To fans of Gerry Anderson's "Thunderbirds" , you were the voice of Scott Tracy, a marionette of sophistication and exemplary diligence. (You also generously granted vocalizations to Anderson's "Joe 90", "The Secret Service" and "Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons".)
In the sphere of spy hi jinks, you had a more visible touch, starring in such Bond endeavors as "You Only Live Twice"; "Diamonds are Forever"; "Live and Let Die"; and "The Spy Who Loved Me". In related espionage, you appeared in "The Holcroft Covenant"; "The Billion Dollar Bubble"; "The Bourne Identity '89"; "Twilight's Last Gleaming"; "Return of the Saint"; "A Very British Coup"; "Silver Bears"; "S*P*Y*S"; "Spy Game"; and "Dr. Strangelove or How I Stopped Worrying and Love the Bomb".
In science-fiction, fantasy and action/adventure productions (whether for the large or small screen), you visited such submissions as "Superman: the Movie"; "Superman II"; "Superman III"; "Batman Begins"; "Warlords of Atlantis"; "The People That Time Forgot"; "Rollerball '75"; "Dark Shadows '12"; "Crusoe"; "Dreamchild"; "A Kid in King Arthur's Court"; "Doctor Who"; "The Protectors"; "The Persuaders!"; "Space Truckers"; "Space Police"; "Space: 1999"; "UFO"; "Star Wars: A New Hope"; "Morons from Outer Space"; "The Arabian Adventure"; "Day of the Comet"; "Alien Autopsy"; "The Hunger"; "Hammer House of Mystery"; "Roald Dahl's Tales of the Unexpected"; "Baffled!"; "Flaming Frontier". "Dogs of War"; "A Dangerous Age"; and "A Kiss Before Dying".
Alas, actors of your varied caliber don't always get the recognition they deserve, but you, Mr. Rimmer, were one to remember and appreciate, no matter what the content or context.
Thanks for the long line of impressive work and all the imaginative memories...
Classic Disney was innovative and because of it, profitable. New Disney is out to make a buck--period. I won't hold that against the current regime. Making a buck is the American way. However, when an iconic company digs into its archives to spew unnecessary remakes, prequels and sequels (and they all turn out flat), I must protest.
I didn't fancy "Maleficent" or the live-action "Beauty and the Beast", but then their foundations aren't my personal favorites, at least not since their sickening inundation over the years.
"Dumbo '41" (based on Helen Aberson/Harold Pearl/Helen Dumey's popular book) has always been and will always be special to me, no matter how often it's shown or promoted: a humble tale with humble flair that I hold in the same high regard as "Bambi", "Pinocchio"; "Lady and the Tramp"; and if I may be so rebellious, "The Black Cauldron" (yep, I'm serious, and to those who scoff, stick it in your friggin ear). Therefore, when I learned that "Dumbo" was being remolded for the big screen, I got a tad nervous, even knowing that deft director Tim Burton, an incontestable champion of underdogs, was on board to fiddle with the proven formula.
What's emerged in "Dumbo' '19" is neither good or bad. It's not a "Psycho" scene-per-scene retread (with some padding shoved in here and there, in the way of "Beauty and the Beast"), but all the same, it doesn't take its inherent sentimentality to the required, resonant level.
"Dumbo '19" is more or less a "Big Fish" knockoff, and of Burton's movies, the latter (despite its terrific cast) never did much for me. "Dumbo '19" is also a "Batman Returns" reunion with Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito as two, important leads and granted, they're wonderful actors who do a wonderful job as the film's showbiz entrepreneurs, but "Dumbo'"s focus shouldn't be on reunited, Batman actors, no matter how neat the novelty. To boot, sticking the enchanting Eva Green, the dashing Colin Farrell and affable Alan Arkin into the plot isn't enough to set things straight. "Dumbo" is supposed to be about a baby elephant who "loses" his mom and in the process of his woe, masters the extraordinary means of flight per his extra-large ears, not a bunch of other stuff.
Now, don't get me wrong: Portions of the original's poignancy and fantastic derring-do surface in Ehren Kruger's script. Even the lovely "Baby Mine" is woven among Danny Elfman's angelic chords. That's all fine and dandy, but cute-as-a-button, CGI Dumbo remains more of a supporting curiosity than a hopeful, headlining star. Try as I may, I can't wrap my head around that. Why retell the story if its hero doesn't seize the reins? Just render a "Circus of Dr. Lao" ripoff and have Dumbo soar through a sequence or two. That would more than suffice.
For what it's worth, Disney's "Operation Dumbo Drop" is as much an honorable variant as Burton's venture. At least the former didn't pretend to be anything more than a labeled homage. Burton's steampunk edition is a graze-the-surface deal that promises a big, endearing package, but falls far short. To confound matters, it dispatches circus life as a catchy, Art Deco concept (even when dealt as impoverished), but we're not supposed to like traditional circuses (let alone girlie-show buffoonery) in this PC age. That presumed dislike seems to be the film's noble denouncement, but there's so much mirthful, animal parading that it gets lost in the puritanical, "Mighty Joe Young" shuffle.
I've seen worse remakes, and I've seen better. A new Dumbo movie, whether a revision or sequel, should have captured the gamut of compassion and delight that marks the original. If a successful story is to be rehashed, then recycle its methodology with meticulous care. Don't toss computerized fluff onto the screen and hope it sticks. Heart and soul must surface throughout each and every scene, and if not...
Perhaps if I re-watch "Dumbo '19", I'll be more inclined to take it for what it is (and like it much more), but considering my unwavering allegiance to Disney's first, on-target take, I'm not so sure.
On March 31, 1939, 20th Century Fox (per prolific producer Darryl F. Zanuck) released director Sidney Landfield/scripter Ernest Pascal's acclaimed adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles".
The novel was, in fact, a prequel to Doyle's many popular stories featuring Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watston, but this particular adaptation served as a significant springboard for a movie series starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce as the shrewd Baker Street duo. (The initial sequel to "Baskervilles" appeared six months later, sealing the revered teaming of Rathbone and Bruce for what became a fourteen-chapter run.)
Like its iconic stars, the supporting cast is well suited, with Richard Greene as Sir Henry Baskervilles; Wendy Barrie as Beryl Stapleton; Morton Lowry as Jack Stapleton; Lionel Atwill as Dr. James Mortimer; Beryl Mercer as Jennifer Mortimer; and John Carradine as Barryman the butler. The exemplary ensemble is enhanced by J. Peverell Marley's haunting photography, which brings Doyle's "demon dog" chiller to ferocious life.
"Hound of the Baskervilles '39" was one the most successful movies in a year populated by destined classics. Though other successful Holmes submissions had come before it and others would follow (in particular the revered, Terence Fisher/Hammer '59 "Baskervilles" remake, which will soon celebrate its 60th anniversary), the '39 edition is the sagacious standard for anyone with a penchant for mystery.
Also, when it comes to fog-drenched craftiness, "Baskervilles '39" is the one-and-only initiator of further Holmes indulgences and that includes the Rathbone/Bruce installments and all those beyond.
Grant it a dutiful view today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbfc_FfGB9E
The Airship 27 developments sure do blossom this early spring, as Captain Ron Fortier and Chief Engineer Rob Davis can attest.
In the March '19 podcast, the fellas keep listeners abreast of "Domino Lady, Vol 3", which includes five new, dynamic mysteries for our sexy sleuth to solve. Ron and Rob also discuss their plans for a modern-day Bulldog Drummond series, which just kicked off with I.A. Watson's novel, "On Poisoned Ground". (Drummond spans a century of adventure: the action hero having graced books, radio plays and movies.)
In addition, there's nifty news on Radio Archive's intent to release CD box sets of all upcoming, Airship 27 titles, the first of which is currently available: Robert J. Mendenhall's "Code Name: Intrepid". (For those who prefer having something literally in hand, as opposed to a download format, this is a dream come true.)
And hold on to your seats: Our hosts reference my upcoming Persona sequel, "The Green-Fleshed Fiends", along with Kevin Broden and Chris Rawding's artistic contributions to Vol 2. Ah, the anticipation mounts...
Seize the transmission now at... https://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/4/3/e/43e4a492cf9817e3/Airship27Podcast_049.mp3?c_id=38038316&cs_id=38038316&expiration=1553554681&hwt=3fe1907c040d166c0d795bba79f964d6
Late March 1939: A black-gray (tinged with blue), caped figure with menacing cowl enters the cultural consciousness.
Twenty-seven years later, I, a mere boy of two, becomes enthralled by an in-color, television series that plays via my family's black-and-white set. Adam West and Burt Ward consume my thoughts, actions and dreams. From that point, nothing is the same.
As the years pass, my obsession with Bruce Wayne and his linking lore intensifies. I track down other Batman incarnations: chapter plays, cartoons, collectibles and the most prolific source of all, comic books.
Some stories depict wild, tongue-in-cheek scenarios; others exude brooding atmospheres, in particular the '70s Neal Adams run, which nurtures the Bob Kane/Bill Finger seeds in ways that leave me spellbound and enriched.
This progressing, darker trend follows me into the '80s, where I encounter Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns" and Alan Moore/Brian Bolland's "The Killing Joke". I soon embrace Norm Breyfogle's fantastic, fluorescent panels, relishing his brilliant overlap of retro and contemporary styles.
Then comes Tim Burton's film-noir retelling with Michael Keaton, an adventure that spawns further, big-screen entries and animated variants, ultimately capped by Christopher Nolan's daring Christian Bale trilogy.
On the heels of this fruitful feast, crossover submissions with Ben Affleck catch my eye, in addition to an acclaimed, weekly prequel. The grand, eclectic collective is sealed. My allegiance to the idolizing cause takes deeper root--and expands.
Throughout the experience, I bounce forward and (especially) backward, revisiting the Dark Knight's foundation, acknowledging his presence as the symbolic son of Zorro, Sir Galahad, Sherlock Holmes and the Shadow; an earthbound Kal-El, robbed of his parents so that he might aim his angst against eccentric adversity with the maximum, Bondian zeal.
As a result of my avid delving, the Dark Knight's trusty sidekicks help guide my moral compass: the faithful Alfred Pennyworth, steadfast James Gordon and acrobatic Dick Grayson, aka Robin and Nightwing. And to bestow me with an ample stream of amorous accompaniment, Barbara Gordon's Batgirl and Selina Kyle's Catwoman become my steady dates.
But no matter how enticing these supporting characters strike me, Batman remains the Gotham guardian who inspires me most: the one who gives me the incentive to keep an ethical stance and the vehement vigor to face life's obstacles, no matter how daunting.
Batman has always been and always will be my hero. That millions of others share this sentiment speaks volumes.
Here's to another Bat-tastic eighty years of superheroic influence. No doubt another plentiful spree of dark and vibrant, crime-combating wonders awaits...
You rose in television, creating "The Invaders" and "Blue Light", and contributed stories to "The Defenders"; "The Fugitive"; "Branded"; "Checkmate"; "Columbo"; "Masters of Horror" and "Way Out".
On the theatrical stretch, you hit the directing/producing/writing jackpot time and again, with "Bone"; "Black Caesar"; "Hell up in Harlem"; "Original Gangstas"; "Return of the Seven"; "God Told Me To"; "Full Moon High"; Return to Salem's Lot"; "Scream, Baby, Scream"; "Q: the Winged Serpent"; "The Stuff"; "Special Effects"; "Perfect Strangers"; "Deadly Illusion"; "As Good as Dead"; "Best Seller"; "El Condor"; "Delirious"; "I, the Jury"; "The Ambulance"; "See China and Die"; "Captivity"; "Phone Booth"; "Cellular"; "Guilty as Sin"; "Wicked Step Mother"; "Uncle Sam"; "The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover"; "In Broad Daylight"; "Body Snatchers" (the third, chilling chapter in the film franchise); "King Cohen" (a clip-crammed, biographical homage); the "Maniac Cop" trilogy; and last but by no means least, the "It's Alive" quartet. (After viewing any part of that fearsome foursome, how could anyone ever dare enter a delivery room?)
As many fans can attest, your environmental themes and irreverent humor were a distinguishing factor in your work, making you as influential as John Carpenter, George A. Romero, Wes Craven and Tobe Hooper.
Thanks for all the fun, scares and madcap exploitation, Mr. Cohen. You've made our lives ever-so-offbeat, and for that, evermore fulfilled.
