Ken and Robin Consume Media: An Iconic Illustrator and Ontario Bike Gang History

April 14th, 2020 | Robin

Ken and Robin Consume Media is brought to you by the discriminating and good-looking backers of the Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff Patreon. Each week we provide capsule reviews of the books, movies, TV seasons and more we cram into our hyper-analytical sensoriums. Join the Patreon to help pick the items we’ll talk about in greater depth on a little podcast segment we like to call Tell Me More.

Recommended

Drew: the Man Behind the Poster (Film, Erik Sharkey, 2013) Documentary profile of Drew Struzan, the illustrator whose fusion of glam and caricature defined blockbuster movie posters of the 80s. Covering both the creative and rough business side of freelance illustration, this is essential viewing for artists, art directors, and fans of Star Wars and Indiana Jones.—RDL

Hard Road: Bernie Guindon and the Reign of the Satan’s Choice Motorcycle Club (Nonfiction, Peter Edwards, 2017) True crime bio, written with its subject’s cooperation, portrays the charismatic, reflexively violent, teetotalling founder and longtime president of Ontario’s most feared bike club, ascendant from the late 60s until its absorption by the Hells Angels in 2000. Readers may be surprised at a org chart that functions more as a Rotary club for criminals than the feudal Mafia structure where every earner kicks a cut upward to the top dogs.—RDL

They Came Together (Film, US, David Wain, 2014) Sweet shop owner (Amy Poehler) and her former corporate nemesis (Paul Rudd) recall their courtship as a series of romantic comedy cliches. Big absurd jokes and a parade of cameos subject tired romcom tropes to the Wet Hot American Summer treatment.—RDL

Okay

Down to Earth (Film, US, Alexander Hall, 1947) In this oddball musical sequel to Here Comes Mr. Jordan, an offended goddess Terpischore (Rita Hayworth) journeys to Earth to claim a starring role in a brassy Broadway show that takes liberties with her mythology. Though every single song lands with a thud, I can’t think of a better time to soak in a dated piece of fluff featuring the star at her glammiest, Edward Everett Horton, copious gay subtext, a musical ode to polyamory, and a color palette of screaming pastels—the latter of which you might not think possible until you expose your eyeballs to it.—RDL

Duel at Diablo (Film, US, Ralph Nelson, 1966) Former cavalry scout (Jame Garner) seeking revenge for the murder of his Comanche wife falls in with his former unit as they hunt insurgent Apaches. Notable mostly for Sidney Poitier getting to play a cool but non-saintly secondary hero, and for portraying the Apaches as justified without letting them break out of their structurally assigned role as antagonists to the heroes.—RDL

Not Recommended

The Assassination Bureau (Film, US, Basil Dearden, 1969) Suffragette journalist (Diana Rigg) hires the dashing head of an international assassination cartel (Oliver Reed) to put out a contract on himself, exposing his confederates’ scheme to get WWI off to an early start. Though one might be tempted to take frame grabs of its gob-smacking art nouveau production design as resources for YKRPG: Paris or steampunk adventure, this stumbles on the decision to play it as broad comedy without writing any jokes for the actors to play. Based on an unfinished novel by Jack London, who bought the premise from Sinclair Lewis and then realized it didn’t come with an ending.—RDL