Saturday Sinema: Wild Things

"[It's got] Neve Campbell and Denise Richards making out, all the plot twists and double-crossing of a James Ellroy novel, Neve Campbell and Denise Richards having a catfight in a swimming pool and Bill Murray as a sleazy neck-brace-wearing lawyer."

     —Tom Nawrocki, Rolling Stone

A spoiled rich kid, a troubled teen from the wrong side of the tracks, a carefree playboy and a dogged detective find themselves all caught up in the sex crime of the century in this steamy star-studded crime thriller from the director of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer. Popular and charming, student counsellor Sam Lombardo (Matt Dillon) is no stranger to being the focus of female attention within the moneyed cliques of Florida's Blue Bay. His fortunes are about to change dramatically, however, when one of the wealthiest students at his high school, sultry siren Kelly Van Ryan (Denise Richards), accuses him of rape. The charge looks sure to stick when another girl from the other end of the social spectrum, Suzie Toller (Neve Campbell), steps forward with her own allegations, but Detective Duquette (Kevin Bacon) smells something fishy, and the truth is as murky and dangerous as the alligator-infested swamps in the hinterlands of this affluent beach community. Presented in new 4K restorations of its original theatrical version and extended 'Unrated Edition', Wild Things is a classic piece of sexy late-90s neo-noir from director John McNaughton and writer Stephen Peters, whose serpentine plotting will keep you on the edge of your seat until the end credits roll.

Media

 Watch trailer »

Bonus Materials

• New 4K restorations of both the Original Theatrical Version and the Unrated Edition from the original camera negatives by Sony Pictures Entertainment
• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
• Original uncompressed stereo audio and DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Exclusive new audio commentary by director John McNaughton and producer Steven A. Jones
• Commentary by director John McNaughton, cinematographer Jeffrey Kimball, producers Steven A. Jones and Rodney Liber, editor Elena Maganini and score composer George S. Clinton
• Exclusive new interview with John McNaughton
• Exclusive new interview with Denise Richards
• Making of documentary
• An Understanding Lawyer outtakes
• Trailer
• Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Anne Billson and Sean Hogan
• Double-sided fold-out poster
• Six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Sam Hadley

Order Here -

https://mvdb2b.com/b2b/s/AV459

First Headshot Time!

Since everyone has been posting their first headshots this week I thought I'd play along.

Here I am at 18 shiny and new, like a virgin touched up for the very first time. 

I was living in the Seattle area at and the shots were taken by a guy named Steven Strickland.

Being as it was my first shoot, it was a little awkward, but still fun as I recall.

Anyway Happy Friday Minions!

Me on Social Media -

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

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt  

Michael's Musings

Be Fearless
Michael Shinafelt

 "Fearless" is a word that is used but not often followed. Remember when you were young and didn't know you shouldn't? Well I am turning back time and operating from a place of "Yes" moving forward with my life. 

Be fearless Minions!

Some people don't appreciate the effort I put in to not becoming a Serial Killer

Re-watched Martin Scorsese's Taxi Driver for the first time since my twenties last night, sheer brilliance! Nice to see a real film again.

The creature likes his coffee like he likes his lagoons 

Bullying is not leadership, the more you know

Life isn't always perfect, but this damn jumpsuit is!

The Batman aka the best Batman movie ever! Is getting a sequel, hell yes!!!

What do a tick and the Eiffel Tower have in common? They're both Paris sites.

FYI Not a single elected democrat has to lie about where they were January 6th

Woman Crush of the Week - Margot Robbie is just a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world

BTW It's OK I don't know WTF I'm doing either

Sell vibrators and make me proud

Wonder what Dolly Parton would have done with 44 billion???

Creepy people with an agenda of lies, discuss

The World Is A Vampire - The Smashing Pumpkins knew...

Mirror, Mirror on the wall - know more about me here:

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

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt  

Hump Day & Chill

Iconic
Grace Jones & Halle Berry

Today's Hump Day & Chill comes straight from Halle Berry. "Yes" it really did. She Tweeted this photo of herself and Grace Jones behind the scenes on the set of the 1992 Eddie Murphy rom-com Boomerang.

Making this a photo for the ages. What's that? Did I see Boomerang? Why yes I did in 1992 naturally.

Did I like it you ask? It was enjoyable with some very funny moments. One of them involves Ms. Grace Jones calling people out in a restaurant.

What about Halle? She was lovely as Eddie Murphy's good girl love interest. 

Well now nostalgia is setting in, isn't that special?! I'm am feeling the need to Hump Day & Chill to Boomerang, right here, right now....

Back at ya!

Boomerang on Wikipedia -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boomerang_(1992_film)  

Obi-Wan Kenobi Has Gas

Gas Saber
Ewan McGregor

Look Minions it's Obi-Wan Kenobi aka Ewan McGregor gassing up his classic Porsche in Los Angeles. No doubt he's honing his Jedi skills for the May 27th premiere date of his self titled min-series Obi Wan Kenobi on Disney Plus.

Now that we got the plug out of the way, honestly I am feeling quite snarky and saw this shot of Ewan pumping gas and posted it mainly so I could write the byline about having gas. Oh, look I have achieved my mission. If I do nothing else with the rest of my day at least my goal has been set and completed.

How many of you can say that about your day? Let me know, I'm waiting...

Obi-Wan Kenobi on IMDb -

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8466564/   

"You Talkin' To Me?"

The Three Amigos
Jodie Foster, Robert DeNiro & Martin Scorsese

Here we are at another Monday and I have to wonder "You Talkin' To Me?" - Robert DeNiro's immortal line from the classic Taxi Driver is a vibe at present. No I'm not feeling homicidal or anything like that! Heck, I'm not even in a bad mood. I'm simply feeling nostalgic for the art of filmmaking, which is pretty non-existent these days.

Thus I surfed the web and found what I think is an awesome behind the scenes photo of Jodie Foster, Robert DeNiro and Director Martin Scorsese engaging in some on set levity. Well Foster and DeNiro seem to be at least, Scorsese is being himself, meaning you really can't get a read on what's happening with him in this moment.

Taxi Driver is one of those films I saw when I was in my twenties and need to re-watch now, as I am sure it will be even better and resonate even more with me, now that I am a man of worldly experience and such.

In fact it will be part of this week's agenda to do just that as it is on Netflix. I knew that subscription had to be good for something Damn It!!!

Happy Monday Minions!

Taxi Driver on Wikipedia -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxi_Driver

Americana Railroad

 AMERICANA RAILROAD, A COLLECTION OF SONGS CELEBRATING THE HISTORY OF TRAINS SCHEDULED FOR RELEASE VIA RENEW/BMG ON JUNE 17.

 

The album features tracks from John Fogerty, Dave Alvin, Rocky Burnette, Dom Flemons, Stephen McCarthy, Carla Olson and more.

 

Pop Matters debuted the first track "Here Comes That Train Again" featuring Carla Olson and Stephen McCarthy here

 

Pre-order/pre-save link here

 

Album promo video featuring multiple tracks here

 

The idea of a new album of traditional and contemporary railroad songs had been percolating for a decade or so before recording began for Americana Railroad. After talking about artists and songs and label partner possibilities every few years producers Carla Olson and Saul Davis decided to just begin and see what was possible. 

The first artist asked was Stephen McCarthy (Dream Syndicate, Jayhawks, Long Ryders) to see if he would be interested in such a project, followed by Robert Rex Waller Jr (I See Hawks In L.A.), John York (Byrds), Dave Alvin, Rocky Burnette, Gary Myrick and James Intveld.  Rock’n’roll, Rockabilly, Americana ~ the genre or category is for the listener to decide. The goal was simple – railroad songs performed by great expressive artists.

 

After recording the nine tracks that Carla produced, the thought turned to locating a record company partner.

 

Executive David Hirshland noted, “When Saul brought this to me for possible release by Renew / BMG it instantly made sense. There is such a deep history of trains in the American musical canon I felt that we should expand the project and get more artists on board. Every artist we subsequently approached was eager to join in.”

 

Since the overwhelming number of train songs requires hard choices, this anthology’s selections attempt to cover significant historical ground. Elizabeth Cotton’s “Freight” Train is covered lovingly by A.J .Haynes in a style evocative of the ‘50’s in which it was written. Dom Flemons takes the true story of ex-slave and Pullman porter Nat Love (aka Deadwood Dick) and spins it into a narrative of spiritual survival and ultimately triumph via original track “Steel Pony Blues.” Steve Goodman’s epic “City of New Orleans,” a portrait of the disintegration of an entire way of life, is given added poignancy by John Fogerty’s vocals and Micky Raphael’s harmonica. Peter Case’s treatment of “This Train” echoes Woody Guthrie and the world of depression era America. Americana Railroad is thus meant to entertain and educate albeit subtly.

 

 

Prior to Americana Railroad’s June 17, 2022 CD and digital release, it was issued as a limited edition vinyl piece for Record Store Day in November 2021.

 

Producer/performer Carla Olson observed that “Growing up in Austin, Texas during the 1950s the fascination with trains was the stuff childhood dreams were made of. Walking home from school the temptation to put your ear to the track to hear if the train was close was a daily routine. We lived five blocks from the railway and heard the whistle of the trains well into the night. For some the call was a way to escape small town blues, for others thoughts of exotic destinations lured many to hop a freight and disappear over the horizon. The Americana Railroad album is a collection of both history and metaphor for your listening and thought provoking pleasure.”