The Ladies Man (2000) or, Leon Phelps: Master of Love

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Star Tim Meadows radiates confidence and apparently sits on Manhattan - and cloud nine - on this poster for Reginald Hudlin's The Ladies Man

Leon Phelps is the radio personality 'the Ladies Man' who is nevertheless fired due to his vulgar program as he also falls in love with his producer. - But how can he combine that with his intense love life?

The Ladies Man is written by Dennis McNicholas (Saturday Night Live (1999-19)), Andrew Steele (The Jon Stewart Show (1993-95)) and co-writer/star Tim Meadows (Semi-Pro (2008, actor)), and directed by Reginald Hudlin (House Party (1990)). It is based on a character from long-running sketch-show Saturday Night Live.
It doesn't esteem itself all that well as a film. It is very coarse and sporadically funny, and in fact I still found parts of it very funny, especially scenes with Will Ferrell (Drunk History (2010, TV-series short)), which elevate The Ladies Man considerably. There's also a musical number that's a riot.
Billy Dee Williams (The Visit (2000)) is another welcome co-star here, great with a twinkle in his eye as the narrating bar owner, and finally Meadows is very likable as the foolish Leon.
The Ladies Man is in no way a significant film, - but I wonder if it in any way inspired Ferrell and Adam McKay's somewhat similar but infinitely better Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004). On a late night with low expectations it makes for completely a-okay entertainment.

Watch a 1-minute clip from the film here

Cost: 24 mil. $
Box office: 13.7 mil. $
= Huge flop (returned 0.57 times its cost)
[The Ladies Man premiered 10 October (USA) and runs 84 minutes. Shooting took place from August - October 1999 in Toronto, Ontario and Chicago, Illinois. The film opened #4, behind holdover hits Meet the Parents and Remember the Titans and fellow new release Lost Souls, to a 5.4 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it left the top 5 in its 2nd week and grossed 13.6 mil. $ (99.3 % of the total gross). The 27k $ rest of the paltry gross came from Australia and Germany. The film was released in at least 4 more markets, but these don't figure on its Box Office Mojo, (they may likely have been even smaller than those for Australia and Germany.) Roger Ebert gave the film a 1/4 star review, translating to 3 notches harder than this one. Hudlin returned with Serving Sara (2002). Meadows returned in 6 TV credits prior to his theatrical return in Wasabi Tuna (2003). The Ladies Man is rotten at 11 % with a 3.22/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Ladies Man?

The Fisher King (1991) - Gilliam and Co. win with unpredictable story with major heart and amazing Williams

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A long, loony tagline and a wonderfully intense photo of the two stars make up this beloved poster for Terry Gilliam's The Fisher King

A New York radio host, who is smarter than his own good, becomes implicitly guilty of a massacre and descends into depression, until he one day meets one of the relatives of a victim of the massacre.

The Fisher King is written by Richard LaGravanese (The Comedian (2016)) and directed by Minnesotan master filmmaker Terry Gilliam (Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)), whose 6th feature it is.
Robin Williams (The Best of Times (1986)) gives one of his all-time most touching and intense performances here in Gilliams' lively, extraordinary, incredible film. Mercedes Ruhl (Bad Apple (2004, TV movie)) is also formidable in The Fisher King; her couple's scenes with Jeff Bridges (R.I.P.D. (2013)) are beautifully observed. Furthermore Michael Jeeter (Bank Robber (1993)) is memorable in a supporting part.
The Fisher King is an emotional ride that one remembers!

Related posts:

Terry Gilliam: The Brothers Grimm (2005) - Gilliam's European misadventure sort-of entertains

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) - Depp's Thompson lives and breathes in Gilliam's outrageous, drug-fueled masterpiece

12 Monkeys (1995) or, What's the Time?

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 24 mil. $
Box office: 41.8 mil. $ (North America only)
= Uncertain
[The Fisher King premiered 10 September (Venice Film Festival, Italy) and runs 137 minutes. Shooting took place in New York and Los Angeles, California from May - August 1990. Gilliam devised the Grand Central Station waltz scene himself. The film opened in 10 theaters to a 311k$ first weekend in North America, peaking at #1 the following week, which it retained for another 2 weeks, before spending one week as #3 and one as #4, before leaving the top 5, grossing 41.8 mil. $ domestically. The film would have to gross 60 mil. $ to break even, which it likely did, but this is strictly speculation. It was nominated for 5 Oscars, winning one, for Best Supporting Actress (Ruhl, her only ever nomination). It lost Actor (Williams) to Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs, Art/Set Decoration to Bugsy, Score (George Fenton) to Alan Menken for Beauty and the Beast and Original Screenplay to Callie Khouri for Thelma & Louise. It won 2/5 Golden Globe nominations, was nominated for 2 BAFTAs, won 3 awards in Venice and a bunch of other honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 2/4 star review, translating to 3 notches harder than this one. Gilliam returned with Twelve Monkeys (1995). Williams returned in Hook (1991), Bridges in American Heart (1992). The Fisher King is certified fresh at 83 % with a 6.96/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Fisher King?

The Lords of Salem (2012) - Zombie's disturbing satanic radio witch horror lacks a compelling center

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+ Most Sinister Movie of the Year

Sheri Moon Zombie in satanic goth emo getup on this decay-tinted poster for Rob Zombie's The Lords of Salem

A woman rock radio host in Salem, Massachusetts receives a record with a mysterious melody, which awakens something sinister in her and other women, which hails from the witches of Salem's past...

The Lords of Salem is written and directed by Rob Zombie (House of 1000 Corpses (2003)). Zombie denies us conventionality in the form of murders and relatable characters here: Instead Bruce Davison (Return of the Killer Shrews (2012)) researches around, (he is a Salem witch trial expert), while Sheri Moon Zombie (Halloween (2007)), the filmmaker's wife, gabbles with her maybe-boyfriend with occult stuff in her surroundings.
It never becomes really exciting or scary; the plot is simply too feeble-minded for that. It is a shame, because The Lords of Salem features strong and highly unpleasant imagery; the sabbath in the beginning is enormously hideous; the mystical melody does sound like something straight out of hell, and there is no shortage of strange and disturbing images overall, springing from a concert hall of a religious variety. The Lords of Salem is blasphemous or more accurately satanical, which makes it especially tough diet for Christians. 

Related posts:

Rob Zombie: 2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V]
2012 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V]
Halloween (2007) - Zombie's remake is a bloody stinker
The Devil's Rejects (2005) - Zombie's crazy serial killer Americana

Watch an interview with Rob Zombie about the film here

Cost: 1.5 mil. $
Box office: 1.5 mil. $
= Huge flop (returned 1 time the cost)
[The Lords of Salem premiered 10 September (Toronto International Film Festival, Ontario) and runs 101 minutes. Zombie was given free reins with a low budget from horror producer maestro Jason Blum to do something supernatural. Shooting took place in California, including Los Angeles, and in Salem, Massachusetts from October - December 2011. Zombie toured with his band, while the film was edited. It opened #16 to a 642k $ first weekend in 354 theaters in North America, where it decreased from there, playing a total of 4 weeks, grossing 1.1 mil. $ (73.3 % of the total gross). The only 2 foreign markets accounted for are Italy with 373k $ (24.9 %) and Spain with 5k $ (0.3 %). Rob Zombie returned with a video promo, a concert film of his own metal band Rob Zombie and theatrically with 31 (2016). Sheri Moon Zombie returned in said promo and theatrically in 31. The Lords of Salem is rotten at 46 % with a 5.3/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Lords of Salem?