KOOL TV BABE OF THE WEEK: JANE FONDA - THE ORIGINAL BARBARELLA!

Sexy space heroine Barbarella (Jane Fonda) makes an impact! Images: PARAMOUNT.

She's now more remembered for her tireless work as the eighties and nineties Queen of Aerobics, and for her prior sixties/seventies anti-war political work (where her nickname of Hanoi Jane would unfortunately stick to her like glue during her campaigning against the Vietnam War), but to me I'll always remember Jane Fonda at her loveliest and sexiest (as well as definitive affection and downright lust!) as the sixties sci-fi sex-bomb and space heroine Barbarella, from the comic strip evocative movie of the same name directed by her French film-maker and then husband, Roger Vadim: truly an admirer of the female form and determined to transform his desirable wife, then known for a lot of comedy and light hearted US film work, into the next Brigitte Bardot (whom he'd also just happened to have been previously married to as well!)

Barbarella (1968) Trailer - YouTube

And Fonda certainly made an impact worldwide as the innocent, happy-go-lucky, often scantily clad space agent, sent on a mission to the planet Tau Ceti to find the missing scientist turned baddie Durand Durand (played by Milo O'Shea), ready to enslave the universe with his positronic ray. Helped in her endeavours by a blind, blonde angel, Pygar (played by the late John Philip Law), and mixing with a plethora of weapons and technology (used for good and bad, of which, in typical French fashion, only its brand of sci-fi would have a sex-device like the Excessive Machine!), Barbarella's colourful adventure was barking mad and kookily charming in its kitsch comic-strip, late-sixties ways: the latter a primary factor for its longevity as an iconic B film classic. Plus, of course, remaining in the mind's eye all these years later, there was Fonda's unforgettable intro as Babs, doing an audience friendly outer space striptease before the film's main titles had even finished! (A moment, originally co-handled by the late Maurice Binder, that has since been imitated, but never bettered, by the likes of Kylie Minogue!)

barbarella opening titles - YouTube

Vintage movie poster for the popular film.

Attempts to revive Barbarella as a feature film re-imagining began in the early nineties, when TWIN PEAKS sex siren Sherilyn Fenn, an excellent choice for the time, was attached to the project, followed, I believe, by rumours of another equally lovely lady in the Fonda family, Bridget. A further stalled rebirth effort came from cult director Robert Rodriguez a few ears back, with the tempting Drew Barrymore to have starred in the role. Now, the news has come in that a fresh TV series revival effort is underway courtesy of popular British JAMES BOND movie scripters Robert Wade and Neal Purvis, produced by Martha De Laurentiis (whose late husband Dino had the original film rights). Just who will be playing the new vision of Barbarella remains to be seen, as will the all-important decision of how much on-screen sex appeal and skin she'll be able to display in between girl power battles against space aliens and power mad evil empires. Somehow, though, I suspect that this new in the planning, bigger budget version, with early episodes produced and directed by DRIVE's brilliant Nicolas Winding Refn, will likely be played a lot more seriously. Ah well...

Get hold of BARBARELLA on Blu-ray here: Barbarella (1968) [Blu-ray][Region Free]: Amazon.co.uk: Film & TV

BIG ISLAND CRIME WITH CLASSIC 'HAWAII FIVE-O'

Honolulu hero: Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett in HAWAII FIVE-O. Image: CBS PARAMOUNT.

It may not be the greatest of weather in the UK at the moment, but fans of classic TV can at least get a daily fix of warm tropical action and adventure set within the glorious sun and sandy beach confines of the Hawaiian paradise, as the original and best incarnation of HAWAII FIVE-O, featuring that formidable crime-busting detective, and Horatio Caine of his day, Steve McGarrett, played with steel-eyed determination and likable trust by the late Jack Lord- an instant icon with his impeccably styled coolness who put his individual stamp on the show over twelve years and helped to make Hawaii an even brighter commercial holiday hotspot for millions of worldwide viewers to discover.

Starting right from the beginning, in daily strips and weekend compilations on the UK’s CBS ACTION channel, these colourful early episodes are great fun: bright, breezy and with a very late sixties groove that makes them fascinating to watch, with Lord’s youthful no-nonsense character far more in the thick of the action than he would be in later years, backed up with his squad buddies Danny “Danno” Williams (James MacArthur), the bulky frame of islander Kono (played by Zulu) and the amiable Chin Ho Kelly (played by once real-life policeman Kam Fong) . Intriguingly, McGarrett’s relationship with his team in these raw days is often quite spiky when things fail to materialize the way he wants them, especially putting young Danny through some verbal biting. Though by episodes end, and the case firmly closed, he’s back to being chummy with them all with no harm done.

Titles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ9xfNn09eQ

Featuring tightly concentrated early episodes produced by MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE’s talented Joseph Gantman, notable guest stars investigated, pursued or caught up in the drama of the premiere year include some of the all-time greats of the small screen, like Ricardo Montalban, Simon Oakland, Yaphet Kotto, James Shigeta, Kevin McCarthy and the lovely Marj Dusay. Rapidly approaching like one of those famed big kahuna waves, how can we not mention Morton Stevens familiar and exciting main title theme, which upon hearing the first few notes makes you instantly think of the programme, nor the brilliant main title visualization work handled by regular series director Reza Badiyi-though, with this first season, there’s no sign yet of those end credits featuring the perpetually wave crunching islander boaters!

Early seasons of HAWAII FIVE-O are also available in restored quality on UK DVD from CBS PARAMOUNT:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hawaii-Five-O-The-First-Season/dp/B000JU7M02/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1358771946&sr=8-3

KOOL TV REVIEW: 'MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL' DVD

Scaling new dangers, the return of Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL. Out now on Blu-ray and DVD. Images: PARAMOUNT.

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL


Starring Tom Cruise


Written by Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec 


Directed by Brad Bird


Available on DVD and Blu-ray from PARAMOUNT DVD


Reviewed by Scott Weller


Its time to light that lengthy fuse for intrigue, drama and excitement once again as the Impossible Missions Force, as led by its charismatic go-for-broke, all-action leader Ethan Hunt, traverses the world in pursuit of a deadly maniac intent on starting World War III, in the newly released on DVD and Blu-ray high octane, adrenaline kicking rush that is MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE IV - GHOST PROTOCOL. Ably assisted by a very strong team line-up including Paula Patton as attractive but deadly agent, Jane Carter, and Oscar nominee rising star Jeremy Renner as information cleric turned gun touting, butt kicking spy William Brandt, Hunt finds himself and his faithful group in trouble once again, and in a world ever more in shades of grey, as they are disavowed by their superiors and seemingly framed when the Kremlin is blown up (how's that for an opening to a movie!).  Pariahed, but not without their unique talents and personal resourcefulness, the search begins to stop Russian madmen Kurt Hendricks (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO's well cast Michael Nyqvist (the star of the Swedish version of Stieg Larsson's film adaptation), though ultimately not used enough in the film), aided and abetted by a truly cold-hearted and lethal psycho assassin, Sabine Moreau, a nice performance from ROBIN HOOD's Léa Seydoux) in a twist and turning plot/quest that takes them from Russia to the scaling heights of Dubai and the exotic delights of India, confidently weaving impressive and ingenious stunt work alongside technological whizz-bang flashes.

Have bags will travel. The Impossible Missions force return. L-R Paula Patton as Jane Carter,  Simon Pegg as Benji, Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt and Jeremy Renner as William Brandt. 

The genuine and likable star power presence that is Tom Cruise knows a winning formula when he sees it, and all of his MISSION films, despite some later occasional faults that plagued the third of the franchise (from director JJ Abrams, who serves as a producer here), have always been enjoyable, but for me GHOST PROTOCOL is certainly the best entry since the actor started making/producing the film in the mid-nineties, and also feels much more like a deserved continuance/tribute to the equally smashing and finely crafted original CBS PARAMOUNT television series which it spawned from, created by the talented Bruce Geller back in 1966. Inventive and clever director Brad Bird's enthusiasm for the series in all its incarnations clearly shows, as he keeps it all fast paced from the first frames to the last, crafting its memorable and exciting scenes and managing to mix action with some nice humour and character moments, for what is a terrific first live action foray after years as a successful animation director for PIXAR (of which his THE INCREDIBLES certainly paved the way for ensemble superheroes to come, like AVENGERS ASSEMBLE). Continuing its welcome ties to the original first cinematic MISSION, its also great to see the confident and reliable pair of safe hands that is Oscar winner Paul Hirsch at the AVID helm, along with some great music from BAD ROBOT film and TV veteran Michael Giacchino, who I applaud for not being afraid of using Lalo Schifrin's jazzy and memorable original series main title composition within his own work.

A score set to settle. Jane Carter takes on assassin Sabine (Léa Seydoux).

A real sky fall. Tom Cruise scales the heights in a spectacular sequence set in Dubai...

...then partakes in a thrill-a-minute sandstorm car chase!

The incredible sequences in Dubai (that left audiences gasping in its previous IMAX 3-D theatrical release earlier in the year), along with a tremendous sequence set within a perilous sandstorm, may be the peak point both literally and physically of which the film's final act can't quite compete against, but the following sequences set in India are still lively, as the script writers Josh Appelbaum and Andre Nemec get our fractured heroes together for their last chance, race against the clock bid to stop the usual cliched missile launch against America, a scenario once so prevalent in sixties TV shows (which themselves were copying the wild pioneering action of the emerging James Bond) from happening, whilst Hunt fights his nemesis in a high-tech automated car park. All of this is never less than enjoyable and audience fulfilling.

On the run! LOST's Josh Holloway makes a fine big-screen entry.

Movie baddies Michael Nyqvist and Samuli Edelmann make their demands.

With fine supporting cameos from a truly international cast including the likes of LOST's Josh Holloway (who gets the film off to a cracking, pistol packing start), 24's Season Season top Indian film star Anil Kapoor (soon to be his country's own version of Jack Bauer), and always in-demand Brit actor Tom Wilkinson (in a small uncredited role), as well as a a few special cameo surprises to fans who have enjoyed watching the MISSION film saga since it first unspooled, GHOST PROTOCOL launched the impressive rosta of action movies of 2012 to come to an intelligent and downright balls-to-the-wall start. Accompanied in its DVD release by two brief but watchable mini featurettes (on the films Sandstorm and its props) and several okay but not vital deleted scenes, if you haven't yet caught up with Hunt and co.'s latest truly crowd pleasing thriller, I suggest you do so as soon as possible. Before it self destructs in five seconds!

KOOL TV REVIEW (overall film and extras):  8.5 out of 10

STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND. REMEMBERING 'SHØGUN'

In the New World: Richard Chamberlain and Yoko Shimada in the classic SHØGUN. Image: PARAMOUNT.

Truly caught between two worlds, noble and passionate seamen adventurer John Blackthorne, looking to discover the sea trading routes of China, instead finds himself shipwrecked alongside the remains of his crew within the deep wiles of beauty and brutality that is feudal Japan, quickly adapting to the culture and caught in a power struggle between its ambitious enemy warlords, once of whom, the mighty Lord Yoshi Toranaga (as played by legendary actor Toshiro Mifune), recognises that he can use the clever Englishman to aid his plans, in the epic 1980 US mini-series from PARAMOUNT: SHØGUN, based on the legendary seventies bestseller by respected author James Clavell. Beating strongly vocal opposition against him from the acclaimed novelist, who was heavily involved in the early stages of its TV translation, and after ex-007's Sean Connery and Roger Moore, as well as Albert Finney, had both turned down the role, Richard Chamberlain, recognising one of the best parts in Hollywood at the time, would fight tooth and nail to get the lead role of Blackthorne (later Anjin-san) and quickly proves well-cast, in what is probably his best screen role to date, in a costly (but well worth the price) mini-series that would be totally filmed in Japan and utilise its top talents, both in front of and behind the camera, resulting in both the Japanese and US crews each having to adapt and adjust to the others way of life and filming techniques, as well as surmounting the language barrier obstacles and translation problems that needed to be sorted out in an exhausting, but ultimately rewarding, daily basis. SHØGUN has a visceral, fairy-tale like beauty to it at times, helped with a memorable score from legendary film composer Maurice Jarre and lovely cinematography from Andrew Laszlo, mixed in with some noted violence and cruelty that amazingly got past the TV censors of the time-though perhaps this time such bosses were wise enough to realise that such unsettling deeds, was all truly part of the historical story of the period, what with its legendary Samurai and Ninja warriors/assassins. Right from the shows opening minutes, we as viewers unsettlingly realise that TV history will never be the same again when a shocked Blackthorne sees a Japanese Warlord quickly decapitate one of his servants in front of his (and our) eyes for not looking at him incorrectly, a powerful sequence and a stark visual reminder that this is all a whole 'nother world that our hero has now found himself entangled in.

Trailer: Shogun trailer - YouTube

Backed up with excellent guest star support from a pre-RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK John Rhys-Davies (playing a Falstaff-like Portuguese pirate, Vasco Rodriguez, captain of the Black Ship, who becomes hero/enemy to Chamberlain over the course of the series), the beautiful Yoko Shimada as Blackthorne's love interest, Lady Todo Buntaro-Mariko (the actress to be commended for her learning the English language specifically for the production, of which she also shows great dignity and fragile warmth in her role), Damien Thomas and Alan Baddiel, as the leaders of the Spanish Christian church struggling to maintain their order's power base and position against the ever-changing Japanese power plays that are intensified with the arrival of the "heretic" Blackthorne, and UFO's Vladek Sheybal who once again gives a uniquely memorable and villainous performance as the pirate Captain Ferriera. And let's also not forget the rest of the great Japanese cast, either, like Hideo Takamatsu as the dangerous and jealous Lord Buntaro or Frankie Sakai as Yabu.

Directed with verve by Jerry London and adapted lovingly by Clavell with Eric Bercovici, the soon acclaimed SHØGUN would be one of the true jewels of the PARAMOUNT TV crown, and an inspiring mini-series masterpiece, quickly proving itself as addictive viewing not only in the US (where it was hugely responsible for broadening friendly relationships and understanding between American and Japan in a way that had not been previously possible, due to the prior lingering ghosts of World War II) but worldwide, also (In the UK it was shown to very good ratings on the BBC). The five-part (sometimes shown as six) production has aged very well in its subsequent repeats and releases on DVD, and if you've never seen it before it's well worth a look.