Penny Dreadful: Classic Horror Team Up

Have you heard of or watched Penny Dreadful? Game of Thrones & The Walking Dead garner much love from critics and fans, and rightly so; both are excellent series that have redefined the rules for genre TV. Creator John (Gladiator) Logan’s Victorian era horror saga, which ended its run last season on Showtime after three years, is a show that flew under the radar for most viewers, despite praise from critics. It's one of the best genre series to air in recent years. The series is a feast for horror fans, giving us a meta-fiction style gathering of characters from classic novels such as Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde & The Picture of Dorian Gray. But the centerpiece of the story is Vanessa Ives, a tormented medium magnificently played by Eva Green (Casino Royale), a character created for the series by Logan, who also penned The Last Samurai.

Green fully inhabits the role of Ives, who’s first introduced as a friend of Mina Murray, one of Dracula’s victims in Bram Stoker's original novel. She has a complicated relationship with Mina’s father, Sir Malcolm, who’s portrayed by former James Bond Timothy Dalton. The first season follows the hunt for the missing Mina, who’s been taken captive by Dracula. Throughout the show's run, Vanessa & Sir Malcolm find themselves interacting with Victor Frankenstein and his monstrous creation, Dorian Gray, Dr. Jekyll, and a mysterious American gunfighter named Ethan Chandler, who's hiding a dark secret that should be very familiar to Universal horror fans when they see it revealed late in the first season. There are also some additional original characters created by Logan, including some memorable female villains in the second season.

As the series moves forward, themes that are introduced in the earlier episodes are expanded, including the nature of good & evil, and how no one person can be all good or all bad, but is really just a small step away from moving into the darkness. It’s a literate, well-written and expertly directed show. Fans of the original stories, and classic terror sagas such as Hammer’s horror films of the 1960s will find much to delight them in the series; you'll be treated to some truly creepy moments and spine-chilling sequences. The look of the show is visually arresting, with lush production values that really make you feel like you’re in the 1890s. The imaginative plots cleverly intertwine themes and familiar figures from the original Victorian terror tales with new stories & ideas. As always with a show like this, there are Easter eggs and nods to the tales that inspired it scattered throughout the series' three seasons. 

The performances are all excellent, with Green taking the acting honors in a multi-layered turn as Vanessa that’s equal parts dark, sensual, eerie and captivating; Dalton is very effective as Sir Malcolm, and the rest of the fine cast includes Josh Hartnett as Ethan, Reeve Carney as Dorian Gray, Billie (Dr. Who) Piper as Brona, the amazing Patti Lupone, who shows up in two inter-connected andimportant roles in Seasons Two & Three, and Rory Kinnear, who's a standout as Frankenstein’s monster. Kinnear really hits it out of the park in a third year episode entitled “A Blade of Grass,” which is a superb two-character acting duet between him and Ms. Green’s Vanessa that should have snared them both Emmys. There are strong moments for the entire cast during the series.

The show builds its story slowly, and less patient viewers may balk at the pace, but if you stick with it, this is a rewarding experience. There are haunting and chilling scenes throughout, and some truly powerful episodes, culminating in a third season showdown with Count Dracula himself. The show finished its run after three seasons and 27 episodes, reportedly at creator Logan’s request. It had started to gain in the ratings and build a following, but Showtime executives contend it was indeed Logan’s choice to end the show. While I feel that some of the threads carefully introduced throughout the series are not fully dealt with by its conclusion, the main story, the journey of Vanessa Ives, is completed by the end of the run. There are so many fantastic performances and compelling storylines, that the show is truly worth watching for fans. Highly recommended. Penny Dreadful is available on Blu-ray and DVD, and the entire series is currently streaming on Netflix. Here’s a link to a trailer for the show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOM0rziqEY4.

"Shin Godzilla" vs. Japanese Politicians

What if Godzilla arrived in Japan in 2016, and the Japanese government had to find a way to defeat him, but the process became mired in political infighting & second-guessing? Shin Godzilla (aka Godzilla: Resurgence) is the 29^th film in the long running series produced by Toho Studios. It’s already been a huge success in Japan, and is being shown in U.S. theaters from October 11-18. The version being screened here is in Japanese with English subtitles. Not only are there subtitles for the dialogue, but the title & position of each character flashes on the screen as well. It's a lot of information to read, but it gets a bit easier to take in as the film moves forward. There's a bit of dialogue in English as well. This film is as much a study of the Japanese political structure (with some pointedly satirical elements) as a giant monster or kaiju movie. For most of the story, we see the gatherings of various groups within the government trying to figure out the best way to deal with Godzilla, whose appearance on the scene is treated like any other natural disaster.

This is not the friendly, heroic "Big G" of the late 60s & early-mid 70s Toho entries. Much like the original Godzilla from Gojira/Godzilla, King of the Monsters, this creature is an elemental force of nature, and causes a great deal of mayhem & destruction. The issue of the nuclear contamination the monster leaves in its wake and the long-term effects it could cause are on everyone’s minds. When the U.S. proposes a nuclear weapons strike to eliminate Godzilla, it’s up to a team of Japanese scientists (with some help from other sources) to find a solution that's not as aggressive, and less devastating to the population. You can also sense some definite allusions to two real-life events that occurred in Japan during 2011: the nuclear disaster at Fukushimi Daiichi & the earthquake & tsunami in Tohuku. Those events inform the film as much as the aftermath of the bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki were a clear & present subtext in the 1954 version. 

There are definitely moments of satire & humor in the movie, with parts of that directed at the U.S. political structure as well as Japan’s. Since it takes up a good amount of the movie's running time, some viewers may find this a bit off-putting. I thought it worked pretty well. But as the saying goes, your mileage may vary. The film was co-directed by Hideaki Anno (who also wrote the screenplay) & Shinji Higuchi, who are both anime veterans. The design of this iteration of Godzilla starts out a bit more on the comical side, which I think hurts his effectiveness early in the film. But as the creature evolves, it becomes a bit more frightening, culminating in a scene with the monster walking upright and firing radioactive blasts from its back as well as its mouth, in an impressive battle sequence that’s the highlight of the movie. And it was a treat for this long-time fan to hear some of composer Akira Ifukube's iconic original music from the earlier films throughout the movie.

Several reviewers have noted that there’s not much Godzilla action in the film, but there’s a bit more of it here than in Gareth Edwards’ successful & well-regarded 2014 American reboot of the franchise. The Godzilla scenes are very well done, and deliver the goods for kaiju fans. This film is considered a separate entity from the U.S. series (whose next entry is due in 2018) and is a re-launch of the Toho series, which has been dormant since Godzilla: Final Wars was released in 2004. Shin Godzilla is now the highest grossing entry in the Toho series in Japan, and one of their biggest box office successes of the year. It’s a safe bet to assume we’ll see more Godzilla from Toho in the future. The film is in limited release in U.S. theaters until October 18, and a home video release (it's rumored that it will include a dubbed version) is planned for the near future. Here’s a link to the trailer for Shin Godzilla: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgyq6YKeIms.

Update: The theatrical run of the film has been extended until 10/22, with a few theaters offering screenings through October 27. Details can be found on the following site: http://www.funimationfilms.com/movie/shingodzilla/.

The Fab Faux's "Glorious Hodgepodge"

The Fab Faux - photo by John V

On Saturday, October 1^st, The Fab Faux performed an amazing show at College Street Music Hall in New Haven, Connecticut.

If you’re a Beatles fan, this is one tribute band you simply must experience, though that description actually does the group a disservice. Led by Will Lee, former bassist for The Late Show with David Letterman, this is not just a “cover” band, but a group of extremely talented musicians who get together to perform the music of The Beatles, and share their love of these classic songs with audiences. The group often tackles themed sets, where they play an entire album, or music from a specific period of the Beatles career. But for this evening it was the “Glorious Hodgepodge of Beatles Music” show, featuring music from throughout the Fab Four’s catalog.

The songs ranged from crowd-pleasing renditions of well-known early tunes like “I Should Have Known Better” and “A Hard Day’s Night” to later period tracks such as “Lucy In The Sky with Diamonds” and “Old Brown Shoe,” as well as a couple of my favorites "And Your Bird Can Sing" and "You Can't Do That." It’s a great experience to see many of these well-loved songs performed by the group, as The Beatles stopped touring in 1966, and never played them live. The Fab Faux is dedicated to performing these tunes in the style they feel the Beatles would have played them. The band, which also includes keyboardist Jack Petruzzelli and guitar wizard Jimmy Vivino, are an extremely focused & tight unit. Everyone had multiple opportunities to shine during the show. Petruzzelli did an outstanding “blow the roof off” lead vocal on “Oh! Darling” and Vivino contributed strong vocals & a blistering solo on “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Clint de Ganon filled in for Rich Pagano on drums, and did a great job. (Get well soon, Rich; we missed you!)

The Fab Faux - photo by John V

College Street Music Hall was a perfect venue for the band, and the audience was lively & enthusiastic during every minute of this top notch show. The entire group is fantastic, and they’re led by the boundless energy of Will Lee, who leaps around the stage like a whirling dervish, enjoying every minute of playing with his musical compatriots. This simply is the next best thing to seeing The Beatles in their heyday. The Fab Faux is a wonderful band, keeping alive the memory of some of the best rock & roll music ever recorded. These songs are part of the fabric of our lives, and you simply won’t see this music performed any better than by this stellar group. If you get the chance to see them, grab some tickets and get to the show. Here’s a link to their website: http://www.thefabfaux.com.

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The Magnificent Seven Ride Again

One of my favorite films to watch during my younger days was the 1960 western The Magnificent Seven. This remake of Akira Kurosawa’s epic Seven Samurai has gone on to become a classic in its own right, and the story of a group of gunfighters defending a small town against villainous bandits has been remade & re-worked many times over the years. It’s hard to top this movie, with its powerhouse cast, including Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, James Coburn & Charles Bronson, and the rousing, iconic Elmer Bernstein score that’s become familiar even to those who haven’t seen the film. There’s also great onscreen chemistry between the stars, quotable dialogue and some excellent action set pieces; in many ways, it’s a forerunner of the modern big budget action-adventure movie. Several sequels to the film were produced, and there was even a pretty decent TV series version, which aired on CBS from 1998-2000.

Now director Antoine (Training Day) Fuqua has made a new adaptation of the tale starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt. This time out, the villain is Bartholomew Pogue, a corrupt landowner who wants to drive out the residents of a place called Rose Creek. He’s trying to force the townspeople to sign over their land to him at a fraction of what its worth, so he can mine for gold in the area. Emma Cullen, whose husband is killed by Pogue, hires bounty hunter Sam Chisolm (Washington) to gather a group of gunfighters to take on Pogue. Chisolm assembles a team including gambler Josh Faraday, sharpshooter Midnight Robicheaux and eccentric tracker Jack Horne. This motley crew of heroes must learn how to get along with each other, as well as train the people of Rose Creek to defend themselves, in order to take down Pogue and his army of men.

Screenwriters Nic (True Detective) Pizzolato & Richard Wenk try to make the “seven” more politically correct, adding an Asian & a Comanche warrior to the team this time out. It’s nice to see these “modern” touches added to the story, but even though Emma (nicely played by Haley Bennett) hires the crew, the screenplay stops short of making her a full member of the crew, though she does contribute during the climactic battle. As you'd expect, Washington & Pratt (who are both good in their roles) get the lion’s share of screen time, though the supporting characters all get some small moments to shine, including Ethan Hawke as Robicheaux and Vincent D’Onofrio as Horne. Peter Sarsgaard is appropriately hiss-able as the villainous Pogue. But the Chisolm character’s motivation for going after Pogue is a little too predictable, and it's an unnecessary addition to his backstory. While this is a watchable, well-executed version of the story, it doesn't quite live up to the Kurosawa original or the beloved (by fans) Brynner/McQueen version.

The movie is nicely directed by Fuqua, and beautifully shot by cinematographer Mauro Fiore, who gives it that classic widescreen Western feel. The action sequences are exciting, and the cast gives it their all. There are also several call-backs to the original film for fans, both visually and especially, in dialogue. It’s an enjoyable movie but it stops short of being a classic. Still, it’s nice to see an old-fashioned Western adventure (with a few new twists) on the big screen again. If you like the genre or are a fan of the actors involved, you’ll have a good time watching the movie. It’s an entertaining, well-made popcorn film, but it’s not especially memorable. The Magnificent Seven is currently in theaters. Here’s a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-RBA0xoaWU/. 

Investigating Hackman's "Night Moves"

I first saw director Arthur Penn’s Night Moves (1975) back in the early 80s. It had been a sleepless night for me and the film was airing in one of those late night time slots where it was interrupted every ten or twelve minutes by those awful used car dealer and mattress outlet commercials. It probably wasn’t the best way to see this complex, noir-ish thriller, but since I was a fan of star Gene Hackman, I thought I’d give the movie a try. I found the movie interesting and well-acted, but lack of sleep and the constant commercial interruptions probably contributed to me filing the title away to see again at some point. Fast forward to 2016, and I got to watch the film with no commercials, as part of Turner Classic Movies month long salute to Hackman (one of my favorite actors) in September. I now believe it’s one of Hackman’s best performances, and one of the more under-rated films of the 1970s.

Gene Hackman in Night Moves

Hackman stars as Harry Moseby, a former football player who's working as a low end private investigator while living in Los Angeles. His wife Ellen (well played by Susan Clark) keeps pestering him to join a large investigative agency so he can make more money & take on better paying work, but he likes doing things on his own. Harry & Ellen’s relationship has hit a crossroads, and he discovers Ellen is having an affair. At a friend’s suggestion, he takes on a new case: locating the missing child of Arlene Iverson, a faded movie star. Her teenage daughter, Delly, has run off & was last seen on a film set in New Mexico. It seems Delly (Melanie Griffith, in an early role) is something of a wild child, and has been flirting & toying with several men on the film set, including mechanic Quentin & stunt pilot Marv Ellman. By the time Harry gets there, she’s already left.

Harry finds her in the Florida Keys. She’s staying with her stepfather Tom, but Delly doesn’t want to go back. She thinks her mother is only interested in her trust fund, which Arlene will inherit if anything happens to Delly. Harry stays overnight, and tries to convince Delly to return. Meanwhile, he forms a bond & shares an attraction with Paula, a woman who works for Tom. While on a boat ride with Harry & Paula, Delly goes swimming and finds the wreckage of a small plane, with the pilot’s body inside. Paula marks the spot with a buoy and the trio returns to shore. A visibly upset Delly asks Harry to take her home. He brings her back to Los Angeles, but a short time later, he hears Delly has been killed in an accident while filming a stunt on a movie set. That’s the springboard for what will become the movie’s final third. Harry, who’s been trying to salvage his relationship with Ellen, is drawn back into the case. Lies are uncovered, secrets are revealed, and in classic film noir style, things do not end well for everyone.

Night Moves is a dark, almost bleak movie, with characters like Harry and Paula stuck in places they don’t want to be, but powerless to change. In many ways, Harry is the opposite of the typical film noir hero, as he isn’t the tough guy who punches his way through things and people to solve the mystery. He hasn’t figured out the truth of the case, or his own truth. Hackman is superb in the role, subtly conveying Harry’s anguish under the surface. There’s a fine supporting cast of familiar faces, including Harris Yulin, John Crawford, Edward Binns, a young James Woods as Quentin, and the amazing Jennifer Warren, who is excellent as Paula. Arthur Penn’s solid direction, Alan Sharp’s well-honed script and cinematographer Bruce Surtees moody color palette all contribute to the movies’s success. The film is the second of three collaborations between director Penn & star Hackman, the other two being 1967’s Bonnie & Clyde and 1985’s Target. Night Moves is not a typical thriller, but it is a rewarding viewing experience, and it couldn’t have been made in a more appropriate decade than the 1970s. It’s truly worth watching. The film is available on DVD. Here’s a link to the film’s (somewhat misleading) trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdlLWziBggM.a .

Star Trek Goes "Beyond" 50 Years

Since this month marks the 50^th anniversary of premiere of the original Star Trek, I thought I’d share a few thoughts about the series, and take a look at the latest big screen adventure of the Enterprise crew, Star Trek: Beyond. I first saw the first TV incarnation of Trek when it late in its original run & then when it entered syndication in the 70s. Like many others, I was entranced by the intelligence, charm and humor of the series, and the solid chemistry among the cast. Of course, it didn’t hurt that there were space battles, fistfights, aliens both friendly & hostile, and those beautiful women for the stalwart Captain Kirk to romance.  But through it all, creator Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a unified future where people of all races & creeds get along, and band together to explore new worlds, touched a chord with me, and a legion of fans. That philosophy has remained a significant part of most of the subsequent television series, movies & spinoffs (books, comics, etc.) throughout the years. I've continued to be a fan, and have continued to enjoy Trek in its many incarnations over the years.

Star Trek: Beyond is the third chapter in the rebooted film series begun in 2009 by producer/director J.J. Abrams. This time out, he turns the director’s chair over to Justin Lin, best known for helming several entries in the Fast & Furious franchise. It’s several years into the Enterprise’s mission, and Captain Kirk & the crew are a bit bored. The thrill of exploring strange new worlds has lost its charm for them, and everyone’s a bit…edgy. Kirk (Chris Pine) is thinking of accepting a promotion and taking a desk job, and Spock (Zachary Quinto) is considering leaving Starfleet, and changing his career path as well. But while the ship is docked at a starbase, a distress call is received by an alien woman who says her ship was attacked & her crew was taken hostage. She begs Starfleet for assistance and who's assigned to help her? The stalwart crew of the Enterprise.

Our crew races off to investigate, but of course, it’s a trap! An alien named Krall attacks & cripples the Enterprise, and our heroes are forced to evacuate & head to a nearby planet. Once there, our crew is separated into smaller groups who must figure out what Krall is up to & find a way to escape. Lin keeps the action moving along at a brisk pace and there are quite a few callbacks to the original series (both visual & in dialogue) for fans. It’s a well-mounted, exciting film, but Krall’s ultimate plan & origin (though very classic Trek in nature) is revealed a bit too late in the film to register the proper impact. But the cast is excellent, and there are some great moments in the movie, especially in the bickering banter and love-hate friendship between Quinto’s Spock & Karl Urban’s Dr. McCoy. The on again, off again romance between Uhura (Zoe Saldana) and Spock is also explored, and Scotty (once again played by Simon Pegg, who co-wrote the script) gets a few choice moments.

If you’re a Trek fan, you’ll find much to enjoy here: Star Trek: Beyond is entertaining & exciting. Director Lin provides some pulse-pounding action set pieces, including a rescue sequence that lets Chris Pine's Kirk ride a vintage motorcycle. Idris Elba is effectively villainous as Krall, and Sofia Boutella is excellent as an alien warrior who assists the crew. The only thing that’s a bit lacking is the sense of wonder & philosophical elements that permeated many of the original series best episodes. Still, after 50 years the Trek saga shows no signs of ending, as Pine and the rest of the "Abrams-verse" crew are signed for more sequels, and a new TV series, Star Trek: Discovery, premieres on CBS next year. The film is currently finishing its run in theaters, but a streaming & home video release date should be announced in the near future. Here’s a link to the trailer for Star Trek: Beyond: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzD8H6o1awQ.

The Intriguing Story of "The Quiet Beatle"

As we look forward to Ron Howard's forthcoming documentary about the Beatles touring years, let's take a glance back at George Harrison: Living In the Material World, an insightful biography of the guitarist & songwriter. It originally aired back in 2011 on HBO. Directed by Martin Scorsese, this two-part documentary traces the life of Harrison from his time as a member of The Beatles through his solo career, up to his death from cancer in 2001. It’s an informative biography, produced with the participation of Harrison’s widow Olivia, and his son Dhani. Through interviews with them, and George’s friends and collaborators, including Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Tom Petty and Eric Clapton, we get an in-depth portrait of the musician and the man, who was known (perhaps inaccurately) as “The Quiet Beatle.” There are some wonderful performance clips of (and a look at the stories behind) classic songs like Something, All Things Must Pass, and Here Comes The Sun. Much of the video footage and photos seen are taken from George’s personal archives, and were released by Olivia for use in the movie. 

Scorsese’s film is a story about Harrison and his music, but it’s also a thoughtful study of the former Beatle’s journey toward spiritual enlightenment and personal growth. There's some great coverage in the film on George's 1971 show, The Concert for Bangladesh, one of the earliest superstar benefit concerts. The movie also features Harrison's comeback in the late 80s & early 90s with the successful solo album Cloud Nine, and as a member of the supergroup The Traveling Wilburys, along with Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison. Like Scorsese’s 2005 film about Bob Dylan, No Direction Home, the movie examines the contradictions between being a public figure whose music is admired by millions, and the desire to have a private & personal life beyond that world. It's a rich portrait of the man, as well as the rock star, and it succeeds admirably in showing a side of George Harrison we haven't seen in other movies or books. The film is available for online viewing, and has also been released on Blu-ray & DVD. Here’s a link to the film’s trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJh9O8pI4Ck.