Dearly Departed Dino De Laurentiis

Veteran movie mogul Dino De Laurentiis passed away Wednesday night. The acclaimed Italian producer was 91. You might not know who Dino De Laurentiis is, but if you grew up watching 80s genre films, then you’ve probably seen his name before, countless times.

Of course, if you weren’t an uber-movie-geek with an endless capacity for useless information, then you might not be so quick to recall all the films that opened with, “Dino De Laurentiis Presents,” and the wave of giddy fanboy glee that followed.

A Bit of the Old Ultra-violence: “The Expendables” Review

(Disclaimer: I’m going to try really hard to avoid turning this review into some kind of essay on violence in film. Suffice it to say, in principle, I don’t have a problem with violence in film. I do, however, have a problem with the current state of film ratings, wherein fairly extreme violence doesn’t necessarily mean an R-rating, while nudity, sexual situations, and certain language can, each on their own, almost always ensure an R-rating. Granted, we are a nation founded by Puritans, so it should come as no surprise. Still, I think if anything should guarantee an R-rating, it’s violence. And in this case, The Expendables is rated-R, so we’re all good as far as I’m concerned. Game on.)

The Expendables opened at #1 last weekend, proving that mindless, violent action is still as American as apple pie.