B-Movie Gazette: KRIS KRISTOFFERSON IS, LITERALLY, "THE SAILOR WHO FELL FROM GRACE WITH THE SEA" (1976)

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

Monday, February 12, 2024

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON IS, LITERALLY, "THE SAILOR WHO FELL FROM GRACE WITH THE SEA" (1976)

A British romance drama adapted from a 1963 Japanese novel, this is one whack film. First, we have a group of mischievious teen boys that have a club led by a cvigar-smoking 14-year old brat who calls himself "Chief." The others he refers to by numbers 1 through 5, ocassionally promoting or demoting their rank. Sarah Miles plays one of the boy's mother. She's a single mom who is desperately seeking a man. Enter Kristofferson, sans guitar and looking like he's on Bennies or pain pills, who becomes the new stepdad which ultimately puts him square in the path of the boy's club. A quirky, interesting and very Dartmouth drama, streams now on Tubi. 3.75 stars/5

(This post written by Stoney Jones, filling in for Tommy)