Movie review - "Rolling Man" (1972) **1/2

 TV movie that I only watched because it was directed by Peter Hyams. I'm surprised how unconventional and character study-ish it was - I thought TV movies were more formulaic. But maybe they were reassured by the presence of Dennis Weaver- presumably this was done as a deal. 

It's an episodic tale of a mechanic whose wife dies and who goes to prison for attempted murder (of her lover Don Stroud). He gets out, his kids have been taken away so he tries to get him back. Weaver is a stud muffin in this one - he gets off with one gal, Donna Mills, then another, the waitress.

There's lots of southern accents. Not bad. Interesting vanity project/vehicle.

Book review - "Heat 2" by Michael Mann and Meg Gardiner (2022)

 Interesting. Some great scenes. Reads like a Michael Mann script at time - in terms of big print. Characterbios. Not a lot of interior monologue. We don't get to know much about any of the others in the gang - the driver, Tom Sizemore, the other guy... just Val Kilmer and some de Niro and Pacino.

There's a convenient horrible villain who spans time and characters a version of Waingro. Some thrilling sequences - tracking him down in Chicago, and then in Mexico, and then in LA. Actually that is very repetitive. No bank robbing.

Chris/Kilmer goes to Paraguay. That's cool. Lots of research about electronics - a hangover from another script?

It clearly uses research from other Mann scripts (esp 2006 Miami Vice, Blackhat).. without going into spoilers I'd say it's entertaining and worth a read, I'm not sure it would make a great movie (how would you cast it? de-aging tech?) esp as it lacks a core central relationship like the one between Pacino and de Niro in the 1995 film (Pacino/Hanna and de Niro/McCauley were in love with each other, Pacino/Hanna and Kilmer/Chris doesn't have the same resonance) and the plotting over-relies on a super duper convenient Waingro-type character, but there's some very exciting sequences and I would totally be interested in reading novels of Thief, The Keep, Jericho Mile and yep I'll say it Blackhat...

Movie review - "Busting" (1974) **

 Peter Hyams first feature as director. Elliot Gould and Robert Blake are ideal as vice cops. The film has them busting a lot of people who shouldn't be in trouble with cops - prostitutes, gays. Maybe this was titillating in 1974. Or maybe it wasn't which is why this didn't do that well at the box office.

Excellent action sequences - in a market, cars. The violence is handled well. The acting is good - Gould is always good going undercover. It's episodic. But I found myself more on the side of Allen Garfield, the villain.

National General Pictures/Cinema Centre Films

 Short lived production company of the late 60s and early 70s.

CCF

A company of CBS to make theatrical films. Would rent facilities. Aimed for cost of $3 million a film. Started in March 1967.

* With Six You Get Eggroll (1968)

*A Fine Pair (1968)

*The April Fools (1969)

*Me Natalie (1969)

*The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1969)

*Hail Hero (1969) - Michael Douglas drama

*A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969)

*The Reivers (1969)

*The Boys in the Band (1969)

*A Man Called Horse (1970) - Western with Richard Harris

*Something for Everyone (1970) - Harold Prince directed, Michael York

*Darker Than Amber (1970) - Rod Taylor as Travis McGee

*Adam at 6AM (1970) - more Michael Douglas

*Figures in a Landcsape (1970) - Joseph Losey

*Monte Walsh (1970) - Lee Marvin western

*Scrooge (1970) - British musical with Albert Finney

*Homer (1970) - Vietnam War homefront drama with Don Scardino

*Little Big Man (1970) - Dustin Hodfman/Arthur Penn Indian drama

*Rio Lobo (1970) - John Wayne western directed by Howard Hawks

*Black Water White Drath (1971)

*Big Jake (1971) - John Wayne western, a big hit

*Who is Harry Kellerman and Why is He Saying All These Things About Me? (1971) - Dustin Hoffman flop

*Le Mans (1971) -car racing film for Steve McQueen

*The African Elephant (1971) - documentary

*Something Big (1971) - Dean Martin western directed by Andrew McLaglen

*Christian Licorice Store (1971)

*The Little Ark (1972) - children's film

*The Revengers (1972) - Holden-Borgnine western

*The War Between Men and Women (1972) - Jack Lemmon film

*Prime Cut (1972) - Michael Ritchie film with Gene Hackman, Lee Marvin and Sissy Spacek

*Snoopy Come Home (1972)

Sept 1971 Gordon Stulberg joined Fox as preident, replaced by Milton Goldstein.

NGP (then as a production company - they also distributed some films)

* Robert Kennedy Remembered (1968)

*The Stalking Moon (1968)

*Charro! (1969) - Elvis Presley Western

*A Dream of Kings (1969)

*Daddy's Gone a Hunting (1969) - Mark Robson, Lorenzo Semple

*Lattitude Zero (1969) - Japanese film with Joe Cotten

*The Grasshopper (1970) - melodrama with Jacie Bisset and Jim Brown

*The Cheyenne Social Club (1970) - with Stewart and Fonda

*El Condor (1970) - Western with Jim Brown and Lee Van Cleef

*The Baby Maker (1970) - James Bridges film

*The Todd Killings (1971) - serial killer movie

June 1969 - Charles Boasberg its new president

Late 1972 American Financial Corp starts buying stock and taking over

NGP released First Artists films like Judge Roy Bean, Pocket Money, Up the Sandbox

Elliot Gould Buddy Movies

 Just going over them there were a few

* Bob and Ted and Carol and Alice (1969) - with Robert Culp

*MASH (1970) - with Donald Sutherland

*Busting (1974) - with Robert Blake

* SPYS (1974) - with Donald Sutherland

*California Split (1975) - with George Segal

*Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976) - with James Caan

Doesn't quite make a top ten, I admit...

Movie review - "Planet of the Vampires" (1965) ***1/2 (re-watching)

 Fun. Gorgeous. Doesn't sustain tension oddly. Solid script. Luciana Palluzi is in a lot of fun movies. Barry Sullivan is fine.

Movie review - "Sound of Thunder" (2005) **

 Ray Bradbury's classic short story was turned into a notorious bomb - notorious mostly because it cost $80 million and the special effects are cheap. Peter Hyams has a strong track record - things happen. The frustrating aspect of that is the movie is such that they would've been better off faking the future. Three are lots of scenes you don't need to see like walking along with zapping cars. They could have just walked. Kept it minimal.

Ed Burns isn't entirely convincing as a scientist/hunter - they probably should have given this role to Ben Kingsley who hams it up enjoyably as a tycoon. Catherine McCormick is okay in a dull role - dogged scientist. There's a decent support cast but they struggle against unconvincing effects and some clunky dialogue.

I didn't mind the effects so much on my laptop where I watched it. And the basic story is fine. It could have had more finesse the way Bradbury's story did.

There was actually no need for this to be set in the future actually - it could've been set in the future or very near future, with corporations doing it on the sly. Would've been cheaper, sold the story more.