Monthly Archives: April 2020

Darren McGavin in “Kolchak: The Night Stalker” Episodes 1 and 2 (1974) – reviewed by George

Posted on April 30, 2020 by cobblerjon

The success of the two TV movies led to an ABC series Episode 1: The Ripper Kolchak and Vincenzo (Simon Oakland) are now in Chicago, and Carl is dictating a story into his tape recorder. There’s a big buildup, and … Continue reading →

Posted in K, N, TV | Tagged Alex Grasshoff., Allen Baron, Beatrice Colen, Carol Ann Susi, Charles Aidman, Darren McGavin, David Chase, Earl Faison, Jack Grinnage, John Fiedler, Ken Lynch, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, Mickey Gilbert, Paulene Myers, Rudolph Borchert, Simon Oakland, Zekial Marko | Leave a comment

Alfred Molina is Hercule Poirot in “Murder on the Orient Express” (2001) – reviewed by George

Posted on April 29, 2020 by cobblerjon

This TV movie takes place in 2001. Yes, the story has been updated. Befitting the shorter TV time, the cast is smaller, but the script is very clever and the changes made, while necessary, are all excellent, as is Mr. … Continue reading →

Posted in M, Movies, TV | Tagged Adam James, Alfred Molina, Amira Casar, Carl Schenkel, David Hunt, Dylan Smith, Fritz Wepper, Kai Wiesinger, Leslie Caron, Meredith Baxter, Murder on the Orient Express, Natasha Wightman, Nicolas Chagrin, Peter Strauss, Stephen Harrigan, Tasha de Vasconcelos | Leave a comment

The Devil-Doll (1936) – reviewed by George

Posted on April 28, 2020 by cobblerjon

Paul Lavond (Lionel Barrymore) and Marcel X (Henry B. Walthall) are escaping from the prison on Devil’s Island (not named , but they’re French and in a jungle – where else?). Marcel’s wife Malita (Rafaela Ottiano) lives in a house-laboratory … Continue reading →

Posted in D, Movies | Tagged Abraham Merritt, Erich von Stroheim, Frank Lawton, Garrett Fort, Guy Endore, Henry B. Walthall, Lionel Barrymore, Maureen O'Sullivan, Rafaela Ottiano, The Devil-Doll, Tod Browning | Leave a comment

View from the Top (2003) – reviewed by George

Posted on April 27, 2020 by cobblerjon

The story of Donna Jensen starts in Silver Springs, Nevada. Her mother, an ex-showgirl, wears a very skimpy showgirl outfit to Donna’s sixth birthday party, and her father stops by for the beer. The desert wind blows out the candles, … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, V | Tagged Bruno Barreto, Candice Bergen, Chad Everett, Chelsey Cole, Christina Applegate, Eric Wald, Gwyneth Paltrow, Joshua Malina, Kelly Preston, Marc Blucas, Mark Ruffalo, Mike Myers, Rob Lowe, View from the Top | Leave a comment

What’s Up, Doc? (1972) – reviewed by George

Posted on April 26, 2020 by cobblerjon

This is a very funny film which uses almost every kind of comedy you can think of: Situational comedy, Accent comedy, Physical comedy, Destruction comedy, Mistaken Identity comedy, Multiple McGuffin comedy, and even good old Slapstick. A huge music prize … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, W | Tagged Austin Pendleton, Barbra Streisand, Buck Henry, David Newman, Kenneth Mars, Liam Dunn, Mabel Albertson, Madeline Kahn, Peter Bogdanovich, Robert Benton, Ryan O'Neal, What's Up Doc? | Leave a comment

Woody Woodpecker (2017) – reviewed by George

Posted on April 25, 2020 by cobblerjon

This is a terrible movie. Destruction comedy has to be accidental or deserved, and neither applies here. Technically it’s a good live action/CGI movie, but a movie needs more than technical expertise – it needs emotion and that has to … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, W | Tagged Adrian Glynn McMorran, Alex Zamm, Daniel Altiere, Emily Holmes, Eric Bauza, Graham Verchere, Jordana Largy, Karin Konoval, Scott McNeil, Steven Altiere, Thaila Ayala, Timothy Omundson, Walter Lantz, William Robertson, Woody Woodpecker | Leave a comment

Jonny Lee Miller is Sherlock Holmes in “Elementary”, Season 6, Episodes 10, 11, and 12 (2018) – reviewed by George

Posted on April 24, 2020 by cobblerjon

Episode 10: The Adventure of the Ersatz Sobekneferu When Moriarty died, Sherlock expected her criminal group to fall apart, but it did not; it simply got a new leader, Sherlock’s father, Morland (John Noble), who took over to control the … Continue reading →

Posted in E, Sherlock Holmes, TV | Tagged Aidan Quinn, Bob Goodman, Clarke Thorell, Dylan Baker, Elementary, Guy Ferland, Jim Norton, John Noble, Jon Michael Hill, Jonny Lee Miller, Julian Sands, Lucy Liu, Robert Hewitt Wolfe, Roger Bart, Ron Fortunato, Stephen Spinella | Leave a comment

Darren McGavin is Carl Kolchak in “The Night Strangler” (1973) – reviewed by George

Posted on April 23, 2020 by cobblerjon

The first TV movie was so successful that a sequel was ordered. In Seattle one night at 2:35 a.m. Omar’s Tent belly dancer Merissa, real name Ethel Parker, was walking down an alley toward the bus stop around the corner. … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, N, TV | Tagged Al Lewis, Dan Curtis, Darren McGavin, Jo Ann Pflug, John Carradine, Margaret Hamilton, Nina Wayne, Richard Anderson, Richard Matheson, Scott Brady, Simon Oakland, The Night Strangler, Wally Cox | Leave a comment

Lady Gaga in “A Star Is Born” (2018) – reviewed by George

Posted on April 22, 2020 by cobblerjon

An outdoor venue, a huge crowd. Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) has a large gulp of gin, picks up a guitar, walks out and waves at the people. He’s a really good performer and the crowd loves him. In a big … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, S | Tagged A Star is Born, Bradley Cooper, Eric Roth, Joan Didion, John Gregory Dunne, Lady Gaga, Moss Hart, Robert Carson, Sam Elliott, Will Fetters, William A. Wellman | Leave a comment

Barbra Streisand in “A Star Is Born” (1976) – reviewed by George

Posted on April 21, 2020 by cobblerjon

This second remake is moving away from the first two pictures in several ways. Esther Blodgett is now Esther Hoffman (Streisand) and there is no need for a name change. Norman Maine is now John Norman Howard (Kris Kristofferson), who … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, S | Tagged A Star is Born, Barbra Streisand, Clydie King, Frank Pierson, Gary Busey, Gary Danziger, Joan Didion, John Gregory Dunne, Kris Kristofferson, Paul Mazursky, Robert Carson, Venetta Fields, William A. Wellman | Leave a comment