Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong #1 Review!

Superman and the Justice League take on the Titans who last faced each other in the last Monsterverse film! Justice League vs Godzilla vs Kong #1 is the clash of epic franchises! The first character is Kong with the 1933 film. Godzilla followed in 1954. Side note: Superman’s debut in Action Comics #1 came out five years after the sensation of King Kong. Then, the Justice League of America first appeared, published by DC Comics, in The Brave and the Bold #28 (1960). The team name was shortened in Justice League #1 (1987). The first film of the superhero group was in Justice League (2017). Godzilla (2014) established the Monsterverse. Kong: Skull Island (2017) debuted the same year as the DC superheroes. The two Titans clashed in Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)!

Legendary Comics published the Monsterverse graphic novels expanding the world of the Titans starting with Godzilla: Awakening (2014). The comics’ arrival, sold out at one store so add it to your pulls, it is timely with the upcoming Godzilla Day, November 3rd! The creative team of Brian Buccellato and Christian Duce is working on the limited series. Buccellato is the writer for the current Flash title. I Am Batman featured the artwork of Duce. Drew Johnson is the artist for the gatefold cover that has Godzilla roaring with Wonder Woman confronting him while the Batwing streaks past, the Daily Planet building is in the background, on the other side is King Kong surrounded by attack helicopters constructed by Green Lanterns, Simon Baz and Jessica Cruz, while Hawkgirl (Kendra Sanders) follows the Batwing. Johnson is the artist of Godzilla: Dominion (2021). 

At the Daily Planet roof, Clark, in his suit, is having a dinner just below the Planet globe with Lois. The setting sun has a nice dark orange, great colors by Luis Guerrero. They are on the helipad where they both met. A hint at the Superman (1978) film. She knows his identity as Superman and he goes on one knee. The marriage of Clark and Lois sets this before Superman: The Wedding Album (1996). So there are current Justice League characters and different continuity so this is separate from the main DC universe. Crossing over the Monsterverse is just using the characters with no impact on current content in either universe. The engagement is disturbed by the earth shaking. Spines appear at Metropolis Bay. In a large one and a quarter pag panel, Godzilla emerges with glaring, red eyes! This shifts back twelve hours ago on the Justice League satellite. This is their headquarters since Justice League of America #78 (1970). 

Hal Jordan, Green Lantern, and Barry Allen, Flash, are monitoring Superman’s non-stop rescues. They are both part of the original team from The Brave and the Bold. There is a heroic pose of the Flash as he knows that even with his speed, the world can’t all be saved at once. I never understood how Flash could be muscular when you don’t see him workout and I would imagine his body would burn off energy and he would be rail thin. Their questions about Superman is answered by Supergirl who says Clark is asking Lois to marry him and going on his first vacation. Saving the world by himself seems egocentric especially with Supergirl and the Justice League. Superman flies towards a threat, it looks like where we left him going after Godzilla, but instead it is the kaiju sized ape, Titano. The Kong-like ape is a long time Superman foe first appearing in Superman #127 (1959).  I like that there is a kaiju threat before any battles with Kong or Godzilla.

This Titano has a cyborg eye and a patch on his shoulder revealing more cybernetics. Green Lantern notes the Kryptonite beams that Titano blasts from his eyes. Flash races away leaving behind Supergirl and Green Lantern. Flash runs from the Hall of Justice, this was originally the setting of the Superfriends cartoon. It entered the DC Universe in Justice League of America #7 (2007). He finds that Superman is already flying in a bound Titano, only a glimpse of the battle which would be a great intro for superhero battles. Flash sitting on the unconscious Titano talks to Superman about the engagement. The focus on Flash seems to emphasize Buccellato’s work on the title. It would make more sense that his cousin talk with Clark. Green Lantern joins them as Superman takes Titano to the Super-Maximum Security Prison on Stryker’s Island. Waiting there is Wonder Woman, strange introduction, she is encouraging about Superman’s engagement. 

This moves to a tiltrotor flying towards Supeman’s arctic Fortress of Solitude, this brings in Lex Luthor and Cheetah from the Legion of Doom, a team also from Superfriends. Luthor says it took three years for him to discover the location of the fortress, but I don’t know why he knows the fortress even exists. For some reason, the fortress’ only defense is Kelex, the robot from Man of Steel #1 (1986). Luthor has Black Manta destroy the robot which he does with a laser cannon instead using the blasts from his helmet, confusing. Luthor has Giganta, another Wonder Woman villain, take away Kelex to examine him. He has his fellow villains pull open the fortress doors. The rest of legion includes Gorilla Grodd, Toy Man, and Captain Cold. They enter the trophy room and Luthor is only interested in the Mother Box and Orion’s Sled, really called Orion's Astro-Harness, both objects from the New Gods. I’m not certain why there is no alert or even cameras to warn Superman.  

Luthor wants to use the Mother Box to trap the Justice League in the Phantom Zone, instead of a Phantom Zone Projector? The Mother Box has the potential to do much more than just trapping enemies. Black Manta says that the Mother Box will be protected by an ultrasonic alarm that Superman can hear. This is while Toy Man is fascinated by the red Dreamstone, this was an object that was in Justice League of America #19 (1963) and was in the Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) movie. It is part of Sandman’s world so I’m not certain why it would end up in the Fortress of Solitude. Clark is at his apartment packing his suitcase. His attention is taken by Bruce Wayne, shouldn’t he have heard him entering the building with super hearing? Clark shows him the ring that he financed. Bruce brings up that Lois could be in danger with the wedding, but we have already had this dealt with this in the years since the original wedding. 

Clark senses the Fortress alarm, but Supergirl contacts Bruce that the Justice League can deal with the intruders. Except it is Superman’s fortress that is invaded. The Justice League including Hawkgirl enter the Fortress. Cheetah is angry that Toyman has tripped the alarm grabbing his neck. Luthor says that they set the coordinates for the Mother Box. I’m not certain how he understood New Genesis technology in moments. Captain Cold tries to warn the others about the Justice League, but gets a tiny, green fist projected by Green Lantern. Luthor is about to place the Mother Box into Orion’s sled, did Orion die?, if so then it should be at New Genesis. Flash socks Captain Cold and then takes away the sled.  Captain Cold freezes the Flash with his cold gun and the sled, Astro-Harness, flies away. It isn’t frozen with the Flash? He is hit by Green Lantern’s anvil construct while he deflects a spear used by Black Manta who still doesn’t like to use his helmet blasts. 

Supergirl slams down Gorilla Grodd and wants to know Luthor’s plans with the Mother Box. The biggest threat may be Luthor, but the heroes fight the rest of the Legion of Doom. Hawkgirl strikes Giganta in her giant form with her mace while Wonder Woman deflects Cheetah’s claws with her shield. The women have some weak parts here. Toy Man, the weakest villain, runs away and throws a toy stuffie that bounces off Hawkgirl’s mace. It explodes next to the Mother Box which activates. Green Lantern sets up a shield and Wonder Woman has to be rescued by the Flash, she has to be rescued? This goes to the Daily Planet where Lois is working on a story. Clark invites her for their vacation bringing their luggage into an elevator. They reach the dinner table at the helipad. So back to the beginning of the comic. 

The Legion of Doom finds themselves in an unknown jungle. I like Cheetah and Gorilla Grodd taking the point, but they should have the scent of what is there. Toy Man says their unexpected transport was an accident. Cheetah is angry at him. Grodd carrying the sled sees that the Mother Box is destroyed, New Genesis tech is really not fragile. Giganta spots a base and Black Manta detects heat signatures. Then, Captain Cold is surprised by the roar of a Skullcrawler that we saw in Kong: Skull Island (2017). A good closeup of the Skullcrawler growling as Kong leaps down! They retreat towards the Monarch base and Grodd is stunned at seeing what he says is an “ape god.” This is interesting since his mind control could probably make Kong an ally. 

They enter the command center which has a screen of Godzilla. I'm not certain why a Monarch base would be abandoned with the equipment still running. Monarch is not identified or mentioned so the Monsterverse is not established in the comic. Luthor works out that they are on Skull Island. Outside, Kong defeats the Skullcrawler and Grodd talks to him. Toy Man considers the Titans as toys pointing out Godzilla. He gets angry at the others since he sees them as a way to defeat the Justice League. Toy Man holds the dreamstone and wishes that his toys, the Titans, would take on the Justice League. We don’t get any superhero vs. kaiju action, but it is all set up and super villain fights in this issue. Justice League vs. Godzilla vs. Kong #1 has potential mixing DC heroes against the Monsterverse Titans!  

Four Dreamstones out of Five! 

#JusticeLeagueVsGodzillaVsKong, #KingKong, #Godzilla, #ActionComics, #JusticeLeagueOfAmerica, #BraveAndTheBold, #KongSkullIsland, #GodzillaVsKong, #BrianBuccellato, #ChristianDuce 

The Ewok Movies and Canon!

Are the Ewok movies, The Ewok Adventure (EC-EW1) and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor, (EC-EW2), canon? In other words, does Cindel Towani and her brother, Mace Towani, Noa Briqualon and Teek, exist in the Star Wars universe? The Blurrgs were introduced in EC-EW2 and then showed up in The Mandalorian, ”Chapter 1: The Mandalorian", FC-M1/1. Wicket (Warwick Davis) of course was in Return of the Jedi (1983), LC-OT3. Answer: no. I remember that the canon had the movies set one year before the construction of the Death Star, 3 ABY, since it is not in the sky during the EW movies. This would also violate Return of the Jedi since the Ewoks would be familiar with humans and Wicket spoke some Basic. 

It also wouldn't make sense Post-Jedi with no evidence of the Battle of Endor (shouldn't it be the Battle of the Forest Moon of Endor?). So simply, they don't exist. In Legends, Noa retired in the Mid-Rim, according to the Star Wars Databank. In the Black Fleet Crisis novel, Tyrants Test (1996), EC-TT, by Michael P. Kube-McDowell, Cindel is mentioned. Cindel is a reporter for The Life Monitor, which was the device she wore to show the life signs of her family. Putting Cindel or Mace in the current The Mandalorian or Ahsoka might be difficult. I hope Aubree Miller shows up. Maybe Eric Walker as another character? 

This brings up the case for Teek. Besides his appearance in BfE, Teek was in the original safety video for Star Tours (1987), EC-ST1. Afterwards, Teek was featured as part of the Star Tours Boarding Party (2010) set exclusive to Disney Parks. Also, Teek was a Star Tours Piece of Disney History II (2010) pin and the Star Wars Boarding Party Pin Set (2010). He is identified as being a Teek, his species, so if a Teek shows up in say Skeleton Crew, then it wouldn't be necessarily the same Teek in Battle for Endor. Niki Botelho was a power droid in Ahsoka!; “Part One: Master and Apprentice” and “Part Four: Fallen Jedi”,  FC-A1/1 and FC-A1/4! I would hope she returns as Teek! Here’s for Teek in the new season of Bad Batch and especially Niki Botelho playing Teek or a Teek in Ahsoka!   

#CindelTowani, #MaceTowani, #NoaBriqualon, #Teek, #TheMandalorian, #WarwickDavis, #ReturnOfTheJedi, #BlackFleetCrisis, #TyrantsTest, #MichaelPKubeMcDowell, #AubreeMiller, #EricWalker, #StarTours, #SkeletonCrew, #NikiBotlho, #BadBatch 

Happy Birthday Bernie Wrightson!

We are remembering Bernie Wrightson on his birthday and celebrating his life and artwork! Wrightson’s first comic book work was with House of Mystery #179 (1969). In 1971, Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson collaborated to create the Swamp Thing in House of Secrets #92. The following year, Wein and Wrightson produced Swamp Thing #1 that introduced Alec Holland and Matt Cable. Abigail Arcane first appeared in Swamp Thing #3 (1973). Wes Craven wrote and directed the Swamp Thing (1982) movie. There was a sequel with The Return of Swamp Thing (1989). A live action series was on the USA Network starting in 1990 and lasting three seasons. Dick Durock played Swamp Thing in the movies and series. An animated series followed in 1991. Another live action series started in 2019 on the DC Universe streaming channel before moving to the CW network. 

Captain Sternn was one of Wrightson’s well known characters introduced in the June 1980 issue of Heavy Metal. He was voiced by Eugene Levy in the Captain Sternn segment of the animated movie, Heavy Metal (1981). The horror anthology movie, Creepshow (1982), was directed by George A. Romero with a screenplay by Stephen King. One of the greatest comic book works is Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein (1983) with 47 illustrations by Bernie Wrightson that took him seven years to complete. It was republished as a hardcover book by Dark Horse Comics in 2008. Wrightston drew the graphic novel based on the film. Cycle of the Werewolf (1984) was a Stephen King novella featured illustrations from Wrightson. It was adapted into a film, Silver Bullet (1985). In 1985, Wrightson and Jim Starlin produced the comic book, Heroes for Hope starring the X-Men, to raise funds for African famine. 

The following year, the duo produced Heroes Against Hunger for DC Comics. Starlin and Wrightson worked on the 1987 Marvel Comics graphic novel, The Incredible Hulk and the Thing. In 1990, Wrightson illustrated Stephen King’s The Stand: The Complete & Uncut Edition. It was adapted into two mini-series in 1994 and a CBS All-Access series in 2020. Starlin and Wrightson worked on two comic book mini-series in 1988; The Weird and Batman: The Cult. Wrightson returned to Captain Sternn writing and drawing Captain Sternn Running Out of Time mini-series for Kitchen Sink. Ron Marz teamed up with Wrightson on the Batman/Aliens limited series in 1997 and also a second series in 2002-2003. Steve Niles was the writer with art by Wrightson for the mini-series, Frankenstein Alive, Alive! Three issues were completed in 2012 and 2014. Kelley Jones completed the artwork for the fourth issue in 2018. Bernie Wrightson died in 2017 and his work continues to inspire artists, authors, filmmakers and fans.  

#BernieWrightson, #HouseOfMystery, #LenWein, #SwampThing, #HouseOfSecrets, #AlceHolland, #MattCable, #AbigailArcane, #WesCraven, #DickDurock, #CaptainSternn, #HeavyMetal, #Creepshow, #GeorgeARomero, #StephenKing, #Frankenstein 

#CycleOfTheWerewolf, #SilverBullet, #HeroesForHope, #HeroesAgainstHunger, #TheIncredibleHulkAndTheThing, #TheStand, #TheWeird, #BatmanTheCult, #CaptainSternnRunningOutOfTime, #RonMarz, #BatmanAliens, #SteveNiles, #FrankensteinAliveAlive, #KelleyJones  

Universal Monsters: Dracula #1 Review!

James Tynion IV resurrects the 1931 movie in blood splattered color for the Universal Monsters: Dracula #! It has a stunning Martin Simmonds, also painted interior art, of Dracula embracing the innocent Mina! Tynion IV is the author of the horror series, Something is Killing the Children from Boom! Studios. Simmonds is the artist on The Department of Truth also written by Tynion IV. 

It is also published by Image Comics with the Skybound Comics imprint. There was a previous Universal Monsters: Dracula graphic novel in 1993 by Dark Horse Comics. There is nine grid panels of a closeup of a fly and we hear Renfield talking about his promised lives. There is a kaleidoscope of black blots of flies around the panels. We see the pale face of Renfield peering over a table as he reaches for the fly. He tries to explain that he grows strong for their lives. 

Dr. Seward asks if he can be shown how to get stronger. Herbert Bunston in Dracula (1931) had glasses and no beard. Renfield peers at the fly and then shoves it into his mouth in a closeup. He says his master has shown him th power of blood. Seward asks him calmly if he could get more power from his blood. 

Renfield’s face is a mask of white with only his dark eyes and mouth showing. He says Dr. Seward’s blood belongs to the master. The doctor asks who is his master. Then, we get a two page spread of bats swarming around a demon behind the form of Dracula! At Dr. Seward’s Sanitarium, John Harker says he would be interested in seeing Renfield. Simmonds paints the scenes with brown and grey colors. He brings up Renfield as the only survivor of the Vesta, I still don’t understand the name change from the Demeter. 

John says he can’t believe that Renfield killed the fourteen sailors, it is eight in the novel. Dr. Seward tells him that he will give nightmares to his daughter, Mina. He is trying to treat Renfield thinking it is some kind of blood disease. Dr. Seward says he should think of Mina and not of Renfield and the deaths. Then, we get a large panel of Mina talking with Lucy, the wall behind them is blood-red with talk of the captain’s death. 

Also the shadow of the captain tied to the wheel! Mina has blond hair and Lucy dark hair, but not similar to the likenesses of Helen Chandler and Frances Dade. They are also interested in the deaths of the Vesta. Mina has taken her father’s notes on the case and mentions the captain’s throat ripped out by teeth! We see more of the dead sailors behind Mina reading about the sailors. She had seen Renfield when he was brought in. 

Lucy notes that John is spending time with her father and then stares out the window at someone next door at Carfax Abbey. She holds up her hands and the rest of her dress looks stained with blood! We get a splash page with the eyes of Dracula, a pale form of him behind Lucy with splatters of red like blood or roses. There is a swirl of red around a globe of a wolf and a dark wolf underneath it! Stunning images with stark colors. At the sanitarium, Renfield calls to his master from behind the barred window and howls! A black wolf is called to the sanitarium as Renfield howls. He is held by the guard while he says it is Walpurgis night. 

He warns him that his master will feed on the city! In the dark streets of the city, a red-haired woman sees the wolf surrounded in red like a corona of fire. Then, we see a closeup of the wolf eyes bleeding red! There is a beautiful, two page spread of Dracula’s red eyes, the count with the likeness of Bela Lugosi approaches the woman and bites her neck! There is some thoughts by Tynion IV on a page and some sketchbook pages by Simmonds. Universal Monsters: Dracula #1 has some fantastic visuals by Martin Simmonds and interesting perspectives on the film by James Tynion IV! 

Five Blood Samples out of Five! 

 #UniveralMonstersDracula, #JamesTynionIV, #MartinSimmonds, #Renfield, #DrSeward, #JohnHarker, #Mina, #Lucy, #Dracula 

Re:tro Re:view - Dracula (1931)!

The original Dracula (1931) still has power and the Gothic tone of Bram Stoker’s novel! It set a legacy of vampires on film and television! Also, comic books like the upcoming Bram Stoker's Dracula Starring Bela Lugosi adapted by Kerry Gammill! Director Todd Browning had collaborated with Lon Chaney, but here he brings talking for the first time to horror pictures. The screenwriter is Garrett Ford who also adapted Frankenstein (1931). The is said to be based on the 1924 play from Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston. The drama was set entitrely in London and without Castle Dracula, at the beginning and end, the story loses its Gothic setting. It must be that the play was popular and the film would want its association and plus it was Bela Lugosi’s first English role.    

Bela Lugosi is a fascinating actor. He brought the authenticity with his Hungarian accent that limited his acting roles. Lugosi, a charter member of the Screen Actors Guild, the SAG part of SAG-AFTRA, continued playing roles in horror films. He was overshadowed by Boris Karloff in movies like The Raven (1935) even when Lugosi played the lead. It is in glorious black and white which is perfect for a Gothic story. The film is available in Blu-ray and DVD as part of Universal Studios’ Complete Legacy Collection. It includes a host of extras and the Spanish version which is said to be the best telling of the tale. Also, it is streaming now on Amazon Prime. It strangely opens with Swan Lake, Op.20 which does have some hints of the sinister. 

We see the Transylvania peaks, a decent matte painting, as a coach with several horses heads up a trail. Inside, five passengers are rocked by the movement of the coach. A Coach Passenger, played by Carla Laemmele, reads from a tourist book. Laemmle played th Prirma Ballerina in The Phantom of the Opera (1925). She is kinda nerdy with glasses and flapper hat, a cameo, but a very fun part. Laemmele said she has the first dialogue in a horror picture! Renfield (Dwight Frye) asks the driver to slow down. Frye also played Fritz in Frankenstein (1931). Another passenger (Nicholas Bela) tells them that it is Walpurgisnight, “the night of evil”, April 30th. At the inn, a woman prays in Hungarian, the Innkeeper (Michael Visaroff) goes out to see the approach of the coach. 

The sound doesn’t catch the coach, but we hear the innkeeper and his family. The inn was filmed at the Little Europe section that is in the Universal Studios tour. Renfield points out he doesn’t want his luggage taken from the coach since he is going to Borgo Pass. The innkeeper tries to explain to him that he has to wait, but Renfield says that he has to meet a carriage at midnight. Renfield tells him that it is Count Dracula’s carriage. This makes the innkeeper stunned and his wife crosses herself. He is headed to Castle Dracula. The innkeeper warns Renfield that the mountain people believe there are vampires, Dracula, and his wives! Renfield says his talk of vampires transforming into wolves and bats, rising from coffins, and feeding on blood is superstition. A great setup to introduce Dracula!  

He says he is not afraid and the innkeeper’s wife gives him a crucifix. The carriage leaves and we see another matte painting of the twisting road to Castle Dracula and then the castle itself, this is an iconic image! Inside the castle, we move to a closeup of a coffin on a floor, it opens and a pale hand reaches out! Then we see an oppossum by a coffin, do they keep a zoo down there?, a woman’s hand stretches from a coffin. Then, a Jersusalem cricket native to Southern California. The coffin opens and we see the pale face of Dracula’s wife (Geraldine Dvorak). The opposum is terrified! In a medium shot we see Count Dracula (Lugosi) himself, wrapped in his cloak, and his light on his face makes his eyes blaze! Brilliant work by cinematographer, Karl Freund! 

His three brides (Dvorak, Cornelia Shaw, and Dorothy Tree), slowly walk towards him, their dresses like funeral shrouds, cobwebs cling to the edges of the chamber! Dracula silently walks up some steps. Then, we see the bulging eyes of Dracula’s carriage driver. He waits in the fog as we hear a wolf howl. Behind them, Renfield’s carriage races up, and his luggage is thrown out. The driver looks at him and wordlessly takes up his luggage. Count Dracula’s carriage sets off up the road, Renfield leans out to check on the driver, and only sees a bat flying ahead of the horses! The carriage reaches Castle Dracula, the driver is missing, and the castle door creaks open. Renfield walks in and the interior is cavernous, a convincing matte painting. 

Dracula descends the staircase with a candle. Then, there are armadillos crawling around a chair!, a very absurd part of the movie. Renfield backs away, probably confused seeing armadillos in Transylvania, and then turns to see Count Dracula. He introduces himself, “I am Dracula.” Lugosi’s delivery with his Hungarian accent and almost regal bearing is classic. He leads Renfield up the stairs as a wolf howls. Dracula says, “Listen to them. Children of the night. What music they make.” Iconic lines straight from Stoker. This movie is a must-see for Lugosi’s performance alone. He moves through a giant spider-web which Renfield has to use his cane to part. Dracula takes him to the guest chamber for dinner and also to discuss the Carfax Abbey lease. 

Renfield presents him with the paper which Dracula intently studies and notes that he is bringing with him three boxes, coffins really, for his wives? Dracula says he has chartered a ship, the Demeter!, to take them to England the next night. He asks if the room is comfortable when Renfield accidentally cuts his finger! A closeup of Dracula staring then of Renfield’s bloody finger. He moves towards Renfield when the crucifix slips from his neck! Dracula turns away raising his arm. Renfield says it’s only a scratch and Dracula pours him a cup of wine. Dracula says, “I never drink… wine.” This movie is perfect. Dracula says good night to him and leaves. The door opens and we see mist with Dracula’s wives walking through it! They are beautiful, but their silence makes the scene unnatural. 

Renfield goes to open the door to the outside, Dracula’s wives watch him, then a bat flutters at him before Renfield collapses! They walk towards him, but Dracula appears and his gesture sends his wives back. Dracula closes on his victim before a fade to black! We get the standard waves as there is lettering with the ship's name, the Vesta, not the Demeter! It is stock footage of a ship in storm tossed seas. Below deck, Renfield opens the coffin of his master, love the crazy expression on Frye’s face. He says the sun is down. Dracula rises from his coffin! Renfield asks about Dracula’s promise and wants small living victims for their blood. Dracula watches the crew battered by the waves. At London, we see a shadow of a dead man, there are other men talking about the ship with its captain tied to the wheel. 

Renfield tries to tell his sleeping master about their arrival. He starts a low laugh that draws the attention of the other men. They pass the bodies of the crew to open the hatch. Renfield’s maniac grin and laugh make them see that he is insane. We see the headline of the arrival of the ship to Whitby Harbour. Renfield, eating flies, is sent to Dr. Seward’s Sanitarium. We see “London”, a girl (Anita Harder) gives out flowers and then sees Count Dracula with his top hat and tuxedo. His stare entrances her, he holds her, and hidden by the wall, she screams! Dracula’s first victim! He walks through the foggy streets as a bobby blows his whistle at the body of the flower girl which draws a crowd. Dracula walks towards a concert hall featuring the London Symphony Orchestra. He is taken into the theater by a usherette to the opera box. 

There are four audience members in the opera box; Mina (Helen Chandler), John Harker (David Manners), the older Dr. Seward (Herbert Bunston), and Lucy Western (Frances Dade). Chandler as the female lead, was known for the drama, Outward Bound (1930). Manners doesn’t match the charisma of Lugosi, but he later played Frank Whemple in The Mummy (1932). Bunston played in dramas like Vanity Fair (1932). Dade has a cameo part here and her last film was the crime movie, Big Town (1932). The orchestra has finished to applause from the audience. Outside the curtains, Dracula commands the usherette, she is mesmerized by him, to deliver a message. It reminds me too much about the similar scene in Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995), “You will remember nothing of what I tell you”, lol! 

The usherette tells Dr. Seward that he has a phone call. He is about to leave and meets Dracula, Bunston towers over Lugosi, who asks him if he has the sanitarium and introduces himself. Jonathan glances at Mina. Dr. Seward introduces his daughter, then Lucy, and Mr. Harker. Jonathan says the abbey needs repairs. Dracula looks at Lucy and says the broken abbey reminds him of his castle. Lucy brings up a poem about death. Dracula says, “There are far worse things awaiting man than death.” The symphony continues and Dracula just stares. At Lucy’s room, Mina mocks Dracula’s words more interested in John, but Lucy is fascinated by him. Lucy opens her window and then gets into bed. A bat appears at her window! Lucy falls asleep, the bat enters, and then we see Dracula moving towards her neck! 

We see a surgical room with doctors observing the operation in seats above it. The surgeon (Wyndham Standing) declares the death of the patient, Lucy! He asks when was the last transfusion, Dr. Seward says four hours ago, and the surgeons notes two marks on her neck. At the sanitarium, Renfield shouts for the guard, Martin (Charles K. Gerrard) taking away his spider! We see at his office, Professor Van Helsing (Edward Van Sloan) testing a vial of Renfield’s blood. Van Sloan returned as Van Helsing in Dracula’s Daughter (1936)! His colleague reads in Latin. Van Helsing says to the group including  that the threat is the undead, Nosferatu! They will need Van Helsing’s knowledge to combat Dracula to save Mina from his obsession. John doesn’t have the help of Lucy’s suitors, Lord Arthur Holmwood and Quincey P. Morris, who were in the novel. He must join Van Helsing to confront Dracula in Carfax Abbey. Dracula has set the horror standardfrom the Bram Stoker novel and the legendary performance of Bela Lugosi!

Five Stakes out of Five!  

#Dracula, #TodBrowning, #GarrettFord, #BelaLugosi, #HelenChandler, #DavidManners, #HerbertBunston, #FrancesDade, #DwightFrye, #EdwardVanSloan, #CarlaLaemmele, #GeraldineDvorak, #CorneliaShaw, #DorothyTree 

Killers of the Flower Moon Review!

Killers of the Flower Moon is challenging, dramatic story of a family, it reveals a part of history that must be known. Martin Scorsese is the director and his last dramatic film was The Irishman (2019). Scorsese co-wrote the screenplay along with Eric Roth whose last movie was adapting Dune (2021). The screenplay is based on the 2017 non-fiction book by David Grann who also wrote The Lost City of Z (2009) that was turned into a 2016 film. It opens to an Osage ceremony with a pipe burial ceremony. Outside, an oil puddle bubbles and then bursts! We see a beautiful shot of dancing in the rain of oil in slow motion. I like showing the traditions and discovery of the oil in Osage which was in 1897. There is some impressive cinematography by Rodrigo Prieto, who worked with Scorsese on Silence (2016). 

This shifts to black and white film, a documentary about how the Osage Indian Reservation, Oklahoma became weathly from the oil wells. Ni Okašką, “People of the Middle Waters”, is the name for the Osage Nation. The setting is implied so the Grann book is an important companion to the film. The tribes had settled near the Osage River in what is Missouri. Then, moved to Kansas, and next bought their reservation in Oklahoma giving them mineral rights. We see that they have chauffeurs and wealthy clothes sending their children overseas for education. There is some lively music by Robbie Robertson who collaborated with Scorsese since Raging Bull (1980). He died after the completion of the score. The film is dedicated to him. We see people interested in the new wealth flooding into Osage County specifically the town of arifax. 

On board a train is one of them (Leonardo diCaprio) which we see now a color change. DiCario worked with Scorsese on a crime film with The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). His character here, Ernest Burkhart, speaks with a Midwestern drawl and he has yellow teeth, more of an ordinary man. He passes by a fistfight in this rough town and is taken to see his Uncle Hale by Henry Roan (William Belleau). They pass by endless oil rigs that go to the horizon. Ernest asks Henry, “Whose land is this?” Henry replies, “My land.” There are endless numbers of cattle by a two story house. Ernest is greeted as a war hero returning from World War I by William Hale (Robert De Niro). The long time partnership with De Niro and Scorsese includes The Irishman (2019). William usually wears a suit, fedora, and glasses; a wealthy and calculating man. 

Ernest explains he was a cook in the infantry and was injured so he can’t do any heavy lifting.  William tells his nephew, “Call me uncle or king.” This informs the character of William Hale as someone above others while trying to be just like everyone else. Also, at the side is Byron (Scott Shepherd), Ernest’s brother. He asks Ernest about women and his nephew replies, “That’s my weakness.” Ernest is given a book, Wild Tales Among the Indians, and he flips through the pages. Then, we see an Osage man, John Whitehair (Talon Satepauhoodle), 23, is on a floor, frothing at the mouth, until he dies. A woman, Sarah Butler (Jennifer Rader), is shot and then her baby is taken. These deaths are not investigated and became what was known as the Reign of Terror that ran from 1921 to 1926. Then, we get the family photo of Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone). Certain Women (2016) is a movie that starred Gladstone as a rancher, Jamie, in the independent drama. 

William notes that Mollie is diabetic and suggests to Ernest about marrying her. We see the Osage people queuing up for their headrights payments. This is the share to owners of the Osage mineral rights. Ernest sees Millie and then helps her cross the street to his car. She speaks in the Osage language and tells Ernest the meaning, “That’s how you are.” She also mentions the Flower Moon, the Osage term about the time in May when larger flowers wilt the blooming flowers. Mollie later gives Errnest the gift of a white hat. He sees her mother, Lizzie Q (Tantoo Cardinal), who walks away. Cardinal played Black Shawl in Dances with Wolves (1990). Ernest has picked up enough fo the Osage language to understand that Mollie called him a coyote! 

At church, Ernest is a little awkward there, and later Mollie talks with her sister, Anna (Cara Jade Myers) who calls him a snake. Still, Mollie admires his blue eyes. Minnie (Jillian Dion) notes that Ernest wants their money. This is an important scene showing the sisters together revealing their thoughts about the men privately in Osage. Later, she kisses Ernest in his car in the rain. He asks Mollie to marry him. The next day, Ernest goes to talk to William at a pool hall. After the wedding ceremony, William mentions that the headrights can pass to him through marriage. He also seems to be fluent in speaking the Osage language, friendly to everyone, and goes to talk with Mollie’s sister, Minnie who is crying. William talks with Minnie and then cries out in Osage. She is later found to be dead from a “wasting illness.” 

Later, Mollie is able to go down to Washington, D.C. and convince President to investigate the deaths. This leads to an investigation by federal agent, Tom White (Jesse Plemons). The characters are presented with complexity, the film doesn't present reasons for their actions, the audience may decide their motivations. The movie’s run time is three hours and 26 minutes and I will say the pacing and fascination of the characters makes it pass without noticing until the end. Gladstone has a performance as a wife and mother caught in the tragedy to her family and people. The film also touches upon the Tulsa Race Massacre. It challenges the audience to find out more about the Osage, Tulsa,  Killers of the Flower Moon is a powerful, complex drama about the betrayal of Mollie and the Osage and how it reflects the struggles of the Osage and other communities today. 

Five Blooming Flowers out of Five! 

#KillersOfTheFlowerMoon, #MartinScorcese, #EricRoth, #LilyGladstone, #LeonardoDiCaprio, #RobertDeNiro, #JessePlemons, #CaraJadeMyers, #TantooCardinal, Jillian Dion, #ScottShepherd 

60th Anniversary - The Birds Review!

The Birds (1963) has returned to theaters in time for the film’s 60th Anniversary!  It is directed by Alfred Hitchcock, dubbed the Master of Suspense, his previous film was the classic, Psycho (1960). The screenplay is by Evan Hunter who worked on the teleplay of “Appointment at Eleven” (1959) of the suspense series, Alfred Hitchcock Presents. It is based on the 1952 short story by Daphne Du Maurier. She also wrote the novel, Rebecca (1938), a later adaptation by Hitch. We hear the fluttering of birds. It does not have a soundtrack, but composer Bernard Herrmann, composer on Psycho, is credited as sound consultant. The threat of the birds is through their squawks and wing flapping instead of symphonic score.  

We see a cable car pass by to set the San Fransisco opening and we see a blonde woman (Tippi Hedren) cross the street. This is her first film role. She also starred in the title role of Hitchchock’s drama, Marnie (1964) opposite Sean Connery. The woman, in her fur coat,  passes a San Francisco advertisement that fills up the screen. She is about to enter Davidson’s Pet Shop when she sees flocks of birds in the sky. There is a great cameo as Hitch walks with two terriers out of the shop! The woman asks Mrs. MacGruder (Ruth McDevitt), the owner of the shop, about the arrival of a Myrnah bird. This is a gift for her aunt. A well dressed man (Rod Taylor) enters the shop. Taylor was H. George Well in The Time Machine (1960) and his last role was playing Winston Churchill in Inglorious Basterds (2009).

We see a cable car pass by to set the San Fransisco opening and we see a blonde woman (Tippi Hedren) cross the street. This is her first film role. She also starred in the title role of Hitchchock’s drama, Marnie (1964) opposite Sean Connery. The woman, in her fur coat,  passes a San Francisco advertisement that fills up the screen. She is about to enter Davidson’s Pet Shop when she sees flocks of birds in the sky. There is a great cameo as Hitch walks with two terriers out of the shop! The woman asks Mrs. MacGruder (Ruth McDevitt), the owner of the shop, about the arrival of a Myrnah bird. This is a gift for her aunt. A well dressed man (Rod Taylor) enters the shop. Taylor was H. George Well in The Time Machine (1960) and his last role was playing Winston Churchill in Inglorious Basterds (2009).

He asks the woman for help finding love birds that he is hoping to get as gifts for his sister’s eleventh birthday. She points out birds which he corrects her are canaries. The woman tries to take out a canary for him, but it flies away. The man tosses his hat to return the bird whom he calls Melanie Daniels to her “gilded cage.” She is surprised he knows her name and he explains he knows her practical joke that led to a broken stained glass window. The man explains his deception is to show Melanie what it is like to be on the other side of a joke. A clever Meet Cute. He leaves and later she runs down to read his license plate. Melanie makes a call to her father’s newspaper to find the identity of the man. Then, she asks for the lovebirds to deliver to Mitchell Brenner. 

At his apartment, she is about to deliver the cage, but a neighbor (Richard Deacon) says that he has gone to Bodega Bay. The town is about 67 miles from San Francisco with near by Santa Rosa. Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt (1943) was set in Santa Rosa. Melanie drives at breakneck speed and we cleverly see the lovebirds lean in their cage at the turns in the road. She asks the postal clerk (John McGovern) about Mitchell’s house. He points out a white house across the bay. The secluded, small community is similar to Amity Island in Jaws (1975). Melanie doesn’t want to be seen from the single road to the house so she asks to pilot a boat to the house. She asks about the name of the girl, there is some confusion, and she is sent to ask Annie Hayworth at the Bodega Bay School. Melanie drives over to Annie’s house next to the school. Annie (Suzanne Pleshette) was busy gardening and meets with Melanie. Pleshette was in the “Hitch Hike” (1960) episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. I know of her throaty voice as Yubaba in the English dub of Spirited Away (2001). 

Annie’s dark hair contrasts with Melanie. She wears a red coat similar to her mailbox and contrasts with Melanie’s green dress. Annie mentions that the name of Mitchell’s sister is Cathy. There is a touch of jealousy and suspicion for Annie with Melanie. Later, Melanie drives to the dock and pilots a boat across the bay. She sees Mitchell seeing off his sister in a truck. Melanie turns off the motor and instead quietly rows towards the house. Mitchell goes to the barn as Melanie enters the house. She sets down the bird cage and places her note to Cathy before sneaking back to the boat. Melanie rows the boat a bit before she notices Mitchell going into the house. She tries to hide in the boat, but Mitchell sees her with a pair of binoculars and smiles. Melanie starts up the motor to return to the dock. Mitchell has taken his car to race over to the dock ahead of her. He runs up to the dock and then seagull strikes the side of Melanie’s head! 

He helps her from the boat to The Tides seafood restaurant. Blood drips down the side of Melanie’s face as he cleans the wound with peroxide. She finds out that he is a lawyer and he says he practices criminal law. He thanks Melanie for the love birds. She says she was in town to see her friend, Annie. Mitchell’s mother, Lydia (Jessica Tandy) enters and acts cautious towards Melanie. Tandy was in three episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents including “The Canary Sedan” (1958). He invites her for dinner and she returns to Annie’s house pointing out her Room for Rent sign. Annie looks up and says that it is unusual to see a migration of birds at this time. At Mitchell’s house, Melanie sees the family walking up after checking on their chickens. He apologizes for insulting Melanie and Cathy thanks her for the lovebirds. The two lovebirds are obvious counterparts and also the only innocent, non-violent birds. 

We see Lydia calling the feed store in the foreground as we see in the living room, Mitchell getting a drink for Melanie. After the dinner, Melanie is playing piano and Cathy insists that she go to her birthday party the next day. In the kitchen, Lydia tells Mitchell that Melanie is the subject of gossip in the newspapers. He walks Melanie to her car and brings up the scandal that the was naked in a fountain. Melanie says that she was pushed into the fountain in Rome and the rest was slander from a rival newspaper. We hear the croaking of a crow while they talk. There are crows all along the telephone lines. At Annie’s house, Melanie is told that she ended her relationship with Mitchell four years after the death of his father. Annie says that Lydia is afraid of being abandoned. She says she went to the town and stayed just to be friends with Mitchell. The love triangle, protective mother, and relationships are all to invest us into the characters before the birds get vicious. 

They hear a thump at the door and see that it is a dead seagull! At the party, Mitchell and Melanie walk up the dunes to share a drink. They return to the party, Lydia watches them as she sets the blindfold on Annie. A seagull dives at Annie! Mitchell pulls off a seagull on the back of a girl! They take the children back to the house, but the attacks continue! The birds are gathering for relentless attacks on a school, the restaurant which has Melanie trapped in a phone booth like a cage!, and also the house to survive the night! The flocks of birds fills the screen while the live action plate is clean. There are screens used with bird puppets in the sodium vapor process that was used in Mary Poppins (1964). This is from original Disney animator, Ub Iwerks, noted as special photographic advisor. It is taking something ordinary like birds or taking a shower and turning them into something threatening. There isn’t an explanation for why the birds attack. There was a tv movie, The Birds II: Land’s End (1994) that also starred Tippi Hedren. The Birds is a masterwork that sets the pattern of the animal attack and horror movies that followed it, the leads played by Tippi Hedren and Rod Taylor have chemistry, and there are many scenes to unnerve audiences! 

Five+ Bird Cages out of Five! 

#TheBirds, #AlfredHitchcock, #EvanHunter, #TippiHedren, #RodTaylor, #SuzannePleshette,  #JessicaTandy, #VeronicaCartwright, #MalcolmAtterbury, #EthelGriffies, #RuthDevitt