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Satan's Triangle (1975)
1970's Scariest TV movie of all time
It is late at night. You are a boy or girl who took in The Bermuda Triangle Mysteries, Flying Saucers might be a government cover up -- nor not.
You do not know Kim Novak, but you know Alejandro Rey as the playboy rich club owner with connections to every thing. He is a choir boy type on "The Flying Nun" to the beloved Sally Fields.
Out in the Bermuda Triangle, a rescue mission, a sole helicopter finds one person on a yacht. The feel of supernatural. A body floats in the air is explained.
The movie is more A Night Stalker (a la Darrin McGavin) with an X-File eeriness and helplessness that leave viewers feeling they are in an Atlantic Ocean Version of The Exorcist.
Alejandro Rey is a priest or is he Satan, himself? Viewers are fed a story by Kim Novak's character, Eva. Again, it is all logically explained.
Viewers of the time, we were told via all media: What Goes into The Devil's Triangle Never Comes out.
By the end of the film, viewers witness out there with Doug McClure that the newest mystery inside the Bermuda Triangle isn't the one he was investigating.
All logic is upon a rug. By end, the rug is pulled out and there is no floor.
The film begs to be modernized with humble use of High Tech F/x. The guitar twang and close up shots were most annoying. Sure,the biblical battle is as sappy as Dracula saying, "I VANT To SUCK!.. your-blood." It was as if they had no screenplay ending and Aaron Spelling hijacked the ending.
It is sad what was done to William Read Woodfield work. He wrote a big chunk of Mission Impossible (1966.)
Honorable mention: to the man who would be J. R. Ewing' s Father on Dallas (1978) Jim Davis. Also, Michael Conrad who would become Sargent Esterhaus on Hill Street Blues (1981.) Solid Acting.
This is a film worth watching for the acting, story up to the climax. It is a film worth a redo.. Perhaps, Kim Novak may reprise her role or something.
This movie likely will never reach TCM level to be shown on their channel. It took 80 years before Bach was rediscovered by Felix Mendelssohn. It likely will never be seen by the more recent generations. It would be a shock if this becomes true. It is worth seeing.
Murdoch Mysteries: Sometimes They Come Back Part 1 (2022)
Disingenuous, Deceitful, Insulting to Viewers
This episode tries to open up various stories: a) zombie kill two guys in the cemetery? B) Is Ms Hart's Father Factually dead? C) Julia returning to the hospital with infant baby needing her? D) Where is Det. Watts? E) a private detective is looking for Watt's ex-boyfriend to claim his child for grandparent, f) George & Effie's Wedding
For a year, viewers wondered who interrupted The Wedding. I seemed most obvious that George's previous love, burlesque star in France was the obvious person. Viewers seen her face on posters about the stage "The Star Bright Club" Violet and Ms Bright run. The season ended with George and Effie saying 'You', not "You two," as in his aunts.
Yet, the episode goes off in an absurd direction of an Aunt perceiving danger for Effie if they marry. This is the most disingenuous crime against viewers. The Episode WAVED!!!! Nina Bloom on two posters at her old haunt after years in France. She was to be there as the wedding was happening, and nobody told George, "you know, Nina is back."
George is in the establishment, and the signs are gone.
In short, for no good reason, the producers, writers and production company decided to wave Nina Bloom on two posters after years in France and jerk it out from under loyal viewers feet. That was seriously wrong.
What gets the most attention is the graveyard killings. Viewers see a guy dug up, reach from the coffin and snap necks with one hand. Exploring the recent dead and this unknown burial. A list of the dead brings up Ms Hart's dead father.
Here is where they do not know if they are going to expose a zombie or a living person doing the killings. If one hand snapping necks isn't enough to say zombie, Ms Hart supposedly did her Father's autopsy. That's his organs scooped out dead. She is convinced he is dead
If that was not a problem, the 'zombie' killing leads to an investigation of the fresh dead. Coroner Ms Violet Hart supposedly did her Father's Autopsy. The sole coroner for Toronto area, she supposedly scooped out his insides, etc. She knows he is dead.
Even if it is say his brother pulling a con, you have a superhuman zomboid human who was buried alive.
In all, is he a zombie or not? Make up your mind.
The only thing keeping this episode alive is Watts and his butcher love Jack in New York with Jack's child. A detective is looking for him. Grandparents seem to want the child raised out of the seedy gay environment. It is one of them custody battles you do not see in Movies and Television. It is refreshing given this is about 100-years ago and not the 21st Century where it is possible to keep a child.
In all, last season they waved Nina Bloom likely will make a surprising appearance, but pull that away. There is a zombie buried alive that can snap a man's neck with one hand who because of the three-legged dog seems to be Maurice, Ms Heart's autopsy dead Father. But, a spoiler was made during a commercial and Maurice appears wanting money, not brains has a viewer wondering how he snapped necks and why the hard sell in the grave yard if all validation to be seen as a zombie, the zombie-fake kills the men off. A zombie or some con, it no longer is a 'Night Stalker' episode. Viewers are just asking what the heck are they trying to say.
The effort is a mess trying too hard to be slick and just does not know what it wants. Making the pedestrian viewer feel stupid is not how you treat loyal viewers.
This episode holds viewers in contempt. That is wrong.
Mr. Lucky (1943)
A Movie of Current Events Not Romance
This is one of them films that fell in the War Years. It was not a propaganda film but a romance film in the classic literature concept. This was not Cary Grant chases the girl. It was a Grant as a lovable louse. A two bit thief working the con against "War Relief." Who could hate Cary Grant. Anybody else, the viewer would hate the character for stealing from the cause to defeat Hitler and other Fascist Scum. Yet, this was The Cary Grant.
Cary Grant played a man impersonating a Greek while evading the 1943 Draft. The red tape and greed was smoothed over to build trust for a Gambling Night to raise some $200,000. It would be a letter to the Greek man he was impersonating that makes he question who he was. The letter told of The war against Fascist and how it ended in fields of blood.
To the 21st Century Viewer, the inflection point involved current history from 1941 to 1943.
For the 21st Century viewer, what happened between 1941 to 1943 was essential. Greece was prey being ripped apart by Nazi, Fascist Italy and Bulgarian. This film was of many made working: one, empathy for Greece Relief and support for Greece.
By 1943, Greece was divided up by the Fascist powers. Independent underground guerilla warfare was happening as was in say France.
What was happening in Greece was a chapter lost to many Americans in 1943. Inside classic romance stories was this tinge of how bad it was in Greece.
Movies like "Woman Of The Year" (1942) added an element of Greece's Suffering. Example, Tess adopts a Greek Orphan boy from a Greek American Orphanage. Tess was Played by Katherine Hepburn. Her love interest was Spencer Tracy. A Hollywood couple of the time.
In Mr Lucky, the story turns when ripping off "War Relief" turned to A ship sending supplies to an Occupied nation. Some 'Joe' was living the life of a Greek man with a lengthy criminal record with family slaughtered by the Fascist in occupied Greece. Joe must decide if he can harm a woman who learned to love him or turn on his mates expecting an easy $200,000 payoff.
The Chorus of lovable bad guys will follow 'Joe' but the villain, Mr Zepp (aka, Paul Stewart,) will not give up so easily.
The Women's group has that Catholic Nun's feel in the Secular sense of wanting to do right. Rich girl with a heart to help the victims of Fascism (aka, Laraine Day) Dorothy Bryant sees 'Joe' as a saint to help a trouble cause. Viewers see a woman obvious that she was the fall girl for Joe's big payoff.
Most viewers can get the feel of War Relief, World War II. What is missing is the true urgency of 1943. Refugees, orphans, families in Greece being executed or sent to Concentration Camps,..
The romance takes a backseat to Con or Not To Con. Not until a letter from Occupied Greece does the current event of 1943 hit the 1943 audience. It was a light-weight message that influences the viewer. Read by a priest who can read Greek. It is the only thing in 1943 that felt passively like propaganda. It did not say join the army or send to Greece money or things.
Again, due to a 21st Century audience, current events loses the power of the movie. To the viewer aware of The War in 1943, it makes sense.
"Mr Lucky" (1943) is a film for Cary Grant fans who sense there is a message here. It be a 'RomCom' film of the time. It is light-weight for Grant. With an understanding for Greece, the occupation by three countries from 1941 to 1944, this film comes to life as to what parents, grand-parents and great-grandparents viewed when they had to tighten their belts to defeat an evil that might either be defeated or reach the beaches of America.
It is one of Grant's films that does not get very much play. With an understanding of the times, Mr Lucky plays as a War Genera RomCom delight of a time when Americans worked to help others than flip the channel on their tv. Where reality slips in and forces a con man to question whom he is.
Rick and Morty: A Rickconvenient Mort (2021)
Youthful Tragedy
Morty & Rick leave a T-Shirt Store. Acid Rain falls burning Morty who witnesses the fight between a villain and a Blue Girl with superpowers. Smitten, he follows her to a wild fire to help and be near her.
Like some derivative of Romeo & Juliet or practically every boy or girl who had a parent deny permission to see somebody they 'love', it happens to Morty.
Morty had a babe. He had a Superheroine on the right of Climate Change who 'loved' him back.
When Planetina feels desperate crossing Morty's values and beliefs, Morty had to chose either the girl or his beliefs.
This is one of the most touching episodes adults and young-adults and kids can relate.
The coverage of environmental issues tries to be fair. An example is when Plantina confronts the miners. Coal has been strip mined with machines, used to run electrical to Nuclear Plants polluting about the globe. Jobs was the argument of the miners. They mention about not having the 'votes' -- as in Congress to restrict or ban coal use.
United States 'democracy' has had a party holding up environmental laws being enacted. It has been the case with 'cigarettes' to Civil Rights a fact no matter which side a viewer takes.
This truism is what changes Planetina.
It can be argued that anti-environmentalists take on this episode. Planetina takes extreme action environmentalists may see as extreme for them, too. A super-heronine (not male hero) goes rogue.
In short, Planetina reacts as any environmentalist feels up to a point. Environmentalists are within right to suggest this episode favors anti-environmentalists. Their case for coal and jobs is made and lets them feel victimized.
Albeit about this confrontation, it is the basis for Morty to be the adult, not a love-sick child. Rick's story is just a diversion.
Morty made a decision against the heart making this episode most tender, most relatable to kids and adults.
This is one of their better episodes in the series six seasons. All the silly coarse episodes, that is saying something.
This episode is relatable to the heart of viewers unlike all the others.
Room for One More (1952)
A Dog, Seven Baby Kittens, adopting Trouble Children and Polio
The movie starts with an unruly homeless dog, seven newborn kittens, then a difficult girl bounced in the Foster Home System enters the bunch.
As a child who adopted cats with a mother the same, Father would lay his foot down, "NO MORE CATS."
We added new cats to the family.
Cat lovers and other non-human animal lovers relate to a family who adopts children when the line was drawn, "No More."
However, it is NOT about a family with adoption addiction.
"Room For One More" (1955) came out in the worst Polio Outbreak. April 1955, The "Salk vaccine" was the Calvary With Horn Blowing to the rescue.
The Covid Pandemic of the 2020's is not the same as Polio. Sure, they were the same when people thought the Polio in the Salk Vaccine will give polio. So much, Salk tested it on himself and his family. Covid killed or cripple a person's ability to function. Many have and survived. Polio stayed. Children grew to adults with Leg Braces.
The film showed problems with a polio child. The social isolation, the hard road ahead. There is no message of the Salk Vaccine. The message was obvious to 1955 movie watchers. This is what your child will experience when you pass on the vaccine.
No matter what generation watches this, the story is how many cats, dogs, rabbits and trouble kids will it take before this family busts at the seams. The seams stretch with a Polio boy the education system FAILED.
Decades past the last polio survivor, the unspoken word 'polio' is a mystery to viewers.
The word was as critical to their generation as Covid to those who survive taking the vaccine.
The film is not an optimistic Jesus moment put on 'faith'. It is a right attitude couple, children who are flawed but evolve. Some will see the boy scout moments as teaching good values. Others see nazi brown shirt indoctrination. Saluting, Uniforms, etc.
This comes to the end. The character of the boys should ease worries and make the film a triumph than how fascism rose anxieties.
If viewers understand the history of the time, views see it one way. Most will see a family with compassion that is taken to the limit. The humor mixed with conflicts draws in even the viewer about to change the channel to stop and discover they cannot change the channel after all. This is a movie worth watching from Beginning to End.
Disney should be so inspired between Drama and Comedy.
Bob's Burgers: The Plight Before Christmas (2022)
Three Kids Performing, Two Parents, One Sweet Episode
It would not be Bob's Burgers, nor the Belchers a Family is Chaos Takes A Holiday. This episode pulls the family closer as chaos sadism is determine to hurt not only the Belchers, but all those about them this sacred night. It makes for that one episode. Where viewers may deny they cried if they failed; Where Viewers may deny they cried if they succeeded -- yet they do.
The episode aired days from when the Jimmy Pesto voice person was banned (essentially fired) from doing his voice; and in turn, Jimmy Pesto, The Jimmy Pesto's Pizzeria had gone silent. Tiny had a Thunder Girl's performance; Gene was in Ms. Merkin's Musical Production where she was to conduct. Chaos shows up as Louise announces she is reading her poem at the Library this same night - and needs a ride to the Library.
Linda and Bob are trying to decide who will rush over to listen to Louise read her poem. Then, Chaos puts Ms Merkin in the hospital placing the school musical at risk; The Thunder Girl production is overwhelmed with only one person managing fifteen girls. Both productions in chaos, one needs to help, other needs to be there for emotional support.
Louise looks as if she will read her serious poem without family to appreciate it.
The Climax happens as Gene and other 6th Grade Xylophone Performers play Ms Merkin's composition with a substitute music teacher with a surprising, the most touching episode of Bob's Burgers to date.
Families can relate to conflicts where parent(s) must decide to make a sacrifice then try to do a miracle and avoid sacrificing, missing out to achieve a just as important goal. This episode is timeless. It does not have to be just before Christmas. It holds up any time of the year with family anxiety and pulling for the family while things so terribly wrong
This episode goes one step farther than the other episodes over. The last 11-years. It is Bob's Burger's Charlie Brown Special.
Or, maybe,.. The Charlie Hashbrowns Special with hashbrowns on the side instead of fries.
This one is very special, very sweet on the heart.
Rick and Morty: Total Rickall (2015)
Too Close To Reality: Cartoon Mass Shooting .vs. Politcal Fueled Mass Murder
Rick And Morty is not afraid to blow up, gun down, Slice & Dice Humans, Non-Humans, Robots, Clones, and so on. Viewers have seen Mortiplicity where viewers watch family after family killed in some gory way - or was it a clone?
To be a long-time viewer, viewers have to tacitly accept such things.
By 2022, politicians have blocked regulating guns like AR-15's, Guns are "Open Carried" In public, Children can buy AR-15's at 18-years of age.
2015 was before some of the most publicized mass School Shootings with mostly kids murdering children. Children Trapped in classrooms. Children in Closed Coffin funerals.
Here, the family is gunning down Parasites trapped in the house. It is an alien invasion. Like Covid, nothing should take over the planet. Take the safety off.
Still, the mind CAN see children. (or Gay Night Club Patrons) or possibly would could have happen January 6, 2020. Screaming inanimate parasite disguised as imaginative things. Is this how children behaved when a gunman chased them about their school classroom, hallway?
Children watch this pretty much adult cartoon. Condom Company has been a sponsor. Do children see a cartoon? Metaphor for children/adult victims? The pleasure The Family gets in 'justified' killing?
This is just a cartoon.
Still, if the mind recalls the hundreds of mass shootings, AR-15's, it is not hard to feel for families who can imagine how generically it looked.
This episode is not for everybody.
If this episode were never made, Rick & Morty would not lose a fan. Every time this is shown, you can count on it alienating a victim or surviving familiy.
Warehouse 13: Secret Santa (2010)
It came out on December 7th: A Day of Mourning
It came out on December 7th - like Pearl Harbor sinking my soul watching.
You have two stories: a) a rich guy versus artifact-driven hateful Santa, b) Claudia, Artie, a piano and Artie's estranged Father.
Myka and Pete end up in Los Angeles. Live in Los Angeles. "L. A." is NOT hot bods, rich and movie stars. However, viewers are tortured to try and feel for a guy with wealth, expensive home, nice clothes, estranged wife, a daughter. No Artifact, he destroys lives to stay rich.
Seriously, there is ZERO reason to feel for this man.
The only motivation is for the two Feds to get the artifact and get back to The Warehouse.
On the other hand, Claudia wants to make Artie happy with a piano from his youth. Caveat, she discovers Artie's dad wants to know why she wants the piano, White Lies end up with Artie and Father in the same room.
Can Claudia keep the lies going long enough to unite the two? Rooting for Claudia the optimist is infectious. Judd Hirsch has been about for decades. He can bring any character to life --- but has been given 30-minute sitcom shows. Here, he's let loose to be a real Jewish Father frustrated in his son Artie's choices in life. Still, you feel for the piano teacher. Taking Artie's side is too easy. But, that does not happen.
Claudia is Santa.
Claudia's biggest gift is not the piano but uniting the two. Claudia brings us to hear both side hoping to resolute their indifference.
Compare this with the rich guy attacked by Artifact fueled Santa, viewers wait through half the hour to see how Claudia will do with Artie Senior and Junior.
That is how this episode rates: half good
This was an amazing show some of us came late to appreciate. It is up there with Star Trek and X-Files, Stargate SG-1,.. This disappointed, but still has a loyal lover forever.
Hazel: Hazel Sits It Out (1965)
In a Show That No Longer Closes The Deal, This One Sold
The Autopsy Of Why "Hazel" Series ended happened when the show changed networks, budget was cut leaving Parents George And Dorthy Baxter in Afghanistan for an Eternity.
The feel of the Post Don Defore and Whitney Blake departure left a sterile, lifeless, pessimistic Show. Expectations of brilliance in this episode were low. It been a shame if former viewers passed up watching "Hazel Sits It Out."
Steve Baxter promised a picnic. Yet, nobody is minding the Realtor Agency as nobody is showing a certain house. Hazel saves the day by volunteering to Show the house, not sell it.
Viewers get to meet potential buyers and a nosy neighbor determined to vet good potential neighbor and discourage the awful. This would be a list of interesting actors and actresses, then. But, now..
Viewers get to see Darrin Stephen's mother from "Bewitched" as that rotten neighbor trying to scare off people who she doesn't like in the acting of Mabel Albertson. She hinders Hazel's but it turns around in the end.
Viewers see a strong, independent, single mother in the future, but an optimistic 21-year-old girl played by Bonnie Franklin. It is an "OMG" moment.
Yet, it is a late blooming love story involving the house and two divorcees of each other that make this episode likely one of their best effort -- despite the days are counting down till the lights, cameras, actors and union labor do not show up early in the morning to film.
Without spoiling viewers like this one who just seen this episode for the first time, the love story is worth sticking around until the end of this episode.
It is quite a sweet way to work a home showing and you know it will sell in the end - this is "Hazel" after all. The story is unique, fresh even for modern, sophisticated audience. Watch it.
I Dream of Jeannie: Genie, Genie, Who's Got the Genie?: Part 4 (1968)
You Don't Have To Be A NASA Rocket Scientist To Have Written Better this Their Writers.
The Concept was a) Jeannie in a locked Safe with explosives to blow safe if wrong Safe Combination used, b) Rescue Safe from Space Mission, c) rescue safe from crusher, d) Open safe before another becomes her Master.
There is no logic and reasoning in any of the episodes. By episode four, the match is still lit which is a miracle in itself. But, an air tight safe would have left a dead genie. Nobody was concerned that an industrial crusher would set off the bomb keeping Anthony from putting in any combination in a "Trial & Error" situation. If the bomb did not detonate, the crusher would make an opening for Jeannie to escape.
Five Drill holes into the safe were not big enough for the already tiny Jeannie to escape, but a fist size one was not big enough, either.
The director, producer, writers et al were hardly NASA Rocket scientists. When they made the safe into an Ice Cream Push cart in White, Oil Base Paint, then safe was pristine again at Tony's house only showed they were over their heads.
From the moment the safe was closed, there is question why Jeannie could not escape. Jeannie has her magic to keep a wooden match lit for days, but she cannot whip up a drill to make a hole in the safe, nor slip thru the cracks as the Carbon-Dioxide would have killed her in the first day. Holes made in the safe, but she does not escape.
In all, CBS of 1968 held American Viewers in contempt. The Production Company was one thing, but a network realizing the incompetency is another.
This was four episodes giving rise to the reason why CBS had only one eye as an Icon for Decades.
The Right Stuff (1983)
Ripping the Envelop on the Epitaph of the Mercury Space Program for Generations to Come.
After the envelop of the Mercury Space Program sealed shut and the Gemini Program and Apollo Missions came and gone for The Space Shuttle Program, "The Right Stuff" ripped open the envelop.. Americans held their breath after early test flights exploded on the launch pad. This has been the only film to tell the story from the families and Seven Mercury Astronauts as well as Chuck Yeager.
Eight Men, Eight Actors portrayed with great humility those men who served America in what Chuck Yeager defined as a "Suicide Mission." Their Successes and Failures shown with humor and tears. And, the effects on their families.
The Right Stuff earned eight Oscar Nominations, four Oscar wins, but deserved more recognition than it had for 1983.
The Right Stuff is likely one of the finest movies ever made. Given that it didn't have Sex, Violence nor Star Wars computer generated imagery, that is saying a lot.
What We Do in the Shadows (2019)
We Might Just Get Out Of 2020 ALIVE just by watching This Show
No matter if you watched it in 2019 or Just watched last week, voyeurs follow a documentary film crew of apparently humans. (What?) They document two male, one female who are more Traditional Vampires, a 'familiar' and energy-sucking variation on the 'vampire'. Viewers go from understanding 'vampires' to the daily lives of the group dynamics, individuals and subgroupings working inside and outside a mansion.
All the bits and pieces you miss in vampire or monster movies you learn in this elaborate sitcom. Without giving story-lines away, you learn 'familiars' work for vampires but aren't necessary or are vampires, know other 'familiars'. 'Familiars' are like a cross between groupie and servant to a particular vampire. 'Guillermo' is the primary 'Familiar'. People come and go, but he isn't strictly a servant who can NOT change into some animal as 'Familiars' do -- like a black cat or, etc. He isn't all he seems.
The things like 'Familiar' you hear in movies and just ignore make sense after watching this elaborate sitcom. If you watch say "Bell, Book and Candle" (1958,) you learn Kim Novak's (main Witch in the film) Black Cat is a 'familiar'.
What you learn about the Energy Vampires (i.e., 'Collins') is utter brilliance.
Without giving too much away, people about our lives.. too much information!
The 'documentary' educates as much as provide clever story-lines. And also, you just might discover new actors, comedians -- or a familiar (no pun) face.
Watch, learn, be entertained and go on Twitter yelling,
"WHY ISN'T THIS SHOW AN HOUR LONG?"
(half-hour is not long enough)
The X Files: Demons (1997)
An episode that is the cornerstone for the next 5-years, it ends up with David Lynch Syndrome
We are at the mercy of screen-writers and directors.
Viewers are presented with Mulder having a memory or dream then calling Scully about having blood on him he could not explain. This episode was no more than two plots running simultaneously. In other words it is one plot story bloated into confusion. Or, an episode with David Lynch Syndrome.
Where does this go wrong?
One plot is an LSD type flashback with his sister making a cameo. The second was as if Our Uncle Buck grabbed our nose. Mulder had blood on him, and with every possible turn, he is looking like a psychotic murder if not a victim. The Viewer triages putting the second plot to keep Mulder out of prison over the LSD flashback. Well,.. the episode implies resolving the first plot will answer the second.
Oops, 18-year SPOILER ALERT: they both are independent of the other.
While we are looking for our nose, Mulder has a couple more flashbacks.
Some 45-minutes later, Scully waves her hand saying test absolve Mulder. Sure, people are dead, Mulder has blood on him, he was likely there, but pssh! don't worry. During the misdirection, we learn the memories have serious implication with some vague relationship to the dead. Again, Mulder had blood on him, people were dead, Mulder is off the hook but.. wait, huh?
In short, viewers are given a short plot, expanded beyond reason (a la David Lynch) and are misdirected by a second plot to nowhere. Moreover, the next episode on the DVR does not pick up explaining why Mulder was there and bloody. That's another spoiler.