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Just how moving were the moving pictures that came out in November 1985?
Here's where we find out.
Tragically, the only one of those I've ever seen is King Solomon's Mines which is rubbish and, therefore, I can't with clear conscience declare it to be my Movie of the Month. I shall, therefore, leave it to those better informed than I to decide just which of those films is the cream of that crop.
It would appear the shadow-loving rogue's practising in the Danger Room when he, somehow, gets yanked into another dimension where he begins a swashbuckling adventure!
Marvel's determined to inflict yet more new comics upon me. And so it is that we encounter the first-ever issue of Nightcrawler.
All I know beyond any reasonable doubt is that this story is both written and drawn by Dave Cockrum.
What's this? Rom's comic is not only still going but is suddenly guest-starring Rick Jones who appears to have Hulked himself up to some degree?
It all happens when the Beyonder arrives at a cabin occupied by Rick, Brandy and Cindy, gives them super-powers and sends two of them into Limbo to retrieve Cindy's parents!
But, hold on, where does Rom fit into all of this?
Mike Kaluta's cover heralds the arrival of an issue in which something or other happens.
All I know about that something or other is it's a yarn called Big Mombo and is the product of Mike's pencils and Elaine Lee's words.
Marvel's latest multi-part epic crossover hits its fifth issue when the Beyonder dismantles a train upon which is riding a young mutant on her way to Professor X's school.
The Beyonder agrees to take her the rest of the way but, once they arrive there, the X-Men attack him and, somehow, this all leads to him beating up the Celestials!
At last, it's the storyline we've all been praying for, as Mary Jane Watson becomes Spider-Man!
Or does she?
Alistaire Smythe seems to think so.
Seeking revenge for the death of his father, he's out to get rid of the web-spinner.
However, he, bizarrely, comes to the conclusion that Mary Jane is that very web-spinner.
Even though she's clearly not a man.
It's exactly what we've all been praying for, as Marvel gives us its stunning adaptation of the Red Sonja movie that did its best to keep us awake.
I would say we're all familiar with the plot but I've seen the film at least three times and still couldn't tell you what the plot is.
Apparently, this version is written and drawn by Mary Wilshire.
After years of being Thor's sidekick, Balder finally lands a comic of his own and would seem to be doing so by crossing over with the thunder god's book, as he too journeys to Hel, in a bid to liberate those who don't deserve to be there.
The Fantastic Four's 19th annual sees the gang team up with the Avengers, for reasons I'm not familiar with.
However, it does seem the Infant Terrible puts in an appearance!
I can’t comment on any of those comics.
ReplyDeleteBut as regards the films, I saw Death Wish 3: the only thing I can remember about it is that it was the first 18 cert film I saw underage. My friend and I lied or way into the cinema. Doesn’t it have a score by Jimmy Page?
I saw Elm Street 2 in the cinema as well, but we didn’t get it til 1986. I’d only just seen the first one on VHS so I was enthusiastic. It was OK. It’s not as bad as its rep would suggest.
Also saw Rocky 4 at the cinema, and it was the most raucous screening I’ve ever been to. The local scallies were out in force, shouting and jostling and trying to steal the posters whilst everyone was queueing. Then mayhem inside.
I hate To Live And Die In LA. I should be its target demographic but a lot of Friedkin’s movies are too cynical and exploitative for me, and this is one of them.
Prowler's out here connecting dots no one else sees... To Live And Die In L.A. has a soundtrack by Wang Chung. Back in the day, 1984 maybe, Wang Chung was opening for The Romantics at Eastern New Mexico University. Turned out to be a great concert! The movie? I have it in my library, have not seen it yet. So there's that...
DeleteNow push PUBLISH
Matthew, I was just about to correct you and leave a note saying that Page actually did the soundtrack for 'Death Wish 2', but fortunately I double checked online first (for a change!) and it turns he did also do the third one.
DeleteApparently in the early 80s he was Michael Winner's next door neighbour...
As a soundtrack lp for the second Death Wish came out at the time the film was released - and has been reissued regularly since - but the third has never appeared in any form (except on film, obviously) my suspicion is the film makers just re-used the same music for the third one.
Anyway, the soundtrack for 2 is pretty much what you'd expect - a few 'eavy riffs, overlaid with a bit of generic 80s rock synth (and occasionally the GLC Philharmonic).
The music for the first Death Wish film was by Herbie Hancock. Now that's a record worth getting.
-sean
Steve - my memory's vague, but ROM too is trapped in Limbo, I seem to remember, and also needs to escape!
ReplyDeletePhillip
Nightcrawler #1 had great art if you were nostalgic for look of early new X-men. Unfortunately the story was aimed too young for me and so I didn’t buy any further issues. Cockrum being a little Self-indulgent.
ReplyDeleteSean, I did buy Miracleman #3 but must have missed it when I browsed Mike’s. I had read the stories in Warrior, but the Spookshow revelation probably remains my favourite part of Marvelman. Government cover-up conspiracy and all that.
DW
I recently mentioned that BBC radio had totally ignored the 100th anniversary of Margaret Thatcher's birth but all this week Radio 4-Extra is celebrating the 100th "birthdays" of actor Richard Burton and comedy legend June Whitfield so there's that as Prowler would say.
ReplyDeleteFUN FACT: US Vice-President JD Vance was born three days before Richard Burton died.
Colin:
DeleteWell, the BBC ignoring Thatcher’s centenary screams institutional bias to me. Shut them down!
...and Colin, J.D. was not strangled in the crib.
ReplyDeleteSo here we are.
M.P.
Looks like November 1985 was Terrible Film Month, Steve.
ReplyDeleteAlthough 'Letter to Brezhnev' also came out. It might not have been a classic for the ages, but at the time it was at least watchable, which made it quite a bit better than any of the films you mentioned.
The Balder mini-series was written by Walt Simonson so obviously it was worth reading. At the risk of sounding pedantic (who, me?) from what I remember it tied in with the Hel storyline in Thor rather than crossed over with it - the first issue is set beforehand, and the next three after.
Starstruck was great, the best thing that came out under the Epic imprint before Elektra: Assassin. Sadly though the next issue was the last one. Although it did eventually continue elsewhere...
-sean
By a complete coincidence, last week I watched the first 45 minutes of Letter To Brezhnev' on the iPlayer. For the first time since it came out (I think it might have been early 86 when I saw it, but it was definitely at the cinema).
DeleteYeah, it's OK. Not too over-played and genuinely, refreshingly grotty.
I'll have to watch the rest, as seem to I remember A Certain Ratio's 'Wild Party' being played in one scene.
Steve, from what I can remember of the 1985 Red Sonja film, there's an evil queen who has a magic thing that does something or other, the Sonj won't put out for a pushy Arnie, and there's an annoying royal kid in it.
ReplyDeleteHope that helps.
-sean
The only thing I can remember about the 1985 Red Sonja film is that it starred Ronald Lacey who always seemed to play evil, slimy characters - he was in Porridge playing an evil, slimy prisoner for example.
ReplyDeleteToday is exactly 40 years since Feargal Sharkey reached #1 in the UK singing about his headwear woes...
A good hat these days is hard to find
A good hat
The lasting kind...
TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A. is the only one of these movies that I’ve seen. Meh. Its critical reputation has seemingly grown over the years but I’m not tempted to revisit it.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, I didn’t buy any of these here comics back in the Long Ago. But I did get the following items :
AVENGERS ANNUAL 14 (interesting John Byrne / Kyle Baker art)
DEADMAN 7
LIFE OF CAPTAIN MARVEL 5
LOVE AND ROCKETS 14
MECHANICS 2
MIRACLEMAN 3
SEDUCTION OF THE INNOCENT 1 (Pre-Code Horror by Toth, Crandall et al)
SOLOMON KANE 3
SWAMP THING 42
TALES OF TERROR 3 (art by Gray Morrow, David Lloyd et al)
THUNDER AGENTS 3 ( Cockrum, Giffen, Ditko — none of them bringing their “A game”)
b.t.
I've just remembered that Ronald Lacey briefly played Terry's brother-in-law in Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads but he wasn't evil or slimy in that particular role.
ReplyDelete