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The 1980s was a seminal period in the development of what we now define as the action movie. This was the decade that cemented the statuses of both Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger as the muscle-bound box office behemoths eating the competition for breakfast. Having emerged off the back of critically acclaimed efforts like Rocky and The Terminator, the years that followed saw the pair hone their greased-up on-screen personas to fine effect.

It wasn’t all about the muscles though. The 1980s also ushered in the era of the everyman action star with Bruce Willis in Die Hard and Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop opting for brains over brawn and reaping the benefits in multiplexes far and wide as a result. While Hollywood basked in the glory of a new generation of leading men, in the Far East, Jackie Chan was taking action movie physicality to a whole...

This episode of Revisited was Written by Cody Hamman, Narrated by Travis Hopson, Edited by Juan Jimenez, Produced by Adam Walton and Chris Bumbray, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

Intro: The eyes of the ranger are upon you… and while his name isn’t Walker, he is played by Chuck Norris. Ten years before he started playing a Texas Ranger on TV, Norris brought another Ranger to life in a feature film. His name was J.J. McQuade, and this martial arts practicing lawman brings down an international gun smuggler in an action-packed adventure released in 1983. Lone Wolf McQuade (watch it Here) is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year – so it’s time for it to be Revisited.

Set-up: Writer B.J. Nelson was inspired to write Lone Wolf McQuade after hearing about the life of a real-life Texas Ranger. A man who also had the nickname “Lone Wolf”: Manuel T.

Banshee co-creator and Warrior creator Jonathan Tropper discusses Bruce Lee and some of his favorite action movies with podcast hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante!

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

The Devils (1971)

Star Wars (1977)

The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Return of the Jedi (1983)

Gremlins (1984)

Innerspace (1987)

The Adam Project (Tbd)

A History of Violence (2005)

Rocky (1976)

Rocky II (1979)

Rocky III (1982)

Rocky IV (1985)

Jerry Maguire (1996)

Terms of Endearment (1983)

Blue Thunder (1983)

Lone Wolf McQuade (1983)

Missing In Action (1984)

Missing In Action 2: The Beginning (1985)

Enter The Ninja (1981)

Revenge Of The Ninja (1983)

Ninja 3: The Domination (1984)

American Ninja (1985)

Masters of the Universe (1987)

I Come In Peace a.k.a. Dark Angel (1990)

Showdown In Little Tokyo (1991)

Men of War (1994)

Enter The Dragon (1973)

Way of the Dragon a.k.a. Return of the Dragon (1972)

The Big Boss (1971)

Braveheart (1995)

First Blood (1982)

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)

Conan The Barbarian (1982)

Commando (1985)

The Terminator (1984)

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Highlander (1986)

Bloodsport...

Steve Carver, a director of action films whose portfolio included An Eye for an Eye and Lone Wolf McQuade, both starring Chuck Norris, and Big Bad Mama, starring Angie Dickinson, has died. He was 75.

Carver died Friday of a heart attack in Los Angeles, writer-producer Rob Word told The Hollywood Reporter.

Carver’s first feature was Pam Grier’s The Arena (1974), a gladiator movie set in ancient Rome that marked his initial collaboration with producer Roger Corman, and he also guided Ben Gazzara in Capone (1975), Warren Oates and Ken Norton in Drum (1976) and Lee Majors in Steel (1979).

Carver’s first love was photography,...

Steve Carver, a director of action films whose portfolio included An Eye for an Eye and Lone Wolf McQuade, both starring Chuck Norris, and Big Bad Mama, starring Angie Dickinson, has died. He was 75.

Carver died Friday of a heart attack in Los Angeles, writer-producer Rob Word told The Hollywood Reporter.

Carver’s first feature was Pam Grier’s The Arena (1974), a gladiator movie set in ancient Rome that marked his initial collaboration with producer Roger Corman, and he also guided Ben Gazzara in Capone (1975), Warren Oates and Ken Norton in Drum (1976) and Lee Majors in Steel (1979).

Carver’s first love was photography,...

Al Capone is America’s best known gangster and the single greatest symbol of the collapse of law and order in the United States during the 1920s Prohibition era. Capone had a leading role in the illegal activities that lent Chicago its reputation as a lawless city and an interesting variety of Hollywood stars have had the leading role as Al Capone in the many films that have been made that featured him as a character.

The first film about Capone was produced when he was still making headlines. The main character may be named Antonio Camonte, but there’s little doubt as to who producer Howard Hughes had in mind when he and director Howard Hawks filmed Scarface during the Great Depression. Camonte shares more than the same initials with one Al Capone, who was about to begin his eleven-year sentence for tax evasion when the movie was released...

Director and documentarian Mark Hartley scores both a film history and comedy success with this ‘wild, untold’ account of the 1980s film studio that was both revered and despised by everyone who had contact with it. The ‘cast list’ of interviewees is encyclopedic, everybody has a strong opinion, and some of them don’t need four-letter words to describe their experience!

Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films

On a double bill with

Machete Maidens Unleashed!

Blu-ray

Umbrella Entertainment (Au, all-region

2014 / Color / 1:77 widescreen / 106 min. / Street Date April 4, 2017 / Available from Umbrella Entertainment / 34.99

Starring: Menahem Golan, Yoram Globus, Al Ruban, Alain Jakubowicz, Albert Pyun, Alex Winter, Allen DeBevoise, Avi Lerner, Barbet Schroeder, Bo Derek, Boaz Davidson, Cassandra Peterson, Catherine Mary Stewart, Charles Matthau, Christopher C. Dewey, Christopher Pearce, Cynthia Hargrave, Dan Wolman, Daniel Loewenthal, David Del Valle, David Paulsen, David Sheehan, David Womark, Diane Franklin, Dolph Lundgren, Edward R. Pressman,...

Join us for some old-school 16mm Movie Madness! – It’s our monthly 16Mm Double Feature Night at The Way Out Club (2525 Jefferson Avenue in St. Louis) ! Join We Are Movie Geeks‘ Tom Stockman and Roger from “Roger’s Reels’ for a double feature of two complete films projected on 16mm film. The show is Tuesday June 7th and starts at 8pm. Admission is Free though we will be setting out a jar to take donations for theNational Children’s Cancer Society.

First up is Young Frankenstein

Mel Brooks hit all nails right on the head in his black & white classic from 1974. Taking its themes from the Mary Shelley novel and providing some spot-on homage/parody to the James Whale classic Bride Of Frankenstein (and plenty of references to Son Of Frankenstein as well), Young Frankenstein is a breathless laugh and a half. In a weak comedy, you have the entire...

Mandingo, a 1975 movie based on the best-selling period potboiler by Kyle Onstott about sexual shenanigans between masters and slaves on the Falconhurst slave-breeding plantation, was savaged by critics who saw it as nothing but degrading, big-budget exploitation. Roger Ebert called it “racist trash”, a “piece of manure”, and “excruciating to sit through”. Mandingo certainly had it all; brutal violence, interracial sex, rape, infanticide, lynchings, and abundant nudity including full-frontal shots of it’s male star, boxer Ken Norton. But of course it was a huge hit and inspired a brief run of “slaverysploitation” films such as Passion Plantation (1975 aka Black Emmanuelle, White Emmanuelle ) and the cleverly titled Mandiga (1976). Mandingo was overwrought melodrama to be sure, but it’s a model of subtlety compared to its official sequel, the more lascivious Drum, a mean-spirited trash epic from 1976 that would never fly in today’s politically correct climate. Despite its spaghetti western trappings,...

Feature Ryan Lambie 17 Apr 2014 - 06:28

What do the film characters of Schwarzenegger, Van Damme, Stallone, Norris et al get up to in the non-action bit of an action movie? Er...

Nb: This article contains certain words and images which may be considered unsafe for work.

When asked what he did between acting jobs, Robert Duvall once said, "Hobbies, hobbies and more hobbies." This is fair enough because, to quote James Bond, "everybody needs a hobby." Bond himself has all kinds of things to do in his spare time: playing Baccarat and Poker, talking to exotic ladies and drinking Martinis. For all we know, Bond might also be into origami and bell ringing.

The question is, what do other action heroes get up to when they're not shooting bad guys, blowing up trucks or rescuing their daughters from Val Verde? In most movies, we never find out. But in very,...

Article by Dan Clark (MovieRevolt)

Welcome to another installment of Streaming for Your Pleasure where I highlight films that are currently streaming on Netflix. In this installment I am focusing on action movies. I don’t know about you but sometimes when the proper mood strikes I fiend for some not stop action thrills. In order to make your lives easier I picked out some films that are worth your viewing pleasure. To keep things exciting I choose a variety of films. Some are recent hits while others are classics in the genre. Certain choices are rather obvious and I’m sure you’ve seen them countless times before, but there are a few hidden gems as well. Whatever your cup of tea might be there’s a film here that you will find worthy of adding to your Netflix queue.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

Directed By: Brad Bird

Written By: Josh Appelbaum,...

Director: Steve Carver; Cirio H. Santiago

Screenplay: John William Corrington and Joyce Hooper Corrington; Miller Drake; Howard R. Cohen

Starring: Pam Greir, Margaret Markov, Pat Anderson, Lenore Kasdorf, Lyllah Torena, Ken Metcalfe, Vic Diaz, Lindsay Bloom and Tara Strohmeier; with appearances by Dick Miller and Mary Woronov

To misquote Jack Nicholson, Roger Corman released so many movies, it's no surprise some real stinkers got into theaters. And the recent Shout! Factory Roger Corman Cult Classics release, Lethal Ladies 2 Collection, is intent on proving that statement. The two-dvd set includes a single-disc presentation of The Arena, and a second disc with the double feature of Fly Me and Cover Girl Models.

The best film in the collection, 1974's The Arena (aka Naked Warriors), is little more than a retelling of Spartacus with women as gladiators. Corman decided it was the perfect vehicle for Pam Grier and Margaret Markov, following their successful...

DVD Release Date: May 15, 2012

Price: DVD $27.95

Studio: First Run Features

...and the neighborhood comes tumbling down in The Pruitt–Igoe Myth.

The 2011 documentary film The Pruitt–Igoe Myth examines the facts and fiction surrounding the well-known urban housing project built in St. Louis, Missouri in the mid-1950s.

When it was first conceived, Pruitt-Igoe was considered to be a housing marvel. Built in 1956, it was heralded as the model public housing project of the future, “the poor man’s penthouse.” As the years passed, the complex became internationally infamous for its problems, which included widespread crime, segregation and poverty. Two decades after it was constructed, Pruitt-Igoe ended in rubble – its razing an iconic event that the architectural theorist Charles Jencks famously called “the death of modernism.” The footage and images of its implosion have helped to perpetuate a myth its failure, a failure that has been used to critique Modernist architecture,...

Audrey Hepburn, Ben Gazzara, They All Laughed Ben Gazzara Dead Pt.1: Anatomy Of A Murder, Husbands, An Early Frost Long before An Early Frost, Ben Gazzara had already appeared in two (however veiled) gay-themed productions. On Broadway, he was the virile ex-football player pining for his "best friend" while ignoring wife Barbara Bel Geddes in the 1955 original staging of Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. (Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor played those two roles in the bowdlerized 1958 movie version directed by Richard Brooks.) And in 1957, Gazzara made his film debut as a sexually troubled military man who gets off by viciously abusing (or watching others viciously abuse) his fellow cadets in Jack Garfein's The Strange One. Among Gazzara's other 75 or so feature films — many of which were made in Italy — are Steve Carver's Capone (1975), in the title role; Stuart Rosenberg's Voyage of the Damned...

Shout! Factory will be releasing Roger Corman’s Lethal Ladies Collection 2 next week, and we have multiple DVD copies to give away and multiple ways to win. For your best chance to win, you’ll need to follow us on Twitter and re-tweet select posts:

1. Make sure that you are following @dailydeadnews on Twitter.

2. To enter the contest, simply re-Tweet this contest post: http://twitter.com/#!/DailyDeadNews/status/160809182298247168

3. Be on the lookout for additional chances to re-Tweet and win throughout the weekend.

You can also win by submitting an email entry. Simply email us at contact@dailydead.com with the following information:

- Subject Line: “Lethal Ladies Contest”

- Name

- Mailing Address

Winners will be notified on January 24rd over Twitter direct message or email, depending on the entry type.

DVD Information:

Lethal Ladies Collection, Vol. 2 - Own This 2-dvd Set On January 24, 2012 From Shout! Factory

Synopsis:

[The Arena] Kidnapped by Roman soldiers,...

Shout! Factory continue doing the Lord's work with their upcoming second Lethal Ladies Collection release. This time around, we take a look at two films from Lethal Ladies Vol. 1 veteran, Cirio Santiago, and the ever popular The Arena by Steve Carver.  Shout! has done a marvelous job revisiting these titles and giving them the attention they deserve. This two-disc set is no exception.  Each film is 80 minutes or less and there is no fat in sight, all killer, no filler, literally. I can easily recommend this set, read on to learn why...Kidnapped by Roman soldiers, four beautiful women must battle for their lives in The Arena . . . while attempting to beat the Romans at their own game. Starring Pam Grier and...

The St. Louis Globe-Democrat is a monthly newspaper run by Steve DeBellis, a well know St. Louis historian, and it.s the largest one-man newspaper in the world. The concept of The Globe is that there is an old historic headline, then all the articles in that issue are written as though it.s the year that the headline is from. It.s an unusual concept but the paper is now in its 25th successful year! Steve and I collaborated last Spring on an all-Vincent Price issue of The Globe and I.ve been writing a regular monthly movie-related column since. Since there is no on-line version of The Globe, I post all of my articles here at We Are Movie Geeks. This month’s edition of The Globe takes place in 1947. The headline on the cover will scream “Al Capone Dead!” and there will be several articles about the famous gangster.

Second episode into the season and the angsty high of the premier has worn off. It's back to work, as usual, but with a change or two. Only time will tell if these changes help or hurt the show. There's a paddleboard race from Molokai to O'ahu taking place, and 15 yr old Jen Hassley (Hayley Chase) is in the lead. She wins, unsurprisingly, gets hugs and kisses from the parentals, then disappears. Mom sees her being spirited away from the grounds in a red car. Meanwhile, downtown, Steve (Alex O'loughlin) has been called to the principal's office. Again. He bides his time reading "Women's Day" magazine – perhaps Smooth Dog is taking notes – when he realizes this meeting won't be just him and the new Gov. Leggy and lovely Homeland Security agent Lori Weston (Lauren German) catches his eye, literally (thanks for that anvil, show) and they make googoo eyes at...

Netflix has revolutionized the home viewing market for movies with their instant streaming service. Netflix Nuggets is my way of spreading the word about films of all genres worth holding a spot on your instant viewing queue. (Release dates are subject to change.)

007 Heaven…

Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

Streaming Available: 09/01/2011

Synopsis: When he discovers that his evil nemesis, Blofeld (Charles Gray), is stockpiling the world’s supply of diamonds to use in a deadly laser satellite, secret agent James Bond (Sean Connery) sets out to stop the madman, with the help of beautiful smuggler Tiffany Case (Jill St. John). Connery’s final turn as Bond (until 1983′s unofficial outing, Never Say Never Again) boasts the gadgets, gunplay and girls that symbolize the heyday of the 007 series.

Average Netflix Rating: 3.8

For Your Eyes Only (1981)

Streaming Available: 09/01/2011

Synopsis: In the 12th film in the series based on Ian Fleming’s short stories, British...

“You spend all your time hitting people?”

“I take Sundays off.”

Al Capone is a man who has been depicted or based on the man in films multiple times over the years. Roger Corman definitely saw the potential in making a period piece film and funded a Capone biographical picture. But only the way Corman knows best, which is to add some nudity, have some foul language and throw in a heaping pile of the red stuff throughout, giving this crime film an exploitation era feel that gives it a certain charm.

Al Capone is a two-bit hoodlum in New York City in 1901 when he makes a name for himself by beating up some cops, while trying to help some other criminals who were working for Frankie Yale (John Cassavettes). He doesn’t mention any names while in police custody, which gives him a one way ticket to Yale and...

"The Resident" (2011)

Directed by Antti Jokinen

Released by Image Entertainment

This actually isn't the first time Hilary Swank has seen one of her films go direct to DVD after the films "Red Dust" and "Birds of America" suffered the same fate, but surely there was more riding on this horror film from the resurgent Hammer Films about a recently separated doctor who learns her Brooklyn loft isn't quite as wonderful as she thought it would be. "Secretary" screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson co-wrote this film, which co-stars Christopher Lee, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Lee Pace.

"The Mikado" (1939)

Directed by Victor Schertzinger

Released by Criterion Collection

"Topsy-Turvy" (1999)

Directed by Mike Leigh

Released by Criterion Collection

Sold separately, Criterion is making no secret of trying to appeal to Gilbert and Sullivan fanatics with special editions of "The Mikado," a straight-up adaptation of the musical duo's most famous opera, and Mike Leigh's "Topsy-Turvy,...

Encino - One of the joys of life is not in the getting, but the ability to give. For the longest time I thought that sentiment was bullshit. It sounded more like the excuse of plague carrier. How can giving a trophy be better than receiving it? I found myself overblissed while handing hardware to a certain star.

In case you tuned in late to the Icon Celebration special on the Dumont network, that was me on the podium announcing that 2011’s Spirit of Bob Crane Award winner was Charlie Sheen. Tears of joy were shed on the trophy that’s a bronzed Sony Portable camera from ‘77. Who knew Charlie was capable of emotion - especially anyone who bought the DVD of Navy Seals.

Charlie continues the legacy of the late great of Bob Crane. Both starred in completely absurd sitcoms. Crane played Col. Hogan on Hogan’s Heroes. We...

Gotta love Shout! Factory, especially if you’re a Roger Corman fan (but their other stuff is great, too). The studio is releasing Roger Corman’s Cult Classics: Jackson County Jail/Caged Heat! – Double-Feature Collector’s Edition for DVD only release on March 22nd, 2011. The disc will include new transfers, Leonard Maltin interview with Corman, commentaries on both with directors (Miller and Demme), and trailers.

Also, Roger Corman-produced Capone for DVD only release on March 29th as well, which will include commentary by director Steve Carver and trailers.

More on these discs soon!

Source: TheDigitalBits...

With one world, one European and five UK premieres, the UK’s biggest horror fantasy festival returns to its second home at the Glasgow Film Festival for the 6th year with their darkest, deranged and daring line-up ever.

Expect the totally unexpected with this eclectic programme featuring a trilogy of sexual terror, uncut Korean serial killers, psychotic tyres, Polish demons, maniacal matriarchs, crazed war veterans and a terrific schlock doc.

With guest directors and filmmakers from all over world (to be announced soon), surprises on screen and off, and our unique community feeling, FrightFest at the Gff has now become a must-attend occasion on the horror fantasy fan’s calendar.

The full line-up

Fri 25

6.30pm. Little Deaths (World Premiere)

One killer anthology from the UK’s most promising horror filmmakers, Andrew Parkinson (I, Zombie), Simon Rumley (Red, White & Blue), and Sean Hogan (Isle Of Dogs), composed of three disturbingly sensual...

FilmShaft loves FrightFest. The awesome people behind the best horror festival in the whole wide world have announced their Glasgow line-up, so prepare for a scare!

Also there’s the European premiere of Hobo With A Shotgun to look forward to and get excited about.

Below is the full press release and line-up:

“Expect the totally unexpected with this eclectic programme featuring a trilogy of sexual terror, uncut Korean serial killers, psychotic tyres, Polish demons, maniacal matriarchs, crazed war veterans and a terrific schlock doc. With guest directors and filmmakers from all over world (to be announced soon), surprises on screen and off, and our unique community feeling, FrightFest at the Gff has now become a must-attend occasion on the horror fantasy fan’s calendar.”

Fri 25

6.30pm. Little Deaths (World Premiere)

One killer anthology from the UK’s most promising horror filmmakers, Andrew Parkinson (I, Zombie), Simon Rumley (Red, White...

With one world, one European and five UK premieres, FrightFest returns to its second home at the Glasgow Film Festival for the 6th year with their darkest, deranged and daring line-up ever.

Expect the totally unexpected with this eclectic programme featuring a trilogy of sexual terror, uncut Korean serial killers, psychotic tyres, Polish demons, maniacal matriarchs, crazed war veterans and a terrific schlock doc; and much like it’s southern couterpart FrightFest at the Gff has now become a must-attend occasion on the horror fantasy fan’s calendar. The full line-up:

Friday 25th February

6.30pm. Little Deaths (World Premiere)

One killer anthology from the UK’s most promising horror filmmakers, Andrew Parkinson (I, Zombie), Simon Rumley (Red, White & Blue), and Sean Hogan (Isle Of Dogs), composed of three disturbingly sensual and terrifying tales unified by the twin themes of sex and death. In Sean Hogan’s ‘House and Home’, a...

The Flicks:

Big Bad Mama (1974): Angie Dickinson stars as Wilma McClatchie in this Bonnie & Clyde style shoot ‘em up set in Texas in 1932. After breaking up her young daughter’s wedding and finding out that bootlegging is harder than it seems, Wilma takes her two teenage daughters on the road and decides that they deserve a better life. After a chance encounter with a bank robber (a likeable Tom Skerritt), Wilma decides that ripping off banks is her ticket to the big time. With the help of a suave gambler (William Shatner, appropriately hammy) the gang sets out for bigger and bigger scores; including banks, an oil field robbery and even kidnapping a wealthy heiress. All while staying just one step ahead of the authorities.

This is a very solid Depression era road movie. It has everything you’d expect from a 70’s cult classic: car chases, shootouts, blood and bare breasts galore.

Once in a while a film gets released in theaters that’s so big other movies go out of their way to avoid coming out on the same weekend. The same thing happens on Tuesday’s with DVD releases where you’ll notice one major title alongside several films you’ve probably never heard of before. This week that major title is… Scouts Honor: Badge To the Bone. Other titles out this week include Christopher Nolan’s conversation starter Inception, Shrek Forever After, two Roger Corman releases about memorable ladies with guns, a renamed Reykjavik Whale Watching Massacre, and more. Click on any of the titles below to magically head over to Amazon.com and pick up the DVD. And don’t forget to check out Neil Miller’s almost legitimately titled This Week In Blu-ray for reviews on the latest high definition Blu-ray releases! Big Bad Mama/Big Bad Mama II (Roger Corman’s Cult Classics...

Vol.3: Big Bad Mama

Stars: Angie Dickinson, Tom Skeritt, William Shatner, Susan Sennett, Robbie Lee | Written by William W. Norton & Frances Doel | Directed by Steve Carver | Produced by Roger Corman

Directed by Steve Carver (Lone Wolf McQuade, An Eye For An Eye), Big Bad Mama stars Angie Dickinson as Wilma, a gangster’s moll who takes control of her boyfriend’s bootlegging business following his death and becomes involved in a rollercoaster crime spree. Assisting her are two ne’er-do-wells in the form of bank robber Fred Diller (Skerritt) and conman William J. Baxter (Shatner), as well as her uncontrollable but comely daughters, Billy Jean (Sennett) and Polly (Lee).

A strange mix of exploitation movie and female empowerment flick, Big Bad Mama is a fast-paced action packed comedy that walks a fine line between over-the-top acting and plot, and a poignant tale of family love and loyalty. Mixing an abundance of nudity,...