In Memoriam: Neal Hefti 1922-2008

Composer Neal Hefti passed away last week. Hefti, a native of Hastings, NE, my old hometown, was an old school big-band swinger who played and composed for the likes of Harry James and Charlie Spivak. Despite this pedigree, most people only know that Hefti was the one who penned the highly obnoxious but very memorable theme to the old Batman TV show, but few also realize he also composed the theme to The Odd Couple. However, it was Hefti's penchant for forlorn horns and trippy guitar solos for the theme of a criminally overlooked western called Duel at Diablo that I've had stuck in my head since I heard the word that he was no longer with us.

Rest in Peace, sir.

The Theme from Duel at Diablo (with lyrics):


The Instrumental Version:

What the Hell?!? Jaws The Revenge

So I got together with some friends the other night for an evening of beer and movies and general steam venting after another collective crappy week. The theme for the evening was Franchise Killers, and first up was JAWS IV a/k/a JAWS the Revenge -- a film I hadn't seen since I forked over at the Box Office, and as the DVD reached the absolutely hilarious climax where the shark jumps out of the water and is harpooned on the end of the boat, vomits up a copious amount of blood, until the boat breaks apart, and then our latest rendition of Bruce -- a/k/a the Shark that Roared -- slowly sinks beneath the waves, fade to happy ending etc. etc. etc...I put my beer down and braced myself for the high hilarity. Roar, baby. Roar!

So, imagine my surprise when THIS happened instead:


What the hell?!? Did that shark just f@#%ing explode?!? Did I miss the part where they nitro-tipped the boat? What? Was that a rare strain of Great White: Carcharodon carcharias goboomski. Did she blow it up with her brain? Oh. My. God. And Shit on stick. I call SHENNANIGANS!! on the whole damn thing.

This is what the original ending looked like (I apologize for the quality; best I could find):


What? did they think the explodey shark was a better ending than that? For shame, Universal. Shame the hell on you.

YouTube Finds: Scream Bloody Murder!

Here we go, our first adventure into online public domain films. First up, here's an awesome piece of vintage '70s sleaze better known as Scream Bloody Murder, that I stumbled upon while prowling around YouTube looking for old trailers. It's just your typical story of a young boy who got his arm tore off in a bulldozer accident who grows up into a homicidal maniac -- that is, until he runs into a hooker with a heart of gold, and things start to get a little weird when the nut-job with a hook for a hand tries to woo her away from her life of sin. *sniff* Ahhhhh. E'yup, man, you can smell the urine emanating right off the screen!

It's broken down into several parts, so I'll just supply a direct link to Part One (of Nine) and let you decide if you wanna press on any further.

Tuneage Tuesdays: Guilty Pleasures.

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Moody Blues:





No. That's extremely catchy pretentious crap, pilgrim.

Trailer Park Fridays: Sinister Soul Cinema!

A quick tribute to the great William Marshall.

Blacula:


Scream, Blacula Scream:


And as a bonus, here's the trailer for Abby, the blaxpo version of the Excorcist: