David Carradine, R.I.P. (1936 - 2009)

"Sherlock Holmes": The Official Trailer

I don't care what the stuffy Sherlock Holmes buffs think. As a revisionist-loving Sherlockian of more than 40 years, I think this trailer for the new Guy Ritchie movie looks like a whole lotta fun. And the film will probably result in tens of thousands of new Conan Doyle readers by year's end.

DVD review: DOC SAVAGE

A month ago, I mentioned that one of my guilty pleasures is the 1975 George Pal movie Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze, and that it’s now available on DVD from Warner Brothers through The Warner Archive Collection. This is an on-demand service, and the DVDs are bare-bones but “studio quality.” The price may seem a tad high, but if you really love something, what’s twenty bucks, fer crissakes?

Anyway, I ordered my copy and promised at the time that I’d report back on the DVD.

Well, it is bare-bones. The packaging is minimal, but the DVD comes in a keep-case. As for the disk itself, it includes a promo for the Warner Archive Collection, the original movie trailer, and the film. I’m delighted. The trailer is in pretty crappy shape, full of blobs, hairs, bumps, etc. That’s no surprise. But the movie looks great to me. It’s presented in widescreen, and the print seems very clean and sharp, even on my 46-inch flatscreen. Now, I watched the movie on my Blu-ray player, and that’s supposed to amp up the picture quality a bit, so that may have something to do with it. But regardless, the print looks terrific.

As for the film itself, Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze remains a prize. While awaiting the arrival of the DVD, I re-read the first Doc Savage novel, written by Lester Dent in 1932. This is the story that the movie adapts. And you know something? Even with all the campiness, the movie is awfully faithful to its source material. Ron Ely still seems to me the perfect Doc, and the rest of the cast is spot-on, too.

So, Doc Savage buffs. If you’ve never before seen this little gem, take advantage of this. Buy the movie and treasure it. Last summer, I learned at Comic-Con that a new Doc Savage movie is planned. But in the meantime, this is the real deal.

Happy Easter!

Coming this Christmas

Doc Savage is here!

George Pal's Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze (1975) always disappoints fans of the Lester Dent stories. But I love it. And I'm a big Doc Savage fan. Sure, the movie's silly. But the casting was great; Ron Ely brought back the old pulp image of Doc and played his role perfectly.

I saw Doc Savage at least three times in the theaters during its brief original run. I rented it on VHS a couple of times. I've seen it on TV a few times.

But no DVD release, at least here in the U.S. I understand it's been released as a "full-frame" DVD in Germany. And I've seen a few bootlegs online. But nothing official.

Well, the closest thing to an official Doc Savage DVD release is now available from Warner Brothers through The Warner Archive Collection. This is an on-demand service where you can order custom-made DVDs of WB films otherwise unavailable. Each DVD is $19.95 -- not bad for a movie you're just dying to own. Warners says they're "studio quality," but I don't know what that means. Are they widescreen or pan-and-scan? What condition are these films in?

That all remains to be seen. Since no retail release date has been offered for Doc Savage, I just may order this from the Archive. Then we'll all know.

I'll keep you posted.

Hollywood always loves The State

I just caught last year’s Death Race on DVD. It’s a grimmer, less satiric remake of Roger Corman’s Death Race 2000 from the 1970s, but that doesn’t mean it’s less fun. I’m a fan of Jason Statham, who stars in the film, and I’m also a big fan of cars tricked out with enormous weaponry. So this new Death Race is a keeper.

One annoying bit, though. The opening crawl sets the stage, explaining that in the near-future, “private corporations now run the correctional facilities — for profit.” And, of course, they make that profit by sacrificing criminals in automotive death races.

God forbid that anyone could imagine that The State — the most blood-drenched, inhumane institution in mankind’s history — would ever run such horrific prisons (which it already does) or host such death races. No way. It’s gotta be private business, Hollywood’s traditional boogeyman.

C’mon, guys…wake up!

A thought after watching WATCHMEN

Yes, I did see Watchmen this past week. And yes, I did like it. Very much.

My fondness for the graphic novel — and I’m one of those who first read it in comic book form back in the mid-’80s — is tied tightly to my love of Steve Ditko. After all, three of the Watchmen characters are based on heroes from Ditko’s run at Charlton Comics in the 1960s. Rorschach is an amped up (but not by much) The Question. Night Owl is based on Ditko’s version of the Blue Beetle. And Doctor Manhattan is pulled from Captain Atom.

So besides enjoying Watchmen the movie as a fine adaptation of the book, my imagination was stretched. I thought how cool it would be to see movie adaptations of the original Ditko source material. Why not a Question movie — or TV series? Why not a Blue Beetle movie?

Just a thought...

"It Just Doesn't Matter"

Happy birthday, my dear Watson

Nigel Bruce, the most beloved movie Watson of all time, was born on this day in 1895. He died in 1953. Somewhere, the game's still afoot!

Never a number (1928-2009)

Nixon's the one!

Today on LewRockwell.com, Jeff Tucker writes about Oliver Stone’s Nixon (1995), one of my favorite political films. I recommend that movie highly, but would suggest as a companion piece Secret Honor (1984), Robert Altman’s movie adaptation of the play by Donald Freed and Arnold M. Stone. I saw Philip Baker Hall’s extraordinary performance as Nixon on stage in Los Angeles a year before Altman captured it on film, and I think the movie is indispensable. All fans of political drama should see Secret Honor.

Look who's on the Grassy Knoll!

A new Japanese trailer for this spring's much-anticipated movie adaptation of Watchmen shows that the Comedian fired the fatal shot that killed JFK. Jeepers!

Mad Max rides again!

There's nothing quite like launching into a new year with some post-apocalyptic fun! Those talented folks at Broken Sea Audio have added a new, one-hour full-cast audio drama to the legend of the Road Warrior -- Mad Max: Tomorrow's Road. You can find the MP3 download right here, but be warned: it's not for the kids or the faint of heart. (The music by Ray Gun Girls, incidentally, is terrific!)

Also of note: there's an ad at the tail end of Tomorrow's Road for an upcoming Broken Sea Audio production of an all-new, 21st century The Prisoner! Can't wait!

THE SPIRIT: No Sale

Until this morning, I'd intended to take a break from the in-laws on this Christmas day and visit the local theater complex to see Frank Miller's The Spirit. Alas, the dreadful reviews have finally overwhelmed even me, the biggest of Miller and Will Eisner fans. This one will be viewed on DVD sometime in the next 3-4 months. I may even wait for its debut on HBO next fall. Hell, maybe I'll never even see it at all.

Refocus on the comics, Frank. Please.

Just say no...to movie remakes

It seems my buddy Tom Novak expects me to expose myself to the Day the Earth Stood Still remake and save him the heartache of having to do so. Alas, Tom, I will not be reporting here on TDTESS while it’s in theaters; my review will come, if indeed it ever does come, sometime after it’s gone to DVD or cable.

Generally, I avoid remakes. Sure, once in a very great while, a remake does the original proud; Phil Kaufman’s 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers immediately comes to mind. But more often than not, today’s remakes spring from movies that were so perfect the first time, there’s no need to re-do them at all. Groaners from the past few years include unnecessary new versions of The Manchurian Candidate, King Kong (1976 and 2005), Cape Fear, Breathless, The Ladykillers, Halloween, Psycho, and Planet of the Apes. And there are reports that we should expect do-overs of the sci-fi classics Robocop and Escape from New York. Why God oh why?

So, no, Tom, don’t expect a report on Keanu Reeves’ spin on Klaatu anytime soon. I’d much rather pop the 1951 masterpiece into my Blu-Ray and enjoy myself.

Welcome back, Frank!

I’ve really gotta wonder — why all the griping about Punisher: War Zone, the newest effort to launch a Punisher movie franchise? Not only do the mainstream critics hate it, as I’d expect, the online geekboys are piling on the shit as well. But as a longtime fan of the Punisher in most of his comic book versions, and a fan of 2004’s movie with Thomas Jane, I have to say that War Zone is just about everything I’ve wanted in a Punisher film. It’s over-the-top, it’s unrealistic (as it should be, right?), and it’s a veritable merry-go-round of blood-drenched kickass mayhem. The movie’s got Ray Stevenson doing a fine turn as Frank Castle, and it’s moved Frank to Manhattan (where he belongs), and it’s got hundreds and hundreds of mobsters and street punks ineffectually throwing themselves at Frank, and it’s got Dominic West playing Jigsaw fer crissakes. It’s got it all, and it’s all wrapped up into a balls-to-the-wall gangbuster of an action movie.

Unfortunately, Punisher: War Zone is tanking at the box office. But there is, after all, a long life promised in the DVD world. However, if you’re a fan of the character, you might want to run out immediately and see this new take on the Punisher while it’s still on the Big Screen.

007 is alive and well

Deb and I have been gone for almost two weeks (more on that later). But while blowing through Houston last Sunday, visiting our friends Kevin and Jo, we made time to see Quantum of Solace during its big opening weekend. Loved it, loved it, loved it. I’m still convinced that Daniel Craig is the best 007 since Connery, that Judi Dench is brilliant as M, and that together, these two are magic. A few quickie thoughts about the movie.

First, this is not your daddy’s God & Country James Bond. This new, relaunched series is both anti-establishment and anti-imperialist. Bravo!

Second, Quantum’s nod to Goldfinger (you know the scene I’m talking about) was both staggering and inspired. Genius.

Finally, if Quantum is the new, 21st century version of Smersh or SPECTRE, that’s very cool. I’m dying to see where this plot thread goes.

Night and Fog and the State

“Even a peaceful landscape…even a meadow in harvest, with crows circling overhead and grass fires…even a road where cars and peasants and couples pass…even a resort village with a steeple and country fair…can lead to a concentration camp.” So begins the narration of the most devastating documentary film ever made.

Before Hollywood determined it takes at least three hours to effectively grapple with the Holocaust — a Schindler’s List or a Pianist, for example — long before, some four decades and more, there was Alain Renais’ 31-minute Night and Fog.

I first saw and was shattered by this remarkable short movie while in college in 1975. I’ve just seen Night and Fog a second time, because Criterion recently released a new digital restoration of it on DVD. And 28 years later, Renais’ film remains for me not only a chilling record of Hitler’s "final solution" but the most powerful cinematic indictment of the State I’ve ever seen.

[Read entire essay here]

Still another guilty pleasure

Any list of the all-time worst movies based on comic book heroes will inevitably include the made-for-TV Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD, first broadcast on Fox in 1998. Written by David S. Goyer and directed by Rod Hardy, the movie starred David Hasselhoff as Fury, Lisa Rinna as Val, and even had a guy playing a cryogenically suspended Baron Von Strucker. Visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb.com) and you’ll see that the film has earned a 3.3 user rating (from a possible 10) and comments like “It couldn’t have sucked harder.” The movie definitely has a bad rep.

So here’s the deal: Best Buy now exclusively offers Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD on DVD. And I couldn’t be more pleased.

Granted, the movie’s not great. But after years of having kept my mouth shut, I’ve gotta finally come clean and confess that the Hasselhoff Nick Fury is a guilty pleasure of mine. Hasselhoff may not be today’s Fury (that’d be Samuel L. Jackson, of course), but he sure is the pre-Steranko Fury of 1965-66. Most of his lines sound like they were lifted straight out of the old Strange Tales stories. And Lisa Rinna isn’t much of an actress (although she’s been playing one for two decades), but she’s killer hot. Plus, even though the story’s pretty pedestrian (like most of those original stories from Strange Tales, incidentally), Hydra’s there, the SHIELD logo’s there, the latex jumpsuits are there, and the helicarrier’s there (and it looks damn good).

I watched Nick Fury: Agent of SHIELD when it first aired ten years ago. I’ve seen it two or three times on cable since then. And I just picked up a DVD copy at Best Buy.

Guess what I’ll be doing tomorrow night, instead of watching election returns?