Films That Matter
Ymir Fear in Roma
Despite not being written or directed by the famed special effects expert Ray Harryhausen, that latter honour going to Nathan Juran instead, there is no denying that the magic man’s hands are all over this horror infused sci-fi monster bash. Spawning the unique concept originally titled as The Giant Ymir, while also suggesting it be set in Rome, Italy instead of the United States (why you may ask... he simply always wanted to vacation there), whilst also being in charge of the stop-motion animation that makes this feature succeed, the final product eventually became known as 20 Million Miles to Earth (1957). A strong warning of the fears of moving too quickly into ‘futuristic’ ways, which is clearly a callback to ample anxiety revolving around the atomic bomb... which, with it, could bring possible nuclear annihilation, here we have the result of space exploration of the planet Venus.
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Star Pick with Kevin Downey Jr.
Lions, and Tigers, and Bears – Oh My!The Wizard of OzNovember 8, 2016What is there to say about a movie like The Wizard of Oz? If I had to compile a list of films that have been seen by the most people worldwide, the Victor Fleming directed musical adventure fantasy would likely land somewhere near the top of my list. I recently chatted with acclaimed comedian Kevin Downey Jr., who has carved out an ever growing niche in the difficult world of stand-up. The funny man, who caught his big break on season eight of the hit television show America’s Got Talent (making it all the way to the quarterfinals and being championed by all of the judges, but especially Howard Stern and Howie Mandel), has never looked back, launching himself to the "A" circuit, playing large clubs across North America, while being a frequenter on the highly entertaining morning radio program "The Bob and Tom Show", as well as also making appearances on Comedy Central, What Not to Wear and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
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Murder at Midnight Can be Funny
Who Done It?October 30, 2016Combining a touch of horror and film noir within a murder mystery, Abbott and Costello once again add their unique brand of humour to dark subject matter in the 1942 classic comedic caper Who Done It?. Directed by Erle C. Kenton (Island of Lost Souls), this flick finds straight man Bud Abbott playing Chick Larkin while funny man Lou Costello portrays Mervin Q. Milgrim; together, they are a pair of simple-minded soda jerks on the bottom floor of a popular radio station. Yet, their true dream is to become head writers for a mystery themed radio show – which is why they took the low paying jobs in the highfalutin building. Finding writer Jimmy Turner (Patric Knowles) and secretary to the boss, Juliet Collins (Mary Wickes), in their midst while working at the soda and ice cream bar, they see this as a prime opportunity to pitch their idea. Turner takes a liking to the funny friends and invites them to a live taping of his program, Murder at Midnight.
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Star Pick with BarBara Luna
This Film ‘Rains’ SupremeSingin' in the RainAugust 10, 2016Set in the late 1920s, Singin’ In the Rain captures the drastic and very abrupt change that occurred as the ‘talkie’ craze took off after the legendary film The Jazz Singer was released in 1927 – lampooning the transition with a melange of sharp satire, simple gags as well as show-stopping song and dance numbers (and some straight-forward audible dialogue, too). At CAPE Cornwall 2016, I had the pleasure of speaking with actress BarBara Luna, who has been working in the industry for sixty five years. Over the course of her intriguing career, she has worked with countless icons, including Spencer Tracy/Frank Sinatra (The Devil at 4 O’Clock), Peter Lorre (Five Weeks in a Balloon), Jimmy Stewart/Henry Fonda (Firecreek), to name but a few.
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Star Pick with G.J. Echternkamp
Ship of FoolsTime BanditsMay 31, 2016Hollywood studios have long used focus groups as a way to determine if audiences like a film. And, for just as long as they’ve been around, there have been complaints about them: ‘Who are the people who comprise the focus groups?’, ‘Do they have any insider movie knowledge?’, ‘Why are they more knowledgeable than the screenwriters and directors who have made the film?’, "Why are studios changing the ending of a movie just because a few random people disliked it?’.
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The Cat Came Back
The Cat Came BackMay 9, 2016As a child, I was enamoured with a kooky Canadian animated short film called The Cat Came Back. Available on VHS (for those of you too young to remember what this is, ask your parents) at my local library, I would take it out every time I entered the historic building. It is likely that I played a huge part in wearing down that cassette tape. Thanks to the National Film Board of Canada, who produced the flick, it is available for free on their website.
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Scare Up Some Laughs
Hold That GhostAbbott and Costello Meet FrankensteinApril 8, 2016There are many classic comedians that are still honoured and remembered fondly today. People like the Marx Brothers, the Three Stooges, Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton are highly regarded funny men, yet the comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are, in my opinion, less quickly thought of than those mentioned above. Despite this, many of their films, which include a mixture of memorable physical comedy and witty dialogue, still hit the funny bone today. Two of my favourites mix comedy with the horror genre: 1941's Hold That Ghost and 1948's Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein.
