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Adventures of Superman: The Deadly Rock (1956)
Deadly rock indeed
This is one of the odder episodes in the series and not one of the more interesting ones. Kryptonite made it's first appearance in the 2nd season episode "The Defeat of Superman" and not in "Panic In The Sky" that this episode alludes to. This time Kryptonite affects more than just Superman. Lacks the humor of the other lighter fare episodes in the third and fourth seasons. Other than a stock shot of Superman flying there's really no super. Everybody knows that one of Superman's powers is to burn things up with eyes so why does he use a flame thrower to destroy the deadly rock instead of his heat vision? Story Editor and Superman Comics editor Mort Weisinger was asleep at the wheel on this gaffe.
Adventures of Superman: Flight to the North (1955)
Leftover Louie is a treasure
Hilarious episode and one of my favorites. Ben Weldon makes one of his several appearances playing unsavory characters. This time as "Leftover" Louie Lyman. Louie has 50 grand at stake for one of Margie's delicious lemon meringue pies that he's willing to chase down all the way to Alaska. Weldon has great comic timing and he's always a pleasure to watch. Also terrific is Chuck Conners as Sylvester J Superman. I don't recall ever seeing Conners in anything but serious roles and especially noteworthy is his run on the Rifleman. Seeing him as completely oblivious to being confused with the superhero Superman is a riot. Terrific sight gag is him traveling with his beloved mule Lily Belle up to Alaska with socks on her ears to protect from the cold.
Adventures of Superman: The Machine That Could Plot Crimes (1953)
Crook Reversal
The two crooks in episode 9 - The Dog Who Knew Superman - Ben Weldon is the boss and Billy Nelson is his stooge underling. This time in episode 13 - The Machine that Could Plot Crimes - the roles are reversed. Nelson is the boss with Weldon as his henchman. What makes many of these stories which are basically just cops and robbers yarns so much fun is of course a super hero against ordinary crooks. But more than that are the wonderful character actors playing the goofy hoodlums. Also not to be slighted is Sterling Holloway with his quaint eccentric mannerisms and silly giggles as the crackpot inventor.
A serious George Reeves playing Superman straight and determined would keep many of the later lighter episodes from descending into camp. I am re-watching these episodes on the Warner Bros DVD Sets that were released in 2005. On these superior digital transfers the picture quality is excellent. It does however ruin much of the illusion of Superman flying as you can clearly see the wires attached to Reeves that you could not see (at least not well) on the small TV sets of the 50's and 60's. That changes in the years after season two where Reeves is strictly levitated on a flat pan.
Dragonslayer (1981)
Marvelous Fantasy Film!
Just watched Dragonslayer again for the since I first watched it in 1981. I find Caitlin Clarke (no not the basketball phenom) as Valerian to be as alluring now as I did when I first saw this film. She was 28 or 29 when she acted in this role but looks 18 or 19. Disappointing that her career never really took off after this and died at the young age of 52. Peter MacNicol as Galen would go on th greater acclaim the next year in Sophie's Choice.
Superb special effects without the use of computer CGI. Sir Ralph Richardson as Ulrich the sorcerer and his servant Hodge (Sydney Bromley) exit far too early. Very enjoyable Sunday afternoon revisiting this fun film.
Adventures of Superman: Treasure of the Incas (1952)
Lois is a great screamer!
Phyllis Coates surely must have gotten the Lois Lane role based on her ability to rip off a blood curdling scream which the producers frequently have her do. What is interesting to me is that while Jack Larson looks extremely boyish and could easily pass as a teenager Coates is only 24 and seems much older and mature. This is due to the unflattering clothes, hairdo's chicks from the 50's wore, and her husky voice. Otherwise Phyllis is a very attractive young woman playing a hard as nails newshound.
Again we have the oddly ubiquitous Steve Carr getting quite a bit of screentime. Carr only gets a credit as Dialogue Director. In this 1st season he makes almost as many appearances as the main cast playing various characters but never gets an acting credit. Does that mean they didn't have to pay him as much? The Treasure of the Incas is not very compelling or interesting and I remember it only for anxiously waiting for the end of episode appearance of Superman.
Better Call Saul: Point and Shoot (2022)
Well...Well...Well
So Lalo finally gets his well deserved comeuppance. Not as visceral and satisfying as Gus's demise in BB but you can't have everything I suppose.
The bigger impact is how Mike failed in doing his job in protecting Fring and was totally outsmarted by Lalo. But Gus has the inner intuition that Mike doesn't have which saved his life. Mike's step by step procedural instincts as a former cop puts him at a disadvantage as does the fact that he hates what he's become as shown in season 5.
I am also struck in the difference between Fring's sense of honor vs Mike's. Mike cares about his guys and treats them with respect. People are just a tool to Gus. They are a means to an end for him building a meth empire.
I've often wondered what Gus's motivations are . I may have to go back to BB or maybe it will be revealed further in BCS. He has no family to enjoy and share his wealth with like the Salamancas. So what's the point?
We know that eventually Jimmy and Kim are going to part ways. Looking forward to seeing how that dynamic plays out. Fascinating stuff here. Hard to think BCS will top BB, but it looks like it's getting there.
American Horror Story (2011)
This show has gotten completely idiotic.
...The first couple of episodes were interesting and creepy but after that it's progressively gotten worse. It's not scary, which was supposed to be the whole idea, right? Jessica Lange is so over the top she's unwatchable and nauseating.
I guess we're supposed to watch because of the laughable violence. A plot without a hundred ghosts running around would be nice. So Ryan Murphy is supposed to be one of the "IT" guys in Hollywood? LMAO! What a mess of a program. I stuck through this execrable first season. I won't for the second season.
Supposedly Murphy has said there will be a new family next season? That's a surprise? The inherent problem with horror TV shows is that they just don't work unless they are a weekly anthology series. You can't keep going for the same old schlock and shocks without boring the viewers who've seen it all before. Got to come up with something besides slitting the same old throats, ya know.
The Munsters: The Sleeping Cutie (1964)
Hilarious Episode!
Probably my favorite episode from the first season. From the great sight gags of Spot's gigantic dog food can and Herman's Koach driving around the block, (the vehicle leaves in one frame and arrives in the next) to the laugh out loud lines. For example; when explaining to Mr. Prince when he asks if Spot likes milkmen and Lily tells him yes, so much so that he kept burying the last one in the back yard.
Perhaps Beverley Owens best appearance just one episode away from leaving the series. Owens demure beauty shines as her insomnia is cured permanently by Grandpa's sleeping beauty potion and then reawakened by a kiss.
The writing was top notch in this episode. All too soon the show would fall into repetition and silliness transforming Herman from the typical late 50's and early 60's sitcom dad to an insufferable childlike buffoon.
The Outer Limits (1963)
"There is nothing wrong with your TV set!"
The problem with people who were children in the 80's and 90's is that they have grown up with computerized special effects. They can't appreciate what made truly wonderful television shows produced in the 60's like the Outer Limits so special. Since the budgets and technology were miniscule compared to today, the special effects were achieved through mood, lighting, acting, directing; and especially, the musical and sound effects. Where everything a script calls for can be produced today at the push of a finger on a keyboard, it lacks soul as well as the ability to make viewers use their minds to place themselves in an atmospheric setting.
At their best shows such as The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone are filled with pathos and poignancy. Dominic Frontiere's score for this series was nothing short of brilliant and the series 2nd season noticeably lacked the same mood and emotion of the first season without his work.
As a seven year old child when this wonderful show first aired I still remember vividly the sense of wonderment, apprehension, and at times dread watching this series. Who knows even if TV execs had not fatally moved the show to a graveyard time slot on Saturday nights if it could have regained the quality of the first season.
Auto Focus (2002)
Disturbing film....
...This is an important but disturbing film. Hollywood has more typically glorified sexual compulsion and hedonism and rarely has it filmed the lives destroyed by sexual addiction. Probably because one can proudly say that he/she is a recovering alcoholic, drug abuser, gambler, et al; but it still isn't PC for persons with this type of addiction to come out in the open about it. There are too many stigmas attached to pedophilia, incest, and general all around depravity to make others uncomfortable and wary of being associated with those sexually addicted.
This movie starts out in the bright bold technicolor images of the 60's when people first started buying color TV sets. It was such an eye pleasing site from the black and white shows, that producers and directors would have their production stages filled with bright hues of orange, purple, green, and yellow to show those who could afford a color TV that they indeed were getting their moneys worth. Today it's just sort of nauseating to look at all that color. So as Bob Crane descends into the hell of his addiction the movie becomes a darker and grainy film.
My only problem with Auto Focus is Greg Kinnear. While he gives us a great performance of Crane's transformation of an aw shucks Connecticut boy into an obsessed sex addict; he really doesn't look anything like Crane and his smirking, smart alec on screen persona. Bill Murray would have been perfect, but I digress.
Twisted (2004)
Judd horribly miscast....
This is another basic, predictable, run-of-the mill thriller that Hollywood seems to churn out with one hand tied behind it's back these days. It's only made more annoying by casting Ashley Judd in the central role. I understand that Judd wants to overcome her pixie-ish, cutey pie looks by taking on these edgy roles; however, "Double Jeopardy", and "Kiss the Girls", worked better for her as one could place her more conveniently into the role of a victim turned protagonist. Sorry, but this time she's dreadful as the alcoholic Jessica. I could never stop visualizing her as a cheerleader that runs out onto the floor to spell out "Wildcats" at the University of Kentucky basketball games. She just doesn't have enough hard living weathered on her face to buy into believing she could possibly beat the crap out of the murder victims in this movie. She even wakes up looking better after her supposed drunken blackouts.
As often in the case of movies like this where the stars fail miserably, the more interesting performances are by character actors; e.g., Camryn Mannheim, Titus Welliver, and Mark Pellegrino.
The Order (2003)
An unwatchable mess!
I almost gave up trying to watch this movie. A banal script and some of the most excruciatingly awful dialogue I ever had the displeasure of hearing. And that's the good stuff. Otherwise, it's just a dreadfully boring waste of an hour and a half.
Body Double (1984)
One of the best from the 80's
It never ceases to amaze me how dumb some of the people are who see movies and then take the time to write about their vapidness. Of course there is a resemblance between Brian DePalma's direction of Body Double and of Hitchcock's works like Rear Window for example. That's the whole point. It's no secret that DePalma believed that Hitch was a genius at film making and that many of his films are an homage to the great director.
Body Double is more than just a remake of a Hitchcock film. DePalma is also showing us his fascination with the Porn Industry and how he sees that mainstream Hollywood and Porn is one and the same. To emphasize this point, DePalma uses relatively unknown actors in the main roles. Melanie Griffith had not yet hit it big in the industry and was more than willing to display her body in some very graphic scenes.
Everything is a double in this movie. Hollywood doubles for Porn where it can show graphic violence instead of graphic sex and be released under the credentials of a major studio. Actors will prostitute themselves for a role which will supposedly gain them credibility; when in the end, they can be just as used and exploited by legitimate Hollywood directors and producers as they would be in any porn film.
Body Double is DePalma's masterpiece and one of the great films of the 80's.
The Ring (2002)
A real "Scary Movie"
The copycatism in Hollywood really aggravates me. I don't know who ripped off who, but the premise of this movie is almost identical to the recently released Feardot.com. The difference is that "The Ring" uses a videotape as the vehicle of retribution for the unhappy ghost whereas "Feardot.com uses a website. They similarities even extend to the same bloody noses that the unfortunate victims receive after having viewed each.
However, I found "The Ring" scarier, more intense, and thought provoking than "Feardot.com". The ending of "The Ring" actually gave me some chills even though I thought that the reason given for what finally happens to the main characters pretty lame.
It (1990)
Half a great horror film
The first part of this Stephen King thriller when all of the principal characters are children is as scary and unsettling as anything I have even seen on TV or screen. The child actors are brilliant. The weak ending, however, almost negates everything the beginning of the movie sets up. When the actual "evil" is unveiled you want to say "Oh brother"! how cheesy can you get? It borders on ludicrous. I never read the King novel "IT"; so I don't who to blame for the ending, the novelist or the director. In any event this movie is worth renting to see the kids perform marvelously.
Reign of Fire (2002)
Good Summer Fun!
Relax, turn off your cynical, critical, jaundiced brain and just have a good time. What I don't understand is why people will go to this movie knowing what they are in store for and then can't wait to get home so they can trash it. If you like rollercoaster rides you will enjoy the movie. If you want an art film, stay home and rent something.
I enjoyed this movie because I knew it was going to be a monster flick; nothing more, nothing less. The apocalyptic visions were cool, and I have to give props to anybody who can act against a bunch of nothing as the antagonists are all special effects to be piped in later. Christian Bale and Matthew McConaughey were entertaining as hell, and Izabella Scorupco is as delicious a piece of eye candy as you will see this summer. I must admit that seeing someone like Scorupco (who looks like she just came from a model shoot, not from slaying dragons) look so gorgeous in a post nuclear dragon flamed scorched earth, that it does tend to sort of ruin your ability to suspend disbelief in order to be able to enjoy the movie; however, I did read that the makeup crew had a very difficult time trying to make Izabella look raggedy and unkempt.
I almost fell into the trap of talking myself out of my enjoyment of this flick when I started to think about the implausibilities of the science in the script, but slapped myself in short order and said it's only a movie. Have a good time on a hot day, get into an air conditioned theatre, get some candy, popcorn, beer; whatever, and enjoy this movie
The Majestic (2001)
Satisfying
This is a movie that Tom Hanks would have made ten years ago. It's too bad he didn't get a shot at it because the everyman role of Pete/Luke is the type of role that Hanks cut his teeth on. In any event Jim Carrey does a fine job in a very understated performance. The real stars of the movie are all the great character actors playing the local townfolk of Lawson. I found this movie a great way to spend a quiet Sunday evening.
JFK (1991)
Preposterous!
Simply put, this is one of the worst films ever made. Maybe not in the technical sense because Oliver Stone does know how make a film; however, he's just so wrapped up in his government conspiracy psychosis, that you would be better off spending your time with a film that doesn't pretend not to be a fantasy fairy tale. I love a good conspiracy flick when it has a shred of imagination and intelligence. But Stone has so many people involved the JFK assassination that the only person I'm sure wasn't involved in this massive conspiracy/coverup was me. How could so many people be involved in JFK's murder, but absolutely no one ever came forward to cash in on the hysteria in some way or another? Like I said, preposterous. I watched this movie hoping to see something that I hadn't thought of before. Instead I got a story in which Stone apparently went to a 3rd grade class and told them to make up as many wild hypotheses as they could about the 36th president's death. The only saving grace was Walter Matthau and John Candy who are always terrific when presented with dramatic roles. I think that this movie has ruined Stone's and Kevin Costner's careers. Neither one has made a successful movie since.
Insomnia (2002)
Nice drama, not a thriller...
If you are going to see this movie expecting another nice little suspense yarn like Memento, you may be disappointed. However, you will enjoy Al Pacino's tour de force performance as an embattled LA cop, and Robin Williams does a nice turn playing against type as a creepy Humbert Humbert victimizing an Alaskan Lolita. There is very little suspense but Pacino should certainly garner some early Best Actor nominations.
Hannibal (2001)
Another disappointing sequel
Silence of the Lambs had an underlying sense of terror as soon as the name Hannibal Lecter was mentioned. Never knowing what he might say or do, without ever actually seeing him do anything, had us on the edge of our seats. In Hannibal we see him do too much and the ending was like one of those camp blood and gore flicks from the 60's. Hopkins wasn't as frightening as in SOTL; in fact, he comes off more as a super villain than monster. Gary Oldman looked ludicrous in all that latex and makeup as Mason Verger. I thought he looked like another reject from a B flick horror movie. If you are going to this movie looking to get good and scared, save your 8 bucks and rent Manhunter instead. A superior underappreciated movie based on Thomas Harris's most frightening book - Red Dragon. Or rewatch Silence of the Lambs again. For a sequel that was supposed to make a big splash, this movie misses the water completely and hits with a big thud.