Is this a turn for the better?

Will Lee and Dan fall in love with the Schumacher Batmobile?  Three things are sure, apparently chicks dig the car, blacklight paint poses a huge problem to the peace in Gotham City and you’re going to have to listen to the podcast to find out what the boys thought.

Apart from Batman Forever Lee and Dan chat about such issues as:

• Dan having to go back to work, Lee getting kicked out of his building
• Problems with iTunes, these things didn’t happen when Steve was about
• Dan’s watching Supernatural and Burn Notice
• Movies about kids killing kids don’t have enough laughs (Dan’s review of Hunger Games)
• Lee’s watching Friday Night Lights the television series but has a grudge against the film
• Lee’s been reading She-Hulk comics, Dan’s reading DC 52.

The trailers discussed this week:

• Total Recall
• Twilight: Breaking Dawn part 2
• Ted (NSFW)

Check out the podcast now!!

Now Lee and Dan flog you stuff that you don’t need!!

Support the podcast by buying something that has pointy edges!

If you thought Val Kilmer’s Batman performance was mechanical then you should check out the Batman Robot Vinyl Invader 11-Inch Vinyl Action Figure from Entertainment Earth. Capturing the classic look of a Japanese super-mecha and super shogun figures, this stylized Batman vinyl figure has no nipples on its outfit and stands at 11 inches making it the perfect defender of your desk.

Next week Lee and Dan visit the chilled out world of Batman and Robin… may God have mercy on them

So after watching the 1989 Tim Burton Batman film some time ago Lee and Dan pushed ahead into the second Burton Batman film Batman Returns.

• Dan has been making marmalade and Tracey wants some and Lee asked Dan not to send any… it’s all very complicated
• Trendy badges!!!!
• Lee and Dan flog their new podcast Airbending with Lee and Dan.
• Lee’s predictions of interwebz domination did not come to fruition.
• Dan and Lee wade into the uproar of the current Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle furor.
• Lee takes us on a chocolate easter egg tangent.

Time to sit back and enjoy this week’s Midnight Movie club:

During the podcast Dan and Lee got a little deep and analysing of the film so let us know your thoughts about Batman Returns.

Leave us a comment here or over on Facebook.

Next week the boys are watching Batman Forever.

Yes this week the boys are travelling back to the 1966 Adam West version of Batman.

Also Dan is a little hyped up as he is now fallen off the wagon and is now back drinking Diet Coke.

• Lee got a package in the mail from his Mum and proceeds to simply list everything contained within, fair warning given.
• Dan is invited by some Red Dwarf guy to go talk about something, but he isn’t going to.
• Dan also went to the theatre to experience the CGI extravaganza that is Sherlock Holmes.
• Lee has a Superman figurine with no cape and his arms move really quickly like he is running.
• Dan has been blowing his money on Skylanders (and will no doubt continue to).
• Space shuttles with monster truck wheels are awesome.
• The new Prometheus trailer. Lee and Dan are almost too scared to see this at the cinema.
• The trailer for Lego Batman 2.
• The trailer for Dark Shadows.

Now you should totally listen to the podcast just to hear how Canada has wronged Lee:

Now after you’ve listened to the podcast the following images may or may not make more sense:

The ancient Cyclops jelly that Lee refuses to eat

The figurine that Lee has no idea what it is

Seriously Canada, a duck?

Next week Lee and Dan are bypassing the 1989 Batman film (because we’ve already watched it) and are watching Batman Returns.

Dan also reveals why babies look like Winston Churchill (in case you were wondering). They also discuss:

• Dan managed to squeeze in watching Being Elmo, Lee is sad because he can’t become Elmo
• Jim Henson’s funeral and some other celebrity funerals
• The importance of Farscape
• The Runaways comic book series
• Star Wars the Clone Wars (Lee’s back on the wagon)
• The comic book Hulk: Gray – Comic book of the month group
• Lee reads a bunch of stuff out from Facebook and spoiler discussions
• Fassbender is the same age as Lee…

So what did Lee and Dan think of your childhood favourite The Goonies?

Go ahead and have a listen:

Next week was going to be Cocktail, but then it was discussed and now the boys are launching their Batman extravaganza!!!

So next week they are watching Batman The Movie from the 60s!

There’s a different energy this week as the boys podcasted under the shadow of Dan’s wife being in labour.

Yes that’s right.

Dan’s wife was in labour in the other room.

Husband of the year.

Lee and Dan also discuss:

• SHAZAM and his hood and his three buckles.  Lee wants you angry, Dan wants you to calm down.
• Phil and Lee have seen the Avengers trailer – Dan has not.
• People are throwing free tickets to John Carter at Lee, dan thinks this might be a positive sign.
• Australia is getting Avengers first.
• Dale and Tucker vs Evil plus things that Tucker has been in.
• Comic Book Men with Kevin Smith
• Lee’s sad tale around the MiB soundtrack
• What is Dan’s holy grail of memorabilia?

Which original Muppet would you love to own?  Answer in the comments!!!

Now give in to your need to listen to Lee and Dan as they get deep and thoughtful over The Karate Kid:

Join Lee and Dan next week as they talk Goonies!

• Lee is whining still about his teeth and then his man flu, but is assuring us that he won’t next week.
• Dan provides a short course in identifying dickheads.
• Dan’s wife got The Hunger Games books from her coworkers.
• Dan’s coworkers give him nothing and he’s jealous of everyone else.
• Lee has now read all of the Hunger Games books, he bought them for himself.
• Lee makes a delicious observation about The Academy Awards show and the advertising showing during.
• Lee and Dan discuss Brenden Frazier’s film choices.
• Dan provides a short course in losing your self esteem via YouTube.
• Dan makes excuses for not being on LAMBcast, Lee encourages him to spoil his material.
• The Warriors crashes into Dan’s reality.
• Lee and Dan then get deep and meaningful about Watchmen and DC comics.

Once you get past all of that you then get to witness the GREATEST DIVIDE IN OPINON in Midnight Movie Club history!!!

What are you waiting for!?!?

As mentioned in the podcast here’s a picture of a grown man dressed as a dog dressed as a Green Lantern (GNort) in his living room… and Dan and Lee are as jealous as they could be:

Join the boys next week as they watch The Karate Kid… or not… depending on births and Dan’s job.

Obviously the boy’s pure professionalism was enough to get them through, especially as they’ve long anticipated and planned for situations like this. You may have thought that the midmoclub’s previously shambolic nature was a result of Lee and Dan’s incompetence. But no! It was all an intricate plan to reduce your expectations to a point where you’ll basically accept any old claptrap.

And let’s face it – it’s worked.

Suckers.

Trailers discussed this week:

• Iron Sky
• 21 Jump Street
• Safe
• Animated Napoeon Dynamite

Lee and Dan should have also discussed the Brave trailer again as they told Kasey they would. However they forgot. Sorry Kasey.

The movie discussed this week was the 1986 Eddie Murphy action comedy – The Golden Child.

Listen to the podcast here:

There’s no regular podcast next week, but you will be getting a sneak preview of some of the movies we’ll be watching over the next ten episodes – and also a few choice titbits from the midmoclub cutting room floor.

• Medicine hour with Lee and Dan as we try to diagnose what ails Lee, (we settle on gall bladder – despite not really know what one is or does).
• Star Wars Clone Wars will no longer be mentioned as it’s a given that Lee is continuing to watch it.
• Lee has been however playing Uncharted 3 and it’s ok.
• Dan has been not completing Deus Ex Human Revolution, X-Men Evolution (we’re not linking to that on Amazon because we’ve heard it’s very very bad) and a Warhammer game (?).
• Lee consults with Matt on games decisions.

So after a discussion around how Dan doesn’t know who James Cromwell is (obviously Jack Bauer’s father) things do get a little Star Trek geeky as Lee and Dan over analyse little tiny bits of the plot and technology involved in First Contact:

Jim Robinson from Neighbours (sorry international listeners) arises as an actor to watch in the vein of Al Leong.

Ensign Dave FTW.

Join us next week as Lee and Dan watch Star Trek: Insurrection (the revenge of Ensign Dave…)

That being said Dan has let Lee get carried away and the boys watched the film The Big Bang.

You wanted to say Theory at the end of that didn’t you?

This week in week of geek:

• There is mocking of Dan’s failure to get a promotion (but he still loves his work place lots)
• Lee has a copy of Shop til you drop
• Dan is reviewing a game – Disney Universe
• Dan bought some Sea Monkeys… except they aren’t they’re Swamp Monsters which aren’t Sea Monkeys
• Lowest of the low = Dan
• Lee went to work, bought Aquaman #2 wasn’t able to read it yet
• Johnny English 2 the sequel no one asked about
• There’s a bunch of games that Lee’s looking at but not buying… yet

So did The Big Bang prove to be an uncovered gem or did it make Lee sad?

Now next week the lesson has not been learnt and Lee and Dan have wandered into the evil garden of Wikipedia + Dawson’s Creek stars = we’re watching First Daughter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noaY-7ACqrQ

Will you be with us next week and are you intrigued by The Big Bang??

In this week’s week of geek there is:

• A discussion of English comedy
• Jones is trying to financially cripple Lee
• The best segue to discuss Segways – discover Dan’s thoughts on Segways and Lee’s stance on gyroscopes
• Dan has been working, though he did sneak in a couple of Batman comics
• The DC Reboot, Catwoman’s bras and the state of comics in general
• No one likes Dora the Explorer apparently
• Lee’s up to date with Haven and the comic The Boys
• Dan’s playing Red Faction and Lee’s playing Driver: San Francisco as well as picking up Ico and Shadow of the Colossos.
• After the Star Trek discussion Lee and Dan also discuss
• Calendar rage
• 2012 world ending people
• Moon landing conspiracies
• The film Wanted

So does Lee get upset with Dan and how hard does he have to defend the indefensible Star Trek V??

Next week Dan boldly goes where he’s not gone before and watches the film Frightnight.

Lee’s seen it once before.

Let us know your thoughts about Star Trek V and anything that was discussed in week of geek!!!

Have we gone too far with the Doctor McCoy obsession yet?

On the week of geek:

• Lee’s been watching the Stephen King inspired Haven
• Dan ate a sausage sandwich whilst watching Fringe
• Dan and Evan have been playing Mario Kart and Dan is very proud of his son’s prowess
• Lee bought a Star Trek the reboot Phaser after going out to try and buy a tricorder
• Dan’s Lego Millenium Falcon arrived and has been built and now Dan’s at a loss with what to do
• DC’s Justice League reboot
• Dan’s been watching a bunch of sit-coms
• Hippies
• Always Sunny in Philadelphia 
• Ideal
• Thoughts on the new Doctor Who episodes

So how did Conan stand up by Crom?!

Next week Lee and Dan will be AWOL until the week after next and then they’ll be watching Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.

Let us know if you now want to build a wheel of pain in your back yard!!!

The week in geek features:

• Dan finished season two of Fringe which features two of Lee’s favourite things Pacey from Dawson’s Creek and Spock… from Star Trek.
• Dan bought a Lego Millenium Falcon!!!
• Dan also shares his secret for convincing his wife that it’s a sound investment – it involves some sort of timesheet dodginess
• Lee is all worked up about the Eureka cancellation… except he doesn’t really care (?)
• Lee saw Conan the Barbarian and was unmoved. He insults it by comparing it to the Clash of the Titans remake.
• Kiddies shouldn’t be watching Conan.
• Mention of robot picture quiz.

WARNING: The last 15 minutes of the podcast concerns itself with male genitals for reasons that will become evident during the podcast.

Next week Lee and Dan WILL be discussing Star Trek II and III.

What did you think of Footloose?

Were you horrified at the streaky bacon conversation??

The beginning of the Midnight Movie Club’s massive Star Trek marathon beginning with the 1979 film Star Trek: The Motion Picture, well actually the 2001 version of the film that had minor special effects added as well as a different edit (although it is just as long as the original version – just ask Dan!).

This week in Week of Geek:

• Dan is very happy in his new job despite having to go to it more than once a month
• In Lee’s office the arms race has heated up and his team are now carrying fully loaded Nerf weaponry
• The very fine people of Mexico have to suffer poor impersonations
• Lee’s been revisiting the Lethal Weapon series
• Dan’s reports back on Arrietty, the latest Studio Ghibli film
• Dan enjoyed the Captain America film and it continues the current tradition of Marvel adaptations
• Marvel fatigue versus what DC is doing
• Lee enjoyed Rise of the Planet of the Apes and is trying to convince Dan

This week sees the launch of the “safe word” element, will Lee need to use it? Is this everything Dan fears? Find out in this week’s podcast:

So next week the advertised Star Trek II & III will not be playing because the internet discovered that Lee has never seen Footloose. So next week the boys will be heading off to small town America where the dancing is banned!!

So what did you think this week?

This episode was brought to you in association with time warner cable internet

Since the boys have featured Jean Claude Van Damme punching out a snake in Hard Target we all thought it only fair that Steven Seagal get a run on the podcast and when asked the office could only think of Under Siege 2 so they went with the lessor known Under Siege.

• Dan has started his new job
• Lee has medical condition that causes him discomfort if he doesn’t have ALL Star Trek filmed material at his fingertips
• Lee considers Dan more entertaining than the Star Trek: Voyager episode “The Thaw“
• Economically you’re losing money by not buying the Star Trek Original Series Blu-rays
• Dan and Lee are very excited by the Avatar series
• Dan tried to make a joke about Two and a Half Men
• Lee’s seen the new Thundercats but never watched the old, Dan gives gifts so he can borrow them
• Dan shares his thoughts on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2
• Chocolate frogs
• Minor Harry Potter ending spoilers
• Lee’s never seen a Harry Potter film in the cinema
• Dan’s going off to see the new Studio Ghibli film (expect a report back next week)
• Dan is embarking on the world of Jack Bauer and 24
• Dan is writing a radio play.
• Lee is not invited to take part.

So does Seagal serve up a superior action film?

Next week Lee and Dan embark on a massive movie marathon and begin with Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Let us know what you think in the comments!!

There is!!!

YAAAAAY!!!!

Except…

…not really.

Just a quick Three of the Best featuring our very own Lee!!!

So what are your three favourite films of all time?

Join us next week as we chat about Under Siege.

This week Lee and Dan finish what they started by completing the Indiana Jones trilogy…

What?

Another one…?

That doesn’t sound right.

In week of geek Dan and Lee discuss:

• the mystery of the fortune cookie
• Lee marvels at the idea of character development in a television series (Falling Skies)
• Dan slightly disses SeaQuest DSV
• Dan is going to see Transformers 3 (he’s since actually gone and watched it) (Lee manages to discuss robot testicles… again)
• Dan also contemplates watching Bridesmaids and they discuss its advertising
• Dan is watching the Human Target and says it’s really really good.  Lee disappointed there’s no The Bodyguard series.
• Lee and Dan get into comic book crossovers and Flashpoint
• Lee misses Harold the hunchback and Ace the Bat Hound.

Did Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade live up to expectations?  Listen and find out!

Stick around for Dan’s thanks to all the Midmoclub iTunes reviewers!

Next week Lee and Dan are braving Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 

Be afraid.

Leave a comment.

In week of geek Dan and Lee discuss:

• Lee makes up a delightful limerick featuring Dan’s name and then completely balls up using it
• Dan is called out regarding his wife listening to the podcast
• Dan isn’t much of a fan of older artwork in Batman comic books before 1995
• Dan is still playing Batman Arkham Asylum
• Lee has lost a lot of his spare minutes to the ridiculously addictive Tiny Tower
• Lee has also been watching The Larry Sanders Show
• There were no new comics at the local comic book store for Lee
• MySpace is making a come back and Lee is leading the way
• Dan is weary of Twitter but is excited about Google+ kind of.

Just a note that there is some sailor language in the podcast (you know swearing… you know the F word) so you should use discretion when playing to your co-workers or innocent family members, i think there’s only one or two occurrences but still.

Lots of interesting analysis regarding the middle child of the Indiana Jones trilogy lets keep the discussion going here in the comments or over on Facebook!

Next week rather predictably Lee and Dan are off to see Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

The end result you’ll have to judge for yourself!

In week of geek Dan and Lee discussed:

• Dan’s been playing Batman Arkham Asylum and Lee expresses his distaste for riddles.
• Lee and Dan ponder the futility of The Clone Wars when we all know that he will murder in cold blood everyone around him including his padawan.
• Economics and the reverse tower game Anomaly Warzone Earth
• Dan has been banned from most major auction sites
• Lee’s hopes to earn a trophy for sitting through video game credits, Dan spoils Halo for everyone yet to play it
• Lee just started playing Homefront and praises Superman #712 (though gets the current Superman story lines completely balls’d up)
• There is promise that Lee and Dan will talk about the DC Universe reboot in the future.

The film this week is Raiders of the Lost Ark starring Harrison Ford and directed by Steven Spielberg.

So did Lee and Dan get it right?

Leave a comment below and let us know!!

Next week Dan and Lee continue the adventure and watch Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Lee is not talking to Dan because he chose this film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDwEXXdiscQ

Go on listen to the podcast, you know you’re curious, Lee and Dan are not endorsing watching this film.

At all.

Have you actually seen Police Academy 7 – you really need to share your thoughts in the comments!!!

Next week Dan and Lee are watching The Running Man in the season finale for the Midnight Movie Club!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsNjqh1MxiQ

This week Dan and Lee are joined by Ian who was very excited to be here to watch BMX Bandits!

So the boys couldn’t possibly turn that face away at the door, if he showed up at your place with a bag of popcorn and BMX Bandits you’d have to let him.

Of course as it often happens in the Midnight Movie Club there was a little disappointment:

Next week on the podcast Lee and Dan are watching one of Dan’s favourite films of all time.  The Sure Thing with John Cusack.

Lee’s never heard of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YtEp3b-A68

Some of the talking points:

• the effect the spin off shows have on the impact of the movie
• the structure of Stargate compared to Independence Day, Godzilla and The Day After Tomorrow
• some of the larger plot holes and how well the movie glosses over them
• military discipline and its absolute breakdown in stressful alien environments
• the quality of the blu-ray of Stargate and rating films by their colour tones
• Lee and Dan are neither scientists or experts on the effect of nuclear explosions in the atmosphere of alien planets

Next week Dan and Lee are watching the Tim Burton directed film Pee-wee’s Big Adventure which Lee is not looking forward to at all (he’s never seen it).

Bonus content:

The horrible thing that Lee’s expecting for Christmas:

And bonus content!  Here is the opening from the horrible animated series based on Stargate that Lee mentioned in the podcast:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67E-_SQLVRo

Share your thoughts in the comments!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0R_FR9pD2k

Yes the boys are watching Battlefield Earth (was this not evident from the title and the trailer?).

Remember to leave your comments below and share with ALL of your friends!

Next week: Dan and Lee will be watching Stargate, no bloody SG1, no bloody Atlantis and certainly no bloody Universe.  The original movie that started it all!

Unless they get stuck for time and then they’ll probably talk about Harrier Jump Jets…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp9PDj_zb1k

The highlights:

• Lee is very sick
• Dan’s computer is really sick
• Apparently Lee and Dan like Avatar: The Last Airbender
• Dan’s reasons for avoiding anime
• Lee and Dan discuss the role of men in society
• How different Totoro is from other films
• The beauty of these types of film
• Capturing the natural world
• The perfect characterisations of the children

Next week Dan and Lee are fielding your questions from Facebook and then they’re watching Battlefield Earth!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPLUeA4vwik

Welcome to Gotham and the 1989 Tim Burton film Batman.

The highlights:

• The little known “Batman fine” at Blockbuster
• Lee likes this Batman cowl, Dan not so keen
• Do you know why the bat symbol is different on his chest?
• Lord of the Batdance
• There is some more poor Irish accents, to be fair this will be the last
• More villains, the worse the film
• Dan brought a baseball bat for some Burton bashing
• Melting Goths in Brisbane should play the practicality card
• Dan actually talks about the score!
• Lando Calrissian
• The thoughts being casting Michael Keaton
• The utter awesomeness of the Batmobile

Next week Lee and Dan are watching the anime classic My Neighbor Totoro.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIF_WdPUBFo

Highlights

• Goons vs henchmen
• Dan’s car is a dud
• The description of the synopsis 100 times better than the actual synopsis
• There is a quest…
• Dan says Sean Connery is a bad actor
• There is much mocking of the lack of Irish accents
• There is a bunch of intelligent discussion of the film…
• Then there is a Robin Hood 2010 mini review
• Then there is a short re-enactment of Robin Hood 2
• Then there is a tea cup sound effect retirement plan
• Then things go horribly wrong.

Lee’s Rating: 9 out of 10 stars
Dan’s Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Next week Lee and Dan are watching the Charlie Sheen alien invasion film The Arrival!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THV1KkPXIxQ

Highlights:

• Dan is confused by zombies and deadites
• Lee does the bad thing in the synopsis that Dan did last week…
• It wasn’t any better.
• Lee and Dan kind of blame you for the poor quality of the synopsis.
• Dan was a Bruce Campbell virgin.
• The difference in tone to Evil Dead 1 & 2.
• You can’t nitpick the film, it’s an exercise in futility. Nor should you.
• Groovy.
• Bruce Campbell is this film.
• Klaatu barada nikto
• Oldsmobiles and chainsaws
• There are lots of quotes
• Full moon films
• Continue your Bruce Campbell education

Dan’s Rating: 8 out of 10 stars
Lee’s Rating: 10 out of 10 stars

Next week Dan and Lee are watching The Untouchables.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wH28Hg5eX0

Highlights:

• It’s an all star affair with Aragorn, CSI guy and the dude from Star Trek: Generations
• Dan identifies the order of Young Guns 1 and then Young Guns 2
• Is this Emilio Estevez’s best role?
• Young Guns II is reasonably accurate
• Lee and Dan come to the podcast with no notes.
• It’s lacking in robots from the future.
• Lee compares Man from Snow River to Young Guns, Dan has no idea what Lee is going on with
• Dan likes Christian Slater
• Apparently Lou Diamond Phillips is very fragile.
• At what point does riding out of town naked become awkward?
• What are the responsibilities of the Lincoln County Sheriff?
• Lee wants more awkwardness in Young Guns 2.
• Dan talks demographics.
• Charlie Sheen…
• DON”T MISS DAN’S RENDITION OF BLAZE OF GLORY!!!
• Lee likes the rating section… in kind of a creepy way.

Dan’s Rating: 6 out of 10 stars
Lee’s Rating: 6.5 out of 10 stars

Next week the lads are watching the Bruce Campbell masterpiece Army of Darkness (it’s Dan’s first time)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucMLFO6TsFM

If this is your first time visiting the Midnight Movie Club then may I suggest that you check out the About Us page (remembering that those are ridiculously old photos and Lee no longer has a moustache… Dan does still walk around carrying butter knives like that though!?).

Highlights this week:

• Fair warning Lee says the F word three times (possibly four… maybe five… mmmm six?) and Dan says it once.
• The shortest synopsis yet!
• Dan brings up the soundtrack for a change.
• The icon of the Orca
• Lee and Dan’s favourite scenes.
• Dan loves Hooper, Lee loves Brody… lots of man love.
• Lee doesn’t care about Mythbusters.
• Dan doesn’t actually read shark or whale books.
• Frankly Lee and Dan are terrified of sharks.
• Alien and Jaws.
• Stargate SG1 and Jaws.
• Giant sharks versus hovercrafts.
• There is a lot of Jaws the game talk.

Lee’s Rating: 10 out of 10 stars
Dan’s Rating: 10 out of 10 stars

The competition!!

Now for your chance to win the novels Jaws and Jaws 2 all you need to do is help us spread the word about the Midnight Movie Club –  YAY!!

And it’s open to anyone worldwide – YAY!!

Entries close on 9/9/2010 – (ummm are we still saying yay?)

Three ways to enter:

Click on this Twitter button:Tweet

Like us and leave a comment on our Facebook wall:

Leave a review on iTunes (and let us know in the comments).

Lee and Dan will write everyone’s name down on tickets and draw them out of a hat on the 10/9/2010 (Australian time) – they’ll probably announce the winner on the site and on Twitter and Facebook…

Next week the boys are going all country and watching Young Guns 2!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=866yr_Oj5IA

The highlights…

• Accuracy is the name of the game
• Everyone hates having to do the synopsis
• It’s fight night!!!
• Dan peaks early
• Die Hard 3′s original title was Riddle-fest!!
• Lee cares about you
• Fight night turns out to be fizzer…

Dan’s Rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars
Lee’s Rating: 8.5 out of 10 stars

Next week we’re watching one of Dan’s favourite films Zulu (Lee is sceptical having never seen the film)

I know.

I’m scared too…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3DcWtkKeIY

The highlights:

• A hard film to explain to people what’s it’s about (well for Lee anyway)
• Who’s read the actual book?
• Lee and Dan explore their memories attached to this story and reading in general
• Mourning lost childhoods
• Dan mocks Lee for reading Doom novels
• The library is out to get Dan
• The effectiveness of the absence of music
• Dan assures us he wrote a very good blog post regarding X and Y generations
• Lee calls all other movie podcasters lazy bastards
• It’s okay not to be cool
• Artax!!!!!!
• All twenty-year-olds are arseholes
• Puppets are freaking awesome!
• Sometimes authors are a little precious
• Things get deep
• Don’t give up your childlike wonder
• The parallels to The Princess Bride
• Dan says something controversial about The Princess Bride
• Does anyone know how long Bastian is in the school reading??!?
• Lee now actually does have an iPad
• Guests

Lee’s Rating: 10 out of 10 stars
Dan’s Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Next week Dan and Lee are watching Die Hard: With A Vengeance!

And just for everyone who wants it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3khTntOxX-k

This week Lee and Dan visit the dystopian future of the Sylvester Stallone film Demolition Man and for once turn out a podcast that feels semi polished and professional.  It may have more to do with Dan’s editing or perhaps Lee’s ban on hovercraft shopping for the 60 minutes or so it took to record.

The highlights:

• the most justifiably complex synopsis yet
• Sandra Bullock wears tight pants in this and Dan is the sexist one
• apologies for past sins (hovercrafts are mentioned)
• Lee has seen the future and is unimpressed
• Dan agrees.
• There is actually some intelligent discussion regarding futuristic settings
• Where the hell was Al Leong?!!
• There is a lot of discussion around some of the more sizeable plot holes
• Does the three sea shell joke still work?
• Hand towels can be icky…
• Dan talks fire and ice

A note from Lee…

There is some mention of a video in the podcast and unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances there is no video however it would have been hilarious and would have involved me making a cup of tea illustrating my apathy towards Demolition Man.

Regards
Lee

Dan’s Rating: 6 out of 10 stars
Lee’s Rating: 5 out of 10 stars

Next week Dan and Lee are watching The Neverending Story, cue the music…

This week Dan and Lee go to the world of Kung Fu and hovercrafts in Rumble in the Bronx.  The warning is that they talk about the movie for about ten minutes and then discuss hovercrafts for what feels like hours.

Enjoy!

• Dan discusses the definition of art
• Lee is confused about wallflowers at singles dances
• Rumble in the podcast!!
• Lee delivers potentially the worst synopsis yet
• There is a subtle reference to hovercrafts
• Dan’s mixed heritage is revealed
• Housewife corner with Lee and Dan
• Rats ate Lee’s jacket
• Crappy dialogue
• There is an audio clip missing which may show up somewhere else during the podcast – try and work out where as I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
• Dan doesn’t need a big television
• Racism raises it’s ugly head again
• Brotherhood of the Wolf is awesome!
• The lack of cushions
• Jackie Chan lays some truth on the bad guys
• Another subtle reference to hovercrafts
• Dan turns to Wikipedia Lee turns to Amazon…
• Dan hates Bruce Lee
• Jackie Chan is a classy dude
• Radioactive beer man!!
• It’s a Jackie Chan love-in!
• More tiny references to hovercrafts
• Buying a hovercraft!!!
• More hovercraft related information
• The hovercraft malarkey continues…
• Chickens and the demise of Dan’s second favourite
• Dan and Lee eventually go back to talking about Rumble in the Bronx
• The cup of tea test is back!!
• Lee was wrong twice but you shouldn’t blame the Coen Brothers
• The worst Amazon pitch you’ll ever hear
• Dan and Lee finish on an in-depth discussion of Sylvester Stallone’s buttocks.
• Well actually they end on how Lee still hasn’t finished Dan’s new header image (but there are blueprints!!)

Next week Demolition Man!!

Highlights (?):

• Lee’s opinion on how you are this week
• 1989 in film
• Dan didn’t recognise Rene Russo
• Big baggy jumpers
• Tracey (Lee’s better half) doesn’t like Charlie Sheen
• Dan lies about the films he hasn’t seen
• Lee gets on the edge of his seat in the Mighty Ducks films
• Lee worries about them treating the game like a job
• Dan likes wearing American sports clothes but not so much playing sport
• This week it’s Dan who brings up the topic of balls
• Dan sums up the rules of baseball as “you have to hit the ball and run around a diamond”
• Lee praises Charlie Sheen behind Tracey’s back shhhhh
• There are hair spoilers for Major League 2
• Oh that’s racist
• Dan likes the Dorn character…?
• More mighty moustaches
• Celebrity spotting… well the janitor from Scrubs anyway
• In depth discussion regarding racism and voodoo
• Lee proposes a gender census of the Midnight Movie Club massive
• Frankenhooker
• The podcast does lose the plot a little after the 38th minute
• Captain Archer is a definitive role
• Lee says “Faith of the Heart” a lot
• Lee goes to Amazon
• Dan questions the validity of listening to Lee wandering around online shops
• Despite the general arse’n around during the final 15 mins you should stick around for the special ending of the podcast

Next week the boys are watching Rumble In The Bronx with Jackie Chan… well not with him… on their own…

Fine, here’s the stalking trailer:

Just because Dan and the Hadrian’s walkers are off doing their thing and… umm walking we are still pushing forward to keep you guys entertained!!  Show some love by popping over and donating some sweaty cash!!

• Dan and Lee invented the concept of Cheetos gloves…
• Dan does some major league foreshadowing.
• Lee and Dan declare that Tom Hanks used to be a man of the people and now isn’t.
• Dan and Lee pretty much quote the whole film.
• Is Dragnet the reason we have the Starsky and Hutch film?  Bad Dragnet film, go to the corner!
• A lot of people don’t like Tom Hanks
• The synopsis is lacking… again
• 3 Men and a Baby part 3 – brought to you by the Midnight Movie Club!!!
• Leonard Nimoy coming out of retirement.
• Lee revolutionises the mental wellness industry.
• The eBay segment is back!!!

Next week the boys are watching Major League… um I think ummm I didn’t listen that far… here enjoy the Dragnet rap:

Wow, that trailer really contains a bunch of spoilers!?!

Yes that’s right this week Lee and Dan are watching the 1984 film Gremlins which is a really hard film to classify so it’s been labelled a Science Fiction/Horror/Comedy.

• in a departure from every other week Dan and Lee had technical problems
• behold as the boys screw up Judge Reinhold’s name completely
• Lee potentially creates ‘a famous illustrator’ in his mind and sees him in this film
• was this released in the greatest weekend ever?
• Gremlins scare Dan and Lee (possibly Lee more than Dan…)
• Homages to other films including Spielberg’s
• Lee can’t even remember the town’s name
• Dan and Lee are loving Joe Dante
• Stephen King and the construction of character and then doing something horrible to them
• Dan identifies the connection to The Wizard of Oz
• Lee bangs on about the soundtrack
• The utter ridiculousness of the rules and the absence of science
• Lee explores the metaphysics of the gremlins
• Buffy the Gremlin Slayer – Dan is effing hilarious!!!
• Lee and Dan discuss the mother’s place amongst science fiction heroes Ripley and Connor – she goes all Chuck Norris
• Dealing with the dog
• Dan does a great Gizmo impression!!
• CGI vs Puppets
• Oh, no more points go listen to the podcast already!!!!

Next week Lee and Dan are watching Dragnet!

Don’t forget your goat leggings!!

This week Dan and Lee kind of watched the 1980 Flash Gordon film.

• Dan didn’t really watch the start and Lee didn’t really watch the end
• Dan compares Flash Gordon to Schindler’s List despite never seeing it
• Lee drops a ghost
• The producers bought shares in the oil in the water special effects companies
• Lee mentions Judge Dredd
• Dan is a little too obsessed with Brian Blessed
• Lee is a little too obsessed with the hair in the film
• There is an Oompa Loompa!!!
• Dan doesn’t like Rocky Horror Picture Show
• FRANKENHOOKER!!!
• Dan respects the man who dresses as a Klingon
• Dan discusses the evolution of creatures with eyes in their mouths
• Lee gives advice on building a rocket
• Dan now LOVES Queen
• Dan and Lee explain the rating system…
• … and the cup of tea test.

Next week the boys are watching Gremlins, you should watch it too so you know what they’re talking about!!

Did they pass the cup of tea test?

After the success of last week Lee, Dan and Arjan pressed ahead to watch the other movies in the Starship Troopers franchise.

• The swearing is back!
• Lee admits to occasionally making bad suggestions
• Arjan “explains” what Starship Troopers 2 is about with his synopsis which runs in at about four minutes over the actual running time of the film.
• Lee does Starship Troopers 3.
• There is a lot of sniggering.
• All military decisions appear to be random.
• Once again Dan injects medieval England into a conversation.
• The acting is bad even by Arjan’s level.
• Lee wistfully thinks about Survivor season 1 for some reason.
• Not enough shootings of Billy’s.
• The subtleties of fixing doors and running over extension cables.
• Lee pitches Starship Troopers 2 as a horror film.
• Why give them crappy guns?!?
• Dan likes Starship Troopers 3 more than 2 because it tries harder.
• Dan, Lee and Arjan once again get to discuss nudity… but not in a good way.
• Lee hates Starship Troopers 3
• A lot.
• Dan and Arjan didn’t hate it AS much.
• Objectification of women in Starship Troopers 3
• The most uncomfortable undressing scenes ever.
• Lee says “boom boom chicky chicky boom boom”
• Lee then defends T’Pol
• Dan defends Casper.
• Matt C wants mechs and he wants them now!!!
• Dan quite likes… nothing to do with this film… giggle.
• Arjan thought the singing was funny.
• Lee did not.
• Dan protected Kerry from the horrors of Troopers 2 and 3
• Dan and Arjan turn on Lee
• Reviewers are idiots.
• Lee and Dan horrify Arjan with The Human Centipede trailer.

What are you waiting for!?  Check out the podcast!!!

Next week despite promises of When Harry Met Sally Lee will be flying solo and talking Field of Dreams (which he’s never seen).

This week’s midnight movie club movie appears to be a slam dunk; spaceships, explosions and giant bugs!  On paper it sounds like the perfect film for the club or is it?

Would you like to know more?

Oh.

Really? Ummm okay then ahhhh in the podcast this week:

• Dan makes a very exuberant greeting.
• Dan and Lee are old.
• Arjan is not.
• There are 86% less insults directed at the Dutch.
• Apparently Lee spoke to Casper Van Dien at some stage on MySpace.
• There are 100% more references to flogging than before.
• Lee is better and more widely read than Dan or Arjan.
• No one is defending the Nazis.
• Surprisingly less talk about balls.
• Matt pops in for a cup of tea and some points about Starship Troopers.
• No one likes Carmen.
• No really, no one.
• Doogie Howser MD.
• Lee, Dan and Arjan discuss nudity *giggle* *snigger*
• There are bug puns!!!
• Everyone turns on Arjan when he refers to Denise Richards as eye candy.
• Arjan then brings up penis removal?!?
• Arjan then manages to jam Warhammer into the conversation.
• Lee and Dan wonder why they invite the Dutch on to the podcast.
• Lee just wants to wait in the car park.

What are you waiting for then!!?!

So any thoughts on Starship Troopers?  Agree? Disagree? What would you have rated it?

Next week: Starship Troopers 2 and 3 – oh my!

There is little secret to the reception that the Monster Squad are going to get in this week’s podcast as Dan and Lee have struggled through getting something recorded, in the end the podcast is about as professional as it always is…

• Monster Squad business cards
• Advice on taking very young children to monster’s homes
• Lee only says the ‘F word’ three… maybe four times
• Iron Man toy dildos
• We refuse to refer to Arjan by his real name
• How cool can someone actually be riding a bicycle in a black leather jacket?
• How schools are teaching kids to make silver bullets in home economics now.

The Iron Man figurine dildo:

(listen to the podcast and all will be revealed)

This came with the Iron Man figurine!?

Just to illustrate it's intended purpose

Next week we are watching Highlander and it will be Lee’s very first time!!!

As a result there is no movie per se but the boys do call Arjan up out of the blue and hilarity ensues:

• They take questions from Twitter covering topics such as:
  • Where the Wild Things Are
  • Sandra Bullock
  • What films we refused to watch the end of in anger or disgust
  • Idiocracy
  • Nightmare on Elm Street
  • Tweets that are filled with innuendo
• Lee seems to talk about robot balls for ages
• What the Dutch think of Austin Powers: Goldmember
• How to insult people in Dutch using Jurassic Park
• Lee insults Dutch people
• Dan gets scared in pretty much every film possible
• What scared Lee when he was young and probably damaged him for life
• Comic book movies
• International rating systems
• and finally what the weather was like in the Netherlands

We would like to thank everyone on Twitter who took part:

• @voodoorabbit
• @LaurenLee_
• @rolhirst
• @ESSGEETHREE
• @DanielleCu
• @mel_b_angel
• @impxox

Also remember we now have a competition running on who can actually pronounce Arjan Beens correctly so send us your mp3′s or voice message at dghughes28 on Skype – I have no idea what the prize is but I’m sure it will be reasonably cheap.

Next week… supposedly The Monster Squad.

Big week this week!!!

We have our special guest Mr Matthew Caverhill from the blog Culture Kills adding his own insights on the 1985 John Cusack film Better Off Dead.

Lee also threatens… well several people actually, we think he might need a stress ball.

Dan hasn’t seen Revenge of the Nerds.

Yes it’s another midnight movie club podcast:

Next week is ID4: Independence Day!!!

KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!

Okay, that’s out of the way now.

It feels like this podcast was years in the making and I can assure you that the quality of the podcast is not reflected by the time gone into it.

Support the Midnight Movie Club:

• Buy Star Trek 2, The Wrath Of Khan, at amazon.co.uk
• Buy Star Trek 2, The Wrath of Khan, at amazon.com

Next week: Better off Dead with special guest MC!!

Want to watch the movie before next week?

• Buy Better Off Dead from amazon.com
• Buy Better Off Dead from amazon.co.uk
]]> http://midmoclub.com/star-trek-ii-the-wrath-of-khan-1982/feed/ 17 Star Trek, Wrath of Khan, Khan, Midnight Movie Club, Star trek 2 KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!! - Okay, that's out of the way now. - It feels like this podcast was years in the making and I can assure you that the quality of the podcast is not reflected by the time gone into it. - KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!! Okay, that's out of the way now. It feels like this podcast was years in the making and I can assure you that the quality of the podcast is not reflected by the time gone into it. Support the Midnight Movie Club: Buy Star Trek 2, The Wrath Of Khan, at amazon.co.uk Buy Star Trek 2, The Wrath of Khan, at amazon.com Next week: Better off Dead with special guest MC!! Want to watch the movie before next week? Buy Better Off Dead from amazon.com Buy Better Off Dead from amazon.co.uk The Midnight Movie Crew yes http://midmoclub.com/the-academy-awards-1990/ http://midmoclub.com/the-academy-awards-1990/#comments Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:11:53 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=301 In a sad desperate attempt to cash in on the Academy Awards we present our very shoddy review of the 1990 Academy Awards.

It’s probably our best work to date which is probably sad.  Listen to hear Dan and Lee sing songs from The Little Mermaid, it’s actually worse than it sounds!

We promise next week will be Wrath of Khan!!

Want to watch the movie before next week?

Buy Star Trek 2, The Wrath Of Khan, at amazon.co.uk Buy Star Trek 2, The Wrath of Khan, at amazon.com ]]> In a sad desperate attempt to cash in on the Academy Awards we present our very shoddy review of the 1990 Academy Awards.

It’s probably our best work to date which is probably sad.  Listen to hear Dan and Lee sing songs from The Little Mermaid, it’s actually worse than it sounds!

We promise next week will be Wrath of Khan!!



---

Want to watch the movie before next week?

• Buy Star Trek 2, The Wrath Of Khan, at amazon.co.uk
• Buy Star Trek 2, The Wrath of Khan, at amazon.com
]]> http://midmoclub.com/the-academy-awards-1990/feed/ 8 The Academy Awards, 1990, Oscars, Midnight Movie Club, Lee, Dan In a sad desperate attempt to cash in on the Academy Awards we present our very shoddy review of the 1990 Academy Awards. - It's probably our best work to date which is probably sad.  Listen to hear Dan and Lee sing songs from The Little Mermaid, In a sad desperate attempt to cash in on the Academy Awards we present our very shoddy review of the 1990 Academy Awards. It's probably our best work to date which is probably sad.  Listen to hear Dan and Lee sing songs from The Little Mermaid, it's actually worse than it sounds! We promise next week will be Wrath of Khan!! Want to watch the movie before next week? Buy Star Trek 2, The Wrath Of Khan, at amazon.co.uk Buy Star Trek 2, The Wrath of Khan, at amazon.com The Midnight Movie Crew yes http://midmoclub.com/john-carpenters-they-live-1988-yes-1988/ http://midmoclub.com/john-carpenters-they-live-1988-yes-1988/#comments Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:00:57 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=284

This week the club shuns dancing and corner putting and returns to manly popcorn flicks… well we hoped anyway.  There are a lot of guns in this and a lot walking around but there is also what feels like the longest fight scene ever!

I’m never quite sure what to say in these little introductions since we’ll be talking about the film in the podcast and don’t want to give anything away in a sad attempt to interest you enough to listen.  Lee and Dan nickname one of the characters ‘Dead Eyes’ if that helps?  They also completely don’t ...]]>

This week the club shuns dancing and corner putting and returns to manly popcorn flicks… well we hoped anyway.  There are a lot of guns in this and a lot walking around but there is also what feels like the longest fight scene ever!

I’m never quite sure what to say in these little introductions since we’ll be talking about the film in the podcast and don’t want to give anything away in a sad attempt to interest you enough to listen.  Lee and Dan nickname one of the characters ‘Dead Eyes’ if that helps?  They also completely don’t bother to learn anyone’s name in the film except the guy who has no name… ummm I might quit whilst I’m ahead.

Join Lee and Dan as they talk about John Carpenter’s They Live!



---

Support the Midnight Movie Club

• Buy They Live at amazon.com
• Buy They Live at amazon.co.uk

---

Next week we head back into what we hope is enjoyable film watching with So I Married An Axe Murderer!!



]]> http://midmoclub.com/john-carpenters-they-live-1988-yes-1988/feed/ 7 They Live, Midnight Movie Club, John Carpenter, review, film, movie, cult This week the club shuns dancing and corner putting and returns to manly popcorn flicks... well we hoped anyway.  There are a lot of guns in this and a lot walking around but there is also what feels like the longest fight scene ever! - This week the club shuns dancing and corner putting and returns to manly popcorn flicks... well we hoped anyway.  There are a lot of guns in this and a lot walking around but there is also what feels like the longest fight scene ever! I'm never quite sure what to say in these little introductions since we'll be talking about the film in the podcast and don't want to give anything away in a sad attempt to interest you enough to listen.  Lee and Dan nickname one of the characters 'Dead Eyes' if that helps?  They also completely don't bother to learn anyone's name in the film except the guy who has no name... ummm I might quit whilst I'm ahead. Join Lee and Dan as they talk about John Carpenter's They Live! Support the Midnight Movie Club Buy They Live at amazon.com Buy They Live at amazon.co.uk Next week we head back into what we hope is enjoyable film watching with So I Married An Axe Murderer!! The Midnight Movie Crew yes http://midmoclub.com/what-bugs-us-in-movies/ http://midmoclub.com/what-bugs-us-in-movies/#comments Wed, 17 Feb 2010 07:03:54 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=277 This week is a little funny as we have already really done the Midnight Movie Club podcast on Sunday for the film Dirty Dancing but because we know you pine for us every Wednesday we thought we’d have a chat about movie things that irritate us.

Now full disclaimer, this was recorded amidst a lot of technical difficulties and then it was edited by Lee instead of Dan so the quality may be all over the place and there will be no fancy meta data much to the furious anger of Dan.  But this is a very relaxed instalment this week.

Next ...]]> This week is a little funny as we have already really done the Midnight Movie Club podcast on Sunday for the film Dirty Dancing but because we know you pine for us every Wednesday we thought we’d have a chat about movie things that irritate us.

Now full disclaimer, this was recorded amidst a lot of technical difficulties and then it was edited by Lee instead of Dan so the quality may be all over the place and there will be no fancy meta data much to the furious anger of Dan.  But this is a very relaxed instalment this week.

---

Next week though will be different as we are watching John Carpenter’s They Live!



]]> http://midmoclub.com/what-bugs-us-in-movies/feed/ 31 movies, film, midnight movie club This week is a little funny as we have already really done the Midnight Movie Club podcast on Sunday for the film Dirty Dancing but because we know you pine for us every Wednesday we thought we'd have a chat about movie things that irritate us. - This week is a little funny as we have already really done the Midnight Movie Club podcast on Sunday for the film Dirty Dancing but because we know you pine for us every Wednesday we thought we'd have a chat about movie things that irritate us. Now full disclaimer, this was recorded amidst a lot of technical difficulties and then it was edited by Lee instead of Dan so the quality may be all over the place and there will be no fancy meta data much to the furious anger of Dan.  But this is a very relaxed instalment this week. Next week though will be different as we are watching John Carpenter's They Live! The Midnight Movie Crew yes http://midmoclub.com/dirty-dancing-1987-special-valentine-podcast/ http://midmoclub.com/dirty-dancing-1987-special-valentine-podcast/#comments Sat, 13 Feb 2010 23:00:24 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=270

Personal thoughts on the film aside but frankly I think that is the worst trailer we’ve featured so far.  Yes this week is special as Dan and Lee have decided to honour Valentine’s Day by watching the one film that fills so many manly men with fear and dread.

Dirty Dancing.

Directed by Emile Ardolinio

Starring: Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jerry Orbach, Cynthia Rhodes

It was either that or Grease.

Lessor of two evils I guess.

There will still be another podcast on Wednesday but won’t be quite so long.

Remember to check out the Facebook page for some never before seen behind the scenes photos… ...]]>

Personal thoughts on the film aside but frankly I think that is the worst trailer we’ve featured so far.  Yes this week is special as Dan and Lee have decided to honour Valentine’s Day by watching the one film that fills so many manly men with fear and dread.

Dirty Dancing.

Directed by Emile Ardolinio

Starring: Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jerry Orbach, Cynthia Rhodes

It was either that or Grease.

Lessor of two evils I guess.



There will still be another podcast on Wednesday but won’t be quite so long.

Remember to check out the Facebook page for some never before seen behind the scenes photos… well one.  Hey you should add your own photos of you listening to the podcast!!!

---

Support the Midnight Movie Club:
• Buy Dirty Dancing at amazon.com
• Buy Dirty Dancing at amazon.co.uk
]]> http://midmoclub.com/dirty-dancing-1987-special-valentine-podcast/feed/ 17 Dirty Dancing, Midnight Movie Club, Review, Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey Personal thoughts on the film aside but frankly I think that is the worst trailer we've featured so far.  Yes this week is special as Dan and Lee have decided to honour Valentine's Day by watching the one film that fills so many manly men with fear and... Personal thoughts on the film aside but frankly I think that is the worst trailer we've featured so far.  Yes this week is special as Dan and Lee have decided to honour Valentine's Day by watching the one film that fills so many manly men with fear and dread. Dirty Dancing. Directed by Emile Ardolinio Starring: Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Jerry Orbach, Cynthia Rhodes It was either that or Grease. Lessor of two evils I guess. There will still be another podcast on Wednesday but won't be quite so long. Remember to check out the Facebook page for some never before seen behind the scenes photos... well one.  Hey you should add your own photos of you listening to the podcast!!! Support the Midnight Movie Club: Buy Dirty Dancing at amazon.com Buy Dirty Dancing at amazon.co.uk Lee Sargent & Dan Hughes yes http://midmoclub.com/tremors-2-aftershock-1996/ http://midmoclub.com/tremors-2-aftershock-1996/#comments Tue, 09 Feb 2010 23:00:05 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=258

Director: S.S. Wilson

Stars: Fred Ward, Christopher Gartin, Michael Gross, Helen Shaver Earl Basset, a character from the original movie, is hired to clean up a infestation of giant subterranean worm creatures from a Mexican oil field.

This week we watched Tremors 2 and some people have already asked why we didn’t watch the first one, well in true Midnight Movie Club fashion Dan saw Tremors 2 late one night and knew straight away that we should watch it for the club.

So we watched it, we talked about it, have a listen:

It’s been a big week for the Midnight Movie Club ...]]>

Director: S.S. Wilson

Stars: Fred Ward, Christopher Gartin, Michael Gross, Helen Shaver

Earl Basset, a character from the original movie, is hired to clean up a infestation of giant subterranean worm creatures from a Mexican oil field.

---

This week we watched Tremors 2 and some people have already asked why we didn’t watch the first one, well in true Midnight Movie Club fashion Dan saw Tremors 2 late one night and knew straight away that we should watch it for the club.

So we watched it, we talked about it, have a listen:



It’s been a big week for the Midnight Movie Club as we slowly find our feet with the podcast and get various stuff organised.

If you cast your eyes over towards the side bar you can see that you can now subscribe to the podcast through:

• iTunes
• Zune
• RSS

If just one podcast a week isn’t enough for you you can also go to:

• The Midnight Movie Club Twitter feed
• The Midnight Movie Club Facebook page

We’ve also set up an Amazon account so if you want to buy a movie that we’ve watched or am about to, a great way to support the club is by buying through our affiliate links.

• Buy the Tremors Box Set at amazon.com
• Buy the Tremors Box Set at amazon.co.uk

Speaking of supporting us, if you liked the podcast why not share it with your friends on the various social networks and bookmarking sites or give us a review on iTunes!

Next week:

You’ll have the time of your life and you’ll owe all to us…



]]> http://midmoclub.com/tremors-2-aftershock-1996/feed/ 14 tremors, tremors 2, review, midnight movie club, Lee, Dan, graboid Director: S.S. Wilson - Stars: Fred Ward, Christopher Gartin, Michael Gross, Helen Shaver - Earl Basset, a character from the original movie, is hired to clean up a infestation of giant subterranean worm creatures from a Mexican oil field. - Director: S.S. Wilson Stars: Fred Ward, Christopher Gartin, Michael Gross, Helen Shaver Earl Basset, a character from the original movie, is hired to clean up a infestation of giant subterranean worm creatures from a Mexican oil field. This week we watched Tremors 2 and some people have already asked why we didn't watch the first one, well in true Midnight Movie Club fashion Dan saw Tremors 2 late one night and knew straight away that we should watch it for the club. So we watched it, we talked about it, have a listen: It's been a big week for the Midnight Movie Club as we slowly find our feet with the podcast and get various stuff organised. If you cast your eyes over towards the side bar you can see that you can now subscribe to the podcast through: iTunes Zune RSS If just one podcast a week isn't enough for you you can also go to: The Midnight Movie Club Twitter feed The Midnight Movie Club Facebook page We've also set up an Amazon account so if you want to buy a movie that we've watched or am about to, a great way to support the club is by buying through our affiliate links. Buy the Tremors Box Set at amazon.com Buy the Tremors Box Set at amazon.co.uk Speaking of supporting us, if you liked the podcast why not share it with your friends on the various social networks and bookmarking sites or give us a review on iTunes! Next week: You'll have the time of your life and you'll owe all to us... Lee Sargent & Dan Hughes yes http://midmoclub.com/the-last-starfighter-1984/ http://midmoclub.com/the-last-starfighter-1984/#comments Wed, 03 Feb 2010 03:55:04 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=223

Director: Nick Castle

Starring: Lance Guest, Robert Preston, Catherine Mary Stewart, Dan O’Herlihy

For the “best” description of the plot you really should listen to the podcast where you will get more than your fair share of synopsis.

This week’s podcast was cursed, cursed as if we had built a giant house over the top of a sacred burial ground moved in, put our daughter in front of a big tv and lit up some reefer.

We recorded it twice because the first time my computer ate it.

The second time Dan’s computer ate 45 minutes of editing time he had done.

Be happy ...]]>

Director: Nick Castle

Starring: Lance Guest, Robert Preston, Catherine Mary Stewart, Dan O’Herlihy

For the “best” description of the plot you really should listen to the podcast where you will get more than your fair share of synopsis.

---

This week’s podcast was cursed, cursed as if we had built a giant house over the top of a sacred burial ground moved in, put our daughter in front of a big tv and lit up some reefer.

We recorded it twice because the first time my computer ate it.

The second time Dan’s computer ate 45 minutes of editing time he had done.

Be happy that it’s finally here.

Was it worth it?



---

Support the Midnight Movie Club
• Buy The Last Starfighter at amazon.com

Now in case you can’t get enough Dan and/or Lee you can:

• Follow the Midnight Movie Club on Twitter
• Follow Lee on Twitter
• Follow Dan on Twitter
• Check out Dan’s other blog
• Check out Lee’s other blog
• Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!!

---

Next week: Tremors 2: Aftershocks



]]> http://midmoclub.com/the-last-starfighter-1984/feed/ 20 Midnight Movie Club The Last Starfighter Director: Nick Castle - Starring: Lance Guest, Robert Preston, Catherine Mary Stewart, Dan O'Herlihy - For the "best" description of the plot you really should listen to the podcast where you will get more than your fair share of synopsis. - Director: Nick Castle Starring: Lance Guest, Robert Preston, Catherine Mary Stewart, Dan O'Herlihy For the "best" description of the plot you really should listen to the podcast where you will get more than your fair share of synopsis. This week's podcast was cursed, cursed as if we had built a giant house over the top of a sacred burial ground moved in, put our daughter in front of a big tv and lit up some reefer. We recorded it twice because the first time my computer ate it. The second time Dan's computer ate 45 minutes of editing time he had done. Be happy that it's finally here. Was it worth it? Support the Midnight Movie Club Buy The Last Starfighter at amazon.com Now in case you can’t get enough Dan and/or Lee you can: Follow the Midnight Movie Club on Twitter Follow Lee on Twitter Follow Dan on Twitter Check out Dan’s other blog Check out Lee’s other blog Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!! Next week: Tremors 2: Aftershocks Lee Sargent & Dan Hughes yes http://midmoclub.com/broken-arrow-1996/ http://midmoclub.com/broken-arrow-1996/#comments Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:26:33 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=215

Director: John Woo

Starring: John Travolta, Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis

Corrupt Air Force major (Travolta) intentionally crash lands a U.S. plane in the middle of the desert and holds two nuclear warheads for ransom. The only ones who can stop him are his co-pilot (Slater) and a U.S. park ranger (Mathis) patrolling the area .

This week we’re flying solo again.  Marvel as we give an intelligent, in depth and witty report on the film…

Fine.

Who am I kidding!?

We get caught up in butterfly conversations and ramble on about Christian Slater’s career.

Support the Midnight Movie Club:
Buy Broken Arrow at amazon.com Buy Broken Arrow at amazon.co.uk

Now ...]]>

Director: John Woo

Starring: John Travolta, Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis

Corrupt Air Force major (Travolta) intentionally crash lands a U.S. plane in the middle of the desert and holds two nuclear warheads for ransom. The only ones who can stop him are his co-pilot (Slater) and a U.S. park ranger (Mathis) patrolling the area .

This week we’re flying solo again.  Marvel as we give an intelligent, in depth and witty report on the film…

Fine.

Who am I kidding!?

We get caught up in butterfly conversations and ramble on about Christian Slater’s career.



---

Support the Midnight Movie Club:
• Buy Broken Arrow at amazon.com
• Buy Broken Arrow at amazon.co.uk

Now in case you can’t get enough Dan and/or Lee you can:

• Follow the Midnight Movie Club on Twitter
• Follow Lee on Twitter
• Follow Dan on Twitter
• Check out Dan’s other blog
• Check out Lee’s other blog
• Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!!

---

Next week:

We’re watching The Last Starfighter and we better not be disappointed or there will be much pouting.



]]> http://midmoclub.com/broken-arrow-1996/feed/ 18 Broken Arrow Midnight Movie Club Director: John Woo - Starring: John Travolta, Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis - Corrupt Air Force major (Travolta) intentionally crash lands a U.S. plane in the middle of the desert and holds two nuclear warheads for ransom. Director: John Woo Starring: John Travolta, Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis Corrupt Air Force major (Travolta) intentionally crash lands a U.S. plane in the middle of the desert and holds two nuclear warheads for ransom. The only ones who can stop him are his co-pilot (Slater) and a U.S. park ranger (Mathis) patrolling the area . This week we're flying solo again.  Marvel as we give an intelligent, in depth and witty report on the film... Fine. Who am I kidding!? We get caught up in butterfly conversations and ramble on about Christian Slater's career. Support the Midnight Movie Club: Buy Broken Arrow at amazon.com Buy Broken Arrow at amazon.co.uk Now in case you can't get enough Dan and/or Lee you can: Follow the Midnight Movie Club on Twitter Follow Lee on Twitter Follow Dan on Twitter Check out Dan's other blog Check out Lee's other blog Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!! Next week: We're watching The Last Starfighter and we better not be disappointed or there will be much pouting. Lee Sargent & Dan Hughes yes http://midmoclub.com/tron-1982/ http://midmoclub.com/tron-1982/#comments Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:27:34 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=207

Director: Steven Lisberger

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleiter, David Warner

A hacker is transported into the world of a computer and forced to participate in gladiatorial games where his only chance of escape is with the help of a heroic security program.

As promised last week we have something new again this week! We would like to welcome Jeff Caddick as our guest Midnight Movie Crew member as we talk about the Disney computer film Tron.

Dan hadn’t actually seen Tron right up until about half an hour before we recorded this so it’s interesting to hear his take on it ...]]>

Director: Steven Lisberger

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleiter, David Warner

A hacker is transported into the world of a computer and forced to participate in gladiatorial games where his only chance of escape is with the help of a heroic security program.

---

As promised last week we have something new again this week! We would like to welcome Jeff Caddick as our guest Midnight Movie Crew member as we talk about the Disney computer film Tron.

Dan hadn’t actually seen Tron right up until about half an hour before we recorded this so it’s interesting to hear his take on it with completely fresh eyes.



---

Support the Midnight Movie Club:

• Buy Tron at Amazon.com
• Buy Tron at amazon.co.uk

Now in case you can’t get enough Dan and/or Lee you can:

• Follow the Midnight Movie Club on Twitter
• Follow Lee on Twitter
• Follow Dan on Twitter
• Check out Jeff’s blog
• Check out Dan’s other blog
• Check out Lee’s other blog
• Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!!

---

Next week join us as we take to the skies (ummm for a little while) then spend time in the desert and finally go spelunking! That’s right next week we’re staying up and being bleary eyed for the John Woo film Broken Arrow!!



Will Dan and Lee agree on this one? Or will Broken Arrow be the one that drives a wedge between them? Come back next week and find out!

Have an iPod or an iPhone or have iTunes installed? Then you should subscribe via the iTunes store!!

]]> http://midmoclub.com/tron-1982/feed/ 6 tron disney movie computer cgi Lee Sargent Dan Hughes midnight movie club Director: Steven Lisberger - Starring: Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleiter, David Warner - A hacker is transported into the world of a computer and forced to participate in gladiatorial games where his only chance of escape is with the help of a heroic sec... Director: Steven Lisberger Starring: Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleiter, David Warner A hacker is transported into the world of a computer and forced to participate in gladiatorial games where his only chance of escape is with the help of a heroic security program. As promised last week we have something new again this week! We would like to welcome Jeff Caddick as our guest Midnight Movie Crew member as we talk about the Disney computer film Tron. Dan hadn't actually seen Tron right up until about half an hour before we recorded this so it's interesting to hear his take on it with completely fresh eyes. Support the Midnight Movie Club: Buy Tron at Amazon.com Buy Tron at amazon.co.uk Now in case you can't get enough Dan and/or Lee you can: Follow the Midnight Movie Club on Twitter Follow Lee on Twitter Follow Dan on Twitter Check out Jeff's blog Check out Dan's other blog Check out Lee's other blog Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!! Next week join us as we take to the skies (ummm for a little while) then spend time in the desert and finally go spelunking! That's right next week we're staying up and being bleary eyed for the John Woo film Broken Arrow!! Will Dan and Lee agree on this one? Or will Broken Arrow be the one that drives a wedge between them? Come back next week and find out! Have an iPod or an iPhone or have iTunes installed? Then you should subscribe via the iTunes store!! Lee Sargent & Dan Hughes yes http://midmoclub.com/bill-teds-excellent-adventure-1989/ http://midmoclub.com/bill-teds-excellent-adventure-1989/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:30:58 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=194

Director: Stephen Herek

Starring: Al Leong, Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin

Two teenage slackers: Bill S. Preston Esq and Ted Theodore Logan use a time traveling phone booth to collect historical figures from the past in order to pass their school report.

Welcome to a new era in the Midnight Movie Club, I know we haven’t been going that long but we are already making changes, we’re honing our craft, we’re refining the magic.  We are changing over to a primarily podcast based blog now.

We know this will disappoint some of you but there are a couple of reasons why ...]]>

Director: Stephen Herek

Starring: Al Leong, Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin

Two teenage slackers: Bill S. Preston Esq and Ted Theodore Logan use a time traveling phone booth to collect historical figures from the past in order to pass their school report.

---

Welcome to a new era in the Midnight Movie Club, I know we haven’t been going that long but we are already making changes, we’re honing our craft, we’re refining the magic.  We are changing over to a primarily podcast based blog now.

We know this will disappoint some of you but there are a couple of reasons why we’re changing the format and you’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out what they are.

I know.

Sneaky.

This week we are as promised, talking about the 1989 film Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure.



Whilst preparing for this podcast Dan realised that he actually has a page of original artwork from the Bill and Ted’s Excellent Comic Book which ran for 12 issues in 1991.

Look, he can even prove it:



---

Support the Midnight Movie Club:

• Buy Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure at amazon.com
• Buy Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure at amazon.co.uk

Now in case you can’t get enough Dan and/or Lee you can:

• Follow the Midnight Movie Club on Twitter
• Follow Lee on Twitter
• Follow Dan on Twitter
• Check out Dan’s other blog
• Check out Lee’s other blog
• Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!!

---

Come back next week as Dan prepares to get outraged for the upcoming sequel by watching Tron for the first time!



Have an iPod or an iPhone or have iTunes installed?  Then you should subscribe via the iTunes store!!

]]> http://midmoclub.com/bill-teds-excellent-adventure-1989/feed/ 20 Al Leong,Alex Winter,Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure,George Carlin,Keanu Reeves Director: Stephen Herek - Starring: Al Leong, Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin - Two teenage slackers: Bill S. Preston Esq and Ted Theodore Logan use a time traveling phone booth to collect historical figures from the past in order to pass th... Director: Stephen Herek Starring: Al Leong, Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin Two teenage slackers: Bill S. Preston Esq and Ted Theodore Logan use a time traveling phone booth to collect historical figures from the past in order to pass their school report. Welcome to a new era in the Midnight Movie Club, I know we haven't been going that long but we are already making changes, we're honing our craft, we're refining the magic.  We are changing over to a primarily podcast based blog now. We know this will disappoint some of you but there are a couple of reasons why we're changing the format and you'll have to listen to the podcast to find out what they are. I know. Sneaky. This week we are as promised, talking about the 1989 film Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. Whilst preparing for this podcast Dan realised that he actually has a page of original artwork from the Bill and Ted's Excellent Comic Book which ran for 12 issues in 1991. Look, he can even prove it: Support the Midnight Movie Club: Buy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure at amazon.com Buy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure at amazon.co.uk Now in case you can't get enough Dan and/or Lee you can: Follow the Midnight Movie Club on Twitter Follow Lee on Twitter Follow Dan on Twitter Check out Dan's other blog Check out Lee's other blog Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes!! Come back next week as Dan prepares to get outraged for the upcoming sequel by watching Tron for the first time! Have an iPod or an iPhone or have iTunes installed?  Then you should subscribe via the iTunes store!! MidMo Studios yes http://midmoclub.com/the-cannonball-run-breakfast-bar/ http://midmoclub.com/the-cannonball-run-breakfast-bar/#comments Thu, 07 Jan 2010 03:00:10 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=191

As you may recall last week I had simply awful things to say about the Podcast, this week I have awful things to say about the movie!  This week’s Breakfast Bar is short and much more good put together.  Soon Dan and I will rule the digital airways and you’ll be able to say that you were here when it all started!

Then I shall rule this stinking world with an iron claw of power and…

Perhaps I’ve said too much.

Listen, subscribe and tell everyone.

Regards

Lee

PS: I say one bad word in this week’s podcast, it’s not THE word but it still a ...]]>

As you may recall last week I had simply awful things to say about the Podcast, this week I have awful things to say about the movie!  This week’s Breakfast Bar is short and much more good put together.  Soon Dan and I will rule the digital airways and you’ll be able to say that you were here when it all started!

Then I shall rule this stinking world with an iron claw of power and…

Perhaps I’ve said too much.

Listen, subscribe and tell everyone.

Regards

Lee

PS: I say one bad word in this week’s podcast, it’s not THE word but it still a naughty word.

Have an iPod or an iPhone or have iTunes installed?  Then you should subscribe via the iTunes store!!

]]> http://midmoclub.com/the-cannonball-run-breakfast-bar/feed/ 4 cannonball run movie film review As you may recall last week I had simply awful things to say about the Podcast, this week I have awful things to say about the movie!  This week's Breakfast Bar is short and much more good put together.  Soon Dan and I will rule the digital airways and... As you may recall last week I had simply awful things to say about the Podcast, this week I have awful things to say about the movie!  This week's Breakfast Bar is short and much more good put together.  Soon Dan and I will rule the digital airways and you'll be able to say that you were here when it all started! Then I shall rule this stinking world with an iron claw of power and... Perhaps I've said too much. Listen, subscribe and tell everyone. Regards Lee PS: I say one bad word in this week's podcast, it's not THE word but it still a naughty word. Have an iPod or an iPhone or have iTunes installed?  Then you should subscribe via the iTunes store!! MidMo Studios yes http://midmoclub.com/the-cannonball-run-1981/ http://midmoclub.com/the-cannonball-run-1981/#comments Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:30:18 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=179

Director: Hal Needham

Stars: Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Jackie Chan, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Dom DeLuise

Has been race car driver J.J. McClure (Reynolds) and mechanic Victor (DeLuise) attempt to win The Cannonball – an illegal cross country race across the width of America. Competing against them are ragtag bunch of con artists and speed freaks.

Hey, hang on a minute! Has someone somehow secretly switched the beloved Cannonball Run of my youth with this huge great steaming turd?

Far from being the modern classic of my memory, the movie seems to be merely a long and rather pathetic ...]]>

Director: Hal Needham

Stars: Burt Reynolds, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Jackie Chan, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Dom DeLuise

Has been race car driver J.J. McClure (Reynolds) and mechanic Victor (DeLuise) attempt to win The Cannonball – an illegal cross country race across the width of America. Competing against them are ragtag bunch of con artists and speed freaks.

---

Hey, hang on a minute! Has someone somehow secretly switched the beloved Cannonball Run of my youth with this huge great steaming turd?

Far from being the modern classic of my memory, the movie seems to be merely a long and rather pathetic excuse for a series of fairly unimpressive car stunts and poorly written comedy set pieces. Surely this can’t be right?

I’m almost scared to watch Smokey and the Bandit again now.

I’m having trouble believing that they had a good enough reason to make a sequel. The first two films are really mashed together in my memories so I wonder if the second one was much better because frankly, this first one was awfully hard to get through.

It took me five attempts to watch this all through.

I’ve never seen Smokey and the Bandit, I don’t know if I want to now.

Smokey and the Bandit was much, much better than this film. At least I think it was. I’m begining to think I can’t trust my memory anymore.

Someone please tell me Look Who’s Talking wasn’t a duff film too? or Jaws 4? Surely Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure can’t be anything other than a modern classic? Please! Someone!

Caravan of Courage IS a modern classic. Actually now that I think about it, wasn’t it a semi Christmas movie or was that the other one?

I mean there were two Ewok films outside of Jedi wasn’t there? *Sigh* I would look that up if I cared enough

Apparently Steve McQueen was originally cast for the role of J.J, but he died before filming began and so Reynolds took his place. It’s really strange to try and imagine alternative actors in what have become career defining roles. Tom Selleck instead of Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones for example..
Selleck might have pulled off Indiana Jones in my opinion, maybe not as iconic as Ford made it but he could have easily filled those shoes.

As for McQueen, I can’t imagine even he could have elevated this film.

Yes, Selleck would have enough charisma to play a decent Indy.

I quite liked Reynolds in this though, I thought he did the best he could with such a rubbish script and premise. There is something about his laugh which I find wonderful – he just doesn’t laugh like that in his later films. It’s like Ricky Gervais’ laugh, or Eddie Murphy’s – it’s dreadful and annoying, but also quite endearing.

I was listening to my laugh on the podcast last week and I think unfortunately I only managed to hit dreadful and annoying.

In fairness you are right about Burt Reynolds, he does his whole charming thing and works his way through the material, obviously having a good time kicking around with a bunch of his Hollywood friends and messing around with cars. It’s films like this though that cause me to forget that he has been a serious actor.
But if you compare it to a more recent “Hollywood friends kicking around” movie – Ocean’s Eleven, you can see that this movie squandered a massive opportunity to be something really cool. Such a waste.
Dean Martin looked rough in this didn’t he. i know he was supposed to be playing an alchoholic, but I suspect the only reason for that was that it would be impossible for him to play anything else. Sammy Davis Jr was almost literally havingto carry him throughtout the whole movie.
I was really shocked to see the condition that Martin was in, Sammy Davis Jr is generally pretty good in anything so yeah I completely agree he carried their partnership.
I’m not sure I’ve seen Sammy Davis Jr in anything else, but he was very good considering what he had to work with.

I nearly fell off my chair at that “Chocolate Monk” insult thrown at him. I know it was the early 80′s – but wow, casual racism like that in a mainstream film really floored me. Plus it wasn’t even approaching funny, even if the racisim was acceptible.

Yeah I didn’t get the reference so I didn’t really get the joke either.
When I was in high school I thought Cannonball Run was hilarious…
Me too, that’s why I can’t understand how bad this movie is. it’s not like my sense of humor has moved on a great deal since I was fourteen. I still enjoy forcing my sister to smell my farts for example.

You know, I honestly used to think that Dom DeLuise’s superhero “Captain Chaos” was genuinely hilarious. What on earth was I thinking??

Oh gawd, I doubt I ever found any of that funny, I’m with Burt Renyolds on that – I don’t want to talk about “him”.
Da-Da-Daaaaa!! Or is it Duh-Duh Duhhhh? Fanfairs are so tricky to spell.
I’m not sure why anyone would want to write that down, in fact I wish the script “writers” hadn’t.
Apparently the writer, Brock Yates, based the movie on his own experiences in a real life race he founded: The Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash. He set it up as a protest against the perceived loss of personal freedom in America, in the form of speed limits in particular. The bloody idiot.
I found myself laughing several times throughout the film though, generally stuff involving Roger Moore or the Proctologist. The Proctologist particulary was funny in most of his scenes, there’s nothing quite like finger in the bum humour.

When you examine the film to the same level that I did last week with BTTF other things become apparent which probably wouldn’t work with a film today. I mean at the end of the day they really did kidnap that girl despite the fact that she eventually came around but at the beginning she was held against her will and even drugged.

And as Dan mentions earlier on the racist comment wouldn’t really hold up today in a mainstream film.

That’s not cool.

But at the time I guess it was all innocent enough… I guess?

Was this mainstream back then?

There was no laughter from me. Only grimaces of pain and despair.

You’re right in that the proctologist was generally pretty funny, although I’d have gladly taken a shot of whatever he had in that syringe in order to avoid watching any more of the movie (I’d probably draw the line at the finger in the bum though)

You know what could have saved this movie? Some decent stunts. There wasn’t a single exciting car chase, jump, or pile up in the entire film. Just shots of expensive cars traveling along empty roads. I’m guessing that they blew all the budget on the big name stars rather than the special effects, but it would have been far better spent the other way around.
Actually that’s a good point, for a “car” film there were relatively very few stunts. I mean they drove into a pool in some bizarre aspect of the story and that is kind of it… Oh no actually the same guys jumped over a train? Or something like that, someone go back and watch the film again to confirm because I’m not turning it back on.
That was a different couple of guys I think. If I’m thinking of the right people then one of them went on a bad guy in the TV version of The Stand. As you say, I can’t be entirely sure without re-watching it and I’m afraid the DVD has already gone in the bin.

Perhaps we should hire a team of researchers to look into that sort of stuff for us. I’ll put it on the agenda for the next Midnight Movie Club board meeting.

Yup it was a different set of guys – the train jumping was the guy who does the Nixon impression at one stage.
Oh yes. That was…erm… hilarious? No, no, that’s not the right word. Ah yes! Crap. It was crap!
was he someone famous by the way? I have an impression that we should know he was.
I shall try to dig up some information on him now.
The biggest disapointment of this movie (and that’s saying quite a lot) was the big fight scene towards the end. I had wonderfully fond memories of this, and remember talking about it repeatedly in the school playground. I suspect I might even have had a go at reinacting it on occasion (with me being Captain Chaos naturally).

Even rewatching it this time I kept thinking “Sure it’s terrible, but just wait ’till the fight scene – that’ll save it”. But then when it arrived it lacked vitality, was over in two minutes, and didn’t live up to my over hyped preconceptions about it. It was a bit like when I lost my virginity to be honest.

I enjoyed Cannonball Run as a youngster in a complete vacuum as no one else enjoyed it or even probably knew about it. So there was no discussion or reenactments of the film with my peers at all.
You deprived child. We could reinact it now if you wish. Bagsy being J.J.
I’d rather reinact the Jackie Chan sequences, you know, two guys watching porn on computers and talking in a language I don’t understand… oh look we’re already doing it
You might be looking at porn, but I’m not. I’m still trying to find out the name of that guy who jumped the train. It just so happens that chickswithtoasters.com is the best source of information for movie trivias like that, that’s all.
So final thoughts, there are a sprinkling of scenes that still cause me to grin, not smile and certainly not laugh. Overall though this is another one of those films that if I read it in the TV Guide that it’s on I would probably stay up long enough to watch the credits at the start because I like the song but then I would go to bed without any regret.

Two very hot double shot soy flat whites for the Cannonball.


You’re right. There is a sprinkling of half decent scenes throughout the movie – but those are about as effective as sugar sprinkled on dog vomit. I was hugely disapointed that one of my absolute childhood favorites turned out to be such a turkey when viewed through adult eyes.

Two Diet Coke’s out of Ten. But it only avoids a one out of ten rating because I still have to retain some hope that there must be something worse out there.


Next week Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure?
Aye, but if that turns out to be rubbish then I’m qutiting the club in disgust.
I think that’s fair.



]]> http://midmoclub.com/the-cannonball-run-1981/feed/ 13 http://midmoclub.com/back-to-the-future-breakfast-bar-podcast/ http://midmoclub.com/back-to-the-future-breakfast-bar-podcast/#comments Thu, 31 Dec 2009 03:25:00 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=172 Honestly this week’s podcast reaches what I consider to be a new low.

Which is hard considering this is only its second week.

We’re unprofessional, we giggle at rude words that mean different things in other countries, I marginalise the Star Wars fandom, we stay completely off topic for at least 98% of the time.

It’s a shambles and I beg you not to be sucked in to listen.

Regards Lee.

I’d like to imagine that this is but a momentary lapse of quality so we highly recommend that you join the two other people to subscribe via  iTunes.  It’s the gift that keeps on ...]]> Honestly this week’s podcast reaches what I consider to be a new low.

Which is hard considering this is only its second week.

We’re unprofessional, we giggle at rude words that mean different things in other countries, I marginalise the Star Wars fandom, we stay completely off topic for at least 98% of the time.

It’s a shambles and I beg you not to be sucked in to listen.

Regards Lee.



I’d like to imagine that this is but a momentary lapse of quality so we highly recommend that you join the two other people to subscribe via  iTunes.  It’s the gift that keeps on giving so why would you deny yourself this?

]]> http://midmoclub.com/back-to-the-future-breakfast-bar-podcast/feed/ 17 Back to the Future, Breakfast Bar, Midnight Movie Club Honestly this week's podcast reaches what I consider to be a new low. - Which is hard considering this is only its second week. - We're unprofessional, we giggle at rude words that mean different things in other countries, Honestly this week's podcast reaches what I consider to be a new low. Which is hard considering this is only its second week. We're unprofessional, we giggle at rude words that mean different things in other countries, I marginalise the Star Wars fandom, we stay completely off topic for at least 98% of the time. It's a shambles and I beg you not to be sucked in to listen. Regards Lee. I'd like to imagine that this is but a momentary lapse of quality so we highly recommend that you join the two other people to subscribe via  iTunes.  It's the gift that keeps on giving so why would you deny yourself this? The Midnight Movie Crew yes http://midmoclub.com/back-to-the-future/ http://midmoclub.com/back-to-the-future/#comments Tue, 29 Dec 2009 23:30:31 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=155
Back to the Future (1985)

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson

Teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time from 1985 to 1955 by eccentric genius Doc brown. He meets his parents in high school and accidentaly attracts his mother’s romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by causing his parents to fall in love, while finding a way to return to 1985.

You do realise that if Back to the Future was made today Marty McFly would be time travelling back to 1980 (that’s 30 years). That makes me feel very old indeed.

I ...]]>

Back to the Future (1985)

Director: Robert Zemeckis

Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson

Teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time from 1985 to 1955 by eccentric genius Doc brown. He meets his parents in high school and accidentaly attracts his mother’s romantic interest. Marty must repair the damage to history by causing his parents to fall in love, while finding a way to return to 1985.

---

You do realise that if Back to the Future was made today Marty McFly would be time travelling back to 1980 (that’s 30 years). That makes me feel very old indeed.

I never thought about it like that, I wonder if there would be as big a culture clash? I can’t imagine life without iPods and the internet. My idle time travelling fantasy would be to go back to even as late as 1990 with Wikipedia fully loaded on to my iPhone.

Forget sports books!! Imagine having the knowledge contained in wikipedia in the past!?

I think the culture clash would be lessened. Although you’re right – the absence of information at your fingertips is probabaly the biggest difference. That and the god awful music that the 80′s had. In fact I think “The Power of Love” may be the only decent song to come out of the whole decade (but what a song!).
It’s a great song, did you spot his cameo in the film too?
No, i didn’t realise he was in it
He’s the teacher who says “sorry guys you’re just too darn loud”
Ahh, well I suppose it’s hip to be square.
ZZ Top appear in the third film at the town dance and of course Flea from Red Hot Chilli Peppers appears in 2 and 3 as Needles.

Plus Madonna plays the waitress in number 2.

Actually she doesn’t, but I was feeling jealous of your astounding cameo knowledge

What about Mr Billy Zane?
Oh shut up.



I think Dan said in last week’s session regarding Scrooged that it was very hard to write something about the film because it was one of those perfect films and I’m finding the same thing happening this week with Back to the Future.

For me BTTF is an incredibly well rounded film that is perfectly cast, perfect pacing, great script, brilliant visuals and more than perfect soundtrack. So what more can you say than that? What is there to say that anyone who has watched this film doesn’t already know in their heart? Well hopefully something otherwise this week’s midnight movie club is going to be awfully bloody short!

So time for final thoughts then?…

Of course not! We’re the Midnight Movie Club! We can witter on about meaningless trivialities for hours without even drawing breath.

Hey, I just remembered some more cameos! Did you notice that Marty McFly’s uncle is the big brother from Wonder Years? Or that his sister is Ugly Betty?

I don’t think Ugly Betty was his sister, remember how old this film is.

I’ll prove it to you:



The actress is Wendie Jo Sperber, she was in 8 Simple Rules for four episodes, she’s actually been in a tonne of stuff apparently. But not Ugly Betty

Actually I’ve got to say that the BTTF wikipedia page is a little lacking.

Don’t those Wikipedia geeks know that we’re relying on them for our entire knowledge base? Come on you guys, get with the program!
There is a photo of the original Marty McFly there, because it wasn’t always Michael J Fox.

Is it me, or has Christopher Lloyd not aged at all in the 25 years since this was made? I saw him in the new Disney straight-to-DVD movie Snow Buddies recently and he looked exactly as old as he did in Back to the Future (*warning do NOT watch Snow Buddies if you can possibly avoid it*).

Perhaps it’s just testament to the skills of the makeup artists that they managed to age him realistically. But if it was then they certainly lost their skills by the time they got to Lea Thompson’s prosthetics. She looked just like Fat Bastard from the Ausin Powers films.

I am avoiding Snow Buddies now. I mean I was going to watch that tonight but now I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

You are completely right, Christopher Lloyd is timeless.

I found his aged makeup surprising actually, I never really paid attention until now that he had the makeup on in the 1985 time period. I’m glad they took care of that in the sequel with a rather clever plot device.

Lea Thompson’s prosthetics don’t hold up as well but are still passible in my opinion.

The problem is that she’s too young really to pass for a 40 year old (or whatever)
Yeah agreed, I think it’s easy to age a man.
It would be really cool if they made a Back to the Future 4 movie, with Michael J Fox as he is now reprising his role and using footage of the first three movies. It would be so intricate it would probably make your head explode.
It would NOT be cool if they did another sequel.
Yes it WOULD!

Dude we are so going to run a poll on this to confirm my absolute right’ness in this matter.

People will point and laugh at you in the street for saying something so absurd, your family will disown you, they will probably deport you… I hope they don’t do what they usually do and send you to Australia, we don’t need your ‘craving a BTTF part 4′ types here.

You know it makes sense man. Back to the Future 4: Back to the Past. I might even start putting together a script right now. I’ll even make sure there’s a part for Al Leong in it.

That’s what would have made BTTF more than perfect, some Al Leong in it.

Every film is better with Al Leong.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Something that completely took me by surprise as I watched this time (I’ve seen this film a lot) was that in the cold harsh light of reflection Biff is an attempted rapist.

I mean that’s what is going on in that car, he’s essentially attempting to rape Lorraine. It’s something that I’ve never really considered before.They make a joke about how if it hadn’t been for Biff they never would have gotten together… yeah because he tried to rape your mother!?!?!?

Oh look the dude who tried to date rape Mum is waxing the car and accepting our packages?!?!?

Yes, very odd. However in the 50′s (and even 80′s) there was a different attitude to date rape and sexual crimes in general. it’s not completely inconceivable that such things would have been swept under the carpet.

But even given the social norms at the time you are right, you wouldn’t have him waxing the car.

When choosing the auto detailing company you’d probably go with the one that has strangers over the one with your attempted rapist, I’m just saying.

Something else that struck me as a little flawed is the home made wooden scooter that Marty takes off that kid, that just happens to have perfect skateboard trucks and wheels and a convenient back pivot point thingie (there must be a proper name for that back pivot thingie).

I wonder what effect on skateboard sales this movie had. Quite a significant one I suspect.

I remember that Michael J Fox did a public service announcement advising that the skateboard stunts in BTTF were heavily supervised and that kids shouldn’t try it at home. I guess there must have been some parent outrage at the time.
I know that even now I’m idly thinking about heading out onto the main road with amy’s Dora the Explorer scooter and and catching a ride by grabbing onto the back of a passing bus. That should be ok shouldn’t it?
worked in part 2 just fine



I suppose we should talk about the absolutely bloody marvel that is the time machine in this film. The Delorean is just an incredibly cool looking movie car. It’s iconic, I love how it looks like a spaceship in the barn when he first goes back in time.

I had the opportunity to go see it in person this spring, as on one of my long distance walks we stopped in a town that had one of the promotional models in a motor museum. But it was a Sunday and the place had just shut. I was devastated . They even had a couple of Batmobiles and an original A-Team van. Oh why is life so cruel?

We could have taken a tour of the pencil museum instead, but it just didn’t feel the same.

I can’t believe you passed up a pencil tour. No wonder you want a BTTF 4.
We’d just walked 15 miles, so we were feeling a little too leaden for a pencil tour (“leaden”! “pencils”! I am a comedy genius!)

Something that adds to the experience of watching BTTF is the attention to detail contained within. Especially with the subtle changes to the timeline. I never noticed it before that the chunk of ledge where Doc Brown nearly falls on the clock tower is missing later in the future when Marty returns to 1985.

There are the more obvious but clever nonetheless changes such as the Lone Pine Mall name change. I assume there’s a bunch more that I can’t summon up as I think about it now.

There’s another neat little reference at the start of the film which always catches my eye. When we first open the movie and see all the clocks ticking away, one of the clocks has a character hanging off the hands of the clock in very much the way that Doc would do so later in the film. It’s a neat little nod.

Actually I did also note the perfection of the opening sequence, where we do see all of the clocks indicating the owner of the room is obsessed with time. We also find out that he has used his family fortune to pursue his research via the news clippings, although why anyone would frame such awful news surprises me. Finally when Marty first enters, on his skateboard, the board rolls over to hit the plutonium case under the desk (or it might be his bed now that I think about it).

There’s just a LOT of set up in that scene which is very well done.

Yes. In fact the exposition in this movie is handled extremely well throughout. There is only one scene where it clunks a bit – the one where they are walking into the school and it is so obviously overdubbed.

And you’re also right about how wonderfully planned it all is. I can envisage the plotting sessions involving a hell of a lot of index cards pinned to a board with string linking up the various references and plot points. The planning for Back to the Future II must have been even more complicated! I imagine that’s why they decided to set number 3 in just one time period – to give their brains a rest.

Number two must have been a nightmare for the editing team having to splice it all together. I’m particularly impressed with the way they reshot the Jennifer scenes in the beginning, in fact there is a video that compares the two scenes and it looks really cool, the timing goes out slightly but it wraps up at the exact same moment which is very impressive.
Are we ready for final thoughts on this one? I’ve got nothing else. As you say, what do you say about a classic that hasn’t been said before.

Yeah I guess final thoughts are in order, I keep feeling like there should be something else for me to write but the proof is there on the screen, maybe we shouldn’t watch such good films

I’m happily going to give Back to the Future ten double shot soy flat whites out of ten. Perfect film, easy to watch over and over, can’t wait for the blu-ray.


Back to the Future may well be the gold standard to which all other Midnight Movies are measured. As you said, perfect plot, perfect script, and perfect cast. I therefore agree with your score: ten Diet Cokes out of ten. Hey, what’s the point of having a top score if you’re not going to use it?


There are one or two films that I plan on breaking the system with

Next week:



]]> http://midmoclub.com/back-to-the-future/feed/ 34 http://midmoclub.com/scrooged-breakfast-bar-podcast/ http://midmoclub.com/scrooged-breakfast-bar-podcast/#comments Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:00:18 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=143

Because it’s Christmas and because some of you just can’t get enough of Dan and Lee (mainly Dan and Lee) we are bringing you a bonus podcast to supplement the Midnight Movie Club!

Eventually it will be on iTunes – hopefully by the time you read this and we’ll make sure to let you know where you can subscribe so you don’t miss a minute!!

For now Merry Christmas and enjoy our continued ramblings:

The music track featured within the podcast is An Orange Groove by Raphael Pistachio. You can download the entire Scrooged soundtrack at Popdose (We’re not sure it’s entirely ...]]>

Because it’s Christmas and because some of you just can’t get enough of Dan and Lee (mainly Dan and Lee) we are bringing you a bonus podcast to supplement the Midnight Movie Club!

Eventually it will be on iTunes – hopefully by the time you read this and we’ll make sure to let you know where you can subscribe so you don’t miss a minute!!

For now Merry Christmas and enjoy our continued ramblings:

The music track featured within the podcast is An Orange Groove by Raphael Pistachio.
You can download the entire Scrooged soundtrack at Popdose (We’re not sure it’s entirely legal though).

]]> http://midmoclub.com/scrooged-breakfast-bar-podcast/feed/ 8 Scrooged, bill murray, christmas Because it's Christmas and because some of you just can't get enough of Dan and Lee (mainly Dan and Lee) we are bringing you a bonus podcast to supplement the Midnight Movie Club! - Eventually it will be on iTunes - hopefully by the time you read this... Because it's Christmas and because some of you just can't get enough of Dan and Lee (mainly Dan and Lee) we are bringing you a bonus podcast to supplement the Midnight Movie Club! Eventually it will be on iTunes - hopefully by the time you read this and we'll make sure to let you know where you can subscribe so you don't miss a minute!! For now Merry Christmas and enjoy our continued ramblings: The music track featured within the podcast is An Orange Groove by Raphael Pistachio. You can download the entire Scrooged soundtrack at Popdose (We're not sure it's entirely legal though). MidMo Studios yes http://midmoclub.com/scrooged/ http://midmoclub.com/scrooged/#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:15:38 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=126
Scrooged (1988)

Director: Richard Donner

Starring: Bill Murray, Karen Allen, Bob “Bobcat” Goldthwait

Murray plays Frank Xavier Cross, a conceited, cynical television programming executive, in a modernization of the classic Dickens novella A Christmas Carol.

I’ve been thinking about it and I’m not sure that there’s anyone in the current crop of movie comedians who holds a candle to Bill Murray in his prime, or Steve Martin and John Candy come to that (not that they are in Scrooged of course) No I agree with what you are saying, especially Bill Murray although I do enjoy some of his later stuff.

I guess now ...]]>

Scrooged (1988)

Director: Richard Donner

Starring: Bill Murray, Karen Allen, Bob “Bobcat” Goldthwait

Murray plays Frank Xavier Cross, a conceited, cynical television programming executive, in a modernization of the classic Dickens novella A Christmas Carol.

---

I’ve been thinking about it and I’m not sure that there’s anyone in the current crop of movie comedians who holds a candle to Bill Murray in his prime, or Steve Martin and John Candy come to that (not that they are in Scrooged of course)
No I agree with what you are saying, especially Bill Murray although I do enjoy some of his later stuff.

I guess now it is Steve Carrell and the Judd Apatow regulars that are taking on the humour mantle.

It may be just the way films are written these days rather than the quality of the performers.
Maybe, but the quality of say, Ghostbusters, Uncle Buck, Planes Trains and Automobiles does rest a lot on the shoulders of some pretty fine comedians.
Yes, the stuff put out by the original Saturday Night Live crew in the 80′s and early 90′s stands way above the majority of the “Frat Pack’s” efforts.
I just remembered Three Amigos and giggled like a mad man.
Quick, add it to our Midnight Movie List.
Done!!!! OMG I want to bump it up on the list!!!
Shifting things back on topic a little, can I just say that I just love the psychotically violent Ghost of Christmas Present. Is it wrong of me to find her rather attractive?
BAHAHAHA when she hits him with the toaster!! That is gold!! I love her, of course it’s the only film I love her in but she is awesome in this, Bill Murray and her really play off each other really well.
Sexy sexy gold.

It’s Carol Kane isn’t it? The woman from Taxi?

It’s the voice isn’t it!? Yes it is Carol, she was also in Seinfeld, she got hit on the head with the pocket organizer. Her voice grates on me in that episode but it’s a delight in Scrooged.
No, it’s not the voice, it’s the toaster. I have a thing for toasters. I get very excited indeed when I watch Battlestar Galactica.
Oh dear.

Remind me not to order the toast at your place!!!

Hehe. Especially not the slice with the “special butter”
You were that guy who preferred Ghostbusters 2 because of the dancing toaster!!! That’s nasty.
Mmmmm lap-dancing toasters. Show me your bread slot baby.

Ok… I think we probably should move on now.



Do you think Bobcat Goldthwait talks like that at his kid’s parent teacher meetings? He must get through a hell of a lot of throat losenges.
God I hope so!!!! How good would it be him just ringing Pizza Hut!! They would so think he is ripping the piss out of them!
He’s the only man who could be excused for TYpiNG LiKE thiS as it acurately depicts his speaking style.

The other 5 million “wacky” emo types who do it should be shot on sight of course (there I go advocating genocide again)



You are a hard cynical bastard if you don’t get to the end of this film without even a shred of Christmas spirit. That’s easily me at the beginning of the film, I’m generally the one who claims that Christmas is a crock or a con but at the end of Scrooged I’m putting up Christmas trees and humming carols!

Well maybe not carols, I am humming “put a little love in your heart” though.

Oh thanks a lot. I’d only just managed to get that song out of my head.

I know what you’re saying though, that final scene and musical number certainly does provoke the old festive spirit. Although I was surprised to find it didn’t do that as much as it used to for me. Then again I’m generally having a hard time feeling Christmassy at all this year, so it’s probably not anything to do with the movie.

Perhaps I could do with a visit from a few ghosts myself. Preferably one’s wielding toasters (sweet, sweet toasters).

I think we’ve discovered the root of most of your troubles.
Watching Scrooged again reminded me of something that I forgot and that is how good this film is and how much I love it. I remember being so excited as a kid that it was coming out because it had Ghostbuster Bill Murray in it and at that stage anything with a Ghostbuster in it was gold.

Then Coneheads came out.

Coneheads? Quick add it to the Midnight Movie list…

Nah, on second thoughts, let’s not.

It’s a shame, but Dan Akroyd has certainly failed to live up to his earlier promise hasn’t he. Although to be fair it’s only Murray out of that generation of comedians that has managed to consistently forge a respected body of work.

Did you know Murray doesn’t even have an agent? Apparently he fields movie pitches via a private telephone number attached to a answer machine which he checks only sporadically. Mind you I learned that nugget from the mighty Wikipedia, so I could well just have just regurgitated a ton of crud.

He is also reported to have headbutted McG the director of Terminator Salvation, Murray denies this suggesting that he would rather had shot him. I’m going to side with Bill on this one.

Apparently when he was ‘negotiating’ to play Bosley on Charlie’s Angels he gave them the figure he wanted and then just disappeared, no calls, no contact, that was his negotiation.

Finally and this is the last I’ll go on about Murray’s eccentricities is that when he was in negotiations to be in the Ghostbusters game he would only sign if Ernie Hudson’s role was on equal footing with the three others.

This is something I find truly classy.

Whilst it is very clear that Bill Murray completely carries this film, it does not hurt that the rest of the cast is all very good, especially the ghosts. Both the ghosts of Christmas past and present have me in stitches with some of my favourite lines in the film. Of course it comes back to the way Murray interacts with them, they have a really great rapport with them especially with ‘Present’.

I was thinking a while back when writing about Indiana Jones 4 that I couldn’t think of anything else that Karen Allen had been in apart from Raiders of the Lost Ark and here is my answer, I completely forgot she was in Scrooged.

I get her mixed up with the woman who played Lois Lane.
Yeah, I bet I probably did too when I was a kid, although Lois Lane’s voice scares me with its deep rumble.
You’ve got a bit of a thing about voices haven’t you. Do you have very sensitive ears or something?
Toaster-boy.
HEY! Don’t judge me man!
Hey I’m not judging… actually yeah I kinda am.
Another scene from this film that always makes me laugh is the scene where Frank (Murray) is at lunch with his boss and the guy who was in Gremlins 2. The waiter in that scene is classic in the way that he reacts to Bill Murray screaming and carrying on about the eyeball in his glass and the waiter on fire. his eyes are comedy gold and the lines where he misinterprets what Murray is pointing at and advises him that ‘sir wouldn’t want that’.

That guy played Socrates in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.

Wonderful. I love knowing useless stuff like that.
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure was a touchstone film for me when I was young and like Ghostbusters before it I tend to recognise or take notice of the actors in other stuff. The guy who played genghis khan was also in Die Hard (and then every terrorist role afterwards)
I was going to say, even I recogniose that guy. He’s in every single action film ever made. Isn’t he even in Big Trouble in Little China?
Never changes his look either. Yes he’s in BTILC.
You should have grown a mo’ like that guy had. That was a classic.
I think he has the copyright, you have to pay him royalties.
I found Scrooged a little scary in parts too though – the trapped souls in the chest of The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, and the bit where Murray gets burned alive in the coffin in particular.
I guess, I mean if you’ve never seen another scary film then sure.
HEY! That’s some scary stuff there man.
I mean if you’re a big baby sure.
Well bollocks to you, that’s what I say. Here I am trying to drag you back on topic before you go off on one about your precious Big Trouble in Little China, and that’s the thanks I get. Bloody charming.
I think you need your bottle and a lie down.
Perhaps you’re right.

Anyone object if I take the toaster with me too?

Good grief.
In fairness though to Dan’s sensitivities, I did find myself wondering about the gun scenes with Bobcat. I mean is he really trying to kill Murray? Then when he is holding the control room hostage and the gun goes off, those people look terrified. I doubt you would get away with that today, I certainly think the ratings board would take a close look at those scenes.

It does make me happy that the ratings board don’t go back and try to re-rate old films.

To be fair though, he was holding people ransom whilst using a silly voice. That’s got to count for something right? At least a few years knocked off the rating scale?
That’s the only voice he’s got!!!!

Even earlier in the film when he is playing normal the voice is still there!! Granted I would have Bobcat no other way.

For the purposes of research I looked into his later career. He’s a bit of a indy film writer/director these days you know. His last movie starred Robin Williams as a dad who faked his son’s suicide note after he died from auto-asphixiation.
Wow. That’s good for him though.

You should have researched that moustache dude’s career. We should at least get a name for him. We should use his moustache as a rating system.

Marvelous plan! He could become our offical mascot (seeing as though he’ll be in 80% of the films we review)
Well at the very least we should do a ‘watch’ for him and acknowledge his presence in each film

The actor’s name is Al Leong. His wikipedia page is great as instead of a photo it is an artist’s rendition of him. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Leong

Maybe no camera is big enough to handle that mighty moustache
He looks like he should be in Mortal Kombat.
Listen, I think we’re getting a little distracted here. perhaps it’s time for our final thoughts.
I think it’s fair to get distracted by the mighty Leong, despite him not actually being in this movie. Instead of a Christmas tree I want Al Leong standing in the corner of the living room defending our presents.
With baubles hanging off his ‘tash.
duh, it IS christmas.

…the Christmas spirit seems to manifesting itself in me through sarcasm.



So, to sum up: Scrooged stands up as well today as it did when it was made. In fact apart from a few cheesy 80′s suits and the lack of mobile phones it could be completely contemporary. Bill Murray is at his comedic best, and is ably supported by a cast of great character actors.

I’d even go so far to say that this is the best movie version of the Scrooge story out there, and that includes the Muppet Christmas Carol.

I’m going to give it eight diet cokes out of ten. I’d give it eight and a half except I can’t be bothered working out how to do that in photoshop.


And so all that’s left is to wish a Happy Christmas to you all. See you on the other side.

My final thoughts echo what Dan has already said, I certainly agree that this is the best adaptation of Scrooge out there.

So I will blatantly rip off his rating and give Scrooged eight double shot soy flat white out of the potential ten. If you are looking to watch something this Christmas Eve and you think Lethal Weapon is not festive enough, watch Scrooged!


Oh yeah and Happy Holidays!



]]> http://midmoclub.com/scrooged/feed/ 18 http://midmoclub.com/the-great-muppet-caper/ http://midmoclub.com/the-great-muppet-caper/#comments Tue, 15 Dec 2009 23:00:46 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=79
The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

Director: Jim Henson

Starring: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Golez, Charles Grodin, Diana Rigg

Newspaper reporters Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo investigate the theft of a valuable necklace from Fashion Designer Lady Holiday (Diana Rigg). Their search takes them to London, where they soon team up with all the usual Muppet suspects.

One of the things I like about this movie is that it gives a lot of screen time to Fozzie Bear. I may be courting controversy here, but I think Henson had a tendency to focus far too much on Miss Piggy – who’s really rather ...]]>

The Great Muppet Caper (1981)

Director: Jim Henson

Starring: Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave Golez, Charles Grodin, Diana Rigg

Newspaper reporters Kermit, Fozzie, and Gonzo investigate the theft of a valuable necklace from Fashion Designer Lady Holiday (Diana Rigg). Their search takes them to London, where they soon team up with all the usual Muppet suspects.

---

One of the things I like about this movie is that it gives a lot of screen time to Fozzie Bear. I may be courting controversy here, but I think Henson had a tendency to focus far too much on Miss Piggy – who’s really rather a dull character when compared to the rest. Who wants to watch yet another rehash of the Kermit/Piggy romance when there are rubber chickens and “wocka wocka wocka’s!” to be had?

Unfortunately however there’s still far too much of Miss Piggy in the movie. Especially in the middle of the film when the action slows to a crawl. But at least the other characters get a little bit of room to shine whenever the pig isn’t around.

Miss Piggy doesn’t entertain me either, but then that trio of Kermit, Fozzy and Gonzo feels a bit tired (obviously at the time it wasn’t).
Heresy!
Fozzy was better in Muppets From Space.
As the Muppet films progressed it feels like Fozzie became less and less prominent in the lineup. He was criminally underused in Christmas Carol for example. I’m not sure I remember him much in Muppets From Space if I’m honest.
He was one of the commandos breaking into the lab and he was quite funny… for some reason I seem to recall he talked to someone living inside his finger..? I could be wrong.
No, you’re right. I remember now. He was very good in that movie, but then again that’s one of the best Muppet movies anyway, second only to the original.
I think he was good in Treasure Island too, but then there were Ghostbusters and Star Trek references in that film and that delightful Cabin Fever song.
Could I also highlight that at one point Fozzie picks up and plays a ukulele. Now that’s pure class.



Wow, I’m really shocked. I can’t believe I’m about to say this but I really didn’t care for this film. I feel really weird about saying this about a Muppets film as I love all the rest but this one I just wanted to turn off the entire time.

I hadn’t seen the Great Muppet Caper either, it was the one Muppets film that for some reason I had avoided, well maybe not avoided but I certainly never went out of my way to see it until now.

I mean it was nice to see some of the secondary characters but nostalgia will only take you a certain distance and there wasn’t enough for me.

See I think personally I really hated how this film kept breaking the fourth wall and referring to themselves making a movie, something they don’t do so often in the later films. The joke quickly became stale to me.
Really? Because that’s actually another one of the things I liked. I love a bit of fourth wall breaking. Especially as there is a fifth wall that they don’t break (that they are puppets).
Arrrrrg I like a little too but it was like every second minute!?!? Even the opening credits seemed forced. I think I had to go take my diabetic medication because that balloon scene was so sickly sweet and I don’t know… inbred? Can I say that it felt like Deliverence?
It’s not inbred, it’s post-modernism (at least that’s what my cousin told me)
LOL I mean Kermit played the banjo in the first one didn’t he?? It felt like this backwards country aren’t we quaint feeling, I can’t think of the right words. Bleeerg comes to mind.
You’re a hard man Mr Sargent
Did I like anything in this film?

Yes.

John Cleese and the lady playing his wife steal the whole movie. The whole movie. I expect personally that they are representing exactly what the English are like.

In fact I would be disappointed to discover the statement that there appears to be a pig climbing the wall would be met with any more than a slight eyebrow raise and a return to the discussion of the weather.

Well yes, that’s true. We are all like that. Although I’m surprised you noticed that eyebrow raise, what with all the corks hanging off your hat getting in your eyes.
Ouch. At least I don’t have Columbo wandering around my city parks trying to sell watches. That’s creepy. I was worried for a second that we would see Kermit’s face on a milk carton. Actually I wasn’t worried, at that stage nothing had happened apart from me wishing I was watching a different Charles Grodin film… Beethoven maybe?
Blimey, that’s harsh!
Isn’t it interesting though how quickly cameo appearances go out of date. Other than Cleese, Falk, and that guy from Crazy Like a Fox I had absolutely no idea who half of the guest stars were in this movie.
Yeah me too, was that Jim Henson at the club?
The chap with the impressive beard? Yeah that was him. I dream of a beard like that.
It was a very impressive beard!



Oh I did enjoy the ‘bears wear hats’ joke about Kermit and Fozzy being twins. There was little else to enjoy of course
What about that bit when Fozzie tries to pat his head and rub his stomach at the same time? And the whole Museum theft scene which was wonderfully silly. Those both had me in stitches.

I must admit though, despite my massive Muppet bias, I do think there are major flaws. There are far too many boring musical numbers, which seem to be all about Henson pushing the craft of puppetry as far as he can rather than the craft of entertainment. I’m thinking specifically about the bicycle scenes and the synchronised swimming number.

And as I say, there’s far too much Miss Piggy.

there were a few scenes where I don’t think it helped the storyline but they were trying to be super impressive with the puppetry effects which don’t get me wrong, were really bloody awesome just not serving the storyline.
Yes, and they really slowed things down. The pace of muppet films should be madcap, not crawling.
Confession time, I stopped watching with about half an hour to go. I couldn’t do it. I just wouldn’t stay up late watching this movie. I’m going to bed.
Right, that’s it! I’m looking for another Midnight Movie partner. You obviously haven’t got the stamina for it. You do realise we have Police Acadamy 5 on our list? If you can’t take The Great Muppet Caper, then what chance do you think you have with that monstrosity.
I think in all honesty that I have more of a chance sitting through that. I mean fair’s fair I dipped out during Miss Piggy’s water dance number.
I must admit I wandered out of the room for a little while at that point myself.

But by missing the last half hour you missed the film picking back up again. As I said previously, the movie is mainly worth watching for the beginning and the end. The final museum robbery scene is delightfuly anarchic.

I will go back and watch the end, I will if only to be a completist but I won’t promise to like it.



So final thoughts? The Great Muppet Caper is far from Henson’s best work, and the middle section drags horrendously. But for me it still maintains that innocence and, admittedly saccharine, tenderness that has been homogenised out of the franchise since Disney took it over.
I will leave my final thoughts tomorrow after watching the final half hour. I do warn you though if it doesn’t pick up I will savage your childhood favourite like those dogs savaged that woman last week in Moonraker!!
I give the Great Muppet Caper 7 out of a possible 10 cans of Diet Coke. Admittedly if it hadn’t been a Muppet film I’d have probably given it a 5 due to its inconsistency.



Ok I watched the last half an hour and was entertained, if you remove the whole middle of the film and several other indulgent sections then you’ve got a really great short Muppet film.

I thought it interesting that they tied the start of the film with them being in the air for some unknown reason and the end where they have a reason. Interesting, I didn’t say that I liked it.

Ok so my double shot soy flat white rating is a three out of a possible ten cups.



I just wouldn’t stay up and watch this film, I’d easily fall asleep to it.

Next week:



]]> http://midmoclub.com/the-great-muppet-caper/feed/ 31 http://midmoclub.com/moonraker/ http://midmoclub.com/moonraker/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:45:45 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=3

Moonraker (1979)

Director: Lewis Gilbert Starring: Roger Moore, Michael Lonsdale, Lois Chiles, Richard Kiel Moonraker is the eleventh Bond film, and the fourth to star Roger Moore. In the movie Bond is sent to investigate the theft of a space shuttle. He follows the trail of clues from California to Venice, Rio de Janeiro, and the Amazon rain forest. Finally Bond and his female companion (Dr. Holly Goodhead) eventually ending up in outer space battling the evil Hugo Drax and foiling his plans to destroy humanity and create a master race.]]>

Moonraker (1979)

Director: Lewis Gilbert

Starring: Roger Moore, Michael Lonsdale, Lois Chiles, Richard Kiel

Moonraker is the eleventh Bond film, and the fourth to star Roger Moore. In the movie Bond is sent to investigate the theft of a space shuttle. He follows the trail of clues from California to Venice, Rio de Janeiro, and the Amazon rain forest. Finally Bond and his female companion (Dr. Holly Goodhead) eventually ending up in outer space battling the evil Hugo Drax and foiling his plans to destroy humanity and create a master race.

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The midnight movie session:

I remember watching Moonraker as a child and being absolutely petrified of Jaws. There was something about his lumpy head that disturbed me. Now I know that the actor suffers from a form of gigantism called acromegaly, which explains his unusual appearance. However there’s no room for political correctness in the nightmares of a eight year old.
Now this was Jaws’ second outing in a Bond film is that right?
Yes, he was in The Spy Who Loved Me although apparently he was a lot less comedic in that one. Not that I found him very funny when I was eight. And is it me or is that woman he hooks up with more disturbing than he is?
OK I’m talking ahead of myself now (I’m going home tonight to watch the rest of the film now as I need to be able to discuss this), but isn’t she small? The whole irony of how Jaws and this tiny woman didn’t fit in the ‘perfect society’.
Yes she’s small. And she has pigtails, freaky pig tails. To be honest I’m sort of with Hugo Drax – these people have no place in society.

Did I just advocate genocide then? I think I did. I think I just advocated genocide. Maybe this Midnight Movie thing is not such a good idea after all



However scary I found Moonraker, it pales into insignificance when compared to Live and Let Die. I still refuse to watch that movie. That Baron Samedi is going to come for my liver one night, I just know it.
I’m sitting here watching the movie as I type this and I have to say that they weren’t even trying anymore with the name Dr. Holly Goodhead!? I mean they have thrown innuendo out the window with these names!!!

Sorry I’ll go back to watching the movie.

I think they could have at least given her the first name of “Givessomemightyfine”
I’m actually rolling around on the floor laughing, it’s not just an interwebz saying people!! I’m living this.
Oh yeah it should be explained too that these midnight sessions aren’t going to read like your average review, I’m sure I’ll be the worst for it but I’m just going to be blurting stuff out as I think of it and often whilst watching the movie. Sometimes Dan will have already watched it and I’ll be catching up or vice versa (we have different midnights)

No doubt it will give many of you headaches, I suggest then just reading Dan’s bits which I’m sure will be much more coherant.

To be honest I’m just planning on writing my own independent post and simply cutting and pasting it whenever Lee stops typing. It’s roughly the same method of communication I use within my marriage.
Ironically my method of blurting random things out is generally how i communicate in my marriage too, Tracey is a very patient woman.
Speaking of cutting and pasting: It’s not the most popular choice, but Roger Moore has always been my favorite Bond. While others criticise his reign for being too frivolous, I find the lighthearted tone and heavy use of slapstick very enjoyable. Moore has a delightful twinkle in his eye that no other Bond has ever managed to replicate in my opinion.

Saying that, Moonraker takes the buffoonery to a level of ridiculousness that even I have difficulty swallowing. I mean what on earth was going on with that Venetian gondola/hovercraft? Especially the gold tassels on the air cushion!?



So I’m through the movie – I rushed home to watch it completely simply because Dan was showing off his tassels knowledge and I got jealous.

I must say that I thought I would cringe more (is that a shameful pun) when watching Roger Moore’s Bond, simply because I remember him being so tongue in cheek and I haven’t watched one of his for years. But I found myself really enjoying his snappy British wit, particulary in the g force machine when Goodhead tells him that a 70 year old could withstand 3 g and he replies that that’s the problem, there’s never a 70 year old around when you need one.

*snigger* “Goodhead”. Actually if you watch closely there is occasional bursts of dark menace in Moores performance, almost worthy of Daniel Craig. However it could just have just been indigestion of course.
No I SO get what you are saying, even before when I hadn’t watched the whole movie there were flashes of seriousness that probably explain why he was brought back so many times as James Bond.

It certainly wasn’t ALL wink wink nudge nudge

I’m also thinking about the scene where Drax sets his dogs onto the woman who helped Bond take a look in the safe. That’s quite a brutal scene.



Where was I before I got serious?? That’s right LOL gold tassles – I’m more concerned over the pigeon doing the double take, I mean what a truly rediculous thing to include in the film, and that gondola that has to be up the with the worst of the Bond vehicles, I mean really, next they’ll have a diamond encrusted yo-yo that slices people’s heads off… nevermind.

The reference though to Bond throwing his hat, when he does so on the gondola is kind of neat if you are a Bond nut which I’m not but I seem to remember a huge amount about very trivial things. In the earlier movies when hats where still in style Bond would throw his hat across the room and have it land on the hat stand, presumably to impress Moneypenny. So that was nice if you are looking far too much into things.

I didn’t notice the double taking pigeons. But then you do have a bit of a thing about anthropomorphised animals. Didn’t you start sending Lucas death threats after the CGI gophers in the new Indiana Jones film?
And rightly so, in my defence.
NIT PICK!!! I have to declare a nit pick, at the start of the film when the Moonraker shuttle breaks away from the 747 jumbo, look I’m a spaceship geek – that’s not how space shuttles work!?!?! You can’t fly one off the back of a 747.
Can you do it off a 748?
Well a 748 is a different story… no. Even if you were to actually fly it off the back of the plane the shuttle is not very aerodynamic – apparently it handles like a falling brick.
It should also be noted that as I worked my way through the film this not the only implausible concept I encountered, I’ll try and keep it to a dull roar though.
Random thought too, I can’t stress how much I enjoy the James Bond gun barrel stuff at the start of the film. It’s an institution.
Geek alert – using the tones from the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind was awesome. If not entirely cheesy and an admission that the franchise was trying to get some of that sweet sweet scifi money that was all the rage at the time.
Apparently the next film scheduled to be made was actually For Your Eyes Only, not Moonraker, but after 1977′s Star Wars the producers decided that a space theme might be more financially lucrative. It worked too; Moonraker was the highest grossing Bond film until Goldeneye came along.
Wow I would have thought Octopussy or even A View to a Kill would have made more money, I certainly remember them the most but I suspect that has more to do with my age than box office.
So I really liked how Jaws fell in love with the young lady who was not even half as freakish as you described, I was expecting an Oompa Loompa or a Jawa but she wasn’t freaky at all except for the pig tails.

But I like Jaws and Bond coming to an agreement and then Jaws swapping sides because in Drax land he would not have a place. I was a little confused about his girlfriend though, was she working for Drax originally or did Jaws get her the gig?

I can’t let the comment from Bond slide though when he says that Jaws and his lady friend will be OK because it is only 100 miles to Earth… ARGGGGG. They did have NASA back then?!?! I mean I know there was no Wikipedia but surely they could have fact checked something in a book, or rang someone?!?

I’ll let all the lasers go, I think it was a stretch, but we were firmly in fantasy land…

Erm….excuse my ignorance, but what’s wrong with it being 100 miles from earth?
Well the international Space Station sits around 200 to 240 miles from Earth, but consider falling even a mile in a chunk of space station. That’s not cool, that’s going to leave a mark when you land.
But he’s Jaws. He’ll probably bite through the atmosphere or something. Anyway they were rescued by the good guys a the end, it said so over the radio whilst Bond and Goodhead were joining the 240 mile high club.

Incidentally I read something about sex in zero gravity the other day. It was saying that it isn’t quite as romantic as you’d imagine. Something to do with all the squelchy bits floating around in a rather unnerving manner.

So final thoughts: Watching it as an adult I enjoyed Moonraker quite a bit more than I thought I would, given its reputation. The complete lack of plot irritated me at times, as it just seemed to jump from one set piece to another. But overall I think it stands up pretty well considering it’s age and the restraints on special effects at the time.
My final thoughts are that I’m surprised how well this holds up, I have to admit to remembering very little of the film so it all felt fairly new to me. There were a LOT of space shuttles and frankly that will get me over the line everytime! One thing which was more than obvious is that this is where Mike Myers drew a lot of inspiration Austin Powers the Spy Who Shagged Me and so it was kind of nice seeing the origin of that.
Also we got to see a cool space battle!
My double shot soy flat white rating is 6 cups out a possible 10

What the hell is a double shot soy flat white!? I’ll agree with you on the rating, but go for more traditional source of caffeine: 6 out of a possible 10 cans of diet coke.


Coming next week to the Midnight Movie Club:



]]> http://midmoclub.com/moonraker/feed/ 49 http://midmoclub.com/coming-attractions/ http://midmoclub.com/coming-attractions/#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:04:52 +0000 Midmoclub http://midmoclub.com/?p=1 You should be in bed, but you’re not. No, you’re working your way through the channels, bleary eyed and wondering how on earth there can be so much on without a single thing to watch.

But then you stumble across it.

A flash from your past. Just a glimpse at first, caught in your consciousness for mere seconds as your spasming remote finger whisks you off to channels new. You’ve overshot, and are now faced with a rather enthusiastic man trying to sell you a potato peeler. But all’s not lost. A quick bit of back-pedaling returns you to the sparkling jewel that captured your attention.

“Wow” you mutter under your breath “Gremlins 2! I haven’t seen this for years!”

Welcome to The Midnight Movie Club.

Read more on our About Us page!



]]> It’s late on a work night.

You should be in bed, but you’re not. No, you’re working your way through the channels, bleary eyed and wondering how on earth there can be so much on without a single thing to watch.

But then you stumble across it.

A flash from your past. Just a glimpse at first, caught in your consciousness for mere seconds as your spasming remote finger whisks you off to channels new. You’ve overshot, and are now faced with a rather enthusiastic man trying to sell you a potato peeler. But all’s not lost. A quick bit of back-pedaling returns you to the sparkling jewel that captured your attention.

“Wow” you mutter under your breath “Gremlins 2! I haven’t seen this for years!”

Welcome to The Midnight Movie Club.

Read more on our About Us page!



]]> http://midmoclub.com/coming-attractions/feed/ 10