Happy Birthday Steven Seagal

Today the 'Stout Sensei' is 60 years young. Despite the (many) digs at his size, or the quality of his recent movies...the guy has such a screen presence* (whether you like him or not) and is still one of the most credible action stars around today. From the top-flight bone-breaking 'hardcore' classics like OUT FOR JUSTICE and MARKED FOR DEATH to the absurdities of ATTACK FORCE and OUT FOR A KILL, Seagal has been entertaining audiences now, for well over 20 years (not bad for a guy who debuted in a lead role for a major studio at 37 years of age) On top of that, the guy writes, produces, directs, sings and is a tireless campaigner for many humanitarian charities around the world. Oh, and did i forget he's an expert 7th Dan Aikido master!

Straight-To-DVD-Heaven salutes you Steven Seagal, have a great Birthday Sir




(* He was easily the best thing about 2010's MACHETE)

Happy Birthday Burt Reynolds

With a fair few obituaries on this blog, it's only fair that I include something to celebrate on Straight-To-Dvd-Heaven, every once in a while...Namely that Burt Reynolds is 75 years young today.
Former halfback, stunt-man and all round 'good old boy'...Burt Reynolds was one of the biggest box office stars of the seventies, starring in such classics like DELIVERANCE, THE MEAN MACHINE, SHAMUS, HUSTLE, SEMI TOUGH, SMOKEY AND THE BANDIT (the criminally underrated) STARTING OVER, CANNONBALL RUN, SHARKY'S MACHINE (my personal fav along with) STICK, HEAT, MALONE and RENT-A-COP.
His good looks, killer timing and fun movies, often detracted from the fact that Mr Reynolds is also a great actor and director (Sharky's Machine are proof of both attributes)
Sadly though, as the eighties winded down, cinema had new box office champs (Arnold, Sly, Cruise, etc) but reynolds kept at it, and has appeared in a diverse range of DTV projects, before having a mini revival with BOOGIE NIGHTS (1997) before returning to mostly DTV work.
Some notable DTV releases being, THE MADDENING, RAVEN (fuck yeah...'Raven-Team' zippo lighters!) BIG CITY BLUES, (Albert Pyun's) CRAZY SIX, PUPS and his Logan Mcqueen movies.

Hollywood might have a short memory Burt, but i salute you on your 27, 375 days on 'gods blue and green' misery orb....All the best 'Bandit' (I may even watch SHARKY'S MACHINE tonight, or better yet...order that R2 import of HEAT, that I've been after for so long off E-bay?)