Everyone Wants Part Of Iron Man
For one Wilmington couple, the choice to dump a couple of pillows, a blanket and a hula-hoop onto the sidewalk in front of Wilmington’s Independence Mall at about midnight Friday was an obvious one. “We wanted to be the first…
American Battleship
American Battleship,” a film starring Mario Van Peebles, Carl Weathers and several local actors that was shot last year on the USS North Carolina, will premiere Friday during the Cape Fear Independent Film Festival. The film was produced by The…
Mel Gibson In Talks For Machete
Mel Gibson can apparently still find work. The controversial actor/director is negotiating to appear in “Machete Kills” for director Robert Rodriguez, according to Deadline.com. Sounds perfect, if you think about it. Just as long as no one brings real weapons…
Safe Bet Dave
His Awesomeness, Jason Statham, has let it be known that he chooses his films based on the fight choreographer the producers hire. Often as not, that blows up in his face. Why else would the Human Bullet from Blighty end…
Last Man On Earth
The Last Man on Earth is based on Richard Matheson’s incredible novel I Am Legend, in my opinion the second best vampire novel ever written. Vincent Price does not really fit the image I had in mind from the novel,…
Samuel Z. Arkoff
Through 463 movies, Mr. Arkoff’s philosophy of moviemaking never changed. ”Thou shalt not put too much money into any one picture,” he wrote in his 1992 autobiography, ”Flying Through Hollywood by the Seat of My Pants.” ”And with the money…
10 Ways Corman Changed Filmmaking
From Wired or nearly 60 years, Roger Corman has been making indie films with budgets that wouldn’t even cover the catering costs of multiplex fare like Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol. The legendary king of B-movies has produced or directed…
Dystopia
The post-apocalyptic film DYSTOPIA: 2013 is an honest, often exciting cinematic effort, with a story that takes place after a mysterious and life-changing cataclysm on earth – or at least the Midwest. Obviously an independent film, a viewer shouldn’t go…
Camel Spiders
Camel Spiders opens with a shootout between American soldiers and a group of bad guys somewhere in the Middle East. Of course, for anyone who is well familiar with B-movies can immediately tell you, that’s not the Middle East: that’s…
Charles Lamont, Director
Charles Lamont (5 May 1895 – 12 September 1993) was a prolific film director of over 200 titles, and the producer and writer of many others. He was born in St. Petersburg, Russia, and died in Los Angeles, California, USA….
Buck Privates
Don’t rush to see the digitally remastered main film first. Take time to savor the bonus feature in which Jerry Seinfeld narrates a 45-minute documentary (first aired in 1995) that puts into perspective the careers of Bud Abbott and Lou…
Roots Of The HeadHunter
To market its new film “Headhunters,” Magnolia Pictures is drawing on the movie’s Scandinavian roots. “America has a big appetite right now for smart, atypical thrillers,” said Matt Cowal, head of marketing and publicity for Magnolia Pictures. Both Mr. Cowal,…
The Endangered Projectonist
Four times a day, about two miles of 35mm film runs through each of the ten projectors at Flagship Cinemas in New Bedford. Every projector has its own personality and quirks. For example, Theater Nine’s projector has a distinct squeak…
It’s Alright Jack
Jack Nicholson’s own story rivals any of his films. Born in New York City, he grew up in New Jersey. He grew up thinking his grandparents were his parents, and his mother, his older sister. When years later, he learned…
Popcornflix
Up for an 11-year-old R-rated indie thriller starring the late Dennis Hopper? How about a 2006 romantic comedy featuring an ensemble cast that includes Seinfeld‘s Jason Alexander and Sons of Anarchy‘s Ron Perlman? But wait, you say don’t want to…
How Microsoft Killed Halo
It was, almost literally, the video game industry invading Hollywood. Microsoft sent a legion of actors decked out in Spartan armor from the Halo series to top studio executives around Hollywood. They strode through security without saying a word, and…
The Essential Don
In the credits to his masterpiece “Unforgiven,” Clint Eastwood included a dedication: “for Don Siegel and Sergio Leone.” Leone was a no-brainer, one of the great filmmakers who worked with Clint on a trio of films (“The Good The Bad…
Die Hard in Space
The marketing department for this futuristic action flick would dearly love critics to describe it as Die Hard in space. Or, failing that, Escape From New York – in space. Producer Luc Besson has, after all, gone to the trouble…
Transit
Infused with a B-movie vibe, this fast-paced, choppily edited thriller doesn’t waste any time on character complexity or plot development, just putting an innocent, albeit troubled, family in harm’s way. But its increasingly preposterous narrative and hysterically over-violent action makes…
Inventors of Genre’s
Some people don’t just create new worlds and super-memorable characters — they give life to their own genres. There are some creators of fantastical stories whose work is so distinctive, you have a pretty good sense what’s going to happen…