VAL KILMER, JOANNE WHALLEY AND WARWICK DAVIS IN 'WILLOW'

<p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hwG_MuPaN2tmGuZWNpk4oyYor_NY6zcb6c4MlTh2ImtwU1f3dyeDdls4rIUJb-ry3Y-po5jeUfUReMkI6QkjmyEUXyF7S3vRxjJZhEp2qUdioNTcjtJVS_gWoJ-4Bm_W5mq0oNFqsZO9NuI2WXUPnolMcu0sdDBysET_8HoltOhyphenhyphen4tHqDXjIQlT3j4ti/s1878/Screen%20Shot%202025-04-06%20at%208.39.17%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1878" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hwG_MuPaN2tmGuZWNpk4oyYor_NY6zcb6c4MlTh2ImtwU1f3dyeDdls4rIUJb-ry3Y-po5jeUfUReMkI6QkjmyEUXyF7S3vRxjJZhEp2qUdioNTcjtJVS_gWoJ-4Bm_W5mq0oNFqsZO9NuI2WXUPnolMcu0sdDBysET_8HoltOhyphenhyphen4tHqDXjIQlT3j4ti/s16000/Screen%20Shot%202025-04-06%20at%208.39.17%20PM.jpeg"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Title: WILLOW Year: 1988 Rating: ***</u></td></tr></tbody></table><p>There's a point in the George Lucas production WILLOW directed by Ron Howard, a cross between STAR WARS and THE LORD OF THE RINGS, when Val Kilmer's ragged heart-of-gold scoundrel Madmartigan is battling an antagonist at the back of a horse-drawn carriage, and Lucas's RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK also comes to mind...<br><br>Overall paced more like a rugged Western than Magical Fantasy, Ron Howard seems more at home with fast-paced action than thrusting the viewer into another world where, like in STAR WARS, an important someone has to be rescued by a naive farmer... in this case the titular WILLOW played by former Ewok Warwick Davis, who goes on the initial foot journey to protect an infant that will overthrow a vicious sorcerer-queen... <br></p><p></p><p><span></span></p>

action, adventure, eighties, fantasy, gavan o'herlihy, george lucas, jean marsh, joanne whalley, pat roach, rick overton, ron howard, val kilmer

VAL KILMER, JOANNE WHALLEY AND WARWICK DAVIS IN 'WILLOW'

Title: WILLOW Year: 1988 Rating: *** There's a point in the George Lucas production WILLOW directed by Ron Howard, a cross between STAR ...

TOM HANKS & DARYL HANNAH IN RON HOWARD'S 'SPLASH'

<p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UKqM_bM4w0PvCqt8rAuS-qMSLCbHXhE7rQzTz70OIftf_q8lD1qRf_Rh-dQIrTpDfVDSyiI8szRkD00F0ouLJhcBZCunY-s_iUbH0WjjnLcgg-WaeYB2OgXXx6Z9Z2FEFh2AlgNGCHJwzXkNVJ94y7sm1vxk2k2wVf1y7Zw_-glXgStsnJ6ULmpo5w/s2039/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-14%20at%205.42.57%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="2039" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UKqM_bM4w0PvCqt8rAuS-qMSLCbHXhE7rQzTz70OIftf_q8lD1qRf_Rh-dQIrTpDfVDSyiI8szRkD00F0ouLJhcBZCunY-s_iUbH0WjjnLcgg-WaeYB2OgXXx6Z9Z2FEFh2AlgNGCHJwzXkNVJ94y7sm1vxk2k2wVf1y7Zw_-glXgStsnJ6ULmpo5w/s16000/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-14%20at%205.42.57%20PM.jpeg"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Title: SPLASH Year: 1983 Director: Ron Howard Rating: ****1/2</u></td></tr></tbody></table><p>On David Letterman, John Candy got an awkward, giggling reaction from the audience when he described the plot of his upcoming movie, SPLASH, which, to most everyone's surprise, worked so perfectly it didn't seem a stretch at all...</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Involving two pairs connected to Tom Hanks...the first and funniest with his older, flaky, black-sheep, scene-stealing brother Candy, passive partner of their family's fruit/vegetable company, hilariously running after any woman around (seeming like a character visiting from his own movie) while Hanks, struggling to keep the business alive and having just broken-up with his girlfriend, is both aloof and brokenhearted...</p><span></span>

daryl hannah, eighties, eugene levy, fantasy, john candy, romantic comedy, ron howard, tom hanks

TOM HANKS & DARYL HANNAH IN RON HOWARD'S 'SPLASH'

Title: SPLASH Year: 1983 Director: Ron Howard Rating: ****1/2 On David Letterman, John Candy got an awkward, giggling reaction from the audi...

HENRY WINKLER AND MICHAEL KEATON PIMPING 'NIGHT SHIFT'

<p> <span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"></span></p><p><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"></span></p><p><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"></span></p><p><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"></span></p><p><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZublm3qmDJ-k4pvTqsqiO-cDP-U0_lom_Q9gDbYG3EyOFcQVFjcWF5A8fGQqEkhKO4tanxhNPgnoWJOwuB_WgGCT9XhX5oabqLpA5EeV4xmfovCW9MvhHikxXX1P2MYPYEjMRQ_JOtoMzlzasi7GN-5rNwWqY60r1ZO5qds8FKWHhuH7aZPuVdQQ_eQ/s2160/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-13%20at%2011.54.03%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="832" data-original-width="2160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZublm3qmDJ-k4pvTqsqiO-cDP-U0_lom_Q9gDbYG3EyOFcQVFjcWF5A8fGQqEkhKO4tanxhNPgnoWJOwuB_WgGCT9XhX5oabqLpA5EeV4xmfovCW9MvhHikxXX1P2MYPYEjMRQ_JOtoMzlzasi7GN-5rNwWqY60r1ZO5qds8FKWHhuH7aZPuVdQQ_eQ/s16000/Screen%20Shot%202022-07-13%20at%2011.54.03%20PM.jpeg"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><u>Title: NIGHT SHIFT Director: Ron Howard Year: 1982 Rating: ****1/2</u></span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">As a director, Ron Howard got his groove before realizing he really had it. Then he became more confident behind the lens for big budget catchall mainstream flicks like BACKDRAFT, and therein the Emperor was naked to the bone...</span><br> <br> Wedged in-between Howard's Roger Corman car crash vehicle GRAND THEFT AUTO and his hit phenom SPLASH, NIGHT SHIFT is one of the most original and unique buddy comedies of all time...</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><span></span></p>

eighties, exploitation, gina hecht, henry winkler, kevin costner, michael keaton, prostitute, richard belzer, ron howard, shannen doherty, shelley long

HENRY WINKLER AND MICHAEL KEATON PIMPING 'NIGHT SHIFT'

Title: NIGHT SHIFT Director: Ron Howard Year: 1982 Rating: ****1/2 As a director, Ron Howard got his groove before realizing he really had ...

DON SIEGEL DIRECTS JOHN WAYNE'S FINAL FILM 'THE SHOOTIST'

<p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBZmfvcl4Ud5k2Z43gzBsfrFvI2g0fOXN2PpbQJhw1ed7lMVmb-aNIFjEhwAIcobYkvZ7uAckiPuhCH56hUuLO-pJIiDpKiVsN7R78OYsa4wYTyqoaErnMOqige4lATtRMEzVNGO-Eb5iO29L2lIhyArQgiahecjt3Fj0_HR-x1K-89WLu4JnNWg2Zg/s1945/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-20%20at%202.33.27%20PM.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1083" data-original-width="1945" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeBZmfvcl4Ud5k2Z43gzBsfrFvI2g0fOXN2PpbQJhw1ed7lMVmb-aNIFjEhwAIcobYkvZ7uAckiPuhCH56hUuLO-pJIiDpKiVsN7R78OYsa4wYTyqoaErnMOqige4lATtRMEzVNGO-Eb5iO29L2lIhyArQgiahecjt3Fj0_HR-x1K-89WLu4JnNWg2Zg/s16000/Screen%20Shot%202022-06-20%20at%202.33.27%20PM.jpeg"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Title: THE SHOOTIST Stars: John Wayne, Hugh O'Brien Year: 1976 Rating: ***1/2</u></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Don Siegel's THE SHOOTIST seems perfectly suited as John Wayne's final movie since it's about the final week of an infamous gunslinger dying of cancer (given the news by a doctor played by James Stewart); yet there was a string of slightly younger actors considered before a surprisingly healthy-<i>looking</i> Wayne took the now legendary role...</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Where his acting is solid, true, even mellow despite the fact he's about to die while almost getting killed at the same time, contrasting with a horribly-miscast Ron Howard as the whiny son of Lauren Bacall, running a bed-and-breakfast where Wayne's holed-up, getting sporadic THIS IS YOUR LIFE drop-ins from various character-actors...</p><p><span></span></p>

don siegel, exploitation, harry morgan, hugh o'brian, james stewart, john wayne, lauren bacall, richard boone, ron howard, seventies, western

DON SIEGEL DIRECTS JOHN WAYNE'S FINAL FILM 'THE SHOOTIST'

Title: THE SHOOTIST Stars: John Wayne, Hugh O'Brien Year: 1976 Rating: ***1/2 Don Siegel's THE SHOOTIST seems perfectly suited as Jo...

THURSDAY NIGHT REVIEW OF 'SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY'

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3fiZ5S-9O3GrQd4drU2nPMiD28b7oJSzPdkYEiG0IXXWvo_ImMfDQDUg11_7Gufv8JZfILLnCSlHxzUMHWpyGkWzUPPyZnc6gW1R-mrYOwW_XY_HtadYABcewf9YLxS2GfoCGFEJBBn6/s1600/solo-a-star-wars-story-4k-poster-sd.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="1600" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju3fiZ5S-9O3GrQd4drU2nPMiD28b7oJSzPdkYEiG0IXXWvo_ImMfDQDUg11_7Gufv8JZfILLnCSlHxzUMHWpyGkWzUPPyZnc6gW1R-mrYOwW_XY_HtadYABcewf9YLxS2GfoCGFEJBBn6/s400/solo-a-star-wars-story-4k-poster-sd.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Year of Release: 2018</u></td></tr> </tbody></table> <blockquote class="tr_bq"> About as intense as watching someone play a video game, or playing one you've already mastered...  </blockquote> As is already known, Ron Howard had the task of correcting while directing SOLO — replacing the original filmmakers whose take was too comedic, or something that didn't gel with Lucasfilm's Kathleen Kennedy and writer Lawrence (partnered with son Jonathan) Kasdan: Could be those poor young filmmakers, who made the popular kid flicks LEGO MOVIE and CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, put too much color into a story meant to be edgy and dark...<br> <br> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNBqInMQGMLl-TrNmtvrw_0juQzWxP6rM_JeSUay1rqfRlxiWL17G75XsbDfev4qdVQ9TwmQw_B-2NcY5fck4EBiabgwWnq3IOOeCn-3-N0yykpPD7K9nRAUYBdEC-v7ytKQKtfHLAdHX/s1600/Screen+Shot+2018-07-07+at+1.53.36+AM.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="244" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNBqInMQGMLl-TrNmtvrw_0juQzWxP6rM_JeSUay1rqfRlxiWL17G75XsbDfev4qdVQ9TwmQw_B-2NcY5fck4EBiabgwWnq3IOOeCn-3-N0yykpPD7K9nRAUYBdEC-v7ytKQKtfHLAdHX/s320/Screen+Shot+2018-07-07+at+1.53.36+AM.jpg" width="104"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>A Pointy Falcon</u></td></tr> </tbody></table> <div style="text-align: right;"> </div> If so, Ron Howard sure did darken it up, and not in a good BLADE RUNNER gloomy industrial kind of way. It's like looking outside a dirty window — at more dirt. And this galaxy doesn't seem all that far, far away like a fantasy-driven STAR WARS installment should. With human characters so immensely droll and mundane, every time the usual weird-looking alien pops up, it seems out of place and, for lack of a deeper, more insightful description, pretty stupid. <br> <br> But there's really only one big question for die-hard fans concerning this STAR WARS STORY. Does <i>He</i> live up to <i>Him</i>? Him meaning Harrison Ford and He meaning Alden Ehrenreich, not tall and deep-voiced but an irritating shrimp with a nasally whine, as if Leonardo DiCaprio were imitating Christian Slater channeling Jack Nicholson... <br> <br> With a filler girlfriend/crush (Emilia Clarke), and the gurgling Chewbacca at his side (after meeting in a fight scene that could've been decent given more logic in the first place), Ehrenreich doesn't even seem to be trying — for anything. His brand of cocky confidence is narrowed into a bratty grin. And while critics are praising Donald Glover's imitation of Lando Calrissian, he's got as much to do with the story as anyone on board: He's just there. And bored.<br> <br> <div style="text-align: right;"> </div> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_Rx1x7GZKKRuKjUZa2tHVxpkSK9RFx5ywbBqj5jQ5OjMt3ZVAFhv7n__pSwFjaCjNMq4XA2hJ2OkIfpypWsIwOzVOm4EvSPrvBT7WIWECb7hXJKjTrSDFNb02c2__4F49TTOx1LFDrr2/s1600/rc_fandango_handout_13x19_v3_lg_1.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="361" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_Rx1x7GZKKRuKjUZa2tHVxpkSK9RFx5ywbBqj5jQ5OjMt3ZVAFhv7n__pSwFjaCjNMq4XA2hJ2OkIfpypWsIwOzVOm4EvSPrvBT7WIWECb7hXJKjTrSDFNb02c2__4F49TTOx1LFDrr2/s400/rc_fandango_handout_13x19_v3_lg_1.jpg" width="143"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>SoloMovieScore: *</u></td></tr> </tbody></table> With a non-existent plot involving several raids including a train robbery (why would tracks be needed in a world full of hovering vehicles?) to nab some kind of expensive gas to pay off a crime lord, the attempt for a pulpy pirate adventure is drowned-out by melodramatic pathos concerning slave labor, which happens on a pathetic, pretentious, manipulative loop. Even Lando's female robot literally screams for "equal rights"...<br> <br> And while Woody Harrelson tries his best as a semi-rogue named Beckett (the kind of clever/crooked mentor you'd think Solo would emulate to reach his maverick NEW HOPE persona), he's simply another ragged soul along for the ride. What's meant to be the most suspenseful scene is both a carbon-copy and contradiction of the Millennium Falcon asteroid-dodge in EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. The characters are either sitting on board the old reliable ship or flying it. Neither matters. It's about as intense as watching someone play a video game, or playing one you've already mastered...  <br> <br> While SOLO <i>seems</i> to be about how the experienced, world-weary smuggler acquired the guts to take big risks at a young age, Alden Ehrenreich plays him so bland and lazy, any intrepid skills seem merely built-in and unexplained during capers both simplistic and overly-complicated. But nothing's worse than the random pockets of embarrassingly awkward silences: Whether it be after Ehrenreich fouls-up yet another glib one-liner, or Chewbacca waiting passively for something meaningful to react to, Ron Howard, in attempting to resurrect a broken engine, has pieced together a vapid, sterile machine that's not just a let-down in the inevitable grade-curve of the STAR WARS franchise, but is simply a lousy, cheap-looking movie. Period. <br>

2018, action, adventure, alden ehrenreich, donald glover, emilia clarke, fantasy, franchise, new, ron howard, science-fiction, star wars, woody harrelson

THURSDAY NIGHT REVIEW OF 'SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY'

Year of Release: 2018 About as intense as watching someone play a video game, or playing one you've already mastered...  As is alr...

MOST UNDERRATED FILMS OF 2015 BY MARK SULLIVAN

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GdgDgEmPbmyR39P5YVlAf32kxjxBgWUYTC2s_LlxKlnLfjQRoiyiMnJCfpl-AlGiTHaGzg76pYjQlQK9kDU4RZHh4_IVEJI7T92w0ggIrlSXfZ-_6zBhOLaCUuD0t0G2KBVFBaM0wRA/s1600/LegendFB_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GdgDgEmPbmyR39P5YVlAf32kxjxBgWUYTC2s_LlxKlnLfjQRoiyiMnJCfpl-AlGiTHaGzg76pYjQlQK9kDU4RZHh4_IVEJI7T92w0ggIrlSXfZ-_6zBhOLaCUuD0t0G2KBVFBaM0wRA/s640/LegendFB_1.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Tom Hardy plays both Kray brothers in LEGEND in an article by guest contributor<b> Mark Sullivan</b></u></td></tr> </tbody></table>

2016, chris hemsworth, contributors, kurt russell, list, ron howard, tom hardy

MOST UNDERRATED FILMS OF 2015 BY MARK SULLIVAN

Tom Hardy plays both Kray brothers in LEGEND in an article by guest contributor Mark Sullivan

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRzke5W94t9_ph8DU_wcsSgHf5_7QJ1sbV2VvFW_By6INXIIP3RZewOEbPE-RMktVGRsytdn6gD5lJh6o13Vy3cwDEuuiFxVSztNIVT2396Saz_FhrU3GVIeVbRnlTD8u9HYS4MC7jyI/s1600/heart-banner-new-10-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRzke5W94t9_ph8DU_wcsSgHf5_7QJ1sbV2VvFW_By6INXIIP3RZewOEbPE-RMktVGRsytdn6gD5lJh6o13Vy3cwDEuuiFxVSztNIVT2396Saz_FhrU3GVIeVbRnlTD8u9HYS4MC7jyI/s640/heart-banner-new-10-16.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>year: 2015 cast: Chris Hemsworth, Brendan Gleeson, Tom Holland, Cillian Murphy director: Ron Howard</u></td></tr> </tbody></table> The movie JAWS, while based on a novel by Peter Benchley, was inspired by MOBY DICK. Probably not the John Huston 50's motion picture as opposed to the novel by Herman Melville. And some of the best scenes during the first half of IN THE HEART OF THE SEA, all of which literally inspired Melville to write his epic, timeless classic, are very similar to the Steven Spielberg film where a 25-foot Great White Shark is being hunted by while hunting... well that's another movie. This one flashes from the "present" time as the young, almost-famous and partially established author is listening to a tale by one of the survivors of a doomed expedition that occurred in 1820, beginning in thriving port town Nantucket, Massachusetts.  <br>

2015, brendan gleeson, chris hemsworth, cillian murphy, ron howard, shark, tom holland

IN THE HEART OF THE SEA

year: 2015 cast: Chris Hemsworth, Brendan Gleeson, Tom Holland, Cillian Murphy director: Ron Howard The movie JAWS, while based on a nov...

CRUISING THE PSYCHEDELIC SEQUEL 'MORE AMERICAN GRAFFITI'

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3QiI1SJGS3a7b3ge9cGekXJdWbNoXvswmtgQk49pBKspptNBjEHGy0PnPlsvgWev1PJHHWGlr_89jjMPYWT7ySbhSqA80PflOj6x4T7BqRoCLCz4ddCt0NqvmuPb6A4WAVS4hVniGRr4/s1600/moreamericangraffitimain-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3QiI1SJGS3a7b3ge9cGekXJdWbNoXvswmtgQk49pBKspptNBjEHGy0PnPlsvgWev1PJHHWGlr_89jjMPYWT7ySbhSqA80PflOj6x4T7BqRoCLCz4ddCt0NqvmuPb6A4WAVS4hVniGRr4/s1600/moreamericangraffitimain-1.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">year: 1979 cast: Paul LeMat, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, Cindy Williams, Bo Hopkins rating: ***</td></tr> </tbody></table> The George Lucas retro classic AMERICAN GRAFFITI showed seven kids cruising a busy Central California boulevard the night of the last day of high school, 1962, and the sequel spends an entire day and night during New Year’s Eve two years later.  <br /> <br /> Since it’s reported at the end of the original that Paul LeMat’s cool cat John Milner – the hot rod James Dean type with the fastest car in town – was killed by a drunk driver in 1964, the sequel’s starting point has all the main characters except Richard Dreyfuss (now a writer in Canada) meeting at a drag race course to cheer on Milner at the tail end of that fateful year.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nOAMn6iZJUP0oyb2JOjQHbclzTePAup2w7c-zBONmV7LVPXFOAKDPqxfQdVNExQCgq5Bn9-vA9MmYZIvGBiZFoUamjrj0zOPCADWjzzu_I9FutMDNrRv8RLADdNdDL0627kO_poRk0w/s1600/more+american+graffiti+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6nOAMn6iZJUP0oyb2JOjQHbclzTePAup2w7c-zBONmV7LVPXFOAKDPqxfQdVNExQCgq5Bn9-vA9MmYZIvGBiZFoUamjrj0zOPCADWjzzu_I9FutMDNrRv8RLADdNdDL0627kO_poRk0w/s1600/more+american+graffiti+8.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gang reuniting in 1964</td></tr> </tbody></table> Thus we follow the surviving characters in other New Year Eve’s throughout the sixties: Terry Toad Philips in Vietnam, 1965; Debbie in San Francisco, 1966; and Steve and Laurie Henderson in 1967. <br /> <br /> Let's start with the most conventional characters of the original: Steve and Laurie, played by Ron Howard and Cindy Williams, who were both, at that point, known for their roles on HAPPY DAYS and the successful spin off LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY, are still a bickering couple with kids and a hellish relationship going nowhere but down, down, down.<br /> <br /> The unhappily married duo have only wedding rings in common. Laurie wants to work but Steve, an insurance salesman, forces her to stay at home with their bratty kids. This was before Women’s Rights and Laurie wants her independence.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrN0vbToNQm9v0ADyF1OwAdQJYtDuK7I_tgA9LkeR2ZLHOss5L0YhGK_5CEmVoR5HnSZiQJX88H-GJGVOTsvQA0P1n3Cj2-fXMZDXMxSXF4bH-ZviS-UihFB8ArMYddWchpWdIkYBDsk/s1600/more+american+graffiti+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqrN0vbToNQm9v0ADyF1OwAdQJYtDuK7I_tgA9LkeR2ZLHOss5L0YhGK_5CEmVoR5HnSZiQJX88H-GJGVOTsvQA0P1n3Cj2-fXMZDXMxSXF4bH-ZviS-UihFB8ArMYddWchpWdIkYBDsk/s1600/more+american+graffiti+9.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laurie (Cindy Williams) and Steve (Ron Howard) circa 1967</td></tr> </tbody></table> Speaking of independence, her little brother is a college hippie radical. The campus is part of a violent protest and he calls Laurie to bring his driver’s license, without which he can’t leave the campus and might be shipped off to war.<br /> <br /> Laurie, like Jane Fonda in COMING HOME, is unrealistically oblivious to the counter-culture peace movement: at one point she even mentions that the kids should back the President.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCW5iYv_MDir8fQENawWtABuc5lmqdJX122uD815EOmWIljuvNHegJ19_o3A_2K-7yIXGnHLEXf848dvWJUdS6qf2ZqEURyIdrLZD-gm6HC5NYBrXeMk8gHQl10nVubrOJn6ZMXJEWlI/s1600/more+american+graffiti+17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCW5iYv_MDir8fQENawWtABuc5lmqdJX122uD815EOmWIljuvNHegJ19_o3A_2K-7yIXGnHLEXf848dvWJUdS6qf2ZqEURyIdrLZD-gm6HC5NYBrXeMk8gHQl10nVubrOJn6ZMXJEWlI/s1600/more+american+graffiti+17.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Suburban mom Laurie (Cindy Williams) learns about being a hippie</td></tr> </tbody></table> It's quickly obvious the entire purpose of this segment is the predictable character arc of both Laurie and Steve (who eventually has to rescue her): the cops are bad and the students are good.<br /> <br /> The only thing truly worthwhile here is the music – the rest is an overly preachy agenda, proving that hippies aren’t very interesting characters: they all look the same, have similar motivations, and don’t stand apart from each other.  <br /> <br /> Actually, <i>one </i>hippie does stand apart...<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8X1VPt9f-i4SWaDs_EWAgL8PUsFSx5bMZ1iekUJr4WiukmQ7sL-evei8JTznUosIto_3QkIhrXH-a4Z4raPyyoTm-abwyvyDvmqBX1SAf7_TO_wuzCqPV8oYOsxyj1WIsF3BRx8ArYSM/s1600/more+american+graffiti+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8X1VPt9f-i4SWaDs_EWAgL8PUsFSx5bMZ1iekUJr4WiukmQ7sL-evei8JTznUosIto_3QkIhrXH-a4Z4raPyyoTm-abwyvyDvmqBX1SAf7_TO_wuzCqPV8oYOsxyj1WIsF3BRx8ArYSM/s1600/more+american+graffiti+2.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Debbie (Candy Clark) and boyfriend Lance arrested by Bob Falfa (Harrison Ford) circa 1966</td></tr> </tbody></table> Candy Clark’s 1966 "Winter of Love" segment is bit more entertaining...<br /> <br /> Her jerk musician boyfriend is cheating and the ever-smiling bleach-blonde Debbie accidentally winds up hanging out with a rock band: touring a cowboy bar and other venues throughout a comically hectic day and night.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY0qCzHYBGH96iUvAMQf5mznu8iDMM-aFtw_65aeTl6xk2il-8q8jpEFvrDk1NBtJAwhkvik8SKdkT41GhlGMqsCX1LfW1j4MCbqVcma1OMy-MViX4PsD1HDw2sAJ1uWtlpj1WQTKjV28/s1600/more+american+graffiti+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY0qCzHYBGH96iUvAMQf5mznu8iDMM-aFtw_65aeTl6xk2il-8q8jpEFvrDk1NBtJAwhkvik8SKdkT41GhlGMqsCX1LfW1j4MCbqVcma1OMy-MViX4PsD1HDw2sAJ1uWtlpj1WQTKjV28/s1600/more+american+graffiti+15.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Split-screen showing Candy Clark and Scott Glenn</td></tr> </tbody></table> A long-haired Scott Glenn plays the lead guitarist, and Debbie only needs to realize: he’d make a much better boyfriend. There’s some decent action sequences involving the bus crashing into a building, and the music here, like Steve and Laurie's tale, is also of the psychedelic genre.<br /> <br /> Aesthetically, the use of multi-screen (popular in 1960’s films like MEDIUM COOL, THE THOMAS CROWNE AFFAIR and the WOODSTOCK documentary) attempts to dress up a non-story.  <br /> <br /> And Mackenzie Phillips' Carol is all grown up, now named Rainbow and appearing only sporadically: the epitome of a "guest starring" role. <br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVFSJa0DGblfC2a6BIkeMJ7kb3BHb2PLmqCHl4FMhEwCpi4UPnSktDe_d6uxL9Z4fFa_NLk8WQe_OTBzX0biIYA1Zrh02eVC6tliPomNDkYJa7Ia2iUPrEv9PcjcfhnWu8YsLNMGo3Jw/s1600/more+american+graffiti+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlVFSJa0DGblfC2a6BIkeMJ7kb3BHb2PLmqCHl4FMhEwCpi4UPnSktDe_d6uxL9Z4fFa_NLk8WQe_OTBzX0biIYA1Zrh02eVC6tliPomNDkYJa7Ia2iUPrEv9PcjcfhnWu8YsLNMGo3Jw/s1600/more+american+graffiti+11.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Terry The Toad Philips in Vietnam circa 1965</td></tr> </tbody></table> The best story has Terry "The Toad" Philips in Vietnam. The visual gimmick is seeing everything through what looks to be a grainy 16 millimeter film stock (liken to news reels), with only a box filling the inside of the screen with black surrounding it. <br /> <br /> Toad and the former lead Pharaoh Little Jo, played by Bo Hopkins, hang around the muddy barracks or fly around in Hueys, dodging death at every turn (the film opens with helicopters soaring to the song HEAT WAVE).<br /> <br /> But Toad just wants to go home through being injured and he just can’t catch a break, literally. Think of his character as Jamie Farr's Max Klinger from MASH, only instead of wearing dresses he's trying to hurt his way back home. <br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-LW4m6qCmJTgawSIpwm_8xuseo2uNcqYe63dSEdcYAXD8D5RJ28vuvs8djSDvAPN5HyMmLuk0YYFN673lVeAmL1Vs1xrrmhvc5vLtfnhMJi3sf5tQuxkpf-az4HuPrBMHfurIpDMV49I/s1600/more+american+graffiti+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-LW4m6qCmJTgawSIpwm_8xuseo2uNcqYe63dSEdcYAXD8D5RJ28vuvs8djSDvAPN5HyMmLuk0YYFN673lVeAmL1Vs1xrrmhvc5vLtfnhMJi3sf5tQuxkpf-az4HuPrBMHfurIpDMV49I/s1600/more+american+graffiti+12.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bo Hopkins partners up with Toad in Vietnam</td></tr> </tbody></table> The copters look cool and are reminiscent of APOCALYPSE NOW, the blockbuster that came out the same year, 1979.  <br /> <br /> Perhaps George Lucas, who executive produced this sequel written and directed by Bill L. Norton (director of GARGOYLES), wanted a piece of what he missed out from the Francis Ford Coppola Vietnam War venture, which he was originally connected with.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6tyTKIHqQ2got0XgMjacTFssw-sCZ759Vl-ABWF0Ge0mIEW8QVFrLuUwBScUcAwB5egK7q3LQkO6KPGv24Sgzx5m5aKZBn53Cb1n9wAgl3o-B2qFZ5_mZM4EGGjfn57MpnRyJWzkEns/s1600/more+american+graffiti+23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6tyTKIHqQ2got0XgMjacTFssw-sCZ759Vl-ABWF0Ge0mIEW8QVFrLuUwBScUcAwB5egK7q3LQkO6KPGv24Sgzx5m5aKZBn53Cb1n9wAgl3o-B2qFZ5_mZM4EGGjfn57MpnRyJWzkEns/s1600/more+american+graffiti+23.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huey Copters skim the river</td></tr> </tbody></table> The use of Motown hits (circa 1965) works well during the Vietnam story, jovially contrasting with the bloody battles while the cinematography captures the deep dark green colors of 'Nam. The theme song of John Wayne's THE GREEN BERETS also serves as a caustic anthem for the anti-war proceedings. <br /> <br /> This adventurous segment is all about Toad first trying to find a shortcut home and then teaming with a Gung Ho soldier (James Houghton), who eventually realizes war is a living/breathing hell: something Toad knew all along.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0tTWzNnAbnxJtuAwq5QZg3qbUUz_brN49O6FMUv3GJdqNVIY0hR2RBwDDY7ZW3VVF3PGA2q01Tbv3PaIwhTYbMiUc3pqEpwfljIexFz3U2Asg9IxeW5Td02iZmIz_FL9VxI6tzuo4nQ/s1600/more+american+graffiti+19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0tTWzNnAbnxJtuAwq5QZg3qbUUz_brN49O6FMUv3GJdqNVIY0hR2RBwDDY7ZW3VVF3PGA2q01Tbv3PaIwhTYbMiUc3pqEpwfljIexFz3U2Asg9IxeW5Td02iZmIz_FL9VxI6tzuo4nQ/s1600/more+american+graffiti+19.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Milner's yellow dragster</td></tr> </tbody></table> Last but not least is the John Milner drag racing story, taking place on and off the crowded and colorful California race grounds...<br /> <br /> Milner is a good driver but can’t get a sponsor, and has to win a few quick jaunts in order for corporate-backed teams to take interest.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgi7xXeRQVpCL3dwgrgymrUn-pm7zN6CuJ-HpLYZZD7bhQVj5gvsuuQl2PHNleogb9gSkC199TzjUFNwNUI4Cl3QEjs0a9JrVacC3Z54tQ88CpWq-BW9CDMpYrRz24rIsEWf_K-aGuuc/s1600/anna+bjorn+29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpgi7xXeRQVpCL3dwgrgymrUn-pm7zN6CuJ-HpLYZZD7bhQVj5gvsuuQl2PHNleogb9gSkC199TzjUFNwNUI4Cl3QEjs0a9JrVacC3Z54tQ88CpWq-BW9CDMpYrRz24rIsEWf_K-aGuuc/s1600/anna+bjorn+29.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Milner with dream girl Eva (Anna Bjorn) circa 1964</td></tr> </tbody></table> Here’s where the best (and really, the only) love story resides. Gorgeous blond model Ana Bjorn plays a naive foreign exchange student named Eva from Sweden… no, Iceland… that hangs around Milner like a lost puppy.<br /> <br /> Eva doesn’t speak a lick of English but they have sparks. Ken Place (the cop in THE BIG CHILL and brother of Mary Kay Place, who has a small part) is a worthy antagonist as Milner’s drag strip rival, filling in the shoes of Harrison Ford’s Bob Falfa (turning up as a cop in the Candy Clark segment).<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyyJJVr7rE-Csg3Z_7cDcxSe-PgUpCKmG0Gkd9OJukjVIAolUZYcOlO2wz2FWjzQiiHBRqA_1a3lsHKOXAvXMwLNaZx00L0t8DQD4R7ZmeEZdE-jGOCsoMh4k2yPqWwoBW3p28kqSJV4/s1600/more+american+graffiti+13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTyyJJVr7rE-Csg3Z_7cDcxSe-PgUpCKmG0Gkd9OJukjVIAolUZYcOlO2wz2FWjzQiiHBRqA_1a3lsHKOXAvXMwLNaZx00L0t8DQD4R7ZmeEZdE-jGOCsoMh4k2yPqWwoBW3p28kqSJV4/s1600/more+american+graffiti+13.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dragsters prepare to race</td></tr> </tbody></table> The drag strip races aren’t very exciting since the sleek speedsters roll for a total of five seconds before crossing the finish line, lacking the freewheeling spontaneity of the hot rods in the original.<br /> <br /> Plus, Milner doesn't have his entire reputation to lose this time. His character, although very likable, is somewhat pointless throughout, especially since we know his hours are numbered.    <br /> <br /> But this is still the second best story, ending with JM's famous yellow Deuce Coupe cruising down the midnight highway towards a pair of oncoming headlights – his death immanent.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlq-9A0vytYJXLFF0julAQLGMXHrhuQZZS5VImVRpSDZjYCxGs4Pw1yVLGSRPo5W4qw_HbP3NZEJOM6LA8qjwF9GvD4JqSAyam30ubehnJzxVFmLYOlH7t6ZZ27hpx2KdvlRTfnzBbls/s1600/more+american+graffiti+20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlq-9A0vytYJXLFF0julAQLGMXHrhuQZZS5VImVRpSDZjYCxGs4Pw1yVLGSRPo5W4qw_HbP3NZEJOM6LA8qjwF9GvD4JqSAyam30ubehnJzxVFmLYOlH7t6ZZ27hpx2KdvlRTfnzBbls/s1600/more+american+graffiti+20.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Milner's Deuce Coupe heads for an implied disaster </td></tr> </tbody></table> In many ways this is an unnecessary sequel but it’s nice to see the characters together again, even though they’re mostly apart.<br /> <br /> The soundtrack (highlighted by Donovan's "Season of the Witch" followed by Cream, The Grateful Dead, a live appearance by Country Joe and the Fish and concluding with Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone") stands out more than the actual film, and the acting makes it a more than worthy viewing. <br /> <br /> So while this visual experience is basically an “eight-foot ballerina,” there are times she can actually dance.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq__kpfZPswJygXfen8_2Qk-KjddRKt_-CgPYKYg1pIZStVtlUoP7UEfK5HdRcdvYeDlLqVGSeXrRrhtTw9ufTBgqRLB9wBmjdOo7Cjvvl25UE1NsoyfcScBo0qtILLEAoer8ERA85kjY/s1600/more+american+graffiti+999999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq__kpfZPswJygXfen8_2Qk-KjddRKt_-CgPYKYg1pIZStVtlUoP7UEfK5HdRcdvYeDlLqVGSeXrRrhtTw9ufTBgqRLB9wBmjdOo7Cjvvl25UE1NsoyfcScBo0qtILLEAoer8ERA85kjY/s1600/more+american+graffiti+999999.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naomi Judd (far left) sings "Baby Love" with Cindy Williams</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9fNG7bEzHCxhcAfwRWszcFosAZlIZ-KjCvei3Sj9mjU15W1ERG9If08twjqyioAnliMg55TCMew08jgdqkoSKvgMB9xJzOy00ZGh70WTTdmtwakbMo9lxScqUgwLff8bAg79d5IC92Q/s1600/more+american+graffiti+999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM9fNG7bEzHCxhcAfwRWszcFosAZlIZ-KjCvei3Sj9mjU15W1ERG9If08twjqyioAnliMg55TCMew08jgdqkoSKvgMB9xJzOy00ZGh70WTTdmtwakbMo9lxScqUgwLff8bAg79d5IC92Q/s1600/more+american+graffiti+999.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delroy Lindo as an Army Sergeant barking orders at Toad</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECHugqZHe0p-U2HdQfc0_ImRLbrZAJG8xd0y66qF9KNnoCtZO7hiHteCvHJtTrDr94l-WISt9tMq6FLri-7aazmjzWQPM19HdzDGj7mSQWnyVVHTwmjP1JG2gJzG7MDj6er_oBiTROK0/s1600/more+american+graffiti+99.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECHugqZHe0p-U2HdQfc0_ImRLbrZAJG8xd0y66qF9KNnoCtZO7hiHteCvHJtTrDr94l-WISt9tMq6FLri-7aazmjzWQPM19HdzDGj7mSQWnyVVHTwmjP1JG2gJzG7MDj6er_oBiTROK0/s1600/more+american+graffiti+99.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary Kay Place as Eva's friend Teensa</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEHbZ2K9DyF3yjaD8UwmnmrtuO4jfcpcYFANuoDLZxFPTw3EwWmlNk4Sm3KZVAQJbWbYLcEueBzYKHyvTgKbRsJ4UNqZz_hFBRZreeuCBn4I4EkziISupcUy5PAtEL8tQGdgp141bQ_M/s1600/more+american+graffiti+99999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEHbZ2K9DyF3yjaD8UwmnmrtuO4jfcpcYFANuoDLZxFPTw3EwWmlNk4Sm3KZVAQJbWbYLcEueBzYKHyvTgKbRsJ4UNqZz_hFBRZreeuCBn4I4EkziISupcUy5PAtEL8tQGdgp141bQ_M/s1600/more+american+graffiti+99999.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eva (Anna Bjorn) covers her ears from...</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFIV3oThHm7IuDtFf-3C85PkzZZ1rNVjVj5DEPFYw1RGsmc15PNjIl2GWOsHzHbvl1F7efGC4vwu2gFj0xizOavPaMcSrb7zSysJ3Aic7eQuhC0lYGO0PS9V6SxueGkymVCujVco1X5A/s1600/more+american+graffiti+9999.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQFIV3oThHm7IuDtFf-3C85PkzZZ1rNVjVj5DEPFYw1RGsmc15PNjIl2GWOsHzHbvl1F7efGC4vwu2gFj0xizOavPaMcSrb7zSysJ3Aic7eQuhC0lYGO0PS9V6SxueGkymVCujVco1X5A/s1600/more+american+graffiti+9999.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The roar of the dragsters warming up</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4wGLrGQchZuttF6Fn1aIiPSbn-e085R95kJWYF6InsvK3RQdbg9Er36sy7n6CycXtohvyE11LZ9ljsTGyfDtHpiITxX76IvSCXvxU4jm__LxG31rDm499j6caW5DK-G71h0-PmCNRPY/s1600/more+american+graffiti+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ4wGLrGQchZuttF6Fn1aIiPSbn-e085R95kJWYF6InsvK3RQdbg9Er36sy7n6CycXtohvyE11LZ9ljsTGyfDtHpiITxX76IvSCXvxU4jm__LxG31rDm499j6caW5DK-G71h0-PmCNRPY/s1600/more+american+graffiti+4.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul LeMat as John Milner</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5GmiXMV8m6YzTt4K7K5_iKBtXgJbNjKmBGXfc2Dw0cLasl4dYZG6mw0yVq-VPhBaC8fSDRmrbF8lzOaHjpidU8g-1rWLyrC4pJdMGqXdE0-iE3yScfLMAX3FfkfPMeMwH0ONP7EjV78/s1600/anna+bjorn+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5GmiXMV8m6YzTt4K7K5_iKBtXgJbNjKmBGXfc2Dw0cLasl4dYZG6mw0yVq-VPhBaC8fSDRmrbF8lzOaHjpidU8g-1rWLyrC4pJdMGqXdE0-iE3yScfLMAX3FfkfPMeMwH0ONP7EjV78/s1600/anna+bjorn+6.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Antagonist driver Ken Place with Anna Bjorn</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINUsJKVbNhxpZGP65uACQOqtMmzVQhTZbvmQa1y7VMRWT4YSfNmLuf1kvUapIWXaAcBXFqzp61ynzrI6MKNFRotItGgz2HBvf6RnakLlNj06o3J7M2C8tflK6aPvXNAzRLpA0RrrhnC4/s1600/anna+bjorn+25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgINUsJKVbNhxpZGP65uACQOqtMmzVQhTZbvmQa1y7VMRWT4YSfNmLuf1kvUapIWXaAcBXFqzp61ynzrI6MKNFRotItGgz2HBvf6RnakLlNj06o3J7M2C8tflK6aPvXNAzRLpA0RrrhnC4/s1600/anna+bjorn+25.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anna Bjorn's Eva watches Milner race </td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pfdz2X3v8_sudEorERighKLgISltYKTSEfVcBbeRBXBdx2CG1YD1qOdMlKg7S-lWoM4no7IfTce6dVUtoANNdb2maqBixCg7IVZhrAcYVpIyB7LB9xAjNmmN85SzhBoryTCWXhXQS-c/s1600/anna+bjorn+28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4pfdz2X3v8_sudEorERighKLgISltYKTSEfVcBbeRBXBdx2CG1YD1qOdMlKg7S-lWoM4no7IfTce6dVUtoANNdb2maqBixCg7IVZhrAcYVpIyB7LB9xAjNmmN85SzhBoryTCWXhXQS-c/s1600/anna+bjorn+28.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary Kay Place with Anna Bjorn</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszbigUYyHzXtAWLFOHyW5BTWHJaWuhgx0fkvt4Iy2rxXH0hMLwR4jcVyZea2m-gTU1PPHuAD2kXMjFDQXJWxctkTw9v5OksocECdMlTyYMt3clRNQpPqvCbBPyA0CjrLkvKwngWGWH-g/s1600/more+american+graffiti+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhszbigUYyHzXtAWLFOHyW5BTWHJaWuhgx0fkvt4Iy2rxXH0hMLwR4jcVyZea2m-gTU1PPHuAD2kXMjFDQXJWxctkTw9v5OksocECdMlTyYMt3clRNQpPqvCbBPyA0CjrLkvKwngWGWH-g/s1600/more+american+graffiti+3.jpg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Apocalypse Now style hueys and a great font for MORE AMERICAN GRAFFITI</u></td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTZ3jWZbdgAvDpW16_aIIVVTvj2hw03OPwFiOoUrYdnq4YdQZ9EPdXJ-ixHPuhO1CbsLoVR9qbBJztYNnZAlJFLGXyWe6TJaTqBwn1ZxRfVdBUybumdopRG8jIhF3epqyYguK1WjqV5qe/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-04-20+at+2.53.50+AM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="1430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhTZ3jWZbdgAvDpW16_aIIVVTvj2hw03OPwFiOoUrYdnq4YdQZ9EPdXJ-ixHPuhO1CbsLoVR9qbBJztYNnZAlJFLGXyWe6TJaTqBwn1ZxRfVdBUybumdopRG8jIhF3epqyYguK1WjqV5qe/s1600/Screen+Shot+2019-04-20+at+2.53.50+AM.jpeg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>All Region Import Blu Ray signed by Candy Clark, Bo Hopkins and Paul LeMat MORE AMERICAN GRAFFITI</u></td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgC7THVww7_br6ul9LHBqG6Nav5mgvQ8-JMacMvyoE8zPdsmTobZfzwzw1fyeGQbJodtGWNZ9XuLsz3XT_VFDJwOKaoFZjibKXGWed5WvCWN3O7p9LoKJTL-RPLcBcc7y1M85yzbGUw5L/s1600/57465183_688141304948382_4218342807401660416_o.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="1291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgC7THVww7_br6ul9LHBqG6Nav5mgvQ8-JMacMvyoE8zPdsmTobZfzwzw1fyeGQbJodtGWNZ9XuLsz3XT_VFDJwOKaoFZjibKXGWed5WvCWN3O7p9LoKJTL-RPLcBcc7y1M85yzbGUw5L/s1600/57465183_688141304948382_4218342807401660416_o.jpeg" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Monica Tenner as Moonchild in MORE AMERICAN GRAFFITI (if this is her)</u></td></tr> </tbody></table>

all night, anna bjorn, candy clark, charles martin smith, cindy williams, delroy lindo, george lucas, hangout, harrison ford, mackenzie phillips, mary kay place, paul lemat, ron howard, sequel, seventies, war

CRUISING THE PSYCHEDELIC SEQUEL 'MORE AMERICAN GRAFFITI'

year: 1979 cast: Paul LeMat, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, Cindy Williams, Bo Hopkins rating: *** The George Lucas retro classic AM...

RON HOWARD DIRECTS RUSH STARRING CHRIS HEMSWORTH

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIbZPKW9l4xVugqp4JGJejyY3pvok4c0W_mqXYhJwzxFv1WxGjRbecVQx5ERWQC2Tj2qGVWo2n5a6Hx4x5iP20Y-i5MP0oqivTJkRtq7DxXreXSVexZTFLXgRaBtTPcOGFGXOr_PtS_lp/s1600/rush-ronhoward.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIbZPKW9l4xVugqp4JGJejyY3pvok4c0W_mqXYhJwzxFv1WxGjRbecVQx5ERWQC2Tj2qGVWo2n5a6Hx4x5iP20Y-i5MP0oqivTJkRtq7DxXreXSVexZTFLXgRaBtTPcOGFGXOr_PtS_lp/s640/rush-ronhoward.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">year: 2013 cast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara rating: ** </td></tr> </tbody></table> It’s been a while since Ron Howard’s first theatrically released motion picture as a director. That was the Roger Corman produced/low-budget cult flick GRAND THEFT AUTO. And now he’s returned to speeding cars but a lot more seriously, and it’s a true story: RUSH centers on the rivalry between two racers who could not be more different, yet both share a heavy dose of navel-gazing narcissism...<br /> <br /> Chris Hemsworth plays James Hunt with the kind of polarizing, unapologetic devil-may-care attitude that makes it nearly impossible to root for the man. With so much confidence and so many girlfriends, why does he need our support? Other than vomiting before each race, he's more of a... well... superhero than human being. And then there's the not so perfect looking fella more professionally in-tuned to the racing life. Enter Daniel Brühl’s Nicki Lauda, with a chip on his shoulder the size of Hunt’s nighttime libido.<br /> <br /> Ron Howard has made a grungy biopic with a realistic, no-nonsense aura but something is missing. While we learn from the start that Lauda is the best in the world, and Hunt is right behind with more hunger to surpass the man he describes several times as a “rat,” we never learn enough about either, deep down, to make their stint on the rip-roaring Indy 500, composed of a year-long globe-spanning circuit shown in speedy montage sequences, really matter.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UVaSBFhMp1LJ2U4_oigKGuHMQUTk2Xg-0GfKMm0Ussj5qPwNWRX_zUgtRxfWLNZG5lZkqpM3umS5XCye0FYh46NhcZJNBG1sVXtpT_PGJ3_EKIm3JR9ZuWmuE4Jd8pAk2MTaTmPYBAXn/s1600/rush-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UVaSBFhMp1LJ2U4_oigKGuHMQUTk2Xg-0GfKMm0Ussj5qPwNWRX_zUgtRxfWLNZG5lZkqpM3umS5XCye0FYh46NhcZJNBG1sVXtpT_PGJ3_EKIm3JR9ZuWmuE4Jd8pAk2MTaTmPYBAXn/s640/rush-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris Hemsworth with Daniel Brühl in Ron Howard's RUSH</td></tr> </tbody></table>

2013, chris hemsworth, race car, ron howard, sport

RON HOWARD DIRECTS RUSH STARRING CHRIS HEMSWORTH

year: 2013 cast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara rating: ** It’s been a while since Ron Howard’s first...

REEXPERIENCING 'AMERICAN GRAFFITI' ON THE BIG SCREEN

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVrfkN3q5HEfwvSITH8qKJLR9xt3NA0HrbufSZA4yoRi4n6jNSnadvSQYBZ3ZAR44lABF9qRZLQ83WZz3yFruhU5q-iIH6SZQNGosqbnHNRqWFWjE6ZE4txeowkzJKQid84AL91TF4Mkj3imFo28r9HuSDNa_JsjrjfmDZ-CCbvkzAKchXt53j1YYkQ/s1146/Picture%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="1146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQVrfkN3q5HEfwvSITH8qKJLR9xt3NA0HrbufSZA4yoRi4n6jNSnadvSQYBZ3ZAR44lABF9qRZLQ83WZz3yFruhU5q-iIH6SZQNGosqbnHNRqWFWjE6ZE4txeowkzJKQid84AL91TF4Mkj3imFo28r9HuSDNa_JsjrjfmDZ-CCbvkzAKchXt53j1YYkQ/s16000/Picture%201.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">year: 1973 cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Paul LeMat, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, Ron Howard rating: *****</td></tr></tbody></table> After growing up watching AMERICAN GRAFFITI, and seeing it fifty or more times since childhood, and always on television, there are a few noticeable particularities when viewed in an actual theater on the big screen...<br /> <br /> Producer Francis Ford Coppola’s low budget horror titled DEMENTIA 13, is on the marquee outside Jerry's Cherries Used Car Lot, where Richard Dreyfuss’s Curt Henderson, kidnapped for the night by a gang called The Pharaohs, caused havoc for a local police car by tying a cable to its underbelly: And before that when Curt and his new acquaintances are inside a pinball alley, the Laura Scudder’s brand Potato Chips are in abundance behind the Moose Lodge guys…  <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FacuYZmqfR3pjz7BWd-Pi6K0ZbNCN50e9JskQWEUKV9dFU08tx21V5GXN8_O994NEhSYQ6XA8iGoUp4aiXPqHOUum43wrmzioYxZUbtmQXAbH1pVvRtION-GUUaN-o5ztF3yH-mwd2krlSUBrJGmkGQQPmcql9aB07kBmk7W414vdGmhuNC5rpWQcw/s1128/Picture%2012.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="1128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6FacuYZmqfR3pjz7BWd-Pi6K0ZbNCN50e9JskQWEUKV9dFU08tx21V5GXN8_O994NEhSYQ6XA8iGoUp4aiXPqHOUum43wrmzioYxZUbtmQXAbH1pVvRtION-GUUaN-o5ztF3yH-mwd2krlSUBrJGmkGQQPmcql9aB07kBmk7W414vdGmhuNC5rpWQcw/s16000/Picture%2012.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>Racers Harrison Ford & Paul LeMat's first meeting from AMERICAN GRAFFITI</u><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>And various adult characters: like the poor fella who gets his front bumper bashed, the jerk cop Holstein, the liquor store clerk, the chaperone told to “Kiss A Duck,” really look straight out of the Eisenhower era – okay so JFK was president by this time, but you get the drift…<br /> <br /> The bottom line and the most important thing is that Lucas's AMERICAN GRAFFITI is meant to be viewed the way originally intended, and the bigger the screen the better...   <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhXmC9emnLRQPTtYnssbxieMm03PeHlzJN0E8wy6kxqGx0g-iZTi3SfXxV15v9xqul-5zBP8k-feHuFI2auHb-B7S9roL7MKqo2J-Kq4HzR16MwB6CpAoMS9toUMcjdXAci1YKvNry7II-bo-dvJUg6m8sh4zdHfPQSqAGun4-ucZi3rv68SmbEdWOA/s1123/Picture%2017.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="493" data-original-width="1123" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQhXmC9emnLRQPTtYnssbxieMm03PeHlzJN0E8wy6kxqGx0g-iZTi3SfXxV15v9xqul-5zBP8k-feHuFI2auHb-B7S9roL7MKqo2J-Kq4HzR16MwB6CpAoMS9toUMcjdXAci1YKvNry7II-bo-dvJUg6m8sh4zdHfPQSqAGun4-ucZi3rv68SmbEdWOA/s16000/Picture%2017.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Bohan's Holstein refers to Paul LeMat's car as that "thing" like the Death Star guard to Chewbacca</td></tr></tbody></table>Not to toot the old horn, but yours truly notified the theater management… ten minutes before the movie played at Bella Terra in Huntington Beach, California… that the previous screening of NATIONAL LAMPOON’S ANIMAL HOUSE was all but ruined by a minimal amount of audio… In other words, the sound was so low it hindered the entire experience...<br /> <br /> If GRAFFITI, with wall-to-wall music playing throughout, blaring in and out of cars while providing a subliminally expository narrative, had the same sound problem, and so, once again, a sublime movie, part of the ongoing Landmark Classic Series, would be ruined. And who wants to hear the irritating noise of popcorn bags being ransacked by hungry audience members, or banal comments spoken when you’re trying hard to listen to what’s really important?<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWS_L9lpsi6y4r0UwXNShq21HDJFELTlfBmRdmfgQG8yGMix7pkkYgXe5Uugs9Y6TDdXCzD50bCu4lpVE7UNL69-Qv_G2i09H0qB2OPXkfSF4BRYKrmP3xnMN3UUF-wl5H10bWxQKQYkihHX_wGBuGqC9EwplPmxShd-7Dr02BXMP7GIl6EWaLCFOQQ/s1148/Picture%2010.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="1148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWS_L9lpsi6y4r0UwXNShq21HDJFELTlfBmRdmfgQG8yGMix7pkkYgXe5Uugs9Y6TDdXCzD50bCu4lpVE7UNL69-Qv_G2i09H0qB2OPXkfSF4BRYKrmP3xnMN3UUF-wl5H10bWxQKQYkihHX_wGBuGqC9EwplPmxShd-7Dr02BXMP7GIl6EWaLCFOQQ/s16000/Picture%2010.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful Jody Carlson and the silhouette of Mackenzie Phillips </td></tr></tbody></table>Well during the first ten minutes, the sound was low… The music was on a mid-passable level while the dialogue seemed like whispers. Ugh... not again! A really bad case of déjà vu!<br /> <br /> But then, right as Milner’s flirting with the gorgeous girl, played by <a href="http://www.cultfilmfreaks.com/2012/07/jody-carlson-in-american-graffiti.html">Jody Carlson</a>, in the Studebaker, who winds up handing off thirteen-year-old Mackenzie Phillips’ Carol for the night, something miraculous happened: the sound turned up and thus, the experience was entirely awesome.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHv0rGP01qjebxAFAXAPwMUVnAdyiumjZ2pseehchhTyYGFv3QaeMGzyYMvDYzE4d1i00f4641QooRG6OlJJoP3YcHDLvt9I54sQVSAU2msDWDoVhluTBrQ4qiZ48fU_AzmUFvIgliqzTJHRDYC_kpI0oKVJtj50PIUGXndANtMVbswVJEx0hBiLqsg/s955/Picture%2015.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="955" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIHv0rGP01qjebxAFAXAPwMUVnAdyiumjZ2pseehchhTyYGFv3QaeMGzyYMvDYzE4d1i00f4641QooRG6OlJJoP3YcHDLvt9I54sQVSAU2msDWDoVhluTBrQ4qiZ48fU_AzmUFvIgliqzTJHRDYC_kpI0oKVJtj50PIUGXndANtMVbswVJEx0hBiLqsg/s16000/Picture%2015.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After being blown up in MAGNUM FORCE, Suzanne Somers gets another silent role</td></tr></tbody></table>The AMERICAN GRAFFITI story is simple: A group of kids spend the night cruising a busy boulevard. The next morning, two of the four guys will go off to college. At first Ron Howard’s popular guy Steve Bolander is all ready for the trip, and it’s Curt Henderson who’s balking at the big move.<br /> <br /> Henderson, the central of the four central characters, winds up seeing a beautiful girl in a white T-Bird… Suzanne Somers never looked so hot, with the exception of MAGNUM FORCE, perhaps… and spends the rest of the film either trapped by the gang, led by Bo Hopkins as Little Jo, or chasing this dreamboat up and down impossible twists and turns.<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7m3e6fLYmr_Pv3MHejraPy3LP3m4Saya8LTuKikkA_9bxaDlomFmtUHGYTHxb7Wkd0Fui7aVKof81oZfvens29586ro_TRwYWxb9Dy7WyyhKw4VJkqV_uLY77FaOpT7KGTtnvIFXpbYW7JOu5W7A67T6VVUBYUosU8EyDQ4cQmHBv0zF0SGjvWPtNBA/s1151/Picture%2013.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="1151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7m3e6fLYmr_Pv3MHejraPy3LP3m4Saya8LTuKikkA_9bxaDlomFmtUHGYTHxb7Wkd0Fui7aVKof81oZfvens29586ro_TRwYWxb9Dy7WyyhKw4VJkqV_uLY77FaOpT7KGTtnvIFXpbYW7JOu5W7A67T6VVUBYUosU8EyDQ4cQmHBv0zF0SGjvWPtNBA/s16000/Picture%2013.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cindy Williams and the always-lovely Kathleen Quinlan </td></tr></tbody></table>But it's not all cruising around, there's a love story, kinda... Centering on Steve and his girlfriend Laurie's constant bickering on whether they should remain a couple: after all, Steve is taking off the next morning and long distant relationships rarely work.<br /> <br /> Laurie Henderson, Curt’s sister, is played by Cindy Williams – while it’s difficult <i>not </i>seeing HAPPY DAYS verses LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY, the two actors are terrific and do a fantastic job despite a somewhat cliché romantic-quibbling storyline that it took co-writers Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz to help Lucas with, since he (in his own opinion) wasn’t good at writing about relationships. <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRBkGvkxLemIpWEFG04vygbzNzRZfojeTEZROvTTSv3bt2LnJeaqbJv2bZy0qw2OGQ1czJxttbN7WbSCrAPHDR10kErxCMaH_WTIJtgcpBYHNHXSWvw_WTubHSgzKge3QfhoP2vqYufZMDGBCXefv6CPNjZV2bejbt-PCr3bkwzUvJeYEo4gszIXP4A/s1116/Picture%2016.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="1116" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRBkGvkxLemIpWEFG04vygbzNzRZfojeTEZROvTTSv3bt2LnJeaqbJv2bZy0qw2OGQ1czJxttbN7WbSCrAPHDR10kErxCMaH_WTIJtgcpBYHNHXSWvw_WTubHSgzKge3QfhoP2vqYufZMDGBCXefv6CPNjZV2bejbt-PCr3bkwzUvJeYEo4gszIXP4A/s16000/Picture%2016.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ron Howard and Cindy Williams with Kathleen Quinlan's Peg silently instigating</td></tr></tbody></table>While the main actors were kickstarting their careers, Ron Howard, billed as Ronny Howard, who was the biggest name of the lot, had the task of making people forget he was Opie on ANDY GRIFFITH for all those years. Although his story is the least interesting, he succeeded as a teenage actor.<br /> <br /> And then people would know him as Richie Cunningham (HAPPY DAYS was inspired by GRAFFITI but actually spun-off from an episode of LOVE AMERICAN STYLE) until he trailblazed as a successful director later on.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjqIc5iMJsMewjM74crSsxTojNsKiGrrFN5PZDZ2j-K4CUvKrRQhx59aFgBojSOGWtfVLNGssXLIOft8CozX8Z2Ut9zWwALDcBqOcBcTpyZfYubsIjKAYAY0yZCJiteQGPEZzedYMMETjgyKW8O1YYWsH37afAb5GRp_4vPwEjj8kTJjwiV_yvShuKw/s1843/Screen%20Shot%202023-02-03%20at%202.50.57%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1843" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjqIc5iMJsMewjM74crSsxTojNsKiGrrFN5PZDZ2j-K4CUvKrRQhx59aFgBojSOGWtfVLNGssXLIOft8CozX8Z2Ut9zWwALDcBqOcBcTpyZfYubsIjKAYAY0yZCJiteQGPEZzedYMMETjgyKW8O1YYWsH37afAb5GRp_4vPwEjj8kTJjwiV_yvShuKw/s16000/Screen%20Shot%202023-02-03%20at%202.50.57%20PM.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Richard Dreyfuss with Charles Martin Smith and Ron Howard</td></tr></tbody></table>The funniest segments belong to Terry The Toad Philips, the geek of the group... a likeable underdog who, played brilliantly with awkward naiveté by Charles Martin Smith... <br /> <br /> He's like a pinball being rolled from one unlucky situation to the next, providing an entertaining adventure since he's naïve, vulnerable and open to anything: Especially after meeting the only Oscar nominated actor in the film…<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7EqEl96_Vu-mNqiX4-XXai4G-0AN9G4Imy181kXJ2hGjAoag_lzh-UcLYulLqrQISjXq2ZyBfnkQuFsP19gEjD3ZngqMztul505twEyGYnwCXqZlh7hR3OduqmNRsSa1zl3EvYAdWQ0yJLl_80yiXMGLhNFa0H9XuYMpvZh0znasusxylN3-xjSpFKQ/s1027/Picture%201.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="471" data-original-width="1027" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7EqEl96_Vu-mNqiX4-XXai4G-0AN9G4Imy181kXJ2hGjAoag_lzh-UcLYulLqrQISjXq2ZyBfnkQuFsP19gEjD3ZngqMztul505twEyGYnwCXqZlh7hR3OduqmNRsSa1zl3EvYAdWQ0yJLl_80yiXMGLhNFa0H9XuYMpvZh0znasusxylN3-xjSpFKQ/s16000/Picture%201.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Candy Clark's eye shown through Charles Martin Smith's glasses</td></tr></tbody></table>Candy Clark as the bleach blonde Debbie really vanishes into a character, and doesn't seem like she’s playing an extension of herself. It's a performance that goes way outside the box. Candy plays Debbie as someone who knows what she wants, and finally found a nice guy/chump who will buy her booze and drive her around town. Yet she has heart. Experience with soul.<br /> <br /> In one aspect, Toad and Debbie’s story is a progression of Curt’s, being that Debbie is Toad’s ultimate dream girl and yet his dream’s a reality – and often a nightmare.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAS4TGV3CU5fbbppnKDJDnqV3yF83bupkNUX3eDAaXj2ZOFBn02kheCuM96_KmUQM8kyo9gmiKA3Boh-E1HdLwFns9Efxnm6mX6FQFXrMgRLo7bCsVhj_X4GL3W0j-z_0DAq4CDAnSvfnA9ghceDwmClqOfQcbGUVgV0DsHluRMtEPlGtinwX42NwMQ/s1139/Picture%209.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="1139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJAS4TGV3CU5fbbppnKDJDnqV3yF83bupkNUX3eDAaXj2ZOFBn02kheCuM96_KmUQM8kyo9gmiKA3Boh-E1HdLwFns9Efxnm6mX6FQFXrMgRLo7bCsVhj_X4GL3W0j-z_0DAq4CDAnSvfnA9ghceDwmClqOfQcbGUVgV0DsHluRMtEPlGtinwX42NwMQ/s16000/Picture%209.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe Spano promising Toad a knuckle-sandwich</td></tr></tbody></table>Then there are those subtle performances that stand out better when they’re thirty feet tall and shining bright… How Wolfman Jack, posing as a radio employee, talks about his cherished popsicles… HILL STREET BLUES actor Joe Spano’s duck-tailed snarky bravado when talking down Debbie in front of Toad… Kathleen Quinlan as Peg, Laurie's gossiping best friend, whose subtle manipulation at the dance adds color to the sequence... And the sexy skating waitress Budda (Janna Bellan), ready and willing to give Steve the very best of going-away presents...<br /> <br /> There's the obnoxious used car salesman on the giant chair... The teacher who puts out his match really hip-like before walking off with Kay Lenz... The conceited blonde guy, Kip Pullman, with his arms bobbing as the car rides over bumps after hearing from Curt that Bob, his ex girlfriend’s girlfriend, has an immense crush… And on and on it goes: Folks you just have to see the movie to know what all this inside-info rambling is about.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAbGQualV7ngWw-ZmZ6eoEsYci90a47X3AKSMZ5rJCqMCf4chbV7Wd147DH6iIQINTeK_6NZV3VJPDVyZFDTKytQfDSzaXGStN6n3xgPdfYFoP-v7LgSr58ydKbH5cafZtKDL5INs1t2yqdOaRXaf8nnoJtwHfQ87nEp3rZP7nSMgebsaXVCWjp7cjQ/s1621/Screen%20Shot%202023-02-03%20at%202.59.15%20PM.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1621" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAbGQualV7ngWw-ZmZ6eoEsYci90a47X3AKSMZ5rJCqMCf4chbV7Wd147DH6iIQINTeK_6NZV3VJPDVyZFDTKytQfDSzaXGStN6n3xgPdfYFoP-v7LgSr58ydKbH5cafZtKDL5INs1t2yqdOaRXaf8nnoJtwHfQ87nEp3rZP7nSMgebsaXVCWjp7cjQ/s16000/Screen%20Shot%202023-02-03%20at%202.59.15%20PM.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mackenzie Phillips and Paul LeMat in AMERICAN GRAFFITI</td></tr></tbody></table>Now back to John Milner, the Han Solo of the film. And while Lucas didn’t make STAR WARS until a few years later… And Harrison Ford’s Bob Falfa winds up being Milner’s drag race rival… He’s the most memorable character, and embodies 1962 more than anyone else. Like the era itself, Milner still grasps firmly onto the '50s, detesting new things like The Beach Boys. "Rock and roll's been going down hill ever since Buddy Holly died."<br /> <br /> A combination of James Dean and the guy we’ve all known, who has yet to grow up to accept responsibility, the devil-may-care rebel, saddled with 13 year old girl, has to shed his flirtatiously freewheeling ways and is suddenly forced to grow up for the night. Plus his reputation is being challenged: Leading to the dawn drag race backed by Booker T. and the MG’s soulful dirge Green Onions. Despite his shallow exterior, Milner has layers.<br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq8m9LY7VqhqbBIFtr15Fni_QTELq36xdCvrPISyKOUaL-b1I1ZebyKdxSDM7vVsJgQ7n8UMesjRayCsGSbTlV32u4U5E394a61Oc0jC3Lq4JV1juCuTTrct0UhwuRQx-tbTvSx19bOmOd0WRccHpZRMpWGLKfBRLaOEfuckIls7nWEOnT2VhmGJTZgw/s1150/Picture%208.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="1150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq8m9LY7VqhqbBIFtr15Fni_QTELq36xdCvrPISyKOUaL-b1I1ZebyKdxSDM7vVsJgQ7n8UMesjRayCsGSbTlV32u4U5E394a61Oc0jC3Lq4JV1juCuTTrct0UhwuRQx-tbTvSx19bOmOd0WRccHpZRMpWGLKfBRLaOEfuckIls7nWEOnT2VhmGJTZgw/s16000/Picture%208.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><u>American Graffiti drag race at dawn</u><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The coolest action sequence occurs <i>before</i> the initial trail run drag race. “Who’s that, do you know him? He’s following awful close,” Carol says when Bob Falfa attempts pulling up behind Milner, and Milner puts on his brakes and Falfa, steering quick to the right, jumps into the next lane, quickly leaps ahead of Milner and the camera neatly pans over... as Milner’s yellow Deuce Coup finally winds up beside his rival…<br /> <br /> George Lucas was never given due credit as a great director, and here his style goes hand-in-hand with precise editing: his then-wife Marcia Lucas (who edited Martin Scorsese's ALICE DOESN'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE and supervised TAXI DRIVER), along with JAWS editor Verna Fields, help make this not only a classic film but an experience that you’re really hanging out with these people in the span of a single night, right up close and personal... And it’s better, more boss and bitchin' with each and every viewing, especially up there on the big screen!<br />

all night, charles martin smith, cindy williams, george lucas, hangout, harrison ford, jody carlson, mackenzie phillips, paul lemat, richard dreyfuss, ron howard, seventies

REEXPERIENCING 'AMERICAN GRAFFITI' ON THE BIG SCREEN

year: 1973 cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Paul LeMat, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, Ron Howard rating: ***** After growing up watching AMERIC...

VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDV84IPybhIQC8FJ07ptzGO1HyACbmt0CfNL7jzCl-yE9q31e4nkslCdky9yyyZFPPsuHQwGOVgoyz0wkuq5g3VrfiQG6NFUfdJs98bUM1o88j1_bjfUfWtO1HmT3CwnShF0jaIV_D4k2z/s1600/title00_023653158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDV84IPybhIQC8FJ07ptzGO1HyACbmt0CfNL7jzCl-yE9q31e4nkslCdky9yyyZFPPsuHQwGOVgoyz0wkuq5g3VrfiQG6NFUfdJs98bUM1o88j1_bjfUfWtO1HmT3CwnShF0jaIV_D4k2z/s640/title00_023653158.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">year: 1965 cast: Beau Bridges, Ron Howard, Debi Storm, Joe Turkel, Johnny Crawford  rating: **</td></tr> </tbody></table> In a pivotal scene where giant rebellious teenagers are taking over a small town, Beau Bridges (as the leader) plays all the cards in one shot: telling the Sheriff they’ve kidnapped his daughter. Now isn’t this the kind of basic desperation regular-sized antagonists would resort to? Well that’s about the gist of VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS, the first adaption of H.G. Well’s FOOD OF THE GODS until B-Movie icon Bert I. Gordon make the superior 1976 eco-flick with the same title.<br /> <br /> Here a young genius named Genius, played by Ronny Howard, has created a special “goo” that turns ducks into giants – dogs and cats too. The best scene has the ducks dancing to a Beau Brummels tune in a swinging Go Go Club while our future antagonists are still normal sized. Then, later on, hanging out at a local theater, the teens eat goo and become the weakest, laziest giants in history.<br /> <br /> They could crush everyone in their path but would rather stand around making demands. And it's a shame: Because while every visual aspect points at this being the sort of bad movie dreams are made of, the pacing is so slow it feels like twenty minutes stretched (or elongated, as it were) into eighty. That doesn’t mean that the images, like Johnny Crawford basking in a giant girl’s breasts or two large wooden legs with patches of hair supposedly belonging to Bridges, aren’t classically amusing. And music by the Brummels and Jack Nitzsche is cool and groovy. But unfortunately the anticipation of witnessing such glorious camp exceeds the actual experience. <br /> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPXb4UZgppuPiZJpm9OE07cAwV6M3S2slywzbUfP0J5WhdIT7gp6mSjBJ2zktrCvB6xAJflcOlbeI8_zsgSSUjM0f3tFI5Tfv0Isky3wb8DwI5RpQasenDW843C-GsT_vDVPDI81GDaaw/s1600/title00_023206147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPXb4UZgppuPiZJpm9OE07cAwV6M3S2slywzbUfP0J5WhdIT7gp6mSjBJ2zktrCvB6xAJflcOlbeI8_zsgSSUjM0f3tFI5Tfv0Isky3wb8DwI5RpQasenDW843C-GsT_vDVPDI81GDaaw/s640/title00_023206147.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh those awesome giant ducks</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllGaDjVgJAoVrW5UVAv5EI8UuLq1CeVon2NzVJAZXR7i4CLsBGVE7QO8-HrLwtf9FfIaDr931qGc8ySGWQc9qqH9G9m0CSfj0C4lrijXkHg9M-h2JVeJm2FECUDAgf3CSF8uUEINdgyHJ/s1600/title00_023328537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllGaDjVgJAoVrW5UVAv5EI8UuLq1CeVon2NzVJAZXR7i4CLsBGVE7QO8-HrLwtf9FfIaDr931qGc8ySGWQc9qqH9G9m0CSfj0C4lrijXkHg9M-h2JVeJm2FECUDAgf3CSF8uUEINdgyHJ/s640/title00_023328537.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duckie, absolutely duckie</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig49cT_Cbm2WSnvIlV-7rN6jtRwTkiuuiLBmKqrRRCNSWOGbRPQdMU_h7Ab2bJWHDWvLzc7S_vmjUP4LKQmXvAm3F3nF-0_Gia4lqIEfy1jDTZzEzU0HFPmyjW_eJ03AXRJpCLNmDY0slo/s1600/title00_023915898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig49cT_Cbm2WSnvIlV-7rN6jtRwTkiuuiLBmKqrRRCNSWOGbRPQdMU_h7Ab2bJWHDWvLzc7S_vmjUP4LKQmXvAm3F3nF-0_Gia4lqIEfy1jDTZzEzU0HFPmyjW_eJ03AXRJpCLNmDY0slo/s640/title00_023915898.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beau Bridges in VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtSqr7AdcmarLeMJ4USnC_ZvOvRHVry2SZx33ytnFNkjMy_eWiCidNdqnCKtso6TB1raa91gLTL4BC1FAULpRa6JH35ghpP462uGpTafRn8YO6_ae9Q21GGOYWTTCxFGEAROdDHLlGVTp/s1600/title00_023833758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRtSqr7AdcmarLeMJ4USnC_ZvOvRHVry2SZx33ytnFNkjMy_eWiCidNdqnCKtso6TB1raa91gLTL4BC1FAULpRa6JH35ghpP462uGpTafRn8YO6_ae9Q21GGOYWTTCxFGEAROdDHLlGVTp/s640/title00_023833758.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The legs of Beau Bridges</td></tr> </tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6kHrbRjdQViGhR6VDSzche3RJ1B0lQw_w2WqKAmbolKeJC5Xdi_159UPBj0YRuuA-8v7WbjaQE21x7GMpMzwAdQfsabpXj7o-3olnL78PRXe6o56UkMkX3eu9inEFZT6zYezpgFyKwKy6/s1600/title00_023716312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6kHrbRjdQViGhR6VDSzche3RJ1B0lQw_w2WqKAmbolKeJC5Xdi_159UPBj0YRuuA-8v7WbjaQE21x7GMpMzwAdQfsabpXj7o-3olnL78PRXe6o56UkMkX3eu9inEFZT6zYezpgFyKwKy6/s640/title00_023716312.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS</td></tr> </tbody></table>

beau bridges, bert i. gordon, joseph turkel, ron howard, sixties

VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS

year: 1965 cast: Beau Bridges, Ron Howard, Debi Storm, Joe Turkel, Johnny Crawford  rating: ** In a pivotal scene where giant rebellious...