunfighters". It's become my FAVORITE William Hartnell story! And at least once, I watched it as part of a "Wyatt Earp" marathon, which included MY DARLING CLEMENTINE, GUNFIGHTER AT THE O.K. CORRAL, TOMBSTONE, RETURN TO DODGE, and "Spectre of the Gun". They may not be "accurate", but the guys who played Earp & Holiday on DOCTOR WHO are among the most likable and watchable.
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Only actor in "Beyond the Time Barrier" that I recognized was the great character actor Vladimir Sokolff. He had a long distinguished career. Probably the best movie he was in was "For Whom the Bell Tolls" and of course "the Magnificient Seven".
This was one of my favorite of the older Sci Fi films.
Just watched a Gerry Anderson film that I had not seen since it first came out "Journey to the Far Side of the Sun".
Of the two I like "Beyond the Time Barrier" much more.
"This could easily have been a feature-length episode of THE OUTER LIMITS."
Actually theres a ep pf Outer Limits that is very much like "Beyond the Time Barrier" in many ways, "the Man Who was Never Born" starring Martin Landau.
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I was thinking about that.
It also reminded me of some of the themes from PLANET OF THE APES, only in a far LESS-devastated future.
It seemed sad that things broke down so completely near the end. It turned out the 2 guys in charge of the Citadel were working at cross-purposes (the military guy was TOO arrogant and paranoid to be of any use to anyone but himself), and all 3 scientists wound up double-crossing EACH OTHER. So, with the one "nice" girl having been killed accidentally (shades of "Nova" in "BENEATH..."), it made it all the better that the guy should return to the past and prevent that future from ever happening.
I have been progressively LESS thrilled with the APES films more and more as the decades go by (INCLUDING the 1st one, which "everybody" raves about-- I think it's a pile of CRAP compared to the novel). Now, even more, I see it as a really inferior, degenerated take-off on a MUCH-better story done years earlier. Like most Hollywood "remakes".
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There's a number of movies over the years that have reminded me of feature-length OUTER LIMITS stories, in content, look, attitude, etc.
The first one that struck me that way, of course, was BLADE RUNNER. The story is very similar to "The Duplicate Man", and the climax takes place in the SAME location as "Demon With A Glass Hand". But I think the TV episodes are better!
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Yes , "The Outer Limits" had some very good writing at times. Unfortunately the extremely low budget special-effects and ludicrous alien/monster costumes detracted from the overall quality. Even for the early 60's, bad rubber masks and gloves just didn't do the job- and this series used a lot of them! We got more laughs than scares from some episodes. For some fright, I preferred "Thriller". Cheers, Bowers
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I forgot to mention that just after watching "Journey to the Far Side of the Sun" I ran across an article about the planned restoration of the futuristic automobile made for that film.
They actually built three of these, you can see the other two in the base parking lot during one scene.
The other two of the cars still exist but are in relic condition and deemed not restorable.
One or more of these were used in the series "UFO" one being Stryker's car.
Not quite so Iconic as the Batman TV series Batmobile but still a blast from the past part of sci fi vehicle history.
Also in the news Elon musk bought the Lotus Elan based submersible from "the spy Who Loved Me", one of if not the coolest of Bond vehicles.
The car spld at auction for not quite one million bucks, which must have made the previous owner happy as a claim because he got the car for $100 USD when he bought an abandoned storage container with contents sight unseen.
Musk was a bit disappointed when he found the submersible car did not actually transition from road worthy to sea worthy, that was done with camera tricks, but the submersible itself is a functioning mini sub.
Elon Musk intends to build a fully operational transitioning vehicle based on the Tesla car.
This reinforces my long standing theory that Elon musk is in fact a Bond Super villian just biding his time before revealing his scheme for world domination.
His well known fear of Artificially Intelligent robots stims from the fact that only they could possibly defeat his army of killer cyborg ninjas.
A Tesla based transformer is just the tip of the ice berg.
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Yes , "The Outer Limits" had some very good writing at times. Unfortunately the extremely low budget special-effects and ludicrous alien/monster costumes detracted from the overall quality. Even for the early 60's, bad rubber masks and gloves just didn't do the job- and this series used a lot of them! We got more laughs than scares from some episodes. For some fright, I preferred "Thriller". Cheers, Bowers
I haven't gone back to look at many of the past OUTER LIMITS episodes and maybe I shouldn't. They were quite effective. I think that series formed much of my consciousness--it's a part of my neural network now and determines how I perceive reality. Maybe had I been a little older when it aired, that wouldn't have been the case. But it worked for me--although, whether that's a good thing or a bad thing, I'm not sure.
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I guess it's the 4-year-old in me. I have watched the 1st season of THE OUTER LIMITS at least 4 times in its entirety since the mid-90s, when I rented every one of the tapes in sequence. I've NEVER had a problem with the "effects", visuals, masks, etc. I'm just so focused on THE STORIES, all the rest doesn't matter that much.
I suppose it's like people who complain about or like to laugh at Gerry Anderson's THUNDERBIRDS, because ... "IT'S A PUPPET SHOW!!!!!!!!!!" People really need to get the F*** over themselves. They sound like arrogant know-it-all teenagers, who, everyone should realize, all think they know more and better than anyone else, and have lost all sense of wonder or imagination in their single-minded quest to be "adult", "grown up", "mature". (These same peolpe find it impossible to enjoy anything written or drawn by Jack Kirby. In FACT, when I watch Anderson's SPACE PRECINCT-- my vote for the best damned thing he ever, ever did-- the whole thing "feels" more like a Jack Kirby story than anything ever "adapted" from his works.)
But the thing is, what all those people who laugh at the marionettes and miniatures COMPLETELY miss, is, it's the WRITING on THUNDERBIRDS that seriously needed work. I mean, really!! Sylvia wanted a spy show, Gerry wanted a show about big vehicles. He "won", but they got a compromise that was a "match made in HELL". Worse-- his attitude prevailed for the next 10 years, increasingly so, until it led to the inevitable DIVORCE. Funny thing... after they split, suddenly, Gerry's shows started to include the HUMANITY that had been completely missing since STINGRAY.
That's been my observation over the decades.
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Twilight Zone and Outer Limits were so top notch in all categories other than special effects that they remind us even now that special effects can't save a bad story or ruin a good story.
When the effects are masterpieces in the artistic sense if not that great in the technical sense they can be the true draw for an otherwise mediocre film, but you'll remember the effects rather than the story.
The lydecker bros are an exception, Every effect they accomplished fitted seamlessly with the story. Still some of the most believable effects ever.
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I just had to pass this on... A thought from one of my friends overseas...
"People who mock seeing the strings in the puppet shows presumably also mock the fact that they can see the punctuation in a novel."
;D
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I often lament that my friend in Wales has never seen TERRAHAWKS or SPACE PRECINCT. When the 1st came out, many knocked it for being "silly" and "childish" and going back to looking like a "kiddie show" with its style of puppetry. But it had MUCH better writing than any Anderson show since STINGRAY, the characters were really likable, it was FUN to watch, and often exciting as well.
And then there was SPACE PRECINCT. I loved the show from the first moment I saw it, and over the years it has actually become one of the ONLY shows I can think of where I can honesty say "I love every frame of every episode." It's THAT good. On a level of maintained quality, it blows 60s STAR TREK completely out of the water! I'm absolutely astonished to be able to say such a thing!!
And yet I can scarcely think of ANY show that was met with such outright HATRED, dismissal, derision, insults that SP. I think a large part of it has to be that you have a vast percentage of the audience that has been acclimated to "something else". To me, I love the concept, the designs, the action, the visual effects, but most of all, the CHARACTERS, and the WRITING. My God, it's the BEST damned thing Anderson ever did by such a wide margin... it's no wonder he spent 10 years trying to raise money to have it made.
All the same, I will be the first to admit MOST of the aliens LOOK RIDICULOUS!!! They do!! And you know what? IT DOESN'T MATTER! I think of "Captain Podley", the guy in charge of the Precinct, who actually-- absurdly!!-- has a NEW YORK IRISH accent!! It's one of the most insane ideas I've ever run across-- it's funny as hell-- and yet, HE comes across as a far more belieavble, likable, and "REAL" character and personality than ANY of the characters in all 7 years of ST:TNG. (I watched the entire run of ST:TNG about 2 years ago, first time since it was first-run... good God, how did I ever sit through it the first time?)
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Watching another of my FAVORITES this week...
"Oy--OY!! 'Oooh's th' little tin dog??"
"Your silliness is noted."
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"Space Precinct" was alright, I guess I watched every episode. It was enjoyable, though not my idea of a serious science fiction series.
The short lived "Star Cops" was more to my liking. Both were in the High Frontier sub genre.
Stark Trek in all its incarnations and spin offs always disappointed in the alien appearance department, with only a few races, such as the Klingons, Cardassians, and Feringee getting the proper attention to detail.
They got around the obvious difficulty of so many intelligent races looking very human by the device of having a billions of years earlier race seeding the universe so that when they died out their would be new intelligent species to live on after them. Practically all intelligent races carrying that seed of ancient humanoid DNA. The entirely non corporeal and rock monster types not so much.
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2 movies I'd never seen before, both based on the SAME story:
THE DOCTOR AND THE DEVILS (1985)
THE FLESH AND THE FIENDS (1960)
This covers the same ground as THE BODY SNATCHER (1945), although that was filtered through Robert Louis Stevenson, while these other 2 are closer to the real-life incident of murderers supplying bodies for scientific study.
The Henry Danielle role is played by Peter Cushing and Timothy Dalton, while the main murderer-- the Boris Karloff role-- is played by Donald Pleasence & Jonathan Pryce !! (That's a whole collection of some of my favorite actors there!)
I'd been wanting to see the Dalton / Pryce film since it was first announced, and it's crazy it took me this long. The other one, I didn't even know about until recently. I'm glad I decided to watch the older one 2nd, as I wound up enjoying that one more. Each reflects the style of its era, but while the 1960 film is more "stylized", it also turned out to be more VIOLENT. I was surprised than 2 of the main characters got killed in it who both somehow escaped in the later film, while they reversed which of the criminals turned state's evidence in the later one (the earlier was apparently more accurate). But in the earlier film, BOTH killers got separate forms of "justice". And the doctor at the very end wound up more sympathetic, as his sudden attack of conscience was played up MUCH stronger.
To sum up, I'd say the 1985 version was DAMNED good-- but the 1960 one was a truly GREAT film!!!
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"Oy--OY!! 'Oooh's th' little tin dog??"
An episode which still makes me quite emotional.
Just watched the first episode of Space Precinct and I'm sorry to say, It didn't do much for me. I'll try another one just in case. And the comparison with '6o's Star Trek is odd as they appear to be 2 distinctly different shows. One being 'tecs in space and the other a soap opera on a space ship with aliens and monsters. While I still watch Star Trek from time to time, I can't say that it is a favourite, enjoyable though some episodes can be. The tin dog, Caretaker (the school janny) and Space Patrol - the real one, not the live action American one) are shows I'd rather watch. Oddly, as I was never a big fan of the Matt Smith stories - I thought he made a good Doctor - I have been watching some of them again and rather enjoying them
Also, and sadly, the last series ever of New Tricks is showing and it's a real shame it's ending as the new cast seem perfectly capable of carrying on as long as the stories are as good as the first episodes have proved to be. It's not exactly a new idea to have a change of cast in the same show, Taggart, Doctor Who, Midsomer Murders, New Tricks itself spring to mind
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THE DAY THE EARTH CAUGHT FIRE (1961), a real "epic" for a British sci-fi "disaster"movie. Told entirely from the POV of a newspaper office and its staff, this features Edward Judd in the "Karl Kolchak" role (or sorts) while Leo McKern reminds me a bit of "Lou Grant" in the MOST LIKABLE character I've ever seen him play! The plot-- which delves into things Jules Verne once tackled in one of his COMEDY novels ("THE PURCHASE OF THE NORTH POLE") makes as little sense as it did in Irwin Allen's VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, but it doesn't matter, as it's the HUMAN drama that's the real focus from start to finish. The dialogue is fast, furious & witty, and would fit right in in anything done by Howard Hawks.
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"Oy--OY!! 'Oooh's th' little tin dog??"
An episode which still makes me quite emotional.
Well, actually... that was "Drax" in Part 5 of "The Armageddon Factor"!!
;D
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"And the comparison with '6o's Star Trek is odd"
I was comparing it with ST:TNG, in that even the dumbest-looking aliens on SP were more "human" and "likable" as characters than the "humans" on TNG. I quickly came to LOVE every single character on SP, while by the time it ended, I was genuinely SICK TO DEATH of every single character on TNG.
The only comparison I tend to make with STAR TREK (the real one) is that ST had good episodes and bad ones... on SP, every single episode was INCREDIBLY GOOD.
But again, "personal taste" no doubt factors in here big-time.
I mean, LOOK at all the comics fans who absolutely HATE every single aspect of Jack Kirby's work.
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Tin dog? And here was me thinking you were on about School Reunion, which is, of course, a wonderful story.
It's a long time since I watched The Armageddon Factor, although a cable channel here showed The Androids of Tara recently.
As for all the comics fans who absolutely HATE every single aspect of Jack Kirby's work, I haven't encountered any. I know some fans who simply love almost everything Kirby. But really, some of the later stuff was poor, whether because of inkers or himself losing it a bit, or simply being rushed and churned out, I don't know. Going back to reading it now is a chore. And, admission time, I never liked Kamandi and I get serious stick from a couple of friends for that ::)
I do watch occasional episodes of STNG if it's one I fancy. Same with Voyager, preferably later ones. I couldn't sit down and spend a weekend with either one.
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THE LAST GLORY OF TROY
I get the feeling this is either the 2nd-- or 3rd-- film with Steve Reeves as the same character. In this, the Trojan exiles try to settle near a city, but ONE man's power-mad ambitions stirs up trouble, and even a full-scale war. HE wants to marry the peace-loving king's daughter-- against her will-- so HE can become the next king. But she doesn't love him... and when she meets Steve Reeves, it's all over. About 15 minutes in (as soon as I found out the guy's men were STEALING cattle from the city's fields) I KNEW by the end of the movie, he and Reeves would be going at it, one-on-one. And I was RIGHT!
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You never know what you'll find online.
I've been watching movies on Youtube and the like since January. After 7 years of nothing but reruns, I guess something finally snapped. Anyway, Many of these I have no idea what they're about until I'm watching, which can add to the fun. (I can never understand people who want to know everything about a film before they watch, including the ending!)
Anyway, yesterday was a Steve Reeves film, so I figured, today, science-fiction.
"THE SHIP OF MONSTERS"-- or, "LA NAVE DE LOS MONSTRUOS".
Despite some of the wild, outrageous stuff I've seen lately, this one surpassed them all. No kidding!
It's a science-fiction western musical comedy. From Mexico. Thank goodness it's got subtitles, or I'd be completely lost.
This could have been subtitled "VENUS NEEDS MEN". All males have been wiped out due to radiation, so these 2 gorgeous Mexican babes are sent in search of the "most perfect males". We miss the bulk of the mission, where they kidnap specimens. But they run into engine trouble, and their clunky-looking robot tells them they have to set down at the nearest planet so he can repair the ship. He describes it as one his own people wanted to explore at some point, but never got around to. It's believed intelligent life lives there, but, they don't know what they want, so they enjoy destroying each other.
Sure enough-- it's Earth. We also get a glimpse of their captives-- which look like something out of a monster movie. As one reviewer said, they didn't send the brightest chicks on this mission, did they?
And then we meet the other main character-- a hard-drinking habitual lier (or, funny storyteller, take your pick) who sings on horseback and argues with his horse about how he's supposed to be man's best friend.
You can't make up stuff like this!!
Only one comment on Youtube referred to the film as "total crap". Everybody else was loving it for EXACTLY what it is. Me, I can't stop laughing. That's good enough for me!
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Last night we said goodbye to an old friend, "Falling Skies". After five seasons the loose ends were all wrapped up and our planet is once again our own. The little "thank you" to the viewers in the closing credits was a nice touch. I'll miss this show. Best of luck to actor/producer Noah Wylie on the upcoming second season of his "Librarian" series. First season was awesome! Cheers, Bowers.
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I will very much miss Falling Skies. Good old hard core alien invasion scifi. One bad season of weirdness but they got back to basics and ended it well. Defiance was also enjoyable and ended well with a little bit of stupid save the bad aliens at the cost of Nolan.
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You never know what you'll find online.
I've been watching movies on Youtube and the like since January. After 7 years of nothing but reruns, I guess something finally snapped. Anyway, Many of these I have no idea what they're about until I'm watching, which can add to the fun. (I can never understand people who want to know everything about a film before they watch, including the ending!)
Anyway, yesterday was a Steve Reeves film, so I figured, today, science-fiction.
"THE SHIP OF MONSTERS"-- or, "LA NAVE DE LOS MONSTRUOS".
Despite some of the wild, outrageous stuff I've seen lately, this one surpassed them all. No kidding!
It's a science-fiction western musical comedy. From Mexico. Thank goodness it's got subtitles, or I'd be completely lost.
This could have been subtitled "VENUS NEEDS MEN". All males have been wiped out due to radiation, so these 2 gorgeous Mexican babes are sent in search of the "most perfect males". We miss the bulk of the mission, where they kidnap specimens. But they run into engine trouble, and their clunky-looking robot tells them they have to set down at the nearest planet so he can repair the ship. He describes it as one his own people wanted to explore at some point, but never got around to. It's believed intelligent life lives there, but, they don't know what they want, so they enjoy destroying each other.
Sure enough-- it's Earth. We also get a glimpse of their captives-- which look like something out of a monster movie. As one reviewer said, they didn't send the brightest chicks on this mission, did they?
And then we meet the other main character-- a hard-drinking habitual lier (or, funny storyteller, take your pick) who sings on horseback and argues with his horse about how he's supposed to be man's best friend.
You can't make up stuff like this!!
Only one comment on Youtube referred to the film as "total crap". Everybody else was loving it for EXACTLY what it is. Me, I can't stop laughing. That's good enough for me!
After they introduced the "Silver Angel" character on "The Strain" I looked up a few of the Mexican Luchadore horror films. I just downloaded the El Santo (the Saint) movie "Santo vs. las Mujeres Vampiro " (aka Sampson VS the Vampire Woman) dubbed in English.
Santo always wore a silver mask. When he first went into films they gave him his choice of three possible names, one of which was the Angel, so if he had chosen differently he could have been the Silver Angel like the character in the Strain.
One of his co stars was injured and had to retire from films and wrestling just like the Silver Angel character.
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I just saw the coolest movie today, and I can't believe I never saw it before!
*****SPOILER WARNINGS!!!!!*****
It's about a microscopic organism that came to Earth from some other planet millions of years ago, and survived by entering Earth organisms. It could absorb memories, and if its "host" was killed, it could take over another, in effect "become" that creature-- or person. After being found frozen in a block of ice, it was being taken back to civilization for study when it came back to life and started KILLING people.
Sound familiar? The setting was a passenger train in Czarist Russia!!
The stars-- Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and Telly Savalas.
The movie-- HORROR EXPRESS (1972) !!!
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I don't remember that one either Prof. Captain Audio, I would guess that the writers or producer of the Strain is a fan of those movies. I was when I was a kid but not so much now
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PIRANHA (1995)
This movie has a TERRIBLE reputation... but, frankly, I've seen far worse, and, lately! (I know, hardly high praise-- heehee.)
I was mainly interested because it featured 2 of my favorites-- William Katt & Alexandra Paul (SIGH!), plus, with Monte Markham as the slimy corporate developer baddie, it wound up with no less than 3 PERRY MASON alumni (I can't believe that was a coincidence). Katt played Paul Drake Jr. in the first 8 Raymond Burr TV-movies in the 80s, Paul was in the first 2 movies after he left (along with William R. Moses-- I was always surprised that she didn't stick around longer), and Markham starred in the ill-advised revival in the early 70s.
All I can say is... it HELD my attention, and I managed to plow thorugh it with fewer breaks than a LOT of Corman-produced films. (It was funny how they actually made reference to several of his 70s films in the dialogue, including one of the "women in prison" films.)
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The other day...
"Well the way I see it, everyone COULD have done it, and everyone had a reason for DOING it. It's absolutely incredible!"
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THE most brilliant moment in tonight's movie...
"I'll tell you something else he doesn't know. I am NOT Mister Lombard!"
???
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Just watched a sci fi pilot film from 1971 "Earth 2".
A very well done film, the subject matter ahead of its time with the creation of an International Space Station devoted to peaceful research.
Special effects were very convincing considering it was done old school without modern CGI.
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I don't LIKE the phrase "old school". It's too "new-fangled". (It was also meant in a decidedly DEROGATORY fashion when it first came into use.)
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I don't LIKE the phrase "old school". It's too "new-fangled". (It was also meant in a decidedly DEROGATORY fashion when it first came into use.)
sorry, can't help myself: Old School, old School, old school....
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For those who appreciate the skill and effort that went into pre CGI special effects "Old School" is definitely not derogatory.
My Sis reviewed films for a major newspaper for decades and she said it best that old school special effects had the illusion of weight and presence that CGI simply can't as yet match.
Forced perspective takes more skill and work than simply manipulating the image digitally.
Model builders put something of themselves into their creations. Modern CGI effects are just Ones and Zeros stored on a disc. The Armature wrapped in rabbit fur used to bring King Kong to life still exists and has physical presence.
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I like the older phrase "old-fashioned", or even better, "traditional".
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The best use of miniatures I ever saw in a sci-fi TV show was on Gerry Anderson's SPACE PRECINCT (1995), which was done at a point where using miniatures was somehow thought of as "out of date".
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THE TWO FACES OF DR. JEKYLL
Hammer had an amazing way of doing rather classy films that were adaptations of classic stories that somehow had NOTHING to do with the source material. I'm amazed that I never saw this before. Christopher Lee, in a supporting role, plays a kind of character I have NEVER seen him do before, an adulterous cad with a gambling problem. In at least one scene, he's almost falling-down drunk. He also gets more "romantic" than I've ever seen him before, with Dawn Addams as the married woman who's cheating on her scientist husband.
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I watched Two faces of dr Jekyll a couple of years ago, and I agree with your remarks about the character Lee played. The film while it departed from the source in a number of ways was a interesting take on the story. A reimagining as they say.
Jekyll looked a bit crude while Hyde was a refined young monster. In a way Lee's character reminded me of a less refined Oscar Wilde while Hyde reminded me of Dorian Grey.
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A couple years back I watched every version of the story I have on videotape. There's a few more I've seen but don't have in my collection. what I find fascinating is that EVERY film version of "DR. JEKYLL & MR. HYDE" I've seen has been DRASTICALLY different from every other one. I would describe them as "variations on a theme".
This is why in many cases I cannot judge a film based solely on how "authentic" is it or not. In some cases, an "authentic" version is dull and almost unwatchable. Some stories where I have read about the original stories (without actually having read them), I can SEE why they were changed radically for film adaptations. Some films genuinely ARE much better than their source material. (A perfect example, "TEN LITTLE INDIANS".)
For J&H, I've seen John Barrymore, Frederic March, Spencer Tracy, Michael Rennie, Jack Palance, Christropher Pennock (the DARK SHADOWS version) and Anthony Perkins. What amazes me is how long it took me to get around to see the Hammer version. (And they did TWO-- still have the other one to go...)
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Dawn Addams started out an an intensely beautiful girl-- I saw her in a Ronald Howard SHERLOCK HOLMES story. As she matured, she sgtarted to play glamorous "BAD" girls. It seems to me she was in maybe 4 different episodes of THE SAINT with Roger Moore, each time playing someone Simon Templar had fun with messing up her schemes. It seems to me she was also in THE VAMPIRE LOVERS... as Ingrid Pitt's aunt! (if memory serves)
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Forbidden Planet ah the classics
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Just wrapped up Jericho on Netflix. gonna have to finish the tale in the comics.
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Forbidden Planet ah the classics
I have a copy of the Simultaneous first edition hardback of Forbidden Planet in near mint condition with intact dust cover.
They held back publishing the book till the movie came out.
The book I have is in such great condition because it was among stacks of books and old LP records found in a vault of a local business. The vault had remained un opened for decades as the building changed hands several times. When they finally got ownership settled and obtained the combination they found the vault was packed with personal items of a previous owner.
I paid the grand price of 25 cents for this book. I've seen these listed in only fair condition with ragged dust cover for more than two grand.
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Serials watched over the past year plus-
Man With the Steel Whip-1954-
The Secret Code-1942-
The Eagle of the Night-1928-
Dick Tracy Returns-1938-
Masters of Venus-1962-
Brick Bradford-1947-
Zombies of the Stratosphere-1952-
Hawk of the Wilderness-1938-
The Wolf Dog-1933-
Annette-1958-
Mystery Trooper-1931-
The Adventures of Dusty Bates-1947-
The Roaring West-1935-
The Black Widow-1947-
Who's Guilty?-1945-
Raiders of Ghost City-1944-
The Hope Diamond Mystery-1921-
Gangbusters-1942-
Junior G-Men of the Air-1942-
Rustlers of Red Dog-1935-
The Crimson Ghost-1946-
Radio Patrol-1937-
The Indians are Coming-1930-
The Adventures of Frank Merriwell-1936-
The Masked Marvel-1943-
The Secret of Treasure Island-1938-
The House of Hate-1918-
Jesse James Rides Again-1950-
and currently working my way through-
Mysterious Dr Satan-1940-
Deadwood Dick-1940-
The Mysterious Pilot-1937-
Jungle Queen-1945-
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Shows I may be catching this season (depending on what I can work into my schedule and what's available on Hulu)-
Have already caught-
Dr Who-the Daleks are back!
Gotham- looks like another great season.
Scream Queens- I wonder how long they can stretch this story-line out?
The Mysteries of Laura- I like the change-up in the professional relationship between Laura and her ex.
Minority Report- I can't remember much about the movie this is based on so am not sure how close they are following it.
and still to come-
Once upon a Time, Supergirl, The Flash, Agents of SHIELD, iZombie, Manhattan, Criminal Minds, Arrow, Bones. Sleepy Hollow, The Blacklist, Grimm, The Last Kingdom, The Last Man on Earth, The Walking Dead, The Librarians, Haven, Elementary and possibly another one or two I'm forgetting..
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I just watched one of the most weird movies I've seen in a good long while -
Confessions of an Opium Eater (1962) with Vincent Price. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055864)
Now I like Price. I'm not a fanatic but I do enjoy him when I see him. This film has a bit of a reputation among those that watch drug themed movies of which there are countless. The film is thick with the most strange dialogue, some that seem to be pulled from a completely different movie. There's some creative use of slow motion and sudden complete lack of sound. Price actually plays a bit of an action hero in this which is also very unusual for him. The Last Man On Earth was about the only other one I can recall with so much physical work for him.
There's an excellent review of Opium Eater here. (http://brightlightsfilm.com/spare-nightmare-world-confessions-opium-eater-1962/)
-Yoc
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I just saw the coolest movie today, and I can't believe I never saw it before!
*****SPOILER WARNINGS!!!!!*****
It's about a microscopic organism that came to Earth from some other planet millions of years ago, and survived by entering Earth organisms. It could absorb memories, and if its "host" was killed, it could take over another, in effect "become" that creature-- or person. After being found frozen in a block of ice, it was being taken back to civilization for study when it came back to life and started KILLING people.
Sound familiar? The setting was a passenger train in Czarist Russia!!
The stars-- Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and Telly Savalas.
The movie-- HORROR EXPRESS (1972) !!!
I bought this flick for $1 at Walmart several years ago and completely forgot about it. I'm definitely going to check it out again. Thanks for your post. I'm currently watching Batman Returns ;D What can I say? I saw it as a child in the theatre and have been a fan since.
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Today's movie (*****SPOILERS!!!!!*****):
A young blonde woman drives out into the middle of nowhere and checks in at an old, run-down, creepy place, has a disturbing run-in with someone, and then-- ABRUPTLY-- is MURDERED-- STABBED TO DEATH-- halfway through the movie.
Now that they've KILLED the person who appears to be the film's main character... a friend of hers spends the 2nd half of the film determined to retrace her steps and find out what happened to her.
The wild thing about this film is-- it isn't PSYCHO!!!!
From Milton Subotsky... CITY OF THE DEAD (released in the US as HORROR HOTEL) !!
Christopher Lee does a VERY convincing American accent in this one... and Valentine Dyall is his usual sinister self.
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From Italy, one of the most entertaining films I've seen all year!!!
MISSION: STARDUST (1967)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEC-EofeNZs
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Mission Stardust is a very entertaining movie. I had been looking for this film in English for a long time then found I had it on DVD in a collection of old sci fi films I had been given years ago.
It was well made for its day with plenty of action and beautiful women.
I noticed on the page you linked to they had a link to the 1968 film "Mission to Mars" staring Darin McGavin and Nick Adams. I've been looking for that film for years.
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I think there's at least 3 version of MISSION STARDUST on Youtube. I found one with English titles, but it's full-screen, and those titles LOOK boring. The Italian titles are animated-- like Sergio Leone's westerns-- lots more fun to watch. And, it's widescreen. I wasn't sure until the story started if it was dubbed into English-- IT WAS. I suspect the 3rd version may be in Italian (or, is it German?).
It cracks me up when I think how I watched this movie. The other week, I started clicking on Youtube links to sci-fi films and bookmarking them. I had NO idea what MISSION STARDUST was until I started watching! Then-- the credits, the music, WOW! And when I saw the name "Perry Rhodan", I flipped out. I can't figure how it's possible they never did a sequel to this.
The movie has a horrible rep. I don't care... MANY of my favorite films get nothing but hate-filled reviews. What's ironic is, there's more GOOD reviews on Youtube than at the IMDB-- usually, the Youtube crowd are a lot more rude & insulting.
I don't know who did the dubbing-- it was very well done-- but through the whole film, "Perry" reminded me of Lee Majors.
My favorite bit...
"That was a primitive act."
"Sorry. I'm only level 4. I could EASILY slip to level 3 !"
Hilarious implied threat ;D
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In my latest DOCTOR WHO marathon-- this time, watching the individual episodes for the 1st time since the 80s (I have "Inferno" up to "Terminus" that way). I just reached the point where I was painfully reminded that the writing FELL RIGHT OFF A CLIFF.
Yep... "LOGOPOLIS".
I swear... Christopher Bidmead is like the exact opposite of Eric Saward. He's a MUCH better story editor than he ever was a writer. Plus, this was his first of ONLY 3 scripts he ever did on his own. And it was a rush job. What you get is a mixture of fascinating ideas... and REALLY terrible characterization and dialogue. Tom Baker, Mathew Waterhouse, Sarah Sutton, Anthony Ainley... all were wonderful in "The Keeper Of Traken". Yes, even "Adric". And NONE of them come off good in this one. In fact, more than ever before, I was renminded of what a WONDEFFUL character "Tremas" was... so intelligent, reasonable, warm... he deserved better. He deserved a return appearance... not to be MURDERED so that a ONE-dimensional erratic bad parody of Roger Delgado should take his place.
Frankly, I think they only come off looking acceptable because Janet Fielding-- who I KNOW is a nice person off-camera-- came across as such a TOTAL B**** as "Tegan" (my LEAST-favorite WHO companion of all time).
I swear, the ONLY actor in this who comes across well in this is, surprisingly, John Fraser as "The Monitor".
Looking back, I wish to God that John Nathan-Turner had left after this one year. Because I KNOW... as wonderful as Peter Davison is as a person and as an actor... the BULK of his 3 years was EVEN WORSE than this. BAD writing, BAD directing, BAD acting across the board.
This time around, I've been skiping any stories I just don't like. I managed to get all the way through Tom Baker's 7 years and ONLY skip one single story (one that I simply have seen too damn many times for something that horrifically downbeat and disturbing). I'm wondering if I'll even watch HALF of Davison's stories?
I know one thing... as soon as I'm done with his, I'll be pulling out CAMPION to watch again. Man, I LOVE that show!!!
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Very interesting points, prof, but I see it a bit differently. Tegan is a nasty piece of work at times but she's one of my favourite companions and Davison is my 2nd. favourite Doctor, after Troughton.
But back to Logopolis and before I say anything more, I should admit that it's been ages since I watched it. At first broadcast, I thought it was good, featuring a nasty Master and Davison's Doctor being so watchable. Now you've set me thinking and I need to dig it out to see it again.
Where I do agree wholeheartedly with you is about JNT and I feel the show would have been much better had almost anyone else been in charge.
Like you, I'm a big fan of Campion and have the box set, bit I'd like to recommend another Davison vehicle, The Last Detective, based on the books by Leslie Thomas. A well done, low key police series and the genius casting of Sean Hughes as his pal Mod.
As I'm not watching Who in any particular order, I've recently watched the first episode of Enemy of the World, which I only bought last week; the 2 Peladon stories and the current series with Capaldi.
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Managed to plow through ALL 53 episodes of ULTRAMAN TARO !! --despite them being in Japanese with no dubbing and no sub-titles! A few episodes have turned up online dubbed into English, but those, the picture quality sucks real bad, and, the voice-dubbing is awful. I've really enjoyed the showe, but so many times, I wish I knew what they were talking about, I know I'm missing so much.
This morning-- the 1st episode of ULTRAMAN LEO. Took a bit to find it at all-- it's on some 3rd site other than Youtube or Dailymotion. Fortunately, it's a sharp, crisp print, but while it's again in Japanese, this time, it has SUBTITLES!! Yay!
After the generally more light-hearted tone of TARO, LEO looks like a step back toward "serious" (in the same way TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA was, around the same time). After going so much into the "brothers" in ACE, and the more convoluted family doings in TARO, I wondered how they were going to continue with yet another ULTRA guy. Simple-- this one comes from an entirely different star system, one whose planet was destroyed by a pair of monsters. He's been living on Earth as a human for years already, when the same 2 monsters show up here. And the story starts with them fighting-- and KILLING (!!!) -- ULTRA 7 !!!
SEVEN's human host, Dan Moribushi, it turns out, is a regular on this show-- now in command of the Space Patrol's MAC (Monsters Attacking Command) space station. HE urges "Gen Ootori" (LEO's human form) to join the MAC, and defend the Earth HIMSELF. At a key point, Gen is frustrated at being the only one who knows those 2 monsters are out there, and wants to go off on his own to fight them-- while Dan (now his commanding officer) insists that, while living on Earth as humans, they have to follow the rules of the humans. Just then, a report comes in the 2 monsters are attacking Tokyo, bent on total destruction, and he goes into action... and is in the process of having his head handed to him when we get to the cliffhanger. MAN! This show is determined to "raise the stakes"!
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I didn't stick with Ultraman, but I remember fondly watching the original series when I was attending college. This was long before the whole anime/manga mania so the show came totally out of left field and we loved it (and became obsessed with speaking in dubbed-dialogue style). The same station also showed Yusha Raideen. That was my first exposure to giant robos. Again, I loved it. Bought several Raideen books at the local Japanese store. One even came with a mini phonograph record featuring two cut-down episodes. I still have a beautiful little (6-inch tall) die-cast Raideen. Wonder if anybody would buy it.
Ultraman was shown in a dubbed version but Raideen was in Japanese with English subtitles which, according to the credits, were added by an Hawaiian TV station. The stupidest things stick with one...I still can sing snatches of the Raideen theme song. But I don't.
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Found out some strange stuff this year.
ULTRA Q was planned to be dubbed into English along with ULTRA MAN, by MGM (I think). Rumor has it, they did, but then at the last minute decided B&W was no longer popular. So, instead, United Artists dubbed ULTRA MAN. best damn English dubbing I have ever encountered in my life for anything from Japan. Anyone who complains about silly voices or poor lip-synching NEVER WATCHED that show!!!!!
My impression is, the first 3 episodes of ULTRA Q were actually filmed in color-- perhaps as a "pilot" film in case it didn't sell as a series. But, the rest were done in B&W. I recall, the pilot for VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA was filmed in color, while the rest were done in B&W, and that pilot was broadcast in B&W, the color version never turning up until the 90s. I have seen ONE episode of ULTRA Q dubbed into English... and while nice, after seeing the entire series in Japanese (with NO subtitles, dammit), the English voiced didn't sound right! (heh) Also, one later episode I found in color-- but I d not believe it was filmed in color, but instead, in B&W, and "colorized" afterwards. You could tell!! (It looked kinda "gray".)
I'd dearlyr wish to see ULTRA SEVEN in Japanese with subtitles. The American distributor who dubbed it into English in the mid-80s TOTALLY BASTARDIZED the show, with STUPID dialogue and tons of SEXIST attitudes.
I didn't really think to look for ULTRAMAN RETURNS in Japanese. Only see one episode, dubbed into English.
Found MOST of ULTRAMAN ACE in English. But still a pile I haven't seen yet.
I saw the first 3 or 4 episodes of ULTRAMAN TARO dubbed into English, but the prints were HORRIBLE, and the English voices were TERRIBLE! It's no wonder, once I found it in Japanese, with sharp, clear, pristene prints (but, no subtitles or dubbing) I continued watching that way. Even not knowing what was going on half the time, was better than those awful dubbed versions.
I'm so glad ULTRAMAN LEO has subtitles. That I can deal with!
Most of the regulars on ULTRAMAN played different parts, usually as guest stars, in ULTRA Q. That show was intended to be Japan's answer to THE TWILIGHT ZONE, but it's more like THE OUTER LIMITS crossed with THE NIGHT STALKER. the girl who played Fuji on ULTRAMAN is the reporter on ULTRA Q, and looks MUCH cuter with short hair! "Hayata" turned up as a scientist, "Mura" as a soldier (I think), while "Ito" turned up as a bank robber in a comedy episode (the guy had a real talent for humor). "Harashi", meanwhile, returned as a regular on ULTRA SEVEN, but, playing a different character in the different defense team.
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The "Mission Mars" film was on the whole a disappointment. Despite excellent story idea and professional acting much of it seems like it was the work of high school kids.
Special effects were sparse, relying mainly on stock footage from early NASA lift offs. A few scenes had surprisingly good effects while other scenes had very amateurish effects.
The Astronauts had the most un convincing spacesuits ever. Little more than a jogging suits and crash helmet with no neck covering at all. Like you might see in the most low budget of Italian Sci Fi. The single Cosmonaut on the other hand wore a 60's Airforce surplus high altitude pressure suit.
This is one of a very few older films that deserves a properly done modern remake, the story idea is worth the effort though it would take a full rewrite.
In some ways the film reminds me of late 30's early 40's sci fi comic books.
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This....warning content not for all
http://alkislarlayasiyorum.com/icerik/164102/maskeli-ucler-safiye-yanki-1971-56-dk
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What the HELL is this?? The site presents it as if it's a full-length movie, but it seems to be a compilation of random scenes. Love the realistic fights and the gym shorts on the masked heroes.
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Actually the first bit is the Trailer for the movie and then the Movie itself gets going right around the time Hatchet Man and Stripper/Dancer/naked girl stop and where Hatchet Man kills Smoking Fish Man @ Doc. From then it would help if it had subtitles.....but I've watched it plenty of times (I have a hardcopy) and even with the sound off (that actually helps sometimes - sometimes not.)Still for a B&W 1971 costumed crimefighters (and yes even a Female one!) It's not bad nor to hard to follow once you get past the trailer.....my bad I should have mentioned that.......... :-(
Richard
O and just got a new/copy of a I guess Complete Kizile Maske - progeny of the Turkish Phantom # II. From 1968, cool!
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That Turkish site has lots of Super Adam movies to watch also
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yes and with the right free S/W you can"save" them too.FYI.
Richard
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after seeing as much as I've been able to recently of ULTRA Q, ULTRA MAN, ULTRA SEVEN, ULTRAMAN RETURNS, ULTRAMAN ACE, and ULTRAMAN TARO, this part week I started in on ULTRAMAN LEO.
While TARO was often light-hearted, sometimes slapstick, and almost every episode included children important to the plot, LEO-- made the same year as TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA-- goes completely the other way!!
So many differences... the newest defense force, MAC, has their HQ in a satellite orbitting the Earth (just like the 70s JLA). Apart from the 2 main characters, we never get to know the rest of the squad, as they keep getting KILLED off with frightening regularity. Instead of pro wrestling-style fights, we get KUNG FU!!! (With giant monsters!) Dan Moroboshi, alias ULTRA SEVEN, returns as the commander of the MAC. In the first episode, he's beaten so badly, not only is his leg broken, but the special glasses that allow him to transform into his true self, ULTRA SEVEN, are destroyed. SEVEN is effectively DEAD! The new guy, Gen Ootori, just like Dan, is ALSO an alien, who took on human form (NOT merged with a dead Earthman), coming to Earth to live after his own planet was wiped out by monsters-- the same ones who "kill" SEVEN. And in each story, LEO gets his ass kicked early on, then has Dan put him through LIVING HELL training to learn special fighting techniques to defeat each new monster threat. (And Dan used to be such a nice guy...) This entire series is overshadowed by gloom doom, and death. (I never should have looked at the Wikipedia page in advance...)
It finally hit me... this show was made the same year the martial arts fad was at its peak. It's what you'd get if you crossed ULTRA MAN with Bruce Lee.
Lee-- LEO-- I get it!!!
This turned out to be the last ULTRA series for 5 years...
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After hearing of the passing of Robert Loggia I looked up episodes of "T.H.E. Cat" on youtube.
First thing I noticed was that in the Black and White episodes practically every frame of film was like Chiaroscuro artwork.
Theres a comic book based on the TV series, we may have files on this site.
The series is often very dark in mood.
In the episode I just watched a murderous Matador quoted lines from "Lament for Ignacio Sanchez Mejias" by Federico Garc
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Anyone else watching the new series Into the Badlands and Agent X. Both are OK but enjoying Badlands the most
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Haven't seen Badlands yet, but like Agent X. Just finished BBC-USA's The Last Kingdom- quite good, similar to Vikings. Also enjoying the new season of Librarians. Cheers, Bowers
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Tuesday, December 22, 2015.
I went to the MOVIES today. The film started approx 9:15 A.M.!!!!! Yes, I know how crazy that is.
"SPECTRE"
Incredibly, this was the 1st movie I went to see since Tim Burton's "DARK SHADOWS".
Okay, it wasn't exactly what I'd call "highly entertaining"... but I did laugh in quite a few spots. And I would rank it as a "damn good movie".
The nicest surprises, I liked the new "M" (Ralph Fiennes) better than the last few (he actually reminds me of the one from the books and the comics more than Bernard Lee did, who was always a bit too hard-nosed and cold-blooded). And the new "Q" was also quite likable. And shockingly YOUNG.
I'm only pissed that I have yet to see "SKYFALL" (the first Bond film I've missed since "LIVE AND LET DIE"), and this is clearly not only a direct sequel to that, but, ALL 4 films with Daniel Craig comprise ONE "big story" (which I suspected while watching the 2nd one).
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This year's "007" film, "SPECTRE", while admitedly an "original" story, contains elements from QUITE A FEW earlier films in the series.
However... it also contains at least 3 important elements that did NOT appear in any Ian Fleming novel, or any of the films from the 60s-- all 3 of which DID appear in a SINGLE Jack Kirby "NICK FURY" storyline from the 60s!!!
*****SPOILERS!!!!!*****
1 - "Quantum" is revealed to have been a subsidiary of "Spectre" all along.
STRANGE TALES #149 (Oct'66) -- "Advanced Idea Mechanics" (A.I.M.) is revealed to have been a subsidiary of "Hydra" all along.
2 - A major action set-piece takes place at a Spectre base in the desert of North Africa.
STRANGE TALES #150-152 (Nov'66-Jan'67) -- A major action set-piece takes place at an Egyptian temple in the desert of North Africa, which hides an undergrond "Hydra" base.
3 - The HEAD MAN in "Spectre" is revealed to be someone from Bond's past, who has been operating for 20 years under a false name.
STRANGE TALES #156-158 (May-Jul'67) -- "The Supreme Hydra" is revealed to be someone from Fury's past, who has been operating for 20 years under a variety of false names.
Any 1 of these I could figure was a coincidence. But all 3 in the SAME story? I think not. This strikes me as merely the latest in a LONG line of Hollywood films "influenced" by the writing of Jack Kirby-- UNCREDITED, unacknowledged, as always.
At this point, Disney would probably try to sue Eon if they suspected this were the case.
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Well Prof we just won't tell Disney now will we ;D
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I wonder if there's anyone else on here who, like me, grew up in Vancouver during the '60s and watched BATMAN on channel 8.
I'm writing a blog on the debut of that TV show 50 years ago and I remember it being on at 5 on Tuesdays (initially, later it was moved to 7).
I was thinking I must be wrong--since all the sites say BATMAN was on Wednesdays and Thursdays. I'll have to get to the library and check the local papers from that week to see if I'm right or not. But I don't know if I'll have time to get there before the anniversary.
I know I must be right that it was on Tuesday, because I have a photo of Batman and Robin that I sent away to the TV station to get at the time--and on this photo it says that Batman is at 5 on channels 8 and 6 (6 was the Victoria station and usually didn't come in as well as channel 8 ).
I just don't know if channel 8 broadcast the first episode on January 11th--a day ahead of the American broadcast--or if the first ep debuted the following week in Vancouver, on January 18th. I'd like to believe it was on the 11th, since that would mean I got the jump on a lot of American kids.
I also believe that channel 8 showed both episodes back to back on Tuesday. Rather than showing them on different days as in the States. I didn't have to wait a day to see how B & R got out of the sticky situation they found themselves in every week.
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I made the time to get to the library and check this out on the microfilm. I am right. BATMAN made its debut on January 11th in Vancouver. Those poor saps in Seattle had to be content with watching the first half on Wednesday at 7:30, on channel 4--and the second half on Thursday, same Bat-time, saome Bat-channel. Mind you, since we got channel 12 from Bellingham (if a bit fuzzy) in Vancouver, I expect those in Bellingham and surrounding areas could pick up channel 8 and see BATMAN early, as well.
BATMAN followed SOUPY SALES on our channel 8; meanwhile, SOUPY was up against FUN-O-RAMA (an hour of cartoons) on channel 12, then BATMAN competed head-to-head against SECRET SQUIRREL on 12.
On January 12th, LBJ gave his State of the Union Address on channel 12 and the other American stations--which I expect could have interfered with Batman's debut on ABC. Check your local listings.
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Mentioning dear old Channel 12, Bellingham, brought back so many memories. Living in Snohomish, Washington, we could pick up a crummy Channel 12 signal. But for some reason the Vancouver stations came in loud and clear. Thanks to them I saw my first episodes of Danger Man, for which I'll ever be grateful. The family also enjoyed the simple half-hour music programs like "Pig 'n' Whistle." Later on we saw oddball stuff like "Randall and Hopkirk" and "The Champions" (is that title correct?). Great TV fun.
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Yup, Champions is right.
I loved shows like the Pig n Whislte--something for the whole family. "Time Gentlemen Please," that's how each evening ended at that pub.
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Well Prof we just won't tell Disney now will we ;D
Oddly enough... I'd been hearing bad things about the film for 2 months before i went to see it. I went, and enjoyed it. THEN I went online to read about it in depth. And MOST of the reviews were extremely negative, some saying it was the "worst" Bond film ever (didn't those idiots see "DIAMONDS", "GOLDEN GUN" or "MOONRAKER" ?).
Also, much of the focus was on how tying in the main villain with the hero "ruined" the entire reboot. Well, I dunno about that. I DO think that sort of thing has become a "fad" and has been seriuosly over-done ever since they did it in ther 1989 BATMAN. But this version of Bond is even further removed from Fleming than the earlier series ever was, so... does it matter one way or the other?
I got a laugh when I found I wasn't the only one who was already predicting how the NEXT movie would start. I guess it was predictable. I wrote a story like that back in the late 60s, after all. (Crinminal gang breaks boss out of jail, he immediately goes after the hero to kill him.)
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I enjoyed THE CHAMPIONS when it ran here decades ago. Thought it ended too soon, and vanished from the schedule even faster. Read a lot of negative comments about it in recent years, have no idea why.
My favorite thing connected with the show was that William Gaunt later guest-starred on DOCTOR WHO as a mercenary named "Orsini" who is hired to KILL Davros. He was absolutely the COOLEST character on the show that entire season.
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I don't see why a TV station outside the US would have to run a show the same day or time.
My understanding is, BATMAN was conceived as a one-hour show with a cliffhanger in the middle. (Hell, a lot of MAN FROM UNCLE episodes were written that way.) But ABC didn't have a free hour in their schedule (though, clearly, they could have moved something else around-- I guess they didn't do that so freqeuntly with such stupid abandon as nowadays). But they had 2 half-hours-- a day apart. So it sort of just happened that way.
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Makes sense.
The reason why American shows came to be broadcast at the same time on the Canadian channel as the American one is a part of Canadian content history.
The BATMAN TV show came before that, so there was no reason for CTV to broadcast it at the same time as ABC.
However, a few years later the CRTC (which regulates radio and television in Canada) created a rule that whenever a Canadian channel broadcasts a show at the same time as the American channel, then the Canadian broadcast with the Canadian commercials will be carried on both channels.
This was an important new regulation, as Canadians were starting to watch a lot of the American channels on cable. So a Canadian broadcaster could get a lot more revenue from advertisement if they blocked their schedule out to match the American schedule--just so they could put their commercials on the American channel.
This has been the standard for decades now ever since the early '70s. But now that you have a lot of other ways for people to watch their programs, there's less of it and Canadian broadcasters will sometimes show the program ahead of the American channel.
However, with live programs, like sports and awards programs, I think this rule is still in effect. So when we see the Academy Awards or the Superbowl, we get Canadian commercials no matter which digital channel the TV program is on.
I haven't used a TV to watch those programs in a few years now, so I'm not sure about that. I think the last Superbowl, the Canadian broadcaster carried the American commercials, just because that's one of the main reasons for watching the Superbowl.
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Something I wrote up last night about "THE TWO DOCTORS"...
Just finished watching one of my all-time favorite DOCTOR WHO stories. This might be comparable to "Day of the Dove" or "The Tholien Web'. In the midst of growing chaos and insanity, one of the brightest lights in the entire history of the show (in my view).
Although I have been trying to watch these stories in 25-min. segments, in this case I got through the whole thing in only 2 days. I just couldn't help it!
This was the only 6-parter in John Nathan-Turner's entire long run as producer (never mind that it was run as 3 45-min. episodes). While I had trouble maintaining interest in "Attack of the Cybermen", found "Vengeance On Varos" pointlessly viscious for its own sake, and "The Mark of the Rani" simply directionless, plotless and boring as hell (despite an over-abundance of "clever" moments), "The Two Doctors" was really able to relax, take its time, and slowly build a story, a set of fascinating characters, and combine moments of "horror movie" incidents with wonderful bits of humor. Also, Colin Baker & Nicola Bryant were written better than ever. In a better world, Robert Holmes would have been invited back much earlier to write at least one story each season. Boy, he was good.
Among my favorite bits...
Patrick Troughton & Frazer Hines:
"What are you laughing at?" "Just marvelling at your expert diplomatic skills."
Nicola Bryant & Colin Baker:
"Maybe you should see a doctor." "Are you trying to be funny??"
"Oscar" talking to Colin Baker:
"Officer, I see by your rainment you are of the plain-clothes branch." "???"
Not only are the 6th Doctor & Peri written better than perhaps in any other story, but we also get to have the 2nd Doctor and Jamie back together as well. On his blog, Philip Sandifer suggests Troughton was doing his own Doctor far more authentically here than he was in either "The Three Doctors" or "The Five Doctors" (although he stole every scene he was in, in those stories, as well).
It took me quite a few years before I connected that Laurence Payne, who played the scientist gone bad "Dastari", was in 2 of my favorite stories. He also played "Johnny Ringo" in "The Gunfighters".
Jacqueline Pierce is at times both mesmerizing and scary as hell in this one as "Chesini", what "Dastari" finally admits at the end of the story was "an unthinking beast he tried to raise to the level of the gods". She certainly did a vastly-better job here than her fellow BLAKE'S 7 co-star Paul Darrow did in "Timelash" (which aired next). Speaking of which, I have now twice sworn I would never watch "Timelash" again. And I mean it this time. So, up next... "Revelation of the Daleks".
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Found the four disc special edition cased set of "Broken Saints" for $1 USD. The store a friend worked for was closing out its DVD section and gave away DVDs still on the shelves to the employees. I bought about fifty from my friend altogether, $1.25 each for the first batch and $1 each for a second batch. Some were movies I've never heard of, some classic concert footage including Ray Charles in Paris in 1961. Got a copy of Tequila Sunrise, which I'd been looking for the last couple of years.
The Broken Saints cased set is very unusual, it opens something like a puzzle box. The DVDs are something else, very unusual method of chapter selection, and lots of interactive stuff and special features. I'm about halfway through the story, and its intriquing. Its only animated in so far as the background, more like graphic novel panels than regular animation. The characters themselves move very little. Music and voice actors are top of the line.
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I dabble in 3D animation, so I was interested to see that someone is producing a CGI adaptation of "Bessie's Little Darling," a story from Hillman's Crime Detective v2 #5. The animator, Attila Kovacs, has put a great deal of work into the video, which he is uploading to YouTube in segments (two so far). Here's a link to the first chapter:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMJKofhKJNY
Obviously it's not a professional production, but it's way better than most Poser/DAZ Studio animations on YT. Too many Poser videos are simply half-dressed women walking or dancing. I'm happy when someone tackles a complete story--such a project is a huge undertaking. My main complaint is the computer-generated voice acting. However I realize that if you can't assemble a human cast you either do all the voices yourself or use synthetic voices.
Here's a link to the original comic:
https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=40103
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I agree with prof about The Two Doctors and I'm a big fan of Jacqueline Pierce, not only for Blake's 7 but in Dark Season, the BBC show from '91. She played Miss Pendragon in the 2nd 3-parter. A young Kate Winslet stars in the show also. Written by Russell T Davies.
We've been watching some British tv shows, Shetland, which is on tonight, with Douglas Henshall as Insp. Perez and an absolutely chilling performance by James Cosmo as the nightmarish villain.
Death in Paradise continues to be highly entertaining, if a bit formulaic.
This season of Midsomer Murders has been the best one for a while.
And Vera has been running for a few weeks with Brenda Blethyn in excellent form as DCI Stanhope. Great, if dark, stories.
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Anyone else watching the Colony? Not a lot of scifi seen but good story.
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Just submitted this to the IMDB:
"The Adventures of Dr. Fu Manchu: The Prisoner of Dr. Fu Manchu (#1.1)" (1956)
The Not-So-Peaceful Conference ***** ***
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Betty Leonard is kidnapped & hypnotized into drugging an ambassador trying to prevent a worldwide crisis involving radiation technology. Before things are over, an impostor tries to disrupt the peace conference by instilling distrust among the delegates attending. Naturally, this is all the work of Dr. Fu Manchu, who never does anything the simple way when more complex methods are available.
I've seen many different versions of the characters in this series, but I have to admit, after seeing only 4 episodes of this TV series, the actors and their portrayal here of Sir Denis Nayland Smith & Dr. John Petrie MAY be my favorites! The TV series stresses Nayland Smith's role as a representative of law enforcement, while Petrie's role as a doctor is at the forefront.
Betty Leonard, who was Petrie's assistant throughout the series, is introduced here in a way that made me suspect this may have been her first time working with Petrie. I had the same feeling when Sir Denis described in vivid language Dr. Manchu to the conference delegates. So I wasn't surprised to find this episode listed FIRST-- even though, strangely enough, the DVD I have has this one LAST. Go figure.
Glen Gordon is adequate as Fu, although his manner of speaking is so clipped and unnatural, it keeps reminding me of the rumor that Fu may not actually have been Asian at all-- but an evil Englishman POSING as a Chinese villain! Gordon doesn't really measure up to Christopher Lee-- or Boris Karloff-- yet the show is so well done, I find he is at least acceptable.
Laurette Luez as "Karamaneh" is suitably beautiful, seductive, and treacherous.
This episode features Leonard Strong as Professor Hugh Yan and his impostor. A decade later he played "The Claw", a Fu Manchu-like villain on 'GET SMART"! This TV series apparently inspired the short-lived comic-book "THE YELLOW CLAW", which featured stories by Al Feldstein & Joe Maneely, and Jack Kirby. I was very surprised when I first saw the TV series, as the title sequence, with Fu playing CHESS, was paid tribute to by Jim Steranko when he brought The Yellow Claw back in 1967-68 in the "NICK FURY" series.
Several elements in this series, including the portrayal of Sir Denis & Dr. Petrie, the use of kidnapping & hypnotism, and the presence of Karamaneh, were all later reused in the "MASTER OF KUNG FU" comic-book series, by Doug Moench & Paul Gulacy. It surprised me that this series seemed the most similar to "MOKF" of all the various "Fu" films I've seen.
And what really cracked me up was that some of the episodes were directed by William Witney, whose work I have also been watching this week on "THE WILD WILD WEST", a series where Fu Manchu would have fit right in!
(2-20-2016)
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I just watched Dracula Untold. It was actually pretty cool.
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And what really cracked me up was that some of the episodes were directed by William Witney, whose work I have also been watching this week on "THE WILD WILD WEST", a series where Fu Manchu would have fit right in!
(2-20-2016)
Witney was one of the best directors of cliffhangers and B westerns from the 1930s to the 1950s. He segued quite easily into television having learned how to shoot not only well but fast and economically.
I was lucky enough to meet him at one of the 1990's Cinecons in Hollywood where he appeared with some of the cast members of Adventures of Captain Marvel, one of the most famous serials he had directed.
He had a autobiography that came out posthumously which I've been meaning to check out.
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I just watched Dracula Untold. It was actually pretty cool.
Saw it awhile back, it is a pretty good take on the Dracula tale, though not historically correct in many areas.
Looks from the way it ended as if they planned on a sequel.
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I'm gonna binge on Daredevil season 2 this weekend
I hope they do not "tone down" the Punisher, his appeal, to me anyway, is that he is totally uncompromising, committed to his mission and is unapologetic/unrepentant about his methods.
A Punisher fan film made by real hollywood actors Including Thomas Jane & Ron Perlman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWpK0wsnitc
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I'm gonna binge on Daredevil season 2 this weekend
I hope they do not "tone down" the Punisher, his appeal, to me anyway, is that he is totally uncompromising, committed to his mission and is unapologetic/unrepentant about his methods.
A Punisher fan film made by real hollywood actors Including Thomas Jane & Ron Perlman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWpK0wsnitc
1st 2 episodes in and I am very satisfied so far. Bernthal is a relentless Punisher, but the best part was a shoutout by Foggy Nelson of the best/worst/best One Shot comics of the 70's
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qZK742rc1hc/SSeAGUUTCnI/AAAAAAAADk8/PBAU_WimixA/s1600/Worlds_Unknown_006-01.jpg)
entire issue available here: http://diversionsofthegroovykind.blogspot.com/2008/11/science-fiction-theater-killdozer.html
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I have Kill Dozer on disc, one of my favorites.
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I finished DD today. I enjoyed it over all. It had some things that I did not like though. Daredevil is way overboard on the not killing thing. I also think the vast majority of people would be on the Punisher's side as a hero and few would dislike him.
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Just finished watching Touchez Pas au Grisbi (Don't Touch the Loot), a 1954 French gangster drama with Jean Gabin directed by Jacques Becker. I must gush.
This is a terrific film! I've heard much about Jean Gabin but seen very little of him. Now I understand what the fuss is about. He plays Max, an aging gangster who's finally had enough of the business. Max is sitting on a cache of gold bars, the proceeds of a heist he staged with his best friend and longtime partner Riton (Rene Dary). All that remains is for the pair to convert their gold to cash and retire. Unlike Max, Riton hasn't come to terms with growing old. He makes a dumb choice to impress a girl and the world begins to disintegrate.
The is the plot of all too many American gangster films, but what elevates the movie above typical American fare is the subtlety and restraint of the characters. There's no loud, juvenile in-your-face stuff. Max, Riton, and their nightclub-owner compatriot are mature, seasoned professionals who've learned to set aside theatrics to get the job done. The sudden eruptions of violence, when they come, are all the more shocking.
The central theme is camaraderie. Max's old-fashioned sense of loyalty and honor means he'll go to the wall for his friend, whatever the cost. The script and the actors make what could have been a hackneyed story thoroughly believable. Even alongside a talented cast Gabin shines like a beacon. I've never seen anyone say so much without uttering a word. His expression, his stance, the way he moves, speak for him. The final scene takes place in a restaurant where Max is about to dine with his long-suffering mistress. The look he gives her before joining her at the table is amazing. Regret, resignation, affection, even a hint of amusement, pass across Max's face in the space of a few seconds.
Combine a good script and fine acting with excellent direction, superb cinematography, and great Paris locations and you get a winner. Criterion has a good subtitled print. Check it out.
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Watching A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD. Other than the bad language, I have enjoyed all the Die Hard movies except #2. Is there anyone else who figured out very early how to solve the problem by putting fire along the runway? It made the whole movie pointless to me.
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I've been watching a film a day for a few days. The latest are Hollow Man, The Hangover, Spider and Dragonfly. I still got a few sealed Blu-Rays that I'll be watching soon.
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So after bingeing on Chandu the Magician radio episodes, I sought out the movie version: a 1932 feature starring Edmund Lowe as Chandu and Bela Lugosi as his nemesis, Roxor. Paradoxically, this is a terrible movie, yet one that shouldn't be missed.
On the plus side, it's chock full of Saturday-serial style action, complete with a mountain citadel, a death ray, skulking mystery men and marauding Arabs. On the minus side, the plot sidelines Frank "Chandu" Chandler's sister and her kids, who were central characters in the radio show. Instead we get long, excruciating comic-relief scenes featuring Chandler's alcoholic servant(Herbert Mundin). Edmund Lowe is a decent Chandu, but his stupid mustache makes him hard to take seriously. Irene Ware is good as Princess Nadji. Both performers do what they can with the overripe dialogue. Nephew Bobby (Michael Stuart) has almost nothing to do. Neither does his sister Betty Lou (June Lang). That is, not until she's kidnapped and put on the auction block wearing only a thin shift, to be ogled and pawed by a crowd of lecherous Arabs (not to mention the viewers).
Bela Lugosi fills the role of Roxor. To quote Spike Jones, he not only fills the role, he overflows it. I'm not referring to his weight. In 1932 Lugosi was as homely as ever but he was slim and trim. No, I'm referring to his acting. His dialogue is overbaked to begin with, but Bela cranks it up to eleven, roaring and hissing and gnashing, popping his eyes like Robert Newton. By the time he finishes a speech about ruling the world, there isn't a square inch of scenery that doesn't have teeth marks on it.
Given all these shortcomings, why is Chandu the Magician a must-see? The answer is a name: William Cameron Menzies. Visually this movie is astounding. Gorgeous, elaborate sets, brilliant chiaroscuro lighting, stirring camera work--designer/director Menzies polishes this potboiler and turns it into a gem among early talkies. It's a catalogue of classic special effects: model work, mirror shots, double exposures, rear projection. Some are more successful than others, but they're a rare treat for the FX fan. We even get some nice shots of the world ending. Take it from me, if you like looking at pretty (moving) pictures, don't miss this one.
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Sounds like Lugosi gave Lionel Atwill acting lessons. :)
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Note to crashryan: Now that you have seen the 1932 feature, you should also get a load of the 1934 serial,"The Return of Chandu", in which the title role is played by Bela Lugosi. This twelve-chapter serial was edited into two features a few years after its serial release.. Both serial and features are in the Public Domain, judging by the distribution they have been getting.
Bela Lugosi makes a credible hero, and he probably enjoyed doing a picture where he didn't ave to skulk around in a sinister manner.
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Wait a minute... Bela Lugosi plays the bad guy in the 1st film, then, in the sequel, he plays the hero?
That's NUTS!
Then again, the same thing happened with Jock Mahoney a couple decades later...
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It's true, prof...at netrap's suggestion I looked up the Return of Chandu serial. It's all on YouTube. Lugosi keeps himself under control, and he's okay as a hero. However he aged a lot in the two years since the Chandu feature and looks too old for the part. He's also super-serious. The radio Chandu is more laid back.
On the plus side the serial sticks closer to the radio show than the feature. It brings Frank Chandler's sister, niece, and nephew back into the limelight and ditches the comic relief. Unfortunately the budget is low, the direction pedestrian, and the bad guys have some of the silliest costumes I've seen! Still worth sampling a couple of episodes.
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I've been watching the Flying G-Men movie serial staring the Black Falcon and the Skyhawks. As I transferred this to DVD some time ago I am trying to convert to MP4 and break it down into chapters again as I recorded the whole serial as one continuous disk (2 disks actually) without chapterization the whole serial. the DVD format is VOB and I am trying to convert it to MP4. Does anyone know of a freeware Editing Movie software I can use to put it into chapters? Let me know.....nice serial by the way.
Richard Boucher AkA Mr_Goldenage.
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This Memorial Day weekend (in the USA)...I've been watching: Electrical Girl (Japan no subtitles) which was um memorable for it's um creativity? Also watched the Tomcat films/Saint James Films LLC and BK Enterprise (Brett Kelly) movies - Agent Beetle (The Blue Beetle), Avenging Force: Starring The Scarab, Black Terror, Fighting Yank, the Woman in Red and the Sphinx who was the villain of the piece but the others were part of N.E.D.O.R., then there was Thunderstorm - The Return of Thor, The Rise of the Black Bat, The Black Knight returns, Captain Battle Legacy War, Almighty Thor (in German), and from Turkey - Kilink Vs the Flying Man, Kilink Strip and Kill, and Kilink Vs Mandrake, Bombs over Istanbul Starring Rocketman (all in Turkish but two had subtitles). All enjoyable and a fun filled three days.
Richard Boucher
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Mr GA, you've revealed something I never knew. Has someone really made movies based on PD comic heroes? Talk about a niche market.
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Crash...yes there is....I forgot one...Iron Soldier...an Iron Man type super hero/cyborg type thing. There are actually two movies, the other one is called Captain USA (more or less the same movie in German with different bits).....I've just ordered from Amazon the movie Metal Man...a real take on Iron Man. Thought you might want to know. Take care,,,,
Richard Boucher
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I'm late to it, but we have started on the History Channel show, Vikings, they take a few liberties with history and Norse culture, but it is an amazing show that I think does a good job of capturing the feel of the era (and once again I have concluded that life in middle ages Europe sucked).
also we watched a couple of poop-tastic roger corman flicks a couple days ago
Attack of the Crab Monsters & Not of This Earth
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I really liked the first couple of seasons of Vikings but lost interest after that. My wife and I have recently started binge watching Downton Abbey
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Just finished the 2007 BBC series "Jekyll", with James Nesbitt, Gina Bellman (Leverage), and Denis Lawson (New Tricks). It was riveting from start to finish! Not just a modern version of the old tale, but sort of a sequel. Nesbitt cleverly played both roles to the hilt and sometimes you really weren't sure which personality you preferred. Bellman was priceless as the wife, not taking any crap off either personality. Gory, humorous, and never boring. An obvious ending, but I never saw it coming! Very well written by Steven Moffat, I enjoyed this one much more than I thought I would. Cheers, Bowers
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My wife and I finished Downton Abbey and loved it. I hate shows that end as a downer this one ended good.
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Just got through watching Sparks movie (based on the comic book mini series by William Katt) and was a really nice super hero movie. Also watched Metal Man (a take-off on Iron Man sort of) which was/is a C grade movie very low budget affair but not too terrible. In addition my S.O. and I have been watching the box set of the original Dark Shadows TV series.
RB
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tonight: The Driver, Ryan O'neal & Bruce dern 1978 one of my faves since I was a kid
Tomorrow: double feature of Deadpool & Swamp Thing
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Had a comic movie triple feature on Father's day
the aforementioned 2016 Deadpool & 1982 Swamp Thing then decided to pile on with the 2004 Punisher film.
last weekend we saw the X-Men Apocalypse movie, I had no real complaints I was entertained and it flowed logically from Days of Future Past. I have not read any of the X-Men comics with Apocalypse so I had nothing to be "disappointed" about.
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I'm a big Gotham (Fox TV) geek.
I love the portrait of Gotham City and the prequel work of Detective Gordon.
I love the developing relationship between Bruce Wayne (the future Batman) and Selina Kyle (the future Catwoman).
I like this show as much as the '90s hit "Batman: The Animated Series" (Fox TV).
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Gotham is really good. I think those who miss Batman miss the point.
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Just posted at the "Laura's Miscellaneous Musings" blog:
As far as I know, this film only ran in Philly once, at 2 AM. I set my VCR decades ago, then found out they started the film EARLY. Until last year, when I found it on Youtube, I never knew I was only missing 5 MINUTES. Sheesh.
I've seen nearly every "Mike Hammer" ever done, except for Darrin McGavin. I got hooked on Stacy Keach, and Tanya Roberts was my favorite Velda. Some of the others have been interesting. "KISS ME DEADLY" is definitely the best-produced of the 50s films, and feels like a feature-length "OUTER LIMITS" episode. but the characters in that film are NOT Mike, Velda & Pat... but horrible, twisted distortions director Robert Aldrich and his screenwriter concocted because they held Spillane & Hamnmer in contempt.
As for "I, THE JURY"... between missing the opening, and the endless, choppy, disjointed "interviews", this film is one of the most IMPOSSIBLE mystery plots to follow I have ever encountered. Yes, it makes Howard Hawks' version of "THE BIG SLEEP" seem simple by comparison. I had to read about the plot of the book on Wikipedia to finally figure out what the hell was going on, and that was after I'd seen the film 3 times.
That said... BIFF ELLIOT has become my FAVORITE Mike Hammer! I dearly wish he and Margaret Sheridan (now my favorite Velda!) had done all 3 films in the 50s, and maybe the TV series as well.
Elliot's Mike Hammer is tough, crude, brutal, almost Neanderthalic. Someone once referred to him as "a Dead End Kid all grown up and packing a rod". But, he's honest, loyal, and completely incorruptible. The sort of guy Elliot Ness would have wanted on his special squad. And, most amazing of all... HE-- figured out-- the mystery! I sure as hell didn't! Wow.
I loved all the scenes with Velda. I loved the fight in the Bradbury Building stairway. And the finale is one of THE all-time classics. "BLAM!" "How COULD you?" "It was EASY. GOOD-BYE, baby!" Whoa!!!!!
I need to get a better copy of this film.
By the way, it cracked me up when I found out I'd seen Elliot in one of my favorite "STAR TREK" episodes. It's "Devil In The Dark", where he plays "Schmitter". He's the FIRST one to get killed.
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Neanderthalic-- I had to look it up to see if it was real. It is cool but the actual word is Neanderthaloid
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If any one else enjoyed Out of the Badlands then you need to read the graphic novels Lazarus. I have read the first volume and enjoyed and look forward to the rest.
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the actual word is
B***S***.
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I have been binge watching BY THE SWORD DIVIDED on youtube. For those who like history, it is set during the British civil war between king and parliament.
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just saw Batman: The Killing Joke on the Big Screen, very good
in a couple nights they are showing the 1968 Planet of the Apes, so I just might have to catch that too!
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Did some binge watching of my own. Watched every episode of the short lived "Love and Curses" (AKA Shewolf of London).
A fun series to watch. some plots were semi serious but for the most part it was a dark if not black comedy. I like British style black comedy. Not sure how British the series actually was though.
The series reminded me of the Tom Poston film the Old Dark House.
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I'm all about Gotham (http://batman.wikia.com/wiki/Gotham_(TV_series)).
What is it about criminal insanity that makes audiences crazy about Halloween Eve?
: )
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I think Gotham is more consistent story wise than the other comic shows. I really like it.
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A friend sent me a link to Superthunderstingcar, an elaborate sketch by Peter Cook and Dudley Moore poking fun at Gerry Anderson shows. I'd never seen it before. Loved it! If you're a Supermarionation fan, check it out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riMHp28_cqw&list=PLbXM7J8bIcmdAqJHfj36BRxY2FGmei1Rg
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The other day I discovered that a very good quality version of ARTISTS AND MODELS (the full movie) is now up on Youtube, as well as on other video hosting sites.
An absolutely wonderful movie and especially for fans of 1950s comics. Check it out--you never know how long these movies are going to be up. And finding a DVD for a reasonable price (or any price) has proven challenging thusfar.
Favourite bits: Dean singing and dancing with the kids in the street, anything with Shirley MacLaine and Jerry's special relationship with comics and the Bat Lady. The writers must've researched a lot of comic history and lore--maybe they had some inside knowledge, even though certain aspects of the publishing industry and the artist's life seem too easy. But that's why it's a movie.
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My family and I watch the CW's Flash pretty regularly. Other than that, we haven't found anything that holds everyone's interest consistently. Plus we don't own a TV.
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Nights are fair drawing here in Scotland and snow is forecast for tonight. With that in mind tv becomes a bit more important in our lives. We've recorded a few episodes of Private Eyes and very watchable it is too. Also, Hooten and the Lady can be entertaining, but it's the British show, Paranoid that is really gripping right now. We both know it'll all go wrong for some of the police investigating the deaths and the corrupt drug company. Excellent cast with Robert Glenister in fine form and the lady who plays the German detective is very good. Dark, worrying and tense.
Don't know if this as accessible outside UK:-
https://www.itvmedia.co.uk/programmes/programme-planner/paranoid
or:-
http://www.itv.com/hub/paranoid/2a4254a0007
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Feature films watched this past month-with a few scattered comments-
King of the Zombies (1941)-I have a mini Mantan Moreland fest going. Mantan steals the show in this one (as he generally does in most films where he's given a chance to)., Man of the West (1958), Eddie Murphy-Delirious (1983), Having a Wild Weekend (1965)- Following the success of the Beatles' A Hard Day's Night (1964) the Dave Clark Five were given a chance to do a feature of their own. This one's very different in tone than the Beatles light romp and perhaps that's why it wasn't particularly successful. Still worth checking out. , The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)- Good adaptation of the James M. Cain novel (except for the sappy Hollywood wrap up. Very atypical of what MGM was doing at the time. , The Grand Duchess and the Waiter (1926), Go, Johnny, Go! (1959)- Almost no plot but a great chance to enjoy performances by early Rock and Rollers like Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran, Richie Valens and more. The latest DVD release looks great too. , Repeat Performance (1947), I'll Name the Murderer (1936), The Batman Superman Movie: World's Finest (1997), Tale of the Zatoichi (1962) I picked up a nice set of the complete run of this classic Samurai series. Plan is to watch one a month until finished. , Black Mass (2015)- Johhny Depp turns in a great performance as gangster Whitey Boulger but the movie as a whole is only middling. , Sahara (1943)- Fine WWII movie with a good cast headed by Humphrey Bogart. Parts of southern Arizona substitute for the Sahara. , Basic (2003), Irish Luck (1939)- Mantan Moreland again. When he works with Frankie Darro things click. , East is East (1916)- This has some similarities to Shaw's Pygmallion which was still a fairly new stage play of the era when this film was shot., Hyde Park on Hudson (2012), My Best Girl (1927), My Pal, the King (1932)- I finished working ny way through Buck Jones' Universal westerns last year and then switched to the series Tom Mix did for the same studio. So far these are some of the best "B" westerns of the era with bigger budgets and fine photography. Looking forward to viewing the rest. , Texas Chainsaw (2013)- Weak entry in this horror series. , In a Lonely Place (1950)- Really good noir film. I hadn't seen it in 30+ plus years and found it much better than I remembered. One of Humphrey Bogart's most nuanced performances. , Two Monks (1934)- Atmospheric precursor to Kurosawa's Rashoman (1950), Port of Lost Dreams (1934)- William Boyd stars in this low-budget programmer made shortly before the Hopalong Cassiday series would take over his life. Has one of the stupidest endings I've seen in quite some time. , Warcraft (2016), The Rogue's Tavern (1936), Penny and the Pownall Case (1948)- Features early performances by Christopher Lee and Dina Dors but it's Peggy Evans who delights throughout in this brisk little Brit programmer . Valley of Wanted Men (1935), The Condemned (2007), Kate Plus Ten (1938)- Jack Hulbert brings a light touch to this adaptation of an Edgar Wallace story. , The Jungle Book (2016)- Two thumbs up from the little Missus and myself. , Jubal (1956)- A very good western that I must confess I had never heard of until catching it recently. Some beautiful widescreen color location photography adds much to the pleasure of watching it. , Pal O' Mine (1924), The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015), Train to Busan (2016)- This Korean flick is one of the best Zombie flicks I've seen in a while. , A Close Call for Ellery Queen (1942)- William Gargan takes over the title role from Ralph Bellamy and, IMHO, the series slips a notch. Fortunately Margaret Lindsay is still on hand as Ellery's girlfriend, Nikki Porter., Up in the Air (1940)- Moreland and Darro again. Nuff said. , Star Trek: Beyond (2016), The Asphalt Jungle (1950)- Classic noir! , Captain Fantastic (2016)- Great performance by Viggo Mortensen. Check it out. , Beyond the Border (1925).
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I like to binge watch boxed sets. Going to mention SF here.
DARK MATTER series, based on the graphic novels ( I think by Dark Horse)
http://www.sparknotes.com/mindhut/2012/06/04/review-dark-matter-graphic-novels-volumes-1-4
currently on the SYFY channel and about to start its third season. first two seasons available as Boxed Sets. Bunch of people wake on a space ship, don't know who they are or how they got there or why. Excellent cast and scripts.
Found ODYSSEY FIVE starring Peter Weller, 2002- 4 series, went 19 episodes. If you get a copy of the boxed set don't quit after the pilot episode, the special effects are abominable but this episode is the exception not the rule. I haven't finished watching all episodes, but I will get back to them. Astronauts witness the end of the earth, go back in time three years with three years to find out what happened and prevent it.
CONTINUUM - also Canadian, high quality time travel paradox series which went 3 seasons. Cancelled with a terrific cliffhanger for the next season that never happened. Someone should continue it as a comic book ala Buffy. Just checked and Dark Matter was also a Canadian production. What is it about Canadians and SF TV shows.
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" The writers must've researched a lot of comic history and lore--maybe they had some inside knowledge, even though certain aspects of the publishing industry and the artist's life seem too easy. But that's why it's a movie."
Many movies of that period were first drawn up as comic book style panels called the Story Board.
This allowed them to fine tune the camera angles and work out details of the sets and just where each actor should be during the scene for maximum effect on the audience.
Also if they couldn't spark interest in the story in comic book form they weren't likely to hold the audiences interest.
The old TV series "T.H.E. Cat" is shot and lighted very much in the style of a B&W Graphic Novel. Almost any screen cap from any episode could pass for a very well done panel from a major comic. One of the most artistic film noir style TV series.
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T.H.E. Cat ... terrific series ... filmed in color, but shadowy like a film noir ... in many ways, Robert Loggia's character and performance would have been an excellent example of bringing The Spider or The Shadow to film.
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One of our local PBS channels (we have seven) has been showing several Euro-mystery series, all subtitled. Many are quite good. I have been following a French series which takes Agatha Christie mysteries and transplants them to a French setting. Marple, Poirot, and the Beresfords are replaced by French characters. The stories are handled in a somewhat more lighthearted manner than many would expect but the result is most entertaining. Try to get the title from the opening credits each week, but I don't speak or read French. Any body know what this show is called? Cheers, Bowers
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Worked out a way to legitimately mention this on the site. This is off topic so my apologies to anybody who might be offended.
As I write this I am watching the USA play Fiji in the Rugby League Cup. USA have put a try and a conversion on the board which earns them respect because Fiji thoroughly outguns them and has a genuine superstar of the sport among their number.
About the RL World Cup https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/98297544/how-a-french-resistance-hero-founded-rugby-leagues-world-cup
Details on the 2017 RLWorld cup. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Rugby_League_World_Cup
The USA team http://www.usarl.org/
An interesting story about the first USA rugby League foray. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyBEefzdqiE Think this should be a movie.
I'll shut up and go away now and watch the second half.
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I have no problem with mentioning Rugby League. I'd much rather watch League than Union, but my cable company doesn't have free access to games and I'd have to subscribe to Sky? and I don't want to do that.
While we're on about sports I'd have to subscribe to, cricket is another one. One of the free, terrestrial channels has highlights of England test matches but ball by ball coverage is only available free on radio.
Not that I'm English, just want to make that clear ;D It's just that I like cricket and Scotland aren't that good. :(
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Spent a lot of time lately going through my older horror films I hadn't watched in a while.
Watched the Jack Palance Jekyll and Hyde last night. I think that's possibly the best non classic TV era version.
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Dug out my Paul Temple films - the original cinema films, not the tv show - and Salute The Toff - John Bentley plays The Toff as he does in 3 of the Temple movies. I can act them but still find them very entertaining.
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Just watched Season 3 of Dark Matter. Ends with a great cliffhanger as each season has. If this is the last season, as rumored it will be annoying not knowing what resolution the writers has in mind. The cast has been excellent. Especially Zoie Palmer as the android. I swear she channels 'Hal' as the template for the voice.
http://www.syfy.com/darkmatter/about
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Didn't even know there were Paul Temple films. Curious, I looked them up on IMDB. All the sample posters (or DVD boxes, or whatever) were in German. Weird.
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I recently listened to the radio shows. Late 50s early 60s, I found them terribly snobby (after a while)
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Oh Mark. How disappointing. I just laugh at some of the pretensions and get on with enjoying the mysteries, although at times there are, how can I put this?, occasional? plot holes ;) Great stuff and as I've said before here, the reconstructions of the missing stories and the narrated versions are very well done.
Crash, the English language films have been relatively recently remastered and re-issued by Renown, who do a lot of work finding, tidying up and releasing lots of old British "B" movies.
This is their Temple page
https://www.renownfilms.co.uk/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=c6931eccc521dd4f5a207b52500e1275&keyword=paul+temple
and this is their front page:-
https://www.renownfilms.co.uk/
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They just got more and more gratingly upper middle class .... and of course every episode seemed to involve their car being run off the road or a pot shot being taken ... I must admit I had a similar "experience" listening to Lord Peter Whimsey ... he was great to start off with but progressively got too smug by half.
A Case for Dr Morelle which we have on site were made around the same time and I thoroughly recommend https://comicbookplus.com/?cid=3207
I have started listening to the Stephen Fry Sherlock Holmes audio books and they really are excellent. Absolutely top class
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Hadn't heard of Dr Morelle before, so I sampled CB+'s collection. Not much as mysteries (in my opinion) with the solutions seeming to come out of thin air. However Cecil Parker's Morelle makes the whole thing very listenable. Morelle reminds me of Nero Wolfe. While Sydney Greenstreet would seem to have been the perfect Wolfe, his radio character had a certain whininess which Parker's Morelle didn't have. I'd have loved to have heard Parker voice adaptations of the Rex Stout stories (much better mysteries than Dr M's cases).
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To back Mark up, IMDB says of Cecil Parker, 'An air of almost smug disdain would hang over his characters like a grey cloud' Thanks for putting me onto the Dr Morelle episodes. I'll have to give them a listen.
Also found some episodes of the 'Holmes and watson' series starring Geoffrey Whitehead as Holmes. These are hard to find and the stories are good and original and inspired by Conan Doyle. Whitehead makes an excellent Holmes On Donald Pickering's Watson i can't say it better than IMBD - Donald Pickering is one of the better Watsons -- you can believe he's been a military man from his bearing and his athletic build -- and he comes across as intelligent and capable, if occasionally astonished or bewildered by Holmes's more brilliant strokes of genius'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veuSvSbmZjs
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Cecil Parker gets my vote as the best-ever "SAINT" villain, in "THE SAINT'S VACATION", with Hugh Sinclair, Sally Gray & Gordon McLeod.
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Have been bingewatching season 1 of 'Blakes 7' which is currently on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXDd1zO9F1I&list=PLhavZM1-Ey4H9NY2rxpsbaCQ8dDLNNs6k
Missed it first time round. Was created and written by Terry Nation who invented and owns the rights to (I think he still does) the Daleks. Scripts are good and cast is excellent, as is the premise, but the budget was zero so the effects are truly cringeworthy. Does anybody know if there was a comic version of Blakes 7?
On a related note, there is a trailer for the new version of Lost in Space. Looks quite good. Has a good cast, but they seem to be playing it straight. There is a robot as a companion for Will and this time Dr Smith is female. Probably won't have the same relationship with will. Does not compute. Might be more like the Gold Key Lost in Space which I am a huge fan of.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5232792/videoplayer/vi3167729689?ref_=tt_ov_vi
Its released in April.
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Oh yes, there was a 25? issue monthly run, plus annuals and a couple of poster mags. Ian Kennedy art in the comic. Also there is a series of audio adventures.
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I binge watched Blakes Seven a few years back, all seasons and all episodes. Quite a trip.
Spoilers for those who haven't seen or read about the end of the series.
The final ep was supposed to eliminate any possiblity of the crew surviving, but I figure they could have survived the apparent massacre by some deux ex machina. Blake certainly didn't seem himself and I figure the Blake that was shot down was a clone.
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Back in the day and at the height of my disreputable youth I used to watch this along with the rest of my housemates. We crowded around a TV I had found on the street (it worked if you hit it very hard).
Then one TERRIBLE day without any warning they killed the lot of them. We decided to write to the papers about it, but were too untogether to actually do it.
I don't recall much of those times but that horrific incident I remember as though it was yesterday. I also confess I fancied Servalan "something rotten"
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Yes. I remember the shock of that. I was livid and phoned the BBC - and got absolutely nowhere. There was a big surge in complaints at the time.
Servalan? Oh yes!!!
Jacqueline Pearce was also in Dark Season as Miss Pendragon (with Kate Winslett)
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Kind of hard to comment on the new Doctor Who debut without spoilers, but I'll try.
I think Jodie Whittaker gave an outstanding performance and didn't feel in the least awkward portraying The Doctor. Will she make the character her own? We'll have to wait and see.
A good, fast-paced script kept held my interest, even though there was not a lot of time to develop the new companions' characters. The ending gave us a tease of a situation which could become an interesting plot device- or maybe not. The only part I disliked was the 15 minute panel(?) discussion at the end. Pure rubbish!
I may have some concerns that the new showrunner, Chris Chibnall, might repeat the mistakes he made in the last, meandering season of "Broadchurch". He sacrificed plot and pacing for more character-driven interactions, forgetting that a strong plot is the reason for these interactions in the first place. Again, we'll see.
All-in-all, two thumbs up for the debut! Cheers, Bowers
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Dr Who starts next Sunday for those of us Downunder (or Upover depending on your point of view) Bowers, your point, "I may have some concerns that the new showrunner, Chris Chibnall, might repeat the mistakes he made in the last, meandering season of "Broadchurch". He sacrificed plot and pacing for more character-driven interactions, forgetting that a strong plot is the reason for these interactions in the first place.' is exactly why I only watched one episode of 'Broadchurch' and don't understand what the fuss is about with that show. I thought Peter Capaldi was excellent as the Doctor but his tenure was let down by too complex scripts. Not a kids show any longer. Which is a shame.
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Greetings, Panther! To be fair to Chibnall, I did think his first season of "Broadchurch" was first-rate. I can't actually say I enjoyed it because of the subject matter involved, but it was quite powerful. The second season felt like patched-together writing and was hard to follow, and the third season was just plain awful. I couldn't even finish it.
Capaldi is one of my favorite actors. Did you ever see his Cardinal Richelieu in "Musketeers"? I also think the first year of his Doctor Who stint suffered from poor writing and too many dark and claustrophobic sets. Even Steven Moffat can have a bad year, and this was it. Too bad Capaldi suffered for it, but when Peter finally hit his stride he became a damned remarkable Doctor!
Enjoy the debut! Cheers, Bowers
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I haven't posted about this because poor old Panther and other folk wont have seen this yet. But as we're off and running......................
I thoroughly enjoyed Jodie Whittaker as our new Doctor. We found Broadchurch too difficult to watch, so I've no idea about Chibnall's work, but we watched The Assets with Whittaker as a CIA operative in Washington. Apart from the show being well done - Linda loves spy stories - Whittaker was very good in the part.
From finding out that the new Doctor was to be female, there was never any problem about my accepting it. Time Lords are aliens and, as we know, this isn't the first time a Time Lord has changed gender.
The first episode then, awfy good. I was looking forward to Bradley Walsh and how his part would develop and he is good. The threat was quite disgusting looking, and all the better for that, as the story was of necessity, a set up for what is to come.
As for Capaldi, I loved his Doctor and agree with Panther that he was let down by too complex plots. But he had some great, funny lines. He made a good and menacing Richelieu. I wonder if any of you saw him as Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It? The sweariest, and funniest thing on tv for a long time.
However there were things that didn't get explained in the story but they'll have to wait till the rest of you have caught up ::) I hope we get answers to where ...............spoilers, and how she ...............spoilers.
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Yes, I have seen Capaldi as the 'good' Cardinal. He was also ( if memory serves) in DR Who as a civilian much earlier on and he was definitely in Torchwood in a substantial part. And I also remember him in an early episode of 'Foyle's War.' If you appreciate Capaldi, this bit on Grahame Norton is a must.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpKPnb5MoRs
Poor David Walliams. Notice Capaldi comes to his rescue. A genuine nice guy and a credit to Scotland.
(That's for Paw!)
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The new Dr seems to be trying to out talk Matt Smith's Dr. A sort of David Tennant/Smith mixture. Not sure I like it. Then again the accent makes following what she says difficult enough without speed talking. Hopefully she will calm down a bit.
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A West Yorkshire accent is so very different from my Central Scotland accent, and, for that matter from a Cornwall, Somerset, Newcastle, hinterland Aberdeenshire, Welsh, some London accents, but I'm managing to follow. The Doctor is speaking in express mode but it's probably the effects of regeneration.
The same problem of accents comes up with many shows. Some/many? British viewers can have slight problems understanding some words and expressions or accents on American programmes. Or, recently, we've been watching a NZ cop show, Brokenwood Mysteries, and the lack of, and weird, vowels, sometimes makes for a "what was that" moment. Same with Mystery Road, the Aussie noir. At times it wasn't easy to get all that was being said at the start, but as these shows went on, our ears became accustomed to the accents.
I think as viewers become accustomed to Ms. Whittaker, you'll start to understand and enjoy her lovely Yorkshire accent. I do already.
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Reminds me of the time I attended a talk by an Australian speaker with a heavy accent. He was making the point that part of courage was the ability "to bear pain." To our ears it sounded like "to bee-yuh pyne." Obviously he'd had comments from other Yank audiences, because he was quick to add, "Note that I'm not suggesting you should be a pyne, but that you should learn to beer pyne."
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Just finished the second episode, and I'm still liking her! Quite good interactions between the characters, and still fast-paced action. Again no spoilers, but I'm not sure how I feel about the last scene reveal.
I subscribe to the Acorn Channel, so I am watching stuff with all sorts of accents. Like Paw, I also have a bit of bother with some of the Aussie and Kiwi shows, although some are quite good. The strangest mystery I saw was a Welsh production that had the characters switching between English and Welsh (Cymraeg?) with subtitles. There was no apparent rhyme or reason to the language switching, but it was a great story! Cheers, Bowers
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Still haven't seen Ms Whittaker in action. Had a social engagement and I am not set up to save programs. (Actually I just realized while writing that, how I can get to watch it) Ah, accents! Americans seem to have more trouble with them than most, or at least their programmers think so. That's why many UK programs were adapted (Steptoe and Son for example) and localized for that market. Aussie and NZ shows have been dubbed for the US market, much to our disgust! It's good to see British actors becoming proud of their accents, so we don't have the Royal Shakespeare company or Plummy Traditional BBC accents all the time. I am still embarrassed decades later when I think of my mistaking the cohort of friends I was with in London for Liverpudlians when they were in fact Brummies! Ouch! And it's too easy to mistake Canadians for citizens of the US.
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Bowers, that Welsh noir was Hinterland. Set in the West of Wales, where most local folk speak Welsh, often as their first language, they regularly switch between Welsh and English. In and around Aberystwyth, a university town, you will mostly be greeted in Welsh, and occasionally, a few locals will not be happy if you don't understand.
Great show, Hinterland.
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That's the one, Paw! Cheers, Bowers
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"Aberystwyth"
Did you just make that name or did a cat run across your keyboard?
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Hey Captain, no cat but strange as it might seem, it's all correct. ;D Have a look here:-
http://www.aberystwyth.com
My aunt Betty lived in Llandudno - the North coast of Wales - and when I was young, the family went on the train to Wales to spend a weeks holiday at her house.
Welsh is a celtic language and in the same group as Scottish Gaelic, Erse (Irish Gaelic), Cornwall (Kernowek) and Breton. I don't speak any of them, just plain Scottish English with an Airdrie accent.
The longest place name in UK is:- Llanfairpwllgwingyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllandysiliogogogoch
and it's in Wales 8)
As for The Doctor and the 2nd. story. Well, avoiding spoilers, the effects were good, Art Malik was as menacing and dismissive as he can be. Monsters? Wait and see. Different. Do I like the Tardis? Let's wait till you've all seen it.
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I had read about this place. Seems the name was the Victorian equivalent of 'Boaty McBoatface' etc.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch
Cheers!
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Really liked episode two. Adventurous characters introduced, hope we see them again some time. Decent attempt at scientific explanation for the cruel planet.
Haven't worked my way through episode three yet. Having lived in the south in that time period I don't cotton to seeing it replayed in a preachy manner, at least not by any UK series. The UK has its own ghosts in this regard that are seldom disinterred and held up to the light.
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Haven't managed to watch ep. 3 yet - been away from the house for a few days as the builders were in.
Captain, I have to say that I find your comment,
"The UK has its own ghosts in this regard that are seldom disinterred and held up to the light."
a bit odd, but that could be a simple unawareness on your part of publicity, t.v. documentaries, radio documentaries and many newspaper pieces on the subject of English and Scottish involvement in the slave trade. Also, there has been a huge amount of material produced about The Windrush generation and the scandal of the terrible treatment many W. Indians suffered on their arrival in the U.K and currently. Same with people from the Sub Continent, who many British were happy to have driving their buses but didn't want living next to them. Although in Bristol in the '60's, the local bus company barred Black or Asian bus crews for a few months. These same people suffered discrimination in housing and employment.
Over the decades, some films have spotlighted or had sub plots about the treatment of "coloureds" and minorities. Sapphire springs to mind:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapphire_(film)
As to what information is available, the tiniest selection might include this section from the National Library of Scotland, open to all and sundry. It might be of interest:-
https://www.nls.uk/collections/topics/slavery/
As might this piece produced by the National Trust for Scotland:-
https://www.nts.org.uk/learn/downloads/Scotland%20and%20the%20SlaveTrade.pdf
This will start you about the Windrush generation:-
https://www.itv.com/news/2018-04-16/what-is-the-windrush-generation/
None of this means that in the U.K. - I'm writing now about the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, not simply about Scotland - doesn't have a lot of problems of integration and racism nowadays. But if you want to know more, look it up. It's just that there is a lot of information about our "ghosts" and it's all freely available. Schools also have these subjects on the syllabus. Don't start me about the clearances!
Back to more enjoyable things.
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Episode 3 left me wondering if I was watching "Doctor Who" or "Quantum Leap". And does it seem the Tardis is driving the plots? Won't say more because of spoilers. We'll see next week. Cheers, Bowers
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Paw Broon:
You must realize that despite this information being available if looked for the vast majority of UK citizens remain totally ignorant of any of this.
I've visited many forums that were partly or mostly populated by UK citizens of all ages and found them to be mis-informed or un-informed when it comes to this subject.
Most seem to have developed the notion that only the USA dealt in the transatlantic slave trade. When pressed to look into the involvement of Europeans they begin making excuses.
They like to point to American mistreatment of the native population in colonial times while managing to forget that those colonials were in fact British subjects at the time.
Few even admit that Major Amherst was an officer of the British Army when he suggested spreading small pox among the Indians and using mastiffs to hunt down native hunters as they were used on runaway slaves.
They also managed to turn a blind eye to the British arming and stirring up Indian tribes to massacre American settlers.
For every film that has dealt with anti black or other forms of racism in the UK there are dozens that deal with racism in the USA.
I don't doubt you've spent more time among the well read , but the well read are the least of the problem. Even then much of what is read is revisionist bull pookey by the likes of Ward Churchill and Howard Zinn.
We can put it down to different venues.
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Having given this a bit of thought, I do not believe this forum is the correct place for this sort of discussion which seems to be getting a bit edgy, and I'm sorry I got involved in public. I wont be responding, but should anyone wish to contact me, you all know how.
Let's turn our attention back to Watcha Watchin'?
I tried the Rosa episode, but as I was a tired and a bit down, I didn't see it through. Later, when I steel myself for the upsetting scenes.
However, I just had time to catch the start of Ep. 4, right after reading the gardening column in the paper telling me that spiders were the gardener's friends. Wonder how I'll see them at the end of this one.
An adaptation of The Little Drummer Girl started last night and as my wife is a LeCarre fan, she's keen to see it. We'll get it on I-Player.
Recently finished was Vanity Fair, an adaptation of the Thackeray novel, and it was very good. If you haven't seen it, it's well worth looking out for. I doubt you'll be able to access the episodes on this page but it'll give you an idea:-
https://www.itv.com/hub/vanity-fair/2a5315
vpn might help?
As I don't keep up to date with a lot of tv superhero show news, I was excited to learn at a comic mart on Sat. that there is a Doom Patrol show coming along. Always been a fan of the comic so I hope they can do the idea justice.
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Well put, Paw. The new version of "Vanity Fair" looks amazing but, unless Masterpiece picks it up, I probably won't be seeing it for awhile. I enjoyed seeing some of the other series ITV offers and am glad I can access many of these on Masterpiece or Acorn. Am currently watching Season one of "Vexed" with a favorite "Doc Martin" alumnus, the gorgeous madcap Lucy Punch. (Definitely not for those who are PC). Also a season of "The Syndicate- All or Nothing". Lenny Henry is always a treat to watch. "The Last Kingdom" season two wasn't as good as the first season, but still good. The spouse and I are still following "Poldark" and "The Durrells in Corfu".
I've already seen the first two incarnations of "Poldark" so I already know what's going to happen. Still, I enjoy teasing the wife by cheering on George Warleggan's evil machinations and the shots of the wild Cornish coast and countryside are well worth seeing. The Doctor episode four tonight! Cheers, Bowers
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Haven't gotten into any Super Hero series since Smallville wound up. Thats been quiet awhile back.
I used to watch a lot of British TV series on PBS. Some older Canadian series as well. The series about the Vikings was a real breath of fresh air back in the day, I understand all episodes were lost. Its remotely possible that one of the UHF channels around Eastern Tennessee might have some stashed away. Its not well known but many of the pioneers of early television had homes near here, either full time or as vacation homes, especially screen writers.
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Cap, are you talking about the 1960 "Tales of the Vikings" tv series with Jerome Courtland? If so, there are a few episodes up on YouTube, mostly poor quality. This was a favorite of mine, especially the opening theme.
I'd also forgotten how much I miss "Smallville". Cheers, Bowers
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Yep "Tales of the Vikings". Made by an American company but IIRC filmed in Canada.
I just finished downloading the four available eps on Youtube.
Two appear to have been found in some Middle eastern TV station.
The after school line up here was "Robin Hood", "Tales of the Vikings", "the Buccaneers", "Circus Boy", Captain Gallant of the French Foreign Legion", and other quality TV series that make modern day time TV pale by comparison.
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I had the same lineup, Cap. I remember watching Captain Gallant and waiting for a Legion vs Arab shootout that never, ever happened! Monkee Mickey Dolenz was great as "Circus Boy". I saw some episodes , along with "Robin Hood", last year on a retro cable channel. Good to revisit some old friends. Cheers, Bowers
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While I don't think we had Captain Gallant on tv here - I'm sure someone from these parts will correct me if we had - your comments brought back lovely memories. I don't remember Tales of The Vikings either but Buccaneers; William Tell; Sir Lancelot; Robin Hood and the great Sword of Freedom were big tv treats in the
"The after school line up" That's a new one on me and I'm sure that time was referred to as childrens tv. But we also had at tea-time, some American shows, like Whirlybirds; Boots and Saddles - loved that one - Hawkeye and the Last of the Mohicans, although I think that one was Canadian. The Range Rider and the Lone Ranger were also on.
But we had some Australian shows too e.g. The Magic Boomerang.
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Paw, I can remember all the shows you mentioned, except "Magic Boomerang". Loved them all, especially "Sword of Freedom" with all those murderous Medicis.
In the 50's and early 60's U.S. local TV channels provided most of the daytime programming, except for some network sitcoms and soap operas. Lots of imports and locally produced cartoon shows kept us kiddies entertained. And Saturday mornings were exclusively kid's programming on all three networks! No sports, news, or "infomercials". Between 8 a.m. and noon, we owned the airwaves! Great shows like "Howdy Doody","Fury", "Sky King", "Mr. Wizard", and so many more. One channel kept it going in the afternoon, showing movies until the evening news. Mostly westerns, but sometimes adventures like "Gunga Din" and "Beau Geste". It was a great time to be a kid! Cheers, Bowers
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I just found out that Jerome Courtland, the star of Tales of the Vikings, was born near here in Knoxville Tennessee. That improves the chances of a stash of TOTV episodes being found there one day, probably more than one of his relatives has a collection of his work.
He was quite well known in his day in every aspect of film making. he dyed his hair and beard for the viking role, so spotting him in other film roles wouldn't be easy.
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Wow, these comments really opened memory's vaults. Never saw Sword of Freedom, but The Vikings, Captain Gallant, Robin Hood, Circus Boy, and Sir Lancelot all ran on local stations when I was a boy. I was also a fan of Sky King (of course), Whirlybirds, Highway Patrol, Tales of the Texas Rangers, and Soldiers of Fortune.
A number of Soldiers of Fortune episodes are on YouTube in good quality prints, albeit without titles and credits. I was surprised to see the hero was John Russell, who later was the stone-faced hero of The Lawman.
A few years ago I bought a boxed collection of public-domain shows on DVD which included episodes of The Adventures of Long John Silver with Robert Newton. Apparently it was produced in Australia. Kind of sad, for Newton was obviously in pretty bad shape and he died a couple of years later.
UHF stations couldn't afford the good stuff, so they often ran older or obscure series, some of which were pretty good. I remember a British series called Zero One, with Nigel Patrick as an aviation investigator; another called Four Just Men, with Richard Conte, Dan Dailey, Jack Hawkins, and Vittorio de Sica (!). According to IMDB Honor Blackman appeared in half the episodes, but I don't remember her. Then there were a couple of old wheezes like Racket Squad and Boston Blackie.
Good times!
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Magic Boomerang! Didn't know that was broadcast outside Australia, Paw. I remember the name, I remember listening to it, but I have no idea what it was about. No memory of any episode at all. Used to listen to the Radio after school, Australian produced versions of US Shows, - Superman, Tarzan, Life of Riley, several others that escape me now. That was kids radio before 6.00 pm. When TV came in, there were all the US Western Shows. Buccaneers; William Tell; Sir Lancelot; Robin Hood -Yep! Whirleybirds, lone ranger, Sea Hunt. We also had the Australian produced 'western' Whiplash! starring Peter Graves. The Four Just Men - have only a vague memory of that. Based on a series of books by Edgar Wallace ( as some of us will be aware. These last two series are both available on YouTube. There is a 'Just Men' episode there with a young Judi Dench, couldn't be any older than 20.
Cartoons? Crusader Rabbit, The Rocky and Bullwinkle show, Clutch Cargo, Captain Pugwash come immediately to mind. The classic Warner Brothers cartoons were anthologised and were must watch shows every weekday afternoon after school.
I remember, even then it was obvious to me that some of the shows ( Some of the Westerns? ) were put together from old B Movies of regular characters, rather than produced specifically for TV. Can't at this point remember which, tho.
Cheers!
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The Magic Boomerang, along with Skippy, was shown here, whether only in Scotland or the whole of the UK I'm not sure.
But you can have a look on you tube:-
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=the+magic+boomerang
I also have a vague memory of Whiplash but I might have seen bits of the show on line. Just found the you tube listing and I see that Frank Ifield sang the theme tune.
Those first tv shows you mention, Buccaneers; William Tell; Sir Lancelot; Robin Hood, were all British shows and I seem to remember they were mixed in with the American western shows at teatime. Others such as Four Just Men, Dial 999, Fabian of The Yard, Mark Saber etc. were a bit later in the evening.
The only Sword of Freedom thing I can find is the intro:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8mTfo5iMlA
Sad to say, I know nothing and have never seen Howdy Doody; "Fury", "Sky King", "Mr. Wizard",
We did have Champion; Lassie, but Rin Tin Tin seems to have been on in England and Wales and I don't recall seeing it up here, but then, my memory leaks like a sieve.
As we had b&w tv till late '60's I saw cartoons in b&w and we had Popeye; Bugs Bunny; Tweety and Sylvester and others. Captain Pugwash was an odd show but highly entertaining. The episodes on you tube are of a later series. The original series was from the '50's and was adapted from the strip in Eagle.
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Panther, you were right about some TV western shows originally being movies. Actor William Boyd, who played "Hopalong Cassidy", saw the possibilities and opportunities in the young medium of television. He mortgaged his ranch and used all his savings to buy his films back from the studios or distributors. His production company then edited the films, most under an hour, into TV episodes. They were wildly popular, so he began to sell merchandising rights, one of the first TV businessmen to do so. I believe the first character-oriented tin litho lunch box was Hoppy. Also lots of merchandising premiums. Boyd was a man who appreciated education (although not well-educated himself), hard work, and respect for others. This showed in the character he portrayed and inspired us to be better kids. It's great when a very good person's gamble pays off! Cheers, Bowers
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Thanks to this thread, I spend several hours last night (my time) watching episodes of 'Four Just Men' on YouTube. This is an interesting show for several reasons.
Firstly this is the earliest show that I know of that featured known movie stars as leads. Richard Conte, Dan Dailey, Jack Hawkins, and Vittorio De Sica may not have been A list but they were at least B+.
Secondly, It must have been an expensive show for the time. These guys must have cost a bit, and we have scenes actually shot in London, Rome and Paris. I haven't seen New York yet for Conti's character, so the show may have been Europe based.
Thirdly, there are some really fascinating street scenes of these places, there are a lot of car chases. I suspect this was done as a selling point to show off the real locations. To look back from 2018 to 1960 and see these streetscenes is priceless. I can't believe how bleak 60's London really was.
Forthly, spotting famous British actors well before they became famous in their own right is a joy.
Frank Thornton ( are you being served Mr Peacock?) plays a variety of shady characters in no less than 11 episodes. Honor Blackman was a regular character paired with Dan Dailey,
Charles Grey ( one of the more memorable Blofelds) in 3 episodes. Roger Delgado ( The Master) is in 2, As is Patrick Troughton (Dr Who) Alan Bates, Kenneth Connor, Geoffrey Keen , Paul Eddington and I have earlier mentioned Judi Dench - who was 26,although she doesn't look it. Some of you would recognize others.
Ok, the scripts are pretty melodramatic and predictable, but its a lot of fun. I'm still amused by things like Jack Hawkins shadowing a bad guy in a London Taxi (and the London taxis are the real thing) while at the wheel of his Rolls Royce!
I think the original books were a lot darker, I seem to remember the 4 men coming together mainly to decide if someone deserved to be executed.
Four Just Men would have made a good comic strip. Paw, I think you posted something re Edgar Wallace somewhere? Was there ever a strip?
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I checked out a couple of episodes of The Magic Boomerang and enjoyed them. The music was rather overpowering, but the production values were solid and the stories were as good as any American kids' adventure series. I especially enjoyed the extensive location shooting. What little I know about how Australia looks I learned from reading Air Hawk, so it was great to see some of the real thing.
One little thing struck me as odd. It was common in radio shows for characters to call each other by name from time to time, to clarify for the listener who was speaking. That's seldom necessary on TV where one can tell the actors apart just by looking at them. But in The Magic Boomerang the characters name each other constantly. It's especially noticeable in the scene where the two boys are locked belowdecks in a boat discussing what to do.
Next I'm going to look at some Four Just Men episodes. The TV series is certainly different from the source novel! I found a BBC radio-play adaptation of that book. It opens with one of the "just" men rationalizing having murdered a clergyman who committed sexual assault on a young woman. Then he and two fellow vigilantes blackmail some guy into becoming their gang's fourth member. Maybe it's just the hideousness of the current cultural climate, but I'd had enough and stopped listening. Perhaps I'll try again on a day when someone hasn't murdered a dozen people for no reason (though those days are becoming less frequent). In the meantime I'll stick with Richard, Dan, Jack, and Vittorio.
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If you want a tiny insight to how "deep" Australia looks, try Mystery Road:-
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7298596/
Right now though, we're happily enjoying the return of The Brokenwood Mysteries, a great NZ series. It's good entertainment:-
https://thebrokenwoodmysteries.com
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There's been some good tv and it's still going. The newest series of Vera has just finished, and is replaced by a brand new short run of Endeavour. To top it all off, Shetland started it's new run last week.
Just to lower the tone of the conversation, 2 Doors Down is on again. Hilarious and very rude at the same time but as it's done in classic Glaswegian, a lot of you might need subtitles. Don't go there if you're easily offended.
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Anyone watching Cloak and Dagger or Runaways? Could not get into CandD but Runaways seems OK
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I didn't mention "Death in Paradise", the current series of which is just drawing to a close, as I wanted to find out what the catastrophe was that was coming up - and I didn't want spoilers. The series has been highly entertaining, apart from the intro. of Ruby to the team, but she's grown on me. As for the shocking events, well, I recommend searching out this series and finding out. The scenery is beautiful, the stories are humourous at times and there are some good "locked room" mysteries, even though a lot are outside. ???
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Paw, we're just finishing up season 7 of "Death in Paradise" over here, so I'm really looking forward to season 8! Getting a new season of "Call the Midwife" in March. The wife and I both really like this one. New "Endeavor" in June- I like these more than the original "Morse". In July, more "Granchester", although I'm liking Sidney less each season. PBS Masterpiece is currently showing "Victoria", season 3. I couldn't finish season 1 as it was far too melodramatic and overacted for my taste! Also got to finish season two of "The Last Kingdom" (not as good as season 1) and am trying to find season three. Please let me know of any new series I should be on the lookout for! Cheers, Bowers
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Interesting how you feel about Grantchester. Linda just doesn't take to Sidney and we haven't watched that many episodes.
I can't remember if I mentioned Unforgotten. If not, it comes highly recommended. Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bhaskar turn in superb performances and class acts like Tom Courtney; Mark Bonnar; Trevor Eve are excellent "persons of interest"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unforgotten
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Paw, PBS showed seasons 1 and 2 of "Unforgotten" and they were excellent! I remember Nicola Walker from "Last Tango in Halifax", Scott and Bailey" and "Touching Evil". Saw Olivia Colman get an Oscar last night for "The Favourite". If you didn't see it, she was absolutely stunned! She obviously didn't have a speech prepared but soldiered through like the trouper she is! A very talented actress, indeed. Cheers, Bowers
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The calling of the pulps was way too strong these days, so I dug up my DVD collection of Capitaine Flam. You're telling me you don't know about this anime from the 1970s? What if I told you its true name is Captain Future? Now you see. ;)
So in 1978, T
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I didn't know about that adaptation. Thanks for the info.
As for the call of the pulps, I've bored about this before. I love the old, movie serial adaptations of pulp characters, particularly the first Spider serial and the 2 Green Hornet adventures. The Shadow serial, oddly doesn't work quite as well for me. Still enjoyable, though.
There is another serial that has that real pulp look but was completely original, The Secret Code, which featured The Black Commando. Well worth a look.
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Florian R. Guillon and Paw Broon. Interesting information from both you gentlemen. More good stuff to know about. YouTube has chapter 1 of Secret Code, but only one chapter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_uZQNZREAQ
Yes, Paw, it looks excellent.
Both of you will perhaps be more interested in this documentary on Captain Future/Capitaine Flam.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6aQBBlzWnA
Its in French, tho - but Paw, since I understand that you are currently upgrading your Frence language skills, it should be right up your alley![ And I hope that means a lot more French material on CB+ in future!]
Haven't had a good look at it yet, but its very thorough, and includes photographs of the major creative influences, including Mort Weisinger and Edmond Hamilton. Oh, and there is also a Computer Game apparently. Sounds like something I'd like to play.
enjoy!
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Thanks for the link Panther. The cartoon doesn't do it for me, I'm afraid. I'm not keen on a lot of those wee, cute cartoony animals, even spacy ones that don't need to breathe or cute versions of Matter Eater Lad. I've never really taken to the Japanese art style used here. However, reading the comments is quite interesting.
The photos and covers are good, and important, and I now remember seeing French comicbook versions. As this was at a time when I was being a bit posy and high minded about comics, I was more interested in Pratt and Tardi. Still am, but with a much less stuffy view.
Worth a listen to the music on the link posted in comments:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V48JVJl6Dok&feature=youtu.be
Albator is available on youtube and there are a couple of lovely still panels in the middle of the first cartoon.
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I loved the anime version of Captain Future. Very faithful to the pulp novels written by Edmond Hamilton, and the character designs were nicely updated to circa 1980. Unfortunately it's not something that's ever been available on DVD in English. I still have a couple of the old VHS tapes (I think they only did 3 of them) from back in the 1980s. The pulp stories as well as the anime episodes were phenomenally popular in Germany as well (perhaps not surprisingly, given the similarities to Perry Rhodan).
I have GOT to get a copy of The Secret Code. I know I've seen people selling these somewhere, and it's purportedly one of Columbia's best serials. It's said that it was Columbia's response to Republic's SPY SMASHER serial made earlier the same year. Unfortunately, most of the well-known Columbia serials are the later ones, adaptations of DC characters like Batman, Superman, Vigilante, Congo Bill, and Blackhawk ('tho not DC at the time!). The earlier ones (like The Secret Code) were much better directed and seemed to have better budgets, too. I'm thinking of THE SPIDER and CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT in particular.
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Paw, I couldn't agree more about 'cute cartoony animals'. What immediately came to mind was the Robot Dog in the first Battlestar Galactica series. I actually believe that dog would give a real child nightmares. When you watch a show or read a book or comic the creators are supposed to help you suspend disbelief. 'Willing suspension of disbelief' is the SF term. I see one of these and my ability to take the story or series seriously is irrevocably damaged.The other tendency that irritates and has the same effect was the (almost universal) tendency at the end of the 'Golden Age' to pair superheroes with dopey sidekicks. The immediate image is Doiby Dickles the cab driver with Green Lantern. Someone who had that ring needed to hail a cab?
Thanks for the music link. Yuji Ohno's work is a revelation. Right down my alley. Or should that be, right up my alley?
I just found this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrC4fgHQIUU
Is this the soundtrack for the film? The Morricone-esque begining make my spine tingle. Great Funk. I'd watch it just for the soundtrack.
Cheers.
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Seems like this Captain Future soundtrack is from the German version of the series. Great stuff it is! Thanks for the discovery! :)
If you like localised specificities, enjoy the famous French theme song from Capitaine Flam: https://youtu.be/NtxZsN6Em3g (https://youtu.be/NtxZsN6Em3g)
Well, of course it won't ring a bell to most of you here, but I guarantee this song is one of the theme songs that are renowned among the 30-plus population in France. ;) You just can't have a compilation of cartoon songs from the 70s-80s without it.
And now, I'm still on memory lane with what I'm watching right now: the Fantastic Four cartoon from Moonscoop (2006-2007). Actually, it's a short trip because I was at the university when it was broadcasted, and I had linguistics class on Wesneday mornings, so I had to record the episode of the week on VHS.
Yeah, I am an avid cartoon/anime watcher.
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Been watching M R James Ghost stories. These and other great ghost stories apparently are shown in the UK at Christmas time. An unusual tradition, probably inspired by "A Christmas Carol".
Just watched "The Stone Tape" a sci fi horror film by Nigel Kneale, creator of the Quatermass series. Great idea with very well imagined characters.
Just downloaded "The Green Man" by Kingley Amis. The 70's version with Albert Finney.
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The Stone Tape is a stunner. It's available on youtube:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtvJWKaDI9s
The Green Man is really creepy. Hope you enjoy it.
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Found an interesting Lord Peter Wimsey four parter on you tube. "Have his Carcass" a title which peaked my curiosity.
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An absolutely ripping choice, Cap! PBS Mystery/Masterpiece broadcast two separate seasons of Lord Peter Wimsey, each with a different Wimsey. Your episodes are from the second season (1987) with Edward Petherbridge as Wimsey. The first series (1973) featured Ian Carmichael as Lord Peter. Both seasons were witty, urbane and such a lot of fun to watch! I did slightly prefer the first season. If you ever watch any of the Carmichael episodes, be sure to pay attention to the props displayed during the opening credits! While not actually clues, they are all vital to the plot. I was lucky to find all the episodes in our city library system and watched them all last year. Enjoy! Cheers, Bowers
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Ian Carmichael's Lord Peter appeared in the USA on the Public Broadcasting System's Masterpiece Theater. It was my introduction to Wimsey. I'd never read any of the novels. I loved the series. Having no preconception of Lord Peter's appearance, it didn't bother me that Carmichael was old for the role. Pity he didn't play Wimsey during his Boulting days. Anyway, the acting was great, the mysteries convoluted and fascinating, and the period color nice.
Alastair Cooke introduced each episode of Masterpiece Theater. In the 70s PBS figured Yanks needed a distinguished Brit interlocutor to ease the shock of watching BBC programming. In the Wimsey mysteries, Cooke opened with a detailed synopsis of the previous week's chapter. As the mystery progressed these synopses became increasingly complex. I don't remember which mystery was being featured the time Cooke finally met his match. It was the last chapter of a particularly intricate story. As usual, the camera faded in on Cooke's study, the Great Man seated in his comfy chair, turning to the camera to address the viewer. On this memorable occasion Cooke just stared woefully into the camera for a long beat, heaved a deep, deep sigh, and then rolled into the introduction. It was priceless.
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Ian Carmichael was a very "comforting" actor, he was in loads of 50s British films. If you have not see it Lucky Jim is a must.
I recently listened to some Lord Peter audio books (there should be some on YouTube). He really did get VERY insufferable. A right bore. You name it, he could do it. I read somewhere that he was Dorothy L Sayers fantasy male.
But as there is no way Ian Carmichael could ever be called insufferable, his Wimsey worked well!
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Lord Peter Wimsey was a good tv show, although whether I prefer Carmichael or Petherbridge I'm not sure. Mark mentions the audios and while I can understand him finding that Wimsey insufferable, I have to admit, surprisingly, that I enjoy the audio plays.
Many years ago there was a second audio version on BBC radio of The Nine Tailors, with a different actor - can't remember who - and I prefer it to the Carmichael version. I have recently listened to, then read, Busman's Honeyman - there is a film version with Robert Montgomery,
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busman%27s_Honeymoon_(film)
and enjoyed both versions. But in the book, Wimsey, at times, does become slightly annoying.
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Cool short
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cngWdz7yhCM
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I enjoyed that. Thank you. And thanks to Mr. Petherbridge for putting into words what I and many others feel about these big coffee shop chains. Even in the hallowed High Street of Linlithgow, where there are some really good local cafes serving pretty good coffee and buns, Costa has opened. Many locals and visitors like me shun it. Shop local. Drink coffee local.
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Gonna put this here since it does involve watching, but we are talking Movies, to wit, SHAZAM. I saw this yesterday and quite enjoyed it. It was a refreshing change from all the super serious Superhero movies from Marvel and DC. Some perspective. This year it's 2019, 80 years since the character we know and love was created. To make the character viable for an audience that is basically the great-grand children of its original audience there would have to be changes, Many of us here will be uncomfortable with any change, but changes were necessary. We need to be thankful that the movie version is surprisingly faithful to the original. Billy is 14 and pretty much behaves as you would expect a fourteen-year old to behave. Freddy is central to the story and that works well. It's a a very human level story and is all about the importance of family. There are plenty of easter eggs and references throughout the movie, to Fawcett icons, DC icons and to other movies made in Philadelphia and to the movie 'Big'. Spoiler but you can't miss it. Stay for the two short bits in the credits, one right at the very end. The villain mooted for the next movie is actually revealed close to the beginning. Fawcett fans won't have any trouble spotting it.
I think this movie will be a sleeper, the character is currently not that well known and it started slow. I think word of mouth will get people to go see it.
If you have children, (or Grandchildren) take them to see it. You'll have a good day out. And you can tell them all about Billy Batson!
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Just finished watching Hollywood's take on Lord Peter Wimsey, "Haunted Honeymoon", c.1940. Robert Montgomery was very miscast in the part, but he tried. The rest of the film was entertaining with a fun twist on the ever-popular "blunt item". Cheers, Bowers
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After recent discussion about Master of the World, I watched the 1961 Vincent Price film on YouTube. I confess an admiration for older s-f films that get by on sheer chutzpah. Richard Matheson's script demanded an A-movie budget, which American-International didn't have. But they went ahead and made the movie as if they did have an A-movie budget. Inevitably the production has many problems, but the overall effect is quite enjoyable.
The special effects consist mainly of shots of Robur's airship superimposed over grainy footage lifted from decades-old movies. The model of the Albatross is great, though, and this makes up for the clunky effects. Interior sets also betray the low budget. The designs are good but the execution is on the level of 60s TV sets.
The script is solid, albeit reminiscent of Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Vincent Price is excellent as Robur. I read somewhere this was one of Price's favorite roles. The rest of the cast is just serviceable. Surprisingly the hero is a young Charles Bronson, back before he took his ugly pills. He isn't awful but he often trips over Matheson's elaborate "Jules Vernian" dialogue. Funny, I'd never noticed how high Bronson's voice is. It detracts somewhat from his he-man role.
The one unbearable element is the insertion of a comic-relief French chef. His comedy scenes are totally extraneous as he takes no part in the rest of the narrative. Some online sources say Master of the World was A-I's attempt to emulate the 1956 blockbuster Around the World in 80 Days. This could explain the decision to add comic "relief."
Finally, while I still like Les Baxter's score musically, in the movie it often becomes overbearing, especially in the comedy scenes.
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One of Charles Bronson's memorable early roles was as Detective Krovitch in the ultra creepy and quite disturbing Alfred Hitchcock episode "And So Died Riabouchinska".
Claude Rains put in a very believable performance as the Puppeteer/Magician Fabian.
The real star was the Puppet itself, magnificent work.
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The one unbearable element is the insertion of a comic-relief French chef. His comedy scenes are totally extraneous as he takes no part in the rest of the narrative. Some online sources say Master of the World was A-I's attempt to emulate the 1956 blockbuster Around the World in 80 Days. This could explain the decision to add comic "relief."
And if you go back to Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea again, Peter Lorre was given a lot of comedy relief bits of business, too. The comic-relief sidekick was a staple trope of the 1930s & 40s film and comics (and was practically a requirement for movie cowboys). But that sort of 'corn' was already fading fast as film moved into the '50s, and was practically unheard of (at least in American films) by the mid-60s, even as westerns became 'adult westerns'. Even in 1961, it's a bit of a throwback to an era less sophisticated.
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Through the miracle of YouTube, I finally got to see TIGHTROPE and THE DEPUTY. These television shows both premiered in 1959
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I should have mentioned this earlier. We've been watching the 3rd. series of the Danish thriller, "Follow The Money" The 1st. 2 series were excellent with a great, complicated plot, intriguing characters, incl. The Swede, tension and a bit of violence here and there. Sub titles of course but well worth it.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3638488/episodes?season=3&ref_=tt_eps_sn_3
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3638488/
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And both those Dell The Deputy comics featured lovely John Buscema artwork.
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I just started
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Which series are you on? We're on the 3rd. and it's coming to a big, big finale.
Line of Duty finished this weekend and it was the talk of the steamy this morning at our French group. Can't say too much. Spoilers!
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A very cool crime film is "Amsterdamned", Serial killer film that really shocked audiences when it first came out.
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For those of you who can find it or access it, we've been watching the 4 part dramatic, and pretty accurate, reconstruction of the Hatton Garden safe deposit vault robbery. Great cast, well directed and highly enjoyable.
https://www.radiotimes.com/news/tv/2019-05-23/what-is-the-real-life-story-behind-itvs-heist-drama-hatton-garden/
This is the STV player and I think if you use a vpn you might be able to access it.
https://player.stv.tv/summary/hatton-garden/
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Has anyone tried BLOOD AND TREASURE? I have it on DVR but have not tried it yet
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Just binge watched the 1970's UK series "Survivors". Post pandemic survival story.
Pretty darn good for its day.
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This post is primarily for Paw!
In a discussion elsewhere on the site, [Prof H's Wayback Machine] on the film of Jules Vernes Master of the World, Paw wrote,
"David Thomlinson's annoying character with the pet chicken"
Actually, I think he was always a bit annoying, with or without the chicken.
I was just over there and happened to read it again and a lightbulb went off.
I have just bingewatched the new series of 'Lost in Space' If you were a fan of the original series it takes a bit of getting used to. On balance, I have decided I like it. [Spoiler] Basically the first series ends at the point where they are actually Lost in Space. Origin Story. Great cast tho, and there was a lot of attention to detail from the original series which isn't always obvious.
But I digress! The character of Don West [ Who is not -yet- married to Penny but we can see it coming.] Rescues a chicken and makes sure it goes with him. Don't tell me that somebody on the production team isn't making a reference to that movie. I can be slow sometimes!
Here is Don and his Chicken!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw4VzRBYb48
Cheers!
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Just finished over here is the 4 part Guilt with Mark Bonnar and Jamie Sives. We thoroughly enjoyed it. Some black humour, a story that changed or threw in curves just when you thought you had worked it out. Set in Edinburgh though there are a lot of Glasgow locations.
The new version of War of The Worlds has started butvwe might not watch the rest. The producers have decided to change a lot and it doesn't seem to work. But maybe I'm just an old stick in the mud.
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War of the Worlds is more difficult to translate to film than most realize.
The book is so full of detail enriched by Well's ability to draw the reader in that more takes place in the reader's mind than can be put on the screen.
The description of the Martian "handling" machine sticks in my mind. The constructive ability of the machine makes it a far more sophisticated device than the war machines. It gives the reader a bit of insight into the creatures themselves. DARPA would love to get their hands on one of these.
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Guilt was the best thing I've seen this year - Mark Bonnar (Duncan in Shetland) was superb and Bill Paterson scared me to death.
Haven't watched War of the Worlds yet but did watch Vienna Blood which looks very promising. I read all six of the original books by Frank Tallis.
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I am such a fan of the original series that I am nervous about watching a new version. The movie they made in the nineties was okay but lacked any real emotional connection with the original. Could anyone replace the original Doctor Zachary Smith? Not to mention the ice cold blonde Marta Kristen.
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I should have added that Bill Paterson scared ME and my wife to death. Wonderful.
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I actually am quite impressed by the Spielberg/ Cruse movie version of War of the Worlds. It was in many ways quite faithful to the original and very effectively described the chaos that would have resulted from such an event.
Q. Has anybody watched 'The Expanse' Series and can tell me if its worth watching? Its now on its 5th season and has had good reviews. Since I don't subscribe I will have to get it on DVD to watch it.
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I
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First I've come across this. As a bit of a Trekkie / Babylon 5 fan, it sounds right up my street
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The new series of The Brokenwood Mysteries has started over here. Can't rate this highly enough.
https://thebrokenwoodmysteries.com
Good mysteries; good fun; good characters; quirky.
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Thanks guys - looks interesting - I'm a fan of Canada's Murdoch Mysteries, so I might give Brokenwood a go.
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New on Alibi is Traces and we enjoyed the 1st episode last night - 2nd episode is on tonight.
https://alibi.uktv.co.uk/shows/traces/
This could be worth sticking with. Val McDermid supplied the original idea.
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While looking for something altogether different I found this site.
http://texaveryatwb.blogspot.com/
If you would be happy to spend some time looking at Tex Avery Cartoons and learning something about them, be my guest.
enjoy!
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Panther, you made my day! Tex was the greatest and I can watch these by the hour. Thanks for the post, my down-under friend! Cheers (and giggles), Bowers
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Been watching episodes of a forgotten sci fi series called "the Visitor".
An American pilot who had disappeared shortly after WW2 returns to Earth after being held by Aliens for fifty years in a colony of Earthly abductees. He is trying to change humanities preset course for self destruction and convince the Aliens not to destroy humanity themselves because humans are deemed dangerous to other intelligent life.
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I tend to 'catch up' with my watching well after broadcast - usually on DVD.
Currently, I'm watching The Orville series 1 - a Star Trek pastiche that treads carefully the thin line between reverence and revel. The chemistry between the two leads is outstanding. I'm also catching up with Red Dwarf XI and Modern Family X - brilliant as always - and (well behind the rest of the world) Murdoch Mysteries series 3.
Over Christmas, I did watch Dracula on live transmission and found it so-so. Recently, with my wife, I watched Sanditon - thought it was pretty good but disliked the last episode.
Bizarrely, on YouTube, I'm watching the four Tarkan films, adapted from the Turkish comic book in the late sixties/early seventies. Great fun.
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"Bizarrely, on YouTube, I'm watching the four Tarkan films, adapted from the Turkish comic book in the late sixties/early seventies. Great fun."
These sound very interesting. The first has the "Sword of Mars" as the object of importance. There are two legends of how Atilla came by this sword. One is that he found it in an ancient grave site, the other that a herdsman found one of his cattle had a badly injured hoof and he back tracked the blood trail to discover the sword sticking up slightly above the surface. In both stories the skeletal remains of many men and horses made it look like an ancient battle ground.
I've always figured this was a Scythian blade. They tempered their sword blades by leaving them sticking out of the ground in areas known for frequent lightning strikes. The lightning heated the blades white hot and minerals in the surrounding dirt acted to case harden the surface before rain quenched the hot steel.
They also worshiped Mars using a massive steel ceremonial blade mounted on a stone column. They sacrificed many horses to Mars . At the graves of their kings his personal guard, who were dedicated from birth to serve him in life and in death, mounted the horses already killed and propped up on frameworks and cut their own throats.
A number of fine swords have been recovered from Scythian and Sarmation grave sites. The Sarmatians, the descendants of the ancient Scythians, were the major enemy of the Huns.
Its been speculated that Excalibur was a ancient Sarmation or Scythian blade that had been mounted in a stone as an object of worship.
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Fascinating stuff, Captain Audio - many thanks.
The Scythian Empire was huge and because they weren't prone to producing much in the way of paperwork, still little known. Broadly speaking, the warrior nation stretched from Romania as far as China around about the time of Plato and Herodotus
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The METV channel here (oldies series channel) has started showing the earliest B&W episodes of the classic western series "Gunsmoke".
Great ep yesterday. We find out why the later opening scenes always show Matt in a gunfight and the sound of his opponent's shot proceeds his. Turns out Matt Dillon is actually slow as molasses compared to most lawmen and gunfighters. He only wins because he forces the other guy to draw while still beyond the normal effective pistol range. He takes time to do it right and make a one shot kill rather than spraying lead everywhere. He's also tough as a pine knot and heals fast when shot, mainly due to Doc being a master surgeon. He is never really afraid of being shot, he's no cherry in that respect, though not fool hardy so he keeps his cool.
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Anyone want to recommend any movies or TV series they are watching during the lockdown - or books?
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Just to be different, I'm listening 8), to some Big Finish audios. Full cast Sherlock Holmes stories. There are adaptations of classic tales - Hound of the Baskervilles, Speckled Band - and original stories. Nick Briggs is Sherlock and Richard Earl is Watson. They are very well done.
I also found on archive.org, old Holmes episodes. One series has John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson and another with Simon Callow and Nicky Henson. Well worth digging out.
The Big Finish Who stories are very good and I have a lot of them.
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Want to see some spectacular scenery and sunshine while in isolation?
Here are three 'Old Surehand' German Western Movies.
These are as corny as Cornsyrup, nothing serious about them in anyway. Very much like Golden Age comics in some ways I think. By today' s standards, not PC and bordering on comedy.
They are a tradition in Germany, but mostly unknown in the English Speaking world.
All dubbed into English, All Widescreen and colour.
The first two are early ones with Stewart Granger.
Among Vultures, ENGLISH Audio . Winnetou & Old Surehand HD . by Karl May
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmZINwSlg38
Old Surehand.( Flaming Frontier )A film with Winnetou ENGLISH Audio HD. by Karl May
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih8FTErcbn4
This one stars Lex Barker and has some really creative camera-work. At the beginning, watch the camera go right through the saloon and then come right back again. Absolutely spectacular scenery.
The Treasure of the Silver Lake | Winnetou & Old Shatterhand ENGLISH Audio HD. film by Karl May
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBnRnYhnSQ4
OK, can someone educate me and tell me if there are 'Old Surehand' comics?
Enjoy!
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I'll have to check these out. "Old Surehand" was originally "Old Shatterhand," Karl May's legendary character. Given how popular the books were, I'd be surprised if there weren't at least a few Karl May comics.
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Thanks Panther - I watch a lot of old German movies (anything with Klaus Kinski, Peter Alexander and Vivi Bach for starters) so these have been added to my watch later list (except the watch later button doesn't seem to be working at the moment)
Karl May comics - you must be kidding - there were hundreds:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?hs=mHH&q=karl+may+comics&tbm=isch&source=univ&client=opera&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiF3onu7OToAhXJSxUIHXghCogQsAR6BAgMEAE&biw=1821&bih=853
Like Dickens, May was an industry! He died in 1912 and all his work has long been in the public domain (see below). Much of it is not worth reading, to be frank, but the characters he created, like Winnetou, have been rehashed and recreated by others in many forms over the years.
https://www.karl-may-museum.de/en/
https://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=https://www.karl-may-gesellschaft.de/kmg/primlit/indexa.php&prev=search
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I'm sure there are a lot of Karl May comics, all in German of course. I don't have any but I have seen them on a website, but that was years ago. I can't remember where.
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Thank heaven the local PBS stations are done with their pledge drives! Almost three weeks long this year- one can only watch just so much "Celtic Woman" and "50's Doo-Wop"!
Currently watching the new season of "Call the Midwife", "World on Fire" (Masterpiece), and "Baptiste" (Mystery). All very good, with more good stuff coming later.
Our cable Acorn channel just got some new programs (well, new to us!) this week. Currently enjoying all four seasons of "Lovejoy", an old favorite, as well as "Wire in the Blood" with Robson Green, and a hilarious bit of Steampunkish nonsense called "Going Postal".
Hope all of our group's brothers and sisters are safe and well. Remember, you are not alone! You're all part of our online family and if things aren't going very well, please post something and let us know. We DO care!
Cheers to all, Bowers
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here is the first ever cinema James Bond.
Casino Royale (1954) Drama, Action Feature Film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq_ZJB8rcsY
In typical Hollywood style, James Bond played by Barry Nelson, becomes Jimmy and is an American, Felix Leiter becomes British, changes his name to Clarence and is played by An Australian, the great Michael Pate, who has trouble keeping the accent. Peter Lorre plays Le Chiffre and he makes it worthwhile, in my opinion.
The female lead is Linda Christian.
Enjoy!
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Hi Bowers, have a look for a new short series of Van Der Valk, with Marc Warren as the detective. We've watched the first 2 of 3 episodes and thoroughly enjoyed them and taped the 3rd. Set in Amsterdam, it's a modern take on the original Van Der Valk, played by Barry Foster and which started mid '70's. Lots of old episodes here:-
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOjgkw4w3sPRatBZfLzZ2Lv434GdhCqNZ
The theme tune, Eye Level, was a big hit. Unfortunately, there is a problem with the audio on some episodes.
The new series is harder.
One of our cable channels is re-running Unforgotten - Nicola Walker and Sanjeev Bashkar. Sometimes dark and troubling but great performances.
Lighter and funnier is Shakespeare and Hathaway.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7526498/
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Hi, paw! We're getting the new "Van Der Valk" (love Marc Warren) series later this year on PBS Mystery, along with more "Granchester", "Endeavour", and something called "Miss Scarlet and the Duke". Last year we got a second season of "Unforgotten" and "Shakespeare and Hathaway"- loved them both! Also "Vienna Blood", filmed in Austria- quite good. New series starting on Masterpiece soon, "Beecham House" that looks interesting. If we must "shelter in place", then it's good to have something decent to watch! Stay safe, my friend! Cheers, Bowers
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I went to town today - a 32 km round trip for me - and treated myself to the DVD of Bloodshot.
I have just finished watching it. I have been very pleasantly surprised.
If you think you know Bloodshot from the comics, this will surprise you. But it won't disappoint fans.
It's much more of a Science Fiction film than a superhero film. The premise is something that, unlike most Superhero concepts which are pure fantasy, could be possible in the future and may even be being worked on today. The central character never calls himself Bloodshot, never thinks of himself as a superhero and never wears a costume. Apart from the leads all the actors are relative unknowns. And this it the director's first film, He's more interested in SF.
Wilson is set to next direct the upcoming film adaptation of the Daniel Suarez sci-fi thriller novel Influx
Watch this guy!
A refreshing change from the average comic book movie. The most refreshing thing for me is that - Nobody yells! I hate actors constantly doing that for dramatic effect.
Recommended.
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This one is for Paw in particular.
An attempt to update Bulldog Drummond and turn him into another James Bond.
And not a bad movie at that. Starring the excellent Richard Johnson.
And apparently the first movie Tarantino remembers seeing.
Deadlier than the male
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViY7CR2TSO8
Enjoy!
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Good choice - great movie - saw it some time back
As I understand it, there was talk at one time of Richard Johnson being James Bond but it didn't happen so this was almost like a consolation prize.
There's a follow-up - equally good - Some Girls Do:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0enqtI2uko
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This one is for Paw in particular.
An attempt to update Bulldog Drummond and turn him into another James Bond.
And not a bad movie at that. Starring the excellent Richard Johnson.
And apparently the first movie Tarantino remembers seeing.
Deadlier than the male
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViY7CR2TSO8
Enjoy!
Look up an old British film "Odd Man Out". It could have a serious source of Tarantino's style of action/caper film .
The Characters interaction, dialogue and the way things go pear shaped without warning are pure Tarantino style. The development and back stories of characters is much like you'd expect from a Tarantino film. The characters just can't break the self destructive cycles set in stone by their pasts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odd_Man_Out
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Excellent tip - I haven't seen this so I'm looking forward to watching it tonight:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVpuuoSFGeg
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Came across this looking at Music Sites. I'm no expert in Manga so much of these are new to me.
Yuji Ohno
is a Japanese jazz musician. Ohno is known for his musical scoring of Japanese anime television series, particularly Lupin III, and most famously the 1977 series Lupin III Part II and the feature film The Castle of Cagliostro.[1] Later anime series scored by Ohno include Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars, the 1979 Toei series Captain Future (known as Capitaine Flam in France) and the 1982 series Space Adventure Cobra
Capitaine Flam we have discussed in these pages before..
Some of these I am going to track down and watch.
Comics?
There are English Translated Cobra comics printed in the UK.
There are Lupin III comics widely distributed ( as far as I can see, particularly in Frasnce in Italy, but no English translations that I know of.
The Lupin Mangas look good, and I will be tracking those down in DVD collections if they exist.
There was also a Lupin III movie scheduled for release, probably in Japan and France, in March this year, if I can get hold of that I will.
Actually in the trailer, below,it looks like the TinTin Movie, which for me was disappointing. This looks good tho.
lupin iii out of context: farewell to nostradamus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ULPPwMc1qU
Play the Lupin Samba Music Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdFZtaekXVU
Lupin III: The First Official Trailer with English Subtitles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPit-LFyXi0
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Meep Meep :D
I am currently watching cartoons with the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote ;D. The Roadrunner ist sympathetic, but my heart beats for the coyote. 8)
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Walt Disney Documentary
From a friend, I got a Walt Disney documentary (a TV recording from the broadcaster Arte), a film from the U.K. from 2015, directed by Sarah Colt, total running time 220 minutes, I will try to watch this film on the weekend and then I know for sure more about the strikes in the WD studios and Disney history in general.
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Meep Meep :D
I am currently watching cartoons with the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote ;D. The Roadrunner ist sympathetic, but my heart beats for the coyote. 8)
You have a wild ride ahead of you.
As for Disney. I have his full biography.
I find it hilarious that his first successful use of his artistic talents was taking discarded WW1 German helmets and painting them in the camouflage pattern used by German snipers then selling them as souvenirs to unwary troops headed home at war's end.
Disney was a stretcher bearer and ambulance driver in that war.
He also painted company emblems on leather coats worn by dispatch riders, since it was forbidden to sew patches on these coats.
Unfortunately he never signed these works. If he had I expect they'd fetch tens of thousands at art auctions.
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As for Disney. I have his full biography.
Unfortunately, I haven't gotten around to watching the Disney documentary by Sarah Colt.
I have now also ordered a book, a Disney biography by Bob Thomas, which is also available as a German edition, from the year 1986.
By the way, my buddy Wile E. has given up trying to catch the Roadrunner ;D, he works as a sheep thief now and yesterday, I saw a cartoon, he wanted to catch Bugs Bunny! I didn't know, that Wile E. and Bugs would appear together in a cartoon, I really enjoyed to seeing the cartoon. But I knew from the start, that the story wasn't going to end well for Wile E . . . ;) ;D
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Although I'm not a big Disney cartoon fan - I much prefer the Barks, Gottfriedson, Taliaferro comic strips - I'm intrigued by the Disney documentary. All I have to do now is find it!
Our viewing here during lockdown has mainly been re-runs of Lewis; Midsomer Murders; Death in Paradise and when my wife is otherwise occupied I've been watching old STNG and Voyager episodes.
The recent Doctor Who Special Edition with improved animation of Power of The Daleks is good stuff and I've managed to watch a bit. Just so many other things going on and I'm desperate to sit down and binge the whole lot.
https://www.doctorwho.tv/news/?article=the-power-of-the-daleks-returns#_
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The thing about Wile E though is that he is a role model for us all.
No matter how tough life gets, no matter how many times we fail, no matter how hard it is constantly butting our heads against the solid brick wall in frustration, the only thing to do is to get up the next day and try again.
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I normally defer to my wife's viewing habits - so recently we've been watching A Suitable Boy (very good) and Murdoch Mysteries (my wife has a soft spot for Crabtree). When my wife goes out, I binge on sci-fi movies. Just seen Valerian and liked it very much though the male lead was a bit weak.
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A not very serious consideration: If Wile E. is so hungry, why didn't he buy something to eat with the money, he spent in the ACME department store? ;D ;D
British TV series are very popular in Germany, there are a lot of fans of Insp. Barnaby, Insp. Morse, Insp. Lewis, Insp. Lynley and many more. Dr. Who didn't have it easy in Germany, but meanwhile he / she has a loyal fan base here too.
I also find the Scandinavian crime films very interesting, but often too brutal. I really like the Wallander films with Kenneth Branagh, like all of his films, he's a great actor. His Shakespeare films are a delight!
This weekend I'll watch some episodes of "Death in Paradise".
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I'm a big fan of early sixties German movies - particularly the Edgar Wallace movies with Klaus Kinski and Eddi Arendt in various roles - both favourite actors of mine - but also gorgeous women like Karin Dor. I also love those Heimat musicals with Vivi Bach and Trude Herr. Wenn die Musik spielt am W
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Oh yes, the old German Edgar Wallace films have really cult status here and are also very popular with young people. The crime series 'Tatort' has been an integral part of German culture since 1970, and there are now almost 1,200 movies. There are also now here at us a little bit bizarre crime series, that are very entertaining. Germany is a lucky TV and Movie Land, we watch the best from here and from the world. :)
I didn't plan it, but I'll watch "Death in Paradise" today and tomorrow - I can't help it. :o 8) ;D
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There is a German Sci Fi series I'd dearly love to see dubbed in English. The title in German "Raumpatrouille Orion" translates as "Space Patrol Orion".
It was considered a German Star Trek, with much the same elements, though after attempting to wade through an episode I found in German I don't think that is entirely true.
PS
Found these episodes with English subtitles.
Of course the German speaking members here won't need the subtitles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJI4J92Btis&list=PLv0Ak2uwEb_1caaFBlBMz0-kU9bWEgo3d
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Oh yes, I've seen some of those - they're okay. Basic special effects but fun - reminded me of Blake's Seven
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The title in German "Raumpatrouille Orion" translates as "Space Patrol Orion".
It was considered a German Star Trek [...]
This is a common misconception :), the only thing they have in common, is the year it was first broadcast (1966). The biggest difference is probably the money, the German TV-station had only a very very small budget for 'Raumpatrouille', the consequences are very, very amusing ;D from today's point of view: irons were used for the technical decoration, pencil sharpeners, ice cream scoops, shower heads and the robots have on the arms gynecological forceps . . . and much more, you can hardly believe it today :D. If the actors weren't so good and the stories weren't so exciting and humorous, no one would remember the series today, but more than one TV generation was shaped by the 'Raumpatrouille' - me too. 8)
Another reason for the success was the incredibly great music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfv-wtFfTTE
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The weekend is just around the corner, so it's time to think about my personal TV program. This time, I have superheroes to choose from.
Superman Cartoons - 1941-43, by Max Fleischer - 17 episodes, 8 minutes per Ep.
Spiderman Cartoons - 1967, prod. by Ralph Bakshi, 15 episodes, 11 minutes per Ep.
Captain America Cartoons - 1966, 13 episodes.
Marvel Super Heroes Cartoons (Capt. America, Thor, Iron Man, Namor) - 1966, 16 episodes, 17 minutes per. Ep.
SHAZAM! ;D
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Two things come under this category for me.
First - I managed to find and download a copy of the 1935 version of SHE. This was a Ray Harryhausen production (one I wasn't aware of) and starred Randolph Scott ,and Nigel Bruce.
And here it is on YouTube. Interesting but the dialogue is a bit wooden.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_c0T5I_bQA
Second - I don't speak French, but I spent today looking at french comics. I came across the Nestor Burma comics by Jacques Tardi. I had, some time back, read about 6 of the Novels so I was familiar with the character.
https://www.coolfrenchcomics.com/nestorburma.htm
The character was featured in several movies and also a Television Series, which is why I have posted here in 'Watcha Watchin'?'
This link will take you to a large number of episodes of the series.
https://www.coolfrenchcomics.com/nestorburma.htm
And here is what is said to be the best of the movies. [120 Rue de la Gare]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piXM5SHtnAc
The original books began in the WWII occupation and continued into the 50's. This series is more modern day.
Enjoy!
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... the 1935 version of SHE
A film, not a very high quality production, but you can still see it. It is often said, a book was better than the film adaptation, seldom has it been as true as in this case. The book "She" by Sir Henry Rider Haggard is one of my all-time favorite books.
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What have I been watching lately? I should explain that before my retirement, I worked overseas for many years - never saw much TV or went to the movies - so I'm still very much in catch-up mode:
The Green Hornet - hated it. Couldn't decide what it wanted to be - pastiche or parody, neo or retro. Seth Rogen's acting was appalling - someone should explain to him about tone and ensemble. Jay Chou was okay but had little to work with. Cameron Diaz totally miscast - she should sue her agent
The Man from Uncle - loved it. Stylish, fun, exciting action scenes. Great characterisation, particularly Armie Hammer. Guy Ritchie brings something different to every scene as a director. I know it lost a lot of money so there's no follow-up movie in Istanbul - shame really.
Agent Carter - Half-way through series 1 and loving it.
The Originals - Okay but repetitive in terms of plot. One-dimensional characters, wooden acting. I've stopped after series 1 - incredibly, I see there are four more series - who makes these decisions?
Kingsman - Liked this more than I thought I would. Colin Firth made it work, so I'm not too sure about seeing the follow-up
Under Correction - Tough gritty post-war Russian gangster series. English subtitles. Well worth a look - the Russians know how to make good TV
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFIPrhUB53o
Judex (1963) - loved it - stylish, exuberant - I have the serial lined up next
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Andrew's mention of Green Hornet interests me as I also think the film stinks, but for anyone who likes the idea of GH, try the 2 movie serials, particularly the 1st one. The tv show is entertaining - I have all the episodes and the serials.
My viewing over the next wee while will be Paul Temple and The Toff. I bought the Renown box set with all 4 remastered Temple films and 2 Toff films. There are some interesting fillers to have a swatch at as well.
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Paw,
Was the Toff ever a comic book?
Answered my own question.
He featured in Super Detective Library #061 and # 110
Both are here on CB+
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I think those were the only 2 comic adaptations. There are 2 radio serials available on you tube:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeMxwYMnbLs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPWeShxbwg4
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Thank heaven the local PBS stations are done with their pledge drives! Almost three weeks long this year- one can only watch just so much "Celtic Woman" and "50's Doo-Wop"!
Currently watching the new season of "Call the Midwife", "World on Fire" (Masterpiece), and "Baptiste" (Mystery). All very good, with more good stuff coming later.
Our cable Acorn channel just got some new programs (well, new to us!) this week. Currently enjoying all four seasons of "Lovejoy", an old favorite, as well as "Wire in the Blood" with Robson Green, and a hilarious bit of Steampunkish nonsense called "Going Postal".
Hope all of our group's brothers and sisters are safe and well. Remember, you are not alone! You're all part of our online family and if things aren't going very well, please post something and let us know. We DO care!
Cheers to all, Bowers
So, you are in The US, then?
I'm stuck in L.A. because of the pandemic, and my fear of catching the virus, by being packed in with many people in closed quarters in public places (such as airport waiting rooms and packed airplanes for 10+ hour trips), as I am well into my 70s. Speaking of US PBS-TV, despite not being much of a TV watcher these past 20 years, I'm currently watching a very interesting Belgian police/crime series, called "Professor 'T' ", (which may have a different title in different countries. It is about a high-functioning Asperger's Syndrome Autist criminal psychology professor with a super-Human memory (like that of Sherlock Holmes), who acts as a consultant to Antwerp's Police Department on especially difficult cases. It was aired for 3 seasons of 13 shows, each, and shown in Belgium in 2015, 2016, and 2018, and in The Netherlands in 2017, 2018, and 2019. The main character, Jasper Teerlinck, is ridiculously knowledgeable about why people in general, and especially the criminal minds act the way they do in any situation. He is extremely clever, but also extremely arrogant, and so, is very frustrating for his colleagues at The University of Antwerp and that City's police department to work with. The cases are very complicated, but interesting; and the interplay between the professor and his colleagues is very funny. The dialog is in Flemish (but it is not heavy Antwerp dialect). The British "Channel 4" broadcasts have English subtitles. It is very clearly spoken, and as close as Flemish can be to Standard Dutch - so quite understandable for Dutch speakers.
The lead character is so very exasperating, because he seems to know every detail about every aspect of criminal psychology, seemingly holding hundreds of thousands of data points of knowledge (holding an unlimited number of facts in his memory). He allows the police to first test their theories on cases, and then, when they are stumped, and don't know which direction to proceed, he steps in to "save" them, and solve the case, usually in an amazing, totally unexpected way, not unlike Sherlock Holmes.
I've been a big fan of the original "Sherlock Holmes" stories by Arthur Conan Doyle since reading them as a pre-teen in the 1950s, as well as comic book portrayals of those stories from the 1940s and 1950s, as well as the films of his stories and new stories made in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, and of the related British TV series in the 1950s. I also love the 1940s cartoony comic book comedy parodies in US comic books.
This TV series has both the great suspense of the serious adaptations, as well as the tongue-in-cheek injection of humour watching this eccentric, egotistical, "rain-man" who we all know from dealing with Aspergian, cumpulsive comic book collectors, who seem to know every possible bit of information about every comic book that was ever printed.
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" It is about a high-functioning Asperger's Syndrome Autist criminal psychology professor with a super-Human memory (like that of Sherlock Holmes), who acts as a consultant to Antwerp's Police Department on especially difficult cases."
Sounds like a ripoff of "Monk".
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I was trying to think of Monk.Thanks! So is SHERLOCK, Obsessive compulsive and 'I'm a high - functioning Sociopath' also a rip-off of Monk?
Honest Trailers - Sherlock (BBC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38_c6dh6Y6M
If you have never watched any of the 'Honest Trailers' you are missing something.
You'll never view some of these movies the same way.
And - I couldn't remember the actor or the show, so just now I searched for 'Obsessive detective in a trenchcoat' and found it. Columbo
And how could we forget 'Luther' That's the London detective, not the comics character.
Oh,and, do that search and you will find a lot of geek info on 'detective trenchcoats'
Like this one
10 Best TV Detective Coats
https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/best-tv-detective-coats/
Go figure
I have a Driza-Bone myself. Like the one at the top of this page, but not so rumpled.
https://www.drizabone.com.au/our-history
Cheers!
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I was trying to think of Monk.Thanks! So is SHERLOCK, Obsessive compulsive and 'I'm a high - functioning Sociopath' also a rip-off of Monk?
Honest Trailers - Sherlock (BBC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38_c6dh6Y6M
If you have never watched any of the 'Honest Trailers' you are missing something.
You'll never view some of these movies the same way.
And - I couldn't remember the actor or the show, so just now I searched for 'Obsessive detective in a trenchcoat' and found it. Columbo
And how could we forget 'Luther' That's the London detective, not the comics character.
Oh,and, do that search and you will find a lot of geek info on 'detective trenchcoats'
Like this one
10 Best TV Detective Coats
https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/best-tv-detective-coats/
Go figure
I have a Driza-Bone myself. Like the one at the top of this page, but not so rumpled.
https://www.drizabone.com.au/our-history
Cheers!
To me, "Professor T" is a LOT better than Monk, and very different in tone to that of Columbo and the other detective series. Professor T is an academic, - not a private detective or a policeman. He has been suspended from teaching his classes at his university for behaviour unworthy of a faculty member, while missing meetings, forgetting to teach his class, not fulfilling his professorly duties, etc., and is periodically off and on in a World of his own in delusions. He seems to be a schizophrenic, along with his other mental conditions. While under suspension, he has been ordered to "assist the police, as needed, upon their request", as part of his psychiatrist's plan for his "rehabilitation". The police and university staff all seem to be much more realistic characters than I have seen in the US dramatic detective series whose writers and directors have tried to sprinkle with elements of comedy. ALL the characters, including the slightly exaggerated Professor Teerlinck, seem much more real to me. I have met them all. Whereas, "Monk", "Columbo", and many of the US detective series didn't feel very natural to me. They seemed too "forced". I felt that several of the BBC detective series were excellent, however.
This is more of a psychological drama than a detective series. To me, it's more about how a psychological defective deals (or doesn't deal) with other people, and his place in The World. It's VERY real to me because having been a serious, big-time compulsive record collector, and met the REALLY SICK super-compulsive record collectors, who would kill their own grandmother or break into another collector's house to get that elusive dead rare record, or would spend his own family's life savings to buy it, leading to divorce and hardly ever seeing his children to get his hands on it. And I've met a few comic book collectors who also had that sickness. And, another trait with which I can identify, is the encyclopedic photographic memory that so many collectors have for the gigantic volume of details long-time collectors keep in their brains' memory banks related to the thousands of records or comic books they possess or have read or have on scans and digital memory. I, and many of the collectors I have met over the years can rattle off all the book numbers or record label catalogue numbers of every series, or label, telling what stories are inside, what is on which panel, the lyrics of each song, often its running time, and sundry other trivial details that would be of no interest to a "normal" person. Having known so many people like that, The story of "Professor T" is very real to me, especially because its writers and director did a great job of making this series very realistic. Also the atmosphere in Universiteit Antwerpen is right on the mark (with the petty jealousies of faculty members, kissing up and fawning to higher-ups, - the whole atmosphere of academia was also spot on.
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I was trying to think of Monk.Thanks! So is SHERLOCK, Obsessive compulsive and 'I'm a high - functioning Sociopath' also a rip-off of Monk?
Honest Trailers - Sherlock (BBC)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38_c6dh6Y6M
If you have never watched any of the 'Honest Trailers' you are missing something.
You'll never view some of these movies the same way.
And - I couldn't remember the actor or the show, so just now I searched for 'Obsessive detective in a trenchcoat' and found it. Columbo
And how could we forget 'Luther' That's the London detective, not the comics character.
Oh,and, do that search and you will find a lot of geek info on 'detective trenchcoats'
Like this one
10 Best TV Detective Coats
https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/best-tv-detective-coats/
Go figure
I have a Driza-Bone myself. Like the one at the top of this page, but not so rumpled.
https://www.drizabone.com.au/our-history Cheers!
The modern "Sherlock" is a fantasy with the lead character having super-Human powers, and acting like a superhero. It bears little relation to real life. On the other hand, the fictional character, Jasper Teerlinck is almost exactly like several academicians I know, and like MANY big-time comic book and record collectors collectors I know, and like almost ALL of The German "Donaldists" I know. So, unlike "Sherlock", "Professor T" is an all too realistic drama about Human tragedy, with some funny bits to lighten it up a bit. The quirky, psychological defective and how he gets along in The World, and how others deal with him, is more important to the series than the crime cases.
"Monk"is different from the other two series, in that it is more like a straight detective series, in which the crime story is more important than the lead character. The original conception tried to make the lead character a bit unusual, but not to the point that his life is more important than the individual cases he solves.
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Always welcome:
Gertie the Dinosaur (1914) - Winsor McCay
:)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGXC8gXOPoU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGXC8gXOPoU)
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Today I'll watch the Barbarella movie. I've seen this movie a few times, but I never get bored of it.
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Didn't Barbarella start out as a newspaper strip in France?
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Jean-Claude Forest became world famous when he created the sexy sci-fi strip Barbarella, which was originally published in France in V Magazine in 1962. The strip was an immediate bestseller and was soon translated into a dozen languages. In 1967 it was adapted by Terry Southern and Roger Vadim and made into a major motion picture, with Forest acting as design consultant.
Also, He graduated from the Paris School of Design in the early 1950s and immediately began working as an illustrator. While at the Paris School of Design Forest drew his first comic strip, Fl
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I never seem to get past the title sequence.
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The radio and TV broadcast of the 'Last Night Of The Proms' is one of my highlights of the year for a long time, like my Birthday, Christmas or New Year's Eve. Today it is time again. :)
The concert will look different this time. After the BBC was able to offer mainly online, radio and television concerts and only a few live events all summer long, instead of a big concert, today there will be small musical events broadcast: "In countless living rooms across the country and the World". The organizers have not yet revealed which artists will perform.
The soprano Golda Schultz, violinist Lisa Batiashvili and the miniaturized BBC Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Dalia Stasevska will play in the Royal Albert Hall itself. The choir is probably singing outside the building. More details will probably only be known shortly before the appointment.
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Just yesterday watched, 'The Mask of Dimitrious' 1944. This was based on a book by Eric Ambler and the movie script was by Frank Gruber, a great pulp writer himself.
Starred Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, and Zachary Scott as Dimitrious. I have the book, but never finished it. This is one of those times where you watch the movie and then want to go read the book. So I shall.
Next up will be Lady in the Lake (1946) An adaption of Raymond Chandler's book starring Robert Montgomery. and the great Audrey Totter. I have already watched the first 10 minutes of this and it is good! Was attracted to it when I read that Chandler had given it his seal of approval.
Preview here.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039545/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
Scriptwriter on this is Steve Fisher who had a long career. Looking him up I found that there was a Matt Helm TV series. I'll have to check that one out. Hope it was more Noir than the movies.
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I took the liberty of bringing this discussion into this thread, I hope this is ok. :)
A series that was never shown in Germany. Presumably a flying nun was not serious enough for the German television stations :o. But the purchasing policy of the German TV stations in the 50s to 70s was very strange in general.
ABSOLUTELY true! the TV show, "The Flying Nun" was far too stupid for ANY country's TV fare. But, certainly for education-minded Deutschland. But then, they think Willy Milowich is funny! So, there is no accounting for taste. Yes, The German censors and TV policy-makers have loosened up some over the last 40 years.
In the past, more stupid films and TV series were shown in Germany, than one can imagine, today there are many stupid live shows shown here in the TV.
Willy Millowitsch was a special German comedian, who didn't have a lot of fans outside of the greater Cologne area.
When I was a kid, I loved TV shows like "Time Tunnel", "U.F.O." and many others, when I later saw her as an adult, I was disappointed. Still, I have these series on DVD ;) , because they are an part of my childhood. :)
There are series and films that age very well and some just seem embarrassing today.
I can still watch today series like 'Get Smart', 'I Dream of Jeannie', 'Tammy', 'The Doris Day Show' with great pleasure - but I'm yet also a huge Doris Day fan. :)
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I took the liberty of bringing this discussion into this thread, I hope this is ok. :)
A series that was never shown in Germany. Presumably a flying nun was not serious enough for the German television stations :o. But the purchasing policy of the German TV stations in the 50s to 70s was very strange in general.
ABSOLUTELY true! the TV show, "The Flying Nun" was far too stupid for ANY country's TV fare. But, certainly for education-minded Deutschland. But then, they think Willy Milowich is funny! So, there is no accounting for taste. Yes, The German censors and TV policy-makers have loosened up some over the last 40 years.
In the past, more stupid films and TV series were shown in Germany, than one can imagine, today there are many stupid live shows shown here in the TV.
Willy Millowitsch was a special German comedian, who didn't have a lot of fans outside of the greater Cologne area.
When I was a kid, I loved TV shows like "Time Tunnel", "U.F.O." and many others, when I later saw her as an adult, I was disappointed. Still, I have these series on DVD ;) , because they are an part of my childhood. :)
There are series and films that age very well and some just seem embarrassing today.
I can still watch today series like 'Get Smart', 'I Dream of Jeannie', 'Tammy', 'The Doris Day Show' with great pleasure - but I'm yet also a huge Doris Day fan. :)
Did Germany get "Mr. Ed" (the Talking Horse) ?
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Did Germany get "Mr. Ed" (the Talking Horse) ?
Of course of course,
Germany knows,
a horse is a horse.
;D
Between 1962 and 1965, many episodes were broadcast synchronized in Germany, but there were hardly any repetitions and I actually saw episodes of this series for the first time 10 years ago (!) - and I liked them immediately. I was thrilled, that Alan Young was there, because he is also one of the cast member of one of my favorite films: "The Time Machine" (1960). :)
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Tomorrow evening in my DVD player: "A Man Of Constant Sorrow" :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9d2aBkiwXwg
O Brother, Where Art Thou? - USA/UK/F 2000
A wonderful film by the Coen brothers. :)
The story of the song:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_of_Constant_Sorrow (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_of_Constant_Sorrow)
The story of the film:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Brother,_Where_Art_Thou%3F (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Brother,_Where_Art_Thou%3F)
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Sitting here writing up my Reading Group last post. I accidentally turned the TV on. I don't normally watch it, would rather choose what I want.
What happens to be on but John Ford's Donovan's Reef.
This is a very entertaining and interesting film.
First. This was Ford's excuse for a party. He invited a group of actors and movie people who were all close friends to Hawaii to make a film and party at the same time.
So John Wayne, Lee Marvin, Jack Warden, Caesar Romero, Dorothy Lamour, Mike Mazurki, Edgar Buchanan.
So it comes across as a light comedy, but it is anything but, when you get under the surface.
This review sums it up.
https://www.timeout.com/movies/donovans-reef
It also has at least one masterpiece film scene, as far as I am concerned. This is the scene where the inhibited Amelia Dedham nastily insults John Wayne's Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan character. He doesn't reply, he just leaves the room. But what John Ford does with that is a masterpiece. You laugh at it, but, if you are me, you stop and think how much effort went into that short scene.And how apt the scene was, it just says everything.
Thoroughly recommended movie.
Also shows that you can make a very serious movie without appearing to be serious.
Also, this movie should be used by TV stations as a Christmas perennial.
Going to stop now and watch the end of the movie.
Cheers!
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We've been taken by Roadkill, a new serial on BBC with Hugh Laurie as a politican described as, "An ambitious politician untroubled by guilt - in pursuit of power while enemies circle."
It's all getting quite complicated for the viewer but precarious for the politician. Good stuff.
Also, re-runs of The Brokenwood Mysteries:-
https://thebrokenwoodmysteries.com
Some of the patter is funny; they are good mysteries; a cast of oddball characters and lots of lovely NZ wine.
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Yes, we've been watching Roadkill too - enjoying it immensely. Hugh Laurie is a great actor in this type of role, like a rabbit trapped in headlights. Loved him in House of course - and he will always be the one and only Bertie Wooster.
Brokenwood has been added to my Christmas list!
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We've been taken by Roadkill, a new serial on BBC with Hugh Laurie as a politican described as, "An ambitious politician untroubled by guilt - in pursuit of power while enemies circle."
It's all getting quite complicated for the viewer but precarious for the politician. Good stuff.
Also, re-runs of The Brokenwood Mysteries:-
https://thebrokenwoodmysteries.com
Some of the patter is funny; they are good mysteries; a cast of oddball characters and lots of lovely NZ wine.
Caught a few minutes of Roadkill this morning quite by accident. The channel it was on had the guide entries mixed up.
I'll try to catch the series from the beginning one day.
I mainly watched as much as I did because I was wondering if that was Hugh Laurie. His character was far better dressed and clean shaven compared to House, but the eyes were just as haunted.
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Watched both "Roadkill" and "Cobra"- unfortunately they were being aired back-to-back! Each good in its own right, but a bit hard to watch so much political back stabbing all at once. Also, I am absolutely hooked on "Professor T"! The visuals alone are worth the watch. "Van der Valk" was another winner. Marc Warren and Maimie McCoy are an excellent team and I hope it gets another season. Thank God for Brit TV- US programming has become such awful rubbish! Cheers and safety to all, Bowers
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A friend gave me "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance", a 10-part TV series from 2019. The episodes tell the story before the 1982 film. I think the film is wonderful and I am looking forward to seeing the series - and then the film, that I haven't seen in the last 20 years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Crystal:_Age_of_Resistance (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Crystal:_Age_of_Resistance)
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Well, I went from beer to Jackie Chan. Looking up 'Drunken Master' I came across this print of 'Accidental Spy' which I am now watching.
This has a voice-over in Thai which is annoying but it also has English subtitles and the original dialogue most of which is in English is audible under the voice-over. I think I've seen this before but not with a print this good. This is Widescreen and a damn good movie. Watch how Jackie, who is choreographer and Director, finds a use for everting in a room or an environment. Look at the fight in the prison/hospital room for example. His films should be required viewing for anybody wanting to make an action movie. And the scene, of course, ends with a gag.
ĐẶC VỤ M? TH?NH [Thuyết Minh] - Th?nh Long, Scott Adkins | Phim H?nh Động V? Thuật H?i Chiếu Rạp
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O7CM-ZH8bw
By the way, if you don't already know, some posters on YouTube, post movies with the title missing. That way it doesn't show up in YouTubes own searches.And doesn't get taken down for a while. So if you search, for instance, for a generic title like 'New Superhero movies' or New Hindi Movies' or 'New action movies' - you might be surprised at what comes up.
Cheers!
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For the record, my favourite Jackie Chan film was City Hunter - it was the first Chan movie I saw and I was blown away by the scale of the on-camera stunts. Watch it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro9_iKGNazI
There was also a decent anime series for manga lovers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Ie8z2tZDU8&list=PL5I6fnH-vsoiv35TyeIC-qrp7h6qF1sFe
Did you know Jackie was in two Bruce Lee movies - as one of the many extras who get beaten up in set scenes.
I'm told his new movie - Vanguard - is a return to form.
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Can't help myself here. Stayed up late to watch
'Accidental Spy' again. Link above. thinking ' Is this the one that has.....? ' Yep, it was.
The Accidental Spy Jackie chan movie in English|| Jackie Chan movie in English||
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW9mgj1z3Ks
Below is the original Golden Harvest Version - included because of the Coda right at the end, which seems to only be on this version. Seems to be a bit of an ad.
Hollywood makes Speed - which I love, and which is considered a classic. Jackie sees it, says I like that, I'll use it, but no blue screens. We'll use a Tanker, not a bus. It will be on fire and we will do it for real.
We will transfer people in and out of the cabin while in motion, and at the end I will jump off a humongous high bridge on a rope. I'll just tag it on to the end of this film we are already making.
If you have seen the original - it has all the usual post-credit scenes of alternate takes of the stunts where sometimes Jackie appears to injure himself. And there are scenes of setting up the jump, and of his crew running in to check his well-being when he lands after the jump.
But for true daring, just HOW? did he get away with running nude through the streets of Istanbul?
You can bet all the people on screen are crew and extras.
He's renowned for Martial arts, but his creative imagination is second to none. the 'creating a dress from a hanging cloth' scene - is sheer genius.
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Has anyone tried the EpIX series of War of the Worlds? My wife and I watched the first two episodes a while ago. I just watched the third episode. I realized why it was so long a wait. Just can not get into it at all. I don't think there is any of it that I have enjoyed at all.
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If you are in the running for a Superhero movie, here is a fan-made effort which is better than some B-grade mainstream Superhero movies.
NINJAK VS THE VALIANT UNIVERSE - The Complete Webseries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA8YHf-zXsk
I think this was made in an attempt by fans to convince major studios that the Valiant Universe was viable as a source for movies. I think they succeeded. And this is from somebody who has mixed feelings about the original [Shooter] iteration of the Valiant universe.
Valiant suffered a severe blow this year when Lockdown interfered with the theatrical release of the BLOODSHOT movie with Vin Diesel and Guy Pearce. As i have said elsewhere it is an excellent movie and deserved better.
Now I think about it, I haven't seen any Valiant releases advertised for a couple of months now. I hope they haven't been knocked out of the game.
Cheers!
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The British Edge of Darkness mini-series is one of my favorites.
Bob
Superb series. Also has a soundtrack by Eric Clapton, which is unforgetable, and also hard get on record.
Speaking of music, been thinking of posting these for a while.
3 films on Google, 2 french films with Jazz soundtracks and one American film a 'fictional documentary' which inspired a number of compositions.
So for the Jazz fans among us, here are:-
Des Femmes Disparaissent or The Road to shame (Edouard Molinaro, 1959)
Art Blakey and the New Jazz Messengers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSApAuMEhHU
Le chat dans le sac
John Coltrane
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDMLwA8yWa0
The Connection (Shirley Clarke, 1961) (Subtitulada en Espa?ol)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fz0eMDCtb8
Freddie Redd Quartet - Music From The Connection
Enjoy!
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The recent posts on Best British Comedy put me in mind of this little gem, but I couldn't remember its name.
Way ahead of its time, here is, Just found it today.
[Yes, it's pouring rain, I'm on my own and having a quiet New Year's Day in.]
Ladies Who Do | Full HD Movies For Free | Flick Vault
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62gpAJoOxvU
Cheers!
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I should have posted this pre-Christmas, but I hope it's not too late for some of you to enjoy. Great story, great cast - Peter Cushing & Andr? Morell - tight. We watched this last night for the 3rd. time:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePvJS-gLWHE
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I just realized that when I did the Jackie Chan post above I didn't include a link.
That's corrected, but here is the link again.
The Accidental Spy Jackie chan movie in English|| Jackie Chan movie in English||
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uW9mgj1z3Ks
Cheers!
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Classic Monster Movies
Use this link to access classic Universal Monster Movies - available for one week!
https://www.reviewgeek.com/66950/seven-classic-monster-movies-will-be-free-to-watch-on-youtube-for-one-week/
Includes - Dracula - The Mummy - Frankenstein - Invisable Man - Bride of Frankenstein - Wolfman - Abbott and Costello meet the Wolfman.
Turn off the light, get out the popcorn- cuddle up with the wife or significant other and enjoy!
Cheers!
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Interesting times when series like this exist - via Kickstarter compaigns and not produced by a major studio.
The way of the future?
The Greatest Sci-Fi Show You're Not Watching -- Full Episode!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8eALkBo8Gw
Watch Episode One of Space Command, with Mira Furlan, Doug Jones, Robert Picardo, Bill Mumy, Bruce Boxleitner and Michael Harney! To see more episodes, pledge to our Kickstarter campaign -- https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/... And don't miss the special new two-hour Space Command episode we posted! https://youtu.be/5mElPse3NsE
Cheers!
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That's my viewing sorted for tonight - plus episode seven of Jessica Jones. I'm sticking with the series fascinated to see if Krysten Ritter can express any emotion other than surly bad temper.
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In finding the Clips for British crime shows in my post in Mike Hammer, I came across this absolute Gem which I saw years ago and never forgot. No explanation, no spoilers but it is exactly what London Taxi drivers had to do to get a license.
The Knowledge (1979)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSAAB1ZmudY
and then this, also brilliant.
The Chain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z3mxm_L5dg
Made my day finding these!
Cheers!
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Excellent Panther. And now you've watched The Knowledge, try this wee murder:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sk_IbjsbVU
Great news, McDonald and Dodds comes back next Sunday.
https://tellymix.co.uk/tv/572050-mcdonald-dodds-2021-trailer-and-start-date-revealed-for-series-2.html
If you can access this site outside the UK, you can watch previous:-
https://www.itv.com/hub/mcdonald-dodds/2a7401
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Space Command was interesting thanks Panther
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A couple of Golden Age influenced works coming up:
Mark Miller's Jupiter's Legacy with its Watchman/JSA riff starts on Netflix May 21. Looks interesting
A Blue Beetle movie is in the works from Disney (I think) based on the new Latino Blue Beetle. Honestly, I was never a big Blue Beetle fan - guess I couldn't see what made him different
Oh , one more - but not Golden Age. If you are a Killing Eve fan (and who doesn't like psycho-women with guns?), you might be interested in the same director's Promising Young Women - about to be released on DVD.
https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/promising-young-woman-review-1203480660/
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The new series of Unforgotten started this week with the always excellent Nicola Walker, and Sanjeev Bhaskar very believable and enjoyable as the D.I. Intriguing start and another good mystery it looks like.
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Is everyone watching Resident Alien? My wife and I love it. Based on a comic I also liked. The humor is fantastic.
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In the last couple of weeks viewing got much better for me and my wife. The return of McDonald and Dodds was a cause for celebration. Excellent performances from the leads, particularly Jason Watkin as Dodds. Good stories, a bit of humour, beautiful views of Bath and good bad guys. This 1st story featured some horrible attitudes from Rupert Graves and Martin Kemp. Well worth a watch. Now, how does it compare to the rerun of the balloon story in Brokenwood??????
Unforgotten had part 2 of it's new run this week with the always excellent Nicola Walker as the DCI, and Sanjeev Bhaskar as DI Sunny Khan. A good very complicated plot and insights into Walker's home problems with her dad, played by Peter Egan.
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I'm always about 10 years behind in my DVD viewing. The advantage of this is that it provides perspective and you can ignore any series that was panned - the disadvantage is that when I die there will be ten years viewing I'll be cursing myself that I've missed.
I'm currently watching Gotham series 2 (I love it - Sean Pertwee as Alfred is a nugget of gold - and the other parts are all well cast) and Heroes series 3 - which suddenly takes off in the second half of the series.
I've just finished watching Supergirl series 2 - not as good as series 1 (Calista Flockhart is missing) and far too preachy. I doubt I'll stick with it for series 3.
In terms of British TV, I'm looking forward to new series of Guilty and Shetland which are coming our way later this year.
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A huge yes to both Guilty and Shetland.
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I watched the season premiere of "The Mentalist" last night. Pretty good, but a little bit of a letdown after last season's finale. I had to rewatch the finale last week and I Googled William Blake's "Tyger, Tyger burning bright..." to see if I could decipher Red John's clue. Somehow, I ended up on a site discussing this very thing. Lots of little clues and "coincidences" I hadn't noticed before. I love a show that makes me think! I also tried to watch the highly promoted new sci-fi (?) show, "The Event". Flashbacks and rewinds can be very effective story-telling devices if used properly and sparingly. Unfortunately, the writers and director went way overboard. Instead of creating suspense, it seemed to be just a jerky progression of scenes which told very little story and became more annoying than anything else. In a one hour format, I would rather see one good story than bits and pieces of three! That's why I quit watching "Heroes". Cheers, Bowers
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I'm always about 10 years behind in my DVD viewing. The advantage of this is that it provides perspective
Exactly! I always buy DVDs and DVD sets in bargain shops and at garage sales and always look for the hard to find. I love surprises.
the disadvantage is that when I die there will be ten years viewing I'll be cursing myself that I've missed.
Only 10 years? The advantage is that you get good at prioritizing. I will also have books unread, comics unread, and Music unlistened to.
I'm currently watching Gotham series 2 (I love it - Sean Pertwee as Alfred is a nugget of gold - and the other parts are all well cast)
Yes Gotham was well-cast.
I knew Ben McKenzie from the superb Southland, the best US police show since Hill Street Blues.
What frustrates me is that the Dr Who producers have not realized that Sean Pertwee could easily double for his Father and play the third doctor for a team-up.
far too preachy.
This for me is the problem with a lot of the newer TV series.
There is now a new series, Pennyworth.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8425532/
The origin story of Alfred Pennyworth, a former special-forces soldier living in London and how he came to work for Bruce Wayne's father.
Micklewhite Avenue, where Alfred lives, is named after Michael Caine (whose birthname is Maurice Micklewhite), who previously played Alfred Pennyworth in Christopher Nolan 's Dark Knight trilogy.
This is on its second season. Looks pretty wild, alternate earth kind of thing?
I watched the season premiere of "The Mentalist" last night. Pretty good, but a little bit of a letdown after last season's finale.
Caputo, I presume you are bingewatching DVD's?
Simon Baker, who plays the Mentalist, as you may know, is an Australian actor. He is now based back in OZ and is making movies that he wants to make.
High Ground (2020)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9286908/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_2
Cheers!
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The dream of a Hanna-Barbera fan came true: I fished a DVD box with the series 'Top Cat' (1961-62) with an English and German soundtrack from the grab box of a supermarket. I will soon be able to take a direct journey back to my childhood. ;D
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Cat (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Cat)
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Here is one for Paw in particular, which I have just found and am currently watching.
Bulldog Drummond - The Ludlow Affair (Pilot - produced in 1957). Starring Robert Beatty as "Bulldog" Drummond. Featuring William Franklyn and Michael Ripper. Aired on Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Presents.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohiQ4slILNI
This was made as a pilot for a possible series. When it wasn't picked up the pilot was used as an episode in the "Douglas Fairbanks Presents" series.
Might have been a great series!
One More
Meet Mr Callaghan 1954
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oIf_i6Lu1k
Didn't know Peter Cheyney's Slim Callaghan had made it to the movies. And a very faithful portrayal of the character too. A little Gem.
Enjoy!
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By coincidence, I'm currently reading the Slim Callaghan stories (and other Peter Cheyney) gems - available for free here:
http://freeread.com.au/@rglibrary/PeterCheyney/PeterCheyney.html
All in the public domain in Oz and Canada now - and technically most other countries from Jan 1st, 2022 - like striking a seam of gold
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Thanks for the links Panther. I remember Robert Beatty from Dial 999, a good wee show. I have a dodgy dvd of some of the episodes. Greta Gynt was quite a beauty in her day.
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Started breathing again. Unforgotten series 4 has finished. Excellent tv. Nicola Walker was so good. This link will let you watch but be aware, start from the beginning if you can. Serious heavy stuff towards the end so don't spoil it.
https://www.itv.com/hub/unforgotten/2a3372
And how good is Sanjeev Bhaskar? imo, great.
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For the past two weeks, I've seen 'The Frankenstein Chronicles' and 'Penny Dreadful'. They are horror series, that are set in the Victorian era. The series are rough, brutal, sometimes vulgar and show a very dark, dirty, hopeless London. The series are very well made and was probably weren't cheap to produce. In 'The Frankenstein Chronicles', we see Sean Bean in the lead role, in 'Penny Dreadful' we see Timothy Dalton, Josh Hartnett, Billie Piper and many others. In 'Penny Dreadful', all possible figures of the Victorian age have been summarized, Frankenstein, Dracula, Dorian Gray. . . this is a bit annoying at first, but you get used to it. :D
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_Dreadful_(TV_series) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penny_Dreadful_(TV_series))
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Frankenstein_Chronicles (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Frankenstein_Chronicles)
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BobS said,
The British Edge of Darkness mini-series is one of my favorites.
You have good taste, that was some kind of Masterpiece.
Was doing something else entirely when I came across this.
frank chacksfield sexton blake [Theme] I love Crime and Noir TV show themes, but I hadn't come across this one before. And it is very good.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RKqV_5PisY
So I had to go looking and found one episode.The only episode that still exists apparently.
Sexton Blake TV show episode 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdBGoDqanRQ
The only surviving episode of the Sexton Blake TV series. The "Find the Lady Affair" part 1, from 25 September 1967, starring Laurence Payne and Roger Foss.
Enjoy!
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Yes - it's a huge tragedy that such a fine TV series was destroyed so the videotapes could be reused. It's just conceivable that copies may still exist where the show was sold overseas - Malaysia etc.
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Yes - it's a huge tragedy that such a fine TV series was destroyed so the videotapes could be reused. It's just conceivable that copies may still exist where the show was sold overseas - Malaysia etc.
I remember when the first video taping system was unveiled they claimed each inch of the tape itself cost $50,000 dollars. Only years later did the price come down enough to allow single use tapes.
I remember the first home video outfit I saw, which belonged to a friend, it was built into a pool table sized rig with its own monitor and editing system.
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Been catchin' up on my Brit TV. So far this year, Masterpiece has given us "Miss Scarlet and the Duke" which features a plucky Victorian woman detective. Excellent writing and a lot of fun! Also the newest resurrection of "All Creatures Great and Small" with one of Diana Rigg's last performances. She will be SO missed! Entertaining with a great cast. We'll have to wait until Fall to see the new season of "Unforgotten"- this show is well worth watching! Also the new seasons of "Baptiste", "Granchester", and "Van der Valk". Still waiting for "Call the Midwife". Why can't American TV come up with shows like these?
On the streaming channels, just finished three of the Disworld adaptations- "Color of Magic", "Going Postal" and "Hogfather". Soooo good! Watched all four seasons of "The Last Kingdom" and rewatched "Britannia"- hope there's a second season!
Hope everyone is well and healthy. Cheers to all, Bowers
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Why can't American TV come up with shows like these?
Why can't Australian TV come up with shows like these?
Well we have made a couple, as has the US. But they are few and far between.
The Dr Blake Mysteries was one. Set in 1950's Ballarat.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2375720/
Until it was derailed by Woke complaints about the sexual behaviour of the lead Actor - since thrown out by the court, of course still leaving his career in Tatters.
Then there is the really hard to find but brilliant
Serangoon Road
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2699780/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
An Australian PI active in Singapore in th 1960's
Actually now I think about it, there have been a few!
There were the Jack Irish series and telemovies about the PI character from Peter Temple's books and Played by Guy Pearce.
https://www.imdb.com/video/vi4004624921?playlistId=tt4905554&ref_=vp_rv_ap_0
This co-stars one Aaron Peterson, whose Mystery Road movies and TV shows where he directs and acts as Aboriginal Detective Jay Swan are terrific!
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7298596/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Then there is
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1988386/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0
A female sleuth sashays through the back lanes and jazz clubs of Melbourne in the late 1920s, fighting injustice with her pearl-handled pistol and her dagger-sharp wit.
I've not actually watched this one but it is hugely popular and I have friends who swear by it.
On this list, last but not least there is
Old School with Sam Neill and Bryan Brown.
The eight-part series follows the adventures of the retired criminal Lennie Cahill and the retired cop Ted McCabe.
As you can imagine, with those two leads, it's excellent. Also has the best location shots of Sydney I have ever seen. No harbour bridge and opera house here.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3164100/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3
You will find 'Mystery Road' the series, here, [free] if you can access it in your countries. may need a VPN.
And some other shows which may surprise you.
https://iview.abc.net.au/
Edit.
Couldn't find this one on IMDB when I first looked. Had to go to Wikipedia and find a link from there.
Excellent show from the nineties. 2 miniseries. Excellent soundtrack which I would kill to find on CD.
Couldn't leave it out.
Phoenix
TV Series (1992?1993)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103511/
Each whole series was the investigation of one crime. So yes, ahead of its time.
Found most of it here.
Pretty heavy Aussie Accent in those days. And definitely not politically correct.
Search 'Phoenx -TV series 1992'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLIyxqbmQbw&list=PL_Yiaf8SoBIs5doQneBjc1d7xRmqsbzLy
Cheers!
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I watched the first series of Miss Fisher. I liked the staging and the support cast but I found Essie Davis as Miss Fisher a bit too arch for my liking and gave up on it.
I understand that to say you gave up on Miss Fisher is like talking heresy to many Australians who adored the series!
I did like the books though - heart-warming
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Panther, I've watched some really good stuff from Australia and New Zealand. "My Life is Murder" is a favorite- good to see "Xena" back in action! Lighthearted and vey entertaining. I always enjoyed looking for the show's logo hidden in the opening shots.
The first season of "The Level" was just plain awesome but I couldn't get interested in the second season. Also watched "Mr. and Mrs. Murder"- not great but a bit of fun.
PBS gave us "Dr. Blake Mysteries" and "Miss Fisher" and both were well worth watching.
My streaming service carries The Acorn Channel which has mostly Commonwealth stuff, and I was pleased to find both "Mystery Road" and "Jack Irish" are available. Any other suggestions are always welcome!
Currently, the wife and I are watching a Canadian series, "Murdoch Mysteries". Set in the early 1900's in Toronto with "guest appearances" from some historical figures such as Tesla, Edison, Conan-Doyle, etc. Good lighthearted writing featuring impossible murders, bizzare situations, and such interesting characters. If you can suspend your disbelief, it's an awful lot of fun! It's run for 14 years and we're halfway through season 7. And, yes, we are going to finish it!
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Andrew,
You'll get no argument from me on Miss Fisher. With the little I've seen, that's my opinion too. Pity.
Bowers,
Xena is a Joint New Zealand/US production. They don't do too badly either. Didn't know it was back in production.
Murdoch Mysteries is quite popular in Australia.
The Canadians for some reason seem to outdo nearly everybody in the production of Science Fiction Series. Many of them relatively unknown. But that's another post.
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Sorry, Panther! I didn't make myself clear. The star of "My Life is Murder" is Lucy Lawless, but I'll always think of her as Xena. Cheers, Bowers
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I try hard not to think of Xena - it's not good for me - I was particularly fond of Discord and felt she deserved a series of her own.
The guys I felt sorry for were the bunch of former rugby players they employed to be the warriors in any battle scene - they used to be knocked out (by the good guys) or killed (by the bad guys) at least a hundred times during the series. There was one in particular I used to watch out for to see how he would die this week.
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I'm a big fan of Murdoch Mysteries - I'm on series six at the moment.
I'm not so keen on the Julia character - sorry, but I find her acting a bit wooden - I much prefer the new pathologist - she has lots of zip.
The rest of the supporting cast is terrific - especially Crabtree - and the plots become more-and-more eccentric with each episode - reminds me of Wild Wild West at its best.
I agree - the Canadians do make some great shows - anyone remember Lexx?
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Andrew, did you know that Jonny Harris (Crabtree) also does stand-up and comedy writing? I think this really shows in his characterization of long-suffering Constable Crabtree- definitely my favorite cast member! I also agree with your opinion of Julia and Emily, her replacement. Brackenreid is priceless! Also great recurring characters, such as James Pendrick and the oh-so-evil James Gillies. I confess that I always guiltily enjoy the latter's appearances- such a warped but entertaining mastermind! Cheers, Bowers
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Looking for something quite different - Obscure great listening soundtracks actually - I came across this little item.
Alice Through the Looking Glass 1982 Kievnauchfilm, USSR (English)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOtQx2hqS7A
Alisa v Zazerkal, Алиса в Зазеркалье or Alice Through the Looking Glass, animated adaptation by Kievnauchfilm, Ukraine 1982. This was aired on Childrens BBC, around Christmas time 1986.
English Language version, so may have been edited somewhat.
Eastern European animation is markedly different from US and Western animation, and some excellent work remains relatively unknown and hard to track down.
Enjoy!
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I started watching Pennyworth last night - series 1, first three episodes.
It's set in an alternate Britain in the early 1960s which is fun though the period detail is all over the place. The biggest revelation so far has been how good an actor Paloma Faith is - stands out against the rest. The lead's single-tone mock cockney may get a bit irritating after a while - I'll see how it goes
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No, I didn't know that - thanks for letting me know - it explains Jonny's perfect deadpan comic timing - a real gem of a performance.
I agree Brackenreid is priceless too - I read an interview with him a little while back - he spends six months in the UK and six months in Canada every year - sounds like the perfect lifestyle.
For those just starting out on the Murdoch journey, series 1 takes a few episodes to find its feet but by the middle of series 2, the story is thundering along.......
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The guys I felt sorry for were the bunch of former rugby players they employed to be the warriors in any battle scene - they used to be knocked out (by the good guys) or killed (by the bad guys) at least a hundred times during the series. There was one in particular I used to watch out for to see how he would die this week.
They made a time travel/fantasy episode where the modern day cast and crew of Xena was involved in some ancient mystery.
The production had been on hold for weeks and the stunt men were going nuts from inactivity, setting themselves on fire and jumping off cliffs etc.
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Since I've begun buying DVD sets 3-1/2 years ago, I've gotten in the habit of watching each entire series TWICE before moving on... just like they used to run shows in syndication in the late 60s-early 70s.
My current schedule:
UFO (1st time in 10 years, 4th time ever, 1st time ever UNCUT and in production order-- and BOY does it make SO MUCH MORE sense this way!)
THE FLASH (season 2)
VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (season 1-- not sure which of these I haven't seen since the late 60s, before the B&W eps. were PULLED from syndication, and which ones I've NEVER seen before)
LOST IN SPACE (2nd go-round for the DVDs)
BATMAN (ditto!)
THE MAN FROM UNCLE (1st season-- pretty sure I've NEVER seen any of these before!!!)
STARGIRL (just plowed thru season 1, which my best friend sent me copies of-- modern shows like this treat the season-long storylines WAY better than most old movie serials used to in the 30s & 40s)
SHERLOCK HOLMES (currently watching a variety of stuff from the silent era to the 1950s, lots more to come!)
Also, just about to polish off a "swordfighting movie marathon" I've been working on since last summer. 2 more to go and then I need to figure out what's next.
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I do buy DVD's and sets. With two provisos.
One, I rarely buy them new. This is a time when many people are getting rid of their CD and DVD collections and I live in an area where there are a number of secondhand and 'goodwill' stores, so my main problem is self-control. Second proviso, is that I like to be informed and surprised. I love to find things I want to find or know about but wasn't expecting to find.
Sounds like you are really enjoying yourself, I envy you.
On your list:-
Some of these I never watched back in the day, because I was for long periods, in situations where I couldn't watch TV regularly, not for any other reason.
UFO - have watched a few episodes, looks like it was a good show back in the day.
The Flash - I only watch free to air or what I can buy on DVD and Flash - the current series is not on free-to-air here. I did watch some of the original series tho, and quite liked it. I presume you are referring to that.
Voyage to the Bottom of the sea - also a good show, but I've never watched much of it. I do like the comics tho.
Lost in Space - A Classic for many reasons. I can't watch many movies or TV shows more than once - some of Lost in Space many times.
The current series - I have watched. Season one is a Curate's egg [ Parts of it were very good indeed] It;s better than it could have been in these WOKE times, but I can understand fans of the original not liking it.
Lost in Space | Official Trailer | Netflix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzmM0AB60QQ
They made it serious, but thanks to the wonderful Jonathan Harris, who stole the show, rewrote the 'Dr Smith' part and made the show his own, it was a comedy. You came home after school to watch DR Smith get his.
Jonathan Harris Lost In Space Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F16Df3A5uoo
Jonathan Harris on Guy Williams on "Lost in Space"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4pwWio5NGk
I like watching actors spark off each other. Billy Mumy and Jonathan Harris were genius together, made it look straightforward and simple, but that's what made the show so popular.
Lost in Space Exclusive: Bill Mumy Visits The Jupiter 2 ? Robot Surprise
Sorry for the asides, made me realize how good that show really was.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=billy+mumy+2020
Batman - I was, by the time Batman screened here, a Marvel and Gold Key fan, and didn't have the frame of mind to fully appreciate it's camp approach, but I watched it. Appreciate it more now. I like finding Adam West in obscure episodes of other series. he was a seriously underappreciated actor.
Should have done the 'Stan Lee type cameos' in all the Batman movies.
There is a strong tradition of that in all the Superman TV shows and Movies.
The Man from Uncle - Watched that religiously back in the day, and have since kept an eye on the careers and subsequent work of David McCallum and Robert Vaughn - both of them have rarely been in anything second rate.
Star Girl - Jeff Johns is either terrible or brilliant, Star Girl was one of his 'brilliant' ideas so I will be looking out for this one.
Sherlock Holmes - I have the Basil Rathbone box set and a box set of the Ronald Howard series among otter things.
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I used to love Man From Uncle but nowadays I prefer the comic version. Robert Vaughn was excellent in Hustle.
I buy certain DVD's, Doctor Who animations of lost episodes, Godzilla, DC cartoons and old British b&w films.
As I've been told Stargirl is good, I'll have to wait till it's on what we call cooncil telly.
We have been watching episodes of Scotland Yard, a 30 minute series from the '50's. Some of the stories are well done and it's surprising who turns up. Recently we saw two with Roger Delgado.
But if you want tension racked right up, Line of Duty is the biggie right now. It's getting huge audiences every Sunday evening. Penultimate episode this weekend. There is stuff about the show in papers and on tv news and as the last episode ended in a cracker of a cliffhanger, fans are champing at the bit to find out what happened.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00yzlr0
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I've noticed the attention given to Line of Duty. As I don't watch free-to-air or paid services, I'll have to wait. Sounds like it will be worth it.
Robert Vaughn worked with his mate Steve McQueen in Magnificent 7 and Bullitt. Was in the little known series 'the Protectors' with Nyree Dawn Porter. In 'Hustle' and believe it or not in Coronation Street. And played in episodes in most US TV series.
David McCallum has been in NCIS since 2003. Has it really been going that long? So says IMDB. Was in 'The Great Escape' 'Kidnapped - the mini-series' 'Sapphire and Steel' Did a lot of voice work in animation, Particularly in Ben 10 and the Replacements. So both of them had memorable careers.
I like ferreting out old British movies too, I'm amazed at how many were out there that I have never heard of.
In my bargain basement trawling I came across three movies that were giveways by the British Daily Mail, Three British War movies,'The long and the short and the tall' '49th Parallel' and 'They who Dare'. I'll put a night aside sometime for those.
Cheers!
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Panther, it's funny you mentioned "49th Parallel". I just watched that and "Tonight We Raid Calais" last week. I enjoyed "Parallel" because it's one of the few 1940's films to feature everyday Canadians instead of a plethora of singing Mounties! (Although I like them as well!). I read somewhere that writer Enric Pressburger boasted that he wanted to outdo Joseph Goebbels by making his own, better, propaganda film!
Yes, "NCIS" has been on for almost 20 years! I watched the first 13 seasons religiously but quit when my favorite characters left. Didn't care for any of the replacements. David Mc Callum's character, Dr. Donald "Ducky" Mallard doesn't seem to appear any more though his name is still on the credits. What a career! Cheers, Bowers
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I've watched 49th Parallel years ago. Took a bit before I remembered it.
An excellent film in every way.
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I started watching Pennyworth last night - series 1, first three episodes.
It's set in an alternate Britain in the early 1960s which is fun though the period detail is all over the place. The biggest revelation so far has been how good an actor Paloma Faith is - stands out against the rest. The lead's single-tone mock cockney may get a bit irritating after a while - I'll see how it goes
Just saw the pilot thanks to my best friend.
Strangest things that go thru your head. What it reminded me of the most... was a DARK, nightmarish, nasty, VISCIOUS, bloodthirsty, profane version of an early-1930s "SAINT" story. I prefer Leslie Charteris' more light-hearted, fun-loving take on this kind of extra-legal crusade against crime.
Alfred's accent reminded me more than anything of MICHAEL CAINE. Which I'm sure was the intent.
Of course, when I think of Alfred, 2 actors come to mind. William Austen... and Alan Napier.
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I have (nearly) the entire 1990s THE FLASH series on videotape from when it was first-run. (1 episode near the end was interrupted by a news broadcast, so I'm missing the MIDDLE of the story.)
For the new series, my best friend gave me the season 1 box set, and I wound up watching ONE episode per week, talking on the phone with him after each one. Like an increasing number of recent shows, it's one big season-long mystery, that builds and builds in builds, in ways most of the old 1930s-40s serials only dreamed of and rarely ever did. The ONLY thing I was deeply annoyed by was... the season finale ALSO ended on a cliffhanger. They really should put breaks between seasons.
So now I'm working on season 2, which I got myself. Again, a season-long storyline, with possibly even more plot twists than the 1st season.
Crazy thing: the main villain in season 1 was from the future, and created an alternate-timeline as a result of his trip to the past. I like to think that-- possibly-- the "original" timeline was the one in the comics. He get killed in the finale... but then the SAME person (well, NOT EXACTLY) turns up in season 2, from "Earth-2". It's really crazy, especially one moment where a cop recognizes him but doesn't realize it's not the same guy until after they SHOOT him and nearly kill him. (Trigger-happy cops... seems to be a running theme RIGHT NOW.)
Regarding LOST IN SPACE... crazy enough, something that never occured to me until only a few weeks ago... Irwin Allen gave Jonathan Harris free reign to re-write his own dialogue. However, it suddenly hit me recently, in any scenes involving THE ROBOT, he must have been re-writing his dialogue, too, for those scenes to work. And starting in the 2nd half of season 1... in ALMOST every episode, The Robot gets THE BEST LINES. Even if he only has ONE line in a whole story. It cracks me up that Harris, despite having what has to be a huge ego, had enough comic instinct to give Dick Tufeld better lines than he did himself.
Like after Smith has betrayed the Robot and sold him to The Trader...
"I BEG you pardon, SIR! I DON'T believe I KNOW you!"
Or when Smith believes he has a chance to go back to Earth, but that he must "clear his good name" when he gets there...
"You will have to tell a FEW WHOPPERS to do THAT!"
You know something else I didn't realize until recently? Dick Tufeld, who was the narrator on VOYAGE... and LOST IN SPACE, was later the narrator on THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN.
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The last show I really watched was Supernatural. I tried watching Batwoman and Stargirl but lost interest after a few episodes. I kept thinking Batwoman had to be about over but it just kept going.
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Stargirl has been a bright spot in the DC TV stable. I HATE all the time travel alternate universe nonsense in most of their series. It even ruined the last couple Arrow seasons. Black Lightning has kept my intereste.
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Interesting. I agree with narf about Stargirl and I've watched the first 2 episodes. I thought S.T.R.I.P.E was hilarious and as a fan of the Stargirl comic, some of it made my day. BUT, I'm watching, for the first time, the DC crossover events as I bought the DVDs this week. I really like a crossover/team-up. Dominators were great aliens in the comics. I gave up early on with the DC tv series, apart from Legends, as I couldn't bear the false emotions being aired all over the place. That's how I missed the crossovers. Mind, some of the fight scenes might get a bit boring after a while. Unlike the start of Stargirl - wont say any more, spoilers.
I've watched the 1st episode of Black Lghtning and I'd like to see more.
I've said before that I enjoy some of the DC animations and I'm currently on JSA WW2.
Justice League Dark intrigues me and I now have a copy of Apokolips War. A drunk Etrigan, great.
More importantly for umpteen millions in the UK is the final episode of Line of Duty this Sunday evening. All sorts of theories going around. But how will they wrap it all up in an hour? Heaven only knows. Well, we all will on Sunday. DO NOT MISS IT!
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Speaking of DC properties, I found for $2.00 a DVD of the animated movie of 'Freedom Fighters - The Ray' which I didn't know existed. I am a fan of those [originally Quality] characters, so I will enjoy this.
I have had a great week in the bargain shops. No less than $ DVD sets.
First two sets from Universal Pictures, The Franksnstein Legacy collection - all the Karloff movies and the Dracular legacy collection - all the Bela Lugosi's .
On top of that, The George Sanders Saint collection - 5 Saint movies. Also an SF series I had never heard of before , NOW AND AGAIN.
A cross on 'The Six Million Dollar Man' and a family romantic drama.
You can find it here.
Now and Again - 01 - Origins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_hfQgtj6cM&list=PLHJPG3vYhBtY_MaK-_VEVrRasLG9qOLfU
Cheers!
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My best friend knew what a fan I was of STARS AND S.T.R.I.P.E., so he sent me the 2 earlier appearances of Stargirl, followed by all 13 weeks of her show, followed by her appearances on the 5-minute JUSTCE LEAGUE ACTION cartoons, which are mostly played for laughs. So imagine that-- 4 DIFFERENT, UNRELATED versions of Stargirl, all at once.
While I've been trying to watch most shows one episode a week, I couldn't do that with STARGIRL, and wound up watching all 13 episodes in about 2-3 weeks. WOW. Like most modern-day comics and TV series, the villains on this show are INTENSELY evil. I told my friend, as I got near the end, I was compiling of checklist of WHICH characters I realy, really wanted to see DEAD by the end of the story.
No spoilers... but, the finale was VERY satisfying. Except for one thing. They did 4 epilogues, back-to-back. 2 of them were okay. But the other 2 were there-- AS USUAL-- to set up the NEXT episode, or in this case, the next SEASON. And if I were writing these things, I would have held those back until the opening scenes of season 2. I like breaks between stories. And TV seasons.
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Let's see, since then I've watched a bunch of pilots...
BLACK LIGHTING -- very good, but WAY too nasty for my tastes. it reminded me of some of the stuff I wrote back in high school, except without any sense of fun or humor. I just kept wanting the villains to DIE as quickly and as violently as possible.
KRYPTON -- very good, but the whole time, I kept being reminded, more than anything else, of Timothy Truman's 3-issue prestige mini, "HAWKWORLD". I told Truman this! I said what he did was 30 years ahead of it time.
TITANS -- I didn't like this at all. while Raven is cuter than she ever was in the comics, her story is far darker, sicker, more disturbing. Also, I didn't like what they did with Starfire either. And as for Robin, I can't abide ANY version of Batman where Robin had a terminal falling out with his best friend, crime-fighting partner & adopted older brother. (Consider this a big F*** you to Denny O'Neil and the entire Post-Crisis Batman.)
DOOM PATROL -- weird, sick, way, way too much profanity, and yet, strangely mezmerizing. I was floored that they focused so much on the original 4 characters. The slow evolution and growth of Robotman was amazing, especially once he reached a point where he was so cool with things. And I was genuinely stunned by how good Timothy Dalton-- long one of my favorite actors-- brought Niles Caulder to life. He even seemed to have the SAME accent as Sebastian Cabot, the actor that Caulder was originally based on! I kept wondering what Arnold Drake might have thought of all this.
SWAMP THING -- This felt in parts like a much-better version of Carpenter's "THE THING" in spots. I got so much into the main character, that it really hurt when, near the end of the hour, he got MURDERED in such a horrific way, only to come back (not quite) as a swamp creature. My best friend lamented that this was cancelled before its time, because behind the scenes, someone else wanted to do THEIR OWN, unrelated version of SWAMP THING. W--T--F???
PENNYWORTH -- Like watching a really well-made train wreck. Nasty, VISCIOUS, brutal, but oddly satisfying. Not sure I'd ever care to see more of this or not. Apart from Alfred sounding an awful lot like Michael Caine, the other really weird thing was the 2 hired enforcers, the totally-insane blonde woman and her chauffer, who reminded me of REALLY EVIL versions of Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward and her butler Parker from THUNDERBIRDS.
SUPERBOY -- How is it a show from the 80s looks and feels like a Saturday morning show from the early 70s??? My friend sent 2 episodes, one from each season. I see Fred Freiberger was producer & writer on the first, while Mike Carlin & Andy Helfer were involved in the second. A definite improvement. I'd seen one of these a couple years ago, and thought the show managed to capture the feel of Silver Age DC Comics FAR BETTER than the Christopher Reeve movies ever did. REALLY.
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Let's see, since then I've watched a bunch of pilots...
PENNYWORTH -- the other really weird thing was the 2 hired enforcers, the totally-insane blonde woman and her chauffer, who reminded me of REALLY EVIL versions of Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward and her butler Parker from THUNDERBIRDS.
The two most dangerous puppets ever, both stone killers.
Check out Joan Greenwood in "Mysterious Island" 1961 her voice is pretty much identical to that of Lady Penelope. That sort of voice is called "Plummy".
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Prof - 'WAY too nasty for my tastes' 'far darker, sicker, more disturbing.' weird, sick, way, way too much profanity' 'Like watching a really well-made train wreck. Nasty, VISCIOUS, brutal,'
This is exactly why I am not in a hurry to watch too many current TV series.
I watched the first two seasons of Gotham, -for the actors performances. but that was enough.
Agents of Shield was a strange take on the franchise in the first place, but just got more and more literally off the planet. So i didn't stay with that.
I will check out Doom Patrol, I have been with the original characters a long time.
Timothy Dalton-- long one of my favourite actors
Agreed. He is one of the few actors that gives you the impression that he doesn't take himself too seriously. And the roles he takes also give the impression that he picks them because they are a lot of fun for him.
And as for Robin, I can't abide ANY version of Batman where Robin had a terminal falling out with his best friend, crime-fighting partner & adopted older brother.
Not only and Quite apart from that the bad language trailer grabber was childish, out of character,and obvious, and made me not want to watch the series.
That said, that description describes Jason, the second Robin - and DC has been doing some interesting things with him. He has become a well-fleshed out character.
the totally-insane blonde woman and her chauffeur, who reminded me of REALLY EVIL versions of Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward and her butler Parker from THUNDERBIRDS.
I wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't deliberate. Making every character Totally insane and evil is what passes for creative right now, and is really really cool!
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I'm very pleased with Stargirl but I'm making the episodes last. And you're right about the villains - bad men, bad men, as an ex president might have said.
I tried Gotham but was repulsed by the violence and atmosphere. Having seen the start of Titans, I'm not sure how much more I want to see. I find Batman of recent years unreadable.
Doom Patrol has long been a particular favourite of mine and I can still remember the excitement of buying and reading MGA #80. I'll approach the tv version with care, while realising and reminding myself that these tv versions of comicbook characters are not the same. I try to forget the comicbook versions and just watch the shows as new universes.
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I was just re-watching Joan Greeenwood in the low-key comedy, "WHISKEY GALORE", set on a tiny Scottish island during WW2. Until I looked her up, I kept wonder, WHERE have I seen (or heard) her before? Yes, of course, THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, where she falls in love with the newspaper reporter. I've also seen her in "AT BETRAM'S HOTEL", one of the Joan Hickson Miss Marples. Those were a VERY slow boil for me, having taped them off PBS in the 80s, and yet NOT ever really enjoying them until about 2 years ago, when I decided the only way I could make sense of any of them, was to watch each one TWICE back-to-back (a week apart), before moving on to the next story in the series. IT WORKED!
Penelope, of course, would be a younger, somewhat smoother version of Greenwood, as voiced by Sylvia Anderson. The big surprise for me was HOW MUCH I liked the Lady Penelope who appeared in the 2004 THUNDERBIRDS live-action movie. Looking back, and I've discussed this at gruesome length with my friend in Wales, Penelope & Parker DO NOT BELONG on that show, AT ALL, having been conceived as stars of their own, totally-separate series. But it was a compromise, a "marriage made in HELL" between Gerry & Sylvia. Despite this, the pair actually seem to fit much better in the live-action film than they ever did on the old marionette show.
The villains on STARGIRL are a mix of "bad" and INCREDIBLY-EVIL bastards, which becomes clear early on when one of the worst ones MURDERS another villain who just isn't evil enough for his purposes. Developments later in the story paint them EVEN WORSE as they go, and I was inwardly PRAYING they'd meet horribly violent deaths before it was all over.
It's currently my 2nd-favorite after THE FLASH, and I'm looking forward to the 2nd season (assuming it happens).
And speaking of "INCREDIBLY EVIL"... I just saw the Vandal Savage 2-parter. OH MY GOD. I have hated, REALLY HATED that character for decades.
It's also mind-boggling how they managed to CRAM like the entire comics history of Katar & Shayera into 2 TV episodes, right up to the latest incarnation with Kendra.
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I was just re-watching Joan Greeenwood in the low-key comedy, "WHISKEY GALORE", set on a tiny Scottish island during WW2. Until I looked her up, I kept wonder, WHERE have I seen (or heard) her before? Yes, of course, THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND, where she falls in love with the newspaper reporter. I've also seen her in "AT BETRAM'S HOTEL", one of the Joan Hickson Miss Marples. Those were a VERY slow boil for me, having taped them off PBS in the 80s, and yet NOT ever really enjoying them until about 2 years ago, when I decided the only way I could make sense of any of them, was to watch each one TWICE back-to-back (a week apart), before moving on to the next story in the series. IT WORKED!
Penelope, of course, would be a younger, somewhat smoother version of Greenwood, as voiced by Sylvia Anderson. The big surprise for me was HOW MUCH I liked the Lady Penelope who appeared in the 2004 THUNDERBIRDS live-action movie. Looking back, and I've discussed this at gruesome length with my friend in Wales, Penelope & Parker DO NOT BELONG on that show, AT ALL, having been conceived as stars of their own, totally-separate series. But it was a compromise, a "marriage made in HELL" between Gerry & Sylvia. Despite this, the pair actually seem to fit much better in the live-action film than they ever did on the old marionette show.
Joan Greenwood of the oh so husky voice, eh? She was also in Kind Hearts and Coronets with a very young Alec Guiness, who played 9 different characters in that vehicle, and The Man In The White Suit (again with Guiness). She was also in The Detective-in which Guiness plays Father Brown, and The October Man, along with John Mills, The Importance of Being Earnest, with Michael Redgrave, and Moonfleet, with Stewart Granger and George Sanders.
I grew up on such 1930s through early 1950s British film fare. That was much of what was on television in Canada, in its early days.
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I grew up on such 1930s through early 1950s British film fare. That was much of what was on television in Canada, in its early days.
It was much the same in OZ. The ABC, the national broadcaster, found it cheaper and more convenient to screen British Movies and TV shows. Eventually the commercial channels [of which there are now 3 networks, but many different channels] found out that we would watch US movies and TV. My Dad and I bonded over Z-Cars and Barlow. He was also a huge fan of British Comedy, particularly Eric Sykes. But Python left him puzzled.
I have fond memories of 'Whisky Galore' and many other British Movies. I was at Boarding School and we had a movie every Saturday Night, the teacher who selected the movies was very knowledgable [ He went on to have a career in the Film Industry] and selected qualities films mainly produced by J Arthur Rank. So we saw some great movies. 'The War Lover' and ' The Loneliness of the long distance runner' are two that come to mind fairly quickly.
Them were the days.
Cheers
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I got seen now the first half of the new Looney Tunes series "New Looney Tunes" (formerly known as Wabbit - A Looney Tunes Production) from 2015. This series is about my favorite rabbit: Bugs Bunny. New characters appear, but there are also old friends like Yosemite Sam, Porky Pig and my personal hero Wile E.Coyote 8) to see.
The series is very well drawn, modern and classic at the same time, especially the buildings and the background landscapes are very reminiscent of the classic cartoons. Since it's a modern series, terms like the internet pop up and you see tablets, PCs and mobile phones, but really not very often, so the creators have really managed to revive the spirit of the old cartoons. :)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Looney_Tunes (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Looney_Tunes)
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Stargirl has been a bright spot in the DC TV stable. I HATE all the time travel alternate universe nonsense in most of their series. It even ruined the last couple Arrow seasons. Black Lightning has kept my intereste.
OH, MY, GAWD.
I just saw the 1st of those later "ARROW" episodes the other day, and thought about what you'd said here. EXACTLY right. WTF?? Total CRAP beyond all reason. And even if they hadn't had that "alternate timeline" nonsense, just the writing, the interaction between every single character, was some of the worst stuff I've ever seen. NOBODY talks like these people do. NOBODY.
How in the HELL can you decide to bring a TV series to a conclusion... but THEN, decide to GO ON, starting out by doing what they did here?
I swear, next time I talk with my best friend on the phone, I'm gonna have to tell him... PLEASE... NO MORE DC shows. EVER.
I mean... yeah, I am actually looking forward to getting my hands on the complete run of THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN with George Reeves at some point. I am. also, in a totally-perverse way, I'm lookng forward to getting ahold of the 1968 Filmation BATMAN cartoons. But most of this other stuff... AAAAAAAAAAAGH!
I saw the BATWOMAN pilot, and after, had to tell him, "Now... THIS... was a DAMNED good show." But most of the others? Crap. CRAP!!!
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Last week I saw "The Invaders" episode of "VOYAGE" with Robert Duvall, who makes a career out of playing really strange characters. And from start to finish, I swore that one almost had to have been a re-purposed script left over when "THE OUTER LIMITS" was cancelled in mid-season.
There's also an infamous 1st-season "STAR TREK" that I believe was a leftover "OL" script-- "The Alternative Factor". It would have made way, way more sense if it had taken place on Earth, instead of on some random deserted planet.
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On top of that, The George Sanders Saint collection - 5 Saint movies.
I love those, but they should have ALL 9 movies in one box set.
THE SAINT IN NEW YORK is, arguably, the only time they ever had an actor AUTHENTICALLY portray the Simon Templar from the books. That said, THE SAINT IN LONDON is currently my favorite of the series, as it gives the single best depiction of Templar's "world", including the best Inspector Teal ever, and, my favorite Saint girl, Sally Gray.
THE SAINT TAKES OVER is my 2nd-favorite Sanders film in the series. Part of it is actually a semi-remake of his 1st one, as I believe it's loosely based on "Angels of Doom", where a woman is seeking vengeance on those responsible for her father's death. But what makes this one so entertaining, and hilarious, is how every time another dead body turns up, Simon jokingly blames Fernack for it (and vice-versa). "Oh, Henry..." "Now WAIT a minute! I didn't do THIS!!" (Now he knows how it feels-- heh.)
THE SAINT'S VACATION is another top favorite. Cecil Parker gets my vote for the best-ever Saint villain. He's so smooth! The follow-up, sadly, less so. And I finally saw THE SAINT'S GIRL FRIDAY not long ago. Was shocked how dark and dreary it was. Then I realized it was made by Hammer Films. WTF? They were like the last people on the planet who should have been doing a "Saint" story. Even Louis Hayward couldn't save that thing. (How the hell did he get roped into coming back for that?)
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THE SAINT IN NEW YORK is, arguably, the only time they ever had an actor AUTHENTICALLY portray the Simon Templar from the books.
Yes, Damn Good movie. I think I have it on a hard drive somewhere.
What exasperates me, is just how our of character the comic book saint was.
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Yes, Damn Good movie. I think I have it on a hard drive somewhere.
What exasperates me, is just how our of character the comic book saint was.
"...IN NEW YORK" was my favorite for awhile. It has a few problems. For one, it LOOKS CHEAP. For another, having read the novel, whatever possessed them, early in the Production Code era, to pick the single MOST VIOLENT Saint book to adapt, then they had to seriojusly TONE IT DOWN? They cut down most of the killings, and they had Simon doing it for "altrusistic" reasons, while in the book, he did it FOR THE MONEY (as well as because it was a good thing to do).
Hayward got far better offers on far-better films (includng James Whale's EPIC rewrite of 'THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK", which I like better than the Fairbanks version!).
I feel George Sanders was completely wrong to play Templar. His first film I rate as the worst one ever made. But his 2nd one... WHOA!!! "...IN LONDON" is a case of an actor rising above his own limittations and making a role HIS. He is so much fun in that movie. And I love his dealings with Gordon MacLeod's Teal, who's smart enough to know it's to his advantage to let Templar solve the crime for him.
Real fun: "SON OF MONTE CRISTO". Louis Hayward as the hero-- George Sanders as the VILLAIN! And Joan Bennett as the leading lady. Also, I'm convinced Sanders' character in this film was the model for the main villain in Herge's Tintin stories, "King Ottokar's Sceptre" and its sequel "Explorers On The Moon"
(https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2BKBPWG/louis-hayward-george-sanders-joan-bennett-the-son-of-monte-cristo-1940-2BKBPWG.jpg)
I don't remember if I read any SAINT comics or not. But i have heard a couple of the radio shows (I really, really need to hear more). Again, to me, Vincent Price is the last guy I'd imagine as Templar. he doesn't look right at all. But on the radio... WOW! Between the writing and his performance, the radio Templar is arguably WAY more authentic than Roger Moore ever was.
I'm working my way thru getting SHERLOCK HOLMES on DVD right now. So it'll be awhile before I want to go after other old series... but upgrading those SAINT films would definitely be on the agenda. I don't know if the 9th one is widely available... BUT, there is a seller in England who specializes in rare, out-of-print films on "DVD-R" who has it. I already have one film that way. They don't play on regular DVD players, but, they will play on a computer DVD drive, and, from what I've read, they should also play on a Blu-Ray machine... and I'm planning to get one soon.
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Prof, I've purchased several DVD-R discs from TCM and Warner and they all play perfectly well on my Sanyo player. Don't know about Blu-Ray 'cuz I've never owned one.
"Saint in New York" is also one of my favorites. Never read the story, so I can't compare the film to it, but I totally enjoyed Hayward's performance. That almost psychopathic grin of his as he's about to dispose of some thug is priceless! This guy really LOVES his work!
Also loved "Son of Monte Christo". No one could play a cultured, yet slimy, villain quite like George Sanders could! Hayward was wonderful, Joan Bennet was adorable, and we even got to see Clayton Moore without a mask. The script was pretty pedestrian, but this cast pulled it off quite nicely. Cheers, Bowers
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They don't play on regular DVD players, but, they will play on a computer DVD drive, and, from what I've read, they should also play on a Blu-Ray machine
And if you have a relatively new computer - and mine is actually over 5 years old - it should play Blue Ray discs by default.
The cheaper option - presumably, you have a relatively good Television wit a large screen which is your preferred choice for watching Videos, use a Wireless HDMI device to stream the movie from your computer to the TV.
How to stream from a PC to a TV
https://www.trustedreviews.com/how-to/how-to-stream-from-a-pc-to-a-tv-2937608
Much cheaper, simple to do and one less piece of large electronics to find a place for.
Cheers!
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I'm just not into "wireless" anything right now. It was virtually like pulling teeth when my office forced me to start using a "stupid" phone to clock in and out. But that's ALL I use it for, I refuse to even try out any of the other programs. To me, that's what a full-size desktop computer with a full-size physical keyboard is for.
I desperately need to get a new DVD player as it is, so, a Blu-Ray player it is. (Once I get all these car repairs out of the way.)
Just saw the 2nd-season opener for "BATWOMAN" last night. I wish to God my best friend HADN'T sent me that. The whole premise of the show was over-complicated to begin with, but, somehow, it managed to work. I especially feel the lead actress was the glue that held the whole thing together. Suddenly, she's GONE, they've INCREASED the number of incestuous complications, and all those other characters just seem even more like the extraneous DERIVIATIVES they really were to begin with. How the hell do you take something that actually worked, and F*** it up THAT BADLY in the 2nd season???
Of course, I've seen that before ("TEMPERATURES RISING", with Cleavon Little-- anybody remember that? --or, the 4th season of "ROOM 222", a favorite until they screwed with it, then I just STOPPED watching, and wasn't surprised when it got cancelled soon after).
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My e-mail account was HACKED, and for 26 hours, I wasn't able to receive anything, and e-mails I'd send weren't getting where they should. MORE than 2 hours on the phone with 3 different Comcast techs, and it all seems fixed now.
I just wanted to mention, it's VERY annoying, when you're trying to get something FIXED... and someone on the phone (the first of the 3) decides that's the moment to try SELLING me services I DON'T WANT and DON'T NEED.
Why is it so incomprehensible to some people that a person might NOT be interested, AT ALL, in having any kind of cable TV or "streaming" service??
Honestly, if I had cable (like I did 12 years ago), I might not be able to get ANY work done at home. I love doing EXACTLY what I'm doing right now.
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I agree, Prof, it is annoying. Unfortunately, such unwanted sales pitches have become part of their job. Don't blame the tech, blame the managers who enforce upgrade quotas and punish those who fail to meet them. Comcast is NOTORIOUS for terrible customer service- I'm surprised you actually got someone to talk to! Cheers, Bowers
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Tonight on BATMAN: "The Clock King Gets Crowned"
"But-- you're DEAD! You HAVE to be DEAD!"
"Let's just say we're LIVING ON BORROWED TIME!"
--Clock King & Robin
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I just had a call from what sounded like an Indian gentleman claiming to be from Sky Network. He told me there was a problem with my router and he would help me fix it. Interesting. I don't have Sky, nor is there a problem with my router. We get calls like this regularly. The callers are crooks. The other call we're getting almost every day is a recorded message claiming to be from Amazon, which says there is a problem with my Prime a/c. Interesting. I/we don't have a Prime a/c and I try to avoid any connection with Amazon. Crooks again. The problem is that You can't shout at a recorded message.
What have I been watching? Murder City, a short series from some years ago with Kris Marshall and Amanda Donahoe. It's on youtube. Still enjoying Stargirl - I bought the dvd. This may sound a bit odd but we both enjoy The Great British Sewing Bee, even Joe Lycetts terrible jokes. It is a comforting break from the carnage currently going on in the world. Give it a try.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03myqj2
Breaking news, SNP hold Airdrie and Shotts in the by-election for Westminster, making it 45 SNP MPs at Westminster. 3rd biggest party. Good news to wake up to this morning for me.
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I think somebody in Japan said, Hmm. Wacky Races? What can we do with that concept?
And gave us in 2009 the anime movie, Redline.
Strap yourself in and helmets on!
Redline [2009] - Yellow Line race (edited 1080p 24fps)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwyqhzYjmu8
There's even a dog that looks suspiciously like Muttly and icing on the cake, a TransAM!
I am definitely going to have to hunt down a copy!
Cheers!
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Yesterday: "BEETLEJUICE" (1988) -- twice!!! (I haven't done that in one day since 1980.)
So this married couple hired a contractor to do a job (more or less), and the FIRST thing out of the guy's mouth is...
"BOY, do you know how to PICK 'em! Lemme ask ya, is this relationship really SOLID? What I mean is, DO I HAVE A SHOT with her??"
;D
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Today's movie:
"Hey, STANLEY! How'd you like your own SHOW?"
"UHHH.. okay."
"Great. YOU'RE ON."
;D
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Sorry, prof, that one went way over my head. I've seen so few "modern" films - well, you can tell. Or maybe it isn't a modern film. Still in the dark.
We watched - again for the umpteenth time - Warn That Man, a wartime, British,b&w with Gordon Harker, Raymond Lovell, Jean Kent and Finlay Currie, although he sleeps through most of it. Great stuff.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037445/
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That was Weird Al Yankovic & Michael Richards in "UHF" (1989).
It's the low point in the story. Thanks to his loving Aunt browbeating her shady husband Harvey, George Newman is given a job as manager of a bottom-of-the-barrel TV station. But ratings are non-existent.,. money is about to run out, and his nagging girlfriend Teri has DUMPED him. Depressed, he walked off the kiddie show he was hosting right in the middle of the show... and gave the job to the station's JANITOR. But while trying to drink himself into a stupor at the bar across the street, he finds everyone in the place captivated by what's on TV... the janitor, "Stanley Spadowski" has managed to turn the entire show around in only a few minutes, and before long, they have a huge hit on their hands, with commercial ads sold out 3 months in advance.
So then he decides to come up with a wild variety of other unusual shows to help build ratings, including one called "Raul's Wild Kingdom", hosted from some guy's apartment. "Today we're going to teach poodles how to FLY!" "THUMP!" "Ohh-- sometimes it takes a while for them to get it right."
"Where did you FIND this guy?" "I thought YOU hired him!"
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Anyone watching Prodigal Son? Really enjoying the show
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Absolutely - Murder City is one of those hidden gems that almost slipped under the net:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6M4yoLeLVXU&list=PLgU4tHqxqoGkt5M--cGNDUqj9FWVSmbHI
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Just started watching this one. Kris Marshall is a favorite! Thanks for the tip, Andrew! Cheers, Bowers
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We enjoyed Murder City first time round and then I found it on YouTube and we're enjoying it all over again.
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Has anyone seen the series "Lupin"? One of the best I've seen all year. Set in Paris, it's the tale of a man whose father was murdered by a wealthy family. He sets about to avenge this wrong by using the methods of his childhood fictitious hero, Arsene Lupin, aka The Gentleman Burglar. Meticulous capers and roller-coaster action. As far as I know, it's only available on Netflix. Season one had a cliff-hanger ending and season two is supposed to be available next month. We can't really afford streaming services, but our youngest son added us to his account so we get it free. Good lad! Cheers, Bowers
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Sounds like my cup of tea - thanks Bower!
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I haven't seen Stargirl yet, but here is some possible good news for comic fans.
DC has just released a STARGIRL one-shot, [Stargirl springbreak special] written by Jeff Johns and it co-stars the original Seven Soldiiers - via Jeff John 's timeline, not Morrisons. This is a prelude to a new Stargirl comic.
But the perhaps better news is that this issues teaser seems to lead into a Justice Society reunion [and the possible return of a few Golden Age characters he hasn't yet used.] - a long overdue return to Jeff John's Justice Society, and if I can deduct anything from it, the two page Justice Society is drawn by Bryan Hitch. I can only live in hope! Its a fun read - one of the first I've had from DC in a while.
Cheers!
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Re Lupin. I've been holding off on a comprehensive post on the subject of Lupin, but!
This French Canadian cartoon Arsene Lupin series is fantastic!
Some of the best old school animation I have ever seen.
And definitely one of the best designed. The Opening credits deserve a video just on their own. I never tire of watching them.
The entire 24 episode of series one are to be found on Youtube.
Starting with Ep 1 here.
Arsene Lupin EP 01 Elementary, My Dear Lupin English
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=arsene+lupin+cartoon+series+full+episodes+
When I get around to that post, it will be on the Sherlock Holmes thread, and if you watch the above episode you will have some idea why.
Nearly forgot - MAY HEM? what a great name for a villainess! Why had nobody think of it before?
Enjoy!
Cheers!
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Okay, I'm sold - another to add to my 'must-watch' now list
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I just got in the DVD box set of "THE PROTECTORS" (1972-74), a show I have only ever seen, at most, 1 or 2 episodes, and not since the mid 70s.
This means on Sunday, I'll be able to continue my Gerry Anderson marathon, which has been ongoing for more than 4 YEARS now, without a break.
Last Sunday, I finished my first-ever DVD viewing of "UFO"-- which means, although I'd watched the series 3 times before, this was the first time I ever saw it UNCUT, and in an order (mostly production) where the whole damned thing ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE. I have to admit, I'm really surprised at HOW MUCH I really enjoyed it this time, far more than I ever did before. I really did not see that coming.
This week, I watched the 4 "audio commentaries" they did:
Gerry Anderson talking about "Identified" (the pilot)
Michael Billington talking about "Kill Straker!""
Ed Bishop (his voice unrecognizable) talking about "Sub-Smash"
Sylvia Anderson & Wanda Ventham talking about "Timelash"
And as of this morning, I started watching the series again from the beginning. I'll be doing this at random, whenever the mood hits me.
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Always a big fan of Wanda Ventham - you are probably aware she is the mother of Benedict Cumberbatch.
How many knew she was lined up to be the new Emma Peel when Diana Rigg left? That would have been such a good choice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BQBooH4w7A
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Always a big fan of Wanda Ventham - you are probably aware she is the mother of Benedict Cumberbatch.
I tend to think, what's-his-name is Wanda Ventham's SON (heehee).
I'm pretty sure the first thing I saw her in was THE PRISONER epsode "It's Your Funeral", which also featured Annette Andre, who in the 80s became my FAVORITE "Saint" girl for her 5 different episodes on Roger Moore's series.
Ventham played a computer tech. When that week's Number Two (Derren Nesbitt) asked for an accuracy report on the computer's previous report, it refused. "It refused? HOW?" "It simply failed to answer the question." "They'll be wanting their own TRADE UNIONS next!"
It's funny, because on "UFO", in a few different episodes, Colonel Lake spends a lot of time using SHADO's computers to try and figure some things out, often with disappointing results because of limited data to begin with.
But the first time I really noticed her, oddly enough, was the Tom Baker-Louise Jameson DOCTOR WHO story, "Image of the Fendahl". She played a mature-yet-very beautiful scientist, and it was shocking when her character got KILLED in horrible fashion. (It was one of the last of the "gothic horror" stories, left over from before the previous producer had been REMOVED from the show due to complaints about violence on what was still stupidly perceived as a "children's show".)
The funniest story I ran across about her was when DOCTOR WHO MAGAZINE did an interview of her and her good friend Donald Pickering. They were married to other people, but were such good friends, that every time they got together, they couldn't stop laughing. Which caused directors a lot of problems whenever they wound up working on the same show together ("Time and the Rani" with Sylvester McCoy). Pickering is so typecast as deadly-serious, stuffy characters, the image of HIM laughing uncontrollably just amused me no end.
Adding to my own amusement... these days, I have a pharmacist who reminds me of this. Every time I see her, she winds up breaking into laughter at the slightest thing, and it's contagious. (Physically, she actually reminds me a bit of Kaley Cuoco.)
By the late 80s, I saw Ventham in reruns of THE AVENGERS, THE SAINT and SECRET AGENT, all from the early 60s, where she was just STUNNING. A few years ago, she turned up in a cameo in the ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS movie, and although she'd changed so much, I managed to recognize her after only a few seconds!
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I was also a big Annette Andre fan - how could I not be?
I remember her mostly from Randall & Hopkirk with the usual tour-de-force performance from Kenneth Cope:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnZiH7zTVcs
You have a pharmacist who looks like Kaley Cuoco? Jeez - mine looks like Boris Karloff
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Annette Andre was also in episodes of THE NEW AVENGERS, RETURN OF THE SAINT and the late-80s's MAIGRET movie. She went from "sweet young thing" to "wife" to "mother" roles.
She was my favorite SAINT girl, until Sally Gray, who was in 2 of the movies from the late 30s-early 40s. She was also in GREEN FOR DANGER, a murder mystery in a WW2-era hospital. Alistair Sim plays a police inspector who's as eccentric as Lt. Columbo!
One of the reasons I like my supermarket so much is I've gotten to be friends with so many nice ladies who work there. I'm not in a position to be lookng for anybody... I think they're all married anyway... but the tall blonde pharmacist was the first one I actually made a point of noticing was wearing a wedding ring. (So it goes! :) )
Generally, I just love being relaxed enough to just start random conversations with total strangers. This is a HUGE change from when I was younger, when tension at home made me introverted, which for me, was never healthy. And now, I work part-time as a home health aide, so being outgoing, relaxed & friendly these days means I've found the perfect job!
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I used to have a pharmacist was a DEAD RINGER for Harold Gould. Even the voice was the same. He had a GREAT sense of humor, and looked much younger than he was, a sign, to me, that he really loved his job. But, his wife pushed him to retire, and he sold the business...
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I've never seen Green for Danger - so thanks for the tip. It's on my viewing list for tonight:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zluRBp7al1I
I never knew Annette Andre was Australian until I just looked it up. It seems that after her career in the UK, she moved back to Oz and continued there.
During my spotty teenage years, Annette vied in my affections with Alexandra Bastedo. Was there ever a Randall & Hopkirk comic strip - I have a vague memory of seeing one (was it in Look-In?) There was a pretty decent Champions comic strip - which I think popped up in later editions of TV21 magazine (or was it TV Tornado?).
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Cracked me up when I decided to read up on Sally Gray. Real name: Constance Stevens. (That makes TWO actresses with that name I like.)
Like Louis Hayward, she apparently suffered some kind of PTSS in WW2. Dropped out of movies for awhile. Came back for awhile. Then... she married some RICH guy in Europe. They were together for OVER 50 YEARS! Wow. Wish I knew that a lot earlier. I could have sent her a fan mail while she was still around.....
SHE should have played "Patricia Holm". The character she played in 'THE SAINT IN LONDON" was Patricia Holm, in the original short story.
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I've never seen Green for Danger - so thanks for the tip. It's on my viewing list for tonight:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zluRBp7al1I
I never knew Annette Andre was Australian until I just looked it up. It seems that after her career in the UK, she moved back to Oz and continued there.
During my spotty teenage years, Annette vied in my affections with Alexandra Bastedo. Was there ever a Randall & Hopkirk comic strip - I have a vague memory of seeing one (was it in Look-In?) There was a pretty decent Champions comic strip - which I think popped up in later editions of TV21 magazine (or was it TV Tornado?).
Years ago I binge watched the Champions TV series. Great stuff.
Plus One on Alexandria Bastedo, a total knockout.
I have a theory that the Craig Stirling character is Sterling Archer's real father. That would explain Archer's ability to heal rapidly from very serious wounds and drink whiskey by the gallon without having died of liver failure long ago.
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Most of these ladies mean nothing to me.
Now that I think about it I watched very little regular television between the mid-70's and the early 90's. Mjy television viewing was mostly on holidays visiting friends and family.
I looked up Annette Andre (Annette Christine Andreallo)
She starred with Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, Michael Crawford and Buster Keaton, in the 1966 film version of the Broadway musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966). She played "Philia", the virgin.
One of my favourite movies
In 1988, she played a cameo role in the TV film, Maigret (1988), starring Richard Harris. The film was written and produced by Arthur Weingarten, whom she married a year later.
That film I didn't know existed, will have to track it down.
Richard Harris as Maigret? Doesn't jell to me.
Did find this one, which is only in French.
INSPECTOR MAIGRET 1958
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4KuIPznGho
She hasn't acted since 1988 and is now a painter [Oils on Canvas]- oh, and a grandma!
Cheers!
.
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While composing the last post I was simultaneously on another browser, where I came across this Deutsch film.
Two Merry Adventurers (1937)
Description: Hans Albers and Heinz R?hmann play two confidence tricksters. They manage to stop a night train for nefarious purposes, and impersonate Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. Romantic involvement with two young British female travelers ensues, but the plot deepens into the disappearance of rare Mauritius postage stamps which they undertake to recover, in their role as Holmes and Watson.
Cheers!
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The Man who was Sherlock Holmes (Der Mann der Sherlock Holmes war) in the original title.
Well worth a watch - loads of fun and a great premise:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x21bt89
Interesting character, Hans Albers. Germany's biggest star in the thirties, he refused to support the Nazi cause and the story of his love for silent-screen Jewish actress Hansi Burg is a heart-warming tale. Hansi escaped to Britain before the war and they reunited in 1946 when Hansi turned up at his home in a British uniform.
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A surefire theory I'd say.
Here's an interesting thing. When I worked in Brighton many years ago, Alexandra Bastedo lived in a nice house down the road from where I worked. I never actually saw her despite lingering on the road as I walked towards the bus stop every evening, hoping to catch a peek of her through the kitchen window.
Brighton is a favourite home for media types - being on the coast and only an hour by train from London. Over the years, at various times, I've attended a reception with Sir Ian McKellan, a parents' evening with Julia MacKenzie, met Terry Pratchett and Annie Lennox in bookshops and walked past Sylvester McCoy, Leslie Phillips and Celia Imrie in the street - I'm sure there were others I've since forgotten.
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Just started on THE PROTECTORS last night. I do remember the Mitch Murray / Peter Callendar theme song. More than one IMDB review described the show as "all style and no substance". In a reverse of "THUNDERBIRDS", it feels like the show was conceived as an hour, but somebody at the last minute (Lew Grade?) decided to make it a HALF-hour.
The Darren McGavin MIKE HAMMER episodes were a half-hour, and moved FAST, but they were intense and fun. So far, this just feels like a READER'S DIGEST version of an actual show.
This is one of the main reasons I wanted to make a point of watching ONE episode a week of these things. It means I won't be over-loaded with them. It took some time for JOE 90 to grow on me, but it did, so I'm willing to give this thing as much of a chance as I can.
The surprise with MIKE HAMMER was, I was enjoying it SO MUCH, instead of one a week, I wound up watching 5 a week... and on he 2nd time around, 2 a night (10 a week).
Most of the hour shows I'm doing one per week...
THE FLASH (season 2)
VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (season 1)
LOST IN SPACE (just finished season 1 again, about to start in on season 2)
THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. (early in season 1)
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE (season 8 --this was my FAVORITE show for the 2 years of the revival)
I've been having a lot of trouble trying to get a pinched nerve worked out, so the last week or so, I've begun watching 2 episodes of BATMAN a night, and last week, 3 2-parters in 3 days. This is my 2nd time around with the DVD set. I am planning to SKIP most of season 3 this time around.
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A surefire theory I'd say.
(https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/champions_craig_stirling_9019.jpg)
(https://th.bing.com/th/id/R45ff59755fd24b35ff4ca9f7ab658a37?rik=bGMfjojzhcHXRw&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwallpapercave.com%2fwp%2flRtx8gB.jpg&ehk=SLF%2fl9SuKnFQcsdtxLq54mmcdDGrUg3In4tEtH8dXRI%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw)
I rest my case.
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In 1988, she played a cameo role in the TV film, Maigret (1988), starring Richard Harris. The film was written and produced by Arthur Weingarten, whom she married a year later.
That film I didn't know existed, will have to track it down.
Crazy enough, it's the only MAIGRET film I've ever seen. I've got it on videotape somewhere.
If memory serves, Caroline Munro also has a cameo in it as a secretary. Once again, a part where they didn't give her anything to DO.
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Caroline Munro was such a striking looking woman, she was one I definitely remembered when I read that.
Once again, a part where they didn't give her anything to DO.
I looked her up on IMDB and sadly, that seems to be the story of her entire career She only did bit parts and small roles as far as I can see. What a waste.
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Caroline Munro was such a striking looking woman, she was one I definitely remembered when I read that.
Once again, a part where they didn't give her anything to DO.
I looked her up on IMDB and sadly, that seems to be the story of her entire career She only did bit parts and small roles as far as I can see. What a waste.
Her role in Captain Kronos was about as far as they went in letting her actually act.
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I agree - her talents were sorely wasted.
She was better known on British TV as the star of many commercials such as:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNacsusJYz8
But she did have a reasonable outing as a member of the Resistance in a Frankie Howard special:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tATr3X1WdS4
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I'd say Caroline's most outstanding roles were all in the 70s:
DRACULA A.D. 1972 (the sexiest one at the party, who, tragically, was murdered by Dracula)
CAPTAIN KRONOS VAMPIRE HUNTER (she's in nearly the entire movie!)
THE GOLDEN VOYAGE OF SINBAD (ditto, and moreso)
AT THE EARTH'S CORE (she may never have been sexier than in this one)
THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (Stromberg's helicopter pilot; outstanding, but virtually a cameo)
STARCRASH (she's the STAR of the movie-- stupidly, her entire performance was dubbed)
She also had a small part in THE NEW AVENGERS episode "Angels Of Death", where she got into a fight with Joanna Lumley. :)
And, she got to play a VAMPIRE in this Meat Loaf video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hEbykBCHqA
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Caroline Munro obviously made an impression on many of us.
The Cult of Caroline Munro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9-wXp3k6Tw
Obviously made a strong impression on Roger Moore.
007 is reunited with Naomi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM971US1owY
Cheers!
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Stuck at home on a cold rainy day veging out on the computer. Searching for obscure music - mostly Jazz and Funk. Ended up in a Turkish section of Youtube. Found this.
Animation looks like it might have originally been done in English by Pixar.
Great little animated song, - warning, will probably make you cry - sorry about that.
G?zel Bir - Ask Masali
[Masali apparently means Fairytale or Fantasy and I think ask means Short] [So probably 'a short fantasy]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vJED3n_wbE
Good one to cuddle up and watch with your lady.
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Yes, that's the opening montage from UP, setting the backstory for the old man who's the protagonist.
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"I wouldn't think there were enough murders to interest a young man like you."
"I start trouble on the side."
--Claire Trevor & Dick Powell / "MURDER MY SWEET" (1944)
Everybody says "THE BIG SLEEP" (1946) is impossible to follow. Nope. it's clear as glass compared to this one. What the HELL was Raymond Chandler's problem anyway?
I guess I got spoiled. Some people actually complain that Michael Winner's 1978 film "THE BIG SLEEP" has "no style". I say, he stripped out all the CRAP so that for once, the story actually MADE SENSE and was easy to follow. At least, I did, when I saw it in a theatre. And then again a few months later when I read the novel.
Oh, by the way... "THE LITTLE SISTER" (released as "MARLOWE"-- how generic) with James Garner, is EVEN MORE impossible to make sense of. I know. I've seen it 6 times.
It's no wonder I prefer the Gerald Mohr radio show. If Mohr had starred in "...SWEET", it would have been a far-better movie. I think so, anyway.
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I know Chandler's work from his books. I picked up 'Trouble is my business' and my life was changed.
I have read 'The little sister' at least 3 times and get more out of it each time. I have to hide my Chandler books, because if I pick one up I'm history till I finish it again. The films I can't comment on, so I won't.
Then again, I made no friends on Rava Avis years ago with my posts in defence of Robert Altman's film of 'the Long Goodbye.' Many hardcore Chandler aficionados detest that film.
I love coming from left of field! When its the right way to go.
What the HELL was Raymond Chandler's problem anyway?
His problem was that he didn't write the script. It's jointly credited to William Faulkner, Leigh Brackett and Jules Furthman. Furthman, reading between the lines was a go-to script doctor of the day. That plus the film was directed by Howard Hawks and we have enough egos to sink a ship, which perhaps explains things. I would blame Furthman and Hawks. Chandler hated Hollywood because of what they did to his books. I doubt Leigh Brackett was happy with it either. In no way do I blame her, she was much better than that.
director Howard Hawks was so impressed by one of her novels that he had his secretary call in "this guy Brackett" to help William Faulkner write the script for The Big Sleep (1946). As a screenwriter, she is best known for her work in The Big Sleep, Rio Bravo (1959), and Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Incidentally, the Empire Strikes Back is the best Star Wars film, the one with the least input from Lucas.
Irvin Kershner ... (directed by), Writing Credits Leigh Brackett ... (screenplay by) and
Lawrence Kasdan ... (screenplay by)!
If anybody wants to dispute that, please start a new thread. He said tongue in cheek!
Cheers!
Cheers!
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The Man who was Sherlock Holmes (Der Mann der Sherlock Holmes war) in the original title.
Well worth a watch - loads of fun and a great premise:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x21bt89
Interesting character, Hans Albers. Germany's biggest star in the thirties, he refused to support the Nazi cause and the story of his love for silent-screen Jewish actress Hansi Burg is a heart-warming tale. Hansi escaped to Britain before the war and they reunited in 1946 when Hansi turned up at his home in a British uniform.
I started to watch this to get a feel for it. It looks quite good, and he and Watson speak quite clearly, so the language isn't a problem. I plan to watch the rest soon, as well as the other Albers Holmes film with your provided link.
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When the IMDB had message boards, each film could have its own threads. The ones on "THE BIG SLEEP" were amazing, as some fans decades after-the-fact were still trying to make sense of some scenes.
I thought it was wild how the Robert Mitchum film made PERFECT sense, as did the novel, but the Bogart film I couldn't make heads or tails of (after knowing the story inside and out twice). Took me 6 times before I could follow it!
I think "THE BIG SLEEP" at least is worth sitting thru; it's fun, even where it makes no sense.
It's damn near all the others that are really frustrating. "MURDER MY SWEET" is arguably one of the better ones (multiple reviewers at the IMDB seem to think Powell is the "definitive" Marlowe-- I sure as hell don't). But even after repeated viewings, knowing in advance certain things, being able to finally follow it to a degree... when they get to the beach house scene, and go into hyper-drive speculating about who did what why... suddenly it just becomes IMPOSSIBLE. And this is after more viewings than I can count.
The only bit in that scene that stands out, is when Marlowe holds the paper with his name on it, against the note pad, and realizes that it came from that pad. Which means, Jessie Florian called Marriot. And THAT's the moment-- it has to be-- when he realizes, Helen IS Velma. But they never say so. If you're not paying attention, or overwhelmed with all the more "important" stuff they're discussing... you'll have no idea how he figured it out, or why he then tells Moose he's found her.
Miles Mander (who nobody at the IMDB even mentions) was a LOT better in about a half-dozen Basil Rathbone HOLMES films. One of them I found very curious. In "THE PEARL OF DEATH", Mander plays a classy crook with a woman assistant, who also has a huge hulking murderous THUG (Rondo Hatton as The Creeper), who's in love with his girlfriend. The parallel with "SWEET" is inexcapable. But it was made at least 6 months EARLIER. It seems to me, somebody involved with that HOLMES film, had read "Farewell My Lovely". And Mander's casting in "SWEET" may have been typecasting! Isn't that wild?
I keep hearing people say Chandler was more interested in "mood" and "character" than logical plots. But "THE BIG SLEEP" (1978) is my favorite Marlowe film, and it has both. People who diss the film are fans of the Bogart film, and have probably never read the novel, and have no idea just what a BASTARDIZATION that Howard Hawks film really was. I wanna see the original cut, before it was tampered with. (They have both on a DVD.)
I've recently heard all of Ed Bishop's MARLOWE radio shows from the BBC. As far as I can tell, they're all DEAD-accurate to the novels. His version of "Farewell My Lovely" explained to my why the 3 film versions are so different. Each one focuses on different things and completely leaves out other things. My favorite is "THE FALCON TAKES OVER". Go figure. Among other things, it's the only one where Jules Amthor is actually shown to be a "swami", which is how Chandler wrote it. GO FIGURE.
It took me ages to notice this, but the plot about someone pumping clients for info to steal from them later, was later swiped by Mickey Spillane for "I, The Jury". But it's like he combined Helen Grail and Jules Amthor into one person. I love the 1953 film with Biff Elliot, Margaret Sheridan & Preston Foster. Even if it is IMPOSSIBLE to follow! Somehow, Hammer made sense of it. I never did. (I had to read an article about the novel before the film finally made any sense at all.) For years, it was my favorite version of HAMMER... until last year when I finally got my hands on the Darren McGavin TV show! WOW!!!!!! I couldn't stop watching it. Shame it only lasted 2 years. Even in first-run syndication, censors attacked it and ran it off the air. It's WAY more fun to watch than "THE UNTOUCHABLES".
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Well, prof, while I bow to your far superior knowledge of films, I have to put in my thoughts. I love the Bogart Bacall Big Sleep and think it's far superior to the Michum version. And I have read the book, actually all the Marlowe books. My dad was a huge fan of Chandler and Hammett and his enthusiasm rubbed off on me. I also plead guilty to being a big fan of the Dick Powell Murder My Sweet and I've watched it many times.
Perhaps I was happy to take the Bogart version as just a film, rather than a screen adaptation of the book, and enjoyed it more because of that. Bacall just oozes class and attitude and Bogart is absolutely right for the part.
Apart from that there aren't many old American films I've seen more than once, but the ones I have remain with me. I regularly re-watch, Bad Day at Black Rock. Robert Ryan is a great bad guy. A couple of others that I never tire off - This Gun For Hire and The Blue Dahlia.
There are a couple of westerns I go back to now and then. Lawman, which is available here:-
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2kyanr
Awkward squad again, I much prefer A Fistful of Dollars to Good, Bad, Ugly.
I remember seeing Once Upon a Time in the West and it stuck with me.
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A writer once opined that much of the confusion in The Big Sleep arose because when the book had a something that was unacceptable in 1940s films (e.g. porn photos and dirty books, which were illegal at the time) the movie adaptation simply left out references to the subject--but left in the plot points that were motivated by the stuff they left out. One example is a scene where a guy is hurriedly loading stuff onto a truck. He is clearing out the inventory of dirty books before the cops found them. No explanation is given in the movie so viewers wonder, "What was that all about?"
Prof, I watched the original cut of The Big Sleep expecting big revelations and was disappointed. There were a few extra scenes and others were reshot for the theatrical release. Some minor supporting characters were recast for the second version because actors weren't available. Mostly, though, the release cut just tightened the story overall and corrected some bad choices. A notable example is a scene where Lauren Bacall visits Bogey in his office. She wears a veil with little decorations on it. The veil casts a shadow like a spiderweb over her and the decorations make it look like she has huge spots on her face. A disastrous wardrobe choice. I can't believe Hawks let it stand. Maybe he deliberately wanted Bacall to look ugly.
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I've gotten into the habit of watching BOTH the Bogart & Mitchum films as a double-feature. Either a day, or a week, apart. I enjoy them BOTH, for completely different reasons. But I MUCH prefer the Mitchum film. EVEN MORE now that I've gotten a nice, crisp, clean uncut widescreen DVD (with decent sound-- I suspect the local channel that ran it at midnight back in the 80s was projecting a film print and on top of everything else, the sound got mutilated-- it sounded all HOLLOW-- no such problems with the DVD).
A couple of viewings back, the oddest thing crossed my mind. There's a mention of Camilla & Owen running off to Scotland to get married, but somebody put a stop to it. Charlotte mentions "It might have been good if he had. He was in love with her. We don't see much of that in our circles." Although never spelled out, after seeing the film at least a dozen times, it suddenly hit me, that she may have felt guilty for possibly being involved in breaking up Camilla's marriage (if it ever got that far, I'm still unclear on that).
But then the other thing that crossed my mind... and this is COMPLETELY missing from the Hawks film-- Camilla came on to Rusty, then killed him when he turned her down. I always thought that was just one more random thing Camilla did. But it may not have been random. She may have gone after Rusty SPECIFICALLY to get back at her sister! Charlotte broke up Camilla's marriage, so Camilla wanted to break up Charlotte's. So Charlotte MAY have felt guilty for HER OWN HUSBAND's murder.
The next time I watched the film, I realized there was nothing in there that specificied this... but it had somehow been suggested to my imagination.
That's one of the oddest bits of possible "censorship" in the Hawks film. WHY on Earth did they make Sean Reagan someone OTHER than Vivian's husband, who's described as simply "run off"? Was ADULTERY one more thing the censors wanted removed, along with drug use, pornography and homosexuality?
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Other Marlowes I've seen or heard...
THE BRASHER DOUBLOON (why on Earth did they change the title from THE HIGH WINDOW?)
LADY IN THE LAKE (terrible idea to have the film narrated by an actor whose voice is terribly anoying)
MARLOWE (THE LITTLE SISTER is a much better title; somehow this also managed to make the Bogart BIG SLEEP seem clear as glass)
FAREWELL MY LOVELY (depressing as hell, and not fun to watch at all)
PHILIP MARLOWE, PRIVATE EYE (love the 1st season filmed in California; not so much the 2nd season filmed in Canada, which is too damned dark & depressing)
PHILIP MARLOWE (1950s series; only seen one episode so far, seemed "average" at best; will probably go after the entire run if I can find it)
THE ADVENTURES OF PHILIP MARLOWE (radio show-- MY FAVORITE version of Marlowe!!! I think it is CRIMINAL that Gerald Mohr was never cast as Marlowe in a film or TV series)
PHILIP MARLOWE (BBC radio series-- excellent, they basically did all the novels, although it does seem to me that Chandler's idea of writing novels in the first place was almost always to take 2 or 3 existing short stories and CRAM them together)
THE FALCON TAKES OVER (simplifies "Farewell My Lovely" and turns it into a comedy! -- I love it!)
TIME TO KILL (Mike Shayne does "The High Window" -- Lloyd Nolan's version of the character has a mind that's even more twisted than Spade, Marlowe & Hammer combined)
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The title of The High Window was changed for standard 1940s studio reasons. They figured that though people who'd read the novel might pay to see a movie with that title, anyone else wouldn't have the slightest idea what the title meant and would stay away. Similar to the reasoning behind re-titling Farewell My Lovely as Murder My Sweet: audiences were tired of musicals and the studio feared that audiences would think that a movie called Farewell, My Lovely starring Dick Powell would be a musical.
I agree with you, Prof, that Gerald Mohr did a great radio Marlowe. His version of Red Wind is a favorite of mine. Having seen Mohr on various TV shows I think he would have made a good screen Marlowe. I presume that when they were making Marlowe movies the studios wanted a familiar name for the lead and Mohr wasn't that well-known by the public. I saw him again recently in a Perry Mason episode as the Least Obvious Suspect (i.e., the guilty party). Good presence, great voice.
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Was ADULTERY one more thing the censors wanted removed, along with drug use, pornography and homosexuality?
Yep.
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Chandler wrote the scripts for:-
Double Indemnity - (if he did nothing else, that would be enough.)
The screenplays for:-
Strangers on a train
The Blue Dahlia
and two I am not familiar with,
The Unseen
And now Tomorrow.[Alan Ladd]
So not a bad record.
it does seem to me that Chandler's idea of writing novels in the first place was almost always to take 2 or 3 existing short stories and CRAM them together)
Not at all untrue. Chandler's output was relatively small because he was painstaking, he rewrote things many times. Many of his first drafts are better than others finished work.
1945 The Unseen. Screenplay adapted by at least 2 other writers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVasTWcgv80
Cheers!
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Paw,
I regularly re-watch, Bad Day at Black Rock. Robert Ryan is a great bad guy. A couple of others that I never tire off - This Gun For Hire and The Blue Dahlia.
There are a couple of westerns I go back to now and then. Lawman, which is available here:-
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2kyanr
Awkward squad again, I much prefer A Fistful of Dollars to Good, Bad, Ugly.
I remember seeing Once Upon a Time in the West and it stuck with me.
Bad Day at Black Rock. Also Spencer Tracey, Walter Brennan, Ernst Borgnine and Lee Marvin.
Did any of that cast, any of them, ever make a bad movie?
If you like that Paw, I can thoroughly recommend 'Seven Men from now' Randolph Scott and Lee Marvin in an early role. For that matter any of the several westerns Randolph Scott made with director, Budd Boetticher. These films were in Leone territory well before Spaghetti Westerns.
Seven men from now (1956) de Budd Boetticher [Opening scene]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uokRIbCzxDw&list=PLje067NO6PkqDfsBKo0yfyg404XgZwFCJ
Awkward squad again, I much prefer A Fistful of Dollars to Good, Bad, Ugly.
I remember seeing Once Upon a Time in the West and it stuck with me.
The thing is, most of Leone's films were mauled by censors but mainly by studios and distributors.
Most who saw them in the day, never saw the completed versions.
In any top ten movies - and actually I don't do lists, but it would be hard to leave out any of Leone's films.
the Good the Bad and the Ugly is worth seeing uncut - but it is quite long.
'Once Upon a time in the West' If you have already seen it, get the DVD with the complete uncut version and watch it with the commentary, then watch it again, the whole thing will come alive.
'Once upon a Time in America' is even more powerful. there are few films like it.
Leone's films are like music to me, I can watch them again and again. But 'America' always have a powerful effect on me'
It has a Narrative structure and you can follow it - or at least you think you can - but you are left perplexed at the end - but - [Spoiler] Leone intended the story to be actually an opium dream that the main character is having, meaning, which parts are real and which aren't?
In other words he doesn't spell it out, give you room to think.
Best film James Woods ever did, and one of the best for De Niro.
Oh, Also
Superb Movie. Can watch this one again and again. Produced by Leone, but it is his crew and cast and idea, so it may as well be a Leone movie. Also great Moricone soundtrack.
And here is the whole movie.Widescreen.
My Name Is Nobody
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fduCTsagKhA
Cheers!
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Don't get me started on spaghetti westerns - I could be here all day.
Meanwhile, here's the complete Seven Men from Now:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2bdsfj
Not many westerns start in the pouring rain - that's counterintuitive to dry dusty plains and bare rugged canyons - that's the kind of thing that made Boettlicher a genius:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_Boetticher
Meanwhile, I can't leave a post on spaghetti westerns without mentioning Lee Van Cleef. Here's a personal favourite - The Return of Sabata:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x34p5vk
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Watched "Monty Walsh again awhile back, the original with Lee Marvin.
Marvin has so much screen presence that when simply and silently walking down a board sidewalk tucking in his shirt and adjusting his belt he held the audience's attention like a Shakespearian actor doing Macbeth.
Unfortunately that scene seems to have been edited out for time in some versions, a serious error I believe.
Scene starts at 56:24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXu666RLIbk
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Was ADULTERY one more thing the censors wanted removed, along with drug use, pornography and homosexuality?
Yep.
It just seemed to so UNNECESARILY added yet more complications. But in a subtle way. In the finished film, Sean Reagan was General Sternwood's friend, and a former adversary of Marlowe. That's it. WHY should anyone give a S*** that he's missing? We NEVER even see his face, and after the opening scene, we never see the General again!
By comparison... in the novel and 1978 film, he's Vivien's/Charlotte's HUSBAND, and she makes a comment "Rusty was more fun for Dad than he was for me!" Which makes it MUCH more personal. And, thanks to one of the many flashbacks (every single one of which makes the plot SO MUCH more easier to follow), we actually SEE Rusty, when Harry Jones walked up to him in the bar and said "Hello". Later, the General breaks down as he practically begs Marlowe to find him. And soon after, we SEE Rusty GETTING SHOT multiple times by an insane Camilla, who treats it like a fun game, rather than the cold-blooded murder it is.
It's difficult for me to put into words just how much I love this movie. And for most of the years, I was putting up with a really miserable, fuzzy, full-screen, EDITED tv print with bad sound. Since I got the DVD a couple years ago... WOW.
It's probably the only movie I know with a REALLY downbeat ending, that I actually like.
My copy of the Bogart film's pretty sharp, picture & sound wise (taped STRAIGHT off TCM). But I wanna get it on DVD, just to have more of a "matched set", and also, to get the 1944 version as a bonus. These days, I have a lot of fun watching multiple adaptations of the same stories back-to-back, for easy comparison.
I do the same thing with "THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES". I've identified so far 22 different film versions of that thing. MY favorites include Rathbone, Cushing (1959), Cushing (1968), Baker (1982) and Richardson (1983). (Tragically, the Brett version is so bad it's almost unwatchable.) There's several I'm looking forward to gettng ahold of.
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Not sure if you've seen this:
Here's the Vasily Livanov version - it's in two parts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsS7kM3O0J8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0eVYHZ8feU
And the Igor Petrenko version (2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXgdlWRiRuc
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Last night's film: "SHERLOCK HOLMES" (1916), starring William Gillette, adapting his own stage play, which had been running since 1899 and by which point he'd done over 1300 performances of. He's the one who established Holmes wearing a deerstalker hat and smoking a curved "meerchaum" pipe.
This was considered lost for generations, until that negative was found, mis-filed, in France. It was restored and put out by an outfit called Flicker Alley. The box has 3 discs: a Blu-Ray, a DVD, and a 3rd one with multiple extras, including 3 silent shorts that I think should have been part of that "Archive" pair of boxes I got earlier.
I don't yet have a BluRay player (been planning to get one for months now), so as yet I can't say what the difference is. But the regular DVD, the film looks to me to be the sharpest, cleanest silent I've ever seen. The daytime tints border on almost making it a color film. And I agree with many of the IMDB reviewers who say the acting is far more natural than one might expect from a silent film this old. Plus, the directing may be unique for a film from this era. I've never seen slow fades from long shots to close-ups or back again in any other silent.
It must have been a bizarre thing, to take a live stage play and translate it into a silent film. It'll be interesting to compare this with the tape I have of Frank Langella's version of the play, done around 1980. That was actually done as a play, on stage, simply recording the live performance in front of an audience with a video camera. I'm of the belief that there should be at least one such recording made of every play, for posterity's sake. I wish I could see Julie Andrews in "MY FAIR LADY". It's criminal she wasn't cast in the movie version.
The story includes elements of "A Scandal In Bohemia" (a royal person trying to retrieve letters from an ill-advised romance), "The Final Problem" (Moriarty contrives to get Holmes alone to confront him), "The Retired Colorman" (NOT one reviewer mentioned this, it's where the gas-chamber scene came from, I only know if it because Douglas Wilmer did that story in 1965) and "A Study In Scarlet" (Holmes captures someone posing as a cabbie by asking them in to pick up a valise).
Funny enough, parts of this are very familiar to me, as I believe they were used in the first Arthur Wontner film from 1931, "THE SLEEPING CARDINAL" alias "SHERLOCK HOLMES' FATAL HOUR". In both, Moriarty assumes a disguise, and comes to Holmes' office to kill him in person. Also, Moriarty's underground lair is nearly identical.
The play was filmed again only 6 years later, in 1922, with John Barrymore. I have that on order right now. It'll be interesting to see, even though apparently everyone feels it's a disappointment compared to the Gillette version.
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/William_Gillette_in_Sherlock_Holmes_by_Essanay_Studio.jpg/800px-William_Gillette_in_Sherlock_Holmes_by_Essanay_Studio.jpg)
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Just rewatched the "Gormenghast" miniseries . Been awhile and I wanted to pay better attention to the details this time around. The set design work and execution is magnificent. The feeling of antiquity is overwhelming.
I particularly liked the way they disposed of centuries of clutter to make room for the flood victims on the upper floors as the waters rose. The flood in a way offered a new beginning.
Steerpike is a master villain, a total sociopath , malignant narcissist and deadly as a cobra even when on the run and hiding in the shadows. In a some way he reminds me of Gollum , though with even less possibility of redemption.
BTW
The Death Owl is a real hoot.
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Here is a very interesting interview on LOKI with Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson. I haven't seen the most recent Thor film, but I think I'm going to have to. There are a number of MCU films I haven't seen and am in no hurry to see.
But the Loki TV show I am going to have to watch. Will probably wait for a DVD, which may take a while.
https://www.fandom.com/articles/loki-tom-hiddleston-mcu-hero-betrayal-mobius
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Today: LOST IN SPACE: "The Ghost Planet"
After most of an episode of subterfuge, the truth is out. The planet is alien, and hostile, is entirely run by a cybernetic race, who see Earth creatures as good for nothing but manual labor, on an assembly line.
Dr. Smith, who walked right into it, is having a total collapse...
"My dear friend-- don't you have any kind words of encouragement?"
"Certainly. NEVER fear-- SMITH-- is HERE! HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH!"
Now that's funny.
This is like a 3rd season episode, inexplicably crammed in between 2 really silly 2nd-season episodes. How on Earth did that ever happen?
When it was first-run, my brother was inspired to do his own comic-book adaptation of it. But he only got about a third of the way in, and never finished it.
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If you like grand spectacle, history and a Game of Thrones type vibe, you might enjoy what I'm watching this week - Magnificent Century:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRL0puH-ERY&list=WL&index=3
It's basically the story of Suleiman the Magnificent but it's a drama of course so the history has been tweaked a bit - even so, it's a good primer for the period as well as some fun soap opera style shenanigans in the harem.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suleiman_the_Magnificent
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"Was this session recorded?"
"Yes, sir."
"BURN it."
"Even your copy?"
"Remember Watergate? I don't want a BLACK FORD in my future!"
--from "WRONG IS RIGHT" (1982)
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"These men cannot find Hollywood! I doubt they can find their way back to JAPAN!"
--Captain Kleinschmidt / "1941" (1979)
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"Eat-- lead-- SLANT!"
--Captain Wild Bill Kelso
"THAT-- is the CRAZIEST son of a bitch I ever saw!"
--General Stillwell
from "1941" (1979)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHHfCIMEjOA
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Very amusing and a treasure trove for friends of old comedies. :)
"Hal Roach - Female Comedy Teams" (2 DVD)
Original language English, with German subtitles. ;D ;)
I don't want to advertise a specific dealer, but here is a very good description in the 'Edition Filmmuseum' in English:
https://www.edition-filmmuseum.com/product_info.php/language/en/info/p112_Female-Comedy-Teams.html (https://www.edition-filmmuseum.com/product_info.php/language/en/info/p112_Female-Comedy-Teams.html)
The 'Edition Filmmuseum' is a series of DVD releases of historical feature films and documentaries published by the 'Munich Film Museum' since 2005.
The Munich Film Archive
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_Film_Archive (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_Film_Archive)
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Getting near the end of my 2nd run of the Adam West BATMAN series on DVD with one of my favorite stories...
"That's terrible! Why, a three-year-old could do better..."
"SPLAT!"
"There! That's much better."
"Yes, I see what you mean. That IS about the level of a three-year-old..."
"I tell the jokes around here!"
"I'd say that's one of your better ones."
Later...
"ALFRED, be CAREFUL! The Joker is a HARDENED criminal!"
"Yes, Madame, but a very POOR fencer..."
;D
With a few exceptions, I'm planning to just skip season 3 this time.
I've just ordered the next item in this particular series...
THE ADVENTURES OF BATMAN (Filmation / 1968)
I've NEVER had even a single one of these in my collection in all these years. I know they're not great... but if I was ever gonna get 'em at all, the complete series on DVD is the way to go.
There seemed to be an unusually-large number of these on sale at Ebay sold from other countries. I'm getting mine from a seller I've used quite a few times in Kentucky, BRAND-NEW, and for only about $17.00-- the cheapest one on the site!
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"JACK! They'll KILL you! What will THAT prove?"
"It proves I can beat up a WOMAN and a MIDGET!"
--from "I'M GONNA GIT YOU SUCKA!" (1988)
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"The ONLY way you can convince me that you and Batman aren't one and the same person, is if I see you both, SIMULTANEOUSLY!"
"Or both at the SAME time, whichever comes first!"
--King Tut & Shirley / "The Unkindest Tut Of All"
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"Mr. Talbot! You forgot your bag."
"Now how'd he get out of here?"
"I'll leave him a note."
;D
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Watching Manifest. Even though I know it had been cancelled.
Starting life as a network show, I was expecting maybe CW level, although I found the cast to be much stronger actors than any CW. The writing in season 2 surpasses season 1 by a lot, and 1 was not bad at all! I?m looking forward to 3, still knowing that resolution will not occur. It?s fascinating to me to see the character development, even considering the show is predictable in plot outcomes. The thing that keeps me coming back is not being able to figure out if this is Science based SF, alien manipulators, supernatural, etc.
I?m quite surprised this one got axed considering Flash, Supergirl, and the Uber horrid Star Girl still exist. According to my Netflix browser, Manifest was the number one rated show this week. For a show with almost no special effects to contend with, I?m stymied as to why this one got chopped.
But then, I liked Away as well. Maybe I?m just appreciating a mini oasis in the desert of current episodic TV
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Not having netflix or any of the other streaming thingies is probably the reason I haven't stumbled on Manifest.
We've watched very little new drama and are relying on old movies on Talking Pictures.
The Blue Parrot with Ballard Berkley, Jacqueline Hill (in a rare movie but did a lot of tv apart from Doctor Who), and John Le Mesurier.
Doublecross featured William Hartnell, Anton Diffring, Alan Cuthbertson and was a decent wathc, apart from Donald Houston, whose accent and attempt at dialect was terrible. Did the dialect coach even get paid?
I have to admit I'm still enjoying Stargirl. Discovering that Sir Justin was hanging about on the edge of things was great.
Also re-runs of London Kills with Hugo Speer and Murder City with Kris Marshall.
Fortunately, I'm reading a lot of old British golden age crime. There is a series of old classics released by the British Library. worthwhile checking them out.
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I have a thing for Noir. I have been tracking down work by Ida Lupino who also gravitated to Noir. As Actor, writer, producer and director - and she was easy on the eyes. My kind of woman.
But this has made me look closer to Robert Ryan. Most of the films he is best known for - Dirty Dozen, Bad Day at Black Rock, The Wild Bunch - he isn't the main player.
But he made several Noirs - which are worth seeking out.
Looking at his work, I get the picture that he was either specific about what kinds of role he played, rarely a hero but always a three-dimensional character, or he was typecast, but I don't think he was typecast.
2 with Ida Lupino.
On Dangerous Ground
Robert Ray - Ida Lupino
I have not yet tracked this one down
Beware my lovely 1952 📽️🍿🥤 Ida Lupino, Robert Ryan. Drama, Film-Noir, Crime.
Here tis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3_lFPYWd7Y
And Hope to Die
[David Goodis Novel adopted by Sebastien Japrisot -French Noir writer.]
French movie - excellent.
Hajve watched it but no link. Sorry!
Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) Harry Belafonte, Robert Ryan, Shelly Winters - Film Noir
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfUvjdKk7S0
Robert Wise, Modern Jazz Quartet ,music
odds against tomorrow soundtrack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0L8hMKNmNQ&list=OLAK5uy_lEIrCELeb-IpjvwijR0P76vzomVOWg3CM
I am getting the picture that at the time there were a group of Actors who saw themselves as 'Serious' filmmakers and did a lot of work together.
Here is the cast of Odds Against Tomorrow.
Harry Belafonte as Ingram
Robert Ryan as Slater
Shelley Winters as Lorry
Ed Begley as Burke
Gloria Grahame as Helen
Will Kuluva as Bacco
Kim Hamilton as Ruth
Mae Barnes as Annie
Richard Bright as Coco
Carmen De Lavallade as Kitty
Lew Gallo as Moriarty
Lois Thorne as Eadie
Wayne Rogers Soldier in bar [MASH]
Zohra Lampert as Girl in Bar
Allen Nourse as Police Chief
Cicely Tyson as Jazz Club Bartender (uncredited)
Robert Earl Jones as Jazz Club Patron (uncredited) [No, not James Earl Jones.]
Cheers!
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STARGIRL is currently the ONLY DC show aside from THE FLASH that I really like. I've seen the 1st season, and am looking forward to the 2nd.
Ida Lupino was amazing. I feel sad that she was married & divorced 3 times, but apparently that kind of thing happens a LOT in Hollywood.... (I was quite surprised when i found out not that long ago that her 1st marriage was to Louis Hayward! I read he had a terrible case of PTSS afgter WW2, which may explain why he seemed to get old before his time. I wonder if it contributed to the divorce?)
MY favorite Ida Lupino movie-- crazy enough-- is THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT, the 1st of the series with Warren William. She played a character in there that was SO-- DIFFERENT-- from anything I ever saw her do later. My impression is, it was the last of her "early" films, when she was apparently a lot more light-hearted than she later became known. I was never more attracted to a character she played than in that movie.
The funny thing was, she reminded me a LOT of Ellen Foley in that movie. I've written a lot of stories where I "cast" Foley as one of the main characters, and after seeing SPY HUNT decided to 'cast" Lupino as her mother (heh). It seemed to fit.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/mfi1g8AR8tYvKuGDp86i5scLVqmFpKEONQBBZ0qRljtNnEq6uMoHSuyK2vAX6F4ga0uMZaDYAxTBge3nFR8gu7CJEHZ_Khii4B3xdo17IGl3X-38fR-MeIHXJw-BcUzY6ByRmcCAI78)
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i found out not that long ago that her 1st marriage was to Louis Hayward! I read he had a terrible case of PTSS afgter WW2, which may explain why he seemed to get old before his time. I wonder if it contributed to the divorce?)
Both Hayward and actor Eddie Albert were awarded the Bronze Star for courage under enemy fire at Tarawa.
Hayward for continuing to do his job of filming while under heavy fire and Albert, as Coxswain of a landing craft, for personally saving the lives of 47 stranded Marines and directing the rescue of thirty more while under concentrated heavy machinegun fire.
Tarawa was a bloody nightmare for everyone involved.
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Both Hayward and actor Eddie Albert were awarded the Bronze Star for courage under enemy fire at Tarawa.
Hayward for continuing to do his job of filming while under heavy fire and Albert, as Coxswain of a landing craft, for personally saving the lives of 47 stranded Marines and directing the rescue of thirty more while under concentrated heavy machinegun fire.
Tarawa was a bloody nightmare for everyone involved.
WOW.
My Dad used to talk about Hayward a lot, in reference to "THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK" -- the 1939 version directed by James Whale!! I finally got around to seeing it about 12 years ago, and was blown away. It's one of those "classic" stories that, for whatever reason, every time they film it, it's like you're watching a completely-different story. Well, this one apparently made MASSIVE changes to the book, but it's by far my favorite. (Politically, it also seems more eerily "today" than when it was filmed.)
He became a favorite of mine when I saw "THE SAINT IN NEW YORK". When I later started reading Leslie Charteris' novels & short stories, I quickly realized, Hayward was really the ONLY actor who had ever really brought the character to life accurately onscreen. (Vincent Price did likewise... ON RADIO!)
Not long ago, I saw him in "SON OF MONTE CRISTO", opposite George Sanders-- perfect casting. (Sanders did 2 FANTASTIC Saint films out of his 5, but really, had no business ever playing that character. What a guy-- so good, he could overcome total mis-casting.)
Another fave of mine is "AND THEN THERE WERE NONE", the first and best film version of "TEN LITTLE INDIANS". The weird thing is, it wasn't until I heard about his PTSS problem that I noticed he looked like he'd aged a LOT more than 7 years between 1938 & 1945.
Most recently, I finally tracked down THE SAINT'S GIRL FRIDAY (1953). What an abysmal, dark, depressing film. The most ANTI-Saint Saint film I've ever seen. Even Hayward's return couldn't save it. Then I found out who made it... Hammer Films. That explains a lot. Darkness & gloom is their specialty.
Crazy thing... Ida Lupino was in Warren Williams' 1st LONE WOLF film. Louis Hayward starred in the 50s LONE WOLF tv series.
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"Where are my manners? Eating before the king..."
"Where are your BRAINS? Eating before JUBA!"
--from KULL THE CONQUERROR (1997)
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"I don't think it's fair to condemn an entire program on the basis of a single slip-up."
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Mr. Moto's hangover remedy
lemon juice
pinch of salt
1 egg
4 dashes orange bitters
1 jigger Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp sugar
absinthe
fill to top with gin
Stir.
Drink.
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"You need a lie detector. That is something that tells you when someone is lying."
"You mean a wife? ----- I have one."
from THE BLACK CAMEL (1931)
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My current self-regulated TV schedule is:
Sundays -- THE PROTECTORS (Gerry Anderson / w/ Robert Vaughn & Nyree Dawn Porter)
Mondays -- THE FLASH (season 2) / SHERLOCK HOLMES movies (currently working thru the 1930s)
Tuesdays -- VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA (just this week started on season 2!)
Wednesdays -- LOST IN SPACE (2nd time around, currently early in season 2)
Thursdays -- THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. (midway thru season 1)
Fridays -- currently random movies
Saturdays -- MISSION: IMPOSIBLE (8th season from 1988 on VHS) / MR. MOTO (taped from a UHF station in the 80s)
I'm also watching the 1968 Filmation BATMAN cartoons, which frankly are pretty bad... Also, the 1958 MIKE HAMMER series for the 3rd time around-- after decades of being a fan of the character, this version with Darren McGavin has become my favorite! And, I just started in on the latest of countless times watching UNHAPPILY EVER AFTER. The show is completely NOT in syndication or circulation, so this is a bootleg DVD set I bought from a seller online. BEST $25 I ever spent!
Finally, I started re-watching my tapes of NEWS RADIO, first time in a lot of years. These were recorded in the mid-90s, when I had a videotape machine with a lot of problems, and as a result, I'm having a LOT of visual distortion trying to run it on my current machine. If you've never seen this particular sitcom, it starts out semi-normal, only a little crazy, but it quickly begins to evolve to become more and more COMPLETELY INSANE... especially Phil Hartman's character, who at one ppint, I recall, winds up in a lunatic asylum. Maura Tierney would have made a GREAT Lois Lane, but it's Vicki Lewis' character who consistently cracks me up.
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I'm watching in the moment the great series 'Legion' (USA 2017-19, 3 seasons with 27 episodes). The series is based on the comic book character 'David Haller', also known as 'Legion', by Chris Claremont and illustrator Bill Sienkiewicz. The main character is believed to be schizophrenic, but is actually a mutant.
It's a Marvel series, so I was expecting the usual rowdiness, but I was pleasantly surprised: the series is very well crafted, the actors are good, and the story is intelligent. :o It's not a standard series, she seems like an overly long psychedelic, surrealistic trip. Many of the events also take place in the inner world of the characters and then there are wonderfully imaginative and fantastic scenes to be seen.
However, you should watch the series without large time gaps between the episodes so that you don't lose track.
This series is likely to leave standard Marvel consumers quite confused. ???
Conclusion: Recommended 8)
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"Mr. Moto! What are you doing here?"
"Please don't be alarmed. I'm just breaking into the safe."
;D
from "THANK YOU, MR. MOTO" (the 3rd film in this wonderful series)
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Just finished a great three part travelogue, "Walking Hadrian's Wall" hosted by Robson Green. Green walks the length of the wall, engaging fellow travelers and locals. My favorite was a group of ladies searching for hidden phallic symbols carved into the stonework! Absolutely gorgeous countryside and very interesting bits of history presented by one of my favorite actors. Well worth watching. Cheers, Bowers
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Robson Green's Fishing shows were great. And I don't even fish! Sort of Anthony Bourdain with fish.
Here is one
Pesca extrema com Robson Green.The World Tour-JAPAN.HD.mkv
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=295iYeXKP1o
Cheers!
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Whereas with BATMAN, LOST IN SPACE and VOYAGE, and now UNCLE, I'm watching an entire series all the way thru before then going back to watch it all a 2nd time, with THE FLASH, perhaps because the 1st season was a gift, I watched the 1st season all the way thru, then watched it again... then, I got the 2nd season, watched it all the way thru... and today, I'm starting on season 2 AGAIN.
Since so far, each season has been like ONE long mystery story, going back to the beginning of the season is like re-reading a complex mystery a 2nd time, only now, I know so much I didn't before, so it becomes a very different experience.
One example is how, in the deleted scene in the 1st episode, Barry's father Henry tells him he did the right thing by NOT saving his mother's life via time-travel, and messing with destiny or whatever. How ironic, that in the very LAST scene in the 2nd season finale, that is EXACTLY what Barry tires to do... AGAIN.
But watching the series this way, I now have to wait 24 WEEKS to see how that turns out.
I'm reminded of a comics story (I think John Byrne may have written it) that suggested that if you go back in time and change history, you DON'T change your own history... you only create a divergent ALTERNATE timeline, separate from your own. I have a sneaking suspicion that's going to happen when I get to season 3.
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Here is one that I didn' t know existed. Watching it now.
Mandrake (1979) *Full Movie*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2e0wHbgIQ8
Not a good print, but apparently its quite rare.
Enjoy!
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Thanks again, Panther. Definitely gonna give this one a watch. It's a shame about the mustache (lack of) though! Cheers, Jeff
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Tonight's movie:
"But-- I'm BRITISH!"
"SO ARE THESE!"
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Professor T, British version of the Belgian tv show:-
https://www.itv.com/hub/professor-t/7a0171
Thoroughly enjoyable and no way you'd think this was a British original. Ben Miller is excellent, as are the rest of the cast.
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Professor T, British version of the Belgian tv show:-
https://www.itv.com/hub/professor-t/7a0171
Thoroughly enjoyable and no way you'd think this was a British original. Ben Miller is excellent, as are the rest of the cast.
Not bad at all from a copy of an original series from another country. But, I like the Belgian series more. It has a more authentic feel to it. The actor, playing the role of The Professor, certainly seems more truly autistic, flaky, and downright bizarre, in the original version.
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Today's movie: my God, WHAT A CAST!
(https://cms-assets.theasc.com/The-Thing-1951-Ice-Block.jpg?mtime=20200409035531)
Crazy but true: the 3rd guy on the left is the one responsible for there being an Adam West BATMAN show. William Self worked his way up to head of production at 20th Century-Fox TV. He was at the Playboy mansion the night Hefner ran the 2 1940s BATMAN serials, got inspired, and ASSIGNED William Dozier to make the show. Dozier hated the idea... but after it hit #1 in the ratings, there was no way he was going to admit that.
(http://media.heartlandtv.com/images/Thing.jpg)
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTJmk1KqQNP8obPitCci7u7fJRsiVSm-HYXQ1UCxnydKNVhKEacsbqC4uLDqZej7CGcJEs&usqp=CAU)
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My very well-used videotape, recorded off AMC in the 90s, went missing on me, so I just got ahold of the DVD. Sure glad I did. Apart from cleaner sound & picture, I noted 4 short scenes I'd NEVER seen before. 3 of these are closely-grouped, between them leaving a guard over the ice and Bob suggesting 2-hour shifts. The 4th has Carrington, before Nikki reads his notes, actually voicing concern that Earth may be being invaded. Unlike when the networks would splice in "out-takes" to drum up compettition for "cable channels", none of these hurt the pacing, but augment the CHARACTERS. It'll take some getting used to, though, I've seen the shorter cut DOZENS of times by now.
Funny thing: a shot of Scott falling back as the monster's set on fire, which he describes later in the story, actually appears in the fuzzy TRAILER, but not in the film itself!
GREAT article on the making of the film...
https://ascmag.com/articles/the-thing-from-another-world-1951
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Prof, what's your opinion on the re-make?
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Excuse my butting in but, as the song says, the original is still the greatest ;D
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If you are like me you are familiar with films of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Frankenstein, Nosferatu, Phantom of the Opera, Alice in Wonderland, Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde, Wizard of OZ, The lost world and 20,000 leagues under the sea - from current versions. Well, they were all made into silent movies, so have been on the screens for a long time.
Here is a Youtube channel with all of these and many other silents.
Timeless Classic Movies
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOg0aMAXmF3o5m243PxhE5g
For the movies I refer to, scroll right to the bottom.
Also, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
The print of Frankenstein and what exists of the movie is pretty crappy.
Nosferatu is excellent - can you imagine sitting in a theatre with a real organisit playing that soundtrack?
Alice and Wonderland is unrestored and almost unwatchable.
And if you haven't seen, 'The General' 'Detour' 'The Bat ' or 'D.O.A.' you are missing something.
This is a better print of Phantom of the Opera [1925]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUamUHcxMVY
Cheers!
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"I'm beginning to believe all those stories I've heard about you."
"PLEASE do not. I do not!"
--from MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING
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Over here, a new series of The Brokenwood Mysteries started lasr week. So good to have them back.
On Alibi, Annika is very worthwhile, especially the excellent Nicola Walker. Another crime show, this time marine homicide and set in the West coast of Scotland. Interestingly, in this show, Annika speaks directly to the viewer. Good stories so far.
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For those lovers of the Movie - The Thing -
Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing
Horror Express
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LCtzLEebBI
Horror Express and The Thing share the same source material in the novella Who Goes There.
"But what if one of you is the monster?"
"Monster? We're British!"
Cheers!
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I like HORROR EXPRESS wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy more than John Carpenter's THE THING.
Over the years, THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD has become a real "perennial" for me. Watching it once a year. Then it got to be about every 6 months. Until I watched my chronological "sci-fi movie marathon". The STACKS of films are stilll there, I never got around to filing them away... but when I looked for this one film... it wasn't there. W--T--F ???
So I threw up my hands and ordered the DVD. It came in the same retarded box the 1998 LOST IN SPACE box was in, which was so bad, I dug out a blank CD jewel case and created a liner with the title.
As for the film itself... I was surprised it featured 4 short scenes I've NEVER seen before, all "character" bits. The most important was probably the ONE scene where Professor Carrington admitted how dangerous the alien was, and the potential was that it was here to invade. That scene really strengthened your sympathy for the guy, and made his later actions seem all the more unintentionally unhinged ("lack of sleep, not thinking straight").
Since I've seen the film DOZENS of times by now, it's gonna take some getting used to those "added" scenes being there from now on. (It makes me wonder about the source of my previous copy, since as far as I could tell, it seemed to be "uncut".)
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Over here, a new series of The Brokenwood Mysteries started lasr week. So good to have them back.
On Alibi, Annika is very worthwhile, especially the excellent Nicola Walker. Another crime show, this time marine homicide and set in the West coast of Scotland. Interestingly, in this show, Annika speaks directly to the viewer. Good stories s
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SWORD OF THE VALIANT (1984)
This is the dictionary definition of "stupid but fun".
But never mind the story... there are dozens of website reviews of this out there. Most are justifiably bad. The FUNNIEST comment is about the 2004 MGM DVD, which I found at Film Freak Central:
"MGM presents Sword of the Valiant on DVD in a pan-and-scan transfer with terrible picture-quality besides. It looks and sounds worse than something tuned in with an antenna: all the colours are muted, the flesh tones are frighteningly orange, the contrast is way off--and damned if a few scenes aren't completely out of focus."
That is SO FUNNY!!! ;D
Lately, when I "upgrade" from a 35-40-year-old videotape I recorded off some cable channel, to a pristene DVD, I like to play the tape one more time, so I can directly compare the quality, or how much was cut, etc. I may do that here (or, I may not...). I have a sneaking suspicion my Cinemax (or HBO) videotape may be FAR-BETTER than that 2004 MGM DVD.
What I still can't get over is... WHO are these idiots on Ebay trying to sell USED copies of that miserable DVD for the SAME price as this brand-new WIDESCREEN BLU-RAY ?
Meanwhile... You know, it shouldn't be THIS difficult to find ONE review online that actually mentions a film has been reissued in WIDESCREEN. I went thru at least 25 websites before finding this one again. 😆
I'm gonna have to remember "Mondo Digital" in the future.
https://www.mondo-digital.com/valiant.html
I'm watching the Blu-Ray TODAY. The story's still stupid (but fun 😄 ), but the picture quality is STUNNING. I keep staring at my TV screen, wondering... HOW on Earth did I ever put up with my Cinemax (or HBO) recording all these years?
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1776/5371/products/SwordValiant_BD_01_912x.jpg?v=1597885939)
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So, once again its raining, we are locked down and its Saturday. So what do you do?
Watch Cartoons - but in this case Anime.
From YouTube a feast of EE Doc Smith's 'Lensmen' and thats about all we are going to get for a while as the doco part 2 explains, due to copyright reasons.
Also some of Doc Smiths are available as Audobooks on YouTube also.
What Happened to Lensman? (1985) Anime Retrospective & Lost Media Status
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpmTynxXGCM
(Extra Info) Why Lensman is Lost Media - 80's Anime
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK9eTrrMdJA
My comment on properties influenced by Lensmen, given the Lensmen's authority to be a one-man Judge, Jury and Executioner, I would throw in Judge Dread.
Challenge - what properties influenced by EE Doc Smith can you name?
How To Read E.E. Doc Smith (The Lensman Series)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrtyAZGb5og
Lensman: Power of The Lens (1987)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-td8Jp0hJVA
Lensman: secret of the lens high quality, Complete Movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIS-Q0zm1r4
Lensman fixed audio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DS8vhasbVPc
Enjoy!
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So, once again its raining, we are locked down and its Saturday. So what do you do?
For me it was get up at 4 AM to get the dog untangled from her cable, then chase her around the block for an hour . She normally goes right to the back door to be let in while I untangle her cable but this time she apparently had a date with a young lothario a couple of streets over.
She looked disappointed when she found he, though a fairly large dog, was about half her size.
Her size, around 130 lb, about the average for a female Timber Wolf, and built like a Game of Thrones Dire wolf, intimidates most large dogs, only small dogs don't show fear when she is around.
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only small dogs don't show fear when she is around.
Interesting that. I have a Jack Russel. About half as big as my arm. Her mother used to bail up Rottweilers.
Cheers!
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GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT (1973)
This is the 3rd time in only a year I've watchewd this. I got it on a DVD-R from a seller in England who specializes in rare, out-of-print films. This one's a nice, sharp fullscreen copy recorded off some UK cable movie channel. I just had someone over the weekend tell me, with the new film "THE GREEN KNIGHT" coming out this year, he doesn't understand how it is this older version is so hard to find.
The strangest thing is, director Stephen Weeks made the same film TWICE, 10 years apart. This one features Nigel Green as the mysterious, supernatural figure. A decade later, Sean Connery played the part. Both films totally distort the original classic folk story in the same ways, but this one is played more straight and serious, and, frankly, nearly every part of it MAKES MORE SENSE than the 1983 film. GO FIGURE.
An amusing element of this film is... it's apparently the film MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL was done as a parody of. NO, REALLY. If you've seen HOLY GRAIL, it's probably impossible to watch this without getting a massive case of deja vu.
In my case, I just watched the 1983 and 1973 films back-to-back. Some scenes are so similar it's spooky. Many play quite differently, and as I said, this one just makes more sense. Also, this one has a BETTER ending. And, dare I say it, BETTER music. The casts both include a nice range of terrific English character actors. Among them is Ronald Lacey... who, insanely, plays the SAME part in BOTH movies. He dies much earlier in the earlier film (heh). Right after getting his hand BURNED by a magic talisman. (Sound familiar??)
Overall, both films (especially the later one) play out like extended DREAM SEQUENCES. Logic is not the driving force here. I recently joked the '83 films might make a good double-bill with The Monkees' movie HEAD, for that very reason. Both have the logic one finds in vivid dreams. They don't make much sense... but you can't take your eyes off them.
I understand there's an early-90s TV version which hews CLOSER to the classic story than any of the others. Which makes me want to get my hands on it. The way things are right now, I'm more likely to get the new version on disc than to actually GO SEE IT in a theater.
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTAzM2I0ODAtYTVkMC00ZWYyLWE1NWEtNjJjMWI2OGQzOTNiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUyNDk2ODc@._V1_.jpg)
(https://nofilmschool.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_superwide/public/sir-gawain-and-the-green-knight-1973-shutterstock-editorial-5857566a.jpg?itok=01S8eRST)
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Gawain and the Green Knight 1999
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBEv8xjBJf8
Will watch this one tonight.
Gawain and the Green Knight (1973)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34j5b-2YblA
Animation
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight B A F T A Award winner 2002 Welsh animation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E63eDj8DMK0
Doco
In Our Time: S21/14 Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Dec 13 2018)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LUVdXzXuWg
Monty Python and the Holy Grail?
But of course.
'Terry Jones was a well-respected medieval historian, having written several books and presented television documentaries about the period"
And thank you Prof!
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Independent quality Science Fiction? Yes!
While looking for material on the Green Knight the YouTube AI brought up, on the sidebar, the 'DUST" channel. Go figure!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7sDT8jZ76VLV1u__krUutA
Has apparently been in existence 5 years.
Home to independently made Science Fiction shorts.
I watched the series
ATROPHA - of which there are 7 episodes, each averaging 12 or so minutes, So the equivalent of an hour and a half movie.
ATROPA Episode 1 | DUST
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVuZDtz-Aes
I was blown away! Excellent story, cast and sets and Photography. And the episodes are professionally paced.
I had thought I would never again see Science Fiction of this quality in this 'Woke' age. Glad I was wrong.
There seems to be a move away from the traditional Hollywood industry for minor filmmakers - in this case, and for others like them, perhaps because of the inability to get into the industry, and to avoid heavy-handed 'Producer' interference with your work. To name a few.
Bring it on!
Spoiler - [for some of you] This show took my mind back to the first Science Fiction show I was ever exposed to, the first arc of BBC Radio series, 'Journey into Space' .
I will be back on DUST to look at the rest of their work.
Cheers!
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Yes, I found Atropha just before we went away for a few days. Watched the first 2 episodes. Excellent. It's all Panther says. If anyone hasn't heard Journey into Space - and I hope you all have!!!!! - go find it. If you enjoy the first arc, Operation Luna, you'll love the start of the 2nd story, The Red Planet. The scenes in the fleet ships on the way out are exceptional. Whittaker? Who He?
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And thank you Prof!
A number of reviews at the IMDB made this point, but, seriously... it's there!
Early in the film, we see Arthur & his knights holding a feast in Camelot.
Then Gawain and Humphrey go riding out. At one point, Gawain runs across an old wise man who literally vanishes before his eyes. There's a scene where a line of monks are marching along, chanting. There's the completely senseless battle with THE BLACK KNIGHT.
The '83 remake actually does have a battle near the end (which HOLY GRAIL doesn't... hee heehee). Both films end with a gigantic "WTF?" moment. Having read about the original folk story, and so far, watched the cartoon, I can say, they make way more sense than either Stephen Weeks films. But at least the '73 film has a nice epilogue ending. The '83 film, FOR NO DAMN REASON... doesn't.
I thought I was imagining things at first, but, apparently, no-- BOTH films use the EXACT SAME castles for their locations! This is especially obvious when Gawain reaches the castle of Sir Bertilac in the final act. The camera angles are very different between films, so it might not be noticable much of the time.
I'm looking forward to seeing the TV version, and, at this point, if it's available on DVD, getting a copy.
I feel like this is almost an outgrowth of my POE-related "Classic Illustrated" obsession-- watching multiple adaptations of the same story, and comparing their similarities and differences.
I bought my new Blu-Ray player specifically to watch films like this, that are only available on Blu-Ray discs. But as it turns out, the '73 film can play on it as well, which now makes it very convenient. The '73 disc came in a simple white sleeve. I was thinking of setting up a CD jewel case, but then I realized the sleeve neatly fits inside the other film's box, so, how's that for convenient? Both of them together.
Oh yeah. Obvciously, I need to add MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL to my "upgrade" list. I think I taped my current copy off PBS decades ago. I mean, if I upgraded SWORD OF THE VALIANT, for God's sake, a film that's GENUINELY a favorite surely deserves as much! ;D
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Today's MAJOR upgrade!!! My favorite Italian horror film...
(https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1776/5371/products/23415604_842509765908476_6523409487810884320_o_1024x1024@2x.jpg?v=1607031526)
Not counting "DRACULA DEAD AND LOVING IT", this is my very 1ST horror movie on not just DVD, but Blu-Ray.
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From the Deviant Art site, a guy calling himself "ImacManiac" did this perfect tribute BlueRay cover, where he included BORIS VALLEJO's art. I originally went after this film back in the 90s for 2 reasons:
1 - I read it was partly inspired by BORIS'a paintings
2 - Keith Emerson's music, which I already had the CD of.
(https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/74609c4d-8122-4aa4-a8e5-eb5f5c951e01/dcr7ui0-d5a90e9d-e6f0-4d39-bf8f-902dc0693b92.jpg/v1/fill/w_1024,h_569,q_75,strp/the_church_1989_by_imacmaniac_dcr7ui0-fullview.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9NTY5IiwicGF0aCI6IlwvZlwvNzQ2MDljNGQtODEyMi00YWE0LWE4ZTUtZWI1ZjVjOTUxZTAxXC9kY3I3dWkwLWQ1YTkwZTlkLWU2ZjAtNGQzOS1iZjhmLTkwMmRjMDY5M2I5Mi5qcGciLCJ3aWR0aCI6Ijw9MTAyNCJ9XV0sImF1ZCI6WyJ1cm46c2VydmljZTppbWFnZS5vcGVyYXRpb25zIl19.0vmKeZnPe4b2XcS0ZFuQkSkVUEI65NBQ1uesJ3OX9P8)
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Found this on YOUTube.
the avengers [TV] - epic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVySPFWhmVE
The STUDIO CANAL logo at the beginning means that it is a DVD rip, so excellent quality.
Thanks to Prof for recommending this episode to me.
He said of it,
And who was among the guest cast? Peter Wyngarde, playing the over-the-hill retired has-been actor, somehow coerced by the over-the-hill has-been movie director to come out of retirement to make a SNUFF FILM.
I'm guessing this was shot on the back lot of Pinewood studios.
Lots of in-jokes about filming. Peter Wyngarde has an absolute ball. An actors dream really.
And the end scene is a classic 'breaking the forth wall' bit.
Enjoy!
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My #1 favorite sitcom has long been WKRP IN CINCINNATI. It was a slow boil for me originally, and sure enough, right when it became my favorite show, CBS cancellled it.
To my surprise, in syndcation, it was run in PRODUCTION order, which made much more sense of the character development and such.
Sadly, a few years after I taped the ones I was missing, the music licenses ran out, and most of the rock songs were replaced with "generic" tracks. When I heard someone out out a DVD box set of those, I figured, "WHY BOTHER?"
In 2014, SHOUT FACTORY-- a company created by the former owners of RHINO RECORDS-- a company with decades of a well-earned reputation for quality-- managed to RE-license MOST (not quite all) of the rock songs. The other week, I got my hands on a copy of the box set. (And when I say "copy"... I mean it.)
Sadly, the box set is in NETWORK BROADCAST order. But since I have my own index of the production order, I can, by having the list handy, watch it in the "correct" order. And, THEY'RE UNCUT. A LOT of scenes or bits of dialogue I have NEVER seen before!! A shame about the still-missing original music (like the DETECTIVE song performed by "Scum Of The Earth"-- Michael Des Barres was actually the singer in that band, so it's ironic his own song has been replaced). But, it's the best we'll probably ever get, barring custom home-made re-edits.
Now here's the REAL problem.
I wondered why the pilot was so DARK I could barely see anything. Then, the 2nd episode FROZE at one point. Then, the 3rd episode ("Radio Preacher") FROZE in 6 PLACES near the end. And this was on my BLU-RAY player, which usually manages to over-ride minor defects (like in the BBC Video box set of the Douglas Wilmer SHERLOCK HOLMES series). The picture and sound quality VARIES greatly between episodes, sometimes, between scenes in a single episode. W--T-- F ?? This is NOT like Shout Factory (which has gained a rep similar to Rhino since its inception).
Turns out... on BOTH the Ebay AND Shout Factory websites, there are COMPLAINTS about the discs. One customer who bought from Amazon, contacted Shout Factory. The manufacturer provided him "proof" that what he had bought was a BOOTLEG SET. Single-layer instead of double, Region 0 instead of Region 1, NO "copy-protection", etc. My jaw dropped.
Apparently, this set, presumably VERY popular and in demand-- has been the target of BOOTLEG manufacturers-- and from the looks of it, my guess is that EVERY set being sold on both Ebay and Amazon are INFERIOR, DEFECTIVE FAKES.
I contacted Ebay, and am sending mine back for a refund, and plan to put the money toward a FULL-PRICE set direct from Shout Factory. For a show I love this much, it'll be worth it.
A totally-unrelated seller said to me in an e-mail... "Beware of items that are too cheap". No kidding.
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"Breaker Break to the Bandit."
"This here's the Bandit. Come on."
"I got a Smokey report for you. You got trouble coming."
"Well, what's you handle, son, and, what's your twenty?"
"My name is Smokey Bear and I'm TAIL-GRABBIN' YOUR ASS right now!"
"Holy Shit! What a Texas County Mounty doing in Arkansas?"
"I don't know."
"Well, let's see what's got under the hood!"
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DANGEROUS DAVIES (1981)
A wonderful, down-to-Earth English police drama murder mystery, packed with a pile of character actors I've seen in many other things (some of whom are obscure even by my standards), capped off by one of my favorites, BERNARD CRIBBINS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIhr5lfvgss&feature=emb_imp_woyt
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"Here-- take this." (hands over a gun)
"What about you?"
"Always carry spare-- in case of blowout."
from CHARLIE CHAN IN PARIS (1935)
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Re Dangerous Davies,
The Soundtrack to the Bernard Cribbins movie is excellent.
The series starring ex Dr Who Peter Davison is also excellent. Somewhat different from the book and earlier movie, but still excellent.
The Last Detective 1x01 The Last Detective Pilot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek0dXPEi4iA&list=PLjxlFT1oKG_FEhgBU99jvoP7FXH2aJK0l
Enjoy!
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Thanks for that. Bookmarked!
The Cribbins film was actually all the way at the BOTTOM of my long list of bookmarks. I just decided to jump ahead and watch it immediately, so I wouldn't chance it being taken down before I got the chance.
I noted his boss was played by Bernard Lee. He wasn't looking too good, and this was the same year they did FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, where it became known he was too ill to do his usual 5-minute cameo as "M". He passed away shortly after.
HIS boss was Joss Acklund, who I will no doubt always remember as the totally SICK BASTARD villain from "LETHAL WEAPON 2" who declared "DIPLOMATIC-- IMMUNITY!" -- just before one of the heroes shot him dead. It's shocking to look back a couple decades when he actually played some sympathetic characters, like in THE HOUSE THAT DRIPPED BLOOD or the 1965 SHERLOCK HOLMES, before he clealry got typecast as no-good thoroughly-rotten types. Early on in the film, I found myself thinking, somebody should tell this bastard that some people you can get better results from with a kind word of encouragement, instead of treating everyone like CRAP whether they're doing good or bad.
There were other terrific character actors in there, like the 72-year-old guy playing a 101-year-old, who I'll always remember from THE NEW AVENGERS episode "The Eagle's Nest", where he told Purdey the story about "the big bird" that came down from the sky, and how it contained "treasure", and said, "They took the treasure away!", all leaving her wondering WHAT exactly was he talking about.
And the of course, about 2/3rds of the way in, Colin Baker turns up briefly.
Wonderfully-told mystery, a real slow boil, where each time Davies manages to turn over ANOTHER important part of it, I was just overwhelmed with joy and excitement, following along with him.
I've been a fan of Cribbins since INVASION EARTH 2150 A.D., and have also seen him in TWO-WAY STRETCH, THE WRONG ARM OF THE LAW, 2 episodes of THE AVENGERS, and lately, YOU MUST BE JOKING! (1965), which I actually sat here and watched on Youtube 3 times. I think of that as a British Army variation on "MAD MAD WORLD", both for its plot and for the endless array of character actor cameos.
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Didn't think I could provide a link for this movie, since the copy I watched last night wasn't from YouTube.
But here is 'Shakedown'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zSFbX9V_3k
Unfortunately a TV rip.
Somebody thought - lets do a buddy cop movie, only lets team up a lawyer with a cop.
Peter Weller is hot, since he has just done Robocop, so who can we team him up with?
How about Sam Elliott?! As an undercover cop in Modern Day New York - with that Western accent? Yeah, that makes sense.
Weller and Elliott are consumate actors and I would watch them in anything,but still?!
Even though Weller's character is a courtroom lawyer, he still gets to jump into a sportscar or motorbike with Sam, armed with a gun and get into the action scenes.
What makes this stand-out are the 3 big special effects action scenes.
You get a strange mixture of sensible courtroom drama scenes and bat%#$)& crazy action scenes.
It's like the second unit crew though they were making a different film altogether.
This film is crazy but fun.
Spoiler! One of the action scenes is a homage to the penultimate scene in Clint Eastwood's 'The Gauntlet' and an attempt to one-up that scene.
The final action scene is up there with some of the craziness in the last few 'Fast and Furious' movies.
This is fun and nonsense. Your jaw will hit the floor!
Cheers!
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I SAW that in a theatre when it came out! For the most part, I enjoyed it, but I believe (if memory serves) I ranked it in the category of "EXCESSIVELY-VIOLENT" action films of the era.
It was like, ever since THE TERMINATOR was the highest-grossing film of 1984, Hollywood spent the next decade trying to top it. I've often thought... if BUCKAROO BANZAI had been the #1 film that year, film history would have gone a lot different.
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Kevin Smith has said 'you really figure out who you want to hang out with by watching Buckaroo Banzai!'
New York Film Festival: Buckaroo Banzai Intro + Q&A
Kevin Smith interviews Peter Weller and John Lithgow. Great Stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi_ixer1-5M
I forgot about Smith's bad language. Just fast forward to the interview. [3:27]
I have watched this interview multiple times as I have the movie. Still enjoy it and the interview just as much. Priceless!
Also, current information
Kevin Smith Walks Away from Buckaroo Banzai TV Series After MGM Sues Creators
In the theatre it is customary for the cast to come out and take a bow, something like this.
Buckaroo Banzai end titles (credits) (good quality)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MqJ3iGBdOo
Enjoy!
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension - End Credits
https://comicbook.com/news/kevin-smith-walks-away-from-buckaroo-banzai-tv-series-after-mgm/
Cheers!
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"DOGMA" is the only Kevin Smith film I've only seen on commercial TV. In other words, with ALL the endless profanity MISSING. I don't know if I'd care to ever see it uncut. I don't mind a certain amount of profanity for "punctuation", but with him, it just seems immensely childish.
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"Where are we?"
"I hate to tell you, pal."
"Where are we going?"
"CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK"
"This way."
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THE RADIO FUN BUMPER SONG BOOK TUBE-A-THON--Part 1 of 2
Produced in the hopes that I'm not the only member who likes this sort of music.
I went through the Radio Fun Bumper Song Book entry by entry scouring YouTube for examples of the songs. I already knew a little bit about most of the performers listed here. However I'd never heard any of the songs. I was pleased to find videos of quite a few of them, though not always by the artist named in the Song Book.
EVER SO QUIET (Algy More): Tommy Handley
Tommy Handley was a popular English comedian who started in music hall, then became a pioneer radio performer in the early 1920s. He and fellow BBC comedian Ronald Frankau often did sketches as "Mr Murgatroyd and Mr Winterbottom."
There's plenty of Handley on YouTube but not this number. However I did find a 1939 recording by Ozzie Nelson. What a weird song! Algy More specialized in comic songs like "Tinkle Tinkle Dash Dash" and "Go Oo-Ha-Ha Together."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8VWAi4-p9Y
PROUD OF YOU (Peter David): Sandy Macpherson
Macpherson was the second official BBC Theatre Organist, having succeeded Reginald Foort in 1938. In the days just before WWII he played on the radio so often (sometimes up to twelve hours a day!) that listeners got fed up and demanded the BBC play more different kinds of music. I presume he didn't sing "Proud of You," as he wasn't a singer. I found no recordings of the song.
LONDON IS SAYING GOOD NIGHT (Hunter-Parr Davies-Nicholls): Gracie Fields
Gracie Fields was a legendary actress, singer, and comedian. She started in the music halls and later found great success in films. Here's her 1938 recording of "London is Saying Good Night:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC_MWqfvvqw
I'M KNITTING A SINGLET FOR CECIL (R.M. McLeish): Elsie Carlisle
Elsie Carlisle started performing in the 1920s and sang with some of the top British bands, including Ambrose and Jack Hylton. Cole Porter chose her to be the one to introduce his famous "What Is This Thing Called Love?" She was best known for romantic songs but she also recorded novelty numbers like "Cecil." I couldn't find her recording of the song but here's a modern cover with a final verse missing from the Bumper Song Book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTiavM67pUg
To get a sense of Elsie Carlisle's comic personality, check out her recording of the (hardly) legendary "Please Leave My Butter Alone:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tayzEAGBPl4
WHISTLING GYPSY (Stanley Damerell): Arthur Tracy
Arthur Tracy (born Abba Avrom Tracovutsky) was an American singer and actor. He started in vaudeville in the late 1910s and later became a popular radio personality. He originally used the alias "The Street Singer" in his first broadcasts because vaudeville artists who appeared on radio could be blackballed from future theatrical bookings. Here's a movie clip of Tracy singing "The Whistling Gypsy:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1PwfeNEDmU
WHEN GRANNY WORE HER CRINOLINE (King-Grant-Paree): Jack Jackson & His Band
Jack Jackson was a trumpet player who began playing in bands at the age of 11. He worked with Jack Hylton, Ray Noble, and Jack Payne before forming his own orchestra. After WWII he was a BBC disk jockey for nearly 30 years. Most of Jackson's YouTube videos date from a few years before the Bumper Book. I couldn't find his version of "Granny" but here's a 1938 recording by Felix Mendelssohn with Al Bowlly on the vocals (he doesn't sing until halfway through the side):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elYErWjloss
WHOOPS WE GO AGAIN (Al & Bob Harvey): Al and Bob Harvey
Al and Bob Harvey, who also worked as The A&B Battery Boys, were a popular Canadian stage and recording duo who hit it big in England in the 1920s and 1930s. They returned to Canada in 1940 and worked for another decade. Here's a 1938 film of them performing their ice-skating number, "Whoops We Go Again:"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4gNrIp_gO8
PLEASE REMEMBER (Denby-Watson): Big Bill Campbell
Clarence "Big Bill" Campbell was a Canadian singer who popularized Western music on the BBC during the 1930s. Also known as "Zeke Winters," he toured widely and was quite popular. YouTube has a few of his 1940s discs. I couldn't find any versions of "Please Remember," but here's Big Bill's 1948 rendition of "I'm Rockin' to the Rockies" to give a taste of his style:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqcZpSeXyYQ
THE BARRERS IN THE WALWORTH ROAD (Leslie Sarony): Norman Long
Norman Long is another music hall performer who became an early radio star. He first broadcast for the brand-new BBC in 1922. He played piano and did comic patter routines and remained popular into the 1940s. Here's a British Pathe film of Long performing "The Barrers (Barrows) in the Walworth Road." The song is about a famous market district where merchants hawked their wares from wheelbarrows. You have to sit through a monologue before the good stuff:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx2u36S-wQI
I also recommend this very nice duet version (uncredited, but sounds like Long with a female partner) accompanying archival footage of 1920s London:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE18dSdv4Zg
HOMETOWN (Kennedy-Carr): Flanagan and Allen
Bud Flanagan (born Chaim Weintrop) and Chesney Allen were a pair of easygoing singer-comedians who were widely popular in 1930s and 1940s England. Their career extended from music hall to radio to movies and even to television. "Hometown" was a big hit originating in the musical "London Rhapsody." Here's their 1938 recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFmRX7q8c4M
MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG (Carr-Wallace): Billy Cotton
Billy Cotton began leading orchestras in the 1920s and his dance band was one of the few to survive into the 1950s. His BBC radio show carried over to television in the late 50s. Cotton also drove racing cars; he finished 8th in the 1949 British Grand Prix. I gave up looking for his "Merrily We Roll Along." If it's there it's buried beneath Stephen Sondheim and the old nursery tune. Instead I offer this Pathe film which opens with Cotton and his band doing his signature tune "I'm Just Wild About Harry" and continues with comic acts, dancers, and an ear-splitting soprano. The sound is poor but this records an actual public performance and we get fascinating glimpses of how things were really done back then: not a glittering Hollywood deco palace populated with tables, but rather a wide, empty dance floor with the band seated on one side and the guests standing on the other side watching the show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE9rwMqcxzU
As if this wasn't enough I'll be covering the rest of the book in the next installment...
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I'm just about halfway thru the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE revival. "The Golden Triangle", the only 2-parter they managed between seasons 8-9, could be the high point of the entire run.
When they started up again, they were doing relatively small con-games. But this one had a huge scope and a world-affecting scenario, as the IMF took out a large drug cartel based in Australia. They mostly did this by pitting the supplier against the distributor, to the point where one had the other asassinated, then got the survivor to reveal their network when they conned the guy into thinking his entire fortune had been embezzled.
This one also got "personal". In the revival pilot, Jim's protoge was killed, inspiring him to come out of retirement, an older, meaner Jim Phelps. This Phelps didn't seem to mind occasions when he'd allow the bad guys to find out at the end HE was responsible for their downfall.
In the 12th episode, one of the new members of the team, Casey, was killed, and replaced by Shannon Reed, who became my all-time favorite lady in the show.
Earlier, Grant's father Barney turned up in an episode, having to be cleared of a murder charge. In this one, Barney had gone undercover months in advance, but had his cover blown. The cliffhanger had it looking like Barney had been killed. This NEVER would have been convincing if Casey hadn't ACTUALLY been killed half a year earlier. But for an entire week, it actually looked like an ORIGINAL IMF team member had bought the big one. Many don't realize this, but Barney is the ONLY agent who appeared in at least one episode in ALL 9 seasons, since Jim didn't join the show until the start of season 2!
When this was first-run, I remember being shocked when it looked like Barney might be dead... and thinking, I'd never have thought this except for what happened to Casey. All the same, when it was revealed halfway thru part 2 that he was still alive, it put a BIG smile on my face.
Barney and his son Grant, of course, were played by REAL-LIFE father & son Greg Morris & Phil Morris.
Like several other episodes, this one was directed by Don Chaffey, who did a ton of English TV shows, including many episodes of DANGERMAN and THE PROTECTORS, as well as feature films like JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS.
Watching the end of this 2-parter, the TV equivalent of a feature film, reminded me of how ANNOYING it was when the revival was CANCELLED abruptly, not because of ratings, but because someone at Paramount got the idea they wanted to do a M:I feature film. I wouldn't have minded... if they'd just picked up immediately where the revival left off and WITH THE SAME CAST. Had they done that, they could have beat the NEXT GENERATION films to theatres by several years.
Instead, the films were set up almost entirely as a deal for Tom Cruise. Even that could have been acceptable... if they hadn't done the first one as an outright INSULT and SLAP-IN-THE-FACE to the original show and its characters. As far as I'm concerned, they DON'T take place in the same continuity... at all. That first film, in my eyes, POISONED the well.
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNTY1MzIxNzIzOF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwODMwNDk4OA@@._V1_.jpg)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpflVvtbzp8
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IT'S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR!
Mostly due to endless discussions with my best friend in Georgia, I've managed to see every HALLOWEEN film in a theatre since #6.
But sometimes I wonder why.
#6 started out looking promising, but went nowhere fast. The PREVIOUS cut of the film, which I've also seen, while TEN TIMES BETTER, was still a vile exercise.
#7... I liked, mainly the last 10 seconds (which, you never see on commercial TV).
#8 started out INSULTING the audience. After that, all the crap that followed wasn't even half as bad.
#9 should never have existed. (It made me shake my head in dismay when Nick Cuti told me he LIKED it. The longer I knew that guy, the less I respected his opinions.)
#10 made #9 look good. I figured out that, based on the finale, the entire film NEVER HAPPENED. Really.
#11 may be the only film I ever saw in a theatre where, halfway thru, I got totally disgusted and realized, it WASN'T GONNA GET ANY BETTER. So I sat there for the entire 2nd half of the film, not believing how bad it was. Did not walk out until it was over. But almost wishing I had.
And they're planning to push #12 on the public?
I don't get to the movies much these days. But this is really a case where I think, I may go OUT OF MY WAY... NOT to see this one. EVER. F*** the producers.
I can write better stuff than this. AND HAVE.
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When they started up again, they were doing relatively small con-games. But this one had a huge scope and a world-affecting scenario, as the IMF took out a large drug cartel based in Australia.
That's because the entire series was shot in Australia. In Brisbane and the Gold Coast in SouthEast Queensland .
If you look close you can see details like cars being driven 'on the wrong side of the road' and recognizable Brisbane landscapes.
the revival was CANCELLED abruptly, not because of ratings, but because someone at Paramount got the idea they wanted to do a M:I feature film.
Oh, likely they wanted to do a film with Tom Cruise and he made it a condition that they use Mission Impossible and turn it into a vehicle for him.
Ever notice that you go see a Cruise film [If you do] for the action and the special effects, but not actually to see Cruise?
if they hadn't done the first one as an outright INSULT and SLAP-IN-THE-FACE to the original show and its characters. As far as I'm concerned, they DON'T take place in the same continuity... at all. That first film, in my eyes, POISONED the well.
Agreed.
His latest film 'Top Gun Maverick' is a disgrace because both he and Disney have bent over backward to appease China and have accordingly censored elements of it not acceptable to China.
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I always remember how Peter David, in his column in The Comics Buyer's Guide, reviewed the 1st M:I movie. He described it this way... Suppose you had a STAR TREK story, in which you found that that Jim Kirk MURDERED his entire bridge crew... FOR MONEY. That was the S*** they tried to pawn off on movie-goers. And, they wanted to bring back the original cast from seasons 2-3... and kill them all off. GOOD for all 5 of them for turning it down flat.
As Peter David said... Jim Phelps is one of the SMARTEST people on the planet. If he ever decided to pull a robbery for personal profit, he could do it, pull it off without a hitch, without anyone ever finding out he was behind it, and, WITHOUT murdering HIS FRIENDS.
I view that Tom Cruise atrocity as something some bitter rival in the CIA cooked up to smear Phelps' name. While it was in theatres, the real Phelps was sitting at home, laughing about it... while planning the downfall of the man who gave the film the green-light.
;D
For a year and half, the M:I revival was my #1 favorite show on TV. It still pisses me off it was yanked off the air, and without ever being officially "cancelled". At the time, they said it was "being put on hiatus", a phrasing suggesting it was coming back soon. But it never did.
While the original always stressed plot and STYLE over characters, the revival-- JUST like THE NEW AVENGERS in the 70s-- perhaps knowing it couldn't measure up in brilliance or style, decided to make the characters more three-dimensional people. I LIKED these characters, something I could never really say about the ones on the original show. Thao Phenglis as Nicholas Black was probably my favorite, but Jane Badler as Shannon Reed was a close 2nd, and she became my favorite woman character in the entire 9 years of the series. What a shock after she was so EVIL on "V".
A fun bit of trivia I never realized before: Phil Morris' acting debut was as one of those annoying KIDS on the STAR TREK episode "Miri". ST & MI were shooting on the same lot. Also, he had a cameo as an Enterprise crewman in STAR TREK 3.
Antony Hamilton had earlier starred in the 1984 tv-movie version of "SAMSON AND DELILAH", which had a cameo by Victor Mature as Samson's father. When I re-watched that a few years ago, the style struck me as an obvious fore-runner of the Kevin Sorbo HERCULES series. Although it was supposed to depict ancient times, the style of the writing and acting was very "modern". Tragically, he passed away far too young sometime in the 90s.
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THE RADIO FUN BUMPER SONG BOOK TUBE-A-THON--Part 2 of 2
THE FLEET'S NOT IN PORT VERY LONG (Noel Gay): The Crazy Gang
The crazy gang was formed in the early 1930s by three "double acts" from the music hall: Bud Flanagan & Chesney Allen, Jimmy Nervo & Teddy Knox, and Charlie Naughton & Jimmy Gold. Their brand of "knockabout comedy" was hugely popular and inspired many later comic groups. They performed regularly at the Palladium and appeared in several movies. King George VI was a big fan.
"The Fleet's Not in Port Very Long" is a sort of sequel to another Noel Gay composition, "The Fleet's in Port Again," which seems to have been introduced by Alan Breeze with Billy Cotton's band in 1935. Fans of odd musical numbers will enjoy this excerpt from The Crazy Gang's 1937 film O-Kay for Sound. In the film the number is performed on a movie screen before an audience. The camera switches back and forth from shots of the theater to shots "inside" the movie world. The presentation climaxes in a giant montage of marching military bands, battleships firing their cannon, and cheering Britons. The orchestra quotes "The Fleet's in Port Again" in the opening of the number and that song is also referenced in the lyrics. The singer is Peter Dawson.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTWmk71smkk
THE HUMMING WALTZ (Damerell-Evans): Sam Browne
This is not the General Sam Browne who created the Sam Browne belt. This Sam was the vocalist for Bert Ambrose's popular dance orchestra. The only recording I found of "The Humming Waltz" was this 1938 Mantovani recording. I doubt if the song had much of a life. Even by the standards of 1930s schmaltz it's pretty lame.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sng20TuL6q0
GOODNIGHT TO YOU ALL (Denby-Watson): Gert and Daisy
Gert and Daisy were sisters Elsie and Doris Waters. They began performing as singer-comedians in the early 1930s but gained their greatest fame during World War II. The duo played their gossipy housewife characters on the stage, the radio, and even on 1950s television. "Goodnight to You All" isn't typical of their work, which was mostly lively humorous songs. I couldn't find "Goodnight" on YouTube, but here's a jolly example of their work from 1940, "Knees Up, Mother Brown." By the way, the pair's brother John Waters was Jack "Dixon of Dock Green" Warner.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdRxWZ5-mvg
GANGWAY ( Lerner-Goodhart-Hoffman): Jessie Matthews
Energetic, charming Jessie Matthews started her career as a singer and dancer at the age of twelve. In the 1920s and 1930s she appeared in a string of successful stage musicals. In the early 30s she crossed over into movies and became even more popular. Though her popularity faded in the 1940s she continued to appear on radio and TV into the 1970s. "Gangway" is a number from the 1937 film of the same name. I love this number not only for Jessie's exuberant performance but also for the clever staging and the gleaming Streamline Deco set.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo_ob8muHjo
THERE'S RAIN IN MY EYES (Ager-McCarthy-Schwartz): The Three in Harmony
I don't know who The Three in Harmony were. I found a British Pathe soundie of "The Radio Three." I wonder if it might be them.They were a female harmony group in the vein of the Boswell Sisters and the Three X Sisters. "There's Rain in My Eyes" was covered by a number of swing bands in the late 30s. Here's a typical example from Ben Pollack. This 1938 recording features a vocal by Paula Gayle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MD9l-eDLZ-A
For the record, here's the Radio Three video because I'm a sucker for 30s female harmony trios (the Bozzies topping the list). They're singing "I'm Gonna Wash My Hands of You."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FZ7k8l82Po
MR MIDDLETON SAYS IT'S RIGHT (London-More): Arthur Askey
Arthur Askey was a major British comedian. His career began in the early 1930s and continued until his death in the early 1980s. Beginning in 1940 he appeared in a number of popular movies. I couldn't find this particular song among his many YouTube videos. In its place I offer this British Pathe short in which he sings "The Moth," a very funny song which reminds me of Flanders & Swann's animal songs. The song follows a rather flat opening monologue. It's worth waiting for.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjXqGjTZu1A
IN SANTA MARGHERITA (Morrow-Scher): Al Bowlly
Al Bowlly (the Bumper Song Book misspells his name) was born in Mozambique and raised in South Africa by Greek and Lebanese parents. In the mid-1920s he joined a dance band that toured various British colonies, ending up in England just in time for the Great Depression. He was saved by two music contracts: simultaneously recording with Ray Noble's dance band and singing live at Lew Stone's nightclub, Monseigneur's. His career faltered in the late 30s as a result of medical problems with his voice. He continued to perform, though, until his 1941 death in the London Blitz. Bowlly had recorded over a thousand songs in his short career. Here's his 1938 recording of "In Santa Margherita" backed by Lew Stone's orchestra.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjXqGjTZu1A
IT'S A GRAND OLD WORLD (Kennedy-Carr): Sandy Powell
Albert "Sandy" Powell was a cheerful comedian with extensive music hall experience. He had great success with recordings of his comic sketches and went into radio in the 1930s. He worked steadily into the 1950s. Here's a film clip of him singing "It's a Grand Old World," a catchy, upbeat song, while driving before some of the worst rear-projected backgrounds to appear in British film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G_PryRffPo
THE WHISPERING WALTZ (Damerell-Evans) Joe Loss and his Band
Joe Loss was still working his way up the musical ladder when the Bumper Song Book came out. He'd started leading bands in the early 30s and was currently leading the band at the Astoria Ballroom. Loss accompanied legendary vocalist Vera Lynn in her first radio broadcast. His popularity grew throughout the 1940s and 1950s. He remained active until his death in 1990. I couldn't find "The Whispering Waltz," but here's "The Whistling Gypsy Waltz," a pretty instrumental version of the song Arthur Tracy sang earlier in the Song Book.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0JFFCKB5nY
I haven't a clue who the J.J.P. was who wrote the closing poem.
A final note: The British Pathe company have an amazing library of vintage films, not just musical shorts but also historical and documentary clips. The collection is viewable online. Watching music hall favorites like Arthur Askey and Al and Bob Harvey I was struck by how stilted some of their performances were. These were seasoned pros with years of experience in front of audiences. Maybe that was the trouble. They had no audience and were stuck on a bare, echoing sound stage a few feet from a camera crew. They didn't know how to play for the camera. Arthur Askey's soundie is an interesting instance. His opening monologue is stiff and self-conscious but when he rolls into his song he really comes alive.
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Just to amplify my points on Mission Impossible and Cruise.
I love these.
Says it all.
Honest Trailers - Mission: Impossible
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du1-ScWU-p0
Tom Cruise's jacket is a little detail that says a lot about Hollywood's craven attitude to China
https://www.smh.com.au/national/tom-cruise-s-jacket-is-a-little-detail-that-says-a-lot-about-hollywood-s-craven-attitude-to-china-20200810-p55k4k.html
Just Google that, you will find a lot more articles Not censored yet.
On that, there is also this
Marvels Shang-Chi, Eternals May Face Uphill Battle to Enter China
https://variety.com/2021/film/news/marvel-shang-chi-eternals-china-release-1234971166/
Don't be fooled by any of the 'given' criticisms, they are just excuses for China to flex its muscle on Disney.
If that's not enough, try this.
Mulan Xinjiang scenes filmed near 10 internment camps, 5 prisons
https://www.truthccn.org/2020/10/06/mulan-xinjiang-scenes-filmed-near-10-internment-camps-5-prisons/
This also is not an isolated post. Google that.
I won't be going to pay money for any Disney product in the foreseeable future.
Apart from the above,
The Actor playing 'Shang-Chi' looks nothing like the visual depiction of him in the comics.
The 'Eternals' movie looks like being the first where they have made radical - and I mean radical - changes from Jack Kirby's vision. The Marvel books are currently shoehorning 'Eternals' stories into regular series and just looking at the covers, I don't even want to read them.
Incidentally, the movie MCU leaves no stone unturned and no character is too insignificant.
They have just published a volume of all the KillRaven stories.
That character is my tip for one of the next MCU movies. Hey, maybe they think, well nobody on Mars is going to complain and War of the Worlds is PD, so it's our meat by rights!
Maybe that might also explain why James Robinson was pulled off of 'The Invaders' and the book canceled, just when his script was concerned with the Killraven characters? I hope he has a good lawyer.
Cheers!
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Today's movie: at last, my very 1st Hammer Film UPGRADE to Blu-Ray disc!
(https://cdn10.bigcommerce.com/s-o6vy9cv/products/126619/images/122894/196018__01043.1519677798.1280.1280.jpg?c=2)
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Crazy Gang are hilarious and well worth searching for their films. Taxi!
We both love Arthur Askey movies. Ghost Train, Make Mine A Million, Back Room Boy........
As for M. I. Can't stand Cruise. Eternals, I thought the comics were awful. Poor, poor stuff. I won't go to see Shang Chi. At one point I enjoyed the Gulacy version, but it all bores me now.
Prof, that us the excellent, Devil Rides Out, with the menacing and evil villain, Mocata, played by Charles Grey.. Great film.
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UNEXPECTED "customer feedback" (JUST sent to Shout! Factory)...
"I just got ahold of your 2019 Blu-Ray of "THE DEVIL RIDES OUT". Loved it! I have just 2 things I want to bring up.
First, the text on the menu, example, "EXTRAS", is way too tiny and difficult to read for the size of the TV screen involved. I'm afraid I call this "bad design".
The second is a bit more BAFFLING. Every single time I pop this disc in, I get the following message:
"BD-ROM Date (USB) is not ready! Playback is currently active, but Error may occur."
I've had this machine (a Philips BDP1502) for 4 months, and this has never come up before. I thought something weird might have happened with the machine, BUT!-- I checked another DVD and another Blu-Ray, and the message DOES NOT come up with them. Also, when I hit the stop button, I am NOT able to simply hit play and resume where I left off... as I can with EVERY OTHER DISC I have ever used so far. With this disc, if I hit stop, then play, it goes back to the beginning, and the menu!
This, therefore, appears to be a glitch related DIRECTLY to this particular Blu-Ray disc, NOT the machine. ANY IDEAS???
Let me put it this way... it's a DAMNED good thing this movie has "scenes" (chapter breaks)."
^^ This drove me crazy for ALMOST AN HOUR before I finally thought to try popping in 2 other discs... BOTH of which worked perfect.
Personally, I'm not thrilled with the way the Philips machine is built... or how TINY the remote is... or how INDECIPHERABLE the ONLINE-ONLY manual reads... or how the on-screen "setup" menu is designed. For the most part,. I can't even understand the video & audio "options", either. And then there's the G** D*** "audio helper" (or whatever it's called), which I accidentally turned on, and then it took me over 20 minutes to TURN THE F***er OFF!
One thing I DON'T NEED is a machine TALKING to me. REALLY LOUD.
I suppose, this is what I get for buying THE CHEAPEST MACHINE I could find...... oh well!
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THE DEVIL in the courtroom!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz-Yw0c7cF0
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"You-- you are The Phantom!"
"If I am The Phantom, it is because man's hatred has made me so."
8)
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Taking the unusual step of posting a comment twice, but in two different places.
Belongs here, really.
In Butterfly and Firefly #1001,[just posted]
Page 5 here advertises the movie,
'The Lone Wolf returns' Starring Melvyn Douglas.
That movie and most of the 'Lone Wolf' movies and quite a few classics besides, can be found on this channel.
https://www.youtube.com/user/RickBusciglio/videos
Includes 'Stagecoach' which is a masterpiece.
To my knowledge, that character [Lone Wolf] never made it into the comics. Pity. I have one of the books. Just as popular as the Saint at one time.
Episodes of the Lone Wolf TV show [Starring Louis Hayward] are to be found here.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXpMFwpZEqxjZyxL-UfB_hg
I recommend Both the movies and the TV show quite highly.
Cheers.
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"Will you agree to become my BRIDE-- or do you prefer to see your lover DIE?"
(What kind of a choice is THAT??)
???
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From a Noir I was watching earlier,
'How do you spell money?'
'B-L-O-O-D!'
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GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT
(Thames Television / 1991)
I just finished plowing thru this. It's gained accolades for being true to the original story. Fair enough. But I found it PAINFUL to sit thru. I wanted to like this so much, but I just couldn't. It was so inteminably DULL, and early-on, the constant flashing back-and-forth between the end of the story and the beginning really got on my nerves.
Maybe someday someone will do an "authentic" version that is also a "good film". But this isn't it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBEv8xjBJf8
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Just watched
Maigret's The White Hat with an introduction from Barry Forshaw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPoX-lBW2zk
Superb!
As you will see at the end, this is a teaser for a DVD box set of Rupert Davies Maigret. To be released OCT 2021.
I think I know what I'm going to get for Christmas.
4 seasons, 4 years.
Cheers!
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Crazy enough, my introduction to the character was the 1988 TV-movie with Richard Harris. it had quite a cast...!
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095566/
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The recent series of Maigret with Rowan Atkinson wasn't to my taste at all. I'm a fan of the Maigret books in the original. And I like and fondly remember the Rupert Davies version. The Bruno Cre'mer interpretation is probably closer the books.
The Atkinson series simply looked wrong. From the actual size of Atkinson to the portrayal of Mme Maigret, who was nothing like his wife as described in the books.
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I watched The Ghoul, British Gaumont film from 1933, starring Boris Karloff, Cedrick Hardwicke, Ralph Richardson, and Ernest Thesiger (related to The Middle East Geographer/Explorer/writer Wilfred???).
It was an excellent, dark noire-style Thriller(with a slight touch of Horror), starring Karloff, as the usual tormented soul, who dared to go where mankind shouldn't go. I hadn't seen it since it was shown on The CBC during the early-mid 1950s. The lighting appeared as if it were night ALL the time, even in the midday scenes! I recommend it be watched in a completely dark room, as well! 8)
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3gCiXoFY5Y&t=19s
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The two best Wilkie Collins mysteries,
The Woman In White starring Andrew Lincoln
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAMJUc851Nw
Excellent production and good added intro and outro.
The Moonstone Full Movie | 1934 | David Manners, Phyllis Barry, Gustav von Seyffertitz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1rsc3u1m-I
1934 Version, can't comment as I haven't watched it yet, but there is a more recent British miniseries, which is excellent.
Enjoy!
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I've also watched The Ape, from 1940, starring Boris Karloff, in one of his most common types of part, a well-meaning doctor/scientist, who goes where Mankind shouldn't go, killing local small, rural townspeople, who are the least likeable, to get necessary for bodily functions from them to give to his paralyzed goddaughter to help bring back functioning of her legs. After a gigantic ape (gorilla) escapes from a travelling circus, and kills a townsman, and is shot in the head by a local, and killed, Karloff skins the hide off the beast, and makes a gorilla suit he uses to murder townspeople and deflect blame to the animal. Needless to say, in the end, Karloff is shot while in the monster suit, and dies. The head portion falls off, revealing that HE is the murderer. But, unlike all other wayward, wrongdoing doctor films, the findings of his illegal experimentation on Humans IS assumed, at the end of the film, that it WILL be used to help Humanity. The serum he invented is still intact, as are his notes. And so, it WILL be used to bring back the dead limbs of all paralyzed humans.
That ending, brought about by several murders, would NEVER get by the censors today (certainly not in a Disney film!) 8)
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Remember the big flap over the preservation of data from NAZI medical experiments on concentration camp victims?
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"You know TOO MUCH to LIVE!!!"
--Dwight Frye (1931)
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This reminds me of a favorite gag from a forgotten cartoon (maybe Joe Horne's The Specialists?) The villainous mad scientist finally has the hero in his power. Gloating in time-honored mad scientist style he describes his evil plan to the hero, ending with, "But now you know too much to live!"
To which the hero replies, "If you'd have kept your stupid mouth shut I wouldn't know anything at all!"
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Robb, you might want to seek out Karloff's 'the Invisible Ray' which has a similar plot to 'The Ape'
I have been watching quite a lot of the old 40's ' Horror' films, one of them starring all three of Karloff, Rathbone and Lugosi.
It's been a revelation to me to see what these actors look like playing parts that I don't visually associate with them. My visual image of Karloff comes from Frankenstein, but now I realize just how heavily made up he was in that role.
In the Old Dark House Karloff plays a character with somewhat similiar characteristics to Frankenstein - opposite Charles Laughton. Visually tho, he is radically different.
The old dark house 1932 HD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QON5i4GQ7ho
Just watched a minor film, but worth watching called A FEATHER IN HER Cap (1935) starring Basil Rathbone and Louis Hayward
A FEATHER IN HER HAT (1935)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7yb0774c5c
Warning, this print of the movie ends too abruptly, appears chopped off right at the end.
I associate Rathbone with his portrayal of Holmes, but the character he plays here is quite different. These men are underrated as serious actors unfortunately.
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Sherlock: A Case of Evil (2002) | Full TV Movie |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CkFBcVNH6w
James D'Arcy ... Sherlock Holmes
Roger Morlidge Roger Morlidge ... Dr. Watson
Vincent D'Onofrio ... Moriarty
Nicholas Gecks Nicholas Gecks ... Insp. Lestrade
Strange beast this one.
The Director Graham Theakston has nothing spectacular to his credit. A journeyman, but not a bad one.
This was only the writer, Piers Ashworth's fifth script and the first made into a production. And it shows. it.
The cast are all excellent and, for mine, work well in the roles they play. Except for D'Onofrio's Moriarty.
This is not, 'Young Sherlock Holmes' but Holmes is noticeably young here.
As a film, it works well and i enjoyed it. So acting, sets, cinematography, atmosphere all excellent.
As a Holmes vehicle, it's quite another story.
Holmes and Moriarty should play intellectual chess games with each other - to be faithful to Doyle.
Here Holmes is just another action hero, makes mistakes and doubts himself. Mycroft is not the superior older brother, although Grant does a good job with him.I do like Watson, LeStrade is not the usual decent bumbler, but the cliche TV cynical street cop.
But the script! This is full of every cliche out of 'TV thriller writer #101. Dreadful. Moriarty is a dastardly psychopathic egotistic sadistic villain who would not be out of place opposite Doc Savage.Or Batman.
There is just no subtly in this script.
There are lots of shots of Hansom cabs, but there are jarrying elements that are not chronologically accurate.
I don't remember Doyle's Holmes using a telephone and Newspaper reporters didn't run after detectives or print lurid headlines in that era.
But the real change is that Doyle wrote Holmes as asexual, that is, sex was never a significant part of the narrative, not what he was writing about. Here Holmes is decidedly heterosexual and his sexual ethics are those of the post-pill late 20th century, not the Victorian era. TV and Movie depictions that are not faithful to the era attract my ire.
But as I said, I enjoyed it as a movie - and it did give me some new insights into Holmes.
Probably made as a pilot for a TV series which never happened.
Oh, The Director Graham Theakston early in his career did a kids TY series, The Tripods, obviously based on 'War of the Worlds' concepts. Anybody out there ever see that? Was it ever a comic?
Cheers!
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Transatlantic Tunnel (1935).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_ki6AWh_zQ
Great sets!
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Tripods was indeed a comic strip in the BBC mag BEEB. It was drawn in his usual excellent style by John M Burns. There are examples on Bear Alley.
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I've seen A CASE OF EVIL when it was first broadcast, in fact I have a tape of it. Didn't like it. At all. Then again, with a few notable exceptions, I don't tend to care for most "updated" Holmes films... or those that mutilate the characters. (I put up with it up to the mid-1940s. But after that...) Frankly, ever since Jeremy Brett (who is NOT my favorite these days!), I've consistently just not seen the point of people continuing to do "Holmes" films in the wake of the Granada series which (for most of it) was so exceptionally well-done.
Yeah, I know, cynical types will always chime in, "The point is to MAKE MONEY."
This was the same attitude that inspired someone to do "THE BATMAN" cartoon series almost immediately after the 90s WB BATMAN cartoon series ended, which was so good, so superior on every level, that someone going ahead and doing a "different" Batman series right after, just to do one and be different, gave me ZERO interest in ever, ever watching it.
(Wasn't this Holmes post in the wrong thread?) ;D
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As of last week, I've finally, officially, started on a long-delayed "Horror Movie Marathon". I started assembling a list last night, although, this morning, I've begun to wonder if I shouldn't make it instead a general "1930s Movie Marathon", and dig out pretty much everything in my collection from that era. That would be different.
I've got so many videotapes, probably more than I could ever do "upgrades" of all of it, and in many cases of late, I've been playing OLD tapes with the idea that this may be the last time I watch many of these movies on tape, before upgrading them with DVDs. There's just no way I could (or would want to) get that many DVDs in such a short space of time, both because of the financial restrictions and storage space. (I've been giving serious thought to DUMPING huge chunks of my comic-book and magazine collections to make room for stuff I actually may want to enjoy more than once.)
So anyway, last week was "THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA" with Lon Chaney-- the version with the Rick Wakeman score. Ever since I got this 20 years ago, trying to watch the film with a traditional orchestral score just puts me to sleep by comparison.
Last night, the eternally-creaky "DRACULA" (1931) with Bela Lugosi. There's basically 3 actors in here who completely steal the movie-- Lugosi, Dwight Frye (who was typecast as raving lunatics after this), and Edward Van Sloan. They seem to be in a completely-different movie from everyone else, whihc may be in large part because from some accounts, director Tod Browning was depressed about the death of Lon Chaney and totally disinterested in the film he was making! It makes me wish the director of the Spanish version (made at night on the same sets) had actually directed the Lugosi version.
(https://images.mubicdn.net/images/film/20166/cache-13116-1576032329/image-w1280.jpg)
There's a lot of classic visuals and dialogue in here, but the film suffers terribly from being TOO static, from having CUTS made before and after its original release, and possibly whole scenes never being shot in the first place (the Spanish version is MUCH-longer!).
Helen Chandler may be the most-annoying and least-attractive Mina I've ever seen, and David Manners, while extremely-handsome, also gets on my nerves for his constant disbelief at what's going on. The scene where Van Helsing finally convinces him-- when they see Lucy alive and Van Helsing destroys her-- is completely MISSING from the film, and I'm still not sure if it was filmed but cut or not filmed at all. (It's one of THE highlights of both the Terrence Fisher and Mel Brooks adaptations.) It's extra infuriating, because in the novel (this film and Brooks' were both adapted from the stage play), Jonathan Harker was the HERO of the story. Before the action moved to Whitby & London, HE KNEW what Dracula was.
Despite all these problems, I'm looking forward somewhere down the line to upgrading this (and many others) to DVD. My current VCR has way too much loud "HISS" noise when I'm watching tapes therse days.
I think what really hurts, even more, is that the Mel Brooks film, which was such a LOVE LETTER to the Lugosi film, is a far-more entertaining watch. "Renfield, you IDIOT!"
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Recently I read about a 100th anniversary release of the 1920 German fantasy film, The Golem. I've been reading about this movie all my adult life without ever having seen it. Proving I'm still stuck in the last century, it wasn't until I read about this new reissue that it occurred to me The Golem might be on YouTube. And so it was:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB4h_cyB0ds
This exceptional restoration from original negatives was created a couple of years ago by the F.W. Murnau Institute in Germany. It's worth reading the introductory titles (turn on Closed Captions for English) to learn about the lengths to which they went in their attempt to recreate the original 1920 release. Their effort paid off. The print is clear and clean, complete with the original color tinting.
The Cabinet of Dr Caligari is usually cited as the masterpiece of Expressionist production design, but in my opinion The Golem blows it away. Carl Boese's direction matches the designs perfectly, using compositions and camera angles that emphasize twisty vertical architecture reminiscent of Philippe Druillet's environments. The numerous special effects are a bit cheesy by today's standards but quite sophisticated for 1920.
I knew almost nothing about the movie despite my film history classes, so I read up on it. There were actually three Golem movies. This one, the third, is the only one that has survived. Its full title is The Golem: How He Came Into the World. It's a prequel to the lost first film. While it's usually billed as a horror story, the fantasy elements are stronger than the horror bits. Only near the end does The Golem wander into monster movie territory. Clearly the movie influenced Whale's Frankenstein.
What I'd read about The Golem gave me the impression that it concerned a rabbi who brings a stone figure to life to protect his people from a pogrom. That isn't quite accurate. The story, set in vague feudal times, opens with the local emperor ordering the Jews to leave their Ghetto, a fortress-like walled walled city. Rabbi Loew, the mystic who oversees the city, sculpts a clay warrior, the Golem, which he brings to life in order to protect his people. But in fact the animated Golem never fights on behalf of the Jews. He starts his new "life" as Rabbi Loew's servant. The rabbi shows the creature off at a party at the Emperor's castle. The Golem saves the partygoers when the roof collapses. In gratitude the Emperor cancels the pogrom. Real trouble doesn't start until later when a realignment of the stars drives the Golem bonkers.
If there's a weak spot in The Golem it's the acting. Almost everyone indulges in over-the-top melodrama. The crowd "horrified reaction" shots are silly. When the heroine gets the hots for the Emperor's son her bosom-clutching and heavy breathing are laughable. On the other hand co-director Paul Wegener does a respectable job as the Golem, especially in two scenes in which the creature shows a gentler side. The film held my attention throughout despite the excess ham.
This restoration's weak point is its soundtrack. It's another of those electronic bleep-bloop things that often seem to be foisted upon silent fantasy and s-f films. Five minutes in I killed the track and watched the movie in blessed silence. The film's original score was believed lost. However a copy resurfaced in 2018. A reconstructed version premiered in 2020. I wish the Murnau folks would marry that score to their restored feature.
The anniversary reissue has been rescored by members of the Flaming Lips, Los Lobos, and Threshing Floor. You may watch it for free at Reboot Rescored:
https://rebooting.com/golem/
From their website: "Just in time for Halloween, and aligned with the 100th anniversary of the theatrical release, we?ve created a groundbreaking new score for the classic horror film The Golem: How He Came Into the World. The film has been broken down into eight parts and along with new music from renowned artists, each episode features commentary from scholars, composers and film historians discussing the significance of the film with a deep dive into the Jewish history, occultism, cinematography, and more.
The commentary is interesting in places, but mostly boring. The new score is dreadful. I sampled several of the eight episodes because I couldn't stand listening to any one of them for long. The music jumps between ambient electronica, not much different from the bleep-bloop score, and driving rock heavy on distorted guitars. The one consistent trait is that the music never relates to what's on the screen. Just one example is an early scene introducing the rabbi's lovely daughter and his assistant. The boy is smitten with her but she doesn't notice and he's too shy to speak. It's a light scene played with a touch of poignancy. The soundtrack however is a creepy moan mixed from distant feedback, synthesizer growls, echoing clanks, and barely-heard ghostly voices. It's the stuff horror movies are made of. What's more, almost identical music is used during dramatic character interactions, scenes of magic, love scenes, and a collapsing castle.
I don't want Max Steiner-like scores where there's a note for every footstep. But just like editing, music has a major influence on the a film's emotional impact. In this score all the scenes mush together, draining away the emotional charge that comes from changes in tempo and rising / falling energy levels.
Finally, the anniversary re-release print is much worse than the Murnau Institute print. Most scenes are blurry and overexposed, like your average Public Domain DVD, and there is no scene tinting. Watch this one if you're curious, but for a full experience watch the Murnau version and turn down the bleeps.
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That channel where you found the Golem has a few absolute classics.
Classic Movies Library
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOqOskmhidMBOAhe1gYljmQ
Most significant being
Battleship Potyomkin, dir. Sergei Eisenstein, 1925,
This guy invented quite a lot of what are now considered basic cinema techniques.
Also we have an Erich Von Stroheim film
3 Buster Keatons
the 1920 'the mark of Zorro'
I will let you discover the others by yourself.
watch em while they are still free!
Thank you Crash!
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In my reading about the finding & restorations of the 1914 & 1929 HOUND, it was mentioned there may be a TON of "lost" German films from the silent era waiting to be rediscovered.
The music scores on the silents I've seen this year have been mostly wonderful. This includes the one Eille Norwood Holmes short that appears to currently be on Youtube, but NOT on DVD (bizarre).
2 of my favorite silents back in 1984 and 1990 did get loud rock scores, and I LOVE both of those. But even I would say that kind of thing isn't for every film. 20 years ago, I went out of my way to get ahold of the videotape of Chaney's PHANTOM with the Rick Wakeman score, and recently, I found that version IS out there on DVD, and plan to get one soon. The last time I watched the film on TCM, it had a slightly better-looking restoration, but the orchestral score almost put me to sleep. I guess in the case of this one film, I've been spoiled.
"The Visit" started the CD, but this recording of it doesn't actually turn up until the END CREDITS of the film!! Vocal by Ashley Holt, who sang on Wakeman's "Journey To The Center Of The Earth".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ6lzDEToLc
One of my home care clients a few months ago asked me... "Don't you watch anything NEW?" He just doesn't get it. "New" or "recent" DOESN'T equal "better".
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For the record I'm not opposed to modern scores for silent films. In the 1980s a group calling themselves The Club Foot Orchestra composed a remarkable score for Metropolis which they would perform live at art-house screenings. I wish I'd been able to attend one of their performances. A recording of their score is available on YouTube but to my knowledge it was never attached to a print of the movie. The same people also scored Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr Caligari. Prints with their score are up on YT but I haven't watched them yet. The Club Foot Orchestra played an eclectic mash-up of rock, semi-classical, electronic, and 20s cabaret music.
I haven't seen the Moroder Metropolis but I have heard a lot of the music. The combination of pop vocals and very 80s synth music seems a bit odd. I'd have to see it with the film to form a final opinion.
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I find myself fascinated by the character, The Lone Wolf.
Created by Louis Joseph Vance
Louis Joseph Vance was born September 19, 1879, in Washington, D. C., the only child of Wilson J. Vance, a Medal of Honor recipient, and Lillian Beall Vance. He was educated at the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. Vance was married to Anne Elizabeth Hodges on February 19, 1898. Their son, Wilson Beall Vance, was born in 1900.[1]
He wrote short stories and verse after 1901, then composed many popular novels. His character Michael Lanyard, known as The Lone Wolf, was featured in eight books and 24 films between 1914 and 1949 and also appeared in radio and television series.
List of films here
Lone Wolf Movies
https://www.imdb.com/list/ls058139326/
First film made in 1917 and the last in 1949. 24 films. Is that a record for a franchise?
Warren William, who is excellent starred in 9 of those. The earlier ones are thriller/comedy, the last four are concerned with espionage. [WW2]
William also played Philo Vance, Sam Spade and Perry Mason.
I have now seen three of his Lone Wolf films and really like him in the part.
The movies are generally excellent.
Louis Hayward played Michael Lanyard in the TV series in the 1950's.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047751/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_6
As TV these aren't bad, but they shouldn't have called it 'the lone wolf'. The character becomes a Phillip Marlowe copy, compete with first person voice-over. the Warren William character and Movies are more like Charteris' the Saint.
One thing I do like is the lone wolf silhouette medallion he uses as a calling card.
No-one seems to care very much about copywriting the name, as there are more modern books and Movies useing the name Lone Wolf which have nothing to do with the character.
Two items on CB+
Suspense #050 - Murder Goes for a Swim [Radio]
https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=47935
Boy's Cinema 0861 - The Lone Wolf Returns Michael Lanyard [Complete movie synopsis?]
https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=70377
Going to have to have a closer look at this title to see what else is there.,
And no comic book version as far as I know.
Cheers!
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About 2 years back, when I got the sudden idea to do a chronological science-fiction movie marathon, I started with something I'd wanted to do for years but somehow hadn't. I watched METROPOLIS back-to-back, 2 weeks in a row. First I watched the 1984 restoration by Georgio Moroder. He managed to add back in 15 of the missing minutes, plus a section with still photos supplied by Forry Ackerman, with color tints, some color effects, and a futuristic rock score. Then I watched the mid-90s restoration, with an ADDITIONAL 30 minutes added back in, with a brand-new recording of the original orchestral score. BOTH blew me away the first time I saw each of them.
The story makes MUCH, MUCH more sense with that extra 30 minutes. Missing, I swear, from the shorter version, was the whole MOTIVATION for why Rotwang suddenly decided to double-cross Joh and destroy the city. Both men loved the same woman, but Joh stole Hel away from Rotwang, married her, had a son by her, and then... she died. Rotwang created his robot in the image of Hel, but then, just as she was finished, Joh wanted him to use the Robot to duplicate Maria, to control the workers, who seemed on the verge of a revolt. Instead, Rotwang used the fake Maria to CAUSE a revolt that would destroy the only thing Joh loved-- his city. Imagine that, missing from the short version.
Oddly enough, there's a line in the short version that's not used in the longer one. "Father, WHY do we treat the workers so badly?" And that one line REALLY sums up what the whole movie's really about, and is what make it resonate so much TODAY.
Anyway... after I watched the longer version, I realized that while it worked so much better as a more-complete story, the shorter version has STRONGER emotional impact-- specifcially because of Moroder's music. So I watched that AGAIN-- before moving on!
And then, when I finally, many months later (one film per week) got to the end of the marathon, I ended it by watching the 2 versions of METROPOLIS-- again, with the Moroder version as the grand finale.
The version of Pat Benatar's "Here's My Heart" iun the movie is NOT on the soundtrack album! Here, a fan edited together the 3 sections from the movie into a single track. I put this on my own "special edition" of the soundtrack CD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwsN4CWA7As
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First film made in 1917 and the last in 1949. 24 films. Is that a record for a franchise?
There were 46 CHARLIE CHAN films (plus at least one Spanish language version of one of those).
I believe there were 65 HOPALONG CASSIDY films.
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While it appears THE LONE WOLF preceded and probably influenced both THE SAINT and BOSTON BLACKIE, for whatever reason, Michael Lanyard is more obscure these days.
I was really introduced to THE LONE WOLF about 15 or so years ago, when TCM began running a bunch of them on Saturday mornings, when they got into the habit of running old movie series.
They also ran BOSTON BLACKIE (which for some obscure reason had been OUT of circulation for decade before then!) and CRIME DOCTOR (these I didn't care for much, too dull) and, if memory serves, DR. KILDARE (these I did love).
Maddeningly, TCM started with the Warren William films, and also ran the ones that followed. But to this day, I have still never seen any of the earlier ones, and I'd love to. Presumably, some of those were before he (ahem) "reformed".
With my current DVD buying, my hope is that a LOT of what I'm after is available somewhere.
My favorite is still his first, THE LONE WOLF SPY HUNT, where he's teamed with a young Ida Lupino, in what I believe may be her LAST "comedy" film before she started playing serious, morose characters from the wrong side of the tracks. I REALLY liked her in SPY HUNT. I thought Lanyard was nuts for trying to push her off. I'd have let her catch me. What flipped me out was how much in that film she reminded me of Ellen Foley from decades later. I'd written a character in my own stories based on her, and at some point decided that if I ever wanted to feature that character's MOTHER, I'd have to base her on Lupino.
I also love the 4 PERRY MASON films Warren William starred in, although they vary so drastically in style and tone it's hard to believe they're all one series. The first, THE CASE OF THE HOWLING DOG, is unquestionably the best. This Perry is young, vibrant, will bend or break laws in the name of justice, and, HE chases the girls himself.
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Today's movie:
"I hate to tell you, but Kennedy was WHITE."
"They DYED me this color! What better way to hide the truth?"
;D
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Today's movie:
"I hate to tell you, but Kennedy was WHITE."
"They DYED me this color! What better way to hide the truth?"
;D
Bubba Hotep.
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Tonight's movie:
"Only THREE people know name of murder weapon. Honorable detective-- chief of police-- and murderer. You CONVICT SELF!"
:(
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Today's LOST IN SPACE:
"Our Robot can repair you, he's an excellent mechanic."
"I dislike working on FOREIGN IMPORTS!"
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The wife and I went to the theater for the first time in two years to see Kenneth Branagh's new film, "Belfast". We were not disappointed! A tale of a family living through "The Troubles" in Belfast, 1969. Humor, warmth, and the most amazing black and white cinematography that really set the mood. Add a great cast and a Van Morrison soundtrack. (I think we sort of danced out of the theater!) Indeed, a film to raise one's spirits.
Currently watching the new seasons of "Call the Midwife", "Granchester", and "Baptiste" as well as the just released season two of an old favorite, "Manhunt". We had seen episodes of "Hinterland" before, but were never able to watch them in order. Last month we finally watched all three seasons and saw how everything tied in together- such excellent writing! Cheers, Bowers
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So glad you enjoyed Hinterland. Powerful stuff and really well made.
There is a new adaptation of the P.D. James books featuring her detective, Adam Dalgliesh. The first 2 stories, shown in 2 parts over 2 nights, we're very good. Bertie Carvel plays Dalgliesh. We're both looking forward to the next 2 partner. I read the books way back and the show has put me in the mood to read them again.
We watched for the umpteenth time the 3 Inspector Hornleigh films, Gordon Harker and Alistair Sim. Good mysteries, funny, well acted. It's a pity the copieswe have are in poor nick.
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Paw, I totally forgot about Dalgleish! Yes, we've watched and enjoyed the first two stories and are ready to watch the third. Not sure how many more were made for season 1- hope we get a second season! I remember Bertie Carvel from the wonderfully weird "Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell", one of my favorites. Cheers, Bowers
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I got my 2nd HAMMER on BLUE-RAY. Was there ever any mystery which it would be?
DRACULA
(Hammer Films / UK / 1958)
(https://www.blurayauthority.com/images/cover_art/thehorrorofdraculabluray.jpg?%3E)
This is my 3rd copy of this film. The first was recorded off Philly's Channel 17 (I think), a fuzzy fullscreen picture where I had to cut out the commercial breaks as I went, and (I'll have to check-- in fact, I plan to) there may have been bits CUT for commercial time. (The horror-- THE HORROR!!!)
2 decades later, I taped it again, that time from TCM, so it was crystal-clear, uncut & widescreen.
But now I've just SKIPPED earlier DVDs and regular DVDs and gone straight to the 2018 Warner Archive BLU-RAY.
"Note: This presentation of Horror Of Dracula is based on the British Film Institute restoration of 2007 and additional elements subsequently discovered. As such, it bears its original UK release title of Dracula."
Now here's my question. Does this mean it contains footage from the Japanese print? I'm sure I could figure it out on my own, but as I can't have both my videotape machine and my Blu-Ray player plugged in at the same time, it makes it a bit harder to compare back-to-back. I'm sure there are those far more expert than me with regard to this here.
Having just re-watched the 1931 Bela Lugosi film a couple weeks ago, I suppose there were brief moments where I was mentally comparing that and this. But far more, I was thinking of Mel Brooks' film. Although that's mostly based on the stage play, it's got enough of THIS film in it that I suppose I was having triple images in my head in spots.
Particularly, the scene where they go to Lucy's grave and stake her. I'm trying to remember if that's in the 1931 Spanish version. My impression is it was supposed to be in the Lugosi version, but was either cut after filming or never filmed at all. But here, when Arthur runs into his sister Lucy in the graveyard, all I can think of was Jonathan (Steven Webber) running into Lucy (Lysette Anthony) in the comedy adaptation. Even the scene where Mina comes back from the undertaker's, reminded me of Jonathan seeing Mina in the morning after she's been bitten by Dracula.
I was also reminded (slightly!) of the 1980 "FLASH GORDON". In that, Prince Barin is a hormone-driven idiot who wants to kill Flash, UNTIL he finally sees the light, and decides to join forces. That was vaguely similar to how Arthur (Michael Gough) kept giving Van Helsing (Peter Cushing) non-stop hell until after he read Jonathan's journal, AND, saw Lucy walking around undead. What makes this even more interesting is how the last shot in the 1980 film is of Ming's RING lying on the ground after he's evaporated into thin air. Somehow, tributes to Hammer's "DRACULA" seem like the last thing that should have turned up in a "FLASH GORDON" movie.
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DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE
(Paramount / US / 1931 / 97 min.)
Of several DOZEN film adaptations, this is considered by many to be the best and "definitive" one. This is one deeply-disturbing film. With amazingly-innovating camera-work and make-up effects, this somehow manages to make FRANKENSTEIN (released only one month before this) seem "normal" by comparison, while it's main villain somehow manages to make Eric The Phantom seem SANE by comparison! Eric was almost always completely in control; Hyde is a wild, dangerous animal!
A couple of interesting bits from Wikipedia:
?The characters of Muriel Carew and Ivy Pierson do not appear in Stevenson's original story; Ivy Pierson's character is original to the film, while Muriel [Agnes] Carew does appear in the 1887 stage version by playwright Thomas Russell Sullivan.?
Amazing how many of these "classic" film adaptations from this period were based on stage play versions rather than the original books.
?When Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer remade the film 10 years later with Spencer Tracy in the lead, the studio bought the negative and the rights to both the Mamoulian version and the earlier 1920 silent version, paying $1,250,000. Every print of the 1931 film that could be located was recalled and destroyed, and for decades, the film was believed lost.?
^^ Those BASTARDS!!
I apparently taped this off TCM in the 90s, at which point it had been (mostly) restored. There's a whole long list at the IMDB of scenes CUT for a mid-30s reissue at the insistence of the Production Code, but every one was in the TCM print I recorded, except a brief NUDE scene which is reportedly on the current DVD.
(https://cdn.britannica.com/20/97120-050-F87CD6E9/Dr-Jekyll-and-Mr-Hyde-Fredric-March.jpg)
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Today's movie (which I haven't seen in 30 years):
"Actually, I think a trial period is in order. Yes. I'll give you a WEEK. Then I'll know."
;D
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This sums up my feelings about modern action movies admirably. And I suspect others here have similar reactions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ92cggLMx8
Why Modern Movies Suck - They're Written By Children
All that and a disgruntled Scotsman too! What's not to like?
Also, this also sums up my viewpoint.
Honest Trailers | Shang-Chi and the Legend of The Ten Rings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb6mcEdcjXA
Although I don't agree with the critique of the original comic. Which was one of second generation Marvel's best.
Cheers.
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I saw that video just last week! The same guy did a sequel. I forget what that one was called.
"2nd generation Marvel" is right. Many years back, I noticed that MOST comics series are at their best during the first 5-10- years of their existence. After that, TOO MANY revolving-door creative teams and too many instances of jumping the shark. So, in the 70s, most of Marvel's best were either brand-new series, or, those that hadn't had a chance to get stale (Don McGregor's run of BLACK PANTHER, for example).
Tons of fabulous fun stuff in the 80s... but, almost nothing really great from the big two.
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Never would have occured to me that MARY POPPINS and HALLOWEEN had anything in common.
One actor: Arthur Mallet. Funny thing, he was also in the very 1st episode of THE MONKEES I ever saw on NBC.
In the Disney film, he played Mr. Dawes Jr. (made up to look much older than he was). Mr. Dawes Sr. was also made up to look much older... but under the amazing make-up job, he was COMPLETELY UNRECOGNIZABLE to look at (but his voice and body language gave him away).
I'm now of the opinion that Julie Andrews was not the "real" star of that story... it was Dick Van Dyke!
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I saw that video just last week! The same guy did a sequel. I forget what that one was called.
He has actually done quite a few more since.
Why Modern Movies Suck - They're Destroying Our Heroes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qY-GLeHS0Ik
Was Anakin REALLY a Mary Sue?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSj6wEm4zZY
What Happened To Our Villains?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnRP7SKzOgk
The 13th Doctor - A Legacy Of Failure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGWxjHBSn-4
Two things stand out for me.
1/ the ratio of hits to Dislikes.
On Why Modern Movies suck, for instance,
1,479 005 hits, no dislikes. !
2/ Also I like the image and the way he signs off.
'Anyway, that's all I've got for today. Go away now!'
The Channel
The Critical Drinker
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSJPFQdZwrOutnmSFYtbstA
Cheers!
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My-- GOD!!!!! I'm so glad I never saw this...
"Jurassic World Fooled Us All"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDN5b9L2hrQ
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Oh, my... NOOOOO!!!
The Predator is Everything Wrong with Movies Today
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jRTUeGflCM
;D
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Tonight's movie:
"Man?"
"Woman."
"Age?"
"Oh... 30."
"Profession?"
"YES."
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Searching for the Hammer Sexton Blake movie 'Crime is my business' - which I haven't found, I came across this.
Vernon Wells Brittney Powell in Trouble Is My Business
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQleqVsTBNA
Private eye Roland Drake (Tom Konkle) cracks cases and romances femme fatales in 1940?s Los Angeles.
Trouble is my business was the title of a Raymond Chandler short story.
Thing is tho, this was actually made in 2018. Obviously an independent production, but not bad for a Noir.
Cheers!
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Can we add that to examples of story titles that are used on stories entirely-unrelated to the books they came from?
3 that immediately come to mind:
BLADE RUNNER (1982) actually based on "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" (1968)
A STUDY IN SCARLET (1933) actually based on "Six Hommes Mort" (1931)
THE SAINT (1997) actually based on "The Lone Wolf" (1914)
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If we are talking titles, Tom Konkle has a winner in the title of his next project, now in pre-production.
Another P.I. Noir. Title?
The Last Days of Rick Pompeii.
Can't wait for that one.
Cheers!
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Well, today I got my 2nd Christopher Lee film on DVD! But it's probably not what most might expect...
TEMPI DURI PER I VAMPIRI
(Hard Times For Vampires / 1959)
alias... "UNCLE WAS A VAMPIRE"
I first saw most of this about 50 or more years ago on TV, and wasn't sure what to make of it. In the decades since, I mostly read derogatory comments about it. But then, 2 years ago, I found it on Youtube... and I ENJOYED the LIVING HELL out of it! And that's all that really matters, isn't it?
Baron Roderico da Frankurten (bottom-billed CHRISTOPHER LEE) departs his castle in haste, intending to visit his only relative, Baron Osvaldo Lambertenghi (Renato Rascel). But what he doesn't know is, like himself, Osvaldo has fallen on hard times, and has been forced to pay massive depts to the government, by SELLING his family castle. His lawyer says he's explained the situation to the new owner, but the creep, who intends to turn the castle into a tourist hotel, decides to belittle Osvaldo by hiring him as... a BELLBOY.
Lee's costume (and horse-drawn hearse at the film's beginning) are suspciously-similar to what we saw the year before in a certain Hammer Film (heh). When we see him, his face has a ghastly green pallor, and his voice, which seems to be projected through some kind of spooky echo chamber, makes the dubbing in "7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES" seem normal by comparison.
In effect, this Italian film is what you kind of get if you cross Hammer's DRACULA (1958) with Jerry Lewis' THE BELLBOY (1960)... although, this was made a year BEFORE the latter!
One reviewer noted that Lee, while acting more serious and more straight than anyone else in the film, actually comes across as the FUNNIEST character in the story!
A great exchange near the end really says it all:
"There is a word you mentioned just now, something absurd, ridiculous, incredible. Am I correct? You're speaking of vampires."
"He's a vampire!"
"Gentlemen, are you joking? If he is a vampire, well then, I am one, too."
NOBODY at either Amazon OR Ebay had a copy of this, so, thank goodness for specialty outfits like SINISTER CINEMA. The version they're selling is a DVD-R, in color, English dubbing, FULLSCREEN... and as far as I can tell, recorded off a US TV broadcast. But if this is currently the ONLY way to see the movie, I don't mind. I'm having a BLAST.
(https://pics.filmaffinity.com/tempi_duri_per_i_vampiri-791535928-large.jpg)
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I seem to remember seeing this film, probably online somewhere years ago. I enjoyed it though Italian comedy takes a bit of effort on the veiwers part.
Christopher Lee actually was a natural comedian, though that part of his character was seldom excercised. You can see it in the look Sauruman gave Wormtongue when preventing him from holding his candle too close to the blasting powder.
I've always heard that actors who played heroes would have preferred to play villians and actors who played villians would prefer to act in comic roles. John Lithgow is a prime example having finally gotten the chance to let his freak flag fly in "3D Rock From the Sun".
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According to one review at Amazon, there was a high-quality widescreen DVD available at one time... but they changed the name to "DRACULA IS MY UNCLE", the entire 1st reel of the film was removed and replaced with a video for the "Dracula Cha-Cha-Cha" novelty song. WTF? Anyway, that's "not currently available".
Someone else was selling a "twofer" of the film coupled with some other film (I forget which), but, the print was in B&W. How does one produce a B&W DVD of a color movie?
So, anyway, I just spent my $20 and ENJOYED doing it... and, yesterday, someone at the "Hammermaniacs" FB group said they'd heard some outfit is planning to do a "proper" widescreen DVD next year.
;D
Well, if they do, maybe I'll buy it... and then give this one to my best friend as a gift. Why not?
Let's see... Italian movie yesteday... French movie coming up on Monday... and the NEXT mail order (which I have to put off for an extra week due to spending more on a new office chair than I have for most recent CAR REPAIRS)... will be a horror-comedy from BRAZIL.
Gee, my recent movie buys are getting more and more like those Poe comics! :)
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Never heard of Tempi duri per I vampiri but I will now go and look for it.
You might enjoy another Christopher Lee film, Night of The Big Heat, also starring Peter Cushing and Patrick Allen
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0062037/
Based on the book by John Lymington. It's a favourite of mine.
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A funny moment earlier this week was when I spent almost an entire hour scrolling thru the entire alphabetical list of the "Horror" section of the "Sinister Cinema" site.
I was looking for a particular movie, and along the way, was slowly compiling a list of other films I might want to get later on.
The surprise was when the film I was looking for came up under "S", not "O". Why?
It NEVER occured to me to look for the ENGLISH title... instead of the PORTUGUESE one!
O SEGREDO DA MUMIA / SECRET OF THE MUMMY
(1981)
;D
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Is it traditional in Portuguese to alphabetize by the first useful word rather than "the" (or rather, "o")? In that case "O Segreto" would be found under "S."
I mention this mostly as an excuse to gripe about an annoyance of the digital age that I realize I can't change but still bugs me: sorting titles by the first letter of the first word even if that word is "the." Since a huge majority of English book titles begin with "The" when seeking a title in a catalogue you're faced with endless columns of "the's." If the entire catalogue is on a single web page, fine. You just Ctrl-F and search for the second word. But on sites made up of dozens and dozens of separate pages without an in-site search engine, you're stuck with guessing where the pages break. You'll find "The Saint" on one of 50 "T" pages, but which one? Do the "The S's" begin on page 17 or 35 or...?
Like I say, I'll never change it because the computer will sort the way the computer wants to sort. So it's my tough luck.
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Is it traditional in Portuguese to alphabetize by the first useful word rather than "the" (or rather, "o")? In that case "O Segreto" would be found under "S."
I mention this mostly as an excuse to gripe about an annoyance of the digital age that I realize I can't change but still bugs me: sorting titles by the first letter of the first word even if that word is "the." Since a huge majority of English book titles begin with "The" when seeking a title in a catalogue you're faced with endless columns of "the's." If the entire catalogue is on a single web page, fine. You just Ctrl-F and search for the second word. But on sites made up of dozens and dozens of separate pages without an in-site search engine, you're stuck with guessing where the pages break. You'll find "The Saint" on one of 50 "T" pages, but which one? Do the "The S's" begin on page 17 or 35 or...?
I've noticed a irritating habit of many film reveiwers and others to whom English is a second or third language at best to use the word "The" in a clumsy or entirely inappropriate manner.
Perhaps it due to some translation error or their mother tongue requiring the use of a modifier in that way.
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Never heard of Tempi duri per I vampiri but I will now go and look for it.
You might enjoy another Christopher Lee film, Night of The Big Heat, also starring Peter Cushing and Patrick Allen
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0062037/
Based on the book by John Lymington. It's a favourite of mine.
Great little film taking place mostly in a pub.
Reminds me of "the Earth Dies Screaming".
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I am referring to sites created by and for English speakers. It's a bibliographic matter, not a linguistic one.
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Captain, that hadn't occurred to me, but you're right. Earth Dies Screaming is most enjoyable. Thanks for reminding me.
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I've gotten into the habit of digging out my pathetic old self-recorded VHS copies of films I've recently upgraded to DVD, just to watch them ONE last time and compare the quality. This morning, I dug out my early-80s recording of "HORROR OF DRACULA", which, it turns out, was taped off the long-gone Philly channel 48. For 15-20 years, they were notorious as treating shows & films with the most DIS-respect, and that was certainly the case here.
Naturally, the film was cropped ("fullscreen"). But that's only for starters. The print they ran, the colors were faded, and the whole thing went mostly "blue" or "purple"-ish. But it got worse. I had written on the tape "approx 1:15". That proved to be optimistic. I had my STOPWATCH going as I watched the film. It came out to exactly 1:06:39. ONE HOUR 6-1/2 minutes. There was 15-1/2 minutes CUT from the film. HOW THE F*** was it supposed to make any sense???
I suspect that I've probably watched the TCM copy (recorded about 15 years back) far more times than I ever dug out the channel 48 version. The main reason I held onto the earlier tape, was because I also had a local channel copy of "THE BRIDES OF DRACULA" on the 2nd half of the same tape, and I never managed to get that one off TCM. So when I go after THAT on Blu-Ray, it'll be a MASSIVE upgrade. I like doing those-- it always makes me feel I'm making the best use of my money.
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Among the bits I noticed were missing:
1 - the 1st of 3 times Harker slammed the hammer down into the vampire woman. You see her react, but the movement of the hammer and the sound of it striking was missing.
2 - When Van Helsing stakes Harker, it immediately cuts to the middle of the conversation between him and Arthur Holmwood.
3 - After Dracula visits Lucy, the very next scene is the policeman bringing Tania home, where she tells of having seen "Aunt Lucy". The whole sequence of Van Helsing trying to keep Lucy alive was MISSING.
4 - After Van Helsing stakes Lucy, it CUTS to the middle of the conversation with the border guard, so the delightful bit where Arthur waves money in the guy's face to bribe him is missing.
5 - Mina turns up at the undertaker's, the scene where the boy delivers her the message to go there is missing.
I think from the moment they find Mina has been attacked the first time, to the end, the rest is intact. Except, the last 5 minutes, there's a dark bar at the top of the picture that wasn't there before. I suspect somebody moved the TV camera that was aimed at the screen the bad film print was being projected on. What a huge difference it made when local stations actually began running VIDEOTAPES of movies instead of actual film prints, HMM?
But I think you can see why, back in the mid-80s, I was actually GLAD when I heard the news that 48 was GOING OUT OF BUSINESS. Good riddance.
They used to regularly cut a FULL 5 MINUTES from every episode of "STAR TREK"-- usually in a solid chunk. No subtle editing for those idiots. It was like they'd go to a commercial break and leave the film running the whole time.
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Captain, that hadn't occurred to me, but you're right. Earth Dies Screaming is most enjoyable. Thanks for reminding me.
The Big Heat was very informative. Apparently airconditioners in pubs were unheard of in the 60's and once the temperature gets near 100 F practically everyone in the UK becomes a half wit sex maniac.
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Night of The Big Heat was based on a book credited to John Lymington, actually John Newton Chance.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lymington
Brian Stableford suggested in the Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction Literature (pp. 208) that the name Lymington was chosen 'in a blatant attempt to cash in' on John Wyndham's popularity.
This is more than likely, as the books he wrote as Lymington were very similar to Wyndham's work. I read a few of them. B grade but not bad.
He also wrote thrillers and Sexton Blake novels under the name, John Drummond.
Night of the Big Heat was adapted twice. The first, a 1960 TV version set on Salisbury Plain, was directed by Cyril Coke and adapted from the book by Giles Cooper.[1] The second was a 94-minute feature film set on a remote island off the English coast; made by Planet Films, it was directed by Terence Fisher and starred Patrick Allen, Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.
Oh, and I can tell you, from an Australian perspective, that when the general outside temperature is 100 degrees or more, Air conditioners labor and break down, because they can't get cool air to continue to function. Been there, done that.
Many other nasty things happen too, of course. Car engines break down and don't function, for instance.
Night of the Big Heat | Full Movie | Flick Vault
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkcNt7JTqGo
Cheers!
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I think most people take too many things for granted.
Myself, I've long considered AIR CONDITIONING as a wonder and miracle of science and technology.
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Captain, your description of what happens seems to fit our Prime Minister - apart from the temperature. All those weans, and we still don't know how many.
Panther, I'm a fan of Lymingtons' books but I didn't know about the tv version of Night of The Big Heat.
Why he isn't rated a bit better or isn't more popular has always surprised me. He does atmosphere, and heat, very well.
Other British sf films that might interest some of you are Devil Girl From Mars; X The Unknown; Island of Terror ( Peter Cushing and Edward Judd - another isolated location); They Came From Beyond Space; The Body Stealers (Patrick Allen); Invasion (Edward Judd - heat again and an isolated location).
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Today on LOST IN SPACE:
"And let me tell you, our association has not been pleasant."
"Mutual!"
"What did you say?"
"I said do not be so certain you won't be seeing us again before long."
THAT'S NOT what he said! ;D
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WHITE ZOMBIE
(Victor & Edward Halperin Productions / US / 1932)
HOLY S***!!!
It's not everyday you find some really low-budget ($50,000) independant production that looks and feels more lavish, classier and more exciting than one of Universal's early-30s horror classics. THIS is it!
A lot of films from the early-30s really look and feel totally strange and alien to modern audiences and styles, and this is no exception. Parts of it really feel like I'm watching a silent film.
A Haitian land-owner hopelessly in love with an engaged woman invited her and her fiancee to get married at his plantation, with a job offer for the latter to become his New York "agent". But he's really desperate to convince her to change her mind and run off with him instead. When this fails, he reluctantly turns to a neighbor for help, who promises he can deliver... "for a price". During the reception, the woman suddenly falls ill-- and dies in her husband's arms. But... DID she?
According to longtime resident missionary Dr. Bruner, there is a very big difference between native "superstitions" and native "practices"-- and Haitian law books actually has VOODOO and ZOMBIES on their law books. According to Bruner, drugging someone to simulate death is legally considered "attempted murder", and actually burying someone in this condition is considered "murder", regarless of the outcome of the situation.
Thus, this film's wimpy romantic leading man Neil follows Bruner to visit "the house of death", built into a huge, rocky cliffsite, to see what's really going on, and if possible, to rescue his beloved Madeline, who may not be dead after all.
In the wake of DRACULA (1931), Hungarian immigrant Bela Lugosi had trouble finding films that lived up to that one's standards, but he struck gold here-- creatively, if not financially. Allegedly one of his favorite of his many films, Lugosi was also frustrated that he wasn't paid enough for a film that became such a surprise hit at the box office.
The sets and location work (and at least one shot I believe was a matte painting) totally blow DRACULA out of the water, and the film has a marvelous music score from start to finish, consisting of various pieces of classical music. But while DRACULA had the likes of Dwight Frye & Edward Van Sloan backing Lugosi up, the closest we have here is John Cawthorne as Dr. Bruner. He reminds me a bit of Ralph Richardson, but with a totally-different accent. Crazy enough, I checked the resumes of several of the main cast members, and while some of them had quite extensive careers, I've hardly seen any of them in ANYTHING else.
Madge Bellamy, as Madeline (shades of "House of Usher") was in CHARLIE CHAN IN LONDON.
Despite being reissued in the early 1950s, somehow by the 1960s the film was considered "lost", but then upon rediscovery it was generally only available via really shoddy prints. If I get this right, Sinister Cinema had a decent 35 mm print, which was used to do a proper restoration by Holland Releasing. There are moments where the picture quality jumps from really sharp to really fuzzy, but I put that down to different source material being used. I only wish the sound clean-up was as good as the picture.
Kino Lorber decided to put out 2 versions on their Blu-Ray-- the restoration, and the "raw" version, which while rough-looking, manages to have FAR-more visual detail! The disc also comes with an audio commentary track, and, most remarkably, a 1932 interview with Lugosi, where he talks about his career in Hungary, his pride at becoming a US citizen and learning American slang, his love for doing sulpture, and how he shies away from "Hollywood parties". He also apparently has a joke at the expense of the interviewer, which had me nearly falling out of my seat from laughing. It really made me wish I could have met him in person back then. What a character!
(https://www.pictorem.com/collection/900_Culturio_zombie1-gigapixel-scale-6_00x.jpg)
(https://i.etsystatic.com/16952472/r/il/3dac75/1535031114/il_fullxfull.1535031114_4zs9.jpg)
The "dead" at their work.
(https://the-artifice.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/White-Zombie-Zombies-700x320.jpg)
Unlucky wedding...
(https://filmfreedonia.files.wordpress.com/2020/10/whitezombie09.jpg)
(https://i.pinimg.com/736x/82/81/72/828172210080279839b5355d5489c27a.jpg)
(https://www.filmcomment.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/07/white-zombie-thumb.png)
1932's version of "The Master".
(https://prod-images.tcm.com/v5cache/TCM/Images/Dynamic/i378/whitezombie_theyworkfaithfully_FC_133a_470x264_103020150715.jpg?w=400)
He took his enemies-- and turned them into his mindless slaves!
(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57e05e534402434aa0f846c2/1492805633294-VJ7THNW1XOWTBGJFWTMO/image-asset.jpeg)
It's like "THE PREMATURE BURIAL" here...
(http://pre-code.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/WhiteZombie9.png)
This reminds me of the opening scene from Corman's "PIT AND THE PENDULUM"
(http://pre-code.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/WhiteZombie2.png)
This just about puts Castle Dracula to shame!
(https://filmfreedonia.files.wordpress.com/2020/10/whitezombie16.jpg)
Lugosi gets to exhibit far more depth of character and just plain EVIL than he did as Dracula!
(https://images.amcsvod.io/a296292efc2fd2b5_masthead.jpg?w=1800&auto=format,compress)
Madeline in a trance.
(http://pre-code.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/WhiteZombie12.png)
I got the feeling a similar scene in "DRACULA A.D. 1972" was inspired by this!
(http://pre-code.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/WhiteZombie1.png)
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/72/bd/72/72bd727a2e09434ec06e778f2cdc1061.jpg)
I find myself wondering-- was this a set, partly a matte painting, or an actual location shot? Because I'd SWEAR this exact same stairway later appeared in "THE DUNWICH HORROR" (1970).
(http://bigerboat.com/indexfx/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/whitezombie4.jpg)
"Have you got a match?" (The film's HERO, Joseph Cawthorn as Dr. Bruner.)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3LJ1eQBiHxs/X0CrqijpwaI/AAAAAAAASBA/vISbSdpFqO0mJDMTrv4m4Cd9WZBm9z7fwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/hqdefault.jpg)
Here's a FABULOUS review of the film on the "And You Call Yourself A Scientist?" site.
andyoucallyourselfascientist.com/2016/05/01/white-zombie-1932/
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The "Zombie Grip" looks and sounds like something you'd see advertised in a comic book alongside Yubiwaza.
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The "Zombie Grip" looks and sounds like something you'd see advertised in a comic book alongside Yubiwaza.
HAHAHAHAH!!!!
The film is so "SILENT FILM" in style-- DELIBERATELY so, it seems-- that recurring hand gesture reminded me of "Eric" from THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (Lon Chaney).
Make sure you check out the "And You Call Yourself A Scientist?" review. It may be the single longest movie review I've ever seen online. It delves into so many things, especially the character motivations and interactions. i got the feeling the reviewer put as much thought into it as the ones who wrote the movie-- maybe more!
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Tonight's movie:
"YOU'RE THRU! YOU CAN DISH IT OUT, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO WHERE YOU CAN'T TAKE IT!"
Yep. it's Edward G. Robinson in LITTLE CAESAR (1-3-31).
I was a bit late adding this to my "1930s" list. I really should have watched this before DRACULA (2-14-31)!
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most remarkably, a 1932 interview with Lugosi, where he talks about his career in Hungary, his pride at becoming a US citizen and learning American slang, his love for doing sulpture, and how he shies away from "Hollywood parties". He also apparently has a joke at the expense of the interviewer, which had me nearly falling out of my seat from laughing. It really made me wish I could have met him in person back then. What a character!
Just found this, never knew Lugosi was a sculptor.
(https://www.hauntedstudios.com/prodimages/Bela-Sculpt-PRODUCT.jpg)
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Tonight's movie:
"Pop! Tell these people I'm not crazy."
"Parent must first convince self of same."
--CHARLIE CHAN IN RENO (1939)
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most remarkably, a 1932 interview with Lugosi, where he talks about his career in Hungary, his pride at becoming a US citizen and learning American slang, his love for doing sulpture, and how he shies away from "Hollywood parties". He also apparently has a joke at the expense of the interviewer, which had me nearly falling out of my seat from laughing. It really made me wish I could have met him in person back then. What a character!
Just found this, never knew Lugosi was a sculptor.
(https://www.hauntedstudios.com/prodimages/Bela-Sculpt-PRODUCT.jpg)
I don't know why, but it was always hard for me to believe that he was ever young. But he must have been in his very early 30s or late 20s in that photo. And he was thin, which I couldn't have imagined.
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It kinda flips me out-- I hadn't thought about this until just now-- that I actually got WHITE ZOMBIE on Blu-Ray... but I still have DRACULA on videotape (a copy I made of a rental, I think).
8)
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Tonight's movie:
"Dear, you belong to us and he brought you back. Now, you must let him go. He belongs to the jungle."
"Not now, he belongs to me."
...and THAT's when those MURDEROUS BASTARD DWARVES attacked and the 3rd act of the film began!
--TARZAN, THE APE MAN (1932)
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"TELL me... what CRIME... were YOU guilty of?"
"CRIME? Why-- I'm as INNOCENT................. as YOU are."
"WELL then, we should get along quite well!"
;D
Phanzig (Marcel Hillaire) & Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris) -- "The Condemned Of Space"
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"Would you like maidens such as this for yourselves? Then CONQUER-- and BREED!!! KILL the white man-- and TAKE HIS WOMEN!"
--Boris Karloff / "THE MASK OF FU MANCHU" (1932)
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O SEGREDO DA MUMIA / THE SECRET OF THE MUMMY (1982)
I looked for a Region 1 version of this for 2 years, and finally found it from SINISTER CINEMA, which I think is somewhere in Oregon.
Just to give you a little taste, here's the first 12 minutes of this crazy film.
The first piece of music heard, as you see this one guy walking along, is Mussorgsky's "Pictures At An Exhibition".
The piece heard during the opening credits, is Bernard Hermann's "Jason And The Argonauts"!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbgDpFaj-io&t=54s
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CHARLIE CHAN'S MURDER CRUISE (1940)
Murder Cruise! **********
I've been re-watching my Charlie Chan movies again, and I'd have to rate this as one of the VERY BEST! It starts out in Honolulu at the police station, moves to a hotel, then continues on a cruise ship, before finally concluding in a jaw-dropping way at the coroner's office.
Along the way there's a whole host of suspects and familiar actors that would do a "POIROT" story credit. As my Dad might have put it, the suspects include Professor Moriarty (Lionel Atwill), Mr. Waverly (Leo G. Carrol), Bruce Wayne (Robert Lowery), Dr. Huer (C. Montague Shaw) and Ming The Merciless (Charles Middleton). What a line-up!
As usual, Jimmy Chan (Victor Sen Yung) provides much of the comic relief, especially when his pop at one point insists he's deranged and has him locked up for pretending to be his son. When we next see him, the stowaway has been conscripted into working as a steward.
The finale blew my mind, because even when I figured I'd finally found out who the killer was, Chan had one more twist up his sleeve.
"CHARLIE CHAN'S MURDER CRUISE" is actually the 3rd film version of the novel "Charlie Chan Carries On". While the only known print of the original with Warner Oland was apparently destroyed in a fire, the SPANISH version, made at the same time, "ERAN TRECE" (THERE WERE THIRTEEN), which stars Manuel Arbo as Chan, DOES still exist for comparison. I've seen it on Youtube! It's available as a bonus feature on the "Charlie Chan In Shanghai" DVD.
(https://pics.filmaffinity.com/charlie_chan_s_murder_cruise-350196658-large.jpg)
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Been watching three new shows on PBS, starting with a new take on "Around the World in 80 Days". Purists
may hate it and Jules Verne would probably roll over in his grave, but I've decided to just go along for the ride. Lotsa fun and a truly ripping yarn! Great cast, locations, and cinematography.
Also, Season 2 of the latest version of "All Creatures Great and Small". Nothing really new but the cast and scenery are both top-notch. Well worth watching.
Lastly, Season 2 of "Vienna Blood", filmed in Austria. Great to see Max and the Inspector back in action!
Later in the year, we'll be getting more "Endeavor", "Miss Scarlet and the Duke" (my favorite!),"World on Fire", and a new season of "Sanditon", based on an unfinished manuscript by Jane Austen. Just about everybody hated the ending of Season 1, so maybe they're going to fix it!
If you have access to Netflix there's a second season of "Bridgerton" as well.
So much to look forward to! Cheers, Bowers
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Speaking of blasphemy... ever see Jackie Chan's "AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS" (2004)? I did-- in a theatre. ;D
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IMDB lists 7 versions of Around the World in 80 days.
But states that there are 8.
The best is the 1956 version - which I say in a theater - at the age of 10, with my father, which is why I have never forgotten it.
There are several cartoon versions, There was on in 1988 and there was a 'funny animal' one called 'Willy Fog around the world' which I think is Japanese. I think I would like to see that. Disney is really falling down on the job with this one.
Oh, wait there is another cartoon version, which IMDB says was made in Australia. Definitely for the US market tho, as it has all the usual cliches you expect from current US animation. And The hero is a marmoset, believe it or don't. date 2021, so probably released only on Video.
The Jacky Chan, Steve Coogan version was 2004. Being a huge Jacky fan, I quite liked it.
1988 Michael Palin produced a documentary in which he duplicated the book in real life.
What is it with Jules Verne and Monty Python Alumni?
1989 there was a TV series 'Around the world in 80 days' starring Pierce Brosnan and Eric Idle.
And the current series stars David Tennant, an actor I like, is of course, quite politically correct. Blasphemous? You decide.
Oh and both Bullwinkle and the Tweety bird have gone around the world in 80 days.
No such thing as a Movie or TV company that has any shame in using works that are PD and out of copyright.
Here is a 1988 cartoon Australian produced version not listed ojn IMDB as far as I can see. They don't know everything.
Around the World in 80 Days (1988)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxFY4PCk3Ew
Here is the Chan Movie in full HD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8DxbHYQRvg
Here are all the episodes of the Brosnan version, including a host of guest stars of the day. Including Christopher Lee.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfhF4DCwsoI&list=PL34A2DE9B2597B2A8
Enjoy!
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Went bargain shopping today. Among other things came home with A Holmes Movie ' The Royal Scandal'
Don't know any of the actors involved
Matt Frewer as Holmes, Kenneth Welsh as Watson,
Director Rodney Gibbons of whom I will say more anon.
This seems to be one pf a series of Holmes films possibly done for TV.
They include The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Sign of Four, The Royal Scandal and The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire, All directed y Rodney Gibbons. [2001-2002]
The preview on YouTube looks good, so I shall be watching this tonight.
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IMDB lists 7 versions of Around the World in 80 days.
.
And the current series stars David Tennant, an actor I like, is of course, quite politically correct. Blasphemous? You decide.
I like it so far and found a Black Passepartout to be consistent with the era and settings. In fact I never even considered his being a white person, though light skinned mixed race would also be consisent.
Marselles French are often racially mixed to some extent and there were many Black people in France from the Revolution onwards.
In later years France became a sort of Mecca for talented black performers and atheletes.
I've read that in many cases Africans from some regions have shown a ability to become fluent in many languages. Probably as a survival mechanism in regions were merchants and conquerers of many lands have long been present.
I enjoyed the history lesson of the Paris Commune in the first ep. After watching it I looked up more online.
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I have so little of ROCKY & BULLWINKLE on tape, and it always frustrated me that the show was always in syndication in 3 separate chunks-- never all together. (Kinda like THE AVENGERS.)
I don't recall Bullwinkle doing it... but I definitely HAVE the "Peabody's Improbable History" episode where he meets Jules Verne and does go "around the world in 80 days", and have watched it multiple times.
:)
On the other hand, Rocky & Bullwinkle once did a tribute to "Moby Dick"... heh.
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I like it so far and found a Black Passepartout to be consistent with the era and settings. In fact I never even considered his being a white person, though light skinned mixed race would also be consisent.
Gonna stick my neck out here.
I have no argument what-so-ever with the above. Basically agree with it.
What I don't like is the assumption that the creators must virtue signal by making the character black, even tho there is no specific reason for that. Its not stipulated in any way in the orignal work.
In the original movie, Passepartout was played by Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes (12 August 1911 - 20 April 1993), known by the stage name Cantinflas. But apparently making a character black is more virtuous than making the character hispanic. And that's what gets up my wick, that it really is not done out of respect for any ethnic group, but to virtue signal. Amounts to deliberate Propaganda.
The appeal of wokeism is that it offers the allure of virtue, rewarding believers with a special state of grace.Those who accept this vision are deemed to be not merely factually correct but morally on a higher plane. Those who disagree with the prevailing vision are seen as being not merely in error, but in sin.
In the words of economist Thomas Sowell, 'People are never more sincere than when they assume their own moral superiority.' This moral force also accounts for its power to silence every opposing thought.
"If you don't stand for something you'll fall for anything" Peter Marshall in 1947 - variously requoteded by among others, Malcolm X and Rosa Parks
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I like it so far and found a Black Passepartout to be consistent with the era and settings. In fact I never even considered his being a white person, though light skinned mixed race would also be consisent.
Gonna stick my neck out here.
I have no argument what-so-ever with the above. Basically agree with it.
What I don't like is the assumption that the creators must virtue signal by making the character black, even tho there is no specific reason for that. Its not stipulated in any way in the orignal work.
In the original movie, Passepartout was played by Mario Fortino Alfonso Moreno Reyes (12 August 1911 - 20 April 1993), known by the stage name Cantinflas. But apparently making a character black is more virtuous than making the character hispanic. And that's what gets up my wick, that it really is not done out of respect for any ethnic group, but to virtue signal. Amounts to deliberate Propaganda.
The appeal of wokeism is that it offers the allure of virtue, rewarding believers with a special state of grace.Those who accept this vision are deemed to be not merely factually correct but morally on a higher plane. Those who disagree with the prevailing vision are seen as being not merely in error, but in sin.
In the words of economist Thomas Sowell, 'People are never more sincere than when they assume their own moral superiority.' This moral force also accounts for its power to silence every opposing thought.
If that was the intent it still made for an interesting and understandable character.
This was never going to be a straight from the pages version of the story so there is leeway in certain choices.
I am reminded of some who watched the WW1 themed film "Flyboys" complaining of the inclusion of a black pilot, but I looked it up and found he was based on an actual historical character. A black American boxer who had taken up residence in France because of racism in the USA at the time. When war came he joined the French airforce and served with distinction.
Another complaint about the film was that the German flying circus of the film was all Triplanes because its been understood that only top aces flew them. But I'd read up on the triplane years before and knew that in that time frame they had intended that the triplane replace all other front line fighters and several Jagdstafell were equiped with triplanes only.
After some months of service the structure of the upper wings were found to degrade causing catastrophic failures during high G turns and the planes were withdrawn and scrapped except for a very few that top aces refused to turn in.
Also I remember that Alexandre Dumas, who was mixed race, based his character Porthos on his own Grandfather who was a black musketeer and a huge man of notable prowess.
While I agree that the modern habit of replacing white characters with black is stupid and counter productive, which most decisions made by Hollywood and the major Comics companies in trying to somehow modernize and revive classic works are. I also recognize that there were a lot more black and mixed race historical characters in Europe than most people realize.
In the Ancient World color of the skin was seldom considered , racism was if anything worse than in the modern world but it was cultural based racism rather than based on appearances. Every culture believed they were better than everyone else and denigrated those who simply spoke another language even if otherwise indistinguishable from themselves.
In France they have until recently never asked questions of race on official census documents, something that may soon change.
In reading up on the Paris Commune I lost any shred of compassion for them I might have had. They chose to take advantage of the weakened French authorites to subvert the National Guard in order to seize an entire section of Paris and basically steal everything not nailed down, and then stole everything nailed down as well. They murdered goverment officials and high ranking army officers as well as police and anyone who resisted their looting of private property.
Its a bit easier to build a uptopia if you do it with other peoples wealth and property. Keep the masses fed and happy and they will murder whoever you declare to be an enemy of the people, much like the Antifas of today. "Summer of Love" my Aunt Patootie.
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Ah, General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas-Alexandre_Dumas
he clashed verbally with the Expedition's supreme commander Napoleon Bonaparte, under whom he had served in the Italian campaigns.
After this, Napoleons instinctive racism came into play and he was blatantly discriminated against.
forced to put aground in the southern Italian Kingdom of Naples, where he was taken prisoner and thrown into a dungeon. He languished there until spring of 1801.
And that inspired his son to write 'The count of Monte Christo,'
Why can't Hollywood do a mini-series about this amazing man, instead of inventing imaginary negroes?
Real History will always be more real and also more dramatic and entertaining than anything that can be made up.
How about a miniseries on the Gold Coast - now Ghana - and the real story of slavery?
And there were Africans in Europe and the Middle East at least from the time of the Persian Empire.
And lets not forget South America - no miniseries about that.
The South American slave trade
https://manchesterhistorian.com/2014/south-american-slave-trade/
cheers!
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Ah, General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas-Alexandre_Dumas
he clashed verbally with the Expedition's supreme commander Napoleon Bonaparte, under whom he had served in the Italian campaigns.
After this, Napoleons instinctive racism came into play and he was blatantly discriminated against.
Its more likely that it was Napoleon's ego rather than racism. Anyone who criticized Napoleon was taking his life in his hands.
I think they have ignored the black on black racist genocidal campaigns of the Somali which were the true origin of mass enslavement of Africans and sale of humans into the transatlantic slave trade.
Read up on it, some pretty hairy stuff.
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We tried Around The World but gave up on it. Simply did not appeal to us.
The latest Vera episodes have been very good, as has this series of Death in Paradise, although it looks like we're about to lose Florence :'(
Peaky Blinders is back on soon and there is a new Sunday night thriller starting this week, Trigger Point, with Vicky McClure and Adrian Lester.
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THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU
(Paramount Pictures / 1932)
from Wikipedia:
"When the film was reviewed in 1932 by the relatively permissive pre-Code era Hays Office, it was passed, noting that some state censorship boards might object to a line that suggests Dr. Moreau knows what it was like to be like God. Instead, 14 states fully rejected the film for that profane statement and its full acceptance of the then-controversial theory of human evolution. When the film was reissued in 1941, it was submitted for review to the Production Code Administration which strictly enforced the restrictions in the Motion Picture Production Code. To obtain approval to release the film, all dialogue suggesting that Dr. Moreau in any way created the beast-men was cut."
WHOA!
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/79/Island_of_Lost_Souls_1933_one-sheet.jpg/588px-Island_of_Lost_Souls_1933_one-sheet.jpg)
Charles Laughton is so charming in this! (heh heh heh)
(https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-yzgoj/images/stencil/1280x1280/products/1001069/1149473/apiaqkzff__16174.1626642733.jpg?c=2)
"The book's author H. G. Wells was outspoken in his dislike of the film adaptation, feeling the overt horror elements overshadowed the story's deeper philosophical import. "And he responded with open satisfaction when the film was banned in England.""
Amazing that I find the version that's FARTHEST from the novel to be by far the BEST and most-watchable.
Also amazing to think the character of "Lota" is NOT in the original story. (Kinda like how "Fiona Volpe" was not in Ian Fleming's novel "Thunderball", and she's the best part of the movie.)
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTMRbRbhl5lRnIGYkgpIcVGjryKwp3iNwpBTA&usqp=CAU)
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THE ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU
(Paramount Pictures / 1932)
all dialogue suggesting that Dr. Moreau in any way created the beast-men was cut.[/i]"
Moreau did not create like Sauron and Morgoth he merely corupted creatures already living. They had been perfectly content beasts and he twisted them into travesties and parodies of man.
Evolution had nothing to do with Moreau's work.
BTW
The Textbook at the center of the Scopes Monkey Trial is banned from every school in the USA, due to rampant fraud, plagerism and racism in its conclusions.
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We tried Around The World but gave up on it. Simply did not appeal to us.
The latest Vera episodes have been very good, as has this series of Death in Paradise, although it looks like we're about to lose Florence :'(
Peaky Blinders is back on soon and there is a new Sunday night thriller starting this week, Trigger Point, with Vicky McClure and Adrian Lester.
Episode 4 ended my interest in this series. They chose to completely delete a major part of the story in favor of a barely believable fluff piece.
Looks like this has degraded into a series of disconnected vignettes that might fit in between chapters of the actual book.
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I got ahold of Max Allan Collins' SHADES OF NOIR disc, which was available separate or as part of a 4-disc box set. I got the box set because it was on sale, so the 3 extra discs were ALMOST free!
Just posted on Max's FB page:
Well, I started in on the "anthology". The Elliot Ness thing was interesting. I've seen all 3 versions of "THE UNTOUCHABLES" over the years, particularly the Robert Stack version, and the story being told had me picturing the pilot episode in my head. How clearly I recall Stack telling the guy with the bribe money... "A GRAND!!!"
I spent several years in the late 80s trying to record the series off some cable channel, but they kept running the episodes in random order, so episodes I already had were repeatedly mixed with those I didn't. I finally threw my hands up in disgust when I'd accumulated 75 episodes... still to this day missing 50 of them!! And 6 of those-- the 3 2-parters-- were all syndicated separately, as re-edited movies. Sheesh.
I'm probably one of the few people who thinks Brian DePalma's film is CRAP. To me, it's an insult to the Desilu series. They got all the details wrong, the action scenes aren't exciting, the climax makes no sense at all (I remember when "The Law Is An Ass" column ripped it to shreds), and the only impressive thing in the entire movie was Robert DeNiro's Al Capone (who's only in it for maybe 10 minutes).
The Tom Amandes series was way better. He reminded me a lot of James Stewart.
The QUARRY film kept me guessing. JESUS!!!!! That's not how any of MY characters would have handled it. 😜 It got me wondering, there were so many "anthology" TV series in the 80s, but apart from the short-lived ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS revival, were there ever any other "crime" anthology shows? Seems like this would have been a perfect fit as an episode of AHP.
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Speaking of Hitchcock, Season One episode eleven is possibly my favorite, "Ride the Nightmare".
So much so in recent years it became my favorite saying next to "Embrace the Chaos".
If you haven't seen this fine film noir you can find it on Dailymotion.
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My dad taped a whole PILE of AHP episodes off PBS. Completely out of sequence, I suspect. I watched them some years back. Some were interesting, but it was mostly a curiosity thing for me. I also on my own did 1 or 2 tapes of the 80s revival, some of which were intensely disturbing.
I just found out from Max Collins that there was a period where Mickey Spillane was hoping to get a "crime anthology" TV series made. His collaborator was Gene Roddenbery. Reading this, all I could think of was... OH MAN, why did Gene have so much trouble getting tv projects off the ground? What could have been...
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Should have posted this in Watcha readin'. My apologies.
Re Micky Spillane,
Yesterday I picked up a copy of 'The By-pass control' by Spillane, the forth in his Spy series with the character.
A reviewer says it is the worst of the four and while I'm enjoying it, that assessment doesn't surprise me.
Research led me to this, all of which was already in my head, and I can't say it any better.
Dangerous American Cousin: Mickey Spillane and Ian Fleming
https://literary007.com/2015/02/25/dangerous-american-cousin-mickey-spillane-and-ian-fleming/
It should be no surprise that a direct line can be drawn from Mike Hammer to Dirty Harry to Frank Millers The Dark Knight Returns. But what might surprise many is the connection between Spillane and Ian Fleming. Partially because of the books, but even more so because of the films, James Bond is often regarded as the classy British alternative to the hulking American stereotype. While the typical American P.I. in fiction is a working stiff who rarely has any luck with women (or even wants anything to do with them in the first place), Bond is the cosmopolitan charmer who can just as easily woo a woman as he can deactivate a nuclear bomb. To top it off, he does all of these things while sporting a cultured accent that sounds worlds away from the harsh consonants of either Brooklyn or Boston.
The only problem with this image of Bond is that it misses one incredibly important point: Bond's a killer. Especially during the early novels, Bond is described as a wonderful machine who thinks of nothing but the job on hand. In Casino Royale, the suave male ideal that would later be promoted in the pages of Playboy magazine is cold, harsh, and frequently thought of as a blunt instrument of London. In sum, Flemings original Bond is a kindred spirit of Mike Hammer, and this fact has been noted by no less of an authority than Italian academic and novelist Umberto Eco.
While Fleming acknowledged that Spillane was an influence behind the creation of James Bond, Fleming and Bond proved to be a direct influence on Spillane. Between 1964 and 1966, Spillane took a break from Mike Hammer in order to create Tiger Mann (yes, that's his real name), a tough secret agent for a private organization which is dedicated to eradicating Communism once and for all. Since he was created during the height of the worlds mania over spies and spy fiction, Tiger Mann has to be seen as a direct disciple of Bond, his far more famous progenitor.
Mann, like Hammer, is a World War II veteran who refuses to forget what he learned on the battlefield. Unlike Hammer, who was an enlisted Marine in the Pacific Theater, Mann got an early taste of intelligence work while operating for the OSS late in the war. After coming home, Mann was recruited by a shadowy private organization dedicated to stopping Communism, and in every one of Spillanes four Tiger Mann novels, this small, unnamed organization picks up the weight left untouched by those governments who are unwilling to confront the agents of Moscow head-on.
Cheers!
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Or, you coulda posted it in my new MIKE HAMMER thread.
;D
This is fascinating. I think this may be the first time I was aware of Spillane writing a "spy" series. I'd only recently updated my index of the Mike Hammer novels and spin-off, and noticed there was a huge gap of both in the late 60s and all thru the 70s, a period I would have thought "sex and violence" would have made Hammer WAY more popular than he'd been in the 50s (especially the 70s, when moviesa got so dark, violent , nasty & DOWNBEAT).
Once again, I feel almost embarrassed to say it, but while I'm a fan of Spillane & Max Collins, I've yet to read a single word of any of their novels.
But I have read every one of Ian Fleming's JAMES BOND stories... and it's for this reason, no doubt, that EVEN some of the Sean Connery films don't make the grade in my eyes.
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It occurs to me that if Herman Brix hadn't broken his shoulder and been replaced by Johnny Weismuller at the last minute, Sol Lesser might never have inflicted no less than 5 different illiterate Tarzans on the world (including the 2nd half of Weismuller's run, when MGM gave it up).
"Mine"
"Zar"
"Go"
"Don't"
"Night comes"
"No"
"Mary"
"Tantor"
"Geeloo"
9 words, the entire vocabulary spoken by Buster Crabbe in "TARZAN THE FEARLESS" (1933).
:D
Here's the Wikipedia article which explains the utterly-crazy circumstances that led to the production of this film, Sol Lesser's 1st of many Tarzans.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarzan_the_Fearless
Despite Crabbe's Tarzan having an even-more limited vocabulary than Johnny Weismuller's (on Lesser's insistence-- something he maintained until he retired in the late 50s), in some ways the film has more of the spirit of Edgar Rice Burroughs than MGM's series. It's acknowledged that Tarzan is the heir of a huge estate in England, and fortune-hunter Jeff Herbert actually goes in search of Tarzan due to having a letter promising him ten thousand dollars for proof of Tarzan's death, to clear the path for someone else to inherit the title! The story features one of Burrough's patented "lost tribes" living in the African jungle, in this case, a group of refugees from Ancient Egypt. And, at the end, Mary Brooks, whose scientist father has befriended Tarzan, makes it her mission to educate him! The finale, where his Chimpanzee friend has found and turned on the old-fashioned record player, and we see chimps, a gorilla and an elephant all dancing to the music, is hilarious.
I've long come to feel that Buster Crabbe was one of the most charismatic, likable actors to ever work in Hollywood. And watching this again, all I could think of was... OH, IF ONLY he had a "proper" script to work with. I probably would have ranked him up there with my favorite, Ron Ely!
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Poster_-_Tarzan_the_Fearless_01.jpg/675px-Poster_-_Tarzan_the_Fearless_01.jpg)
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Here's a wild bit of trivia. "Jiggs", the chimpanzee, actually appeared in all 3 unrelated TARZAN film series of the 1930s! (MGM, Sol Lesser, and Edgar Rice Burroughs)
TARZAN THE APE MAN
TARZAN THE FEARLESS
TARZAN AND HIS MATE
THE NEW ADVENTURES OF TARZAN
He passed away in 1938.
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTRlOTRmYjUtYmQ2NC00YWQ2LWFjNmItYWMyOTJkYmEyZjkyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTk2MzI2Ng@@._V1_UY317_CR104,0,214,317_AL_.jpg)
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Sadly almost finished watching the complete series of UFO (1970-1971)
It might be my new favourite sci-fi series. Sadly it seems to be relatively unknown outside of the UK, although it did have some obscure Italian and Japanese releases at the time. UFO was the first live action TV show produced by Gerry Anderson, the creator of Thunderbirds.
Ed Bishop stars in the title role as Commander Straker, the leader of SHADO. Since the series is set in 1980, Ed had to wear a blonde wig in this, as Gerry Anderson believed this would fashionable in the future. Ed was a brilliant actor who also provided his voice for another Gerry Anderson series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons as Captain Blue. Ed also landed some small uncredited roles in the Connery Bond films You Only Live Twice (as the radar operator in the opening scene) and Diamonds are Forever (as the real Klaus Hergersheimer at W.W. Tectonics).
SHADO is an international organisation tasked with defending Earth from aliens of unknown origin. This involves tracking space for any sign of their UFOs (pronounced U-FOs by Mr Bishop) using a Space Intruder Detector, a sort of flying satellite with its own voice that relays back to SHADO. When aliens are detected, which is usually the plot of each episode, Straker gets to choose between 3 lines of defence- the 1st is Moonbase, a base on the moon filled with ladies wearing purple wigs, who send out Interceptors to fire missiles. If this fails, the 2nd line of defence are the Sky Diver submarines. These fire out Sky One interceptors into the Earths atmosphere, and can also fire missiles. If this fails (which it often does, as both of these interceptors can only carry one missile), the final defence are the MOBILE tanks, which scour the landing spot of the UFO looking for survivors.
Beneath this somewhat overdone story of defending the Earth are some really complex stories and themes, ranging from Straker having to choose between saving his sons life after a car crash & staying at work to finish the job, to having to brainwash any people who accidentally encounter the aliens on the planet surface.
Continuing with the Bond theme, Michael Billington who played Colonel Foster in the series was screen-tested for the role of James Bond more than any other actor. However he ultimately lost out to both George Lazenby and Roger Moore. Strakers second-in-command, Colonel Freeman, is played by George Sewell. A well known TV character actor of the 60s and 70s in the UK, George gave an excellent performance in this, although sadly he had to give up the role in the last half of the series owing to a change of film studio.
Overall this has been an epic series and I would highly recommend it! Network recently released it on blu-ray, and its an excellent release.
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If this fails (which it often does, as both of these interceptors can only carry one missile),
Not sure but I suspect the reasoning was these were the most powerful non nuclear explosive warheads they could field, thus too large and heavy to allow carrying more than one per craft.
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Thanks, this might explain it. If only they were more accurate... most of the time they fire the missile just a moment too soon, allowing the UFO to fly though unscathed.
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I had just posted some comments about UFO on a friend's page, so I figured I'd take the easy route and copy-and-paste them here as well...
I got the DVD box set the other year Not only were the episodes I saw on the Sci-Fi Channel in the 90s EACH missing 6 minutes apiece, they ran the show in totally random order.
Someone at the IMDB actually complained that the DVD box changed the order of the episodes. My reaction to that was, "HOLY S***!!!!!" The DVDs are in (MOSTLY) production order, and watching them that way, I realized how the entire run suddenly made like TEN TIMES more sense, and "built" in intensity from start to finish.
I don't think I've ever seen any tv series so completely sabotaged by TV stations (in England and America) screwing up the running order for a whole variety of stupid reasons over the course of its run.
I always considered it one of Gerry Anderson's 2nd-rate shows, but now, I'm on my 3rd go-round with the DVDs, and think it was absolutely CRIMINAL that they never did a 2nd season to bring some kind of resolution to the long-term storyline.
I know things have changed in TV over the decades, but a huge problem was always stations stupid insistence that one should be able to watch episodes in "any" order. If you watch this the way it was broadcast back in the 70s and beyond, it just seems to go nowhere.
If you watch in (mostly) production order, it actually breaks down neatly into 2 acts. The first, you have this secret government-funded organization desperately just tying to get its S*** together. The 2nd act AMPS up the mystery and the danger and keeps showing the aliens with more and more bizarre abilities, from forms of ESP to altering the passage of TIME. Geez!
A whole series of monstrously-stupid behind-the-scenes things went on that saw the show not return, then almost return, then almost return in greatly-altered form, then get TOTALLY-mutated into something entirely different and utterly senseless ("Space 1999").
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Of the 2 instances where the DVD box set is not in order, you only have to worry about one of them.
The first was "Survival" was actually filmed before "Exposed". It's clear to me that "Survival" was initially intended to just feature another random SHADO member, Paul Foster, getting trapped on the Moon's surface and believed dead, but then found alive, and how it screwed up his relationship with his then-current girlfriend. But then someone realized he would make a great regular, and so the next episode they filmed was "Exposed", which "introduced" Paul.
In the UK (and here), "Exposed" was actually broadcast 2ND, right after "Identified", in order to get Paul in front of TV viewers earlier, since he appears in more episodes than anyone other that Ed Straker. However, I feel the order on the DVDs is really better, since if you watch them in production order (except for swapping the first 2 Paul episodes), there's a LOT of subtle continuity that gets totally lost if watched in any other order.
The other one, was pointed out to me on some website. Near the end, for some inexplicable reason, "Mindbender" and "Timelash" were swapped. I couldn't see any reason, so, I decided to watch them in BOTH orders, to see if I noticed anything "right" or "wrong" or "better" one way or the other. And I figured it out. Just about every damn Gerry Anderson series has at least one "it was all a dream" episode, AND, a "clip show" (with flashbacks to previous episodes). In the case of UFO, "Ordeal" (episode 9 in productin order) was the "it was all a dream" story-- which, I must say, actually PISSED me off when they had the reveal at the end. My friend in Wales, however, pointed out that a lot of "personal" stuff in the story would have required some major repercussions with the characters and their actions, that the series apparently didn't wanna bother with.
About HALFWAY thru... "Mindbender" suddenly becomes BOTH a "dream" episode (which in this case is VERY obvious!), AND, briefly, a "clip show", with Straker watching a film showing events from his own life. Normally, "clip shows" are run at the END of a season, or, in Anderson's case, the end of a SERIES. So, my guess is, whoever put the DVD box together figured "Mindbender" should be as close to the end as possible.
HOWEVER... on my 2nd go-round with the DVDs, when I watched "Mindbender" BEFORE "Timelash", I suddenly had an epiphany. Halfway into "Mindbender", Ed Straker winds up spending the rest of the episode running all around the film studio. Nearly the entire episode "Timelash" has Ed and Colonel Lake running around the film studio. It goes on and on and on, and by the end of "Timelash", you feel really EXHAUSTED. Watched this way, the two become almost an unoffical TWO-PART story. And "Timelash", really, feels like the 'BIG CLIMACTIC GRAND FINALE' of the whole series.
"The Long Sleep", which follows, feels more like a moody epilogue. All the time Straker & Lake spent together in "Timelash" seems to come back in the very last scene, where, following a traumatic personal experience, he leaves the hospital... and she follows him, the two walking off together... toward a 2nd season that NEVER happened (but damn well should have).
So my suggestion, if you've got the A&E box set, is to watch all of them in the order of the discs... EXCEPT, watch "Mindbender" before "Timelash". It just works WAY better that way.
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Thanks for this, a really interesting read.
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For the last several years, I've been slowing working my way thru a massive Gerry Anderson marathon. I started out watching the earliest stuff of his I could find online for free, which included the entire runs of FOUR FEATHER FALLS (which I'd never seen before) and SUPERCAR (which I hadn't seen since the mid-60s), and a number of even earlier things. But a few episodes into my beloved FIREBALL XL5, I realized that the entire series wasn't online for free... so, I went ahead and bought my first regular DVD player, and the DVD box set. What a wonderful time that was, being able to see the show that first introduced me to sci-fi, which I had not seen since August 1965!
I followed it up with STINGRAY, THUNDERBIRDS, CAPTAIN SCARLET AND THE MYSTERONS, JOE 90 (which I'd only seen 4 episodes of earlier), and THE SECRET SERVICE (which I'd never seen before). The first few shows, I was watching every day of the week, but with THUNDERBIRDS, which was an hour, I decided to drop back to one story a week, so I could really appreciate each one more fully. I stuck on that schedule ever since (at least, for the first time around with the DVDs-- I watch them a 2nd time whenever it suits my mood).
All that time, I wasn't sure if I wanted to upgrade my UFO collection, since it was the only Anderson series I had EVERY episode of, taped off the Sci-Fi Channel. But, MAN, was I glad I did! As I said, the tapes were severely cut, totally out of sequence, and as it turned out, recorded on a defective machine in the 90s where the heads were so far out of line, those specific tapes refused to play properly on my current machine without almost non-stop visual technical problems. Yeesh. And seeing the show so completely intact, it turned out to be way, way better than it ever seemed before.
In truth, while several of the early episodes (and some of the later ones) were NEEDLESSLY, excessively downbeat and depressing... there's really on one-and-one-half episodes I REALLY don't like. It's the 2 episodes involving Mary Straker.
"A Question Of Priorities" (episode 8 ) has 2 plots running side-by-side. One involves an alien who goes thru absurdly-complex methods trying to contact SHADO, because he's apparently considered a traitor to whatever it is his planet's people are up to. The other involves Straker's ex-wife, who doesn't like him seeing their son, and her son John getting hit by a speeding car. Straker announces he can get the rare medicine needed to save him, and diverts a cargo plane to faciliitate this. But Alec Freeman doesn't know this, and HE diverts the plane to the area where the UFO landed. The medicine arrives JUST too late to save John, and Mary screams her head off saying "I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!" As if it was HIS fault.
It's SO G**-D***ed contrived! There was absolutely NO reason for things to turn out that bad. To have the alienb killed at the last second was a downbeat ending I could understand, but not to have that AND John also get killed. It's just pointlessly downbeat because Gerry wanted it to be pointlessly downbeat, because-- PROBABLY!!!-- Gerry & Sylvia were having problems in their marriage and he had to shove that at viewers.
I figured out my own alternate ending to the episode. Which would be, the medicine arrives JUST barely in time, John's life IS saved, only because Ed was able to use SHADO to deliver the medicine. And after, he would tell Mary, "He's MY son, too. And from NOW on, I'm going to see him AS OFTEN AS I'D LIKE." That would have been so much better.
The last time I watched this, I fast-forwarded over all the "Mary" scenes and just watched the "alien traitor" scenes. I once did the same thing with "The Paradise Syndrome" on STAR TREK, watching only the "Spock" scenes and skipping over all the "Kirk amnesia" scenes. ;D
The other one that bugs me is "Confetti Check A-OK" (ep. 13, just about the halfway point). Straker's marriage falls apart mainly because his NEVER-SEEN MOTHER-IN-LAW hires a private eye to follow him, an act that should have gotten the detective and his mother-in-law arrested on espionage charges.
Only the "framing device" part works for me, where Ed orders a SHADO HQ operative who just had a new baby to take a 2-week vacation. He KNOWS how important this is, and it shows that Ed really does have a caring, human side.
I've seen Suzanne Neve (who played Mary) in 3 things, and what a contrast. I absolutely hated the character of Mary, she seemed selfish and uncaring about Ed and his job, or even about her own son's feelings at the beginning of "Priorities". I've also seen her as Mina Harker in the 1968 MYSTERY AND IMAGINATION adaptation of "Dracula", and she was terrific in that. But even better, she played Violet Hunter in the 1965 adaptation of "The Copper Beches". She's the girl who takes the job of governness, who Holmes is SO impressed with, he reccomends her for a position as headmistress of a school, while Watson mistakenly thinks his friend may be thinking of asking her to marry him. She was my FAVORITE woman character in the entire 1960s BBC SHERLOCK HOLMES series.
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Here is a reference to an Argentinian Poe movie adaption.
Master of Horror (1965) [Excerpt from Tell Tale Heart in English]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BALv9_Zm-W0
Sourced from this site.
CINEFEAR VIDEO
http://www.cinefear.com/cincoll.html
Should keep anybody interested in Horror movies happy for ages.
Cheers!
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Prof, as you've been watching all those puppet shows, have you tried the non-Anderson, but better imo, Space Patrol?
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtHmfziFzKNGlJ7rUbs7Et-IOyuac8hkU
Meson Power On. Great stuff.
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I've long joked that the execrable SPACE: 1999 would have worked better with puppets.
It certainly would have been more tolderable.
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I've long joked that the execrable SPACE: 1999 would have worked better with puppets.
It certainly would have been more tolderable.
I've been rewatching my bootleg 1999 disc full series collection . Just finished episode six.
Personally I like that series, though the science is rubbish and overacting is endemic.
Costuming, sets, and model work are excellent, even by today's standards, which isn't saying much.
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Space 1999? Intolerable?! On the contrary, I would say Space 1999 is one of the best shows Gerry Anderson ever made, excluding of course Series 2 which was taken over by ITC America and desperately morphed into a children?s show. Series 1 is in my view a TV sci-fi masterpiece. The trio of Commander Koenig, Dr Russell and Professor Victor is marvellous. The one-off appearances from Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee (my 2 favourite horror actors) and Brian Blessed only add to the series? charm.
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The entire concept of the show is totally non-sensical. The writing is horrifically bad, and the acting is appalling. All the best design and effects and music in the world can't save a thing like that.
I'm currently in the middle of a several-years-long Gerry Anderson DVD marathon, and 1999 is the only thing he's done I have decided NOT to buy and re-watch. I've put up with it and suffered through it enough.
Despite this, I have recently watched 2 very long documentaries about how the show came to be made. JESUS!!!! It just gets worse and worse and WORSE, the more I learn. What went on behind-the-scenes that led to the series ever being created in the first place, in a CLUSTER-F*** of the worst sort imaginable. And then, on top of that, they somhow managed to make it EVEN WORSE when it came back for a 2nd season (which almost didn't happen).
I normally don't like to argue things like this that involve personal taste, because it's always a waste of time... but I watched that show from the beginning when it debuted back in the mid-70s. And a couple times since. And it was NEVER that good in my eyes.
I think, everything else aside, 1999 was the unavoidable result of a bad marriage getting worse as it went, and between seasons, ended in a NASTY divorce.
GOOD thing, too. Gerry Anderson's next series was the BEST-written thing he'd done since the EARLY 60's.
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At least we can agree on UFO being an excellent one. Good old Ed Bishop.
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At least we can agree on UFO being an excellent one. Good old Ed Bishop.
Don't know if it was deliberate but most main characters in UFO looked a lot like marionettes, Bishop especially.
I really liked that series as well, but it had its own flaws.
Purple Wigs??
Fish Net uniforms??
Missiles nearly as big as the one man Scooty Puff Juniors that carried them???
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think, everything else aside, 1999 was the unavoidable result of a bad marriage getting worse as it went, and between seasons, ended in a NASTY divorce.
GOOD thing, too. Gerry Anderson's next series was the BEST-written thing he'd done since the EARLY 60's.
I presume you are speaking of the Andersons here. However Martin Landau has blamed Space 1999 being responsible for the break-up of his marriage. The American stars Lou Grade imported for his shows, [including Tony Curtis for the Persuaders] found the working conditions unexpected and hard to live with. I'm not an Anderson Fan anyway and have watched only occasional episodes of all the Anderson shows. Charlton had a comic book version of Space 1999 and I never paid much attention to that either.
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Artwise Charlton's Space: 1999 was, as they used to say, not without merit. Gray Morrow did some nice stuff, for example. The stories, courtesy of Joe Gill et al., were, as they still say, largely without merit.
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I guess I'm in the minority here, but I was never really a fan of "UFO". Somehow, Ed Bishop just didn't strike me as the starship captain type. I guess just about any sci-fi was better than none at that time, so I did watch it, along with "Space 1999". Cheers, Bowers
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I can honestly say, unless you watch UFO in (more or less) production order, you're not seeing the show in its best light.
Although it ran one year (totally out of sequence and with several monthss' breaks near the end), viewing it on the DVD set is like seeing 2 short seasons.
1 - SHADO struggles to barely gets its S*** together at all
2 - the aliens up their game, and most of the best-written stories are here
Which makes me REALLY wish there'd been a "3" (heh).
It's a real stretch, but the structure of the "big story" reminds me just a tiny bit of Jules Verne's "The Mysterious Island". The first part of the book is a real slog to plow through. My best friend said he had to stop after 50 pages, he couldn't deal with it. But after that... it picks up and gets WAY better.
Shoving the lesser early episodes in between the far-better later ones (like they did!) DOESN'T help, in fact it destroys any sense of "building momentum".
I'm watching it again right now, and I just got past the "worst" one yesterday ("Priorities"), so I'm looking forward to enjoying the rest from here on out.
I just commented to my friend in Wales the other day, it strikes me-- now this is a VERY vague comparison-- one might almost compare the following characters...
Ed Straker -- Mr. Spock (mostly cold & clinical)
Alec Freeman -- Dr. McCoy (warm & caring)
Paul Foster -- Jim Kirk (full of himself, cocky, over-confident, ladies' man, doesn't always play by the rules)
With that thought in mind... imagine if Spock were Kirk's commanding officer. ;D
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It's kinda sad that one show led to 2 divorces.
Although, from what my friend in Wales has described, Gerry & Sylvia's marriage was on rocky ground at least from the time they were doing THUNDERBIRDS! That's a long time for a break-up.
What I find most interesting... is that both Martin Landau & Barbara Bain's acting careers really seemed to pick up AFTER their breakup. I saw her on a MIKE HAMMER where she was terrific as a mobster's widow, and most of my favorite Landau roles were in his later years.
Also, and I made this observation years before I started to learn the details... I felt the writing on Gerry's shows got steadily worse and worse at it went, starting downhill with THUNDERBIRDS (I know it's beloved, and that includes by me, but the writing was a step down from STINGRAY, which was a step down from FIREBALL XL5) with 1999 season 2 being the bottom.
And then he got re-married... and suddenly, TERRAHAWKS had the best writing since XL5. And SPACE PRECINCT was way better! That show got seriously overlooked and dismissed in America, and only run on late-night when most poeople never saw it, but it very quickly became my #1 favorite Anderson show.
I couldn't shake the feeling, that divorce was some kind of "wake-up call"... and next thing, "people" became more important in the writing than the machines.
I should ammend my earlier observation when it concerns UFO. Some of the early episodes were TERRIBLY wrong-headed, downbeat, pointlessly depressing... which I now see as a reflection of what was going on behind-the-scenes. But the later episodes... WOW. It's really tragic what the TV programmers did to sabotage that show in England. As I said, if you watch it in the right order, once you get past the "REALLY BAD" episodes... the "REALLY GOOD" ones show more potential than I ever picked up on before.
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I got my hands on a used VCR today! Sadly... while it's obviously a much-better one than it's replacing, and mechanically it's working perfect... there's NO VIDEO signal. Damn. So close. Have to send it back and get another one...
So today... DRACULA (1958). The only Christopher Lee Dracula film where he's even pretending to be "civilized" in a couple scenes. (Well, except maybe for "SATANIC RITES...".)
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The ep where the night before a certification physical he goes to a party and gets S**t faced and likely stoned as well tells you a lot about his priorities.
I liked the music at the party "Get back" by the Beatles.
I JUST watched that one this morning!
My friend in Wales some time back pointed out that Gerry seemed to do a couple of things in EVERY series he ever worked on: "dream" episodes, and "clip shows". This was the "dream". And if you know that going in, you can pinpoint exactly where Foster falls asleep.
When I first got the DVDs, I was actually PISSED OFF when he woke up at the end of the story. It seemed a good story, and not much reason for it to be a dream.
The main advancement of the "big story" this time around is... Carlin, who was doing such a good job, is NEVER seen again, and Waterman, one of the Interceptor pilots, is transferred to take over SkyDiver for the rest of the series. At the same time, Foster, who'd been put in charge of Moonbase since his recruitment, is being bounced around to learn about ALL the various functions of SHADO. So here, right after Straker's son got killed, Foster spent the next 2 months assigned to SkyDiver, apparently as part of his training.
I liked Franklin, played by David Healy. he did a pile of voices on various Anderson shows, and also played Dr. Watson in my favorite version of "THE SIGN OF FOUR", the one with Ian Richardson.
Peter Burton made his 2nd of 3 appearances as Dr. Murray, this time working at the health farm (though the IMDB has his listed as someone else). He played Major Boothroyd ("Q") in DR. NO back in 1962.
Also according to the IMDB (but I never noticed it), Stephanie Beacham makes her first of 2 appearances as Sarah Bosanquet, one of the girls at the party.
Quinn O'Hara played Sylvia Graham, the girl Foster was dating in this story. I guess he got over his previous one (from "Survival") pretty quick.
Has anyone ever counted how many girls Jim Kirk got romantic with on STAR TREK ?
UFO actually has 2 "dream" episodes. The 2nd one, "Mindbender", in the 2nd half, also doubles for a few scenes as a "clip show"!
My impression of Foster from this episode-- given that most of it was "just a dream"-- is he has a extremely high opinion of himself and his importance. In his dream, Alec is concerned about him, Waterman VIOLATES a direct order to save his life, and Gaye takes part in the operation to get him out of the alien spacesuit.
By the way, while I have had some dreams where I seem to be watching a movie, USUALLY, my dreams involve myself. So for this story to keep cutting back and forth to all this other stuff with all these other people while Foster is a prisoner in that alien spacesuit... makes me VERY suspicious the "it was all a dream" aspect was added at the very last minute. That AIN'T no normal dream!!!
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And now for something.... quite other.
Last night I watched The 1952 Noir movie, The Turning Point.
I love Noir and hadn't heard of this one.
William Holden, Alexis Smith, Edmund O'Brian, Ed Begley, more known faces as characters than you can poke a stick at and don't miss Carolyn Jones short screen debut. Warren Duff(screenplay) Horace McCoy(story).
The Turning Point 1952 FILM NOIR 480p 30fps H264 128kbit AAC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THubLIP90m8
If you are paying attention to world affairs, you can't help being aware of how contemporary much of this seems.
You can watch this before screening the movie if you like, but better you don't till after. Spoilers!
Noir Alley: The Turning Point (1952) intro 20220206
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p1HIqMqT4I
Don't watch this till after you have watched the movie. Finale spoilers!
Noir Alley: The Turning Point (1952) outro 20220206
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a4DqDQC5HE
I haven't got this movie out of my head since I saw it. Always a good sign. And I will definitely watch it again.
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"If you are paying attention to world affairs, you can't help being aware of how contemporary much of this seems."
That's always fun when that happens.
I've seen it with THE ROBE (specifically, the scene with Emperor Tiberius), and the James Whale adaptation of THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK. Both films seem more "today" than they probably were when they were made.
Then again, when it comes to "corrupt governments", the biggest collection of those I probably ever saw in old movies were the various "Italian muscle man movies" of the early 1960s. They're supposed to be taking place 2 or 3000 years ago, but they seem very "now".
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" Everything that happens has happened before;
nothing is new, nothing under the sun,
someone might say, 'here is something new!'
But it happened long before we were born,
no one who lived in the past is remembered any more,
and everyone yet to be born will be forgotten too."
Ecclesiasties 1 (9-11)
written about 3000 years ago.
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Ecclesiasties 1 (9-11)
written about 3000 years ago.
After the first remake of Beau Geste. ;)
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Vendetta for the Saint was on yesterday on Talking Pictures, UK freeview channel 82. Its a peculiar film, apparently made up of two 1962 episodes from the TV series according to IMDb. It could almost pass as a Bond film, especially when compared to the generally poor writing of many of Sir Roger Moores outings. This too could have been adapted much better. Ian Hendry attempted to play a fake Mafia boss trying to take over the organisation (he put on a fake accent and all, with varying degrees of success) whilst Moore takes on the Mafia, and ends up arresting most of the bosses. The best part is probably the stunning views of Italy in the early 60s, with people riding around on Lambrettas.
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The first few Moore Bond films were entertaining and became funnier as they progressed. Almost slapstick at times. By the end they were poor stuff. For me, Bond films gave not stood the test of time and I have no great desire to watch them, new or old.
You want corrupt governments in tv? Try Sword of Freedom, a show I fondly remember and there are some examples on you tube. Watching it nowadays, it seems slow and ploddy but there us usually a good sword fight. The bad guy is a devious nasty.
Marco del Monte played by Edmund Purdom. Exciting opening credits.
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I think the early Connery films, especially From Russia With Love, are brilliant. Those, and George Lazenbys only outing are still really enjoyable action flicks and are also interesting representations of the Cold War. It only went downhill from there. Moore was fun to watch, but he was just playing Simon Templar and his character from the Persuaders whose name I forgot, not Bond.
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The Best Bond Films
the first two Connery Films
1.1 Dr. No (1962)
1.2 From Russia with Love (1963)
also
Thunderball
Goldfinger almost makes it for the one scene,
'Do you expect me to talk?'
'No Mr Bond, I expect you to die.'
The Lazenby Film almost made it, but not the fault of Lazenby.
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
The First Timothy Dalton
1.15 The Living Daylights (1987)
and The First
Daniel Craig film
1.21 Casino Royale (2006)
and I'm partial to Connery in a wig in
Never say Never again.
You want corrupt governments in tv?
"You May Very Well Think That; I Couldn't Possibly Comment..." -- Ian Richardson (1934-2007)
The House of Cards
https://bowjamesbow.ca/2007/02/12/you-may-very-we.shtml
cheers!
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"You May Very Well Think That; I Couldn't Possibly Comment..." -- Ian Richardson (1934-2007)
The House of Cards
https://bowjamesbow.ca/2007/02/12/you-may-very-we.shtml
cheers!
The linked article mentions Ian Richrdson's role as Death in "Hogfather". I'm reminded of his role as a clergyman in the series "Demon Street.
He visits an elderly man in hospital. He is wearing his hooded cloak and the old man wakes to see him hovering over him and freaks out thinking that death has come for him.
The old man gasps "you look like death" and Ricardson says something to the effect of You don't look too great yourself.
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It got quite maddning when, in the 70s (and 80s), a lot of 2-parters from TV series were not merely edited together to form "movies", but YANKED OUT of the syndication packages in the process.
The following shows I taped in the 80s all had this crap done to them:
STAR TREK
THE SAINT
TARZAN
THE UNTOUCHABLES
THE NIGHT STALKER
The latter was particularly infuriating, as there were no 2-parters. What they did was take 4 stand-alone stories, and re-edit them together as a pair of alleged "movies", with 2 stories apiece INTER-CUT to make it look like one story was going on. This was the exact same ABORTION job done on the 1st season of McCLOUD, which may or may not still not be available in the US in its original form. (There's a Region 4 set from Australia that has the original 6 one-hour episodes. But I don't have it, and if I did, at the moment, couldn't play it.)
"Vendetta For The Saint" was one of the later SAINT novels, which may (or may not) have been written by Leslie Charteris (or someone else, who can say?). I believe it came out in 1963 or 64, and I believe the TV version was done around 1968.
There's an earlier episode set in Rome where Templar runs across The Mafia, and this was a sort-of sequel to it, but much bigger in scope.
The last time I watched the series (my tapes are very out-of-sequence, I got them as I could from a variety of stations), I noted that the first 2 seasons (both in B&W) were almost entirely adapted from short stories, and featured some of the best writing on the show, as well as, arguably, Roger Moore's BEST acting EVER.
The 3rd season (in color), a mix of adaptations and originals, was also a mix as far as the feel of the show went. Some were quite good, others felt tacky somehow, but never slipping into the kind of farcical tone so many other adventure shows did during that excact same period (LOST IN SPACE, WILD WILD WEST, MAN FROM UNCLE, a few of THE AVENGERS episodes). The 4th season, on loking back, was a surprise, as it tended to get more "serious" again, though I believe nearly all the stories were originals.
It's a shame the series NEVER bothered adapting any of the classic novels from the 30s or 40s.
Reading the books showed me an unexpected irony. For the most part, Roger Moore's acting on the show was TOO SERIOUS. Who would expect this, when he REFUSED to take James Bond seriously???
I think LIVE AND LET DIE, GOLDEN GUN and MOONRAKER are the 3 worst and stupidest films in the 007 series, an insult to the character, the film series in general and the audiences.
THE SPY WHO LOVED ME was a huge improvement, though not without a few flaws, but overall is like "James Bond's Greatest Hits", having a plot assembled from several previous films, and somehow managing to make EVEN LESS SENSE than YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE, if you actually think about it.
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY is my favorite Roger Moore film, and I consider it a love letter to Ian Fleming (after they ignored his work for a whole decade). I just wish Timothy Dalton had been in it, as it was more or less written with him in mind. Except, Moore came back.
OCTOPUSSY and A VIEW TO A KILL are schizo, as both films they can't seem to decide if they want "serious" or "idiotic". And VIEW is by far the worse of the two on that score.
These days I'm of the view that Roger Moore NEVER should have played Bond at all.
I'm hoping to upgrade my entire SAINT collection to DVD............. eventually. (Lots of other stuff on the agenda ahead of it.)
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Reading the books showed me an unexpected irony. For the most part, Roger Moore's acting on the show was TOO SERIOUS. Who would expect this, when he REFUSED to take James Bond seriously???
The first saint book I ever read changed my life in a way. I came from a very straight-laced background, found the book 'The Saint and Mr Teale' by accident when I was in a blue funk and laughed my way thorough it. I couldn't believe the irreverence. It was outside my experience at that time.
None of the books written after the 60's came close and I gave up on the book and rarely watched the TV show for exactly that reason. And yes, Moore didn't play Bond too seriously. But I love Roger Moore and I don't put the blame on him, an actor goes with the script and the direction the producers want.
I have to wonder how much they were influenced by the 3 dreadful Matt Helm movies with Dean Martin?
I am currently reading my way through a number of Donald Hamilton's Matt Helm books. A very different writer than Fleming and not as good , but the character is every bit as tough as Bond and if anything colder and more ruthless.
And yet the producers couldn't take the character seriously and went for corn and farce. Even the Man from Uncle telemovies are better.
By the way Moore played Beauregarde Maverick in 16 episodes of that show.
I also like the Persuaders with Moore and Tony Curtis.
Also, believe it or not, he played Clouseau in Curse of the Pink Panther for Blake Edwards.
And in 1978 played Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes in New York (TV Movie)
A jobbing actor and always enjoyable to watch.
cheers!
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I have to agree with Dr No and From Russia With Love being the best Bond films. These are the ones I usually end up watching anyway. Roger Moore seems to have a huge following on Bond Twitter as being the ultimate witty action hero Bond, echoing the character of the books. Not so sure of that myself. The gritty portrayal by early Connery is the ultimate Bond in my view. Yes, the producers and directors are probably to blame for Moore?s unfortunate ventures with View to a Kill and Octopussy.
Sunday afternoon?s film was The Count of Monte Christo, 1975, featuring Richard Chamberlain, Donald Pleasance and Tony Curtis. (Apologies for the ? that appears whenever I type an apostrophe on this forum) I wasnt that familiar with the story before watching this, although I had listened to a very good Lux Radio Theatre interpretation only the day before. This seems to be one of those classic tales like Robin Hood which can be interpreted in different ways and still remain interesting. I enjoyed it a lot, as a sort of vengeance thriller. It reminded me of Bruce Lee?s excellent (at least in my opinion) Fist of Fury and Game of Death, both in which Bruce takes revenge for wrongs done to his family by vicious crime syndicates and mob bosses.
Speaking of Game of Death, only the last 30 or so minutes of the film are actually enjoyable and feature Bruce fighting his way through a pagoda full of enemies. The remainder is comprised of awful stunt doubles and distasteful footage of Bruce?s actual funeral, edited together in a desperate attempt to create a coherent narrative. Bruce had sadly died in 1973 of course, and this film came out in 1978 I believe. It was later followed by Tower of Death a.k.a. Game of Death II which was released in 1981, and featured even less footage of Bruce. When compared to the frustrating cash-ins of today?s endless remakes, there is something even more frustrating about the way that Golden Harvest put these posthumous films together.
At least the soundtracks were incredible. Luckily enough I have quite a few of the original Tam releases on vinyl, some of favourite film soundtracks of all time!
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The BBC tv 12 part adaptation of count of Monte Cristo is on you tube:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bF1Z7irZLdY&list=PLSqez9-elIrEjiiPAeTN1YLfKk7BMwv5j
I just noticed that the weird but highly enjoyable Minikillers - Diana Rigg - is on you tube:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g3iuSESdo4
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Brilliant, thanks! Tomorrow I?ll have a good search for some Monte Cristo comics and dime novels. Bound to be some on here.
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"Dr No" and "From Russia With Love" are excellent introductions to the character and genre.
"Thunderball" is by far the best Bond Film ever. The sound track alone is a masterpiece. The underwater battle hasn't been matched yet that I know of.
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'The Saint and Mr Teal'
I remember that one. Short story collection, right?
rarely watched the TV show for exactly that reason
The weird thing is, I never watched the show until the 80s. My first exposure to the character was THE SAINT STRIKES BACK with George Sanders, which I currently rank as the single WORST Saint film ever made. It blows my mind that the very next one, THE SAINT IN LONDON, I currenlty rank as the single BEST Saint film ever made. And with the same lead actor. HOW did that happen?? (Yeah, maybe we shouldn't blame Roger Moore... heeheehee.)
But I also got hooked on RETURN OF THE SAINT with Ian Ogilvy. This became my favorite show on TV for a little while. Overe the years, Ian Ogilvy became my FAVORITE living actor. (Ever since Peter Cushing passed away.) He still is.
When The CBS Late Movie began doing reruns of Roger Moore, I liked it, but felt his acting wasn't anywhere as good as Ogilvy's. I STILL feel that way! I also came to feel tat Ogilvy's character was NOT the same one Moore played. Either a different continuity (as with every time they recast Tarzan), or something else. When I saw THE SAINT IN NEW YORK, Louis Hayward blew my mind. WOW. I suddenly "got" why Simon Templar was so popular. I also thought he & Ogilvy has a physical resemblence... so I started to feel that ogilvy was the SON of the original.
Many years later, I read that producer Robert S. Baker wanted to call the series SON OF THE SAINT, but Leslie Charteris nixed the idea. Whatta ya know?
I wound up casting Ogilvy in one of my own stories, as the SON of an infamous adventurer often accused (but never convicted) of various crimes. Heh heh heh...
I love Roger Moore and I don't put the blame on him, an actor goes with the script and the direction the producers want.
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER really, really sucked. And that had Connery in it.
The first half of THE SPY WHO LOVED ME, Moore actually played Bond pretty serious. UNTIL... the fight in the temple, when it turned into a slapstick comedy all of a sudden. FUNNY AS HELL!!! "Women drivers..."
And Moore did damned good in FOR YOUR EYES ONLY. I really hoped OCTOPUSSY and VIEW had been that good. Oh well. They filmed some REALLY stupid scenes for THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS... then had the sense to CUT them before release.
I have to wonder how much they were influenced by the 3 dreadful Matt Helm movies with Dean Martin?
There's a scene with an electromagnet in MURDERERS' ROW that turned up in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. Remember when Bond was the trailblazer others copied-- instead of Bond copying everyone else? WHY was there an electromagnet in the shark tank room? Because the writer was a fan of Dean Martin.............. (that's just not right)
I am currently reading my way through a number of Donald Hamilton's Matt Helm books. A very different writer than Fleming and not as good , but the character is every bit as tough as Bond and if anything colder and more ruthless.
I don't suppose we';ll ever see "authentic" Matt Helm movies. I've seen the pilot of the 70s TV series with Tony Francisosa, and while it's TOTALLY different from the Dean Martin films, I get the feeling it's not any more authentic than they were.
And yet the producers couldn't take the character seriously and went for corn and farce. Even the Man from Uncle telemovies are better.
The TV episodes those filmes were assembled from are BETTER. Watching the complete series on DVD now... most of which, I somehow NEVER saw before! Have I mentioned TODAY how much I love DVDs? :D
By the way Moore played Beauregarde Maverick in 16 episodes of that show.
I've seen a cpouple of those! (That's all the cable channel was running, about 15 years back. Weird.
I also like the Persuaders with Moore and Tony Curtis.
I've seen 2 of those, spliced together (NOT intercut) as a "movie". "Okay", but didn't grab me much. And I like BOTH actors!!
I'm plowing thru THE PROTECTORS with Robert Vaughn right now, and for the most part enjoying it, so, who knows, maybe someday I might get THE PERSUADERS. But only after I upgrade my whole SAINT collection. (I need to CLEAN OUT my house and get rid of MOST of my collections... to make room for NEW stuff. Never thought I'd feel that way, but, there you go.)
Also, believe it or not, he played Clouseau in Curse of the Pink Panther for Blake Edwards.
SHHH! You're not supposed to tell that to anyone who hasn't seen that film yet. (heh)
Except for the 10 minutes with Harvey Korman (which I would like to cut out and BURN), CURSE is one of my favorite "Pink Panther" films. It rearlly brings to a close the whole series. I loved the car chase with the upside-down cab (one of the funniset scenes I've ever seen in any movie), I loved what they did with Robert Wagner, I loved that David Niven FINALLY got his hands on the jewel after 20 years... and I loved them ginving "Chang" a 2nd shot after he went ot the window in "REVENGE".
And in 1978 played Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes in New York (TV Movie)
Roger Moore & Patrick Macnee (Templar & Steed!), plus Charlotte Rampling and John Huston. Not great, but NOT BAD. The mystery plot repeated one from a BANACEK movie. No kidding. Moore & Macnee were reunited in VIEW... (but not in a nice way). Macnee later teamed with Christopher Lee in a pair of 4-hour TV movies in the early 90s.
A jobbing actor and always enjoyable to watch.
YEP!
Also enjoyed him in THE CANNONBALL RUN. He played a guy who pretended to be Roger Moore. ;D
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"We're very proud of our Captain!"
;D
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THE STRANGER CAME HOME (1954)
With "friends" like these...! ******
On a fishing trip, a businessman is nearly murdered by one of his 3 partners, but winds up with amnesia instead. When he turns up unannounced 4 years later... it hits the fan. WHO tried to kill him-- and, was his wife (who the others all had a thing for) or his social secretary (who resents his company ruining her father) involved?
To me, anything with Michael Carrerras & Terrence Fisher is worth a watch. William Sylvester (who physically reminds me of a guy who spent 3 whole years trying to have me fired from a job) is the lead. Apart from "2001" (where nobody exhibited any humanity), he was quite memorable in one of the very best Roger Moore "SAINT" episodes, "Interlude In Venice". Paulette Goddard (who I found so adorable in "THE GHOST BREAKERS") is the wife. Alvys Maben is the social secretary with the most obvious motive. She's a dead ringer for my aunt, and considering when she was born, she could have been her under a stage name (an idea that seems more intriguing than the film itself--HEH!). Both Goddard & Maben turned up on the Ronald Howard "SHERLOCK HOLMES" series, Goddard in 1, Maben in 3 episodes. I was shocked to read Maben passed away at age 41. Nobody seems to know much about her.
I agree with others who said Russell Napier as the Inspector was the most interesting character. There's a moment of humor to break the tension when his assistant suggests a maniken is "modest", the kind of thing Hammer would regularly include in many of their films. Nice photography, and a mystery that held my attention and kept me guessing. Funny thing-- the one scene where someone tries to blackmail someone else, the would-be blackmailer's dialogue made me think, "George Sanders should have played that part." It reminded me, if only for a moment, of his role in "REBECCA".
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THE STRANGER CAME HOME (1954)
With "friends" like these...! ******
I watched this film months ago, under its American release title. Found it on YouTube.
I enjoyed it though it dragged a bit and the overall feel was as if nothing could go right for anyone in the end.
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the overall feel was as if nothing could go right for anyone in the end
Yep. As I said, it kept me guessing. It was a surprise it had any kind of happy ending at all.
It really polarized opinions among the IMDB reviewers. About half hated it, half liked it. I liked it, so I wanted to find something to say about it that nobody else did. I think I succeeded. (I've been doing that a lot lately if I'm writing my own IMBD reviews.)
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Tonight's film is ABSOLUTELY INSANE BAT-SHIT CRAZY from start to finish!!
(https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/sites/bfi.org.uk.films-tv-people/files/styles/gallery_full/public/image/bfi-00m-eqj-king-kong.jpg?itok=C2Gjrjdj)
KING KONG (1933)
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Captain Audio said,
"Thunderball" is by far the best Bond Film ever. The sound track alone is a masterpiece. The underwater battle hasn't been matched yet that I know of.
And that's why I namechecked 'Never say Never again' It was based on the same book. Also, when Connery started working on it, he was appalled at the incompetence. He wasn't going to be in a flop, so he took over and most of the production was under his sole control. Well, they weren't going to fire him, were they? A much better film that it ever deserved to be.
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A long, long time ago (circa 1976) a friend and I had the privilege of visiting with Mario Larrinaga, matte painter and effects technician, who worked on King Kong. As I recall, at the time only one book had been published about the making of Kong. Larrinaga, almost the last surviving member of the effects crew, had supplied pre-production drawings and other artifacts to the authors. So my friend and I got to see some of the now-famous concept art for the film in person! Larrinaga was a very nice fellow and told us a lot about Kong's technical processes. It was a treasured moment.
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"Man who sit on tack, better off."
--Jimmy Chan
;D
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Just came across this choice fight scene between Sharon Tate and Nancy Kwan.
Sharon Tate goes one on one with Nancy Kwan in the movie "The Wrecking Crew" (1969).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj2S-buS6LM&t=5s
This was choreographed by Bruce Lee.
By the late 1960s, Bruce Lee had established himself as Hollywood?s prime martial-arts instructor. After Sharon Tate?s ex-boyfriend and celebrity hairstylist, Jay Sebring, saw Lee perform at a martial-arts show, he was captivated by the high-kicking, fierce-fisted star. Lee was desperate to break into the Hollywood film scene, and Sebring, who still kept in touch with Tate and her husband, invited all three over to have dinner with him.
Sebring suspected that Bruce Lee and Roman Polanski would get along well, and before long, Polanski was providing Lee with a leg-up in the movie industry as he trained with the famed director. Lee also helped Tate do martial-arts training for the spy-fi comedy, The Wrecking Crew, in 1968. It seemed like the relationships between Lee and Tate/Polanski were positive. However, the murder of Sharon Tate shook Polanski to his core, making him hypervigilant, angry, and eager to capture his wife?s murderer. All it took for Polanski to accuse Lee of murder was for the martial-arts master to admit a simple detail about an item of his that had gone missing.
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I've been watching the Reacher samples on youtube. Much more like it. A bloke who actually conforms to the description in the books.
The old chestnut again: Reacher or Joe Pike at your back?
Away from the uber violence, we watched Cottage to Let, Alistair Sim, John Mills, Leslie Banks, George Cole. Classic. Serious with humour. Just a tad ott from Mills.
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I've been watching the Reacher samples on youtube. Much more like it. A bloke who actually conforms to the description in the books.
The old chestnut again: Reacher or Joe Pike at your back?
Away from the uber violence, we watched Cottage to Let, Alistair Sim, John Mills, Leslie Banks, George Cole. Classic. Serious with humour. Just a tad ott from Mills.
One of my favourites since the early 1950s. Great cast!
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I've long been of the opinion that THE WRECKING CREW was, surprisingly, by far the BEST of the 4 Dean Martin MATT HELM films. The fact that Bruce Lee choreographed the fight scenes was a big factor in that. But it was also played less silly than the others.
MURDERERS' ROW (2nd best)
THE SILENCERS (silly)
THE AMBUSHERS (too damn silly to tolerate)
Anyone who lived thru the mid-60s or followed it retroactively in reruns may have noticed, something weird happened when TV shows switched from B&W to color. Too many of them got sillier and stupider as they went. Up to a point. Beyond that point, some of them turned around and got MORE SERIOUS again... if they lasted that long.
BATMAN
LOST IN SPACE
VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA
THE MAN FROM UNCLE
THE WILD WILD WEST
THE AVENGERS
It was actually an interview with Billy Mumy in the early 80s that reminded me of this, when he pointed out that LIS's 3rd season tried to get back the style from season 1 they lost in season 2... to mixed results.
Then there was the UNCLE book that suggested its 4th season was TOO serious (even more so than season 1), but after season 3's S***-show (and GIRL FROM UNCLE the same year was even sillier), it was too little too late, and UNCLE was canned 13 weeks into its 4th season.
After its terminaly-silly 2nd season, BATMAN jumped right off a cliff for its 3rd year and completely self-destructed. A shame, Yvonne Craig deserved better.
WWW somehow managed to remain in the top 10 in the ratings all 4 years!!! It was a victim of some lunatic pressure groups' campaigns to get rid of "excessive violence on TV. B******s.
I never connected the MATT HELM trajectory with this, but the timing makes sense.
25 years back, I found THE AVENGERS had good and bad episodes in EVERY era (I've not yet seen the Cathy Gales UNCUT-- but it's NEXT on my list of shows to upgrade to DVD). There are arguably more "silly" episodes in Diana Rigg's 2nd (color) season than anything Linda Thorson did, but just for the quality of the writing, some of my TOP FAVORITE stories are with Tara-- but Tara's WORST stories are far worse than Emma's worst. It happens. (I don't like the ones where she's helpless and has to be rescued. Not when she could KICK ASS even more than Cathy or Emma when given a chance.)
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Reacher or Joe Pike at your back?
Ah! Joe Pike! Joe, withoiut a doubt!
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Alistair Sim, John Mills, Leslie Banks, George Cole
At the moment, my favorite with George Cole is TOO MANY CROOKS, a story which, halfway in, suddenly bears a huge similarity to RUTHLESS PEOPLE. As someone suggested, probably both inspired by an even earlier story.
The John Mills film I've seen more times than anything is the 1978 THE BIG SLEEP, where he has a bit part as the Scotland Yard inspector.
"So, it looks like the chauffer committed suicide."
"Yeah, that's how I'd read it."
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something weird happened when TV shows switched from B&W to color. Too many of them got sillier and stupider as they went.
Likely, the emphasis was on, 'How much colour can we put in this show?' - rather than any plot or other entertainment consideration, so colour in everything, costumes, vehicles and so on. And yes, some of those people are exactly that crazy.
In the Land down under, Batman and Lost in Space were automatically designated children's shows, so were after-school fodder.
The others were considered adult so, were prime time - 7:30, after the news and before 'bedtime' and the real Adult fare.
Watched almost no ' Wild Wild West' - appreciate it more now - nor 'Voyage to the Bottom of the sea'.
Was well-read enough to get many, if not of course,all - of the in-jokes and references in Avengers and UNCLE and also enjoyed the performances of the actors.
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It's sometimes mind-boggling to think that the same season when BATMAN and LIS and VOYAGE and WWW and UNCLE got so silly (the latter 4 imitating BATMAN, and BATMAN getting sillier trying to keep up-- OY!) that STAR TREK and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE debuted. Oh, and TARZAN. Although, that, I later learned, was really a continuation (of sorts) of an already long-running movie franchise.
Somehow, there were so many great shows on, I didn't even see MISSION or TARZAN until the following year, when I got hooked on both. STAR TREK was on a bit late on a school night, so while I did catch it (starting with the 4th week), it took a while for me to really get "hooked" on it. Lucklily, one night, my Dad watched with us, HE got hooked, so from then on, it was "okay" for us to stay up a half-hour extra, just for that one show (heehee).
When it moved to Friday night the 2nd season, I was able to see EVERY episode without fail! STAR TREK didn't really get "silly"-- except for a tiny handful of "comedy" episodes in season 2. Then when season 3 came along, the guy they roped into doing it didn't think "comedy" was appropriate, so out went the funny stuff. Too bad.
I'm working my way thru buying and watchng a pile of 60s adventure shows. VOYAGE was one I used to watch, but was never a favorite. But I figured, why not? I decided when I got to the 3rd season, to watch it in rotation with THE TIME TUNNEL, which I loved, but didn't run long enough for a successful syndication run. The way I'm doing it right now, I'm pretty much alternating between the "silly" VOYAGE stories and the "serious" TIME TUNNEL on alternate weeks.
Sadly, one of my best friends, who I've been having immensely-long, detailed, intelligent e-mail discussions with about these shows, passed away suddenly last week. He really helped me enjoy some of these shows even more than I ever did before, just because we were able to talk about them in such great depth. I'm really gonna miss him.
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Really sorry to hear of your friend's passing.
Surprisingly, I was never a fan of the Batman show. It seemed too silly. Surprising because I love the late '50's, early '60's Batman; Detective; WF.
I much preferred the Green Hornet show. Still do.
At home we had a b&w tv till well after colour transmissions arrived. I seem to remember the licence was cheaper.
The shows I remember loving were Man From Uncle; Superman, much earlier and which I was allowed to watch in a neighbour's house as we didn't have ITV; Space Patrol - the puppet one; Avengers; Doctor Who; Adam Adamant, which was a bit cheap and corny at times, but exciting; The Saint.
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I remember all my comic-reading buddies thought the Batman show was tremendous. I quit watching after two episodes. That show, I?m my very humble opinion, ruined public perception of the superhero concept until Superman 1.
It?s called ?camp? which translates in my mind to ?cringing at silly?. But I will have to admit that I was too serious as a little 6th grader. Someone ?mocking? my hobby didn?t feel good going down
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BATMAN was one of the very few shows that, as a kid, I somehow started watching from the very 1st episode. Which was strange, considering I was already hooked on LOST IN SPACE, which came on at the same time.
For a year-and-a-half, every Wednesday, I had to decide which show to miss the first half of. I'd then walk in on the 2nd half of the show, either Wednesdays at 8 PM, or Thursdays at 7: 30. My brother definitely preferred LOST IN SPACE, and on those days when I really wanted to see BATMAN, I had to go upstairs and watch it on the B&W set. No kidding!
When both shows got cancelled, crazy enough, the same local UHF station got both shows, so I was able to watch them both, in their entirety.
A couple years ago, I got both shows on DVD. I planned out my viewing schedule so I'd watch the same episodes that were originally up against each other, on different days. It was like reliving the 60s-- as they should have been (heehee).
BATMAN was my very 1st exposure to the utterly-bizarre concept of "costumed crime-fighters". And I remember when it started, genuinely being confused, and wondering... "What's with the COSTUMES?" But before long, I just took it in stride. While it started the 1st week in January '66, it wasn't until Valentine's Day (about 6 weeks later) that we got our first color TV. Which made the show even weirder.
There was a delicate balance between "adventure" and "weird humor" when it started. Not everybody working on the show "got" it. That balance got almost completely lost when they did the movie in August '66, and it was tossed out the window a few weeks later when season 2 started. I knew something was wrong, even as a kid, but I couldn't put it into words. Looking at it now, I realize it's like watching 4 DIFFERENT shows back-to-back, between season 1, the movie, season 2, and season 3 (when it jumped RIGHT OFF A CLIFF).
There's a FB group (that I was KICKED out of without any explanation) where some fans who came in on the later episodes somehow think season 1 is "weird" by comparison. They prefer it when it's more "sitcom" and less "adventure show".
Meanwhile, I was telling people I was really looking forward to seeing LOST IN SPACE again-- "EVEN the REALLY STUPID ones." The show meant so much to me when it was first-run. But I was somehow not prepared for my reaction on seeing it again after all this time. The good episodes were EVEN BETTER than I remembered. But the real shock-- the "REALLY STUPID" ones-- I enjoyed the hell out of, too! Only a TINY handful I currently find painful to watch (among them, "Wild Adventure" and "Mutiny In Space"). Even some I remember being the "bottom of the barrel", I actually managed to find something in them to really enjoy, on their own level. (Among those, "Space Vikings" and even the infamous, in my mind, "A Day At The Zoo".) Which blows my mind!
Believe me, "The Great Vegetable Rebellion" is NOWHERE NEAR the bottom many would have you believe it is!!
A lot of the time, you have to put yourself in the right frame of mind to appreciate them. But if you can do that... WOW! ;D
Oh, yeah-- my friend Robin (who just passed away) and I both agreed "A Visit To Hades" with Gerald Mohr was one of our top favorites. His character of "Morbus", a "political prisoner" in an other-dimensional prison-- was just having too much fun at Dr. Smith's expense.
"SOOO, Zachary-- you FINALLY got here!"
"GOOD HEAVENS!!"
"Guess AGAIN!!"
;D
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BATMAN was one of the very few shows that, as a kid, I somehow started watching from the very 1st episode. Which was strange, considering I was already hooked on LOST IN SPACE, which came on at the same time.
For a year-and-a-half, every Wednesday, I had to decide which show to miss the first half of. I'd then walk in on the 2nd half of the show, either Wednesdays at 8 PM, or Thursdays at 7: 30. My brother definitely preferred LOST IN SPACE, and on those days when I really wanted to see BATMAN, I had to go upstairs and watch it on the B&W set. No kidding!
When both shows got cancelled, crazy enough, the same local UHF station got both shows, so I was able to watch them both, in their entirety.
A couple years ago, I got both shows on DVD. I planned out my viewing schedule so I'd watch the same episodes that were originally up against each other, on different days. It was like reliving the 60s-- as they should have been (heehee).
BATMAN was my very 1st exposure to the utterly-bizarre concept of "costumed crime-fighters". And I remember when it started, genuinely being confused, and wondering... "What's with the COSTUMES?" But before long, I just took it in stride. While it started the 1st week in January '66, it wasn't until Valentine's Day (about 6 weeks later) that we got our first color TV. Which made the show even weirder.
There was a delicate balance between "adventure" and "weird humor" when it started.
Meanwhile, I was telling people I was really looking forward to seeing LOST IN SPACE again-- "EVEN the REALLY STUPID ones." The show meant so much to me when it was first-run. But I was somehow not prepared for my reaction on seeing it again after all this time. The good episodes were EVEN BETTER than I remembered. But the real shock-- the "REALLY STUPID" ones-- I enjoyed the hell out of, too!
I watched the first episodes of both of those series. It was clear from the start that both were parodies, conceived, written and produced with tongue-in-cheek. They were intended to be "Camp" versions of a nostalgic look back on comic book superheroes (Batman), and late 1940s and 1950s low budget Sci-Fi films and cinema serial shorts. They weren't intended to be "serious" superhero/Police/Detective stories with "real life-threatening danger", nor "serious" science fiction, exploring real scientific questions' answers to which current scientists were studying, nor was there any real feeling of life-threatening danger. Both were played almost completely for comedic value. Batman got old to me after 3 episodes, so I have no idea how that series changed over its 4 years. One only had to watch the excellent hammy performances of Dr. Smith, to realise, and to notice the lack of real scientific content in the premiere episode of "Lost in Space" to know that it was only a comedy for young children, and would get old quickly. But it became extremely popular as a nostalgic thrill for many, many peple who watched it religiously as children.
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LIS was NOT a comedy when it started. It slowly evolved into one. I don't know WTF you're talking about. But it's clear, you're not the person I should be discussing shows I've enjoyed SO MUCH over the years with. Man, what a downer.
You know, somebody at another board once asked me WHY I was dissuccing BATTLESTAR GALACTICA so much since I clearly "hated" the show. But I didn't. But I realized all the flaws it had, and wanted to discuss in detail the lows and the highs in it.
Another show that's genuinely blown my mnind this past year or so is UFO. I always thought of it as 2nd-rate at best. Now I realize that, in addition to some VERY dodgy, questionable attitude in the writing early-on, the MAIN problem was the networks in England TOTALLY F***ing it over by running it completely out of sequence. Watching the DVDs, uncut and in mostly-production order, it breaks down neatly into 2 parts. The first is about an organization struggling desperately to get their act together at all. The 2nd part has the aliens up their game, and the writing improves a hundredfold. But you lose all this if you watch the episodes AT RANDOM.
I was just thinking this morning, the first half is like, "WHY did they bother making this show?" the 2nd half is like, "WHY THE HELL did they screw this thing over so badly when it was showing SO MUCH potential?" The 2nd half doesn't excuse the first half, but it does make it really hurt that there wasn't a 2nd season.
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The Space Croppers is my favorite. How could it not be with Sherry Jackson as the hottest fem fatale of all science fiction.
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LIS was NOT a comedy when it started. It slowly evolved into one. I don't know WTF you're talking about. But it's clear, you're not the person I should be discussing shows I've enjoyed SO MUCH over the years with. Man, what a downer.
Sorry. I certainly didn't mean to be a downer. I was just giving my personal opinion. Thanks to your comments, I realise that I remembered incorrectly. I remember now (as you stated) that at first, Lost in Space was played straight (seriously), and changed in tone to comedy later. But Dr. Smith hammy style made it impossible for me to think of him as a real danger to the protagonists. In any case, hundreds of thousands of fans of that show loved it, so that, alone proves the worthiness of the show. And I thought that Batman, played for its camp value, was a great idea. It was very entertaining even for me, for the first several episodes. And everyone I knew liked it.
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THE PHILO VANCE FILM COLLECTION
(OnesMedia / DVD-R / 2017)
Here's the funniest case of "false advertising" I've ever seen. The ad said "5 movies + TV pilot". Instead-- it's 13 MOVIES + TV pilot + trailers + FREE EXTRA William Powell film! WOW!!! There's another Philo Vance package out there from "Warner Archives" (2013), but it looks like I don't have to get that one at all, now, as that only has 6 films. I'd love if someone did restorations someday, but for now, THESE'LL do! Classy package design (ODDBALL size); on-screen menus are nice & simple.
Apparently, this has every Philo Vance film ever made, with the exception of 2 that are currently "lost" (among them, the ONLY one made in England). Once past Willam Powell, who did 4 of them, almost every film stars a different actor. Crazy stuff, HMM?
(http://onesmediafilms.com/images/dvd/PVDVDFL.jpg)
The above image is actually what I bought, but it was NOT what was posted at Ebay! When I got the item in the mail, it was a very pleasant surprise, as it had about TWICE as many films as the ad indicated.
I've now seen 3 different versions of this same package, which makes me suspect the manufacturer keep updating the package as they find more films. There's still 1 film NOT apparently "lost" ("NIGHT OF MYSTERY" / 1937) that they're still missing.
Here's a nice 2013 article that gives a detailed run-down on the PHILO VANCE series, before most of the films were available on disc.
nypost.com/2013/02/26/dvd-extra-philo-vance-and-other-rarities-from-warner-archive/
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"OnesMedia" is an outfit that specializes in Old Time Radio, but also clearly love to focus on old movie series. And judging from the package I just got today, and then browsing their catalog, they're also got The Lone Wolf, Michael Shayne, Bulldog Drummond, Boston Blackie and Mr. Moto... and I haven't gone thru all of it yet. They certainly seem to have gone out of their way to SAVE me a LOT of time and effort, as I'm now looking forward to getting ahold of ALL of these sets.
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The Space Croppers is my favorite. How could it not be with Sherry Jackson as the hottest fem fatale of all science fiction.
I'm reminded... back in early 1998, I had to drop off my car to have a new burglar alarm system installed. As it happened, my best friend lived about 10 blocks from the place, and he suggested I come over and we could watch TV while they worked on the car.
AT RANDOM... the LOST IN SPACE that happened to be on that morning was "The Space Croppers". Jim lamented, "Oh, great. The day we just happen to turn it on, it's the WORST episode from season 1!" ;D
I wouldn't really call it bad. But, it WAS the season 1 episode that most closely resembles the style and tone that most of season 2 decided to follow. By the time it originally aired, BATMAN had become the #1 show on TV, and multiple other shows decided to try and imitate it. My late friend Robin in Wales lamented THAT, feeling the producers should have had the courage to stick with what made their own shows successful in the first place, rather than changing to try and pick up some popularity from SOMEONE ELSE's show.
I think the funniest (and maybe weirdest) part of "Croppers" was how Smith got so annoying trying to "romance" the widow lady, how she was so consistently pushing him away and insisted she wasn't interested, then, after she seemed to change her tune, and THEN Smith found out the truth about her son and those carnivirous plants, and he panicked and RAN for it, SHE suddenly says, "Darn-- and JUST when I thought I'd BAGGED him!" She wanted him all along. WHO'DA GUESSED?
I was just telling somebody earlier today... once it sank in that Irwin Allen gave Jonathan Harris carte blanche to write all his own dialogue... it slowly hit me that Harris must have also been writing the dialogue for The Robot. And as crazy and ridiculous and annoying and RUDE and insulting as Smith was, The Robot always kept getting the best lines.
In "Abbott & Costello" terms-- Smith was Bud Abbott. The Robot was Lou Costello. Smith was "the straight man"! Who'da thunk it?
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Thanks to your comments, I realise that I remembered incorrectly.
No problem! EVERYBODY at this board is friendlier than at the board I was just banned from (heeheehee).
Thinking back to when I was a kid... I walked in on the 6th episode. CBS never re-ran the first 5-- which was essentially one 5-part story (a vastly-expanded version of the original unaired pilot, which did not include either Smith OR The Robot). I watched the show as it aired, and it slowly evolved over time.
By the time you get to season 2, it seems natural. When season 3 came along, it was a jolt because they tried (to a degree) to get more serious again. Someone at the IMDB complained it was "schizo" that year-- "serious" scenes side-by-side with total lunacy. I liked it.
When you watch an entire series, THEN, rotate back around to the 1st episode... it's often a SHOCK, to see just how different it was when it started. For me, even more so, because those first 5 episodes are very different, even from episode 6-up!
One thing I loved over the last couple years (and am definitely going to miss) is how my friend Robin and I, in our e-mails, would dissect the show at such great length, we often figured out things that were only ever implied, or that the writers may never even have thought of themselves.
For example, all the way back in episode 6-- "Welcome, Stranger", Smith performs an "operation" on the Robot, to take some "spare circuits" he has and give them to space cowboy Jimmy Hapgood for his own miniature space ship. While doing so, Smith pulls something out, looks at it, and says, "Oh-- I had NO IDEA our robot had one of THESE!" Instead of putting it back, he pocketed it, and never mentioned it again.
Robin & I concluded that circuit may have been the equivalent of C-3PO's "restraining bolt". A circuit that would prevent The Robot from developing an INDEPENDANT personality. Once gone, over the next dozen or so stories, The Robot slowly began to show more awareness. Then, all of a sudden, in "War Of The Robots", he almost seemed to have a nervous breakdown. Even he didn't know what was going on. But by the end, he'd become almost completely human. John commented, "There's something here I don't quite understand." Like HAL-9000, The Robot had become a person. After that, he was never just a machine anymore-- he was one of the family.
And as far as we can figure, it was all Smith's fault! Bet he was sorry for that. 8)
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When Sherry Jackson is on screen one can overlook the silliest of plots.
That worn out coverall , which covered little,barely hanging on to one shoulder had even Will, and suprisingly his older sister, checking out her cleavage.
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When Sherry Jackson is on screen one can overlook the silliest of plots.
That worn out coverall , which covered little,barely hanging on to one shoulder had even Will, and surprisingly his older sister, checking out her cleavage.
Jackson and Angela Cartwright had both worked together on 'The Danny Thomas' show. She specialized in ' beguiling victims or bewitching vixens.'
One could usually spot Sherry somewhere as a biker babe, party chick, capricious rich girl or scantily-clad femme fatale with character names such as "Comfort", "Shasta", "Lola" and "Mona" pretty much putting a stamp on her typecast.
Unfortunately she never got the break-out part she needed. The closest she came was when
She appeared in the glamorous title role of Brenda Starr, Reporter (1979), an unsold TV pilot.
That makes 4 screen versions of Brenda Starr. Including the 1945 serial. Would love to see this one. Has not appeared on YouTube yet.
Cheers!
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(https://i.pinimg.com/736x/97/4f/db/974fdb7a8fe36add063ab764ffc23901--sherry-jackson-lost-in-space.jpg)
This is the older sister I meant.
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DRUMS OF FU MANCHU
(Republic Pictures / 1940)
HOLY S***!!! I can see why this is considered by many to be the BEST Fu Manchu film ever made. Although Henry Brandon isn't that impressive, the film is way more exciting than either the Boris Karloff or Christopher Lee versions. It's non-stop PULP ACTION thrills!
Chapter 1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjXII9gq3Nw
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Captain,
That worn out coverall , which covered little,barely hanging on to one shoulder had even Will, and surprisingly his older sister, checking out her cleavage.
If you are referring to the scene you posted, that's not Will, that's Mark Goddard who played Maj. Don West. He and Judy Robinson,[Marta Kristen, pictured], were supposed to be a couple. He was somewhat older than Will.
Actually, what surprises me, looking through images on IMDB, is what a knockout June Lockhart still was at that time. Maybe its just that I am older now?
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Great Boris Karloff flick, great print too.
Not a traditional Horror film, but if anything, much more scary!
Corridors of Blood | Full HD Movies For Free | Flick Vault
Boris Karloff
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNiKr-Ei2Us
Get it while it's still there.
Enjoy!
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Maj. Don West and Judy Robinson were supposed to be a couple.
A sad thing is, Irwin Allen apparently not only didn't have a sense of humor (interviews with the VOYAGE crew revealed he refused to allow humor on the show-- any that got on there must have been snuck by him), but he also didn't want any romance on his shows. I understand that once they got to season 3 on VOYAGE, there were virtually NO women on the show, and in season 4, NOT ONE!! WTF?
LOST IN SPACE began life as a sci-fi swipe of SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON. But beyond a certain point, there seemed to be nearly no romance between John & Maureen, and almost no mention of any between Don & Judy. As for the younger ones... forget it!
Actually, what surprises me, looking through images on IMDB, is what a knockout June Lockhart still was at that time. Maybe its just that I am older now?
Funny thing. Growing up, I watched June Lockhart in 3 consecutive tv series: LASSIE, LOST IN SPACE, and PETTICOAT JUNCTION.
This past year, I saw her in an episode of THE MAN FROM UNCLE. And I swear, for the first time in my life, I felt like I was falling in love with a character she played. That really surprised me. As I've been watching that show, most for the first time ever, I've noticed a LOT of actors got really terrific parts on there.
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Captain,
That worn out coverall , which covered little,barely hanging on to one shoulder had even Will, and surprisingly his older sister, checking out her cleavage.
If you are referring to the scene you posted, that's not Will, that's Mark Goddard who played Maj. Don West. He and Judy Robinson,[Marta Kristen, pictured], were supposed to be a couple. He was somewhat older than Will.
Actually, what surprises me, looking through images on IMDB, is what a knockout June Lockhart still was at that time. Maybe its just that I am older now?
I know who Will was, the young boy Will was not so obvious in his admiration and Major West reaction was not at all suprising under the circumstances, though the look on his face might indicate that Judy just back handed him in the crotch.
Marta Kristen ended up in sexploitation/action films of the 70's, which at least gave her more opportunity to act.
A plus one on June Lockhart, the original MILF.
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Captain,
That worn out coverall , which covered little,barely hanging on to one shoulder had even Will, and surprisingly his older sister, checking out her cleavage.
If you are referring to the scene you posted, that's not Will, that's Mark Goddard who played Maj. Don West. He and Judy Robinson,[Marta Kristen, pictured], were supposed to be a couple. He was somewhat older than Will.
Actually, what surprises me, looking through images on IMDB, is what a knockout June Lockhart still was at that time. Maybe its just that I am older now?
I know who Will was, the young boy Will was not so obvious in his admiration and Major West reaction was not at all suprising under the circumstances, though the look on his face might indicate that Judy just back handed him in the crotch.
Marta Kristen ended up in sexploitation/action films of the 70's, which at least gave her more opportunity to act.
A plus one on June Lockhart, the original MILF.
June was a film star before she moved over exclusively to TV. She appeared in 12 feature films during the 1930s an 1940s (mostly the '40s). She actually was in her first film in 1938, as a teen aged child of her own father, Gene Lockhart, who was one of the best character actors in the US film industry. It was the first US-produced talkie version of "The Christmas Carl". She also played in several other big hit "A" films, among stellar casts. She was one of the pioneers of US TV during the late 1940s and 1950s. I assume that she got the part of the mother in the "Lassie" TV series, because she had already acted in two Lassie feature films. She had a long and amazing acting career.
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Marta Kristen also turned up briefly in "BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS".
Much later, she, Angela Cartright, June Lockhart, Mark Goddard & DICK TUFELD all had cameos in the 1998 LOST IN SPACE film. The 2 girls played reporters, Lockhart played a school-teacher, Goddard played Don West's boss (I thought that was funny), while Tufeld was the only one who played his own part from the show-- the voice of The Robot.
Under the circumstances, I think Edward Fox did a better job that Jonathan Harris probably wold have... while there are 3 different conflicting stories regarding why Bill Mumy didn't wind up in the film.
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Marta Kristen also turned up briefly in "BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS".
Much later, she, Angela Cartright, June Lockhart, Mark Goddard & DICK TUFELD all had cameos in the 1998 LOST IN SPACE film. The 2 girls played reporters, Lockhart played a school-teacher, Goddard played Don West's boss (I thought that was funny), while Tufeld was the only one who played his own part from the show-- the voice of The Robot.
Under the circumstances, I think Edward Fox did a better job that Jonathan Harris probably wold have... while there are 3 different conflicting stories regarding why Bill Mumy didn't wind up in the film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXiKG4Esf6Y
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DRUMS OF FU MANCHU
Chapter 2 ends when Alan Parker confronts Fu directly in his office. I started yelling at the screen, "SHOOT him! SHOOT HIM!!!!!" Instead, the idiot told him not to move, and talked about how "In this country, we let the law decide a criminal's fate." So, as expected, seconds later, Fu hit a switch on his desk, a trap door opened, and Alan fell into a water tank below where a HUGE OCTOPUS grabbed him, as the trap door closed above him.
Some "heroes" aren't too bright in these things... 🙂
I was just reminded... in Ian Fleming's novel "DR. NO", at the end of the "endurance course", Bond falls into water inhabited by a GIANT OCTOPUS. It's a shame the film producers in 1962 didn't have the budget to do something that Republic Films was able to manage 22 years earlier.
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I stumbled on Space Family Rollinson in Knockout from the 1950?s. From what I?ve seen of the strip, the US comic and tv show have a lot of similarity to the earlier strip
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Now THAT's fascinating-- and something I've NEVER heard of before!!
Space Family Rollinson ran in England from 1953-58.
Gold Key's Space Family Robinson ran in America from 1962-1982.
Wikipedia says:
"In 1965, when Irwin Allen produced the primetime television show Lost in Space, Gold Key's publishers noticed the similarities between the comic books and the show. They considered filing suit, but decided against it, as Gold Key was also publishing an Irwin Allen title, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. The two companies reached an agreement that the comic could change its cover title to Space Family Robinson: Lost in Space. The new title appeared starting with issue #15 (Jan 1966)."
Very strange. I admit, I've never read the Gold Key series, but what little I've seen of it and read about it, it seems to have ALMOST NOTHING in common with LOST IN SPACE, except for the name of the family, which clearly came from Johann David Wyss' classic THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON, which was published in 1812, and adapted to a film in 1900, 1940, 1960 and 1976. Crazy enough, Irwin Allen also did a TV series based on the book in 1975 (and there've been others).
Anyone picking up the Gold Key series expecting it to be a tie-in with the Irwin Allen series was probably severly disappointed.
The main draw (for me, if I ever do get ahold of the comics) would be the art of Dan Spiegle. Among many other things, he did my favorite version of BLACKHAWKS (in the early 80s), and, the classic MAJOR MATT MASON coloring book!
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it seems to have ALMOST NOTHING in common with LOST IN SPACE, except for the name of the family, which clearly came from Johann David Wyss' classic THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON,
Correct. I came into contact with the Gold Key comic long before I saw the TV show. I never compared one to the other, and probably liked the comic better.
The Gold Key comics, Swiss Family Robinson, Magnus, Dr Solar, Twilight Zone, were what kept me reading comics when I became a teenager, And I should mention the Dell and Gold Key movie adaptations, and Sam Glantzman's work for Dell, particularly COMBAT and KONA. Not Marvel or DC. They came later.
But I was well aware of the Swiss Family Robinson from the Disney movie which was huge and come out a few years before.
Here, to my surprise, is a shortened version. Get it before it disappears.
Swiss Family Robinson 1960 - John Mills, Dorothy McGuire, James MacArthur , Adventure, Family - hd.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oCI607hy4g
Ridiculously foreshortened! And there are no Tigers in New Guinea.
First film I saw on my own without an adult, if memory serves, at a time when Theaters ran the film all day and night and you could buy a ticket, walk into the screening any time and when the film came round to where you walked in, you could leave or stay for another screening. And at interval, people came round the the theatre with icecreams and drinks which you bought from trays they had tied round their shoulders.
Those were the days my friend!
Cheers!
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I'm pretty sure I saw SFR in a theatre either in the late 60s or early 70s, on a double-reissue bill with 101 DALMATIONS, which, of course, was the headliner!
So I kinda suffered thru it (LOL) waiting for the "good" film (the cartoon). It wasn't bad, really, that I recall. Judging by the cast, it may have been the first time I ever saw John Mills or James MacArthur. My main interest was seeing where "LOST IN SPACE" came from, and thinking, "I prefer the space version." (heehee) Also, the most similar film I'd seen to it, and also preferred, was the Ray Harryhausen version of Jules Verne's "THE MYSTERIOUS ISLAND". It was maybe 15 years later that I actually got around to reading that book, and I was quite surprised to find-- there WEREN'T any giant animals in it!!! ;D
You know, I don't think I've seen either of those movies since then, though I still remember Cruella DeVille yelling at her idiot henchman... "And WATCH your driving-- do you want to be arrested by the POLICE??" -- before tearing out of there like a maniac.
There's a character on TV who reminds me of her-- Mrs. Lillian Carlson (Carol Bruce) on "WKRP IN CINCINNATI". Absolute evil fiend.
It's the weirdest thing, but in the 70s, Irwin Allen actually (more or less) revisited 3 of his TV series in different formats, between CITY BENEATH THE SEA (unsold pilot movie), SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON (tv series, ran 2 seasons!), THE TIME TRAVELLERS (unsold pilot movie), and THE AMAZING CAPTAIN NEMO (unsold pilot 3-episode mini-series-- this last one was AWFUL!).
Infamously, when RESCUE FROM GILLIGAN'S ISLAND became the highest-rated tv movie ever at the time, and unleashed a torrent of reunions and revivals that has not stopped to this day, Bill Mumy approached Irwin Allen with the idea of doing a LOST IN SPACE revival, even having written a script for it. And Allen looked at him as if he was DIRT-- and said, menacingly-- "Lost In Space is MY show, and if ANYone revives it, I will, and I'LL WRITE THE SCREENPLAY!" Way to go to encourage enthusiasm and loyalty. Sick B******. Mumy, always such a nice guy, said in an interview, "And you know, he was right." I DON'T THINK SO. There never was a proper reunion sequel, and once Guy Williams passed away, it was too late to do one.
I've often thought if Allen had stepped BACK from LOST IN SPACE and hired someone else to produce it, it might have become a MUCH-BETTER show. And I say this, LOVING the show as it is. There was something just not normal about that guy... even by Hollywood standards.
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there are no Tigers in New Guinea.
The Tasmanian Tiger once roamed the forests of New Guinea and theres reason to believe that The Marsupial "Queensland Tiger also thrived there in recent times.
Wasn't there a bit in the film where they addressed the unusual wildlife by speaking of a prehistoric "land bridge" that had once connected the islands with the mainland.
I don't think there actually ever was one but such land bridges may have existed in other regions, such as the Berents strait during early human history.
Such theories were commonplace in trying to explain such things as the dwarf Mammoths of Rangel Island.
I remember an old newspaper article reprinted by our local paper during a centenial celebration. The article was about a large troop of Chimpanezes raiding orchards in East Tennessee. Turned out the apes had escaped from a wrecked circus train months before.
The Dragon of Malta may have been a African Crocodile that had been cargo on a merchant ship wrecked by a storm. Wealthy nobles of the time paid huge sums to those who could deliver strange animals for exhibition.
Encountering a single tiger on an island suggests it may have ended up there in the same manner as the castaways.
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there are no Tigers in New Guinea.
The Tasmanian Tiger once roamed the forests of New Guinea and theres reason to believe that The Marsupial "Queensland Tiger also thrived there in recent times.
Wasn't there a bit in the film where they addressed the unusual wildlife by speaking of a prehistoric "land bridge" that had once connected the islands with the mainland.
I don't think there actually ever was one but such land bridges may have existed in other regions, such as the Berents strait during early human history.
Such theories were commonplace in trying to explain such things as the dwarf Mammoths of Wrangel Island.
I remember an old newspaper article reprinted by our local paper during a centennial celebration. The article was about a large troop of Chimpanzees raiding orchards in East Tennessee. Turned out the apes had escaped from a wrecked circus train months before.
The Dragon of Malta may have been a African Crocodile that had been cargo on a merchant ship wrecked by a storm. Wealthy nobles of the time paid huge sums to those who could deliver strange animals for exhibition.
Encountering a single tiger on an island suggests it may have ended up there in the same manner as the castaways.
There WAS a very wide, giant prehistoric peninsular land bridge (called Sundaland) that connected Southeast Asia (Burma/Thailand/Indochina/Malaya) with the Indonesian Islands of Sumatra, Borneo, Java and the southwestern Phillipine Island of Palawan, and another land bridge connecting New Guinea with Australia, during much of the last Ice Age. So, New Guinea was not connected to mainland Asia, but WAS connected to Australia/Tasmania (as shown in the map below. The extra land is shown in light gray).
(https://i.ibb.co/7Kd3j7n/Map-of-Southeast-Asia-showing-the-extent-of-modern-islands-medium-gray-and-continental.jpg)
Bali, Sulawesi, Halmahera, and Timor remained detached islands between Australia/New Guinea and The Asian Mainland. Lots of marsupials had the freedom to roam to and from Australia and New Guinea to the other. But the islands remaining in the straits between Sulawesi and New Guinea were too far apart to allow tigers to migrate from The Asian mainland all the way to New Guinea.
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I continues to seem crazy to me that Kong's Island should SINK into the ocean at the exact moment that Robert Armstrong got his hand on the island's "treasure".
;D
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There's a scene in chapter 3 where a scientist, drugged by FU MANCHU into becoming a psychic mind-slave, hears his "master" calling him, and says... "The drums-- the DRUMS!" When I saw this, I KNEW where that crap in DOCTOR WHO season 3 came from. But it's much better here, way back in 1940.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vae4-XTFDaQ&list=PLi5s3-YiYzffNtKp0enduNMFZulIky-0n&index=3
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I continues to seem crazy to me that Kong's Island should SINK into the ocean at the exact moment that Robert Armstrong got his hand on the island's "treasure".
;D
I agree! When Armstrong removed the treasure, making the island less heavy? It should do the opposite of sink! ;D
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I continues to seem crazy to me that Kong's Island should SINK into the ocean at the exact moment that Robert Armstrong got his hand on the island's "treasure".
;D
I agree! When Armstrong removed the treasure, making the island less heavy? It should do the opposite of sink! ;D
Now wait a minute, he was still ON the island, so it wouldn't be less heavy! (And it was only ONE item of jewelry he grabbed.)
SON OF KONG was nicely made, some of the monster animations were arguably superior to those in KING KONG, but overall, the story was so relentlessy SAD. Having the island break up and sink with the last survivor desperately clinging to the last rock seems really inspired by the climax of Jules Verne's "THE MYSTEROUS ISLAND". It just seems so out-of-left field. And so unfair for Baby Kong to have caught his foot so he couldn't swim away...
Although, as I said to my best friend on the phone the other day, once the rocks went underwater, they could have broken up, he could have gotten loose, and swam to another island. His next appearance, naturally, would be in KING KONG VS. GODZILLA.
Either that, or KING KONG ESCAPES.
One scene that cracked me up was when Baby Kong grabbed a dinosaur around his neck, and used its head as a punching bag. I'd done that exact thing (only much funnier) on a cartoon I did some years ago, but it never occured to me I might have gotten the idea from SON OF KONG.
WARNING: CARTOON NUDITY involved.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jov8yluBN2Y/T7z7EJjtlBI/AAAAAAAACfs/oEyPTC9Ezrw/s1600/BUNNY+p005.jpg
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Because so much horribleness is going on right now, I've tried to shelter from it and started watching some old Doctor Who. Currently, Image of the Fendhal. Excellent entertainment even if the Tardis interior looks a bit worn and down at heel. Leela just wants to kill everyone. Hilarious.
Next, Horror of Fang Rock. Rutans! That'll take my mind off the fight for lebensraum.
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"Fang Rock" and "Fendahl" are 2 of the most "nihilistic" stories in DOCTOR WHO history-- coming at the tail-end of 3-1/2 years solid years of nothing but "gothic horror".
In "Fang Rock", EVERYBODY dies (except Leela & The Doctor), while in "Fendahl", ALMOST everybody dies (ditto, plus the old lady and her son). A total innocent (Thea Ransom, played by the gorgeous Wanda Ventham) becomes a victim and is killed, while another character, The Doctor actually helps him commit SUICIDE once he senses he's being taken over by the alien force.
My favorite element of "Fang Rock" is that once again Leela winds up in period clothes. I didn't care for her fancy dress, but once she changed into pants & a sweater, I thought, "Oh, wow, she looks like an AVENGERS girl!" I wish that had continued.
On the other hand, Leela looked like a HOOKER in "Fendahl". That new outfit of hers must have been some fancy underwear she found in the closet and mistook for a real outfit, and her hair just looked AWFUL. At least she fixed her hair at the end.
I loved the part where she says to The Doctor, "Do not worry, Doctor, I will protect you."
Also, the part where she's describing him, saying "has great knowledge-- and a certain-- gentleness." QUICK CUT to an angy Doctor kicking boxes in the store-room he's locked in. Funny comic timing.
I must say, Leela is a character that, while I wasn't crazy about her at first, has slowly, STEADILY continued to grow on me over the decades. It's not about how she looks or what she wears. I get a kick out of how she's so well-spoken for someone with such limited education. She's clearly intelligent-- she just doesn't know much, but she's very eager to learn. And beneath the tough "savage" veneer, there's a real human "warmth" about her.
The fact that I once spent about 20 minutes chatting with Louise Jameson no doubt helps a lot.
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We watched an old Midsomer Murders last night and Wanda Ventham played the palm reader. Excellent as always, older and doing a good comedy turn. Very unlike her character in Fendahl.
While Tom Baker is not my favourite Doctor, some of his adventures are high on my watch again list. Pyramids of Mars, Weng Chiang, Fang Rock, Fendahl, City of Death. Fendahl has a Quatermass feel about it, don't you think?
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I never thought about it-- YES, it does!
Tom Baker right now tends to be my 3rd-favorite Doctor. It's his "erratic" nature that sometimes drives me UP A WALL. Like, he's not all there, and he's beating the bad guys by DUMB LUCK. (He got better in season 16. "Competition" with Romana, I think-- heehee.)
"You know, before I met you, I was willing to be impressed."
;D
That's gotta be one of the funniest lines in the show's history.
That said, I do feel that for his first 6 seasons, he had the most consistently good writing, perhaps of the entire run of the series. I just wish it was more varied (like seasons 1-2) and less "every story the same" until they change it to some other "every story the same". 3-1/2 YEARS of "gothic horror" was way too much for me. It's no wonder I love season 16 so much. (Mary Tamm's also a big part-- heh.)
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Re 'Tigers'
The Tasmanian Tiger once roamed the forests of New Guinea and there's reason to believe that The Marsupial "Queensland Tiger also thrived there in recent times.
There are marsupials in New Guinea. All of these are in fact the same animal. The marsupial tiger is only called that because it has stripes of a sort, so that was an easy ID.
However, co-incidentally I am reading a book on Indonesia - then the Dutch East Indies - written in 1940.
And I was reminded of something I had forgotten, The wholly accepted theory known as 'Wallaces line'
To quote from the book, 'The Spice Isles' by Frank Clune'
[Alfred Russel Wallace, English Naturalist, stayed 8 years in the region from1854, botanizing and zoologizing. He discovered ' Wallaces Line' a theoretical line - demarcation - which passes between Lombok island and Bali and between Celebese and Borneo. The animals and plants to the east of this are Australian; those to the west of the line are Asiatic.]
More on Wallace's line and a map here.
https://www.thoughtco.com/the-wallace-line-1224711
In any case, in the movie, if I remember correctly they are shipwrecked 'on the way to New Guinea' and had not arrived. And yes, the Tiger could have gotten there from another ship that sank.
However, there ain't no tigers in New Guinea. Quite a lot of other nasties and there may still be undiscovered Fauna there.
The Wallace Line theory holds true for both plants and animals, but it is much more distinctive for the animal species than the plants.
Even the birds, which are capable of migrating between the mainlands of Asia and Australia, seem to stay put and have thus diverged over long periods of time. It is not known if the differing landforms make the animals aware of the boundary, or if there is something else that keeps the species from traveling from one side of the Wallace Line to the other.
cheers!
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It's the weirdest thing, but in the 70s, Irwin Allen actually (more or less) revisited 3 of his TV series in different formats, between CITY BENEATH THE SEA (unsold pilot movie), SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON (tv series, ran 2 seasons!), THE TIME TRAVELLERS (unsold pilot movie), and THE AMAZING CAPTAIN NEMO (unsold pilot 3-episode mini-series-- this last one was AWFUL!).
That suggests to me:
That he probably wasn't coping well by that time. - I suspect he didn't get a lot of respect [from the industry] - success, and his shows were successful, can cause envy and contempt and it would have been easy to sneer at his shows for some people.
That he was somewhat desperate and unwilling to chance a new idea.
That - given his reaction to Bill Mumy - he was unwilling to listen to or take advice or help from others.
He is not and was not the first entrepreneur who had early success and was unable to repeat it.
Cheers!
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Because so much horribleness is going on right now, I've tried to shelter from it and started watching some old Doctor Who.
great. .
Like Paw, my favorite Doctor is Patrick Troughton [#2] For one thing, because he was the first to portray an ideoscycratic Doctor Who.
When it comes to Who, there are a few factors, the main actors, the story lines, the costumes and the BBC's budget.
Jon Pertwee - good actor - but due to budget constraints - his time was memorable but disappointing.
Tom Baker - the kind of actor that dominates the screen whenever he is on - so memorable, but the stories often weren't.
Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy - all hampered by over-the-top costumes.
Dr Who was broadcast from 1963 to 1989 the first go-round and I wasn't glued to a television set for those 30 years, so didn't watch a lot of those guys,but was disappointed by what I did see.
Colin Baker - had he been let loose to do it his way, could have been one of the best,but he wasn't, more the pity.
If you want to see what he could do, find the episode of Blake's 7 where he played the villain. Probably, for more than one reason, the best episode of that series.
It's hard to pick a second choice.
Eccleston, Tennant, and Matt Smith are all good.
I have a soft spot for Peter Capaldi. He is probably my #2, he played the part well, but the storylines he was given were often over-the top ludicrous and disappointing.
Capaldi was also earlier in Torchwood. If you really want to see how good he can be, Run don't Walk, to the BBC 'Three Musketeers' series where he played the villain Cardinal Richelieu. A great series.
cheers!
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If there is anybody out there who needs a Doctor Who fix,
try this.
Originally a web series called,
Untitled Web Series About a Space Traveler Who Can Also Travel Through Time
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azbR_WmuI70&list=PLWn8_ScCBNf60tSSzSl7dARBSA52O2axt&index=2
and then later 'The Inspector chronicles'
And what is the difference between a sworn enemy and an archnemisis?
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And a spin off, Auton, on Daily Motion:-
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x71ewhh
Doctor Who "new" plays on audio. Nick Briggs plays The Doctor in all but the first story:-
https://archive.org/details/doctorwhoaudiovisuals
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I'm right into looking into movies on Google that are so old or unnoticed that you don't have to subscribe to watch them.
Saw a still of Charlton Heston in this one and thought - seriously? Then went looking for the movie.
Yes, that's definitely the template for Indiana Jones, Hat, Jacket, attitude, the lot.
Secret of the Incas 1954 Full Movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TS7Fabyolw
Is Hollywood ever capable of originality?
Good movie tho!
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I'm right into looking into movies on Google that are so old or unnoticed that you don't have to subscribe to watch them.
Saw a still of Charlton Heston in this one and thought - seriously? Then went looking for the movie.
Yes, that's definitely the template for Indiana Jones, Hat, Jacket, attitude, the lot.
Secret of the Incas 1954 Full Movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TS7Fabyolw
Is Hollywood ever capable of originality?
Good movie tho!
They admitted long ago that the Indiana Jones film makers chose the Secret of the Incas main character's clothing as the template for Indy's costuming. It was in fact a very natural choice.
The Jacket worn by Heston's character is a Air Corp A-2 Flying jacket, perhaps the most popular leather garment ever produced.
In fact I just ordered a reproduction of this jacket last week. I'd wanted one for years but prices normally run from 350 USD into the thousands depending on maker and quality.
The one I ordered is an Excelled brand from a manufacturer that made these for our military at one time. It was on a clearance sale marked down from $350 to $140 and with a 20% coupon I got it for $112 with free shipping.
Mine will be black rather than the mil spec brown, but otherwise conforms to the original standards. Owners reviews give these high marks. 100% Lambskin leather with a fine finish.
While Lambskin is the least desireable for collectors, The original A-1 jacket (different collar for open cockpit use)was made of Sheepskin which proved a bit fragile, its well suited for my purposes. If I had my druthers I'd have rather had the horse hide with seal brown finish which itself is almost black.
Anyway for the time period the A-2 was widely available as surplus at reasonable prices and made by the best manufacturers of the best quality leather. Perfect for an adventurous man, most being veterans anyway.
Indy's jacket is not an A-2 but rather a more civilian style coat designed specificaly for the character. In photos the Indy coat looks very much like the A-2 but lacks the knit cuffs and waistband, Something like a badly worn over long A-2 with worn out knit cuffs and band cut away and zipper etc redone to better suit warmer climes. Customised perhaps after long years of use.
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Back in the late '50's and '60's, some blokes had jackets just like that. I'm not saying they were the real thing but then again, there were American bases dotted about in Scotland and stuff escaped from them. Also the reason why American comics occasionally turned up before they were officially distributed in the UK.
I always fancied one of those jackets.
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Back in the late '50's and '60's, some blokes had jackets just like that. I'm not saying they were the real thing but then again, there were American bases dotted about in Scotland and stuff escaped from them. Also the reason why American comics occasionally turned up before they were officially distributed in the UK.
I always fancied one of those jackets.
Well my A-2 got here a day early.
Very well made and with Airforce order numbers on the label.
Its turned out to be a winter weight with a fairly thick lining, a bit too heavy for spring and summer wear , but fit is perfect. Perhaps with this wonky weather I'll have more chances to wear it before warm weather sets in, especially at night.
The pattern seems to be the post Korean War version, with extra side pockets. IIRC the Navy G1 version, the one with fur collar, introduced these hand warmer pockets. Those pockets are convenient but un necessary, I found the standard fron pockets are generous enough to comfortably place your hands in to get them warm. Pilots always had gloves handy anyway.
All in all I'd rate this particular repro as an excellent biker jacket and for cold weather use.
While looking into the Indiana Jones style jackets I found there are a number of these available at reasonable prices. These are in cow hide and brown like the fim used, some are pre weathered to look like the one worn by Harrison Ford. They look more suited to spring and fall or mild summer nights. Some can be ordered with a winter liner.
PS
Almost forgot. I repaired an old biker styled A-2 similar to mine many years ago. A biker friend had gotten into a bar fight and his opponent tried to gut him with a very sharp knife. His jacket had a thick stiff quilted lining that stopped the blade though it had cut through the front pocket flap and all and leather under it in a seven inch gash. The jacket had most likely saved his life that night.
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Back in the late '50's and '60's, some blokes had jackets just like that.
Definitely. But not hats like that!
Up to the 80's there were what were called, 'Army Surplus Stores' where secondhand army gear, clothing, survival gear, tents and so on, could be had. They were superceded by camping or 'wilderness' shops where the price was high, not low. As is still the case today.
Many servicemen brought items like uniform jackets home with them, and why wouldn't you keep a jacket like that?
They became uniform for a lot of motorbike groups, who also at first were top-heavy with ex-serviceman. Marlon Brando in the Wild One' I bought a heavy leather jacket - probably a copy - in London in 1977. Kept me warm, and kept me noticed. Loved that jacket.
Oh, and Bogart in 'treasure of the sierra madre' [a copy of which is siting on my table] would also have been an influence on Indiana Jones.
Cheers!
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THE WILD 1/2
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EHsppOmC5n8/TQcL3HLvyjI/AAAAAAAABSQ/_FEm5ivTe4U/s1600/wildbunch07-big.jpg)
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THE BISHOP MURDER CASE
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer / 1929)
BRILLIANT-- and FUN!
Several studios competed to buy up rights to S.S. Van Dyne's Philo Vance novels in the late 1920s, which were immensely-popular. As a result, 3 Vance films were released in 1929 alone, from 2 different studios-- Paramount & MGM-- and with 2 different sets of actors playing the same regular cast: Philo Vance, District Attourney Markham, Sgt. Ernest Heath, and Dr. Van Pelt, the coroner who's always annoyed his mealtime is interrupted by having to see murder victims.
This is the 3rd film released, the 1st I haven't seen before, and oddly, the 4th one on the OnesMedia box set. I'm not sure it matters, but I decided to watch them in release order rather than box set order, just to see if it made any difference. I found it amusing that early in the film, someone mentioned "The Greene Murder Case", which had come out just 4-1/2 months earlier, from a DIFFERENT studio!
There's been so many instances of film series with different actors, or from various different studios, and even 2 or more versions of the same story filmed at the same time. But this one somehow really flipped me out. The 4 regulars are so recognizably the same characters (despite only Sgt. Heath having even a vague physical resemblence to the other actor who played him), but the ENTIRE FILM has a drastically-different look and feel and AURA about it. This is MGM, after all, the top-of-the-line studio with the most money to spend. Right from the start, it looks like a MUCH-bigger budgeted film than the ones from Paramount, and I'd swear there's a lot of matte paintings being employed, to widen the visual scope of Manhattan and the balcony of Vance's plush apartment.
Remembering this is still just barely one half-step away from the silent era, some of the camera-work, while static, reminded me of the style I'd seen in Fritz Lang's "METROPOLIS"-- there's a comparison I never thought I'd see in a murder mystery. But these are interspersed with moments of very advanced, "artsy" camera shots, suggesting to me the cameraman was trying wherever he could to break out of the "filmed stage play" style of most of the picture.
I'm only really familiar with two actors in this. The first, of course, is BASIL RATHBONE, who I have never seen this young before! While I suspect William Powell will always be my idea of the "classic" version of Philo Vance, Rathbone in his way is SO DAMNED GOOD in this, I find myself dearly wishing he'd done more than just this one film. MGM returned to Vance in 1935 and 1936, but between them, their 3 Vance film starred 3 DIFFERENT actors. WTF?
A funny detail is that several times in the story, one of the other characters jokingly refers to him and D.A. Markham as "Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson"-- TEN YEARS before Rathbone played Holmes in "THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES". In fact, in one scene, Vance describes exactly what Sgt. Heath did the night before, based entirely on the condition of Heath's face, finger, lapel & handkerchief.
Roland Young plays Sigurd Arnesson, one of the chief suspects. He's so charming, clever, and aggressively helpful, you can't help thinking he's the prototype COLUMBO murderer! But, is he the guilty one? You have to wait until the very end of the film to find out! I've seen Young in a few things, but his real stand-out performance was as the private eye in "AND THEN THERE WERE NONE" (1945), who figured out the identity of the murderer-- seconds before being crushed to death by falling bricks.
Clarence Gelbert is D.A. Markham. Not much to say about him, except he doesn't stand out as well as E.H. Calvert or Robert McWade did in the Paramount or Warner Bros. films.
James Donlan as the thick-skulled Sgt. Ernest Heath is another matter though. Slightly less jovial and more serious than Eugene Pallette (who played Heath in 5 films, more times than anyone played Vance!), he probably has the most physical resemblence to him, while also reminding me a bit of Edward G. Robinson both in how he looks and how he talks. Turns out, I've seen him in a few things, often playing detectives. At one point, Vance says to Markham, "All the same, he IS the best Sergeant you have on the force." I had to laugh-- was that a compliment-- or an insult?
Similar to "THE GREENE MURDER CASE", "BISHOP" involves a large house and a family being picked off one by one. The fact that the 2 stories play out so differently kept surprising me, the longer it went on. You have a use of "theme" murders, as well as a group of suspects being whittled down as they get killed off one by one. At one point, I toyed between 2 "obvious" suspects, but by the end, it turned out NEITHER of them was actually the killer!
There's a LOT of character humor and great lines in this, which kept me smiling and laughing all the way through what many these days would probably find hopelessly old, static & creaky. The fact that, unlike the first 2 films, OnesMedia's copy of this was a CRYSTAL-CLEAR print, really added to my enjoyment. Oh, if only someone could do decent restorations on "CANARY" and "GREENE"!! The way the ending played out, with its twists and dialogue, left me STUNNED. It's one thing to watch a very old movie and think, "That was fun", or "That was okay", but this one genuinely left me feeling, "THAT was F***ING BRILLIANT!!" No kidding. What a great way to feel about a film from all the way back in 1929.
And I've still got most of the box set to go.
(https://www.imago-images.com/bild/st/0097833264/w.jpg)
(http://2h3mh837ken53kitqv1co5fh83o.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/bishop_murder_case.jpg)
(https://dyn1.heritagestatic.com/lf?set=path%5B8%2F8%2F0%2F1%2F8801236%5D%2Csizedata%5B850x600%5D&call=url%5Bfile%3Aproduct.chain%5D)
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tonight's movie:
"Do you know anything about the case?"
"Yes, it's putting me way behind in my drinking."
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THE PROTECTORS: "Sugar And Spice"
Preventing a kidnapping ******* (1-11-1974)
To prevent a corporate merger, 4 mercenaries are hired to kidnap the daughter of a prominent businessman. Harry, Caroline & Paul are hired to protect Vicki, whose father insists, "She must never know. Can you imagine the effect it would have on a ten-year-old?" As Caroline & Paul look at Harry, they know, HE KNOWS. (His wife & son were kidnapped in the previous season.)
Taking Vicki out of school and to a small house in the country, Harry poses as a teacher, Paul a chauffer and Caroline a houskeeper. Unexpectedly, this turns out to be fun episode. Especially when, in the middle of the night, 3 of the men (the 4th already having been captured) break in. As a free-for-all commences, it's accompanied with wild, frenetic violin music, turning the fight into a light-hearted affair. This may be the closest this show ever came to feeling like THE AVENGERS.
The next day, allowed to go outside again, Vicki asks Harry if he's sure. "Have I ever lied to you?" She nods in the affirmative. "On a Wednesday?"
I might have missed him if I hadn't seen his name in the credits. The only guest-actor I know in this was the guy who played the father's assistant, who was only in one brief scene and had maybe 3 lines-- John Normington. I'll always remember him for his 2 roles on DOCTOR WHO--the first as Morgus, arguably one of the most evil bastards in the show's entire history, and the second, as the census man in "The Happiness Patrol". The first time I saw that, I had no idea I'd seen him before!
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Just finished rewatching my old DVD of "The Changes", a really odd and a bit disturbing UK TV series from 1975.
You can find it on DAILY Motion if you're interested.
It appears there are no quality copies to be found, just mostly blurry VHS rips and the like.
What struck me most about this film is that in many ways it reminds me of some issues of Hell Boy, especially the last episode.
The series was marketed as childrens TV and despite an extremely low budget and toned down action scenes manages to grip adult viewers.
The off screen deaths are all the more more harrowing for being described by witnesses or simply implied.
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Thanks for mentioning The Changes. I don't remember it but I'll look for it now.
Other serials for "children" are on You Tube incl. the Children of The Stones:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwT0wLnT7Rc
They say children but they are good enough for anyone to watch, imo. I love Children of The Stones.
Dark Season:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXAlMUmpUiU
Pathfinders in Space:-
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLw6gg897HVfvXygbD4CavDLuVYEJmQmSj
NOT for children, Sapphire and Steele, particularly the 2nd serial:-
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=saphire+and+steele
And if you fancy the poor man's Avengers, Adam Adamant is here:-
https://www.dailymotion.com/search/adam%20adamant/videos
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HIGH PRESSURE (1932)
William Powell stars in this TOTALLY-INSANE film about a business promoter who may have been conned into building up a company based on an outright fraud. It's not quite a comedy, but I kept getting the feeling that with only a few minor changes, this could have almost been a Marx Brothers type of story.
Mervyn LeRoy's direction turns this into a non-stop roller-coaster ride. And to think, I got this one for FREE with a 13-film PHILO VANCE box set. Damned-good quality print, too.
(https://www.franksmovielog.com/static/231bfbacc3282741d84e44ddb751b11c/31a81/high-pressure-1932.avif)
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Just yesterday, I saw the direct-to-video movie "SUPERMAN: BRAINIAC ATTACKS" (2006), a direct sequel to the 90s TV cartoon show. They brought back Tim Daly, Dana Delany, etc. By 5 minutes in, I was very impressed. by the end, I felt I'd just watched the BEST DAMNED SUPERMAN MOVIE EVER MADE.
Really.
When I told this to my chiropractor (who's way more into superhero shows & movies than I am), his actual response was...
"I like the THEATRE EXPERIENCE".
WTF? Some people............ 😝
(Like, good or bad writing means NOTHING to some people.)
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/f/fa/Sup_brainiac_attacks.jpg)
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Now... a big sub-plot in this story is that Luthor manages to incorporate a sliver of KRYPTONITE into Brainiac when he helps him rebuild. During a destructive action scene, Lois becomes infected with it, and it looks like her blood is mutating and she's going to DIE. At his Fortress of Solitude, the computer informs Superman there's an element that can CURE both him and Lois, while also giving Superman a way to shield himself from Brainiac's detection.
Superman enters THE PHANTOM ZONE and faces all kinds of horrific dangers there, in order to get ahold of the element, then fight his way back to Earth in time to save Lois' life. As I was watching this, I COULDN'T get over how much this big part of the story almost exactly parelleled JACK KIRBY's story in FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #6 (1968)!!!
Isn't it amazing how many things are inspired by Kirby-- UNCREDITED ???
Oh, and by the way... Wikipedia confirmed that Lex Luthor's personality in this film, rather than being the cold-blooded guy in the 90s cartoon TV show (which this generally seems to tie in directly with) is a lot more light-hearted, apparently borrowing some from Gene Hackman's movie performances... which, as most Kirby fans have come to realize, had NOTHING to do with Lex Luthor, but everything to do with "FUNKY FLASHMAN". So that's at least 2 big Kirby influences in the SAME movie.
https://files1.comics.org//img/gcd/covers_by_id/22/w400/22226.jpg?-8020332349754979574
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I think I managed to out-do everyone else at the IMDB when it came to writing a scathing review of this abortion. So far, it's the only movie I've give a 1-star rating (out of 10) to.
CHARLIE CHAN AND THE CURSE OF THE DRAGON QUEEN (1981)
An INSULT to the memory of a GREAT series *
Charlie Chan arrives in San Francisco via helicopter, exactly 24 minutes into the film. If they'd CUT the first 24 minutes, it would have VASTLY improved the film. Tragically, the next hour-plus isn't much better.
32 minutes in was the first-- no, make that ONLY-- time I laughed. "We're going to get married!" "Curse working already."
In the late 70s-early 80s, there were a whole stream of really wretchedly-awful films doing terrible, unwatchable revivals of classic characters. Among them, "DOC SAVAGE THE MAN OF BRONZE", ?THE LEGEND OF THE LONE RANGER", "TARZAN THE APE MAN", "THE WILD WILD WEST REVISITED", "STAR TREK THE MOTION PICTURE" (yes, really), "THE RETURN OF MAXWELL SMART" / "THE NUDE BOMB", and this. The best thing I can say about this is, it's nowhere near as ghastly as "THE FIENDISH PLOT OF DR. FU MANCHU".
I had to look up Jerry Sherlock to find out who in the HELL he was. The whole time I was watching, I wanted to get my hands around his throat and squeeze. Apparently he was the producer and came up with the story. He had a very skimpy career in Hollywood, and frankly, I'm shocked he was also involved with something as good as "THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER".
Stan Burns & David Axlerod are known for sitcoms and variety shows, but this must be a career-bottom for both of them. How do you do a "comedy" that JUST-- ISN'T-- funny???
Clive Donner?s had a mixed resume. I've enjoyed his work on "DANGER MAN", "WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT", "VAMPIRA", and "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" (1984). But he also did the 1st "GET SMART" revival, the worst of the 3 CBS Poirot films with Peter Ustinov, "DEAD MAN'S FOLLY", and this atrocity. Maybe he didn't know how to say "no" to worthless scripts.
A remarkable cast is wasted on every score. Lee Remick, Brian Keith, Roddy McDowell, Johnny Sekka, Michael Fairman... they even managed to make Angie Dickinson look UN-attractive. Peter Ustinov seems to be in a completely-different movie from every other actor here, but that incessant loud grunting sound he kept making was totally out of place.
The centerpiece of all that's wrong is the idea that Lee Chan, who always was attracted to cute Chinese girls, would marry a Jewish girl, and have a son who was a total klutz, who would stroll obliviously through life creating chaos like that seen in a Harold Lloyd film. I don't think Richard Hatch had much of a career after "THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO" and "BATTLESTAR GALACTICA", but even for him, this must be a career bottom. And why is Michelle Pfeiffer doing a Goldie Hawn impression?
Never mind the plot, half of which is a series of utterly-unfunny chaotic chase scenes. The wrap-up of the mystery almost could have saved this, if the entire rest of the film hadn't been so completely-painful and unwatchable on every single level. Honestly, this makes the Monagram Roland Winters Chan films look great by comparison. This even makes the awful 1971 unsold pilot "THE RETURN OF CHARLIE CHAN" look competent by comparison.
And considering the reported controversy when this came out, why, WHY didn't this or the 1971 film cast Keye Luke as Chan coming out of retirement? Then again, good for him for not being in either of these bombs.
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjE5YzVmZGUtYTU1Ni00YWRhLThjNTQtYWYxZTM3ZDZkZDI0XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTQxNzMzNDI@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.jpg)
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THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.: "The King Of Diamonds Affair"
I don't want to go into details here. I just wanted to pass on that while I enjoyed season 1 immensely, more than I imagined I would, and found many guest-actors getting some of the best scripts I'd ever seen then receive in their careers, here I am, most of the way into season 2, and at episode 54, I can COMPLETELY understand why, while this is a "fun" show, it NEVER became a favorite of mine.
It's too laid back, it's too silly, the main characters don't really get along that well, and too often, it just LOOKS CHEAP.
On top of that, in this episode, there was an entire gang of criminals all speaking in the WORST English accents I've ever heard on TV. At one point, the leader kept switching back-and-forth between English and Italian, and I somehow missed that the entire gang was supposed to BE Italians, POSING as Englishmen. WHAT??
The one saving grace of this story was Ricardo Montalban, as one of the most charming, likable bad guys in the run of the show to date. (HE got to speak in his normal accent at least.) A shame his character couldn't come back for a sequel...
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THE CASINO MURDER CASE
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer / 1935)
Vance turns Romantic-- and, Continental *****
Reviewer Robert Temple wasn't kidding when he said "The Vance series gets a makeover". This was like going from the 1st season of Adam West's BATMAN to the 2nd, in that the whole tone changes, not to mention, not for the first time, the entire regular cast. At least when MGM did "BISHOP" in 1929, I could believe Vance, Markham, Heath & Doreums were all the same characters from the Paramount films, and while Warner Brothers recast Markham & Doremus, they had the good sense to bring back Powell & Pallette. But here, only Doremus seems vaguely like the same character. The other 3 are unrecognizable! Wikipedia's article on the film lists the various casting choices who didn't make it in before we got what we did. WHY on Earth cast Paul Lukas, who later was so perfect as "Professor Arronax" in Disney's "20,000 LEAGUES", as a New York aristocrat?
Several have noted MGM tried to imitate "THE THIN MAN" films; this same mistake was made by multiple TV series in the mid-60s who all decided to imitate "BATMAN" instead of sticking with what made them successful. In the process, for the first time Vance gets romantically involved with a woman. At least Rosalind Russell was worth watching.
This film is also crammed with terrific character actors, including Arthur Byron (THE MUMMY), Leo G. Carroll (UNCLE and various Hitchcock films), Eric Blore (later THE LONE WOLF's sidekick in a whole slew of films), William Demarest (the auctioneer) and Donald Cook (who played both ELLERY QUEEN and PERRY MASON, and in here, oddly enough, reminds me of Jon Lovitz-- especially at the climax!). I'd swear I also recognized Jean Rogers as a woman who was at the auction.
I've read the later Vance books declined sharply; it seems the films did the same. One thing stood out for me. I figured out that I hadn't seen this movie in several decades, and so most of it I'd forgotten. But, as soon as the intended victim collapsed at the casino, I immediately figured out who the murderer was! And it was because I'd seen "THE GREENE MURDER CASE" twice-- as a variation on a gimmick used there popped up here. Turns out I was right.
(https://www.prints-online.com/image/164/23216654/23216654_450_450_7287_0_stretch_0_bbc103ce68324cdffbdb3126e83be654.jpg)
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Turns out I wrote an IMDB review for tonight's movie all the way back on 2-24-2009. If I'd written it tonight, I might have commented a LOT more on the cast, as I keep learning more and more about a lot of the actors who worked in Hollywood in the 1930s and 40s.
THE CASE OF THE CURIOUS BRIDE
(First National Pictures / Warner Bros. / 1935)
Perry Mason 2: Too Much Fun? ******
I just watched THE CASE OF THE CURIOUS BRIDE again, the 2nd Perry Mason film. Once more with Warren William in the lead, but with a different Della, and with Allan Jenkins now playing "Spudsy" Drake instead of a police inspector. Perry now has a virtual army of friends & cronies, all of whom seem to be too happy to be hanging around in his sphere. It's almost like a Doc Savage story, except in this case, "Ham" is the hero! There's also a District Attourney who seems genuinely eager to have Perry brought up on charges of murder, or at the very least, disbarred!
Michael Curtiz, one of the most successful & popular directors in Hollywood history, did this installment, and frankly, it's got SO MUCH style & character & humor-- TOO much, I think, it seems Curtiz is trying too hard to distract the audience, focusing on almost everything EXCEPT the murder mystery. I'm reminded, a bit, of how I heard that when Orson Welles did TOUCH OF EVIL, he wound up taking an "average" crime story and threw his entire repertoire of skills at it in an attempt to turn it into a "work of art". At least in the restored version, I think he succeeded... In the case of ...CURIOUS BRIDE, I've seen this at least 3 times (AND read the book-- the only Earl Stanley Gardner novel I have read to date), and I find it almost impossible to follow the plot of this thing!
From what I remember of the novel, it was much simpler, much more straight-forward, and much easier to follow along with-- much like the 1st film, THE CASE OF THE HOWLING DOG. That was complex-- but complex in a "murder mystery" sort of way. This thing just seems to be getting in its own way trying to be too clever.
Tonight's comments:
Among the cast is Margaret Lindsay, who I've really taken a liking to of late; she was the sidekick in 7 Ellery Queen films in the early 40s. She was also the lead girl in THE DRAGON MURDER CASE (1934), which also had Warren William in it as Philo Vance, before he started playing Perry Mason. (I watched that one just last week!) Meanwhile, the guy who plays her husband in this is Donald Woods, who was the 1st actor to play Ellery Queen (in 1935) and also played the murderer in THE CASINO MURDER CASE (1935), before playing Perry Mason in 1937! Of these films (which I've watched in pretty quick succession just now), he seems to have the least amount of personality in CURIOUS BRIDE.
The further I get into my huge 1930s marathon, the more glad I am I thought of doing it. It's amazing to watch so many people in front of and behind the cameras bouncing back and forth between so many movies and series.
Apparently all 6 Warner Bros. Perry Mason films were based on Earl Stanley Gardney novels, and all 6 were later remade as episodes of the Raymond Burr Perry Mason tv series! I suppose I may eventually get around to tracking that down one of these years. Although I've seen nearly every one of the Perry Mason tv-movies from the 1980s and 90s, I've only seen a tiny handful of the 50s-60s Tv series. I suppose that would be almost the equivalent of having seen every Patrick Stewart episode of STAR TREK without ever having watched any with William Shatner.
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Recently uploaded to YouTube
1944 One Mysterious Night - Budd Boetticher VO
Character "Boston Blackie'
very early movie directed by 'Budd' Boetticher.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpWpK3EidrA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Blackie
Actor Chester Morris was the best-known Blackie, playing the character in 14 Columbia Pictures films (1941?1949) and in a 1944 NBC radio series. Boston Blackie is the role for which Morris is best remembered.
TV series [56 episodes]
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZhuVwYfEDT_2DnPILHZ3CUhXyVTTyeoy
And here is more Warren William
The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date 1940
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQfOmTABPoQ
Excellent prints both movies.
Enjoy!
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Fun trivia:
Warren William was the 4th actor to play PHILO VANCE...
...the 1st actor to play PERRY MASON...
...and the 8th actor to play MICHAEL LANYARD, THE LONE WOLF.
;D
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BOWJjMjNmYjYtMDMxNy00MGE2LTg5ZGQtYmY4ZGMyYjAxMDdjXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMzI5NDcxNzI@._V1_.jpg)
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Thanks for the tip, Panther! I've got all the Blackie DVD's but I didn't know that so many episodes of the TV show were available on You Tube. I always liked the opening scene with Blackie walking furtively down a deserted alley in the middle of the night-and the shabby newsstand around the corner where the seedy-looking announcer gave us the opening blurb! The series never came close to the standard of the Chester Morris films, but it did have its own curious charm.
I never cared for the Perry Mason TV series, but loved the films. SO different from the TV character. Warren William could play anything and he pulled this role off perfectly with just the right mix of brashness, humor, and his own brand of suavity. Perry Mason, Philo Vance, The Lone Wolf- I wonder how he would have been as Boston Blackie? Cheers, Bowers
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Warren William could play anything and he pulled this role off perfectly with just the right mix of brashness, humor, and his own brand of suavity.
I would have liked to see him as Sherlock Holmes.
Counter Espionage 1942 Dir. Edward Dmytryk [Lone Wolf]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPaAYdIowKE
In this one we see Forrest Tucker with his unmistakable American accent playing a German spy pretending to be an Englishman. And blink and you will miss him, keep your eyes open and you will see Lloyd Bridges doing the same thing.
One Dangerous Night 1943 [Lone Wolf]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReVqhpkEU68
Cheers!
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Can't discuss Boston Blackie without a nod to Daffy Duck in Boston Quackie. "Friend to those who need no friends, enemy to those who have no enemies."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDNvyj8aUfA
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Re-Watching:
The Adventures of Briscoe County Jr
MiddleMan
Then will start Arcane and Vox Machina
I also finally got Flux (DW) but saving that for last when I get time off
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THE TIME TUNNEL: Revenge Of The Gods
The Trojan War ********
Dropped into the middle of a battle near the end of The Trojan War, Doug & Tony are captured by the Greek army and Ulysses becomes convinced they're gods from Mount Olympus!
This has long been one of my favorite episodes of this show, as it's far more colorful, fantastic and theatrical than most. It's also got a terrific guest-cast, with John Doucette as Ulysses, Dee Hartfort as Helen, Paul Carr as Paris, Joseph Ruskin as the treacherous Sardis, and Abraham Sofaer as Epeios, the inventor of The Trojan Horse.
There've been multiple films detailing this story, and a huge amount of this week's stock footage was pulled from "HELEN OF TROY" (1956), plus "THE 300 SPARTANS" (1962). Only one year before, "DOCTOR WHO" did their own version, played as a comedy. Although that show's early seasons never made it to the US until 1985, sadly, "The Trojans" is among the many episodes missing from the BBC Archives.
Doing a bit of research, I find a bit of casting irony here. In the 1956 film (which I've seen on Youtube), Ulysses was played by Torin Thatcher. I thought John Doucette did a fabulous job in this episode, but considering Thatcher was on the show only the week before in "Crack Of Doom", wouldn't it have been wild if they'd cast him as Ulysses-- AGAIN-- here? (So close, yet so far... heh.)
This episode also features the FIRST time they were able to send someone back in time and successfully retrieve them-- though not without problems. Security Chief Sgt. Jiggs accidentally gets sent back along with a machine-gun to help Tony out. When he's pulled back, he seems to have vanished. Repeating the procedure, he does reappear-- but now as a very old man! Sending him back into The Tunnel, they "reverse the polarity", and miraculously, he steps back out, at his previous age. WHOA! It's fascinating to watch, week by week, as Drs. Swaine & MacGregor slowly struggle to figure out what the HELL they're doing during these "first experiments" (as narrator Dick Tufeld always says at the beginning of each episode).
I wish more of the show had been this imaginative.
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Nice Gem of a movie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzztLuYRw7I&list=PLFptEJypkmBix9cPGwaQg0YlkKqBqKcRv&index=25
Jim Hanvey Detective (1937) MYSTERY
'May we come in?'
'Not unless you go out again and knock.'
_____________________
'I'll pay you a fee of $50.'
'no'
'Alright if you are going to haggle,, $60.'
no
'65! $75!'
'The way you talk about money miss, you'd think you was the government.'
Enjoy!
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1MBKCllIhU
Micky Spillane
The Long Wait (1954) (Unreleased Film in Hi-Fi Stereo - T.V. to SP VHS to DVD-R Rip in HD)
'The Long Wait (1954) (Rare Unreleased Public Domain Film in Hi-Fi Stereo - T.V. to SP VHS to DVD-R Rip in 1080p Hi-Def).mp4 (4.17GB personal rip also upload to YouTube) Purchased over on ioffer.com back in 2018 or 2019 it was about under 10 bucks. Anthony Quinn is the lead actor. This is another Classic B&W Noir based on Mickey Spillane's story of the same name. The other leads are Charles Coburn, Gene Evans, Peggie Castle of course. Supporters are some good ones Shirley Patterson [a.k.a. Shawn Smith] as she always gets credit under that a.k.a. name. I saw a few of her other things also. Dolores Donlon too and lastly Bruno VeSota and Jay Adler. I saw many things with them. VeSota did many Roger Corman things plus a few others I have and saw. Peggie did one Classic B-Movie Western for Corman too from 1956 called "The Oklahoma Woman" would like to get my hands anyone have it let me know. Last thing to mention Jay Adler with Peggie too in 99 River Street another classic Noir flick! I will post more on this and my comments on YouTube for this upload and more Peggie Films.'
Enjoy!
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THE GARDEN MURDER CASE
(Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer / 1936)
Playing with the Format *******
Every Philo Vance story seems to involve a large house full of people who hate each other. S. S. Van Dine's trick was making each one stand out from the others. This one starts with a jockey dying as a result of what is painfully obvious to the audience as either drugs or hynotism. Next thing, in pure Agatha Christie tradition, there's one man who every single person in the house hates and has a motive to kill-- and sure enough, he gets it next. But the twist is when we learn... his death was a case of accidental mistaken identity!
MGM followed their own "CASINO" and crazy enough, recast ALL 5 regulars in the process. And I'd say, good job, ALL 5 were improvements over the actors in the previous film. Edmund Lowe is like a more laid-back William Powell, who for only the 2nd time in the series gets romantic with a woman. (Though one might think MGM wanted audiences to forget the Paul Lukas film ever happened, when Lowe says, "For the first time in my life...")
Grant Mitchell had played a horrible, obnoxious D. A. in "THE CASE OF THE HOWLING DOG", here he plays D. A. Markham, more recognizably in character than the forgettable Purnell Pratt, yet at the same time, less friendly and harsher toward his longtime "friend" Philo.
Nat Pendleton is the new dimwit Sgt. Ernest Heath, having also played a similar character in "...HOWLING DOG"! He would go on to fame as the ambulance driver in the "Dr. Kildare" series, and be the original inspiration for the character of chauffer Happy Hogan in the "Iron Man" comic-book series.
Surprisingly, Etienne Girardot returns for his 3rd (and sadly, final) turn as cranky coroner Dr. Doremus, having previously been seen in 2 Warner Bros. Films.
And then there's Olaf Hytten as Currie, Vance's butler, much more suitable than the comical Eric Blore was in "CASINO". Currie has so far only appeared in 3 Vance films, oddly enough, all 3 ones from MGM.
I'm not the only one who noticed that the climax of this film was blatently swiped for the climax of "THE WOMAN IN GREEN" with Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes 9 years later. What a wild coincidence-- Olaf Hytten plays a butler in BOTH films! (I love picking up on stuff like this.) Several of the Rathbone-Holmes films swiped from earlier films, but until tonight, I never realized "GREEN" was one of them.
(https://www.notrecinema.com/images/usercontent/star/edmund-lowe-photo_55902_15265.jpg)
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There were posts about the British tv show The Invisible Man and I can add 2 of my favourite takes on the idea, the Japanese double bill of The Invisible Man Appears and The Invisible Man meets the Fly. Both available in Blu Ray. You tube has the first:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRfm_Bvcypo
The second movie is no longer available on You Tube.
There was also the David McCallum take on the idea. None of these bear any resemblance to the original story.
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THE MAN FROM UNCLE: "The Project Deephole Affair"
The Reluctant Geologist ********
Thrush wants to kidnap a noted geologist to help in their scheme to destroy California via the San Andreas Fault (a plot later reused in the 1978 "SUPERMAN" movie). But in a case of mistaken identity, they try to put the snatch on a man, Buzz Conway (Jack Weston), who's running out on a mountain of unpaid debts. UNCLE uses this to their advantage, deliberately substituting Conway for the scientist, WITHOUT telling him what's going on. For a spy agency prone to recruit "innocents" into their game of espionage, this seems more under-handed than usual!
At one point, Solo finally clues Conway into what's going on, and at first, all he wants is to get OUT as fast as he can! But one things leads to another, and eventually, he begins to take pride in helping out his country. It gets really amusing when the bad guys, refusing to believe he's NOT who they think he is, threaten Ilya's life, and he agrees to help out... and actually proves very instrumental in SABOTAGING their plans!
Among the players are Thrush agents "Narcissus Darling" (Barbara Bouchet), who Solo has apparently crossed paths with before and says is the most beautiful woman he's ever met; and "Marvin Elom" (Leon Askin), who wants to burrow deep into the Earth (his name is "mole" spelled backwards; in fact, he could have been one of the models for Jack Kirby's villain "The Mole Man"). Marvin desires Narcissus, but she seems to like Solo more, which adds an extra level of humor and humanity to the confusion.
I felt almost certain by the end that Waverly would offer Conway a job, at least as some kind of consultant, but it was not to be... and it was sad how quickly he fell back to his old self-destructive habits.
Following at least a half-dozen episodes I was beginning to get increasingly BORED with, this one from the start impressed me as having the right balance of drama and humor, and Solo was back to his proper "smoothness". For the first time ever watching this show, I found myself guessing who the writer might be-- AND I WAS RIGHT! Dean Hargrove repeatedly turned in some of the very best scripts for this series, and it's easy to see why he had such a long and VERY successful career as writer & producer in TV, for decades after this.
This was really one of the BEST 2nd-season stories... and I'm REALLY hoping it isn't the LAST good episode in the run.
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The Bourne Identity 1988 Richard Chamberlain, Jaclyn Smith
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRtiu1JC1BY
Not a huge fan of the Bourne Movies although the one with Jeremy Renner wasn't bad.,
But I picked this up in a second-hand shop and until then I hadn't realized that they had filmed the property much earlier.
I am a fan of Richard Chamberlain, and am watching it now.
Searched and found it on YouTube, and still free.
It must have been a TV production since it runs 3 hours.
Oh, and if the name Servalan rings a bell with you, keep your eyes open.
Enjoy!
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https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094791/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cl_sm
I see this is an American TV production, but clearly filmed in England or Europe, as many of the supporting cast I recognize from English TV, including Philip Madoc, Cyril Schaps, Shane Rimmer, Denholm Elliot, Peter Vaughan.
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Some days ago I watched Red River (1948). Such an amazing movie. It's one of the best westerns I've ever watched.
Also two days ago I watched A Clockwork Orange. So weird. But it was interesting.
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Some days ago I watched Red River (1948). Such an amazing movie. It's one of the best westerns I've ever watched.
Yesterday evening while channel surfing I ran across what appeared to the a more recent film of Red River starring James Arness.
Since it was about halfway over I didn't watch more than a few minutes of it. That channel often replays the same older movies several times per month so I expect it will be on again shortly.
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THE NEW ADVENTURES OF TARZAN
(Burroughs-Tarzan Enterprises Inc. / 1935)
The story of the making of this film is far crazier than the movie itself! Read about it here... (As if MGM didn't have enough insane adventures making "TRADER HORN" in 1931.)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Adventures_of_Tarzan
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ae/NewAdventuresTarzan_yell1.png/375px-NewAdventuresTarzan_yell1.png)
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TARZAN AND HIS MATE (1934)
This is the 1934 equivalent of ALIENS. A 2nd film that treads on much familiar ground, is TEN TIMES BIGGER, and seems to "finish" the story. The level of danger, excitement, action, violence, brutality and death is MIND-BOGGLING. I've seen it at least 6 times over the years, yet there were several moments in the film where I found myself yelling at the tv... "HOLY S***!!"
The first of these had to be when the safari (MUCH larger than the one in the 1st film) approaches the base of the Mutia Escarpment and have to "make a run for it" as they're attacked by a superstitious tribe who hold the "mountain range" (more like a vertical cliff with ledges to climb) sacred, and KILL anyone who approaches it... including one of their own, who gets too close trying to stop the safari, and on retracing his steps, is STABBED in the back by his own chief.
Then there's when they reach the top, and Harry Holt (Neil Hamilton) says, "We're past the worst of it." ONE SECOND later, one of their bearers is KNOCKED off the cliff by a huge boulder-- hurled by a GORILLA! What follows is the film's 2nd massacre, as a whole TRIBE of the un-named "Tarmangani" ("The Great Apes" who are Tarzan's FRIENDS!) are responsible for at least a dozen men being KNOCKED to their deaths, and at least one of the apes goes down with them! It's only when Tarzan's yell is heard in the distance that they finally back off, and you can tell when he arrives there's a nasty difference of opinion between Tarzan and the leader of the apes.
Things level off a bit for a while after this. The next morning is the infamous 2-minute SWIM where Jane (Maureen O'Sullivan) is doubled by a stunt woman who while underwater is COMPLETELY NAKED. As the safari slowly makes its way thru the jungle, Cheeta (Jiggs, who appeared in Tarzan films opposite Johnny Weismuller, Buster Crabbe, AND Herman Brix!) is KILLED by a raging rhinocerous, and killed brutally in turn by Tarzan. There's also fights with leopards, lions, and a giant MECHANICAL crocodile (shades of JAWS-- heh).
The plot twist I think I find the most insane is when, after an elephant has helped clear a path for them, Martin Arlington (Paul Cavanaugh) gets the idea to have MORE elephants carry the ivory back with them. Suddenly, Tarzan objects. "Mangani SLEEP!" In the entire year between stories, Jane never thought to TELL Tarzan WHY Harry Holt wanted to return to the elephants' graveyard, and now, he REFUSES to lead them any further! "If I can't have one guide, I'll have another", says Martin, who SHOOTS the elephant, and is almost killed by Tarzan until Jane stops him. Tarzan & Jane depart, the safari finds the graveyard, load up ivory, but as they're about to leave, are suddenly confronted by AN ENTIRE HERD of elephants, led by Tarzan, who WILL NOT allow them to take the ivory back with them.
"Perhaps he's right..." says Martin, which shocks Harry, as BOTH their entire last remaining finances are completely tied up in this venture. The next morning, while Tarzan's getting breakfast for his wife, Martin SHOOTS him in the head from a distance! He claims a crocodile got Tarzan, and a devastated Jane decides to go back with the safari. But a hippo rescues Tarzan from the water, one of the great apes takes him back to their nest, and he slowly recovers.
And then the FINAL act arrives, when the safari is attacked by ANOTHER savage, murderous tribe, known in the area as "the men who eat lions". They use large horns to replicate lion roars, then kill them when they arrive-- but in this case, they intend to call the lions to kill THE SAFARI. Jane, Harry, Martin and 2 of the bearers manage to make it to some rocks to hold off the savages, but THE ENTIRE rest of the safari are victims, before Cheetah's baby runs off to find Tarzan. Nearly killed by spears, arrows, crocodiles, and another rhino, baby Cheetah finds the unconscious Tarzan, and, surrounded by both the great apes and a large number of chimps (all of whom seem to be terrific actors), Tarzan revives and sets out to rescue Jane, with BOTH the entire tribe of apes AND a herd of elephants in tow!
When the apes arrive and begin KNOCKING the savages out of their trees, I found myself yelling at my tv, "PAY BACK TIME, M***** F*****s!!" Several of the apes die in the assault, and when the elephants arrive, the bloodthirtsy lions actually attack THEM, in a jaw-dropping scene of brutality. Tragically, by the end, Tarzan, Jane & baby Cheetah are the ONLY members of the HUGE safari to make it out of the picture alive, and the great apes were never seen in the film series again. GEEZ.
I've read (as usual) conflicting reports about the MGM films. Earlier, I'd heard Edgar Rice Burroughs originally had a 2-picture deal with MGM, meaning this was designed as the "final" part of their deal, which would go a long way toward explaining their killing off EVERYONE in the cast except the 2 title characters. But Wikipedia (which often has variable information depending on which "company line" some corporation wants to push) currently says they only had a deal for ONE picture, and that Burroughs negotiated a 2nd film with options for more, perhaps on a "yearly" basis (WHICH NEVER happened when MGM was doing these). This totally contradicts the other story I've read, that Burroughs took the money from the first 2 movies to finance his own (the 12-chapter serial with Herman Brix), which MGM then sabotaged the distribution of, as they didn't want competition. If you read up on that at Wikipedia now, it says, "There is no hard evidence to support that claim." It really sounds to me as if the Wikipedia editors are RE-WRITING history on an ongoing basis as they see fit. The earlier story I'd heard was that his independantly-financed serial put Burroughs in such desperate need of money, that THAT was why he signed with MGM for 4 further pictures.
A sad thought that only recently crossed my mind... is that, if Herman Brix (MGM's original casting choice in 1932) hadn't broken his shoulder, audiences might not have been subjected to 35 YEARS of "illiterate" Tarzans, instead of the EDUCATED, well-spoken Tarzan of the books, comics, radio shows, and in the movies, Herman Brix, the later Gordon Scott, Jock Mahoney, Mike Henry & Ron Ely (still my personal favorite).
Many to this day insist Johnny Weismuller (the 1930s answer to Arnold Schwartzeneggar) is their "favorite" or "the best" Tarzan, but part of me wishes they'd have changed the name, as the character he plays just ISN'T the authentic article. (And "thanks" to Sol Lesser, Buster Crabbe, Glenn Morris, Lex Barker & Gordon Scott all did their own imitations of the Weismuller version.) He starred in 12 Tarzan films before being fired by Sol Lesser for asking for a raise, but then did a whole series of JUNGLE JIM films. Maureen O'Sullivan quit the series after the 6 MGMs, went on to a varied career, married a producer and had 7 children (including Mia Farrow!). Neil Hamilton had some hard times over the years, but achieved immortality when he was cast as "Commissioner Gordon" on the Adam West BATMAN. Paul Cavanaugh's career continued, and in the 1940s he appeared in 3 different Basil Rathbone SHERLOCK HOLMES films.
Watching the movie again today, I was torn in my opinion of Martin. Sure, he was a cad, sleeping around with other men's wives and such, but in the case of this safari, he was led into it on what proved faulty information. I'm not saying what he did was right, but he had his back against the wall. The irony, of course, is that if he HADN'T tried to kill Tarzan, he and most of the remaining safari MIGHT have made it out of there alive.
Somebody here CROPPED the video horribly to make it look "widescreen", which IT AIN'T.
www.tcm.com/video/501085/tarzan-and-his-mate-1934-hows-jane
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About 40+ years ago I ran across a library book written by a White Hunter of the pre WW1 era. He wrote of collecting bounty on hunters of a particular tribe known for having murdered a Belgian government agent in a very guesome manner and way laying members of more peaceful tribes. He had no compunction at all in doing this.
He also wrote of being one of a very few survivors of a very large and well armed expedition. The number of 238 casualties of this running battle comes to mind. Perhaps 200+ of those killed were African bearers.
The sort of massacres in the Tarzan movies were far from mere fiction.
The Belgian government in the Congo was actively engaged in the genocide of certain tribes that resisted their rule. Those tribes were equally blood thirsty and seemed to have no redeeming qualities.
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I hadn't seen Tarzan and His Mate since it palpitated my adolescent heart in a TV showing. Needless to say I never saw, nor even knew about, the nude swimming scene. In googling around I found one or two places stating that Josephine McKim was actually wearing a body suit to make it appear she was nude, but most places, including TCM, say she was altogether in the altogether. Interesting that the studio filmed multiple versions of the scene: fully-clothed, topless, and naked. None of them passed the censors and the entire scene was deleted. What is astonishing is a scene (available on YouTube) which did make it past the censors in which we see quite clearly that Maureen O'Sullivan wasn't wearing anything under that loincloth. The only explanation I can imagine is that the shot moved so quickly that without access to freeze-frames audiences (and the censors) missed it. Then, too, I found claims that the studio representatives, annoyed at being censored, deliberately distracted the censors during screenings by offering them cigars (appropriately enough) or otherwise diverting their attention during racy scenes. That sounds a little too good a story to be true, but not impossible. Even during the height of the pre-Code era movies never acknowledged that women had anything "down there." That a wide-release film let you see how Jane groomed her netherworks is something of a shock.
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I agree there was rampant brutality on both sides. Leopold the second was handed sovereignty over the Congo in by an agreement of the major powers (including the U.S.) in 1885, helped by Henry Stanley's (Dr. Livingstone, I presume?) anti-slavery lobbying efforts. Leopold promptly founded The Congo Free state, but ran it as his private business.
The Belgian rule was enforced by The Force Publique, pretty much a private army. It consisted of European officers and nco's and a very mixed bag of African mercenaries and some Congo conscripts. This is the force appearing in the 2016 "Legend of Tarzan" film, surprisingly with authentic uniforms and weapons. Discipline seemed to be minimal as every field commander made his own choices. This was a recipe for atrocities on both sides. Things got so bad that the Belgian government finally had to buy Congo from Leopold in 1908, under pressure from the major powers. Things got a little better, but not much. Cheers, Bowers
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It was not uncommon for studios to film several versions of controversial scenes, with full frontal nudity being reserved for some European releases of a film.
Italian and German films intended for showings in the USA were often so altered by additions and subtractions of scenes that the entire plot had to be changed for the film to make any sense at all.
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Blake Edwards, 'Experiment in Terror' Glen Ford, Lee Remick, Music 'Henry Mancini' Spanish subtitles which you can't turn off but dialogue is the original in English. High Def print.
Found this entirely by accident, wasn't looking for a movie at all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6T6NYQ2B1s
Escrava do Medo 1962 - Legendado PT BR
Blake Edwards, 'Experiment in Terror'
If you can watch the opening scenes, hear that soundtrack and not want to watch all of it, you have more willpower than I do.
Cheers!
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Fascinating replies about Africa, guys!
I love learning more about these old films. 2 weeks back I actually watched 3 audio commentaries in 3 days. I've still got 2 different ones to go for KISS OF THE VAMPIRE, and am dying to hear the one for the 1931 DRACULA.
From what I've read, before the Code started to be enforced, local censors held sway, which is why they did 3 different versions of that swimming scene. And, yeah, companies like Hammer deliberately shooting extra-racy scene for the Asian market are well-known.
It's funny how apparently after a preview audience showing, they cut 15 minutes from TARZAN AND HIS MATE, which wasn't put back in until the DVD box set. (Wikipedia says 1986, but I doubt it was made available until much later.) A lot of this was the more "light-hearted" scenes of Tarzan & Jane running around and swinging like trapeze artists in the trees. It really stands in stark contract to how intense most of the rest of the film is.
I've also heard that there's quite a bit in TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA (the bordello scene) that was never seen in theatres, but is on the DVD these days.
And then there's WITCHFINDER GENERAL / THE CONQUEROR WORM, where I've read decades ago that the film had quite a bit cut from UK prints, but, apart from having the credits changed and Vincent Price reading from Poe at the beginning and end ADDED in the US, the US prints were otherwise "UNCUT" compared to the UK prints. (And, again, I've seen people arguing about this online. Some people just love to argue for the sake of it.) I saw it in a theatre in 1971, and it was traumatic... which I'm pretty sure is what director Michael Reeves wanted. I later saw it severely BUTCHERED on a local TV station... and in my view, the story is so powerful and shocking, it was disturbing even with virtually ALL the on-screen violence REMOVED!! It's one of these rare films where I have NO interest in ever seeing it again, despite it having not one but two of my favorite actors in it.
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VOYAGE: "DEADLY WATERS"
DISASTER times TEN! *******
Anyone who's seen the "VOYAGE" movie knows Irwin Allen loved piling one high-tension disaster on top of another on top of another. This episode, at a point where the show was beginning to be sillier and more absurd, feels like a throwback to season 1. The only "science" is the Gardner Fox "JLA" kind, where, you just have to accept things work because they TELL us they do. After all, it's "the future".
Kowalski's deep-sea-diving specialist brother Stan is rescued from seeming certain death, but it sends the entire Seaview and crew into even worse perils-- one piled on top of another, until by the end, Chief Sharkey fears the sub will have to be "scrapped"!
The best moments of the story are the personal, "human" ones, like when Kowalski stands up for his older brother, and when Stan does the same, or when Nelson, after everything he's done so far has failed horribly, refuses to give up, and adamantly tells Stan what he's going to do, NO MATTER WHAT. And then of course, the finale, when Stan finally manages to overcome the worst case of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome I've ever seen on 60s TV, and come through when it counted. I also thought it was funny when Kowalski clobbered Kruger, then when Nelson walked in, both men said it was just a case of dizziness. The look on Nelson's face told you he knew they were full of it. It's cool when they can inject moments of humor like this right in the center of NON-NON-NON-STOP high tension.
Never mind the nonsense-science... the single most absurd thing about this episode is that, despite his brother being around the whole story, we STILL never find out what Kowalski's first name is! Unless "Kid" IS his given name (heh). ("Kit" ? Why not, there was a "Kit Carson".)
Don Gordon, who I always remember for a pair of amazing episodes of "THE OUTER LIMITS", does a fine job as a man half the crew comes to despise when he loses his nerve. Lew Gallo, who nearly clobbered him with a huge spanner wrench, apart from a long acting career, later went into producing, and was the one in charge of part of the run of the Stacy Keach "MIKE HAMMER" series in the 80s!
It SHOCKS me this was written by the same guy who did "The Terrible Toys" the week before (my vote for the STUPIDEST episode so far). This is NOT the kind of show you'd ever want to watch more than one episode a week of. Your NERVES couldn't take it!
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PHILO VANCE RETURNS (1947)
PHUN-- but NO Philo! ***** (out of 10)
They could have called this "THE SINGER MURDER CASE" (it's got 6 letters, after all). A playboy makes out a will where all his exes get an equal share when he's gone. Next thing, one of them's murdered, HE's murdered, and then more bodies begin to pile up.
PRC often made Monogram look good by comparison, but this one WAS fun to watch. Director William Beaudine allegedly made around 500 films between features & TV, including a pile of "LASSIE" episodes at the end of his career, not to forget, "BILLY THE KID VS. DRACULA", which is a lot better than you'd think. It may have been "just a job" to him, but, he DID know what he was doing.
Philo Vance (the rather obscure William Wright who died not long after this was made) is a friend of the playboy, and his grandmother suggests calling him in. He's soon assisted by Ukraine actor Leon Belasco, playing a Russian talent manager with a side-talent for picking locks. Belasco STEALS the movie, particularly in the scene where he's interrogating a suspect by pretending to be a rep for a cosmetics company, and winds up kissing fan-dancer "Choo Choo Divine" to demonstrate kiss-proof lipstick. He must have been a great kisser, she winds up REALLY going for him! I almost fell out of my chair laughing. Can't fault a film for being really funny.
Philo is suspected and harrassed by DUMB cop Eddie Dunn, whose long resume of playing cops includes at least 5 "FALCON" movies (no wonder he looked familiar).
There's only one real problem with this film. That's NOT "Philo Vance"! Not even close. He's not a member of New York "society", he doesn't have a penthouse or a butler, there's no D. A. Markham, no Det. Hennessey, no Sgt. Heath, no Dr. Doremus. WHAT on Earth was PRC thinking? Their version of "Vance" has EVEN LESS in common with the character he's supposed to be, than Ralph Meeker's character in "KISS ME DEADLY" had with "Mike Hammer".
There's also something very peculiar about these 3 PRC films. According to the IMDB, they were filmed in one order, but released to theatres in a different order. And, in the "OnesMedia" boxset, they're in yet a 3rd order. Does it matter what order you watch them in? I guess I'll find out.
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'Peter Pan', the 1924 film is one of my favorite silent films. I have it as an old VHS copy and of course, the film is also available on YT.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Pan_(1924_film) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Pan_(1924_film))
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Stumbled over this on you tube. A failed pilot for a British SF show, Solarnauts. A young Derek Fowlds (Yes Minister and Heartbeat) stars. Made by the folk who did Space Patrol - not the American one, the good one ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVe-rT4TpJI
Space Patrol:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp7Efo11iTc&list=PLtHmfziFzKNGlJ7rUbs7Et-IOyuac8hkU
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Stumbled over this on you tube. A failed pilot for a British SF show, Solarnauts.
I watched the Solarnauts episode first, and I swear on a stack of TV21 that I'd never seen an episode of it or of Space Patrol. The very first thing that popped into my mind was, "Everyone acts like Supermarionation puppets!" The obvious model work added to the impression.
Then I looked at Space Patrol and lo and behold: puppets. I had always believed that the Andersons were the only ones to do s-f puppet adventures. Was this a tradition in British television?
Both shows were fun in a cheesy way. Frankly I preferred Space Patrol because the "actors" matched the sets better, especially the exteriors. Another odd thing. I saw a woman's name amongst the voice actors, but when watching the show I could have sworn the female characters, especially the blonde back at Patrol headquarters, were voiced by men doing a falsetto.
No mention of puppet adventure shows would be complete without a mention of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore's Superthunderstingcar. Note how similar the actors' movements are to the bad guys in Solarnauts.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riMHp28_cqw
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I ddn't know this existed!
Just found the movie of this - not online -
Black Scorpion: Season 1 Episode 1 - Armed And Dangerous
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9901kk2cnbQ
here is the trailer for the movie which presumably preceded the TV show.
BLACK SCORPION (1995) Official Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qSzRRlarBI
Roger Corman!
I will take this over Batwoman, any of the TV or movie versions, anyway.
Hilarious and great fun!
All episodes of this are available on Tubi and ShoutFactory.
Was there ever a comic of this one?
cheers!
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Jonathan Winfrey,
who directed the two Black Scorpion movies, isn't well-known as a director, but they seem to be his entry into Directing 7 of the Mike Hammer Private Eye movies - All in the second series.
I've seen the first movie and quite enjoyed it.Not the second as yet.
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my local film society was having a fundraiser today. I should never walk into these places with Money in my pocket.
I picked up:-
1/ Spanish Spaghetti Western, 'A minute to pray, a second to die'
This stars American actor Alex Cord, in one of his few roles and co-stars Robert Ryan. I have discovered that anything with Robert Ryan in it is worth watching. This is no exception.
Different and recommended.
I downloaded this some time ago but that copy was obviously spliced together from various sources, from which I figured that the movie must be pretty hard to find. So more than happy to find a complete copy.
2/ The Big Knife. Noir featuring Ida Lupino and Jack Palance and directed by Robert Aldrich. No further comment.
3/ The motherlode. I am not a great expert on Hammer films so I was surprised to find a DVD box set,
'Hammer Film Noir' with 6 moives in it. [Bad Blonde, Man Bait, A stolen face, Blackout, the Gambler and the lady and Heat Wave.]
Blurb on the box, [In 1950, Hammer films set up a deal with American Producer Roberet L Lippert to co-produce low-budget crime dramas to be made in the UK. Lippert would send over a shop-worn Hollywood star or promising American newcomer to give the films box-office appeal in the states, supported by the usual fine cast of British character actors....... This five year arrangement produced a dozen well-made little B-noirs that have seemed to have fallen through film indusry cracks..until now.
Directors include Terrence Fisher and Ken Hughes and actors include George Brent, Paul Henreid and Lizabeth Scott.
I will have to track down the remaining 6 (?) Hammer noirs. I am looking forward to watching these.
This is the only one I have found on YouTube.
The Gambler and the Lady (1952)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTjHBtEU0pQ
Gives you an idea of the quality.
Also on the same YouTube channel there is this.
The Monster of Piedras Blancas (1959) Cult Classic Horror, Sci-Fi Movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYKl4PtdPUA
Excellent movie, similar plot to 'Monster of the Black Lagoon'
Cheers!
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Some of those are pretty good.
The "Men who made Hammer" documentaries tend to feel that Terrence Fisher "found" his calling when he finally got around to making "THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN".
At one of the "Hammer" FB groups, every so often I'll post a pic of MIKE HAMMER as a joke.
I'm working my way thru my decades-old MIKE HAMMER tv series videotapes taped off CBS. When I finally run out, I plan to go buy the syndicated series with Stacy Keach, as thanks to bad scheduling and some weird defect in the cable signal, I've only ever seen maybe 2 episodes of that, to this day.
As I did with several other series recently, I wanna plow thru my old videotapes "one more time" before eventually upgrading to DVD. There's only so much I can afford at once... plus, taking my time allows me to really appreciate whatever I buy more, and, I have a storage problem to address...
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That DVD box set, of 'Hammer Film Noir' was Collector' set #1. I now have set #2 with 8 films, and I think that makes all the Hammer Noirs. So, 14 movies in all. Fascinating to see UK faces that became well known later in other contexts.
Most interesting of those is Sydney James who plays roles in several films and all of them dramatic and not comedic. And very good he is too.
The films are all good, some better than others.
More later.
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VOYAGE: "The Death Watch"
"DON'T ever volunteer" ******* (of 10)
Nelson finds the Seaview empty... except for Sharkey... who says the Admiral ordered him to meet him there. But Nelson can't remember this. Next thing, Crane comes aboard... and is hell-bent on trying to MURDER Crane. Why? WHY? And Nelson refuses to answer any of Sharkey's questions, which make HIS actions suspect as well.
This one had me guessing. Were foreign saboteurs and/or brainwashing involved? Alien invaders? SOMETHING ELSE? A near-empty Seaview had been done before (and a similar scenario played out on "The Mark Of Gideon" episode of STAR TREK), as had a story about Crane being brainwashed.
What set this apart was the remarkably better-than-usual directing by Leonard J. Horn (who, among many other credits, did "The Zanti Misfits" on THE OUTER LIMITS-- aaaugh!!!), and, the opportunity for Terry Becker to REALLY do a tour-de-force bit of acting. Sharkey hasn't always been the most likable crewman onboard The Seaview, too often using his position in "middle-management" (heh) to boss around more-intelligent men he outranks. But for once, we got to see him thoughtful, concerned, clever (well, not too much of that), and even powerfully-emotional, all in one story.
The solution to this madness I found a BIT disappointing, but that didn't take away from this being one of the more intense episodes in a show outright notorious for being the TV drama equivalent of a ROLLER COASTER. By the time each hour is over, you're EXHAUSTED, making watching this show ONE episode a week about all my nerves can handle!
I saw at least 2 sets I'd never seen before-- one was the supposed "engine room" which was full of computers (the last time they set up the ship for automatic control, they put the computers on the bridge), and the room where Crane & Nelson have their climactic fight at the end, with an OPEN floor for diving into (or being pushed into) the ocean. I suppose they built these with the money they saved on the regular cast, all of whom were given the week off-- EVEN Chip-- apparently, this was the ONLY episode out of 110 he was missing from!
Man, was that woman's pre-recorded announcements irritating! I'm glad I don't have that kind of thing in MY old car. Sue England also did the voice of the evil female robot in 2 different episodes of LOST IN SPACE.
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Crane & Nelson have their climactic fight at the end, with an OPEN floor for diving into (or being pushed into) the ocean.
Those are called a "Moon Pool". Usually only deep sea habitats have them because in order to work the internal air pressure must match the external sea pressure exactly. Not easy to do with a submarine that is constantly altering its depth.
The Original Movie Seaview had a large seawater filled pool for housing marine creatures but I don't think it operated as a Moon pool unless that was an option using an external hatch (bay door) that could be kept closed when not in use.
A large moon pool in a spacious and specialized compartment would be very useful in launching and retrieving mini subs and salvaged items.
Considering the extreme depths they often dived at a compartment that doubled as a communal decompression chamber that could hold a large team of divers at one time would also be useful.
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Interesting comments, thanks for replying.
A lot of that probably crossed my mind as I was watching. It just seemed odd that room had never been seen before, while there was a hatch opening on the bottom in the missile room. Yes, that room reminded me a bit of a similar room in The Nautilus in Disney's "20,000 LEAGUES", and even had a chain hanging down for lowering / lifting. But no apparent hatch (unless it was built right into the floor).
VOYAGE was never one of my favorites, yet I decided it would be cool to get my hands on the ENTIRE series and watch it from start to finish, something you really couldn't do by the mid-70s, when they yanked the entire 1st season out of circulation... because it was in B&W. I keep imagining, if LOST IN SPACE (my favorite Irwin Allen show) had lasted to 4 seasons, its 1st might also have been pulled for the same reason. And the difference in quality between seasons 1 & 2 is even more pronounced on that show, so losing season 1 of LIS would have been horrible.
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Re Film Noir,
In researching the Hammer Noir via Youtube I came across reference to a Noir film starring Cesar Romero called Shadow Man. Only a few minutes are on YouTube. More on Cesar Romero at the end of this.
Today I went to the same place where I found the Hammer Film Noir Collections and found a folder called Forgotten Noir which unfortunately had only 2 out of the 6 movies that were in the collection. But one of those was Shadow Man.
These were in collections by Kit Parker who runs
https://www.vcientertainment.com
which repackages movies which I would imagine are PD. But unlike some companies who do that sort of thing, the quality of the prints are excellent.
The Noirs are listed here
https://www.vcientertainment.com/product-category/film-categories/film-noir/
The Hammer Noirs are all produced by Robert L Lippert, but some of the other Noirs are also produced by Lippert.
Lippert was an interesting character.
Before Roger Corman?there was Robert L. Lippert
https://vciclassicfilms.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/before-roger-corman%E2%80%A6there-was-robert-l-lippert/
Here is the VOI Catalogue and I have highlighted one page - the Box set of Mr Wong Movies, which will be of interest to some at CB+.
https://www.vcientertainment.com/product/mr-wong-detective-the-complete-collection/
enjoy!
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Cesar Romero!
Came across this movie - the title grabbed me for reasons those who follow the reading group will understand.
Frontier Marshal 1939
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnMJlr1MGqg
This is yet another movie based on Wyatt Earp, and this is a highly enjoyable movie, but probably the least historically accurate of Earp's life that I have yet seen.
Randolph Scott has made more than one movie in which although he's the featured star, he's not the key character in the movie. In this one that would be Cesar Romero as Doc Holiday.He really shows what he was capable of as an Actor.
Probable not much of an exaggeration to say that he probably set the template for portraying Holiday in subsequent films.
The film also features John Carradine and Lon Chaney Jr.
In the YouTube comments some wag wrote,
'stars Dracula and the Joker'
They forgot the Wolfman!'
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Here is a rather obscure NOIR featuring Warren William. He always seems to enjoy himself immensly in his films.
Fear - 1946
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77UDvTbOkgg
Peter Cookson, Warren William, Anne Gwynne, James Cardwell, Darren McGavin & Ernie Adams.
If you can spot Darren McGavin in this you are better than I am. Only spotted him in the credits. He's obviously one of the students.
And its unlikely you will anticipate the ending. No spoilers from me.
Cheers!
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We're watching reruns of Whitechapel which started this week. Superb cast. Rupert Penry Jones, Steve Pemberton, Alec Jennings and the always excellent Phil Davis. We just shut our eyes at the gory bits.
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Sherwood started on BBC this week.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0c724lz (https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0c724lz)
Simmering tension which will lead to violence and more. Excellent cast. Getting to grips with all the characters took a while but worth the effort.
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Thanks for the tip on this one, Paw! Hope we'll be getting "Sherwood" sometime- watched the trailers and it looks quite good. Loved David Morrissey's work in "Britannia"- quirky and overly-gory, but I stuck with it.
Just finished an Irish/Belgian series, "Hidden Assets"- not great, but kept our interest until the conclusion. Our Acorn service seems to be offering more new series from Eire and some are quite good, such as "Harry Wild".
New season of "Endeavour" stars Sunday!
Since the weather here has been absolutely terrible all year (no Spring and a very late start to Summer), I've been binging on two of my "Swinging 60's" favorite series- "The Protectors" and "The Prisoner". Cheers, Bowers
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David Morrissey was very good as "a"Doctor in the Tennant special, The Next Doctor.
Endeavour is always a good watch, but this Sunday, there's a new short series of McDonald and Dodds starting. Jason Watkins - always good value - and Tala Gouveia. It looks like Claire Skinner is their new boss.
https://www.itv.com/hub/mcdonald-dodds/2a7401
Don't know if you can access this outside the UK.
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We watched the 2nd part of Sherwood. Excellent, complicated, secrets, dodgy police. A lot going on.
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This one is too good [bad?!] to ignore.
The Humanoid
Or posted on YouTube as;-
Italian Star Wars (1979) [For good reason, as you'll see.]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGWA0y2_uA8
Richard Kiel, with his own teeth, as the lead?! and with Mrs Ringo star, Barbara Bach.
Who is bringing the popcorn?
Cheers!
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I have recently discovered that there are a lot of 60's European James-bondman type secret agent movies on YouTube. Hugely entertaining. More on most of them later.
This post is about 'Kiss the girls and make them die'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upp8-1GFEcQ
Produced by Dino De Laurentiis.
The version here on YouTube is the Deutsch version, with english dialogue, Some of which I think, is dubbed.
German Title was Our man in Rio.
Both titles are apt for the film.
OK.
The description on YouTube says, 'EUROSPY SPOOF'. No, its not. Whoever wrote that got it from IMDB. Just another example of IMDB not always being right.
It never seems to occur to the current generation, that once upon a time, films were just meant to be entertaining, and an escape from reality, and Spy films, UNCLE and Roger Moore Bonds were never meant to be anything but escapism. This film is no exception. Yes, it's lighthearted. Tribute would be a better description.
The lead is Mike Conners [Mannix - got to find my DVD set of Mannix] and he is excellent.
Female lead is Dorothy Provine, also excellent. Can't make up my mind if her voice is dubbed or not in this print, but its different.
And then there's Terry-Thomas. He is fantastic in this. This is the only film I've seen where he doesn't play his classic Terry-Thomas character, he was actually a Comedian and and excellent actor, and he shows it here.
Again, IMBD has it wrong. They credit him with one role, whereas in fact he plays two and the second role is the more interesting. Since he's in costume for the first and dies quickly and then never faces the camera full-on for much of the film for the second role,I took me a while to realize it was him.
And sometime after watching the film, a light-bulb went off in my head.
Terry-Thomas and Dorothy Provine are playing Lady Penelope and Parker!
Obviously the script-writer was a Thunderbolts fan!
And their Rolls Royce in this film is truly awesome!
So, we get James Bond teamed up with Lady Penelope and Parker, A really nasty world-class villain with a Peter Lorre standard minion.[ You loath this guy, just at the sight of him] and 60's standard high tech and computer screens, and many pretty girls. And some great stunts. And some clear riffs/tributes to Connery James Bond. Oh, and great shots of Rio and Brazil. Oh, and Bananas! What's not to like? Excellent film. Thoroughly recommended.
To get serious for a minute, The Villain is cut from the same cloth as Ra's al Ghul, although slightly more deranged and actually what he has in mind is very 2022 contemporary.
Batman Ra's al Ghul's Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h154iG7Apjw
There are some wondering if the scenario depicted in the film is not actually currently in play right now. If you look at birth-rate statistics in countries where they have reliable data, for the last year or so, they have dropped seriously. Who Knows?
Anyway, if I haven't given you enough reason to watch this film, I quit!
Cheers!
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I think the description "spy spoof" came from mistaking Our Man in Rio for That Man from Rio (L'Homme de Rio,) Philippe de Broca's 1964 feature, which was a spy spoof. A good one, too. It starred Jean-Paul Belmondo, Fran?oise Dorleac, Jean Servais, and Adolfo Celi. Great fun, supposedly inspired by Tintin and an inspiration for Raiders of the Lost Ark.
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That Man from Rio (L'Homme de Rio,) Philippe de Broca's 1964 featureThat Man from Rio (L'Homme de Rio,) Philippe de Broca's 1964 feature
Saw that when it first came out and became, as many of us did, a huge Belmondo fan. That film had a number of sequels too, if I remember correctly.
Dictionary.com gives the meaning of SPOOF as , 'Spoof definition, a mocking imitation of someone or something,' Mel Brooks films are spoofs.
These two films fit into the second category from Dictionary.com, 'usually light and good-humored; lampoon or parody' And there was a degree of serious irony in both films, the plot of the villain of 'Kiss the girls and make them die'. and the ending of 'That man from Rio' are both surprisingly prescient.
That Man From Rio (2K Restoration, 2014) | Official US Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceB4bqJVEYg
cheers!
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THE SPIRIT (1987)
Like most of us, I suspect, I didn't know this existed.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094017/?ref_=ls_mv_close
This little documentary has some shots of Will Eisner at work.
Superhero Films - The Spirit (1987)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-QQUH4ZALs
Like the reviewer, I think this was a lot more satisfying than Frank MIller's attempt.
Had they turned this pilot into a series, I think I would have been successful.
Ellen is played by Nana Visitor. She wouldn't be my first pick for the role, but hey, Nana Visitor!
I like both Sam Jones and Nana Visitor in the roles.
What do you think?
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A new 3 episode series of Van Der Valk started on Sunday. Marc Warren as the Dutch detective once again. A good, complicated story. Lots of views of Amsterdam. But quite how they got from Amsterdam to Scheveningen in around 5 minutes, I don't know. Or did I miss something??? Well worth a couple of hours of your time.
At the same time, another channel is showing the original series with Barry Foster as Van Der Valk.
Shetland is back this week but it might be too dark and emotional fir me. Excellent cast as usual.
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I saw THE SPIRIT when ABC ran it in the summer of 1987, as part of a series of "unsold pilots". (They also ran the regrettable KUNG FU: THE NEXT GENERATION, which I'm glad didn't make it.)
I liked it, and thought it was, like WONDER WOMAN, a somewhat less-ridiculous show in the style of the Adam West BATMAN (only, like I said, LESS ridiculous).
Gary Walberg looked nothing like Commissioner Dolan, buit I felt he captured the character perfectly. (I'll probably always remember him from QUINCY, M.E., a show that started out a lot of fun... until Jack Klugman objected, and then it became dull and boring for the next 7 whole years.)
Sam Jones, as always, was the weak link in the chain, as I'm afraid he'll never be a great actor... but, I had to admit, he was WAY better in this than he'd been in FLASH GORDON in 1980.
Nana Visitor just about stole the film. By the time she turned up on DEEP SPACE NINE, I'd completely forgotten I'd seen her in a number of other shows, including IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, NIGHT COURT (where she played a dangerous schizophrenic), or THE SPIRIT. She REALLY had a knack for physical comedy. I wish she'd done a lot more stuff like this. One of my favorite scenes is probably when Denny Colt is lying unconscious on the floor of her Dad's office, and she wants to take off his mask.
"No! The mask must NEVER come off!"
"WHY, Daddy?"
"Because..." (he has to think about it) "...because, criminals FEAR the unknown! And a man without a face is a man without limits!"
"Oh, Daddy, do you know what that sounds like?"
"Yeah, The Lone Ranger, but what can you do?"
And then there's Laura Robinson as P'Gell Roxton, who's just plain NUTS. I love when she has The Spirit at her mercy, and he agrees to join her so stop her killing a whole building full of innocent people. She decides to seal the deal with a kiss, and begins to take off his mask...
"NAHHH, it's KINKIER with the mask ON!"
It wasn't perfect, but it was a lot of fun. I wish it had gone to a series. Seems like ABC couldn't do anything right.
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A friend gave me
NCIS Season 16-18 ,
so my next few days are filled with action pleasant anticipation. Mark Harmon has held up well for his age ;D, I'm not his age yet ;D, but I've held up well too. 8) ;D
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I just discovered many episodes of the series "The Ghost & Mrs. Muir" on Youtube. What a wonderful series, I loved it as a kid and still do today. :)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ghost_%26_Mrs._Muir_(TV_series)
So many old comics, so many old TV series - who would have thought, that retirement would be so beautiful. ;D ;D
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I just discovered many episodes of the series "The Ghost & Mrs. Muir" on Youtube. What a wonderful series, I loved it as a kid and still do today. :)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ghost_%26_Mrs._Muir_(TV_series)
So many old comics, so many old TV series - who would have thought, that retirement would be so beautiful. ;D ;D
I'm glad to know that you are enjoying your retirement. I love the original film, "The Ghost & Mrs. Muir" from 1947, starring Rex Harrison and Gene Tierney, much more than the US TV series (which was based on the film).
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Thank you very much, Robb :)
Yes, the original film, "The Ghost & Mrs. Muir" from 1947 is absolutely wonderful and it is also in my collection.
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I've been bingewatching 'Man in a Suitcase'
I missed this one back in the day. It has completely surprised me. It's themes are very contemporary.
The main character, McGill is the ultimate outsider, Dishonorable Discharged and literally lives out of a suitcase!
And there are no other regular characters at all. Even for the TV audience, he is not particularly likable and whenever he meets Police, Authorities or clients he does not go out of his way to make himself liked.
The basic formula is - he is hired by a member of the elite to solve a problem that they don't want the police or authorities to know about. They must have hired just about every oxford-educated actor with a plummy accent for the villains and the hypocritical upper class snobs that abound.
Sir Lew Grade must have given them an excellent budget as there are several episodes in Europe and at least one in Africa. The stories are surprisingly critical of British society for a commercial TV show.
Excellent scripts, direction and acting.
There was only one season. I would love to know more about what went on behind the scenes with this show.
It only ran for one season. I wonder if Sir Lew watched a couple of episodes - which were critical of the kind of circles he moved in, and said, 'Cancel it'
The star, Richard Bradford was quite an interesting guy himself.
Another one of the US actors that Lew Grade enticed to the UK for work. They all found conditions very different from the equivalent in the US and many were quite disappointed.
Here are two quite powerful episodes.
Man in a Suitcase - Brainwash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C6j255mDZc&list=PLw6gg897HVfs9qNqSnHVuXsMTfgWqzeW3&index=9
Man In A Suitcase - Web With Four Spiders
https://comicbookplus.com/forum/index.php?action=post;topic=2005.3300;last_msg=87156
You will notice - the endings are abrupt, no happy endings, in fact, no satisfying endings, and sometimes no complete endings at all. Consequences to come.
And now I'm going to have my evening meal and watch the second of the episodes that feature Jacqueline Pearce!
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Last year I saw a one-hour interview with Robert Vaughn, done not long before he passed away. He complimented the interviewer on something I noticed, being very well-prepared & researched and asking very intelligent questions. I've been a fan of Vaughn most of my life, but my estimation of him increased dramatically as a result of this.
At one point, they discussed "THE PROTECTORS", a half-hour adventure series devised by Lew Grade, which Gerry Anderson produced. I found it interesting that Vaughn had nothing but high praise for Grade, his working methods, all the European locations they filmed at, and so on. But he never once mentioned Anderson. Although the show looks and feels like some of Gerry's shows, it's probably got less of his mark on it than anything else, since on that show, he was just a hired hand, with no say in the format or the casting!
Vaughn was critical of the half-hour format, which made it very difficult to have properly-developed stories or characters, and said he often had "no idea" what was going on in the stories while filming them. When asked if the scripts improved in the 2nd season, he replied, "...........not really."
;D
I've now watched the entire series (52 episodes) TWICE... while also watching THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. at the same time.
I'm currently on the 3rd season of U.N.C.L.E., alternating each week between MAN and GIRL FROM.) I'm also doing the same thing with VOYAGE season 3 and THE TIME TUNNEL, so I'm kind of over-dosing on 1966-67 at the moment.
Amazingly, even the really CHEAP studio-bound vidoetaped 2nd season of THE AVENGERS tends to blow all of these away when it comes to the writing and acting. I don't think that such a high praise for AVENGERS as a knock against American adventure shows by comparison.
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Seems I was right about why Man in a Suitcase only ran for one season.
from the comments on the Tribute below.
One of the best ITC Series ever.
However, Richard Bradford got into trouble with Sir Lew Grade the owner of ITC because Bradford wanted his McGill onscreen Hero to show more how you could get hurt, as well as win the day, hence The Hero can also get inured as well, but Sir Lew Grade wanted just another straight forward Goodies beat Baddies Show without McGill getting to look as if he had been in a fight. This was one of the reasons why Man In A Suitcase was finally dropped, and in shortsightedness this was a mistake.
My Father just loved the way McGill was always alert to whom just might be behind him at all times, giving this TV Series an insight that something was going to happen, and usually did which added to the demeanor of the McGill character.
Even now today, many Spy type TV Shows don't have an edge to them like Richard Bradford had the foresight to do with and give his portrayal of McGill.
Well done Richard, and RIP.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_in_a_Suitcase
The level of violence portrayed in the show was unprecedented for an ITC series. This was partly because of Bradford's concerns that the stories and characters should remain real. Unlike most TV action heroes of the time, McGill would not get cleanly knocked unconscious and then recover without effect; Bradford took great pains to depict the character as wounded and concussed. In addition to beatings, McGill is several times shot and stabbed, and ends more than one episode recovering in hospital.
Since McGill regularlyt got injured, often waking up in hospital, Bradford was likely defying Lord Grade even during the the filming of the first series.
Along with the writers, directors and the crew.
Man in a Suitcase was effectively a replacement for Danger Man, whose production had been curtailed when its star Patrick McGoohan had decided to create his own series, The Prisoner. Many of the Danger Man production crew moved over to Man in a Suitcase, which was initially to be titled McGill after its lead character.
That would also help to explain their wanting the show to be much darker and realistic .
Victor Canning directed one episode.
I would love to get some detailed info the making of the show.
And here is a tribute to Richard Bradford set to the Who, ' I can see for miles and miles'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkgyUX-1b-Y
cheers!
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Once again I travel back to my early childhood and watch 'The Jetsons' (1962-63) which I last saw as a very young boy. The Hanna-Barbera productions are just great and it's a pleasure to watch now that I'm an old boy. ;D
From 1971-1972 the comics were published in Germany by 'Neuer Tessloff Verlag', as a large-format paperback, in color and with 48 pages, in 21 editions. The issues also included other stories, including, if I remember correctly, 'The Flintstones', 'Huckleberry Hound' and 'Yogi Bear', all of which also got their own comic series in Germany.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jetsons
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Comickraut, I think Hannah -Barbera eventually became a victim of its own success. Prime-time cartoons were not at all common in the 60's, yet "The Flintstones" and "The Jetsons" proved it was possible! HB ruled pre-prime time and afternoon cartoons with a plethora of half-hour animation shows starting with "Huckleberry Hound" "Quick-Draw McGraw" and that American icon, "Yogi Bear". Unfortunately, they didn't quit while they were ahead. Minor characters from the aforementioned shows were given their own series. ("Scoobie Doo" started as an extra in several shows, and he had never even had been given a name.) Script quality became non-existent, and many of these later programs quickly faded. The animation market was just too saturated, and the newer HB offerings couldn't compete! Cheers and, by all means, Hooray for Dr. Hackenbush! Bowers
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Hello Bowers, of course I didn't notice a drop in quality in the H-B productions as a child, but the drop is a phenomenon that probably affects all long-lived series, in modern cartoon series, it is unfortunately particularly noticeable, for example at 'South Park' and "The Simpsons'.
At the moment, I've seen the first season of the 'Jetsons' and I'm still enjoyed it, let's see how it goes later. :)
Cheers and Hooray back. :D
BTW, Dr. Hackenbush is currently on vacation, so Hooray for Capt. Spaulding. ;D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Otvkqvh8vc&ab_channel=mbielchris
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I was unaware Scooby-Doo had appeared before getting his own show. Myself, I came in on the 2nd season (which, looking back, turned out to be shorter than the 1st-- I HATE WHEN THEY DO THAT!!!), so, at first, I got to see 2 seasons (or 1-1/2 if you look at it that way) before I began seeing "reruns".
The 1st 2 seasons were wonderful. The 3rd year consisted entirely of reruns of seasons 1-2. (I HATE WHEN THEY DO THAT!!!!!)
The 4th year was, really, the 3rd season, where they totally-screwed with the format by presenting THE NEW SCOOBY-DOO MOVIES. Each show was an hour (instead of half-hour), and each featured "celebrity guest-star team-ups" (either real people or characters from other cartoon shows). This was... "interesting"... the first time around. But I NEVER was inspired to want to watch them a 2nd time.
Also, it was pointed out in the CD liner notes of a "Hanna Barbera" soundtrack comp, that Hoyt Curtin apparently never liked the original theme songs used in seasons 1-2. WTF??? But he loved the one he did for the "Movies". WHICH I HATED. Go figure.
Regarding the plummetting quality... this was NOT merely a matter of long-running shows running out of steam, or the market being saturated. Both of those factors may have come into play. But, as a kid who grew up in the 60s and became a teen in the 70s... I can outright say, the biggest problem was CENSORSHIP. You had this "moral crusade" by "parents-teachers groups" who were dedicated to the elimination of "violence on children's television".
the results were nothing less than CATASTROPHIC. They not only removed what they considered "violence" (oblivious that "violence"-- read, "ACTION") is essential in ADVENTURE series-- they also got rid of all action or excitement of an kind. Saturday mornings became a WASTELAND in the 70s. I feel really sorry for anyone who was a kid growing up in that decade.
I can count on my fingers the number of shows that I felt were worth watching in that period...
FAT ALBERT AND THE COSBY KIDS
KID POWER (based on the "Wee Pals" newspaper strip)
STAR TREK (this was often better-written than the 3rd live-action season)
LAND OF THE LOST (season 1 only-- after that, it turned to S***)
There may be a few others, but I pretty much gave up by the mid-70s.
I must note that JONNY QUEST turned up in reruns on Saturdays in the 70s-- BUTCHERED BEYOND BELIEF. It was such a pleasant shock when USA began running it uncut in the 80s.
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Prof, to the best of my remembrance, a very Scooby-like dog was a bit player in "Pixie and Dixie" (Huckleberry Hound Show, 1958-1962) and other HB offerings. The cat, Mr.Jinx, would offer him a dog biscuit to distract him and escape. The pup would then moan and smack his lips as he reached a state of Nirvana, floating off the floor. (Sort of the forerunner of the Scoobie-Snack.) Other characters, such as "Snagglepuss" also started out as extras who later got their own feature. Cheers, Bowers
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The cat, Mr.Jinx, would offer him a dog biscuit to distract him and escape. The pup would then moan and smack his lips as he reached a state of Nirvana, floating off the floor. (Sort of the forerunner of the Scoobie-Snack
I remember that dog! I cracked up over his routine. Somehow in my mind he's associated with Quick Draw McGraw. I hear his voice saying, "Would you like a dog-ee bis-kit?"
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Crash, I have no doubt this pup made an appearance with Quick Draw and Baba Looey! Quick Draw McGraw was one of HB's better efforts- good writing and it was genuinely funny! For the uninitiated, Quick Draw was a lawman horse (with stetson and guitar) accompanied by his burro buddy, Baba Loooey. Occasionally, Quick Draw would don his mask and cape and become that scourge of western evil doers, the mysterious "El Kabong".
About the same time HB was in its ascendancy, the Jay Ward Studios gave us some of the weirdest and most hilarious stuff ever animated. To some, it was an acquired taste, but the terrible puns and offbeat humor was right up my alley. Of course everybody knows "Rocky and Bullwinkle", "Peabody and Sherman" and "Fractured Fairy Tales" (Edward Everett Horton's narration was priceless!) Some of the lesser known characters were every bit as good, such as "Super Chicken". A favorite episode had Super Chicken and his lion sidekick, Fred, chasing the crook but losing him. Fred remarks "You'll have to use your Super Vision to find him!" to which the chicken replies "Fred, if I had any supervision do you think I'd be out here running around in this cape and hat?" Oh, my... Cheers, Bowers
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In Oz, Saturday morning was, lback then, not a time to stay in and watch TV.
We had cartoons for an hour after school.
And for years we got a half hour of classic Warner brothers cartoons. Nothing from HB could match that.
The Flintsones and the Jetsons were aimed at adults and screened after 7.00 pm and we watched those.
Even back then, I much preferred cartoon series that worked on both an adult and a kids level.
So, Top Cat.
Also Roger Ramjet.
Roger Ramjet Opening Theme
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7SqSNQeAFM
Was this theme written by the same team that did King of Diamonds?
Snagglepuss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoLCDrOJGV0
It's The Wolf Ep 01 YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN0oQU
With the unmistakable Paul Lynde
But towering over them all,
Rocky and Bullwinkle.
Rocky And His Friends (Original Rocky And Bullwinkle Opening)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BdfuF7oD-M
As far as I am concerned, Rocky and Bullwinkle was as close as the US got to the surreal comedy of
the Goon Show.
Something for you Nostalgia fans.
Top 50 Best Hanna-Barbera Opening Themes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8RHVd5dg_A
cheers!
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The YouTube AI led me to this.
Twelve chairs (comedy, dir. Leonid Gaidai, 1971)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8t2dbJ7YXY
English Subtitles.
Now, the 12 Chairs was a popular Russian book and I remembered that Mel Brooks filmed it, so I went looking.
The Twelve Chairs - Mel Brooks Movie
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0osPRbt8xT0
Excellent Cast.
Well it must be the night for serendipity, because on a quite different search, I Found this.
The Thirteen Chairs - aka 12+ 1 (1969) Sharon Tate last movie English language restored
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFI5t-WHqM0
Not a bad film either! Tim Brooke-Taylor (Goodies) among other familiar faces.
Enjoy!
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Rocky & Bullwinkle and all the related cartoons remain among my favorites, as well as my favorites from Jay Ward.
I understand he started out with Crusader Rabbit, but I have very little memories of that.
I also have the impression Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties may have come before Rocky & Bullwinkle. What long baffled me as a kid was how there seemed to be 3 completely separate syndication sets, perhaps it ran 3 seasons (I never bothered to look this up), but was put out as 3 separate packages. (Anyone remember when BEWITCHED was out there as 2 separate packages?) THE AVENGERS was the same thing-- the Diana Riggs & Linda Thorsons were one package, the Joanna Lumleys were another (which as far as I know, only CBS here ever ran), and the Honor Blackmans were a 3rd, which never got here until the mid-90s, even though her 2 seasons were from 1962-64!
At least on PBS, they kept adding DOCTOR WHO seasons to a single huge package as more episodes bwere found or became available.
Sometime after Rocky & Bullwinkle was Hoppity Hooper, which was also hilarious, but inexplicably, didn't run very long, and virtually disappeared from syndication. While Rocky & Bullwinkle were a pair, Hoppity Hooper had 3 characters-- a small smart one, a tall dumb one, and a 3rd, "Uncle Waldo", who was in between. All I recall, he kept being the target of anything bad that happened. He kinda reminded me a bit of Dr. Smith from LOST IN SPACE, and I have a feeling (without looking it up) he was voiced by Hans Conreid.
The final Jay Ward series (as far as I know) was GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE, which consisted of 3 series, George, Super Chicken and Tom Slick. They were always run in that order... until, inexplicably, in the 80s, someone began running them George, Tom and Super Chicken. It may not seem to matter, but to me, it completely threw off the whole rhythm of the show!
Similarly, in the 80s, one of the networks began re-running THE BULLWINKLE SHOW, which was the last season of those, and instead of each half-hour episode being bracketed by a Rocky & Bullwinkle (one a the start, the other at the end), they insisted on runnning 3 R&B each half-hour, alternating between those and the extra features. And while Dudley Do-Right, traditionally, was run just before the 2nd R&B, in this mutilated format, Dudley would be run 2nd, right after the 1st of the 3 R&B. The COMPLETELY destroyed the rhythm of each half-hour show.
While I'm on the subject... one of my favorite Disney movies of all time was GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE with Brenden Fraser. It managed to capture the humor and the vibe of the cartoons, but wasn't really that authentic to it. Instead... and this flips me out... it was a comedy ADAPTATION of the first 2 Edgar Rice Burroughs TARZAN books. NO, REALLY. That crazy film was MORE authentic to Burroughs than the Johnny Weismuller films ever were!!
I've read the Gold Key adaptations of "Tarzan of the Apes" and "The Return of Tarzan" (art by Russ Manning). The story structure is too similar to be a coincidence. Ursula and her fia...this GUY she knows... (heh) run across George, the story continues back in civilization, but the climax takes place back in the jungle, where they get married.
I love the Weismuller films, but every time I see them, I wish MGM had actually FOLOWED THE DAMN BOOKS.
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Rocky & Bullwinkle and all the related cartoons remain among my favorites, as well as my favorites from Jay Ward.
(1) I also have the impression Dudley Do-Right of the Mounties may have come before Rocky & Bullwinkle. What long baffled me as a kid was how there seemed to be 3 completely separate syndication sets, (2) perhaps it ran 3 seasons (I never bothered to look this up), but was put out as 3 separate packages.
Similarly, in the 80s, one of the networks began re-running THE BULLWINKLE SHOW, which was the last season of those, and instead of each half-hour episode being bracketed by a Rocky & Bullwinkle (one a the start, the other at the end), they insisted on runnning 3 R&B each half-hour, alternating between those and the extra features. And while Dudley Do-Right, traditionally, was run just before the 2nd R&B, in this mutilated format, Dudley would be run 2nd, right after the 1st of the 3 R&B. The COMPLETELY destroyed the rhythm of each half-hour show.
(1) "Dudley Do-Right of The Mounties" did NOT start before "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle", nor did "Mr. Peabody", or "Fractured Fairy Tales". They all made their TV debuts in the half-hour first series of "The Adventures if Rocky and Bullwinkle ABC show.
(2) As I remember it, there were 5 years of the original USA TV run of "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle"/"The Bullwinkle Show", split between ABC and NBC, starting in 1959-60, and ending with 1963-64. "Rocky and Bullwinkle" was first in half-hour programmes, and was changed to "Bullwinkle" 1 hour shows for the last 2 years. I'm not sure about the later syndication. The comic books started in early-mid 1962, two years after the TV series started in USA, but a few months BEFORE the TV broadcasts started there. The TV series started its run in Canada in 1963.
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As I remember it, there were 5 years of the original USA TV run of "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle"/"The Bullwinkle Show", split between ABC and NBC, starting in 1959-60, and ending with 1963-64. "Rocky and Bullwinkle" was first, and was changed to "Bullwinkle" for the last 2 years. I'm not sure about the later syndication.
Well, right there is at least a partial explanation for 2 separate syndication packages.
What I've seen over the years was THE BULLWINKLE SHOW (the later stories-- most about 8 chapters per story) and THE ROCKY SHOW (half-hour) or ROCKY AND HIS FRIENDS (15-minute version!). These were the earlier ones. It seems the first 3 stories were each about 40 chapters per story. If you figure 2 chapters per half-hour episode, that's 20 weeks for ONE story! (The 2nd & 3rd may not have been that long... it's been decades since I saw them.)
The first 3 stories, I figured out back in the 70s, were "The Mooseberry Bush", "Upsidasium" and "The Metal-Eating Mice" (my own titles). These 3 stories were all connected, continuity-wise, and should be seen in that order. But the local station here ran them 1, 3 & 2 instead of 1, 2 & 3. (They pulled the same S*** with the 3 FLASH GORDON serials!)
I can only remember seeing "The Mooseberry Bush" once, and one of the things I remember is that it had a laugh track for maybe the first 8 chapters, but then they got rid of it.
Also, William Conrad, the narrator, initially spoke slow and quietly. Over time, he became louder, faster, more frenetic, and increasingly would talk back and forth with characters on-screen. Conrad said in an interview that he was reading off a teleprompter, the script was on a long scroll, and they would pull the scroll past the camera faster and faster to be funny, forcing him to read faster just to keep up.
For decades, I had no idea June Foray was the voices of both Rocky AND Natasha!
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WOW! After a wonderful season of "Van der Valk", PBS gave us an amazing trifecta of mysteries last Sunday, starting with a second season of "Miss Scarlet and the Duke". Kate Phillips is amazing as Victorian London's only female consulting detective!
Next, "Magpie Murders", written by Anthony Horowitz ("Foyle's War", also some "Poirot" and "Midsomer Murders"). Lesley Manville plays an editor trying to find the last chapter of a murdered best-selling author's last book. A mystery within a mystery, with the author's characters popping up during her investigation.
Finally, "Annika", my personal favorite. Nicola Walker leads a team of detectives investigating marine crimes. Walker breaks the fourth wall to deliver terrible puns (I love it!) or to share some quirky observations. Her handling of an obnoxious journalist is just priceless! Walker's dead-pan delivery keeps this series from becoming just another procedural police drama (yawn). I understand this show is based on a BBC radio series- would love to hear it! Cheers, Bowers
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Bowers, said,
Anthony Horowitz [wrote] ("Foyle's War", also some "Poirot" and "Midsomer Murders")
Horowitz is quite prolific - and always a quality writer.
He developed and wrote the Alex Rider series,
2 James Bonds, a third is due out later this year. And they are good.
2 Serlock Holmes novels,
The House of Silk (2011)
Moriarty (2014)
The 7 episodes of the British police series, New Blood.
[I have the DVD collection of that one, I should get it out and watch the final episodes.] An excellent series.
And that list is just the tip of the iceberg.
Comics? Graphic Novel adaptations.
6 Alex Rider
3 'The Power of 5' another of his series.
and 4 Graphic Horror - graphic Novels.
Numerous TV episodes and series and also movies.
Phew! Does he ever get out from behind the keyboard?
cheers!
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Prof,
Crusader Rabbit was one I was trying to remember.
Crusader Rabbit vs. the State of Texas - Full serial! (1950) Digitally remastered
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObxCgxZJrCY
then there are these.
Hoppity Hooper 1 - Ring A Ding Spring
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cjyp6znj3A
Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales - 1965-66
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgTR9YoX00M
Voices - Don Adams as Tennessee. Larry Storch is in there somewhere.
cheers!
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I recognized the name Anthony Horowitz, but I had to look him up. Hmm. Well, apparently, the ONLY thing I know him from is POIROT, for which he wrote 11 adaptations. And I've seen 10 of them repeatedly. Maddeningly, the later ones completely escaped me, as, somehow, my PBS station seemed to stop running the newer ones. So, his last (which is all the way back in 2001!) I have still never seen to this day. And any that came after it as well, I'd say.
Funny thing. Jay Ward's cartoons were animated by Gamma Productions, a studio in Mexico City. His weren't the only cartoons done there. It was pointed out to me many years ago that the others "weren't as good" as Jay Ward's. I say B***S***. The others were simply... "different".
This included TENNESEE TUXEDO, and, more famously I think... UNDERDOG!!!
Back in high school, I had a patch of "Simon Bar Sinister" sewn on my jacket.
I always remember his mantra...
"Money and power-- and MONEY and POWER-- AND MONEY AND POWER!!!!!!"
;D
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No Comment - speaks for itself!
Danger Diabolik - 1968 1080p BluRay (Full Film)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb-TIFlw2l8
Ennio Morricone score.
Terry-Thomas outdoing himself.
Do I have to say, great print?
cheers
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I gotta get that on DVD one of these days. Fabulous, fun film. And John Philip Law is so good in so many things. It totally baffles me that they didn't get him to come back for a 2nd SINBAD movie, as GOLDEN VOYAGE is my all-time favorite Ray Harryhausen film.
I've also got one of the DIABOLIK digest comics... though I can't read it (it's in Italian!). ;D
Funny thing-- I just orderd some episodes of an Italian TV series, but, as far as I know, they don't come with English subtitles. (Be a wonderful surprise if I find out they do!) They're adaptations of Sherlock Holmes stories, so I pretty much know the plots...
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Not counting the musical, I have 2 films in my collection based on George Bernard Shaw plays; this is the "other" one...
PYGMALION (1938)
Leslie Howard & Wendy Hiller star as Professor Henry Higgins & Eliza Doolittle. This movie is FUNNY AS HELL!!!
Yes, it's difficult not to imagine ALL the Lerner & Lowe songs from the later musical as you watch this, but then again, every time I looked at Wendy Hiller, I kept seeing "Princess Dragomiroff" from MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. (Go figure.)
I have a terrible print of this off my local PBS station Channel 12 from back in the 80s, but it isn't half as awful as the print they ran of TO BE OR NOT TO BE. I enjoyed this SO much, I've now added it to my "wanted" list. Some time ago, The Criterion Collection put out a DVD with "Gorgeous new transfer, with digitally restored image and sound". Now, after all these years, I feel a need to see and hear that!
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Thanks to Kevin Burton Smith at his Thrilling Detective website, I learned about The Boston Terrier, an unsuccessful 1962 series starring Robert Vaughn. The show was co-created by Blake Edwards and Tom Waldman. According to Smith, the duo originally made an hour-long pilot (I don't know the cast) in 1961 after Peter Gunn wrapped up. Not having found any takers Edwards reworked it in 1962 to fit a half-hour format. He made two pilots for this version, both starring Vaughn but otherwise having different cast members. The first half-hour pilot was broadcast on the Dick Powell Theater in April of 1962. This episode is available on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8sC2oQLBnw
The Boston Terrier is the nickname of A. Dunster Lowell (Robert Vaughn), a suave dilettante detective based in Boston. Lowell is a member of the old Boston gentry, dresses expensively, drives a Jaguar, and that sort of thing. He and his inventor pal Professor Mumford (John McGiver) use the latest technology--wireless microphones, microscopic analysis, etc.--to help with detecting. Robert J Wilke overacts as Lt Duffy Cardoza, a cliche gruff friend-enemy cop. Blake Edwards directs a script by Aaron Leslie Pine. Edwards and Waldman share story and character credit. In this episode Lowell investigates the disappearance of an upper-crust Bostonian and runs up against a local mobster.
The YouTube print is adequate but has a serious flaw. An important chunk of the story is missing from the first act, making an already convoluted story harder to follow. Inexplicably a chunk of that chunk is pasted to the end of the video following a flash of a cat food commercial.
The Boston Terrier is interesting but I can see why it didn't ring any bells at the networks. There's something off about the whole thing. The show was intended to be a "lighter Peter Gunn" in which the action and violence are tempered by Lowell's clever banter. Robert Vaughn isn't too bad as Lowell, but his lighthearted delivery is flat and accompanied by too many smug smiles. His dialogue is the sort of thing George Sanders or Vincent Price did so well. Vaughn just doesn't have the lilt. I'd sum up his performance as either uncomfortable or self-conscious.
To my mind what really messes up the show is the pacing of the dialogue. It's hard to describe. Someone speaks a line in its entirety. Then the next character speaks their line. In between the lines there's a beat, or maybe half a beat, of silence. It's as if the actors were told to leave space for the dialogue track to be edited. It reminds me (oddly) of the Filmation Star Trek cartoons in which the actors recorded their lines separately instead of with the rest of the cast. Dialogue exchanges always sounded stilted because no one knew how anyone else played their lines. In the case of The Boston Terrier the pause magnifies the scenery chewing of Lt Cardona and of the crochety old plutocrat who sets the plot in motion. I acknowledge that TV dialogue was written and paced differently in the old days. But other shows of the time, Perry Mason for example, have similar theatrical dialogue and broad performances without it seeming that everything stops for an instant after each line.
All the same I'd say the show is an interesting artifact for Robert Vaughn fans.
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Here is a real oldie. Faded print but still reasonable.
Special Agent K 7 (1937)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSdnhYNJRRE
How did I come across this? looking at a book by Frank Kane.
Frank Kane was born on July 19, 1912 in Brooklyn, New York. He quit law school to get a job because he was starting a family. He worked variously as an editor, in public relations for the liquor industry, and as a columnist publicizing movie stars visiting the city. He moved on to writing scripts for several radio crime shows, including The Shadow for six years. In 1947, he wrote his first crime novel featuring his signature private eye Johnny Liddell. Some 40 Johnny Liddell novels and many Liddell short stories for the pulps followed. Johnny Liddell has been described as an enjoyably generic 1950s hardboiled detective who did not age with time but rather changed with the tastes of his readers. Kane also wrote for television and worked on the series Special Agent 7, The Investigators, and Mike Hammer. He died unexpectedly on November 29, 1968 at the age of 56 in Manhasset, New York.
Now, this appears to be a movie, was it later made into a TV show, or has the biographer got his info wrong?
Cheers!
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tonight's movie:
I found my favorite quote online...
"Where is he? I'll stay by your side until you confess. And if you don't, I'll feed you to the villagers, like the Romans fed Christians to the lions."
;D
According to a video I saw recently, the actor who delivered this line REALLY LOVED doing these kind of movies, which suggests to me, he must have been having the TIME OF HIS LIFE when he read this line.
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The ever-interesting Kevin Burton Smith has posted an overview of all the private-eye series, aired and unaired, in which Blake Edwards was involved. Alongside the well-known series like Peter Gunn, Mr Lucky, and Richard Diamond are a bunch of unsold pilots. We know that The Boston Terrier is available on YouTube and I've seen Dante's Inferno listed on one of those public domain DVD's in the discount stores. When I have some spare time I'll poke around. I'm sure anything I find will not score highly on our esteemed Profh's picture quality charts.
https://thrillingdetective.com/2022/11/03/blake-edwards-private-eyes/
Edited to add: Here are all eight Dante's Inferno episodes. They ran on Four Star Playhouse between 1952 and 1956.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_eRR2-Joxk
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The ever-interesting Kevin Burton Smith has posted an overview of all the private-eye series, aired and unaired, in which Blake Edwards was involved. Alongside the well-known series like Peter Gunn, Mr Lucky, and Richard Diamond are a bunch of unsold pilots.
We've been enjoying watching the Peter Gunn episodes on Amazon Prime. They have all the episodes for the three series. They still stand up today, though they can only do so much with plots in the half-hour format. Great acting, especially from so many wonderful bit players, and brilliant cinematography. Lola Albright deserved to be a bigger singing star outside the series.
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Have just finished watching the final of Ray Harryhausen's Sinbad trilogy, 'Sinbad and the eye of the tiger'
Could have quite a bit to say about these, but several things come to mind.
1/ Both this film and the first Star Wars film were released in 1977.
Which clearly marks the end of the era of stop-motion special effects and the beginning of the new generation of computer enhanced special effects.
Fascinating to think that both these films were simultaneously using the same studios and some of the same European and north African locations.
Also explains why women go to comic con cosplay, dressed as slave Lea rather than in Jane Seymour's Fatah costume.
2/ Apparently Patrick Wayne, [son of John] who plays Sinbad in this one, was shortlisted to play Superman but his father was dying of cancer and Patrick opted to spend time with his dad, so we got Christopher Reeve instead. No complaints from me about Christopher Reeve but I think Patrick would have given us an excellent Superman.
[Superman - son of John Wayne]?!
3/ The soundtrack is by Roy Budd, whose most famous Soundtrack was the one for 'Get Carter'. He does an excellent job here.
Sinbad And The Eye Of The Tiger : A Symphony (Roy Budd)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC1XdaHy-kk
And here's the second of the triology
The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973) Fantasy adventure - John Phillip Law
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6F3VpHXfic
Tom Baker brilliant and nearly unrecognizable.
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Inspired by having just read Cornell Woolrich's Phantom Lady and loving it, I decided to take a look at the 1944 movie adaptation directed by Robert Siodmak. It has a respectable following among the noir fan crowd (though a lot of this is because of an irrelevant though amazing scene with Elisha Cook, Jr). Was I ever disappointed!
I might have liked the film better if I hadn't read the book. It has some good moments, some nice atmosphere, some decent performances. But after following the original during the opening scenes the screenwriter threw Woolrich's whole concept out the window by revealing the murderer and explaining the mystery halfway through the film! The central question--how will they discover the real murderer before our man is executed for his crime--quickly devolves into a girl-in-peril story with no surprises at all. In the novel several of the set pieces would have seemed outlandish if it weren't for Woolrich weaving them into the main narrative in such a way that we accepted them. Even so one or two strained credulity a bit. Without Woolrich's structure they come off as unbelievable at best, at worst downright silly. Too bad!
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We are watching, and loving, Astrid:-
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/astrid-murder-in-paris
A French show with subtitles.
Recently, The Wagner Method finished. Another French show. Awfy good.
The latest season of the NZ series Brokenwood Mysteries was excellent. A couple of the episodes had some great comedy, almost slapstick. Good mysteries.
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Someone mentioned 'GERALD MCBOING-BOING'
Wonderful gems.
Gerald McBoing Boing || 1950 Oscar winning animated short film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V77Z73CM1wA
Wonderful visuals!
Gerald McBoing Boing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrQDNk5ZsMw
Gerald McBoing Boing on Planet Moo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNsyQDmEopw
Gerold McBoing Boing - How Now Boing Boing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8E-QFy0_fQ
And here is the original
Great Gildersleeve - Gerald McBoing Boing.mpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udb1MghGXaQ
Cheers!
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Looking for Gerald, I stumbled across this.
For Robb and anybody else that appreciates good animation.
The Romance of Transportation in Canada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rWt33EpSoQ
Thinking Canada brought this Masterpiece to mind.
buster keaton the railrodder
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYmcN12M97o
And here is a documentary about the making of that
Buster Keaton Rides Again
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HOWv7Ce69E
Damn the YouTube AI - I have got to get some work done.
This is also apparently from Canada.
Caninabis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rc60ZuGwseA
Goombye now!
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Someone mentioned 'GERALD MCBOING-BOING'
Wonderful gems.
Gerald McBoing Boing || 1950 Oscar winning animated short film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V77Z73CM1wA
Wonderful visuals!
Gerald McBoing Boing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrQDNk5ZsMw
Gerald McBoing Boing on Planet Moo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNsyQDmEopw
Gerold McBoing Boing - How Now Boing Boing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8E-QFy0_fQ
And here is the original
Great Gildersleeve - Gerald McBoing Boing.mpg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Udb1MghGXaQ
Cheers!
Thanks for the links, A.P. They bring back memories of all the UPA Studio's films. We have 5 Dell/UPA "Gerald McBoing-Boing/Mr. Magoo comic books here at CB+, drawn by Mel Crawford, Dan Gormley and P.D. Eastman. UPA Studio co-founder and Head of Creative Operations, John Hubley's son, Mark (also an animator) was in a few classes with me at The US Cartoonist Union School back in the early 1980s.
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Agatha Raisin
Agatha Raisin is a British comedy-drama television program, based on M.C. Beaton's book series of the same name about a former PR agent, who solves crime mysteries in the Cotswolds village of Carsely.
More in Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Raisin_(TV_series) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Raisin_(TV_series))
Very amusing. :)
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Here is a Christmas present for Comickraut - and any other Marx fans .
THE MARX BROTHERS in DONKEY SHINES - The lost Marx Brothers Movie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DknD7XcUQ0U
A LOST MARX BROTHERS MOVIE?!
Not really. This is a project that kept me busy during Covid lock down. The challenge was to find the best and funniest scenes of the later, not-so-good Marx Brothers movies and edit them into one new complete movie with a linear, and hopefully funny and coherent story. Does Love Happy, Room Service, At The Circus, Copacabana and The Big Store give us a happy-happy new Marx Movie? Give it a whirl and see...
Enjoy!
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Panther,
thank you very much for pointing this out. In fact not only am I a huge fan of the Marx Brothers I actually find them enriching my life. In the past I was a normal person :o - until I saw my first MB film after that nothing was the same ;D . In the 1980s I finally had all the movies from the boys on VHS and they played around the clock until the video recorder started glowing and smoking. :D
But I have to disagree with Mike Row on one thing: There aren't any Marx Brothers films that aren't that good. 8)
Mike :)
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While YouTube is busy moneytising most of the newer blockbuster movies, not so for movies posted there from non-English speaking countries.
There is a Chinese Language series of films called 'Black and White'
Here is what I think is the second in the series.
Black & White:The Dawn of Justice
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7vNky1-q4k
Subtitles, but its worth it.
Best mainstream action movie I have seen for a long time.
Great CGI - better used than it is in most US films.
Strong male and female leads, but no WOKE crap.
Best of all for me, a well-portrayed villain, he's quiet-spoken and totally convinced he's right, which makes him really scary.
There is a apparently both a TV series and 2 movies.
The TV series is on YouTube, but no subtitles.
Here is the first movie which introduces the original 2 main characters.
New Chinese Action Movie BLACK AND WHITE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZi4AxJYO1M
Just a wild ride! Strap yourself in and enjoy!
Oh, if you want to watch a movie on YouTube without Ads, install Adblock + in your browser.
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I hit the trifecta tonight! New seasons of "Miss Scarlet and the Duke", "All Creatures Great and Small" and "Vienna Blood"! Thanks, PBS! Cheers, Bowers.
Last week on Netflix we finished off the the first season of "Lincoln Lawyer"- good but they did drag it out a bit. Great surprise ending, though. Started on "Echoes" - really creepy but an excellent plot twist. And, of course, "Glass Onion" with Daniel Craig reprising his role as Benoit Blanc. A ridiculous and unbelievable romp but SO much fun! Looking forward to "The Pale Blue Eye" with Christian Bale. An 1830's murder at West Point which includes Cadet Edgar Allen Poe! Great cast. Cheers, Bowers
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"All Creatures Great and Small"
I know there is a remake of the series, but I only take the classic series in my dvd player. :D
https://i.pinimg.com/600x315/81/10/af/8110afaf4e64d9c02f2640ded0e61504.jpg (https://i.pinimg.com/600x315/81/10/af/8110afaf4e64d9c02f2640ded0e61504.jpg)
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Yes, the original was quite good- excellent cast! Cheers, Bowers
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Currently on YouTube
THE QUATERMASS EXPERIMENT ???? Exclusive Full Sci-Fi Movie Premiere ???? English HD 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ripPMeAdVH0
Quatermass II: Enemy from Space (HD)(1957) Brian Donlevy, Bryan Forbes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbnm6Qh_kak
These two are excellent prints.
Unfortunately the TV version seems to have been copied off a VHS print or directly from TV.
Quatermass II - BBC TV series (1955)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiosbmsuNSU
For all you Quatermass fans out there!
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This serial is higher quality than most. Good print - makes you realize how good the original serials were in film quality.
Also a great comic book oriented intro.
Secret Agent X-9 (1945) 13-CHAPTER CLIFFHANGER Lloyd Bridges
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhyMqb8ahlM
This was the second X-9 serial I think.
Enjoy!
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Bowers asked if there was a 2nd series of Dalgliesh. There is and it's good
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13430420/episodes
Arguably even better is Astrid. A 2nd series. Excellent. French with subtitles
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/astrid-murder-in-paris
We've been watching McDonald and Dodds. Good fun. Jason Watkins as, as usual, very good
https://www.itv.com/watch/mcdonald-and-dodds/2a7401
If you can find it, the Wagner Method is good entertainment. French with subtitles
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-wagner-method
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This weekend's movies:
WAR-GODS OF THE DEEP (1st time on Blu-Ray / looks gorgious, but still sucks)
THE MUMMY'S TOMB (1st time on Blu-Ray)
CHARLIE CHAN IN LONDON (1st time on DVD-R)
THE BOOGIE MAN WILL GET YOU (same old really grainy local UHF video copy)
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Currently Binge-watching - two episodes a night - the British Maigret series starring Rupert Davies.
All four seasons are on YouTube and excellent prints. Amazing that this series wasn't one that they lost.
Here is season 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSPh_BpDiAU&list=PLSHmlXyN9e49lAhSBlJo1bUuBz0bzaXr_
13 episodes in each season, which makes 52 episodes, all good. A feast of appearances by British Actors who later became well-known, looking very y0ung and very different.
And also one later movie.
Apparently Rupert Davies was picked to play the second Doctor Who but was unable to make it for the start of shooting so Patrick Troughton got the role instead.
Patrick is my favorite Dr Who, so I'm happy about that. But!
I feel that we missed something by not seeing Rupert Davies in the role.There are elements in his portrayal of Maigret that are reminiscent of Patrick's Dr Who. Which makes me wonder if that was deliberate on Patrick's part when he knew he was competing with Davies for the role.
Patrick Troughton plays a role here in an early series - so several years before DR Who, and man is he different.Handsome and slim!
Music is by Ron Grainer
Ronald Erle Grainer (11 August 1922 – 21 February 1981) was an Australian composer who worked for most of his professional career in the United Kingdom. He is mostly remembered for his television and film score music, especially the theme music for Doctor Who, The Prisoner, Steptoe and Son and Tales of the Unexpected.
I would love to see a collection of his Maigret music - there is some amazing stuff.
cheers!
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... the British Maigret series starring Rupert Davies.
Oh, I have this series in my DVD collection, but haven't watched it yet. :-[ :D
So many series and films want to be seen, so many radio plays want to be heard, so many comics, so many books want to be read - and then there is of course a life before the doorstep - because of this I very much hope that I will be at least 150 years old ... ;D ;D ;D
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Panther, re Quatermass 11, that is as good as you're going to get. Years ago, someone with contacts at the BBC obtained a lost copy of the show. I begged a copy of the video and it was really poor. The official release quality is much better than those early VHS copies. Still not very good. I'm just thankfull we even have this version.
Andre Morell is the best Bernard.
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THE SPIRIT (1987)
Like most of us, I suspect, I didn't know this existed.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094017/?ref_=ls_mv_close
This little documentary has some shots of Will Eisner at work.
Superhero Films - The Spirit (1987)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-QQUH4ZALs
Like the reviewer, I think this was a lot more satisfying than Frank MIller's attempt.
Had they turned this pilot into a series, I think I would have been successful.
Ellen is played by Nana Visitor. She wouldn't be my first pick for the role, but hey, Nana Visitor!
I like both Sam Jones and Nana Visitor in the roles.
What do you think?
Sorry, I'm a latecomer to this one, both excited to know that anyone had ever attempted a Spirit on screen before Frank Miller's appalling movie (I've never quite forgiven Samuel L Jackson for his ridiculous version of The Octopus) and saddened to know that in spite of all the clips shown, no-one's tried to YouTube the whole show.
Sam Jones is surprisingly good in the part (possibly even more credible than Flash Gordon) and the tongue seems to be in the right side of the cheek as far as presentation goes. Glad they cast a more credible black kid sidekick to replace Ebony, would love to see the pilot in its entirety if anyone knows where to find it. Any chance that it ever made it to DVD?
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I believe THE SPIRIT pilot was filmed in 1986, but not aired until summer of 1987, as part of a block of "unsold pilots" (along with KUNG FU: THE NEXT GENERATION-- the only one of those that, due to KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES, became out-of-continuity with all the others-- it's also the only one that David Carridine was not involved in, though Brandon Lee DID return from the previous year's KUNG FU tv-movie attempted series revival).
I clearly recall seeing it-- and taping it-- the same night that THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS debuted in theatres!
Sam Jones was a real surprise. Though my estimation of him has increased in recent years (due to his personality and attitude more than his acting), I do feel THE SPIRIT featured the best acting I've ever seen from him, by a mile.
Looking back some years later, I had completely forgotten Nana Visitor played Ellen Dolan. She just about steals the film! Back then, I'd seen her in such shows as NIGHT COURT (where she played a woman suffering from multiple personalities, who Dan takes out for "drinks"-- heh) and a really tragic episode of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT. Watching her in THE SPIRIT reminded she REALLY had a knack for comedy. She really captured the character of Ellen, who was always a mix of romantic and screwball.
Bumper Robinson as "Eubie" made a strong argument in favor of kid sidekicks. I'd also seen him in a couple episodes of NIGHT COURT.
Gary Walberg did not look like Commissioner Dolan-- but I think he genuinely captured the personality of the character. MY favorite bit is when he tries to explain something to his daughter. "Daddy, WHY must the mask never come off?" "Well because..." (he has to think about this one) "...because-- criminals FEAR the unknown-- and a man without a fask is a man without limits!" "Oh, Daddy, do you know what that sounds like?" "Yeah, The Lone Ranger, it can't be helped..."
I think Laura Robinson DID steal the film as "P'Gell Roxton". HER personality they changed quite a bit, making her rather more murderous than I ever recall her being in the comics. But she was also crazy and very sexy. I particularly loved the moment when she forces The Spirit to join her in crime, in exchange for not blowing up an entire building of innocent people. She decides to seal the deal with a kiss, and is about to take off his mask, when she stops herself, saying... "NAHH, it's KINKIER with the mask ON!" And then realizes from his kiss that he isn't sincere. ;D
I saw it as a LESS-DUMB version of the Adam West BATMAN... and that made it something I wish had sold as a series.
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I believe THE SPIRIT pilot was filmed in 1986, but not aired until summer of 1987, as part of a block of "unsold pilots" (along with KUNG FU: THE NEXT GENERATION-- the only one of those that, due to KUNG FU: THE LEGEND CONTINUES, became out-of-continuity with all the others-- it's also the only one that David Carridine was not involved in, though Brandon Lee DID return from the previous year's KUNG FU tv-movie attempted series revival).
I clearly recall seeing it-- and taping it-- the same night that THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS debuted in theatres!
Sam Jones was a real surprise. Though my estimation of him has increased in recent years (due to his personality and attitude more than his acting), I do feel THE SPIRIT featured the best acting I've ever seen from him, by a mile.
Looking back some years later, I had completely forgotten Nana Visitor played Ellen Dolan. She just about steals the film! Back then, I'd seen her in such shows as NIGHT COURT (where she played a woman suffering from multiple personalities, who Dan takes out for "drinks"-- heh) and a really tragic episode of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT. Watching her in THE SPIRIT reminded she REALLY had a knack for comedy. She really captured the character of Ellen, who was always a mix of romantic and screwball.
Bumper Robinson as "Eubie" made a strong argument in favor of kid sidekicks. I'd also seen him in a couple episodes of NIGHT COURT.
Gary Walberg did not look like Commissioner Dolan-- but I think he genuinely captured the personality of the character. MY favorite bit is when he tries to explain something to his daughter. "Daddy, WHY must the mask never come off?" "Well because..." (he has to think about this one) "...because-- criminals FEAR the unknown-- and a man without a fask is a man without limits!" "Oh, Daddy, do you know what that sounds like?" "Yeah, The Lone Ranger, it can't be helped..."
I think Laura Robinson DID steal the film as "P'Gell Roxton". HER personality they changed quite a bit, making her rather more murderous than I ever recall her being in the comics. But she was also crazy and very sexy. I particularly loved the moment when she forces The Spirit to join her in crime, in exchange for not blowing up an entire building of innocent people. She decides to seal the deal with a kiss, and is about to take off his mask, when she stops herself, saying... "NAHH, it's KINKIER with the mask ON!" And then realizes from his kiss that he isn't sincere. ;D
I saw it as a LESS-DUMB version of the Adam West BATMAN... and that made it something I wish had sold as a series.
Well thanks for that description prof. Anything that helps eclipse my memories of that frightful Frank Miller version is a balm to me. I'll check out your advice re the DVD with my fingers crossed!
Thanks for chipping in
All the best
K1ngcat
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On the phone just now, my best friend informs me THE SPIRIT was put out on DVD by Warner Archives, just a few years ago.
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On the phone just now, my best friend informs me THE SPIRIT was put out on DVD by Warner Archives, just a few years ago.
Thanks for the tip, prof. Found a region 1copy on Amazon, and just in time for my birthday! Cheers!
K1ngcat
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For lovers of Gerry Anderson.
A much later series by Gerry. I never heard of it either.
Very corny [ When was Jerry Anderson's work not corny?] but huge fun!
Space Precinct (Full Episodes)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiZCl6XIGf-juekkdI9LtQ7NPKtbMD1Nt
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SPACE PRECINCT
My #1 FAVORITE Gerry Anderson series. And, the one I feel has THE BEST writing. (The only ones that come close are FIREBALL XL5 and TERRAHAWKS.)
The crazy thing, the last time I watched this, was at one point it suddenly felt as if it was the only TV series I'd ever watched that could have been written by JACK KIRBY. Anderson was definitely a Kirby fan, as there's bits of Kirby stuff and tributes to his work in most of Anderson's shows. But this was the only one that felt as if Kirby had WRITTEN it himself.
I love how all the aliens, no matter how ridiculous they LOOK, are more "human" than ANY of the human characters on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION. The precinct captain with the noticable IRISH ACCENT a blatent example. ;D
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The Making Of Gerry Anderson's Space Precinct (Documentary)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6oM0k25xxU
I love how all the aliens, no matter how ridiculous they LOOK, are more "human" than ANY of the human characters on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION.
That was my opinion too. Seriously impressed.
Then I watched this documentary.
What is Gerry Anderson all about? PUPPETS!
It blew me away! The heads are puppets and the movements are radio-controlled!
So, what has happened to this technology and why hasn't it been more widely used?
Presumabley Gerry owns the rights.
Amazing!
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At a time when US sci-fi was increasingly using CGI, I thought SPACE PRECINCT has the BEST "minatures" I'd ever seen on any sci-fi TV series.
But what really held it together was the CHARACTERS.
After 7 years, I'd come to HATE every single character on ST:TNG. It wasn't until the 2nd TNG movie that they miraculously got those sorry people back on track where I actually began to like some of them again. I think that's a real problem when you HATE the characters on any given series.
I loved ALL the characters on SPACE PRECINCT. Patrick Brogan was so wonderful, so was his wife, I really liked his kids... Jack Haldane was like a VASTLY better-written version of "Starbuck", Jane Castle-- MY GOD what a SWEETIE!! (Turns out I was astrologically compatible with the actress who played her... no wonder I liked her SO much.)
But then there was also the use of tech. On ST:TNG, they were so full of themselves and in love with what came to known as "techno-babble". They'd forgotten all about telling good stories, and having tech in the background, where you KNOW what it is because you SEE what it does. You don't stand there for 5 minutes EXPLAINING a telephone.
There's a scene in the SP pilot where Patrick & Jack are acting as bodyguards for a witness. A hit-man breaks in to kill them all. Suddenly, Patrick's son calls him on the phone... which happens to DOUBLE as a wall-mounted widescreen TV. His son SEES the hitman and yells out to his Dad, distracting the killer and alowing the cops to NAIL the bastard. It was so simple, so obvious, so wonderful, in that instant I thought, I've never seen "tech" used this clever on any previous TV series. And the whole series was like that!
An all-time favorite bit of dialogue for me also came from this show. In one story, they run across a woman of questionable morals (a bounty hunter) who Pratrick was once involved with. Jack's attracted to her, but asks Patrick, WHY Sally, and not this hot woman? Patrick replied... "You don't get married because you want to live with someone. You get married because you CAN'T LIVE without them." Wow. I wish more people I've known in my life had heard this. I'd probably know fewer divorced people.
I've still got a few Gerry Anderson shows to buy/upgrade to DVD, and SPACE PRECINCT is THE ONE I'm most looking forward to (although, TERRAHAWKS, coming up in about 6 months, is a close 2nd). I'm doing them all in sequence!
Sunday night I'm starting in on THUNDERBIRDS: 2086. A friend at work taped every single episode of this for me off of Prism back in the 80s. So glad he did. The DAMNED thing is not available on DVD! And it's one of the best cartoons to come out of that decade.
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Right now I'm watching the series 'LONGMIRE', which I didn't find very exciting at first, but it just got better and better with each episode. The lead role is played by Australian actor Robert Taylor who, as far as I know, has been in US productions for 20 years.
WIKIPEDIA:
Longmire is an American modern Western crime drama television series that premiered on June 3, 2012 on the A&E network, developed by John Coveny and Hunt Baldwin. The series is based on the Walt Longmire Mysteries series of novels by Craig Johnson. It centers on Walt Longmire, a sheriff in fictional Absaroka County, Wyoming. He is assisted by staff, friends, and his daughter in investigating major crimes within his jurisdiction.
Longmire became the "highest-rated original drama series" on A&E; however, the network announced in August 2014 that it would not renew the series after the third season. Warner Horizon Television offered it to other networks and Netflix picked it up, starting with season four. Netflix released the sixth and final season on November 17, 2017.
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I was a huge fan of Longmire.
Apparently the average age of the viewers was quite high and that was one reason the show was dropped. They prefer a younger audience.
The show had a great cast and great production values.
Craig Johnson is still writing Longmire novels but they are not easy to get in Australia.
Also in the cast were
Katee Sackhoff, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Peter Weller.
I should get the DVDs out and watch it again.
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This weekend's movies:
THE DUNWICH HORROR (my 1st time on Blu-Ray!!)
SON OF DRACULA (ditto)
THE FIFTH ELEMENT ("for no damn reason"-- heehee)
Tonight: episode 5 of THUNDERBIRDS 2086 (cartoon from Japan)
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Summer in the city :) 8)
It's too warm and too hot to read so I'm currently watching the 'Gotham' series (USA 2014-2019, 100 episodes in 5 seasons). The series is very brutal in places, but the brutality is tempered by the "unreality", by the exaggerated portrayal of people and situations, because such a "reality" could naturally never exist. The actor Donal Logue brings humor to the series and develops after the first few episodes from a corrupt cop into one of the few likeable characters in the series.
What surprised me was the actor Robin Lord Taylor, whom I hadn't met before, and who gave a great performance in his role as Oswald Chesterfield "Penguin" Cobblepot. Although the "Penguin" is completely crazy and brutally, but as a viewer of this series, as soon as he appears in an episode, you think tensely, let's see what he's doing now. :o ;D
Another star of the series is the city itself. The images and views of the city of Gotham are beautifully done, showing a dark, dirty and hopeless city. The mixture of older design and modern technology shows a dystopian world, shows a successful mixture of "real world", of dystopia, cyberpunk and steampunk.
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I just ordered the Studio Canal Region 2 DVDs of THE AVENGERS season 4.
That's DIANA RIGG's 1st season, the moody one in BLACK IN WHITE, which I consider the all-time high point era of the series.
I already had earlier DVDs of seasons 4 & 5, but those take up SO DAMN MUCH shelf-space, I regretted it almost immediately (I hadn't done the research I should have). So, coming to the end of Season 3, I decided to go looking for the newer, more compact set (which, presumably, is also of higher quality), and then give the old box to my best friend. I'm sure he won't mind! ;D
Meanwhile, I'm waiting to get in the long-long-awaited complete series box set of my #1 favorite tv series of the 1970s... McCLOUD!!! I strongly suspect they waited this damned long to put it out, because they spent all these years searching & searching, trying to find the LONG-MISSING original 6 one-hour episodes of season 1, which Universal BUTCHERED back in the early 70s to turn into a trio of unwatchable 90-minute "movies" for syndication. the box set has both versions... but I doubt I'll watch those atrocities. The original version of season 1 has not been seen in 52 years... and one review said the quality wasn't the best, BUT, stressed they were still "very watchable".
When you've put up with horrible prints of early-1930s films desperaterly in need of restoration, you're used to this sort of thing. :D
I saw season 1 when it was rerun in the summer of 1971, which is when I got HOOKED on the show. Crazy thing-- I never saw the pilot until after the show ended. I could not believe how awful it was. How did a story THAT BAD sell to series? (Did Glen Larson have blackmail photos of some network exec? heehee) I mean, as unpleasant as parts of the Clint Eastwood movie are, COOGAN'S BLUFF (which McCLOUD shamelessly ripped off- and was SUED for it) is still a better watch. Though nowhere as much fun as even the worst of the rest of the series that followed.
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Had a quite frustrating day, but towards the end of it, by sheer chance, I acquired a full DVD collection of DANGER MAN [Patrick McGoohan].
This is one of the most thorough DVD collections I have ever seen.
Not only does it include PDF's of the scripts, but among many other items, it includes 2 Danger Man annuals in PDF form!
My entertainment tonight!
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Wow! My increasingly-pathetic PBS station, back in the 80s, only ever ran the hour-long episodes-- and, after midnight on Saturday nights. They never ran the color 2-parter, and they never ran any of the earlier half-hour episodes. I managed to rent the only 5 of those that were available back then, but I have still not seen the rest.
I have 2 more Cathy Gale episodes of THE AVENGERS to go. I have the "remastered" Region 2 DVD box set of Season 4 on order from overseas. That same PBS station ran the Emma Peel & Tara King episodes in the late 80s-- on SUNDAY nights. They pissed me off so much, as, during fund-raisers, they'd run 2 back-to-back, and with all the interruptions, would not be done until 2:30 AM, when I had to get up for work the next morning. Worse-- EVERY one of the episodes they ran, the picture was FUZZY AS HELL. When the first DVDs of the show were released, Patrick Macnee went on record saying that "every" commercially-available episode before then had been ILLEGAL BOOTLEGS. So I'm really looking forward to a major upgrade here.
I have ONE more season 3 episode of THE MAN OF UNCLE to go, before moving on to the reportedly far-more-serious season 4, none of which I have ever seen before.
After that... the next 60s show I hope to go after will be... MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. I'm really looking forward to this, as to this day, I have NEVER SEEN a single episode from season 1. (Most people have no idea Peter Graves was a replacement who debuted in season 2!)
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They never ran the color 2-parter, and they never ran any of the earlier half-hour episodes.
My box set, [Region 2, company called Network] has the color 2 parter of Koroshi plus the original shorter version.
cheers!
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Last summer I bought a Region-Free DVD player, just so I could get the Region 2 remastered box sets of THE AVENGERS.
Soon after, I started finding other Region 2 discs to enjoy... a French murder mystery from 1942, a pair of Italian SHERLOCK HOLMES adaptations (those did not come with English subtitles), and then a Czech Jules Verne comedy.
I was that close to going after that Region 4 McCLOUD disc from Australia (the original versions of season 1), but this Canadian company eliminated the need for that (Seasons 1-7, the pilot, the reunion movie, and the horrible syndicated butcher job versions of season 1).
"All" I'm missing from that set if COOGAN'S BLUFF, and I'll be getting that on Friday.
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I started assembling a McCLOUD index on my computer over the weekend, and was shocked to find out something I had NEVER noticed or realized before!
That is, the guy responsible for starting the McCLOUD series was actually Leslie Stevens, the creator of THE OUTER LIMITS. My favorite TV writer, Glen Larson, had NOTHING whatsoever to do with that AWFUL, ghastly pilot.
When the show went to series (or, mini-series, if you look at the 6 FOUR IN ONE episodes that way), Stevens promoted himself to Executive Producer, and hired Glen Larson as Producer! The show improved drastically.
However, after those 6 episodes, perhaps being unsure of the series fate, Larson left to do ALIAS SMITH AND JONES, which debuted in late 1970 or early 1971. When McCLOUD continued as part of the new NBC MYSTERY MOVIE, its 2nd season was produced by Dean Hargrove, with Peter Allan Fields as his assistant.
Apparently, when ALIAS SMITH AND JONES was cancelled in the wake of Pete Duel's suicide, Larson decided to return to McCLOUD, while Hargrove moved on to do MADIGAN (which lasted one season). I've only recently seen a video of Larson describing loking at season 2 and realising they were treating Dennis Weaver all wrong. He said they made McCloud seem like "Chester" from GUNSMOKE, when he should have been more like John Wayne or Clint Eastwood-- more aggressive, confident & pro-active.
In a weird way, McCLOUD as a series REALLY hit its stride with season 3. And to think, until recently, seasons 3-7 have NEVER been released on tape or disc!
Strangely enough, Leslie Stevens worked with Glen Larson again, on both BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. I mention BUCK first, because, the pilots for both shows were done almost at the same time, with BUCK being done first. However, massive re-writes, re-shoots & re-edits were done between the time the original, NEVER-aired version of the pilot was done, and the 2nd version was released theatrically in early 1979. More re-shoots were done before the 3rd version was broadcast on NBC in September 1979.
I'd say they kept making it worse, not better. Apparently, the Western Publishing comic-book adaptation followed the origiinal unaired version of the film, which contained several bits of explanation completely missing from the 2 later revised versions. (This included that Kane had tampered with the programming of the computer council, who were responsible for convicting Buck to death, and also screwing with the Earth fighter battle computers, which made it impossible for them to beat Draconian fighters. You'd think those would be IMPORTANT details not to remove from a story!)
It seems clear to me that Stevens was a bit like Irwin Allen-- he had connections and could get s series made. But unlike Allen, he was at his best when he would hire SOMEONE ELSE better than he was to actually take charge of a show-- as he did when he hired Joe Stefano to be producer & story editor on THE OUTER LIMITS.
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Two great finds!
1/ The Sir Alec Guinness Earling Comedy DVD Collection.
The Ladykillers, Kind Hearts and Coronets, The man in the while suit and The lavender Hill mob.
The Ladykillers I am well-aquainted with. I am probably the only person on the planet who thinks the Coen Brothers Version is also a masterpiece, even though it is in many ways a quite different movie. Love them both!
2/ The Barrytown Trilogy - still mint, in the wrapper.
The What? 3 Irish movies, The Commitments, The Snapper and the Van.
The Commitments of course I have seen many times and have never ceased enjoying it.
The Van features Colm Meaney.
This collection also features, 'The Tossers Glossary' - might be worth it alone.
cheers!
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The Ladykillers ... I am probably the only person on the planet who thinks the Coen Brothers Version is also a masterpiece ...
That's quite possible, hahaha ;D
I have the film in my collection of Coen brothers films (because I'm a collector 8)), but I will never see it. Why should I do that? I would also never watch the new versions of the series 'Magnum', or 'All Creatures Great and Small'.
With great horror I remember the remake of the 'Time Machine' (2002).
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In honor of our own Quirky Quokka I watched this charming YouTube video: Quokkas React to Juggling.
Can't resist those little guys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FjFHu7ijFg
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This weekend's movies:
THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD (brand-new Blu-Ray!)
THE IN-LAWS (1979 / ditto / haven't seen this since it was in theatres)
TARZAN'S DESERT MYSTERY (2006 DVD)
THE BAT WHISPERS (1930 / widescreen version)
My new "LG" Region-Free Blu-Ray player surprised me by somehow over-riding the formats on most discs, so that everything now plays on my widescreen TV in "stretch" mode. However, the widescreen print of THE BAT WHISPERS somehow plays with black bars on all 4 sides of the image. I wonder if it would play properly on one of my other machines. (I've got 2 other films recently that had to be played in "normal" instead of "zoom" in order to avoid cutting off the top and bottom of the image; yes, not every movie on disc is created alike... or, "properly".)
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I have a DVD region 2 Blu-Ray player (Europe and a number of other countries) that sometimes doesn't display the correct aspect ratio on my TV either, but I can correct this on the TV, but sometimes it doesn't work. Then I have to search for a menu item in the depths of the TV software where I can change that. But that doesn't happen very often.
By the way, I only have one BluRay (for testing purposes): Dylan Dog, aka DellaMorte DellAmore, aka Cemetery Man, aka Zombie Graveyard, a 1994 Italian horror film (original language: English!) based on the Dylan Dog comics.
Since simple DVD's are apparently no longer in great demand, you can (at least here in Germany) buy them very cheaply used and the picture quality is enough for me. :)
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I just tested the Region 2 Blu-Ray of THE AVENGERS by re-watching "The Town of No Return" for the 4th time in a month.
"PERFECT"!!!!!
It's not just one thing, it's both.
My old 1980s videotape recorded off PBS had a lot of damage. The 2002 Region 1 A&E DVD was clear. The 2010 Region 2 Blu-Ray, someone had "remastered" it again-- and gone too damned far. They cranked the CONTRAST up so high, that whenever you had dark scenes, you COULDN'T SEE any detail! (Shades of the Warner Archive BRs of HORROR OF DRACULA and DRACULA PRINCE OF DARKNESS.)
Well, the 2015 Region 2 Blu-Ray, the picture quality was PERFECT. I might want to try comparing it against the 2002 disc, but it's definitely, infinitely better than the 2010 disc.
Oh yeah-- and there's the other thing. It's playing at the CORRECT SPEED.
(51:51 -- the Region 2 DVD was 49:47)
This, it turns out, is the real problem with PAL DVDs. How bizarre that a technical issue that was such a problem in the early 60s should still exist nowadays. I suspected seasons 2 & 3 might be running a bit fast, but it was just too damned obvious with season 4, which is why I sent that box back... and bought a Region-Free Blue Ray player. BEST $120.00 I spent this year!
Now I know I can go after seasons 5 & 6, and THE NEW AVENGERS, in the same format!
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Just finished the second season of "Dalgleish"- excellent! Also finished the new season of "The Landers"- a lot of fun. Currently watching "Under the Vines" , a comedy about two relatives (who can't stand each other) inheriting a broken down winery in New Zealand. Actually quite good. Sunday, we get the new seasons of "Unforgotten" (will it be any good without Nikola Walker?) and "Van Der Valk". Looking forward to those! Cheers, bowers
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I finally have one of the gems of British entertainment on DVD: 'Yes Minister' and 'Yes, Prime Minister'. The episodes are also dubbed in German, except for the second season of 'Yes, Prime Minister', but for those I have English subtitles so I will understand them well. 8)
Together with the Pythons, Black Adder, Jeeves & Wooster and Coupling now I have a nice collection of British humor highlights. :)
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Comickraut, [and others] you might like this 'restoration' of one of the all-time classic movies.
Metropolis Homage To Morodor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjgxQ1eeK60
[This version of "Metropolis" is edited to match the continuity of the 1984 Giorgio Morodor reconstruction, but in better quality. The Doctor X soundtrack is also inspired by the Morodor version - heavy on the synths!]
Enjoy!
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Food for thought.
All of his points are good, but they are no means the whole story.
The Inevitable Failure of 2023 Blockbusters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pSRihQY64o&ab_channel=FriendlySpaceNinja
Tired Franchises Hollywood Refuses To Let Die
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0T0nDZqujVw&ab_channel=FriendlySpaceNinja
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Comickraut, [and others] you might like this 'restoration' of one of the all-time classic movies. Metropolis
Oh, Oh, Oh, Panther, my dear friend :), maybe it's not that well known, but 'Metropolis' is a German national shrine 8) and every silent film lover, whether in Germany or in the whole world, shudders at this Moroder version. :o
To write a lengthy meaningful contribution to this classic film in the wonderful English language will take me, well, let's say a week or two, but I won't forget the task, I promised this you can rest assured. :)
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'Metropolis' is a German national shrine 8) and every silent film lover, whether in Germany or in the whole world, shudders at this Moroder version.
Oh, I am well aware!
I have the original version too.
But I'm a rebel.
I'm not afraid to be blasphemous when it comes to film.
And I like both versions.
Here is the original
Metropolis (1927) FULL MOVIE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_4no842TX8&ab_channel=AllTimeClassics
Metropolis is now widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential films ever made, ranking 35th in Sight & Sound's 2012 critics' poll. In 2001, the film was inscribed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register, the first film thus distinguished.
Metropolis (1927) - Full movie | Soundtrack by Tomer Baruch & Alex Brajkovic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pWDtEs8SI0&ab_channel=TomerBaruch
That one has a different new soundtrack.
The one below is for 3 hours and has yet another score.
METROPOLIS - Fritz Lang - New Version 2022 - 3 Hours - New English Intertitles & Music Soundtrack 4K
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Metropolis+full+movie+
The important thing is that the film is still out there and more and more people are aware of its existence and its power.
Youtube comment
When I first saw this, I thought it was and amazing piece of art deco work, wonderful in terms of looks. I had no concept as to the depth of understanding revealed in it's plot. It was only after years of studying the occult then being led to a greater understanding of things and turning to Christ that years later I viewed Metropolis again. This time I am in turns amazed, horrified, and in awe. A more powerfully prophetic movie could not have been created. While it is over long, and a touch melodramatic to modern eyes, the plot it clear for those with eyes to see. Clear and ongoing.
And yet another version - this one with a soundtrack by the Deutsch performers, Dronehenge and the subtitles also in Deutsch.
02.06.2023: Stumfilmkonsert med Dronehenge: Metropolis (1927)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gB7eWaXuVk&ab_channel=Bergenfilmklubb
cheers!
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A nice post, Panther, so I don't have to write much anymore :), maybe some personal thoughts.
But I'm a rebel.
Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to be a rebel ;D, although I've seen the old version and, for comparison, the new, almost complete version of 'Metropolis' in one day.
When it became known in July 2008 that a 16 mm positive copy of the almost complete original world-version of the film that had been believed lost had been found in the 'Pablo C. Ducrós Hicken Film Museum' in Buenos Aires, there was great joy. At that time there was a great silent film internet forum in Germany, which unfortunately no longer exists. In the forum we celebrated the discovery of the new/old 'Metropolis' version and couldn't wait for the film to be released. One of the forum members is a well-known silent film pianist and composer and he had the opportunity to be one of the first to see a copy of the version found in Argentina, so we in the forum were all well informed, often before details were released to the press.
On February 12th, 2010 the time had finally come: The reconstructed version of 'Metropolis' was premiered at the same time in the 'Friedrichstadt-Palast' in Berlin and in the 'Alten Oper' in Frankfurt. The Berlin performance ran at the same time on the French-German cultural TV channel 'Arte' and publicly on a big screen at the 'Brandenburger Tor', with large audiences not bothered by the sub-zero temperatures. Of course, as a real couch potato ::) 8) I sat in my warm home in front of the TV and that was a beautiful day. :)
Here's the link to Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_(1927_film) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_(1927_film))
This is a nice German silent film site, unfortunately without a forum: https://www.stummfilm-magazin.de/ (https://www.stummfilm-magazin.de/)
The best-known English-language site on the subject 'Old Movies' is probably Nitrateville: https://www.nitrateville.com/ (https://www.nitrateville.com/)
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One for the Dan Dare fans
Dan Dare - The Voyage to Venus (Feature Version)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSCC31pTbJk
Youtube commentary
[This is the feature version of my earlier posted Dan Dare webseries for those of you who prefer it in that format. It is essentially the same, but with individual ep titles removed and editing to make the eps flow better together. It is an adaption of the first Dan Dare adventure which appeared in the UK's Eagle comic over 60 years ago and is a marvellous SF adventure story of the first expedition to Venus, with the incredible artwork of Frank Hampson portraying the heroes,]
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Comickraut
Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to be a rebel
Not sure I see the connection. ??? ??? ???
However, here's some Groucho you probably haven't heard!
Groucho Marx roasts Johnny Carson (1968)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bve2lKef_2E
I couldn't stop laughing! I hope your English is good enough!
cheers!
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Panther, you wrote: "But I'm a rebel. I'm not afraid to be blasphemous when it comes to film. And I like both versions."
And I wrote: "I don't have enough time to be a rebel." By that I meant that I don't have time to watch different versions of a film and so I can't be a rebel like you. :D
Groucho Marx roasts Johnny Carson (1968)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bve2lKef_2E
I couldn't stop laughing! I hope your English is good enough!
Oh yes, that's wonderful! With the help of the English subtitles that you can switch on, I was able to understand it well.
By the way, you can use the 'Settings' option to switch on many different languages as subtitles, which is not perfect, but very helpful.
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Les Petits Meurtres d'Agatha Christie
aka
The Little Murders of Agatha Christie or Agatha Christie's Criminal Games
France (2009-2023)
A quite entertaining series, loosely adapted from Agatha Christie stories, with different actors in the seasons, the action takes place in the 30s, 50s/60s and 70s.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Petits_Meurtres_d%27Agatha_Christie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Petits_Meurtres_d%27Agatha_Christie)
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I also loved this series, Comickraut! Our PBS channel would show it at strange and inconvenient times, so I don't think I got to see them all. Yes, they were rather loosely adapted, but so much fun- Alice was priceless!
Just finished the new seasons of "Unforgotten" and "Van der Valk". Didn't care much for "Unforgotten" this season- too paced and plodding, almost boring! I did enjoy seeing Hayley Mills in a small role. (Maybe I just miss Nicola Walker!). "Van der Valk" was quite good this year- such an excellent cast. Great chemistry and it shows. You just know they love working together!
We found a newer Australian series, "Darby and Joan". Great to see Bryan Brown again! Kind of a mystery/ road trip thing with some absolutely breathtaking scenery! Also, can't forget to mention our favorite Canadian series, "Murdoch Mysteries". Just about finished with season 16. Cheers, bowers
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Managed to get hold of Elementary Series 1 to 5 on DVD. I had watched some episodes before but not regularly.
It is good to be able to watch them in order and see plot and character development.
This Holmes is clearly portrayed as somewhere on the autistic spectrum. He is both intellectually brilliant and extremely lacking in social skills.
Jonny Lee Miller, Lucy Liu ( as Dr Watson, Holmes paid sobriety companion) and Aidan Quinn (Police Captain Gregson) are a great cast. Holmes, as played by Miller, is very believable - I have worked with and met people like that. He is both someone you have to take very seriously and at the same time, a complete pain in the arse.
I like this better than the BBC Sherlock. For mine, it has more depth and Miller's Holmes is more of a three-dimensional character.
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Also, can't forget to mention our favorite Canadian series, "Murdoch Mysteries".
What a coincidence, two weeks ago I saw an episode of the 'Murdoch Mysteries' for the first time. I liked the episode so I googled the series at the next day and was surprised to find that there are already over 250 episodes - it will be a nice and long way to pass the time. :)
On the same day I also saw an episode of 'Adam Dalgliesh', this also seems to me to be a very interesting series.
Elementary
A modern Sherlock Holmes story that I also really liked. I haven't seen the BBC Sherlock (Cumberbatch) yet, but the films are somewhere in my collection. By the way, I first saw Cumberbatch in Hugh Laurie's miniseries 'Dr. Slippery'.
In the last few months I've been watching 'Cheers' whenever I have time and now I'm watching 'Frazier' whenever I have time and both series are a great pleasure.
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The wife and I are currently watching the second seasons of "Annika", "Hotel Portofino", and "World on Fire". All are quite good, but I have to say we're enjoying "Annika" the most. Nicola Walker's deadpan quips are priceless! I forgot to mention we also found a second season of "Harry Wild" and it's also very good. Jane Seymour just never seems to age!
I've found a mini-series called "The Winter King" and, so far, it's pretty decent. It's an alternative telling of the King Arthur story. Lots of hacking and slashing (of course) but an interesting story line. Grungy and gritty with an appropriate feel for the clothing, weapons, fortifications, etc. of the time. Definitely no elaborate castles or knights in shining armor! Cheers, bowers
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Bowers, Annika is a great show, but then, I'm a huge fan of Nicola - hope you've been watching Unforgotten.
The new series of Shetland started this week. Dougie Henshall as Jimmy Perez has gone and Ashley Jensen turns up as D. I. Calder. So different. Highly entertaining.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-67309150
We're also watching re-runs of Brokenwood, a NZ show and great fun, good mysteries, good cast incl Fern Sutherland
https://thebrokenwoodmysteries.com
Signora Volpe stated this week but I haven't watched it yet. It's been on streaming but we only have cooncil telly.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15193160/
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OK, we've now watched the first episode of Signora Volpe, and it was good entertainment. Apart from anything else, the scenery is gorgeous.
Emilia Fox previously starred in Silent Witness and other tv shows and films.
Her she plays Signora Volpe, spy, who has problems with MI6 and goes to Italy to stay with her sister.
Slowly, a mystery develops. Most enjoyable. Look out for this one - she's no slouch.
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Greetings, Paw! Yes, we watched the latest season of "Unforgotten". Quite good, but I think the chemistry between Sunny and Jess will be much better next season. We saw and enjoyed "Signora Volpe" last year and hope there will be another season! We can't get "Shetland" on a regular basis, but from the little I've seen it's great. Have you watched "The Majorca Files"? Beautiful scenery, quirky characters, and scripts with just the right touch of humor. Missed the first season, but loved the second! Currently watching a Canadian series called "The Republic of Doyle" featuring a father-son private investigator team. Lighthearted, action-packed derring-do that can be a bit racy at times. May not be the greatest, but never boring! Did I mention "Cannes Confidential", with Jamie Bamber? Also worth a watch. Cheers, bowers
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Majorca Files, yes we had it a few years ago and one of the commercial channels is repeating it.
An attraction for us is, for a few years, we had holidays on the island but we always stayed in Palma. We've seen a lot of the island and the scenery is as good as on the show.
Some of the many resorts on the island are "bucket and spade" resorts- lots of British families with children having beach holidays. As we're old curmudgeons, being in the city and travelling around suited us. Some of the towns a villages are beautiful though.
Shetland. The 2nd episode was on last night and was excellent. Ashley Jensen as D.I. Calder is great as a slightly flawed detective. No spoilers but if you can find this new serial, you'll enjoy it. Phyllis Logan does her hard matriarch thing to great effect.
We never caught Republic of Doyle but we'll try to chase down Cannes confidential.
As we had never watched it, we're enjoying NCIS, which is showing again from the 1st episode. It's a wee entertainment.
I can't remember if I mentioned Shakespeare and Hathaway, but if you fancy some light, sometimes funny, decent mysteries, this could be for you.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b09trrn9/shakespeare-hathaway-private-investigators
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We enjoyed Shakespeare and Hathaway! Mark Benton and Jo Joyner were a perfect match and the writing was quite good.
Watched NCIS religiously for the first 13 seasons but stopped when our favorite characters, Tony and Ziva, left the series. It just wasn't the same, although the writers did later give us some closure on their relationship. Dr. Mallard (Ducky), so very well played by David McCallum, sadly passed a few months ago, and Marc Harmon bailed in season19. I think that just leaves one original cast member, McGee. This franchise launched a new spinoff this year, NCIS-Sydney. Cheers, bowers
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Watched NCIS religiously for the first 13 seasons but stopped when our favorite characters, Tony and Ziva, left the series. It just wasn't the same, although the writers did later give us some closure on their relationship. Dr. Mallard (Ducky), so very well played by David McCallum, sadly passed a few months ago, and Marc Harmon bailed in season19. I think that just leaves one original cast member, McGee.
I stopped watching it about the same time. Michael Weatherly left to star in his own series which didn't last long. Pauley Perrette as NCIS Forensic Specialist Abby Sciuto, left 2 seasons later.
I watched NCIS: Los Angeles for a while, Good to see Chris O'Donnell resurrect his career after the career destoryng batman movie. This one relied too much on Machine Gun fights in which no-one ever got hurt.
Got too annoying eventually.
I didn't mind NCIS: New Orleans with Scott Bakula , Lucas Black , and CCH Pounder.
One of the high-points of NCIS was the casting.
Round about then, I stopped watching Free-to Air TV altogether, except for occasionally sporting events.
Just sick of non-stop advertising, dumbing down, and being lied to.
So, DVD's and Internet for me.
This franchise launched a new spinoff this year, NCIS-Sydney.
That would be because NCIS is very popular here. Won't be going out of my way to watch it.
Cheers!
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I haven't watched current television programs for a long time, I only watch DVD and Internet (YouTube) and the freely accessible media libraries of public television stations.
Right now I'm really enjoying watching the series '30 Rock'. A completely crazy series with great actors and many guest appearances by well-known actors and gags every minute, sometimes more. . . ;D
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_Rock (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_Rock)
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I, too, rarely watch current network series (if ever!). The writers and show-runners seem to be afraid to challenge the viewers and instead give us the same old predictable situations. The last one I watched was NCIS-LA which had some good writing and cast chemistry. Panther did mention the ridiculous amount of machinegun battles in nearly every episode and I heartily agree!
I'm still on cable. My last cable box mistakenly gave me great movie channels, like Turner Classic Movies, for free. Got away with that for about five years until they "upgraded" it last year. But the joke's on them- my new box gives me about twenty new channels that aren't even listed! Found 'em by surfing the up and down control! Cheers, bowers
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Just found this gem on YouTube. All 6 episodes are here.
I have it somewhere on DVD.
https://www.youtube.com/@TheMidnightScreening
Charlie Jade Ep 1 - 6
[Charlie Jade is a science fiction television series filmed mainly in Cape Town, South Africa. It stars Jeffrey Pierce in the title role, as a detective from a parallel universe who finds himself trapped in our universe. This is a Canadian and South African co-production filmed in conjunction with CHUM Television and the South African Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). The special effects were produced by the Montreal-based company Cinegroupe led by Michel Lemire.
The show started in 2004 and was aired on the Canadian Space Channel. It premiered on the Space Channel April 16, 2005 and aired in Eastern Europe, France, Italy, on SABC 3 in South Africa, on Fox Japan, and on AXN in Hong Kong. The show began airing in the United Kingdom in October 2007, on FX. The Sci Fi Channel in the United States premiered the show on June 6, 2008, but after 2 episodes on Friday prime-time, was moved to overnight Mon/Tue.]
In other words, in the Anglosphere - the English-speaking world, it's hardly ever been seen.
Charlie Jade
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Jade
WARNING! SPOILERS!
I strongly suggest you do not read the rest of the Wikipedia article before you watch the series. :-X :-X
Merry Christmas!
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While the 90s restoration of METROPOLIS (halfway in length between the 1984 and 2010 restorations) in undeniably better and more coherent, I LIKE ther 1984 restoration better!
People need to remember what was and WAS NOT available before Giorgio Moroder decided to tackle that project.
And, small as it was (The Roxy Screening Room in Philly) I DID see the 1984 restoration in a movie theatre.
At some point, no doubt, I'll probably get all 3 restorations on disc. One of these days.
I remember once seeing online (at Amazon?) MULTIPLE versions of the 90s restoration, each one with a different musical score. And some were said to be "futuristic sci-fi" type music.
I also remember in the late 90s when Amazon had at least a dozen different videotapes of the Lon Chaney PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, each with a different musical score. Naturally, I got the Rick Wakeman one.
Not too long ago, I got that same movie on DVD. However, I was SERIOUSLY disappointed. Whoever did it for Rick, did a sloppy job. The soundtrack, unlike listening to a videotape, was CRYSTAL-CLEAR, SHARP, PERFECT. But the film was missing the color tinting. And the last reel was all "BLUE"-- and SO DARK you couldn't see anything. The incredible climax of the film, MURDERED by technical incompetence.
I keep putting it off (there's only so many hours in a day), but when I get my new computer set up, my intention is to get a VIDEO EDITING program... and assemble a BETTER copy of that Wakeman project. Then send the first copy to Rick and say, "This is how it's done."
;D
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My favorite Metropolis soundtrack was recorded for the Moroder cut by the Club Foot Orchestra (1991). That year they performed the score live at a Venice, California movie house and curse it, I missed the event. As far as story is concerned, the 2010 restoration is very long but worth the time. Seemingly irrational events in the preceding versions make sense once the backstory is laid out.
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Paw! your name-checking a movie on 'The reading Group' resulted in my getting lost on YouTube. So this is your fault!
Found a Lone Wolf movie I don't think I've yet seen.
Secrets of the Lone Wolf (1941) Full Movie | Warren William, Ruth Ford,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtWIbxJakD8
Then three Guy Kibbie B grade detective movies. I know nothing about Kibbie, but he seems to have made a few of these.
Scattergood Survives a Murder (1942) Full Movie | Guy Kibbee, John Archer, Margaret Hayes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfYznXntYFw
Scattergood Baines (1941) Full Movie | Guy Kibbee, Carol Hughes, John Archer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiF8D4i5gtg
Jim Hanvey Detective (1937) MYSTERY
PizzaFlix
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzztLuYRw7I
It seems clear that when TV originated, these kinds of B-movie characters and scenarios became the basic for regular TV shows.
A Good Noir - not a good print.
Nancy Steele is Missing (1937) Full Movie | Victor McLaglen, Walter Connolly, Peter Lorre
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8-RS7SMZ1g
enjoy!
And please check out Charlie Jade. You will be glad you did.
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Haven't watched any of these yet, but two titles caught my eye. Scattergood Baines was a series character in The Saturday Evening Post; I ran across him while researching Post illustrators. Jim Hanvey was another magazine character, I'm not sure which magazine. When I was in high school I read a detective-story anthology that contained a Hanvey story alongside other better-known characters. I had no idea either of them had been adapted for movies.
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Found this channel which has [all?] the Animated Blake and Mortimer series in English.
Blake and Mortimer
https://www.youtube.com/@BlakeandMortimerEnglish
Confession. I prefer these to the books, which I find far too wordy.
Also,
BOB Morane - also in english. The art is very stylistic and cartoony but I quite like it, much to my surprise.
https://www.youtube.com/@bobmoraneenglishofficial901
And if you look at the bottom of that page,
You will find,
Valerian & Laureline, Lucky Luke, Corto Maltese and a few more.
enjoy!
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When I was zapped by Covid some weeks ago I watched a movie suggested by our own Paw Broon, Cash on Demand. It's a 1961 crime suspense film and it's great. Peter Cushing stars as the manager of a small local bank who learns his family has been taken hostage by a gang demanding his help in looting the bank. It's a compact little gem that held my interest throughout. The film was adapted from a stage play. It has a certain theatrical feel in that it's dialogue-driven and the action is limited to a small area. This proves to be an asset rather than a liability. The claustrophobic atmosphere heightens the tension.
The film is on YouTube. The version I watched ran a hour and 20 minutes. I noticed another YouTube print runs just over an hour. I gather this one is the 1963 re-release which cut scenes involving Cushing's relationship to his staff. I'd go for the original version. Thanks for the referral, Paw.
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I just watched RUN SILENT RUN DEEP for I believe only the 2nd time. War films are not really my thing, although "submarine" films as a sub-genre do often hold my interest. Anyway, this is one DAMNED GOOD movie!!! Great, gripping, suspenseful story, terrific characters, fabulous cast (including Jack Warden, H.M. Wynant, Don Rickles, Ken Lynch, in addition to Clark Gable & Burt Lancaster), terrific miniature work-- the whole shebang.
This was often mistakenly referenced as the main source of the STAR TREK episode "Balance Of Terror". That actually was a remake of THE ENEMY BELOW, with Curt Jurgens as a sympathetic German u-boat commander. However, I noted that at least 4 different STAR TREK stories borrowed from this single film!
"Balance Of Terror" -- the scene where both subs turn off their motors and hover in silence
"The Doomsday Machine" -- where Burt Lancaster accuses Clark Gable of violating direct Navy orders to avenge "A DEAD CREW"!
STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE -- One man PULLS RANK to take over a ship already assigned to another Captain, while insisting that man stay onboard as his exec, despite the resentment among the crew it will cause. This is the main part of the Gable-Lancaster film, and was done at least 100 times better in the original film than it was in the 1979 abortion.
STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN -- the scene where the 2 subs PASS by each other closely just missing hitting each other.
Thsi first half of the film, Gable pushes the crew to drill and drill to get their torpedo timing down. Then, just about at the halfway point, he blows up a Japanese destroyer in a "bow shot"-- head-on-- an almost-impossible-to-make shot that is usually only done in moments of desperation. Once this is accomplished, calmly, methodically, that's when Gable announces he's violating Navy orders to take the sub into an area that no less than 4 US subs have been destroyed in under a year.
The whole time, he's planning to take out a certain Japanese destroyer. It's only AFTER he succeeds-- that they suddenly realize, it was actually ANOTHER submarine that destroyed all 4 US subs!
Anyone who's never seen this, I give it my highest reccomendation.
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Re. Star Trek. I invested in the 1st season of Star Trek Prodigy and I'm enjoying it. Even better is the Janeway hologram as mentor.
The new series of Vera is on now with David Leon returning, now an inspector. I know some of you weren't taken with Vera, but we think it's been good, well done, tv with a lot of police procedural to keep us happy.
Crash thoroughly enjoyed the British B&W film, Cash on Demand - Peter Cushing, Andre Morell. It's here:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l7kFdkOW-8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l7kFdkOW-8)
Also, if you haven't seen it, High Treason is excellent. This is a poorer copy but it doesn't have the Amersoft mark like the better version. Andre Morell again:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFU9iPQHOKA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFU9iPQHOKA)
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I second Paw's suggestion to watch High Treason. It concerns the good guys uncovering and derailing a huge terrorist plot. As an early Cold War paranoia film it sports some stereotype bad guys (especially the effete intellectuals praising unlistenable modern music). Communism is never mentioned but there's no doubt who the enemy is. Despite this the film is so well written, acted, and shot that it grabs you and doesn't let go. There's a terrific action finale at the Battersea Power Station. I loved it.
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Some Vintage Bulldog Drummond
Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police (1939) JOHN HOWARD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wV3hRroG4DE
Bulldog Drummond Escapes | THRILLER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3Z_NSg0NCo
[Ray Milland]
Bulldog Drummond's Revenge (1937) JOHN HOWARD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xfhh0f3sGms
Bulldog Drummond Comes Back (1937) | Full Movie | John Barrymore | John Howard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pQfG_gKUaM
Bulldog Drummond's Bride (1939) JOHN HOWARD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SANFRsJJr30
Bulldog Drummond in Africa (1938) JOHN HOWARD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4wLJQkoG_4
[Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back 1947
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8XG_Gj0iGo
Bulldog Drummond 1929
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6nyHEZaxn4
And a horse of a different colour,
Calling Paul Temple
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfQzoFoxcjA
Watching the last one now, enjoy!
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I've never been a big Bulldog Drummond fan, save for this earliest (sound) version. It's remarkable how much still holds up, especially for a 1929 talkie. Visually it's a treat thanks to some budding A-list talent. Greg Toland on cinematography, William Cameron Menzies on art direction, and Frank & Viola Lawrence on editing give the production a gloss missing from so many early sound films. The direction by F Richard Jones keeps the camera moving and once again helps the movie look more like a mid-1930s production. Unfortunately this was Jones' last feature. He died the following year of TB.
The acting is the weak link that shouts "Early talkie." Not the indomitable Ronald Coleman. Only his second talkie, but he already has the style and easy assurance of a Golden Age pro. He makes the film. It's downhill from there, I'm afraid. Joan Bennett, still a kid, is whiny and stiff. Montague Love (Peterson) and Lilyan Tashman (Irma) are acceptable. Claud Allister, as Drummond's pal Algy, is absolutely insufferable. If they'd cut his endless unfunny comedy bits the movie would have been tighter and no one would have missed him. But even his overacted Upperclass English Ass routine pales before Lawrence Grant as evil scientist Dr Lakington. He chews the scenery (as well as his fake side whiskers) so strenuously that we'd think he's supposed to be a parody of movie mad scientists--except that talkies hadn't been around long enough to establish the cliche.
The story is full of illogical choices by the characters but then so was the book. Fortunately the adaptation drops the vigilante-thug-with-gang business that made the print Drummond unpleasant. Coleman gets to be both adventurous and charming. He does show his ruthless side once when he strangles one of the villains to death. However the victim is Dr Lakington, and I suspect much of the audience breathed a silent "thank you" for his demise.
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Bulldog Drummond films may not be my favorite, but they are a good way to pass a lazy afternoon, especially when the alternative is going outside to shovel snow! I also remember seeing a video of a "Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Presents" featuring Bulldog, but I don't remember much about it.
Currently watching "Monsieur Spade", with Clive Owen doing his best to channel Bogey. The premise is that Sam leaves San Francisco and retires to a quiet life (?) in France. Not sure if Owen can pull it off, but he's giving it a damn good try! The wife and I quite enjoyed the first episode. Cheers, bowers
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Finally found a vintage Arsene Lupin movie.
Not bad either.
Enter Arsene Lupin 1944 Charles Korvin & Ella Raines
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFqmykBHieI
enjoy!