B-MOVIE OF THE MONTH - THE DEATH OF RITCHIE (TV 1977)

Looks like a lot of fun to me, I don't know. Seriously and for those that don't know, The Death Of Ritchie is one of the most iconic TV movies of the entire '70's decade. I was roughly 15 when it aired and i can tell you that both Robby Benson and teens taking drugs were very hot topics at the time. The film is based on a true story where a father who couldn't control his teen's behavior from drug abuse was forced to take the law into his own hands. The father here is good ole Ben Gazzara and he is at his Gazzara best with a ferocious intensity, his scenes with Benson as father and son a perfect chemistry. At the time more emphasis was on Benson as a model but his performance here is really amazing. Streams free on Tubi, Freevee, Roku and Plex, if this was being rated on the standard scale I would give it five stars, 'nuff said. 2.75 stars/2.75

Wednesday, September 6, 2023

CRASH (TV 1978) & CYCLONE (1978) - AT THE HEIGHT OF THE WHOLE '70's AIRLINE DISASTER GENRE, ALONG CAME THESE TWO DUDS

 

To try and illustrate just how unexciting and off-base this TV flick is, it features Adrienne Barbeau's character in a raincoat. Who the hell wants to see Adrienne Barbeau in a raincoat?! 

The movie attempts to faithfully recreate the events surrounding a jetliner that went down in 1972 and somehow 73 people still survived. There are a few good parts but overall it's melodrama city. 1.0 stars/2.75

I've always thought of Rene Cardona, Jr as a sort of Mexican version of Ted V. Mikels. While Cardona's films are a bit more broader in scope and lavish in production, the two B-movie legends share a strong similarity for terrible acting and equally bad production values. Yet, somehow running under the current is a unique style of their own. 

Part airline disaster film, part natural disaster and part shark movie all in one, Cyclone is really not that bad a flick. And the mix of genres doesn't come across as overbearing. It's just that about halfway through the film turns very nasty and dark as the survivors from the plane crash try to eat each other and whatnot. It's a palatable tone that just seems to change the film from there on out. 

Nonetheless I would classify this as a must-watch for B-movie enthusiasts. Streams on Tubi, Plex and Amazon Prime. 1.5 stars/2.75

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