Writer/Artist Richard Sala passes away at 61

Cartoonist, and creator extraordinaire of creepy comics, Richard Sala passed away last week, at the age of 61. We present this gallery of his drawings, as well as some pages excerpted from his "The Bloody Cardinal" graphic novel in his memory.

TRAIL OF THE CARDINAL

Richard Sala's 2017 graphic novel "The Bloody Cardinal" opens with was is presented as pages from the journal of the notorious and murderous madman know as the Cardinal. We offer those pages below. We encourage everyone who enjoys the sorts of mystery and horror films that are covered in this blog to get copy of this very excellent work by clicking here.

For more about Richard Sala, his works, and many more samples of the great art he has left behind for us to enjoy, you can visit his blog and his Tumblr pages. (You can also enjoy pages of the series he was working on when he passed away, "Carlotta Havoc versus Everybody".)

The Domesticated Betty Boop

Baby Be Good (1935)
Starring: Mae Questel (Voices of Betty Boop and Little Jimmy)
Director: Dave Fleischer
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

Betty tries to convince a misbehaving child to go to sleep for the night.

By 1935, Hollywood filmmakers had completely surrendered to the morality clauses of the Motion Picture Production Code (MPPC), and the risque escapes that had made Betty Boop so popular with movie-goers were well behind her. In fact, they were so far behind her that in "Baby Be Good", she's a homemaker and the mother of a bratty toddler.

I've repeatedly read comments from critics that the MPPC ruined the Betty Boop series. While I agree that what I've sampled of the post-1934 Boop cartoons for the most part don't have the same edge as the earlier ones--some were so dull I doubt I'll bother revisiting them for a write-up in these parts--I disagree that the series was ruined. There is still plenty of inventiveness in and fun to be had watching some of the tamer exploits of the domesticated Betty. Animation-wise, this one is every bit as good as older Betty cartoons, with detailed characters and backgrounds. The music is, as always, omnipresent, catchy, and fun.

One disappointment for me is that "Baby Be Good" is almost completely free of the surreal, borderline horrific craziness that had once been the series' hallmark. What we do get of that sort of content is very tame and mostly relegated to the cautionary bedtime story that Betty relates to her bratty kid. Overall, the "reality" of Betty's world is quite sedate compared to what she lived through in her younger days--although the kid's antics are every bit as cartoony as hers were in the old days... and we even get a little old-school weirdness bleeding through from the fairytale to reality at the end.

"Baby Be Good" is embedded below, via YouTube. Please take a few minutes and check it out!



I suppose I should mention that I think Jimmy is fortunate that he gets his looks from his mother instead of his father, who I presume is Bimbo. To illustrate what I mean, here are a couple of pictures with Betty and Bimbo together...

AND--for the historically minded and detail-oriented readers out there, I should add that I am aware that the Little Jimmy character predates Betty Boop's creation by about 25 years. Maybe it's because of a misspent youth reading comics where characters co-existed in the same universe, or the years I spent working on properties with sprawling continuities that didn't always quite fit together, but when I first came across Boop cartoons with Little Jimmy in them, he immediately became her son in my mind/"head-canon". We can discuss who the father might be, but Jimmy will always be Betty's son to me when they're sharing the screen. (The Little Jimmy character originated in a newspaper strip distributed by the same syndicate that handled Popeye's printed home. I assume that the same sort of deal that led to Popeye sharing the screen with Betty was at work when it came to Little Jimmy's animated appearances.)

Musical Monday with Kate Bush

You say you want to hear Kate Bush covering "Rocket Man"? You say you want her to do it while playing the ukulele? We have just the thing to brighten your Monday!


Rocket Man (1991)
Starring: Kate Bush
Director: Kate Bush
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

A Mother's Day silent movie

In May of 2012, YouTuber Libby Thomas uploaded a cute and funny short film she made with her siblings that was equal part tribute to the silent films we write about here (like these, for example) and Mother's Day card. Check it out... it's bound to make you smile, and perhaps even laugh!




Oh... and Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms out there.

It's me birfday...

... and on this day in 1922, decades before I was born, this great Krazy Kat cartoon by George Herriman saw print. (Click on the image for a larger, more legible version.)

Tom & Jerry are here for what's 'In the Bag'

In the Bag (1932)
Directors: John Foster and George Rufle
Rating: Five of Ten Stars

Tom and Jerry crash their plane in the cartoon wild, wild west. Surreal hi-jinx involving robbery and a vicious outlaw ensue.

"In the Bag" isn't exactly bad... but it isn't exactly good either. It's an unfocused scatter-shot collection of ideas and situations, some of which are related to the western setting, but most of which are generic gags that could work in any picture. Unfortunately, those generic gags are also nonsensical and unfunny; I expect non-sensical in a "Tom and Jerry" cartoon, but I also expect there to be more chuckles than this one delivered. The film also suffers from a sense of being padded, with several, otherwise amusing bits being dragged out to the point of almost outstaying their welcome while the animation loops two or three times with no variation.

The funniest sequences and bits of "In the Bag" come at the very beginning of the film--in the form of the disaster that causes our heroes to crash their plane in the wild west; at roughly the musical number at roughly halfway point involving some very unusual can-can dancers and scat-singing cowboys; and Jerry's heroic chase and capture of film's villain. The film's final series of jokes--in which Jerry designs to double-cross Tom and abscond with a bag full of cash--begin promising but they ultimately fall victim to the same lack of focus that crippled the picture overall and we're left in a closing bit that fizzles instead of sizzles. It's cute, but it doesn't provide a good close to the film, and it's the weakest ending to any of the "Tom and Jerry" cartoons I've watched so far.

"In the Bag" is neither among the best nor the worst entries in this series. I see glimmers of greatness here, but I think it was slapped together either in too big a hurry or with too little care for that greatness to be fully manifested. This causes me to give it the lowest possible rating of Five (on my usual 0-10 scale) that I can award it. It also causes me to observe that this is an all-too-common problem with "Tom and Jerry" and one of the reasons why they are not well-remembered today.

But how about you take a look at "In the Bag" and share what you think of it? You can watch it below, and leave a comment to this post, or pop on over to my Facebook page and speak up there!

Wonder Woman Wednesday

As we continue to look forward to the release of "Wonder Woman '84", we bring you these portraits of everyone's favorite Amazon and her wondrous hair!

By Aaron Lopresti

By Josh Howard

By Milo Manara

By Joe Jusko

By Asisi Suharianto

Joan's May Fifth

Joan Blondell had plans for this Cinco de Mayo.

But then...

Celebrating Star Wars!

It's May 4th -- Star Wars Day! Here's a celebratory gallery of art for your viewing pleasure!

By John Cassaday

By the Artist With a Web-home at this Link

By Howard Chaykin

By Eric Johnson

By Dru Moh

By Stan!

By Bella Rachlin

Musical Monday with Ylvis

"Life´s a bitch," a wise man said
"No matter what, you´ll end up dead,
"And all that you can wish for is a friend."

The Norwegian duo Ylvis is bringing us an especially touching song on this very special Musical Monday...

"Well... that escalated quickly." (Lesson: Don't steal!)

The Devil's Money Bags (aka "The Treasures of Satan") (1902)
Starring: Uncredited
Director: Georges Méliès
Rating: Nine of Ten Stars

A burglar tries to steal sacks of money from an enchanted chest and pays dearly.

"The Devil's Money Bags" is another fun mini-fantasy film from pioneering special effects artist Georges Méliès. Like most of Méliès films, this one serves up some light-hearted fun with its photographic trickery... but unlike most of his films, this one takes a gruesome and downright terrifying turn at the end. Hell... this 100+ year-old movie is more chilling than a lot of horror movies that get made today.

Take a few minutes out of your day and check out this great little piece of horror film history, right now via the embedded YouTube vide below!

Firearms Friday with Mystery Women

I don't know who either of these models and/or actresses are. If you can identify any of these females with firearms, leave information in the Comments section!

'The Indian Scarf' will entertain fans of a variety of old-time movies

The Indian Scarf (aka "Das Indische Tuch") (1963)
Starring: Heinz Drache , Corny Collins, Klaus Kinski, Ady Berber, Gisela Uhlen, Hans Nielsen, Hans Clarin, and Elisabeth Flickenschildt
Director: Alfred Vohrer
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars

After a wealthy man is strangled to death, his greedy relatives gather at home for the reading of his will. Here, they learn, they must spend a week together and that anyone who leaves early does not get a share of the inheritance. Within hours, family members start dying, each strangled with Indian silk scarves. The estate's executor, Tanner (Drache), sets out to match wits with the killer, hoping to discover his identity before he (or she) completes the murder spree.

"The Indian Scarf" is a film that mixes attempts at capturing the tongue-in-cheek feel of the "dark old house" mysteries of the late 1930s and early 1940s, and a bone-chilling brutality that predicts the murder scenes that became a hallmark of early Dario Argento and 1970s B-movies. It's an interesting attempt putting disparate elements together in a single story, and it mostly works because even in the goofy sections we're treated to stylish cinematography and film-norish lighting that takes full advantage of the black-and-white medium. The outdoor scenes, of which the film has quite a few more than is the norm for pictures like this

Another strength of the film is its cast. Their look and the characters they play reflect the "dark, old house" vibe the film is going for, and this goes a long way toward "The Indian Scarf"'s effectiveness. I particularly appreciated Heinz Drache as Tanner, who is both the romantic lead and co-comic relief with Ady Berber as the obligatory creepy man-servant character. The jokes don't always land, but a running gag involving Tanner's detective work is fun, and Drache's plays it up perfectly as the film progresses. Corny Collins and Gisela Uhlen, meanwhile, are both fine as the pretty (but possibly murderous) feminine/love interest presence in the film, while Klaus Kinski serves as a perfect (perhaps too perfect) possible killer. The second half of the film is really driven by the actors and their performances, with every cast-member getting a turn in the spotlight and making a good showing of themselves.

Perhaps one of the most remarkable things about "The Indian Scarf" is its strong ending, one which I didn't see coming, and I'm certain you won't either. Too many old mystery films seem to run out of steam at the end, sputtering to a close, or just stopping rather than ending with a proper denouement. Here, we get a wrap-up that's both punchy and a punch-line. Although there are several humorous misfires, the film goes out strong.

I think fans of directors like Mario Bava and Dario Argento, as well as those who enjoy 1940s mysteries and the "old dark house" genre will enjoy this one.

It's International Dance Day!

Today, we celebrate dancers--and specifically Brigitte Bardot, who trained as a ballerina before she turned to modeling, acting, and, ultimately, social activism. Here are some photos from a shoot she did as a teenager where her dance training and modeling career intersected.

And just for good measure, here's a shot of Bardot from when she was an actual ballerina.

(Bardot will return to these pages again later this year, on a Firearms Friday and at least one Picture Perfect Wednesday.)

The Secret Life of Joan Blondell

Joan Blondell, Ninja Cutie (?)

Evidence has emerged that actress Joan Blondell (who is best known for her roles in films from the early 1930s) belonged to one of the secretive Ninja Cutie Clans. This has been suspected by those who have read the journals of Bessie Love (who led a secret life herself as the Love Bug), but now there is proof.



Take a look at these photos. Who but a highly trained ninja assassin could safely traverse a tiled roof in high heels while carrying a bow and arrow?

Further, who but a Ninja Cutie would smile so prettily while firing an arrow through her quarry's heart?

The fact that Blondell was already known to be an expert swordswoman is further evidence supporting the theory that she was a deadly (but cute) ninja!

All that said, more research is needed before it can be fully stated that Blondell was a Ninja Cutie. The evidence uncovered so far points equally to her being a practitioner of the arcane secrets known only to the Sisters of Bastet.

--
As is our wont when making up things about actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood, we like to include some roleplaying game rules that either sprang from the process of making things up, or which prompted us to do so. With that in mind, here are a couple of feats for the d20 System game. (If you find any of this amusing or entertaining, maybe you want to check out the Ninja Cuties d20 Modern supplement from NUELOW Games. Click on that link to get it. Selling copies will encourage us to make more stuff, either for sale on the blogs!)

BACKWARDS AND IN HEELS [Ninja Cutie, Sister of Bastet]
Not only do high heels not slow you down, they make you deadlier!
   Prerequisite: 3rd level, Dex 14, Cha 14...
   Benefit: When wearing high heels, except for stiletto heels, the character gains a +2 bonus to all the following skills: Balance, Bluff, Climb, Jump, Move Silently, and Perform (dance).

BACKWARDS AND IN STILETTO HEELS [Ninja Cutie, Sister of Bastet]
Whether you have them on your feet or in your hands, you make stiletto-heeled shoes as dangerous as the knife they are named for.
   Prerequisite: Backwards and in Heels feat
   Benefit: When wearing stilettos, you gain a +2 bonus to Diplomacy and Intimidation skill checks. Additionally, you wield a stiletto as a melee weapon that deals a based damage of 1d6 points.
   Special: When this feat is selected, the character automatically gains Exotic Melee Weapon Proficiency (stiletto heel shoe) as a bonus feat. Additionally, the character can wield two stiletto-heeled shoes at once without any penalties if she possesses the Two-Weapons Fighting feat.

(Special Thanks to L.L. Hundal for shoe insight.)

This Musical Monday, the Writing's on the Wall.

This is a different sort of Musical Monday post, as I'm featuring not just one artist and one video, but two from two different artists. What's more, both featured songs are covers and the videos that support them little more than just the performers performing. You won't find many videos like that here, but today's featured songs by Taps Maguadza and  Sofia Karlberg are too good for me to not post!

Taps Mugadza, or just Taps, is a Zimbabwean soul and pop singer who, among his achievements, has managed to record a version of Sam Smith's "Writing's On the Wall" that fixes the weaknesses of the original--which got a bit repetitive in the chorus as the song went on--and thus manages to be better than one of the best theme songs to recent James Bond movies. Take a listen!



Almost as good as Taps' version, is the one recorded by Sofia Karlberg, a Swedish singer who first became famous by uploading cover songs to YouTube. Like Taps, she brings a little more variation to the song's chorus, but she doesn't bring quite the same level of emotion to the song present in either Taps' or Smith's versions. Also, like Taps, her video is just a recording of her singing... but, again, like Taps, this is such a beautiful song that it's worthy of being featured here.



(An interesting note: Both these versions were recorded and uploaded to YouTube within a month of each other, back in 2015. I wonder why both artists decided to do their videos in black and white?)

Firearms Friday with Ariel Winter

Born in 1998, Ariel Winter made her film debut at the age of seven in the neo-noir comedy "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" in 2005. She went onto become one of Hollywood's busiest child actors, providing voices for several animated series and films, as well as holding down a lead roles in several television series, including in the sit-com "Modern Family", which is ending its eleven-year run in 2020.

In 2017, Winter took the "controversial" step of posing for photos at a gun range after earning her Firearms Safety Certificate.

'The Other Gods' is a worthy Lovecraft adaption

The Other Gods (2006)
Director: "Peter Rhodes"
Rating: Six of Ten Stars

Barzai the Wise and his young apprentice set out to visit the gods of earth, who dwell atop Mount Hatheg-Kla deep in the desert wastelands of Ulthar. Barzai, however, comes face to face with far more terrible entities.

"The Other Gods" is a 2005 animated short film that, in the introduction, is claimed to have been made in 1924 by Peter Rhodes and which until its recent restoration was believed lost. In truth, it is the clever work of modern animators, working in the paper-cutout silhouette style of 1920s animator Lotte Reiniger.

This 5-minute film is a brief, solid adaptation of Lovecraft's story "The Other Gods" and it's bound to entertain fans of his work. I personally found it a little too brief, but I forgive the shortfalls in the face of this fairly faithful recreation of an old silent movie animation style, complete with the inclusion of intertitles. Keith Handy's musical score is also very well done.

"The Other Gods" can be viewed for free by Amazon Prime subscribers. (Even if you don't subscribe to Amazon Prime, you might wish to click on the link below to read the viewer comments. Some of them are as entertaining as the film itself.)