Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Lone Wolf Norris

So here's the tally...        
... they shoot his daughter's boyfriend 
... they kidnap his daughter                  
 ... they kill his best friend                       
... they shoot up his house                    
         ... they shoot his pet wolf                               
 ... they shoot his deputies                      
                ... they slap his daughter and girlfriend around    
                                             ... they beat 'em up
                                             ... they bury 'em alive along with his truck
                                                      .... they steal his badge
                                                      ... they rip his favorite shirt

We ask... how much more can a guy take!!??

    
(YouTube Video)
'Lone Wolf McQuade', 1983 (Theatrical Trailer)

(Internet Images)
We particularly liked his souped-up ORV Dodge RamCharger

Great film!
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Mid '70's thru mid '80's was the classic period (our opinion) for beater trucks... Ford F-series, Chevy K-series, Dodge Power Wagon... Jeep CJ... early SUV-type Chevy Blazer, Ford Bronco...

(Internet Image)
... and the best ORV 4WD vehicle ever built (our opinion), International Scout, literally a piece of farm equipment built by International Harvester 

We may be a bit prejudiced, though...

A '67(? - as we recall - maybe '66) Ford bronco pickup we owned - photo pulled from the archives

(Internet Images)
We had an identical '77 Dodge Power Wagon. Not our images. Although we did post an original image herein a while back. Didn't feel like searching for it. Think that we may have called it a '76 as well. Around $5,700 new purchase cost right off the show room floor. Remember everyone would exclaim "We can't believe that you paid all that money for a new truck!". Could have bought five of 'em nowadays.  Dodge marketed that paint, graphics and off-road extras as their "Macho Package" of which we always took a ribbing. Automatic transmission. "Full time" 4WD hubs - solid flange non-locking (aka, non-manual) hubs with (chain-drive as we recall) manual transfer case. Carbureted 360 magnum engine (as we recall). Not a bad truck but had a few issues from the factory. Remember that we twice had to replace a sheared front drive shaft yoke (not that we were driving it rough). Ran great in the mud and snow with the short wheel base.

Sunday, March 1, 2026

Our Man Flint

                  Cramden: "Walther PPK with silencer. High velocity, extreme penetrating power."
                         Flint: "Yes, it's a very fine weapon."
                  Cramden: [displaying a fighting knife] "Tempered steel. Very effective at close range."
                         Flint: "But I have no need for these. They're crude."
                  Cramden: "Dammit, these are the most..."
                         Flint: [showing off his gadget disguised as a cigarette lighter] "This has eighty-two
                                   different functions - eighty-three, if you wish to light a cigar."

                                                                                                   - Our Man Flint (film), 1966  

A fun '60's spy film score:

(YouTube Video)

(YouTube Video)
(YouTube Video)
Film clip with music cue insert. While working with the colorist at Colorlab film laboratory located in Rockville, Md years back on a project of ours (no digital options back then, color timing was all performed working alongside a studio colorist) we got to be acquainted with a filmmaker who worked as a Hollywood stuntman in the 50's - 60's. Said that he had been an assistant and (unutilized) backup to perform those two high-fall stunts in this clip. Ya' usually met some pretty interesting individuals hangin' about the film labs. Everyone was always interested in what the other fellow was up to as well as their capabilities and experience. High regards for the (then) folks at Colorlab as well as the old WRS Film Laboratories that was located near Pittsburgh.

(YouTube Video)

We always thought that this track would be a good double-duty fit for a surf film:

(YouTube Video)

Good work by composer Jerry Goldsmith and actor James Coburn in this one. Flint's a badass.