Author Archive: Retro

Julius Caesar, is threatened by the dictator Sulla, due to Caesar’s wife Cornelia’s ties to Sulla’s enemies. Caesar decides to flee Rome to the court of his friend, King Nicomedes of Bithynia. While traveling in the area, Caesar is captured by pirates. The pirates are engaged in hostilities with Bithynia, and Caesar swears that once he is ransomed, he will return and destroy the pirates.

“That was the Arizona territory in 1880, and I was its chief marshal.” So began this western series starring Henry Fonda as Simon Fry. Unfortunately, Fonda’s character was fully integrated into the plot in only six of the episodes of the first season and thirteen in season two. In all other episodes he appeared only briefly, generally at the start of the episode and again at the close. Fonda did narrate most episodes. Fonda worked for ten weeks on season one, for example, shooting all of his scenes during that time, which left the rest of the year free for film and theater work. While Allen Case tried hard as the title character, Clay McCord, the series is well- known for the substantial differences in quality between what the series producers (and Fonda himself) came to call the “Fonda” and “Non- Fonda” episodes.

When the New York City police disrupt a big cocaine deal, the TV news reporters find John Falcone, a local mobster, nearby. They ask some tough questions, and Falcone decides he needs a public relations man to help burnish his image. He hires Todd Barrett, and he keeps Barrett in line with generous helpings of cocaine. Meanwhile, Falcone’s unorthodox, violent, and sadistic methods get him cross-wise with Don Ricci, the boss. A mob war may break out. When Todd’s wife is endangered, can the flack attack back at the racketeers?

Canadian Mountie Sgt. Preston patrols the wilds of the Yukon with his horse Rex and his faithful dog Yukon King, battling both the elements and criminals.

In ancient Greece, Pythias from Athens is on a trip to Syracuse. The tyrant Dionysius of Syracuse sees him as a dangerous follower of the philosopher Pythagoras and condemns him to death. Pythias begs Dionysus to allow him to visit his wife in Athens promising to return to Syracuse to be executed. Pythias’ friend Damon volunteers to be held hostage until Pythias returns. Dionysius sees this as the opportunity to demonstrate the falsity of Pythagoras’ philosophy. Dionysius allows Pythias to leave but doesn’t expect him to return. Dionysius prepares to execute Damon, but at the last minute, Pythias returns to take Damon’s place before the executioner. The tyrant’s son intervenes and Damon and Pythias are both spared.

Dir. Beau Davis. Government agent must seek and destroy a Soviet laser weapons operation, rescue a scientist, and retrieve a deadly formula. Martial arts action by Brandon Lee

A Union soldier returns from the dead to take revenge on three officers who betrayed his unit in battle.

Murdock inherits an estate in Africa, on which “Satan’s Harvest” (heroin and marijuana) is grown. The thugs growing the drugs want him out of the way, so things get messy.