Paramount Pictures takes you back to the dance floor with the blu-ray and DVD release of the Director’s Cut of the now iconic Saturday Night Fever, which helped to catapult John Travolta, a Sweathog from Welcome Back, Kotter, to super-stardom. It’s easy now to think of the film as a time capsule of the 70s…
Tag: racism
The Sand Pebbles (1966) – Robert Wise
Robert Wise directs Steve McQueen, Mako, Candice Bergen, Richard Attenborough, James Hong, and Richard Crenna in this adaptation of Richard McKenna’s novel, and my next port of call in the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book following my screening of Lawrence of Arabia. McQueen is Jake Holman who has just been assigned to…
Boxcar Bertha (1972) – Martin Scorsese
A recommendation from the Great Movies – 100 Years of Film book for my screening of Bonnie and Clyde is this 1972 Scorsese picture that he made while he was learning at Roger Corman’s studio. A fictionalised account of the Bertha Thompson (Barbara Hershey) the film follows the transient and who became a labour organiser…
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) – Michael Bay
Hasbro and Michael Bay bring the Autobots and Decepticons to the screen for a second outing, as I continue my time with the Transformers in the Sci-Fi Chronicles book. This one took a lot of flak for its racist stereotypes illustrated throughout the film even as our heroes both human and robot fight to save…
Quantum Leap (1991) – Justice and Permanent Wave
Sam (Scott Bakula) is less than happy to find where he has leaped to in Justice. Penned by Toni Graphia and with an original airdate of 9 October, 1991, Sam is Clyde, and he’s just been inducted into the Klu Klux Klan – people who stand for everything Sam’s family taught him to fight. It’s…
Allegiance: A Cineplex Event
George Takei’s passion project, and historically important musical, Allegiance is getting a one night Cineplex Event. Inspired by Takei’s own experiences during World War II, the story, featuring music and lyrics by Jay Kuo and book by Kou, Mark Acito and Lorenzo Thione, follows the Kimura family in America after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor….
Strange Days (1995) – Kathryn Bigelow
My time with the films of James Cameron for the Sci-Fi Chronicles book comes to an end with this film that he penned the script for, and gave to the incredibly talented Kathryn Bigelow to direct. Ralph Fiennes stars as Lenny Nero, a former cop turned street hustler, with a charming side that can sell…
Alien Nation (1988) – Graham Baker
Before District 9, Earth took in the Newcomers, and as they attempted to fit into our society, despite racism, prejudice, and simple confusion in customs, a pair of cops, one human, one newcomer, try to work together. This one is the next stop in the Sci-Fi Chronicles as I spend some more time with James…
Star Trek: The Original Series (1966) -The Conscience of the King and Balance of Terror
Captain’s Log: Stardate 2817.6 The Conscience of the King, taken from a line in Hamlet (the series has a wonderful relationship with the Bard), was a bit of a murder mystery that didn’t quite engage with me when I was younger, but has grown on me since. Written by Barry Trivers, this had an original…
Quantum Leap (1990) – Pool Hall Blues and Leaping in Without a Net
Sam (Scott Bakula) ends up shooting some stick in this week’s episode to save a young woman’s bar. Pool Hall Blues was penned by Randy Holland and originally aired on 14 March 1990. It’s 4 September, 1954 and Sam has leaped into Charlie “Black Magic” Walters, who, we learn, taught Al (Dean Stockwell) in…
The Mind Reels 