- Published on
So many movies ... so little time ...
On this day in 2003 (in the United States of America), Do Or Die came alive with its very first broadcast television airing.
Written and directed for the small screen by David Jackson (a veteran of a great many genre TV shows), the flick starred Shawn Doyle, Polly Shannon, Nigel Bennett, Guylaine St-Onge, Alan Van Sprang, Christopher Tai, Kristin Fairlie, Salvatore Antonio, Lyrig Banh, Eric Peterson, and many others. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"A virus causes people to age rapidly. There is an antidote, but it must be taken daily and is under control of a single company. A woman who is not infected carries an infected child and seeks for it to be cured. This quest leads her to the blue lands, where most of the infected live."
Alas, I've done a respectful search this morning, and I'm finding absolutely nothing more about this little thriller, so that may be all I have at this time. I'll keep my eyes peeled, and maybe I'll find something a bit more in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
On this day in 2003 (in the United States of America), Do Or Die came alive with its very first broadcast television airing.
Written and directed for the small screen by David Jackson (a veteran of a great many genre TV shows), the flick starred Shawn Doyle, Polly Shannon, Nigel Bennett, Guylaine St-Onge, Alan Van Sprang, Christopher Tai, Kristin Fairlie, Salvatore Antonio, Lyrig Banh, Eric Peterson, and many others. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:
"A virus causes people to age rapidly. There is an antidote, but it must be taken daily and is under control of a single company. A woman who is not infected carries an infected child and seeks for it to be cured. This quest leads her to the blue lands, where most of the infected live."
Alas, I've done a respectful search this morning, and I'm finding absolutely nothing more about this little thriller, so that may be all I have at this time. I'll keep my eyes peeled, and maybe I'll find something a bit more in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
So many movies ... so little time ...
Back in the earliest days of his professional career when apparently he was little more than a head, the ubiquitous B-Movie hunk Wings Hauser made a splash in what looks to have been one more direct-to-DVD release from the bygone era. It was on this day all the way back in 1988 -- in the former nation state of West Germany (asks your parents, kids) -- when Dead Man Walking made its stride to the shelves of your local Blockbuster rental/retailer.
Directed by Gregory Dark from a story by John Weidner and Rick Marx, the film starred Hauser alongside such other talents as Brion James, Pamela Ludwig, Jeffrey Combs, Leland Crooke, Sy Richardson, Joe D'Angerio, Tasia Valenza, Penelope Sudrow, Nancy Locke, and others. Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"After Leila, his boss's daughter, is kidnapped by psychopathic plague victim Decker, chauffeur Chazz teams up with plague-infected mercenary Luger to penetrate the toxic & off-limits Plague Zone and bring her back alive."
As sometimes happens with these older VHS releases that have not found new life on DVD or streaming, Dead Man Walking looks to be in the public domain or at least in that fertile realm wherein no one's looking for it fervently. As such, it's up in its entirety on YouTube.com; and I'm posting the link below for those of you who may wish to check out its subversive goodness.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
Back in the earliest days of his professional career when apparently he was little more than a head, the ubiquitous B-Movie hunk Wings Hauser made a splash in what looks to have been one more direct-to-DVD release from the bygone era. It was on this day all the way back in 1988 -- in the former nation state of West Germany (asks your parents, kids) -- when Dead Man Walking made its stride to the shelves of your local Blockbuster rental/retailer.
Directed by Gregory Dark from a story by John Weidner and Rick Marx, the film starred Hauser alongside such other talents as Brion James, Pamela Ludwig, Jeffrey Combs, Leland Crooke, Sy Richardson, Joe D'Angerio, Tasia Valenza, Penelope Sudrow, Nancy Locke, and others. Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"After Leila, his boss's daughter, is kidnapped by psychopathic plague victim Decker, chauffeur Chazz teams up with plague-infected mercenary Luger to penetrate the toxic & off-limits Plague Zone and bring her back alive."
As sometimes happens with these older VHS releases that have not found new life on DVD or streaming, Dead Man Walking looks to be in the public domain or at least in that fertile realm wherein no one's looking for it fervently. As such, it's up in its entirety on YouTube.com; and I'm posting the link below for those of you who may wish to check out its subversive goodness.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
Word has reached the World Wide Web regarding the passing of long-time character actor Peter Jason.
There isn't any doubt that readers have seen Jason in something. With over five decades in the entertainment business, he's shown up in well over two hundred and fifty different projects on the silver screen or television; and -- according to IMDB.com -- he continued working well into his Golden Years. The guy was a dynamo, and I've no doubt that his presence will be missed.
But where oh where has he turned up in the realms of the Fantastic?
Hoo boy. Buckle up.
One of his first genre appearances was in a 1968 Science Fiction telefilm -- Shadow On The Land -- produced by Screen Gems. Though I've never seen this one, I have read that it was a thought provoking Alternate History tale about the development of a fascisistic United States. Such cautionary tales never go out of style, and maybe this one deserves to be rediscovered by people on both sides of the political aisle today.
From there, it was a bevy of roles big and small, a good deal of which put the man very close to the reach of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. He put in his stripes and earned some attention in such projects as Land Of The Giants, The Return Of Captain Nemo (1978), The Incredible Hulk, Beyond The Universe (1981), Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't Land (1983), Dreamscape (1984), Impulse (1984), Amazing Stories, Hyper Sapien: People From Another Star (1986), Alien Nation (1988), They Live (1988), Arachnophobia (1990), Quantum Leap, Batman: The Animated Series, Mortal Kombat (1995), Escape From L.A. (1996), Perversions Of Science, Batman Beyond, Ghosts Of Mars (2001), Carnivale, Raptor Island (2004), Planet Raptor (2007), Gemini Division, and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018). There are more citations -- a helluva lot more -- but I tried to mention those which I think genre fans might appreciate most.
Furthermore, I found a great little interview quote attributed to the actor on IMDB.com. I wanted to share this with readers because I think it demonstrates just how much he was a world class fellow, a real stand-up guy. I don't know where it's from (IMDB.com doesn't say), but it's still noteworthy:
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Peter Jason.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
There isn't any doubt that readers have seen Jason in something. With over five decades in the entertainment business, he's shown up in well over two hundred and fifty different projects on the silver screen or television; and -- according to IMDB.com -- he continued working well into his Golden Years. The guy was a dynamo, and I've no doubt that his presence will be missed.
But where oh where has he turned up in the realms of the Fantastic?
Hoo boy. Buckle up.
One of his first genre appearances was in a 1968 Science Fiction telefilm -- Shadow On The Land -- produced by Screen Gems. Though I've never seen this one, I have read that it was a thought provoking Alternate History tale about the development of a fascisistic United States. Such cautionary tales never go out of style, and maybe this one deserves to be rediscovered by people on both sides of the political aisle today.
From there, it was a bevy of roles big and small, a good deal of which put the man very close to the reach of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. He put in his stripes and earned some attention in such projects as Land Of The Giants, The Return Of Captain Nemo (1978), The Incredible Hulk, Beyond The Universe (1981), Starflight: The Plane That Couldn't Land (1983), Dreamscape (1984), Impulse (1984), Amazing Stories, Hyper Sapien: People From Another Star (1986), Alien Nation (1988), They Live (1988), Arachnophobia (1990), Quantum Leap, Batman: The Animated Series, Mortal Kombat (1995), Escape From L.A. (1996), Perversions Of Science, Batman Beyond, Ghosts Of Mars (2001), Carnivale, Raptor Island (2004), Planet Raptor (2007), Gemini Division, and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018). There are more citations -- a helluva lot more -- but I tried to mention those which I think genre fans might appreciate most.
Furthermore, I found a great little interview quote attributed to the actor on IMDB.com. I wanted to share this with readers because I think it demonstrates just how much he was a world class fellow, a real stand-up guy. I don't know where it's from (IMDB.com doesn't say), but it's still noteworthy:
- "It's funny, but on a set there's a pecking order. There's a caste system, you know? It goes from the star down to the extra. That includes the crew as well. I've never liked that. I've always felt that in America we're all equal. I don't care what you make, or what kind of car you drive. You're not better than me. That's the way I was raised, and that's kind of the way I am on a set. We'll be in a line and I'll have some A.D. or second-unit director saying, "No, no, Mr. Jason, you go to the front of the line for lunch." And I'll say, "Why? We all have to eat." So I just usually stand in the place wherever I'm at -- unless there's some reason for it, like they want me to finish first so I can go into make-up and get finished because I'm in the first shot. But I don't like that, "You're special." I've never liked that, and I don't like to see people being treated as though they're special. I don't think we are special. I think everybody's the same. I think we're all entitled to our space, and I like to treat everybody like that. Some people get it, and some don't."
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Peter Jason.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
- Published on
On this day in 1936 (in the United Kingdom), the good people of London, England were treated to the original theatrical premiere of H.G. Well's Things To Come on the silver screen.
Now -- for clarity's sake -- there very well may have been a screening of the groundbreaking motion picture before this: IMDB.com indicates that there were also screenings in 1936 in both Poland and Austria, but the site does not indicate any specific date. In such cases, I've always exercised the policy here at SciFiHistory.Net of using the very first fully cited date to honor such birthdays; and that's the case today. Congrats on Things To Come for celebrating turning an incredible 89 years young today. That is quite a milestone.
I've seen Things To Come. I believe I've seen both a cable airing as well as a home video release. Frankly, it isn't the kind of flick I'd likely watch again, as I recall finding it a bit ... well ... tedious. The story is a bit cumbersome -- all of it is staged over a passage of years involving the technological and cultural development of a civilization, and it just doesn't flow like other yarns do -- but the film looks pretty damn astounding. While I don't believe it's garnered any award wins for its production design, I'd argue that it's deserving of a watch solely on the grounds that once it reaches the fictional 'future' it is a sight to behold.
Granted, there are probably a good number of far more academic or educational reasons to enjoy the picture. Rather than take my word for it, I've done a quick Google.com assessment that I'm going to copy-and-paste below for the general readership. Take a gander at it. Drink it all in. Then, you can decide if it's something worthy of greater attention.
-- EZ
Now -- for clarity's sake -- there very well may have been a screening of the groundbreaking motion picture before this: IMDB.com indicates that there were also screenings in 1936 in both Poland and Austria, but the site does not indicate any specific date. In such cases, I've always exercised the policy here at SciFiHistory.Net of using the very first fully cited date to honor such birthdays; and that's the case today. Congrats on Things To Come for celebrating turning an incredible 89 years young today. That is quite a milestone.
I've seen Things To Come. I believe I've seen both a cable airing as well as a home video release. Frankly, it isn't the kind of flick I'd likely watch again, as I recall finding it a bit ... well ... tedious. The story is a bit cumbersome -- all of it is staged over a passage of years involving the technological and cultural development of a civilization, and it just doesn't flow like other yarns do -- but the film looks pretty damn astounding. While I don't believe it's garnered any award wins for its production design, I'd argue that it's deserving of a watch solely on the grounds that once it reaches the fictional 'future' it is a sight to behold.
Granted, there are probably a good number of far more academic or educational reasons to enjoy the picture. Rather than take my word for it, I've done a quick Google.com assessment that I'm going to copy-and-paste below for the general readership. Take a gander at it. Drink it all in. Then, you can decide if it's something worthy of greater attention.
-- EZ
Question: Why Is 1936's 'Things To Come' Considered A Good Movie?
From Google.com:
"Things to Come" (1936) is considered a good movie because of its groundbreaking vision of the future, stunning Art Deco visuals, and prescient commentary on the dangers of war, all thanks to its unique perspective on humanity as a collective rather than focusing on individual characters, making it a landmark in early science fiction cinema, especially considering the time it was made; it was written by H.G. Wells himself and features remarkably accurate predictions about future conflicts and technological advancements.
Key points that make "Things to Come" noteworthy:
"Things to Come" (1936) is considered a good movie because of its groundbreaking vision of the future, stunning Art Deco visuals, and prescient commentary on the dangers of war, all thanks to its unique perspective on humanity as a collective rather than focusing on individual characters, making it a landmark in early science fiction cinema, especially considering the time it was made; it was written by H.G. Wells himself and features remarkably accurate predictions about future conflicts and technological advancements.
Key points that make "Things to Come" noteworthy:
- Forward-thinking narrative:
The film explores a century-spanning future, including a devastating war and the subsequent rebuilding of society, with details like aerial warfare and biological weapons that were eerily prophetic for the coming World War II. - Visual aesthetic:
The film's design is considered a masterpiece of Art Deco futurism, with innovative set designs and special effects that were cutting-edge for the time. - Focus on the collective:
Unlike most films, "Things to Come" doesn't center around a single protagonist, instead depicting the broad sweep of human progress and the impact of war on society as a whole. - H.G. Wells' influence:
As the writer of the source material, Wells's perspective on the potential of science and the dangers of unchecked societal issues are clearly reflected in the film.
- Published on
'So many movies ... so little time ...
On this day in 1984 in the former nation state of West Germany, audiences were treated to a slice of subversive cinema with the theatrical release of Decoder.
For those of you unfamiliar with the work, let me give a bit of summary. There's a vast swath of history among conspiracy theorists -- not saying it's true, not saying it isn't -- about the efforts of clandestine government agencies seeking to -- ahem -- control civilization even in its daily existence. For example, America's Central Intelligence Agency has long been fabled to have tampered with various forms of mind control -- again: not saying it's true, not denying its possibility -- and all one need do is conduct your run-of-the-mill Google search into said topic to see there's plenty written about such fringe science out there on the Information Superhighway.
Well, what if regular folks stumbled across the existence of such technological capabilities?
That's essentially the foundation around which Decoder builds its cinematic universe. Wikipedia.org suggests that this counter culture flick was one of the earlier attempts to dabble in cyberpunk sensibilities (link), and the site even suggests that it was long considered 'forgotten' until resurfacing with home video releases in the late 2010's. Did we forget it ... or did 'the man' wants us to forget it? I guess we'll always wonder ... or, at least, the conspiracists out there will. I consider myself among them ... proudly.
In any event ...
The film was written (in part) and directed by German artist Muscha (aka Jürgen Muschalek) (link) along with other script contributions from Klaus Maeck (link), Volker Schäfer, and Trini Trimpop. The cast includes electronic musician and actor F.M. Enheit (link), William 'Bill' Rice, Christiane Felscherinow (link), Britzhold Baron De Belle, Matthias Fuchs, William S. Burroughs (link), Genesis P-Orridge (link), Slim Darko, and others. A bit of casual reading into the talent alone should give an indication as to how the project is more than a bit 'out there' so far as mainstream audiences are concerned; but having not seen this one -- only heard about it -- I really can't say anything further on that topic.
Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"A noise enthusiast discovers that by changing the background music from pleasantly calming to industrial "noise" music, he can incite riots and a revolution against the looming power of the government."
It looks like the folks at Vinegar Syndrome were originally involved in the film's resurgence on home video. There is a citation for it having been previously available for purchase on the company's website, but it's listed as 'sold out' presently. I'm guessing this one might be a bit hard to locate for those of you who are interested in such oddities, but best of luck in getting your hands on a copy of finding it available for streaming.
Theatrical trailer is below. Give it a gander if you're so inclined.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
On this day in 1984 in the former nation state of West Germany, audiences were treated to a slice of subversive cinema with the theatrical release of Decoder.
For those of you unfamiliar with the work, let me give a bit of summary. There's a vast swath of history among conspiracy theorists -- not saying it's true, not saying it isn't -- about the efforts of clandestine government agencies seeking to -- ahem -- control civilization even in its daily existence. For example, America's Central Intelligence Agency has long been fabled to have tampered with various forms of mind control -- again: not saying it's true, not denying its possibility -- and all one need do is conduct your run-of-the-mill Google search into said topic to see there's plenty written about such fringe science out there on the Information Superhighway.
Well, what if regular folks stumbled across the existence of such technological capabilities?
That's essentially the foundation around which Decoder builds its cinematic universe. Wikipedia.org suggests that this counter culture flick was one of the earlier attempts to dabble in cyberpunk sensibilities (link), and the site even suggests that it was long considered 'forgotten' until resurfacing with home video releases in the late 2010's. Did we forget it ... or did 'the man' wants us to forget it? I guess we'll always wonder ... or, at least, the conspiracists out there will. I consider myself among them ... proudly.
In any event ...
The film was written (in part) and directed by German artist Muscha (aka Jürgen Muschalek) (link) along with other script contributions from Klaus Maeck (link), Volker Schäfer, and Trini Trimpop. The cast includes electronic musician and actor F.M. Enheit (link), William 'Bill' Rice, Christiane Felscherinow (link), Britzhold Baron De Belle, Matthias Fuchs, William S. Burroughs (link), Genesis P-Orridge (link), Slim Darko, and others. A bit of casual reading into the talent alone should give an indication as to how the project is more than a bit 'out there' so far as mainstream audiences are concerned; but having not seen this one -- only heard about it -- I really can't say anything further on that topic.
Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"A noise enthusiast discovers that by changing the background music from pleasantly calming to industrial "noise" music, he can incite riots and a revolution against the looming power of the government."
It looks like the folks at Vinegar Syndrome were originally involved in the film's resurgence on home video. There is a citation for it having been previously available for purchase on the company's website, but it's listed as 'sold out' presently. I'm guessing this one might be a bit hard to locate for those of you who are interested in such oddities, but best of luck in getting your hands on a copy of finding it available for streaming.
Theatrical trailer is below. Give it a gander if you're so inclined.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
Festival Favorite
Starring Actress Golshifteh Farahi
Comes To Theaters and Digital
HOOD WITCH
Directed By Saïd Belktibia
ACCUSED OF WITCHCRAFT. HUNTED BY EVERYONE.
Coming to Select Theaters + Digital Platforms March 21, 2025
A cautionary tale about the perils of modern society that cleverly intertwines themes of social media pitfalls, religious extremism, unregulated black market activities, HOOD WITCH debuted to critical acclaim at last year's SXSW Film Festival. It is the debut film of emerging French director Saïd Belktibia and features acclaimed Iranian-French actress Golshifteh Farahani (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Body of Lies, Extraction, Extraction 2).
HOOD WITCH follows a single mother Nour (Glshifteh Farahani) and her son. Nour makes a living from smuggling exotic animals and illicit products (birds of prey, venom, rare roots, etc.). Wishing to get her son out of the city and offer him a better future, she designs and develops a mobile app that connects clients and marabouts. It’s a success, but a patient’s consultation turns into a tragedy and Nour has to face a wave of violence that could cost her and her son their lives.
Golshifteh Farahani, an Iranian-French actress, achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Iranian star to feature in a major Hollywood production: Ridley Scott's Body of Lies (2008), alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. Farahani also appeared alongside Chris Hemsworth in Extraction and Extraction 2. With a career spanning over 30 films, series, and theatrical works, Farahani is renowned for leveraging her influential platform to advocate for the struggle of Iranian women for freedom and equality.
HOOD WITCH
Theaterical + VOD/Digital Release Date: 3/21/2025
Directed by: Saïd Belktibia
Written by: Saïd Belktibia, Louis Penicaut
Produced by: Ladj Ly
Starring: Golshifteh Farahani (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Body of Lies, Extraction, Extraction 2), Amine Zariouhi, Denis Lavant, Alexis Manenti, Karim Belkhadra, Issaka Sawadogo
Genre: Action, thriller
Distributor: Dark Sky Films
Run Time: 95 minutes
WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING...
“A survival thriller set in a rarely explored world is a welcome addition to 2024’s genre film repertoire, and Belktibia’s voice is one that I cannot wait to hear more of.”
- SCREEN ANARCHY
"Saïd Belktibia's propulsive thriller Hood Witch is a mother's nightmare in constant motion... [It] comes with compelling sequences as a mother fights against what seems like the entire world."
- COLLIDER
"Here Belktibia shows how just as witchcraft is alive and well in the modern day so are witch hunts. Whether you’re from Salem or in an under-resourced arrondissement in Paris, women’s stories aren’t believed, often at the cost of their lives."
- DREAD CENTRAL
"Belktibia fashions some undeniably arresting images."
- THE MOVIE WAFFLER
HOOD WITCH follows a single mother Nour (Glshifteh Farahani) and her son. Nour makes a living from smuggling exotic animals and illicit products (birds of prey, venom, rare roots, etc.). Wishing to get her son out of the city and offer him a better future, she designs and develops a mobile app that connects clients and marabouts. It’s a success, but a patient’s consultation turns into a tragedy and Nour has to face a wave of violence that could cost her and her son their lives.
Golshifteh Farahani, an Iranian-French actress, achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Iranian star to feature in a major Hollywood production: Ridley Scott's Body of Lies (2008), alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. Farahani also appeared alongside Chris Hemsworth in Extraction and Extraction 2. With a career spanning over 30 films, series, and theatrical works, Farahani is renowned for leveraging her influential platform to advocate for the struggle of Iranian women for freedom and equality.
HOOD WITCH
Theaterical + VOD/Digital Release Date: 3/21/2025
Directed by: Saïd Belktibia
Written by: Saïd Belktibia, Louis Penicaut
Produced by: Ladj Ly
Starring: Golshifteh Farahani (Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Body of Lies, Extraction, Extraction 2), Amine Zariouhi, Denis Lavant, Alexis Manenti, Karim Belkhadra, Issaka Sawadogo
Genre: Action, thriller
Distributor: Dark Sky Films
Run Time: 95 minutes
WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING...
“A survival thriller set in a rarely explored world is a welcome addition to 2024’s genre film repertoire, and Belktibia’s voice is one that I cannot wait to hear more of.”
- SCREEN ANARCHY
"Saïd Belktibia's propulsive thriller Hood Witch is a mother's nightmare in constant motion... [It] comes with compelling sequences as a mother fights against what seems like the entire world."
- COLLIDER
"Here Belktibia shows how just as witchcraft is alive and well in the modern day so are witch hunts. Whether you’re from Salem or in an under-resourced arrondissement in Paris, women’s stories aren’t believed, often at the cost of their lives."
- DREAD CENTRAL
"Belktibia fashions some undeniably arresting images."
- THE MOVIE WAFFLER
- Published on
Often, I find myself at odds with fandom.
You see, fandom generally embraces just about anything. Because they’ve culturally been deprived of so many truly great motion pictures, they’ll wrap their hands around just about anything that’s even modestly close to the mark and celebrate it endlessly across the web-o-sphere. Hollywood long ago realized this was the baseline, and – to some degree – that’s why they’ve co-opted so much of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror tropes and liberally inserted them into projects at every opportunity. All of this is done in hopes of capitalizing exposure in the various halls of ComicCon and beyond, where they’ve been assured that “if you build it, fans will come,” and come they have without much care exercised in evaluating whether or not such wares are truly worth our time and effort.
For this reason, watchers of an outlet like the SciFi Channel – aka Syfy, for those of you who prefer that ugly moniker – have had to endure a vast array of loosely related series and telefilms because the powers that be believe it isn’t so much want fans want but will still turn out for since nothing else is available. Granted, this isn’t so much the case today – the digital and streaming explosion has brought an astonishing number of good, bad, and ugly alternatives to life – but I can assure you that the endless parade of pure schlock that demonstrated what Syfy deemed worthy of broadcast for years assured fans that “this is what you’ll get and you’ll like it.” And, yes, that even applies to the bouts of professional wrestling they threw up in prime time, no less.
Still, genre fans embraced something like Deep Blue Sea (1999) back in the day because it was a close enough facsimile to what Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror could be, making it just enough to celebrate. And why not? It had pretty big stars – Samuel A. Jackson and Stellan Skarsgård were in the cast, you know – and it offered up a pretty big idea in the way of ‘Smart Sharks’ being nurtured in an attempt to cure Alzheimer's Disease. It had a sizable budget, reported to be around $60M. It secured a tentpole summer release date in July of that year. Brought to life by acclaimed director Renny Harlin, Blue promised a heady combination of action and adventure, so what could possibly go wrong?
Sink or swim, baby. Sink or swim …
You see, fandom generally embraces just about anything. Because they’ve culturally been deprived of so many truly great motion pictures, they’ll wrap their hands around just about anything that’s even modestly close to the mark and celebrate it endlessly across the web-o-sphere. Hollywood long ago realized this was the baseline, and – to some degree – that’s why they’ve co-opted so much of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror tropes and liberally inserted them into projects at every opportunity. All of this is done in hopes of capitalizing exposure in the various halls of ComicCon and beyond, where they’ve been assured that “if you build it, fans will come,” and come they have without much care exercised in evaluating whether or not such wares are truly worth our time and effort.
For this reason, watchers of an outlet like the SciFi Channel – aka Syfy, for those of you who prefer that ugly moniker – have had to endure a vast array of loosely related series and telefilms because the powers that be believe it isn’t so much want fans want but will still turn out for since nothing else is available. Granted, this isn’t so much the case today – the digital and streaming explosion has brought an astonishing number of good, bad, and ugly alternatives to life – but I can assure you that the endless parade of pure schlock that demonstrated what Syfy deemed worthy of broadcast for years assured fans that “this is what you’ll get and you’ll like it.” And, yes, that even applies to the bouts of professional wrestling they threw up in prime time, no less.
Still, genre fans embraced something like Deep Blue Sea (1999) back in the day because it was a close enough facsimile to what Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror could be, making it just enough to celebrate. And why not? It had pretty big stars – Samuel A. Jackson and Stellan Skarsgård were in the cast, you know – and it offered up a pretty big idea in the way of ‘Smart Sharks’ being nurtured in an attempt to cure Alzheimer's Disease. It had a sizable budget, reported to be around $60M. It secured a tentpole summer release date in July of that year. Brought to life by acclaimed director Renny Harlin, Blue promised a heady combination of action and adventure, so what could possibly go wrong?
Sink or swim, baby. Sink or swim …
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Searching for a cure to Alzheimer's disease, a group of scientists on an isolated research facility become the prey, as a trio of intelligent sharks fight back.”
Back in the 1970’s, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws really set the standard for what aquatic adventure could do; and decades later it remains a benchmark many a storyteller has sought to dethrone.
What gets a bit lost in the shuffle is the fact that Jaws – like any great film does – started a trend both within the United States and beyond that producers tried to capitalize upon. 1977’s Tentacles tried adapting the watery terror to that of a giant octopus while Orca – released that same year – did much of the same with killer whales. 1978’s Piranha twisted the formula a bit further, giving teeth to those deadly fish; while 1980’s Alligator housed its carnivorous delights in the jaws of the mighty reptile. Mind you: there were still an awful lot of sharksploitation efforts, too; and no one was throwing water on the idea of making it unsafe to back into the ocean.
The trend did as trends do, and it petered out after a decade or so – coming to life in new form via Discovery Channel’s Shark Week which began in 1988 – only to find resurgence on the silver screen in 1999: Warner Bros. hired Renny Harlin to craft Deep Blue Sea – a script from Duncan Kennedy, Donna Powers, and Wayne Powers – into a summer release. The results were solid – good box office mostly owed to positive word-of-mouth – and it looked like sharks were swimming back into our collective consciousness as a bevy of shark-related features began cropping up with names big and small attached. Not only was Shark Week still around, but the aforementioned SciFi Channel (aka Syfy) dove in headfirst with its dreaded Sharknado (2013), a phenomenon that produced a mind-blowing six telefilms.
That, my friends, is gonna leave a mark!
There are a handful of differences between what Jaws accomplished over two decades earlier to what Deep Blue Sea did later; and perhaps it’s these alterations that show a modest bit of evolution in the formula. While both features start and finish with the dangers of this fabled oceanic predator, Harlin’s feature expands by incorporating much of what made disaster films – 1970’s Airport, 1974’s The Towering Inferno, 1996’s Twister, etc. – into crowd-pleasing experiences. In these flicks, our heroes aren’t only trying to outrun a single threat: it’s as is life itself is closing in around them.
From the film’s IMDB.com page citation:
“Searching for a cure to Alzheimer's disease, a group of scientists on an isolated research facility become the prey, as a trio of intelligent sharks fight back.”
Back in the 1970’s, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws really set the standard for what aquatic adventure could do; and decades later it remains a benchmark many a storyteller has sought to dethrone.
What gets a bit lost in the shuffle is the fact that Jaws – like any great film does – started a trend both within the United States and beyond that producers tried to capitalize upon. 1977’s Tentacles tried adapting the watery terror to that of a giant octopus while Orca – released that same year – did much of the same with killer whales. 1978’s Piranha twisted the formula a bit further, giving teeth to those deadly fish; while 1980’s Alligator housed its carnivorous delights in the jaws of the mighty reptile. Mind you: there were still an awful lot of sharksploitation efforts, too; and no one was throwing water on the idea of making it unsafe to back into the ocean.
The trend did as trends do, and it petered out after a decade or so – coming to life in new form via Discovery Channel’s Shark Week which began in 1988 – only to find resurgence on the silver screen in 1999: Warner Bros. hired Renny Harlin to craft Deep Blue Sea – a script from Duncan Kennedy, Donna Powers, and Wayne Powers – into a summer release. The results were solid – good box office mostly owed to positive word-of-mouth – and it looked like sharks were swimming back into our collective consciousness as a bevy of shark-related features began cropping up with names big and small attached. Not only was Shark Week still around, but the aforementioned SciFi Channel (aka Syfy) dove in headfirst with its dreaded Sharknado (2013), a phenomenon that produced a mind-blowing six telefilms.
That, my friends, is gonna leave a mark!
There are a handful of differences between what Jaws accomplished over two decades earlier to what Deep Blue Sea did later; and perhaps it’s these alterations that show a modest bit of evolution in the formula. While both features start and finish with the dangers of this fabled oceanic predator, Harlin’s feature expands by incorporating much of what made disaster films – 1970’s Airport, 1974’s The Towering Inferno, 1996’s Twister, etc. – into crowd-pleasing experiences. In these flicks, our heroes aren’t only trying to outrun a single threat: it’s as is life itself is closing in around them.
Due to some unforeseen developments, Dr. Susan McAlester (played by Saffron Burrows) sees her groundbreaking research into harnessing the benefits of shark DNA to cure human disease threatened by a corporate shutdown. With no alternative left, she challenges the director – Russell Franklin (Samuel A. Jackson) – to give her a few days to conduct a single test that will guarantee unheard of scientific progress or shut her laboratory – Aquatica – down for good. Begrudgingly, Franklin not only agrees but also insists on coming along so that he can see face-to-face the benefits of continued funding.
Once aboard the floating laboratory, McAlester and her crew do manage to produce the impressive, desired results: a combination of a shark’s brain chemicals into some impacted gray matter repairs the cells in only a matter of seconds. But their celebration is cut short when – only seconds later – the sedated shark awakens and bites the arm off of one of her colleagues! The man’s medical evacuation via helicopter is even more catastrophic when inclement weather and a wayward shark (who snags the vehicle’s dangling cable) force the aircraft to nosedive into Aquatica’s command level! The resulting explosion puts the crew in the untenable situation of racing against both the encroaching trio of tiger sharks, the water that’s slowly flooding their base, and the installation falling apart all around them.
Without going into any great extrapolation of the visuals, a good portion of the action is dedicated to giving each of Aquatica’s team something to do, something to prove their worth. Resident shark wrangler Carter Blake (Thomas Jane) is the reformed ex-con who’ll stop at nothing to bring everyone back alive because it’s the right thing to do. Tom Scoggins (Michael Rapaport) is the technical brainiac who knows how the station’s many systems work and what just might work as a mechanical solution to get his peers to safety. Janice Higgins (Jacqueline McKenzie) rounds out the medical team as a specialist and somewhat love interest for the fallen Jim Whitlock (Stellan Skarsgård) mostly because there’s always a love interest in films of this sort. Sherman ‘Preacher’ Dudley (LL Cool J) is the odd-man-out, a base cook who also serves as a homegrown minister and – ahem – motivational speaker when the chips are down. Like in any good ensemble effort, each of them gets something to do here; and Harlin effectively puts his cast through some difficult pacing, be it threats of flooding water, blazing fires, or gnashing teeth.
Where Blue fails to swim is with the fact that Harlin never seems fully committed to the formula so much as he is in playing with audiences expectations ... and maybe swimming with some CGI sharks.
Though I hate spoiling it, there’s a huge scene in which Franklin – in customary Samuel A. Jackson bravado – delivers a speech meant to rouse the team to action. They’ve encountered setback after setback, and what’s needed is that seminal ‘come to Jesus’ moment with the proper narrative Patton-esque bluster. One liberally couldn’t act for a better Thespian to shoulder that responsibility here than Jackson. In fact, he delivers – quite convincingly – all the way up to the point wherein one of the tiger sharks suddenly leaps out of the pool and rips him in half! Of course, it’s funny – which is what I hope was intended – but it also feels like it was a comic bit entirely orchestrated because they could. Where others thought it was a grand moment – maybe even the biggest in the flick – I’d argue it was – like Sharknado’s entire premise of a tornado full of predators – theatrically over the top.
Once aboard the floating laboratory, McAlester and her crew do manage to produce the impressive, desired results: a combination of a shark’s brain chemicals into some impacted gray matter repairs the cells in only a matter of seconds. But their celebration is cut short when – only seconds later – the sedated shark awakens and bites the arm off of one of her colleagues! The man’s medical evacuation via helicopter is even more catastrophic when inclement weather and a wayward shark (who snags the vehicle’s dangling cable) force the aircraft to nosedive into Aquatica’s command level! The resulting explosion puts the crew in the untenable situation of racing against both the encroaching trio of tiger sharks, the water that’s slowly flooding their base, and the installation falling apart all around them.
Without going into any great extrapolation of the visuals, a good portion of the action is dedicated to giving each of Aquatica’s team something to do, something to prove their worth. Resident shark wrangler Carter Blake (Thomas Jane) is the reformed ex-con who’ll stop at nothing to bring everyone back alive because it’s the right thing to do. Tom Scoggins (Michael Rapaport) is the technical brainiac who knows how the station’s many systems work and what just might work as a mechanical solution to get his peers to safety. Janice Higgins (Jacqueline McKenzie) rounds out the medical team as a specialist and somewhat love interest for the fallen Jim Whitlock (Stellan Skarsgård) mostly because there’s always a love interest in films of this sort. Sherman ‘Preacher’ Dudley (LL Cool J) is the odd-man-out, a base cook who also serves as a homegrown minister and – ahem – motivational speaker when the chips are down. Like in any good ensemble effort, each of them gets something to do here; and Harlin effectively puts his cast through some difficult pacing, be it threats of flooding water, blazing fires, or gnashing teeth.
Where Blue fails to swim is with the fact that Harlin never seems fully committed to the formula so much as he is in playing with audiences expectations ... and maybe swimming with some CGI sharks.
Though I hate spoiling it, there’s a huge scene in which Franklin – in customary Samuel A. Jackson bravado – delivers a speech meant to rouse the team to action. They’ve encountered setback after setback, and what’s needed is that seminal ‘come to Jesus’ moment with the proper narrative Patton-esque bluster. One liberally couldn’t act for a better Thespian to shoulder that responsibility here than Jackson. In fact, he delivers – quite convincingly – all the way up to the point wherein one of the tiger sharks suddenly leaps out of the pool and rips him in half! Of course, it’s funny – which is what I hope was intended – but it also feels like it was a comic bit entirely orchestrated because they could. Where others thought it was a grand moment – maybe even the biggest in the flick – I’d argue it was – like Sharknado’s entire premise of a tornado full of predators – theatrically over the top.
Furthermore, I think far too much of the picture was invested in Dr. McAlester’s character. While this isn’t a slight to Burrows at all (she, too, is an impressive talent on display, and I’ve enjoyed her work elsewhere), it is an assessment that the script packages her as a good-looking mad scientist, one who was willing to sacrifice her principles in order to bolster a marketable cure for her employer. She’s still about as close to a human villain as we get in all of Blue; and yet – in typical Hollywood fashion – she’s given great looks and even the chance to be Blake’s squeeze if she were more than casually interested. Their pairing never feels authentic – again, like the Jackson scene, it smacks of artificiality – but, thankfully, we’re (mostly) spared of any hint of entanglement despite the fact that several lines of dialogue suggest there’s something more.
Now, there’s much more than could be nitpicked here. Some might suggest that Harlin’s film is the ultimate fish story in spite of how well it takes viewers on this carnival ride. These supposedly 45-foot-long monsters seemingly have no trouble in breaking through steel doors, and yet we’re supposed to accept that your rudimentary chain-link fence would pose greater challenge to their strength. Also, we’re forced to accept that somehow these creatures can swim completely unseen in little more than waist-deep water in one sequence while they’re displayed as big around as an SUV in the next scene; so, it does help to choke down a good deal of salt when digesting Blue casually. As filmmakers do, Harlin packs his punches to produce thrills and chills at breakneck pace without allowing the audience to stop and fathom precisely how possible any of this was; and it succeeds only on that rudimentary psychological level. In Roman times, this would be our gladiatorial spectacle, and there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with that.
One of the many bugaboos I occasionally chase down the rabbit hole here on SciFiHistory.Net – and one that many readers disagree with – is my contention that inside every bad movie there often is a good cut or, at least, several good ideas. Those good ideas – if utilized differently – could’ve salvaged an inferior release and maybe even turned it into a box office hit or even something bigger than it eventually turned out to be. While this construct may not exactly apply to Deep Blue Sea – it’s accepted to be a hit, grossing $164M worldwide on a reported budget of $60M – I’d still contend that a film that brought the only true everyman in the script to the forefront might’ve resonated more strongly with audiences: imagine a great portion of the action retooled to give more prominence to LL Cool J’s Preacher, and you get the drift. Flicks like Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989), Tremors (1990), and even Wayne’s World (1992) prove that watchers love it when misfits save the day; and such a concept could even have helped Blue earn its sea legs to swim to even greater box office profitability.
Deep Blue Sea (1999) was produced by Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures, Groucho III Film Partnership, Riche-Ludwig Productions, and Baja Studios. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Arrow Films and MVD Visual Entertainment. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I found much of this 4K restoration to be exceptional: my issues with some underwhelming CGI get glorified a bit as making bad shots look crisper only reveals even greater deficiencies. (It is what it is, folks.) Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Then buckle up because this is Arrow Films, and they rarely disappoint. In order to be precise, I’m doing the noble copy-and-paste from their press release previously published on Blu-ray.com:
Now, there’s much more than could be nitpicked here. Some might suggest that Harlin’s film is the ultimate fish story in spite of how well it takes viewers on this carnival ride. These supposedly 45-foot-long monsters seemingly have no trouble in breaking through steel doors, and yet we’re supposed to accept that your rudimentary chain-link fence would pose greater challenge to their strength. Also, we’re forced to accept that somehow these creatures can swim completely unseen in little more than waist-deep water in one sequence while they’re displayed as big around as an SUV in the next scene; so, it does help to choke down a good deal of salt when digesting Blue casually. As filmmakers do, Harlin packs his punches to produce thrills and chills at breakneck pace without allowing the audience to stop and fathom precisely how possible any of this was; and it succeeds only on that rudimentary psychological level. In Roman times, this would be our gladiatorial spectacle, and there’s nothing intrinsically wrong with that.
One of the many bugaboos I occasionally chase down the rabbit hole here on SciFiHistory.Net – and one that many readers disagree with – is my contention that inside every bad movie there often is a good cut or, at least, several good ideas. Those good ideas – if utilized differently – could’ve salvaged an inferior release and maybe even turned it into a box office hit or even something bigger than it eventually turned out to be. While this construct may not exactly apply to Deep Blue Sea – it’s accepted to be a hit, grossing $164M worldwide on a reported budget of $60M – I’d still contend that a film that brought the only true everyman in the script to the forefront might’ve resonated more strongly with audiences: imagine a great portion of the action retooled to give more prominence to LL Cool J’s Preacher, and you get the drift. Flicks like Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989), Tremors (1990), and even Wayne’s World (1992) prove that watchers love it when misfits save the day; and such a concept could even have helped Blue earn its sea legs to swim to even greater box office profitability.
Deep Blue Sea (1999) was produced by Warner Bros., Village Roadshow Pictures, Groucho III Film Partnership, Riche-Ludwig Productions, and Baja Studios. DVD distribution (for this particular release) has been coordinated by the fine folks at Arrow Films and MVD Visual Entertainment. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I found much of this 4K restoration to be exceptional: my issues with some underwhelming CGI get glorified a bit as making bad shots look crisper only reveals even greater deficiencies. (It is what it is, folks.) Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? Then buckle up because this is Arrow Films, and they rarely disappoint. In order to be precise, I’m doing the noble copy-and-paste from their press release previously published on Blu-ray.com:
- NEW 4K RESTORATION of the film from the original camera negatives by Arrow Films approved by director Renny Harlin
- HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
- Original DTS HD-MA 5.1 and Dolby Atmos audio options
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Brand new audio commentary by screenwriter Duncan Kennedy
- Brand new audio commentary by filmmaker and critic Rebekah McKendry
- Archive audio commentary by director Renny Harlin and star Samuel L. Jackson
- From the Frying Pan... into the Studio Tank, a new interview with production designer William Sandell
- Beneath the Surface, a new visual essay by film critic Trace Thurman
- When Sharks Attack: The Making of Deep Blue Sea, an archive featurette
- The Sharks of the Deep Blue Sea, an archive featurette
- Deleted scenes with optional audio commentary by director Renny Harlin
- Theatrical trailer
- Image gallery
- Reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Luke Preece
- 60-page perfect bound collector's book containing new writing by film critics Josh Hurtado, Jennie Kermode, and Murray Leeder, plus previously unseen production art and designs
- Double-sided fold-out poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Luke Preece
- Postcards from Aquatica
Now, that said, I want to clarify that – as I’m only provided a copy of the disc – I cannot and will not address the efficacy or quality of the listed physical materials (artwork, booklets, inserts, etc.) as I have not seen them. In that respect, I always remind readers “buyer beware.”
Furthermore, I rarely – RARELY – speak in the negative on such things as commentary tracks, but sometimes something deserves to be said. So … the track by Dr. Rebekah McKendry is amateurish, a choice I think the professor and filmmaker consciously thought best given the source film. At times, it felt like she was trying to accomplish a one-woman RiffTrax attempt – swearing routinely and blurting some one-liners – and it just didn’t work; other times, she offers a respectful opinion of the filmmaking process, but it all feels so … meh. It feels more like an irreverent podcast than it does a commentary track. A huge disappointment, but again it is what it is. Screenwriter Duncan Kennedy’s commentary is vastly more informative and still tickles the ribs here and there respectfully.
Alas … only Mildly Recommended.
While I’ve conceded that I was there when Deep Blue Sea (1999) had its first theatrical run and wasn’t quite impressed then, the same remains true today; and, yet, I’m willing to concede that I probably had more fun with it this time out than I did back then. It occasionally takes itself very seriously only then to go completely in the other direction with die-hard predictability and science that only exists in the movies. Thematically, I’ll always argue that Harlin and his cast and crew never quite knew if they were making something to be taken seriously or not; and about the best that can be attached to a possibly legacy is that, yes, the flick obviously inspired a helluva lot of imitators to jump back into the water with hopes of both scaring audiences silly and delivering unintended laughs with – ahem – questionable (at best) CGI. The end of the beginning or the beginning of the end? You be the judge.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Arrow Films and MVD Visual Entertainment provided me with a complimentary Blu-ray of Deep Blue Sea (1999) by request for the expressed purpose of completing this review. Their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
-- EZ
- Published on
So many films ... so little time ...
There has been a great many films that have tinkered with the idea of removing 'The Men' from the Great Mankind Equation, and here's another one: The Last Man On Planet Earth was a telefilm that premiered on this day in the United States of America all the way back in the year 1999.
Directed by Les Landau -- a very talented guy who knows his way around genre projects, indeed -- from a script by Kenneth Biller -- a name diehard fans should recognize from contributions to such programs as Star Trek: Voyager, Dark Angel, and Smallville -- this picture starred such names as Julie Bowen, Paul Francis, Tamlyn Tomita, L. Scott Caldwell, Elizabeth Dennehy, Kimberlee Peterson, Nancy Hower, Tom Hallick, Martha Hackett, Timi Prulhiere, and others.
Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"During a war with Afghanistan, a weapon called the "Y-bomb" was used, which resulted in the deaths of 97% of the world's men. Feeling that they were better off without males, the women of Earth decided to outlaw men because they were too violent. Twenty years later, scientist Hope Chase, fearing for the future of the species, conducts a cloning experiment to produce a new male of the species, whom she names Adam. When Adam reaches maturity, he soon finds himself on the run from the FBI, and hiding out with small rebel bands of the last remaining men."
It looks like this one was produced by Paramount Pictures, and -- unless I miss my guess entirely -- some happy camper has uploaded the entire thing onto YouTube.com. I'll post the link below for those who might wish to catch up on its goodness.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
There has been a great many films that have tinkered with the idea of removing 'The Men' from the Great Mankind Equation, and here's another one: The Last Man On Planet Earth was a telefilm that premiered on this day in the United States of America all the way back in the year 1999.
Directed by Les Landau -- a very talented guy who knows his way around genre projects, indeed -- from a script by Kenneth Biller -- a name diehard fans should recognize from contributions to such programs as Star Trek: Voyager, Dark Angel, and Smallville -- this picture starred such names as Julie Bowen, Paul Francis, Tamlyn Tomita, L. Scott Caldwell, Elizabeth Dennehy, Kimberlee Peterson, Nancy Hower, Tom Hallick, Martha Hackett, Timi Prulhiere, and others.
Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"During a war with Afghanistan, a weapon called the "Y-bomb" was used, which resulted in the deaths of 97% of the world's men. Feeling that they were better off without males, the women of Earth decided to outlaw men because they were too violent. Twenty years later, scientist Hope Chase, fearing for the future of the species, conducts a cloning experiment to produce a new male of the species, whom she names Adam. When Adam reaches maturity, he soon finds himself on the run from the FBI, and hiding out with small rebel bands of the last remaining men."
It looks like this one was produced by Paramount Pictures, and -- unless I miss my guess entirely -- some happy camper has uploaded the entire thing onto YouTube.com. I'll post the link below for those who might wish to catch up on its goodness.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
So many movies ... so little time ...
On this day in the United States of America all the way back in 1953, audiences were chilled and thrilled with the original theatrical release of The Magnetic Monster from Ivan Tors Productions.
For those of you who don't recognize the name of Ivan Tors Productions, the studio was responsible for a good deal of Science Fiction and Fantasy from the bygone era. A quick glance at the company profile on IMDB.com shows their association to such projects as Science Fiction Theater, Riders To The Stars (1954), Gog (1954), Around The World Under The Sea (1966), Island Of The Lost (1967), Hello Down There (1969), Primus, and others.
Tors and screenwriter Curt Siodmak share scripting credits; and Siodmak also shared directing credit with Herbert L. Strock. IMDB.com's Trivia Page for the flick indicates that most of the direction was completed by Strock as the two had to integrate a good deal of stock footage into what was shot either on location or on soundstages, so his skills as an editing kinda/sorta trumped Siodmak's as a visual auteur. The cast includes such names as Richard Carlson, King Donovan, Jean Byron, Harry Ellerbe, Leo Britt, Leonard Mudie, Byron Foulger, Michael Fox, and others.
Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"Working for O.S.I., the Office of Scientific Investigation, A-Man agent Jeffrey Stewart and his partner Dan Forbes are sent to a local hardware store where they find a strong magnetic field has magnetized every metal item in the store. Investigating further, they eventually trace the source of the magnetism to an airborn flight carrying scientist Howard Denker, now dying of radiation poisoning, who has carted on board with him a new radioactive element which he has bombarded with alpha particles for 200 hours. The element, dubbed 'serranium' grows geometrically by creating matter out of energy which it absorbs from metallic objects surrounding it. Stewart calculates that if the substance is not destroyed soon that within 24 hours or so it will have grown large enough to throw Earth out of its orbit."
For those who like that sort of thing, the theatrical trailer is posted below.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
On this day in the United States of America all the way back in 1953, audiences were chilled and thrilled with the original theatrical release of The Magnetic Monster from Ivan Tors Productions.
For those of you who don't recognize the name of Ivan Tors Productions, the studio was responsible for a good deal of Science Fiction and Fantasy from the bygone era. A quick glance at the company profile on IMDB.com shows their association to such projects as Science Fiction Theater, Riders To The Stars (1954), Gog (1954), Around The World Under The Sea (1966), Island Of The Lost (1967), Hello Down There (1969), Primus, and others.
Tors and screenwriter Curt Siodmak share scripting credits; and Siodmak also shared directing credit with Herbert L. Strock. IMDB.com's Trivia Page for the flick indicates that most of the direction was completed by Strock as the two had to integrate a good deal of stock footage into what was shot either on location or on soundstages, so his skills as an editing kinda/sorta trumped Siodmak's as a visual auteur. The cast includes such names as Richard Carlson, King Donovan, Jean Byron, Harry Ellerbe, Leo Britt, Leonard Mudie, Byron Foulger, Michael Fox, and others.
Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"Working for O.S.I., the Office of Scientific Investigation, A-Man agent Jeffrey Stewart and his partner Dan Forbes are sent to a local hardware store where they find a strong magnetic field has magnetized every metal item in the store. Investigating further, they eventually trace the source of the magnetism to an airborn flight carrying scientist Howard Denker, now dying of radiation poisoning, who has carted on board with him a new radioactive element which he has bombarded with alpha particles for 200 hours. The element, dubbed 'serranium' grows geometrically by creating matter out of energy which it absorbs from metallic objects surrounding it. Stewart calculates that if the substance is not destroyed soon that within 24 hours or so it will have grown large enough to throw Earth out of its orbit."
For those who like that sort of thing, the theatrical trailer is posted below.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
So many movies ... so little time ...
Well ... why should James Bond have all of the fun?
It was on this day all the way back in 1966 in the great United States of America that Hollywood decided the time was ripe to tap into mankind's love of the classic spy thrillers -- fueled in no small way by the success of the still-growing Bond franchise -- by casting crooner Dean Martin in the guise of Matt Helm, a retired U.S. operative who gets pulled out of his earned sabattical and thrust back onto active duty. From what little I know personally of the series -- there were four completed efforts though five were originally planned -- The Silencers is regarded as the best outing ... though that may not be saying much given that these were all a bit too tongue-in-cheek from what I recall of seeing them in my youth.
Phil Karlson served as director for the picture, a guy who as I understand it really got his start as a second unit director to a handful of Abbott and Costello comedies. His genre credentials are a bit light, but he did go on to direct 1972's Ben -- the sequel to Willard, featuring a horde of violent rats -- and that must count for something. Oscar Saul adapted the original Donald Hamilton novel for the screen. Alongside Martin, the cast included such names as Stella Stevens, Daliah Lavi, Victor Buono, Arthur O'Connell, Robert Webber, James Gregory, Nancy Kovack, Roger C. Carmel, Cyd Charisse, and others.
Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"In this, the first Matt Helm movie, we see Matt Helm coaxed out of semi-retirement by an attractive ex-partner. It seems that the evil Big O organization has a nefarious plan called "Operation: Fallout." If this plan comes to fruition, Big O will explode an atomic bomb over Alamogordo, NM, and start WWIII. Only Matt Helm can stop them."
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
Well ... why should James Bond have all of the fun?
It was on this day all the way back in 1966 in the great United States of America that Hollywood decided the time was ripe to tap into mankind's love of the classic spy thrillers -- fueled in no small way by the success of the still-growing Bond franchise -- by casting crooner Dean Martin in the guise of Matt Helm, a retired U.S. operative who gets pulled out of his earned sabattical and thrust back onto active duty. From what little I know personally of the series -- there were four completed efforts though five were originally planned -- The Silencers is regarded as the best outing ... though that may not be saying much given that these were all a bit too tongue-in-cheek from what I recall of seeing them in my youth.
Phil Karlson served as director for the picture, a guy who as I understand it really got his start as a second unit director to a handful of Abbott and Costello comedies. His genre credentials are a bit light, but he did go on to direct 1972's Ben -- the sequel to Willard, featuring a horde of violent rats -- and that must count for something. Oscar Saul adapted the original Donald Hamilton novel for the screen. Alongside Martin, the cast included such names as Stella Stevens, Daliah Lavi, Victor Buono, Arthur O'Connell, Robert Webber, James Gregory, Nancy Kovack, Roger C. Carmel, Cyd Charisse, and others.
Here's the plot summary as provided by our friends at IMDB.com:
"In this, the first Matt Helm movie, we see Matt Helm coaxed out of semi-retirement by an attractive ex-partner. It seems that the evil Big O organization has a nefarious plan called "Operation: Fallout." If this plan comes to fruition, Big O will explode an atomic bomb over Alamogordo, NM, and start WWIII. Only Matt Helm can stop them."
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ