Few television programs hit the airwaves with the impact of “Rowan & Martin Laugh-In.” With its rapid-fire skein of zany sketches, topical humor, hipster catch phrases, go-go dancing, and zeitgeist-hugging mod fashions and pop-art production design, the program defined the spirit the free-wheeling and often chaotic late 1960s and early 1970s.
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After relentless caterwauling from fans for four years, director Zack Snyder is allowed to return to the DCEU once again to offer his original vision (or a very close facsimile) of what he had planned for the “Justice League” and the DCEU. While I don’t miss Snyder and his involvement with the DC movies (the man loves his slow motion), his “Justice League” is, shocking enough, an infinitely superior adaptation than the 2017 Joss Whedon lemon. I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece, but if pushed in to a corner, I’d happily rewatch the “Snyder Cut” again, with warts and all.
BOOTLEG FILES 761: “The Carpenters…Space Encounters” (1978 television variety special).
LAST SEEN: On YouTube.
AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.
REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: Music clearance rights are probably at the root of the problem.
CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Not likely.
When it comes to kitsch, nothing beats the television variety specials of the 1970s. Between the none-too-special guest stars performing musical numbers for which they were ill-suited, the flashy polyester costuming, the overbaked choreography and the manic need to appear hip, these productions often represent the best of the worst elements from the decade that good taste forgot.
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Please introduce yourself.
I’m Jill Gevargizian, I’m a director, producer, sometimes writer, and hairstylist! My feature film debut, The Stylist, just released!
What is it that attracts you to the horror genre for your chosen field of creative work?
I’ve always loved horror. I love that it’s exciting, adventurous, and challenging. I really love working in the genre because it is an incredibly entertaining way to confront more serious ideas, themes, and issues.
An aging hairdresser is called back into action for one last hurrah. As he crosses his small town on foot, the viewer (and himself) find out who he is and what he is meant to do.
A real estate agent meets a woman in the worst circumstances she could possibly be in. With some coaxing, they both travel to Los Angeles so that she can take revenge on those who have put here where she was when he found her.
Please introduce yourself.
I’m Ashley Maria, I’m located in Los Angeles, and I recently launched my first feature film, Pioneers in Skirts, a documentary which follows my own journey as a director in Hollywood and the obstacles women confront in their careers. I started out in the genre space – horror, comedy, action – but quickly saw how I would be treated in my career as “just a woman-director,” even after winning a Directors Guild of America award for my first short film, “Friday Night Fright.” So, I had to make a movie to find solutions to create real change. That is Pioneers in Skirts which was released in 2020, now screening worldwide. I’m now coming back to horror, developing my next feature – and very excited!