Movie Review: The Dark Tower
(See previous post for a review of the theater)
I can’t sugar coat this one, I liked the film but not the strongest effort out of Hollywood. The Tomatometer came up at 18%…not too good and the Audience Score was a tepid 63%.
What I liked about the film…1) Jake Chambers who played the kid role…Tom Taylor! My issue is that if the kid is not compelling in an action movie the movie sinks to the bottom. The kid in Terminator 2… Edward Furlong was perfect in his role… enough serious and enough smart alec… great choice! The kid in Last Action Hero… Austin O’Brien… not so much. I hate complaining about a film with Arnold in it but Rotten Tomatoes bears me out on my assessments of the film. It may not have been the kids fault and he may have done great things since then but…that’s all I have to say about that. 2) Idris Elba who played Roland the gunslinger was terrific too. 3) The handgun was really cool and some of the fight scenes as well.
What I didn’t like about the film… 1) Matthew McConaughey… I can’t spell his last name and he was really kind of stiff in the role, I didn’t read the book/s and perhaps this was perfectly laid out but I think the film could have used somebody a bit off kilter, maybe that was what was missing from the film… needed a bit more jokerish or more disturbed; I hate how dark the film, it may be that the theater keeps the light down low on the bulb to save money, I hate 3D for the same reason…too dark… if they can pretend to fly planes into the trade centers and nuke the buildings from 70 meters below ground to take them down with a cylindrical thrust of energy at a million degrees and convince everybody to walk through the nuclear fallout for months because it was safe… even The Donald walked through and was not aware what it was but managed to squeezed the person responsible for 911 for 10 Rocks after I informed him that the buildings were nuked and he walked through the fallout of 4th or 5th generation nukes… with his wife!!! then why can’t they make 3D glasses that don’t have darkened lenses.
Spoiler Altert:
John (Jake) Taylor is Billy Mumy’s son…for anyone paying attention.
One of the worst experiences in movie going ever!!! I believe the Carmike in Voorhees in now under new management and is an AMC. I’m sure they’ll get their feet on the ground but not now. They’ll probably put in those great seats like in Marlton 8 AMC eventually but not now. The seats were cheap about 6 bucks each. I brought my wife and sister so it was about twelve bucks….hahaha old joke I learned in West Va. We walked into the theater…it was a disgusting mess. It had not been cleaned from the previous show/s. Crap in the cup holders. It was overly humid and smelled like mildew. I started to cough. Why didn’t we leave? I wanted to see the film…The Dark Tower! After the film I went out to let the people know how dreadful the theater was…Ok so what could go wrong now? Thugs!!! Five of them!!! Just hanging out…movie theater staff!! One guy had a security T-shirt on, the others wore black and hung around him like they were ducklings and he was Conrad Lorenz. None of them were rushing into the theater to clean but security was really tight in case the Voorhees Marauders showed after a screening of Crush Groove. I opted out of complaining. I’ve seen these things go bad before and didn’t want a repeat of having to explain to the local constabulary why these guys were laid out.
I’ll summarize my experience with this historical quote, “Other than that how did you enjoy the play…Mary Todd?
For Anyone Paying Attention: The band British Invasion Years is touring our area. Ostensibly a cover band for the great bands of the sixties including The Beatles. Off the record these guys are from the original bands and playing their original songs, albeit in disguise. At least two of the guys are original Beatles and all of the songs performed were done by at least one of them originally. It’s painstaking work to identify everyone involved and seldom does anyone hand me any of this information but I almost always get confirmation if I’m correct or incorrect and this is correct.
JPJ of Led Zeppelin gave me shit one day when I asked him if he, Paige, Plant masquerade as a cover band just so they can play their music which they love… he said yes and told me, “Don’t ever bring this up again!”but I have! I was pretty sure this was happening here with this band and it took me about a half an hour at the beginning of the concert to figure out who was who but I had trouble with the drummer because I could not believe he was here. (Sorry about that big guy!)
It’s a super concert by the most talented musicians ever born bar none and should not be missed!
NEW YORK – 1988: Marv Albert broadcasts a game circa 1988 at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1988 NBAE , mandating that J. Paul Getty can come to your home and anally rape you and blow Chunks… the dog. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
Extremely Kool Koin, The Queen of England on the front and Hans Solo (Harrison Ford) on the reverse encased in Carbonite! Roughly 120 bones for the coin. Is it worth it? Absolutely!!!! To have Hans Solo/Harrison Ford on a coin is worth everything!! Will I buy it? Probably not at this price but it’s still priceless and worth it!!!! But a bit pricey for an ounce of silver.
I’ll find it on the secondary market at something closer to melt… a couple of Hamiltons.
My error…. this is a mint state 70 graded coin…nearly perfect! It is worth a dozen sawbucks! It’s a great collectors piece. would I pay 120 smackers for it? Probably not but I might pay 60 on the secondary market if I see it in this grade.
Han Solo Frozen in Pure Silver – Official Star Wars™ Legal Tender Silver Flawless Proofs!
Any true Star Wars fan will instantly recognize the image of the unfortunate rogue, Han Solo, frozen in carbonite by the evil Darth Vader in The Empire Strikes Back. That iconic scene represents one of the most famous cliff-hangers in film history. Would Han Solo survive to reappear in the next film, Return of the Jedi, or would he stay frozen in carbonite forever — doomed to remain the ultimate bounty hunter’s trophy displayed in the lair of Jabba the Hutt?
Now, just as an older and wiser Han Solo steps back onto the silver screen in the newest Star Wars movie The Force Awakens, the Pacific island nation of Niue has just released a brand new, officially licensed one-ounce silver proof featuring the image of Han Solo frozen in his carbonite slab. But, most any collector will tell you that pure silver beats dirty old carbonite any day! As an official $2 legal-tender coin, it features the royal portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, as well as the 2016 year date and the two dollar denomination. This impressive one-ounce silver proof is minted in 99.9% silver with a mintage of 10,000. It has been professionally graded as Proof-70 Ultra Cameo (PF70UCAM) by Numismatic Guaranty Corporation (NGC) and comes in a sonically-sealed acrylic case with a unique black core insert that gives a phenomenal contrast in color — allowing each intricate detail to shine even more brilliantly! Each comes with a numbered certificate of authenticity and the original mint packaging. It never hurts to have the Force with you, but to seize your Han Solo proofs, all you need to do is order now!
I went looking for Cuddles and Hans from the original film Polyester. My eyes and nose are still bleeding from watching and smelling it but realized that it was Heinz not Hans but the film was hysterical and here are Cuddles and Heinz and a guy named Tab Hunter. This was put up by public demand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwtbY9zfOMA
NEW YORK – 1994: British supermodel Kate Moss (R) and American actor Johnny Depp leaving a party for John Waters’ film “Serial Mom” in 1994 in New York City, New York. (Photo by Catherine McGann/Getty Images)
I really wish I was that beautiful!!! I might get a date with supermodel Kate Moss!!!
Doesn’t John Waters look suspiciously like Steve Buscemi? Who does Steve look suspiciously like?
The Magic Mirror….Lost in Space…Season 1…Episode 21
This is my favorite LIS episode. It’s below but maybe you can get a better copy of it. It works on a very emotional level like many of the earlier episodes. Terrific stuff. Michael J. Pollard is in this episode who did a stunning job. I believe he was also in Bonnie and Clyde.
Michael J. Pollard
I strongly suspect Michael is Clint Howard. Clint is a good looking guy yet makes himself at times as really creepy or unsavory. Billy seems to get the good looking characters, Ron….gets a mishmash of things but leans towards good looking.
Clint has one ear that’s mangled and this photo reflects it, I believe. The ear appears to have been damaged in forceps delivery.
Shoulder Dystocia (Brachial Plexus Injury). This medical illustration series features a vaginal delivery using a forceps device to extract the infant’s head from the mother’s birth canal. As force is exerted, the baby’s shoulder is trapped on the mother’s pubic symphysis causing shoulder dystocia to the nerves of the arm and shoulder. An inset focuses on the brachial plexus injury. You can see how the ear could be damaged.Ear damage using forceps assisted deliveryClint Howard…Left ear but it could be right…cartilage as a rule heals badly due to rigidity and lack of vascularization…cute kid!Clint and Ron Howard…Note ear showing
As a cosmic radiation storm approaches the planet, but Don is confident because Dr. Smith had been assigned the task of installing cosmic arrestors, but Judy tell him that she has seen them still lying on a pile of equipment. Don confronts Smith and insists he begin the job before it is too late. Meanwhile, Penny is missing and the adults fan out to find her before the storm strikes. Penny, out for a walk, has come across a large, ornate mirror. Smith finds her just as the storm strikes and they take shelter underneath, unaware that the cosmic radiation is having some effect on the mirror. After the storm has passed, Johnfinds the pair at the mirror, but Smith insists he not investigate, saying it is only worthless trash. In fact, Smith suspects the mirror’s frame is made of platinum.
The next day, Smith sets out to strip the mirror of its platinum coating, but Don insists he finish installing the cosmic arrestors. Smith complies but quickly abandons the task. Meanwhile, Penny and Judy have gone to the mirror and have set it up to view their reflections. Smith sees them in the distance and mutters for them to get away from his mirror—it is his platinum. The girls are examining themselves in the mirror but end up quarrelling over Judy’s comment that Penny is not interested in the things a girl her age should be. Penny ends up very upset and both girls say things they regret. Penny tearfully insists that she will stay the way she is forever.
Later, Penny goes back the mirror in search of Debbie who has discovered a small bell somewhere. She eventually realizes that the bloop has been able to pass through the mirror somehow, and then return to the real world with the bell. Penny herself falls through the mirror and finds herself in a dark, mysterious world. There she meets a nameless boy about her own age who invites her to stay and have fun. He tells her he heard what she said about staying as she was forever, and entices her by promising that if she stays with him, she will never grow up or have to change. Penny wavers and decides to spend some time with the boy, but she soon discovers that his idea of having fun—playing hide and seek with a monster and spying on the outer world through mirrors—to not interest her at all. She insists on returning home, but the boy says there is no way back, even when Penny asserts there must be, for the bloop entered and returned.
Dr. Smith actually witnessed Penny enter the mirror but disbelieved his own senses, sure that he was suffering from hallucinations. Later, though, he returns to destroy the mirror, the root of his problems, but he too falls through into the other world. He refuses to believe any of what he sees is real until he is attacked by the mirror monster. He grabs a rifle and flees toward the exit. There he lets off a random shot that hits a pool of water in front of the inside of the mirror and he is able to pass through to the outer world. Penny quickly understands what happened and begs the boy to go with her as the monster approaches closer and closer. At the last second, she shoots at the pool and passes back into the real world. Left behind, the boy only says that he cannot follow her… he has no reflection. Outside the mirror, as Penny stands in horror watching it be destroyed, we hear the tinkling of a bell.
Angela Cartwright posted online about this episode: “I always thought this episode ‘The Magic Mirror’ had a creepy quality to it… To this day, I have to admit, it occasionally crosses my mind
The title card shows the Jupiter 2 surrounded on practically all sides by outcroppings of rock. How the ship managed to crash land in this position strains credibility.
Michael J. Pollard played the part of the “boy.”
Although Pollard looked young he was actually in his mid-twenties when he played the part. He was born on May 30, 1939, in Passiac, New Jersey, USA.
Pollard was one of the few actors to have appeared on both classic Sci -Fi shows “Lost In Space” and “Star Trek”. Pollard starred in the Star Trek episode, “Miri,” and played Jahn.
This is one of the few episodes where Will and the Robot are NEVER seen.
This is one of the few times Dr. Smith wears this particular suit. Later, in “All That Glitters” this suit is given to Ohan, and is never seen again.
OOPS MOMENT! Dr. Smith marches off from the Jupiter 2 to deal with the alien mirror, leaving Debbie the Bloop behind. When he arrives at the mirror, Debbie is there ahead of him and not out of breath.
We are not told what happened to the mirror and what became of the young man inside it.
This Episode was repeated on Thames Television on February 28th 1969
This Episode was repeated on Granada Television on March 20th 1969
One reviewer said that this was a bittersweet episode of Lost in Space that has the always watchable Michael J Pollard, especially adept at portraying weirdos, guest starring as a mischievous boy who lives in a dimension on the other side of an alien mirror found by Penny. Pollard is so youthful and playful here, he really plays his part like a child stuck in the body of a young man, eternally trapped in the body of a teenager, never to grow old but longing for companionship.
This episode mirrors ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass.’ At the beginning, the child Penny, doesn’t want to have to mess with all that feminine ‘goop’ and try to be a young lady. However, at the end of the episode, Penny has transformed, and has decided to take upon the feminie “goop” and become a young lady.
Why do Penny and Doctor Smith take shelter from an electrical storm by hiding under a large metal object?
At one point, John refers to Debbie as a “he.”
Why aren’t John and Maureen more concerned when Smith declares he’s going to GET PENNY in such an evil, vindictive tone of voice?
Where is Will throughout this entire episode? Billy Mummy was filming “War of the Robots,” while Angela Cartwright filmed “The Magic Mirror.”
Where is the Robot throughout this entire episode? The Robot was filming “War of the Robots,” with Billy Mumy.
Without the Robot to abuse, Doctor Smith turns his aggressions on Penny’s pet, Debbie. Smith piles insults on the poor little Bloop and even smacks her hand a few times.
Edit