Krush Groove - Nov 15, 1985

I'll be looking at "hip hop" movies this week.

Let's start with the most popular. And probably the best.  Here's an ad for the hip hop classic, Krush Groove.  Krush Groove was the fictional story behind the founding of Def Jam Records.  It included stars like Kurtis Blow, Run-DMC, The Fat Boys, The Beasties Boys, New Edition and Full Force.

Krush Groove turned 25 years old last October. And it's as good now as it was then. The only problem with the movie is Sheila E. She brings the entire thing to a grinding halt. Regardless, it's a great movie.

Check out the trailer.



And, as a bonus, check out LL Cool J's electrifying motion picture debut. It truly is awesome.

Double Feature Friday: Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin

I missed Monday, guys, so I'm giving you a double header to conclude Charles Bronson week.  Both movies star Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin.

Here is our first Bronson/Marvin coupling in 1967's The Dirty Dozen, one of the greatest action movies of all time. A no nonsense major (Lee Marvin) recruits a group of military prisoners with life sentences for a suicide mission. The film also stars Ernest Borgnine, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, George Kennedy and Telly Savalas.

This second ad is for 1981's Death Hunt. This movie was Hollywood's depiction of the largest manhunt in Canadian history.

Other Bronson movies:

- St Ives (1976)
- 10 to Midnight (1983)
- Murphy's Law (1986)

Here's the Dirty Dozen trailer:



Here's the Death Hunt trailer:

Murphy's Law - Apr 18, 1986

This week we are looking at the films of one Charles Bronson.

Here's an ad for Bronson's Murphy's Law from 1986. Bronson plays what he plays best, a cop, who is wrongly accused of murdering his ex-wife. He is taken into custody, but escapes while handcuffed to a foul mouthed car thief. Bronson must discover who the real killer is before the police catch up to him.

Other Bronson movies:

- St Ives (1976)
- 10 to Midnight (1983)

Here's the trailer:

10 to Midnight - Apr 15, 1983

Looking at Charles Bronson movies this week. Today is a 1983 ad for Bronson's thriller, 10 to Midnight.

There's a serial killer running loose that likes to kill his victims in the nude (both he and the victims are nude).  Bronson plays a cop who plants fake evidence to capture this killer. The fake evidence is discovered and the killer is released from prison.  The killer gets his revenge by stalking Bronson's daughter.

The title and tag line has zero relevance to the actual story.  There is no "deadline".

Other Bronson movies:

- St. Ives (1976)

Here's the trailer. Beware, there is a small bit of nudity at the beginning.

Saint Ives - Sept 3, 1976

This week is Charles Bronson week. I'll look at Bronson movies other than his most famous Death Wish series. Because that's too easy.

Check out this kick ass ad for St. Ives starring Charles Bronson.  What a great tagline: He's clean.  He's mean.  He's the go-between.  This movie was sort of an homage to old Hollywood noir pictures.

Jeff Goldblum and Robert Englund both have bit parts as hoods in this movie. Goldblum also has a bit part as a hood in Bronson's Death Wish.

Here's the trailer:

Porky's - Mar 19, 1982

Looking at 80s teen sex comedies this week.

Here's an ad for the Godfather of teen sex comedies, Porky's. From the bosom of Bob Clark's teen opus came the onslaught of a new genre of movies.

Other 80s teen sex comedies:
- Fast Times at Ridgemont High
- Joy Sticks
- Zapped!
- Screwballs

Here's the trailer:

Screwballs - Apr 23, 1983

More 80s teen sex comedies this week.

Here's an ad for the 1983 teen comedy Screwballs. It looks like they misspelled the title and left off the 's' at the end.  I bet someone got fired that day.

Other 80s teen sex comedies:
- Fast Times at Ridgemont High
- Joy Sticks
- Zapped!

Here's the trailer.

Zapped! - Aug 6, 1982

Continuing our look at 80s teen sex comedies this week.

Here's an ad for the 1982 movie, Zapped! starring Scott Baio, Willie Aames and Heather Thomas.

I talk about Zapped! this week as a Forgotten Favorite over on Strange Kids Club.

Other 80s teen sex comedies:
- Fast Times at Ridgemont High
- Joy Sticks

Here's the trailer:

Joy Sticks -- Apr 15, 1983

Looking at teen comedies from the 80s this week.

Today is an ad for Joy Sticks from 1983. I used to see the VHS cover for this movie all the time in rental stores. It featured the art from this ad.  I love this image which is also the poster for the movie.

Other 80s teen sex comedies:
- Fast Times at Ridgemont High

UPDATE -- Here's the trailer. I must watch this movie soon.

Fast Times at Ridgemont High -- Aug 27, 1982

Looking at teen sex comedies from the 80s this week.

We're starting off with the grandfather of teen comedies, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. This ad featured Sean Penn in one of his most famous roles, Jeff Spicoli. The ultimate high school slacker. This ad is from Aug 27, 1982.

THX-1138 - June 4, 1971

The Library of Congress National Film Registry announced their 2010 inductees into the film archives.  This week we'll look at ads for 5 of the inductees.

Here's an ad for George Lucas' first movie, THX-1138. However, it's not this particular movie that the Library of Congress is archiving. They are actually archiving the original student film that this movie was based on; Electronic Labyrinth: THX-1138 4EB.  It was the student film that won Lucas the United States National Student Film Festival in 1968.

Other 2010 Inductees:
1. The Empire Strikes Back.
2. Airplane!
3. Saturday Night Fever
4. All the President's Men
5. Malcolm X

Malcolm X - November 18, 1992

The Library of Congress National Film Registry announced their 2010 inductees into the film archives.  This week we'll look at ads for 5 of the inductees.

Here's an ad for Malcolm X, biopic of the famous civil rights leader, starring Denzel Washington.  I have not seen this movie, but I'd really like to give it a chance.  I don't like Spike Lee, but I am a big fan of Denzel Washington.

Other 2010 Inductees:
1. The Empire Strikes Back.
2. Airplane!
3. Saturday Night Fever
4. All the President's Men

All the President's Men - April 7, 1976

The Library of Congress National Film Registry announced their 2010 inductees into the film archives.  This week we'll look at ads for 5 of the inductees.

The classic Watergate movie starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford that introduced everyone to a non-porn use for the word "Deep Throat".

Other 2010 Inductees:
1. The Empire Strikes Back.
2. Airplane!
3. Saturday Night Fever

Saturday Night Fever - December 16, 1977

The Library of Congress National Film Registry announced their 2010 inductees into the film archives.  This week we'll look at ads for 5 of the inductees.

Here's an ad for the most famous disco movie of all time, Saturday Night Fever. And yes, the Library of Congress selected this movie to be archived. That just happened.

Other 2010 Inductees:
1. The Empire Strikes Back.
2. Airplane!

Airplane! - July 2, 1980

The Library of Congress National Film Registry announced their 2010 inductees into the film archives.  This week we'll look at ads for 5 of the inductees.

We've already seen one of the inductees.  It was The Empire Strikes Back.

Here's an ad for Airplane!.  One of the funniest movies ever made.  Funny enough for the Library of Congress to select it to be archived in their film vault.

The Punisher - 1989

Here's a magazine ad for The Punisher starring Dolph Lundgren.  It's from the back of a 1989 Marvel Year in Review magazine.

Despite a huge marketing push, this movie was never released theatrically in the USA.  It was released in Europe, but it wasn't released in the US until around 1992 when the VHS became available.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - October 24, 1969

Here's an ad for the classic Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Katharine Ross.  One of the greatest westerns of all time featuring two of the time's greatest stars.

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure - 1989

Ad for the hilarious Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure from early 1989. This ad is fun because all of the review blurbs are actually by characters in the movie like Napoleon and Joan of Arc.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - March 30, 1990

Here's the ad for the first live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie which opened on March 30, 1990.

The Pistol: Birth of a Legend - 1991

Here's an ad for the small release film The Pistol: Birth of a Legend. The movie was released in 1991.  It's a bio pic about basketball star Pistol Pete Maravich.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! -- Three Men and a Baby - January 1, 1988

Happy New Year 2011, everyone!

Here's a New Year's ad for Three Men and a Baby. Like newspapers tend to do, they modified the ad image to promote the fact that it was New Year's.

Here's the original ad: