Too bad the OPEN WATER 2: ADRIFT "Shark Attack" game from Lionsgate is no longer. Simple, yet tedious game which tied-in with the DVD release of the sequel to OPEN WATER. Of course, if you've seen the sequel, you know that it truly wasn't one and had nothing to do with sharks of any kind. Nice.
* Not to be confused with Tim Burton's remake, or else the game might involve dropping turds.
Mickey Rourke's performance in THE WRESTLER will go down in history as the "one that got away". I know, it's only a popularity contest and I shouldn't care that much, but the disappointment of Sean Penn winning over Rourke in this year's Academy Awards runs deep.
In my not-so-humble opinion, Rourke deserved the win, all the way. No other actor had a role that complimented their career and personality so well. No other actor truly suffered for their role to the extent that Rourke did. And, for the record, none of this year's other Oscar nominees actually slashed their forehead with a razor blade for a scene. Rourke did. So there.
During JAWS 2, after the sequence where Chief Martin Brody "starts a panic on a public beach" he receives an inspiring call from Phil Fogarty, with news of developed photos from the missing divers' camera. Brody arrives immediately and sees a couple of photos and presses Fogarty for more, to which Fogarty responds that he has another batch waiting to be developed. Together they venture into the dark room and process a mysterious photo which Brody is certain to prove his argument that another great white is at fault for the recent unexplained deaths and disappearances on the island.
With one look, he's convinced that's all the proof he needs, exclaiming, "That's the one," and marches off to the town hall meeting already-in-progress to present this evidence. Of course, no one sees what he sees, even after he's described that the shark's eye is clearly visible, along with a rather murky outline of the mouth.
So, during each viewing, I always come to the same conclusion:
Fogarty had an entire batch of undeveloped photos and Brody doesn't wait for anything further. A clear case of "woulda, coulda, shoulda" and Brody might have been able to present better evidence, thereby convincing the board and keeping his job as chief of police.
Instead, he loses the argument and position, leaving Deputy Hendricks in the wings (whose first name is "Lenny" in the original, but everyone involved on the production of the sequel seems to have forgotten that and insist on referring to him as "Jeff" after the actor's actual name).
(1976/1977) Trailers for the Bruceploitation fests, BRUCE LEE: THE MAN, THE MYTH and EXIT THE DRAGON, ENTER THE TIGER, both starring Bruce Li (Ho Chung Tao).
The films BRUCE LEE: THE MAN, THE MYTH and EXIT THE DRAGON, ENTER THE TIGER and any relating promotional materials are public domain.
Just came across this comment from Sam Raimi. My opinion follows.
"I have talked with my partners about having a young director come in and remake EVIL DEAD. That film was made in 16mm on a shoestring budget and blown up to 35mm. The visual effects are crummy, it was done in mono, not even stereo, let alone 5.1. What you could do with it now would be so much better. I think if you had a new director using the full power of 35mm and 5.1 sound, you could really make a pretty socko presentation. It was always meant for the big screen, but never really seen on the big screen."
You know, I am gut-clenchingly sick of remakes and a remake like this is the worst kind. Why? Because, it's truly a sad case when a filmmaker like Raimi, whom I thought I idolized, really doesn't understand the impact of his little shoestring 16mm mono film. Raimi obviously knows the monetary potential of the concept, but is it necessary to bemoan a film that didn't have today's technical "luxuries" at it's disposal?
THE EVIL DEAD should never be considered "crummy," old or lame. You won't see George Romero, John Carpenter or Tobe Hooper talking shit about their independent seminal slices. That's because they are of a different class. They understand that their films, despite whatever limitations, are cinematic achievements and a document of the times in which they were made. I never thought I'd say this, but "Mr. Raimi, you are a fool." And, to think that I thought you were a true renaissance man. For shame!
Now, run along and make your cookie-cutter SPIDER-MAN blockbusters for the m'asses to enjoy.
Sandy: "Danny... is this the end?" Danny: "Of course not... it's only the beginning."
Indeed it is, Zucco! That goes for both Danny and George!
Anyhow, I refused to be depressed and "out of sort" over the whole YouTube yankfest, so I've created another channel. In a way, this could turn out to be a good thing, a fresh start. This channel is actually the sister site to this blog, or vice versa, depending on your area of travel. I'm not exactly sure what I want to do with it, perhaps the dreaded "vlogging" with reviews and such. Of course, I could show off my movie collection, but aren't there quite enough of those being showcased? Also, I'm not one to grandstand (too much).
Expect the occasional trailer, TV spot, radio spot or promo. Unsure as to whether I should re-post any of my compilations or the Double Feature Trailer Shows. Whatever I choose to do, I'll explain here.
Anywayz... If you'd like to subscribe to "my new you," please do. Friend requests and comments are gladly welcomed. So, here's the LINKAGE already!
Not that there hasn't been anything to write about, or the desire to do so... I'll own up to being lazy. We'll just leave it at that, shall we?
A lame thing happened to me on Friday. Actually, in an odd way, it was a good thing. Good enough to bring me out of my writer's block, at least.
Typical Friday morning when I'm not working, I check my e-mail and login to my various "communication sites". Off I went to YouTube. I was pleased to be greeted by another of AustrailianRoadshow's private video offerings in my inbox. I clicked on it, left the room for a bit while it was loading, came back and my YouTube account was closed. Gone forever or "suspended permanently" in YT terms.
What happened? Well, during this same time that I'm on there, an account created that same day, seemingly for that exact purpose, filed claim of copyright infringement over one of my videos. The video in question was titled "Winkles Cereal," a commercial parody excerpt from the 1977 film, PRIME TIME. The company filing the claim was Taurus Entertainment. Taurus claimed ownership of the film's copyright, which I seriously question because, to my knowledge, the film's rights were never renewed and have since fallen into the public domain.
A little back history on PRIME TIME... PRIME TIME was another in the string of sketch comedy films of the 1970s, an era that truly began with Ken Shapiro's remarkable THE GROOVE TUBE. I loved this genre. Anyhow, each of these films were independent and never financed by a major studio, yet PRIME TIME was the exception. Warner Bros. produced PRIME TIME and held the initial copyright, yet got cold feet about distributing it due to it's raucious nature. Cannon Film Distributors (pre-Golan-Globus) released the film briefly in theaters and licensed it's home video usage (along with many other Cannon titles) to Paragon Video Productions in 1982. Of course, Paragon is long gone, but some of the films on that label, particularly the Cannon titles, have seen a resurgence with other companies, yet PRIME TIME never did. I believe it's last printing was circa '84-'85.
So, nothing happened with the film and, presumably, since it wasn't a Cannon production in the first place, rights were never renewed and the film began resurfacing over 20 years later in DVD movie collections chock full of public domain material. Not to mention that some PD sites have listed it, along with other sketch comedy films like TUNNEL VISION and LOOSE SHOES, as being in the public domain.
Which brings me to Taurus Entertainment...
Where do you guys get off?! As a corporation, I dug you back in the day. Waaaayyyyy back in the day, like late '80s, maybe early '90s. We're talkin' BEST OF THE BEST era, those TWO EVIL EYES days. And, yeah, I know you hold copyright on George A. Romero's epic DAY OF THE DEAD, even though you didn't make it. So, that's where my interest ends with you. Your acquisition of those rights has poisoned your blood stream with ideas of bank-off possibilities. Like soiling the legacy of the great Romero with... dun-dun-dun... DAY OF THE DEAD 2: CONTAGION. Newsflash! DAY OF THE DEAD is already a sequel to two other films, so, you can't make a PART TWO to something that's already a PART THREE. Who in the hell do you think you are? NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION 2?! If that weren't enough, you had to then spoil the hopes and dreams of Romero's fan base with CREEPSHOW III. For years, we've been begging for a third CREEPSHOW, only, we wanted a quality film from Romero and co., or at least, one with his blessing. Instead, we got your so-called sequel. That film receives the "Whuh the fuh?" award for when I stumbled upon it at the new release wall. Have I seen it? Nope. Should I see it? Nope. Same with DAY OF THE DEAD 2: CONTAGION? Yep.
Then, we have the "time to make the donuts" award for the DAY OF THE DEAD remake. The remake that came one year after you decided to make a sequel to the original?! That's right. What's up, Taurus Ent? CONTAGION didn't bring in the big bucks you wanted? Too bad. Have I seen your remake of DAY OF THE DEAD? Nope. Why not? Because, I'm on to your game, and much like an old girlfriend, after a while, you just don't care anymore. I'm so over you piss cats and Friday's seizure of my nearly 4-year-old account has sealed it with a most deadly kiss. You guys suck, for good. And, I still don't believe that you own PRIME TIME. In fact, I'm pretty damn sure of it.
At any rate, that's said and done. There's no going back, unfortunately.
In loving memory... "youtube.com/johnmorghen" (2006 - 2009)
[PLACE YOUR CHOSEN MOMENT OF SILENCE HERE]
Just for kicks... Here's Taurus' account, which, as mentioned before, was ironically created the day of my channel's demise.
I've been thinking about this film recently. It's a damn shame that Columbia Pictures never bothered to release this forgotten gem on home video. Boggles my mind actually. How can you not re-issue an Altman-produced film written and directed by Alan Rudolph? Could it be that REMEMBER MY NAME is actually more obscure than BARN OF THE NAKED DEAD?!
I was lucky enough to see it in the early '90s, courtesy of Cinemax Vanguard. As far as I know, that was the last time it has ever aired. Had I known it would have a lasting impression on me, along with it's rarity, I would have had the sense to record it. Why IFC, Sundance or TCM hasn't recognized it's potential and granted viewings is beyond me.
No one that I know has seen or heard of the film. Arguably, this is Geraldine Chaplin's finest performance and Anthony Perkins is perfect as the man in her sights. Backed by an assembly of Alberta Hunter songs, this is a slow-burn character study that proves to be truly haunting.
Needless to say, I would love to be haunted by this effective film once again.
Being a life-long JAWS fanatic, I always wanted a toy line. Forget the Matchbox Amity Police car or even the McFarlane Orca scene, I just wanted some damn action figures to fit nicely with the giant, snapping shark with the rubber-banded-jaws from my ol' JAWS game.
Apparently other finatics have wanted the same thing. Some have even gone to the lengths of creating them for themselves.
Here's a link to an article at JAWSmovie.com showcasing the devotion of one such fan, Mike Lorenz.
Pretty damn cool, but I can't help remarking that the Hooper fig looks nothing like Richard Dreyfuss to me. Resembles either Hugo Stiglitz or a bearded Cornel Wilde. Perhaps a series of TINTORERA or SHARK'S TREASURE figures are in Lorenz's future?
I recently came across this DVD at a video store and a cringe-inducing moment ensued.
Of course, I didn't bother with the first SLAP SHOT sequel/abomination, but this latest entry makes that film look appealing... nearly THE GODFATHER, PART II-like by comparison. Oy.
Anyhow, I couldn't help scouring the IMDB boards for the eventual reviews by those who fell victim to the curse of the extremely bad straight-to-video sequel. You know, the morons who weigh in with "This was horrible!" Yeah, no shit. Maybe it's my street skills, but I gathered that by simply looking at the cover. (Key words: Universal Family Home Entertainment)
Below is my reply in response to an IMDB thread titled "Where Are The Hanson Brothers?"
How about, where are the Hanson Brothers right at this moment? Perhaps, they're in an office somewhere, going over DVD sales totals and signing contracts for: SLAP SHOTS 4: BROKEN ICE & FART JOKES SLAP SHOT 5: BENEATH ALL EXPECTATIONS SLAP SHOT 6: TO THE NUTS SLAP SHOT 7: IS THIS THING ON? SLAP SHOT 8: STEPHEN BALDWIN'S BACK! and, the oft-anticipated 9th entry... HANSONS GO TO HELL: THE FINAL SLAP SHOT
In closing, a reply to another thread on the subject... It's best not to associate this film with Paul Newman's legacy, in any way. SLAP SHOT was never meant to be THE BAD NEWS BEARS and finally we have a fate worse than viewing the original in it's crudely edited-for-television form... a wholesome, family-friendly sequel.
But, that's just my opinion. (And, yes. I doctored the DVD image above ...appropriately.)
The following was originally posted on IMDB The place: Message board for Paul Verhoeven Look for me, "johnmorghen"!
sirbingo: What happened? Where has Paul V been? I like his movies...sci-fi, violent, action...But I have not seen a new film by him in years. Does he do these type of films anymore.
Grimlocksnewbrain: After Hollow Man, he became bored with how he wasn't able to express himself properly with Hollywood films and he returned to Holland and made Black Book, which came out last year.
sirbingo: Or maybe it was b/c Hollow man was a hollow movie. Face the facts his movies became flops. Look I once was beet up in a basketball playground...I stop playing basketball not because I did not like b-ball but b/c I had my a$$ handed to me. Same thin is for Paul.. I know more Paul V backhistory then you.
Grimlocksnewbrain: Oh-kayyy... I bow to your superior knowledge...
johnnysnatchclub: That was weird. First post and second post by that guy are completely different.
johnmorghen: Dearest sirbingo,
Since you "once was beet up in a basketball playground," what detergent did you use to get the beet stains out of your clothing? I'm only asking this because I had a similar situation, but, it involved the sport of badminton. My opponent thought he was the court jester and launched a juicy beet rather than a birdie, during play. Luckily, I was able to salvage the situation by making a joke. I grabbed the nearest mic and belted out, "Ladies & Gentlemen, The Fabulous Beet Stains!" and the crowd went positively cuh-razy! Guess which celebrities were at the event? Diane Lane and Paul V.! Not Paul Verhoeven, but Paul Vermicelli, the man who invented vermicelli! Call that my purple moment! It was so embara$$ing, but fun!
Let's go back in time, shall we? Circa the mid-1990s...
If you're anything like me, then you might have been a die-hard MSTie during this period and craved only one thing on Thanksgiving... Comedy Central's annual promise to air a continuous 28-hour marathon of arguably the best television series of all time, MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000.
Like me, you probably have terrific memories of this annual event and long for a revival as the years go by. While we've had a resurgence with Mike Nelson's Rifftrax and work for Legend Films, and MST creator, Joel Hodgson's return to form with his CINEMATIC TITANIC (which reunites many of the original show's cast and crew) we've never had it as good as we did back in the MST3K salad days... and, unfortunately, never will again.
So, here is my feeble attempt to recreate that honored tradition in viral/bulletin/blog form. (Please excuse the extreme lack of a full 28 hours of programming.) A hearty thanks to all those wonderful MSTies that have uploaded these nuggets of hilarity to the monster of wonderment that is YouTube. I couldn't have done this without you! (Of course, it's highly illogical that you know me or that you would actually be reading this, but thanks anyway!)
Okay, here's a somewhat sequenced set list of clips (including commercials!) and my humble advice is that viewers allow each vid to load in order of appearance before jumping in.
We're about ready to start our adventure! Insert your choice of time machine sound effect here. Perhaps a "whhrrrrring" humming-type sound mixed with possibly a garden trowel scraping the inside of a toilet bowl will do.
Without further ado... Turn down your lights (where applicable)
TURKEY DAY Intro
"Zombie Nightmare" Part One
"Zombie Nightmare" Part Two
"Zombie Nightmare" Part Three
"Zombie Nightmare" Part Four
"Zombie Nightmare" Part Five
"Zombie Nightmare" Part Six
"Zombie Nightmare" Part Seven
"Zombie Nightmare" Part Eight
"Zombie Nightmare" Part Nine
"Zombie Nightmare" Part Ten
Assorted Turkey Bits
Commercial Block #1
Hour Six...
"Jungle Goddess" (due to poor video quality) has been replaced with... "Hercules Against The Moon Men" Part One
"Hercules Against The Moon Men" Part Two
"Hercules Against The Moon Men" Part Three
"Hercules Against The Moon Men" Part Four
"Hercules Against The Moon Men" Part Five
"Hercules Against The Moon Men" Part Six
"Hercules Against The Moon Men" Part Seven
"Hercules Against The Moon Men" Part Eight
"Hercules Against The Moon Men" Part Nine
"Hercules Against The Moon Men" Part Ten
Commercial Block #2
"Operation Double 007" Part One
"Operation Double 007" Part Two
"Operation Double 007" Part Three
"Operation Double 007" Part Four
"Operation Double 007" Part Five
"Operation Double 007" Part Six
"Operation Double 007" Part Seven
"Operation Double 007" Part Eight
"Operation Double 007" Part Nine
"Operation Double 007" Part Ten
Poopie Parade Of Values, Part One
Poopie Parade Of Values, Part Two
BONUS CLIPS! The Sandy Frank Theme Song (from "Time Of The Apes")
The Torgo Sketch (from "Manos: Hands Of Fate")
There you have it, folks! Happy Turkey Day & Keep circulating those tapes!
I recently had the pleasure of viewing HELL RIDE, the latest film written, directed and starring a man so well-versed in the hey-day of the biker film trend of the '60s and early '70s, Larry Bishop. Here, it's my belief that, Bishop has succeeded in providing a welcome return to this bygone grungy, fuel-charged film craze.
Despite Bishop's well-intended efforts, there are plenty of naysayers out there, picking and prodding at the film's story, characters, et cetera. Who in the hell cares about these things?! It's a BIKER film! This was never a style of film known for it's complex characterizations or astounding dramatics. A biker film is an acquired taste, and I'm not referring to the most famous film of all, EASY RIDER, the one that broke through those conventions.
The key ingredients to any worthwhile biker flick are: sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Bishop's film contains all of these elements and more, including a great cast of scene-chomping veterans: Michael Madsen, Dennis Hopper, David Carradine and Vinnie Jones. Not to mention, there are several nods to earlier films in the genre, including musical cues from THE WILD ANGELS, HELL'S BELLES, THE SAVAGE SEVEN and "Jenny Take A Ride" by Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels, which was featured in the notorious Joe Namath/Ann-Margret biker flick, C.C. & COMPANY. So, I have to ask, what more could a biker film enthusiast want?!
Wait a minute, could it be that none of these naysayers have seen a true biker film, after all? Would they know who Adam Roarke is? How about other genre staples like William Smith, Ross Hagen, Luke Askew or John "Bud" Cardos? I'm sure they're aware of Peter Fonda, Hopper and Jack Nicholson, but I'm sure they'd be hard pressed to name the other biker flicks these actors had done previous to EASY RIDER.
If you are a true biker film fan, then I'm willing to bet you will get a nice jolt of nostalgia from HELL RIDE. Bishop is in top form with this one. Sure, the character's backgrounds may come off a bit hazy and could have been lost in the milieu of creating the film's authentic vibe (enter style vs. substance argument here) but, ultimately, such details are not that big of a concern to the overall experience.
At any rate, the film serves as a nice capsulization of Bishop's involvement in the genre and marks the 40th anniversary of his first cycle flick, THE SAVAGE SEVEN. In fact, HELL RIDE almost serves as a sequel to that film, as links are clearly evident. The pivotal "Cherokee Kisum" character is a perfect example. In THE SAVAGE SEVEN, Adam Roarke portrays the leader of a biker gang who infiltrates a Native American community. His character, "Kisum," falls for a local Indian girl named "Maria". Had the script for HELL RIDE been tweaked a bit, "Cherokee Kisum" could have been the offspring of these characters, adding further substance to her already symbolic role.
Whatever the case, I felt this HELL RIDE was an enjoyable one and I'm a sucker to see these cats on screen together, knowing full-well that they all had a blast making the film. It would be nice if someone out there had the sense to put on a Larry Bishop biker film marathon, showcasing the AIP trinity: THE SAVAGE SEVEN, ANGEL UNCHAINED and CHROME AND HOT LEATHER. Then, top it all off with HELL RIDE as the main attraction. Biker flick Heaven... count me in!
My new cyber-chum, Heather, has quite the impressive credentials. Not only does she know her stuff, she applies said knowledge in a desirable fashion: creating an appreciative ode to all things cult, kitsch, grotesque, beautiful, bizarre and mind-blowing in the form of a public access series hell-bent on delivering the goods, entitled MONDO PAZZO.
How cool is this?! An item I never knew existed, I now must own.
Let me get this straight... Sixty-two dollars for an official life-size puppet/replica of the infamous mutant baby, created by Rick Baker, from IT'S ALIVE?!
SOLD.
My only suggestion, would be to add a built-in sound machine, featuring those ghastly vocal effects from the film. Perhaps, I'll have to do that myself. And, then, I'll have to purchase a crib. I'll make sure to hang a special radio off the side (it will play nothing but Bernard Herrmann lullabyes).
For today's post, I thought I might steal a passage from another blog and I will not credit the author for their own sake (as said person is clearly a moron). Note that I've copied and pasted it "as is" and had nothing to do with the misspelling of "colony" or the completely wrong middle initial for Albert Broccoli. My comment/rebuttal follows.
The credit of being the worst Bond movie should go to Casino Royale. The review sites that gave high ranking to this dumb movie were surely bribed by the producer.
Why this movie sucks? Very simple. There's no Q, no gadgets, no Miss Moneypenny, and no action scenes except for the one in the first 15 minutes. Disgrace to the name of Albert I. Broccoli... he would surely had a heart attack if he got the chance to watch this movie. Even the 20 year old Bond movies featured underground bunkers, underwater action, hand to hand combat in sky, space collony, what not? It featured sexiest girls, stunning cars, an array of high-tech equipments, guns, explosives, and much more. And Casino Royale? Nothing! Bond drives a Ford, gets beaten by the baddie on the balls, plays card for eons, and amazingly falls in love! He couldn't even save his girl... how pathetic is that? Is this the James Bond 007 that we've seen in the last 20 movies? Surely not. Casino Royale has surely killed the image of James Bond.And by the way, the new hero Daniel Craig looks a lot like one of those Russian baddies from the previous movies... doesn't he've a lot of resemblance with President Vladimir Putin?
To which I wrote: You've missed the point of the film entirely. Perhaps you prefer special effects-laden films like "Moonraker" and "Die Another Day" to the grittier character-driven pieces such as "From Russia With Love" and "On Her Majesty's Secret Service". "Casino Royale" belongs to the latter category and serves as a welcome take on a great character which has suffered total exaggeration (bordering on absurdity) over the years. Back to basics, pure and simple.
Ugh. Whether you enjoyed CASINO ROYALE or not, the fact remains that it is one of the best Bond films. Series inconsistencies aside, CR is faithful to the original template of the secret agent found in the writings of its creator, Ian Fleming. It has always been astonishing to me, the level of so-called "Bond fans" who haven't read a single Fleming novel. Granted, the films are elaborations on ideas introduced in his works, but the source material is important to fully comprehend the initial scope of the character.
When Steven Spielberg's JAWS was the first film to break the 100 million box office mark, the Hollywood blockbuster was born. As a result, the Bond franchise took on a much grander scale in order to compete. The first Bond film since that period was THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (which ironically introduced a new villain by the name of "Jaws"), establishing a new trend in over-the-top "Bondian" trademarks. FOR YOUR EYES ONLY was intended as the next adventure brought to the screen, but a change of plans quickly put MOONRAKER into development as a deliberate move to benefit from the then-fresh STAR WARS phenomenon.
Bond didn't truly get back to basics for another ten years (FYEO being a bit of an exception) with Timothy Dalton's arrival to the role in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS. After Dalton's second film, LICENCE TO KILL, and a series hiatus that lasted six years, a new decade and the potential for a whole new generation of fans prompted the Bond to, once again, become larger than life. GOLDENEYE was the result. Just as the Roger Moore films had done, the Pierce Brosnan films continually topped each other (TOMORROW NEVER DIES being, probably, the most realistic) until the point of CGI absurdity with DIE ANOTHER DAY.
Having said that, being the die-hard Bond fanatic that I am, there's not a film in the series that I don't enjoy (my least faves being MOONRAKER and THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH), but a re-haul of the franchise had to be done and the casting of a new Bond proved as the perfect impetus and opportunity to do so.
To say that I've been excited by the upcoming release of the new 007 adventure, QUANTUM OF SOLACE, is an understatement! I'm confident that Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will deliver the goods, once again.
ON TO FURTHER MATTERS...
Here is the latest replacement DVD coverart I've been working on, a custom cover for the upcoming 3-disc "collector's edition" of CASINO ROYALE (Bond 21), designed to match the "ultimate edition" releases of the previous Bond films...
You're entirely welcome!
For added fun, try working any of these Bond titles into a conversation, as if they're common catch phrases:
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
DIE ANOTHER DAY
LIVE AND LET DIE
NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN
TOMORROW NEVER DIES
A VIEW TO A KILL
THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE
A few examples:
"Well, it turns out the tumor is benign. I guess you'll have to die another day, Phil!"
"Remember, today is the first day of the rest of your life and tomorrow never dies. Therefore, you're pretty much immortal!"
"I'll be paying off that Zale's receipt for the rest of my life. Oh well, diamonds are forever!"
And, if you're writing a love letter whilst vacationing in Russia (or your name is Russia), then you're clearly ahead of the game!
I came across these YouTube offerings recently and I can't stop watching them. First of all, I'm a sucker for all things JAWS and second, I remember (and relish) the times when "network television premieres" were treated as an event.
I was born in late '76 and far too young to see ABC's network premiere of JAWS in 1979, but I do remember seeing the premiere of JAWS 2 in '81... and it was a big deal.
Here was an era when you knew weeks in advance (via television ad saturation) that a certain film was going to air and nearly everyone you knew were also planning to watch it. If it was a Sunday night thing, then you most definitely talked about it at school the next day. Not to mention those terrific TV Guide ads that, depending on the film, could take up an entire page. Great, great stuff. I miss those salad days!
Special thanks to YouTube user KLXT77 for posting these gems!
Over the past few weeks, I've become quite the fanatic of the LEPRECHAUN film series. Whuh?
I know, I know. Believe me, I know.
Here was a series of films that I truly had no interest in, for whatever reason, I can't recall. Perhaps, because they were so corny, but that's never stopped me before! I honestly avoided these films and never considered them worth my time. I was wrong. Dead wrong.
I'm proud to finally say that I love these damn flicks! I cannot believe I've been missing out on their gleeful nature this entire time. What a fool I've been. I've always been a fan of Trimark Pictures and if New Line Cinema is the house that Freddy built, then Trimark is certainly the house that Lep built. A steady breadwinner of a franchise, and very much like the aforementioned Freddy flicks.
Why love it so much?
Two words... well, one full name, really:
Warwick Davis.
Davis makes these films so much fun to watch based on the fun he's having in them. If you don't take everything to heart and are out for a fun time, his vibe is truly infectious. He is the sole reason the franchise can go from film to film consistently being inconsistent and embracing the virtue.
The most basic premise ever has a century-old Leprechaun who wants his gold. That's all. And nearly, every film centers around one gold schilling gone missing and his horrific efforts to retain his bank. Film after film, plot lines and characters are interchangeable, situations and places arise out of nowhere, but the central point is good ol' Lep. Take him to Vegas, take him to the outer reaches of space, the hood, back 2 tha hood, whatever, wherever.
Fifteen years after the original, I've finally gained an appreciation for a series of films that I never thought I would. After six films, I want more. And, more and more. Now that Trimark has faded away and their library has since been absorbed by Lionsgate, the possibility of these films continually being pumped out is much less likely (Lionsgate did produce one post-Trimark sequel in 2003), but it's my belief that LGF has got nothing to lose. Take a lucrative brand with straight-to-video production values, a built-in fanbase and one central idea milked over and over again and you've got... dare I say it... gold.
As the Lep himself would say, "I want me gold!" That makes two of us!
Basically, I've created a sub-blog to this one, the sole purpose being to serve as a resource for trailer listings. Whuh? You see, I'm obsessed with movie trailers and I'm forever on the quest to find certain ones. For example, if I wanted to find the trailer to Mike Nichols' WOLF, I'd be out of luck on the laserdisc and DVD release. But, the trailer is available on other Columbia/TriStar releases, such as THE KING OF MARVIN GARDENS and THE LAST DETAIL (both featuring Jack Nicholson). But, if I wanted the original teaser, I'd have to seek out a rental videocassette (circa 1994) which might feature it as a "coming attraction".
Early rental VHS copies of PITCH BLACK contain the teaser to Rob Zombie's HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES. Notable, as the film was produced by Universal and later dropped, leaving the film in distribution limbo for the next three years until Lionsgate embraced it.
Why the obsession with movie trailers? I suppose I've been spoiled by the riches of DVD and LD over the years and come to expect these things. As of late, trailers seem to be left out of prominent DVD releases. Paramount is notorious for leaving these elements out of their releases (especially when they release classic films to DVD). Great example: Peter Bogdanovich's TARGETS contains no trailer, yet a clip of it(!) is shown in the retrospective featurette provided on the disc! WTF?! When I picked up their first DVD issue of SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL, I wasn't shocked that no extra features were offered, but it wasn't as if they had no access to the material. The teaser for the film can be found on the initial home video of the John Hughes/Howard Deutsch sister production, PRETTY IN PINK. "Hey Paramount, would you like to borrow my copy of the VHS you manufactured?!" One better, a few years after the initial release, a "special edition" was released with a load of supplemental material, yet still no damn trailer! Argghhh!
At any rate, the sub-blog that's really not a blog, but a listing of VHS (thus far, I'll move on to LD and DVD later) is a pet project of mine and perhaps I can make into into a valuable database at some point, as I have yet to encounter one with the same focus.
I'm a mood-oriented cinema junkie, with a mean lean towards exploitation fare.
My eclectic tastes encompass all genres and eras. I appreciate films for what they are and place no real distinction between the average mainstream film and the "dirt-under-the-fingernails" no budget opus.
Entertainment is entertainment.
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