A general summary of his life and career, details a lot of his fans are already familiar with. It gets strange at Chato's Land when opinions start being thrown in, the narrator calling Charles Bronson a hypocrite for not wanting to appear onscreen with a nude woman when he wore a loincloth for most of the movie. They're not the same thing. Lamenting that some of the muggers in Death Wish were black (some muggers are), calling Bronson a poster boy for "the gun lobby" and immediately cutting to a clip of Donald Trump. It becomes unfocused for a few minutes and is undeniably a product of the time it was produced; false equivalencies, identity politics, and "orange man bad."
It would have been nice if they could have included clips from Raid on Entebbe, Act of Vengeance, and Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus to highlight some of the departures from his action vehicles.
Reviews
6 Reviews
Charles Bronson, Hollywood's Lone Wolf
(2020 TV Movie)
At Least the Movie Clips Are Good...
11 February 2022
The Straw That Broke the Camel's Back
30 April 2018
I finally gave up on the series after watching the first few minutes of this episode. It seemed like a chore for the past few weeks, and the claim that everything from the Civil Rights movement to Watergate wouldn't have occurred without rock and roll (which, in turn wouldn't exist without Robert Johnson) was too silly, short-sighted, and pretentious to continue with. Johnson had one minor hit in his lifetime with Terraplane Blues, and was virtually unknown to black blues fans until the 1961 release of a compilation album. You can't influence people if they've never heard your music. As music historian Elijah Wald plainly put it, "Very little that happened in the decades following his death would have been affected if he had never played a note."
The Civil Rights movement wasn't dependent on a style of music, (even then, gospel is the one most associate with it) nor did R&R have anything to do with Watergate or an Asian civil war. The series was just trying to promote another falsehood (while undeniably accomplished, Bass Reeves wasn't the inspiration for The Lone Ranger, either). There had been well-founded complaints on the now-defunct message boards about the lack of historical accuracy, inconsistencies in the show's rules of time travel, and shoehorned agendas, but the series had promise, so I kept giving it another try.
I've finally had enough.
The Civil Rights movement wasn't dependent on a style of music, (even then, gospel is the one most associate with it) nor did R&R have anything to do with Watergate or an Asian civil war. The series was just trying to promote another falsehood (while undeniably accomplished, Bass Reeves wasn't the inspiration for The Lone Ranger, either). There had been well-founded complaints on the now-defunct message boards about the lack of historical accuracy, inconsistencies in the show's rules of time travel, and shoehorned agendas, but the series had promise, so I kept giving it another try.
I've finally had enough.
Death Wish
(2018)
Critics Hated the Original for the Same Reasons
6 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Before seeing it, I skimmed over a few reviews from professionals releasing their hate for this movie and its themes of vigilantism and victimhood; echoing what a lot of critics said in 1974 about the now-classic Charles Bronson film. If you like the original, you'll probably like this one. Updated for today's world, Paul Kersey is a Chicago surgeon, who turns vigilante after his wife and daughter are attacked in their home (no rape scenes), and the police are unable to bring the perpetrators to justice. What surprised me most was how much fun it was; there was the expected tragedy, but also lighter moments where Kersey scolds a man for using bad language at a soccer game and making quips when killing thugs. Bruce Willis hasn't been this good in years.
My only complaints are in the ending, *spoilers* there was some confusion if the climax was set the evening his daughter left the hospital or a considerable time later (the time it would take to legally buy a gun was established earlier). Kersey tells the police he bought the guns he used against the home invaders the day his daughter left the hospital, but the editing made leaving the hospital, gun shopping, and the attack look like the same day. Also, the rifle he supposedly bought at a local gun store was firing full-auto, which Hollywood always seems to think is normal. Automatics are illegal statewide, and Chicago banned the possession of semi-automatic "assault weapons" years ago.
Other than that, it was a breath of fresh air. I highly recommend it to fans of Bruce Willis, action, and the original film.
My only complaints are in the ending, *spoilers* there was some confusion if the climax was set the evening his daughter left the hospital or a considerable time later (the time it would take to legally buy a gun was established earlier). Kersey tells the police he bought the guns he used against the home invaders the day his daughter left the hospital, but the editing made leaving the hospital, gun shopping, and the attack look like the same day. Also, the rifle he supposedly bought at a local gun store was firing full-auto, which Hollywood always seems to think is normal. Automatics are illegal statewide, and Chicago banned the possession of semi-automatic "assault weapons" years ago.
Other than that, it was a breath of fresh air. I highly recommend it to fans of Bruce Willis, action, and the original film.
Daisy Falls in Love
18 September 2017
The fourth season starts with Bo and Luke being forced off the road, and Daisy soon becomes romantically involved with the car's owner; Boss's nephew, Jamie Hogg. Bo and Luke suspect any Hogg must have something to hide and do some snooping. As the title indicates, Jamie proposes to Daisy, and she accepts, much to the chagrin of their families, and Boss and Roscoe have a memorable scene imagining the Dukes as future relatives. Overall, it's a fun episode typical of this part of the series, with Daisy given opportunity to shine. Jonathan Frakes from Star Trek: The Next Generation plays Jamie, and Roger Robinson, who Kojak fans may remember as Gil Weaver, appears in a supporting role.
Another Classic
25 October 2013
After Granny had interrupted the wrestling match and threw the Boston Strong Girl out of the ring in the previous episode, a manager (Alan "Fred Flintstone" Reed) wants Granny to return to the ring for another match. Granny is reluctant to return, so the manager shows up at the mansion with Rebecca of Donnybrook Farm (singer Gayle Caldwell) and her alleged "sick momma and crippled daddy" to try and convince the Clampetts to fight on their behalf. Jed apologizes but explains it isn't their fight, but when the Boston Strong Girl's father (Mike Mazurki) shows up and throws Granny through the door it becomes personal.
A very funny episode loaded with physical comedy that also showcases the many moods of Granny extremely well. A fan favorite in the same league as The Giant Jackrabbit, The Indians are Coming!, or The Gorilla.
A very funny episode loaded with physical comedy that also showcases the many moods of Granny extremely well. A fan favorite in the same league as The Giant Jackrabbit, The Indians are Coming!, or The Gorilla.
The Clampetts Discover Pro Wrestlng
25 October 2013
The Rass'lin Clampetts is one of the better episodes of the series. After Granny and Mrs. Drysdale have an altercation, Jed tries explaining to Granny folks in the city don't settle their differences through violence, to which Jethro says "Yes they do" and tells about the women wrestlers on TV. The family settles in the parlor that night to watch Rebecca of Donnybrook Farm (a sweet little farm girl) fight The Boston Strong Girl. The Boston Strong Girl puts a heavy beating on Rebecca, and Granny declares she can't bear to watch, making Jethro leave with her. Later, as Jed and Elly are still watching the program, they witness Granny jump into the ring and teach the Boston Strong Girl why not to beat up on a Tennessee girl.
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