Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 29th, 2019
"From the day we arrive on the planet, and blinking, step into the sun, there's more to see than can ever be seen. More to do than can ever be done. There's far too much to take in here. More to find than can ever be found..."
There's a period in the 1990's that has often been referred to as the second golden age of Disney animation. The studio had fallen from its once mighty perch, and most film historians tend to agree there was a creative dark ages through the 1980's. But the renaissance of the studio began with Aladdin in 1992 would go on to include such tremendous classics as Beauty And The Beast and The Little Mermaid. None of these films speak to the resurgence of the animated feature like The Lion King. The film set every animated record there was and holds some of those box office records today. It can be safely stated that the great flood of animated projects that followed can be traced to the impact of The Lion King. In 1996 Simba was the most popular name chosen for new housecats. Elton John saw his appeal extend to children, and there could be no mistake that the animated feature was back. That's the legacy of The Lion King.
Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on October 28th, 2019
We take it for granted. Every day our lives depend on the flow of electricity to our homes, workplaces, entertainment venues, and hospitals. Living in Florida where you might brush the occasional hurricane, it's the thing I dread the most when a storm approaches. I don't worry so much about damage to my home as I do the inevitable five days without power. No AC. No television. No refrigeration for the food. We are so dependent that it's hard for me to comprehend that I grew up knowing people in my own family who lived before there was any electricity service at all. In another 70 years people will be saying the same thing about the internet. We all know Al Gore invented the internet. But who got us connected with this whole electric power grid? Like most things in a capitalistic society, there was fierce competition. Companies fought for the ability to bring electricity to your home. City by city, the contest endured until eventually the entire country could bask in the glaring glow of the world's first light bulbs. The Current War: The Director's Cut takes us inside that struggle to win that race. It's a compelling story, and even if it doesn't all ring quite true, it's an entertaining journey to the moment in time when everything changed.
As the film begins we find a weary Thomas Edison (Cumberbatch) with his family on a train after a visit to the president of the United States and J.P. Morgan (Macfadyen), where Edison was forced to plead for more financing for his dream to electrify the nation. Fresh off of his creation of a stable light bulb, it was important to get power to houses, or there was really no need to buy the bulbs. He has an idea of using direct current (DC) to distribute that power from a turbine electrical generation process of his invention. On the way home he had been invited to dinner at the home of industrialist George Westinghouse (Shannon). The family made elaborate preparations for the visit, which had been accepted. But Edison was tired and decided to skip the dinner and ordered the train to just blow by the welcoming committee at the station. In the film it would be the greatest mistake of his life. Slighted, Westinghouse decides to back a plane to use alternating current (AC) and directly compete with Edison for the contract in cities across the country. Edison is also somewhat undone by his arrogant dismissal of an employee who was trying to get him on the right track. That was Nikola Tesla (Hoult). Tesla would eventually join the Westinghouse group, and together they would form what would later be called General Electric.
Posted in: Random Fun by Gino Sassani on October 28th, 2019
If you are planning a trip to Tampa, Florida you may already have a list of places you'd like to visit while you are here. I'm sure most of those lists are pretty much the same. Unfortunately, few of those lists likely contain the Tampa Theatre. Who wants to visit a movie theater on their vacation, anyway? You do. Yes, it's a beautiful historic building dating back to 1926. Of course, you can grab some popcorn and soda and enjoy both recent releases and classic films there. The pipe organ performances alone are worth the price of admission. It was the first commercial building in Tampa to have air conditioning (man-made air, it was advertised at the time), so it's never a bad idea to get out of the heat. And if you're into those haunts and ghosts that have populated our 31 Nights of Terror, then you absolutely can't afford to miss Tampa Theatre. You see it's also been described by more than one international paranormal expert as the most haunted site in town. Do I have your attention now?
I was invited to take the traditional balcony backstage tour of the building some time ago. These are open to the public often, and I can't recommend it enough if you get the chance. But this one was different. The October tours include a lowdown on the permanent residents at Tampa Theatre. I'm talking about the ghosts. Now I know I have your attention.
Posted in: Podcasts by Gino Sassani on October 27th, 2019
One of the joys of my life has been some of the people I have met and developed a relationship with over the years in the film industry. I regret that I never had the opportunity to meet some of the actors who are no longer with us. At the top of that list is Boris Karloff. To me, there is absolutely no equal in horror filmdom. Over the years I've had quite a few chances to hang out with Sara Karloff, his daughter. I'm happy to count her a friend. She was very instrumental in getting me some attention for my tribute song Man Created A Man. She has inherited that kind generosity that Boris was so known for. I had the chance to talk with Sara again. Thanks to the Universal release of the great Universal Monsters Collection on Blu-ray, we got together once again to chat about Boris Karloff. This time you get to eavesdrop, and you won't even have to swear out a warrant. Bang it here to listen to my chat with Sara Karloff: Sara Karloff Interview
Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on October 26th, 2019
This will be our last giveaway for 31 Nights Of Terror. We’re giving away Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein on Blu-ray. Bela Lugosi returned to the role of Dracula for the 2nd and last time for this farce. It was also the final appearance of Lon Chaney, Jr. as The Wolf Man. It marked the end of an era and it’s going out to one lucky winner.
To win a copy of this prize, follow these instructions.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 25th, 2019
It was 1962, and Ursula Andress emerged from the tropical island surf sporting a provocative swimsuit, and a tradition was born. The seductive scene would become the first iconic image in a line that has lasted a half a century and counting. Fifty years; 23 movies makes it the longest running film franchise in motion picture history. He had many faces over those 50 years: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, George Lazenby, and even David Niven, Peter Sellers, and Woody Allen in a 1967 spoof. For the last three films, he's been played by Daniel Craig. They all had somewhat different styles. They all had a line of beautiful women. They all faced different challenges and foes. But they all shared the same name: Bond...James Bond.
James Bond first appeared in the pages of Ian Fleming’s novel, Casino Royale. Fleming was himself a former British Intelligence Officer and had been engaged in what he liked to call “shenanigans” in that role. He admits that many of Bond’s tastes are lifted from his own preferences. It can be safe to say that Ian Fleming was as much James Bond as any of the men who have played him. The books were written one a year during his two-month vacation as a news writer. He would escape to his vacation home in Jamaica during those 6-8 weeks and in short order produce a Bond adventure. It’s likely not a small coincidence that the first Bond film would feature the island location predominately as its setting. For most of the 1960's and into the 1970's, the films were taken directly from his Bond novels. Eventually the film series surpassed the novels and has been operating as original scripts for most of the last 30+ years. In those days the end credits always revealed the name of the next Bond film. Now we merely get a blanket statement that James Bond will return.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 25th, 2019
"In May 1980, Fidel Castro opened the harbor at Mariel, Cuba with the apparent intention of letting some of his people join their relatives in the United States. Within seventy-two hours, 3,000 U.S. boats were headed for Cuba. It soon became evident that Castro was forcing the boat owners to carry back with them not only their relatives, but the dregs of his jails. Of the 125,000 refugees that landed in Florida, an estimated 25,000 had criminal records."
One of those refugees was Tony Montana.
Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on October 22nd, 2019
31 Nights Of Terror is still going strong, and our friends over at Shout Factory have given us something that's really going to whet your chops. It's The Universal Horror Collection Volume 2 on Blu-ray. You get four fantastic hidden gems from the Universal library. Three of the films feature Lionel Atwill, one of the underrated stars of that era's atmospheric horror films. You get Murders In The Zoo, which is an old favorite of mine and features some of the creepiest scenes you can imagine. Some of this stuff could never be done today. The Mad Doctor Of Market Street, The Strange Case Of Doctor Rx and George Zucco in The Mad Ghoul. These are pristine masters, and each film gets its own disc.
To win a copy of this prize, follow these instructions.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 22nd, 2019
"Come and see. Come and see. The death of humanity upon a shore of corpses, broken heads, spilled guts, scorched flesh. Come and see the young tearing each other's throats out. Rivers of poison will flow through the halls. Oath breakers. Philanderers. Murders will wade through those rivers. Come and see. Come and see."
When Vikings started five years ago, I found it to be quite an ambitious task for a network that usually featured documentaries and reality shows about odd jobs. I approached this one with some caution. Now I've thrown caution to the wind for these compelling characters. I was particularly drawn into the lead. Travis Fimmel was outstanding as the Viking leader Ragnor Lothbrook. When his character was killed off after three years, I suspected things would be winding down for this experiment. I could not have been more wrong. Alex Hogh Andersen plays Ivar, his crippled son, who rises to be more powerful and more brutal that Ragnor ever was. The actor shares many of Fimmel's characteristics, both in his physical look and the way he carries himself. It's one of the most perfect father-and-son casting pairs I've ever encountered. Because of Andersen, the show has been reborn, and there's still a lot of life in this series. The release of the first half of Season 5 is another strong contribution to your home entertainment library.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 22nd, 2019
"Is that where a blind cop kidnaps an Uber driver?"
That pretty much tells the story of Stuber. The title is a combination of the lead character's name, Stuart and Uber. With the advent of Uber, the entire concept of hiring a ride has changed significantly. Taxi drivers are swiftly becoming a thing of the past, and ride-sharing aps like Uber and Lyft are taking over the market to the point that taxi companies do not even exist in some cities any longer. I have to admit, I'm not so sure I'm completely on board with the idea of regular unregulated folks out there picking up complete strangers who happen to have hailed them via their cell phones on an anonymous app. It's a bit dangerous for both parties, and it's not surprising that the horror stories have been appearing in the news about these ride experiences going horribly astray. That's the fear or reality that serves as the central theme for Stuber. While I'm sure the first Uber horror film is either in production or at least being written as I type these words, Stuber opts for the more comedic and action-oriented version of the idea. But make no mistake. More is coming.
