So yeah, life massively got in the way of this project. Instead, I’ve turned this into a ranked list of every Corman production/directing credit I’ve watched to date. #Filmsky

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It’s watchable enough, but hobbled by woefully cheap-looking props and a distractingly obvious wig on lead David Birney. Alexis Kanner’s feverish performance makes the whole thing worthwhile. #Filmsky

NIGHTFALL (1988) is an odd clash of sensibilities. Paul Mayersberg - writer of THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH and CROUPIER - tackles Isaac Asimov’s short story with tangible ambition, but it runs smack into the standard Concorde budget and runtime constraints. #Filmsky

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Life really got in the way the past couple of weeks (hello Covid!), so this won’t be a film-a-day thing. I’ll still post about each Corman joint I watch this month. #Filmsky

I’m also on the hunt for WELCOME TO OBLIVION (1990), the original cut of what became the notorious frankenfilm ULTRA WARRIOR. I know Concorde released screeners of that cut to the media, so if anyone can point me in the direction of that version, I’ll be your pal for life. #Filmsky

Despite the ick factor of the family dynamics, the end product is perfectly watchable. Hackman is at his most charismatic, and it’s amusing to see Kevin Dobson of Knots Landing being a coarse lout as Barb’s husband. #Filmsky

Streisand’s $4mil fee, Eichorn’s $250k payout and a commensurate fee hike for Hackman caused the budget to balloon to nearly five times its original price tag. The added star power of Streisand did not pay off at the box office. #Filmsky

This started as a modest production with Lisa Eichhorn in the female lead, only for Streisand’s manager Sue Mengers (wife of this film’s director, Jean Claude Tramont) to successfully push for her client to replace Eichhorn well into the shoot. #Filmsky

Oh and her character is the married f-buddy - and erm, fourth cousin - of Hackman’s 18 year old son (a young Dennis Quaid). Did I mention uncomfortable elements? #Filmsky

It’s nice to see Hackman doing a romcom, albeit one with a lot more conflict and uncomfortable elements than one might expect from the genre. Barbra Streisand is often described as miscast as his object of desire, but I think she’s a-ok. #Filmsky

ALL NIGHT LONG (1981) was already on my watchlist for Flopuary. Yesterday’s sad news about Gene Hackman gave me extra impetus to finally pop on my bargain bin DVD copy. #Filmsky

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I have a lot of issues with Warner’s previous, and especially current management.

Very true. The Movie World studios were originally built by DEG .

Given director Carl Rinsch came from high-end TV commercials, it all looks very nice. The stakes never feel as urgent as they should, and the addition of monsters and magic dilutes the potential drama inherent to the samurai code. #Filmsky

This variation on the famed Japanese historical tale inserts Keanu Reeves as mistreated half-Japanese, half-European who wins the respect of the Ronin. He does his best, but it’s obvious the actual lead character should be Hiroyuki Sanada’s leader, Oishi. #Filmsky

47 RONIN (2013) is what happens when an American studio does a big budget take on an Asian (in this instance, Japanese) story. That is, shove a Caucasian star in the lead, and have some awkward plot explanation for their presence. #Filmsky

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I didn’t love it, but I knew I was getting a frenetic Matthew Vaughn actioner. Accordingly, I didn’t hate it, either.

CGI or not, that cat is the chillest feline ever. My cats would not have been okay with any of those shenanigans. #Filmsky

ARGYLLE was the first big bomb of 2024. It’s surprising just how much critics laid into it on release, given it’s a light, silly action comedy. Messy and contrived, sure. But this is a big slobbering pooch of a film that just wants to entertain. #Filmsky

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