Tampa Film Fan

catching up on some film news:bob ross, roscoe lee browne, 100 tears, gasparilla film festival

Between being under the weather last weekend and processing reams of real estate paperwork at my Real Job this week, I’m WAY behind with my blogging.  And the stack of DVDs on my floor keeps getting higher. Here are a few things that have been on my mind:

• Damn you, Tampa Tribune, for laying off some of the Bay area’s most respected and well-known writers, including film critic Bob Ross.  And what’s wrong with the Friday Extra insert?  It’s invaluable and the first part of the office-purchased newspaper to disappear at work every Friday.  Fans of Ross’ writing don’t have to jump off the Sunshine Skyway bridge just yet, because he’s now blogging at www.sticksoffire.com.
• Emmy-winning actor and writer Roscoe Lee Browne (The Cowboys, The Cosby Show) died earlier this month.  Read the full obit here.
• Local filmmakers Joe Davison and Marcus Koch are getting some well-deserved media attention for their new horror film 100 Tears.  I saw a preview a couple of weeks ago and can’t wait to see the whole film.  Even though we’ve seen the killer clown idea before, this film promises terror, suspense and great gore.  (If you’re not a horror fan, skip that last sentence.  Liking “great gore” doesn’t make me weird, I swear.)
• Photos from the Gasparilla Film Festival have been posted on the festival’s MySpace page at www.myspace.com/gasparillafilmfestival.