ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ (1979): A PRISON MOVIE RECOMMENDATION

Clint Eastwood has made so many classic films that the near-classics and the lesser-known titles on his resume become easily overlooked. Escape from Alcatraz is one such title. 

The film does not achieve anything revolutionary with the prison film formula, but still wildly succeeds with its straightforwardness and uncompromising approach. Escape from Alcatraz is based on the true story of three men’s successful escape from the redoubtable penitentiary. This core authenticity provides power to the ongoings. Viewers are watching (more or less) what actually occurred— excusing some deviations and dramatizations. 

Eastwood plays the mastermind behind the breakout, a bank robber/burglar, well versed in busting out of prisons across the country. Fed up with him, the U.S. government sends Eastwood to Alcatraz, a place known for its brutal inescapability. The film follows his interactions with the other inmates, his formulation of an escape plan, and his eventual enacting of that plan. 

Eastwood’s character is highly intelligent and crafty. But he’s surrounded by equally unique and tragic companions. Roberts Blossom (Old Man Marley in Home Alone) plays an older convict with nothing left to live for but his paintings. Another prisoner keeps a pet mouse, whom he feeds bits of spaghetti to. Larry Hankin (a second Home Alone alum) portrays the timid next-door cell neighbor of Eastwood, who joins him in the breakout. Patrick McGoohan is requisite evil warden, a particularly sadistic one.

Escape from Alcatraz excites without reinventing or subverting genre conventions. The excitement comes from watching the characters slowly work out their escape plan. It is one of the reasons that audiences enjoy prison films — and heist films, for that matter: it is thrilling to see someone pull off the impossible, particularly when carried out with plausibility. The audience gets a vicarious rush from witnessing a character’s shrewdness and ability to think quickly on their feet when the inevitable roadblocks arise. We love watching intelligent and skillful people “at work”.

Though tautly constructed, some modern audiences might find the movie lumbering as it slowly develops its story and characters. But stick with it. The film is rewarding and clever, particularly its use of silence and visuals to provide information. If you have not watched Escape from Alcatraz, it is certainly one to check out. 

I want to leave you with the scene that always sticks with me. In the prison workshop, a character has become so emotionally shattered by Alcatraz’s oppressiveness and the warden’s cruelty that out of desperation he picks up a hatchet and cuts off his own fingers. Eastwood being Eastwood, he calmly picks the fingers up and places them in a box for safe keeping. 

-T.Z. 

EVERY MOVIE AND TV SHOW THAT I WATCHED IN OCTOBER 2023

 

When I sat down to write this, I incorrectly assumed that I didn’t watch many Halloween movies this year. Truth is, I wasn’t in the Halloween spirit (not that I ever really am). But upon further review, I did watch several horror and monster movies that qualify as Halloween movies, though not the ones I usually watch every October.

For instance, I did not watch Hocus Pocus this year, which usually makes my yearly tradition. Nor did I watch as many classics from Universal as previous years. No The Black Cat, no Night Monster, No Creature from the Black Lagoon. (I did watch quite few on 10/21: Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, House of Frankenstein, and House of Dracula.) 

Instead, I partook in several "new" horror/monster movies for the very first time this year, particularly from Hammer Studios and selections off the TCM app, including many wonderful Vincent Prince movies (House of Wax being my favorite).  But my big obsession this October? A TV show that has nothing to do with the spooky season: The First 48.

Titles in bold indicate lesser-known  movies that I recommend others give a try 
next year. 

(movie titles are FULLY CAPITALIZED. Television show titles are not. Titles of books/short stories are in quotation marks.) 

10/1 ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD (1951), The First 48 

10/2 HORROR OF DRACULA, The First 48 

10/3 DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE, The First 48 

10/4 PLAYFUL PLUTO (short), Ahsoka, The First 48 

10/5 MUPPETS HAUNTED MANSION, The First 48 

10/6 DRACULA (1931), The First 48 

10/7 WYNKEN, BLYNKEN AND NOD (short), The First 48 

10/8 OLD MACDONALD DUCK (short), The First 48

10/9 INFERIOR DECORATOR (short), The First 48 

10/10 WHEN THE CAT’S AWAY (short), The First 48

10/11 THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, FIDDLING AROUND (short) 

10/12 THE WALKING DEAD (1938), The First 48

10/13 HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS, The First 48 

10/14 THE ASPHALT JUNGLE 

10/15 THE PAPER BRIGADE 

10/16 CASPER 

10/17 THE MUMMY (1958) 

10/18 THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR. TOAD, ISLAND OF LOST SOULS 

10/19 THE HAUNTING (1963), THE INNOCENTS, “Christmas is a Sad Season for the Poor” (Cheever), “Dagon”(Lovecraft) 

10/20 THE WOLF MAN (1941) 

10/21 FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLF MAN, HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, HOUSE OF DRACULA 

10/22 KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, “Nyarlathotep” (Lovecraft), “Azathoth” (Lovecraft), “History of the Necronomicon” (Lovecraft) 

10/23 THE WICKER MAN (1973)

10/24 THE GORGON, The First 48, “The Nameless City” (Lovecraft) 

10/25 THE UNINVITED (1944) 

10/26 THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (1959), SON OF DRACULA

10/27 HALLOWEENTOWN  

10/28 THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR, HOUSE OF USHER 

10/29 THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN, HOUSE OF WAX 

10/30 DOCTOR X; IT’S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, CHARLIE BROWN 

10/31 TASTE THE BLOOD OF DRACULA, FRANKENSTEIN (1931)

-T.Z.

SILVER SURFER: THE ANIMATED SERIES (1998): TV SHOW RECOMMENDATION

For many superhero fans, Spider-Man: The Animated Series ranks as the high-water mark for Marvel animation. From 1994 to 1998, the series introduced many young viewers (myself included) to the Marvel Universe. Sharp storytelling and striking animation helped elevate the show, rendering a series that still remains enjoyable and emotionally authentic today— even in the omnipresent shadow of the MCU. Not long after Spider-Man: The Animated Series’s cancellation, a show about a far more obscure Marvel character flew onto TV sets: Silver Surfer (1998), also known as Silver Surfer: The Animated Series. 

Most people know the Silver Surfer from his cinematic debut in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007). Created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee, the character originates from the pages of Marvel Comics, debuting in March 1966. Thirty-two years later, the animated series premiered on February 7, 1998 on the Fox Kids Network (a programming block on Fox and its affiliates). Despite amassing good ratings, the series was abruptly cancelled after just 13 episodes following a dispute between two of the show’s production companies: Marvel and Saban Entertainment (the folks behind Power Rangers). 

If you’re unfamiliar with the Silver Surfer’s origins, the first three episodes succinctly cover them. The Surfer was born a man named Norrin Radd on the peace-loving planet Zenn-La. Norrin’s life changes forever the day Galactus, a sort of space giant, arrives at Zenn-La for his next meal. To sustain his colossal form, Galactus feeds on the nutrient rich cores of certain planets, destroying the worlds and their inhabitants. In order to save his home, Norrin Radd makes a deal with Galactus. If Zenn-La is spared, Norrin will act as Galactus’s herald, searching the universe for the big guy’s next planetary meal. Norrin plans to lead Galactus only to uninhabited worlds, thus sparing the lives of trillions throughout the universe. 

Galactus agrees and imbues Norrin with the Power Cosmic, granting him superhuman strength, endurance, and a board to travel on. But there’s a catch: he’s transformed into a sleek, metallic-skinned humanoid called the Silver Surfer. His memories of his past life and home world are erased. Now a servant of Galactus, the Silver Surfer rides the celestial firmament, in search of planets for his master to devour. Worst of all, he forgets his plan to deceive Galactus into eating unpopulated planets, and trillions are killed because of him. The Surfer eventually regains his memories, repents for his misdeeds, rebels against Galactus, and sets out to find Zenn-La, which a vengeful Galactus has hurled into the farthest reaches of the universe — and this all happens in just the first three episodes! The serialized storytelling follows the Surfer’s lonely quest to get back home, guilt-ridden and tormented by his complacency in Galactus’s murderous rampage.

The stories for all 13 episodes are jam-packed with some unexpectedly weighty ideas. Much like the Silver Surfer’s solo comic book series, the animated show uses the framework of a science fiction journey to address many social and political issues: slavery, pacifism, personal accountability, empathy, and environmental responsibility. 

Despite a visual aesthetic clearly inspired by the estimable Jack Kirby, the series does feature a distinct and slightly off-putting mashup of traditional cel animation and 90s-era computer animation. Though some modern viewers may find this blend dated, particularly Galactus’s CGI rendering, it actually augments the already bizarre look and tone of the series. In addition to the unique visual design, Silver Surfer deserves credit for embracing the weirder cosmic corners of the Marvel Universe. 

Many characters popularized by the MCU made appearances on the show during a time when they were still relatively unknown to the general populace. The Surfer encounters Drax, Nebula, Gamora, the Skrulls, the Kree, and Ego the Living Planet (though some differ widely from their comic book origins and their MCU portrayals). Even Thanos made his first appearance outside of the comics on Silver Surfer. 

Viewed today through our more sophisticated standards, Silver Surfer may at times feel stiff, heavy-handed, and even a little corny. But if you can divorce yourself from 2023, Silver Surfer holds up as a uniquely animated and thoughtfully written comic book adaptation that more than qualifies for at least a spot on your Disney+ watchlist.  

-T.Z. 

6 NEWLY RESTORED CARTOONS ON DISNEY+

To celebrate the centennial of Walt Disney Animation Studios, Disney+ will be adding 27 newly restored cartoon shorts over the next few months. This is encouraging news for fans who have been disappointed with the dearth of classic short animation on the streaming service. This project, part of the ongoing Disney 100 Celebration, comes to us through the hard work of the Walt Disney Studios Restoration and Preservation team. The shorts range from well-known classics to lesser-known titles. The first 6 were uploaded on July 7th.

In The Skeleton Dance (1929), four human skeletons dance and make music in a graveyard. This was the first of Disney’s Silly Symphonies, a series of theatrically released cartoons where music was synchronized with animation. 

In another early short, Building a Building (1933), Mickey Mouse works at a construction site under the baleful supervision of Pete while Minnie sells lunches to the workers and contends with Pete’s lechery. This short was nominated for an Academy Award, loosing to Disney’s other popular short of that year, Three Little Pigs.  

This round gifts us two Goofy shorts. Aquamania (1961), where Goofy takes up water skiing, was the last Goofy short produced during Disney’s Golden era. Aquamania also features an appearance from an early incarnation of Goofy’s son, Max, then known as Goofy Jr.  The second Goofy short is a classic, Goofy Gymnastics (1949). Keen-eyed viewers will recognize this as the cartoon that Roger Rabbit and Eddie Valiant (Bob Hoskins) watch in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

The last two shorts, Bath Day (1946) and Figaro and Frankie (1947), are much more obscure. Both of these cartoons star Figaro, the plucky cat from Pinocchio. Walt Disney loved the character so much that he spun Figaro off into his own brief series of theatrical shorts. Notably, Figaro was one of only eight Disney characters to receive their own logo at the beginning of the cartoons. The others were Mickey Mouse, Goofy, Donald Duck, Pluto, Chip ’n’ Dale (on the same title card), and Humphrey the Bear. Apart from his own series, Figaro appeared in other shorts, usually as Minnie’s pet and/or Pluto’s nemesis.

-T.Z. 

MY TOP 10 FAVORITE FILMS

Ask me my all-time favorite movie and you’ll get a quick answer. I can rattle off my Top 5 or Top 100 without hesitation. But for some reason, I struggled to narrow the list down to ten. That number felt too concise to be properly representative of the movies I adore and too expansive to be precise. After much consternation and second-guessing, I finally formulated a list that I feel accurately reflects my Top 10 on this particular day. Ask me tomorrow and maybe some of these choices will vary. A list like this is not permanent nor definitive — but illuminates the moment it was written. 

A quick disclaimer: I took this list quite literally. I resisted the urge to include certain titles simply because they sounded like the choices of a serious cinephile. This is a list of my favorites, not necessarily the best movies I have ever seen. So while I love Casablanca, Bicycle Thieves, and The Magnificent Ambersons, they don’t necessarily qualify for my Top 10. I have also included some very elliptical thoughts and comments on my selections. 

Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975) 

Unquestionably my favorite movie. The film which inspired me to write in the first place. Jaws defies categorization. It’s an adventure, a horror, a thriller, a character study, and a fishing movie all rolled into one. It is everything and all things. Jaws affects me emotionally as much on the billionth viewing as it did on the first. Everything I love and want from the movies exists in this masterful work of filmmaking and storytelling. 

Star Wars (George Lucas, 1977) 

“Serious” film aficionados may sneer at this choice. But Star Wars made me fall in love with the movies at an age when I couldn’t even read the opening crawl. I still feel to this day the enormous influence that George Lucas’s imagined universe had (and has) on me. Lucas gets a lot of grief, but this movie continues to envelop and transport me with an utmost simplicity and purity that all its follow-ups never quite manage. 

Bride of Frankenstein (James Whale, 1935)

Few films are as peerless, tragic, and unexpectedly kinky as the Citizen Kane of monster movies, Bride of Frankenstein. This strange alchemy of gothic horror and camp humor features not only the distinctive vision of its director, James Whale, but a truly devastating performance from its star, Boris Karloff, as the lonely creature in search of a nothing more than a friend. Enriched with shockingly progressive themes and motifs, Bride of Frankenstein lives on into the modern world. 

The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939) 

I’m not a big fan of musicals, but The Wizard of Oz isn’t really a musical. It’s The Wizard of Oz, a genre unto itself, of which there is no other. This timeless movie still has the power to both soothe and terrify its audience. 

Ghostbusters (Ivan Reitman, 1984) 

The original Ghostbusters succeeds where so many other paranormal comedies fail: it’s both outrageously funny and enormously scary. Most people talk about the film’s wonderful cast, assembled from the 80’s most talented. Also give credit to the witty and rich script by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. 

The Maltese Falcon (John Huston, 1941) 

More than a splendid detective story, John Huston’s adaptation of Dashiell Hammett’s novel is a gritty and atmospheric meditation on greed and avarice. Essential viewing for any fans of classic film noir, The Maltese Falcon also features one of the greatest collection of actors ever assembled on film. If you don’t know who Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, or Sydney Greenstreet were, The Maltese Falcon will teach you. 

Gosford Park (Robert Altman, 2001)

 

If I watch Gosford Park once, I end up watching it on repeat, over and over again. This dense and layered subversion of the English murder mystery is a literate look at British social systems and class relations. Altman was known for his expansive casts and Gosford Park is no different, overflowing with some of the most outstanding actors, giving superlative performances to match. 

Monkey Business (Norman Z. McLeod, 1931)

 

While Duck Soup may be the Marx Brothers’ greatest film, Monkey Business ranks as my favorite. Totally eschewing any semblance of character development or plot cohesion, this wonderfully amorphous comedy relentlessly machine-guns its jokes and gags at a dizzying pace. This movie makes me laugh more than any other comedy. 

Superman (Richard Donner, 1978) 

More than a great superhero movie, Superman is a genuinely great film. Impressively, this sprawling epic is told through three very visually and narratively distinct phases, held together by Richard Donner’s committed directorial vision and Christopher Reeve’s performance, still unrivaled all these years later. 

Goodfellas (Martin Scorsese, 1990) 

What more can be said about Martin Scorsese’s definitive and arresting portrayal of the American Dream-turned-nightmare? A haunting, inventive, and rock-n-roll experience, the film sets the bar for all crime films to succeed it, while also synthesizing the gangster movies preceding it. Goodfellas is also one of the best “food movies” out there. My mouth waters at every scene where sauce is stirred and garlic sliced. 

-T.Z.