At the Earth’s Core (1976)
This fantasy film clearly aimed at youngsters hit a bullseye when I was indeed a youngster seeing this on TV […]
November 2019 In Review
Honestly, I can’t recall the last time I went to a movie theater three times in the same month. Gotta […]
Absence of Malice (1981)
As the years move by and Paul Newman’s movie career slips into the past, I find myself reminded of just […]
The Lady Gambles (1949)
The lady in question? Barbara Stanwyck. Long before James Caan starred as the addicted, Gambler, or Philip Seymour Hoffman captivated […]
The Main Event (1979)
One of Hollywood’s most endurable backdrops, the sport of boxing, provides the setting and storyline that sees Barbra Streisand reunited […]
Feudin’, Fussin’ and A-Fightin’ (1948)
With the unlikely coupling of Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride capturing the public’s hearts after their winning performances as The […]
The Sea Spoilers (1936)
Signing on to the “B” unit at Universal while awaiting superstar status, John Wayne, plays the hero for the U.S. […]
The Indian Fighter (1955)
Following in the tracks of Burt Lancaster, the actor he is most closely associated with, Kirk Douglas, made The Indian […]
5 Hammer Recommendations Minus Lee and Cushing
Here’s a collection that was part of the Halloween celebration last month I guested on over at Lance Writes ….. […]
Sea of Sand (1958)
aka Desert Patrol There’s always something authentic about seeing an actor like Richard Attenborough in a Rank Production with a […]
I Love You Again (1940)
Proving they were a perfect match beyond the Thin Man series, William Powell once again joins hands with Myrna Loy […]
Duel On the Mississippi (1955)
Just a few years shy of William Castle’s emergence as a showman of the macabre, he directed numerous low budget […]
Now Playing December 14th, 1980.
Combing through a new to me road side antique shop netted me a couple of DVD’s for the movie room […]
The Streetfighter’s Last Revenge (1974)
“I make the impossible, possible.” That he does for his third go around as the legendary Takuma “Terry” Tsurugi. Sonny […]
10 Questions with Victoria Riskin Plus Her New Book – Fay Wray and Robert Riskin : A Hollywood Memoir
Thanks to a new book from Victoria Riskin on her parents, Fay Wray and Robert Riskin, a whole new chapter […]
Gallery ›
Jack Palance Snarls His Way into Movie Poster Art
Earliest memory of Jack Palance? I’d have to think mine was seeing his brooding yet memorably understated performance as Count […]
More of Those Novel Ideas for Promoting Movies
Never one to pass up on a chance to hunt down movie memorabilia my journeys take me to countless thrift […]
A Gallery of Photos From Mars …. PA.
Just a short 525 kms and I’m back in the safe confines of the vault here at Mike’s Take. My […]
Spotlighting Susan Hayward Via The Movie Poster
Susan Hayward is one of a small group of actresses including Maureen O’Hara, Olivia de Havilland and Virginia Mayo who […]
Featured Actor ›
(Paul Henreid + Patricia Medina) X 2 = Popcorn Adventures
From Columbia Pictures by way of frugal producer Sam Katzman, who fans of Monogram cheapies with Bela and the Bowery […]
My Favorites of Lee and Cushing For Halloween
As Halloween approaches it seems everyone has a list of horrors to see and there’s usually very little that interests […]
When Bronson Met Boone On Have Gun Will Travel … Part 2
Before Richard Boone had found his most identifiable character, Paladin, on Have Gun Will Travel he had headlined an earlier […]
When Bronson Met Boone On Have Gun Will Travel … Part 1
Western television shows proved a wonderful training ground for countless actors honing their craft through the 1950’s and 60’s. Among […]
Blogathon ›
Counterpoint (1968)
Far from the blood and guts battles we are accustomed to seeing in big screen depictions built around WW2 with […]
Farewell Friend (1968)
aka … Adieu l’ami On the subject of movies if you ask me to name something or more specifically someone […]
Edmond O’Brien Does It All … Directing and Terrorizing in Shield For Murder (1954)
Some villains chew the scenery, quite often stealing a film from the top billed actor. Then there are other heavies […]
The Secret Invasion (1964)
Actor Stewart Granger is once again the focus here at Mike’s Take thanks to the time taken by Maddy Who […]
Brando's Pick of the Month ›
Kangaroo (1952)
Brando’s Pick of the Month Carrying on with the theme of movies starring or featuring animals in the title leads […]
Francis The Talking Mule (1949)
Brando’s Pick of the Month This Universal International production from house director Arthur Lubin launched the unlikely comedy of duo […]
Devil Dogs of the Air (1935)
Brando’s Pick of the Month Cheating just a bit this month as we look to this James Cagney-Pat O’Brien standard […]
Devil Dog : The Hound of Hell (1978)
Brando’s Halloween Pick of the Month Coming on the heels of a big screen horror flick, The Evil, Richard Crenna […]
Slumming With .... ›
Slumming With Teen Sex Comedies of the 1980’s in Triplicate
OK gentlemen. Raise your hands if you’re old enough to recall the days when you’d hit the video stores looking […]
Slumming With George Zucco …. Can Be So Much Fun!
On any given day during the 1940’s if you walked about the movie sets in Hollywood you might see George […]
Slumming With Samantha Eggar … A Triple Feature
The more I looked for someone to feature in my third go around of ‘Slumming With”, it became painfully obvious […]
Slumming With Cameron Mitchell …. A Triple Feature
Picking up where I left off poking a bit of fun while Slumming With David Carradine, I selected Mr. Cameron Mitchell […]
Video Store Action Heroes ›
… All The Marbles (1981)
For this edition of the Video Store Action Heroes that sees yours truly costarring right alongside The Cinema Monolith, The […]
Hangar 18 (1980)
We’re Back! The Video Store Action Heroes have once again turned the clock back to simpler times when we’d all […]
The Evil That Men Do (1984)
Was there any doubt that for this edition of the Video Store Action Heroes where I got to choose the […]
Uncommon Valor (1983)
Well before Chuck Norris’ Braddock and Sly Stallone’s Rambo decided to go back to Vietnam and rescue the men left […]
Now Playing ›
Now Playing December 28th, 1968 At a Theater Near You
Thankfully Malcolm McDowell has given his consent to allow me to borrow his personal time machine that he used to […]
Now Playing Friday August 9th, 1974
Yes it’s off to London, Ontario, Canada and to the summer of 1974 for a flashback to some classic films […]
Now Playing August 17th, 1977
Under the circumstances of Burt Reynold’s passing, the time seems appropriate for joining me in a look back to the […]
Now Playing Monday July 21st, 1969.
Western fans rejoice! I’d be in my glory taking in five westerns we all know and love playing at the […]
Articles ›
The Badlanders (1958)
This article on The Badlanders was published in The Dark Pages celebration on the film The Asphalt Jungle. Read on […]
Lizabeth Scott Stands Up To Robert Ryan and Robert Mitchum in The Racket (1951)
Previously this piece was kindly published by Karen of Shadows and Satin in her Noir newsletter The Dark Pages. Lizabeth […]
Anthony Caruso : More Than The Henchman
This article on Mr. Caruso was kindly featured in the September 2014 issue of The Dark Pages put forth by […]
An Evil to Behold : Sherry Peatty in The Killing (1956)
This article was kindly published by the Dark Pages last May and it was my attempt at presenting a take […]
Book Takes ›
A Reading Break with Olivia, The Immortal Count and Lou’s on First
I often lament that I can’t read fast enough despite enjoying a good book be it non-fiction or a good […]
Recalling “The 50 Worst Films of all Time”
By Harry Medved and Randy Dreyfuss. Somewhere in the piles or boxes of books around here I have a dog […]
Dan Duryea : Heel With a Heart
By Mike Peros Dan Duryea is one those actors who is unforgettably identifiable. I can still recall the first time […]
Niv , The Authorized Biography of David Niven
By Graham Lord (published in 2003) Like any self respecting, self appointed film buff I knew the basic facts of […]
Live Take ›
The Charles Bronson Starter Kit and Then Some
Chatting up a list of Bronson titles worth checking into using posters as props from my personal collection.
Film Books We Rely On Vol. 3 or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Crime Movies
After a couple months of intense negotiations over finding the right director to film the third installment of videos dedicated […]
Film Books We Rely On Volume 2
Once again I am joined by Kristina from Speakeasy to share more of our favorite books devoted to the study […]
Film Books We Rely On
Making her debut on camera for a live take, I am joined by Kristina Dijan who operates the wonderful and […]
Monthly Reviews ›
October 2019 In Review
Bottom line. October is a good excuse to start combing the shelves here in the movie room at Mike’s Take […]
September 2019 In Review
Canada’s beloved Blue Jays wrapped up their season as September wound down and with that I guess I’ll watch the […]
August 2019 In Review
Along came summer holidays and there they went…. The everchanging seasons here in Canada. But that doesn’t stop yours truly […]
July in Review 2019
So much to do once the summer time comes and aside from working a day job, watching baseball games and […]
Posts I Like
Firefox (1982)
We’re back. Yes the Four Horseman of the Video Store Apocalypse, better known to our followers as the Video Store […]
Circus World (1964)
This Henry Hathaway directed feature for big budget specialist, Samuel Bronston, is surely the rarest of all John Wayne films […]
A Monster Bash Recap of Movies, Kong and Memorabilia
For those who have been regulars here at Mike’s Take, you know I like to make the 500 km drive […]
Murder, He Says (1945)
Supposedly Fred MacMurray stepped in to this eerie tale of backwoods madness as a Bob Hope substitute over at Paramount […]
The Phantom of the Opera (1962)
Following the revival of Universal Studios’ Frankenstein, Dracula, The Mummy and the Wolfman, Hammer Studios, turned to Gaston Leroux’s Phantom […]
10 Questions with Victoria Riskin Plus Her New Book – Fay Wray and Robert Riskin : A Hollywood Memoir
Thanks to a new book from Victoria Riskin on her parents, Fay Wray and Robert Riskin, a whole new chapter […]
September 2019 In Review
Canada’s beloved Blue Jays wrapped up their season as September wound down and with that I guess I’ll watch the […]
The Golden Salamander (1950)
“Not by ignoring evil does one overcome it, but by going to meet it.” Director Ronald Neame also had a […]
Dark Places (1974)
Here’s one I believe to be a forgotten thriller among the many titles in the Christopher Lee catalogue. As a […]