Have You Ever Seen

Call me Snake. Okay, well, that's too cool for me, so just make it Ryan. Either way, this 739th episode gets into the night life and action frenzy that is John Carpenter's Escape From New York. Kurt Russell was already establishing himself as something more than just a Disney kid, then his signature role here cemented it. The eclectic Van Cleef/Borgnine/Harry Dean supporting cast surrounding Russell is effective, but the production design, cinematography, music and other technicals in this dystopian sci-fi bleakness are the drawing card. Carpenter was cynical, yet so underrated in his time...even compared to a top-of-his-game Spielberg in that same era. Now, is Escape From New York funny? Maybe not (partly since it feels like this could actually happen), but it IS fun. So, even though everybody thinks you're dead, burst into the open-air prison that is Manhattan and save the president and his precious cassette tape. Cuz the name's Ellis.
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In anticipation of the theatrical re-release of Top Gun later this week, this 738th episode has me yapping about Tony Scott's blockbuster that put him on the map and made Tom Cruise a megastar. The one about cocky naval aviators is big, loud and very sweaty. You've got sleek jets, cool, sexy men (and also SOME women like Kelly McGillis)...and a killer soundtrack. The fly boys (including Val Kilmer & Anthony Edwards) also play topless volleyball and spend a lot of time in towels. Naturally, the megahit sequel Top Gun: Maverick came up a lot in this review, since it played off the themes of rebellion, adrenaline and guilt the way that the original did. So caress your plaque that says you won a contest and put on your aviator glasses with a big smile on your face as I feel a certain need for a certain velocity while speaking about Tommy And The Jets.
NOTE: a breakdown of all the Oscar nominations in Tony Scott's entire filmography will be the "So I Got Thinkin'" segment in Friday's episode about Escape From New York. Also, during the Coming Attractions Trivia question for that, it should have been Kurt Russell sometimes did "impressions" of other actors, not "inspirations." Oh, and I didn't choose the "E" rating for this episode. Either A.I. did it or the provider...or something. The only objectionable word is the "S" word they say a lot in Top Gun, so if that doesn't bother you, then shrug off that "E" rating.
Help boost this show by spreading propaganda about it like Top Gun did for the navy. You can rate it 5 stars, review it with heaping doses of praise and you can certainly add to my subscription numbers. Email ([email protected]), Twitter (@moviefiend51), Bluesky (ryan-ellis) and Letterboxd (RyanHYES).

Even though it's Star Wars Day, someone else can talk about Luke & Leia. What I have is a  super-long episode about much-older movies: the 1932 Tarzan & the 1924 Pan. Johnny Weissmuller and Maureen O'Sullivan star in an exciting, sexy, action-adventure story. They worked with lions and hippos and crocs (and actors in animal suits) and it's all convincingly done, especially since none of the principal photography was actually in Africa. Then I talked about the boy who just refuses to age. Betty Bronson's Peter is going to stay in Never(Never)Land forever and ever (and ever)...even if Ernest Torrence's Captain Hook is gunning for his insouciant head. The film is well-made and the acting is not bad either, even if the concept is remarkably mockable. So check out my monlogues about some more good (and sometimes bad) guys here in Heroes Month in this 737th episode: Tarzan The Ape Man and Peter Pan.
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It's Heroes Month! For this 736th episode, cue up the William Tell Overture and get ready for the masked vigilante & his native buddy. That's because the topic of the first of 2 movies today is The Lone Ranger (plus, of course Tonto....and also, hi-yo Silver). Stuart Heisler directs Clayton Moore, Jay Silverheels and Bonita Granville in an enjoyable western with all the necessary thrills and constant danger. For film #2, I spent 13 minutes talking about Gene Autry in South Of The Border. While The Singing Cowboy didn't impress me that much, this DOES get he, William Farnum and George Montgomery on this channel...along with Champion the horse. So that's something. In any case, gear up for this first show in May, a month devoted to classic heroes just like the Ranger & Tonto.
Well, Actually: just to clarify at the 17:45 mark that white men masquerading as natives on horseback wasn't the issue: it was that these fake natives rode with saddles. Also, I can confirm that Monday's show WILL be a doubleheader as I tackle both Tarzan The Ape Man and the 1924 Peter Pan.
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It's another doubleheader in episode #735, this time with 2 unrelated '50s classics. First up, I talk about the offbeat John Huston comedy Beat The Devil. The screenplay he wrote with Truman Capote is very quotable, even though its characters and daffy plot parody serious caper flicks like Huston's The Maltese Falcon. Humphrey Bogart has been a regular on Have You Ever Seen over the years, but this is the first episode ever for Jennifer Jones or Gina Lollobrigida. Jenny is quirky, cute and quite a talented liar while Gina is...well, staggeringly gorgeous. Then I veer from the fun of that one to spend about 17 minutes on Lee J. Cobb and Jane Wyatt in The Man Who Cheated Himself. Felix Feist's noir is about a cop who breaks the law to cover for his murdering mistress. Jane Wyatt is yet another classic actress we'd never covered before. So spend this final Monday of April hearing about a loopy comedy and an intense crime flick.
Well, Actually: "coupe" IS pronounced "coo-pay" in French AND in what's known as "British English". Also, the other movie that will be reviewed on Friday will in fact be the Gene Autry western South Of The Border.
Subscribe to this effort in your app. Add a rating and write a review to suggest others give it a shot too. Contacting is easy. On social media, it's @moviefiend51 on Twitter, ryan-ellis on Bluesky and RyanHYES on Letterboxd. As for email, that's [email protected].