Halloween Is Upcoming Friday

Rob Zombie's HALLOWEEN Redux is debuting this Friday and it is definitely a film I am looking forward to as I enjoyed his previous two films. However, I am somewhat disappointed at the fact that the hype for the film has seriously paled in comparison to the awesome hype and hoopla that surrounded THE DEVIL'S REJECTS. Of course, the REJECTS hype was orchestrated by Lionsgate Films and HALLOWEEN is being produced by a completed different film comppany....but still. The fun of the hyp surround REJECTS was based on the novel grass roots movement that allowed for greater interaction between the cast, crew and audience that proved to be a truly memorable experience. Sadly, the actually distribution of REJECTS was poor and it only pulled in $17 million in the US, but it was a mere $7 million dollar film that made its bank back.

Again, my disappointment with the lack of hype and hoopla surrounding HALLOWEEN is pretty profound. You would think they'd opt to have a little more fun with this flck

Ozone Monitoring

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Welcome Back to the House of Mystery!

Despite DC COMICS' HOUSE OF MYSTERY being a favorite of mine as a kid, I NEVER sought back issues of it. This is pretty odd because I have a tendency to maintain a fondness for comics I read in my youth, but HOUSE OF MYSTERY literally slipped my mind despite having first discovered a super frightening annual in 1978 and then reading the comic regularly from 1981 - 1982. (It would be cancelled circa 82/83 after a multi decade run)

HOUSE OF MYSTERY was an anthology series of horror tales that has been unfortunately overlooked. People remember EC Comics of the 1950's and the Warren Comics of the 1960's and 1970's, but HOUSE OF MYSTERY seemingly never gets any credit for being an excellent short story horror comic anthology. Why? Who knows. It was definitely popular or it would not have lasted as long as it did and it remained, along with its sister publication TALES OF THE UNPEXPECTED, quite popular in the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's and 1980's. (Another cool DC Comic was the underrated GHOSTS)

I recently picked up SHOWCASE - HOUSE OF MYSTERY Vol 2 today and I am looking forward to reading it because it'll be my first glimpse into the house in 25 years. SHOWCASE, by the way, is DC's version of Marvel's Essentials series offering low cost reprints of classic tales.

This particular volume covers 1971 - 1973.

Lap Band

Obesity remains one of the more difficult problems for people to endure and this is why surgical procedures such as lap band have become prominent in recent years. Of course, if one wishes to have this procedure performed more information on the subject should be reviewed. JourneyLite.com provides such information and insight and this is why visiting the site is highly recommended. Sponsored post.

SAW IV - Cool Images

No, I don't have the images yt because I have not found a decent link to post, but I want to say that there are some amazing pics from the new SAW picture set to be released this HALLOWEEN

For those who want my opinion on the SAW films on a scale of 1 - 5 Stars, here they are:

SAW: ****1/2
SAW II: **1/2
SAW III: *****

Yes, folks...I rank the third film at five stars as it was the best entry in the series and one of the best horror films of the last 5 years. As for SAW II, it was a rush job as a rejected script for a crappy horror film no one was interested in was reshaped into a SAW film because you they didn't have enough time to write a script from scratch. That is a great way to make an AVERAGE film

Venture Capital Database

As some of you may know, I did work in the venture capital business raising money for film productions. This was a fun time in my life because in addition to being involved directly in the motion picture business, I was also learning a great deal about the art and science of venture capital. If you wish to learn about the realm of venture capital, then you are well advised to visit the VentureDeal Venture Capital Database which is one of the most expansive database information site on all subjects related to venture capital. Anything and everything you want to know about trading, investing and venture capital is one this site. The services are expansive and can not really be effectively summarized so please visit the site for more information as well as registration information .

Hostel - Alternate Ending Coming To DVD

Some news on the DVD front: a verison of Hostel will be released with an alternate ending. Actually, it may have more than one alternate ending...I am not sure. I'll try and clarify it when I get info.

This is kind of interesting to me because HOSTEL remains a film I am somewhat conflicted over. The first 2/3 of the film were pretty engrossings (and, in spots, outright gross) and I felt the film was shaping up to become one of the better horror movies of the last couple years. Actually, it seemed as if it was destined to be a cult favorite. Then, the last 1/3 of the movie closed out the film on a rotten note. The ending was RIDICULOUS as it devolved into a ludicrous movie that deviated from the genre rules so much that it crossed from the horror genre into the action genre.

Think of it this way: APOCALYPSE NOW is a great film. RAMBO 2 is a great film as well. Now, if Charlie Sheen shifts into Rambo mode at the end of APOCALYPSE NOW, what you get is a rotten film. This was the case with HOSTEL as the ending was such a radical departure from the first 2/3's of the film it wrecked the film. (No wonder the sequel underperformed)

So, I am looking forward to the alternate ending, but I am not expecting much

Real Estate Software

Being a real estate agent is not an easy job and it becomes even double difficult (if not triple difficult) if the agent is unable to become organized. Now, if organization is a concern there is a fantastic real estate software organizer program that is offered by the good people over at AgentOrganizer.com. In fact, they not only offer a great product, but they are offering a free 15 day trial period. So, please give the site a visit and give the software a try. Sponsored post.

NOTLD in 3-D

In the middle 1980's, your truly was an impressionable teenager who was so annoyed at the mundane and sterile environment of High School I was always looking for countr cultural kicks and I found them in enjoying the wild and wooly VHS releases of Zombie films of Italy as well as George Romero's Dead Trilogy (well, there are 4 films in the series now and George is making a fifth Zombie film not related to the other four, but rather borrows from 1972's CHILDREN SHOULDN'T PLAY WITH DEAD THINGS and the MISERABLY OVERRATED box office hit THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT)Now, if you to have told me in 1990 - five years after the Zombie genre had effectively DIED that in 2007, there would be a jillion zombie films out there doing huge box office I would have looked at you like you were insane. But, the truth is that Zombie mania is alive and kicking and has no real signs of fading.

If there was one zombie film I was looking forward too it was the NIGHT OF THE LIVINF DEAD 3-D (!) film that had been shot and was awaiting limited release. Then lo and behold, the film was announced for 1500 screens. This was truly revolutionary as a 3-D zombie mayhem fest would surely be a unique concept. (Granted, in 1985 a 3-D sequel to Fulci's ZOMBIE was planned, but the end result was the miserable non 3-D ZOMBIE 3)

I am the bearer of bad news here as the film ain't getting a theatrical release and its going straight to DVD....and no, there will be no 3-D DVD. Also, the reviews of the film have mercilessly panned it as an abomination and as one of the worst horror films of the last several years. Sigh. Disappointed again.

Rob Zombie's HALLOWEEN is Coming!

It is coming on August 31st! Rob Zombie’s remake of HALLOWEEN will be here! This is Zombie’s follow up to his previous classic THE DEVIL’S REJECT and those who read this blog regularly have probably read my prior posts on this upcoming film. Zombie’s HOUSE OF A 1000 CORPSES and THE DEVIL’S REJECTS remain two of my favorite horror films so this upcoming release of Halloween the movie is one I am looking forward to very, very much. If I had to pick a favorite horror film, it would be the classic THE WOLFMAN because despite the weirdness of the 1942 classic’s proceedings, the film came off as very real thanks to the brilliant portrayals by the actors. In a way, the original Halloween the movie drew a great deal of its scares because despite the oddness of Michael Myer’s tale and his weird, altered appearance (He wore a William Shatner Star Trek mask that was painted ashen white) the film came off as very, very real. (Later sequels slipped into nonsensical fantasy, however) Zombie appears most interested in making his film closer to the original’s roots and presenting a credibly horror film and this is what makes this project one many horror fans are looking forward to. If you wish to get a little feel for the film, here is the trailer:

Mothman: The Myth and...the Myth

Regardless of what you have seen in the film THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES or what you have read in the book of the same name, there was no supernatural creature (or was it a space creature) that invaded the world of Point Pleasant, WV in the 1960's.

I read the book. It is dumb and convoluted. However, it was neither the book nor the movie that introduced me to the myth of Mothman. I can't remember the name of the book that I first discovered the creature...perhaps, it was a Daniel Cohen book (more on this controversial author in the future)or another nameless author who is probably a pseudonym. (Mothman's myth was mentioned in a number of kid's monster books of the 60's/70's/80's)

When the movie came out, one of the newspapers in the WV area released a reprint of all the classic Mothman reports. Here is something unique to note: the name "Mothman" never appears once. He is referred to as the "Big Bird."

You see, there were a number of rather oversized Cranes waltzing around the region during the era and it is believed that some folks got a little carried away in the imagination department when they stumbled upon on of these cranes in the summer of 1966 when Mothman debuted.

Star Craft 2

Hey, what’s better than watching sci-fi, horror or action films? How about playing a cool game that mixes elements of those genres? If that appeals to you, then you are definitely going to wish to check out Star Craft 2 over at CreepColony.com. Check it out at starcraft 2. This is a great game at the site has several Youtube clips. Please give it a visit! Sponsored post

The Wrestling Horror Movie That Never Was

Back in 1984, I discovered a delirious documentary entitled I LIKE TO HURT PEOPLE, a bizarre hodgepodge of footage that was assembled together in a manner that made no sense, but featured top wrestlers of the late 1970's such as Terry Funk, Abdullah The Butcher, Andre the Giant and, the star of the show, The Original Shiek.



For those not familiar with the Sheik, he was the top wrestling villian of the late 1960's and 1970's. He drew huge crowds all over the world as well as owning and operating his own regional promotion in the Detroit/Ohio area. How big of a draw was the Sheik? In 1971, he wrestled Andre at Cobo Hall three weeks in a row and drew 15,000 fans for all three shows - an outstanding figure. Unfortunately, the Sheik had burned himself out on top and fans began to tire. By the late 1970's, fans had grown tired and attendence slipped. Maybe this is why in 1977 The Sheik opted to appear in a wrestling horror movie entitled RINGSIDE IN HELL.

Now, wrestling horror movies had been around for years in Mexico thanks to Santo, Blue Demon and Mil Mascaras battling mummies, werewolves and vampires, etc but these films did not play in the US with the exception of a couple dubbed films here and there. (They did play in Spanish langauge theaters and on Spanish language TV however)

So, th idea emerged to shoot a horror movie featuring the Sheik and, considering the Sheik has wrestled all over the United States, he could possibly have sold a number of curiousity tickets.

The Sheik was perfect for a horror movie since he was a wrestler who didn't wrestle. He was a creepy Vincent Price look a like who used foriegn objects such as pencils to carve open the foreheads of his opponents in short blood matches that sometimes ended when The Sheik threw fire in his opponent's faces. This was a simple -albeit extremely dangerous - magician trick involving using flash paper. To the audience who didn't know about the flashpaper, it looked literally like magic. Considering the Sheik's facial expressions so perfectly expressed the notion he was a crazed madman, people had little trouble believing he was really crazy. Of course, he wasn't really crazy. behind the facade was an intelligent business man named Ed Farhat who created - and played to the hilt - one of the best wrestling villians of any era.



Unfortnately, the film could not be finished due to the impossibility of working around touring wrestlers schedules and the concept was changed into a documentary. It was never released until 1984 and the version that was released was heavily recut with a number of new scenes shot to give the incomprehensible film some coherence. Considering that the finished product was incoherent, one can only imagine what the director's cut would have looked like!

Sadly, the horror film was nver made although unreleased footage of what shot does exist. Shockingly - and I mean shockingly - much of the what was filmed was archived by the producers for thirty years. I guess someone up there in the sky is looking out for wrestling-horror fans

Hawaii Vacations

There are a number of places in the world to visit, but some destinations are more desirable than others. That is just a fact that can not be denied! Now, of all the vacations that one could plan or embark upon, Hawaii vacations are among the most fun and enjoyable. Part of the reason for this is that Hawaii remains one of the most enjoyably active destination locations in the world. (Incidentally, if you are curious about learning more information about Hawaii, here is a great blog to check out: Hawaiian tourist info) Of course, if one does wish to visit Hawaii, then one needs to have proper arrangements and accommodations set up. Now, “proper” generally refers to those accommodations that are affordable and of a high level of quality. To a great degree, HawaiianBeachRentals.com is one of the best resources for excellent deals on rental properties. In fact, it is one of the best resources on the net and your are well advised to follow the links provided to learn more about what they have to offer. Do so and you will be quite pleased that you did!

Regarding Off Season and Ketchum's Prose

In the previous post regarding Jack Ketchum and OFF SEASON, I mentioned some of the history behind OFF SEASON's 'dumping' by its publisher as well as noted that uncut versions of the novel did appear twenty years later. (Well, technically that is not entirely correct as it was the more graphic second draft that was published, but the ultra graphic first draft has been lost to history) This brings about the question: is such graphic violence necessary and is OFF SEASON deserved of its praise?

This is a trick question as OFF SEASON is an incredibly suspenseful page turning horror tale, but it does also attempt to sicken the reader at the same time. To a certain degree, the explicitness of the violence was coinciding with the rise is graphic violence that was becoming commonplace in the exploitation era of grindhouse and drive-in cinema. Considering that the novel was influenced by HILLS HAVE EYES and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, films that wallowed in excessive violence as a response to the violence of social unrest and the Vietnam War. (Note: HILLS was released in 1977 and did below average at the box office as the country was more interested in disco and moving on)OFF SEASON had a strange mix of providing homages to classic (violent) horror films while at the same time attempting to shock the reader. The strange mix did lead to huge sales, but the mainstream publishers abandoned the book amidst the controversy.

Quite honestly, OFF SEASON is impossible to defend to anyone outside of those fans of the horror genre. Despite the gruesomeness of its subject matter, the novel remains a controversial curiousity piece in the history of horror literature.

Maui Vacation Rentals

Are you debating where you wish to spend your next vacation? Perhaps you might want to peruse the following blog on Hawaiian travel tips. When you read the blog, you will probably find yourself wanting to visit this wonderful state. After all, Hawaii is an inviting and interesting place to visit and anyone who is looking for a fun and relaxing place to visit should really give Hawaii serious consideration. Of course, some folks may feel that such a vacation may not be affordable to them. If they have that opinion, then they should visit HawaiianBeachRentals.com and examine the Maui vacation rentals and condos because there are a number of great deals that will be well within their budget. In addition to providing affordable vacation packages, HawaiianBeachRentals.com also provides some of the best and most beautiful accommodations available. So, if you are serious about a Hawaiian vacation, then Hawaiian Beach Rentals is source for the best vacation rental available.

Stolen - Jack Ketchum and Off Season

Off Season was a book that truly goes for the jugular in the level of violence that was presented in its pages. This is not something that can be denied. In 1981, Jack Ketchum published a brutal horror novel that should have been a minor footnote in the history of publishing. The book borrowed heavily from shocking horror movies such as THE HILLS HAVE EYES (1977) and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) and only ran a page length of 180+ pages. A hardcover version was never released and the Ballentine paperback was dumped on the market. The result? The book's first printing sold 300,000 copies and was a huge hit. A second printing never occurred and what would have clearly been a million copy bestseller was wiped off the publishing map. Instead of being a super author, Ketchum ended up laboring in semi-obscurity with a fan following releasing several poorly written books that really didn't sell. Eventually, he would write much better books in recent years, but the huge sales of his first book were never duplicated. The question remains, why? Off Season simply went too far.

Hardcover Special Edition

The book covers the disturbing subject matter of a group of cannibal subhumans living in seaside caves in Maine who violently beseige a group of city dwellers who decide to visit a Maine cabin for vacation. The book is gripping, brutal and unflinching. What is shocking is that the published version was heavily censored THREE times before publication. The original draft was immediately rejected by the publisher and all drafts and copies of it have been destroyed. The second version was also rejected, but was later published in the form of a special edition hardcover two decades later. The edited version that was published in 1981 was SHOCKING. (the special edition is even more shocking. Can you even IMAGINE what the lost first version was like?)Apparently, Ballentine was embarrassed by the brutal nature of this horror title and opted to dump it despite the huge sales. In a way, Ketchum's career was stolen from him.

This brings about the question: should a major publisher touch such a violent product?


Paperback Version of the Uncut Special Edition

Colloidal Silver

If you wish to live a healthy life that is free of impurities that can lead to health problems, then you are going to take a proper supplement that will drastically aid and help your immune system. One such excellent supplement is the highly effective colloidal silver product as offered by Purest Colloidal. Again, it is imperative to stress the importance of the using colloidal silver as a means of keeping one’s immune system strong and properly functioning.
Keep in mind, much of our health centers on the proper functioning of our immune system and if our immune system is operating in a manner that is less than optimal, there is always the potential for the individual to become ill. Needless to say, this is important to avoid and taking an excellent supplement will circumvent such potential problems. Please visit Purest Colloidal’s site and check out the great supplement’s they have to offer.

Don't pay a lot for that Book and Record!

In my previous posts, I have made several mentions of the classic Book and Record sets as offered by Power Records in the 1970's and early 1980's. Having purchased a number of them on Ebay in the last 4 years, I will say this....BEWARE OF SELLERS OVERCHARGING! I have seen many of these classic BR sets go for $50 and this is ridiculous. Honestly, you should be able to purchase them for prices between $10 and $25 depending ont he condition of the record/book. So, don't be conned by folks charging inflated prices. And, by the way, try and bid on sets of three or four BR sets as you can end up saving quite a bit of cash on these bulk orders.

And, yes, these old Book and Record Sets are pretty commonly available on Ebay.