E-mail Subscription

Receive an e-mail notification of new posts on this site:

Vimu Subscription

Category Quick Links

Film & TV on DVD - John Doe News & Reviews

Greetings Film Fiends and welcome to John Doe's Film Blog. 30 years of dedicated celluloid obsession has meant that I have seen a few films. Drawing attention to some of the lesser discussed gems that I love. Cult classics, obscure curios and quality genre pictures. This blogs purpose is to translate some of my passion for these films and with luck, inspire you the reader to go check em out.

Action Horror - Film & TV on DVD

My Name is Bruce – Be Warned

July 22nd 2008 00:02

Bruce Campbell gets out the BOOM-STICK!.

My Name is Bruce Poster

“Unlike most action stars I can speak…what’s the word? English!” – Bruce Campbell

Everyone’s favourite lantern jawed cult hero Bruce Campbell is famous for his part as Ash in the Evil Dead trilogy and for cameos in a multitude of other Sam Raimi’s films since. His legacy extends to summoning the spirit of the king, brilliant as retirement village Elvis in Bubba Ho-Tep and numerous other horror curios like Maniac Cop.

Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell on Evil Dead

Now the big man himself stars in and Directs the horror comedy My Name is Bruce. The cock sure B grade legend plays himself. Buying into his own image when a small town in Oregon is invaded by “the chinese god of war, protector of the dead” he thinks he is the only man capable of smighting the beast, he is wrong!
“You need someone who can take on a heinous monster and stop it in its tracks…That would be me.” – Bruce Campbell

A comic book hero

Written by Mark Verheiden who worked on the Battlestar Galactica reimagining and co starring buddy Ted Raimi (Army of Darkness), My Name is Bruce is due for release in October in the US and on DVD in January 2009.

Bruce in make up for My Name Is.

The new trailer (below) for the film had JD trying to conjure a “she-bitch”, “just to give it some sugar”. So crack out the “boom stick” and get ready to chug some bourbon, molest some women and whip some evil oriental butt.

Monster hunting in the woods

On a side note if you are even remotely a fan of Bruce, check out his autobiography titled If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Grade Movie Actor, it’s a frank and hilarious behind the scenes struggle of sub-existence within the film industry.

Dani Kelly co-stars in My Name is Bruce

Images courtesy of evildeadnews.com

My Name is Bruce Trailer

Bruce Campbell, Roger Corman, Rob Zombie and Faizon Love with Jon Favreau for Dinner for 5 – Part 1.

Bruce Campbell interviewed by Craig Ferguson

Shared on

Comments (11)

Add Comments

[ Link ]

Posted By: JohnDoe - Category: Action, Film News and Views, Comedy, Horror

Email this Post to a Friend

Quentin Tarantino’s DeathProof (2007) – Trailer Included

October 4th 2007 06:15

A high powered box office death machine?

John Doe’s trip to the U.S of A was filled with visits to cinematic landmarks and the odd historical monument but the greatest pleasure derived from the journey was access to DVD’s currently unavailable in Australia. Due for a bigscreen release in Oz on November 1st JD was lucky enough to grab the 2 disc unrated Special Edition of Mr Tarantino’s latest schlock celluloid salute.

The Poster

Writer/Director:Quentin Tarantino
Starring:Rose McGowan, Kurt Russell, Rosario Dawson, Sydney Poitier, Tracie Thoms, Vannessa Ferlito, Zoe Bell, Eli Roth, Jordan Ladd

“I'm not a cowboy, Pam... I'm a stuntman.” – Stuntman Mike

Constructed on a foundation of sexual and violent, high concept exploitation, the Grindhouse cinema of the 1970’s was meant to entertain a small band of sicko’s and repel the masses. Generally a single warped concept created an eye catching poster that low budget filmmakers penned a script around. Often screening as a double bill at the drive-in these were genre pictures that were propelled by an inventive combination of subversive button pushing and striking pop culture imagery.

Tarantino’s Death-Proof fits snugly into this classic mold and unashamedly salutes the actual speed automotive destruction gems like Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry and Vanishing Point which are cited in the script on several occasions. Taking elements of The Hitcher this is the story of Stuntman Mike’s (Kurt Russell) reign of twisted metal terror.
“Hey, Pam, remember when I said this car was death proof? Well, that wasn't a lie. This car is 100% death proof. Only to get the benefit of it, honey, you REALLY need to be sitting in my seat.” – Stuntman Mike

In typical fashion the plot is simple, 3 sexually extroverted female victims are heading away to daddy’s lakehouse but are sidetracked by booze and boys. Inebriating themselves at a bar and flaunting their wares, enter the psychopathic thrill seeker with a muscle car reinforced to become “Death-Proof”.

Soon blood will drip down the windscreen, black tyre marks are left on the asphalt as lust and desire are mutilated into a sick display of mechanical prowess. But that’s only half the story with the next 45 minutes seeing the tables turned when a new set of girls make the hunter into prey.
“It was a fifty fifty shot on whether you'd be going left or right. You see we're both going left. You could have just as easily been going left, too and if that was the case... It would have been a while before you started getting scared. But since you're going the other way, I'm afraid you're gonna have to start getting scared... immediately!” – Stuntman Mike

The striking Colourful femmes - just get out and have a drink

John Doe Says:
Sure this a misogynistic, sexist empty vessel that reeks of petrol fumes but that’s the point. For those who dig the old school style chase films with CG free death defying driving work and a genuine fear that someone may die for the good of the shot look no further.

The benchmark aimed for here may be low in some eyes, but it’s easy to enjoy the dialogue heavy affair that takes its time meeting the ultimate destination of 4 wheel, big block engine mayhem and revenge.

Moving one of his chess pieces

Directed with obvious relish, Its easy to see that “T” is in his element bringing much of his trademark shtick to bare ahead of tension or excitement. The opening 30 minutes are spent with little attention to the villain and instead focus on hip repartee between the potential targets of disaster.

An eclectic soundtrack propels the visuals. Unashamedly tacky sexploitation replaces character and story development, frames burst with breasts, legs and butts (plus of course feet). Sticking to its inspiration there are times when nothing much happens, there is very little exposition which means the joy comes from the guilty pleasure of words and situations.

Guaranteeing the villain is the coolest dude in the show by the time Kurt swaggers in to the bar we are barracking for him to unleash his gory desires.

The stunt work is breathtaking, the mangled high octane instruments of death seer images into the mind. The appropriately tattered appearance of the film stock and crash cut editing maintain a retrospective atmosphere as if we are just now seeing a movie 30 years after its release.

The woman all slot into the landscape carrying themselves with an appropriate lack of trashy consciousness. Rose McGowan (Jawbreaker, Doom Generation, Nowhere) and Rosario Dawson (Sin City, A Guide to Recognizing your Saints, 25th Hour) seem in there element, scantily clad and bimboing it up.

Vanessa Ferlito (25th Hour, Spiderman 2) ups the vamp tramp quota while Sydney Poitier and Tracie Thoms (Wonderfalls) remain the most likeable of the two vixen packs.

A conglomerate of his past, Kurt Russell (Escape from NY, Big Trouble In Little China, Tango and Cash, The Thing) brings the baggage of Snake Plisken, Jack Burton and his other Carpenter co productions adding pleasure to watching this evil persona.

Obviously John Doe is biased because he loved this type of no holes barred filmmaking the first time round and has been hugely influenced by the movies it homages. Death-Proof won’t win any industry awards or convert non-believers but as with many of the celluloid contributions cited on JDMfilmreviews it is aware of it limitations and will satsify those who know what to expect before the curtain raises in a dark, dingy movie-house.

The abysmal response to the Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino presents Grindhouse twin feature serves to emphasise that the brash pair have succeeded in their goal. After all this was never meant for the mainstream, it also highlights the publics misconception of the Director’s work which has always existed to recreate the schlock entertainment he loves not revolutionize cinema.

*****SPOILERS INCLUDED****** Lap dancing missing and mangled bodies, a fun clip from the film