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texasjoe48
March 2005. "Veritas, Prince of Truth." 20th Century Fox/Twelfth Night Entertainment. Director: Arturo Ruiz-Esparza.Featured scenes around Dallas: Reunion Arena,Deep Ellum, and City Hall.
February 2005. "Fat Girls." Cranium Entertainment. Ash Christian, Director.
Featured actor with Debra Theaker.
January 2005. "MovinG" Andy Stark, director. (Independent) Featured actor.
July 2004. "Hate Crime." Pasidg Productions. Tommy Stovall, director.Featured actor with Bruce Davidson.
December 2003. "A Killer Within." Fireside Films. Brad Keller, Director.
Featured actor in courtroom.
July 1975. "Logan's Run." MGM Productions. Michael Anderson, director. Featured actor in the action behind Michael York and Jenny Aguttier at various scenes and locations.
2002:Published author with a nonfiction book,"The Texas Republic" (1836-1845) ISBN # 1-55369-140-7. This story is now a complete, formatted movie script called "The Road to San Jacinto." Copyright 2003.
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Reviews
Grey Knight (1993)
It Killed Me.......
I love historical pieces, and this one took what could have been a good premise, and it went south in a hurry. Sorry guys. It was just too weird to follow, or enjoy past the first 20 minutes. The acting wasn't so bad, but the script suffered in the editing. The Civil War has so many interesting TRUE stories on both the Union, and Confederate battlefields. (With brother sometimes fighting brother, and whole families torn apart by the fight.) Also, although slavery was the big issue, the issue of "state's rights," and the Kansas-Nebraska Act tore the south in half. In Texas, many people such as Sam Houston preached against succession from the Union in the Texas Senate. His Governorship was stripped away from him, and he was branded a "Unionist" the rest of his life. Many counties voted against succession, but when the final vote was taken, then militias were raised to meet the call for war. Now there are many stories just right there that would be worth telling, instead of some weird voodoo tale that blames slavery on the south that had a good majority that were against slavery. Churches formed anti-slavery societies called TABOR. So let us try to do better stories worth telling, instead of a bunch of weird mess that stirs up a bunch of hatred, and misunderstanding of a great part of American history...
Lonesome Dove (1989)
History is now a cheap fiction:
This premise took a fictional story and gave it the name of a historical place. (Without permission.) Now people think that fiction is historical fact! (Too often history has been cheapened, and the real story has been lost to an attempt to give something credence by taking the name of a real place and wipe away the true story which was far more interesting than a story that had women portrayed as "whores" and outlaws living in a settlement.) The army and local Indians did not tolerate outlaws. They policed their own lands and left each other to live as they pleased,(as outlaws were run off and killed if they wished to stay to cause trouble.) My family were some of the founding families of the Lonesome Dove settlement: It was a settlement built around a church located in Southlake, Texas. There were no whores there, just married couples as settlers trying to make place in the wilderness of Texas during the coldest (1846) winter in 100 years. They raised wheat and corn, traded horses with the army, and local Indians. They also were a church that 160 years ago started all the area churches that fed the poor, and helped build cabins for new settlers brave enough to come here when Texas was still a republic. They also helped freed, and runaway slaves make their own settlement called "Free City." (They formed a society comprised of Blacks and Whites trying to end slavery called TABOR.) Now that is more interesting than "Whores and drunken cowboys!" Doing my research for over 30 years, and making a real story known is much better than some fictional story that trashes the truth.
Joe L. Blevins, author of "The Texas Republic." ISBN# 1-55369-140-7 (The true stories of pioneer Texas.) Soon to be a movie, based on the real facts! This is called "The Road to San Jacinto." A story told from the perspective of a freed slave named Andrew that meets Sam Houton to get a land grant in Texas. His wife is killed by robbers on the trail, and some Cherokee on a hunting party find him almost dead. They heal him and take him in as a member of their tribe. Then he finds himself, (along with his Cherokee blood-brother Red Bird) scouting for the Texan army under the command of Sam Houston. Now there is a story! A true one. Like it, or lump it, this is my opinion. You can like fiction if you want. The true story has been waiting to be told. Now it will be told correctly.
A Killer Within (2004)
A KILLER plot and more...
I played a small role in this movie as a lawyer in the courtroom. It was exciting to watch Sean Young, C. Thomas Howell, and Dedee Pheiffer work together in a film. The cast had real chemistry, and it all came together well after the editing. The plot kept you guessing who was the real culprit. The script was well written, and the production was good to be a part of. I have watched it five times and each time I learn something different that I did not see before. I would recommend this film. This just shows that independent films have merit, and that a low budget does not mean anything is being sacrificed in the process. Good films are being made outside of California, and New York allowing unknown writers and actors to find a market and an audience.
Joe L.Blevins
P.S. Also, I wanted to say that many people have been so negative over this movie. It seems that few have tried to write a script as I have, (or a book) and tried to act in a decent movie premise. This has flaws as most any other movie has, but for the most part I have a better appreciation to understand what all goes into the production from the git-go, and perhaps others need to try to understand the process better before they throw in the towel, and start bad-mouthing a certain production. (It is better than the remakes of television shows, into flaky movies.) This was better than the standard fare of premises, and to see people like Ben Browder, and Sean Young and such, was really exciting. But still your opinion is your opinion, like it, or lump it. It's your choice.
Logan's Run (1976)
Logan's Run was ahead of its time:
I was in this movie as an extra in the Dallas filming in July 1975. Some of the things you see today,and take for granted in movie making, were implemented in this movie. The movie premise, the costumes, the special effects, the acting. It all was ahead of its time. It opened the door for movies such as "Star Wars," the "Terminator," the "Matrix," and "X-Men" movies. Now people look at it and they say, "Well this does not add up to this new special effects story..." It did not have any computer graphics and such as the new movies do these days. It did have a story, and a wonderful cast, and a hell of a director! The places it was filmed like the Dallas' World Trade Center, and the Zale Building,and the Ft. Worth Water Gardens were at that time the most modern and futuristic backdrops in which to film. The director Michael Anderson was very creative and he tried to show a perfect future that was flawed by human desires and frailty's. It was my first film experience, the first of six films I have been in. Just because it was filmed in Texas does not make it any less a wonderful piece of filmmaker's art. Watch it again and appreciate it more. This movie was the foundation that set the standard for many great films that we now enjoy. Well, my hand is blinking... I got to run. Santuary awaits...
Hate Crime (2005)
Hate Crimes was a story of the present day "civil rights" :
I was part of the Dallas filming with Bruce Davison in the fundamental church scenes. Bruce was really great as a southern-style preacher. During the filming in Dallas, a storm broke outside, and wind blew the front doors open. Lightning struck just outside the building, and for a moment we all stood in awe as Bruce's performance of a fiery sermon was accented by some serious lightning. We had goose bumps because it was a wonder how it all came together in that particular "take." Some great special effects was the icing on the cake. I feel that too often religion gets the blame for people's bad actions, and reactions to things that they do not agree with. It is their lack of understanding of both life in general, and their ignorance of what the Bible says. I have read the Bible a number of times over the past 30 years and it warns against a number of things as being unhealthy, and bad choices as far as lifestyles. If a grown person chooses to be a homosexual, well then it is their adult choice to do so. I do not agree with that life style, but it is a grown person's choice, and they have to deal with the problems that come with it, just like any other relationship. People try to blame religion for hate crimes, and the ignorance related to it. (Romans Chapter One warns against it, and it is between you and God what you do.) Anybody else, that is your grown up choice, no matter your lifestyle. I was young during the time of the Civil Rights movement, (and it seems that many people these days confuse Civil Rights with lifestyle choices.) It is my right to be Native American, (or what ever race you belong to), but any choice I make as far as sexual that goes outside the confines of what is acceptable does not make it my right do so, or rub people's faces in it in public, and not face some kind of backlash. It does not make it right to do so, weather straight or gay to hurt someone and blame religion. Blame ignorance, not the Bible. Still, I would have you see this movie as a way for you to learn an important lesson about a different lifestyle.
You can pre-order HATE CRIME DVD on AMAZON.COM. It comes out soon...