As 2018 ends, another Airship 27 Podcast begins, piloted by the ready and steady Captain Ron Fortier and Chief Engineer Rob Davis.
Ron and Rob cover the spankin' new "Dead Sheriff, Vol 2: Cannibals and Bloodsuckers", inspired by the late, great Mark Justice. In the sequel, Ron treads new, chilling ground for the mystical Sam and his animated, avenging corpse. Newsman Richard O'Malley is naturally on hand to document the weird manifestations.
Justice was, in fact, developing the novel before his untimely passing, leaving Ron to complete the manuscript. The sequel is destined to pave the way for more Dead Sheriff adventures.
In addition to "Cannibals and Bloodsuckers", Ron and Rob give an extensive overview of Airship 27's 2018 releases: an outstanding queue for which the fellows should be proud.
Enjoy all the tasty Airship 27 appetizers (as well as Ron and Rob's belly-ticklin' jokes) at ... http://zone4podcast.com/airship-27-podcast-46/?fbclid=IwAR1Uq-MkmzzGCSBLawXMMz51rkvuhpBXd18CROPjXX9XiijBBySEDCngyZw.
Comedic takes on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson are as renown as the serious adaptations and include the popular likes of "Without a Clue"; "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes"; "The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother" and the animated, "Sherlock Gnomes". (Guy Ritchie's Holmes pictures and Joshua Kennedy's recent "The Return of Sherlock Holmes" also pay homage to the popular, funny-bone angle with fruitful nods.) It should come as no surprise, therefore, that another tongue-in-cheek variation would arrive, featuring a current, comedy duo.
In the case of "Holmes & Watson", written and directed by Etan "Men in Black III" Cohen, Will Ferrell plays the legendary detective and John C. Reilly his respectful, investigative partner. Keeping with tradition, they're up against old rival, Professor Moriarty (or is he, in fact, Reginald Musgrave?), portrayed by steely Ralph Fiennes.
The film's premise: a Moriarty note links to a murder at Buckingham Palace and challenges the duo to solve the crime within four days or else the Queen will perish.
What ensues brims of inside Brooks-ian jokes, song/dance and Benny Hill salaciousness (with alas, one polarizing, political reference--why, oh why?), all woven into a polished, Victorian backdrop. Holmes' celebrated traits and habits are turned into gags throughout, including his deducing prowess and mastery of disguise, much of it presented with wide-eyed wonderment.
The supporting cast does a devilish job in promoting the buoyant atmosphere and slapstick segments. There's Kelly "Brave" Macdonald's Mrs. Hudson; Hugh Laurie's Mycroft Holmes; Rob Brydon's Inspector Lestrade; Steve Coogan's "One-Armed Man"; Rebecca "Iron Man 3" Hall's Dr. Grace Hart; and Lauren "Jurassic World" Lapkus's Millie, to whom Holmes directs peculiar, though jubilant affection. Pam Ferris is most effective as Queen Victoria, whose dry responses brings out the hilarious best in her "protectors".
"Holmes & Watson" is, above all, a tour de force for Ferrell and Reilly, who give a "Step Brothers" snappiness to Cohen's campy indulgence. The formula rises to the occasion, much in the Johnny English vein: a loving homage that never degrades its subject matter, opting instead to cull respectful fun from it.
For those who fancy Holmes/Watson mysteries (no matter the tone) or simply crave bawdy, old-fashioned entertainment, the conclusion is elementary: There's no way to come away from "Holmes & Watson" without feeling good.
The latest issue of Jim Main's *PPFSZT! is here!!!
Though Kevin Duncan's splendid cover for #44 conveys a seasonal chill, there's nothing but creative warmth brewing from this 36-page, Winter installment, which includes tributes to "Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman", "Werewolf of London", "The Thing from Another World (with Fantastic Four's Ben Grimm), "Doctor Who", "The Witchfinder General/Conqueror Worm"...and for all you Bogie fans, "The Treasure of Sierra Madre". There's also Mike Maloney's moody "One Night in Noir" and Part 2 of Roger C. Keel's haunting "Prisoners of the Ice Kings".
Along with Keel and Maloney, the contents' slew of accompanying artists is also impressive: Roland Austin, Jack Bertram, Lance Doc Boucher, Troy David Boyle, Jason Bullock, Tom Doyle, Kevin Dale Duncan, Don Fortier, Anthony C. Gray, Rusty Gilligan, Marc Haines, John Lambert, Scott McClung, Robert J. Sodaro, Carl Taylor...Rick Williams. Yeah, takes one's breath away.
I love the way Main blends so many different ideas, imagery and themes into *PPFSZT!: all invigorating, all edifying. There's no source quite as offbeat or special as *PPFSZT! Try an issue. You're guaranteed to be hooked!
*PPFSZT! #44 can be purchased for $6.50 (check or money order), from Jim Main/Main Enterprises at PO Box 93, New Milford, CT 06776.
I'm fond of the '78 cartoon feature of Richard Adams' hailed novel, "Watership Down", so much so that a remake, even if in a promising, four-part miniseries format, seemed a shaky prospect. Nevertheless, I've indulged in the Netflix (linked-to-the BBC) experimental, CGI excursion, and for the most part, I've come away pleased.
For one thing, the new version (as with the '78 adaptation) employs an exemplary cast, with James McAvoy as Chief Hazel (the tale's Bilbo/Frodo equivalent); Nicholas Hoult as his brother, Fiver (a Sam Gamgee of sorts); Gemma Arterton as Clover; John Boyega as Bigwig; Daniel Kaluuya as Bluebell; Anne-Marie Duff as Hyzenthlay; Craig Parkinson as Sainfoin; Freddie Fox as Captain Holly; Jason Watkins as Captain Orchis; Ben Kingsley as General Woundwort; James Faulkner as the godly Frith; Taron Egerton as the legendary El-ahrairah; and Peter Capaldi as the feathered Kehaar (plus many more): a veritable who's who of contemporary, imagi/adventure-film veterans.
Though I had no doubt that each voice would match its assigned character (and yes, the alignment works in spades), the big test was whether the Noam "300: Rise of an Empire" Murro-directed/Tom "EastEnders" Bidwell-scripted structure would supply the earnest glue to keep its parts cohesive.
I'm relieved to report that the structure weaves well, capturing the essential, Orwellian/Tolkien-ish, warring splendor that's inherent in Adam's rich and rambunctious journey of life, death and tremulous travel, with all the good, bad and ugly contained.
To enhance the journey, the computerized animation is lush, realistic ... superior to its big-screen competition (and produced for about twenty-million bucks, though I'm presuming the cast's collective cost figures in). Still, for sentimental reasons, I prefer the lower-budgeted, '78 style, but then as most of my readers realize, I'm old school. (For the record, I've not seen the '99 - '01 animated series, so I can't judge its look or implementation for comparison sake.)
On a more obvious down side, there are times when this miniseries, as with other Netflix productions, carries on longer than it should. No big deal, I suppose. I like Adams' characters, so it's nice to spend extra time with them, but I believe it would have been better if the novel (the odyssey from a doomed warren to an anticipated, safe abode) stuck to a ninety-minute or two-hour scope.
On the plus side, Fiver's (let's-run-before-the-machine-invading-developers-kill-us) premonitions ooze the right, foreboding edge and a sense of constant, woeful threat flows throughout, due in large part to Federico Justid's Goldsmith-esque score. On the other hand, this version also numbs much of its "real-world" violence.
Now, I must confess, I never found the book or initial movie by any means carnage-ridden. (It's just that one doesn't expect bloodshed among the cute and cuddly.) Still, violence is an indubitable part of Adams' engraved mythology. Considering the Netflix connection, why the restraint? After all, the subscription source serves upfront brutality per its Marvel programs, not to mention unapologetic accessibility to shows like "Breaking Bad" and "Dexter". (Now that I think of it, the deprecatory BBC might be to blame for the mollification...only figures.)
Regardless of its sporadic shortcomings and/or miscalculations, "Watership Down '18" should (at the very least) grant greater exposure to Adams' book, which is superior to most examples of kiddie lit, perhaps because it was never designed as kiddie lit. Adams' vision took the fringes of young fluff and spread it into a fresh, exotic and identifiable world, which folks of all ages could learn from and enjoy. (The novel, if the truth be told, is an allegory for overcoming the often intense struggles that stretch from childhood to adulthood: something parents should promote, not shun from their young.)
Let's hope that, even though softened and superfluous on occasion, this revisionist edition still delivers a prosperous, pop-cultural impact and perhaps leads to adaptations of Adams' short-story offshoots. My hunch--it will, and all for the better. Even a watered-down version of "Watership Down" has got to be better than the general, "family" fodder folks are inspired (or should I say, forced?) to exalt these days.
You paired well with your pal, Ralph Waite on "The Waltons", "The Mississippi" and the down-and-out character study, "On the Nickel".
In action/adventure, you were sophisticated and spry in "Clear and Present Danger", "The Bourne Identity '88", "The Right Stuff" and the disaster epic, "Earthquake".
To those who prefer the fantastic, you were a strong, dependable participant in "The Thing '82", "Exo-Man", "Popeye" and "Monster in the Closet"; and on television, in "Rod Serling's Night Gallery", "The Twilight Zone '85" and above all, "Logan's Run", where your android, Rem gave an uncommon air of humanity among extraordinary circumstances.
Through your empathetic expression, you emerged well rounded, deft, compassionate and when need be, Mr. Moffat, abrasive and buoyant: the type of masterful thespian one can respect for each and every remarkable role.
Brett Turner has hit the mark again, with a couple, magnificent Christmas gifts sent straight from his exotic homeland of Canada...
Rock Rebel's 14" x 14", Universal Studios pillow spotlights Karloff's Frankenstein Monster, who's surrounded by Lancaster's Bride; Chapman's Gill-man; Lugosi's Dracula; Chaney Jr's Wolfman and Kharis. What a breathtaking collage, and it adorns both sides of the velvety black fabric. (I'm most fond of how Chaney's personas are positioned opposite each other.)
This classic-horror novelty would please any Universal Monsters fan. I'll cherish it for years to come...
As a creepy bonus, Brett added a Mezco Toyz's "Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth"/Pinhead Lament Configuration. This puzzle b(l)ox/Rubik's Cube measures 2.25" and is graced by lurid images of Doug Bradley's iconic, demonic character, aka Captain Elliott Spencer, including a cropped version of the film's famous (NYC backdrop) poster.
Brett knows how huge a "Hellraiser"/Clive Barker fan I am, so anything regarding such was certain to strike a grateful nerve. However, do I dare tinker with this piece and risk Cenobite transformation, not to mention an anguished outcome of the Uncle Frank kind? Hmmm...
Whatever my fate, I'm grateful to dear ol' Brett for his exquisite presents. (God bless and Merry Christmas, my friend!!!)
I like Jason "Game of Thrones" Momoa (found him darn effective in the ill-fated Conan remake), but he always struck me as a trifle...well, unique for DC's Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman, even when (at long last) garbed in the traditional orange and green. I mean, when it comes to casting Lobo, will WB go for a brawny, clean-shaven, fair-haired dude? At this stage of the reinvention game, would it be any surprise?
For me to get into the Momoa/Curry vibe, I gotta take the characterization in the context of let's say, "The Man from Atlantis", where for all intents and purposes Patrick Duffy's "Mark Harris" may have been, in fact, Aquaman, Sub-mariner or someone in-between: Depthon, Son of the Ocean, anyone?
Okay, so "Aquaman" isn't quite the long-haul Aquaman we all know in this big-budget instance. Does that mean the film is any less a splash because of it?
I'll say this much, for an official, pseudo knock-off, this brisk James Wan-directed flick serves its purpose, along with its Will Beall/David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick script. The collaborative effort presents the basic story of how Curry was born of human and Atlantean parents, portrayed by Nicole "Batman Forever" Kidman and Temuera "Green Lantern" Morrison. There's no superfluous, preachy, environmental gobbledygook to cloud the premise (praise Atlan!), and to keep things even more nice and simple, the movie dishes a reasonable scenario for Aquaman to tackle: His tyrannical half brother, Orm, aka Ocean Master, played by Patrick "Watchmen" Wilson, wishes to rule Atlantis and then all of Earth; our hero objects.
Curry's stance, however, comes with some healthy coaching (past and present) from his mentor, Vulko, played by Willem "Spider-man" Dafoe. There's also Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's revenge-driven David Kane (aka David Hyde)/Black Manta to increase the torrential pumping. (BTW: the Black Manta outfit is spot-on, reinforcing the classic character's status as the aquatic Darth Vader...or is Vader the galactic Manta? Either way, it all comes out in the villainous wash...)
The thing is, the melodrama never hits the point of extraordinary. The visuals are pretty enough (in a Christmas time/"Close Encounters" sort of way), though I'd have preferred something more in line with George Pal's "Atlantis: the Lost Continent" (less can be more). And don't get me wrong, after a spell, Momoa's cynical Curry does, in fact, get into the full-blown groove, thanks to his determined, wife-to-be, Mera, played by Amber Heard and (even if he's only on the aggressive sidelines), her dad, Dolph "The Punisher" Lungren's Nereus. Still, for the sake of my initial viewing, the whole purpose and plan seemed a little too little and way too late. (Really, this notion of begging Aquaman to battle an obvious threat felt strained in "Justice League". We know he'll help if the circumstances require it, so why dance around the obvious?)
Though nonessential banter stalls Curry's under-the-sea (and even land-based and Earth's Core) rise, the movie does, in fact, have one consistent attraction: Heard's Mera. Whether or not one has a bug up the kazoo over the Johnny Depp situation (feel free to look it up), the actress is a honey-and-a-half: always has been, always will be. In old Hollywood, she'd have been a preeminent, film-noir vixen and was long ripe for the pickin' for any superhero flick. She's tall, curvy, sparkly, supportive of (if not essential to) Curry's crusade and more than the titular hero, this live-action Mera mirrors her comic-book inspiration.
Alas, beauty alone won't make a picture great. At best, "Aquaman" is a solid Camelot variant. With matters unhinged at WB (i.e., with Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill ousted and "Shazam!'"s required reshoots), one can't help but wonder if "Aquaman" will die on the seaweed vine, thus paving the way for that predicted Justice League reboot. (Then again, "The Flashpoint Paradox" could fix it all, if but bestowed the chance.)
Despite what happens, I still believe that certain characters are meant to march (or swim) onward, and that includes Momoa's aquatic avenger. For many, a sense of sorrowful shame will be felt if his aesthetic wave doesn't rise high enough, but in the end, it's the box office that'll decide if Momoa continues to patrol the seas--and for better or worse, what elements of the DC cinematic universe remain or recede.
