The Goonies 25th Anniversary (and more)

The Goonies has been released on Blu-Ray Nov 2, 2010 as the 25th Anniversary Edition!
Blogomatic's Report





Varèse Sarabande finally released the score in it's entireity, only 25 years after the fact, on March 2010 in a limited edition of 5000 copies.

You can download the score from soundtrackzone.blogspot.
Pay no mind to the fact that he has it listed as being from 1995. It is clearly the 34-track 25th anniversary edition.

The Goonies soundtrack was re-released in Japan on July 22, 2009. The soundtrack was digitally remastered and includes 2 additional tracks not found on the original release; the vocal mix of "Eight Arms To Hold You", and the dance remix of "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough".


From Wikipedia on Cyndi Lauper's "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough";
Before its inclusion on 'The Essential Cyndi Lauper' in 2003, the song was considered a rarity among fans, having never appeared on any of Lauper's albums or the 1994 compilation 'Twelve Deadly Cyns...and Then Some'. Lauper admitted in an interview that she hated the song, which was why she had chosen not to include it on her first compilation.
The song has been covered by a few artists, such as Bombones, New Found Glory, The Advantage, and Haruko Momoi.
The song was featured in several iterations of Konami's Goonies video games, most notably the popular NES game Goonies II. It was also featured as an instrumental version in Pop'n Music 10 by Tomoyuki Uchida (as "Mr. T").

There were also numerous video games released based on The Goonies.
The Goonies for the NES/Famicom was never released in the USA outside of the arcade in the form of Nintendo's Play-Choice 10 cabinets. The game is similar to The Goonies II, but with a far greater focus on arcade-style action. Watch the speed run.
The Goonies II, a fictitous sequel, was released for the NES in 1987. You played as Mikey, your weapon of choice was a yo-yo, and your main goal was to save a Mermaid. Yeah, I don't get it either. I seem to recall renting this game back in the heydey of the NES and probably didn't get too far, and after watching the walkthrough, I can see why.
I am somewhat surprised that Konami didn't follow suit and release these games on the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console service for the Goonies 25th Anniversary.

The Making Of A Cult Classic: The Unauthorized Story Of The Goonies


The Goonies Reunion


The Goonies Vacation



Be sure to check out the funny new sitcom "Raising Hope" , featuring Martha Plimpton, who is terrific in it.

As for the possibility of a Goonies 2?
From Wikipedia;
"The possibility of a film sequel has been confirmed and denied many times in recent years by the original cast and crew. Donner said that he had a story he liked and Spielberg behind him, but in 2004 several of the actors from the original revealed that Warner Bros., the film's owner, had shown no interest in a sequel.
Sean Astin told MTV in October 2007 that Goonies 2 is an "absolute certainty.... The writing's on the wall when they're releasing the DVD in such numbers."
Donner has expressed doubt that the sequel will ever happen, as many of the actors had not shown interest in returning for a sequel.
Also in October 2007, Josh Brolin talks "Goonies" Sequel with Marcus Leshock said there was a script and shooting was to begin the following summer.
On October 15, 2008 in Variety, Richard Donner said' "We tried really hard, and Steven (Spielberg) said, 'Let's do it.' We had a lot of young writers submit work, but it just didn't seem to call for it.”
Corey Feldman stated in his November 25, 2008 blog post, "NO! There is no Goonies 2! I'm sorry but it's just not gonna happen.... Course now that I've said that they'll do it."
On the July 2010 release of "The Making of a Cult Classic: The Unauthorized Story of The Goonies" DVD, Richard Donner states a sequel to The Goonies is a "definite thing" and will involve as much of the old cast as possible. "It will happen," says Donner. "We've been trying for a number of years."
So the only thing for sure is that they've thought about it and tried, and they've gone back and forth on whether or not it will happen.


Other old school goodness being released on Blu-Ray;
The Back To The Future Trilogy was released on Blu-Ray Oct 26, 2010 as the 25th Anniversary Trilogy


The 2010 Scream Awards shot-for-shot remake of the original Back To The Future teaser trailer.


Alien Anthology was also released on Blu-Ray Oct 25, 2010




TRON was originally supposed to be released in November 2010, with no firm release date ever given, the month prior to Tron: Legacy being unleashed in theaters. Apparently the remastering process for the hi-def format has been completed, but it seems as if it's now more likely to see the release of the Tron Blu-Ray sometime around the release of Tron: Legacy on Blu Ray - probably around Summer 2011.

Now we just have to get the original Star Wars trilogy, the original Indiana Jones trilogy and TRON released on Blu Ray, and Blu Ray will be in like Flynn.

It was announced back in August 2010 that all six Star Wars movies will be coming to Blu-Ray in a Box Set in Fall 2011. That's great, but I don't want the three prequel movies stinking up my movie collection, and I sure as heck won't accept being forced to pay for them! Hopefully they'll sell them separately at some point.
As for Indiana Jones, there is no release date at this time. At one time it was said that the orignial Indiana Jones trilogy was to be released on Blu by the end of 2009. And as seen here, remasters have been done. So I'm sure it's only a matter of time. Here's to hoping they don't pack The Crystal Skull in, forcing you to purchase it to get the original trilogy.

Sci-Fi/Horror Not On DVD

So I was going to post this before Halloween, but I can't even get leisurely activites done on time.

The good news?
War Of The Worlds 1988-1990
Wiki/Imdb/War Of The Worlds.org
Season one was released on November 1, 2005. The Second and final season was released on October 26, 2010, nearly five years after the release of the first season.



Tales From The Darkside 1984-1988
Wiki/Imdb
CBS Home Entertainment (distributed by Paramount) has released the first three seasons of Tales from the Darkside on DVD in Region 1, the fourth and final season was released on October 19, 2010.



- SCIENCE FICTION/HORROR NOT ON DVD -
The bad news is the following shows remain lost in time.


While the first season of Amazing Stories (Wiki (1985-1987) 2 seasons, 45 hour-long episodes) was released back in 2006, the second season is still missing in action! But for whatever reason, it is available in region 2 in Germany and Japan.

Darkroom 1981-1982 (16 hour long episodes)
Wiki/Imdb



Freddy's Nightmares 1988-1992 (2 seasons, 44 hour-long episodes)
Wiki/Imdb

Five episodes of the series were released ("No More Mr. Nice Guy", "Lucky Stiff", "It's My Party and You'll Die If I Want You To", "Dreams That Kill" and "Freddy's Tricks and Treats") on VHS through Warner Home Video in the mid-1990s. Those videos are now out of print.
In 1991, Braveworld Ltd. released The Nightmare Begins Again, a direct-to-video movie comprising two episodes edited together. The film was used to launch Braveworld's collection of Freddy's Nightmares episodes, usually consisting of two episodes per tape. The episodes in the feature were "No More Mr. Nice Guy" (directed by horror legend Tobe Hooper) and "Killer Instinct" (directed by Masters of Horror creator Mick Garris).
In 2003, Volume 1 (the first 3 episodes) was released on Region 2 DVD in Ireland and the UK, by Warner Home Video. Volume 2 was also planned for release later that year, however, sales were so poor, that Warner canceled the release of Volume 2.
There are currently no plans to release Freddy's Nightmares on DVD in the United States.


Monsters 1988-1991 (3 seasons, 72 half-hour episodes)
Wiki/Imdb



The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents 1985-1989 (4 seasons, 76 half-hour episodes)
Wiki/Imdb

The new series lasted only one season before NBC cancelled it, but it was then produced for three more years by USA Network.


Otherworld 1985 (1 season, 8 hour-long episodes)
Wiki/Imdb
Cult TV Flashback Blog




Outer Limits 1995-2002 (7 seasons, 154 hour-long episodes)
Wiki/Imdb

On November 1, 2005, MGM Home Entertainment released Season One of the
New Outer Limits on DVD in North America. Due to poor sales, no
further seasons were released.
Several "grab bag" DVD anthologies have been released: Sex & Science Fiction, Aliens Among Us, Death and Beyond, Fantastic Androids and Robots, Mutation and Transformation, Time Travel and Infinity - all but one of which contains an episode from season one, and in the case of the Sex & Science Fiction anthology there are two episodes from season one.
Alliance Home Entertainment has released all seven seasons of The Outer Limits on DVD in Region 1 (Canada only).


Werewolf 1987-1988 (1 season, 28 half-hour episodes)
Wiki/Imdb

Werewolf: The Complete Series was to be released on DVD by Shout! Factory by October 6, 2009, but was later pushed two weeks to October 20, 2009 to include special features. The release was eventually canceled as Shout! was unable to attain the rights to several songs, when agreement could not be reached with the artists.
Reportedly because of only two artists who didn't want to "play ball". Two!
The main song most likely being Mike & The Mechanics "Silent Running".
I am so disgusted with the music industry over this. Furthermore, I just don't understand it. I think that if they signed the rights to have their music in a show when it aired, it should carry over. Rarely if ever is this a problem for movies on DVD.
It just baffles the mind. Music rights standing in the way of DVD releases SHOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE, PERIOD!
F$#@in' greedy ass music companies!

Blue In A Red State

The polls are closed and the tally is in. Wisconsin State Journal/Wikipedia
After taking one step forward (by electing Obama as President) we've now managed to take two steps back.
Halloween came two days late this year, as the most frightening thing happened on Nov 2. I got a dose of the same dreadful feeling I got when watching the Bush Vs. Gore voting results come in.
I am fearful for Wisconsin's future. I am upset and frustrated. I am disappointed in Wisconsin voters. There are times I wish that Madison and Milwaukee could be somehow shielded & protected from the contrast of Republican/conservative votes of greater Wisconsin. Although to be fair, I have the feeling that a larger than usual number of conservative votes came from within the bubble this time around.
I do not like or trust Scott Walker. I'm tempted to egg the Capitol the day he takes office.


I agree with someone from the State Journal who said the close race is indicative of voters who voted Republican not really voting for the candidate, but voting for whom represented the most change, and republicans have piggybacked off of Obama's campaign for change (albeit change from Obama and Democratic rule) across the board during the 2010 midterm elections.

Almost everything I voted for got shot down.
Voting Scott Walker into office is bad for women's rights, stem cell research, state funded health care programs for those who need it, individual freedoms, and the Madison-Milwaukee high-speed rail project.

Although, thankfully, the funds for the Madison-Milwaukee passenger rail seem to have been committed just a few days prior to the election, so Walker's plan to derail the rail may have been made that much more difficult, and will hopefully be out of his destructive hands altogether.
Talk and plans for the Madison-Milwaukee high-speed rail have been ongoing for a good decade or more, and here we finally get the federal funding to make it a reality, and the guy who vows to stop it if he's elected into office is the guy who takes the seat?
I still can't believe Walker still vows to stop the Madison-Milwaukee rail because we'd have to cover what equals 1% of the federal grant money per year to keep the wheels greased. He's concerned about wasteful government spending when he should be concerned about progressing (not just maintaining) the State he's elected governor in. If he rejects the grant money it isn't going to go back to Washington anyhow, it'll just go to another State. The State of New York has already expressed interest in the money if we don't want it. It's every State for themselves! Rejecting the rail would be the most moronic move ever, and doing so may leave our state (and possibly taxpayers) with a tab for the remaining cost.

Now the current governor, Jim Doyle, has temporarily halted the project in anticipation of a new governor with a different set of views taking office, and to study the real life consequences of stopping the project dead in its tracks.


I voted for passenger rail from Sun Prairie to Middleton in exchange for a half cent tax increase. This was on the ballot for 45 suburban and rural communities in Dane County, and almost every last one of them failed.
Voters failed to realize the value in passenger rail and a chance to really connect Dane County in a unique way. Extending the rail out to business heavy Middleton, also home to Madison/Middleton's dubbed "Silicon Prairie", is a no brainer.
I realize that citizens are concerned about anything and everything that would increase their taxes in this post-recession recession, but other forms of connectivity/travel are desperately needed in Dane County. I feel it would be advantageous to plant the seed in varying communities now rather than later, and as we've seen, later means never. Unless you live on the Isthmus itself, Dane County is live & die by car. Madison is very much isolated from it's surrounding communities and vice versa which are generally only connected to the city by one, maybe two stretches of highway.

So suburban families will vote for a tax increase if it's for a new public pool or a new school for their kids etc., but not when it comes to something as important as transportation? It is selfish. It forces everyone to own their own vehicle and pay for upkeep, and not everyone who lives in these communities can afford it and it'd be beneficial to have an alternative.


I voted against the 133 million dollar referendum to pay for upgrades at Madison College, which increases taxes, but somehow that referendum passed.
So Dane County residents will vote against rail which includes a tax increase, but will accept a tax increase on the behalf of the growth of a bloated community college?
Why did I vote against it? Madison College (formerly known as Madison Area Technical College) is already a large enough institution for higher learning. Now that the economy is less than it could be, everyone seems to be flooding in towards Madison College in hopes of landing a job with their new set of knowledge, and pay the institution a good sum of money in return. Higher education is big business.
I feel like Madison is a city which offers too much higher education and too little in the way of job prospects, and having a city full of over-educated advanced-degree holding individuals competing for entry-level/mid-level jobs against those without degrees is dysfunctional to say the least.
As a matter of fact, dare I say that I'd like to see colleges (in the area and across the nation) decrease in size and function, and force the hand of local companies & businesses to provide more (paid) on the job training. And where are they all going to land jobs afterwards? Not all here that's for sure!


I voted to allow medicinal marijuana in the state of Wisconsin, and amazingly, this seems to have passed. Yes, I believe it's entirely possible that it's a guise in taking a step towards the legalization of marijuana altogether as one State Journal writer warns, and I have no problem with that. I may not use marijuana myself, recreationally or for medicinal purposes, but I think that legalization should at least be tried at this point, even if it's with baby steps.
But apparently, even voters in California were too afraid to take that step and failed to set the precedent and have the opportunity to lead the nation by example.
I think it's far time our government graduates it's citizens to adulthood, giving individuals more personal freedoms as opposed to less. It's time the fact that it is no more and no less harmful and addictive as alcohol is widely accepted as fact.


I've never strictly aligned myself along party lines, even though I've voted Democrat since I cast my first ballot as an adult in the Clinton election back in 1993. I've tried to keep an open mind and feel that if I like a particular candidate and their views, I would vote for them regardless of their party. Say perhaps if a likable Republican were socially liberal but fiscally conservative, or a Green party or Independent party candidate who I thought had a shot at winning and not simply taking votes away from the Democratic party candidate (i.e. Ralph Nader costing Gore the vote over Bush in the 2000 election).
But fearful of Republican control, this is the first time I've felt thoroughly secure in my decision to connect that line to Democrat voting Democrat straight down the line, and two months away from 2011 I'm that much farther away from the possibility of even ever considering voting for a Republican. The Republican party has become that much more scary over the two years since Obama has been in office, and the radical & conservative Tea Party certainly hasn't helped my view of the Republican party.

I'm sick & tired of citizens expressing their disappointment over Obama. If anything, Obama's shortcomings proves that you just can't fix 8 years of FUBAR in 2 short years.

Music Videos on DVD

First music videos aired on MTV

My family didn't get cable until 1992, so watching (and taping) Classic Mtv hosted by John Norris which ran on Mtv throughout the early-mid nineties (which, at least at one point, aired twice a day at Noon and 6pm) was my way of playing catch-up on the last 11 years of Music Television.
Prior to being emblazoned with the "Classic Mtv" moniker, I believe it was named Flashback Mtv. One episode which I have on tape under the Flashback Mtv banner is hosted by Karyn Bryant, though I'm not sure if she was the regular host or just a fill-in for John Norris.
It's not like I'd never seen music videos before, but previously that had been relegated to visiting friends places. As a matter of fact I can still remember as a kid going over to visit a friends house a block away to watch Michael Jackson's Thriller video for the first time.



I cataloged my VHS tapes containing the program 'Classic Mtv' (aired in 1992-93) and it came out to 22 hours and 378 music videos.
Unfortunately all recorded in SLP so the quality is crap.
I was actually surprised at how few times most of the videos were repeated. At the top was a tie - 4 times each for Aerosmith's "Dude Looks Like A Lady" and Peter Gabriel's "Shock The Monkey".
Most videos by one artist? Madonna at 12 separate videos.
Most curious exclusion? Not one video by Michael Jackson. Also, no Weird Al.


So, are there any DVD compilations of eighties music videos out there?
Surprisingly, Mtv is an absentee landlord when it comes to publishing their history on media available to the commercial marketplace. It's also become increasingly difficult to find any of the main Mtv networks airing older music videos. Perhaps they've now relegated all of that content to the VH1 Classic network.

I did a little digging so I'll answer my own question;
Apparently there are a couple DVD compilations out there containing music videos from the 1980's, like the DVD Pure 80's containing 14 videos

the Essential Music Videos DVD series which contain 6 videos each

and the 20th Century Master DVD series which contain 5 videos each.


Most economical would be the 4-DVD MTV 20 Collection (1981-2001) which contains a total of 52 videos for $24.99 on Amazon

or the 3-DVD Pure 80's Ultimate which contains a total of 45 music videos for $35.49 on Amazon.


Still, your best bet would be to track down a particular artist's merchandise for DVDs of their video catalog.

These are two which I own that contain all the music videos from each respective musical group.

Music videos from the late seventies/eighties from lesser known musical outfits? YouTube.

The Buggles

Now that the 2010 Mtv Video Music Awards have come to a close...
Before the Ga Ga's and Bieber's of the world, back when Mtv used to actually air music videos and not much else, there was The Buggles.


Smile! It's The Buggles! Trevor Horn on the left, Geoffrey Downes on the right.

As many of you know, The Buggles poignant "Video Killed The Radio Star" was the very first video to air on the fledging cable network Mtv shortly after it's launch on August 1, 1981, at 12:01 a.m. That song was The Buggles only charting hit in the US, which unfortunately led many to believe that they were a one-hit wonder when infact 6 more of their songs charted as well (although outside the US).
I know I was guilty of the one-hit wonder impression until I finally listened to the album for the first time within the past 5 years or so, and found it to be one of those rare albums that I could listen to from start to finish. Not a bad song in the bunch (although sometimes I'd skip the obligatory "Video Killed The Radio Star").


Trevor Horn then and now.

Trevor Horn is a legendary producer. Almost everything he's touched has turned to gold. Trevor rocketed many of the bands/albums he worked with/on to the height of their commercial success.
I mean just take a look at the Produced By Trevor Horn 2-disc album.
To name just a few...
In 1982 he produced ABC's The Lexicon Of Love album which contained hits "Poison Arrow" and "The Look Of Love", in 1983 he produced the Yes album 90125 (in which he contributed to their biggest hit, "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and the dance hit "Leave It"), in 1984, he was a founding member of Art Of Noise and co-wrote several hits including "Close (To the Edit)", "Beat Box" and "Moments in Love", also in 1984 he produced Frankie Goes To Hollywood Welcome to the Pleasuredome album which included the hits "Relax" and "Two Tribes", in 1985 he produced Godley & Creme's album The History Mix Volume 1 which included the hit single "Cry", and in 1991 he produced Seal's debut album which included the hit "Crazy".

Geoff Downes is a keyboard player, songwriter, and producer, best known as the keyboardist for the bands Asia, The Buggles, and also his stint with Yes in 1980. He also produced the supergroup GTR's only album in 1986. When he was a keyboardist for The Buggles, he played multiple keyboards to achieve a New Wave technopop sound. He was once entered for the Guinness Book Of Records for performing with the most keyboards (28) on stage in one performance.

The Buggles released only two albums, The Age Of Plastic in 1980 and Adventures In Modern Recording the following year.

The Age Of Plastic was re-released in Japan in 2010 with an additional 6 tracks (on top of the 3 bonus tracks from the 2000 re-release).

The Buggles produced a total of 6 music videos. I'm leaving out "Video Killed The Radio Star" (although it can be found on the following blog post).

Living In The Plastic Age


Elstree


Clean Clean (I'm not sure if this is 'the official' music video)


To be a Buggles completist, one must also listen to the 1980 Yes album, Drama.
From Wikipedia; "Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes of The Buggles (who had recently had a number one hit in the UK with "Video Killed the Radio Star") were working in an adjacent studio, and being Yes fans, introduced themselves. The pair were invited to sit in during rehearsals, and were soon asked to join the band.

Drama featured a much harder-edged Yes with a distinct new wave flavor (in no small part due to Horn & Downes).

Although the songs are all group credited, "Into the Lens" and "White Car" are basically Buggles compositions (an alternate version of "Into the Lens" appeared on the second Buggles album Adventures in Modern Recording as "I am a Camera").
"Machine Messiah" was based on another Buggles composition, but with considerable input from the other three."


Adventures In Modern Recording was reissued by Salvo Records/ZTT on February 15, 2010 containing 10 bonus tracks.
The Buggles second album may not be quite as listenable from beginning to end as the first, but there are still some gems including the title track, Vermillion Sands, I Am A Camera, Inner City and Lenny.

Adventures In Modern Recording


I Am A Camera


In August of 2010, Trevor Horn announced on his website an impending Buggles reunion. The reunion took place September 28, 2010 at the Supperclub in London, North Kensington with all proceeds going to the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability. The Buggles were set perform The Age of Plastic in full for the first time.

Clint Eastwood Movies

Last year, while waiting for a copy of Gran Torino on DVD to come in at the Library, I decided to have my own little Clint Eastwood film festival, which ended up spanning two months or so. Many were films I had seen before but wanted to refresh my memory, some were films I'd never seen or just hadn't seen from start to finish in all their unedited glory...


Over 2 months time I'd watched;
I kicked it off with two Clint Eastwood starred & directed westerns which both have supernatural overtones, High Plains Drifter {1973} (I love how he gets his drink on, his aggro on, and his lay on all within the first 10 minutes of rolling into town) and Pale Rider {1985}.


The Fistful Of Dollars Trilogy aka the "Man With No Name" Trilogy);
A Fistful Of Dollars {1964}, For A Few Dollars More {1965}, The Good, the Bad and The Ugly {1966}

Of the three, I'd have to say my personal favorite is 'For A Few Dollars More'. I really enjoy Clint's partnership with Lee Van Cleef (who plays the altogether different character 'The Bad' in The Good, Bad and The Ugly).
Now there's a lot of people who think that The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is the pinnacle of Clint's westerns, or even the best western ever made. But at nearly 3 hours long, I think it's a bit bloated, and I could do without the interjection of the Civil War.

Other westerns;
Hang 'Em High {1968}, Two Mules For Sister Sara {1970}, Joe Kidd {1972}, High Plains Drifter {1973}, Outlaw Josey Wales {1976}, Pale Rider {1985}, and Unforgiven {1992}.

And how about that Josey Wales. I laughed at Josey always spittin' chew spit on everything. But what did the dog ever do to you? Jerk!


I'd have to say that out of all Clint's westerns, my favorites are High Plains Drifter and For A Few Dollars More.

Next up I completed a 5-movie 5-night Dirty Harry marathon.
The Dirty Harry 5;
Dirty Harry {1971}, Magnum Force {1973}, The Enforcer {1976}, Sudden Impact {1983}, and The Dead Pool {1988}.

The character makes the films, but there are certainly better movies out there with Dirty Harry-esque characters.
I think my personal fave may have been Magnum Force, the 2nd in the series where he goes against the band of vigilante traffic cops.
Harry Callahan does seem a bit too much of a bitter old man in the last two Dirty Harry movies (filmed in the eighties), rather than the groovy fluffy-haired rebel he was in the first three.
That and I think the last three movies get bogged down by the 'chick factor'. Harry has to deal with his first female partner in The Enforcer, Sudden Impact centers around the scorned female killer, and lastly the pushy reporter in The Dead Pool.
Jim Carey's 'music video' scene where he mouths the words to Guns N Roses "Welcome To The Jungle from The Dead Pool is hilarious.


But yeah, it'd be great to tell your bosses to stick it up their ass, keep your job, and go run around the city playing judge, jury, and executioner blasting all the 'punks and hoods' you want and walk away from it scot-free and with a clean conscience to boot - who doesn't want that from time to time?

Other movies where Clint plays a Cop;
Coogan's Bluff {1968}, The Gauntlet {1977}, and Tightrope {1984}.

I enjoyed The Gauntlet (movie poster by the father of "Fantasy Art", Frank Frazetta), and thought that out of all the Clint Eastwood films with Sondra Locke, her role in The Gauntlet was her most pronounced performance.

World War II films;
Where Eagles Dare {1968} and Kelly's Heroes {1970}.

I really enjoyed Brian G. Hutton's two WWII films with Clint Eastwood, and they'd be strong WWII films with or without Eastwood. I have to admit I was taken aback at how well the WWII films played. The action, intensity and pyrotechnics were on par with many of the WWII films of the past 15 years. Make no mistake about it, these are big scale war films regardless of if they were made today or forty years ago.

And other films;
The Beguiled {1971}, Play Misty For Me {1971}, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot {1974}, The Eiger Sanction {1975}, and Firefox {1982}.

Clint Eastwood and Universal paid $25,000 to use the titular song, "Misty" by Erroll Garner in the film. "Misty" is a legendary jazz standard that will forever be etched into my mind, as it was in my Father's piano playing repertoire ever since I was born until the day he died. So I'd probably heard that song on and off for a good 25 years.

The movie Firefox spawned Atari's only Laserdisc based arcade game a year later. Watch Eastwood himself try out the arcade game in this video clip from Entertainment Tonight.
After all is said and done though, Firefox (the movie) is damn long and boring. It only picks up when he finally steals the dang thing and that's like 3/4's through the movie.

Finally was Every Which Way But Loose {1978} and Any Which Way You Can {1980} and I was all Clint'd out.

Movies and Television Shows featuring Chimpanzees, Gorillas and Orangutans in the mix was a recurring theme back in the seventies and early eighties. As a matter of fact, with the exception of The Ghost Busters which had a man in an ape suit, you could find a show featuring a real live primate on the television dial (including reruns) on one of the big three networks from 1975 all the way through 1981.
Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp which ran from 9/12/70 to 9/2/72 on ABC, The Ghost Busters (no relation to the movie Ghostbusters with Bill Murray, Dan Akyroyd and Harold Ramis) which ran from 9/6/75 to 9/4/76 on CBS, Ark II which ran from 9/11/76 to 12/18/76 (reruns played until 8/25/79) on CBS, B.J. and The Bear which aired from 2/10/79 to 8/11/81 on NBC, and finally a show entitled Mr. Smith which aired from September 23, 1983 to December 16, 1983 on NBC. Mr. Smith was based around the premise of an Orangutan who drinks an experimental mixture to increase human intelligence and after drinking the mixture is able to talk and is later determined to have an I.Q of 256.

+1 for Escape From Alcatraz {1979} (I own the DVD), In The Line Of Fire {1993}, and the Eastwood directed Costner starred A Perfect World {1993}.



As for Gran Torino {2009}

I enjoyed it, but I kinda felt like his self-sacrifice at the end was, in a way, symbolic in Eastwood making amends for his 'take no prisoners' violent filmography of the past, and that's just not something I can get behind. If it's time for the Man With No Name/Dirty Harry to take a fall, the only way he should go out is guns a'blazin. No concessions necessary.


P.S. I've never understood the appeal of John Wayne. There's a real generational gap there.