tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60868269980585846372024-02-19T01:49:51.064-05:00The Pops Gustav ArchivePops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.comBlogger193125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-8013649966540089992011-07-18T14:24:00.000-04:002011-07-18T14:24:19.478-04:00Move In Complete...So, with the posting of the SPACE GHOST piece, the Pops Archive is pretty much done... there may be a few old pieces that I missed that pop up here in the future, but for the most part, this site isn't going to be updated any further. I'm posting this so that anyone stumbling across it while Googling A Charlie Brown Christmas or Comely Covens doesn't think it's one of those Blogger pages that was long abandoned... for new stuff, click on the PopsGustav link to the right, and thanks for stopping by.Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-82713123601268037612011-06-29T16:40:00.004-04:002011-06-30T11:26:50.724-04:00Legends of the Not-So-Dark Knight (Why Space Ghost Deserves Your Respect!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lrpt29-7HKKGSdaXW9kufse9clkK7hGcR-7tCYVsJDyjJb6GUxOb_EyfAJPka-xdmAwKKJkFbY2MaIKoGvhd3kFP9i6qxwTJR_jPH-BT19z60bpq4FHvg5kBo7_-f57iHGqTT9H1tFiO/s1600/space-ghost-toth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0lrpt29-7HKKGSdaXW9kufse9clkK7hGcR-7tCYVsJDyjJb6GUxOb_EyfAJPka-xdmAwKKJkFbY2MaIKoGvhd3kFP9i6qxwTJR_jPH-BT19z60bpq4FHvg5kBo7_-f57iHGqTT9H1tFiO/s200/space-ghost-toth.jpg" width="154" /></a></div>While he may be primarily known today as a doofus talk show host, to a generation of older fanboys, Space Ghost is a true-blue superhero who, with his teenage partners Jan and Jace (and their space-monkey, Blip) tools around the universe in the Phantom Cruiser, battling the forces of evil with unmatched panache!<br />
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As <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Batmania-James-Van-Hise/dp/1556982526?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Batmania</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1556982526" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> swept the country in the 1960s, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hanna-Barbera-Treasury-Mementos-Favorite-Classics/dp/1933784288?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hanna-Barbera</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1933784288" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> Productions set out to add some animated superheroes to their Saturday morning slate. Designer <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Genius-Isolated-Life-Alex-Toth/dp/1600108288?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Alex Toth</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1600108288" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> was given the task of coming up with a “Batman in space,” resulting in the mysterious avenger who could fly, turn invisible, and by way of his forearm-gauntlet power bands, shoot various force rays that could freeze, burn, destroy or pile-drive anything in his way. <br />
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Premiering on CBS in 1966, each episode of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Space-Ghost-Dino-Boy-Complete/dp/B000OY9V7A?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">SPACE GHOST</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000OY9V7A" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> featured two 7-minute adventures sandwiching a DINO BOY tale (about a lad in a prehistoric land). Simple kid stuff, to be sure, but Space Ghost stood apart from the legion of Saturday morning superheroes due to Toth’s sleek design, personified by the inimitable voice of future <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rowan-Martins-Laugh-Sock-me/dp/B001BTCZ52?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">LAUGH-IN</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001BTCZ52" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> announcer Gary Owens and set to a jazzy soundtrack suitable for slaying insectoid villains. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7yI4MjittJ-PWg1kokQ45VmZlMzjeOuP0qmsEOoifOmSqUKh7zec8XksWxT33qo77hDi_2VZLO6KzBsCayo2nI5f1_-r3x-_8uUM_P-OD0NpoInwwk_SK3Dr5zksgv-k5QaEMGZDaG5d/s1600/space-ghost-goldkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7yI4MjittJ-PWg1kokQ45VmZlMzjeOuP0qmsEOoifOmSqUKh7zec8XksWxT33qo77hDi_2VZLO6KzBsCayo2nI5f1_-r3x-_8uUM_P-OD0NpoInwwk_SK3Dr5zksgv-k5QaEMGZDaG5d/s320/space-ghost-goldkey.jpg" width="227" /></a>Merchandising came quickly in the forms of coloring books, puzzles and bubble bath. In 1966, Gold Key Comics produced one issue of a SPACE GHOST comic book and the character appeared in the anthology HANNA-BARBERA SUPER TV HEROES alongside <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saturday-Morning-Cartoons-1970s-Vol/dp/B002GNOLY0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Shazzan</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002GNOLY0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (not to be confused with Shazam!), <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Birdman-Galaxy-Trio-Keith-Andes/dp/B000OY9V7K?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the Galaxy Trio</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000OY9V7K" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and others. Those tales, however, despite being beautifully drawn, were usually as slight as their animated inspirations. <br />
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A bit more depth was found in the 1968 Big Little Book, SPACE GHOST AND THE SORCERESS OF CYBA-3, written by Don Christensen and illustrated by Dan Spiegle (who also drew most of the Gold Key comic stories). In the book, our heroes are tricked into returning the beautiful Queen Satanari (that name shoulda’ been a tip-off) to the planet from which she’d been exiled after using scientifically-enhanced magic to burn its cities and force men to battle to the death! <br />
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The growing fear of cartoon violence by hand-wringing watchdog groups put Space Ghost into limbo in 1968, but the character had made too powerful an impact to lay dormant forever. <br />
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Marvel Comics’ HANNA-BARBERA TV STARS #3 (1978) included a Space Ghost story, “Pilgreen’s Progress” about an old man flying an electric-powered flivver-ship through space in search of a low-tech world. Written by <a href="http://www.povonline.com/index.htm"target="_blank">Mark Evanier</a> (a proficient scripter for comics and TV), this charming tale was the only time Alex Toth ever drew the character in a comic book. <br />
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1981 saw Space Ghost return to Saturday mornings on NBC’s SPACE STARS, alongside <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Herculoids-Complete-Mike-Road/dp/B00553KAK2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the Herculoids</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00553KAK2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, Teen Force and Astro and the Space Mutts (yes, the Jetsons’ dog). But the violence-neutered (and poorly-animated) superhero cartoons of that era left little room for any stylized action, and those cartoons are best left forgotten (along with the clunky redesign of SG’s spaceship). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEoysRg1JTr2AmAHs7MIw3ekoKONV3ORpd-J7l4yTUXQjgdmuvm3psIM0R4eIJkYaCOwMudZTutmh6WQvNKo5BpE6ctr8utM66Z3WhhtspSIJa45GQAjJ-SmmEaxbVlx1JGQJk-R2m7si9/s1600/space-ghost-comico.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEoysRg1JTr2AmAHs7MIw3ekoKONV3ORpd-J7l4yTUXQjgdmuvm3psIM0R4eIJkYaCOwMudZTutmh6WQvNKo5BpE6ctr8utM66Z3WhhtspSIJa45GQAjJ-SmmEaxbVlx1JGQJk-R2m7si9/s200/space-ghost-comico.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>In 1987, Evanier teamed with Toth acolyte Steve Rude to produce a deluxe SPACE GHOST one-shot for Comico in which the heroes battled all of their major adversaries. While beautifully done, it was such a slavish tribute to the original series that it ultimately felt like a wasted opportunity.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyqGzrxvKSUmJL7ctdtHfXX6HWpJnVSwO0uUW5Ug2FWP5A-bAuH0QnGTF2cvuAxQbvMYc9Vq27v6qa1-7NDsdgsWeM4-7sUsEc-xHsqE0rvr_cghrKILL2cuaZ-dVg4uMGcYj0PQSYR2D/s1600/Space_Ghost_C_To_C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivyqGzrxvKSUmJL7ctdtHfXX6HWpJnVSwO0uUW5Ug2FWP5A-bAuH0QnGTF2cvuAxQbvMYc9Vq27v6qa1-7NDsdgsWeM4-7sUsEc-xHsqE0rvr_cghrKILL2cuaZ-dVg4uMGcYj0PQSYR2D/s200/Space_Ghost_C_To_C.jpg" width="200" /></a>And then, in 1994, Space Ghost was resurrected for a new audience in Cartoon Network’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Space-Ghost-Coast-Vols-1-3/dp/B0007GADU4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">SPACE GHOST: COAST TO COAST</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0007GADU4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, a Dadaist comedy positing the helmeted hero as a clueless talk show host. Alongside enemies / co-hosts Brak, Moltar and Zorak, Space Ghost cracked wise with celebrities, ushering in the Adult Swim era and paving the way for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Harvey-Birdman-Attorney-Law-Vol/dp/B0017RFXJI?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">HARVEY BIRDMAN, ATTORNEY AT LAW</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0017RFXJI" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Venture-Bros-Complete-Season-Blu-ray/dp/B00466HORQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">THE VENTURE BROS.</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00466HORQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><br />
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The show was a hit, but ironically had a similar effect on Space Ghost that his original inspiration, the ‘60s BATMAN TV show, had on that hero. It took decades (and Tim Burton) for the general non-GEEK populace to think of Batman as anything other than a campy caped crusader. And many old Space Ghost fans were uncomfortable with the new image. Evanier, for example, believes “as much as its makers insisted it was done out of love and respect for the original, it felt the opposite to me.” <br />
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But SG:CTC did raise the Astral Avenger’s visibility, and longtime fans could revel in the fact that there was finally a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Space-Ghost-Coast-Action-Figure/dp/B000OIX7IA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Space Ghost action figure</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000OIX7IA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (even if they didn’t display the accompanying talk show desk and mug). In 1997, Archie Comics published a rather forgettable one-shot SPACE GHOST comic set in the original milieu, while DC Comics dedicated numerous issues of their Cartoon Network tie-in comics to the comedic version. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKe_D63cFSBUTydOL5RzSMuJVY7mv4ghWoc4QgYfdnSROI-o8jBc73lkFwnwmFpEuSIhvQ53gxrzmFwNgSU_jhNwD0dnyaAdBPNpnaBaqYFb4_xLdcY_iuO4RyZupgG6oYNCYIxZB0ZN9/s1600/space-ghost-olivetti.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTKe_D63cFSBUTydOL5RzSMuJVY7mv4ghWoc4QgYfdnSROI-o8jBc73lkFwnwmFpEuSIhvQ53gxrzmFwNgSU_jhNwD0dnyaAdBPNpnaBaqYFb4_xLdcY_iuO4RyZupgG6oYNCYIxZB0ZN9/s320/space-ghost-olivetti.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And then, after almost forty years, Space Ghost was finally given a serious comic book treatment; Some say TOO serious. DC Comics’ 2005 <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Space-Ghost-Joe-Kelly/dp/1401207219?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">SPACE GHOST</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1401207219" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> mini-series presented a grim origin story, in which interplanetary policeman Thaddeus Bach discovers that the force is corrupt, and refuses to play ball. In a scene more suited to the Punisher, Bach’s pregnant wife is murdered and he is left for dead on a desolate planet. Bach is nursed back to health by the alien Salomon who gives him the tools that allow him to become Space Ghost and enact his revenge (begrudgingly picking up Jan and a newly-spelled Jayce along the way). <br />
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The story was written by Joe Kelly and painted by Ariel Olivetti in a steroid-infused style that’s more Tom of Finland than Alex Toth. Hyper-realist Alex Ross provided some nice covers, but the look was again at odds with the essence of the character (SG’s diaphanous cape shouldn’t look like real fabric). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAqLov-R9uCoqsaT4stYmtbgBpfyuB8D_n2KS_0QpFdIfFVCFDJYup5HER9accd2tWArXMXtXn6IV0WT4L4cwfdf5-tYlTGOAaxDkbPGcv1otFBlZiz1dnSJxwPzyuTVHNya3c_yXtHP_/s1600/Space+Ghost+cb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJAqLov-R9uCoqsaT4stYmtbgBpfyuB8D_n2KS_0QpFdIfFVCFDJYup5HER9accd2tWArXMXtXn6IV0WT4L4cwfdf5-tYlTGOAaxDkbPGcv1otFBlZiz1dnSJxwPzyuTVHNya3c_yXtHP_/s320/Space+Ghost+cb.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>The thing is, making Space Ghost angsty and realistic (Blip is nowhere to be found) is as ill-advised as a gritty Captain Marvel or Frank Miller making <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Two-Disc-Blu-ray-Combo-Digital/dp/B001RHGRSY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">THE SPIRIT</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001RHGRSY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (you heard us). Certainly Space Ghost as a concept is loaded with potential to tell fully fleshed stories, with deeper characterization and MAYBE an origin. But it needs to be FUN, and this series was anything but. Artist / Sculptor <a href="http://www.maskedavenger.com/home.php"target="_blank">Rubén Procopio</a> (who designed a Space Ghost bust for Cartoon Network) recalls Toth’s opinion on the new direction. “As much as I can appreciate the artistic challenge that everyone involved had, my memory of Space Ghost was as a more lighthearted, brighter character. Having gotten to know Alex, I can say that he preferred the characters in a more upbeat, less dark setting.” <br />
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So what’s the future hold for the Guardian of the Galaxies? How about a live action SPACE GHOST movie directed by Brad Bird, whose <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Incredibles-Four-Disc-Blu-ray-Combo-Digital/dp/B004I654UI?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">THE INCREDIBLES</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004I654UI" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> was a perfect balance of whimsy and superheroics? We cast Bruce Campbell as our square-jawed hero (with Jan, Jace AND BLIP by his side), battling a slinky Spider-Woman (Julianne Moore) and a CG-rendered Zorak! Maybe Gary Owens could even loop the hero’s dialogue, although the legendary voice actor has another idea. “I could play Zorak because that’s how I look in real life.” <br />
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It’s surely only a matter of time before someone else tackles the Interstellar Spectre. Mark Evanier summarizes the character’s appeal: “There’s something very primal about him. I remember watching the first episode and thinking he felt like a hero who’d been around forever with a fully developed universe and backstory.” Adds Procopio, “Not to mention those wonderful villains and secondary characters that Alex designed. The show inspired a whole generation of artists.” <br />
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In the meantime, fans of the character can geek out to both CTC and the original 1966 series on DVD (the latter of which also features a great documentary on Alex Toth, who died in 2006) and yell along with Gary Owens as he bellows the eponymous battle cry of the coolest space hero ever: SPAAAAAAACE GHOOOOOOOOST! <br />
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Sorry, it’s a written law that all articles on the character need to end that way. <br />
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<span style="color: red;">ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED in </span><b style="color: red;">GEEK MONTHLY</b><span style="color: red;"> #20, October 2008</span>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-92155106381233901832011-06-16T13:11:00.001-04:002011-06-29T16:48:23.772-04:00I've Got a Bad Feeling About This... (30 Reasons Why STAR WARS Sucks)I will speak the heresy: I am a lifelong Geek who doesn’t like “Star Wars.” Oh, sure, as a kid, I was obsessed, I had the toys, the comics, the T-shirts and posters. But over time, with perspective, I’ve come to “trust my feelings” that the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Complete-Episodes-Blu-ray/dp/B003ZSJ212?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Star Wars Saga</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003ZSJ212" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (yes, even the originals) is pretty bad. Come with me, my padawan, as we journey through the internal chronology to discover the poopiness of the Force!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSbH1GjqGTN74GoStKwbj0y1YIMscS2bien80EyFvX4TJ6OtqN8x0d42fk3zsbp-vugt88EUBCq1OKmfp7_EF2-sc4EPuRKyHOBHrOAC1gAV1pihrD40ZMuyeYaXPB1aHtyby6pRwTdc4/s1600/Watto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuSbH1GjqGTN74GoStKwbj0y1YIMscS2bien80EyFvX4TJ6OtqN8x0d42fk3zsbp-vugt88EUBCq1OKmfp7_EF2-sc4EPuRKyHOBHrOAC1gAV1pihrD40ZMuyeYaXPB1aHtyby6pRwTdc4/s200/Watto.jpg" width="151" /></a></div>EPISODE I: <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Episode-Phantom-Widescreen/dp/B00003CX5P?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">THE PHANTOM MENACE</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CX5P" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b><br />
• “The taxation of trade routes to the outlying star systems is in dispute.” Zzzzzzzzz… <br />
• The immaculately-conceived (!!!) young Anakin doesn’t seem overly concerned about leaving his slave-Mom behind on Tatooine, typical of the stilted relationships in these films. <br />
• Boy, Jedi sure have bad hair.<br />
• The discomfiting <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Episode-Action-Datapad/dp/B000GYP26W?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Watto</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000GYP26W" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> may not have been intentionally designed as an anti-Semitic stereotype, but he sure comes off as such.<br />
• And of course, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Episode-Action-Figure/dp/B00000J2AO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Jar-Jar Binks</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00000J2AO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. A CGI personification of George Lucas’ isolation in a universe of Yes-Men (nobody suggested to him this character was a bad idea?), JJ isn’t funny or endearing, he’s annoying (and yes, offensive) enough to make <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-E3-BF23-C-3PO/dp/B0006TZD1Q?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">C-3PO</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0006TZD1Q" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> seem bearable. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3MdqeOE3gs3IdQZRw-HNbhp3a-nfa8R47rOCO3BGHVt-gYgF3EFgzzusA0qbtNh51tsL_3We9HVlxygftyTmJgjWSurWB2JPdCovkCtilsjOpypFkLkGXfWx_gZGH9PqRIQbF2ikJBWK/s1600/yoda-dooku.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH3MdqeOE3gs3IdQZRw-HNbhp3a-nfa8R47rOCO3BGHVt-gYgF3EFgzzusA0qbtNh51tsL_3We9HVlxygftyTmJgjWSurWB2JPdCovkCtilsjOpypFkLkGXfWx_gZGH9PqRIQbF2ikJBWK/s200/yoda-dooku.jpg" width="200" /></a>EPISODE II: <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Episode-Attack-Widescreen/dp/B00006HBUJ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">ATTACK OF THE CLONES</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00006HBUJ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b><br />
• Enter the immensely dislikable teen Anakin, whose saving grace is that he sounds like Christopher Walken (imagine if Lucas had Walken re-dub James Earl Jones’ dialogue as Vader!). <br />
• The love scenes between <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Vintage-Collection-Skywalker/dp/B003WQL83M?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Anakin</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003WQL83M" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Naberrie-84076-Assort/dp/B000F6RHSC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Padme</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000F6RHSC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> are cheesier than any romance novel. <br />
• The term, “younglings” is introduced, presumably to make their extermination in the next film a bit more semantically palpable than “Anakin killed all the baby Jedi!” <br />
• Is Palpatine’s secret identity of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Darth-Sidious-84087/dp/B00000J2AY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Darth Sidious</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00000J2AY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> really supposed to be a mystery? <br />
• Despite a valiant attempt on the FX crew to make the light saber duel between <a href="http://www.amazon.com/FunKo-8516-Yoda-Funko-Force/dp/B00213WEY4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Yoda</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00213WEY4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Clone-Action-Figure/dp/B002P4L15W?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Count Dooku</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002P4L15W" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> not look silly…. It looks really silly. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbufSbKAHAcq-W5qe16jjH6HOUMGhkfmyCHam5g139lGs1bgbu_vZu9o3iOUOyfmBv0uuu7BcLm-4NvnjyfGTsr1dGHFG6CQ1Scs-U-uQiFkhsmHXg8OB2-VNxJpfal4XXBFybevIbox_/s1600/anakin-padme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbufSbKAHAcq-W5qe16jjH6HOUMGhkfmyCHam5g139lGs1bgbu_vZu9o3iOUOyfmBv0uuu7BcLm-4NvnjyfGTsr1dGHFG6CQ1Scs-U-uQiFkhsmHXg8OB2-VNxJpfal4XXBFybevIbox_/s200/anakin-padme.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>EPISODE III: <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Episode-Revenge-Widescreen/dp/B00005JLXH?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">REVENGE OF THE SITH </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005JLXH" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b><br />
• The opening battle over Coruscant is endemic of Lucas’ compulsive drive to fill every frame with sensory overload: too many ships, too many droids, too many explosions, too much music. Make head hurt. <br />
• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Attack-Clones-Coruscant/dp/B000063CUZ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">R2-D2</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000063CUZ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> uses a cell phone? <br />
• More shmoopy dialogue between Anakin and Padme. “Hold me like you did by the lake on Naboo, so long ago when there was nothing but our love!” These characters are as inherently annoying as the homecoming queen and her angry jock boyfriend, a regime that happily never lasts. <br />
• Ultimately, the obviously manic-depressive Anakin is willing to go to the Dark Side because of little more than a bad dream. If they’d have had anti-depressants a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, this whole mess could’ve been avoided. <br />
• As always, the climax is amazingly unsatisfying. A perfunctory, mostly dialogue-free montage gives exposition and ties up loose ends (“Have the protocol droid’s mind wiped.”), setting the stage for Episode IV, but there’s no heft. The final shot should’ve been Vader and the Emperor looking at the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Uncle-Milton-Science-Death-Planetarium/dp/B00339P9ME?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Death Star </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00339P9ME" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />construction and gloating over the destruction of the Jedi. Instead we get Owen and Beru looking at the sunset. Sunsets. Suns-set? Whatever. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiYW9PDbwuqC_f6gAe1B9QZuPe9SsNEtoRYslZ9thykkAjJa6PTVvxkTI-tspaqx0x_C3rvUZx1xpp6ejKqE2PxaCSvrQy2SZr8aDcoXPwjIM67xkKRXQ1MXm_INyRX6K6mB2TzkSGl9t/s1600/Greedo_solo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJiYW9PDbwuqC_f6gAe1B9QZuPe9SsNEtoRYslZ9thykkAjJa6PTVvxkTI-tspaqx0x_C3rvUZx1xpp6ejKqE2PxaCSvrQy2SZr8aDcoXPwjIM67xkKRXQ1MXm_INyRX6K6mB2TzkSGl9t/s320/Greedo_solo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>EPISODE IV: <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Episode-IV-Widescreen/dp/B000FQJAIW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">A NEW HOPE</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000FQJAIW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b><br />
• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Vintage-Collection-Skywalker/dp/B004KLRKJO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Luke Skywalker</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004KLRKJO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />: The whiniest hero in pop culture history (he is his father’s son). <br />
• I’m sorry, but <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Vintage-Figure-Vader/dp/B003KYE7DY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Darth Vader</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003KYE7DY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />… is silly looking. With his little silver button nose, chicken wire respirator, chest control panel (why didn’t anyone ever just throw a rock at this thing and end his evil reign?) and a belt that evokes a cell-clip-wearing uncle, he makes me chuckle. <br />
• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Greedo-Action-Figure/dp/B000JVU8UW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Greedo</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000JVU8UW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> shoots first. Sheesh. <br />
• They couldn’t squeeze in one minute for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Princess-Action-Figure/dp/B000A3T1GQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Princess Leia</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000A3T1GQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> to mourn her entire PLANET after the Death Star destroys Alderaan? No, “We have no time for our sorrows.” Besides, our screenwriter is inept at conveying human emotion!<br />
• As part of the complete continuity, the film suffers from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-BF12-OBI-WAN-KENOBI/dp/B0006OCFBM?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Obi-Wan</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0006OCFBM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />’s seeming senility. Despite saving Luke from the Sand People (by waving his arms and shouting?), Kenobi doesn’t seem like he’s been spending the past 20 years watching over the titular New Hope. Obi-Wan doesn’t even seem to remember his Jedi name! <br />
• Oboy, a Leni Riefenstahl homage as climax! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IGpYwDE6l-HTJhuCyrdJYLBaZJUBOU2wTV5qLkSWIjdQhghWUh1i-6aRoHzvcD575FjUGKlxBtSwx0AhkTJsf_i3ThTvKlvPdE9fG8arEiGZ6bSd9NCQ8N1QmfmOnxYNiaHGw7c07oWf/s1600/creepy-kiss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IGpYwDE6l-HTJhuCyrdJYLBaZJUBOU2wTV5qLkSWIjdQhghWUh1i-6aRoHzvcD575FjUGKlxBtSwx0AhkTJsf_i3ThTvKlvPdE9fG8arEiGZ6bSd9NCQ8N1QmfmOnxYNiaHGw7c07oWf/s320/creepy-kiss.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>EPISODE V: <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Episode-Versions-Widescreen/dp/B000FQJAJG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000FQJAJG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b><br />
• The stop motion Tauntauns look like something Hermey the Elf would ride.<br />
• Luke and Leia’s smooch is creepy even without knowing they’re siblings (when is George gonna digitally erase that saliva string?). <br />
• Apparently, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Vintage-Collection-Action/dp/B0045M4D8O?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Jango Fett</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0045M4D8O" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> was the worst shot in the galaxy, as the stormtroopers (assuming they’re clones of the bounty hunter) couldn’t hit the side of a Sandcrawler. <br />
• More retcon problems: Why doesn’t R2-D2 recognize Yoda? Why does Yoda have to tell Obi-Wan “there is another?” And since Palpatine told Vader that he’d killed the pregnant Padme, when did Darth discover he had a son?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBO6UutgAjnnnsVVJFNcVeI67grEGjPe1pnD1fzoHIXMi1fTKDp3RddmHiyvPUly9HwJGshLhWULZLcIzuKbapX0v3PZSqJ6U0x1YBX3lKqZ4CiIJDSYfFBg4E6OSjKfHwoBQyIdTz3Pcv/s1600/Gamorrean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBO6UutgAjnnnsVVJFNcVeI67grEGjPe1pnD1fzoHIXMi1fTKDp3RddmHiyvPUly9HwJGshLhWULZLcIzuKbapX0v3PZSqJ6U0x1YBX3lKqZ4CiIJDSYfFBg4E6OSjKfHwoBQyIdTz3Pcv/s200/Gamorrean.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>EPISODE VI: <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Episode-VI-Widescreen/dp/B000FQVX78?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">RETURN OF THE JEDI</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000FQVX78" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b><br />
• The muppet-like aliens are comically unbelievable. Jabba’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Vintage-Figure-Gamorrean/dp/B00467PGPM?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Gamorrean guards</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00467PGPM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> seem as threatening as the Great Gonzo. The Sarlacc looks straight outta “Little Shop of Horrors.” <br />
• Artoo’s circular saw extension is as ludicrous as Bat-Shark-Repellant.<br />
• More awkwardly scripted drama: “Luke, you have a sister.” “No shit. Bet it’s Leia.” I’m paraphrasing, but this important plot point is revealed with no impact whatsoever. <br />
• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Freeze-Wicket-Logray/dp/B000A6J6HC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Ewoks</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000A6J6HC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> suck. Also, Endor’s primitive forest world is a very unspectacular setting for the climax of a series that’s called “STAR Wars.” <br />
• Why does every single episode end with people just kinda standing around? There’s not one good final line in any one of these movies, which speaks volumes about the lack of importance placed on dialogue. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZZIOSZ2BkRNd2tkFROgjhKDaOofV4cZzlNqrj9JEd2NCYuJQxphZy0HoDtOK9HkDzi9haAoHfx3E1i7_9Mda6zpFrL_zPrfGu5CM5rIkagqAePPEytvzgU_OmBD442V56zfQZ5RSnt3l/s1600/ESB-end.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZZIOSZ2BkRNd2tkFROgjhKDaOofV4cZzlNqrj9JEd2NCYuJQxphZy0HoDtOK9HkDzi9haAoHfx3E1i7_9Mda6zpFrL_zPrfGu5CM5rIkagqAePPEytvzgU_OmBD442V56zfQZ5RSnt3l/s320/ESB-end.jpg" width="320" /></a>Okay, I grant that some of these beefs are more with the state of technology than anything else, and I could forgive the muppet-esque aliens if everything surrounding them didn't likewise feel as fleshed out as an episode of SESAME STREET. I also realize that so-called “Expanded Universe” stories in other media have filled in some of these blanks and even fleshed out the cardboard characterizations, but the movies need to stand on their own. And, with the possible exception of <b>ESB</b>, they don’t. <br />
<br />
Still, Lucas acolytes worship the series with a forgiving, religious fervor that frankly baffles me. I realize that writing this piece may put a bounty on my head. I hope they send <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Legends-Action-Figure-Bossk/dp/B003KYC61O?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Bossk</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003KYC61O" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. He’s funny. <br />
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<div style="color: red;"><i>ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED in <b>GEEK MONTHLY </b>#4, May 2007 </i></div>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-73389034106495058832011-06-09T20:58:00.001-04:002011-06-09T21:00:37.710-04:00Makin' a List of the 10 Best Cinematic Santas!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLadSj4c8tma-FM5Zx9UBBmcvmZ10rdx_biM8V56b1rAI24UOLsv6YzuZNIL-jYZk3NMenbhuqx0YdUkSzuXGfYIQoabZUUfJcvUPgIE_qj5Y_8jJ-CXlvlZ9iCCndkJ_s9qPQ0yL8l4QZ/s1600/fred_claus_ver7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLadSj4c8tma-FM5Zx9UBBmcvmZ10rdx_biM8V56b1rAI24UOLsv6YzuZNIL-jYZk3NMenbhuqx0YdUkSzuXGfYIQoabZUUfJcvUPgIE_qj5Y_8jJ-CXlvlZ9iCCndkJ_s9qPQ0yL8l4QZ/s200/fred_claus_ver7.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>Paul Giamatti has played some distinctive parts in his film career, from Andy Kaufman’s comic accomplice Bob Zmuda in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Man-Moon-Jim-Carrey/dp/B00003CWTL?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Man on the Moon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CWTL" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” to curmudgeonly cartoonist Harvey Pekar in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Splendor-Paul-Giamatti/dp/B0000U0X20?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">American Splendor</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000U0X20" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” and the simian Limbo in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Planet-Apes-Special-Mark-Wahlberg/dp/B000062XGX?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Planet of the Apes</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000062XGX" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” But in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fred-Claus-Blu-ray-Vince-Vaughn/dp/B001E5CH06?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Fred Claus</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001E5CH06" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” Paul gets to step into the red pants of one of the most iconic characters in culture: Santa Claus. As the holiday season begins to rev up, we thought we’d stuff a stocking with our ten favorite movie Santas!<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_T1SNOSMJ1wgjZ2Q7jHeii6yBx0YslGIWCf7AEMw1cXFhAWUZUMT76B8iYKiAaELH0tsd-LRlmo-idb9HNz81bjtf18ag64LsoAN8fUAkiTvlrV4GIQG67cTa50vu76bk6HxPV7cUjTP4/s1600/asner-santa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_T1SNOSMJ1wgjZ2Q7jHeii6yBx0YslGIWCf7AEMw1cXFhAWUZUMT76B8iYKiAaELH0tsd-LRlmo-idb9HNz81bjtf18ag64LsoAN8fUAkiTvlrV4GIQG67cTa50vu76bk6HxPV7cUjTP4/s200/asner-santa.jpg" width="132" /></a>10) Ed Asner in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Elf-Infinifilm-Will-Ferrell/dp/B0002F6BRE?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Elf</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002F6BRE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2003)</div><div style="text-align: right;">The idea of a gruff Santa is nothing new (most of the classic <a href="http://www.amazon.com/MAKING-RANKIN-HOLIDAY-CLASSIC-ebook/dp/B00520KL84?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rankin/Bass </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00520KL84" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />TV specials featured a crusty Kringle), but there’s something particularly amusing in casting Lou Grant as the man in red. Ed Asner (who also voiced Santa in the animated TV special, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Olive-Other-Reindeer-Drew-Barrymore/dp/B0000AGWS3?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Olive the Other Reindeer</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000AGWS3" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”) has a world-weariness to him in Jon Favreau’s retro Xmas tale. When he warns human elf Buddy (Will Ferrell) of the perils of civilization (gum on the street is not free candy), you get the feeling that while he’s not about to give up the job, Santa’s just about had it with us silly mortals. And who can blame him? Barely any of us believe anymore (betcha Ted Baxter does). </div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFXMM6sucOvUbLhRBNh_2G4pv5FIFBkA9SEo9gpfkyIIemDH5fTi7rb4HAuvLdAwxSjPGco5Q3bCDMHLAwfvMQ06NqhME7IXdTsOujOLogyOW5jccE9XIJFX499bvlbKIrohh-xaDEPX8/s1600/crypt-santa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmFXMM6sucOvUbLhRBNh_2G4pv5FIFBkA9SEo9gpfkyIIemDH5fTi7rb4HAuvLdAwxSjPGco5Q3bCDMHLAwfvMQ06NqhME7IXdTsOujOLogyOW5jccE9XIJFX499bvlbKIrohh-xaDEPX8/s200/crypt-santa.jpg" width="200" /></a>9) Oliver MacGreevey in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Crypt-Horror-Double-Feature/dp/B000RXVNCO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Tales from the Crypt</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000RXVNCO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1972)<br />
Still, Asner’s Santa isn’t likely to chop up anyone with an axe. The same can’t be said of the deranged Claus from the 1972 anthology adaptation of the classic 1950s EC horror comics. In “All Through the House,” Joan Collins plays a desperate housewife who kills her hubby with a fireplace poker on Christmas Eve, but finds that she can’t dispose of the body due to an escaped homicidal maniac in a Santa suit hanging around outside. This was the beginning of a whole slew of slasher Santa flicks, from the “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Night-Deadly-Part/dp/B0000AYLJE?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Silent Night, Deadly Night</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000AYLJE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” series through 2005’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Santas-Slay-Bill-Goldberg/dp/B000BQ7J6Q?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Santa’s Slay</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000BQ7J6Q" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” and while it’s a genre we don’t love, this first entrant is enough to give even Cindy Lou Who the willies. <br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ByYDnYaOVesm9CnphZ3vHzVHrA7rqHZU0zEKOOybMlBFt9z6a8fryd3JLY_zuRTYjY68KVEvsU9spWsJm-xwSZO0GXS1wKKJmOf8BYLGcIuq1Ijl9HKOsFzTlCgL5B0HKQX8pPC0pBWh/s1600/christmas-story-santa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ByYDnYaOVesm9CnphZ3vHzVHrA7rqHZU0zEKOOybMlBFt9z6a8fryd3JLY_zuRTYjY68KVEvsU9spWsJm-xwSZO0GXS1wKKJmOf8BYLGcIuq1Ijl9HKOsFzTlCgL5B0HKQX8pPC0pBWh/s200/christmas-story-santa.jpg" width="200" /></a>8) Jeff Gillen in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Story-Blu-ray-Peter-Billingsley/dp/B001CW7ZZ8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">A Christmas Story</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001CW7ZZ8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1983)</div><div style="text-align: right;">The exasperated tapioca-loathing department store Santa is a mere cameo in the Bob Clark adaptation of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Story-Inspired-Hilarious-Classic/dp/0767916220?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Jean Shepherd’s classic Christmas memoir</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0767916220" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, but it’s indelible. As seen through the terrified eyes of the kids overwhelmed by the garish plastic North Pole and pressured to hurry with their gift requests by surly teenagers in elf costumes, Santa is far from jolly. He’s a bellicose, intimidating red monster who sends screaming tots down a plastic slide to holiday hell after crushing their dreams! Ho oh No! </div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPJs7_V6lKaJ1tQkoVEETqrG2-q-SlDU4BhwfIf1DGsF9xzzeZQlt5zmIdt7Do6QnPspJCXMQNR3kCZK_alxfkA1Jq1knE7vLXDo9RP1IYfhlk0BIHkztqvnvJemMeQORblg7-mEe2mLK/s1600/edison-santa.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPJs7_V6lKaJ1tQkoVEETqrG2-q-SlDU4BhwfIf1DGsF9xzzeZQlt5zmIdt7Do6QnPspJCXMQNR3kCZK_alxfkA1Jq1knE7vLXDo9RP1IYfhlk0BIHkztqvnvJemMeQORblg7-mEe2mLK/s200/edison-santa.png" width="200" /></a>7) Unknown in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Past-Vintage-Holiday-Films/dp/B00005RDS3?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Night Before Christmas</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005RDS3" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1905)<br />
This silent Edison short was the first screen adaptation of Clement Moore’s classic poem, featuring a Santa who, despite wearing a polka-dot coat and mismatched pants, is a fully-realized image of the icon. While the name of the actor in the Santa suit has been lost to time, the film (by director Edwin S. Porter) is unforgettable, with its then-revolutionary cross-cutting between two stories (Santa preparing for his journey and a family readying for bed) and simple, yet mesmerizing miniature effects. <br />
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6) James Cosmo in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Narnia-Witch-Wardrobe-Blu-ray/dp/B003UMW63Y?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003UMW63Y" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2005)<br />
In 2005’s adaptation of the C.S. Lewis tale, Father Christmas is an arms provider to the Pevensie kids, giving them weapons to aid in their struggle against the evil White Witch. This Santa’s a brown-clad, earthy, slightly foreboding guy (he initially scares the bejeezus out of the wardrobe-travelers), definitely the most butt-kickin’ Santa on our list. Except for maybe…<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGq82sjNPpezSBZ0275qrKlFOiy6BmqkHAgRrxJGI8ZUbu1woLou_Vq3BaL4fVheW3pabTwb0vTXApOw-QYqQK0b3nQfwhkA_E25AUKQ-4usCz-QUQGbWEdPholVt_LG1qgdpky8wBAvhd/s1600/bad-santa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGq82sjNPpezSBZ0275qrKlFOiy6BmqkHAgRrxJGI8ZUbu1woLou_Vq3BaL4fVheW3pabTwb0vTXApOw-QYqQK0b3nQfwhkA_E25AUKQ-4usCz-QUQGbWEdPholVt_LG1qgdpky8wBAvhd/s200/bad-santa.jpg" width="140" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;">5) Billy Bob Thornton in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Santa-Unrated-Directors-Blu-ray/dp/B004SEUJ0A?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Bad Santa</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004SEUJ0A" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2003)</div><div style="text-align: right;">One can only imagine the catharsis this film holds for anyone who’s ever had to don a Santa Suit and endure the mewling queues of avaricious children crawling all over them. As the thief who, with the aid of his elf accomplice, uses Santa jobs to gain access to department stores in order to rob them, Billy Bob Thornton is gloriously profane, a drunken slice of pure id with no self-control or shame. That is, until a pathetic kid named Thurman Merman teaches him that it sucks to be a selfish a-hole. Hey, we’re just using Santa’s vernacular! </div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5RD08bT6JXB9tq1Zvn3KGcgxPZ9aOAixYEvnAviIwHM5ZHdKavvQoNVy8FtNXf9onI12hxsOqmw88Lvx7pFps8z-gZOCsPWFdjEQjUFRDY38_LDVJW5uIMQ8EhB1fyMJkI7ppfIAP92Lt/s1600/grampy-santa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5RD08bT6JXB9tq1Zvn3KGcgxPZ9aOAixYEvnAviIwHM5ZHdKavvQoNVy8FtNXf9onI12hxsOqmw88Lvx7pFps8z-gZOCsPWFdjEQjUFRDY38_LDVJW5uIMQ8EhB1fyMJkI7ppfIAP92Lt/s200/grampy-santa.jpg" width="149" /></a>4) Professor Grampy in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Max-Fleischers-Color-Classics-Somewhere/dp/B0000687E3?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Christmas Comes But Once a Year</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000687E3" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1936)<br />
The revolutionary Fleischer Studios produced this charming short using their “tabletop technique,” in which animated cels lay over actual 3D sets. One Christmas morning, a traveling inventor named Professor Grampy comes across an orphanage too poor to afford decent presents for the kids. So The resourceful Grampy utilizes items from the kitchen to create toys: a washboard is turned into a sled, a frying pan becomes a banjo, a percolator and tea set becomes a toy train. Grampy then fashions a Santa suit for himself and bestows the goodies on the thrilled tots. The cartoon ends with a singalong in front of a rotating tree (made from nesting green umbrellas stuck on a victrola) that elicits “oohs” to this day. But we have to wonder… where the heck is the orphanage staff in this thing? <br />
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3) Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon) in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nightmare-Before-Christmas-Blu-ray-Elfman/dp/B003UMW68Y?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Nightmare Before Christmas</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003UMW68Y" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1993)<br />
We’re choosing Halloweentown’s Pumpkin King’s imitation of Santa over the genuine article in Tim Burton and Henry Selick’s stop motion holiday crossover tale because, let’s face it, he brings a fresh perspective to Christmas. Who wouldn’t prefer a shrunken head to a pair of socks? Jack may find the bright, joyful shiny Christmas to be exciting, but he still can’t let go of his Goth roots, which is why he many consider him to be the only cool Santa on this list. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguF1QTErsYzFEEBcGiR7HD_MLWrB3fyV8_PGX1r2sivL6euAvKIwF1bWQF-WeiwH_oXQRjXY1azd1fkWr_B4OfoTTD6feVzqSN-7lfKWR0UskqQTYA4IhAYpnmac-dn5s0p9BAartflq_b/s1600/santa-mexico.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguF1QTErsYzFEEBcGiR7HD_MLWrB3fyV8_PGX1r2sivL6euAvKIwF1bWQF-WeiwH_oXQRjXY1azd1fkWr_B4OfoTTD6feVzqSN-7lfKWR0UskqQTYA4IhAYpnmac-dn5s0p9BAartflq_b/s200/santa-mexico.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;">2) José Elias Moreno in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Santa-Claus-Jose-Elias-Moreno/dp/B0006HU2YG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Santa Claus</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0006HU2YG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1959)</div><div style="text-align: right;">Oh, how we love this oddball Mexican film pitting Santa Claus against a mischievous devil named Pitch, out to ruin the holiday. The movie presents Santa as a sort of outer space overlord, with children from around the world replacing the typical elves as his slave labor, keeping tabs on boys and girls with Dali-esque spy devices. Santa rides his terrifying robotic reindeer to Mexico where he does slapstick battle with Pitch, rewards a poor little girl with a giant doll and drugs some wealthy, but neglectful parents with a mickey that readjusts their priorities. Truly, magically, wonderfully bizarre. </div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp2Wijq1oxDvsZxCT8NPiBmH-EDShp43d-3SmdC_y2XM34drj63aBonAG9WdSMzj8M-TCwN3eB45iP27akh5n6BV_ujM_WV4UtRxpt7fAXY_WqVl5lAgimwiNHw_zSXlnC3uBjmb5BvA04/s1600/gwenn-santa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp2Wijq1oxDvsZxCT8NPiBmH-EDShp43d-3SmdC_y2XM34drj63aBonAG9WdSMzj8M-TCwN3eB45iP27akh5n6BV_ujM_WV4UtRxpt7fAXY_WqVl5lAgimwiNHw_zSXlnC3uBjmb5BvA04/s200/gwenn-santa.jpg" width="159" /></a>1) Edmund Gwenn in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Street-Blu-ray-Maureen-OHara/dp/B0029XFNA8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Miracle on 34th Street</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0029XFNA8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1947)<br />
Choosing anyone else would be ridiculous. While some dismiss this holiday classic as saccharine-pap, it’s actually a sometimes-dark film, portraying humankind as often petty, selfish, narrow-minded and cynical. Gwenn plays a harmless mental patient who believes he’s really Kris Kringle, and winds up working the red suit for Macy’s when their Santa proves too soused to Ho-Ho-Ho. Kris’ insistence that he’s the genuine article (and refusal to compromise Santa’s integrity) creates difficulties for the angry in-store shrink, Mr. Macy and the cynical woman who hired him. But when a resourceful young lawyer proves in court that Santa exists, all cynicism melts away. The film works due primarily to the amazing performance of Gwenn, whose charming mixture of humor, wonder, compassion, intelligence and even strength makes him eminently believable to everyone, both onscreen and in the audience. Simply stated, the perfect Santa. <br />
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Naturally, everyone has his or her own idea of what Santa Claus should be like. Maybe for you, it’s Jim Carrey in Grinch makeup, John Call conquering Martians or (yikes) Tim Allen in a fat suit. But it’s a safe bet that no movie Santa Claus will ever measure up to Dad in a bad rented costume. <br />
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<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1573536/counting-down-our-favorite-cinematic-santas-rewind.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, November 2007</a> (the final installment!)Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-34944706954216698762011-06-02T10:36:00.003-04:002011-06-02T10:44:23.226-04:00Great Horror Film Franchises That Just Can't Be Killed!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOxImXTCV5k337blvGV5TEcd_im8OhJC7ZKuVW1LN8Cf9N_erl7sWYW93U074CSWquPoy5wMw-gKkevgqIkrdtjtRzr3Sn8tnOfisvDB8S9KoGiNzte3M6HcxAO1JgtSdqrvnNmgGw5yE/s1600/saw-iv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOxImXTCV5k337blvGV5TEcd_im8OhJC7ZKuVW1LN8Cf9N_erl7sWYW93U074CSWquPoy5wMw-gKkevgqIkrdtjtRzr3Sn8tnOfisvDB8S9KoGiNzte3M6HcxAO1JgtSdqrvnNmgGw5yE/s200/saw-iv.jpg" width="135" /></a>You know you’ve got a powerful movie franchise if it can survive the death of its main character. Such would seem to be the case with “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saw-IV-Blu-ray-Tobin-Bell/dp/B001053038?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Saw IV</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001053038" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” which opens this weekend despite the demise of the sadistic Jigsaw in the third installment. As Halloween approaches, step into the Iron Maiden with us as we revisit knife-wielding maniacs and unstoppable monsters, counting down the greatest horror film series of all time! <br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgKVKMB2q-rCkCJ8UOzQDr1KtB7GTF2oVd2Bo3ClZGBsw1EHKCmASS9-Wdb4RCFEaH60Xgbnea9Vg7ZkSpQGBNwAJ-QHoYGxEN7xDpjMoCXazO1tTlCcIBCQZ7RnPgtdKWHl2wV5FCiV_/s1600/scream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrgKVKMB2q-rCkCJ8UOzQDr1KtB7GTF2oVd2Bo3ClZGBsw1EHKCmASS9-Wdb4RCFEaH60Xgbnea9Vg7ZkSpQGBNwAJ-QHoYGxEN7xDpjMoCXazO1tTlCcIBCQZ7RnPgtdKWHl2wV5FCiV_/s200/scream.jpg" width="141" /></a><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scream-Triple-Pack/dp/B002DYKPGK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">SCREAM</a></b></div><div style="text-align: right;">In 1996, realizing that cynical audiences had seen it all, Wes Craven decided to craft a postmodern horror film, the self-referential “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scream-Blu-ray-Neve-Campbell/dp/B004OEIL54?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Scream</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004OEIL54" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” As the murderous Ghostface stalks characters who are fully aware of, yet still complicit in the standard behavior of teenage slasher-film-victims, the movie becomes ironically unpredictable. Audiences weren’t sure how to react to this horror-comedy hybrid, but the film was a smash, and the first sequel again slyly turned conventions of the genre upside-down, with “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scream-2-Blu-ray-Neve-Campbell/dp/B004OEIL5E?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Scream 2</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004OEIL5E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1997) satirizing horror sequels via the film-within-the-film, “Stab,” based on the events of “Scream.” But by the release of the convoluted “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scream-3-Blu-ray-David-Arquette/dp/B004OEIL5O?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Scream 3</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004OEIL5O" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2000), the series had become what it originally so smartly satirized, and so Ghostface was happily retired (at least for now). </div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjQ2_ky2sogKIg56gXcrDJLbRd1YOFlotVieheQgzRvcpqzpfr-wRWXXzNIThGx9JcueXkY8yO8KVJAlxTO1YQwmmtREA5lADiGXz7TiLOmbDGChvMiwbvSW8Pfi3q52vtHwZUiQ3myYz/s1600/alien.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCjQ2_ky2sogKIg56gXcrDJLbRd1YOFlotVieheQgzRvcpqzpfr-wRWXXzNIThGx9JcueXkY8yO8KVJAlxTO1YQwmmtREA5lADiGXz7TiLOmbDGChvMiwbvSW8Pfi3q52vtHwZUiQ3myYz/s200/alien.jpg" width="169" /></a><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alien-Anthology-Blu-ray-Sigourney-Weaver/dp/B001AQO3QA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">ALIEN</a></b><br />
What makes the uneven “Alien” franchise noteworthy is how the respective filmmakers managed to avoid just remaking the same movie over and over. Following Ridley Scott’s superb original outer-space-haunted-house “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alien-Blu-ray-Sigourney-Weaver/dp/B004RE29T0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Alien</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004RE29T0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1979), James Cameron’s 1986 sequel, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Aliens-Blu-ray-Sigourney-Weaver/dp/B004RE29PO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Aliens</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004RE29PO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” replaced suspense with all-out action. David Fincher’s much-maligned “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alien-Blu-ray-Charles-S-Dutton/dp/B004RE29WW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Alien3</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004RE29WW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1992) is a bleak (but not bad) prison film while Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s lamentable “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alien-Resurrection-Blu-ray-Dominique-Pinon/dp/B004RE29SQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Alien: Resurrection</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004RE29SQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1997) made audiences wish the franchise would’ve stayed dead. But you can’t keep a good facehugger down, and (not counting the “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/AVP-Alien-Vs-Predator-Widescreen/dp/B00005JMZK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Alien vs. Predator</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005JMZK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” spin-offs), rumors persist that the acidic-blood-dripping, multiple-mandibled killers will return to the big screen… let’s just hope Winona Ryder’s busy. <br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5HlF69y8LYZ3p13UPgLfVEtPWv5NqMDrWbVxtv-n92j0M8g5TPkRyKo-ZY5SKBt17iKmh4hyphenhyphenj7AOIkoLme4rIzZAYHHHkwItw2eo-d_N_2lJPMVqQ61cIZLtHxY3FsXmcnN6WKcW_Oj_/s1600/omen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5HlF69y8LYZ3p13UPgLfVEtPWv5NqMDrWbVxtv-n92j0M8g5TPkRyKo-ZY5SKBt17iKmh4hyphenhyphenj7AOIkoLme4rIzZAYHHHkwItw2eo-d_N_2lJPMVqQ61cIZLtHxY3FsXmcnN6WKcW_Oj_/s200/omen.jpg" width="138" /></a><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Omen-Collection-Conflict-Awakening/dp/B000HCO86I?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">THE OMEN</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000HCO86I" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></div><div style="text-align: right;">The original “Omen” trilogy follows the life of Satan-spawned Damien Thorn from demonic tot-hood to his adult ascendancy towards world domination. Richard Donner’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Omen-Two-Disc-Collectors-Gregory-Peck/dp/B000EYK4KS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Omen</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000EYK4KS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1976) is a spectacularly chilling portrait of apple-cheeked evil and 1978’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Damien-Omen-2-William-Holden/dp/B00096S48K?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Damien: Omen II</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00096S48K" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” manages to make the teenage Damien both terrifying and sympathetic. Sadly, 1981’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Omen-Final-Conflict-Sam-Neill/dp/B00096S48U?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Final Conflict</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00096S48U" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” brings an unsatisfying conclusion to the series as the adult Damien (Sam Neill) sets out to kill the second coming of Christ while being stalked by dagger-toting Priests. The film has no style and the awkward (but inevitable) climax has a cheezy “Left Behind” feel. Only time will tell if last year’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Omen-Widescreen-Predrag-Bjelac/dp/B000HCO87W?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">remake</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000HCO87W" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> of the first film will spawn further misadventures of the young antichrist. </div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FuAze4wKdOYahWlQkZpvm1Ph4K3BiUBNOVm44j9iFOXGxHnsGK3IIhhwqeu5MVeb4k7mE9CzZyX475HHxro-QMcrX1gwAwJ7rCc3bQLWIU3MyYV9PIFoWNOmRJjKruk1_LArcgL4xb9p/s1600/hannibal-lecter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FuAze4wKdOYahWlQkZpvm1Ph4K3BiUBNOVm44j9iFOXGxHnsGK3IIhhwqeu5MVeb4k7mE9CzZyX475HHxro-QMcrX1gwAwJ7rCc3bQLWIU3MyYV9PIFoWNOmRJjKruk1_LArcgL4xb9p/s200/hannibal-lecter.jpg" width="144" /></a><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hannibal-Lecter-Collection-Manhunter-Silence/dp/B00000G3R0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The HANNIBAL LECTER Series</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00000G3R0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b><br />
Boy, talk about a mixed bag. We’ll skip both Michael Mann’s stylish “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Manhunter-William-Petersen/dp/B000UGBOT0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Manhunter</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000UGBOT0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1986) and this year’s prequel “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hannibal-Rising-Unrated-Widescreen-Gaspard/dp/B000NVT0SO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hannibal Rising</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000NVT0SO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” and focus on the films in which the charming, erudite serial killer is portrayed by Anthony Hopkins. Jonathan Demme’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silence-Lambs-Blu-ray-Jodie-Foster/dp/B000MGB6N2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Silence of the Lambs</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000MGB6N2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” shocked everyone in 1991 not just with its terrifying depiction of malevolence (and chauvinism), but by winning the top five Oscars. Less-regarded was the Ridley Scott-helmed sequel, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hannibal-Two-Disc-Special-Anthony-Hopkins/dp/B00003CXSP?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hannibal</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CXSP" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2001), which made the mistake of turning the cannibalistic killer into the film’s hero. Brett Ratner’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Red-Dragon-Blu-ray-Anthony-Hopkins/dp/B003W5C0VC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Red Dragon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003W5C0VC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2002) goes back to a time when Hannibal was still behind bars, simultaneously aiding and manipulating FBI agents. But despite the varying quality of the films, Hopkins’ Lecter remains a consistent joy to behold, a pitch-perfect inhabiting of a role that makes for one of the most mesmerizing characters in film history. <br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUAh_jtbMLmeuRJfTI_KwgLDM5X-t54dupG72Jkw6MVA4fv7cY555T9-OHRX-7pNgDCcbaTRDMRVewGaxe2Nvp0OmDUh037Zs0ga-PACd8diNWZ-DpXVo0-ibJzCbw_oxwI-GtapRhcjw/s1600/frankenstein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUAh_jtbMLmeuRJfTI_KwgLDM5X-t54dupG72Jkw6MVA4fv7cY555T9-OHRX-7pNgDCcbaTRDMRVewGaxe2Nvp0OmDUh037Zs0ga-PACd8diNWZ-DpXVo0-ibJzCbw_oxwI-GtapRhcjw/s200/frankenstein.jpg" width="133" /></a><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frankenstein-Legacy-Collection-Bride-Ghost/dp/B0001CNRLQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Universal's FRANKENSTEIN</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0001CNRLQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0001CNRLQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></div><div style="text-align: right;">In the 1930s and ‘40s, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Collection-Frankenstein-Invisible-Creature/dp/0783242379?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Universal Pictures</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0783242379" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> was the home to such horror icons as Dracula, the Wolf Man, the Mummy and the monster created by the good doctor Victor Frankenstein. While each spawned sequels, the “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frankenstein-Universal-Studios-Classic-Collection/dp/B00000JMOF?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Frankenstein</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00000JMOF" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” films were more than virtual rehashes. Following the iconic 1931 original directed by James Whale and starring Boris Karloff as the tortured patchwork man, 1935’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frankenstein-Universal-Studios-Classic-Collection/dp/078323502X?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Bride of Frankenstein</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=078323502X" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” took the genre to new heights. Surreal, funny, tragic, beautiful and scary, the movie remains deliriously mind-warping over seven decades later. Following 1939’s lesser “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frankenstein-Universal-Studios-Double-Feature/dp/B00005LC4L?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Son of Frankenstein</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005LC4L" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (the last to star Karloff), the monster would return in five more Universal features, played by Universal Horror stalwarts Lon Chaney Jr., Glenn Strange and Bela Lugosi, the last most notably in 1948’s funny but somewhat derisive “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Abbott-Costello-Meet-Frankenstein-Bud/dp/0783233582?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0783233582" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” Frankenstein’s monster would be resurrected dozens more times over the years, but it’s this version that’s the most memorable. </div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfUlWSybebrq18LkIMzT3Xz3v80_Q0qpEB6Ax-unajn26i61MzdrrgH6pWBdzYh2mCVFaq6FGu57RgqhXTFI9TO1LZ2sGuFvW97-NR-rmChfRUWz61L5Kz5ByjL9ydWQNrBEptZVDIc82/s1600/norman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfUlWSybebrq18LkIMzT3Xz3v80_Q0qpEB6Ax-unajn26i61MzdrrgH6pWBdzYh2mCVFaq6FGu57RgqhXTFI9TO1LZ2sGuFvW97-NR-rmChfRUWz61L5Kz5ByjL9ydWQNrBEptZVDIc82/s200/norman.jpg" width="133" /></a><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psycho-Anniversary-Blu-ray-Anthony-Perkins/dp/B003IWZ1D8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">PSYCHO</a></b><br />
Nobody needs to be convinced that Alfred Hitchcock’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psycho-Collectors-Anthony-Perkins/dp/0783225849?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Psycho</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0783225849" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1960) is one of the greatest thrillers of all time, with Anthony Perkins’ indelible portrait of deceptively benign madman Norman Bates anchoring scenes of shocking violence (and sexuality) set to Bernard Herrmann’s iconic all-strings score. But 1983’s sequel, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psycho-II-III-IV-Beginning/dp/B000Q66Q8I?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Psycho II</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000Q66Q8I" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” is a vastly underrated film, with the just-released Norman (again Perkins) struggling to rebuild his life while being psychologically tormented by the vengeful sister of the legendary shower scene victim. Genuine suspense, some biting commentary on changing social mores, more shocks and a surprising twist ending make this a worthy sequel to the classic original. Sadly, 1986' "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psycho-III-Anthony-Perkins/dp/B0009X76PK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Psycho III</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0009X76PK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />" was a mere slasher film, and a 1990 TV sequel/prequel, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psycho-II-III-IV-Beginning/dp/B000Q66Q8I?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Psycho IV: The Beginning</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000Q66Q8I" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />" was only slightly less forgettable than Gus Van Sant's shot-for-shot <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psycho-Anne-Heche/dp/B00000IQVC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">1998 remake</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00000IQVC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> of Hitchcock's original. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqW0rBAyzf8_AuAUM3FrvykDfBzGJ8JanUYJ4u94Opu95U5yKu4iVoofv000JjisZWMnNIVbSUr8KkrJIXpD0bXGrqbFKOoG9CEwDd7NHn8BU8Z3w_eYKWjcSCHOqFRCJQp4TqHZPOZNrA/s1600/hammer-dracula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqW0rBAyzf8_AuAUM3FrvykDfBzGJ8JanUYJ4u94Opu95U5yKu4iVoofv000JjisZWMnNIVbSUr8KkrJIXpD0bXGrqbFKOoG9CEwDd7NHn8BU8Z3w_eYKWjcSCHOqFRCJQp4TqHZPOZNrA/s200/hammer-dracula.jpg" width="160" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Draculas-Favorites-Horror-Dracula-D/dp/B000U1ZV7G?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hammer Films’ <b>DRACULA</b></a><b><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000U1ZV7G" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></div><div style="text-align: right;">In 1958, the indie studio Hammer Films released “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Horror-Dracula-Peter-Cushing/dp/B00006G8K0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Horror of Dracula</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00006G8K0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” starring Christopher Lee as a more dashing bloodsucker than audiences were used to in a loose adaptation of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dracula-Original-Unabridged-Version-ebook/dp/B003VYBQQO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003VYBQQO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. 1960’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Werewolf-Paranoiac-Nightmare-Creatures-Frankenstein/dp/B0009X770O?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Brides of Dracula</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0009X770O" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” starred David Peel as “Baron Meinster,” a pretty-boy disciple of the count who was utterly lacking in Lee’s presence. Thankfully, Hammer lured the future Count Dooku / Saruman back into the cape and fangs for six more stylish, sexy vampire flicks starting with “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dracula-Prince-Darkness-Satanic-Rites/dp/B0000W5H7E?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dracula: Prince of Darkness</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000W5H7E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1966) and culminating in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dracula-Prince-Darkness-Satanic-Rites/dp/B0000W5H7E?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Satanic Rites of Dracula</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000W5H7E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1973). We will not discuss 1974’s kung fu-vampire hybrid, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Legend-7-Golden-Vampires/dp/B001M0NJ1O?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001M0NJ1O" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” </div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvWxAk3GMIOAjTjqJulr-SsBFYGySfXqAtsFsb4Ra9D69jShl1CafkAx_Gx4dKH3A0XqP45GOeVZA2g12Ag6ZePoKL3EP3Qa9glui-BgOuTJzg64Xmky14i5TnefIkEP4DDK8lORrwp1l/s1600/evil-dead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvWxAk3GMIOAjTjqJulr-SsBFYGySfXqAtsFsb4Ra9D69jShl1CafkAx_Gx4dKH3A0XqP45GOeVZA2g12Ag6ZePoKL3EP3Qa9glui-BgOuTJzg64Xmky14i5TnefIkEP4DDK8lORrwp1l/s200/evil-dead.jpg" width="160" /></a><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Evil-Dead-Book-Collection/dp/B000AQKU6I?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">THE EVIL DEAD</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000AQKU6I" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b><br />
Sam Raimi’s 1981 thriller, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Evil-Dead-Blu-ray-Bruce-Campbell/dp/B003IY48PS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Evil Dead</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003IY48PS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” came along at just the right time. Mindless, repetitive slasher films were all the rage, and the infusion of wit and style provided by the inaugural adventure of Ash (our hero, Bruce Campbell) battling the Book of the Dead gave the horror genre a much-needed boost. 1987’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Evil-Dead-Blu-ray-Sarah-Berry/dp/B000UR9QGW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Evil Dead II</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000UR9QGW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (sequel or remake? You decide!) was even more over-the-top, with Raimi’s imagination given free reign and a bigger budget. 1993’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Darkness-Screwhead-Blu-ray-Bruce-Campbell/dp/B0025VLEMK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Army of Darkness</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0025VLEMK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” took Ash back to 14th Century England in a slightly less fulfilling installment, but we can barely contain the drool over the prospect of a possible “Evil Dead IV,” something that Raimi (now a Hollywood A-lister thanks to “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Blu-ray-Tobey-Maguire/dp/B0042AGNC8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Spider-Man</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0042AGNC8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”) has said is a possibility. <br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_q09xgDwLR-V-sA-a5kaB3xhNLp1YP4OBXW_UgThTghlivxDMKXSh9hRSmBayBRTeSMvdnpoBELWKDoOcodkEhl6Ca0nKiM-ONNRhesQvbxdYHQw4EnFooL83KMhVn4fy9vPYyfQRIhe0/s1600/romero-dead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_q09xgDwLR-V-sA-a5kaB3xhNLp1YP4OBXW_UgThTghlivxDMKXSh9hRSmBayBRTeSMvdnpoBELWKDoOcodkEhl6Ca0nKiM-ONNRhesQvbxdYHQw4EnFooL83KMhVn4fy9vPYyfQRIhe0/s200/romero-dead.jpg" width="199" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Zombies-Illustrated-History-Jovanka-Vuckovic/dp/0312656505?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">George Romero’s <b>ZOMBIES</b></a><b><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0312656505" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></b></div><div style="text-align: right;">It’s impossible to overstate the impact of George Romero’s classic 1968 black and white zombie flick, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Night-Living-Dead-Blu-ray/dp/B002KAIW4E?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Night of the Living Dead</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002KAIW4E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” With its brilliant simplicity, groundbreaking casting and utterly believable characters, the movie is a timeless chunk of sheer terror. 1978’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Dead-Ultimate-David-Emge/dp/B0002IQNAG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dawn of the Dead</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002IQNAG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” used zombies in a mall to make a then-daring comment on mindless consumerism while remaining scary and exciting. 1985’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Day-Dead-Blu-ray-Terry-Alexander/dp/B000UR9QGC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Day of the Dead</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000UR9QGC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” set the flesh-eating on an army base, a not-so-subtle condemnation of Reagan era militarism. Two decades later, Romero returned to his undead roots with 2005’s disappointing “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Land-Dead-Unrated-Directors-Blu-ray/dp/B001CW7ZVC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Land of the Dead</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001CW7ZVC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” and the upcoming “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Diary-Dead-Blu-ray-Michelle-Morgan/dp/B001CDLARQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Diary of the Dead</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001CDLARQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” but even if that film stars Vanessa Hudgens as a perky teenage zombie, it tarnish the legacy of those original films. </div><br />
Yes, we know, we skipped some biggies. For all you fans of Freddy, Jason, Pinhead, Michael Myers, Chucky and pale, bug-eyed Japanese children, we’re sorry, but endlessly repeated formulae do not great franchises make. We can hear you sharpening your knives (and glove blades) already…<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">POSTSCRIPT, June 2011:</span></b><br />
More SCREAM and DEAD films, while Frankenstein remains unresurrected for the time being... as of this writing, the status of Ridley Scott's planned ALIEN prequel is fuzzy (is PROMETHEUS part of the series or not?)...but I remain hopeful. <br />
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<i><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1572456/greatest-horror-franchises-all-time-rewind.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, October 2007</a></i>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-90065950336246902462011-06-02T09:59:00.000-04:002011-06-02T09:59:43.207-04:00All Aboard for 10 Memorable Movie Train Rides<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvAMhkNIcjLztvUL8NezfaqncEBs4CEOoF854FslEAmfBX_rW2UkVRgkkm_F19HH4XOTxtUPO8mfxPQr4s9IhTeoDT3Y-KiFrONerPaPx_Aryf0L2q5vbUV5WzugoKUJMBEz50DHBgFvD/s1600/darjeeling-ltd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvAMhkNIcjLztvUL8NezfaqncEBs4CEOoF854FslEAmfBX_rW2UkVRgkkm_F19HH4XOTxtUPO8mfxPQr4s9IhTeoDT3Y-KiFrONerPaPx_Aryf0L2q5vbUV5WzugoKUJMBEz50DHBgFvD/s200/darjeeling-ltd.jpg" width="141" /></a></div>Wes Anderson’s fifth feature, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Darjeeling-Limited-Criterion-Collection-Blu-ray/dp/B003KGBIS4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Darjeeling Limited</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003KGBIS4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” follows three estranged brothers on a spiritual journey across India via that most evocative of transportation methods, the train. Many movies have featured dramatic, hilarious or romantic railroad journeys, so narrowing it down to cinema’s ten most memorable train rides is tricky… but we’ll do our best to choo-choo-choose them. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-tr6ZV_2njruy270rJzhrtaIDg5EV2ibROT0J8MjWQpWctZAsdL5XuG3K4uO7zH_JDpv3ZYsHigQI3yxyfgmNgYg2YQy5qt3tQAaA9I1JjyKihakIpsiWhY6vp0H1YxpuDnVwoIbWlka/s1600/silver+streak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB-tr6ZV_2njruy270rJzhrtaIDg5EV2ibROT0J8MjWQpWctZAsdL5XuG3K4uO7zH_JDpv3ZYsHigQI3yxyfgmNgYg2YQy5qt3tQAaA9I1JjyKihakIpsiWhY6vp0H1YxpuDnVwoIbWlka/s320/silver+streak.jpg" width="123" /></a>10) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silver-Streak-Gene-Wilder/dp/B0002XL37E?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Silver Streak</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002XL37E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1976)<br />
Gene Wilder plays George Caldwell, a dull book editor who takes the titular train from Los Angeles to Chicago, hoping for a quiet, peaceful trek. But after witnessing a murder on board, he becomes the target of an evil art thief played by Patrick McGoohan. This Hitchcock-lite, despite featuring a fairly exciting climax involving a spectacular train crash, is mostly notable for being the first pairing of the classic (if short-lived) comedy team of Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor (playing a thief who helps Wilder elude capture in part by teaching him how to be black). <br />
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9) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Von-Ryans-Express-Two-Disc-Collectors/dp/B000O78L1E?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Von Ryan’s Express</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000O78L1E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1965)<br />
In this WWII drama, Frank Sinatra plays US Air Force Colonel Joseph Ryan, held in a POW Camp in Italy alongside a group of British soldiers. When Italy surrenders, the prisoners are transported via railroad to Germany. But, led by fearless Frankie, the Allies take over (and we mean ALL over) the train and what follows is some extraordinary, action-packed location shooting through most of Italy, including a sequence in which the train is attacked by Nazi fighter planes! (For another tense WWII era train ride, check out John Frankenheimer’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Train-Burt-Lancaster/dp/079284047X?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Train</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=079284047X" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” released that same year.)<br />
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8) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Back-Future-Part-III-Michael/dp/B001LXIDVS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Back to the Future Part III</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001LXIDVS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1990)<br />
The final film of the time travel trilogy finds Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) driving the Delorean from 1955 to 1855 in order to save the stranded Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) from being killed by Biff’s great-grandfather Buford Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson). When it comes time to again go back to the future, the out-of-gas Delorean needs a push from a speeding locomotive to get up to time-barrier-breaking speed. But that train ride’s nothing compared to the time-traveling locomotive that Doc Brown invents to journey (with his wife and kids) from the old west around the time-space continuum. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfFv5AnjM3WQqZUox6cFSwUTR5F3JruYaUHkub64mR9QonEnS2QcunlLf8lpDLjd8otwMVRM6xJSLQMKuAXRl2cM2LvhK83Y35X9xyhBa2wFfXD2_U_lkGV8b-_7_B1OPYO0KzpQXvwk7/s1600/some-like-it-hot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfFv5AnjM3WQqZUox6cFSwUTR5F3JruYaUHkub64mR9QonEnS2QcunlLf8lpDLjd8otwMVRM6xJSLQMKuAXRl2cM2LvhK83Y35X9xyhBa2wFfXD2_U_lkGV8b-_7_B1OPYO0KzpQXvwk7/s200/some-like-it-hot.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>7) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Some-Like-Blu-ray-Marilyn-Monroe/dp/B004TJ1H1E?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Some Like it Hot</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004TJ1H1E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1959)<br />
After witnessing Chicago’s infamous 1929 St. Valentine’s Day mob hit massacre, struggling musicians Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) need to lam it outta town fast. To that end, the broke musicians take the first job they can get, which turns out to be playing in an all-girl band. Buried under makeup, wigs and other sundry prosthetics, “Josephine” and “Daphne” board a train bound for Florida with the rest of the girls, including the va-va-voomy singer Sugar Kane Kowalczyk (Marilyn Monroe). As the girls squeeze into their cramped berth and start getting ready for bed (there’s barely room for Marilyn), things indeed start to get hot, enough that the Catholic League of Decency gave the film a “C” for Condemned.<br />
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6) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mission-Impossible-Special-Collectors-Cruise/dp/B000EGDB10?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Mission: Impossible</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000EGDB10" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1996)<br />
The climax of Tom Cruise’s first outing as IMF agent Ethan Hunt finds the superspy battling his ex-boss Jim Phelps (Jon Voight) on France’s high speed TGV line. As their fight continues onto the roof of the train, you can’t help but marvel at how the combatants can keep their footing on a vehicle traveling over 300 mph! Still the awe-inspiring sight of a tethered helicopter being dragged by the train into the UK-connecting Chunnel hammers home the safety advantages of rail vs. air travel. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FVg9geS2Qms5D9hiB20hArGTYAo5utRn9J_KQMCfsIQ5buuWDtoOQC2gVHyLIpzZmxqdU3zO2ZDA0boyIjyxm-bbYg4PCtyZgcab_7CxWBKHGg693euL75uuwmI3o-t_j5Ww2ST8SkjW/s1600/lady-vanishes-argentina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_FVg9geS2Qms5D9hiB20hArGTYAo5utRn9J_KQMCfsIQ5buuWDtoOQC2gVHyLIpzZmxqdU3zO2ZDA0boyIjyxm-bbYg4PCtyZgcab_7CxWBKHGg693euL75uuwmI3o-t_j5Ww2ST8SkjW/s200/lady-vanishes-argentina.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>5) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Vanishes-Criterion-Collection/dp/B000VARC28?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Lady Vanishes</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000VARC28" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1938)<br />
The train setting plays prominently in many of Alfred Hitchcock’s films, including his penultimate British thriller. On a journey from Austria to London, a young playgirl named Iris (Margaret Lockwood, giving a smart, sexy performance decades ahead of her time) awakens from a nap to discover that her new friend, the matronly governess Miss Froy (Dame May Whitty) has disappeared. Only nobody on the train seems to remember the woman existing… or so they say. With the help of musical anthropologist Gilbert (Michael Redgrave), Iris unravels a conspiracy and rescues Miss Froy, who turns out to be a British secret agent conveying some McGuffinesque “vital information.” The 2005 thriller, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flightplan-Blu-ray-Jodie-Foster/dp/B000J6I0UW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Flightplan</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000J6I0UW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” has much in common with this wildly entertaining mystery, purportedly by coincidence (we say: Suuure). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEify469_gjv3m0PgPiDvDt9l0T5xa3DLjtNSvaM2LHpV9iUSWhaDEnL9sCmHfXgTW8cuc2urjmX76THdFHl7Kww-_qanAGOzqwNzYPi8oSj_xZv11jpLlydZs7N91Lk-Gu4OZibcmwqm7DE/s1600/orient-express.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEify469_gjv3m0PgPiDvDt9l0T5xa3DLjtNSvaM2LHpV9iUSWhaDEnL9sCmHfXgTW8cuc2urjmX76THdFHl7Kww-_qanAGOzqwNzYPi8oSj_xZv11jpLlydZs7N91Lk-Gu4OZibcmwqm7DE/s200/orient-express.jpg" width="137" /></a>4) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Agatha-Christies-Murder-Orient-Express/dp/B0002I832C?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Murder on the Orient Express</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002I832C" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1974)<br />
Sidney Lumet directed this star-studded adaptation of the 1934 Agatha Christie mystery, set aboard the legendary luxury line that ran from Istanbul to Paris. Albert Finney plays detective Hercule Poirot, traveling aboard the train when American millionaire Sam Ratchett (Richard Widmark) is stabbed in his cabin (and if you’ve ever been stabbed in your cabin…). It’s up to the erudite Belgian sleuth to deduce the killer amongst an ensemble including Ingrid Bergman, Michael York, Lauren Bacall, John Gielgud, Anthony Perkins and Sean Connery, all gleefully hamming it up in this period whodunit (for which Bergman won an Oscar). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ebw_KtHYXUVw5F5OHp2CGpZnlJ7NmPrytTle3Ri0Kv7gThatV3B4WVj4hb1368lJdVI72MPELZKKaOSkbOFcN72UN3mrUfdr3sa335ef4dNtMcBon2cZTjVf2Z9dNzWi808Iy-hnDzR7/s1600/russia-with-love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ebw_KtHYXUVw5F5OHp2CGpZnlJ7NmPrytTle3Ri0Kv7gThatV3B4WVj4hb1368lJdVI72MPELZKKaOSkbOFcN72UN3mrUfdr3sa335ef4dNtMcBon2cZTjVf2Z9dNzWi808Iy-hnDzR7/s200/russia-with-love.jpg" width="140" /></a>3) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Russia-Love-James-Bond-Blu-ray/dp/B001AQO3WO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">From Russia with Love</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001AQO3WO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1963)<br />
Sean Connery made another dangerous trek on the Orient Express nine years earlier in James Bond’s second film, “From Russia with Love.” While transporting a beautiful Russian defector (and the Lektor cryptographic device) to England, 007 is attacked by SPECTRE assassin Red Grant (Robert Shaw) in the cramped confines of Bond’s stateroom. The incredibly brutal fight was filmed not using stunt people, but the actors, who begged to do it themselves. <br />
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2) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/North-Northwest-50th-Anniversary-Grant/dp/B002IKLZZY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">North by Northwest</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002IKLZZY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1959)<br />
New York ad writer Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) is not having a good day. After being mistaken for a government agent by foreign spies, he’s falsely accused of murdering a diplomat at the UN. Fleeing from the police, he boards a train at Grand Central Station and soon finds a curious ally in the form of an icy blonde named Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint). A saucy seduction unfolds over a Gibson and brook trout in the dining car, followed by dessert in Eve’s drawing room. Roger’s suspicious of Eve’s interest in helping him (outside of simple lust), and with good reason: She’s the head spy’s mistress, doing double agent duty for the feds. Arguably Alfred Hitchcock’s most entertaining film also ends with what may be the first use of the now clichéd “train entering tunnel” metaphor. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3g_PNtwt6WjoteTXwh0WwQP47OIQUIChnxSvs1LvQIBXv8eu5LAC4U6Q2lsk3HfANVHFfv9_bp8S-I64yFgN6lrW7SKDalDEhSd7xDiMLprGsvwj0Uk_Lj7MZGNs1T-xxffn5okgK57Vg/s1600/paul-train.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3g_PNtwt6WjoteTXwh0WwQP47OIQUIChnxSvs1LvQIBXv8eu5LAC4U6Q2lsk3HfANVHFfv9_bp8S-I64yFgN6lrW7SKDalDEhSd7xDiMLprGsvwj0Uk_Lj7MZGNs1T-xxffn5okgK57Vg/s200/paul-train.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>1) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hard-Days-Night-Lionel-Blair/dp/B0000542D2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">A Hard Day’s Night</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000542D2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1964)<br />
As hard as it is to imagine James Bond using public transportation, it’s even stranger to contemplate the biggest rock group in the world taking the train. But in the Beatles’ first picture, the fab four ride the rails with Paul’s troublemaking (but clean) grandfather, snooty businessmen, and of course, adoring, screaming birds (that’s British slang for girls, kids). For the Beatles at this time, the world was a playground, and the lads make a simple journey by rail seem like an anarchic joyride. But seriously, can you imagine U2 taking Amtrak? <br />
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Naturally, we’re barely skimming the surface here. Other memorable train moments occur in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Manchurian-Candidate-Special-Frank-Sinatra/dp/B00020X88Y?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Manchurian Candidate</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00020X88Y" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1962, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Manchurian-Candidate-Widescreen-Denzel-Washington/dp/B0006210ZG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">2004</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0006210ZG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />), Fellini’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/8-1-2-Criterion-Collection/dp/B00005QAPH?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">8½</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005QAPH" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1963), “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Two-Disc-Special-Farley-Granger/dp/B0002HOERG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Strangers on a Train</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002HOERG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1951), “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cassandra-Crossing-Sophia-Loren/dp/B0000639F0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Cassandra Crossing</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000639F0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1976), “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Superman-Favorites-Movie-Quest-Peace/dp/B001DJLD2G?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Superman</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001DJLD2G" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1978), “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Grifters-Miramax-Collectors-Anjelica-Huston/dp/B000069I1U?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Grifters</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000069I1U" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1990), “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Passage-India-Blu-ray-David-Lean/dp/B0013FSXSM?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">A Passage to India</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0013FSXSM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1984), “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Terror-Train-Ben-Johnson/dp/B0002IQLH6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Terror Train</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002IQLH6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1980), “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Express-Blu-ray-Tom-Hanks/dp/B000Q7ZO8U?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Polar Express</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000Q7ZO8U" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2004) and we mustn’t forget the Hogwarts Express from the “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Years-Giftset-Widescreen/dp/B002Q4VPM0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Harry Potter</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002Q4VPM0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” series. And that’s not even mentioning commuter trains… a topic we’ll save for another time). Ticket, please!<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1570417/most-memorable-movie-train-rides-rewind.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, October 2007</a></i>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-76147713652389335052011-05-21T12:16:00.000-04:002011-05-21T12:16:56.817-04:00Sgt. Pepper's Tarnished Cornet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6nFmrYz-ZG8ztQjQUm7ltP_Nabgj9ynPitOXgezovdMlpu5zpG55npyt53ND_JVs2HtcLYYX-KSSh4VEo71c0a9NzMDQoPO10CA4m6RZL-NXkscDwWwDSPFdeWouhFoVjxAXLvfW1Jt9K/s1600/across-universe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6nFmrYz-ZG8ztQjQUm7ltP_Nabgj9ynPitOXgezovdMlpu5zpG55npyt53ND_JVs2HtcLYYX-KSSh4VEo71c0a9NzMDQoPO10CA4m6RZL-NXkscDwWwDSPFdeWouhFoVjxAXLvfW1Jt9K/s200/across-universe.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>Julie Taymor’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Across-Universe-Blu-ray-Evan-Rachel/dp/B000ZLFALS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Across the Universe</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000ZLFALS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” a story of love and rebellion in the turbulent 1960s, utilizes characters, situations, words and music from the songs of the Beatles. You can forgive fans of the Fab Four if they’re skeptical; the last time someone attempted something similar, things got ugly. <br />
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Following 1968‘s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Submarine-George-Dunning-II/dp/B00000JRUQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Yellow Submarine</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00000JRUQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” animated film (with which the Beatles had very little involvement) and the bizarre “All This and World War II” (a 1976 documentary juxtaposing vintage newsreel footage with covers of Beatles songs), came an attempt at a big budget musical fantasy based on what many considered the Beatles’ greatest album: “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sgt-Peppers-Lonely-Hearts-Remastered/dp/B0025KVLTM?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0025KVLTM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000002UAU" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDpssku_4VvrnFajYE2_8u3aVGyrWPlPIBbd0UcIVQEcPmj2BvCzhwJOGnoHcaLP6gjqwgahELpgYDnwhWgO3amxT4U0opwsWNnTK9y0qeUxKkjB4jo3R0QWGTB4__NgxpOFQVIt-fY62/s1600/sgt-pepper-os.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIDpssku_4VvrnFajYE2_8u3aVGyrWPlPIBbd0UcIVQEcPmj2BvCzhwJOGnoHcaLP6gjqwgahELpgYDnwhWgO3amxT4U0opwsWNnTK9y0qeUxKkjB4jo3R0QWGTB4__NgxpOFQVIt-fY62/s320/sgt-pepper-os.jpg" width="208" /></a>Partially based on a 1974 stage musical, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sgt-Peppers-Lonely-Hearts-Club/dp/B00009APB6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the 1978 movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00009APB6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (which also included songs from “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Abbey-Road-Remastered-Beatles/dp/B0025KVLUQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Abbey Road</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0025KVLUQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” and “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Revolver-Remastered-Beatles/dp/B0025KVLTC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Revolver</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0025KVLTC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”) was produced by Robert Stigwood, who had prior rock movie successes with “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Christ-Superstar-Special-Neeley/dp/B00028HBIO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Jesus Christ Superstar</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00028HBIO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1973), the Who’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tommy-Roger-Daltrey/dp/B00000K3TV?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Tommy</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00000K3TV" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1975), “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saturday-Night-Fever-Blu-ray-Travolta/dp/B001S86J30?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Saturday Night Fever</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001S86J30" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1977) and the then-current smash, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Grease-Rockin-Rydell-Blu-ray-Newton-John/dp/B001S86J2Q?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Grease</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001S86J2Q" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” People trusted Stigwood’s instincts. Maybe the idea of putting ‘70s chart-toppers <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frampton-Comes-Alive-Peter/dp/B000009HF2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Peter Frampton</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000009HF2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Number-Ones/dp/B001KQE5PE?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the Bee Gees</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001KQE5PE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> in front of the camera to bring the Beatles songs to life wasn’t so horrible. What ended up onscreen proved otherwise. <br />
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During World War I, the town of Heartland USA sends Sgt Pepper and his Lonely Hearts Club (marching) Band into the European theater in order to bring inspiration to the fighting forces, helping to win the war. Upon his death in 1958, Pepper leaves the custody of his magical instruments (which guarantee the ongoing happiness of mankind) in the care of Heartland’s mayor, Mr. Kite (George Burns, wearing the first of the film’s many bad toupees). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDM4-shWL6Wx3mdJFIJd7hyphenhyphenXWk_eksWSyUHFW_P6wyCvawxFyaTL0Lhc1Bb45OET57i3Al98jID0wyNNbRTwAb8j3DKu6roj0VgNTZ_GCsewBdU_ZSTsLYEJFSuf1ivy5-N7kDizKsh4G/s1600/pepper-band.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDM4-shWL6Wx3mdJFIJd7hyphenhyphenXWk_eksWSyUHFW_P6wyCvawxFyaTL0Lhc1Bb45OET57i3Al98jID0wyNNbRTwAb8j3DKu6roj0VgNTZ_GCsewBdU_ZSTsLYEJFSuf1ivy5-N7kDizKsh4G/s200/pepper-band.gif" width="200" /></a>Thirty years later, Pepper’s grandson, Billy Shears (Frampton) starts a new Lonely Hearts Club Band with his pals, Mark, Dave and Bob Henderson (The Bee Gees). Almost instantly, the band gets an offer from Big Deal Records’ head honcho B.D. Hoffler (“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Halloween-Blu-ray-Donald-Pleasence/dp/B000UR9QHQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Halloween</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000UR9QHQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”’s Donald Pleasance in another bad wig). So off they jet to Hollywood, separating Billy for the first time from his true love, Strawberry Fields (Sandy Farina in her first and last performance). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawPEBDKBmvfxC0TvY5PqI5g_Wnb2gA9GApbYLUMz3zfZeu3YFSBHRNEqfiGr5MT1Mafi2GCLqKuCHIAFLHaFfa9NQvChfEqgfVrP7eF4RR-AxodmcdufOE8-S4R0RSqyrMoNCkW2kUMc3/s1600/lp-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgawPEBDKBmvfxC0TvY5PqI5g_Wnb2gA9GApbYLUMz3zfZeu3YFSBHRNEqfiGr5MT1Mafi2GCLqKuCHIAFLHaFfa9NQvChfEqgfVrP7eF4RR-AxodmcdufOE8-S4R0RSqyrMoNCkW2kUMc3/s200/lp-poster.jpg" width="133" /></a>As soon as the band hits L.A., the debauchery of the music biz is in evidence: the booze, the drugs, the sex, the payola, the convertible limousines. After signing with B.D., the band quickly records and releases a record that becomes an overnight smash, putting them on a sellout tour and the cover of Time Magazine. <br />
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Meanwhile, Heartland has fallen prey to the mean Mr. Mustard (British character actor Frankie Howerd, in bad rug #3), an agent of the FVB (Future Villain Band), who instructs him to steal the original Sgt. Pepper’s magical instruments and distribute them to various evil accomplices. Without the instruments’ guarding force, Heartland falls into an iniquitous spiral not seen since Bedford Falls became Pottersville. Casinos, liquor stores and (horrors!) video arcades pop up on the streets, which are now frequented by hookers, pimps and punk rockers!<br />
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Desperate to save the town, the wide-eyed (literally) Strawberry boards a bus for Hollywood, only to find the salacious Lucy and the Diamonds trying to taint the purity of Billy and the LHCB. But when she explains about what’s happened to Heartland, they all go in search of the stolen instruments. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8rNtQY-dYGXIE5r-a9gI9SuTAY8MjgHCf5hLUL9yKL8JNpgsRimkitmpmtuftVL5M8oHhiqy-CyRlepTHa15Zh-neEl7kLKlrfR8yVJvQLJEVm9hvgZ5m7p63Ou5JgO4Uouio1AxHbUvs/s1600/pepper-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8rNtQY-dYGXIE5r-a9gI9SuTAY8MjgHCf5hLUL9yKL8JNpgsRimkitmpmtuftVL5M8oHhiqy-CyRlepTHa15Zh-neEl7kLKlrfR8yVJvQLJEVm9hvgZ5m7p63Ou5JgO4Uouio1AxHbUvs/s320/pepper-poster.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>Their first stop is the lair of Dr. Maxwell, played by a wild-n-crazy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Crazy-Guy-Steve-Martin/dp/B000002KJ0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Steve Martin</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000002KJ0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (in his big screen debut). Maxwell, who uses his magical silver hammer to turn old people into young automatons in servitude to FVB, loses possession of Sgt. Pepper’s heart-shaped cornet in a tepid battle with our satin-clad heroes. After finding the drum left in Mustard’s van, the band retrieves the tuba from FVB’s brainwasher, Father Sun, played by an obviously bored <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mascara-Monsters-Best-Alice-Cooper/dp/B003U9TPI6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Alice Cooper</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003U9TPI6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. <br />
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Finally, the LHCB attacks and somehow manages to defeat the corruptive FVB, played by the Bee Gees’ antithesis, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/AerosmithS-Greatest-Hits/dp/B00138KD50?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Aerosmith</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00138KD50" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. However, Strawberry is killed in the melee. After a funeral befitting Snow White (including glass coffin), a suicidal Billy leaps off the Fields home roof. But wait! A weather vane magically transforms into the reincarnated Sgt. Pepper (now mysteriously black in the form of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Collection-Billy-Preston/dp/B00004S5GD?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Billy Preston</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00004S5GD" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />) who shoots lasers from his fingers that in turn save Billy, transform the villains into Catholic clergy, return the town to its former wholesome self and resurrect the dead Strawberry! Talk about dues ex machina! <br />
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Abruptly, the film ends with a huge singalong of the title theme, as the cast is joined by a bizarre menagerie of ‘70s stars (some super, some not), including Robert Palmer, Jose Feliciano, Helen Reddy, Heart, Hank Williams Jr., Peter Allen and, uh, Sha Na Na?! Additionally (adding to the bad wig count), we have Carol Channing, Wolfman Jack, Tina Turner, Frankie Valli, Connie Stevens, and, again uh, Dame Edna!? It’s a perfectly strange cap to a perfectly strange film. <br />
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For one thing, aside from George Burns’ narration, there’s no dialogue at all in the movie other than sung lyrics. While this was partially done to avoid having the leads’ very British accents come out of the mouths of very American characters, the fact that the inexperienced “actors” were left stranded in the land of broad pantomime doesn’t help the film. On top of that, some of the more abstract lyrics (“He wear no shoeshine, he got toe jam football!”) don’t quite work in a film that’s using them as the literal screenplay. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNKTRENj0yZgqIr2POEPt2MylzwGwEKR0gF8kjeMmjzoVteLrizD-K6Gfb4lxlACQWWsB18YW9pI7pJywzfm0WbuadLYJzE68AtWxuaauopaK7B44i7dU1hbH8H-z6AlXhmKZqniJITJY/s1600/sgt-pepper-lp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsNKTRENj0yZgqIr2POEPt2MylzwGwEKR0gF8kjeMmjzoVteLrizD-K6Gfb4lxlACQWWsB18YW9pI7pJywzfm0WbuadLYJzE68AtWxuaauopaK7B44i7dU1hbH8H-z6AlXhmKZqniJITJY/s200/sgt-pepper-lp.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>So what’s left is the music, and with precious few exceptions, that’s a miss as well. Frampton’s presence and voice are both too slight to embody the weight of Lennon and McCartney and the Bee Gees’ lovely harmonizing has no place to go. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Greatest-Hits/dp/B00136NUG6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Earth Wind and Fire</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00136NUG6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> pull of an entertaining, if funk-lite version of “Got to Get You Into My Life,” but Alice Cooper’s mere recitation of “Because” is as embarrassing as George Burns’ soft-shoe take on “Fixing a Hole.” Doing a down-n-dirty version of “Come Together,” Aerosmith is the only performer to emerge from the film with reputation unscathed, probably because they got to play the bad guys in this train wreck! <br />
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Frequent Beatles guest player Billy Preston’s “Get Back” sounds great (and he’s got moves that rival James Brown’s), but his involvement in this project feels almost like a betrayal. But not as much as the soundtrack’s producer and arranger, actual Beatles producer George Martin! <br />
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Ultimately, the movie feels like a ‘70s TV variety show ala “Donny and Marie,” comprised of awkward skits featuring non-acting musicians cut together with splashy musical numbers. “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” was a critical and box office dud, and spelled the beginning of the decline of the once mighty Robert Stigwood Organization (whose next musical film, a 1980 new wave movie called “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Times-Square-Tim-Curry/dp/B00004Y6AT?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Times Square</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00004Y6AT" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” failed as well). <br />
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Over the years, the film has slowly built a minor cult of the “so bad it’s good” variety. The lack of dialogue makes shout-along viewings difficult, but there are still plenty of jaw-dropping elements (Billy’s white overalls! Completely off lip-synching! Female robot massage!) that make this a great DVD to toss in at a party. <br />
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The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper” album remains a controversial touchstone. While many (including Rolling Stone Magazine) cite it as the greatest rock album of all time, there is a school of thought that its ambitious structure and inventive recording methods took rock into the more serious realm of Art, making it more pretentious and less vital (The New York Times compared the record to a spoiled child). <br />
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Certainly no one ever has or will argue that the movie version is anything close to “art,” but you can’t totally hate a movie that answers the question, “What would Ed Wood have done if he lived in the disco era?” <br />
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<i><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1569910/rewind-worst-beatles-movie-all-time.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, Sept., 2007</a></i>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-60815693193770796852011-05-17T10:57:00.001-04:002011-05-17T11:07:57.932-04:00Jack Black Squealing Like a Pig and No Mr. Yunioshi (Green Light These 5 Remakes!)Within the past month or so, news has come from Hollywood that remakes are in the works for two iconic science fiction films: John Carpenter’s 1981 dystopian thriller, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Escape-Two-Disc-Blu-ray-Combo-Packaging/dp/B003O7I6L6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Escape From New York</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003O7I6L6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” and 1951’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Stood-Still-Special-Blu-ray/dp/B001G7PWYU?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Day the Earth Stood Still</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001G7PWYU" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” in which an interplanetary messenger warns Earth to change its warlike ways before it’s too late. <br />
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It’s undeniable that Hollywood’s propensity for raiding its own past is increasing, and while the knee-jerk response is to cry unoriginality, the fact is some movies do warrant another go. Better effects technology, a more sophisticated audience and less censorship are just a few reasons that filmmakers might want to take an old movie and spruce it up. Sometimes it’s a good idea (see <a href="http://archive.popsgustav.com/2011/01/anti-psychos-ten-great-movie-remakes.html">Rewind: Top 10 good remakes</a>), and sometimes it’s not (“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Chocolate-Factory-Widescreen-Johnny/dp/B000BB1MI2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000BB1MI2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” anyone?). <br />
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But since the practice is not going to end, we thought we’d offer some suggestions of movies that are ripe for a remake. We just want executive producer credit. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEH25L7FbntXPp4dd7SD641x-MjisWtnnE7q-LnpRzVBR6fZX1yMdtSxk5Awv-uSJvh45N1PyEaIbj7KTww0yQRlEs9dokG23YOzxCYSKiSJg6n2gbdHBLAssT1cGwLNQXSV3Cg09DbI2O/s1600/deliverance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEH25L7FbntXPp4dd7SD641x-MjisWtnnE7q-LnpRzVBR6fZX1yMdtSxk5Awv-uSJvh45N1PyEaIbj7KTww0yQRlEs9dokG23YOzxCYSKiSJg6n2gbdHBLAssT1cGwLNQXSV3Cg09DbI2O/s200/deliverance.jpg" width="122" /></a></div>• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Deliverance-Blu-ray-John-Boorman/dp/B000Q8X5A8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">DELIVERANCE</a><br />
John Boorman’s 1972 culture-clash drama was a chilling look at how it’s possible for humans to treat one another like animals. Burt Reynolds was never better than here, playing Lewis Medlock, the alpha-male leader of a southern canoe trip that goes horribly awry when a run-in with some aggressive hillbillies leads to death. Ned Beatty is especially effective as Bobby, the “squeal like a pig” rape victim. But “Deliverance” is not so revered that it can’t be revisited, especially given today’s heated Red State / Blue State environment. We’d love to see Vince Vaughn or perhaps Johnny Knoxville in the Reynolds role, taking his devil may care testosteroney persona to an entirely new place, playing opposite Jack Black or Philip Seymour Hoffman in the Beatty role, a timid man pushed to the brink by a humiliation he never dreamed. May we suggest Paul Haggis (“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Crash-Blu-ray-Don-Cheadle/dp/B000EWBKLW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Crash</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000EWBKLW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”) in the director’s chair? Or maybe the Coen Brothers could bring something crazy to the table?<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnSBGY-grStuqFUl_BQIL7cgY_gi8_6XHtS3AkFr7gYNP0Sir06pijm1UQatcT-VXE98TdYzj519xTsnM8fJaLFbLXC8GOJx57q-dFk6warW-eZ5D2YuKFu1JjzLFjWUwtxfaXP42g14n/s1600/to-catch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidnSBGY-grStuqFUl_BQIL7cgY_gi8_6XHtS3AkFr7gYNP0Sir06pijm1UQatcT-VXE98TdYzj519xTsnM8fJaLFbLXC8GOJx57q-dFk6warW-eZ5D2YuKFu1JjzLFjWUwtxfaXP42g14n/s200/to-catch.jpg" width="131" /></a>• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Catch-Thief-Centennial-Collection/dp/B001PKHS68?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">TO CATCH A THIEF</a></div><div style="text-align: right;">This 1955 Cary Grant – Grace Kelly jewel heist whodunit / romance is widely considered one of Alfred Hitchcock’s lesser efforts, a glitzy, superficial piffle. We still love it, but its place in the pantheon makes it less sacrosanct than, say “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psycho-Anniversary-Blu-ray-Anthony-Perkins/dp/B003IWZ1D8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Psycho</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003IWZ1D8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” The tale of John “the Cat” Robie, a former jewel thief living on the French Riviera who has to clear his name after a rash of robberies puts him under suspicion has many timeless elements, not the least being the cat and mouse romance between Robie and Francie, the younger, spoiled, thrill-seeking American heiress. The obvious recasting would put George Clooney as Robie and Scarlett Johansson or Kate Winslet as Francie (with Kathy Bates as her smartass mother, John Cleese as the uptight insurance agent who reluctantly works with Robie to find the true thief and Ludivine Sagnier as the seductive daughter of a former cohort of Robie’s). But we could also see the story with a super-suave Denzel Washington in the lead opposite Beyoncé Knowles, supported by Pam Grier as the Mom! Put Clooney collaborator Steven Soderbergh behind the camera and watch the fireworks fly! </div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHj8DWCN8xiCG9hRMVEwvl0uWkShsWvaMekDTyP0luzl0p5MaRjCzJ-ivgr2WViUaO5-Ve_OQamCFTp3wNfgWNib8_prTNPNam3huQE3OF9NhbjXNaz_1vMNwi2T0ukzo4B5bXTaslLUz/s1600/conversation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHHj8DWCN8xiCG9hRMVEwvl0uWkShsWvaMekDTyP0luzl0p5MaRjCzJ-ivgr2WViUaO5-Ve_OQamCFTp3wNfgWNib8_prTNPNam3huQE3OF9NhbjXNaz_1vMNwi2T0ukzo4B5bXTaslLUz/s200/conversation.jpg" width="131" /></a>• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Conversation-Gene-Hackman/dp/B00003CX9I?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">THE CONVERSATION</a><br />
Francis Ford Coppola’s often overlooked 1974 gem stars Gene Hackman as Harry Caul, a lonely, paranoid, but brilliant surveillance expert who’s hired by an executive at a large corporation to eavesdrop on two employees as they take a lunchtime stroll. The reason and ramifications are ostensibly meaningless to Harry, merely a professional doing his job. But Harry has a troubled conscience that begins to weigh on him in ways that bring a shattering climax. <br />
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“The Conversation” is a near-perfect film, and the only reason it’s suitable for a remake is the incredible advances in technology over the past three decades. Contemporary audio spyware would force the filmmakes to come up with a real challenge for Caul (we think Bill Murray would shine, or the role could similarly boost the career of fellow SNL vet Dan Aykroyd) as well as dramatically jacking up the character’s paranoid, hermetically sealed lifestyle. While the original film tapped (sorry) into a post-Watergate paranoia, a new version could certainly tackle the ever-expanding threats to our civil rights and personal privacy. Not to give him MORE work, but this sounds like a directing job for George Clooney. <br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidG83R5dW5Rb8ktguf6E_Zx8LkiTIJ9njqzlfXSoLKTfH_Ksol-jmCfncBMz1m7RSRY-uLpQahsYxpyXmR8TFnAe9B8gm431bjjdTo9vXylsjlQ8gb-SlxqPPiI7DzqjL5fIwR_w1tq4Lk/s1600/dr-phibes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidG83R5dW5Rb8ktguf6E_Zx8LkiTIJ9njqzlfXSoLKTfH_Ksol-jmCfncBMz1m7RSRY-uLpQahsYxpyXmR8TFnAe9B8gm431bjjdTo9vXylsjlQ8gb-SlxqPPiI7DzqjL5fIwR_w1tq4Lk/s200/dr-phibes.jpg" width="131" /></a>• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Abominable-Dr-Phibes-Rises-Again/dp/B0007R4SZY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0007R4SZY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></div><div style="text-align: right;">In the creepy, stylish 1971 horror flick, Vincent Prices plays the titular doctor, a famous organist / theologian (!!) who becomes horribly disfigured in a car crash that critically injures his wife as well. When the surgical team fails to save Mrs. Phibes, the doc goes mad and sets out to get revenge on them, utilizing the Ten Plagues of Egypt (rats, frogs, locusts, boils, et al) as his murderous inspirations. Given the current spate of torture-horror films ala “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saw-Cary-Elwes/dp/B0006SSOHC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Saw</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0006SSOHC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” Dr. Phibes’ thematically gruesome methods are more timely than ever. Give the film to “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hostel-Unrated-Widescreen-Jay-Hernandez/dp/B000EHRVP6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hostel</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000EHRVP6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”’s Eli Roth or David Fincher (“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Seven-Blu-ray-Book-Brad-Pitt/dp/B001BPQT8A?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Se7en</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001BPQT8A" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”), stick an over-the-top Nicolas Cage or Patrick Stewart in the horrific makeup and watch the birth of a new horror franchise.</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLU4LQ3F-4p9_tAA3vnyChgATYWxGlAqFy_qtiX-TkwgXWrdAs1iu_b_y5tAnabO80NvRFFCEPnmPiD_3Rqel0captpQhu5VcGf4sHLpLNuGxeADc_1Wihr7rThs996VZhMKrwYw7NCjh/s1600/breakfast-tiffanys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitLU4LQ3F-4p9_tAA3vnyChgATYWxGlAqFy_qtiX-TkwgXWrdAs1iu_b_y5tAnabO80NvRFFCEPnmPiD_3Rqel0captpQhu5VcGf4sHLpLNuGxeADc_1Wihr7rThs996VZhMKrwYw7NCjh/s200/breakfast-tiffanys.jpg" width="131" /></a>• <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-at-Tiffanys-Audrey-Hepburn/dp/6305537321?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=6305537321" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><br />
Oh, we can hear some of you crying foul. Yes, Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly in the 1961 Blake Edwards original is one of the most iconic performances in film history. Yes, the movie is beloved and acclaimed and bla bla bla. It’s also honestly not that great, and it bears very little resemblance to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-Tiffanys-Stories-Modern-Library/dp/067960085X?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Truman Capote’s 1958 book</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=067960085X" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, a far more complex and melancholy tale for which Hollywood just wasn’t ready. Sure, movies and books are different media and shouldn’t be compared with each other, but in this case we’ll make an exception. Why not take a stab at a more faithful adaptation with a less gazelle-like Holly (how about Elisha Cuthbert or Lauren Ambrose?), a less-straight Fred (played by Topher Grace? Owen Wilson?), no happy ending and most of all, no Mr. Yunioshi? Hey, Sofia Coppola! Whattya think? Good follow-up to “Marie Antoinette?”<br />
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We know we lost some of you with that last one, but that’s fine. Every film has both detractors and defenders. We think it’s ridiculous to bother with a re-remake of “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fly-Collection-Return-Curse/dp/B000RXVNDI?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Fly</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000RXVNDI" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fly-Blu-ray-Jeff-Goldblum/dp/B000MNOXZ8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">David Cronenberg’s 1986 update</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000MNOXZ8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> was as good as that can get. Of all the remakes in the works right now, the one that makes the most sense to us is “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Westworld-Yul-Brynner/dp/B0045HCJKS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Westworld</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0045HCJKS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” The 1973 original is a great idea not fully realized. The notion of things going horribly wrong at a futuristic amusement park where guests interact with humanoid robots in different historical settings is a doozy of a concept. But, despite the casting coup of Yul Brynner as a killer Gunslinger ‘droid, the movie is slow-paced and remarkably lacking in excitement. Our fingers are crossed for the new version, but if it doesn’t work out, no problem. There’s a lot more where that came from. <br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">POSTSCRIPT, May 2011:</span></b><br />
The ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK, WESTWORLD and THE FLY remakes have yet to happen, while <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Stood-3-Disc-Special-Blu-ray/dp/B001SMC9IK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001SMC9IK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> was pretty weak, despite the presence of Jennifer Connelly. Oh, and I got some serious knee-jerk shite for that last suggestion on the internets, mostly from people who didn't actually bother to READ what I wrote. <br />
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<i><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1555012/should-breakfast-at-tiffanys-be-remade.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED on MTV.COM, March 2007</a></i>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-61011827564853247012011-05-16T15:14:00.000-04:002011-05-16T15:14:45.973-04:00Announcing: Collector's Edition: Confessions of a Pop Culture Obsessive-Compulsive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOahIr6ekQASSfClK38Z2vcJG-edEggwp2erjWuEjr-dotymTaqrzsgQkE1Ruk2N1OeT88_IFNBoDRkuFolsq5cJ7jjnnx-mPgLtDDMhGVcYCFFNbAdexAQIgzpQmN8LGmt_McKF8Bnehp/s1600/COLL-ED-COVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOahIr6ekQASSfClK38Z2vcJG-edEggwp2erjWuEjr-dotymTaqrzsgQkE1Ruk2N1OeT88_IFNBoDRkuFolsq5cJ7jjnnx-mPgLtDDMhGVcYCFFNbAdexAQIgzpQmN8LGmt_McKF8Bnehp/s400/COLL-ED-COVER.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>This is the big project that's been taking up most of my time this year (and will continue to do so for the bulk of 2011). But I thought it was time to let the cat outta the mylar (if you get that reference, you will see yourself in this book).<br />
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<b>COLLECTOR’S EDITION: Confessions of a Pop Culture Obsessive-Compulsive </b>by Karl Heitmueller Jr. is an examination of the changing nature of popular culture from the early 1970s to today in the form of a memoir. Mixing history, humor and criticism with sometimes embarrassingly personal anecdotes, Heitmueller paints a picture of a life that, at the age of 46, continues to revolve around pop trappings that are usually abandoned upon adulthood. But it’s also about how the evolution of technology has radically altered the consumption of culture, making it easier to acquire and perhaps less meaningful in the process. <br />
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<b>COLLECTOR’S EDITION</b> is divided into chapters that deal with the numerous aspects of Karl’s obsessions: comic books, music (both collecting and compiling), Christmas, action figures, recording TV shows, books, self-publishing, archiving and a three-decades-running compendium called, “The Motion Picture Log.” There are also chapters on how sports just doesn’t fit into the equation and why Star Wars lost its luster for the author (while Superman perhaps means more than ever). <br />
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Peppered with illuminating sidebars, anecdotal comic strips and illustrations, <b>COLLECTOR’S EDITION</b> tries to explain the collector’s mentality, and posits that loving STUFF may not be such a bad thing after all. Readers who share the malady of nostalgia will find much to which they can relate, while those who’ve never felt the urge to scour eBay for a long-lost relic of their childhood will hopefully gain insight to the mindset of an oft-ridiculed demographic. <br />
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<span style="color: red;"><a href="mailto:karl@popsgustav.com">E-MAIL FOR PUBLISHING INQUIRIES OR MORE INFORMATION</a></span><a href="mailto:karl@popsgustav.com"><br />
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</a>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-36724117417919870092011-05-10T18:00:00.000-04:002011-05-10T18:00:11.262-04:00The Baddest Badmen from the Cinematic Wild West<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarKHiff3eytYP3mmXZ0t-rneUP7x-ugmAlxg8HDb1uHY0Hv68E0vIDVcauqreO-fzzNkmZQOJvOnrdHeugfP_rliV2Cjv9sSlwPX-Xdpk_dfn1wUpmm-HzU9PdAOzMYGr-jXJafyjjK4C/s1600/Yuma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarKHiff3eytYP3mmXZ0t-rneUP7x-ugmAlxg8HDb1uHY0Hv68E0vIDVcauqreO-fzzNkmZQOJvOnrdHeugfP_rliV2Cjv9sSlwPX-Xdpk_dfn1wUpmm-HzU9PdAOzMYGr-jXJafyjjK4C/s200/Yuma.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>In James Mangold’s new remake of “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/3-Yuma-Blu-ray-Christian-Bale/dp/B000XRO3MQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">3:10 to Yuma</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000XRO3MQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” Russell Crowe takes the reins of captured badman Ben Wade from Glenn Ford, who played the part in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/3-10-Yuma-Glenn-Ford/dp/B00005YUNS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the 1957 original</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005YUNS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. Crowe certainly brings some bad boy baggage to the big screen from his real life antics, but how will he measure up in the pantheon of Western Badmen of the Movies? Let’s round ‘em up! <br />
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Gene Hackman as Bill Daggett in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unforgiven-Blu-ray-Clint-Eastwood/dp/B000JLPMPS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Unforgiven</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000JLPMPS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1992)<br />
In Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-winning revisionist western, Gene Hackman plays a corrupt small town sheriff so evil he makes Lex Luthor look like Jimmy Olsen. The law is a malleable concept for Daggett, who thinks nothing of killing anyone who challenges his authority, and then maybe putting their corpse on display just to remind the folks who’s in charge. Hackman is the pitch black hole in the center of a movie full of moral ambiguity and challenged notions of good and evil. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv8_NuHvYRL-r1RKm_qILKSMU05kFhBn9ra0ghsc3GQCf2WSxcVK2ePbIgjYngzWQS73x-TrkGWs4N13kv0HgpMxbNx253RoJ6Y2XPZush0lzNcKnHdY38UdIsWgr3oqmvnMcrqPYNY0Ms/s1600/west-fonda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv8_NuHvYRL-r1RKm_qILKSMU05kFhBn9ra0ghsc3GQCf2WSxcVK2ePbIgjYngzWQS73x-TrkGWs4N13kv0HgpMxbNx253RoJ6Y2XPZush0lzNcKnHdY38UdIsWgr3oqmvnMcrqPYNY0Ms/s1600/west-fonda.jpg" /></a>Henry Fonda as Frank in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Time-West-Blu-ray/dp/B004T0XYM8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Once Upon a Time in the West</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004T0XYM8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1968) <br />
Another Leone oater, this western the public for a loop by casting perennial good guy Henry Fonda as the blue-eyed villain against the brusque and frightening Charles Bronson as the hero. Fonda was reluctant to play against type but was wooed by Leone as well as the next actor on our list, who advised Fonda that playing evil was a ton of fun. The juxtaposition works; Fonda is a chilling villain. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jOsgqJnSmmfeOUhrVEUS3vc_s2Uj_RYTQIdPulxx1Ch8eAwyRMzWwpKDidITgg6mP2LQDKOv2l_M40R6-N0jzoo-zBsEKIRyKFbzmJJC8NDKi1CsWoZN2YWaBPBEzPihBgPFoej7rIi5/s1600/hare-trigger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jOsgqJnSmmfeOUhrVEUS3vc_s2Uj_RYTQIdPulxx1Ch8eAwyRMzWwpKDidITgg6mP2LQDKOv2l_M40R6-N0jzoo-zBsEKIRyKFbzmJJC8NDKi1CsWoZN2YWaBPBEzPihBgPFoej7rIi5/s200/hare-trigger.jpg" width="200" /></a>Yosemite Sam in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Looney-Tunes-Golden-Collection-Vol/dp/B001CO42CA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hare Trigger</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001CO42CA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1945)<br />
Laugh if you will at the pint-sized desperado (voiced by the brilliant Mel Blanc) who needs a rope ladder to get onto his horse... this rootin-tootin’, meanest, toughest, rip-roarin’-est hombre that ever packed a six-shooter has one thing going for him that only one other badman on our list can claim: Resiliency. No matter how many times the Bugs Bunny foil blows up, falls down a mine shaft, gets hit by a train or shot by a hail of bullets, Sam always bounces back. Which reminds us of…<br />
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Yul Brynner as Robot Gunslinger from “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Westworld-Yul-Brynner/dp/B0045HCJKS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Westworld</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0045HCJKS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1973)<br />
In the near future, wealthy thrill seekers will enjoy the amenities of Delos, the ultimate interactive amusement park, featuring historical settings in which visitors can mingle (and we mean MINGLE) with lifelike robots. In the Westworld wing of Delos, Peter Martin (Richard Benjamin) has already won a few shoot-outs with a particularly nasty robot gunslinger when a glitch in the system causes the robots to ignore their programming against harming human beings. Oops. As the cold, stoic killer, Brynner builds on previous memorable turns in movies like 1964’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Invitation-Gunfighter-Yul-Brynner/dp/B0007O391Q?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Invitation to a Gunfighter</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0007O391Q" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNn5Ky3mMeMjjtZoQ1S5HZ0MxqSSvq2K3RcCGoaI1h9z4fKn_LbMc8mBdfRbMktaUDhYvBDks7txjhXGdtXI1fJr8p1SPHrn5ScVqTEX-ku7uuuruF0cQPCPPFUsVXVO-B3x-AMKvQYZAU/s1600/el-indio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNn5Ky3mMeMjjtZoQ1S5HZ0MxqSSvq2K3RcCGoaI1h9z4fKn_LbMc8mBdfRbMktaUDhYvBDks7txjhXGdtXI1fJr8p1SPHrn5ScVqTEX-ku7uuuruF0cQPCPPFUsVXVO-B3x-AMKvQYZAU/s200/el-indio.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>Gian Maria Volonté as El Indio in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Few-Dollars-More-2-Disc-Collectors/dp/B000OPOAP2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">For a Few Dollars More</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000OPOAP2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1965)<br />
Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name teams up with Col. Douglas Mortimer (Lee Van Cleef) to earn the bounty on the head of El Indio, the most feared badman in the west! Seems that El Indio, in addition to being a thief and a rapist, is addicted to marijuana, which send him into crazed, drug-induced madness! Sergio Leone’s second film in the “Dollars” trilogy finds Van Cleef gearing up to play an entirely different role in the next film…<br />
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Lee Van Cleef as Angel Eyes in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Good-Two-Disc-Blu-ray-Combo-Packaging/dp/B001U6YI92?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Good, the Bad and the Ugly</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001U6YI92" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1966)<br />
Van Cleef plays the middle adjective in Sergio Leone’s classic spaghetti western (the final in his “Dollars” trilogy), the tale of three gunslingers out to find a fortune in buried gold. Angel Eyes is a blackhearted mercenary, a hitman with an itchy trigger finger, a snake’s stare and a grudge against everyone, especially his rivals for the hidden loot, whom he faces down in the film’s legendary three-way climactic showdown. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg23V0iR2IXE4ZjcnH-0PjHqFgKwheqrqM2-ZZNMO733fiAY0PhYSs0POtgJ1dMvNNQ3p1azDRAFbvNbFN-bsUgo7k-gWM7dSdYic9BZ7P-pSG1HAGBXNtGG8nc_NNdQUBJ2kNG7serpVm/s1600/frank-miller.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg23V0iR2IXE4ZjcnH-0PjHqFgKwheqrqM2-ZZNMO733fiAY0PhYSs0POtgJ1dMvNNQ3p1azDRAFbvNbFN-bsUgo7k-gWM7dSdYic9BZ7P-pSG1HAGBXNtGG8nc_NNdQUBJ2kNG7serpVm/s200/frank-miller.gif" width="200" /></a>Ian MacDonald as Frank Miller in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/High-Noon-Two-Disc-Ultimate-Collectors/dp/B0016MLIKM?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">High Noon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0016MLIKM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1952)<br />
In director Fred Zinnemann’s classic parable about McCarthyism, the villainous Frank Miller (no, not that one), fresh out of jail, is coming to seek revenge on the man who sent him away. But all the newly-retired Marshall Will Kane (an iconic Gary Cooper) wants is to live a peaceful life with his new Quaker bride (Grace Kelly). Since nobody else in town has the guts to stand up to the sociopathic killer, it’s up to Will (and a few good women) to save the town. Ian MacDonald doesn’t have the malevolent veneer of most classic western badmen, but in a way that underscores the cowardice of the townsfolk. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnx5ZrtmSzkdLviUU_R_DYBcn1tcz0kwSXjaWyLmCX2v-Da0o_7AXaV0g9s_V1AP67BGyho2zzRE8M3Uqi0Y2v3TaGIGsaJ9bAfpmDJzUntPBtjOhHobV-A1ROLaqPEvtiAiU52ZfZcc8/s1600/liberty-valance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnx5ZrtmSzkdLviUU_R_DYBcn1tcz0kwSXjaWyLmCX2v-Da0o_7AXaV0g9s_V1AP67BGyho2zzRE8M3Uqi0Y2v3TaGIGsaJ9bAfpmDJzUntPBtjOhHobV-A1ROLaqPEvtiAiU52ZfZcc8/s200/liberty-valance.jpg" width="183" /></a>Lee Marvin as Liberty Valance in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Liberty-Valance-Paramount-Centennial-Collection/dp/B001TWT0AE?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001TWT0AE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1962)<br />
Jimmy Stewart plays Ransom Stoddard: attorney, Senator, legend. He’s the man who shot Liberty Valance, a ruthless badman who especially enjoyed causing scenes in restaurants. Only problem is, the legend isn’t true; Stoddard’s friend Tom Doniphon (John Wayne) was the gunslinger who actually fired the fatal shot from a hiding place. Still, legends die hard, especially when they involve George Bailey killing one of Hollywood’s most memorable tough guys! <br />
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Eli Wallach as Calvera in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Magnificent-Seven-Blu-ray-Brynner-Wallach/dp/B004J04KXU?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Magnificent Seven</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004J04KXU" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1960)<br />
Okay, so it’s set in Mexico, but John Sturges’ American remake of “The Seven Samurai” still ranks as one of the greatest Westerns ever made. Eli Wallach is mesmerizing as the lead bandit Calvera, a man so black of heart that even as he lies dying, he cannot grasp the motivations of a selfless man. Still, it, it takes some major cojones to take on Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson and James Coburn! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZC23LqXTqwUn1VuqBp-XoLOal-oAHDnAwsRRyoBab4018zJL6DXyf9amiknkv_p_X1Sy-JQK5Agz3UQ1NPUKCXhTy3EPKI0zgqhS1b2KH4euuZnCCmiSOBqk1bliRgiRD6bx7tN7ZIbp/s1600/justus-barnes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZC23LqXTqwUn1VuqBp-XoLOal-oAHDnAwsRRyoBab4018zJL6DXyf9amiknkv_p_X1Sy-JQK5Agz3UQ1NPUKCXhTy3EPKI0zgqhS1b2KH4euuZnCCmiSOBqk1bliRgiRD6bx7tN7ZIbp/s200/justus-barnes.jpg" width="162" /></a>Justus D. Barnes in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Great-Train-Robbery-100th-Anniversay/dp/B0000WN1JA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Great Train Robbery</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000WN1JA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1903)<br />
Justus is on this list because, despite “The Great Train Robbery” being a mere 12 minutes long, no western bad guy ever terrified an audience more. In a dramatic shot (that the distributor said could be placed at the beginning or end of the movie), Barnes’ unnamed bandit takes his pistol and fires it straight at the audience. Some, shall we say, less savvy filmgoers of the early 20th century reacted in sheer terror as if they were actually going to be shot. Good thing they didn’t live long enough to see Sam Peckinpah’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Bunch-Blu-ray-William-Holden/dp/B000Q6GX90?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Wild Bunch</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000Q6GX90" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />!”<br />
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Only time will tell where the new “3:10 to Yuma” will make it onto the badman list… but the odds are gonna be pretty good if Russell Crowe can toss a late 19th century telephone at Christian Bale… those things were HEAVY! <br />
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<i><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1568744/baddest-bad-men-west-rewind.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, Sept., 2007</a></i>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-67181036123129833182011-05-10T17:49:00.002-04:002011-06-02T16:19:02.846-04:00The Ultimate High School Flick CliqueIt’s that time again, kids! Time to stock up on pencils, blue books and Trapper Keepers and start the mental preparation to go back to school! Time to rejoin the mass of struggling identities in a sea of cliques. In an effort to help you better understand the subtle social dynamics of the educational experience, we’ve put together a list of our ten favorite student archetypes from motion pictures (and ten runners-up)! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmVrPDBcORZIUlhXL43KFpRDI0j-rF6GOn7IwAGQO7ZX7VLRWnHHUjMsS3s6Iegvc1fo0UZ2ZkrwSyYAFrA7q39Y-E-8Eut6KTYc3zn-53nZX5rr8J1pUAmXefuOJxBNIxlBTL-OPmtJP/s1600/BC-andy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmVrPDBcORZIUlhXL43KFpRDI0j-rF6GOn7IwAGQO7ZX7VLRWnHHUjMsS3s6Iegvc1fo0UZ2ZkrwSyYAFrA7q39Y-E-8Eut6KTYc3zn-53nZX5rr8J1pUAmXefuOJxBNIxlBTL-OPmtJP/s200/BC-andy.jpg" width="130" /></a></div>The Jock: Andy Clark in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-Club-25th-Anniversary-Blu-ray/dp/B003IWYOF4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Breakfast Club</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003IWYOF4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1985)<br />
The irony in choosing Andy Clark (Emilio Estevez) as the archetypical student jock is that you never see him play sports in “The Breakfast Club.” But that doesn’t matter. While all of the characters in John Hughes’ exalted high school film are painted with ultra-broad strokes, in the case of Andy, it works (as anyone who’s ever been elbowed into a locker by a carb-fed doofus in a letter jacket can attest). But Estevez manages to evoke empathy for the pressure that varsity athletes often get from every angle, both in school and at home. <br />
RUNNER-UP: Stef Djordjevic (Tom Cruise) in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-Right-Moves-Blu-ray-Cruise/dp/B004RE29SG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">All the Right Moves</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004RE29SG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1983)<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinper7GMT2Q4Bpequ7PLT0Z1i-rkh49mg_BEJQI8ZmCfIGD6rFVKmnHDrfgaDkTgoqq8LPSU5S7m8k1cSk4XgtuYibIZQyTbjXElotAuDuA3HdRCRkjsYaqG28hAmya31nUKB2Y_TBDeBA/s1600/guys-hyser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinper7GMT2Q4Bpequ7PLT0Z1i-rkh49mg_BEJQI8ZmCfIGD6rFVKmnHDrfgaDkTgoqq8LPSU5S7m8k1cSk4XgtuYibIZQyTbjXElotAuDuA3HdRCRkjsYaqG28hAmya31nUKB2Y_TBDeBA/s200/guys-hyser.jpg" width="134" /></a>The Brain: Terry Griffith in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Just-One-Guys-Joyce-Hyser/dp/B00013WWT8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Just One of the Guys</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00013WWT8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1985)</div><div style="text-align: right;">It’s a sad societal equation that a woman’s intelligence is often viewed as being proportionally inverse to her beauty. In this gender-swap tale, journalist Terry Griffith (Joyce Hyser) feels that she’s not taken seriously due to her gender. So she disguises herself as a (granted, effeminate) dude and enrolls in a different school to research a paper on her thesis. The movie’s a predictable ‘80s farce, but Hyser’s perfect balance of smarts and smart-ass made her a kind of thinking man’s Molly Ringwald for some smitten ‘80s teens. </div><div style="text-align: right;">RUNNER-UP: Peter Parker (Tobey McGuire) in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Widescreen-Special-Tobey-Maguire/dp/B00005JKCH?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Spider-Man</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005JKCH" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2002)</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVukp_w-z9RqahWRuM522ZSKBxwQn9xZqxYHlXVvJgZG9gy4ZHL97-qGuW-NaY1lvA0Y5IrzTwB500XrHMDDS2wb0NgPJarv6WcfNWD7IIa2fXU6HhcCO4x_33kYAVCM35riRBrKyy0t6/s1600/bring-it-on.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcVukp_w-z9RqahWRuM522ZSKBxwQn9xZqxYHlXVvJgZG9gy4ZHL97-qGuW-NaY1lvA0Y5IrzTwB500XrHMDDS2wb0NgPJarv6WcfNWD7IIa2fXU6HhcCO4x_33kYAVCM35riRBrKyy0t6/s200/bring-it-on.jpg" width="89" /></a>The Cheerleader: Torrance Shipman in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bring-Widescreen-Collectors-Kirsten-Dunst/dp/B00003CXMP?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Bring it On</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CXMP" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2000)<br />
The San Diego Rancho Carne High School cheerleading squad is good. Really good. In fact, their funky, competition-winning moves are the main reasons anyone comes to the games. But things get messy when new head cheerleader Torrance Shipman (Kirsten Dunst) discovers that her predecessor stole their moves from a poor inner-city high school pep squad. Dunst’s usual spunky charm is a glove-fit for the cheerleader who wants to make things right in this predictable but fun crowd-pleaser. <br />
RUNNER UP: Buffy Summers (Kristy Swanson) in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Buffy-Vampire-Slayer-Kristy-Swanson/dp/B00005LIRA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Buffy the Vampire Slayer</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005LIRA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1992)<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMfiiavBB7leTSwLgt1dCEguDBGN0gy6mAbJAyBBQ_0nzy22UzEjkO_f-ROhIjkdpVmoKK6gWISkl3v6H5Zg6pikAMlx9keFv4RcUc-hImSBi1NbfpyGHLk3QKN2X8ZOok6KadtpacefV/s1600/election-flick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaMfiiavBB7leTSwLgt1dCEguDBGN0gy6mAbJAyBBQ_0nzy22UzEjkO_f-ROhIjkdpVmoKK6gWISkl3v6H5Zg6pikAMlx9keFv4RcUc-hImSBi1NbfpyGHLk3QKN2X8ZOok6KadtpacefV/s200/election-flick.jpg" width="200" /></a>The Annoying Overachiever: Tracy Flick in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Election-Blu-ray-Matthew-Broderick/dp/B001GMH8UG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Election</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001GMH8UG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1999)</div><div style="text-align: right;">In Alexander Payne’s pitch black 1999 comedy, Reese Witherspoon plays Tracy Flick, the popular, upstanding student with the stellar extracurricular record and the aspiration to become class president… at any cost. The movie is a wicked satire on the American political process, both the Machiavellian duplicity of those running for office and the entrenched apathy of the voting public. Witherspoon shows a refreshing lack of vanity in her sublimely unattractive portrait of Tracy and Matthew Broderick is tremendous as the teacher whose desire to see Tracy lose just once becomes a life-shattering obsession. </div><div style="text-align: right;">RUNNER-UP: Ben Manibag (Parry Shen) in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/MTV-Films-Present-Better-Tomorrow/dp/B0000AI424?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Better Luck Tomorrow</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000AI424" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2002)</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEIsLxjgJUTsrOzgX8aiXKjP92HmV7nHqJaNnEQ8aNik6WB_SLjFYIVNxCATdFAoThBK0m5LSqo0HeYKP3lWcB_bW8W-bGnjP_o5jAjUQSY3bpEfHg5uenjcugREVUjwAPjLYXs0lFQ7n/s1600/farmer-ted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTEIsLxjgJUTsrOzgX8aiXKjP92HmV7nHqJaNnEQ8aNik6WB_SLjFYIVNxCATdFAoThBK0m5LSqo0HeYKP3lWcB_bW8W-bGnjP_o5jAjUQSY3bpEfHg5uenjcugREVUjwAPjLYXs0lFQ7n/s200/farmer-ted.jpg" width="200" /></a>The Geek: Farmer Ted in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sixteen-Candles-Flashback-Molly-Ringwald/dp/B001AEF6BS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Sixteen Candles</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001AEF6BS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1984)<br />
Sammy Baker (Molly Ringwald) is having a crappy birthday. Her family is so distracted by her sister’s upcoming wedding that they completely forgot the event. On top of that, she’s got a huge crush on hunky senior Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling), but can’t shake the relentless pursuit of the smitten “Farmer Ted.” Anthony Michael Hall, smack dab in awkward, voice-cracking adolescence, inhabits the scrawny, obnoxious (yet ultimately lovable) geek right down to the retainer (altho’ him hooking up with Jake’s girlfriend is a bit of a stretch). <br />
RUNNER-UP: Napoleon Dynamite (Jon Heder) in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Napoleon-Dynamite-Blu-ray-Diedrich-Bader/dp/B001JNNDE2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Napoleon Dynamite</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001JNNDE2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2004)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUe1PopptbCq8UmvEFPqF5-JKS17DVQ11GDpTdYv0Yfjz0sYDC6KFyQc1wSK8EFKWOph_tnq6RWTZ2RPatvQbYvZwCw13uTOwXyH1QfmgDOfnjWrxmgUvwKjJB5GNAqELFzrUmvm5IVvA/s1600/carrie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUe1PopptbCq8UmvEFPqF5-JKS17DVQ11GDpTdYv0Yfjz0sYDC6KFyQc1wSK8EFKWOph_tnq6RWTZ2RPatvQbYvZwCw13uTOwXyH1QfmgDOfnjWrxmgUvwKjJB5GNAqELFzrUmvm5IVvA/s200/carrie.jpg" width="136" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;">The Outsider: Carrie White in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Carrie-Blu-ray-Sissy-Spacek/dp/B001D8W7CW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Carrie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001D8W7CW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1976)</div><div style="text-align: right;">So many high school films revolve around the outsider that it’s really tough narrowing it down. But when the evil popular kids (aren’t they always?) fix the ballots to elect the creepy, unpopular Carrie (Sissy Spacek) Prom Queen only so they can dump a bucket of pig’s blood on her upon coronation, that’s a bit more extreme than anything in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Girls-Special-Collectors-Lindsay-Lohan/dp/B0002IQJ8W?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Mean Girls</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002IQJ8W" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” Unfortunately for the in-crowd, this outsider has the defense of telekinetic powers, so we’d advice backing off of the harassment! Whoops, too late! </div><div style="text-align: right;">RUNNER-UP: Donnie Darko (Jake Gyllenhaal) in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Donnie-Darko-Directors-Two-Disc-Special/dp/B0006GAOBI?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Donnie Darko</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0006GAOBI" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2001) </div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4TRsKR9ejfkwRNjRTTubuuNC5t-ktvCFnLqWHQby7I8y1oTFXhg3ZqO9ZugfX4LhQq06KsKU8ex3qI36wrVOoOLFlgGPyFYXos0vKRDk4wMKqtaKwz0EKwTLlW337Hkjtvni0wZ0WKes/s1600/max-fischer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4TRsKR9ejfkwRNjRTTubuuNC5t-ktvCFnLqWHQby7I8y1oTFXhg3ZqO9ZugfX4LhQq06KsKU8ex3qI36wrVOoOLFlgGPyFYXos0vKRDk4wMKqtaKwz0EKwTLlW337Hkjtvni0wZ0WKes/s200/max-fischer.png" width="200" /></a>The Creative Visionary: Max Fischer in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rushmore-Criterion-Collection-Jason-Schwartzman/dp/B00003Q42P?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rushmore</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003Q42P" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1999)<br />
Granted, his grades stink, but it’s not that Max (Jason Schwartzman) is stupid, he’s just distracted by his many extracurricular activites. They include The Beekeeper’s association, the Yankee Racers club, the Fencing Team, the Dodgeball Society and most of all, the Max Fischer players, an ensemble that puts on elaborate stage productions like a version of the cop film, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Serpico-Widescreen-Al-Pacino/dp/B00006JU7T?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Serpico</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00006JU7T" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” Even flunking out of Rushmore Academy and being sent to public school can’t squelch Max’s drive: Soon he’s planning a new play, an original Vietnam War epic, “Heaven and Hell” (complete with real explosions). His dreams and aspirations can be self-destructive and Quixotic, but the great thing about Max is that he’ll never give up (he’s a live-action Charlie Brown), which makes him one of our favorite film characters ever. <br />
RUNNER-UP: Joel Goodson (Tom Cruise) in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Risky-Business-Blu-ray-Tom-Cruise/dp/B00168OIP8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Risky Business</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00168OIP8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1983)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9xnX3zDi7sPHDmWK4x-z_V9ld5M69eiVBT5cdLFvnNauedusmUavxViV3wizneewIurYKNptf0or23ZlyQufkQ_lpsAQqwsZ8sjPvZM3BCoRezQ9hs7FTKYTR6ECIjT4ixWN2QLcU6Os/s1600/spicoli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-9xnX3zDi7sPHDmWK4x-z_V9ld5M69eiVBT5cdLFvnNauedusmUavxViV3wizneewIurYKNptf0or23ZlyQufkQ_lpsAQqwsZ8sjPvZM3BCoRezQ9hs7FTKYTR6ECIjT4ixWN2QLcU6Os/s200/spicoli.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;">The Stoner: Jeff Spicoli in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Times-Ridgemont-High-Blu-ray/dp/B003N9ASDY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Fast Times at Ridgemont High</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003N9ASDY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1982)</div><div style="text-align: right;">Come on, is it even a debate? No matter how serious Sean Penn becomes as an actor, he’ll never totally be able to shake the indelible image of surfer stoner Jeff Piccoli from Amy Heckerling’s “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” Spicoli’s duels with the uptight history teacher Mr. Hand (Ray Walston) have become almost as iconic as Phoebe Cates’ bikini scene. A the most iconic character in one of the decade’s signature films. Spicoli probably single-handedly counteracted Nancy Reagan’s “Just Say No” anti-drug program of the ‘80s. </div><div style="text-align: right;">RUNNER UP: Slater (Rory Cochrane) from “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dazed-and-Confused-Blu-ray/dp/B00466H3H2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dazed and Confused</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00466H3H2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1993)</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9AIm82CEff-irbXM2t5vAMQEqWtkHId14-5lFwp9DH5hsPz9zQXgeEckYRsc-VgKxtVKeYg9EYQ0rpDDJPlMrrFkMgQwzQWoPm2JKXrCCjcOpZipYVpnYJMF25RC4CCkD9jdnVUKI02I/s1600/rebel-stark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim9AIm82CEff-irbXM2t5vAMQEqWtkHId14-5lFwp9DH5hsPz9zQXgeEckYRsc-VgKxtVKeYg9EYQ0rpDDJPlMrrFkMgQwzQWoPm2JKXrCCjcOpZipYVpnYJMF25RC4CCkD9jdnVUKI02I/s200/rebel-stark.jpg" width="141" /></a>The Rebel: Jim Stark in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rebel-Without-Cause-Two-Disc-Special/dp/B0007US7EO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rebel Without a Cause</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0007US7EO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1955)<br />
Not just our pick because of the title, “Rebel” cemented James Dean’s legacy as the quintessential teenage iconoclast. As red-windbreakered loner Jim Stark, Dean embodied the new breed of teenager whose restless alienation was finding catharsis in questioning authority (and rock & roll, but that element is strangely absent in the film). “Rebel” tapped into the zeitgeist in a more realistic way than most juvenile delinquent films of the ‘50s and its tragedy is compounded by Dean’s death in a car accident that same year. <br />
RUNNER-UP: Riff Randell (P.J. Soles) in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/School-Roger-Cormans-Classics-Blu-ray/dp/B0035CVB26?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rock ‘n’ Roll High School</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0035CVB26" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1979)<br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dK9V2geaoV0S3n10X8YUBUgYJ3taDlIcrqQ4m3yMKbpVEWyChWO2igF-vC0KQsI9ODGeLRL8gHmnGaVNaVUcL94cmb74Bold0_SDc048bbNTz8RhjmnAJWQkZGr065Jv1MUuWAeOx_gT/s1600/moody.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8dK9V2geaoV0S3n10X8YUBUgYJ3taDlIcrqQ4m3yMKbpVEWyChWO2igF-vC0KQsI9ODGeLRL8gHmnGaVNaVUcL94cmb74Bold0_SDc048bbNTz8RhjmnAJWQkZGr065Jv1MUuWAeOx_gT/s200/moody.jpg" width="144" /></a>The Bully: Melvin Moody in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Bodyguard-Widescreen-Chris-Makepeace/dp/B0009HLD4Q?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">My Bodyguard</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0009HLD4Q" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1980)</div><div style="text-align: right;">Clifford Peache (Chris Makepeace), the shy new student at Chicago’s Lake View High uses his lunch money to hire huge, troubled loner Ricky (Adam Baldwin) to be his personal protector against the school bully, Melvin Moody (Matt Dillon). The motorcycle-riding Ricky, rumored to be a killer by the frightened masses at the school, slowly builds a trusting relationship with Clifford that yields a terrifically cathartic climax. The young Dillon is pitch-perfect as Moody, his dark good looks and cocky sneer belying the ultimate cowardice that lies within all bullies. </div><div style="text-align: right;">RUNNER UP: Biff Tannen (Thomas Wilson) in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Back-Future-Anniversary-Trilogy-Digital/dp/B00198X0UO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Back to the Future</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00198X0UO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1985)</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dVk_AsuGi82XFFreWyc54st1P5VkNm-gG2harx1EgAWe4S5SWTdSZPHvdZVvnlvtkalgYilhOdAi3e5XwfCf3vmzl-i-7TbEjw3oygP3AaTIGjy_KL9Fe13lnCcvuYWGgwk0ksYhsDfS/s1600/lloyd-dobler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9dVk_AsuGi82XFFreWyc54st1P5VkNm-gG2harx1EgAWe4S5SWTdSZPHvdZVvnlvtkalgYilhOdAi3e5XwfCf3vmzl-i-7TbEjw3oygP3AaTIGjy_KL9Fe13lnCcvuYWGgwk0ksYhsDfS/s200/lloyd-dobler.jpg" width="200" /></a>The Clique-Crossing Everyman: Lloyd Dobler in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Say-Anything-20th-Anniversary-Blu-ray/dp/B0029XFN9Y?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Say Anything</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0029XFN9Y" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1989)<br />
Granted, the film begins as high school ends for the characters in Cameron Crowe’s “Say Anything,” but that doesn’t mean we can’t tell exactly who fit in where in their school. Inhabiting the Clash-loving, trenchcoat-wearing kickboxer Lloyd Dobler, John Cusack is completely credible as the kind of laid back guy liked by everyone from the jocks to the brains to the stoners (who better to be the keymaster?). All socially-inept valedictorian Diane Court (Ione Skye) needs is one evening to fall for Lloyd. alongside a generation of teenage girls. <br />
RUNNER UP: Randall “Pink” Floyd (Jason London) from “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dazed-Confused-Collection-Jason-London/dp/B000F6IHSG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dazed and Confused</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000F6IHSG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1993)<br />
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And we haven’t even gotten to the Punk, the Preppy, the Bad Girl, the Brown-nose, the Lothario, the Class Clown or the Ingenue. Tell you what, meet us by the auditorium at lunch, we’ll skip out and go to the mall to discuss. <br />
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<i><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1567506/ultimate-high-school-flick-clique-rewind.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, August 2007</a></i>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-19901447936482362032011-04-18T21:21:00.001-04:002011-04-18T21:21:53.716-04:0050 years of paranoia-tapping body snatching!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZf7UkGPeENHZlMQuYomSGqMAVNS1kyov2DfNMo5SbDEc19SUssfXOEaAtAv64jR98lb6JCOLUDD7xRi5CPhQAxlflpUBIgZ91zRWJC6PnWx-E-FsjkkXoNLcMkluhTrlvUtoD3zXv10zB/s1600/the-invasion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZf7UkGPeENHZlMQuYomSGqMAVNS1kyov2DfNMo5SbDEc19SUssfXOEaAtAv64jR98lb6JCOLUDD7xRi5CPhQAxlflpUBIgZ91zRWJC6PnWx-E-FsjkkXoNLcMkluhTrlvUtoD3zXv10zB/s200/the-invasion.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>One of science fiction’s most powerful storytelling techniques is the allegory. By placing contemporary issues in a fantastic context, filmmakers can tackle issues such as racism, sexism, any-ism in a metaphorical manner that’s often more entertaining and palatable to an audience than more direct proselytizing (Practically every episode of the original “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-Original-Seasons-Blu-ray/dp/B002PQ7JQK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Star Trek</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002PQ7JQK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” TV show was an allegory to some ‘60s controversy). <br />
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Opening this week, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Invasion-Blu-ray-Nicole-Kidman/dp/B0010HOZS0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Invasion</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0010HOZS0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” is the latest film version of a much-dissected sci-fi classic, the story of paranoia that comes when you start to suspect that the people around you aren’t what they appear to be… It’s a tale that’s been terrifying audiences for more than half a century, since author Jack Finney first serialized “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Invasion-Body-Snatchers-Jack-Finney/dp/0684852586?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Body Snatchers</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0684852586" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” in Colliers Magazine in 1954. <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Popular-Culture-Through-History/dp/0313361606?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The 1950s</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0313361606" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> were in many ways the quintessential American decade, as the nation basked in postwar pride and prosperity. It was the iconic age of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Elvis-Presley/dp/B000KX0HVY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Elvis Presley</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000KX0HVY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/MM-Personal-Private-Archive-Marilyn-Monroe/dp/0810995875?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Marilyn Monroe</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0810995875" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-James-Collection-Without-Special/dp/B0007TKNK6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">James Dean</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0007TKNK6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Jackie-Robinson-Story/dp/B0033D0LXC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Jackie Robinson</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0033D0LXC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. Suburbia bloomed. Everyone liked Ike and loved <a href="http://www.amazon.com/I-Love-Lucy-Complete/dp/B000TGJ8B2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Lucy</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000TGJ8B2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. It seemed like the only thing to fear was the ongoing Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ytSRDZk7hCWY2BiBxalLvn8w3vRDRScc2xmiAA0pmE6wNmZ378_g24rmBpc9Fy4QDqJgs20oSSXt47tl7Eqg47L6gw9p3YmGnGY2M4-mVJqAqySqy7LHBUJJz_RB_2T8eSPGE61T1PXB/s1600/invasion-56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ytSRDZk7hCWY2BiBxalLvn8w3vRDRScc2xmiAA0pmE6wNmZ378_g24rmBpc9Fy4QDqJgs20oSSXt47tl7Eqg47L6gw9p3YmGnGY2M4-mVJqAqySqy7LHBUJJz_RB_2T8eSPGE61T1PXB/s320/invasion-56.jpg" width="216" /></a>Into this era came “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Invasion-Body-Snatchers-Kevin-McCarthy/dp/0782009980?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Invasion of the Body Snatchers</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0782009980" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” The 1956 movie stars the ironically-named Kevin McCarthy as Miles Bennell, a California doctor who discovers that people in his town are being replaced by exact duplicates grown from giant pods. The “pod people” are identifiable by their utter lack of emotion, and they turn out to be aliens planning to replace the entire human race. Bennell and his former girlfriend Becky (Dana Wynter) try to convince the authorities of their fantastic tale while battling to avoid being taken themselves, but nobody wants to listen. The film was originally to bleakly conclude with a beaten Bennell standing in the middle of a highway screaming “You’re next!!,” but the studio demanded an epilogue that bode better for our continued existence. <br />
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The movie has been interpreted as having three distinct allegorical meanings, two relating directly to the Cold War. Some view it as a cautionary tale on the threat of Communism, showing how the Godless, classless system of government would strip away American individuality. Others see it as a commentary on the hysteria ABOUT Communism fostered mainly by witch-hunting Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy. And others like to think that the film is an indictment of the American tendency towards blind, unquestioning conformity. Amazingly, to this date, if the filmmakers had a specific agenda, they still aren’t telling, leaving it open to the different interpretations. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC96i3j_8sJFFLjpVDI7VQO_0qvSHZxx9gFNFhklYVufIVi5-AL6TMl399LJdhXoGv4BajyBis0YmTLleRapjyiLtLI3zvmc_eoGWHgDBRdpaEDIBdqr6_VhnwkyF0dIDlsoTFFrcEYfHw/s1600/invasion-78.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC96i3j_8sJFFLjpVDI7VQO_0qvSHZxx9gFNFhklYVufIVi5-AL6TMl399LJdhXoGv4BajyBis0YmTLleRapjyiLtLI3zvmc_eoGWHgDBRdpaEDIBdqr6_VhnwkyF0dIDlsoTFFrcEYfHw/s320/invasion-78.jpg" width="212" /></a>22 years later, it was time for another visit from the pods. Philip Kaufman directed the 1978 “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Invasion-Snatchers-Collectors-Donald-Sutherland/dp/B000QQJ3Q0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Invasion of the Body Snatchers</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000QQJ3Q0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” with Donald Sutherland starring as Matthew Bennell, now a health inspector in San Francisco who discovers the existence of the emotion-free pod peeps. Times had changed since the “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Leave-Beaver-Complete-Jerry-Mathers/dp/B0038SUBDC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Leave it to Beaver</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0038SUBDC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” ‘50s, and in the post-Vietnam, post-Watergate era, the public was far more mistrusting of the government and authority, amping up the paranoia quotient in this version. When Bennell contacts Washington DC for help, the person he reaches knows his name before he gives it, causing him to wonder if the aliens have already infiltrated our government. <br />
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The movie also takes a jab at the psychoanalysis boom of the ‘70s (and the “personal transformation” EST movement specifically), with Leonard Nimoy playing a pop psychologist who tries to tell Brooke Adams that her suspicions about her pod-boyfriend are actually a product of her own troubled psyche. In addition, with its big city setting, the movie felt like a commentary on the ironic loss of identity one can feel when immersed in such a concentrated, yet detached mass of humanity. And this time, the studio let the filmmakers have their unhappy ending.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3U7TmF-0a8tO8I6_4txKWT7MswIy6ICr8DKt45LZ1cox8-7FNOt-IcAkB2li9egH-o3ooggLRRqdmvmuvE2ofsfR1Wa6LN1a3bQRoAexFVV3fdEwh56qlEJxu5ny6y8xHBTqcK-N81UJ/s1600/body-snatchers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH3U7TmF-0a8tO8I6_4txKWT7MswIy6ICr8DKt45LZ1cox8-7FNOt-IcAkB2li9egH-o3ooggLRRqdmvmuvE2ofsfR1Wa6LN1a3bQRoAexFVV3fdEwh56qlEJxu5ny6y8xHBTqcK-N81UJ/s200/body-snatchers.jpg" width="134" /></a>The third visit from the pod people, 1993’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Body-Snatchers/dp/B000HEG9ZY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Body Snatchers</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000HEG9ZY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” transposes the story to a military base where Marti Malone (Gabrielle Anwar), the teenage daughter of an EPA agent discovers that soldiers are being replaced with the soulless automatons. What follows is less of an allegorical thriller than a more standard blood-n-guts horror film. In addition, this version (directed by Abel Ferrara) loses some of its power by placing the film in a context to which the average filmgoer can’t relate. Besides, isn’t stiff, unquestioning conformity the norm for the military? Or is that the point?<br />
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Still, if only out of habit, some sought hidden meaning. The interpretations this time ran the gamut from a condemnation of President George Bush’s (the elder) post-Cold War New World Order to an allegory about fear of AIDS (as critic Roger Ebert famously interpreted). <br />
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The powerful concept of the Body Snatchers has seeped into our public consciousness. Other movies such as “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stepford-Wives-Katharine-Ross/dp/B00026L8US?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Stepford Wives</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00026L8US" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1975 and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Stepford-Wives-Special-Collectors/dp/B0002W4UDE?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">2004</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002W4UDE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />), “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hidden-Kyle-MacLachlan/dp/0780628586?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Hidden</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0780628586" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1987) and “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Faculty-Blu-ray-Michelle-Holmes/dp/B002JT69NC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the Faculty</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002JT69NC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1998) are based upon the idea of mindless doppelgangers and “pod people” has entered the lexicon as a euphemism for those who refuse to think for themselves. <br />
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So what will modern audiences see beneath the surface of “The Invasion?” Will the fact that the film (originally completed in early 2006) had a screenplay tweak by the Wachowski brothers and new scenes shot by director James McTeigue add to the mystery? And will old fans miss the excised pods? All we know for sure is that you are advised to make sure you don’t fall asleep in the theater… They’re here! You’re NEXT!<br />
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<div style="color: red;"><i>ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, August 2007</i></div>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-39481772294657406362011-04-18T21:05:00.002-04:002011-04-18T21:07:27.723-04:00The thin line between BOO! and OOH! or, Ten Sexiest Monster Movies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqcLY67Ew5xFucINvuOlkRGHVXSzOHXGvrSMab6PztU8dX92-wNWSU_qHerh5TdNjYqP0mD-sUNTCBW2B6NwryNSUc5o6vGoaFfBQsDJZmLUAMHi4ipsxlpto_I5pjCcuD-GoekwwicVj/s1600/skin-walkers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqcLY67Ew5xFucINvuOlkRGHVXSzOHXGvrSMab6PztU8dX92-wNWSU_qHerh5TdNjYqP0mD-sUNTCBW2B6NwryNSUc5o6vGoaFfBQsDJZmLUAMHi4ipsxlpto_I5pjCcuD-GoekwwicVj/s200/skin-walkers.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>The advertising for the new werewolf flick, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Skinwalkers-Jason-Behr/dp/B000VSDNFA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">SkinWalkers</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000VSDNFA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” is playing up a common, yet often sublimated aspect of monster movies: Sexuality. There’s a distinct correlation between the primal, feral nature of mutated beasts and what happens to humans when we truly give ourselves over to our baser instincts. Over the years, a number of creature features have exploited this similarity to great effect, as our list of the ten sexiest monster movies shows…<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijU6zE3ooVeidNOHIzTlTNnHF15MAVbiLYT6VkRFjG1ha9L7Zq7K7Sr5sdyYN4piISuHMjGM32jW-6EIKOn9o87ANURwx8RU8NumeTL5xovlinbRoWgabkOaMIrs3VWMxxuiOXjJ3mZU_I/s1600/50-ft-woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijU6zE3ooVeidNOHIzTlTNnHF15MAVbiLYT6VkRFjG1ha9L7Zq7K7Sr5sdyYN4piISuHMjGM32jW-6EIKOn9o87ANURwx8RU8NumeTL5xovlinbRoWgabkOaMIrs3VWMxxuiOXjJ3mZU_I/s320/50-ft-woman.jpg" width="128" /></a>10) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Attack-Ft-Woman-Allison-Hayes/dp/B000OHZJFK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Attack of the 50-foot Woman</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000OHZJFK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1958)<br />
Of all the giant atomic mutants of the 1950s, none had the appeal of Nancy Archer. Allison Hayes plays a wealthy boozehound whose irradiated encounter with a spaceship causes her to grow to fifty feet tall! Rather than wreaking havoc on her entire town (as 1957’s Amazing Colossal Man did), Nancy uses her new stature to get revenge on her cheating hubby and his money-grubbin’ mistress (Yvette Vickers)!! Despite laughably bad effects, the image of the voluptuous sheet-wrapped giantess indelibly embedded itself into the psyche of many moviegoers of the 1950s (a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Attack-Ft-Woman-Daryl-Hannah/dp/B00005Y6YD?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">1993 remake</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005Y6YD" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> starring Daryl Hannah was less memorable).<br />
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9) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Jack-Nicholson/dp/0800177029?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Wolf</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0800177029" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1994)<br />
Few actors personify salaciousness better than Jack Nicholson, and in Mike Nichols’ “Wolf,” we get the full Jack, so to speak. Jack plays Will Randall, a middle aged editor replaced by his smug protégée (James Spader), who also happens to be having an affair with Will’s wife! However, a surreptitious bite from a wolf endows Will with renewed vigor and a, uh, animalistic need to protect his territory. He also gets to have sex with Michelle Pfeiffer. Clips of Nicholson reveling in his newfound heightened vitality are so convincing they should be used to market Viagra. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTeAFInd2Sdt07b3iQMaEEVvYWeQdWx1I7tsm9sWKXdHR4omeWe0nwpYLt0IIW3jxGQuFKpqT60eATyP5jkBn5h44vJiTCwmsGMawfJjQeenckPBOWFpKetW3CM8KrcOzVbCqrJwlqALi/s1600/species.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTeAFInd2Sdt07b3iQMaEEVvYWeQdWx1I7tsm9sWKXdHR4omeWe0nwpYLt0IIW3jxGQuFKpqT60eATyP5jkBn5h44vJiTCwmsGMawfJjQeenckPBOWFpKetW3CM8KrcOzVbCqrJwlqALi/s200/species.jpg" width="140" /></a>8) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Species-Blu-ray-Natasha-Henstridge/dp/B000F9RB9E?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Species</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000F9RB9E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1995)<br />
Opponents of stem cell research could use this sci-fi thriller about the product of spliced alien-human DNA as speculative propaganda. Natasha Henstridge plays Sil, a female hybrid who ages to full adulthood in a matter of weeks. Armed with a supermodel’s body, alien superpowers of regeneration and mutation, a childlike innocence and a built-in need to mate and procreate, Sil’s a date to die for. Especially if she wants to French kiss. Enter this B-movie Alien-Girl-Gone-Wild with low expectations and you’ll get some cheesy thrills.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisO8wxNLrgYxnyNQthU8NIGtVHssfYZu_uLDxbfo3RVEE90akYkZ7hm8J4l5GqCi28tRqPxFMjwO3jCOfz_l1_94WsfISMTcNdJHD3Iu2REWe9ZItD9ZQAc9-oAL08CX_WUhgwVUO-0m0_/s1600/she-creature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisO8wxNLrgYxnyNQthU8NIGtVHssfYZu_uLDxbfo3RVEE90akYkZ7hm8J4l5GqCi28tRqPxFMjwO3jCOfz_l1_94WsfISMTcNdJHD3Iu2REWe9ZItD9ZQAc9-oAL08CX_WUhgwVUO-0m0_/s200/she-creature.jpg" width="130" /></a>7) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Day-World-Ended-She-Creature/dp/B000EHSVJG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The She-Creature</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000EHSVJG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1956)<br />
Evil Dr. Carlo Lombardi hypnotizes his female assistant Andrea into calling forth her prehistoric reptilian alter ego from the sea to do his bidding, killing people whose death he’s predicted! But when Andrea begins to fall in love with the detective investigating the doings of the dirty doctor, the She-Creature finds a conscience and refuses to follow orders! A truly ludicrous 50s horror flick, it’s elevated by the presence of pin-up Marla English as Andrea and a killer monster design for the titular (pun) creature, perhaps the only movie monster of the 50s in need of a bra! <br />
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6) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Beast-Criterion-Collection-Restored/dp/B00007L4I6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">La Belle et la bete</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00007L4I6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (Beauty and the Beast) (1946)<br />
Okay, referring to the traditional French fairy tale as a “monster movie” is kinda like calling “Transformers” and industrial film; It’s a stretch. But director Jean Cocteau’s sensually surrealist 1946 version of the woman-comes-to-love-monster tale is laced with more sexual metaphors than a Georgia O’Keefe painting. Jean Marais plays the charming Beast to Josette Day’s Belle in a movie better suited for the parents of the kiddie fans of the Disney version. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpXbicRLssCYsUR_sRSVymicL3lOPeHy5_O7dn5F0k8feK7EgiVj4i39jIaiAvRVvwmFFvG4gyvfQWn8by2OEHspp4AELlx5aM5Fz3LDPjq6KqhcKGaDadZkvB1CemUXipY7KiKJG0zcF/s1600/kong-dwan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpXbicRLssCYsUR_sRSVymicL3lOPeHy5_O7dn5F0k8feK7EgiVj4i39jIaiAvRVvwmFFvG4gyvfQWn8by2OEHspp4AELlx5aM5Fz3LDPjq6KqhcKGaDadZkvB1CemUXipY7KiKJG0zcF/s200/kong-dwan.jpg" width="135" /></a>5) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/King-Kong-History-Jackson-Applause/dp/B003GAN1TI?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">King Kong</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003GAN1TI" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (all of ‘em)<br />
One of the things that the original 1933 “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/King-Kong-Blu-ray-Robert-Armstrong/dp/B001KVZ6LQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">King Kong</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001KVZ6LQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000B8I9YK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” the oft-reviled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/King-Kong-Jeff-Bridges/dp/B000B8I9YK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">1976 remake</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000B8I9YK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/King-Kong-Blu-ray-Naomi-Watts/dp/B001KZVQJI?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Peter Jackson’s 2005 CGI-fest</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001KZVQJI" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> have in common is the monkey-love felt for the comely blonde offered up for sacrifice by the natives of Skull Island. However, while both Kongs ‘33 and ‘76 exhibited some chauvinistic tendencies (attempting to undress their respective ladies, played by Faye Wray and Jessica Lange), Kong ’05 was a more respectful suitor to Naomi Watts, preferring the simple pleasures of ice skating in the park to wet gown contests. Still, we’re pretty sure that all three women were glad that Kong didn’t try to go all the way. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6Lg0QX5w04KRMRT3szwf7mZxhVJ0s7oKX5k1-8ihNz9jLkw0dTS3dmhJTkHM1USkDloTkAkebZZVyGvXFDm-pkUzGV3Y7IyZ0CvRiqPJXrQrVffVqrB9TiXzMHz3Djo6y2c_Cku0e7Yx/s1600/hunger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6Lg0QX5w04KRMRT3szwf7mZxhVJ0s7oKX5k1-8ihNz9jLkw0dTS3dmhJTkHM1USkDloTkAkebZZVyGvXFDm-pkUzGV3Y7IyZ0CvRiqPJXrQrVffVqrB9TiXzMHz3Djo6y2c_Cku0e7Yx/s200/hunger.jpg" width="199" /></a>4) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Catherine-Deneuve/dp/B0002KQNKE?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Hunger</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002KQNKE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1983)<br />
With the exception of 1922’s über-creepy “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nosferatu-Ultimate-Two-Disc-Max-Schreck/dp/B000VUQ4HW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Nosferatu</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000VUQ4HW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” vampires have always been inherently sexy. But the super-stylish Goth bloodsuckers of “the Hunger” are so carnal that bloodlust takes a backseat to the more traditional kind. Catherine Deneuve plays Miriam, a vampire thousands of years old whose lovers, once infected, sadly only retain their youth for another few centuries. David Bowie plays her soon-to-be-aging partner, and when an alluring doctor (Susan Sarandon) fails to cure him, she becomes Miriam’s latest prey. Still, the most monstrous thing about this movie is its terrifyingly ugly ‘80s fashions!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTAe_0vzBlI-9cqja4tlFzC2Vuo6vQ2FEWyl9u3-dpXq9UkNUV8hH1-KmLkLDFfU85xOZaYFYdt14qQRxk95TaKk2lbJhgCPaj3GRL-sgXTrEdUrE7EbTOQiZmRJQuZmV2pdvs8v3b7Xe/s1600/cat-people-49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTAe_0vzBlI-9cqja4tlFzC2Vuo6vQ2FEWyl9u3-dpXq9UkNUV8hH1-KmLkLDFfU85xOZaYFYdt14qQRxk95TaKk2lbJhgCPaj3GRL-sgXTrEdUrE7EbTOQiZmRJQuZmV2pdvs8v3b7Xe/s200/cat-people-49.jpg" width="200" /></a>3) Cat People (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cat-People-Curse/dp/B000A0GOF0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">1942</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000A0GOF0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cat-People-Nastassja-Kinski/dp/B000069HZO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">1982</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000069HZO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />)<br />
In 1942’s “Cat People” is a cautionary film-noir about the perils of sublimating sexuality. Simone Simon plays Irena, a Serbian woman who believes that she’s descended from an ancient Egyptian race who transform into panthers when sexually aroused. This makes for a frustrating marriage to her red-blooded American hubby, who inevitably finds release in the arms of another woman, which leads to a literal catfight. In the 1982 remake, Nastassja Kinski plays Irena, this time being pursued by her cat-brother (the always-creepy Malcolm McDowell) to engage in an incestuous relationship, as two cat-people can’t bring out the beast in each other. Impeccable casting raises the temperature on this more overt take on the original. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDoqEFUcRFj9tKstjEut3t5y3ZnOs7M-oFcNRwM65iJD0mvoDiB4k64OJOnsHKTEzb_-BS8xwXtbuoQZiofZPpBLKkzzVqZ7xLIh1rYLK8UXqwkEmbFqbmuo43UuEViU-gbpvftXVtpd9/s1600/creature-from-black-lagoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDoqEFUcRFj9tKstjEut3t5y3ZnOs7M-oFcNRwM65iJD0mvoDiB4k64OJOnsHKTEzb_-BS8xwXtbuoQZiofZPpBLKkzzVqZ7xLIh1rYLK8UXqwkEmbFqbmuo43UuEViU-gbpvftXVtpd9/s200/creature-from-black-lagoon.jpg" width="158" /></a></div>2) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Creature-Black-Lagoon-Collection-Revenge/dp/B0002NRRRY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Creature from the Black Lagoon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002NRRRY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1954)<br />
Say what you will about the murderous gill man from the Amazon… he has great taste in women. The stunning Julie Adams plays Kay Lawrence, who accompanies boyfriend ichthyologist David Reed and his research team as they search South America for the missing link between sea and land creatures. And the missing link becomes smitten. Scenes of the Gill Man watching Kay swim underwater and reaching out to touch her feet as she treads water have an oddly affecting beauty to them, and partly because of the cloddish ‘50s mentality of the men on the expedition, we almost wish Kay would end up with the Gill Man. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhewyJ-orEA2z0kMHUt_TPsozkSmhI8gfe_ltcASJUm6_Yxs4fWXs8OjQ3wRBEF1gyU1KD-SneGOViuMxzwzTHGzD3_ORr_bp9gvPT-dCpCGbwlNh9R8WQFyslXh3l6DdNCWNEo01hO_BZi/s1600/hammer-dracula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhewyJ-orEA2z0kMHUt_TPsozkSmhI8gfe_ltcASJUm6_Yxs4fWXs8OjQ3wRBEF1gyU1KD-SneGOViuMxzwzTHGzD3_ORr_bp9gvPT-dCpCGbwlNh9R8WQFyslXh3l6DdNCWNEo01hO_BZi/s200/hammer-dracula.jpg" width="180" /></a>1) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dracula-Bram-Stoker/dp/1936594331?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dracula</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1936594331" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0001CNRLG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (pick one)<br />
We all know how much women are attracted to bad boys, and who’s badder than the prince of darkness? In the 76 years since Tod Browning’s 1931 “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dracula-Universal-Studios-Classic-Collection/dp/B000035Z3K?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dracula</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000035Z3K" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” the first official movie adaptation of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel, over 150 films about the seductive Transylvanian vampire have been produced. Which Dracula is the sexiest is subjective, of course. Some may prefer the exotic sophistication of ‘31’s Bela Lugosi, while others yield to the creepy gothic charm of ‘92’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bram-Stokers-Dracula-Blu-ray-Oldman/dp/B000TGJ7ZY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Gary Oldman</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000TGJ7ZY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. Maybe the silky suave <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Draculas-Favorites-Horror-Dracula-D/dp/B000U1ZV7G?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Christopher Lee</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000U1ZV7G" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> of the ‘60s Hammer films gets your blood burning or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dracula-Frank-Langella/dp/B0002KVULG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Frank Langella</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002KVULG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />’s dark virility in the 1977 version. Perhaps the Evanescencesque Richard Roxburgh of 2004’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Van-Helsing-Blu-ray-Hugh-Jackman/dp/B002HML6Y8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Van Helsing</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002HML6Y8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” or that same year’s musclebound Drake (Dominic Purcell) in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trinity-Unrated-Version-Wesley-Snipes/dp/B0007V6ITE?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Blade: Trinity</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0007V6ITE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” is to your liking. Regardless, it’s doubtful there will ever be a movie monster with as much sex appeal as the Count.<br />
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Heck, even the Count who lives on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sesame-Street-Years-Sunny-Days/dp/B002K0WBWI?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Sesame Street</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002K0WBWI" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> has a hard time keeping track of how many girlfriends he’s got! Lucky bloodsucker. <br />
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<i><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1566515/sexiest-monster-movies-all-time-rewind.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, August 2007</a></i>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-77494865896385515262011-04-12T21:47:00.003-04:002011-04-12T21:49:46.087-04:00Open, Closed or Just a Dream? Controversial Pop Culture FinalesWhen a pop culture franchise comes to a close, its creators face a conundrum: Tie up the story with a nice little bow to meet the fans’ expectations or do something unexpected. Most books, movies and TV shows go the former route (Aw, Ross and Rachel got back together!), but the road less taken can yield bigger drama. Right now, Harry Potter fans are nervous as to the fate of the young wizard when J.K. Rowling’s final book, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Deathly-Hallows-Three-Disc-Blu-ray-Digital/dp/B001UV4XI8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001UV4XI8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” comes out on July 21. To help distract you nervous muggles, we thought we’d take a look at some other controversial closings.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnT742Ku0Q99pb46r96qgFGpw81ginn3F5Pd_aOp6DoAORAfJoveT8SJ4094v3OgnV-PWsEahtkeCDIh2u91eaYzqhzk65dINBN-9mvNsdOdHCIzu66hv1sThat-h0jAFRVUeUqGY67CY/s1600/hannibal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRnT742Ku0Q99pb46r96qgFGpw81ginn3F5Pd_aOp6DoAORAfJoveT8SJ4094v3OgnV-PWsEahtkeCDIh2u91eaYzqhzk65dINBN-9mvNsdOdHCIzu66hv1sThat-h0jAFRVUeUqGY67CY/s200/hannibal.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>Thomas Harris’ final Hannibal Lecter book, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hannibal-Thomas-Harris/dp/0385339488?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hannibal</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0385339488" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1999) ends with the cannibalistic serial killer and FBI Agent Clarice Starling becoming a couple and jetting off to Argentina together, a highly contentious conclusion that was rumored to be one reason why Jodie Foster refused to reprise the “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silence-Lambs-Blu-ray-Jodie-Foster/dp/B000MGB6N2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Silence of the Lambs</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000MGB6N2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” role on film. As it turned out, replacement Clarice, Julianne Moore didn’t have to bat eyes at Anthony Hopkins, as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hannibal-Two-Disc-Special-Anthony-Hopkins/dp/B00003CXSP?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the 2001 film adaptation</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CXSP" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> ditches that ending. <br />
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Stephen King’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Tower-Boxed-Set-Books/dp/0451211243?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dark Tower</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0451211243" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” setology had a curious conclusion that put off some fans. After taking gunslinger Roland Deschain through seven books on the quest for the titular Tower, fabled to be the nexus of every universe, King finally gets there, only to tell the reader to stop reading and consider the story finished. Those who disobey the writer’s wishes discover that Roland goes through a door with his name on it and ends up back at the beginning of the first book, and the cycle continues. <br />
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Movie franchises are more likely to just fade away due to diminishing returns than end with a bang. Studios are hesitant to kill a cow while it’s still giving milk, so to speak. So terrorists will continue to have awful aim when shooting automatic weapons at John McClane, Arkham Asylum escapees will always be captured by the Batman, Starfleet will always build a new Enterpirse, et al, ad infinitum. When film series are designed to be finite, it’s usually because they’re based on some external property such as “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Rings-Picture-Platinum-Extended/dp/B000654ZK0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the Lord of the Rings</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000654ZK0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ADK9QuMVTHpVhyy5-0XN-f3tn8iPB2D45PhekAMuab6QUBlL7JjMzj6iE6CBaOoG9DlNJL0zB67sTQIRd2-dxW3yKrOZZWnJeiZFsRzYRCMsC585Ikivv9fY4VIHyVLKOJmtiWYrw-5o/s1600/curse-panther.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_ADK9QuMVTHpVhyy5-0XN-f3tn8iPB2D45PhekAMuab6QUBlL7JjMzj6iE6CBaOoG9DlNJL0zB67sTQIRd2-dxW3yKrOZZWnJeiZFsRzYRCMsC585Ikivv9fY4VIHyVLKOJmtiWYrw-5o/s200/curse-panther.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Panther-Collection-Strikes-Again-Revenge/dp/B0001AG01M?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Pink Panther</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0001AG01M" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” became an accidental franchise in the ‘60s when an ostensible cameo by Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau proved so popular that more movies were built around him. But a problem arose when it came time to make 1982’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Trail-Pink-Panther-Peter-Arne/dp/B000CEXFCO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Trail of the Pink Panther</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000CEXFCO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />:” Sellers had died in 1980. Undeterred, the filmmakers (taking a page from the Ed Wood school of filmmaking) used deleted scenes and other footage of Sellers from old PP films to create a movie that (shock!) wasn’t that good. But they weren’t done yet! The next year “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Curse-Pink-Panther-David-Niven/dp/B001HUWQGS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Curse of the Pink Panther</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001HUWQGS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” centered around a bumbling American detective attempting to locate the “missing” Clouseau, essentially trampling over Sellers’ grave. Critics cried foul and the series limped to an end, at least for a while. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkflPcKSLqoj6rmDVf0sm8SsTiYFgu8ZyN7XWFhmtdg11uRHAzMvJhNDcOCvJpHh7cgOlNnMNldWM_iSUN7dIne6x_PO_RFm-XyzSA7Ve5WYOm2SW1mJ8ZavmHtPdzv2Zj-q0KsWAyKQd3/s1600/sofia-gf3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkflPcKSLqoj6rmDVf0sm8SsTiYFgu8ZyN7XWFhmtdg11uRHAzMvJhNDcOCvJpHh7cgOlNnMNldWM_iSUN7dIne6x_PO_RFm-XyzSA7Ve5WYOm2SW1mJ8ZavmHtPdzv2Zj-q0KsWAyKQd3/s200/sofia-gf3.jpg" width="200" /></a>1990’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Godfather-Part-III-Coppola-Restoration/dp/B001GJ7E30?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Godfather, Part III</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001GJ7E30" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” was a scandalous closer to the Michael Corleone saga not so much for its plot (about the Don trying in vain to go fully legitimate and paying the ultimate price for his sins) but for its casting. When Winona Ryder dropped out of playing Mary Corleone, director Francis Ford Coppola replaced her with his daughter, Sofia, a young girl with no acting experience (or, many argued, talent). Cries of nepotism had a vindictive, ultimately pointless tone that overshadowed anything else about the movie (which isn’t <i>that</i> bad). <br />
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We’re not sure whether it’s fair to call the final chapter in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Matrix-Collection-Blu-ray/dp/B000OPPBEQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Matrix</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000OPPBEQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” trilogy controversial, unless muddled incomprehensibility begets controversy. 2003’s “The Matrix Revolutions” failed to resolve many of the issues (both of logic and philosophy) raised by the first two films, but it’s safe to say that more fans were peeved at the deaths of Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Neo (Keanu Reeves), even if their sacrifices were two of the only things in that film that made sense. <br />
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Of course, no medium lends itself to The Big Finale better than television. Successful TV series have the luxury of being able to develop characters and a narrative thread over years and hundreds of hours. This can create a relationship with the audience that, when it comes to an end, can feel like a real-life breakup. <br />
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Again, most TV finales go the predictable, easy route. Estranged couples reunite (“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gilmore-Girls-Complete-Seventh-Season/dp/B000N6TYLW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Gilmore Girls</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000N6TYLW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”), the series’ raison d’etre ends (“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/West-Wing-Complete-Seventh-Season/dp/B000HC2LHQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The West Wing</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000HC2LHQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”), people get married, pregnant and new jobs (“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cheers-Final-Season-Ted-Danson/dp/B001HUHBAY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Cheers</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001HUHBAY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”) and there are big sloppy declarations of love and friendship all around (“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/TV-Season-11-Final/dp/B001DMVZNK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">M*A*S*H</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001DMVZNK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”). But not every show follows convention.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodtXBCmnc3V-x_GIuNF3PIUt5oDjCcxLxu_H9SBwJgwv7ObxW2PoA9CACRSF-oTjTNW6TtKBGS9n9EW66UivcW0roAZTt7AaLgVsyFKpkjWFTp0RcJdg7BJUFFzQLXjvLGa1mP5mUZnCi/s1600/prisoner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjodtXBCmnc3V-x_GIuNF3PIUt5oDjCcxLxu_H9SBwJgwv7ObxW2PoA9CACRSF-oTjTNW6TtKBGS9n9EW66UivcW0roAZTt7AaLgVsyFKpkjWFTp0RcJdg7BJUFFzQLXjvLGa1mP5mUZnCi/s320/prisoner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Maybe the first controversial TV finale was of the 1967-68 British sci-fi series, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Prisoner-Complete-Blu-ray-Patrick-McGoohan/dp/B002C68WOG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Prisoner</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002C68WOG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002NB421C" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” Patrick McGoohan plays “Number Six,” a former government agent being held for “information” by unidentified captors (Numbers Two and One) in a high-tech “Village.” For 17 episodes, Number Six resisted the brainwashing efforts of his captors while trying to discover their identity and escape the village. The show’s allegorical surrealism came to a head in the final episode, in which Number One is revealed to be Number Six himself wearing a gorilla mask and then there are some missiles fired and everyone flees the Village and Number Six ends up back in his apartment… oh, forget it. The confusing anti-climax left the BBC inundated with frustrated phone calls from viewers and writer / star McGoohan reportedly had to go into hiding. <br />
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After six seasons of medical and personal drama, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/St-Elsewhere-Season-Michael-Fresco/dp/B000GPPNO2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">St. Elsewhere</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000GPPNO2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” threw fans for a loop when the 1988 finale revealed the entire series to be the figment of an autistic boy’s imagination (as opposed to being “real?”). Far better received was the surprising 1990 conclusion of Bob Newhart’s second sitcom, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Newhart-Complete-Season-Steven-Kampmann/dp/B000YKYT1M?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Newhart</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000YKYT1M" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” in which the wacky adventures of the Vermont innkeeper turned out to be nothing but a dream of the lead character from “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bob-Newhart-Show-Complete-Season/dp/B0007IO6PA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Bob Newhart Show</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0007IO6PA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” of the 1970s. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeU0b8mc2Time6KJqrTXq2XkkB5kQMoqEzAIPXGi2R0DyFvAVEtBNJ4UOejRMjDQgks7XWebjGgvLK9v0M76IMulio-dkwvKsfLaoBX5S1upwp6XJQSpiK231-GX4T3IBBZi9DQ2Op-rc/s1600/peaks-finale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeU0b8mc2Time6KJqrTXq2XkkB5kQMoqEzAIPXGi2R0DyFvAVEtBNJ4UOejRMjDQgks7XWebjGgvLK9v0M76IMulio-dkwvKsfLaoBX5S1upwp6XJQSpiK231-GX4T3IBBZi9DQ2Op-rc/s200/peaks-finale.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>David Lynch’s surreal mystery soap, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Peaks-Definitive-Gold-Complete/dp/B000UX6THK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Twin Peaks</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000UX6THK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” was groundbreaking in terms of style, pacing, characterization and storytelling, so its stunning 1991 conclusion was no surprise to the faithful. After being forced by ABC to resolve the murder of Laura Palmer (a macguffin to begin with), the show meandered in its second season, struggling to come up with reasons for FBI agent Dale Cooper (Kyle McLaughlin) to linger in the quirky Pacific Northwest town. A cat and mouse game with his now-deranged former partner culminates with a final shot of Cooper being possessed by the demon Killer Bob, the hero turned into a villain, the story unresolved. <br />
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“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Roseanne-Complete-Ninth-Season/dp/B000UR9QQM?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Roseanne</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000UR9QQM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” ended its 9 years with a long monologue from its star stating that the final 1997 season (in which the working class Conners won the lottery and became wealthy) was in fact a fictional story written by her character. The self-congratulatory, indulgent twist was met with a mere shrug by viewers who, by that point, had pretty much stopped caring. <br />
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Apathy was NOT the case the following year when Jerry <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Seinfeld-Complete-Jerry/dp/B000VECAEE?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Seinfeld</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000VECAEE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> used the final episode of his eponymous sitcom to remind people that, despite the show’s wild success, its central characters were not nice people. The finale found Jerry, George, Kramer and Elaine on trial for violating a Good Samaritan Law after idly watching a man being carjacked in a small New England town. Previous shows’ victims of the foursome’s sometimes destructive narcissism testified for the prosecution, ending in conviction and jail. Critics and fans howled, but at least the show remained true to its mantra of “no hugging, no learning!” <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_XRoU0RV5aidb17DLzzIb6PQ2KuvQ4oeQMqDMrUH8SmMHmE3SnOA_UY-VncKYN5EJlzVuwFE0AAagw9ywhW72UELAsaMkvi4m4oXLIGXAcgVpaLwCBnrRrnYfZ-AwLQYovEjSwf4IfEv/s1600/sopranos-finale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_XRoU0RV5aidb17DLzzIb6PQ2KuvQ4oeQMqDMrUH8SmMHmE3SnOA_UY-VncKYN5EJlzVuwFE0AAagw9ywhW72UELAsaMkvi4m4oXLIGXAcgVpaLwCBnrRrnYfZ-AwLQYovEjSwf4IfEv/s320/sopranos-finale.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And then, of course, there’s perhaps the most controversial TV finale of all time, last month’s climax of “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sopranos-Complete-James-Gandolfini/dp/B002OID4VS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Sopranos</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002OID4VS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” Few things this side of politics and religion have spawned such heated debate. Our take on the matter is that the abrupt 11 seconds of black followed by a lack of music over the end credits does signify that someone got whacked. Only it wasn’t Tony Soprano… it was you. And me. All of us, as in, the audience. We were so distracted by trying to figure out the whos and whys in that final scene at Weston’s that, like Bobby Bacala predicted, we never saw it coming. “The Sopranos” turned the tables on expectations by killing off the viewer rather than its lead character. And really, anyone who wanted tidy closure from “The Sopranos” wasn’t truly paying attention to the show. <br />
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So, whither Harry Potter? Graduation? Victory over Valdemort? Death? Regardless of how popular or unpopular the end of the story is, the inevitable movie version will likely remain faithful to J.K. Rowling’s vision. <br />
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Besides, it’s unlikely that Harry, Hermione and Ron will go out for onion rings.<br />
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<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1565028/harry-potters-fate-recalls-controversial-finales-rewind.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, July 2007</a>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-42421166551597700782011-04-12T21:26:00.000-04:002011-04-12T21:26:08.024-04:0010 Favorite Movie Wizards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhahvmLc-HAzgYty1MgeaEr3fI1EjrQBehPeOfv4nJfkck6NKNXwcIyRtE8zlL5dfdc1T7QD_7bA8uMRdKyW2Jn5HD6uJU1jLuSerTJonzdK2rTOqOvvesnRKh-_qFbG6aOkSqq7m1_pq6x/s1600/potter-phoenix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhahvmLc-HAzgYty1MgeaEr3fI1EjrQBehPeOfv4nJfkck6NKNXwcIyRtE8zlL5dfdc1T7QD_7bA8uMRdKyW2Jn5HD6uJU1jLuSerTJonzdK2rTOqOvvesnRKh-_qFbG6aOkSqq7m1_pq6x/s200/potter-phoenix.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>As Harry Potter fans get all muggly over the release of the latest film, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Phoenix-Ultimate-Blu-ray/dp/B004P9FAKW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004P9FAKW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” as well as the final J.K. Rowling book, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Harry-Potter-Deathly-Hallows-Book/dp/0545139708?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0545139708" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” we ponder the legacy of cinematic practitioners of the dark arts. Join us as we conjure up a countdown of our favorite movie wizards and sorcerers outside of Hogwarts! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonxwdua1aVOO0YuTU2sjBRH96kCyJ0aMYDAStWdNLCWa91SD9L6iR8X6BY7Lw-Mx12CDZxK3vNqNMVbG1pU_GYM6GFOKvtlCxOgAoLBKYRTeuHGMokKib3ueysxFOIIC3A4S_GB0sq40c/s1600/avatar-wizard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonxwdua1aVOO0YuTU2sjBRH96kCyJ0aMYDAStWdNLCWa91SD9L6iR8X6BY7Lw-Mx12CDZxK3vNqNMVbG1pU_GYM6GFOKvtlCxOgAoLBKYRTeuHGMokKib3ueysxFOIIC3A4S_GB0sq40c/s200/avatar-wizard.jpg" width="200" /></a>10) Avatar in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Jesse-Welles/dp/B0001NBMIK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Wizards</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0001NBMIK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1977)<br />
In Ralph Bakshi’s animated post-apocalyptic fantasy, Bob Holt provides the voice of Avatar, a portly, kind hippie wizard who must do battle with his evil twin, Blackwolf. a Nazi-worshiping wizard bent on controlling the world. The movie purports to deal with issues such as warfare, propaganda and technology, but it’s also, like, really a trip, man. <br />
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9) The Great and Powerful “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wizard-Oz-70th-Anniversary-Blu-ray/dp/B00388PK1A?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Wizard of Oz</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00388PK1A" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1939)<br />
True, “The Wizard of Oz” is one of the most beloved films of all time, but it’s so far down on our list for the simple reason that Oz turns out to be not so great and powerful after all, but rather a timid little man hiding behind a curtain. What keeps him on the list is the sheer terror that almost every kid experiences watching the movie for the first time, when that huge, looming green face yells at Dorothy and her motley crew for daring to disturb him! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg091WOUn3bRP0GD78oaGfTceQP8iDItk-5PkN1J53aEMncgHj6M15aFTVFNBQWWKaykMnXcfnhcZuMluPrDRikAEJp7f56323kiAhD3mnX1MsWSeTGI8aEeJHoKnYOh1Pvsy2qKa-Hz1Nt/s1600/conan-akiro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg091WOUn3bRP0GD78oaGfTceQP8iDItk-5PkN1J53aEMncgHj6M15aFTVFNBQWWKaykMnXcfnhcZuMluPrDRikAEJp7f56323kiAhD3mnX1MsWSeTGI8aEeJHoKnYOh1Pvsy2qKa-Hz1Nt/s200/conan-akiro.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>8) Akiro in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Conan-Destroyer-Arnold-Schwarzenegger/dp/0783225946?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Conan the Destroyer</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0783225946" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1984)<br />
In 1982’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Conan-Barbarian-Arnold-Schwarzenegger/dp/0783241895?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Conan the Barbarian</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0783241895" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” veteran Japanese character actor Mako is little more than comic relief as Akiro, the wizard to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s sword-wielding Cimmerian. The sequel, while not as popular as the original, gives Mako more to do, as magic and monsters play a much bigger part in the tamer, PG-rated follow-up. Still, we wish Akiro would’ve conjured some kind of diction-improving spell to make Arnold’s dialogue (such as it is) more comprehensible. <br />
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7) Miracle Max in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Bride-Two-Disc-Blu-ray-Packaging/dp/B000K7VHPA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Princess Bride</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000K7VHPA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1987)<br />
Billy Crystal’s Jewish curmudgeon character was never funnier than in the bizarre context of a fairy tale. As Miracle Max, the former wizard to the King who was fired by the evil Prince Humperdinck (Humperdinck! Humperdinck!), Crystal revives the “mostly-dead” Westley (Cary Elwes) more for spite than the reduced $65 fee. Too much of Crystal’s mugging can make any film tiring, so it’s nice that Miracle Max was a mere cameo in this movie. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBveEIINpiGWqLkY3w94Tv6_kx3ho_C4CkOpGLRxsMDjIKfM7laMjlNZrMvb7lz35u2jsVtahU-ALHxLxijiXlqNpyEu4v56Z2kyJptxVeIMgnTCVPUXyYo2qy2ZxEu8ckafvIKS3xKar/s1600/fantasia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBveEIINpiGWqLkY3w94Tv6_kx3ho_C4CkOpGLRxsMDjIKfM7laMjlNZrMvb7lz35u2jsVtahU-ALHxLxijiXlqNpyEu4v56Z2kyJptxVeIMgnTCVPUXyYo2qy2ZxEu8ckafvIKS3xKar/s200/fantasia.jpg" width="146" /></a></div>6) Yen Sid in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fantasia-2000-Four-Disc-Blu-ray-Combo/dp/B0040QTNSK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Fantasia</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0040QTNSK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1940)<br />
In “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” segment of Disney’s classic collection of classical music cartoons, Mickey Mouse “plays” the underling to a powerful wizard (unnamed in the film, but nicknamed Yen Sid… read it backwards). The lazy mouse uses Yen Sid’s magic hat to bring a broomstick to life in order to fulfill his water-carrying chores, but things get out of hand quickly. Maybe Yen Sid would’ve been better off outsourcing his chores to Korea! <br />
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5) Ulrich in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dragonslayer/dp/B000I9W2AO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dragonslayer</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000I9W2AO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1981)<br />
Sir Ralph Richardson plays Ulrich, the last remaining wizard, who is called upon to help defeat the last dragon, Vermithrax Pejorative (somewhere there’s gotta be a metal band with this name), who is holding the kingdom of Urland hostage. Sadly, Ulrich dies during a medieval pissing contest, and his untried apprentice (not Mickey Mouse) has to take his place. But as if often the case with wizards, death is not all that it seems, and Ulrich ultimately manages to save the day, even if the stupid king takes the credit. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXipU1rB-gj-CMna8TpquyervQkTPeaMote2eHY65JQUepfV34swjDspmROUxBXUtGRORrfwxwunY0UZralM3vrkCi45wg6qqTc3Bj8jGBuTtpCkYjf_kwYDyrDab4UZz2R2Iqv8r3qSW/s1600/tim-enchanter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXipU1rB-gj-CMna8TpquyervQkTPeaMote2eHY65JQUepfV34swjDspmROUxBXUtGRORrfwxwunY0UZralM3vrkCi45wg6qqTc3Bj8jGBuTtpCkYjf_kwYDyrDab4UZz2R2Iqv8r3qSW/s200/tim-enchanter.jpg" width="200" /></a>4) Tim the Enchanter in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Monty-Python-Holy-Grail-Special/dp/B00005O3VC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Monty Python and the Holy Grail</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005O3VC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1974)<br />
In scene 20 of the Pythons’ classic comedy, King Arthur and his knights come upon a sorcerer with ram’s horns on his head conjuring fireballs. Suitably impressed, Arthur asks the enchanter’s name. “There are some who call me… Tim!” If only the knights would’ve heeded Tim’s warnings as to the vicious, cruel nasty rabbit with long, pointed teeth that guards the mouth of the Cave of Caerbannog!<br />
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3) Merlin in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Excalibur-Blu-ray-Nigel-Terry/dp/B000Q66JXA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Excalibur</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000Q66JXA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1981)<br />
The most famous of all Wizards has been brought to life in numerous filmed tales of Camelot, but never so memorably as in John Boorman’s lavish, ambitious “Excalibur.” Nicol Williamson plays King Arthur’s sorcerer with a slightly foppish, yet regal detachment. He knows he’s the most powerful, and suffers the fools of Camelot with amusement. The film is ultimately overreaching, but it’s well worth checking out for this saucy sorcerer. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHYBI_e2Y5jH5Xf1qVQnx49FSHk0ON7Uz1nhRJGEAC9CQuMfP-5r0ZNbuZGuRtTTyJE3RB_syTWgLxTdvOlJbAKwcGohc4nSEL3K6qfOCDwMsWVEeXYqkPO5ku_f6QL7an42_NKM_kvsS/s1600/the-raven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHYBI_e2Y5jH5Xf1qVQnx49FSHk0ON7Uz1nhRJGEAC9CQuMfP-5r0ZNbuZGuRtTTyJE3RB_syTWgLxTdvOlJbAKwcGohc4nSEL3K6qfOCDwMsWVEeXYqkPO5ku_f6QL7an42_NKM_kvsS/s200/the-raven.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>2) The sorcerers of “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Double-Feature-Comedy-Terrors-Raven/dp/B00009PY45?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Raven</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00009PY45" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1963)<br />
Roger Corman’s “The Raven” has little to do with the Poe poem from which it takes its name, instead telling the tale of three 15th century wizards. Dr. Craven (Vincent Price) is mourning his dead wife Lenore to a smart-aleck raven that turns out to be a transformed Dr. Bedlo (Peter Lorre), a magician who was turned into a bird by the evil Dr. Scarabus (Boris Karloff). When Craven discovers that Lenore is s till alive, and shacking up with Scarabus, a battle of the dark arts ensues that’s as fun and funny as it cheezy. With Jack Nicholson as Bedlo’s son Rexford, this comedy has the feel of a horror legends “Ocean’s Eleven.” <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqH-N-vPC-HU5C9Zuza25pzCZY3j_9fqhHoEcDo8EBdZYIL-TrU1Nv37hvsn4gGVYlbKUqaGKLD3zsbBBkWtYJt-ybZJqmdi_YP9BSBlwFbOgWxoNI_NjQkY4FJom_VCeljcr7tcry-iGo/s1600/gandalf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqH-N-vPC-HU5C9Zuza25pzCZY3j_9fqhHoEcDo8EBdZYIL-TrU1Nv37hvsn4gGVYlbKUqaGKLD3zsbBBkWtYJt-ybZJqmdi_YP9BSBlwFbOgWxoNI_NjQkY4FJom_VCeljcr7tcry-iGo/s200/gandalf.jpg" width="133" /></a>1) Gandalf in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lord-Rings-Picture-Trilogy-Extended/dp/B0026L7H20?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the Lord of the Rings</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0026L7H20" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” trilogy (2001-2003)<br />
Has there ever been a cooler wizard than Gandalf the Grey / White, as so perfectly personified by Ian McKellen in Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy? Whether partying with Hobbits or doing battle alongside the heroes of Middle Earth, Gandalf maintains an elegant dignity and friendly charm that belies his enormous power. McKellen’s performance in “The Fellowship of the Ring” earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, making the only time a non-special-effects wizard was up for an Oscar. <br />
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One can only speculate which of these sorcerers would win an ultimate dark arts duel, and to further wonder where Harry, Hermoine and the rest of the Hogwarts alumni and faculty will fit into the pantheon of movie wizards. We’d love to see Tim the Enchanter take on Dumbledore! <br />
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<i><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1564286/rewind-honor-harry-top-10-movie-wizards.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, July 2007</a></i>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-43065461983816959502011-04-05T18:16:00.000-04:002011-04-05T18:16:30.038-04:00LEGO the motion picture!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl1gl1rQu3ObuxJ2pIZkd3mR3QdRq1krgBUmVXEyJi0W_ij3JgVH5y6Y73jKqWCW_ZXPP_fIQW-HPuBv7xJnM46HFTuquMn2h2kuthtwYsP5AGwuhbUrCa8gvIf_Xixxr7pLD4SKTiajjx/s1600/transformers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl1gl1rQu3ObuxJ2pIZkd3mR3QdRq1krgBUmVXEyJi0W_ij3JgVH5y6Y73jKqWCW_ZXPP_fIQW-HPuBv7xJnM46HFTuquMn2h2kuthtwYsP5AGwuhbUrCa8gvIf_Xixxr7pLD4SKTiajjx/s200/transformers.jpg" width="141" /></a></div>Merchandising has become one of the most important aspects of mainstream filmmaking. Before a studio commits to bajillions of production dollars, they usually want to know what kind of ancillary markets are available for income that ticket sales no longer guarantee. Walk into any Target right now and the only aisle that doesn’t have something with Jack Sparrow, Shrek or Spider-Man plastered on it is probably the adult diaper section (and give ‘em time). <br />
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Toys may well be the most common type of movie merchandising. But what happens when the marketing plan is reversed? “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Shia-Labeouf/dp/B000VR0570?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Transformers</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000VR0570" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” may be the biggest budgeted film to originate as a cheap chunk of plastic, but it’s certainly not the first. Let’s take a look at the short history of movies based on toys. <br />
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One could argue that the first toy-to-film character was <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Russ-Berrie-Button-Eye-Raggedy/dp/B000BTP31G?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Raggedy Ann</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000BTP31G" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. The rag doll created by illustrator <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Raggedy-Ann-Andy-Read-Aloud-Treasury/dp/1416907521?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Johnny Gruelle</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1416907521" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> in 1915 for his daughter became a book character in 1918, coinciding with the mass-manufacturing of the doll (the birth of synergy?). In 1941, Ann was joined by brother <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Russ-Berrie-Button-Raggedy-Andy/dp/B000BTP320?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Raggedy Andy</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000BTP320" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> in the first of a series of animated shorts by the Fleischer studios. Decades later, 1977’s “Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure” was the first time a consumer toy was the star of a theatrical motion picture. The film has a retro-surrealist vibe that has more in common with “Alice in Wonderland” than what was to follow…<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2GBqqdKF_xVRrlNlBVKa3pjBXEor6Yu_KA2A6Rxgvn86mPLLufQd2tGtuEYaS27yUYo-PsGDvLQvKhDOk_ygks5yEm9AlLGjcsdWOovdJCbY-rKWYDc3lBJNxmsSpFt6SD4zAYQ8KJsN/s1600/secret-sword.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2GBqqdKF_xVRrlNlBVKa3pjBXEor6Yu_KA2A6Rxgvn86mPLLufQd2tGtuEYaS27yUYo-PsGDvLQvKhDOk_ygks5yEm9AlLGjcsdWOovdJCbY-rKWYDc3lBJNxmsSpFt6SD4zAYQ8KJsN/s200/secret-sword.jpg" width="127" /></a></div>For the most part, the toy-film phenomenon (if one can call it that) was a product of the plastic, flashy ‘80s, starting with 1985’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-She-Ra-Princess-Power/dp/B000FKO41G?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Secret of the Sword</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000FKO41G" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” It’s an animated spin-off of the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/He-Man-Masters-Universe-Season-One/dp/B004DTU2X4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Masters of the Universe</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004DTU2X4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> action figure / TV show line in which Prince Adam is reunited with his long lost super-sister, She-Ra (not She-Woman?), Princess of Power!! “SotS” was actually a number of episodes of the forthcoming “She-Ra” TV show edited together to create a full length movie, making the cheap animation’s flaws even more glaring on a giant screen. And thus, the toy-film boom was born! <br />
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That same year saw “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Care-Bears-Movie-Georgia-Engel/dp/B000LP6KM6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Care Bears Movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000LP6KM6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” in which the jolly Ursae from Care-a-lot try to convince some gloomy kids that life is better if you only show you care… and buy a stuffed animal with a symbol on its belly. The darn thing grossed $23 million, launching a TV series and two movie sequels, 1986’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Care-Bears-Movie-II-Generation/dp/B000087F7T?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Care Bears Movie II: A New Generation</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000087F7T" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” and 1987’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Care-Bears-Adventure-Wonderland/dp/B0014MN2QW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0014MN2QW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” which was NOT full of allusions to psychedelic drugs. Unless you want it to be. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDZmfDPGkOWwYftdJ7JDK6jOdB_wTcC0kUUOW3mod7ZyBvzMGw5fUjvC1zzWCPJN2QtZ0k4l8wMikWTpX_qd1vO7F4H0bER57o2SPTt4K8ogoweKJInCiTkUaGaR5tlYloSV3lVf9kKMr/s1600/rainbow-brite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDZmfDPGkOWwYftdJ7JDK6jOdB_wTcC0kUUOW3mod7ZyBvzMGw5fUjvC1zzWCPJN2QtZ0k4l8wMikWTpX_qd1vO7F4H0bER57o2SPTt4K8ogoweKJInCiTkUaGaR5tlYloSV3lVf9kKMr/s200/rainbow-brite.jpg" width="132" /></a>Also in 1985, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rainbow-Brite-Star-Stealer-Bettina/dp/B0002J4ZY6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002J4ZY6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” pitted the flying-horse-riding moppet dressed like a bad ‘80s pop star against an evil princess (these movies have a lot of malevolent royalty) out to destroy all color in the world. Both Rainbow Brite and the Care Bears were first created for use on children’s greeting cards, but the toys followed in short measure (and did prefigure the TV cartoons). <br />
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Similarly, 1986’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/My-Little-Pony-Cathy-Cavadini/dp/B000J103XO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">My Little Pony: the Movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000J103XO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” dealt with a resentful witch creating “smooze,” a slime designed to turn their pastel-colored world gray and change the perky ponies’ personalities to sullen! Considering how garish the ‘80s were, especially in retrospect, we can’t help but wish at least SOME smooze would’ve taken over. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwj71JAxoXHWKBKQpyZ8V5783PHwyS0qzrQb5ImwRv-r_HS8mK54jjJhD4gaKrxw_hbVjFdC4cgrUsFf0oXxM2-cxX6TsDsUVzg_SQBuJHb0tDzOgdpxq5UTqQhyphenhyphenPYNtU8V4UvgSl-sFQA/s1600/transformers-the.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwj71JAxoXHWKBKQpyZ8V5783PHwyS0qzrQb5ImwRv-r_HS8mK54jjJhD4gaKrxw_hbVjFdC4cgrUsFf0oXxM2-cxX6TsDsUVzg_SQBuJHb0tDzOgdpxq5UTqQhyphenhyphenPYNtU8V4UvgSl-sFQA/s200/transformers-the.jpg" width="130" /></a>Stepping outside the cute box for a minute, let’s talk giant automatons. Michael Bay’s extravaganza isn’t the first time the robots-in-disguise took to the big screen. A 1986 animated “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Movie-20th-Anniversary-Special/dp/B000H6SY5K?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Transformers: the Movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000H6SY5K" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” tried to take advantage of the lack of kid-TV censorship by adapting a much darker tone, which involved having one character swear and killing off numerous Autobots, mainly the fan-favorite Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen, who also played the character in the series as well as the new film). The movie is infamous in that it was the legendary Orson Welles’ final job. The “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Two-Disc-Special-Orson-Welles/dp/B00003CX9E?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Citizen Kane</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CX9E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” auteur never lived to see the finished product (not that he ever cared to). Perhaps America wasn’t ready for the more extreme Japanese style of animation as the PG-rated movie fared so poorly at the box office that it caused the studio to send “G.I. Joe: The Movie” straight to video and the world never saw the planned Jem and the Holograms film. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIzig3wNNERhPUnqAUTSCgLd-8o2CCSMoSnZz7KfCD5b1HADuPa810GipFNnmOjMilegLFQaEdGDDBuquW2PyUAhey52bdwYFADjgclc5MAz0ohQEcpTjPzN4cgAVhEOc-Dcej4haHeaL/s1600/masters-universe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIzig3wNNERhPUnqAUTSCgLd-8o2CCSMoSnZz7KfCD5b1HADuPa810GipFNnmOjMilegLFQaEdGDDBuquW2PyUAhey52bdwYFADjgclc5MAz0ohQEcpTjPzN4cgAVhEOc-Dcej4haHeaL/s200/masters-universe.jpg" width="141" /></a>The first toy to be turned into a live action film was 1987’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Masters-Universe-Keepcase-Dolph-Lundgren/dp/B002GHHHOM?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Masters of the Universe</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002GHHHOM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” with Dolph Lundgren donning the loincloth and broadsword of the action figure known so laughably as He-Man. In the film, He-Man and a few Eternian pals are accidentally transported to Earth to save money on set design by the producers, er, the Cosmic Key and have to find a way to return to their world and defeat Skeletor before he gains the power of Grayskull! Frank Langella plays arch-villain, adding to an enormous geek résumé which includes Dracula, Star Wars, Star Trek, Sherlock Holmes, Zorro and Superman movies and TV shows. <br />
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The theatrical-toy-movie boom came to a close in 1988 with the release of “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pound-Puppies-Legend-Big-Paw/dp/B000HC2LEO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Pound Puppies and the Legend of Big Paw</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000HC2LEO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” Set during the 1950s, it’s a flashback story of how Marvin McNasty plans to steal the Bone of Scone (which grants “puppy power” to dogs… and cats, too for marketing purposes) and use it to take over the world. By this time, even the most patient parents had no doubt had their fill of these poorly-animated advertisements… at least on the big screen. The new destination for this kind of product was home video. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuAXQGrL98HXT1KIfT3YNaQymmc1bMPHOEexocGdg3m0Tkrhy7poG8S2xqC5qY0QEpsxEb-VIHZIT2SSrbdFB7WLH0-tn-KE4nNWUqq-UJ4sUqoXZG88Pm30qEfcfDLCU_nas_AA01j2X/s1600/rescue-heroes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuAXQGrL98HXT1KIfT3YNaQymmc1bMPHOEexocGdg3m0Tkrhy7poG8S2xqC5qY0QEpsxEb-VIHZIT2SSrbdFB7WLH0-tn-KE4nNWUqq-UJ4sUqoXZG88Pm30qEfcfDLCU_nas_AA01j2X/s200/rescue-heroes.jpg" width="134" /></a>There have been a few holdovers from that era. 2003’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rescue-Heroes-Movie-Norm-Spencer/dp/B0000CABIM?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rescue Heroes: the Movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000CABIM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (based on the Fisher-Price toys about a squad of everyday heroes including firefighters, police officers, forest rangers and, uh, construction workers), almost seemed to have gone into theaters by accident. A few weeks after release, it was available on home video. The same thing happened last year when “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Strawberry-Shortcake-Sweet-Dreams-Movie/dp/B000K7VHKA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Strawberry Shortcake: The Sweet Dreams Movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000K7VHKA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (which was not an animated remake of the Patsy Cline story) snuck into a few theaters before quickly coming to DVD. <br />
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And home video is really the perfect format for most of these movies. What adult wants to sit in a theater and actually have to watch this stuff for 90 minutes alongside a squirming, yowling tot when you can just toss a DVD in the player at home and leave the little rugrats alone with their advertainment? <br />
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No, it seems the future of toy films in the multiplex is more along the lines of “Transformers.” Appeal to nostalgia, make it big, make it (sorta) grown up… and okay, sell more action figures (both to kids and adult collectors). This August finds “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bratz-Movie-Anneliese-van-Pol/dp/B000WOSAYM?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Bratz: the Movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000WOSAYM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” transforming those tarty dolls into live action. And in 2009, He-Man makes a movie comeback in a big budget film rumored to be done using CGI backgrounds and effects ala “300” (with presumably as many exposed rippling male abs). But we’re most excited for Richard Linklater‘s “Play-Doh Fuzzy Pumper: the Motion Picture,” an R-rated psychodrama starring Matthew McConaughey and Rosario Dawson. <br />
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Maybe we’re joking. Maybe we’re not. The scary thing is, it’s possible. <br />
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<b style="color: red;">POSTSCRIPT, APRIL 2011: </b><br />
Hm, whatever happened to that He-Man remake? <br />
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<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1563309/rewind-transformers-not-first-movie-based-on-toys.jhtml#comments">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, June 2007</a>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-37073131346776247802011-04-05T17:57:00.001-04:002011-04-05T17:58:27.673-04:00Thou shalt read this list of ten memorable movie versions of GOD.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNkO4-2LVdOEuOFeNMBfnYlW2fjN19eZx31Nsm_wP4ksrXlOhyphenhyphenluUUWXTsVmmjuojkKulc7KGhbPDLbATVDhYQp_UZ7GEWHguZF3b0RB6TMiFW-GTg-wzwkljOMhYF-SMdMthi0NunbZZ/s1600/morgan-freeman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNkO4-2LVdOEuOFeNMBfnYlW2fjN19eZx31Nsm_wP4ksrXlOhyphenhyphenluUUWXTsVmmjuojkKulc7KGhbPDLbATVDhYQp_UZ7GEWHguZF3b0RB6TMiFW-GTg-wzwkljOMhYF-SMdMthi0NunbZZ/s200/morgan-freeman.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>Morgan Freeman reprises the role of God in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Evan-Almighty-Widescreen-Steve-Carell/dp/B000UNYK4E?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Evan Almighty</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000UNYK4E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” the sequel to 2003’s “Bruce Almighty<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000AKCKI" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” Which got us thinking about other cinematic Almighties. We shalt now command thee to read our list of the ten most memorable depictions of God in the Movies! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHNnN4MgxUwQ-g6jMKnwqyxhjiwBys661WpMApWwqDMnYq2p5cZtfbswFES1ICN7qf6W-3UVArPYE5mDEj-yHDGpL4ObUjLsRhQ9azrgiKx6NQWyyEFplDDHeo9IPy4bHZUs6l7Hw322Q/s1600/trek-v-god.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdHNnN4MgxUwQ-g6jMKnwqyxhjiwBys661WpMApWwqDMnYq2p5cZtfbswFES1ICN7qf6W-3UVArPYE5mDEj-yHDGpL4ObUjLsRhQ9azrgiKx6NQWyyEFplDDHeo9IPy4bHZUs6l7Hw322Q/s200/trek-v-god.jpg" width="200" /></a>10) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Star-Trek-V-Final-Frontier/dp/6305350205?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Star Trek V: the Final Frontier</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=6305350205" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1989)<br />
After traipsing all over the galaxy seeking out new life and new civilizations, where is there left to go? To Sha-ka-Ri, to find God! In the much-maligned William Shatner-directed film, Spock’s half-brother Sybok hijacks the USS Enterprise to breach the Great Barrier, one of the last uncharted regions of space, because he’s had visions of a powerful entity within. Sure enough, the glowing entity (George Murdock) declares himself an angry God, one who wants to use the Enterprise to get off of Sha-Ka-Ri and through the Great Barrier, which causes a skeptical Captain Kirk to ask, “Excuse me… what does GOD need with a starship?” Turns out this is one false God, but not as fake as a rubber-suited Gorn. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuD4IBVltFSIBBd7s6mKVf90EXuhwRNXXdD-tDZdRtxaLbCrONkK3ZbBtCxxddHasgdNPi6538JyA275ACwBbGNLsOkJDinIELja0SBiYADXQRqPo_pN2lPinW-WD8UgyqC03HpZs_ikj2/s1600/alanis-god.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuD4IBVltFSIBBd7s6mKVf90EXuhwRNXXdD-tDZdRtxaLbCrONkK3ZbBtCxxddHasgdNPi6538JyA275ACwBbGNLsOkJDinIELja0SBiYADXQRqPo_pN2lPinW-WD8UgyqC03HpZs_ikj2/s200/alanis-god.jpg" width="165" /></a>9) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dogma-Blu-ray-Ben-Affleck/dp/B0011UF792?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dogma</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0011UF792" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1989)<br />
In Kevin Smith’s highly-controversial Catholic action comedy (it’s not a satire), God is portrayed by <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Collection-Alanis-Morissette/dp/B000B8QF00?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Alanis Morissette</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000B8QF00" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (after Holly Hunter and Emma Thompson both passed). She possesses super powers (of course), but singing is not one of them. The film is chock full of Smith’s patented faux-clever (and utterly unbelievable) dialogue and its presentation of ideas is loud and shocking enough to fool many people into thinking the movie contains substance. We remain unconvinced. <br />
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8) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Toxie-Avenger-Unrated-Directors/dp/B00008G6NH?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00008G6NH" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (2001)<br />
It only makes sense that a Psychotronic indie film is going to try to pull of a shocking portrayal of the Almighty. In the Troma production “Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV,” God is played by frequent Howard Stern guest, the now-departed Hank, the Angry Drunken Dwarf. Naturally, this is an angry, lecherous and rude God, one who fumes that the Pope doesn’t really know him at all and has only allowed 16 people into Heaven. And 180 degrees away…<br />
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7) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ten-Commandments-Two-Disc-Special-Blu-ray/dp/B004IK30LE?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Ten Commandments</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004IK30LE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1956)<br />
Okay, this most reverent of depictions actually doesn’t SHOW God (except as a pillar of flame), but his booming voice and shows of power (burning bushes, playing with the weather, writing on mountainsides with fire) set the template for most movie Gods. The voice is provided by Donald Hayne, whose only other film role was as a Catholic Priest in 1963’s “The Cardinal.” Hmm, talk about typecasting problems! <br />
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6) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Switch-Ellen-Barkin/dp/B00004XMV7?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Switch</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00004XMV7" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1991)<br />
Blake Edwards’ tale of a male chauvinist who dies and comes back to life as a woman to redeem his ways and earn entrance into Heaven features one of the more interesting manifestations of God in a movie. God, or “the Higher Authorities” is presented in voice only, but as two voices, one male and one female, speaking simultaneously. Which brings up the question, what does, uh He/She look like? Does God have two heads? Or look like John Travolta in the upcoming “Hairspray” remake? The mind boggles. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbEnZ4tdv6muHc-lNUSDcl2XiJOgXKTNGfRtkBw_8OlEl8z2Ge_oxgIu1erJYHPvFmeh0Tnb3VjaqbyfwhvFTBois8Eio3BWeczZg-7aHqRZyeDZ4Ni3LmuBZ3K3gUw9jpUti_sfGNVrfv/s1600/superstar-jesus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbEnZ4tdv6muHc-lNUSDcl2XiJOgXKTNGfRtkBw_8OlEl8z2Ge_oxgIu1erJYHPvFmeh0Tnb3VjaqbyfwhvFTBois8Eio3BWeczZg-7aHqRZyeDZ4Ni3LmuBZ3K3gUw9jpUti_sfGNVrfv/s200/superstar-jesus.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>5) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Superstar-Molly-Shannon/dp/0792162803?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Superstar</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0792162803" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1999)<br />
In one of the very few Saturday Night Live spin-off movies that’s not wretched, Will Ferrell plays Mary Catherine Gallagher’s (Molly Shannon) idea of God, a visual cross between Jesus, her Dad and high school heartthrob Sky Corrigan. This super-mellow God enjoys his celebrity status, pointing out that Norman Greenbaum’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spirit-In-The-Sky/dp/B000Z1GR9C?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Spirit in the Sky</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000Z1GR9C" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” is about him and reveling in sayings like “Oh my Me!” <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFN7qqL8rNIjbCpRdW1kVBPolIpubENOyw3Ey_mF_OiOoKwWGlos09NvBqN9Z9JocFHm1ZB1fH-swn77yAhswIL-msZrh7WAoIDvuoqHTJ06DmHrRDMCR4BdUowc1xBgZ-C5_vQfJV32o8/s1600/time_bandits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFN7qqL8rNIjbCpRdW1kVBPolIpubENOyw3Ey_mF_OiOoKwWGlos09NvBqN9Z9JocFHm1ZB1fH-swn77yAhswIL-msZrh7WAoIDvuoqHTJ06DmHrRDMCR4BdUowc1xBgZ-C5_vQfJV32o8/s200/time_bandits.jpg" width="200" /></a>4) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Time-Bandits-Blu-ray-John-Cleese/dp/B003NOGNR4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Time Bandits</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003NOGNR4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1981)<br />
In Terry Gilliam’s fantasy, six dwarves whose job is keeping the universe repaired decide to steal a map of time portals from “the Supreme Being” for whom they work. The dwarves are using the map to make themselves rich, but “The Source of All Evil” wants it so he can remake the universe in his own image. Sir Ralph Richardson plays “The Supreme Being” as a no-BS gentleman in a pinstripe suit, which is actually kind of unnerving. I mean, not only is it not the usual robe and sandals look we’re used to, it’s not even business casual! <br />
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3) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bruce-Almighty-Widescreen-Jim-Carrey/dp/B0000AKCKI?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Bruce Almighty</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000AKCKI" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (2003)<br />
There are a few reasons we’re including our column-launching example here. One is that there haven’t been too many literal depictions of God in film, so we’re stretching to get ten. But the bigger reason is that Morgan Freeman makes a really cool God. A friend of the workin’ man, a likeable joe with a sense of humor, but one who isn’t likely to suffer fools gladly. The only problem with this God is he seems to care a little too much about what people think of him and his job performance. Would God really have such a thin skin?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxJmx9AQf18clfv2ua85Q9LjpwUtdQx7y2_WuJRwhH6ezJsiGuI2Y1lWdFjLY6qlwWRB9jrq8h2zd4DVYjZDkZOLkwJeB4s7y1m6TvYuTrQn96phZ1prPOtYnIuqihWJ-Gc-Bi7lyTCeK/s1600/python-god.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxJmx9AQf18clfv2ua85Q9LjpwUtdQx7y2_WuJRwhH6ezJsiGuI2Y1lWdFjLY6qlwWRB9jrq8h2zd4DVYjZDkZOLkwJeB4s7y1m6TvYuTrQn96phZ1prPOtYnIuqihWJ-Gc-Bi7lyTCeK/s200/python-god.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>2) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Monty-Python-Extraordinarily-Deluxe-Three-Disc/dp/B000CRQX34?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Monty Python and the Holy Grail</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000CRQX34" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1975)<br />
King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table fumble about the British countryside aimlessly until God appears and gives them a task: They shall seek the Holy Grail. This God, an animated photo of 19th century cricket player W.G. Grace voiced by Graham Chapman, is a bit testy (“Of COURSE it’s a good idea!”) and really tired of everybody’s sycophantic behavior, not to mention those miserably depressing psalms. It’s worth noting that the Lord as a character has appeared in every Monty Python film. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8G9PYpeYzBG5kGBkSclQa8XQruqLNQERg5ro1IQxEk6bd-NnVkRh2ugkbyAhtcJjfBiCl4sIR592Ar4q8aqHclZaPfbwV1qsfKPaegpJXSOIq307GtDRFReJQcYhSZixf0swWBDFg3M4/s1600/oh-god.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia8G9PYpeYzBG5kGBkSclQa8XQruqLNQERg5ro1IQxEk6bd-NnVkRh2ugkbyAhtcJjfBiCl4sIR592Ar4q8aqHclZaPfbwV1qsfKPaegpJXSOIq307GtDRFReJQcYhSZixf0swWBDFg3M4/s200/oh-god.jpg" width="134" /></a>1) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Oh-God-John-Denver/dp/B0000648ZR?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Oh, God! </a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000648ZR" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />(1977)<br />
While debates rage as to what God would look like, there’s one thing on which everyone can agree: He (or She or It or Whatever) is really, really old. So the casting of octogenarian showbiz legend George Burns in 1977’s “Oh, God!” makes perfect sense. God appears to grocery store manager Jerry Landers (John Denver) and asks him to be his modern day messenger. This gentle, inoffensive little movie ends in a courtroom variation on “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Street-Special-Edmund-Gwenn/dp/B000HT3PPG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Miracle on 34th Street</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000HT3PPG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” which ostensibly proves God’s existence, but we still have to ask: Why does God need a hairpiece? Two sequels followed, and Ellen DeGeneres is slated to take on the role in a 2008 remake (oh, we can hear the cries of foul already!). <br />
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Many different interpretations there, from the sacred to the profane (and we didn’t even get into the sometimes scandalous TV depictions of God). But the wildly varying portrayals aren’t a surprise, and not just because of differing beliefs. Just imagine how tough it is for an actor to research the part! <br />
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<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1562696/rewind-top-10-portrayals-god-film.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, June 2007</a>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-42412310607534290972011-04-05T17:43:00.000-04:002011-04-05T17:43:15.334-04:00But can Clooney croon?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_nKPU80HL8z2GyzXkY5-onS1clytAg9LWrc_wIIGdnRO2bkkQnSpC6PvycWew8i05FVC7spQKGTDV8z_PtXLozrc_ZnyOrSGBZ6gxPq6aWa970cYQJrXI7JrTHjeL9ghYZzrS0SihWWE/s1600/frank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC_nKPU80HL8z2GyzXkY5-onS1clytAg9LWrc_wIIGdnRO2bkkQnSpC6PvycWew8i05FVC7spQKGTDV8z_PtXLozrc_ZnyOrSGBZ6gxPq6aWa970cYQJrXI7JrTHjeL9ghYZzrS0SihWWE/s320/frank.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Much has been written about how George Clooney is a throwback to the classic movie stars, a dashing presence respected by his peers, adored by women and envied by men. In “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Oceans-Thirteen-Blu-ray-George-Clooney/dp/B000W1V7K4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Ocean’s Thirteen</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000W1V7K4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” Clooney returns to one of his more glamorous roles, that of scalawag thief Danny Ocean. It’s a character that was first played in the 1960 <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Rat-Pack-Collection-Swingin/dp/B0000CF342?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rat Pack</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000CF342" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> flick, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Oceans-Collection-Favorites-Eleven-Thirteen/dp/B002GSXKP6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Ocean’s 11</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002GSXKP6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” by Frank Sinatra, one of those Hollywood icons to which Clooney is often compared. Which gets us wondering, are there other Sinatra movies that could perhaps benefit from some modern day Cloonefication? <br />
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After his Oscar-winning, career-rejuvenating turn as the doomed GI Maggio in 1953’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Here-Eternity-Burt-Lancaster/dp/B00005JKF6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">From Here to Eternity</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005JKF6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” Sinatra was suddenly taken seriously as an actor, and for his next film, chose a dark political thriller. “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Suddenly-Original-Black-White-Beautifully/dp/B001TITGCA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Suddenly</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001TITGCA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1954) stars Sinatra as John Baron, a killer who invades a family’s home to get a shot at assassinating the President of the US as he passes through their small town. Baron is a bitter, cynical ex-soldier who becomes increasingly irritated by the morality thrown at him from the family held hostage. The movie touches on the kind of sociological and political issues (including some radical ideas for the time about toy guns) that are even more relevant today. It’s perfect Clooney fodder. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tsmAwbJ3X5uaFDcrLj4zYpXrZVSrQslaNZpqVBEp5rzcWkkmBE93YpM9EiEkGdww3VTmg7U8YSuBCI0r1SUf2k_3Jym2NHKY50Hn2EkIDJiQtS6XBx9V1e5fDPs0mJe9HLSs1uCSweK0/s1600/golden-arm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2tsmAwbJ3X5uaFDcrLj4zYpXrZVSrQslaNZpqVBEp5rzcWkkmBE93YpM9EiEkGdww3VTmg7U8YSuBCI0r1SUf2k_3Jym2NHKY50Hn2EkIDJiQtS6XBx9V1e5fDPs0mJe9HLSs1uCSweK0/s200/golden-arm.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>In 1955, Otto Preminger directed Sinatra in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Man-Golden-Arm-50th-Anniversary/dp/B00009QGEI?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Man with the Golden Arm</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00009QGEI" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” as Frankie Machine, an ex-con who dreams of resurrecting his drumming career, but gets dragged back into a world of gambling and heroin addiction. The movie was groundbreaking in many ways: the stylistic title design of Saul Bass, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Man-Gold-Arm-Elmer-Bernstein/dp/B00005NI7M?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Elmer Bernstein’s jazz score</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005NI7M" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and the stark depiction of addiction (which cost the movie its seal of approval from the Production Code of the time) were like nothing moviegoers had experienced. We’ve seen Clooney play unglamorous roles (specifically “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Syriana-Blu-ray-George-Clooney/dp/B000IYV1ME?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Syriana</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000IYV1ME" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”), but Frankie Machine could force him to stretch those acting muscles in an entirely new direction. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8n0X0Ht1tWV-WZz4WhM4XyAWeBrOyvUy9nlyKJwDhZB7GD1zVU-qNMpdNbPJLpOsX7HFgHBvY3pBITbNj05JLTfJSzReJVoeRlwkhM3ssfDKNqlj2Gam6-133mxorq1mHmAlZjpjiFuu-/s1600/high-society.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8n0X0Ht1tWV-WZz4WhM4XyAWeBrOyvUy9nlyKJwDhZB7GD1zVU-qNMpdNbPJLpOsX7HFgHBvY3pBITbNj05JLTfJSzReJVoeRlwkhM3ssfDKNqlj2Gam6-133mxorq1mHmAlZjpjiFuu-/s200/high-society.jpg" width="200" /></a>1956’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/High-Society-Bing-Crosby/dp/B0015FGCI8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">High Society</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0015FGCI8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (a musical remake of the much beloved 1940 film, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Philadelphia-Story-Two-Disc-Special/dp/B0006Z2KXE?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Philadelphia Story</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0006Z2KXE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”) is the story of wealthy socialite Tracy Lord (Grace Kelly), whose impending marriage to a man she doesn’t really love is complicated by the return of her still-besotted ex-husband and the advances of a tabloid reporter assigned to cover the wedding for a magazine (granted access only in exchange for killing a story about Tracy’s father’s infidelity). Frank plays Macaulay Connor, the reporter, whose disdain for the excesses of the privileged is challenged by his growing affection for Tracy. Clooney’s comfy with the fluff, and paired up with, say, Steve Carell and Josh Lucas competing for Isla Fisher, a film satirizing culture clash, sexual indiscretions and tabloid journalism could work today (although the movie’s message that rich people have troubles too might not go over so well). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXKEwmPa8egT-Zo-VzPi_6Mfxea8frpkQbiNVnqpU2ymav7pLn9JVQpf_GIDwBzXGVlf2-qH9p_vqjy2XmEmeW41TJJ2pBPIuw2Gytw8FrtyiYBvB5wfVHKZRsY8MXEGRSu9pX5rIDM4PC/s1600/hole-in-the-head.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXKEwmPa8egT-Zo-VzPi_6Mfxea8frpkQbiNVnqpU2ymav7pLn9JVQpf_GIDwBzXGVlf2-qH9p_vqjy2XmEmeW41TJJ2pBPIuw2Gytw8FrtyiYBvB5wfVHKZRsY8MXEGRSu9pX5rIDM4PC/s200/hole-in-the-head.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>Frank Capra’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hole-Head-Frank-Sinatra/dp/B00005LOL7?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">A Hole in the Head</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005LOL7" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1959) features Sinatra as Tony Manetta, a widowed single father who runs a Miami hotel, but is endlessly distracted by impractical get-rich-quick schemes and comely female tenants. Tony’s lack of focus just might cost him both his business and his son (who is in many ways more mature than he is), but possible salvation comes in the forms of a wealthy widow and a Walt Disney-esque real estate mogul with some big ideas. The ending is a ludicrous fantasy, all the better for some contemporary tinkering, and no doubt millions of ladies long to see George do the single dad thing again (as he did in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/One-Fine-Day-Michelle-Pfeiffer/dp/B00006ZXSN?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">One Fine Day</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00006ZXSN" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”). <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUOl7pr4DDFRaeckkZgOL4-drmpcEyIP2j-_CnO8qtkBd1kFljOqVFSYh6c5I2Uo45K_Fm8M6we-MP7rOsD3vTrElOFE21EpDVIPXMqt7R_F-qsT4kIbjP9_QQScqxHf234ekGL2kGMxEs/s1600/come-blow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUOl7pr4DDFRaeckkZgOL4-drmpcEyIP2j-_CnO8qtkBd1kFljOqVFSYh6c5I2Uo45K_Fm8M6we-MP7rOsD3vTrElOFE21EpDVIPXMqt7R_F-qsT4kIbjP9_QQScqxHf234ekGL2kGMxEs/s200/come-blow.jpg" width="120" /></a>But few of Sinatra’s film roles seem more tailor-made for George Clooney than Alan Taylor in 1963’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Come-Blow-Your-Horn-VHS/dp/6302116996?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Come Blow Your Horn</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=6302116996" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” The loose adaptation of Neil Simon’s first play centers on a middle-aged Manhattan playboy whose younger brother Buddy shows up looking for a lesson in swingin.’ Buddy quickly proves such an apt pupil that he starts to steal Alan’s thunder (as well as his women), and the elder Taylor is forced to take a hard look at his lifestyle. Chock full of fabulous babes, glamorous New York City settings, crazy parties and the cutthroat world of plastic fruit sales, there are some ripe possibilities for Clooney to satirize his own image here. <br />
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The 1965 WWII-escape picture, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Von-Ryans-Express-Two-Disc-Collectors/dp/B000O78L1E?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Von Ryan’s Express</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000O78L1E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” is primarily a rip-roaring action flick with enough character development and moral ambiguity to keep it interesting. Sinatra plays an American POW who leads a mostly-British group of troops in a break from an Italian prison camp and through Nazi territory. While the film is well regarded, it’s got a bit too much of a Saturday morning serial feel, and could definitely benefit from some post-“Private Ryan” grittiness. Besides, Hollywood will never, ever tire of WWII flicks. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNi66OlwlZ77Z-mogTbOkMlcdGxDkzdENXcFY5zUkCngwesiC5folTtKWNtpLkVBeh47b-xc46EegPoAqv4oAde9aCQEuIHz319tYLqjPYOJ8cFc8TK7QgqVM5_5W6Vt2pwKorLQhii1oc/s1600/lady-in-cement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNi66OlwlZ77Z-mogTbOkMlcdGxDkzdENXcFY5zUkCngwesiC5folTtKWNtpLkVBeh47b-xc46EegPoAqv4oAde9aCQEuIHz319tYLqjPYOJ8cFc8TK7QgqVM5_5W6Vt2pwKorLQhii1oc/s200/lady-in-cement.jpg" width="200" /></a>At first thought, it seems as if Frank’s recurring character of Miami P.I. Tony Rome (in the eponymous 1967 film and 1968’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lady-Cement-Frank-Sinatra/dp/B0007PALZC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Lady in Cement</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0007PALZC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”) would be a good Clooney vehicle, if it weren’t for the fact that those movies are pretty awful. Rome is a cardboard character, a hard-boiled tough guy who spouts Spillaney dialogue when he’s not belting baddies or bedding beauties. And while that leaves endless room for reinterpretation, Clooney seems past the point of trying to launch a franchise, particularly one so predictable. <br />
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As for Frank’s musical roles, well, the obvious problem there is that Clooney doesn’t sing. So stepping into Sinatra’s shoes in one of them would seem unlikely. Then again, it’s not like the pipes don’t run in the Clooney family, as his aunt Rosemary was one of the most successful female vocalists of the 1950s. So who knows? Clooney shares many hats with Sinatra: acting (in both TV and film, drama and comedy), producing, directing, political and social activism, and of course a personal lifestyle of which most of us could only dream! Belting out some tunes in a film may be the only path left in which George HASN’T followed Frank. <br />
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Consider the gauntlet laid, Mr. Clooney! Bring on the remake of “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Can-Can-Frank-Sinatra/dp/B000ND91YU?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Can-Can</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000ND91YU" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />!” <br />
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<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1562162/rewind-george-clooney-new-sinatra.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, June 2007</a>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-6976706514711477922011-03-12T12:51:00.000-05:002011-03-12T12:51:17.053-05:00A sticky tangle: SPIDER-MAN 3 and beyond...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRvZ2bkJCt5frC6jr5aGhWy8ueY5mWkC9DoyQ2gzIGebrDI3xHLlH9Ir4cItTTnHZhrvAibboLZIBQoNOBdeMnE0dWgYD7_rRfyFtXCBr22vZz53dRCgYST43D43cboSBfZUz3Q4dApCb/s1600/SM3-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcRvZ2bkJCt5frC6jr5aGhWy8ueY5mWkC9DoyQ2gzIGebrDI3xHLlH9Ir4cItTTnHZhrvAibboLZIBQoNOBdeMnE0dWgYD7_rRfyFtXCBr22vZz53dRCgYST43D43cboSBfZUz3Q4dApCb/s1600/SM3-1.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-3-Blu-ray-Toby-Maguire/dp/B000UR9T7I?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">SPIDER-MAN 3</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000UR9T7I" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> may well be the weirdest superhero movie ever. Yes, even weirder than Ang Lee’s 2003 misfire, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hulk-Widescreen-2-Disc-Special-Eric/dp/B00005JKC3?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">HULK</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005JKC3" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, which was at least interesting because of its bizarre eastern-sensibility meets western pop culture tenor. That Sam Raimi went so far off the deep end with Spider-Man’s third installment (especially after crafting a pitch perfect second film) makes it all the more confusing. <br />
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First of all, while there’s a tendency for female leads in superhero films to mistakenly refer to the project (as Kim Basinger did in every interview for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Two-Disc-Special-Michael-Keaton/dp/B000B5XOY8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">BATMAN</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000B5XOY8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />) by saying, “It’s a love story,” this movie truly is; the hearts of the characters take center stage. Peter and MJ love each other and Harry and Harry loves his father and MJ and ultimately Peter and Aunt May loves everyone and the Sandman loves his daughter and Eddie Brock loves himself and ENOUGH ALREADY! <br />
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And then there’s all that crying. I mean, Jesus, EVERY SINGLE MAJOR CHARACTER with the exception of J. Jonah Jameson weeps at least once in this film. Spidey cries (a lot). MJ cries. Aunt May cries. Harry cries. The Sandman cries. Uncle Ben cries in flashback. Even freakin’ Venom cries! Maybe the symbiote suit works better for the web spinner. He wears black on the outside because black is how he feels on the inside! <br />
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But if S3 is a romance first, it’s a musical second. From the opening scene, with MJ’s awkward crooning on Broadway, the tone is off. I could practically hear the kids squirming in their seats as they tried to deal with a scene better suited for the Thin Man than Spider-Man. And while I did enjoy Dark Peter’s Maneroesque strutting montage, I wasn’t prepared for his humiliating (in more ways than one) dance routine at “the Jazz Club” (great name). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOC-43AxUu6bhTC3KX7S7AKIRJA0B4pkpw-gHxxT38cFNWJM3qUK3axg5zZnqPmgJy8O6jOiQjrBVRLIgYrHrQAPVFIN0_4pq64e43JOHUqomCACkFJS8Hr_1U1nR5tOsqpUw1azrrJccu/s1600/SM3-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOC-43AxUu6bhTC3KX7S7AKIRJA0B4pkpw-gHxxT38cFNWJM3qUK3axg5zZnqPmgJy8O6jOiQjrBVRLIgYrHrQAPVFIN0_4pq64e43JOHUqomCACkFJS8Hr_1U1nR5tOsqpUw1azrrJccu/s200/SM3-2.jpg" width="197" /></a></div>Believe me, I appreciate that Sam Raimi’s esthetic is different from Michael Bay’s. I like that he’s an old school filmmaker with a quirky style and a weird sense of humor. I appreciate his off beat casting and attention to detail. I like that he brings a retro feel to very modern movies. But he totally lost the balance this time. There’s very little that’s super in this superhero film. <br />
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But even the action in this movie is pretty bad. The FX scenes are all so jumbled with hard-to-read, yet obvious CG that they carried no oomph at all. I can barely even remember anything from any of Spidey’s various fights with any of the villains. The only really exciting sequence involves the runaway crane. I jumped in my seat as the various pieces of building and office furniture came crashing onto the streets of Manhattan. So how come when Spidey swoops in, all he does is save Gwen Stacy and then swing away? Is that poor crane operator still stuck up there? It’s such a missed opportunity. Like much of the movie. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCpMGAHT9fQKurvtrX2Judh8EmSmk5iH9XGKiZPrgZW2Tps8CA915TSlEvFkx6x3BlDUwiVxwO5xH8aI40-v0dx83hyGFiaWyWD80YDMJ7JBS_KuKoKjFqeRQVCAtca14e_m8fd1sMBvM/s1600/SM3-venom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdCpMGAHT9fQKurvtrX2Judh8EmSmk5iH9XGKiZPrgZW2Tps8CA915TSlEvFkx6x3BlDUwiVxwO5xH8aI40-v0dx83hyGFiaWyWD80YDMJ7JBS_KuKoKjFqeRQVCAtca14e_m8fd1sMBvM/s200/SM3-venom.jpg" width="146" /></a>SPIDER-MAN 3 ironically falls into the standard superhero movie traps that the first two Spidey films so smartly avoided. The main one being, of course, too many villains. One gets the sense that Raimi only wanted the Sandman and the New Goblin, but the studio got tired of having too few characters to license, so they pushed him to include the fan-favorite Venom.<br />
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Now, I’m about the same age as Raimi and it seems as if we had a similar relationship with Spider-Man. I read Spider-Man regularly from approximately 1973 through 83, which means, like Raimi, I was long done by the time Venom was introduced. It’s already been widely reported that Raimi wasn’t interested in including the character, as Venom wasn’t a part of his nostalgia either, and it shows. Even I could tell the character was underdeveloped (and I don’t mean physically). <br />
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You could also feel the egos of the leads on display, no longer willing to sublimate their faces to masks. Spider-Man spends more time with his mask off than on (I guess the people who saw his face on the subway, uh, el train he saved in S2 promising to keep his secret identity gave him an exaggerated sense of security) and the new Goblin actually has a mechanism that allows his mug to be on display… to what end? Hey, lookit me! I’m Harry! <br />
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I know, I know, Superman puts on glasses and nobody knows he’s Clark Kent, but every movie, especially a genre film has its own internal logic, and suspension of disbelief is a relative thing. So we can buy that a kid bitten by a genetically altered super-spider takes on its powers and abilities. Fine. But Peter Parker’s just a bit to blasé about using his Spidey powers in public (the web in Central Park?). Also, the alien symbiote just happening to crash land near Peter Parker’s moped and Eddie Brock just happening to be in the same church where Spidey’s ripping off the costume in the bell tower are too coincidental to buy. <br />
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Anyway. It’s just sad to see a once great franchise fall so far. You know it’s a weird superhero movie when the most memorable part of it is Bruce Campbell’s cameo as the funny French Maitre D’. <br />
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I can’t help but compare this film to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Superman-Returns-Blu-ray-Brandon-Routh/dp/B001F3FUK6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">SUPERMAN RETURNS</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001F3FUK6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> in how it’s being received by the general public, far more accustomed to slam-bang action in a superhero movie than any kind of emotional heft. The impatience of the audience was palpable at the sold out showing of SPIDER-MAN 3 I saw, to the point where people were leaving after the action ended but before the movie was over. And I get the feeling that, record breaking opening weekend aside, this movie is going to have terrible word of mouth and fade pretty fast. <br />
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Still, that crazy money of the opening weekend pretty much guarantees that we’ll see SPIDER-MAN 4, but based on the ennui that the principals have outwardly shown during the press junket for this one, it seems unlikely they’ll be along for the ride. Which means that 4 could well be the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Robin-Arnold-Schwarzenegger/dp/B001OST0M6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">BATMAN AND ROBIN</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001OST0M6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> of the Spidey franchise (with this film kinda being its <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Superman-III-Deluxe-Al-Matthews/dp/B000IJ79X4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">SUPERMAN III</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000IJ79X4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />). <br />
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But, assuming there will be another, where does Spider-Man go from here? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCW9Q40diVlnx4SGaq9J8CDAay8Wd0wLMsXNcMJwDl-doyRTj6dJQeXMFz3H5JwBTlmJSAwHpQccATsj_y0LD_47jV-guZSoeS3Bt9hvOyYcT2uK4sZgVnS7vTjLfu9wI64o1xoljfIEr/s1600/recast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhCW9Q40diVlnx4SGaq9J8CDAay8Wd0wLMsXNcMJwDl-doyRTj6dJQeXMFz3H5JwBTlmJSAwHpQccATsj_y0LD_47jV-guZSoeS3Bt9hvOyYcT2uK4sZgVnS7vTjLfu9wI64o1xoljfIEr/s320/recast.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>First and foremost, who could take over for Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Sam Raimi? While I always thought Maguire was good casting and did a great job, it does feel like someone else could fit under the mask. Jake Gyllenhaal (once rumored to take Maguire’s place when he hurt his back before S2) would actually be okay. What about Justin “I’m a Mac” Long? It’s too bad Daniel Radcliffe isn’t a little older, he’d be perfect (you watch, though, it’s gonna get offered to Shia LaBeouf)... For MJ, I’ve only got one pick: Laura Prepon. And behind the camera… maybe <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kung-Hustle-Blu-ray-Stephen-Chow/dp/B000F9RB8A?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">KUNG FU HUSTLE</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000F9RB8A" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />’s Stephen Chow or, call me crazy, but I’d like to see what Richard Linklater would do with a comic book movie, especially one with a geeky outsider as its hero. <br />
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Now that the precedent has been set of multiple villains, it seems unlikely they’ll go back. So I <i>again</i> have to suggest aping Bond films and including an all-action pre-credits sequence with a lesser villain who requires no exposition, but allows for the requisite merchandising. Have 4 open with Spidey in an all-out bash with the Rhino or a sparky confrontation with Electro that concludes quickly and doesn’t clog up the main story. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWu4K-gVWr0o1npRSAFwLngiH0cWk-AX0ospVMf1khQrK3ZcqmmEiWm5O21swRJ8CYvSReIKtZd9q5DBLcigkmha9GNA_zIytYNp4rhvuvtMu-wMvOn22af_owuXzk6kJNtW1hzjmcFp0S/s1600/villains-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWu4K-gVWr0o1npRSAFwLngiH0cWk-AX0ospVMf1khQrK3ZcqmmEiWm5O21swRJ8CYvSReIKtZd9q5DBLcigkmha9GNA_zIytYNp4rhvuvtMu-wMvOn22af_owuXzk6kJNtW1hzjmcFp0S/s200/villains-1.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>So who could be the next major villain? How about Kraven the Hunter, who comes to Manhattan to stalk the web-slinger and releases a bunch of wild animals from the Central Park Zoo to give Spidey something new to battle? Maybe Clive Owen or LAW & ORDER’s Christopher Meloni? Maybe the Kingpin could be done right, erasing the memory of the abysmal <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Daredevil-Directors-Blu-ray-Ben-Affleck/dp/B001CC7PKS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">DAREDEVIL</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001CC7PKS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (too bad James Gandolfini would never touch it). If Mary Jane’s acting career picks up again, she could get a movie gig and become the object of obsession of a re-worked (and redesigned) Mysterio, a special effects guy turned villain in the comics. <br />
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Regardless of Dr. Curt Connors’ appearances in the film (played by Dylan Baker), it seems as if his transformation to The Lizard might be too much of a stretch for a movie. Similarly, while I’ve always liked the character of Morbius the living vampire, he also doesn’t seem like a live translation would work. And despite the fact that at one point, Ben Kingsley was in talks to play the Vulture in S3, trust me, it’s a good thing that didn’t happen. <br />
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Maybe it’s time Spidey fought a female villain… of course, his primary female adversaries (at least the ones I know) ended up being more anti-heroes than villains (much along the lines of the Catwoman). Still, it’d be nice to see him tussle with Medusa, the Black Widow or (most likely) the Black Cat (may I suggest Rose McGowan?). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXo_uLAep30U_V7AzMxgTzOVfYkS62wwau9IJ2Vrfm_wXhYH7B_8K47UEaW2cGYZEFKXErmL1mpaI0kxM6i2BRt7hKfs8k2wpGpBG6pYHZr5cUws8MEXVot55MZup3YblP4quAr3Abs-3/s1600/allies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXo_uLAep30U_V7AzMxgTzOVfYkS62wwau9IJ2Vrfm_wXhYH7B_8K47UEaW2cGYZEFKXErmL1mpaI0kxM6i2BRt7hKfs8k2wpGpBG6pYHZr5cUws8MEXVot55MZup3YblP4quAr3Abs-3/s200/allies.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>The notion of Spider-Man teaming with a Marvel B-lister could bring something fresh to the franchise. While there aren’t too many of Marvel’s big name superheroes left to be optioned for film or TV, there are a handful of Marvel Universe dwellers that could work. Dr. Strange, the master of the mystic arts, is a good enough of a character to headline his own movie, but he’s also a great foil for ol’ Web Head (my favorite team up of theirs remains the 1973 Buddha Records Rockcomic, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/From-Beyond-the-Grave/dp/B0012PAM2I?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">From Beyond the Grave</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0012PAM2I" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” in which the Kingpin kidnaps Aunt May in order to force photographer Peter Parker to bring him Spider-Man, who teams with Doc, who ends up sending the villain to Hell!). Dr. Strange (a fellow Manhattan dweller) could bring something otherworldly to the series, breaking fresh ground for Spidey (besides, he was also, like Spidey, co-created by artist Steve Ditko). And Hugh Laurie would be perfect. <br />
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Spidey and the Human Torch have always had a cantankerous but brotherly relationship in the comics, and the prospect of Chris Evans from the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fantastic-Four-Rise-Silver-Surfer/dp/B000VI70QS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">FANTASTIC FOUR</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000VI70QS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> movies (the only good casting in those films) trading barbs with Peter Parker is intriguing. But considering that Spidey is produced by Columbia and FF is a 20TH Century Fox franchise, that seems unlikely. <br />
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If Sam Raimi is truly done with ol’ web-head, however, it is inevitable that one super villain, first featured in SPIDER-MAN #2 in 1963, will be the one to rear his ugly head: The Terrible Tinkerer. Only he’ll be behind the camera. <br />
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<div style="color: red;"><b>POSTSCRIPT, MARCH 2011:</b></div>The Raimi-less reboot, THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN is currently filming, and while I shall keep an open mind, my expectations are pretty low; All indications seem to point to this new version being aimed at the TWILIGHT crowd, so we'll see. <br />
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<i><span style="color: red;">ORIGINALLY POSTED in BLA BLA BLINKY BLOO on TOUGH GUY GOODS & SERVICES, May 2007</span></i>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-51714839473175802332011-03-09T22:56:00.000-05:002011-03-09T22:56:50.997-05:00The Ten Most Nerve-Wracking Pregnancies in Film<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtTgO3AdKfSoa6clGxROhIWSeS5_V3B_VS_f7rdoxMN2RJX6lNmW8wHJjxmQOXn_kS15LzX-8401UU5_tcfhnJdavhvp6630vyZdvyaPp0jN_3Tp1T5GA3F8NrpvaLpsyafkjE0Pm7jqd/s1600/knocked-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtTgO3AdKfSoa6clGxROhIWSeS5_V3B_VS_f7rdoxMN2RJX6lNmW8wHJjxmQOXn_kS15LzX-8401UU5_tcfhnJdavhvp6630vyZdvyaPp0jN_3Tp1T5GA3F8NrpvaLpsyafkjE0Pm7jqd/s200/knocked-up.jpg" width="126" /></a></div>Sure, Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogan are nervous parents-to-be in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Knocked-Up-Blu-ray-Tim-Bagley/dp/B001CW7ZUS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Knocked Up</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001CW7ZUS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” but that’s a normal state even when the pregnancy isn’t the result of a drunken one night stand. As far as movies go, there have been far more stressful gestation periods as our list of the top ten most nerve-wracking pregnancies in film shows. <br />
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10) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fly-Blu-ray-Jeff-Goldblum/dp/B000MNOXZ8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Fly</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000MNOXZ8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1986)<br />
A lesson in safe sex if ever there was one. Science reporter Veronica (Geena Davis) gets into a whirlwind relationship with wacky telepod inventor Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) and soon finds herself pregnant. The problem is, during a teleportation test, Seth’s DNA merged with that of a housefly, causing him to mutate into an oozing, wall-crawling, vomit-dropping fly-man hybrid. Ronnie’s obviously concerned that the baby will have his father’s eyes (and wings and proboscis), prompting a childbirth nightmare that’s even more disturbing than, well, actual childbirth! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCH_Nb4_g3ah8ZG0atK5P4L4-4o2RTVRj0MgJ3WbyGZOWynXk_q-5GpnCk22xrBWos5DuWAfMzwIG7APh86Z8PnihqX4VqQSiyk5sWrGELI7D2FgX-RG6Em2gZXaVLM_peSaCoK3S7g5dG/s1600/blue-lagoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCH_Nb4_g3ah8ZG0atK5P4L4-4o2RTVRj0MgJ3WbyGZOWynXk_q-5GpnCk22xrBWos5DuWAfMzwIG7APh86Z8PnihqX4VqQSiyk5sWrGELI7D2FgX-RG6Em2gZXaVLM_peSaCoK3S7g5dG/s200/blue-lagoon.jpg" width="200" /></a>9) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Lagoon-Special-Brooke-Shields/dp/B00000K3D1?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Blue Lagoon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00000K3D1" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1980)<br />
The third adaptation of the 1908 romance novel finds the sun-toasted Christopher Atkins and Brooke Shields as Richard and Emmeline, two young children who become the eventual sole survivors of a shipwreck that puts them on a desert island in the South Pacific in the 1800s. With no internet access, Dr. Phil shows nor even smart apes to raise them properly, they must traverse the murky waters of puberty in ignorance, and, as one thing leads to another, Emmy soon wonders why she’s getting so fat! It only takes her nine months to figure it out. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-POvjCHr4wV4TbU5n1yr1PxW1i7eSMbwMvv4jSQAG7uOd3XbcwEB8Mby6LhZPO2Zx-ipXu3dQ2cq9oaX2qbuiYLpWZCCDWRth900-QmliBGXbYubmK22O1gM4TO5Nigl8YEhJidnRdhH/s1600/rabbit-test.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-POvjCHr4wV4TbU5n1yr1PxW1i7eSMbwMvv4jSQAG7uOd3XbcwEB8Mby6LhZPO2Zx-ipXu3dQ2cq9oaX2qbuiYLpWZCCDWRth900-QmliBGXbYubmK22O1gM4TO5Nigl8YEhJidnRdhH/s200/rabbit-test.jpg" width="133" /></a>8) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rabbit-Test-Region-2/dp/B000296G7A?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rabbit Test</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000296G7A" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1978) / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Junior-Arnold-Schwarzenegger/dp/0783230370?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Junior</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0783230370" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1994)<br />
It’s not a common movie debate, but we’ll bring it up: which “pregnant man” movie is the worst? In “Rabbit Test,” Billy Crystal plays Lionel Carpenter, a loveless night school teacher whose first sexual encounter leaves him mysteriously with child. This laboriously unfunny misfire should remain out of print forever. Let us all give thanks that this wasn’t only Joan Rivers’ first time as a director, it was also her last. The pregnant papa plot got another go 16 years later in “Junior,” this time with Arnold Schwarzenegger as the miracle man in what the studio thought was surefire comedy gold! Again, not really. An attempt to give a scientific plausibility to the pregnancy is only one of this Ivan Reitman film’s many mistakes. Ah-nuld’s manic mugging has no reins and the only saving grace is that his C-section spares the audience his full-on labor pains. In all fairness, there have been more movies about this subject, including the 1973 French farce, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Slightly-Pregnant-Man-Catherine-Deneuve/dp/B0009K7RAC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">A Slightly Pregnant Man</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0009K7RAC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” and as far as we can tell, none of them have been funny. Maybe the world’s just not ready yet. But speaking of the governor of California… <br />
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7) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Terminator-Blu-ray-Arnold-Schwarzenegger/dp/B000F9RB9Y?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Terminator</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000F9RB9Y" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1984)<br />
Many expectant parents exhibit delusions of grandeur that their nascent child could grow up to save all of humanity. But in James Cameron’s now-classic sci-fi actioner, that’s literally the case. Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) can’t figure out why she’s being chased by a gun-toting Schwarzenegger until she meets the mysterious Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn). Reese eventually convinces her that the cybernetic Terminator’s been sent from the future to kill her before she gives birth to a son who will lead mankind in a resistance against intelligent machinery that have taken over the world. Reese knows this because he’s also from the future, sent by John Connor to save his mother, and he takes his job seriously enough to be the guy to impregnate Sarah with the heroic seed. Time to stock up on prenatal vitamins! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlBDO2_6R_U9W-K0xAuBdlVrvkacJMRJn2OACIX8YkfJ9M-vlk7Wjo04dTN7QTMf1GshlwgjQ-QvHzcCyTOZ5fYW628kR_2-Q1bPvFNEOhpIf2d1GZgHQ2j268ppu7O-un21AQnYoHnG6/s1600/it%2527s-alive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlBDO2_6R_U9W-K0xAuBdlVrvkacJMRJn2OACIX8YkfJ9M-vlk7Wjo04dTN7QTMf1GshlwgjQ-QvHzcCyTOZ5fYW628kR_2-Q1bPvFNEOhpIf2d1GZgHQ2j268ppu7O-un21AQnYoHnG6/s200/it%2527s-alive.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>6) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Its-Alive/dp/B000HT38B2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">It’s Alive</a> (1974)<br />
In its review, The New York Times warned that this film contains “a scene of childbirth that’s grizzly (sic) enough to put anyone off both motherhood and fatherhood.” They should’ve added “and obstetrics,” as the mutant baby that springs forth from its mama slaughters everyone in the delivery room before setting off on a swaddling killing spree! This is the only film on our list to deal with the anxiety the BABY feels as it leaves the warm, amniotic embrace of the womb for the cold, cruel world in which we enter with a slap and a slice! Brrrr! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8wwGgVQ05N4DUAlZHUX6eud21nAYDbsn1ZL6a0am5-veOTWLNq2ADdMtQdfzQml4uPUqvMBCL0IFQ6gUpOBSPwKOEclDEnywC0VRGam4_AM-36PJV8Cnoydur7wzHI7nskrc5tjOwfN0e/s1600/ripley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8wwGgVQ05N4DUAlZHUX6eud21nAYDbsn1ZL6a0am5-veOTWLNq2ADdMtQdfzQml4uPUqvMBCL0IFQ6gUpOBSPwKOEclDEnywC0VRGam4_AM-36PJV8Cnoydur7wzHI7nskrc5tjOwfN0e/s200/ripley.jpg" width="200" /></a>5) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alien-3-Collectors-Sigourney-Weaver/dp/B00012FXB8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Alien3</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00012FXB8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1992)<br />
After doing battle with the gooey, murderous species in the first two “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alien-Anthology-Blu-ray-Sigourney-Weaver/dp/B001AQO3QA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Alien</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001AQO3QA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” films, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) had come to know the skull-splitting creatures intimately. Too much so. In David Fincher’s oft-maligned third entrant in the series, Ripley finds herself the sole survivor of “Aliens,” stranded on an all-male penal planet / mining facility. Distraught over losing the surrogate daughter she gained in “Aliens” to the beasts, Ripley then discovers to her horror that she’s gestating one herself. Not exactly the kind of motherhood she planned on, so she leaps into a river of molten metal at the precise moment of “birth” as the baby alien bursts through her chest. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>4) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Agnes-God-Jane-Fonda/dp/B000063ING?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Agnes of God</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000063ING" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1985)<br />
In this philosophical / theological mystery movie, a cloistered novice nun, Sister Agnes (Meg Tilly) has just killed the baby she claims was divinely conceived. Or was it rape? And if so, how and by whom? And if it WAS an immaculate conception, doesn’t that make Sister Agnes’ crime, um, REALLY bad? Crusty psychologist Martha Livingston (Jane Fonda) is brought in to investigate, and ends up clashing with Mother Superior Ruth (Anne Bancroft) over the often-at-odds ideologies of faith and science. But not contraception, that’s not up for debate. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituzQ6BxibLm5NBRPknIZPkd7sJrQmYinrVSUBaShA13bVOlJcA6uSQED_qRqFF2ZV1qCgCfhiOVWra_fHuMVxhCKS5EagdnkYtsronB5I3pcFReg3WVdiqKxDDgzBZmH9jMVLl_62YWn5/s1600/children-of-men.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEituzQ6BxibLm5NBRPknIZPkd7sJrQmYinrVSUBaShA13bVOlJcA6uSQED_qRqFF2ZV1qCgCfhiOVWra_fHuMVxhCKS5EagdnkYtsronB5I3pcFReg3WVdiqKxDDgzBZmH9jMVLl_62YWn5/s200/children-of-men.jpg" width="148" /></a></div>3) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Dead-Unrated-Directors-Blu-ray/dp/B001CW7ZW6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dawn of the Dead</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001CW7ZW6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (2004)<br />
In Zack Snyder’s remake of George Romero’s classic <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dawn-Dead-Blu-ray-Ted-Bank/dp/B000UR9QIK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">1978 zombies-in-a-mall flick</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000UR9QIK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, Mekhi Phifer plays Andre, an expectant father whose doting on his baby’s mother, Luda becomes even more frantic when she’s bitten by a zombie. Andre ties Luda down in a baby supply store and tries to keep her alive until she gives birth. Bad news for Andre comes in threes: The other refugees have discovered his secret, Luda dies and becomes a zombie before giving birth and his son takes after Mommy!<br />
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2) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Children-Men-Blu-ray-Clive-Owen/dp/B001YV502C?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Children of Men</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001YV502C" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (2006)<br />
After a mysterious virus renders the entire world infertile, one lone pregnant woman represents the only hope for the future. Clive Owen plays Theo, the man given the thankless job of shepherding the pregnant Kee (Clare-Hope Ashitey) through a war-torn world that’s bleaker than a Radiohead record and into the welcoming arms of “the Human Project.” Let’s just say that it takes the stranger-rubbing-your-pregnant-belly invasion of personal space to a whole new level. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpkhrsPJEk_UhvAanGd59wouXfgRQn1dThPZRUEDSk8RErSO6bsDKm-bjmCpKHAM4OPcHa3uZtcfKGtuv7XA97NXCftK_n7aqLwoRHfBomhC4MsjzpQNkhDkyThB9a9F7ZUoUZR0rJT4jz/s1600/rosemary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpkhrsPJEk_UhvAanGd59wouXfgRQn1dThPZRUEDSk8RErSO6bsDKm-bjmCpKHAM4OPcHa3uZtcfKGtuv7XA97NXCftK_n7aqLwoRHfBomhC4MsjzpQNkhDkyThB9a9F7ZUoUZR0rJT4jz/s200/rosemary.jpg" width="123" /></a>1) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rosemarys-Baby-Mia-Farrow/dp/B00003CXCF?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rosemary’s Baby</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CXCF" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1968)<br />
One of the most agonizing side effects of being pregnant is suffering the interference of everyone who thinks they have wisdom to impart. Never was this more the case than in Roman Polanski’s thriller, in which the expecting young Rosemary (Mia Farrow) is fed herbal tea and snacks by the doting old couple next door. When Rosemary begins to suspect ulterior motives of the Satanic kind, her husband tries to have her committed. The crazy thing is, Rosemary’s RIGHT, but maternal instinct is a powerful thing, and ultimately, she can’t turn her back on the child when it’s born … even if Satan is the baby daddy. <br />
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When you think about it, it’s kind of amazing that the “miracle of childbirth”… an occurrence so common that it happens worldwide approximately every second, manages to inspire some truly frightening horror films and comedies rooted in fear and ignorance! Who ever came up with this idea, anyway? <br />
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<i><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1561602/rewind-getting-knocked-up-could-be-worse.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, June 2007</a></i>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-75941332094673007962011-03-09T22:44:00.000-05:002011-03-09T22:44:20.125-05:00Just how special are special editions, really?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIAMP4wByLHvb0_nDTubOPIzokK3w8F4gZ8_XJ1AH5UUD_LQwtw7HMUeYTz0qLohJoyTpHDN3G28L3BjKkhlrb-DLoUAKfV-FEww3K8I5GrxJvRWgWAzSOWuEhO9pEsG_v9SNajU4TCq4/s1600/ultimate-matrix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieIAMP4wByLHvb0_nDTubOPIzokK3w8F4gZ8_XJ1AH5UUD_LQwtw7HMUeYTz0qLohJoyTpHDN3G28L3BjKkhlrb-DLoUAKfV-FEww3K8I5GrxJvRWgWAzSOWuEhO9pEsG_v9SNajU4TCq4/s200/ultimate-matrix.jpg" width="161" /></a></div>This week, new expanded “Special Edition” DVDs of “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Porkys-Ultimate-Collection-Dan-Monahan/dp/B000O76ZNU?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Porky’s</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000O76ZNU" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Year-Old-Virgin-Unrated-2-Disc-Pleasure/dp/B000NHG7CA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The 40 Year Old Virgin</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000NHG7CA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />“ and “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Matrix-Trilogy-Blu-ray/dp/B001CEE1YE?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Matrix</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001CEE1YE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” trilogy hit the shelves, enticing fans to plunk down the bucks for a movie they very possibly already own. <br />
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When the DVD format was introduced in 1997, one of its many advantages over videotape was expanded capacity for content. In those primordial days, that usually amounted to little more than the movie’s theatrical trailer and cast and crew bios (remember when “animated menu” was considered a bonus feature?). <br />
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In 1999, “The Matrix” DVD contained original documentaries on the complex sci-fi world created by the Wachowski Brothers, and sales flew like Neo on a breezy day. It became apparent that serious movie fans were drooling for worthy goodies, and soon audio commentaries, deleted scenes and “making of” documentaries became commonplace. The extras-packed DVDs did well enough that many movies that were already out on DVD got reissued with the bells and whistles, sometimes less than a year after their initial release. Fans complained, but still ponied up for the new editions. <br />
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Then things started to get sinister. Studios realized that if they stretched out the extra material through numerous expanded editions, there were collectors geeky enough to buy a movie two, three, maybe even more times. Today, lots of movies come out on extras-free DVDs initially, with “special editions” already on the marketing plan for the next quarter. <br />
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But of all the various “special features,” which are truly special and which are mere filler? <br />
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Audio commentaries are a mixed bag. A truly insightful commentary from a filmmaker willing to be honest can bring an entirely new level of enjoyment to a movie you may know by heart. Director William Friedkin’s non-stop, narcissistic commentary on “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Exorcist-Extended-Directors-Original-Theatrical/dp/B001992NW4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Exorcist</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001992NW4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” is so mesmerizing that even oft-told trivia (Ellen Burstyn really hurt her back) sound fresh. Listening to Joel Schumacher try to defend “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Robin-Blu-ray-George-Clooney/dp/B0039208C6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Batman and Robin</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0039208C6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” is more of a hoot than the movie. The cast of “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/This-Spinal-Tap-Blu-ray-Reiner/dp/B000Y5JFN4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">This is Spinal Tap</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000Y5JFN4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” does its commentary in character, reacting to the mockumentary as if it were a historical document, in essence creating an audio sequel to the legendary comedy. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9i5l_3VgqEWEt6DYGWTpgDEYA5CoOLcsd094wDqSHr9tAksyMsX1J3PGl8_ZZoPP5UE1PN3P718-rwOtFzLqB2l-VCwLwxO7JMa_1Fb6LLZY_teKnNM-3Fd3ZD042Ll5yPRjzOngd239/s1600/superman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX9i5l_3VgqEWEt6DYGWTpgDEYA5CoOLcsd094wDqSHr9tAksyMsX1J3PGl8_ZZoPP5UE1PN3P718-rwOtFzLqB2l-VCwLwxO7JMa_1Fb6LLZY_teKnNM-3Fd3ZD042Ll5yPRjzOngd239/s200/superman.jpg" width="166" /></a></div>But there are few more aggravating wastes of time than listening to a bad audio commentary. Director Richard Donner and script doctor Tom Mankiewicz spend most of their time during “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Superman-Movie-Blu-ray-Christopher-Reeve/dp/B000K4X5XA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Superman: the Movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000K4X5XA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” trying to remember what was going on. At one point, Donner comments that there are people listening to them who know more about the movie than they do (as one of them, I was disappointed). Mel Brooks’ nigh-senile comments on “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Young-Frankenstein-Blu-ray-Gene-Wilder/dp/B001DDBD0O?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Young Frankenstein</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001DDBD0O" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” mainly consist of him saying how funny the film is, trying to remember the names of the minor actors and talking about how great Gene Wilder’s hair looks. But the worst commentaries are by producers, invariably corporate shills who never stop trying to spin positive word of mouth, even years after a film’s wrap (check out producer Laura Ziskin’s puffy commentary on “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Blu-ray-Tobey-Maguire/dp/B0042AGNC8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Spider-Man</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0042AGNC8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”). <br />
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“Making of” documentaries are likewise hit or miss. Few studios are willing to allow a true snapshot of the filmmaking experience, warts and all, so any stories of behind the camera strife are likely to be glossed over at best, more likely completely ignored. Otherwise, the widely-seen leaked footage of director David O. Russell‘s screaming rants on the set of “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/I-Heart-Huckabees-Two-Disc-Special/dp/B0006TPE4M?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">I (heart) Huckabees</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0006TPE4M" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” would’ve been on that DVD. Usually, “Making of” docs are little more than electronic press kits (sometimes that’s exactly what they are). <br />
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There are exceptions of course, but they’re usually for old movies in which the principals are long dead (or at least retired). Universal’s DVDs for their classic monster movies (“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dracula-Universal-Studios-Classic-Collection/dp/B000035Z3K?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dracula</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000035Z3K" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Frankenstein-Universal-Studios-Classic-Collection/dp/B00000JMOF?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Frankenstein</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00000JMOF" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” et al) are loaded with terrific background features and fascinating commentaries by film historians and surviving participants. The DVD for Orson Welles’ “Director’s Vision” version of “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Restored-Orson-Welles-Vision/dp/6305999872?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Touch of Evil</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=6305999872" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” details the battles between the director and the studio, even reprinting Welles’ 58-page memo to the studio expressing his displeasure at their monkeying with his film. <br />
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Which brings up that most-ignored bonus: text features. Cast and crew bios are one thing, but when sections of screenplays or reviews are reprinted on the screen, only the most ardent cineast is going to bother. It’s not that the material is necessarily boring, there’s just something a bit off-putting about reading your TV (the distinction between that and what you’re doing right now is slight, but definitely present). Text material is what DVD booklets (fast becoming a thing of the past) are for. <br />
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But back to the documentaries. The more fantastic a motion picture, the more interesting its production would seem. Stories of how they made the star do battle with a giant monster in an alien setting are far more interesting than listening to Al Pacino blather on about his process. Or at least they used to be. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXHFMi0yg5_49-ipy7ZAUy9DXv8POiGIQiznRw3KABn0MGfI32RbFaMGVY-cPVK0O-6mJEDVM29tPPItR0cFS5aFYmH8i-Xd48iN2_TFXhaA96lwG2-rL1yTQTSmRRbPEf2dMYr9Pq18o/s1600/jackson-diaries.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXHFMi0yg5_49-ipy7ZAUy9DXv8POiGIQiznRw3KABn0MGfI32RbFaMGVY-cPVK0O-6mJEDVM29tPPItR0cFS5aFYmH8i-Xd48iN2_TFXhaA96lwG2-rL1yTQTSmRRbPEf2dMYr9Pq18o/s320/jackson-diaries.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Digital effects have not only brought about an end to the enticing mystery of movie magic (giving the age old question, “How did they DO that?” the consistent answer, “With computers”), they also killed the FX documentary. Compare the piece on how Willis O’Brien and his groundbreaking stop motion animators made the original 1933 “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/King-Kong-Blu-ray-Robert-Armstrong/dp/B001KVZ6LQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">King Kong</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001KVZ6LQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” on that DVD with the same subject on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/King-Kong-Blu-ray-Naomi-Watts/dp/B001KZVQJI?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Peter Jackson’s 2005 remake</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001KZVQJI" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. While there’s obviously lots more footage of the latter project (enough to warrant an entirely separate release, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/King-Kong-Jacksons-Production-Diaries/dp/B000BMSUJK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Peter Jackson’s Production Diaries</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000BMSUJK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”), there’s really not that much that’s interesting (unless, of course, you’re an aspiring filmmaker yourself). In the end, it’s mostly just shots of guys sitting in front of computers. A good rule of thumb: The “making of” doc should not be longer than the actual feature. <br />
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Deleted scenes can be nice, especially if they were completed. They bring an added depth to both the film as it stands and what could have been. But storyboards edited together to create a scene that was never shot don’t qualify as “deleted” (and we’d guess only the storyboard artist cares about storyboard-to-film comparisons). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0JfIiaM6tXNMfttPu_YCWrFdhHpfJ_xqEnMvVh2FiE4VJ1P-EAIQuPZnA1ZosKTQafPuZcyEsyQMuT2iiaMdOORWCi2B9FbRNwb-nnEbUoBluDEO4Oi6EiWRTjiGmvv1h8c1Ti_SWWxw/s1600/apocalypse-redux.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU0JfIiaM6tXNMfttPu_YCWrFdhHpfJ_xqEnMvVh2FiE4VJ1P-EAIQuPZnA1ZosKTQafPuZcyEsyQMuT2iiaMdOORWCi2B9FbRNwb-nnEbUoBluDEO4Oi6EiWRTjiGmvv1h8c1Ti_SWWxw/s200/apocalypse-redux.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>Which brings us to “extended editions,” in which deleted scenes are re-edited into the movie, often under the pretense of being the “director’s cut.” Unless the director truly had a longer story to tell that’s worth the extra time, the longer film is usually just that: merely longer. Mark Steven Johnson’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Daredevil-Directors-Cut-Ben-Affleck/dp/B0002XVQNU?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Daredevil</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002XVQNU" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” really doesn’t get any better with another 30 minutes tacked on, and most fans tend to agree that “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Apocalypse-Now-Redux-Martin-Sheen/dp/B00005OWEG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Apocalypse Now Redux</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005OWEG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” is inferior to the shorter original.<br />
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It’s always nice to see historical context, whether it’s a factual documentary about a movie’s fictionalized subject (as on the DVDs for “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gangs-New-York-Two-Disc-Collectors/dp/B00005JKN9?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Gangs of New York</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005JKN9" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” and “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Reds-Anniversary-Blu-ray-Warren-Beatty/dp/B000IOM0YC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Reds</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000IOM0YC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”) or actual period film such as newsreels or TV footage (“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/JFK-Directors-Cut-Two-Disc-Special/dp/B001DJ7PMI?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">JFK</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001DJ7PMI" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Citizen-Two-Disc-Special-Orson-Welles/dp/B00003CX9E?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Citizen Kane</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CX9E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”) or background on the source material for an adapted project (“<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Begins-Blu-ray-Christian-Bale/dp/B000PC6A3E?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Batman Begins</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000PC6A3E" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dr-No-Special-Sean-Connery/dp/B00004RG62?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dr. No</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00004RG62" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”).<br />
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One of the most fascinating features is the screen test, especially if it includes footage of actors who DIDN’T get the part (check out Martin Sheen auditioning for the part of Michael Corleone on the terrific “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Godfather-DVD-Collection-Part-III/dp/B00003CXAA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Godfather DVD Collection</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CXAA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”). <br />
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Still galleries of pre-production or promotional artwork can be nice, but often suffer from the low TV resolution creating a lack of detail. As Blu-Ray becomes more commonplace, this is a feature that will benefit greatly. <br />
<br />
Gag/Blooper Reels are usually nothing more than a montage of actors laughing and/or swearing because they forgot their lines, with perhaps two genuinely funny moments in the segment. Collections of movies’ advertising (trailers, TV spots, etc.) tend to get monotonous. Music videos almost always consist of shots of the artist singing interspersed with scenes from the film (yawn). And Easter Eggs (those hidden features that you have to search for, often on-set practical jokes or bizarre test footage) are usually fun, but only if you can find them! <br />
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There’s one feature that’s never special: advertising. While everyone loves trailers in the theater (although 15 minutes of them is too much), they tend to feel obtrusive on a DVD, especially if they launch the disc without allowing you to access the main menu. Ads for related video games or ancillary projects could be of interest, but does anyone ever click on tie-ins for things like fast food or car rental companies? <br />
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While the bonus-feature-viewer remains a niche market-dweller (some studies show that only about half home viewers watch even one), DVD extras have become an inherent part of the filmmaking process, with every step being documented for possible public consumption. And while quantity of bonus features can outweigh quality, when done right (see any movie in the gold-standard Criterion Collection), they’re the biggest argument for buying a DVD. And as movie downloading technology moves towards the mainstream, you can bet studios are going to do everything they can to get fans to plop down money to actually OWN a movie while they can... over and over and over. <br />
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<i><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1560122/rewind-how-special-specialedition-dvds.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, May 2007</a></i>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-45225225898322939722011-03-09T22:26:00.001-05:002011-03-09T22:28:06.769-05:00Vegas, Baby!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LQRy-6EDu-7Sjz4wPKYD14xaKuAT-uP1PKpe4G7Bd3L-y_gPrf28W7Sb3MMerD2ySXxa60CWykoWAY8uMD_KgHYdU8f1Pduu94tw8D7S1rI8tZHfrlUlprOv786yGzXEDR8fZR3WZrO-/s1600/lucky-you.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0LQRy-6EDu-7Sjz4wPKYD14xaKuAT-uP1PKpe4G7Bd3L-y_gPrf28W7Sb3MMerD2ySXxa60CWykoWAY8uMD_KgHYdU8f1Pduu94tw8D7S1rI8tZHfrlUlprOv786yGzXEDR8fZR3WZrO-/s200/lucky-you.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>We’re gonna bet that “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lucky-You-Eric-Bana/dp/B000TNLZ0M?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Lucky You</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000TNLZ0M" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” is the 85,304th film set in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Real-Las-Vegas-Complete-Story/dp/B00005MKOF?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Las Vegas</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005MKOF" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, Nevada. Everything about the setting, from its desert isolation to its gaudy neon glow to the non-stop drama (that really doesn’t stay there) makes the real Sin City one of the most distinctive settings for movies there is. Picking the top ten Vegas movies is a roll of the dice, but we’ll stand on these. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKk4vRLhhuaRfBdmq7b9GPKJH7iqiKPMiIvv5O7hTLpo3sIPi-8K48x9Dxeatcijg-ViUhG3KtxWNgBGSC_GmrKypEMg8i-tvukes5WFGFaDg5z9dLPqvN2w4Kh8RncrOQJFX78mB-I0b/s1600/showgirls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKk4vRLhhuaRfBdmq7b9GPKJH7iqiKPMiIvv5O7hTLpo3sIPi-8K48x9Dxeatcijg-ViUhG3KtxWNgBGSC_GmrKypEMg8i-tvukes5WFGFaDg5z9dLPqvN2w4Kh8RncrOQJFX78mB-I0b/s200/showgirls.jpg" width="137" /></a>10) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Showgirls-15th-Anniversary-Sinsational-Blu-ray/dp/B003HARV7A?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Showgirls</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003HARV7A" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1995)<br />
It’s the Cinderella story of Nomi Malone (the bizarre Elizabeth Berkley), an exotic dancer who battles the evil Cristal Conners (Gina Gershon) to claw her way to the top of the Vegas show-world! Granted, “Showgirls” is widely considered one of the worst films ever made. But its campy screenplay, wildly over the top performances, gratuitous nudity and overall cheez factor make this the “Batman and Robin” of Vegas films, and it’s so iconic, we couldn’t leave it off the list (sorry, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rain-Man-Special-Tom-Cruise/dp/B0000YEEGM?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rain Man</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000YEEGM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />”). <br />
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9) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Loathing-Vegas-Criterion-Collection-Blu-ray/dp/B004JPJHME?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004JPJHME" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1998)<br />
Gonzo journalist <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Gonzo-Wisdom-Interviews-Thompson/dp/0306816512?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hunter S. Thompson</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0306816512" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> seemed built for Vegas. Terry Gilliam’s adaptation of his 1971 story stars Johnny Depp as Thompson stand-in Raoul Duke and Benicio Del Toro as his attorney, Dr. Gonzo. An assignment to cover a motorcycle race in Vegas becomes secondary to a drug-fueled bacchanal that pushes the limits even for that town. The movie is only a partial success, as even a visionary director like Gilliam has a hard time conveying the non-stop hallucinogenic bender without it becoming tiresome, and Depp’s affected performance is even more cartoony than Jack Sparrow. Still, the film’s literal lounge lizard take on Vegas as a boozy, three-ring circus of neon overindulgence is distinctive.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYR-Y05sBfH9iQjq2SOaNqUIMDTQUopRYShOz1Sm5MKtubkoZoGUkc3KaFISxhJRG3U2EMHl4lR0JK8fWD8XCLD50O1W_PjFEt8dd2wyn4SMh8AfFbekQs_FUJwiiHtQ2tinNyQ3K6KmF/s1600/fredo-johnny.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgYR-Y05sBfH9iQjq2SOaNqUIMDTQUopRYShOz1Sm5MKtubkoZoGUkc3KaFISxhJRG3U2EMHl4lR0JK8fWD8XCLD50O1W_PjFEt8dd2wyn4SMh8AfFbekQs_FUJwiiHtQ2tinNyQ3K6KmF/s200/fredo-johnny.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>8) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Godfather-Coppola-Restoration-Blu-ray/dp/B002TOL8RY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Godfather</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002TOL8RY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1972) / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Godfather-Part-Coppola-Restoration-Blu-ray/dp/B002TOL8UQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Godfather Part II</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002TOL8UQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1974)<br />
When ailing mafia Don Vito Corleone’s (Marlon Brando) beloved son Michael (Al Pacino) takes over, one of the first things he does is fly to Vegas to tell Moe Greene that the Family is going to buy his share of the casino and hotel they bankrolled and move out west. Fredo Corleone, who’s been working with Moe, has become a bejeweled cliché, and when he sets up a swingin’ welcome for his baby brother, he gets his first (but not final) taste of how for Michael… it’s only business. <br />
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In “Part II,” Vegas and Reno are the cornerstones of Michael’s business plan. Not only will taking control of casinos bring a huge influx of money to the family, it’s a move towards fulfilling Vito’s dream of becoming legitimate. Unfortunately for Michael, not everyone’s willing to cooperate. Ironically, in the sequel, there’s actually not one scene that takes place in Vegas, but it’s still a central figure in the classic film. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgD0Ylmqhllrbq6ry-nQBqJCbm4s6FGLJUvusgOIZrfqEzkn8j4vBErfqB_zz1Mdz8KAKadj9Kxm92o7wf3G067aNkGAa_9FBuu6OWotjKDhfImJxQXpT2tEGxwg4oOgfpwPv58X_vLR5/s1600/plenty-bond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgD0Ylmqhllrbq6ry-nQBqJCbm4s6FGLJUvusgOIZrfqEzkn8j4vBErfqB_zz1Mdz8KAKadj9Kxm92o7wf3G067aNkGAa_9FBuu6OWotjKDhfImJxQXpT2tEGxwg4oOgfpwPv58X_vLR5/s200/plenty-bond.jpg" width="155" /></a></div>7) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Diamonds-Are-Forever-Sean-Connery/dp/B000RPCK0Q?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Diamonds are Forever</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000RPCK0Q" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1971)<br />
Let’s face it, it’s hard to picture Peter Parker playing blackjack and then swinging past Glitter Gulch. No hero fits Vegas better than James Bond. Sean Connery returns to the role that made him famous, again tackling Ernst Stavro Blofeld (Charles Gray) as he accumulates diamonds to fuel a laser-equipped satellite capable of destroying a major city from space! The trail leads 007 to Vegas, where he teams with jewel thief Tiffany Case (Jill St. John) and reclusive billionaire Willard Whyte (Jimmy Dean) to save the day. Naturally, there’s time for gambling, drinking, womanizing and an amusing car chase down the Vegas Strip in which Bond puts a Ford Mustang up on two wheels. Still, “Diamonds” is one of the weakest Bond films, which makes us wonder if perhaps he isn’t due for a return visit…<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQriFs_boh4IlERqp4bVho0EZvWq-mp499GgVylpXLxAAp2iMMa7l-tFm2fFFdrIICi4wpCQ66mi_5bamicKJKDAXkcR4LHInNgEckaKjvmO80P0QXjiSNJ_tUQ4zYg796I1SsGNFPlze/s1600/cooler.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKQriFs_boh4IlERqp4bVho0EZvWq-mp499GgVylpXLxAAp2iMMa7l-tFm2fFFdrIICi4wpCQ66mi_5bamicKJKDAXkcR4LHInNgEckaKjvmO80P0QXjiSNJ_tUQ4zYg796I1SsGNFPlze/s200/cooler.jpg" width="141" /></a>6) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-William-H-Macy/dp/B0002YCY80?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Cooler</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0002YCY80" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (2003)<br />
In this grim fairy tale, William H. Macy plays Bernie Lootz, a goblinesque bad luck charm paying off his gambling debts by working as a “cooler” at the Shangril-La Casino. Bernie’s aching to get out of town, much to the dismay of his boss, Shelly (Alec Baldwin), who forces comely cocktail waitress Natalie (Maria Bello) to try to change his mind. Natalie’s charms do the trick, but once Bernie falls in love, his luck starts changing…. along with that of the gamblers he’s trying to cool. The movie is both bleak and sentimental, fitting for a film that laments the replacement of the debauchery of old Vegas with the family-friendly theme park it was becoming at the time. <br />
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5) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Leaving-Las-Vegas-Blu-ray-Elisabeth/dp/B004LKVHSY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Leaving Las Vegas</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004LKVHSY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1995)<br />
As a town that embraces destructive behavior, Vegas is the perfect setting for Ben Sanderson’s plan. Sanderson (Nicolas Cage) is a Hollywood screenwriter whose alcoholism has cost him his family. Despondent, he decides to drink himself to death (literally) in a Vegas hotel. Ben finds a comforting angel in Sera (Elizabeth Shue), a prostitute who develops a codependent relationship with him. It’s an unconventional, unconditional love story that’s painfully moving and beautifully acted. The movie’s distinctive vérité quality is enhanced by being filmed in 16mm, with numerous location shots done quickly in one take because of a lack of permits. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhM9cLBVNQGVLSQChtqJJVXslcz9KpTKlTcnEK9isOJf7nKRlIoMxoy9mw8DCPwDrmkVE_6cyr_mm7vYZtWjwegHQQzFfAeDQgYXr8hrpsWTmN0e0GhCDCJ8CpqbygX4MMdOY7PzUJzAB/s1600/bugsy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuhM9cLBVNQGVLSQChtqJJVXslcz9KpTKlTcnEK9isOJf7nKRlIoMxoy9mw8DCPwDrmkVE_6cyr_mm7vYZtWjwegHQQzFfAeDQgYXr8hrpsWTmN0e0GhCDCJ8CpqbygX4MMdOY7PzUJzAB/s200/bugsy.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>4) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bugsy-Unrated-Extended-Warren-Beatty/dp/B000H5TH20?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Bugsy</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000H5TH20" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1991)<br />
Few cities in the world have an exciting origin story, and fewer still involve gangsters. Warren Beatty stars as Ben “Bugsy” Siegel, the man who “created” Las Vegas. Siegel, an egotistical, hot-headed New York gangster is sent out west on business, where he quickly falls under the spell of Hollywood’s glamour. Bugsy (don’t call him that to his face) sees a run-down gambling den in Vegas as a wasted opportunity, and sets upon spending the mob’s money to build a giant casino, the Flamingo, assuming that people will come from far and wide to gamble their life savings in a remote, isolated place where anything goes. The thing is, some investments take time to mature, and if it’s one thing the mob lacks, it’s patience. As with all historical dramas, the movie plays with the facts, but it’s nonetheless a mesmerizing portrait of obsession, narcissism and self-destruction. <br />
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3) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Casino-Blu-ray-Robert-Niro/dp/B001EIOOV8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Casino</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001EIOOV8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1995)<br />
Director Martin Scorsese takes a trip out west in this tale of the rise and fall of gangster Sam Rothstein (Robert De Niro) and the mob’s struggle to maintain control of Vegas casinos in the 1970s. Playing alongside DeNiro are Joe Pesci as Sam’s psychopathic lifelong pal Nicky and Sharon Stone as Sam’s conniving wife Ginger, making a triumvirate of indelible performances in a movie whose sum is not quite as great as its parts. A not-quite-love triangle bogs down the last third of the film, but watching Scorsese’s gritty style in the gaudy ‘70s Vegas setting is not dull for one second. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_wh6Ch9gmT1AOW3NHE8lvFYckrav9Kn6RlQmrCgnHqbKsr-2Ezh_jqWomeafXFpsVrr30pEh4IVtfSxJMxyqvrCKxkYmt34M2XEfVI-nX76oM72A0Y8wbp55pdYAaT9n5ASEMZFvyuLVj/s1600/viva-las-vegas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_wh6Ch9gmT1AOW3NHE8lvFYckrav9Kn6RlQmrCgnHqbKsr-2Ezh_jqWomeafXFpsVrr30pEh4IVtfSxJMxyqvrCKxkYmt34M2XEfVI-nX76oM72A0Y8wbp55pdYAaT9n5ASEMZFvyuLVj/s200/viva-las-vegas.jpg" width="128" /></a></div>2) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Viva-Vegas-Blu-ray-Elvis-Presley/dp/B000R3PDK2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Viva Las Vegas</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000R3PDK2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1964)<br />
Elvis Presley plays Lucky Jackson, a guitar-slingin’ race car driver who rolls into Vegas for the Grand Prix, but finds three problems: His engine’s dead, he faces a challenge from Count Elmo Mancini (great name) and he’s overly distracted by swimming pool manager Rusty Martin. Rusty’s played perfectly by Ann-Margret, truly one of the ‘60s most swingin’ chicks and the palpable chemistry between her and the King isn’t acting… they did a whole lotta shakin’ offscreen, too. This candy-coated confection has everything you expect in an Elvis flick and more… and Las Vegas never looked more fun onscreen. Well, maybe once… <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPrYHe0Od__CX9bXCILhj099N4noJAH0-37H8rdkk4YjtNljmejmqrpwRWnf7pQT9XPHi_tv-imshZsZogx2IC6GsixIwakrwMWf8JMKWMcjpkdq6jsfPjoOHUHih8OtKLkshVRIgKqaL/s1600/oceans-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyPrYHe0Od__CX9bXCILhj099N4noJAH0-37H8rdkk4YjtNljmejmqrpwRWnf7pQT9XPHi_tv-imshZsZogx2IC6GsixIwakrwMWf8JMKWMcjpkdq6jsfPjoOHUHih8OtKLkshVRIgKqaL/s200/oceans-11.jpg" width="147" /></a>1) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Oceans-Collection-Favorites-Eleven-Thirteen/dp/B002GSXKP6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Ocean’s 11</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002GSXKP6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1960) / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Oceans-Trilogy-Eleven-Thirteen-Blu-ray/dp/B000W9DSVW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Eleven</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000W9DSVW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (2001) (pick one)<br />
Let’s face it, Vegas is all about swagger and no film ever swaggered swankier than the Rat Pack’s 1960 heist opus, “Ocean’s 11.” Frank Sinatra plays Danny Ocean, a cool cat in an orange cashmere sweater who leads his old army buddies (including Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop for giggles) in an elaborate plot to rob five Las Vegas casinos at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. The movie’s no “Godfather,” but only the stiffest clyde can deny its boozy charm. And yes, we’ll cop that the 2001 “Ocean’s Eleven” is pretty cool, too. But that Clooney-Pitt-Damon-Roberts-etc. ensemble is a good metaphor for what’s happened to Vegas. The original 1960 film was a goofy lark, made by a bunch of guys, most of whom in the off hours were actually drinking, gambling and hangin’ out with boozy broads until the wee hours. The ultra-slick new film may have had a more feasible script and better production values, but it feels too much like a big Hollywood product. It’s not a bad movie, but it’s not half as fun as the original. <br />
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Much like Las Vegas today is but a glossy, corporate shadow of its former self. And if you think we’re being overly nostalgic, bear in mind that in 1997, the Rugrats went there on vacation. We fold. <br />
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<i><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1558368/rewind-vegas-films-get-lucky.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, May 2007</a></i>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-85938025403279462552011-02-11T12:07:00.005-05:002011-06-02T16:22:25.592-04:0010 day-glo, Air-Jordanny, Simple-Mindsed, Reaganesque 80s double features!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBeIqkIsGOFObsWclBmz_nlHuf7s0-yqKYle-3ru7aBL_ec5uXAd8ygljgxTmw_9RhETBzONwhewKWh4OIf4XV6xurLWxaUUNVmQ7pkY1JTkPw2LNLt1_FVmWwURNhWvQJ3xk6EvTw-RDF/s1600/kickin%2527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBeIqkIsGOFObsWclBmz_nlHuf7s0-yqKYle-3ru7aBL_ec5uXAd8ygljgxTmw_9RhETBzONwhewKWh4OIf4XV6xurLWxaUUNVmQ7pkY1JTkPw2LNLt1_FVmWwURNhWvQJ3xk6EvTw-RDF/s200/kickin%2527.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>In “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kickin-Old-Skool-Jamie-Kennedy/dp/B000QUU7L6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Kickin’ It Old Skool</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000QUU7L6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” Jamie Kennedy plays a breakdancer who lapses into a coma in 1986 and awakens two decades later to a world in which Madonna, Tom Cruise and a Bush in the White House are the only constants! <br />
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During <a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Popular-Culture-Through-History/dp/031333000X?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the 1980s</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=031333000X" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, American pop culture was going through an awkward stage thanks to new technology and an exploding music video esthetic. The election of Ronald Reagan in 1980 ushered in a new era of patriotism / arrogance (pick one) that America hadn’t exuded since the 1950s. Hollywood (now fully driven by the blockbuster mentality) drew on all of these elements, imbuing films with an over-the-top look and feel that’s made many of them painful to watch, some harmlessly amusing and a precious few cherished time capsules. <br />
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We’ve put together ten double features of quintessential ‘80s flicks. These aren’t the BEST films of the decade or the worst… okay a few of them are among the worst. But they all sum up different aspects of that time when Members Only jackets, Joe Camel, Cabbage Patch Dolls and Michael Jackson were considered acceptable. <br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YkrQsBfY072SAEhqzuqit3vLvcO32Pj8fxCcfpwbgkA7CZDiF-9L3eqzI1Gyho6xnqFspoXBCR1krFJXQC1o7yaY53SL2GeAZfXZD_bXTo6sQ4KYa_sSqJoau-lkMY7BcuixG8OOWRjn/s1600/breakfast-pink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9YkrQsBfY072SAEhqzuqit3vLvcO32Pj8fxCcfpwbgkA7CZDiF-9L3eqzI1Gyho6xnqFspoXBCR1krFJXQC1o7yaY53SL2GeAZfXZD_bXTo6sQ4KYa_sSqJoau-lkMY7BcuixG8OOWRjn/s200/breakfast-pink.jpg" width="200" /></a>10) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-Club-School-Reunion-Collection/dp/B0000A98ZP?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Breakfast Club</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000A98ZP" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1985) / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Everythings-Duckie-Molly-Ringwald/dp/B000FZETIO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Pretty in Pink</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000FZETIO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1986)</div><div style="text-align: right;">To many teenagers in the ‘80s, John Hughes’ films became gospel set to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breakfast-Club-Original-Picture-Soundtrack/dp/B000002GD4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">New Wave</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000002GD4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pretty-Pink-Original-Picture-Soundtrack/dp/B000002GD2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">soundtracks</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000002GD2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. “The Breakfast Club” remains the standard bearer for teen-ensembles, in which a disparate group of high school archetypes (we don’t need to list them, do we?) spend an afternoon together in detention and come to realize that they’re not so different after all. But the message becomes muddled when gloomy, Cap’n Crunch & Sugar sandwich-munchin’ Allison (Ally Sheedy) is made over into a bland, preppy princess at the end. What about that much-vaunted individualism? It’s quashed even more in “Pretty in Pink” (directed by Howard Deutch), where the endearingly dorky Duckie (Jon Cryer), is the much better match for vintage clothes-wearing record store clerk Andie (Hughes muse Molly Ringwald) than the wealthy preppie Blane (Andrew McCarthyzzzzzzzz). The fact that the original script put Duckie with Andie is irrelevant. Onscreen, she ends up with bland Blane, sending a horrible message that, as in many of Hughes’ films, even the most idiosyncratic individualist (including Annie Potts’ Iona) longs to be a part of the mainstream. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilm_8VbskUvw0BDrnuQnYbUpI8_zSikrVQyRFk7x-IKmIG3YiyntR7shdL9v-ACSSJnqjYPietsjo8GNZEsvi4d4R0qi699Z-iiyGoG4tp7HEAqetUEnWbRjLMcsnSF9OL1khaXT2td-oq/s1600/breakin-beat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilm_8VbskUvw0BDrnuQnYbUpI8_zSikrVQyRFk7x-IKmIG3YiyntR7shdL9v-ACSSJnqjYPietsjo8GNZEsvi4d4R0qi699Z-iiyGoG4tp7HEAqetUEnWbRjLMcsnSF9OL1khaXT2td-oq/s200/breakin-beat.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>9) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breakin-Collection-Electric-Boogaloo-Street/dp/B0009VRHN8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Breakin’</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0009VRHN8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1984) / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Beat-Street-Rae-Dawn-Chong/dp/B000089738?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Beat Street</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000089738" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1984)<br />
How fitting that the first major films to depict hip hop culture were set in Los Angeles and New York, creating the first east-vs-west rap battle in terms of which film you like better. “Breakin’” stars Lucinda Dickey as Kelly, a Los Angeles jazz dancer who discovers breakdancing and rap and integrates it into her art, becoming a (ahem) breakout sensation. The movie features the screen debut of Ice-T and spawned a quickie sequel with the unforgettable suffix: “Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo.” “Beat Street” is a far grittier film, set in the Bronx, where a DJ/rapper, a graffiti artist and wannabe mogul dream of making it out of the ghetto. Cameos by Grand Master Melle Mel and the Furious 5, Afrika Bambaataa, the Rock Steady Crew and more give the movie some street cred, slightly lessened by the rampant Puma product placement. <br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAh6cyVmc7X6HEb63TBP14zt7VGryi2xYUTtbOM_pm8kxb7vzWCBGMn7uiY1P8TgyORHavpQ-QB_iDQAW62YhDcLKjwK41TV16k2NpRyh_E0gCLnE_qS7Lhq-yUhqBOO8_yA-Mmhl-csN/s1600/rockyIII-IV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAh6cyVmc7X6HEb63TBP14zt7VGryi2xYUTtbOM_pm8kxb7vzWCBGMn7uiY1P8TgyORHavpQ-QB_iDQAW62YhDcLKjwK41TV16k2NpRyh_E0gCLnE_qS7Lhq-yUhqBOO8_yA-Mmhl-csN/s200/rockyIII-IV.jpg" width="200" /></a>8) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rocky-III-Two-Disc-Blu-ray-Combo/dp/B003YF9PZO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rocky III</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003YF9PZO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1982) / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Two-Disc-Blu-ray-DVD-Combo/dp/B003YF9PWW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rocky IV</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003YF9PWW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1984)</div><div style="text-align: right;">Which “Rocky” film better sums up the ‘80s? “IV,” in which the Italian Stallion (Sylvester Stallone) fights Russian boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) to avenge the death of Apollo Creed in the ring is a testosterone-laden metaphor for the impending end of the Soviet Union. But “III” pits Rock’ against two of the decade’s most iconic figures, the fool-pitying Mr. T in the part of Clubber Lang and Hulk Hogan as the wrestler Thunderlips, as well as featuring Survivor’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Eye-Of-The-Tiger/dp/B0013832A8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Eye of the Tiger</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0013832A8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” as its pumpin’ anthem. Then again, “IV” features a wad of awful ‘‘80s rock by John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band, Kenny Loggins, Europe and Go West (altho’ they’re mitigated by James Brown’s awesome “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Living-In-America/dp/B00137GFC6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Living in America</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00137GFC6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001382O52" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.”). Afraid it’s a split decision. </div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzZiBXgsittbeo342Mmk4l1MGDIxbIGQxTCTbdHqfsMYngpWnZ7oNZDOscyAXfL59blcrNRrfg-FAHN7eaMlU2c67LEN8ZQnRm5x27UDm5HcUEjEfSPsgveBbVdNrCWAygKa9dv8OenED/s1600/tron-wargames.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzZiBXgsittbeo342Mmk4l1MGDIxbIGQxTCTbdHqfsMYngpWnZ7oNZDOscyAXfL59blcrNRrfg-FAHN7eaMlU2c67LEN8ZQnRm5x27UDm5HcUEjEfSPsgveBbVdNrCWAygKa9dv8OenED/s200/tron-wargames.jpg" width="200" /></a>7) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tron-20th-Anniversary-Collectors-Bridges/dp/B00005OCMR?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Tron</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005OCMR" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1982) / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Games-25th-Anniversary-Matthew-Broderick/dp/B0015NORDW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">WarGames</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0015NORDW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1983)<br />
While Disney’s “Tron” (in which a computer game designer becomes a digital gladiator) was the first film to extensively make use of computer graphics, few realize how much of the film’s distinctive look was actually accomplished by traditional animation methods. Still, the use of a computer to aid in the effects eliminated the movie from consideration for an Academy Award because it was “cheating.” Another flick tackling nascent computer technology was “WarGames,” in which Matthew Broderick THINKS he’s playing a computer game, but has in fact hacked into NORAD’s computers and is about to start World War III by actually launching missiles at Russia. Watching these today, you’ll pay less attention to the story than to the now-hilariously antiquated computers (wait, does that one have a crank?). <br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbSCSm5XDW62r2g3j7KHHllw1fZseKQQf_xNcn7zufjvEHXuJzJsYObMmPGlRYC7F2jRBuydorxVKDFqu18OaWcTpElIX6N8mJZ657XhvAZaYnvjqxtggckf8Z1k7GMeSOg94x71SNc75/s1600/flashdance-alive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXbSCSm5XDW62r2g3j7KHHllw1fZseKQQf_xNcn7zufjvEHXuJzJsYObMmPGlRYC7F2jRBuydorxVKDFqu18OaWcTpElIX6N8mJZ657XhvAZaYnvjqxtggckf8Z1k7GMeSOg94x71SNc75/s200/flashdance-alive.jpg" width="200" /></a>6) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flashdance-Jennifer-Beals/dp/B003QO8TDC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Flashdance</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003QO8TDC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1983) / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Staying-Alive-John-Travolta/dp/B001LMU1IC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Staying Alive</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001LMU1IC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1983)</div><div style="text-align: right;">Alex Owens (Jennifer Beals) is a welder by day, exotic dancer by night who only dreams of joining the Pittsburgh Conservatory of Dance. It’s a Cinderella story that’s as wafer thin as Beals’ acting and dancing ability (the heavily edited dance routines were in fact performed by as many as four people), and the fact that the movie is known primarily for a cut-up sweatshirt is fitting. Or ill-fitting. Whatever. Meanwhile, a buff, oiled-up, headband-sporting John Travolta reprised his role of Tony Manero (now a struggling Broadway dancer) in “Staying Alive,” a sequel to “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Saturday-Night-Fever-Blu-ray-Travolta/dp/B001S86J30?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Saturday Night Fever</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001S86J30" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” written and directed by Sylvester Stallone. The movie is as shiny and overblown as its predecessor was gritty and believable, a perfect metaphor for ‘80s films compared to ‘70s. </div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMiiZ8F9jZ-oWhMxJ9LKYqcqgoWNpeME3LrInulcHr3X0sUOIsMkSn8us2203f08afQOScZViBMR49CD0O0y9QGQDToggj9T5a6aieKBdu5yBrHBILbNqiGwlMm_fFcQONriXz7CCxne5A/s1600/purple-xanadu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMiiZ8F9jZ-oWhMxJ9LKYqcqgoWNpeME3LrInulcHr3X0sUOIsMkSn8us2203f08afQOScZViBMR49CD0O0y9QGQDToggj9T5a6aieKBdu5yBrHBILbNqiGwlMm_fFcQONriXz7CCxne5A/s200/purple-xanadu.jpg" width="200" /></a>5) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Purple-Rain-Blu-ray-Prince/dp/B000R208LC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Purple Rain</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000R208LC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1984) / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Xanadu-Magical-Musical-Complete-Soundtrack/dp/B0015FQZI0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Xanadu</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0015FQZI0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1980)<br />
“Purple Rain” is the ultimate music video movie, a star vehicle for Prince in which the plot is so superfluous it doesn’t matter how ridiculous it is. All that matters is that the Purple One gets to strut, ride a motorcycle, fool around with Appolonia, dress like a pirate and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Music-Motion-Picture-Purple-Rain/dp/B000002L68?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">perform a bunch of songs</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000002L68" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. What more do you need? The Olivia Newton John / Gene Kelly pop fairy tale, “Xanadu” hasn’t aged as well, primarily due to some elements that were dated even then and the fact that few people can spell “Terpsichore.” And yet, a Broadway adaptation is scheduled to begin next month, proving that there are fans of everything. <br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEb3krNUTntbRPEHBZR1ldk35FpmEooOInvObX61tk_Vct4oosKHnWGDeAocyyucTDRX4ufFDkxvs_7joaGr9sOGG14ODRJBbZcDDbfV3JXynDjJizRo4c37rY3BZuMpGoPKMtAMUqQs97/s1600/roadhouse-cocktail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEb3krNUTntbRPEHBZR1ldk35FpmEooOInvObX61tk_Vct4oosKHnWGDeAocyyucTDRX4ufFDkxvs_7joaGr9sOGG14ODRJBbZcDDbfV3JXynDjJizRo4c37rY3BZuMpGoPKMtAMUqQs97/s200/roadhouse-cocktail.jpg" width="200" /></a>4) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/House-Two-Disc-Blu-ray-Combo-Packaging/dp/B0024F08GK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Road House</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0024F08GK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1989) / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cocktail-Tom-Cruise/dp/B000065V3G?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Cocktail</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000065V3G" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1988)</div><div style="text-align: right;">Widely considered the best worst movie ever made, “Road House,” with its cartoon character stereotypes, a muscled, mulleted Patrick Swayze, monster trucks, Jeff Healey and neon-zen-philosophizing, could only have been made in the ‘80s. Dalton, the ultimate bar bouncer may opine that “pain don’t hurt,” but your sides will ache after watching this cheesy chunk of machismo. In “Cocktail,” Tom Cruise plays one of his patented cocky ballcap grinners, an ex-GI / business school student / bartender who dreams of opening his own place called (seriously) Cocktails and Dreams. The movie is in its own way every bit as ridiculous as “Road House,” and is singularly to blame if you’ve ever had to put up with some jerky bartender exhibiting his shaker-tossing “flair” instead of just making your drink. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGFVZ51rhBgY7NX8VgXIfjzoxPWAM4R41rxcCr9ZkzNiE0_agplWu4t4SUEjVa9F0sWRIDxiY4HRoOGgWe0kl24xZxyN_P1ywS835s4nWb-vqLCq2xTr5nYHcw8pjpUlOw-aPRGcMlzmE/s1600/wallst-biz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGFVZ51rhBgY7NX8VgXIfjzoxPWAM4R41rxcCr9ZkzNiE0_agplWu4t4SUEjVa9F0sWRIDxiY4HRoOGgWe0kl24xZxyN_P1ywS835s4nWb-vqLCq2xTr5nYHcw8pjpUlOw-aPRGcMlzmE/s200/wallst-biz.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>3) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wall-Street-Blu-ray-Michael-Douglas/dp/B000Y9Q59W?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Wall Street</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000Y9Q59W" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1987) / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Risky-Business-Blu-ray-Tom-Cruise/dp/B00168OIP8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Risky Business</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00168OIP8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1983)<br />
In the end, it didn’t matter that co-writer / director Oliver Stone meant “Wall Street” to be an indictment of that world’s money-grubbing moral vacuum. Tons of wannabe-yuppies only saw the trappings of wealth, slicking back their hair and embracing the mantra of Michael Douglas’ ruthless trader Gordon Gekko: “Greed is Good.” Another, unprintable slogan is at the heart of “Risky Business,” the story of how Joel Goodson (Tom Cruise again) goes from a timid, horny average nobody to a self-assured entrepreneur with a hot hooker girlfriend and an admission to Princeton. Both films are about wanting things beyond reach and the moral ambiguity surrounding the means to the ends. Oh, and suspenders and Ray-Bans. <br />
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<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUVsNHpv9R0v4e9OkRMcFcAl1Nd2PwkqumB4esNmg3zyi4IG-nIfcvJdcU-hIebYK4dmOmSxovCMQdeiMZ2RWbwTPmETgaoNNwI9M8DCn22SrpMoWORjIXuOFtfadRE7fiK3MJawqs433/s1600/fasttimes-anything.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUVsNHpv9R0v4e9OkRMcFcAl1Nd2PwkqumB4esNmg3zyi4IG-nIfcvJdcU-hIebYK4dmOmSxovCMQdeiMZ2RWbwTPmETgaoNNwI9M8DCn22SrpMoWORjIXuOFtfadRE7fiK3MJawqs433/s200/fasttimes-anything.jpg" width="200" /></a>2) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Times-Ridgemont-Widescreen-Special/dp/B00029RTCG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Fast Times at Ridgemont High</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00029RTCG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1982) / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Say-Anything-20th-Anniversary-Blu-ray/dp/B0029XFN9Y?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Say Anything</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0029XFN9Y" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1989)</div><div style="text-align: right;">Of the quadjillion teen comedies of the ‘80s, none better sum up that era than “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” which crosses all cliques to present a look at teenagers that’s both funnier and uglier (hence more believable) than any John Hughes film. It’s a perfect time capsule that holds up so well due primarily to Cameron Crowe’s knowing screenplay. Crowe also penned and directed 1989’s “Say Anything,” starring John Cusack as everyman Lloyd Dobler, a nice guy who likes kickboxing and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-Nothing-Replacements/dp/B000002NIU?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the Replacements</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000002NIU" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and views high school graduation as his final shot at asking out the beautiful valedictorian Diane Court (Ione Skye). “Say Anything” has become a classic primarily because it eschews the usual teen stereotypes in favor of complex characters. There’s no simple jock or brain or rebel… everyone has layers to his or her personality that sometimes seem contradictory, but always feel right. A hopeful, yet ambiguous ending adds to the poignancy of perhaps the best ‘80s teen film. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRo1kaPvZgvZnRtUGIbm7jXEAE6M_OhTkTyDPcpU3t0iYGGNEQqhTOGlv4qkrQ-lR_06_CnPMyHd3FQUWoWdXI3Dt0630YK4td_fJQXgTr8Z929qBh0pz0Wz8UMfFYNnF44T0jgOG7D8CX/s1600/rambo-topgun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRo1kaPvZgvZnRtUGIbm7jXEAE6M_OhTkTyDPcpU3t0iYGGNEQqhTOGlv4qkrQ-lR_06_CnPMyHd3FQUWoWdXI3Dt0630YK4td_fJQXgTr8Z929qBh0pz0Wz8UMfFYNnF44T0jgOG7D8CX/s200/rambo-topgun.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>1) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rambo-Complete-Collectors-Set-Blu-ray/dp/B003KV3E3G?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rambo: First Blood Part II</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003KV3E3G" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1985) / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Top-Gun-Blu-ray-Tom-Cruise/dp/B000RZGIQ8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Top Gun</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000RZGIQ8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (1986)<br />
“Rambo,” Sylvester Stallone’s first sequel to 1982’s “First Blood” dumps that film’s social commentary on the treatment of Vietnam vets in favor of a straight action film that finds the “pure fighting machine” single-handedly re-fighting the first war that America lost. There’s no moral ambiguity, no shades of gray, it’s Reagan’s right America vs. both those Godless commies and lily-livered liberals destroying our values. “Top Gun” has the same values, but under a sugary coating of romance for the ladies (and some men) and buddy action, set to a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Top-Gun-Soundtrack-Harold-Faltermeyer/dp/B00000K2UX?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">fist-pumpin’ soundtrack</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00000K2UX" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />. If the characters in these films had worn neon spandex and purple mohawks, they would’ve been the perfect summation of the 1980s. <br />
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No doubt we left off some of your favorite ‘80s flicks (by the way, slasher films are something to which very few of us can actually RELATE, hence their absence). Honorable mention should go to the Cyndi Lauper vehicle, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vibes-Cyndi-Lauper/dp/B001LMAK74?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Vibes</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001LMAK74" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” the BMX love story, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/RAD-Bill-Allen/dp/B004HVA2X8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rad</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B004HVA2X8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” the awesome yet unsuper “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flash-Gordon-Blu-ray-Brian-Blessed/dp/B003CRM6QO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Flash Gordon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003CRM6QO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” the Coreys’ “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Little-Corey-Feldman/dp/B0000C3I99?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dream a Little Dream</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000C3I99" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” and Sly Stallone’s arm-wrestling movie, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Over-Top-Bob-Beattie/dp/B002GHHHH4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Over the Top</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002GHHHH4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” for which Sly is NOT developing a sequel… yet. But with the current mania for all things ‘80s, it’s only a matter of time. <br />
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<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1557789/rewind-want-old-skool-try-sly-vs-mr-t.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, April 2007</a>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-55414959415093773092011-02-11T11:43:00.001-05:002011-02-11T11:43:55.948-05:0010 most uninviting movie lodgings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8Qa68tDuw6uvEjLJZ5OKV97oLN8G9rU5bf8ZboVEcIqv2VVUpb91vk96fTs5osezk1uWhl4J68DPRVbCAjPWELS1fpJC9BqMo7qkc-zOHiDZPgxmVtXLwsMT8o20qOiUJ7-FI5vl8hq2/s1600/vacancy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK8Qa68tDuw6uvEjLJZ5OKV97oLN8G9rU5bf8ZboVEcIqv2VVUpb91vk96fTs5osezk1uWhl4J68DPRVbCAjPWELS1fpJC9BqMo7qkc-zOHiDZPgxmVtXLwsMT8o20qOiUJ7-FI5vl8hq2/s200/vacancy.jpg" width="134" /></a></div>In “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vacancy-Blu-ray-Luke-Wilson/dp/B000RGN2IY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Vacancy</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000RGN2IY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” Luke Wilson and Kate Beckinsale play a couple who check into an isolated motel only to discover that they’re the latest guests slated to become unwilling stars in the motel’s series of homemade snuff films. Our guess is that it’s not rated well by AAA. But then again, in movies, there are tons of places that weary travelers should just pass by. Here’s our list of the top ten stops that are anything but restful. <br />
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10) The Peep-Show Hotel in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Garden-State-Zach-Braff/dp/B00005JNC2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Garden State</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005JNC2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2004)<br />
So much of Zach Braff’s directorial debut is wink-wink clever and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chutes-Too-Narrow-Shins/dp/B00009LVXT?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Shins</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00009LVXT" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />-soft that the scuzzy scene at the hotel in which creepy onanistic voyeurs spy on fornicating guests through holes in the wall from a back hallway seems even dirtier than Vincent Gallo’s skivvies. So remember, kids, if you happen to be passing through the Dirty Jerz, make sure you check your hotel wallpaper for peep holes! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezb99Fik5Zp4co6f3SrXT62-DVmK0gABurlI9C4D1laAk1qc2xHPE4uFwX5rFiWcJmb-wjT9XWMgr-ZepKRanlJ4CQ0ta458_PQwvRx8JJHc0it8mb7xtUWIcpR5fUPDr8eCSgAeSn3aN/s1600/identity-motel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezb99Fik5Zp4co6f3SrXT62-DVmK0gABurlI9C4D1laAk1qc2xHPE4uFwX5rFiWcJmb-wjT9XWMgr-ZepKRanlJ4CQ0ta458_PQwvRx8JJHc0it8mb7xtUWIcpR5fUPDr8eCSgAeSn3aN/s200/identity-motel.jpg" width="200" /></a>9) The motel in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Identity-Blu-ray-John-Cusack/dp/B000MNOX7Q?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Identity</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000MNOX7Q" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2003)<br />
Ten strangers get stranded at a run-down Nevada motel when a freak rainstorm washes out all the roads. It’s a motley crew: a has-been actress, her limo driver / ex-cop, a gambler, a hooker, a mean cop transporting a killer to jail, newlywed couple already having troubles and a seemingly innocuous nuclear family. The weird coincidence is that they all share the same birthday. Unease turns to distrust and paranoia when the reluctant guests start turning up murdered and fingers are pointed in every direction. But don’t worry… as the pretty good plot twist reveals, the chances of you ending up at this particular place of lodging are pretty slim. <br />
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8) The Dry Gulch Hotel in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Looney-Tunes-Golden-Collection-Vol/dp/B000ADS62G?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Claws for Alarm</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000ADS62G" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1954) <br />
In this hilariously violent and slightly disturbing Warner Bros. cartoon, traveling companions Porky Pig and Sylvester the cat spend the night at a hotel that’s deserted save for a group of homicidal rodents. Murderous mice try to hang, shoot, slash and scare the pants off the Looney duo. Oh, wait…. They don’t wear pants. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLj2A41sLpzC1q4a2N5VQWiZmQfmkeqFKdUCSypk5jBzA6bG6Ff6nE5BsOk0vUuTT0wysphUUAbwW3BQesF7vfx0i8GsI5i_hklo7PboXL30r7nGMOt7cI34c6N1RyZwZi5nbFycUI0zZ1/s1600/key-largo-spain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLj2A41sLpzC1q4a2N5VQWiZmQfmkeqFKdUCSypk5jBzA6bG6Ff6nE5BsOk0vUuTT0wysphUUAbwW3BQesF7vfx0i8GsI5i_hklo7PboXL30r7nGMOt7cI34c6N1RyZwZi5nbFycUI0zZ1/s200/key-largo-spain.jpg" width="140" /></a></div>7) The Hotel Largo in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Key-Largo-Keepcase-Humphrey-Bogart/dp/B000FFJYAM?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Key Largo</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000FFJYAM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1948)<br />
The Florida Keys are fraught with danger: Bugs the size of your foot, painful stones instead of soft sand, feral six-toed cats lurking around every corner and overpriced everything. But those perils pale compared to what faces you if you check into your old army buddy’s seaside hotel after it’s been taken over by a group of violent gangsters. That’s what happens to Frank McCloud (Humphrey Bogart) in John Huston’s noir-gangster film. Exiled gangster Johnny Rocco (Edward G. Robinson) needs to get back to Cuba after delivering some counterfeit money, but a violent storm is holding him in Florida and putting him on edge, and he’s taking it out on everyone around him. When one of those people is ultimate tough guy Bogey, that’s not a good idea. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89L5VV-MQjCKLmGdw45Mzu6WEA5o2rUb4jRPD8Uivy1QzpRCjQD9uiGBEnXgKXTIfisGaAUIXic-Iw3XjQnHzSd2yIxp7uHhUWdUJEzlaa-KPDVXiB3xwmB4u39qazcU0DTRMjfipmv0U/s1600/touch-of-evil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89L5VV-MQjCKLmGdw45Mzu6WEA5o2rUb4jRPD8Uivy1QzpRCjQD9uiGBEnXgKXTIfisGaAUIXic-Iw3XjQnHzSd2yIxp7uHhUWdUJEzlaa-KPDVXiB3xwmB4u39qazcU0DTRMjfipmv0U/s200/touch-of-evil.jpg" width="149" /></a>6) The seedy desert motel in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Touch-Evil-Anniversary-Charlton-Heston/dp/B001CC7PQ2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Touch of Evil</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001CC7PQ2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1958)<br />
Orson Welles’ corruption thriller features a number of bad choices. First, why do honeymooning cop Miguel Vargas (Charlton Heston) and his pretty wife Susie (Janet Leigh) choose to stop in the most violent, dangerous border town in Mexico? Second, when Mike gets mixed up in a local investigation involving drug-dealing gangs and murder, why would he check his wife into a seedy motel run by one of the gangs? As if the creepy, leery desk clerk (Dennis Weaver) weren’t enough of a warning sign! So it’s no surprise when Susie finds herself the victim of a most unpleasant housekeeping check. Oh, and the third bad choice: Having Charlton Heston play a Chicano! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRoRShGzeq7Gh01ncIiAo4dLayypcGatj29oCtLnfKBzEXWW8oTmCVK-ZyLxujd2m4Z9zjMBdIzZlfw2a7CxuXIkm0_hYSUz9K75HeHdRqcHsvW1e1IRy1A1eKBS7cnA0UOQZJ8HiACuR/s1600/motel-hell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRoRShGzeq7Gh01ncIiAo4dLayypcGatj29oCtLnfKBzEXWW8oTmCVK-ZyLxujd2m4Z9zjMBdIzZlfw2a7CxuXIkm0_hYSUz9K75HeHdRqcHsvW1e1IRy1A1eKBS7cnA0UOQZJ8HiACuR/s200/motel-hell.jpg" width="200" /></a>5) The Motel Hello in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Deranged-Midnite-Movies-Double-Feature/dp/B000068TPD?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Motel Hell</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000068TPD" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1980)<br />
There’s rarely a vacancy at the Motel Hello, at least according to the sign outside the rural lodging run by Farmer Vincent (Rory Calhoun) and his sister Ida. The overall-clad siblings are also well known for their distinctively delicious smoked meats. The secret recipe? Capture passing motorists, slit their vocal cords, bury them up to their necks in the flesh garden out back until they’re ripe, then slaughter and cure accordingly. Hey, at least it’s not a bed and breakfast! <br />
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4) The Slovakian “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hostel-Directors-Blu-ray-Jay-Hernandez/dp/B000VD9MG4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hostel</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000VD9MG4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2005)<br />
Every year, thousands of young people toss a few belongings in a backpack and venture on horizon-expanding treks through foreign lands, relying on the cheap communal lodgings known as hostels for a place to lay their heads for the night. But we’re willing to be that the number of curiosity-seeking kids dwindled at least a little after Eli Roth’s “Hostel,” in which three über-obnoxious dudes become the torture-toys for rich sadists. Then again, if you’re as stupid, misogynist and racist as the ugly Americans in “Hostel,” you DESERVE to be poked with a power drill. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9gchvSGlwRnlKRZcykRUK1STtnvOKvdUaCySsbaZ9G61tNiPd3oKCoCZq5-LC-jKfeKz0k09vc2XtZx8Ibl1XkV7n1A5SRdwEpYez8hSnXi0Snf8JgGkS6qV57yt6S5bMXIMCcE7oG6HI/s1600/shining-elevator.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9gchvSGlwRnlKRZcykRUK1STtnvOKvdUaCySsbaZ9G61tNiPd3oKCoCZq5-LC-jKfeKz0k09vc2XtZx8Ibl1XkV7n1A5SRdwEpYez8hSnXi0Snf8JgGkS6qV57yt6S5bMXIMCcE7oG6HI/s320/shining-elevator.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>3) the Overlook Hotel in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shining-Blu-ray-Jack-Ncholson/dp/B000UJ48WC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the Shining</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000UJ48WC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1980)<br />
It’s too bad the winters can be so brutal in Denver. Otherwise the enormous, isolated Overlook Hotel could stay open for ski season and allow visitors year round access to its amenities, including the hedge maze, haunted ballroom, friendly dead twins and blood-gushing elevators! Stephen King may not have approved of Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shining-Stephen-King/dp/0743437497?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">his best-seller</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0743437497" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, but for millions of moviegoers, Room 237 will always be off-limits! <br />
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2) The Hotel Earle in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Barton-Fink-John-Turturro/dp/B00008RH3J?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Barton Fink</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00008RH3J" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1991)<br />
Barton Fink (John Turturro) is a very serious New York playwright who finds himself lured to Hollywood to take a crack at screenwriting. But his first assignment, a wrestling movie, prompts a serious case of writer’s block. But Barton’s not working in the most inspiring surroundings. His room at the Hotel Earle is a dank, dark, stinking hot place, with peeling wallpaper, insects, mysterious dripping goo, the creakiest bed in the world and a bellicose neighbor (John Goodman) whose overly friendly nature belies the fact that he’s a serial killer. Oh, well, at least they shine your shoes for free! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3yrrj2RitRL-D9o14uzxaC1uRbrEZikBCWx_MQ7Q0NEiwjsdGAdInGC1ssRMq72GTRauY8ZRHtkebv8yTpAWXLFdjl3NmPUkA-m3cy0qeWYMMl_EOF_Jkp8QUZWxfiZ3n3SprLOWUIH3x/s1600/bates-motel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3yrrj2RitRL-D9o14uzxaC1uRbrEZikBCWx_MQ7Q0NEiwjsdGAdInGC1ssRMq72GTRauY8ZRHtkebv8yTpAWXLFdjl3NmPUkA-m3cy0qeWYMMl_EOF_Jkp8QUZWxfiZ3n3SprLOWUIH3x/s200/bates-motel.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>1) The Bates Motel in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Psycho-Anniversary-Blu-ray-Anthony-Perkins/dp/B003IWZ1D8?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Psycho</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003IWZ1D8" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1960)<br />
Obvious, yes, but is there any more iconic creepy lodging in the history of film? However, the hotel manager, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) seems like such a nice young man. He even offers to make you a sandwich and have a chat about taxidermy and mental institutions! And the place is nice and peaceful, considering nobody else seems to be checked in. And it’s been such a long, exhausting drive through the desert. You know what would be great? A nice, long, relaxing shower…<br />
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Later this summer, in addition to “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hostel-Part-II-Unrated-Widescreen/dp/B000UJ48P4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hostel: Part II</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000UJ48P4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” John Cusack checks into the Dolphin Hotel’s haunted room “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/1408-Blu-ray-John-Cusack/dp/B001AR0D4K?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">1408</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001AR0D4K" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” and a remake of “Motel Hell” is slated to hit theaters by the holidays. So if you’re planning a trip, we’d suggest hitting those online discount reservation sites early, lest you end up stuck in some hell hole with no A/C and bleeding walls. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. <br />
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<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1557194/rewind-creepiest-movie-hotels.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, April 2007</a>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086826998058584637.post-52902362994056911592011-02-11T11:27:00.001-05:002011-02-11T11:30:10.852-05:00Big screen cartoon adaptations aren't always a gay old time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWr0Ww5_C4mmwDSEQ0S8KZQckK3FotoDmPiy5FG892EZPax4YOBnK9HHsEXxMgxMqnvgfwo6vq1cNp9c8vmUfHgoYdQjSzNUWkXhY-yh5ERzdB4wOQAi2H6aaLCk42DMehc0Ia7qRmKvh/s1600/aqua-teen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWr0Ww5_C4mmwDSEQ0S8KZQckK3FotoDmPiy5FG892EZPax4YOBnK9HHsEXxMgxMqnvgfwo6vq1cNp9c8vmUfHgoYdQjSzNUWkXhY-yh5ERzdB4wOQAi2H6aaLCk42DMehc0Ia7qRmKvh/s200/aqua-teen.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>Meatwad, Frylock and Master Shake make the leap from Cartoon Network to the big screen this week in “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hunger-Force-Colon-Movie-Theaters/dp/B00005JPP2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005JPP2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” Will the free-associating fast food icons be able to stretch their shtick into a full-length adventure or will AQTF be added to the list of cartoon movies (animated or translated to live action) that should’ve stayed on the small screen? <br />
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Certainly cartoon characters are no strangers to movies. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Bugs-Bunny/dp/B003U0AHGE?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Bugs Bunny,</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003U0AHGE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Walt-Disney-Treasures-Mickey-Living/dp/B0000BWVAF?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Mickey Mouse</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000BWVAF" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, Casper the Friendly Ghost, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tom-Jerry-Chuck-Jones-Collection/dp/B001U3N3QY?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Tom and Jerry</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001U3N3QY" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, Mr. Magoo, the Pink Panther and other Saturday Morning TV staples originated in animated theatrical shorts. But what happens when characters created for TV become movie stars? <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2MPhKGWqQLBWoWivJV9URJRkSz2Ywhu1opIUNr8mw-UCW0l_1RBHczSEYZZUjzkzlul3yR70MzfPQeVPgRNsGOkY2VcCCosBh2uJ66LMYYEZtI8NVm2uRZSyGW_D9Ol_zKif7Vu2Pne6/s1600/hey-there-yogi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC2MPhKGWqQLBWoWivJV9URJRkSz2Ywhu1opIUNr8mw-UCW0l_1RBHczSEYZZUjzkzlul3yR70MzfPQeVPgRNsGOkY2VcCCosBh2uJ66LMYYEZtI8NVm2uRZSyGW_D9Ol_zKif7Vu2Pne6/s200/hey-there-yogi.jpg" width="131" /></a>It’s logical that the studio that invented the TV cartoon was the first to make the leap to features. In the 1960s, Hanna-Barbera produced two full-length animated musicals for the big screen. “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hey-There-Its-Yogi-Bear/dp/B001E2PQA2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hey, There, It’s Yogi Bear</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001E2PQA2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1964) follows the ursine pick-a-nic basket thief and his pal Boo Boo on a cross country trek to rescue Yogi’s girlfriend Cindy from nefarious circus folk. 1966’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Man-Called-Flintstone-Alan-Reed/dp/B001E2PQAC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Man Called Flintstone</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001E2PQAC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” satirized the spy genre, with Fred, the patriarch of the modern stone-age family recruited to take the place of an injured secret agent who looks exactly like him (did Chris Rock’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bad-Company-Anthony-Hopkins/dp/B00006JDVT?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Bad Company</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00006JDVT" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” steal its plot from this film?). It wasn’t until 1990 when the next animated H-B feature, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jetsons-Movie-William-Hanna/dp/B001PMWLXQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Jetsons: the movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B001PMWLXQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” dropped into theaters like a lead sprocket.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKeKTZnVYcjaBS9K1a-eS7ievB6SkT6QIJoMgzSbUyJy59O3I7IKbbQSolBmAIUKsYnivz8YLS3rVRwiDumfJZhQpTyohwQth2KyuSFlKlNcwbzLHco4xdE481fDOez-SAqmr0blaUxGe/s1600/boris-natasha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKeKTZnVYcjaBS9K1a-eS7ievB6SkT6QIJoMgzSbUyJy59O3I7IKbbQSolBmAIUKsYnivz8YLS3rVRwiDumfJZhQpTyohwQth2KyuSFlKlNcwbzLHco4xdE481fDOez-SAqmr0blaUxGe/s200/boris-natasha.jpg" width="131" /></a>The first attempt at turning a TV cartoon into a live action feature was 1992’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Boris-Natasha-John-Calvin/dp/B00008G8MN?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Boris and Natasha</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00008G8MN" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” starring Dave Thomas and Sally Kellerman as the Pottsylvanian spies from the classic <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rocky-Bullwinkle-Friends-Complete-Season/dp/B00009PJT0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00009PJT0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> of the 1960s. But the film makes almost no attempt to ape the lightning-quick, razor sharp satire of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-Boris-Natasha-Vol/dp/B000EQ5PPA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the source material</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000EQ5PPA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, the actors don’t bother to imitate the spies’ iconic accents and “moose and squirrel” get mere lip service. Sadly, 2000’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Rocky-Bullwinkle-Robert-Niro/dp/B00003CXJA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CXJA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” despite much bigger names and budget, didn’t fare much better. The lead characters are rendered in CG, alongside Jason Alexander as Boris, Rene Russo as Natasha and, amazingly, Robert DeNiro as Fearless Leader. The movie’s self-referential plot is too convoluted to even get into, and while an earnest attempt was made to capture the rat-a-tat style of the cartoons, it just doesn’t work. <br />
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In fact, none of the cartoons produced by Jay Ward in the 1960s fared well in their live action adaptations. 1997’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/George-Jungle-1-Brendan-Fraser/dp/B00386F0D0?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">George of the Jungle</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00386F0D0" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” and 1999’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dudley-Do-Right-Brendan-Fraser/dp/B000035Z3G?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Dudley Do-Right</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000035Z3G" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (both starring Brendan Fraser) likewise failed to capture the manic energy of the originals. It’s simply a case of clashing esthetic requirements. The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/George-Jungle-Complete-Daws-Butler/dp/B000ZBEOHO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">short animated segments</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000ZBEOHO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> were perfect for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-Dudley-Do-Right-Vol/dp/B00080ZFZ2?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the rapid-fire puns</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00080ZFZ2" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and over-the-top characterizations. Turning the extremely exaggerated cartoons into real people in a 90-minute story was a bad idea from the get-go. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAc54E1wQW_dI9DciqhpISMvAzr3zyyzVTBsjWujCmAlH8E72HOGS6dAN0kh5XNXgIZ8te4E_pgDnLyBmAeesa8F0BsxY8_2-Cht-XWF2HnjLNM4bD3Jj-m3gRzK2TrYMlzmmTwHfMIZr/s1600/flintstones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPAc54E1wQW_dI9DciqhpISMvAzr3zyyzVTBsjWujCmAlH8E72HOGS6dAN0kh5XNXgIZ8te4E_pgDnLyBmAeesa8F0BsxY8_2-Cht-XWF2HnjLNM4bD3Jj-m3gRzK2TrYMlzmmTwHfMIZr/s200/flintstones.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>More traditional sit-com cartoons seem more suitable for a live translation, even if the results have been mixed. In 1994’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flintstones-Collectors-John-Goodman/dp/0783231644?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Flintstones</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0783231644" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” John Goodman and Rick Moranis easily fit into the pelts of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flintstones-Complete-First-Season/dp/B0001CNQUS?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Fred and Barney</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0001CNQUS" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, but Elizabeth Perkins is kind of wan as Wilma and Rosie O’Donnell is just grating as Betty. The story (in which Fred becomes the corporate patsy for an embezzlement scheme) is merely serviceable, and the forced pop music is obtrusive, but the art direction is impeccable. There are tons of nods to the cartoon and the mixture of Jim Henson puppets and CGI to create the prehistoric creatures works well. In fact, this may be the only film where the incidental background elements are what make the film worth seeing! However, the less said about the fully-recast 2000 prequel, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Flintstones-Viva-Rock-Vegas/dp/B00003CXIA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00003CXIA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” the better. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgniAbedPxRXilKE_exvielLFUpOYyVvNMhpmI0g0Dh4bmeb2qheEBWLhjWCAJ-JK503ad5UFQmUjZxER3uFW1-cBCzee6MJKmiItSbPhDMjOWrDBUqlrWQi4gA9sPAWVx4EtVaEawZsRGc/s1600/scooby-doo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgniAbedPxRXilKE_exvielLFUpOYyVvNMhpmI0g0Dh4bmeb2qheEBWLhjWCAJ-JK503ad5UFQmUjZxER3uFW1-cBCzee6MJKmiItSbPhDMjOWrDBUqlrWQi4gA9sPAWVx4EtVaEawZsRGc/s200/scooby-doo.jpg" width="180" /></a>Following 2001’s execrable “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Josie-Pussycats-Rachael-Leigh-Cook/dp/B00005MEVO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Josie and the Pussycats</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005MEVO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (which was based on a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Josie-Pussycats-Complete-Janet-Waldo/dp/B000RPD0DM?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">cartoon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000RPD0DM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> that was based on a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Best-Josie-Pussycats-Frank-Doyle/dp/1879794071?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">comic book</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1879794071" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> that was revamped to match the cartoon… got that?), another iconic H-B series came to life in 2000’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scooby-Doo-Widescreen-Freddie-Prinze-Jr/dp/B00006HBUA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Scooby Doo</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00006HBUA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” Like “The Flintstones,” the movie is most notable for how carefully the look of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scooby-Doo-Where-Are-You-Complete/dp/B0001CNQVM?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the show</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0001CNQVM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and characterizations were recreated. Matthew Lillard and Linda Cardellini are eerily perfect as Shaggy and Velma, while Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. merely walk through their parts as Fred and Daphne, appearing even less believable than the titular CGI Great Dane. The 2004 sequel, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Scooby-Doo-2-Monsters-Unleashed/dp/B000G1R4RK?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Monsters Unleashed</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000G1R4RK" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” upped the ante by including numerous villains from the TV show including the fun-to-say Miner Forty-Niner. <br />
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Although at one point, live action was considered, MTV’s cartoon headbangers remained animated in 1996’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Butt-Head-America-Anniversary-Special-Collectors/dp/B000GBEWGQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Beavis and Butt-head Do America</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000GBEWGQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (taking work away from Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter). When B&B are mistaken for hitmen (hired to “do” the cheating wife of an arms dealer), they embark on a cross country trek that involves peyote cacti, Chelsea Clinton, the destruction of national landmarks and lots of cavity searches. The film was a huge hit, both commercially and critically, with even Siskel & Ebert giving the two brainless boobs two thumbs up. Huh-huh. I said “boobs.” <br />
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Faring less well was 1999’s live action “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Inspector-Gadget-2/dp/B0019ESNGO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Inspector Gadget</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0019ESNGO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />.” Matthew Broderick stars as the “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/RoboCop-Trilogy-Blu-ray-Peter-Weller/dp/B003VS0CYC?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Robocop</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003VS0CYC" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” for kiddies, a security guard who gets refitted with cybernetic, uh, gadgets and does battle with the evil Dr. Claw, played by Rupert Everett. The film ill-advisedly attempts to be logical and create a somewhat darker tone than <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Inspector-Gadget-Go-Collection/dp/B002BYYA68?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">the cartoon</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002BYYA68" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, resulting in a movie that didn’t appeal to fans of the original or their parents. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyvjrcY8A0Z7a8RbG7XmyobX11XYW_GkINoMfumP4qybZbYL0mwPcsFX5Ae3-SdisFdo67KgDTIhwLhiJuMazNkaEtEy3BIE2Hpa-dOMQEJyrlYKEhlNozEs6y2yWV9NYrxeyGSOH1kz-/s1600/thunderbirds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFyvjrcY8A0Z7a8RbG7XmyobX11XYW_GkINoMfumP4qybZbYL0mwPcsFX5Ae3-SdisFdo67KgDTIhwLhiJuMazNkaEtEy3BIE2Hpa-dOMQEJyrlYKEhlNozEs6y2yWV9NYrxeyGSOH1kz-/s200/thunderbirds.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>But then, there are some concepts that just shouldn’t be translated to live action. Take “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thunderbirds-Megaset-Complete-12-Set/dp/B000068M9Q?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Thunderbirds</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000068M9Q" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” the classic British “Supermarionation” show of the 1960s. Using puppets and models, the story of the Tracy family and their International Rescue organization was popular enough to spawn two full-length features, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thunderbirds-Are-Go-International-Rescue/dp/B00020X85M?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Thunderbirds are GO</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00020X85M" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1966) and “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thunderbird-International-Rescue-Peter-Dyneley/dp/B00020X85C?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Thunderbird 6</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00020X85C" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1968). But when Hollywood went all Pinocchio on the Tracys and turned the puppets into flesh and blood actors in 2004’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Thunderbirds-Widescreen-Bill-Paxton/dp/B00005JMZA?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Thunderbirds</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005JMZA" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” magic didn’t happen. Despite an attempt to modernize the story into a “Spy Kids” pastiche, the movie still felt too corny for the kids and not enough for old fans of the original series. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8Bt_CLFQBltchCW-NSAmDNDWbpQaw60YGIcgu_uDgTXg5BKPY5ZmH2gggjEc8zJUEPkdvVWqLQS8e0xxGgOgtkuqFB6pKoKNbY2MiEGIx2Em7Cpi20c9k1XqlgGeAo1wKdVbmtjc8Z8Z/s1600/fat-albert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT8Bt_CLFQBltchCW-NSAmDNDWbpQaw60YGIcgu_uDgTXg5BKPY5ZmH2gggjEc8zJUEPkdvVWqLQS8e0xxGgOgtkuqFB6pKoKNbY2MiEGIx2Em7Cpi20c9k1XqlgGeAo1wKdVbmtjc8Z8Z/s200/fat-albert.jpg" width="200" /></a>In the 1970s, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alberts-Greatest-Ultimate-Collection-4-discs/dp/B00062IE9Q?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00062IE9Q" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> could always be relied on for some urban snaps, funky tunes and a dollop of moralizing on Saturday mornings. In the 2004 “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Albert-Kenan-Thompson/dp/B0007N1A36?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Fat Albert</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0007N1A36" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” movie, the kids literally leap out of the TV cartoon and into contemporary live action. Albert (Kenan Thompson), Mush Mouth, Dumb Donald and the rest look right, sound right, and even have some funny bits, but the movie is so sterile and safe and sanctimonious (not to mention shameless in its repeated plugs for DVDs of the original cartoon) that you kinda wish the kids would’ve popped into the middle of a real gang fight (the movie even contains a slight dig at hip hop, no doubt at the insistence of its cranky creator, Cosby). <br />
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Of course, numerous chunks of more recent cable kid-fodder have spawned movie features, all designed more for the home video market than the multiplex. But undoubtedly, kids screamed until their parents took them to see “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Disneys-DuckTales-Movie-Treasure-Lost/dp/B000G26YAW?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Duck Tales: Treasure of the Lost Lamp</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000G26YAW" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (1990), “Doug’s 1st Movie” (1999), “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jimmy-Neutron-Genius-Debi-Derryberry/dp/B000065U37?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000065U37" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2001), “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hey-Arnold-Movie-Paul-Sorvino/dp/B0000714CQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Hey Arnold! The Movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B0000714CQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2002), “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Thornberrys-Movie-Tim-Curry/dp/B00005JLS5?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Wild Thornberrys Movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005JLS5" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2002), “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Powerpuff-Girls-Movie-Cathy-Cavadini/dp/B00006JU8D?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Powerpuff Girls Movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00006JU8D" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2002), “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Spongebob-Squarepants-Movie-Widescreen/dp/B00005JN55?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Spongebob SquarePants Movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B00005JN55" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” (2004) and three (count ‘em) different “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Rugrats-Movie-Elizabeth-Daily/dp/0792155203?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Rugrats</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0792155203" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” movies! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFI2aiAnWAsvcFHE1dgcMfaz84Q6e1yFEUNwI9X9JDbpsT1teQjdzeEXuKe62HnXX9Ts7ufHy5cp3lhzwbapRdEM_4XHTo40DSJlIYqNzf1rg6N6bR02rq4MQaZkYY3TSSUr0Dg-Rx30C/s1600/aeon-flux.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFI2aiAnWAsvcFHE1dgcMfaz84Q6e1yFEUNwI9X9JDbpsT1teQjdzeEXuKe62HnXX9Ts7ufHy5cp3lhzwbapRdEM_4XHTo40DSJlIYqNzf1rg6N6bR02rq4MQaZkYY3TSSUr0Dg-Rx30C/s200/aeon-flux.jpg" width="171" /></a></div>The surreal sci-fi cartoon series <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Aeon-Flux-Complete-Animated-Collection/dp/B000B8I9XQ?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Aeon Flux</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000B8I9XQ" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> (which originally aired as part of MTV’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Mtv-Wet-Shorts-Liquid-Television/dp/1573306975?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Liquid Television</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1573306975" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> series in the early ‘90s) was more about style than substance, with little (sometimes no) dialogue, a lack of continuity between episodes and an emphasis on cool imagery. But mainstream movies are obsessed with exposition, and so the live 2005 “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Aeon-Flux-Blu-ray-Charlize-Theron/dp/B000IOM0WE?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Aeon Flux</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000IOM0WE" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” movie tried to fill in all the holes. Of course, few fans approved. In the title role, Charlize Theron is chunky compared to the Egon Schiele-inspired cartoon, but she’s actually not bad, especially given the convoluted assassination / coup plot she has to leap through. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEQbJVqGqAjcRaCC8-c6jjcq_kKwqk2-EbW2NlJHs5rBbgNo8dwxxMlM0O_wYONu2qzDSrDarOWc5eh57T6bajsmKvN0qc4xx1wVnvZt9fGTBkbJxsdMED_iXx3bo_8YKsba1Rk6Ll4tI/s1600/south-park.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEQbJVqGqAjcRaCC8-c6jjcq_kKwqk2-EbW2NlJHs5rBbgNo8dwxxMlM0O_wYONu2qzDSrDarOWc5eh57T6bajsmKvN0qc4xx1wVnvZt9fGTBkbJxsdMED_iXx3bo_8YKsba1Rk6Ll4tI/s200/south-park.jpg" width="152" /></a>Probably the best small-to-large screen cartoon leap was ironically one of the least-animated. 1999’s “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/South-Park-Bigger-Longer-Blu-ray/dp/B002HK9I04?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002HK9I04" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” freed Trey Parker and Matt Stone from the constraints of network TV, fulfilling the promise of their hilariously obscene 1995 “Spirit of Christmas” short that launched the series. The movie is a blistering critique of censorship, containing more profanity than a Scorsese film and some truly catchy musical numbers that put all that saccharine Disney piffle to shame. Sadly, as with most great satire, the people who needed to see it the most didn’t even give it a chance (including Saddam Hussein). <br />
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Whether Aqua Teen Hunger Force hits or misses, the cartoon transition continues: This summer sees “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Simpsons-Movie-Blu-ray-Dan-Castellaneta/dp/B000XQP7IG?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">The Simpsons Movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000XQP7IG" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />", and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Underdog-Amy-Adams/dp/B000WCBULO?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Underdog</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000WCBULO" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Speed-Racer-Blu-ray-Emile-Hirsch/dp/B003M5AXN4?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Speed Racer</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B003M5AXN4" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" /> and Mighty Mouse are all on the way as well. Not to mention “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Transformers-Two-Disc-Special-Live-Blu-ray/dp/B000NTPDT6?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Transformers</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B000NTPDT6" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />,” but that falls into an entirely different category: syngergistic toy/cartoon hybrids that became movies (which we’ll tackle when that movie hits, “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Masters-Universe-Keepcase-Dolph-Lundgren/dp/B002GHHHOM?ie=UTF8&tag=5wol-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969" target="_blank">Masters of the Universe</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=5wol-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=B002GHHHOM" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important; padding: 0px ! important;" width="1" />” fans)… <br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">POSTSCRIPT, FEBRUARY 2011:</span></b><br />
The cartoon flix kept and keep on a-comin'.... I actually thought SPEED RACER was pretty interesting, but will not be going to see THE SMURFS, thank you very much. <br />
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<i><a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1556645/rewind-tv-cartoons-on-big-screen.jhtml">ORIGINALLY POSTED in REWIND on MTV.COM, April 2007</a></i>Pops Gustavhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088037612511113290noreply@blogger.com0