BATMAN-
George Sanders as Mr. Freeze.
While I much prefer the so-over-the-top-it's-in-orbit Otto Preminger Freeze (WILD!),
Sanders plays the Subzero scion with style. The oddball process effects showing Freeze's temperature-zone-mo-tron in action is fun to see in its wobbly glory.
My all-time favorite, though, is the TAS Victor Fries:
Michael Ansara voiced him with menace and pathos, and turned the animated Freeze into anything but a cartoon.
WONDER WOMAN.
Have mercy. I know it was the '70s, but that theme... It is like a DC version of the Jared radio ads, sung on an off-balance washing machine.
I have never been a fan of the WW series. Yes, Lynda Carter. Yes, dat costume. But no.
STAR TREK
Oh, mercy, again. "Wolf In The Fold", one of my favorite episodes. Piglet as Jack the Ripper!
John Fiedler does a great job as the petulant pencil-pusher Hengist. Hearing Piglet's voice intoning "Kill, kill, kill you all!" is worth it all! Robert Bloch penned a script that makes you suspend disbelief, and think that Mr. Scott actually murdered two women! The officious Hengist is as odious a bureaucrat as you could wish. I suspect that Bloch had a number of bad experiences at the DMV..
SVENGOOLIE.
It's Rankin/Bass time! King Kong Escapes is the movie tonight, complete with a character named Doctor Who...er...Hu, dubbed by Paul Frees. Mie Hama, who played Kissy Suzuki in You Only Live Twice is the eee-VIL Madame Piranha. Rhodes Reason plays Cmdr. Roundeyes or somesuch (Carl Nelson).
3 comments:
"In your satin tights, fighting for your rights" LOL!!
@Warren --- Still can't hold a candle to:
"Softness in his eyes,
Iron in his thighs,
Virtue in his heart,
Fire in every part,
Of the Mighty Hercules."
(Decades later and those lyrics still make me go WTF?)
@Aardvark --- Oh my! Someone else who appreciates Preminger's turn as Mr. Freeze. Some directors were just born to also be in front of the camera.
Agree that Michael Ansara turned the animated Freeze into "anything but a cartoon". The argument can be extended to say that Batman: The Animated Series was anything than just a simple cartoon, and still is a high water mark of American animated programming.
One of my two favorite John Fiedler roles occurs with "Wolf in the Fold" (the other being a Shasta soda pop commercial from 1971). Always known as a comedic actor, Fiedler's facial expression when the deal goes down and he's busted is nothing short of lethal. Hannibal Lecter should have such a look.
"King Kong Escapes" is definitely one of my favorite kaiju films. The great character actor Hideyo Amamoto as the villain (and dubbed by Frees no less), pretty much making up for Linda Miller (who cops the award for being the absolute WORST actress in film history). One of Akira Ifukube'a best scores, and a kick-butt fight scene between Kong and his robot double.
(No maser cannons, though. Bummer.)
No maser cannons?
They do in fact appear, as armor is rolling out prior to The Big Finish. Apparently they washed 'em in hot water, because the weapon is tiny on top of the vehicle. Not surprising they did not actually use them.
Can anyone really make up for Linda Miller? Really?
Post a Comment