The Kenblog

The Kenblog: Remembering Joe Turkel

Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog here with some sad news for genre movie fans. Legendary character actor Joe Turkel died today at the age of 94. Starting in the 1950s, Turkel appeared in several films including three movies for the legendary Stanley Kubrick. He also appeared in several television shows such as “The Fugitive” and “Boston Blackie.” But perhaps his most famous roles came in two iconic films in the early 1980s. The first was Kubrick’s “The Shining” as the ghostly bartender Lloyd. Appearing out of thin air when a struggling Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) wants a drink, he’s the sympathetic ear but carries a sense of subtle menace is his bearing that makes him a memorable character. The second iconic role was of a meatier nature as Dr. Elden Tyrell in Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner.” Tyrell is the founder of the Tyrell Corporation and inventor of the humanoid androids called replicants. Tyrell meets a memorably grisly end at the hands of his most advanced creation: the replicant Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer) who is less than pleased that his creator is unable to increase his four year life span. Both roles are legendary characters that demonstrate Turkel’s talent to do a great deal with very little. He will be missed. So Sayeth The Kendog!

Continue reading

The Kenblog: Best Lightsaber Duels In The Star Wars Universe!

Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog here with a somewhat belated honoring of Star Wars Day! (It was May 4th, after all). As a kid I was absolutely obsessed with Star Wars. I was five years old when the first film came out in 1977 and I’ve been hooked ever since. One of my favorite aspects of the films had to be the lightsaber duels. The wonderful visual married to Ben Burtt’s legendary sound design had children of all ages trading in Excalibur for a Jedi or Sith blade. So in honor of Star Wars Day I thought I present my favorite lightsaber duels throughout the nine film Skywalker saga (and maybe a surprise or two). Enjoy the trip down memory lane and feel free to comment either below or on my Facebook page. May The Fourth Be With You! So Sayeth The Kendog!

Continue reading

The Kenblog: Honoring The Work Of Bruce Willis!

Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog here with some sad news. Prolific actor Bruce Willis, one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood, is retiring from acting after being diagnosed with aphasia, a neurological disease that impairs cognitive function. Willis is apparent having trouble with communication and memory, among other issues and while there is no known cure, I hope that treatments will allow Mr. Willis to find peace and enjoyment during the rest of his life. I know he has a large and loving family, so he will not be venturing into the unknown alone. Instead of treading over familiar ground involving his diagnosis, I though it more appropriate to honor his work over the years by providing clips of some of his best known roles. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do and, as always, feel free to comment below or on my Facebook Page. All the best to Mr. Willis and his family. So Sayeth The Kendog!

Continue reading

The Kenblog: Remembering “The Godfather” on its 50th Anniversary!

Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog here with a look at one of the greatest films ever released. On March 24th, 1972, Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” hit theaters and became a massive critical and commercial hit, making stars out of a cadre of young actors and reviving the career of Marlon Brando in the process. The film, based on a popular novel by Mario Puzo, was not only a massive film, but became part of the modern vernacular. Even folks who haven’t seen “The Godfather” know the classic lines and the classic scenes. Now “The Godfather” is being released in theaters to honor its anniversary and the entire trilogy has been remastered with a 4K transfer. Below are a series of scenes from the classic film that will hopefully make you want to revisit this timeless classic. Enjoy the features and feel free to comment below or on my Facebook Page. So Sayeth The Kendog!

Continue reading

The Kenblog: Remembering Ivan Reitman!

Howdy Folks! It’s The Kendog with a fond remembrance of legendary director Ivan Reitman who passed away this week at the too-young age of seventy-five. As a child of the eighties, Reitman and his work was an indelible part of my childhood. His work with such luminaries as John Landis, the late, great Harold Ramis, and Bill Murray were as much a part of my growing up as Star Wars or Steven Spielberg. I won’t go into all of his biographical details here: you can find them all at other sources. I will say that he was one of my doorways into a more adult form of humor. The fact that he managed to insert it successfully into PG movies made his brilliance all the more amazing. Of course, he did his share of R-Rated films, classics such as “National Lampoon’s Animal House” and “Stripes.” But it was “Ghostbusters” that managed to combine legit scares and frat house comedy into a winning combination. At 12 years of age, I was old enough to get the adult humor along with some of the scary stuff. (After all, what other mainstream film would feature a dream sequence in which one of the Ghostbusters gets, ahem, serviced by a female ghost?)

Reitman was also the first director to really realize Arnold Schwarzenegger’s comic chops. Both “Twins” and “Kindergarten Cop” still hold up today because Arnold’s sense of humor and absurdity shines through, and a great deal of that is due to Reitman’s guidance. From all involved, Ivan Reitman was a kind man both on and off screen and his unique brand of humor and filmmaking will be missed. So Sayeth The Kendog! (Below I have clips from some of his best known movies. Feel free to comment below or on my Facebook Page!)

Continue reading