Okay, the classic monsters are taking a bite out of Portland, but we still have some modern monsters and slashers showing up to keep things interesting.So here are the films you can catch this week in local theaters.
Friday, October 11 is FULL OF CREATURES OF THE NIGHT!Starting with my favorite Universal monster atin 3D!Yes, CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON will be shown, in glorious 35mm, and you DO NOT want to miss this.Showtimes are 12:30, 5 and 9:30 pm Friday through Sunday, October 11 to 13, and 5 and 9:30 pm Monday through Thursday, October 14 to 17.Don't know when I'll be there, but if you attend, look for the big bald guy in the Utilikilt and say hi.
Friday, October 11, 2013
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Heroes on the (Haunted) Half-Shell
Tonight another trip back 20 years to 1993 and the release of Playmates' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles -- Universal Studios Monsters editions...
Standing menacingly above are 3 of the first series figures (released in 1993) and two of the second series (from 1994).From left to right (ours, not theirs!) we have: Don as DraculaInvisible Man MichelangeloRaph as The MummyCreature from the Black Lagoon LeonardoMike as Frankenstein (technically incorrect since he is Frankenstein's Monster -- oy, I sound like Ted Mosby!) Missing from this Monster Party are: Leo as The Wolfman -- I know I had Leo.I remember buying all four of the first series figures in an impulse buy at Walmart (which was brand new here in Northern Virginia in 1993).I suspect Leo may still be residing in his blister pack with the other empty packages in the tinder-box that is the attic over the garage. Mutant Raphael -- From the 2nd series... I didn't buy him, because I didn't consider him a "true" Universal Monster, even though he was branded that way. And finally, still encased in her plastic tomb:April O'Neil as The Bride of Frankenstein! I originally had another April Bride that was removed from the package.I always tried to carefully remove action figures from their packages so that the boys could play with them -- it was too cruel to just keep everything up for display with young boys in the house.I then put the empty blister packs (typically still containing the accessories and in this case, collector cards) in cardboard boxes, that are now stacked in the garage and attic. But, like many a figure back then, April went missing at some point.Alex was typically the culprit, especially when it came to the female figures.April disappeared just like Marion from Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Phantasm from Batman: Mask of the Phantasm -- he always had the knack for losing the most rare ones! So, a few years ago, I came across this April in her original package for only $5.00 so it was a no-brainer. Here's April's cardback from 1994.You'll notice by this time, the original first four monster figures had already been removed from the assortment.That seems odd to me, since I would think that by releasing these 2nd tier monsters would only encourage kids to look for the originals to complete the set. I will probably take April out of her package once there are grandchildren running about the place.But that will be awhile, and regardless, she will have to be off-limits to Alex!
Standing menacingly above are 3 of the first series figures (released in 1993) and two of the second series (from 1994).From left to right (ours, not theirs!) we have: Don as DraculaInvisible Man MichelangeloRaph as The MummyCreature from the Black Lagoon LeonardoMike as Frankenstein (technically incorrect since he is Frankenstein's Monster -- oy, I sound like Ted Mosby!) Missing from this Monster Party are: Leo as The Wolfman -- I know I had Leo.I remember buying all four of the first series figures in an impulse buy at Walmart (which was brand new here in Northern Virginia in 1993).I suspect Leo may still be residing in his blister pack with the other empty packages in the tinder-box that is the attic over the garage. Mutant Raphael -- From the 2nd series... I didn't buy him, because I didn't consider him a "true" Universal Monster, even though he was branded that way. And finally, still encased in her plastic tomb:April O'Neil as The Bride of Frankenstein! I originally had another April Bride that was removed from the package.I always tried to carefully remove action figures from their packages so that the boys could play with them -- it was too cruel to just keep everything up for display with young boys in the house.I then put the empty blister packs (typically still containing the accessories and in this case, collector cards) in cardboard boxes, that are now stacked in the garage and attic. But, like many a figure back then, April went missing at some point.Alex was typically the culprit, especially when it came to the female figures.April disappeared just like Marion from Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Phantasm from Batman: Mask of the Phantasm -- he always had the knack for losing the most rare ones! So, a few years ago, I came across this April in her original package for only $5.00 so it was a no-brainer. Here's April's cardback from 1994.You'll notice by this time, the original first four monster figures had already been removed from the assortment.That seems odd to me, since I would think that by releasing these 2nd tier monsters would only encourage kids to look for the originals to complete the set. I will probably take April out of her package once there are grandchildren running about the place.But that will be awhile, and regardless, she will have to be off-limits to Alex!
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
The Future Diary
The Future Diary is licensed by Madman Entertainment, Funimation and Kaze UK.
One thing that horror fiction needs is a good motif. A common one over the years is humanities use of technology.
One thing that horror fiction needs is a good motif. A common one over the years is humanities use of technology.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Top 10 Classic Horror Movie Monsters: The creatures that started it all.
I've decided for Halloween, to count down the top 10 monsters and villains from classic horror and thriller films. Criteria: When I say "classic", I mean anything from the 1920's-1950's.
10. Gill-Man/The Creature from The Creature from the Black Lagoon: This amphibian/reptile humanoid mostly stays in the waters of the Amazon. The last character to be part of the classic Universal monsters, he is a mix of classic horror and the "Atomic Age" (the term used to describe horror movies of the 50's, which exploited audience's fears of nuclear disaster). He only appeared in 3 films, and is low on the list because he is not as influential as the other monsters on this list, and doesn't do that much in the films he's in.
10. Gill-Man/The Creature from The Creature from the Black Lagoon: This amphibian/reptile humanoid mostly stays in the waters of the Amazon. The last character to be part of the classic Universal monsters, he is a mix of classic horror and the "Atomic Age" (the term used to describe horror movies of the 50's, which exploited audience's fears of nuclear disaster). He only appeared in 3 films, and is low on the list because he is not as influential as the other monsters on this list, and doesn't do that much in the films he's in.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Guillermo del Toro's 'Simpsons' couch gag pays homage to horror
Guillermo del Toro's couch gag for "The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XXIV" is nothing less than a love letter to the horror genre.
Del Toro directed the show's trademark opening sequence for this year's Halloween special, and he pays homage to more horror franchises than we could count. Among the references in the opening, which runs just under three minutes, are tributes to Alfred Hitchcock, H. P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe and more.
Del Toro directed the show's trademark opening sequence for this year's Halloween special, and he pays homage to more horror franchises than we could count. Among the references in the opening, which runs just under three minutes, are tributes to Alfred Hitchcock, H. P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe and more.
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