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FEB. 19 |
THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMMAGE is 55
Dario Argento's first solo Director effort. He wrote the script in only five days. One of the Executive Producers wanted Dario fired from directing the project. Dario's lead male actor was an inconsiderate pain in the ass. Dario's lead female actor didn't like the male lead and didn't like the movie, certain it would be career suicide. The movie seemed to have everything going against it except one person. Dario was in the driver's seat and determined to make a classic that his hero, Alfred Hitchcock, would be proud of.
Result? This was the movie that launched Dario's career. Terrence Kelsey reviews THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE.
Plus -
ARMY OF DARKNESS Turns 32
What is there left to say about this Sam Raimi movie that hasn't already been said?
Plenty if you're rating the copious number of Director's Cut Edition, Limited Edition, Special Edition, Bootleg Edition, and on and on and on releases. Once distributor, Anchor Bay, got ahold of this title, they went mad with their endless releases and diminishing returns on the disc extras. Seriously! How many different Director Commentaries can we hear from the same guy about the same movie?
Yet, oddly enough, this marketing madness became part of the EVIL DEAD franchise's strength. So follow me through the gloating, gory, glory of a small distributor that hit gold where major studio Universal could only find dust in ARMY OF DARKNESS.
Also -
SHUTTER ISLAND is 15
15 years ago today, Leonardo DiCaprio was too old to go out on a date with himself!
Ha! Ha! Ha!
But seriously...
For Martin Scorsese, this movie was a box office hit at a time when he really needed one. But Martin is the kind of guy who'd rather have a box office dud that won awards than a profitable movie that gets released in a traditional "Dump Month" like February and ignored by the Academy.
But why was this movie ignored by the Academy? And why did such a major theatrical hit fail to have legs over the years?
My review of SHUTTER ISLAND.
Wassmor -
THE WITCH is 9
This Robert Eggers movie has an interesting behind the scenes twist. Eggers had four young actors in their first feature (five if you count the baby, Samuel), and he'd never directed children before. Robert was relatively new to directing, in fact, this being his first feature film. What Robert did have was Ralph Ellison as his lead.
Ralph is more than an actor, he's an acting teacher and coach who specializes in teaching children. So when Harvey Scrimshaw, who played the eldest son, had difficulty visualizing what Eggers wanted from him, Eggers allowed Ineson to take over and direct the young actor himself. This was the result in Robert Eggers THE WITCH.
Finale -
HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
Actor Millie Bobby Brown (INTRUDERS [TV], STRANGER THINGS [TV], GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS, GODZILLA VS. KING KONG, DAMSEL) is 21.
Look for Millie in the 2024, 2025 Thriller, THE ELECTRIC STATE.
Musician Tony Iommi (BLACK SABBATH, MASTER OF REALITY, PARANOID, SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH, SABOTAGE, WE SOLD OUR SOULS FOR ROCK & ROLL, and way more) is 74.
Actor Quinn Lord (WHITE NOISE 2, Masters of Horror: WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM, TRICK 'R TREAT, VIRTUALITY, THE HOLE [2009], SECOND CHANCES, VIRTUAL LIES, IN THEIR SKIN [2012], THE POSSESSION, THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE [TV], IKÉ BOYS) is 24.
Actor Luke Pasqualino (THE BORGIAS [TV], THE APPARITION, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD AND CHROME, LOVE BITE, SNOWPIERCER, SHADOW AND BONE [TV], MEDUSA DELUXE, REMATCH, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: TEH WAR OF THE HFUHRUHURR) is 34.
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FEBRUARY 18 |
AMITYVILLE: DOLLHOUSE is 28
The original 1977 book, THE AMITYVILLE HORROR, by Jay Anson, was a hit because it was sold as a True Story. 1979's THE AMITYVILLE HORROR movie was a hit for the same reason. Except while the movie was winning weekends at the theaters enough time had passed for the family living in the house At That Time to debunk and blow the lid off of it all.
No Haunts in the House. Not so much as a Poltergiest on the Property.
The guy who murdered his family there, Ronald "Butch" DeFeo Jr. (no relation) who was in prison and very much alive throughout the book and movie (and the many sequels), often said as much. However, Ronald's attorney, William Weber, was a scam creative. Together with the dimwitted former owners, George and Kathy Lutz, they created the whole Spooky house nonsense that was so numbskull in its execution even Mystery Incorporated and their dog Scooby-Doo could have solved it in 30 minutes or less.
However, fools love to believe foolish things and devotion to the Amityville hauntings was still in high spirits and being fomented by renown crackpots such as "Demonologist" Ed Warren and his "Clairvoyant" wife, Lorraine, for over 30 years. So the myth was still alive and kicking among the faithful in 1997 when AMITYVILLE: DOGDOLLHOUSE was released.
And -
PITCH BLACK Turns 24
Borrowing extensively from Isaac Asimov's NIGHTFALL (the movie was originally called "Nightfall"), and Dan O'Bannon and Ron Shusett's ALIEN, a David Twohy (CRITTERS 2, WARLOCK, THE ARRIVAL, IMPOSTOR, BELOW, A PERFECT GETAWAY) screenplay, adapted from a pitch by the Wheat Brothers (Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, A NIGHTMARE ON ELMSTREET IV: THE DREAM MASTER, THE FLY II, THE BIRDS II, IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE II, THE STEPFORD HUSBANDS), was also repurposed from Twohy's unused script for ALIEN3.
This amalgam didn't result in a movie that was anywhere close to the equal of Asimov's tale or ALIEN. In fact, the popularity of the movie as we see it is a direct result of actor Vin Diesel's performance that so surprised the Director (also Twohy) and the film crew that it was decided to change the movie so that Diesel's character, Riddick (who was a member of the body count), could be explored in future, hoped for, sequels. This is how the RIDDICK franchise was born, how the Fast and Furious franchise was born, and why PITCH BLACK remains on the map for Horror fans.
Plus -
HAPPY HORROR THRILLER BIRTHDAYS TO -
By E.C. McMullen Jr.
Writer Denise Dumars (LOVECRAFT SLEPT HERE, LETTING IN THE DARK) is 59.
Actor / SFX Artist Gigi Fast Elk Porter Bannister (PHANTASM IV: OBLIVION, BUBBA HO-TEP, DEAD THINGS, SONG OF THE DEAD, THE MANGLER REBORN, LAST RITES, FALLEN ANGELS, NECRONAUT, THE RAGE, SPRING BREAK MASSACRE, ZOMBIE HUNTER, SATAN HATES YOU, CARNIES, THE QUIET ONES, DEVIL ON MY SHOULDER, WALKING DISTANCE, PRIMITIVE, THE GHASTLY LOVE OF JOHNNY X, BLOODY BLOODY BIBLE CAMP, PHANTASM: RAVAGER, BOJANGLES, KILLER WAVES 2) is 65.
Gigi shares a February Birthday with her PHANTASM IV and BUBBA HO-TEP boss, Don Coscarelli.
Look for Gigi in the 2024 Horror Thriller, HALLOWEEN GHOULS.
Actor John Travolta (THE DEVIL'S RAIN, CARRIE,
BLOW OUT, BROKEN ARROW, FACE/OFF, MAD CITY, THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER, BATTLEFIELD
EARTH, SWORDFISH, DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE, BASIC, THE PUNISHER, LONELY HEARTS, THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123, FROM PARIS WITH LOVE, SAVAGES, KILLING SEASON, THE FORGER, THE FANATIC) is 70.
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