This Holiday Season North Korea Assassinated the American Movie Theater Chain

This Holiday Season North Korea Assassinated the American Movie Theater Chain

By Josh Frank

This holiday season will not be remembered for a major winter storm, for its shopping season, for the heart-warming stories of people doing good deeds to guarantee their place on Santa’s “Nice List,” or even for big blockbuster movies that usually are the main stars of the holiday season (in fact, there really weren’t any this year.) It will be remembered for how North Korea unintentionally assassinated the major movie chain and the firm grip they have long held on the major movie studios and new movie releases. It might take a while for it to sink in. It might take a year or two for it to all come into clear view, but the major movie chains made the biggest mistake of their long and over-confident reign as the gatekeepers of whether a movie succeeds or doesn't. 

The five major movie chains all simultaneously refused to show a movie (Sony's "The Interview") because a a foreign country told them not to air it.  And threatened them with terrorist tactics. The major chains pulled the film from it’s release date, canceling it completely. Within hours a petition was signed by over 300 independent movie theaters across this land of the free. Within 24 hours, SONY was in talks with these independent theaters, as well as plotting out a possible online distribution plan.

But while the major chains all caved, who stood up to the terrorist threats?   The independent movie theaters, the sleeper cells of celluloid. The underground and independent operators who show the movies no one else will show, not just in times of trouble, but ALL THE TIME!  

Suddenly a silly (and arguably “in bad taste”) comedy about two bumbling fools being trained to assassinate a non-fictional dictator had become a very very important film.  And a major turning point in new release distribution.  

If Seth Rogen and James Franco hadn’t had the Hollywood clout to get this movie made, if North Korea hadn’t threatened American lives, if the movie chains hadn’t refused to show the film, if Sony hadn’t pulled the film, this movie release probably would have played out like all the others of its ilk.  It would have run for 5 to 8 weeks, garnered mediocre reviews on Rotten Tomato and Metacritic and the world would still be the same without a second thought. But that's not what happened.

The major movie chains underestimated the power of independent art house theaters. That, combined with the power of the internet and online distribution finally maturing to a place where it could hold its own, has birthed something truly game-changing. A major motion picture can be released in 300 independent movie theaters and simultaneously released online and both the online and brick and mortar theaters can make serious money, while the studio still makes a competitive profit - - all without a single major movie chain involved.   That is a huge change from the old model of distribution.

The numbers are starting to come in.  “The Interview” made $1 million dollars over Christmas. That might not seem like a lot at first given it’s typical hollywood budget. but that's $1 million from just a handful of art houses across the US over a few days and a limited online distribution. In the coming months, as more theaters join in, and more online sites distribute the film, I expect that “The Interview” will easily make back it’s costs, and more.  Besides, you can’t put a price tag on freedom, and that is truly “The Interviews” greatest success and legacy. It has started a little revolution, and that is truly priceless. 

I’m proud to be a part of this new movement. I am the owner and creator of the independent movie theater the Blue Starlite Mini-Urban Drive-in in Austin, Texas and Miami, Florida.  I spend my days thinking about how to make the movie experience new and exciting for viewers who think they have seen it all. This holiday is a great reminder that we really haven't seen it all. It’s a reminder that independent movie theaters are just as important and powerful as the multiplex, and now it should be becoming clear that - - unlike North Korea - - you don’t want to mess with independent movie theaters. 

This Christmas, movie history was made.  A silly stoner comedy that no theater chain would touch became an art house hit, and independent movie theater operators made a lot of people realize that not only are they important, but they are a serious force to be reckoned with. 

God Bless America, and long live the independent movie theater: this years biggest christmas miracle. 

* * *

Josh Frank is the owner of the Blue Starlite Mini-Urban Drive-In Movie Theatre and Austin, Texas, and Miami, Florida.  He is the author the "Fool the World, An Oral History of a Band Called Pixies," and other works, including, most recently, "The Good Inn," a graphic novel co-authored with Black Francis.  He resides in Miami, Florida.

THE BLUE AWAKENS... Our thoughts on the NEW STAR WARS TRAILER and The Blue's Season Finale Month Kicks Off!

We watched the new Star Wars Trailer. And what the Blue came away with is that they were making a serious effort to show that this isn't your Millennial's Star Wars. It focuses on REAL PEOPLE, and images that had CGI but that were far far more Photo Real then the prequels. It had the original series grit and film grain and that made us feel pretty confident in the folks behind the awakening!

See it here. star wars trailer


What did you notice in the trailer that has YOU worried or excited!

Also we couldn't NOT attache this! A guy already recreated the new trailer with Legos...

http://www.theverge.com/tldr/2014/11/29/7305833/someone-recreated-the-star-wars-the-force-awakens-trailer-in-lego-and

As Star Wars Awakens us from the Black Friday Zombie shopping crawl, today is BLUE SATURDAY, and we ARE BACK, with our Season Finale HOLIDAY MONTH and NEW YEARS COUNTDOWN running TONIGHT thru Dec. 30th!!!

Can't wait to celebrate ALL The things we have to be thankful about in cinema this month.

Check out our schedule and we look forward to seeing you drive on it!

www.miamiurbandrivein.com

BYE BYE OCTOBER, HELLO NOVEMBER (and) How Lloyd Dobler is the Hit Man from GROSSE POINT BLANK

NOVEMBER AT THE DRIVE-IN is HERE!

Halloween season is winding down but we still have two more bootastic nights. After tonights presentation of THE SHINING we close HALLOWEEN MONTH OUT with our most ambitious Drive-in event yet...

THE ROCKY HORROR DRIVE-IN PICTURE SHOW

On October 30, film fanatics and theater devotees alike will be transported to Dr. Frank N. Furter’s lab to experience twice the scare as part of the Blue’s simultaneous screen and theatrical presentations of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Members of Front Yard Theater Collectivewill take the drive-in stage to perform live alongside the movie–a feat that is not only hard to pull off but will put audiences in double the trance.
NOVEMBER brings some returning Blue Starlite seasonal favorites and some new event nights as well! Including our Farmers market Drive-in collaboration starting on Nov. 13th. with CHEF!

GROSSE POINT BLANK!

But first this coming Monday, Nov. 4th we are screening THE BEST HIT MAN ROMANTIC COMEDY EVER MADE. Grosse Point Blank starring Mr. John Cusack. We like to consider it the half sequel to SAY ANYTHING. As our theory is that after Loyde Dobler went to London he slipped through a 80's worm hole, relived high school, skipped prom, and became a HITMAN.

It's not so much a stretch when you watch both movies in order. We are sure this could have been the 80's heart throb's alternative reality, and we love to look at it that way!

PULP FICTION and HARRY POTTER!
Next up on the 5th is PULP FICTION returning as our most requested film, and then THURSDAY, the perfect flick to usher in NOVEMBER, HARRY POTTER and the SORCERERS STONE with BUTTER BEER for sale at our concession stand!!!

CHEF, THE BIG LEBOWSKI and FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF
On Nov. 13 the Farmer's market returns to the Grove's Playhouse and we are teaming up with the Market and EDIBLE SOUTH FLORIDA to bring you a night of fresh food and fresh Flicks. Shot the Market for your Drive-in dinner and then head over for the Indie darling flick "Chef."
We also are screening two of the best slacker adventures of all time the same week, bringing back Ferris and the Dude!

Later in the month, we celebrate the countdown to THANKSGIVING with GREASE THE SING ALONG and then take a holiday break starting on Nov. 22nd until Dec. 3rd when we return for a month of CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS FUN as only the MINI URBAN DRIVE-IN can deliver!

See our awesome schedule and get tix on our website !


and see you soon soon soon at the Blue!




Movies start at 8p.m. unless otherwise noted and the schedule is subject to change. Please visit www.miamiurbandrivein.com for the most up-to-date listings.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!

HERE!

I put a Spell on you!  The Magic of Hocus Pocus by Indie-Ana Jones

So in the early 90's Disney set out to make a Halloween film for their cable channel, but somehow the script and stars made it worthy of the big screen instead.  That was just the beginning of the magic and mayhem that is now Hocus Pocus.  

The storyline is fun and captivating and brings in a new love for Halloween that isn't too scary but entertaining enough for adults too.  Three centuries of a curse believed to be upon the town of Salem when three witchy sisters are found guilty of stealing the lives of little children and using it to conjure up spells for youth and immortality.   The Sanderson sisters curse the town just as they are being hanged and vow to once again return to claim other little kids.  So it's the 90's and witches and curses are as threatening as the return of beta tapes when a teenage boy unwittingly releases the sisters from the grave to prey upon the small town once again.  It's up to these two teens and one intrepid little girl (Thora Birch from American Beauty) to save the town and banish the sisters forever.  With help of a feline friend, Binx (voiced by James Marsden) who has waited for his chance to avenge his sister, the kids have one Halloween night they will never forget as they run amok trying to run from the witches!

And who are the Sanderson sisters?  Winifried is played wonderfully by Bette Midler (Beaches, The Rose, Drowning Mona...)  who always confessed having loved playing that role more than others in her repertoire.  Sarah a bit of a vixen witch is played by Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex in the City) who actually sang the haunting lullaby that entices children to their death.  Lastly there is Mary, by Kathy Najimy (Sister Act, VEEP) who brings a lot of humor to her role as she always does.  The chemistry between the three is evident and they entice the audience to enjoy their nefarioius plans to rid the town of children.  don't forget cameos by sibling director duo, Garry and Penny Marshall as Satan and his wife.

If you love Halloween, you will love Hocus Pocus, if you don't love Halloween...what on earth is wrong with you!  And if you are reading this thinking you never saw the film well run your little butt over to the Blue Starlite Drive In tonight to start celebrating Halloween on screen!!!  Be careful, you may leave thinking you have been put under a spell!  

Indie-Ana Jones talks Indiana Jones

Raiders of the Lost Ark(1981) was for me the adventure films to top all adventure films in my young life, and it is still the tops today.  Just say the name Indiana Jones and you hear the heroic theme song written by John Williams (datada datada…) making you feel you can conquer every obstacle, outrun huge boulders, defeat the Nazi’s plan and save the greatest relic of all time.  This film had such an impact upon me that I almost named my first born Indiana, and yes my real last name is Jones.   No worries I wouldn’t do that to my kid though it would have been cool.  Indiana Jones is however the legitimate love child of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, and what an awesome progeny they made. 

no wonder i dreamed of becoming Mrs. Jones ...the irony

In 1981,  Spielberg had already come into his own with the blockbuster films of Jaws and Close Encounters.  Likewise a young Lucas was still celebrating with his own outstanding success with Star Wars Episode IV.  So these star travelers voyage together out of space and into a time not so far away or long ago when the world was in a delicate balance between good and evil.  Set in the backdrop of the rise of the most despised empire known in human history, the world needed a hero, not just any hero but one who perhaps didn’t think himself to be much of a hero at all.  This man would take us to the thickest jungles of Latin America, across the sea to war torn Europe and to the cradle of civilization itself.  Indiana Jones is the all-American guy who  wants to see justice served and ensure the greatest treasure of all time doesn't fall into the wrong hands.

you go girl...ten years and she still can't forget and forgive

Mixing together myth with reality, the Raiders of the Lost Ark weaves an unforgettable storyline that brings together some of the best of a variety of genres.  The mashup of the American cowboy,  British sleuth,  rebel with a cause and the fedora wearing g-man who always finds the criminal creates this larger than life hero that is unforgettable.  If you haven’t seen this film and you are under the age of like, twelve I will let it go as this is an obvious oversight of your parents... otherwise there really is no excuse and what on earth are you waiting for? 

no me gusta los espiders

This is the culmination of epic storytelling, fearless directing and oh by the way seeing the best of Harrison Ford who at that time thought he had reached his peak with Han Solo.  Ford brings a genuine sincerity to the character of Indiana that just makes you swoon especially how well he uses that whip…ahem I mean, makes you believe you are along for the greatest quest in history.  Ford just conquers the screen with this bigger than life character and keeps you on the edge of your seat.  I can’t imagine another actor could have brought it to life as well and as wonderfully as Ford.  Indiana along with his cast of friends, from the tough as nails and yet amorously smitten Marion Ravenwood by Karen Allen and John Rhys Davis as Sallah, with the ever properly Brittish voice of reason, Denholm Elliot as Brody.  Oh and yah you might spot a familiar face at the beginning, you know that guy...yeah the one who played Doc Octopus in Spiderman none other than Alfred Molina.  Ironically enough, his first day on set and Spielberg asks Molina to be covered in tarantulas for his scene.

 

So there you have it.  I wish I had more time to just talk about Raiders of the Lost Ark but that might make this blog like a novel and it’s just better if you go see it for yourself on the big screen.  No, not at your overly self-indulgent neighbor’s home with the 90 inch flat plasma screen.   See it how it is meant to be seen, in the company of other fans and adventure seekers at THE BLUE STARLIGHT DRIVE IN COCONUT GROVE, WENS. AND THURS. THIS WEEK 8 PM.

Theme song and overture by John Williams

But hey I almost forgot ... did you know?

Did you know the then 1st wife of Harrison Ford, Melissa Mathison would hang out on set and started writing together with Spielberg during his directing breaks, that script became ET: the Extra-Terrestial…yeah multitasking does pay off!

Did you know that famous fight scene with the swordsman and the gun slinging Indiana was improvised since Harrison was suffering from food poisoning and just wanted to finish the scene.

Did you know Sam Neill, Tom Selleck and Jeff Bridges were considered for the role, Bridges turned it down.   Tom Selleck had also committed to Magnum PI and had to turn down the role.  Neill however would have his own adventures with Spielberg in Jurassic Park.  Others considered were Nick Nolte, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Tim Matheson and Jack Nicholson.  With Lucas' backing, the role was given to Ford just weeks before shooting the film began. 

Did you know Amy Irving, Debra winger and Sean Young were all up for the role of Marion, however when Karen was chosen, another paring of Ford and Young would occur just a year later in the film Bladerunner by Ridley Scott.

Did you know, the scene where Indy is in the well of souls filled with snakes, was filmed on the set of the Overlook Hotel from the Shining.  After acquiring all the local snakes, it wasn’t nearly enough to fit the set so hoses and fakes were used.  In the end, some were “borrowed” from the Degobah set of Star Wars the Empire Strikes Back set.  The number of real snakes however did make Spielberg hurl once or twice during filming and to protect Ford a plate glass was used to keep the venomous cobra from attacking him.  An assistant director did get bit by one of the venomous snakes during filming but didn't state this fact until Spielberg yelled cut.

Did you know, Spielberg had on his crew a storyboard artist who was involved in some of the more riveting action scenes?  His involvement in and the success of Raiders inspired him to pursue his dream of becoming a director.  He now has directed and produced several blockbuster films and is known for his outlandish and over the top explosions and action scenes with excessive use of CGI.  Yes folks, you guessed it, this guy is none other than Michael Bay.  

Next week... a tribute to the comedic genius and heart of Robin Williams. Back to back marathon of some of our favorite films celebrating his gift of love and laughter.

Ready for adventures with Pee-Wee?  By Indie-Ana Jones
At the Blue Starlite Drive In Sept 2&4!

So a kid loses his bike, big deal? Who cares, everyone loses something in their lives that they consider precious.  Not so fast it all depends on the kid, or should I say man and the bike.  No it’s not Lance Armstrong and his speedy tour de France winning bicycle, nor is it Evil Kenevil and his awesome stunt motorcycle, it’s not even Howard Wolowitz and his trusty vespa.  It’s Pee-wee Herman and his super awesome red retro bike.  Nothing is worse for a boy to lose his bike to the mean, rich kid, bully; but for someone like Pee-wee it is like losing his best friend!  So we are off on a quest of a lifetime to find and save his beloved bike.  But really what’s the big deal about this big adventure?

Well to begin with; this is the first time the general public got to see the wacky, zany mind of Paul Reubens before his TV series became a hit.  Having only appeared in small bit parts here and there on film and TV, (look up on youtube and watch Reubens as a contestant on the Gong Show and The Dating Game) Reubens had to come up with something extreme to get noticed in Hollywood.  Written together with good friend and SNL comedic star Phil Hartman, and Micheal Varhool, this story was the circus cannon that made his career skyrocket.  It has a premise all kids and adults could relate to.  Gathering together some famous and not so famous faces, Reubens still needed someone with a mind just as warped as his to direct this film.

In 1984, a young Tim Burton was just another wannabe director who didn't have much experience directing a full feature film until Pee-Wee.  He had only had a few productions of film shorts and a very bizarre TV movie for Disney that didn’t make the cut (look up Burton’s Hansel & Gretel and you’ll understand why).  So when a script came about that allowed him to play along with the crazy storyline, his film adventure began!  Betcha didn’t even realize Pee-Wee’s was a Burton production!  Well it’s obvious when you see Pee-Wee’s nightmares, or meet large Marge!

This was also the debut film of great musical collaborator to Burton, Danny Elfman.  Elfman and his brother were the front men for the 80’s band Oingo Boingo (Dead Man’s Party) but found his true voice as the composer for numerous films after Pee-Wee.  Interestingly enough Burton had been the artistic director for many Oingo Boingo music videos…which of course explains a lot.  What many don’t realize is that one beloved Burton character is voiced by none other than Elfman, namely Jack Skellington!  This Burton/Elfman collaboration will continue for decades after this first big feature film.

Though the story itself isn’t memorable, it’s what happens along the way that is unforgettable.  This film is irreverent, silly, ridiculous and just as haphazard as listening to an 8 year old’s retelling of a  day in his life after he is jacked up with Oreo’s and Mountain Dew and his sugar rushed stream of consciousness.  

After the bike disappears, Pee-Wee sets off alone to search for his kidnapped “friend”.  It takes him from a gypsy to bus rides, road side diners, creepy convicts, scary truck drivers, and even our own favorite Elvira as a tough no nonsense biker babe in the pinnacle scene that leads to the most epic dance moments ever to be on screen.   In the end the bike is found, the Alamo is remembered, justice is served and a generation remembers when phrases like “I know what you are, but what am I?” and "That's so funny I forgot to laugh." began popping up in childish adult conversation once again.

Almost 30 years later, I still recall first seeing this film with my little brother and listening to him imitate PeeWee for months after. So celebrate this cinematic masterpiece which was the springboard for many more adventures for Reubens, Burton and Elfman and come see it on the big screen at The Blue Starlite Drive In this week on Tues. and Thurs. Sept 2 &4 .  

The Film with the Midas Touch

I am a Bond freak. When I say that I'm a Bond freak, I mean that I've read every Bond novel, read every Bond comic strip, played every Bond video game, and even owned every figure in the Sideshow Collectibles James Bond line (though all but the inaugural figure were sold to help the wife and me find our first apartment). So believe me when I tell you that I am an authority on Bond. Hell, I even wrote a few papers in college on Casino Royale and its importance in modern literature.

The Bond novels are, on the whole, a very different beast than the Bond films. The novels are dark and gritty and realistic, more akin to a classic detective story than a grandiose, globe-trotting espionage thriller. Casino Royale created a genre when it was released in 1953. It was authentic and real, partly because Ian Fleming was in the British Secret Service in World War II and also worked as a journalist. Both jobs were integral to the creation of Bond. The novels read like a real life account of real life events. And the detail that Fleming put into his writing, describing even the minutia of Bond's drinks and meals, was almost nauseating. Never had someone given so much care to creating a character and the world he inhabited. The action was raw, the drama was real, and the passionate lovemaking was raunchy and plentiful.

It was no surprise that, almost immediately, someone would try to make a film based on the character. CBS produced a short film on Casino Royale that premiered on their TV program Climax! CBS obviouslt didn't understand the book because they took out all the defining elements and produced a short film about a smarmy CIA agent named Jimmy Bond who was about as shallow as the drinks he was enjoying in his fight against Le Chiffre. It left such a bad taste in Fleming's mouth that he almost didn't take the film deal presented to him by Harry Saltzman and Cubby Broccoli. That deal changed the film industry forever.

Casino Royale, the first novel and logical starting point for a new film series, was locked up with CBS who still owned the rights from the Climax! TV special. So a new starting point had to be found. And found it was...in Dr. No.

Dr. No is one of those rare examples of catching lighting in a bottle. Saltzman and Broccoli choase the perfect director in Terrence Young (who was as much the real life Bond as anyone was and perhaps even more so than Ian Fleming). the perfect composer in John Barry (who is uncredited but the undisputed master of the James Bond scores though Monty Norman technically is credited as the writer), and perfect cast. Though Fleming was vehemently against Sean Connery being cast in the starring role, few will argue against him being the definitive Bond. And no one will argue against him being a better choice than Fleming's pick, his cousin and later Bond villain Christopher Lee, who would play Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun. And with the casting of Ursula Andress as Honey Ryder, a new standard in the series was set...sexy. She set the bar. And with the success that followed the film, it would be a high bar to reach.

Dr. No was followed by From Russia with Love. Terrence Young returned to direct and Connery returned as Bond. The really defining characteristic about these first two Bond films is how closely they adhere to the novels. With the exception of a few scenes that were not included due to budget restraints, the films are nearly identical to their literary counterparts. That's where Goldfinger comes in.

Goldfinger, by many, is considered to be the definitive Bond film but it is also the start of a slight diverging from the source material and inclusion of gadgetry (which would be taken to ridiculousness in the 70's Roger Moore era films) that began to define the film Bond as a different and much more successful animal than the literary novels.

After a dispute over money, Saltzman and Broccoli turned to Guy Hamilton to direct Goldfinger and it may have been the best decision they'd made since convincing Fleming to sign the rights of his books over to them. Hamilton introduced the pre-credits sequence. I know what you are going to say: "But, Dave! Young included one in From Russia with Love." And you'd be right. Except that it set up the story by introducing us to a Super Soldier version of Robert Shaw. The pre-credits sequence in Goldfinger had nothing to do with the rest of the film and was plain old gratuitous action that Michael Bay would be proud to claim as his own.

Hamilton also brought in some of the most lucrative product placement deals the film industry will see. Bond wore Rolex watches (it wasn't always an Omega) and drove Aston Martin automobiles. Bond no longer wears a Rolex, but few items are so associated with a character as Bond with his Aston Martin DB5.

And speaking of Aston Martin, the gadget filled car was another divergence from the novel. There is a chase in an Aston Martin, but it is pretty run of the mill. But the film brought in oil slicks and missile firing headlights and revolving license plates and the oh so famous tire spikes.

But, Hamilton didn't go too far off page with his 007 directorial debut. The classic scenes in the Fountainebleau, and the golf course, and the buzz-saw (though it was changed to a laser in the film) were all intact. And the vile, evil genius of Auric Goldfinger was kept intact. Gert Frobe delivered (though it was overdubbed) one of the most iconic lines in the franchise after Bond asks if he expects hims to talk responding with a half chuckled "No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die!" The story was bigger and more complex than any of the previous films and once again the film was a success. It helped solidify Bond in the psyche of the film going public as a mainstay. When there's a new bond film, you go see it.

After Thunderball, the films began to employ more flash than substance. There are a few gems in there, like On Her Majesty's Secret Service (Yeah! I went there! I loved that one. And if you haven't seen it lately and just remember all the wardrobe bashing..watch it again...it's brilliant), and Live and Let Die, but the series lacked a certain quality that only Young and Hamilton could truly bring out in it. The guys just understood the character and what the novels were trying to accomplish. They are more responsible than Conner, in my mind anyway, for the success of the franchise. And Hamilton in particular for all the new standards he set with Goldfinger.

Leave the weapons loaded Aston in the garage this weekend and drive the family sedan to introduce the family to the real Bond...the one and only Bond...and fall in love with Honor Blackman all over again.

Dave Starkiller

...And a Couple-a Dollars Extra

Some genres have that one film that defines it. And often, your personal definitive film is someone else’s. Example: Raise your hand if you believe Raiders of the Lost Ark to be the definitive adventure film. I’d be willing to bet that 90% of the world just raised their hands. But sometimes a genres definitive film isn’t so clear. If you want a mobster movie, there’s Untouchables, Casino, Godfather, Goodfellas…there’s no one movie that defines it. But there certainly is a film that changed the genre. With the release of The Public Enemy in 1931, however, the standard by which all gangster flicks to come would be set. The same is true of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

To really understand the movie, you need to understand what a Western was pre-1964. Westerns were usually, but not always, a struggle of good versus evil. The good guy wore the white hat and the bad guy wore the black one. Think of the classic John Wayne films of the thirties and you’ve got your standard western. That standard was propagated throughout the forties and fifties with the success of supremely popular Lone Ranger film serials by the amazing Republic Pictures, and later the Lone Ranger TV series that would spawn the liked of Wanted: Dead and Alive, Gunsmoke, and Bonanza. And with the exception of Wanted, all those shows featured on radio before moving to the small screen.

All this is to say that America has had a love affair with the Old West since, well, the Old West. The time has been so heavily romanticized that, even though it was just 150 years ago, we’ve made more movies about the Old West than Rome, Greece, the Dark Ages, the Renaissance, Elizabethan era, or the Victorian era, probably combined. And it’s understandable why. The Old West represents opportunity and freedom. But what happens when a history buff decides to make a film based in the Old West, but depicting it as it was, not as a romanticized good versus evil, cowboy versus indian? You get A Fistful of Dollars.

A Fistful of Dollars is the first film in the Dollars Trilogy and a real game changer. It defied nearly all the conventions that a western should follow. For starters, the protagonist is an opportunistic ass, the violence (compared to what preceded it) was staggering, and the writing was very sophisticated. Ok, so you can make the argument that the film is a rip off of Kurosawa’s Yojimbo and you’d be right. And you can make the argument that the violence is due to the brilliant Sergio Leone’s lack of understanding of how westerns were shot. And, sure, you can also claim that the anti-hero had been around since ancient Greece and Homer. But something special happened with A Fistful of Dollar’s release in 1964. It completely changed the way we view westerns.

A Fistful of Dollars was followed a year later by For a Few Dollars More. Clint Eastwood returned to the role he originated the year previous, only this time he wasn’t pinning two warring households against one another, he was collecting a bounty. And the classic close up shots of the eyes were defined. The shot has become one of the most popular and recognizable in the genre and beyond. What is a showdown without a close up of the eyes? You can thank Leone for that.

The chemistry between Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef was amazing as well. So it’s no wonder that the two returned in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Of course, Leone loved to work with artists he had worked with before, but there has to be chemistry to the movie to work. So, a year later, we have The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and it is even more ambitious that its predecessor. The film was a prequel that told the story of how Blondie (or Joe or Manco depending on the film, but we can just call him The Man with No Name) became the man we see in A Fistful of Dollars.

The huge, epic panoramic shots utilized by Leone hint to the huge, epic story that it attempts to tell. The last film in the series is definitely the one that covers the most ground and showcases the most character development. Of course, the story isn’t terribly unique: three guys race one another to a secret treasure and each one needs the other in order to find it. But it is all the elements that went into it that make it more than simply a rat race film. Not least of which is the gigantic, sweeping score of Ennio Moricone.

Moricone may be the most recognizable film composer of all time. Of course, there are the likes of John Williams, Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, James Horner, and Alan Silverstri. But once you hear just one note of Moricone’s music, you know who you are listening too. And it isn’t just that his scores are impressive to listen to. They fit the film and the characters perfectly. He may be the finest composer of the late twentieth century. No other composer captures a director’s feel and emotion like Moricone. In fact, for Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West, the score was written entirely before shooting, with the music influencing the shots. Now, that is impressive.

So be it to see the film that set the standard for films like Tombstone and Unforgiven, or to enjoy the intense score, or simply to go back in time to the American Civil War, prepare your stagecoach to enjoy the finest spaghetti and western was ever accompanied with.

He Loves Only GOLD!

                  One out of every three Bond aficionados agree (including Steven Spielberg and Pierce Brosnan), Goldfinger is the best James Bond movie of them all. Although Goldfinger is the third 007 movie from producers Cubby Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, most can agree that this is the first movie to fully adopt the successful formula that ran the James Bond series  through to Casino Royale in 2006. This is particularly striking considering not all of the founding members of the Bond series returned for this third outing.  Maurice Binder is synonymous  with the opening titles of the Bond series, but Goldfinger's were designed by the lesser known Robert Brownjohn. The projection of scenes from the three 007 movies on the golden skin of Margaret Nolan (who played Dink in the early Miami Beach-set opening) with Shirley Bassey's bold and brassy delivery of the title theme song still stands as one of the highlights of the entire Bond movie series. Guy Hamilton took over from Terrance Young, who had directed the first two films, injecting a little more humor and glitz to the series. Although previous movies, Dr. No and From Russia With Love had its share of OTT moments, this entry is the one where you can see the series really ratchet up the more escapist elements of the Bond world. The previous movie had a suitcase with gas bombs and a rather lethal shoe on Rosa Kleb, Goldfinger features the now iconic Aston Martin decked out with gadgets galore including an ejector seat, prompting even James Bond to exclaim, "you must be joking". The debut of Desmond Llewellyn as quartermaster 'Q' to the series completed the family of returning characters Bond fans looked forward to seeing every entry. The longest serving cast member in the series, it's certainly interesting to compare this initial meeting between Bond and Q with performance from Llewellyn years later in entries like License to Kill or  The World is not Enough where the relationship was considerably less frosty. On the flip side, this is the first film sans Sylvia Trench, Bond's ongoing girlfriend. Introduced in Dr.No, Eunice Grayson is equally as memorable playing opposite Sean Connery in the first time he introduces himself as Bond, James Bond and there is a part of me that enjoyed the idea of her returning to the series from time to time, especially for Grayson sultry performance.  But the idea of an ongoing serious relationship for Bond wouldn't have worked well with the 3 girl formula Goldfinger seemed to establish (the belly dancer in the pre-credit teaser, Jill Masterson in the first part of the film and Pussy Galore at the end).  The Bond girls in this entry are some of the most well remembered, starting with the stunning Shirley Eaton who went down in history as the girl painted in gold from head to toe as Goldfinger's revenge against Bond. Honor Blackman will never lose her status as the most memorably named Bond girl in the series, with an introduction that is hard to imagine would clear network censors. One Bond girl who is not onscreen, but makes herself heard is Shirley Bassey, who together with score composer John Barry, capture a sultry and brassy style of music that many subsequent films in and out of the Bond series have tried to tap. 

                Considering he's one of the few villains to double as the film title, it's not a surprise to find he's one of the more memorable ones. Gert Forbe via the dubbing by actor Michael Collins delivers one of the classic hero/villain exchanges with Bond strapped to a table with a laser slowly inching closer and closer to splitting him in half; "You expect me to talk?", "No, Mr.Bond, I expect you to die!".  The laser beam sequence is a standout scene that still plays out very suspenseful and tense. Die Another Day had a callback to the Goldfinger scene with multiple lasers and Halle Berry strapped down under interrogation that paled in comparison to the singular laser that threatened Sean Connery.  No discourse on Goldfinger can be complete without talking about Sean Connery and his definitive portrayal of the super spy.  His is still the standard by which all actors in the role are measured by. Connery was suave and witty when needed, but delivered the cold blooded ruthlessness that made you believe he was licensed to kill. In Goldfinger he's still enjoying the role and taking it seriously. 

                Goldfinger is the first of several associations the Bond films have with the city of Miami. As a kid I remember always getting a thrill of driving by the curvy Fontainebleau Hotel , designed by  Morris Lapidus, and recalling John Barry's memorable bit of scoring during the flyover of the hotel in the movie.  I grew up with stories of how Thunderball's Disco Volante rested near Watson Island for years and I yearned to see the filming that took place on the Seven Mile Bridge for License to Kill in '88. Sadly, as hard as Casino Royale tried, they couldn't convince any Miami local that the "Miami" airport seen was MIA (it was in fact Prague International  with lots of palm trees). Hopefully Bond will return to Miami soon.

Happy 30th Anniversary to The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension! by Indie-Ana Jones

Take a savvy uber-intelligent science genius, aliens from another dimension, an 80’s rock band made up of more colorful characters than the Village People, a lot of shameful fashion choices, and a cool transport vehicle and you got yourself The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8^th Dimension!  What?? WHAT???? You never heard of it, you never.…wait, hold on let me calm down and tell you why you have to watch the most awesomely awful and yet memorable 80’s sci-fi mash-up movie.

so you get the Adam Ant reference

Where do I even begin?  The cast? The story? The filmmakers, the clothes, the music the special effects?  Ok let’s start with the wild cast of characters directed by W.D. Richter.  Buckaroo Banzai is Peter Weller himself, you know him RoboCop, ok how about Stan Liddy from Dexter or Barosky on Sons of Anarchy?  Yeah, that guy … well this Buckaroo dude a scientist/comic book hero who finds a way into the 8^th dimension with the Oscillation Overthruster (like the flux capacitor), while on the side heading up the Hong Kong Caveliers – kind of like an Adam Ant band and trying to save....drum roll...yep you guessed it the world!  His bandmates are just as interesting, who are surgeons, inventors, car designers you name it.  Wait, hold on I am rushing through this in my apparent excitement.  Let’s start with some names you may recognize.

Say what?

Jeff Goldblum, yes the geeky heartthrob we all love and don’t deny it, he appears as the character New Jersey, a surgeon who just happens to like to dress as a cowboy, like a really badly dressed cowboy with a ten gallon hat. As I would say to him in person, thank God you're cute - we'll overlook this one. Or how about Ellen Barkin as Penny Priddy who is caught in the midst of all this consipiracy of the 8^th dimension aliens wanting to go home and figuring out what happened to her sister.  Oh and you Back to the Future fans will recognize alien John Bigboote, yes say it just as it is spelled,  portrayed by Christoper Lloyed (Doc).  And perhaps you remember the name John Lithgow, (3rd Rock from the Sun) as he gives a superb rendition of Dr. Emilio Lizardo whose body is possessed by 8th dimension alien Lord John Whorfin who with the Lectroids just want to go home.  He also delives my favorite line in the film, “Laugh while you can monkey boy!”  Or Rawhide, best friend to Buckaroo portrayed by Clancy Brown, oh yeah sure you don’t recognize the name, but the voice has given life to thousands of cartoon characters in shows such as Superman and Justice League series, The Voltron series, Powerpuff Girls, Teen Titans, Jackie Chan adventures, Avatar the last Airbender (and Legend of Korra), Kim Possible, Phineas and Ferb…oh and what’s that – oh yeah a cheapskate but good hearted fast food owner under the sea, Mr. Krabs.  Cool huh?  And for those for you who don’t watch cartoons but loved Breaking Bad, (Mike Ehrmantraut) Jonathan Banks appears for just a moment but you'll stop and say "hey isn't that Mike? (you might also see him in Gremlins too if you pay attention.)  Oh yeah and Jamie Lee Curtis also appears for a moment as buckaroo's Mom.

Gosh I can’t even begin to explain the story in just a few short words, I mean truly I can’t, but it is so fun to watch who cares what the storyline is?  But seriously it would take me longer to explain the plot and subplots and relationship between the characters that would just take all that wonder away from watching the film yourself. Knowing that there are martians in New Jersey also explains a lot doesn't it? Yeah I admit, it's hokey and campy and down right all what the 80's is so well known for being, but that in itself is why this is on my must be viewed list (which I literally just made up, right now) you just gotta see it!

So where can you see this film you never heard of but now seems too awesome (from this little blog) to miss seeing?  Well your own Blue Starlite Drive Inn is going to add this fun film to its upcoming lineup later this year!  Look for it and other fun 80’s film Big Trouble in Little China!   And as Buckaroo says, "No matter where you go...there you are!"

The Good come to Blue Starlite, the Bad and Ugly stay home.

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things on TV (in the days before DVRs and satellite cable) were the themed 8pm movies on the syndicated channels.  There would be Planet of the Apes week, Chuck Norris week, etc. My dad would call from work on those nights, asking me to check what the evening's movie was. If it was something he liked, he'd tell me to tape it for him on the VCR. Of course it was better for him if I stayed up to tape it without commercials (and better for me because I'd get to stay up late watching a movie). So along comes Clint Eastwood week, and that's when I first saw the Sergio Leone classic, Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo; otherwise known as The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Right from the beginning I remember being captivated. The opening theme from Ennio Morricone  stays in your head forever;  it has to be one of the most recognizable bits of film music ever. The way the opening titles splatter across the screen like blood in bold colors with those iconic faces of Eastwood, Wallach and Van Cleef grabs you before the story even starts. This was the last time the director worked with either of his most recognized stars, Eastwood and Van Cleef, and although I prefer both in For a Few Dollars More, both actors are in fine form, even opposite the scene-stealing Eli Wallach as Tuco. The story has all you'd expect from a Leone Western;  gunslingers, revenge, gold, and a showdown to end all showdowns. In fact, it's just about THE ultimate showdown with a rousing score and sweaty stares going round among the headlining trio. The movie shows off an epic flair that would eventually explode in Leone's Western magnum opus, Once Upon a Time in the West.  Like West, this film operates on a scale and scope that demands every inch possible of the big screen you can only get on a good sized cinema screen. Suffice to say, Leone did not compose his shots for a small tv; not the small Zenith I had in my bedroom when I was  a kid, or the HD tv you have hanging in your entertainment room. This is a movie for the big screen, folks. I was lucky enough to catch a screening of West at the Miami Film Festival some years back and it was only then that I really understood what those critics were writing about when they talked about those amazing close-ups that Leone would utilize. When this plays at the Blue Starlite, you can bet I'll be there, really seeing this movie for the first time as it was meant to be.

If you're new to this film, be sure to check out the rest of the 'Dollars' trilogy, A Fistful of Dollars and For Few Dollars More. They are loosely connected to this one, mainly in style and actors, and take place after the time of this film. Also be sure to check out The Good, the Bad, the Weird for a western from Kim Jee-woon inventively inspired by this classic.