I’m a reviewin’ machine this week…
OUR MAN IN MARRAKESH
I expounded recently on the fact that I am still a sucker for cool cover/poster art, even though I know full well that the movie being advertised is rarely as good as the illustration advertising it. So let me now explore another of my sundry weaknesses: I have a weakness for cool-sounding team-ups. It probably started back when I was a wee sprout camped out in front of the television late at night, watching old Universal horror films. Frankenstein and the Wolfman, in the same movie? Boss! And while the high concept team-ups were generally slightly more dependable than poster art, that didn’t mean that they still weren’t, by and large, a bit disappointing most of the time. But still, come on! Frankenstein versus the Wolfman! Dev Anand versus hippies! And in the case of Our Man in Marrakesh, Tony Randall versus Klaus Kinski. Tell me that one isn’t epic sounding. And while my gullible faith in the high-concept team-up often let me down, I was certain that Tony Randall versus Klaus Kinski in a lighthearted Eurospy adventure would not let me down.
#1 by John Doe on November 30, 2007 - 6:27 pm
Quote
man, you’re on fire lately. i think you’ve actually produced more reviews this month than nathan has. what, did you get laid off or something? anyway, thanks for donating so much of your spare time for our bemusement.
#2 by Nathan Shumate on November 30, 2007 - 9:51 pm
Quote
But I’ll still be going strong next month. And the month after that. And the month after that. I can’t be bargained with. I can’t be reasoned with. I don’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And I absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are… Wait, that’s not me, that’s the Terminator.
(And Keith, I would gladly sell my soul to reanimate Price and Kinski for a team-up.)
#3 by KeithA on November 30, 2007 - 11:09 pm
Quote
Nathan, I’ll get the contract out to you in the mail.
John — it’s been a bizarre combination of cold medicine, insomnia, and the end of year lull at work. Also, I was struck by a meteor which gave me incredible powers of writing about Jess Franco films.
#4 by Blake Matthews on December 1, 2007 - 12:25 pm
Quote
I want to what sort of special kung fu you learned in order to wield the power of Fantasy Mission Force, Young Taoism Fighter, AND Infra-Man…or was it that mastering those films has given you the power to deal with Jess Franco and Jean Rolin films?
#5 by KeithA on December 1, 2007 - 4:29 pm
Quote
The following excerpt from a conversation will probably clue you in to where my power comes from:
Concerned girlfriend: Didn’t you just take a bunch of Day-Quil?
Me (while putting Diamonds of Kilimandjaro into dvd player): Yeah, so?
Concerned girlfriend: Aren’t you supposed to not mix that with alcohol?
Me (pouring glass of Rebel Yell bourbon): I think you just made that up.
#6 by Tom Meade on December 1, 2007 - 10:10 pm
Quote
Wait wait wait
What are you implying about Inframan?
#7 by Blake Matthews on December 2, 2007 - 8:47 am
Quote
It’s from an old review of Keith’s where he said that Inframan gave him power.
#8 by HP on December 3, 2007 - 7:53 pm
Quote
Keith — isn’t NyQuil already pretty much DayQuil pre-mixed with alcohol? (Here’s a timesaver: If you run out of NyQuil, just wash down a fistful of aspirins and Benedryl with a tall glass of Pernod.) As long as you’re not reviewing movies from the cabin of your backhoe, I think you’re okay.
Do Tony and Klaus actually have any dialog scenes together in the film? I’m trying to imagine Tony Randall telling the director that he needs an extra take on a scene with Kinski in it.
#9 by KeithA on December 3, 2007 - 9:16 pm
Quote
They have some scenes together. Not much dialog, but they get to glower a lot.
#10 by Nathan Shumate on December 3, 2007 - 9:51 pm
Quote
While I have nothing but respect for Tony Randall as a performer, I can’t for the life of me conceive him holding his own in a mutual glower with Klaus Kinski. Every time I try to imagine it, the Tony Randall in my imagination runs from the room, crying like a schoolgirl.
#11 by KeithA on December 4, 2007 - 11:11 am
Quote
Well, pretty close. He usually bugs his eyes out and runs with his knees way high up in the air.
#12 by PCachu on December 4, 2007 - 1:07 pm
Quote
In the inevitable career retrospective, the part of Tony Randall will be played by Rowan Atkinson’s Mr. Bean character.