Carnival of Souls, (1962) is one of those B movies everyone makes fun of, but can’t help watching. If you decide to watch this film, just imagine you are seeing an extended episode of the “The Twilight Zone.” I remember when I was a little girl seeing this movie, it haunted me for days. Although the movie was done on a shoestring, it is scary, and director,  Herk Harvey does a fine job with it.

The movie opens up with a group of young people drag racing, if you want to call going 15 miles per hour drag racing; I guess that was the protocol back in the day. Mary Henry (Candice Hilligoss) finds herself on this ominous day on the passenger seat of one of the cars. When the cars race across a bridge Mary and her friends end up crashing into the water below. The credits roll, and then we see Mary’s ghostly like figure rising from under the water. She is pale, wet, and appears cold, but alive.

Although poor Mary is alive her troubles have only just begun. Mary is a church organist, and is offered a job in Utah. She packs up her little things and moves. On her drive to Utah in her beat up car, in a lonely and dark country road, she begins to see a pale, ghastly man. When she arrives in Utah, the ghastly man appears everywhere she goes and torments her relentlessly. The ghastly man, turns out, has friends, these zombie-like creatures who also pursue Mary. They beckon her to come to the other side. They dance a waltz to eerie, dark music, in an abandoned carnival that Mary is summoned to. As they dance, they smile at each other as if celebrating the new member, Mary.

Mary seeks help from people, but all think she has lost her mind. She continues to have flashes in which everything around her goes completely silent. As if for moments, she breaks the barrier between life and death. When she enters the silent world, she appears like a spirit in limbo. She cries out to people in the street, but they don’t hear her. Mary realizes she is caught between two worlds and must escape death’s grip. But can she?

The movie has campy dialogue, but the camera work is incredible. Shots of the organ and ghouls are eerie. The organ playing through out the film was a little too much, but tells a morose, dark, and eerie story. Hillgross’ performance was good, not Oscar worthy, but good. She captured the spirit of a detached, cold, & isolated young woman caught between two worlds. The guy who plays her neighbor drove me crazy. A pervert no one would want next door. Although Hillgross was the only real actor in the movie, the fact that the other characters were not fully developed adds to this film. They are like people in a dream, much like the dream Mary is in. OK, it’s a B movie, but it is scary in terms of mood, & setting, and well worth the watch. I must warn you, you may just not get up from this dream.

Ethel becomes acquainted with the dress company’s accountant, Martin Blackford played by, Kent Smith. Martin is an unassuming, quiet man who no doubt was shocked that a beautiful woman such as Ethel would give him a second glance. I get the impression that Ethel thought the accountant made lots of money, and invites him for dinner at the gambling joint she frequents with her, ahem, clients. Much to her surprise, the accountant is broke, and openly tells her so when Ethel orders her very expensive dinner. But not to worry, Martin is introduced to Grady, the gambling joint’s owner, who needs some financial advice. Martin offers his expertise and is immediately offered a well paying job at Grady’s. Martin wins the affection and respect of Grady who now refers him to the big hancho of the operation, George Castleman, played superbly by David Brian. Martin and Ethel set out to meet Castleman, and it is this night that will seal their fate. In this meeting, Castleman reveals the real nature of the business. The business is involved in criminal activity, and they need someone who can handle the financial end of it. You know hide the money from Uncle Sam, etc. Martin isn’t happy with this, but money hungry Ethel, convinces him to forget that and and grab the opportunity by the throat. At this point, Martin would do anything for the fem fatale, and he did.

Ethel throws Martin under the bus, and begins a love affair with Castleman. She becomes a “kept” woman. But even this doesn’t bother her. She learns manners, diction, and all the genteel ways while in Paris for a year. But inside Ethel was still the uneducated, poor girl who just wanted a piece of the pie no matter the cost. She lived a fantasy for a while until Castleman asks her to spy on one of his representatives in the West coast, Nick Prenta, played by hottie, Steve Cochran. Ethel realizes that married Castleman doesn’t really love her. Why do women fall for this? She feels dirty and used but does whatever Castleman asks. After all, Castleman is her meal ticket. She’ll never go back to being poor. Ethel spies on Nick, but ends up falling in love with him, and  doesn’t provide information for Castleman. But Castleman is on to Ethel, and beats her, and makes her lure her lover to her home so that he can wipe him out. Ethel does, and Nick is killed.

Ethel decides to run back home to her poor parents. She needs to feel grounded again, and so returns to her roots. She knows she is next on Castleman’s list and so she waits. It is Martin, who warns her of Castleman’s intention and even after being dissed by Ethel, wants to save her life. They plan an escape, but Castleman arrives before they do. What ensues is the only way Ethel will realize the error of her ways.

The movie warns us of the “grass is greener,” syndrome. Yes, Ethel was unhappy, and maybe she should have left her husband, but not all that glitters is gold. Many seek happiness in all the wrong places, and Ethel surely did. Sometimes happiness has nothing to do with money.

I had the pleasure of talking to co-producer Michael Knowlan about the ambitious web series, “The Projectionist”.    The official website says it best: ” A spiritual successor to the great anthology series of the 1960′s, The Projectionist speaks to a whole new generation with a fresh take on the anthology structure.”  Knowlan shares thoughts on the development process, pitching the series, and how the interwebs could potentially influence the series.

Visit the facebook fan page and the official web site for more information.  You can also see “The Projectionist” demo film here

I’ve often thought of the feuding sisters, Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine. They are now in their 90′s, and still do not speak to each other! So what happened? You’d think that after decades of ill feelings, they would have reconciled. But unfortunately in this instance, that is not the case. Back in the day this was news. Nowadays you don’t hear about it much, but most classic movie fans know of the story.

In 2008 The Academy of Motion Pictures let the cat out the bag for modern audiences. At the time the Academy was having a bash in honor of Bette Davis’ 100th birthday, another grand lady from a by-gone era. Joan and Olivia were invited to the gala since they were both Bette’s contemporaries. Olivia now living in Paris, declined the invite because the trip would be too long for her. Upon hearing her sister Joan would attend, she decided that the trip wouldn’t be too long after all. After all Bette was her friend, one she worked with in movies like “Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte.” Joan gets wind of this, and decides she isn’t going! And I thought time heals wounds, ah, not in this case. I find it ironic, that Bette is somewhat responsible for the latest skirmish. Remember Bette in “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?” The macabre story of sibling rivalry comes to my mind. Of course, the story in “Whatever…” is way off base, and not the real life story of Joan & Olivia. Neither Joan, or Olivia ever lost their luster. And neither kept the other hostage and fed them dead rats, or intended to commit murder. But still I can’t help finding it all ironic.

Olivia and Joan both started off very young in Hollywood. Both rising stars at pretty much the same time. The bigger the success each got, the worse the feelings between them got. It became apparent that the raw emotions which divided the sisters stemmed from childhood. There has been other Hollywood feuds, but this feud is monumental and unique. Decades have come and gone and they still feel as if it happened yesterday.

They were the first sisters to win Oscars, and the first to be nominated for best actress in the same year. They were both very good at their art, and it seems to me, both competed against each other. In 1940 Joan was nominated for her role in Hitchcock’s “Rebecca.” The story goes that both wanted the part of the sweet and unworldly Mrs De Winter, but Joan got it. Joan lost in 1941 to Ginger Rogers. A sigh a relief for Olivia, but Joan grew more determined. Within a year, the sisters were in competition again. Joan was nominated for her role in Hitchcock’s “Suspicion,” her second role with Hitchcock. Olivia was nominated for her role in “Hold Back the Dawn.” Ginger Rogers presented the award that year, and Joan was the winner! Years later Joan said she froze as her name was called out, with her sister sitting next to her.

Joan wrote of that moment: Olivia said “Get up there,” & Joan burst into tears. All the resentments and jealousies of an uncomfortably shared childhood returned; “the hair-pulling, the savage wrestling matches, the time Olivia fractured my collar bone, all came rushing back in kaleidoscopic imagery. My paralysis was total … I felt age four, being confronted by my older sister. Damn it! I had incurred her wrath again.”

OK, so let’s just say we can pin point that what sealed the rivalry between the two sisters was “Rebecca.” That means that these two sisters have been pissed off with each other since Hitler invaded France. And if you take Joan’s account of when it all began (1920′s) they have been pissed since the Flapper cut her hair short and hemmed her dress! Here’s the kicker, in 1946 Olivia was nominated for her role in, “To Each His Own,” and Joan Crawford was supposed to present the award. Joan Crawford pulled out, and the Academy trying to make the two kiss and make up, had Fontaine present it to her sister.

You’d think, it was the moment of truth, love, and reconciliation. Not! Joan calls out her sister’s name, Olivia goes up to the podium, and the world watched as Olivia refused to shake Joan’s hand. Olivia won another Oscar in 1949 for her role in “The Heiress.” Love that movie!

Today these women are in their nineties. Olivia is the last surviving actor of “Gone with the Wind.” By-the-way, Olivia was nominated for her role as Melanie in “Gone..” but lost to Hattie McDaniel, the first black actress to be honored. I did hear say that although she lost to Hattie, she was happy that a black woman had been given the honor.

The saying, “truth is stranger than fiction,” comes to mind. In the movies all ends well, even with siblings that fight. But for these sisters, it’s too complicated, and nastier than the movies. Time is running out for both. I have to guess that these two will never reconcile.  Sisters can be close, others can be distant, or competitive. But even the ones that are distant and competitive cares for the other. I grew up with 5 sisters, I know the dynamics in the “sisterhood.” We know how to get on each others nerves, what buttons to push, and how to bring out the worst in the other. It’s in our genes. But to be as these two are, the wounds are wide and deep. And only a God encounter, or just plain humility will bring them back.

Charles Higham wrote a biography of the sisters and he assessed it like this: “Olivia never got used to the idea of a younger sister. She would, apparently, rip up her old clothes that Joan was supposed to wear as hand-me-downs, forcing her to stitch them back together. Joan is said to have resented what she saw as her mother’s favoritism for Olivia.” Now take that and mix it up with Hollywood’s “dog-eat-dog” world and you get two very angry 90-year-old women wallowing in bitterness and resentment for decades. Not a movie, it’s real life. Sad.

The year is 1896, and the world of the Victorians was one of all things genteel and moral. Well, at least, on the surface, for some. Around this time, Thomas Edison purchased the rights to a motion picture projector which C. Francis Jenkins and Thomas Armat had invented. The projector was later renamed the “Vitascope,” and on April 23, 1896 , it made its debut. The “Edison” Vitascope’s most popular film that year was the “May Irwin Kiss,” or “The Kiss.”

May Irwin was a 34-year-old Canadian actress, comedienne and singer. In 1895, May Irwin landed a starring role on Broadway in a musical comedy created for her by J.J. McNally, called “The Widow Jones.” The play had a “juicy” kissing scene, ok don’t laugh, remember it’s 1895. At the end of the play, May Irwin and her co-star, John C. Rice give each other a lingering kiss. The Victorians were scandalized when this scene was recreated for Edison’s camera the following year. They didn’t like it in the play, and they found it repulsive when this kiss was magnified on screen. One critic, Herbert Stone complained, “…..neither participant is physically attractive and the spectacle of their prolonged pasturing on each other’s lips was hard to beat when only life size. Magnified to gargantuan proportions and repeated three times over is absolutely disgusting!” Just like today, as it was then, give a movie a  little controversy, and the masses will flock to the theater to see it. “The May Irwin Kiss,” was the most popular film produced that year by Thomas Edison’s film company. This is how Edison’s catalog pushed the film, “They get ready to kiss, begin to kiss, and kiss and kiss and kiss in a way that brings down the house every time.”  Do you think Edison was playing devil’s advocate? (laugh riot).

The short film directed by William Heise for Thomas Edison was deemed “culturally significant” in 1999 by the US Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. The film was long thought of as the first film to be shown publicly, however, a competing company Lumiere Brothers Cinematograph had featured another film publicly a month before. We can however say, it is the first screen kiss in cinematic history.

So what ever happened to America’s first film actress? Not only was she an actress, & singer, but she was a shrewd investor. Her shrewd ways made her a very wealthy woman. And in addition to her singing and acting, she also wrote lyrics for her songs. She recorded some songs;many of these recordings exist today. In 1914 she appeared in a silent movie called, “Mrs. Black is Back.” Still photos of May Irwin in this movie still exist today. Irwin’s buxom figure was “in” at the time, and her charming ways didn’t hurt her climb to fame. She was one of America’s most beloved performers for 30 years. She died in 1938 at age 76. Not much is known about what became of her co-star John C. Rice.

Of course we all know, times have most certainly changed. There are some scenes on screen today that would make the Victorians turn in their graves. I thought the woman to look older than her years. The flirting & lingering kiss was “steamy” for the day. Although, by today’s standards, not sexy at all. The scene shocked the Victorian society to its core, but little did they know, it was only the beginning of all things anti-Victorian.

Lets just get this out of the way, 1973′s “Serpico” is the greatest cop drama ever made.  There, I said it.  It has nothing to do that with the fact that it is based on a true story, but more to do with its cohesion of all aspects of perfect film making.  A tight script wrought with tension, intrigue, betrayal, and redemption.  Grade A characters played by Grade A talent.  Last but not least, Sidney Lumet’s direction is unparalleled.  It is this strong combination that offers us one of the greatest cop dramas that has managed to influence some of today’s more memorable movies.

I would say Michael Mann’s Heat, Scorsese’s The Departed, and Mike Newel’s Donnie Brasco are probably the best examples of movies that employ similar styles and techniques found in Serpico some 25 to 30 years earlier.  This isn’t a bad thing, all of the aforementioned films are all great in their own way.  However, to say films like Serpico or Willam Friedken’s French Connection weren’t incredibly influential would be grounds to call you insane.  Oddly enough I chose two movies that also feature Al Pacino, who I feel put on arguably the greatest performance of his career in Serpico.

As far as Crime dramas go, Pacino is king.  This guy has been my hero for ages, but it wasn’t until I saw his powerful and emotional performance as undercover cop Frank Serpico, that I realized just how damn amazing he is.  There are scenes in this movie that moved me to the point that I felt Serpico’s frustration, anger, resentment, loss, and fear.   Pacino is one these really rare actors that completely immerses himself in his roles to the point of believability. You can only imagine what it’s like to be a guy like Frank Serpico, the man who essentially created undercover police work. Here is this cool bohemian crusader for justice who happens to stumble upon an enormous corruption ring, and will stop at nothing until justice has been served.  He is the most unlikely hero, which is what makes him so awesome.

Watching this movie, I can’t help but root for Serpico.  When everybody was on the take, Serpico stood up for what was right not many people do that.  Pacino played the character so well, creating this likable, enviable, and down to earth cool cat who was damn near impossible not to love.  You have to admire  a guy so determined to do the right thing that he will sacrafice entire relationships as long as justice is served.  This could be considered a huge character flaw, but for me I can see why he does what he does.  For Serpico it’s all about principle, and when people disregard these things he literally goes insane.

Pacino is a very emotional actor and is able to convey the heartbreak of destroying a relationship , the sweet release of beating the hell out of  a mafioso, and the pain of being alone.  I felt Lumet’s end game was to show us a character that could be both revered and pitied at the same time.  That’s what Serpico was, a bearded crusader.  The hero nobody considered and the man with the balls to do whatever it took.  So Al, wherever you are, I have your statue.  You are my hero.

You can follow Jon on Twitter!  twitter.com/sellinthedream

©Jon Ortiz 2010

Clara was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1905.  She was born to an unstable woman, and a drunken father. She didn’t have a chance. When she was born, her mother thought she was born dead, as the baby didn’t make a sound. Her grandmother spent several minutes shaking the baby until they realized she was alive. Clara’s childhood was miserable, her father was never gainfully employed, drank, and played the disappearing act, on and off. But of the two parents, Clara cherished her dad most. Her mother was a deeply disturbed woman who suffered from epilepsy and psychotic fits, reportedly due to a fall which injured her head. It was also reported that Clara’s mother was a prostitute and a small Clara was exposed to things, no child her age should be. Throughout her life, her parents made it perfectly clear that she was a mistake, and an unwanted child. In fact, they never even bothered to file a birth certificate as if to wish her away.

Growing up in Brooklyn’s poor area, and run down tenements was filled with trauma, abuse, and poverty. She was teased by the girls about her “plain,” “unattractive” looks, and her carrot top hair. She resorted to being a tomboy, playing all the “boy” games and being “one of the boys.” To escape her miserable existence, she’d go to the movies. She’d do whatever she needed to do to scrape the money to go to the movies. She loved stars like Wallace Reid and Mary Pickford, and she wanted to be like them. She wanted it so bad, she could taste it. Anything was better than what she was living. The screen would be her protection from the world.

During this time many young women submitted photos of themselves to the Motion Picture Magazine. Each year the magazine would have a contest, designed to discover new actors. It was much like “American Idol” is today. Almost every star-struck girl in America dreamed of winning this contest and of being transported to the magical land of Hollywood. Clara borrowed the money from her father and submitted her photo in 1921 and she won.

Her first break was in a movie titled, “Beyond the Rainbow.” (1922) which disappointed her because her sequences were cut. In fact , one review of the movie in “Variety,” didn’t even mention Bow as one of the “beauties.” But Clara kept at it and eventually got a small role in “Down to the Sea in Ships (1922) which paid her $50 bucks a week, “more money than I knew there was in the world,” Bow said in a Photoplay article. Although she had done, “Beyond the Rainbow,” this film was her first on screen appearance. Clara’s professional life was at an up swing, but her home life was falling apart. Her mother’s mental state got worse, and she didn’t like that her daughter was now an actress. Her mother would rather see her dead, and she attempted to kill Clara. Clara escaped, and her mother was institutionalized. Her mother died shortly after her admission.

Although the death of her mother haunted Clara, she managed to garner strength and determination to pursue her acting career. She landed a few more small roles in 1923, and bigger roles in 1924, eventually gaining more recognition and popularity due to her wild and vivacious personality. Her real breakthrough came in 1925, when she appeared in “The Plastic Age.” In this movie she played the “easy” girl at an ivy-league college. The studio promoted Clara as “the hottest jazz baby in films.” But when 1927 rolled around she got a role in a movie titled, “It.” Clara is forever immortalized as the “it” girl. Thus she is known as the quintessential “flapper.” The girl of the jazz age. The “it” girl  represented, unrestrained sexuality, vivacious personality, and an exuberant love of life. This movie makes Clara the biggest star in Hollywood.

Hollywood life was good, but again, her personal life was falling apart. Her emotional state became fragile much to the concern of her producers and directors. They coined her, “Crisis-a-day Clara.” The media  had a field day with Clara, complicating her professional life. Stories of her many love affairs, orgies, etc, were front page news. Hollywood began to see her as a “disgrace,” and “lowlife.” But despite this, Clara continued on the road to fame. She was granted a more serious role in Academy Award winning, “Wings,” in 1927, unfortunately, this would turn out to be her last great picture. Then came the talkies and Clara worried she wouldn’t be good. She made only a few talkies, and many think her Brooklyn accent was the problem. I’ve heard her, and I still don’t understand what the fuss was about.

The pressures of Hollywood got the best of Clara and she decided to leave it for good in 1933. It became clear to her that her career ended when the Jazz age ended. She settled down and married actor Rex Bell and had two children. They lived in a remote ranch in Nevada, but even this didn’t keep the scandals from coming. In 1949 her mental state continued to decline and she was diagnosed with Schizophrenia. She never appeared in the limelight again. She died at age 60, alone, in her home in Los Angeles on September 27, 1965. And although, we see her laughing and dancing on the screen today, remember what she once said, “ All the time the flapper is laughin’ and dancin’, there’s a feelin’of tragedy underneath..”

328 Chancey Street Today

Jackie Gleason patterned the Kramden apartment after the one he lived in with his mom at 328 Chauncey street. The building, like in the series, Gleason said, “… was dull. The bulbs weren’t very bright. The surroundings were very bare.”  If you asked anyone who knew Jackie, about him, they’d all say the same, he was “hilarious and had a heart as big as a house.” He was known to be generous, giving, and helpful, but his greatest gift was laughter. And if you are a fan, you know exactly what I mean. His true self came out in the character of Ralph Kramden, and he even said that. Ralph, although big, loud, and imposing, had a soft spot. The soft spot totally overpowered anything negative about Ralph. And maybe that’s why Ralph’s character was Gleason’s most loved one. He said of the character, “The poor soul hasn’t got a hell of a lot of ability. But he keeps trying. He gets schemes to make he and Alice happy. He fails. When he fails he feels a great deal of affection toward her and she knows why he did it. And he apologizes all the time. He’s just an ordinary guy who is trying to make it and can’t do it.”

One of these days, Alice!

For a guy who made everyone laugh, he had a hard life, and offers valuable lessons we can learn from. Growing up in Brooklyn’s Bushwick area, I’m sure, was no paradise. He lost his older brother when he was 3, his father skipped town when he was nine, and he was raised by an overprotective mother. The loss of his father haunted him the rest of his days, and often he wondered if his dad was part of the audience which watched him. He once said: “I would always wonder whether the old man was somewhere out there in the audience, perhaps a few seats away. I guess I always kind of expected him to appear backstage suddenly, saying ‘Hi, I’m your old man.’ Then one day, I realized that wherever he was, it would be easy for him to contact me–if he really wanted to.” He adored his mom, but because she was afraid to lose him, she overly protected him. He wasn’t allowed to go out and play with the kids. He didn’t even start school until he turned 8. He once said, that he got the “poor soul” look from the days he’d pressed his face against the window watching the kids play outside.

"Do the Hucklebuck..."

Eventually his mom loosened up a bit and at the age of 12 Gleason landed a job racking up balls for a local pool hall. And we know how he used this experience in movies like, his Oscar nominated role in “The Hustler” (1961) & The Sting II (1982). I have you know that most actors will use stunt doubles for pool playing shots, but Gleason did not. So, how did he enter show business? In a 60 Minute interview he said, “I was in a grammar school graduation play and I got a laugh. That laugh was the greatest thing that happened to me. And if you can go out in front of an audience and do things that make them happy and make them laugh, there’s no greater thrill. The instant critique of laughter and when you achieve it—it’s wonderful.” What a guy, huh? At 19, his mom died, and Gleason had 32 cents to his name. He said, “I knew no fear. I was stupid, brash, arrogant and broke.” I think we can all say the same for ourselves when were 19! He took the subway to Times Square and the angels of fame kissed his brow.

Not all in Gleason’s life was “peachy cream.” We all know he had alcohol issues, but he denied ever drinking on the set. His appetite for food is said to have been due to childhood deprivation. He married three times, and by-the-way, his grandson is actor, and hottie, Jason Patic. His third time at marriage with Marilyn Taylor is said to have been his happiest. Marilyn and he married in 1972 and she was by his side when he died in 1987.

We can say that Gleason modeled a lot of his well known characters after himself. Reginald Van Gleason, big drinker and extravagant spender that Gleason was known to be and Ralph Kramden the hustler always trying to make the big time. But it’s all good because it seems to me, that Gleason fulfilled his mission on earth, he made us all laugh. Thank you Jackie, Ralph, and Reginald! “Baby you’re the greatest!”

“The Goddess” used this type of acting and it brought to life the story of a woman, Emily Ann Faulkner, caught up in being a celebrity, hooked on drugs, and alcohol, and lastly mental break-down. Kim Stanley plays the main character and perfectly so, since her portrayal paralleled her own life. The story by Paddy Chayefshy, is broken up in three parts, and each introduced by its own title, “Portrait of Young Girl,” “Portrait of a Young Woman,” & “Portrait of a Goddess” Emily Ann Faulkner is nine years old in the first act, played by Patty Duke. It’s the 1930′s and Emily’s mom (Betty Lou Holland) is a young single mom from the south. She is determined to enjoy her youth despite her daughter, and decides to abandon her. In one of the movie’s most disturbing scenes, Emily overhears her mom call her, “nothing but an unwelcome burden.” Words which cut straight through Emily’s heart and soul and scar her for life.

In the second act, Emily is now a teenager, but very much like her mother, a foolish woman. Emily had earned the reputation of being a loose woman. She sleeps around because it’s what makes her feel popular and wanted. She marries a young man (Steven Hill) she thinks is her ticket to Hollywood. It turns out he’s worst off than she, mentally speaking. They have a child, and the marriage falls apart. But Emily has dreams, dreams of becoming a star in Hollywood, and no baby was going to stop her from living her life. She, like her mother, abandons her daughter, and divorces her husband and heads out to Hollywood.

In the third act, Emily achieves her dreams of stardom, changing her name to Rita Shawn. She learns the dirty and sleazy ways of Hollywood and plays the game. She marries a celebrity (Lloyd Bridges), and after another very dysfunctional relationship with him, she files for divorce. As she climbs up the latter of fame and fortune, she realizes the emptiness of this type of lifestyle. She becomes an alcoholic, and gets hooked on prescription drugs. Although she is famous, she is lonely, and has no real friends. She eventually has a mental breakdown and it is her mother who helps her recuperate. But that recuperation only last for a while, and Rita relapses.

The end of the story is open to interpretation, but you get the feeling she will forge ahead, although on drugs and alcohol. A functioning alcoholic and drug-addict movie star. Very typical then as it is now. You can’t help feeling sad for the innocence Emily has lost and will never regain. The movie is solemn, but exposes Hollywood for what it is, a place where values mean nothing, and celebrity means everything; a place where those most victimized are the very ones least able to cope with it. A place of lights, camera, action, and dreadful loneliness.

By Jon Ortiz

Forgive me.  There will be no steamy Penthouse letter experience here, despite the horribly misleading title, this will bore you.  Remember the 1981 cult classic Clash of Titans ? The fantasy flick based on the myth of Perseus?  I mean, why wouldn’t you? You have a veritable who’s who of the greats of yesteryear, such magnificent thespians as Laurence Olivier, Maggie Smith, Ursala Andress, and uh Harry Hamlin.  Not teeming with excitement?  Well perhaps the films tag line “You will feel the power. Live the adventure. Experience the fantastic.” is enough to compel you to cram another needless addition to your cluttered Netflix queue.  This, my dear friends, is essential viewing.

In the early 80′s it was all about the death of Disco, birth of Heavy Metal, and Korg keyboards.  The sex, drugs, rock and roll mantra reigned supreme, and the films of the era oozed just that. Scarface , Fast Times at Ridgemont High
, and Valley Girl spring to mind.  Suddenly I want to swear profusely, smoke copious amounts of pot, and be a part of an absurd coming of age story.  This is when films were starting to break out of their shell, and began to reflect the excessive culture the 80′s brought with it.  Sign me up.  Fantasy was an unfairly derided sub-genre at the time (Until Conan the Barbarian and Arnold flipped the script in 1982, the year my ass entered this wonderful world), seeing as most of them were not very marketable.  Not like now, when everyone is spitting out a fantasy flick a week, most of which are horrendously bad.  Can you blame them? We just gobble this shit up, you have emo vampires, teenage wizards, and the shameless raping of every animated series I held dear in my childhood .

What happens next?  Desmond Davis ripped the film world apart with Clash of The Titans is what happened.  Probably the biggest feature film of his career, Davis was a TV luminary , and totally old school. MGM took the gamble, and Davis changed my life.  He showed that fantasy could be just as gritty as Tony Montana and a mountain of cocaine.  Nudity? Check. Decapitations? Check. Flying horses? Check.  It wasn’t afraid to be bold and fantastical at the same time.  This movie terrified me as a child ,thanks to Ray Harryhausen’s exceptional stop motion visual effects, and mesmerized me as an adult.  It’s everything you want in a fantasy flick: Hero has to come to the rescue of a city, get the girl, lose the girl, rescue the girl, and slay the enormous leviathan.  Are you kidding me?  This is the stuff of legends.  Let’s not even get started on the cast here. Laurence Olivier plays Zeus, and that’s exactly how I imagined him, a man so dignified he needs a throne.  Ursula Andress, gorgeous as ever, plays Aphrodite as only she could.  I detest cliches, but they just don’t make them like this anymore.

Today it’s all over-stylized CG nonsense, terrible casting choices, and sloppy directing.  My God, what happened to the charm, passion, the pizazz, blood, sweat, and tears of good fantasy? There are few this side of Jim Cameron and Peter Jackson who can claim they have retained the best of old, and fused it with best of the new. If I sound jaded, it’s because I am.  It’s okay, I’ll go to sleep, wake up, and wonder ‘What was I talking about?’ Clash of Titans was the last of its kind, a relic of old never to be forgotten once we “Experienced the fantastic.”  There has to be a foundation, and I believe Desmond Davis built it.  Desmond if you’re reading this, I would like to share a drink with you, shake your hand, and simply say thank you for providing us with such a rare classic.  They just don’t make them like this any more.