Film Flashback December 27, 1978

We've made it to the last Film Flashback of 2019, but don't worry, there's plenty more to come in 2020. We're going right back to 1978 again having visited this year just a couple of weeks ago. Every Which Way But Loose and Wilderness Family Part 2 (also known as The Further Adventures of the Wilderness Family) were playing the Martin Twin on December 27, 1978. They were in their 2nd week and I managed to catch both of them at the Martin. My mother and I went to see the Wilderness Family sequel since we'd seen and liked the first one, but this one was just too much. The scenery is still nice, but the family's travails are just over the top. Gene Siskel made this his Dog of the Week on Sneak Previews and while I think that's a bit harsh, it's a real letdown after The Adventures of the Wilderness Family released in 1975.

I wrote about Every Which Way But Loose before on this blog so here's some copy and paste for you discerning readers.  I saw this film the night it was released in 1978 at the Martin Twin in Jackson Heights Plaza. It wasn't planned which is perhaps why I remember it so well. My mother and I just happened to run into my cousin (technically 1st cousin once removed) Freddy and his parents and I talked my way into staying to see the movie. Freddy and I sat on the front row. Which was unprecedented for me. The screen was huge. And it was soon filled with beer drinking, cussing, and fighting Ruth Gordon (God bless her), and the most amazing sight: an orangutan named Clyde. He was the perfect pal. I wanted one! He was by far the star of the show. Eastwood held his own against him, especially with the fight scenes, but the show really belonged to Clyde. Trivia for you: The phrase "Right turn, Clyde" is not said in this film, but is in the sequel Any Which Way You Can. 

Cinema One was showing a film I still haven't seen; Magic. I'm a huge Ann-Margret fan, and I'm sure Anthony Hopkins is great, but the ventriloquist's dummy is just too creepy for me. This was a movie that played often on HBO in the 1979/80 time period and I would catch scenes here and there, but couldn't ever watch the whole movie. I still don't have a desire to see it. The trailer is more than enough. 

You could catch John Wayne's son Patrick in the hixploitation Texas Detour at the Marbro Drive-In. Joe Don Baker and Tyne Daly star in Speedtrap which is about an insurance man after car thieves. 

Bonus: The Daily News Journal would feature a family every year going out and shopping for Christmas. It was obvious that the places they visited had paid for these entries and the Martin Theatre made sure they were a part of these pieces that ran in November and December for years. I've been sharing them the last few weeks. Here's the one from 1976 that ran in the November 21st paper. The Reed family are going to see Super Bug Super Agent. I suspect the version the Martin Twin showed was dubbed into English. That's all for this year. The next Film Flashback will post at 6AM Central time on January 3, 2020. If there's a particular year you really want to see feel free to leave a comment and I can see what I can do.