SuperBlogBeast

Saw V

2008-11-15T16:43:00.000-08:00

As much as I hate to say it, the Saw franchise has officially hit the downturn. Saw V started out somewhat engaging but the film quickly headed into the realm of the boring. This had to be the dullest entry in the series. There were no scares, no shocks, no surprises, and no grim humor. It followed the worst by the numbers formula not see since the sequel crazy 1980's.

And, by the way, Jigsaw is DEAD. Using clips of flashbacks is absurd because it seems as if the series is trying to hang on to its main villain even though the villain is no longer part of the series.

Yes, this film has don huge numbers and the sixth film is on the way, but I can't see the Saw franchise maintaining its audience with anymore weak entries. The series needs a major overhaul or else fans will start looking elsewhere.

Killing Monsters

2008-11-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

Killing Monsters: Why Children Need Fantasy, Super Heroes, and Make-Believe Violence by Gerard Jones

I wanted to make a brief mention of this book since it provides a great deal of insight into why children are attracted to violence and horror films. No, this is not some weird psychology book that delves into bizarre personality disorders. Intead, it provides a clear insight into how horror films (and other violent mediums) actually provide a basis for a child's growth and development. I have only started reading this book, but what I have read so far is wildly entertaining and informative. As such, I have to give it a quick recommendation.

Mt Bloody Valentine DVD Special Edition

2008-10-30T09:15:00.000-07:00

Finally, a special edition of My Bloody Valentine will be on DVD in January just in time for the release of the funky new 3-D remake of the original. I do not want to propogate rumors but "supposedly" the long lost censored footage (well, the lost footage was found years ago but not released) will appear in the deleted scenes section. Que latisma if this is true. I, for one, would love to see the footage re-edited into the film to create the original director's cut.

More details on this release as they are released.

Hopefully, they will also release the long lost television spots as well. I remember them as being creepy and cool. What a combo.

AMC Horrorfest

2008-10-07T20:46:00.000-07:00

Is it called HorrorFest? Honestly, I cannot even remember and I have grown too LAZY to look. However, with Halloween upon us we now have AMC's monthly marathon of classic horror. Last year I complained about the lack of older horror films and this year a number of old Hammer and Universal films have returned to the line up. No, it is not as many as I would have hoped for but there are enough to bring a smile to my face. SON OF FRANKENSTEIN is represented and that is good enough for me. (Well, I would have dug some 1950's giant monsters, but you can't have everything)

Looking Back at I Was a Teenage Werewolf

2008-05-18T18:40:00.000-07:00

I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF was one of those horror films I have fond memories of watching when I was a kid. This film along with its follow up films I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN and the very quirky HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER were the perfect Saturday afternoon viewing adventure for a young nerd. Of course, these viewing took place after already nearly OD'ing on all those Saturday Morning Cartoons of a previous generation.

When I first viewing the films on UHF TV, they were already 20+ years old. Yet, they seemed to have taken place in an America that was far removed from the one of the turmoil of the late 1970's. Perhaps, this nostalgia was part of its appeal. This is ironic since the film was very atypical of other films made during the time period.

I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF was a (pardon the pun) monster hit for AIP in 1957. The success of the film was a shock to the film industry as horror had been considered a dead genre in the late 1950's. "Old school monsters" ceased being scary thanks to the atomic bomb and the hipper sci-fi films that debuted in the aftermath of World War Two.

Surprisingly, in the late 1950's, the horror genre made a HUGE comeback that lasted strong until the death of the drive-ins and the independent theater in 1987. What brought horror back?

The number one reason was the release of the old horror movie films of the 1930's and 1940's to syndicated TV. This created the "Monster Boom" that re-invigorated the genre. This lead to numerous theatrical re-releases as well as cottage industry of local horror movie hosts around the USA that kept the genre's fires burning well into the 1970's.

The other top reasons were:
--Hammer Films' huge hits with CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN and HORROR OF DRACULA.
--The publication of the magazine FAMOUS MONSTERS OF FILMLAND
--And the release of I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF and I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN

Even more amazing as far as cinema history goes is the fact that the success of I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF really put American-International Pictures (AIP) on the map. AIP was THE main distributor of drive in films from 1957 - 1976 delivering 1,000's of classics including the Billy Jack debut film, THE BORN LOSERS, COUNT YORGA - VAMPIRE, the cold war classic THE FORBIN PROJECT and the Godzilla monster fest DESTROY ALL MONSTERS.

As the legend goes, AIP president Sam Z. Arkoff was miffed that some of his critically acclaimed releases were not drawing well. Realizing that a huge segment of the film going audience was teenagers Arkoff figured a film directed at teens would be a hit. But, when it was revealed that he wanted a film about a teenage werewolf most people thought the idea was utterly idiotic.

As history shows, I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF was a massive hit.

I first saw I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF in the late 1970's or the early 1980's. I remember that the old PHILADELPHIA BULLETIN'S Sunday edition would come out on Saturday Night. In it would be the TV book and I would immediately turn to the listings for next Saturday's horror films. I distinctly remember seeing the listing for I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF. Now, the BULLETIN discontinued publication in January of 1982.

Which is all a round about way of saying I am getting old.

And it is also my harkening back to the days when Saturday Afternoon and Evening Creature Feature films made watching Saturdays a special day for young horror fans. I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF was a recurring film in the cycle of horror movies that aired on local UHF. (Sorry - Can't remember if it was channel 17 or 48 in Philly that was the station it aired on)

Our family did purchase our first VCR in January of 1984 and I remember I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF being one of the first films I taped on an old clamshell case Maxell. Honestly, for the life of me, I do not remember watching this film at all between 1984 and last week when I received a copy of the DVD.

In watching it today what really blows me away about the film is that the secret to its success was not the monster, but the themes of alienated youth. If the film was just a cheesy rendition of teenager becomes a monster you'd end up with B-Movie fair such as I WAS A TEENAGE FRANKENSTEIN or the thoroughly goofy FRANKENSTEIN'S DAUGHTER.
Instead, you get a very powerful film about angry, alienated youth with the monster being a symbol of the alienation and rage.

This is not to say the film is anything other than uneven. 1/2 of it is expertly written and 1/2 of it is ultra-schlock. Whit Bissell's motivation for turning Michael Landon into the werewolf is about as dumb as it gets. He believes that the world is headed towards nuclear war and the best way to prevent it is to completely devolve humanity to its primitive self. Yes, all by his lonesome the good doctor will turn the entire world into werewolves. All werewolves = no atomic warfare. Makes sense. Perhaps they figured a Cold War angle was needed because Cold War themes were a fixture in 1950's sci-fi. These themes would remain so in one form or another throughout the decades although their presence in horror films would mostly diminish. Regardless, it is next to impossible not to laugh when they discuss this dopey dialogue and it rendered the doctor's character into a one note mad scientist.

Then, there are the truly frightening and quirky aspects of the film.

Probably one of the strangest (and most famous scene) in the film depicts the werewolf's attacks on the girl gymnast. The sexual subtext here is difficult to hide. The girl is dressed in a one piece swimsuit and per 1950's cinema this is meant to titillate. The fact that Michael opts to lean against the wall and ogle the young girl precedes his transformation into the werewolf is no coincidence either. Yes, they mask what sets off his transformation into the wolf via the school bell ringing. But make no mistake about it...Michael is transformed into the werewolf due to his sexual arousal and the murder of the gymnast is really a metaphor for sexual assault.

Much of this ties into the alienation of the loner student/disaffected youth. It ties into desires that he can not fulfill leading to the pent up internal rage that releases it self in the form of the murderous werewolf. Yes, the werewolf is the teen id hiding beneath the surface ready to explode.

Prom Night Box Office

2008-04-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

A while back I knocked the notion that 1980's PROM NIGHT was receiving the re-make treatment. While I was not a huge fan of the original PROM NIGHT I did watch the video a dozen or so times in 1984 when I got a copy of it on VHS. It wasn't a bad film, but it was definitely a "generic" slasher film that owed much of its popularity to the tremendous television advertisements that made the film sound like the scariest film ever made.

So, I thought the idea for a remake was kind of silly.

Well, the box office receipts for the new PROM NIGHT as of 4/14 are $21.5 million. That constitutes a HUGE box office hit for such a low budget film released during early spring. I haven't seen the film yet but I will be checking it out soon. A review will, of course, follow.

Medical Training

2008-04-05T17:01:00.000-07:00

There are a number of careers one can pursue in the medical arena and an x-ray technician is one of the best. Of course, in order to be an x-ray technician you need quality x-ray technician training and this is where medical-career-training.com is helpful as it direct an interested party to the top schools in the nation.

Halloween Convention

2008-04-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

Now here is something that is really cool: a convention celebrating 30 Years of Halloween Films.

Honestly, the success of the Halloween franchise truly shocks me. While Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street basically fizzled away (other than the Jason vs. Freddy mega hit) the Halloween films have pretty much done far better then anyone expected. H20 and Rob Zombie's Halloween remake earned in excess of $50 million (BTW – where the hell is the greenlight for a Halloween 2 remake???) making the Halloween series among the most successful horror franchises ever.

This is not the first Halloween convention as there was one 5 years ago as well. Hopefully, this one will be a hit and there will be another after this. Also, let's hope there is another film made in the future too. Which, of course, there will be eventually as we all know.

The convention will be held Oct 31 – Nov 2 in Pasadena

Benicio Del Toro Wolfman Movie

2008-03-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

Now here is some really cool news regarding the upcoming WOLFMAN remake and it centers on the actual look of said Hombre Lobo. While I thought the innovative look of werewolves in AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON and THE HOWLING were incredibly cool they were also the end of an era: the bipedal Wolfman look of the classic era was essentially wiped out. This was a shame because the old school Wolfman coul still be very scary if presented correctly. Case in point, Naschy's Waldemar the werewolf was so bloodthirsty that the old school style make up did not detract from his ferociousness.

With the new Wolfman movie there is a cool return to the classic look of the Lon Chaney Wolfman of old. For a while I was worried that they would not use the old school look but my concerns have been put to rest. Here is a cool new picture of the Wolfman that is now circulating horror sites.

Top Online Casino

2008-02-09T18:21:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for a great deal with a casino online then you will want to check out the $808 Welcome Bonus offered by the Joyland Casino. At joyland casino there are a number of excellent games and tournaments. If you like to try your hand at slots or Joker Poker, Joyland Casino has an opportunity for you. Of all the online casinos, casino joyland is one of the very best. If you are feeling lucky then this is the place you'll want to visit.

More on Lost Boys 2 and Long Awaited Sequels

2008-02-09T17:53:00.000-08:00

Yep, even though I mentioned how I was not a real fan of Lost Boys and that I wasn't looking forward to the sequel since I did previously mention it I figured it would be somewhat worthwhile to mention that the sequel will get a direct to DVD (remember when it used to be called direct to video?) release in July. So, you can count the months down. Funny how a movie that did so well at the box office had so many problems getting a sequel produced when so many other films get one sequel after another.

Here's a related side rant. The original Howling did $17 million at the box office and was a huge hit. Yet, a sequel doesn't show up for 5 years and when it does it is an awful film that went direct to video.

BTW - If you are wondering why it took so long for American Werewolf in Paris to get made there were plans for a sequel in 1982 which would have seen David still alive learning he never was the last werewolf. But, when Avoco-Embassy went out of business it took the rights to the sequl with it for many years.

A Word on the Nightmare on Elm Street Remake

2008-02-09T17:43:00.000-08:00

It would seem that Platinum Dunes (Michael Bay's company) has picked up the rights to do a Nightmare on Elm Street remake. Platinum Dunes was the company behind the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake of 2003. Contrary to what a number of horror fans felt, I personally enjoyed the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake. The original TCM and NOES were released by New Line Cinema back in the day and the TCM remake was produced by Platinum Dunes and released by New Line. Granted, the New Line of today is not the same of it was when it was not part of the Time Warner conglomerate. Oh, here is some more trivia.

New Line rereleased TCM in theaters in 1983 AFTER it had been released on Home Video. The re-release had done 3 million at the box office which was a shocking figure for a 9 year old re-release. Of course, the film had been in theaters in one form or another for those 9 years either on the drive in circuit or in midnight screenings as well.

the original distributor of th film was the late, lamented Bryanston films of the 1970's which brought us Andy Warhol's Dracula and Frankenstein.

Anyway, I am looking forward to the new Elm Street film as well. This may prove to be an interesting remake.

Car Prices

2008-02-06T11:40:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for a new car at very reasonable Car Prices? If that is your goal then you should definitely check out CarsBlvd.com as it is one of the best sites on the net for quotes for incredible deals. The variety is vast and the deals are top of the line. What more could you ask for? Sponsored post

Creature From the Black Lagoon DVD set

2008-02-06T11:38:00.000-08:00

Ah..yes...the horror movie Gods are smiling upon us. If you don't believe they are all you need to do is look at the shelf of your local consumer electronics shop and you will notice that there is a cool release from Universal Home Entertainment: all three Creature From the Black Lagoon Films in a funky new boxed set. There is a lot I could write on these films such as having seen them on television back in the 1970's, watching the 3-D TV broadcast of Revenge of the Creature on TV in the 1980's and seeing the original film in glorious 3-D on the big screen in the 1990's....yup, I have a love for these films and will be picking up that boxed set sometime soon.

Custom Writing

2008-02-01T17:07:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it can be very difficult to complete an essay, thesis or research paper particularly when the course is in a subject matter that you may not have expertise. When the anxiety of potentially failing a class becomes a little too much it may be wise to turn to those experts who may be able to help you. Custom-writing.org is one of the best services on the net and it offers 100% plagiarism free papers. (They also offer quality resumes for when you go on the job hunt as well) So, if you want excellent custom made academic papers this is definitely the service to check out.

Batman vs. Predator

2008-02-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

Since I mentioned Dark Horse Comics in a prior post I thought I should mention the DC/Dark Horse crossover that is out in trade paperback. Well, it has been out in trade paperback since forever and I purchased the single issues when they first came out and thought they were pretty awesome. Yup, the comic book world really knew how to properly use the Predator gimmick. What a shame the movie world failed so miserably. Anyway, the Batman vs. Predator comic rocked and it is well worth checking out!

AVP Requiem

2008-02-01T16:52:00.001-08:00

I am hardly as down on sequels as some of my brethren out there in the blog world may be but I have to say that ALIEN VS PREDATOR REQUIEM has to be one of the most wasteful sequels I have ever witnessed. Ok, it is not that bad but it definitely ranks up there as one of the weaker sequels that has come down the pike. Considering the very weak box office that this film yielded it would seem that sci-fi and horror audiences seemed to agree as this dud of a dud simply throws in a bunch of mayhem with no real plot. It gets old and old quick. Yes, it it stunning that these creatures are still in theaters considering the first ALIEN was in 1979 and the first PREDATOR film was 1987. Yes, the Dark Horse comics that dealt centered on Alien vs. Predator were cool and were the inspiration for these films. What a shame the films weren't anywhere near as good as they could have been.

The Incredible Hulk Movie

Iron Man Movie Review

Zenni Optical Glasses

2008-01-28T11:20:00.001-08:00

Here is the Best Thing Found: Zenni Optical glasses!

Is there anything better than prescription glasses that look absolutely stylish? How about prescription glasses that are inexpensive as well as supremely stylish? If that is what you are looking for then the Zenni Optical $8 Rx Glasses would be well worth looking into. Yes, when word gets around about these glasses the headlines will read Great Discovery: Zenni Optical Glasses. So, if you need glasses this is a site to visit.

Here is a sample of the glasses offered by Zenni Optical

Lost Boys 2

2008-01-28T08:30:00.000-08:00

Onwards towards another mention of a sequel. This one is kind of funny because the overrated 1987 hit The Lost Boys didn't spawn an immediate sequel. In fact, the sequel languished in development hell for close to two decades. Lost Boys 2 is finally in production and it should get a direct to dvd or cable release sometime in the coming months. Personally, the lame horror-comedy/anti-horror formula of the late 1980's has mercifully become passe with the return of visceral horror in recent years. Personally, I think films like The Lost Boys did more damage to the genre than helped it so I hardly look forward to sequels that present more of the same.

A Remake I am Looking Forward to...Hellraiser

2008-01-28T08:04:00.000-08:00

I have been somewhat down on remakes lately but I want to stress that I have zero problem with remakes or sequels when they are done well. One of the remakes I am looking forward to is the upcoming (well, Sept '08) remake of Hellraiser. I thought the original was a weird film that was one of the last of the great 1980's horror films and like a number of films released during that era it didn't get the greatest distribution as the drive ins and indie theaters that carried such films were closing shop. I did get to see the marginally decent sequel in a run down grindhouse theater but it was a forgettable film. The subsequent sequels were abysmal and less said about them the best said.

But, I am looking forward to a new entry in the Hellraiser series as most horror films of late have been pretty good.

one sad note...longtime horror icon Doug Bradley won't be portraying Pinhead in the new film. Hiss and boo.

Online Billiards

2008-01-27T13:27:00.000-08:00

Playing online billiards is a tremendous amount of fun and it you visit billiardmagic.com you will find a great resource for online pool playing. It is easy to open an account with billiardmagic.com and the software it provides installs easily. You can play for fun, but if you wish to play for money you have that option as well. This is a really unique billiard site on the net and anyone who is interested in billiard tournaments or individual games should check it out.

Halloween Comics Coming in February

2008-01-27T13:21:00.001-08:00

Here is some news for you comic fans as there is a new Michal Myers/Halloween comic book coming out in February. (Was there a previous Halloween comic series? I can't remember) You can check out the website for the Halloween Comic here, but don't look for a lot of info on it. The site is pretty sparse but they will surely update it as the release date approaches.

Diary of the Dead Coming Coming to Theaters

2008-01-27T13:14:00.000-08:00

Remember in the old days when you had to wait a decade for a new Romero Zombie film? Scratch that. There was no Romero zombie film in the 1990's because the remake of Night of the Living Dead was a BITTER disappointment and the worst of all the films. Plus, Romero didn't direct it.

Only a few years on the heels of Land of the Dead we are getting Diary of the Dead which is Romero's new Zombie film that will be rolling into theaters. Don't look for a wide screen release because this is mostly going to play on art house screens (yes, there still are a few of them left in big cities) and on a few multiplex screens that have opted to carry it. Of course, the number of screens could increase and it make no sense why people would avoid carrying it as Land of the Dead did fairly well at the box office. Anyway, let's keep our fingers crosses that the number of theatrical showings will increase.

BTW...what ever happened to the 3-D remake of Night of the Living Dead that came out last year? Did I blink and miss it?

Payday Loan Overview

2008-01-26T07:25:00.000-08:00

Have you ever really wondered whether or not a product or service on the web really delivers what it is promising? Of course you have! Most thoughtful people ponder such things. Mostly any potential consumer who is debating making a purchase wonders if the deliver, customer service and overall quality will be at a level that is acceptable. This goes for any product and service on the internet including cash advance sites that offer payday loans. Keep in mind, when you are in the need for a payday loan you are probably finding yourself in a financial crisis. That is to say, there is a need to rapid funding in light of an unforeseen emergency, medical expense, food shortages and other serious concerns. In the past, the volume of resources available for those looking for consumer information on payday loan services was non-existent. Thankfully, due to an excellent website named www.trustsource.org those payday services that are top notch are listed and profiled. This is a very comprehensive site that provides detailed information that can truly prove helpful for a payday loan applicant. TrustSource.org offers a ton of info on a variety of products and services and it is an excellent site well worth bookmarking.

For What It Is Worth

2008-01-26T07:09:00.000-08:00

For what it is worth, I did finally watch From Beyond and Frankenstein Conquers the World. Yes, I was rambling on for quite a while on this blog that I was looking forward to these DVDs - and I really was. Honest - but as much as I hate to admit it....life gets in the way. Of course, when life gets in the way it becomes tough to enjoy those things you consider fun. But, the way I look at it as long as I keep my priorities in order I'll have the ability to keep spending time on those things that I enjoy. One of which is, of course, this rather cool blog on the subject of horror films past and present. And, yes, lengthier retrospectives on those aforementioned two films will be coming. Promise.