My Favorite Movies

I was there..Best US Police procedural ever made even to this day...Famous for the extreme car chase through San Francisco's hills, McQueen did his own stunt driving. A solid cast, gorgeous Jacqueline Bisset is the hesitant girlfriend and Robert Vaughn plays against type as an evil politician and carries the part off flawlessly. The director was such a stickler for realism, actual SFPD crime scene murder photos were used as references for camera setups and FX work. Combining 1968 "modern" style with "Dragnet" pacing. Although this film has action, it is not an "action" film but a police procedural in the same vein as the similar San Francisco film "The Laughing Policeman", which also used real SFPD Officers and locations. Awesome music here by Lalo "Mission Impossible" Scifrin. Notable for including Black Actor Georg Stanford Brown (TV Show "The Rookies" w/Kate Jackson, Ex-Husband of Tyne Daly) when Black Actors in serious roles were uncommon on screen. Still worth the time for those interested in a hardboiled cops vs. hitmen story with great location exteriors and an actual story (based on the book "Mute Witness") where you actually have to use your brain, rather than mere mindless action (i.e. the dimwitted short attention span crowd need not apply)...

Close to the book, this story is based on real people and events, from the first Vietnam/Indochina war to the Algerian quagmire, French Paratroopers & Foreign Legionaires (many of them ex-WW2 German soldiers unable to go home) fought and died bravely "Mort De La France". Although a "Hollywood version" of events, this film is unique, and has been used in military training classes as an example of tactics, the accuracy is that good. Early George Segal, Maurice Ronet and Claudia Cardinale stand out here. See the film "Battle of Algiers" for an alternate take on events (left leaning). All particularly interesting considering current events in the Middle East (and France), things did not turn out as expected...

I lift...Arnold, Nubret and Franco at their best...Notice the great shapes and tight midsections they had back then (The "V" shape), unlike most of todays pro-bodybuilders (The "X" shape). The 25th SE has some great outtakes and a reunion scene not to be missed, especially when Arnold sees how big Lou still is!. Anyone who watches how hard these guys hit the weights puts the lie to the haters out there that try to claim it's all about AAS(steroids), which were legal back then anyway, and only taken in small amounts to hold on to hard-earned muscle while dieting off stubborn bodyfat. The fact is that most people are woefully ignorant at what professional bodybuilders do and how hard the diet and exercise is. Most are too cowardly to deal with the pain and too soft to deal with such strict eating patterns, and therefore reflexively talk smack and put-down those who forge themselves by the iron discipline they realize they do not have. Seeing these guys in action = Inspiring! I've got my protein shake ready and am on the way to the weight room now!...

IRON MAN RULES!-(No Spoilers):They got it about as correct as possible for a Hollywood film, Marvel being in full control for the first time really shows & shines here...Marvel Universe aficianadoes will appreciate some of the little touches dropped in here. Ancients who remember the 1960's TV (badly) animated Iron Man, will recognize the reworked music theme slipped early in to the film, a very cool nod. Stan Lee has a hilarious cameo, and the advent of "War Machine" is alluded to, as is the budding international law-enforcement agency S.H.I.E.L.D.(!). Paltrow does no scene without her strappy spiked-heels on (Yum!). Bridges plays against his usual type here, you may not even recognize him at first (Though I may have problems with Bridges & Paltrows politics, they do first class work here). I have only 2 highly personal nitpicks:A tad more battlesuit action would have been nice, & R.D.jr. could have gotten in the weight-room and buffed up a bit for the role (He has no excuse, he already has a personal chef and reportedly eats right and supplements - Being over 40 just doesnt cut it as an excuse these days either, just means it's a little tougher getting in shape. He should look up Supertrainer Chas. Glass at Gold's Gym SoCal). Other than his lackluster physique, he is perfect cast as Tony Stark (after all, he has real world experience with substance abuse, as does the fictional Stark, except fictional Stark is driven to maintain a muscular physique to support his heart implant. I cannot help liking Stark, he reminds me in some ways of myself, Hah!). Otherwise, 1st Class popcorn time is to be had here. The crowded house I saw this with were very enthralled and appreciative of the film, laughing & cooing in all the right places, despite not being aware of the backstory. I'm glad I saw this on the big screen, it works well. One last thing, do not leave before the end credits if you are a Marvel Universe familiar, there is a great little teaser treat for you there that will leave you with a smile...

The beauty of feminine muscle! This depicts the origin of female bodybuilding and the sleek physiques on display are a far cry from what female bodybuilders look like today. People seem to forget that female pro-bodybuilding is a relatively recent phenomena, and this film shows it's early proponents, plus many of the confusions and emotionalistic reactions that still crop up even today. Female bodybuilding has split into 3 General camps: Bodybuilding, Figure, & Fitness. This is a result of the controversy exploited in this (biased) psuedo-documentary, namely the "How much is too much muscle" debate. Todays Figure & Fitness women look very similar to the original female bodybuilders portrayed here: sleek & toned with basic definition of the muscles. These women are in no way "monsters", as some ignorantly accused back then. On the other hand, today's female pro-bodybuilders, even compared to the largest most muscular one depicted in the film (Bev Francis) make her look small by comparison. Because of the fracture, the gloves came off. Today's Pro-Women are relatively huge, hard, dense and defined, holding no water or fat under the skin, just as their male counterparts seek to do, and they train hard & heavy. This does not make them "look like men" as those with untrained eyes reflexively spew venomously, they look just like what they are: muscular, athletic, strong, females. The same "Greek God" ideal applies to the women as does the men (The question remains, however, to look like the statue of "David", or the statue of "Hercules"). Strict dieting and cardio burns off most of the bodyfat, which tends to harden the facial lines and eliminate most breast tissue (unless the woman is genetically pre-dispositioned to have larger breasts) and this illusion is the reason for the comparison to males, but it is an illusion, nothing more. This also accounts for the high number of breast implants used today. This film, like it's big brother, the original Pumping Iron with Arnold, indulges in the same setups (good vs. bad, behind the scenes trickery, hero vs. villian, etc) to create tension and conflict, but it is up to the viewer to figure out how much is real and how much is setup here, and that requires an open mind and some intellect, and without these qualities, the viewer likely will not quite understand just what is going on here and miss the full benefit of the film. You have to get past any predjudices to actually see how beautiful these women really are. (Particularly the stunning future ex-wife of Jean Claude VanDamme, Gladys Portugese). This film remains highly recommended as a companion to the Gaines/Arnold Pumping Iron (I) and, despite the hype, has a place in history for showing the origins of the "Golden Era" of female bodybuilding, a world that no longer exists in this form. One quote from the film (By Rachel McLish, on being teased by the men) seems to sum it up for me when she retorts (paraphrase) "I never denied being a Powderpuff, but I'm a really STRONG Powderpuff!"...

Regarding filmmaker Christopher Bell: If you are anti, you'll say he is pro; and if you are pro, you will say he did not go far enough. Bell's alleged "moral dilemma", (that his/our so-called "heroes" were flawed for using PED's/Performance Enhancing Drugs) often comes off as childishly simplistic and overwrought, merely an affectation to advance the plot. It comes off as more sly wink, with his own smarmy brand of humor, than true righteous indignation. I have extremely serious issues with his portrayals of how "easy" it is to obtain steroids and how to manufacture bogus "legal" supplements. These segments were both misleading and downright irresponsible, particularly in light of the crackdown on those attempting to obtain steroids. There are now a vast number of people doing hard time and some have even lost their lives (the ultimate "unintended consequence") in this new "war on testosterone", yet Bell does not once mention this and treats the issue as a lighthearted joke. I consider this a major fault in this film, an omission that undermines the rest of the content by effectively leaving the viewer ignorant of the serious consequences facing the "little guy" (rather than rich sports/Hollywood figures who can afford expensive legal resources), and avoids taking to task the law enforcement arms who would rather make a "safe" steroid arrest than take the personal risk of going gun to gun against violent armed drug gangsters pushing serious drugs that actually are a menace to society, unlike steroids. Greg Valentino is brought in for shock value, and again, it is left for the viewer to assume his distorted arms are the result of steroid use, despite the fact there is no other person shown with a similar look (synthol oil), yet the segments with Jay Cutler and Will Harris were cut from the film(?). The segments with John Romano and Dr. Yesalis, who have something constructive to say, should have been expanded over the Valentino footage. Bell also dropped the ball regarding the Sylvester Stallone incident in Australia, reinforcing the impression that Stallone was physically arrested for "Steroids", when in fact the compound was HGH, was legally held by Stallone under a prescription, and that Stallone never spent any time in handcuffs or in jail. The beef was strictly an importation issue, nothing more (until the biased media got hold of the story, that is). Stallone's comments about HGH ("It's nothing") and pro-testosterone comments ("Improves the quality of life"..."May be sold over the counter in 10 years") regarding mature men and HRT are not mentioned. Let me point out the hypocrisy of actress Suzanne Somers freely championing hormone therapy for women without a peep heard from the media, while Stallone is loudly reviled for doing the exact same thing for men, an outrageous display of the double standard gone wild. Bell's love-hate relationship with bodybuilding and powersports provide him with a dragon to both ride and slay at the same time in his quest for fame, but it is a shame he feels it necessary to step on both the "innocent and the guilty" in his juvenile tantrum against Catholic style disillusionment (Was it really necessary, for example, to dog Arnold by pointing out the winner of the Arnold Classic had a steroid related arrest history?). I could go on, but the intelligent reading this will "get my drift", while the close-minded fanatics cannot be helped anyway. At least he did cover the positive use of steroids in medicine, and included the HIV+ subjects comments, and makes the point that steroid use is no "shortcut", and users in fact train as hard or harder than alleged "naturals". The film does more good than harm in the total scheme of it's subject matter, but is very far from definitive for the general public. The film is vastly superior to the Documentary "The Man Whose Arms Exploded", which was rife with misinformation and was designed to be an anti-Steroid/PED propaganda piece (Curiously, both films feature many of the same people). It may be better to simply man-up and produce a blatantly pro-PED piece rather than claim to be evenhanded and fail both sides in the process. Nonetheless, I still highly recommend seeing the film and let the chips fall where they may, although it still leaves the burden on anyone sporting an above-average physique to defend themselves against those who have seen the film and now fancy themselves "experts", but remain hostile on the subject. Two steps forward, and one step back for "Bigger, Stronger and Faster".

Glorifying the 1950's Era USMC as only the detail-freak genius Jack Webb could, this is a worthy cornerstone to his legacy. With some of the most memorable lines ever written for a military film, and painstaking detail as expected from Webb. You can tell that he is having a ball portraying this character, and he takes advantage of the opportunity to the maximum, even down to fanatical details of uniform fit and finish for himself and the cast. This film is a cult classic that still makes subsequent films on the same subject quail in comparison, good though they may be (i.e. "Boys in Company C", "Full Metal Jacket", "Take The High Ground" - a film not on the Flixter database as of this writing-"Officer & a Gentleman", etc) and Webb's character T/Sgt. Moore does it without uttering a single profanity(!), unlike the others. The cast is 95% actual Marine NCO's. Though the story bows to Studio conventions of the day (i.e. subcurrent love story, of course with mind-bogglingly beautiful women picked for the roles, especially Webb's enamorata and the Southern-Belle club singer. These sexy babes were not scared of wearing tight skirts and spiked-Heels!. Webb favorite, Actress Virginia Gregg turns in a short but effectively soulful performance here as a Marine mother, and of course a few joke setups that were seen as corny even then), with well shot scenes of sharply uniformed Jarheads partying down at the local illegal booze carrying "Slop-Chute"(with an interestingly realistic fight scene), this film would either inspire one to join up or frighten others in terror of such tough training and discipline, as I am certain it has done over generations. The "murder" of a Sand Flea incident is worth the price of admission alone, and the aforementioned lines, superior to anything Tarantino has done, will ring in your head long after the credits roll. The response to being surrounded by a superior enemy force is pure classicism. Taken in proper context, you may well find, as I have, a little spot of respect and affection for this well-crafted military melodrama that I never tire of watching. I cannot recommend this film highly enough, 1st class buttered popcorn time is to be had here. A double feature of this one followed by "Pork Chop Hill" would make an effective "Yin&Yang" of the era. I have yet to see the DVD transfer, and will update when I finally aquire a copy.

The "Pre-quel" to "Zulu", watch this one first..A must see film IMVVHO especially for MilHistory buffs. "pete36" from Belgium at IMDB had these comments about the film which I agree with..."In fact, a prequel to 'Zulu' (1964) directed by Cy Endfield who was also a major collaborator on ZD. As 'Zulu' is about the battle of O'rourke's drift, one of the most celebrated victories in British military history, ZD deals with one of the biggest defeats of the British army by an indigenous force. It happened just a few days before the events in 'Zulu'.

ZD is sheer heaven for history buffs : everything is recreated into the tiniest detail : the uniforms, entirely filmed on location in South-Africa Natal province , the famous Martini Henry rifles, even including some kind of prehistoric rocket launchers, so no cost or effort were spared to recreate the conditions of the battle.

The Brits are represented by the cream of English actorsgild : Peter O'Toole as the too self-confident general, Simon Ward as the green lieutenant, Bob Hoskins (just before his breakthrough role in "the Long Good Friday") as a hardasnails sergeant and Denholm Elliot as one of the ignorant troop commanders.

Also a large Boer party ( settlers mostly from Holland as 'Boer' is the Dutch word for farmer) took part in the battle, lead here by none other then Burt Lancaster ! In 1879 the Boers still sided with The British against the Zulus. Twenty years later, after having defeated the Zulus, the Brits and Boers turned against each other and became involved in a struggle for the diamond-rich Natal province. A very bloody three-year war followed, simply known as 'the Boer war', where the British army was nearly defeated by the much smaller number of unprofessional Boers soldiers.

Director Douglas Hickox ( Entertaining Mr Sloane, Sitting Target, Sky Devils,etc..)does an excellent job and turns in a classic-style, immaculate and spectacular epic. Sadly ZD was a big flop at the box-office and marked the end of the old-style colonial epics, up until the recent remake of 'The Four Feathers'.

It also marked the end of the career of director Hickox in feature-length movies and he was forced to work for TV, condemned to churning out superior 'schmalzy' series as 'Mistral's Daughter', 'Sins', etc...

But as historical epics go, they do not come any better than this. I rate it 8/10.

If you like this try also 'Khartoum' (1966)". So there you have it. Break out the popcorn and get into it, Kids!!!

And watch this one second, for a micro view of the "sideshow" battle (the small victory out of the larger defeat shown in Zulu Dawn). A Must See...(Also, outstanding music by John "James Bond" Barry, get the soundtrack CD!)...

Interracial Sex? First H.Wood movie to exploit it w/Gorgeous Raquel "Tejada" Welch & Big Jim "Dirty Dozen" Brown doing the deed as lovers during the vicious Mexican Revolution era, this movie has it all: Outstanding Music by genius Gerry Goldsmith so awesome it was nicked and used in another above-average western ("The Last Hard Men" w/Coburn, Heston, Rivero). Hans "Eric Braeden" Gudast and Fernando "Father of Lorenzo" Lamas turn in excellent villanous performances here, but the real heroes other than Goldsmith are the 2nd Unit, cinematographers and editors, who take max use of the beautiful panoramic vistas handed them and director Gries always shows intersting camera angles to tell the story. Tons of well-staged action ensues which shows the cruelty of the Mexican Revolutionary era without the Peckinpahish' realism. You will love the scenes regarding the Priestly dilemma with death. One of the only films of its genre that can actually be a popcorn/date movie for macho men looking to avoid chick flick opression, this historically accurate fiction yarn is pleasing on so many levels and deals with a heavy subject "lightly"...Enough good points to merit watching, and after all, it's got Rocky Welch in her prime (Hell, she still is lookin' pretty damn good these days, she ages quite well and stays in shape, probably on HGH...Just kidding!(Not! /;-)...

Staring down Racism in it's ugly face, Peckinpah's historical fiction adventure has it all: Indians, Confederates, Yankees (including Black "Smoked Yankees"), Mexicans, Cowboys, German Fraus, French Lancers and Moroccan Infantry; every ethnic group in the area during the time is represented, and how many Directors had the stones to deal with this subject matter, especially then during the hotbed of the Civil-rights era & a hot war in Vietnam? Peckinpah!!. Both cuts have their merits, simply choose to appreciate the good scenes and ignore the claptrap! This film is brimming with great memorable scenes and performances by it's talented cast. Heston's rote "Principles of Combat" speech...At the scene of the massacre: (Major: "I hope he was dead when they did that to him", Sergeant:"If he was dead they wouldnt have bothered"), Coburns pithy comment about the price of being in the Cavalry; Harris chewing out his weaselly "Red-Necked-Peckerwood"; The toothy cameraderie of Warren Oates & Brock Peters evaluating the fighting merits of the French Troops; Tim Hutton's fetish for Artillery and the beautiful brass "Baby howitzer" itself; The mounted singing duel; The look on Peters face when called out by the Peckerwood and the deadly confrontation when Confederate Sergeant Ben Johnson takes offense, and of course all the battle scenes are excellent, particularly the concluding fight against the Lancers; this film is packed with these and more if you can get around all the hype and just grab the popcorn and enjoy them!. Heston, Harris & Coburn are obviously enjoying themselves here, & you should do the same. I count this as one of Heston's best roles. A personal favorite of mine & tough guys worldwide. A "flawed materpiece"? Yes, but still a masterpiece of the genre nonetheless...

I was there...Ranger-Airborne...haters like TV Guide still put this movie down, but in fact 90% of the soldiers in the film were real actual combat veterans, also the speech is realistic, and so is the battle sequence at the A-Team Camp, which is based on an actual fight. George "Ghey" Takei is outstanding as the ruthless SVN Officer...Old School (WW2) corny in some places, but realistic in others, only vets would understand and appreciate this stuff to the maximum...Notable for showing Black troopers in an era where black faces were rare on screen (Raymond St. Jaques...Wayne was impressed by the Black SF Troopers, and made it a point to show them in the film). Aldo Rey is outstanding as the hard-bitten topkick Sgt, and the music it excellent...

Ruthless battle action glorifying the US Infantry against Nazi forces in WW2. Based on actual battle reports from the infamous "Murder Ridge" on the notorious "Sigrfied Line". Director Siegel does his best with a strong cast of current and future greats even though he has to bow to studio pressures and slip in some comic relief via Superstar crooner Bobby Darin and urbane Bob Newhart. James Coburn is a standout here, showing his toothy handsomeness against "Flint" type as a low key mechanic who goes ape-nutso in the infamous flamethrower scene, and Big Fess Parker is convincing as the Top Sergeant, plus egotist actor Nick"The Rebel" Adams typically tries to steal as many scenes as he can. Mike Kellin makes the most of his doomed character, and Siegel uses the Hitchcockian "God" camera angle to it's most terrifying effect in his death scene, shockingly realistic. The final panoramic battle scene was incorporated from an actual Army training exercise, so there is the proverbial "cast of thousands" being put to use here, no phony CGI. McQueen's characterization of the stripped-of-his- stripes-Butcher-knife carrying "Reese" is compelling, as a war-lover who, as the irascible Captain haplessly describes as not being able to understand a soldier "Who cracks up when the pressure is off". Reese lives for the adrenaline rush of combat. He drinks and whores enough to be a screwup when not "on the line" killing the enemy. I saw this film as a kid with my Korean War Veteran uncle who gave it a thumbs up and I'm sure it helped shape my persona somewhat, so it remains a nostalgic favorite of mine and an overlooked McQueen performance arguably as strong or even better than in "Bullitt", 'The Great Escape" or "The Sand Pebbles". Though flawed (No one is perfect) this is still seriously worth some buttered popcorn time for those with an open mind who can appreciate one of the better examples of the "War Is Hell" genre...

Oscar Winning Performance by Borgnine cheated because of the "rules", as this film was shown as a TV Movie in the US and a Movie in the rest of the world, the classic "Cliff-Notes" version for those who were not forced to read the book in school is compelling and closer to the book than the earlier version. Sir Lew Grade, of that generation, spared no expense to "get it right", and so many years & wars on, tells the specifically timeless tale of the horrors of WW1 (gas attacks, trench warfare, mindless Prussian militarisim which was to return under Hitler, etc)...Veterans will appreciate the gritty realisim...This may be the only war-oriented "date movie" you can watch with your babe of choice, assuming she has enough brains to deal with the materiel....Not to be missed...(PS: I created a skin dedicated to this film)...

Oscar winning, I first saw these in college film class, used as examples of how to edit a film the right way. Genius Capra used captured enemy film against the Axis in a masterful way. In one (of many) examples, he superimposed Nazi tanks in a scene with massacred French civilians in a way so subtle you might not notice it if you are not looking really close, straight into the subconcious mind. Then there is the notorious "shooting gallery" scene, where he shows Hitler, Mussolini & Tojo, over a track of carnival music while throwing in the line "If you ever meet them, don't hesitate"!. Just brilliant stuff all the way. (Don't forget, these were made for U.S. troops before being released to the general public) This is blatant propaganda for sure, but you will enjoy being manipulated and shake your head with amazement at just how good (and effectively) this stuff is put together, and on top of all that, all of it is true!. I never get tired of watching these, I'm always catching some cool bit I did not notice before. A must see series for the serious filmhead...

US Infantry vs. Fanatical oriental Communist forces in blood-soaked battle: 1953 Korea! Ranks with "Lost Command" for showing accurate military tactics (The actual person Pecks persona is based on was the technical advisor, this film receates actual events, and with hardcore Director Lou Milestone at the helm, we know we are getting the real deal here). Awesome musical score and solid cast of future greats makes this a must-see that veterans of all wars will appreciate as being damn near as close as it gets without real bullets and artillery flying at you...Notable for including Black actors in the cast, a big deal at the time of it's making, showing them as men rather than stereotypes which only added to the realism the film effectively projects. A Great time-capsule before Peck, a'la Eastwood, caved in to Jane Fondaesque ass-kissing catering to the Hollywood "politically-correct" America-Last crowd who never grasped what this essentially anti-war film, was all about, preferring the overly-simplistic communist inspired "America is Evil" line pushed by (Racist with credentials) Oliver Stone and similar ilk. Pork Chop Hill and director Milestone's vision stands firmly in the face of such faddishness and still gets to the point like a kick in the genitals even today. Grab a tub of buttered popcorn and get into it...Don't miss it

Cult classic, stylish action, good acting, atmospheric musical score, & classically inspired story. Much has been said about this film, so I'll keep it short and to the point. Grab a copy of the director's cut for the full monty, the behind the scenes stuff, interviews, and recut is worth it...Debbie Van Valkenburg and James Remar stand out, as does David P.Kelly as the noxious bad guy. The skilled Remar (and the delectable Mercedes Ruehl) appear to be the only actors currently working in film...

The Big Bore Revolver shooters fave flick, Rogue Army Vet Cops wearing the traditional (pre- facistic) uniform of the SFPD Motorcycle Squad, kill-off several criminal scum, until things get out of hand and innocent bystanders and fellow cops begin to start dropping like flies. Tons of (stylized) Police firearms handling for aficianadoes with sexy camera angles and framing used for effect. Notable for the naked breast shots of cute future Blonde Bombshell Suzanne Sommers (no implant artificial fillers in the 70's, Sonny!), also star beginnings of the late Robert Urich (got him the job on TV's SWAT), and David Soul (got him the job on TV's Starsky & Hutch). With great San Francisco exteriors, the Cops lament has not changed since this movie was made, as the Courts, DA's & Politicians still let criminals get away with murder (witness the recent murder of SFPD Officer Espinoza, where the DA outright refused to seek the death penalty for the killer before he was even arraigned!...And they wonder why violent crime is out of control in S.F. even today?) Since John Milius wrote the story (and received a presentation S&W Model 29 .44 Magnum as tribute) all the firearms details are accurate, including "Dirty Harry" clearing up the myth that he uses .44 magnum loads for carry, he in fact uses the classic, .44 Special load for manhunting, something few real-life departments would ever approve, but great & fits the mood for this Police action drama. "Dirty" Harry is a different breed from (McQueen's) Lt. Frank Bullitt, but I can imagine the two fictional SFPD Detectives swapping shop-talk and beers at the no-longer-politically-correct Cop bar...(they really don't make em' like they used to, and for the record, such young cops cannot join the motorcycle squad, that is for senior officers only)....Also: Sounds by musical genius Lalo "Mission Impossible" Schifrin, cool jazzy beats here, a fave of "Clint the Squint", Get the soundtrack album...

Bloody personal combat with cold steel is the theme, adapted from a Joseph Conrad story ("Heart of Darkness" aka "Apocalypse Now") and masterfully arranged by Ridley Scott, you can't call yourself a fan of his work and have not seen this. Indoor and outdoor scenes are like the paintings of the Old Masters, and the swaggering Military Fashion of the era is painstakingly reproduced to the most minute detail. This goes for the ladies in the story also, who all are natural beauties. Scott balances visual beauty and violence with nary a slip. (In fact you can watch this one with your babe of choice and not get flak for it). Actor Morgan Sheppard puts in a memorable cameo as a fight instructor. A must see for the serious flimhead...

One of the best 007 flix period! Honor Blackman is excellent as is Gert...

Heavy action packed with a solid cast of top talent, and outstanding musical score, this was originally written for Connery and Lazenby does good journeyman work as a tough and muscularBond, but his credibility suffered in the UK because he had done TV adverts for Heinz baked beans and the press wouldnt give him a break on this. In comparison to the Roger Moore version of Bond, one can look back an appreciate this film as better than any of Moore's, tougher and closer to the spirit of Ian Flemings books. Notable for having 2 beautiful women from the TV hit "The Avengers" in the cast, Diana Rigg and Joanna Lumley, not to mention the great Savalas as master criminal Blofeld...

Black Pilots in WW1?. Notable for including an avatar of the real life Black Aviator Eugene Bullard, who flew for France when the US Military would not permit it! In fact when all US Pilots were transferred to the US Army Air Force, Bullard was grounded, told that Blacks were incapable of flying planes even though he had been doing it! Racism SUX!!. Though a Hollywood version of events, the FX are very cool and tell the story well of an era hard to grasp by people today, which is why I forgive the filmakers, who were forced to give it a pass to present stupidity and go for the action/glory aspect just to get an audience. Superfluous love scenes are expected, so this one is a great 30 weight oiled popcorn fest, do it as a double feature with the Borgnine version of "All Quiet On The Western Front" with your babe of choice and after all this horror and stimulation, getting laid will be in the cards!/;-)

Making of a Black Regiments true story handled well in terms of our Civil War History, including showing the difference between the 54th vs. locally raised black troops, and the quality of the white officers commanding them. (An Oscar winning performance by Denzel Washington)....

A testament to the legacy of Director Ivan ("Hogans Heroes") Dixon(RIP), the tough excellent & subversive novel on which it was based was vastly superior to this film version, largely due to budget constraints. In fact it is amazing this film was made at all. It was rumored for years that the FBI/CIA obtained all the original prints of this film to keep it out of circulation, but there was one copy that made underground showings, usually at night in local churches nationwide. This film is still capable of shocking the viewer, once they realize where the plot is going and what could have happened if circumstances had aligned as shown. There were 2 other novels released at around the same time ("The Seige" & "Civil War II", one written by the later to be famous "The Executioner/Mack Bolan" author Don Pendelton) both depicting a future where the US Forces are "all-volunteer" and largely Black, where a military coup ensues, basically a patriotic flip-side to the "Spook" storyline (there was also "Barber Shop" speculation these were backed by secret government money to defuse the fallout from "Spook"). This film is non-racist (in comparison to extremely racist fiction like "Turner", that were favorites of terrorists McVey, Franklin, and the murderous thugs of "The Order"), the theme being more "disillusioned patriot" than Marxist, despite the hopes of the leftists. A must-see film (now that it is on DVD) both from historical & artistic standpoints, as well as a warning of how close we came to anarchy at a time of rampant political fratricide, the ripples of which we are still suffering from even today (think Clinton/Pelosi/Obama/Carter/etc)....

Heavy Firearms action lovingly crafted as only someone not allowed to own them could do, this one is notable for the female cast that drive the story (many look like fashion models) with particular kudos to a brunette version Marjorie Monaghan, and the drop-dead gorgeous perfect bodied green-eyed Debbie Shelton, who Director Pyun apparently convinced to show off her weight-trained abs, vascularity and lucious breastworks. Her mouth-watering scenes alone make this worth watching. Cute Merle Kennedy, in her boots and shorts is like a pint-sized Lara Croft. Gruner, Thomerson, Brion James & Tagawa turn in servicable work, and despite a few glitches and continuity errors, this is still worth popcorn time for fans of sci-fi ultraviolence...

Derek Flint:The CIA's answer to Bond, kicks ass and takes names...Coburn at his dashing best. I hate the fact that they did not get an interview with him for the DVD before he passed on, and hate the stupid cover art tie-in to the Austin Powers "comedies", it's degrading IMVHO...

Sky Soldiers in realistic action, Vietnam's version of "Pork Chop Hill" (although all the soldiers look like underwear models)..The story of the fight is shown warts and all with not so "Friendly Fire " incidents and Bone-headed Commanders trying to direct the battle from helecopters. One of the legendary 101st Airborne's bitterest battles since the night drop on Normany in WW2 (See "The Longest Day) and start for "Law & Order actor Courtney Vance as the compassionate Medic, and the excellent Don Cheadle, Dylan McDermott, Boatman & Weber are standouts here. I actually ducked at the beginning of the film when I saw this on the big screen due to the dolby surround sound's repoduction of the sounds of flying bullets...(Did the same at "Glory", a little too realistic there!)...Like "Green Berets" the G.I. slang language used is accurate to those days....