BAD RONALD

Here's a post from a while back...

Another ABC MOVIE OF THE WEEK gem from the Warner Archive Collection, BAD RONALD (1974, directed by Buzz Kulik, a veteran TV director, who would later helm over many epic miniseries including FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, RAGE OF ANGELS, GEORGE WASHINGTON and JACKIE COLLINS' LUCKY/CHANCES) is based on a novel by John Holbrook Vance.

BAD RONALD tells the tale of geeky Ronald Wilby (Scott Jacoby, later Dorothy's son Michael on GOLDEN GIRLS), who lives with his overbearing and obviously ill mom (PLANET OF THE APES star Kim Hunter) and has an over-active imagination.

Mom gives Ronald a new toolbox for his birthday, but things start to go bad for Ronald when he dresses to impress a popular girl at school, who snubs him when he shows up at her pool party.

On the way home, Ronald encounters the first of many Jan Brady lookalikes.

This bratty blond on a bicycle teases Ronald so much that he schmushes her face.

During the schmushing, the girl accidentally falls backwards and cracks open her head on a cinderblock.

Ouch!

What does our boy Ronald do? He buries her and goes home, where his mom is waiting. When he tells mother what he did, she comes up with a plan!

Mom decides to hide Ronald in the downstairs bathroom - and soon Ronald uses his new tools to put up a wall where the door should be - HGTV style!

 A small doorway in the kitchen pantry is Ronald's way into and out of his luxurious new studio apartment!

When the cops show up looking to question Ronald, Mrs. Wilby tells them he's run away.

It's not all bad for Ronald. He gets to skip school and eat chocolate all day.

He also gets to work out and write his epic fantasy novel.

And he gets to paint life-size murals featuring characters from his dreamworld Atranta, an added bonus is that since there's a toilet in this middle of his room - he gets to crap whenever he wants!

Things take an unfortunate turn for the worse when his mom has to go into the hospital for a simple gall bladder operation. Unfortunately, Mom never makes it back home.

That's when Mrs. Kravitz-like nosy neighbor Mrs. Schumacher becomes the bane of his existence.

Ronald uses his drill to forge holes throughout the house, and soon a new family, the Woods, with three Brady-like daughters moves into the house with dad Dabney Coleman (9 TO 5).

 Ronald watches the Woods and takes an interest in one of the Jans.

It's interesting how he is able to pan and zoom from his peephole.

While the Woods are out of the house, Ronald decides to drink their milk and see how they've redecorated.

Of course, Mrs. Schumacher catches a glimpse of him...and falls backwards to her death.

Luckily he knows how to bury people real good. So, now Ronald is responsible for two accidentally deaths. Bad Ronald! Bad!

It turns out that one of the Woods girls is dating the brother of the dead bicycle girl. So what happens when the Mr. and Mrs. Woods parents go away for the weekend?

I'm not gonna tell, but let's say it involves some light bondage involving the said boyfriend,

some of Ronald's life-size paintings and a screaming teen-age princess (who looks like Jan Brady).

All while I'm wishing that Ronald would have taken advantage in being trapped in a bathroom and cleaned up a bit.

 Check out BAD RONALD, an enjoyable and twisted 9 outta 10 old-school thriller.

Also, if you want to read the original novel, it is back in print - in hard cover from a publisher called Andreas Irle. You can purchase the book here and buy the exclusive dvd here.

More MAN FROM ATLANTIS

Yesterday I blogged about MAN FROM ATLANTIS - the TV series. Now let's take a look at some cool Mark Harris ephemera.

I believe this psychedelic key art is from the VHS release of the TV-movie pilot. What the hell is wrong with his eye?

This is the cover of a British annual. Notice how the mysterious Mr. Schubert is looking at Mark!

Here's a Tiger Beat Magazine profile of dashing young heartthrob Patrick Duffy! "Here He Is!"

"The Man Who Makes THE MAN FROM ATLANTIS Live". A bit hyperbolic?

 

Here's a gallery of underwater pulchritude courtesy of the Marvel Comics Group.

 

A couple of more slabs of beefcake from the Might Marvel Bullpen.

Interesting how Mark only has nipples some of the time. I guess it depends on how cold the water is?
 
Here's an in-house trade ad ("Mighty Marvel Does It--AGAIN!") and a cast pin-up by future PUNISHER artist Mike Zeck. I think there's a hint of nip there.

And finally - here's a print ad for a Dip Dots Painting Design Book. I guess you could paint your own nipples on Mark using the pink paint. Or not. Well, that's all the crap I have on MAN FROM ATLANTIS, probably more than you ever thought you'd want to see, eh? I'm just waiting for some studio to announce a MAN FROM ATLANTIS feature film. Who would YOU cast as Mark Harris?

MAN FROM ATLANTIS

MAN FROM ATLANTIS was one of those childhood memories that I thought I would never get a chance to relive. Now, thanks to the like-minded individuals who run The Warner Archive Collection, the adventures of Mark Harris are back to thrill a new generation of underwater adventure fans!

The dvd release of the original 1977 pilot has now been followed by the release of the TV-movie collection and the entire series - truly a dream come true for anyone who remembers this show from it's initial NBC run.

The original pilot aired in 1977 up against SONNY & CHER on CBS and THE BRADY BUNCH VARIETY HOUR on ABC. Talk about your proverbial "Sophie's Choice!" What was a gay 13 year old boy to do??? Especially since VHS and DVR had yet to be invented!

 

I opted to watch MAN FROM ATLANTIS, because it was the closest thing to Aquaman or Sub-Mariner that I would probably ever see on network TV and I could always catch those dumb old variety shows in reruns. Smart thinking!

 

I remember sitting on our plastic-covered living room couch, Mego Aquaman by my side as the opening tiles began.

 

Pretty soon we were introduced to young Patrick Duffy (a very youthful 32 years old) as an amesia victim who washes up on the shore all blue and covered in seaweed. When doctors try to save his life to no avail, brazen young Dr. Elizabeth Merrill (played by Belinda J. Montgomery) steps in realizes what this dude needs is to be thrown back in the water. Before you know it, he begins to heal and Doc Merill nurses him back to health.

The Foundation for Ocean Research decide to call him "Mark Harris" through tests they determine that he has special abilities, such as super strength, the ability to breathe under water and to leap from the water into the air. Basically, they notice his physiogamy is similar to that of a dolphin, so they begin to treat him like one! 

See how this scene is faithfully recreated in the Marvel Comics' adaptation...

Dr. Merrill takes a liking to Mark, even though he can't communicate with her. He does hang on her every word and stare deeply into her eyes with his colorful contact lenses.

The Foundation begins to have secret meetings about Mark and how he can be useful to them.

 

They determine that he can do all their dirty work and since he can't talk back, they'll be very little resistance. He does resist at first, and even escapes, but the good Doc knows just how to reach out to him.

He shares a tender moments with Doc Merrill. Oh by the way, he's got webbed feet and hands! Only his nails are a bit manky. Paging Madge and her Palmolive! Pretty soon we find out that Mark is super-intelligent and speaks English. But he lacks human emotion, you might say he's bit of a "cold fish".

So Mark begins helping out the Foundation and swimming in his tank wearing his skimpy yellow shorts. In fact the camera lingers on his tight little bathing suit quite a bit. Little does he know he's being watched...and not just by gay 13-year old boys (33 years later) but by the villainous Mr. Schubert (played by the immense Victor Buono), who hopes to use Mark for his own evil schemes!

You see, Schubert has a cult of very schlubby people working for him, even a lady who looks like Vivian Vance!

All of Schubert's people wear the same costume. Oh, except for this one guy. Didn't he get the memo?

Well after a lot of boring underwater bullshit concerning bombs and whatnot, Schubert finally tells Mark that he just wants to be "his friend."

His special friend?

\

Mark ponders the friendship as he stands there dripping in his tighty yellows.

As Schubert (and the viewers) ponder Mark's buns.

Some crazy shit happens, things blow up, water fills Schubert's secret lair and people drown. Then Mark is given a secret identity...as Stephen Colbert!

After his heroic deeds, Mark is given the opportunity to leave and search for his people.

But it turns out he can't say goodbye to Elizabeth...and thus we have the premise for the weekly series.

And the series of novels...

And the monthly comic book...

And so the saga of the MAN FROM ATLANTIS begins...and I'll be back tomorrow with more Mark Harris and Patrick Duffy goodies. Now eat your kelp!