Original Title: Survivor Series!
Original Date Sent: November 18, 2012
Sent to: Anyone who has ever said the word "wrestling" to me in a sentence.
Context: Survivor Series is tonight and I wanted to write about it, damn it.
Hey All,
One of WWE's big four PPVs is tonight. It's the forgotten child of the
bunch, Survivor Series. The buildup to the show has been an absolute
mess on WWE's part but it should still be a solid show with a lot of
fun matches. Plus, the road to Wrestlemania could be heavily
influenced by what happens in the main event tonight. So here's a
quick little preview of the card.
WWE Championship Match
CM Punk (c) vs. John Cena vs. Ryback
CM Punk and John Cena have had an on-and-off feud going for the last
year and a half that has been arguably the most compelling thing about
the company in that time frame. It's essentially an argument over the
soul of not just WWE, but professional wrestling as a whole. Cena
represents professional wrestling as a business and Punk represents
its tenuous existence as an art form. And if you don't believe that
it's an art form to be parsed and studied in the same way as a book,
painting, or film I encourage you to go check out some of the
treatises over at DVDVR that do just that. The third man in the match
is Ryback, the current flavor of the month who can best be described
as Goldberg without the size, charisma, or awesome move set. Punk
narrowly slipped past Ryback at the last PPV thanks to interference
from a crooked referee. There could be a similar mess of a finish here
as WWE would love to find a way for all three guys to leave the match
strong and preserve the CM Punk vs. The Rock WWE Championship match at
the Royal Rumble that they've been setting up for six months now.
World Heavyweight Championship Match
The Big Show (c) vs. Sheamus
Big Show beat Sheamus clean at the last PPV and their issue continues
here. It should just be two big guys beating the imaginary crap out of
each other. The one wrinkle here is that Dolph Ziggler still holds the
Money in the Bank briefcase and could be cashing it in here if the two
big guys do enough damage to each other.
Traditional Survivor Series Match
Team Foley (Randy Orton, The Miz, Kane, Daniel Bryan, Kofi Kingston)
vs. Team Ziggler (Dolph Ziggler, Alberto Del Rio, Wade Barrett, Damien
Sandow, and maybe Cody Rhodes)
The Traditional Survivor Series Match is basically a five on five
elimination match. But the set-up has been anything but traditional.
See if you can follow all this. The match was originally set up as
Mick Foley's team against CM Punk's team. The Miz was chosen for CM
Punk's team but dropped out because Punk abandoned him when Punk's
team was attacked by Ryback (who had just replaced Foley on Foley's
own team). Punk's manager Paul Heyman then recruited Wade Barrett to
replace The Miz. Then, Vince McMahon came out (in character) and
declared that Punk would be defending his title against Cena and
Ryback, leaving two vacant spots. Raw Interim/Temporary/Whatever
General Manager gave Punk's spot to her sometimes boyfriend Dolph
Ziggler and the team then took on his name. Foley filled the slot on
his team with a newly turned good guy version of The Miz. And now this
past week Cody Rhodes was concussed in a match and may miss the PPV,
leading to yet another replacement. And all this took place over the
course of three weeks. On top of everything, the teams are constructed
in such a way that no one gets along. On the Ziggler side, Del Rio
thinks the team should be named after himself instead of Ziggler,
Barrett had to be talked into being on the team in the first place,
and Del Rio's manager/personal ring announce Ricardo Rodriguez has had
a weird side feud going with Ziggler's cougar benefactor Vickie
Guerrero. The Foley side is even worse. Miz had been feuding with
Kingston before his turn and is now coming between the Tag Team
Champions Kane and Daniel Bryan (whose testy and hilarious
relationship has been the best thing on WWE TV the past couple
months). And Randy Orton is just a hater (Don't believe me? Check out
what my buddy Coach and I wrote about him in our various Raw recaps
back in the day:
http://pcandcoachwatchwrestling.blogspot.com/2010/04/42610-wwe-raw-draft.html).
All that being said, this should steal the show. No less than seven
out of the ten guys are great and giving the lack of matches on the
card this should get a ton of time to breathe.
US Championship Match
Antonio Cesaro (c) vs. R-Truth
Cesaro rules. He ruled when he was Claudio Castagnoli and he rules
now. Cesaro is doing the "smug European hates America" gimmick to
perfection, complete with fluency in multiple languages and a bitchin'
man purse. Meanwhile, R-Truth is a solid wrestler with an imaginary
friend. Again, this looks like it could get a solid bit of time and be
a great platform for Cesaro's continued rise.
Divas Championship Match
Eve (c) vs. Kaitlyn
Yep, this certainly is a match.
Pre-Show Match
3 Man Band (two of Heath Slater, Jinder Mahal, and Drew McIntyre) vs.
Tyson Kidd & Justin Gabriel
3MB is a great little set of guys who just floated around not doing a
hell of a lot. Then they got packaged as something along the lines of
an aging 80's band (despite the fact that I don't think any of them
are over 30). Kidd & Gabriel are two high-flyers who are an on-and-off
tag team. Should be a fun little seven minute match to get the crowd
going.
There are a bunch of guys on the roster not being utilized as of yet,
so I expect a match or two to get added during the show as well (maybe
even a second Survivor Series Match).
Last time I did one of these previews I included a prospects list.
Well, since then Cesaro graduated to the main stage and the others are
still floating around. But there's a new number one: Dean Ambrose.
Holy crap this guy is awesome. He is going to tear through the WWE
like Buffalo Elmo at a Muppet Convention.
Oh, and for those who are going, start getting pumped for Wrestlemania!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Friday, November 9, 2012
The Email of Sleazy 80's Movies
Original Title: Sleazy 80's Movies
Original Date Sent: January 17, 2012
Sent to: An inquisitive friend who happened to be a film neophyte.
Context: This friend had recently seen Drive and really enjoyed it. We got to talking about the mood of the film and how it had been influenced by a number of sleazy 80's sex thrillers. When I learned that he was unfamiliar with the genre I offered to write him an email. And by "offered" I mean that I told him that I would be sending him an email. One note: At this time I hadn't yet seen Paul Schrader's Cat People. That movie would definitely be on this list. First of all, it's practically a porno. Second, it has a level of cocaine-fueled 80's insanity that puts it right next to Cruising as far as asking the question, "how the hell did this movie get made?" I mean, it's about people who turn into panthers when they have sex and can't turn back until they kill someone. I want this movie to be remade with Colin Farrell ASAP. Anyway, I'm going to go work on that while you guys read the rest of the list.
...These movie are much more fun though. I picked movies that all had a similar vibe - that slick veneer over a gritty plot. Several of the directors have been nominated for, and even won, Academy Awards. Many of the actors and writers are in the same boat. So these aren't crappy movies that are sleazy by necessity. These are master craftsman who have decided to wallow in the seedy depths of sex, drugs, and crime.
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) dir. William Friedkin - Critics labelled this as a trashy big screen version of Miami Vice. It has since gone on to be considered a cult classic. The story revolves around two Secret Service agents hunting down a counterfeiter. It's a very simple-sounding scenario that could have been made in any decade (this could have easily starred Tyrone Power in the '40's or Ryan O'Neal in the 70's). The difference is in the way that this movie is shot. You really feel like you're entering the underworld. The sexual content and the violence are still semi-shocking 25 years later. And even though much of the film is moody and cerebral, there is also an out-of-this-world car chase that is my personal favorite of all time.
Manhunter (1986) dir. Michael Mann - This is sort of an informal companion piece to the previous film. Despite having a different director, different source material, and different production crew, this really has an almost identical feel. The link between the two is star William Petersen (best known for his later work on CSI). This was later remade as Red Dragon (yep, it's a Hannibal Lecter movie). But while Red Dragon focuses more on the relationship between the FBI agent and the world's most famous fictional cannibal, this is much more about the FBI's search for the serial killer. Like To Live and Die in LA, this is a film experience that is mostly based on mood (a mood later employed by Drive). However, this also has a big action scene that rivals anything else from the decade in style and intensity.
Body Double (1984) dir. Brian De Palma - De Palma made a lot of sleazy movies in the 80's - Scarface, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out. But his sleaziest by far is Body Double. It revolves around murder, porno, and voyeurism. There is a long segment of the movie that is set to Frankie Goes to Hollywood's camp classic "Relax" which is played in its entirety (in fact, it's an extended version). The plot has elements of Rear Window but is so much more bizarre. The key is to not take this movie too seriously. If you can get past the cheesy opening and Melanie Griffith's purposely ridiculous character, you'll be able to really enjoy the movie. Besides, there is a ton of nudity to help things along.
American Gigolo (1980) dir. Paul Schrader - This movie has a famous nude scene. Unfortunately, it involves Richard Gere. That being said, this movie has some real attitude. I'm a really big Paul Schrader fan. He tends to write movies about loners who are forced into extreme situations (Taxi Driver is his most famous script). As the title suggests, this movie is about a gigolo (an American one, at that). Gigolo + murder + 80's = Awesome. The opening montage alone is worth a spot on the Netflix queue. Oh, and the way I usually sell this movie to friends who are film buffs is that it features a young Bill Duke (with hair!) playing a gay pimp. If you know who Bill Duke is, you're now really excited to see this movie.
Cruising (1980) dir. William Friedkin - Oh boy. What does one say about Cruising? Actually, I've said quite a bit about it. I love this movie beyond words. I love this movie so much that I wrote a feature length script with Fidel Castro playing the lead role. I love this movie so much that I have forced girlfriends to watch my favorite parts. Al Pacino plays a New York City cop who goes undercover in the gay rough trade (that is, leather bars) underground. I am amazed that this movie was made at all, and the talent involved is staggering. Not only Pacino and Friedkin, but the other above-the-liners and the who's who of character actors. You wanted atmosphere, this movie has it. It also has some of the most unintentionally funny lines in movie history. I regularly quote this movie with the other New York guys. I recommend that you sit back and bask in the bizarre insanity of this movie. If nothing else, it's memorable.
Thief (1981) dir. Michael Mann - Okay, back to serious movies. Reviews of Drive tended to relate it to a few different past films: To Live and Die in LA (discussed earlier), Le Samourai (a French movie that I'll write about in a future email), and Thief. Thief stars James Caan as a thief. Not like a pickpocket (though there is a great movie called Pickpocket) or a guy who steals Porches (though there's a really bad Charlie Sheen movie about that). He's a guy that does heists. And he's really good at it. His personal life...not so much. But he's really good at heists.
After Hours (1985) dir. Martin Scorsese - This is probably the least sleazy movie on the list. An office drone goes out for a late dinner, meets a girl, and finds himself on a Kafka-esque journey through the streets of Soho. It touches on many of the things that make sleazy 80's movies great: drugs, prostitution, underground music, violence. It just doesn't revel in them the way some of the other films on this list do. But wait! If it doesn't revel in sin, why is this movie even on the list? Because it shares the bold cinematic style, the unsettling atmosphere, and the pulsing music of the other films. Plus, it's super underrated, especially in the Scorsese canon.
That should be enough to get you started.
Original Date Sent: January 17, 2012
Sent to: An inquisitive friend who happened to be a film neophyte.
Context: This friend had recently seen Drive and really enjoyed it. We got to talking about the mood of the film and how it had been influenced by a number of sleazy 80's sex thrillers. When I learned that he was unfamiliar with the genre I offered to write him an email. And by "offered" I mean that I told him that I would be sending him an email. One note: At this time I hadn't yet seen Paul Schrader's Cat People. That movie would definitely be on this list. First of all, it's practically a porno. Second, it has a level of cocaine-fueled 80's insanity that puts it right next to Cruising as far as asking the question, "how the hell did this movie get made?" I mean, it's about people who turn into panthers when they have sex and can't turn back until they kill someone. I want this movie to be remade with Colin Farrell ASAP. Anyway, I'm going to go work on that while you guys read the rest of the list.
...These movie are much more fun though. I picked movies that all had a similar vibe - that slick veneer over a gritty plot. Several of the directors have been nominated for, and even won, Academy Awards. Many of the actors and writers are in the same boat. So these aren't crappy movies that are sleazy by necessity. These are master craftsman who have decided to wallow in the seedy depths of sex, drugs, and crime.
To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) dir. William Friedkin - Critics labelled this as a trashy big screen version of Miami Vice. It has since gone on to be considered a cult classic. The story revolves around two Secret Service agents hunting down a counterfeiter. It's a very simple-sounding scenario that could have been made in any decade (this could have easily starred Tyrone Power in the '40's or Ryan O'Neal in the 70's). The difference is in the way that this movie is shot. You really feel like you're entering the underworld. The sexual content and the violence are still semi-shocking 25 years later. And even though much of the film is moody and cerebral, there is also an out-of-this-world car chase that is my personal favorite of all time.
Manhunter (1986) dir. Michael Mann - This is sort of an informal companion piece to the previous film. Despite having a different director, different source material, and different production crew, this really has an almost identical feel. The link between the two is star William Petersen (best known for his later work on CSI). This was later remade as Red Dragon (yep, it's a Hannibal Lecter movie). But while Red Dragon focuses more on the relationship between the FBI agent and the world's most famous fictional cannibal, this is much more about the FBI's search for the serial killer. Like To Live and Die in LA, this is a film experience that is mostly based on mood (a mood later employed by Drive). However, this also has a big action scene that rivals anything else from the decade in style and intensity.
Body Double (1984) dir. Brian De Palma - De Palma made a lot of sleazy movies in the 80's - Scarface, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out. But his sleaziest by far is Body Double. It revolves around murder, porno, and voyeurism. There is a long segment of the movie that is set to Frankie Goes to Hollywood's camp classic "Relax" which is played in its entirety (in fact, it's an extended version). The plot has elements of Rear Window but is so much more bizarre. The key is to not take this movie too seriously. If you can get past the cheesy opening and Melanie Griffith's purposely ridiculous character, you'll be able to really enjoy the movie. Besides, there is a ton of nudity to help things along.
American Gigolo (1980) dir. Paul Schrader - This movie has a famous nude scene. Unfortunately, it involves Richard Gere. That being said, this movie has some real attitude. I'm a really big Paul Schrader fan. He tends to write movies about loners who are forced into extreme situations (Taxi Driver is his most famous script). As the title suggests, this movie is about a gigolo (an American one, at that). Gigolo + murder + 80's = Awesome. The opening montage alone is worth a spot on the Netflix queue. Oh, and the way I usually sell this movie to friends who are film buffs is that it features a young Bill Duke (with hair!) playing a gay pimp. If you know who Bill Duke is, you're now really excited to see this movie.
Cruising (1980) dir. William Friedkin - Oh boy. What does one say about Cruising? Actually, I've said quite a bit about it. I love this movie beyond words. I love this movie so much that I wrote a feature length script with Fidel Castro playing the lead role. I love this movie so much that I have forced girlfriends to watch my favorite parts. Al Pacino plays a New York City cop who goes undercover in the gay rough trade (that is, leather bars) underground. I am amazed that this movie was made at all, and the talent involved is staggering. Not only Pacino and Friedkin, but the other above-the-liners and the who's who of character actors. You wanted atmosphere, this movie has it. It also has some of the most unintentionally funny lines in movie history. I regularly quote this movie with the other New York guys. I recommend that you sit back and bask in the bizarre insanity of this movie. If nothing else, it's memorable.
Thief (1981) dir. Michael Mann - Okay, back to serious movies. Reviews of Drive tended to relate it to a few different past films: To Live and Die in LA (discussed earlier), Le Samourai (a French movie that I'll write about in a future email), and Thief. Thief stars James Caan as a thief. Not like a pickpocket (though there is a great movie called Pickpocket) or a guy who steals Porches (though there's a really bad Charlie Sheen movie about that). He's a guy that does heists. And he's really good at it. His personal life...not so much. But he's really good at heists.
After Hours (1985) dir. Martin Scorsese - This is probably the least sleazy movie on the list. An office drone goes out for a late dinner, meets a girl, and finds himself on a Kafka-esque journey through the streets of Soho. It touches on many of the things that make sleazy 80's movies great: drugs, prostitution, underground music, violence. It just doesn't revel in them the way some of the other films on this list do. But wait! If it doesn't revel in sin, why is this movie even on the list? Because it shares the bold cinematic style, the unsettling atmosphere, and the pulsing music of the other films. Plus, it's super underrated, especially in the Scorsese canon.
That should be enough to get you started.
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