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MURDER, SHE WROTE: MURDER IN MILAN (Season 9: Episode 1)

SUMMARY:           APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 47:00 Min.

First airing on CBS on September 20, 1992, Anthony Pullen Shaw (Angela Lansbury’s son) directed this ninth season premiere off Laurence Heath’s script. 

Jessica Fletcher’s (Lansbury) novel, All The Murderers, has been adapted into a high-profile blockbuster film set to premiere at a glitzy Milan film festival – reminiscent of Cannes.  Friendly with Jessica, the film’s producing partners: Catherine Wayne and Tom Hiller (Blakely and Desiderio); its up-and-coming director, Jim Randall (Kroeger); leading lady Louise Thayer (Pinsent); and her screenwriter father, Andrew (Coe), are all in attendance.  The same applies to Jessica’s famous friend, Marcello (Romero), and a rival film producer, Steve Morrison (Gleason). Also present is Paul Crenshaw (Harper), who bears mutual professional hostility towards Wayne.  

Randall and Morrison unsuccessfully try double-teaming Ms. Wayne to release Randall from his binding two-year contract. That way, he can direct Morrison’s upcoming high-profile project.  Wayne, to her chagrin, finds that her film’s star (and now Randall’s fiancée), Louise, is hardly inclined to help keep him from being poached from his contractual commitments.  More so, unexplained cost overruns exceeding a million dollars from the end of the film’s production has perplexed Wayne, Hiller, and Randall. 

With Randall on the phone in another room, someone decides to brutally murder the chilly Ms. Wayne inside her posh hotel suite.  Randall is arrested as the crime’s prime suspect, but Louise is the first one to discover the corpse.  It’s then up to Jessica and the local police inspector (DiCenzo) to find Catherine Wayne’s desperate killer.                    

Jessica Fletcher: Angela Lansbury

Catherine Wayne: Susan Blakely

Marcello Abruzzi: Cesar Romero

Jim Randall: Gary Kroeger

Steve Morrison: Paul Gleason

Tom Hiller: Robert Desiderio

Inspector Lombardo: George DiCenzo

Louise Thayer: Leah Pinsent

Andrew Thayer: George Coe

Paul Crenshaw: Robert Harper

Giorgio (paparazzi photographer): Time Winters

Hotel Maid: Grace Kent

Press Agent: Mary Wickliffe

Reporter: Paul Ryan

Other Reporters: Uncredited

Countess: Barbara Pilavin

Party Attendees: Uncredited Extras

Hotel Guests: Uncredited Extras

Milan Policemen: Uncredited

Catherine’s Office Staff: Uncredited

Note: Nearly all of this supporting cast had previously appeared on Murder, She Wrote in different guest roles.

REVIEW:

This formulaic ninth season opener serves up glitzy style without the substance.  Aside from wasting Cesar Romero and George DiCenzo in minor roles, the script’s biggest whodunnit mistake is that only the eventual culprit appears remotely suspicious.  Working with a decent guest cast, Angela Lansbury’s Jessica Fletcher makes it look far too easy disposing of this tepid case.  Specifically, Jessica (and her off-screen London legal team) conducts even the most basic investigative work that the Milan police inspector conveniently overlooks.     

Besides telegraphing the culprit and far too little police work, Laurence Heath’s weakly-devised script makes a third glaring blunder.  By depicting ‘Catherine Wayne’ as a tough yet otherwise reasonable businesswoman, it negates virtually the entire suspect roster, in terms of any plausible motive to kill her. 

Had Susan Blakely’s character been conveyed more as a mean-spirited villainess tempting a harsh fate (no matter how clichéd it sounds), there would at least be some potential for a suspect’s intriguing plot twist.  Yet, the closest viewers get to such a twist is the inference that no one sheds an iota of grief over her brutal death – even Jessica just shrugs it off.  Instead, everyone comes off as far more self-involved in posed glamour photos for the paparazzi (i.e. the image going into the closing credits).

The victim’s meaningless death spells out how hollow Heath’s underwhelming script really is — and the less said about the ludicrous crime once finally revealed in flashback the better. “Murder in Milan,” in theory, might have been a solid Murder, She Wrote premise. Unfortunately, its vacuous pap fails to generate an ounce of suspense.      

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  2 Stars

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MURDER, SHE WROTE: MURDER — ACCORDING TO MAGGIE (Season 6: Episode 17)

SUMMARY:          APPROX. RUNNING TIME: 47:00 Min.

First airing on CBS on March 4, 1990, John Llewellyn Moxey directed this episode off a script by the program’s co-creator/executive producer, Peter S. Fischer. 

Per a regular practice for Murder, She Wrote’s sixth season, “Murder – According to Maggie” briefly depicts Angela Lansbury’s ‘Jessica Fletcher’ in the first scene introducing the subsequent standalone story.  There is a dual purpose: 1. To allow an elderly Lansbury extended vacation breaks from filming, and 2. To test the waters for potential spinoff options. In this instance, Jessica introduces a tale about her former writing student, Mary Margaret “Maggie (aka “M.M.”) McCauley (Canova). 

Unable to get her heartfelt poetry and more down-to-earth literary works published, Maggie has reluctantly established herself in Hollywood’s TV industry.  As the stressed creator/executive producer/head screenwriter of a popular, hard-nosed cop drama, “Beat Cop,” Maggie battles both her ungrateful cast and self-serving TV network executives.  With the likelihood of “Beat Cop” being abruptly cancelled by the scheming network president (Sandy), someone opts to influence that decision through homicide. 

Given that the murder weapon is his own prop gun, the show’s egocentric moron of a star, Bert Rodgers (Thomerson), is subsequently arrested as the prime suspect.  Under pressure from executives (Hickman and Guilbert) to save “Beat Cop,” a snarky Maggie must then play amateur detective.  Evading disapproval from the condescending LAPD homicide detective (Arndt) she is dating, Maggie probes a plethora of self-serving secrets off the set of “Beat Cop.”  As she fears, it’s likely that one of her own show’s insiders committed murder for an ulterior purpose.           

Jessica Fletcher: Angela Lansbury

Mary Margaret “Maggie” McCauley: Diana Canova

Bert Rodgers: Tim Thomerson

Dana Darren: Leann Hunley

Andy Butler: Bruce Kirby

Brian Thursdan: Dwayne Hickman

LAPD Lt. Vince Palermo: Denis Arndt

Julie Pritzer: Talia Balsam

Keith Carmody: Gary Sandy

Leo Kaplan: Paul Kreppel

Harriet De Vol: Ann Morgan Guilbert

Director: Tom Troupe

Screening Room Projectionist: Vince Howard

LAPD Uniformed Cops: Paul Ganus, Ron Steelman, & Myles O’Brien

Dooley: Greg Norberg

Burnsie: Ben Stack

Vi: Miriam Flynn.

REVIEW:

Entertainment-wise, this derivative episode (*see below) is easily watchable yet just as easily forgotten. In terms of actual storytelling substance, unfortunately, it’s weak stuff – including Lansbury’s forgettable contribution.  Aside from guest star Diana Canova’s fun presence, the episode’s backstage TV industry chuckles provide its other endearing asset. 

With Fred Dryer’s Hunter as a then-Nielsen ratings rival, it’s obvious that Murder, She Wrote pitches its “Beat Cop” as some good-natured parody along the lines of Police Squad.  Despite an amusing premise, this episode is self-sabotaged by too many subpar contrivances and the cast’s purely routine performances.  Ironically, in terms of laziness, the script’s mediocrity mirrors that of the even more insipid “Beat Cop.” 

The following revelation isn’t meant as a plot spoiler, but to demonstrate a sample of the storyline’s dreadful plotting.  Specifically, the mystery’s pivotal clue is ridiculous, as it somehow precipitates Maggie and the culprit then converging alone after hours at the studio.  More so, the LAPD have conveniently deduced the same via lab testing before showing up right on cue.  Calling this silly climax a Hollywood TV murder-mystery cliché is frankly an insult to clichés.  More so, the innocuous item providing the script’s eye-rolling clue might be the epitome of inoffensive TV murder-mystery pap.

Peter S. Fischer’s lighthearted script laughs at macho TV cop shows (and, by extension, Hollywood’s jaded industry), but “Murder – According to Maggie” is hardly a gem itself.  It’s just a shame that Canova’s appealing character sinks into rerun oblivion with an inferior whodunnit.         

*Note: Déjà vu!  Moxey and Fischer trotted out this spoofy Murder, She Wrote premise once before in Season Four’s “Steal Me A Story.” In that instance, the fictional TV detective show they gleefully knock is Jack Klugman’s Quincy, M.E. – it’s a bit of foreshadowing considering CBS debuted Diagnosis: Murder six years later. 

Unsurprisingly, this decent Season Four episode suffers the same problem: lots of good TV insider jokes, but its formulaic mystery isn’t really much of a whodunnit. Between the two of them, “Steal Me A Story” surpasses “Murder – According to Maggie,” due to a slightly more complex plot … and a few extra originality points.  

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                   4 Stars

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AWA WORLD CHAMPION MR. SAITO VS. LARRY ZBYSZKO (SUPERCLASH IV: Recorded 4-8-1990)

SUMMARY:                    RUNNING TIME: 16:01 Min.

After losing his AWA World Championship at the Tokyo Dome two months before, self-proclaimed “Living Legend” Larry Zbyszko sought to reclaim the title from Mr. Saito (Masa Saito).  Their title rematch headlined the AWA’s last significant show: SuperClash IV.  The site would be Saint Paul Civic Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on April 8, 1990. 

At ringside are AWA owner/promoter Verne Gagne and (off-camera) his son, Greg Gagne.  Also present, as representatives of Japanese pro wrestling, are Riki Choshu and Tiger Hattori, to support Saito.  Four-time AWA World Champion Nick Bockwinkel would be this title bout’s special guest referee.  Neither commentary nor on-screen graphics are included, so the unfiltered video footage resembles that of an average house show.    

By year’s end, the AWA essentially became defunct, with only its contractually obligated ESPN programming keeping the promotion alive.  By January 1991, the AWA World Championship had been deactivated.  The AWA’s dissolution, per its bankruptcy, became official as August of 1991.

Note: Verne Gagne’s Minneapolis-based AWA was the American Wrestling Association.

REVIEW:

Some reviewers have judged this Saito/Zbyszko bout harshly, as in a mere ½-star-caliber rating.  Undeniably, the match isn’t good, but it’s not that horrendous, either.  Apart from a single Scorpion Deathlock, Saito and Zbyszko ride a wrestling time warp to the 1950’s.  Evidently, it’s the best that a 48-year-old Saito and 39-year-old Zbyszko could muster. 

To no one’s surprise, this AWA World Title defense is likely 1990’s most methodically mundane.  Zbyszko (the king of stall tactics) and the no-nonsense Saito were both far better in-ring tacticians than the WWF’s then-new World Champion, the Ultimate Warrior.  Unlike the one-dimensional Warrior, their glaring problem is that neither one generates an ounce of fan-friendly charisma.  That’s why this AWA championship bout is a sleep-inducing slog to watch. 

As for why it’s the last noteworthy AWA World Title match, one should beware of the bleak context.  Decimated by the WWF’s mid-to-late 80’s talent raids, Verne Gagne’s thirty-year-old AWA was coasting on fumes by April 1990.  Backstage squabbling had halted cooperative relief from the Von Erichs’ Dallas-based WCCW (World Class Championship Wrestling) and Jerry Lawler’s Memphis-based CWA/USWA (Championship Wrestling Association/United States Wrestling Association). 

Yet, between late 1988 and early 1990, Gagne still had some popular options in anointing a possibly game-changing World Champion. Kerry Von Erich, Nikita Koloff, the acrobatic Tom Zenk (like Koloff, a Minnesota native), or an aging Sgt. Slaughter could have all potentially spearheaded an AWA rebuild.   Besides Zbyszko, prominent heels included Tully Blanchard and Kokina Maximus (aka the WWF’s future Yokozuna) – both of whom appeared on SuperClash IV’s undercard.  Such star power might have sparked AWA’s remaining fanbase a glimmer of hope heading into the 1990’s.   

Gagne’s old school mentality predictably veered towards nepotism in choosing his son-in-law, Zbyszko, as the promotion’s supposed savior.  Per company tradition, this decision made some sense: Zbyszko possessed the necessary technical skills for an AWA World Champion.  His villainous drawing power (a decade after his legendary WWF feud against Bruno Sammartino), however, was dubious at best. 

A title rivalry with a Japanese veteran of Mr. Saito’s caliber wasn’t likely to excite fans stateside to the mediocre AWA product.  Again, this SuperClash IV match-up competed against exciting World Title feuds like the NWA/WCW’s Sting and Lex Luger challenging Ric Flair or the WWF’s Ultimate Warrior vs. Rick Rude (or Hulk Hogan vs. any WWF villain).  Zbyszko’s who-cares? title challenge, in other words, didn’t stand a chance.

Try as they might, Saito and Zbyszko’s no-frills showdown, along with Nick Bockwinkel’s classy presence, will appeal to nostalgic AWA die-hards only.  Ironically, the ring announcer’s post-match confusion is realistic.  More so, having Saito and Zbyszko both question Bockwinkel before he explains the contested three-count to the announcer is a nice touch. 

Unfortunately, this bout’s lackluster action ensures its historical significance would plummet into pro wrestling’s dustbin.     

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     3 Stars

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THE TERMINATOR (1984)

SUMMARY:                  RUNNING TIME: 1 Hr., 47 Min.

Released in 1984 by Orion Pictures, James Cameron directed this Hemdale/Pacific Western production off a script he had co-written with his then-wife (and the film’s producer), Gale Anne Hurd.

In Los Angeles of 2029, a nuclear holocaust decades before has devastated humanity.  Eradicating the remaining pockets of human resistance is the monstrous artificial intelligence, Skynet.  Its high-tech, robotic army of ‘Machines’ include ruthless androids packing laser blasters are designed to infiltrate and destroy humanity from within by posing as one of them.  These superhuman and virtually indestructible cyborgs are dubbed ‘Terminators,’ as their kill-only programming can neither be bargained nor reasoned with. 

To eliminate its greatest threat: the pivotal resistance leader, John Connor, Skynet’s experimental technology sends a Terminator (Schwarzenegger) back to the Los Angeles of 1984.  Its mission is to exterminate Connor’s unsuspecting, future mother: Sarah (Hamilton).  For a seemingly one-way suicide mission, Connor’s best and most trusted friend, commando Kyle Reese (Biehn), volunteers to follow and protect Sarah, as best he can. Once marooned in 1984, both the Terminator and Reese must then rely upon present-day weaponry in battling one another.  

It’s up to Reese to desperately improvise a fleeing defense in saving an incredulous Sarah from her worst possible nightmare.  Caught up in this mass-homicide showdown are civilians and Los Angeles cops, unaware that the first sign of the nuclear apocalypse has arrived in the form of the Terminator.  

                                       Primary Cast

Sarah J. Connor: Linda Hamilton

The Terminator: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Kyle Reese: Michael Biehn

Lt. Ed Traxler (LAPD): Paul Winfield

Vukovich (LAPD): Lance Henriksen

Dr. Peter Silberman: Earl Boen

Ginger: Bess Motta

Matt: Rick Rossovich

Nancy: Shawn Schepps

Gun Shop Clerk: Dick Miller

2nd Terminator (2029): Franco Columbu

Sarah Connor # 1: Marianne Muellerleile

LAPD Desk Sergeant: Bruce M. Kerner

LAPD Patrol Officer: William Wisher (who contributed dialogue and later co-scripted 1991’s T2: Judgment Day)

LAPD Cops: Ken Fritz, Tom Oberhaus, & Ed Dogans

LAPD Station Cops: Uncredited

Derelict: Stan Yale

Gas Station Attendant (Mexico): Tony Mirelez

Mexican Children: Anthony J. Trujillo & Philip Gordon

Sarah’s Mother (voice only): Uncredited

Resistance Members (2029): Uncredited

Punks: Bill Paxton, Brad Rearden, and Brian Thompson.

REVIEW:

For the Terminator’s 40th Anniversary, there probably isn’t anything new to be said applauding this game-changing 1984 film for standing the test of time – pardon the expression. 

In comparison to the franchise’s innumerable and mostly unnecessary sequels (not to mention, a sub-genre of inferior imitators), the phrase, ‘simple yet sophisticated,’ comes to mind.  Working off a modest budget (an estimated $6.4 million), virtually every vital component of The Terminator’s production ranges from above-average to superb for its era: special effects; Brad Fiedel’s pulsating, metallic-like score; acting; and, above all, the story’s cohesive structure. 

While the film’s VFX limitations are occasionally exposed (i.e. distorted close-ups depicting the Terminator’s damaged face; and the hokey puppetry passing for Stan Winston’s Terminator metallic endoskeleton), the ensemble cast’s efforts selling the plot easily makes up any difference.  Beyond the immense credit that writer/director James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger deserve, Linda Hamilton herself puts forth an MVP-caliber performance. 

Along with a game Hamilton, an underrated Michael Biehn certainly merits recognition for a job well done. Biehn effectively imbues his sole franchise appearance (aside from Reese’s discarded T2 scene) with an aura of plausible desperation the film needs and takes full advantage of.  Additional kudos go to Earl Boen’s ultra-cynical psychiatrist and, ever subtly, Paul Winfield’s low-key cop for further pushing The Terminator’s outlandish premise into believable sci-fi. 

Understandably, the film’s surplus of grisly and glamorized violence will be a turn-off to some viewers.  Yet, the messiah-inspired storyline that Cameron and his then-wife (and producer), Gale Anne Hurd, devised is still brilliantly implemented.  In his most menacing and iconic on-screen persona, Schwarzenegger (buoyed by Hamilton and Biehn’s terrific support) visualizes the Cameron/Hurd story into one of the best sci-fi/horror thrillers ever made.  It’s simple as that.       

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

This High-Definition Blu-Ray’s technical specifications are: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1; alternatively, the options are Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 and French DTS 5.1.  Subtitles are available in English SDH, Spanish, and French.  The viewing perspective is Widescreen 1.85:1.

Among the seven deleted scenes provided, two are particularly intriguing.  One entitled “Lt. Traxler’s Arc” is a montage of quick Paul Winfield scenes excluded from the theatrical cut, including a final exchange between Sarah, Reese, and a wounded Traxler.  More so, the “Sarah Fights Back” explores material that foreshadows Sarah’s preemptive attack against Cyberdyne Systems (Skynet’s precursor) prior to 1991’s T2: Judgment Day.

There is also a vignette: Creating The Terminator, which discusses the creation of its visual effects and Brad Fiedel’s instrumental score.  Evidently produced prior to the 1991 sequel, the Terminator: A Retrospective vignette intercuts footage from the original film with clips of Cameron and Schwarzenegger casually reminiscing in a sit-down discussion and a separate Cameron interview.    

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  9 Stars

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PREY (2022)

SUMMARY:               RUNNING TIME: 1 Hr., 40 Min.

Released by 20th Century Studios in 2022, Dan Trachtenberg directed this Lawrence Gordon/Davis Entertainment Company production off a script by Patrick Aison.  Aison and Trachtenberg had co-written the original story devised as a prequel to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s original 1987 Predator film.

In the Great Northern Plains of 1719, a Predator (DiLiegro) is dropped off on Earth seeking local adversaries worthy of battle.  Unlike its future successors, this Predator’s technology appears somewhat less sophisticated; nonetheless, such alien weaponry still far surpasses arrows, spears, and rudimentary guns.  In addition to a metallic shield, other devices this Predator deploys include a laser targeting device and a stealth cloaking field to generate invisibility.    

Meanwhile, the Commanche Nation’s young Naru (Midthunder), a young medicine woman in her late teens or early twenties, desires to prove her equality.  Foremost, she prefers being a hunter despite the scoffing male peers of her tribe.  Helping retrieve a wounded tribal member overnight, a wounded Naru is the first to sense that something fearsome and evil is lurking out there on the Plains.  Her instincts determine it’s neither a lion nor a bear, but something infinitely more dangerous.  Yet, even Naru’s solder brother, Taabe (Beavers), dismisses such vague suspicions as likely a figment of her imagination.        

Naru seeks her culture’s ancient hunting rite reserved for males: to be both predator and prey against a formidable quarry.  Intending to protect her tribe, Naru and her faithful canine, Sarii (Coco), set out on her fateful destiny to find and destroy the monster.

On her quest, she survives a quicksand bog and later evades a mauling death from a ferocious bear.  Yet, both the bear and previously a wolf are no match for the Predator’s own intense savagery.  Located by Taabe’s search party, Naru’s extraordinary claims of what she has recently witnessed are again dismissed and/or met with wary skepticism. 

Both the Commanche search party and a nefarious French hunting expedition are subsequently decimated in battle.  Witnessing the Predator destroy wave after wave of human challengers, Naru realizes that sheer numbers and conventional weapons aren’t the answer.  It’s up to her to improvise an unexpected yet insightful means of attack.  Naru’s fate will be decided by a last desperate showdown after nightfall with her prey. 

                                     Primary Cast:

Naru: Amber Midthunder

Taabe: Dakota Beavers

Predator: Dane DiLiegro

Aruka: Michelle Thrush

Wasape: Stormee Kipp

Sarii: Coco

Waxed Moustache: Nelson Leis

Big Beard: Mike Paterson

Raphael: Bennett Taylor

Sumu: Stephany Mathias

Chief Kehetu: Julian Black Antelope

Commanche Tribal Members: Corvin Mack; Harlan Blayne Kytwayhat; Skye Pelletier; Samiyah Crowfoot; Seanna Eagletail; Tymon Carter; Ginger Cattleman; & Samuel Marty

Additional Commanche Tribal Member: Uncredited

Additional French Trappers: Uncredited.

REVIEW:

Starting with 1990’s Predator 2, the franchise’s bloodthirsty formula became increasingly unimaginative over the next three decades.  These lazy thrill rides (much like Schwarzenegger’s other iconic franchise, The Terminator) opted to peddle convoluted shoot-em-up’s where grisly, sci-fi action was evidently the sole justification.  Yet, writer-director Dan Trachtenberg would ingeniously devise an ideal follow-up to 1987’s Predator.  In this instance, his prequel re-imagines the ‘thrill of the hunt,’ as an instinctive urge to overcome one’s own worst fears surpasses macho glory.      

With actress Amber Midthunder as his reliable lead, Trachtenberg’s Prey fulfills a void few filmmakers would have imagined: a sci-fi/horror thriller set inside a historical period piece.  Perhaps it isn’t coincidental that the Canadian forest scenery and a vaguely similar instrumental score are often reminiscent of 1992’s Last of the Mohicans.  This same kind of timeless adventure vibe works for Naru’s hunt.  

Off-note is some fairly obvious CGI enhancing the scenic Canadian backdrops.  The Predator’s fight choreography also appears too predictably intricate.  Hence, Prey continue a dubious franchise tradition of demonstrating a cool multitude of ways the alien can easily eviscerate its victims.  Trachtenberg at least tactfully keeps much of this icky carnage at a distance or partially off-screen.  Lastly, Midthunder’s impressive martial arts scenes come off as implausible for a petite woman’s self-defense versus multiple attackers three centuries ago.  Given the film production’s complexities, such minimal quibbles mean Trachtenberg’s well-structured and mostly original plot succeeds, as intended.

Ultimately, Trachtenberg and a game Midthunder ensure that their Prey is mighty good for the story it tells.  

ADDITIONAL CONTENT:

This High-Definition Blu-Ray’s technical specifications are English 7.1. DTS-HDMA, 2.0 Dolby Digital Descriptive Audio, Spanish and French 5.1 Dolby Digital.  Subtitles are available in English SDH, Spanish, French; additionally, a full-length Commanche audio track is included.  An optional audio commentary track includes director Dan Trachtenberg; actress Amber Midthunder; film editor Angel M. Catanzaro; and the film’s director of photography, Jeff Cutter.  

The bonus features consist of:

  • a “Making of Prey” vignette;
  • three deleted scenes (including an alternate opening scene), with Trachtenberg’s voiceover explanations;
  • reminiscent of Comic-Con, there is a Prey “FYC (For Your Consideration)” Panel Discussion including Trachtenberg, Midthunder, and other key production members.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                     8½ Stars

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AWA/NWA NIGHT (OR NITE) OF CHAMPIONS II (Recorded/Aired Live USA Network: 12-29-1985)

SUMMARY:                   RUNNING TIME: 2 Hrs., 27 Min.

The AWA and NWA, through their short-lived ‘Pro Wrestling U.S.A.’ co-promotional banner, presented the show on December 29, 1985, at the Meadowlands Arena, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.  Evidently, the program was televised on cable by the USA Network that same night. 

The only non-wrestling talent seen on-screen are ring announcer Gary Michael Cappetta and, at ringside, Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Bill Apter.  Per the video’s disclaimer, this show isn’t complete, as at least one match introduction is missing, etc.     

Utilizing a single (and occasionally fuzzy) camera, Night (or Nite) of Champions II presents limited visual angles.  More significantly, neither ringside commentary nor interviews are provided.  Hence, TV viewing is like silently catching a house show from an ideal distance.     

Opening the footage are NWA interviewer Tony Schiavone’s pre-taped bluescreen promos with The Road Warriors & “Precious” Paul Ellering; a bandaged Tully Blanchard & his valet, Baby Doll; and The Rock ‘N’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson). 

The event’s card is as follows:

  1. “Cowboy” Ron Bass  vs. J.J. Dillon (Running Time: 5:02)

Quick Take:  By far this show’s weakest entry, as Dillon is no Bobby Heenan when it comes to projecting a villainous manager’s charisma.  Bass finally scores some fan approval near the end.  Rating: 2½/10 Stars.

2. World Midget Champion Little Tokyo vs. “Cowboy” Lang (Running Time: 9:14)

Quick Take: Though midget wrestling, generally, is of dubious taste, both “Cowboy” Lang and Little Tokyo demonstrate remarkable athleticism.  Their match is, suffice to say, better than expected.  Rating: 6½/10 Stars.   

3. AWA Women’s World Champion Sherri Martel vs. Debbie Combs (Running Time: 11:12)

Quick Take: A villainous Martel’s in-ring work is okay, but the veteran Combs helps make up the difference.  Both women contribute solidly tuned performances worthy of the mid-80’s.  Rating: 7/10 Stars.   

4. WWC Universal Champion Carlos Colón vs. The Barbarian (with Paul Jones)  (Running Time: 5:31)

Quick Take: The Barbarian’s potential star power is obvious in spite of a famous Colón’s middling effort.  Their match’s outcome climaxes on an unconvincing reversal, which epitomizes the Barbarian’s career fate as an also-ran.  Rating: 4½/10 Stars.   

5. The Fabulous Freebirds’ Buddy Roberts vs. “Precious” Paul Ellering (Running Time: 4:58) – SPECIAL GRUDGE MATCH

Quick Take: Roberts’ notorious Freebird compatriots (Michael “P.S.” Hayes & Terry Gordy) are absent, as he faces a vengeful Ellering alone.  Wearing a neck brace, Ellering, as he would also demonstrate in 1987-88 War Games bouts, appears remarkably gifted in short spurts.  As cheered by the audience, the Road Warriors Hawk & Animal make a ‘guest appearance’ to seek retaliation on Roberts.  Rating:  5½/10 Stars.  

6. NWA World Tag Team Champions: The Rock ‘N’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) vs. The Long Riders: “Wild” Bill Irwin & Scott Irwin (Running Time: 11:48)

Quick Take: Even if the Irwins aren’t first-rate competition, their work against the nimble Rock ‘N’ Rolls at least serves up a standard-issue tag title defense.  In that sense, this bout is certainly watchable.  Rating: 6/10 Stars.   

7. AWA Americas Champion Sgt. Slaughter vs. Boris Zhukov & Chris Markoff (Running Time: 12:52) – HANDCAP RUSSIAN DEATH MATCH

Quick Take: A still-in-his-prime Slaughter scores the loudest audience pop for AWA talent.  Though this rough-and-tumble brawl overstays its welcome, a bloody Slaughter reminds viewers of his drawing power.  As for Zhukov and Markoff – predictably, not so much.  Rating: 6/10 Stars.     

8. NWA U.S. Champion Magnum T.A. vs. Tully Blanchard (with Baby Doll) (Running Time: 12:27)

Quick Take: In the first of back-to-back Starrcade ’85 rematches, this title bout exudes both welcome substance and star power.  With both veterans shedding blood, Magnum T.A. and Blanchard’s classic in-ring chemistry is impressive.  Unquestionably, this showdown is the night’s gem.  Rating: 8½/10 Stars.   

9. NWA World Heavyweight Champion “Nature Boy” Ric Flair vs. “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes (Running Time: 14:51)

Quick Take: The second Starrcade ’85 rematch is programmed as vintage Flair vs. Rhodes straight through to the cop-out ‘Dusty Finish.’  Still, these legends deliver reliable entertainment, in spite of this dubious industry cliché.  Rating: 7/10 Stars.     

10. The Road Warriors: Hawk & Animal (with “Precious” Paul Ellering) vs. The Russian Team: Ivan Koloff & Krusher Khruschev (with Nikita Koloff) (Running Time: 11:14) – AUSTRALIAN TAG TEAM RULES

Quick Take:  Contested under supposed ‘Australian-style’ rules, this brawl’s power-packed choreography is exactly what one would expect.  Even without surprises, it’s some brutally fun nostalgia.  Rating: 6/10 Stars.

11. AWA World Heavyweight Champion Rick Martel vs. Stan “The Lariat” Hansen (Running Time: 13:47)

Quick Take:  The night’s final bout is also a rematch, as its combatants previously faced off at SuperClash ’85: The Night of Champions three months before. Unlike their quick double-DQ finish last time, Martel and Hansen make some AWA history.

Consistent with its realistic choreography, this title showdown is all about pitting a low-key Martel’s ground game vs. Hansen’s vicious, cowboy-style bullying. The result, in all fairness, doesn’t make for the most exciting viewing.  Nonetheless, the AWA could be proud of the old-school workmanship that Martel and Hansen supply – pro wrestling doesn’t have to be solely about vivid personalities. 

For that matter, it says plenty that the New Jersey crowd readily prefers a roughhousing Hansen over the cheerful yet comparatively bland Martel.  Rating: 7/10 Stars.      

Notes: To clarify the acronyms: the AWA is Verne Gagne’s Minneapolis-based American Wrestling Association while the NWA is the National Wrestling Alliance.  The NWA’s talent for this show was supplied by the Crockett Family’s Charlotte, NC-based World Championship Wrestling (WCW) promotion.  The WWC is Colón’s co-owned World Wrestling Council out of Puerto Rico. 

Lastly, the individual match times in this review are mostly going by the official post-match announcements. As other accounts will vary, the match times should be deemed more of a best guess.  

REVIEW:

Scoring a moderate success on the established turf of Vince McMahon’s rival WWF (World Wrestling Federation), the AWA and NWA promoters rightfully should have been encouraged.  Despite lacking the magic of Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Roddy Piper, etc., their Night (or Nite) of Champions II efficiently conjures up a product that could compete for any serious wrestling fan.  Conversely, given its minimal production values, where this show falls far short is generating mainstream interest, as compared to the cheesy WWF’s assortment of resources.

Overall, comparing its in-ring content to the WWF’s original WrestleMania only nine months earlier, Night (or Nite) of Champions II readily prevails.  That said, nearly forty years later, the AWA/NWA Night (or Nite) of Champions II deserves a chance for re-discovery.       

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                   6½ Stars

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DVD DVD/Blu-Ray Extra Movies & Television (Videos) Sports (TV & Videos) WWF/WWE (Pro Wrestling)

WCCW WORLD CHAMPION KERRY VON ERICH VS. AWA WORLD CHAMPION JERRY “THE KING” LAWLER (AWA SUPERCLASH III: Aired Live 12-13-1988)

SUMMARY:                RUNNING TIME: 18:53 Min.

Held at Chicago’s UIC Pavilion on December 13, 1988, this World Title unification bout would headline the AWA’s sole Pay-Per-View: the interpromotional SuperClash III.  At the time, in addition to starring in his co-owned CWA outfit, Jerry “The King” Lawler doubled as the AWA’s World Heavyweight Champion.  Opposing him this night would be WCCW’s multi-time World Champion, “The Modern-Day Warrior” Kerry Von Erich. 

To stoke interest, Von Erich had recently lost and then regained his WCCW title from Lawler on their own perspective home turfs.  Hence, the winner of their SuperClash III showdown would be declared the AWA’s Unified World Champion – presumably, as a dig upstaging WWF World Champion “Macho Man” Randy Savage and NWA World Champion “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair. 

For this pivotal bout, Von Erich’s second would be WCCW promoter Frank Dusek.  The ringside commentators are the AWA’s Lee Marshall and Ray “The Crippler” Stevens. 

Along with a Lawler biographical career profile, this match is included on the WWE’s The Greatest Wrestling Stars of The ‘80s DVD set. It also is provided in the WWE’s The Spectacular Legacy of The AWA DVD set.    

Note: It’s all about the acronyms.  1. AWA: Verne Gagne’s Minneapolis-based American Wrestling Association.  2. CWA: Lawler’s Memphis-based Championship (or Continental) Wrestling Association.  3. WCCW: The Von Erich family’s Dallas-based World Class Championship Wrestling.

REVIEW:

The Von Erichs’ 22-year-old World Class franchise essentially ended at SuperClash III, if not on paper.  However, an ultra-brawny Kerry Von Erich’s one-dimensional performance isn’t to blame.  After evidently lacerating his arm with a hidden blade in his ring robe (during the pre-match introductions), Von Erich proceeds with a game effort against Lawler’s opportunistic villain. 

While neither champion demonstrates much of a repertoire (i.e. lots of punches, trading single piledrivers, Von Erich’s ‘Iron Claw,’ Lawler’s brass knuckles, etc.), this bout is solidly constructed — up to a point.  Hence, neither the WWF nor the NWA would likely lose sleep over this second-tier competition between rival World Champions.

Including repetitive teases, the match’s fateful miscalculation is its gory, cop-out finish.  Curiously, the NWA’s Great American Bash ‘88 Pay-Per-View World Title bout between champion Ric Flair and Lex Luger had implemented a similar outcome only five months earlier.  Inevitable blowback from NWA fans indicated that Luger’s eye-rolling disqualification (or submission) due to blood loss was a major turn-off.  One visible difference is that Luger’s forehead bled minimally, as compared to Von Erich’s grisly head wound.  Still, why would SuperClash III foolishly risk this same tainted ending? 

One can reason out the tone-deaf justification.  First, assuming SuperClash III was even a moderate success, then the show’s promoters cynically figured they would get away with it.  Seeing an upset Dusek (along with a bloody Von Erich) protest to the referee during the match and afterwards definitely adds a semblance of real-world credibility.  Then, having a straight-faced Lawler concur with the referee’s decision to ‘protect’ Von Erich’s health delivers the cheating winner’s insult after injury. 

More so, a blood stoppage might have been the one dubious option that could be agreed upon backstage without anybody losing face.  That means the various promotions involved wouldn’t care less, even if fans despised the ending.  Regardless of any pride-driven motives, this Lawler/Von Erich title bout is still remarkably good.  The drawback is having a satisfying and conclusive finish replaced by some ugly wrestling politics.     

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                  7 Stars

Notes: Ironically, SuperClash III’s fallout surpassed its main event.  For starters, the show’s dismal failure was threefold: it flopped both at the box office and on Pay-Per-View.  Most significantly, its dire lack of revenue effectively halted future collaborations between Lawler’s group and World Class, among others, with the AWA.   

Still, Lawler’s CWA and Von Erich’s World Class merged into what became the USWA (United States Wrestling Association) — an entity which Lawler would privately co-own with Jerry Jarrett.  By early 1989, backstage animosity had abruptly stripped Lawler of his AWA World Championship.  Even so, his Memphis-based USWA’s regional success continued, including a mid-90’s affiliation with Vince McMahon’s WWF/WWE.  

World Class, after merging with and then later separating from the USWA, quietly closed in 1990.  The Von Erich brothers, Kerry and Kevin, were reportedly among its last co-owners, along with Jerry Jarrett.  

Lastly, Verne Gagne’s long-diminished AWA shut down approximately two years after SuperClash III. Per its bankruptcy, the company officially became defunct by August 1991.

Categories
Books & Novels Fantasy, Horror, & Science Fiction STAR TREK-Related

STAR TREK # 47: THE KOBAYASHI MARU

Written by Julia Ecklar

SUMMARY:

Released in 1989 by Pocket Books, Julia Ecklar penned this 254-page paperback, which became the forty-seventh entry in Pocket’s ongoing series. The book’s title is taken from the Starfleet Command simulation depicted in 1982’s Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. 

Set shortly after the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, the U.S.S. Enterprise’s latest assignment is to reestablish contact with a research team evidently lost somewhere in the vicinity of the remote planet, Hohweyn VII.  Ongoing cosmic interference prevents the Enterprise from approaching close enough to utilize its transporters. 

The Halley’s shuttlecraft team consists of: Captain James T. Kirk, Hikaru Sulu, Pavel Chekov, Montgomery “Scotty” Scott, and Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy.  A freak collision with a gravitic mine, however, soon disables the Halley, leaving both Kirk and their pilot, Sulu, injured.

Unable to contact the Enterprise, the Halley’s stranded crew anxiously awaits rescue, with time slowly running out on the craft’s remaining power supply and life support.  Attempting makeshift repairs to stay alive, the shuttlecraft’s crewmates (with the exception of Dr. McCoy) each divulge his own closely guarded experience as a cadet years before facing a similar life-or-death experience.  In turn passing time, they recall Starfleet Command School’s dreaded ‘Kobayashi Maru’ scenario, as the shuttle crew helplessly endures the longest day of their lives.     

  • As only alluded to in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Kirk reveals the brazen contempt he has for the simulation by defying its seemingly unfair rules. 
  • Having spectacularly failed the simulation, Chekov’s narrative reluctantly divulges his ingenuity and ruthlessness in a subsequent training scenario.  Specifically, inside an abandoned industrial station on Earth, his cadet class must competitively evade elimination by an imaginary assassin where it is every cadet for himself/herself.
  • Anguished by his beloved great-grandfather’s terminal illness, Sulu’s non-confrontational attitude may end his hopes of any future command.
  • Reluctantly attending Command School to appease his family, Scotty‘s umbrage at the simulation’s relentless Klingon assault precipitates a fateful pivot in his destiny.

With evidently no other options left to help Spock find the lost Halley, Kirk’s refusal to succumb to ‘no-win scenarios’ is desperately tested.  As Star Trek fans all know, he doesn’t like to lose.

Notes: This title is also available digitally and as an audiobook.

REVIEW:

Though her set-up for multiple extended flashbacks is ultra-formulaic, writer Julia Ecklar devises a very readable Star Trek adventure.  The intrigue permeating Chekov’s spy games; Sulu’s poignant bond with his great-grandfather; and Scotty’s fuming ‘don’t mess with my ship’ retaliation are all well-played.  As with the flashbacks, the intervals shifting to and from the ongoing Halley crisis contribute plausible layers to each character’s personal depth. 

The only less-than-compelling component is Kirk’s flashback.  Ecklar’s answer explaining his legendary triumph over the seemingly unbeatable test, though amusing, is something of a letdown.  Still, her take on Kirk’s ‘Kobayashi Maru’ test preceded the 2009 Star Trek film’s version by two decades — yet, both depictions are consistent with Kirk’s ego.  If anything, Cadet Kirk’s unique solution is perhaps a Star Trek mystery best left to be satisfied by a reader’s own imagination.

Note: Ecklar’s story implies that, afterwards, Kirk will relate his ‘Kobayashi Maru’ tale once more, (this time, to a curious Spock) for consistency with their subsequent discussion, as depicted in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

In spite of its predictable lulls, Ecklar’s novel should be commended for concocting an otherwise worthwhile read for Trekkers.  Specifically, her believable characterizations and low-key sci-fi jargon makes The Kobayashi Maru a welcome find for readers of any age.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

There is a single page of the author’s acknowledgements.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                   6 Stars

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WWE WORLD CHAMPION EDDIE GUERRERO VS. KURT ANGLE (WWE WrestleMania XX: Aired Live 3-14-2004)

SUMMARY:              RUNNING TIME: 22:30 Min.

WrestleMania XX occurred on March 14, 2004, at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.  One of its two main events would pit the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) World Champion Eddie Guerrero defending his title vs. four-time ex-champion Kurt Angle.  The bout’s ringside commentators are Michael Cole and Tazz.

REVIEW:

This title defense is flawlessly executed.  In their mid-thirties, rugged veterans Guerrero and Angle both still appear in virtually peak technical form.  More so, there aren’t any cheap added components: i.e. outside inference or foreign objects to taint their in-ring star power. 

Their ultra-competitive bout instead focuses on choreography (both masterful and brutal), especially as neither Angle nor Guerrero telegraph the match’s outcome.  In the moments leading up to the inspired finish, one does get a hint, but it’s ingeniously played. 

The match ultimately comes down to Guerrero’s ring savviness and high-flying agility vs. Angle’s pit-bull tenacity and mastery of submission holds.  Decades later, this Guerrero-Angle title showdown absolutely merits re-discovery.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                        10 Stars

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WCW STARRCADE ’91: BATTLEBOWL – THE LETHAL LOTTERY (Aired Live: 12-29-1991)

SUMMARY:    APPROX. RUNNING TIME (EDITED): 1 Hr., 38 Min.

On December 29, 1991, from the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia, World Championship Wrestling (having separated from the National Wrestling Alliance) produced this annual Starrcade Pay-Per-View. 

For this particular Starrcade, there would not be any singles matches nor any title defenses.  Instead, WCW’s gimmicky ‘Battlebowl’ concept would first pair twenty random tag-teams by an open draw.  These makeshift teams must then prevail in one of ten qualifying elimination matches to enter the 20-man, two-ring battle royal main event. 

Starting in the first ring, nineteen ‘Battlebowl’ competitors gradually shift over to the second ring.  The first ring’s ‘winner’ remains behind awaiting the second ring’s last wrestler.  In order to claim the Battlebowl victory, these two last combatants will then face other in an over-the-top-rope showdown. 

This show’s on-screen presenters are Eric Bischoff, Missy Hyatt, and the inaugural ‘Battlebowl’ commissioner, Magnum T.A., as they draw and announce the tag team pairings.  Initially appearing in front of the backstage curtain, WCW’s roster is then seen being summoned from two opposing locker rooms.  At ringside are announcers Jim Ross and Tony Schiavone. 

The show’s 40-man roster consists of:

  • WCW World Champion “The Total Package” Lex Luger (with Harley Race)
  • WCW U.S. Champion “Ravishing” Rick Rude (with Paul E. Dangerously aka Paul Heyman)
  • WCW World Television Champion “Stunning” Steve Austin
  • WCW World Tag Team Champions Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat & “The Natural” Dustin Rhodes
  • Sting
  • Ron Simmons
  • The Fabulous Freebirds: Michael “P.S.” Hayes & Jimmy “Jam” Garvin
  • The Wild-Eyed Southern Boys: Tracy Smothers & Steve Armstrong
  • Marcus Alexander Bagwell (a rookie “Buff” Bagwell)
  • Van Hammer
  • Big Josh
  • Richard “Ricky” Morton
  • Thomas “Tommy” Rich
  • The Enforcers: Arn Anderson & Larry Zbyszko (with Madusa)
  • El Gigante
  • Jushin Thunder Liger
  • Bill Kazmaier
  • Mike Graham
  • Diamond Dallas Page
  • Terrance “Terry” Taylor
  • Tom “Z-Man” Zenk
  • “Flyin’” Brian Pillman
  • Abdullah the Butcher
  • Cactus Jack (Mick Foley)
  • The Patriots: Todd Champion & Firebreaker Chip
  • Buddy Lee Parker
  • “Beautiful” Bobby Eaton
  • Mr. Hughes (Luger’s on-screen bodyguard)
  • The Steiner Brothers: Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner
  • Big Van Vader
  • Nightstalker (Bryan Clark), as a substitute for Scott “Diamond Studd” Hall (also present)
  • Johnny B. Badd
  • Arachnaman (aka Brad Armstrong)
  • “Rapmaster” P.N. News.

Notably absent are Barry Windham and Nikita Koloff,  as is ex-WCW World Champion “Nature Boy” Ric Flair (whose abrupt dismissal mid-summer led him to join the World Wrestling Federation).  

Due to the show’s truncated video release, some matches appear in their entirety; several are highlighted; and one is inexplicably omitted.  However, including the competitors’ catwalk-like entrances, the main event is shown intact.

MATCHES:

  1. COMPLETE MATCH: Hayes & Smothers vs. Garvin & Bagwell (12:45)

Winners: Garvin & Bagwell.

2. HIGHLIGHTS: Austin & Rude (with Dangerously aka Heyman) vs. Big Josh & Hammer (12:56)

Winners: Austin & Rude.

3. HIGHLIGHTS: Zbyszko & El Gigante (with Madusa) vs. Rhodes & Morton (5:54)

Winners: Rhodes & Morton.

4. COMPLETE MATCH: Liger & Kazmaier vs. Page & Graham (13:08)

Winners: Liger & Kazmaier.

5. OMITTED: Taylor & Zenk vs. Luger (with Race) & Anderson (10:25)

Winners: Luger & Anderson.

6. COMPLETE MATCH: Cactus Jack & Parker (with Abdullah’s interference) vs. Steamboat & Champion (7:48)

Winners: Steamboat & Champion advance.

7. COMPLETE MATCH: Sting & Abdullah vs. Eaton & Pillman (5:55)

Winners: Sting & Abdullah.

8. HIGHLIGHTS: Rick Steiner & Nightstalker vs. Vader & Hughes (5:05)

Winners: Vader & Hughes.

9. HIGHLIGHTS: Arachnaman & Badd vs. Scott Steiner & Firebreaker Chip (11:16)

Winners: Steiner & Chip advance.

10. HIGHLIGHTS: Simmons & Rich vs. News & Steve Armstrong (12:01)

Winners: Simmons & Rich.

MAIN EVENT: BATTLEBOWL (25:10).  The winner subsequently challenges the WCW World Champion at February 1992’s SuperBrawl II.

Note: On December 28, 1992, at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia, Starrcade ’92: Battlebowl – The Lethal Lottery II included a similar format.

REVIEW:

In retrospect, Koloff, Windham, and Flair lucked out.  Even if they had participated, it would have made little to no difference bolstering Starrcade ’91’s bland content.  Ross and Schiavone invariably telegraph the main event’s build-up as yet another Sting cliché-fest — paralleling the WWF’s depiction of Hulk Hogan during that era. 

Despite some mild intrigue impacting the show’s oddball tag-teams, frankly nothing occurs that generates must-see viewing — even for a die-hard WCW fanbase.  Case in point: with only two more shows to go before his early 1992 WCW exit, Luger’s boredom as its World Champion is readily evident.  Supporting players, like Steamboat, Pillman, Simmons, Liger, Eaton, Rick Steiner, and even Garvin, at least, try to energize the audience – in spite of the lackluster in-ring action.   

The 20-man Battlebowl itself (which resurfaces on the WWE’s Best of Starrcade DVD set) is, at best, okay entertainment.  Some fun face-offs include: Sting vs. Rude; Steamboat vs. Anderson; Luger vs. Sting; Rude vs. Steamboat; Simmons vs. Luger; Austin vs. Sting; and even a rare Luger vs. Vader.  WCW’s considerable star power, otherwise, is squandered throughout an unremarkable Pay-Per-View.  Even Abdullah’s brutal assault on Parker before his tag match against Sting fails to muster interest.    

Further, a few eye-rolling gimmicks (i.e. Brad Armstrong’s ‘Arachnaman’ phase) mimicking the WWF looked stupid then and have aged even worse seeing them now.  The most tone-deaf offense is failing to include any surefire title match as an added attraction to help anchor this show.  It’s simply a gaping hole that WCW’s elite players can’t divert attention away from fans.  All this show does is wearily continue stirring the pot, so to speak, towards the Battlebowl’s ultra-predictable conclusion. 

Despite a veritable surplus of pro wrestling icons, Starrcade ’91 makes for quickly forgettable viewing.             

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                           4 Stars

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