For Valentine's Day, my spouse surprised me with another sensational set of lobby-card reproductions. (See Jan '19 for an overview of the initial trio.)
One of the cards represents an indisputable, science-fiction classic: "The Day the Earth Stood Still '51", directed by Robert "Star Trek--the Motion Picture" Wise and scripted by Edmund H. North, based on Harry Bates' acclaimed short story, "Farewell to the Master". "The Day the Earth Stood Still" is remembered more for its sense of humanity (which permeates its extra-terrestrial lead) than the "ultimatum" terror enacted in the above Reynold Brown depiction.
Due to the latter link, this particular card acts as a mini poster, which features Michael Rennie's Klaatu, Lock Martin's Gort and a blonde stand-in for Patricia Neal's Helen Benson, looking more panicked than the character ever does in the movie. (FYI: Listed costar Hugh Marlowe went on to play the protagonist in the Fred S. Sears/Charles H. Schneer/Ray Harryhausen alien-invasion smash, "Earth vs the Flying Saucers".)
Though the image isn't the most apt reflection of what "Day the Earth Stood Still" entails, its flair sure makes it ultra eye-catching and worth possessing...
The next card stems from yet another acclaimed, extra-terrestrial flick: a "War of the Worlds" variant called "Invaders from Mars", directed by film designer, William Cameron Menzies, produced by Edward L. Alperson Sr and Jr, and scripted by Richard Blake, from a story by John Tucker Battle.
The tale's circumstances are projected per young David MacLean, played by Jimmy Hunt, who also cameos in Tobe Hooper's '86 remake. "Invaders'" dreamlike vantage gives it a childlike flavor: Many a nervous youngster has dreamed weird things along the lines of what David perceives, thus making the movie quite identifiable. (For the record, genre great Arthur "Monster on the Campus" Franz costars as an amiable astronomer and good ol' Lock Martin performs as one of the towering, Martian mutants.)
Luce Potter's supreme "Intelligence" is the card's concentration, giving the layout a distinct, ominous air. Lord knows, the wee, bubbled creature gave me the big-time willies when I was a lad--hell, the freakish, little thing still does...
The third card commemorates the eerie, '58 British production, "Fiend Without a Face", directed by Arthur "Horrors of the Black Museum" Crabtree and scripted by Herbert "The Frozen Dead" Leder, based on Amelia Reynolds Long's pulp submission, "The Thought Monster".
"Fiend'"s protagonist is played by Marshall "It! the Terror from Beyond Space" Thompson, queued in the card's top-left corner. However, it's toweled Kim "Fire Maidens from Outer Space" Parker who dominates this artistic vision (another from Reynold Brown). Still, I'm glad to see at least one brainy, stop-motion monster slinking toward the forefront, though it only goes to reason: There's nothing as captivating as a near-naked gal and a slithering, faceless fiend to pique one's interest.
In Britain, "Fiend" ruffled feathers for its intensity and endured some trims. It also played worldwide as a double bill with another Amalgamated Picture hit, "The Haunted Strangler", starring Boris Karloff.
Donna ordered these cards from Filmfax (of course). They're 11" x 14" each and printed on high-quality stock: stunning on all counts. (Stock images were used for this post to ensure clarity.)
My Donna sure made my Valentine's Day extra special. What can I say? My dear wife knows me all too well.
"Alita: Battle Angel" is an ambitious, science-fiction/comic-book movie, directed by Robert Rodriguez and co-scripted by James "Terminator" Cameron and Laeta "Terminator: Genisys" Kalogridis, based on Yukito Kishiro's popular, manga series.
The concept: A 300-year-old, big-eyed, resurrected cyborg girl, played by Rosa Salazar, wishes to forge an identity and purpose per her 26th Century, second-chance life. This puts the story in tune with "Ghost in the Shell", though with more of a forward slant than a quasi retrospective one.
Alita's mentor/refurbisher is Dr. Dyson Ido (a licensed "hunter warrior" by night), portrayed by the wonderful Christoph Waltz, who re-tunes her cognition for a new age. To elevate her status, she engages in a raucous, "Rollerball"-ish event against treacherous, kick-ass opponents, which leads to the movie's rousing "Rocky" (or should that be "Real Steel"?) climax and lengthy though vigorous epilogue. (There are weird warm-ups to the expected culmination, including an early, serial-killer subplot, but these interludes are planted more for momentary misdirection than essential linkage.)
Rounding out the cast is Mahershala Ali as the prime, recurring villain, Vector (a gamester kingpin); Jennifer Connelly as his scientist sidekick, Dr. Chiren (who's also Ido's ex); with Ed Skrein, Jeff Fahey, Eiza Gonzalez and Jackie Earle Haley completing the excellent, disguised, imagi-movie co-cast.
Keean "Spooksville" Johnson plays Alita's underbelly boyfriend, Hugo, but the abundant, dismal splendor dulls the romance, leaving any lasting tenderness to orbit Ido, who tosses a Kenobi/Miyagi aura upon his adopted daughter. (I suppose one could find an implied Geppetto/Pinocchio angle to their relationship, and if so, the comparisons to Spielberg's "A.I." would be plentiful.)
Though the story is basic, its execution is gripping, due to its character-laden pacing and next-generation Astro Boy pizzazz, which should please manga and anime fans and even those detached from those Asian phenomena.
The thing is, as much as Alita is amazing to behold (it's those eyes, far more than her fighting finesse), she stays a kid throughout, and because of this, can never equal the striking stature of Scarlett Johansson's Major. "Battle Angel", therefore, lacks sex appeal in the robotic regard. At best, the film offers a hypnotic, uncanny-valley presence for those not freaked by such.
Still one might ask, would a healthy spoonful of erotica (with Alita instead having been depicted as an adult) made the movie better? Should we dare expect any sort of saucy approach in a time when pin-ups and cheesecake are ostracized by the ultra sensitive in favor of drab, fairy-wand neutrality? Come now, we all know that's the real reason "Ghost'"s star met disdain. Yeah, sure, one could claim that "Battle Angel" is good enough as it stands and yet...
There isn't quite enough springing forth to set it apart from its aimed-for-adults, scorn-the-sugary-sweet-princess counterparts. I'm guessing the movie would've hit a huge, innovative note if made a few years earlier, even with its inherent, true-to-its-roots restrictions. With that said, "Battle Angel" seems like another classy competitor, certain to be referenced in years to come, but not extraordinary enough to achieve classic status.
Whatever its destiny, take this adventure for what it's worth and depart content.
Netflix's "Velvet Buzzsaw" is a unique product (SPOILER ALERT), rather like Dennis Steckler's "Rat Fink A Boo Boo" and Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez's "From Dusk Till Dawn", beginning like one thing, but turning into something else all together.
Written/directed by Dan "Kong: Skull Island" Gilroy, the film centers on the art world, where the snob echelon soon revolves around the works of a defunct artist named Vetril Dease. We never get to see Dease (unless one counts Alan Mandell's spectral insinuations), only the colorful examples of his work: rich in tones and when it comes to their depicted personas, brimming of anguish.
Hipsters are drawn to the macabre images, which includes contemptuous critic and default-protagonist, Morph Vandervalt (Jake Gyllenhaal), along with various artists, assistants and promoters who sport such cute names as Rhodora Haze (Renee Russo); Piers (John Malkovich); Josephina (Zawe Ashton); Darmish (Daveed Diggs); Coco (Natalia Dyer); Bryson (Billy Magnussen); and Gretchen (Toni Collette). They're not the most identifiable lot, but due to their engaging quirks, one can't help but hang with 'em.
The first chunk of the film caters to their meaner-than-thou interactions, though a shift commences when Josephina catches wind of Dease's death in her apartment complex. She's informed that the recluse left instructions to destroy all of his belongings, which leads her to snoop and snatch his many canvases. From there, Dease's paintings are exposed and sought for profit among the aforementioned and beyond, but the unfolding exchanges come with a price.
Dease stirred something into his paintings: Think along the lines of Walter Paisley or Adam Sorg. Whatever the pigments harbor pulls people in, but is it hallucinogenic or supernatural? Perhaps both...
Those who grow obsessed with the paintings die horribly, but this isn't surprising since by reputation, Dease was a man capable of great harm. That he requested his odd creations be destroyed was, in fact, a gracious gesture and yet...
The frantic Vandervalt is left to unravel the scary shenanigans, which are plenty and fierce. In fact, Gilroy's tale plays much like an extended "Night Gallery", delving into full-blown, '70s psychedelia by the film's second half. To accentuate its surreal splotches, there are "Nightmare on Elm Street" nods, a giant, interactive sphere to make any "Phantasm" fan drool, and one helluva cool animatronic mannequin called Hobo Man (Mark "Stranger Things" Steger) that appears to hold a life of its own.
The film is also one of stark contrasts, comparable to Michael Winner's "The Sentinel": so sanitized and posh at first, but messy and chaotic by its climax. It's a story of control and the lack of it. It shows what happens when the elite think they're above the law and for all of their self-serving antics, cataclysmic karma awaits.
I figured this one would be good, if only based on its writer/director and cast, but boy, did it ever exceed my expectations. "Velvet Buzzsaw" (and the title will click before the credits roll) may not be original in all respects, but thanks to its deft and tricky execution, it sure comes across that way.
Lloyd Smith invents the most remarkable characters. The continued evidence can be traced in Blue Moon Comics (via Lucky Comics), per a stunning, new series labeled Blue Moon Spotlight.
For Issue #1, we're introduced to Smith's Midnight Stranger in a dark, astral sojourn called "Dreaming Men are Haunted Men", with super-surreal artwork by Joe Koziarski.
The hooded Midnight Stranger is, in truth, a disabled man named Benjamin Blake, who attains avenging powers via a celestial shape called Siege-L. Through their symbiotic pact, Burke is able to take vengeance on the individual who paralyzed him--and then no doubt take his mystical skills onward. What a clever concept, but is it any wonder coming from Smith's incomparable imagination?
For Issue #2 (subtitled "Other Worlds"), it's up and away, where "Twilight Zone" meets Kal-El, sprinkled with a dynamic dash of John Carter in Smith's Paragon...Earthman!
In this instance, Smith and tip-top artist Jesse Landrum show us how earthling Steel Stalwart entered the planet Naperon, emerging with spectacular strength and the ability to fly. In other words, Steel is a superhero cut from the same colorful cloth as Superman and Captain Marvel (the Shazam! version, that is), though relegated to extra-terrestrial turf.
Stalwart's mentor, Professor Myles Meek advises the compassionate champion on Naperon's progression, which is certain to give the powerful Paragon many an exciting circumstance to battle and unravel in upcoming adventures.
One can purchase the above installments at ...
https://www.drivethrucomics.com/product/266356/Blue-Moon-Spotlight-2a?manufacturers_id=7565&fbclid=IwAR3bsCBQeLy2Sn03dwqi7gcQOoaG72gpJDrhPE-nLYrCE4DX71wgAg6A3Bc.
Don't bypass the ascent of these groundbreaking entities. There's no question that Midnight Stranger and Paragon will leave long-lasting impressions on the comic-book scene!!!
In October '15, I shared my reaction to one of the most brilliant and moving productions I've had the good fortune to absorb: Randy Bowser's "Karloff: the Play". I've continued to praise the show and the mastermind behind it, for Bowser's tribute is truly that special.
One can now purchase a digital download of Bowser's breathtaking, one-man event, where the actor/director/writer's engaging tonality guides the listener into the depths of Boris Karloff's fascinating life.
In "Karloff: the Man Behind the Monster", one is treated to reflections on the actor's early years (his struggles and aspirations), as well as his entrance into Hollywood and his fated development of the Frankenstein Monster. Cinema legends such as James Whale, Colin Clive, Jack Pierce, Howard Hawks, Val Lewton and Bela Lugosi are woven throughout with tender, resonating care, adding to the vast, historic tapestry.
Listening to Bowser's voice (the marvelous manner in which he channels the influential thespian) will delight one's ears--in fact, all of one's senses.
"Karloff: the Play" is not to be missed. "Karloff: the Man Behind the Monster" is, in its own loving way, every bit as uplifting and insightful.
The digital download of Bowser's creation is available at ... https://randybowser.bandcamp.com/album/karloff-the-man-behind-the-monster
In addition to the audio presentation, one will receive a copy of the script, a video scene of the play, music tracks and a dandy production poster: all the more reason to order, all the more reason for Karloff fans to rejoice.
Thanks to Warren Montgomery's Will Lill (Publishing), readers are treated to another trio of terrific tales in Fun Adventure Comics! #14.
Writer Lloyd Smith (creator of Ash-Aman) and artist Joe Koziarski present a miraculous appearance by super-scientific Max Miracle, a superhero of far-out, inter-dimensional design in "Liv Elaine at the Center of the Universe".
In this instance, we find grad student, Liv prepared to teleport into that titular "center", but things are never as they seem. When the set-up goes awry (and boy, does it ever!), the metamorphic Miracle is prepared to remedy the matter in an adventure that's as thrilling as it's bizarre. Fans of old-time science fiction will be pleased and elated by the imaginative ingredients that Smith and Koziarski stir...
Then writer Ron Fortier and artist Rob Davis give us "Tales from the Mother Road", featuring kismet-kissed characters, Little Doc and Wishbone Charlie Beaumont. The duo's sojourn sports a sweet twist which demonstrates that good deeds always pay off.
I gotta say, the story made me misty-eyed, but then the best life-lesson tales will do that to any of us. Fortier and Davis sure did hit the sentimental jackpot with this one...
In the third story, Jonathan A. Gilbert and artist Lee Melton present statuesque, bounty hunter, Karen Le'Court in a cool, little riddle entitled "A Chitown Story", where our intrepid, Gadsper Corp mercenary encounters a gang of cruel cosplayers in doleful Detroit.
Le'Court has only her physical prowess to ward off the maddening eccentrics, in a reckless rumpus that culminates in a chilling cliffhanger. Can't wait for the next Fun Adventure Comics! to see how Gilbert and Melton resolve our heroine's stupefying predicament...
Issue #14's entries create the sort of flavorful consortium that one won't find in most comics these days, but that's what makes Warren Montgomery's Will Lill publications so darn special. Fun Adventure Comics! will please those who desire something new with a dash of the traditional: a great, ongoing anthology of diverse wonderment from the best writers/artists around.
Order your copy of Fun Adventure Comics! #14 at ... https://willlillcomics.bigcartel.com/product/fun-adventure-comics-14.
