FlemFan Posted May 3, 2021 Report Share Posted May 3, 2021 D'oh! It's Alexander Krupa. You can hardly blame me, can you? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlemFan Posted May 3, 2021 Report Share Posted May 3, 2021 Plus they both speak on MV in accented English (Krupa is Polish, Krabbe is Dutch). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViceFanMan Posted July 16, 2021 Report Share Posted July 16, 2021 (edited) I really love this episode and enjoy watching it every time! These are my original thoughts/review, and not much has changed: This is a beautiful, beautiful episode...another gem & one of Season 4's best!! I'm surprised they did an episode about such a taboo or controversial issue at that time---AIDS and homosexuality. But, I also think they were brave to do it, and I think they did a superb job! The sadness, emptiness, and destruction AIDS causes people and their families/friends was truly shown here. But, so were those who, regardless of their beliefs or feelings on the matter, wanted to help and try to make things better for everyone. This was a more realistic and darker episode of MV...so maybe that's why some fans don't care for it. But, despite the realism and "dark" tones...it's still a very captivating, heart-felt, and in-depth one! This was also around the time when President Reagan officially declared AIDS a national epidemic (as the government had put off doing so until they basically had no choice to ignore it anymore). So, I think this episode was trying to tackle that subject in a realistic and heart-felt way. I'm not even going to attempt to go into the topic of whether homosexuality is wrong or not...that's not the point I want to make, and I probably would end up angering both sides. But, I will say I'm a Christian and believe in and try to follow the Bible...I will not leave that out just because it might “offend” someone else. But, a large part of being a Christian is loving others--hence the title and Father Lupe's motto: God's Work. Love doesn’t necessarily mean condoning or encouraging, but it does mean help and care for others and what they’re going through. The plot of this one was excellent and captivating ...but it was also tragic and sad. I thought the acting was superb, and everyone did a fantastic job!! Actors Roseanna Desoto, Alfonso Arau, etc...were awesome! But, I thought Esai Morales (Felipe Cruz) and Daniel Lugo (Father Ernesto Lupe) did exceptionally outstanding jobs!! The amount of love but yet pain and turmoil those two were experiencing were very realistically portrayed and you truly felt for them. However, one issue/question I do have is, if Felipe had been in a homosexual relationship with Louie Garcia not long before, and Louie is dying of AIDS...then Felipe darn well better be getting himself checked for HIV/AIDS! Even in 1987 that would have been a must. He probably did...but it wasn't mentioned or shown. The scene where Felipe tries to comfort Louie, as Louie dies, is so sad and heart-wrenching , but the acting and performances were amazing! I love the turmoil realistically shown within the Cruz family itself, and I can only imagine what it would be like to be raised in a family like that...crime, money, power, the B.S. macho crap, and all....all engrained as the most important aspects in life. Then you have Felipe and Father Lupe who know better...and are willing to sacrifice everything to help those they love and care about. I like the twists in the plotline regarding the Cruz family...trying to guess whether or not Felipe really did return to oust his moron, hot-headed brother & take over the family business...or does he have another reason for returning home? I also really loved Castillo's part in this...and his past with Father Lupe! Then he ends up taking-up Father Lupe's cause, after the priest was shot. I never would have pictured that one...but even Castillo recognized the need for the AIDS clinic, and the care Lupe had put into helping the AIDS patients. But, how many times did we see Castillo truly laugh out loud for a length of time? The scene were he and Lupe were having a drink and laughing about old times, and some baseball league (church/police ones?) was beautiful & priceless in MV-world! You really saw how much Castillo and Father Lupe loved and cared about each other, as well as each other's causes. I also really liked the colors (some pastels were included again such as Crockett's teal boat & the Cruz goon's pink boat, as well as the Cruz party at the beginning), lighting, fashion, cinematography, etc...in this one! The music too, was outstanding! As usual Jan Hammer's themes are always MV in its truest sense, but Nine Million Rainy Days by The Jesus & Mary Chain was superb!! I also loved Yen and Yang and the Flower Pot Man by Love and Rockets during the awesome boat-chase scene. A song called Mambo Terrifico by Cal Tjader I think was also included...and I believe was played at the Cruz's party towards the beginning. The ending is truly captivating, and ironic that Maria Lupe Cruz ends up being the one to shoot and try to stop her own husband Jorge...as she realizes what the family had become, had imploded on itself with the lies, corruption, and destruction, and it was an amazing scene! The very last scene was also ‘appropriate’ and fitting...as Castillo put the handcuffs on Jorge Cruz, saying: "Jorge Cruz, you are under arrest for the murder of Father Ernesto Lupe." He got to arrest the killer of one of his best friends. Again, the plot, acting, filming locations, colors, lighting, music, directing, and even the cars (as Tubbs' Caddy was showcased a lot in this one, and Felipe had an awesome old I believe early 70's (judging by the front grill) white Jaguar XKE Convertible! ) were superb--a very powerful and wonderful episode!! This, "Death and the Lady", "Love At First Sight", and "Child's Play" are my favorites of season 4 (as well as some of my favorites of the series)! I originally gave this one a 10, and I definitely still do! Edited July 16, 2021 by ViceFanMan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedDragon86 Posted July 16, 2021 Report Share Posted July 16, 2021 Just realized that the actress who played Maria Cruz was Erendira in "Bushido" 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dadrian Posted July 16, 2021 Report Share Posted July 16, 2021 (edited) 17 minutes ago, RedDragon86 said: Just realized that the actress who played Maria Cruz was Erendira in "Bushido" I think I posted that years ago, but who knows where? Edited July 16, 2021 by Dadrian 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted July 16, 2021 Report Share Posted July 16, 2021 (edited) The producers certainly deserve credit for portraying the AIDS topic at all and that way in 1987. AIDS appeared on the scene around 81 and it had the reputation only affecting gay people at first. Thus many people were not really empathetic with the victims and the way VICE used that topic was a positive contribution (as was „Evan“ for the same reason). Jan Eliasberg who directed this episode remembered later that the Catholic Church intervened several times at NBC as the original script intended to show that the church - due to its reservation against homosexuality- did not do much to help AIDS victims either. The script was altered and „diluted“ to appease the Catholic Church according to Eliasberg. i think it’s a Fine episode but we‘ll never know if the script revisions demanded by the Church did the episode good or not. Edited July 16, 2021 by Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViceFanMan Posted July 16, 2021 Report Share Posted July 16, 2021 2 hours ago, RedDragon86 said: Just realized that the actress who played Maria Cruz was Erendira in "Bushido" Yeah, she was in at least a couple episodes. Amazing actress! Back then the same actors/actresses could guest-star in more than one episode of shows as different characters. Nowadays everything has to be as “realistic” as possible, so unless they’re playing the same character you hardly ever see the same guest-star actor in more than one episode in whatever show, anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedDragon86 Posted July 16, 2021 Report Share Posted July 16, 2021 (edited) 34 minutes ago, ViceFanMan said: Yeah, she was in at least a couple episodes. Amazing actress! Back then the same actors/actresses could guest-star in more than one episode of shows as different characters. Nowadays everything has to be as “realistic” as possible, so unless they’re playing the same character you hardly ever see the same guest-star actor in more than one episode in whatever show, anymore. Beautiful as well. "The Rockford Files" re-used the same actors now and again, doesn't bother me at all as long as they put in a good performance Edited July 16, 2021 by RedDragon86 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViceFanMan Posted July 16, 2021 Report Share Posted July 16, 2021 1 minute ago, RedDragon86 said: Beautiful as well. "The Rockford Files" used the same actors now and again, doesn't bother me at all as long as they put in a good performance. Very beautiful! Yeah, a lot of shows from the 50s through the 90s had the same actors as different guest-stars. I too don’t care, especially if the performance is good! But, in the early 2000s they phased that idea out, and started going with as much “reality” as they could. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViceFanMan Posted July 16, 2021 Report Share Posted July 16, 2021 I’ve recently been going through Criminal Minds, and in some later seasons there was a recurring guest-star that at first I knew I knew him...but couldn’t quite place him. Then I realized it was Esai Morales (Felipe Cruz)! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedDragon86 Posted July 22, 2021 Report Share Posted July 22, 2021 On 7/16/2021 at 5:32 PM, ViceFanMan said: I’ve recently been going through Criminal Minds, and in some later seasons there was a recurring guest-star that at first I knew I knew him...but couldn’t quite place him. Then I realized it was Esai Morales (Felipe Cruz)! Does this guy age? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedDragon86 Posted July 22, 2021 Report Share Posted July 22, 2021 It interesting that the guy who played Ricky (Jonathan Del Arco) is a political, environmental, and gay rights activist. His partner died of AIDS in the late 1980s when this episode was filmed. Sort of ironic that he had a role in "The Sopranos" as a Catholic priest. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViceFanMan Posted July 23, 2021 Report Share Posted July 23, 2021 12 hours ago, RedDragon86 said: It interesting that the guy who played Ricky (Jonathan Del Arco) is a political, environmental, and gay rights activist. His partner died of AIDS in the late 1980s when this episode was filmed. Sort of ironic that he had a role in "The Sopranos" as a Catholic priest. In the episode, wasn’t his Ricky character against the AIDS clinic and homosexuals being allowed in? I think this episode was Jonathan’s first acting appearance, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Gretsky Posted September 23, 2021 Report Share Posted September 23, 2021 On 9/3/2020 at 12:50 AM, Jack Gretsky said: The extensive use of my favorite Hammer music cue - first heard in "The Maze" for the scene when Gabriella slow dances and subsequently used in several other episodes - is enough to make me look favorably on this episode. Fortunately it has more than just that going for that - family intrigue, a beautiful scene of Castillo relaxing and joking with friends, good location shots, a meditation on compassion - to make this one of the better episodes of S4. I agree with what this Jack Gretsky guy said a year ago. A bit bleeding-heart in its drama, but certainly provocative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Gretsky Posted September 23, 2021 Report Share Posted September 23, 2021 On 7/16/2021 at 9:24 AM, ViceFanMan said: Very beautiful! Yeah, a lot of shows from the 50s through the 90s had the same actors as different guest-stars. I too don’t care, especially if the performance is good! But, in the early 2000s they phased that idea out, and started going with as much “reality” as they could. lol, that must be why so many TV shows of the 2000s are so dull and crappy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViceFanMan Posted September 23, 2021 Report Share Posted September 23, 2021 6 hours ago, Jack Gretsky said: lol, that must be why so many TV shows of the 2000s are so dull and crappy! They can be...some are good, but in my opinion TV has lost its creativity, imagination, and escape. It’s either all vulgar crap, or “dark” depressing reality. Some more modern shows that are darker, such as CSI or Criminal Minds, are pretty cool...but it’s nice to have some “fun” escape-from-reality type shows, too...such as MV! But, sadly those days are gone. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyfarragut Posted April 4, 2023 Report Share Posted April 4, 2023 (edited) Awesome episode. It hits the right balance between light and darkness, in theme as well as in style. That didn't happen since the good old season 2 days. Castillo shooting the breeze at the coffee stand is a great scene. Edited April 4, 2023 by johnnyfarragut 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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