#''but magic man and betty only have like 2 episodes together'' welcome to my twisted mind!

[lyril]

the relationship between a god-like entity of the embodiment of chaos and their nerd can actually be something so personal,

[katrinaneenie]

Robert Redford is my choice for the Reel Infatuation Blogathon of 2018.  This is not so unusual. Like my crush on Outlander’s  Sam Heughan, there are millions of others who share my affection for this amazing actor.  The multi-talented Redford has done more than just perform  in 79 movies.  Besides acting, he directed ten movies; and in my humble opinion, two of those ten films are near perfect examples of the best kind of film making: Ordinary People (1980) and The Horse Whisper (1998). Along with acting and directing, he has also produced 50 films.

In addition to his amazing body of work within the industry, he has been active in many social issues. He is nearly legendary in his work as an environmentalist and his philanthropy. To add to all of this, he is the founder of the largest independent film festival in the United States: Sundance Flim Festival. 

Now, before I go further, I would like to thank two wonderful young ladies and bloggers: Ruth from Silver Screenings and Maedez from  Font and Frock and A Small Press Life.  I hope they will host, like they have for last three years, next year too. To read about more posts about Reel Infatuation, please use the links below:

https://silverscreenings.org/2018/06/08/reelinfatuation-2018-day-1/

OR

https://fontandfrock.com/2018/06/08/welcome-to-the-2018-reel-infatuation-blogathon/

Why Did I Pick Robert Redford?

I chose Redford because he is my first ever crush on an actor. As we all know, you never forget your first love. Unbelievably, my love for Redford didn’t begin because of his stunning good looks or his magnetic screen presence or even for my loving every one of the his 79 movies.

My magical crush happened when he very young (26 years old) and  complete unknown to me and the rest world. He had been acting on numerous television shows from 1960 to 1964. He first showed up on one of my favorite shows: Maverick starring James Garner. During this four-year span of time, he had guest starred on quite a number of popular shows at the time: Perry Mason, Route 66, The Untouchables, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Dr. Kildare, Naked City etc … His last television appearance was in 1964 on The Defenders.

I “fell in love” with Redford while watching a re-run of a very popular television show Twilight Zone (1959-1964). For those unfamiliar with this American television show, it was created by Rod Serling. He was a producer, playwright, and screenwriter.  In addition, he introduced and closed each episode with his compassionate pathos and unique voice.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cxf_Dvy0VLs

The Twilight Zone 

This series is a science-fiction, fantasy, horror anthology. It was brilliantly written, acted, and realistically presented with twists and turns in the end. Also, and maybe more importantly, it usually had a philosophical, howbeit hidden, message about the nature of mankind and what life lessons we need to be learning. Usually, this was an emotional truth that Serling felt should be shared. The legacy of his Life Lessons.

A Few Notes About The Creator of Twilight Zone

Right out of high school, Serling joined the Army to fight in WWII.  He was wounded several times; but, he kept going back to combat duty. He fought hand-to-hand combat in the Philippines. After the war, he  suffered from severe PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) that haunted him with night terrors for the rest of his life. While working in Hollywood, he was known as an “angry young man.” There were issues that he continuously fought against: racism, the Vietnam war, and censorship.

Twilight Zone: Nothing in The Dark

Introduction 

An old woman living in a nightmare, an old woman, who has fought a thousand battles with death and always won. Now she’s faced with a grim decision – whether or not to open a door. And in some strange and frightening way, she knows that this seemingly ordinary door leads to the Twilight Zone.  

They claim the best writers always write at an emotional level that they are most familiar with. This introduction conveys the words written by an ex-solider who has witnessed death and is still haunted by it in his dreams.

More People Behind The Scenes

Nothing in The Dark first aired on January 5, 1962; and, it only ran for 24 minutes.  There are three actors: Gladys Cooper, Robert Redford, and R.G. Armstrong.  It was co-written by screenwriter George Clayton Johnson (Logan’s Run (1976), Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), and Ocean’s 11 (2001). Here are a couple of pics of Johnson with Redford and Gladys Cooper.

  This episode is directed by Lamont Johnson who will go on to win two Emmys for Directing two made for television movies: Wallenberg: A Hero’s Story (1985) and Lincoln (1988). In this clip he explains how the unknown twenty-six year old Redford was hired and the superb British actress, Gladys Cooper reaction after meeting him. This interview was published in October of 2010…48 years after it first aired in ’62.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2-BSFlzaU8

A Summary of Nothing in the Dark

This story centers around a sad, lonely old woman, Wanda Dunn, (Gladys Cooper) whose fear of Death is so great that it has forced her into isolation for most of her life. Oddly enough, she can recognized Death in his infinite forms and disguises. She “knows him” and has been able to avoid him for years. However, there is a cost to pay for having this amazing skill: fearful isolationism. She has never really lived her life because her fear has trapped her from others. As a result, she lives alone on the bottom floor of a dilapidated apartment building.  With double locks on her door, she is totally alone, as she nervously sleeps.

One snowy night, she is awaken by the sound of class breaking, probably her own window; then, she hears a whistle and then, gun shots. A policeman, Harold Beldon, (Robert Redford) is shot and begs for help. Should she open her door and try to save him? Is it Death tricking her?

She finally gives in to his cries and helps him into her flat.  She places him on her bed as he profusely thanks her. Then, he begs her to call a doctor, or the police, or an even a neighbour. She explains that she does not have a phone and all the neighbors have moved away. She refuses to go outside to look for help because “he” is out there waiting for her. She decides she can trust the young man; since, she didn’t die when he touched her. She reveals her life story and her gift of recognizing death.

Here is a clip of those first 3 minutes of their encounter.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gK1MCE3teZ8

As incredulous as Wanda’s story sounds, Beldon is sympathetic to her tragic situation. Suddenly, there is someone banging on her door. She is too afraid to answer it. Someone is breaking in the door. Finally, the door flies open; and, Wanda crumbles to the floor, unconscious.

A contractor ( R.J. Armstrong ) is relieved that she is still alive. He explains that she must leave because he is tearing the old building down to build a new one. He tries to calm her down by explaining that how things work in life. Wanda is terrified to go outside; so, she asks Beldon to help her explain it to him. The contractor looks at her like she is crazy. He warns her that she must gather all the things she doesn’t want to leave behind. He said he would help her move her them; once, he comes back in an hour.

Wanda is feeling so hurt and overwhelmed that she cannot understand why Beldon did not say anything to the contractor to help her. Then, she realizes that Death tricked her. I must say Ms Cooper’s performance is this show is what ” pulled me in, hook line and sinker.” I felt so sorry for her and what she missed in her life. All because of a fear of something that was enviable.

I was completely into this story. So, you might understand how shocked I was when I learned that twenty years earlier, Cooper played Betty Davis’s BITCH mother in Now, Voyager (1942). Who I hated. Cooper plays a better bitch than Betty Davis in any of her best Bitch roles. This is quite a compliment to Cooper, who I love as Wanda Dunn.

Once Wanda realizes that Beldon is Mr Death, he begins to calm her down and reassure her she has nothing to fear from him. He charms her and convinces her that she will be at peace and in comfort. In order for Wanda to surrender her will to Beldon there has to be a believable sense of compassion and trust. Not only for the characters, but also  between the actors too. This can then be felt by the audience: The connection is successful. This bond and chemistry between Gladys Cooper (who was 74 years old) and Robert Redford (who was 26 years old) was very strong and compelling.

When he reaches for her hand and begs her to trust him and to come with him, I wasn’t sure if she would. Then, in one second everything changed.  It changes with two heartfelt words.  He softly, begs: Please, Mother. 

That was the moment that I cried and fell in love with Redford.  I doubt Wanda has ever been married or had children. Beldon is probably the only person/Inhuman ever spoke those words to her in her entire life. In the video clip, Lamont Johnson tells the story of the actors mutual respect. Without their mutual regard and respect, this performance could not have been as successful.

Rod Serling closes this episode with the following words:

There was an old woman who lived in a room. And, like all of us, was frightened of the dark. But who discovered in a minute last fragment of her life that there was nothing in the dark that wasn’t there when the lights were on. Object lesson for the more frightened amongst us, in or out, of the Twilight Zone.

Here is a 2 minute video clip that I found on You Tube that mashes scenes together to summarize the story. Unfortunately, the “Mother” was completely left out. To me that was a huge mistake.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i9JZCo912kI

In closing, I have added an interview clip with Redford published four years ago. He is reminiscing about this 52 year old episode. It is very interesting because he mentions the “wonderful dynamic” between the two characters. It’s funny because  when most people think of great chemistry between actors, they usually refer to sexual attraction. However, for actors it means so much more.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JuuAEEj1fq0

I once remembered a quote that defined love not in years but in moments … if that is true; the,  my “Reel Infatuation” with Redford only started in a moment; but, happily his work keeps adding more moments over the years.

Please check for more “Reel Infatuation” stories by using the links near the top of this post.

Reference Links

https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0734603/quotes?ref_=m_tt_trv_qu

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0178066/bio

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0785245/bio

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0425593/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clayton_Johnson

Blogathon Reel Infatuation (2018): Robert Redford in The Twilight Zone Robert Redford is my choice for the Reel Infatuation Blogathon of 2018.  This is not so unusual.

[eddycurrents]

For the week of 23 October 2017

A solitary favourite this week, largely due to time constraints, but the clear standout was Eternity #1 from Matt Kindt, Trevor Hairsine, and Ryan Winn. Published by Valiant.

Matt Kindt and Trevor Hairsine have made Divinity one of the more inventive and imaginative properties in the Valiant Universe over the course of three series, one even being the great Stalinverse event, which is saying a bit since it appears as though unbridled creativity is encouraged across Valiant. Eternity #1 is somehow the next step beyond.

Where each of the Divinity series progressed through the three cosmonauts sent into deep space, Eternity cycles back to the Unknown, beginning to qualify the realm that changed Abram, Myshka, and Kazmir, now looking to change the next generation as Abram and Myshka’s son is kidnapped. After three series firmly rooted in the existing Valiant universe, it’s interesting to see what else lies beyond. 

Hairsine does a wonderful job of showing the strange nature of the alien worlds of the Unknown, with bizarre landscapes and horrifying denizens. David Baron aiding wonderful with his incongruent colour schemes that make the alien worlds seem more alien. I particularly like the designs for Doctor Tear and Grimm-1, emphasizing the strangeness of the Unknown’s inhabitants.

There is, however, one thing that rings in the back of my head. There’s always been a twist in the previous stories, something subtle that changes perspective partway through and I wonder what the turn is going to be here. The series is called Eternity, not The Unknown. David Carp, and his band of Travelers in Australia, have apparently taken to calling themselves “Eternity”. Carp himself seems a bit miffed at Abram and Myshka taking off without him, without the zealots who fought for Abram previously in the first and third series without question, and I wonder if we’re going to come back to that perspective. I wonder if this is ultimately going to be more about him and them.

In any event, this is a great new direction for Divinity and for the Valiant universe and I’m anxious to see what else is in store.

Quick Bits:

Angelic #2 maintains the inventiveness and joy of the first issue, giving more depth to this world inhabited by animals augmented by technology and eugenics. I’d also go so far to say that Caspar Wijngaard’s art is even better this issue, capturing both the wonder and terror of this world, painted with that whimsical pastel coloration. Si Spurrier’s dialogue for the Mans is also interesting, playing up whether or not they’re toying with our heroine, Qora. Highly recommended.

| Published by Image

Big Trouble in Little China: Old Man Jack #2 is hilarious. In this hellpocalypse, Jack is forced to team-up with his arch-nemesis, Lo Pan, and as expected their cooperativeness leaves much to be desired. John Carpenter and Anthony Burch are serving up a ridiculously over-the-top and entertaining story here.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Black Crown Quarterly #1 is a bit of mixed bag, serving as part promotional material for IDW’s Black Crown imprint and part anthology of new content. Some good, some middling. Some newly revealed, some you’ll have seen before in earlier marketing material. The main serial “Tales from the Black Crown” by Rob Davis is easily the standout of the new comics material. It’s the kind of watering hole you’d expect for the kind of weird, off the beaten path stories that the imprint is engendering. The preview for Punks Not Dead I also haven’t seen before and the art from Martin Simmonds is incredible.

| Published by IDW / Black Crown

Bloodshot Salvation #2 turns the screws in both timeframes with Rampage attacking Magic & Jessie in the near future, while in the present Ray is off dealing with Magic’s “Daddy” as Magic has to react to Jessie’s developing and alarming condition. Jeff Lemire, Mico Suayan, and Lewis LaRosa again deliver astounding work, filled with heart, a little bit of humour, gorgeous art, and who should probably be the breakout star of the Valiant universe, Bloodhound. Bloodshot Reborn was very good, the added family dynamics and interpersonal issues that Lemire excels at has elevated Bloodshot Salvation into next-level territory.

| Published by Valiant

Daredevil #28 concludes the “Land of the Blind” arc with Ron Garney yet again setting another high bar for artistic talent to have ever illustrated Matt’s adventures.

| Published by Marvel

Dark Ark #2 achieves the feat of being even better than the first issue as the intrigue between the monsters has developed into both a full-blown murder mystery and a simmering mutiny. Cullen Bunn has created a powder keg with this mix of monsters and it’s interesting to see it play out.

| Published by AfterShock

Deadly Class #31 reminds us that Wes Craig is one of the best artists working today. The layouts, the action, the tiny little panels, all add up to one of the most exciting series on the stands, even as Rick Remender weaves together more about the character relationships. The only problem is that both Remender and Craig are evil, leaving us wanting more, closing this arc on a cliffhanger that we’re going to have four months to see what happens next.

| Published by Image / Giant Generator

Gasolina #2 is another fifteen minutes in a first episode. I’m getting the impression that this one is going to read better in larger chunks, but, again, it’s not bad. The art by Niko Walter is enthralling and given a lot of space to breathe, but so far the story is all atmosphere.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Ghostbusters: Answer the Call #1 is pretty good. I can’t say I liked much of the recent Ghostbusters film outside of Kate McKinnon’s performance, but this is good and goes to show that the characters and concept weren’t necessarily the problem. Kelly Thompson manages to capture the humour inherent to the overall franchise, while setting up a decent overall ghost emergency, brought about in typical Ghostbusters fashion by the team themselves. Corin Howell’s art is also great.

| Published by IDW

Hack/Slash - Resurrection #1 is the welcome return of Cassie Hack to her own series. Tini Howard introduces us to a Cassie who has tried to hang up her fishnets and spiked bat and retire to a life of reclusive gaming, and it’s very funny.

| Published by Image

Hi-Fi Fight Club #3 nicely advances the mystery of the disappearance of Rosie Riot through some actual visible detective work and also gives hints to a broader conspiracy within the music industry. Carly Usdin also throws in a bit of personal drama between Chris and Maggie, adding a bit of tension and humour to propel some of the character bits.

| Published by BOOM! Entertainment / Boom! Box

Jughead: The Hunger #1 is a good start to the ongoing series. Like the recent debut of The Archies, the one-shot isn’t needed to follow on this, but still gives a good depth to the story. Frank Tieri is setting up a good alternate world here, with Jughead run off to the circus, Archie being trained to be a werewolf hunter by Betty’s cousin, and it looks like Reggie is going to be a thorn in everyone’s side here again. The artwork from Pat & Tim Kennedy is suitably dark for the series and the muted colour scheme employed by Matt Herms fits both the tone of the story and the visual style established previously by Afterlife with Archie and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

| Published by Archie Comics / Archie’s Madhouse

Punisher: The Platoon #2 dives deeper into Frank Castle’s first command and it’s shaping into an interesting story from Garth Ennis. It’s certainly more of a war story, but it’s very well told. The art by Goran Parlov is absolutely amazing, though. There are a number of panels during the fray between American and Vietnamese forces that are chilling.

| Published by Marvel / MAX Comics

Silver Surfer #14 concludes Dan Slott and the Allreds’ run on the series, once again showing us that despite the adventure this story was really a romance at heart. This issue serves as a capstone to Silver Surfer and Dawn Greenwood’s adventures, as well as an encapsulation of much of Surfer’s history.

| Published by Marvel

Southern Cross #13 brings us back from the trade break and begins a new arc, seeing our cast of misfits return to the returned Southern Cross ship. It’s not as hard a shift in story arc as the first and second, continuing to follow on Hazel and Kyril’s story, just shifting locations. I don’t know if this is the final arc, but with the addition of Swan’s mercenaries, it feels like Becky Cloonan and Andy Belanger are guiding us to some sort of conclusion.

| Published by Image

Spawn #279 begins the confrontation between round two of Yakuza goons and Spawn and his family. The argument between Al and Cyan is also one that feels necessary and an interesting call back to earlier concerns with Terry and Wanda when Cyan was even younger. Jason Shawn Alexander also continues to make this one of the best looking books every month.

| Published by Image

Star Trek: Boldly Go #13 begins the six-part “I.D.I.C.” arc, which in many ways is kind of like the Mirror Universe turned up to eleven, embracing the concept of “What if...?”. The first part begins in the standard Kelvin timeline, but then shifts to an alternate wherein Spock grew up on Earth instead of Vulcan, as Simon Grayson and we get to see how the opening of Star Trek: Beyond played out on this universe. It’s interesting and I like how Mike Johnson is playing with the story and characters.

| Published by IDW

Thanos #12 concludes Jeff Lemire’s run on the series and with it, I believe, his tenure at Marvel. It was a good run, building upon the recharacterization of Thanos squarely as a “bad guy” since Infinity, and in ends in a satisfyingly dramatic and brutish fashion. Germán Peralta again delivers some of the best artwork of his career.

| Published by Marvel

Turok #3 damn near broke me with this depiction below of Turok’s conversation with his daughter. These character moments, filled with joy and humour, really set it apart from the weird and violent action happening in the present. Chuck Wendig and Álvarro Sarraseca are doing a great job with this most recent interpretation of the character.

| Published by Dynamite

Underwinter: Field of Feathers #1 is weird. Much like the first arc was weird. I think the closest I’d be able to describe it is impressionistic horror. White and soft colours working against usual type, leading to a somewhat confused reader. Ray Fawkes is doing something very interesting with this series, almost a mix of David Lynch and H.P. Lovecraft in its narrative techniques and content. Implying what’s going on rather than being direct about it.

| Published by Image

Victor LaValle’s Destroyer #6 concludes what has not only been an excellent sci-fi horror story, a reinterpretation and sequel to the Frankenstein story, but also an interesting look into how obsession, revenge, capitulation, and other societal factors can turn you into a monster or in some cases turn yourself into a monster.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

The X-Files: JFK Disclosure #1 is the first part of a two-part series timed to coincide with the release of the files regarding the investigation into the assassination this week. I’m not going to say that the theory presented here is aliens, but it’s aliens. Menton3′s art is nice.

| Published by IDW

X-O Manowar #8 focuses on the last night before taking the war fully to the Emperor, that battle, and putting voice to one of the ramifications of Aric putting forth this fight. Despite the scale of the stakes, I find it interesting that Matt Kindt chooses to tell this story through mostly the quiet moments, giving us reflections before and after the battle, first with Aric’s compatriots from amongst the gathered tribes and then with his former flame, Schon. It serves to underline the personal cost and motivations of war and conflict.

| Published by Valiant

Other Highlights: All-New Wolverine #26, Amazing Spider-Man #790, America #8, Black Panther #166, Captain Marvel #125, The Damned #5, Despicable Deadpool #288, First Strike #6, Glitterbomb: The Fame Game #2, Goosebumps: Monsters at Midnight #1, Golgotha, The Hard Place #3, Image+ Vol. 2 #3, Incidentals #3, Jean Grey #8, Lark’s Killer #3, Mass Effect: Discovery #4, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers #20, Night’s Dominion - Season 2 #3, Outcast #31, Punisher #17, Rick & Morty #31, Saga #48, The Shadow #3, Star Wars: Jedi of the Republic - Mace Windu #3, TMNT #75, The Unsound #5, US Avengers #11, Violent Love #9, Wayward #24, X-Men Blue #14

Recommended Collections: Doctor Stranger - Volume 3: Blood in the Aether, Dungeons & Dragons: Frost Giant’s Fury, Goddamned - Oversized Hardcover, Green Valley, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers - Volume 4, Ragnarok - Volume 1: Last God Standing, Redneck - Volume 1: Deep in the Heart, Self Storage, Shaolin Cowboy: Who’ll Stop the Reign, Transformers: Lost Light - Volume 1, Underwinter - Volume 1: Symphony

d. emerson eddy is believing the strangest things, loving the alien, watching them come and go, the Templars and the Saracens.