‘The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean’ (1972): A big, beautiful mess of a Western
“For Texas and Miss Lillie!”
Author: Movies & Drinks
‘The California Kid’ (1974): A spare, surprisingly grim TV meller
A clean, trim, hard-boiled little gem of a suspenser, from the golden days of network made-for-TV movies.
‘New York Ninja’ (2021): Resurrecting 1984 with love
What if you could travel back in time—say, 1984—to the height of the B-action/adventure ninja craze, and re-live just one moment of your misspent youth—a youth spent wandering the aisles of local mom-and-pop video stores (Hometown Video vs. All That Video for my childhood town of 3,000) and depriving yourself of sleep to catch that… Read More ‘New York Ninja’ (2021): Resurrecting 1984 with love
‘Lights! Camera! Elvis! Collection’: A look back at 8 of the King’s movies
This August 16th will be the 45th anniversary of the death of “the King,” Elvis Presley. To celebrate, we thought we’d look back at some of ‘ol Swivel Hip’s musicals collected in the blue suede flocked boxed set, Lights! Camera! Elvis! Collection, from a few years back. Titles included are: 1957’s King Creole, 1960’s G.I. Blues, 1961’s… Read More ‘Lights! Camera! Elvis! Collection’: A look back at 8 of the King’s movies
‘The Mephisto Waltz’ (1971): Occult thriller channels TV production values
I don’t know…maybe Satanism is the way to go. I mean, it’s not like there’s anything on TV. And Jesus palomino is it ever hot this summer. If I gotta dance around a dead tree in the buff, wearing a goat head, just to head off streaming boredom and the searing heat, well…. Wait, I got a… Read More ‘The Mephisto Waltz’ (1971): Occult thriller channels TV production values
‘H.G. Wells’ The Shape of Things to Come’ (1979): Silly sci-fi is an ultra-cheap epic
Of course it’s laid-back and cheap-looking…it’s Canadian.
‘Satan’s Triangle’ (1975): A wild, disconcerting TV nightmare
You know what would be the perfect vacation for this particular Fourth of July, Independence Day? In today’s America, I mean? Cruise to the Devil’s Triangle. But you say you just can’t let Beelzebub see your bikini bod this year? Well…you could check out Satan’s Triangle, the 1975 made-for-TV occult classic starring Kim Novak and Doug McClure,… Read More ‘Satan’s Triangle’ (1975): A wild, disconcerting TV nightmare
‘Angel in My Pocket’ (1969): Has this Andy Griffith film been memory-holed?
Inexplicably missing-in-action movie from TV icon Andy Griffith. On April 1st, 1968, The Andy Griffith Show broadcast its final first-run episode, ending the-then #1-rated television show in the country, after eight highly successful seasons. Just one short year (and a day) later, Universal Pictures released Griffith’s charming little family programmer, Angel in My Pocket…and America couldn’t have… Read More ‘Angel in My Pocket’ (1969): Has this Andy Griffith film been memory-holed?
‘The Swarm’ (1978): Is Irwin Allen’s disaster pic one of the worst movies ever made?
“The Swarm is coming!” I wish I could somehow convey how imperative and compelling and flat-out exciting those words were to me, way back in 1978, when they were so dramatically intoned in the trailer that seemed to pop up constantly on TV and at every other movie I went to that winter and spring.… Read More ‘The Swarm’ (1978): Is Irwin Allen’s disaster pic one of the worst movies ever made?
‘The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning’ (2007): Fun take on TV classic aims to please y’all
Now, what I originally wanted to write about 2007’s direct-to-video prequel, The Dukes of Hazzard: The Beginning (Unrated)―that it’s a perfect movie for a 14-year-old male…or any arrested-development guy, for that matter―sadly doesn’t apply any more, most likely.
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