What classics did you see last week, Oct 17 to Oct 23?

Portrait of a Lady on Fire - 8.5/10




Phantom Thread - 7/10





The Thomas Crown Affair - 7/10




Intolerable Cruelty - 6/10

My movie-watching week was made up of horse racing, car racing, assassin models, witches and devil spawn.

Ride Like a Girl (2019).



Ford v Ferrari (2019).



Anna (2019).



Gretel & Hansel (2020).



Rosemary's Baby (1968).

“No Time to Die”  Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and United Artists Releasing, 163 Minutes, Rated PG-13, Released October 08, 2021:

There’s very much a sense of completion in “No Time to Die,” the new James Bond picture now playing in the world's theaters, the 25th “official” picture in a series that stretches all the way back to 1962 and “Dr. No.” And clocking in at a whopping two hours and forty-three minutes, there’s also very much a sense of the filmmakers having thrown everything but the kitchen sink into the movie in an effort to satisfy the audience.

Starring Daniel Craig in his fifth and reportedly final appearance as MI6 super-agent 007, in “No Time to Die” five years after an act of mortal treachery results in his estrangement from lady love Dr. Madeleine Swann (Lea Seydoux), James Bond is enjoying an uneasy Jamaican retirement when he’s reluctantly persuaded by his old CIA buddy Felix Leiter (Jeffrey Wright) to return to the field for one final mission--to retrieve the kidnapped Valdo Obruchev, a Soviet-born scientist who defected to England to work with British Intelligence on bioweapons research.

But when Obruchev after his rescue is kidnapped again by rogue CIA agents working for a maverick SPECTRE operative, the retired Bond is honor-bound to return to MI6 service to foil a plot to destroy humanity with Obruchev’s invention--Project Herecles, an unstoppable supervirus spread through entire families by microscopic nanobots. Bond’s search for the scientist leads inexorably to his imprisoned archnemesis Ernst Blofeld (Christoph Waltz), the prunefaced sociopathic genius Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek)...and former love Dr. Madeleine Swann.

Epic in vision from the first frame to the last, with a script that seems to have been cobbled together by writers Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, director Cary Joji Fukunaga and “Killing Eve” creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge from elements cribbed from the first six or seven pictures in the series (with special emphasis on the romanticism of 1969’s “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” a episode the filmmakers shamelessly reference throughout), ”No Time to Die” eventually establishes its own identity to become one of the very best James Bond adventures to date .

Filled with visual references, music phrases, and lines of dialogue from Bond films of the past, the sense of sentimentality is strong indeed in “No Time to Die”--a sense borne out in the events of the narrative. But in a line of films that’s traditionally been defined by non-stop action and violence, that’s hardly a bad thing. And it’s always a welcome treat to catch up with M (Ralph Fiennes), Moneypenny (Naomie Harris), Q (Ben Whishaw), and the gang at MI6--a group which now includes Bond’s replacement in the 00 section, the ultra-competitive Nomi (Lashana Lynch).

Of all the screen Bonds, Daniel Craig has probably come closest to fulfilling author Ian Fleming’s vision of the character--a thug with some polish and a license to kill, a British answer to the American Mike Hammer. Craig in his four previous films in the series has usually come across as the glummest chum since Richard Burton in “The Spy Who Came In from the Cold.” But “No Time to Die” finally allows the dour Craig to show some emotional range, mixing elements of warmth, humor, and heartbreak into his martini-shaken-not-stirred. Craig takes full advantage of each opportunity, and this is the one Bond film that reminds us he’s an actor.

Despite a few slow stretches and bumps in the road early in the journey, on a scale of zero to one the new film easily earns a 0.07 on the Bond meter, a notch below such classics as “From Russia With Love,” “Thunderball,” and “Skyfall” but far, far above the execrable “Moonraker” and “Octopussy.” For those viewers arriving late to the table, the film’s a compelling, timely, and intelligent action thriller. For fans and followers of the series, “No Time to Die” is 100% certified platinum.

Originally scheduled for release in April 2020, “No Time to Die” was among the very first major motion picture productions delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Postponed at first to November 25, 2020, subsequent surges in the Covid virus further delayed the film’s release to April 02, 2021 and finally to October 08. Instead of dating the picture, the plot element of an unstoppable virus threatening the future of mankind makes the picture seem especially timely, technologically up-to-date, and even poignant in the present tense.

With a theme song performed by pop superstar Billie Eilish and spectacular location photography in Norway, Italy, Scotland, Jamaica, the Faroe Islands, and London, “No Time to Die” is rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, brief strong language, and some suggestive material.



“Halloween Kills” Distributed by Universal Pictures, 105 Minutes, Rated R, Released October 15, 2021:

There’s not a single shot, plot development, or special makeup effect in the new “Halloween Kills” that you haven’t already seen at least once in other recent horror movies. And by the movie’s halfway point, when the narrative goes out the window entirely and the picture descends into chaos, the viewer doesn’t want anything so much as for the whole thing to just end once and for all.

You’ll recall that in the “Halloween” series of movies, Michael Myers is the slow-walking, silent William Shatner-masked serial killer of Haddonfield, Illinois. In the original film of the saga, 1978’s “Halloween,” Michael began his killing spree as a six-year-old child in 1963, and resumed his career in slaughter upon escaping from a psychiatric hospital fifteen years later, stalking teenage babysitter Laurie Strode and her friends on Halloween night.

At the climax of the eleventh and most recent chapter of the “Halloween” saga, the 2018 reboot of the original “Halloween,” it finally looked like the end of the road for Michael: Subdued at last by three generations of the Strode family, Michael was trapped inside the safe room of their fortress of a home, which was then set ablaze. Even Houdini would have trouble escaping a trap like that...right?

Wrong. Taking up the story where 1978’s “Halloween” left off, in “Halloween Kills” we learn to the surprise of precisely nobody that Michael survived the climactic blaze simply by employing a hack he could’ve learned from watching Boris Karloff on the late, late show in “The Bride of Frankenstein.” Freed once again, Michael resumes his murderous antics, while the grievously wounded Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is evacuated to the hospital in the company of her adult daughter (Judy Greer) and teenage granddaughter (Andi Matichak).

The twelfth movie in a series that runs all the way back to 1978, “Halloween Kills” actually kicks off with a clever conceit--a group of exasperated survivors from the previous eleven movies gather together to finally polish off Michael Myers once and for all. But after a hopeful beginning, the movie becomes just another helping of the usual carnage. If anything, “Halloween Kills” is worse than its predecessors in the series...which is really saying something in a line of films that includes two entries directed by Rob Zombie.

Released in 1978, John Carpenter’s seminal “Halloween” was wildly overpraised by critics for its innovative approach to revitalizing the horror genre, which had been temporarily moribund by either demonic possession-based occult pictures inspired by the enormous success of William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” in 1973 or dreadful natural infestations and nature-strikes-back potboilers cloned from Steven Spielberg’s game-changing “Jaws” in 1975.

In reality, “Halloween” was little more than a retread--a recycling of the tired tropes from the Universal Pictures horror cycle of the 1930s and 1940s...particularly their four pictures inspired by 1932’s “The Mummy.” If there was anything new or revolutionary about Carpenter’s “Halloween,” it was that the movie contained R-rated ingredients that could never have escaped the censors’ scissors three decades earlier--specifically, an abundance of sexual antics among teens and graphic makeup effects which emphasized carnage and bloodshed.

“Halloween” earned some $70 million at the box office on an investment of around $300,000. In Hollywood terms, those numbers translated into sequels and imitations--lots of them. But while “Halloween” was referential to the classic horror pictures from the past, its sequels became increasingly referential to themselves. Each new picture in the series duplicated the formula of “Halloween,” and sometimes featured returning characters and cast members. The new “Halloween Kills” contains Jamie Lee Curtis’ sixth performance as Laurie Strode, the heroine of the original 1978 picture.

It’s tempting to dismiss the shortcomings of “Halloween Kills” to heredity, but the filmmakers have that base covered. Director David Gordon Green asked the audience’s indulgence in considering his 2018 reboot of “Halloween” a direct sequel to John Carpenter’s 1978 original, effectively ignoring the nine “Halloween” movies released between 1981 and 2009. Presumably exempt is 1982’s “Halloween III: Season of the Witch,” in which filmmaker John Carpenter briefly attempted to turn the “Halloween” franchise into an anthology series...until box office receipts persuaded him otherwise.

Again co-written and directed by David Gordon Green and featuring a plotline that includes extensive flashbacks to Carpenter’s original picture, “Halloween Kills” re-stages a few of the 1978 movie’s scenes to either include new information or subtly modify plot elements...a device which quickly baffles viewers. Since the movie takes place in both 1978 and 2018 and there’s been so little physical change in Haddonfield over the years, the audience is never sure which era they’re seeing, which story they’re following...or even in which century it’s taking place.

Additionally, the filmmakers tinker around with the mythology of the now-iconic serial killer Michael Myers, elements considered sacrosanct until now. In “Halloween Kills” we see a fast-moving Michael, apparently trained in hand-to-hand combat, occasionally displaying commando moves that rival those of Bruce Lee. It’s a little like suddenly giving Superman the ability to sling webs--the spectacle might dazzle “Halloween” newbies, but won’t make a shred of sense to viewers who’ve followed the series for a while.

Michael’s also meaner than before, or at least more sadistic, placing some 20 knives into one unfortunate victim before being interrupted by another victim he hasn’t quite finished off yet. And after his kills, time permitting, the now-Hannibal Lecter-like Michael arranges the remains of his victims into grisly tableaux. In fact, the special makeup effects, the nearly overwhelming amounts of stage blood, and the gamy imagery seem to be the only real justification for the film. Even the most jaded fans of the franchise will find little fun in this episode.

Among the cast, Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode has the sense to mostly sit this chapter out, bedfast in the Haddonfield Hospital from wounds sustained in the last picture. The overwrought countenance of the late Donald Pleasance as Dr. Sam Loomis pops in and out of the narrative via archival footage. Also repeating his role from the 1978 picture, Charles Cyphers at age 82 must be Haddonfield’s oldest police officer. Former “Brat Pack” member Anthony Michael Hall, beefy and red-faced at age 53, joins the cast as a Michael Myers survivor who incites the mob screaming for the killer’s head.

In the end, Jamie Lee Curtis as the wounded Laurie and Will Patton as the wounded Haddonfield police deputy occupy adjacent beds in the hospital ICU, survivors once again, and sagely ruminate in homespun platitudes in an apparent attempt to lend some reason to “Halloween Kills,” or at least some sense of credibility, or even relevance. “Fear...fear is the real curse of Michael Myers,” Curtis’ Laurie intones at one point. But by that point in the picture it’s too late for a philosophy lesson.

The filmmakers don’t even try to maintain an illusion of killing Michael off...or freezing him in ice or encasing him in sulfur, as Universal did so entertainingly to the Frankenstein monster at various times during the 1930s and 1940s. The next picture in the “Halloween” series, optimistically titled “Halloween Ends,” is already in the can, scheduled for release on October 14, 2022. It’s actually pretty cynical if you think about it. Nothing, it seems, can kill off Michael Myers for at least as long as he remains a potent force at the box office...

...or unless the good people of Haddonfield, Illinois after some 43 years of murder and mayhem finally learn to lock their doors at night.

Eighteen--count ‘em--producers contributed to this mess, including Jamie Lee Curtis, John Carpenter, Jason Blum (of Blumhouse Productions), and director David Gordon Green. Comic actor Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul”) is listed among the actors in the closing credits, but his participation in the picture is limited to a quick glimpse of his Naperville (Illinois) High School yearbook photo, class of 1978.

Filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina, “Halloween Kills” is rated R for strong, bloody violence throughout, grisly images, adult language, and some scenes of substance abuse.


AND...


“...deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing,
doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before…”

--from “The Raven,” by Edgar Allen Poe


Halloween is traditionally a time of frights, scares, fears, dreads, and terrors. And over the past few years, especially since the advent of the Covid pandemic, more and more families who once celebrated the Halloween holiday with an evening of jokes, pranks, and trick-or-treat are turning instead to private homebound events or parties. And sometimes as part of the festivities, they’ll take a look at an old movie or two on DVD.

While the classic horror films of the 1930s and 1940s have a strong and very committed following among purists who turn up their noses at the mention of the blood-splattered modern movies like the “Saw” or “Friday the 13th” series, there are some little gems among the stones of contemporary motion pictures.

Below is a short list of horror movies released during the past few years that you might like to have a look at on Halloween, again or for the first time. While other recent films might score more lucrative bonanzas at the box office, the films below have a strong chance of becoming tomorrow’s real classics of horror cinema--movies that’ll still be watched and enjoyed decades into the future. All are easily available on streaming services or on DVD.

Just don’t spend too much time watching movies on Halloween. Edgar Allen Poe also once wrote the words, “I remained too much inside my head and ended up losing my mind.” And that’s pretty good advice, if you think about it. It’s just another way of saying something your mom probably told you when you were younger: ”Movies like that are gonna rot your brain.”


“Happy Death Day”   Distributed by Universal Pictures, 96 Minutes, Rated PG-13, Released October 13, 2017:

In “Happy Death Day,” a college sorority girl is murdered by a masked assailant during the evening of her birthday. But instead of finding herself in the afterlife, the surprised girl at the moment of her murder begins the day again, and relives her fateful birthday over and over. As a result, she eventually not only saves her life and identifies her killer, but also undertakes a vigorous regimen of self-improvement...and possibly gains a boyfriend.

A movie with a title like this would generally suggest a lurid little horror picture produced to exploit the season, lure in the weekend date audience, and make a quick killing at the box office. But “Happy Death Day” instead turns out to be a delightful surprise—a genuinely original little picture that doesn’t take itself too seriously and has some fun with the horror genre. The picture finds its strength by combining elements of suspense, exploitation, and comedy in a manner both highly original and vastly entertaining, even to wary adults.

Imagine a hybrid of “Halloween,” “A Christmas Carol,” and “Back to the Future,” with a heaping dose of “Groundhog Day”—a movie knowingly referenced throughout the picture—and you won’t be too far off. Written with enormous good humor by Scott Lobdell and directed with style, confidence, and polish by Christopher Landon, “Happy Death Day” features a terrific performance by Jessica Rothe as the unfortunate murder victim, supported by Israel Broussard as a casual romantic partner who becomes a bewildered Watson to her Holmes.

“Happy Death Day” is rated PG-13 for language concerns, sexual content, partial nudity, and some drug use. The movie is available for streaming on Amazon Prime, Vudu, and Google Play.


“The Invisible Man”   Distributed by Universal Pictures, 124 Minutes, Rated R, Released February 28, 2020:

In the 2020 version of ”The Invisible Man,” after enduring for too long a dangerously abusive relationship with a brilliant research scientist conducting experiments in optics, a young architect manages to flee her controlling spouse. But after he commits suicide following her escape, a series of small occurrences gradually cause the woman to suspect her former spouse is not dead--just vanished from sight.

Written and directed by Leigh Whannell, the Australian screenwriter of 2004’s “Saw” and the first two “Insidious” movies, “The Invisible Man” has little more than a nodding relationship with the 1897 science fiction novel by H.G. Wells on which it’s based. Instead, the movie reinvents the title character as an abusive spouse stalking his former mate, and uses the film as a means of creating in the viewer’s mind a little of the genuine, powerless terror of anyone who’s ever endured a violent relationship or marriage.

Anchored by a harrowing, heartbreaking, and surprisingly strenuous performance from Elisabeth Moss, “The Invisible Man” crafts an airtight authenticity, instilling in the mind of the viewer a very real feeling of dread, helplessness, and paranoia. The elements of traditional horror are there, but they’re delivered so swiftly and unexpectedly that they’re gone before you’re even sure you saw them. A co-production of the cryptkeepers at Blumhouse Productions, this is a movie that would’ve made Alfred Hitchcock proud.

Released to theaters in early 2020 just as the Covid pandemic was gaining impetus, “The Invisible Man” was a victim of bad timing at the box office. The picture was actually still playing in theaters when the Covid lockdown shuttered virtually all the movie theaters across the US. But despite its troubled history at the box office, “The Invisible Man” is gaining a reputation as a modern classic of the horror genre.

“The Invisible Man” was originally planned as a project for actor Johnny Depp in Universal Pictures’ Dark Universe series of motion picture reboots of its classic horror movies from the 1930s and 1940s. But when the premiere film in the Dark Universe franchise (the 2017 re-imagining of “The Mummy,” starring Tom Cruise) bombed at the box office, plans for the series were scrapped in favor of individual remakes of selected titles from the Universal library.

Incidentally, the magnificent clifftop home of the title character in “The Invisible Man” is Headland House, an actual holiday rental in Mt. Pleasant, Gerringong, New South Wales, Australia. Containing four bedrooms, 4.5 baths, a kitchen, gymnasium, pool, and a spectacular ocean view, the rental rates for the home are around $2250 per night. Just thought you’d like to know.

Set in San Francisco but filmed in New South Wales, Australia, “The Invisible Man” is rated R for strong, bloody violence, and language concerns. The picture is available for streaming on Hulu, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Google Play, and Vudu.


“Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”  Distributed by Lionsgate Film, 108 Minutes, Rated PG-13, Released Aug. 9:

Producer Guillermo del Toro stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the legends of the horror genre, with a 30-year filmography as the writer, director or producer of such classics as “The Devil’s Backbone,” “Pan’s Labyrinth,” and the Academy Award-winning “The Shape of Water.” It was just a matter of time before del Toro turned his attention to “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” author Alvin Schwarz’s highly successful series of horror stories for children.

Reminiscent in style of the great horror anthology movies from the 1960s, “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” skillfully weaves a handful of the books’ best tales into one seamless movie narrative: In rural 1968 Pennsylvania, a quartet of high school friends while exploring an abandoned house on Halloween discovers a handwritten volume of unfinished horror stories. To their dismay, the stories include references to themselves and their friends, and begin to write their own endings ... as members of their group disappear one by one.

Expertly crafted together by acclaimed Norwegian director Andre Ovredal, “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” is a genuine treat for horror fans. Containing elements from dozens of classic horror pictures and visual references from artist Stephen Gammell’s famous illustrations from the original anthologies, the picture despite its PG-13 rating contains few real scares per se, but delivers affectionate smiles throughout. And it all culminates in an unexpectedly moving finale.

“Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” is a real winner. And the best part: With nearly every frame of its 108-minute running time, the picture encourages younger viewers to visit their local library, pick up a book, and start reading. Load up on popcorn, fasten your seatbelt, and sit back to enjoy the ride.

The picture is rated PG-13 for terror and violence, thematic elements and disturbing images, and language concerns, and is available for streaming on Hulu, YouTube, Sling TV, Amazon Prime, Google Play, and Vudu.



“The Unholy” Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, 99 Minutes, Rated PG-13, Released April 02, 2021:

Is nothing sacred?

Hearing-impaired and speechless since birth, Banfield, Massachusetts teenager Alice Pagett (Cricket Brown) miraculously gains both senses after a vision of a spiritual entity purporting to be the Blessed Virgin Mary--an event which occurs at the death-site of another Mary, an accused witch murdered by townspeople 175 years earlier. Disgraced journalist Gerry Fenn (Jeffery Dean Morgan) arrives in Banfield to report the story for the tabloids...and to exploit the innocent young girl at its center.

Intriguing and timely, “The Unholy” sets out to examine the role of faith during troubled times and the responsibility of the news media to report the truth, versus turning a by exploiting a sensational lie. The traditional conventions of horror movies are relegated at first to the periphery, while the film spins a compelling yarn about an admittedly flawed journalist who unexpectedly finds redemption through a story of faith he believes to be bogus.

There’s a host of provocative content in “The Unholy”--in faith-based horror fare, there usually is. Sort of a hybrid of "The Exorcist," "Elmer Gantry," and "Ace in the Hole," the movie despite its title turns out to be a surprisingly sweet-natured little thriller, neither blasphemous nor particularly reverent. With heartfelt performances and a sweetly poignant denouement, "The Unholy" ultimately turns out to be an unusually effective little ghost story.

Written, produced, and directed by Evan Spiliotopoulos for filmmaker Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures, adapted from author James Herbert’s 1983 novel “Shrine,” it helps the picture enormously that there’s a sense of genuine avuncular warmth that develops between Jeffery Dean Morgan's corrupt journalist and newcomer Cricket Brown’s misguided prophet. Also adding to the movie’s verisimilitude is Morgan’s accidental resemblance to a dissipated and unkempt Dan Rather.

Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan (TV’s “The Walking Dead”) previously sought to debunk elements of the Hebrew faith in 2012’s “The Possession,” another production from Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures. Actor Diogo Morgado, the skeptical monsignor sent by the Vatican to investigate the miracle also portrayed Jesus Christ in both the epic 2013 History Channel miniseries “The Bible” and the 2014 theatrical release “Son of God.”

Filmed on authentic locations in Sudbury, Massachusetts, “The Unholy” is rated PG-13 for violence, some horrific images, and strong language, and is available for streaming on Google Play and Amazon Prime.

 As an avid reader of your movie reviews which are always fascinating to me, and frequently learned (you are Mr. Film Noir!), it's great to see your comment here about the divisive Jude Law. I was suspicious of this pretty boy in the beginning as being another poster pin-up only, but his work on 'Gattaca', 'ExistenZ', 'Cold Mountain' and others has shown me he's exactly the kind of dangerous A+ player British cinema was looking for post-Hugh-Grant.

I’m remembering back to my birthday 30 years ago. I got a volume of Chaplin’s Mutual shorts (BEHIND THE SCREEN, THE FIREMAN, THE RINK), and three 2-VHS films: UNDERSEA KINGDOM (1936), THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956), and BEN-HUR (1959).

I forgot to mention last week’s viewing THE MARY TYLER MOORE (1971) of “A Mother Isn’t A Girl’s Best Friend” on its 50th Anniversary October 16. YouTube.

This week’s Masterpiece 50 is:
DOCTOR FINLAY (1993), based on A. J. Cronin’s series. Starring David Rintoul and Annette Crosbie. Viewed “Returning Home” and “Working Together.” Acorn Media.

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The following are celebrating their 40th Anniversary (or at least this year):
-THE KWICKY KOALA SHOW (1981) “Collector’s Item/ Close Encounters of the Worst Kind/ Close Encounters of the Canine Kind” Warner Archive DVD.

-THE SMURFS (1981) “All that Glitters is not Smurf/ Romeo and Smurfette/ The Hundredth Smurf” The first episode introduces the “Gargamel attempts to transmute Smurfs into Gold” scheme. The second full-lengther has Gargamel brainwash Smurfette into sowing discord between the Smurfs by forcing them to compete with each other for her hand, forcing Papa Smurf (who bears a torch for the girl himself) to take drastic measures. Warner DVD.

-LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY (1981) “Jungle Jumper” YouTube.

-FONZ AND THE HAPPY DAYS GANG (1981) “Double Jeopardy“ In Siam, Cupcake is mistaken for an identical princess (well, she is an alien, so so I guess she actually looks Asian).

-HEATHCLIFF AND MARMADUKE (1981) “A Briefcase of Cloak and Dagger” Another situation where this is the only available episode. YouTube.

-THE KIDS SUPER POWER HOUR WITH SHAZAM (1981) “Follow the Litter/ Family Affair/ Game of Chance.“ The Shazam episode has the Marvel family fight the Sivana family. BCI Eclipse and YouTube.

-THE POPEYE AND OLIVE COMEDY SHOW (1981) “Private Secretaries/ The First Resort/ Goon Balloon“ YouTube.

-THUNDARR THE BARBARIAN (1981) “Master of the Stolen Sunsword” A lightning bolt weakens Thundarr’s sunsword, giving a “wizard” (actually a magician using stage tricks) the opportunity to covet the weapon. Warner Archive DVD.

-SPACE STARS (1981) “Time Chase/ Electra’s Twin/ The Purple Menace /The Haunted Space Station/ The Night of the Crab / The Crystal Menace.” These last four episodes climaxed with a Space Ghost crossing paths with the Herculoids. This fourth one would be the last. Warner Archive DVD.

-GOLDIE GOLD AND ACTION JACK (1981) “Night of the Walking Dead” YouTube.

-BLAKSTAR (1981) “Spacewrecked” A bit of Blackstar’s past is revealed, as an old girlfriend successfully follows him to Planet Seigar. Also the Power Sword and the Starsword get combined. YouTube.

-THE NEW ADVENTURES OF ZORRO (1981) “The Tyrant” BCI Eclipse DVD.

-SPIDER-MAN AND HIS AMAZING FRIENDS (1981) “Seven Little Superheroes” Spidey’s first foe the Chameleon traps the Spider- Friends, Prince Namor the Sun-Mariner, Captain America, Shanna the She Devil, and Dr. Strange in a mansion, where each hero falls one by one. Amazon Prime.

-SPIDER-MAN (1981) “When Magneto Speaks…People Listen” Spider-Man faces off Magneto (back in his bad guy characterization before Chris Claremont made him into a dimensional extremist). YouTube.

UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS (1971) “The Mistress and the Maids” 50th Anniversary. Earliest surviving episode of the series, in Black and White. Acorn Media DVD.

ER (1996) “Last Call” 25th Anniversary A turning point in George Clooney’s Dr Doug Ross. These last four episodes have shown the womanizer going triple time on his vice. However, when his latest one nighter ends up a patient, the doctor looks long and hard on himself, and decides to clean up his act. Warner DVD.

THE SIMPSONS (1991) “Homer Defined” 30th Anniversary FoxVideo DVD.

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The following cartoons are celebrating their 35th Anniversary:
-DISNEY’S ADVENTURES OF THE GUMMI BEARS (1986) “The Crimson Avenger” Cubbi takes on a masked adventurer, just as a thief frames Cavin of theft. Remember seeing the first part on its original broadcast, but didn’t see the denouement until five years later. Disney DVD.

-THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS (1986) “The Boogeyman Cometh“ Sony DVD.

-WILDFIRE (1986) “The Highwayman” YouTube.

-THE CARE BEARS FAMILY (1986) “The Big Star Round-Up” YouTube

-PEE WEE’S PLAYHOUSE (1986) “Big Beauty Makeover” YouTube

-MUPPET BABIES (1986) “Kermit Goes to Washington.” Piggy’s cheating on a game (she feels being the rule maker allows her to change the rules for her own benefit) causes the Babies to learn about the American government. YouTube.

-GALAXY HIGH (1986) “Doyle’s Friend” YouTube

-POUND PUPPIES )1986) “Whopper Cries Uncle” YouTube

-TEEN WOLF (1986) “Grampa’s in the Doghouse” . YouTube

-CASUALTY (1986) “Professionals” The series first super couple: Charlie and “Baz” begin their tumultuous relationship in this episode. YouTube.

-JEM AND THE HOLOGRAMS (1986) “Hot Time in Hawaii” 35th Rhino DVD.

-SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (1986) “Malcolm Jamal-Warner/ DMC” The first appearance of the Sweeney sisters (Jan Hooks and Nora Dunn). Another sketch has Theo Huxtable Dream he is in the home of Bing Crosby (Phil Hartman) who’s idea in resolving his children’s problems is to take them to his study and discipline them with his belt. Internet Archive Presentation of Comedy Central Broadcast c. Early 1990s.

WINSTON CHURCHILL: THE WILDERNESS YEARS (1981) “The Long Tide to Surrender“ 40th Anniversary. Chamberlain becomes Prime Minister and disregards the Nazi threat and insufficient British military power in order to ensure peace with Hitler. YouTube.

THE ALVIN SHOW (1961) “Squares/Crashcup Invents Wife” 60th Anniversary This Bootleg DVD of a Nickelodeon broadcast (1994) includes the “Swanee” song but edits out “The Magic Mountain”.

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The following celebrated 30th Anniversary:
-BEETLEJUICE (1991) “A Ghoul and his Money/The Brides of Funkenstein” Shout Factory DVD.

-DARKWING DUCK (1991) “Tiff of the Titans” Gizmoduck, the Iron-Man expy from DUCkTALES, makes his guest-starring debut on the series (or was supposed to, but his next appearance JUST US JUSTICE DUCKS had already been broadcast). I remember seeing this episode and was excited at the idea of a crossover between the two series. However, aside from GizmoDuck and several cameos, that never happened. This also marks the last appearance of Gizmo’s alter ego Fenton Crackshell. YouTube.

-BACK TO THE FUTURE (1991) “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Race” Marty and the Browns head to Ancient Rome, where they meet a slave named Judah Ben-Hur (I was under a big BH fanboyism so this caught my attention). Universal DVD.

-MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 (1991) “Gamera VS Zigra” The sixth and final Gamera film (which Joel and the bots celebrate). YouTube presentation of original Comedy Central Broadcast October 19 1991.

-HOUSE OF ELLIOT (1991) “Part Eight” Acorn Media DVD.

SUPERMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES (1996) “Way of the Flesh” 25th Anniversary. James Carden, the terrorist in the pilot (and the voice of Malcolm McDowell) returns, transformed into the Kryptonite-bearing villain Metallo. Warner DVD.

ONCE AND AGAIN (2001) “Acting Out” 20th Anniversary. YouTube presentation of Lifetime Broadcast.

VANDREAD (2001) “Blossoming Path” 20th Anniversary. The group come to a planet whose radiation renders the civilization mortally ill, with the dead sent to the Harvesters. The main focus is the comic relief Bart, who befriends a sick girl. Probably my favorite episode. Japanese with English Subtitles. Funimation DVD.

ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD (1951) 70th Anniversary. Baseball fantasy about a losing team coach (Paul Douglas) getting help from the almighty. Also starring Janet Leigh, Stuart Byrington, and Keenan Wynn. I knew of the remake first, first hearing of its predecessor on the Siskel & Ebert review. I eventually saw this on TCM. Warner Archive DVD.

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PLAY MISTY FOR ME (1971) 50th Anniversary. Clint Eastwood’s directorial debut has him as a DJ with an unhinged stalker (Jessica Walters). Saw parts of this in the millennium; my introduction to Roberta Flack’s “The Last Time” Amazon Prime.

THE TRAPP FAMILY STORY (1991) “A Bride in July” 30th Anniversary. Maria and the Captain finally get married, with the meddling Baroness Matilda bowing out gracefully. Japanese with English Subtitles. Bootleg DVD.

BRIDESHEAD REVISITED (1981) “Home and Abroad” 40th Anniversary. Acorn Media DVD.

GI JOE (1986) “Raise the Flagg!” 35th Anniversary. A sequel to “Computer Complications” as the Joes recover the sunken USS Flagg. Dailymotion.

WEST SIDE STORY (1961) 60th Anniversary this month. The Broadway Musical Oscar Winner about gang war in the West Side. First heard of this in 1989, when my substitute Music Teacher played the 1957 Broadway vinyl. The two songs I got out of that were “Gee Officer Krupke” (for the finale with the near-swear word) and “A Boy Like that…” I got to see the full film in 1993, loving the soundtrack (listening to it on my mother’s LP). Last time I saw this film was for the United Artists Centennial in 2019. MGM/UA DVD.

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BAND OF BROTHERS (2001) “The Last Patrol” 20th Anniversary. HBO DVD.

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (1971) 50th Anniversary. Film adaptation of the Broadway Musical about a Jewish Milkman dealing with getting his daughters finding matches and Jewish life in a Russian town. Read the plot, saw the ending in the mid-1990s. Saw the full film for the United Artists Centennial in 2019. FoxVideo DVD.

POSSESSED (1931) 90th Anniversary. Ambitious Factory girl hooks up with politician. Clark Gable and Joan Crawford’s first film together. Amazon Prime.

URUSEI YATSURA (1981) “Mail from Space- Ten arrives/ Mr Penguin and Mrs Sparrow” 40th Anniversary. Japanese with English Subtitles. YouTube.

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TENKO (1981) “Part One” 40th Anniversary BBC TV Series about the plights and trials of prisoners in a Japanese Internment Camp in WWII. From what I gathered, this was a major influence to female-dominated series. My first recollection was seeing the animated OP on Arts & Entertainment in the 1980s. In 1996, I got to see the series on the History Channel. Part 1 begins in Singapore in December 1941, an idyllic existence about to end. BBC DVD.

NEVER WEAKEN (1921) 100th Anniversary.
Harold Lloyd’s third thrill comedy has the Boy attempt suicide (again) and end up stuck on a building construction. First saw a scene of this short from HAROLD LLOYD: THE THIRD GENIUS (1989). Finally got to see the short in 2009. New Line Cinema DVD.

LEGEND OF PRINCE VALIANT (1991) “The Singing Sword” 30th Anniversary. Val, Arn, and Rowanne return to the latter’s village to free it from the tyrannical Baron. Val gets the Singing Sword, which- according to the series- was forged alongside Excalibur. BCI Eclipse DVD.

DRAMA CONNECTIONS (2005) “Tenko” A look at the making of the series, with interviews by creator Jill Hyam, and actresses Ann Bell, Stephanie Cole, Stephanie Beacham, etc. YouTube.

ANGEL (2001) “Fredless” 20th Anniversary. Fred’s parents see her, forcing her to confront some dark truths. Amazon Prime.

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The following celebrated their 50th Anniversary:
-THE FUNKY PHANTOM (1971) “Ghost Town Chance” Warner Archive DVD.

-HEY ITS THE HAIR BEAR BUNCH (1971) “I’ll Zoo You Later” Warner Archive DVD.

-THE PEBBLES AND BAMM BAMM SHOW (1971) “Pebbles Big Boast” Warner DVD.

-THE BIG BOSS (1971) Chop-Socky film is Bruce Lee’s first starring film and the beginning of his brief but popular film career. First saw the ending in the film bio DRAGON: THE LEGEND OF BRUCE LEE (1993). Chinese with English Subtitles. Criterion BluRay.

-THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW (1971) “Cover Boy” YouTube.

HERGE THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN (1991) “The Secret of the Unicorn Part 2” 30th Anniversary. The search for the map to Red Rackham’s Treasure gets intense as Tintin gets kidnapped by rivals. Shout Factory DVD.

UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS (1975) “The Joy Ride” This episode from the fifth season is set in Autumn 1921, 100 years ago. Acorn Media DVD.

A Stranger is Watching (1982) - 7/10 - Repeat
While ‘Friday the 13th’ is iconic, I find this to be Sean S. Cunningham’s best directorial effort. Cruel, gritty and suspenseful race-against-the-clock kidnapping thriller with added slasher elements. Mainly set in the dirty, grimy underground’s of New York’s grand central station. The story had a few surprises up its sleeve, which I had forgotten all about. Again it’s efficient, & rather streamlined withhout being too spectacular. Still the ending/climax felt abrupt and unbelievable (certain character actions). Exceptional acting, especially Rip Torn and Kate Mulgrew. Music score is on point by Lalo Schifrin.



The Haunted (1991) - 7/10 - Repeat
Before ‘The Conjuring’ there was this effective TV movie dramatising the actual events that happened to Jack & Janet Smurl and their family. Creepy haunted house story with the usual genre story trappings, but rather well-done and earnestly acted. Ed and Lorraine Warren also show up in the story to help the Smurl family.



The Appointment (1981) - 7/10
Well, this obscure, ultimately strange British chiller left me with more questions than answers. Mainly thanks to its very ambiguous storytelling. It’s particularly slow, and very little happens progression wise, but I found it engagingly hypnotic. Loose and unexplored story threads (which sometimes don’t feel connected) come and go despite the plot being very slight. You could say it felt like a short story stretched out, because there was a real focus on filming techniques (lingering camera shots, piercing sound fx, intrusively uneasy music etc) to pad out time, but those moments really added to the disquieting atmosphere brought upon by the constant foreshadowing of ominous omens to come. The style was giving off Arthouse vibes, but those moments are well executed, and eerily moody. Especially the film’s opening and climax. I was bowled over by how impactful the latter was staged. You know what’s coming, but the tension holds strong. Hard to truly explain what it’s all about, as throughout we get haunting premonitions and symbolic images, but obviously it had something to do with the spoilt daughter being upset with her father (Edward Woodward), and possibly putting a curse on him. The relationship between the two is odd, even a little uncomfortable, but again it’s vague. It’s one those films, I think would work better on repeat viewings due to its cryptic style, somewhat a journey & I would love to see a clean print as it still remains absent from digital.

Of his more recent work DOM HEMINGWAY was quite charming... and he seemed to be settling happily into middle aged roles...


and BLACK SEA was a top end sinking submarine drama.


He had the lead in both. Yes the critics were not kind to him early on - I wasn't too sure myself in truth ( I loathed SHOPPING with the heat of a thousand suns) ...the RIPLEY movie was another game changer. CLOSER was a very good one although Clive Owen had the better part. He has lasted longer and done better than his early detractors could have seen. I also respected his refusal to kowtow to cancel culture by saying for the record he wouldn't rule out working with Woody again either.