The Abductors

Here's a "review" I first ran back in 2008. Warning: This movie review contains shocking female nudity! Imagine watching THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - and after it's over you realize there's another film called STAR WARS that you didn't even  know about. Well, my friends, this has sadly happened to me. THE ABDUCTORS (1972, directed by Don Schain) is the sequel to GINGER (1971) and the prequel to GIRLS ARE FOR LOVING (1973)! If I only knew this going in, I would have preferred to watch the trilogy in order-but since I didn't, I'll ignore the first one (for now) and tell you all about Episode 2 in the adventures of Ginger Cartwright, secret agent. One part James Bond, two parts Russ Meyer, THE ABDUCTORS is soft-core porn at its best. While there is plenty of nudity (full frontal for every female character and a few of the unnattractive males) and plenty of simulated sex acts - there is actually a semi-coherent plot going on in this movie. Like Jackie Collins, I will italicize all the naughty parts. So here's the story: three cheerleaders are abducted and sold into white slavery. The End. Alright, there's a little more to it than that. First we see a naked beauty-pageant contestant getting tied up and put in a cage - and we know immediately what kind of a movie we are in for. Next, the aforementioned cheerleaders are ambushed by a trio of thugs and forced to strip to their panties while one of the thugs sets their convertible on fire. We notice how odd it is to see topless women with natural, un-altered breasts. A local investigator calls on the ever-braless Ginger to help crack the case of the missing girls. He gives her a stylish briefcase filled with all sorts of gadgets including tracking devices that can be swallowed! After deducing that all the kidnapped women were also featured in the local newspaper, Ginger (Cheri Caffaro, the best actress in the film - which isn't saying much) teams up with a stylish advertising exec (Richard Smedley) who agrees to help her in her investigation. Ginger introduces him to a sexy up-and-coming model named Carter Winston (Jennifer Brooks), who is really going undercover as a potential abductee.

Well, before you know it, Carter is kidnapped and the ad man is screwing Ginger on shang carpeting. After the loving, Ginger is taken hostage herself, while the three cheerleaders are sold to lonely businessmen, and they seem to enjoy it. But it's not over yet - there's a big, daring rescue scene and an "eye for an eye" revenge scene involving Ginger, the ringleader, bar of soap and a hot shower.

Despite some semi-disturbing bondage moments, the film is pretty watchable. With plenty of laugh-out-loud bad dialogue and wooden acting, THE ABDUCTORS does impress with several overlong helicopter and plane sequences as well as a groovy soundtrack (which seems to stop suddenly half-way through the film). Ginger's skimpy outfits and outrageous hairdos are fun, you can totally tell where the producers put most of their money. So if you want to see some silly, poorly-lit and unsexy T & A - THE ABDUCTORS is for you.

John Barry 1933-2011

Jimmy Dean 1928-2010

The Return of...Black Diva History Month, Part 2 (1930-1940)

Continuing my "rebroadcast" from last year. Please note that the divas are listed in chronological birth order, not in order of their career starts.Here's a dozen more great ladies of song and screen.Dakota Staton (Aliyah Rabia 1930-2007) was an jazz vocalist who found fame and acclaim with the 1957’s gorgeous The Late, Late Show. One of my favorite LPs for all time.Nina Simone (Eunice Kathleen Waymon 1933-2003) was a Grammy Award-nominated jazz singer, folk songwriter, classical pianist, arranger and civil rights activist. Her work covers an eclectic variety of musical styles including soul, R&B, gospel, and pop music. Known as The High Priestess of Soul, she recorded her last album – the amazing A Single Woman in 1993.
Della Reese (Born 1931), is an actress and singer. She started her career in the late 1950s as a pop singer, best known for her 1959 hit single Don't You Know which was adapted from an aria (Muzetta's Waltz) from Puccini's La Boheme. She subsequently became an actress, best known for the long-running CBS hit TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL.
Barbara McNair (1934-2007) was an sadly underrated singer and actress. In 1969 alone she hosted her own syndicated variety hour, starred alongside Mary Tyler Moore and Elvis in CHANGE OF HABIT (1969) and had a role in the sexy Italian film VENUS IN FURS, directed by Jesus Franco. The following year she portrayed Sidney Poitier's wife in They Call Me MISTER Tibbs! (1970). Ms. McNair continued performing into the 2000s, until her tragic death in 2007.
Ketty Lester (Revoyda Frierson, born 1934) is a singer and television actress, who is best known for her classic 1962 hit single, Love Letters - used effectively in David Lynch's cult classic BLUE VELVET. Lester would later establish herself as a fine actress in the 1970s and 1980s. Appearing on two NBC shows, DAYS OF OUR LIVES from 1975 to 1977, and as Hester-Sue on LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE from 1978 to 1983.
Diahann Carroll (Born 1935) is an award-winning actress and songstress. Carroll's first film role was in CARMEN JONES in 1954, followed by the film version of Gershwin's PORGY AND BESS. Carroll is best known for her Emmy-nominated title role in the 1968 show JULIA in 1968. In the 1980s, Carroll joined ABC’s megahit DYNASTY as the jet setter, Dominique Deveraux, half-sister of Blake Carrington. She is still very active in showbiz.
Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (born 1937) is a British singer most known for performing three James Bond themes GOLDFINGER (1964), DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971), and MOONRAKER (1979). Ms. Bassey celebrated her 60th birthday by recording the hit History Repeating with The Propellerheads. This led to the 2001 album, The Remix Album: Diamonds Are Forever. In 2008 the song Goldfinger was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Seeing her perform live in San Francisco is one of the most memorable evenings in my life. (Editor's note: Shirley recently appeared on THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW and was as entertaining and lovely as ever).
Roberta Flack (born 1937) is a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and musician who is notable in the areas of jazz, soul, R&B and folk. Flack is best known for singles such as Killing Me Softly with His Song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Where Is the Love and The Closer I Get to You (two of her many duets with Donny Hathaway), and Feel Like Makin' Love.
Nancy Wilson (born 1937) is a Grammy-winning song stylist. She is known as both "Fancy Miss Nancy”. Her 1962 album with Cannonball Adderly is a all time classic. She can be heard weekly on the long-running radio show, JAZZ PROFILES, on NPR.
Etta James (Jamesetta Hawkins, born 1938) is an blues, soul, R&B, rock & roll, gospel and jazz singer and songwriter. James is the winner of four Grammys and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame both in 1999 and 2008. She is best known for the song At Last. I have seen Etta perform at least a half-dozen times and she never ceases to entertain and amaze me.
Tina Turner (Anna Mae Bullock, born 1939) is an singer and actress whose career has spanned over 40 years and who has won numerous awards. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll". I’ve seen her perform live on several occasions, and am always blown away by her energy. Oddly, I have never seen her big screen bio, WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?Dionne Warwick (Marie Dionne Warrick, born 1940), is singer best known for her partnership with songwriters and producers Burt Bacharach and Hal David. She also teamed with Barry Manilow for some memorable hits. Dionne is second only to Aretha Franklin as the female vocalist with the most Billboard Hot 100 chart hits during the rock era (1955-1999). No need to mention her acting in RENT A COP alongside Burt Reynolds and Liza or the Psychic Friends Network. Oh, I guess I just did.

Look for Part 3 soon.

NBC Fall 1984 - Tuesdays

Tuesdays nights on NBC 25 years ago was a triple bill of action and adventure. Starting off the night was the high octane live-action cartoon called THE A-TEAM.
THE A-TEAM premiered in January 1983 and was an instant hit. Mr. T. quickly became a household name and o culture icon. I was never a fan of the show due to it's hyper-military theme, even though the violence was so over-the-top, it was more a comedy than war show. The series ran for 4 seasons in its Tuesday night berth and was eventually replaced by the much mellower MATLOCK in 1986. Team leader George Peppard passed away in 1994 and plans for a feature film version have been announced, and cancelled and then re-announced.
At 9PM, RIPTIDE came from the same producers as THE A-TEAM, and co-starred Perry King and Joe Penney as two old war buddies who ran a detective agency from a boat. The show benefited from its timeslot and became a ratings champ for two seasons, until a little detective show called MOONLIGHTING came along on ABC. RIPTIDE sailed away in 1986, never to be heard from again.
Finishing up the evening was REMINGTON STEELE, a quirky detective show from MTM that premiered two years earlier. The show introduced audiences to future James Bond, Pierce Brosnon and to rumored lesbian Republican Stephanie Zimbalist. The enjoyable series, which I watched on a regular basis, followed the adventures of Laura Holt (Zimbalist) the "brains of the operation" and Remington, the pretty face who was basically a con man who fit the tuxedo. Doris Roberts was featured as their assistant Mildred. The show was a moderate hit, running for four full seasons and ending in 1986. Then the producers of the Bond film franchise offered Pierce the dream role of 007, creating tons of publicity. Suddenly NBC was interested in a fifth season of the show, and Brosnon lost the lead in THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS to Timothy Dalton. The final season was a series of two-hour TV-movies set in exotic locales. Nine years later, Pierce finally became Bond, replacing Dalton. He later appeared in many film roles, including being terribly miscast in MAMMA MIA. Zimbalist has kept an extremely low profile in recent years. I wonder why? Tomorrow: the Wednesday line-up.

Black Diva History Month, Part 2 (1930-1940)

Here's a dozen more great ladies of song and screen.Dakota Staton (Aliyah Rabia 1930-2007) was an jazz vocalist who found fame and acclaim with the 1957’s gorgeous The Late, Late Show. One of my favorite LPs for all time.Nina Simone (Eunice Kathleen Waymon 1933-2003) was a Grammy Award-nominated jazz singer, folk songwriter, classical pianist, arranger and civil rights activist. Her work covers an eclectic variety of musical styles including soul, R&B, gospel, and pop music. Known as The High Priestess of Soul, she recorded her last album – the amazing A Single Woman in 1993.
Della Reese (Born 1931), is an actress and singer. She started her career in the late 1950s as a pop singer, best known for her 1959 hit single Don't You Know which was adapted from an aria (Muzetta's Waltz) from Puccini's La Boheme. She subsequently became an actress, best known for the long-running CBS hit TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL.
Barbara McNair (1934-2007) was an sadly underrated singer and actress. In 1969 alone she hosted her own syndicated variety hour, starred alongside Mary Tyler Moore and Elvis in CHANGE OF HABIT (1969) and had a role in the sexy Italian film VENUS IN FURS, directed by Jesus Franco. The following year she portrayed Sidney Poitier's wife in They Call Me MISTER Tibbs! (1970). Ms. McNair continued performing into the 2000s, until her tragic death in 2007.
Ketty Lester (Revoyda Frierson, born 1934) is a singer and television actress, who is best known for her classic 1962 hit single, Love Letters - used effectively in David Lynch's cult classic BLUE VELVET. Lester would later establish herself as a fine actress in the 1970s and 1980s. Appearing on two NBC shows, DAYS OF OUR LIVES from 1975 to 1977, and as Hester-Sue on LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE from 1978 to 1983.
Diahann Carroll (Born 1935) is an award-winning actress and songstress. Carroll's first film role was in CARMEN JONES in 1954, followed by the film version of Gershwin's PORGY AND BESS. Carroll is best known for her Emmy-nominated title role in the 1968 show JULIA in 1968. In the 1980s, Carroll joined ABC’s megahit DYNASTY as the jet setter, Dominique Deveraux, half-sister of Blake Carrington. She is still very active in showbiz.
Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (born 1937) is a British singer most known for performing three James Bond themes GOLDFINGER (1964), DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER (1971), and MOONRAKER (1979). Ms. Bassey celebrated her 60th birthday by recording the hit History Repeating with The Propellerheads. This led to the 2001 album, The Remix Album: Diamonds Are Forever. In 2008 the song Goldfinger was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Seeing her perform live in San Francisco is one of the most memorable evenings in my life.
Roberta Flack (born 1937) is a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter and musician who is notable in the areas of jazz, soul, R&B and folk. Flack is best known for singles such as Killing Me Softly with His Song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Where Is the Love and The Closer I Get to You (two of her many duets with Donny Hathaway), and Feel Like Makin' Love.
Nancy Wilson (born 1937) is a Grammy-winning song stylist. She is known as both "Fancy Miss Nancy”. Her 1962 album with Cannonball Adderly is a alltime classic. She can be heard weekly on the long-running radio show, JAZZ PROFILES, on NPR.
Etta James (Jamesetta Hawkins, born 1938) is an blues, soul, R&B, rock & roll, gospel and jazz singer and songwriter. James is the winner of four Grammys and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame both in 1999 and 2008. She is best known for the song At Last. I have seen Etta perform at least a half-dozen times and she never ceases to entertain and amaze me.
Tina Turner (Anna Mae Bullock, born 1939) is an singer and actress whose career has spanned over 40 years and who has won numerous awards. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Rock 'n' Roll". I’ve seen her perform live on several occasions, and am always blown away by her energy. Oddly, I have never seen her big screen bio, WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?Dionne Warwick (Marie Dionne Warrick, born 1940), is singer best known for her partnership with songwriters and producers Burt Bacharach and Hal David. She also teamed with Barry Manilow for some memorable hits. Dionne is second only to Aretha Franklin as the female vocalist with the most Billboard Hot 100 chart hits during the rock era (1955-1999). No need to mention her acting in RENT A COP alongside Burt Reynolds and Liza or the Psychic Friends Network. Oh, I guess I just did.

Look for Part 3 tomorrow.