The Sweet smell of...

"Clerks" has put me in a BW mood. That, coupled with my love of "Old Hollywood", has produced this tribute to Alexander Mackendrick's fabulous, waspish deconstruction of the American entertainment industry..."Sweet Smell of Success".

Derided, and vilified, at the time it died a quiet death at the box office. Much talk of "Pinko Sensibilities" and "Feeding Hands being Bitten" ensued; it has since (of course) been elevated to the status of a classic.

If it has eluded you thus far then remedy that asap. Lancaster and Curtis burn up the screen, it one of the most savage relationships in cinema history.

Excelsior Out!

They're not even supposed to be here today!!

I post this as a nod to, the legends that are, Brian O'Halloran and Jeff Anderson...Dante and Randal in Kevin Smith's seminal slackerfest "Clerks". Armed with Smith's bristling wit they slouch, moan and yuk their way through an average day at the Quickstop. They handle everything from a flyblown,cancerous lung on the counter to a dead (formerly masturbating) customer in the john, with a low rent panache that never fails to bring the funny.

The movie remains, by far, the best study of hopeful souls trapped by hopeless situations. Drifting along, intelligent enough to recognise the squalor of their situation, but lacking the faith in themselves to make that break for freedom. Dante's miserable, oppressed dreamer is distracted (and fuelled) by Randal's razor sharp, customer baiting cynic...it's one of cinemas most pleasing double acts. Indeed, when Randal finally snaps at Dante's incessant whining there is real emotion there. His berating of Dante's procrastinating hand-wringing has a real depth...unexpected (but no less welcome) for a "low brow" comedy. We really hear Randal's pain, his flinty cynicism slipping for the first and only time, and we also hear his evident love for his friend...a standout moment for Jeff Anderson here.

If you haven't seen it...WHY? Get thee to the Quickstop instantaneously and luxuriate in the wonder of "The Milk Maids" "Jay and Silent Bob" and "The Asian design Major"... it'll all make sense when you get there!

Excelsior Out!  

Attack of the 50ft Comic Book Men!!!

And here it is, drum roll please, the final colour version. Showing you the process I go through to produce this nonsense.

Excelsior Out!

SHERLOCK LIVES!!

I've altered this to be a tribute to series 3 of the mighty "Sherlock", in recognition of the endless hours of fangirl worship my daughter Grace has expended upon him.

One day she'll pluck up the nerve to ask him for an autograph.

Mr C, hope you are enjoying the "most favoured actor" status now afforded to you...you deserve it on talent alone. 

Please get your agent pitching Marvel movies to cast you as "Dr Strange" (see my post "Strange days indeed") a brilliant role in which you would shine...and you get to knock heads with your mate Tom, as Loki!!

Excelsior Out!

"Comic Book Men A-Go-Go" Work in progress.

Final Pencil Stage2

First Pencil Rough Stage1

This post is a first for me, I'm doing it step by step...so you can see how both the drawing and layout evolve. Kevin Smith's "Comic Book Men" is one of my favourite shows. I recently made a connection, on Twitter, with Rob Bruce (pictured here lower right) the shows cultural expert, who said that the guys would dig a caricature of themselves.

They are all such brilliant, and diverse, characters it seems natural to put them in a super heroic setting. I have them here being chased down by a atomically enlarged Bryan Johnson as "Apathy Man"; to whom they all respond in their own unique way.

Here are the first two stages, next comes the inked line (which I will post when complete) and finally the glorious colour. Hope you, and they, like it.

Excelsior Out!

Daaaa-da, daaaa-da...dum-dum,dum-dum,dum-dum,dum-dum.....etc.

Pictured above is my humble tribute to one of the greatest motion pictures ever made, "Jaws". 

The timeless, classy menace on display here has never waned...it's as relentlessly entertaining now as it was the day it was released. It's legendarily troubled production history (documented superbly in "The Shark is still Working", available on the BluRay release) did not diminish it's impact or legacy one jot. 

Graced with three of the finest acting performances ever to fill the silver screen. The triumvirate of Robert Shaw, Roy Scheider and the impish Richard Dreyfuss, create a believable chemistry amid the mayhem. Their studied, pin sharp performances leap from the screen and command one's attention, especially in the quieter passages.

As an entity, "Jaws" grabs it's audience by the throat and, by turns, throttles and beguiles them into believing every step of this monumental odyssey. Even when the, patently fake, shark does appear...we're still chilled to the bone, such is the mastery of Spielberg's craft. That he was not even nominated as Best Director at the 48th Academy Awards is a travesty of the highest order.

"Jaws" is a testament to art of old Hollywood...striving to tell a great story no matter what the odds. An art that has been subsumed, in recent years, in favour of brainless bombast that numbs the senses and confounds the emotions.

That it was made at all is a miracle, that it was made so well...ah, that's Mr Spielberg folks!

Excelsior Out!

Sweet Caroline

With the great Ray Harryhausen leaving us recently my mind has been wandering back through his classic movies. I have a special place in my affections for "The Golden Voyage of Sinbad" for a variety of reasons. Ray's outstanding work comprise most of them, but the stunning Caroline Munro also looms large. She is, without doubt, my first crush.

As a kid I remember seeing her on Lamb's Navy Rum posters and thinking "Hmmmm...who's that girl?". Then later, seeing her light up the screen as slave girl Margiana, I was hooked forever. She continues to captivate, even today, with a timeless modern beauty that successive generations of movie goers will fall for, again and again.

A staple of the festival/convention circuit I hope she feels the love out there for her, and finds joy in the high regard in which she's held. I know that the impact she had on the 12 year old me was profound, and wonderful, and for that I thank her profusely.

Excelsior out!