tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67228953777192285962024-03-19T06:33:27.351-05:00The Midnite Drive-InThe concession stand is open. Beer and pretzels are half-price until showtime.Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.comBlogger435125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-14316849484489760452024-03-19T02:00:00.005-05:002024-03-19T02:00:00.448-05:00Meet Me at the Crossroads<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WkFxny6uyvYEhS1NW9E_XvF3OBqZoMr62mRmsELylVSWt9cvcAzQUIxJjPRqcOpKkd38-xWss9SNrX5EdbJ23uUHMFqS3e-4UoPodzk4ni2E3AVh-h8mVqNN6deezEfRe_z11eZVg5U2Row56a3PQJ4JBiWlrEQFkKS-6PbowiWDQ0PAynCDu599ydw/s441/c2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WkFxny6uyvYEhS1NW9E_XvF3OBqZoMr62mRmsELylVSWt9cvcAzQUIxJjPRqcOpKkd38-xWss9SNrX5EdbJ23uUHMFqS3e-4UoPodzk4ni2E3AVh-h8mVqNN6deezEfRe_z11eZVg5U2Row56a3PQJ4JBiWlrEQFkKS-6PbowiWDQ0PAynCDu599ydw/s320/c2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p>Some background to my experience:</p><p>I discovered the blues in the early 80's. My first experience was buying Muddy Waters' album "I'm a King Bee". I didn't have any idea what I was buying at the time. It was just on the shelf at Musicland, a music outlet at my local mall. (Remember malls? They were the go-to place for shopping back in the day and a decent place to hang out even if you weren't shopping).</p><p>Anyway, I bought the record without having any idea what I was getting, just because it was on sale. I got home and put it on the turn table and was transported to a world I had never known existed previously. </p><p>You have to understand: from the time I was born (1961) until about 1978, my total experience was country music. Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, they were my total experience, barring the occasional snippets of music I heard when hanging out with school friends. And those friends were into either heavy metal music (my first experience hearing AC/DC was while a freshman riding around with a few seniors at lunch) or pop music.<br /></p><p>But in 1978 I transitioned to the local pop music radio. But pop music was disco and R &B and the like. Bee Gees, Village People, Donna Summer and Electric Light Orchestra. My universe was expanding in the late 70's and I gradually started to realize there were different musical worlds out there. So by 1981 I was willing to listen to anything. It was during this time that I also discovered jazz.</p><p>But for a time I was entranced by the music of the blues. Granted, I didn't identify with it lyrically, but then no form of music ever touched me lyrically as a genre. The traditional "life is hard and I got a long road to hoe to get to happiness" theme was not my experience. I just liked the melodies and the sound of the instrumentation. Blues really hit me in that respect.</p><p>So when <i>Crossroads </i>hit the theaters I was already attracted by the musical portion. At the time I was also attracted to Ralph Macchio as an actor, so having his name on the marquee also gave me an incentive to see the movie. I later learned it was directed by one of my favorite directors, Walter Hill, but I have to admit, at that time I hardly ever paid attention to the director's credits in film (with the exception of John Carpenter, of course, who has always been a draw for me, dating back to my first experience with him with <i>Halloween</i>).</p><p>This <i>Crossroads</i> should NOT be confused with that turkey featuring the "no talent" (as an actress) Britney Spears. It's an entirely different movie, with it's basis on the legend of Robert Johnson, the ultimate king of the blues, who supposedly made a deal with the devil for his bluesmanship. Which is part of the driving force behind this film, as you will see.</p><p>(There are also several other movies out there with "Crossroads" in the title. It's apparently a very attractive title. I counted 14 others. But stick with the 1986 film if you want a very good drama. No telling what you'll get if you go down those other "crossroads"... Some of them, to be fair, may be actually good, but if you want to go with this theme, there is only one that I know of that fits it). <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aUVfdps0F8tmiT5dPSEIT4rFPJSgb7OeU96QBPWqQy3ucUwtO1gi9MAlUeTjS56Y5tzDJIeCyWECFyXLl0SlBrRfIbwCWYw_SDKp3yi25jJj31UW8DNk4VoEEnx1siaiE__U4HGeJzLEI-u7tS-q0CFHGmGUVK3ePGEgA7saJMXAkFR4R_Tk5QQwTys/s396/c1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="396" data-original-width="252" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9aUVfdps0F8tmiT5dPSEIT4rFPJSgb7OeU96QBPWqQy3ucUwtO1gi9MAlUeTjS56Y5tzDJIeCyWECFyXLl0SlBrRfIbwCWYw_SDKp3yi25jJj31UW8DNk4VoEEnx1siaiE__U4HGeJzLEI-u7tS-q0CFHGmGUVK3ePGEgA7saJMXAkFR4R_Tk5QQwTys/s320/c1.jpg" width="204" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>Crossroads</b>(1986): <br /></p><p>Eugene Martone (Raph Macchio) is a talented guitarist studying at Julliard (the mecca for talent in the music world. You get in that door and you really have something to write home about.). But according to his professor, he is wasting his talent messing around with this "primitive music" called the blues. Dr. Santis informs him that "excellence in primitive music is cultural... you have to be born with it". And coming from rich money (and Long Island to boot), Eugene is unlikely to have been born with it.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBdKfgPGUzCGC3a83vxgefNIQuVc5xvyL092SL7Rsz8R2pxEtaxLwTJfgxC6M4UzM6JDmkW1FEYk6SGFmKgz9LFTUfv2KeJeRWgRNzeLrpp5LplXXkD5rTQEYU48GOA4fvRRJolbxY3r9bBieQ06RBzPujCippCjbABTXMtHK74Gwl8LHNhVcvEEk-jQ/s735/c3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="608" data-original-width="735" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUBdKfgPGUzCGC3a83vxgefNIQuVc5xvyL092SL7Rsz8R2pxEtaxLwTJfgxC6M4UzM6JDmkW1FEYk6SGFmKgz9LFTUfv2KeJeRWgRNzeLrpp5LplXXkD5rTQEYU48GOA4fvRRJolbxY3r9bBieQ06RBzPujCippCjbABTXMtHK74Gwl8LHNhVcvEEk-jQ/s320/c3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>But Eugene is nothing if not dedicated to his sideline interest. In an effort to become known in the blues world he seeks out one of the last remaining original blues me, Willie Brown (Joe Seneca). Eugene is is convinced that this Willie Brown is also the man who played with Robert Johnson under the name Blind Dog Fulton.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDOfx56ETHovz261IbdKrHBpJXuEObCbEFs-xpgz_6CGY6nZWDAa4_Tjj2BNGbzlQt7fvZL1K4XagDpmVNME6ZvcStHKwLgLEujF6Yvd8JMfzqTOOFR95ksOGvEovY_Syb9K8MsLGUIYi27BpvPd2tmzmSXF5GxFXiEJvfRrv77FPcOU2l57-cAQUZYjk/s295/c4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="171" data-original-width="295" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDOfx56ETHovz261IbdKrHBpJXuEObCbEFs-xpgz_6CGY6nZWDAa4_Tjj2BNGbzlQt7fvZL1K4XagDpmVNME6ZvcStHKwLgLEujF6Yvd8JMfzqTOOFR95ksOGvEovY_Syb9K8MsLGUIYi27BpvPd2tmzmSXF5GxFXiEJvfRrv77FPcOU2l57-cAQUZYjk/s1600/c4.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>But Willie is incarcerated in a minimum security old folks home, basically a prison but for people who are old and not considered too much of a risk. What Eugene wants is to get Willie to teach him the legendary missing 30th song from Robert Johnson's recording sessions. Willie tells him he will teach it to him, but only if Eugene helps him escape the prison and get back to Mississippi.</p><p>Willie tells Eugene that he has a money stash to help chip in for the trip, but he won't show the wad of dough in New York City. He insists that Eugene pay the bus fare to Memphis and he will pay the rest of the way. But, of course, when they get to Memphis it comes to light that Willie's "stash" only amounts to $40. That won't get them anywhere near Mississippi... <br /></p><p>So they have to start hitchhiking, or, as Willie refers to it, "hoboing". Along the way they meet up with a runaway, Frances (Jamie Gertz). And end up rescuing her from a sleazeball bar owner whose intentions are not entirely pure. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEWZ0kDs8cREI97I8OcSnLOZz3bibH3ScmjNl-FWK-mDMPxWH2uxaVwTQ8wlqpl5Fm6yPHI5g2HOsWpPHKIzaA-Raz9oXuCxdsDDsBbbl8rJTHgHg7bjplW8VpgJZZdKZxNKeDCIqLRUmhe6vbD8PjZd4pI-M-oSVQ0NVGAxaeNQzLF8L7rdBF17hnns/s508/c5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="508" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlEWZ0kDs8cREI97I8OcSnLOZz3bibH3ScmjNl-FWK-mDMPxWH2uxaVwTQ8wlqpl5Fm6yPHI5g2HOsWpPHKIzaA-Raz9oXuCxdsDDsBbbl8rJTHgHg7bjplW8VpgJZZdKZxNKeDCIqLRUmhe6vbD8PjZd4pI-M-oSVQ0NVGAxaeNQzLF8L7rdBF17hnns/s320/c5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Although Frances and Eugene start out at odds, they eventually hook up. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyOGmCWJItBaO9acW8Rl9X6qeGprWLVn60QNhDEEW76lKPstiGBfmtKoZJ4AglNlP1w41RncYWQIMvPiBirngFpE4mWUeb-oOfzG5KyP6Bx4Tj9IfD9_4-_gJSyQy2HiyudQBOmWDLjm0t-JC3lar3DE9IkBX5UuNumwsnMPl-k8kM72cX4lwJqALexo/s500/c6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="500" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyOGmCWJItBaO9acW8Rl9X6qeGprWLVn60QNhDEEW76lKPstiGBfmtKoZJ4AglNlP1w41RncYWQIMvPiBirngFpE4mWUeb-oOfzG5KyP6Bx4Tj9IfD9_4-_gJSyQy2HiyudQBOmWDLjm0t-JC3lar3DE9IkBX5UuNumwsnMPl-k8kM72cX4lwJqALexo/s320/c6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>And Eugene, being a young man with the requisite hormones of said such, but also with the sense of said such, falls in love with Frances. But Frances is a bit more jaded for a girl of her age. So she takes off, leaving Eugene to his hormones and sense.</p><p>The ultimate goal of Willie comes to light, as the reason why he wanted to get to Mississippi was to get back to the crossroads where he made a deal with the devil umpteen odd years ago. The original go between, the Devil's assistant (Joe Morton), shows up, but Willie insists on talking to the big guy himself, the man who calls himself Scratch (Robert Judd).</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWteuaOFwI0UinkNgar3gYowcPvdCby3br5Vq29N52kB8kGqEnURTYwJoYhmo-gkF8sRIKY5eELf_r63FnlDcS7oWLC0tJjjqLYrB6IGVteGVMQAr3DODbK75VY44K6C96KmIX_4GiPqb5ufgJUHme4E8Yzf4oLl-lDeO-7Hfnldv_4-t4abCNM8MYLc/s800/c7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="800" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWteuaOFwI0UinkNgar3gYowcPvdCby3br5Vq29N52kB8kGqEnURTYwJoYhmo-gkF8sRIKY5eELf_r63FnlDcS7oWLC0tJjjqLYrB6IGVteGVMQAr3DODbK75VY44K6C96KmIX_4GiPqb5ufgJUHme4E8Yzf4oLl-lDeO-7Hfnldv_4-t4abCNM8MYLc/s320/c7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Scratch tells Willie he won't negate the contract for his soul. But if Willie is willing to pit a contest with Scratch's #1 guitarist, Jack Butler (Steve Vai), and Willie wins, he'll tear up the contract. But Willie is not a guitarist. But Eugene is. And Eugene, not believing in all this mumbo-jumbo about selling a soul to the Devil, agrees to sit in as Willie's substitute in the battle.</p><p>Of course, the battle is real, as the scene shifts to a juke joint in Hell. And Jack Butler, the guitarist representing Scratch in the contest turns out to be the epitome of a heavy metal wizard who had previously sold his own soul for the wizardry. And the guitar battle that ensues is one of the main reasons I have always liked this movie. On a list of musical sequences in film, this ranks in the top 5 for me. Jack and Eugene alternate, much like a heavy metal/blues version of "Dueling Banjos", with Jack playing a heavy metal piece and Eugene countering with a blues rendition of the piece.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4Y_E9q0Q7FHSfl7irrTrPWFLDwj-LLnJ9wAvDAW8zrejNHz3jVJewHrwGOOAFaVZMPw1b5vkrKpsnYvHd4bkehqkC8Oxer0ANRgj8SFSIx5jnqtLXV4gTgWCFVyiAxzjHN1ge68awVC9i4hQ6uMj92dVIU1UsF5LV9UExd4dxplaJxa7caS2wxCvO7Y/s300/c8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4Y_E9q0Q7FHSfl7irrTrPWFLDwj-LLnJ9wAvDAW8zrejNHz3jVJewHrwGOOAFaVZMPw1b5vkrKpsnYvHd4bkehqkC8Oxer0ANRgj8SFSIx5jnqtLXV4gTgWCFVyiAxzjHN1ge68awVC9i4hQ6uMj92dVIU1UsF5LV9UExd4dxplaJxa7caS2wxCvO7Y/s1600/c8.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Ultimately Eugene reverts to his classical training, and it is entirely a mystery to Jack. (Apparently Jack was not the most open musical guy, like I was and am. He had not had much experience with that genre and ends up losing the contest, which leads to Scratch tearing up the contract.</p><p><i>Crossroads</i> is a decent film in terms of acting, but for me, the draw is really the music. It's not a musical in the sense of the traditional term. You want a real musical with blues as it's basis <i>The Blues Brothers</i> is a better choice. But for drama and character, this one would be a better selection. Macchio and Seneca fit well together on screen. I can't say the same about Jamie Gertz. Gertz and Macchio just don't have the chemistry. It's hard to believe that pairing would happen, for me. Probably because I see myself in Eugene and I personally would never have made it past the physical attraction into the emotional attraction part with Frances. </p><p>Most of the time when Eugene is playing, we get a close up of hands playing the guitar without the long shot of Macchio. There is a purpose to this,of course. Macchio is not actually playing the guitar for the soundtrack. (Whether Macchio can actually play guitar or not I admit i don't know..) For his guitar playing it is actually guitar wizard Ry Cooder. Steve Vai, on the other hand, is really a guitar player. (Along with Joe Satriani and Eric Johnson, Vai has been on tour playing in what has been called the "G3 Tour"). I'm pretty sure Vai could have pulled off the classical music guitar if it had been Vai himself and not the character he played, Jack Butler.<br /></p><p>Fortunately, unlike Eugene and Willie, I have this old Plymouth to get on down the road. So drive safely, folks.</p><p>Quiggy</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVyK3sLRu2HIGlTAjvSMXKjI8O8vqF9CInkKwKIE0rs5eJ1Nq7RJaja2mH2xtitlBIOr18rIVAD-MHcIiqqOpUz2NTsJ0ZhgfiQWB1ZdI2Gyjx_ihpTe5aKbfIkaNVcNXpAWmnVH7xZEEFknxBevpS3A3JodrPWeCkrrjnLnHqB_d4GbB1W36OzKQrhbI/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVyK3sLRu2HIGlTAjvSMXKjI8O8vqF9CInkKwKIE0rs5eJ1Nq7RJaja2mH2xtitlBIOr18rIVAD-MHcIiqqOpUz2NTsJ0ZhgfiQWB1ZdI2Gyjx_ihpTe5aKbfIkaNVcNXpAWmnVH7xZEEFknxBevpS3A3JodrPWeCkrrjnLnHqB_d4GbB1W36OzKQrhbI/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-77686532168637244452024-03-17T05:14:00.000-05:002024-03-17T05:14:04.644-05:00MCU Sunday #11: The Avengers: Age of Ultron<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmMaZ5bmktVUvopO0TTSc7yqig3Otoxa6KpM17EB8ArebwmIS2zVkKNe0EU1AhGqA-R7W4szU_-t20oyFMZhlwSEQEDL-n0jMvSytupoBIbwpDs45iRp3DThiKKmxvJfeWGVg3XDzcjNVN0E1LoU20KDMTQzpDT8lN2J-W4Bg5OJ_cxZQKi8UxmdoQA/s300/marvelstudios.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmMaZ5bmktVUvopO0TTSc7yqig3Otoxa6KpM17EB8ArebwmIS2zVkKNe0EU1AhGqA-R7W4szU_-t20oyFMZhlwSEQEDL-n0jMvSytupoBIbwpDs45iRp3DThiKKmxvJfeWGVg3XDzcjNVN0E1LoU20KDMTQzpDT8lN2J-W4Bg5OJ_cxZQKi8UxmdoQA/s1600/marvelstudios.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> Preface:
As promised last year, I plan to review every single currently
available movie in what is known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
over the year 2024. These will appear in order of their release over
that time period. This is the <b>eleventh</b> installment. (Oh, and by the
way, after I've exhausted all of the currently available MCU movies I
will be rounding out the year with some of the other available movies
made from the Marvel comics pantheon.)<br /></p><p>Notes: In each of the
MCU installments you will be seeing references to two recurring events
that occur in nearly every MCU movie.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>:
Stan Lee was the driving genius behind Marvel Comics. He usually shows
up in a cameo. Sometimes these are so quick you gotta be sure you don't
blink. Occasionally he gets a line of dialogue.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>:
You should always stay in the theater for the credits when watching a
MCU movie, because during the credits and at the end there is a teaser
(or two) that is worth the wait. Often they were a teaser for the next
installment of the films.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmU0ZqakxlBxV-A2w5QDMOaVgJpUQfij2TH1Sc9fofLarb2fb-ofe2GW1nG4OppPWHnZq7Rss8LzbQFEuiN4FWrnafVWey-ZbHTovREaWZboS7E-I3L2VVYrVQovyhcONU6gVdbj074PevQG0DgCqKY22lb_AQbF3j61NRrFFqftsMMr4zQwpQTctXb-U/s441/avau1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmU0ZqakxlBxV-A2w5QDMOaVgJpUQfij2TH1Sc9fofLarb2fb-ofe2GW1nG4OppPWHnZq7Rss8LzbQFEuiN4FWrnafVWey-ZbHTovREaWZboS7E-I3L2VVYrVQovyhcONU6gVdbj074PevQG0DgCqKY22lb_AQbF3j61NRrFFqftsMMr4zQwpQTctXb-U/s320/avau1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p>The newest Marvel Cinematic Universe film delves into some issues that I find very uncomfortable. For one thing I have a very "worst case scenario" mind; I look at what is coming and immediately extrapolate how this could become a bad thing. One of the biggest bugaboos in my mind is that AI is not necessarily always a good thing. Call it my <i>The Terminator</i> mentality. What if AI became so self aware that it could use it's own technology to take over. (This is a rather pessimistic viewpoint, but then I've always been a freewill type. The classic quote, attributed to, I think, Benjamin Franklin, has always been one of mantras: "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety").</p><p><br /></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2L0i3GGXcqGUcmWL6tjCaozP-AcP1n29ayWbf3ZfkFwoFpqiWs5M8gnhUs28E2nqQbY4z4bSD6hUa4H5i10cCgJ4cTtziYWXQ-CXycVfm9qWwfxuJEJLISH8TL4Xni-0ySkLWWN1IJm_Rc9SzCogg-vUNNJwOQ60mUaupSnQrcYJnCFOzMmDY4Oo-TEM/s326/avau2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2L0i3GGXcqGUcmWL6tjCaozP-AcP1n29ayWbf3ZfkFwoFpqiWs5M8gnhUs28E2nqQbY4z4bSD6hUa4H5i10cCgJ4cTtziYWXQ-CXycVfm9qWwfxuJEJLISH8TL4Xni-0ySkLWWN1IJm_Rc9SzCogg-vUNNJwOQ60mUaupSnQrcYJnCFOzMmDY4Oo-TEM/s320/avau2.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Avengers are raiding a fortress held by Hydra under the command of Baron Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann). Strucker has possession of Loki's scepter which he has been using to implement his experiments. The experiment he has been working on at the time is human enhancement, which has helped him create "The Twins", two young people who have their own newfound abilities.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrNlyQ80VBnZ0VSMP7zKL9Rb5vzHSvgiZ0cEj98Goplw3gKRfWfZb8AtL0TRKkTWHl4sSc1Csv3sfbVnr_BYw8D4sB-KoU8zYzlDhPiKrOsPoTBQWaoJ2RWZGZ1W-UnofJ2mPCcHUo9xyERIxDhdmPLQ26lS9mRBO5ObavzK05oFpcdJJVUzzI6so5q4/s1200/avau5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXrNlyQ80VBnZ0VSMP7zKL9Rb5vzHSvgiZ0cEj98Goplw3gKRfWfZb8AtL0TRKkTWHl4sSc1Csv3sfbVnr_BYw8D4sB-KoU8zYzlDhPiKrOsPoTBQWaoJ2RWZGZ1W-UnofJ2mPCcHUo9xyERIxDhdmPLQ26lS9mRBO5ObavzK05oFpcdJJVUzzI6so5q4/s320/avau5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Pietro (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) has become a boy who has superhuman speed (think The Flash from the D.C. comics universe). His sister, Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) is able to manipulate minds as well as use telekinesis. These two present some trouble for the Avengers but they still manage to defeat the Hydra forces and take the scepter.</p><p>Back at headquarters, Tony Stark uses his AI to investigate the scepter before letting Thor take it back to Asgard. In the process, he uses it to enhance his Ultron program, which is a program designed to help make the world safe. But ultimately Ultron becomes self-aware (see I told you...)<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtslvKRBeM7WFjb5hu9JvtH0dkRf6uM5TfmQ0zrBk6XM8v9QB07693lRyywIqP6Ur5-Uzyp79pElJ_cFb-3uzW1iQuxXx92cMNmvRwI0juV7G0XZ9ieSq5DsWVAkagie4h-NCgOWugYls7ZK1G4Bcc3lazYBQJaUY-MIe-effS2v6pjPVWf9KckCqU5Ag/s1500/avau6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtslvKRBeM7WFjb5hu9JvtH0dkRf6uM5TfmQ0zrBk6XM8v9QB07693lRyywIqP6Ur5-Uzyp79pElJ_cFb-3uzW1iQuxXx92cMNmvRwI0juV7G0XZ9ieSq5DsWVAkagie4h-NCgOWugYls7ZK1G4Bcc3lazYBQJaUY-MIe-effS2v6pjPVWf9KckCqU5Ag/s320/avau6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b> At a party held by Stark, Stan is a guest talking with Thor. Thor has a drink that he claims is not for normal mortal men, but Stan scoffs. So Thor gives him a shot. Which puts him in an inebriated state with just that one shot. Oops.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4U_vuU1NZMZio33EppLvacnZEZgCMJDblf3Cp2iTK3gxGpo-8UDRdkHVXP8g2S0VxmdlLyhKHcUEJFe7_TRuPkGDoICjvoUIWxQsXS5E_T1t23GTFFI7x3OKlkUCOiDCCYyp7fLiWuf3jhCXUDaz8kjN3E_RZP31HkgSj0D-3EdrVDhzZbWmYbVZ_rI8/s299/avau3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4U_vuU1NZMZio33EppLvacnZEZgCMJDblf3Cp2iTK3gxGpo-8UDRdkHVXP8g2S0VxmdlLyhKHcUEJFe7_TRuPkGDoICjvoUIWxQsXS5E_T1t23GTFFI7x3OKlkUCOiDCCYyp7fLiWuf3jhCXUDaz8kjN3E_RZP31HkgSj0D-3EdrVDhzZbWmYbVZ_rI8/s1600/avau3.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>At the party a fun sequence (and the last fun time the Avengers are going to have for a while) occurs in which everyone tries to prove their worth by trying to pick up Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, off the table. (But of course we all know only Thor can do it. It's why he's THOR...)</p><p>Ultron (James Spader) makes his first presence known, although, as he states he is still hampered by strings. The Avengers, with a little trouble, do manage to defeat this first incarnation of Ultron, but Ultron says, after defeat of his first body that now he is "free from the strings". (You didn't think it was going to be THAT easy, did you...?)</p><p>Ulton expresses a desire to make the Avengers "extinct". It's the first step in his goal to secure the security of humanity. And to do that he need Loki's scepter, which he takes with him. Ultimately, the Avengers learn that what motivated Tony to create Ultron was the desire to protect humanity from outside forces (such as those seen in the first <i>The Avengers</i> film.)</p><p>Ultron kills off Strucker and eliminates all the computerized data that Strucker had. Fortunately for the Avengers they still have some data 9the old-fashioned printout kind, stored in cardboard boxes. (Ye gods, primitives...) They find a known arms dealer operating out of Wakanda, the source of the strongest metal on Earth (yes Cap's shield). Note: Wakanda also has another resource, but that's for a future installment.</p><p>Ultron and the twins go to seek out this weapons dealer, Ulysses (Andy Serkis, whom, after seeing him only as a voice and motion capture creation; Gollum from <i>The Hobbit</i> and <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> and as Caesar in the current spate of <i>Planet of the Apes</i> films I finally got to see what he actually looks like in the flesh) But the Avengers also show up and another battle ensues, at least until Wanda manages to use her special power to warp the minds of the heroes, making them see visions of being else where.</p><p>This in effect makes just Iron Man and Hulk available. And we all know how undependable Hulk can be. But Banner (Hulk) has been warped by the mind efforts of Wanda, too. So that makes him entirely undependable, not just a little bit. The damage that Hulk (and Iron Man) inflicts cause a backlash and the Avengers are forced to hide out.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVI7X-_z1G832fMEpI9bwuGWX3Dr6kunwWBrlzYnaJ-6nHRfBIblPia1C-v8n11tiRC8dwDTP5TDouFKGmmGgAl-f8n5FTXZzCbQ89S7_oycJQ29jQFlJ3gxi2ShlcEuj18FS_VvcMHR1vQppOLN89gIAm_s5543sF7LwVV0Td3N5KXAKEjrNM4Lq0K4/s1920/avau8.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1920" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaVI7X-_z1G832fMEpI9bwuGWX3Dr6kunwWBrlzYnaJ-6nHRfBIblPia1C-v8n11tiRC8dwDTP5TDouFKGmmGgAl-f8n5FTXZzCbQ89S7_oycJQ29jQFlJ3gxi2ShlcEuj18FS_VvcMHR1vQppOLN89gIAm_s5543sF7LwVV0Td3N5KXAKEjrNM4Lq0K4/s320/avau8.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The Avengers have to figure what the dreams they were given by Wanda mean. Thor heads out to confer with Dr Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard) about his own vision of Armageddon. meanwhile Tony's old boss, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) puts in an appearance to try to get the rest of the Avengers back on track. And reveals that Ultron's ultimate goal is total destruction of the Earth. As Ultron tells the twins, the earth will have to evolve. Like the dinosaurs, so to speak. Not exactly saving the Earth for a better future, if you ask me,<br /></p><p>But once the Twins learn that Ultron's ultimate goal is destruction of the Earth, they have a change of heart in their loyalties so the Avengers get a couple of new allis. But since Ultron himself is evolving into a more powerful entity, even their help may not be quite enough...</p><p>So what is the ultimate plan? Why, a meteor somewhat akin to the one that supposedly destroyed the dinosaurs would do the same for civilization. Except, who knows when a meteor might be coming by at the right moment? But Ultron has a plan. Turn a portion of a city into a meteor. Get that portion up high enough and drop it and the effect would be close to the same,</p><p>Now the Avengers have their mission: prevent this catastrophe. But Ultron is not exactly alone. He has an entire army of androids that he has created to keep the Avengers busy while he performs his geological trick.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfRtrccWK4ItquRQpl2nsy-81PO08h4Fy9YozCLCU0VletfJizqrQjO47TLjPGanYA3FNQIBy_ssJ2MHopZgekeKDjDb1BSqCFSRTu-NdDtsqFyWFWXRm3z40pzTrvezLhL0yPzJpH_BxjmfiA6pxGxxPNgQUpxP53dNcG2DF0IsRbH90GspeKOfLBYw/s1200/avau7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="1200" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfRtrccWK4ItquRQpl2nsy-81PO08h4Fy9YozCLCU0VletfJizqrQjO47TLjPGanYA3FNQIBy_ssJ2MHopZgekeKDjDb1BSqCFSRTu-NdDtsqFyWFWXRm3z40pzTrvezLhL0yPzJpH_BxjmfiA6pxGxxPNgQUpxP53dNcG2DF0IsRbH90GspeKOfLBYw/s320/avau7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>After saving the Earth and defeating Ultron, it turns out that Vision is now in possession of the Mind Stone (one of the Infinity Stones) and the Avengers believe it is probably in the best hands.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>: After the initial credits we see Thanos getting a gauntlet and saying "Fine. I'll do it myself." (What "it" is is coming to a theater near you soon...)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDE3xT4wrVhot5pMxpkS7t8POdMgpyvv-_yctQyvZmy2nr7bTXCr-h0nfnNtGP3yCX9t2XTs9qiWWJ9rH0f4DWIefFXQoakKnMbzibHG2Swogq4jx9UfQQmLMlLlLDfXTJvWyqvIqkZUF4Z1qg73QNOT38wUu_zzxDAS4KuD0V-BOMKh4fR_R2NhYq5Kg/s640/avau4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDE3xT4wrVhot5pMxpkS7t8POdMgpyvv-_yctQyvZmy2nr7bTXCr-h0nfnNtGP3yCX9t2XTs9qiWWJ9rH0f4DWIefFXQoakKnMbzibHG2Swogq4jx9UfQQmLMlLlLDfXTJvWyqvIqkZUF4Z1qg73QNOT38wUu_zzxDAS4KuD0V-BOMKh4fR_R2NhYq5Kg/s320/avau4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><i>Age of Ultron </i>really starts the ball rolling in the drive towards what is the best Phase of the MCU (Phase 3), although there still remains to be one more hero to introduce before we can get there (see next week's entry).</p><p>Despite the general consensus that <i>Age</i> is one of the lesser entries in the MCU cycle, I personally liked it, even though, as I said in the beginning of this post, it makes me feel a little uncomfortable in terms of the potential of AI. (And maybe that's why most people dislike it. Maybe they are nervous about the pessimistic feelings it brings on.)</p><p>Well, folks, next week's adventure is cued up so it's time to warm up the old Plymouth for the trip. Drive safely.</p><p>Quiggy</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyV82nub8Xrldc_1iGmUvv__5kWgu7nosSfGA6veKUc5WJ7Z0ulaAdFGxN0mqSPtm_Bm6dJnm_d-y_jeIUTxHeRRBe5d2jTK40lgqvq9Zsr_ONfY6SmQKQ6FcYJobGMyVvls2JeEDszxdJOJ4rF7xlM_KQyzlEmZTkKFgmDJC7Vy7ZQaq8VZFWHX0eonU/s320/di%20end.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyV82nub8Xrldc_1iGmUvv__5kWgu7nosSfGA6veKUc5WJ7Z0ulaAdFGxN0mqSPtm_Bm6dJnm_d-y_jeIUTxHeRRBe5d2jTK40lgqvq9Zsr_ONfY6SmQKQ6FcYJobGMyVvls2JeEDszxdJOJ4rF7xlM_KQyzlEmZTkKFgmDJC7Vy7ZQaq8VZFWHX0eonU/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p><p> <br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-92191252371342833012024-03-10T07:54:00.001-05:002024-03-10T07:57:00.896-05:00MCU Sunday #10: Guardians of the Galaxy (Vol.1)<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmMaZ5bmktVUvopO0TTSc7yqig3Otoxa6KpM17EB8ArebwmIS2zVkKNe0EU1AhGqA-R7W4szU_-t20oyFMZhlwSEQEDL-n0jMvSytupoBIbwpDs45iRp3DThiKKmxvJfeWGVg3XDzcjNVN0E1LoU20KDMTQzpDT8lN2J-W4Bg5OJ_cxZQKi8UxmdoQA/s300/marvelstudios.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmMaZ5bmktVUvopO0TTSc7yqig3Otoxa6KpM17EB8ArebwmIS2zVkKNe0EU1AhGqA-R7W4szU_-t20oyFMZhlwSEQEDL-n0jMvSytupoBIbwpDs45iRp3DThiKKmxvJfeWGVg3XDzcjNVN0E1LoU20KDMTQzpDT8lN2J-W4Bg5OJ_cxZQKi8UxmdoQA/s1600/marvelstudios.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> Preface: As promised last year, I plan to review every single currently available movie in what is known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) over the year 2024. These will appear in order of their release over that time period. This is the <b>tenth</b> installment. (Oh, and by the way, after I've exhausted all of the currently available MCU movies I will be rounding out the year with some of the other available movies made from the Marvel comics pantheon.)<br /></p><p>Notes: In each of the MCU installments you will be seeing references to two recurring events that occur in nearly every MCU movie.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>: Stan Lee was the driving genius behind Marvel Comics. He usually shows up in a cameo. Sometimes these are so quick you gotta be sure you don't blink. Occasionally he gets a line of dialogue.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>: You should always stay in the theater for the credits when watching a MCU movie, because during the credits and at the end there is a teaser (or two) that is worth the wait. Often they were a teaser for the next installment of the films.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5uugcOeWiK_eKEW4oGX9kX4DhVgeVtfj-5lI6YRm1oTGtSiPdKwkEuLN9OUXvyiH3h8dhLXvfPNz0ERxHgbFszLo1XH5EkL5Pngo81CyD1YcWBhbarHCAGMf7JRffq5A9YzSCkz2EM4MQ7mPSIxDWWnZba46BNGM5E4nQiwLN_t350XyeeHq0rOPFNE/s441/gg1.2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5uugcOeWiK_eKEW4oGX9kX4DhVgeVtfj-5lI6YRm1oTGtSiPdKwkEuLN9OUXvyiH3h8dhLXvfPNz0ERxHgbFszLo1XH5EkL5Pngo81CyD1YcWBhbarHCAGMf7JRffq5A9YzSCkz2EM4MQ7mPSIxDWWnZba46BNGM5E4nQiwLN_t350XyeeHq0rOPFNE/s320/gg1.2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><p>The first movie characters of the MCU universe in which Stan Lee did not have a direct hand in creation, the so-called <i>Guardians of the Galaxy</i> are a disparate group of criminals who are brought together to achieve a goal that none of them are really gung-ho about.</p><p>There are some great names who came on board to bring this film to fruition. Not in the starring roles, since most of the actors in the Guardians were basically unknowns. Not that they hadn't had careers before this, just that most people would probably not recognize them. But in the supporting roles you got Glenn Close, John C. Reilly and Benecio del Toro. (as well as a couple of other names you might recognize if you are a credits watcher like me... </p><p>Of the four main characters, the only one that most people would know by name is probably Vin Diesel. Although you won't recognize him as the character he plays, or probably even his voice. Diesel plays Groot, an animated tree. And his vocabulary consists solely of "I am Groot." (Which words convey his entire demeanor, but it requires his companion Rocket to translate...) He did have some previous experience with which people of my stripe would know him however. He was Dom in the Fast and the Furious series, as well as Xander Cage in XXX.</p><p>Chris Pratt, as you will remember from previous entries in the MCU Sunday series, had been in consideration for several other superheroes, but the roles ended up going to others. He finally succeeded in getting his own mark on the MCU Universe here by playing Peter Quill, also known as Star-Lord ("Who...?" is the oft repeated response when he says that. Apparently Snake Plissken he is not... Nobody knows who he is.)</p><p>Zoe Saldana MIGHT be familiar (if it wasn't for that green skin I might have recognized her right away.) She was in the first <i>Pirates of the Caribbean</i> film. </p><p>Additionally. if you like a variety of movies, one of the more familiar faces is Michael Rooker, an actor who had memorable roles in several movies on my list of favorites: <i>Eight Men Out</i>, <i>Mississippi Burning</i> and <i>JFK</i> , among others.</p><p>One of the best parts of the film, for me, is the soundtrack. There are several songs from the 70's that crop up in the film (and this is established by the fact that Peter Quill has a mix tape that he has apparently had ever since he was a kid.)</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGIKvkG3qXi3g5f-EV8bAAaFmoMIOLa5aB1WBYw6FxtTRq4zUUhSMGSWnlXRew4x_3-ezEaVzwL8YxawrOxuqcirH1usEQRhscG9tVwrceVYwMmNE9PqW221VdOKqqNP7it_CfGmx6cPo30poB_TO0222-tpeoGPT4P5Tkw78tD8VU0NxfQ5os0k2aGs/s326/gg1.1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGIKvkG3qXi3g5f-EV8bAAaFmoMIOLa5aB1WBYw6FxtTRq4zUUhSMGSWnlXRew4x_3-ezEaVzwL8YxawrOxuqcirH1usEQRhscG9tVwrceVYwMmNE9PqW221VdOKqqNP7it_CfGmx6cPo30poB_TO0222-tpeoGPT4P5Tkw78tD8VU0NxfQ5os0k2aGs/s320/gg1.1.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Guardians of the Galaxy </b>(2014):</p><p>(Note: retroactively because the sequels have been named "Vol. 2" and "Vol. 3", this film as been given the appellation of "Vol. 1", but it was originally released without that.)</p><p>On Earth in 1988, a young boy watches his mother die. Before she dies she gives him a mixtape. He runs outside to cry and is abducted by aliens. What are the Ravagers? (Not exactly a good time, but be that as it may).</p><p>It turns out that the creatures who abducted him are known as the Ravagers. What are the Ravagers? Apparently a race of thieves for hire. Peter is shown next trying to retrieve a mysterious orb. He approaches the orb while playing a mixtape he has brought with him from his past (playing "Come and Get Your Love", which for the past few years I thought he played "Hooked on a Feeling" in this scene, but that song comes later). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePJh2A_b3xLxsxo-qYvrX5WL_olorIiK1G0WQbpFt6qKReYWYzXr2fNLbriFMHn_G40HzCAKcz2huKZZzWWb8j58cJpgEVJ-O2zFOe1v9MrHxJDTvzzhImXDmlk80Ew18-r3Zx-umixdkyadLNqERNwyv7RmOteZfLalsNOjoUxWZJ7an1NlD0XVuq1U/s640/gg1.3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="323" data-original-width="640" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjePJh2A_b3xLxsxo-qYvrX5WL_olorIiK1G0WQbpFt6qKReYWYzXr2fNLbriFMHn_G40HzCAKcz2huKZZzWWb8j58cJpgEVJ-O2zFOe1v9MrHxJDTvzzhImXDmlk80Ew18-r3Zx-umixdkyadLNqERNwyv7RmOteZfLalsNOjoUxWZJ7an1NlD0XVuq1U/s320/gg1.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>But he isn't the only one showing interest in the object, as just as he has freed the orb from it's secure location a band of others show up to try to take it from him. (There is no honor among thieves... more's the pity.)</p><p>Peter of course succeeds in being the one to leave the planet with the orb. He takes it to Xandar, where a collector has hired him to retrieve it. But it turns out when the collector finds out who is also looking for the orb, Ronan, he backs out of the deal.</p><p>Ronan has sent a mercenary Gamora (Zoe Saldana) to retrieve the orb. Also in the mix are Rocket (Bradley Cooper), a cybernetically enhanced racoon (Rocket Racoon? What is this "Rocky and Bullwinkle"?) and his companion, Groot (Vin Diesel) an animated tree creature.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNi8VTv4rAY79iET2s5Znl5fqGS3htEXdsXn5IbDVYM3Bx6pCl9JuWZCxW2VarI-Pc_reZ9kJTH2KVDW_5zuGRiv99ZFWJGf7JKxIPL3rTgsE1Hx_UzAXLIif2Urm3sEMJ6Wgbupzu78gfve3QFdsrpixvhvadTL7HR9LSZTGGFM-osOvfXzJpsZYaPk/s2454/gg1.5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="2454" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSNi8VTv4rAY79iET2s5Znl5fqGS3htEXdsXn5IbDVYM3Bx6pCl9JuWZCxW2VarI-Pc_reZ9kJTH2KVDW_5zuGRiv99ZFWJGf7JKxIPL3rTgsE1Hx_UzAXLIif2Urm3sEMJ6Wgbupzu78gfve3QFdsrpixvhvadTL7HR9LSZTGGFM-osOvfXzJpsZYaPk/s320/gg1.5.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC87ixlrY70U2SHeGSLSb-kiRcoYyr-KuZTT5wkSgaEYRcQ-S4VVNpNGOEps9cxOufN-TpuOYr6jBgZbT2BAmzBfZqMwIBoBlIHQRX-m0MH3VdQ10PC7mkH6mgJlRxz9_rSvew_2xtM6TmB1Ga6rr9ke7jZ5NzQOzLx_2GD01cItau-lBqbUE9Wd20CGg/s1064/gg1.4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="1064" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC87ixlrY70U2SHeGSLSb-kiRcoYyr-KuZTT5wkSgaEYRcQ-S4VVNpNGOEps9cxOufN-TpuOYr6jBgZbT2BAmzBfZqMwIBoBlIHQRX-m0MH3VdQ10PC7mkH6mgJlRxz9_rSvew_2xtM6TmB1Ga6rr9ke7jZ5NzQOzLx_2GD01cItau-lBqbUE9Wd20CGg/s320/gg1.4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b> While Rocket and Groot search for Peter, Rocket makes some disparaging remarks about the inhabitants of Xandar. One of them is an old man hitting on a woman about 1/3 his age.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNwqCZoxfnYKuobKDdiIpSUZrmvM-dV5Gnu2uRaH3M7wa0F9zd6x3l5yWxV7bTSflOuRMeQuS5l9C-rYjzsE6eE0-SrMhlbAOtpZzJaj13PtIjyNmkHXX_SxrzS9-UpF7-1D84H8sMJ_l9m8uuzunPeVPlqBw-untKBN7AsDRoyoFsUW0KNBZhCJ9BT8/s1389/gg1.7.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="1389" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWNwqCZoxfnYKuobKDdiIpSUZrmvM-dV5Gnu2uRaH3M7wa0F9zd6x3l5yWxV7bTSflOuRMeQuS5l9C-rYjzsE6eE0-SrMhlbAOtpZzJaj13PtIjyNmkHXX_SxrzS9-UpF7-1D84H8sMJ_l9m8uuzunPeVPlqBw-untKBN7AsDRoyoFsUW0KNBZhCJ9BT8/s320/gg1.7.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>A fight ensues over the orb as each tries to gain possession. The end result however is that all of them are arrested and sent to prison. Where none of them are very well liked... Especially Gamora, whom it seems, was involved in the death of one of the other prisoner's significant other (Dave Bautista as Drax).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5e1c2G3m0xjIbnAh-jLY0lAEeGH6j9A7d2Aq-4pFOOcUVzr6QrO-7UpyilyJ8YMIe8Z0tVUwcduQWjCxDndxFGhCf0IakPfQ9BSl1ArZ-cz1yR5rvq4WT9M6PnMpJvpTNTZsuUucaQuJHIa0VyHlT6nngenjmNnJa7PaVxgVngKfsjycSjCF603OjnDU/s990/gg1.6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="990" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5e1c2G3m0xjIbnAh-jLY0lAEeGH6j9A7d2Aq-4pFOOcUVzr6QrO-7UpyilyJ8YMIe8Z0tVUwcduQWjCxDndxFGhCf0IakPfQ9BSl1ArZ-cz1yR5rvq4WT9M6PnMpJvpTNTZsuUucaQuJHIa0VyHlT6nngenjmNnJa7PaVxgVngKfsjycSjCF603OjnDU/s320/gg1.6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Although nearly every prisoner in the facility wants to see Gamora dead, Quill convinces Drax that the true enemy is Ronan himself and they can succeed if they escape the prison. With the help of escape whiz Rocket. the crew manage to initiate a jailbreak. But not without Quill's treasured mixtape.... (Is there something about that mixtape that is key? It remains to be seen...) The person who has his tape is playing "Escape". Have I said how much I love Quill's choices for a mixtape?)</p><p>So everybody is after this Orb. Including, as we see, a character revealed to be known as Thanos, who has even Ronan under his thumb. Thanos really, really, really wants that Orb... And threatens Ronan with a severe demise if he doesn't retrieve it.</p><p>Meanwhile back on the escape ship, Quill's own private ship, the disparate group of renegades have to TRY to learn to work together if they are going to succeed in their mission. The group not only includes Quill and Gamora and Rocket and Groot, but Drax has gone along for the ride. Because Drax's mission is to kill Ronan because Ronan was instrumental in the deaths of members of his family.</p><p>The crew end up going to a place called "Knowhere (which is essentially, according to Gamora, the "severed head of an ancient celestial being: (Whoa). (David Bowie's "Moonage Daydream" plays as they approach.)</p><p>We find that Gamora is not Thanos' daughter as Quill thought. Thanos killed her parents. And she asks Quill about his mixtape, why he would risk his life for it. He reveals that it was the gift of his mother (Remember the first scene of the film? Maybe there isn't all that much power in the tape after all...)</p><p>We meet The Collector (Benecio del Toro), the person of interest in the Orb. And the tantalizing revelation from him that the Orb is actually one of the Infinity Stones that where around since the beginning of time. And the power that each Infinity Stone has. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1M2GO8-DTaOh2AUiSMbU8s4rlGpxxJi6NIAw75F1aUy-Z6VQm5BdNRECBeyJupaCSRgh9MGcP-4zoQgtR1_lDLJ-4-yGlyjvl3dyndqz8CPS5N7CEat4c2weMaZ8wrDaefJjwjZ66lwhrK_o7UfORyoCDU9e_O4SBNQrxr3uMpB38XJIBNzvJDpB75JE/s1600/gg1.8.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="1600" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1M2GO8-DTaOh2AUiSMbU8s4rlGpxxJi6NIAw75F1aUy-Z6VQm5BdNRECBeyJupaCSRgh9MGcP-4zoQgtR1_lDLJ-4-yGlyjvl3dyndqz8CPS5N7CEat4c2weMaZ8wrDaefJjwjZ66lwhrK_o7UfORyoCDU9e_O4SBNQrxr3uMpB38XJIBNzvJDpB75JE/s320/gg1.8.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>When Ronan gets possession of the Orb, which he now knows has an Infinity Stone, he decides to keep it for himself rather than turn it over to Thanos. (Probably not the best decision he ever made, but that is to be seen.)</p><p>Now our heroes have to finally find some way to band together to stop Ronan from destroying the galaxy with his new found power through the Infinity Stone. And with the help of Yondu and the Ravagers, they have a chance to succeed. And save Xandar, which wants Quill back in custody, so only Quill's sense of honor spurs him on.</p><p>The end result of course is the bad guys are defeated (surprise, surprise). But the future of the crew is now set. These are our new heroes. The GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY. And the immediate future of the Infinity Stone is now in the hands of Xandar and the Nova Corps (at least for now).</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll: </b> At the end, the Collector sits among his ruins. We get introduced to a couple of other (future?) characters; Cosmo an astronaut dog,, and Howard the Duck. Note <i><a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2019/02/duck-out-of-water.html" target="_blank">Howard the Duck</a></i> had been a movie endeavor all it's own back in the 80's, but this one looks to be a bit more like the comic book version which gives one a bit of hope. </p><p>As a final footnote: My memory of this one is going to see it in the theater with someone other than my sister (or alone, which was my usual way of seeing movies). That woman who has since passed on is a fond memory, and I dedicate this post to her.</p><p>Time to fire up the jets on the old Plymouth and blast off to worlds unknown. Drive safely folks.</p><p>Quiggy</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwTE3Z4R2n0eLBCQQObvC5g1se_QrGSoJBKx3FC3ooJ3-9T3GjW9uZQqSCTsglZISyfeLcZMmGgkwU1XeT1WS8oyzNVam2SvzFtEXlaSEZ3hdRxRHuetpXxbeA34GElMnQaN00smqx8RGmFwcpEwvQ5UJduLW-lSL2xLlE8rz_nJqfGkn2HU5VGmH12w/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwTE3Z4R2n0eLBCQQObvC5g1se_QrGSoJBKx3FC3ooJ3-9T3GjW9uZQqSCTsglZISyfeLcZMmGgkwU1XeT1WS8oyzNVam2SvzFtEXlaSEZ3hdRxRHuetpXxbeA34GElMnQaN00smqx8RGmFwcpEwvQ5UJduLW-lSL2xLlE8rz_nJqfGkn2HU5VGmH12w/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-83479280333091189292024-03-05T02:00:00.000-06:002024-03-05T02:00:00.166-06:00Board to Death<p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmmLHcKk6Ts8ue4Lzom8bNdscEaP_Rx4ha436elw2a24XA1mbckNanXcQ3lVi5uM7ePnlpsGgZSHqWa5-ekBZPMZQvNd5wKpSNqrGD92Fohw28rL1D6tVmLqYQi7fQCTAJ4asndRycA2TA0eTlo6RG42-j8K3Y1XrWaZEMIGIX4dY-a3IQ_OcZNQIk-Y/s441/clue1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTmmLHcKk6Ts8ue4Lzom8bNdscEaP_Rx4ha436elw2a24XA1mbckNanXcQ3lVi5uM7ePnlpsGgZSHqWa5-ekBZPMZQvNd5wKpSNqrGD92Fohw28rL1D6tVmLqYQi7fQCTAJ4asndRycA2TA0eTlo6RG42-j8K3Y1XrWaZEMIGIX4dY-a3IQ_OcZNQIk-Y/s320/clue1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> "Clue. It's not just a game...anymore"</p><p>(<i>from the trailer to the film</i>)</p><p>Here's an oddball idea. Take a classic children's board game. Get several actors and actresses together to portray the characters in the game. To make it even more oddball, cast the film with some lesser known but still memorable people who can do physical comedy well. Get a well known comedy director who also has decent chops at writing comedy and pair him with another well-known comedy director, also having an ear for comedy dialogue to do the script. Let the second writer/director direct the film, because, after all, he has the ability to do comedy.<br /></p><p>Result? John Landis (director of numerous funny movies and writer of <i>Schlock</i>, <a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2020/04/blues-for-sunday.html"><i>The Blues Brothers</i></a>, and <a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2016/10/bad-moon-rising.html"><i>An American Werewolf in London</i></a>) and Johnathan Lynn (director of <i>Nuns on the Run</i>, <a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2016/06/chaos-in-courtroom.html"><i>My Cousin Vinny</i></a>, and <i>Greedy</i>, as well as writer for numerous TV comedies) got together to put together a script that, while not on par with some of those fantastic comedies you may be thinking of right now, is still chock full of funny moments. It seems that Landis had to shop around to finally get a co-writer because, although he had the basics, he was at a loss as how to wrap it up.<br /></p><p>In addition, along comes a cast of character actors who can pull off the physical comedy that the script requires, as well as deliver some of funny double entendre jokes with which the writers peppered this script. </p><p>You got Christopher Lloyd (famous as Reverend Jim on TV's <i>Taxi</i>, as well as a previous comedic slot as Doc Brown in <i><a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2019/05/time-and-time-again.html">Back to the Future</a></i>). You got Madeline Kahn (famous for comedic turns in <i>Young Frankenstein</i> and <a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2016/06/funny-business-in-old-west.html"><i>Blazing Saddles</i></a>). You got Michael McKean (famous as Lenny from TV's <i>Laverne and Shirley</i> as well as one of the members of the notorious band "Spinal Tap" in <a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2017/09/the-world-according-to-spnal-tap.html"><i>This is Spinal Tap</i></a>). You got Eileen Brennan (who pulled off one of the best female drill instructor roles in <i>Private Benjamin</i>). You got Martin Mull (memorable as Bart Gimble on three different TV shows: <i>Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman</i>, <i>Fernwood 2-Night</i>, and <i>America 2-Night</i>). You got Lesley Ann Warren (who even snagged an Academy Award nomination for her role in <i><a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2018/05/in-old-gay-paree.html">Victor/Victoria</a></i>).</p><p>And last, but DEFINITELY not least, you got Tim Curry (and if I had to list all the great roles he had done prior to this movie, I'd still be typing... but I will add one: Dr. Frank N. Furter, in <i><a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2016/08/quiggy-does-musicals.html">Rocky Horror Picture Show</a></i>).</p><p>So when it all came together you had a pretty good lineup. But we still aren't done. Howard Hesseman (Johnny Fever on TV's <i>WKRP in Cincinnati</i>), Jane Wiedlin (not a name actress yet, but famous as the guitarist of the band The Go-Gos). and Lee Ving (leader of the rock band Fear, and also known as Willem Dafoe's deputy gang member in <i><a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2015/11/hail-hail-gangs-all-here.html">Streets of Fire</a></i>) also make appearances. Coleen Camp, Bill Henderson, Jerry Kramer and Kellye Nakahara may not have had the name or face recognition at this point in their respective careers, but they still shine in their brief roles.</p><p>At this point you may start to get the idea that I really like this movie. And that's not a bad idea. Although it is not in the top 10 of my favorite movies (or even top 10 of my favorite comedies) it still is a pretty good movie, especially if it's cold and rainy (like it is right now outside here in real life as I write this piece, as well as like it is outside the house in the movie).</p><p>You would think that taking a board game and turning it into a movie might not actually work. There haven't been all that many attempts at it. The only one I can think of off the top of my head is <i>Battleship</i>, which I haven't seen so I don't know enough to compare (other than the fact that it garnered several nominations for Razzies, which doesn't bode well.) I won't hold out for a screen adaptation of <i>Chutes and Ladders</i> or <i>Hungry Hungry Hippos</i> (although that second one sounds like a potential future Disney kid's movie or even a horror movie...)</p><p>This one fared better with the critics than did <i>Battleship</i>. And it did manage to stay off John "Razzies" Wilson's radar. Unfortunately most people stayed away in droves when it was in the theater. It didn't even make back it's original investment. But it did develop a following afterwards as what we call a "cult" film.</p><p>One of the more interesting things about this film was, in keeping with the game theme, it was released with three different endings, and depending on which theater you went to to see it, you may have seen a different ending than a friend who saw it across town at a different theater. If you get to watch it now on DVD, however, all three endings are on the disc. But my copy has an option so you can watch it as it was in theater with a random chosen ending. If the odds gods are with you you could watch it three separate times and get to see it with all of them in different settings. (Of course, if you have my luck, you'd probably have to watch it at least 7 or 8 times before you saw it end with all of them in different settings).</p><p>The movie also has an added bonus in the realm of Hollywood big names. It was scored by John Morris, the favorite musical composer of Mel Brooks, having done the music for many of Brooks' movies. As well as being nominated for an Oscar for his work on <i>The Elephant Man</i> (which he lost to Michel Gore for <i>Fame</i>, by the way.)</p><p>So anyway, is Clue a great movie or is it well deserving of it's status as a poor movie that tried hard but failed?<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaW9ZeVv8cndwiXL6V6e6DmJkcsh38qCQoMA3pqC7mybNFo2vZ1OLTw52zZKNwCGWKvLepGDJCsLd4eWOpsu3SEbjneaxiGwLaaYdG1we8KCBqCHnDUsl_kO1JGFzMrS7Vc_dbX1WgyzO7V6hlb41oC2QmcOsjGu2mnve-1HntMpN5kGcwwL1qnfq0Jx0/s334/c1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaW9ZeVv8cndwiXL6V6e6DmJkcsh38qCQoMA3pqC7mybNFo2vZ1OLTw52zZKNwCGWKvLepGDJCsLd4eWOpsu3SEbjneaxiGwLaaYdG1we8KCBqCHnDUsl_kO1JGFzMrS7Vc_dbX1WgyzO7V6hlb41oC2QmcOsjGu2mnve-1HntMpN5kGcwwL1qnfq0Jx0/s320/c1.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Clue</b> (1985):</p><p>A cast of what turn out to be shady characters have been invited to a dark mansion with a note that claims it would be in their best interests to appear. Each person is given a alias to prevent their identity from being known by the rest of the guests. (Although as the movie goes on, some of those guests are not entirely unfamiliar with some of the others).</p><p>The guests are (in the tradition of the board game) given these monikers: </p><p>Mr. Green (Michael McKean)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15rBeslCFxBK94c4SHZxcqe9oQKFZKLfDef1XXN8TNABlIIALC7OavveXRUgd1XjIY_UgCannsP3ltTaK67OMvw1BCs9-FZdgPWy5shN4JYxlzi4oZ1KCD_ZVm_aaxCsOKUVqaN179rKxrHEMHkbPoOduliIDr15ZzC8hXc_nhnLICpHYWg3X7mSWwrY/s320/c2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh15rBeslCFxBK94c4SHZxcqe9oQKFZKLfDef1XXN8TNABlIIALC7OavveXRUgd1XjIY_UgCannsP3ltTaK67OMvw1BCs9-FZdgPWy5shN4JYxlzi4oZ1KCD_ZVm_aaxCsOKUVqaN179rKxrHEMHkbPoOduliIDr15ZzC8hXc_nhnLICpHYWg3X7mSWwrY/s1600/c2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> Mr Green works in the state department where he has been hiding his homosexual affiliations.<p></p><p>Colonel Mustard (Martin Mull) </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJopkv5a8VxJLarNRHbZyvpCKHDHWEllH8HKIiX1x3IaZp7lOaODigEAx-0fSfMH4xfe5Lc7ZwrkheBtOQMQJ59ZyWh3Cpux5srBJW3cvbmQI_ETy9b102LW3h-pQb-vnY-rIzY6079ruX4yZS9y0O_ta-xIWxe6RtKK6zpWbSnCjei0v6S7KY7i3-7gM/s200/clue2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="165" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJopkv5a8VxJLarNRHbZyvpCKHDHWEllH8HKIiX1x3IaZp7lOaODigEAx-0fSfMH4xfe5Lc7ZwrkheBtOQMQJ59ZyWh3Cpux5srBJW3cvbmQI_ETy9b102LW3h-pQb-vnY-rIzY6079ruX4yZS9y0O_ta-xIWxe6RtKK6zpWbSnCjei0v6S7KY7i3-7gM/s1600/clue2.jpg" width="165" /></a></div><br /><p>Colonel Mustard has access to Army secrets which he has been making a profit from.</p><p>Mrs. Peacock (Eileen Brennan)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOwc-Eq42iH8Ck6Msupd1BZeAHtFijkeAfsUdT10VQ2HvkY-TM9xAmp90hAg-JVj666qZm_GvpKG772QFgjOeqaQjucufKXDqIgLphc701E1GTXT_54QhEmlb8iPSb85aiwixxS4ablHctxIp9_HJYxs_gb8U_7scx1FZfd_9gSvAclRIKO1G2B2YYoYg/s638/clue3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="638" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOwc-Eq42iH8Ck6Msupd1BZeAHtFijkeAfsUdT10VQ2HvkY-TM9xAmp90hAg-JVj666qZm_GvpKG772QFgjOeqaQjucufKXDqIgLphc701E1GTXT_54QhEmlb8iPSb85aiwixxS4ablHctxIp9_HJYxs_gb8U_7scx1FZfd_9gSvAclRIKO1G2B2YYoYg/s320/clue3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> Mrs. Peacock has been guilty of accepting bribes to influence her politician husband's votes in Congress.<p></p><p>Professor Plum (Christopher Lloyd)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4btjlZDq-LbbwRRB0sJMpT9xMY7dMkqAG8EmGFjNpNfyvtOSOtwj_IUlVkJK-jPNR-SN6ARKtNhLdbz8NWSmYI-MigB4O96ZYcplJHizpIhHpyCGa04h3A845M7MtaONkAeSVZJ5ENMUuZFpVvqJDkfg38DmmV4cz_rh5GE2IrLXjKKYqXNes58MDS8/s500/clue4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="335" data-original-width="500" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR4btjlZDq-LbbwRRB0sJMpT9xMY7dMkqAG8EmGFjNpNfyvtOSOtwj_IUlVkJK-jPNR-SN6ARKtNhLdbz8NWSmYI-MigB4O96ZYcplJHizpIhHpyCGa04h3A845M7MtaONkAeSVZJ5ENMUuZFpVvqJDkfg38DmmV4cz_rh5GE2IrLXjKKYqXNes58MDS8/s320/clue4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> Professor plum has been guilty of having assignations with female patients in his role as a psychiatrist.<p></p><p>Miss Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren) </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmToGZG0rVW5xmYMWobbuqMiD0rkH98q-2wdoMPEmdnC0gAq5eh96wZqZMT563NjUKqhcGFvv1TIdEus33eFu5nSmZR-ZLy_RtevvqNfqNyjaPIgzy3tqKQ4DFIx6WGE7nn9xDKlvtL1acVpItIkNz6TvQ6gmE0uooT0_K9o0961DP6oioetoYcZea0dw/s650/clue5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="650" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmToGZG0rVW5xmYMWobbuqMiD0rkH98q-2wdoMPEmdnC0gAq5eh96wZqZMT563NjUKqhcGFvv1TIdEus33eFu5nSmZR-ZLy_RtevvqNfqNyjaPIgzy3tqKQ4DFIx6WGE7nn9xDKlvtL1acVpItIkNz6TvQ6gmE0uooT0_K9o0961DP6oioetoYcZea0dw/s320/clue5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Miss Scarlett runs a house of ill repute in downtown D.C.</p><p>Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn) <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-m7ZQ-PGJVdrxFIl_LWERSh1pozm6uQu-8BW5j27WI2lEDNrxV3IQXm-cDrsVmykrNKiUDpc2S7tWp98FK2mDpOuhzukUfNJe63GIwNqRDPozJtAtXDt7ZfIQrK79L31GZcmzBNIsh5DgHqyxe6PYmTO-1-355LebNZ6dzod-KHGQ_3igscKfBo8C09s/s276/clue6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="160" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-m7ZQ-PGJVdrxFIl_LWERSh1pozm6uQu-8BW5j27WI2lEDNrxV3IQXm-cDrsVmykrNKiUDpc2S7tWp98FK2mDpOuhzukUfNJe63GIwNqRDPozJtAtXDt7ZfIQrK79L31GZcmzBNIsh5DgHqyxe6PYmTO-1-355LebNZ6dzod-KHGQ_3igscKfBo8C09s/s1600/clue6.jpg" width="160" /></a></div><p>Mrs. White has several husbands who have all died under mysterious circumstances.</p><p>Each of the characters has some secret in their past that they have been trying to keep from being made public. As such, the central "villain" has come into the knowledge and has been using said knowledge to blackmail them. "Mr. Boddy" (Lee Ving) is ostensibly said villain (although even that is in question).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNccvbQ7iA5EOQtfPp92E3qruVYOTAyelc5LlTsTy5Bn3NWrbjWoaZ5wt0ZjK4L8yOaYfQPg_dpGl5Q9k0C46ItcR0vq1rdioWU-Bi6YlVcxYNwKfrOGi0UF_J-7nMbJZvSegWrnNWs9vb8A0wR8XKqIxtwNEani5rm7hwF2WNg9Rx2PBknxIDpMbcD0/s975/clue7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="975" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNccvbQ7iA5EOQtfPp92E3qruVYOTAyelc5LlTsTy5Bn3NWrbjWoaZ5wt0ZjK4L8yOaYfQPg_dpGl5Q9k0C46ItcR0vq1rdioWU-Bi6YlVcxYNwKfrOGi0UF_J-7nMbJZvSegWrnNWs9vb8A0wR8XKqIxtwNEani5rm7hwF2WNg9Rx2PBknxIDpMbcD0/s320/clue7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The person of Mr. Boddy's butler, Wadsworth, played to perfection by Tim Curry is the glue that is holding the event together, although even he has a dark secret that Mr. Boddy has been using to blackmail him, in this case forcing him to act as his personal butler.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarB-klICPPi_kfZ5om4fQBWNe4UAoe0HQBgdVHZmvtb84DcK5u1TGczZtJUvkwY4lKgztnqrNinKAyffeFgzYfivMJdKVJIq5HLfwPGgmBk2V8lDHGmbh0YrEMry7Yw6svJ677ClWTiQuQz1ioQPT67NI9JzLniUuETl1Uxdih03nuhmphbEIXH-0g4k/s1920/clue8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgarB-klICPPi_kfZ5om4fQBWNe4UAoe0HQBgdVHZmvtb84DcK5u1TGczZtJUvkwY4lKgztnqrNinKAyffeFgzYfivMJdKVJIq5HLfwPGgmBk2V8lDHGmbh0YrEMry7Yw6svJ677ClWTiQuQz1ioQPT67NI9JzLniUuETl1Uxdih03nuhmphbEIXH-0g4k/s320/clue8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>After the main cast has assembled Mr. Boddy shows up and informs them that really it is Wadsworth who is the person they need to direct their venom towards, and issues each a weapon with which to dispatch him. Each one receives what are, in the tradition of the board game itself, implements of destruction:</p><p>Mrs. White; A rope</p><p>Miss Scarlett: A candlestick</p><p>Mrs. Peacock; A knife.</p><p>Mr. Green: A lead pipe.</p><p>Colonel Mustard: A wrench.</p><p>Professor Plum: A gun.</p><p><br /></p><p>But after the lights are turned out, it is not Wadsworth, but Mr. Boddy himself who has become the victim of the nefarious dispatch. And because the lights were out, no one knows who did it (or with what). </p><p>The whole comedy (of murder) hinges on the cast of malcontents searching the house to see if the murderer is hidden somewhere within (since all of them claim innocence and therefore assume there MUST be someone else.</p><p>They break up into pairs, despite the fact that they are all convinced that the murderer is really one of them and therefore the other one paired with him or her may be the next victim. But while they search, dead bodies keep cropping up. The cook. The maid. A stranded motorist who just came in to use the phone. A policeman checking up to see whether the broken down car of that motorist came to the door. A girl who just showed up to deliver a singing telegram.</p><p>What with everyone around them keeling over dead, is it any wonder that they all become suspicious of each other? </p><p>The side part of this whole scenario is that, while the movie was filmed on a sound stage, the entire set was laid out just like the board game with secret passages that lead from one room to the next. The film crew actually constructed a sound stage to fit the layout.</p><p> While they search more dead bodies keep cropping up. Which doesn't make any of them very comfortable (obviously).</p><p>Eventually they come to an end and Wadsworth reveals that he knows who did it. </p><p><br /></p><p>"Very well. I know who did it. And furthermore, I'll tell you how it was done. (In excruciating detail... Ok I added that line,,,)"</p><p>At this point in the film, there were, as mentioned, three separate endings. And if any of you can watch these and not use the back tracking feature to watch the scenes that Wadsworth details, you are a better man (or woman) than me. Of course, if you succumb to this you will find out that Wadsworth (or at least the writers) were full of crap.</p><p>Of the three endings (assuming you use the feature that lets you see all three in succession), only one is truly satisfying. At least, only one is truly satisfying to me... But watching all three does lead to some in depth speculation into the nefarious intrigues each of these malcontents were pulling off. Admittedly most of them would probably just be blips on the radar by today's standards. It might seem a little unconventional that a psychiatrist would have liaisons with his female patients, or a DC madam might be frowned upon by some of the more self-righteous types. To be sure, no one would look twice at a man with homosexual affiliations. But given that this is all supposed to be happening in 1954, during the height of the Red Scare (among other mores of society) the comedy can still come across as we laugh at the outrage that the others have over their companions' indiscretions.</p><p>So the ultimate question is did Landis and Lynn make a halfway decent attempt at turning a board game (which in itself is fairly mediocre to say the least, at least from my perspective) into an imminently watchable film. I think so. I admit that it's not one of those that will bear up well with repeat viewings. Once the film wraps up, it is just, after all, a simple transition from game to film. But it is definitely fun.</p><p>Well folks, all the bodies have been stashed, so it's time to leave the theater quietly. Try not to take out the ticket taker as you leave because he is just an innocent bystander.</p><p>Quiggy</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMvZbHClQSr1vLoymHq2LFL3EZ17rvZCxLXWb4RPTvG4dhWsSWBfB3JZO-Bldqfq8TdOnKvpCJc3q6F98yDpScqfnwIr-aG2tMcQQvsoHRY_qQuISTKinD2P-9u7T0z9oLl4z36BDbbvm8OAoPNOeTqD1zpxhs45TuOCQA4fS9on1Zdh5IafHNkrWtHk/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYMvZbHClQSr1vLoymHq2LFL3EZ17rvZCxLXWb4RPTvG4dhWsSWBfB3JZO-Bldqfq8TdOnKvpCJc3q6F98yDpScqfnwIr-aG2tMcQQvsoHRY_qQuISTKinD2P-9u7T0z9oLl4z36BDbbvm8OAoPNOeTqD1zpxhs45TuOCQA4fS9on1Zdh5IafHNkrWtHk/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-37010833557909029602024-03-03T03:00:00.002-06:002024-03-03T11:48:53.004-06:00MCU Sunday #9 Captain America: The Winter Soldier<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmMaZ5bmktVUvopO0TTSc7yqig3Otoxa6KpM17EB8ArebwmIS2zVkKNe0EU1AhGqA-R7W4szU_-t20oyFMZhlwSEQEDL-n0jMvSytupoBIbwpDs45iRp3DThiKKmxvJfeWGVg3XDzcjNVN0E1LoU20KDMTQzpDT8lN2J-W4Bg5OJ_cxZQKi8UxmdoQA/s300/marvelstudios.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmMaZ5bmktVUvopO0TTSc7yqig3Otoxa6KpM17EB8ArebwmIS2zVkKNe0EU1AhGqA-R7W4szU_-t20oyFMZhlwSEQEDL-n0jMvSytupoBIbwpDs45iRp3DThiKKmxvJfeWGVg3XDzcjNVN0E1LoU20KDMTQzpDT8lN2J-W4Bg5OJ_cxZQKi8UxmdoQA/s1600/marvelstudios.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> Preface: As promised last year, I plan to review every single currently available movie in what is known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) over the year 2024. These will appear in order of their release over that time period. This is the <b>ninth</b> installment. (Oh, and by the way, after I've exhausted all of the currently available MCU movies I will be rounding out the year with some of the other available movies made from the Marvel comics pantheon.)<br /></p><p>Notes: In each of the MCU installments you will be seeing references to two recurring events that occur in nearly every MCU movie.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>: Stan Lee was the driving genius behind Marvel Comics. He usually shows up in a cameo. Sometimes these are so quick you gotta be sure you don't blink. Occasionally he gets a line of dialogue.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>: You should always stay in the theater for the credits when watching a MCU movie, because during the credits and at the end there is a teaser (or two) that is worth the wait. Often they were a teaser for the next installment of the films.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXvHTLpYB0tqS2-RYagoJz-Sye8f2kvMowa-qGAAySOq2BtkTQnKLRvGoqWP6kMWg9IjrxTqxQs3ra6ALsW9CpmoWtHVZciBdKqtRJQCoQGKvSWqwSyfcIKDd2BJuv8BXmjiMUwHk82aL5PzNhvr2duhUAJT7jGwIQfaDEYzzjDKgEPs7BdD8hlVRnnKg/s441/caws1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXvHTLpYB0tqS2-RYagoJz-Sye8f2kvMowa-qGAAySOq2BtkTQnKLRvGoqWP6kMWg9IjrxTqxQs3ra6ALsW9CpmoWtHVZciBdKqtRJQCoQGKvSWqwSyfcIKDd2BJuv8BXmjiMUwHk82aL5PzNhvr2duhUAJT7jGwIQfaDEYzzjDKgEPs7BdD8hlVRnnKg/s320/caws1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvS99o3LK_3UR0XPL4dybKFIeBdPjQO32LPBxER4s1CD1y5FXIYPKq89F4kqbllJn8nxmk80nTreaT7jnTZnCdGCyC_Eapb-U6OITRBeTWcciheYPXRyJoh6nHsa-Gg8NMjlilCObFfO0Zf4ualIpI7lCSS9gvnLA4OrYOuAcw_jMvQSN5yI0-XPYB8E/s326/caws2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGvS99o3LK_3UR0XPL4dybKFIeBdPjQO32LPBxER4s1CD1y5FXIYPKq89F4kqbllJn8nxmk80nTreaT7jnTZnCdGCyC_Eapb-U6OITRBeTWcciheYPXRyJoh6nHsa-Gg8NMjlilCObFfO0Zf4ualIpI7lCSS9gvnLA4OrYOuAcw_jMvQSN5yI0-XPYB8E/s320/caws2.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>Captain America: the Winter Soldier </b> (2014):</p><p>Early in the movie we get to see Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) showing off to a fellow soldier Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) by racing him on a running track.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikR3qLoIrC3Qb18w-_3D2IxMBx2M2lpO1CGyGB86rU0Rkrr8Pk5LTmsEKJ9VjdlBQUZuflRip0y4DUefGI2ir9m9iQwZS5NhnKy5i3Qj39dGcKnts5YufXMKUIyeABMpyJhwQxDO9pikHDmoFCLBKsNuAx-ESPUhggdi_LvqNTNWgieYODKiJTlv-7Hpg/s299/caws4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="169" data-original-width="299" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikR3qLoIrC3Qb18w-_3D2IxMBx2M2lpO1CGyGB86rU0Rkrr8Pk5LTmsEKJ9VjdlBQUZuflRip0y4DUefGI2ir9m9iQwZS5NhnKy5i3Qj39dGcKnts5YufXMKUIyeABMpyJhwQxDO9pikHDmoFCLBKsNuAx-ESPUhggdi_LvqNTNWgieYODKiJTlv-7Hpg/s1600/caws4.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>The Captain gets called in because a terrorist group has hijacked a SHIELD ship. 25 terrorists led by a man named Georges Baltroc (Georges St-Pierre) has taken control of the ship and has a dozen or so hostages. Captain America against 25 terrorists? Can you at least make it difficult for him?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7I0miYfAAj3Za-3JGNR1xbeEBO-3RSLk3WHaOsehlicDAki4eE-MWGI-TB0GhnQJgo5Reipd6ee54cfv_pf2jemiVc3otHKSGwGeuJo_gxGG_WkkJ7r_tRyO50GHHhl9y5ksN-fpLPrHOI9BpmeKTpkg1N4I7mtdsTmOOHufFEmac-puExpJFQ0tFk0/s5760/caws5.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3840" data-original-width="5760" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO7I0miYfAAj3Za-3JGNR1xbeEBO-3RSLk3WHaOsehlicDAki4eE-MWGI-TB0GhnQJgo5Reipd6ee54cfv_pf2jemiVc3otHKSGwGeuJo_gxGG_WkkJ7r_tRyO50GHHhl9y5ksN-fpLPrHOI9BpmeKTpkg1N4I7mtdsTmOOHufFEmac-puExpJFQ0tFk0/s320/caws5.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Well, it does take more than just Cap to defeat them, of course, but he seems to have it mostly under control. However, he discovers that one of his crew has a mission that he was not privy to; Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) is found downloading some files from the mainframe computer. It seems there was more to the mission than just liberating a few hostages.</p><p>When Cap goes to confront Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), he is told some of the details, including the fact that SHIELD has been developing a secret weapon designed to prevent potential future terrorist attacks. Which doesn't exactly sit well with the worldview that Cap has. He sees it as not protecting freedom, but more as a form of using fear to promote peace. (Cap is from a different world remember, one that would say that the rights of people to be free should not be limited to promote safety.)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjAUrmoZx786p5YdvxDIJ-0YZDPXuhKz_HWb9ubBK3KsfBrISCnTBCd0tEJpwdrz924sC6VF3ao29P96zkVq060V5YOqKp7lZqbeGZ-MFrPLSbdKS5WBamKEC54UoeIA28mUhr0TQ_CgbJpyi3c62Iyf63v31cFVGoKZ8sAObxxVtzGtTWlab_OHv4_c/s400/caws8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjAUrmoZx786p5YdvxDIJ-0YZDPXuhKz_HWb9ubBK3KsfBrISCnTBCd0tEJpwdrz924sC6VF3ao29P96zkVq060V5YOqKp7lZqbeGZ-MFrPLSbdKS5WBamKEC54UoeIA28mUhr0TQ_CgbJpyi3c62Iyf63v31cFVGoKZ8sAObxxVtzGtTWlab_OHv4_c/s320/caws8.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Based on the information that Fury gets from the files he got from Black Widow, Fury recommends that the project be delayed. But the man in charge, Secretary Pierce (Robert Redford) is not entirely on board with the idea.</p><p>While out on the streets, Fury is attacked by what appears to be police. It is, of course, not the official Police force. Fury manages to escape, but his escape is inhibited by a mysterious figure who manages to disable Fury's vehicle.</p><p>When Steve gets home from his outings, he finds Fury in his apartment. Fury informs him that SHIELD has been compromised and gives him a flash drive and tells him not to trust anyone. But Fury is shot by the same mysterious assassin who disabled his vehicle earlier. Fury is later declared dead, despite the efforts of hospital personnel to save him. Cap tries to chase down the mysterious figure but is unsuccessful.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQemELs2cLexZC_9xoxMt_o3rMizuqetfuxGZHOUInagcPeov0IiACyGvUv3LA3LH6npQN6w9HCKRJ5e_swELlFiun0_Xod5ZAF7gWfTkyni3O9GZC81NtOaf4jBtF9a48AhVbgrFSWVDcU8WjNi5wwJ-EAVn24nESXBwQNmQU-pnJ6JChQjL3eEgXpoU/s600/caws6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQemELs2cLexZC_9xoxMt_o3rMizuqetfuxGZHOUInagcPeov0IiACyGvUv3LA3LH6npQN6w9HCKRJ5e_swELlFiun0_Xod5ZAF7gWfTkyni3O9GZC81NtOaf4jBtF9a48AhVbgrFSWVDcU8WjNi5wwJ-EAVn24nESXBwQNmQU-pnJ6JChQjL3eEgXpoU/s320/caws6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Because of the flash drive that Fury passed on to Cap, Cap suddenly becomes a person of interest and an attempt is made on him by a STRIKE force to capture (or kill) him. Why? Because apparently Fury had hired the terrorists to capture the SHIELD ship in order to get some security information. Fury went rogue? Cap, for one doesn't believe it.</p><p>Cap teams up with Black Widow again to try to decrypt the flash drive and in the process Black Widow informs him about the identity of the mysterious assassin, a figure known as "The Winter Soldier" who has been doing some work for over 50 years. (Apparently he has some serious anti-aging drugs... or maybe something else.)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSIOHEmFr6X0sv0YR-D0qrkyfuBBSpkDwAtls_uSp11uLjZ2HoMrkuUIDcJ5C1y4GLS7rKBCb6MJ_pkXLfCL7JRWUOU_9CiJzwEHU8ETlF3_4ehgJCj7KfKu-PIaKMyWn0_MF07yNzfqWDhoLSm-5mxfDuLCKTmQ7LZRILpeSWX_jnYFxsOpC1dnhz21E/s263/caws7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="263" data-original-width="191" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSIOHEmFr6X0sv0YR-D0qrkyfuBBSpkDwAtls_uSp11uLjZ2HoMrkuUIDcJ5C1y4GLS7rKBCb6MJ_pkXLfCL7JRWUOU_9CiJzwEHU8ETlF3_4ehgJCj7KfKu-PIaKMyWn0_MF07yNzfqWDhoLSm-5mxfDuLCKTmQ7LZRILpeSWX_jnYFxsOpC1dnhz21E/s1600/caws7.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>The information on the flash drive leads the pair to Camp Lehigh in New Jersey (the place where Steve had originally done his Army training back in the 40's). In the bunker, Cap and Black Widow discover a face from Cap's past, Dr. Zola, the brains behind the science of the Hydra organization. It appears that Hydra has behind all the chaos that has happened over the past 70 years (including a few familiar events such as the 9-11 bombings). The goal was to create a world where the people would willingly give up freedom in favor of security. The ultimate thing is, apparently Hydra is still alive and well, not having been completely eradicated back in Steve's earlier days.</p><p>OK, so it turns out that Hydra is still a going thing. And guess who is behind it's ongoing survival. Did I hear the Secretary? Well, sure. You gotta have people in high places to get anything done if you are on the side of evil. So Cap is going to need a wee bit more help. Enter Sam Wilson who can get their hands on some fancy tech. And can also become a new superhero in his own right, The Falcon.</p><p>But in the meantime, The winter Soldier has his own goals to accomplish (courtesy of our evil Secretary, of course). In the course of a battle between Cap and the Winter Soldier, the Soldier loses his mask and it is revealed that he is Steve's old friend from the 40's Bucky (who supposedly had died back in the 40's, but that is not apparently so). </p><p>And then we come to a new revelation: Fury apparently did not die as we thought. And then the revelation as to how Bucky himself survived. He was retrieved by Zola who transformed him to The Winter Soldier. And he has been used ever since as a force for Hydra's own initiative. Steve has some reservations about fighting Bucky, thinking there MUST be some possibility of saving him. But he needs his uniform.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee? </b>At the Smithsonian, Cap ends up stealing a version of his uniform. Stan is a security guard who says "Oh, I am so fired." when he discovers the Smithsonian's uniform has been taken.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-MK8OF5G_eg-5_eEnd0SrvtgV_ApYXyEZ9Rw8yek8mC9h8CAyc6dgFVceosDxjjvEP-QeBdNNXvinel43ua7Viy_tAYDs7LP6mwUslheZ73NeO1qtJFdyCYOQB1eWZyB86ERLgC_QmtfiP8O5186eEXayAqJNMDmhdk35GTEeh5xj3WSX_hgk95nUrQ/s612/caws3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="612" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr-MK8OF5G_eg-5_eEnd0SrvtgV_ApYXyEZ9Rw8yek8mC9h8CAyc6dgFVceosDxjjvEP-QeBdNNXvinel43ua7Viy_tAYDs7LP6mwUslheZ73NeO1qtJFdyCYOQB1eWZyB86ERLgC_QmtfiP8O5186eEXayAqJNMDmhdk35GTEeh5xj3WSX_hgk95nUrQ/s320/caws3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Th goal now is to stop Hydra and Secretary Pierce from their goal. And the final battle will not be easy. What with SHIELD having been compromised, some of the SHIELD operatives will not be accommodating to Cap's goals to save humanity from a life of being slaves to the Hydra initiative.</p><p>Cap ends up having to fight his friend despite his misgivings. But will he be able to defeat him (at least long enough to prevent Hydra from it's goals?) </p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>: </p><p>Once again we get two post credits scenes. In the first, midaway through the3 credits, a couple of Hydra operatives discuss the seeming failure of Hydra's initiative, but as one says to another, they will soon unleash "the twins" (which turn out to be our introduction to two future characters: Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch). In the final sequence, Bucky shows up to see the Smithsonian's tribute display to him (so maybe he is redeemable after all? We will see...)<br /></p><p><i>The Winter Soldier</i>, in my opinion, redeems the franchise from what was a downturn with the third <i>Iron Man</i> (and to some extent, <i>Thor: The Dark World</i>). Action being the thing that makes Marvel movies interesting, the Captain America franchise always seems to deliver. <br /></p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> <br /></p><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-24853476712068613052024-02-25T02:00:00.004-06:002024-02-25T02:00:00.248-06:00MCU Sunday #8: Thor- The Dark World<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmMaZ5bmktVUvopO0TTSc7yqig3Otoxa6KpM17EB8ArebwmIS2zVkKNe0EU1AhGqA-R7W4szU_-t20oyFMZhlwSEQEDL-n0jMvSytupoBIbwpDs45iRp3DThiKKmxvJfeWGVg3XDzcjNVN0E1LoU20KDMTQzpDT8lN2J-W4Bg5OJ_cxZQKi8UxmdoQA/s300/marvelstudios.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmMaZ5bmktVUvopO0TTSc7yqig3Otoxa6KpM17EB8ArebwmIS2zVkKNe0EU1AhGqA-R7W4szU_-t20oyFMZhlwSEQEDL-n0jMvSytupoBIbwpDs45iRp3DThiKKmxvJfeWGVg3XDzcjNVN0E1LoU20KDMTQzpDT8lN2J-W4Bg5OJ_cxZQKi8UxmdoQA/s1600/marvelstudios.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><br /><p></p><p> Preface: As promised last year, I plan to review every single currently available movie in what is known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) over the year 2024. These will appear in order of their release over that time period. This is the <b>eighth</b> installment. (Oh, and by the way, after I've exhausted all of the currently available MCU movies I will be rounding out the year with some of the other available movies made from the Marvel comics pantheon.)<br /></p><p>Notes: In each of the MCU installments you will be seeing references to two recurring events that occur in nearly every MCU movie.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>: Stan Lee was the driving genius behind Marvel Comics. He usually shows up in a cameo. Sometimes these are so quick you gotta be sure you don't blink. Occasionally he gets a line of dialogue.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>: You should always stay in the theater for the credits when watching a MCU movie, because during the credits and at the end there is a teaser (or two) that is worth the wait. Often they were a teaser for the next installment of the films.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUC8-daTd0fobHF2u4yh1TVCKZHqV3ukIt7Lj_Gi17hH_G4piLTdazsF9AwoaN5lWpeSMpZPvCpAcLDY9TlAjEjrX32ZmMM6rjHy7WwrTznDsSnds5GmB-VZ2m9jj7LKxWigqRaz5xe34LgHBDhqXQgVNPOhv6zZiQyVGQGa8eWV52bdtj00Oe1rUK6D0/s441/TDW3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUC8-daTd0fobHF2u4yh1TVCKZHqV3ukIt7Lj_Gi17hH_G4piLTdazsF9AwoaN5lWpeSMpZPvCpAcLDY9TlAjEjrX32ZmMM6rjHy7WwrTznDsSnds5GmB-VZ2m9jj7LKxWigqRaz5xe34LgHBDhqXQgVNPOhv6zZiQyVGQGa8eWV52bdtj00Oe1rUK6D0/s320/TDW3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The director of the first <i>Thor</i> film, Kenneth Branagh, was interviewed prior to the release of <i>The Avengers</i>, after a comment by Marvel Studios prez Kevin Feige that Thor would go off on a new adventure. He basically said he didn't see it happening. Whether that influenced the future of the franchise or not, it did probably influence the fact that Branagh was not brought on board to direct the new <i> Thor </i> film. (I mean, after all, who needs such negativity...?)<br /></p><p>The cast of the new film, as previously stated in this series, however, were on board. Which means we got Chris Hemsworth in his starring role as well as Natalie Portman coming back as Jane, his human girlfriend, and of course Tom Hiddleston as the nefarious Loki. Plus Anthony Hopkins and Rene Russo returned as Odin and Frigga, king and queen of Asgard, respectively.</p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjB30jF-Ke20vZbTYkavjjSqAi-pgP1gWjeK14a5_oxvsxnohud2zwvmWDKq5u1pFrYjAjdwIkeekdQvW9MrtS1CkWvM-TICl04-2ihAoJrhdiv_punQMR4jbbClisRuNQY5SXen7IPV4h2_ekmIhjTs7_zma6yLMyd5QWkgVrcDqOBcVUEC9jyfRxYI0/s326/tdw1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjB30jF-Ke20vZbTYkavjjSqAi-pgP1gWjeK14a5_oxvsxnohud2zwvmWDKq5u1pFrYjAjdwIkeekdQvW9MrtS1CkWvM-TICl04-2ihAoJrhdiv_punQMR4jbbClisRuNQY5SXen7IPV4h2_ekmIhjTs7_zma6yLMyd5QWkgVrcDqOBcVUEC9jyfRxYI0/s320/tdw1.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Thor: The Dark World</b> (2013):</p><p>In the pre-history of the realms there was a great battle for control of the realms between the warriors of Asgard and the dark elves led by Malekith. (Christopher Eccleston) Although Malekith tried to unleash the dark force of the source called the Aether, he and his minions were defeated and the Asgardiands, led by King Bor, the father of Odin took possession of the Aether. But they could not destroy and so, instead, chose to bury it where "no one could find it". (Good luck with that... Never underestimate the power of the Dark Side... whoops, wrong movie...)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygYikK4OX7Nop-7CpzyC1VTO2AYVJJgpcwjlhkSzmH6HFXRRX6-_7gpy7_hlRRmUv92-ytSy6DiJ2j-xzKre4g0GMu3VPrxVRiBjtW8b3WNN1gHqk8-pL2bQTZ6j9lxbRhjJ4ouJ9ytxC3tRWBUYN5AUJCyxcqDwO_neudiMdWclQeMv3xs4qTFkTp5w/s4506/tdw7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1859" data-original-width="4506" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygYikK4OX7Nop-7CpzyC1VTO2AYVJJgpcwjlhkSzmH6HFXRRX6-_7gpy7_hlRRmUv92-ytSy6DiJ2j-xzKre4g0GMu3VPrxVRiBjtW8b3WNN1gHqk8-pL2bQTZ6j9lxbRhjJ4ouJ9ytxC3tRWBUYN5AUJCyxcqDwO_neudiMdWclQeMv3xs4qTFkTp5w/s320/tdw7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Flash forward to present day. Dr. Jane Foster along with her crew have discovered a portal that seemingly connects worlds. Objects dropped into the portal seem to disappear, only to appear again. During these experiments Jane gets drawn into the portal where she is infected with the Aether and it becomes a part of her. (Told you...)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4FxUBEyniwVHrokO3HP7UIgznUtgmBI21Za5uG1ir67hPt6BL9ANkoPYw9wWT6hBolodNqe8NTQndhDp-kBYZQSMuI-fDlun2GwLghaB-0VXC_KydBg_Yj-_nODAhHZm3u9OWlpIGWYxVVxi3VjRf80V7JEN2uXWR-8w11OzbWipwkgJ15STIYnKkoA/s1560/tdw8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1560" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE4FxUBEyniwVHrokO3HP7UIgznUtgmBI21Za5uG1ir67hPt6BL9ANkoPYw9wWT6hBolodNqe8NTQndhDp-kBYZQSMuI-fDlun2GwLghaB-0VXC_KydBg_Yj-_nODAhHZm3u9OWlpIGWYxVVxi3VjRf80V7JEN2uXWR-8w11OzbWipwkgJ15STIYnKkoA/s320/tdw8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>There is a new twist on the horizon. It seems that every 5000 years there is something called a Convergence, a force that aligns the Nine Realms and opens up the possibility of causing some bad things to happen. And it reawakens the dormant Malekith who uses the convergence to try to regain access to the Aether which he believes belongs to his people, the Dark Elves. And since the Aether is now in the possession of Jane (or vice versa...), Malekith invades Asgard in an attempt to regain it.</p><p>In the process he kills Frigga. (Not his best decision. This is not going to go well... ) So Thor, along with his half brother Loki, who had been imprisoned for his malfeasance in the quest to let the enemies take over the realms in the previous adventure (see <i>The Avengers</i>) gather to prevent Malekith from success in subjugating the realms under control of Evil.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilE8zQXUvRMbIaUzz-kc8P6hURRFYOpy6GirsNbnKAN31BEFy-kRPh2QUvWFWG4OKRzZrCOQgIU8YcfMlS4pzBaLATG92nI2pX_smRWcuxNwGdBNR5Og7DF3sDX3OhcnisiRwXa04HeDV_4z35j-WZ6_DPEmDU5CY1bk_8xFxvUcjCFxVtHplKs6Qfvoc/s2560/tdw5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="2560" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilE8zQXUvRMbIaUzz-kc8P6hURRFYOpy6GirsNbnKAN31BEFy-kRPh2QUvWFWG4OKRzZrCOQgIU8YcfMlS4pzBaLATG92nI2pX_smRWcuxNwGdBNR5Og7DF3sDX3OhcnisiRwXa04HeDV_4z35j-WZ6_DPEmDU5CY1bk_8xFxvUcjCFxVtHplKs6Qfvoc/s320/tdw5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>: Back on Earth, Dr. Selvig, who has been having a little trouble holding on to a grasp of reality has been confined to a mental institution. He is delivering a lecture on the Convergence using a pair of shoes as helpful illustration. After he ends his lecture he asks if the are any questions. Stan is one of the inmates ad says "Yes, Can I have my shoe back?"</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmBUqN-liy5SeeT4FtzwuS5g7QJs-YUhuZUP7oYVFSGgKY6nzlqOprmhIGRUPGERCULs7Sh_qboNNkIkVWG5L3Vuhyphenhyphenb4MlqDPGFPBgc8Y-PBDcgOlUYNQBISHtKmiHqCxcqU7UkzcrOuzi6gRZtEaTThv-YxYPlEZn7Vy1va4nEOzmx-VMlGElq9YsNk/s560/tdw2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="560" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmBUqN-liy5SeeT4FtzwuS5g7QJs-YUhuZUP7oYVFSGgKY6nzlqOprmhIGRUPGERCULs7Sh_qboNNkIkVWG5L3Vuhyphenhyphenb4MlqDPGFPBgc8Y-PBDcgOlUYNQBISHtKmiHqCxcqU7UkzcrOuzi6gRZtEaTThv-YxYPlEZn7Vy1va4nEOzmx-VMlGElq9YsNk/s320/tdw2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>When Thor and Loki appear on Malekith's home world, Loki appears to have betrayed Thor in favor of his new ally Malekith. He asks Malekith for a good seat to watch the destruction of Asgard, But in the end, Loki's betrayal of Thor turns out to be a ruse to get Malekith to let his guard down. Only during the ensuing battle. Loki is apparently killed. (But, that is not a spoiler alert because we all know Loki is not so easily defeated, (Although we won't find out that until the end of the film. However, if you are aware of the future entries, you already knew that... Kind of like killing off James Bond in a Bond film... of course he isn't really dead...)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaYMINkfzE6qq9gsZu-fCwL0AlXdMe7mDxrsahdV9TJRVlVSFkaZoe_zp7rnJ1U3XWsfk6SJ9poa1H7nMg8i2JS-JSlX-rgnVSMN_CH4lMMekfFQqsidLBuybDprco2B5hoJIg9PRDQqQduftOKQ3AI5DWW3BuVq7E34xb_r0HuLPfgIYSaXZLhdTbVo/s1200/tdw6.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1200" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwaYMINkfzE6qq9gsZu-fCwL0AlXdMe7mDxrsahdV9TJRVlVSFkaZoe_zp7rnJ1U3XWsfk6SJ9poa1H7nMg8i2JS-JSlX-rgnVSMN_CH4lMMekfFQqsidLBuybDprco2B5hoJIg9PRDQqQduftOKQ3AI5DWW3BuVq7E34xb_r0HuLPfgIYSaXZLhdTbVo/s320/tdw6.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>A the Convergence becomes more and more imminent, Thor and Malekith end up having to battle across the realms. The Convergence allows them to slip easily between the worlds. Ultimately, of course, Thor wins the day as Malekith is defeated.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>: As a squad of Asgardians take the Aether to the home world of a character referred to as The Collector, they tell him that since the Tesseract is on Asgard, it would not be a good idea that two Infinity Stones be located on the same world. And thus the seeds of the massing of the the stones is implanted as, just as the scene ends the Collector says "One down. Five to go."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmfQA7dSjixbJPZLykXxCfvekuBpoultfx4ilmOVtMlEiOZUoiTo-QYzy8ADbI7ndkNPmaOa2OR91cMK3ZcYPzkOXVB8ZJW1lveFDZgRtFNEK9IL3IKFgnSx4HgYRbtTHUIMJuyiVCQi2ol0McQA0FLlfGOO9-SmSIVbNYTwGX2Sd-d88uWijjA54DQc/s640/tdw4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="640" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmfQA7dSjixbJPZLykXxCfvekuBpoultfx4ilmOVtMlEiOZUoiTo-QYzy8ADbI7ndkNPmaOa2OR91cMK3ZcYPzkOXVB8ZJW1lveFDZgRtFNEK9IL3IKFgnSx4HgYRbtTHUIMJuyiVCQi2ol0McQA0FLlfGOO9-SmSIVbNYTwGX2Sd-d88uWijjA54DQc/s320/tdw4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>It is a mystery why <i>Thor: The Dark World</i> ended up doing so poorly. Most lists I have seeen rank it at the bottom of the MCU pantheon. Is it really all that bad? I don't think so. The action comes a lot more frequently in it, which makes it a better movie than some. Although the Convergence never quite makes the impact that the writers probably hoped, <br /></p><p>The fact that it garnered a few nominations but failed to win any awards across the realms of critics probably is indicative of it's poor reception. Some of those nominations even were probably due to the limited options of availability of eligible material. (After all, only four movies were in the running for Saturn Awards for Best Comic Book to Film.) Tom Hiddleston still manages to make any appearance of Loki shine, whether the rest of the cast makes any effort at all. </p><p>Well folks, the curtain falls for this endeavor. Time to roll. Drive safely</p><p>Quiggy</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhSWc_cxYWhGZNUQgAOVpCG8UK1k_raNTUfsVcAKYtbDBqOoGyVIsLICXLkH1mSx-Ic-hd8VQm5mrG_ATpLJL51GKmApvVoZaZ72QYDD8KF_PAobYHmbsI9rlwuJ3qxspv7h6pnZrTvu29e2zEMCodi9rdy6yDr0a5COzpHb6TM_OZN1OyiCn5IZHVNY/s320/di%20end.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhSWc_cxYWhGZNUQgAOVpCG8UK1k_raNTUfsVcAKYtbDBqOoGyVIsLICXLkH1mSx-Ic-hd8VQm5mrG_ATpLJL51GKmApvVoZaZ72QYDD8KF_PAobYHmbsI9rlwuJ3qxspv7h6pnZrTvu29e2zEMCodi9rdy6yDr0a5COzpHb6TM_OZN1OyiCn5IZHVNY/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-17707227847989123322024-02-23T02:00:00.034-06:002024-02-23T02:00:00.150-06:00Stone Face Does Comedy?<p>This is my entry in the <b><a href="https://takinguproom.com/2023/11/20/announcing-the-sixth-so-bad-its-good-blogathon-2/">Sixth So Bad It's Good</a></b> Blogathon host by Taking Up Room</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamw49dP3VX4RgZow9kk7Uh99Nn7t_aBj4D3zpcxjKsfCawRELDS0Jeah8kKoCMpNbezLZNGt3RKRlMPWit0GJxOAwXdRYZGXb5FbNa7AbBBFwgw9Po4gDmEXULmuDgXYn0X-4WBgI0tTDKQgx3u6bxY8EkhLkryHaWkiUvzsX4P4EY6WcHfEtMOIBtuI/s1920/sbig1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamw49dP3VX4RgZow9kk7Uh99Nn7t_aBj4D3zpcxjKsfCawRELDS0Jeah8kKoCMpNbezLZNGt3RKRlMPWit0GJxOAwXdRYZGXb5FbNa7AbBBFwgw9Po4gDmEXULmuDgXYn0X-4WBgI0tTDKQgx3u6bxY8EkhLkryHaWkiUvzsX4P4EY6WcHfEtMOIBtuI/s320/sbig1.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> </p><p>So you're asking: "'Stone Face'? Who the hell is 'Stone Face'?</p><p>Well, a few years ago I did a post on Sylvester Stallone doing two movies (<a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2020/02/stone-face-vs-russians.html">Stone Face Vs. the Russians</a>) which, coincidentally, was for another <b>So Bad It's Good </b>Blogathon<b>. </b>In it I made some jesting comments that Stallone never cracked a smile in his entire career. I could be wrong.</p><p>It's a sure bet that not many have cracked a smile over Stallone's comedy career, however. I mentioned this to a friend at work the other day while listening to a podcast review of <i>Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot!</i> that Stallone's was best at comedy when he wasn't trying to do comedy. Along with <i>Rhinestone</i>, both movies stand as milestones in the dumpster of Stallone's career when he tried to do comedy. Both movies are ranked among the worst movies of all time. </p><p>As stated in that previously noted review, Stallone has been the "victim" of numerous Razzies (The Golden Raspberry Awards) for worst actor. I don't always agree with John Wilson, the creator of the award, and many times I think that Wilson just has it in for Stallone. But then, I like the kinds of movies that Stallone does (at least the ones where he is trying to be a tough guy)</p><p>But Stallone as a comedy star? Not exactly the best career decision. <b>That said, both of these movies are entertaining in their own right. </b> Don't think that just because I am being a little critical of his comedy career that I don't like them in their own context as Stallone films. But I still think that Stallone should stick to what he does best, punching bad guys and obnoxious a-holes in the face. (Which he DOES do in these two films, just not often enough<i>).</i></p><p><i>Rhinestone</i> and <i>Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot!</i> were separated by an 8 year string of the kind of movies most of us come to expect from Stallone (including the two I reviewed in the previously mentioned post). During that time we also got <i>Cobra</i>, <i>Lock Up</i> and <i>Tango and Cash</i>, all pretty good Stallone tough guy movies.</p><p></p>Since Stallone has famously disassociated himself from <i>Rhinestone</i>, you would have thought maybe he'd be a little reluctant to delve into another comedy. And maybe he was. But here's a tidbit for you. At the time of <i>Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot! </i>Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger were in an intense rivalry for box office status. The reason that Stallone wanted to do <i>Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot!</i> was because he wanted to put one over on Schwarzenegger because he thought the The Governator really wanted the role. It turns out that Arnold got Stallone to do it on purpose by just pretending to be interested (as he has pointed out in several interviews, post film). <i></i><i></i><p></p><p>So is Stallone actually funny (or at least believably funny) as a comedy star? You have to watch to find out. </p><p><i> </i></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERif9102dKclkeUpeFEkaPRJc3_HSQGdRr3iSLCjZ5hZkb94hi92DjCZ-RZmKt4sGb5NMQMCPsk3a7KxzUWT7T2AgZmR77egacKdSk92pcn5tpB6oMgShw7_a3fEoJU3DQcbKOxopR9Tv4hetY4PU6ELSQHBt0X2op7dlKRAz_CUUdXC8R6OYiUTh7TI/s2160/sf2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="1453" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERif9102dKclkeUpeFEkaPRJc3_HSQGdRr3iSLCjZ5hZkb94hi92DjCZ-RZmKt4sGb5NMQMCPsk3a7KxzUWT7T2AgZmR77egacKdSk92pcn5tpB6oMgShw7_a3fEoJU3DQcbKOxopR9Tv4hetY4PU6ELSQHBt0X2op7dlKRAz_CUUdXC8R6OYiUTh7TI/s320/sf2.jpg" width="215" /></a></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZzb0RiABhovDFYEMgFBpj2UkUKPz554h40y691cK6mVcDT40-fWY3rqcf7G0qLjPgrBoQO4t0osBKDY9PBUgxOq0_6jlKyCpEMpZdphfFnU5YW3EQj1vCKzV5d4-RkwJabsMKA-bCWwslcCs20lJqHaO8-dgs4AXvyGo1oW7lVmKyYh3IC8DHxe8xEo/s388/sf1.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="388" data-original-width="256" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiZzb0RiABhovDFYEMgFBpj2UkUKPz554h40y691cK6mVcDT40-fWY3rqcf7G0qLjPgrBoQO4t0osBKDY9PBUgxOq0_6jlKyCpEMpZdphfFnU5YW3EQj1vCKzV5d4-RkwJabsMKA-bCWwslcCs20lJqHaO8-dgs4AXvyGo1oW7lVmKyYh3IC8DHxe8xEo/s320/sf1.jpg" width="211" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><i> </i><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i></i></div><i><br /><br /></i><p></p><p><i> </i></p><p><i> </i></p><p><b>Rhinestone</b> (1984):</p><p>(<b>Note: </b>In the opening credits of this film it says it is based on the Glen Campbell song "Rhinestone Cowboy". If you know the song, you'll probably think they should have added "loosely" before the word "based"...)</p><p> The scene is New York City. Home of one of the biggest country music venues in the nation. <br /></p><p>Or at least in the mind of it's owner, Freddie Ugo (Ron Liebman). Ugo is a slimeball, prominently foreshadowed by his first line in the movie. He arrives in a diamond studded limousine where an employee opens his door and greets him with a "Good evening, Mr. Ugo".</p><p>"It's always a good evening when you're rich, kid."</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilam0TgU4OR96Dtr0sbzGmb6H3FgpSVdS5WRiizBebgdsG7FMVxfhV60_IiND_CGFIw9B7v9iQRM3MLaoDX1TKJW2_cA2CjOG5mBEAfbOJT0TZQz-5p5ULqgwakl3Dlgzl-2emS9JyHdKSu9YHN-0n_RXzfzCKAghBdkqN50olUlbOegBcV2VSMbsOUGA/s1024/sf3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="1024" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilam0TgU4OR96Dtr0sbzGmb6H3FgpSVdS5WRiizBebgdsG7FMVxfhV60_IiND_CGFIw9B7v9iQRM3MLaoDX1TKJW2_cA2CjOG5mBEAfbOJT0TZQz-5p5ULqgwakl3Dlgzl-2emS9JyHdKSu9YHN-0n_RXzfzCKAghBdkqN50olUlbOegBcV2VSMbsOUGA/s320/sf3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Appearing at his nightclub is Jake Farris (Dolly Parton). She struggles through her nightly set, having to share the stage with Ugo's "amateur night" which includes whatever new sensation that he can find to get him even richer. Tonight it is Elgart Brunson (Russ {or also Rusty}Buchanan, who was actually a decent singer. He was involved with several bands in the 70's and 80's.). Elgart plays a song he wrote about a girlfriend who died in a horrible way. And he sings horribly himself. (Kudos to Buchanan for pulling it off. This is one of the funnier parts of this film.)<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg173bwPzn0TQI8rbydRxKhVMcvjv_UfM_WozhJnif0EhL7R_uC0exi0pl5ImPzrnZ3jMhWTSUIFUYIckpM30u7JVvH2Ry0MEB3hOciLDj0C9tJiLosmnbanmXHvTvbJteu8n_PoNlUpeero5hGzjZARNkfqgWOxHqr1OL-CgZAyt27uFXsjKoT7TfLWng/s700/sbig2.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="700" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg173bwPzn0TQI8rbydRxKhVMcvjv_UfM_WozhJnif0EhL7R_uC0exi0pl5ImPzrnZ3jMhWTSUIFUYIckpM30u7JVvH2Ry0MEB3hOciLDj0C9tJiLosmnbanmXHvTvbJteu8n_PoNlUpeero5hGzjZARNkfqgWOxHqr1OL-CgZAyt27uFXsjKoT7TfLWng/s320/sbig2.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Ugo has a contract with Jake to appear at his nightclub, but Jake wants out. Ugo, never one to miss an opportunity to be a sleazeball, tells her she is committed to the contract, but he could be convinced to null it under the right circumstances. Jake tells him, rather impetuously, that she could turn anybody into a country star in two weeks, and Ugo takes her up on the bet. If she succeeds, he will tear up the contract.</p><p>On the other hand, if she fails, she has to sign on for another 5 years. And she has to go to bed with him. (I told you he never misses an opportunity to be a scumbag. I mean, just in case you as the audience, miss the obvious, look at where is eyes go when he is chatting with Jake. Her eyes are a little farther up, Freddie...)</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbSS1Klj8AsvR0TvKXLTS71rI5a37IBcFrVoqX44t7lf6GEvz9-ckB5L94YSAi3JHXwBClpKVw2h4MFM8Zq36yWA_EQYgAkP1sKQMR8oNIFivDiOr_YDZKoQC-61Z3bGH4Ct_Ex_ySrHzN9Z3AjZv_fz4VpVT4SSU8Eem6QYfeE43YvvoWgQcBBNPBug/s1365/sbig3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="581" data-original-width="1365" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJbSS1Klj8AsvR0TvKXLTS71rI5a37IBcFrVoqX44t7lf6GEvz9-ckB5L94YSAi3JHXwBClpKVw2h4MFM8Zq36yWA_EQYgAkP1sKQMR8oNIFivDiOr_YDZKoQC-61Z3bGH4Ct_Ex_ySrHzN9Z3AjZv_fz4VpVT4SSU8Eem6QYfeE43YvvoWgQcBBNPBug/s320/sbig3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>And he gets to pick the unwitting victim that Jake will have to miraculously turn into a star. Enter stereotypical abrasive New York cabbie, Nick Martinelli (Sylvester Stallone). Nick is in the process of delivering a Japanese tourist group to a spot they didn't even know they wanted to go. They started out for a sushi bar, but Nick convinces them to change their minds, (and not necessarily willingly...)</p><p>Backed into a corner and unwilling to sleep with Ugo (even if it was just "sleeping"), Jake finds herself saddled with a man who wouldn't know the difference between a honky tonk and a Tonka truck. And has to find a way to not only get him acclimated to the country music scene, but squeeze out a modicum of talent that will get her the win in the bet.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocSMBj6nJdryvjTqHuoPZNw5c2CQHMZ-_uE8Cmk7yzPt224SEioZX-xUj_7N46uTJ9WqYc1F9zS4vONK7jPWdSFbU9kJq1_9zVQEryH2p1fjcc3y4kStKpP86m1zNQVEG-YuXjmDxSCngBO9rHR8yiOKvPhKDWS33_jN1EJ9DvblFqTN8dKJlpwmKvCw/s4780/sbig4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3071" data-original-width="4780" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjocSMBj6nJdryvjTqHuoPZNw5c2CQHMZ-_uE8Cmk7yzPt224SEioZX-xUj_7N46uTJ9WqYc1F9zS4vONK7jPWdSFbU9kJq1_9zVQEryH2p1fjcc3y4kStKpP86m1zNQVEG-YuXjmDxSCngBO9rHR8yiOKvPhKDWS33_jN1EJ9DvblFqTN8dKJlpwmKvCw/s320/sbig4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Of course, the fly in the ointment is Nick doesn't even like country music. Or hillbilly lifestyle as we find out. Because in an effort to get Nick into country music shape, Jake takes him back to her hometown in backwater Tennessee.</p><p>Talk about a fish out of water. Here's your typical brash New York City Italian dropped in the middle of hillbilly heaven (or hell, depending on your point of view.) Jake introduces Nick to the down home crowd, her friends and her family in good old back home Leiper's Fork. (And, believe it or not, that's a real town in Tennessee. And was the location for some of the Tennessee portions of this film).</p><p>Don't miss the debut of Nick in Tennessee. He sings "Devil with a Blue Dress" and gets the reaction from the crowd that you'd pretty much expect. So Jake has her work all cut out for her. (Two weeks? Phttt. Piece of cake...)</p><p>Nick is on his way, learning the "proper" way of eating (like mixing your peas and potatoes together, and saving your biscuits for dipping in your gravy). And making new friends, like Jake's former boyfriend, Barnett (Tim Thomerson). But don't mention that name around Jake. Their relationship was not what you might call amicable.</p><p>The next time Nick gets in front of a crowd he has improved somewhat. He sings a song called "Drinkenstein". Which you've got to see to believe:</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y4raj5m575M" width="320" youtube-src-id="y4raj5m575M"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The upshot is Nick needs a little more work (obviously). But ultimately Jake does manage to get Nick into some semblance of cowboy shape. But is he good enough to take on the rough crowd back in New York City, or good enough to capture the prize of getting Jake out of her contract with sleazy Freddie? Well, that all depends on whether he even makes it to the stage... Because before the movie is over there is one final problem. Jake reveals that she hasn't got the kind of confidence in Nick's new found career, even though he thinks he's hot patootie.</p><p>When Jake decides she has to forfeit and goes to Freddie to concede, Nick has to ride out to rescue her, like "a rhinestone cowboy, riding out on a horse in something like a star-spangled rodeo". (Had to justify the "based on" portion of the credits, after all...)</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-cyFMpUFauPPUK0Ikke8nTemMzJbahDVRS8g6tjcIz3NUi8m4N9X8ixsjKLW97eAonKxhHo9GkmWYuOiLZelzMUDZ8Mur-Bsdom8-dUv7XsHpu4K_wgdTNmfn3gFYvZB6X0vDdiD3HOkhZ1qdo9NnTaNm8_GxJiH3S9zPWvo4PJYp3qxG3cY2me0Vqk/s620/sbig5.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="620" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-cyFMpUFauPPUK0Ikke8nTemMzJbahDVRS8g6tjcIz3NUi8m4N9X8ixsjKLW97eAonKxhHo9GkmWYuOiLZelzMUDZ8Mur-Bsdom8-dUv7XsHpu4K_wgdTNmfn3gFYvZB6X0vDdiD3HOkhZ1qdo9NnTaNm8_GxJiH3S9zPWvo4PJYp3qxG3cY2me0Vqk/s320/sbig5.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>And then he has to win over the audience. But he decides to do it his way. And his way ends up being a foreshadowing of the future of what country would transform into today. (i.e. rock posing as country.)<br /></p><p>This movie is not all as bad as it sounds. Really. Is it on the level of, say, <i>Blazing Saddles</i> (a movie I consider tops in comedy)? No. But it will win you over as a decent transformation type film. If you give it a chance.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORuZ5VfI7cabkI9LZ16ZrlCghY4Afxs27RYP-55N_2BFRlNUkH0e-qlJA7Ey6ehjqDJed7Sxiht5ZN6MmNCjvAEk7Rcrd0gLkYlPf5i6UQe2OyeEifRSWu57awR4vChlUmFCmcGtcNKts9T3fMPWnP5lbKabMSu-0UKz_vKMI9ZichRTjhiYSk4kEink/s520/intermission.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="520" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjORuZ5VfI7cabkI9LZ16ZrlCghY4Afxs27RYP-55N_2BFRlNUkH0e-qlJA7Ey6ehjqDJed7Sxiht5ZN6MmNCjvAEk7Rcrd0gLkYlPf5i6UQe2OyeEifRSWu57awR4vChlUmFCmcGtcNKts9T3fMPWnP5lbKabMSu-0UKz_vKMI9ZichRTjhiYSk4kEink/s320/intermission.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot! </b>(1992):</p><p>Joe Bomowski (Sylvester Stallone) is your average detective on your average police force in your average big city. (Well, average for gung ho cop movies anyway.) The movie opens with Joe and his partner, Tony (John Wesley) on a stakeout. They are awaiting the arrival of "the bad guys" who, as usual, are "always late". And, as usual, when they do arrive, there is a shootout, and as usual, the partner gets shot. And, as usual, the main cop shows off his impulsive personality by doing some rather impressive shooting of things that shouldn't be victim of his shooting. (He shoots out the chains holding up a sign. Poor sign. What did it do to deserve this treatment?)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0pIGIqD3S603MnBT86L7EDflhxU_R3RMtU9nihyphenhyphenn2qTvuzLKRuBD1XLK44POPBvfCreO6NgSF8lVrQMX3c3CmyTTCezd36EUF4CCiYtxTvgiWDQb6QJL3NQrOvJIpgs7T-y-4P5ZvfhM4Y86b9YATmMpkuqE-VvX_ZCqn5c-0gyCKxK_U21zRB38GNE/s1200/stop1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="1200" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-0pIGIqD3S603MnBT86L7EDflhxU_R3RMtU9nihyphenhyphenn2qTvuzLKRuBD1XLK44POPBvfCreO6NgSF8lVrQMX3c3CmyTTCezd36EUF4CCiYtxTvgiWDQb6QJL3NQrOvJIpgs7T-y-4P5ZvfhM4Y86b9YATmMpkuqE-VvX_ZCqn5c-0gyCKxK_U21zRB38GNE/s320/stop1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> After the shoot out we see Joe, frustrated, trying to call his mother. Mom (Estelle Getty) is packing for a visit and ignores his call because for the last five times she has planned to come visit he has called her to say this is a "bad time for a visit." </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-tmiw_c6NSJl8UFDdGjql4zkxQ_9y3hVHha0S93AF7gtBntEeT7vgw4BUvD3YptLYefvmPe6Cufibpk6ziK-FdKW66TR-8wjqVeANLKpwE60h2gAKr40dQh7EMJQE6Q6Z0TJiJqls7OT3q3DUfZ-E6BF8AQMwMMie7jntcOE855u50UdpOwLw4ZNt4XA/s500/stop2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-tmiw_c6NSJl8UFDdGjql4zkxQ_9y3hVHha0S93AF7gtBntEeT7vgw4BUvD3YptLYefvmPe6Cufibpk6ziK-FdKW66TR-8wjqVeANLKpwE60h2gAKr40dQh7EMJQE6Q6Z0TJiJqls7OT3q3DUfZ-E6BF8AQMwMMie7jntcOE855u50UdpOwLw4ZNt4XA/s320/stop2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Joe has a romantic interest, his lieutenant in the police force, Gwen (JoBeth Williams). Gwen doesn't really believe him when he tells her that he was trying to call mom. She thinks there is another woman. (Of course she does).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9U-7QruiVCBvCGZR9HZMGZfRYe5O5sFlvecMLZsE4W0nRUdUTL_3r2lDZQkZfJOGbBFJDc7hRN5ZCOmPmZymbKJkIorFhyphenhyphena6js-R1LJzqoS5S8-5fRTYyhGkqcm6fyy1ksQzN9R1G8bIFHqpBAo6v-Zcu2FbKrkgBjQhiO82wGmF-rL9TKNjcQ45HR0/s1280/stop3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="1280" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9U-7QruiVCBvCGZR9HZMGZfRYe5O5sFlvecMLZsE4W0nRUdUTL_3r2lDZQkZfJOGbBFJDc7hRN5ZCOmPmZymbKJkIorFhyphenhyphena6js-R1LJzqoS5S8-5fRTYyhGkqcm6fyy1ksQzN9R1G8bIFHqpBAo6v-Zcu2FbKrkgBjQhiO82wGmF-rL9TKNjcQ45HR0/s320/stop3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>When Mom finally arrives on the plane we find out why Joe has such an issue with her. Mom, loving Mom as she is, seems to have spent the entire plane trip talking about her Joey and showing the flight attendants, passengers, and anyone else who will listen, pictures of her son, in diapers. (No, not an adult in diapers, just as a baby. Get your mind out of the gutter...)</p><p>While driving her to the apartment, a radio call comes on stating that there is a suicide jumper. (Why is it that many of these cop movies involve a scene with a suicide jumper? And why do they always seem to play it for laughs?) Of course, Mom has to jump into the fray and try to help.</p><p>Mom increasingly becomes annoying (after all, she can't just let Joe continue to live in his untidy apartment, or eat the decidedly less nutritious fare he is used to...) At one point she decides that Joe's gun is too dirty, so she cleans it. How? With a mixture of Clorox, Ajax and Comet... (No, I don't have any idea whether that combination is lethal, and I doubt whether the writers researched it to find out. So don't try it at home.)</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgs3c0qKHqtW55nHkraTq5okLIAILFD7WaOq1omqu_NL9xeUh8lVXDOVgcnOpZ1DRD1i4tDF7phJ9WoT6OqIcSwjeG2FhXPLsC6JPbFKuj_Y_1UxeJlqNdweUqoweSD_Mvc53tkACB4E6vKtQKDuFkJHYzwbDOT8UcPEdJbaz4-F_6TCFAJ124FkhVwk/s728/stop4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="728" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIgs3c0qKHqtW55nHkraTq5okLIAILFD7WaOq1omqu_NL9xeUh8lVXDOVgcnOpZ1DRD1i4tDF7phJ9WoT6OqIcSwjeG2FhXPLsC6JPbFKuj_Y_1UxeJlqNdweUqoweSD_Mvc53tkACB4E6vKtQKDuFkJHYzwbDOT8UcPEdJbaz4-F_6TCFAJ124FkhVwk/s320/stop4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The gun, of course, is ruined. (I don't know if it <b>really</b> is ruined, but it has to be for this part of the plot to advance, so...) So while Joe is at work, Mom heads out to find her Joey a new gun. But the pawn shop insists on following the rules. It will take two weeks before she can actually buy the gun. (It's called a "cooling off" period so you can't just buy a gun and shoot someone on impulse.) But a customer in the shop wants to be helpful. The customer (Dennis Burkley) helpfully takes her into the alley where he and his partner have an armory of automatic weapons. And sells her one.</p><p>But the guns were stolen from another set of hoodlums. Hoodlums who have been watching the two. And they are given the word by their boss to reclaim their merchandise. Mom witnesses the hit and murder. Now, since Mom is a material witness to a crime, she is going to have to stay until it's resolution... an extra two or three weeks... Poor Joe.</p><p>And Mom, being what mothers are (at least what mothers are in movies, anyway). has Joe's interests at heart. So she withholds evidence of what she really saw so she can share it with Joe and hopefully get him a promotion, as well as improve his relationship with Gwen.</p><p>Much of the rest of the film involves the kind of things that are bound to happen when a overly pampered son (who is highly resistant to the over-pampering) has to TRY to get his mother to let him live his own life, but mom keeps finding ways to help (and he doesn't want the help. Need? That's a different story).</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhika3gFejoClf6NsHxZzC2coGJ4ntyPBq1K2Hv57rHWyzTSirOTANboRhiwKxMfuIAmrpQV72eCweyJlUxBEYpwiceo0cCXpbEMuJB4_Wog6W5R59bVqoSNVARBhqy3qwWGh6c5BfFvkrFzFmzhL4s5COr1p-iaS8YdBg79_qKpAf3fj6ZO6xk_rW1w48/s950/stop5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="950" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhika3gFejoClf6NsHxZzC2coGJ4ntyPBq1K2Hv57rHWyzTSirOTANboRhiwKxMfuIAmrpQV72eCweyJlUxBEYpwiceo0cCXpbEMuJB4_Wog6W5R59bVqoSNVARBhqy3qwWGh6c5BfFvkrFzFmzhL4s5COr1p-iaS8YdBg79_qKpAf3fj6ZO6xk_rW1w48/s320/stop5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>It turns out that the gun Mom bought was part of a stash of guns that were supposed to have burned up in a warehouse fire, And behind it all is the Mr. Big of the movie, a sleazy big shot corporation executive named Parnell (Roger Rees). Rees has cropped up over the years as a comedic villain or at least an unappealing character. He was the sheriff of Rottingham in <i>Robin Hood: Men in Tights</i> and two stints on TV, one as Lord John Marbury in "The West Wing", and as Robin Colcord on "Cheers".</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQb2nVEqQgWYKK-UPVfi2mKzKCFdJ6_OSUhyphenhypheng-z3FEiHSz3UQZZ6_ZH5MtRUI8woEccdp_U2o70rmDQnk9FQMUO8eGrHttTXhry0IZqS23DlsqvLPYWJTSSQtnnwdhEk-MJfTnZAX8MHCTbrrv4QD3wYW2-JZrRiSWmVUeUUlsTfDqflxU5QDFJmgqPOA/s1348/stop6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="731" data-original-width="1348" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQb2nVEqQgWYKK-UPVfi2mKzKCFdJ6_OSUhyphenhypheng-z3FEiHSz3UQZZ6_ZH5MtRUI8woEccdp_U2o70rmDQnk9FQMUO8eGrHttTXhry0IZqS23DlsqvLPYWJTSSQtnnwdhEk-MJfTnZAX8MHCTbrrv4QD3wYW2-JZrRiSWmVUeUUlsTfDqflxU5QDFJmgqPOA/s320/stop6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>It seems Parnell had the fire intentionally set, not only to collect on the insurance, but also to illegally sell the guns. And a couple of the cases of guns were stolen by the hoods that tried to sell Mom a gun early in the movie.</p><p>All's well that ends well, as they say, as Joe, with the help of Mom, prevent Parnell from leaving the country with the contraband. And <b>spoiler alert! </b>we find out in the end that Joe finally proposed to Gwen and they are engaged. (A deleted scene on the DVD shows the proposal scene, but it was cut from the theatrical release. Watching it, I can see why. It wasn't all that funny.)</p><p>So here is the skinny on Stone Face in comedy. I still say he should stick to action, with the occasional comic barbs in certain situations. But as for the fact that they are considered some of his worst movies? I would have you go watch <i>Oscar</i> (another comedy), or even <i>The Specialist</i> (not a comedy) before you decide that.</p><p>Well, that brings us to the time we need to leave the drive-in. They are already shutting down the lights and blasting "Drunkenstein" through the speakers. And my mom is texting me to see if I'll stop to get some milk. Drive safely, folks.</p><p>Quiggy</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZgnA__QLYO0536zHOT7NwAp1YB0wIAYK5igI_R_7fufXJwt6RV9snEQvdn9SYi7xD7b7LHQvRtIv0EeW6tPBJKjhWzYWtn15zeAD4lVnNoy9K2G8xvGRyFXOgMujZEjVfbauNBji1P8sYj5n__3jTt_pinr0IUaNBo4Kk-VJcexfoCdxWsfskusxz0M/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZgnA__QLYO0536zHOT7NwAp1YB0wIAYK5igI_R_7fufXJwt6RV9snEQvdn9SYi7xD7b7LHQvRtIv0EeW6tPBJKjhWzYWtn15zeAD4lVnNoy9K2G8xvGRyFXOgMujZEjVfbauNBji1P8sYj5n__3jTt_pinr0IUaNBo4Kk-VJcexfoCdxWsfskusxz0M/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-69725785164860661112024-02-20T02:00:00.001-06:002024-02-20T04:53:49.014-06:00Riding Into Destiny<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwM5bb2LxoeLS2QjDKy3ySO5dj1on_cF5iyOyKrA6z22npCIKm-H2LBqzV7NgOP7ssSBCcd7y_o8Hzg68IuGMOhhcxrPk64oqrm7136ogiX5159mkORbU9Kt-EsewgKlE1lfxzniiGqt4sz5OCfup2iYvlqxGt-4LDc-iItwTu4JobwzNVJrlxYagCIc/s320/shane1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwM5bb2LxoeLS2QjDKy3ySO5dj1on_cF5iyOyKrA6z22npCIKm-H2LBqzV7NgOP7ssSBCcd7y_o8Hzg68IuGMOhhcxrPk64oqrm7136ogiX5159mkORbU9Kt-EsewgKlE1lfxzniiGqt4sz5OCfup2iYvlqxGt-4LDc-iItwTu4JobwzNVJrlxYagCIc/s1600/shane1.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Fellow blogger Rachel at Hamlette's Soliloquy came up with this idea of siblings in film. My first thought was "Hey! I have a sister. That's a sibling! What about doing one of her favorite films?". But she pointed out that the theme of the event is actually "siblings in film". OK. So fortunately my sister's favorite film is <i>Shane</i> which features a pair of brothers, so I still get to fulfill my goal while staying true to the theme.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij88CbVvyy_2mB6uktOjxkLGIOHNFYTuHBwi6fr2F-N0ig7rbnMMDM76sv6T9z7xrGPxeu9Bg1KwdATNL7G0gcu1T8ZA7y2hDtXHhQWm8d46-gH1G50uIhO008Aiea-VWH4bAleWaVv_9iFZMcAGvjZsmvuepbEcZfSO7YjoUSyGUG3kdZ4mz8ZaSJBtY/s441/shane2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij88CbVvyy_2mB6uktOjxkLGIOHNFYTuHBwi6fr2F-N0ig7rbnMMDM76sv6T9z7xrGPxeu9Bg1KwdATNL7G0gcu1T8ZA7y2hDtXHhQWm8d46-gH1G50uIhO008Aiea-VWH4bAleWaVv_9iFZMcAGvjZsmvuepbEcZfSO7YjoUSyGUG3kdZ4mz8ZaSJBtY/s320/shane2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>I haven't seen <i>Shane</i> in probably about 50 years. My vague recollection is watching it with family during a Thanksgiving holiday on TV. I haven't seen it since then. But my memories of it are fairly accurate (for the most part anyway). </p><p>To be honest, I thought Jack Palance (who was credited as "Walter Jack Palance") had more of a presence in the film than he actually does. As the gunfighter hired by the bad guys to come to town to help out in the goal of driving off the homesteaders, Palance doesn't actually appear in the movie until almost an hour into the film. And his screen time only amounts to about 20 or so minutes in the film, so maybe I should go back and re-watch some of the other movies I only vaguely remember from my childhood.</p><p>As far as the casting is concerned: Did you know that Alan Ladd was not the first choice to play the title role? The first choice was going to be Montgomery Clift, but he proved to be unavailable. And Jack Schaefer, the author of the original source novel is on record as saying that he didn't like Ladd in the role, calling him a "runt". Schaefer has said he envisioned someone more like George Raft. As portrayed on the screen by Ladd, I could see Clift in the role, but I think he would have been an entirely different character as portrayed by Raft. Perhaps he is more in keeping with the vision Schaefer had in the novel.</p><p>As far as Van Heflin in the father role, William Holden was one of the first hopes to play Joe Starrett, but like Clift, he was unavailable so Heflin got the role. Jean Arthur rounded out the primary cast. It was her final role on the big screen as she retired from film afterwards, although she came back for a couple of TV roles years later.</p><p>Some interesting tidbits: One, Ladd did not like guns, and was not very proficient with them. According to what I read it took over 100 takes to get the scene right when Shane shoes little Joey how to use a gun. Maybe it should have been the other way around... It is also evident supposedly of his deficiency when he has the gun battle at the end of the film. Not that I noticed, but apparently he shot quite a bit off the mark when gunning down the bad guys then. Also, Palance had to be filmed several times to get a decent take when he was either mounting, dismounting or riding a horse because he and horses were not on good terms with each other. </p><p>The story of <i>Shane</i> is pretty much a trope these days. The lone
gunman who rides in to town trying to escape a past and falls in with a
beleaguered group in their battle against a superior force. Not only is
it a trope in the western genre, it can be seen in various other
genres. Of course, it's most prevalent in the western genre. <i>Pale Rider</i> comes to mind. For that matter, several of Clint Eastwood's westerns fit the bill. But also could be added <i>Yojimbo</i>, the Akira Kurosawa tribute to the trope featuring samurais instead of western cowboys. <br /></p><p><i>Shane</i> was well received when it came out. Witness the numerous Academy Award nominations it got; Best Picture, Best Director (George Stevens), Best Supporting Actor (both Jack Palance and Brandon DeWilde), and Best Screenplay, all of which it lost to various people involved in a competing film, <i>From Here to Eternity</i>. The only one it won was for Best cinematography: Color, which it fortunately did not have to compete with <i>From Here to Eternity</i>, since that one was filmed in black and white (which by the way it won for that category.) </p><p><i>Shane </i>is one of the films on American Film Institute's best westerns list, only beat out by <i>The Searchers</i> and <i><a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-day-academy-lost-its-mind.html">High Noon</a></i> in that category. It is also in the top 50 of an overall list of all films.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_3b_PoUkoibfw0K75rSGLtBe15G5AWCRHxZjZzZLfz0B8snMXUnD6xPUBeJHBEGkdzZfGiUVSAxAqwtvSRHaD6mOKPRXl-UumPyK27mGlbXlymknEDm5IEyaXV06sgm5uFoG5m5NKQgN-H7CNdAjDOGBScAtmmJTP1r1Niu_7vZmceIdlcAV8SM9nLo/s338/shane3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_3b_PoUkoibfw0K75rSGLtBe15G5AWCRHxZjZzZLfz0B8snMXUnD6xPUBeJHBEGkdzZfGiUVSAxAqwtvSRHaD6mOKPRXl-UumPyK27mGlbXlymknEDm5IEyaXV06sgm5uFoG5m5NKQgN-H7CNdAjDOGBScAtmmJTP1r1Niu_7vZmceIdlcAV8SM9nLo/s320/shane3.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Shane</b> (1953):</p><p>OK, so the sibling aspect of this movie doesn't really become evident until later in the movie. Heads up.</p><p>Young Joey Starrett (Brandon deWilde) is out stalking a deer on his family farm. He is still too young, by his father's own words, to have ammunition, so he is only pretending to hunt the deer. While out there he observes a lone rider coming in to the farm.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HcPDl9zKVNKhu3oUmdTrL-PegiBjH7jMlTGGUicUMf37xJ64uarZnLiQsGKEoFK9gTgWChpnNpgduCnSWHqBG8shsYY3FOaVp6QvAEIC-J27WEctmoCfFAyTBb8JXixAGY169dRzo0r8A-vy4Q7Brz2DmbjEW9g_i-b4LpP2tBJd3FmX23rvN1qqqtw/s640/shane2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HcPDl9zKVNKhu3oUmdTrL-PegiBjH7jMlTGGUicUMf37xJ64uarZnLiQsGKEoFK9gTgWChpnNpgduCnSWHqBG8shsYY3FOaVp6QvAEIC-J27WEctmoCfFAyTBb8JXixAGY169dRzo0r8A-vy4Q7Brz2DmbjEW9g_i-b4LpP2tBJd3FmX23rvN1qqqtw/s320/shane2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The lone rider (a typical western trope) turns out to be a man who calls himself Shane (Alan Ladd), (and another typical western trope, he is only known by one name, so "Shane" could conceivably be his first name, but he is frequently addresses as Mr. Shane).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2PiAmVJn3w-xPlHdcshxVbkE23I_crMZvGdIgOdcJn1n6XuPvd5bLsHdwWodEDnW7AzXKB4TzO3qS-ombv_a11JtC11BxeeKFPErGiXAt4kokm-7xfguJmUZ7nywoICXHVrmtU1MZnJK7PahALPkqMsGuJpUwhGkYKUppyxVMoisXTcl2_q65WIlJ7kI/s576/shane1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="576" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2PiAmVJn3w-xPlHdcshxVbkE23I_crMZvGdIgOdcJn1n6XuPvd5bLsHdwWodEDnW7AzXKB4TzO3qS-ombv_a11JtC11BxeeKFPErGiXAt4kokm-7xfguJmUZ7nywoICXHVrmtU1MZnJK7PahALPkqMsGuJpUwhGkYKUppyxVMoisXTcl2_q65WIlJ7kI/s320/shane1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Shane is only stopping off to ask permission to ride through the Starrett farm, but Joe Starrett (Van Heflin) is pressured by his wife, Marian (Jean Arthur) that the polite thing to do would be to ask the man to stay for dinner, since it's almost supper time.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9JO6jq2LV4asMOlkOpscqbLK2YJJyaXzrmRQ3G-XcqlF453v2ZKXS0HRg1NziQkuAj-tcNIvtiZ2Kg5sVQ6JNcWKmxiKq0r1yYNgcO63xCwKu_WgkX1kF_aqhsc95p6fveSZ0n0BMJU0VqyQ-P7KggUXwBhK8CBl3Qf9RbFojNBoOQ9YLtpKzA8p1Ho/s1500/shane%203.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="733" data-original-width="1500" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9JO6jq2LV4asMOlkOpscqbLK2YJJyaXzrmRQ3G-XcqlF453v2ZKXS0HRg1NziQkuAj-tcNIvtiZ2Kg5sVQ6JNcWKmxiKq0r1yYNgcO63xCwKu_WgkX1kF_aqhsc95p6fveSZ0n0BMJU0VqyQ-P7KggUXwBhK8CBl3Qf9RbFojNBoOQ9YLtpKzA8p1Ho/s320/shane%203.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>After dinner, Shane is invited to spend the night. In the morning, feeling like he must help to pay for the two meals, he starts attacking a tree stump that Starrett had been working on when he rode in. Together they manage to make short work of it. (And why it only took a short while when Starrett had said he's been at it off and on ever since he moved on the homestead, I can't say. Maybe it was almost done by that time already... Only one of a couple of plot details I took issue with in an otherwise great movie.)</p><p>Although it never really comes out in the movie it turns out that Shane has had a rather jaded past, Apparently he was a gunslinger in his former life. It's not clear whether he is on the run from his own past or if there may be some past trying to follow him. (Maybe it is more clear in the original source novel. I never read it.)</p><p>The problem Starrett and his fellow homesteaders have is with a local cattle baron, Rufus Ryker (Emile Meyer) and his brother Morgan (John Dierkes). (And there are the siblings..) As another typical trope, the greedy Ryker brothers want all the land in the area, not just a portion of it. And they have been waging a guerilla war of sorts with Starrett and the homesteaders.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSw0ZLVwRp2tCEwGg4n6V0a9Rk3eut2sSt_wT9XwaDEb76jp3IRwIAvLjR-9ieIIFN49KJ9DxnmdNxSF9f7cW0X9vay08kogpH3Yp28KWiflMYAd8Lkum0oLqU9DgWhWqh_iX0yziqyQvioZgURy_KbQt8qhc_mukZRGLW7KZOTelq2QvTtVTqIJvPl4/s1106/shane4.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="662" data-original-width="1106" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxSw0ZLVwRp2tCEwGg4n6V0a9Rk3eut2sSt_wT9XwaDEb76jp3IRwIAvLjR-9ieIIFN49KJ9DxnmdNxSF9f7cW0X9vay08kogpH3Yp28KWiflMYAd8Lkum0oLqU9DgWhWqh_iX0yziqyQvioZgURy_KbQt8qhc_mukZRGLW7KZOTelq2QvTtVTqIJvPl4/s320/shane4.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Shane stays on as a ranch hand to help out Starrett. But there may be some ulterior motive, Perhaps Shane is doing it to make amends for his own jaded past. He definitely is not averse to helping fight the battle of the two factions, for the side of good (or at least what we are prone to be led to believe is the side of good.)</p><p>The battle between the two gets more and more hostile, and, yes, the bad guys do tend to stretch a point in the lawless frontier to force the homesteaders to give u and move on. But Starrett does his best to convince his neighbors that they have the right, and even the obligation to stay.</p><p>Eventually, since Shane seems to be someone with whom the Rykers might have a problem, they hire their own tough guy, Jack Wilson (Jack Palance). And it's not even remotely concealed from either the audience or the homesteaders themselves what his background is. He is a notorious gunslinger and even Shane recognizes his name, if not his face,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6XcCdLRlLmHB-y9i6NlIjLVfYO73edvb4MnrCwHwHuyE_Of_QOT9VP-_uOtzL1KOKSRwYaDUyYubL6mNW9A5RVjHQkecQ0vrq7u7-QND3sI7f45Z1pmxm26-uBebUY8NbTXauHav-cm3lPtYi6yg0L6zH1p26VBg77Ua6zJmK8VKbo85NPBKCSxT4YI/s873/shane5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="873" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY6XcCdLRlLmHB-y9i6NlIjLVfYO73edvb4MnrCwHwHuyE_Of_QOT9VP-_uOtzL1KOKSRwYaDUyYubL6mNW9A5RVjHQkecQ0vrq7u7-QND3sI7f45Z1pmxm26-uBebUY8NbTXauHav-cm3lPtYi6yg0L6zH1p26VBg77Ua6zJmK8VKbo85NPBKCSxT4YI/s320/shane5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>One of the homesteaders, "Stonewall" Torrey (so called because he is a Confederate veteran of the Civil War) is gunned down in the street (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisha_Cook_Jr." target="_blank">Elisha Cook, Jr</a>, played him. He will be familiar a face even if you don't know his name. He had prominent roles in dozens of films in his life. Just click on that link and see how many of them YOU'VE seen...).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRguCZSFvhZQNGzlTzM_3hhKM5U6Vhcwp6p4xMchLqpKJTl_trEibPqMklhebHlYbUO1yCK0KQjmXAHnpnL3U8sAl-RPrJIPJCdTmST_IPvC2nS6hEy8yW6WWzKzSnAB6e9vSsFRHlrkIzDNiauJcn-vw_9o1z8dpFIqctl5yGToT2Ie887BpR7Sa32c/s617/shane6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="617" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmRguCZSFvhZQNGzlTzM_3hhKM5U6Vhcwp6p4xMchLqpKJTl_trEibPqMklhebHlYbUO1yCK0KQjmXAHnpnL3U8sAl-RPrJIPJCdTmST_IPvC2nS6hEy8yW6WWzKzSnAB6e9vSsFRHlrkIzDNiauJcn-vw_9o1z8dpFIqctl5yGToT2Ie887BpR7Sa32c/s320/shane6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Things get even more hairy over the course of the film. Some of the Rykers' cohorts burn down one of the homesteader's farms and many of them are just about to give up. In fact, if it weren't for the adamant Starrett trying to keep them from conceding the battle most of them would have left by now. But Starrett is apparently a good talker.</p><p>The final confrontation comes when the Ryker brothers, knowing that the glue that's holding them together is Starrett, creates a ruse that will get Starrett into town where he will be ambushed. And Shane tries to stop him, saying he can't win. But it takes Shane knocking out Starrett and riding into town in his stead to keep Marian from becoming a widow and little Joey from losing a father.</p><p>Joey sees what Shane does to his father and tells Shane he hates him, but has a change of heart and follows him to town. Of course, you know how it's all going to end, don't you? If you don't, what have you been doing all your life while NOT watching movies? Or being indoctrinated with classic film culture?</p><p>I'll give you a hint:</p><p>"Shane! Shane! Come back!"</p><p>(The quote made the list of American Film Institute's <a href="https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-movie-quotes/" target="_blank">100 Years 100 Movie Quotes</a>, so even if you've never even seen one frame of the film, it's highly likely you've heard the quote.)</p><p>The film has a bit of history behind it, if you are interested. The battles being fought between the homesteaders and the cattle ranchers is based on the real events behind the Johnson County War fought in the early 1890's in Wyoming. Among other films that dealt with this topic was <i>Heaven's Gate</i> (which has it's own reputation in Hollywood). And if you like the theme (although it covers a different kind of conflict) you ought to check out <i>Pale Rider</i>, one of my favorite Clint Eastwood films. (And I'm surprised that up to now that hasn't been featured on The Midnite Drive-In... maybe soon.)</p><p>Well, folks time to saddle up and ride on. And to that little boy in the back part of the lot yelling "Quiggy! Quiggy! Come back!" I'll be back... (Oh wait, that's a different movie altogether...</p><p>Quiggy</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cVtyKuwlhJsELrnk-Nfd2_zT3GSq7mu29Ir9OBZTDzF_Gc8VYndcOyjp8Z19FfGJQSc5SFPHPRnPDVHFrDKJ98unqb0Wl5KjWASm-jW3sCKzZz87RRPfDBLVgBAIY5SKfhiHjtPN8kuezZaE-L0VfxfajANRiotHPWDBD5Tvpm2iAWoIQ6qyUbgWynQ/s320/di%20end.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3cVtyKuwlhJsELrnk-Nfd2_zT3GSq7mu29Ir9OBZTDzF_Gc8VYndcOyjp8Z19FfGJQSc5SFPHPRnPDVHFrDKJ98unqb0Wl5KjWASm-jW3sCKzZz87RRPfDBLVgBAIY5SKfhiHjtPN8kuezZaE-L0VfxfajANRiotHPWDBD5Tvpm2iAWoIQ6qyUbgWynQ/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-857759567961628452024-02-18T02:00:00.009-06:002024-02-18T02:00:00.143-06:00MCU Sunday #7: Iron Man 3<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmMaZ5bmktVUvopO0TTSc7yqig3Otoxa6KpM17EB8ArebwmIS2zVkKNe0EU1AhGqA-R7W4szU_-t20oyFMZhlwSEQEDL-n0jMvSytupoBIbwpDs45iRp3DThiKKmxvJfeWGVg3XDzcjNVN0E1LoU20KDMTQzpDT8lN2J-W4Bg5OJ_cxZQKi8UxmdoQA/s300/marvelstudios.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmMaZ5bmktVUvopO0TTSc7yqig3Otoxa6KpM17EB8ArebwmIS2zVkKNe0EU1AhGqA-R7W4szU_-t20oyFMZhlwSEQEDL-n0jMvSytupoBIbwpDs45iRp3DThiKKmxvJfeWGVg3XDzcjNVN0E1LoU20KDMTQzpDT8lN2J-W4Bg5OJ_cxZQKi8UxmdoQA/s1600/marvelstudios.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> Preface: As promised last year, I plan to review every single
currently available movie in what is known as the Marvel Cinematic
Universe (MCU) over the year 2024. These will appear in order of their
release over that time period. This is the <b>seventh</b> installment. (Oh, and
by the way, after I've exhausted all of the currently available MCU
movies I will be rounding out the year with some of the other available
movies made from the Marvel comics pantheon.)<br /></p><p>Notes: In each of
the MCU installments you will be seeing references to two recurring
events that occur in nearly every MCU movie.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>:
Stan Lee was the driving genius behind Marvel Comics. He usually shows
up in a cameo. Sometimes these are so quick you gotta be sure you
don't blink. Occasionally he gets a line of dialogue.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>:
You should always stay in the theater for the credits when watching a
MCU movie, because during the credits and at the end there is a teaser
(or two) that is worth the wait. Often they were a teaser for the next
installment of the films.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-IYAGMtlzZgAFWDe7YmSmXjyC9eN7eMFSCAha8Gjc9hbphC6GEGi7CO0Ks508UkpCc-STfV8XLmoKRGN4byeJ5O5G4DAO0fiCOtSFMU6iCwV14qNgcnkQ0tTcLpNaoH-ec4akE5oFqoiH2Twpg4ogJIb4ZGktieZqrH4r7-6GXhwdVtCX4VDJGuHlBcc/s441/im3.1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-IYAGMtlzZgAFWDe7YmSmXjyC9eN7eMFSCAha8Gjc9hbphC6GEGi7CO0Ks508UkpCc-STfV8XLmoKRGN4byeJ5O5G4DAO0fiCOtSFMU6iCwV14qNgcnkQ0tTcLpNaoH-ec4akE5oFqoiH2Twpg4ogJIb4ZGktieZqrH4r7-6GXhwdVtCX4VDJGuHlBcc/s320/im3.1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p>The next movie in the saga after the dynamic coupling of our heroes in <i>The Avengers</i> was this little movie, and if you're keeping track this makes the third Iron man movie when the rest of the heroes have only had one apiece. (That would be rectified in the coming attractions.) </p><p>The movie has some star power involved in it, including Ben Kingsley and Guy Pearce. There was a lot of stuff that should have made this an attractive endeavor (and you will forgive me if I didn't fall into the reigning opinion that it succeeded...)</p><p>Have to admit by the time I slogged through <i>Iron Man 3</i>, I briefly considered abandoning the project. (It was the first time sitting through it.) But I knew in retrospect that there were several movies in the MCU pantheon still to come that redeemed my resolve to stick with it.</p><p>As I mention in the review, one of my big problems was a rather confusing plot. The fact that the director, Shane black, had written the script or story for two of my favorite movies, <i>Lethal Weapon</i> and <i>Lethal Weapon 2 </i>gave me some hope for a better script. Not sure what the problem was. And once again, this is just me. Maybe I am losing something that was there from the outset.<br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlfFD0XT-Zrzcv57mg6oSSCbel7WlOrBFCtmdanJszzL5sbWS67JWJ65IsRjaK_FDV5BIVDM2DjnyOJAJVIciMxfWHFRyyCbyd-fh6XJCbL7chQ_rvVEC6YdNMCSAnTvaA4hOSsjILyG472ikcU3bv2-0Ek-dARmMBWyfYJLUXHVTZLsBGmir7IpCCXY/s326/im3.2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlfFD0XT-Zrzcv57mg6oSSCbel7WlOrBFCtmdanJszzL5sbWS67JWJ65IsRjaK_FDV5BIVDM2DjnyOJAJVIciMxfWHFRyyCbyd-fh6XJCbL7chQ_rvVEC6YdNMCSAnTvaA4hOSsjILyG472ikcU3bv2-0Ek-dARmMBWyfYJLUXHVTZLsBGmir7IpCCXY/s320/im3.2.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p><b>Iron Man 3</b> (2008) :</p><p><br /></p><p>The film opens on a scene, New Year's Eve 1999. It starts out with a horrendous opening song, "Blue" by Eiffel 65, and if you can get past that it gets better, trust me. Tony (pre - Iron Man) is trying to hook up with a scientist, Maya Hansen (Rebecca Hall), although not entirely for the reasons that Hansen wants to connect with him... </p><p>In the process of his endeavor to satisfy his goals, Tony is interrupted by Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), another scientist who has some ideas he wants to present to Stark Industries, but, as usual, Tony is unreceptive, and blows him off.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3V-ImuicNMYT7NbiG_TB-v1o8dycnP0ZrettZ-YDzjnssxYpqATy7wXfAvVNStVCqfoMuhQszjNxaWPN80yUvkj3dLThdHCkyXNRBIf_HTUOlwVeGwqDa7nnac2_RZerRjbgYW0Y57GNGTPA8GB_atEso-8qFhuyer17sspevS3nH0Icav09hoCKlV0/s349/im3.3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="145" data-original-width="349" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3V-ImuicNMYT7NbiG_TB-v1o8dycnP0ZrettZ-YDzjnssxYpqATy7wXfAvVNStVCqfoMuhQszjNxaWPN80yUvkj3dLThdHCkyXNRBIf_HTUOlwVeGwqDa7nnac2_RZerRjbgYW0Y57GNGTPA8GB_atEso-8qFhuyer17sspevS3nH0Icav09hoCKlV0/s320/im3.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Flash forward to present day. After the events of the alien attacks on New York (see <i>The Avengers</i>), Tony is suffering from the effects of post traumatic stress disorder. He has apparently been unable to sleep, and has been working night and day creating new Iron Man suits.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JQm5X_wTxuZuR5Kcq7b1kml05pzpEDBCQsd_pXskMapAT4WGJPjWLBnI2gzZ7YgI5atr1YinXOcF7NNmpVcXPSbbVnPS7HgHHeZVJnJLxt65L1K85tsVBxhzA9vLVAZ5HubXrusm8x-r6qmJRquoxg8ljVPZJenGQ-oPHdMBuyxh60gtQudbNutCxvc/s1296/im3.4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1296" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8JQm5X_wTxuZuR5Kcq7b1kml05pzpEDBCQsd_pXskMapAT4WGJPjWLBnI2gzZ7YgI5atr1YinXOcF7NNmpVcXPSbbVnPS7HgHHeZVJnJLxt65L1K85tsVBxhzA9vLVAZ5HubXrusm8x-r6qmJRquoxg8ljVPZJenGQ-oPHdMBuyxh60gtQudbNutCxvc/s320/im3.4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Meanwhile, his associate / girlfriend, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) meets up with a new and improved Killian. He tries to get her involved in his project of working on improving the human brain. But, once again, Killian is blown off.</p><p>In the mix is a terrorist organization led by a mysterious figure called The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), The Mandarin is the ultimate in terrorist, a man with a grudge against the United States for slights against his people, And he is going to make the U.S. pay, of course. Or maybe just the President whom he really seems to have a grudge against.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KgLdGuDYC6zjxQaZod93Y3Uy1ibOgzrElXfjUXEunVGspNV0KmToe64XwHAE65TcIT9uTQWc5Z1xh44MqbOtge0HxYpMEKNR-4i_Zrbv8iirf-h8KaS-6nHEld8meFJsUx9YmG7aeTpUNVn38niM6DVXM-rg1n-Fgs14Hkh7AvLO8RXdPp0VABPWriQ/s5140/im3.5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3425" data-original-width="5140" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-KgLdGuDYC6zjxQaZod93Y3Uy1ibOgzrElXfjUXEunVGspNV0KmToe64XwHAE65TcIT9uTQWc5Z1xh44MqbOtge0HxYpMEKNR-4i_Zrbv8iirf-h8KaS-6nHEld8meFJsUx9YmG7aeTpUNVn38niM6DVXM-rg1n-Fgs14Hkh7AvLO8RXdPp0VABPWriQ/s320/im3.5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>So Tony makes a threat to The Mandarin on live TV, that he to go mano a mano with him, and even gives his home address. Not exactly the best idea Tony has had recently. The Mandarin sends attack forces to blow up the domicile. Leaving Tony apparently dead. But he just relocated...</p><p>To Tennessee. Where the first known "terrorist" bombing occurred, albeit one before The Mandarin came on the scene. With the help of a young ally, Harley (Ty Simpkins). Tony tracks down the mother of the guy who initiated that first attack. (And this is the point where I started to get a little confused. I think they were trying to jam way too much information into this part of the film.) </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WfwDsr1L9eoKygrWCaQiTbyyt3hYGlZ_1vo8tR_LfGLQCqRKY3MVkelT311yoiJtoHQCHB30iiefS0KWDJjTmEqy8YWZqgt0o3eXAPcvrxKlBEl8I-yAUHI0RovkIas4YyDayhTVL-olTy8VX8xFMK_XoBnRtFJKMFLgcVR4R6smRBF9JxhDRZdd0rI/s780/im3.6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="780" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0WfwDsr1L9eoKygrWCaQiTbyyt3hYGlZ_1vo8tR_LfGLQCqRKY3MVkelT311yoiJtoHQCHB30iiefS0KWDJjTmEqy8YWZqgt0o3eXAPcvrxKlBEl8I-yAUHI0RovkIas4YyDayhTVL-olTy8VX8xFMK_XoBnRtFJKMFLgcVR4R6smRBF9JxhDRZdd0rI/s320/im3.6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>The Mandarin makes another appearance, telling the President there are only two more lessons in his education, and executes a hostage, despite the fact that the President complies with his demand to use his cell phone to call.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b> For some reason a broadcast of a beauty pageant appears on TV. Stan is seen in the audience, giving one of the models a "10".</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_JcqFkXWWac216d3gnRiHnDumQdqS0JkV0mKiiSNLErZ_zE1gGfxI620QVX4-jSjHzty5XGAHqumuZ6vanA4Eo_9KELbP94xb1hnJVSVJBnktlsYMGQx2ihN3DVz_6-DwTRBmbI7JK3K-JyaAyq35eb32wK2h-EEBozykm-yId34dGsnVHh30rZz4lE/s600/im3.8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_JcqFkXWWac216d3gnRiHnDumQdqS0JkV0mKiiSNLErZ_zE1gGfxI620QVX4-jSjHzty5XGAHqumuZ6vanA4Eo_9KELbP94xb1hnJVSVJBnktlsYMGQx2ihN3DVz_6-DwTRBmbI7JK3K-JyaAyq35eb32wK2h-EEBozykm-yId34dGsnVHh30rZz4lE/s320/im3.8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Now Tony is on the case, downloading information on Killian and his special work, which appears to be some sort of regeneration formula, near as I can tell. But the things do not go smoothly in the lab tests. But Killian is still able to find a buyer. If you guessed The Mandarin, you are on target.</p><p>With Harley's help and the help of his A.I., J.A.R.V.I.S., Tony is able to pinpoint The Mandarin's broadcast location. And it's not Syria, Pakistan, Iraq or even Timbuktu. It's in Miami. Unable to get his suit up to power, Tony makes a new one using stuff he finds at the local hardware store. (OK...)</p><p>But when Tony arrives at the HQ of The Mandarin, he finds out the the so-called "Mandarin" is a fiction created by some other entity. The man who has been on TV as "The Mandarin" was in fact just an actor hired to take credit for the explosions. (Confused? It gets better... Maybe.)</p><p>So who is behind the scenes? A maniac. (Or a visionary, if you believe him...) Killian. (And why does Killian keep reminding of the pre-Riddler version of Jim Carrey's Edward Nigma? Maybe it was intentional. Of course Guy Pearce is no match for the manic delivery of Carrey, but the similarities seem to be there...)</p><p>Of course, it's only after Killian, the REAL Mandarin, has apparently defeated Tony (despite the help of the two dozen or so Iron Man suits he has in his repertoire helping him) that he revels himself to be the REAL Mandarin. But Tony still has an ace up his sleeve. Even though it appears nothing is going to defeat Killian (that whole regeneration thing...)</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWWjyyMqSh2ll-1TM1MNkwA6npROKXDl7YfnnfKBhaOuV3O0qqah1J0c9D0EKVMbW-SKiqfHBpFtcX4_WxjkJAYnLTZHSsyMKv8MZj4iYu8_leN2eStWTjdTFp5hfuBmlezyCJ00oGfceRopWtBqzdspGuLfFxr2LvN2cz0ekTEtgJv9ZJjZshzaOXSM/s800/im3.7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpWWjyyMqSh2ll-1TM1MNkwA6npROKXDl7YfnnfKBhaOuV3O0qqah1J0c9D0EKVMbW-SKiqfHBpFtcX4_WxjkJAYnLTZHSsyMKv8MZj4iYu8_leN2eStWTjdTFp5hfuBmlezyCJ00oGfceRopWtBqzdspGuLfFxr2LvN2cz0ekTEtgJv9ZJjZshzaOXSM/s320/im3.7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>So in the end, after Killian is no longer a problem, Tony destroys all the Iron Man suits. Or did he? Because after all this, Tony leaves us with a final line "I am Iron Man"). And no surprise there, because if you've looked ahead, Iron Man is STILL a factor in the future stories...</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>: The end of the movie shows us Tony talking to a "therapist". Or at least Tony has convinced himself he is. But as the other guy adamantly claims "I'm not that kind of doctor"...</p><p><br /></p><p>OK, so after all this, <i>Iron Man 3</i> does not rank all that high on my list. Part of it has to do with I could never really get a line on the plot. And I STILL don't know what Killian hoped to achieve with his tactics. Unless it was to have a puppet government under his thumb. It gets a good rating on most lists I looked at, so that may just be me, and I don't make any apologies for that. </p><p>It did get nominated and even won a few awards. Including an Oscar nom for Best Visual Effects (which was to be expected). It also won a couple of Saturn Awards ( a science fiction/fantasy award, in case you are unfamiliar.). And I still don't know how Ben Kingsley beat out Benedict Cumberbatch for Best Supporting Actor for the latter's role in the <i>Star Trek: Into Darkness</i> film. Not that Kingsley is not a great actor, just that I don't think he brings it to the film this time.<br /></p><p>Time to fire up the Plymouth and roll. Drive safely, folks.</p><p>Quiggy</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ACqBUbmcRWyANIBPUA5w3NZoqiY0At9tGmVnYb3AIkPbvVuBwkBPomrw-XHedFhzoTzf47sAXsk8NpGLD0Y6IEKRgRKN6yTeMgw6ohEaovcMN-aa8T4RE-kzR_Mbz4OkCBSCAzl8BNV8iB4jgm3dNXAWZ1V7EWukQPOUJIzKmKZInTfZjyoDPreLVr8/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ACqBUbmcRWyANIBPUA5w3NZoqiY0At9tGmVnYb3AIkPbvVuBwkBPomrw-XHedFhzoTzf47sAXsk8NpGLD0Y6IEKRgRKN6yTeMgw6ohEaovcMN-aa8T4RE-kzR_Mbz4OkCBSCAzl8BNV8iB4jgm3dNXAWZ1V7EWukQPOUJIzKmKZInTfZjyoDPreLVr8/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> <br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-77838895459992466922024-02-14T03:00:00.082-06:002024-02-14T03:23:42.148-06:00Soul Survivors<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UT-BojMP0Cs9W1tyjuaOOpmqnpR7uDKYbyMKBsJqLsai-toOdVY861TmdVdI5SvH-jnNa2yLYhj2Y2lBnIdCOh_A6Mnfgthfrp6e94EiIlqCu7uRhM8rxikwoQdYfvzIAlkiAIP4tA7Tr_B1xpOWFCgcXfhBQqwqh70UFrZnRURs_CxwA9I6OilRkAc/s441/has1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6UT-BojMP0Cs9W1tyjuaOOpmqnpR7uDKYbyMKBsJqLsai-toOdVY861TmdVdI5SvH-jnNa2yLYhj2Y2lBnIdCOh_A6Mnfgthfrp6e94EiIlqCu7uRhM8rxikwoQdYfvzIAlkiAIP4tA7Tr_B1xpOWFCgcXfhBQqwqh70UFrZnRURs_CxwA9I6OilRkAc/s320/has1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>My favorite day is still Valentine's Day. I have a romantic bent, even though it doesn't show up very often on this blog. Years ago I had a tradition: I would buy a carnation for each of the ladies with whom I worked for Valentine's Day. Most of them appreciated the gesture. I never really had a girlfriend, and as such I never married, so I never had a wife. This tradition was my one outlet for that romantic side. Unfortunately, in 2009 I was laid off from that job. I got the job back six months later, but I never reinstated the tradition. </p><p>That said, that romantic bent never really took hold when it comes to movies. I can count on the fingers of one hand the list of movies you might call "romantic" that I like. "Romcoms" as they might be called, usually don't appeal to me. I make an exception for <i><a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2016/03/as-you-wish-look-at-princess-bride-from.html">The Princess Bride</a></i>, one of my top 10 movies of all time, because I generally don't think of it as a romantic movie, although to be sure, there is some romance in it. My attraction stems from the fact that it has some great action and some of the best repartee in movie history.</p><p>In addition, there a few other movies that are classed as romcoms that I actually like. These, too, appeal to me for other reasons than the "rom" side of the romcoin coin: <i><a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2019/01/is-this-day-never-gonna-end.html">Groundhog Day</a></i>, for example. The appeal comes from the situation that Bill Murray's character finds himself in. <i>Dave</i> is also classed as a romcom, but I like the part of Kevin Kline trying to fill the role as President even though he isn't, and not necessarily the romance part that develops between his character and Sigourney Weaver's character.</p><p>If you look at the archives of this blog, you may notice a couple more that fit the bill, but in each one of those, there is some other aspect that drew me to the film, not the romance. This movie today really had nothing to draw me to it initially. I just happened to come across it once several years ago and had nothing else going on so I watched a few minutes of it. And then, by gum, I was hooked. Of course, if it hadn't been for that initial set up, if it had just jumped into the story with Robert Downey's character all ready grown up and only then gradually revealed the part about his having ghostly companions, I probably would have switched channels.</p><p> Interestingly enough, <i>Heart and Souls</i> is actually listed as one of the movies in one of the <i>Frightfest Guide</i> books I have, one which covers "Ghost Movies". So I'm not the only person with my bent of mind that likes this movie.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IPX3lQJe-Rj8aLkcPVZrpWdkLa42BSiVo9diJr4IMfOsOt6G7Alt-ldnBKiVBcTWHZbNTGGueK5ZSvQMwFqES0YMSBOrL9DlC3D_0OUQdVYRx_Xbt4zT4mqAet1v6blA762PluvIv6OedtLhT2eY4vEy74SLKGIQ8UDHx0e4fFJETJolryqOYN6QBiw/s264/has3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="191" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7IPX3lQJe-Rj8aLkcPVZrpWdkLa42BSiVo9diJr4IMfOsOt6G7Alt-ldnBKiVBcTWHZbNTGGueK5ZSvQMwFqES0YMSBOrL9DlC3D_0OUQdVYRx_Xbt4zT4mqAet1v6blA762PluvIv6OedtLhT2eY4vEy74SLKGIQ8UDHx0e4fFJETJolryqOYN6QBiw/s1600/has3.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The film stars Robert Downey, Jr in the lead role, accompanied by Alfre Woodard, Kyra Sedgewick, Charles Grodin and Tom Sizemore as ghosts. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOTHCzN0FysmAyLENyO10_4pvaI9B6KX0tUJmlCkB6cPEe22M116LqcYNmeG9_BwFHpv_L-D4z9-Ue9PCv1a5ThGpwI4OvvTmL9UJW_ewibiocFpAIzQ2UlUXHwyhJzrfxrQKqIWlSLtPgN9_elplLDobmScuMoPuiv5zwJURGJECf7s-t4iLpusnZKg/s1000/has4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="659" data-original-width="1000" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOTHCzN0FysmAyLENyO10_4pvaI9B6KX0tUJmlCkB6cPEe22M116LqcYNmeG9_BwFHpv_L-D4z9-Ue9PCv1a5ThGpwI4OvvTmL9UJW_ewibiocFpAIzQ2UlUXHwyhJzrfxrQKqIWlSLtPgN9_elplLDobmScuMoPuiv5zwJURGJECf7s-t4iLpusnZKg/s320/has4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>It also has David Paymer, an actor whose face you might recognize, if not the name. Paymer was familiar to me because of his role in a short-lived TV show I regularly watched in the early 90's, <i>The Commish</i>.</p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9y4o7EZi4kZgmNwh906407VXSnDcYcAtx-_pq4bGZ2AFo1YXIDaroyai2ICaLq1YuwN4j7RTQ-b5DTja3JerdBgat5h-299BmO5xMmjf6DyOUqkPyChRQUZQxybJglNklVZmP4zjdRU7qsVyvGYHEBa09D0zHPZJgV3nS-ffyQuHk1lJsSJILxaCcfI/s327/has2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT9y4o7EZi4kZgmNwh906407VXSnDcYcAtx-_pq4bGZ2AFo1YXIDaroyai2ICaLq1YuwN4j7RTQ-b5DTja3JerdBgat5h-299BmO5xMmjf6DyOUqkPyChRQUZQxybJglNklVZmP4zjdRU7qsVyvGYHEBa09D0zHPZJgV3nS-ffyQuHk1lJsSJILxaCcfI/s320/has2.jpg" width="215" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p> <b> Heart and Souls</b> (1993):</p><p>The movie starts out by introducing us to the main characters who are still on this side of the world at this point. Penny (Alfre Woodard) in a widowed mother struggling to take car of her kids. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipi7XPvWtxbnp4SVvDRPiJxVI7-CMZKkIMYXJa27jjokLdbHmw9hUzoYYTzIJGyuBeWPCLxKoQLokG51WKj29vKWTw2FUN2woH4X30YF3ivk4T_Y3-zbtD2kGlaRequwMeGsueZGa0fPLWt4Fztzsz-NUdARvW9Anawwb1-KyXR5es_pkQxGKoORwyTA/s640/has5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="640" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipi7XPvWtxbnp4SVvDRPiJxVI7-CMZKkIMYXJa27jjokLdbHmw9hUzoYYTzIJGyuBeWPCLxKoQLokG51WKj29vKWTw2FUN2woH4X30YF3ivk4T_Y3-zbtD2kGlaRequwMeGsueZGa0fPLWt4Fztzsz-NUdARvW9Anawwb1-KyXR5es_pkQxGKoORwyTA/s320/has5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Harrison (Charles Grodin) is a man who wants to be a singer, but usually chickens out when he tries to audition and has never really tried. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCeWC6s5YDk4Td6NyfXc4QFOA1Ban8kjUxbziAc1HO7ASO_uZjdMjf8NUIVsfGIW-Cq5S9UxEbZdQlPQwGLmxv-RkXJPT_kzdPv5zimJjaD3a1NBw1eEXEaqaYiTdgI5oY9sBsJQQ6kUWbGj9CHq1YUnCw4nY42OizMiDadiJJu7PPJLGGMAaBKvfVbDA/s1280/has6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="1280" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCeWC6s5YDk4Td6NyfXc4QFOA1Ban8kjUxbziAc1HO7ASO_uZjdMjf8NUIVsfGIW-Cq5S9UxEbZdQlPQwGLmxv-RkXJPT_kzdPv5zimJjaD3a1NBw1eEXEaqaYiTdgI5oY9sBsJQQ6kUWbGj9CHq1YUnCw4nY42OizMiDadiJJu7PPJLGGMAaBKvfVbDA/s320/has6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Milo is a thief who stole some valuable stamps from a kid and sold them to another guy, who may or may not be a mob guy,. (It is not actually stated as such but that's the impression I got) </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHFZkNpoYTFZkN_caBWBrVvuIklZF_j0wAI6b_GTrPu7A0jr5-Z_GbfD9x_ZIvUC46s2XAE1Vr957lV8z5tUHChR2F67GQWGsBFiI6kg9K8w2LM7lnD60bybC2XxVz7cCIgzkn90IPfyPs21l1TW0ED9DmJDsucpivu72IeF2aorJwRHtiUtqK4js-0g/s1280/has7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="1280" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfHFZkNpoYTFZkN_caBWBrVvuIklZF_j0wAI6b_GTrPu7A0jr5-Z_GbfD9x_ZIvUC46s2XAE1Vr957lV8z5tUHChR2F67GQWGsBFiI6kg9K8w2LM7lnD60bybC2XxVz7cCIgzkn90IPfyPs21l1TW0ED9DmJDsucpivu72IeF2aorJwRHtiUtqK4js-0g/s320/has7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Wrapping it up is Julia (Kyra Sedgwick), a woman who is faced with making a decision to commit to a marriage with the man in her life, but is on the fence. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1futGz-w8RtS7PM_9MQSwttzvayaa1Htvg3GMoOhhv4gWfDdkw3cq0FY6kXX32-wd3tnEx_oVFB_WpxbxFEcg_lzrLEKuaLpRglXeRAH71sl427J2-dMK0BHpBSf9srdSK8zji3P4xwDjTJM9wzNmD79n89fmA3anXcxottIMew2tkgLT4wFmhRgKtU/s1280/has8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="1280" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA1futGz-w8RtS7PM_9MQSwttzvayaa1Htvg3GMoOhhv4gWfDdkw3cq0FY6kXX32-wd3tnEx_oVFB_WpxbxFEcg_lzrLEKuaLpRglXeRAH71sl427J2-dMK0BHpBSf9srdSK8zji3P4xwDjTJM9wzNmD79n89fmA3anXcxottIMew2tkgLT4wFmhRgKtU/s320/has8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Coupled with this are Frank and Eva Reilly (Bill Calvert and Lisa Lucas) who are expecting their first child. When it becomes evident that her time is due, Frank piles Eva into the car and races to the hospital. Meanwhile all our main characters have boarded a trolley bus. The driver of the bus, Hal (David Paymer) is distracted by an amorous couple and ends up driving off a bridge, hitting the car that Frank is driving beforehand, the result of which causes Eva to have to give birth right then and there. While Hal is immediately taken to Heaven, the four others end up being attached to the newborn baby, Thomas.</p><p>The four are not aware of why they have been put in this situation and end up staying with Thomas for the next 30+ years. At the beginning they interact with Thomas who grows to love them, but realizing they are inhibiting him from becoming a normal kid they decide to disappear from his life. (How they figured out they could do that is never really explained.) So they are still stuck with him into adulthood, even though they can do nothing for him.</p><p>And at some point, even though they really don't want to, they decide they are doing more harm than good for the kid. So they tell Thomas they have to leave him. The kid is distraught, of course, and wants them to stay, but they do "disappear". Of course, they are still there, just not present in his life. After all, they still haven't discovered why they are attached to him in the first place.</p><p>Now it is years later. Thomas (Robert Downey, Jr) has grown up and is a ruthless business executive. Julia and the rest are still hanging out, still unaware of what the point of it all is. (Imagine being tasked to accomplish something, not being told what that something is, and having to spend 34 years not getting it done.)</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5kHrAfQrnvbeadF2UE9r-_eNdfM0Xnw4E2qLjisN82jjOM38F8n_j8wK3feUW2n5fU4nt_nAMUMKEQDPUFz3KAp3fQxu0IH-MqScN1bgknvppq45YbIodB9pz_S3eQjsQhcv-cCISX0GN0vchXgY7cykKJ3hAQ8m3tzutHOqZo86GzipnC8Kq8Te1eD8/s700/has9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="309" data-original-width="700" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5kHrAfQrnvbeadF2UE9r-_eNdfM0Xnw4E2qLjisN82jjOM38F8n_j8wK3feUW2n5fU4nt_nAMUMKEQDPUFz3KAp3fQxu0IH-MqScN1bgknvppq45YbIodB9pz_S3eQjsQhcv-cCISX0GN0vchXgY7cykKJ3hAQ8m3tzutHOqZo86GzipnC8Kq8Te1eD8/s320/has9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Well that's all about to change. Hal, the bus driver guilty of having caused all of their deaths has spent the past 34 years in a sort of Purgatory for his sins, being the ferry man (or trolley man, to be correct). He returns to Earth because it is now time for Julia et. al. to make complete their journey. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUVKyZ4fWE9eA2ETS_HtqNI6hsF58mI2L8ajyWko7fHBCskQggsEzA2XGm387w263M6jkzl5gbffnxEwnn6CflKAj_pDQaO3O9V_WIrXuEZZfyr_6AElmVNVbdAursj829iP-VT4JfX8RWdFMzuGXdDBgeslOkhGkedVutnudxYHr9NTTpOSOW3WQ8zc/s1280/has10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="544" data-original-width="1280" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUVKyZ4fWE9eA2ETS_HtqNI6hsF58mI2L8ajyWko7fHBCskQggsEzA2XGm387w263M6jkzl5gbffnxEwnn6CflKAj_pDQaO3O9V_WIrXuEZZfyr_6AElmVNVbdAursj829iP-VT4JfX8RWdFMzuGXdDBgeslOkhGkedVutnudxYHr9NTTpOSOW3WQ8zc/s320/has10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>(Notice how I have encapsulated the four by just naming Julia? There's a reason for that. It simplifies things, for one, but also when I first saw this movie I developed a crush on actress Kyra Sedgwick. She's still beautiful even today.) </p><p>It turns out that the four had left this world with unfinished business, and God granted them a stay of execution to Heaven. They were supposed to use Thomas to help them clear up said business, either willingly, or if he refused, to inhabit his body and make him do it. (Now he tells them... .) Apparently God has a different ethical standard than you or me...at least different from me, anyway.</p><p>So now the four have the goals. For at least two of them, the goal is pretty clear. Milo needs to retrieve the stamps he originally stole and deliver them to it's rightful owner. Harrison (through his surrogate, anyway) needs to overcome his stage fright. (And what a way to do it... on stage at a B. B. King concert...) Penny, for her part, tries to discover what happened to her children. Her two daughters are easy to find. Her little boy, Billy, is not so easy, as he was adopted but neither daughter knows what happened to him.</p><p>As a result of the indiscretions that Thomas (or really, the ghosts inhabiting Thomas' body) does, he is seemingly in constant contact with the police. And one policeman in particular, Sgt. William Barclay (Wren T. Brown) who collects for the parking tickets Thomas has grown to collect over time. Barclay also just happens to be on the scene when Thomas gets arrested exiting the stage after his impromptu singing at the B. B. King concert.</p><p>So what about Penny and her young son... ? Do I have to tell you who Sgt. William Barclay is (or was?)</p><p>The final soul left to rectify her past is Julia (hence another reason why I gelled the four ghosts...) It turns out however that when Julia left the bar and her boyfriend back in 1959, that the boyfriend had since died, having never married, and died a lonely broken man. Thomas is angry and yells at the trolley man (and God) about what kind of sadistic thing that was, but Julia sees it all in perspective and tells Thomas that the point was to make him a better man in his own romantic life. (Although how anyone could have foreseen that need is anybody's guess. Unless we are not the master's of our own destiny and it has all been played out in advance by the Supreme Being. But that gets into a philosophical bent I'm sure the film makers never intended.)</p><p><i>Heart and Souls</i> is not for everyone. I feel certain that most of the guys who cringe at the idea of a "chick flick" will not be as enamored by it as I was, But it has some interesting things going for it. It takes a full 30 minutes of the movie to get to the present, and another 10 minutes before the ghosts get active in their quest. However, there is one treat in that first 30 minutes that I would like to point out. Julia works in a comedy bar. And on stage is one of the best comics of that era, Bob Newhart. (OK, so not THE Bob Newhart. It's actually his son, Robert William Newhart. But he is doing his father in such a great on the nose impression that for a minute or two I thought it actually was the real thing. You have to be a fan of Newhart's stand-up to catch it. I recommend seeking out two albums that are ought there.)</p><p>But, anyway, the last 1 hour of the movie fairly fly by as pure entertainment, especially the scenes where Downey has to essay the character of the ghost who inhabits him at the moment. It's not on par with some of the other movies (or plays) I have seen where some actor has to pretend he is someone else in the same picture. (<i>Face-Off</i> comes to mind here, where Nicolas Cage has to convey that he has become John Travolta's character.) But Downey is pretty good at doing it. We have seen over the years what a great possibility that Downey can shine, given the right roles. </p><p>To quote Ty Burr, a critic in Entertainment Weekly on this film: "You may hate yourself for liking [it], but at least you can take comfort in the fact that you've been had by professionals." Trust me, its a decent date movie, even the guys might not be so turned off, especially with Kyra Sedgwick to look at, or to see a good portrayal by Downey in the lead role. </p><p><br /></p><p>Time to head home now. I'll be extra careful when I see a bus coming the other way.</p><p><br /></p><p>Quiggy</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENQ2EmG8nxRR_TrY2OKGrL1w0BGx5EvQu4nyhnAAEfQ4egjeSMvNl13wlfyajLoGtM8QpSJL8KkI7HsBofcjxR-2aAXzN0e8kw8jmR5bPGzAu4UCuayCLKKNnYDGrJj2aO4e3oGu3easrWM8ev-ml89bPhcycT4IMXQGPTQKrtEfazIncsxHv175uydo/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENQ2EmG8nxRR_TrY2OKGrL1w0BGx5EvQu4nyhnAAEfQ4egjeSMvNl13wlfyajLoGtM8QpSJL8KkI7HsBofcjxR-2aAXzN0e8kw8jmR5bPGzAu4UCuayCLKKNnYDGrJj2aO4e3oGu3easrWM8ev-ml89bPhcycT4IMXQGPTQKrtEfazIncsxHv175uydo/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-37882182977394855572024-02-11T02:00:00.034-06:002024-02-11T02:00:00.215-06:00MCU Sunday #6: The Avengers<p> Fair warning! If you haven't been watching the MCU movies up to this point you may start to get lost. The whole saga really starts to get underway with this one.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmMaZ5bmktVUvopO0TTSc7yqig3Otoxa6KpM17EB8ArebwmIS2zVkKNe0EU1AhGqA-R7W4szU_-t20oyFMZhlwSEQEDL-n0jMvSytupoBIbwpDs45iRp3DThiKKmxvJfeWGVg3XDzcjNVN0E1LoU20KDMTQzpDT8lN2J-W4Bg5OJ_cxZQKi8UxmdoQA/s300/marvelstudios.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmMaZ5bmktVUvopO0TTSc7yqig3Otoxa6KpM17EB8ArebwmIS2zVkKNe0EU1AhGqA-R7W4szU_-t20oyFMZhlwSEQEDL-n0jMvSytupoBIbwpDs45iRp3DThiKKmxvJfeWGVg3XDzcjNVN0E1LoU20KDMTQzpDT8lN2J-W4Bg5OJ_cxZQKi8UxmdoQA/s1600/marvelstudios.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> Preface: As promised last year, I plan to review every single
currently available movie in what is known as the Marvel Cinematic
Universe (MCU) over the year 2024. These will appear in order of their
release over that time period. This is the<b> sixth</b> installment. (Oh, and
by the way, after I've exhausted all of the currently available MCU
movies I will be rounding out the year with some of the other available
movies made from the Marvel comics pantheon.)<br /></p><p>Notes: In each of
the MCU installments you will be seeing references to two recurring
events that occur in nearly every MCU movie.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>:
Stan Lee was the driving genius behind Marvel Comics. He usually shows
up in a cameo. Sometimes these are so quick you gotta be sure you
don't blink. Occasionally he gets a line of dialogue.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>:
You should always stay in the theater for the credits when watching a
MCU movie, because during the credits and at the end there is a teaser
(or two) that is worth the wait. Often they were a teaser for the next
installment of the films.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNT6P4r3r9KkhxkxhEnvQN5W2dArXFGFOFHGXRlEH7OVa2A3JIA1fOtSChCKYLMRnXD5hpOrTVyA1vjQ6IugECyrTvW2dQ3jNeUBQOdbx7W05JRsKQra79lgfBhwCAn3cQoEPYhJMTDmsFskuoeeZArMG9GDyQ1ShHEkK8noAVljSagN3ob1tR3ihEc2Y/s441/a1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNT6P4r3r9KkhxkxhEnvQN5W2dArXFGFOFHGXRlEH7OVa2A3JIA1fOtSChCKYLMRnXD5hpOrTVyA1vjQ6IugECyrTvW2dQ3jNeUBQOdbx7W05JRsKQra79lgfBhwCAn3cQoEPYhJMTDmsFskuoeeZArMG9GDyQ1ShHEkK8noAVljSagN3ob1tR3ihEc2Y/s320/a1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p>The<b> </b>best part of the MCU cycle, for me, is when more than one character takes up screen time. Over the course of the (so far) 33 MCU movies, this has happened about a 1/3 of the time. Personality conflicts are one of the things that drew me to Marvel comics in the first place. (see my <a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-marvel-ous-past.html">post</a> from last year for more on that.)</p><p>By this time, most of the Marvel heroes had been introduced. There would still be a few more coming, but the main ones were now present for a match up that would require all of their special attributes. One of the changes that came about during the production is that the character of Bruce Banner was recast. Edward Norton, who apparently was a difficult person to deal with, was replaced by Mark Ruffalo. (Not entirely a bad thing, Ruffalo was a good choice. Norton didn't exactly shine in <i><a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2024/01/mcu-sunday-2-incredible-hulk.html">The Incredible Hulk</a></i>, but I do like Norton as an actor... oh, well.) </p><p>Missing in the first Avengers movie was a character introduced in the <a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2024/01/mcu-sunday-3-iron-man-2.html">second Iron Man</a> movie, War Machine. That is the only character that had been previously hinted or introduced that did not make the team. To be sure there were still more to come. Once these had their own solo introductions they would appear as part of the team in future Avengers movies.<br /></p><p>Interestingly enough, in the timeline of Marvel comics the original lineup did not include Captain America. Here is the original 1st issue of the comic book:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0AAzZncW91PEMZweoO1CnxGR3EUu7eIK7OxPci9KdrK3ATsekZhe8okD68oYvU1Jm1mUsh4_AjfndVvFIRzNjRtpbqbJUsl3brSltnUezYCr7CUs8SytXjL7vECpyXHqKRrVVELIrZ-ABzZ02X9xIZSLRqYy8Vh5zoBLhwjzMtezaAKNjF0Wvxg5CAg/s2800/a9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2800" data-original-width="1821" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV0AAzZncW91PEMZweoO1CnxGR3EUu7eIK7OxPci9KdrK3ATsekZhe8okD68oYvU1Jm1mUsh4_AjfndVvFIRzNjRtpbqbJUsl3brSltnUezYCr7CUs8SytXjL7vECpyXHqKRrVVELIrZ-ABzZ02X9xIZSLRqYy8Vh5zoBLhwjzMtezaAKNjF0Wvxg5CAg/s320/a9.jpg" width="208" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Notice the top of the cover. Ant Man was one of the original four in the lineup, although in the timeline of MCU he wouldn't appear for another 5 movies. (3 years later in terms of movie history). Captain America wasn't actually found in his frozen state until issue #4, although he would become one of the members of The Avengers afterwards. Also, in the course of the comic book saga, Hulk left the Avengers by issue #2. But we have to make allowances when dealing with the MCU because the money always tops everything, And since only the fanboys know the real story, and only the most dedicated (read: obsessive) really care about it, it isn't too much of a problem.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6DsozgG3YwF64tKeZOncEdCq3nV_kLEcKObOXqzzzOTq4XMngwP9-OUS9kUCwawZWseRIwsU-ClEgY9dDC6b7BYdgc4n3ice-dKnCZ0TMV3VUFRL48ofCI2cRintHN5oUkLKPG0W_DxCxMpxatiqTP2k0b3aCCKxsM4HDKcUoixb1JhEp0ryoY2GaQU/s326/a2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6DsozgG3YwF64tKeZOncEdCq3nV_kLEcKObOXqzzzOTq4XMngwP9-OUS9kUCwawZWseRIwsU-ClEgY9dDC6b7BYdgc4n3ice-dKnCZ0TMV3VUFRL48ofCI2cRintHN5oUkLKPG0W_DxCxMpxatiqTP2k0b3aCCKxsM4HDKcUoixb1JhEp0ryoY2GaQU/s320/a2.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b><p></p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>The Avengers </b>(2012):</p><p>The film opens in the secret lab of S.H.I.E.L.D. as the crew and people are being evacuated. It seems that the Tesseract has begun doing some strange things independently. Or as Agent Barton (Jeremy Renner), also known as "Hawkeye" observes, someone or something is doing it from the other side since the Tesseract is a portal to the other side of "space". Eventually it allows the appearance of Loki (Tom Hiddleston) to cross over from Asgard and take the Tesseract. In the process, Loki manages to use his power to control both Hawkeye and Dr. Selvig (Stellan Skargard).</p><p>Thus the director, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), is forced to implement his own measures by bringing in his own special forces, the Avengers. Only the higher ups have closed down the Avengers Initiative and are reluctant to turn over the fate of the world to a "handful of freaks". But Fury is insistent that his plan is the only one that can save the world from ultimate destruction.</p><p>As Fury uses his forces to gather together the Ultimate Avengers crew, he brings in Dr, Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), aka The Hulk, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), aka Captain America and Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.), aka Iron Man for the task of capturing Loki and returning the Tesseract to more saner forces. But Loki, who is not acting alone (he has a backing from a race called "the Chitauri") is not ready to go quietly into that good night.</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7N7sRdSoofufPp3jgrJmEhQn0rxDgTfplp8PmN5vRiDuloCu460_ZHA2Zp0mcj_dxawQaAHMJjwni1GK4soGp-XRtMTHSDXf5Ejg051XzUqtIHiydpfV1w2NpyFzNTkh3BBo3EENUJGD7HHppTOx2E6yQtHIQqL5wi3cjVwYPaMhofkHCZJ9MMHYTpZM/s600/a6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="600" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7N7sRdSoofufPp3jgrJmEhQn0rxDgTfplp8PmN5vRiDuloCu460_ZHA2Zp0mcj_dxawQaAHMJjwni1GK4soGp-XRtMTHSDXf5Ejg051XzUqtIHiydpfV1w2NpyFzNTkh3BBo3EENUJGD7HHppTOx2E6yQtHIQqL5wi3cjVwYPaMhofkHCZJ9MMHYTpZM/s320/a6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>So, ultimately, Loki is captured. Was it that easy? Maybe not. Maybe, just maybe, he was operating on another level and WANTED to be captured. But, enter his brother, Thor, who rescues Loki. It's a familial thing, however, not an idea that Thor is against the efforts of the Avengers. He apparently just wants Loki to come home and play nice.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNldWmHFyFfSQQuVVleHWpVGNz6GbtnDkTPXsSevsy-AwPdo6DxGP3l1Arc19Dm2kYvrcuMgYIVfUTpqlvTzOdY-YlsYVFIg-ctcbhvZmUAS5ISYWiD_KpiNfIGaJcEHIeauJ-yFuoUSwsuQJHrelcTtSwJj5s4r-w5CbiCgnlynEYTynhM6pZeXo4B1E/s900/a7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="506" data-original-width="900" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNldWmHFyFfSQQuVVleHWpVGNz6GbtnDkTPXsSevsy-AwPdo6DxGP3l1Arc19Dm2kYvrcuMgYIVfUTpqlvTzOdY-YlsYVFIg-ctcbhvZmUAS5ISYWiD_KpiNfIGaJcEHIeauJ-yFuoUSwsuQJHrelcTtSwJj5s4r-w5CbiCgnlynEYTynhM6pZeXo4B1E/s320/a7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Of course, the others in the Avengers are not exactly on the same field as Thor. We get an interesting battle between Iron Man and Thor which is only brought to an impasse when Captain America shows up and puts a stop to it.</p><p>Back on the flying mobile home base, the Avengers, with the help of Banner and Stark's computer wizardry and hacking discover that Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. have ulterior motives for the Tesseract. One of the more intriguing developments in this interplay is establishing the personalities of our heroes. I have always preferred Cap over Iron Man because Cap is naive but still a better man in terms of his dedication. Stark is, as he proudly claims, a " genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist" (in other words, at least to me, Stark is #1 in Stark's world, not the interest of humanity, while Rogers really cares about humanity and has it's interests at the top of the list).</p><p>In the midst of all the chaos, the Tesseract opens the portal which allows the Chitauri to invade. But meanwhile Bruce has started to get a little annoyed with Black Widow. When the Hulk makes his presence, it might just be a battle between the Chitauri and the Hulk to see who can do the most damage to the Flying Fortress. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtZzLsz0ccljDFFLdcB7PEPk0s67DtNjYgCwSxx69kZgtuZEkMueOAocsti-rXpSFnpurvVq2DtYKmLc_bZUOrMkYPEGnR_2ZKiIbcZ-OrU5SvHXUVxvt3Jbpr-_wLSEyvMRYweYSLmPB1M1Mw4c2n2fJRnuI-zaBchEGxkRgpJ0s05sgH32Kxu6dPj4o/s320/a8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="320" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtZzLsz0ccljDFFLdcB7PEPk0s67DtNjYgCwSxx69kZgtuZEkMueOAocsti-rXpSFnpurvVq2DtYKmLc_bZUOrMkYPEGnR_2ZKiIbcZ-OrU5SvHXUVxvt3Jbpr-_wLSEyvMRYweYSLmPB1M1Mw4c2n2fJRnuI-zaBchEGxkRgpJ0s05sgH32Kxu6dPj4o/s1600/a8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Eventually the Avengers do come to some sort of working agreement to help save the Earth, however. And what with the Chitauri having some rather superior weaponry (including some monstrous mechanical eel robots), it seems they might get the upper hand.</p><p>One of the Avengers I had the most problems with is Hawkeye. The problem is not with the actor himself. I just had a feeling that he might not be as effective a warrior against some rather advanced technology. After all, his main power is he is pretty damn good with a bow and arrow, but even his beaucoup quiver of super arrows don't seem to be all that potentially effective at the base of it, But I am convinced in retrospect that he is a help, it just took a while to warm up to his superhero abilities. (I was the same way about the DC character Green Arrow, so maybe I just don't see archery expertise as a bonus for this kind of thing.</p><p>The last part of the movie involves the kind of bang up action that makes the Marvel movies worth checking out, however. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIOqNrElgCNaISYElh62iJQPN7ntSpPGNeJHgz6wT00IHrSQIVTx-js6Hlj8cM7xbyRaB0Kuok2_2ofwABBOVNGuEMjVA7ebt-Grh3SgCxLfM4286a02OOlbHdjghf_fQx_FUzPIVpu6PPARMz_GR3-Q-qxjakyZ1Xavsb3pcPnIDm68r3dgtLjwE_mM/s1200/a3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjIOqNrElgCNaISYElh62iJQPN7ntSpPGNeJHgz6wT00IHrSQIVTx-js6Hlj8cM7xbyRaB0Kuok2_2ofwABBOVNGuEMjVA7ebt-Grh3SgCxLfM4286a02OOlbHdjghf_fQx_FUzPIVpu6PPARMz_GR3-Q-qxjakyZ1Xavsb3pcPnIDm68r3dgtLjwE_mM/s320/a3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Even Hawkeye puts on a good show. (And, oh, by the way, you might think I'm giving Black Widow a pass because, after all, her big input is her acrobatic abilities, and yes I AM giving her pass, but it's Scarlett Johansson... Woof!... Yes, I'm being a typical male...)</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzAn0TYvvFUcxsNx9WsuAHc8aSucTbux8aT2GYrjCyIZeaOYh7q-92KmcsJPx1KBS2GdMzEgj9WBc_hzTACevLIkXQBA_-PGBu6681hR46xMkk96cuzLo6SnJibMLow0qpMCG7xoN0CltW9UmfGIOcuOfeCSi5Kh5nhAFVFvbKzyOwqHdTiV8c-SQEsBQ/s1859/a4.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1859" data-original-width="823" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzAn0TYvvFUcxsNx9WsuAHc8aSucTbux8aT2GYrjCyIZeaOYh7q-92KmcsJPx1KBS2GdMzEgj9WBc_hzTACevLIkXQBA_-PGBu6681hR46xMkk96cuzLo6SnJibMLow0qpMCG7xoN0CltW9UmfGIOcuOfeCSi5Kh5nhAFVFvbKzyOwqHdTiV8c-SQEsBQ/w89-h200/a4.jpg" width="89" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZaGMJ4d9gvUPgf7BWR3h0GWfa3XHLLHMJQC5RikFqvbNeK-2uA8Qrr7yPO8BSrfpL1B8n7vSsrlUP9Uye4vN-4vUj6IJ9ZZNG9nWYOuaGXkKVqew9rEWfxl9Md_RX9km-b2MlR4AyHeW_zL3KYVn30mwD9_a74LMzzfHY6bf0_wNZf70dnbbA3bn76o/s1400/a5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1400" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrZaGMJ4d9gvUPgf7BWR3h0GWfa3XHLLHMJQC5RikFqvbNeK-2uA8Qrr7yPO8BSrfpL1B8n7vSsrlUP9Uye4vN-4vUj6IJ9ZZNG9nWYOuaGXkKVqew9rEWfxl9Md_RX9km-b2MlR4AyHeW_zL3KYVn30mwD9_a74LMzzfHY6bf0_wNZf70dnbbA3bn76o/w200-h150/a5.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ultimately, of course, the team defeats the invaders, closes the portal, and the Tesseract is secured once again. As the movie ends there are dozens of man on the street interviews with citizens of New York City.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>: We had to wait until the end of the movie, but Stan shows up as one of the citizens in the newsreels saying "Superheroes in New York City? Give me a break!" (And this is one of those aforementioned "blink and you'll miss it" cameos...)</p><p>The Avengers then have a dinner date set to go to an out of the way restaurant to relax. <br /></p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>: Immediately after the list of cast members part of the credits and before the rest of the credits roll, there is a scene where a character known as The Other is reporting to his master about the futility of trying to subjugate the Earth, When he has finished reporting, the master turns and we see our first glimpse of Thanos (more about him in future movies.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b> (Bonus!!): After everything we get to see all the Avengers sitting down to a meal in a quiet little diner. No conversation, just them enjoying a meal.</p><p><i>The Avengers</i> was the place where the whole phase 1 portion of the MCU movies came to a conclusion. I don't really know entirely why the movies are divided up into "Phases". Personally, I just divide them up as pre- <i>Avengers:Endgame </i>and post-<i>Avengers:Endgame</i>. But the first contribution to the collection of movies that pitted more than one superhero in it comes out pretty good.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-30802880981437977922024-02-04T02:00:00.002-06:002024-02-04T02:00:00.159-06:00MCU Sunday #5: Captain America: The First Avenger<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZeqEFQ2mLzDD2VGFWXbUxgvJWANdyAtSdNzmG_CUy4f4JHZ_GaF3pluzMwiRK1BDgBeGFV7T2jkncpdTLePODz4u0QT3EirmlYIFdi2zuObBlYlnHHVbTBItO8Ekq2joOqNOYUBfAjzCHAX2A6QrA_fccJQMBjzGsb-Q4aIKgtkhGa3iUn8LcxtOaxo/s300/marvelstudios.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZeqEFQ2mLzDD2VGFWXbUxgvJWANdyAtSdNzmG_CUy4f4JHZ_GaF3pluzMwiRK1BDgBeGFV7T2jkncpdTLePODz4u0QT3EirmlYIFdi2zuObBlYlnHHVbTBItO8Ekq2joOqNOYUBfAjzCHAX2A6QrA_fccJQMBjzGsb-Q4aIKgtkhGa3iUn8LcxtOaxo/s1600/marvelstudios.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Preface: As promised last year, I plan to review every single currently available movie in what is known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) over the year 2024. These will appear in order of their release over that time period. This is the fifth installment. (Oh, and by the way, after I've exhausted all of the currently available MCU movies I will be rounding out the year with some of the other available movies made from the Marvel comics pantheon)<br /></p><p>Notes: In each of the MCU installments you will be seeing references to two recurring events that occur in nearly every MCU movie.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>: Stan Lee was the driving genius behind Marvel Comics. He usually shows up in a cameo. Sometimes these are so quick you gotta be sure you don't blink. Occasionally he gets a line of dialogue.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>: You should always stay in the theater for the credits when watching a MCU movie, because during the credits and at the end there is a teaser (or two) that is worth the wait. Often they were a teaser for the next installment of the films.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XzQ7alUJooRP7i5jBk5L3dLP7cQU31-nwwT0flSZEyuX6VCgEaEnuLmL8nLL_oIuMwxMBgjfPqT8kctDLtiRvg-C8RqaLOwNUiq4qpT4F5xtBqiU7vu0feb1EhhGFVKr-zU29oAfBeUPqAboGrtYt7w4FH9FOVd6ldmbbqDSsfjmWOzh9iKIjl8B8vI/s441/cafa3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XzQ7alUJooRP7i5jBk5L3dLP7cQU31-nwwT0flSZEyuX6VCgEaEnuLmL8nLL_oIuMwxMBgjfPqT8kctDLtiRvg-C8RqaLOwNUiq4qpT4F5xtBqiU7vu0feb1EhhGFVKr-zU29oAfBeUPqAboGrtYt7w4FH9FOVd6ldmbbqDSsfjmWOzh9iKIjl8B8vI/s320/cafa3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>MCU Sunday Part V</b>:</p><p>Growing up, and reading the comics that my father stocked in his store, one regular addition he got each time was Captain America. As I recall I didn't really connect with Captain America. He was too much like Superman to me, a goody goody fighting for truth justice and the American way, without the foibles that usually accompanied my favorite characters. That's just my memories here 50 years down the road. Perhaps he did have some inner demons to battle like Spiderman and the fantastic Four, but, coupled with what I saw in those occasional attempts to transition him to TV, I never really saw anything that made him something I could identify with.</p><p>Of course, by the time I came upon him he was already established as a full blown superhero. Perhaps if I had gotten in on the ground floor and saw him as a struggling weakling who really wanted to be a part of the heroes he saw going off to war (against the Nazis in WWII), I might have felt something. After all, I wasn't raised as a "hate the war machine" person. Even if I had been old enough at the time I would not have resisted the draft or run off to Canada to avoid the Vietnam War. I even tried to enlist when I came of age back in 1980. Unfortunately, post-draft and Vietnam War, the Armed Forces were more selective and I failed the physical.<br /></p><p>But the character never really appealed to me. Watching the first 20 minutes of <i>Captain America: The First Avenger</i> however, brought back that childhood upbringing, and, yes, if I had been of age in the 40's I too probably would have done whatever I could to get into the war effort.</p><p><i>Captain America </i>had it's share of potential stars and wannabes trying to get the role. As mentioned previously, future <i>Guardians of the Galaxy</i> star Chris Pratt was among those being considered for the role. Among others was Sebastian Stan who would still make it to the cast, albeit as Cap's buddy Bucky.</p><p>Captain America was the final role needed to be established in order to have a complete cast for the upcoming plans for the first Avengers film. Interestingly enough, a couple of The Avengers characters did not actually get their own solo debut films until later, but they still made it to that first movie.</p><p>At this point in my viewing I have determined that, at the end of the cycle of running through the films in the MCU saga, I am going to rank the movies in order of the most appealing to me. Why? Because, if you remember last week I said I thought <i>Thor</i> was the best of the lot. But after watching this one, I begin to feel my rating was premature. Mainly because, by this fifth film, Marvel Studios finally got the protocol right. We don't want a buttload of exposition and dramatic repartee. We want action, and lots of it. <i>Captain America</i> harkens back to those old <a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2020/05/why-60s-was-greatest-decade-for-war.html">war movies from the 60's</a> I'm so fond of. Screw the interaction of characters developing relationships. Let's see things blowing up and the battle ensue.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uuZs1t3lAE6wXda7YPs8_692xoRL1CXeQuufs2_WMacocP1HnVoRfcpWL3mSIArdf57Ez1HGRkue00UqIeRFgm3kyxHJwOUev_GPsE6BIN1-kVay_awaGFYSmCRP3yPtcjgFS5XFjNAJyNCaS37gltrgmDll0LKDbefTnbf9UWyYA99_fKwckekdoe0/s343/cafa2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="343" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-uuZs1t3lAE6wXda7YPs8_692xoRL1CXeQuufs2_WMacocP1HnVoRfcpWL3mSIArdf57Ez1HGRkue00UqIeRFgm3kyxHJwOUev_GPsE6BIN1-kVay_awaGFYSmCRP3yPtcjgFS5XFjNAJyNCaS37gltrgmDll0LKDbefTnbf9UWyYA99_fKwckekdoe0/s320/cafa2.jpg" width="205" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Captain America: The First Avenger </b>(2011):</p><p>Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is the epitome of the All-American boy. He is a gung ho advertisement for the "do it all for your country" ethos that was a part and parcel of American life in the days of the United States entry into World War II. Unfortunately for Steve, he has numerous physical defects (among which is asthma, which I too suffer). Thus, even though he is absolutely dedicated to trying to become a soldier, he is consistently rejected as 4F (the designation for men and boys who the government considers not quite up to snuff for the armed services).</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZ9VPilrUnGZhcWuyL_KZTOimLe2hwg7-6Oitevph4C7dRZGagXrx0OsqvYIJ32KY-MqXPV9iIIiR-kTyxi3M65ptjSXeFXVnjRDfvyjxD2Zi9JIBC-sEQkhjRoOReULvXztXSNvGyBPJhy2UxfqTwvSfuOyDg7lYjsQSkomGaJsIsh3xUs5fKXuxN8A/s308/cafa6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="185" data-original-width="308" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilZ9VPilrUnGZhcWuyL_KZTOimLe2hwg7-6Oitevph4C7dRZGagXrx0OsqvYIJ32KY-MqXPV9iIIiR-kTyxi3M65ptjSXeFXVnjRDfvyjxD2Zi9JIBC-sEQkhjRoOReULvXztXSNvGyBPJhy2UxfqTwvSfuOyDg7lYjsQSkomGaJsIsh3xUs5fKXuxN8A/s1600/cafa6.jpg" width="308" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>After his first rejection that should have been it. But Steve nothing if not determined. He has manufactured several identities over the past few months in order to try again. (Illegal, but when you have this much gung ho spirit, some things are not quite as important as others). He is approached by a scientist, Dr. Erskine (Stanley Tucci), who manufactures a 1A rating for him so he can get in. Erskine has a motive. He is seeking a candidate for a program to create a super soldier.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxQoKe5LJDU4LPT-_2ssFiUX4lG8oapVDR-h4tLp3iUJrmFgUACHUnJhyphenhyphenz26eW-Rsrsl2DZHJoYnM6UL4TDmhzommWAfWzyQeZKWi2S00teWBO-X47xhZZMZK8OJAHYpQr1S4MVxHhTDyL2b1ZvScn_NRV0uH89uX6rtPNLYWbqszfI4t04JWOp6cGD0/s780/cafa5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="408" data-original-width="780" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZxQoKe5LJDU4LPT-_2ssFiUX4lG8oapVDR-h4tLp3iUJrmFgUACHUnJhyphenhyphenz26eW-Rsrsl2DZHJoYnM6UL4TDmhzommWAfWzyQeZKWi2S00teWBO-X47xhZZMZK8OJAHYpQr1S4MVxHhTDyL2b1ZvScn_NRV0uH89uX6rtPNLYWbqszfI4t04JWOp6cGD0/s320/cafa5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>In basic training Steve continually comes in dead last at all of the physical requirements. But his spirit is still there. To wit: one of the best scenes in the early part of the movie is when Col. Phillips (Tommy Lee Jones), who has some misgivings about the Erskine program, tosses a grenade into the crew of soldiers. Everybody dives for cover except Steve, who jumps on it to protect the others. The grenade is just a dummy one, of course, but it convinces Erskine that his candidate is exactly what he is looking for.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhyphenhyphenN2Qd35UBiZNSCDI6AcLKcHLZocpjowPD1ldf3UbuFXPMp_satyMN5Rq-yD26FcDTBbi-9j_nXs8e2Z0wsaPz7n9fyhlcmQ7_Igj54yewY0lsLrnMODtGqVUOU-mEjHSjv5eyMDaWqczvhhOHZr5FHKVmKhqeqB_3d8YDWPUTKFuswxSX2AboPrNu8/s602/cafa7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="602" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyhyphenhyphenN2Qd35UBiZNSCDI6AcLKcHLZocpjowPD1ldf3UbuFXPMp_satyMN5Rq-yD26FcDTBbi-9j_nXs8e2Z0wsaPz7n9fyhlcmQ7_Igj54yewY0lsLrnMODtGqVUOU-mEjHSjv5eyMDaWqczvhhOHZr5FHKVmKhqeqB_3d8YDWPUTKFuswxSX2AboPrNu8/s320/cafa7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Eventually Steve is selected as the candidate for the experiment, even though Col. Phillips has his hopes set on another. But as Erskine points out, the other candidate is a "bully" and Erskine wants someone who has more of a good nature. The serum is a success, but in the process a spy from Hydra blows up the lab. Who is Hydra? Well, at the onset Hydra was a subdivision of Hitler's scientific sector, but the leader of Hydra, Dr. Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving) has bigger ideas, as we will discover.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfg4lo2WuuW_xWj6OEa-QwPLDA2ozdBS_NVqrAoVAF57EvEZmycRE537NtnCT_qO7e0HX6p6k9FT0Xb7062J_PRPyj9DyADC-suYUEGTO-Wa1W1GwuJbRl963Za-vin2BnnTjt4V8cBobss2E_i_xseUw87xDsWOUIqlYXFHKqxec5VCk-Ty-Fi53Q0QM/s680/cafa8.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="680" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfg4lo2WuuW_xWj6OEa-QwPLDA2ozdBS_NVqrAoVAF57EvEZmycRE537NtnCT_qO7e0HX6p6k9FT0Xb7062J_PRPyj9DyADC-suYUEGTO-Wa1W1GwuJbRl963Za-vin2BnnTjt4V8cBobss2E_i_xseUw87xDsWOUIqlYXFHKqxec5VCk-Ty-Fi53Q0QM/s320/cafa8.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Steve shows his metal as a physical specimen by chasing down the spy, but as all spies do in these kinds of movies, commits suicide before capture. But since Steve has shown what he can do he expects to be sent to the front lines. But instead he becomes a poster boy for the drive to sell war bonds. Which, as you can probably guess, doesn't sit well with Steve. (Or for any real soldiers he encounters for that matter).</p><p>When Steve learns that his buddy, Bucky (Sebastian Stan) is among a group of soldiers captured by Hydra, he enlists the help of Agent Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) and Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper) to fly him into enemy territory where, now as Captain America for real, he single handedly rescues the prisoners and they all escape. During the battle Cap meets his nemesis on the side of Hydra, Dr. Schmidt, who reveals himself as the villain Red Skull. Red Skull escapes to fight another day and Cap returns with the force of prisoners he freed.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcq7ppUIa8TDCkKh1TsS3P-okKlrJfkz_oLFIaluAdBdRrs748Y9x8-CMsob_jXEzyelDIupCSoPy_dZDwLkHEGj8KIrS6jz4NK-Y4vgLUjURhu8bNbm3sEDN876p7r_oJesoU0ppcWQpinCNoKFMsFe9NLDbOAtoLOycHhbcaAhnDP_Ox0xsvNJ7sWYc/s1000/cafa9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcq7ppUIa8TDCkKh1TsS3P-okKlrJfkz_oLFIaluAdBdRrs748Y9x8-CMsob_jXEzyelDIupCSoPy_dZDwLkHEGj8KIrS6jz4NK-Y4vgLUjURhu8bNbm3sEDN876p7r_oJesoU0ppcWQpinCNoKFMsFe9NLDbOAtoLOycHhbcaAhnDP_Ox0xsvNJ7sWYc/s320/cafa9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b> After the rescue, Captain America is due to receive a medal of honor. But since he has other plans, another person appears on stage to inform the presenter that Cap is a no show. In the audience is Stan as an officer who apparently thinks the second person is Cap and says "I thought he'd be taller."</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ixQ2fMSX2QZ868Vw44izRdPnPhev_vob0b1ozG6NoXt6c5PEvZrlRscsL7nxtfEQDsi31LPhZtsNZMqaoQhkw48i83LqWAUgieFd9TL2yYoI1jj-JZO74VA-cenbGcXTtp7w2Dq4VLMgCymGFnsl8g3Pe-7x2lOcWY5Fy31IonmBFnr7qDJNBfaBROE/s1624/cafa1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="917" data-original-width="1624" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ixQ2fMSX2QZ868Vw44izRdPnPhev_vob0b1ozG6NoXt6c5PEvZrlRscsL7nxtfEQDsi31LPhZtsNZMqaoQhkw48i83LqWAUgieFd9TL2yYoI1jj-JZO74VA-cenbGcXTtp7w2Dq4VLMgCymGFnsl8g3Pe-7x2lOcWY5Fy31IonmBFnr7qDJNBfaBROE/s320/cafa1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The end result of Cap's success is that Brandt finally sees the potential that his super soldier has. Brandt tasks Cap to take the fight to the source, the base of Hydra and Schmidt?Red Skull himself. Although Brandt has a team he is assembling to help Cap, our hero wants his own team, which, as you can probably guess, is composed primarily of the soldiers he helped rescue. Including his best friend Bucky.</p><p>The action takes place in various locations, one of which includes trying to capture Dr. Zola, who is on a high speed train. During the battle to take the train, Cap loses Bucky, who falls from the train into a chasm. Although they succeed in capturing Zola, Cap is of course devastated by his loss of his friend. Which serves to make him even more determined to stop Red Skull.</p><p>Ultimately a confrontation occurs between Cap and Red Skull on board a plane headed for the East Coast of the States, armed with the advanced weaponry created by Zola and Hydra. While Cap and Red Skull battle, they managed to damage some of the ability to control the plane. And the power source, the Tesseract (the be all and end all that drives much of the rest of the sagas) is lost.</p><p>When Cap defeats Red Skull he tries to take control of the plane, but has to ditch it in the Arctic in order to save the world. Stark and team find the Tesseract, but all attempts to figure out where Cap landed fail.</p><p>In the aftermath, Steve wakes up in a hospital room where a baseball game is being aired on the radio. Steve is immediately suspicious, because the game was actually one he had attended in 1941. It turns out that 70 years have passed since that ditch effort in the Arctic and he is now in the 21st century (present day).</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5uUy4bvnPD4_H6l79WKiH_wbPiVPfa_45GCVOmBD41q71zeJswPJ67rb0k81m3s7QStER7ltjUC17y_CZQCgD1JZg3u60mjOSIhgJaBfU8yw7sWxVnbtoFbN-dQHr9_CYuqUsBrwS7c-t07ov-Us7ay_lKGAE81SvVPOU1d-u8kgJsJl7_vdMZ8aJ4U/s500/cafa4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5uUy4bvnPD4_H6l79WKiH_wbPiVPfa_45GCVOmBD41q71zeJswPJ67rb0k81m3s7QStER7ltjUC17y_CZQCgD1JZg3u60mjOSIhgJaBfU8yw7sWxVnbtoFbN-dQHr9_CYuqUsBrwS7c-t07ov-Us7ay_lKGAE81SvVPOU1d-u8kgJsJl7_vdMZ8aJ4U/s320/cafa4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>: Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson approaches Steve as he is working out in a gym and tasks him with joining a new effort where his help is needed. (At which point, in the theater, you got a preview of the next film in the saga, <i>The Avengers</i>).</p><p> Well, folks, time to fire up this old relic of a Plymouth. (Talk about living in the past..) Drive safely.</p><p>Quiggy</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyclHDGr8EeL1mh4kPiiS7BgQSVMifG-A3hF6o-YeBVkl67hAsR0XlXmnjhgaGEaFUNL273VvnpRNisN6BwIcR5Zf6d1rdaT_kn5a3p0cVSSnokbHh0IFAAhUDmR-X1vbIqrwoO57MuR-vvbMsN4eSFJQxaPIeHpktwtq08_TZoekp43OCfZt7sm5_jGE/s320/di%20end.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyclHDGr8EeL1mh4kPiiS7BgQSVMifG-A3hF6o-YeBVkl67hAsR0XlXmnjhgaGEaFUNL273VvnpRNisN6BwIcR5Zf6d1rdaT_kn5a3p0cVSSnokbHh0IFAAhUDmR-X1vbIqrwoO57MuR-vvbMsN4eSFJQxaPIeHpktwtq08_TZoekp43OCfZt7sm5_jGE/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-76799526972690156192024-01-28T02:00:00.013-06:002024-01-28T02:00:00.496-06:00MCU Sunday #4: Thor<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZeqEFQ2mLzDD2VGFWXbUxgvJWANdyAtSdNzmG_CUy4f4JHZ_GaF3pluzMwiRK1BDgBeGFV7T2jkncpdTLePODz4u0QT3EirmlYIFdi2zuObBlYlnHHVbTBItO8Ekq2joOqNOYUBfAjzCHAX2A6QrA_fccJQMBjzGsb-Q4aIKgtkhGa3iUn8LcxtOaxo/s300/marvelstudios.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZeqEFQ2mLzDD2VGFWXbUxgvJWANdyAtSdNzmG_CUy4f4JHZ_GaF3pluzMwiRK1BDgBeGFV7T2jkncpdTLePODz4u0QT3EirmlYIFdi2zuObBlYlnHHVbTBItO8Ekq2joOqNOYUBfAjzCHAX2A6QrA_fccJQMBjzGsb-Q4aIKgtkhGa3iUn8LcxtOaxo/s1600/marvelstudios.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Preface:
As promised last year, I plan to review every single currently
available movie in what is known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
over the year 2024. These will appear in order of their release over
that time period. This is the fourth installment. (Oh, and by the way,
after I've exhausted all of the currently available MCU movies I will be
rounding out the year with some of the other available movies made from
the Marvel comics pantheon)<br /></p><p>Notes: In each of the MCU
installments you will be seeing references to two recurring events that
occur in nearly every MCU movie.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>: Stan
Lee was the driving genius behind Marvel Comics. He usually shows up in
a cameo. Sometimes these are so quick you gotta be sure you don't
blink. Occasionally he gets a line of dialogue.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>:
You should always stay in the theater for the credits when watching a
MCU movie, because during the credits and at the end there is a teaser
(or two) that is worth the wait. Often they were a teaser for the next
installment of the films.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>MCU Sunday Part IV</b>:</p><p>Casting got serious for Marvel Studios after Iron Man 2. According to the previously mentioned book <i>MCU</i> (see previous entries), the studio wanted long term commitments because Robert Downey, Jr. had used his prestige from the hit title role to get a bigger payday in future entries. So the studio started looking at the bottom line and negotiating long term contracts, with an eye for future movies either with the individual as a solo in a superhero movie by himself (or herself) or as part of an entourage (ala the future <i>Avengers</i> series that was still forthcoming in the narrative.)</p><p><i>Thor </i>had a who's who of possibilities to play the title role as the banished Asgardian. Many of those would manage to go on to get different roles in the Marvel Comics Universe, but the one that stuck out to me when I read it was.... Daniel Craig. Daniel Craig? Yes, he had the physical wherewithal to play a superhero if his stunt work (assuming it is actually him doing some of it) in the James Bond movies.</p><p>But I honestly can't imagine him in the role. Triple H (the wrestling star) was another. Never saw him do any acting other than in the ring during his wrestling career, so I can't say how he might have worked out. Also, believe it or not, Chris Hemsworth's brother was being considered, and actually had made it farther in the initial casting process. But the one that really intrigued me was Tom Hiddleston. </p><p>Perhaps Hiddleston might have made a good Thor, but then we would have been deprived of what I consider to be the best and most well-fleshed out villain in the MCU, Loki. Who, I ask you in all honesty, could have done Loki as well?</p><p>Of course, there were others. And like I said some of them came back to garner other roles in the MCU. Like Chris Pratt, who eventually got to play his own Marvel character, Star Lord, in the <i>Guardians of the Galaxy</i> series.</p><p>I won't shy away from saying that <i>Thor</i> is close to the top of my favorite MCU movies, possibly even #1. And Chris Hemsworth is one of the sexiest men alive. That coming from a man who is firmly entrenched in his own heterosexuality. But if I were a woman (or a gay man, for that matter), I would be dreaming about him.</p><p>The movie got a prestige director in the mix, that of Kenneth Branagh. One of the things people said about the original comic book character was that he had a bit of Shakespearean feel to his dialogue, so who else but an accomplished Shakespearean actor and director would be better suited?</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwalY97KYLREKOvBPJhhMp2q-GEmAG7PLYiwtXjbsii99Y0c-kSslOulNjdfbwC0a181Ws3hFW_7U6EVGotBLh8zOrOE8fIKDbm6rCTFLbjRAUDCl8fCrkeKcBTgU5jGxKJ3E6ZuikA_sd22rGmnw58LtBvWOWMpbIk20v4riHzzvAh5HvwyJItMfh3EE/s326/Thor_(film)_poster.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwalY97KYLREKOvBPJhhMp2q-GEmAG7PLYiwtXjbsii99Y0c-kSslOulNjdfbwC0a181Ws3hFW_7U6EVGotBLh8zOrOE8fIKDbm6rCTFLbjRAUDCl8fCrkeKcBTgU5jGxKJ3E6ZuikA_sd22rGmnw58LtBvWOWMpbIk20v4riHzzvAh5HvwyJItMfh3EE/s320/Thor_(film)_poster.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Thor </b>(2011):</p><p>The initial opening sequence actually makes no sense until later in the movie. I think the pre-credit sequence is just a come-on, anyway, to pique the interest of the audience, It involves what is the arrival of Thor on Earth after what turns out to be his banishment by Odin from Asgard. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and her team which include her mentor, Erik Selvig (Stellan Skarsgard), are on hand to observe Thor's descent to Earth.</p><p>The real meat of the movie starts after the opening credits. This opens in, as the title sequence says, Norway in the 10th century CE. Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and the hardened battle soldiers of Asgard are defending the Nine Realms from an attack by the Frost Giants of Jotunheim. Earth is one of the Nine Realms, hence we are in Norway. The Asgardians defend against the Frost Giants and regain possession of a mystical artifact called The Casket of Ancient Winters, which is the object that causes the contention between the Asgardians and the Frost Giants. A truce eventually is put in place with the Frost Giants and their leader Laufey.<br /></p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EvESeESod04ViV_nbx-gm0zHiZA_CnGig6HeP4g9vUrk4nHUGR_M-WAPQmTq4bMsdKFVdxmA62pfwNVhukttScG35QNHIoSezzKEwMu7hvWf2IEcZtO63V8ka0lbjYqMUqri_Pn1FiYK7sPB5jNVjFPWQfhEr5cOlDalQ5ZQPKkAGha8F4dFA0Dpg_c/s1280/t1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EvESeESod04ViV_nbx-gm0zHiZA_CnGig6HeP4g9vUrk4nHUGR_M-WAPQmTq4bMsdKFVdxmA62pfwNVhukttScG35QNHIoSezzKEwMu7hvWf2IEcZtO63V8ka0lbjYqMUqri_Pn1FiYK7sPB5jNVjFPWQfhEr5cOlDalQ5ZQPKkAGha8F4dFA0Dpg_c/s320/t1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Flash forward a thousand years. (The gods of Asgard, like all gods, are immortal, although they do age somewhat. Hence in the earlier sequence both Thor and Loki are children, but now are full fledged adults.) Odin is approaching the age when it is time to pass his kingship on to his heir. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is the firstborn and most obvious candidate. However, Thor is a bit rash and combative and Odin has to remind him that the truce between Asgard and Jotunheim rests on his soldiers and he needs to keep his combative nature under control. (Good luck with that).</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5UIfTRSspCqgD9TwGd4lGgl13uaKEcUe75RlKvou_uJKBFNe7iTj8JLYPATZ4tT6f9vAxn8BYLFFET5Q1A3Vsvf-G9Oii6VqEZD8buS1W4AXXvQGWdMmNMOPVFhVUnvCfl9DGV-zf_K5S9tWRtF1rmYNVC45RmOkkej4bvaJcA2e1XYCAg5oEUmFcoI/s976/t2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="549" data-original-width="976" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5UIfTRSspCqgD9TwGd4lGgl13uaKEcUe75RlKvou_uJKBFNe7iTj8JLYPATZ4tT6f9vAxn8BYLFFET5Q1A3Vsvf-G9Oii6VqEZD8buS1W4AXXvQGWdMmNMOPVFhVUnvCfl9DGV-zf_K5S9tWRtF1rmYNVC45RmOkkej4bvaJcA2e1XYCAg5oEUmFcoI/s320/t2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>There is a new fly in the ointment however. A group of Frost Giants invades the hallowed halls of Asgard, attempting to take repossession of the artifact that Odin had claimed. They are no match for the Asgardians however. But as a result, Thor wants to take the fight to hem. Odin forbids it. But Daddy doesn't have as much control over his son as he may have once had. </p><p>Thor and four others cross over the bridge to the enemy. (Five against an entire army? They've got balls, I'll give them that.) He is accompanied with Volstagg (Ray Stevenson), Hogun (Tadanobu Asano) and Fandral (Josh Dallas), along with Sif (Jaimie Alexander), a female warrior with some balls of her own. (In Norse mythology, even the women are badasses.)</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEXsDSRNcsJomWEONitutp7JtORLkDP3uENvvhoUuklhu2JhYFEiRV6Yub1-uaaEHIyqS6qcAlns7VXPJSm_ztxa9zITuS26m9dA7eMpe-Pf-VVsljuVxX6l5Gt4h3pf9PuO2MuvnMY7fKhOiLEHIQmc7scnouzgjDY8NwecI-X8R9npJvt7jo-867aU/s1200/t3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1200" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWEXsDSRNcsJomWEONitutp7JtORLkDP3uENvvhoUuklhu2JhYFEiRV6Yub1-uaaEHIyqS6qcAlns7VXPJSm_ztxa9zITuS26m9dA7eMpe-Pf-VVsljuVxX6l5Gt4h3pf9PuO2MuvnMY7fKhOiLEHIQmc7scnouzgjDY8NwecI-X8R9npJvt7jo-867aU/s320/t3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Thor and crew are captured by Laufey, the leader of the Frost giants and it requires the intervention of Odin to save him. As the result of his rash indiscretion, Odin casts Thor into the realm of Earth, without his powers. He also sends Mjolnir, Thor's hammer to Earth, which gets lodged into the Earth.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimoN06csWDfL9ojgu6Tr6rMGfQMVNqbBT2ZVxNMAyzu-2Dmq2T3AXFtxjk9gXLAZuorFbN9yX98_l_vwKrFDgaoLHdRIyRkUW1ZK8KCgfVfSgjZPnbKWHUQ0-W46dRSHd8lJu4gpugeEfegjC7mcyfB-rhJ1M3PLPUVJV7tRxrewokhq6s881zngXsHXg/s1152/t4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1152" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimoN06csWDfL9ojgu6Tr6rMGfQMVNqbBT2ZVxNMAyzu-2Dmq2T3AXFtxjk9gXLAZuorFbN9yX98_l_vwKrFDgaoLHdRIyRkUW1ZK8KCgfVfSgjZPnbKWHUQ0-W46dRSHd8lJu4gpugeEfegjC7mcyfB-rhJ1M3PLPUVJV7tRxrewokhq6s881zngXsHXg/s320/t4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Thor is found by Jane Foster and taken to a local hospital. Even without his power he is still a handful. Meanwhile, the hammer is discovered by the Earthlings and an all-out effort is made, unsuccessfully, to dislodge it. (BTW, I don't know about the comic book legend, but according to Norse mythology on Thor himself could even touch that thing. Anyone else would have been basically blasted to atoms, or something like it.)</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b> Stan is one of several who are trying to get the hammer out of it's location. He uses a pickup truck and a chain, but only ends up destroying his truck.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWT26bEo4RiAeeUm6jG0NbcJKCCpbexgSoRirWSxPe09RAbSIvOTBpuQv0j6ywTx7vFXZ3U0QlzIATtGBqKeS4g3qK5BpT0Ya5T8Omy_7gmmTRPxqx-5aI4Q6ygjY0RcNp2NmkePhL7dJqa1RyzRw2vHOkhJSKSPhkLjsjaDD0jzuYn7YJ57GdnPq_B0M/s1920/slt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="816" data-original-width="1920" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWT26bEo4RiAeeUm6jG0NbcJKCCpbexgSoRirWSxPe09RAbSIvOTBpuQv0j6ywTx7vFXZ3U0QlzIATtGBqKeS4g3qK5BpT0Ya5T8Omy_7gmmTRPxqx-5aI4Q6ygjY0RcNp2NmkePhL7dJqa1RyzRw2vHOkhJSKSPhkLjsjaDD0jzuYn7YJ57GdnPq_B0M/s320/slt.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The reason that the Jotuns were able to get into Asgard is that there was a traitor among them. At least one, maybe more. It turns out that Loki was not actually a son of Odin, but a baby Frost Giant that Odin had taken from a temple during that earlier war 100 years previous. It explain why when every other Asgardian touched by a Frost Giant freezes up, but Loki remained unharmed.</p><p>As Loki confronts Odin, Odin has a lapse and basically falls into a coma. Loki uses the opportunity to make himself king of Asgard, in abence of Thor, who would be the rightful king if he were in Asgard. But since Thor has been banished and Loki as king refuses to renounce his "father"'s decree, Thor remains banished.</p><p>Back on Earth, Jane helps Thor get to his hammer. But Thor's confidence in being able to retrieve it is shattered as even he is unable to budge it. Perhaps because when Odin cast it to the Earth he put a spell on it that only the most honorable and forthright person could remove it and Thor still has a ways to go to becoming man enough to get it. </p><p>In the Bifrost, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) has continued his evil ways, making a pact with Laufey (Colm Feore) to let in some of his soldiers to kill Odin while he is in his sleep. He also creates a Destroyer to send to Earth to kill Thor.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iD4jpTsimqT9lkNNWIU2TpRm2XyEZRBOSqQjfTaKr6AAdcg1jTrAfITSdo3NyyllvNHNqqddzMsQZOr4gKV5WMBbLJYwabtwf3Cdv7SxMj-P6cLvA0naWKhVzpapDoPO3QImdcGrZEHYDpG24hTn_fg4_25U_TvgsumZBG2POWY_GYgdwfUGETO1sno/s900/t5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="900" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5iD4jpTsimqT9lkNNWIU2TpRm2XyEZRBOSqQjfTaKr6AAdcg1jTrAfITSdo3NyyllvNHNqqddzMsQZOr4gKV5WMBbLJYwabtwf3Cdv7SxMj-P6cLvA0naWKhVzpapDoPO3QImdcGrZEHYDpG24hTn_fg4_25U_TvgsumZBG2POWY_GYgdwfUGETO1sno/s320/t5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>The interesting thing about this film is that, up until now, this has just been a standard drama. There hasn't been much superhero action. But when Thor sacrifices himself to save his friends from the Destroyer he has proven himself worthy of his hammer and it returns to him, reviving him in time for a final battle with his brother, But in the process, the bridge to Earth is destroyed and cuts him off from the Earth, and the woman he has grown to love.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>: Erik Selvig meets up with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Fury shows Selvig an object that he claims has incredible power, if only he, Selvig, will start researching it. We are first introduced to the Tesseract, the object that will become, over the course of the next few movies, the center of the saga.</p><p><i>Thor</i>, for me, marks the beginning of the Marvel saga, the previous 3 films notwithstanding. It was the first Marvel Cinematic Universe movie I actually got to see in the theater. And even having watched the first three later, it still remains one of the better movies. I think the early part of the movie, the setup that ended up with Thor on Earth is one of the better opening sequences.</p><p>Well, folks, until the next time we meet, it's time to get on the road. Drive safely. </p><p>Quiggy</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaKNG_9Jok_V28nUnX8CfzgQH1yJ-qNsYMpBC7-78RO_n9bmIife1b9nNg9DXwMARzuF025nfptzRT2ZOmOI2egJAMbiqsJ_uZ4Tb8MgjmG5pBIFWhdu60QU17MuOytAgw6aNQmIRNPDp4RC1VqcBX3Yp45A66QP_xyNSNx0DaL-hYgpzzUbeKJJtgUs/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisaKNG_9Jok_V28nUnX8CfzgQH1yJ-qNsYMpBC7-78RO_n9bmIife1b9nNg9DXwMARzuF025nfptzRT2ZOmOI2egJAMbiqsJ_uZ4Tb8MgjmG5pBIFWhdu60QU17MuOytAgw6aNQmIRNPDp4RC1VqcBX3Yp45A66QP_xyNSNx0DaL-hYgpzzUbeKJJtgUs/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-41081591589809521802024-01-27T00:00:00.004-06:002024-01-29T04:16:48.786-06:00On the Job Blogathon is Here<p><br /></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXSe7hnD15HHR9d5dZjRImxlnMU-9QOqnnfMaNT0p25IaS63eFqRR8fj-Z6CaewE6E39QWtjLofOGgY8y9POmcTyGei7WeMBl8a4_P4yx7OErd4rqnL3EkjnqijkGxoCL5UX_83PICpwsRbX7NiLr-LWtWKo2z4cLdkdbq08ri9AbKkpOP3uN/s940/On%20the%20Job%20Blogathon%202.png" style="background-color: white; color: #ff3e51; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 14.85px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjXSe7hnD15HHR9d5dZjRImxlnMU-9QOqnnfMaNT0p25IaS63eFqRR8fj-Z6CaewE6E39QWtjLofOGgY8y9POmcTyGei7WeMBl8a4_P4yx7OErd4rqnL3EkjnqijkGxoCL5UX_83PICpwsRbX7NiLr-LWtWKo2z4cLdkdbq08ri9AbKkpOP3uN/w320-h269/On%20the%20Job%20Blogathon%202.png" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="320" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>The On the Job Blogathon is here. </p><p>OK, so if you're lucky Saturday and Sunday are not work days. (At least, for me it's "lucky".) But if this blogathon counts as "work", then I'm still golden. </p><p>So raise your hands if you are happy to have a job. Me, I am happy. </p><p>And that's one of the themes of this blogathon. Enjoyment in your chosen field. In some cases, the job may not be fulfilling, in others the job may be the greatest thing in the world.</p><p>As you will see as you read these entries. </p><p>So this post will be updated over the weekend, and when our entrants post their reviews you will see them added below.</p><p>And, by the way, it's not too late to add yours. Just notify me or Rachel at <a href="https://hamlette.blogspot.com/2023/12/announcing-on-job-blogathon.html">Hamlette's Soliloquy</a> and you can join the fun.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The Roster</b>:</p><p><b>The Midnite Drive-In</b>: <i><a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2024/01/culture-crash.html">Gung Ho</a></i> (1986)<br /></p><p><b>Realweegiemidget Reviews</b>: <i><a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2024/01/24/man-from-uncle/">The Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.</a></i> (1983):</p><p><b>Hamlette's Soliloquy</b>: <a href="https://hamlette.blogspot.com/2024/01/support-your-local-sheriff-1969.html">Support Your Local Sheriff </a>(1969)</p><p><b>Silver Screenings</b>: <a href="https://silverscreenings.org/2024/01/26/the-perils-of-dentistry/">The Dentist </a>(1932)</p><p><b>Hamlette's Soliloquy</b> (again): <a href="https://hamlette.blogspot.com/2024/01/my-ten-favorite-movies-about-writers.html">Ten Favorite Movies about Writers</a></p><p><b>Taking Up Rooom</b>: <a href="https://takinguproom.com/2024/01/27/the-founder/">The Founder</a> (2016)</p><p><b>The Maidens of Green Gables</b>:<a href="https://maidensofgreengables.wordpress.com/2024/01/28/a-different-type-of-job-feat-the-leverage-crew/"> Leverage: TV Series</a> (2008-2012)</p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-8464839995249724642024-01-26T02:00:00.000-06:002024-01-26T04:53:47.609-06:00Culture Crash<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZnWySOHa20aGg04YiYwcvBHNzAqlH3H_4y7lB-wUpPReELY2xzjqrKk5BCV0P2Yr3k5pgFZnHLnUboesdsSk8MwZGPUo0HW5W9IC02vhuYpeC4sVq2QrNA6xG_IDJemPI6bfBoZTWewW4fmANUvwVyJxCISDjwi1wvcG4jYw69SPWYY26UQPO0a2BfU/s940/ojb4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguZnWySOHa20aGg04YiYwcvBHNzAqlH3H_4y7lB-wUpPReELY2xzjqrKk5BCV0P2Yr3k5pgFZnHLnUboesdsSk8MwZGPUo0HW5W9IC02vhuYpeC4sVq2QrNA6xG_IDJemPI6bfBoZTWewW4fmANUvwVyJxCISDjwi1wvcG4jYw69SPWYY26UQPO0a2BfU/s320/ojb4.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>This is my entry in the <b>On The Job</b> Blogathon hosted by Hamlette's Soliloquy and yours truly.<br /></p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7X373PeZEc06eyRaB0KeiHwNWZ-oH_QYveeuPQjCtEVlXVbJKSldBYgl8MWjKPGoACe8VI5F_eIY1d-s7sLLatpKqF_F-oKJTMmcv4488Q49gvAadkV14xRqCn5EIb7fdVCPshd7tX2cxETMY9z_PpqAF83xh1dF6Slh7r21hC8hhZZLEXoFfxd4j6HM/s441/gh1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7X373PeZEc06eyRaB0KeiHwNWZ-oH_QYveeuPQjCtEVlXVbJKSldBYgl8MWjKPGoACe8VI5F_eIY1d-s7sLLatpKqF_F-oKJTMmcv4488Q49gvAadkV14xRqCn5EIb7fdVCPshd7tX2cxETMY9z_PpqAF83xh1dF6Slh7r21hC8hhZZLEXoFfxd4j6HM/s320/gh1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>In the mid - to - late 80's Michael Keaton was one of the big names in Hollywood. A Michael Keaton film was guaranteed to have a big popular draw, (and most of the time, it actually did draw a crowd), He started out as a standup comedian, and managed to parlay that into an early career as a bit player on TV, He was a co-star on the short-lived <i>The Mary Tyler Moore Hour</i> as Kenny the page. </p><p>His big break in film came as a co-star with Henry Winkler in <i>Night Shift.</i> that followed with starring roles in <i>Mr. Mom </i>and <a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2023/06/dangeous-comedy.html"><i>Johnny Dangerously</i></a>. By the time <i>Gung Ho</i> hit the theaters he had just started to get his chops and following.</p><p><i>Gung Ho</i> hit the theaters at a time when Ronald Reagan was in his second term in office as President. The economy in the US had made great stride since the recession of the early 80's. But sales of American automobiles were being seriously challenged by the more economic cars being produced by Japan.</p><p>Whether or not the events in <i>Gung Ho </i>are realistic from an economic view of that time period, I couldn't say. My recollection of that time period is limited to the transition from junior college to university, and many a drunken party. (I wasn't very responsible in those days, sad to say).</p><p><i>Gung Ho</i> was a modest hit with audiences and almost assuredly cemented Michael Keaton as a star (although it would take 2 years before he had another real hit with <i>Beetlejuice</i>). It made $36 million off of a $13 million investment.<br /></p><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXcMwUkTIU18MAG9kXr_ffgfKSTdP7PRn4Qwk2k_W1AZFChELl6-KjyoFD08ZiK7HM0j-rtUP_pdvcIE3APLExbojV0f82T8JHUGqLmLe_zm9CmEcCr-euSizf5zDLeLvv58s5Nypgl3pOOSw1to2o0whf8WNf54e29iFHlTu1h1wI42k1d_TcyZ5mvw/s336/gh2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXcMwUkTIU18MAG9kXr_ffgfKSTdP7PRn4Qwk2k_W1AZFChELl6-KjyoFD08ZiK7HM0j-rtUP_pdvcIE3APLExbojV0f82T8JHUGqLmLe_zm9CmEcCr-euSizf5zDLeLvv58s5Nypgl3pOOSw1to2o0whf8WNf54e29iFHlTu1h1wI42k1d_TcyZ5mvw/s320/gh2.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Gung Ho</b> (1986):</p><p>In the fictional town of Hadleyville, PA, times are rough. The big money draw in town used to be the automobile factory, but it has been closed for 9 months, and most of the town is either on unemployment or closing up shops and leaving. Note: I'm not sure how big this town actually is supposed to be. I get the impression that it is a modest population, probably less than 100,000. Whether the town could or could not survive without a factory is questionable in my opinion. But the fact remains that many are leaving for better shores.</p><p>Hunt Stevenson (Michael Keaton) is tasked with a job to try to entice the Japanese Assan Motors Company to reopen the plant, and goes to Tokyo to talk with the executives. The first strains of the culture clash that will drive the movie are experienced when Hunt tries to find his way to the executive offices and gets lost. (as well as the experiences he has in living arrangements and finding food that appeals to him).</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx99KzEEqmsb_pXXK9SDe9qAxPwGEGMDtRegH7L5cUvLd9b-rnKcfF8foaf0vWIz-Iv9gs7SIDnS1363TEzkNyDE04i-fyAY3NWO3gKFbYlxSPH1hNjqK04wFhStBSHcyFhGWCMvzOMJYk9wQR0uIJz8fCGaaE8Mlnke_u1OQGqeQYZh28T-gz5R_jiXI/s1920/gh3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx99KzEEqmsb_pXXK9SDe9qAxPwGEGMDtRegH7L5cUvLd9b-rnKcfF8foaf0vWIz-Iv9gs7SIDnS1363TEzkNyDE04i-fyAY3NWO3gKFbYlxSPH1hNjqK04wFhStBSHcyFhGWCMvzOMJYk9wQR0uIJz8fCGaaE8Mlnke_u1OQGqeQYZh28T-gz5R_jiXI/s320/gh3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>The meeting seems to not go well and Hunt thinks he has failed. He returns to Hadleyville broken. But it turns out that he made a good impression on the Japanese and they decide to open. Kaz Kazihiro (Gedde Watanabe) is sent with an entourage to open the plant. </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9zGrvBXj-gbrKd2DNaErTdqPVdK-V3vS2Rr4kc5V1DX_UpBKAUb2-HUSKCxbwnsgxw-NMd1XTvmHXjXGRZMDp4o-QkHqHQlt747gnBniijHbsiWaeBhn4inRwRCHYzbvJ3Xl7R2xpzuHBByX9-QKkR3Wol6Cg0AYj6HbiITLrUfJ8ko2OLP3n3LbcrY/s1440/g4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1440" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9zGrvBXj-gbrKd2DNaErTdqPVdK-V3vS2Rr4kc5V1DX_UpBKAUb2-HUSKCxbwnsgxw-NMd1XTvmHXjXGRZMDp4o-QkHqHQlt747gnBniijHbsiWaeBhn4inRwRCHYzbvJ3Xl7R2xpzuHBByX9-QKkR3Wol6Cg0AYj6HbiITLrUfJ8ko2OLP3n3LbcrY/s320/g4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>But the culture clash that was Hunt's experience in Japan comes back full force for the Japanese when they arrive. Fully expecting to run the plant on the Japanese model, they run into a conflict when their American employees throw up a resistance, expecting that things will be the "same as usual" from when it was an American run company. The first obstacle: the Japanese apparently are not familiar with the labor union system.</p><p>The Japanese are only paying a partial hourly wage compared to what the union pay rate was before the plant closed down. (around $8 an hour compared to $11... imagine that today, boys and girls.) But with Hunt's help, the plant does get opened. </p><p>But things don't go quite as smoothly. The Japanese management has some different views of operation that the Americans are resistant to; like no radios on the line, no smoking (which raises up a red flag for me not because of a disdain for smoking, but because the factory surely has combustible materials in proximity)</p><p>One of the more vitriolic members of the American contingent is Buster (George Wendt). Buster is extremely adamant about things going his way, and highly resistant to the Japanese management just on the face of it. </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeokCa8BHLyvDdb009Irb3jY41xOnFTlOIsRj4dax7Qcev5fejfan2cm_s56RZBO0i_KZJuKY6fnSxFKrSxAP4KmpBQpg7WClr6pjpfPPJF6Vvod4BLqWr_LIjOLURQxY6kj8sFMQyZ8oRlMnw6PqxMmsl6YYjNNXcYdphrUMMBDn7cNJLvzlpzGmIxjA/s346/gh5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="146" data-original-width="346" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeokCa8BHLyvDdb009Irb3jY41xOnFTlOIsRj4dax7Qcev5fejfan2cm_s56RZBO0i_KZJuKY6fnSxFKrSxAP4KmpBQpg7WClr6pjpfPPJF6Vvod4BLqWr_LIjOLURQxY6kj8sFMQyZ8oRlMnw6PqxMmsl6YYjNNXcYdphrUMMBDn7cNJLvzlpzGmIxjA/s320/gh5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p> In one scene, during an impromptu beer league softball game, Buster takes out his frustration by intentionally running into Saito (Sab Shimono). Later, when he is demoted to janitor, he thinks it is because of his previous confrontation, although he is told it is because he has been performing subpar in his role at the factory.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsd4q-EfuxHomjMV1p5pYoQB4gBFc3qYaFbCnntPOau3isTsRLs2Zq-zMUj7Bi8Gm8i-xWWplkUQ4hffL6w4YgcSQ6lc_27JpIDJRzzJ4EzyztUKzV5n0yNBB299D5W7OZMNvdaeWK-KC4A1wFn9Uag1o-gCTVIJPUQUFUAVRxoqPY2kjj_XcldB93Gs/s1000/gh6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="706" data-original-width="1000" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsd4q-EfuxHomjMV1p5pYoQB4gBFc3qYaFbCnntPOau3isTsRLs2Zq-zMUj7Bi8Gm8i-xWWplkUQ4hffL6w4YgcSQ6lc_27JpIDJRzzJ4EzyztUKzV5n0yNBB299D5W7OZMNvdaeWK-KC4A1wFn9Uag1o-gCTVIJPUQUFUAVRxoqPY2kjj_XcldB93Gs/s320/gh6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Frustrations continue to mount, and Hunt, ever the promoter of himself as what others perceive him to be, tries to negotiate every situation so he looks good. The big trouble comes midway through the film when Hunt negotiates a pact with Kaz; the plant will produce 15,000 cars in one month to tie the record made in Japan for one month. If they do, the management will concede raising the pay to pre shut-down rates, among other concessions. But if they don't, no concessions will be made.</p><p>However, the American workers ask Hunt if they get partial concessions if they come close. Because Hunt doesn't want to lose face with his compatriots he says yes, they will get something, but knowing that's not true, tries to convince them to go the full amount. This is the point where I started to dislike the American workers. They seem to want it all, but only want to pay for a part of it. Kind of reminds me of stories I've heard of shoppers trying to use an expired coupon and insisting they still get the discount.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNnaONwkcb2pDqPriUAe3KCEjTRwH_vEm-JU_y09lSPzN51kIWMYajAa7TUo-0dG-ZnCtqFqLFHS-EWlUE8_YqF8FCU45QlQ7gB-KngKE3U2Q-6ZZvgsACw3IrpYCiW_kvQ2GZ1__VFl0-uy8aiE8wz_Z0VAxB__gADmORPjfPRmHFUuod7hR_1rUV-U/s1280/gh7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzNnaONwkcb2pDqPriUAe3KCEjTRwH_vEm-JU_y09lSPzN51kIWMYajAa7TUo-0dG-ZnCtqFqLFHS-EWlUE8_YqF8FCU45QlQ7gB-KngKE3U2Q-6ZZvgsACw3IrpYCiW_kvQ2GZ1__VFl0-uy8aiE8wz_Z0VAxB__gADmORPjfPRmHFUuod7hR_1rUV-U/s320/gh7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Anyway, the workers go forward, making a few concessions such as working on Sundays to get to the quota they think is their goal. (Only 13,000 as opposed to 15,000.) But when one of the Japanese management reveals to them the truth they conclude that the management is trying to renege on the deal and walk (strike).</p><p>Things are coming to a head. Hunt finally has to reveal that he knew all along that there was no deal for partial completion. With 1000 cars still to produce to reach the agreement, Hunt and Kaz go in to the factory to try to get the quota. Will the rest of the factory workers join them? I think you know what is going to happen since this is a feel good comedy not a depressing drama. But hold out for the final reel anyway, because the American spirit comes full force when the top dog Japanese guy shows up to inspect the output.</p><p><i>Gung Ho </i>is not Michael Keaton's best performance. It's only #37 out of 47 on the Tomatometer which ranks all of his movies. But it ranks about #5 on my list. (<i>Beetlejuice</i>, <i>Batman</i>, <i>Night Shift</i>, and <i>Clean and Sober</i> take the top 4 spots). As far as work films, it is one of the top 5 also. As much as I don't like George Wendt's character of Buster for most of the movie, I do think Wendt as an actor pulled off the character rather well. The rest of the cast is pretty good too. Don't miss seeing John Turturro, as one of the other American workers. </p><p>If I had to recast the film, however, I think I would have found a better actress than Mimi Rogers as Hunt's love interest. She is the only one who I found didn't bring much to the film. Not sure who else might have been available at the time, nor do I know who else did a casting call for the role. But personally, I wish that it had been Andie McDowell in the role.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlAX84wZzVyNQirk9w0YJVw4gKmsxpYNvzlKwNhElk9LQz-96-szDPSErR-Rzh1XzRM3H9HZ4Mo0YwPyyJIyswlJKOpJyRTdPYgDo6TcI4wt3R0z5Rb-M_jhffx-Tz5WAj4m2dJBF6U1MX-9ndCufpChueZnkKluLSZ-uIL5MvuJx8xWmnKo-kB8LyJo/s1200/gh8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlAX84wZzVyNQirk9w0YJVw4gKmsxpYNvzlKwNhElk9LQz-96-szDPSErR-Rzh1XzRM3H9HZ4Mo0YwPyyJIyswlJKOpJyRTdPYgDo6TcI4wt3R0z5Rb-M_jhffx-Tz5WAj4m2dJBF6U1MX-9ndCufpChueZnkKluLSZ-uIL5MvuJx8xWmnKo-kB8LyJo/s320/gh8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Well, folks, it's a work day tomorrow, so I gotta get the Plymouth back in the garage. Drive safely.</p><p>Quiggy</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnYFXcHhOZTJdH6pYNeoYLovJzfrp9xOwAeV4CGTuViIgTrxXrcx3IybsCViaY-cyZEsNBV6-Th_KbgYXok8h4-x8yHtzWBEVUipCoTbVr8OD1FHI3UkrVzHcT8OJegH8b2QP8y63Oz8292JRCX3yzTt3YPZgRSOyWEQclBBYPqEfec40VIUBQxOPC34/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNnYFXcHhOZTJdH6pYNeoYLovJzfrp9xOwAeV4CGTuViIgTrxXrcx3IybsCViaY-cyZEsNBV6-Th_KbgYXok8h4-x8yHtzWBEVUipCoTbVr8OD1FHI3UkrVzHcT8OJegH8b2QP8y63Oz8292JRCX3yzTt3YPZgRSOyWEQclBBYPqEfec40VIUBQxOPC34/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-56255462832058990302024-01-21T02:00:00.006-06:002024-01-21T02:00:00.138-06:00MCU Sunday #3: Iron Man 2<p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmMaZ5bmktVUvopO0TTSc7yqig3Otoxa6KpM17EB8ArebwmIS2zVkKNe0EU1AhGqA-R7W4szU_-t20oyFMZhlwSEQEDL-n0jMvSytupoBIbwpDs45iRp3DThiKKmxvJfeWGVg3XDzcjNVN0E1LoU20KDMTQzpDT8lN2J-W4Bg5OJ_cxZQKi8UxmdoQA/s300/marvelstudios.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNFmMaZ5bmktVUvopO0TTSc7yqig3Otoxa6KpM17EB8ArebwmIS2zVkKNe0EU1AhGqA-R7W4szU_-t20oyFMZhlwSEQEDL-n0jMvSytupoBIbwpDs45iRp3DThiKKmxvJfeWGVg3XDzcjNVN0E1LoU20KDMTQzpDT8lN2J-W4Bg5OJ_cxZQKi8UxmdoQA/s1600/marvelstudios.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> Preface: As promised last year, I plan to review every single
currently available movie in what is known as the Marvel Cinematic
Universe (MCU) over the year 2024. These will appear in order of their
release over that time period. This is the <b>third</b> installment. (Oh, and
by the way, after I've exhausted all of the currently available MCU
movies I will be rounding out the year with some of the other available
movies made from the Marvel comics pantheon.)<br /></p><p>Notes: In each of
the MCU installments you will be seeing references to two recurring
events that occur in nearly every MCU movie.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>:
Stan Lee was the driving genius behind Marvel Comics. He usually shows
up in a cameo. Sometimes these are so quick you gotta be sure you
don't blink. Occasionally he gets a line of dialogue.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>:
You should always stay in the theater for the credits when watching a
MCU movie, because during the credits and at the end there is a teaser
(or two) that is worth the wait. Often they were a teaser for the next
installment of the films.<br /></p><p><br /><br /></p><p></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHQHw1RVQRkgfrxG0VUn6qmsc235-aPnro-X4TFBpMjWzriH_oRci9q5ifRoXjRIm-e8vfCD1-xC6XtErQvoceJzav73UMjfXvf7GH9vJn7v9_t8A2dpTX30I94u0004olQ3VrhVGzYv5kjnccgp7QmiJ1Bu_y4a_QxRL1V7KoWg4Viuztmlv7hEtUa0/s441/im2.2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHQHw1RVQRkgfrxG0VUn6qmsc235-aPnro-X4TFBpMjWzriH_oRci9q5ifRoXjRIm-e8vfCD1-xC6XtErQvoceJzav73UMjfXvf7GH9vJn7v9_t8A2dpTX30I94u0004olQ3VrhVGzYv5kjnccgp7QmiJ1Bu_y4a_QxRL1V7KoWg4Viuztmlv7hEtUa0/s320/im2.2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <b>MCU Sunday Part III<br /></b></p><p>The MCU didn't waste any time with a new installment of the Iron Man saga. Unfortunately in the process of casting some things had to change. Trevor Howard, the original cast member who played the role of Tony's friend and liaison in the military, Col. Rhodey Rhodes, was too expensive. So the role was taken over by Don Cheadle.</p><p>But Cheadle manages to acquit himself as the replacement, still playing Rhodes. Not without some controversy. however. In replacing him, one of the producers supposedly made the unfortunate faux pas of suggesting it didn't really matter who played Rhodes. The rumor, not substantiated as near as I can tell by actual proof, was that he had said all black people look the same. (Note: I don't actually know if it's true that he actually said it, which is why I'm leaving this person's name off this blog entry).</p><p>Other than that, the rest of the cast came back for the second round. What is interesting is some information I read in a previously mentioned book I am currently reading <i>MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios</i>. Apparently the powers that be behind the scenes made some exerted effort to ensure that most of the actors and actresses who signed on would commit to a long term deal, thus ensuring we wouldn't have a new actor taking over a familiar role due to contract negotiations or requests for beaucoup bigger salaries or any other such roadblocks.</p><p>That's why we could still see Downey as Iron Man over the course of the films, rather than, say, having him leave and be replaced by some other less appealing replacement. It would be the same for other actors as they stepped up to take on future roles. (Of course, heads up, in case you already didn't know (or didn't read the previous entry in this series on this blog), Edward Norton was replaced by Mark Ruffalo in future endeavors in the cycle as Bruce Banner/Incredible Hulk).</p><p>The best parts of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films are that consistency. I cannot see anyone pulling off the role of Tony Stark/Iron Man like Downey. It would have been a real shame to see him replaced mid-series. Even if the next actor did play it as well I would have been looking for every nuance to point out and say "See! You should have stuck with Downey!" But that's not just me. I'm not a fanboy, but the fanboys would have been just as critical. <br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFr__cUweY-RA7svQDMnBhiQnFiL5E-8GmI8-CSNRkcZXO2JWCGKmVtsRbGIBaaXOHdUKXuy_31wMR_yFI0hoD6-TXQWQfDoodc4JK6YfX42rpUbgFExnJagKrPBnr1h_N9QXrrukJ0ZW7KZe44kbEvFx_tvJB5xu_Z5iDzq3cku3VehcnrZu-9_0WhA4/s324/im2.1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFr__cUweY-RA7svQDMnBhiQnFiL5E-8GmI8-CSNRkcZXO2JWCGKmVtsRbGIBaaXOHdUKXuy_31wMR_yFI0hoD6-TXQWQfDoodc4JK6YfX42rpUbgFExnJagKrPBnr1h_N9QXrrukJ0ZW7KZe44kbEvFx_tvJB5xu_Z5iDzq3cku3VehcnrZu-9_0WhA4/s320/im2.1.jpg" width="217" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p><b>Iron Man 2 </b>(2010):</p><p>The movie starts out with a brief encapsulation of the end of the first Iron man movie by having a telecast video of Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr) admitting that he is Iron Man. This news conference is broadcast into Russia Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) and his father Anton (Eugene Lazarev) are watching, Before Anton dies he tells his son that it should have been him in that suit. After Anton's death, Ivan begins work on his own suit.</p><p>Meanwhile, back in the US, Tony has launched a Stark Expo, a gala to present the future of Stark Industries.<br /></p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>: At the Stark Expo, Tony passes by a man whom he mistakes for Larry King. (It seems that Tony has a knack for this mistaken identity shtick. If you remember in the first film, Tony mistakes Stan for Hugh Hefner. I wonder who he'll mistake him for in the next encounter... Arnold Schwarzenegger?)</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAWQi0j2Gi8Kt8g_1eD2_SxM1V34R_n-73JpE3_WRmocfq40BNnx5RTlzBGXiDPmCATl_6DG_b7L4k_xhXmnrjqYcrS-aPfuq9yLwxXwhbZLfd-0SMI7L3Y-bwsVbGeZsrv_-NjUlJdjW84x9o9rLCyARTsYSxOpbOKVYjvq3pPDzzyTC7hRkAKXIZIU/s600/im2.3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyAWQi0j2Gi8Kt8g_1eD2_SxM1V34R_n-73JpE3_WRmocfq40BNnx5RTlzBGXiDPmCATl_6DG_b7L4k_xhXmnrjqYcrS-aPfuq9yLwxXwhbZLfd-0SMI7L3Y-bwsVbGeZsrv_-NjUlJdjW84x9o9rLCyARTsYSxOpbOKVYjvq3pPDzzyTC7hRkAKXIZIU/s320/im2.3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Outside the Expo, Tony is given a subpoena to appear before the Senate. At the appearance the senators try to make Tony turn over the technology in the interest of the people, but Tony refuses. As he tells the senators, not only is he Iron Man, but the suit is part and parcel of himself and the request would amount to making him a slave.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisS6esxfySptvs9Oj5Z8MjY9pHMauNSkWDFVlTa9qg6RW4E-Tgv42kxrqhK1c83EI3CUgVt-G7edtA_SChr847uNORP47RX_6wB3aP0x8uDNlLKnFrGhDb3fXwW12k-e5JC33xk4avgYNyVjGEtJoc4YFF1p70pY-hOaSB-9ibm4CKUQNxpILLLbQvQ54/s636/im2.4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="636" height="135" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisS6esxfySptvs9Oj5Z8MjY9pHMauNSkWDFVlTa9qg6RW4E-Tgv42kxrqhK1c83EI3CUgVt-G7edtA_SChr847uNORP47RX_6wB3aP0x8uDNlLKnFrGhDb3fXwW12k-e5JC33xk4avgYNyVjGEtJoc4YFF1p70pY-hOaSB-9ibm4CKUQNxpILLLbQvQ54/s320/im2.4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Tony becomes rather erratic (which is not entirely out of character anyway), and among other things, enters a car race at Monaco. During the race, however, Ivan appears in his modified suit and attempts to kill Stark. He doesn't have it in for Iron Man himself, really. He is exacting revenge for his family, in particular his father, whose destiny was sealed by Tony's father, Howard years ago. But Ivan is defeated and arrested.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2wlmrwSP88yCBgCoG7IxL-Sue1gaWeAPQTWgBODCoWvhh4HM8Jrny9SMZmYdqNBs6Yyu49f93nasd6iK8lKCx4F62TJiPZAzebgR1XjkIQMRVu9SmuaLNaU8_e1YTJWv65C8m93kr_Uz0p_bfcvGRUKYdRuAvFgnZsYslWOVTunv3w0EP7D75yepfjM/s518/im2.6.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="518" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2wlmrwSP88yCBgCoG7IxL-Sue1gaWeAPQTWgBODCoWvhh4HM8Jrny9SMZmYdqNBs6Yyu49f93nasd6iK8lKCx4F62TJiPZAzebgR1XjkIQMRVu9SmuaLNaU8_e1YTJWv65C8m93kr_Uz0p_bfcvGRUKYdRuAvFgnZsYslWOVTunv3w0EP7D75yepfjM/s320/im2.6.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>A rival to Stark Industries, in the person of Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) uses his wherewithal to help Ivan escape from prison, Hammer has his own reasons for wanting Ivan free. He intends to have Ivan create a suit of equal or better power than the one Tony has as Iron Man. Not entirely for his own purposes, although that does become a factor. He really wants to sell the suit to the US military.<br /></p><p>Back at home base Tony promotes Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) as CEO. As such, he needs a new assistant. Enter Natalie Rushman (Scarlett Johannson). The reasoning behind Pepper's promotion may not be readily apparent at this point, but as it develops it appears that the Iron Man suit, while initially saving his life (see the first movie) , may actually be killing him. The toxicity of the materials used to keep him alive are not the best solution. </p><p>So, while Tony works on a new power source for his own suit, Ivan has exceeded his commission and instead of a suit for a human has created drones that can replace humans in battle. Hammer is not entirely pleased, but goes ahead with his presentation at his own Hammer Expo. But Ivan has more than just exceeded his bounds; he has complete control over the drones and unleashes them. Tony's friend, Rhodes, has his own suit (which eventually becomes War Machine), but Ivan initially even has control over that suit, too, and sends the drones and War Machine after Iron Man.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABi4L4kAc3N012i2vdLsYJzS-dEhzvsXuKmxM2geMAgsGtDkLc6bW39u_nHrcsW9mXdoggiOASh6COTHOzS953DOSDuDD2POLrFckG2_PUX_gFQntdFX6KGR4iJUqfyYfs4QoZ7tnQerXvSl7DSYvY59geKN-Ek8x4e28UzwRqwaLm0aJwJFwvMeWTfw/s859/im2.8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="859" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABi4L4kAc3N012i2vdLsYJzS-dEhzvsXuKmxM2geMAgsGtDkLc6bW39u_nHrcsW9mXdoggiOASh6COTHOzS953DOSDuDD2POLrFckG2_PUX_gFQntdFX6KGR4iJUqfyYfs4QoZ7tnQerXvSl7DSYvY59geKN-Ek8x4e28UzwRqwaLm0aJwJFwvMeWTfw/s320/im2.8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, Natalie has revealed herself to be Natasha Romanoff, a Russian agent, and she with the help of a couple of allies, eventually makes her way to Ivan's lab. And in the process, also reveals herself to be a consummate hand to hand fighter. (And we get introduced to yet another future superhero, Black Widow). The scenes where Black Widow has to fight off the security forces at Hammer labs made me highly anticipatory for a one off featuring the character. </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnT5RKle6AupEjTaQ4eXDDABmBUyGgPVFYHA1v-31pLCoDvqRsu5peSg19xWkIoWvZlNmN_VacAZJ1LMe8-T4bnFLk3c96rNSV4btCZJCQNUW_7GeLYm0jO8aCGNltWG3o-SmsISPAfy6FewwqoFLb_dvdoCxEwSoUjat-ui7_kYUTgI0aYkQuWQ22_kY/s700/im2.5.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="700" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnT5RKle6AupEjTaQ4eXDDABmBUyGgPVFYHA1v-31pLCoDvqRsu5peSg19xWkIoWvZlNmN_VacAZJ1LMe8-T4bnFLk3c96rNSV4btCZJCQNUW_7GeLYm0jO8aCGNltWG3o-SmsISPAfy6FewwqoFLb_dvdoCxEwSoUjat-ui7_kYUTgI0aYkQuWQ22_kY/s320/im2.5.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>The climatic battle between Ivan and Iron Man and War Machine (who is eventually given control back of his own suit is the stuff of the finale these movies bring, of course. While not nearly as good as the first <i>Iron Man</i>, it's still exciting.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>: As the movie ends, Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg), who has been sent to New Mexico, comes upon a crater that is being investigated. At the center of the crater is a hammer that is wedged into a rock. End movie.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatHoZH50msFpm_sjGfaEwJg4PlsxlmxIWtnYqsYteeI7gAQ6Rt4clMzv8VjWAAPP9oet_PJM3Mwc9x-HKFPzjjMWG-5FrRv6-x8bd66hQ0qBouebTMpXZSTvAjoxTk_4TQW4LTiwCLDLigEbtSrQumOxKZYy2pSkDR1e2ej0OrdqggbW0HvlrrE2-cUY/s315/im2.7.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="315" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiatHoZH50msFpm_sjGfaEwJg4PlsxlmxIWtnYqsYteeI7gAQ6Rt4clMzv8VjWAAPP9oet_PJM3Mwc9x-HKFPzjjMWG-5FrRv6-x8bd66hQ0qBouebTMpXZSTvAjoxTk_4TQW4LTiwCLDLigEbtSrQumOxKZYy2pSkDR1e2ej0OrdqggbW0HvlrrE2-cUY/s1600/im2.7.png" width="315" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The second Iron Man film does present some difficulties. Given that he is in such dire straits in the middle of the movie, what with the impending death he is expecting from the stuff that is supposed to be keeping him alive, it may be pardonable that he seems to find solace in alcohol. Personally I don't like the solution, being a recovering alcoholic myself. Alcohol is never a solution. (But that's my high horse, so I'll leave it alone for now.)</p><p>Other than that one issue, I find no real fault in this second trip in to Tony's world. And I do like the way that a couple of new future allies (War Machine and Black Widow) are introduced. Nothing, as yet, seems contrived, even though it was all mapped out as a story line before the whole thing got under way. Down the road to a future film, we did have to introduce some of the allies that would eventually form the super group of <i>The Avengers</i>.</p><p><br /></p><p>Well, folks, time to fire up this old Plymouth and head home. Fortunately I won't be trying to drive it in some race, so I'm safe from mishaps. Drive safely.</p><p><br /></p><p>Quiggy</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXqEeLEgbrGCkvys85pSTkvIyDBwFkqXQC3_BEsisxpF_sTWx9k2WudQku86dxHWmNl848UQv7A38kIDNvHeHgVdPDGRt2cILxg1fy6O_MV8SRyZzeFL1S179F2TunrzI0WMVQ6_T4v9caP1MHFYnNpoSdWtV0VHu4Rh-wFV1PZcoUUH8uvOzy91Ylp0/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrXqEeLEgbrGCkvys85pSTkvIyDBwFkqXQC3_BEsisxpF_sTWx9k2WudQku86dxHWmNl848UQv7A38kIDNvHeHgVdPDGRt2cILxg1fy6O_MV8SRyZzeFL1S179F2TunrzI0WMVQ6_T4v9caP1MHFYnNpoSdWtV0VHu4Rh-wFV1PZcoUUH8uvOzy91Ylp0/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-52937038904982399072024-01-14T02:00:00.001-06:002024-01-14T02:00:00.212-06:00MCU Sunday #2: The Incredible Hulk<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhsExYhrQJ6mRvXZB5EWnJeQvpkuAb80gw8xfgcRMbpac7zTH4u8Qzcb0GzVIu9cZb2ysOysK78y87lRHQkM3IQDeBjq5mq3VNbd5revlrJjU_jxjgjOgltjSN9WW-wP_Rp7J4IAQRCTW-cG2MEIbVMnuTTL3-d2DGjAqkclKs5SILz_rGIhPivBbhTQ/s300/marvelstudios.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhsExYhrQJ6mRvXZB5EWnJeQvpkuAb80gw8xfgcRMbpac7zTH4u8Qzcb0GzVIu9cZb2ysOysK78y87lRHQkM3IQDeBjq5mq3VNbd5revlrJjU_jxjgjOgltjSN9WW-wP_Rp7J4IAQRCTW-cG2MEIbVMnuTTL3-d2DGjAqkclKs5SILz_rGIhPivBbhTQ/s1600/marvelstudios.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p>Preface: As promised last year, I am reviewing every single
currently available movie in what is known as the Marvel Cinematic
Universe (MCU) over the year 2024. These will appear once a week, in order of their
release over that time period. This is the <b>second</b> installment. (Oh, and
by the way, after I've exhausted all of the currently available MCU
movies I will be rounding out the year with some of the other available
movies made from the Marvel comics pantheon)<br /></p><p>Notes: In each of
the MCU installments you will be seeing references to two recurring
events that occur in nearly every MCU movie.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>:
Stan Lee was the driving genius behind Marvel Comics. He usually shows
up in a cameo. Sometimes these are so quick you gotta be sure you don't blink.
Occasionally he gets a line of dialogue.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>:
You should always stay in the theater for the credits when watching a
MCU movie, because during the credits and at the end there is a teaser
(or two) that is worth the wait. Often they were a teaser for the next
installment of the films.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EKLj9ur90YJHEE97rc0NplBDnOMLypzdFyQeORHjclO5JHWpGFh0eC7S0Qf7qS0uULrmjiumy2KIQP87aMSXIGN0Nb0QqrvTnc7OXzvm0Td9H67IB7pnnhO2ULzZzu1NjGHSpmVLfSqsmKQk51u_MeRODdRjsSUczfmxr6p2gsQ_upzmPonEArYuAXU/s441/ih4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3EKLj9ur90YJHEE97rc0NplBDnOMLypzdFyQeORHjclO5JHWpGFh0eC7S0Qf7qS0uULrmjiumy2KIQP87aMSXIGN0Nb0QqrvTnc7OXzvm0Td9H67IB7pnnhO2ULzZzu1NjGHSpmVLfSqsmKQk51u_MeRODdRjsSUczfmxr6p2gsQ_upzmPonEArYuAXU/s320/ih4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>MCU Sunday Part II</b><br /></p><p>The second movie that MCU put out was for one of the characters that was already familiar to the audiences. <i>The Incredible Hulk </i>was first brought to the TV media audiences in the 1970's TV series <i>The Incredible Hulk</i>, featuring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno. </p><p>According to a book I am reading, <i>MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios</i>, the reason the TV series changed the name of the main character from Bruce Banner (as was his name in the comic book) to David Banner because the studios thought that "Bruce" made hims sound homosexual. Not a very drastic thing really,and definitely not PC by today's standards but that was the mindset in the 70's.<br /></p><p>The TV series lasted for 5 seasons (from 1978-1982) and even generated several made-for-TV movies. There have also been some animated appearances of the Not-So-Jolly Green Giant. Later, the first attempt at making the Hulk a cinematic hero came at the hands of Ang Lee. (<i>Hulk</i> (2003). Although that movie has a pretty good Rotten Tomatoes reception (6.2 out of 10), it wasn't one of my favorites. (See my review of that one, sometime later this year).</p><p>When Marvel Studios got it's hand in the actual production of this as it's second installment, they gave it a better turn. Edward Norton got the nod to star, although in later installments he would be replaced by Mark Ruffalo. (The story behind Norton's replacement seems to be that Norton was a difficult star to work with. There are others who say this story is not necessarily true. I don't claim any knowledge of the truth however.)<br /></p><p>Making the Hulk real, however, has not been so difficult, especially with the advent of CGI. In the 70's you could coat a body builder like Lou Ferrigno in green paint and convince the viewing audience that Banner (Bill Bixby) had transformed to the big guy. But the comic book Hulk was a lot bigger than the TV series could pull off. </p><p>30 years later we have the benefit of computers to give us a Hulk whose size is more like the character from the comic book. It was also a lot easier to depict the amazing strength of the character. Sure, Ferrigno could probably have pulled off most of the stunts he was performing in the TV series, but without help he would not have been able to do all the things the comic book character could do.<br /></p><p>One thing you should know about this movie: If you are one of those people who generally come in after the opening credits, you will miss out, because the origin story is run (without the benefit of dialogue, admittedly) during the credits. (Not to worry, though. It is encapsulated later in the movie.)<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzV_X8B4Bu5qzEmAB9gBAZYQoKYXQ5YPCIthaGcaQaiXUhssJ-bK_bC_wPwKHGp3PN0EYtN2NXQB6RryVWpupjrpKFLsfKaFCysZ54n5GwhDR7ArpRcZFVAnU5qPPbaSDs_YC43e7Fy1wlVku8IRvcabTfeyiexMY_VAEGHCor7Y-Kzo_dXrlc_PHoeY/s326/ih3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzV_X8B4Bu5qzEmAB9gBAZYQoKYXQ5YPCIthaGcaQaiXUhssJ-bK_bC_wPwKHGp3PN0EYtN2NXQB6RryVWpupjrpKFLsfKaFCysZ54n5GwhDR7ArpRcZFVAnU5qPPbaSDs_YC43e7Fy1wlVku8IRvcabTfeyiexMY_VAEGHCor7Y-Kzo_dXrlc_PHoeY/s320/ih3.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>The Incredible Hulk</b> (2008):</p><p>At the start of the film, we find Bruce Banner (Edward Norton), hiding out in Brazil. He is on a quest to find a cure for his gamma radiation sickness. He has gone over 150 days without incident. What that incidence is is not readily apparent at the outset, but it does have Bruce communicating, under the alias of "Mr. Green" (cute), with a mysterious "Mr. Blue" via the internet to find a cure.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lCRljQuSBsnbxNnbGtCXEPOYnmlFEKKUlxOKYELK-E6iB_xA9gWWYaTspTMLP8m05X5-Ch4F8ni6Zkeo0mjrWwski6WRkDorNX6q8H2mpWoJAJ1RwoEAXR98AiwkAFG_lLnDdYOXVIR7R0B_ysZoDVbymi1OU8Xm5ktAD1C_Bg7uqQxm4zCu8bWY-XM/s300/ih5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6lCRljQuSBsnbxNnbGtCXEPOYnmlFEKKUlxOKYELK-E6iB_xA9gWWYaTspTMLP8m05X5-Ch4F8ni6Zkeo0mjrWwski6WRkDorNX6q8H2mpWoJAJ1RwoEAXR98AiwkAFG_lLnDdYOXVIR7R0B_ysZoDVbymi1OU8Xm5ktAD1C_Bg7uqQxm4zCu8bWY-XM/s1600/ih5.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Bruce receives a care package which has some flower that Mr. Blue suggests might help him. It is apparent by the communications that Mr. Blue is not fully cognizant as to the extent of Bruce's problem, because after Bruce tells him of the failure of the experiment Mr. Blue tells him he needs more data.</p><p>Bruce is working at the bottling plant of a soda company while in Brazil. There is an incident where he accidentally cuts himself and rushes to shut down production before his blood contaminates the production. But he misses one bottle which escapes and is sent along with the rest of the good batch to the USA.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>: Stan Lee plays the unfortunate victim who comes across the contaminated bottle. He takes a sip and says "Wow!"</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QI31-lqUTiEcpyN7r2YrLp8g-EVdqC-7Rr7JeiwRXHCm6elbiodJ23QsJr-LHEnacVT6MTe08u03YWmyafei9XxNa1WIWi7VVlkuUYG6LBJEcLfsgTorVC3joldRqeZsS1-mxpLAConklyhUdPBBXCXmoTOw0pEe3WMXUV9vQmdbaI_h3cZZVMRJbYU/s854/ih1.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="854" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QI31-lqUTiEcpyN7r2YrLp8g-EVdqC-7Rr7JeiwRXHCm6elbiodJ23QsJr-LHEnacVT6MTe08u03YWmyafei9XxNa1WIWi7VVlkuUYG6LBJEcLfsgTorVC3joldRqeZsS1-mxpLAConklyhUdPBBXCXmoTOw0pEe3WMXUV9vQmdbaI_h3cZZVMRJbYU/s320/ih1.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>It is that incident in which the man comes down with gamma sickness that leads General Thunderbolt Ross (William Hurt) to discover that Bruce is hiding out in Brazil. Ross has been searching for Bruce for some time. Wanting to capture Bruce, Ross sends in a crack team of commandos, led by Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth).</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtig09Bi3XYb3VoYoOzBt6s0KRft89iiwExFhZYHOk3rQ1ZXcfqUN91bnDSdaEjL6GHf46yZHI0xdhH_O3finldR1hEmnoDf6vnrAyk_MJ_BGcQ1AChSgMKxPoCPYxtoaOiQw4IxfQNMzjSjaLd4zNJ4exaAQwRpdUCRvggw8fhhAPgreJ-vvnrZR3zQ/s2048/ih6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1359" data-original-width="2048" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBtig09Bi3XYb3VoYoOzBt6s0KRft89iiwExFhZYHOk3rQ1ZXcfqUN91bnDSdaEjL6GHf46yZHI0xdhH_O3finldR1hEmnoDf6vnrAyk_MJ_BGcQ1AChSgMKxPoCPYxtoaOiQw4IxfQNMzjSjaLd4zNJ4exaAQwRpdUCRvggw8fhhAPgreJ-vvnrZR3zQ/s320/ih6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>But Bruce figures out what is happening and goes on the run. And in the process, the days without incident reverts to 1. He turns into the Hulk and does some damage to Blonsky's team. </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ahQa7bIlBM9zDppZ0ZpjT4_JD22-mdXerFf4-Mw8aREkxqayx8ci1N4zrxsPM10snuKLxRnB4u7q6_ioAP_c5Soupqy3Q-Gf9RWMMrsvdFNYlvReoyLEs2xBFze_V5hciYILJiEoB60B97uNdknTYJdRZY-_dm7cuamnmuWQbF_2BYv33LrroEfCz_w/s570/ih7.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="570" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ahQa7bIlBM9zDppZ0ZpjT4_JD22-mdXerFf4-Mw8aREkxqayx8ci1N4zrxsPM10snuKLxRnB4u7q6_ioAP_c5Soupqy3Q-Gf9RWMMrsvdFNYlvReoyLEs2xBFze_V5hciYILJiEoB60B97uNdknTYJdRZY-_dm7cuamnmuWQbF_2BYv33LrroEfCz_w/s320/ih7.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Blonsky initially thinks that Bruce has an ally. But after conferring with the general after his failure, Blonsky is given the rundown. Bruce was working on a project that the General, unbeknownst initially to Bruce, was to create a super soldier, based off original experiments circa WWII. (Although not stated in this movie, it is obviously a reference to the experiment that created <i>Captain America</i>, I think.) The General helps Blonsky become more prepared for his next encounter with Bruce by giving him some low level injections of the same formula that Bruce had.</p><p>Meanwhile, Bruce returns to America and hooks up with his girlfriend Dr. Betty Ross (Liv Tyler), who just happens to be the General's daughter. She helps him collect the data that he needs that was supposedly lost at the initial incident that created the Hulk. <br /></p><p>But Bruce and Betty have been betrayed by Betty's current boyfriend and Banner is once again trapped as the General tries to recapture him. Of course, in the guise of the Hulk, Banner once again proves to be a formidable opponent. Even an attack of a technologically advanced sound wave cannon fails to subdue him. In the process of the battle the Hulk severely injures Blonsky. </p><p>Eventually Bruce makes his way to the university where he meets the mysterious Mr. Blue who turns out to be Professor Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson) [who is dressed in a blue t-shirt... again, cute...] The professor tells him that he has developed an antidote for Bruce's condition, but that it may only be effective for one specific transformation. The first attempt proves to be a success. But the professor reveals that he had previous test subjects using Bruce's blood samples. Bruce insists that the blood samples be destroyed.</p><p>Meanwhile Blonsky is on the hunt to find Bruce for another encounter. This time it is a success. Bruce is captured and Blonsky forces the professor to inject what he got from Bruce into him. The result is the anti-Hulk villain (finally) Abomination. (OK, so up to this point Blonsky was still somewhat a villain, as well as the General himself somewhat, but one really needs a super villain in these movies.) The Blonsky/Abomination doesn't have the moral fiber that Bruce/Hulk has however and proceeds to do some serious havoc. Which causes Bruce to plead with the General to let him go so he can stop Abomination. And thus we get the ultimate battle. Destruction ensues.<br /></p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KWXElLIUEfX3Jl6_G-hw54O3W-s_s3jHZO_pfveMGaBhfHUMCG3OIGbmhlrFafUi7yAqvk3eAx_ghPsmB3KMBIwvcQ0RbzzGL6eGGa0Jrz2HOVIHUtdMYip2EOf9Zws2P_lHaVtx-Ji1JpagXNwO-0wp6GJg_qUGzHrv1rZG4wc9NRA9TFdO6DdNSUQ/s1280/ih8.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KWXElLIUEfX3Jl6_G-hw54O3W-s_s3jHZO_pfveMGaBhfHUMCG3OIGbmhlrFafUi7yAqvk3eAx_ghPsmB3KMBIwvcQ0RbzzGL6eGGa0Jrz2HOVIHUtdMYip2EOf9Zws2P_lHaVtx-Ji1JpagXNwO-0wp6GJg_qUGzHrv1rZG4wc9NRA9TFdO6DdNSUQ/s320/ih8.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p><b>And The Credits Roll</b>: In this film, the teaser comes before the credits roll, actually. Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr) approaches the General as he is getting drunk in a bar to tell him that a team is being put together. (A preview of the future which anticipates <i>The Avengers</i>.)</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAe7GYSDko6f2vKlN1ujLs1w1_sRM4RgfnM2uVfJ0ZMEhWY-PFTJcmaH5kZPI1D_r6HrOOb3_gSolTTyXGPEh69NhA9101Si-ENJGd5xpxd3QHuGfZeMimPw9bEWnY7uBTADXx2HqAdO53wlaatw2dwf4izf5ye6SGkK9mggbq-e-YrulSLbO2_vTT7k/s762/ih2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="762" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAe7GYSDko6f2vKlN1ujLs1w1_sRM4RgfnM2uVfJ0ZMEhWY-PFTJcmaH5kZPI1D_r6HrOOb3_gSolTTyXGPEh69NhA9101Si-ENJGd5xpxd3QHuGfZeMimPw9bEWnY7uBTADXx2HqAdO53wlaatw2dwf4izf5ye6SGkK9mggbq-e-YrulSLbO2_vTT7k/s320/ih2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><i>The Incredible Hulk </i> doesn't have quite the appeal in my opinion as the previous installment in the series. How much of that had to do with Edward Norton's vision for the character (he was very involved in the shaping of this movie, part of the contract he had signed when he agreed to do it), I can't say.</p><p>This may be the reason why man say that if you are going to watch the MCU movies that it is OK just to skip over this one. Being the completist that I am, I HAD to watch it. But in retrospect I can say it won't deteriorate from the story line if you decide to jump to <i>Iron Man 2</i> and leave this one on the shelf. The only thing you'll miss out on is the origin of the Hulk, and a fairly decent climatic battle.</p><p> </p><p>Well folks, that's it for this session in the Marvel world. Drive safely.</p><p>Quiggy</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vCaZbEJ9cBTJjEgSRZlLKHqCXmp4zZCJgzKuWpR4y0JXy8E0w0n4d_ChgoM1M_7MmOMOuOId_8nXah05-9BMjY89UCHGCekMtAMpWG8pb7MDd6nNU7rv62dK4kD8Nn8T_NIVbsv74W14zz8scc-d8yJ3nTJcCn_DXltczLIGbgKhjG-4svBAgdz5N3o/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1vCaZbEJ9cBTJjEgSRZlLKHqCXmp4zZCJgzKuWpR4y0JXy8E0w0n4d_ChgoM1M_7MmOMOuOId_8nXah05-9BMjY89UCHGCekMtAMpWG8pb7MDd6nNU7rv62dK4kD8Nn8T_NIVbsv74W14zz8scc-d8yJ3nTJcCn_DXltczLIGbgKhjG-4svBAgdz5N3o/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br />Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-69465148278629678942024-01-07T02:00:00.019-06:002024-01-07T02:00:00.136-06:00MCU Sunday #1: Iron Man<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZeqEFQ2mLzDD2VGFWXbUxgvJWANdyAtSdNzmG_CUy4f4JHZ_GaF3pluzMwiRK1BDgBeGFV7T2jkncpdTLePODz4u0QT3EirmlYIFdi2zuObBlYlnHHVbTBItO8Ekq2joOqNOYUBfAjzCHAX2A6QrA_fccJQMBjzGsb-Q4aIKgtkhGa3iUn8LcxtOaxo/s300/marvelstudios.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzZeqEFQ2mLzDD2VGFWXbUxgvJWANdyAtSdNzmG_CUy4f4JHZ_GaF3pluzMwiRK1BDgBeGFV7T2jkncpdTLePODz4u0QT3EirmlYIFdi2zuObBlYlnHHVbTBItO8Ekq2joOqNOYUBfAjzCHAX2A6QrA_fccJQMBjzGsb-Q4aIKgtkhGa3iUn8LcxtOaxo/s1600/marvelstudios.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Preface: As promised last year, I plan to review every single currently available movie in what is known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) over the year 2024. These will appear in order of their release over that time period. This is the <b>first</b> installment. (Oh, and by the way, after I've exhausted all of the currently available MCU movies I will be rounding out the year with some of the other available movies made from the Marvel comics pantheon)<br /></p><p>Notes: In each of the MCU installments you will be seeing references to two recurring events that occur in nearly every MCU movie.</p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>: Stan Lee was the driving genius behind Marvel Comics. He usually shows up in a cameo. Sometimes these are so quick you gotta be sure you don't blink. Occasionally he gets a line of dialogue.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>: You should always stay in the theater for the credits when watching a MCU movie, because during the credits and at the end there is a teaser (or two) that is worth the wait. Often they were a teaser for the next installment of the films.<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFBzMvDNS_-T0xCUc9ScWqRZQJbLUpcNkXlRl8jCCT1NuSnobfBzKbSwHYDudWYRhlH_2326vwObXa5VBHHPI8Qdv_UvBFdVXuC4cihhRkFTI8HJ2t-KV3DTo97hMXzDmvHLM2pvTbSamITLz-j6I57FAJf1rIuFvYO-JoI3NMk119L8A0thkskP7nMY/s441/im4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCFBzMvDNS_-T0xCUc9ScWqRZQJbLUpcNkXlRl8jCCT1NuSnobfBzKbSwHYDudWYRhlH_2326vwObXa5VBHHPI8Qdv_UvBFdVXuC4cihhRkFTI8HJ2t-KV3DTo97hMXzDmvHLM2pvTbSamITLz-j6I57FAJf1rIuFvYO-JoI3NMk119L8A0thkskP7nMY/s320/im4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>MCU Sunday: Part I</b>:</p><p>I have to admit that I missed this first installment of the MCU movies in the theater. I'm not sure what the circumstances were that prevented it at this juncture. I regularly went to superhero movies ever since the days I first started going to movies on my own back in the early 80's. But <i>Iron Man</i> did not make my viewing list for films in 2008. </p><p>As I stated in my post on this site last year (<a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-marvel-ous-past.html">The Marvel-ous Past</a>), I have always enjoyed superhero stuff, especially those done by Marvel Comics. And I had seen all of the Tobey Maguire <i>Spiderman</i> movies as well as those of the<i> X-Men</i> and the <i>Fantastic Four</i>.</p><p>I didn't really get into those movies that are now considered part of the "Marvel Comics Universe" and it's ensuing timeline and story line until <i>The Incredible Hulk</i>. And even then, I did not watch them all in the theater. The reason for that was I was going through a particularly troublesome time in my life, with the onset of glaucoma discouraging me from going to the theater, as well as a brief period of unemployment. </p><p>But I did manage to watch them all on the small screen. Let me say this for the record. Although they are still entertaining, nothing beats seeing all this stuff on a movie screen. (I used to go to a LOT of movies when I was younger, including comedies and straightforward dramas. These days I only venture into theaters for movies that promise a bunch of explosions and special effects... like Marvel superhero movies)</p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxAWWadFFIYxQ9fC6Qsu5XHNEEodSEOIxZgslP4cDHmAoN_URqtEg6FT-54oRhzFK6iwL8sxXPv2fsySMWV1OO2f7Lzr5EUps5tM95oo16GGYVW37oy12AmjGQdbNF_uHa-1bWVASUW9Bvsmr7P9e8xeexqhqnm9R5LR_Qu82zzZ9XT5kDw7CVlyKxW4/s260/im5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="260" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxAWWadFFIYxQ9fC6Qsu5XHNEEodSEOIxZgslP4cDHmAoN_URqtEg6FT-54oRhzFK6iwL8sxXPv2fsySMWV1OO2f7Lzr5EUps5tM95oo16GGYVW37oy12AmjGQdbNF_uHa-1bWVASUW9Bvsmr7P9e8xeexqhqnm9R5LR_Qu82zzZ9XT5kDw7CVlyKxW4/s1600/im5.jpg" width="260" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p><b>Iron Man</b> (2008):</p><p>So, the movie begins with Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) in transit in a military convoy. The convoy gets attacked by enemy fire and Tony is injured and the rest of the convoy apparently killed.</p><p>Fade to a few days prior. Here we find that Tony is the head of a corporation whose main business is creating advanced weapons. Tony is a pretty unlikable character at the beginning. He is self-obsessed, egotistical and manipulative. And he also doesn't really give a rat's ass about responsibility, as evidenced by the fact that while he is being awarded a prestigious award, he is in the casino gambling and hitting on women.</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7A9JMoHkZgJrVLG7uWrICtN7ygAqDoaB30N1PBjbke80O0R4efwJl0ahCNZhTD27k_WX5sA14-OL4_rJ15o_5tYXGThvH9j4dZEnC1VC6Dn4YW73vR1hDaPwpFJJXkY6lxrpfGbb8nMI79n71GoIJuj5Oqtw2IS166P97zgL05idAduqGOFEJdA5-KWU/s640/im6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="272" data-original-width="640" height="136" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7A9JMoHkZgJrVLG7uWrICtN7ygAqDoaB30N1PBjbke80O0R4efwJl0ahCNZhTD27k_WX5sA14-OL4_rJ15o_5tYXGThvH9j4dZEnC1VC6Dn4YW73vR1hDaPwpFJJXkY6lxrpfGbb8nMI79n71GoIJuj5Oqtw2IS166P97zgL05idAduqGOFEJdA5-KWU/s320/im6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><p> Flash forward . The next morning Tony is working on some project after having spent the night with a reporter. His secretary/Jack-of-all-trades, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), tries to get him on his way to a meeting he has scheduled across the globe. Eventually she gets him on his way, although he is still not entirely focused on the task at hand.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5fOpfhWEP21jSm89ICYoPNPIaelnc-DJdzyEjAanJOQTgjwXF7GBMj5UDanGM3uy38S1MISTj5_CVLfK7kAS_of5AHKTNEx33vx30P2GqcKmxFF7LGCalyFn8CuqkgYWIbiEemZRX8cvUlMWcpEg2NLjUzmmDfHhppu1ZD2gpMKWeRxvgpShr7RLmro/s2043/im7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1141" data-original-width="2043" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5fOpfhWEP21jSm89ICYoPNPIaelnc-DJdzyEjAanJOQTgjwXF7GBMj5UDanGM3uy38S1MISTj5_CVLfK7kAS_of5AHKTNEx33vx30P2GqcKmxFF7LGCalyFn8CuqkgYWIbiEemZRX8cvUlMWcpEg2NLjUzmmDfHhppu1ZD2gpMKWeRxvgpShr7RLmro/s320/im7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Then we get back to the present. Tony has been captured by a tribal rebel faction whose goal is to get a weapon from Tony that will match the one he has been supplying to their adversaries. To this point he is forced, along with another captive, Yinsen (Shaun Toub), to create said weapon. Although he is being monitored, Tony instead makes a suit that will incorporate various technologies that will eventually transform him into Iron Man.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uxULcUf8JPxpx-OhMUAfLk4rrrYmsywdFusOt3puJmgdy2fVTCpXpaw2iZ5pWZ3TWKiLknEfEOpjil4TsVzHpbPmHhNJ4SRyfIRD4-nncAyRi_NpJDFQA5c0v79AS-wdC6G7wny8zMe9XUtyvMDn6DJJoqP-pGO69F4Xm-xAF9c4VoWM43pD70egFls/s750/im8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="750" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4uxULcUf8JPxpx-OhMUAfLk4rrrYmsywdFusOt3puJmgdy2fVTCpXpaw2iZ5pWZ3TWKiLknEfEOpjil4TsVzHpbPmHhNJ4SRyfIRD4-nncAyRi_NpJDFQA5c0v79AS-wdC6G7wny8zMe9XUtyvMDn6DJJoqP-pGO69F4Xm-xAF9c4VoWM43pD70egFls/s320/im8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>After successively defeating the tribal faction with the help of his new suit, Tony returns to the States, where he has a press conference informing the world that Stark Industries is going to cease making weapons and focus on other activities, much to the chagrin of Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges), the former partner of Tony's father, and still de facto the second in command of Stark Industries.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcs8yZlJHoLXKlKaOJbEl9dzY3vpcJb6mb08OGh64AC2wSJCI-3xwdK1JPi8awJx8hF_g-mwOlqa4kIBiqblT6TTEyD-q34CTr_G-slyELT8fvvdJNaOLq2PbhPl8zL9WDF0__tjGC3OOP5uB6dnYCzvJqqH6fp7NecSR_NXCXYLmMiGNTxnJ9BlHi2U0/s620/im8.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="368" data-original-width="620" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcs8yZlJHoLXKlKaOJbEl9dzY3vpcJb6mb08OGh64AC2wSJCI-3xwdK1JPi8awJx8hF_g-mwOlqa4kIBiqblT6TTEyD-q34CTr_G-slyELT8fvvdJNaOLq2PbhPl8zL9WDF0__tjGC3OOP5uB6dnYCzvJqqH6fp7NecSR_NXCXYLmMiGNTxnJ9BlHi2U0/s320/im8.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Forthwith Tony has a change of heart and becomes involved in trying to change the world for the better. He has plans to give the company and his image a makeover. He attends a charity event, where the reporter he had a liaison with prior to his capture informs him that someone delivered some of his company's weapons to the rebel faction he had been a prisoner of. They had used those weapons to attack the village of his co-conspirator, Yinsen, apparently as an act of revenge.<br /></p><p><b>Where is Stan Lee?</b>: At the event Tony passes an older gentlemen who is standing with several attractive younger women, only his back showing to Tony. Quite naturally, possibly, Tony mistakes the man for someone else, Hugh Hefner.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibe66QnbNzrWRAxSK6F8VEbh-jbfvjF7atp268FLUohOmvGMwSo2PUf3oFFa6pxktVnbDzud7MAGJx3D-IAC64U-SzCoWZLfJDagaUlHKUqq9wUtzmHKeE5e-jsj1WrT6cCooVGH0EzBDoCKXxFx4kAjTFCgZyrtOlKqZLM47dOhndmItUFAQOF3pDztc/s612/im9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="612" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibe66QnbNzrWRAxSK6F8VEbh-jbfvjF7atp268FLUohOmvGMwSo2PUf3oFFa6pxktVnbDzud7MAGJx3D-IAC64U-SzCoWZLfJDagaUlHKUqq9wUtzmHKeE5e-jsj1WrT6cCooVGH0EzBDoCKXxFx4kAjTFCgZyrtOlKqZLM47dOhndmItUFAQOF3pDztc/s320/im9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Tony uses his Iron Man suit to attack the rebels. But since only he knows that he is Iron Man at this point and even the US armed forces don't know he is on their side, several Air Force planes try to attack him. In an effort to call them off, Tony has to reveal to his friend and military liaison Col. Rhodes (Terence Howard) of his true identity.</p><p>Eventually, Tony learns that his partner, Stane, was behind the abduction and that he, Stane, had intended that they kill Tony. That having failed, Stane has to take things in his own hands. Using Tony's technology, Stane creates his own Iron Man suit, which of course, leads to the final confrontation.</p><p><b>And the Credits Roll</b>: Tony walks in to his laboratory where he
encounters Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) waiting for him. "I am Iron
Man. You think you're the only superhero in the world?" he asks. Tony
is invited to join the Avenger Initiative.</p><p> </p><p> <br /></p><p><i>Iron Man</i> is a great start to the MCU series. For those of us who enjoy superhero movies, it represented a new turn in the presentation of the Marvel pantheon. One of the impetuses of the Marvel Comics company to form the MCU was a frustration with how Hollywood had presented some of it's other franchise heroes. (<i>Spiderman</i>, <i>The Fantastic Four</i>, and the less than well-received Ang Lee version of The Incredible Hulk (<i>Hulk</i>).</p><p>Fantastic Press' <i>Top 100 Comic Book Movies </i>ranks this first Iron Man film as #6 in the pantheon of comic book movies. Although the author suggests that the last part of the movie "degenerates slightly into rock'em sock'em robot territory". (And just what. pray tell, is wrong with rock'em sock'em robots?) It also says that the film adheres to it's "emotional core". (I will be coming back to <i>100 Comic Book Movies </i>frequently during this series. I highly recommend it, It's very entertaining.)</p><p> </p><p>\</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQRlAv7SYe-aLRvY28XEkoj0ALp88UThiPgAlhYojkWn_8in_RaCz10rqLeQ-YBpo0n8oUfsiCGpCEwP2g9KE8wTN6LQAKjgWBXUj96SY6snTEW8McfUFb_9sdxpsOo3yinhgDVjknBWzY4RK6hAsi6izt9YcYi5U1FfglxhqAIizvCRzyvmkFr63xFE/s1000/fpcomic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="746" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzQRlAv7SYe-aLRvY28XEkoj0ALp88UThiPgAlhYojkWn_8in_RaCz10rqLeQ-YBpo0n8oUfsiCGpCEwP2g9KE8wTN6LQAKjgWBXUj96SY6snTEW8McfUFb_9sdxpsOo3yinhgDVjknBWzY4RK6hAsi6izt9YcYi5U1FfglxhqAIizvCRzyvmkFr63xFE/s320/fpcomic.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p> The old Plymouth is ready to roll. Got to get out there and fight the good fight for truth, justice and... sorry, wrong superhero... but I got to fight for smething. Maybe a good burger.</p><p>Drive safely, folks.</p><p>Quiggy</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVzS8j3IbhvDlVRgcbxJvFdCo1eli2WMgrIXZS5KKK232FA1mxIsRaLV7TC9h6-Q0oDMHC_FIIsC0ZTbdIC-9nUTux66fBYFu3Q_cYJ63hfNIs_1JQCZRyyI5gwZp39TQ-SAGkolOkMdr0qtt7B643cP1OIOJ8G1QPEVPr7gAC86fu3hxsuBLQ_p1QtU/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGVzS8j3IbhvDlVRgcbxJvFdCo1eli2WMgrIXZS5KKK232FA1mxIsRaLV7TC9h6-Q0oDMHC_FIIsC0ZTbdIC-9nUTux66fBYFu3Q_cYJ63hfNIs_1JQCZRyyI5gwZp39TQ-SAGkolOkMdr0qtt7B643cP1OIOJ8G1QPEVPr7gAC86fu3hxsuBLQ_p1QtU/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-81748867187153975252023-12-23T06:36:00.001-06:002023-12-23T06:36:55.414-06:00Different Directions Part1<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnU4zXX5F5K30XzZW7HEQgiDY0uYi4sKRl3oJ1kDnvC-VhO-Oq9nTE1PeUkBizWpV77bLLTDsAnkIKwBp1djnaWMVOzr4Qwza61Cm-8oPFrtUnr8vAH4IMpv_480kjZq37m2dn-kXR5Y3zzhfiZjycy_rVTfAs4ZiG_KCnaZPxx3hAAD6iWRF212US_4A/s441/sbm2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnU4zXX5F5K30XzZW7HEQgiDY0uYi4sKRl3oJ1kDnvC-VhO-Oq9nTE1PeUkBizWpV77bLLTDsAnkIKwBp1djnaWMVOzr4Qwza61Cm-8oPFrtUnr8vAH4IMpv_480kjZq37m2dn-kXR5Y3zzhfiZjycy_rVTfAs4ZiG_KCnaZPxx3hAAD6iWRF212US_4A/s320/sbm2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p>As I mentioned in a previous blog entry back in 2019, one of my favorite<a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2019/06/my-personal-reminiscence-on-stephen-king.html"> Stephen King</a> books was <i>Different Seasons</i>. The book consists of four separate novellas by King that depart from the horror genre he is primarily known to publish. Although I was originally attracted to King's work through what was then a newly released paperback edition of his first collection of short stories, <i>Night Shift</i>, my favorite story after I read was, and still is, <i>Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption </i>which is as far away from that typical horror genre as you could possibly get, I expect.</p><p>Three of the stories in <i>Different Seasons </i>have made it to the big screen, with only the last story in the book, "The Breathing Method" still awaiting a movie version. Between 1986 and 1998 we got, in succession, <i>Stand By Me</i> (based on "The Body"), <i>The Shawshank Redemption</i> (based on "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption") and <i>Apt Pupil</i> (based on "Apt Pupil"). </p><p>All three were well done, and two of them even received recognition by the Academy Awards committee. (The only one to not get recognized was <i>Apt Pupil</i> which may have had more to do with the subject matter than anything with the direction of Bryan Singer or the acting of it's two stars, Ian McKellen or Brad Renfro.)</p><p>Recently I came across my battered copy of <i>Different Seasons</i> and decided to reread it afresh. And since I have re-inaugurated the blog, I thought why not review the films (which I was astonished to find out I had never delved in to any of them in more than a brief reference.)</p><p>An observation from the outset. It seems. to me anyway, that one of the overall themes of these films (and the stories behind them) is the loss of innocence. I didn't get that feeling from "The Breathing Method" as a story, so maybe that is part of the reason why it still hasn't been filmed. Everyone likes a good "loss of innocence" story on one level or another, whether nostalgic, like "The Body", or one that drives a character to greater triumphs, like "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption". Even the loss of innocence accompanying "Apt Pupil" has a lesson that can be learned.</p><p>So here we are. And since the nostalgia factor was the impetus for re-reading the book and watching these movies again, I think it's fitting that the first entry be on Rob Reiner's production <i>Stand By Me </i>("The Body")</p><p>The movie has an impressive cast. Most of the child actors in the film were just starting out. This was the first role for Jerry O'Connell (Vern). Wil Wheaton had been in a few TV movies and as an extra in a couple of theatrical releases. River Phoenix also had some TV experience (he was a cast member on a TV show <i>Seven Brides for Seven Brothers</i> ). The member with the most cachet of the primary cast has to be Corey Feldman, however, who had some 30 appearances to his credit, including being a primary cast member of two other 80's "coming of age" movies, <i>Gremlins</i> and <i>The Goonies</i>.</p><p>In addition you also had Keifer Sutherland who was just getting his feet wet in the industry, as well as Casey Siemazko. When you add that such already well established actors as Richard Dreyfuss and John Cusak came on board, you have to realize that Rob Reiner did have some pull in Hollywood, even with only a couple of films under his director's belt. But you can see with this film that Reiner knew what he was doing and his genius as a director would be well established from now on.<br /></p><p><br /><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyzj_e4EinSpDhsI3Oxplci4_7xVhU5LeWuTQesJKmQa2gRpLg4QUmGZL6thN3lJbS1KXpD89YDOACYbUjh6m2LmQA0BNO8amiPiSac0fFjNDF5cGo-RxzrTlCljBbqz2xNpxTg2ApO_uZXojr1gjKtcFXL10_KpouVehlJiVBcy3dv_5XABjvUE6CVQ/s330/sbm1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqyzj_e4EinSpDhsI3Oxplci4_7xVhU5LeWuTQesJKmQa2gRpLg4QUmGZL6thN3lJbS1KXpD89YDOACYbUjh6m2LmQA0BNO8amiPiSac0fFjNDF5cGo-RxzrTlCljBbqz2xNpxTg2ApO_uZXojr1gjKtcFXL10_KpouVehlJiVBcy3dv_5XABjvUE6CVQ/s320/sbm1.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Stand By Me</b> (1986):</p><p>In 1985 a man sits alone in his car reminiscing. He has just read about the death of one of his childhood friends as the result of the friend trying to intervene in a bar fight. The man, a grown up writer (Richard Dreyfuss) is revealed to be Gordie LaChance. He and his friends had an adventure way back in 1959 when they were 12 years old, which becomes the center point for the film. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Gordie (Wil Wheaton) and his friends, Chris (River Phoenix), Teddy (Corey Feldman) and Vern (Jerry O'Connell) sit in their clubhouse playing cards and just doing things kids that age did. Vern reveals that he overheard his older brother, Billy (Casey Siemaszko) and his friend Charlie (Gary Riley) discussing having found the dead body of a missing kid. They express a reluctance to reveal the fact because the two had been engaged in the hijacking of a car when they found him.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOUVP78C3kl09otP2VabXf5q3_OFmyw2i_s5YZGcySucxNESYN7HIje4KYcxvepuvHS32QgcvA8jr1B_B4gzCbm4N23_LCvAk8mDcs0R_BYr4uC1aiE3hMZS9w_PBvX6GqSuSozVe6KtvIf9Z_65BSI3i0EJpmUGTp_uTQ5_qs_HzjwYKEH4i_IbykZI/s1200/sbm3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqOUVP78C3kl09otP2VabXf5q3_OFmyw2i_s5YZGcySucxNESYN7HIje4KYcxvepuvHS32QgcvA8jr1B_B4gzCbm4N23_LCvAk8mDcs0R_BYr4uC1aiE3hMZS9w_PBvX6GqSuSozVe6KtvIf9Z_65BSI3i0EJpmUGTp_uTQ5_qs_HzjwYKEH4i_IbykZI/s320/sbm3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Vern convinces the rest of his compadres to do an overnight hike to find the body themselves and take credit for discovering it. With visions of becoming home town heroes the four trek off, using the cover that they are actually camping out overnight at one of the friends' house to convince their parents that it is just a innocent sleepover.</p><p>Over the course of the film we get some insight into the characters, which is the driving force behind this outing. Chris is fighting a seeming losing battle over being considered a delinquent because he was accused of stealing some funds from school. Gordie is struggling with being basically the invisible boy at home because his older brother, Denny, had recently died and his parents are so distraught that they have been neglecting him. Teddy has an abusive father who has been committed to an insane asylum. Although the father was abusive to him, Teddy still idolizes him on some level because after all, his father had been among those who stormed the beach at Normandy during D-Day in WWII. Vern, for his part, is just considered the wimp of the group and is timid in most conflicts.</p><p>Although the film mostly is just a character driven delving into the friendship of the four, there are some interesting scenes worth checking out. At one point during the trek they have to cross a junkyard owned by an irascible old man. Milo (William Bronder) and his guard dog "Chopper". Chopper has a legend surrounding him that his owner has trained him to bite whatever body part that Milo orders him to attack (I.e. "Chopper, sic balls").</p><p>The scenes were the gang has to cross a long train bridge while wary of when the next train is due, and cross a swamp which turns out to be infested with leeches are among some of the great scenes, Also of note are some intense dramatic scenes which in the real world reveal some of the potential that would come later in the careers of these child actors. I'm particularly fond of the scene between Phoenix and Wheaton when Chis reveals to Gordie the truth behind his supposed indiscretion with school funds.<br /></p><p>Meanwhile, back on the home front, Billy and Charlie have broke down and revealed their secret to their own friends which comes to the attention to the leader of the town's biggest hoodlum gang, Ace (Keifer Sutherland) who bullies the rest of the gang to accompany him in discovering the body themselves. Piled into two cars, the hoodlums drive to the location.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXq9PhdxhsNArab0_8nogmCNWWnEF9NU3bDm2OBZqy9Hm43eXY4q9dSMpyhZaFLdMDmFeNWAN30a4pJVk8gwQSQnUj-KzVhQGW5-K6kizGGesipGMCa6S96Q0wPN9viw30TqsHL_fNRp_tuBeHBC9FRHn19l4goYO7l9pk8YgEStlqJ_JPyLrPlCG6jmo/s474/sbm4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="474" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXq9PhdxhsNArab0_8nogmCNWWnEF9NU3bDm2OBZqy9Hm43eXY4q9dSMpyhZaFLdMDmFeNWAN30a4pJVk8gwQSQnUj-KzVhQGW5-K6kizGGesipGMCa6S96Q0wPN9viw30TqsHL_fNRp_tuBeHBC9FRHn19l4goYO7l9pk8YgEStlqJ_JPyLrPlCG6jmo/s320/sbm4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>The boys discover the body first, but Ace and his gang show up and there is a confrontation to determine which group is going to get credit for the discovery.</p><p><b>Spoiler Alert!:</b> Never bring a switchblade to a gun fight. Ace thinks he has the upper hand with his knife until Gordie brings out a gun that the boys have brought with them. Gordie asserts that neither of the groups is going to get credit. They are each going to go their own way and leave the discovery to someone else.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxm1LaDqy8LpvUtnu7H5TsZIX1M5e_fo2IehNkQ3VaMIC479VwUSlwEO840lfG9NBaF2ZPEUVgXcSHMZoj42-EHd7jOI6hqC9-tZcBlNlPZ4eELUHIZRWzp8greDj120iGWLt41Dd5dG2X08OQ2mB8kTi0dloHj2oHOy96YNfXpWNnM1iQx_eebI_3hyM/s602/sbm5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="602" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxm1LaDqy8LpvUtnu7H5TsZIX1M5e_fo2IehNkQ3VaMIC479VwUSlwEO840lfG9NBaF2ZPEUVgXcSHMZoj42-EHd7jOI6hqC9-tZcBlNlPZ4eELUHIZRWzp8greDj120iGWLt41Dd5dG2X08OQ2mB8kTi0dloHj2oHOy96YNfXpWNnM1iQx_eebI_3hyM/w200-h113/sbm5.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6B9SMIj4ezGa-tasJgA4S8Bp8hGgk8QJWB3EX5m1Y99MlgIDJh9G6inqQYpDUtrjcyxPpArPiBpZrfdWWByFYoR52ULeOpHASezhLi5WliNlcCxxOMkPCB7zjPtvMvrb4INParayUBXdfjpYVGp8QDZkg8PuDdhy5K4ztdM5ZtoWUZclFDV_GeKqUJ8/s270/sbm6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="270" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje6B9SMIj4ezGa-tasJgA4S8Bp8hGgk8QJWB3EX5m1Y99MlgIDJh9G6inqQYpDUtrjcyxPpArPiBpZrfdWWByFYoR52ULeOpHASezhLi5WliNlcCxxOMkPCB7zjPtvMvrb4INParayUBXdfjpYVGp8QDZkg8PuDdhy5K4ztdM5ZtoWUZclFDV_GeKqUJ8/w200-h139/sbm6.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><p>(Which brings up one point that always bothered me, The boys are on foot. Ace and his gang have cars. What stopped Ace and the others from just driving off a ways and waiting for the boys to leave and then coming back and taking the body anyway? It implies a sense of honor which up to this point I couldn't see in the hoodlums that Ace led.)</p><p>Back in the present Gordie as the adult writer is finishing up his story. He reveals that Vern got married and is a forklift operator at a factory. Teddy, after having unsuccessfully try to enter the army, had ended up doing odd jobs and even experiencing a little time behind bars. Chris, despite feeling that he was doomed to a life of being an outcast, had instead made it to college and been a lawyer. </p><p>Gordie ends his story with "I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twevle. Jesus, does anyone?:<br /></p>The film only got a limited release on it's first week out, and that might have been the end of it, but it did well and was later released to more theaters, where it made a huge box office success. It garnered a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay (which it lost to <i>A Room with a View</i>) and several other noms. It didn't win any, but it still got a lot of press from critics. It currently has a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. And as an added bonus, it was one of the few movies adapted from his work of which the author expressed approval.<br /><p>An interesting side piece of trivia for you. Did you know that the title track song "Stand By Me". which was originally released in 1961 (and made it all the way to #4 on the charts) was re-released to coincide with this movie and made it to #9 in early 1987? I don't know if 26 years stands as a record for an original song to chart, either as a re-release or even the original first time, but I think that's pretty impressive anyway. I wonder what the singer thought about that... (He was still alive at the time, so possibly he was asked, but I couldn't find an interview with him online.)</p><p>Well, folks, fortunately I don't have an overnight trek to get home. The old Plymouth will still get me home. Drive safely.</p><p><br /></p><p>Quiggy</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hajBi-_ngNt-Vhdh0Q2_LIfJ2dRp4e4UA4_8WfFtfz4TcSl_MjCmnupaFifuMiSilnKNIW-jzXOohJyvHx_GCo0aYqAqQPkm9cUeEzcSW-g6uZIFdquaLu4zByH3v_hpKKsgyoApE3Vk4w6e9hWbdR7S9Fj3hyBxScmvXNc2M9NerK2-ypbP6pmBau0/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2hajBi-_ngNt-Vhdh0Q2_LIfJ2dRp4e4UA4_8WfFtfz4TcSl_MjCmnupaFifuMiSilnKNIW-jzXOohJyvHx_GCo0aYqAqQPkm9cUeEzcSW-g6uZIFdquaLu4zByH3v_hpKKsgyoApE3Vk4w6e9hWbdR7S9Fj3hyBxScmvXNc2M9NerK2-ypbP6pmBau0/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-14574034787594747712023-12-17T05:00:00.006-06:002023-12-17T05:00:00.202-06:00Arnie and Jesse: Governors in Action<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZDhY32WZBBJlHGKu-FSIdVAqS_yAazo3zjMBpofGQDb-eV43NNzDcT9jNnEo_BtoJDOHFHydYXxswxaCIa614_bOuSb2bBZPtBNwzr2A_dy3cCVDIQ8tjAZtkpwI-grVse0Ml8aswdHsiSy33kmKuMKgh2xmSqUD6-I0ts0ivViaf5_eDeKixOGxhOw/s1083/vg.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1083" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVZDhY32WZBBJlHGKu-FSIdVAqS_yAazo3zjMBpofGQDb-eV43NNzDcT9jNnEo_BtoJDOHFHydYXxswxaCIa614_bOuSb2bBZPtBNwzr2A_dy3cCVDIQ8tjAZtkpwI-grVse0Ml8aswdHsiSy33kmKuMKgh2xmSqUD6-I0ts0ivViaf5_eDeKixOGxhOw/w148-h200/vg.jpg" width="148" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarHxJ7_AmFuXvUP4sXN3n_UwGDFVWck_c7D9cNbKJAu8D6TNwnIC4IgMHX7nMvFowG_q2PZxeNIsyCUaY-OsRj3-CRHekUsMh-xFj5Cl-QbzuAWDXJf4uW4tr6CbujN38qLvuvh7ue1NYovLaYULN2hRfNpy5E1hPNrYuSAUpruhcdKKlQoEB5fIMZNk/s1014/sg.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjarHxJ7_AmFuXvUP4sXN3n_UwGDFVWck_c7D9cNbKJAu8D6TNwnIC4IgMHX7nMvFowG_q2PZxeNIsyCUaY-OsRj3-CRHekUsMh-xFj5Cl-QbzuAWDXJf4uW4tr6CbujN38qLvuvh7ue1NYovLaYULN2hRfNpy5E1hPNrYuSAUpruhcdKKlQoEB5fIMZNk/w158-h200/sg.jpg" width="158" /></a></div><br /><br /><p>In 1999, wrestler and actor Jesse Ventura was elected for the office
of governor of Minnesota. He served one term in that office as the
Reform candidate, but opted not to run for re-election.</p><p>In 2003,
body builder and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for governor of California as a Republican,
after the recent governor, Grey Davis, was recalled. He went on to be
elected and serve for two more full terms in the office. He was limited by state
constitution to two terms so could not run for a third term.</p><p>But this post is not about their lives as political candidates.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaeZrI6X4H5xb7Dp5VARMEK-Gx1WRd48j6KlXq_X-2Oc26NyrvTVVMyK19JCzvjIUkHyjfD_J4ZtxLXBuzrgW92XQ0CVR31HnkcM_cuY-tqROB-u00QkywEMinsB3gtAV5-uNoPpZq8UeqmhPZ4BwpzXsFAqn9TcLZDIo2hF3aOuNnjvppX_3AmiQI1Q/s441/vs1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaeZrI6X4H5xb7Dp5VARMEK-Gx1WRd48j6KlXq_X-2Oc26NyrvTVVMyK19JCzvjIUkHyjfD_J4ZtxLXBuzrgW92XQ0CVR31HnkcM_cuY-tqROB-u00QkywEMinsB3gtAV5-uNoPpZq8UeqmhPZ4BwpzXsFAqn9TcLZDIo2hF3aOuNnjvppX_3AmiQI1Q/s320/vs1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p></p><p>Prior to their political turns (and afterward) both men were Hollywood stars. And, though it may seem like there were more, the two only appeared together in two movies; One as allies (<i>Predator</i>) and one as enemies (<i>The Running Man</i>). Both were essentially starring vehicles for Schwarzenegger, but Ventura also played a significant presence in them.</p><p>Action stars both, but Schwarzenegger had the bigger career (of course). Whether Ventura's acting career stagnated because of career choices or he just didn't have the cachet I can't say. He did have some rather memorable excursions as a lead actor (including the title role in one of is first movies, <i>Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe</i>) and a less than memorable role as the co-star with Rowdy Roddy Piper in a TV pilot (<i><a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2023/09/another-dynamic-duo.html">Tag Team</a></i>), but his acting career was not on par with Schwarzenegger.</p><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHXuueHmzwZPsypWz1LNTAUnD7s_fPDXdddPzQyILi1BvmNnPzZ8zprg4N-ZaeaemS0ve61vV912nTLeAajevkRHSRWVS6cOBFPgm3-tpVEDP_erKKzkUXpcVJnLFAt8x24o0AR-4b0X3SPUrzSW3S5ondV7c0OnRBkxMJ5oGtYasndEUe2imkF0m6hQ/s326/vs3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGHXuueHmzwZPsypWz1LNTAUnD7s_fPDXdddPzQyILi1BvmNnPzZ8zprg4N-ZaeaemS0ve61vV912nTLeAajevkRHSRWVS6cOBFPgm3-tpVEDP_erKKzkUXpcVJnLFAt8x24o0AR-4b0X3SPUrzSW3S5ondV7c0OnRBkxMJ5oGtYasndEUe2imkF0m6hQ/w135-h200/vs3.jpg" width="135" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RAjv6QoCSTg4bnHJ80RHUZMoyEGJZDyf-LnL4HvYgbsVRGJXEYTIP6H_ERJLG290tikvyEdzKMclxI6YCH9Esh8C81GLmBZQBqJpB4NP-3udFDBCpIY09e_d8GGV5ZlQDgj9PbQuA70fGD-AEAxhQlGtS5o-cAdZJlQg4PGJyroRaBCySlqx6vL2hJE/s328/vs4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="328" data-original-width="220" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7RAjv6QoCSTg4bnHJ80RHUZMoyEGJZDyf-LnL4HvYgbsVRGJXEYTIP6H_ERJLG290tikvyEdzKMclxI6YCH9Esh8C81GLmBZQBqJpB4NP-3udFDBCpIY09e_d8GGV5ZlQDgj9PbQuA70fGD-AEAxhQlGtS5o-cAdZJlQg4PGJyroRaBCySlqx6vL2hJE/w134-h200/vs4.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><b>Predator</b> (1987):</p><p>Unlike most action movies, this one doesn't waste time with a lot of build up to the action. A mere 5 minutes into the film we are already on the way. "Dutch" Schaefer (Schwarzenegger) and his crew of mercenaries for hire, which include Blain (Ventura), as well as "Poncho" (Richard Chaves) the explosives guy, Billy (Sonny Landham) a tracker, Rick (Shane Black) the radio operator, and Mac (Bill Duke) a machine gun expert are in the air on the way to the drop off.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mr5eMLQbVdlEyeT104i_04CWk6Qtr9whiJRSLwdG_bJcWLYFk0du4fanvVkDIG2QkiYmOvidyRo4xAV3BOvAAumpeX7c0N5QCpD0zsAX7KyxWU4k0IUW_sQJL9YCR8H-yt2__BUup_ueuXmb58nlpfiDI_H5_S7SQdHmYpT4tZLWnMr2neSXnnQb9yQ/s3840/vs6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2160" data-original-width="3840" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5mr5eMLQbVdlEyeT104i_04CWk6Qtr9whiJRSLwdG_bJcWLYFk0du4fanvVkDIG2QkiYmOvidyRo4xAV3BOvAAumpeX7c0N5QCpD0zsAX7KyxWU4k0IUW_sQJL9YCR8H-yt2__BUup_ueuXmb58nlpfiDI_H5_S7SQdHmYpT4tZLWnMr2neSXnnQb9yQ/s320/vs6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p>The crew also includes an old friend of Dutch, Dillon (Carl weathers), who was instrumental in getting the mercenaries brought in on the rescue operation in the first place. The rescue, a recovery of some hostages who have been captured by some guerillas in a Central American jungle, is the primary job.</p><p>But while advancing to the stronghold where they are being held, the crew encounters some strange phenomena. They find members of the piloting crew skinned alive and wonder why the guerillas would do such a thing. (Of course, it wasn't the guerillas that did it, but the crew doesn't know that yet.)</p><p>Of course, everything is not all it seems. The capture of supposedly
innocent civilians eventually turns out to be that the "civilians" were
not so "innocent" as the crew was led to believe. Upon arriving at the stronghold they blast away and while the crew is pretty accurate with their guns, apparently the guerillas couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with an atom bomb. <br /></p><p>If you know ANYTHING about this movie you probably know the line that Blain utters.after Poncho observes that he has been hit and is bleeding:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-BmEMctelblpOeDewx89nl6iBOGaoklMh5S8sCLakFUdq3JE06BjClgloT8VV8x3AEIJfsTaIG7KMsgEc33jO4oq8L36e5UQrK6uKbmbRb8v9sEgU8178UxHRbC6DgJWe-vE7FtySwncnmaVR1NfgjNZ5is8uFBdRmRUWVngB1I_Xos80HFOq9A0Y0U/s273/vs2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="273" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ-BmEMctelblpOeDewx89nl6iBOGaoklMh5S8sCLakFUdq3JE06BjClgloT8VV8x3AEIJfsTaIG7KMsgEc33jO4oq8L36e5UQrK6uKbmbRb8v9sEgU8178UxHRbC6DgJWe-vE7FtySwncnmaVR1NfgjNZ5is8uFBdRmRUWVngB1I_Xos80HFOq9A0Y0U/s1600/vs2.jpg" width="273" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I ain't got time to bleed."<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>(<b>Side note</b>: <i>I Ain't Got Time to Bleed</i> was also one of Ventura's political books, the title of which came from this movie. Good book if you want to check it out.) <br /></p><p>After the fire fight, and with all the hostages and the guerillas dead, the crew determines they need to high tail it out of there because more enemy forces are on their way. Dillon insists that the one surviving member of the guerilla force, a female soldier, needs to be taken with them because she could give them away if left behind. (Always has to be a female who presents both a hazard and an enticement in these kinds of films, you know...) It turns out that the female becomes more useful in the long run, however.<br /></p><p>Now we get to the meat of the story. Watching the proceedings is a mysterious character and the only way we know at the beginning that it is not necessarily human is we see it's POV, which is apparently some kind of helmet that lets it see the human and other figures as heat sources. </p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIW0a48_JE2D7nvqQj653h-fvGubYUCcT4fnvZkd_EfNUE2pFnIeRL1vjO6OShgLKBFCIulJD_Cw39RCCbmELmO99nm_f356lw1HEjCVVGJv-zWcc_YnTo-wU21cyIOJ_PzXGgPaNHH_7FPrYPXRPhZeMHAEE8iI0TOTkTZVelmH7GgRJEg_jmTtZ-6Tc/s1200/vs7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIW0a48_JE2D7nvqQj653h-fvGubYUCcT4fnvZkd_EfNUE2pFnIeRL1vjO6OShgLKBFCIulJD_Cw39RCCbmELmO99nm_f356lw1HEjCVVGJv-zWcc_YnTo-wU21cyIOJ_PzXGgPaNHH_7FPrYPXRPhZeMHAEE8iI0TOTkTZVelmH7GgRJEg_jmTtZ-6Tc/s320/vs7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p>The next hour or so of the movie involves the crew gradually coming to the realization that the hunters trying to get to them are not "HUNTERS" but one "HUNTER", and it ain't exactly human. It turns out of course that it is the alien we see in the first minute of the movie being ejected from a spaceship flying past the Earth. We are never really told why just one alien is landing, nor why it is in the jungle in the first place, or what it's ultimate objective is. (Although if it's ultimate goal is the extermination of humans, it seems more logical it would initially land in some place like New York City or Los Angeles... wait until the sequel to get that scenario.) </p><p>The predator begins taking out the crew one by one, and of course the final battle comes down to a one on one with Dutch (who else... it is a Schwarzenegger movie after all). My big complaint is that Blain goes way too early in the film. Not that I don't like Mac (or Billy or Dillon for that matter). Bill Duke, who plays Mac, is always a treat when he gets enough screen time to be a presence. (see <i>Car Wash</i> for a real good Bill Duke performance. He is as intense there as he is here) And of course we all know Carl Weathers from his turns as Apollo Creed in the early <i><a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2017/12/low-rent-gym-rats.html">Rocky</a> </i>movies, so we know how good he can be .</p><p>The ultimate battle comes down to Dutch and the alien, and instead of the alien just blasting Dutch with one of his alien ray guns, they go mano a mano.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZub16U1pLvajHlmxk4AI3_bxFJ9MveaLRHtyeg1fXuJQEQBn11HB1w1WnCcfaQ3ViLorYEqC6JHU99AeHFgsNXP-vu2o1ZhrADwJh3kX0Ld2lRkkc5M_UrL9ENGjFpt2R0qqFpa50V4ALS7bdk1kNNFj6rILp0uilu-EJebQDN38tfdn4ZJKiTs-vYC4/s696/vs8.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="696" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZub16U1pLvajHlmxk4AI3_bxFJ9MveaLRHtyeg1fXuJQEQBn11HB1w1WnCcfaQ3ViLorYEqC6JHU99AeHFgsNXP-vu2o1ZhrADwJh3kX0Ld2lRkkc5M_UrL9ENGjFpt2R0qqFpa50V4ALS7bdk1kNNFj6rILp0uilu-EJebQDN38tfdn4ZJKiTs-vYC4/s320/vs8.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> <br /></p><p>This was director John McTiernan's first major film. You can get an insight into his future as a director of such well-remembered action films like the first two <i>Die Hard</i> films as well as <i>The Hunt for Red October</i> and <i>Last Action Hero</i>. He was also director of the remake of <i>Rollerball</i> in 2002, but the less said about that one the better...</p><p>Of course, as with most Schwarzenegger movies, this one made a profit. And it even managed to get a nomination for an Oscar (for Best Visual Effects, but it lost to it's only competitor, <i>Innerspace</i>). It got mixed reviews on it's release, but that old standby for referencing reviews, Roger Ebert, gave it 3 stars. It currently has an 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. And audiences love it even today. Whether that's because of the story or just Schwarzenegger's biceps is the question. As an action movie and sci-fi movie fan I think it's entertaining although my rational mind still has those questions referenced above.<br /></p><p>Schwarzenegger and Ventura were both pretty busy in 1986-87. After finishing filming this movie, they got together for another action film <i>The Running Man</i>. <br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbTCQ8d7EKNOZlWefKV25Vnon_B1AIjQU-_41-kLia_qEo6pUA_EN7BDQfXQjSBENctFDD2F6_d1GgXSe-mxHVJoCRdrz1DZs6HAegesf2GjXDLkCcVpK_OOMGgg48ufHHhDtp-QHEYLiIIgAqy4BFD_uMra24KgjCX0mJP6OrHGiNHYBC8Awyzv9eQI/s520/intermission.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="520" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbTCQ8d7EKNOZlWefKV25Vnon_B1AIjQU-_41-kLia_qEo6pUA_EN7BDQfXQjSBENctFDD2F6_d1GgXSe-mxHVJoCRdrz1DZs6HAegesf2GjXDLkCcVpK_OOMGgg48ufHHhDtp-QHEYLiIIgAqy4BFD_uMra24KgjCX0mJP6OrHGiNHYBC8Awyzv9eQI/s320/intermission.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>The Running Man </b>(1987):.</p><p> <i>The Running Man </i>is loosely (heavy emphasis on the word "<b>loosely</b>") based on a Stephen King novel (published under what was then an unknown pen name of "Richard Bachman"). Note the cover of the first publication below: "In 2025...". Which means we are not far from this scenario, time-wise, and what with reality TV being what it is, we may not be that far away after all...</p><p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzg0ujppOdKP5LEpblz1MeXJYdsf7vGIUBjrC42f6q7tVNpEDoHNW_VMhNLC1082RDzW9J38nPlRhJGZqBFdcKNnhRCiG2elcSCYP0M4-js-rhQ3l0YUlBKqPGKU2OgyAs0fxEK37lsjjScTiagxlVINx592ZGZ_R4op3oRP0TG_px9J56Ppt9r45tEIY/s334/vs5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzg0ujppOdKP5LEpblz1MeXJYdsf7vGIUBjrC42f6q7tVNpEDoHNW_VMhNLC1082RDzW9J38nPlRhJGZqBFdcKNnhRCiG2elcSCYP0M4-js-rhQ3l0YUlBKqPGKU2OgyAs0fxEK37lsjjScTiagxlVINx592ZGZ_R4op3oRP0TG_px9J56Ppt9r45tEIY/s320/vs5.jpg" width="192" /></a></div> <p></p><p>[<b>A side note</b>: In 1983, when the original novel hit the stands I was working on a paper route as a source of income. One night, after throwing the paper, I stopped off to get something to drink at the local grocery store. As was my custom whenever I was there I would browse the paperback book racks for something interesting. And I bought a copy of this book. It remains in my possession even today. And without the obligatory "Stephen King writing as Richard Bachman" on the cover since it was still unknown that King was Bachman. (see image above) It is probably the most valuable thing I own, since copies of the first edition can fetch about $100 or more]<br /></p><p>The novel was pretty good. Now, the fact is that it was optioned for Hollywood BEFORE the revelation that Bachman was actually a King pen name. (I picked that tidbit up from listening to podcasts, so I don;t actually have a credible source to verify it.) In all honesty I thought it would probably have never seen light of day as a potential Hollywood film if it hadn't turned out that Bachman was actually King.</p><p>The basic premise, a future world where the most popular TV show is a game show that pits contestants against a cast of hunters whose job it is to eliminate the contestant is still present. And that's about it. The rest of the film is entirely in the mind of the scriptwriters. If you read the novel AND watch the movie you can decide who did a better job with the story. I recommend you do both. Each is worth the effort individually, but doing both will enlighten you on the controversy that King has had with Hollywood productions of his works.</p><p>In the beginning of the film, Ben Richards (Schwarzenegger) is a police officer monitoring a riot on the streets. (In the book Richards is not a policeman, just an out of work guy looking to make some money). The movie Richards is ordered to fire upon the rioters who are unarmed and just looking for food. Did I mention this is a dystopian future? Well, it is. And in Hollywood that always means the government tries to rundown the common man. <i>(i.e</i>: the good guys are the innocent proletariat and the bad guys are the government, or at least the non-Liberal government, which is the personification of "evil" in the Hollywood world. Remember Ronald Reagan was in the Oval Office at the time) </p><p>Anyway Richards refuses the order and is taken prisoner by his fellow officers. And said fellow officers complete the mission, that of stopping the riot by force. Flash forward a few months. Richards was convicted and sent to prison as the person who fired on the unarmed civilians. Yes, the same government that was trying to force him to kill the civilians made him the scapegoat for the crime.</p><p>After a successful escape from the prison (I just encapsulated a fantastic 10 minute sequence there, but the end result is his escape), Richards is out to track down and hook up with his brother to try to get out of the country. Only in the interim of his prison time his brother was also arrested and made a prisoner. At the brother's apartment instead of finding the brother he finds Amber (Maria Conchita Alonso). (Note: There is a part here that will make you sit up and say "huh"? Richards uses his brother's security code to enter the apartment, but it turns out that Amber has moved in. She didn't change the security code?)</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiL3-4USLr6wbJ9j-bMT-6lBVU0tBhY2bAqDncvAefnasgNWXWfb7mUBK_avln0fM-B7IraIlcXABRyNN5vsqxeeL-_4GhiQISgaTmKG7CwZ2q2JgUtGhvQwbhAtTOAlPbfLLRfHddoAfNgbEQXNS046vyL8LYNrI6e7ghsVzR2uyPWcuBWgV0hFxq94/s299/vs15.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEiL3-4USLr6wbJ9j-bMT-6lBVU0tBhY2bAqDncvAefnasgNWXWfb7mUBK_avln0fM-B7IraIlcXABRyNN5vsqxeeL-_4GhiQISgaTmKG7CwZ2q2JgUtGhvQwbhAtTOAlPbfLLRfHddoAfNgbEQXNS046vyL8LYNrI6e7ghsVzR2uyPWcuBWgV0hFxq94/s1600/vs15.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Richards takes Amber hostage in his attempt to escape the country, but things don't go as well as planned. And as a result of his capture he is brought to Killian (Richard Dawson), the host of the nation's most popular TV show, <i>The Running Man</i>. Killian coerces Richards to become the next contestant on the show, the plot of which is that the contestant is sent out into a playing grid (essentially a neighborhood section of the city) with a hit man, called a Stalker, sent to kill him. The cadre of Stalkers that could be sent after him are chosen by a random member of the audience. The Stalkers are your basic video game fighting characters with their own special weapons and outfits. </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQxTYfTFVCeEHYaCaeEIAVzQwwiP6tLti-3_SIW0wsjK4-0tY7dUy-T8mo5mju9Tkk7jR3k8BE2HJAuBF1UgpfT-0xZ7cVQIFPOfslbfNgfhk4VZW8jAy9zF8RmCJHUVsVUY4V4ScVpckFVMFESVrjKG9QD_fEKyehJLuGCTeDUEoecgY-h5OkOjme_8/s1600/vs9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZQxTYfTFVCeEHYaCaeEIAVzQwwiP6tLti-3_SIW0wsjK4-0tY7dUy-T8mo5mju9Tkk7jR3k8BE2HJAuBF1UgpfT-0xZ7cVQIFPOfslbfNgfhk4VZW8jAy9zF8RmCJHUVsVUY4V4ScVpckFVMFESVrjKG9QD_fEKyehJLuGCTeDUEoecgY-h5OkOjme_8/s320/vs9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Killian of course, in keeping with the sleazy double dealing trope of the villain in these movies, has double-crossed Richards. He initially convinced Richards to play the game in place of two of his fellow prison escapees, but at the last minute Richards finds out that Killian is going to send his two compatriots into the playing grid, too. These two friends, played by Yaphet Kotto and Marvin McIntyre, become targets for the Stalkers as the game progresses. (It probably goes without saying that the two friends are eventually dead meat, but they do get a few chances to get their chops in.)</p><p>Back to the studio, the first Stalker to be sent out after the runners is chosen by a random member of the audience. And like any contestant who gets a front row spot on <i>The Price is Right</i>, she is overwhelmed to be on the same stage as Killian. So the first stalker sent out is Professor Subzero (Professor Toru Tanaka)</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5b18ACUHxBnARrNKaAhmdlr9bze-OU4sqjbE6NiPhNEsM3_B_R-IcDjgfZ8FVdiARJF_s2H7Kp8k0uas_82MTi-QoL9OUhzFZ-eo1bBMkhg3KjYP6ySAR2APYgEbNTJXfXk1aa6MaVYKZuGWCdrMQxV4fXxlewjT5IFYFY7X6I6gufzNnSe19raHyH-A/s1280/vs10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5b18ACUHxBnARrNKaAhmdlr9bze-OU4sqjbE6NiPhNEsM3_B_R-IcDjgfZ8FVdiARJF_s2H7Kp8k0uas_82MTi-QoL9OUhzFZ-eo1bBMkhg3KjYP6ySAR2APYgEbNTJXfXk1aa6MaVYKZuGWCdrMQxV4fXxlewjT5IFYFY7X6I6gufzNnSe19raHyH-A/s320/vs10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Meanwhile, on another front, Amber has discovered that the world is being given false information about Richards and takes it upon herself to try to find out the truth. Conveniently she works for the TV station so she can access the files. And, of course, the TV station kept on file the actual footage of the real riot scene as well as the edited footage the public got to see that framed Richards. But she is got red-handed and becomes yet another runner in the grid. (Along with the edited footage show to viewers, that promotes her as a whore, a conspirator and who knows what else, so the public can howl for her blood, too.) </p><p>Back on the playing grid, it doesn't take long for the first victim to be eliminated from the competition. Unfortunately for Killian and the fans, the first victim is Subzero. A shock in more ways than one because apparently a Stalker has never been killed before in the history of the show. Which brings up the next contestant, who being indecisive, manages to have Killian pit two Stalkers into the grid; Buzzsaw (Gus Rethwisch), a chainsaw equipped Stalker and Dynamo (Erland van Lidth), an opera loving Stalker whose main weapon is electricity. {Side note: van Lidth actually was an opera singer. That's actually him singing in the scenes where Dynamo sings}.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngwzbtFg5QGKpwfq06IX2PcAZkPDgZDy6pKtMFQ2Di_sVDbPYCEEtm6skxtB9SKNArcs0Vrmp1MctUNf9AW5w4YrRwftSoVF4_A9Vnfp70pXH4D-SBCpGQqjzdCnqgJpq611mYR4Utp1zhCCRdQO2OO2h-0FGLR_6EHbpMMX4S0r5-W3svohKfNZnyiY/s370/vs12.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="370" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhngwzbtFg5QGKpwfq06IX2PcAZkPDgZDy6pKtMFQ2Di_sVDbPYCEEtm6skxtB9SKNArcs0Vrmp1MctUNf9AW5w4YrRwftSoVF4_A9Vnfp70pXH4D-SBCpGQqjzdCnqgJpq611mYR4Utp1zhCCRdQO2OO2h-0FGLR_6EHbpMMX4S0r5-W3svohKfNZnyiY/w200-h146/vs12.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEIf97cg78kZZwkDVIs9ODE8HsifZLftmTND-TzcLH9FCDYsSEZ4UAuj_eRBI0Z6KTTH5tqW3i6D0fqoUTeTl_0CsZ4dJhaZyjGZYf_eRxnrBprEwGcfFmH_PE2Yw7R308Ac58vKQWrXn-2JsWNKV-y3tmL7cQWMgTq_bSMXV6MIYcgaTXbZIlUh-ru0/s320/vs11.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="290" data-original-width="320" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEIf97cg78kZZwkDVIs9ODE8HsifZLftmTND-TzcLH9FCDYsSEZ4UAuj_eRBI0Z6KTTH5tqW3i6D0fqoUTeTl_0CsZ4dJhaZyjGZYf_eRxnrBprEwGcfFmH_PE2Yw7R308Ac58vKQWrXn-2JsWNKV-y3tmL7cQWMgTq_bSMXV6MIYcgaTXbZIlUh-ru0/w200-h181/vs11.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The defeat of Buzzsaw is a "buzz kill" (yeah, I said it.). But the battle against Dynamo features a background music of "Ride of the Valkyries" (appropriate for a battle with an opera singer, even if it is pretty much expected and possibly a cheesy trope at that point.) The death of one more of the Stalkers in unprecedented. (Richards leaves Dynamo alive, but powerless.) Apparently no one, the audience nor even Killian himself, has seen such carnage performed on the "lawmakers". It's bound to be a foregone conclusion that they have seen such carnage committed against the players, but then the players are supposed to be lawbreakers, so that's no big deal.</p><p>Bring on the backups. Fireball (Jim Brown) a Stalker from the back stage is brought up. And since Dynamo was allowed to live, we have another pair of Stalkers to pit against the renegade policeman. But Richards gives them more than Killian and the execs or the Stalkers bargained for. But there is still one more chance for the "good guys". Jesse Ventura finally gets his chance as Captain Freedom, a retired Stalker who has been reduced to doing exercise videos.</p><p> </p><p><br /><br /> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejHe5JT9nojDb8cyUaxpBpNb0hsBxpADHDtJa4sBR6Gg2sKONcOQldijOoL7dH90x6lo83ox4AG_a7on_fFU6fwFpYKK-cyZoRRa5AxcGCOCxt6QJOKjAn7MAgqBf5yrs5z5u5_CzXmfCama-ScwWpLAxU49wptNw_NaYlqIec_4BUOgxc8FSmguibh8/s400/vs14.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejHe5JT9nojDb8cyUaxpBpNb0hsBxpADHDtJa4sBR6Gg2sKONcOQldijOoL7dH90x6lo83ox4AG_a7on_fFU6fwFpYKK-cyZoRRa5AxcGCOCxt6QJOKjAn7MAgqBf5yrs5z5u5_CzXmfCama-ScwWpLAxU49wptNw_NaYlqIec_4BUOgxc8FSmguibh8/w200-h113/vs14.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFckj0HrMBCpuHYC9qtMcOdCz5YaUEw5MejPDq5PdKbqjFOvT1NEEqsNCSiOfk9hJa_iheHoI8d07JdxmuwX6VNF9jTJBECwHc13_-IIlHDPjRtkE4tVDi6J6TfPYgFUmmWSY3d-03ESRA2UnDOo2uZfOnSyTq908UdOzu5IB3HnXwP6i5JssdgEu8kI/s1021/vs13.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1021" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFckj0HrMBCpuHYC9qtMcOdCz5YaUEw5MejPDq5PdKbqjFOvT1NEEqsNCSiOfk9hJa_iheHoI8d07JdxmuwX6VNF9jTJBECwHc13_-IIlHDPjRtkE4tVDi6J6TfPYgFUmmWSY3d-03ESRA2UnDOo2uZfOnSyTq908UdOzu5IB3HnXwP6i5JssdgEu8kI/w200-h163/vs13.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Eventually Richards gets free of the confines of the game grid and goes after Killian. The final wrap of the movie is just as you'd expect from such a movie.</p><p>If you are just looking for a lot of action and a few explosions this movie is pretty good. However, if you are looking for a film that stays true to it's source material, or are just a fan of King as King actually wrote the original, you might want to avoid this one. It's not as bad as, say, <i>Lawnmower Man</i> in that respect, but it does not come all that close to the novel.</p><p>Well, folks, the drive home will prove to be a challenge. I think I will avoid that section of the city that has all those cameras all over the place. Drive safely.</p><p> </p><p>Quiggy</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDfNyShcWL-L7acij6k0soiznHzDwyK7tM-9oXe3vbcduJ5Fg5I3x0jr65AXmBQfhfpSwP53aOyAgCGVJQhDCfhw8N7rW5Cn37b7NtlErCGcA4WTXlg6MWwucfZePm5oNS5f6l1sCKKXhWyDg8f7OKnYzKrhjPBMjKVlbb_aFhwuYXW2UmVqJ17UOOlk/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkDfNyShcWL-L7acij6k0soiznHzDwyK7tM-9oXe3vbcduJ5Fg5I3x0jr65AXmBQfhfpSwP53aOyAgCGVJQhDCfhw8N7rW5Cn37b7NtlErCGcA4WTXlg6MWwucfZePm5oNS5f6l1sCKKXhWyDg8f7OKnYzKrhjPBMjKVlbb_aFhwuYXW2UmVqJ17UOOlk/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-82416080175343135162023-12-10T05:22:00.000-06:002023-12-10T05:22:00.148-06:00Sneaky Guys<p> Note: The impetus for this review came as a result of listening to a podcast discussing the movie (<b><a href="https://shatpod.com/movies/">Shat the Movies</a></b>). In it they referenced a little anecdote that I found interesting. It seems that during the production a couple of men claiming to represent Office of Naval Intelligence approached the director that in the interest of national security he could not reference a hand-held device that could decode codes. It turned out that it was not really representatives of the government but just part of a prank. It has been suggested that Dan Aykroyd was behind the prank.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4Zlh_c8Upl9ZbVMFXlQfh5u2HxWHDh7jC-OtMurBqciIg5Tqul7yQ2_N0GYUzc9Y1ZhDkS6EZF1dydFRX454aIHwt7vzPWSV032NqPQeEFA8rmHlZdsORdWGPeCXEbGyJD122nL5CKtP-CsIIc-yqnKfXdzvvOEmY8LrRI1ADyybJdprvgS3OPy-8g4/s441/s1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv4Zlh_c8Upl9ZbVMFXlQfh5u2HxWHDh7jC-OtMurBqciIg5Tqul7yQ2_N0GYUzc9Y1ZhDkS6EZF1dydFRX454aIHwt7vzPWSV032NqPQeEFA8rmHlZdsORdWGPeCXEbGyJD122nL5CKtP-CsIIc-yqnKfXdzvvOEmY8LrRI1ADyybJdprvgS3OPy-8g4/s320/s1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><br /></p><p>It's 1992. Late September. Hollywood unleashes a film that has star-studded cast. It has 3 Academy Award winners and 4 others who have been to the ceremonies as nominees for the prestigious award. And one more who would also garner a nomination a few years later. So this prestigious cast all came together for one film. And although it was a pretty good success at the box office ($105 million on a $23 million budget), I am willing to bet that there are quite a few people out there that have never even heard of it. </p><p>So the cast includes:</p><p><b>Robert Redford,</b> winner of Best Director for <i>Ordinary People</i> and nominated for Best Actor for <i><a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2017/03/money-for-nothing.html">The Sting</a></i>. (although ignored for <i>Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid</i>, which I still consider a crime... and that's just the biggest snub,. See the link above.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_j5Ll3jG_hs0b8-H-9RjcdJdk6d11cbjBBT0zqb1ynhNTaSifjK8TCw9jL7pndbC1toaxQT0OSAI33blSg0Iwj0xZPW7rQk4nWX6LHOrdX9_bL1vnxvh1STV4bBPEdoteyIBW53wn53UXvQhSZqjarwNvwqhePiQtaEExpSXt6_w0dPDAkuYxS-B3YNg/s270/s3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="270" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_j5Ll3jG_hs0b8-H-9RjcdJdk6d11cbjBBT0zqb1ynhNTaSifjK8TCw9jL7pndbC1toaxQT0OSAI33blSg0Iwj0xZPW7rQk4nWX6LHOrdX9_bL1vnxvh1STV4bBPEdoteyIBW53wn53UXvQhSZqjarwNvwqhePiQtaEExpSXt6_w0dPDAkuYxS-B3YNg/s1600/s3.jpg" width="270" /></a></div><p><b>Ben Kingsley</b>, winner of the Best Actor for <i>Gandhi</i>. He was also nominated for <i>Sexy Beast</i>, <i>Bugsy </i>and <i>House of Sand and Fog</i>. (But not for <i>Schindler's List</i>. Pity.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOY2A4ayV0ajQBixaNv5dAt0xMyw5c6XwtxC85cEzQ6SpaMvhG7bHb7hg7UscVTRAwxmX91r4w4v0-g2tdkGeRubfyxk_0OjTZLiiMmliTrIyuHRtiC8YQaV9CSAEMYJCrhrqPuzj8FpJIVrWiZXV-VitPjlzqjFhz_al0n_cA7vcdFO9krxBrvWESas/s200/s4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOY2A4ayV0ajQBixaNv5dAt0xMyw5c6XwtxC85cEzQ6SpaMvhG7bHb7hg7UscVTRAwxmX91r4w4v0-g2tdkGeRubfyxk_0OjTZLiiMmliTrIyuHRtiC8YQaV9CSAEMYJCrhrqPuzj8FpJIVrWiZXV-VitPjlzqjFhz_al0n_cA7vcdFO9krxBrvWESas/s1600/s4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b>Sidney Poitier</b>, winner of the Best Actor award for <i>Lillies of the Field</i>, and nominated for one for <i>The Defiant Ones</i>. (More snubs? He was ignored for <i><a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2017/02/coloring-outside-lines.html">In the Heat of the Night</a></i>, though his co-star, Rod Steiger was the winner of the Best Actor).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrypnybeAx7SFL6XoGAeOMuHouc9zCxGd_oxby9vjj7rgVPRAzW-hAuE4Br6NC8Th4fdKJmmAghrWcrgf0B3XrWUhyphenhyphen0eWBqW3Iv0HA9HxBBGRBnSVD2Nqiuchq2YpneRux0OnKlj7YrBl9m2k_TnKUwO0dCMXs0Eh0nd6qpvVcPHNaAwYbvuskOM044T4/s2560/s5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1460" data-original-width="2560" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrypnybeAx7SFL6XoGAeOMuHouc9zCxGd_oxby9vjj7rgVPRAzW-hAuE4Br6NC8Th4fdKJmmAghrWcrgf0B3XrWUhyphenhyphen0eWBqW3Iv0HA9HxBBGRBnSVD2Nqiuchq2YpneRux0OnKlj7YrBl9m2k_TnKUwO0dCMXs0Eh0nd6qpvVcPHNaAwYbvuskOM044T4/s320/s5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Dan Aykroyd</b>, who was nominated for a Best Actor <i>Driving Miss Daisy</i>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGVzq1ph0aU03AAOs0rxW851u90gu3D60Qc6d6tECJww98VSPYya9RK_X5P3eoo5vNiLMmaNI79BWdjAL-QfqatqeQwgMbVfVQAxnkqKZ3JMEZd3ZOkqTf15plaowq0i3ZBoy3QBpvCrsNwpjB8to4AdVWgAKUQ2PH0NjIz0jOOb-bdJSBk2ku_tjQ_k/s200/s6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGVzq1ph0aU03AAOs0rxW851u90gu3D60Qc6d6tECJww98VSPYya9RK_X5P3eoo5vNiLMmaNI79BWdjAL-QfqatqeQwgMbVfVQAxnkqKZ3JMEZd3ZOkqTf15plaowq0i3ZBoy3QBpvCrsNwpjB8to4AdVWgAKUQ2PH0NjIz0jOOb-bdJSBk2ku_tjQ_k/s1600/s6.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p><b>River Phoenix</b>, who was nominated for <i>Running on Empty</i>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSVTSS_zYo8s_NORSLT5DhELKbHMBtOwgE6_zG_R7ezYqx1uTp2OU9J7VaEO4NxF3cK7940MBKaIk4Nmgf9tP_WaUouQf-ypH0STNUspyhS-EGPYPKbmJU_S1MnXGj1VmrHj2W3LY-5UcIqpJuJPwfz3JB6qP_4uLBb18D6I23hNqTYArYyXKBpp9w58/s512/s7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="512" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSVTSS_zYo8s_NORSLT5DhELKbHMBtOwgE6_zG_R7ezYqx1uTp2OU9J7VaEO4NxF3cK7940MBKaIk4Nmgf9tP_WaUouQf-ypH0STNUspyhS-EGPYPKbmJU_S1MnXGj1VmrHj2W3LY-5UcIqpJuJPwfz3JB6qP_4uLBb18D6I23hNqTYArYyXKBpp9w58/s320/s7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><b>Mary McDonnell</b>, who was nominated for <i>Dances with Wolves</i>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0liWZWOTkC6xEOCvaAZMD4ejjXJWU7QW0aA7dOnn5tZTSCCHyTi_P8pVS4SSUguAY2HANoM5jxHAHju2LdW_7rHReOHPK6gEZTV8xlp-XvDkbowMfYP81NE8-ineYcK7bNduBB8UMBU3mVUqBaifD-y_dxAfIN8uLwNaLvPoIWwczhZTU9dRQdSV0nRQ/s228/s8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="228" data-original-width="221" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0liWZWOTkC6xEOCvaAZMD4ejjXJWU7QW0aA7dOnn5tZTSCCHyTi_P8pVS4SSUguAY2HANoM5jxHAHju2LdW_7rHReOHPK6gEZTV8xlp-XvDkbowMfYP81NE8-ineYcK7bNduBB8UMBU3mVUqBaifD-y_dxAfIN8uLwNaLvPoIWwczhZTU9dRQdSV0nRQ/s1600/s8.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><p>And briefly in this film,<b> James Earl Jones</b>, who had been nominated for <i>The Great White Hope</i>. (And probably should have gotten at least some recognition as the voice of Darth Vader if only he had received credit for it. But since it was only his voice, and David Prowse pulled of the physical presence, I guess I'll have to give that one a pass.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUN5BkUu08ZUewJH76d5VkdQt-3WkYETimw3RJvGecal9ybhkwiLkojx9zDLXViTsV3PGLVCbW4CrcaeMBjEh458kH4ZaK0JVdntobjD2oj8yt5MDxtvEQDoxkg0jTj3k9YR7ZqHoiwxQIEstQML4KfRq38scKklh0dGc82ujRmMuPp6LGcx8-F7Qdcrs/s712/s9.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="385" data-original-width="712" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUN5BkUu08ZUewJH76d5VkdQt-3WkYETimw3RJvGecal9ybhkwiLkojx9zDLXViTsV3PGLVCbW4CrcaeMBjEh458kH4ZaK0JVdntobjD2oj8yt5MDxtvEQDoxkg0jTj3k9YR7ZqHoiwxQIEstQML4KfRq38scKklh0dGc82ujRmMuPp6LGcx8-F7Qdcrs/s320/s9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Also appearing was <b>David Strathairn</b>, who would later get a nomination for <i>Good Night and Good Luck</i>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvM5wPdx1gxAk8p3K-o-M70yC3go-yAgQje667CkYxh-cn9mnfidoffDlmuVN8B2-x2oOL0PpRxSNT7ZUJTndwvIDRuNt-ZidmNG4ilWASahlTbBJyZnn9g2P6ogVwj5dpiakuGudJ-pxK1SoDhmyJPC8BdWPei9STS_MLeF2GqCET-wJsQd0pv2Hics/s568/s10.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="568" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqvM5wPdx1gxAk8p3K-o-M70yC3go-yAgQje667CkYxh-cn9mnfidoffDlmuVN8B2-x2oOL0PpRxSNT7ZUJTndwvIDRuNt-ZidmNG4ilWASahlTbBJyZnn9g2P6ogVwj5dpiakuGudJ-pxK1SoDhmyJPC8BdWPei9STS_MLeF2GqCET-wJsQd0pv2Hics/s320/s10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p> </p><p>None of these guys and girls actually pulled off anything like Academy Award performances in the film. (Although I will point out that until I saw him in another movie I was convinced that Strathairn <b>was</b> actually blind...) But having such a prestigious cast should have made this movie more memorable. And you may be one who remembers it fondly... good for you.</p><p>I got to see the movie when it first hit the theaters. I liked it enough to watch it more than once. The movie is a bit dated by now as technology has surpassed that of what is portrayed in the film, although it was cutting edge at the tim. It feels like a relic these days, but the acting makes it as watchable as it was in 1992.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcvXXZyQxx1XYr4lhTGAuP0OJelNDCaIlbG07wpQMxSDLh7HzLC8dr-pUaTVxOoP128kM-MxnrEGwUjmf_omNfPLOCcADg2_sJ5S_Xwjm3S34Y6vWZvElQ4MepWIb-go9M3POYAGKhriznetxLO8sD9gDQSeZVOQ8bmpFBdgmEh88yZkbXAPLa1EW594/s330/s2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDcvXXZyQxx1XYr4lhTGAuP0OJelNDCaIlbG07wpQMxSDLh7HzLC8dr-pUaTVxOoP128kM-MxnrEGwUjmf_omNfPLOCcADg2_sJ5S_Xwjm3S34Y6vWZvElQ4MepWIb-go9M3POYAGKhriznetxLO8sD9gDQSeZVOQ8bmpFBdgmEh88yZkbXAPLa1EW594/s320/s2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p><b>Sneakers</b> (1992): </p><p>After an opening credits sequence which features anagram variations of the people involved in the movie:</p><p><b>A TURNIP CURES ELVIS</b></p><p>(Universal Picures) Presents</p><p><b>A FEW ASTRAL CLERKS REPEL NEWARK</b></p><p>A (Lawrence Lasker Walter F. Parkes) Production</p><p><b>BLOND RHINO SPANIEL</b></p><p>A (Phil Alden Robinson) Film</p><p><b>FORT RED BORDER</b><br /></p><p>(Robert Redford)</p><p>(This sequence acts as sort of a foreshadowing of a later development in the film, as we will see.)</p><p>Opening sequence: Two college friends Marty and Cosmo are messing around with early computer hacking, transferring money from such disparate agencies such as having the Republican Party donate a big chunk of money to the Black panthers and having then President Richard Nixon donate his entire money sources to NORML (the organization fighting to legalize marijuana). When Cosmo tricks Marty into being the one to go out and fetch pizza, Cosmo is left alone in the dorm, thus being the only one of the two to be arrested when police subsequently raid the place. A side note: the younger Cosmo is a fair likeness a possibly young Kingsley, but the young Marty with his mustache is so similar to Redford in his younger days it's pretty impressive. <br /></p><p>The actual film story begins as Martin Bishop (Robert Redford) and his crew prepare to infiltrate a bank. After shutting down the security systems and distracting the security guard, they use their tech to transfer a large sum of money to a bank account that Bishop had previously opened. Bishop's crew consists of Donald Crease (Sidney Poitier), a former C.I.A. agent, "Mother" (Dan Aykroyd), an electronics wiz (and for comedy relief, a conspiracy theorist of the highest order), Carl (River Phoenix), a teenage hacker extraordinaire, and "Whistler" (David Strathairn) a blind man who can do wonders with telephone technology.<br /></p><p>But it's all in the name of the job that Bishop and his crew perform ; that of finding flaws in the security systems of companies that hire them. (And they must charge out the wazoo for this because I really don't see how it could be a profitable business, even in the 90's, Seems too specialized to me.)</p><p>After taking care of business, Bishop is followed by two men Buddy (Eddie Jones) and Dick (Timothy Busfield). The men claim to be from the National Security Agency and want to hire Bishop to steal a "black box" being developed by Professor Gunter Janek (Donal Logue). Under the guise of a corporation called "Setec Astronomy", Janek is supposed to have created something for the Russian government that the NSA is highly interested in.</p><p>Yeah, in 1992. I know what you're thinking, and Bishop addresses it. The Russians? "Give me a break. We won. They lost. It's been in a couple of papers."</p><p>But as the agents say "We still spy on them and they still spy on us." So, to the effect of stealing the black box, the company sets up a surveillance of Janek's office. And find out the box is hidden in plain sight on his desk. Bishop breaks in and gets away with the box, Back at their headquarters they find out the "macguffin" is a code breaker that can break into the most secure computer systems in the world. And through a game of using Scrabble tiles, they figure out that <b>SETEC ASTRONOMY </b>anagrams to "Too many secrets". (See I told you that anagram thing in the credits would turn out to be important). </p><p>Realizing that any agency in the world would kill to get their hands on the device, Crease insists on a lock down until the box can be handed off to the NSA. The next day Bishop delivers the box to the NSA agents. But Bishop finds out that Dr. Janek was killed, and becomes suspicious. He leaves the "agents" without even collecting the money and the "agents" try to kill him.</p><p>Back at headquarters there is a group of friends who are in turmoil. Who was behind it all? Certainly not the NSA, because the real NSA calls and wants their black box. Bishop ends up going to an old acquaintance, Grigor (George Hearn) a former KGB agent. But Grigor says the Russians, although they would love to get their hands on the thing, are not involved.</p><p>So who is? Well, the big surprise is, after Grigor is killed and Bishop is taken hostage, he finds himself face-to-face with his old friend Cosmo (Ben Kingsley). It is a surprise because Bishop was under the impression that Cosmo had died in prison. It turns out that while Cosmo was in prison he made himself invaluable to certain members of the Mafia and afterwards became a big shot. So it's not the Russians but the criminal underworld who are behind the scenes of the crime.</p><p>Bishop, whose real name was Martin Brice, soon becomes a fugitive because now that the Mafia, or more specifically Cosmo, has the black box, the file on Martin Brice can be amended to show an alias, It was Bishop's gun that was used to kill Grigor, so Bishop a.ka. Brice will show up on the FBI's fingerprints file.. (BTW, if you're asking yourself how Martin Brice's fingerprints got on file in the first place since he avoided the arrest with Cosmo, you found one of the flaws in the story.)</p><p>So Cosmo lets Bishop go. After all, his revenge is in place with the change of the FBI files making Bishop the target of the law enforcement. So Bishop and his crew are under two threats now. (The other is the NSA, who were the real backers of Janek's box, because they want their box back.</p><p>The final reel of the film involves some of the most intense uses of the abilities of the team, which now includes Liz (Mary McDonnell) who had come on board initially to help Martin decipher Janek's techno speak. Liz gets to be the computer date for a nebbish, Werner Brandeis (Stephen Tobolowsky), who just happens to have the office next door to Cosmo's, so they can access the place where the box is stashed.</p><p>Eventually, of course, Martin retrieves the box and hands it off to the agent from the NSA who shows up to retrieve it (played by James Earl Jones). And the trade off that the crew demands is pretty entertaining in itself.</p><p>One of the highlights in this film, for me anyway, is the rather hilarious "conspiracy theories" that Mother keeps spouting. Most of the rest of the crew just accept them as de rigueur, but Kreese's reactions are a hoot. <br /></p><p>Despite the fact that much of this film's technology seems a little outdated by today's standards, it is not all that surprising that it still holds up as a thriller. The basic premise of espionage and double cross will still entertain. I just re-watched it today and was still excited by it even though I knew almost every twist and turn from the film by heart.<br /></p><p>Well folks, time to fire up this old wreck of a Plymouth and head home. And if there are any suspicious cars waiting outside, I'm heading to Brazil. Drive safely, folks.</p><p><b>I, GQ GUY</b></p><p>(Quiggy)</p><p><b> </b></p><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2csq5NOmX6Rnblipur8khmth2vBFtP-NcP8B2Mj1txUdpvdy23Z2hT68YbWTmiei6-LxzGsnibbKBiALX6Au2YCUqeiOvuL0rH9icATS0kRmhu2q78sasyKRU_5gqVFhmicjuJNcPI_gjtRfKHoCH6G2qE-lMDv9WkMpnedFfsnHcbXEIUXlfGYhefsA/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2csq5NOmX6Rnblipur8khmth2vBFtP-NcP8B2Mj1txUdpvdy23Z2hT68YbWTmiei6-LxzGsnibbKBiALX6Au2YCUqeiOvuL0rH9icATS0kRmhu2q78sasyKRU_5gqVFhmicjuJNcPI_gjtRfKHoCH6G2qE-lMDv9WkMpnedFfsnHcbXEIUXlfGYhefsA/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /> </b><br /><p></p><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-80577404687271619802023-12-04T02:00:00.003-06:002024-01-17T05:32:19.522-06:00Announcing the On The Job Blogathon blogathon<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>We ALL have to do it. Unless you are independently wealthy like a Rockefeller, but even they had to do it at some point to get independently wealthy... What is it? "Work". (Sorry, maybe I should have said "The W word"...)</p><p>Whether you are a wage worker or an executive in the business world, everyone has to put in time doing some sort of labor, whether physical or mental to be able to pay the bills. The film world has addressed that issue on numerous occasions. </p><p>This blogathon is wide open, as far as that goes. There are the factory workers in such films like <i>Gung Ho</i> and <i>Take This Job and Shove It</i>. There are the office drudges dealing with day to day lif in such films as <i>Office space</i> and <i>9-5</i>. Even sports athletes have to work for a living, as witnessed in such movies as <i>north Dallas Forty </i>and <i>Major League</i>. And you can't leave out the less than reputable occupations (<i>Pretty Woman</i>, anyone?)</p><p>For the purposes of this blogathon we are accepting any entries that have a primary focus on doing some kind of work. (Note: Everyone in every movie has some sort of job, but we want the focus to be on movies which the primary story line is focused on one or more characters in the daily grind of performing their job.)</p><p><br /></p><p>As usual rules are very liberal.</p><p>1. Only one person per movie. There are plenty of movies to choose from, so there is no need to have multiple entries of the same movie.</p><p>2. No old posts. Please make the entry a new post. <br /></p><p>3. Post your entry sometime around the dates of the blogathon and let me or Hamlette know when it is posted.</p><p></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bFQ7oGKu75vKRFnfSJtUP_Zytn27My77lS5pLkyBwE9rTep4wMUxD8w4AlCM7GVuCq-RZbfJ3Vl1W5ke6l-gOlD8wKbreN3HU2kR4VHeiJMdSHEnZ39kMHgM2IjX2pnCV2LnzXyCdFg1TEpcHvu-PGHpzJWa6n6QJd8FNYXKiqGc8LK79fDcsnI8D1A/s940/ojb4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bFQ7oGKu75vKRFnfSJtUP_Zytn27My77lS5pLkyBwE9rTep4wMUxD8w4AlCM7GVuCq-RZbfJ3Vl1W5ke6l-gOlD8wKbreN3HU2kR4VHeiJMdSHEnZ39kMHgM2IjX2pnCV2LnzXyCdFg1TEpcHvu-PGHpzJWa6n6QJd8FNYXKiqGc8LK79fDcsnI8D1A/s320/ojb4.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwSQ0N_94Cdgh2mSXBKoViGjPLXV_MhFihpI3FDpK-8nF9LY_Nshn25M2VHp3Z8C5WA8nPaZhyGJbbd_Jhu7W1ch1mVbeVaC4j0WRwfLG1FW0aFU2S1xzByZ6mmU4ZGp59ddWzFElLl1HLYTcmCLb_7QsNxtRR4kPdRzDquAHDCp4q934jR907G8_TJc/s940/ojb1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwSQ0N_94Cdgh2mSXBKoViGjPLXV_MhFihpI3FDpK-8nF9LY_Nshn25M2VHp3Z8C5WA8nPaZhyGJbbd_Jhu7W1ch1mVbeVaC4j0WRwfLG1FW0aFU2S1xzByZ6mmU4ZGp59ddWzFElLl1HLYTcmCLb_7QsNxtRR4kPdRzDquAHDCp4q934jR907G8_TJc/s320/ojb1.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieuFvngUJhqJH1vfCZIOmtyeYiJ8PMXjSwCYHhdvQLUM3dJxuGBpr2ZFl5_FHXAFdFc8Lv4I54H7oTYb2XjpQfoLpQDuORyCGZ8qHBCjli7TdskdBB_VvIznjb979Eow9t-9cpnHcnUFYOONAPUXfDW3a298C1mw-qluxyYgGEcKLlqCXpt_e57BUPt4/s940/ojb5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhieuFvngUJhqJH1vfCZIOmtyeYiJ8PMXjSwCYHhdvQLUM3dJxuGBpr2ZFl5_FHXAFdFc8Lv4I54H7oTYb2XjpQfoLpQDuORyCGZ8qHBCjli7TdskdBB_VvIznjb979Eow9t-9cpnHcnUFYOONAPUXfDW3a298C1mw-qluxyYgGEcKLlqCXpt_e57BUPt4/s320/ojb5.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9p9K2Mq0Qfjup3i7RdZCWD2rxrMwHMOKkVeMWhqqSiF97jGRkeNsISk6p9t0YEaLsnz-esf9RsBQFRwQrqdMujLOKlooZBHX6FCSoGuKcq0GFGMKA8POBCIMnE2pfM_51bsLfe8-pcXvBEQiOc5Yd03RT4dDi4dRX0v-WL45KJQNWYMrdhcMBHYyxMXY/s940/ojb2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9p9K2Mq0Qfjup3i7RdZCWD2rxrMwHMOKkVeMWhqqSiF97jGRkeNsISk6p9t0YEaLsnz-esf9RsBQFRwQrqdMujLOKlooZBHX6FCSoGuKcq0GFGMKA8POBCIMnE2pfM_51bsLfe8-pcXvBEQiOc5Yd03RT4dDi4dRX0v-WL45KJQNWYMrdhcMBHYyxMXY/s320/ojb2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9XO-zty4eiow_KohcW6BDjCIEKLVVANqvKVN3b1a_b5EGMXE0_tpn-sdE7pL5MHcAKQ_D0PsSSfgP1LFIWqNEez4LCWt5HtI2EPWRTHGrHrjdXFwLx9q_53HU8upYntnNZazqkabuQ_9e1vYlMrFR8ISpUxcWnIeMs564UHs5r87Ex7vLhK7GBcm2aA/s940/ojb3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="788" data-original-width="940" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9XO-zty4eiow_KohcW6BDjCIEKLVVANqvKVN3b1a_b5EGMXE0_tpn-sdE7pL5MHcAKQ_D0PsSSfgP1LFIWqNEez4LCWt5HtI2EPWRTHGrHrjdXFwLx9q_53HU8upYntnNZazqkabuQ_9e1vYlMrFR8ISpUxcWnIeMs564UHs5r87Ex7vLhK7GBcm2aA/s320/ojb3.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>That's it. Join up and play along. It may be one of the few times you get to have fun writing about working.</p><p>Below is a current list of entries we have so far.<b> </b></p><p><b>The Midnite Drive-In</b>: <i>Gung Ho </i>(1986)<br /></p><p><b><a href="https://hamlette.blogspot.com/">Hamlette's Soliloquy</a> </b><i>Support Your Local Sheriff</i> (1969) and Top 10 Movies about writers</p><p><b><a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/">Realweegiemidget Reviews</a>: </b><i>Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E. </i>(1990)</p><p><a href="https://takinguproom.com/">Taking Up Room</a>: <i>The Founder</i> (2016)</p><p><a href="https://criticaretro.blogspot.com/">Critica Retro</a>: <i>The Name of the Rose</i> (1986)</p><p><a href="https://meanwhileinrivendell.blogspot.com/">Meanwhile, in Rivendell</a>: <i>Jungle Cruise</i> (2021)</p><p><a href="https://silverscreenings.org/">Silver Screenings</a>: <i>The Dentist</i> (1932)<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-42043984176163617152023-12-01T08:29:00.004-06:002023-12-01T08:29:47.028-06:00Blondes Have More Bad Vibes<p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXmIE8HGNy1K6dQJI4EYBTEVdLgH75mfViwnf07BYnfXyI4FCiWh8F3kBbsp6fwAf59obJajEAhpfuRzP2Xf39gbgaAsnYeRhUW5rpR9YSehpRUlweDs63bKnBqYv9nOX4J7ynNvQic1vtaBoWCkK17-U3Xy5SypAj-jt4zX0T6H_VbpZhyPKSSfjcoM/s656/hammer2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="443" data-original-width="656" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJXmIE8HGNy1K6dQJI4EYBTEVdLgH75mfViwnf07BYnfXyI4FCiWh8F3kBbsp6fwAf59obJajEAhpfuRzP2Xf39gbgaAsnYeRhUW5rpR9YSehpRUlweDs63bKnBqYv9nOX4J7ynNvQic1vtaBoWCkK17-U3Xy5SypAj-jt4zX0T6H_VbpZhyPKSSfjcoM/s320/hammer2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>This is my entry in the <a href="https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/2023/10/15/hammer-and-amicus-blogathon/">Hammer-Amicus Blogathon</a> hosted by Realweegiemidget Reviews and Cinematic Catharsis.<br /></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyL8IiXi1T319vGd5K1oehOQX2HZkzkI4eL5OuKL4lopAQECIQ3a7ve20hCvbpHWGua6fiGl9F_-TNpqB7yvzYsJYsz6v31E4bgieh1Y2npb3855zmFUToUS4VTKlpvo7OkyQlV2dWxL4bpicubd3m_qn5AexeJcsKHi_J7hEkZ01ov2ajc9Hd_5Z11-s/s441/hammer1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="324" data-original-width="441" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyL8IiXi1T319vGd5K1oehOQX2HZkzkI4eL5OuKL4lopAQECIQ3a7ve20hCvbpHWGua6fiGl9F_-TNpqB7yvzYsJYsz6v31E4bgieh1Y2npb3855zmFUToUS4VTKlpvo7OkyQlV2dWxL4bpicubd3m_qn5AexeJcsKHi_J7hEkZ01ov2ajc9Hd_5Z11-s/s320/hammer1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p>The blonde woman has always been a fixation for the adult male. Blondes get all the good stuff in life, hence the phrase "Blondes have more fun." But when it comes to film noir, the opposite can also be a standard trope. Look at how many blondes are the source of a downfall for the main male character in classic noir films. </p><p>Cora (Lana Turner) in <i>The Postman Always Rings Twice</i>? Blonde. Phyllis (Barbara Stanwyck) in <i>Double Indemnity</i>? Blonde. Elsa (Rita Hayworth) in <i>The Lady from Shanghai</i>? Blonde. (Note: Blonde was not always the actress' natural color, sometimes, but they were blonde in these roles.)<br /></p><p>One could get the idea that blondes are bad news. And if you find yourself involved in the plot line of a film noir, it's probably a good idea to steer clear of any blonde women. Not that that advice would be observed by most of the male protagonists in them.</p><p>Hammer films were no stranger to this trope during their period of producing noir style films. Of course, most people who think of Hammer Films will naturally first come up with "Oh, yeah! Those people who made the Christopher Lee / Peter Cushing horror movies!" But that's not the entire output from Hammer Studios.</p><p>I won't rehash what I've already written once. If you want to see a little more see my post <a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2017/08/hammer-films-does-film-noir.html">Hammer Films Does Film Noir </a>. Both of these films were released in the UK under different titles, hence the "a.k.a." after the titles below.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVMkoY91J-_Vru1TK0xvpJswQTvbdKF7N3cEfN_hnHgBFH2eaDlacp8dBoN90LjhTFr5ybcjIrz-quUL7NCfyIhw0m7rKSiB00R3HYcmKC8kBhheasalfEulYyrgpbtJVkPFjvlyv2n69SDRI3xIX15I0CjvLbO1siiTFTqfYs4rd6F2eCy-sWOr3RHE/s600/hammer3.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="449" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVMkoY91J-_Vru1TK0xvpJswQTvbdKF7N3cEfN_hnHgBFH2eaDlacp8dBoN90LjhTFr5ybcjIrz-quUL7NCfyIhw0m7rKSiB00R3HYcmKC8kBhheasalfEulYyrgpbtJVkPFjvlyv2n69SDRI3xIX15I0CjvLbO1siiTFTqfYs4rd6F2eCy-sWOr3RHE/s320/hammer3.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipcb7PW1_WLZ1QgU7kDJ6RtuCzjEX2e3Qnr0jt2WmyQcybo0Y95mFqR96Y67enJwqWfL85IlGkgc-QQUNNP0qSwnKpGnTa061wjd4IuZU5Y8PmvPn3wUXfLDSY9nZHEh3jK7zARirb-Xa35ssTu6fOV3z7UyNZ2ig-yCsQP3RxEL2gAPGYFTC5oov_SI/s3000/hammer4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="1179" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiipcb7PW1_WLZ1QgU7kDJ6RtuCzjEX2e3Qnr0jt2WmyQcybo0Y95mFqR96Y67enJwqWfL85IlGkgc-QQUNNP0qSwnKpGnTa061wjd4IuZU5Y8PmvPn3wUXfLDSY9nZHEh3jK7zARirb-Xa35ssTu6fOV3z7UyNZ2ig-yCsQP3RxEL2gAPGYFTC5oov_SI/s320/hammer4.jpg" width="126" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Bad Blonde</b> (1953): (a.k.a. <i>The Flanagan Boy</i>)</p><p>The American title, <i>Bad Blonde</i>, is much more conducive to drawing in the crowd that wanted to see film noir. <i>The Flangan Boy</i>??? What kind of viewing crowd would THAT draw? Sounds more like a title for a melodrama than a gritty noir. But American promoters knew better and renamed it.</p><p>The opening music is pretty much a noir type, however. The music was done by Ivor Staney, who mostly did film noir type movies over his brief career. </p><p>The movie starts at a carnival where a huckster named Sharkey (Sid James) is trying to entice amateurs to go one round of boxing with one of his boxing stars. He has a ringer in the audience, but the ringer is tripped on his way to the ring and Johnny Flanagan (Tony Wright) steps up to take his place.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8NTJ7kSu1Az4uI42fbTNzfunv9nB26yUL_2Kye8hz1zjtPV_jt-6DP4or5V6wvxfVFzpWYAV_IgCSHKhBPWSs2TUm8LkrQbnfP11nKzvdQx3AfrvcBRly7QltSODQxN0LTcNuFhUkVSUuHr9ODeLG3v7lwPkhY-1kqPscA9N-K0DZ1jQfB2az4-MCY0/s720/bb1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="720" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE8NTJ7kSu1Az4uI42fbTNzfunv9nB26yUL_2Kye8hz1zjtPV_jt-6DP4or5V6wvxfVFzpWYAV_IgCSHKhBPWSs2TUm8LkrQbnfP11nKzvdQx3AfrvcBRly7QltSODQxN0LTcNuFhUkVSUuHr9ODeLG3v7lwPkhY-1kqPscA9N-K0DZ1jQfB2az4-MCY0/s320/bb1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p>After Johnny takes down Sharkey's boxer, Sharkey realizes that Johnny is not entirely the "amateur" he promotes himself as. In steps Charlie Sullivan (John Slater) who is Johnny's own promoter. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Together, Johnny, Sharkey and Sullivan decide that making a full-fledged fighter out of Johnny is a good idea. They need a backer, however, so they take him to see Giuseppe Vecci ( Frederick Valk). Giuseppe has a trophy wife, Lorna (Barbara Payton) {the "Bad Blonde" of the title.} </p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5jCBnKtkQz721q9BvVtSSpoXh_KLgMHmkZHOuMlwNgqauXu9H5-KaqmoEGuSLox9Ng0A_zAGJQKPCmrYMFC8mjz59hqbpDo6aloB6MI321BtvfO_6igB2dyNg0Gpd9mVq8knbdfg3YrGo8l3v8IHdknn6HO8f3uU4hX2Uez-A_oUOZuZxDt52BDWP2Q/s1280/bb2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT5jCBnKtkQz721q9BvVtSSpoXh_KLgMHmkZHOuMlwNgqauXu9H5-KaqmoEGuSLox9Ng0A_zAGJQKPCmrYMFC8mjz59hqbpDo6aloB6MI321BtvfO_6igB2dyNg0Gpd9mVq8knbdfg3YrGo8l3v8IHdknn6HO8f3uU4hX2Uez-A_oUOZuZxDt52BDWP2Q/s320/bb2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p>Lorna has the hots for Johnny and has no scruples about seducing the young boy. She initially puts up a front, at least in front of her husband. Johnny intimates that he doesn't want her watching him and she harrumphs with one of the best lines in the movie "Tellyour boy not to flatter himself. I've seen better bodies hanging in a butcher shop."</p><p>But is it all just a front? Not long after, Giuseppe, upset that his new boy and his wife aren't getting along, he invites Johnny to his birthday party, where Giuseppe gets rip-roaring drunk and stumbles around trying to dance with his wife. Really he has two left feet (or is just too drunk to stand) he gets Johnny to dance with her. Not long after, the gloves come off (and not just the boxing gloves.</p><p>A romance develops with Johnny and Lorna, and, as so often happens in noir film, they both decide they would be better off if Giuseppe wasn't around to hamper the affair. Well, at least Lorna does. Johnny, still a good fellow at heart, doesn't want anything to do with it. Until Lorna informs him that she is pregnant. She doesn't have to tell him who the father is.</p><p>So Johnny reluctantly agrees to help remove Giuseppe from the scene. He hides aboard Giuseepe's fishing boat and when Giuseppe goes out to fish, Johnny manages to engineer a drowning. Since everyone knows Giuseppe can't swim, it looks like an accident.</p><p>Of course, if that were all, Johnny and Lorna could life "happily" ever after. Unfortunately, his mama shows up from Italy. And mama knows more than anyone would think, including the fact that Lorna is not really pregnant.</p><p>Johnny is distraught over the whole thing. And decides to cure his depression in that age-old solution that many come to (unfortunately). But Sharkey and Charlie have their own way of getting revenge on Lorna,</p><p>This is a fairly straightforward remake of many film noir films that were made before it. And not entirely better acted, at that. It follows mostly along the same lines as The Postman Always Rings Twice. Although you can't blame Tony Wright for not being up to par with John Garfield, I think Barbara Payton could have given Lana Turner a run for her money. Unfortunately alcoholism cut her career short. She died at age 39 from heart failure brought on by her addiction.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT7d8p06ynl61unb62rkvlZIbH17TcdC1xb2U6HRGStjDJbEfC1U5Z9GnOlAPA9wqUawEN4-_rfDIHqzgFiQ2jjFh3lly1bEkjiMY0XahEOr9Fi838YZa9cjMEn_bW5NapHfbmQwts31Suxk9QHq39iZ9GpXOomRhyIAWL0gDPHiAr6Ap9es-ctndgOQ4/s520/intermission.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="520" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT7d8p06ynl61unb62rkvlZIbH17TcdC1xb2U6HRGStjDJbEfC1U5Z9GnOlAPA9wqUawEN4-_rfDIHqzgFiQ2jjFh3lly1bEkjiMY0XahEOr9Fi838YZa9cjMEn_bW5NapHfbmQwts31Suxk9QHq39iZ9GpXOomRhyIAWL0gDPHiAr6Ap9es-ctndgOQ4/s320/intermission.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p><b>Man Bait</b> <i>aka The Last Page </i>(1952):</p><p> </p><p><i>Man Bait</i> had one of the most unbelievable subplots of any movie I have ever seen. Maybe in the 1950's it might have been shocking and possibly scandalous to kiss a woman who was not your wife. Just kiss her... not even have any more intimate contact than that... But the plot stems from just that one encounter.<br /></p><p>Anyway, the plot revolves around a woman, Ruby (Diana Dors), who is probably the most irresponsible woman in London. She works at a book store and is notoriously late for work every day. Her supervisor, Mr. Oliver (Raymond Huntley) reprimands her and even approaches the big boss, Mr. Harman (George Brent) to have a talk with her.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig935XobW1SqKVk9z6Sg5jD_Sd_pJrr6WYqAzE3gUkco3cp5C3H_SY6EO3Hq8oOJWFdsZFP4XCnahaYJQIEwsZy4EvlEJau43dOsz4-3u9NSJRBMhQ3RrG_iH-MvBb0upDHcVlSkSi3MO1JbdY9WHeoilNd2DT8S5Q6fZAUkDfJktcwoa8sYEjJmHM7Q0/s140/mb3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="140" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig935XobW1SqKVk9z6Sg5jD_Sd_pJrr6WYqAzE3gUkco3cp5C3H_SY6EO3Hq8oOJWFdsZFP4XCnahaYJQIEwsZy4EvlEJau43dOsz4-3u9NSJRBMhQ3RrG_iH-MvBb0upDHcVlSkSi3MO1JbdY9WHeoilNd2DT8S5Q6fZAUkDfJktcwoa8sYEjJmHM7Q0/s1600/mb3.jpg" width="140" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcCSL0CQRFPp614n_kEwQalVo8jK1MKZQtzxuDdd_whaqT1PiCdvCaHPWiDeDBpVsMi9YgH1p8FChd38sORF3UfIjjgw4SZ37_Jr5hu9XcdHBo9u8JMhVGuqmQ95ebUgQNQGejc340nVaFMc6vBEuQk-d5p0WJwVpcaQtPFI1b0iot2p6V1l0Tf6SZ1c/s3500/mb4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="3500" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVcCSL0CQRFPp614n_kEwQalVo8jK1MKZQtzxuDdd_whaqT1PiCdvCaHPWiDeDBpVsMi9YgH1p8FChd38sORF3UfIjjgw4SZ37_Jr5hu9XcdHBo9u8JMhVGuqmQ95ebUgQNQGejc340nVaFMc6vBEuQk-d5p0WJwVpcaQtPFI1b0iot2p6V1l0Tf6SZ1c/w200-h130/mb4.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>After the reprimand, a customer walks in to the shop and, while he thinks no one is looking, attempts to steal a rare book from a case on which he picks the lock. Ruby spots Jeff (Peter Reynolds) and makes him put the book back. But instead of reporting him, she accepts a date with him after work.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLR_KJRz1gPK2dmUMRsWxxMrUddMtl5fNwT6IodBBhkQbigbtAr4eLrbIxWCo1ww0o6TTWtU1i0STgH8S48SwhTcA4CTfk-Ic75FVx2g_5I_39BHbF_NrYNw42d9Q0nloj4EA876HZuex1KYARPuyMBKjOZZRtL0px_zj0Rov2lupCA6o_8DYK5GTKOsU/s264/mb2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="191" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLR_KJRz1gPK2dmUMRsWxxMrUddMtl5fNwT6IodBBhkQbigbtAr4eLrbIxWCo1ww0o6TTWtU1i0STgH8S48SwhTcA4CTfk-Ic75FVx2g_5I_39BHbF_NrYNw42d9Q0nloj4EA876HZuex1KYARPuyMBKjOZZRtL0px_zj0Rov2lupCA6o_8DYK5GTKOsU/s1600/mb2.jpg" width="191" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Later, Ruby ends up having to work late with Mr. Harman. In a moment of contact with Ruby, Harman impulsively kisses Ruby.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjretMYioMNRdMpIcZlcreNxIzgepNiafvu-GIau3ApjzG5IM7y0Xri4a7m-BE1L3JvCeQibVIm-8OpY7H306DP8hE08qyxP442msEtIbix2cAfjPTRJHqWpG4Xn1Q-oF4n_aLmhz0DK75nI4uDwzWPMzz-HaZfkJZBJoX2YghUknEvAD6BHDnPmGyo420/s640/mb1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="640" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjretMYioMNRdMpIcZlcreNxIzgepNiafvu-GIau3ApjzG5IM7y0Xri4a7m-BE1L3JvCeQibVIm-8OpY7H306DP8hE08qyxP442msEtIbix2cAfjPTRJHqWpG4Xn1Q-oF4n_aLmhz0DK75nI4uDwzWPMzz-HaZfkJZBJoX2YghUknEvAD6BHDnPmGyo420/s320/mb1.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> <br /></p><p>Jeff is the unscrupulous sort, and, in case it wasn't obvious, is not averse to using any means to get money. So when Ruby tells him that Mr. Harman kissed her, Jeff concocts a plan to extort money from Harman, or else have Ruby inform his wife of the indiscretion.</p><p>Of course, even with the blackmail, it's not enough. Jeff sends a letter, purportedly from Ruby, to inform Harman's wife. But his wife (Isabel Dean), an invalid, ends up dying while trying to burn the letter. A confrontation occurs between Harman and Ruby and later, Jeff appears in the shop demanding all the money Ruby had extorted from Harman. He also ends up inadvertently killing Ruby and stashes her in a crate of books being shipped. </p><p>Harman discovers the body first as in on the run. Suspicion immediately falls on Harman when the police discover the body later. Harman enlists the help of his secretary (Marguerite Chapman) to find out the truth as to who killed Ruby.</p><p>Except for the unrealistic attempt at blackmail (surely a better path could have been written.), the intrigue involved in the discovery of the real culprit has some good film noir scenes, and overall it is a pretty good example of acting from the main cast members. </p><p>I like the idea of setting the film in a bookstore. There are a couple of problems with these scenes that do stand out, though. This is not a chain store bookstore on the same business level as, say Barnes and Noble. It's just a local bookstore, so having what looks like about 12 employees on duty does not seem all that believable from an economic standpoint.</p><p>The other thing is that Ruby seems to have a history of being late to work. Are the employers that desperate for help that they can continue to let her stay? She has obviously been doing it for some time, you see. Even if I had a hot woman like Ruby as an employee I doubt I would have let her last as long as she seems to have been doing.</p><p>Overall, I would not give this film as high a rating as it has. (IMDb rates this one higher than the previous entry, <i>Bad Blonde</i>...) I think <i>Bad Blonde</i> is a better picture. But both are fairly good given that they are British attempts at a mostly American genre.</p><p> <br /></p><p>Well, the old Plymouth is up and running, so it's time to head home.</p><p>Drive safely, folks.</p><p>Quiggy<br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFe4N0oHEpeR8QCUdopk1NKy_3AFu2jI4FvX1hhpD4SIR5lHeKQbVoXTdHVmoYBJSlxvGNb_iNCz0FSuYiBlahU1YqrHhC0Wp_nkzXuKAruTo98y4OkvI7Qm0Q6sbganVMZyBUkzAzvjfhsZ7eiU4L5S5ojGQno34EkqzdPTJOghyphenhyphencMDU-44_UwRzk_8s/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFe4N0oHEpeR8QCUdopk1NKy_3AFu2jI4FvX1hhpD4SIR5lHeKQbVoXTdHVmoYBJSlxvGNb_iNCz0FSuYiBlahU1YqrHhC0Wp_nkzXuKAruTo98y4OkvI7Qm0Q6sbganVMZyBUkzAzvjfhsZ7eiU4L5S5ojGQno34EkqzdPTJOghyphenhyphencMDU-44_UwRzk_8s/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-17613745416145403952023-11-23T03:00:00.026-06:002023-11-30T04:14:35.611-06:00Can a Humbug Hum?<p> </p><p>Years ago I posted an article about the Bill Murray film <a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2016/12/fruitcakes-and-nuts-and-bill-murray.html">Scrooged</a> and gave a brief history of the Dickens story on which it was based, <i>A Christmas Carol</i>. As well as highlight some of those classic films (and TV shows).<br /></p><p>A brief reiteration: There are two holiday traditions that I have to get into the holidays: One is every Christmas Eve I watch <a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2018/12/christmas-with-baileys.html">It's A Wonderful Life</a>. The other is I watch a version of Dickens' classic tale. A few years ago there was even a fictional account of the struggles Dickens himself had while trying to write that story, <a href="https://midnitedrive-in.blogspot.com/2017/12/the-dickens-you-say.html">The Man Who Invented Christmas</a></p><p> Just the other day I came across a magazine at the checkout stand.</p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-AzxRFEIxqpGwbT89Tv_dpZdAlocrW5esIRjwjxVqYToOQU7Ay7vtOkdZVZ4keU6cBTFMpMewVgwaoNi43GkA_xpd2t0-x0Y9i84IhDw-JYLgwEe0oKBIT2aWfyQQR2kn_TNepuecO7HzadthOpExJ0MEv4gVrHUr1kZBESrvpd_XRAK6UygoS9WsgQ/s479/cc1.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-AzxRFEIxqpGwbT89Tv_dpZdAlocrW5esIRjwjxVqYToOQU7Ay7vtOkdZVZ4keU6cBTFMpMewVgwaoNi43GkA_xpd2t0-x0Y9i84IhDw-JYLgwEe0oKBIT2aWfyQQR2kn_TNepuecO7HzadthOpExJ0MEv4gVrHUr1kZBESrvpd_XRAK6UygoS9WsgQ/s320/cc1.webp" width="241" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p>You know, these things always crop up now and again. I must've picked up several of them over the years. I have 3 just dedicated to Marvel comics and the movies made from them. (Blatant Promotion! Watch this blog for a review of those movies coming next year.) </p><p>The magazines are highly entertaining if you find one that has an appeal to one of your interests. But, truth be told, they are really just glorified coffee table books in magazine form. The print copy is just an afterthought, the real attraction is some of the pictures within.</p><p>Occasionally the print copy will enlighten though, especially if you are unaware of it. For instance, as much as I knew about the story behind <i>A Christmas Carol</i>, I was unaware that Dickens named Jacob Marley after an acquaintance he met at a dinner party, a physician named Miles Marley. The physician apparently introduced himself to Dickens for the sole purpose of getting his name in a Dickens story. He knew that Dickens liked to use odd and unique names for his characters.<br /></p><p>Recently I acquired a copy of the Jim Carrey version of the film. I had seen the previously released <i>How the Grinch Stole Christmas</i> with Carrey in the theater, but I completely missed the opportunity to see this one. When I ran across it at the used bookstore earlier this year I quite naturally latched on to it. Of course, I had to wait until the Christmas season rolled around to watch it, because, after all, I did have my tradition to keep.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNOXlegw8E9izUEPlxceyhuN4-VbyxeMJnsmm44AL-3SalqZ8iP00luyB1ZVZoYZrK_FFhRTcAK-qK4Ntnd9k4-3_XOljGCRlMNjhCV38Lsvk_yP0piL2JH0wZIZI3SlldyU3CxSr_jWiPg8dgLN-BCUpBgGu2-cpBDT6hEIZ5nS8JcBJO3KNbaaFb24/s1600/cc3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1035" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdNOXlegw8E9izUEPlxceyhuN4-VbyxeMJnsmm44AL-3SalqZ8iP00luyB1ZVZoYZrK_FFhRTcAK-qK4Ntnd9k4-3_XOljGCRlMNjhCV38Lsvk_yP0piL2JH0wZIZI3SlldyU3CxSr_jWiPg8dgLN-BCUpBgGu2-cpBDT6hEIZ5nS8JcBJO3KNbaaFb24/s320/cc3.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>A Christmas Carol</b> (2009):</p><p><br /></p><p>Of course, everyone above, say, the age of 5, is probably already is familiar with the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation from a "squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous" old man to a generous life-loving new man. To go into a complete review of the plot of this version would, therefore, be repetitive. But, then, this would be a rather short review if I just told you I liked or didn't like it...<br /></p><p>This is an animated version of the story, the only one, to my knowledge, that was actually a full length theatrically released <b>animated</b> version, as opposed to using real people to portray the story. "Theatrically" being the key word. Of course there were numerous TV animated versions. And I don't include any that may or may not have been released to theaters in countries other than the US, because I think there actually was one released to theaters in the UK, but that one was only a direct to video release here.</p><p>Actually it's more correct to call this a "captured motion" film, which as I understand it, it was filmed with real people and then animated digitally in the studio. So, in other words, Carrey and his costars performed the film and then the computer geniuses in the production studio created a computerized animation of it for the film. (at least, that's how I THINK it was done. I'm not a "computer genius"...) So in the real person form, Jim Carrey and his costars could do the scene and, as in the case of the Ghosts, Jim Carrey could actually voice two different characters in the same scene. (Cary Elwes, for instance, was a stand-in in the scenes featuring the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present, but in the production studios, Jim Carrey could voice both.) <br /></p><p>In contrast to the book, this version includes an insight into the skinflint nature of Ebenezer Scrooge (voiced by Jim Carrey). It begins with the death of Scrooge's partner, Jacob Marley. Scrooge has to pay the embalmer and reluctantly dips in to his coin purse to pay the bill. But before he leaves, he absconds with the coins over Marley's eyes. (A tradition that is not common these days, and it's origin is debated. But suffice to say that coins were placed over the eyes prior to burial. Whether it was to "pay the ferryman" or just as a practical way of keeping the eyes from opening during burial, I can't say.)</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5t8Xeu6JF2IqlcPD0eqPZ2McMqi4aWiH7bgEODo1O1-PyTDbd7aMeBvNgah6BvKPU8Nu5IwuThN3I8IPSzN9gXSEKEzSrppb_3KSmLno0QaaJOU0tTqrMkkL17ShZ2mXFakjJpDt1DrbsJYf4iwlejPR-edBfvYwW_zRntjJECtW-QQif3xKOj2HV9ug/s268/cc2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="268" data-original-width="188" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5t8Xeu6JF2IqlcPD0eqPZ2McMqi4aWiH7bgEODo1O1-PyTDbd7aMeBvNgah6BvKPU8Nu5IwuThN3I8IPSzN9gXSEKEzSrppb_3KSmLno0QaaJOU0tTqrMkkL17ShZ2mXFakjJpDt1DrbsJYf4iwlejPR-edBfvYwW_zRntjJECtW-QQif3xKOj2HV9ug/s1600/cc2.jpg" width="188" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>Then we flash forward to the traditional story, seven years later, and from here the film follows along quite nicely with the familiar opening; that of Scrooge's nephew's ((voiced by Colin Firth) entreaty to Scrooge to join him and his family in their Christmas day celebration. As well as that of a pair of do-gooders trying to get Scrooge to donate to a charity.</p><p>(Here I will interject a problem I've always had with the story. These charity people are showing up on Scrooge's doorstep unaware of the fact that Marley has been dead for seven years. They don't know if they are addressing Scrooge or Marley. Had these guys never bothered Scrooge for donations in the preceding seven years? And how is that they, despite quite a lot of others already aware of it, don't know that Scrooge ought to be avoided like the plague, because he is a grumpy, foul-tempered cheap miser?)</p><p>When Scrooge gets home, he is visited by the spirit of his dead partner Jacob (voiced by Gary Oldman). This is one of the most impressive scenes in the film. Previous live-action films had limited ways of presenting Marley. Prior to this, I thought that Frank Finlay in the TV version that featured George C. Scott in the pivotal Scrooge role had done he best. But this animated version really brought the horror of Marley's Ghost to full fruition.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoz-Ye22C7AUu2l05dC2_rAV3k0LDoPG8ZuJIlQFrrv_kQw2puv5G2yE-GAgmpyjOhYrSEfHQAa7ZwnZ1xDLuZGDyVeKtjNZ6MoqbuqQOxin4FtVpsT2SwYqLmhXwn5C6cIn648dfARhXnQqn67KSpFQASbHaYSmP4W6_e19yrqmmiXj3uJregpqUprlc/s736/cc4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="736" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoz-Ye22C7AUu2l05dC2_rAV3k0LDoPG8ZuJIlQFrrv_kQw2puv5G2yE-GAgmpyjOhYrSEfHQAa7ZwnZ1xDLuZGDyVeKtjNZ6MoqbuqQOxin4FtVpsT2SwYqLmhXwn5C6cIn648dfARhXnQqn67KSpFQASbHaYSmP4W6_e19yrqmmiXj3uJregpqUprlc/s320/cc4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As per the traditional story, Marley tells Scrooge that he is trying to save Scrooge from the same terrible fate that he himself has suffered since his death, and thus Scrooge will be visited by three spirits. From here on the story progresses as one would expect from a telling of the classic story. Scrooge visits the halcyon days of the past (his own past) which turn out to have some good memories, as well as one or two bad ones. (He lost his one true love in favor of another love, that of the love of a woman for his love of money). He also has an adventure with the Ghost of Christmas Present where he sees the hovel his poor clerk has to live, discovering that Bob has a son who will soon die if his ailment is not remedied, as well as a look at the party he disparaged given by his nephew. In both, despite Scrooge's cruel attitudes towards them, he discovers that they still wish him a pleasant Christmas.</p><p> </p><p><br /><br /> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiua1CYwBIxAEBPrMtauyoTWLTYYH8v66jYRlgSSvcSnDq2DW8KmmYSOowYlpPrhVlnYoeUzIyb3DE2zplWitDAiG2rbzb5duNvCerdCWGPJIWa6l42aLltMj3yNN99ZgSAws4o562ooLjGXm7et4qmcSdx6i9M2UEXAeAUQYp9PAw83QLOmkaeA6_51RM/s240/cc5.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="210" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiua1CYwBIxAEBPrMtauyoTWLTYYH8v66jYRlgSSvcSnDq2DW8KmmYSOowYlpPrhVlnYoeUzIyb3DE2zplWitDAiG2rbzb5duNvCerdCWGPJIWa6l42aLltMj3yNN99ZgSAws4o562ooLjGXm7et4qmcSdx6i9M2UEXAeAUQYp9PAw83QLOmkaeA6_51RM/w175-h200/cc5.jpeg" width="175" /></a></div> <p></p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtVXTdbdEtjqdwrhfqvE7A0E9kYC0Fq5LM68Dv0qM-K_Pdi34kBQxMzosLzx04d6WUfDSSpkblyiuF9inF9gLzVEXzjKW8B00AAUQ7tsFnNMeCk6Zx5aCJnREIgTiorvXxkamKNhh_F1dLeqqwmjQlsXoHxCfeZtw5rLK3PBcOzv8zw4smjX3aWMRdp0/s750/cc6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="750" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTtVXTdbdEtjqdwrhfqvE7A0E9kYC0Fq5LM68Dv0qM-K_Pdi34kBQxMzosLzx04d6WUfDSSpkblyiuF9inF9gLzVEXzjKW8B00AAUQ7tsFnNMeCk6Zx5aCJnREIgTiorvXxkamKNhh_F1dLeqqwmjQlsXoHxCfeZtw5rLK3PBcOzv8zw4smjX3aWMRdp0/w200-h113/cc6.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> <p></p><p> </p><p>Then comes the Ghost of Christmas Future who shows Scrooge people who are reacting with frivolity to the death of a still unknown man who was a not well-loved one. When Scrooge entreats the Ghost to show him some sorrow and bereavement instead of the frivolity, the Ghost shows him Bob and his family, who are distraught over the death of Tim. And of course we must see the familiar scene where the Ghost reveals who the dead man was.</p><p>Upon his arrival back home, Scrooge of course is transformed and happily discovers that Christmas is still nigh, so he can get started right away with his change of life.</p><p>One thing you should know about this version. It is far more a ghost story with all the creepiness that is attributed to such stories (and truer to the spirit of the ghost story aspect of the original story.). It's a fun version, and although it will not move up to replace my absolute favorite version, that of the George C. Scott one from the 80's, I think I can safely ensconce it into second place. The critics on Rotten Tomatoes are only about %0% in agreement, but Roger Ebert did give it a 4 star rating, and I'll get behind him on that.</p><p>Hope you all have a Merry Christmas this year.<br /></p><p>Quiggy</p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Fup2MhcX_UR69K81FbLMayBlR0ojE_W008aZCxeW6pBcBOaJStQMN0jjAWU8sQ-8vce7Wwu5DaHP3UKyh1ylPK6c4auWPrCS7WhttccC6VC4LwbIC2PVKygAprNMF9TnNr6-YDfCP9uvHDM45wMy9BHToK9rBefu4vbg_dTcTif6OieyN9-vx8-z4lc/s320/di%20end.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Fup2MhcX_UR69K81FbLMayBlR0ojE_W008aZCxeW6pBcBOaJStQMN0jjAWU8sQ-8vce7Wwu5DaHP3UKyh1ylPK6c4auWPrCS7WhttccC6VC4LwbIC2PVKygAprNMF9TnNr6-YDfCP9uvHDM45wMy9BHToK9rBefu4vbg_dTcTif6OieyN9-vx8-z4lc/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6722895377719228596.post-85375869509598428752023-11-19T02:00:00.004-06:002023-11-19T02:00:00.148-06:00Mummy Dearest<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDU-h6aM3ZAZVFM8zMPrKTyytZobveRz0LTXaBC6XxhlWbxZDmgyr5bJwyZEC2ipbQnUr41K5kIjG5G7q8mofnFyKp-KwfneAlwt5GhQVBWe1gPsYFb7uaCMOX3le7dF_FMgt4nbAVZ1iHGvG-qppZvt5XtvCDJ0m3H6-rXzTFxhyU6hkSv7BgwDFODE4/s1200/tjb2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDU-h6aM3ZAZVFM8zMPrKTyytZobveRz0LTXaBC6XxhlWbxZDmgyr5bJwyZEC2ipbQnUr41K5kIjG5G7q8mofnFyKp-KwfneAlwt5GhQVBWe1gPsYFb7uaCMOX3le7dF_FMgt4nbAVZ1iHGvG-qppZvt5XtvCDJ0m3H6-rXzTFxhyU6hkSv7BgwDFODE4/s320/tjb2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p> </p><p> This is my entry in <a href="https://takinguproom.com/2023/08/21/announcing-the-two-jacks-blogathon/">The Two Jacks Blogathon</a> hosted by <b>Taking Up Room</b></p><p><b> </b><br /></p><p>What if? There are rumors, or at least there were, that Elvis faked his own death. Witness the many "sightings" of Elvis at the grocery store, or filling up at the gas pump at the station, or door-to-door vacuum cleaner sales. </p><p>Believe it or not, there have also been rumors that John F. Kennedy survived his assassination attempt. Not so many people claim to have actually seen him wandering the streets, true, but many of the inconsistencies surrounding his death and the aftermath have led to some admittedly crackpot theories.</p><p>A fascinating read on the subject is "Who Shot JFK? A Guide to the Major Conspiracy Theories" by Bob Callahan. The book covers everything from the reasonably believable (The C.I.A. or the Russians or the Cubans were involved) to the downright insane (aliens were involved). If I'm not mistaken that's where I first read about a theory that the body that was autopsied at Parkland was not the President but a look-alike and JFK survived the assassination.</p><p>My personal belief, after years of reading various theories, is that Lee Harvey Oswald may not have been the one who actually succeeded in his attempt, although I do not subscribe to the theory that he was not actually involved. I also do not subscribe to that theory that it was someone else that died.</p><p>However, it does make for an interesting "what if?" So that what if is a sub-context of today's post.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWBJhDxremptqCp0M22ZonGh5XQvLXvj-b7vrL3UhbRjCkn7N3yQKvvy1_fTEBjkH4a2ms345GFIEjtV62ts9eC7SHEe7NeRhushUeYZ1yQVMysS9GK1tA9uMS8S_xC-RbbWC7VefbC_23crsl_33KCwQaUWAcO2G1yFSajMUH0mo4P6WbwoAW3R-Msg/s326/twjb1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="326" data-original-width="220" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWBJhDxremptqCp0M22ZonGh5XQvLXvj-b7vrL3UhbRjCkn7N3yQKvvy1_fTEBjkH4a2ms345GFIEjtV62ts9eC7SHEe7NeRhushUeYZ1yQVMysS9GK1tA9uMS8S_xC-RbbWC7VefbC_23crsl_33KCwQaUWAcO2G1yFSajMUH0mo4P6WbwoAW3R-Msg/s320/twjb1.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Bubba Ho-Tep</b> (2002):</p><p><br /></p><p>Living in a nursing home, an elderly man lives in a barely coherent state, thinking about his past life, and watching the poor souls around him dying off, as will happen in such a place. After all, old age does come along in a stealthy manner. The old man lies in his bed, lamenting the decline of his sexual libido. And musing about his past, wondering if his ex Priscilla would come to see him if she knew he was there. </p><p>Priscilla. As in Priscilla Presley. For this isn't just any old man. This is THE Elvis Presley (Bruce Campbell). Yeah, the one who supposedly died in the 70's. Only the staff believes his real name is Sebastian Haff, a former Elvis impersonator. Because, see, just prior to the death of Elvis, Elvis had gone to one of the best Elvis impersonators in the business and made a deal to trade with him. Sebastian would take the place of Elvis and be the center of all that attention, and Elvis would become Haff, just a normal Joe, albeit one who made his living impersonating Elvis.</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNhillTTCXNSZFXhFkpMyAvHn9EXBZVBVnvi8pRNRvUezI4GetExWcV89hPrfcWg2gtApz5MX7tQRDQEKGL1XG6iUfrDFyHx0Ot9Q3IxKsLguECFsY49CUA93p8siy59pWQjbhxruda7tfkz8h7t_wqgme2US0j1CdixApQv9yjh4RoFaOP_aQk0IobY/s758/hotep1.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="758" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNhillTTCXNSZFXhFkpMyAvHn9EXBZVBVnvi8pRNRvUezI4GetExWcV89hPrfcWg2gtApz5MX7tQRDQEKGL1XG6iUfrDFyHx0Ot9Q3IxKsLguECFsY49CUA93p8siy59pWQjbhxruda7tfkz8h7t_wqgme2US0j1CdixApQv9yjh4RoFaOP_aQk0IobY/s320/hotep1.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>(Just a note: I don't have any idea if such a thing existed prior to Elvis' death. I personally thought the rise of impersonators only became such a thing after his death. But maybe someone who has been around longer than me could clear that up.)</p><p>Anyway, Elvis/Sebastian's roommate dies and the daughter of the man shows up to collect his stuff. A rather self-centered girl, she had only been there once before, 20 years earlier, to drop him off. In the process of her visit, Elvis reveals his true past. He had made a deal with Haff to switch places, with a codicil in the contract between them that if Elvis wanted his old life back he could do it. But the contract burned up in a fire. And in the following years Elvis had been hurt while performing under the impersonator guise. And the imitator had died in a hotel room while still playing the "real" Elvis. So only the real Elvis knows the truth. And the rest of the world still thinks he's a delusional impersonator.</p><p>Elvis (I will call him that for the rest of the review) has only one real friend in the nursing home. Elvis thinks the old man has lost most of his marbles because this old man thinks he is John F. Kennedy. What complicates this matter is the old man (Ossie Davis) is black, and of course, JFK was white. The way Jack tells it is they dyed his skin black, among other things.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgflDaMqrV8KVbNJ5sFTnV8YWDeL-Ih-ZQ-TRWU_6cSLAznWwBd1DJFKHrw6xOG6r3TXEnz5ii9-ORh7ZvpBu3nJLiis-RHH2vrPTgFmbQ27-NNhlkXNc0WGBx3US7XqVUNHVQj-4K6DxYsZ1Xupcq1KrFPDIvKw6QkxEKnhMGxugFZd7RQGMd4fvnUuaw/s1000/hotep2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="1000" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgflDaMqrV8KVbNJ5sFTnV8YWDeL-Ih-ZQ-TRWU_6cSLAznWwBd1DJFKHrw6xOG6r3TXEnz5ii9-ORh7ZvpBu3nJLiis-RHH2vrPTgFmbQ27-NNhlkXNc0WGBx3US7XqVUNHVQj-4K6DxYsZ1Xupcq1KrFPDIvKw6QkxEKnhMGxugFZd7RQGMd4fvnUuaw/s320/hotep2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>The nursing home garners a new resident, albeit not one who is registered with the staff. This new resident, instead, is a manifestation of the evil spirit of a dead Egyptian mummy(?) JFK and Elvis discover this soul eater, and Jack has some ideas. He has a book about the Egyptian Book of the Dead. Not the real book you may have heard of, however. This is one called The Everyday Man and Woman's Book of the Dead. </p><p>Jack thinks he's figured out what happened. This Egyptian mummy has risen from the dead and needs souls to survive. What better way to get it's nourishment than around an old folk's home where it's not curious that people are dying?</p><p>And what got Jack to thinking about this? He found some graffiti in the stall of one of the restrooms. Hieroglyphs, but still your standard fare for public restroom graffiti."Pharaoh gobbles donkey goobers." and "Cleopatra does the nasty." (Did I mention this is a comedy/horror film?)</p><p>Elvis is not entirely convinced, of course, and thinks Jack is just nuts. Until a few moments later when he meets the mummy face to face, decked out in boots and a cowboy hat, yet. </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfA65HrwQk4o5ZoecKaV1rkQweeN3mJyy-H6VS0tC4GXLkKN0ETFurDljBvqgdv2k2uiZ4XgteBg981rDuz5WDVJ69lH-cmDrDmH-J8SCmxs69x6VETgqViwrIZ_XP3vo8xFAkDy3gMKdze7rZCL3ILdPGy-37mKsVQDRcDeOgfjyxOCXqIBm0PWNPn8Y/s300/hotep3.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="300" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfA65HrwQk4o5ZoecKaV1rkQweeN3mJyy-H6VS0tC4GXLkKN0ETFurDljBvqgdv2k2uiZ4XgteBg981rDuz5WDVJ69lH-cmDrDmH-J8SCmxs69x6VETgqViwrIZ_XP3vo8xFAkDy3gMKdze7rZCL3ILdPGy-37mKsVQDRcDeOgfjyxOCXqIBm0PWNPn8Y/s1600/hotep3.webp" width="300" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p> </p><p>He also gets a vision of what happened, not only in the long past, as in how the mummy died in ancient Egypt, but even a glimpse into the recent past, when the rediscovered mummy is being transported by bus and the bus crashes off a bridge into the local river. Which explains how Bubba Ho-Tep, as Elvis has named him, came to be hanging around the rest home.</p><p>How the mummy came to be on a bus is pretty funny, too. It seems some thieves hijacked the mummy for ransom. (It wasn't like it was King Tut, with all the security guards around to guard the valuable relic. He was just a lesser known mummy, probably King Tut's brother...) But the thieves were transporting their illicit cargo by bus and ran into a storm in East Texas and crashed into the local river.</p><p>So Elvis and Jack know the truth, but since everyone else thinks their old coots who are losing their grasp on sanity, it's up to them to save the rest home and the rest of society from this scourge of the undead.</p><p>I'll leave it up to you to watch to see how it all comes out. <i>Bubba Ho-Tep</i> makes for some pretty good entertainment. And believe it or not, Roger Ebert gave it 3 out of 4 stars (take that as you will). It won two U.S. Comedy Arts Film Festival Awards (Best Actor and Best Film) (Side note: I don't know that much about the USCA awards. It was an HBO sponsored event than only lasted about 13 years, from 1995-2008. And I can't find a page on the internet that lists what it was up against.)<br /></p><p>It was also an "Official Selection" for several film festivals including one that is near and dear to my heart because of it's local venue the SXSW (South by Southwest) Film Festival in Austin. Hey, it's not <i>Gone with the Wind</i>, but as long as you can get a feel for comedy/horror it is just as good as say, <i>The Evil Dead</i>, (one of star Bruce Campbell's first films). And you get to see Ossie Davis put on a good tongue-in-cheek performance as a black John F, Kennedy.</p><p><br /></p><p>Well, time to fire up the old Plymouth, and go "take care of business". Drive safely, folks.</p><p><br /></p><p>Quiggy</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEImBxsmdbsMzDlX-fFKT8rVZ6Riq-GiteQ4nOqhik57T_Oyc2YcjoRCUtiRKXX9sdj_iYzVVlmQ8CapHdvQ8wimCb0nLAc9UZ5PlVRZbYJlS_2wSw34FxRe8mZDxuO0VMAvemsaawOih2MveOQEwhjFRX4x3LYmuS_lNZr4gBQBgfYnF8uFR_e7Pw0Bk/s320/di%20end.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="320" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEImBxsmdbsMzDlX-fFKT8rVZ6Riq-GiteQ4nOqhik57T_Oyc2YcjoRCUtiRKXX9sdj_iYzVVlmQ8CapHdvQ8wimCb0nLAc9UZ5PlVRZbYJlS_2wSw34FxRe8mZDxuO0VMAvemsaawOih2MveOQEwhjFRX4x3LYmuS_lNZr4gBQBgfYnF8uFR_e7Pw0Bk/s1600/di%20end.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Quiggyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12434473473185065992noreply@blogger.com4