Just Because...

Going Bananas?
Cher & Apes

Just Because Cher: The Memoir, Part One is out today and Just Because we could all use some levity here she is doing a riff on Planet of the Apes on The Sonny & Cher Show.

You remember that guy Sonny Bono she started her singing career with?! Well if you don't I'm sure she will have plenty to say about him in her book, there you have that.

Cher has had quite the life and career after all.

For even more fun you can check out the Planet of the Apes skit with the late Jim Nabors after the jump, Just Because... 

Cher on IG -

https://www.instagram.com/cher/?hl=en  

Film Buff Friday: Planet Of The Apes

                        "Take your stinking paws off me you damn dirty ape!"

Today we take a walk down memory lane to when science fiction films were truly interesting and not what is passed off today for the genre. Let's re-visit the 1968 version of Planet Of The Apes.

What's that you say, you didn't know there was another version other than the, how shall I put this nicely, awful 2001 Tim Burton movie of the same named? Well there was and it is quite compelling and provocative.

Hey, don't simply take my word for it, check out my buddy Jay Jacobson's Classic Movie Blog. Jay really digs deep into this film and gives behind the scenes commentary as well.

"Go Ape" at the link below!

https://www.jaysclassicmovieblog.com/post/99-planet-of-the-apes-1968

T.G.I.F! Sheba Baby!

All Hail Pam Grier, the Queen of Kicking Ass!!!

Sheba, Baby [Blu-ray + DVD] coming February 9

Fresh off her career defining roles for Jack Hill in Coffy and Foxy Brown, Pam Grier continued her domination of the Blaxploitation genre, in cult filmmaker William Girdler's (The Manitou, Abby) 'Sheba, Baby'...

Grier plays Sheba Shayne, a private eye based in Chicago who is called to her hometown to stop the local mob boss (played by "that bad D'Urville Martin", Black Caesar, Dolemite) from moving in on her father's loan business. Aided by her father's partner, Brick Williams (Austin Stoker, Assault on Precinct 13, Battle for the Planet of the Apes), Sheba finds out that the violent thugs aren't going go away without a fight. Car bombs, gun fights and boat chases ensue whilst armed with her curves, street smarts and a .44, Sheba is in for a bloodbath!

Grier would appear in three Blaxploitation classics in 1975 (the others were Bucktown and Friday Foster), where she was at the top of her game and genre, with the Los Angeles Times calling her "cool, tough and glamorous - a female fantasy Wonder Woman", further cementing her status as the first female action star.

Bonus Materials
* High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
* Original mono audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-ray)
* Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
* Audio commentary with producer-screenwriter David Sheldon, moderated by critic Nathaniel Thompson
* Sheldon: Baby - a brand new interview with David Sheldon
* Pam Grier: The AIP Years - a look over the wonder years of the Blaxploitation queen with film historian Chris Poggiali
* Trailer
* Gallery featuring rare publicity images and Lobby Cards
* Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sean Phillips
* Booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by Patty Breen, webmaster of WilliamGirdler.com, illustrated with archive stills and posters

Amazon pre-order:  http://amzn.com/B017RL9136  

Huston Huddleston Invades Hollywood

A spaceship is landing in Hollywood, CA, estimated time of arrival 2015, it's The Hollywood Science Fiction Museum which recently met it's start up goal and then some with a Kickstarter campaign.

Their Mission:  The mission of New Starship Foundation and the Hollywood Science Fiction Museum is to inspire people of all ages and nationalities with an uplifting vision of the future found in science fiction media, art and literature by teaching Real Science through Science Fiction, including technology, ecology, engineering, computers, robotics, math, medicine, space travel and all aspects of filmmaking through fun, interactive exhibits and programs.

Here to tell us more about this alien invasion is the CEO of the museum, give a great big "Live Long And Prosper" to Huston Huddleston!

MS: Huston tell us what inspired your alien invasion of Hollywood.

HH: One thing lead to another. It started because I saved the Enterprise Bridge (from Star Trek) that was a display tour set that was made for Paramount in the late 90's. I did a Kickstarter, I got a bunch of people associated with Star Trek to support me then we got to a point where A) We didn't have enough money to complete the restoration B) We didn't have a place to set it up, where would we store it? The biggest problem I had with the companies I was approaching for donations was that none of them cared specifically about the bridge itself, they weren't Star Trek fans, which is understandable. We needed to create a bigger picture, there is no exclusive science fiction museum anywhere in the world, and certainly none in Hollywood. So we are creating our own, it was the only logical conclusion. 

MS: So, what is going to set your museum apart from others?

HH: Our museum will be so universal, and so exciting it will have the fun of a theme park inside of a museum. I think we will get the numbers of people coming, and hopefully break records as far as museums go.

MS: It would be so dry otherwise.

HH: We are making it fun which is something museums normally don't do. 

MS: You also have fantasy and horror along with the science fiction.

HH: Some people actually complained to us that Herbie The Love Bug and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang can't be in the museum because it is a science fiction museum not a science fantasy museum and I'm like: "Why the Hell not?" The joy that people will get from seeing these will be way overcome by the people who are complaining about them.

It's Huston!

MS: Hey Huston, time for some fun! I picked five random sci-fi, fantasy TV and Movie titles and want you to say what comes to mind, ready.

HH: Sure, let's go.

MS: Planet of the Apes

HH: Pivotal film. Rod Serling wrote the screenplay, that's why it had so much apocalyptic insight. The film was unique and a major watermark.

MS: Bionic Woman

HH: Kenneth Johnson (creator of the show) has been supportive of our museum. That show is the first female superhero who wasn't treated campy, and could actually be a woman and not a cartoon character. She could be soft and feminine and kick butt! It was ground breaking.

MS: X-Men

HH: Stan Lee is a huge hero of mine. As far as the film it was one of the first to treat the situation as 100% real. X-Men brought the superhero movie to a whole new level of realism and the series just keeps getting better and better, and you have the integrity of some amazing actors and a director.

MS: Labyrinth 

HH: It's unique, it's a musical. David Bowie is a very underrated actor, I wished he'd do more. Jennifer Connelly is beautiful. I think it was Jim Henson's way of making something more mainstream since Dark Crystal didn't do well, he took the technology and made it more commercial.

MS: Star Trek

HH: Never heard of it (laughs) It was a groundbreaking TV Show, in too many ways to even mention. It has single handily inspired more astronauts and scientists I think than any entity. Every NASA person I have met says Star Trek is the show that inspired them.

Get your science fiction/fantasy/horror on at: 

www.hollywoodscifi.org

https://twitter.com/hollywoodscifi