Horror at 37,000 Feet or is it only 7500?

A few weeks ago, Lance from Kindertrauma mentioned to me that he thought a new movie called 7500 looked an awful lot like the classic 1973 made for TV movie Horror at 37,000 Feet. I know Lance knows his stuff, so my ears instantly perked up (OK, it was my eyes, since he told me in an email) and I was instantly intrigued.

Based on the trailer I saw before The Woman in Black, I would have to agree with Lance's astute observation. They do indeed feel a bit like kindred spirits. Alas, we will all have to wait until August to have all of our questions answered. I'm still excited. Could we be seeing a trend of 70s small screen moving onto the new millennium's big screen?

Watch the trailer here and decide for yourself:

The Woman in Black (2012)

The weather was perfectly moody for my trip to the theater on Saturday to catch the Woman in Black. It was as if the TV movie gods were beckoning the same gloomy atmosphere from the 1989 version, and I was pleased as we drove down the long winding roads to the most remote theater in the world. I have said this before, I tend to hate most remakes, but love the idea of a small screen film getting a chance to play with the big boys. So many TVMs are legitimately obscure and deserve a chance to get a little notice. As far as I know, the 1989 version was pretty popular in England but did not fare as well here in the States, where it remains more elusive. It’s still built up a pretty good reputation, thanks to TVM nuts like me who keep spreading the word on our favorite small screen classics. As far as that version goes, it’s a pretty perfect little exercise in atmosphere and tragedy. I figured the new theatrical reboot might Hollywoodize the whole endeavor a bit, but I was ready for a little mainstream injection if it meant some attention would come to the original. As it would turn out, the remake would surpass any hopes I had for it, and I have to say, I simply adored the new Woman in Black.


Again, I’m at a crossroads. I don’t want to say too much because I went into the movie blind (well, I did rewatch the original, but I surpassed any opportunity I had to look into the new one aside from the trailer), and I think the less you know about it, the more fun you will have. Here’s what I will say:

Daniel Radcliffe was perfectly cast as the tragic lead. His sad eyes conveyed so much feeling that dialog was almost not needed. And indeed, he carried the film gracefully just on those emotions.

Much of the film has stayed the same, although there are also several noticeable differences. You will see what I mean when you see it. I think some of the choices they made were fantastic. There was one moment where I said, “Really?!?” but they took what I thought would be something silly and made it work.

The original and this version ooze atmosphere. There are marshes, fog and that creepy Eel Marsh House to keep the goosebumps raised. The set design is amazing and if creepy dolls are your thing, you will not be disappointed.

I loved this movie.

It turns out the new Woman in Black exceeded most expectations and pulled in a good turn at the box office. I hope this encourages the studios to start looking at the small screen for a little creepy inspiration. And I hope everyone tries to get their creep-on in the theater.

And you can read more reviews at Kindertrauma and at Horror.com. Enjoy!

Zalman King (1942 - 2011)

I just read that the iconic erotic filmmaker Zalman King passed away at the age of 70. His best known theatricals were probably Wild Orchid and Two Moon Junction, but I think it was his salacious television series The Red Shoe Diaries that made me fall in love with him. I have never been shy about my love of 90s erotica. Mostly I liked the late night Shannon Tweed stuff because it was fun, but King took the genre to another level with the devastating pilot to Diaries, which starred a then unknown David Duchovny. The film resonated with me, and I found it both beautiful and tragic. A few years ago I wrote a review of it for anther blog, but I thought I'd repost it here today to celebrate King's wonderful work, which I think has been unfairly maligned.

RIP Zalman. I will miss you.

Red Shoe Diaries

Network: Showtime
Original Air Date: May 16th, 1992

I suppose when people look back on Zalman King's erotic Showtime Television series The Red Shoe Diaries, they think of sumptuous women in various tawdry situations. As I remember, it was pretty much erotica for women, with lots of pretty camera shots, fractured stories, heavily sexual dialog and lots and lots of nudity. This is the memory I held for the pilot as well. It could not have been farther from the truth.

Zalman King's most personal film The Red Shoe Diaries is more about love and loss than about getting laid. Bridgette Bako plays the beautiful and successful but emotionally turbulent Alex who falls for Jake (David Duchovny). Their few months together consist of sheer contentment. Both warriors in the work world, their home life is a complete opposite, offering tranquility and togetherness. Bridgette loves Jake but can't seem to love herself. As she writes in her diary, "I am an open book." This statement compels Alex to search out something disastrous yet all of her own. That's when she meets Tom (Billy Wirth). Construction worker and part-time shoe salesman (!), he expertly seduces Alex and invites her to his home the following night. Alex desperately tries to convince Jake to take her out of town but he's unaware of the disaster that lies before them and declines due to a business engagement. It is here that she begins a short but ill-fated affair with Tom. These simple rendezvous aren't enough to fill Tom's craving heart and Alex feels she has no choice but to escape them both.

(The beginning of the end)

Told mostly in flashback, The Red Shoe Diaries is both tragic and thoughtful. Viewed through a vaseline swiped lens, there is sheer beauty to be found in Alex's flowing skirts and red shoes. An achingly sad woman, Alex longs to do the right thing but feels unworthy of true love.

Trust me, as I write this, I can't actually believe I'm saying it. I know this is Zalman King and that his sex films are what help put Red Shoe Diaries on the map. I also know people tend to look at his films as erotic trash consisting of little more than a few breasts and a bit of beefcake, and that makes me sad. Even as a passing fan with only a mild appreciation of his other works (Wild Orchid 2 is good stuff though!), I fear not enough people will find themselves wanting to rent this haunting love story. Maybe I'm getting older and beginning to understand the undercurrents of sexuality better, but I'd also like to think The Red Shoe Diaries has aged like a fine red wine, not just the nostalgia of it. Lush and dark and always easy to swallow (insert dirty joke here!), I'm absolutely astonished that this film hasn't met with a better reception. It's a truly moving film, with an incredible soundtrack. There are some typical 90s erotica bits, like a moment in Alex's voice over when she declares "He made love like he worked on the street - tender as a jackhammer"(!) but this film expertly explores the dichotomy between sex and sexuality and successfully portrays the sadness in a life felt with little worth. The nudity is A+ as well. I would guess that there's maybe one minute of it total, but it belongs to natural women and they are lovely. There's even a sweaty basketball game between Wirth and Duchovny that kept me panting throughout. And yet, when I look back on it, all I think of is the hauntingly romantic scene towards the end when Jake lays next to Alex on the cold bathroom floor. It's these kind of images that great romances are built on.

The Woman in Black (1989)

Network: ITV
Original Air Date: December 24th, 1989

I guess it’s confession time again: I don’t believe in ghosts.

Maybe I should clarify this statement. I don’t not believe in ghosts, but I don’t believe in them either. But there’s even more, while I might or might not believe in ghosts, the supernatural sub-genre often terrifies more than the straight truer to life stuff. I’m not sure why that is, but it probably has something to do with being on the fence of whether or not I should believe that there are unseen forces lurking about me at all times.

Yikes!



Of course, supernatural thrillers can be as supernatural-y as they want but if they aren’t suspenseful or scary, then they are total failures. And there are quite a few of those, I imagine (I'm looking at you Grudge). But look at who gets it right: on the big screen we’ve got classics such as The Haunting and The Changeling (one of my all time favorites). On the small screen we’ve got surefire classics such as Dark Night of the Scarecrow and Don’t Go To Sleep. When these films work, they W-O-R-K… I feel like I should have added a girl after work, but maybe I've been thinking about RuPaul too much.

The Woman in Black is indeed a ghostly classic with enough nightmarish overtones that it has managed to maintain a fairly nice status despite being from another country and somewhat unavailable. Adrian Rawlins is Arthur Kidd, a handsome, happily married solicitor sent to a sleepy town to settle a widow’s estate. Her house is creepily called The Eel Marsh House, and indeed it looks just like you think it will. At the widow’s funeral a woman dressed in all black watches from a distance. She will become an eerie presence in Kidd’s life as he unwraps the mystery surrounding her. And as you can probably guess, some mysteries are better left unsolved.


There’s not too much I can say about The Woman in Black without feeling like I’ve given something away. It’s devastatingly remote, unnerving and tragic. It’s a slow-burn of a film, but it is also not without a couple of terrifying payoffs. Based on Susan Hill’s novel, which I have not read, the adaptation by Nigel Kneale (The Stone Tapes) is ridden with anxiety and sadness, as Kidd struggles with what he has uncovered (or unleashed). The location is also beautifully moody, which only enhances the sense of terror which keeps encroaching upon Kidd.

Did I say I love The Woman in Black? OK, now I have.

Scruples the TV Series?!?

No joke, guys! ABC just announced that they greenlit a new show based on Judith Krantz's scandalous novel, Scruples. Natalie Portman will be producing and you can read more about it here.

As you all know, Lindsay Wagner starred in the fun, but obviously watered down 1980 TV mini-series adaptation, which is available through Warner Archives.

Anybody have any thoughts on the novel, mini-series or upcoming TV show?

Happy Birthday Tom Selleck!

Tom Selleck turns 67 today!

This beautiful and wonderful actor has been such a mainstay in my life. As a huge Magnum P.I. nut, I can truly say I only appreciate the show more and more with each viewing. Thomas Magnum was machismo-laden charisma at its best! So, it's truly surprising that when he starred in a pilot called Bunco (1977) alongside Robert Urich some critics felt both actors lacked leading man qualities! Wow, talk about missing the mark completely! Of course, Selleck is still ruling the airwaves with the hit show Blue Bloods and another Jesse Stone TVM in the works. They say you get better with age, and that's certainly true with Selleck, one of the most likable actors of the small screen.

Happy Birthday Tom!

Check out Selleck's auspicious beginnings in this commercial:



And check out this post I wrote for Tom Selleck's 65th birthday, which features some pictures from Tom's first TVM, The Movie Murderer.

Celebrating Freddie Prinze

Today marks the 35th anniversary of the day we lost Freddie, but rather than feeling sad (although it's really hard not to, even now), I'd like celebrate Freddie's short but fantastic career. Last summer I dedicated a week to his fabulous talent and in my retrospective I looked at Chico and the Man, his sole TV movie Million Dollar Ripoff (by the way, it's still streaming on Netflix and Hulu, so check out the links in the review) and the TVM biopic about his life titled Can You Hear the Laughter.

Freddie was a one of a kind talent, and someone I have adored for as long as I can remember. I'll be spending a little more time thinking about his smile today and I hope you do too.

Deliver Us From Evil (1973)

Network: ABC
Original Air Date: September 11th, 1973

ABC kicked off their 1973 – 74 Movie of the Week season with Deliver Us from Evil, which was shot entirely on location in Mount Hood, Oregon. Production for the film began in July and lasted a whole three weeks – the longest ever for a TVM at that time.

Three weeks?!?

This is one of the reasons why I tend to be more forgiving of retro-TVMs. They were made for a fraction of the budget of a theatrical and they obviously had to shoot their films under very demanding schedules. And I have to say, most of these films deliver an amazing amount of entertainment. Of course, a lot of the success comes from the actors who tend to be film veterans that can bring in the goods at the drop of a hat. George Kennedy, who stars in Deliver spoke about the perils of television in an interview he did in 1973. While he enjoyed the format and professed he had “no snobbery” when it came to working on small screen treats, he really disliked a lot of the writing. He said, “Nine out of ten scripts they send me are very bad. You turn them down and then you see somebody else has done them. Makes you wonder who’s running the nuthouse.” Kennedy also found Deliver to be a particularly grueling shoot. He commented, “I thought I was in pretty good shape until I started working in those mountains. It’s amazing what being high up does to your body. We had oxygen with us, and believe me, we needed it.” It’s interesting that he brings up the writing because I felt parts of Deliver felt preachy. However, the performances move it up a notch to make it a fantastic little potboiler.


George Kennedy is Cowboy. He’s the cocky type - full of pseudo-machismo, complete with the ten-gallon hat and a survivalist attitude. He is on a camping trip along with 4 other guys and a well-worn guide named Dixie (Jim Davis from Dallas!). The men seem to know each other, but they also appear rather distant in many ways. Certainly, they are not much alike. Steven (Bradford Dillman) works in accounting, Al (Jack Weston) is a blue-collar type and Arnold and Nick (Charles Aidman and Jan Michael Vincent looking kind of dreamy) are a father-son duo who look like the prize of middle class suburbia. Cowboy spots someone parachuting into the forest and then the men hear on the radio that a skyjacker has stolen $600,000 and escaped by jumping from a plane. The next day they search for this D.B. Cooper knock-off and when he’s finally cornered, Cowboy shoots him. The men decide to split the money but Dixie and Nick find themselves torn with how they should handle the situation. Luckily for Cowboy, Dixie takes a big plunge off of a mountain. This sets a trend for the men as one by one they meet horrible ends.


I don’t remember Sam Raimi’s A Simple Plan well enough to compare them, but they do seem quite similar in theme. Both films are about taking what isn’t yours and making excuses for why you deserve it. These statements are probably more overt in Deliver, simply because TV movies tended to overreach in that respect. Dixie is the big moral voice in the film and in the first act (before he takes a flying leap) he begs Nick to consider man’s true nature – and not to succumb to it. It was perhaps wise to get rid of him early on because then the men’s motives can be carried out through their actions instead of being told how they feel. However, seeing Jim Davis leave so early was a total bummer. Why is he always the victim?!? He got his just deserts in Satan’s Triangle way too early too! Like Jock Ewing could be taken down so easily…

Whoops! Getting off track…


Deliver is desolate, suspenseful and well acted. Kennedy is especially sleazy, but in the end, he’s really the most honest character in the film. I’ve never been much of a fan of Jan Michael Vincent, but he’s really great as the remaining voice of reason.

Deliver was just the first of over 50 TV films produced for ABC for that season! While not as successful as the previous year, which had ranked # 5 in the Neilsons, the offerings were indeed tasty. I think Deliver was a nice way to start the year, which would also offer such Movie of the Week cult classics as Satan’s School for Girl’s and Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark. It’s moody, thoughtful and suspenseful, just the way we used to like ‘em!

Deliver Us From Evil is available through Warner Archives.

James Farentino (1938 - 2012)

I don’t know why I was so shocked when I read yesterday that James Farentino had passed away, but it probably had something to with the fact that I found him to be such a looming presence on screen that I couldn't believe anything would ever stop him. If he seemed larger than life it’s probably because the actor often found himself in situations just as dramatic as the ones he reenacted on TV. His personal life sometimes made front page news, and because of that I think people would forgot that this darkly handsome actor was one of the biggest leading men on television.

Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1938, Farentino trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and found fame on Broadway when he was in his early 20s. His first television appearance was in 1962 when he appeared in an episode of Naked City titled Let Me Die Before I Wake. While he would star in some interesting theatricals (The Final Countdown and Dead and Buried being two of his most popular films), the small screen not only beckoned him, it adored him. He appeared in a ridiculous number of made for TV movies. He’s a look at some of his contributions:

Birdbath (1971)
Vanished (1971)
The Family Rico (1972)
The Longest Night (1972)
The Elevator (1974)
Crossfire (1975)
Emily, Emily (1977)
Jesus of Nazareth (1977)
The Possessed (1977)
No Margin for Error (1978)
Silent Victory: The Kitty O’Neill Story (1978)
Son-Rise (1979)
Something So Right (1982)
The Cradle Will Fall (1983)
License to Kill (1984)
A Summer to Remember (1985)
The Fourth Wise Man (1985)
Picking up the Pieces (1985)
Sins (1986)
That Secret Sunday (1986)
Family Sins (1987)
The Red Spider (1988)
Who Gets the Friends (1988)
The Naked Lie (1989)


And he did oodles more into the 90s and beyond. Farentino’s contribution to the world of TVMs cannot be overstated. While he said he often felt marginalized by Hollywood, he graced the small screen with several fine performances. From this list, my favorite would have to be The Possessed, partially because he wears a lot of groovy turtlenecks but also because I thought he was really fun as the ex-priest out to put a little foot to Satan’s ass! The Cradle Will Fall is another film I find myself watching from time to time as well. Farentino was interesting because he had a very distinctive look but he could also easily slip into varied roles. He played everything from an ex-priest to rugged cop to a killer doctor to whatever else he decided to take on. That obviously worked into his success on various television series as well. Farentino is most noted for appearing in The Bold Ones: The Lawyers (1969 – 1972), Dynasty (he played Dr. Nick Toscanni from 1981 – 1982) and Blue Thunder (1984), which also starred a then-unknown Dana Carvey as a computer genius jokester. Farentino enjoyed working on Blue Thunder, which was a revamp of the film which had starred Roy Scheider. He said in an interview, “This is something new for me... I’ve watched enough TV to know there isn’t anything better, and it won’t get any better. It’s an entertainment medium and people want to enjoy it.” The show only ran for 11 episodes but the match up of Farentino, Carvey, Bubba Smith and Dick Butkus made for an unforgettable combo!

And I think that’s the perfect word to describe Farentino… unforgettable.

Rest in peace, James. You made the world a much more interesting place while you were here.

Daytime After Dark

As you may have guessed, I've been celebrating the world of daytime television this week as One Life to Live drew to a close. I've been going through old soap magazines and all of my other soap literature (of which I seem to have a lot), and I remembered that I have two old reviews here of TV movies featuring daytime television performers. Please follow the links if so inclined.

The first is a review I did of a movie called Woman on the Ledge which is so full of daytime drama that it was destined to find itself on the ledge of my heart. I know, silly... but true.

The other review is for a movie called Fantasies and it stars Suzanne Pleshette as a dragon lady of a night time soap creator. It features many familiar daytime faces and is a great little made for TV slasher.

Melodrama comes in all shapes and sizes, and for that I am grateful. Enjoy!