Semiquincentennial Movie Project #20: Mississippi Burning

 

The Semiquincentennial  Movie Project is an ongoing celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. During the course of this project your humble blogger is choosing a movie a week to represent each of the 50 states in the Union, as well as a movie scheduled for 4th of July weekend that will represent the nation's capitol, Washington D.C. The order of the weekly entries will coincide with the order of each state's entry into the fold (although, not necessarily coinciding with the date of their entry into said fold).

 

 

 

Week #20: Mississippi -

The state of Mississippi was established on December 10, 1817 (which, by the way, is the day before your humble blogger's birthday, although not the same year, obviously...)  

Details about Mississippi:

State bird: Northern mockingbird

State flower: Magnolia

State tree: Southern Magnolia 

Mississippi is the first state to allow conjugal visits for long term prisoners.

Since we will be celebrating it next week, Mississippi lays claim to being the site of the first Memorial Day. (There are disputes on this, BTW...)

The first female to be hired as a mail carrier came from Mississippi.

Coca Cola was invented in Atlanta, but the first bottling plant for the drink was in Vicksburg.

The University of Mississippi is home to the oldest book in the U.S. 

And Mississippi is the only state (so far) to have an official state toy (must've a slow day in Congress that day...). It's the teddy bear. 

Famous people born in Mississippi: Elvis Presley, B. B. King, James Earl Jones, Morgan Freeman, Brett Favre, Walter Payton, Jefferson Davis, Jerry Clower, William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams (believe it or not!)

One quick note: The above flag was adopted in 2021 due to pressure from the "politically correct" crowd. For much of it's existence (after the Civil War) the state flag was different.

 

Mississippi obviously held on to it's southern heritage and past for as long as it could, which becomes relevant when discussing today's entry in the Project. It was the last state in the Union to remove any trace of the Confederate flag from it's official state flag.

 

 

 

Mississippi Burning (1988): 

One of the saddest events to happen in Mississippi's history was the death of three civil rights activists in 1964. The Ku Klux Klan murdered James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwermer for the "crime" of trying to register black citizens to vote. Rather than go into intricate detail, you can check out this link to get details of the actual event.

The film is a highly fictionalized account of the event and the investigation by the FBI into what happened. There are a number of discrepancies in the film, although most of them irrelevant to the overall storyas presented in the film.  Of course, this is a film, and not a true-to-life documentary, so unless you are a stickler for absolute accuracy, the film version of the basic background events has the effect that it was meant to convey; the fact that the racism prevalent in pre-civil rights South was irrational and entirely motivated by an irrational and unfounded hatred of a people just because of the color of their skin. But to note, as Robert Brent Toplin says in his book History by Hollywood, the film "features far too many fictional situations to escape objections from the champions of authenticity". I have no desire to make this review a critical study of fact vs. fiction, however. For further study I suggest the chapter to devoted to the film in the above noted reference.

The primary focus of the film involves FBI agents who have been sent to a small town in Mississippi to investigate the disappearance of two civil rights activists who were sent to help register the black citizenry to be able to vote, a right that said citizenry already had, but was blocked by the predominantly white and racist population, including those who were in the position of supposedly seeing that that right was not infringed. Of course, since many of those in positions of the government were also members of the racist organization known as the Ku Klux Klan, they were not inclined to extend those rights to the disenfranchised minority.

Agent Alan Ward (Willem Dafoe) is the man in charge of the FBI contingent and he is constantly at odds with the older and more world wise, southernly speaking, Agent Rupert Anderson (Gene Hackman). Ward is a "by the book" official, who insists that everything has to be done the way the FBI has established operations be done. Anderson, on the other hand, who had been raised in the south and had even spent some time in the law enforcement community of said South, is adamant that the "bureau procedure" is not going to be as effective in this situation, since he knows from experience how people in the South think.

 

The pair arrive in the county seat of Jessup County, Mississippi, and begin their investigation. They run into problems at the very beginning, when they run headlong into what is going to be the brick wall of the investigation.

 

One of the best scenes featuring Hackman's Anderson in a one-on-one encounter with the good old boys in a private bar is indicative of why I think Hackman was deserving of his nomination, if not of actually winning, the Oscar. (And note: If you are prudish about language, you might want to skip this scene. Fair warning.)

 

 

It's not easy to like Willem Dafoe's character, even if his moral compass is pointed in the right direction, but there is one scene, a confrontation between Ward and Anderson that really stands out. (and again,be aware of the language factor...)

 

The hostility that the racist native population exposes to the interlopers is mainly centered on the main combatants in the conflict. The most hostile, in my opinion, is Frank Bailey (Michael Rooker). The above scene in the private bar with Hackman is indicative of the outright resistance and hatred that the character has, not only for the local black populace, but for these interloping federal agents come to stir up trouble. 

 

Much of the citizenry only watches the invasion of the feds with a bit of curiosity, not really hostile to the investigation, per se. But Deputy Clinton Pell's (Brad Dourif) wife, Mrs. Pell (Frances McDormand) has her moral compass pointed in the right direction. She forms a friendship with Agent Anderson, and basically informs him that the she knows those three civil rights workers were killed, and that she is pretty sure she knows who all was involved, including her husband.

 

The investigation often stalls, not only because those involved in the murder are also the ones to whom the agents are dependent to supply help, but also because the local black population is reluctant to give assistance out of fear of reprisals by the Klan. And the Klan indeed puts their hard influence into the fray, even fire bombing some houses and churches of locals they suspect of helping (whether the locals actually DID help the agents or not).

 

Eventually Agent Ward concedes that his by the book approach is going nowhere and allows Agent Anderson to execute some "less than legal" tactics to get the results they need.  They eventually find the bodies of the missing civil rights workers, but it takes a bit more tactics to pin the blame on the guilty parties. One of my favorite scenes is when the Mayor (R. Lee Ermey) is kidnapped and taken to a shack by a big bulky black Federal Agent who uses some scare tactics on him to get him to admit to being peripherally involved. This in itself could not be used in an actual court trial since it was information acquired through coercion, but it does help the ultimate goal of getting some of the others to admit to involvement.

 

The film was nominated for several Academy Awards, but unfortunately had the bad luck to be pitted against Rain Man in many of them. As good as Rain Man was, my personal opinion is that Mississippi Burning got robbed in a couple of categories. Overall I think Mississippi Burning was far better than Rain Man in the category for best director. I concede the Best Actor to Dustin Hoffman, mostly because of the work he did in conveying the eccentricities of the character he played, although I am pretty sure that Hackman came in second in the voting. But I also would have given the Best Supporting Actress award to Frances McDormand.  I will admit that the one Oscar that the movie did win, that for Best Cinematography, seems more like a concession than an actual win... Who Framed Roger Rabbit? probably should have won that one.

Despite the measure of criticism the film garnered as a result of it's heavy reliance on fictional portrayals as opposed to fact, it was generally well-received by the critics at large. Rotten Tomatoes gives it a fairly good 79% Fresh rating. The dynamic duo of critics, Siskel and Ebert, gave it a two thumbs up on their TV show, Siskel & Ebert & The Movies. The movie made a modest showing at the box office, doubling it's initial budget. 

As a historian, I can empathize with some of the critics who object to historical discrepancies in this film, but  as a general film lover, I can also appreciate how the movie pans out in terms of it's story.  As long as you go into it expecting a story and not necessarily a documentary, the acting of the primary actors portraying their individual characters can be taken in stride. If the point is to instill a dislike for the proponents of segregation and racist attitudes is the point, then both Brad Dourif and Michael Rooker stand out, even if they do come across, at times, as cardboard caricatures one might typically expect from Hollywood. Given that, I would recommend this movie, at least to those of you old enough to understand the implications presented.  

Until next week, drive safely.   

Quiggy 

 

Ho Ho OMG

 

OK, let's settle this argument once and for all.  Die Hard is NOT a Christmas movie. Just because you set a movie at Christmas time, and insert a few genial "Merry Christmas"es into the film, and maybe put a guy in a Santa suit in it somewhere does not automatically give it the status of "Christmas" movie.  

I mean, you've got these lists of so-called "Christmas"  movies, like Lethal Weapon, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, L.A. Confidential and even Batman Returns, all of which are solid action and/or dramatic movies, but the connection to Christmas is tenuous at best. All of these movies would work just as well if the holiday in question  was Thanksgiving, or Easter or even Earth Day.  Maybe the events leading up to John McClane arriving in California to hook up with his estranged wife would have to be tweaked.  But it wouldn't detract from the actual plot.

I admit there are some good arguments for considering Die Hard a Christmas movie, especially the idea that McClane is solidly tying to promote family values by being present with his family on this hallowed holiday, but those same family values would not be out of place if he showed up on his kid's birthday.  (And the teddy bear he has in tow at the beginning would fit in just as well...)

But this movie was not a Christmas release at the time it came out.  It was firmly entrenched in that classic "summer blockbuster" portion of the Hollywood tradition, having been released on July 15. 1988.  Although, to be honest, 1988 doesn't seem to have been a banner year for that summer blockbuster theme.  Some of the other movies released that summer ( Big, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, and Red Heat to name a few), probably would not be considered blockbuster material.  In fact, July 4th weekend saw the release of License to Drive, Arthur 2: On the Rocks and Short Circuit 2, neither of which seems like Hollywood expected 1988 to be a big year for the summer movie goer.

And neither Bruce Willis nor director John McTiernan lay claim to he fact that this is meant to be a Christmas movie. If the two major names behind it deny that it is one, doesn't that seem to imply that people have a wrong idea/? I  mean. if you want to pick this  movie as your go-to Christmas Eve tradition as opposed to, say, Miracle on 34th Street or one of the many versions of A Christmas Carol, both solidly Christmas movies, then go ahead, but trying to justify it by saying it's a "Christmas" movie is pure folly, in my opinion.

Given that, so why am I choosing to do this post so close to the day in question?  Because, despite my reticence to accept it as a "Christmas" movie, it's still a damn good movie.  And  besides, what says Christmas more than a bunch of terrorists being taken on by a one man army...?  All we need is Santa Claus to show up in camo with an army of commando elves.  And to celebrate the victory, a healthy dose of alcoholic beverages by the blazing fireplace afterwards... Ho, ho, ho and a bottle of rum. Then we really could call this a "Christmas" movie.

 Besides Bruce Willis, who was just starting out in his film career, the film does have a cache of great actors in it.  Of course, everyone knows the fabulous Alan Rickman as the head baddie, Hans Gruber, made his first feature film debut.  But additionally we got what I like to call a big trifecta of memorable actors well known for playing "assholes". and/or villains.  

First we have Paul Gleason.  Gleason, of course, is well remembered as Assistant Principal Vernon in The Breakfast Club and Clarence Beeks in Trading Places, neither of which are very likeable characters.  Additionally, there is William Atherton, the jerk who tries to get the Ghostbusters group shut down in the film of the same name.  And Robert Davi, who here is the head of the F.B.I. was memoable, for me, as the villain in the James Bond film, Licence to Kill.

But that's not all.  Reginald VelJohnson, Carl from the TV series Family Matters, is a solid presence as McClane's ground contact during the siege.  Bonnie Bedelia. who I first saw in the 1979 version of 'Salem's Lot, is here as McClane's estranged wife. And one other character, Argyle, the limousine driver, is played by De'vereaux White.  He doesn't have the cache of roles that the others had, but, interestingly enough for me, he was the kid who tried to steal a guitar at Ray's Music Exchange in The Blues Brothers.

Most of the cast of others are of varying degrees of fame, but one other that I wanted to trow in in Al Leong.  Leong is a fixture in the kind of movies I like.  He appears in, among other movies, Big Trouble in Little China, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Lethal Weapon, and The Scorpion King.  He's hard to miss even when he has a brief uncredited role.  He appears here as one of the terrorists (an Asian terrorist in a German terrorist group?  Well, not much less likely than an African American one, and there is one of those too.)

Die Hard (1988):

The film opens with our hero, John McClane (Bruce Willis) arriving at LAX, bound for a reunion with his wife and kids.  We get the meat and potatoes of the situation in bits, since McClane is a man who likes to keep to himself, but apparently his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) has taken the opportunity to expand her own career, despite John's ability to accept it.  She took on a job with the Nakatomi Corporation as an executive, which caused her to move with the kids to L.A. while John stayed behind in New York. (He's a NY cop, and a dedicated one at that.)

 

 

John is met by Argyle (De'voreaux White), the limo driver that Holly has sent to pick him up.  Even though Argyle tries to draw John out he's not very talkative.  Upon arrival at the Nakatomi Building Argyle offers to park the limo in the garage and wait to see how John's meeting with Holly works out, just in case he might need a ride to get a hotel in anticipation of a quick turnaround.

 

 

Fortunately, for those of us with a short patience for matrimonial drama, there is a quick change in scenery. At just a mere 17 minutes into the movie the terrorists invade the building and begin their onslaught.  The first of the victims is the security guard at the front desk, (because, after all, this whole thing can't go down if there is anyone who might throw a wrench into the terrorists' proceedings.)

The terrorists, led by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman), quickly take over the Christmas party and take all those present as hostages.  He demands the security codes from the president of the corporation, but the man claims he doesn't know.  Whether he really does or doesn't we don't get to find out, because Hans has decided the man is uncooperative and therefore useless.  Victim #2.

 

 

Meanwhile, John, who has been winding down in Holly's office, hears the gunshots and realizes the s**t has hit the fan.  And now, the real meat of the film gets underway.  The third death in the movie, however, will not be an innocent hostage.  John takes out one of the terrorists and announces his presence to the rest of them.

 

 

Too bad that his first terrorist is the brother of one of the others.  That creates a bit of animosity that will crop up now and again over the course of the film.  Although Hans has a desire to take John alive, the brother has other ideas and often puts the entire endeavor in jeopardy.

While one of the terrorists (the electronics whiz) makes an effort to break down the security codes protecting the vault and Hans makes an effort to convince the hostages that he is a suave debonair and not entirely all bad kind of guy, the rest of the group makes an effort to track down this rogue would-be hostage who is making a mockery of them.  And not doing all that good a job of it at that.  There is a disparity of sides however.  The terrorists only have 11 guys to go up against John.  Probably needed to plan ahead a bit more.

Meanwhile, John, for his part is doing his best to get the attention of the authorities that something is not quite right at the Nakatomi Building.  He turns in a false fire alarm, but the terrorists manage to put the kibosh on that.  John tries to use the walkie-talkie he confiscated from the dead one dead terrorist he took out, but the police think it's just some joker.  They do send one squad car, manned by patrolman Al (Reginald VelJohnson)., but he determines there is nothing wrong, since the terrorist who took over the security guard position gives him the old "nothing wrong here" line.  But John manages to get their attention yet again when he shoves the dead guy out the window and it lands on Al's patrol car...  Now, John has their attention...

 

 

In comes the police headed by one of our resident Assholes-in-charge, Deputy Chief Robinson (Paul Gleason).  Robinson thinks he can handle the situation with a full-on raid on the building.  Not his best idea.  When things start to go a little south, the F.B.I. shows up, led by the second of our Assholes in charge, Big Jonson (Robert Davi).  And his ideas aren't much better.

 

 

Meanwhile, the third resident asshole, a smarmy "get the big story no matter what" reporter, Thornberg (William Atherton) is gumming up the works.  He eventually figures out who the fly in the ointment on the inside is, and who his wife is, and goes to try to get some of the story at the source by interviewing the kids of John and Holly.  (Yeah, that's going to put him in good graces with the parents...)

 

 

Of course, most of the movie involves John putting himself in harms way trying to take out the terrorists.  And I'm not exactly sure how many people end up dead in this film.  There are all of the terrorists, of course, and two of the hostages, but it is questionable how many of the police and F.B.I. guys end up dead.  Surely it doesn't come close to the body count in Rambo III (released the same year), but I would hazard a guess that the toll comes in the top 5 of movies released that year.  

Die Hard is definitely worth watching, especially if you like this kind of film.  However, I suggest if you want a family night movie for Christmas Eve, you are probably better off with It's A Wonderful Life.

The Plymouth ain't no limousine, but it is will get me home in style.  Drive safely, folks.

Quiggy

Toon Noir

 

 

 

 

 

Did you know, some movies change over time without you even being aware of it having changed? Not really, of course, but attitudes change as you grow older, seemingly making whole movies change perspective.  That's the way I felt, anyway,  when I recently re-watched Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, the movie getting an entire makeover from what I remembered from seeing it the first time.

The Stephen Spielberg niche in my mind is one of family friendly films like E.T., Hook, and even to some extent, the Indiana Jones films. (Not to discredit the less than "family friendly" films like Jaws and Saving Private Ryan...) But I honestly remembered a much more wholesome movie when it came to Roger Rabbit. 

But upon re-watching it, I encountered some pretty disturbing scenes.  Although I never had kids myself, I imagined some kids being traumatized by some aspects of the movie.  I had to alter my viewpoint as a result and classify this more as a movie for adults with a still nostagic bent towards the cartoons of their childhood, but with a more mature outlook on life.

To wit, the final scene in which, spoiler alert, the villain Judge Doom (spoiler alert!) meets his demise. The scene is pretty horrific from a point of view of watching it as a movie fror kids.  Not that it was necessarily meant for kids.  After all, there are some pretty adult things going on in it. Does anybody who ever saw it as an adult really think Jessica Rabbit is all that wholesome for kids?

I saw it at the ripe old age of 27 in the theater. I took my sister to see it.  Not sure whether she actually liked it, but I enjoyed it.  But watching it just the other day I began to re-think my opinions about it.  I imagine some kids might have been traumatized by the scene with Judge Doom.  And I'm quite certain Jessica's sexuality sailed right over their heads.

The movie is sort of an homage to classic film noir, so many of the familiar tropes of that genre appear in this film, whether for comic relief or for serious plot advances.  The detective who is down on his luck or just trying to get by, the femme fatale (who it turns out is not so "fatale", but still..).  The bad guy who is not everything he appears to be at the outset.

Anyway, just in case you have never seen it, or are considering a family night, be forewarned: it is probably a good idea to watch it by yourself first before that planned family night with the kids.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988):

It's the 1947. In this alternate universe, cartoon characters (called "'toons") live side by side with humans. They are segregated because all of the 'toons live in Toontown, an animated world.

Alcoholic detective Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) takes on whatever jobs he can get to pay the bills, although his alcoholism limits him.  The job he is in line for is as a snoop, checking out the assignations of the wife of film star Roger Rabbit (voiced by Charles Fleischer).

 

 

 

Jessica (voiced by Kathleen Turner)  is a singer at The Ink and Paint Club, a human bar that features 'toon performing acts.  Initially Eddie shows up thinking he is going to see a female rabbit, but Jessica is a human form 'toon. And she sings a steamy rendition of a classic song "Why Don't You Do Right".(which is not Turner, but Amy Irving, who, at the time, was married to Spielberg). At the bar Eddie meets Marvin Acme (Stubby Kaye) who is rumored to be making time with Jessica.

 

 

 

After the show, Eddie follows Jessica and Marvin and snaps pictures of them playing "pattycake" (OK, so far so good, still not wholesome, but not entirely questionable.  Roger is devastated when he hears the news and loses his happy mood.

Hours later, Marvin ends up dead, with a piano having been dropped on his head. Eddie is not exactly heartbroken, however, because he had a similar thing happen to his brother years earlier when a 'toon dropped a safe on his brother's head.  But suspicion immediately falls on Roger as the culprit.

Enter Judge Doom (Christopher Lloyd).  Doom is a human who has managed to become the big wig in Toontown.  But he is a very vicious leader.  He has made it his goal to find Roger, try him and execute him for the murder.  Not an entirely easy goal, because everyone thinks that 'toons are indestructible. 

 

 

 

But Doom has discovered a concoction that will perform the trick. Which he demonstrates by using an innocent by-standing animated boot.  

Roger shows up at Eddie's office proclaiming his innocence and pleads with Eddie to hide him and find out what really happened/ In classic film noir fashion, Eddie is roped into proving the innocence of a man, I mean 'toon, that he really doesn't like.  Eddie has a deep seated dislike for 'toons in general, because it was a 'toon that killed his brother,

In true noir fashion, the detective does some investigating and finds out that there is some subterfuge going on behind the scenes, including a missing will that Acme had which would give over ownership of Toontown to the 'toons.  Without the will it becomes the property of the highest bidder which turns out to be a front called Cloverleaf Industries which has been willy nilly buying up companies and dismantling them.

Why? Well it turns out that Judge Doom is the sole stockholder in the company and he has some nefarious plans all in the name of progress.  Progress that most people are not aware of, especially Toontown, which stands in the way of said progress.

I'm willing to bet that at least 80% of you have seen Who Framed Roger Rabbit? so it won't be a surprise to you to find out that Judge Doom plans to destroy Toontown in the name of progress, which includes building a freeway through the heart of Toontown. Or what's left of Toontown, anyway.

The big surprise of course is that Judge Doom himself is a 'toon.  And the aforementioned defeat of Doom reveals not only that Doom is a 'toon, but he was the 'toon that killed Eddie's brother.  (No real surprise there. You had to see it coming that Doom figured into Eddie's past. It's another defining characteristic/trope of film noir.

The death of Doom is one of the trauma inducing features of the movie that redefined the movie for me in retrospect.  I still think it's a great movie. Just not one I'd recommend for kids.

Well, the old Plymouth will still get me home.  Thankfully Doom's freeway is not a part of my trip, although you can't avoid the real ones much these days.

Drive safely, folks.

Quiggy

Undead Police Story

 

 

New World Pictures was a production company originally founded by Movie mogul Roger Corman in 1970. Between 1970 and the late 1990's New World Pictures brought out a lot of the type of stuff that made a name for Corman (although with a bigger budget than was the norm during his earlier stint in Hollywood).  Whether Corman had a hand in the day to day production of the movies his company put out or not, the list of movies is a goldmine for great ideas for future reviews.  I got the idea to look at their output after reviewing Hell Comes to Frogtown. 

One of the first ones that caught my eye was this one.  Mainly because we recently lost Treat Williams, but also because his co-star, Joe Piscopo, is one I had been thinking about because of my review of Johnny Dangerously.

Dead Heat is typical of the kinds of drive-in type movies that appeal to someone of my particular bent.  Lots of action interspersed with some witty (and sometimes snarky) comedy.  And to add a little zest, zombies.

Also showing up in this movie is Vincent Price.  Price was reaching the end of his career by this time, but he still brings it to the table (as he always did).  He only made two more movies after this, including his final role in Edward Scissorhands. His role here, as a secondary villain (and recently deceased benefactor) is not his best, but seeing Price in any film is always a treat.

 

 

 

 

Dead Heat  (1988):

The movie opens with a bang.  Two guys (somewhat inept) are attempting to rob a jewelry store. Meanwhile, every cop in the city has converged on the store, ready to pounce on them as they exit the building.  This includes undercover cops (why undercover cops, hell, I don't know), Roger Mortis (Treat Williams) and Doug Bigelow (Joe Piscopo).

 

 

 

Mortis and Bigelow

 

As the thieves exit the building a shootout ensues, with bullets flying everywhere.  The thieves themselves are shot something like 50 times but keep on fighting.  It takes a grenade to blow up one and the other gets trashed when Mortis pins him forcefully between the car he is driving and another car.

The two get called on the carpet by their superior, Captain Mayberry (Mel Stewart).  They have committed numerous infractions of department policy including "unauthorized use of a city vehicle, reckless endangerment of property and lives, use of a non-regulation firearm, disrespectful conduct", and, as if that wasn't enough, "18 parking tickets" (and that's just THIS month... Ye Gods!) 

Mortis and Bigelow are called to the city morgue by resident coroner Rebecca Smythers (Claire Kirkconnell). Rebecca and Roger had a previous intimate relationship, so they know each other. 

Smythers (with Mortis and Bigelow)

 

 

 It seems that the two recently "deceased" criminals had been in her care before. That's right.  They had already been declared dead by her from a previous autopsy.  The surgical scars on their bodies were from the previous autopsy. OK, now we're getting somewhere...

 So, rather quickly, it  comes to light that the corpses have some synthetic compound in their system called Sulfathiozole  (which is actually a real drug used in surgeries to combat infection.) It turns out that a local research company called Dante Laboratories has purchased bulk amounts of this drug, so the two go to investigate.

Where they meet a public relations rep named Randi James (Lindsay Frost), who introduces them Dr. McNab (Darren McGavin) the head of the research facility. 

 

Randi James

Dr McNab

 

 

In the process they are shown a special room that they use to euthanize lab animals, and a secret room that has some high tech gadget they can't figure out.  But someone doesn't want them snooping around and sends a couple of zombies to kill them.

In the process, Mortis ends up in the euthanizing chamber and gets locked in and killed by the secret enemy.  Rebecca shows up after hearing that Roger has died (over police dispatch radio, yeah right...) Not only is she able to figure out that the contraption in the secret room can revitalize dead bodies, she also has the knowledge of how to operate the thing, just on seeing the computer  layout.

Roger is revived, although at the beginning he thinks he just blacked out.  It takes some serious convincing to make him aware that he died and is now a zombie.  With only 10 or 12 hours to live...again.) So Mortis and Bigelow, like the main character in D.O.A.  have a limited time to get to the bottom of the mystery as to who killed Roger before Roger is really dead for good.

Of course, the bad guys don't want the pair to be successful, so several zombie assassins are put in their path.  This coupled with Mortis' rapid deterioration (he is still a dead man, after all) hinders them somewhat.

Along the way, a few more people are killed by the zombies (including Bigelow, but he is revived by the same process that revived Mortis).  That's right, now we have TWO zombie cops on the trail of the zombies and the zombie master, as it were.

It turns out that Arthur Loudermilk (Vincent Price), the benefactor of Dante Laboratories has been behind the development of this contraption for extending lives, although his only motive was to keep rich people (people who could afford his process) alive.  Is he behind the plot to kill Mortis and Bigelow or is he just an innocent bystander?

 

Arthur Loudermilk

 

 

This movie is really good, despite it's rather negative reception by critics and the box office.  I imagine, like the previous review I did for Hell Comes to Frogtown, this one was only in theaters for a limited run, but I honestly did not know it even existed until a couple of weeks ago.  But in retrospect it was well worth seeking out.

Time to fire up the old Plymouth and head home.  Stay safe from the zombies, folks!

Quiggy

A Soldier's Life is Hell

 

 

 Fair Warning! This movie review is as family friendly as I can make it, considering the content. The movie itself is NOT family friendly.  I say this to warn the more conservative readers of this blog.

 

Pop Quiz:  Which of the following is out of place?

1. Movies:

    a. Rain Man

    b. Dangerous Liaisons

    c. Mississippi Burning

    d. Hell Comes to Frogtown

 

2. Directors:

    a. Barry Levinson

    b. Martin Scorcese

    c. Mike Nichols

    d. Donald G. Jackson

 

3.  Actors:

    a. Dustin Hoffman

    b. Gene Hackman

    c. Tom Hanks

     d. Rowdy Roddy Piper

 

4. Actresses:

    a. Jodie Foster

    b. Glenn Close

    c. Meryl Streep

    d. Sandahl Bergman

 

If you chose any answer but d. on the above questions, you may just be in the wrong blog.

The questions have the winners (a. each time) of the Oscars, and two of the runners-up (b. and c. ) for 1988 films.  The d. answers refer to another film from 1988 which was not even in the consideration, Hell Comes to Frogtown.

Donald G. Jackson made a career out of low budget schlock like The Demon Lover and Rollergator. (now there's one I'd like to find, featuring a talking alligator if the stuff on IMDb is to be believed...) He also made this movie as well as three sequels to it.  

I remember when I first moved to San Marcos to go to college, I would page through the movie section of the local counterculture magazine  The Austin Chronicle. I often looked longingly at the oddball titles of movies that were usually showing only at one theater in Austin (and often with only one showing time that conflicted with my college schedule)

Many of them I managed to find later, either as VHS rentals, or in recent years, finding a vintage remaster on DVD.  Hell Comes to Frogtown was one of those that was always at the back of my mind but I never got the chance to watch, mainly because I never saw it in the stacks at the store.  Maybe there was a reason for that. (And you may get your own theories after reading what is in the film...)

 The film's titular star, Sam Hell (which is actually short for "Hellman" but everyone just calls him "Hell"), is "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, a former wrestling star.  Piper has an astounding 176 acting credits to his name, according to IMDb, but 150 or so of them are as himself, for his wrestling videos.  (And some people say wrestling is "real",,,) He has actually acted in non-wrestling roles, including one of my favorite movies, They Live  in  which, like this one,  he also battles a race of non-human characters

Along with him is Sandahl Bergman.  Bergman started out as a dancer. (She is one of the Muses in the early dance scene in Xanadu.) She went on from there to star next to Arnold Schwarzenegger in the first Conan movie, which garnered her what would be the last entry of a Golden Globe for Best New Star - Actress. From there she is been in middling performances over the years including a Razzie nominated role in Red Sonja. (which she lost to her co-star in Red Sonja Brigitte Nielsen (who won the Worst Supporting Actress Razzie for her role in Rocky IV).  

 

 

The only other name (or face) you might recognize is William Smith  Smith mad a career out of being a secondary character in dozens of movies and TV episodes.  He was working right up until his death a couple of years ago at 88.  Some of you more conservative readers might remember him best on the mini series Rich Man, Poor Man in which he was Falconetti.  But he was often cast in military roles in straight to video movies.  (Gotta make it in the business any way you can.)

There is a great enjoyment for me in watching post-apocalyptic movies.  Usually the world has gone to Hell in a hand basket (no reference to the title character...).  This one is no exception.  And depending on your personal outlook it might be the better for it.  You see, the women are all in charge.

Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988):

The movie begins with an overview of how we got to this point.

 "In the latter days of the twentieth century, there arose a difference of opinion. 

The leading experts at the time believed that a nuclear war would only

involve the exchange of a few bombs. And then the suitably horrified

combatants would sit down a the peace table.

They were wrong."

 

So by the time of the setting of the movie, the population of the human portion of the world has been rapidly descending.  This is because the male population was virtually wiped out (or made sterile) as a result of the after effects of the nuclear destruction.  There are only a few men with the ability to help the procreation process kick back into high gear. 

One of these is Sam Hell (Roddy Piper).  A direct descendant of "Snake" Plissken ( Escape from New York and Escape from L.A.), Sam is an outlaw, only his big crime is having sex with as many women as he can.  When we first see Sam he is being beaten up by Devlin (William Smith), a law enforcement figure, but also the father of one of the girls that Sam has gotten pregnant.  (So he has some personal vendetta going for him, too, not just a dislike of the criminal variety.)

Hell is rescued by a pair of women, Patton (Eyde Byrde) and Spangle (Sandahl Bergman).  The women offer Sam a total immunity for past crimes if he will sign up to help repopulate the Earth.  Sam is outfitted with a special device that is essentially the male version of the chastity belt. He isn't totally incapable of performing any acts, but he does have to do it only when it is in the service of the government.

And his first job?  He has to help rescue a group of potential mothers who have been taken hostage by the leader of Frogtown, the reservation that has been set aside for the frogmen (greeners), Commander Toty (Brian Frank).

 

Commander Toty

 

 

Hell takes off with Spangle and Centinella (Cec Verrell) to infiltrate Frogtown, driving a pink (go figure) minivan/land rover.

 

Centinella

 

 

Once in Frogtown, Hell meets up with an old friend, an old somewhat eccentric old coot, appropriately named Looney Tunes ( Rory Calhoun), a renegade who is double dealing with the Greeners for his own profit. 

Looney Tunes

 

 

 He also garners an ally among the frog people in the person of Arabella (Kristi Somers).  Both are instrumental in his quest to free the girls Toty is holding.

 

 

Arabella

Who looks a WHOLE lot better without makeup

 

T

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The parallels between this movie and Escape from New York abound including the oddball ally (similar to "The Brain" in EFNY) and the leader of the renegades in the town (similar to "The Duke") and of course the quest to save the President, I mean the fertile women.

One  of the running plot devices (gags) is that Hell's chastity belt is wired to blow if he gets too far away from the signal from Spangle's earring, which leads to several scenes where his monitor starts to warn him its about to explode.

Along the way we get to meet the mastermind human behind all the nuclear weapons mumbo jumbo that crops up during the film.  It's a character named Colonel Sodom.  And of course, Sodom is our friend from the beginning of the movie who is beating the crap out of Hell before the women arrive to save him.

Of course, you know how all this is going to end.  But one of the best lines is when Spangle says after he has performed his duties maybe the two of them can get together for a liaison.  "What duties?" he asks. Spangle indicates the five women in the back of the minivan/land rover.  And Hell delivers the final line:

"I guess it's true what they say.  A soldier's work is never done."

As I warned you at the beginning, if you made it this far, you know it;s not one to watch with the kids.  (Unless you want to start early explaining about the birds and the bees.) But if you just want to spend a quiet evening with the significant other watching a mindless movie, it's not a bad choice.

Well, time to fire up the engines on the Plymouth (which fortunately isn't pink)  Drive safely, folks.

Quiggy

Horndogs from Outer Space

This is my entry in the Jeff Goldblum Blogathon hosted by Realweegiemidget Reviews and Emma K Wall Explains it All

Imagine if you will a film with Jeff Goldblum as an outsider trying to cope with the changes in his life.

Imagine Geena Davis as a woman who is struggling with feelings for the outsider.

Imagine the two developing a relationship, despite the significant differences between the human Davis and the "not-so-human" Goldblum.

No, it's not the David Cronenberg adaptation of The Fly.  It's a piece of late 80's fluff called Earth Girls are Easy.  Featuring Goldblum as well as early appearances by Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans as aliens who end up crash landing in Valley girl Davis' swimming pool.  And a story, not entirely uncommon, of the aliens trying to adapt to the "strange new world" that they find themselves in.

It also stars Julie Brown, the iconic singer of such Dr. Demento type songs as "The Homecoming Queen's Got a Gun" and the song that inspired this movie "Earth Girls are Easy".

Earth Girls are Easy (1988):

Mac (Jeff Golblum), Wiploc (Jim Carrey) and Zeebo (Damon Wayans), a trio of furry aliens (who look like they are wearing carpets for clothes, but it's their fur) are traveling through space when the ineptness of Wiploc and Zeebo cause the ship they are on to crash land in the swimming pool of Valerie (Geena Davis).

(L-R: Valerie, Mac, Wiploc and Zeebo)

Of course, the main reason that the three crash is because they are suffering from that stigma that affects all males, apparently even aliens, from time to time...they are horny.  And attracted to the strange but extremely attractive hairless girls they have seen on the scope in their ship.  So the crash may not be entirely an accident.

Valerie, for her part, is having a difficult time with her fiance.  Dr. Ted (Charles Rocket) is committed to the impending marriage with Valerie, but he is also prone to having flings on the side with attractive nurses.  And when Ted comes home thinking he will be alone with his new conquest of the moment, he finds Valerie and she discovers his infidelity and kicks him out.

Meanwhile the rocket ship from space crash lands.  In her pool.  And out come the blue furred Mac, red-furred Wiploc and yellow-furred Zeebo.  Valerie initially freaks out, but she is very adaptable, apparently, because she gets over it rather quickly.  She invites them into her apartment where they begin to learn English (by watching TV, no less.)

She takes the three to her job as a hairdresser where she convinces her friend and fellow hairdresser Candy (Julie Brown) to shave the three and make them look normal.  And what a job she does of it.  At least they "look" normal.  But their adaptability to life on Earth may be a bit more complicated.  First, their initial learning of the English language comes from watching TV.  Which leads to some hilarious moments, especially when Candy and Valerie take them to the local dance club.

Eventually, Valerie's on and off relationship with Dr. Ted leads her to be a bit sullen and it's Mac to the rescue.  He consoles her (in more ways than one) and she finds herself becoming more attracted to him.

Chaos ensues when Zeebo and Wiploc inadvertently rob a convenience store and try to escape driving a car (which of course they have no idea how to operate, but since they were responsible for crashing the spaceship, too, it's not surprising...) 

All of this leads to them being brought to the emergency room where Dr Ted, who thinks they are really a rock band that Valerie is flirting with on the side, decides to examine them and discovers, lo and behold, they aren't exactly "human".

Two things about this movie come up as a little strange.  First, about 15 minutes into the movie I found out something I didn't know before committing to reviewing it.  It suddenly turns into a musical!  (OK, so Julie Brown's presence and credit for writing it should have been a clue, but I'm not always quick on the draw...) 

It wasn't the first science-fiction musical to ever come down the pike.  That credit (probably) goes to The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  The second thing is, when I tried to find this movie on Amazon, one of the options was as one of the films in a multi-pack of horror movies.  Note:  there is almost no horror in this film, unless you count the bizarre nightmare Valerie has after spending an evening in the sack with Mac.

The musical aspect didn't put a damper on the shindig for me.  The songs aren't entirely memorable, but they had a feel of the late 80's pop culture, something I still like, so it wasn't entirely bad.  The goofiness of the movie is endearing, and maybe if it had had nobodies as stars it might have been annoying.  But Carrey and Wayans work together great.  (If you liked In Living Color, you'll probably like this film, too.)

The movie also features Michael McKean as a ditzy surfer dude.  Gotta tell you.  I saw his name in the opening credits, but I had to watch the closing credits to see which character he played.

Well, folks, the Plymouth rocket ship is finally repaired.  Time to head back to my home planet.  Drive safely, folks.

Quiggy