WRITER’S NOTE: This article was written in 2010, back when this anniversary screening took place.
Alan Rudolph’s 1985 neo-noir movie “Trouble in Mind” reached its 25th anniversary in 2010. This is especially significant because it got lost by its distributors about twenty years ago, and they only recently found a print of it. The movie has since been restored and been released in a new special edition DVD. To celebrate its anniversary, the producer of “Trouble in Mind,” Dave Walker, showed a new print of it at New Beverly Cinema. Along with him were actors Keith Carradine who played Coop and Lori Singer who played Georgia, and they were also joined by the composer of the film’s score, Mark Isham.
In talking about working with Rudolph, both Singer and Carradine said they never really rehearsed any scenes. A lot of it came down to them meeting with Rudolph, talking about the screenplay, and getting on the same page with what he wanted to accomplish. Singer explained how he created a “very vivid atmosphere” which came about from an “organic, real feeling.” In summarizing Rudolph’s filmmaking process, Singer said, “Whatever he was shooting, he was capturing his vision. That was our rehearsal.”
Isham described Rudolph as a “jazz director” in that he wanted to get everything right in the first take. When asked how he got the job on “Trouble in Mind,” Isham explained he was being represented by CAA and his agent encouraged him to make a list of directors he wanted to work with. After seeing one of Rudolph’s other movies, “Choose Me,” Isham decided he wanted to work with him. Rudolph ended up listening to one of Mark’s albums, liked it and hired him.
One question asked of Isham was in regards to working with singer Marianne Faithful on two of the film’s songs. Isham said he knew nothing about Faithful beforehand, but that he quickly learned she was an artist of instinct, and they captured a lot of magic on tape whenever she sang. Basically, he did an acoustic piano version of each song she would sing, and he gave her the music through headphones. Isham went on to say he added synthesizers to the soundtrack afterwards.
Isham is also considered one of the best trumpet players ever, and he did perform on one here. He stated how he has been playing the trumpet since he was eight years old and is always looking to put it in any movie he works on.
Another audience member asked Carradine about Coop’s hair and why it got all funky throughout. Carradine said he contributed to the look and described it as an “expression of descent into a kind of netherworld from innocent to deeply urban sensibility he was defenseless against.” Coop saw the change of hair as him becoming beautiful, and he was convinced that Singer’s character would like it. Carradine described it as Coop’s way of trying to fit into a world he was utterly clueless about, and that the hair he used was indeed his own, and these days he doesn’t have much of it left.
Carradine and Singer also spoke of working with Divine, the actor made famous in several films directed by John Waters, “Pink Flamingos” in particular. They said they really loved him because he was the sweetest guy and wonderful to work with.
After twenty-five years, “Trouble in Mind” still holds up very well, and hopefully its DVD release will open it up to a young audience waiting to discover something new and different. Rudolph has said this films is meant to have the look of a dream, and he gave Singer all the credit for that. The dream is still a strong one even with an elongated passing of time.
While at the Days of the Dead convention held in Los Angeles, California in late August of 2023, I got to attend the “Aliens” panel which featured several actors from the classic film. An audience member told the cast how this is one of the most quotable motion pictures of all time and asked if they ever get their famous lines of dialogue yelled back at them on a daily basis. Indeed, there are a plethora of memorable lines throughout which stay with the viewer long after they watch this film. Whether it is Sigourney Weaver saying, “get away from her you bitch” or the late Bill Paxton yelling out “we’re on an express elevator to hell, going down,” there is no forgetting what is said onscreen. This is saying a lot as James Cameron, who wrote and directed this sequel, is not always known for giving his actors great dialogue to work with. Then again, it is far better than the dialogue George Lucas gave us in those “Star Wars” prequels.
There is no doubt that actors will often find themselves faced with fans yelling lines of dialogue at them as they love what was said, and they always want to see if they can get a reaction out of those particular thespians. I remember interviewing Pierce Brosnan once about his movie “The November Man,” and I walked in to see him pouring himself a cup of coffee and mixing in some milk and sure. To this, I could not help but bring up a famous line he and several other actors have utter throughout history, but with a certain twist:
“Ah, stirred but not shaken!”
Thank goodness Brosnan had a great sense of humor about it.
When it comes to the cast of “Aliens,” their memories of their most well-known dialogue remain very vivid to them, and this provided some of the most entertaining moments during this Q&A session.
Daniel Kash (Private Spunkmeyer): I was in Florida once, and while I was there, someone said, “Nice pet you have there, Bishop.” That was right out of the blue. It was such an average line that no one cares about.
Carrie Henn (Newt): So, there was a line in the movie that, at the time, I asked why I am even saying this. And I know everybody says to me I know you hate the line, but you said it anyway. I learned to love it. The word “mostly,” it is amazing how many times that comes up. People will say it, and my friends will text it to me and they will say, “While I mostly saw this…” And then they always send me a second text saying “mostly.” People, I will be walking by them, and they will say it, and someone will then say “mostly.” If they only knew who was walking next to them. But yeah, it is the weirdest line, but it sticks.
Ricco Ross (Private Frost): This was maybe five years after the movie was made, and I had done a music video with Whitney Houston called “Saving All My Love for You.” I was the guy she was saving her love for. I remember walking in the hood one day and, this is a true story, a guy shouts out, “Hey Mr. Whitney Houston, how’s that Arcturian poontang?”
Cynthia Scott (Corporal Dietrich): I had a next-door neighbor in London, and he would come home from the pup every night three sheets to the wind. If I happened to be entering the house at the same time he’d go, “Oy, say that line again! Say your line!” And I would go, “Borderline malnutrition, but I don’t think there’s any permanent damage.”
Jenette Goldstein (Private Vasquez): People will yell “let’s rock” at me a lot.
William Hope (Lieutenant Gorman): You know, it’s just like, nice to meet you. You always were an asshole. And this happened in a swimming pool!
For myself, I would love to know if Sigourney Weaver ever gets anyone quoting one of Ellen Ripley’s best lines to her,
“Burke, I don’t know which species is worse. You don’t see them fucking each other over for a goddamn percentage.”
Whatever you may think of Cameron’s talent for dialogue, this remains one of the best things he has ever written.
On August 26, 2023, I found the time to attend the Days of The Dead convention which was held at the Hilton Hotel outside of LAX airport. The main highlight of the day for me was sitting in on the panel for “Aliens,” James Cameron’s classic film from the year 1986 which remains as exciting now as it was when first released. This brought many of the talent who worked in front of and behind the camera, and they were very enthusiastic to be here to discuss a motion picture you would think they have been asked every conceivable question about before this point.
One of the questions asked of everyone was about the biggest challenge everyone faced on set. The first to answer was Tom Woodruff Jr. He is best known as a special effects supervisor who studied under the tutelage of Stan Winston, and he later, along with Alec Gillis, founded Amalgamated Dynamics, an American special effects company specializing in animatronics and prosthetic make-up. “Aliens” was one of Tom’s earliest projects, and he was very direct with the audience about what he dealt with in this science fiction classic.
Tom Woodruff Jr.: For me, the biggest challenge was being on set with James Cameron (audience laughs). He was very specific. He’s a rare guy. He knows exactly what he wants, and he knows exactly what parts you don’t understand. The first time we had the aliens on set, it was a scene where there were a lot of fire throwers going on, and the alien was supposed to be hidden up in the wall and crawls out and reveals itself. We did a run through, and Cameron stopped the whole thing and he said, “Why is this alien brown and the rest of him is black?!” The answer I knew in my head was, I didn’t check it out. I remember he just grabbed a can of black spray paint, shook it up and sprayed it on the head. I also realized at that point we wasted a lot of time painting alien heads when we could have just grabbed a can of spray paint.
For Carrie Henn who plays the orphaned Newt, she had no prior acting experience when she was cast in “Aliens.” Her career as an actress did not last long as she later decided to become a schoolteacher after earning a degree in liberal studies and child development from California State University, Stanislaus. Her response to question given proved to be quite surprising.
Carrie Henn: One of the challenging things was actually being scared of it (the aliens) because, I mean, look at it. Everyone was in the suits at some point, but then they would turn around or I would see them outside of the suit completely or their head would be off. So, I would try to act like I was scared of it, when in reality I knew it was my friend. I was scared of dogs and still am because I have been bitten by many, so I used to just pretend that it was a dog chasing after me.
Ricco Ross portrays Private Ross in “Aliens,” and his most memorable lines of dialogue include “guess she doesn’t like the cornbread either” and “what are we supposed to use, harsh language?” He ended up turning down the opportunity to act in Stanley Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket” in order to appear in this film. Since “Aliens,” he has remained a busy actor in both movies and television and does not look to be lacking in work. This would still be the case were it not for the SAG/AFTRA and WGA strike which still rages on as I write this article.
Ricco Ross: The marines would have lunch and hang out in one area and the aliens would hang out in another area, and we didn’t kick it together. But I remember walking by one day and one of the aliens had his head under his arm and smoking a cigarette, and this was before iPhones, and I wish I had a camera because it was an amazing kind of classic photograph.
Cynthia Scott, also known as Cynthia Dale Scott, portrayed Corporal Dietrich in “Aliens,” and her other credits include “Rush” which stars Jason Patric and Jennifer Jason Leigh. She has long since left acting behind her and now dedicates her life to working in the visual arts. Her answer to this question reminded me of perhaps her most famous line in this film which is, “Maybe they don’t show up on infrared at all.”
Cynthia Scott: I think I am the only one that was grabbed by the alien, and it was extremely challenging because I did half of my own stunt. If you recall, I was taken straight up in the air, and we were so old school that the stunt was achieved with a gigantic sea saw. It was operated by a bunch of crew members. So, I was standing on the downside, and I say my line and the stuntman in the alien suit landed behind me, grabbed me, and simultaneously the crew members pulled down really fast on the other end and we go shooting up in the air so our whole center of gravity changes. And simultaneously I am lowering my live flamethrower and using it ostensibly on my friend Ricco (audience laughs). The first three or four takes, I fell off. I was so terrified of James Cameron that I thought I would be fired today. I’m telling you; it was really hard.
William Hope portrays Gorman, the inexperienced commanding officer of the Marines who would have been best to listen Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) if he had been quick to think about it. Like Ricco Ross, he turned down a role in “Full Metal Jacket” to appear in “Aliens.” Since then, he has given memorable performances in such movies as “Hellbound: Hellraiser II,” “Shining Through,” the cinematic version of the television show “The Saint,” “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “Dark Shadows,” and the recent reboot of a sequel to “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” His words about James Cameron rang very true.
William Hope: Jim in those days was cutting his teeth in more ways than one because he knew everybody’s job better than they did apart from the actors. So, I was just obsessed with don’t screw this up. We knew the script was just something of a masterpiece. We knew it was very, very special. As for you guys (the alien actors), the only direct contact that I had was when the aliens come through the roof. It was just the most exciting scene to play. The big challenge was getting it right and Jim saying, “Good, okay, move on.”
Mark Rolston portrayed Drake, a close friend to fellow badass marine Vasquez who was played by Jenette Goldstein. His other credits include playing Hans in “Lethal Weapon 2,” Stef in “Robocop 2,” and Bogs Diamond in “The Shawshank Redemption.” He also acted in “The Departed” which earned its director, Martin Scorsese, his first ever Academy Award, and co-starred in “Saw V” and Saw VI” as Dan Erickson. On television, he portrayed Gordie Liman on “The Shield.”
Mark Rolston: The thing I remember was the creature creation. I actually came back to set to watch the entrance of the queen alien. It is seared in my memory because she was like a two-story puppet which was controlled by guys on the crew. The smallest guy on Tom (Woodruff Jr.’s) crew was the guy who gets stationed in the head, and his sole job, aside from being dressed in black and trying to hide, was to push the queen alien goo out the tail. Cameron at one moment said, “There’s too much goo! Too much goo! You are pushing on the wrong tube!” I was giggling my ass over that one, but it was such an impressive shot. You look at the film and you believe this is a living monster, but onstage you see it’s just a puppet. Such masterful filmmaking.
We are getting closer to the 40th anniversary of “Aliens,” and this sequel still holds up all these years later. Some of us got to see when it debuted in theaters back in 1986, and others like myself watched on VHS. But even on the small screen, this still proved to be one of the greatest cinematic roller coaster rides we ever went on, and it is so great to see new generations of movie buffs feel the same from one new year to the next.
The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.
In order to be direct with the readers, I must admit two things before reviewing “The Flash” – I’m not at all familiar with the drama surrounding Ezra Miller and his off-screen antics. I’m also not at familiar with “The Flash.” Because of these reasons, I was able to go into the film fairly fresh, which is how I like to go into most movies. The less I know about a movie or a character, the better. I believe a film should be able to stand on its own two feet for the diehard fans along with the newbies. When the movie accomplishes that tricky tightrope act, it has done its job.
Ezra Miller stars as Barry Allen/The Flash. He’s just trying to get his energy for the day with a sandwich when he must help save a hospital, specifically the maternity ward, as babies are flying out of the window along with a nurse and a dog. Barry even says to himself that he feels like the janitor of the Justice League. Meanwhile, he shows up late to his job at a research center, where his coworkers are none too pleased with his track record for being tardy. After work, he sees an old friend from college, Iris West (Kiersey Clemons). She’s a reporter who wants to find out how Barry feels about his father’s upcoming trial for the murder of his mother. Barry maintains that his father is innocent. This sets him on a mission to try to go back in time using his lightning speed and change the past.
If he can change the past, his father will not be in prison and his mother will still be alive. Batman (Ben Affleck) warns The Flash about the consequences of messing with the past. He says their past made them who they are, and they need to grow from it. The Flash, however, believes he can right a wrong and is determined to change past events. When he goes back into his childhood home, he sees his mother, father, and a different version of himself. He meets up with the second version of himself and tries to explain what he’s trying to do and how they are going to do it.
“The Flash” had a great opening sequence which was fun, exciting, and really well-done by director Andy Muschietti (“It” and “It Chapter Two”). I thought the film was establishing a really good baseline of humor and emotion, especially in the scene with Barry talking to his father (Ron Livingston) on the phone. I could feel the connection between Barry and his mother and what an important relationship this was to him. It’s the emotional core of the movie. Who amongst us has not wanted to go back in time and fix the past? However, the middle of the movie is really bogged down with action sequences, Michael Keaton looking bored as Batman, and the film lost its way in the multiverse. It ends on a high note with the emotion and heart from the start of the movie. At that point, we were two hours plus into this movie, so it was too little, too late.
Miller is entertaining in small doses here, but when there are two of him, he overplays it a little bit and tries way too hard to be funny. Less is more with the multiverse angle in the film. The second version of Barry is incredibly grating, annoying and cumbersome to spend time with as an audience member. When the first part of him is grounded in some form of reality, it’s really good. Overall, it’s a mixed bag with his performance. The film loves nostalgia with cameos and callbacks throughout the film, but it didn’t work for me because it felt like they were trying to be a little too cutesy. Overall, there is a good film in here somewhere, but it really lost its way in the middle. Once it regained its footing, it was far too late.
* ½ out of * * * *
4K Info: “The Flash” is released on a single disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The film has a running time of 144 minutes and is rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, some strong language, and partial nudity. It comes with a digital code for the film as well.
Video/Audio Info: The film comes with a Dolby Vision transfer and a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. I’m sad to report, this is not one of the better transfers I’ve seen for a new film. It didn’t stand out in any way, really. It looks very lifeless and run-of-the-mill. The audio was solid, but the visual look of the film left a lot to be desired.
Special Features:
“The Flash: Escape the Midnight Circus” podcast – Six-part original scripted audio series featuring Max Greenfield as The Flash
“The Flash: Escape the Midnight Circus” Behind the Scenes
Deleted Scenes
Saving Supergirl – featurette
The Bat Chase – featurette
Battling Zod – featurette
Fighting Dark Flash – featurette
The Flash: The Saga of the Scarlet Speedster – featurette
Making the Flash: Worlds Collide – featurette
Let’s Get Nuts: Batman Returns, Again – featurette
Supergirl: Last Daughter of Krypton – featurette
Flashpoint: Introducing the Multiverse – featurette
Should You Buy It?
I had high hopes for this film as I’m a big fan of director Andy Muschietti, and I thought he would bring a unique visual flair to it. I also felt as though the film would do what I wish more superhero films would do, which is incorporate comedy and emotion with some fun action sequences. Instead, it goes off the rails for a good chunk, and it doesn’t stick with what works in the beginning and end of the film. It also completely forgets about the love story between Iris and Barry, which was moving in a really good direction. For the most part, this was a pretty dull and uninteresting viewing experience. The 4K transfer also leaves a lot to be desired. There are plenty of special features here, so if you did enjoy the film, you will have a lot to go through if you pick this disc up. If you did like the film, I’d suggest waiting for it to drop down in price a little bit, as the 4K transfer doesn’t make this a must-own right away. I wish it would have included the Blu-ray, as I would have liked to have seen the difference between the two formats. Overall, if you haven’t seen this film, you aren’t missing anything. If you did see it and liked it, you have the special features going for you, but the visuals are truly underwhelming.
**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.
The first two “Equalizer” movies directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Denzel Washington were effective action flicks, but much of what happened in them did not stay in my brain for very long. The most I can remember is that Denzel played Robert McCall who, when he starts the timer on his digital watch, is gifted at leaving his opponents in a world of immense pain in about five seconds’ time. And then there are others who he leaves in a world of searing pain before killing them off in a rather gruesome fashion. Other than that, few things from those films stayed with me after I watched them. They were good and did their job, but like your average fast-food meal, it only leaves so much of an aftertaste.
The same, however, cannot be said about “The Equalizer 3” as it features a storyline and action scenes which will not leave my mind for a very long time. Whereas its predecessors followed similar plotlines, this one goes in a different direction as Robert McCall wonders how he can live on after all the bloody and brutal acts he has unleashed upon others. But while he looks to have found peace, we know that peace will eventually be shattered.
This sequel starts off with an immediate bang as a drug lord drives up to his beautiful home, the kind which the average working-class individual can only dream of affording. Upon his arrival, he discovers many dead bodies littered around and inside his home, including one henchman with a hatchet buried deep in his face. For a moment, I thought “The Equalizer 3” was about to introduce us to Robert’s latest chief antagonist, but instead we find Robert has killed all these men, and we first see him sitting in a chair, held at gunpoint by the drug lord’s henchmen and looking to be on the verge of breathing his very last breath. But, of course, this is the only the movie’s beginning, and once Robert tells this nameless drug baron he has nine seconds to decide his fate, you know he is going to walk out of there and no one else will.
“The Equalizer 3” is rated R for “strong bloody violence.” Please take this rating seriously. The opening sequence alone hangs over this sequel as McCall ends up laying waste to those in his ways in an infinitely brutal fashion. He even shoots his nemesis in a very painful area before ending him ever so coldly, before rendering them dead or, as Chevy Chase described it in “Fletch,” extremely sleepy. Right from the start, this is Fuqua’s and Washington’s way of saying, “Hey, this is make believe, but all the same we ain’t playing around!”
From there, the action moves to the Amalfi Coast in Southern Italy where McCall goes to recover from life-threatening injuries, and it is there he finds a level of peace his violent past has never allowed him to have. Eventually, he is made to feel like one of the people there after he finally gets that cup of tea he ordered at the local café. Cinematographer Robert Richardson lights this town beautifully and adds to allure of it being a desirable tourist destination I would love to visit someday. Even one of my critic friends told me, after watching this movie, how she would just love to retire there. Who wouldn’t?
Nevertheless, we know this peace will eventually be shattered, and it is shattered by members of the Sicilian Mafia who are determined to turn this beautiful town into a major tourist destination with hotels and restaurants. Essentially, they are real estate investors of the most violent kind as they show no hesitation in throwing an old man out the window or beating up a local chef in order to make their presence known and never forgotten. It’s just like what John Doe said in “Seven:”
“Wanting people to listen, you can’t just tap them on the shoulder anymore. You have to hit them with a sledgehammer, and then you’ll notice you’ve got their strict attention.”
Fuqua and Washington love playing with our emotions and the situations presented to us. We know McCall is going to leave these heavily tattooed thugs in a world of pain before certain death, but we still get to have a lot of twisted fun here as these thugs try to intimidate McCall, and we revel in the fact that they have no idea what they are in for or who they are dealing with. They may delight in intimidating others, but we know they are on the verge of experiencing a level of pain which could literally make them shit their pants. There is even a certain scene in a restaurant in which McCall shows how much he knows about the human anatomy, he presents this in a painfully unforgettable way.
I have long become convinced that Denzel can do absolutely no wrong as an actor. Not once have I failed to see him give the best performance possible in any motion picture he stars in, and “The Equalizer 3” is no exception. It could have been a role where he simply could have stared his foes down, but he makes every single movement of his body, every look with his eyes and every word of dialogue he utters count for so much. He is not about to render Robert McCall into some mere one-dimensional action hero like the ones many of us grew up with in the 1980’s. Just as Matt Damon did as Jason Bourne, Keanu Reeves did with John Wick and even Tom Cruise does with Ethan Hunt, Denzel imbues McCall with a deeply wounded humanity which rings true throughout. This is one of many characters with a violent past they are hoping to make peace with, but we all know they will eventually return to the thing they do best. This is what makes them so fascinating and enthralling to watch.
The other big delight of “The Equalizer 3” is the appearance of Dakota Fanning, reuniting with Denzel for the first time in almost 20 years after “Man on Fire.” It is fascinating to watch Dakota then when she was a young girl and then watching her now as a woman, and it is great fun to see her hold her own opposite Denzel as CIA officer Emma Collins. She is a terrific presence as she carefully tries to pierce away at McCall’s hardened exterior to find out what lies underneath. My only disappointment is seeing her sidelined before the film’s third act as I would have loved to see these two team up to together to take on the mafia, but I guess her character was written to serve a different purpose.
And while the screenplay by Richard Wenk may come across as your routine and formulaic vigilante action flick, Fuqua and company end up pulling the rug right out from under us before we can even get a glimpse of what could possibly be coming our way. You know how it goes; the bad guys get hurt and embarrassed really bad, and they vow a revenge which we know will hurt even worse than what came before. But when it comes to our man McCall, he is already several steps ahead of them. So, when the pain comes, it comes fast and brutal, and you pity those who have no idea what kind of fate they are in store for.
Of all the movies in “The Equalizer” trilogy, “The Equalizer 3” is my pick for the best of the bunch. It is the most memorable, features action set pieces which must had director Mel Gibson going, “Hey, I could have done that,” and it proves to be a strong conclusion to a well-made trilogy. Again, take the R rating this movie has very seriously. If you do not like seeing someone stick a gun in an eye socket they have already shot through in order to take out another henchman with several bullets, this may not be your cup of tea. Whereas John Wick takes out his enemies before they even know what had hit them, Robert McCall wants you to first know who it was who had beaten you.
It was another day on the picket line as SAG/AFTRA and the WGA continue their long-running strike against the AMPTP. The fight for a fair contract and better pay rages on even as it looks as if no end is in sight. But, then again, it was not really another day as this was the National Day of Solidarity which not only brought these two unions together, but many others including the AFL-CIO, IATSE and Liuna to name a few. In addition, they were also fighting for safer working conditions, restrictions on AI technology, and to be given the respect they deserve as it is their works which help to generate these amazingly high profits for CEOs who have far too much money to ever spend in a lifetime.
There was also a big rally held outside of Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California. I did my best to film as much of it as I could, but I also got the feeling that now would be a good time to buy a new tripod for my camcorder (the one I currently have is out of commission). Surprisingly, it turned out to be a reunion of sorts for the cast of “The West Wing” as Martin Sheen, Richard Schiff and Bradley Whitford spoke out in support of the strike and for the importance of solidarity in this fight. Sheen was especially powerful as he reminded us all why he got to play the President of the United States on the show for several years, back in a time where a single season of television lasted 22 episodes (remember that?).
Another great speaker was Kerry Washington who talked about how her dream of wanting to be an actor seemed to be impossible because it meant wanting to be famous and be on billboards and magazine covers. But then she said she learned about unions and how they made her dream both a possibility and a reality as it allowed her to make a living. But now, with the advent of streaming and changes in the industry, making a living, let alone a healthy one, has ceased to be possible, and that is unacceptable. Her words rang out loud and true:
“We’ve come to a point in our history where just being a working actor — coming to work every day, devoting oneself to this craft, dedicating oneself for the entertainment and the joy of others — means I can’t make a fair living. It’s not OK. It’s not OK for other people to benefit from our hard work and sweat. It’s not OK for other people to benefit while we work 16-hour days. It’s not OK for other people to benefit when we put our vulnerability and our hearts on the line. It’s not OK for other people to benefit while we do the hard work. That’s not OK.”
But for me, my favorite speaker of the day was “Hellboy” himself, Ron Perlman, who reminded us all as he does on his Twitter (oh, sorry, X) and Instagram feeds that he does not take shit from anybody. He made this clear right from the start as he said out loud, “I have been a union man my entire mother-fucking woke life.” Not once did he show a single shred of complacency as he laid out how those in power want to break us down:
“The thing is, however much they take will never be enough. So, what they need to do is make us feel small. Devalue us. Gaslight us with the thought that if we don’t walk in line lockstep we can be replaced because any motherfucker can do what we do. … If they’re claiming that they’re losing money, they just made a fucked-up model, that’s all. Don’t blame me for that.”
It was a great day to be on the picket line as thousands of union workers came together to continue the fight for a fair contract and a healthy living wage. I also got to catch up with some friends who I have not seen in years which, in this post-pandemic world, I am deeply grateful for. Granted, the extreme heat took a lot of me to where I had to go home and take a much-needed nap, but it did not stop me or so many others from showing up in Burbank.
As I have stated in the previous articles I have written about the SAG/AFTRA and WGA strike, I am not a member of either union and the video I edited below is not endorsed by them. Still, I am very proud to have joined the picket line as what is currently going on with artists is just a small example of what is happening to the working class at large. These days, I am often reminded of what the late great George Carlin once said about those with all the money and power:
“They want obedient workers. Obedient workers, people who are just smart enough to run the machines and do the paperwork. And just dumb enough to passively accept all these increasingly shittier jobs with the lower pay, the longer hours, the reduced benefits, the end of overtime and vanishing pension that disappears the moment you go to collect it.”
At this time in history, we want to work, but we also want a healthy living wage. It’s hard enough these days to find a job, let alone which pays enough and comes with benefits. No one should have to work two jobs just to survive, and wages need to start keeping up with the cost of living and that evil beast known as inflation. Those in power continue finding ways to eliminate the human equation in the business world, and we cannot allow this to continue. We will not be exploited anymore.
Please check out the video below and be sure to contribute to those union members in need.
So, it was another day on the picket line for me as I walked outside of Warner Brothers on August 18, 2023. It is now day 35 of the strike for SAG/AFTRA, and day 109 for the WGA. The picket hours have been reduced to go from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. as the heat continues to be brutal and unforgiving, and the unions clearly want to make sure no one suffers from heatstroke.
After picketing outside of Paramount Studios and Netflix, I felt the time had come to go over the hill, so to speak, and check out what was going on in the valley. Picketing has ceased at Universal Studios due to them not providing enough safety for union members exercising the right to protest. As a result, the crowd outside of Warner Brothers proved to be especially huge as the sidewalks were crowded, and strike captains had to keep telling people to keep moving as there were parents with strollers trying to get through. And while there were sidewalks you could cross at, there were others which were off limits as cars kept coming up and down Barham Boulevard. Like me, many of them were desperately trying to find a place to park.
It was also a big day for Latino actors (Latino/a/x) as they made their presence known and partied on like there was no tomorrow. Their energy proved to be infinitely infectious as many joined in with their dancing and singing while also chanting loudly, “This corporate greed has got to go!” And if you looked closely, you could see actress Frances Fisher (“Unforgiven” and “Titanic”) walking the picket line as well as the Mandalorian and Captain America who was carrying a sign saying, “I can do this all day.”
Once again, a big thank you to the strike captains for keeping everyone safe and hydrated. To date, this has been the busiest picket line I have been to yet, so their jobs were a lot tougher than usual as a result. The temperature was in the high eighties, so even a warm lime La Croix was refreshing in this climate.
Check out the video below, and please consider making a donation to those in need.
WRITER’S NOTE: For the record, I am not currently a member of SAG/AFTRA or the WGA. The video I have put together here is not officially endorsed by either union.
The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit Correspondent, Tony Farinella.
My unofficial title of a film buff might be revoked when I reveal this is the first Bruce Lee film I have ever watched. I do have “Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits” on Blu-ray from the Criterion Collection, but I have yet to dive into those films. “Enter the Dragon” was the last film Lee completed before his untimely death. With it being the 100-year anniversary of Warner Brothers, they have taken it upon themselves to give this film the 4K treatment. While I have some issues with “Enter the Dragon,” for the most part it was a decent introduction to Lee. I look forward to checking out more of his films with my Criterion box set. There are too many films out there and not enough hours in the day.
Bruce Lee stars as Lee, a skilled and proficient martial artist and instructor, being approached by Braithwaite (Geoffrey Weeks), a British intelligence agent, about entering a martial arts tournament. The tournament is being run on a private island by the villainous Han (Kien Shih). He needs Lee’s help as he suspects Han is involved in prostitution and illegal drug trafficking. He needs Lee to enter the tournament and find out the inside scoop on Han and his operation. It’s also a deeply personal mission for Lee as he finds out one of Han’s goons has caused Lee’s family pain and misery.
Lee is joined in this tournament by a compulsive gambler named Roper, played by film veteran John Saxon, and the smooth-talking Williams, played by Jim Kelly. They are treated to beautiful women and told to stay in their rooms and not ruffle any feathers. One night, Lee goes out looking for clues and evidence, which leaves Han wondering what is going on with his security team. Can he trust his men to keep Lee, Roper and Williams in line? Lee seems to be one step ahead of Han, but Han has an army of men and will stop at nothing to keep his enterprise up and running.
“Enter the Dragon,” overall, was a mixed bag for me. The first hour of the film really lost me, and it seemed to move at a glacial pace. I’m all for building up the story, the characters, and giving us time to digest everything before the final battle. I’m on board with that one hundred percent, and I like interesting characters and a good build-up to a grand finale. However, the first hour is tedious and rather boring. It doesn’t really go anywhere. When we get to the last half-hour and Lee gets to do his thing, it’s a beautiful movie to watch unfold on screen. The martial arts sequences are put together like a work of art and are truly out of this world.
Maybe I’m asking too much for a martial arts movie to have a better story, but it’s more about the pacing. There is no sense of urgency in a film that is only 99 minutes or 102 minutes if you watch the special edition of it. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely was enthralled with the last act when it comes down to Han and Lee. The way they use the mirrors and what’s around them had me on the edge of my seat, literally. Bruce choreographed the fight scenes himself, and he has a great screen presence. I didn’t feel like he had a ton of screen time, but when he’s on screen, he really makes his scenes count. It’s remarkable how lightning fast and intense the fight sequences are, and they are flawless. You have to give credit to Bruce for looking the part, playing the part, and putting so much into this film.
Many people have talked about the spy aspects of the film and compared it to the James Bond franchise. I didn’t really feel like they fleshed out those aspects enough. I really wanted more of the meat and potatoes of the story. I know Lee was a silent but deadly killer in this film, but the rest of the cast can be a little too cartoonish at times. Again, I was blown away by the final 30-40 minutes. If they had properly built it up in the first hour, I would have considered it a classic, which many film critics and historians out there have labeled it. Maybe I need to give this one another watch, but on my first viewing, I can’t say I see the historical significance of this film.
* * out of * * * *
4K Info: “Enter the Dragon” is released on a single disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The theatrical cut of the film runs at 99 minutes while the special-edition version runs at 102 minutes. The film is rated R for martial arts violence and brief nudity. It also comes with a digital copy of the film.
Video/Audio Info: The High Dynamic Range on this 4K release is very, very strong here. The film was released in 1973, and many scenes were incredibly bright, colorful and eye-popping. It still has a little bit of the old-school charm to it, but it’s also touched up. That being said, it isn’t so touched up that it looks too clean. This is a prime example of a film that is improved with a 4K release, but it still keeps its classic look at the same time. The Dolby Atmos track is perfect here. It also comes with subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.
Special Features:
Introduction by Linda Lee Cadwell
Commentary by Paul Heller and Michael Allin
Should You Buy It?
Film criticism is subjective, and I really wanted to love this film. I’ve loved what Warner Brothers has been doing lately with their restorations of classic cinema. I’m always looking to learn about new films and classic Hollywood stars. With that being said, I was bored and uninterested in two-thirds of this film. For a classic, it shouldn’t be the case. I will give credit where credit is due and say the final 30-40 minutes feature some of the best martial arts I’ve ever seen in my life. I didn’t expect the film to be wall-to-wall action, as that wouldn’t be feasible, but I was hoping for a little bit more out of the characters, pacing and storytelling, even in a martial arts movie. If you are a Bruce Lee fan and you adore this film, you won’t be disappointed in the least by this 4K release and transfer. I’m willing to watch this film again and see if I missed something. In the end, it’s one with a grand finale that needed a story and some build-up to accompany it.
**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.
I had to watch Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” twice before I could sit myself down and write a review about it. There is so much going on here in front of us to where it is impossible to take everything in right away, and I kept waiting for J. Robert Oppenheimer’s head to explode before the atomic bomb did. Upon a second viewing, I came to better appreciate and understand all of what Nolan was doing here, and I continue to marvel at the brilliant editing job he and Jennifer Lame pulled off. What results is not only one of the best films of 2023, but perhaps of all time.
Like “Memento,” Nolan has constructed this biopic in a defiantly non-linear fashion as he gives us two parallel storylines which are destined to crash into one another. We have the typical biographical story of how J. Robert Oppenheimer began studying science when he was young, and of how his worldview evolved as he went about constructing the bomb which would eventually succeed in ending World War II. Then the story shifts to a few years later when Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey Jr.), one of the original members of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) is enduring a Senate confirmation hearing to be appointed as Secretary of Commerce. Strauss is the one who put Oppenheimer in a special position of power, and now he wants to crush Oppenheimer in a way which hurts worse than death.
I love biopics like “Oppenheimer” as they breathe life and complexity into human beings most of us have only read about in books. People like him seem so one-dimensional from a distance, but Nolan fleshes him out fully as a man who was a brilliant mind and a loving husband and father, but also a womanizer and quite the chain smoker. Nolan is also aided by a career best performance from Cillian Murphy who succeeds in embodying this historic individual both physically and emotionally.
Not for a second does this film hide away from the politics and implications of the atomic bomb. Oppenheimer and everyone working closely with him knew they were working to build a weapon of mass genocide, and this weighs heavily on everyone’s conscience. The problem, however, is that if they do not build the bomb, someone else will, and the results could have been disastrous had the Nazis beat them to it. Regardless of the intentions, the invention of the atomic bomb and the arrival of the Nuclear Age was inevitable, and nothing would ever be the same.
And, of course, Oppenheimer was turned into a hero for the world to see, and we know what happens to heroes; they are broken down and their images coldly shattered for all the world to see. Seeing him try to regulate nuclear energy in the wake of the Trinity test and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was understandable as this was a power which needed to be reigned in and controlled. But like Dustin Hoffman said in “Outbreak” when he learned the military was still going to bomb a small town despite the doctors having a much-needed vaccine, “they want their weapon.”
Seeing Strauss and others take down Oppenheimer serves as a reminder that even decades ago, it was never about the truth as much as it was controlling the narrative. Linking Oppenheimer to communist causes, even though he never was a Communist, reeks of being guilty by association, and all you need is just a little glaring flaw to get the masses pissed at you. At one point he says, “Is anyone ever going to tell the truth about what’s happening here?” Indeed, truth is often a casualty in the realms of power, and it never is revealed right away, maybe even for decades.
There are many memorable images and moments to be found throughout this film. The explosion of the bomb is certainly a highlight as it demonstrates just how triumphant and horrifying this process of discovery was. It also reminded me of a demonstration a science teacher did one day outside of the classroom. He had a student take a pair of books with them and walk far off into a field. Once in position, he had the student slap them together, and the sound of them coming together did not happen until a second afterwards. It remains one of the most memorable science lessons I have ever witnessed, and I was reminded of this when the bomb exploded onscreen here. All you hear at first is silence as those witnessing this historical event can only hear their own baited breath. But when the sound of the explosion arrives, it proves to be quite deafening as it shakes everyone up as much as it does the theater you happen to be watching this cinematic opus in.
The other moments which stand out include those when Oppenheimer discusses theories and life in general with Albert Einstein (the remarkable Tom Conti), and the first meeting we see these two have hangs over the film throughout as we wonder what is said and why Einstein walked away looking so grim. The answer is eventually revealed to us all, and it speaks to how the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Seriously, there is not single weak performance to be found here. Even the smallest of roles carry a lot of weight throughout the film’s three-hour running time. Whether it is Casey Affleck, Jason Clarke, David Krumholtz,Kenneth Branagh, Tony Goldwin or James Remar, every cast member inhabits their roles with tremendous energy as each character has a very strong reason for being featured here. None of them should ever be accused of doing a mere cameo, and this includes the actor who portrays President Harry S. Truman.
Some performances worth singling out however include Robert Downey Jr.’s as Lewis Strauss, and it is truly one of his best ever as he plays this man as someone very knowledgeable about politics and power, but who eventually is undone by his lack of understanding as to what is really going on. Emily Blunt is at her most blunt ever (pun intended) as Oppenheimer’s wife, Katherine, who urges him to take a stand against those out to humiliate and discredit him. Florence Pugh remains an actress willing to go to emotionally raw lengths for a role, and her work here as Jean Tatlock, one of Oppenheimer’s lovers who gets swallowed up anxiety and depression is never less than impressive. And there is no leaving out Matt Damon who makes General Leslie Groves much more than the average military figure we often see in films like these.
But perhaps the real scene stealer is Alden Ehrenreich who portrays a Senate aide to Strauss. At one point he looks to be a hopelessly naïve idealist who has a lot to learn about politics, but then Ehrenreich makes this character into someone more confident and smarter than we are led to believe at first sight. More importantly, his last scene has him telling Strauss exactly what he needs to hear, and it is such a stinging moment to where I almost found myself applauding it.
Like “Goodfellas,” “Oppenheimer” proves to be many cinematic things to me: it is scary, thrilling, an important look into history, a study about the morality of the deadliest weapons mankind has ever invented, of how the narrative is often more important than the truth, and there are some laughs to be had here and there in the process. I live for motion pictures like these. Hopefully the Academy will not snub Nolan and company here when Oscar season comes around as they have in the past. “Oppenheimer” is a monumental cinematic achievement, and one which needs to be seen on the biggest screen in your neighborhood. More importantly, seeing it once will never be enough. I believe this is a film which will be studied endlessly throughout the years, and not just because of the brilliant editing job.
Oppenheimer brought us into the atomic age which eventually evolved into the Cold War involving nuclear weapons. We never really left the Cold War now, did we?
The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.
Recently, I have been fortunate enough to see two out of the three films James Dean made in his short but powerful film career: “Rebel Without a Cause” and now “East of Eden.” Both of them have been released on 4K this year through Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. “Giant,” the third film in Dean’s career, has also been released on 4K as well. It’s been a tremendous cinematic experience to watch these particular films on 4K for the very first time and see a true artist at work. I’m a huge fan of method acting from the likes of Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, and it’s been eye-opening to see Dean and his method acting on display here.
Dean plays a character named Cal Trask. Much like his character in “Rebel Without a Cause,” he’s troubled, confused, and he doesn’t get along with the older generation. That is the genius of Dean and why he was so ahead of his time. He really knew how to convey on screen what young men and women were feeling at that time: disconnected, misunderstood, unhappy, angry, and filled with angst. He does it effortlessly without ever being too showy or over-the-top. He knows when to ramp up the anger and frustration, and also what to express with his facial expressions and mannerisms. Everything on screen with him is very naturalistic.
The film is set in 1917 California, located in both Monterey and Salinas. It shows the struggle of young Cal trying to reach out to his mother Kate, played by Jo Van Fleet, someone he has long believed to be dead. His father, Adam (Raymond Massey), told him and his brother Aron (Richard Davalos) that she died shortly after their birth. Cal, however, finds out she’s a successful woman running a brothel who left their father because of his strict religious ways. She wanted to be free to do her own thing and felt as though she was wasting her life away with him. Cal thinks he is evil like his mother while he believes his brother Aron is good like his father. The film was clearly inspired by the story of Cain and Abel. It comes from the 1952 novel of the same name by John Steinbeck.
There is also a young woman named Abra (Julie Harris), and she’s the girlfriend of Aron, but she seems to connect more with Cal. She sees the good in Cal, even if he struggles to see the good in himself. The two of them have tremendous chemistry on screen, and I loved the playful back and forth between them. It was truly something special to behold. Taking nothing away from this talented cast and the tremendous screenplay from Paul Osborn, but this is Dean’s show here. Credit is due as well to the direction of Elia Kazan. Having previously worked with Brando, he knows how to step aside and let the camera focus on the star of the show. He uses skillful camera movement to allow us to take in the character and everything around him.
This is classic Hollywood craftsmanship at its finest here from Kazan and Dean. Human stories are always very powerful, and Dean does not shy away from the good intentions of his character as well as his bad ones. He’s struggling to win the love of a stern father; a love he fears he might never get in life. He’s also trying to figure out how to deal with the fact his mother is alive and rather cold, cruel and indifferent to how things happened between her and her husband. She does seem to care about Cal, but she’s complex and complicated, much like he is. At a time where a lot of things were black and white, Dean was someone who was always painting in shades of grey. It’s truly a magnificent cinematic journey to watch him in this film. It also leaves us wanting more, but sadly he left us far, far too soon. Thankfully, we have his movies on physical media to relive over and over again.
* * * * out of * * * *
4K Info: “East of Eden” is being released on a single 4K disc from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The film has a running time of 117 minutes and is rated PG for thematic elements and some violent content. It also comes with a digital copy of the film.
Video/Audio Info: The HDR on this film is a visual feast with bright colors and moody darks. I can’t imagine it ever looking better than it does with this 4K release. It’s truly stunning to watch, and I was really happy with the clean, crisp and vivid look of the film. There is also a great Dolby Atmos soundtrack for the film along with subtitles in English, Spanish and French.
Special Features:
Commentary by Richard Schickel
Should You Buy It?
In order for studios like Warner Brothers to preserve film history, it is up to us as consumers to buy films like “East of Eden” on 4K. It’s very affordable, and they have done a great job of making this film from 1955 look truly top-notch. When people ask me why I collect 4K’s, I often point to the older films from Hollywood, as they really are the ones which benefit the most from a 4K upgrade. They still maintain their original charm and the feeling is still there, but they are being seen in the best possible way on 4K as it truly enhances the experience in every way possible. I’m such a fan of great acting and great characters. This film is filled with so many great performances, powerful moments, and characters that are well-developed and fleshed out over the course of almost two hours, which flies by when you are truly invested in their well-being. James Dean was one-of-a-kind, and it’s a shame his life was cut short, as he would have kept churning out one classic film after another. This is a four-star film which needs to be bought on its release date. If you love classic Hollywood, you won’t be disappointed.
**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free. The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.
The Ultimate Rabbit 