ELECTRA GLIDE IN BLUE (1973)

I've been pulling up some old DVD and Video Risk reviews from the cybertomb that once was EInsiders.com. Hope you enjoy. This review was from October 2000.

Inner voices may be the result of schizophrenia or in most cases, they are the result of a good person listening to their conscience. Robert Blake's John Wintergreen solves the murder which serves as a backdrop to James William Guercio's 1973 cult classic "Electra Glide in Blue" by listening to his inner voices. Listed as an action film by many video rental outlets, "Electra Glide in Blue" is really a character study of a truly decent guy with an ugly job, surrounded by corruption caused by others who do not listen to that inner voice that God has given them.

John Wintergreen is a motorcycle cop in Arizona who is judged by his coworkers by his short stature. What John Wintergreen lacks in size he makes up in wisdom. His name, "Wintergreen" is symbolic of the inner conflict he lives with on a day-to-day basis; he is wise yet idealistic which puts him in conflict with almost everyone else around him. John Wintergreen dreams of a better life. He hates the motorcycle he is forced to ride...the "elephant under his ass" as he describes the Harley Electra Glide driven by he and his fellow Arizona Highway patrolmen. He believes that if his transfer to the homicide squad is granted all of his problems will be solved. He wants to get paid for thinking. He gets his chance at the big leagues when he discovers the body of an apparent suicide and rants that it is a murder until people listen. He soon learns that dreams are not always what they are cracked up to be. One reviewer described the murder mystery in this film as McGuffin. I agree fully. The murder mystery in this film serves the same purpose as the murder in Norman Jewison's "In the Heat of the Night." It is the plot device which moves the story from point A to B and beyond.

Filmed in 1973, "Electra Glide in Blue" was a contemporary slice of the turmoil that existed during that time. I saw it on its first run and viewed it again recently. The movie holds up today for the simple reason that its director Guercio and screenwriters Robert Boris and Rupert Hitzig present the opposing forces on display in an unbiased manner. The cops and the counterculture are both shown warts and all. This is not to say that the screenplay doesn't have problems. There are several scenes which seem to exist only to put the characters in conflict with each other. The most notable is the scene in which John Wintergreen and his homicide detective mentor Harve (Mitchell Ryan) stand by as their common girlfriend, Jolene (the hot Jeannine Riley) hammers a wedge between them. This scene betrays the rest of the movie as there has been no set up for Jolene's character to act in such a way. This complaint aside, the movie holds up today without feeling dated. Although the theme music which opens and closes the movie is much too grandiose.

As with most character studies, the plot is secondary. This is not to say that the plot doesn't hold the viewer, it does. However, it is Robert Blake's performance which is the film's focal point. Mr. Blake is one of the great character actors in the history of film. He has been sorely underused and overlooked. His portrayal of Perry Smith in Richard Brooks "In Cold Blood" is one of the most chilling performances ever put on film. I remember shedding a tear at the end of that film when he was hung for his crimes. This was quite an accomplishment on Mr. Blake's part, to cause the viewer to shed a tear over his demise when his character brutally murdered a family of four with a shotgun at pointblank range. Here too, Mr. Blake draws the viewer into his life. The viewer roots for him as he maneuvers through the world of corruption and morons which surround him.

The supporting performances are for the most part excellent. Wintergreen's motorcycle partner, Zipper (Billy "Green" Bush) is the ultimate, ignorant redneck cop. Zip is content sitting on his motorcycle in the shade, reading comic books and collecting his government check. The only dream he has is to own a top-of-the-line Harley with no police radio attached. He uses his hatred of the outlaw fringe as justification for everything from planting drugs on suspects to murdering them in hot pursuit. His major flaw is that he doesn't listen to his inner voice. He causes and is caused problems because he has a set-in-stone mindset. To him, the unexamined life is the only one worth living. Wintergreen's perceived Messiah, Harve (Mitchell Ryan) also ignores his inner voices. The corruption Harve represents on the force is more dangerous because it is backed by brains and rank. He is a macho, balls-to-the-wall detective who sees the rift between the cops and everyone else in apocalyptic terms. He sees Wintergreen at first as the protege he can mold into his own "mini-me." Harve comes to hate Wintergreen as John turns out to be the mirror aimed at his inner-self that Harve has avoided for so many years. Jeannine Riley's Jolene is the hot, redneck babe that you would hope to meet while suffering car-trouble in some small town. Her scene with John at the beginning of the movie portrays a woman with a lust for life and a body to make the ride possible. This is a shame because the aforementioned scene with her, Wintergreen and Harve rings false. The fault lies with the writers, not the actress. Veteran character actors Royal Dano and Elisha Cook Jr. also shine. I could have sworn that Royal Dano's jugular vein and artery were going to explode during his confrontation with Wintergreen! Elisha Cook Jr. also shines as Willie, the crazy desert hermit.

Video outlets which describe this movie as an action film do the viewer a disservice. The movie does have several exciting action scenes, however it is not a fast-paced movie. Character takes time to develop, and "Electra Glide in Blue" takes time to show the growth of the characters involved. This movie is obviously a personal work of love by the director. The patient viewer will be rewarded for staying through to the haunting finale.

I watched this movie with my (now EX) wife. She was troubled by the fact that Wintergreen stood by as his partner, Zipper planted drugs on an innocent character. I understood her frustration. Why would a decent person who has sworn to uphold the law turn his back while a fellow office violated that same oath? In the 1980s, I was on the waiting list to join the Las Vegas Police Department. During that time, a dear friend of mine was shot and killed by a Nevada Highway patrolman. I went to the coroner's inquest. I saw law officers stand in support of a rookie who made a bad judgment call. I withdrew my name from the waiting list because I decided that if put in similar circumstances, I couldn't support a brother officer who had taken a life in such a manner. I also realized that if I failed to support my brother officer that someday, when I most needed such help, it would be denied me. Unlike me, John Wintergreen decided to stick it out. His decision to do so has dramatic ramifications for him. In this film, as in all good character studies, growth takes place and the hero deals with this issue.

While researching this review I discovered a bit of trivia that I had been previously unaware. Director Guercio was the producer of the band "Chicago" during the early part of their career. Several members of the band appear in this movie in important supporting roles, most notably lead singer Peter Cetera and lead guitarist Terry Kath.

Cinematographer Conrad Hall makes the most of Monument Valley. Two scenes in this great natural resource bookend the movie.

Producer/Director Guercio was nominated for the Golden Palm at Cannes for his work here. Robert Blake received a Golden Globe nomination as best actor in a dramatic feature film. Both nominations were well deserved. "Electra Glide in Blue" is a very good film which lives up to its potential for greatness in many respects and misses the target on some other points. Nevertheless, it is a better than average video risk for those who love character studies.

Pretty Maids All In A Row (1971)

I've been pulling up some old DVD and Video Risk reviews from the cybertomb that once was EInsiders.com. Hope you enjoy. This review was from September 2000.

What do you get when you mix Gene Roddenberry, Roger Vadim, Rock Hudson, Angie Dickinson, Telly Savalas, James Doohan, Roddy McDowell, Keenan Wynn, Donny Osmond and numerous sexy starlets? Either one interesting dinner party or the 1971 movie "Pretty Maids All in a Row." Produced and screenplay by Roddenberry, directed by Vadim (with the theme song "Chilly Wind" sung by a prepubescent Donny Osmond). "Pretty Maids" is a twisted, black comedy which examines the sexual revolution in Southern California in the 1960-70s.

THE STORY: The plot is twofold. Hudson plays a high-school guidance counselor who splits his time between seducing willing young high school nymphs, warding off the advances of an incredibly sexy and frustrated English teacher (Angie Dickinson), and mentoring a perpetually erect male student (John David Carson) who can't seem to get past all of the miniskirted beauties who populate his school in order to develop a meaningful relationship. The previously mentioned plot line is moved along by the search for a serial killer who seems to be targeting all of the nubile young students who sashay across the screen.

THE REVIEW: This movie is exploitation, but is also a scathing indictment of the sexual revolution which put the "if it feels good, do it" philosophy ahead of personal responsibility and meaningful human connections.

The performances are excellent throughout. Rock Hudson comes across as the epitome of masculine sexuality. With the later revelations concerning his true orientation it is hard to watch this movie and not believe he deserved an Oscar. That statement is not meant as a slur on our gay brethren, but rather a sincere observation. Hudson's character is obsessed with women. He has bought into the free love movement 100%. There are so many pleasant surprises in his performance. Watch for the scene in which he flirts with the woman walking down the sidewalk near the beach.

Rock's scenes with Angie Dickinson are both sensual and hilarious. This is in a large part due to Ms. Dickinson's flawless performance as the frustrated single school teacher. She has never looked better than in this film. Her character feels that the sexual revolution is passing her by, yet, she can't seem to commit to the uninhibited lack of morals such a lifestyle entails. She is willing to try, but in her heart of hearts she is a good girl looking to settle down with a man that she can devote her life to. Of course, she wishes that the man would be Rock Hudson's character. He puts her off, though. Why? You figure it out.

The supporting cast is fun to watch. We have a pre-Kojak, lollipop sucking Telly Savalas as the detective investigating the murders. He is both bemused and shocked by the overtly sexual teenaged girls he interviews. Roddy McDowell provides an amusing turn as the blind-to-everything principle of Nympho High. Keenan Wynn turns in an amusing performance as the towns bumbling sheriff. His sheriff is not unlike the one-track-minded Major "Bat" Guano from "Doctor Strangelove." These characters, along with Ms. Dickinson, represent the post-WWII establishment which is trying to come to grips with the new-aged freedom and philosophies spawned by the turbulent 1960s. These folks do not know whether to embrace these new mores or be repulsed by them. Their responses provide both humor and pathos.

John David Carson's character epitomizes this conflict. He was obviously raised to respect the values of the earlier generation, yet, he wishes to partake in the bacchanal which is going on around him. He turns to Hudson for advice. Hudson's "solution" to his problem provides one of the movies funniest scenes as Dickinson is enlisted to cure Carson's "impotence." Any male who ever fell victim to the "uncontrollable erection in a public place" problem during their early teen years will identify with this guy.

The movie seems to lose steam toward the end. By that time everyone will have figured out the "mystery" of the murders. The "message" of the last scenes seems a bit hollow considering all that has come before. This weakness aside, "Pretty Maids" is worth the cost of admission.

Brother From Another Planet

I've been pulling up some old DVD and Video Risk reviews from the cybertomb that once was EInsiders.com. Hope you enjoy. This was my first "Video Risk" columns from March of 2000.

One characteristic of the science fiction genre is the underlying social or political message. The films made during the height of the cold war drove home the ideal of the American way while taking steady aim at the ever present communist menace. John Sayles' 1984 film The Brother From Another Planet reverses this pattern and examines the American dream gone bad; the enemy is among us, and we are it. Sayles focuses on the cancer of racism and classism in America (and elsewhere in the universe) in this parable of a mute, three-toed, black-male, runaway-slave from outer space who winds up in Harlem.

Examining The Brother From Another Planet using Peter Biskind's criteria from the book Seeing is Believing is a difficult task as Sayle's film is more of a message film than a science fiction film. Many of the characteristics of the genre pointed out by Biskind are present though. The alien (Joe Morton) possesses the power to become one with whatever he comes into contact. He understands the languages of humans, is able to diagnose mechanical failures and repair them with the touch of his hand, and can heal wounds. His power reminds me of Michael Valentine Smith's philosophy of GROK in Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. The main difference between this alien and the aliens in other science fiction films (ET being an exception, also) is that the alien poses no threat to humanity. While a pair of intergalactic bounty hunters are on the trail of the Brother, they do not pose a danger to humanity in general. The enemy in this film is oppression and racism. In this regard, the bounty hunters are no more dangerous than the bigoted police officers who patrol Harlem.

The residents of Harlem who take in the Brother form the coalition at the center of the conflict. The Brother is viewed with suspicion by the patrons of a local bar he wanders into upon his arrival in New York. Once he establishes his powers by fixing a video machine with the touch of his hand, the bar owner and a civil servant patron begin to help the Brother on his road to assimilation into society. The bar owner, the civil servant, and the woman with whom the Brother boards become the coalition who aid the Brother emotionally, financially, and when push comes to shove, with their muscles.

The society in The Brother From Another Planet is a bottom-up society. The positive side of government is represented by the welfare worker who aids the Brother. The only other governmental representatives present are the police officers on the street. The police officers are used a symbols of the repression felt by the resident of Harlem. In one scene, a rookie police officer speaks to the Brother about his love for all people. The speech is hollow and insincere as is an encounter the Brother has with two-lost-white males who stumble into the bar. These college-aged, pseudo-liberals spend the day drinking and talking to the Brother about how all of us need to communicate in order to bring the races together. The two men leave the bar thinking they have made great strides in bringing the scourge of racism to an end.

Director Sayles is not saying that we do not need to communicate with one another, but rather he seems to be aiming barbs at the portion of the liberal community that does not back its rhetoric with action. As for the rest of the society represented in the film, Sayles presents a myriad of characters who have different ideas, opinions and are brought together by the common bond of trying to survive the daily battle of life in Harlem. Among the patrons of the bar are a young, unemployed man who spends his day playing video games; a philosophical, old man who preaches a better way of life; the welfare worker; and the owner. These five characters may bicker incessantly among themselves, but when the two bounty hunters show up to return the Brother to his planet, they close ranks and do battle with the outsiders.

The film deals with pertinent subject matter. The problems of crime, poverty, drug-abuse, hatred, and apathy are dark in nature, but the film presents an ultimately positive message. This message is presented via the Brother's point of view. The Brother could just as well have been a slave from the Civil War era who found himself transported to the present day. The difference between the world of enforced slavery that he left and the world of modern day Harlem are light years apart as far as the treatment of human beings is concerned. Yes, the Brother does see the evils of this world, but he also sees the positive aspects of society. He revels in the wonder of earth women. He sees the importance of education, as he takes the small son of the woman with whom he boards to the civil rights museum. He understands that in order to make one's environment a better place, one must be an activist. This he does when he tracks down and puts an end to a major drug dealer. The Brother has a good attitude. That may sound simplistic, but it is the one characteristic that enables him to survive in his new world. He realizes that this world has the potential to be an outstanding place to live. His attitude rubs off on those with whom he comes into contact, with the notable exception of the drug dealer who gets a taste of his own medicine.

The film ends with the final confrontation between the Brother and his two intergalactic pursuers. The bounty hunters chase the Brother into a dark ally and suddenly find themselves confronted by twenty or so people standing with the Brother. These people have been shown throughout the movie in crowd scenes. None of them have spoken during the earlier scenes, and they do not speak now. They appear to be runaway slaves just like the Brother. After the confrontation with the bounty hunters, the Brother looks another of the men and points toward the sky. It is as if he is asking, "Are you from space, too?" The man shakes his head no and points down. I tend to believe that the others in the crowd were escaped aliens, and that the man's negative response to the Brother's query was his way of saying. "I've found my home. It may not be perfect, but it's better than where I came from, and has the potential to become a better place with the help of you and me." Sayles is saying that through unity any injustice may be corrected. Of course, I may be reading more into the scene than there really is.

The closing shot of the film shows the Brother smiling from the window of a subway car as it disappears into the city. The Brother has become a part of the city. He is no longer a runaway slave; he has become an intergalactic immigrant.

Attack of the Killer B's

I've been pulling up some old DVD reviews from the cybertomb that once was EInsiders.com. Hope you enjoy. This was actually one of my first "Video Risk" columns from November 2000.

Anyone who grew up in the South in the 1960s and 70's probably developed a love for "B" movies. The humidity, the Drive-ins and southern women with their special type of hospitality resulted in many a passionate night in the back seat of the old Chevy Impala with its Holley four-barrelled carb, 350 V-8 engine and glass-pac mufflers.... Oh well enough redneck reminiscing. If one was unlucky enough to have to watch the movie showing on the screen of the old drive-in theater they developed a love for low-budget action films, which in some rare occasions are still worth a look today via video.

The following three films illustrate what is great about "B" movies. "White Lightning," "Fast Walking" and "Vice Squad" each embody the quirky, charismatic, action-packed, sexy, testosterone-driven celluloid which made drive-in theaters popular.

"White Lightning" (1973) features the ultimate drive-in movie cast: Burt Reynolds, Ned Beaty, Matt Clark, Bo Hopkins, Jennifer Billingsley and Diane Ladd. Look for Ms. Ladd's daughter, Laura Dern making her screen debut as a poor-white-trash yard ape.

As the credits roll the evil sheriff of Pulaski County, Arkansas (Ned Beaty) sadistically murders an "outside hippie agitator." This is a big mistake because the victim just happens to be the younger brother of the number-one-turbocharged moonshine driver in the state, Gator McKluskey (Burt Reynolds). The feds spring Gator from the Arkansas State penitentiary in order to infiltrate the rouge Sheriff's organization and bring him down.

"White Lightning" is pure evisceral entertainment. It offers car chases, fist-fights, sexual innuendo (just what does "Shaky Pudding" mean anyway)?, machismo and brainless fun. The performances are well above average for this type of film. Several later Oscar nominees and winners populate this trashy fun.

Ned Beaty is the personification of evil. The fact that he is so low-key and subdued makes his performance all the more chilling after the murder he commits during the opening scene. To anyone who did not grow up in the 1970s, one viewing of this movie will let you know why Burt Reynolds was the highest paid star during that era. His portrayal of Gator McKluskey shows the wide range he has as an actor. Despite the comic book tone of the movie, Reynolds shows a depth of humor, sexuality, and the pain and obsession of a man whose kinfolk must be avenged in his portrayal of Gator. Gator is a macho good-old-boy who is misunderstood and grudgingly admired by the same folks who put him in jail. According to Gator, "There are only two things I'm afraid of...women and the po-lice." The truth is that it doesn't matter if the women love him and the po-lice fear him. (By the way, please do not under any circumstances rent the sequel, "Gator" it sucks. It illustrates all the characteristics of the worst of "B" movies.) I'm not going to harp on this movie anymore, either you'll rent it of you won't. I don't care 'cause I've already seen it. If you want to go to your grave without seeing this redneck gem then be my guest!

I saw "Fast Walking" on cable back in the 1980s. I watched it mainly because I had been an extradition officer during the 80's and had seen the old Montana State prison in Deer Lodge during one of my trips. I recognized the old prison shown in the opening credits, so I watched it. What a great quirky movie! James Woods plays "Fast Walking" Miniver: a corrupt prison guard who is involved in plots to both free and kill an African-American militant prisoner (Kevin Hooks). This movie has so much going for it that I have a hard time knowing where to start. Kay Lenz plays "Moke," the sexiest woman to ever traipse across a redneck's fantasy. Is she a kindred spirit of Wood's or is she playing this poor sap like everyone else? M. Emmett Walsh brings his usual excellence to this film as an over the hill cop. Kevin Hooks brings just the right touch of dignity and righteous indignation to his performance as the 1960s radical. But what really sets this movie apart; what really makes this movie worth watching is the Oscar-caliber performance of Tim McIntire as "Wasco," the pure-d evil, megalomaniac prisoner who holds all the strings of the rest of the puppet-like characters.

Tim McIntire brings a charisma to this character which is seldom seen on celluloid. His performance alone is worth the price of a rental. Wasco sees himself as God. He manipulates the other prisoners and guards with the same ease that Hitler manipulated the Germans during W.W.II. For me, the standout scene takes place in the prison chapel between Woods and McIntire, as McIntire feels out the amoral guard concerning Woods' sincerity about killing Hooks character. Woods' character has no character so McIntire cannot be sure of his loyalty. The question becomes, will "Fast-Walking" Miniver grow a conscience or not? Who can be trusted?

Trust me folks, if you want to be enthralled by the magic of a performance rent this movie. Tim McIntire's performance is incredible!

The final killer "B" is the 1983 movie "Vice Squad." This little sordid gem was produced by Frank Capra Jr. (My how his daddy would spin in his grave!) The plot of this movie concerns an L.A.P.D. detective (Gary Swanson) who tries to use a hooker with a heart of gold (Season Hubley) to catch a vicious killer-pimp named Ramrod (Wings Hauser). Why should you rent this movie? Two reasons (really one serious reason and one trivial reason). The first and main reason is to witness Hauser's "Ramrod", one of the most vile bad guys ever put on screen. I am a criminal defense lawyer and I would have big trouble defending a real person as evil as this character. In one scene "Ramrod" is approached by an elderly street woman hoping to rescue a young prostitute that he is abducting. He shoves a lighter in the old woman's face and says "I'm the Devil baby" (or words to that effect). This is one of the more tame scenes, and lesser offenses that "Ramrod" commits in this movie, but it is the sheer delight with which Hauser delivers the lines that shows just what a badass he is.

There is much more to this movie than just Hauser's performance. Season Hubley and Gary Swanson have a definite chemistry. The kink factor is also high. As a warning, there are a couple of violent scenes which are hard to watch. This warning is especially true during the scene in which "Ramrod" punishes his errant working girl "Ginger" (former MTV vee-jay Nina Blackwood). I don't have a problem with movie violence as long as it is not presented for titillation purposes. This scene comes close and I am still bothered by it even though I have seen the movie numerous times. The scene illustrates the way that those particularly low forms of life know as "Pimps" abuse and exploit lost women for their own benefit. So, if you rent this movie, and are bothered by this type of scene then fast-forward your VCR when "Ramrod" comes knocking on "Ginger's" motel room door. I don't like "spoiler" reviews of movies, but I feel that it is only fair to warn you about this scene.

The second reason I liked this movie is the fact that Gary Swanson said "Go ahead, make my day!" one year before Clint Eastwood said it in "Sudden Impact."

Well folks, I figured you needed a little light entertainment after the several serious films I have thrown at you the last few weeks. Don't worry, though. Next week I''ll be reviewing, "Shoot the Moon," Alan Parker's harrowing study of divorce. Until then, pop open a six-pack of Schlitz beer, kick back and hoop and holler with one of these Killer B's.

A Boy and His Dog (1975)

I've been pulling up some old DVD reviews from the cybertomb that once was EInsiders.com. Hope you enjoy.

L.Q. Jones' "A Boy and His Dog" was one of the quintessential cult films of the 70s. I must have seen the movie 20 times during high school. Based on a Harlen Elison novella, "A Boy and His Dog" is a biting satire set in 2024, following WWIV. "A Boy and His Dog" tells the tale of a solo named Vic (Don Johnson) who scavenges the barren wastelands in search of food and women. Vic would be lost without Blood (Tim McIntire). Blood is the brains of the outfit, while Vic provides the brawn. Blood is educated, funny, intelligent and he has an innate ability to find women. Did I fail to mention that Blood is a telepathic, talking dog? The original ad campaign for Christopher Reeve's first "Superman" film said, "You will believe a man can fly!" With "A Boy and His Dog," you will believe that a dog can talk. There is no problem with the willing suspension of disbelief.

Shot in magnificent widescreen photography, "A Boy and His Dog" is a forerunner of George Miller's "Mad Max" series. "The Road Warrior" owes more than a little to this great film. I'll provide little more than a rough thumbnail of the plot as this movie deserves to be discovered afresh. This is one of those movies that I'd give a money back guarantee if I were a rich man.

Vic provides food for Blood and himself. In exchange for the food and companionship, Blood leads Vic to women, warns him of potential marauders and educates the feral man-child. As Vic raids fellow scavengers, he is watched from afar by a mysterious trio. The trio wants Vic for something. I won't say what. To trap the crafty Vic, the trio sends the best kind of bait: Quilla June Holmes (Susanne Benton). You'll have to watch to learn any more about the plot.

Mr. Jones and producing partner Alvy Moore spent five years bringing this gem to the screen. "A Boy and His Dog" is an obvious work of love. In an interview with director Jones, he told me that people needed to see the movie four times to catch all of the movie's subtleties. I say you can watch the movie over and over because it is so funny. "A Boy and His Dog" is filled with biting satire. The film starts with a placard that reads "WWIV lasted five days...politicians finally found a cure for urban blight." Jones adapted Elison's novella after Elison came down with writer's block. Elison told Jones that the film captured his story. The two had a dispute over the film's hilarious final line, but otherwise Elison was pleased. Mr. Jones' final line works much better. This is due to the fact that L.Q. Jones works in the medium of film.

L.Q. Jones never directed another film. This is a shame as he learned his craft well from such mentors as Raoul Walsh (White Heat), Sam Peckinpah and John Ford. John Morrill's widescreen photography is reminiscent of the great Spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Leone. Jones and Morrill make incredible use of the widescreen format.

Don Johnson is young and hot in this film. It is easy to see how he charmed the pants off of the young Melanie Griffith back in the day. When judging his performance, remember that he was acting with a dog. The dog's line were later looped in by Tim McIntire. Blood holds our attention, and has the best lines in the film. But as the movie was being shot, Don Johnson was acting with a silent dog. It is a wonderfully funny performance. Susanne Benton is also very ripe. The sexy actress is best known for this film and her cameo as "Dreedle's WAC" in Mike Nichols' misfire "Catch-22." She seems to have disappeared from film. That is a shame as she had both sex appeal and intelligence. The always great Jason Robards delivers one of his usual fine performances.

The star of the movie is Blood. The dog itself was the same dog from "The Brady Bunch." His voice was provided by the great Tim McIntire. Mr. McIntire delivers an unforgettably charismatic performance as the evil Waco in that film. On the commentary track, director L.Q. Jones reveals that James Cagey was considering coming out of retirement to provide the voice of Blood. Jones decided against it as having such a high profile actor do the voice would distract from the film. Tim McIntire has just the right tone and delivery to make the film believable. His sarcastic dry performance steals the show. In addition to providing the voice of Blood, McIntire did half of the musical score. McIntire scored the aboveground scenes, bringing along friends like Ray Manzarek of The Doors to help. "A Boy and His Dog" deserves its Cult Classic status. It is a gem worth rediscovering.

The Disc
Great movie. Fair picture and good sound. Great extras.

Picture Quality: 6/10
Director L.Q. Jones told me that there are plans to restore "A Boy and His Dog" for a theatrical re-release. Until then, this print is the best there is. 85% of the film is fine. However, there are a number of artifacts during the film's darker scenes. There are no major delineation problems. The color is very good. They just need to clean up the print. The excellent widescreen photography deserves to be restored to its original majesty.

Sound Quality: 7/10
You don't miss any of the dialogue. At times the mono track is a bit flat and tinny at the top end of the ranges.

Easter Eggs:
No Easter Eggs Found on Disc.

Extra Features: 10/10
The commentary track provides an ton of information about the film's history. Director Jones is joined by top film critic Charles Champlin and DP John Morrill. Photography fans will really enjoy this commentary track as Jones and Morrill share a lot of secrets concerning widescreen photography. Mr. Champlin provides great insights as to the movie and its impact, including the heat it took from many feminists.

There are two trailers for the film. They are very cool. The DVD also includes sneak peeks for other First Run Features.

The Final Word:

A must have for 1970s film fans. This is a one of a kind movie that gets better with every viewing.

Bukowski: Born Into This (2004)

I've been pulling up some old DVD reviews from the cybertomb that once was EInsiders.com. Hope you enjoy.

Wow! "Bukowski: Born Into This" is one of the most powerful documentaries I have ever seen. An amazing tale of talent and destruction. Pain and redemption. A love story with scars. This movie needs to be seen by all. If only high school English and literature classes were like this movie. We might have more kids interested in reading and writing. Below is Warren Curry's insightful review of the film from its theatrical run.

Sex, fighting and drinking were topics often covered in the writing of notorious author Charles Bukowski. A voice for those who proudly cling to life’s seamy underbelly, Bukowski’s tales of debauchery also exposed him to be a keen observer of the human condition. His direct, mostly autobiographical prose and poetry earned him a loyal following in his hometown of Los Angeles in the 1960s, although he was first published two decades earlier. Through the years, Bukowski’s legion of fans grew to the point where he gained a degree of international celebrity, and with the fame emerged a mythic status that constantly threatened to overshadow the man.

Seven years in the making, John Dullaghan’s superb documentary, “Bukowski: Born Into This,” is a fascinating examination of the person behind the legend. Most crucial to the film’s success is the extraordinary amount of footage of Bukowski, himself, that Dullaghan has managed to assemble. Whereas many documentaries I’ve seen recently rely too heavily on adoring interviews with friends and fans of the subject, Dullaghan’s film never devolves into a pastiche of talking heads. The director uses interviews with Bukowski’s friends, family members, co-workers and admirers to embellish rather than comprise the documentary’s core.

Henry Charles Bukowski, Jr. was born in 1920 in Germany, the son of an American serviceman and a German mother, and lived until 1994 when he succumbed to leukemia. After surviving an abusive childhood, Bukowski began writing while in his early 20s, but initially found it a tough chore to get published. This left the man with no choice but to acquire various day jobs in order to support himself while he wrote diligently at night. After flirting with death in the mid 1950s, Bukowski took a job with the U.S. Postal Service, a relationship that wouldn’t permanently end until 1970. In the early 60s, along with having numerous poems published, the writer penned a weekly column entitled “Notes of a Dirty Old Man” for the LA-based paper, Open City, and then later for Free Times. It wasn’t until John Martin, the founder of Black Sparrow Press, offered Bukowski the opportunity to write full time that the author finally quit his job at the Post Office. His experiences there would be the subject of his first novel appropriately entitled “Post Office.” Bukowski’s level of recognition was elevated enormously in 1987, when Barbet Schroeder filmed his autobiographical screenplay, “Barfly,” starring Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunawaye.

The Bukowski that we see in various stages of his life is a haggard looking individual, who it seems could be nothing but honest. There’s an obvious cynicism to his outlook on the world, but what’s more noticeable is the great passion with which he lived his 73 years on earth, as is evidenced by his amazingly prolific output as a writer. There were many frivolous drunken escapades to be certain, yet beneath it all was a vulnerable person who grew accustomed to receiving the short end of the stick, but also tried to better himself. When we see him fight back tears while reading a poem that makes him reflect on a particularly painful time in his life, the difficulties of being an iconic figure are plain to see.

As for the interview footage, such notable figures as Tom Waits, Bono, Sean Penn and Harry Dean Stanton are called upon to relate their feelings about the man and also read from his work. The best of the interviewees though is his wife, Linda Lee Beighle, who married Bukowski in 1985. She confirms the trouble her husband had in the final stages of his life -- with his body the victim of various forms of self-abuse -- when for health reasons he simply was forced to be “less than his myth.” Possibly the most troubling scene in the film is taken from footage of Bukowski and Linda that Barbet Schroeder shot before production commenced on “Barfly,” as we witness the paranoid writer at his worst, lashing out verbally, and then physically, at his wife.

Digging past the aura of an icon is an exceedingly daunting task, and if Dullaghan doesn’t completely succeed in this mission, he comes surprisingly close. Were Bukowski still alive, one can only imagine that he’d scoff at the notion of being the subject of a documentary film, but it's also just as difficult to envision the writer not appreciating the director’s sincere effort. 2003 was a spectacular year for documentaries (“Capturing The Friedmans,” “Bus 174,” “Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator”), and “Bukowski: Born Into This” is arguably the genre’s first superlative work of 2004.

The Disc
Great movie. OK picture and sound. Can't tell you a thing about the extras as the screener only contained the movie.

Picture Quality: 7/10
This documentary contains footage shot over 30 years ago. The quality of some of the source material is grainy and dark. Other footage is great. This is what you expect from documentaries.

Sound Quality: 7/10
Ditto for the sound. Some of it is fine, while other times it seems flat.

Easter Eggs:
No Easter Eggs Found on Disc.

Extra Features: 0/10
I can't rate the extras. This screener contained the film only. I have listed what the PR person told me are the extras. I'm sure they are excellent. If I receive a full street copy I will update the review.

The Final Word:

Powerful filmmaking. Powerful words. A raw portrait of a dangerous talent.

KatieBird *Certifiable Crazy Person (2004)

I've been pulling up some old DVD reviews from the cybertomb that once was EInsiders.com. Hope you enjoy.


Justin Paul Ritter’s “KatieBird *Certifiable Crazy Person” is a disturbing masterpiece of subversive horror. While “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer” was a serious character study with horrific elements, “KatieBird *Certifiable Crazy Person” is a exploitation horror movie with unexpectedly intelligent, serious and artistic undertones. I’ve watched this movie four times in the last few days to try and figure out why it works so well. In my years at Einsiders, several up-and-coming filmmakers (think Dante Tomaselli, Steve Balderson, Jeremy Benson) have captured my imagination so much that I have tried to do everything in my power to spread the word about their work. Justin Paul Ritter is another visionary filmmaker. I hope to interview him in the future. In the meantime, I can’t recommend a movie higher that “KatieBird *Certifiable Crazy Person.” Just be sure to bring a cast iron stomach!

I have been an avid true crime buff fan since I was just a kid. More often than not, the real facts behind most serial killers are more bizarre than anything Hollywood has ever been able to think up. Justin Paul Ritter did come up with something out of the ordinary. I love the premise. What would happen if a serial killer had a child that they nurtured to follow in his bloody footsteps? Sure, we’ve had families of killers before, but we’ve never had a character like Katie Bird. Mr. Ritter’s intelligent script takes up places we have never been before. So, why is “KatieBird *Certifiable Crazy Person” so much more than your run-of-the-mill serial killer movie?

ACTING: The cast is uniformly fine. Helene Udy and Taylor M. Dooley and former racing champion Lee Perkins are scary, scary individuals. They all walk that fine line between outward sanity and inner madness that real serial killer must tread daily. When they let the inner madness surface, the results are chilling. I imagine that this group of actors was delighted to be given such a wonderful script to interpret. I also imagine that writer/director Ritter was happy with their work. It would have been easy for an actor to go over the top. The choices made by the actors in this film are as close to perfect as I can imagine.

EDITING: “KatieBird *Certifiable Crazy Person” uses split-screen to an amazing affect. The truth of the matter is, I have never seen better use of the device in any other film, including the entire works of Brian De Palma. Director Ritter uses the multiple screens for a many reasons. At times it symbolizes the fractured psyche of the killers. At other times it amplifies the emotions felt by the viewers. Other times, it just provides more story. The scenes between Helene Udy as Older Katie Bird and Todd Gordon as her latest captive benefit most from this process.

WRITING: I think this is the key to this film’s success. If you watch the movie with the sound off, it may just appear to be a stylish gorefest. Ritter’s Katie Bird is one of the most fully realized characters in the horror film genre. Three actresses play the loony killer from early childhood through her early 40s. There is an organic consistency in the growth of this character through the running time of the film. Great casting and great words by Mr. Ritter. Mr. Ritter picks his words very carefully. He is not verbose or pretentious in his choices. His words do not draw attention to him as a writer until later. His words define and expand the world of this film.

HORROR: This movie is creepy, scary, disturbing, funny…hell I could go on. The point is, you will not easily forget the images and scenes. The performances are unreal. The movie puts Katie Bird’s first killing and last killing in juxtaposition. The ritual that Katie Worked out in the beginning has become her paradigm of death. The difference is, when Katie Bird as a teen (Taylor M. Dooley) commits her first killing there is a perverted joy and zeal to her actions. The ritual performed by the older Katie Bird (Helene Udy) is tired, jaded and painful.

If one thing is for certain in the film business, it is that you need a certain amount of luck to go along with your talent. Justin Paul Ritter has tons of talent as a writer and director. Here’s hoping that lady luck smiles on him so that we may enjoy his future work.

The Disc
A great indie horror film. Hell, a great any kind of film! Good picture. OK sound. Excellent extras.

Picture Quality: 8/10
This is a digital movie. While it doesn't have the depth of field and richness of color of a movie shot on film, the movie still looks great. Director Ritter uses color themes, light and shadows as well as glaring harshness to establish mood. The horrors take place in well lit surroundings. This allows for an unflinching look at the inner workings of a mad man and his very mad daughter. No artifacts, pixilation or delineation problems.

Sound Quality: 6/10
For the most part, the sound is excellent. However, there are several scenes, which required me to play them more than once in order to hear everything that was being said. The fact that the DVD doesn't have any subtitles didn't help either.

Easter Eggs:
There are Easter Eggs on just about every menu screen. The Easter Eggs are mini interviews with the director, cast and crew.

Extra Features: 7/10
I really like the director's attitude. In the featurette "Movies, Not Excuses" director Ritter goes of on a rant about working and sacrificing for what you want in life. While I'm not big on motivational speakers as a rule, I did get a boost from this guy. He has passion. He urges the viewer to work for their passion. I loved the bit where he said, "If you tell me you're a cake baker and you haven't bakes a cake this week then you're nothing but a f**king liar." Blunt but to the point.

The commentary track by director Ritter and the three main actors is great. Halfway through, the director gave out his e-mail address and asked for comments. I immediately wrote him and asked to do an interview. Turned out it was his real e-mail address. I hope to do the interview in the next few weeks.

Folks who buy the first edition of this DVD will also recieve a second disc: a CD of the soundtrack!

The Final Word:

Horror movie fans must buy this DVD. A new voice in the horror field is yelling and shouting high above the crowded din of mediocre practitioners. That voice belongs to Justin Paul Ritter. Long may it rave!