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#22
Bad Movies / Re: RECENT VIEWINGS (Bad Movie...
Last post by M.10rda - Today at 08:28:47 AMTHE FEATHERED SERPENT (1948):
There is no feathered serpent in this movie.
But I digress. This is the only Charlie Chan movie I can remember actually watching - I figured I owed it to my man Mantan Moreland to see one of his storied performances as "Birmingham", the long-suffering valet and sidekick to the legendary sleuth, who is played of course by a white man in yellowface. 
Chan is Roland Winters this time - the O.G. (I think) Chan was Warner Oland, a British-German guy who died midway through the franchise. Oland was a decent actor (in other, ethnically appropriate roles) - Winters is pretty lame. On the upside, Chan's Number One and Number Two Sons are played by actual Asians Keye Luke (from GREMLINS!) and Victor Sen Yung, who do a good job - and speak perfect English w/o an accent - but really must've felt amply compensated to put up w/ Winters' yellowface and ridiculous pigeon "Ingrish"... 
Anyway, the four detectives are literally driving through Mexico randomly, Jessica Fletcher-style, when they get sucked into a (large) murderous conspiracy involving Aztec treasure or - something. Mantan is likeable and amusing as always, though Birmingham's dialogue is less funny than "Jeff's" in the ...ZOMBIES duology. Actually Birmingham is essentially a sober voice of reason, generally merely pointing out that Chan's actions are extremely unsafe and unwise, though not actually acting "cowardly" or anything and even behaving w/ valor once or twice. Nevertheless nearly 100% of Chan's interactions with Birmingham are to tell him he's a useless fool. The same is true for much of his dialogue w/ his sons - they make reasonable observations or suggestions and he grins at them and tells them they're idiots. On the other hand, Chan is always deferential to the (many) white characters, even the inevitable villains.
From a historical/critical/sociological perspective, the entire movie comes off as hyper-racist (fake minority putting real minorities in their place in the service of the majority) but even in 1948 it's hard to see how anyone could watch this movie and not walk away thinking Charlie Chan was an enormous insufferable @$$#0l3.
Directed by William Beaudine, who made many infamously cheap and subpar movies. 2/5 An appearance by the Quetzlcoatl from Larry Cohen's 1984 flick would've livened things up significantly!
There is no feathered serpent in this movie.
But I digress. This is the only Charlie Chan movie I can remember actually watching - I figured I owed it to my man Mantan Moreland to see one of his storied performances as "Birmingham", the long-suffering valet and sidekick to the legendary sleuth, who is played of course by a white man in yellowface. Chan is Roland Winters this time - the O.G. (I think) Chan was Warner Oland, a British-German guy who died midway through the franchise. Oland was a decent actor (in other, ethnically appropriate roles) - Winters is pretty lame. On the upside, Chan's Number One and Number Two Sons are played by actual Asians Keye Luke (from GREMLINS!) and Victor Sen Yung, who do a good job - and speak perfect English w/o an accent - but really must've felt amply compensated to put up w/ Winters' yellowface and ridiculous pigeon "Ingrish"... Anyway, the four detectives are literally driving through Mexico randomly, Jessica Fletcher-style, when they get sucked into a (large) murderous conspiracy involving Aztec treasure or - something. Mantan is likeable and amusing as always, though Birmingham's dialogue is less funny than "Jeff's" in the ...ZOMBIES duology. Actually Birmingham is essentially a sober voice of reason, generally merely pointing out that Chan's actions are extremely unsafe and unwise, though not actually acting "cowardly" or anything and even behaving w/ valor once or twice. Nevertheless nearly 100% of Chan's interactions with Birmingham are to tell him he's a useless fool. The same is true for much of his dialogue w/ his sons - they make reasonable observations or suggestions and he grins at them and tells them they're idiots. On the other hand, Chan is always deferential to the (many) white characters, even the inevitable villains.
From a historical/critical/sociological perspective, the entire movie comes off as hyper-racist (fake minority putting real minorities in their place in the service of the majority) but even in 1948 it's hard to see how anyone could watch this movie and not walk away thinking Charlie Chan was an enormous insufferable @$$#0l3.Directed by William Beaudine, who made many infamously cheap and subpar movies. 2/5 An appearance by the Quetzlcoatl from Larry Cohen's 1984 flick would've livened things up significantly!
#24
Entertainment / Re: What have you been listeni...
Last post by Rev. Powell - Today at 08:17:08 AM
#25
Good Movies / Re: Recent theatrical viewings
Last post by Rev. Powell - Today at 08:04:30 AMThey are noting that young people will come out to see horror movies especially. Horror (along with kids' movies) is dominating cinemas at the moment. Sucks for dramas and comedies.
#26
Games / Re: Movie Title Chains
Last post by Rev. Powell - Today at 08:01:27 AMI Am Curious (Yellow)
#27
Games / Re: Answer the question with a...
Last post by Rev. Powell - Today at 07:57:29 AM
(This may have been asked before but) Why did the chicken cross the road?
#28
Good Movies / Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Last post by FatFreddysCat - Today at 05:53:54 AM"Transylvania Twist" (1990)
An occult expert sends his dorky nephew to Transylvania to recover an ancient book that has the power to "open the door to the other side." Wacky hi-jinks and lots of corny jokes ensue.
Roger Corman produced this cheap "Airplane!" style parody of horror movies, with lots of rapid fire gags, some hot girls, and even a cameo (via stock footage) by Boris Karloff! Not all of the jokes land, but there are a few good laughs and leading lady Teri Copley (of TV's "We Got it Made") is pure eye candy. Goofy fun.
An occult expert sends his dorky nephew to Transylvania to recover an ancient book that has the power to "open the door to the other side." Wacky hi-jinks and lots of corny jokes ensue.
Roger Corman produced this cheap "Airplane!" style parody of horror movies, with lots of rapid fire gags, some hot girls, and even a cameo (via stock footage) by Boris Karloff! Not all of the jokes land, but there are a few good laughs and leading lady Teri Copley (of TV's "We Got it Made") is pure eye candy. Goofy fun.
#30