Monday, June 10, 2013


My Youthful Celebrity Crush!
William Smith



When I was in grade school, Saturday nights were my party nights, alone in my bedroom watching television in 1978BC (Before Cable), when the local NYC stations ran films with mature content after 11pm. 

Mature content as that time was any film that showed a woman's bare back, her suggested sexual interest or mild violence.  With the past years' resurgence of vampires; sexy, rugged, lascivious got me thinking of the first celluloid vampire that stirred my juices.

William Smith as James Eastman the half human/half vampire in the David Chase* penned, Grave of the Vampire (1974).  *David, we all have to start somewhere.



Put any prejudice of the film's execution will be put aside as I reminisce about my lustful tween attractive to a frighteningly attractive man close to my father's age.  

Born in Missouri in 1938, William Smith began acting at the eight of 8, tall, a bodybuilder and stuntman, Smith was mainly cast as villains  and creeps throughout most of his career.  He was the put upon hero in the 1968 biker film, Run Angel Run.   In C.C. & Company Smith kicked Jet’s star Joe Namath's ass in every scene they shared together.    

A student and teacher of the Russian language before turning to acting full time, Smith’s linguistic skill came in handy as he portrayed a Russian commander in the film, Red Dawn.  Only Smith could be cast as the man who could believably sire Conan the Barbarian. 

Great Guns
Educated and secure with himself as an actor Smith gave a riveting performance as an one-eyed, racist, bisexual rapist in the 70s television miniseries, Rich Man, Poor Man and gets beaten bloody by Nick Nolte’s Tom Jordache.  It’s a wonder how he never became a household name like many of his co-stars, Smith has a strong screen presence.




Now in his 80s, Smith participates in film fan conventions and I’ll be sure to attend the next one near New York.



Thursday, March 7, 2013

My Youthful Celebrity Crush:
Christopher George


Christopher George

While in junior high I had to be in bed by 9pm weeknights, Monday-Thursday. This curfew sorely curtailed my daily television watching as I usually missed some of the shows my classmates –with more lenient parents – would get to watch. For years I didn’t know what “Let’s be careful out there!” meant since I never saw an episode of Hill Street Blues until its syndication.

Friday nights were the nights I could stay up later. While my parents were sleeping I had full access to the living television set. Early Saturday morning about 12:30am, with not much interesting programming --this was before cable TV and Netflix -- I tuned to channel 5 and found the beginning of what looked like a WWII show; titled: Rat Patrol.



Six minutes into the show, I didn’t understand nor care about what this group of soldiers was trying to accomplish, but I sure did like watching the lead actor: Christopher George. This was during my blossoming pubescent descent into womanhood and Christopher’s character, Sgt Troy, was what I now understand to be the literal definition of, what I know now as: The Alpha Male.

I tried to watch every film and TV show starring Christopher George. Not until recently did I know he posed for Playgirl. Sadly, Mr. George died at the young age of 52.


As Sgt. Troy in Rat Patrol 













Before today's women became fearful of male body hair!

Watermelon, Yeah!

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Thursday, February 7, 2013

THREE FILM RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH!


Black History Month has arrived and here are my first week’s film recommendations!   Although most African American themed films usually preach some type of social value,  I've chosen this week's films because I found them entertaining.  None of them star a Black guy in drag!

1. Captive Heart: The James Mink Story

Lou Gossett Jr. stars as James Mink, a freed slave turned business owner living in 19th century Canada.  Mink’s stature of success includes an attractive Irish wife and their beautiful, educated, eighteen year old daughter.   Believing a Black man wouldn’t be good enough for his precious little girl, Mink sought of… kinda… pimps her out.  His bravado is tested when he and his White European wife have to travel within America to find their kidnapped daughter.  I remember the film premiered on CBS and it’s American produced so expect some action adventure; a precursor to Django. Available on YouTube.com



2. Skin  

Sophie Okonedo plays Sandra Laing, a young South African “colored” girl who is the offspring of two very white parents.  Sandra’s delusional father tries to make everyone see Sandy as White.  It doesn’t work.  Her mother is too racist to believe a lot of coffee seeped into the cream generations ago.  The dung really hits the fan when Sandra falls for a Black man.  Be prepared for many heart wrenching scenes.  The story takes place in the 1980's not 1880's.  The story's timeline irritated me as I remember how naive I was back in the 80's when I thought racism was in the past.  My buddy and follow tweeter La Mott Jackson turned me on to this one. Available on Netflix.




3.  Yesterday

Leleti Khumalo plays a wife and mother named Yesterday who lives, mostly alone, with her 8 year old daughter, Beauty, in a very rural part of South Africa.   Really, this woman has to walk miles to get her daughter to see the only doctor in town for the child’s school required inoculations.  Yesterday’s husband has traveled to the city to find work and returns very occasionally, most times, he’s out and about doing what he shouldn’t do.  Because of this Yesterday contracts HIV and her only agenda is to find a safe environment for Beauty to grow-up after her mother’s imminent death.   Next time you complain about life in America, watch this film.  The photography of the film is superb, the camera shot move the story along; subtitled in English.  I caught this film one early morning on HBO signature, available on Netflix.


Tuesday, February 5, 2013

The Girl Next Door New movie Trailer 2007




As horror film fans we are all too familiar with various plotlines (or lack of) in the genre.  A lone female is left to her own devices, usually triumphant against the evil masculine predator.

Jack Ketchum’s The Girl Next Door (2007) is not that traditional type of horror film.  Traditional horror with the antagonist as a mad scientist, monster or insane killer provides the viewer with a cushion from the reality of the viciousness onscreen.  The film is an adaption of Jack Ketchum’s 1989 novel of the same name.

Zombies?  Impossible
Vampires? Fun, but not real.
Psychos?  Scary, real scary, but remote.  Don’t make any bad decisions; walk alone in an alley, get into a stranger’s car.  You’ll be fine.

Now, what if you’re placed in the charge of a monster?  A human monster?

The Girl Next Door tells the harrowing story of a 14-year-old Meg  (Blythe Auffarth) and her disabled 9-year-old sister, Susan, (Madeline Taylor).  In the Summer of 1954, after their parents fatal car accident, the girl are placed in the care of their sadistic Aunt Ruth (Blanche Baker) and her three pubescent sons.  Meg is young, pretty artistic with a life full of hope and promise.  She is everything Ruth isn’t and jealousy sequesters Meg and Susan into a house of horrors.

Child abuse is the theme of the film.  After witnessing Susan’s brutal spanking by Ruth for a minor infraction.  Meg attempts to plan their escape by notifying the local beat cop; her story is met with disbelief.  Remember the narrative takes place in the 1950’s, where domestic abuses were ignored and corporal punishment were lessons in disipline for children.

When Ruth finds out the girl’s attempt, Meg is left to endure the most stomach churning offenses I’ve even seen on film.  She’s subjected to vicious mental, emotional, physical and sexual abuses including female castration.
Ruth’s evil also poisons the minds of her sons and other disenfranchised neighborhood teens who stand by watching and participating in Meg’s humiliation.

One neighborhood boy, David (Daniel Manche), who has a crush on Meg, is conflicted in his loyal to his newly abusive friends, his being taught to respect and listen to what elders tell you, and his own shameful titillation at seeing a nude, helpless female.  The character of David embodies society’s indifference to uncomfortable social realities.

The film’s subplot focuses on David’s internal conflict.  This keeps the viewer marginally separated from Meg’s abuse.  What could Meg be thinking while she’s tortured in a cold damp cellar for weeks with no one expected to rescue her?

The novel and film are based on the thru story of teenager Sylvia Likens, who in 1964 was tortured and killed by a woman who was paid to take care of her for three months.<P>

The viewer might find it difficult to watch the film without remembering a time where they might have chosen to turn away from an injustice, thought it better to not snitch.  Current events remind us of the evils inflicted on children.

If you’re a rational, empathic human being, The Girl Next Door will make you want ot get involved, jump right through the screen and become Meg’s and Susan’s savior, to stop “The Game.”


Available on NetFlix instant viewing!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

PARIAH

One summer afternoon, my friend, Pam and I visited the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library on Long Island, NY. On Wednesday afternoon the library conducts a free screening of recently award winning films, many you have heard of, in the library’s upscale theatrical screening room. We attended the screening of a film titled: Pariah.

Pariah, is a feature about a female teen’s fear of coming out to her homophobic mother starring an all Black cast, filmed on location in Brooklyn, New York.
Pam and I arrive at 2:45 in the afternoon for a 3pm showing and the auditorium is nearly full; its audience: the majority are White, average age of 70; gray or blue haired geriatrics; walkers, canes, peppermint candy and medicinal scents in the air; a retirees’ celluloid paradise. With Pam and I on the ledges between 38 and 55, we aren’t too perturbed to be the youngest women in the room.

We find very comfortable seats and after 10 minutes of a documentary on the golden age of cinema. The lights go down, the red curtain opens and the film starts.

ACT 1; SCENE 1 INT – BAR (NIGHT)

A loud, darkly lit, but colorful dance bar, full of female patrons. On the bar is nearly naked African-American young women gyrating their nether regions in the faces of other young Black, rather, butch looking females waving dollar bills. The soundtrack pulses to a rap beat with the vocalist chanting “LICK IT. GET THAT P*&SY! Close up of g-stringed asses and big brown breasts. CUT TO

The film lets you know what it’s about in the first frame. The narrative introduces us to 17 year old, Alike (Adepero Oduye) as she tries to find her place in hetero society, especially in her home with her strict, religious mother (Kim Wayans) who can give Carrie’s mom a scare. The film shows hard women, bi curious young girls, the film has a few tender, sweet moments and doesn’t differ from anyone else’s experiences of social isolation, the excitement of first sex, and heart rendering disappointment of loved ones.

Curses, same sex flirtations, tough acting and masculine females continue within the first 30 minutes of the film. Pam whispers to me, “I’m sorry I didn’t know there was so much cursing in this.” I wave her off. Then I notice a patch of bright light filtering into the auditorium following by the clacking of the metal doors. Little by little, a few geriatrics exit the screening room.

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!

As the film continues, Act 2, Scene 2, fades in with a close up of Alike’s lower body, fully dressed in hoodie and jeans, modeling a large White flesh colored phallus strap on and she’s disappointed. Alike, irritated, asks her butch best friend, Laura, “Didn’t they have any Black ones?” A few daring and open minded audience members laughed, Pam and I included. Seconds later the laughter subsides, its replaced by the sound of metal walkers bumping against aisle seats, shuffling feet and the hushed tones of “Excuse me,” “I had no idea,” Where’s the exit?” as the gray haired crowd made a mass exodus out of the auditorium. Minutes later the house lights came back on, the DVD stopped and the middle aged Blonde curator stands in the front of the aisles and profusely apologizes for not having seen the film before the showing. She then asks for a raise of hands in agreement to either continue the film or replace it with some lousy Katherine Heigl film?

Out of 40 people left, about nine people – including Pam, Carol and I – opted to continue the Pariah, but the majority voted for Katherine. Now it will take a while to find out of Alike mom’s accepts her daughter’s lesbianism, is Alike’s bi-curious girlfriend –who Alike’s mother unknowingly set Alike up with – sincere or a heartbreaker? Will Alike’s dad just openly acknowledge his daughter’s alternative lifestyle?

Obviously, Pariah is not for everyone. The film is now on Netflix. I give the film 3 Cinema Bees.

PLAINVIEW-OLD BETHPAGE PUBLIC LIBRARY 999 Old Country Road, Plainview, New York 11803 Phone: (516) 938-0077 Fax: (516) 433-4645 www.poblib.org