The Projectors

The Lusty Men (1952)

We’re examining 5 DIRECTORS for January and for the third week we’re loaded up with our theme “NICHOLAS RAY 1952 to 1956”. Ray released 6 movies in that time period and we’re covering five of them. We start it off with a unique contemporary western starring Robert Mitchum ( a 100% Certified Official DAWG© ) and Susan Hayward who has us going like that wolf in the old cartoons. We’re discussing “THE LUSTY MEN” from 1952, Nicholas Ray’s very informative rodeo film that is rather spicy by classic Hayes Code standards. Rodeo man Jeff (Mitchum) is injured out of the game and comes home to where he grew up. There he meets Wes (Arthur Kennedy) and his wife Louise (Hayward). Wes knows about Jeff’s reputation and he’s got the rodeo fever much to his wife’s chagrin. Jeff coaches Wes but one competition isn’t enough and the three find themselves traveling the rodeo circuit where there’s glory to be had as well as groupies and plenty of sexual tension with other men’s wives. It’s pretty much that Garth Brooks song but sadder at the end, though not sad in the way we thought it was going to be at first. It should be noted that this movie was directed a few scenes by someone else while Nicholas Ray was sick. Probably boozing. Or maybe he tried to ride a bronco. Anyway, here's a link we found to the flick: https://archive.org/details/the.-lusty.-men.-1952.1080p.-webrip.x-264
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Mikey & Nicky (1976)

Each week in January is devoted to a different director at certain stages in their career but this discussion marks the end of Elaine May week as we have now discussed every film that Elaine May directed. This movie represents a much more dramatic direction but in typical Elaine May fashion, the humor is often in the tragic details. We have a very unique mob movie here starring two fellows that were prime in this era, Peter Falk and John Cassettes. They are the titular characters “MIKEY AND NICKY”, respectively in this film from 1976. Nicky robbed his gangster boss so now there’s a hit on him. His best friend, Mikey, from childhood is there for him, as usual. But Mikey might have some animosity he can’t shake because he’s in on the hit. A rich character acting showcase with some of the best in the biz for the era. This is also a precursor to “Ishtar” in regards to studio conflicts and budget increases that caused the industry to essentially sabotage Elaine May from directing ever again. May had plenty more to do in regards to acting and writing but you can’t help but wonder what more she could have done from the directors chair. It’s a headache business and sometimes being bros can have it’s own headaches as well. Elaine May’s next and final film wouldn’t come out until over a decade later. Here’s a link to a quality cut of the movie: https://archive.org/details/mikey-and-nicky-1976
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The Heartbreak Kid (1972)

We’re examining the rest of Elaine May’s directed films this week and we’re into some deep cut quality comedies. Today’s discussion is darkly humorous in the sense that much of the humor Is centered around the self absorbed and deceitful nature of Lenny Cantor who sees greener grass everywhere he goes, especially after he’s gotten what he thinks he wants. Charles Grodin’s “Lenny” wants sex and he will get married to get it but when the dog catches the car it tends to not want much more to do with it. Lenny happens to meet who he thinks is the girl of his dreams except that he meets her on his honeymoon. The comedic examinations of an awful person can get kinda lost when you feel so bad for people around the lead. Angela wanted to fight Lenny is what we’re saying. The primary marketing pitch of Elaine May’s second feature film “THE HEARTBREAK KID” from 1972 was that it was written by Neil Simon ( the Odd Couple guy). It also stars Cybill Shepherd, Jeannie Berlin and Eddie Albert. Critically acclaimed but underseen in its time. The retroactive appreciation of Elaine May’s work probably needs more juice because these comedies are still pretty deep cut and out of print with only “Mikey and Nicky” and “Ishtar” on streaming. Fortunately, online movie nerds come through in a pinch, so until Elaine May’s movies get the Criterion box set treatment (including “Ishtar”), here’s a link to the film we’re discussing: https://archive.org/details/the-heartbreak-kid.-1972.-dvdrip.-xvi-d-vli-s
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A New Leaf (1971)

It’s the start of week 2 for January’s theme of “5 DIRECTORS” and we encountered this week’s director when we discussed “Ishtar” last April. An interesting story on film and behind the scenes. The director of that film would not direct another movie again. But before this, comedy writer, performer and producer Elaine May had three previous films under her belt so for week two we talk up the rest of Elaine May’s directorial filmography. Today we hit up a pretty delightful film debut written for the screen by her from a Jack Ritchie Story. Elaine May would find herself in the director’s chair and, though it wasn’t her intention, she also stars in it. We’re discussing an underrated comedy from 1971 called “A NEW LEAF” that also stars Walter Matthau, George Rose, Jack Weston and James Coco. Matthau is Henry Graham, a middle aged trust fund kid who just ran out of money and he has a scheme to pay his Uncle back some borrowed cash by finally settling down his closeted bachelor ways and marrying a well-to-do woman. Women disgust him in general but he finally meets Henrietta, an heiress botanist who doesn’t act very stereotypically wealthy. She’s quite strange and messy so he plans on killing this perfect woman for her money. Walter Matthau and George Rose are quite great in this. Fairly deep cut and quite out of print but we found an archive link to this one: https://archive.org/details/a-new-leaf-1971-br
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Dune (1984)

Week one of January’s theme of 5 DIRECTORS ends with our last of David Lynch’s first three films and it’s one that he sometimes disavows but also one that led to a long standing relationship with actor Kyle MacLachlan. It seemed like it was nothing less than a miracle to adapt Frank Herbert’s “DUNE” to film considering the brick wall that many directors encountered upon attempt. Denis Villeneuve finally pulled something off but for the longest time the lone attempt at adapting this imaginative science fiction story rested solely on the shoulders of David Lynch. Divisive in it’s time, his 1984 “DUNE” has it’s fans and it hosts a cavalcade of actors alongside MacLachlan’s Paul Atriedes including Jose Ferrer, Virginia Madsen, Patrick Stewart, Sting, Brad Dourif as well as many more players that would find homes in Lynch’s filmography. It’s too damn hard to discuss this movie and not compare it to the recent releases and we fail at not doing so, but Lynch’s “Dune” has its own richness. It’s own spice. It thrives in some points and is maybe slightly laughable in others but there is no less imagination and is a site to behold in terms of the era’s effects and Lynch’s ideas. Go see why 1984’s “Dune” holds a place for so many even after all these years then hear us tell of it. We found you a link right here: https://archive.org/details/Dune19843640x272435mb
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The Elephant Man (1980)

For January’s theme of 5 DIRECTORS, each week is pretty much its own subcategory. We’re halfway through “David Lynch’s First Three” with today’s discussion of one of his most accessible feature films that features and iconic performance by John Hurt as the infamously disfigured historical figure “John/Joseph Merrick”. It seems that Lynch’s follow up to his debut is also amongst his most universally acclaimed with the Academy creating an effects category after it seemed baffling to not have one amongst this film’s many award nominations. The 1980 biographical film “THE ELEPHANT MAN” also stars Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft & Freddie Jones and is pretty family friendly aside from its very heavy theme. It’s based on reality, it has a positive message and it’s a lesson by John Hurt on how to act with your body even if people can’t really see your face. There might be something wrong if you don’t choke up a little but then again we’re getting more sentimental in our old age. We cried during the swimming pool scene in “Color of Night”. We’ve gone soft and this movie has us feeling like room temp butter. 
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Eraserhead (1977)

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Maybe we could use a break after the busy holiday months but we’re just so damned anxious to show off our new makeover that we gotta hit the ground running for January’s theme of 5 DIRECTORS and for week one’s director we got a fellow we are fairly familiar with on this show. Week one is DAVID LYNCH’S FIRST THREE and if you know a little bit then you know that David Lynch’s first film is the notorious ERASERHEAD from 1977 and it stands as a seminal work to this very day of an artists vision that looked very refined from the jump. Awkward, tragic, funny and rather horrifying is this tale of sudden domesticity amidst urban decay. Lynch always declared this one his most spiritual and it certainly comes off rather personal. As crazy as it is, it might be easier to interpret than certain other Lynch films. It’s practically impossible not to consider Jack Nance’s “Henry Spencer” as a stand in for Lynch himself. Also…that baby? We would have loved it. We wouldn’t even have minded it laughing at us. The Lady in the Radiator? Instantly married. New stepmom. Happily ever after in black and white. This is Heaven and everything is fine. Here’s a link: https://www.effedupmovies.com/eraserhead-1977/
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200 Cigarettes (1999)

This is it! The final episode of 2024. Happy New Years! Goodbye to the title of MOVIEHUMPERS. For 2025 GOING forward we are THE PROJECTORS. We jump into next month’s theme as early as tomorrow but we close out a most wonderful time of the year with a New Year’s themed flick that we probably liked a little better in our youth. We were certainly the target age range in terms of “pitching coolness” with this ensemble featuring young stars who got their starts in the eighties and nineties. Ensembles can definitely be a challenge. You can’t deep dive into everyone but you really got to establish some personality and spin a lot of plates and it can be confusing to know when your character is funny or if they’re just annoying. Sure, we can see ourselves in some of the characters in this setting of New Year’s Eve in 1981 New York City but sometimes the abyss stares back at you. Risa Bramon Garcia’s only feature film is the holiday ensemble “200 CIGARETTES” from 1999 and it stars many such as Paul Rudd, Christina Ricci, Kate Hudson, Ben Affleck, Martha Plimpton, Courtney Love and Dave Chappell among many others. Elvis Costello is also in this and based on some evidence we see at the end of this film we think that Elvis may have done something very very bad. Like Cosby style bad. Maybe he did maybe he didn’t but there’s some smoke and the implications are there. We should probably detain him and ask some questions at the very least. Goodbye, MOVIEHUMPERS. Hello, THE PROJECTORS!
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Holiday Affair (1949)

Christmas is in the can. New Years is just around the corner but it’s still that most wonderful time of the year and your soon to be permanently renamed movie talk feed/show/pod is here with another Christmas classic featuring one of our favorites, Robert Mitchum. A fairly strange tale for the Hayes code time as two men, one a rich niceboy and the other a broke swaggart, are after the same single mother. It’s a dirty game and Connie’s rascal kid has a preference real quick. You know where this will go but it’s an interesting journey to get there with some nice performances. Don Hartman’s 1949 classic Christmas rom-com “HOLIDAY AFFAIR” stands out as worthy little charmer for the holidays. It also stars Janet Leigh & Wendell Corey who plays Carl who, despite being NOT the love interest, might be the nicest guy on the planet in 1949. Mitchum’s “Steve” is not so nice in comparison but you know he’s gonna get you outta them britches. Maybe even late era Mitchum when he was just walking around with those big glasses. He was also constantly drunk. He threw a basketball at a lady and knocked out her teeth. Does that eliminate him as our dawg? …not yet. The needs to be a deliberation period. For now let’s discuss HOLIDAY AFFAIR!
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Eight Crazy Nights (2002)

With Christmas in the can, now Hanukkah’s the man. When it comes to holiday themed movies, Hanukkah might be even more scarce than Thanksgiving but for the third day of Hanukkah we got the Sand-man coming up in the clutch with the 2002 animated holiday film “EIGHT CRAZY NIGHTS” directed by Seth Kearsley. By “Sand-man” we mean, of course, Adam Sandler who wrote and produced this crude animated comedy that isn’t without laughs and a bit of charm but does it merit the category of contemporary holiday classic? When it comes to Adam Sandler fare, we’re all over the place. We’re very up and down. We never know how we’ll feel. He hits it for us or he doesn’t but nothing but respect for the Sand-man who seems to be a very very good friend to the people he came up with. Sometimes he even sacrifices a good movie for his friends. Is that the case here? Why do all those horrible things keep happening to our boy, Whitey? He’s the sweetest dude. His sister, Eleanor is the most consistent laugh in the flick. Also…poo. Is there enough poo in this movie? It’s a musical too but we can only vouch for the quality of one song. “Technical Foul” actually goes. Remix that shit for the clubs. Happy Hanukkah. 
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