Welcome to the 881st edition of my series and yes, seventeen years. After a month of the Madness contest, I decided to use some of those selections for this edition that included people in the Wild Card section. A list of names are made depending on the theme where we can use any of their movies even if it is not Halloween related and I have always been known as "The King of the Loophole". I know I have said this but I just want to remind everyone that this will no longer be a weekly series, it will be biweekly with the exception of the month of October. I have various reasons for this including so I can watch more tv shows and read more books. I was also getting a bit burnt out doing this every week as much of an extrovert I am these days. I thought about doing away with it but I just can't go that far and feel this will be a lot easier for me to do every two weeks. I just want to thank everyone through the years for their support whether that was from the early days of Myspace up to the newer ones I get.
No Time to Die (2021): The wild card for this selection is Naomie Harris who plays Moneypenny. Cary Joji Fukunaga directed this latest in the Bond franchise. Daniel Craig reprises his role of James Bond who is now retired from the British Secret Service but that does not last long when his CIA ally and longtime friend Felix Leiter, reprised by Jeffrey Wright, enlists Bond's help. He must also go back to MI6 headquarters and team with the new 007 Nomi, played by Lashana Lynch, as they go up against the very deadly Lyutsifer Safin, played by Rami Malek. Lea Seydoux, Ralph Fiennes, Ana de Armas, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear, Billy Magnussen, Christoph Waltz, David Dencik, Dali Benssalah, Coline Defaud, Mathilde Bourbin, Hugh Dennis, and many others co-star in this Bond film. This is the last movie for Craig as 007 in the Bond franchise. He has been my favorite Bond so take that as you like. As I was watching this, I did realize that the Daniel Craig era of 007 has had the most emotional depth of the franchise which might be what has drawn me to him so much. It could also have the opposite effect on others. I would have liked to have seen more from the character Paloma, played by de Armas, but I can let that go. I really liked the action scenes as well as the story. It also has some past references from earlier 007 movies. I have no idea where the franchise is going but I'm sure I'll be along for the ride.
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939): The wild card for this selection is Vincent Price who plays Sir Walter Raleigh. Michael Curtiz directed this royalty film during the golden year of Hollywood which is based on a novel by Maxwell Anderson. Bette Davis stars as Elizabeth I and this movie depicts the tumultuous affair between her and Robert Devereux aka the Earl of Essex, played by Errol Flynn. Elizabeth is very attracted to Deveroux but is fearful of his influence. Olivia de Havilland, Donald Crisp, Alan Hale, Henry Stephenson, Henry Daniell, James Stephenson, Nannette Fabray, Ralph Forbes, Robert Warwick, Leo G. Carroll, and many others co-star in this royalty film. This is a fictional account of the relationship with Davis shining well as the queen. It is also of interest to see Price before he became the horror icon he would become.
Anna Lucasta (1958): The wild card for this selection is Eartha Kitt who plays the title character. Arnold Laven directed this film which is based on a play by Philip Yordan. Kitt stars as the troubled Anna Lucasta who has been kicked out of her home and banished from her family by her self-righteous father Joe, played by Rex Ingram. She falls into a life of prostitution and into the arms of the streetwise sailor Danny Johnson, played by Sammy Davis Jr. When finally being welcomed back into the family, her father still tries to control her life. Henry Scott, James Edwards, Isabel Cooley, Rosetta LeNoire, and many others co-star in this film. This was originally written to be about a polish family and there is a 1949 movie for that one. This was rewritten to be about a black family and includes an all black cast and had toured as a play long before this version. I will look into the 1949 version at some point but this was very well done with a good early performance out of Eartha and Sammy does well in a more serious role.
The Wrestler (2008): The wild card I used for this selection is Evan Rachel Wood who plays the daughter of the title character. Darren Aronofsky directed this film that takes a look at the world of independent wrestling. Mickey Rourke stars as wrestler Randy "the Ram" Robinson who at one time might have had a successful career in the '80s but is well past his prime doing independent shows. A health scare forces him out of wrestling and struggles to adjust to that life while trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter Stephanie, played by Wood, and trying to form a relationship with his stripper friend Cassidy, played by Marisa Tomei, who has a line about dating customers she will not cross. Mark Margolis, Todd Barry, Wass Stevens, Judah Friedlander, Dylan Keith Summers aka Necro Butcher, Marcia Jean Kurtz, John D'Leo, Ajay Naidu, Gregg Bello, Donnetta Lavinia Grays, Armin Amiri, Johnny Valiant, Ron Killings aka Rtruth, Giovanni Rosselli, Ernest Miller, and many others co-star in this film. I remember when first heard about this movie, I am pretty it is the most excited I ever got about an upcoming movie. Being a wrestling fan and a Mickey Rourke fan, this was very exciting for me. Rourke is really good as the Ram and gives a brutally honest performance of someone who just can't get out which is the case for a lot of wrestlers. He also went through wrestling training to make his role as authentic as possible. This remains one of my favorite movies and it does not take a wrestling fan to enjoy this movie. My dad is far from being a fan of wrestling but really enjoyed this movie.
Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951): The wild card I used for this one is Christopher Lee who plays the unnamed Spanish captain. Raoul Walsh directed this film that takes place in the Napoleonic wars. Gregory Peck stars as the captain who leads his ship against the French. Virginia Mayo co-stars as passenger Lady Barbara Wesley who proves to be very beneficial for the crew and forms an affection for Horatio despite his being married. Robert Beatty, Moultrie Kelsall, Terence Morgan, James Kenney, James Robertson Justice, Denis O'Dea, and many others co-star in this action movie. This was a pretty fun movie of the sea with some action and romance. Lee had a pretty small role but I don't think I have ever seen him swordfight until this movie. This was worth a look.
Leaving Las Vegas (1995): The wild card I used for this one is Julian Sands who plays Sera's pimp. Mike Figgis directed this film based on the novel by John O'Brien. Nicolas Cage stars as Ben Sanderson whose drinking problem gets him fired from his Hollywood job as a screenwriter. He apparently has nothing else to live for so he goes to Las Vegas with the intention of drinking himself to death. Elizabeth Shue co-stars as the hooker Sera who Ben forms a liking and forms a friendship with and move in together. Ben makes an understanding with Sera that she won't question his drinking and he won't question her profession. Richard Lewis, Steven Weber, Emily Proctor, Valeria Golino, Carey Lowell, French Stewart, Ed Lauter, R. Lee Ermey, Mariska Hargitay, Danny Huston, Laurie Metcalf, Julian Lennon, Marc Coppola, Lou Rawls, Xander Berkeley, and many others co-star but really have cameos. This is a really good story about two people both having problems and making the most of what they have. Cage and Shue worked so well together. This has always been a favorite of mine and if you're looking for the flying Elvises, you have the wrong movie. That one is HONEYMOON IN VEGAS.
The Front Page (1974): The wild card I chose for this one is Susan Sarandon who plays Hildy's fiance Peggy. Billy Wilder directed this remake of the 1931 film and based on the play by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. Jack Lemmon stars as Hildy Johnson who is the top reporter of a Chicago Newspaper and announces he will be quitting the paper to get married to Peggy, played by Susan Sarandon. Hildy's editor Walter Burns, played by Walter Matthau, is desperate for him to cover an execution and does what he can to keep him on even if it effects Hildy's relationship. Things change when the man about to be executed escapes and they learn there is far more to the story. Vincent Gardenia, David Wayne, Allen Garfield, Austin Pendleton, Charles Durning, Herb Edelman, Martin Gakel, Cliff Osmond, Dick O'Neill, Jon Korkes, Lou Frizzell, Paul Benedict, Doro Merande, Noam Pitlik, Carol Burnett, and many others co-star in this dramedy. This is the third teaming of nine teamings between Lemmon and Matthau. I have not seen the original but might be inclined to check it out. They did a good job of making a comedy out of a pretty serious situation and Lemmon and Matthau shine as always.
Boogie Nights (1997): The wild card I chose for this one is Heather Graham who plays Rollergirl in her breakthrough performance. Paul Thomas Anderson directed this film on the porn industry. Mark Wahlberg stars as Eddie Adams who would become Dirk Diggler after being discovered by adult film directed Jack Horner, played by Burt Reynolds. He would rise very quickly but drugs and ego would get in the way. Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, Don Cheadle, Nicole Ari Parker, William H. Macy, Nina Hartley, Joanna Gleason, Ricky Jay, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Melora Walters, Michael Jace, Philip Baker Hall, Tom Lenk, Thomas Jane, Michael Penn, Robert Downey Sr., John Doe, Alfred Molina, and many others co-star in this film. This really takes a look at the ups and downs of a family formed from within the adult film industry where they can turn to each other while the outside world judges them. This movie works on so many levels with the direction, cast, and story. While this is said by many to be the best performance for Reynolds, he has said he regrets making this film. Despite all that, this movie still holds up and helped the careers for many.
Silver Bears (1977): The wild card I chose for this one is Cybill Shepherd who is the unhappy wife of a banker. Ivan Passer directed this film based on the novel by Paul Erdman. Michael Caine stars as Doc Fletcher who is a financial wizard and is sent by mob boss Joe Fiore, played by Martin Balsam, to buy a bank in Switzerland to make laundering of the profits easier. When doing this, Doc and his group encounter other powerful people in the silver industry. Louis Jourdan, Stephane Audran, David Warner, Tom Smothers, Jay Leno, Tony Mascia, Charles Gray, Joss Ackland, Jeremy Clyde, and many others co-star in this crime comedy. It was fun to see a young Jay Leno befroe he would find his place in the late night industry. Caine plays his con artist role in a way only he can. This is a pretty underrated film that should be more on the radar.
The Outsiders (1983): Francis Ford Coppola directed this film based on the novel by S.E. Hinton. This centers around rival gangs in '60s Oklahoma between the poor Greasers and the more upper-class Socs. C. Thomas Howell stars as greaser Ponyboy who might just be too nice to be in a gang. Along with fellow greaser Johnny, played by Ralph Macchio, they have a violent encounter with the Socs and their lives change forever prompting a big rumble. Patrick Swayze and Rob Lowe co-star as his older brothers who are orphaned. Rounding out the main Greasers in this movie are Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, and Tom Cruise. Glenn Withrow, Diane Lane, Leif Garrett, Darren Dalton, Michelle Meyrink, Tom Waits, Gailard Sartain, and many others co-star in this film. This is kind of a before they were stars sort of cast. This is a good look at the price of gang violence. Hinton was on hand a lot during filming and even having a cameo as a nurse.
Well, that is it for this week. Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned two weeks even though I will be putting out my summaries of the new contest Noirvember in the month of for this month. 
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