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Good morning, and Happy Tuesday, gentle readers! Welcome to January 9th!
If you'll pardon me, then let me take a moment to say ... BBBBrrrrrrrrr! For those of you who don't know it, it's damn cold here in the great American Southwest this morning, and we're not used to such arctic temperatures. I've already been outside this morning to feed the strays who live out front, and it's mighty, mighty chilly, my friends. Mighty chilly. I just might have to crawl back under the blankets any time soon for a few extra Zzzzz's and to keep warm. Damn frigid, if you ask me.
Mother Nature can be a beeyotch from time-to-time; and, no, sorry, I'm not one to believe in that whole 'Global Warming' campaign of information. Yes, it's true that climate changes -- in fact, it's always changing -- but I'm not convinced that cows tooting has anything to do with the current state of the galaxy. Do a bit of research, folks, and you'll see that cows have been tooting since the Dawn of Man; and I seriously doubt their toots have grown any more noxious in this past century than they ever were before. Science -- and nature -- just don't work that way.
But enough politics and ideology ...
If you'll pardon me, then let me take a moment to say ... BBBBrrrrrrrrr! For those of you who don't know it, it's damn cold here in the great American Southwest this morning, and we're not used to such arctic temperatures. I've already been outside this morning to feed the strays who live out front, and it's mighty, mighty chilly, my friends. Mighty chilly. I just might have to crawl back under the blankets any time soon for a few extra Zzzzz's and to keep warm. Damn frigid, if you ask me.
Mother Nature can be a beeyotch from time-to-time; and, no, sorry, I'm not one to believe in that whole 'Global Warming' campaign of information. Yes, it's true that climate changes -- in fact, it's always changing -- but I'm not convinced that cows tooting has anything to do with the current state of the galaxy. Do a bit of research, folks, and you'll see that cows have been tooting since the Dawn of Man; and I seriously doubt their toots have grown any more noxious in this past century than they ever were before. Science -- and nature -- just don't work that way.
But enough politics and ideology ...
Every now and then, the Information Superhighway gets abuzz with Tweets that kinda/sorta ask a seminal question of participants, something benign, something like "What's a show you watched as a kid?" Generally speaking, I don't jump about those Tweet-trains -- well, not unless I have something really interesting and/or different to add -- but there was an interaction last week about forgotten shows. While I don't think The Six Million Dollar Man qualifies as a truly forgotten show, I will say that the episode that aired on this day all the way back in 1977 was one of the highpoints of my television youth.
For those of you who've never seen it, "Death Probe" (Parts 1 and 2, mind you) had this robot intended for an exploratory mission to Venus going haywire and crashing in the America. Naturally, former astronaut and now special agent Steve Austin gets dispatched to look into this thing; and the killbot has gone up to homicide level 10! The bionic man had to face off against what was arguably one of his greatest adversaries, so thank goodness this installment was a two-parter, am I right?
Ahhh, the memories!
No, folks, I'm not clamoring for a Six Million Dollar Man do-over. I'd likely tune in if someone gave it a legitimate attempt (Bionic Woman had one a few years back, and it was underwhelming); but I'm not sure it's the kind of show that means anything to audiences. This is the era of superheroes, for all intents and purposes, so a human/cyborg action hero probably would seem more than a bit out of place ... sadly.
For those of you who've never seen it, "Death Probe" (Parts 1 and 2, mind you) had this robot intended for an exploratory mission to Venus going haywire and crashing in the America. Naturally, former astronaut and now special agent Steve Austin gets dispatched to look into this thing; and the killbot has gone up to homicide level 10! The bionic man had to face off against what was arguably one of his greatest adversaries, so thank goodness this installment was a two-parter, am I right?
Ahhh, the memories!
No, folks, I'm not clamoring for a Six Million Dollar Man do-over. I'd likely tune in if someone gave it a legitimate attempt (Bionic Woman had one a few years back, and it was underwhelming); but I'm not sure it's the kind of show that means anything to audiences. This is the era of superheroes, for all intents and purposes, so a human/cyborg action hero probably would seem more than a bit out of place ... sadly.
Alas, folks, that's really all I have for now. I checked the archives this morning, and I do have a few items I'm hoping to add to the day; but I do have a few flicks I also need to get to for review purposes. I might get something up later today regarding those. In the meantime, here's your ticket to the best genre trivia money can buy ...
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing (many, many thanks on that one) ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
(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’ IMDB.com page citation:
“In an unprecedented snowstorm, a wife’s plans to kill her abusive husband begin to unravel.”
At its core, what you have with a story like Laced is less of a visual cocktail and more of a conventional revenge-style thriller than anything else.
The script as penned and directed by Kyle Butenhoff occasionally flirts with trying to be something a bit more. Subtle hints are placed where watchers probably suspect them most, and it even mildly suggests one player – a secret lover – might’ve been involved with something like this once before. But with its somewhat lackluster finale – seriously, I’m still a bit perplexed with what transpired in the last scene or two – I’m not sure audiences will make more of it than allowing it to be a passing fascination. It’s something best watched and forgotten, ultimately harmless cinematic cotton candy in an era that’s all but left behind anything other than marquee stars, spandex costumes, and complex special effects. The fact that it’s a character piece alone should encourage some to seek it out, though they might as well be disappointed with its abrupt and somewhat unfulfilling ending as I was.
Trapped in an abusive relationship, Molly (played by Dana Mackin) has reached the limits of her patience and wishes to bring the violence perpetrated on her to an end. Conspiring with her lesbian lover Victoria (Hermione Lynch), she concocts a plan to kill her rough husband Charlie (Butenhoff) with a chemically laced shepherd’s pie so that the entangled pair can secretly dispose of his body and personal effects. But an unanticipated winter snowstorm – along with an unplanned visit from her brother Austin (Zach Tinker) – has the two women switching gears at each opportunity to bring about the foul deed. Unless all involved can work together, love won’t conquer all – does it ever? – in this tale of twisting allegiances and spousal shenanigans.
And, alas, that’s all there really is to Laced.
At times a bit formulaic and predictable, the action proceeds in a routine package. It’s pretty clear that nothing is going as planned; and – no matter how hard anyone tries – road bumps keep emerging on this snow-covered yellow brick road to happiness. (Have none of them watched similar stories themselves to know this usually doesn’t end well?) Yes, about the time that things start looking up, Fate intercedes not so much because that’s an organic expansion but more so it’s what the script called for, perhaps killing the momentum some exquisitely photographs offered. It’s all rendered with some impressive cinematography – shot almost exclusively in a handful of rooms in a reasonably spacious cabin-style home – but nothing develops that hasn’t developed before in any number of murderous capers set in motion by extramarital affairs.
From the film’ IMDB.com page citation:
“In an unprecedented snowstorm, a wife’s plans to kill her abusive husband begin to unravel.”
At its core, what you have with a story like Laced is less of a visual cocktail and more of a conventional revenge-style thriller than anything else.
The script as penned and directed by Kyle Butenhoff occasionally flirts with trying to be something a bit more. Subtle hints are placed where watchers probably suspect them most, and it even mildly suggests one player – a secret lover – might’ve been involved with something like this once before. But with its somewhat lackluster finale – seriously, I’m still a bit perplexed with what transpired in the last scene or two – I’m not sure audiences will make more of it than allowing it to be a passing fascination. It’s something best watched and forgotten, ultimately harmless cinematic cotton candy in an era that’s all but left behind anything other than marquee stars, spandex costumes, and complex special effects. The fact that it’s a character piece alone should encourage some to seek it out, though they might as well be disappointed with its abrupt and somewhat unfulfilling ending as I was.
Trapped in an abusive relationship, Molly (played by Dana Mackin) has reached the limits of her patience and wishes to bring the violence perpetrated on her to an end. Conspiring with her lesbian lover Victoria (Hermione Lynch), she concocts a plan to kill her rough husband Charlie (Butenhoff) with a chemically laced shepherd’s pie so that the entangled pair can secretly dispose of his body and personal effects. But an unanticipated winter snowstorm – along with an unplanned visit from her brother Austin (Zach Tinker) – has the two women switching gears at each opportunity to bring about the foul deed. Unless all involved can work together, love won’t conquer all – does it ever? – in this tale of twisting allegiances and spousal shenanigans.
And, alas, that’s all there really is to Laced.
At times a bit formulaic and predictable, the action proceeds in a routine package. It’s pretty clear that nothing is going as planned; and – no matter how hard anyone tries – road bumps keep emerging on this snow-covered yellow brick road to happiness. (Have none of them watched similar stories themselves to know this usually doesn’t end well?) Yes, about the time that things start looking up, Fate intercedes not so much because that’s an organic expansion but more so it’s what the script called for, perhaps killing the momentum some exquisitely photographs offered. It’s all rendered with some impressive cinematography – shot almost exclusively in a handful of rooms in a reasonably spacious cabin-style home – but nothing develops that hasn’t developed before in any number of murderous capers set in motion by extramarital affairs.
None of these shortcomings should deflect from the praise offered to a talented cast. Though Mackin vacillates between doing what’s right and securing her personal liberty a bit too often, she still embodies the mousy Molly with a likability and a vulnerability audiences need to sympathize with her plight. (Since the lion’s share of the abuse isn’t depicted here, we must take her word for it, and the actress hits all of the right notes for authenticity’s sake.) Although really only seen briefly in the 90-plus minutes, Butenhoff never quite convinced me of his stated nefariousness; this isn’t to say the character wasn’t capable of such vile behavior but rather that I felt he was ‘on the mend,’ as it were, and perhaps evolving into a better person. Lynch, however, delivers her lines and goes through the motions of a potentially cold-blooded killer with precision; I never doubted her commitment to achieving her goal until the last reel in which she gives an uncharacteristic turn back toward the light … and, sorry, it just didn’t ring true.
If there’s any revelation here, then it might be Tinker. He gives a brilliant and winning turn as wholesome buddy/brother – a kind-hearted slouch who’ll do anything for the family – so much so that observers will no doubt root for his simple attempts to turn the tables on Victoria. It isn’t likely in thrillers of this type, but his performance is grand enough that the lovable goof might somehow defy the cinematic odds, might somehow manage to save sister Molly and her mortal soul from Hell in the process because that’s what good brothers do. Again, methinks even he hadn’t watched enough slow-burning chillers to realize that rarely if ever happens on screen, but kudos for the noble effort, nonetheless.
Laced (2023) was produced by Big Glass Pictures and Monolith Entertainment. According to the press materials provided, the motion picture will be available on VOD/Digital effective January 12, 2024. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I found the sights-and-sounds to this smartly produced flick to be exceptional. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? As I was provided private streaming access to this one, there were no special features to consider.
Mildly recommended.
You’ll likely be taking a long second look at your dinner entries for the foreseeable future, folks.
It isn’t as if audiences won’t have seen Laced (2023) before. Oh, it was definitely under a completely different name, produced by a completely different studio, and hosted by a completely different cast. But this is the kind of slow-burning psychological thriller has been around for ages and yet still comes about more than once every winter season. Now, that doesn’t mean anyone should pass it up: Laced is well assembled, vigorously acted, and occasionally delivers moments worth watching. I was a bit amiss with the final reel when circumstances understandably take a turn for the worse (as they often always do) but leave one central characters’ motivation a bit blurred. When I wanted to know more, it was over … and that’s disconcerting.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Dark Sky Films provided me with complimentary streaming access to Laced (2023) 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
If there’s any revelation here, then it might be Tinker. He gives a brilliant and winning turn as wholesome buddy/brother – a kind-hearted slouch who’ll do anything for the family – so much so that observers will no doubt root for his simple attempts to turn the tables on Victoria. It isn’t likely in thrillers of this type, but his performance is grand enough that the lovable goof might somehow defy the cinematic odds, might somehow manage to save sister Molly and her mortal soul from Hell in the process because that’s what good brothers do. Again, methinks even he hadn’t watched enough slow-burning chillers to realize that rarely if ever happens on screen, but kudos for the noble effort, nonetheless.
Laced (2023) was produced by Big Glass Pictures and Monolith Entertainment. According to the press materials provided, the motion picture will be available on VOD/Digital effective January 12, 2024. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I found the sights-and-sounds to this smartly produced flick to be exceptional. Lastly, if you’re looking for special features? As I was provided private streaming access to this one, there were no special features to consider.
Mildly recommended.
You’ll likely be taking a long second look at your dinner entries for the foreseeable future, folks.
It isn’t as if audiences won’t have seen Laced (2023) before. Oh, it was definitely under a completely different name, produced by a completely different studio, and hosted by a completely different cast. But this is the kind of slow-burning psychological thriller has been around for ages and yet still comes about more than once every winter season. Now, that doesn’t mean anyone should pass it up: Laced is well assembled, vigorously acted, and occasionally delivers moments worth watching. I was a bit amiss with the final reel when circumstances understandably take a turn for the worse (as they often always do) but leave one central characters’ motivation a bit blurred. When I wanted to know more, it was over … and that’s disconcerting.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Dark Sky Films provided me with complimentary streaming access to Laced (2023) 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
Even as a young guy, I’ve always been a fan of Orson Welles’ radio play incarnation of H.G. Wells’ ‘The War Of The Worlds.’
In fact, I grew up listening to old time radio shows in my youth when I caught them broadcast on Friday and Saturday nights out of a local radio station in the area. (Yes, yes, and yes: while others were out yucking it up with their friends and beer and cruising the streets, I was happily home curled up with a transistor radio, loving every minute of it.) Such programs have always fascinated me with their ability to convey such a big, big, big tapestry with little more than sound itself – voices, scripts, sound effects, music, etc. – so I relished each chance to experience that fateful alien invasion in radio time. I had taped it on cassette, allowing me to relive mankind’s demise over and over again, and it’s this time of dramatics that continue to inspire me to this day … and likely always will.
When I grew older, I learned that there’s a great deal of fiction and non-fiction surrounding the whole cultural effect that Welles’ broadcast both may and may not have had on society-at-large. It’s long been rumored that its first airing caused major chaos and confusion when folks who tuned in after the fictional set-up actually believed – entirely as a consequence of the production – that Earth was literally under attack from these treacherous visitors from Mars. Just as the media today tends to blow reality out of proportion, a great deal of the aftermath was exaggerated, though I’ll leave readers to their own research to separate the truth from the fiction. My only point in bringing it up here is that the Mercury Theatre On The Air episode was grand and inventive enough to garner such attention from news and print outlets even if it were only intended to warn their customers that tuning to radio for the latest developments might be very bad for their health.
Thankfully, the idea of depicting our world’s destruction in real time has inspired other storytellers to pick up the baton and run with it: 2022’s First Time Caller transports such breaking developments into the modern age of podcasts run amok when one participant to a popular call-in internet show begins prognosticating some dark developments indeed that suggest our civilization has reached a tipping point. Over the course of his telephone calls, calamities begin to mount, the host’s nerves begin to frazzle, and the end of life as we know it emerges effortlessly during the podcast of the living doom … and I cherished a good deal of our downfall just like I did with a kid compliments of Orson Welles.
(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 …)
In fact, I grew up listening to old time radio shows in my youth when I caught them broadcast on Friday and Saturday nights out of a local radio station in the area. (Yes, yes, and yes: while others were out yucking it up with their friends and beer and cruising the streets, I was happily home curled up with a transistor radio, loving every minute of it.) Such programs have always fascinated me with their ability to convey such a big, big, big tapestry with little more than sound itself – voices, scripts, sound effects, music, etc. – so I relished each chance to experience that fateful alien invasion in radio time. I had taped it on cassette, allowing me to relive mankind’s demise over and over again, and it’s this time of dramatics that continue to inspire me to this day … and likely always will.
When I grew older, I learned that there’s a great deal of fiction and non-fiction surrounding the whole cultural effect that Welles’ broadcast both may and may not have had on society-at-large. It’s long been rumored that its first airing caused major chaos and confusion when folks who tuned in after the fictional set-up actually believed – entirely as a consequence of the production – that Earth was literally under attack from these treacherous visitors from Mars. Just as the media today tends to blow reality out of proportion, a great deal of the aftermath was exaggerated, though I’ll leave readers to their own research to separate the truth from the fiction. My only point in bringing it up here is that the Mercury Theatre On The Air episode was grand and inventive enough to garner such attention from news and print outlets even if it were only intended to warn their customers that tuning to radio for the latest developments might be very bad for their health.
Thankfully, the idea of depicting our world’s destruction in real time has inspired other storytellers to pick up the baton and run with it: 2022’s First Time Caller transports such breaking developments into the modern age of podcasts run amok when one participant to a popular call-in internet show begins prognosticating some dark developments indeed that suggest our civilization has reached a tipping point. Over the course of his telephone calls, calamities begin to mount, the host’s nerves begin to frazzle, and the end of life as we know it emerges effortlessly during the podcast of the living doom … and I cherished a good deal of our downfall just like I did with a kid compliments of Orson Welles.
(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:
“Brent Ziff is an internet shock-jock at the top of his game. But on one very unusual night, Brent’s world is rocked by a long-time listener who calls in with a grave message.”
Readers, I hate to break it to you, but “Civilizations fall.” Truer words have rarely been spoken, much less written.
Now, I happen to be one of the web’s biggest fans of Apocalypse-style thrillers (at least by my own estimation, that is). Be it the overly aggressive alien invasions, pole shifts, climate disorders, or meteor impacts, I love it when a plan comes together that spells our collection doom; and I’ve enjoyed a great number of such yarns ever since I began watching films back in the days of my distant youth. Simply put: nothing brings my heart greater joy than the resulting tumultuous chaos of our End Times, and a good deal of First Time Caller left me giddy with delight over the slow burn of its 75-minute running time.
Brent Ziff (played by Abe Goldfarb) is the host of a podcast program that – curiously enough – seems to have a right-minded political appeal though his tactics are decidedly Leftist/Progressive in nature. (Frankly, I could dispute how this fictional pundit could ever get legitimate right-wingers to follow him en-masse – at least, that’s what I took from the story – but I’ll quiet the politics in order to give preference to the real thrust of the tale.) His approach appears to, essentially, spend the breadth of his broadcast day lampooning life itself – as well as a good number of his callers and/or listeners – and somehow, he’s finally broken through the collective noise to have a bona fide hit show. Brent is finally on top of the world, and he’s loving the place he’s found himself in.
But into his personal utopia one day comes a caller: Leo Short (Brian Silliman) initially seems like any one of his internet followers – a bit brash, a bit of a buffoon, etc. – and, yet, he’s got a secret he can no longer keep. It would seem that Leo – aka Shorty – has found out a way to listen to Mother Earth itself, and she’s let him in on a slew of natural disasters that are going to unfold in real time – during Ziff’s online show, in fact – and this gives the caller a chance to find his time in the cultural spotlight. At first, Brent suspects he’s found himself one more loon to exploit as part of his programming; yet when Shorty’s unpredicted tsunamis start attacking America’s shorelines, it would seem that the weird man is the real deal.
Like any good yarn that feels inspired by the ‘what ifs’ of one of television’s most popular shows ever – The Twilight Zone – Caller both postulates this existence and manages to ‘stick the landing’ of its bizarre predicament. The world? Why, she’s a changin’, and celebrity Brent Ziff unexpectedly finds himself on the front lines of this crazy timeline. Before the day his done, he may’ve lost his show, his family, and his technology, but he’s found a new best friend in the guise of Leo Short who, presumably, shows up at his front door – smack dab in the middle of the Apocalypse – to begin their new partnership in what remains of our fallen society. Thematically, Mac Rogers’ script – when it sticks as close to the construct as possible – works like a charm.
My issues with ‘the rest of the story’ is just that: ‘the rest of the story’ is that Caller kinda/sorta fudges a few lines that it didn’t really need to cross.
For example, a great deal of the adventure feels like it’s intended to be an indictment of right-wingers, MAGA followers, Q Anon types, and Conservatives in general. The sad truth to this sub-culture’s reality is that, quite frankly, they’ve been right about their conspiracies perhaps far more than they’ve been wrong – yeah, I said what I said, so deal with it – so I’m not sure why all involved felt the need to chastise anyone. As I’ve already mentioned above, the kind of person that Brent Ziff pretends to be for the purposes of his personal success very likely wouldn’t attract such an audience, so the condemnation here feels a bit misinformed … as is much of the (cough cough) mainstream media. (Yeah, I said that, too, so deal with that, as well.) Besides, I think it’s the institutional Left that is currently predicting the end of life as we know it if Donald Trump returns to the White House, so … ?
I know, I know, I know. Crickets when you point out a fact.
“Brent Ziff is an internet shock-jock at the top of his game. But on one very unusual night, Brent’s world is rocked by a long-time listener who calls in with a grave message.”
Readers, I hate to break it to you, but “Civilizations fall.” Truer words have rarely been spoken, much less written.
Now, I happen to be one of the web’s biggest fans of Apocalypse-style thrillers (at least by my own estimation, that is). Be it the overly aggressive alien invasions, pole shifts, climate disorders, or meteor impacts, I love it when a plan comes together that spells our collection doom; and I’ve enjoyed a great number of such yarns ever since I began watching films back in the days of my distant youth. Simply put: nothing brings my heart greater joy than the resulting tumultuous chaos of our End Times, and a good deal of First Time Caller left me giddy with delight over the slow burn of its 75-minute running time.
Brent Ziff (played by Abe Goldfarb) is the host of a podcast program that – curiously enough – seems to have a right-minded political appeal though his tactics are decidedly Leftist/Progressive in nature. (Frankly, I could dispute how this fictional pundit could ever get legitimate right-wingers to follow him en-masse – at least, that’s what I took from the story – but I’ll quiet the politics in order to give preference to the real thrust of the tale.) His approach appears to, essentially, spend the breadth of his broadcast day lampooning life itself – as well as a good number of his callers and/or listeners – and somehow, he’s finally broken through the collective noise to have a bona fide hit show. Brent is finally on top of the world, and he’s loving the place he’s found himself in.
But into his personal utopia one day comes a caller: Leo Short (Brian Silliman) initially seems like any one of his internet followers – a bit brash, a bit of a buffoon, etc. – and, yet, he’s got a secret he can no longer keep. It would seem that Leo – aka Shorty – has found out a way to listen to Mother Earth itself, and she’s let him in on a slew of natural disasters that are going to unfold in real time – during Ziff’s online show, in fact – and this gives the caller a chance to find his time in the cultural spotlight. At first, Brent suspects he’s found himself one more loon to exploit as part of his programming; yet when Shorty’s unpredicted tsunamis start attacking America’s shorelines, it would seem that the weird man is the real deal.
Like any good yarn that feels inspired by the ‘what ifs’ of one of television’s most popular shows ever – The Twilight Zone – Caller both postulates this existence and manages to ‘stick the landing’ of its bizarre predicament. The world? Why, she’s a changin’, and celebrity Brent Ziff unexpectedly finds himself on the front lines of this crazy timeline. Before the day his done, he may’ve lost his show, his family, and his technology, but he’s found a new best friend in the guise of Leo Short who, presumably, shows up at his front door – smack dab in the middle of the Apocalypse – to begin their new partnership in what remains of our fallen society. Thematically, Mac Rogers’ script – when it sticks as close to the construct as possible – works like a charm.
My issues with ‘the rest of the story’ is just that: ‘the rest of the story’ is that Caller kinda/sorta fudges a few lines that it didn’t really need to cross.
For example, a great deal of the adventure feels like it’s intended to be an indictment of right-wingers, MAGA followers, Q Anon types, and Conservatives in general. The sad truth to this sub-culture’s reality is that, quite frankly, they’ve been right about their conspiracies perhaps far more than they’ve been wrong – yeah, I said what I said, so deal with it – so I’m not sure why all involved felt the need to chastise anyone. As I’ve already mentioned above, the kind of person that Brent Ziff pretends to be for the purposes of his personal success very likely wouldn’t attract such an audience, so the condemnation here feels a bit misinformed … as is much of the (cough cough) mainstream media. (Yeah, I said that, too, so deal with that, as well.) Besides, I think it’s the institutional Left that is currently predicting the end of life as we know it if Donald Trump returns to the White House, so … ?
I know, I know, I know. Crickets when you point out a fact.
Another problem I have with the story as told is that Shorty confesses that his visions have shown him that once our society has been downgraded to tatters it is he and Brent who will rise up to lead them out of said darkness. My question would be … well, how exactly is that going to happen? Ziff’s only real talents – so far as we’re told in the script – is being a loudmouth braggadocio on the Information Superhighway’s airwaves: what role can he play in this tomorrow world when its been stripped of the technology that put him on top of it? Without any other potential information showing what he has to offer mankind-at-large, this seems like a bit of a creative stretch on the part of an ambitious screenwriter, and I have to call it as I see it.
Lastly, Caller kinda/sorta revels in a measure of what I’ll simply call … erm … soft vulgarity. I make it my business to avoid spoilers as much as possible, but there’s a bit of toilet humor in here that – although it might occasionally be funny – just feels thematically misplaced. It isn’t as if we’re culturally immune to potty humor being popular with the masses; my point is that it kinda/sorta goes on a tad longer than it was absolutely necessary in here, and I measure of restraint might’ve made this one resonate more strongly with a wider audience. Granted, time will tell – Caller has the intellectual stuffing to be a sleeper hit as well as a potential cult favorite, especially for fans of Apocalypse stuff – but it’s much too early … and I’m not prone to prognostic the way Shorty does so effortlessly … well … the truth is there is some strain. (Sorry. I couldn’t help myself. Maybe the potty humor was necessary, after all.)
What I’ll fundamentally always remember about the film is something I’ve always tried to instill in folks I’ve met along the merry path through life: despite the level of marvel all of our technological conveniences have given us over the years, nothing will ever truly prepare us for the end of the world.
First Time Caller (2022) was produced by Cinedata and Gideon Media. According to the publicity materials I’ve been provided, the film will be available via Digital and Streaming (on a variety of platforms) on January 12, 2024. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I thought that the sights-and-sounds were exceptional; this is, largely, a single-set production (there are some sequences drawn from outside Ziff’s home, but the vast majority involve the man seated before his podcasting set-up and little else.) If you’re looking for special features? I was provided complimentary streaming access to this, so I had no special features to consider.
Highly recommended.
Though I’m no fan of visual trickery that pulls me out of the theatrical experience (of which this production has a few), so very much else of First Time Caller (2022) feels like an authentic, real-time experience. If that’s the kind of thing that pulls you in, then you’re there … just try to ignore the digital inserted trickery when it rears its head. The central flaw to the script as presented is that – per George’s prognostications – these two will be the kinda/sorta leaders of what’s left of society after its downfall … but how? Without the technology that built Brent into the social media giant he’s become, he’s reduced to just a regular Joe, and the film ends with absolutely no expectations presented for its recovery.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Cinedata provided me with complimentary streaming access to First Time Caller (2022) 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
Lastly, Caller kinda/sorta revels in a measure of what I’ll simply call … erm … soft vulgarity. I make it my business to avoid spoilers as much as possible, but there’s a bit of toilet humor in here that – although it might occasionally be funny – just feels thematically misplaced. It isn’t as if we’re culturally immune to potty humor being popular with the masses; my point is that it kinda/sorta goes on a tad longer than it was absolutely necessary in here, and I measure of restraint might’ve made this one resonate more strongly with a wider audience. Granted, time will tell – Caller has the intellectual stuffing to be a sleeper hit as well as a potential cult favorite, especially for fans of Apocalypse stuff – but it’s much too early … and I’m not prone to prognostic the way Shorty does so effortlessly … well … the truth is there is some strain. (Sorry. I couldn’t help myself. Maybe the potty humor was necessary, after all.)
What I’ll fundamentally always remember about the film is something I’ve always tried to instill in folks I’ve met along the merry path through life: despite the level of marvel all of our technological conveniences have given us over the years, nothing will ever truly prepare us for the end of the world.
First Time Caller (2022) was produced by Cinedata and Gideon Media. According to the publicity materials I’ve been provided, the film will be available via Digital and Streaming (on a variety of platforms) on January 12, 2024. As for the technical specifications? While I’m no trained video expert, I thought that the sights-and-sounds were exceptional; this is, largely, a single-set production (there are some sequences drawn from outside Ziff’s home, but the vast majority involve the man seated before his podcasting set-up and little else.) If you’re looking for special features? I was provided complimentary streaming access to this, so I had no special features to consider.
Highly recommended.
Though I’m no fan of visual trickery that pulls me out of the theatrical experience (of which this production has a few), so very much else of First Time Caller (2022) feels like an authentic, real-time experience. If that’s the kind of thing that pulls you in, then you’re there … just try to ignore the digital inserted trickery when it rears its head. The central flaw to the script as presented is that – per George’s prognostications – these two will be the kinda/sorta leaders of what’s left of society after its downfall … but how? Without the technology that built Brent into the social media giant he’s become, he’s reduced to just a regular Joe, and the film ends with absolutely no expectations presented for its recovery.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Cinedata provided me with complimentary streaming access to First Time Caller (2022) 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
Well, well, well ...
Good morning, gentle readers, and welcome to the start of another all-new week in the year that is slowly, slowly becoming 2024! It's Monday, folks, and you know what that means: it's back to work for the good majority of the readership, and I wish you nothing but success as you go about whatever it is you do in your respective pursuits!
How was your weekend? Mine? Oh, thanks for asking. It was ... casual, I guess is the most accurate description. Squeezed in some blogging and whatnot here and there. A little shopping, too. Mostly, I think I caught up on some sleep and the usual. I did manage to screen Sound Of Freedom on the ol' Amazon Prime (quite good) along with a faux documentary series on Netflix called Documentary Now. Other than that? Meh. I couldn't point out any other big event from the two days, but I do have a very busy week ahead of me.
A little public service announcement from Yours Truly: folks, fandom goes through spells of being very divisive. Honestly, there are times when it seems that the tiniest incident -- a quote from a celebrity, maybe the airing on a controversial episode or film, etc. -- sets the Internet ablaze for reasons good and bad. As I've always said, I do try to avoid wandering into the fray -- as it were -- because there's nothing to be gained there. Opinions get hurled around; and -- sadly -- far too many folks just traffic in insulting one another because they think their particular 'hot take' is something special.
The truth is that there's commerce in setting fandom against itself. There are a good number of sites -- bloggers, vloggers, YouTube.com content creators, etc. -- who exist in this new economy wherein it's profitable for them to 'get clicks' and little else. Occasionally -- when I see a really, really, really awful observation from any number of these types -- I might step in to try to be a voice of reason or to play Devil's advocate when the responses start piling up. Too many individuals in the modern era believe their reputations are more important than the Intellectual Properties all of us support, and nothing could be further from the truth.
Now, I work very hard to play nice, but my New Year's Resolution is, "No more."
If you come into my space with your hate wars, then I'll ban you. Simple as that.
Honestly, life's too short. For some of us, it gets shorter every day. Choose honesty. Choose happiness. Choose positivity over negativity. I know that's tough because -- confession time -- I'm rarely all that positive on some topics in my personal life. But I still T-R-Y. I know what Yoda said, but that's film. This is reality. I T-R-Y very hard. But not any more. Now, I just wanna enjoy my life and times with you, so consider this just a public service announcement that shenanigans won't be tolerated.
Welcome to a new year!
In the meantime, here's what you're really waiting for ...
Good morning, gentle readers, and welcome to the start of another all-new week in the year that is slowly, slowly becoming 2024! It's Monday, folks, and you know what that means: it's back to work for the good majority of the readership, and I wish you nothing but success as you go about whatever it is you do in your respective pursuits!
How was your weekend? Mine? Oh, thanks for asking. It was ... casual, I guess is the most accurate description. Squeezed in some blogging and whatnot here and there. A little shopping, too. Mostly, I think I caught up on some sleep and the usual. I did manage to screen Sound Of Freedom on the ol' Amazon Prime (quite good) along with a faux documentary series on Netflix called Documentary Now. Other than that? Meh. I couldn't point out any other big event from the two days, but I do have a very busy week ahead of me.
A little public service announcement from Yours Truly: folks, fandom goes through spells of being very divisive. Honestly, there are times when it seems that the tiniest incident -- a quote from a celebrity, maybe the airing on a controversial episode or film, etc. -- sets the Internet ablaze for reasons good and bad. As I've always said, I do try to avoid wandering into the fray -- as it were -- because there's nothing to be gained there. Opinions get hurled around; and -- sadly -- far too many folks just traffic in insulting one another because they think their particular 'hot take' is something special.
The truth is that there's commerce in setting fandom against itself. There are a good number of sites -- bloggers, vloggers, YouTube.com content creators, etc. -- who exist in this new economy wherein it's profitable for them to 'get clicks' and little else. Occasionally -- when I see a really, really, really awful observation from any number of these types -- I might step in to try to be a voice of reason or to play Devil's advocate when the responses start piling up. Too many individuals in the modern era believe their reputations are more important than the Intellectual Properties all of us support, and nothing could be further from the truth.
Now, I work very hard to play nice, but my New Year's Resolution is, "No more."
If you come into my space with your hate wars, then I'll ban you. Simple as that.
Honestly, life's too short. For some of us, it gets shorter every day. Choose honesty. Choose happiness. Choose positivity over negativity. I know that's tough because -- confession time -- I'm rarely all that positive on some topics in my personal life. But I still T-R-Y. I know what Yoda said, but that's film. This is reality. I T-R-Y very hard. But not any more. Now, I just wanna enjoy my life and times with you, so consider this just a public service announcement that shenanigans won't be tolerated.
Welcome to a new year!
In the meantime, here's what you're really waiting for ...
As always, thank you for reading ... thank you for sharing (from the bottom of my heart) ... thank you for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
Ach.
Folks, it's only natural that some of these deaths hurt each of us more than others. That's the case today -- at least, for me -- in reporting the news that TRON's Cindy Morgan had passed a few days ago. Word of her passing has only hit the web as of late.
It isn't as if I knew the lady. No, I'd never met her at a convention or anything. (I really don't go to cons all that much any more.) But we'd actually exchanged a few brief words via Tweets in the past when she appreciated my wishing her a Happy Birthday via the World Wide Web for all to see. I know these gestures are small -- mine as well as the responses -- but they're still the kind of interaction that mean so much to fans of genre work; and I'm elated to know that in whatever small way possible I caught her attention on her special day way back when.
She truly emerged on the entertainment scene with a nice role aboard 1980's Caddyshack, arguably one of the bigger comedies to emerge from the early 80's. But TRON truly put her front-and-center in the arena of the Fantastic, and -- although her resume is a bit slim -- she definitely gave fans something to cherish by way of memories. Her work includes stops to such places as Bring 'Em Back Alive, The Midnight Hour (1985), Amazing Stories, The Return Of The Shaggy Dog (1987), The Highwayman, Harry And The Hendersons, Galaxis (1995), Dead Weekend (1995), Amanda & The Alien (1995), Out There (1995), and the TRON 2.0 video game.
Our warmest wishes are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Ms. Morgan.
May she forever rest in peace.
-- EZ
Folks, it's only natural that some of these deaths hurt each of us more than others. That's the case today -- at least, for me -- in reporting the news that TRON's Cindy Morgan had passed a few days ago. Word of her passing has only hit the web as of late.
It isn't as if I knew the lady. No, I'd never met her at a convention or anything. (I really don't go to cons all that much any more.) But we'd actually exchanged a few brief words via Tweets in the past when she appreciated my wishing her a Happy Birthday via the World Wide Web for all to see. I know these gestures are small -- mine as well as the responses -- but they're still the kind of interaction that mean so much to fans of genre work; and I'm elated to know that in whatever small way possible I caught her attention on her special day way back when.
She truly emerged on the entertainment scene with a nice role aboard 1980's Caddyshack, arguably one of the bigger comedies to emerge from the early 80's. But TRON truly put her front-and-center in the arena of the Fantastic, and -- although her resume is a bit slim -- she definitely gave fans something to cherish by way of memories. Her work includes stops to such places as Bring 'Em Back Alive, The Midnight Hour (1985), Amazing Stories, The Return Of The Shaggy Dog (1987), The Highwayman, Harry And The Hendersons, Galaxis (1995), Dead Weekend (1995), Amanda & The Alien (1995), Out There (1995), and the TRON 2.0 video game.
Our warmest wishes are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Ms. Morgan.
May she forever rest in peace.
-- EZ
- Published on
Good afternoon ... and Happy Sunday, gentle readers! Here's hoping that your weekend has shaped up to be all that you ever wanted it to be, and maybe even that you're got a few great hours left to make right what could ever has possibly gone wrong in these two days ... two days that seem faster than is humanly possible, am I right?
Not a whole lot to report as of today. It is the weekend, after all, and news travels fairly slowly over it as all of our attentions are focused elsewhere. The usual outlets where I gather materials are even a bit slow today, and here -- in the great American Southwest -- we experienced a bit of uncharacteristic rainfall through the morning ... so it's a bit wet out there.
For those who follow closely, I will have a review up tomorrow -- along with any other news developments -- but, otherwise Monday might be a bit slow as well. I have a few items on the household agenda that might keep me off the blog for a good portion of the day. Life is what life is, and the lady and I have some evening plans tomorrow that are a must.
But ... as for today? I do have two big mentions.
Not a whole lot to report as of today. It is the weekend, after all, and news travels fairly slowly over it as all of our attentions are focused elsewhere. The usual outlets where I gather materials are even a bit slow today, and here -- in the great American Southwest -- we experienced a bit of uncharacteristic rainfall through the morning ... so it's a bit wet out there.
For those who follow closely, I will have a review up tomorrow -- along with any other news developments -- but, otherwise Monday might be a bit slow as well. I have a few items on the household agenda that might keep me off the blog for a good portion of the day. Life is what life is, and the lady and I have some evening plans tomorrow that are a must.
But ... as for today? I do have two big mentions.
Woohoo! It was all the way back in the year 1929 that Buck Rogers went to sleep and woke up in the land of tomorrow. The comic strip -- as created by Philip Francis Nowlan -- first went into press for readers who rather enthusiastically reacted to its presence, welcoming in one of genre's very first action stars ever.
Buck's popularity grew, and he expanded his readership by launching a comic book series that ran from 1932-1947. A radio show followed as well, but he only found sporadic success in that medium. From what I've read, I believe it ran a few years and then faded away only to be resurrected a time or two across the next decade or so. Furthermore, I believe -- though I could be wrong on this part -- that the Buck Rogers radio serial was the very first Science Fiction themed program of its kind; and that certainly proves that folks were hungry for SciFi, indeed.
In 1939, Buck even went boldly where no man (well, kinda) had gone before with the theatrical debut of his very own silver screen serial. Buster Crabbe -- yes, the same Buster Crabbe who found mainstream success by playing Flash Gordon -- suited up once more but this time as the true spaceman original. While I believe this was the only serial for the I.P. (Flash had three), I'm guessing that audiences were once again giddy to see their hero up in the lights.
Of course, folks of a certain generation know that Buck came back to life -- and Earth -- again with a 1979 project. Buck Rogers In The 25th Century cast actor Gil Gerard as the astronaut who awakens from a cryogenic freeze to find himself in the distant future; and the telefilm enjoyed a bit of a limited run on big screens before morphing into a weekly serial for home audiences.
While Buck's prospects have dried up, there's always the chance that he'll get dusted off and delivered once more for a new generation. I, for one, would cheer his return to greatness.
Buck's popularity grew, and he expanded his readership by launching a comic book series that ran from 1932-1947. A radio show followed as well, but he only found sporadic success in that medium. From what I've read, I believe it ran a few years and then faded away only to be resurrected a time or two across the next decade or so. Furthermore, I believe -- though I could be wrong on this part -- that the Buck Rogers radio serial was the very first Science Fiction themed program of its kind; and that certainly proves that folks were hungry for SciFi, indeed.
In 1939, Buck even went boldly where no man (well, kinda) had gone before with the theatrical debut of his very own silver screen serial. Buster Crabbe -- yes, the same Buster Crabbe who found mainstream success by playing Flash Gordon -- suited up once more but this time as the true spaceman original. While I believe this was the only serial for the I.P. (Flash had three), I'm guessing that audiences were once again giddy to see their hero up in the lights.
Of course, folks of a certain generation know that Buck came back to life -- and Earth -- again with a 1979 project. Buck Rogers In The 25th Century cast actor Gil Gerard as the astronaut who awakens from a cryogenic freeze to find himself in the distant future; and the telefilm enjoyed a bit of a limited run on big screens before morphing into a weekly serial for home audiences.
While Buck's prospects have dried up, there's always the chance that he'll get dusted off and delivered once more for a new generation. I, for one, would cheer his return to greatness.
Five years later -- and on the same day -- Buck's pronounced popularity has been cited as one of the key reasons for the birth of his biggest competitor of the era: Alex Raymond created Flash Gordon -- an Earthman sent to the stars to defend our world against Ming the Merciless came to life as a Sunday feature for King Features Syndicate.
History reports that it wasn't long before Raymond's more colorful space saga surpassed Buck in popularity; and I suppose that's the biggest reason why this one was rushed so quickly to the silver screen. Buster Crabbe took on the central role in the 1936 serial, a job he returned for again in 1938 and 1940.
Because Flash was a bit more prominent in the eyes and mind of the general public, he's had a bit more exposure across the decades. Like Buck, Flash also had some broadcast time in a radio serial, along with a handful of live-action and animated series on television. Of course, no conversation about Gordon can take place without mentioning the 1980 cult film -- Flash Gordon -- starring Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, and Max Von Sydow. Though that incarnation was (depending upon whom you believe) a critical disaster for its day, it's grown in popularity over the years and continues to resonate with fans who discover its lunacy decades later.
Not all that long ago, I recall reading that the franchise was also being considered for an all new iteration on the big screen. (In fact, I think it was attached to Taika Waititi for some time.) However, I want to say that the rights were somehow in the Walt Disney Company's hands, and they shelved the adaptation chiefly because they didn't want to compete with their own Star Wars sequels heavily in development and production. Hopefully, someone can rectify that miscalculation and give Flash the chance to swashbuckle his way into our hearts once more.
History reports that it wasn't long before Raymond's more colorful space saga surpassed Buck in popularity; and I suppose that's the biggest reason why this one was rushed so quickly to the silver screen. Buster Crabbe took on the central role in the 1936 serial, a job he returned for again in 1938 and 1940.
Because Flash was a bit more prominent in the eyes and mind of the general public, he's had a bit more exposure across the decades. Like Buck, Flash also had some broadcast time in a radio serial, along with a handful of live-action and animated series on television. Of course, no conversation about Gordon can take place without mentioning the 1980 cult film -- Flash Gordon -- starring Sam J. Jones, Melody Anderson, and Max Von Sydow. Though that incarnation was (depending upon whom you believe) a critical disaster for its day, it's grown in popularity over the years and continues to resonate with fans who discover its lunacy decades later.
Not all that long ago, I recall reading that the franchise was also being considered for an all new iteration on the big screen. (In fact, I think it was attached to Taika Waititi for some time.) However, I want to say that the rights were somehow in the Walt Disney Company's hands, and they shelved the adaptation chiefly because they didn't want to compete with their own Star Wars sequels heavily in development and production. Hopefully, someone can rectify that miscalculation and give Flash the chance to swashbuckle his way into our hearts once more.
Naturally, there's more to January 7th than just these two citations, but I use this space only to draw attention to those owed a bit more exposure, often adding some greater context to the properties. Both of these are longtime favorites of mine and fandom in general, and here's hoping that continues in the days, weeks, months, years, and more ahead.
But ... if you're truly looking for more? Here you go ...
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing (always a personal favorite of mine, peeps) ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
Harry 'Chip' Johnson hailed from that far-off magical land of Plainfield, New Jersey before heading out to the wilds of Hollywood for his four-decade stint in the entertainment industry. As happens with so many, the actor put his heart and soul into his work despite the fact that he never achieved household name status, but such notoriety never stands in the way of true craftsmen and women. Though his IMDB.com profile indicates he hadn't worked 'in the biz' for some time, his legacy is still one that deserves a mention in this space precisely because he was a part of so many properties SciFi, Fantasy, and Horror fans know by heart.
Just a casual glance at his background shows that he found screen time in the various worlds of Battlestar Galactica, Captain America (1979), The Amazing Spider-Man, The Ultimate Impostor (1979), Buck Rogers In The 25th Century, The Incredible Hulk, Time Warp (1981), The Greatest American Hero, Real Genius (1985), Airwolf, RoboCop (1987), Bad Dreams (1988), Warlock (1989), Wedlock (1991), Alien Nation: Body And Soul (1995), Roswell, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and Vampires Anonymous (2003). That, my friends, is quite some contributions.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Mr. Johnson.
May he forever rest in peace.
-- EZ
Just a casual glance at his background shows that he found screen time in the various worlds of Battlestar Galactica, Captain America (1979), The Amazing Spider-Man, The Ultimate Impostor (1979), Buck Rogers In The 25th Century, The Incredible Hulk, Time Warp (1981), The Greatest American Hero, Real Genius (1985), Airwolf, RoboCop (1987), Bad Dreams (1988), Warlock (1989), Wedlock (1991), Alien Nation: Body And Soul (1995), Roswell, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and Vampires Anonymous (2003). That, my friends, is quite some contributions.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Mr. Johnson.
May he forever rest in peace.
-- EZ
- Published on
Good morning and Happy Weekend, gentle readers! Didn't I tell you it would be here before you knew it? The weekend? Well, I was right ... again ... don't you folks get tired of me being always right about the weekend rolling around again? Good grief!
Well, it's here, and I, for one, am thrilled to welcome in a few days of downtime.
Also ... how's that 2024 going for all of you? Remember: it's still fresh and new, so seize the day, people. SEIZE THE DAY! If you don't, then the days will go by without you making those grand contributions that make a life lived worth living, and I want to know that you gave it all you had when you get to whatever destination the mighty Fates have in story for you.
But ... on to the news at hand ...
Well, it's here, and I, for one, am thrilled to welcome in a few days of downtime.
Also ... how's that 2024 going for all of you? Remember: it's still fresh and new, so seize the day, people. SEIZE THE DAY! If you don't, then the days will go by without you making those grand contributions that make a life lived worth living, and I want to know that you gave it all you had when you get to whatever destination the mighty Fates have in story for you.
But ... on to the news at hand ...
I just have to -- HAVE TO -- give an extra loud birthday shout-out to actor and comedian Rowan Atkinson who was born on this day back in 1955.
Folks, friends and family have long said I'm a bit dour when it comes to laughing, and nothing could be further from the truth. I love laughing ... it's just that I don't often find things all that funny. Comedy is its own bug, and I'll never quite understand it, but when I find someone I think is truly funny then I'm usually all-in. One such talent is Rowan Atkinson. The guy just knocks me out at almost every opportunity. He's got this kind of wild-eyed innocence about his Comedy, and practically no matter how often I see it the bits just still resonate. Whether he's doing the simple stuff with Mr. Bean or his more traditional stand-up style sketches, he just tickles my funny bone. A truly great and rare talent, and I wish we saw more of him.
While admittedly he's not exactly known in the worlds of the Fantastic, he did step very close to it by taking on the role of Doctor Who for Comic Relief, and it was -- naturally -- inspired, so I choose to mention him in this space. Also -- while this isn't purely Science Fiction or Fantasy -- he had a rather goofy Netflix 'special' that felt a bit more like a movie separated into small episodes: 2022's Man Vs. Bee had the man raging a one-man crusade against a pesky insect while being somewhat trapped inside the 'house of the future' that gets close enough to SciFi that I'll add that one for good measure. Not perfect. But still pretty damn funny.
Stilll, there's more ... a lot more ... to be thankful about on this day in Science Fiction History, so I encouraged every damn one of you to head on over to the Daily Citation Page and check it out. Whether it's birthdays, movies, or television, you can rest assured that there's always something worth your attention ... otherwise, I wouldn't be doing my job.
Folks, friends and family have long said I'm a bit dour when it comes to laughing, and nothing could be further from the truth. I love laughing ... it's just that I don't often find things all that funny. Comedy is its own bug, and I'll never quite understand it, but when I find someone I think is truly funny then I'm usually all-in. One such talent is Rowan Atkinson. The guy just knocks me out at almost every opportunity. He's got this kind of wild-eyed innocence about his Comedy, and practically no matter how often I see it the bits just still resonate. Whether he's doing the simple stuff with Mr. Bean or his more traditional stand-up style sketches, he just tickles my funny bone. A truly great and rare talent, and I wish we saw more of him.
While admittedly he's not exactly known in the worlds of the Fantastic, he did step very close to it by taking on the role of Doctor Who for Comic Relief, and it was -- naturally -- inspired, so I choose to mention him in this space. Also -- while this isn't purely Science Fiction or Fantasy -- he had a rather goofy Netflix 'special' that felt a bit more like a movie separated into small episodes: 2022's Man Vs. Bee had the man raging a one-man crusade against a pesky insect while being somewhat trapped inside the 'house of the future' that gets close enough to SciFi that I'll add that one for good measure. Not perfect. But still pretty damn funny.
Stilll, there's more ... a lot more ... to be thankful about on this day in Science Fiction History, so I encouraged every damn one of you to head on over to the Daily Citation Page and check it out. Whether it's birthdays, movies, or television, you can rest assured that there's always something worth your attention ... otherwise, I wouldn't be doing my job.
As always, thanks for reading ... thanks for sharing (always important, folks) ... thanks for being a fan ... and live long and prosper!
-- EZ
- Published on
As I often point out, folks, it isn't as if actor David Soul is known as any pioneer in the realms of the Fantastic.
As a talent, his was the kind of face that came and went, usually in quieter properties, not the ongoing serials. After finding some big and deserved mainstream success playing the hip partner to one of TV's seminal cop/buddy shows -- Starsky And Hutch, a staple of my youth -- he kinda/sorta drifted here and there into different programs. Every now and then, it was something genre specific, but I followed his work in a few nonetheless.
In one of those weird bits of synchronicity that always tickles my fancy, I'd completely forgotten that he had a small role in an episode of the groundbreaking Star Trek. In fact, one maybe didn't even known it as he was kinda/sorta buried under a weird wig and a lot of make-up for "The Apple," the story of a God who orders his worshippers to kill. It's a great addition to his entire catalogue of work because maybe it shows his talents were just evolving.
As for other adventures?
Also scoring a small role in an episode of I Dream Of Jeannie, he toiled away in whatever project big or small came his way until securing breakout success with Starsky And Hutch (1975-1979). I remember catching a few episodes of that a few years ago and thinking it hadn't aged all that well, but -- hey -- it was the 1970's and fashion was an acquired taste! But the man truly crossed into some wondrous Horror territory with a lead aboard Salem's Lot, a fondly remembered TV-miniseries adaptation of the Stephen King novel. For those who don't know it, Lot garnered an impressive three Primetime Emmys Awards nomination to its credit, along with an equally impressive Edgar Allan Poe Awards in the category of 'Best Television Feature Or Miniseries.'
Folks who enjoy Alternate History-style works would do well to check out another television miniseries project that Soul headlined: 1982's World War III saw the Cold War conflict spiralling out of control with a Soviet invasion into the wilds of Alaska. Soul plays the American man on the ground -- 'Col. Jake Caffey' -- who has the unfortunate task of trying to avert the end of life as we know it in the uncompromising cold; and -- without spoiling it for those who haven't seen it -- let's just say its dark ending was good enough to give this viewer pause. Ah, great memories.
The next year -- also on television -- Soul did something that film fans probably never imagined possible, taking on the role of 'Rick Blaine' in a serialized attempt to bring small screen audiences a lesser version of the film classic Casablanca. (Yes, I watched it. No, it isn't Science Fiction or Fantasy. 1942's Casablanca just happens to be one of my all-time favorite flicks.) I don't fault Soul for the project failing to find an audience -- not many would even think about trying to fill the shoes of Humphrey Bogart -- and it lasted only a handful of episodes.
Still, the man enjoyed a good degree of work after those days, but I think it's safe to suggest that these appearances are the ones that stick with me the most. His was a light that burned brightly for a time, and the world of entertainment was vastly improved by his time in it.
Our warmest thoughts and prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of David Soul.
May he forever rest in peace.
-- EZ
As a talent, his was the kind of face that came and went, usually in quieter properties, not the ongoing serials. After finding some big and deserved mainstream success playing the hip partner to one of TV's seminal cop/buddy shows -- Starsky And Hutch, a staple of my youth -- he kinda/sorta drifted here and there into different programs. Every now and then, it was something genre specific, but I followed his work in a few nonetheless.
In one of those weird bits of synchronicity that always tickles my fancy, I'd completely forgotten that he had a small role in an episode of the groundbreaking Star Trek. In fact, one maybe didn't even known it as he was kinda/sorta buried under a weird wig and a lot of make-up for "The Apple," the story of a God who orders his worshippers to kill. It's a great addition to his entire catalogue of work because maybe it shows his talents were just evolving.
As for other adventures?
Also scoring a small role in an episode of I Dream Of Jeannie, he toiled away in whatever project big or small came his way until securing breakout success with Starsky And Hutch (1975-1979). I remember catching a few episodes of that a few years ago and thinking it hadn't aged all that well, but -- hey -- it was the 1970's and fashion was an acquired taste! But the man truly crossed into some wondrous Horror territory with a lead aboard Salem's Lot, a fondly remembered TV-miniseries adaptation of the Stephen King novel. For those who don't know it, Lot garnered an impressive three Primetime Emmys Awards nomination to its credit, along with an equally impressive Edgar Allan Poe Awards in the category of 'Best Television Feature Or Miniseries.'
Folks who enjoy Alternate History-style works would do well to check out another television miniseries project that Soul headlined: 1982's World War III saw the Cold War conflict spiralling out of control with a Soviet invasion into the wilds of Alaska. Soul plays the American man on the ground -- 'Col. Jake Caffey' -- who has the unfortunate task of trying to avert the end of life as we know it in the uncompromising cold; and -- without spoiling it for those who haven't seen it -- let's just say its dark ending was good enough to give this viewer pause. Ah, great memories.
The next year -- also on television -- Soul did something that film fans probably never imagined possible, taking on the role of 'Rick Blaine' in a serialized attempt to bring small screen audiences a lesser version of the film classic Casablanca. (Yes, I watched it. No, it isn't Science Fiction or Fantasy. 1942's Casablanca just happens to be one of my all-time favorite flicks.) I don't fault Soul for the project failing to find an audience -- not many would even think about trying to fill the shoes of Humphrey Bogart -- and it lasted only a handful of episodes.
Still, the man enjoyed a good degree of work after those days, but I think it's safe to suggest that these appearances are the ones that stick with me the most. His was a light that burned brightly for a time, and the world of entertainment was vastly improved by his time in it.
Our warmest thoughts and prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of David Soul.
May he forever rest in peace.
-- EZ
- Published on
Oh, the life of a blogger in obscurity!
Folks, having done this gig as long as I have, I've been fortunate enough to watch back and watch my readership grow. Granted, it could've grown a helluva lot faster and I would've been helluva lot happier, but it takes time -- as they say -- to 'build it' and 'have people come.' (Hat tip to 1989's Field Of Dreams for the reference.) First, there's figuring out what I wanted to say. Then, there's actually written what I wanted to say. And then, there's figuring out what graphics I wanted to use. And even then, there's putting together what not only looks and sounds good but also serves the central purpose of informing and educating those who come to SciFiHistory.Net for a unique perspective. As anyone who has written will tell you: it isn't always what you say but what voice have you cultivated that your audience appreciates, so I'm always -- and I do mean always -- fighting this daily battle.
Because the readership has grown, I sometimes find that newbie have kinda/sorta missed bits and pieces of the evolution -- the lessons I've learned on the way -- and that's the case with today's question.
The question:
"Hey, why is it that you post a film's first release date and then also post other release dates around the world?"
That, my friends, is a very good question; and I have a very good answer.
Back when SciFiHistory.Net began, I didn't post all of a film's release dates. In fact, I only made it a habit to cite the very first theatrical screening release date. My logic here is that -- this being essentially a daily trivia website -- I felt at that time what truly mattered was -- like with a person's birth -- the day a brand new film was released was sufficient enough. It was as simple as that.
Well, a few years after I'd been doing my 'thang,' I received an email from a reader in the great Down Under ... Australia. He was taking issue with a post of mine, insisting that the original release date for a particular motion picture was, in fact, different than what I'd posted on SciFiHistory.Net. I don't remember all of the facts, mind you, but let's say -- using an example -- that I had a film like "Space Dream" (not a real title, so far as I know) and it released in the U.S. on January 5th (just using today's date). So I'd say, "On this day in 2024 (in the U.S.), Space Dream enjoyed its unveiling to the masses."
Well, this Aussie's argument was that I had my facts wrong; and -- according to what he was looking at -- Space Dream was first released on, say, February 1st. I did a bit of research, and I found that, yes, Space Dream was released theatrically on February 1st ... in Australia!
So, I did what any good editor would do. I wrote him back. I explained that my citation was correct as I had clearly indicated in the text that I was using the very first release date and also added -- in parenthesis -- that it was a U.S. release, not an Australian citation.
This fellow then wrote me back, saying, "You don't have to be a f#ckhead about it, mate!"
Now, initially, what I learned from this exchange is that Australians are insufferable rude. (It's OK, Aussies, your secret's safe with me ... well ... and anyone else who reads this.) What I also learned was more of a reminder: we, as film fans, are a global phenomenon.
Talent and films and TV shows are born everywhere, so perhaps just limiting one motion picture -- as an example -- to a single date does a disservice, perhaps unintentionally implying that I'm only interested in some geocentric kind of trivia website. I'm not -- I realize that Science Fiction and Fantasy takes place everywhere -- so I opted to make an editorial change. I'd always reference the very first screening date I could find with some additional flourish, but -- as time permits -- I'll continue expanding the Daily Citation Pages to include all release dates around the world. This way, I'm doing my part to be inclusive to the wants and needs of a global readership.
Thanks to the reader who reached out with the question, and I certainly hope this explains why -- in some small way -- I do what I do.
-- EZ
Folks, having done this gig as long as I have, I've been fortunate enough to watch back and watch my readership grow. Granted, it could've grown a helluva lot faster and I would've been helluva lot happier, but it takes time -- as they say -- to 'build it' and 'have people come.' (Hat tip to 1989's Field Of Dreams for the reference.) First, there's figuring out what I wanted to say. Then, there's actually written what I wanted to say. And then, there's figuring out what graphics I wanted to use. And even then, there's putting together what not only looks and sounds good but also serves the central purpose of informing and educating those who come to SciFiHistory.Net for a unique perspective. As anyone who has written will tell you: it isn't always what you say but what voice have you cultivated that your audience appreciates, so I'm always -- and I do mean always -- fighting this daily battle.
Because the readership has grown, I sometimes find that newbie have kinda/sorta missed bits and pieces of the evolution -- the lessons I've learned on the way -- and that's the case with today's question.
The question:
"Hey, why is it that you post a film's first release date and then also post other release dates around the world?"
That, my friends, is a very good question; and I have a very good answer.
Back when SciFiHistory.Net began, I didn't post all of a film's release dates. In fact, I only made it a habit to cite the very first theatrical screening release date. My logic here is that -- this being essentially a daily trivia website -- I felt at that time what truly mattered was -- like with a person's birth -- the day a brand new film was released was sufficient enough. It was as simple as that.
Well, a few years after I'd been doing my 'thang,' I received an email from a reader in the great Down Under ... Australia. He was taking issue with a post of mine, insisting that the original release date for a particular motion picture was, in fact, different than what I'd posted on SciFiHistory.Net. I don't remember all of the facts, mind you, but let's say -- using an example -- that I had a film like "Space Dream" (not a real title, so far as I know) and it released in the U.S. on January 5th (just using today's date). So I'd say, "On this day in 2024 (in the U.S.), Space Dream enjoyed its unveiling to the masses."
Well, this Aussie's argument was that I had my facts wrong; and -- according to what he was looking at -- Space Dream was first released on, say, February 1st. I did a bit of research, and I found that, yes, Space Dream was released theatrically on February 1st ... in Australia!
So, I did what any good editor would do. I wrote him back. I explained that my citation was correct as I had clearly indicated in the text that I was using the very first release date and also added -- in parenthesis -- that it was a U.S. release, not an Australian citation.
This fellow then wrote me back, saying, "You don't have to be a f#ckhead about it, mate!"
Now, initially, what I learned from this exchange is that Australians are insufferable rude. (It's OK, Aussies, your secret's safe with me ... well ... and anyone else who reads this.) What I also learned was more of a reminder: we, as film fans, are a global phenomenon.
Talent and films and TV shows are born everywhere, so perhaps just limiting one motion picture -- as an example -- to a single date does a disservice, perhaps unintentionally implying that I'm only interested in some geocentric kind of trivia website. I'm not -- I realize that Science Fiction and Fantasy takes place everywhere -- so I opted to make an editorial change. I'd always reference the very first screening date I could find with some additional flourish, but -- as time permits -- I'll continue expanding the Daily Citation Pages to include all release dates around the world. This way, I'm doing my part to be inclusive to the wants and needs of a global readership.
Thanks to the reader who reached out with the question, and I certainly hope this explains why -- in some small way -- I do what I do.
-- EZ