May 4

Color of Night, 1994

Welcome back to another exciting episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week Dion Baia and J. Blake are tackling new ground, taking on the erotic genre, specifically the erotic thriller, and what better vehicle to discuss this topic than to cover the legendary Bruce Willis film, Color of Night, from 1994.

Color of Night

The boys attempt to set the table and lay out the era back when the erotic, the sizzler, and specifically the erotic thriller fed a need for audiences, especially to an adolescent coming to age. In the period of the early 90s, films like Basic Instinct, Sliver and Body of Evidence were big news because of the controversy they generated. Blake and Dion analyze this forgotten genre, and (while some of it may seem tame to today’s standards), they try to illustrate an era where nudity and NC-17 films attracted major stars, and why this particular genre was very important to the history of cinema. The fellas discuss the amazing ensemble cast in Color of Night, as well as the controversy it generated, and the similarities to Giallo or even Hitchcock plots. So come down memory lane as Dion and Blake reminiscence about a genre that has virtually disappeared in recent decades, in another informative and fun installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Corrections and Amends:

(When discussing Shirley Temple, the boys referenced the 1947 film she and Cary Grant starred together in, as “Bobby and the Bobby-Soxer “, when they actually meant The Bachelor and Bobby-Soxer.)

(Also, while discussing Color of Night, Dion referred to the killer’s car as a Camaro, when it actually was a 1978 Pontiac Firebird.)

(One more: While discussing the actor Steve Railsback in the possible casting in the Lance Henriksen role, Dion (again!) mentioned “Dangerous Games“, when he was actually referring to the 1982 horror film Deadly Games.)

Extras!

Check out the original trailer for Color of Night!

Have a look at the original TV spot for Color of Night!

Here’s Blake with the man, the myth, the legend himself, Lance Henriksen!

Take a gander a this 1994 interview with Bruce Willis, while promoting Color of Night!

Have a listen to the Golden Globe nominated song, The Color of Night!

 

December 18

SNMS Presents The Side Cast: Randy Jurgensen Part 2From Homicide to Hollywood

SNMS Side CastWelcome back to another all new edition of Saturday Night Movie SleepoversSide-Cast. We present Part 2 of our exclusive interview with retired NYPD Homicide Detective turned actor, consultant, writer and producer Randy Jurgensen. In this episode, we segue into Randy’s fascinating career in Hollywood and his body of work in the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s. We go in-depth about the first film he was drafted to be an advisor and actor for, The French Connection, and how he prepped the actors to be New York City cops (back when background prep was rare). We also discuss his friendship with director William Friedkin, as well as the four plus films they would collaborate together on. He also explains his role as of one the stunt drivers in one of the greatest car chases of allsorcererrandy time. He then goes into great detail about becoming a producer, and fighting the Screen Actor’s Guild for Larry Cohen‘s God Told Me To ; ‘stealing’ filming locations in New York City for Maniac and Viligante ; surviving the jungle and the Federales in Central America while filming Friedkin’s Sorcerer ; to fighting city hall (literally) in a small Maine town to get Stephen King‘s Thinner completed. As astounding as it is that a retired Detective was able transition into a life in Hollywood, what’s more incredible is that legends like Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and Roy Scheider were vying to hang out with him, because he was the ‘real’ deal, and moreover was the lead Detective on a very cruising_01publicized case at the time involving probably the most notorious cop killing in New York City’s history! Again, it’s a case where truth is stranger (and more entertaining), than fiction! So come listen to an absolutely fascinating and exclusive installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! (above picture Randy and Roy Scheider in Sorcerer, 1977; left picture is Randy in the NYC Coroner’s Office in Cruising, 1980)

EXTRAS:

The very iconic photo of the finale of The French Connection– Randy can be seen over Gene Hackman‘s right shoulder.

Here, here, here and here are behind the scenes shots of Randy on set on The Godfather, during the scene where Sonny is assassinated.

Check out Randy in The Godfather poster, up in the top right corner.

Here’s Randy at the end of Maniac, with real life partner Jimmy Aurichio!

Have a look at another picture from Cruising, with Randy center, interrogating Al Pacino, with Paul Sorvino standing against the wall.

Here’s another from Cruising, this time with a very young Ed O’Neill.

Subscribe to SNMS on iTunes!

Listen to SNMS on Stitcher!

Listen to SNMS on PlayerFM!