Mike Russell delves deep into a grab bag of film discussion on this Friday the 13th, and the treats within are tasty indeed. Of course, the Friday the 13th movies are discussed, but only a little bit, and only after we talk at length about the film career of Bill Cosby; the big blank check Joss Whedon has now, how cool it is that it’s in his bank account, and the projects we hope he spends it on; the distillation of James Bond into his current form, and whether filtering out some of the rougher aspects of the character is more of a help or a hindrance; Mike and Bill Mudron’s two-page comic in the Oregonian about Superhero movies, and where we want 20th Century Fox to take their upcoming Marvel films. Other topics include: The next Star Trek movie, Comic-Con Madness, North by Northwest, Fat Albert, Cabin in the Woods (no spoilers), Freddy Krueger, and more.
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{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Cosby & Quincy musical awesomeness: “Hikky Burr” http://youtu.be/r_Rppe_MyM8
Mike & Bill’s two-page comic (which is sorta astounding when you realize newspapers barely give ONE page to about 30 comics)
http://media.oregonlive.com/ent_impact_tvfilm/other/SuperheroCoverAndComic-WEBREZ.pdf
The Portland Comics Elite survey conducted by Shawn Levy
http://blog.oregonlive.com/madaboutmovies/2012/07/once_a_fan_always_a_fan_portla.html
Crispin Glover dancing in Friday the 13th Part VI
http://youtu.be/3_f0ELRcgCo?t=17s
Fat Albert Intro/Outro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au5cUpUT2ig
“50 Shades of Grey 3: The Hurt Locker”. Ha. Also “ha” at comparing Cameron and Bigelow to Aliens characters.
“This is the dumbest thing to keep under wraps.” SERIOUSLY.
Yes, there are boobs in “The Cabin in the Woods.” That was one of the funniest scenes; how can you not remember it!?
Also, I feel people aren’t giving Goddard enough credit for his role in the film. As far as I’m concerned, if there has to be one true “author” of “The Cabin in the Woods,” he’s the one.
Also, did everyone in the theater jump when the title logo came onscreen at the beginning of the movie? EVERYONE jumped at the advance screening I first saw it at because it was so loud and unexpected, but then I saw it again later in a normal theater and it barely made an impact. I wonder if that was just due to the theater being crappy. It’s all just another reason why the movie MUST be seen on the big screen the first time.
Of course they’re not giving him enough credit. Joss Whedon was involved. Apparently he is the sole creative force behind things. And if it’s good give him all the credit. If it’s bad, blame everyone else.
(I like Whedon [even though I talk shit] but I don’t buy into the “He’s a genius” thing.)
As has been mentioned before on the show (and I kinda got into it a little in this episode) the word on the film via Hollywood gossip channels (same channels that told everybody about Poltergeist’s weird history, or Tombstone’s multiple claims of authorship) is that Whedon needed to come in and kinda take the movie over. This was before anyone had seen it.
If you have no other symptoms apart from the anal bleeding, such as weight loss, abdominal pain or change of consistency/frequency of your stool. You should just keep it as clean as possibly and abstain from any type of sexual activity or strenuos activity until it’s healed. It may be your diet so keep away from greasy food and drinks lots of water.
Methinks you meant for this to go in the Thursday comments section?
But Bobby, there is never a wrong day to take care of your anus!
Show-notes for Friday, July 13:
The 1969-71 “Bill Cosby Show,” in which he’s pretty cool and plays a P.E. teacher (“Hinky Burr,” linked above, was the theme song):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bill_Cosby_Show
TFAW’s video of the “Firefly” 10-year reunion panel at Comic-Con:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V85olh2aZ34
Terrence Malick’s second feature “Days of Heaven,” at the Laurelhurst Theatre July 13-19:
http://www.laurelhursttheater.com/
“Taxi Driver” at 5th Avenue Cinema, PSU’s student-run movie house, July 13-15:
http://www.5thavenuecinema.org/now-playing/taxi-driver.html
“North by Northwest” at two Portland-area theaters on Wednesday, July 18:
– Eastport Century 16:
http://www.fandango.com/century16eastportplaza_aajmz/theaterpage?date=7/18/2012
- Century Clackamas Town Center:
http://www.fandango.com/centuryclackamastowncenterandxd_aaunh/theaterpage?date=7/18/2012
“The Forbidden Zone” at the Clinton Street Theater, July 14-19:
http://clintonsttheater.com/
“Grosse Pointe Blank” at the Academy Theater, July 13-19:
http://academytheaterpdx.com/
Oh, and I forgot to mention this one: “Kung Fu Double Feature” of “Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow” and “Sabertooth Dragon Vs. the Fiery Tiger” at the Hollywood Theatre on Tuesday, July 17:
http://hollywoodtheatre.org/kung-fu-double-feature/
Are you guys ever going to show Kiss Kiss Bang Bang as your Christmas movie?
See, now KKBB would perfect for that smaller second-tier screening series.
Also, the observation I tried and failed to make on the show: Karen Allen, Brooke Adams and Jessica Harper are basically the same person:
http://usesoap.com/sameperson.htm#allen
I can’t believe they never played sisters, honestly.
Another name to add to the list is the Australian actress Frances O’Connor, who played Monica Swinton in Spielberg’s Artificial Intelligence. She looks exactly like Jessica Harper (who, curiously, was later in Spielberg’s Minority Report.
According to biographies, there is yet no evidence that anyone approached Hitchcock to direct the Bond films. If there is evidence it is buried in archives somewhere. In any case, by that time Hitchcock was deeply ensconced at Universal, where he was also a partial owner. The Bond franchise was distributed by UA. Hitchcock was highly critical of the Bond films, at least in the Truffaut book.
Funny thing is that I’m currently going through all the Bond films on Netflix right now (OHMSS is currently sitting right beside me), as I’ve only watched from Goldeneye on, Dr. No and Goldfinger…I’m definitely agreeing with some of the things discussed, like the personality shifts and how the material is very much of its time (oh hello not-so-subtle racism).
I have a feeling this is going be a bit of a slog to get through all of them.
On Her Majesty’s is one of the best, as is From Russia With Love.
But you’re right – it’s going to be a slog.
Basically, anything that’s not:
From Russia With Love
Dr. No
Goldfinger
On Her Majesty’s
The Spy Who Loved Me
For Your Eyes Only
The Living Daylights
Goldeneye
Tomorrow Never Dies
Casino Royale
Quantum of Solace
is going to be probably a bad (mostly very bad) movie. Bits of niceness in there, yeah, but for the most part – bad.
My favourite is Live and Let Die……..
I do agree that those you mentioned are probably the best ones, though. My love for LALD is a nostalgia thing.
I’m listening to the podcast on Sunday, but I can see “Hikky Burr” has been mentioned. Along with that, there is the infamous Salvation Army album where he does a cover of The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper”, which had been also been used as a break throughout the years.
I was in the car while listening to this show and I’m thinking “oh, must mention this.” While Cosby did establish the Fat Albert character on his comedy albums, there was actually a Fat Albert song made before the theme. It was by the Fat Albert Orchestra Chorus, and called “Fat Albert (Hey Hey Hey)”, and it sounds like a theme song from the late 60′s with a female vocal group singing “hey hey hey” harmoniously. Completely different song, and sounding nothing like the funk that we all know. What is also of interest is that this song was released on Tetragrammaton Records, a label Cosby co-founded with his manager and a film director, distributed through Warner Bros.. The label had a number of oddities that aren’t celebrated by any means, but Tetragrammaton did become the first U.S. home for the band Deep Purple, so when you hear a song like “Hush” (the only song from the early pre-Ian Gillan era that is heard and known), you can partially thank Cosby for that. Tetragrammaton also came to the rescue for John Lennon when Capitol didn’t want to touch the album he did with Yoko, “Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins”, a/k/a “the one with them naked on the cover, from front and back.” Despite Cosby’s clout, the album was primarily sold “under the table”/”beneath the cover” not unlike some of Cosby’s comedic contemporaries, a problem Cosby never had to deal with since his comedy has been G/PG rated. There are some interesting records on the label, for a bit of obscure soul, hunt down Rhetta Hughes and look for her cover of The Doors’ “Light My Fire”. For twisted pop, look for a cover of “Hey Jude” by Captain Milk (a/k/a session bassist Edwin Hubbard). The song is corny, but if you slow down one of the passages with the flute and drums: quite funky with a nice beat layered over it.
Which brings us back to Fat Albert, whom I grew up with as well. To watch Bill Cosby hanging out in a backyard while painting a project was great, he seemed laid back and cool. Among his many movies in the 70′s, I love “Mother, Jugs & Speed”, with Raquel Welch as the busty “Jugs” and Harvey Keitel as a drug loving friend named “Speed”. They were ambulance drivers, and Cosby played “Mother” Tucker. Even as a 6 or 7 year old who didn’t dare say the proper word, I knew the emphasis of “Mother”. A funny man who had his own cartoon, driving around with a “pretty” lady (again, I was 6) and a pill popping man. Cosby had always been cool to me, and when he became the sweater-loving doctor, I too felt like the comments expressed in this podcast. He became who he became, but nothing can take away who he was and what he represented in the late 60′s and throughout the 70′s.
On top of that, one of the reasons why he had a label and always made music a distant friend throughout his career is because he was a jazz drummer. I know on that album he released on Uni (post-Warner Bros.), he would talk about his sports ambitions, but he fell in love with jazz early on and wanted to follow in the footsteps of his heroes. People who watched the 80′s sitcom might’ve questioned why these “outdated” singers and musicians were appearing on his show randomly, but these were not only people he admired and may have opened for as a comedian, but during the after hours, he would often sit in and jam. In fact, look at Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, specifically the character of Bill. What is he playing? Drums. “Bill” is the guy in the front in the white sweater using Fat Albert as a kettledrum:
http://i46.tinypic.com/2583vxv.jpg
Also, I would love to see a proper revival of Brown Hornet, and it would work incredibly with the right people behind the project. I would also like to bring back Picture Pages and Jell-O Pudding Pops.
Today’s intro was both retarded, and fantastic. Much like the show in general.
Bill Mudron’s stuff is absolutely fantastic.
Bill Cosby “Himself” is one of the greatest stand up shows ever recorded. It was right on the border (time-wise) between his 60′s/70′s humor and the one we all know (the puking Jello man).
I don’t understand why Fan Fiction Friday is such a horrible idea. I find it hilarious. Right up there with reading Penthouse Letters outloud to friends as a teenager.
I think one period-specific piece I’d like to see made is Marvel 1602. I think it’d be a sick movie. 1600′s Marvel superheroes? Nick Fury as the Queen’s spymaster? Daredevil as a blind minstrel/immense badass? I really think it would be a great creative vehicle.
The third ’50 Shades of Gray’ movie should be directed by either Scorcese, or Crispin Glover. I don’t know why.
I don’t understand why Gross Pointe Blank wouldn’t make a good Midnight Movie.
Have you guys considered doing a smaller-venue version of the Midnight Movie at a smaller theater? Show the movies you don’t think would fill the standard Midnight Movie theater, or some of the classics/Criterion collections? I think there are enough fans/cinephiles in the Portland area that it could turn out to be a great event. Even if it was only a Saturday ever 3 months or something. You could even do double features or something!
Gross Pointe Blank and Hackers have more soundtracks than any other film(s) I’ve ever seen.