Gosh, Charles Martin Smith is 60 years of age today. Happy birthday, you sexy silver daddy! It's crazy to think that for over 40 years of his life, CMS has been working in film and television practically non-stop. But where some people would be slowing down and taking it easy at this point in their lives, Mr. Smith is still going strong and keeping busy. As usual (nowadays) it's entirely behind the camera. That's too bad, because it's getting harder to find recent pics of him to admire and enjoy. This one from a few years back will have to do for now. Lookin' good there, Charlie! As far as I am concerned, Charles Martin Smith is STILL the Sexiest Man Alive.
The biggest news in CMS's future: he's directing a sequel to his hit 2011 film "Dolphin Tale 3D" which is set for release to theatres in 2014. It looks like pretty much the entire cast from the original will be returning for this 2nd go-around (yes, that includes Winter the dolphin too). I haven't heard anything about whether he'll be filming this one in 3D as well. I'm kind of hoping he is, since I thought Smith-as-director used the 3D effects in fun and creative ways in "Dolphin Tale" (and made paying those few extra bucks worth it).
Once again, it's the time of year to celebrate both Halloween and Charlie's birthday with my usual ritual of watching a double-feature of CMS-related horror movies or TV episodes. Of course I always start with Charlie's awesome directorial debut from 1986, "Trick or Treat"... which this time around strikes me as strangely similar to "Carrie" (1976/2002/2013). The main characters are both high school misfits who get mercilessly and cruelly picked on by the cool kids. Both are humiliated while naked in gym class at the start of the movie. Both story lines feature a popular girl who is sympathetic and tries to help. Both protagonists have use of special powers which they use to get revenge on their bullies. The movies even end with a high school dance that gets all fucked-to-shit as students and teachers die left-and-right. Gosh, I wonder if CMS directed an intentional homage or if it's purely coincidental? I'll have to look into that...
The 2nd feature is an episode from the 1980s revival of "The Twilight Zone" TV series. Broadcast in December 1985, "The Beacon" is about a doctor (CMS) who finds himself stranded in an isolated and creepy little coastal town, where the residents are terrified of the ominous lighthouse nearby and it's unnaturally bright beacon light. Here, Charlie is fresh off his amazing back-to-back double-whammy of "Never Cry Wolf" (1983) and "Starman" (1984), a career highpoint where he was especially hot and sexy, and this appearance does not disappoint in that regard. Oh, Charles....
Meanwhile, I need to get my ass moving on writing another movie entry, so I can present you with some penetrating examinations of my favorite Smith film (you know which one by now). Hopefully, your patience will be rewarded soon, dear readers. Stay tuned...
Few in this world could boast such career longevity, with such a varied degree of roles and disciplines within the film community, and whose career includes some major classics, such as "American Graffiti" and a major starring role (Never Cry Wolf, Disney) in a huge studio release. That's more than something to be proud of; it's a great achievement.
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