Category: Books
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Shear Still ‘Up All Night’ in 2026
By Joe Puccio The proverb “everything old is new again” tends to get tossed around with ease these days, especially among the Generation X contingent. Whether it’s fashion, music, or even interior design, the prevailing trends of the past often seem to come full circle and saturate the current landscape. And perhaps more than any…
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Cornell Brings ‘Comfort’ to all her Endeavors
By Joe Puccio Ditzy blondes in television and film have seemingly been around for nearly as long as the mediums themselves. From Marilyn Monroe, who popularized the archetype in movies like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Jayne Mansfield, who was known for exotically vacuous parts in pictures such as The Girl Can’t Help It, to Suzanne Somers’…
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‘Swinging’ on the Vine
Revisiting Swingers Through Sideways3.5 out of 5 stars By J.C. Correa When Alexander Payne released his intoxicating ode to wine and midlife crises in 2004, it was not uncommon for Sideways to be compared to Doug Liman’s 1996 indie hit Swingers. Many viewers and critics argued that both its central theme of wooing the fairer sex and…
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From ‘Mary’ to ‘Match’ to Her Memoir, Bulifant is a Marvel
By Joe Puccio As the performers who’ve been both talented and lucky enough to be able to earn a living in show business can surely attest, the struggle to attain autonomy in one’s career is very real. Furthermore, managing to maintain said success is sometimes just as challenging. For Joyce Bulifant, the struggles she overcame…
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Solomon’s a ‘Force’ on Monsoon’s Life
By Joe Puccio Depending on just how far back one’s fandom of professional wrestling stretches, the name Gorilla Monsoon can easily evoke very different memories. For those who began following the business in the counterculture decade of the 1960s, when Vincent J. McMahon reformed the Capitol Wrestling Federation into the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF,…
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Some Kind of Monster
Frankenstein3 out of 5 stars By J.C. Correa Beautifully lit, lavishly designed, and brimming with the type of luminous colors that its director is known for, the latest Frankenstein seems to center around the popular talking point of it supposedly being the film that Guillermo del Toro was born to make. Or destroy, I’d say might…
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From Malachai to Music, Courtney ‘Gains’ an Appreciation Among Fans
By Joe Puccio Best known for his chilling turn as Malachai in 1984’s supernatural slasher hit Children of the Corn, it may be slightly surprising to some that Courtney Gains has carved out quite an eclectic career for himself since appearing in the seminal shocker. A variety of parts in non-genre fare ranging from science fiction…
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Actress/Author Arngrim Will Always Be Nellie Oleson and She Wouldn’t Have it Any Other Way
By Joe Puccio Transforming into vile, detestable characters is difficult enough for most actors. Yet playing those parts while still a young child would seemingly prove to be even more daunting. Unless you’re Alison Arngrim, that is. “When I filmed “The Music Box” with Katy Kurtzman, she was so good doing the stammering and crying…
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From ‘Santa’ to ‘Sons’ to Science Fiction, Walker is Saturated with Stories
By Joe Puccio It’s not unusual for those in show business to eventually get the itch to write a book. For almost as long as film and television have captivated audiences around the world, the often-extroverted performers who so vividly bring the mediums to life are frequently known for putting pen to paper to chronicle…
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Through the Dark Corners of His Father’s House
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere3.5 out of 5 stars By J.C. Correa Few would argue that Bruce Springsteen isn’t one of the most important and influential musical artists of the past fifty years. Having been such a seismic cultural force is usually reason enough to merit a great biopic that explains how such status was…
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From Dupree to Executive, Shulman is a ‘Giant’
By Joe Puccio Rock and Roll has obviously had an abundance of both talented artists as well as pioneering record executives, separately, throughout its vast history. What’s not as common, however, is the number of individuals who excelled at both. “I never expected to work behind the scenes. When I got the call from a…
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Greenberg’s ‘Better’ Than Ever with Book Examining WrestleMania III
By Joe Puccio Perhaps more than any other time in modern publishing history, literature related to professional wrestling is experiencing a renaissance that would have seemed to be highly implausible not too long ago. While poorly produced, factually challenged books were the norm throughout the glossy 1980s as well as much of the transitional 1990s,…
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Jarratt’s Mick Taylor is a ‘Wolf’ in Sheep’s Clothing
By Joe Puccio Upon graduating from the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Arts in 1973, if someone had told John Jarratt that he’d be best known for playing Australian serial killer Mick Taylor in the “new classic” modern slasher Wolf Creek just over 30 years later, the formally trained actor would’ve assumed his leg was…
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Former (Current?) WWE Star Kross Still ‘Fighting’ for What he Believes in
By Joe Puccio While the recent scuttlebutt revolving around popular pro wrestling sensation Kevin Robert Kesar – more widely known as Karrion Kross – has primarily focused on the New York City-born competitor’s complicated and somewhat cryptic contract situation, it would be a shame if one of the talented performer’s many other endeavors was overshadowed…
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VanHentenryck Sculpts an Impressive Career – ‘Case’ Closed
By Joe Puccio Mass media in popular culture is often categorized by the respective decade in which the subject belongs to. In music, grunge rock (Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Soundgarden) dominated the 1990s. On the small screen, the 1950s are looked back on as the ‘Golden Age of Television’ (I Love Lucy, Father Knows Best, The…
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Unloading it All
Metallica – Load (Remastered) Deluxe Box Set By J.C. Correa How much Metallica is too much Metallica? The legendary heavy metal outfit has made it a point to possibly provide that answer with the recent release of the gargantuan box set that serves to commemorate, of all things, their contentious 1996 LP Load. With over 240…
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Of Shark and Men
Jaws5 out of 5 stars By J.C. Correa What more can be said or written about Jaws that hasn’t already been done? By now, a half-century into its life and legacy, most have probably seen it. At the very least they might know it was responsible for not only properly establishing Steven Spielberg as the consummate…
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A Schwartz ‘Story’
By Joe Puccio Show business is a peculiar animal, especially for children. While some performers who got their start in the industry at an early age became known for much more than their innocuous initial introductions (Ron Howard as freckle-faced Opie on The Andy Griffith Show, Neil Patrick Harris as the titular boy genius on…
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The Gene Hackman Retrospective: ‘Get Shorty’
4 out of 5 stars By J.C. Correa It is not every day that you have freezing temperatures in Miami. Similarly, it is rare for Los Angeles to be graced with torrential downpours. Both of these surreal realities, however, occur within the first twenty minutes of Get Shorty, and what is sandwiched in-between them is…
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From ‘Annie’ to ‘Kate & Allie,’ Allison Smith is Still ‘Wing’ing it and Doing a Stellar Job
By Joe Puccio Performing on stage before a live audience and acting on a film or television set are two very diverse experiences. While the pair of skills are certainly equally as impressive on their own, being adept at both is even more remarkable. For gifted thespian Allison Smith, she thoroughly excels at each endeavor…
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Horowitz Proves to be a ‘Winner’ in Spite of Wrestling Record
By Joe Puccio Supporting players in the various art forms of entertainment are just as integral as the leading parts they correlate with. Without William Zabka as antagonistic bully Johnny Lawrence, Ralph Macchio’s popular underdog character Daniel LaRusso wouldn’t have been nearly as effective in The Karate Kid. If Rob Reiner, as left-leaning son-in-law Mike…
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The Gene Hackman Retrospective: ‘No Way Out’
3.5 out of 5 stars By J.C. Correa The recent death of Hollywood screen legend Gene Hackman is one that has undoubtedly left a hollow mark across the movie industry. Part of this, unfortunately, has to do with the eerie circumstances behind his and his wife’s demise. But above all, it is the natural result…
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Fifty Years Later, This Trio is Still ‘Happening!!’
By Joe Puccio In show business, it’s difficult enough for motion pictures to attain suitable box office success to justify the perpetually exorbitant costs of creating them. Furthermore, adapting profitable television versions of fruitful films are often even tougher tasks. While M*A*S*H (Film: $3 million budget and $81.6 million gross; Series: 11 seasons), The Karate…
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‘Growing’ into an Adult: Miller Makes his Mark
By Joe Puccio It isn’t every television show that can count Hollywood heavyweights such as Brad Pitt, Hilary Swank, and Leonardo DiCaprio among its celebrated alumni. Growing Pains, however, can do just that. The popular situation comedy, which premiered in the fall of 1985, focused on the Seavers, a middle-class family from the suburbs of…
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‘The Outdated Entertainment Hour’ with Bob Smith
Nostalgic for the great entertainment you loved as a kid and young adult? The Outdated Entertainment Hour – hosted by Bob Smith, a veteran entertainment podcaster, writer and editor (Good Times Magazine, Pro Wrestling Illustrated) – will bring back many of your favorite music artists, TV shows, books, films, and much more. Enjoy conversations with…
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The James Bond Family’s Midas Touch
By J.C. Correa It is very hard to believe, but after more than 60 years, the James Bond films finally belong to entities other than those who have always and exclusively made them. I’m referring, of course, to the recent seismic deal that effectively removes creative control of the storied franchise away from EON Productions…
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Dougherty’s Rod Serling Book is in the ‘Zone’
By Joe Puccio There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his…
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Bronwyne Billington Carving Out Her Own ‘Dynamite’ Legacy
By Joe Puccio Modern era professional wrestling is virtually saturated with acrobatic, high-flying daredevils who wow the audience with their unmatched technical prowess each time they step into the squared circle. While five-star classic masterpieces are par for the course for Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, and Kazuchika Okada these days, this luxury really didn’t exist…
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The Freaks Come Out at Christmas
Batman Returns4 out of 5 stars By J.C. Correa After the triumphant one-two punch of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and Beetlejuice, Warner Bros. gave Tim Burton the keys to the Batcave in 1989, effectively allowing him to, for better or worse, launch the modern-day superhero cinema craze with the uber-successful Batman. It was a gamble that proved…
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Toasting to a Classic: ‘Sideways’
5 out of 5 stars By J.C. Correa “If anybody orders merlot, I’m leaving! I am NOT drinking any F@&#ING MERLOT!” With those immortal words Paul Giamatti inadvertently disrupted the mojo of an up-until-then profitable wine grape, the diminished sales of which were felt all over Northern California. At least that is what a winemaker…
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Dee Wallace ‘Self-Creates’ an Impressive Career
By Joe Puccio Cultivating a fruitful film and television career for an astounding 50 years, talent, tenacity, and even a little luck are all clearly somewhat responsible. Dee Wallace names self-creation, however, as a key rationale for her success. “Each time you have a thought or a feeling or a perception of the world, you…
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Butler’s a ‘Prairie’ Man at Heart
By Joe Puccio Good casting is paramount to the quality of any television series. While many factors, such as script, plot, and direction are equally important, the painstaking process of selecting the right mix of performers can be just as difficult to cultivate. Attempting to visualize All in the Family without Carroll O’Connor and Jean…
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Wrestling’s Jim Brunzell Excels Both Inside and Outside the Ring
By Joe Puccio It would be understandable for any promising, young, professional wrestler training alongside eventual legends like Ric Flair, Ken Patera, and the Iron Sheik to feel self-conscious early on in the learning process. Jim Brunzell, however, was not a typical student. In arguably one of the strongest collective classes of aspiring grapplers ever assembled,…
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50 Years Later, This ‘Land’ is Not ‘Lost’
By Joe Puccio For Gen Xers who came of age in the 1970s, Sid and Marty Krofft are two names lavished with reverence. The Canadian brothers, simultaneously television creators, writers, and puppeteers, produced some of the most enduring small screen offerings of the era, including H.R. Pufnstuf, Sigmund and the Sea Monsters, and The Banana…
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The Keirn Chronicles: A ‘Fabulous’ Follow-Up Continues a Profound Tale
By Joe Puccio As notable aspiring authors are keenly aware, merely getting one life story passed the developmental stage in the form of a written autobiography is impressive enough. Having an extended second volume, north of 400 pages, is utterly astounding. Yet for retired professional wrestler Steve Keirn, it was never in doubt. “My career…
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Macho Man ‘Untamed’ – The Definitive Randy Savage Biography
By Joe Puccio “He was de-venomized, but maybe I wasn’t!” That was Randy “Macho Man” Savage’s tongue-in-cheek quip in response to hearing the unfortunate news that his concurrent rival Jake “The Snake” Roberts’ ten-foot king cobra passed away less than two weeks after sinking its half-inch fangs into Savage’s arm, drawing a notable amount of…
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Crack Open a ‘Six Pack’ With 1980s Wrestling Luminaries
By Joe Puccio Books on professional wrestling are anything but an anomaly in 2024. In the first four months of the year alone, the sport has already boasted Ballyhoo! The Roughhousers, Con Artists, and Wildmen Who Invented Professional Wrestling, Becky Lynch – The Man: Not Your Average Average Girl, and Macho Man – The Untamed,…
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‘Mat Memories’ is a Home Run
By Joe Puccio Had he continued on his ill-advised foray into becoming a professional wrestler, the Sultan of Schizophrenia would have been an appropriate moniker for John Arezzi. By his own admission, Arezzi’s life has been a frenetic whirlwind of undeniable success, unavoidable obstacles, and missed opportunities, with a sprinkling of well-deserved, old-fashioned, luck for…
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From Football to ‘Chico’
By Joe Puccio Billed from the nonexistent town of Tocula, Mexico throughout his illustrious career, Tito Santana, one of the most technically sound and respected professional wrestlers of the 1980s through the early ‘90s, was actually born and raised in Mission, Texas, before gaining worldwide fame inside the squared circle. “Vince (McMahon, owner of the…
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Former Wrestler/Ref Danny Davis Has The ‘X’ Factor
By Joe Puccio Wrestling autobiographies are not exactly a scarce commodity nowadays. Between tomes written by grappling luminaries like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Chris Jericho, and Bret “Hitman” Hart, pro wrestlers chronicling their wild and frenzied days as kingpins of the squared circle have certainly cultivated a crowded field in the genre in the last…
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