Rest in Peace: SEAN CONNERY

 

Sean Connery

Two weeks ago, we were struck by the sad news that another major actor had passed away: Sean Connery had died in his sleep, aged 90. Sean Connery was a man of high caliber, his colleagues and friends say. His working ethics would be an example for many.

Connery had been acting for several years in smaller films when Harry Saltzman and Cubby Broccoli selected him for the role of a British Secret Agent by the name of James Bond. The success in this role made him an international star and afforded him the luxury of having enough financial security to be able to say NO to parts he didn't want. Connery played James Bond in the films DR. NO (1962), FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963), GOLDFINGER (1964), THUNDERBALL (1965), YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE (1967) and DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971).

Connery also selected to step away from the role after a time. Much has been written about the why of it and there is no need to go into that here. But even away from the role of 007, he would play some unforgettable characters in THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING, ROBIN AND MARIAN, THE WIND AND THE LION, THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY, OUTLAND, HIGHLANDER, THE NAME OF THE ROSE and his Oscar winning performance in THE UNTOUCHABLES. All of these roles exemplify the actor at his best, portraying heroic yet human characters in dangerous situations.

Of course, it was also a unique opportunity to see Connery return to the role of 007 in the inofficial Bond film NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN, which had some good moments for the actor. Yet, his age did lead him to older roles, such as in THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, THE RUSSIA HOUSE and MEDICINE MAN. After his role in THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, he decided he wanted to retire. (Yes, I know, his words were a little rougher, but let's leave it at that.)

Connery talking to Ian Fleming, 

the writer who wrote the Bond books

during the making of DR.NO

One role I would yet like to mention is that when he played the father of Indiana Jones in INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE. Interesting fact is that Sean Connery was only 12 years older than Harrison Ford when he played Indy's father Dr. Henry Jones.

Of course, he was not my first James Bond (I had the good fortune of starting that franchise with THE SPY WHO LOVED ME with Roger Moore). Yet, Connery was the first actor in time to play the part with such success. (No, he also wasn't the first actor as there had been one television version of CASINO ROYALE in the 1950s before but that was not a success.) And although many will debate about who was the best Bond, Connery has always been good friends with Roger Moore. I suppose he would also say: Make up your own mind. 

Sean Connery turned 90 last August. He celebrated in the privacy of his own home, without fanfare, without celebrity fuss. He also passed away in the privacy of his own home. No fuss, no fanfare. How he always wanted it.   

You will be missed, Sean.

Pictures courtesy of EON Productions, Terence Donovan

RIP: Chadwick Boseman : the Black Panther actor, 43

Chadwick Boseman, 43

It has in the meantime been a few weeks since this tragedy struck us but the impact leaves us just as dumbfounded as it did before. When I read, a few weeks ago, that Chadwick Boseman, the actor who so effectively played the Black Panther in the Marvel Movies ( Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame ) had succumbed to colon cancer, I did not know what hit me. Chadwick Boseman was after all only 43 years old. He left a wife and two young children behind. 

Boseman was a complete unknown for me when I heard he was to play the Black Panther for Marvel. I had read he also played in a few other films but the name did not ring a bell. I had not seen any of these other films. But, having seen him only in the role of T'Challa, the Black Panther, I could tell this was not just anybody. Here was a man of some serious acting talent, a man of dignity, humility and caring attention. It was a complete surprise to me that Black Panther was such a big hit. I was at first wondering if people had forgotten about Blade, also an African American Superhero, battling vampires and very nicely played by Wesley Snipes at the time. (I did not care for parts 1 and 3 but part 2 was excellent.) But Black Panther was different. Blade also did not have the prominence as a character in the comics as he had started as a secondary character in Marvel's TOMB OF DRACULA. Black Panther, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in the pages of FANTASTIC FOUR, was indeed the first Black Superhero in the pages of Marvel Comics.

Stan Lee congratulating Boseman at the premiere of Black Panther

Black Panther has had a very good history in the pages of Marvel Comics since his beginning in the pages of FANTASTIC FOUR. He has appeared in many series before he got his own comic book series but he has also been drawn by many different artists, from Jack Kirby, to John Buscema, Gene Colan and John Romita Jr.

Marvel Comics, all rights reserved

Chadwick Boseman was most certainly the right actor to play the part. Boseman had played James Brown, (Get On Up), baseball player Jackie Robinson in 42 and Thurgood Marshall in the film Marshall and would have certainly brought us many more good roles in case he had been granted more time.  Boseman was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2016 and yet, he told no one but his own direct family and direct friends. He went from one film to the next while at the same time going from chemotherapy to operation and beyond, struggling thru all of this with the dignity of the Black Panther character and even made time to visit sick children in hospital last year, to give them some cheer. Although his last film we have seen so far is Da 5 Bloods by Spike Lee, we still have one film in post production and several TV items that we will be able to hear his voice in. It is a voice that was stilled too soon.  I wish his family and friends all the best in overcoming this great loss.

Reappraising Roland Emmerich's & Dean Devlin's GODZILLA (1998)

Last week I finally had a chance to watch Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich’s GODZILLA again, as I had recently acquired this on disc. This film was released in 1998 and I felt at the time it was quite okay.  Looking at it with a 20 year period and several newer Godzilla films behind us, I had some mixed feelings about it now.

Considering that the TOHO Films always dealt with issues of the monsters going to or around Tokyo (or at least Japanese cities), the intent with this American version of GODZILLA was always to have it take place in America. And that it does, playing around New York (granted, after a few international locations to show the beast is headed to NYC). We also get a good deal of play out of the city itself as well, as several New York landmarks do not survive the film.

With Matthew Broderick and Jean Reno as rather atypical leads for such a film, the main characters do seem to have a good background personality and character development. Even though some developments are a bit on the nose ( the development between the boy and the girl of this film), the cast does present a nice group of people to inhabit this world. (Did anyone catch the Mayor and his Aide as a funny representation of the reviewing team of Siskel and Ebert who were big in movie reviews at the time?  I did.) No, the problem was not in the characters.

Jean Reno, Hank Azaria, Matthew Broderick and Maria Pitillo

And in terms of the story, the story also does what a big blockbuster should do, present thrilling scenes, but also laughs and keep us on the edge of our seats. It did all that.  So why do I have mixed feelings now about this film?

Could it perhaps be that I feel the monster in this film is simply not GODZILLA? I think that that is a very likely answer. My sister has always liked this GODZILLA better than the later films which have again used the original Japanese look of the monster. She found this GODZILLA to be more like a dinosaur, like something that was credible now and looked like just that, Patrick Tatopoulos’s design looks really like a dinosaur in our times today. But for a GODZILLA movie, that seems a bit out of place. We are not watching Jurassic Park 34 here. I have enjoyed the later films better as I felt they were simply a better fit for what we should see as GODZILLA. American version yes, but more recognizable as GODZILLA than anything else.

The Patrick Tatopoulos design

Producer Dean Devlin has stated he has regretted they wanted to show GODZILLA not as a villain but just as a creature that tries to survive. It is an understandable choice but then in the final scenes of GODZILLA on the bridge as it dies, you also feel a twinge of pity. I felt that that was most certainly out of place. In the Japanese films there were always many more casualties than in this one and so there was no need to feel pity if GODZILLA were killed. It would be back for a next film any way.  But there it is, in this American version: a moment where Matthew Broderick almost says “Sorry” when Godzilla is dying on that bridge. I would prefer not having that moment there at all. Just like that scene that follows where the one egg that was missed in the mass incinerations hatches and brings us a next Generation Godzilla again.  I have always said that I hated that bit.

Howling to the moon?

If the film was not called GODZILLA, maybe that would not have bothered me. And I have actually enjoyed watching the goings-on of Broderick and his fellows, even if the French involvement with Jean Reno and his associates was a bit on the weird side. But yes, I must say I do find the later GODZILLA representation, in the 2014 film, better. David Arnold’s score also seems to go all over the place, which is odd at times but it does have some good themes there. I would almost like to say better luck next time, but honestly, I am actually looking forward to GODZILLA VS KONG in the current storyline, which will come out early 2021.

Rest in Peace: ENNIO MORRICONE 1928-2020

Ennio Morricone

Today the world of the movies is in deep mourning. Ennio Morricone has passed away. He was 91 years old. I have never met the Maestro but he has left us an enormous legacy of more than 50 years of film music. When people ask me, "which one is your favorite?", I usually say THE UNTOUCHABLES. But the truth is with a body of work that massive it is nothing but shortsighted to be able to only see one favorite title. And if I look again at what he has left us, I see so many that are wonderful.
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly is a legendary score. So is Once Upon A Time in the West. But I also love My Name Is Nobody and 1900. I love John Carpenter's The Thing and although I have no great fondness for the film, the music of THE MISSION is fantastic. Casualties Of War. Frantic. In the Line of Fire. Wolf. Malena, there simply are too many to mention them all.
Ennio Morricone would even be able to make great music for crappy movies. Exorcist II The Heretic comes to mind but it does not end there. Although we are deeply saddened that he has left us, we rejoice in the musical legacy he has left behind for us.

Grazie, Maestro, Grazie !!!

An EON Production : The Rhythm Section, starring Blake Lively

The Rhythm Section

As we now have to wait a good half year longer for EON's production of NO TIME TO DIE, we do have an opportunity in the meantime to check out another EON production, that failed to score in the theatres, even before the current Corona Crisis. The Rhythm Section, a spy thriller directed by Reed Morano, based on a novel by Mark Burnell, starring Blake Lively and Jude Law. The film tells a story of a young woman, who tries to get revenge after her entire family is killed in a plane crash.

Blake Lively as Stephanie Patrick

3 Years after having lost her entire family, the life of Stephanie Patrick is one of deep depression, prostitution, substance abuse and addiction, when a journalist finds her in a brothel and tells her the plane crash that killed her family was an act of terrorism, covered up by the government. Although she at first does not believe him, she visits his apartment and is dumbfounded by the immense research all pointing fingers everywhere. The journalist tells her the plane was brought down by a bomb made by a man called Reza. Stephanie, in a dazed rage, gets herself a gun and tries to kill Reza at the University cafeteria where he attends courses, but she fails. When she returns to the journalist's home, she finds him to be killed.

Blake Lively and Jude Law

This sets off a series of events that lead quickly from one to the next, trying to engage the viewer in an engagement that never really works. You see, in a time where we have had films like ATOMIC BLONDE and PEPPERMINT, THE RHYTHM SECTION either tries too hard to be much more realistic than the aforementioned films or it simply fails to engage you. Personally, I don't think it is the actors' fault, as Blake Lively and Jude Law are quite good in their roles. But for a person who wants this kind of revenge, it quickly becomes apparent that Stephanie Patrick is NOT a killing machine. As a matter of fact, the only thing she seems to be good at is failing to kill anyone. 

Blake Lively and Sterling K. Brown

I also find it quite strange that one would cast Blake Lively, who in her own blonde look is a stunning beauty, only to subsequently make her look very plain janey, not at all gorgeous, but at best average. The direction is also moving along briskly and the music plays effectively along with the story, of which I do not want to give away too much now. You see, although this film was not reviewed well, I do think it has some merit. Might that be, perhaps, in the fact that the main character is a strong woman, who takes her life back in her own hands in a storyline that could have used some spicing up? Is it possible that in this character, producer Barbara Broccoli saw an interesting person that could possibly headline a good film? I think that is very likely but then I also don't see why there is the need for Stephanie Patrick to have gone off into deep depression, substance abuse, addiction and prostitution at the beginning of the film. Blake Lively does not come off as a believable prostitute, not even in a later scene where she impersonates one.

Blake Lively

I think a lot of decisions were made in the storyline to condense it down to a manageable 2 hour film  but at present, due to a lot of time jumps in order to bring it down to that running length, parts of the story are not clear. Also, with a star like BLAKE LIVELY, you definitely want the main character to look stunning and Stephanie Patrick is not that at all. If you compare her here with how she looks in THE SHALLOWS, that last film is a Godsend. She is gorgeous in that film. We then ultimately remain with a film that does not entirely fulfill any promises, except that it does not get boring. And yes, at the end of the film, you do smile when Stephanie..... aww shucks, I would have almost spoiled it all! Go see it! It may not be PEPPERMINT, but it still is interesting. 

The Rhythm Section was produced by Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson, the producers of the James Bond films. 

A Marvel Legend: MASTER OF KUNG FU

Art: Jim Starlin & Al Milgrom

It is true that we are not yet out of this difficult situation we are all in today. It will be some time before the world can go back to what it was before. But in our self-isolation, I would like to see if I can maybe point out some rather interesting things that are to come, hopefully soon, to the big screen. I would like to talk about a Marvel character that initially had no superpowers. Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu, had been trained in all kinds of martial arts to become a lethal weapon in the service of his father, Fu Manchu (as based on the novels of Sax Rohmer). A killing machine, that was what Shang-Chi was supposed to be.
If you know something of Sax Rohmer and his Fu Manchu novels, you may know that these novels were written in a time where racial stereotypes were plentiful. But these novels, written in a time where America was afraid of the Yellow Peril, told of an evil Asian mastermind by the name of Fu Manchu, whose interests lay in nothing short of world domination in order to be able to restore China to its ancient glory. He was an ancient Ming-like character , who had discovered immortality by way of his elixir of life, allowing him some true long term planning to attain his goals. Fu Manchu was opposed by the British Secret Service, led by Sir Denis Nayland Smith, who was assisted by Dr. Petrie. Fah Lo Suee was the daughter of Fu Manchu, whose loyalty sometimes could not be counted upon, as she at times also opposed her father. 
In the early 1970s, (a time when Martial Arts were hip and Eastern Philisophy was very popular among the young) Steve Englehart wrote a storyline in which Fu Manchu had his son, Shang-Chi, raised to be a killing machine; yet in his education Shang-Chi had not been informed of the nature of his father's work and life. Fu Manchu sent Shang-Chi on his first mission: to kill Dr. Petrie. But, confronted by Smith after having killed Dr. Petrie, Smith told Shang-Chi about the true nature of his father. After hearing all this and having this confirmed by the evil Fu Manchu himself , Shang-Chi made the intellectually sound choice to reject everything in his upbringing that represented his father and his philosophies.

Jim Starlin & Al Milgrom

The first issues found Shang-Chi looking around in his new life, without a home or a family to go back to. And his martial arts prowess helped him get thru some tough situations. Eventually, Shang-Chi decided to join Sir Denis Nayland Smith in his vocation to fight all evil, not only that which is represented by Fu Manchu.
Artist Jim Starlin brought an incredibly powerful realism to the comic book but Starlin felt the whole Fu Manchu thing was a bit too cliché and wanted to leave the comic. Steve Englehart followed his example and Doug Moench and Paul Gulacy took over. This did not hurt the stories at all and over time Moench and Gulacy created some real gems, tales of action and philosophy, embedded in a cinematic visual style that had never been seen before.

Paul Gulacy & Dan Adkins

Taking the stories into James Bondian directions, Moench and Gulacy placed Shang-Chi in the forefront of the British Secret Service in battle against druglords, master criminals (other than the earlier mentioned Fu Manchu), supervillains and more interesting opponents, while never forgetting to touch upon the Eastern Philosophy that was so popular among the young at the time.

Paul Gulacy & Dan Adkins

Paul Gulacy also seemed to specialize in bringing a very cinematic touch to the stories, sometimes blatantly ripping off the faces of moviestars such as Marlon Brando and Groucho Marx along the way. And besides, does Shang-Chi in this above page not look just a teensy weensy bit like the late Bruce Lee in the legendary ENTER THE DRAGON? Yes he does. Yes he does.

Paul Gulacy & Dan Adkins

And to illustrate that it was not only Fu Manchu these heroes fought ( Shang-Chi was 'assisted' by the associates of Smith: Black Jack Tarr and Clive Reston (who was supposedly the son of James Bond, if we are to buy that bit of wisdom, thank you Moench and Gulacy!) and other assorted characters ), the above pages show stories with Carlton Velcro and Mordillo as the villains, both of whom are very memorable, even if they did not survive their storylines.

Paul Gulacy

The series MASTER OF KUNG FU ran for a number of years with great succes, even after the departure of Paul Gulacy. Mike Zeck and Gene Day later took over for him but Gulacy returned to the character in a later series, a decade after the original series came to an end in the 1980s. Zeck and Day were also very good artists (even though a good inker would do a lot, as any comic book afficionado well knows ) but for me Starlin and Gulacy remain the artists that were essential to the character of Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. (Please note that recent comics have also given Shang-Chi superpowers. I am not sorry to say that I am not in the least interested in those comics.)

Mike Zeck & Gene Day

The Cinematic Marvel Universe is now working on a movie based on this material. It is unlikely that the name of Fu Manchu will still be heard because first of all Marvel does not have the rights to use that character anymore. Secondly, Marvel does not want to use stereotypical depictions of characters in their modern films. As we have seen with the Ancient One in the Dr. Strange film (and AVENGERS: ENDGAME) changes will be made that sometimes seem to be devoid of logic. The irony that Shang-Chi brings as a character, being the son of Fu Manchu turning his back on his father, that really is a shame if that is lost. But I'm sure the writers will think of something that will make it work.

Mike Zeck & Gene Day

I have to remind you that all movie production is still on halt due to the Corona Crisis. But when movie production resumes, I hope we will get a film that will be nothing short of Amazing. Canadian actor Simu Liu will play Shang-Chi in SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, which is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. 

Now, if only someone will tell me why the Ten Rings, normally associated with the Mandarin, a villain of the Iron Man comics, will be the central villain of this film ? Oh well...... let's just wait and see.

Star Wars: The Rise (and Fall) Of Skywalker review with spoilers

Due to problems with my eyes that have now been solved, I have only been able to see Star Wars The Rise Of Skywalker very late. The film has now almost finished its cinema run and that means I can also mention things in this review that happen in the movie without fear of spoiling it for others. So this review will have spoilers. You are warned.

I have always been eager to see the Star Wars films in a cinema. I do not really consider myself a Star Wars fanatic but only in the cinema will the spectacle fully come to life with a large screen and appropriate sound system. The story and the special effects will take you into worlds never seen before. The music by John Williams has always been a beautiful component of imminent quality of the films. And while John Williams still does a great job in The Rise Of Skywalker, I have to be brutally honest in saying this film is the worst of them all. And that is all due to a very poor story.

When George Lucas did his first two trilogies, he put in a lot of effort to get the stories to work. He wrote for years before he would commit to a locked script that would then be filmed. His two trilogies worked very well with regards to story logic and in the way of cause and effect. Lucas was able to completely explain why and how Annakin Skywalker became Darth Vader and how he came under the influence of the Emperor.  His stories also explain how it is possible for the Emperor to have such vast armies by way of cloning. 

The first cardinal sin of The Rise Of Skywalker is that cloning is now used as an excuse to explain how the Emperor, who was seen falling to his death in RETURN OF THE JEDI, is now again very much alive. The person, who we saw die, was apparently not really the Emperor and this is explained in a very shoddy and iffy way by  no one in particular. Well, I don't think this is the mark of good writing as this fact is simply thrust upon the audience in the opening lines without having had the main characters have the opportunity to find this out on their own. Storywise The Rise Of Skywalker is nothing but a series of moments, some good, some bad, that race from one to the next without any seeming logic or narrative thread. What we see looks very good but the story simply makes no sense whatsoever.

There are some good moments (nice to see Lando Calrissian looking so good for his age) and the appearance of Harrison Ford as Han Solo was a very welcome one but it still does very little to make me feel for Kylo Ren/Ben Solo. Also, what we have seen before does not really make the storyline where Kylo Ren becomes simple Ben Solo again very credible. Had this been done over a few hours, that might have worked better but because this film had to make so many points in only 2 hours and some minutes, the film is simply overburdened with moments that hardly seem connected.

And where the Kylo becomes Ben storyline might seem interesting, I did not find it at all necessary to see Leia Organa die. There are more moments like this that for me do not really work but in the end, all you have is a film consisting of moments that do not really connect with me as the audience. I did enjoy the last scene where Rey buries the lightsabers on Tatooine and told  my grandson, with whom I had gone to see the film, that in 30 years or so those would be found again, to start a new trilogy. But if I then think again, what have we seen here, I can only say that J.J. Abrams fails to deliver a good script as a base for a pleasing film.

Alas, I also thought Star Wars The Force Awakens was unoriginal (it did nothing new) and that The Last Jedi was partially incompatible with what we had seen before and therefor wholly divisive amongst the fans. With The Rise Of Skywalker also failing hard to bring us what previously George Lucas had always done, bring a good dramatic storyline, I can only say my final conclusion is that everything that came after Lucas sold off the franchise to Disney sucks bigtime! In my opinion, GEORGE LUCAS SHOULD NEVER HAVE SOLD OFF THE FRANCHISE ! 

George Lucas

George Lucas was the creator of STAR WARS and wrote the whole storyline before he made his two wonderful trilogies. Sure, the second trilogy had some issues with the characters being less interesting but that was to show how Annakin Skywalker could become the biggest bad guy in movie history.  In terms of story logic, Lucas's films are rock solid. His films are GREAT !!!

J.J. Abrams

J.J. Abrams, the director who was asked to helm the new trilogy a few years ago, at first said no. He should have stuck to that. He may be a competent director but a storyteller, an auteur he is definitely not. Thank you very, very much, Mr. Abrams for fucking up not only one intergalactic franchise but two. ( He fucked up Star Trek before he messed up Star Wars.) I am not a hateful person, Mr. Abrams but I hope you learn from this and become a better director, having let down millions of fans worldwide.

Mark Gatiss & Steven Moffats DRACULA- a critical review

Since the 1970s, I have been a fan of the novel DRACULA, that was written a good 80 years before by Bram Stoker and that has become a literary masterpiece of gothic horror. The book has been so successful that it has kept people reading it for more than 100 years now and even though people will now smirk at the oldfashioned English in which it was written, the message of the horror in it is still conveyed with absolute and terrifying success.

Claes Bang as Dracula and Dolly Wells as Agatha van Helsing

I am very glad that the book still manages to horrify readers even today. For that is the only reason people will tend to forget the bad adaptations we so often get over the years. The recent BBC production created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat is unfortunately a good example of such a horrifyingly bad adaptation.  Simply called DRACULA, this version is told in three parts, only the first of which barely follows the original story. Alas Moffat and Gatiss think they are being clever in trying to get the count to 2020's London in the most outlandish of ways.  But they only manage to lose the original story to such a ludicrous extent that I would hesitate to even call this farce an adaptation. Gatiss even tries to redefine what it is to be a vampire. I can only say this is one of the most ludicrous versions, one that goes way beyond the mere fun of LOVE AT FIRST BITE, far beyond the range of common sense.

Danish actor Claes Bang would probably have been a good Count Dracula if he had not been directed so to be a major irritant in the very role. Whether you are a fan of Bela Lugosi, of Christopher Lee or even of Gary Oldman in the part, Dracula is a role that should not be played for the sake of being an irritant. You want to see this because there is some allure to this Count, who once was a warrior and now is a vampire. Lord of all Vampires. All Bang does is a bang-up job, pun definitely intended, of being a major pain in the ass.  Dolly Wells may be an interesting version of van Helsing but it fails to work for me simply because there is no reason for her presence in this monastery other than arbitrary coincidence. 

Bringing the count into our modern world has been done more succesfully in the Marvel Comics series TOMB OF DRACULA but alas, that is also some time ago. Of this current BBC production I can only say, this bizarre concoction of morbid jokes strung together to a coherent storyline is better quickly forgotten than remembered. It is ironic that this would also be a BBC production while in 1977 it was the BBC that did a most succesful and accurate television adaptation of the novel with Louis Jourdan as an excellent Dracula. I simply could not say that this new version is a well written adaptation. I would rather like to think that if Bramn Stoker could have seen it, he would have turned away in disgust. Better to remember the good ones than to dwell too long on this crappy rubbish.