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RIP Adam West
Adam West, most famously known as TV’s Batman, died on June 9th.
Living a life for 88 years is impressive. Now, recall the fact that he defined (however humorously) the image of the Caped Crusader for generations of Batman fans and his legacy begins to take a clearer shape. For many, Mr. West’s defining moment as Batman was that famous “wall climb.”
Ladies and gentlemen, movie/TV magic had to start somewhere. Still, that scene/”stunt” is a nice reminder and memory of the notion that things were simpler back then.
While Adam West will always be remembered as the more comical, light-hearted version of Batman, he’s still one of the very few actors who has portrayed this Dark Knight icon. And, in that spirit, let’s honor Adam West by giving him a modern cinematic treatment of Batman by way of a custom Dark Knight Rises trailer.
Thank you YouTube user “allcappsfilm” for that entertaining adaptation for many people’s first acting Batman outside the comic book universe.
RIP Adam West.
Richard Donner is Super, Man
Richard Donner’s 1978 cinematic masterpiece Superman is considered the greatest (and the most perfect) superhero movie ever made. That’s not just my opinion, but the opinion of some of the most influential people in the movie industry. Director Christopher Nolan said the following regarding the Richard Donnner-directed Superman.
“I said, ‘I want to do for Batman what Dick Donner did for Superman,’ ” Christopher Nolan humbly states in the opening of his nearly half-hour conversation with the director of the original “Superman.”
Kevin Jagernauth, IndieWire
Need more proof of the super genius Richard Donner showcased in that unforgettable origin story of Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman way back in the late ’70s with Christopher Reeve?
How about getting the super rivals DC Films president Geoff Johns and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige to wholeheartedly agree on the personal impact and storytelling legacy of 87-year-old Richard Donner and, specifically, that Superman film (a priceless DC property)?
Some of Hollywoods biggest stars, in front of the camera and behind the camera, gathered together recently to celebrate and honor the unforgettable work of the legendary director and producer Richard Donner at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Los Angeles. Actors and actresss from his most popular movies were in attendance, including the primary cast of Lethal Weapon and the kids from The Goonies.
Here are a few of Richard Donner’s films/credits:
- The Omen (1976)
- Superman (1978)
- Superman II (1980)
- The Goonies (1985)
- Lethal Weapon (1987)
- Lethal Weapon 2 (1989)
- Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)
- Maverick (1994)
- Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)
This celebration of Mr. Donner’s work reaffirms the belief (and I’m a firm believer in the following) that a cinematic masterpiece does not always require mind-blowing special effects or the biggest explosions or the use of bad language for the sake of using bad language for that edge or street cred. Sometimes, a great movie just requires a hero people can believe in who struggles with similar issues and moral dilemmas as the people watching in theaters and at home.
That, above all, is Richard Donner’s storytelling legacy. In this sense, Richard Donner is a super man superman.
KD with the KO?
118-113.
“I gave it everything I had both mentally and physically, so obviously I’m drained right now, I’m ready to get home.”
–Lebron James, after Game 3 of the NBA Finals
It’s not surprising that Lebron James, the favorite son of Akron, OH/the Cleveland area, is exhausting all that he has for his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. What is surprising is that his Energizer bunny-like effort has not translated to any wins in the championship series versus the stacked (under statement) Golden State Warriors.
And, for Cavs fans, the possibility of a 4-game sweep increased greatly last night. Not simply because the Warriors have a 3-0 series advantage, but because of one person:
Kevin Durant/KD.
The Golden State Warriors are playing great basketball. However, the Cleveland Cavaliers (truthfully) have a squad equipped to handle and defeat the Warriors. True story. But that’s regarding last year’s Warriors team that the Cavs defeated 4-3 for the NBA title.
If the first three games in the 2017 NBA Finals has revealed anything, it’s that Kevin Durant is the prized x-factor and the one player the Cavs have no answer for. Not only does Mr. Durant score a lot of points, block a lot of shots and generally influence Cleveland’s play in myriad ways, but he simultaneously takes pressure off of his teammates (who may be struggling) and stretches the Cavs defense far too thin for 4 quarters.
Odds are very, very high that the Golden State Warriors will win this year’s NBA championship. And Cleveland’s personnel deficit against Kevin Durant is proving to be too costly thus far in this series. Still, the Cleveland Cavaliers came back from being down 3-1 to win the series 4-3 in last year’s NBA Finals. The question is whether the Cavs can strategically figure out how to minimize Kevin Durant’s impact on the court.
Stopping Kevin Durant seems unlikely, but anything is possible. And yes, that sentiment that “anything is possible” does include a chapter in which a professional sports team in Cleveland won a league championship in the 21st century with a surreal, magic run. If a 3-1 series comeback was magical, how would a 3-0 series comeback be described?
Thanks to the 2016 NBA Finals, people in Cleveland, OH have a legitimate reason to dream such wild things. And that’s part of the underlying magic of sports:
Why not?
The Impossible Will Become Possible in the Next Mission: Impossible
Until Mission Impossible 6 (title TBD) premieres in theaters, every fan of the action-packed franchise will be cruising around Tom for any exciting details concerning those always exhilerating, death-defying stunts.
Exhibit A: TV host Graham Norton during his recent interview with the aforementioned actor.
Credit Graham Norton for his effort to try to pry any type of detail about Mr. Cruise’s forthcoming stunt guaranteed to shock us all in the best ways imaginable. We all want to know. Well, we don’t want to know, but instead we want to see something incredibly risky. That’s the business us fans are in.
Remember when he scaled the Burj Khalifa in Dubai in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol?
How does Tom Cruise top that?
As the Mission Impossible 6 producer disclosed in the first video above, it seems like Mr. Cruise is literally preparing to accomplish such a (mysterious) mind-blowing feat. Attempting to wrap my head around it still seems impossible.
I suppose that’s part of the mission of these action movies.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 