Fade to Black. (1980)
Fade to Black is a fantastic paen to all things Hollywood. Lovingly put together, the film brilliantly incorporates classic clips and soundbytes, not to mention enough movie quiz questions to keep your brain whirring throughout, and combines it all into a hugely fun horror escapade about a down on his luck movie fan and his love for a Marilyn Monroe lookalike.
The film makers clearly had a blast making Fade to Black, i'm sure it was a dream come true for lead Dennis Christopher who got to play many classic people and characters from Hollywood gone by, not to mention a thrilling climax atop Grauman's Chinese Theatre in the centre of Tinseltown. A special mention must go to Linda Kerridge who's impersonation of Monroe was at times uncanny, and got to thrill fans like me by having a shower scene that quite marvelously transformed into what is possibly the most famous scene in horror cinema.
Indeed the whole film was a treat for people like me who would prefer to watch a James Cagney or Marilyn Monroe film rather than the likes of Man of Steel ,Pacific Rim and other modern invaders of our multiplexes.
I'm sure some could analyse Fade to Black forevermore, but i'm just typing as i saw it as a first time viewing. A comically, brutal love letter to the glitter and glamour of Hollywood. I loved it.
And as for Mickey Rourke who professed to love Casablanca so much yet didn't know Rick's surname.... he deserved to die!
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