The Stolen Pick

President Trump has nominated Neil Gorsuch to be the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. This event is unique and unprecedented in American history, but one can say that about most anything that comes out of the Oval Office these days. However, that has barely anything to do with Trump. Rather, it was the Republican Party, specifically those in the Senate, that brought this travesty of American government to fruition. Continue reading “The Stolen Pick”

The Bronx Executioner, aka Il giustiziere del Bronx, or, Frankenstein’s Movie

This flick is some real bottom feeding trash. From Italian writer/director Vanio Amici (as Bob Collins), The Bronx Executioner is one of those bad movies that has zero redeeming qualities. It’s kin to innumerable 1980s Italian sci-fi disasters, but lacks just about all of the charm. In addition, over half of the footage used in the film, including that of some main characters, is lifted from another Italian b-movie from a few years earlier titled The Final Executioner. I’ve never seen that movie, but if I do, I’ll be sure to review it and copy/paste my thoughts into this post. As it is, the only reason I’m bothering with this review at all is because I dedicated time to watching this dog, and I have to get something out of it. Continue reading “The Bronx Executioner, aka Il giustiziere del Bronx, or, Frankenstein’s Movie”

Narcissism or Disinformation?

Donald Trump has been inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States. At no time in our history has such a scoundrel held the highest office in the land. He is also now the most powerful person in the world — the head of state of a gargantuan national economy, and the commander in chief of the most advanced and deadly war machine that the world has ever seen. Trump’s temperament, his lack of knowledge, his displays of ego, and every other negative trait he showcased before, during, and after his campaign should fill people with fear for the future of the country, and perhaps the world. Unlike the freakout that consumed the right wing for the entirety of Barack Obama’s presidency, fear and concern about the Trump administration is not based on imaginary conspiracies or identity politics. Continue reading “Narcissism or Disinformation?”

Outland

Outland, the 1981 film written and directed by Peter Hyams, is two movies in one. Most of it is a crime story, heavy on the grit and with a fair amount of menace (helped along by Jerry Goldsmith’s grim score). Then in the final act audiences are given a western, evocative of the film High Noon. And all of it is wrapped in a sci-fi setting. Continue reading “Outland”

The Chilling

It’s time for some obscure horror! How obscure is The Chilling, the 1989 film from directing pair Deland Nuse and Jack A. Sunseri? This flick doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page. I’m fairly certain it went straight to video, but IMDb doesn’t have it marked as such. But this flick is such high stinking cheese that I can’t see how it got a theatrical release. This is truly bottom feeding stuff. Continue reading “The Chilling”

A Hospital, Somewhere, or, Urban Exploration 101

Here’s how you, too, can be an urban explorer. First, find an abandoned hospital. This should be easy. Health care has changed quite a bit since the mid 20th century. Once upon a time, if one were suffering from anything from mental retardation to mental illness, there was a bed in a psychiatric hospital waiting. Huge, sprawling facilities were constructed for the care, or neglect, of those with mental problems. Despite the enormous size of these facilities, overcrowding became a problem, contributing to problems with quality of care and the quality of life for the patients. Reform, and piles of lawsuits, led to a wave of deinstitutionalization. New treatments mean that yesterday’s inpatients are today’s outpatients, the reduced number of beds reserved for those with serious disturbances. Continue reading “A Hospital, Somewhere, or, Urban Exploration 101”

The Third Man

The Third ManHow presumptuous of me. I didn’t realize how classic this film was when I decided to watch it for a review. How does one review an acknowledged work of art? What more could I add to the conversation but my own ignorance? Academic papers have been written about this movie. In contrast, I have no credentials or expertise. I have never been employed as a film critic. This film, and its potential viewers, do not need me to affirm that it is indeed an indispensable piece of cinematic history. Were I to point out flaws or even offer gentle criticism, it could be dismissed out of hand as the scribblings of an amateur. That’s how good The Third Man is.

Directed by Carol Reed, The Third Man is an adaptation of the novella by the same name by Graham Greene, who also wrote the screenplay. In the film, Joseph Cotten plays Holly Martins, a down on his luck writer of cheap Western novels. He arrives in post-war Vienna, 1949, after receiving a message from an old friend, Harry Lime (Orson Welles), offering employment. Being only a few years since the close of the war, Vienna is still an occupied city, divided into four sectors run by the Americans, Russians, British, and French. Its streets are clear and clean, but there is nary a block to be seen that doesn’t have a pile of rubble or the shell of a building — the remains of the Allied bombing campaign. Continue reading “The Third Man”