Gator marked Burt Reynolds’ first-ever sequel. And it was also his first time settling into the director’s chair. Hal Needham joins him behind the camera, serving as a unit director, and Burt and his mustache star opposite Jerry Reed, who signs the title theme. Sounds alright? I’ll openly admit to being charmed by stunt man…
Tag: burt reynolds
White Lightning (1973) – Joseph Sargent
Burt Reynolds stars as Gator McClusky, who feels like he may be a more rough and tumble relative of the Bandit. And speaking of Smokey & the Bandit, Hal Needham, who went on to direct that classic film, served as the second unit director on this film. Gator is in prison, and he’s a model…
Hooper (1978) – Hal Needham
Coming off of Smokey and the Bandit, Hal Needham, Burt Reynolds and Sally Field paired up again for Hooper, a love letter to the stuntmen (and women) of Hollywood – who still aren’t recognized for their contributions with an Academy Award. Reynolds is Hooper an aging stuntman who pals around with Cully (James Best) and…
The Cannonball Run (1981) – Hal Needham
They don’t make cast-packed comedies like The Cannonball Run anymore. That doesn’t mean it’s all good, but it is damned enjoyable. Hal Needham and Burt Reynolds were coming off Smokey and the Bandit and Hooper, and this road movie was a fun next step. Originally designed as an action film for Steve McQueen, when the…
The X-Files (2002) – Underneath, and Improbable
Doggett (Robert Patrick) gets pulled back into a case he worked back when he was a New York cop, when the man they arrested as a serial killer is exonerated and released from prison – only to have the murders start up again. Underneath was written by John Shiban and first aired on 31 March,…
TAD 2018: Prospect (2018) – Christopher Caldwell and Zeek Earl
It’s Sci-Fi Night for Toronto After Dark, and Scotiabank Theatre is ready to blast off, starting at 7pm! Up first tonight is Prospect (the first film being released by Dust the sci-fi arm of the Gunpowder & Sky production house), starring Sophie Thatcher, Pedro Pascal and Jay Duplass. There’s a lot going on production and…
The Twilight Zone (1963) – Passage on the Lady Anne, and The Bard
Season four of The Twilight Zone comes to a conclusion this week with these two episodes as I continue exploring The Complete Series on blu-ray, currently available from Paramount Pictures. First up this week is Passage on the Lady Anne. Written by Charles Beaumont this story first found its way to television screens on 9…
Deliverance (1972) – John Boorman
The next recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of The Night of the Hunter is this John Boorman classic that turned Burt Reynolds into a star. Lewis (Reynolds) convinces his friends Ed (Jon Voigt), Bobby (Ned Beatty) and Drew (Ronny Cox) to go on a canoe trip…
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (1972) – Woody Allen
So the list of recommendations that accompanied my screening of Manhattan continues with the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book. This time, Allen skewers sex with this collection of stories, reflecting the chapter titles of the famous book of the same name. Some of them are a lot of fun, there is a…
Smokey and The Bandit (1977) – Hal Needham
Sometimes you just want to unplug with some silly, goofy and good-hearted. This one definitely falls into that character, and it has to be over 15 years since I last sat down to watch this one, though the film’s main song, Eastbound and Down performed by country music star, Jerry Reed (who plays Cledus “Snowman”…
The Mind Reels 