November 10

Christine, 1983

Welcome to another exciting, brand-new edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! Even with October officially behind us, the boys still had the urge to cover one last horror to close out the season. And this go around J. Blake and Dion Baia are covering a director they love, dubbed by fans as “The Master of Horror.” This then begs the question: What do you get when you take a humble Detroit-born Plymouth ‘Mopar‘, add the legendary horror novelist Stephen King and then throw said “Master of Horror“ into the mix? Well you get the John Carpenter classic, Christine, from 1983.

Christine, 1983

The fellas discuss their HUGE affinity and nostalgia for this film, reminiscing about specific childhood memories concerning Christine. They examine where director John Carpenter was at this point in his career, coming off the commercial failure of his 1982 film The Thing and his decision to take on this project, while only viewing it at the time as “a job.” True to form, Dion and Blake compare the book to the film, and analyze which version best presents (in their opinion) the most entertaining story. They also track the sub-subgenre of the “haunted” or “possessed” vehicle, as well as get into the history of the real star of this movie, the 1958 Plymouth Fury– and their extraneous but personal connection to the car in question. So, though this is considered Carpenter‘s least favorite project, could it be argued that it might possibly be the auteur’s best directed film? How do the popular songs used in the film help convey the mood- specifically “Pledging my Love“, and the haunting true-story behind that classic Johnny Ace track? And how essential is the entire cast of Christine (including the supporting players) succeeding in carrying a story that otherwise might be completely unbelievable? Well, you better check your oil and tires, make sure your fingers are ready to shift with the push-button Torqueflite transmission on your Plymouth, and whatever you do, be sure your 1958 two-door sedan doesn’t feel spurned, because the boys are speeding into another thrilling and informative episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

Extras!

Check out the original teaser trailer for Christine!

Take a look at the deleted and extended scenes from Christine!

A must watch, check out this 2017 full panel discussion at the Stephen King Film Series at Egyptian Theatre in the summer of 2017 on the 1983 film Christine, with some of the cast and crew!

Here’s the brand new, 2017 music video for Christine, starring and directed by the great John Carpenter!

Have a look at this 2017 Volo Auto Museum Series short on one of the original Plymouth Fury‘s used in the film, and the owner’s scary experience once acquiring the car!

A true flashback to the past, check out the short-lived 1986 TV series called The Wizard, and the 3rd episode called Haunted Memories that Dion brought up, that has a similar plot to this week’s film.

And lastly, also brought up in the cast, check out this 2009 Consumer Reports Crash Test, pitting a 2009 Chevy Malibu vs a 1959 Chevy Bel Air.

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Category: Classic, Horror | 2 Comments on Christine, 1983
April 22

Smokey and the Bandit, 1977

Hey all you gear-jammers, welcome back to another exciting and hilarious episode of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! This week J. Blake and Dion Baia are taking a trip down South and covering a film that endeared a generation to Trans Ams, CB Radios, Trucking, and Coors Beers. We’re of course talking about the comedic essential, the 2nd film behind Star Wars in 1977, the original Smokey and the Bandit, starring Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Paul Williams and Jackie Gleason.

Smokey and the Bandit

The fellas go in depth with this beloved classic, unpacking for the listener the era this movie was released within, and set up the context for this all-star cast coming together to appear in stuntman Hal Needham‘s directorial debut film. Dion an Blake clear the air and actually spell out the details about why Coors Beer at the time wasn’t sold East of the Mississippi, and the reasons why Coors had such a short shelf life (a HUGE piece of this plot). The boys get into the nuts and bolts of the 70’s CB craze, even breaking down the various vehicles used in the movie for all those motorheads out there. How was Burt Reynolds‘ involvement integral in turning this into an A-list movie? How much of Jackie Gleason‘s dialogue was adlibbed? And what seen was entirely his idea? Why did the studio not want Sally Field? How cool is it to have singer/song writers Jerry Reed and Paul Williams in the same film together? And how does the remastering of these older film’s soundtracks into 5.1, sometimes actually muck up the original film’s sound? Well sit back and stretch out those legs because the boys are gonna put that hammer to the floor and give ’em hell, in this all new edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!

EXTRAS:

For further reading on Jackie Gleason‘s forgotten but still legendary foray into music, check out this informative article penned by SNMS’ own Dion Baia, for Podwits.com

Have a look at Hal Needham talking about directing, Smokey and the Bandit.

Here’s the January 2016 Barrett-Jackson auction of the 1977 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit.

Check out Burt Reynolds explaining the backstory for the Trans Am that sold at the  2016 Barrett-Jackson Auction.

Take a look at this great 2015 video of the then and now locations for Smokey and the Bandit.

Have a gander at this brand new interview with Burt Reynolds and director Jesse Moss, whose 2016 film The Bandit documents the friendship between Reynolds and stuntman and director Hal Needham, and their journey to make Smokey and the Bandit!

Here’s episode three of television’s American Trucker, entitled Bandit and the Snowman, where the hosts retrace the 1,330 mile bootleg run from Atlanta to Texarkana and back in a replica of the movie’s star truck.

Have a look at this episode of GearZ, where they showcase and drive a 1977 Bandit Pontiac Trans Am Burt Reynolds Edition car.

Watch this short little featurette called Snowman, What’s Your 20?, a CB tutorial for the terms used in the film.

And lastly, but certainly not least, here is a long-lost and just discovered ORIGINAL teaser trailer for Smokey and the Bandit 3, whose original concept and way it was shot (and then scrapped), was having Jackie Gleason in the roles of both Sheriff Buford T. Justice AND The Bandit. Yep… that’s what we said.  AND he’s an ultra rare, long-lost on-set photo of Gleason, as The Bandit.

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Category: Action, Adventure, Classic, Comedy | LEAVE A COMMENT