The 1939 version of The Wizard of Oz is considered the definitive adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. There’s been countless variations, adaptations and spin-offs. You have Wicked of both the stage and screen. Then there is The Wiz, also of the stage and screen. Yet, it wasn’t the first adaptation.Continue reading “‘Under The Rainbow’ A Dark Comedy That Pulls No Punches”
Category Archives: Flashback Friday Frights
‘Frog Dreaming’ Slogs Through A Murky Story That Cheats Its Audience
It’s rather appropriate that Henry Thomas would be the star of a movie like Frog Dreaming or The Go Kids as it was released in some countries. In America, it was released as The Quest and the poster art pretty much gave away the big twist. Thomas, a young boy from San Antonio, was aContinue reading “‘Frog Dreaming’ Slogs Through A Murky Story That Cheats Its Audience”
‘Uncle Sam’ Is A Film Flam
A movie like Uncle Sam resides during that strange period in the 1990s where slasher flicks were relocated from independent movie theaters to a certain section of the video rental shops and aired on Showtime while the network was still trying to find its footing as the next HBO but couldn’t break away from theContinue reading “‘Uncle Sam’ Is A Film Flam”
‘Deathtrap’ Falls Into Own Trap Unable To Break Out Of Stage Style
Movies that are based on plays are often a tough sale. A Few Good Men and Steel Magnolias were able to expand past the dimensions of a stage play yet still tell the same story. Then, you have movies like Brighton Beach Memoirs or even Fences which you could tell were trying too hard toContinue reading “‘Deathtrap’ Falls Into Own Trap Unable To Break Out Of Stage Style”
‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ Turns 50
Earlier this year, A Minecraft Movie made a lot of noise because people are getting “too rowdy” during a scene where the audience sings along and throws popcorn at the screen. It makes me wonder what the whole purpose of the movie-going experience is supposed to be. As someone who grew up on Mystery ScienceContinue reading “‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ Turns 50”
‘What Keeps You Alive’ Has A Plot That Is Dead On Arrival
I’ve often thought horror/thriller movies have the best poster art. At one time people used to use originality in all poster art. Look at The Exorcist, Jaws, Back to the Future, or Platoon to name a few. Now it’s just a collection of the big names who are in the cast with the position andContinue reading “‘What Keeps You Alive’ Has A Plot That Is Dead On Arrival”
‘Twin Peaks: The Return’ A Fitting Resolution Or Uneven Continuation?
In the movie Clueless, Alicia Silverstone’s character says, “Searching for a boy in high school is about as useless as finding meaning in a Pauly Shore movie.” David Lynch passed away in January at the age of 78. And it’s almost fitting his swan song was Twin Peaks: The Return. But sometimes it’s useless toContinue reading “‘Twin Peaks: The Return’ A Fitting Resolution Or Uneven Continuation?”
‘Twin Peaks’ Changed TV And Movies
It was 35 years ago when Twin Peaks premiered on TV on ABC and just eight years ago when fans finally got some resolution with Twin Peaks: The Return. I saw some resolution because David Lynch, who passed away earlier this year, never believed in anything finite. I’ve often debated the latter part of BlueContinue reading “‘Twin Peaks’ Changed TV And Movies”
George Wendt’s Dark Side In First ‘House’ & ‘Masters Of Horror’ Episode
On TV, George Wendt was just another character actor when he stepped into the role of Bostonian Norm Peterson, a portly 30-something with a laissez-faire attitude and sardonic wit on Cheers. His line, “It’s a dog-eat-dog world and I’m wearing Milkbone underwear” is one of the best lines ever written not just in TV butContinue reading “George Wendt’s Dark Side In First ‘House’ & ‘Masters Of Horror’ Episode”
Rest In Power, Morris! We’ll See You Later ‘Alligator’
By 1980, the whole Man vs. Animal genre that had become popular with the success of Jaws had gone stale. The giant rabbit movie Night of the Lepus had been released in 1972 and the 1976 adaptation of The Food of the Gods was already in production before Jaws was released. But movies like KingdomContinue reading “Rest In Power, Morris! We’ll See You Later ‘Alligator’”
Zane Says 