Aliens is awesome. You must see it.

Laga, I'm not sure I'd say that, although they're far from being all boy scouts and puppies. The zombies do what zombies do, and it's...twofold? Complicated?

Reno was really a good actor--too bad he only did the two Stallion films.

Actually, no. Reno was a great rider and had a wonderful rapport with his equine costar(s), and a certain likeability onscreen as a child. But he had a difficult stutter, and as he aged out of childhood his onscreen presence had less charm. I think, too, he found film less rewarding than other pursuits and decided not to persist at it.

I do love the films, though: the first one with practically no dialogue for nearly a third of its length was just a magical exploration of the boy and the horse becoming friends and the sense of freedom every child believes s/he'll find away from parental rule. The book was one of my first favorites, and I was dreadfully afraid the movie would spoil its magic for me. It didn't; it merely translated it to the visual. The setting of the farm where Dailey kept his milk horse was idyllic, and those shots among the sun-drenched trees and deep grasses were gorgeous. The relationship Rooney and Reno had onscreen was as close to Henry and Alec as any two people could ever achieve. The midnight trial at the racecourse was exactly as I'd imagined it to be. The only part where the movie failed my mental vision was the race itself.

The second movie was fun only because of the supporting actors: Woody Strode, Vincent Spano, Allen Garfield, Jodi Thelen. And I'll always remember Reno walking among the foals at the end of the film, using 1980s American slang on supposed Arab stock. Pwpppt, pwpppt* babies! Come'ere, you little turkeys!"

(*this being the closest approximation I can spell to kissy noises)

I saw Waitress last night and loved it.

It is a movie you have seen before, but the grace notes strewn here and there were truly lovely. I'm going to have to buy this one, pat its little spine and give it a cozy spot on the shelf with my other favorite little tiny movies.

Reno was a great rider and had a wonderful rapport with his equine costar(s), and a certain likeability onscreen as a child.

I think it was that rapport, not just with the horse(s), but also with both Rooney and Garr that drew me to him. Even that stutter was charming. But, I've only seen the first film, so don't have much to draw on in evaluating Reno's abilities (or not) as an actor.

The character of Tick Tock McGlaughlin (sp?) that William H. Macy played in Seabiscuit was obviously drawn on what appeared to be a familiar character in the 1930s, but when I see Macy in that film, all I can think about is Jim Nevis from The Black Stallion. That midnight time trial was so well filmed, and you're right--it was straight out of the book.

You mean, Jim Neville from the Black Stallion books. (Did they change the name for the movie? I can't recall.)

You're right--Neville! I was close, but going on sheer memory (it's been too long since I've seen that movie in its entirety--the last time I read the book about four years ago, it definitely did not hold up to my memory of it, unfortunately).

According to IMDB Reno didn't act while he was in school but planned on taking it up after he graduated from high school but was in a car accident where his pick up was hit by a 18 wheeler and he suffered severe injuries and the recovery took so long he lost most of his film connections.

He ended up driving 18 wheelers for a living.

Oh man. I didn't know that about Reno. I'm sorry things turned out badly for him. I hope he's doing well now.

When ESPN Classic was showing Black Stallion a year or so ago, they had recent interviews with some of the actors, including Kelly Reno. Not only is he a trucker, but he and his family run a small ranch (the trucking is the money-maker, though). He really doesn't look that much different now that he's in his 30s.

IOmovieN, I was just checking the Tribune's movie listing, and was happy to find out that Paris, Je T'Aime is opening in one theater just down the street from me on Friday. I think I'll try and see it in June--it's gotten some really wonderful reviews.

ETA: I'm also keeping an eye out for Once to hit the theaters here in Chicago--I read a review in EW that raved about it.