Retro Monster Movie: King Kong Escapes

What do you get when you combine the monster, sci-fi & spy film genres, and toss in a bit of a cartoon series for good measure? The result is 1967’s King Kong Escapes, a co-production between Japan’s Toho studios & Rankin-Bass, the US animation company responsible for classics like Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer & Mad Monster Party. Based in part on the Rankin-Bass animated series The King Kong Show, the film features the evil Dr. Who (no relation to the title character of the long running BBC series) who has created a robot replica of Kong called Mechani-Kong. He’s using the robot to obtain an ore called “Element X” which will help his employer, Madame X, and her unnamed country, make weapons that will enable them to..…you guessed it….RULE THE WORLD. Meanwhile a submarine commanded by Carl Nelson (Rhodes Reason, brother of Rex, star of This Island Earth) ) gets waylaid while on a mission for the UN, and ends up at Mondo Island, the real Kong’s home. Nelson & his crew have an up close & personal encounter with Kong. The big, furry guy takes a shine to Lt. Susan Watson (Linda Miller), and battles a couple of giant creatures in order to protect her. Our stalwart heroes barely escape the island alive.

Back at villain central, the bad guys have a problem: the radioactivity in Element X has fried Mechani-Kong's circuits. So what’s a super-villain to do? Dr. Who sets out to find the real Kong and bring him back to his Arctic lair, so he can use the giant ape to mine the ore. Of course, it’s inevitable that the bad guys will cross paths with our heroes. And in true pulp movie fashion, we discover Dr. Who is an old nemesis of Nelson’s. When the nefarious villain successfully captures Kong, he has trouble controlling him, and kidnaps Susan (along with the rest of the sub's command crew) in order to control the lovelorn ape. The beautiful but deadly Madame X tries to use her charms to get Nelson to turn to the dark side, but has little success. Of course, an angry & not so complacent Kong escapes (hence the title), a repaired Mechani-Kong is sent after him by Dr. Who, and a battle of titans ensues in Tokyo, with Susan in the middle. Can Kong rescue his lady love and save the day? Will Tokyo get stomped once again? You have seen one of these films before, right? ;)

A blogger meets Kong's lady friend:
With co-star Linda Miller at Chiller Con in April 2015

King Kong Escapes is an enjoyably silly Saturday matinee adventure. Dr. Who & his minions seem to have stepped right out of a 60s spy film, and the movie even features a bona fide Bond girl, Mie Hama of You Only Live Twice, as Madame X, the evil femme fatale. Ms. Miller (who also appeared in The Green Slime) makes for an attractive damsel in distress, and Reason is a determined square-jawed hero, along with Akira Takarada as his right hand man, Jiro Nimura. You’ll also notice the talents of the ubiquitous Paul Frees, who did vocal work for a lot of cartoon shows in the 60s & 70s, as the dubbed voice of Dr. Who. If you’re in the mood for some old school monster mayhem, grab some popcorn & drinks, and sit back & indulge the young creature features fan inside you: this is the perfect film for it. It’s the second and final Toho epic to feature Kong, after the battle of titans in King Kong vs. Godzilla. The monster clashes (with a dinosaur & a giant snake on Mondo island and Mechani-Kong in Tokyo) are fun, and while the movie may not be quite as well-regarded as some of the other late 1960s Toho entries, like Destroy All Monsters, it’s still a great ride for genre aficionados. I've certainly had a soft spot in my heart for the film since my younger days, and still enjoy watching it. The movie is now available on Blu-ray & DVD: sadly, there are no special features. Here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrUFlFD4Lvo. 

Furious 7: Dom & The Crew Ride On

The “Fast & Furious” films have become a very successful franchise for Universal Pictures. The latest entry in the series, Furious 7, continues the series’ tradition of being well-produced, big budget popcorn flicks. It’s got all the elements these films are famous for: action scenes & stunts, explosions, fight scenes & of course, car chases. This time out, our heroes are facing a threat that hits close to home. Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) is the brother of the villain from the last film, Owen Shaw. Deckard vows revenge against Dom (Vin Diesel) and the rest of his crew for what they did to Owen, and the injuries Owen suffered in their battle. Deckard begins hunting down the “Fast & Furious” crew and trying to kill them, starting with Han, whose character debuted in the third film, and appeared in the subsequent sequels. Deckard murders Han, and lets Dom know he's coming for him.

As the attacks on Dom & his friends continue, he realizes he’ll have to take down Shaw to keep his family safe. This leads to an alliance with a covert ops agent, Frank Petty, played by Kurt Russell. Petty wants Dom’s help with a mission before he’ll help him get Shaw. It turns out that Petty’s request will put Dom & our heroes into direct conflict with Shaw, as well as a new & dangerous enemy, a terrorist named Jakande. Of course, everything & everyone will converge as we get to the movie’s climax. Some of the ongoing plot strands from Fast & Furious 6 are dealt with as well; Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) is still dealing with her memory loss, and Brian (Paul Walker) is struggling with settling down to be a family man, and no longer being in the midst of the action all the time. Can our heroes defeat Shaw and survive to live & drive another day?

The action & stunts keep getting more spectacular in these films: this time out, we’ve got cars dropping out of a plane & using parachutes to land, and a car driving out of a high rise building window and into another building across from it. They’re completely unbelievable moments, but you can’t help but be dazzled by them. But despite the amazing stunts, one of the things that make this series so successful is the likable characters, and their relationships. We enjoy seeing these people on screen, and can feel the bond these characters share; we care about what happens to them. When the series was essentially relaunched in 2009 with the fourth film, Fast & Furious, the filmmakers knew what worked, and reunited the cast of the original film, as well as bringing in new characters, such as Dwayne Johnson as DSS agent Hobbs in the fifth entry in the series. It helped rejuvenate the franchise, and each film since then has been more successful than the last, reversing the usual trend with sequels and their box office take.

If you’re not a fan of popcorn entertainment, this isn’t the film for you. But if you enjoyed the previous movies, you'll have a great time watching this entry in the series. There’s action to spare, humor & a few sentimental moments as well. These characters have become like family to fans of the series. Sadly, Paul Walker died in an off-set accident before filming was finished. Some digital magic, along with the help of Walker’s brothers & stunt doubles for some scenes, was used in order to help complete his role in the film. The movie concludes with a tribute to Walker using clips from his appearances in the series, and is dedicated to him. Furious 7 was directed by James (Insidious, The Conjuring) Wan, and written by Chris Morgan. It’s now playing in theaters: here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skpu5HaVkOc.

King's "Revival": The Secret of Electricity?

I’m a longtime fan of Stephen King, and I always enjoy digging into a new work by the man who’s given fans a lot of memorable reading experiences over the years. His latest novel, Revival, follows several well-received recent works including the Kennedy assassination centered time travel opus, 11/22/63, the elegiac ghost story Joyland and a mystery/detective thriller, Mr. Mercedes. His new book, Revival, brings us King in classic horror mode, in a tale of faith, rock & roll, religion, & one man’s obsession to see what’s on the other side of death. The story opens in the early 60s, where we are introduced to young Jamie Morton and his family, who live in a small Maine town. They meet their new pastor, Charles Jacobs, along with his wife & young son. Jamie & the rest of the town are impressed & won over by the preacher & his family, and their kindness. Everyone loves them, and they have a positive effect on the community.

Jamie is initially dazzled by Jacobs’ interest in electricity & how it can be used as more than just a power source. When the pastor heals an injury suffered by Jamie’s brother using a strange method, he’s amazed. But tragedy is just around the corner; the pastor suffers a devastating loss, which turns him against his faith. He gives a sermon (later known as the “Terrible Sermon”) in church that rages against God; it’s so negative and anti-religion that he loses his job, and leaves town. Charles & Jamie will continue to meet over the years, and their fates are more intertwined than Jamie suspects. As Jamie grows older, he starts playing guitar in rock bands & travelling the country. He also becomes addicted to heroin, and his life is falling apart. In essence, he's crashing out.

When Jacobs & Jamie meet again, the former pastor is performing in a carnival, mystifying audiences with tricks & illusions using electricity. He tells Jamie he can help him with his drug problem by using the things he’s learned about the power of electrical current and its properties. He does successfully cure Jamie of his addiction, and Jamie becomes his assistant for a time, working with Jacobs in his act. But Jacobs' cure has some unexpected side effects. The two part ways again. However, it wont be the last time their paths cross. Jacobs becomes a faith healer, curing people of terminal illnesses and devastating diseases. Jamie follows his progress on the internet, but stays away from him.

There’s a darker element at work in Jacob’s uses of what he calls “the secret electricity.” Many of the people he heals are suffering even more terrible side effects than Jamie did. And what is Jacob’s ultimate goal? When fate brings them together again, Jamie realizes Jacobs may be fooling with forces he really doesn’t understand. The former preacher is trying to open a door that should never be opened, into a world man was never meant to see. He needs Jamie to do this, and isn't above using his weaknesses against him. If Jacobs succeeds, there may be devastating consequences. It's up to Jamie to stop Jacobs before he unleashes a terrible evil on the world. I don’t want to say too much more about the plot so you can enjoy its surprises, and if you’re a fan of the Cthulhu mythos, then the chilling finale will really resonate with you.

King's storytelling skill makes you care about the people in the novel and what happens to them. There’s memorable dialogue and some truly scary scenes, and the author's usual mentions of music & pop culture are sprinkled throughout the novel, which help it feel even more relatable. Some of the supporting characters are a little thinly sketched, and a couple of secondary plot points aren’t fully fleshed out, but that’s a minor weakness. This is really a two-character story, and Jamie & his mentor/nemesis Charles Jacobs are memorable, multi-faceted men. This is King at his creepy best; the novel has allusions to the works of Mary Shelley, Ray Bradbury and H.P. Lovecraft, and has an eerie atmosphere. If you’re a horror fan, you’ll find a lot to enjoy here. It’s a fun read. Revival is now available online & in stores.

Short Takes: A Look at 3 Recent Releases

The Judge  (2014) – Robert Downey, Jr. stars as Hank Palmer, a successful Chicago defense attorney who’s called back to his Indiana hometown to attend his mother’s funeral.  He reunites with his estranged father (Oscar nominee Robert Duvall) and his two brothers, played by Vincent D’Onofrio & Jeremy Strong. When their father is involved in a fatal hit & run accident, Hank defends him in the court case, despite their troubled relationship. As more facts about the case and his father’s health come to light, Hank must also deal with a former flame (played by Vera Farmiga) & also try to mend fences with his father & siblings, who he left behind to pursue his career. The film is well acted & Downey, Jr. & Duvall have some good scenes together, but the story is predictable, and none of the characters are particularly well developed. It’s worth a look for fans of the actors, but it’s ultimately not the strongest vehicle for its stars, though Duvall & Farmiga stand out in a talented cast that also includes Billy Bob Thornton & Dax Shepard. The Judge is now available on DVD, Blu-Ray and on various online services. Here’s a link to the film’s trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBvK6ni97W8.

Whiplash (2014) – J.K. Simmons recently won a well-deserved Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in this powerful drama from writer/director Damien Chazelle. Andrew Neiman (portrayed by Miles Teller) is a drummer & a student in the jazz program at the elite Shaffer Conservatory in New York. He crosses paths with conductor Terence Fletcher (an electrifying turn from Simmons) who inspires, pushes & terrifies his students in equal measure. Fletcher verbally abuses, taunts & rages at his musicians in order to bring out what he feels is their best work. Neiman is initially energized by Fletcher’s style, but ultimately clashes with his mercurial teacher, setting off a chain of events that will change both of their lives forever. This is essentially an intense, thrilling acting duet & battle of wills between Simmons & Teller's characters; both performers are simply amazing in their roles. Whiplash is very highly recommended: one of the best films of 2014, it’s now available on DVD, Blu-Ray and on various online services. Here’s a link to the movie’s trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d_jQycdQGo.

Dark Skies (2013) – Keri Russell & Josh Hamilton are featured in this thriller as Lacy & Daniel Barrett, the parents of a suburban family beset by strange occurrences & weird happenings. The younger of their two sons begins behaving oddly, several flocks of birds fly into their house, and both parents experience a loss of memory & time, where they cannot account for their behavior. From the film’s beginning, we’re expecting this to be a standard haunted house tale, but the forces that are terrorizing this family are far more extraterrestrial in nature. The movie makes an attempt to be a creepy, frightening tale of alien contact that offers something different, but ultimately fails, despite some good performances & a couple of effective scare scenes from director Scott Stewart. J.K. Simmons shows up late in the film as a UFO expert, and livens up things considerably, but this hybrid of the science-fiction & horror genres doesn’t give us enough of a new twist, and sharp viewers will see the ending coming a mile away. It’s an ok watch for fans of the genre, but not recommended. Dark Skies is now available on DVD, Blu-Ray and on various online services. Here’s a link to the film’s trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9592F2RpRPo.

The Queen of Soul Rules in Bridgeport

Aretha Franklin - photo by John V

Before Autotune, American Idol & The Voice there were the voices. The ones that rocked, moved & inspired us. The voices that, once heard, cannot be forgotten. The one & only Aretha Franklin still has such a voice. On Friday night at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, concertgoers were treated to a thrilling evening of music from the original diva. From the moment she took the stage, The Queen of Soul held court & thrilled the audience; she’s lost none of her sass, grit & soul. Performing hits from throughout her long career, Aretha held us spellbound with classics like “Think” & “Day Dreaming.”

Of course, everyone sang, danced, clapped & grooved along on every number, including the Carole King penned “(You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Woman” and rousing versions of “Rolling in The Deep,” & “Midnight Train To Georgia,” from her latest CD, Aretha Sings The Great Diva Classics. And then there were the moments: Aretha sitting at the piano for stunning performances of the Ed Ames song “My Cup Runneth Over With Love,” (a personal favorite of hers) and a gospel revival, soul-filled reading of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” that truly brought the house down. Aretha brought us to a spiritual high, and then took us higher.

There are a lot of good, even great performers & singers, and then there are the ones who take things to the next level. Aretha Franklin is truly at the pinnacle. Her soul & spirit truly inspired & impressed me. In addition to giving us a great show, she was gracious & sincere with the audience, and took time to thank her band, who were fantastic. They were an impressive group of musicians who helped power the show’s energy level. By the time we got to the classic “Respect” & a beautiful take on Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were” at the close of the evening, The Queen of Soul had proved she still rules. If you have the chance to see Aretha on this tour, run; don’t walk to your local venue! Here's a link to a performance of "Rolling In The Deep & Ain't No Mountain High Enough" on Letterman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl8iBkjnRdA.

Power Pop's Greatest Artists Rock On

I’ve often written about the power pop genre on this blog, and I want to recommend a fantastic book on the subject by the prolific author Ken Sharp. Mr. Sharp has previously written some fantastic books on Cheap Trick, Elvis, John Lennon and many other musical subjects. PLAY ON! Power Pop Heroes, Volume 1 may be his best yet. It’s a comprehensive work featuring in depth interviews with the architects of the genre, as well as later bands who were inspired by them. The first volume of this three part series features artists such as The Beatles, The Who, The Bee Gees, The Turtles, The Knickerbockers and many more. If you’re a fan, you’ll love these fascinating, incisive and revealing interviews.

The style of the interviews is informal & accessible, and you’ll feel like you’re sitting in the room with Ken & his subjects, hearing great (and in some cases, no holds barred) stories from members of The Beach Boys, The Left Banke, The Byrds & The Small Faces. The interviews also include comments from the geniuses behind the scenes, like producers George Martin & John Fry and songwriters Tony Asher & Graham Gouldman, among others. In addition, there’s track-by-track analysis of such classic albums as Pet Sounds, There Are But Four Small Faces, and Nazz, as well as other influential & fondly remembered songs by the featured artists. It’s a treasure trove of information, and even if you know your rock & pop history, I guarantee you’ll learn some new things about these artists after reading these in depth profiles.

The bad news is that PLAY ON! Power Pop Heroes, Volume 1 is currently out of print, though a reprint of the first volume is hopefully coming soon. You may be able to find a used copy online, but I can’t make any promises. The good news is that Volume 2 of the series is coming out soon, and you can pre-order a copy here: http://popgeek.highwire.com/products?search=play+on. This second book in the series will feature artists like The Flamin’ Groovies, Cheap Trick & The Babys, and will be a whopping 765 pages. I suggest ordering this book now, if you're a fan of the genre. If you pre-order before March 31, there are some cool digital bonuses included. A third volume that completes the series will follow later this year.

This is one of the best and most enjoyable books on power pop and rock & roll history I've ever read. I highly recommend checking out the PLAY ON! series, and while you’re at it, look for some of Ken’s other great books, including his history of the early days of KISS, Nothin' to Lose: The Making of KISS (1972-1975), which he co-authored with Paul Stanley & Gene Simmons. By the way, Ken's a musician himself with several fine albums to his credit, as well as a diehard music fan, so he knows both sides of the world he's writing about in these excellent books. If you’re a rock music aficionado, you won't regret checking out the work of the talented Mr. Sharp.

Retro TV Movie: "Gargoyles" in Flight

Most genre fans have fond memories of their first childhood viewing of certain films or TV shows. One of the films I remember best is a 1972 made for TV movie called Gargoyles. It was shown regularly on late night television and “Creature Feature” shows throughout the 1970s. Cornel Wilde stars as Dr. Mercer Boley, an anthropologist traveling through the Southwest with his daughter, Diana. At a roadside tourist shop, Uncle Willie (Woody Chambliss) shows them the skeleton of a large winged animal. As Willie tells them some stories about strange beasts and Indian rituals, the trio suddenly hears odd noises. Then someone or something attacks the building. Willie is killed, but Mercer and Diana escape. As they drive away, a monster with claws attacks their car. Perhaps the gargoyles of legend aren't just a tall tale after all. Will anyone believe their fantastic story?

Cornel Wilde, Jennifer Salt & Woody Chambliss

The devilish creatures continue to plague our heroes. Their leader (well-played by Bernie Casey) eventually kidnaps Diana. He wants her to teach him about humanity. It turns out the gargoyles have been hidden from mankind for ages. Every 600 years they spawn, and their numbers increase. They're waiting for the right moment to emerge and rule mankind. The leader’s mate is none too happy he’s brought an attractive human captive to their lair, and Diana’s stay in gargoyle-land may be short lived. Meanwhile, Dr. Boley rounds up a posse that includes cops and a group of local bikers (who the police had initially blamed for the attack on him) to rescue Diana. Can they stop these demonic beings from taking over the world? 

The cast of familiar faces includes former movie star Wilde, Grayson Hall of Dark Shadows fame, a young Scott Glenn (as the leader of the bikers) and Jennifer Salt as Diana. Salt also appeared in Midnight Cowboy (1969) and Brian DePalma’s thriller Sisters (1973). She later retired from acting and is now a writer-producer, most recently for FX’s American Horror Story. The late Stan Winston, who later worked on such films as Aliens, Terminator 2 and Jurassic Park, created the Emmy-winning special effects. The film was directed by Bill L. Norton and was written by Stephen and Elinor Karpf. This is classic TV horror at its entertaining, popcorn movie best. You've got pre-CGI monsters in suits, B movie situations and stock characters, as well as a cool musical score that evokes its era. It may be a bit cheesy by today’s standards, but it’s a lot of fun. Oh, and Ms. Salt looks mighty cute in that halter top. Gargoyles is available for purchase on DVD. Here’s a link to a video with some music from the film’s score, accompanied by clips from the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDi_U5kiUwA.