A-Z Challenge 2014: Z is for Zero to Sixty!

1978

I'm not sure why this poster is in black and white - I doubt the actual poster was - but this was a tough poster to track down at all - and the movie's just as elusive. And I have to be honest - it's not that great a movie - but it's Darren McGavin and Joan Collins and the Hudson Brothers - and it's just a goofy damn movie with repo man McGavin helping out a 16 year old runaway girl to the detriment of what little life he's got.

Car chases and a slightly uncomfortable May-December vibe add to the weirdness. Produced by McGavin's wife Katherine Browne and directed by Don Weis - who helmed four episodes of Kolchak-The Night Stalker - this played on Showtime like it was going out of style in the early 80's and has rarely been seen since. If you like McGavin - even if only from his yearly appearance in your house from A Christmas Story - you should try tracking this one down.


In another startling coincidence (wink) - this April 2014 A-Z Blogging Challenge has come to an end - on my birthday! Again! So, I shall play the birthday boy card and indulge myself with a couple of fun video clips. Fun for me anyway...


I know! Here are three of my favorite TV show openings ever!

Awesome Stephen J. Cannell show from 1983-1986. And for B movie fans - that opening narrator is none other than John Ashley - who acted in the Beach movies with Frankie and Annette and made several exploitation movies in the Phllipines in the late 60's and early 70's, then later worked as a producer on The A-Team for Cannell!



Mission:Impossible is my favorite TV show of all time. It was brought back in 1988 to ABC during a long writer's strike - they used the scripts from the original show, with allowed updating elements. After the strike ended they continued the show with original stories. Peter Graves was back - and Phil Morris - son of original M:I star Greg Morris - was brought in to play the son of his dad's character - now that's cool.

and finally -

A funny and well acted show - here's season 6's extended opening - and if you've never watched this show - I truly recommend it. The first few episodes are okay - but it's one of those shows that just gets better and better after the cast starts meshing and the writers know how to write for them. I think these credits show the cast chemistry.

Until next post - after a few days off - and with my thanks for coming by the April 2014 A-Z Blogging Challenge - you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!

A-Z Challenge 2014: Y is for You Only Live Twice!

And Twice is the only way to live!

1967

We're nearing the end of this A-Z Challenge - and I've featured two James Bond knock-off movie posters. For those just joining us - they were - coincidentally - back to back - Never Too Young to Die and Operation Kid Brother.



And while I did say at the start of this challenge that I was going to feature smaller, less well known (or remembered) movies - I am a 007 Superfan, so I wanted to get one of the movies' posters in. This seemed like a good time.


James Bond is headed to Japan to find out who is hijacking rockets right out of orbit. He suspects it's his old best enemy group S.P.E.C.T.R.E.  - and he might be right. He's never seen that group's leader - Ernst Stavro Blofeld - but before this one ends they meet face to cracked face - and wait til you meet Little Nellie and her grumpy father!





Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!

A-Z Challenge 2014: X is for X-Ray!

1982

While the pool of "X" movies battles with "Q" movies to be the smallest - at least there are crazy movies like this one available. What would seem to be a slightly late in coming standard issue slasher picture makes it on to this list for a few reasons. Let's list them.


1.) Barbi Benton. I have always liked her - and she was never more beautiful than in this movie.

2.) Once Barbi's character goes into the hospital - the movie gets blissfully strange - like she's crossed into another dimension. People act weird; the hospital has sections teeming with people right next door to entirely empty wings; old Jewish ladies are played by men, etc.

3.) This movie was sent out under several alternate titles. The most prevalent was Hospital Massacre. Then there was X-Ray - which helped me out today. Lastly, the opening setup involves Valentine's Day when Barbi is a girl. This led to one of the greatest titles in film history - and the only one this movie should have ever had, this A-Z Challenge notwithstanding: Be My Valentine...Or Else!




What more could anyone ask?






Until next post - you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!

A-Z Challenge 2014: W is for The War Wagon!

1967

I realized as I went to select the W movie that there was a whole W genre I hadn't touched on in this series - and it's a genre I really enjoy - the Western. And here's a W movie that fits the bill nicely for a good solid Western - and of course it stars another W - John Wayne. Plus you get Kirk Douglas as a bonus.



The bad guys have an armored stagecoach called the War Wagon. The Duke and Kirk team up to take it down. Simple as that - and you're also getting dollops of another favorite genre movie - the heist flick - where a group comes together to plan out and execute some kind of caper against tremendous odds. (Are you surprised to find out Mission: Impossible is my favorite television show?)








Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!

A-Z Challenge 2014: V is for Videodrome!

1983

A typically challenging David Cronenberg movie - this one combining his patented "body horror" with some still topical ideas regarding cable television and what might be termed taboo entertainment.



When cable station exec James Woods discovers a secret satellite channel called Videodrome serving up real sex and violence to its subscribers, he starts investigating, little knowing what's in store for him when he starts tuning in...



Co-starring Sonja Smits and Debbie Harry (of Blondie fame) - this is the best kind of disturbing movie - with some incredible Rick Baker makeup effects. Recommended for those so inclined.




Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!

A-Z Challenge 2014: U is for Up the Creek!

1984

Take a couple of guys from National Lampoon's Animal House (Tim "Otter" Matheson and Stephen "Flounder" Furst) and one guy from Porky's (Dan "Pee-Wee" Monahan) - put them in a raft race with your standard issue military school jackwagons among others - and let the shenanigans begin!



There's nothing too surprising about this R rated slob comedy -  but it's pleasantly played and was shot in some beautiful locations in Oregon - and female lead Jennifer Runyan - now married to Roger Corman's nephew and sporting a Corman at the end of her name - is "introduced" here and is very cute. What more could anyone ask?








Until next post, you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!

A-Z Challenge 2014: T is for Tarantula!

1955

I have been a fan of the 1950's Big Bug movies since I was a little kid catching them on TV. This is pretty much my favorite. John Agar and the gorgeous Mara Corday run away from Leo G. Carroll's ever growing arachnid - a byproduct of an experiment to end world hunger.




Director Jack Arnold does his job well - the effects are cool - the story is interesting - and the cast is good - including a young Clint Eastwood, who turns up near the end of the movie:

But he is only seen flying his plane with this oxygen mask on - still - there's no mistaking those eyes - or his voice.

Until next post - you Can Poke Me With A Fork, Cause I Am Outta Here!