Road Games - This is No Rear Window

My DVR is quickly approaching its full capacity with a large portion consisting of TCM Underground films. I'm going to write posts on these movies more concisely so I can clear out my backlog without missing a chance to view any of my recordings. To help keep me focused, I'm going to use the following template to review TCM Underground films:

1. Start with a quick synopsis.
2. Finish on why I think the film has reached a cult status.

So to start off this new format, I'll begin with a 1981 film directed by Richard Franklin: Road Games. This roadsploitation film follows a trucker (played by Stacy Keach) who picks up a female hitchhiker (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) off the long highways of Australia. As they travel down the road, they hear reports on the radio of women hitchhikers being picked up and strangled by some unknown serial killer. Along their journey, they spot a green van and suspicious driver who appears to be a likely suspect. When the duo decide to spy on the van during their route, the truck driver becomes a suspect himself. While trying to keep a low profile among the authorities and other commuters, can the truck driver and his companion survive a deadly game of cat and mouse?

Throughout this movie, I had a hard time keeping interest. It depicts a trucker lifestyle but is definitely no Smokey and the Bandit. So why might this be a cult classic?

• It stars Jamie Lee Curtis a few years after some of her big roles in Halloween and The Fog.
• The truck driver's best friend is a Dingo (and who doesn't like a dingo).
• This was a large budget Australian film and can be considered Ozploitation.
• The story was somewhat influenced by Alfred Hitchcock's film Rear Window. Not only is Curtis' character named "Hitch," but the story carries similar voyeurism and stalking elements seen by the helpless Jimmy Stewart.
• Of all the scenes in the movie, the most memorable is the strangling by wire. It's so memorable because you can see the weapon is clearly a guitar string.

Even though the movie didn't capture me, you can tell it's Exploitation. The story isn't anything spectacular. However, its promotional material, like the poster seen above would have enticed me into the seats of the movie theatre.

So on Death List Five, Road Games ranks #2.

Hobo With A Shotgun - Homelessploitation

I don't think I'll ever be able to emphasize it enough, but I love Tarantino's and Rodriguez's Grindhouse. It was my all-time favorite movie experience: A midnight showing, a fun crowd, a double feature, and awesome intermission trailers. And it was those fake trailers in between films that made me fall in love with Exploitation Cinema. When Exploitation was being produced in the 70's, the movie itself could be terrible, but it was the exciting movie previews that got an audience to fill the seats of the theatre. So to gain interest in the production of Grindhouse, an Internet sensation came to fruition as the general public were challenged to submit their own faux trailers. While there were many awesome trailers produced, there was one that stood above the rest: Hobo With A Shotgun. With high appraise, support, and a legendary lead to helm the title role, this small fan project grew into a full overblown movie production.

Starring Rutger Hauer, this 2011 film was directed by Jason Eisener. Hauer plays a hobo who has just arrived to Hope Town and quickly discovers it's filled with nothing but hopelessness. Aspiring to save up enough money to buy a $40 used-lawnmower, he has no chance of making an honest living in a city overridden by crime. After saving a prostitute named Abby (played by Molly Dunsworth) from being mutilated, the Hobo can no longer handle the corruption and decides to take matters in his own hands - He trades in his dreams and life-savings for an avenging shotgun. As the Hobo slowly cleans up the streets, will he be able to defeat the evil crimelord running Hope (or should I say Scum) City?

From my little synopsis, you can tell this movie is outrageously overblown. However, along with all the silliness and humor, you have to have the right stomach to watch this film as it's filled with some pretty horrific scenes:

• Homeless are decapitated using "glory holes"
• Naked women erotically beat dangling homeless people with razor serrated baseball bats
• A bus full of elementary students are murdered through the use of a flame thrower

Just as Machete is a "Mexiploitation" film, Hobo With a Shotgun is a "Homelessploitation" film. Right from the start, the movie's opening title card screams of Exploitation. Portrayed with a grainy film stock, you feel like you're watching a film in the Grindhouse. Even the story's plot exhibits these perverse elements. The homeless are oppressed and forced to do excruciating things such as chewing on glass while being filmed on camera. However, once the Hobo comes to town serving justice by shotgun, the homeless band together to fight the system. Mix in some sex, blood, and over-the-top dialogue, this movie makes homage to the quintessential Exploitation films.

As for the acting, Rutger Hauer plays the role of the Hobo perfectly. He comes into town, nameless, in a similar fashion to Clint Eastwood from the Leone Westerns. He is strong willed and doesn't like to be tied down. Even though he hides behind a tough demeanor, he has an affectionate side, especially towards Abby. Preserving a platonic relationship with elements of a father and daughter, the Hobo is able to pass his torch of rebellion onto Abby. Molly Dunsworth effectively plays this role, feeding off of Hauer's presentation and becomes a strong and beautiful character the audience likes. In the end, both actors display a intimidating side (especially when Abby sacrifices her hand), where they become scary figures we wouldn't want to mess with, reminiscent of Hauer's Android role in Blade Runner.

If you like Exploitation Films, this movie is for you. If you liked Grindhouse, this movie is for you. Or if you only liked the Thanksgiving and Don't Trailers, this movie is for you.

So on Death List Five, Hobo With A Shotgun ranks #4.

TCM - Summer Under the Stars 2011

In this blog, I tend to gravitate towards Exploitation and Film Noir, but I am trying to broaden my horizons by being more diverse in the movies I watch. Black and white films no longer bother me as I really enjoy the strong contrast. However, it's usually the dialogue of classic films that keeps me distanced. Luckily, Turner Classic Movies is a great resource to help me get past the dated lingo. TCM is truly a great television station that has opened up my aperture by showing some awesome films that I would have never taken the chance to sit down and watch.

Besides being commercial free and having historical vignettes between films, TCM has some great reoccurring features that I really enjoy:

• TCM Underground: Airing late on Friday nights (or early on Saturday mornings), this time frame presents a double feature showcasing some strange but awesome cult classics. In the past, I have reviewed some of these films.
• The Essentials: Introduced by Robert Osborne and Alec Baldwin, this Saturday night feature presents a must-see film and concludes with a post-movie discussion. Also check out The Essentials Jr, currently being introduced by SNL's Bill Hader.
  
• Silent Sunday Nights: Silently shown every Sunday night before I go to bed, this is the perfect way to end your weekend before waking up to the beginning of the long work week.

TCM also has an annual event called Summer Under the Stars. For each day during the month of August, TCM presents 24 hours of films featuring a particular movie star. You've probably heard of these Hollywood legends, but have never seen any of their work. TCM makes it very accessible to get familiar with these artists by spotlighting some of their most spectacular performances. Some of the stars showcased this month are Carey Grant, Lucille Ball, Marlon Brando, and Lon Chaney.

I decided to blog about this month long event because my namesake Jimmy Stewart (myself named James Stewart Hardin) is being featured in today's Summer Under the Stars. Although I've seen very little of his work (It's a Wonderful Life and Rear Window), TCM proved my parents didn't do too bad of a job naming me. I haven't really analyzed any of the films shown today, but The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance will definitely be a film I will review and can say is one of my all-time favorites. From what I've seen, I really enjoy Jimmy Stewart as he plays the likable and good willed man and makes me proud to be named after him. I plan to watch more of his work, so stay tuned as I may blog on a particular Hitchcock thriller in the very near future.

So before this month ends, be sure to check out TCM's Summer Under the Stars film schedule at: http://www.tcm.com/summer/

Tarantino Comics - Issue 19

"Mmmhmm! This is a tasty burger!" Inspired from Pulp Fiction, Tarantino Comics #19 was drawn at Heroes Con 2011 by Matthew Petz:

I first met Matt at the CGS Super Show. Not only is he a humble guy, but he's a terrific artist. His art style can range from the classic super heroics to the humorous imagery presented above. I've been waiting for Matt to draw an issue of Tarantino Comics ever since he's illustrated Animal tearing Elmo's head off in my Sesame Street vs. Muppet Show Sketchbook. And I don't regret my choice because he wonderfully transposed one of the most quotable scenes in cinematic history into comic book form.

So if you like how he presents Jules biting into a Big Kahuna Burger, be sure to check out his Zuda webcomic War of the Woods at: http://www.comixology.com/digital/series/5123 .

Also check out his website (http://www.monsterislandmedia.com/) and blog (http://matthewpetz.blogspot.com/).

Following - The Old B and E

Christopher Nolan knows how to make a solid film. From his stunning grittiness of The Dark Knight to the complex intricacies of Inception, Nolan is able to fill the seats of a movie theater. But before his record breaking blockbusters, and even before his creative storytelling of Memento, Nolan directed a very unique short film called Following.

This 1998 Neo-Noir takes place in the streets of London where an unnamed man (played by Jeremy Theobald) has a unique hobby: Following. He randomly follows people to see what they do, who they meet, or where they go. He never interacts with his prey, until one day he is caught by a man named Cobb (played by Alex Haw). Rather than be disgusted by the man, Cobb takes interest in him and shows him his hobby: Burglary. The two men begin working as a team, breaking into random houses and stealing personal items. However, the man becomes infatuated with a Blonde (played by Lucy Russell) whose house they break into and forms a relationship with her outside of their escapades. But with a rift forming between him and Cobb, risky tasks inquired by the Blonde, and a murder occurring, has our protagonist gone too far with his stalking?

In a similar fashion to Memento, this film is told in a non-linear fashion. It's not backwards, but it interlocks three chronologies following the three primary characters. One chronology is told from the main character's perspective while the other two showcase his interactions between Cobb and the Blonde. Eventually the three chronologies converge and you know the whole story and a twist is revealed.

As for noir elements, the story is told in black and white. Reminiscent of the old classics, the main character is a writer and narrates the story. Cobb is the slick criminal mastermind making the calls. As for the Blonde, she isn't really who she appears to be and is that Femme Fatale pulling the strings of our protagonist. Although this film is quite dark, I can't help but think of Dane Cook. Since their occupation consists of burglarizing homes, I think of Dane's B&E (Breaking and Entering) from his Vicious Circle stand-up comedy special. Dane's hilarious anecdote doesn't go the same direction as Following, but it has similar dynamics when Cobb and company go on their first burglary.

One final observation: The criminal mastermind of Following is named Cobb. If you ever watched Inception, you may notice Leo's character carries the same name. Although their characteristics are a little different, you can't help but ask, are these the same Cobb's? They both are master thieves and they both keep their hair slicked back. Could Cobb from Following be Cobb before the events of Inception? Probably not, but I like to see links and continuity between director's films (a reason why I like Tarantino so much!).

Following is a solid film and you can see Christopher Nolan taking root with his unique storytelling. I wouldn't rank this film as one of my favorites, but I'm sure it got the creative juices flowing so we get the awesome projects he's producing now.

So on Death List Five, Following ranks #3.

Breaking Bad - The Season 4 Premiere (and Recap)

Who would have ever guessed that silly dad from Malcolm in the Middle would become such a bad-ass?!?! Bryan Cranston plays Walter White, the main protagonist on my favorite television show, Breaking Bad. With great acclaim from Variety Magazine stating it has a "jarring feel of a Tarantino film" and Rolling Stone claiming it's a "Southwestern noir the Coen brothers would make if they did TV," how could you not want to watch this show! After waiting through a suspenseful cliffhanger, my anxious little mind was finally appeased by the Season 4 Premiere on AMC. So for those of you who haven't watched the show, or have never even heard of it (as I know plenty of people who haven't), here's a quick recap:

Walter White is a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with lung cancer. Too proud to ask for help, Walt uses his talented knowledge of chemistry to pay for his rising medical costs: Cooking Crystal Meth. Unsure how to deal his product on the streets, Walt teams up with one of his prior high school dropout students, Jesse Pinkman (played by Aaron Paul). As Walt and Jesse start pushing the product, Walt's recipe is the most purest (and bluest) meth on the streets. After associating himself with a sleazy lawyer (Saul Goodman played by Bob Odenkirk), his wife leaving him because of his "new career" (Skyler played by Anna Gunn), and his brother-in-law Hank (a DEA agent) getting paralyzed because of his misdeeds, Walt continues down a dark and twisted path.

Walt ends up teaming with the crime lord Gus (a man masqueraded as community businessman), who provides him the proper resources and facilities to carry out the drug operations. Walt slowly teaches his recipe to Gale, a lab assistant assigned to him by Gus. However with all of Walt's knowledge transferred to Gale, Gus plans to kill Walt and Jesse. In a desperate measure to save himself from getting shot in the head, Walt calls Jesse to assassinate Gale so no other living person knows his cooking secrets. So what was this big cliffhanger? We were left with a gun pointing at Walt and a nervous Jesse firing a gun at Gale...

After the ending of the Season 3 Finale, my emotions were running wild and was left on the edge of my seat of wondering the fates of my favorite protagonists. Thankfully, the Season 4 Premiere has finally aired and lived up to all my expectations! Walt's plan worked, where Jesse was able to cap the lab assistant, buying them a little more time. However they must plan and act quickly if they want to stay alive. We discovered the true capability of Gus' darkside where he silently killed one of his own lackeys with a razor blade to instill fear into Walt's and Jesse's minds. We also discover Walt is corrupting the people he loves. Skyler illegally lied to a locksmith so she could gain access into Walt's house. He's creating a monster in Jesse, where Jesse has easily justified his murderous deed. And as for paralyzed Hank, he's a pathetic man losing the motivation to live, wasting his time buying rocks on the Internet rather than putting his willpower into rehabilitation.

Breaking Bad is a highly character driven show with quirky and dark situations. Walt has morphed from the innocent school teacher into the ultimate gangster. He may have put his cancer into remission, but he is slowly losing his family and friends. In my opinion, the scene in which Walt is at the point of no return was when he murdered two drug dealers by shooting them to the ground after running them over with his car. Walt use to be a man of moral judgment, maybe even a mentor to Jesse. But instead, he commanded Jesse to murder, a crime Jesse wasn't willing or ready to commit.

However, even though Walt is becoming a master criminal, he's still a likable character. Since he was forced into something he wasn't willing to do, I believe the audience can identify with his emotions and actions. Walt didn't deserve cancer and desires to leave the criminal business that has ironically saved his life (at least for now). But as Michael Corleone once said, "When I thought I was out, they pulled me back in!"

This season, we are in for a wild and crazy ride as Walt and Jesse try to survive their hostile environment. And even if they get rid of Gus, will they have to bury themselves even further into the criminal underworld so they can stay alive?

Once more, I have to reiterate, if you haven't seen this show, watch it now! All the previous seasons are on Blu-Ray and DVD. I promise, if you watch this show, you won't be disappointed!

So on Death List Five, as an ongoing series, Breaking Bad ranks #5.

The Italian Job - The Ultimate Cliffhanger

AMC's Breaking Bad had a cliffhanger keeping us in suspense for almost a year. Luckily tonight, the waiting ends and we'll continue down the dark path of Walter White. So in honor of my favorite show on television, I present a movie with a cliffhanger (although more comedic) on par with Breaking Bad: The Italian Job.

Directed by Peter Collinson in 1969, The Italian Job is your typical heist movie in which a band of British merry men plan to steal pallets of gold from the Italian Government. It's a complex job that requires the heist team to disable the city's computer traffic control system so they can take advantage of the chaotic streets. Once they manage to steal the gold, the team quickly transfers the pallets into Mini Coopers so they can easily manipulate through the Italian city of Turin. With the police and the Mafia on the crew's tails, will the team be able to get away with the gold?

The heist team is led by Charlie Croker, played by the suave Michael Caine. When I think of Caine, I think of Alfred, Batman's butler or that crazy hippy guy from Children of Men. Although the humor aspect is epitomized, Caine also played Nigel Powers, a definite homage to Croker, a witty man loved by the ladies, yet heavily respected by his crew.

Each member of Croker's crew is essential in completing the job. Of all the members, the most beautiful is Lorna (played by Maggie Blye), the only American member at his side (or I at least assume since she has a Texan accent). He is funded by Mr. Bridger (played by Noël Coward), the prison warden purchasing the team's resources and equipment (Croker had to break into jail to get Bridger to sign on). And finally, the man responsible for scrambling the traffic control system is Professor Simon Peach (played by Benny Hill), a comedic and strange fellow who has a fetish for fat women.

So now you ask, how does the Italian Job come full circle with the ultimate cliffhanger? After watching Mini Coopers drive through Turin's off-terrain passages and bumpy stair paths (entertaining scenes I cannot describe but need to be watched), they load the gold onto a stripped-out bus. As the bus leaves the city streets, they maneuver through the twisting and mountainous roads of the countryside. They're almost free when the driver tragically takes too sharp of a turn and sends the bus teeter-tottering off the edge of a cliff. As the group of men cautiously shift all their weight to the front of the bus, they fearfully watch the mountain valley peering through the rear window. With the catchy lyrics of "Getta Bloomin' Move On" (aka "The Self Preservation Society") queued and ready for the ending credits, Croker concludes the film with these final words: "Hang on a minute, lads, I've got a great idea!"

Nevertheless, The Italian Job is an entertaining caper with some awesome car chase sequences. Although I'll never know the fate of Michael Caine's crew in their literal "cliffhanger," at least by the end of tonight, I'll get some catharsis on how Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul get out the mess they were left in last year.

So on Death List Five, The Italian Job (1969) ranks #4.