Films That Matter
By the Skin of Your Teeth
Originally meant to be a satire... though of a film very few have ever seen nowadays, the Norman Z. McLeod western comedy The Paleface (1948), written by Frank Tashlin about 1929's Virginian, infuriated the man in how it was directed (as a more generic spoof of the western)... but funnily enough, despite the screenwriter’s opinion, until Blazing Saddles (1974) came out, it was the highest grossing western parody of all-time and spawned a sequel in Son of Paleface (1952), while it was also remade as the Don Knotts vehicle The Shakiest Gun in the West (1968). After government agents tasked with tracking down an illegal gun smuggling ring turn up dead, the infamous Calamity Jane (Jane Russell) is secretly broken out of jail by Gov. Johnson (Charles Trowbridge) with the hope that she will take a pardon for going undercover to get to the bottom of this rebel-rousing (similar to rabble-rousing) gang in the frontier land.
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All That Glitters is Not Gold
The Magnificent AmbersonsSeptember 30, 2016Depicting the slow decline of a wealthy family, Orson Welles’ follow up picture to Citizen Kane, 1942's The Magnificent Ambersons, provides us with a melancholic reflection on how the more simple life of the nineteenth century transitioned into a more hurried, less enjoyable one as the new century was ushered in. We are transported into the socialite world of the Ambersons, a well-to-do American family living in the then small city of Indianapolis. Residing in a gargantuan mansion, the family sit at the top of the food chain when it comes to the pecking order in the area. Welles provides the voice-over narration as he introduces us to the family, including Isabel (Dolores Costello), daughter of patriarch Major Amberson (Richard Bennett), a young lady who is being courted by the thoughtful Eugene Morgan (Joseph Cotten). After a disastrous attempt at performing a serenade for her, the romantic man is shunned by the young debutante – she sees his failure as an ominous sign.
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Star Pick with Matt Sobb
Don’t Skip This Hughes’ ClassicFerris Bueller's Day OffSeptember 27, 2016It is hard to fathom that Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is thirty years old. Written and directed by John Hughes, it is one of the seminal comedies of the 1980s – having influenced so many future films that look at the lives of bored yet rambunctious teenagers. Not too long ago, I chatted with MonkeyJunk drummer Matt Sobb. An integral part of the three piece Juno Award winning swamp rock/blues band, the percussionist narrowed his favourite films down to two – strangely enough, both were released in 1986: Stand by Me and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (which will be discussed here today). Providing me with two very well rounded and in depth answers, check out his response down below by clicking on the video interview. The band has been busy of late, having spent much time on tour throughout Europe and the United States – they are now making their way through Canada just prior to the release of their new album, Time to Roll. Make sure to check them out if you get a chance.
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Ring of Lies
The Set-UpSeptember 24, 2016Containing two of the big time film noir players, 1949's The Set-Up follows down and out boxer Stoker Thompson (Robert Ryan) as he prepares for his next bout. Ryan, who starred in 15 film noirs throughout his career, perfectly encapsulates the aging veteran, with his domineering height, craggy athletic look, and pained eyes that show the seemingly endless struggles he has had in the ring. His long suffering wife, Julie, is played by Audrey Totter. The dame, who passed away back in 2013 at the age of 95, took on 14 very different roles in the bleak genre. The attractive blonde is less femme fatale in this one, this time showing her range as the pained woman who can no longer watch her husband take beatings night after night.
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Star Pick with Chris Slade
Classic Western EnsnaresThe Magnificent SevenSeptember 20, 2016With the remake of the 1960 classic The Magnificent Seven coming out this week, I thought that it would be a good time to go back and revisit the original motion picture – though perhaps some will be surprised to find out that The Magnificent Seven is a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s iconic Japanese movie Seven Samurai. A while back, I was fortunate enough to chat with Chris Slade, the current drummer of AC/DC (who also performed with them during the years 1989 to 1994 – recording three albums with the high octane rock band: The Razors Edge, Live at Donington and AC/DC Live). Born in Wales, the percussionist has had a long and illustrious career, being the original drummer for fellow Welshman Tom Jones (and part of his first six records), as well as being a founding member of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (recording eight albums along with Manfred Mann, Mick Rogers and Colin Pattenden from 1971 to 1978).
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A Barrel of Bloody Laughs
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking BarrelsSeptember 18, 2016Numerous robberies, black market sales, an underground high stakes poker game, and traffic violations abound in Guy Richie’s first motion picture – Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Featuring the now iconic director’s signature style, Richie fills his intricately plotted, multifaceted storyline with fast paced editing, even faster paced dialogue, his oddball sense of humour, rich personas, and eye-catching style that consists of both sepia tones as well as vivid colours. Though the tale consists of many varied characters, Eddy (Nick Moran), Tom (Jason Flemyng), Soap (Dexter Fletcher) and Bacon (Jason Statham) make up the main gang. They are a group of friends that have been together since childhood and have been small time crooks for nearly as long.
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Star Pick with Sean Astin
I Love L.A. . . . ConfidentialL.A. ConfidentialSeptember 13, 2016A few months back, I was fortunate enough to speak with Sean Astin. For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past three decades, Astin has starred in a plethora of memorable classics. With his mother being the late Patty Duke (Oscar winner – The Miracle Worker), he had large shoes to fill. Starting off with a bang, Astin, in his early teenage years, took on the role of Mikey in Richard Donner’s 1985 fantasy flick The Goonies. Following this, he has continued making wonderful motion pictures, including 1993's Rudy, 1998's Bulworth, as well as playing the beloved role of Samwise Gamgee in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He also showed off his comedic talents in 2004's 50 First Dates and 2006's Click. He has also conquered the television world, portraying Lynn McGill in ‘Day 5’ of 24 (a very strong season), as well as Jim Kent in Guillermo del Toro’s The Strain.
