6 reviews
An enjoyable little teaser for what I think could be a funny series. I actually know the producer/lead actress, and the series idea really was inspired from her experiences working at a Las Vegas Wedding Chappel.
Of course, she's decided to mix things up a little, picking a more rural setting for the comedy, and adding a sort of supernatural element to the show. I think the cast for this presentation was well-chosen; they show distinct personalities and charm in their roles.
Looking forward to seeing more of Redneck Weddings, sure hope they get green-lit for further development as a web series, or perhaps even picked up for TV/cable.
Of course, she's decided to mix things up a little, picking a more rural setting for the comedy, and adding a sort of supernatural element to the show. I think the cast for this presentation was well-chosen; they show distinct personalities and charm in their roles.
Looking forward to seeing more of Redneck Weddings, sure hope they get green-lit for further development as a web series, or perhaps even picked up for TV/cable.
An absolutely diabolical cold war spy thriller. Directed by John Huston, with a mostly all-star cast, it's offbeat, grim, brutal, sexually frank (if far from PC these days)-- and rather bloody for its time.
Patrick O'Neal seems at first glance a bit older than the Rone character should be, but a line of dialog indicates service in Korea. So perhaps this correct, and the passions he seems to elicit from the younger female characters are part of the book.
Speaking of which, it's based on the novel by Noel Behn, who had served in the real-world Army Counter-Intelligence Corps.
The print I saw on TCM was extremely crisp and clear, I didn't notice any graininess. The sound seemed fine, although the over-dubbed Russian to English bit did seem like a misstep at first.
Patrick O'Neal seems at first glance a bit older than the Rone character should be, but a line of dialog indicates service in Korea. So perhaps this correct, and the passions he seems to elicit from the younger female characters are part of the book.
Speaking of which, it's based on the novel by Noel Behn, who had served in the real-world Army Counter-Intelligence Corps.
The print I saw on TCM was extremely crisp and clear, I didn't notice any graininess. The sound seemed fine, although the over-dubbed Russian to English bit did seem like a misstep at first.
Many serial fans know that 'The Adventures of Captain Africa' was originally to be 'The Adventures of The Phantom'. Stills of this production show up from time to time.
The late John Hart told me (and others) at an Old Time Radio convention in NJ that, contrary to what some film historians say, the entire Phantom serial had finished production before Columbia Studios realized that their option for a second Phantom serial had expired.
Soon, producer Sam Katzman brought Hart and other actors back together to replace every shot in which The Phantom had appeared with new Captain Africa scenes.
The costume assembled for Capt. A was somewhat lackluster; an aviator's cap, mask, turtle-neck, jodhpurs, gun belt and boots.
Hart, an amusing and self-deprecating, man said: "As The Phantom I looked pretty good. As Captain Africa, I looked like an idiot."
The late John Hart told me (and others) at an Old Time Radio convention in NJ that, contrary to what some film historians say, the entire Phantom serial had finished production before Columbia Studios realized that their option for a second Phantom serial had expired.
Soon, producer Sam Katzman brought Hart and other actors back together to replace every shot in which The Phantom had appeared with new Captain Africa scenes.
The costume assembled for Capt. A was somewhat lackluster; an aviator's cap, mask, turtle-neck, jodhpurs, gun belt and boots.
Hart, an amusing and self-deprecating, man said: "As The Phantom I looked pretty good. As Captain Africa, I looked like an idiot."
EXILE is an entertaining independent movie, a science fiction thriller made by Las Vegas based filmmaker Mike Conway.
Conway's film won't be mistaken for a big-money Hollywood epic, but it looks far more expensive than the actual budget. The photography and location work rival that of films you'll see featured on the SyFy Channel.
The extras on the DVD reveal the clever digital sleight-of-hand that enhanced the minimalistic sets and concealed some production short-comings. It also gives us an idea of how dedicated indie filmmakers can band together, with many of the actors doubling as impromptu crew members.
The relationship of the blind man and the female android is well-written, with a nice "Twilight Zone/Outer Limits" atmosphere and twist. Action scenes are well handled.
The CGI spaceship effects have nice movement and weight to them, marred slightly by a lack of convincing "real world" detail and weathering.
The music, also by director Conway, is well done, and quite fitting for the subject.
Worth a look, especially if you have an interest in independent genre film-making.
Conway's film won't be mistaken for a big-money Hollywood epic, but it looks far more expensive than the actual budget. The photography and location work rival that of films you'll see featured on the SyFy Channel.
The extras on the DVD reveal the clever digital sleight-of-hand that enhanced the minimalistic sets and concealed some production short-comings. It also gives us an idea of how dedicated indie filmmakers can band together, with many of the actors doubling as impromptu crew members.
The relationship of the blind man and the female android is well-written, with a nice "Twilight Zone/Outer Limits" atmosphere and twist. Action scenes are well handled.
The CGI spaceship effects have nice movement and weight to them, marred slightly by a lack of convincing "real world" detail and weathering.
The music, also by director Conway, is well done, and quite fitting for the subject.
Worth a look, especially if you have an interest in independent genre film-making.
The Flash Gordon 1950's TV series is interesting, mostly due to it's being one of the first science fiction series to be shot on film. The fact that it was made in the still recovering post WWII Germany, and the later episodes in France gives it different look and feel than comparable American lensed shows, such as Rocky Jones, Spacer Ranger.
Some of the German episodes are rather dark and grim, with an almost expressionistic look. The budgets are quite low, and while there are a number of model shots of the space craft (such as Gordon & Co.'s Skyflash) many of the effects in the German episodes are largely photo and cel animation. The French episodes feature the Skyflash II, a very shiny rocket model, which seemed to complicate matters for the slightly more ambitious FX in the later episodes.
Male model Steve Holland played Flash, which is intriguing, as Holland was the artist model used by James Bama for the Doc Savage novel reprints that were highly successful in the 60's and early 70's. Holland turned up on the cover of many action hero paperbacks. For someone with no real acting experience, he's not too bad -- but he's certainly no match for Buster Crabbe's portrayal.
Joe Nash is generally quite good as Zarkov. Irene Champlin seemed to have some trouble (as did many of the actors) in getting her lines out and try to make an actual performance gel in the rushed looking -- possibly single take -- scenes.
Producer Ed Gruskin was known for his work in radio (including a Doc Savage series) and writer Bruce Elliot wrote for the pulps, notably a number of Shadow novels under the house name of Maxwell Grant.
Some of the music by Roger Roger (yep, that's his name) in the French produced episodes will be very familiar to viewers of low budget horror and Sci-fi films of the 50s,60s, and 70's. The tracks became part of a music library, and are still licensed for use today.
Some of the German episodes are rather dark and grim, with an almost expressionistic look. The budgets are quite low, and while there are a number of model shots of the space craft (such as Gordon & Co.'s Skyflash) many of the effects in the German episodes are largely photo and cel animation. The French episodes feature the Skyflash II, a very shiny rocket model, which seemed to complicate matters for the slightly more ambitious FX in the later episodes.
Male model Steve Holland played Flash, which is intriguing, as Holland was the artist model used by James Bama for the Doc Savage novel reprints that were highly successful in the 60's and early 70's. Holland turned up on the cover of many action hero paperbacks. For someone with no real acting experience, he's not too bad -- but he's certainly no match for Buster Crabbe's portrayal.
Joe Nash is generally quite good as Zarkov. Irene Champlin seemed to have some trouble (as did many of the actors) in getting her lines out and try to make an actual performance gel in the rushed looking -- possibly single take -- scenes.
Producer Ed Gruskin was known for his work in radio (including a Doc Savage series) and writer Bruce Elliot wrote for the pulps, notably a number of Shadow novels under the house name of Maxwell Grant.
Some of the music by Roger Roger (yep, that's his name) in the French produced episodes will be very familiar to viewers of low budget horror and Sci-fi films of the 50s,60s, and 70's. The tracks became part of a music library, and are still licensed for use today.
This film gets a bad rap from a lot of people. That's understandable, because it's a low budget paste-up job, combining previously shot footage from a uncompleted biker film with the monster team-up. But Dracula Vs. Frankenstein is really a lot of fun -- particularly if you first saw it on late night TV when you were 13 or 14!
Forry Ackerman has a cameo in the film as one of Dracula's victims, so the movie got promoted in Famous Monsters magazine, with "Zandor Vorkov" gracing the cover in his dime store fangs. It was (I believe) the final film appearance of J. Carroll Naish and one of Lon Chaney Jr.'s last roles. Ken Strickfadden's Frankenstein lab equipment is used, and the music is well chosen. Parts of the film are quite moody and effective, with highly competent photograghy considering the budget and haste of production.
To compare this little film with the Hammer films is a bit unfair. No, it cannot match them on any level -- nor was it intended to -- this was drive-in fodder without the budget or resources of England's Hammer and its American partners and distributors. It's too bad none of the major American studios tried to cash in on the 1960's-70's monster boom. Then there might be some truly interesting American monster films worthy of the comparison.
Forry Ackerman has a cameo in the film as one of Dracula's victims, so the movie got promoted in Famous Monsters magazine, with "Zandor Vorkov" gracing the cover in his dime store fangs. It was (I believe) the final film appearance of J. Carroll Naish and one of Lon Chaney Jr.'s last roles. Ken Strickfadden's Frankenstein lab equipment is used, and the music is well chosen. Parts of the film are quite moody and effective, with highly competent photograghy considering the budget and haste of production.
To compare this little film with the Hammer films is a bit unfair. No, it cannot match them on any level -- nor was it intended to -- this was drive-in fodder without the budget or resources of England's Hammer and its American partners and distributors. It's too bad none of the major American studios tried to cash in on the 1960's-70's monster boom. Then there might be some truly interesting American monster films worthy of the comparison.