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The Bootleg Files: See Ya Later Gladiator

BOOTLEG FILES 828: “See Ya Later Gladiator” (1968 animated short with Daffy Duck and Speedy Gonzalez).

LAST SEEN:
On DailyMotion.com.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: It seems to have fallen through the proverbial cracks.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE:
Not likely at the moment.

Fans of the Looney Tunes animation series will probably wince upon learning which film is in the spotlight in this column. “See Ya La Gladiator” has the sad distinction of being the last (and perhaps the least) of the theatrically produced Looney Tunes animated shorts featuring the classic-era characters – in this case, the severely mismatched pair of Daffy Duck and Speedy Gonzales.
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The Pope’s Exorcist (2023)

It feels a lot like the studios behind “The Pope’s Exorcist” is intent, or at least trying, to build a new horror hero in the vein of the Warrens a la “The Conjuring.” While normally I would never root for a film to fail, I hope we don’t get any sequels because I can’t picture Gabriele Amorth being a dynamic or even compelling horror protagonist. Even with his first film, Gabriele Amorth is explored as a massively skeptical priest pulled in to an extraordinary and genuine exorcism. There really isn’t much beyond what we learn about Gabriele Emorth or “The Pope’s Exorcist” for that matter.

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Cocaine Bear (2023): Maximum Rampage Edition [Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital]

I don’t think anyone could predict that one of the weirdest drug crime stories would turn in to a bona fide cult horror comedy– and then directed by Elizabeth Banks, of all people. Suffice it to say, though, “Cocaine Bear” despite being one of the many movie memes of the year, it does live up to being a wildly funny, and gory nature run amok movie. Banks’ comedic sensibilities are perfect for what is such an unabashedly silly horror comedy. “Cocaine Bear” is a movie that you either love or hate. It’s a movie you’ll accept in to your heart, or just outright reject with extreme prejudice. Oddly enough I haven’t seen too much middle ground when it applies to reacting to the movie and its success. 

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My Top Five Movie Radio DJ’s

With “John Wick: Chapter 4” further dominating the box office and garnering much acclaim, it’s managed to stir a lot of ballyhoo from fans. In particular its use of great movie references that it utilizes to advance the narrative is a huge highly. In the climax as John Wick is on the run, a radio DJ (Marie Pierra Kakoma) pops up to inform everyone over the air waves on where he is, this leads to a big turn of events in Wick’s fight for survival. The obvious “The Warriors” nod is a brilliant callback, and one that inspired me to recollect some of my favorite movie Radio DJ’s.

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Superman is Still the Hero We Need

Superman has always been deemed as something of an antiquated superhero by many, but I’ve always turned to him in my need for a good superhero fix. Ever since I was seven, I devoured everything and anything that had Superman featured. That also included Richard Donner’s “Superman: The Movie.” It not only featured Superman, but it featured one of the Supermen that I grew up with. Along with the Max Fleischer Superman, and George Reeves Superman, Christopher Reeve was the big dog in the superhero universe. Reeve’s boyish charm and staunch determination made Superman a hero you could look up to and depend on.

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Western Wednesdays: Roll On Texas Moon (1946)

SYNOPSIS:
Cattleman Gabby Whittaker [George “Gabby” Hayes] is tried and immediately acquitted of the murder of sheep herder Matt Delaney [John Ince]. Fearing a range war between Ramshead Sheep Ranch and the Whirligig Cattle Syndicate, Frank Wilson [Edward Keane] sends Roy Rogers out to attempt to smooth things over.

Meanwhile, Jill Delaney [Dale Evans] is fuming mad over the invasion of cattlemen on her ranch and vows to return to San Francisco if nothing is done. Rogers attempts to end the feud with Delaney, but her ranch hand Kate [Elisabeth Risdon] isn’t convinced of Rogers’ hospitable nature.
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Attack of the Doc! (2023)

After the short lived resurgence of G4 TV in 2021, old school fans of the channel were brought back to the more magical days where the channel influenced pop culture. I was once upon a time a big fan of not only G4 TV, but of “Attack of the Show!” From 2007 to 2011, I would watch every single episode of “Attack of the Show!” and would even make a big occasion of their epic Comic Con coverage. While many fans of the channel and series know full well what happened to G4 and why it fell, “Attack of the Doc!” is a niche documentary with a tale that deserves to be told.

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