This is another busy week for me and I have got a lot of movies and shows that I need to catch up on so my retro television reviews will return on Monday with reviews of Miami Vice and CHiPs!
Song of the Day: Overture (Lawrence of Arabia) by Maurice Jarre
Lawrence of Arabia (dir. by David Lean)
Since today is David Lean’s birthday, it only seems appropriate that today’s song of the day should come from the film that is regularly acknowledged as being Lean’s masterpiece, 1962’s Lawrence of Arabia. Composed by Maurice Jarre, here is one of the greatest film scores of all times.
Scenes That I Love: David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia
The great British director David Lean was born 117 years ago today.
In honor of his films and his legacy, here is a scene that I love from Lawrence of Arabia. In this scene, Peter O’Toole blowing out a flame transports us straight to a sunrise in the desert. Though Lean started out his career directing small-scale but emotionally rich films like Brief Encounter and Great Expectations, he ultimately became best-known for directing historical epics and cinematic spectacles. This scene shows us why. Even to this day, it seems as if any epic film is destined to be compared to the work of David Lean.
4 Shots From 4 Films: Special John Stockwell Edition
4 Or More Shots From 4 Or More Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!
Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to actor/director John Stockwell! Though the critics might not always realize it, Galveston-born John Stockwell is responsible for some of the best beach movies of the 21st Century. No one can make the beach and the ocean look as inviting (or as dangerous) as John Stockwell.
It’s time for….
4 Shots From 4 John Stockwell Films
Blue Crush (2002, dir by John Stockwell, DP: David Hennings)
Into the Blue (2005, dir by John Stockwell, DP: Shane Hurlbut and Pete Zuccarini)
Turistas (2006, dir by John Stockwell, DP: Enrique Chediak and Peter Zuccarini)
In the Blood (2014, dir by John Stockwell, DP: P.J. Lopez)
Artwork of the Day: 5 O’Clock Surgeon (by George Porter)
by George Porter
It’s 5 O’Clock somewhere.
Music Video of the Day: Tragedy by Bee Gees (2024, dir by ????)
The video is from 2024, the song is a bit older.
Enjoy!
Song of the Day: Main Title Theme From Bullitt by Lalo Schifrin
In honor of the birthday of Steve McQueen, today’s song of the day comes from his 1968 film, Bullitt. Composed Lala Schifrin later went on to do the score for another film about a California detective with his own way of doing things, Dirty Harry.
#MondayMuggers present LAKEVIEW TERRACE (2008) starring Samuel L. Jackson!
Every Monday night at 9:00 Central Time, my wife Sierra and I host a “Live Movie Tweet” event on X using the hashtag #MondayMuggers. We rotate movie picks each week, and our tastes are quite different. For tonight, Monday March 24th, Sierra has chosen LAKEVIEW TERRACE starring Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington, Jay Hernandez, and Robert Pine.
The story revolves around the interracial couple Chris and Lisa Mattson (Patrick Wilson and Kerry Washington) moving into their new home in a gated community in California. Their neighbor turns out to be the racist, dysfunctional and abusive LAPD Officer, Abel Turner (Samuel L. Jackson). Turner doesn’t want them in his neighborhood and proceeds to make their lives a living hell.
Neil Labute directed LAKEVIEW TERRACE, which is loosely based on real life events, and he knows how to make an audience uncomfortable. Samuel L. Jackson is an incredible actor, so I’m really looking forward to his take on this hideous character. I’m expecting a lot of scenery to be chewed before this one ends.
So, join us tonight for #MondayMuggers and watch LAKEVIEW TERRACE! It’s on Amazon Prime.
Scenes That I Love: Steve McQueen in Bullitt
In honor of the birthday of actor Steve McQueen, the true epitome of all things cool, here is the famous and trend-setting chase scene from 168’s Bullitt, featuring McQueen behind the wheel and doing his own stunts on the streets of San Francisco.
Monday Live Tweet Alert: Join Us for Evasive Action!
As some of our regular readers undoubtedly know, I am involved in hosting a few weekly live tweets on twitter and occasion ally Mastodon. I host #FridayNightFlix every Friday, I co-host #ScarySocial on Saturday, and I am one of the five hosts of Mastodon’s #MondayActionMovie! Every week, we get together. We watch a movie. We snark our way through it.
Tonight, for #MondayActionMovie, the film will be 1998’s Evasive Action!
It should make for a night of fun viewing and I invite all of you to join in. If you want to join the live tweets, just hop onto Mastodon, pull up Evasive Action on YouTube, start the movie at 8 pm et, and use the #MondayActionMovie hashtag!
Enjoy!
