Roger Corman (1926-2024)

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Hollywood, filmmaking, horror, indie film, pop culture, the language of film, the understanding of art, the understanding of filmmaking, none of it would be the same were it not for Roger Corman. He’s a juggernaut that’s left behind a massive legacy and imprint on how we view movies. He will be very sorely missed.

He is survived by his wife Julie and children Catherine, Roger, Brian and Mary, and the countless legions of fans, film buffs, and aspiring filmmakers that he’s inspired with his enthusiasm for film, and love of storytelling.

Thank you, Roger Corman.

Rest in Power, sir.

Murdercise (2023)

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“All those girls out there are perverts, strippers and communists!”

It’s amazing that Kansas Bowling isn’t a bigger star. She’s become one of the most recurring faces in indie and horror film, only really appearing every so often to deliver some of the most hilarious characters put to screen. Working with Paul Ragsdale again, Bowling delivers a fun take on a character that’s not so much a villain and not so much a hero, but is just someone dealing with their own insanity. Director Ragsdale delivers a silly nonsensical horror comedy that’s centered on the Reagan-era aesthetic to where even Bowling’s main character is an uptight Reagan fan.

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The Red Ball (2022)

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George Morgan’s “The Red Ball” reminded me a lot of “If Anything Happens, I Love You.” It’s a powerful animated short about grief, pain, and attempting to start over after a horrible loss that’s shaken up someone’s innocence. In this instance, George Morgan focuses on a family’s efforts to move on and find some kind of restart despite the lingering pain of their former lives.

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War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

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Available on Physical Media and For Streaming.

I highly doubt this was ever planned to be the end (as nothing really ends in Hollywood), but if anything “War for the Planet of the Apes” is a stellar end to the Caesar saga. This new series’ timeline of the “Planet of the Apes” saga has proven to be filled with surprises and epic drama that once was anchored by the humans. Thanks to the amazing motion capture and excellent performance by Andy Serkis, it’s refreshing to see the series pivot finally over to the apes’ point of view. “War for the Planet of the Apes” is a downright fantastic epilogue to the journey of Caesar who went from animal victim to messiah of the new dominating race of apes. 

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The Bootleg Files: Sammy Stops the World

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BOOTLEG FILES 865: “Sammy Stops the World” (1979 filmed record of Sammy Davis Jr.’s stage production of “Stop the World – I Want to Get Off”).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: Back in the early VHS and Betamax days.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: An obscure film that fell through the cinematic cracks.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Not likely.

One of the most unusual figures in the movie world was Bill Sargent, who commanded a unique niche – he would videotape prominent stage productions, transfer the video to 35mm film, and release the work into cinemas. Sargent reckoned that moviegoers would pay to see recordings of shows that theatrical and concert audiences paid to see – and he was right, when he had the vehicle that demanded attention. Beginning in 1964 with the gimmicky banner “Electronovision,” Sargent packaged video-to-film presentations that included Richard Burton’s Broadway turn in “Hamlet,” the all-star music concert “The T.A.M.I. Show,” the Truman tribute “Give ‘Em Hell, Harry!” with James Whitmore in his Oscar-nominated role, and the definitive comedy concert presentation “Richard Pryor: Live in Concert.”
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Gunslingers (2024)

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Director Jacob Thompson’s “Gunslingers” is a great modern ode to the classic movie western that explores the universal idea of the gunslinger. Although it might be a badge of honor to be considered the best gunslinger in the west, there will always be someone coming around challenging you. And that is a curse to bear that will end with someone buried underground.

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