Category Archives: R. Lee Ermey

Dead Man Walking (1995)

dead man walking movie posterThe year 1995 got it right while getting it wrong simultaneously regarding the Oscars. I’m referring, in particular, to two movies. Dead Man Walking and Leaving Las Vegas. Each movie had knock-it-out-of-the-park performances from its lead characters, but neither film could capitalize on these performances to earn a Best Picture nomination. However, outside of Braveheart and Apollo 13, this wasn’t a particularly strong year with BabeSense and Sensibility, and The Postman as the other five nominees. Braveheart (the winner) continues to remain one of the most beloved Best Picture winners of all time, while many view Apollo 13 as a technical masterpiece. As a brief aside, HeatSe7en, and The Usual Suspects deserved the other three nominees

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The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

As long as there is an opportunity for profit, classic movies will continue to be redone, rebooted, and have unneeded sequels attached. That is a fact of life. If you hope this doesn’t happen to your favorite movie because you don’t want the original tarnished, don’t hold your breath. It’s not a question of if but a matter of when. The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre (released in 1974 and directed by Tobe Hooper – Salem’s Lot, Poltergeist) is one of those classics. It’s a film beloved by critics and audiences alike. It’s become a cult movie that almost all moviegoers (horror fans or not) will undoubtedly see at least once. When we hear the name Leatherface, we instantly visualize a deformed madman chasing unsuspecting teens through the woods with a chainsaw. There have been and will continue to be sequels, remakes, and other movies that hope to ride the coattails of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

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