Of Hornets and Corsets

BURLESQUE -2010
MUSICAL DRAMA

You have seen this plot line a thousand times--talented small time gal wants to go LA to become a star. What makes it great is the great singer Christina Aguilera. She can belt out a song in skimpy, sexy outfits when she becomes the lead singer of the club owned by Cher who won’t sell out if it kills her. It is a happy ending. The story's not original, acting's not great, but the dancing and singing are the stars. It should be a Broadway musical with Bob Fosse-type dance moves. I don’t think it did well in the movies, but YOU should see it on DVD and Blu-ray, or better yet, buy the soundtrack!!!

THE GREEN HORNET -2011
ACTION COMEDY -- TV SHOW VS MOVIE COMPARISON

Now that the movie Green Hornet is out, I must compare the series with the movie. The series was not camp like Batman in the 60’s. It was serious, as is the movie, which is an action comedy. Van Williams (series), and Seth Rogen (movie) star as the Green Hornet. Neither is particularly interesting, but Rogen is more annoying. Bruce Lee was Kato(series), reprised by Jay Cho (movie). Cho is more intelligent and has more lines than Lee -- if you can understand him, and has 'Kato-Vision,' but Bruce Lee is an icon and bought martial arts to the masses.

The car - Black Beauty (series) was limited because of budget, but the big-screen Black Beauty (movie) is AWESOME. More gadgets than a James Bond movie can ever imagine!!! Weapons - Green Hornet in the series had “The Stinger” it is like sonic taser. In the movie, no taser. Lenore Case (Wende Wagner - series) played by Cameron Diaz (movie) - is very smart, and can handle herself. The club The Pony Tail (series) is not in the movie, but Rogen had a lot of women partying and bedding him. Walter Brooke as District attorney Frank P. Scanlon was a good guy (series) David Harbour (movie), not so nice. Green Hornet (series) did not have a nemesis, but Bloodnosfsky (movie) is close.

IF I WROTE THE SCREENPLAY: One version, I would have taken an episode from the old series and made it longer. Second version, in the beginning Green Hornet would be shot and Kato would investigate the shooting and use all his skills to find out the criminals are yakuza and working for Bloodnofsky, for he was a very good villain. He would even pretend to be Green Hornet for a time to confuse the bad guys!!!