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Veteran actor and frequent scene stealer Bruce Davison joins Josh Olson and Joe Dante to discuss a few of his favorite films.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Extra School (2017)

Gone With The Wind (1939)

Willard (1971) – Joe Dante’s review, Lee Broughton’s Blu-ray review

Fortune And Men’s Eyes (1971)

Short Cuts (1993) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Longtime Companion (1989)

Last Summer (1969) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary

Short Eyes (1977)

The Manor (2021)

Ulzana’s Raid (1972) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review and All-Region Blu-ray review

King Solomon’s Mines (1950) – John Landis’s trailer commentary

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937)

Them! (1954) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary

Tarantula (1955) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Spartacus (1960) – Larry Cohen’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Ben-Hur (1959) – John Landis’s trailer commentary

Psycho (1960) – John Landis’s trailer commentary,...

Back in the spring of 2015, 20th Century Fox moved forward with its long-awaited Flash Gordon remake, setting director Matthew Vaughn at the helm, but we haven't heard anything about it since then. It turns out there's a very good reason for that, with Matthew Vaughn revealing in a new interview that he's still been working on it, but his original vision for the story was basically taken by Marvel's 2014 blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy. Here's what the director had to say below, when asked if he's still working on a Flash Gordon movie.

"Yeah, we've been working on it. For me, the only problem with Flash Gordon is Guardians (of the Galaxy) kind of stole what I would have liked to have done with it. You've got Star Wars, you've got Guardians, so you've got to have your own space opera, but you have to find something that can survive among these two very,...

Last week, I taunted you with visions of ancient superhero movies – serials, as they were called back then. Today we’d call them really low-budget webcasts. Here’s a few more worthy of your consideration, and this time we’re delving into a trio of iconic heroes from the pulps and newspaper strips – and now, of course, comic books.

The Shadow is the best-known of all the classic pulp heroes, and for a very good reason: many of the more than 300 stories published were quite good. Walter B. Gibson created something magical – a series with a lead character who had plenty of secrets but no secret identity, aided and abetted by a slew of agents who had no idea who their master was. The character’s popularity was enhanced massively by a highly successful radio series, one that gave The Shadow an alter-ego and a female companion and took away most of his agents.

Flash Gordon has been an iconic sci-fi character since he was created by cartoonist Alex Raymond in 1934. Eight decades later, the space-faring hero gets a gift for his 80th birthday in the form of a new film.

Flash Gordon--who saved the world from Ming the Merciless, with help from Dale Arden and Dr. Zarkov-- is taking another trip. This time, he’s coming back to the big screen. Twentieth Century Fox has closed a deal that gives them the screen rights to the iconic space hero. As part of the whole package, the same guys who are working on the Star Trek 3 script--J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay—along with John Davis as producer, will be putting the screenplay together. Davis spent over a year securing the rights from the Hearst Corporation.

The success of the comic strip in the 30s led to the popular trilogy of movie...

Last Week, FilmDivider reported that Flash Gordon, which had been stuck in development hell for years, was moving forward with Star Trek 3 writers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay. Today, THR confirms 20th Century Fox has finalized a deal to pick up the screen rights, with both writers attached.

John Davis will produce this sci-fi reboot, after the studio spent more than a year trying to lock down the rights from the Hearst Corporation. The veteran producer worked on Chronicle for Fox, and is behind The Man from U.N.C.L.E. reboot. He used his own discretionary fund to secure the rights.

George Nolfi wrote the initial draft of the screenplay, which will be updated and reworked by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay. Nolfi will now be a producer on the project.

The original comic strip was created by Alex Raymond in 1934, and was turned into the 1980 cult classic Flash Gordon.

After original Flash Gordon star Sam J. Jones made a brief appearance in the 2012 comedy Ted, many fans hoped it could revive the gestating Flash Gordon reboot that has been stuck in development hell for several years. Although nothing has been confirmed at this time, FilmDivider is reporting that Star Trek 3 writers J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay are currently working on the script, with producer Jon Davis currently seeking a studio deal for the project.

This is the first we're hearing about the writers working on Flash Gordon, but a Mormon Artist interview with J.D. Payne also mentions the project briefly, although there are no quotes attributed to the screenwriter regarding Flash Gordon.

Their take is said to be similar to Breck Eisner's, who was attached to direct back in 2008, with Burk Sharpless and Matt Sazama writing the script. The story will go back to the original comic...

This Saturday, "Star Wars VI: Return Of The Jedi," the capstone of George Lucas' original trilogy, turns 30. Not only does this mean you're old, it means it's time to consider precisely 30 things Lucas and his wildly successful franchise introduced into the world. Some (incest kiss) aren't too popular; others are downright magical. But they're all here thanks to one man and his crazy, mad expensive, dream. Time to scroll, like those revolutionary opening credits.

1. Crowd pleasing science-fiction. Big budget sci-fi movies before "Star Wars” tended to be apocalyptic, along the lines of "Planet of the Apes," or "Soylent Green". Lucas didn't eradicate that genre entirely, but he made room for a new one. In a matter of a few years after "Star Wars," we got not only "Alien" and "Blade Runner," but the significantly kinder world of “E.T.”

2. A "used future." Film scholars credit George Lucas for pioneering the...

Once again the good folks over at Premiere Props have put together a horror-themed auction to die for, riddled with all sorts of horror goodies and special guests. Even cooler? Tim Sullivan (2001 Maniacs, Chillerama, "Vh1’s Scream Queens") will be joining radio personality Leo Quinones (The Film Freak) for this guaranteed circus of fear!

In addition to rare, iconic items such as Kiefer Sutherland’s trench coat from The Lost Boys, Dracula’s cape from The Monster Squad, the Endoskull from T3, genre legend Forrest J Ackerman’s personal photo album, and writer/director Tom Holland’s private Fright Night and Child’s Play production archives, offered to the public will be costumes and props from Sullivan’s 2001 Maniacs franchise, including the Confederate eye patches worn by Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger – A Nightmare on Elm Street) and Bill Moseley (The Devil’s Rejects), horror giants who both have essayed the role of Mayor George W.

Comic strip artist best known for Flash Gordon, Secret Agent Corrigan and Star Wars

Al Williamson, who has died aged 79, was one of America's consummate comic strip artists. Chiefly remembered for his work on Flash Gordon, Secret Agent Corrigan and Star Wars, he employed a photo-real style that made even the most fantastic landscapes and action convincing. Williamson was a master draughtsman with a sharp eye for layout and composition. His virile heroes and beautiful heroines graced comic strips for more than 50 years.

He was born in New York, the son of a merchant from Bogotá in Colombia and his American wife. He grew up in Bogotá and began reading American comics, becoming a fan of Flash Gordon when he was 10 after his mother took him to the cinema to see an episode of the serial Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe.

The family later moved to New York, where he...

Buck Rogers In The 25Th Century, the first science fiction comic strip, hit the newspapers in 1929, finally ending its long run in 1967. Writer Phil Nowlan created the character in two Sf pulp stories (published in Amazing Stories) before teaming with artist Dick Calkins on the spin-off strip. Buck Rogers is a former Air Force officer who falls into suspended animation while investigating a strange gas in a mineshaft. He awakens 500 years later to an America that has been conquered by Monguls. Buck meets Wilma Deering, who recruits him to fight the invaders; Dr. Huer, a brilliant scientist who will soon have Buck rocketing to other planets; and Wilma’s brother Buddy. Sometime space pirate “Killer” Kane became Buck’s primary nemesis along with Kane’s sultry assistant Ardala Valmar. No sooner has Buck vanquished the invaders than he, and the Earth, are confronted by the menace of the Tiger Men from Mars.