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

Thursday, December 14, 2023

ANDES SURVIVORS RELOADED - "SOCIETY OF THE SNOW" (2024) PROMISES TO BE PENULTIMATE VERSION OF THE GREATEST SURVIVAL STORY THAT EVER WAS

 

Is it January 4th yet? I can't wait for this one! Those of you that have been around the blog a while probably know my fascination with this story. In the mid-'70's when the book Alive came out I was a senior in boarding school and would read the book after lights out, we're talking flashlight under the blanket, the whole bit. 

A quick refresher on all three features available up to now on this story - Alive (1993) and the highly regarded documentaries I Am Alive (History Channel 2010) and Stranded: I Come From A Plane... (2007.)  

Alive (1993) was a great director choice in Frank Marshall and wonderfully produced, shot at the original site and all that. But the A-listers, Ethan Hawke especially, skewed the authentic vibe of the tragedy into something way too Hollywood for the occasion. 

This new Netflix film is directed by J.A. Bayona and so far looks to correct a lot of those wrongs in Marshall's version. It's in Spanish with all unknown actors and is being released simultaneously with a book of the same title which comes out today. Both media attempt to tell the story in a modern day context as well as more philosophical, what was going through their minds at the time this all happened back in 1972. 

The trailer looks very authentic, and there are articles about the technical achievements here including shooting the plane on three different locations including a pulley system where it could rotate etc. Looks to be a good one, too bad it's on Netflix but I'll break down this one time. Plus, it'll give me an excuse to watch The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs again, perhaps the greatest Western ever made, certainly the best Western anthology ever made. ;-)

Editor's Correction - The book Society Of The Snow came out in 2008, not this month. 

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