Matthew R. Bradley, D.M., D.M.?

Some time ago, I bestowed upon myself the honorary and fictitious title “D.M.,” for Doctor of Mathesonology, since I think I can say without boasting that at this point, not too many people know more about his career—at least on screen—than I do. But now, I may have to quit my day job, or take [...]

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G.D. Spradlin (1920-2011)

Not content with Linda Christian, the Reaper has taken character actor G.D. Spradlin, who is perhaps best remembered as the corrupt and arrogant Senator Pat Geary in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part II (1974), and was later cast as the slyly named “General Corman” in Coppola’s non-Godfather masterpiece, Apocalypse Now (1979). Spradlin also worked [...]

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Adieu, Vesper

Yesterday I saw the headline “First ‘Bond’ Girl Dies,” and steeled myself to read about the passing of Ursula Andress, the luscious leading lady who presumably sent bikini sales skyrocketing with her immortal entrance in Dr. No (1962), but the folks at that news source knew their history better than I expected. They were referring [...]

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The Big Sleazy

What I’ve Been Watching: The Bad Lieutenant—Port of Call: New Orleans (2009). Who’s Responsible: Werner Herzog (director), William M. Finkelstein (screenwriter), Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, and Val Kilmer (stars). Why I Watched It: Herzog; morbid fascination. Seen It Before? No. Likelihood of Seeing It Again (1-10): 3. Likelihood the Guys Will Rib Me for Watching [...]

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I, Claude

What I’ve Been Watching: Story of Women (1988). Who’s Responsible: Claude Chabrol (writer-director), Colo Tavernier (co-writer), Isabelle Huppert, François Cluzet, and Nils Tavernier (stars). Why I Watched It: Chabrol Memorial Viewing. Seen It Before? No. Likelihood of Seeing It Again (1-10): 4. Likelihood the Guys Will Rib Me for Watching It (1-10): 5. Totally Subjective [...]

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Bang! Zoom!

What I’ve Been Watching: Moonraker (1979). Who’s Responsible: Lewis Gilbert (director), Christopher Wood (screenwriter), Roger Moore, Lois Chiles, and Michael Lonsdale (stars). Why I Watched It: Research. Seen It Before? Several times, including on its release. Likelihood of Seeing It Again (1-10): 8 (it is Bond, after all). Likelihood the Guys Will Rib Me for [...]

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Plugged Nicol

What I’ve Been Watching: The Lone Hand (1953). Who’s Responsible: George Sherman (director), Joseph Hoffman and Irving Ravetch (screenwriters), Joel McCrea, Barbara Hale, and Alex Nicol (stars). Why I Watched It: McCrea. Seen It Before? No. Likelihood of Seeing It Again (1-10): 5. Likelihood the Guys Will Rib Me for Watching It (1-10): 4. Totally [...]

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Jett Powered

What I’ve Been Watching: The Runaways (2010). Who’s Responsible: Floria Sigismondi (writer-director), Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, and Michael Shannon (stars). Why I Watched It: Biopic; rockin’ chicks. Seen It Before? No. Likelihood of Seeing It Again (1-10): 6. Likelihood the Guys Will Rib Me for Watching It (1-10): 5. Totally Subjective BOF Rating (1-10): 6. [...]

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Would You Buy a Used Car from This Man?

No sooner had I invoked Jack Clayton’s The Great Gatsby (1974) than we learned that Roberts Blossom, who played Gatsby’s father, died last Friday at 87. His IMDb bio states that Blossom (a native of God’s Country, I might add) “was especially adept at portraying cantankerous old oddballs,” which I guess would encompass what was [...]

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A Guy Named Joe

What I’ve Been Watching: Room at the Top (1959). Who’s Responsible: Jack Clayton (director), Neil Paterson (screenwriter), Laurence Harvey, Simone Signoret, and Heather Sears (stars). Why I Watched It: Dude, it’s a classic. Seen It Before? No. Likelihood of Seeing It Again (1-10): 8. Likelihood the Guys Will Rib Me for Watching It (1-10): 2. [...]

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