5 reasons why I think Star Trek The Motion Picture(1979) failed

For many fans, Star Trek the Motion Picture was a major misstep for the star trek universe. It started out as a high budget scifi epic made in the wake of Star Wars(1977,aka Episode 4: New Hope), In many ways it was made to over shoot Star Wars. What happened tho was, while the movie was high budgeted and featured some amazing some special effects, it lacked a good plot or much for the cast to with there roles.

The Plot for this movie if you haven't seen it, revoles around a space black hole like cloud that is destroying many ships, so the Enterprise and Kirk and Crew are sent to save the day.

Here's my top 5 reasons why I think Star Trek The Motion Picture failed as a true trek movie for it's cast,characters, and fans in no real order:

1. How under played William Shanter is. This is a no no for me, The shat man has to overact



2. The transporter in this movie, unlike the shows is too overdone. The blue or yellow was just fine in my book. It's too cheesy and out dated



3. Over doing the intro of the updated Enterprise, i understand this is a major event but your pushing it, a bit too much



4. Wtf is up with the damn wormhole!



5. Persis Khambatta as Ilia, is just a weird casting call on the movie's part and she just doesnt do anything for me

Mst3k madness

Heres some classic cult movie songs riffed on by the mystery science theater 3000 gang. Deep deep down from Danger: Diabolik(1968) and the Jet Jaguar song from Godzilla vs Megalon(1973)

Photos of the master: David Lynch

David Lynch is a favorite director of mine. He makes dreamlike movies that aren't easily explained, and his crafted some of the most shocking,daring and most unbelievable images from them. From Eraserhead(1977) to Inland Empire(2006)to his TV work such as Twin Peaks(1990-1991)to his Internet shorts(too many to list), Lynch has proved he has a style like no other.






Blue Velvet is still my all time favorite Lynch film with Lost Highway(1996) and Wild at Heart(1990) falling right after.

Inland Empire(2006) i find to be the most confusing of all his films.





List of what to look or listen for in David Lynch movies:

Weird bass sounds
Lamps
coffee
Bipolar madmen
weird background characters
jazz music
creepy happy 50s and 60s music used in dirty ways
weird dreams
Strange sex
and plenty of WTF moments

Random Movie Music post: Female Trouble(1974)

Heres the opening song from John Waters trash art cult classic Female Trouble. It gives the feel of the movie. Sung by Divine

Thoughts on The Italian Connection(aka:Manhunt, La Mala Ordina) (1972)

A local goodhearted pimp named Luca(played by Mario Adorf), is framed for stealing a shipment of heroin from New York to Italy by a rival mob. The New York connection spotting this, hires 2 hit men(Henry Silva and Woody Strode) to track and kill Luca and get the drugs back. With the mob and these two amercian hit men after him, Luca Starts to question everyone and fights to stay alive long enough to find out who set him up.



The Italian Connection is the second film in The Milieu Trilogy by director Fernando Di Leo. Caliber 9 was the first film in the series and that's about as connected these two movies get to being linked together other then sharing some of the cast. Both movies tho, do deal with the crime underworld with a seance that theres even good criminals upon the main group of bastards. Luca isn't a bad guy, his a pimp but at the same time, he treats his girls well and his great father to his daughter.



Luca, eventhou he hides his anger, could snap anytime. The element of hidden rage is thou out the movie, and it proves to add the right tone for the movie. Most of the action in this movie comes from that. At the start of it a man almost attacks him and threatens him with a knife, soon Luca strikes and takes him down. Later Luca actually snaps and has a slap fight against two goons.



The violence level in gerenal is upped from Caliber 9 in many ways. The hidden anger of Luca is a big element,When he snaps he takes revenge to new levels. When his daughter is ran over in great detail by the mob, Luca steals a car, starts a car chase with them, then loses the car so he jumps on the hit man's van and starts headbutting the windshield then finally beats the driver to death!



On the acting side of The Italian Connection we get a great cast of action actors. Mario Adorf gets a better and bigger part then he got in Caliber 9. Here he gets to play a not so bad,bad guy and proves he can do action. Cult movie badass character actor Henry Silva, plays a scary and funny hitman while Woody strode is quiet and cool,both are great as the hit men,which makes the ending shootout even more fun to watch. Adolfo Celi of Thunderball(1965) and Danger Diabolik(1968) is great as the sleazy mob boss aswell.

The Italian Connection is a great Euro crime movie thats just as good as Calbier 9 just with a darker grib and more action.

Random Star Trek Fandom

From Star Trek 3: The Search for Spock(1984)

Top 5 best quotes from Out of the Past(1947)

Out of the Past has some of the best hard boiled dialogue ever written heres my top 5 quotes from it:

1. Jeff : You can never help anything, can you? You're like a leaf that the wind blows from one gutter to another.

2.Kathie : I didn't know what I was doing. I, I didn't know anything except how much I hated him. But I didn't take anything. I didn't, Jeff. Don't you believe me?

Jeff : Baby, I don't care.



3.Kathie : Can't you even feel sorry for me?

Jeff : I'm not going to try.

Kathie : Jeff...

Jeff : Just get out, will you? I have to sleep in this room.



4.Kathie : I'm sorry he didn't die.

Jeff : Give him time.



5.Whit : My feelings? About ten years ago, I hid them somewhere and haven't been able to find them.

Quick Thoughts on Out of the Past(1947)

Film Noir is a strange genre for movie lovers, because instead of a simple formula like westerns, musicals and comedy, Film noir is more about mood and the dark side of life. Which is quite a wide range, from hidden vices, gangsters, theifs or just good people who mean well but get sucked into a dark world due to weakness or seduction.



That last one is where Out of the Past fits. It starts with a gangster looking guy who's a rude prick looking for what he calls a old friend. The friend in question is actually a once private eye named Jeff(played by the ultimate film noir tough guy, Robert Mitchum). Jeff has ran away from the city to start a new life, and the tough guy is a old goon for a man who hired Jeff. Once he runs into Jeff,he tells him he has a old debt to pay.



Jeff has to cave in and go see the old boss. He has to explain his story to his new very understanding, girlfriend(Virginia Huston). So he takes her on a car ride and tells her the story of his past. What follows is one of the greatest flashbacks and voice over narration and the start of a film noir classic with double crosses, evil dames, plenty of smokes and a great climax.




Out of the Past is one of the film noir greats. Everything in it adds to the charm and glow of film noir. It tells the story of a man doomed to die with the flit of his past. He hides in the bright country but belongs to the slimy city.

Lighting and shadows are extra spooky and mysterious. From the bright country side to the underbelly of San Francisco. The night scenes are the best filmed of course, and the streets have never looked better. The country has a weird unreal glow to it, making it feel kinda hollow like Jeff's new girlfriend,she might be good heart but theres nothing to her other then that.



Cast wise everyone is in top form. Robert Mitchum plays Jeff as tough but wise, his street smart and quiet but knows hes doomed to his city life, and in many ways is a tragic hero. He wants to be good and able to stay behind with his new girlfriend,but he knows too much and is made for the work he does as a private eye.

Jane Greer plays Kathie,the woman who started all the trouble,by running away from the crime boss. Shes the perfect Femme Fatale,from the first moment we see her in her white dress, we know shes no good. She seduces all she sees and is a spider waiting to strike. Kirk Douglas plays the crime boss, here in a early screen role. He has a greedy smile thur out which adds to his creepiness, for the most part hes charming, but when you least expected it he can pack a punch.Virginia Huston plays Jeff's girlfriend in the country,while nice she is dull and the only real drawback in the cast.



Out of the Past was directed by Jacques Tourneur, the RKO mastermind behind Cat People(1942) and I Walked with a Zombie(1973). He gets the best from the cast and script and adds that spooky touch that was in his movies he did for Val Lewton(such as the 2 listed earlier). Speaking of script, this one is a gold mine of hard boiled dialogue and noir action.It adds a strange humor thurout, and spices up many what could be dull scenes.

Out of the Past simply put is a film noir masterpiece. Showing a great cast,script and style. Its a perfect example for new comers of the genre, and one hell of a movie.

Critters are here! and mine (4 favorites Critters set- New Line dvd)

Finally bought my own copy of Critters(1986). But not just the first, but all 4 in the series. Looking forward to seeing 2 thur 4. The transfers look great on each, from the clips i checked and the trailers are in great shape aswell.



Critters 4 also looks awesome as hell for having Brad Dourif in the cast. Gotta love New Line and Warner bros for there 4 film reissues.




Ill be sure to post about each when i finish the set.

From TV: Off Beat Cinema

Just saw Son of Godzilla(1967) again the other night,but instead of DVD, i found it playing on a local channel on a horror host ish show called Off Beat Cinema. It was unique and fun show, that played off alot of beatnik humor, and didn't cut away from the flick too much.

To test how good a horror host show is, the show has to have good in between inserts and this show had decent ones with well done comic timing. Im looking forward to the next episode.

So kick back, enjoy a cheesy movie, and drink some coffee.

Con Photos

Got to meet the Nostalgia Critic!

April Fools Day with Leslie Nielsen

Heres some clips from the king of cheesy himself





And for his non fans:

Extra Quick thoughts on Keep My Grave Open(1976)

A young woman named Leslie(played by Camilla Carr), lives in a cursed house by a cemetery. Leslie is starting to grow even more emotionally disturbed,as she takes care of her abusive and reclusive brother Kevin. At the same time a maniac killer is loose getting new victims every day. Everyone including Leslie, start to wonder if Kevin is the killer.



From the title,Keep my grave open, i wasn't expecting much from this movie. Of course i heard about it in many horror films books, It just never seemed like a must have. But after a good Xmas, i got this double feature as a gift. Since i wanted Beast of the yellow night, i had to keep it and thought to myself what the hell, might as well watch it.



After a painful, extra long opening credits, this movie kicks into 70's slasher mood.The killer in question, is dressed up like a civil war solider. From cap, boots and even a sword! This puts apart this killer from Jason or bob from Black Xmas(1974). The kill scenes are at times slobby, but Ive seen enough slashers to tell you that this is at least well edited.

Unlike many 70's slashers, this one adds more character by making(spoiler),the killer have a spilt persona. Having Leslie and Kevin as the same person,this isn't really new, but it's a decent twist. This shines when, Leslie is having a fake sex scene with a invisible lover, as one of the many slow burn moments of the film. This pace gives Keep my grave up a good creepy feeling thur out.



Keep My Grave Open was a average slasher, that got better with my second viewing of it.Worth the watch for 70's slasher fans and the civil war sword kills.