Malcolm McDowell = Fantastic Films

Today, June 13th, is the birthday of actor Malcolm McDowell.  I've been a huge fan of his for years.  I first saw him in Time After Time, a film which wonderfully mixed sci-fi, humor and adventure.  McDowell played science fiction novelist H. G. Wells, whose time machine was stolen by Jack the Ripper (David Warner) in an attempt to avoid the authorities by escaping to the future.  Jack finds himself in an environment he happily calls home, while Wells in depressed by humanity's lack of progress.  Even a trip to McDonald's failed to lift the time traveller's spirits!

Malcolm McDowell also happens to star in my favorite film, O Lucky Man! which combines dark satire and whimsy in a plot about a coffee bean salesman inspired by McDowell's own youthful experience.  Alan Price, of Animals fame, provides a fantastically memorable soundtrack.  The film was directed by Lindsay Anderson.  Anderson was the director who brought McDowell to fame with the starring role of Michael Travis in the film if.....  McDowell returned to play the character twice more for Anderson in O Lucky Man! and Britannia Hospital.

The role which probably casts the greatest shadow across McDowell's career is that of Alex in A Clockwork Orange.  His appearence of a single false black eye lash and bowler hat accenting his tight white garb is iconic in the annals of cinema.  Director Stanley Kubrick's film offered abundant violence and nudity, but allowed Alex's unsavory actions an amount of appeal thanks to stylized scenes and McDowell's charisma.  It's shocked audiences and critics upon its release and still manages to do so.

Diverse is the best descripion applied to McDowell's work of the past 35 years.  He's portrayed villains with copious zeal in sci-fi pics like Star Trek Generations and Tank Girl.  He's been the lead in historic films with a tendacy toward drama like the World War I story of pilots - Aces High, as well as romps like director Richard Lester's Royal Flash.  Cat People presented McDowell as an odd indivdiual, desperate and cursed by a bizarre pedigree in an erotic reworking of the classic B&W horror film.  Along with other established actors like Peter O'Toole and Helen Mirren, he took a chance to appear in the sexually graphic Caligula.  Whether in the past or future, as hero or villain, McDowell is always fascinating to watch.

Most recently McDowell has starred on the TNT series Franklin and Bash as the eccentric head of the law firm which employs the title characters.

I've been fortunate to see Malcolm McDowell in person at several conventions.   His Q&A's concerning his career are always entertaining.           

Wild West Wonderings

     A couple weeks ago I took a trip to the wild west.  Well, I actually didn't travel that far west, I really went north - to Stanhope New Jersey.  That's where Wild West City is.  It's an amusement park that was established in the 50's when such places were all the rage, and the place has weathered changing tastes to remain in operation.  Wild West City offers a replica of an old west town complete with saloon and shows/re-enactments which feature can can girls as well as shoot outs.  Other points of interest include a stagecoach ride, a train ride, a station for the panning of gold and a petting zoo.

     The day I went to Wild West City, the place had a huge bonus attraction.  Larry Storch was there, meeting fans and signing autographs.  Storch seemed quite at home - not surprising since Storch's association with the wild west can be traced to his film appearence in The Great Race (alongside Tony Curtis) and his TV role as Corporal Agarn on the 60's comedy classic F Troop.  While only lasting two seasons, F Troop managed to fashion a ton of laughs as Corporal Agarn assisted the whiley Seargeant O'Rourke in numerous money making ideas under the nose of their commanding officer and often with the aid of the local indians who were more interested in profit then war paint.

     F Troop mixed modern sensibilities with western motiffs for hilarious results detailing life at Fort Courage.  Storch and co-star Forrest Tucker worked wonderfully well together.  F Troop remains a treasured series and is often repeated - currently it airs Thurs at 10pm on METV.  The west was a backdrop for a ton of series.  Some reinforced the traditional 'old west values' while others turned the genre inside out.  I thought I might mention a few favorites...

The Lone Rager - The classic western series.  Clayton Moore most famously portrayed the masked lawman, a Texas ranger who was the lone survivor of an ambush by outlaws.  Found and nursed back to health by Tonto, the two teamed to rid the west of the wicked.  The Lone Ranger wore a mask to hide his identity and became fond of using silver bullets as a trademark.  Tonto was portrayed by Jay Silverheels in a rare example for the era of  a native American portraying a native American.

Wild Wild West - Often honored as steampunk's TV intoduction, the series followed the adventures of secret service agents Jim West (Robert Conrad) and Artemus Gordon (Ross Martin) as they derailed the most bizarre plots of sinister geniuses bent on world domination.  This series aired in the 60's, when all the media was obsessed and fascinated by secret agents, so it was no surprise the wild west got their own operatives.  The two heroes were a nice combination, West was a master at hand to hand combat while Gordon had a knack for using gimmicky devices and donning disguises. 

The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. - Starring cult icon Bruce Campbell (of the gruesomely fun Evil Dead films) this series managed to establish a cult following of its own by offering adventures in the old west with a modern spin for its single season.  Not only did Brisco and his comrades envision futuristic ideas while defeating madmen as evil as those West and Gordon opposed, Brisco also had to deal with an alien orb endowed with mysterious powers! 

Dusty's Trails - Here's one few have heard of.  Lasting a single season, this series detailed the misadventures of a wagon lost in the west with a passenger list that included a wealthy couple, a glamorous saloon hall gal, and the rest.  Sound familiar?  It should, as its star was Bob Denver and it was delivered by those who gave us Gilligan's Island.  Denver played the wagon master's side kick.  The wagonmaster was portrayed by Forrest Tucker.  Hmmm, shouldn't he have been able to find the way to Fort Courage?     


     If you feel like a fun trip back to ye olde west, check out these series or take a trip to Wild West City.

     And LarryStorch of F Troop is still making a lot of appearences.  In fact he has just been accepted to receive a star plaque on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars.  To aid efforts to see that the comedy/acting legend gets his star you can go to www.gofundme.com/9ft6ag

Above photo - Larry Storch, W. P. Rigler, Cordelia (keeper of the Wild West City petting zoo) and one of the tough stunt hombres.  May 18, 2014