​21 days later, the script was completed. Now, all that was needed was to talk to the creator of the story and get his okay. Sounds easy enough, right?  But remember, there was just the slightest of hitches. I had not spoken to him since I got the job. I had instructed the director to keep him busy while I sorted through his story. Before I did call, I decided to get my ducks in a row. Copies of the screenplay went to the Director and Producer. If they had comments, it would be better to start here. After all, one was making it and the other, most importantly, was putting up the money. Initial comments from Matt (director) were good. Suzanne, guardedly optimistic, would hold off judgment until the table read.
 
The call was scheduled for a Saturday afternoon. The author was on the east coast. I decided the best course of action was to remain overly enthusiastic. Whenever the author would bring up a particular note, I would let forth with another gush of just how lucky I was to be chosen to work on such a terrific story in such a terrific business. When pressed harder, I gently reminded him that the reading was in a week. Let’s just see what happens there. He reluctantly agreed, but not before insisting his original rock song play over the opening or closing credits. Wait? What? An original song. If I had seen something like that, I am quite sure I would’ve cut that. Maybe I should consider putting that back in.

​ 
Paramount Studios on a Saturday afternoon is a ghost town. Not much happening. To be truthful, I am not sure why. I have been several times in the eighties and nineties, and it was always busy. At least, this weekend the outdoor tank was up. How many naval battles had been fought in this historic swimming pool on steroids? I stopped off quickly at the studio Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and got caffeinated, just before it was time to meet Suzanne De Laurentiis in the flesh. 
 
Suzanne, oh Suzanne, 3rdcousin to Dino, is a firecracker with flaming red hair and artificial upper half. We adjourned to her office and she immediately went into a pitch for her new creative obsession, “The Suzanne Show.” She pitched it as Oprah for menopausal women. “You get a hot flash.” You get a hot flash.”  “Everybody gets a hot flash.” Oh, yes, and don’t forget the cooking segments.  Anyways, I was polite, listened and agreed to think about it. I mean what was I going to say?

​The Lucille Ball Theatre is an intimate little screening room that had been converted into a conference room. Inside, a group of young, fresh-faced actors, laptops open, prepared for the reading. From their puzzled expression, I guessed they were seeing the script for the first time. I introduced myself and adjourned to the back to set up my complicated recording device. In actuality, my recording device was an iPhone 4. But, hey, still plenty complicated. Suzanne swept in with her entourage of one and introduced all and the reading started promptly at 2pm.
 
Despite the puzzled faces on the actors, the reading was well. According to the actors later, the raised eyebrows were attributed to the changes in the material. Sometime, early in the second act, Suzanne abruptly left, leaving her entourage in charge. We finished the reading, posed for a couple of pictures. Whoever entourage was, he too had trouble with the complicated iPhone 4. The pictures are, how do you put this politely, blurry as fuck. Feedback was great, the actors laughing and celebrating the improvements over the last reading. Suzanne must not have shared in that enthusiasm. Like Elvis, De Laurentiis had left the building.
 
Saying goodbyes to the cast, I called the director in the parking lot. “It could not have gone better,” I explained. 
“What do you mean?”
“The producer left before it was over.”

"Blurry as fuck."  (The exciting conclusion of "The Lighthouse Keeper" next week.

THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER
 
“World War II is over… but someone hasn't surrendered!”
 
The press small release, dated 05/13/13, was as follows:
 
“Los Angeles based producer Suzanne DeLaurentiis will collaborate with Andre Sadowski on their upcoming film The Lighthouse Keeper. The film is scheduled to go into pre-production this summer.”
 
“The Lighthouse Keeper is a horror film set off the coast of New England during WWII. An elite German SS soldier is sent to America and uses a lighthouse as his base of operations. His ardent nationalism blinds him to the fall of the Third Reich and he continues a murderous campaign for years, overtaking the area surrounding the lighthouse. A group of college students are brought to his shores and become the next target in the Keeper's twisted mission. They must try to end his reign of terror before his quest for final victory claims more lives.”
​

The original script, a horror thriller by Andre Sadowski, was in need a rewrite. It had just undergone the first table-read and Suzanne DeLaurentiis ( 2nd cousin to the immortal Dino), having been informed of my one week turn-around on “Axe to Grind,” hired me to apply first aid – stat! Most importantly, I was to be paid in cash. Half now, and half upon delivery. I would be a literary Sam Spade. All that was missing was the $50.00 a day in expenses. The clock was ticking. I was given one month before the 2ndtable read at Paramount Studios.
 
I dug in immediately, reading and re-reading to determine the strength of the outline. I decided to strip the script of all dialogue to determine the story’s overall structure. There were weaknesses in all three acts, I carefully added scenes/beats to flesh out the story in order for it to make sense. Keep in mind, making sense in a horror film is all relative. The story merely needs to be believable in a a Jason Voorhees, Friday the 13thpart 3-D, kind of way. Once that was feat accomplished, I went to work rewriting the script.
 
So, I am about ten days in, working fast and attempting to make it to deadline when I hear from the director. Apparently, the original writer was under the impression that this was going to be a collaborative rewrite; the two of us holding hands in the spirit of true brotherhood. Whoops. To make matters worse, the original writer wanted to see what I had done so far. Keep in mind, this is something that I NEVER, EVER do. The best plan of action is always to charge ahead. I instructed the director to keep the writer busy until I finished. Keep the vision in my head clear, I reasoned. Keep the eye on the prize. 
 
Now, just a friendly reminder. This is not Pulitzer Prize winning material here. This is horror. Teens disembark from a pleasure cruise at an island lighthouse and die, one by one, at the hands of a murderous Nazi. I know the rules. All of the rules. Including the rule that the first victims need to be the couple just about to make sweet, sweet love in some deserted or remote corner of the island.
 
Three weeks later a rough draft was completed, and a copy went to the entire production team. There were some minor notes and a phone call was booked between the original writer, the director and me. The call was to be in on a Saturday and it would be the first time that I would exchange words with the man who created the Nazi Lighthouse keeper. How would he react? Would he be angry over the lack of collaboration? Would he track me down and dispose of me like one of his victims in his story?

To be continued...

Or as I like to call it, JERRY LEWIS DAY!

Odds and ends to end the summer!

​How about a big round of virtual applause for last week’s guest, Dwayne Epstein. Such a great interview. We had so many guests on the site last week that our web counter actually broke.  LOL. Thanks, Dwayne. Seriously, I wish him continued success with his great biography, “Lee Marvin: Point Blank.” If you have not purchased this yet, what are you waiting for! Please check it out. You will not be disappointed.  
 
As we move into Fall, we will be having more great guests so, stay tuned.
 
A big shout-out to Jessica for her “Son of Ravage” short and sweet review: “Holy cats! If you like a lot of action and some fun characters, this is an enjoyable read. Looking forward to the next adventures.” Yes, we are still keeping track of reviews, so please keep those cards and letters coming.
 
Have you been checking out ALL the comments on jplinde.com? There’s a reader who reported that he worked as a gofer on the Matt Helm series. He made some rather startling claims. I asked if he wouldn’t mind taking the time to answer a few questions but have not heard back. I have to admit, I am curious. Perhaps it is just another of our many Russian bots that come to visit. Haven’t had one in quite a while, but welcome back comrade. I doubt you can throw an election with Dino gossip, but give it your best shot.

Recently finished “The Overstory” by Richard Powers. This is a Pulitzer Prize winning work of fiction and definitely worth your time. If you are at all interested in our dying planet, I would check this novel out. To save a tree (the real heroes of this book), you might want to purchase it on Kindle or ebook. Next up for the Linde Family Book Club, “There There” by Tommy Orange. I will keep you posted.
​
Jerry Seinfeld’s meltdown on this season’s “Comedian in Cars Getting Coffee” is particularly worth catching. The tirade takes place on episode featuring comedian/actress writer Bridget Everett. It’s fascinating to witness the usually calm, collected and Zen-like performer lose his shit at the mention of another comic’s name. After a bit of research, I discovered the comedian that causes the shit to hit the fan happens to be Bobcat Goldthwait. I am interested to see how this one plays out. There are a few mentions of this on the web if you are so inclined. I just found the episode memorable for all the reasons stated above.

​Currently, the missus and I are plowing through the entire Veronica Mars playlist and are midway through the 2ndseason. For all of those not familiar with the teen detective, it’s a series that was created by author/writer/producer Rob Thomas and Executive Produced by Hollywood legend Joel Silver. This is not your typical Nancy Drew type detective story. It creatively mixes angst, humor and surprising darkness into a teen noir that is a far cry from the regular episodic fare.
 
Well, I think I blabbered on enough. Have a great week.

​As a writer for Filmfax Magazine, Dwayne Epstein published comprehensive articles on everyone from Bobby Darin to film director Sam Fuller. His recent biography, “Lee Marvin: Point Blank,” is a comprehensive biographical work on a very complicated actor and is consistently among the top sellers in non-fiction. The work is accessible, comprehensive, detailed and professionally paced. Quite frankly, it is a seminal piece of work by a great writer. A while back, I devoured this work on one of my favorite actors and was so impressed, I reached out to the author. Dwayne was modest, sincere and appreciative and I am so glad that he took the time to visit with us today. Ladies and gentlemen, my Q & A with Mr. Dwayne Epstein.
 
Lee Marvin was a complicated man. What made you want to tackle the subject?
 
DE: First off, let me thank you for having me as a guest on your blog as it’s very much appreciated. As to your first question, you should know that I get asked that a lot. Lee Marvin has always fascinated me. I’m a baby boomer and I grew up watching The Dirty Dozen on TV, way back when they were showing it in two parts. I can watch it now and distinctly remember when the first part would end and the second part would begin. In all of his films, he was always very distinct to me, even when he was not the leading actor. Even more so after I decided to write a book on him, and the more I found out about him. He was much more than he was on screen, obviously, just like most people are. He was a fascinating man. When I researched the book, I discovered he really was the first of his kind, I mean of the post-war actors; he pretty much created the modern America cinema of violence as we know it.   

 
 It seems my impressionable childhood was affected by these three Marvin films; “Cat Ballou,” “The Professionals,” and “Point Blank.” (I include Dirty Dozen in this as well but feel overall, that these three had more of an impact on me.) What are your top five Lee Marvin films and why? 
 
DE: I read the blog you wrote in preparation for this entry and saw almost all of my favorites on your list, you sneaky devil! Truth be told, for such a lengthy career, I think five films is too limiting, especially since his career evolved in different stages. The first stage was playing smaller roles in some great and mediocre films. Then he went a lengthy period playing major roles or second leads until his middle-aged ascent into stardom. I have favorites in all three stages of his career. 
Off the top of my head, of his early roles, I loved him in a strange little film called "Shack Out on 101" (1955). It's a Cold War thriller that practically defies description but I highly recommend it for its entertainment value alone, which cannot be overestimated. He also was wonderful in a cult western with Randolph Scott called "Seven Men From Now" (1956). The dialogue scene in the covered wagon and the film's finale is some of the best work Marvin's ever done. There's also "The Wild One" (1954), "The Big Heat" (1953), "Bad Day at Black Rock" (1955) and "Raintree County" (1957), superior films in either execution or budget in which Marvin is a true stand out in every scene he's in.
   For the mid-point in his career he was amazing in "The Comancheros" (1961), "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (1962), "Donavan's Reef" (1963) and "The Killers" (1964). The films themselves may vary in quality but not Marvin's performances. He steals scenes from everyone around him, including the likes of Ronald Reagan, John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart.
 Once he established himself as a major star in the mid-sixties, he made a string of action films that are almost unprecedented in both their production value and his memorable performances in them. "The Professionals" (1966) is a personal favorite in that group as well as "The Dirty Dozen." Several of these films still stand the test of time no matter how old they are but even more amazing is how believable Marvin remained as a middle-aged action star. The silver hair, aged features and deep resonant voice worked for him, not against him even in the overblown musical "Paint Your Wagon "(1969), which is a favorite guilty pleasure. Of course, I must include "The Big Red One" (1980).
  Like many of the post-war actors of his generation he also gave great performances on television. One of my favorites was a dramatic special directed by John Frankenheimer called “The American” in which Marvin played Native American WWII hero Ira Hayes. He was subdued and poignant in the role and it was the only time he ever played a combat Marine, which he was in real life.
​

What is it about Lee Marvin that resonates so much with a young, male audience? 
 
DE: Interesting question as my research has shown that a few years back a poll was taken by MTV viewers who named Marvin’s character in Point Blank the fifth toughest badass of all-time. The obvious answer then to that question is that Marvin is indeed a badass and appreciated on that level. 
    Personally, I think it’s a little deeper than that. He came to stardom older than most other actors and looked it. Don’t get me wrong, he wasn’t ancient. He just looked more experienced thereby making him look more capable of what he did on screen and what he did on screen was pretty impressive. That truly resonates and it’s hardly as dated as watching a John Wayne film from the same time period. 
  I actually discovered how much he resonates with some younger audiences when I encountered a group of Orange County Gen Xer’s who called themselves the Bastard Sons Of Lee (BSOL). I was so impressed after meeting them I became a member myself. They explain their appreciation of all things Marvin pretty well in my book. 
​

In his best work, Marvin had a precision in his acting style. Do you think part of this stems from his time in the Marines and WW II?
 
DE: Absolutely! He once famously said he learned how to act by being in the Marines. He explained it offhandedly by stating that that it was a matter of learning how to act like he wasn’t scared when he truly was but obviously there was more to it than that. Being in the USMC after having been a discipline problem in school taught him how to get things done his own way while telling his C.O. what he wanted to hear. Several people who knew him well told me that. Being a Marine he also got his DNA hard wired to always show up on time no matter what transpired the night before and do your job. He was a Marine through and through.
 
There is something tragic about the end of Lee Marvin’s career. Ultimately, was it his drinking, his personal life or his choice in projects that cut short what could have been a much longer and even more brilliant career?
 
DE: My guess is a combination of all three, which is often the case in most instances. A popular sociological question poised by most historians is “Do the times make the man or does the man make the times?” Obviously the answer is probably combination of the two. Would FDR had made a great president if he didn’t have polio? I’m not putting Lee Marvin in FDR’s category of greatness but you get the point.
  As to the end of Marvin’s life, just for fun I like to theorize what he might have done had he lived a little longer, which I did as an appendix in the back of the book. 
 
I find your sections on Lee Marvin’s politics fascinating. He supported John Kennedy for President, was against the Viet Nam war and was a life-long democrat. What motivated Lee Marvin politically?
 
DE: Like most of us, his political point of view was formed early in life and was most likely a result of his upbringing. His parents were life-long Democrats as was his brother, whom I got to know fairly well. Keep in mind though, his mother Courtenay was a working woman but she was also a steel magnolia from Virginia, making her more of what used to be called a Dixiecrat. Now we call that thinking ‘Blue Dog’ Democrats. As he got older, Marvin did get a little more conservative but I doubt if he voted Republican. After Kennedy’s assassination he never spoke publicly about his politics again other than some off-handed remarks on certain issues, such as gay rights or civil rights both of which he supported.
​

How long did it take you to write this book, from idea to draft?
 
DE: Not intentionally but it took me nearly two decades! Interesting story is how I came about to take on the project, initially. Like you, I dabbled in stand-up comedy and other things while working as a waiter and doing the occasional writing gig. I’ve always been a huge Steve McQueen fan and when biographer Marshall Terrill published his book "Steve McQueen: Portrait of A Rebel," I noted some minor discrepancies. On a lark, I attempted to contact him and much to my surprise, he responded and we met for dinner.  
I guess I may have been trying to impress him because I recall that fairly early in the conversation he told me that with my knowledge of film I should write a film biography of a favorite actor myself. My sarcastic response was, "I'd like to but you already wrote it!" It did not take long for the conversation to then turn to the possibility of who I could write about. Being the movie fan that I am there were of course a plethora of choices but what narrowed the field was market considerations. Marshall had been a marketing major in college and following that had also worked in the business world. His input on that level was valuable as we ticked off a list of major stars who really had not had a definitive bio written about them. It was that marketing challenge that brought us to Lee Marvin. There had been one or two previous books on the subject but nothing that could possibly be called definitive. 
   I told him I would think about it but from that moment on, he never gave up trying to talk me into it. Despite any differences we may have had through the years, as well as my own insecurities, he has remained one of the book's biggest champions and for that I am eternally grateful.
 
 
How long did you spend on research alone?
 
DE: Not long after my conversation with Marshall, I began the initial research on the project and that was back in 1994. Believe me, had I known it would take nearly 20 years to get published, I doubt very highly if I would have pursued it. Luckily, it was a subject I did not ever tire of researching. The more I found out, the more enthused I became. It's funny in that even Lee's first wife, Betty said to me at one point, "Aren't you getting sick of Lee? I would be and I was married to the man!" 
   The reason it took so long quite simply is the fact that every major publisher I approached told me the same, thing. With all due respect to Marshall's business acumen, they all said there was no market and no one is interested in a book on Lee Marvin. 
   All that changed permanently when I switched agents for the third time. The previous agents were okay but not nearly as persistent as the late Mike Hamilburg. I should point out that even though I continued researching and cataloging information on Marvin the project was put on the back burner for a few years when I had to help my ailing parents. My father passed away from Alzheimer's in 2005 and my mother passed from heart disease three years later. When the smoke settled, I got back in contact with Mike Hamilburg, revamped my entire work up to that time to create a stronger proposal and in less than a year he had an interested publisher. I cannot say enough about either Hamilburg's belief in the project nor publisher Tim Schaffner's mission within his company Schaffner Press to put out a quality product while the rest of the publishing world thumbed their noses.
   It may have taken nearly 20 years but to my mind, it was worth it. When I'd get the inevitable rejection letters Marshall told me to keep them as reminders for when I do get published. He was right about that. In July of 2014 Lee Marvin Point Blank became the number 4 best-selling non-fiction E-book on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Publisher's Weekly bestseller lists. More importantly, it became an amazing life lesson for me by example: No matter the odds, if you believe in what you're doing, never give up on your dream!
​

Let’s back up a bit and talk about your writing career. How did you get started? 
 
DE: Well, I’ll tell you like this. I did kind of okay in school but I really seemed to excel when an assignment or a test required an essay. Not being the brightest guy when it came to recognizing my own ability, I didn't realize how many times my writing ability saved me from bad grades until I was MUCH older. As the old saying goes, sometimes it's not so much a light bulb that goes off as a whack in the back of the head with a 2x4 that does that trick.
 When I was in college, I wrote for the school paper and also entered and won several Phi Theta Kappa writing contests on campus. That proved to be the whack in the head with the 2x4. I decided to give it a try from there as a professional. I had written some freelance articles for a publisher of five local papers in New Jersey and the editor eventually hired me on staff. I enjoyed working there and learned a lot. I eventually chose to move back to California for personal reasons but there was one aspect of working at Cranbury Publications that has stayed with me to this day. One of the sales people there and I became very close and as I like to say, I was Jimmy Olson to her Lois Lane. Barbara and I have been together ever since.
  Anyway, When I came back to California, I found work on several other local papers and then began working for a gentleman named Mike Miller who ran a company called Miller Education Materials. He sold books to schools throughout the country and as his managing editor, we put together the catalog for three companies in all. I learned a lot there as well, including earning my first book publishing credit when Mr. Miller decided to branch out a little more. Unfortunately, after 9/11 the company suffered financially and I was laid off. Being a lifelong movie fan I was also freelancing for Filmfax and Outré magazines at the same time. That was where my initial research on Lee Marvin first saw the light of day.
 
When did you first get interested in the making of film and the talent it takes to make it all happen?
 
 DE: If my mother was to be believed, it started for me shortly after birth. Seriously. I have two older sisters and as was the common practice of the day, my parents would wrangle us all into the station wagon and got to the drive-in on a hot night so the kids would all eventually fall asleep. According to my mother, both of my sisters — two and six years older than I — would be fast asleep in about twenty minutes while I, no more than a few months old, would continue to stare at the lights coming off the screen through the entire double feature. I found that hard to believe but my mother assured me it was the truth.
 My love of films came largely from her, as she was a big movie fan when she was growing up. She would wake me up in the middle of the night if a good movie were on, even if it were a school night. 
   Some times her efforts would back fire, though. I remember once when I was about nine or ten years old. I was doing something terrible and she decided to use psychology on me instead of punishing me as usual. "Angels with Dirty Faces" was on TV that day and she forced me to watch it from beginning to end. Without ruining the ending, she asked me afterwards, “Did you learn your lesson about being a bad boy?” I turned away from the TV, wiped the tears from my eyes and said to her, “Yeah, I learned a lesson. James Cagney is great!” Been a Cagney fan ever since. Thanks, Ma! 
 
You’ve worked and continue to work for a series of film magazines. What is your attraction to motion pictures and film criticism?
 
DE: It was just a natural progression from my original fascination. What aided me immensely was growing up in the 1970s, a time of intense interest in filmmaking in general. For example, I have a vivid memory of watching Richard Schickel's PBS series, "The Men Who Made the Movies," back in the 70s when I was VERY young. Up until then, I never even gave much consideration to the importance of the director to a film and the concept changed my thinking, dramatically. In fact, some of the subjects in Schickel's series, such as Raoul Walsh and Bill Wellman, proved even more fascinating than the films they made!
An even greater example of early influences is a series of books put out by Citadel Press entitled "The Films of..."The entire series (each title of interest of varying quality) was a revelation to this young starstruck movie fan. Imagine for a moment you're looking for any well-illustrated information on the stars, genres, and periods of filmmaking that you love, long before the days of the internet, and you stumble up such a rack at the local mall's bookstore.
  I was so bold at such a young age, I even went so far as to write the publisher and ask if I could write a book called "The Films of Steve McQueen." I was politely told that one was in the works but thanks for the offer. They were right, of course. One did come out...about ten years later.
   The existing titles varied in quality, as I said, but I noticed the same very prolific writer authored several of the best. His name was Tony Thomas and for reasons I can no longer recall, I was fortunate to meet up with him in his home in southern California.
  I was extremely impressed with his kind demeanor, countless soundtracks shelved on the wall (many produced by him!) and his amazing patience with me. In fact, He simply handed me several soundtracks as we spoke and signed them all! I still have them. He signed the soundtrack to Robin Hood, “To Dwayne, a kindred Spirit.” What he wrote remains a treasured possession. I wonder if anybody does that kind of thing any more.
 
 
12. What is your education?
 
DE: Public schools in both New York and California as I was growing up. Following that, I was a Liberal Arts major and was also Phi Theta Kappa when I attended Mercer County Community College in New Jersey. Even though it was a community college there were some wonderful teachers there I remember with great fondness. I had planned to go on to Rutgers but as John Lennon said, life is what happens while your busy making other plans, such as having to pay bills and the like. 
   I guess what I’m trying to say is that my formal higher education is rather abbreviated but the experience I’ve garnered outside of school is quite plentiful. A friend of mine, Bill Krohn, is a wonderful cinema historian, having written book on everyone from Luis Bunuel to Alfred Hitchcock and he paid me a wonderful compliment. He said, “You may not have gone to Harvard, like I did, but you are a serious self-taught film historian.”
​

What’s next for you? 

DE: To tell you the truth, ever since my agent passed away in 2016 my writing career has being lying kind of fallow. I still get the occasional freelance gig via the likes of Emmy.com, which I love. I also maintain a blog on Lee Marvin to continue to boost sales, as it’s pretty amazing how much Lee Marvin remains in the media. However, the bigger projects I’d like to do haven’t quite come together yet but they are definitely in the pipeline and there may be news on that front very soon. Keep your fingers crossed!

Thank you, Dwayne!

What a fantastic visit and what a terrific book. Folks, I urge you to go out and purchase a copy of this book. It is available at all of your favorite bookstores and, of course, on Amazon. There's a link here...www.amazon.com/dp/B00B0SAF3S/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_Z6tyDbVKS2FEF

I am very pleased to announce that Dwayne Epstein, author of “Lee Marvin: Point Blank,” will be joining me next Sunday, August 25 on jplinde.com for a very special interview. You won’t want to miss this one!
 
Dwayne has written for Filmfax Magazine, with comprehensive articles on everyone from Bobby Darin to film director Sam Fuller. His biography “Lee Marvin: Point Blank,” is one of the most comprehensive biographical works of one of the most under-appreciated actors of his generation. His bestselling biography is consistently among the top ten lists in non-fiction. This work is accessible, comprehensive, detailed and professionally paced. Quite frankly, it is a seminal piece of work by a great writer. I devoured this work on one of my favorite actors and was so impressed, I reached out.  

Praise for “Lee Marvin; Point Blank.”
LEONARD MALTIN
 
"Dwayne Epstein has courageously updated the Marvin file with an archive of interviews and research that encompasses a life lived large on the world stage, surging like a Hollywood epic across continents and filled with a cast of the famous and infamous."

See you all next week!

​Just wanted to give a shout out for the great comments on my little salute to Dean Martin as Matt Helm. There were a lot of comments, most of them anti Dino as Matt Helm, but still a heck of a lot of fun. Good or bad comments, it is great to hear from you.
 
Confession: Having just watched and thoroughly enjoyed Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” I decided to sit down and attempt watch Matt Helm’s last film adventure, “The Wrecking Crew.” I only made it an hour in before I couldn’t subject myself to it any further. Any of the fun, in any of the other films, is gone and the 55-year old Dino smirk seems more creepy than sexy. No wonder they decided not to make the next one.
 
What have you been reading, writing and watching? There are a lot of choices out there so stay safe. For my part, I’ve been busy in my never-ending attempt to fill my head with creative content from other writers/producers and directors.
 
Thanks to our little visit with Mark Verheiden, I am re-watching the entire seasons of “Battlestar Galactica.” I have just concluded the mini-series and episode one. All of these first episodes, written of course, by Ronald D. Moore. For those of you asleep for the last few decades, Moore cut his teeth on “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” moved onto “Deep Space 9” and “Voyager,” before taking on Battlestar. His sense of story is nothing short of mesmerizing and he deserves all the praise he gets. I am very much looking forward to moving onto “Outlander.” Very soon, I will get to the Mark V material. I can’t wait. Mark is worth the wait.

​I also just finished re-watching “2010: The Year We Make Contact,” written, produced, directed and photographed by Peter Hyams. Stepping into Stanley Kubrick’s legendary shoes was no easy task, and Hyams does a respectful job in taking an original story that left plenty of questions (intentionally, I might add), and crafting a sequel that is dramatic, exciting and takes the time and trouble to answer a few lingering questions along the way. If you have not read the director’s book on his correspondence with famed author Arthur C Clark, “The Odyssey File” do so. It’s highly recommended. Long out of print, but worth searching out.

​Another gem, recently rediscovered, thanks to TCM, is a very small but entertaining film titled, “The Rounders,” with Glenn Ford, Henry Fonda and Chill Willis, directed by Burt Kennedy (“Support your local Sheriff”). While not much on plot, the two performances by two outstanding actors in rare comedic roles, is well worth the ninety minute running time.

​And last, but never least, “The Killers” starring Edmond O’ Brian and introducing to the big screen, Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner. Directed by Robert Siodmak, the film is based on the 1927 short story by none other than Ernest Hemmingway.  An uncredited John Huston and Richard Brooks co-wrote the screenplay, which was credited to Anthony Veiler. Later remade into a theatrical release with Lee Marvin, John Cassavettes, Angie Dickinson and, of all people Ronald Reagan. Watch the Swede get mixed up with Kitty Collins and a very bad crowd. Witness a bad-ass William Conrad terrorize a small-town diner looking for the Swede. This movie has it all and is worth seeking out. I’ve seen it at least ten times and it never gets old. 
 
In the words of the immortal Paul Harvey, “Until next time, America. This is J.P. Linde. Good day!”

A big thank you to all the new visitors to jplinde.com. It’s a amazing what a little Lee Marvin will do for viewership.  Stay tuned. Our special guest is just around the corner. I’ll be announcing the identity very soon so stay right where you are and don’t do anything. I have also enjoyed all the comments regarding my Showtime appearances of 1988. So far, the winner and champion appears to be “You look just like David Coulier (Joey) from “Full House.” Ah, the eighties, right? The runner up was just as good, “You don’t sound like that.” No, that is actually the voice from David Coulier.  I fooled all of you. Keep those e-cards and emails coming.
 
In honor of Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood” a quick look back at what some consider the best, worst spy film series of all time! High praise indeed. So, hang onto your slicked back, black oily hair. Here are the top five Dean Martin Matt Helms movies.  BTW, they are the only Matt Helm movies and, as for top five...  there are only four.

“The Silencers.” 1966. Directed by Phil Karlson. A top film of 1966 with 50 year old Dino clearing more money than Sean Connery did for “Thunderball.”
​
“Talk about a booby trap. That's a crazy holster.”

​“Murderers Row.” 1966. Henry Levin. Made the same year as Silencers, this follow-up co-stars Karl Malden as the super villain (ho hum), Ann Margaret as the scientist’s swinging daughter and Dino, Desi and Billy as themselves. (Guess which scene I borrowed for "Son of  Ravage").
 
“What a way to finish. For a guy that drank booze all his life to end up like a milkshake.”

​The Ambushers.” 1967. Henry Levin. The last appearance of James Gregory as McDonald. Thank goodness he moved onto television and “Barney Miller.” This movie has everything, including a flying saucer and a magnetic gun that is perfect for unzipping.  Filmed in location in Mexico.
 
“I believe the expression is, eh, 'Silence, Yankee dog', eh?”

​ 
The Wrecking Crew.” Notable for being the last film of Sharon Tate and fight scenes choreographed by Bruce Lee. One final Matt Helm film, “The Ravagers” was announced at the end credits. However, Dino declined in favor of 18 holes of golf. Coincidentally, the making of one of these films takes roughly the same amount of time.
 
“I know what you're after, and... I like the way you're going about it.”

"Skoal!
Of course, it's skoal. There's ice in it."

Cheers!

​Another week, another blog post. For all of those interested in blackmailing me, videos of my 1988 performance on “Comedy Club Network” have just become available on Amazon Prime. Originally part of Showtime, each show features comedians such as Adam Sandler, Rosie O’ Donnell, Tim Allen, and, of course, me. Most performers went on to greater things. Some of us remained behind to sweep up. I appeared in Season 2, Episode 7 and 8. I believe there is one more episode, but I have not found it yet. The episodes are free if you have Amazon Prime or .99 cents per. You can also purchase a whole season for a song. Spoiler: There is a chicken McNuggets joke. What can I say, the classics never grow old.
 
We still have some “Son of Ravage” Tanktop tees available for sale. Supplies are limited so leave a note if you are interested. The cost is $20.00.
 
Moving on:

I have decided it was high time to rank my five favorite Lee Marvin films of all time. Sounds random, right? Not really. We have a very special guest coming very soon to jplinde.com and I want to be ready. Besides, I think it is high-time we give this under-appreciated actor his due.

For a little history, Marvin was one of the top action stars of the sixties, cutting his teeth in early television and films as either a sadistic killer or hard-boiled cop. Among his early television roles are Dragnet with Jack Webb, Wagon Train and his own show, “M Squad.” Moving to film, he made quite an impression in “The Big Heat,” “The Comancheros” and John Ford’s “The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance.” Marvin was a decorated marine serving with distinction in the Pacific Theatre in World War II and one of my favorite action stars of all time. 

Cat Ballou. 1965. Directed by Elliot Silverstein. 

My first Lee Marvin film at ten years old. The gusto of his comedic performance of Kid Shelleen is something to behold. Marvin won an Academy Award for this performance and it is well deserved. I can’t think of a better way to be introduced to an actor with such a broad range of talent.
 
Kid Sheleen:
Yeah, it's all over in Dodge, Tombstone, too, Cheyenne, Deadwood, all gone, all dead and gone. Why, the last time I came through Tombstone, the big excitement there was about the new rollerskate rink that they had laid out over the O.K. Corral. I'll tell you something else, I used to work for the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show and a Congress of Rough Riders. And I rescued many stagecoach passengers from road agents and drunkard injuns... in the nick of time! Twice a day, three times on Saturday.

The Dirty Dozen 1967 Robert Aldrich

​This film is unlucky as it is placed near the bottom because the other films in the list are so damn good. A great war film, if not a bit overlong. The great softcore king Russ Meyer always insisted in interviews that the idea for the film did not come from the author of the book of the same name. But that it came from him and a story he heard while serving in WW II.
 

The Professionals 1966 Richard Brooks. 
 
This is one of my top action films of all time. Who needs a dozen soldiers when you can get it all done with four. A brilliant film and one of the top box office pictures of the year. All of the actors in this film give top-notch performances and it never gets old.

​J.W. Grant:
You bastard.

Rico:
Yes sir. In my case an accident of birth. But you, you're a self-made man.

 
Point Blank 1967 John Boorman
 
This could have been the winner if not for the film below. Point Blank is eerie, moody, violent, dream-like and the performance of Marvin is stellar as a criminal hell-bent for revenge. This is one of Boorman’s finest films and I return to it regularly for the other worldly atmosphere. An incredible support cast featuring Angie Dickenson, John Vernon and Carroll  O’ Conner.
 

Monte Walsh 1969 William A, Fraker
 
Yep, Number One is a film most people do not even know about. Funny, subtle, and bittersweet are not attributes one commonly associates to a Lee Marvin film. This western concerns the end of the cowboy life and Marvin is extraordinary in the title role of Monte Walsh. Jack Palance, Marvin’s co-star in “The Professionals” is outstanding as Walsh's long- time friend.  This film is a must-see for Marvin fans.

Monte Walsh : Cowboys don't get married, unless they stop being cowboys.

That was fun and be sure and stay tuned for more concerning Lee Marvin!

​Welcome back to the site that never sleeps, the show that never ends, the blog that keeps on going and going, and going. We have some terrific guests coming by the site in the next few weeks. I wish I could give you a head’s up but why spoil the fun. Let’s just say, one is from series television, cutting his writing/producing and directing teeth on a very popular SciFi Network and Netflix show. The other is an award-winning writer, having created one of the most celebrated and seminal biographies of the last decade. Okay, got your interest? I thought I might. Then by all means, tell all of your friends to stop by for a visit. We ain’t going anywhere.

I must admit, as a middle-aged guy going through Marvel Universe menopause, I thoroughly enjoyed Captain Marvel. What really resonated with me was the relationship between Fury and Carol. The banter was fresh, the relationship between the two one of substance. The twists and turns in the film were worth the wait and the whole film, directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck took the whole woman superhero genre to a new level. And, special kudos to the cat. Outstanding performance by a feline.

​Speaking of taking things to the new level. I thoroughly loved the third season of “Stranger Things” on Netflix. Great job by the Duffer Brothers. The season never gets old, or stale and manages to take the story to a whole new level. The performance by Millie Bobby Brown is of the usual high standard and Dacre Montgomery is outstanding as Billy, the human mouthpiece to an unspeakable evil. Another superb entry in a series.
 
I haven’t forgot my promise for a breakdown on the ultimate financial disaster that was “Disney’s John Carter.” Yeesh, I will be honest, I’m still sorting through it. Hopefully, I will have something for you by the end of the summer. I am currently midway through the second viewing and have some definite opinions about what went wrong. I can tell you this, it is not the production values. The film looks great.
 
Time for some plugs. The DC series “Swamp Thing” is wrapping up. Do yourself a favor and check out the excellent work of producer/writer Mark Verheiden, the entire production staff, cast and crew as they bring one of the most popular characters of comic book fiction to your television screen. It’s not too late to join in on all the fun.
 
And Tadd Galusha’s phenomenal work of storytelling, “Cretaceous,” is available at all book and comic stores. Show Tadd some love and pick up his graphic novel. Better yet, leave a review.
 
And speaking of reviews, we have had some stellar reviews for “Son of Ravage” on Amazon, but we need more. A few well-chosen words on GoodReads wouldn’t hurt either. If you have the time, and haven’t yet, drop on by and leave an opinion. It will be very much appreciated.    
 
Well, that’s it for now. See you all next week!

Welcome back, Ravagers. As always, your presence is what continues to make this the little website that could.  Thank you for your continued support! Some of you may already be at Comic-Con. If you are, have a great time. By the way, you score bonus points (maybe even a teeshirt), if you spot a copy of “Son of Ravage.”

​I’d like to dedicate this week’s blog to three heroes who got started in the game late, (they were all in their sixties in fact), but never the less were skilled enough to battle Hercules, romantic enough to cozy up to Snow White, brave enough launch themselves into outer space, and resilient enough to conquer Martians and travel around the world in a daze. Quite an impressive resume. Even the likes of Rock Ravage would be jealous. But, whoever could these daring heroes be? Give up” (Drum roll) 

​Larry, Moe and Curly Joe, the funniest, craziest guys I know. During the very late fifties and early sixties, The Three Stooges, boosted by the success of their theatrical shorts playing endlessly on television, made a series of five, feature-length films. And believe it or not, all of them, had one toe firmly into the genre of fantasy/adventure.
 
In this humble post, I will endeavor to rank these Three Stooges films from worst to best.  Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk. Let’s get started.

The Three Stooges go around the World in a Daze 1963 (One and one half nyuk).
 
Loosely based on the Jules Verne classic. I can honestly say that I have never sat through this entire movie.
 
Moe: We’re official bodyguards. Also double as man Friday.
Larry: And Saturday.

​“Snow White and the Three Stooges.”  1960 (Two nyuks)
 
It was a clever idea, spoiled by the gimmick of featuring several ice-skating sequences. This is the Stooges only feature film to be in technicolor. Worth seeing. A bit artsy, (yeah, I know) for a Stooges flick and a sure-fire miss. Memorable line:  
 
Moe hawking the medicine Nyuk. “Become the envy of your friends. Surprise your wife. You, lady, grow a beard and surprise your husband!”

​The world’s introduction to the sweet, moronic, Curly Joe who became a kinder, gentler foe to Moe. I don’t care what people say, I liked him and always had the feeling that he was a good sport and quite the trooper. Be sure and check out Joe DeRita’s interview on the future of comedy. The infirm, toothless and only remaining stooge talks about the nature of comedy. But I digress. While this move does have some funny moments, it is kind of all over the place, even featuring the Stooges, a Unicorn and a song.
There really are no memorable lines but here we go: 
 
Larry: (after a beautiful French girl walks away) Why didn’t I learn French instead of Latin? (Spies a Hispanic girl) Oh, a Latin!

​“The Outlaws IS Coming.” 1965 (Two and a half nyuks)
 
Batman Adam West in his first feature roll and Emil Sitka’s final film appearance with the Stooges. Features a few cringe-worthy racist moments; particularly Curly Joe dressed as an Indian maiden.
 
Moe: “Your names will live forever. You may even get into TV.”

No, the moment you've all be waiting for. One the winner and runner up were both made in the same year and in my humble opinion are the best in the lot.

​“Three Stooges in Orbit.” 1962 (Three nyuks)
 
Or Three Stooges vs the Martians, or Three Stooges do the Twist, or Three Stooges save Disneyland. This one also happens to be all over the place but as a kid, I loved it. The Stooges are kicked out of their apartment for cooking and move into a haunted house. And that’s just the first 10 minutes.
 
Moe” What do you normally do when somebody mails you a bomb?
Curly-Joe: I mail it back.

“Three Stooges Meet Hercules” 1962 (Four solid nyuks)
 
The most popular and successful of the theatrical feature Stooge films. The plot and structure are pretty tight, and the jokes aren’t half bad. Amazingly, the line dialogue below can’t be found in any of the online quote sites. However, it remains one of my favorites.
 
Curly Joe: “Can’t tell one head of the Hydra from another without a program.
 
And that, as they say is that! Hoped you all enjoyed that little stroll down Numbskull lane.  Stay tuned next week when we get in depth with The Bowery Boys.  Just kidding.  Have a great week!