Welcome to the 904th edition of my series. We are finishing our first week of SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE BAKER STREET IRREGULARS. This show has gone really well and we have one more weekend. Next week starts our annual movie and tv watching contest the Madness and I will be going back to the weekly format for for the month until I release the anniversary edition of my series. After the anniversary I will be going back to the biweekly format.
Detroit (2017): Kathryn Bigelow directed this film based on the 1967 riots in Detroit. This film focuses on the Algiers Motel incident where a group of police officers brutally interrogate those staying their believing one of them fired the shots they heard. John Boyega, Anthony Mackie, Algee Smith, Jacob Latimore, Chris Chalk, Mason Alban, Joshua Olumide, Tyler James Williams, Laz Alonzo, Benz Veal, Will Poulter, Ben O'Toole, Jack Reynor, Leon Thomas III, Ephraim Sykes, Samira Wiley, Malcolm David Kelley, Kaitlyn Dever, Hannah Murray, John Krasinski, and many others co-star in this film. It is hard to really describe this film. Years later, a similar thing would break out in Philadelphia showing that unfortunately, we have not learned much since this these horrid events. It is not easy to watch but should be watched and maybe we can all learn a thing or two.
Winged Migration (2001): Now I turn to the bird documentary which was directed byJacques Perrin, Jacques Cluzaud, and Michael Debats. This shows some amazing footage of birds from all continents. As the story goes, my dad took me to see this at a local independent movie theater in his town and would not tell me what he was taking me to see. When we got there, I'm probably like "why are you bringing me to a movie about birds" but I stuck with it and was absolutely mesmerized. This took four years to make and as mentioned they get some truly amazing footage of the birds. The music score by Bruno Coulais fits this film perfectly. It also has a song by Nick Cave at the end so that did not hurt. This is available to watch on Tubi and needs to be seen on a fairly big screen.
Angle (2023): I follow up with another documentary which was directed by Alex Perry. This is based on our Olympic hero Kurt Angle who won a gold medal in the 1996 Olympics with a broken freaking neck. This looks more at his athletic life from childhood into him getting into wrestling which leads up to the Olympics. After the Olympics, he would join World Wrestling Entertainment and have one of the greatest careers of all time. Kurt Angle, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Gerald Brisco, Eric Angle, Bruce Baumgartner, Ric Flair, Mark Henry, Jim Ross, Giovanna Angle, and many others are interviewed in their reflections of Kurt Angle. Earlier in the year, I had the pleasure of meeting Angle at the Squared Circle Expo wrestling convention and was a really good guy. I will never agree with his choice of drink in milk. This documentary takes a look at the ups and a lot of the downs when he had some drug and alcohol problems that could have ended his life. His current wife Giovanna is someone we should thank for standing by Kurt but also making sure he got on the right path. This is available to watch on Peacock and something that wrestling fans and non-wrestling fans can get behind. Also, if looking for a podcast, check out his podcast THE KURT ANGLE SHOW with his co-host Paul Bromwell which features an episode where they interview the director of this documentary to get more insight into the making.
Spook Sport (1940): This is my animated short for the week which was directed by Mary Ellen Bute, Norman McLaren, and Ted Nemeth. This is perfect for the Halloween season we get the song DANCE MACABRE by Camille Saint-Saens. It puts the use of shapes to be bats, ghosts, and spooks and tells the story through these shapes and music. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
One Mile From Heaven (1937): Allan Dwan directed this drama that I guess you can say on race. Claire Trevor stars as reporter Tex Warren who meets a little girl named Sunny, played by Joan Carroll, who is white. She also meets her mother Flora, played by Fredi Washington, who is a black seamstress and believes she has a scoop for a story. Sally Blane, Douglas Fowley, Bill Robinson, Ralf Harolde, John Eldredge, Paul McVey, Ray Walker, Russell Hopton, Chick Chandler, Eddie "Rochester" Anderson, Howard Hickman, and many others co-star in this drama. This one is more sympathetic of race for a movie of this era. Robinson is a lot of fun as the dancing cop and yes he is playing a cop instead of servant like much of the black actors of this era. This is also available on the Criterion Channel and is worth a look.
Massacre at Central High (1976): Rene Daalder wrote and directed this high school horror film. Derrel Maury stars as transfer student David who is pushed to the edge once too often by a trio of bullies. When he is physically attacked, David takes revenge on the bullies. Andrew Stevens, Robert Carradine, Kimberly Beck, Ray Underwood, Steve Bond, Rex Stevens Sikes, Lani O'Grady, and many others co-star in this film. This would be good to watch for the pre-season and for October in general. This is a blend of social commentary and exploitation where the students mostly ruled the school. This is also available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
The Exception (2016): David Leveaux directed this film which is based on the novel THE KAISER'S LAST KISS. Christopher Plummer stars as the exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II in WWII Hooland. Jai Courtney co-stars as Captain Stefan Brandt who is trying to determine if the Dutch resistance has planted a spy only to fall for handmaiden Mieke de Jong, played by Lily James. Anton Lesser, Janet McTeer, Ben Daniels, Martin Savage, Max Dexter, Kris Cuppens, Eddie Marsan, and many others co-star in this film. I will start by saying that this is a fictional story. This is still a pretty compelling spy film that is hard to really explain beyond what I have and get really good in the second half. This is available to watch on Max.
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in Peril (1972): Buichi Saito directed this film that is the fourth in the Lone Wolf and Cub series that is based on manga series. Tomisaburo Wakayama reprises his role of the ronin samurai Ogama who is hired to kill a tattooed female assassin. Akihiro Tomikawa resprises his role as Ogama's baby son Daigoro who is pretty resourceful in his own right. I thought I was watching the second one but learn this is the fourth so I will be visiting the other in the future. This is a very compelling story with a lot of gore. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel and Max.
Moss Rose (1947): Gregory Ratoff directed this London Film Noir based on the novel by Marjorie Bowen. Peggy Cummins stars as chorus girl Belle Adair whose friend is murdered and suspicious of Michael Drego, played by Victor Mature. She blackmails him in demand she gets to meet Michael's mother Lady Margaret Drego, played by Ethel Barrymore. Things get complicated when Inspector Clinner, played by Vincent Price, arrives to investigate the murder. Margo Woode, George Zucco, Patricia Medina, Rhys Williams, and many others co-star in this film. This is a pretty good mystery that will leave us guessing. Cummins is great as the protagonist. This has gone down as a bit underrated and is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
The New Math(s) (2000): I end the week with this short film which was directed by Hal Hartley. D.J. Mendel, David Neumann, and Miho Nikaido star in this short where they star as a teacher and two students where they fight over the answer to a complex math problem. This is set to a musical score which was wirten by Louis Andriessen. This is about 15 minutes long and conveys its story well without the dialogue even delivering some laughs. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
Well, that is it for this week but continue on for the return of my segments "The Bookworm Corner" and "Tube Time". Tell me what you like and dislike and stay tuned for next week which includes Kristen Stewart, Cillian Murphy, Christopher Lee, Helena Bonham Carter, and many others.
THE BOOKWORM CORNER
Radium Girls by Kate Moore (2017): Having been in the play of the same name by D.W. Gregory, I decided it was time to read this book. The play comes from this book but only covers the Newark, New Jersey side. There is another play called THESE SHINING LIVES which is based on the evens in Ottawa, Illinois in which the author Moore directed. After directing this play, she became interested in writing a book where she would interview families of the ladies that worked at the radium factories. This took place during WWI where they had radium factories in the two places listed. They hired a lot of young girls to use radium paint for dial watches so the soldiers can see them better. It seemed like a great place to work with the pay and camaraderie among the girls. They were advised to the lip, dip, paint technique with the brush not knowing the effects the radium would have on these girls which lead to big lawsuits in this era. They all suffered various effects where some died right away but some lived longer. This was also very new for the doctors and it was hard to them determine what the problem was that was happening. I also noticed a lot of the issue came from the affordability for all the medical bills. This is a very significant part of our history that had such unnecessary tragedy. This book takes a good look at the people involved in their triumph and tragedy. It was a great play to have been a part of and while it was not an easy read I knew I had to get through it.
TUBE TIME
The Sopranos (1999-2007): David Chase created this series on the mafia in New Jersey. James Gandolfini stars in his iconic role of New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano. He has a lot on his plate including his family which includes his domineering mother Livia, played by Nancy Marchand, his wife Carmella, played by Edie Falco, and kids Meadow, played by Jamie-Lynn Sigler, and AJ, played by Robert Iler. He is also the mob boss where he mostly has his headquarters at the Bada Bing strip bar which is also a very stressful job. He gets help from his cohorts that usually include Paulie, played by Tony Sirico, Silvio, played by Steven Van Zandt, Christopher, played by Michael Imperioli, and many others. His stress is enough that it effects his mental state leading him to seek psychiatic treatment where he sees Dr. Jennifer Melfi, played by Lorraine Bracco, where they have quite the dynamic of Melfi knowing who Soprano is and Tony having to be careful how he words things for legal purposes. Dominic Chianese, Aida Turturro, Steve Schirripa, Drea de Matteo, Dan Grimaldi, Joseph Gannascoli, Sharon Angela, John Ventimiglia, Vincent Curatola, Franck Vincent, Federico Castellucio, Jerry Adler, Arthur J. Nascarella, Max Casella, Maureen Van Zandt, Vincent Pastore, Robert Funaro, Carl Capotorto, Matt Servitto, Tom Eldredge, Joe Pantoliano, Suzanne Shepherd, Katherine Narducci, Angelo Massagli, Ray Abruzzo, Steve Buscemi, Peter Bogdanovich, Paul Schulze, Jason Cerbone, David Proval, Frankie Valli, Cara Buono, Annabella Sciorra, John Heard, Lillo Brancato, Julianna Margulies, and many others co-starred in this series or had stints at various parts of the show. This series still lives on in pop culture and was one that was very likely helpful to the HBO network as some would subscribe for that series. This show went on for six seasons where so many would just come and go. Unfortunately, the series finale left a lot to be desired the way it ended. It is still an enjoyable journey where real-life mobsters are said to have spoken very highly of the series. This is available to watch on HBO Max.
