April 10

The Monster Squad, 1987

This time around for an all new installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers, Dion Baia and J. Blake are going back to the basics. They’re covering a film which is a forgotten cult-classic and true Saturday Night Sleepover material if their ever was one because for their age group, they were the targeted demographic upon the movie’s release. This week the boys tackle Fred Dekker‘s 1987 film The Monster Squad.

monster squad

Why did this movie very quietly (and very quickly) fall through the cracks and be all but forgotten? Has it finally received the immortal status it rightly deserves? Would today’s children and (for that matter) today’s adults, enjoy the film as it was intended in 1987 or is it too –politically incorrect? Is this Fred Dekker, debut screenwriter Shane Black, and Stan Winston‘s love letter to the Universal Monsters, Abbott & Costello‘s hilarious monster-teamup series and to the 1950’s monster-era on a whole? Will Fred Dekker ever get the due he undoubtably deserves? Well grab your junk food, your sugary beverages, take-out food and curl up on the sofa for another brilliant, hilarious, and informative edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

(Check out the Monster Squad Reunion at the 2007 Comic Con!)

(Have a look at the The Monster Squad Panel Discussion at the Monsterpalooza Horror Convention in Burbank on April 14th 2013)

(Here’s a great little Monsterama interview with SFX legend Stan Winston)

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March 27

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, 1971

The boys are back, kicking in the door with a beloved classic for this week’s all new edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers, and it is a trip to a world of Pure Imagination, with 1971’s Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

wonka poster

Dion and Blake dig deep into the dark side and undertones of this film which, to be fair, has some pretty surprising things going on in a 1971 child’s film. Based on renowned author Roald Dahl‘s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, what evidently led to Dahl practically disowning the movie, even though he was signed on to write the screenplay? How important was the casting of Mr. Wonka in this film, and more to the point, how awesome is Gene Wilder? What about the 2005 Tim Burton remake? How does that fair to this version, and what does Wilder himself thing of the ’05 version? Dion and Blake also reminisce about their own experiences in meeting the cast of this classic film.  So come on down for an all-across-the-board audience favorite, in this all new installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

(Don’t believe us? Check out this 2013 interview with the legend Gene Wilder, as he talks about his film career, and the 2005 reboot.)

(Here’s a complete video courtesy of LuckPennyShop, demoing the 1971 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Candy Maker Kit!)

(Do you think this 2014 50th Anniversary edition cover for Roald Dahl‘s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory warranted the controversy?)

(Have a look at the 2013 musical production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory… and decide for yourself…)

(Take a gander at Dion‘s once-in-a-lifetime chance of meeting Mr. Wilder in 2008!)

 

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March 13

Dirty Harry, 1971

This time around Dion and Blake are talking about potentially their most controversial film for Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers to date, Don Siegel‘s classic, the original Dirty Harry, from 1971, starring Clint Eastwood. dirty-harry-poster
This groundbreaking film literally paved the way for the onslaught of police genre stories on the big and small screen in the 1970’s,  and refined and set the standard for the Vigilante/Anti-Hero genre that blossomed for the next 20 years, and also spawned 4 sequels. So why the heck was this film so contentious for 1971? How did the raw violence and its graphic depiction sit with audiences at the time? How does it hold up today? Is this actually a Western in disguise? Is the film’s composer Lalo Schrifrin as underrated as it seems? Did this film quite possibly give us the action film genre as we knew it with Arnold, Sly, and Willis in the 1980’s- Wha-? Hmm… Well come on down and give us a spin on another brand-new edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

*Dion erroneously referred to Frank Sinatra‘s 1967 film Tony Rome, when he actually met his 1968 film The Detective.

(Check out the 1971 San Francisco premiere of Dirty Harry!)

(Have a look at this CANCELLED 2007 Dirty Harry game for X360/Ps3, that would have taken place between the first and second film, and looked sweet as all hell! And   –Here’s the story behind it!)

(Here’s a ultra-rare promotional ad done for the film while Frank Sinatra was still being talked about for the role.)

(Check out the back cover of the novelization at the really cool early concept for Scorpio‘s ransom note!)

(Watch the trailer to see how they promoted the film)

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February 27

John Carpenter’s The Thing, 1982

The lads have their hands full in this brand-spanking new installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepover, and desperately try to fit it all into the confines of a humble podcast. This week, Dion Baia and J. Blake take on the 1982 horror classic, John Carpenter’s The Thing.

the-thing-poster

The boy’s knowledge and expertise are put to task, disseminating all the elements that were brought together in remaking an already established cult classic. How the heck did this movie flop upon its intital release and be completely panned by critics and the film community alike? How do the SFX hold up to the CGI we are so familiar with today? How did the 2011 prequel/remake and 2002 PS2 video game hold up verse Carpenter’s 1982 vision? Have the boys actually solved the ending? And… what the heck were the guys thinking trying to do their own 3D experience in these cold winter months with their latest screening?

Well strap yourselves onto your couch (quite literally) for this thrilling and exciting installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

(Go have a gander at this neat wikia page so you can completely go in-depth and geek out on John Carpenter’s The Thing!)

(Have a look at this great topical claymation mash-up that was done, mixing The Thing and Disney’s Frozen.)

(Here are some deleted scenes from the film, and click here for stills for some of the lost scenes.)

(Take a peek at this vintage behind-the-scenes featurette.)

(Last but certainly far from least, as a great, EXCLUSIVE treat for our fans, check out some original concept art drawn by comic artist Mike Ploog of the kennel scene, from J. Blake‘s personal collection: here, here, here and here.)

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February 13

The Terminator, 1984

In this brand-spanking new edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers, Dion Baia and J. Blake take on the monumental opus, something that not only influenced these two boys in their formative years, but also was a huge influence on cinema, sci-fi, action (and maybe even horror) as well as technology- we are of course talking about James Camerson’s breakout masterpiece, The Terminator, from 1984.

The-Terminator-1984

The boys lay out the history behind the film and the lead up to its inception, and tackle a lot of the nuisanced subplots. Who were the other actors that were being pegged to play the lead role? What character did Arnold originally read for? Does this film still hold up and more importantly, did director James Cameron as the auteur really change the face of cinema with his 1984 (proper) feature film debut? Well come on down and listen to another informative, exciting and fun-for-all installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

(Here’s a great vintage, rare behind the scenes making-of featurette done for the film.)

(Check out the rare, deleted scenes from the film and see if you agree with their omission from the finished movie.)

 

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February 7

5 Rentals for $5 – 1980s Kid Movies of Death

Keeping in the spirit of our recent posts about Transformers: The Movie (1986) and G.I. Joe: The Movie (1987) today we are listing five 1980s movies that forced an entire generation of unsuspecting kids to prematurely deal with the concept of death and emotionally scarred them for life.

SPOILER ALERTS!!!

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

Continue reading

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January 30

G.I.Joe the Movie, 1987

Straight out of Hasbro, toy’s with attitude, Dion Baia and J.Blake are back for a spontaneous Part 2 of their momentous Podcast to ring in the 2015 New Year, deciding to take on the supremely unrated G.I.Joe the Movie, from 1987.

G_I_-Joe-The-Movie-Poster-1987

Following up Part 1 where they went head to head with the super-iconic 1986 favorite Transformers the Movie, J. Blake and Dion flip the record over and check out side B of that Marvel/Hasbro late-80’s film mash-up, screening yet another childhood classic. They dissect and analyze, while peppering historical context and lightly salt with some personal reflections regarding the film and the era it was released. Had Joe been released prior to Transformers, would Optimus Prime still have died? What would that have said then about Duke’s fate? While bringing up a third and largely unknown venture that was released and hence sealed the fate for the now defunct Sunbow Animation Studios, Dion learns for the first time on tape exactly what “Bronies” are and how the heck they relate to Autobots or Cobra. And how did this new film along with Transformers the Movie ultimately nix a theatrical release for G.I.Joe a year later? Well grab your notebooks, VCRs, and your hats because the boys are chatting up another fun one for this new edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Here’s an ultra rare VHS promo for G.I.Joe the Movie!

Check out a chance to win your very own Sgt. Slaughter figure! (Full disclosure, offer expires January 31st, 1987)

And do you remember all your friends having the ‘The Refrigator’ Perry toy except you?!

Finally, here is the complete, super-rare vintage 1980’s G.I.Joe commercials for the Marvel Comic books, complete with original animation done for selling the books!

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January 16

Transformers the Movie, 1986

Dion and J. Blake usher in 2015 with an absolute cult-classic from their childhood, the 1986 feature film Transformers the Movie.

transformers the movie 1987

This fact-filled podcast sizes up the 1986 adaptation of a beloved daily TV show’s journey from the small to the silver screen, taking on the HUGE elephant in the room- the ramifications on the toy industry, children’s psyches, and future cartoon properties regarding the hugely controversial death of Optimus Prime. What the heck were the Execs thinking? Also the boys attempt to fill in some plot holes and see if the film still holds up; finally dispel some of the myths that had been linked to the film like the Orson Welles controversy, this being his last theatrical performance; and compare it on a whole to the recent Michael Bay franchise reboot. Well, if you were a fan of Transformers or cartoons like G.I.Joe in your childhood or you still geek out on the timeless Cybertonions galactic battles, you’ll love the 2015 Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers debut.

(Have a read of a great recent interview with the scriptwriter Ron Friedman)

(Check out another great interview with writer and story editor Flint Dille)

(Here are the legendary and hilarious outtakes of Orson Welles ripping producers, writers, and engineers alike in a VoiceOver session for a British Frozen Peas Commercial)

(Finally, check out the late great actor Chris Latta [aka Chris Collin in this clip] who voiced Starscream, Gung-Ho and Cobra Commander among others, doing his passion, stand up comedy.)

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December 21

Ernest Saves Christmas, 1988

This week, in part 2 of our Special Christmas Edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers, J. Blake and Dion Baia take on an Oldie-put-Goodie Christmas Classic, Jim Varney’s Ernest Saves Christmas, from 1988.

Ernest_saves_christmas_poster

The boys lay out the history of Ernest P. Worrell, how the zany character even came about and explore the world he created in movies and on the small screen, which leads them into a digression of television shows of the 1970’s and ’80’s.  They compare Ernest to another beloved character of the time, Pee-Wee Herman. But unlike Paul Reuben‘s iconic character, because of Jim Varney‘s untimely death in 2000, has the world forgotten the pure, lovable Ernest P. Worrell? Well come on down and listen to a dissection of another Christmas classic, on an all new episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

(Check out some hilarious Bloopers from Ernest’s 1980’s commercials.)

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December 12

Bob Clark’s Black Christmas, 1974

In a very exciting Christmas Edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers, Dion Baia and J. Blake explore the highly underrated and highly influential Bob Clark film- no, not the uber-iconic A Christmas Story- but his other Christmas movie from 10 years prior, his brilliant horror, Black Christmas from 1974.

 

black christmas

What cinema secrets does this lesser-known gem hold that now have become cliched? Having been released 4 years prior to the landmark horror film Halloween which is usually deemed the first slasher film, does Black Christmas instead deserve that prestigious title? How does the director of such a legendary Christmas film like A Christmas Story direct such a drastically different and brilliant genre-film centered around the same holiday, nearly a decade before? Well, all the answers to the questions posed and the boy’s love for the late and great Bob Clark are all revealed in this special, Christmas edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

(Here is the entire film to watch, courtesy of youtube- Enjoy!)

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November 26

Planes, Trains and Automobiles, 1987

In this week’s Thanksgiving edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers, Dion Baia & J. Blake pick the iconic comedy classic Planes Trains and Automobiles, released on Thanksgiving Eve, 1987.

Planes_trains_and_automobiles

The boys reminisce about their memories connected with the film, discuss the legendary careers and lasting legacies of writer/producer/director John Hughes and actor John Candy, and the imprint the film made on our culture. They also get into the other comedy films of the 1980’s, and the popular comedy genre films that were big at the time. So please come have a listen to one of the rare Thanksgiving Holiday films, and a comedic classic!

(Check out the only available deleted scene from the film, where Del O. Griffith waxes about various Airline food.)

(Have a look at the various influences Planes, Trains and Automobiles have had on the TV show Family Guy)

*Wagon’s East was in fact the last film John Candy was making in Mexico when he passed away; the forgettable 2010 film Due Date was the comedy released that was compared and questioned as a remake to this 1987 classic.

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November 14

“Mindwarp,” 1992

The boys really searched through the proverbial video store racks for this week’s pick, the little known and probably even less-seldom seen sci-fi treat, Mindwrap from 1992, starring Bruce Campbell and Phantasm‘s Angus Scrimm.

mindwrap poster

This underrated, low-budget post-apocalyptic/technological/CHUD-style tale explores themes probed 7 years later in the highly popular 1999 film The Matrix (though the viewpoints of the filmmakers couldn’t be more carbon opposite), and Mindwrap seems to be an amalgam of some of the best sci-fi films out there, e.g. The Time Machine, Total Recall, Blade Runner and THX 1138.  So please have a listen and enjoy us waxing over a true forgotten sci-fi and Bruce Campbell classic!

(There in fact is an out of print, region free remastered Blu Ray edition put out by Twilight Time Studios, which can be found on Amazon.)  

(Dion misspoke in the cast when he referred to Philip K. Dick‘s iconic short story We Can Remember it For You Wholesale being linked to Blade Runner, when he actually meant Total Recall. He does tend to get a tad over-zealous at times.)

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October 29

“Halloween III: Season of the Witch “, 1982

Dion and J. Blake invite you to come listen to a special Halloween edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers where they take on 1982’s Halloween III: Season of the Witch.

Halloween III Movie poster

Why did this sequel tank so badly? Was it Season of the Witch’s own fault? Is it indeed a good film in the Halloween film franchise? Is Tom Akins really leading-man material? (we here at Saturday Sleepovers do admit this last question is a bit moot at this point…) And multi-colored Tootsie Rolls– Really?! All these tantalizing questions will be answered on this all NEW installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

(Check out Tom Akins‘ reaction 30 years later to the film, and his take on the criticism that Michael Myers didn’t make an appearance.)

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October 17

“The Flash ” TV Pilot, 1990

With the recent premiere in the fall of 2014 of yet another beloved DC Comics property The Flash, the boys had the idea of instead going back in time and giving another shot to the original series, 1990‘s The Flash pilot, starring the great John Wesley Shipp.

The Flash 1990

So… are they crazy? Or are they onto something? How big of an influence did Tim Burton‘s 1989 epic Batman film and Warren Beatty‘s 1990 hit Dick Tracy have on this franchise? And more importantly, what influences if any, was this show on the forthcoming iconic Batman the Animated Series from 1992? Well it’s an action packed, fast-paced, special edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers. Come on down and have a listen today!

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October 8

5 Rentals for $5 – October Horror Film Recommendations

Maniac 1980
Courtesy of Mondo, poster by Ken Taylor

October is upon us and along with Autumn arriving, ’tis the season for scary movies! As a companion-piece to J. Blake & Dion‘s latest Side Cast in which they recommend 10 horror movies that they feel have either fallen through the cracks or have plain been forgotten, the lads have also put together another list of 10 films they wholeheartedly recommend, along with the podcast picks which can be found at The Podwits mother site.

 

 

 

But before we get to the 10 films the boys urge you to seek out, here is a round-up of the 10 recommended in the Side Cast Podcast: Continue reading

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