Two Geeks and a GIT Classic Movie Reviews Buddy Allman, Jeff Smith, and Chad Roberts

The second film in our pairing honoring Roger Corman is one of eight films done by Corman based on Edgar Allen Poe stories. Directed by Corman and written by Richard Matheson, this story takes the basic premise of Poe's story and spins it off in an original direction! Nicholas Medina (Vincent Price) is a nobleman living in Spain with his sister Catherine (Luana Anders). When Francis Barnard (John Kerr) arrives, looking for his sister Elizabeth, who married Nicholas, he is told she has died of a rare blood disease. Francis doesn't believe Nicholas, and is further intrigued when Elizabeth's doctor, Charles Leon (Antony Carbone) arrives and tell him Elizabeth died of extreme fear after spending an enormous amount of time in the castle's torture chamber, originally created by Nicholas' father who was part of the Spanish Inquisition. As Francis begins to unravel the truth about his sister, Nicholas' sanity also begins to unravel, until only madness and death begin to fill the castle. How will it end? You'll have to watch the film to find out! Plus, the Geeks and Git unveil which two classic police comedies will comprise their next pairing!

This impromptu pairing is dedicated to Roger Corman, who passed away at the age of 98 on May 9th, 2024. Known as the "King of the B-Picture," Corman was also famous for giving many young actors and directors their first, or breakthrough, opportunities! The first film in our pairing is a cult-favorite that put young actor Jack Nicholson on Hollywood's radar - 1960's "The Little Shop of Horrors!" If you're familiar with the off-Broadway musical, or the 1986 movie musical, this is the original version of that story! Directed and co-written by Corman, this is the tale of young Seymour Krelborn (Jonathan Haze), a true schlub, who is working for Gravis Mushnik (Mel Welles) at his Skid Row flower shop. Seymour is also in love with Audrey Fulquard (Jackie Joseph), the young woman who also works at the shop. In an effort to bring in more customers, Seymour has created a hybrid plant he's named "Audrey Jr." (voiced by co-writer Charles B. Griffith). Unfortunately for Seymour, he discovers the plant requires blood to thrive and grow. And as it gets bigger, although it attracts more attention and brings in more customers, its appetite grows as well, turning Seymour into an unwitting and unwilling murderer just to keep the plant satisfied! Also starring Dick Miller, Leola Wendorf, and Jack Nicholson as "Wilbur Force!"

The second film in this pairing pays tribute to another young actor, one who did amazing things and undoubtedly would have gone on to have an incredible career, had he not died of an accidental overdose of sleeping pills and anti-anxiety meds. Directed by Christopher Nolan, "The Dark Knight" was a sequel to "Batman Begins" in 2005, also directed by Nolan. Taking place nine months after the events of the first film, "Dark Knight" follow Bruce Wayne/Batman (Christian Bale, reprising the title role) as he continues to try to bring order to Gotham City. After dealing with impersonators and an old nemesis, a new menace appears in Gotham's underworld, a clown who identifies himself only as The Joker (Heath Ledger). As Batman continues to take on the mob and the banks that are laundering their money, the Joker pitches his assistance to the criminals and proposes killing the Batman. Bruce is also dealing with the heartache of having his love, Rachael Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal), falling for another man, Gotham's new D.A., Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). As the Joker consolidates his power, and forces Batman to choose between Dent and Rachael, the ultimate showdown between the epitome of order and the embodiment of chaos is set, with a shocking ending in store! Also starring Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon, Sir Michael Caine as Alfred, and Morgan Freeman as Lucious Fox! Plus, the gents reveal which two police comedies they're including in their next pairing!

Our pairing this time around is dedicated to actors who left us too soon, and whose promising careers never saw what should have been their end. First up, the actor who did few films but earned not one but two Academy Award nominations for those he did do. James Dean was a rising star on television and in the cinema, but his untimely death just four years after he began acting took him from the world. Directed by Nicholas Ray, 1955's "Rebel Without a Cause" was Dean's second-to-last film. In it, Dean stars as Jim Stark, the high-school-aged son of an immasculated father (Jim Backus) and a domineering and over-protective mother (Ann Doran). The Starks have moved to yet another new town in the hopes that Jim will finally fit in. Unfortunately, Jim makes enemies of the local gang, led by Buzz Gunderson (Corey Allen), after flirting with Buzz's girlfriend Judy (Natalie Wood). The local outcast, Plato Crawford (Sal Mineo) quickly becomes Jim's friend and admirer, and tries his best to watch Jim's back. As the story unfolds, Jim, Judy, and Plato become a trio of friends, but continue to run afoul of the gang after Gus is killed in a cliff-side "chickie run" results in Gus's car going over the cliff. The three eventually all run away from home together, taking shelter in an abandoned estate. Unfortunately, the gun Plato took from his house ends up causing tensions and violence to ratchet up, causing a tense standoff with the local police. Also starring Dennis Hopper and Edward Platt!

The second film in our dual-memorium pairing pays tribute to Louis Gossett Jr. in a film that earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Directed by Taylor Hackford, 1982's "An Officer and a Gentleman" tells the story of Zack Mayo (Richard Gere), son of a rear admiral who never wanted to be a father. Mayo decides to enlist in the Naval Aviator program, ruled over by a tyrannical Drill Instructor, Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley (Gossett Jr.). There he meets and befriends fellow candidate Sid Worley (David Keith), and the two of them meet Paula Pokrifki (Debra Winger) and Lynnette Pomeroy (Lisa Blount). Foley and Pomeroy, and Mayo and Pokrifki, begin a whirlwind romance, all the while trying to survive the training doled out by Foley. Throughout their 13 weeks, Mayo, Worley, and their fellow cadets experience every conceivable type of hardship and must overcome every obstacle thrown in their path, although Worley and Mayo have more to overcome than most. Ultimately, some fall by the wayside before graduation, and some relationships fail in the face of reality. Ultimately, those who deserve to continue along the path to becoming a pilot succeed, and some relationships stand the test as well. Also starring Robert Loggia and David Caruso! Plus, the trio unveil which two actors, whose lives were lost too soon, will be singled out in the next pairing!

This pairing is a dual-memorium pairing for two wonderful actors we've lost recently. First up, we celebrate the life of noted character actor M. Emmet Walsh, who passed away on March 19th, 2024 at the age of 88. With over 230 films to his credit, we've already done a few he was part of. To pay tribute, we turn to one of Jeff's guilty pleasures, a film based on a book written before the location of the wreckage of a famous ship had been located. In 1980's "Raise the Titanic," directed by Jerry Jameson and based on a book by Clive Cussler written in 1978, the U.S. Government is developing missile shield technology, but it requires a material called byzanium. The only cache of byzanium known to exist shipped for the U.S. from London in 1912... on the RMS Titanic. The director of the National Underwater Marine Agency (N.U.M.A.), Admiral James Sandecker (Jason Robards) decides to send the agent, Dirk Pitt (Richard Jordan), to head up a search and recovery mission. Step 1: Locate where the Titanic actually sits on the bottom of the ocean. Once that is accomplished, it's determined that it's too deep to allow divers to enter the wreckage. The only alternative is: Raise the Titanic from the ocean floor and complete its voyage to New York. Unfortunately, the Russians learn of the operation and, given the missile defense would stop their missiles from ever reaching the U.S., they set about attempting to stop Pitt and his crew. Also starring Alec Guinness, M. Emmet Walsh, David Selby, Anne Archer, and Elya Baskin!