tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82890523027066134172024-03-13T12:02:55.737-04:00Unimonster's CryptUnimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.comBlogger362125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-51464607935449635572024-01-20T14:08:00.000-05:002024-01-20T14:08:43.783-05:00The Unimonster's Top 13 ... Star Trek Movies!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1_dWR_rWTF05QYAN6nTMQKsmji4MWxXnZnTki2QfhfNzbKQtZ7isQYkie1ym2v7fQ0A-DB705dQkjAVdz7mOUA0owSWQHJ96LcL0DXLK29C91ztRVQOFwySB_MsCeoUfKiayeg7-3T5ymGKnJBo2McxIR3RSdJJOnrclJnq7AoPA6ZxkvD1eIfuMNF8/s670/Wrath_of_Kahn-MAIN.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="334" data-original-width="670" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1_dWR_rWTF05QYAN6nTMQKsmji4MWxXnZnTki2QfhfNzbKQtZ7isQYkie1ym2v7fQ0A-DB705dQkjAVdz7mOUA0owSWQHJ96LcL0DXLK29C91ztRVQOFwySB_MsCeoUfKiayeg7-3T5ymGKnJBo2McxIR3RSdJJOnrclJnq7AoPA6ZxkvD1eIfuMNF8/w496-h248/Wrath_of_Kahn-MAIN.jpg" width="496" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;">Star Trek Movies<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></u></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">1.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Star
Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">2.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Star
Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">3.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Star
Trek: First Contact (1996)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">4.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Star
Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">5.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Star
Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">6.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Star
Trek (2009)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">7.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Star
Trek: Generations (1994)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">8.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Star
Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">9.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Star
Trek Into Darkness (2013)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">10.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Star Trek Beyond (2016)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">11.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">12.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">13.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 200%;">Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p><p><br /></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-43706765520617548612024-01-20T14:04:00.000-05:002024-01-20T14:04:01.394-05:00T. L. Willis' Notes on ... Nope!<p> </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4V-VEr0KcKHOCoBcEdOKU6cuRDXraZ5Bb-pooMPMrk0OL3j8Jc6jXeUxdhmYG7tOcIxPY0CJOGqbPcrqoqMNbWDsP4wz9cV2EbF35sa9xMhZQ7jdNkx-fLggJciKRGKteM_dpFKb-MrGkMe9sFSUPRarRHGkLsvErKquAj_YvCL1xg6TDL2VepckBrRs/s480/hqdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4V-VEr0KcKHOCoBcEdOKU6cuRDXraZ5Bb-pooMPMrk0OL3j8Jc6jXeUxdhmYG7tOcIxPY0CJOGqbPcrqoqMNbWDsP4wz9cV2EbF35sa9xMhZQ7jdNkx-fLggJciKRGKteM_dpFKb-MrGkMe9sFSUPRarRHGkLsvErKquAj_YvCL1xg6TDL2VepckBrRs/s320/hqdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I’ve been racking my brain trying to figure out how so many
people can find <i>Nope</i> to be so boring, monotonous, and just plain bad. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>Nope</i> is one of the recent horror/sci-fi
films to truly engage me and reach something deeper than just entertainment
value, in the same vein I put <i>Hereditary</i>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Horror can truly be more than just blood guts
and boobs, just like they put it in the movie <i>X,</i> “It is possible to make
a good dirty movie” and I think Jordan Peele’s sensibilities as a director
proves that more than most.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">From the beginning he has shown himself to have a complete
grasp of the medium and how to tell an effective story. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though I find <i>Us</i> to be his weakest
there’s not much in there that you can point at as being bad or even mediocre. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe <i>Nope</i> to be his greatest
achievement as a director although he did win an Oscar for his screenplay with <i>Get
Out</i> which is hard to top, <i>Nope</i> calls back to the OG blockbuster in <i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZaVAmbI9HNjJBk1DIu1taG1LsrdqOtjaJrDbpDiZfLaWiXfNP24Oyr9CukLn5fTzgp6CxXZuk90770HvG76zxPy2rYkFevkF2boNSl5bKR5LV_TgFgv1xEpMeylUVkoCXn2eHEghIO8YRzkby5Uq7gJCBariv9N1Ntvn1rQ6iufB9fMcScnJCn_rC-Qw/s1600/nope-still-ht-jt-220719_1658258533248_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZaVAmbI9HNjJBk1DIu1taG1LsrdqOtjaJrDbpDiZfLaWiXfNP24Oyr9CukLn5fTzgp6CxXZuk90770HvG76zxPy2rYkFevkF2boNSl5bKR5LV_TgFgv1xEpMeylUVkoCXn2eHEghIO8YRzkby5Uq7gJCBariv9N1Ntvn1rQ6iufB9fMcScnJCn_rC-Qw/s320/nope-still-ht-jt-220719_1658258533248_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i>Jaws</i>
in more ways than one. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s plenty of
articles written about it, and much more thoroughly than I can do here, but
that alone is enough to make me question anyone who loves <i>Jaws</i> and looks
at <i>Nope</i> as some boring and plodding film.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jordan Peele isn’t trying to pull the wool over the
audience’s eyes with the themeology within, he lays everything out as plainly
as possible so you can place everything together as you go. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">“But what about the MONKEY???”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That’s easily explained with the opening frame of the film
when we see the Bible verse explaining exactly what it’s all about. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spectacle and exploitation. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We as humans have exploited animals and humans
for entertainment and spectacle for generations and generations. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So going from that directly into the tragedy
that happens with Gordy it puts it plain as day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even Gordy almost breaking the fourth wall to
look at the audience before cutting to the opening credits plays into what OJ
says later in the film. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Don’t look it
in the eyes,” treating these animals and creatures with respect and honor
instead of antagonizing them, and putting them in positions where anything
could flip in the blink of an eye.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-KtRwsF2BH7p0EIq0-h9kyqAYAEWy5juqRof_9EajTN3aS4ShMVXhRb0sBPZmdN7FPf4rtW5vOnoywPDkKgJdmUfU3xPr5snEWgmiz2KmK2mrZ5wFBJ89wa0T2adJHBvMQUQboSCERfLj9wBmvYU6g51UvKuQ3ovWRcbItFxL7J0ljnDmgp5K_b1Ygg/s1500/nope-0909c871217c4465ab82c723fb3d2d6e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1500" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-KtRwsF2BH7p0EIq0-h9kyqAYAEWy5juqRof_9EajTN3aS4ShMVXhRb0sBPZmdN7FPf4rtW5vOnoywPDkKgJdmUfU3xPr5snEWgmiz2KmK2mrZ5wFBJ89wa0T2adJHBvMQUQboSCERfLj9wBmvYU6g51UvKuQ3ovWRcbItFxL7J0ljnDmgp5K_b1Ygg/s320/nope-0909c871217c4465ab82c723fb3d2d6e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Having our main character be a horse trainer that knows how
to respect and treat animals puts everything into perspective when later we see
characters either treating animals poorly, or even insinuating such. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the film goes on the main character OJ
learns to respect the main “monster,” noticing its behavior is more like a wild
animal than some extraterrestrial being. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Switching his perspective from it being an
Alien monster they have to deal with to seeing it as an equal and treating it
as such is such a fresh take on it and only adds to how compelling this film
is.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The journey of every character moving from looking for glory
and fame, or trying to save their ranch, to understanding and respecting these
animals is one that sticks with me as someone who has always had a soft spot
for animals. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The whole movie turns from a straight up <i>Jaws</i>-like
horror film into an almost modern Western in the 3<sup>rd</sup> act and you
don’t even notice it until after. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
to me is a mark of a masterful director, and Jordan Peele in my mind is one of
the smartest directors out there right now. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every line of his scripts, every frame of his
shots, every edit put into place, it all has meaning and contributes to the
overall picture and theme he means to speak about.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkI1jEMaDVYoJYoKr7ELGIrbtpH1KAW3z1ZOL92_F6UtOH7OAwlx2y7F7x9AZt1DhufOCULufrr6PBayMFEtZttAqncrMKLOTOPfVhMTMbATXioj2aFJVFaextLS_jrSA1ATkj-D2d6slpEj9BeutYYyXXLc3Jb5kOpR_qh7LbQiTJEhwkB_QO5BLgNj8/s1100/nope-d442cec8d366562dd304d45b19fab41042d8a5e8-s1100-c50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="825" data-original-width="1100" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkI1jEMaDVYoJYoKr7ELGIrbtpH1KAW3z1ZOL92_F6UtOH7OAwlx2y7F7x9AZt1DhufOCULufrr6PBayMFEtZttAqncrMKLOTOPfVhMTMbATXioj2aFJVFaextLS_jrSA1ATkj-D2d6slpEj9BeutYYyXXLc3Jb5kOpR_qh7LbQiTJEhwkB_QO5BLgNj8/s320/nope-d442cec8d366562dd304d45b19fab41042d8a5e8-s1100-c50.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I know themes and deeper meaning aren’t always everyone's
cup of tea but <i>Nope</i> to me is a perfect example of a horror film that is
fun and exhilarating while also saying something and saying it brilliantly. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Peele doesn’t let his themes and messages bog
down the film and lets them breathe. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
knows how to balance a film and to me that’s what makes him one of the best
directors out there.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I could genuinely talk and write about this film for an
eternity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is less of a review and
more so just me gushing about how much I love this movie and it kills me that
so many of my friends and family members to whom I recommend it, find it to be
a bad film. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get it but at the same
time I don’t really get it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After
watching it how can you not have that feeling like you just witnessed a modern
epic tale? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not going to say Jordan
Peele himself would be disappointed, but I definitely would be.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Nope</i> definitely has its fans, but from my experience
I’ve seen far more that dislike than like. That's just a travesty to me, man.
Its smartly written, masterfully shot, acted perfectly, hilarious, scary,
engaging, and so many other adjectives I could use. Hopefully, though, this
encourages anyone to go back and give it another shot with a new mindset and
outlook on it. Maybe give it the RESPECT it deserves.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><br /><p></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-60609060810351509922024-01-20T13:53:00.000-05:002024-01-20T13:53:01.739-05:00Top Ten Treks<p><br /><br /></p><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Regular readers of this page are familiar with how my love
of Horror films began with William Castle’s <i>13 Ghosts</i>, watching it with
my older sister at the age of five or six.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They know that I stood on line to see the most frightening film I had
ever seen, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jaws</i>, in my eleventh
summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope</i>, when it was simply a little
Sci-Fi adventure called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I collected comic books and monster
mags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="SV" style="mso-ansi-language: SV;">I built model kits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>In short,
I was Geek when Geekdom wasn’t cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">But my first love, the franchise that made me a nerd long
before it was recognized as a franchise, was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My love of the
series began when I saw my first episode, the original series episode <i>Miri</i>,
when it had its initial broadcast on the 27<sup>th</sup> of October, 1966.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was three month shy of being three years
old, but I can clearly remember being mesmerized by the show, by the children
that figured prominently in that episode, by the bold colors of the uniforms,
and by the starship Enterprise herself, though it would be some time before I
understood that the Enterprise was a primary reason for my love of <i>Star Trek</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even at that early age, I was deeply into
astronauts and all things Space-related—not unusual for children of the ‘60s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was an easy transition from Mercury and
Gemini to Starfleet.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I’m also inordinately fond of lists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since childhood, I’ve had a need to sort,
categorize, alphabetize, and itemize all sorts of information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From my favorite Werewolf movies to my top
ten songs of 1976 (sorry, but <i>Muskrat Love</i> didn’t make the cut), I made
a list to memorialize it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It should come
as no surprise, then, that I had lists that ranked my favorite <i>Star Trek</i>
episodes, lists that changed as my tastes grew and matured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the 1990s, those lists had expanded to
include several movies, as well as new <i>Star Trek</i> series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be sure not all of these were good, but
all were <i>Trek</i>, and were to varying degrees entertaining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recently, we were introduced to the Kelvin
timeline, which launched a new Kirk and Spock on an ongoing mission to where no
one needed to go, and the streaming service Paramount+ has been churning out
new <i>Star Trek</i> programming with the regularity of tribbles on Viagra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The result has been nearly 900 hours of <i>Trek</i>,
from the superb to the nonsensical.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The following is the Unimonster’s Top Ten Treks, across all
series and movies, from <i>The Cage</i> to <i>Hegemony</i>, 1965 to 2023.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like all such lists, it is highly subjective,
based on my personal opinion, and is unlikely to match anyone else’s
perfectly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, I think most of my
entries would appear on the lists of most serious Trekkers (yes, I prefer the
old-school distinction between <i>Trekkies</i> and <i>Trekkers</i>), and are
some of the best examples of the universe that Gene Roddenberry created nearly
sixty years ago, examples of why this little Sci-Fi show, this “‘<i>Wagon Train</i>’
to the Stars”, has become such a phenomenon.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Without further ado, let’s countdown my Top Ten Treks.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhHCloL2aPYKv8Xae9hICoeUwGwQQJaJTkbQxhulRXgB4HwigHlnBMoz1kLpVgZFYi6cZ4TAMYsFBurxtoRix8YHEa1cqmvPrSRBN3TARSh6bhOAE9Jyraj3DZ3vdkvXVA3bch6sVjIR9ufirqDljySNu6pYzcc0GSkF289jVQIYku7eFGiwhTws0Jy4/s1600/-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhHCloL2aPYKv8Xae9hICoeUwGwQQJaJTkbQxhulRXgB4HwigHlnBMoz1kLpVgZFYi6cZ4TAMYsFBurxtoRix8YHEa1cqmvPrSRBN3TARSh6bhOAE9Jyraj3DZ3vdkvXVA3bch6sVjIR9ufirqDljySNu6pYzcc0GSkF289jVQIYku7eFGiwhTws0Jy4/s320/-.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>10)<i> “The Last Generation,”</i> <i>Star Trek: Picard</i>,
Season 3, Episode 10—I must admit, I have not been a fan of Paramount’s efforts
to continue the <i>Star Trek</i> mythos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I find their series to be too dark, too woke, and too far removed from
Roddenberry’s vision of what <i>Star Trek</i> should be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stylistically, they’re poorly designed and
executed, and technically, the storylines are weak and uninteresting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find <i>Discovery</i> to be <i>Star Trek</i>’s
worst series, easily surpassing the previous bottom-dweller, <i>Voyager</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And <i>Picard</i> isn’t much better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entire series plods along, with little
rhyme or reason, until this, the series’ final episode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the Borg having assimilated all of
Starfleet, it falls upon Admiral Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D to
come to Earth’s rescue once again, aboard the rebuilt and curated NCC-1701-D,
liberated from the Starfleet Museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was the ending that <i>Star Trek: The Next Generation</i> deserved thirty
years ago, and all I can say is better late than never.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This episode reminded me that, when it was
good, <i>TNG</i> was very good, and when it was at its best, it was among the
best of <i>Star Trek</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This episode
was, for me at least, among the best of <i>Star Trek</i>.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxntFpOagWuf3G3t1LaRpBv895nP1bnKYzjYrj_jcV1hgsW9RRRAy6H0QJXQTm9JAPj4rlQKig9CCRpE3g-_zdOB51I-26N33Y1mfFG0LQyId6zMzLgPHiDnU2R2T5LVfLDkNQEqzuw2FyCNm8JFuwMkG2I2xqskv_XO7Lp7mv8fR1g0B4JkbHqqYA4A/s1436/MV5BZmQ2NTNkOWQtZGQ5OS00ZTg2LTk2YjgtYTc0MmEwYzExNzMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjQ3MjU3NTU@._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1436" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxntFpOagWuf3G3t1LaRpBv895nP1bnKYzjYrj_jcV1hgsW9RRRAy6H0QJXQTm9JAPj4rlQKig9CCRpE3g-_zdOB51I-26N33Y1mfFG0LQyId6zMzLgPHiDnU2R2T5LVfLDkNQEqzuw2FyCNm8JFuwMkG2I2xqskv_XO7Lp7mv8fR1g0B4JkbHqqYA4A/s320/MV5BZmQ2NTNkOWQtZGQ5OS00ZTg2LTk2YjgtYTc0MmEwYzExNzMwXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjQ3MjU3NTU@._V1_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>9)<i> “The Ultimate Computer,”</i> <a name="_Hlk154986137"><i>Star
Trek: The Original Series</i>, Season 2, Episode 24</a>—I always loved the
episodes that served to expand upon the fact that the crew of the Enterprise, or
Deep Space Nine, or Voyager, did not exist in a vacuum; they were part of a
much larger organization, a Starfleet, tasked with both the exploration of Space,
and the defense of the United Federation of Planets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved to see our crew interact with the
rest of the Fleet, whether casually or in times of crisis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To see not one, but four <i>Constitution</i>-class
starships sharing the screen with the Enterprise was guaranteed to make me
happy from the first time I saw it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I
grew older, however, it was the implication in the aftermath of the episode’s
events that fueled my imagination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How had
Starfleet explained the loss of one starship, damage to three others, and the
deaths of nearly five hundred officers and men? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had they told the truth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had they covered it up?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the unanswered questions that guaranteed
this episode a place on this list.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMERnfRRvov6CwGXMKwB75k-IkI4hy5JSovnJjmzBrTB1M9jz-rZX4NONLtIeWR125_5X-xUy5T4YF7VfJUXo5D6fDggNiBQPtaXYicx11VVnA_lec4HVp75fgTcKXvBfBJwyGWaRGPhRhjMeTuaVo06Iiozewz4Tt8D_ENfgYlnotNr9SP0Pwa8rKJU/s1200/relics-hd-245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMMERnfRRvov6CwGXMKwB75k-IkI4hy5JSovnJjmzBrTB1M9jz-rZX4NONLtIeWR125_5X-xUy5T4YF7VfJUXo5D6fDggNiBQPtaXYicx11VVnA_lec4HVp75fgTcKXvBfBJwyGWaRGPhRhjMeTuaVo06Iiozewz4Tt8D_ENfgYlnotNr9SP0Pwa8rKJU/s320/relics-hd-245.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>8) “<i>Relics,</i>” <i>Star Trek: The Next Generation</i>, Season
6, Episode 4—I’m a sucker for nostalgia, even if it’s just blatant fan service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Godzilla looked with disdain at his
Americanized ‘cousin’ Zilla, in 2004’s <i>Godzilla: Final Wars</i>, we who were
long time fans knew exactly what was going to happen—Zilla was in for an epic
asskicking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Thor’s hammer flew into
Cap’s raised fist, even Marvel Comics’ biggest detractor—your very own
Unimonster—had to fight the urge to stand up and cheer in the theater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when Captain Montgomery Scott, Starfleet,
Retired, recently rescued from the transporter pattern buffer of the USS
Jenolen after seventy-five years, asks the Enterprise holodeck to recreate the
bridge of NCC-1701, “—no bloody -A, -B, -C, or -D,” well, it nearly brought
tears to my eyes.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">7)<i> Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVH3nRoh0maA5JfLkgm0rBRHQd1LEAcE-tX0Z8uJluQu5GALq3Cz4505wP6X1tSqwEqSOLGG5QsIZdP8lxCHOFW4FxE5F4F-Nd1xJ3JK0VRzANhYrJAHGc9wjZZwScexfkPbA0y-1IFzLARJb7XgVcUqvSMO1B9TNOUmBoAnSqw52LcPq93bd0ncUfFg/s2560/IMG_8245-scaled.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1908" data-original-width="2560" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfVH3nRoh0maA5JfLkgm0rBRHQd1LEAcE-tX0Z8uJluQu5GALq3Cz4505wP6X1tSqwEqSOLGG5QsIZdP8lxCHOFW4FxE5F4F-Nd1xJ3JK0VRzANhYrJAHGc9wjZZwScexfkPbA0y-1IFzLARJb7XgVcUqvSMO1B9TNOUmBoAnSqw52LcPq93bd0ncUfFg/s320/IMG_8245-scaled.jpeg" width="320" /></a></i></div>, 1982—On the whole,
the big screen hasn’t been generous to the <i>Star Trek</i> Universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fans are well aware of the ‘Odd Movie Curse’,
how those films in the series that are odd-numbered have been, to put it
kindly, underwhelming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, even
those films that are generally regarded as good have left many fans
dissatisfied, plagued with continuity errors, non-canonical references, and
storylines that were forgotten as soon as the end credits rolled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>The Wrath of Khan</i> managed to avoid
most (though not all) of these pitfalls, and gave fans a good script, great
action, and an emotionally compelling finale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That it is the best Star Trek film earns it a place on this list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That it’s not better than it is keeps it from
ranking higher.<o:p></o:p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPl00KxOQdtHj9rbhv9dzIQCzAZVHgYDZg04PdYXZ45dACTAasIInwwet5dPoYCZ-R7i7DYvDIjEZcIwLAdNdrqs1EU5zUlaw7i4LUP9S5aTBt-3jD5Xzpb_zBjEbGf9vpaVV4ZNA0Z-QgW4yIQDR7CYU-sdd-dG6_fXW0wIstgw1nLDYgGHKOC-uUlm4/s1136/MV5BMThmMmQ5ZWItM2ZhOC00Zjk1LWI1YzUtNjE4MDg4MTEzN2U5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDk0ODI3OA@@._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1136" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPl00KxOQdtHj9rbhv9dzIQCzAZVHgYDZg04PdYXZ45dACTAasIInwwet5dPoYCZ-R7i7DYvDIjEZcIwLAdNdrqs1EU5zUlaw7i4LUP9S5aTBt-3jD5Xzpb_zBjEbGf9vpaVV4ZNA0Z-QgW4yIQDR7CYU-sdd-dG6_fXW0wIstgw1nLDYgGHKOC-uUlm4/w361-h203/MV5BMThmMmQ5ZWItM2ZhOC00Zjk1LWI1YzUtNjE4MDg4MTEzN2U5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMDk0ODI3OA@@._V1_.jpg" width="361" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">6) “<i>The Expanse</i>,” <i>Star Trek: Enterprise</i>, Season
2, Episode 26—Since <i>The Next Generation</i>, there’s been something of a
tradition that <i>Star Trek</i> series need a season or two (or three) to grow
into their potential, to really hit their stride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With <i>TNG</i>, it happened with <i>The Best
of Both Worlds</i>, parts 1 & 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With
<i>Deep Space Nine</i>, it was the second season episode <i>The Wire</i>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With <i>Voyager</i>—well, when it happens I’ll
let you know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With <i>Star Trek:
Enterprise</i>, though it got off to a faster start than the previous franchise
entries, at least in my opinion, it still took some time to get up to speed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of the second season, however, the
show was beginning to jell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cast was
becoming comfortable with their characters, the storylines were improved over
the first season, and the series was finding its place in the <i>Star Trek</i>
Universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With <i>The Expanse</i>, <i>Enterprise</i>
finally had an enemy worthy of the name, in the form of the Xindi, and a continuing
plot that would last throughout the third season.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPmwja1fmw2kFI1ZXEleARqztQx8xClzusRTBM7YbxJEYfjAnMMhoGkbS8JoetY0fMnInxgr3-E1A91Gm8r-4_RnFOAheSaEsT3zZIO8dvEL2fqVhgFLWMfcD58hJ_AJMMG4FE_w-nwuDLsmvTYmtnk6Uxxrsl44gmy53my8TfvqDkd7Gr0GwfhZLn64/s800/342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPmwja1fmw2kFI1ZXEleARqztQx8xClzusRTBM7YbxJEYfjAnMMhoGkbS8JoetY0fMnInxgr3-E1A91Gm8r-4_RnFOAheSaEsT3zZIO8dvEL2fqVhgFLWMfcD58hJ_AJMMG4FE_w-nwuDLsmvTYmtnk6Uxxrsl44gmy53my8TfvqDkd7Gr0GwfhZLn64/s320/342.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>5) “<i>Little Green Men</i>,” <i>Star Trek: Deep Space Nine</i>,
Season 4, Episode 8—One of Star Trek’s strengths was its ability to examine the
human condition from the outside, by the use of an alien, non-human member of
the crew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spock was the outsider in <i>The
Original Series</i>, as Data was in <i>The Next Generation</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For <i>Deep Space Nine</i>, that role was
filled by Quark, the Ferengi owner of a bar on the station’s Promenade, his
brother Rom, and nephew Nog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this
episode, our intrepid band of Ferengi wind up back in time, becoming the aliens
who crash-landed at Roswell, New Mexico in 1947.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This episode shows off the lighter side of <i>Star
Trek</i>, something that has always been a part of the various series and
movies, and it’s done very well here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Episodes
such as this show that, even in a series that was the darkest of <i>Star Trek</i>,
at least until the Paramount+ era, moments of levity could be very refreshing.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghK8uY-CHg1ENOUnUQY5uD8Z8l6OhhugtKZxQlj9invfnqe4A4Fm0boA7Y671g2t27VNDc5Ow2CyRCfgyQe82DL7DZTUBtOSquvNUFk6pq-VDM1MnSCZGX_YTMBqiWmWHB6PJcwehxfJcCNAuJXOYAJqMJ6geRthYdsE5-2SvzSPz6EW73Mm1y5SkgEeM/s800/star-trek-tng-yesterdays-enterprise-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghK8uY-CHg1ENOUnUQY5uD8Z8l6OhhugtKZxQlj9invfnqe4A4Fm0boA7Y671g2t27VNDc5Ow2CyRCfgyQe82DL7DZTUBtOSquvNUFk6pq-VDM1MnSCZGX_YTMBqiWmWHB6PJcwehxfJcCNAuJXOYAJqMJ6geRthYdsE5-2SvzSPz6EW73Mm1y5SkgEeM/s320/star-trek-tng-yesterdays-enterprise-001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div>4) “<i>Yesterday’s Enterprise</i>,” <i>Star Trek: The Next
Generation</i>, Season 3, Episode 15—As anyone familiar with the Department of
Temporal Investigations can attest, messing with the timeline can have serious
consequences, perhaps none worse than when the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-C was
pulled into a temporal rift, just as it was fighting to defend the Klingon
colony of Narendra III, under attack from four Romulan warbirds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When it arrived in the time of the Enterprise-D
twenty-two years later, heavily damaged with most of her crew dead or wounded, the
timeline had changed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Enterprise-D is
a ship at war, a decades-long war with the Klingon Empire—a war the Federation is
losing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guinan believes that the
Enterprise-C is the cause of the war, or rather her disappearance from 2344 caused
the war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To restore the timeline,
Enterprise-C must return to her hopeless battle with the Romulans, in the hope
that her certain destruction in aid of a Klingon outpost will foster respect
and trust in the Klingons, leading to a peace that will negate twenty years of
history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my opinion, this episode marked
the first time that <i>TNG</i> became more than just a sequel to <i>The
Original Series</i>, and revealed the greatness it could achieve when it tried.<o:p></o:p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qxWN-2sGbffImls6_-ofjGj2Xm0S_JJR8rhqcfiiRgrtXLezvrEbdHM4NCCjh8WGyKpgsPDwWKx3xexnFb05l1TxTKkoNf7J_T2sMnObi00Wyi-RUNbJFceNdTNKbETCYItF_iIqHdd0TI1KSee9z7mSA1NlYH8bQiScFluME2XahlCMr3-4CrXwM6w/s694/MV5BYmJhMDVkMGMtZjBjYy00ZmJhLTg1MTYtYmY4ZTQzODA0MTBhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTAwMDk1MjM@._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="694" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qxWN-2sGbffImls6_-ofjGj2Xm0S_JJR8rhqcfiiRgrtXLezvrEbdHM4NCCjh8WGyKpgsPDwWKx3xexnFb05l1TxTKkoNf7J_T2sMnObi00Wyi-RUNbJFceNdTNKbETCYItF_iIqHdd0TI1KSee9z7mSA1NlYH8bQiScFluME2XahlCMr3-4CrXwM6w/w300-h227/MV5BYmJhMDVkMGMtZjBjYy00ZmJhLTg1MTYtYmY4ZTQzODA0MTBhXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMTAwMDk1MjM@._V1_.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">3) <a name="_Hlk155000606">“<i>Favor the Bold / Sacrifice of
Angels</i>,” <i>Star Trek: Deep Space Nine</i>, Season 6, Episode 5-6</a>—Okay,
maybe I’m cheating a bit by picking two episodes with one choice, but it is a
two-parter, and it’s impossible to enjoy one without the other—at least, in
this Unimonster’s opinion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Dominion War
was the defining arc of <i>DS9</i>’s final three seasons, and was the first
time we truly saw full-scale warfare in the <i>Star Trek</i> Universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not ship vs. ship, not small-scale
engagements, but massive fleets meeting each other in pitched battles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We only saw the aftermath of the Battle at
Wolf 359, and while the Battle of Sector 001 certainly qualifies as a major
engagement, it, like Wolf 359, was against a single Borg cube.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never before, or since, has <i>Star Trek</i>
taken us closer to the Federation’s destruction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what made <i>DS9</i> so special, and
why I believe it to be the best <i>Star Trek</i> series of them all.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-B1SqivYbOH1if_U4uS8hsNih3RB18-lf8lS9RbMP71EK4VtUG7IVq6_0vEgSsGBC2WG8a-lSDm8tKs9uGmPkUQwHVfZSU81zWQy0LNxvcSj8yVQ18ddToGBtjoeuuSa3bgWpiEfZRCZb9ljiFDmifoXbwJE_PESxjXIAiVR8lckaY7reo7UlSixYew/s2048/MV5BMjEwODA1MDEwNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNTIzMTE1MDE@._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW-B1SqivYbOH1if_U4uS8hsNih3RB18-lf8lS9RbMP71EK4VtUG7IVq6_0vEgSsGBC2WG8a-lSDm8tKs9uGmPkUQwHVfZSU81zWQy0LNxvcSj8yVQ18ddToGBtjoeuuSa3bgWpiEfZRCZb9ljiFDmifoXbwJE_PESxjXIAiVR8lckaY7reo7UlSixYew/s320/MV5BMjEwODA1MDEwNF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNTIzMTE1MDE@._V1_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">2) “<i>Balance of Terror</i>,” <i>Star Trek: The Original
Series</i>, Season 1, Episode 15—As one might quite easily surmise from the
previous entries to this list, I love action, and this allegory on Cold War brinksmanship
definitely qualifies on that score.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was based on Dick Powell’s popular 1957 movie <i>The Enemy Below</i>, which
featured Robert Mitchum and Curd <a name="_Hlk154988965">Jürgens</a> as the
commander of a US Navy Destroyer Escort and his counterpart, the commander of
the Nazi U-Boat he’s hunting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
episode serves to introduce the Romulans to the <i>Star Trek</i> universe, with
the cloaked Romulan Bird-of-Prey serving as an analog for the German Submarine,
and Mark Lenard, who would soon be brought back for the far more enduring role
of Sarek, Spock’s father, as the Romulan commander.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like Jürgens’ <i>Kapitän zur See</i> von Stolberg,
he is a man who differs with his government’s policies and plans for conquest,
and like von Stolberg, he is too dedicated and professional to let his personal
feelings interfere with the performance of his duties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The result is one of the most memorable episodes
of <i>Star Trek</i>, and my favorite <i>Original Series</i> episode.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguceD5o3vzzcSU3qClGm2ArUVhQBuNz6QBYUwtKTCKy5rERyN6ettToyK5m16Q-DJvozy0IHJYjPeTDBrNdKEgt-QmDC_Y5ZYvr1_pOPp894GwwH38WtU7ZWcBY_tlFOVNg31ygS6qcc3S96OJWGGwWA5FhKt9mSgjb8V_BVjc3ixo3YlbSUfoXnboNoA/s400/ds9-inthepalemoonlight49.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="400" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguceD5o3vzzcSU3qClGm2ArUVhQBuNz6QBYUwtKTCKy5rERyN6ettToyK5m16Q-DJvozy0IHJYjPeTDBrNdKEgt-QmDC_Y5ZYvr1_pOPp894GwwH38WtU7ZWcBY_tlFOVNg31ygS6qcc3S96OJWGGwWA5FhKt9mSgjb8V_BVjc3ixo3YlbSUfoXnboNoA/s320/ds9-inthepalemoonlight49.webp" width="320" /></a></div>1) “<i>In the Pale Moonlight</i>,” <i>Star Trek: Deep Space
Nine</i>, Season 6, Episode 19—<i>Star Trek</i> has frequently been criticized
for many reasons, some valid, many not so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, when <i>Star Trek</i>’s best writers put their minds to the
task, they could create greatness, with stories that helped to define the
series for the fans, and explored the meaning of humanity in the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Episodes such as <i>TOS</i>’ <i>City on the
Edge of Forever</i>, <i>TNG</i>’s <i>The Measure of a Man, Family</i>, and <i>The
Inner Light,</i> and DS9’s <i>Far Beyond the Stars</i> had already established the
benchmark for quality in <i>Star Trek</i>, though in my opinion none could
compare to this, the finest forty-odd minutes of <i>Trek</i> that I have yet to
see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Exploring themes of just how far
one should be willing to go to win a war that must be won, and whether one’s
personal sense of honor is a worthwhile sacrifice to that cause, the episode
focuses on Sisko’s efforts to bring the Romulans into the war on the side of
the Federation and its Klingon allies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
turns to Garak, a former operative in the Obsidian Order, the Cardassian
Intelligence service, to help him accomplish that task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Garak’s knowledge of covert operations, as
well as the inner workings of the Cardassian government, would prove invaluable
to Sisko’s mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, he soon
realizes that the price of success might be a personal one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story is told to the viewer in the form
of flashbacks, as Sisko speaks directly to us, breaking the fourth wall as he
records a private log entry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though the plot
is fascinating, it’s the performances of Avery Brooks and Andrew Robinson that
really sell this episode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In all of <i>Star
Trek</i>, I find it to be incomparable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I find it to be the best of <i>Star Trek</i>.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">So here it is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
lifetime love of <i>Star Trek</i> condensed to its ten best examples—at least, in my
opinion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yours may differ, and that’s fine—but
unless you’ve been watching it longer than fifty-seven years, don’t tell me I’m
wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, and … Live long and prosper.<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-89942992416417689932024-01-06T02:24:00.004-05:002024-01-06T02:38:45.843-05:00Unimonster's Top 13 ... 2023 Horror Movies!<p> <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltivf7MmSAtL5-o7D-cCjG1TSk54mqOZfi0496Nkf-xQRyN3lX3oAxa4ABbl4hz1E-sKrUJmAFomMWMw5IGYXdWkuRf9YuJi9YE-y-9e02NE6FCRT8VuG8xa22_FJIeZbdQKpkCxsfiw3_3TiCdDJesHA-h6GKw1kOzPy_9LdcLbIjyjJnRZVhVgCA6k/s755/last_voyage_of_the_demeter_477x.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="477" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgltivf7MmSAtL5-o7D-cCjG1TSk54mqOZfi0496Nkf-xQRyN3lX3oAxa4ABbl4hz1E-sKrUJmAFomMWMw5IGYXdWkuRf9YuJi9YE-y-9e02NE6FCRT8VuG8xa22_FJIeZbdQKpkCxsfiw3_3TiCdDJesHA-h6GKw1kOzPy_9LdcLbIjyjJnRZVhVgCA6k/s320/last_voyage_of_the_demeter_477x.webp" width="202" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;">2023’s Top Horror Movies<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Last Voyage of the Demeter<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">The Nun II</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Evil Dead Rise</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Totally Killer</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Scream VI</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; line-height: 200%;">Thanksgiving</span></u><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Talk to Me</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
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</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Meg 2: The Trench</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Hell House LLC Origins: The Carmichael Manor</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Haunted Mansion</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Saw X</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Pet Sematary: Bloodlines</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.)<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Five Nights at Freddy’s</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-32724378061934323432024-01-05T17:05:00.006-05:002024-01-06T00:02:07.726-05:00A Haunted House, English-Style<p style="text-align: justify;"> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjam1JysXzOMyNZLqqIwEqQEZCg0bOIFj8FgRAcdK66mUR4ZWNr36rQYFjxaDNGw7Y28fhE7_Uy_Q1z0vvYH5LJxN6sxzVICpAJ7pZR_mhrPOh_Hyxodr3MG4yA_oB_coDaAvGK9SDKdaUriM9r7_fjfduFWQsX4WJfaZ3LDqBH8sPGktPOKWQ2HqIs_kc/s650/Legend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="650" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjam1JysXzOMyNZLqqIwEqQEZCg0bOIFj8FgRAcdK66mUR4ZWNr36rQYFjxaDNGw7Y28fhE7_Uy_Q1z0vvYH5LJxN6sxzVICpAJ7pZR_mhrPOh_Hyxodr3MG4yA_oB_coDaAvGK9SDKdaUriM9r7_fjfduFWQsX4WJfaZ3LDqBH8sPGktPOKWQ2HqIs_kc/s320/Legend.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The British Horror film, and indeed, Great Britain’s entire
film industry, was teetering on the brink of the precipice by 1973, brought on
in part by the faltering national economy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the words of Sinclair McKay, “By 1973, it was not merely the old
British film industry that was in a state of outright crisis; the entire nation
was.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hammer, with Michael Carreras now
firmly in control, was in a steady decline, much like an aging senior citizen,
in whom one illness rapidly leads to another, and another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That year saw the release of only one classic
Hammer Horror, possibly the worst of them all; the film that made Christopher
Lee hang up the cloak and put away the fangs for good—<i>The Satanic Rites of
Dracula</i>.<o:p></o:p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkfbPoq6rpCVYkmjFdMFtkWEb7f9Z3gAJVCl32qw481r5l5ZribGxzMmZzCE5QnnXiwMb5PeURm-pyT230JSkp2u6ZCWsskXYvj1QshnN9PcBHNDiDHxfdnFJ9_4CVgjjEF6g_PJhMbPwj2nMBj7X_7C8X5j8LfgsEZauvv4OozfvWttgtSTAFGc7PfY/s2560/1_JvkcGRERqfOFiYWXiVj7iA.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1434" data-original-width="2560" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwkfbPoq6rpCVYkmjFdMFtkWEb7f9Z3gAJVCl32qw481r5l5ZribGxzMmZzCE5QnnXiwMb5PeURm-pyT230JSkp2u6ZCWsskXYvj1QshnN9PcBHNDiDHxfdnFJ9_4CVgjjEF6g_PJhMbPwj2nMBj7X_7C8X5j8LfgsEZauvv4OozfvWttgtSTAFGc7PfY/s320/1_JvkcGRERqfOFiYWXiVj7iA.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Fortunately, other companies were in there pitching, and
doing a much better job than Hammer’s anemic efforts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, 1973 would see the release of two
very good British Horrors, <i>The Legend of Hell House</i> and <i>The Vault of
Horror</i>, and one that is the best British Horror film of the decade; perhaps
the best Brit Horror ever—<i>The Wicker Man</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have discussed that film, and my reverence
for it, at length in this column.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
now, we’ll examine John Hough’s excellent Horror film, <i>The Legend of Hell
House</i>.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrOSJ4HaEP_sW1c-1Ya46hLmOmranQczS_G4b4rj72aRedZig51VWQLtvH4jYNcnvLokAW7QJK8YqJMcIJVuMxQSTOb1rPQsXoY_Kpwi_oYlFXoRQ7V1ip0aHiOLf-nCelZrXuDcE4gIWtJVHOB_GIHP-Z_y61s5K-MlZZdpwkK4Qm8xokFgu0kjFCIs/s856/image-w856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="856" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkrOSJ4HaEP_sW1c-1Ya46hLmOmranQczS_G4b4rj72aRedZig51VWQLtvH4jYNcnvLokAW7QJK8YqJMcIJVuMxQSTOb1rPQsXoY_Kpwi_oYlFXoRQ7V1ip0aHiOLf-nCelZrXuDcE4gIWtJVHOB_GIHP-Z_y61s5K-MlZZdpwkK4Qm8xokFgu0kjFCIs/s320/image-w856.jpg" width="320" /></a>Following his departure from American-International
Pictures, the company that he had founded with Samuel Z. Arkoff nearly twenty
years before, James H. Nicholson started Academy Pictures Corporation, in
partnership with 20th Century Fox, with plans to co-produce five films. The first would be an adaptation of Richard
Matheson’s sexually charged novel, <i>Hell House</i>. Matheson would write the screenplay, toning
down some of the more graphic sexual elements, transforming it into something
suitable for the screen, and John Hough was tasked to direct the film. Hough, who had recently directed <i>Twins of
Evil</i> at Hammer Films, was a good choice; he was a solid, competent, and
reliable director, the type needed to bring low-budget productions in on-time
and on the money.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGQPWdG4N0GjmvXhegPmhYhdCcl4b0QSV0g24Pwx0jup_RGX-2U2b5OyOlEDNq6NDKBDeKp7zcOmJPEntOWUnpF-uINxmK7XCo1fk20BLEZ8XrQhqSOCPmHMV4JC_2EIVZLlZAJriAU14L0Y52GI0sP3PF3OK59bw0uNhXD8KtmXBvvUM5TFWNL9R7fM/s1024/legendhh1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="1024" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGQPWdG4N0GjmvXhegPmhYhdCcl4b0QSV0g24Pwx0jup_RGX-2U2b5OyOlEDNq6NDKBDeKp7zcOmJPEntOWUnpF-uINxmK7XCo1fk20BLEZ8XrQhqSOCPmHMV4JC_2EIVZLlZAJriAU14L0Y52GI0sP3PF3OK59bw0uNhXD8KtmXBvvUM5TFWNL9R7fM/s320/legendhh1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It is Friday, December 17th, and Dr. Lionel Barrett (Clive
Revill), a British physicist and researcher into paranormal phenomena, has been
summoned to a meeting with Mr. Deutsch (Roland Culver), an elderly millionaire,
who has a proposition for the scientist:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>prove or disprove the soul’s survival after death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do so, either way, and earn £100,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are two stipulations, however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He must begin on the following Monday, the
20th, and he has only five days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Five
days to prove or disprove life after death.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRWSMzpPReeqQ4YLAVSbKLKCThgoRk67tIOz9v52sgTGXSjvYkVlPVDryxliNVqZcjrX65o6-2nfQ43Y7xuZOY1zojBSEMPbIgjvVo8swh1jvzmclQkEVFEwMV985DGAj7NLY1CYmzHJuC_Czl0AKbZGnl_W5X7JW_zUjcwvv685cQe-R4SLiJSlI3S0/s1777/legend-of-hell-house.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="1777" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCRWSMzpPReeqQ4YLAVSbKLKCThgoRk67tIOz9v52sgTGXSjvYkVlPVDryxliNVqZcjrX65o6-2nfQ43Y7xuZOY1zojBSEMPbIgjvVo8swh1jvzmclQkEVFEwMV985DGAj7NLY1CYmzHJuC_Czl0AKbZGnl_W5X7JW_zUjcwvv685cQe-R4SLiJSlI3S0/s320/legend-of-hell-house.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Barrett is intrigued, but how can he accomplish that task,
one that, on the surface, would seem impossible?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deutsch’s answer is simple, though
unexpected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He must go to the one place
where the possibility of survival has not been refuted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Belasco House—Hell House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two previous teams have investigated the
mansion; eight members of the two expeditions died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was only one survivor, from the last
group twenty years before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That man, Ben
Fischer (Roddy McDowell), will go with Barrett to the house, as will another
medium, a young woman named Florence Tanner (Pamela Franklin).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barrett’s wife Ann (Gayle Hunnicutt) will
accompany him as she usually does on his investigations, though he warns her
that this will not be like any other “haunted house,” calling Hell House the
“Mt. Everest of haunted houses.”<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsuRgYi13Snk2txDl_BlAK0xBht39uvd9-Rsht0NsFlPS78sdIDoLifobmhMVEa3NQotFk_gqbbbbrv03X5DLeftWJYT_hU1z68SW1V41xl1v09xsKFJP6Ejo9lpB-owFaHGb7XNoH9vyqADxO1BDbbU85sGkmqZSyeIeJE6Xyh4NJU6zDW22kz4SQjE/s1023/legendofhellhouse1973_1024x768_08232013102314.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1023" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfsuRgYi13Snk2txDl_BlAK0xBht39uvd9-Rsht0NsFlPS78sdIDoLifobmhMVEa3NQotFk_gqbbbbrv03X5DLeftWJYT_hU1z68SW1V41xl1v09xsKFJP6Ejo9lpB-owFaHGb7XNoH9vyqADxO1BDbbU85sGkmqZSyeIeJE6Xyh4NJU6zDW22kz4SQjE/s320/legendofhellhouse1973_1024x768_08232013102314.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The following Monday, the group arrives at Hell House to
begin their investigation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Florence is
immediately affected by the entities present in the house, though the other
psychic, Ben, keeps himself closed off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, the two mediums aren’t the only ones experiencing unusual
reactions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ann Barrett, a sexually
frustrated woman due to her husband’s inattentiveness, begins walking in her
sleep, and behaving most improperly towards Ben.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everyone seems under some form of attack,
though Florence is particularly vulnerable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The attacks on both women are personal, and sexual, in nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barrett believes that the former owner,
Emeric Belasco, was such a vain, cruel, evil man, and the litany of sins he
practiced and encouraged steeped the house in so much malevolent energy, that
it has become like a massive battery, providing anyone with innate psychic
abilities with a surge of uncontrollable power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There are no ghosts, no surviving spirits, just the untapped potential
of the human mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ben is convinced it is
the spirit of Belasco himself, and though Florence agrees that it is a spirit,
she’s not sure it’s Belasco’s.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">As the week wears on, the attacks become more violent and
aggressive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barrett is nearly
killed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Florence is raped by what she
believes is a spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slowly, however,
they uncover the secrets of Belasco House, including the discovery of the
chained-up body of Belasco’s son Daniel, concealed behind a brick wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the week draws near its end, Barrett has
plans to fight back—a machine of his invention that will counter the energies
in the house, clearing the house of its stored ability to cause harm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If his theory is correct.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Reviews were mixed for the film, though generally not
positive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mick Martin, writing for the
magazine <i>Cinefantastique</i>, seemed to speak for his fellow critics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“So much that made the book a blockbuster
horror story is left out of the film that I find it impossible to view it
objectively, especially after experiencing <i>The Exorcist</i>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The comparison to the far superior film may
be a natural one, one I’m certain many critics couldn’t help but make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As natural as that comparison may be,
however, it did no favors for <i>The Legend of Hell House</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though the box-office numbers for the film
were decent, it was not the success for which 20th Century Fox and Academy
Pictures could have hoped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Appreciation
for the film has grown in the intervening years, however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Andy Boot, in discussing the film, lays its
lackluster performance on a lack of promotional spending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">“The last film of 1973 was one that could—shock for
shock—rival <i>The Exorcist</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
only thing letting it down was the budget—not because of the actual production
quality, but simply because it could not be hyped ... This is the type of
horror movie that is impossible to do justice in print.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kinetic and visually stunning, it is a superb
piece of craft that needs to be seen to be appreciated.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXoh-JBM04A3N8E3O9p8WErgdxgQ11qMgMPlygVtIA0MP3NpxcSZNJ-BcjIMdG6y-vYFCp6_zlT2owoDR3dZFJHiGYcJJcpqKmPxIfYmMkY4c_t0_uywtUlZ5Yaaxtgnl2k_8HTbOeXQqbh-VJkHbAOs3FcNxkUZrcZC2Nt2CwGq-o6cwkOlhkRWAHvw/s642/1955-the-beast-with-a-million-eyes-036-samuel-arkoff-james-nicholson-e1482263444445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="642" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXoh-JBM04A3N8E3O9p8WErgdxgQ11qMgMPlygVtIA0MP3NpxcSZNJ-BcjIMdG6y-vYFCp6_zlT2owoDR3dZFJHiGYcJJcpqKmPxIfYmMkY4c_t0_uywtUlZ5Yaaxtgnl2k_8HTbOeXQqbh-VJkHbAOs3FcNxkUZrcZC2Nt2CwGq-o6cwkOlhkRWAHvw/s320/1955-the-beast-with-a-million-eyes-036-samuel-arkoff-james-nicholson-e1482263444445.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">James Nicholson (R), and Samuel B. Arkoff (L).<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>A significant difference from contemporaneous reviews, one
might safely say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>The Legend of Hell
House</i> was the first film produced by Academy; there would be only one
more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In December of 1972 James
Nicholson, the creative force behind the birth of Teensploitation and the
Drive-In Movie, died of a malignant brain tumor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His last production, <i>Dirty Mary Crazy
Larry</i>, would be released eleven months after <i>The Legend of Hell House</i>.<o:p></o:p></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-67436226751259288392021-11-06T15:18:00.004-04:002021-11-06T15:18:39.142-04:00In Defense of Halloween III<p style="text-align: justify;"> <br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Recently, I put forward three opinions of mine that I felt
were not likely to be shared by many in the Horror community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I explained at the time, I have never
minded swimming against the tide of popular opinion, and had I not limited
myself to three such opinions, then the article would’ve been a book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if I had made the list four opinions
long, then the fourth might have been the most controversial of all—I happen to
think that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Halloween III: Season of the
Witch</i> is a pretty good movie.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghe_kgbXzT7SDDQYi0AiSCulsbtbMI6zHPfO2eJm6i5tsDlaFT5S5nmNI99TTTJSMMdIkW2AJGcx8IwWgUNfySletJiRbz5YiFYFnMZU5K_kFhwhyNf_Ea_XqVATzV7GlgkztrJHSdL70/s1001/61aAjzPXYkL._SL1001_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1001" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghe_kgbXzT7SDDQYi0AiSCulsbtbMI6zHPfO2eJm6i5tsDlaFT5S5nmNI99TTTJSMMdIkW2AJGcx8IwWgUNfySletJiRbz5YiFYFnMZU5K_kFhwhyNf_Ea_XqVATzV7GlgkztrJHSdL70/s320/61aAjzPXYkL._SL1001_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Now, before effigies of the Unimonster are lit ablaze for
this heresy, let me explain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1982, I
was as disappointed and angered as everyone at the blatant head-fake on the
part of everyone connected to the film, especially John Carpenter and Debra
Hill, who made it a condition of their involvement in the project that it not
be a sequel to the first two films, thus forcing the decision to not have
Michael Myers in this movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As with
most fans, in the days before spoilers, scripts, even the completed films could
be leaked on the internet months in advance, I went into the theater for <i>Halloween
III</i> expecting to see my favorite Slasher once more carving his way through
the population of Haddonfield, Illinois.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And like most, if not all, fans, I left unhappy with what I watched.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i>Halloween III</i> was quickly forgotten in the flood of
much better Horror films that seemed to appear on a weekly basis in the
1980s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In time Michael himself would
return to the screen, in the aptly named <i>Halloween 4: The Return of Michael
Myers</i>, and all would once more be right with the franchise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, as right as it could be when discussing
the Thorn trilogy films.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And for most of
the next twenty years, I seldom thought about <i>Halloween III</i>; I certainly
didn’t go out of my way to watch it again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In October 2000, however, I began collecting Horror movies,
in order to occupy my mind and fill my time in the wake of my divorce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The collection was to have no boundaries;
new, old, good, or bad, if it was a Horror film, then I wanted it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a consequence of that choice, I was forced
to reevaluate my opinions on a number of movies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some that I had once loved had aged badly in
the years since I had last seen them, leaving me sadly disappointed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few, however, like fine wine had improved
with age, developing a character and quality that had eluded me upon my initial
exposure years earlier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>Halloween III</i>
is one of these.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUb4Xmt91-EBeVzGeyfqBbDw1OU_krSUSeqLSAD_s_nL7Q1oUbylXwAwJ3AFgBf16N3ViCyymfEql8fFQ4rF82LhVR1cZmHGFOwzp2X_ot9Ec7t72CqZa0_Tmae7jcLt9FK1Vn8XGuVfU/s960/ePkwopLmKbYy0Ul9WvRrHIPs3YE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUb4Xmt91-EBeVzGeyfqBbDw1OU_krSUSeqLSAD_s_nL7Q1oUbylXwAwJ3AFgBf16N3ViCyymfEql8fFQ4rF82LhVR1cZmHGFOwzp2X_ot9Ec7t72CqZa0_Tmae7jcLt9FK1Vn8XGuVfU/s320/ePkwopLmKbYy0Ul9WvRrHIPs3YE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In 1982 I was too focused on what the movie was not to
appreciate it for what it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
eighteen-year-old Unimonster wanted a Michael Myers Slasher film and didn’t get
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fifty-seven-year-old Unimonster
looks at it on its own merits, and sees a good movie, one capable of
entertaining even so jaded a viewer as me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not perfect, not a great film by any standard by which one might choose
to measure it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then again, most films
aren’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Viewers are content with most
movies if they can simply be described as “good.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I watch <i>Halloween III</i> today and see
a good movie, how did I not see it then?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It has long been my contention that there was only one real
mistake made in the development of the third <i>Halloween</i> movie, and that
was making it a <i>Halloween</i> movie in the first place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had it simply been titled <i>Season of the
Witch</i>, without a misleading connection to the Michael Myers <i>Halloween</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkthElTtoEJ38CFFKuiD8Zfw6qcx_rnnqJnOT_upgIUCM-Mn6truOfmsntv5rIzy4cZHx64hVAEqmBs9EMIeLpQv04Z3Soh9amoOyUVimWWs_-hZiAALcJ3ysgRq8C-RzfH1Nw9UYm9-s/s2000/halloween-iii-season-of-the-witch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="2000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkthElTtoEJ38CFFKuiD8Zfw6qcx_rnnqJnOT_upgIUCM-Mn6truOfmsntv5rIzy4cZHx64hVAEqmBs9EMIeLpQv04Z3Soh9amoOyUVimWWs_-hZiAALcJ3ysgRq8C-RzfH1Nw9UYm9-s/s320/halloween-iii-season-of-the-witch.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div>
films, there would have been no preconceptions about the movie, thus no
disappointment at it having failed to live up to them.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I’m not saying that the movie doesn’t have problems quite
apart from the expectations of the audience going in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plot has holes large enough for the cast
to walk through; said cast, with the possible exceptions of Tom Atkins and Dan
O’Herlihy, not so much stumbles as they meander listlessly through their
performances; and the Silver Shamrock jingle, carrying the signal that will activate
the deadly microchips in the masks, is so annoying one finds oneself wishing
that it did actually melt brains, if only for some relief.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">But those negatives are balanced against some very positive
points.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The concept is very good, even
if the execution was somewhat lacking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The masks, created by Don Post Studios, were very effective, and are
still popular among fans and collectors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And while most of the performances left quite a bit to be desired, both
Atkins and O’Herlihy were on point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom
Atkins is one of my favorite actors, and he doesn’t disappoint here, and Dan
O’Herlihy can chew scenery with the best of them.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKv4RBD8PJzRiNVrWpimD8oO3IBqCA2duoLOvPuSmFx9XY5V1mHynxh0wd13MAxDRPrG038sNj_HRibC3JwYcpKdBxB89D0hk0KOjrMt72MB33L0FPCrZ8W3-WwHKVhbmCjorMnpT7QjY/s1200/trick-or-treat-studios-halloween-iii.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKv4RBD8PJzRiNVrWpimD8oO3IBqCA2duoLOvPuSmFx9XY5V1mHynxh0wd13MAxDRPrG038sNj_HRibC3JwYcpKdBxB89D0hk0KOjrMt72MB33L0FPCrZ8W3-WwHKVhbmCjorMnpT7QjY/s320/trick-or-treat-studios-halloween-iii.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i>Halloween III</i> will never be a favorite of mine and
will always rank near the bottom of the list when it comes to the Halloween
franchise, with only the two Rob Zombie efforts earning a lower score.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On its own, however, it can surprise a
viewer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just forget how bad <i>Halloween
III</i> was and open your mind to how good <i>Season of the Witch</i> can be.<o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-88954709236152035572021-10-24T10:49:00.000-04:002021-10-24T10:49:04.615-04:00Horror All Night Long: the Joys of All-Night Drive-In Horror-thons<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuaMLBy8xJ3-CdfvF2N2l0jsJcs5XrcX6VdUTPeMlcurbNOWUWP64NtjKXsd8RLTDya7_wDTeSLAScfDwUXK2R0zKutDiKbQy9zeeLpvfDjY_eEXXyZU85rSsM2cosWpD5F9feNfEQsyA/s1178/08011970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="873" data-original-width="1178" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuaMLBy8xJ3-CdfvF2N2l0jsJcs5XrcX6VdUTPeMlcurbNOWUWP64NtjKXsd8RLTDya7_wDTeSLAScfDwUXK2R0zKutDiKbQy9zeeLpvfDjY_eEXXyZU85rSsM2cosWpD5F9feNfEQsyA/s320/08011970.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>How one was first exposed to the joys and frights of Horror
films has much to do with when that first exposure took place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For those fortunate enough to be there at the
beginning, their first taste of horror came in a theater, as the classic
Universal Monsters first thrilled audiences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If that initial experience happened in the late 1950s, then in all
likelihood it came in the form of a local Horror Host, airing twenty-year-old
cheesy movies to a late-night weekend audience, while dressed in a goofy outfit
and doing his best to sound like Boris Karloff or Bela Lugosi [any resemblance
to a certain Vampire Count of my acquaintance is purely a coincidence].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And to those of us who spent our formative
years in the 1960s and ‘70s patronizing the local Drive-In Theater, there was a
regular ritual in which we took part at least once a season, often once a
month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s when, apart from the
routine Friday or Saturday night visits to our favorite ozoner, we would
indulge in the All-Night Horror Movie Marathon, or Horror-thon.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8g-vlim-nzXi-EyGeR8qQIYt2mpchcoB2x65qQmXh0_6Ts6YMcIaKu_Z3GBtu0DJnR-yvlb5KBPCQegXSSYWiGkOtFcIVpCR40H3Z5zD19PEiqzTALPtgzhl5PgevLy5S3qolDQf-uk/s233/download+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="233" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8g-vlim-nzXi-EyGeR8qQIYt2mpchcoB2x65qQmXh0_6Ts6YMcIaKu_Z3GBtu0DJnR-yvlb5KBPCQegXSSYWiGkOtFcIVpCR40H3Z5zD19PEiqzTALPtgzhl5PgevLy5S3qolDQf-uk/s0/download+%25283%2529.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>Often used as a way to package films too played out for a
regular run, even for easy-to-please Drive-In crowds, the Horror-thon was just
another example of the need exhibitors had to wring every possible cent out of
their venues, especially in the troubled decade of the ‘70s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The decline of the Drive-In was well underway
by the middle of the decade, exacerbated by the 1974 OPEC (Organization of the
Petroleum Exporting Countries) oil embargo, and the resultant Energy Crisis,
which had a profound effect on all industries dependent upon the American love
affair with the Automobile, Drive-In theaters included.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0drFyesMk9DiLIXHDEq4SLoj15nF6wt3ohWEkqiKmrGT0DQY0qOkf32TI6m-nBrjxRHV5hGB7Lo-bGISW7QHSo6IfwDtA_43hJ5KgU3gQYss9qKOonLzumd54-iomxEzitVvyMuBFiU/s299/download+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0drFyesMk9DiLIXHDEq4SLoj15nF6wt3ohWEkqiKmrGT0DQY0qOkf32TI6m-nBrjxRHV5hGB7Lo-bGISW7QHSo6IfwDtA_43hJ5KgU3gQYss9qKOonLzumd54-iomxEzitVvyMuBFiU/s0/download+%25284%2529.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Another cause of the industry’s poor health, though still in
nascent form, was the growing Home Video revolution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the battle still raged between VHS and
Betamax to determine which format would become dominant, there was no longer
any doubt that home video was the wave of the future, and that the ability for
consumers to own copies of their favorite films, for them to enjoy in the
privacy and comfort of their own homes, and at their convenience, would strike
a severe blow to motion picture exhibitors at every level of the industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In order to fight back, theaters in general,
and ozoners in particular, had to constantly strive to give the consumer more
bang for their buck, and in so doing were faced with ever shrinking profit
margins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keeping their establishments
going all night long, while screening cheaply-acquired films that would bring
in a guaranteed audience, was an economically safe bet.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHmsWaBb1gk7_muc0M3GG3cg2qPAb3TxvL4kVATTgrZ9fsv1GRVRxCpz-jf22AILVdI9omYMxe57g_oWO62oaCy8g3Y5zP24oIulPPHQWDNtYAN6Wj2FbMZ6GddI595TwYELKIB28ZDI/s1186/a3ebe52e1a1f4cb3105a66499a1104a3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="850" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHmsWaBb1gk7_muc0M3GG3cg2qPAb3TxvL4kVATTgrZ9fsv1GRVRxCpz-jf22AILVdI9omYMxe57g_oWO62oaCy8g3Y5zP24oIulPPHQWDNtYAN6Wj2FbMZ6GddI595TwYELKIB28ZDI/s320/a3ebe52e1a1f4cb3105a66499a1104a3.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">However, the youthful Unimonster was blissfully ignorant of
the socio-economic motivations behind these all-night fright-fests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was a ten-year-old Horror fanatic,
voraciously devouring everything I could in the way of monsters and scary
movies, these dusk-to-dawn bacchanalias of terror were a godsend, an easy way
for this young MonsterKid to feast upon the latest and greatest Low-Budget
Horror available.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The first time I saw <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Night
of the Living Dead</i> was at just such a festival of fear and the same holds
for such classics as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blood Feast,
Children Shouldn’t Play with Dead Things</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Texas Chainsaw Massacre</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Movies as diverse as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Navy vs.
the Night Monsters, Shriek of the Mutilated</i>, and both <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dr. Phibes</i> films were screened for my eager enjoyment at such
events, as were a panoply of Hammer’s finest Horrors, the titans of Toho, and the
sexy, sensational, salacious Horrors from France, Spain, and Italy.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">One might be inclined to say that I was on the young side
for viewing many of these films, and I would, of course, be forced to
agree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I was blessed with an
older sister possessed of three great attributes: a vehicle with a spacious
trunk, a susceptibility to a little sibling bribery and/or blackmail, and
rather liberal attitudes on just what constituted appropriate viewing for her
younger brothers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suffice it to say
that, the MPAA ratings notwithstanding, even as a ten-year-old I managed to see
whatever I wished.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtpY3APvVQDDmmBuNnlQ7szWfPYkzaQv0cycotoeNBe2OG4SS_q0DN8YbwmnaCwBWcKtF2MiNGKX6ogumabk-HKsQCX6RH5PLP9huewbEoms55NDT5WtOgzCX6x5tzwFyNvoIuGAs4JU/s632/thing-0-rama-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="632" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtpY3APvVQDDmmBuNnlQ7szWfPYkzaQv0cycotoeNBe2OG4SS_q0DN8YbwmnaCwBWcKtF2MiNGKX6ogumabk-HKsQCX6RH5PLP9huewbEoms55NDT5WtOgzCX6x5tzwFyNvoIuGAs4JU/s320/thing-0-rama-poster.jpg" width="304" /></a></div>Today, in the age of streaming media, round-the-clock movie
channels, and video-on-demand, the notion of sitting in one’s car overnight, to
watch movies on an outdoor screen, in the company of squadrons of mosquitoes
seems rather quaint—if not completely ludicrous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that’s sad, really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because those of us who shared the joys of
warm summer nights under the stars, watching blood-spattered images flicker
across the screen, gained so much more than just the movies we watched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMv2lX8XF5y1vF9DvsY8C49pqA4UFemqe-fyinxjc815hsACWFV5hnl77sfjsaWOkJlLSG5Q51w-GUK41FWhNBMGxVzsQUJ4OnPatxUQQcDrDIUcr61mUYrqmEd-uVo3_3GOG6vgD2iKw/s960/EUcqK5aX0AATIp6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="930" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMv2lX8XF5y1vF9DvsY8C49pqA4UFemqe-fyinxjc815hsACWFV5hnl77sfjsaWOkJlLSG5Q51w-GUK41FWhNBMGxVzsQUJ4OnPatxUQQcDrDIUcr61mUYrqmEd-uVo3_3GOG6vgD2iKw/s320/EUcqK5aX0AATIp6.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">We gained the indelible memories of how we watched them—and
fell in love with Horror films for the first time.<o:p></o:p></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-78108821125368254592021-10-20T17:08:00.003-04:002024-01-06T02:37:23.245-05:00The Unimonster's Top 13 ... Charlie Chan Movies!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpE6leGh_rJITP1I-bxtWyqmiuVGAk2_xr0dN450RNnYas5bEiyifsto7EW4d7m7iyBr3u0yMs7YCaZs5Waj3O2jNszZYYQVx1a5k-p7Wgc9JnhAY7Cf1eQPwPhpRf2b6k-LDYqeX9Ubs/s299/charlie-chan-at-the-opera-movie-poster-1936-1010326170.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="299" data-original-width="200" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpE6leGh_rJITP1I-bxtWyqmiuVGAk2_xr0dN450RNnYas5bEiyifsto7EW4d7m7iyBr3u0yMs7YCaZs5Waj3O2jNszZYYQVx1a5k-p7Wgc9JnhAY7Cf1eQPwPhpRf2b6k-LDYqeX9Ubs/s0/charlie-chan-at-the-opera-movie-poster-1936-1010326170.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;">Charlie Chan Movies</span></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.75in;"><i><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Charlie Chan at the Opera</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"> </span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">(1936)</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.75in;"><i><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Charlie Chan at Treasure Island</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"> </span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">(1939)</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.75in;"><i><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Murder Over New York</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"> </span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">(1940)</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.75in;"><i><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Charlie Chan in Reno</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"> </span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">(1939)</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.75in;"><i><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Charlie Chan’s Murder Cruise (1940)</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.75in;"><i><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Charlie Chan in the Scarlet Clue (1945)</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.75in;"><i><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Charlie Chan at the Racetrack (1936)</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.75in;"><i><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">The Black Camel (1931)</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.75in;"><i><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Charlie Chan in Egypt (1935)</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.75in;"><i><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Charlie Chan on Broadway (1937)</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.75in;"><i><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Charlie Chan in Honolulu (1939)</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.75in;"><i><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Charlie Chan in Rio (1941)</span></u></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.75in;"><i><!--[if !supportLists]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Charlie Chan in Panama (1940)</span></u></span></i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-6283891921493783072021-10-20T17:00:00.005-04:002021-10-20T17:00:36.862-04:00Celluloid Sleuths: The Great Detectives of the 1930s and ‘40s<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I love mysteries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From
unsolved true crimes, to unexplained phenomena, to a good, old-fashioned
whodunit, there’s something in my psyche that needs to solve the puzzle, crack
the code, and find the answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even as a
young Unimonster, I loved shows like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mannix</i>,
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cannon</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kojak</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clue was my favorite
board game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And nearly every weekend
would feature at least one old mystery movie on the afternoon matinees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any mystery movie would do, but my favorites
were the iconic detectives of the ‘30s and ‘40s—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Thin Man</i> movies, featuring William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick
and Nora Charles; the Basil Rathbone <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sherlock
Holmes</i> movies, with Rathbone as the great consulting detective and Nigel
Bruce as his companion and biographer, Dr. John Watson; and Charlie Chan,
played for several studios by Warner Oland, Sidney Toler, and Roland Winters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were, in the words of a character from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charlie Chan at Treasure Island</i> (1939),
“… whodunit celebrities.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The Murder-Mystery genre of the 1930s was one of the
decade’s most popular, with everyone from the biggest of the big studios to the
poorest of the Poverty Row producers wanting to get in the game, and they all
wanted their own signature detective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
was Philo Vance, Bulldog Drummond, James Lee Wong, Mr. Moto, Michael Lanyard,
and Simon Templar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All had their
adherents, but none matched the popularity of the big three series.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The first, and inarguably the greatest, of the great
detectives was Sherlock Holmes, the world’s first private consulting
detective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Created by Sir Arthur Doyle,
a London physician with a struggling practice which left him a great deal of
free time to write, Holmes made his debut in the novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Study in Scarlet</i>, first published in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Beeton’s Christmas Annual</i> in 1887.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By the time of Doyle’s death in 1930, he had written fifty-six short
stories and four novels describing the adventures of his most popular creation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The character was first adapted for the
screen in 1900 (though the film wasn’t registered for copyright purposes until
1903), a mere thirteen years after his debut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That film, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sherlock Holmes Baffled</i>,
was not only the character’s first appearance on the screen but was the first
instance of a Detective film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only
thirty seconds in length, the film dealt with Holmes failed efforts to stop a
burglar who can appear and disappear at will, while stealing a sack full of the
detective’s belongings.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7W71JdJbZ6rFYEhw31z6bh5l-71Ofk6bDC3-xad1WCylSYqsLhnr5NKM1UeS4mHm_entpV4m7mwpSdbXKWq1T9aJPJFbtaxGfm_x368zkL_fmxF26oggXhfPh18wbjgwLWtrWTJg4bU/s1645/MV5BYmM4ZDY0YjktMDUwOC00NzZmLWJmMWEtOGRhOTM0MWNjNzk4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjI4MjA5MzA%2540._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1645" data-original-width="1070" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip7W71JdJbZ6rFYEhw31z6bh5l-71Ofk6bDC3-xad1WCylSYqsLhnr5NKM1UeS4mHm_entpV4m7mwpSdbXKWq1T9aJPJFbtaxGfm_x368zkL_fmxF26oggXhfPh18wbjgwLWtrWTJg4bU/s320/MV5BYmM4ZDY0YjktMDUwOC00NzZmLWJmMWEtOGRhOTM0MWNjNzk4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjI4MjA5MzA%2540._V1_.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>Though many actors have portrayed Holmes on-screen in the
one hundred and twenty-one years since that initial appearance (in fact,
Guinness World Records lists Sherlock Holmes as the most portrayed literary
human character in film and television history), none save Jeremy Brett have
become so intimately connected to the character as has Basil Rathbone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fourteen films made between 1939 and 1946,
two for 20<sup>th</sup> Century Fox in 1939, and the remainder for Universal, Rathbone
so perfectly essayed Doyle’s detective that for succeeding generations he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> Sherlock Holmes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nigel Bruce’s version of Holmes’ friend and
companion Dr. John Watson, on the other hand, bore little resemblance to the
literary character, but the on-screen chemistry worked so well that it’s hard
to fault Bruce’s acting.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The success of Doyle’s literary creation inspired an entire
genre of fiction, the Detective story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While Holmes had many imitators, few enjoyed the popularity of Earl Derr
Biggers’ Charlie Chan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Modeled on
Honolulu Police detective Chang Apana, Chan first appeared in the novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The House Without a Key</i>, though he
wasn’t a central character in the narrative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was featured in five more novels by Biggers, the last being 1932’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Keeper of the Keys</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beginning in 1926, a series of films were
released starring various Asian actors in the role of Charlie Chan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, in all these Chan was merely a
supporting character, and none of these films were successful, either
financially or critically.<br /><br /><br /><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Then, in 1931, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charlie
Chan Carries On</i> was released by 20<sup>th</sup> Century Fox, and marked
several milestones in the Chan filmography.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the first film in which the Chinese Detective was the central
character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the first time that
Chan had been portrayed by a white actor, Warner Oland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And most importantly, it was the first
successful film about Charlie Chan.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJCPeMI3gSSKILH0ua5H-q9PwoWZft_0aeHytqUjgVmF5E1UEbBxfBDHuyVzKnTdQsh-svvsCf5fzJfWyV_KZvATiXtYg6SzpXRlivfkP7XPE1TU8ZFefuxfXtouy_9OrUa6Fz4841r8/s379/Warner_Oland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="263" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUJCPeMI3gSSKILH0ua5H-q9PwoWZft_0aeHytqUjgVmF5E1UEbBxfBDHuyVzKnTdQsh-svvsCf5fzJfWyV_KZvATiXtYg6SzpXRlivfkP7XPE1TU8ZFefuxfXtouy_9OrUa6Fz4841r8/s320/Warner_Oland.jpg" width="222" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Oland would portray Chan in sixteen movies for Fox before
his death in 1938.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His last film, the
unfinished <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charlie Chan at the Ringside</i>,
was hastily rewritten as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mr. Moto’s
Gamble</i>, the third entry in Fox’s Mr. Moto series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Following Oland’s death, Fox cast Sidney
Toler to continue as the inscrutable investigator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would play Chan in no fewer than
twenty-two movies, with the first being <i>Charlie Chan in Honolulu</i>,
released in 1938.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eleven of these would
be for Fox, but when the studio virtually dissolved its B-picture division in
1942, ending its Charlie Chan series after <i>Castle in the Desert</i>, Toler
bought the film rights from the Biggers estate, and made eleven more Chan
pictures at Monogram.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Monogram Pictures
Corporation was one of the more successful of the “Poverty Row” studios, though
even the best of these could hardly compete financially with a major studio
such as Fox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Toler’s first appearance as
Chan for Monogram was 1944’s <i>Charlie Chan in the Secret Service</i>,
produced on a budget of $75,000, roughly half of what Fox’s budgets ran.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Though Monogram’s production values were found lacking in
comparison to those of 20<sup>th</sup> Century Fox, there was no let-down in
entertainment value, and the quality of the productions did gradually
increase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as the Monogram Chan films
improved, Toler’s health rapidly declined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Twelve films in two years, eleven of them as Charlie Chan, took a heavy
toll on Toler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition, his final
three movies came after he was diagnosed with intestinal cancer, which affected
his ability to perform on screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
final appearance, in 1946’s <i>The Trap</i>, had his sidekicks Jimmy Chan and
Birmingham Brown (Victor Sen Yung and Mantan Moreland) carrying the bulk of the
action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Toler died of cancer in February
1947.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Following his death, Monogram cast Roland Winters in the
role of Charlie Chan, with his first appearance coming in <i>The Chinese Ring</i>,
released in December 1947.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would play
the detective in six films, with the last being 1949’s <i>Sky Dragon</i>,
bringing to a close a series that spanned nineteen years, three actors, and
included an incredible forty-two movies.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">At the opposite end of the scale from the B-pictures from
Universal, Fox, and Monogram was the entry of Hollywood’s biggest player into
the Celebrity Sleuth genre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>M-G-M was
the unquestioned king of the Hollywood studio scene, and it made sense that,
when they purchased the rights to Dashiell Hammett’s just-published,
best-selling mystery novel <i>The Thin Man</i>, that the finished film would be
a top-notch production.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With William
Powell and Myrna Loy as the husband-and-wife high society sleuths Nick and Nora
Charles, M-G-M had a box-office hit, one that would spawn five sequels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike Universal, or Fox, or Monogram, which
put their Detective films out with the efficiency and rapidity of an assembly
line, M-G-M spaced the Thin Man films out, with the last, <i>Song of the Thin
Man</i>, released in 1947.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgI1Yg68iOzxMd-lx9mKN6PK-_pyznjlSEED2NOpgRQQk_-iSCpzjXhb90S4XPA54ho-ZbFoclHFLS83EdxYZBcyImMp2JbW8yWcj7rNuB8z2l3Dh3E8UqMz3STElToIhiFD9o5OB0vM/s1280/1280px-Poster_-_Thin_Man_The_02-56a158845f9b58b7d0be80f3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="1280" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDgI1Yg68iOzxMd-lx9mKN6PK-_pyznjlSEED2NOpgRQQk_-iSCpzjXhb90S4XPA54ho-ZbFoclHFLS83EdxYZBcyImMp2JbW8yWcj7rNuB8z2l3Dh3E8UqMz3STElToIhiFD9o5OB0vM/s320/1280px-Poster_-_Thin_Man_The_02-56a158845f9b58b7d0be80f3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">These were some of my favorite movies when I was young, back
when Saturday afternoon matinees were staples of the television schedule, each
series for reasons of its own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now,
fifty years later, my admiration for them is even deeper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a child, it was the spooky atmosphere of
the Sherlock Holmes films, or the sarcastic banter of Sidney Toler’s Charlie
Chan, or the action and comedy of the Thin Man movies that had me hooked.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">But now, as an adult, I see so many layers to these films
that too often are derided as B-grade “popcorn” movies—as though that were a
bad thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, I can see the chemistry
between Powell and Loy, the easy, comfortable way they interacted, the
affection and attraction their characters showed for one another that had
audiences convinced they were a couple in real life (they weren’t).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can appreciate the variations of the
actors’ performances in the Charlie Chan role; the gentle wisdom of Warner
Oland, the exasperated sarcasm of Sidney Toler, even Roland Winters, the least
effective of the three, brought a more energetic, active style to the
character.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I can understand why, to
generations of fans, Rathbone <i>is</i> Sherlock Holmes.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">These movies are still favorites of mine for the same reason
as so many of the movies I love; indeed, so many of the topics upon which I
expound in this space. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s because of
the sense of nostalgia that they inspire within me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nostalgia for a better time in my life, a
time when my personal happiness was a far simpler objective to achieve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A time when happiness meant a dollar bill in
my pocket, a good movie on the TV, a new comic book to read, and a new model
kit to build.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Some things never change.<o:p></o:p></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-91859151847151850072021-10-16T10:23:00.006-04:002021-10-16T10:23:29.066-04:00The Unimonster’s Top 13… ‘80s Horror Films<p> </p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuCQ5NAtwuKPywdGR-yVaYz-_cJf8HquN1Y6zTZnXHXFnYK4mFqYar0BnRf698jwMj_v7Ux2lRmsl0dYxYCsZPgab1VAcHWyTiKYSkbHwv5ZMZmklmDnD0c2hEXci4_jkcqZlHbcm3eU/s2048/lf+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1364" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijuCQ5NAtwuKPywdGR-yVaYz-_cJf8HquN1Y6zTZnXHXFnYK4mFqYar0BnRf698jwMj_v7Ux2lRmsl0dYxYCsZPgab1VAcHWyTiKYSkbHwv5ZMZmklmDnD0c2hEXci4_jkcqZlHbcm3eU/w213-h320/lf+%25288%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;">‘80s Horror Films</span></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 16.0pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Night of the Creeps (1986)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Ghost Story (1981)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Re-Animator (1985)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Humanoids from the Deep (1980)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Friday the 13<sup>th</sup> (1980)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">The Monster Squad (1987)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Pieces (1982)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Waxwork (1988)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Creepshow (1982)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Predator (1987)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Goudy Old Style"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Goudy Old Style";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Lifeforce (1985)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 200%; margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">My Bloody Valentine (1981)</span></u></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><u><br /></u></i></div><i><u><br /></u></i></div><i><u><br /></u><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></i><p></p><br /><p></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-32727428077521102092021-10-16T10:06:00.009-04:002021-10-16T10:06:46.956-04:00The 1980s—Horror’s Greatest Decade<blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: justify;"> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQ3aCg75xkj8s9KjzyAp9TRZmCKIzcHY5snLJVKeOCcDish1u3pEiQf4euIxOkD0OzwrPhawCU2SIk0s5ICFVH12Z970DTeHcdcG90T8m4F-FCNvFfxr6Ff_CNA3doNLeq5WKQDHFXTY/s960/10410763_931874193490834_3925563121243645691_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="383" data-original-width="960" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZQ3aCg75xkj8s9KjzyAp9TRZmCKIzcHY5snLJVKeOCcDish1u3pEiQf4euIxOkD0OzwrPhawCU2SIk0s5ICFVH12Z970DTeHcdcG90T8m4F-FCNvFfxr6Ff_CNA3doNLeq5WKQDHFXTY/w640-h256/10410763_931874193490834_3925563121243645691_n.png" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In the more than one century of Horror cinema, there have
been many watershed years, years that have shaped and defined the genre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1922 saw the first truly great Horror film—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nosferatu</i>, directed by F. W.
Murnau.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1931 marked the birth of the
American Horror film, as Universal unleashed its twin titans, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dracula</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Frankenstein</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1951 which
marked the beginning of the era of the Science Fiction Horrors with the release
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Day the Earth Stood Still</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Thing from Another World</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And 1968, wherein one movie, George Romero’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Night of the Living Dead</i>, separated what
had been considered Horror, from what would henceforth be Horror—with a line
that was sharp and bright, and black and white.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">But those were individual years, brief moments in time that
stand out because a small, discrete number of films released in those years
were transformative to the genre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though
great Horror films may have been produced in the years preceding or following
the years we have singled out, they lack the importance of those we have
chosen.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">But what if there were an entire decade that was, start to
finish, that transformative, that influential, to the genre as a whole?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if there was a decade that altered how
filmmakers made Horror films; how distributors marketed Horror films; and how
the horror fans viewed Horror films?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’ve discussed how one or two films, in a single extraordinary year can
change the way the Horror film is perceived by the public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can there be an extraordinary decade of
extraordinary years?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There can be, and
there was—the years from 1980 to 1989, the decade of the 1980s.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In the ‘80s, each year saw an increasingly rich cornucopia
of Horror flooding Drive-Ins, Main Street theaters, Multiplexes, and
eventually, our neighborhood video stores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The decade began with movies such as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Alligator,
The Awakening, The Changeling, Fade to Black, The Fog, Friday the 13<sup>th</sup>,
Humanoids from the Deep, Maniac, Motel Hell, Prom Night,</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Shining</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It ended with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">La Chiesa (The Church), Leviathan, Offerings, Pet Sematary, Society,</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjsNLQ0tlNJPm_iIJoNf7MbDpZCNIDX8NMPbrqrZli82MbyElJe6Mr0BDK7lNOMKj4dstN9E3DEDQxtOkyegSDDU85XnJ3QKHadOrQVNAsp2CJMMKtFORm4uIsuX1LqEoCakfGKhC5Mow/s960/f048d236415c26390af5d5bf3afe7245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjsNLQ0tlNJPm_iIJoNf7MbDpZCNIDX8NMPbrqrZli82MbyElJe6Mr0BDK7lNOMKj4dstN9E3DEDQxtOkyegSDDU85XnJ3QKHadOrQVNAsp2CJMMKtFORm4uIsuX1LqEoCakfGKhC5Mow/s320/f048d236415c26390af5d5bf3afe7245.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Woman in Black</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In between lay a decade filled with some of
the greatest Horror films ever made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">The decade opened strong,
with films such as<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> An American Werewolf
in London, </i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dead and Buried, <span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">Ghost Story, My Bloody Valentine, </span></i><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;">and<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Scanners</i>
in 1981</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1982 gave us <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Basket Case, Cat People, Creepshow, Pieces,
Poltergeist, The Slumber Party Massacre,</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">John Carpenter’s The Thing</i>, keeping the streak going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1983 was no less impressive—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cujo</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Christine</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Psycho II</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sleepaway Camp</i>.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZYinSFlBkRGfqw3JDVf-TqXXp4DCfwc31jJeWQjKJ8zkFnp-wZ2Qo6NwiKrFIIMqT1ONxX6GjxmQIWte3ukx8OZOD8hEZqr1XbqwnIXTd0oG9gk5ZibclnuhCkdWeW40PPv9oMaZFtuE/s700/80sha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="700" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZYinSFlBkRGfqw3JDVf-TqXXp4DCfwc31jJeWQjKJ8zkFnp-wZ2Qo6NwiKrFIIMqT1ONxX6GjxmQIWte3ukx8OZOD8hEZqr1XbqwnIXTd0oG9gk5ZibclnuhCkdWeW40PPv9oMaZFtuE/s320/80sha.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In this spectacular decade, 1984 would have to be regarded
as the standout year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any year that saw
the release of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">C.H.U.D., Children of the
Corn, Firestarter, Gremlins, Night of the Comet,</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Silent Night, Deadly Night</i> would be a memorable one by any
standard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, in November of that
year we would see the release of one of the most important movies of the
decade, the film that launched the third great Slasher franchise, Wes Craven’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Nightmare on Elm Street</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Freddy Krueger, personified by a stellar
performance by Robert Englund, redefined the Slasher genre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first era of the Slasher had passed its
zenith, and the second era, characterized less by the silent, psychopathic,
“unstoppable” slashers, and more by the smart, wisecracking, undeniably
supernatural beings such as Freddy, Chuckie, or the evil Djinn from the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wishmaster</i> films, had begun.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">1985 was only slightly less remarkable than the preceding
year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several of the best Horror films
of the decade were released in 1985, films such as the conclusion to George
Romero’s Dead trilogy, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Day of the Dead</i>;
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fright Night</i>, directed by Tom
Holland; Tobe Hooper’s space vampire film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lifeforce</i>;
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Re-Animator</i>, directed by Stuart
Gordon, and based on a story by H. P. Lovecraft; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Return of the Living Dead</i>, Dan O’Bannon’s self-referential take
on the Romero Zombie-verse; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Silver Bullet</i>,
based on a Stephen King graphic novel, and directed by Daniel Attias; and Larry
Cohen’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Stuff</i>.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">1986, while not the equal of the previous two years in terms
of quality, certainly excelled in terms of quantity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Aliens,
April Fool’s Day, Chopping Mall, Demons, The Fly, Henry: Portrait of a Serial
Killer, The Hitcher, House, Night of the Creeps, Rawhead Rex</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2</i>—among
others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None, with the possible
exception of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Night of the Creeps</i>, are
great movies (and yes, that’s my opinion … but then, everything I write is my
opinion).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they’re all good—and
that’s a lot of good movies for one year.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdtYqardgPTIazx3zcsIk4axKLu6NEeKrlaEcZ4pETaC13IEGXwysMIQWGmF_81GMbnWun7oAtWFTAh6Vxk95yVCSKykbikW6TTWv0smsNhy1KxAhP3d5b0YeUbQkzcNF2JD0-QyEW3Q/s1079/Greatest-Movie-Posters-of-the-80s-Horror-Edition-featured-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="1079" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsdtYqardgPTIazx3zcsIk4axKLu6NEeKrlaEcZ4pETaC13IEGXwysMIQWGmF_81GMbnWun7oAtWFTAh6Vxk95yVCSKykbikW6TTWv0smsNhy1KxAhP3d5b0YeUbQkzcNF2JD0-QyEW3Q/s320/Greatest-Movie-Posters-of-the-80s-Horror-Edition-featured-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">1987 was the first year of the final third of the
decade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By this point, most Horror fans
would be expecting a let-down, but the ‘80s offered no real let-downs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, if you only associate ‘80s Horror with
Slasher movies, then you will be disappointed as the decade wears on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But ‘80s Horror was so much more than
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of the films that I consider the
year’s standouts, none are Slasher films.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Angel Heart, Evil Dead 2,
Hellraiser, The Lost Boys, The Monster Squad, Near Dark, Night of the Demons,
John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness</i>—they show the breadth of Horror in the
1980s.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZkpicsfHRYOMr2hpM8RbGl1XLbWDx6dzFG53H7GckTjqFwbTPIL5or-H2oHDgfNk2ImBpsQP0wauOuOv_5zJRMkMzWeuV7bm-hL0233P9qNjEmdua07Q-wpAMDlmP24-CAUOce9J1U0/s1024/80s-Horror-Movies-Netflix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ZkpicsfHRYOMr2hpM8RbGl1XLbWDx6dzFG53H7GckTjqFwbTPIL5or-H2oHDgfNk2ImBpsQP0wauOuOv_5zJRMkMzWeuV7bm-hL0233P9qNjEmdua07Q-wpAMDlmP24-CAUOce9J1U0/s320/80s-Horror-Movies-Netflix.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Likewise, 1988 saw the release of some of my favorite ‘80s
movies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Beetlejuice, The Blob, The Church, Child’s Play, Killer Klowns from
Outer Space, The Lady in White, Pumpkinhead</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Waxwork</i> might not have been the decade’s biggest or best, but they
were highly entertaining, and hugely successful.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ayCegEx3Yu-fJqeaVdo1cidNoiTAX7kkMBZW1Y-n8IRWR10r0tlbyz9Rimf5wPxhT3LO4rghYy9zmAJSOns3z9la0b_GUAA61Zci9U4wFGdEdXv-vGwG2apLlu6v0X2Sf4ltqSkiA5s/s800/80s-Horror-movies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ayCegEx3Yu-fJqeaVdo1cidNoiTAX7kkMBZW1Y-n8IRWR10r0tlbyz9Rimf5wPxhT3LO4rghYy9zmAJSOns3z9la0b_GUAA61Zci9U4wFGdEdXv-vGwG2apLlu6v0X2Sf4ltqSkiA5s/s320/80s-Horror-movies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The end of the 1980s marked the end of this period of
unparalleled Horror film popularity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fittingly, 1989 lacked some of the excellence of the rest of the decade,
though there are still gems to be had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three
in particular served to ring out the ‘80s in style, and all three are uniquely
‘80s movies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The ‘Burbs</i>, directed by the great Joe Dante, and starring Tom
Hanks, came towards the tail end of the actor’s forays into comedy, and this is
one of his better examples, as well as being an excellent Horror Comedy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mary Lambert’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pet Sematary</i> might be the best adaptation yet of a Stephen King
novel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Society</i>, directed by Brian Yuzna, is the perfect summation to the
“decade of greed and excess.”<p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Were the 1980s Horror’s greatest decade?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While any use of the appellation “greatest”
is by its very nature subjective, I certainly believe that it applies in this
instance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, the first half of the
decade of the 1930s were certainly groundbreaking, marking the birth of the
American concept of the Horror film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
could make an argument for the latter half of the ‘60s, or the opening years of
the 21<sup>st</sup> Century.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even today,
occasionally, the Horror gods smile down on Hollywood and we are blessed with a
phenomenal year or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But never
before, and never since, have we had a full decade as spectacular, as impactful
to the genre, as the decade of the 1980s.</p></blockquote><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-50173649870643188452021-10-10T13:29:00.000-04:002021-10-10T13:29:15.525-04:00How to be a Monsterkid in the 1970s, or The Fine Art of Blackmailing your Sister<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">For those unfamiliar with the term “Monsterkid,” and to be
fair, that’s likely to be anyone under the age of fifty, it denotes those of us
fortunate enough to have done the following: lived our formative years in the
1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s; spent our disposable income on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Famous Monsters</i> magazines, Aurora’s Monster model kits, Horror
comic books, and Monster movie matinees; and to have received our education
from late-night Creature Features and Drive-In Horror marathons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first was a matter of fortuitous timing
on the part of my Mother and Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
second may be ascribed to my general lack of thrift and the proximity of the
local 7-11, Pic ‘n’ Save, and the Regency Square Twin Theater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last, however—the last took some work on
my part.<o:p></o:p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAL8x8OpHWCZSTf2ucHztUCM8Y0o6OFfxG9eyTKa7Sl1zRGRO49uM1DD1dUHvyg5kfIfSWJDTWuJtydGKa9afySFQy7hTtaSD1vgA8XJ_5UEo2aVjAtq323DNpX160QftwkQIWXNjtSQ/s1020/eefbe203eab0d97f73cba219427376a2c-f1xd-w1020_h770_q80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="1020" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQAL8x8OpHWCZSTf2ucHztUCM8Y0o6OFfxG9eyTKa7Sl1zRGRO49uM1DD1dUHvyg5kfIfSWJDTWuJtydGKa9afySFQy7hTtaSD1vgA8XJ_5UEo2aVjAtq323DNpX160QftwkQIWXNjtSQ/s320/eefbe203eab0d97f73cba219427376a2c-f1xd-w1020_h770_q80.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the 1970s, these were the Spanish Quarter Apartments, where a young Unimonster called Home.</td></tr></tbody></table></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Not the Creature Features, thankfully.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, that was easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though the local station that had the early
‘70s version of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shock Theatre</i>
package had dispensed with a host for the movies, I didn’t care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I eagerly poured over the TV Guide each week,
making note of the Horror films on the schedule—and in the early 1970s, there
were plenty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the week revolved
around the Friday night Creature Feature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s where I first met Dracula, and Frankenstein’s Monster, and the
Mummy Kharis—both Universal and Hammer versions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s how I came to love Giant Bugs, Zombies,
and Charlie Chan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Monsterkid
manna from Heaven.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">For newer movies however, or movies that couldn’t be aired
on television in the early 1970s, there were two options available—the Regency
Square Twin Theater, with two, count ‘em, TWO, screens, and the Drive-Ins, of
which we had two to choose from, depending on the movies that were playing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Regency Square was where we went every Wednesday in the summer
for the Kiddie Shows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s where our
parents would take us to see family-friendly, age-appropriate movies—in short,
nothing I wanted to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Regency was
safe, it was supervised, either by our parents, or, if we were dropped off to
see a movie on our own, by the theater staff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was where I had to sit through <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Herbie
the Love Bug</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pippi Longstocking</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was also where I first saw <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Wars</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek: The Motion Picture</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Raiders of the Lost Ark</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
it was where, on a July day in 1975, I stood on line for three hours to see the
movie that forever ended my love of swimming in the ocean.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The problem with the Regency, however, was that I couldn’t
see the movies I really wanted to see there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even if we went without our parents in attendance, there was always some
adult nearby to say, “NO!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No, that
movie is rated R; no, that movie is too scary for kids; no, and do your parents
know you’re here?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t take a
village to raise a child, it just takes a bunch of adults to act like adults,
and treat kids like kids.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6JwpT80g_jpIem5JxHcvqFpiFbQQhWSU78YvafzFwT4mbllrOqCMYcXmyVvYMyTi62sqaaGQyiuWj0rztuQFohYVxpBehxqifqVds7E-qbELvIvmrPfobURH6ZyjxpWkXN8ppQTVSlZ0/s640/67432f67425ca1a87d11383a53034602--vintage-movies-vintage-cars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="640" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6JwpT80g_jpIem5JxHcvqFpiFbQQhWSU78YvafzFwT4mbllrOqCMYcXmyVvYMyTi62sqaaGQyiuWj0rztuQFohYVxpBehxqifqVds7E-qbELvIvmrPfobURH6ZyjxpWkXN8ppQTVSlZ0/s320/67432f67425ca1a87d11383a53034602--vintage-movies-vintage-cars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">If the Regency represented structure, and control, and
discipline, then the Drive-In represented the polar opposite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Drive-In was freedom, and chaos, and
hedonism—at least, it was to a pre-teen Unimonster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem was getting there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a Drive-In; we couldn’t simply be
dropped off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was compounded by the
fact that one went to the Drive-In at night; even in the far more permissive
‘70s, our parents weren’t going to let us roam free once the sun set.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Heathens we may have been, but we weren’t
neglected heathens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And our parents did
not do the Drive-In.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">And so it fell to my eldest sister, Wanda Susan, to
facilitate our trips to the Drive-In.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Mom would give her money—$10 or so—for our admission and for food from
the concession stand for our supper or snacking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be Wanda, and I, our younger brother
Mark Edward, and usually our cousin Andy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Andy’s mother Dottie would frequently accompany us, as she and Wanda
were close in age and often hung out together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At a dollar a head, it didn’t leave much in the way of cash for food,
but enough for a hot dog, some popcorn, and a coke for each of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In theory, and if all went as Mom expected it
to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In actual practice, however, that
was seldom the case.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">As soon as we were out of the driveway, Wanda wasted no time
telling us how it would be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forget the
hot dogs and popcorn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were going to
pick up Dottie and Andy, then stop at the closest 7-11 to the Drive-In, where
us kids would get a 15¢ bag of chips (always Wise’s Onion and Garlic for me)
and a 10¢ Coke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it was into the
trunk for the three of us for the trip through the Drive-In’s front gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once parked, it was out of the trunk and onto
a blanket in front of the car; sitting inside was reserved for Wanda, Dottie,
and any friends they might meet up with at the Drive-In.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, Wanda pocketed the money she saved
by not buying our dinner, or paying for us at the gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be honest, we really didn’t mind—in our
minds it was an adventure, and we were excited at the idea of putting something
over on the adults, parents included.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">If there was a drawback, at least in the first few such
trips, it was that Wanda chose the movie we would see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found that particularly annoying, as her
tastes in movies did not correspond to my own, not to mention the fact that
they seldom watched the movie anyway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were too busy talking, laughing, gossiping, and, being true children
of the ‘60s, indulging in a little forbidden weed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t take too many such excursions for
me to recognize the inherent opportunities for some harmless sibling extortion.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">And so a deal was struck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We would continue to tolerate the snacks on the cheap and the trunk
rides to the Drive-In, and in exchange we would go see whatever movie I wanted
to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom and Dad would remain
blissfully ignorant of her lack of supervision, her misappropriation of funds,
and her “recreational” activities, and I would see the best of ‘70s Horror and
Exploitation film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the next few
years, we would see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Texas Chainsaw
Massacre, Blood Feast, Night of the Living Dead, Sugar Hill, Children Shouldn’t
Play with Dead Things, A Bay of Blood, Blacula, Two Thousand Maniacs</i>—and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naughty Stewardesses</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hey, Man does not live by Horror alone.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I know that I’ve written previously on this topic, of how my
sister Dee Karen introduced me to Horror films at a young age, and fostered my
growing love for the genre, a love that continues to grow to this day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve related how my sister Wanda Susan did
her part to encourage that love, unwittingly and perhaps unwillingly, as the
case may be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I think it bears
repeating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one springs fully formed
from the womb; we are all products of our experiences and influences, be they
positive or negative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been
blessed with wonderful siblings, including two older sisters who have had a
profound influence on my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both of
them, each in her own way, played a huge part in their baby brother Johnny
growing up to be the Unimonster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And for
that, I love them both dearly.<o:p></o:p></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-78805491261935181732021-10-08T05:16:00.002-04:002021-10-08T05:16:45.876-04:00Long Live the Kings: Godzilla vs. Kong<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelQdh0_imvbfXcZb1AQ1xE-fz1xkp0bKTtbxwrqj2Nn2uuXnRExdWH3ohbPBaKx620axutewTUPVYiq1ijXey03ufazunqN8I4d8UtxnzBis7Ti1VFteH1n9G271Qfs3X0abnXQUsI1c/s1280/tileburnedin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhelQdh0_imvbfXcZb1AQ1xE-fz1xkp0bKTtbxwrqj2Nn2uuXnRExdWH3ohbPBaKx620axutewTUPVYiq1ijXey03ufazunqN8I4d8UtxnzBis7Ti1VFteH1n9G271Qfs3X0abnXQUsI1c/s320/tileburnedin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">It’s no secret that the Unimonster is a hardcore <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kaij</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">û</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> fan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the time I was five or six, and saw my
first Godzilla movie on a Saturday matinee, I was addicted to the city-stomping
exploits of Japan’s giant monsters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At
that age, I didn’t care if it was Toho’s Godzilla, Daiei’s Gamera, or the
lower-budget </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kaij</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">û</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> such as Nikkatsu’s Gappa, as
long as there were cities being smashed, monsters fighting other monsters, and
hordes of Japanese running screaming through the streets of Tokyo, or Yokohama,
or Osaka.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I became an older and more
discriminating </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kaij</i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">û</span></i><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-fan, I found that it was the
monsters of Toho that gave me the greatest entertainment and satisfaction.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Even
now, nearly fifty years later, I still thrill to the sound of Godzilla’s roar,
the sight of him rising above a city skyline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Needless to say, the recent series of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kaijû </i>films, co-produced by Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros., and
Toho, have warmed the cockles of the Unimonster’s dark little heart, so I was
eagerly awaiting the debut of the latest entry into this series, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Godzilla vs. Kong</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anticipated by fans of Legendary’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Monsterverse</i> franchise at least since
2017’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kong: Skull Island</i> introduced
the giant ape to the series, not only did the movie have to justify the massive
hype it received prior to its release, it also had to overcome serious
questions about how Kong, who measured 104 feet tall in former film, would
battle Godzilla, who was 393 feet tall, with a 200 foot long tail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Those
of us who were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kaijû</i> fans in the ‘60s
and ‘70s remember the first meeting of these two titans, in 1963’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">King Kong vs. Godzilla</i>, in which Toho
declared King Kong the victor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would
this battle have a similar result, or would Godzilla reclaim his title as “King
of the Monsters?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would we fans of the
original Toho monsters fully embrace these newer versions of our beloved <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kaijû</i>?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And could the filmmakers present a believable—and entertaining—fight
between our two favorite monsters?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Starring
Millie Bobby Brown, Alexander Skarsgård, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, and
Julian Dennison, and directed by Adam Wingard, the movie takes up a few years
following the events in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kong: Skull
Island</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Godzilla: King of the
Monsters</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kong, a young Titan in the
previous film, has grown to maturity in an enclosure on Skull Island.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The enclosure, which uses sophisticated
graphics and weather control to duplicate the environment Kong is used to, has
sadly become necessary due to the fact that Skull Island is now an ecological
disaster zone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also serves a more
important function, that of concealing Kong from Godzilla.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ilene Andrews (Hall) is in charge of Kong’s
care, as well as that of Jia (Kaylee Hottle), a young Iwi girl, orphaned in the
disaster which befell her island, and who shares a special bond with the
gigantic ape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A friend of Ilene’s, a
geologist named Nathan Lind (Skarsgård), comes to her with a wild proposal to
use Kong to find a way into the “Hollow Earth,” a hidden realm deep beneath the
Earth’s mantle which, Lind believes, was where the Titans originated.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ilene
opposes this at first; worried that moving Kong would attract Godzilla.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nathan argues that Kong may be humanity’s
only hope against Godzilla, the once-benevolent Titan who seems to have turned
against mankind, following an apparently unprovoked attack on a facility
belonging to Apex Corporation in Pensacola, Florida.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With little choice, Kong is loaded on board a
ship, and proceeds towards Antarctica under heavy naval escort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Needless to say, what they had been dreading soon
comes to pass, and the two royal Titans are slugging it out on the flight deck
of an aircraft carrier.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXdylnz2QZjLQDjmkCKlp1EelTEQZDqohF3lg6FM4VR4I8BzoAy2wQFdLy2AikWTYH__dUzAcI8GyzQD1lwRdUih1nT3NMBaeORJRjBDoqIgmKMDFgOAEtdWIixCAmG_CASuieADqb-k/s960/godzilla-vs-kong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXdylnz2QZjLQDjmkCKlp1EelTEQZDqohF3lg6FM4VR4I8BzoAy2wQFdLy2AikWTYH__dUzAcI8GyzQD1lwRdUih1nT3NMBaeORJRjBDoqIgmKMDFgOAEtdWIixCAmG_CASuieADqb-k/s320/godzilla-vs-kong.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I must
admit to a little trepidation when the plans for a new series of Godzilla
movies were announced more than a decade ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Memories of the abysmal 1998 film, and of its star, “Gino” (Godzilla in
name only), colored my anticipation of a fresh <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kaijû</i> franchise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And quite
frankly, until the climax of the first in the series, I was unconvinced that my
apprehension was misplaced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when
Godzilla pulled the MUTO’s jaws open, and, with his trademark roar, destroyed
it with a single blast of his atomic breath—well, I was sold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And each entry in the series has been better
than the one before.<o:p></o:p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3FgcaME7WkLh09XHy0zG6HjwD76a1Q4kZoIeJVuir8ewv8ONGk4H32cxUWLrZUtZXb28Qklqxa4q-pAJhxJqjlSWxGZFCT8hLAj0SB-nqFWYR5Rfhp6WLhxN2wNp6TXEFkZtI4cCPX2M/s780/intro-1630623240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="780" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3FgcaME7WkLh09XHy0zG6HjwD76a1Q4kZoIeJVuir8ewv8ONGk4H32cxUWLrZUtZXb28Qklqxa4q-pAJhxJqjlSWxGZFCT8hLAj0SB-nqFWYR5Rfhp6WLhxN2wNp6TXEFkZtI4cCPX2M/s320/intro-1630623240.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I won’t
tell you which Titan won; in fact, I’m not sure that I could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As far as I’m concerned, the fans are the
real winners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Unimonster gives it
10/10!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-6319225643857761782021-10-06T14:42:00.002-04:002021-10-06T14:42:17.484-04:00The Unimonster's Top 13 ... Vincent Price Movies!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohb381Xv1cSZ4RwQs8pE3cKTtBQ2glCcT4aah69BAo7MZ_5hNpn9b88fchXJMwRoEhNuCvtwDat0UtLamuQnHzqe-KZ08J0QiD-BEjbBINwfUNOZbglYXzh6QO9e-XhM7QgqFGeomTdk/s2048/VincentPrice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="2048" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgohb381Xv1cSZ4RwQs8pE3cKTtBQ2glCcT4aah69BAo7MZ_5hNpn9b88fchXJMwRoEhNuCvtwDat0UtLamuQnHzqe-KZ08J0QiD-BEjbBINwfUNOZbglYXzh6QO9e-XhM7QgqFGeomTdk/s320/VincentPrice.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-style: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: red; font-size: x-large;"><b>Vincent Price Movies</b></span><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-size: 16pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><i>1.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><i>
</i></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><i>The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)<o:p></o:p></i></span></u></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">The Tingler (1959)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Theatre of Blood (1973)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">The Comedy of Terrors (1963)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">House on Haunted Hill (1959)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Laura (1944)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">The Fly (1958)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Tales of Terror (1962)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Witchfinder General (1968)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">House of Long Shadows (1983)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">11.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">From a Whisper to a Scream (1986)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><i><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">12.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">Twice-Told Tales (1963)<o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -.5in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">13.)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;">The Bat (1959)</span></u></span></i><span class="MsoBookTitle"><u><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style", serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></span></span></p><br /><p></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-61364883353230777332021-10-02T20:10:00.000-04:002021-10-02T20:10:01.611-04:00The Devil Made Them Do It—the Three Movies that Defined the Satanic Scares of the ‘70s<p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Beginning in the late 1950s, the relaxation of censorship
laws governing motion pictures, as well as an increasing sophistication on the
part of audiences, a number of newer topics and themes began to be explored in
American cinema, especially in the Horror genre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the most popular and persistent
involved Satanism, Witchcraft, and Demonology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were a scattering of such films between 1958 and 1968, but after
the end of the Production Code in 1967, the subgenre virtually exploded, and
the 1970s became, in many ways, the decade of the Devil in film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">There were many such films produced after 1967.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few became classics—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Sentinel</i> (1977), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Inferno</i>
(1980), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Wicker Man</i> (1973), or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Suspira</i> (1977).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some were okay—<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Race with the Devil</i> (1975), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">El
Diablo se Lleva los Muertos</i> –aka— <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lisa
and the Devil</i> (1974), or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">To the Devil
a Daughter</i> (1976).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most were just
bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Movies such as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ruby</i> (1977), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Abby</i> (1974),
or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Simon, King of the Witches</i> (1971),
while undeniably inferior movies, still packed audiences into Drive-Ins and
Grindhouses.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Three films, however, would stand out from the crowd, and be
recognized as outstanding examples of filmmaking, and not just in the Horror
genre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These would be Roman Polanski’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rosemary’s Baby</i>, released in 1968;
William Friedkin’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Exorcist</i>, in
1973; and Richard Donner’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Omen</i>,
from 1976.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together, they would come to
symbolize the Satanic films of the ‘70s.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">While Polanski’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rosemary’s
Baby</i> wasn’t the first Horror film with satanic themes (1913’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Student of Prague</i>, directed by
Stellan Rye, probably holds that distinction), it was one of the first to take
advantage of the newfound realism of the late ‘60s cinema.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prior to Polanski’s groundbreaking film,
themes of Satanism, Devil Worship, Witchcraft, and Cults were approached with
caution by Hollywood, if at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Production Code, put into place by the Hays Office in 1930 in an effort by the
studios to avoid official censorship, was fully in control by 1934, severely
restricting the content of motion pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Though depictions of Satanism or Devil-Worship weren’t specifically
forbidden under the code, the major studios were generally unwilling to
approach, much less push, the boundaries set by the Hays Office.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">One of the last Satanically-themed films produced before the
Production Code took full effect was Edgar Ulmer’s 1934 classic <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Black Cat</i>, by Universal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With overt themes of satanic worship and
implied necrophilia and virgin sacrifice, it would have been impossible to
release just a year later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it was,
studio executives ordered the film to be cut in order to lessen the violence
and horror, while allowing Ulmer to slip some of the movie’s most decadent bits
past them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKiVMibQmfM-dMo8RjCkWaTTpGeZlVEgd_WL-vn_xVIzNJHaLjy45F9ZnlKgbJjR-7mHatgJ8zRCvTuXuI1mVkk1Fz-GfA1XNIXLbPu6u_UztEKvOSah-L8MsI12OkwsGhEQQmhTPpAQI/s380/Seventh_Victim_1943_theatrical_quad_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="380" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKiVMibQmfM-dMo8RjCkWaTTpGeZlVEgd_WL-vn_xVIzNJHaLjy45F9ZnlKgbJjR-7mHatgJ8zRCvTuXuI1mVkk1Fz-GfA1XNIXLbPu6u_UztEKvOSah-L8MsI12OkwsGhEQQmhTPpAQI/s320/Seventh_Victim_1943_theatrical_quad_poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In 1943, working within the confines of the Code, RKO
Pictures produced <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Seventh Victim</i>,
directed by Mark Robson and produced by Val Lewton, RKO’s hired gun brought in
to compete with Universal’s Horror franchise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The film concerned a young woman’s search for her missing sister, and
her discovery that her sister was a member of a Satanic cult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though in my opinion it’s the best of the
Horror films Lewton created for RKO, a very ham-fisted job of editing meant
that the theatrical release was a confusing mess, and it did poorly at the box
office.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The Production Code was officially in place until 1967,
though in reality numerous factors had been whittling away at it for many years
prior to that date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, the code only
applied to films produced in the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
other nations’ cinemas had their own censorship issues to deal with, those
tended to be more politically, rather than morally, oriented.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The second circumstance that led to the downfall of the
Production Code was that, with increasing rapidity, Courts were conferring
greater and greater protection to motion pictures under the aegis of the First
Amendment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Supreme Court, in 1915,
had ruled that motion pictures were a business, not art, and thus weren’t
protected speech under the First Amendment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, that view had been shifting since the early 1950s, coinciding
with the end of the Studio System.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
local censorship laws began to be struck down, there was increasing pressure on
the Supreme Court to revisit their earlier decision, to bring order out of the
patchwork quilt of censorship laws which covered the nation.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Third, and most importantly, the Code was entirely
voluntary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The major studios were the
only ones bothering to abide by the code, and were the least interested in
fighting censorship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That fight was left
to the independent Exploitation filmmakers, those who fought a constant battle
with local censors for the right to exhibit their wares.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was they who dragged the majors, kicking
and screaming, into the modern era, which rendered the Production Code an
archaic afterthought.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">As the code began to crack and come apart,
Satanically-themed films began to appear sporadically at Drive-Ins and
Conventional theatres.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the best
of this era was a British import, based on the M. R. James novel “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Casting the Runes</i>,” and directed by
Jacques Tourneur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Night of the Demon</i>, released in the US as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Curse of the Demon</i>, was heavily edited prior to its theatrical
release (approximately twelve minutes were cut); in its original form, it was a
well-written and –directed, if at times slow paced, Horror film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Literate, mature, and intelligent, it was the
framework upon which the best of the Devil-Worship films were constructed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Ten years after <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Night
of the Demon</i> hit theatres, low-budget Horror producer/director William
Castle brought a project he was interested in developing to Robert Evans at
Paramount.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Castle had gotten the advance
galley proofs of a new novel by Ira Levin entitled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rosemary’s Baby</i> from the book’s publisher, Random House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Evans loved the story, and could see its
potential as a feature film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His only
stipulation involved William Castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well aware of the latter’s reputation for camp and gimmickry, Evans said
that he could produce the film, but he wanted another director to helm the
project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They gave the job to an
up-and-coming Polish filmmaker who was developing a solid reputation in
Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Roman Polanski, then thirty-five, had just filmed a supposed
Horror-Comedy, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Fearless Vampire
Killers</i>, released in the US by MGM (I say “supposed” because in my opinion
it fails at both genres).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Polanski, best
known for his 1965 film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Repulsion</i>,
which had drawn critical praise, seemed a good fit for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rosemary’s Baby</i>, at its core a psychological horror similar in tone
to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Repulsion</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And with the increased freedom following the
demise of the Production Code, Polanski had the opportunity to make the first
truly serious, mature Horror film.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgGS29TJOrZMFzyNh6zS1QiQjdzaf5iaes0Nxmc1aMpOlaOo527sXyyUdl1KVSZAL4vpVlZiLOC3LeBfDiUodrl6FE3y3Ah3UncpXicbZzWiy4y4L6jRFUzI1YLBKvvCVVwGbTS3qBNI/s2048/O5d4SOR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1527" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgGS29TJOrZMFzyNh6zS1QiQjdzaf5iaes0Nxmc1aMpOlaOo527sXyyUdl1KVSZAL4vpVlZiLOC3LeBfDiUodrl6FE3y3Ah3UncpXicbZzWiy4y4L6jRFUzI1YLBKvvCVVwGbTS3qBNI/s320/O5d4SOR.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Despite my personal animus towards Polanski as a person,
which I have written of prior to this, I will give him his due as a talented
director.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rosemary’s Baby</i> might be his best film; certainly his best early
work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a cast led by Mia Farrow and
John Cassavetes, Polanski crafted a slow, suspenseful build-up to a shocking
ending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Critics loved it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moviegoers loved it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Hollywood took notice, and began
developing similar properties in order to cash in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In the wake of the blockbuster success of Roman Polanski’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rosemary’s Baby</i>, every studio, from the
Hollywood Majors to low-budget exploiteers, wanted their own Satanic, demonic,
or cult-themed film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the nature
of the business; one innovates, everyone else imitates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within a year or two, Horror films involving
witches, covens, and Devil-Worshippers were a standard trope in low-budget
Horror films. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Matthew Hopkins, Witchfinder General</i>, directed by Michael Reeves
and starring Vincent Price, actually beat the Polanski film into theaters, at
least in Great Britain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though not
strictly speaking a Horror film (though it was marketed as such, especially in
the US where it was retitled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Conqueror Worm</i>, after an Edgar Allan Poe poem), it nonetheless demonstrates
that such topics were beginning to permeate the zeitgeist.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">1971 saw an explosion of such movies, and titles such as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Brotherhood of Satan, The Mephisto Waltz,
Tombs of the Blind Dead</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Devil’s Nightmare</i> were popular low-budget entries into the genre. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Similar films would be released in 1972,
including <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Daughters of Satan</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Horror Rises from the Tomb</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it would be 1973 before the majors came
back to the subject of demonic movies, and when they did, it would be with a
vengeance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">In 1971, author William Peter Blatty, inspired by a 1949
case of reported demonic possession, published a novel telling the story of a
young girl, tormented by such a occurrence, and two Catholic priests who fight
to save her soul from a demon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Exorcist</i> was a runaway best-seller
in print form, and it was only a matter of time before it was adapted for the
screen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Warner Bros. purchased the film
rights to the book, and chose William Friedkin, coming off directing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The French Connection</i>, winner of five
Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director, to helm it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTetzjeZN6mkSt2d63HV3kZtRj0obwJLbJ3Xn1Pmz-cvzbuQUF62x7UF1zxkmkdzAu0119tdbskuZjoWYzExk6MOXGGcgLwHyaLrqDoIOiCp9y203khRlanxse0eHH9Y_1fgPcYjA92IA/s628/36861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="628" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTetzjeZN6mkSt2d63HV3kZtRj0obwJLbJ3Xn1Pmz-cvzbuQUF62x7UF1zxkmkdzAu0119tdbskuZjoWYzExk6MOXGGcgLwHyaLrqDoIOiCp9y203khRlanxse0eHH9Y_1fgPcYjA92IA/s320/36861.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>With a script by Blatty, the author of the source novel; a
cast comprised of veteran actors such as Max Von Sydow and Lee J. Cobb,
lesser-known performers like Ellen Burstyn and Mercedes McCambridge, and a host
of unknowns, such as Linda Blair and Jason Miller; and armed with a budget of
$12 million, Friedkin crafted the definitive movie about demonic possession,
one that would earn nearly $450 million at the Box Office, as well as ten
Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted
Screenplay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It won two, including Best
Adapted Screenplay for Blatty’s script.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is still regarded by many to be the most frightening Horror film
ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And every studio and independent
producer wanted to duplicate it.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Seemingly overnight theaters and Drive-Ins were swamped with
demons and devils, witches and warlocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Time</i> magazine might have
declared God dead, but Satan was alive and well and living in Hollywood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As is often the case with efforts to
capitalize on a newly burgeoning trend in Hollywood, most of these low-budget
Exploitation film takes on the subject weren’t very good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However Italian and Spanish filmmakers, with
deep roots in Catholic theological tradition, generally fared better with these
themes, perhaps as an expression of rebellion against the cultural domination
on the part of the Church in those countries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In particular, a Spanish director named Jesús Franco showed a marked
antipathy towards the Church, so much so that the Vatican declared him, along
with fellow Spaniard Luis Buñuel, the most dangerous filmmakers in the world.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Sometime in 1973, Bob Munger, a friend of producer Harvey
Bernhard, suggested to the latter that a movie about the Antichrist, the son of
Satan, would be good box office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bernhard agreed, and immediately hired David Seltzer to turn the idea
into a screenplay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seltzer, who had
gotten his start in the business with an uncredited rewrite of Roald Dahl’s
script for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Willy Wonka and the Chocolate
Factory</i>, took a year to finish the assignment, but when it was completed,
everyone connected with the project felt that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Omen</i> would be a winner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Richard Donner, an experienced film and television director, was
selected to helm the project for Warner Bros.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GmHjaL1vVIkVOH_xuMC32LAfMJoVYq8D4TSLa71b-kGQ1HKNnpgGnLdEAd_LvNdsD4rEMvnOhOdNhnMPAcRbpfaaE2mul_gognDdDza7lBieWroCRigq3EcqqNmMYg3fvjOqG3zE6Yo/s1108/the-omen-1976-1108x0-c-default.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1108" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GmHjaL1vVIkVOH_xuMC32LAfMJoVYq8D4TSLa71b-kGQ1HKNnpgGnLdEAd_LvNdsD4rEMvnOhOdNhnMPAcRbpfaaE2mul_gognDdDza7lBieWroCRigq3EcqqNmMYg3fvjOqG3zE6Yo/s320/the-omen-1976-1108x0-c-default.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Starring Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, and David Warner, the
story concerns an American diplomat and his wife, whose adopted son turns out
to be the Antichrist foretold in the Book of Revelations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rosemary’s
Baby</i> dealt with Satan from what might be described as a secular viewpoint,
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Exorcist</i> was a study in
Catholic theological dogma, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Omen</i>
was grounded in the Protestant Fundamentalist views on Armageddon and the
Apocalypse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This becomes more noticeable
when one considers that most of the Catholic clergy are depicted as being in
league with the Devil, certainly a Protestant prejudice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though the film failed to garner the critical
praise that had been heaped upon the previous two linchpins of the subgenre, it
was a box office hit, earning $61 million on a budget of $2.8 million.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">As the Slasher films began to dominate the Horror genre in the
late 1970s, the Satanic films waned in popularity, though never completely
disappearing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the decades since, they
have remained a staple of the Horror fan’s diet, holding their own against the
vampires, ghosts, aliens, and zombies that populate modern Horror films.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t see that changing anytime soon—after
all, the battle between Good and Evil is as old as Mankind itself.<o:p></o:p></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-78603978891656256172021-10-01T16:37:00.000-04:002021-10-01T16:37:22.010-04:00The Road Ends: The Final Season of Supernatural<p style="text-align: justify;"> <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-14taXS5ssZ84R7EDl-o8FR4zJxvwGAHA_XjfqrBM1ejgLkj6tMAD5yK6mPwLgJYwub9YYhOiLm0EMW8tOsOycT0hD5j5l0hvaHofoliQgjPhTkHc-NS92fbKOr85-qDEI3xhfYemLbA/s1200/supernatural_season_12_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-14taXS5ssZ84R7EDl-o8FR4zJxvwGAHA_XjfqrBM1ejgLkj6tMAD5yK6mPwLgJYwub9YYhOiLm0EMW8tOsOycT0hD5j5l0hvaHofoliQgjPhTkHc-NS92fbKOr85-qDEI3xhfYemLbA/s320/supernatural_season_12_poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">For the last fifteen years, those of us who are fans of
horror and the paranormal have had our own version of what used to be known as
“Must-See TV,” in the weekly adventures of two brothers, heirs to generations
of monster hunting; their best friend, an Earthbound, disillusioned angel of
the Lord; and a host of friends, allies, and enemies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sam and Dean Winchester, in a tuxedo black
1967 Chevrolet Impala, began their journey all those years ago battling ghosts,
vampires, and werewolves; now they find themselves battling God Himself, or, as
he prefers, “Chuck,” for the survival of the Multiverse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And along the way they have inspired one of
the most devoted fanbases in genre entertainment—and that’s coming from a
lifelong Trekker!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I’m speaking
about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supernatural</i>, which has the
distinction of being television’s longest-running genre series.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That run has ended now, leaving those devoted
fans not only missing their favorite series, but very conflicted about the way
it ended— however, we’ll talk more on that in a bit.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuGxNpKa8aAHMVgtGf_lFaTflT1ngIILbzV7qr26-pKylo0rs4z8itmM1tWA0rCHgjEn-ZbFIrZbh1u3MR9l0Oh4HbHfJq-bvTzii80Sl-Mt2xG91zeOdBTzYbZT4wcFr7Chrjc7lXI4/s1400/jared_padalecki_jensen_ackles_supernatural_2019.0.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1400" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuGxNpKa8aAHMVgtGf_lFaTflT1ngIILbzV7qr26-pKylo0rs4z8itmM1tWA0rCHgjEn-ZbFIrZbh1u3MR9l0Oh4HbHfJq-bvTzii80Sl-Mt2xG91zeOdBTzYbZT4wcFr7Chrjc7lXI4/s320/jared_padalecki_jensen_ackles_supernatural_2019.0.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The series was the brainchild of screenwriter and Television
producer Eric Kripke, who had originally envisioned an anthology series dealing
with modern American urban legends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
continued to develop and refine the concept over a decade before settling on
something very close to the finished product, one of a pair of tabloid
reporters traveling the back roads and byways of America, searching for the
truth in the paranormal stories they cover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The “road trip” format was important to Kripke, as he felt that that
was, “the best vehicle to tell these stories because it’s pure, stripped down,
and uniquely American.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">However, when he pitched the idea to executives at the WB
network, Warner Brothers’ broadcast outlet, the idea of tabloid reporters as
the heroes fell flat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kripke hastily
changed them to a pair of monster-hunting brothers, and a pilot was ordered.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The first episode aired on September 13<sup>th</sup>, 2005,
and was watched by nearly 5.7 million viewers in the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though average viewership tailed off
somewhat, to a season-average of 3.81 million viewers, it was obvious that the
network had a hit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the WB and the
UPN networks were merged in September of 2006, creating the CW network, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supernatural</i> was one of the series that
successfully made the transition to the new entity.<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivxjVXp1dA0oIPIY4rR5sKtXfcSX11YvyC_9Uq6pEUtR2wwgqwvWd73s153YBWkNaPyQ7WQZY20eV5FImr7kqvSB9fo_AmsBqRZZwYQuei09nGpDLv5A0rZNnhKUjXtZDiZ9pGrrPQ42w/s2000/Jared-Padalecki-and-Jensen-Ackles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivxjVXp1dA0oIPIY4rR5sKtXfcSX11YvyC_9Uq6pEUtR2wwgqwvWd73s153YBWkNaPyQ7WQZY20eV5FImr7kqvSB9fo_AmsBqRZZwYQuei09nGpDLv5A0rZNnhKUjXtZDiZ9pGrrPQ42w/s320/Jared-Padalecki-and-Jensen-Ackles.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Under Eric Kripke’s guidance as showrunner, the series
remained true to his vision of a dark, fantastical road trip through hell, a
secret underground where Hunters battled the nightmare creatures of which most
of us were blissfully unaware.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Along the
way Sam and Dean, portrayed to perfection by Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles
respectively, occasionally accompanied by their father John (veteran actor Jeffrey
Dean Morgan), hunt the demon responsible for the deaths of the boys’ mother,
Mary, and Sam’s girlfriend Jessica.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Kripke’s original storyline for the series was planned to
last three seasons, but was expanded to five.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At the end of the fifth season, when he felt the story had reached a
natural stopping point, he left the series as showrunner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was succeeded in the Sixth season in that
role by Sara Gamble, who began exploring a deeper mythology involving demons,
angels, Death, and God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sixth season
also featured one of the most popular episodes, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The French Mistake</i>.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
title refers to a musical number in the movie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blazing Saddles</i>, in which the entire cast of the Mel Brooks
Western-Comedy literally breaks the “fourth wall” into a Busby Berkeley-type
musical, and has Sam and Dean transported to an alternate reality—ours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They find themselves on the set of a TV
series named <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Supernatural</i>, in the
place of two actors, Jared and Jensen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
began a string of so-called “Meta” episodes that had our heroes, if not
breaking that fourth wall, then at least peeking behind it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are some of the best-written episodes
of the series; they are certainly among the best-loved.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6lR6AwZS2C_8OX-0unxBkKoazXwbfInzFyZ8K4r4nuaFqpJ2iapQW-LfE0sxhohNg9SVf97tkPv8545VukvKY9eqKimPhZLhlyqZcYQ5cN8EVnmOAzeDhgc8ksXrjpVp6ko_YQ_TeCA/s480/p17057825_b_h13_ac.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP6lR6AwZS2C_8OX-0unxBkKoazXwbfInzFyZ8K4r4nuaFqpJ2iapQW-LfE0sxhohNg9SVf97tkPv8545VukvKY9eqKimPhZLhlyqZcYQ5cN8EVnmOAzeDhgc8ksXrjpVp6ko_YQ_TeCA/s320/p17057825_b_h13_ac.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>When Gamble left after the Seventh season, Jeremy Carver
took over as showrunner, a position he held until the end of Season
Eleven.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under his direction, the
mythology that Gamble had outlined became more fully fleshed, as did Sam and Dean’s
place in that mythos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately for
many fans, this led the brothers away from the road trip nature of their origin
to a more organized structure, including a permanent base of operations, known
as “the bunker.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They discover family
ties to a defunct group known as the, “Men of Letters,” who had waged a more
systematic and intellectual war against the creatures of the dark some sixty
years prior to the Winchesters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
they who had built the bunker, and equipped it with artifacts, lore, and
weapons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was followed, from Season 12
on, by Andrew Dabb and Robert Singer, who continued the storylines that he had
originated.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The addition of the Men of Letters, and similar groups,
would drive the show’s storylines for most of the remaining four seasons, as
the series grew ever more cosmic in scope, culminating with the Winchesters
leading the fight against God Himself, with the fate of the universe in the
balance.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">When the Covid-19 interrupted final season ended on November
19<sup>th</sup>, the problem faced by the writers and producers was a nearly
insurmountable one—how to bid farewell to two beloved characters in a way that
doesn’t disappoint a generation of fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Many would agree that, in that task, they missed the mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which brings me to my guest author for this
piece; someone far more emotionally invested in Sam, Dean, and Castiel than I,
my sister Cathy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She asked to share her
admittedly strong reaction to the series finale with my readers, and I was
happy to be able to include her unique perspective in this article.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoBlockText" style="text-align: justify;"></p><blockquote><p class="MsoBlockText" style="text-align: justify;">Hi, I’m Cathy, the Unimonster’s sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have never been a person that is grabbed by
someone or something, except for Princess Diana, who has been my idol since
childhood. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in September of 2020, I
had some time off and I had decided to binge the show <i>Supernatural</i>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am not a fantasy or horror person but I fell
in love with the brothers Winchester. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
got on board with the monsters, demons, and angels, but my heart was in the
story of the brothers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I think sold
it the most was the actors that were chosen, who were absolute perfection in my
opinion. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These two were born to play
these parts. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As they grew and got older
and had to learn how to understand their differences, it led to some of the
best episodes of the show. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the season
eight finale Dean says that “… there is no me without you …” to Sam. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To me that sums up there story right there. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoBlockText" style="text-align: justify;">As the series went on and they started to add more and
more characters I have to say that I really missed the two of them on the road
together. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have watched the first 5
seasons so many times and the last 4 only once. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are two characters that helped make the
show so special and they are, of course, Bobby and Cas. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bobby’s love and guidance for the boys was
exceptional. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was there no matter the
facts, Sam tries to kill him; a week later he is helping him chase dragons. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bobby should have hung around longer. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He would have fallen in love with the bunker. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoBlockText" style="text-align: justify;">Then there is Cas. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can I just say that there is no reason that
Cas cannot tell Dean that he loves him without it turning him gay?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dean has been a mentor for Cas on Earth and Cas
loves him like a brother. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People need to
stop turning it into something else and let these characters be family to each
other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s why I like it when they
call him Cas Winchester. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The relationship
between the three of them has given us some of the funniest moments of the
show. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember when Cas announced that
he had had sex? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The brothers were at a loss
for words, but Dean was damn proud. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
say there are Dean Girls and Sam Girls—well for the record I am a Dean Girl. I
am a Jensen Ackles fan for life now.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoBlockText" style="text-align: justify;">I must put in here that my favorite part of the show was
when Dean had the mark of Cain and he was nothing but a badass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he turned into the demon—damn, he was
hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also when Dean was working on Baby
he was, of course, dirty and sexy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
think what makes the two guys so sexy and stellar is the fact that they are
such wonderful people in real life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From
the way they treat their fans, to the way they are with other cast members, to
the love you can see that they have for each other.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoBlockText" style="text-align: justify;">And that is why I have issues with the whole last season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They took Dean’s life out of him, if that
makes sense to the reader. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It did not
have the feeling of the series. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
they decided to have him die in such a “non-Dean” way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was supposed to go out guns a blazing; that
is what he always wanted. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jensen giving
the ‘death speech’ was superb acting in itself. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did not like the story line but they both put
in a hell of an acting job in that episode. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for Sam we know nothing of his life after Dean’s
death; we know he had a son named Dean and I guess a wife. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But was the son a hunter, or just a civilian?
We deserve to have some answers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sam and
Dean ending up in heaven together of course is the way it should be.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoBlockText" style="text-align: justify;">I cannot believe that I never found this show until now,
but I am glad I did find it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has
become part of my life that I truly enjoy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the week has sucked I can turn on the TV
and find the beautiful smile of Dean and the funny times between the brothers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is nice to have something that you can
depend on being there to but a smile on your face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is why I am a <i>Supernatural</i> girl
for life.</p></blockquote><p class="MsoBlockText" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Well dear readers, there you have it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I have several Supernatural devotees in
my life, none are more so than my little sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She never understood my various genre addictions,
but now we have something else to bond over, and I think she has gained a
glimpse into my world that has heretofore eluded her.<o:p></o:p></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-90967279010848497312021-10-01T03:58:00.000-04:002021-10-01T03:58:29.866-04:00Welcome to My Crypt<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSkMTi-4LN9IcSs1byssUbJWuz5XKEoXm0w9AobU-oXzEOB-Tt6ObBYpLJv0tpmbb8E0YN1-aENWp4tPN1wpCaOhHnJ33qXq9gH14UfYV7G2imjfOvOof___oSJLH6khVCcLbcXPco00/s960/cemetery-3582297_960_720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="960" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwSkMTi-4LN9IcSs1byssUbJWuz5XKEoXm0w9AobU-oXzEOB-Tt6ObBYpLJv0tpmbb8E0YN1-aENWp4tPN1wpCaOhHnJ33qXq9gH14UfYV7G2imjfOvOof___oSJLH6khVCcLbcXPco00/s320/cemetery-3582297_960_720.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Once again, my fiends, I find myself putting the Crypt in
order, in expectation of guests haunting my humble abode.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been a long time—five years, to be exact—but
it’s good to be back, and to welcome you all back to the Unimonster’s
Crypt!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though my writing has continued
to be featured at <a href="http://www.countgore.com/">Count Gore De Vol’s Creature
Feature</a> website during this absence, there’s nothing quite like being in
the comfort of one’s own home once more.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Long time readers won’t see many changes at first, if at
all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Posting will, hopefully, be more
regular, with fresh content on a weekly basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I hope to be trying some new things soon, but for now, I’ll be posting
new articles every Saturday, and new reviews every Friday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, stay tuned, and keep reading.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">And most importantly … STAY SCARY!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">John “the Unimonster” Stevenson<o:p></o:p></p>Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-26207991959785633852016-10-07T16:52:00.000-04:002016-10-07T16:52:19.132-04:00Halloweens, Past and Present<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>Adults measure time in dates… the date
your mortgage payment is due each month, the date of your next physical, the
date of your next business trip.<span>
</span>Children measure time in events … the time you broke your arm climbing a
tree, the Christmas you got a BB gun, the grade you were in when you had your
first kiss.<span> </span>Childhood memories tend to
flow together, mingling like streams feeding a large river, until it’s
impossible to distinguish one from the other.<span>
</span>Only the major happenings of life stand upright, like islands in the
river.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>To be
sure, there were the usual milestones in the life of a young Unimonster, as
well.<span> </span>My first kiss was in Sixth Grade;
my little brother and I got matching BB guns for Christmas 1978, over the
objections of my mother (thanks, big brother!); and I’ve never had a broken
bone … despite totaling a Cadillac that hit me as I dashed across a busy highway
when I was 15.<span> </span>But along with these,
rather mundane, highlights of my life are those of a more … unusual nature.<span> </span>And some of the most prominent “islands” in
the river of my memory center around my love of Monsters, Horror, and
Halloween.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNLR9RFdm3pc7B_qzUO0CsPLVEFdOxx8XzRyqfqTgCKW955AZk0XURPMJOwhuBfg65a3LSqNOhwP66OjNT-Y72h2lb-bXIBTlWo7uESwOkfASNlpeEv5PFC_DIDBqoQp58memr7i_D9g/s1600/GX8t9-1444070153-26-lists-halloweencostumes_main.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNLR9RFdm3pc7B_qzUO0CsPLVEFdOxx8XzRyqfqTgCKW955AZk0XURPMJOwhuBfg65a3LSqNOhwP66OjNT-Y72h2lb-bXIBTlWo7uESwOkfASNlpeEv5PFC_DIDBqoQp58memr7i_D9g/s320/GX8t9-1444070153-26-lists-halloweencostumes_main.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>Halloween
when I was a child was quite different from the two-month-long shopping
extravaganza that it is now.<span> </span>Now,
Halloween is celebrated by nearly everyone, of nearly every age, and is second
only to Christmas in terms of sales generated.<span>
</span>Halloween decorating is big business, with dozens of companies supplying
everything the home-bound haunter could desire for their porch-side graveyard,
from 99¢ hokey rubber bats to animatronic reanimated corpses costing hundreds,
even thousands of dollars.<span> </span>The same
people who go overboard when decorating for Christmas have taken to Halloween
with gusto, pushing the bar ever higher with scary, gory, <i>creative</i> displays.<span> </span>And
costumes have progressed far from the screen-printed vinyl pajamas of my
youth.<span> </span>Today’s parents routinely spend
$40, $50, even $100 on costumes for their children … and even more on their own
outfits, something of which my parents never would have dreamed.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqc4msHdApZ6u4DjWdOTdFKb3pG02QFec6Zjqr4tu1i3rT-N6aWI-NuQ4Y7DRQ6w4KHJu15zfgiEh7-kSPgKCMIt2qhB6o0A1UV8lVG0NGPqAYb1_ztih875mqHn-Lyzr_pVoRF92r5KE/s1600/bbee2910c24dbe75d66e26037aa4a4a7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqc4msHdApZ6u4DjWdOTdFKb3pG02QFec6Zjqr4tu1i3rT-N6aWI-NuQ4Y7DRQ6w4KHJu15zfgiEh7-kSPgKCMIt2qhB6o0A1UV8lVG0NGPqAYb1_ztih875mqHn-Lyzr_pVoRF92r5KE/s320/bbee2910c24dbe75d66e26037aa4a4a7.jpg" width="249" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>In the
early 70’s, my peak Trick-or-Treating years, any house with a Jack o’Lantern on
the porch was considered decorated and fair game for a visit.<span> </span>We thought ourselves fortunate if stores had
Halloween supplies two weeks before the big day, and even then, the selection
left much to be desired.<span> </span>That never
mattered to me, as once I was old enough to know better </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">the thought of wearing a store-bought costume was simply
unacceptable.<span> </span>Store-bought costumes, at
least in my childhood, were anything but scary.<span>
</span>Rather than making a costume that would allow your average MonsterKid to
in some way resemble Frankenstein's Monster, the companies that produced them
gave you a cheap plastic one-piece with a picture of the Monster (and not a
very good one, at that …) printed on the front, with the word FRANKENSTEIN in
large block letters underneath.<span> </span>Add to
that a thin polystyrene mask, with a rubber band that was guaranteed to break
before you got home with the loot and a far too narrow mouth opening that cut
your tongue every time you tried to talk, and it’s easy to see I wasn’t missing
much by passing on the mass-produced monster togs.<span> </span>Not to mention the fact that, if you had to
have the name of the monster you were Trick-or-Treating as stamped on your
chest in order for others to identify you, then it wasn’t much of a costume.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9_DEq3Nkbl0r4ZJPJRquDZIywCrbDZxSTnK9VxwOpUe29vMiRXDRc7iVZeNlM2ddCSUI_yGjsyVGRFV98gVXPb5vNhfE1iOHmWQZWwZzFI4VJggZTL8D7Rzp3V8SJqKwRG2fh3OUTKk/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm9_DEq3Nkbl0r4ZJPJRquDZIywCrbDZxSTnK9VxwOpUe29vMiRXDRc7iVZeNlM2ddCSUI_yGjsyVGRFV98gVXPb5vNhfE1iOHmWQZWwZzFI4VJggZTL8D7Rzp3V8SJqKwRG2fh3OUTKk/s320/010.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>No, for my
cousin, my brother, and me, only homemade costumes would do.<span> </span>As I’ve mentioned previously in this column, my
usual alter-ego was a vampire; smooth, scary, but most of all cheap ‘n’
easy.<span> </span>But that wasn’t the only creature
I was capable of pulling together on a $2.00 budget.<span> </span>I could be a very convincing zombie, with
some fake blood, some mud and dirt for that crusty,
just-dug-my-way-out-of-a-hole look, and some tattered clothes for the basic raw
materials.<span> </span>Once I was “Dr. Death,”
complete with saw, stethoscope, and blood-soaked lab coat.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcMdipwaEOkeL6HJpHaTeN3nOYgomVg1s04mUj5drC-zjU2vCdDiEI_axyUgsEBU1O4nOg1JJkIReJBKX7BJGHff6pA2nS5b15f7jYfmNKyOTmGLGdKPu7YITrgutiktbHCYpN80CZ7Y/s1600/5408b53bd9275785c6007ec7a06c3c69.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLcMdipwaEOkeL6HJpHaTeN3nOYgomVg1s04mUj5drC-zjU2vCdDiEI_axyUgsEBU1O4nOg1JJkIReJBKX7BJGHff6pA2nS5b15f7jYfmNKyOTmGLGdKPu7YITrgutiktbHCYpN80CZ7Y/s320/5408b53bd9275785c6007ec7a06c3c69.jpg" width="117" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>Once
costuming was out of the way, then the hunt began for pillowcases.<span> </span>This was before the days of fancy
manufactured bags, buckets, and pails for the collection of our Trick-or-Treating
loot.<span> </span>We had two options—paper grocery
sacks, which were tough to carry and prone to tearing; and pillowcases.<span> </span>Pillowcases were strong, they were large, and
they were convenient.<span> </span>There was only one
problem with them.<span> </span>They were my
mother’s.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>There was
no chance of us using her good linen, of course … we knew enough not to even try
that.<span> </span>But like everyone, we had some
old, faded, stained, ragged sheets and pillowcases in the back of the
closet.<span> </span>We had precisely three cases
with enough structural integrity to carry a load of candy:<span> </span>one was white, one avocado green, (hey, it <i>was</i> the ‘70’s, after all …) and one a
flowered print.<span> </span>You did not want to Trick-or-Treat
carrying a sack with flowers printed all over it … at least, not where I grew
up.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>Our
preparations complete, we would set out on our route with the resolve of Caesar's
legions off to vanquish the Gauls.<span> </span>The
ritual was the same from year to year, never varying.<span> </span>We would wait until it was dark, and then
head out.<span> </span>We would then immediately turn
around and ring our own doorbell, shouting “TRICK-OR-TREAT!” when my mother
opened the door.<span> </span>She would grumble, but
nonetheless dropped a few pieces of candy in each of our sacks.<span> </span>Then the adventure would begin in earnest.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2sMrBcELD4LJO064bgXgXYlxUlNwdN2n_c41UVlB6cBayoVPPpbxMdtN9FNx5NZYD4oBLuV9AJYtj9ix_KdwfhUDtV4gE9mDISr9sAN9ydQR_qPnWHJAZr6aRAFOREk_V3Oe6ROzud4/s1600/9774999_f260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2sMrBcELD4LJO064bgXgXYlxUlNwdN2n_c41UVlB6cBayoVPPpbxMdtN9FNx5NZYD4oBLuV9AJYtj9ix_KdwfhUDtV4gE9mDISr9sAN9ydQR_qPnWHJAZr6aRAFOREk_V3Oe6ROzud4/s1600/9774999_f260.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>For those
readers who are parents of young children; no, our mothers and fathers weren’t
exceedingly neglectful or careless of their offspring.<span> </span>That was a different time, and only <i>babies</i> went Trick-or-Treating before
sundown, or accompanied by their parents.<span>
</span>We knew our neighborhood, and felt completely safe and comfortable in
it … even at night.<span> </span>That confidence was
doubled on Halloween, when we always traveled in a pack, constantly crossing
paths with other, similar packs doing the same.<span>
</span>As we passed we would hail each other, like old-fashioned sailing ships
meeting far out at sea.<span> </span>We would
exchange information on the houses we had visited; who was giving out the good
stuff, who was tossing out the cheap crap, who wasn’t handing out anything at
all.<span> </span>It was a cooperative hunt, and like
wolves word would’ve traveled swiftly of any threat to the pack.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MZR8cpHrK0krvnrWmq5j_XZHNt3Jxqq15wrIADOGUWNGc9UKEc2GnnBCIQppVRO3OgLOY18ESUG4eRlD4Hfpi73mTvocVvsTkrFrlnqzq2bS6h-98SR2Zt9sJGdjMso3L-XVn-Nnsa8/s1600/gz7p4-1444850059-embed-candy_1970s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-MZR8cpHrK0krvnrWmq5j_XZHNt3Jxqq15wrIADOGUWNGc9UKEc2GnnBCIQppVRO3OgLOY18ESUG4eRlD4Hfpi73mTvocVvsTkrFrlnqzq2bS6h-98SR2Zt9sJGdjMso3L-XVn-Nnsa8/s320/gz7p4-1444850059-embed-candy_1970s.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>Quite
frankly, it never occurred to us that there could be any threat … at least, not
the immediate kind.<span> </span>We had all heard the
stories about razor blades and broken glass in treats, of course, and our
parents always told us not to eat anything before they checked it out.<span> </span>We never were overly concerned about that,
however.<span> </span>Personally, I thought that was
just an excuse to give the adults first crack at their favorite treats.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>Once we
had thoroughly covered the neighborhood we would stop somewhere, typically the
7-11 just down the street, and take stock of the night’s haul.<span> </span>Seldom were we satisfied with the results of
our officially sanctioned panhandling, but there’s a fine line between
persistence and obnoxiousness, and we usually tried not to cross it.<span> </span>Contrary to our parent’s instructions, we
would eat a few pieces of candy while deciding on our next move.<span> </span>Occasionally, we would have some change in
our sacks, from people too busy or too disinterested to shop for candy, and
sorting that out was a high priority.<span> </span>As
always at that age, if I had 25¢ to my name, it was going to be spent on a
comic book … ordinarily, it would be <i>Batman,
Action Comics</i>, or <i>The Flash</i>, but
not on Halloween.<span> </span>On Halloween it had to
be <i>Ghosts,</i> or <i>House of Mystery</i>, or <i>The
Unexpected</i>.<span> </span>Not that I didn’t buy
those titles throughout the year, but they were must-haves to cap off the
perfect Halloween night.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>When we
finally did straggle on home, we would camp in front of the TV, watching a
holiday-appropriate Creature Feature on one of the local stations, as we
munched happily on our Halloween bounty.<span>
</span>My dachshund would throw herself protectively on the sack beside me,
snarling menacingly at anyone who dared approach it—especially my little
sister.<span> </span>This never failed to earn her a
treat; butterscotches a particular favorite, though she also had a fondness for
Mary Jane’s.<span> </span>The sight of her working
her way through a piece of peanut butter taffy was guaranteed to bring laughs.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCr_UlLowHf1AilmaGM9mHSa0yHg5e0uFi2nizORDabTRKX5ARIvC8eHYwsctK5Rg9qNOQXjuDoJr2yHh5X3YDQAbhwoHT4LcajmR0sp2FNqRIBikxwh0gkNePwv5CXdgerziudXN7OL0/s1600/51mGYBgRx%252BL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCr_UlLowHf1AilmaGM9mHSa0yHg5e0uFi2nizORDabTRKX5ARIvC8eHYwsctK5Rg9qNOQXjuDoJr2yHh5X3YDQAbhwoHT4LcajmR0sp2FNqRIBikxwh0gkNePwv5CXdgerziudXN7OL0/s320/51mGYBgRx%252BL.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>All too
soon, the night would end.<span> </span>We would be
sent upstairs to bathe and prepare for bed, and as we scrubbed the residue of
fake blood and Hershey’s miniatures off ourselves, another Halloween would
officially draw to a close.<span> </span>Those days
are more than forty years in the past now, and I’ve known great joys in my life
since then, as well as the heartaches that all of us are familiar with.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span></span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span>But I’ve
never known pure happiness like Halloween nights when I was a child.</span></span></span></div>
Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-44338766030435222742016-09-30T12:46:00.000-04:002016-10-01T02:03:31.435-04:00Halloween—Unimonster Style<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSj9PoDxDM2FZWbAlCyYRPeGS0AAWnB_Ck9GO5HwANONAko6neq3oyZlev7h9yBGabDXs7IN8r3jIq1o5OSiXirkAwnkA_rJhjdNHk5MY9eVm6bjaRnQE1FNu5TOhAjgk2imBYzZnvT0g/s1600/wallpaper-157855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSj9PoDxDM2FZWbAlCyYRPeGS0AAWnB_Ck9GO5HwANONAko6neq3oyZlev7h9yBGabDXs7IN8r3jIq1o5OSiXirkAwnkA_rJhjdNHk5MY9eVm6bjaRnQE1FNu5TOhAjgk2imBYzZnvT0g/s320/wallpaper-157855.jpg" width="320" /></a>As long-time readers of this column are no doubt aware,
Halloween is, and has always been, a special time of the year for the
Unimonster. Most of my happiest childhood memories revolve around the
month of October, and I’ve been pleased to share many of them with you.
Whether it was the effort expended in trying to come up with the perfect
homemade costume, or the pleasure of sitting on the living room floor after a
successful Trick-or-Treating expedition, bag of candy in my lap, dog by my
side, and Lon Chaney, Jr. on the TV screen, my Halloween memories represent
some of the simplest, purest joys one can experience.</div>
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But some have asked me if Halloween still holds that same
charm, that same appeal for the middle-aged Unimonster, and obviously the
answer is no. I’m no longer that wide-eyed, (mostly) innocent MonsterKid,
living in a much simpler time, and society does seem to frown on 45-year-old
Trick-or-Treaters. That doesn’t mean I haven’t found new ways to celebrate
my favorite holiday, or that I’ve outgrown all of my childhood traditions.</div>
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Though there’s something of a chicken-or-egg quality to it,
there’s no denying that my love of Halloween and my love of Horror Films are
directly related, and those beloved Horror Films have assumed top priority in
my seasonal planning. Just as I used to plan my Trick-or-Treating well in
advance, I now spend weeks scheduling my assault on the October Couch Potato
Film Festival title [<i>An October Tradition, October 24<sup>th</sup>, 2009</i>].
I carefully choose the movies I’ll be viewing throughout the month, with more
consideration given to quantity than quality, I will admit, but I never forget
my favorites. There are some movies that just have to be viewed each
October; without them, the month would seem incomplete. Some of these I
discussed in a recent column [<i>Halloween Movies to Watch, October 10<sup>th</sup>,
2009</i>].</div>
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The first of these films is ARSENIC AND OLD LACE. This
1944 classic, starring Cary Grant and Raymond Massey, is pure comedic gold; a
shining example of Hollywood
in its heyday. I often devote an entire day during the month to Horror
Comedies, and this one always makes that list, along with movies such as GALAXY
QUEST, SCARY MOVIE, and of course the Abbott & Costello Monster pics.</div>
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Other days during the month are devoted to different
themes… Alien Invasions, Slasher Films, Euro-Horrors, and Giant Bug
movies are favorite themes during the days leading up to Halloween.
Halloween night itself is devoted to the best of the genre, from DRACULA to the
one movie that must be viewed to end the season—John Carpenter’s HALLOWEEN.</div>
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But movies aren’t my only means of celebrating the
holiday. While the Crypt always has a ‘Halloween’ feel to it, from the
middle of September to early November it is decked out from top to bottom (or
as much as the Unimonster’s budget will allow…) with Ghosts, Goblins, Witches,
and that most necessary and iconic of Halloween symbols, the Jack
O’Lantern. Real ones, plastic ones, foam ones, even glass ones… nothing
screams “Halloween” at the Unimonster as loudly as Jack does. In fact
there are always three on display in the living room—a foam one that stays lit
24/7; a vintage plastic blow-molded one that was a gift from a dear friend, and
is exactly like one I had as a child; and a glass candy bowl, that I try to
keep full. There are others that appear during the season, and of course,
the highlight of the year is carving a real Jack for the front porch.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEpVy1Ey3zTZG-CS_dBvRh8V43UDlxFh82tMMSUfUYqfOO6iHU8VbpkF-3s1jd1P4gr4vH55I1ib4H12S_EAqWLhc4p1sv8hgIQ9VZpQj2QN8P5fhQObDhyphenhyphenruHz1_KHaZoOoCr_UYQWY/s1600/wallpaper-60921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEpVy1Ey3zTZG-CS_dBvRh8V43UDlxFh82tMMSUfUYqfOO6iHU8VbpkF-3s1jd1P4gr4vH55I1ib4H12S_EAqWLhc4p1sv8hgIQ9VZpQj2QN8P5fhQObDhyphenhyphenruHz1_KHaZoOoCr_UYQWY/s320/wallpaper-60921.jpg" width="320" /></a>As I’ve mentioned before, my artistic talents, such as they
are, start and end with the written word. Though I can visualize the
fantastic Jack O’Lanterns I’d love to carve, when I sit down in front of blank
pumpkin, the same Jack always emerges—two triangular eyes, a triangular nose, a
lopsided grin, vaguely triangular, with three or four triangular teeth—let’s
just say that I handle curves like an overloaded minivan. Not even those
booklets of pre-printed stencils help… besides, that’s cheating.</div>
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Finally, everything comes together for the big night.
The Crypt is decorated, the Jack is glowing on the front porch, and Bela is
waxing poetic over the music of his night-children. And the large empty
skull by the front door is filled with candy for the Trick-or-Treaters.
Now I’ve mentioned before that my friends and I had considered ourselves ‘candy
connoisseurs’ once upon a time, and I can still remember the disappointment I
felt as someone would thoughtlessly drop a handful of crappy candy, or even
worse, a box of raisins, into my bag. I resolved as a young Trick-or-Treater
that I would always pass out the ‘good stuff’—M&M’s, Hershey’s Kisses,
Tootsie Pops—when it came to be my turn at the door, and I still hold true to
that resolution. So here I sit—lights low, the room lit by the yellow
glow of electric Jacks and the silver gleam of Lugosi and Karloff, skull full
of candy—waiting for that first knock on my door, remembering the thrill and
joy of being the vampire, ghost, or ghoul on the other side.</div>
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<br /></div>
Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-57180364270734917212014-11-05T17:42:00.001-05:002014-11-05T17:42:14.030-05:00Getting their Freeky Creek On! by Bobbie Culbertson<br />
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWSVo7DzMC6eDzhtVyZdq7cJIxd6bAYZxhbhfxdgUoBysveYW-y15bbnvK6xUpTNC-LLJWWtoHlJe0-XlPFVA1cinisv_nZrRRmQkO5zU-okb5n0mnE3uKpb-aDlcihrzAA0_I_P4t6I/s1600/FreekyCreek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWSVo7DzMC6eDzhtVyZdq7cJIxd6bAYZxhbhfxdgUoBysveYW-y15bbnvK6xUpTNC-LLJWWtoHlJe0-XlPFVA1cinisv_nZrRRmQkO5zU-okb5n0mnE3uKpb-aDlcihrzAA0_I_P4t6I/s1600/FreekyCreek.jpg" height="400" width="261" /></a>It was a cold and windy night dampened by misty rain as we
drove out to Fairmount, Illinois, a cozy rural community just south of Oakwood
and a few scant miles east of the 'Paign.
Only one reason was good enough to take us from our toasty home...the
5th Annual Freeky Creek Short Film Festival.
The festival, held at Sleepy Creek Vineyards (8254 E 1425 North Rd.,
Fairmount, Il. 61841) is the brainchild of Sleepy Creek owners, Joe and Dawn
Taylor who annually choose short video submissions from over 600 entrants from
around the world to show in their comfortable and tastefully decorated wine
tasting rooms. While this first evening
wasn't sold out as the next two nights are, almost every seat in the place was
filled with costumed Fest-attendees.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Master of Ceremony was Bill Kephart, dressed as an
irreverent, cigar-chomping Easter Bunny, who throughout the three
intermissions, would attempt to free his friend Naughty-Kitty who had been
arrested and taken to the Humane Shelter for neutering. Aided in these attempts by his friend, Jean
Claude Van Damme, a warrior-like door greeter at Wal-Mart. (Don't ask! You had to be there!) Anyway ... on with the show(s).</div>
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The submitted short films ran from less than a minute to
over 16 minutes in length. And most, if
not all, had the same things going for them—excellent production values and
above par acting! Some had frightening
CGI effects at would rival top studios (<i>6
Shooter</i> with its "Alien" internal attackers springs to
mind). Animation proved to be an
audience favorite (my vote would go to <i>Office
Kingdom</i> with its resigned but dedicated clerk). Gore checked in with <i>Vasle a Pancienne</i> (<i>The Waltz</i>)
and showed itself to be stomach turning.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Comedy made a good showing with, in my opinion, <i>If I Only...</i> winning hands down (or, in
this case, hands applauding wildly!). <i>Dead Hearts</i>, the longest of this
evening's fare at 16 minutes, proved true love never truly dies! That said, all were entertaining, fascinating
and professionally rendered. At the
evening's end, the audience was invited to cast their ballots for the best
films in several categories:</div>
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Freekin' Creepy Award (best horror)</div>
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Freekin' Artsy Award (best animation)</div>
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Freekin' Pretty Award (best looking)</div>
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Freekin' Thespian Award (best acting)</div>
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Freekin' Funny Award (best comedy)</div>
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Freekin' Fake Award (best fake commercial or doc)</div>
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Freekin' Best of the Freekin' Fest Award! (overall most votes)</div>
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<br /></div>
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The Festival ended Nov 1 and the winners have been announced
on the Freeky Creek Facebook page:</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/FCSFF">https://www.facebook.com/FCSFF</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Joe and Dawn Taylor have thoughtfully uploaded Youtube links
to the various winner of this year's Freeky Creek Short Film Festival! So, head on over to their Facebook page for a
frighteningly good time! And should you,
dear readers, find yourselves in East-Central Illinois on or near Halloween,
please check out the Freeky Creek Short film Festival at Sleepy Creek
vineyards. You won't be sorry!</div>
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Complete list of submissions (*= premier)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Act 1</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>On Broken Wings</i> by
Walter Arnold (US, 4:00 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The Man From Arctica</i>
by Nils J. Nesse (Norway, 1:00 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The Devil You Know IBC</i>
by Brian Osborne (Local, 0:48 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Armor</i>* by Jennifer
Bechtel (Local, 2:00 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Office Kingdom</i> by
Salvatore Centoducati (Italy, 7:00 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Under Age</i> by
Joonas Makkonen (Finland, 4:45 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>ZHS Trailer</i>* by
Dan Drake (Local, 1:00 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Castcom Cable</i>* by
Thomas Nicol (Local, 5:27 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Christopher Columbo</i>*
by Jiani Bach Nygard (Local, 2:00 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Volunteer</i> by
Javier Marco (Spain, 3:52 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Clowns Are Not Scary</i>*
by Mike Trippiedi (Local, 2:36 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Ruins</i> by Daniel
Ueno (Brazil, 4:05 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The Headless Nun</i>
by Nuno Sa Pessoa (Portugal, 6:43 min)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Act 2</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Heavy Metal Reflections</i>
by Shawn Wickens (USA, 2:59 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Valse a Pancienne (The
Waltz)</i> by Bourreau Francois-Xavier (France, 2:46 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>If I Only...</i>* by
Mike Trippiedi (Local, 2:08 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The Contest</i> by
Mike Osborne (USA, 0:45 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Awkward</i> by Toni
Lopez Bautista (Spain, 7:20 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>6 Shooter</i> by
Lauren Parker (UK, 3:30 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>NO, IT'S NOT THAT</i>
by Aitor Arenas (Spain, 3:30 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Wacky Robot</i> by
Chris Deir (USA), 4:48 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Like His Father</i> by
Toni Lopez Bautista (Spain, 5:00 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Grandma (Lola)</i> by
Joey Agbayani (Philippines, 7:00 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>The Low Road, Baby</i>
by Mark Roeder (USA, 4:00 min)</div>
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<br /></div>
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Act 3</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Death Of the First
Born Egyptians</i>* by Nina Paley (Local, 7:06 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Little Baby's Ice
Cream</i> by Doug Garth Williams (USA, 0:50 min)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Sister And Brother In
the Cemetery</i>* by Mike Trippiedi (Local, 2:54 min)</div>
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<i>Piscis</i> by Juan
Carlos Camardella (Argentina, 3:15 min)</div>
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<i>Tuck Me In</i> by
Ignacio F. Rodo (Spain, 1:00 min</div>
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<i>Invocation</i> by
Robert Morgan (UK, 3:10 min)</div>
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<i>Dead Hearts</i> by
Stephen Martin (Canada, 16:00 min)</div>
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<br /></div>
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Bobbie</div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-55619386078896963752014-11-05T17:36:00.000-05:002014-11-05T17:36:39.725-05:00Something Weird on the Screen: The Wild, Bizarre and Wacky World of Scare-Your-Children Movies, Exploitation Shorts and Stag Films<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdxLyiVHCVULqFXjXF5gD7US0n1JIn56ucbUyZ5cBo_hsrwXzJDZlcLfxTTZ4rhPegp3e_IilSPOs0ahEiqWoJwMWeOBhSS_9tFNnsspBvxksk4rw9CUxejIpdpitHySIlH9IFc1tgzg/s1600/SWVsomething-weirdad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdxLyiVHCVULqFXjXF5gD7US0n1JIn56ucbUyZ5cBo_hsrwXzJDZlcLfxTTZ4rhPegp3e_IilSPOs0ahEiqWoJwMWeOBhSS_9tFNnsspBvxksk4rw9CUxejIpdpitHySIlH9IFc1tgzg/s1600/SWVsomething-weirdad.jpg" height="229" width="320" /></a></div>
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As I may have mentioned a time or two
(or forty …) in this column, I love cheesy movies … the cheesier, the better,
especially if it cost less than the price of a new car to produce. Give me a movie that’s the celluloid
counterpart of a twenty-pound block of Velveeta®, something that could put a
deathgrip on King Kong’s colon, and was done on the cheap, and you have one
happy Unimonster. And from THE BLOB to
BUBBA HO-TEP, no type of film does low-budget cheese better than the Genre
film—specifically the five associated genres of Horror, Sci-Fi, Mystery,
Fantasy, and Exploitation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Why is it that I enjoy these types of
movies so much more than their mega-buck <st1:place w:st="on">Hollywood</st1:place>
blockbuster cousins? Well, one answer is
lowered expectations. When a major
studio pours $180 million into a picture, it had damn well better make me stand
up and cheer; anything less is just a disappointment. Movies such as INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM
OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL, HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY, or THE DARK KNIGHT demand
huge budgets, but the finished product is well worth the filmmakers’
investment. But when a big-budget film
flops, it’s usually a disaster of biblical proportions, sometimes ending the
careers of those involved. The
best-known example of this was 1980’s HEAVEN’S GATE, the boring, bloated,
Box-Office bomb that sank the career of heretofore-promising director Michael
Cimino. With a budget that ballooned to
five times the original estimate, and a running time that was north of
three-and-a-half hours, it was Box-Office death, earning less than
three-and-a-half million on a thirty-five million dollar investment. However, when no one expects anything from a
movie, it’s hard to be disappointed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And that brings me to another reason
for my love of cheap movies … they’re so much more entertaining. Let’s face facts—most people go to the movies
to be <i>entertained</i>. Not enlightened, not educated, not
indoctrinated … simply to relax and have a good time. That’s hard to do when the director is trying
to beat some socially relevant message into your head; even harder when the
beating lasts for three or more hours.
There are people who enjoy that sort of thing; there are also people who
prefer tofu to rib-eye. I have little
use for either sort of person.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilx0SAa97NFduGf-Det7N1ANnI_M8E0hsdHLmZIFSKn3dRJoj9383GdUObaxgDWvugp0A4PUxU3YID9EWhPHj5DiEFk3fAX1MQGcl1dSfPqEupZtOgbd5ShidRPf62ErJrCL8tlf1naRQ/s1600/detail.11c54477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilx0SAa97NFduGf-Det7N1ANnI_M8E0hsdHLmZIFSKn3dRJoj9383GdUObaxgDWvugp0A4PUxU3YID9EWhPHj5DiEFk3fAX1MQGcl1dSfPqEupZtOgbd5ShidRPf62ErJrCL8tlf1naRQ/s1600/detail.11c54477.jpg" height="196" width="320" /></a></div>
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I for one want entertainment from the
movies I watch. If I want enlightenment,
I play golf. If I want education, I read
a book. And I scrupulously try to avoid
indoctrination. All I seek from my
hard-earned movie-buying dollar is a couple of hours of mindless entertainment…
not a disguised thought exercise. I
don’t think I differ greatly from the average movie fan in that regard,
either. The average movie fan just wants
a little something to take him or her out of their mundane, everyday
existence—something that they can’t get in their normal lives. Sometimes that’s a thrilling adventure yarn,
sometimes a historical drama, and sometimes, it’s something just a little
further afield. Something strange,
something unusual, something… weird.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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For nearly two decades, there’s been a
small company catering to those of us who share a love of the cinematic
equivalent of a ripe wedge of Roquefort, movies that define the term, “So bad
it’s good …” Something Weird Video is
precisely that—something weird, indeed anything weird, that has been captured
on film or video.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Say you have a fondness for 1950’s
vintage High School hygiene films … SWV has you covered. You consider yourself a fan of the films of
Harry Novak? They've got what you’re
looking for. Need a Bettie Page or
Tempest Storm stag reel for your next bachelor party? Something Weird is the place for that, and
virtually every other type of low-brow, low-class, and low-budget film you can
imagine.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Founded in 1990 by Mike Vraney, SWV
has grown into a major distributor of classic, and unusual, genre films. They also specialize in the type of short
films that collector’s love, but that every other distributor ignores. Industrial films, propaganda films,
educational films—name an obscure form of video, and chances are they have it
in stock. From a 1959 film produced by
the Kansas State Board of Health on the dangers of Syphilis, to ‘60’s-vintage
Police training films on how to spot signs of marijuana use, to a promotional
film put out by Karo Syrup entitled THE ENCHANTED POT, virtually every taste and
interest is catered to by the company.
But by far, their stock in trade is the good, old-fashioned,
Exploitation Film.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Precursor to both the Grindhouse films
of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s, and the X-Rated adult features of the ‘70’s and ‘80’s,
Exploitations became big business as the silent era transitioned into
sound. A small group of
producer/distributors, part con-men, part Hollywood mogul, and with a stiff
measure of carnival huckster thrown in, came to dominate the Exploitation
circuits, playing in dingy downtown theaters and out-of-the-way rural
Drive-Ins. Known collectively as “the
Forty Thieves”, these showmen traveled the country exhibiting their films to
curious crowds, always promising the raw, uncensored, unvarnished truth about a
myriad of social ills, from child marriage to the dangers of sexual promiscuity
and drug abuse… and delivering just enough to keep the rubes and yokels happy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Exploitations were the cinematic
equivalent of a traveling sideshow; talk up the crowds, get them excited about
whatever symptom of moral decay was the topic of that week’s film, get them to
lay down their money for a ticket, and then give them pretty much what they
were expecting—a little entertainment, a little skin, a little naughtiness, all
wrapped up in a package that they could regard with a sense of moral outrage
and indignation—while secretly wishing that they themselves could indulge in
some of that naughtiness.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRpEiaH5G2jxrtWCmqQBpRFoSJYQL7VPFiiWyNmpCIjxmPP4fAo9dBBmDDu7wUV5W7DC0aPPrpOwiEf0GEvSlHdOdoQcdS3TZUiIagmq-AE9_cC4pYrspq7uoKD_mLF5juGdqYJKfhpU/s1600/scum_of_earth_poster_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioRpEiaH5G2jxrtWCmqQBpRFoSJYQL7VPFiiWyNmpCIjxmPP4fAo9dBBmDDu7wUV5W7DC0aPPrpOwiEf0GEvSlHdOdoQcdS3TZUiIagmq-AE9_cC4pYrspq7uoKD_mLF5juGdqYJKfhpU/s1600/scum_of_earth_poster_01.jpg" height="320" width="210" /></a>The kings of the Exploitation circuits
made fortunes with these films, often recycling them over and over by splicing
new title cards into the prints, or by trading them to other distributors in
exchange for films that had already worn out their welcome on other
circuits. Names like Kroger Babb, Dave
Friedman, and Dan Sonney might mean little today, but in their era, and in
their arena, they were as powerful and influential as Samuel Goldwyn, Darryl F.
Zanuck, or Walt Disney. They were the
moguls of Exploitation; the men who worked beyond <st1:city w:st="on">Hollywood</st1:city>’s pale, creating films no
“respectable” distributor would dare touch.
In the ‘40’s and ‘50’s, they, and others like them, fought for an end to
censorship of motion pictures and increased freedom for filmmakers, even if
‘mainstream’ filmmakers looked down their collective nose at them.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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As the ‘50’s gave way to the ‘60’s,
the Exploitations began to change. The
moral message that had been such a prominent part of the “Road Show” era of
Exploitation films fell by the wayside as the courts struck down, one by one,
the draconian censorship laws on the motion picture industry. Without the need to justify their more
salacious or risqué content, a new breed of filmmakers, people such as Harry
Novak, Doris Wishman, and Mike and Roberta Findlay began producing a new breed
of Exploitation film.<o:p></o:p></div>
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These were truly exploitative films,
lacking any pretense of cultural or educational value. From Wishman’s ‘Nudie Cuties’ to Herschell G.
Lewis’ gore-filled horrors, the early ‘60’s were an explosion of new trends in
movies, and those on the leading edge of those trends were the Exploitation
filmmakers. The same year that audiences
were shocked by the sight of Janet Leigh dressed only in her undergarments
following an afternoon tryst in PSYCHO, moviegoers in <st1:city w:st="on">New
York City</st1:city>’s <st1:street w:st="on">42<sup>nd</sup>
Street</st1:street> grindhouses were watching Wishman’s NUDE ON
THE MOON, a Sci-Fi “epic” filmed at a <st1:place w:st="on">Florida</st1:place>
nudist colony. Three years before Peter
Fonda starred in the landmark film EASY RIDER, he starred in a not-so-vaguely
similar movie, THE WILD ANGELS, directed by Roger Corman for
American-International Pictures.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
But the Exploitations would go where <st1:place w:st="on">Hollywood</st1:place> dared not
follow, and do so in ways that the major studios wouldn’t think of
emulating. At a time when Hollywood was
still struggling to come to terms with homosexuality, racism, drug abuse, and a
rapidly changing cultural landscape, the Exploitations were treating all of
these topics in an open, frank manner… even if that treatment was less than
honest—or flattering. These were key themes
for the “grindhouse” cinema, the infamous strip of theaters along <st1:street w:st="on">42<sup>nd</sup> Street</st1:street>
in <st1:place w:st="on">Manhattan</st1:place>. A few blocks away might be the bright lights
of Broadway, but here all was darkness and shadow, and it was populated by
those who shunned the light. The
grindhouses of “The Deuce,” as the strip was christened by authors Bill Landis
and Michelle Clifford in their book, <i>Sleazoid
Express: A Mind-Twisting Tour through the Grindhouse Cinema of Times Square</i>,
were where the Exploitation film reached it’s zenith. There you could find an endless variety of
perversion and prurient delights… if you were willing to risk your wallet, or
perhaps your life, for the experience.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
While those who frequented the
theaters that made up the “Deuce” profess fond memories of the experience, the
truth is slightly different. The
grindhouse area was, in fact, a filthy, crime-ridden, two-by-eight block
section of the city that was a breeding ground for prostitution, assault,
robbery, and disease. The only reason
fans of these movies traveled to such a blighted zone was because that was the
only place that you could see these films… and despite their low-quality and
frequently tasteless subject matter, many of these films were worth seeking
out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
New York City’s efforts to remake it’s
public image led to the end of the “Deuce,” as theater after theater was razed
upon the altar of ‘urban renewal’. For
the most part the fans of Exploitations weren't displeased … with the growth of
Home Video and the newfound freedom to watch whatever you might choose in the
privacy of your own home, why brave the dimly-lit alleyways of 42<sup>nd</sup>
Street? And as <st1:city w:st="on">Hollywood</st1:city>’s standards changed, the line
between what was “mainstream” and what wasn’t began, first to blur, then to
vanish altogether. This began as early
as 1969 when an X-Rated film, John Schlesinger’s MIDNIGHT COWBOY, won the Oscar® for
Best Picture. Ironically, this film
examined the lives of two Times Square hustlers played by Jon Voight and Dustin
Hoffman, and their struggle to survive as denizens of the “Deuce.” This led to a spate of semi-respectable adult
films—DEEP THROAT and BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR were two notable titles—that were
shown in first-run theaters. With
Hollywood now free to explore many of the topics that were previously the sole
province of the Exploitation filmmakers, many of them moved into the final
stage in the life cycle of the Exploitation filmmaker—hardcore pornography—and
the true Exploitation film died a slow, lingering death. But the movies that made up the more than
five decades of the Exploitation period haven’t died, though it was only the
efforts of a dedicated few who kept the memory of these films alive, people
like Mike Vraney, Bill Landis, Michelle Clifford, Dave Friedman, Harry Novak,
and others who have worked to preserve these films, and history of the
Exploitation Cinema.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwuEWv7vtr8u8wME1Kdz0YYSOR5iy0nqoZOl0Aaxo_s6M6uaoDYJPrAnjv8Anbkae3M3_bFJaJlOSJuu2qpI0SB3UM5-VdE1k3QJR0cjPOzV7nFhnOyEagXDsGXKPvKg90-bhVtcNUYA/s1600/vraney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwuEWv7vtr8u8wME1Kdz0YYSOR5iy0nqoZOl0Aaxo_s6M6uaoDYJPrAnjv8Anbkae3M3_bFJaJlOSJuu2qpI0SB3UM5-VdE1k3QJR0cjPOzV7nFhnOyEagXDsGXKPvKg90-bhVtcNUYA/s1600/vraney.jpg" height="320" width="262" /></a></div>
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While it’s easy to dismiss these
movies as trashy, lewd, and without redeeming value, I believe that is far too
harsh a judgment. Yes, these films were
trashy, designed primarily to titillate and tease their audiences … and to
that, I say, “So what?” Could not the
same be said for most of the motion picture industry? The goal of producers and distributors hasn't
changed since Edison screened his GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY in the 1890’s—to put
asses in seats—at whatever ticket price the market would bear. If the Exploitation filmmakers hadn't given
the movie-going public what they wanted, then they wouldn’t have accomplished
this. And if they hadn't accomplished
the task of selling tickets, then they wouldn’t have lasted as long as they
did. Trashy—yes. Lewd, lascivious, exploitive, prurient,
pandering, coarse, vulgar, bawdy … yes, they were all of the above.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
But they were also entertaining. Sometimes that’s good enough. Sometimes, that’s just what you’re in the
mood for. And thanks to Mike Vraney and
his Something Weird Video, we can indulge that mood whenever it strikes. And not in some run-down, flea-ridden,
rat-infested den of iniquity with a movie screen, but in the comfort of our own
homes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-21632531664463444222014-11-05T17:20:00.000-05:002014-11-05T17:20:27.674-05:00DVD Review: GOJIRA / GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS 2-Disc Collector’s SetTitle: GOJIRA / GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS 2-Disc Collector’s Set<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnFzXKoLfiTmczqBR1LDuIVLigtJZ9iaXJlpFUZ-4jWWo96LNjY6IbvWQ_RMBbkpoyDiIXF1L1_ROkd1QtxsR4ni1aoHAclze0xCvZsYNiyUhoFmEqNpdUFQ2xPndChlLsCxzkhtFkD4/s1600/51HEXHBZ4VL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtnFzXKoLfiTmczqBR1LDuIVLigtJZ9iaXJlpFUZ-4jWWo96LNjY6IbvWQ_RMBbkpoyDiIXF1L1_ROkd1QtxsR4ni1aoHAclze0xCvZsYNiyUhoFmEqNpdUFQ2xPndChlLsCxzkhtFkD4/s1600/51HEXHBZ4VL.jpg" height="320" width="229" /></a><br />
Year of Release—Film: 1954<br />
<br />
Year of Release—DVD: 2006<br />
<br />
DVD Label: Sony / Classic Media<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="SectionTitle-CSReview" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">THE MOVIE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">GOJIRA—(1954)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> For fifty
years, American audiences have known only one version of the definitive
Japanese Monster Movie, GOJIRA; the edited-for-American distribution version entitled
GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS. Though
VHS tapes of the original Japanese edit, while hard to find, were available
here, for most of us the version that had been pieced together with footage of
Raymond Burr was the only GODZILLA to which we had access. That all changed earlier this month with the
release of Classic Media’s gorgeous 2-disc GOJIRA Collector’s Set.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> Those of you
who think you know this movie really must see the original. Everything that serves to detract from the
quality of the <st1:place w:st="on">Hollywood</st1:place> version is gone, and
we can see just how much was cut, both to tone down the serious message of the
Japanese film, and to make room for the spliced-in scenes. This movie, which for all the excitement and
affection it engenders has always seemed a weakly-plotted mish-mash driven only
by action, now stands revealed in its unadulterated form as a thoughtful,
literate film, nearly twenty minutes longer than the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region></st1:place> edit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> Moments that
wound up on a cutting-room floor in <st1:place w:st="on">Hollywood</st1:place>
help to convey the original intent of the film’s creators: Gojira isn’t just some honked-off dinosaur
out for a meal. He is the very
incarnation of the hell <st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region>
brought down upon itself during World War II, including the embodiment of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s
ultimate nightmare, the Atomic Bomb. In
a telling line of dialogue that failed to make it into the Hollywood edit, a
young couple is discussing finding a shelter if Gojira should attack <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:city></st1:place>. Another man, hearing this, comments “Not the
shelters again… that really stinks!”
Memories of the war were still fresh in the collective Japanese
conscious, and comment similar to this throughout the film, while having
tremendous relevance for Japanese audiences of the mid-‘50’s, would have been
problematic at best for audiences in the U.S.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> I’ve waited
a lifetime to see this version of one of my favorite films, only to discover
that they are two different movies entirely.
But I certainly wasn’t disappointed, and now have an even deeper
appreciation for the Big G.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS—(1956)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> I reviewed
this movie once already during Kaijû Month here at CreatureScape, and there
isn’t much I can say to alter my original opinions of this film. It remains one of my favorites, and has been
for most of my life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> The one
thing that I can add to that assessment is that, as much as I do love this
version, to deny that it is vastly inferior to the original GOJIRA would be
intellectually dishonest; having them together for direct comparison only
serves to highlight those inferiorities.
The thoughtful, deliberate pacing and intelligent scripting of the
original is completely lost here, as a 98-minute film is condensed into less
than 80 minutes, eliminating most of the plot and virtually all of the
character development.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyc-1fcIzG0KoBLUti5tyZ02RVqzdAQs2xId8JAJ2TZ4TluAMthLso9pzzjF_hrTjN2pQrz9JfBJtbw0FzExCfRE400eTJohJe8gyfhFv4qbGj8o8B_COymzIzSdtfMjHVNayBTXZAQc/s1600/Gojira_1954_Japanese_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyc-1fcIzG0KoBLUti5tyZ02RVqzdAQs2xId8JAJ2TZ4TluAMthLso9pzzjF_hrTjN2pQrz9JfBJtbw0FzExCfRE400eTJohJe8gyfhFv4qbGj8o8B_COymzIzSdtfMjHVNayBTXZAQc/s1600/Gojira_1954_Japanese_poster.jpg" height="320" width="227" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> Still, this
is the version I first saw decades ago as a young MonsterKid, and it was
impressive enough, even in its heavily-altered form, to inspire a life-long
love of Kaijû movies. It’s nowhere near
as good as the original… but that still makes it better than any other giant
monster movie of its era.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="SectionTitle-CSReview" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">THE DISC<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> This 2-disc
set is beautifully packaged in a stout Digipak case like the ones used for the
Universal Legacy Collections. If
anything, the graphic design is nicer than that for the Universal sets, and far
superior to the standard artwork used for most of the Toho films released to
DVD, much more subdued and somber, fitting the mood of the films inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> In keeping
with Japanese packaging standards, the whole is surrounded by a belly-band
containing the DVD specifications, making a very attractive package indeed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> The two
discs contained within all this beautiful packaging are certainly worthy of the
advance press, though I can’t help thinking that they could be better. The print used for the GOJIRA transfer looked
great to me, though I have seen complaints about it being an inferior
print. Frankly, I think such complaints
are typical videophile snobbery. The
transfer is far superior to any print of GODZILLA that I’ve previously seen,
and that’s good enough to satisfy me.
I’m not sure how much you can expect from fifty-year old celluloid. And as for the GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS
transfer, while it is much better than any I’ve seen before, doesn’t quite
match the quality of the GOJIRA print.
Perhaps this is due to the original masters not being equal in quality. Still, the transfer is superior to any I’ve
seen before.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> The one flaw
that is present is the audio quality on GODZILLA. I understand that they are working with aging
recordings, but still, some effort could’ve been made to clean the tracks up for
this release. Barring that, at least
provide subtitles for GODZILLA. (GOJIRA,
with the original Japanese audio, is already subtitled…)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> On the
whole, this is a beautiful set, and is just one more in a list of terrific
releases of classic Horror and Sci-Fi films that we’ve been blessed with over
the past few years. It’s a trend I hope
to see continue. Fortunately, Classic
Media has two additional releases scheduled for November that will follow this
format: GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN and
GODZILLA vs. MOTHRA.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="SectionTitle-CSReview" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">THE SPECIAL FEATURES<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWQsvKqwiV18cUSLZBZiuVNWAnLWmmjLxf2kpxy-jmM0sNdqA2ACd42fuV1watYs1W-l2MiEcij5EfMf84G27X2tn8Jsn5E-eoUu98MpXiR4-cyCoBsObNUjoXQv4pQHAlLCrmqotXds/s1600/Godzilla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWQsvKqwiV18cUSLZBZiuVNWAnLWmmjLxf2kpxy-jmM0sNdqA2ACd42fuV1watYs1W-l2MiEcij5EfMf84G27X2tn8Jsn5E-eoUu98MpXiR4-cyCoBsObNUjoXQv4pQHAlLCrmqotXds/s1600/Godzilla.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Goudy Old Style, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> In terms of
special features on these discs, there’s not a lot present that really
impresses. What’s there is good, but
this </span><span style="font-size: 19px;">isn't</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> a set that people will buy because of the extras.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> The GOJIRA
disc has the lion’s share of extras, with two featurettes; one on the story
development, and one on the design of the first Goji-suits. Both of these are sparse and cheap-looking,
composed primarily of still photographs and voice-over narration. Still, they are fascinating glimpses at the
genesis of the king of kaijû, and are worth watching.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> The
commentaries on each film, well done by Steve Ryfle and Ed Godiziszewski, are
interesting and informative, avoiding becoming pedantic and lecturing. They even manage to slip a rather obvious “<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Brokeback</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Mountain</st1:placetype></st1:place>” reference in during one of
Raymond Burr’s GODZILLA scenes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> The only
real extra on the GODZILLA disc, other than the commentary, is the original
trailer for the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region></st1:place>
release.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"> Overall,
while these extras do add to the set, they’re not why you want to buy this
DVD. The opportunity to finally own the
original GOJIRA, uncut and unedited, is all the “special feature” you need for
that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="SectionTitle-CSReview" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">IN CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Goudy Old Style, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> As I said
earlier, I’ve waited a lifetime to see the original GOJIRA, and I was not
disappointed. My affection for GODZILLA,
KING OF THE MONSTERS, the version I grew up with, </span><span style="font-size: 19px;">hasn't</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> changed. I still love it despite all its flaws and
faults. But it </span></span><i style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;">is</i><span style="font-family: Goudy Old Style, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> badly flawed, and that can’t be ignored. Now you can see, in direct comparison, just
how good the original was, and why, even adulterated the way it was, it still
had the power to enthrall generations.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-79791226107805696302014-11-05T17:11:00.000-05:002014-11-05T17:11:35.616-05:00KAIJÛ 101: A Beginner’s Guide to the Giant Monsters of Japanese Cinema<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJzGLXUNgnTdVdufpkOHB7smfn9GGRVrWpvgGu_3huCWouhumLCzI-K3YdPK1UyqNoXw8K1K2rWmuOSDfoqh0zMD9-wm0uPg8Vv_X3YevUHS6wPEVBqRrGQCfX0R-6_RNmcdQVb5kvh4/s1600/PHrdMhEulnZuvr_1_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJzGLXUNgnTdVdufpkOHB7smfn9GGRVrWpvgGu_3huCWouhumLCzI-K3YdPK1UyqNoXw8K1K2rWmuOSDfoqh0zMD9-wm0uPg8Vv_X3YevUHS6wPEVBqRrGQCfX0R-6_RNmcdQVb5kvh4/s1600/PHrdMhEulnZuvr_1_m.jpg" height="167" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Say “Godzilla,” and
everyone knows what you mean and to whom you’re referring. Say “Kaijû,” and most people say, “What’s
that mean?” Simply put, <i>Kaijû</i> are the giant monsters of Japanese
movies: Godzilla; Rodan; Mothra; and their kin.
For those new to the genre, it can be a daunting task trying to sort out
the confusing variety of Monsters, Aliens, and the movies associated with
them. While I’m far from an expert, I am
going to try to give you the basic history of the Kaijû genre from 1954 to
2004, but with emphasis on the first twenty years of Godzilla’s reign. These are the movies everyone should start
with if they want to know Kaijû <i>Eiga</i>
in general, and Godzilla movies in particular.
Though most would say there’s no difference, that would be shortsighted
and factually incorrect, and would be comparable to saying that all Universal
Horrors are Frankenstein movies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> Also, those familiar with my columns
know that they are often a mix of fact and opinion. Where I state fact, I do my utmost to
research and confirm those facts, and I want to acknowledge those sources
now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> First and foremost in all my research
is <a href="http://www.imdb.com/">www.imdb.com</a>. This has got to be the best website ever
devised for those looking for information on virtually any movie, classic or
current; and my work would be much more difficult without it. Also, two websites devoted to Kaijû films
have proven invaluable for this article:
<a href="http://www.tohokingdom.com/">www.tohokingdom.com</a>, and <a href="http://gojistomp.org/">Gojistomp.org</a>.
I heartily recommend them to Kaijû-lovers everywhere.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> As to my opinions… well, they’re my
opinions. You don’t have to agree with
them, just don’t expect me to change them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> And one last acknowledgement is in
order, as well as a huge thank-you, to my fellow CreatureScape writer Elizabeth
Haney. Her assistance with the research
on this piece has been invaluable, and it, as well as her friendship, is
greatly appreciated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> My purpose with this article is
simple: To share with you my love of
Kaijû<i> Eiga</i>, (Monster Movies…) and hopefully give you an appreciation of
them that will inspire you to delve deeper into these fascinating films.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">The World of the Kaijû—a Primer<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> To really understand the World of
Kaijû films, it is helpful to have a basic knowledge of some of the terms used
to describe these films. Most are
Japanese in origin, and can be confusing for western fans. Hopefully, I can help cut through some of the
confusion, and make these films a little more accessible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> First, you will occasionally see me
refer to a “Goji.” That is the
diminutive of “Gojira,” and is usually used in identifying a Godzilla from a
specific film, by identifying the version of the Goji-Suit used in the
production. The suits were named by a
combination of some descriptive term from the film, often another Kaijû, and
the “-goji” suffix. Thus, Kingoji was
the Godzilla from KINGUKONGU TAI GOJIRA
~aka~ KING KONG vs.
GODZILLA. Here is a complete list of the
various Goji-suits, courtesy of <a href="http://gojistomp.org/">Gojistomp.org</a>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 42.55pt; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyText2" style="margin-left: 42.55pt;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Shodaigoji (1954)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Gyakushugoji (1955)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Kingoji (1962)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Mosugoji I (1964)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Mosugoji II (1964)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Daisengoji (1965)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Musukugoji (1967)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Daisengoji (1965-1966)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Soshingekigoji (1968-1972)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Megarogoji (1973)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Mekagoji (1974)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Mekagyakushugoji (1975)</span></div>
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 42.55pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">1984-Goji (1984)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Biogoji / Ghidogoji (1989-1991)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Batogoji (1992)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Radogoji (1993)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Mogegoji (1994)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Desugoji (1995)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Amerigoji (1998)</div>
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 42.55pt; text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Miregoji (1999)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
Giragoji (2000)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
GMK-Goji (2001)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Kiryugoji (2002)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Kiryu-Mosugoji (2003)</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Fainarugoji (2004)</div>
<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="CreaturescapeText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";"> The reason there were so many
variations is a simple one: The suits
seldom lasted through more than one production, and some barely survived
one. The foam rubber they were composed
of broke down rapidly, and within a short time the suit would be unusable. All that remains of virtually all the
goji-suits now are bits of decaying rubber.
And each iteration of the suits would lead to changes; some minor, but a
few major ones occurred through the years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> Secondly, as you may notice in the
headings for the following sections, I refer to the period of the early films
as the <i>Showa</i> era, the era this
article will focus on. Toho’s Kaijû films
are divided into three periods: Showa; <i>Heisei</i>; (or “Versus” in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region></st1:place>…)
and Millennium. The first two correspond
roughly to the Japanese calendar; while the third, obviously, gains it’s name
from the fact that it began in 1999. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> In the Japanese method of
date-keeping, a new era begins with the death of the current Emperor, and the
ascension of his successor. Thus, the <i>Taish</i></span><span class="CreaturescapeTextChar"><i>ō</i></span><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> era ended in 1926
with the death of the Taish</span><span class="CreaturescapeTextChar">ō</span><span class="CreaturescapeTextChar"><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> Emperor Yoshihito, and the Showa
era began as his son, Crown Prince Hirohito, succeeded him. In that calendar, GOJIRA debuted in Showa-29,
the twenty-ninth year of the Showa Emperor’s reign… And you thought Leap years and Daylight
Savings time were complicated.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGr8yt69KC5fTHZ2WK2tFkivMXi3dun6MpEKwwlHmkN6LToGeYlBh28_dSs-6y9DZYVj5C-dj71SsL-RuHhvATNGh2d-cV6LL4boCqibyFvCo8v9yJhWHNfNrWB-kRPNvUWP_jCRG0oxg/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGr8yt69KC5fTHZ2WK2tFkivMXi3dun6MpEKwwlHmkN6LToGeYlBh28_dSs-6y9DZYVj5C-dj71SsL-RuHhvATNGh2d-cV6LL4boCqibyFvCo8v9yJhWHNfNrWB-kRPNvUWP_jCRG0oxg/s1600/images.jpg" /></a><span class="CreaturescapeTextChar"><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> Thirdly, of course Toho
wasn’t the only studio in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region></st1:place>
producing Kaijû Eiga. Daiei Studios had
Gamera, Nikkatsu had Gappa… but Toho was king of Kaijû movies, and Toho’s who
I’ll concentrate on here.</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">THE
BEGINNING—(1954)</span><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> The first of Toho’s Kaijû Eiga was and
still is the best ever: 1954’s
GOJIRA. Directed by Ishirô Honda, this
allegorical commentary on the Atomic Age was toned down and significantly
altered to appeal to the American market when it appeared here in 1956 as
GODZILLA, KING OF THE MONSTERS. While
inferior to the original Japanese version, it retains the original’s stark,
apocalyptic feel and dark tone that made it so effective.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWQsvKqwiV18cUSLZBZiuVNWAnLWmmjLxf2kpxy-jmM0sNdqA2ACd42fuV1watYs1W-l2MiEcij5EfMf84G27X2tn8Jsn5E-eoUu98MpXiR4-cyCoBsObNUjoXQv4pQHAlLCrmqotXds/s1600/Godzilla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWQsvKqwiV18cUSLZBZiuVNWAnLWmmjLxf2kpxy-jmM0sNdqA2ACd42fuV1watYs1W-l2MiEcij5EfMf84G27X2tn8Jsn5E-eoUu98MpXiR4-cyCoBsObNUjoXQv4pQHAlLCrmqotXds/s1600/Godzilla.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> Perhaps the most influential
Monster-Movie since 1933’s KING KONG, more than a score of sequels and dozens
of imitators have followed this film, cementing Godzilla’s place as a
pop-culture icon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> The
Early <i>SHOWA</i>-Era—(1954-1962)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> With the dramatic success of GOJIRA,
Toho soon had a sequel in the works, as well as other Kaijû on the drawing
boards. <span style="mso-no-proof: yes; text-transform: uppercase;">Gojira no gyakushû</span> ~aka~ GODZILLA’S COUNTER-ATTACK; GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN; GIGANTIS THE
FIRE-MONSTER (1955), was released barely six months after GOJIRA
premiered, and established Godzilla as a superstar in his homeland. It also introduced a second Kaijû, Anguirus,
who battled Godzilla thus beginning a long-running theme in the Toho
films. <span class="CreaturescapeTextChar"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">The
next Kaijû to make their appearance came a year later, in the form of gigantic
flying reptiles named Rodan. SORA NO
DAIKAIJÛ RADON ~aka~ RADON THE MONSTER OF THE SKY; RODAN (1956), was the first
Kaijû film shot in color, and introduced not only the two Rodan, but also a
beetle-like Kaijû called a Meganulon which the newly-hatched Rodans fed on. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="CreaturescapeTextChar"><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> RODAN was quickly followed
by <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">Chikyu Boeigun</span> ~aka~ EARTH
DEFENSE FORCE; THE MYSTERIANS (1957).
While this was, strictly speaking, more of a <i>Tokusatsu</i>, or
Special Effects (Sci-Fi, in other words…), film, rather than Kaijû movie, Toho
insisted upon at least one Kaijû in the production. Thus was born Moguera, in his only appearance
to date. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="CreaturescapeTextChar"><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> A year later Varan made
his first appearance in DAIKAIJÛ BARAN ~aka~ GREAT MONSTER VARAN; VARAN THE
UNBELIEVABLE. Though Varan was little
more than a clone of Godzilla, (some stock footage of Godzilla was actually
used by mistake…) it was still an interesting movie; at least, the Japanese
version was. It received the usual
slice-and-dice edit job from it’s American distributor, who dropped in extra
footage involving a U.S. Naval officer conducting secret experiments.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="CreaturescapeTextChar"><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> The
Kaijû scene was quiet for the next few years, as Toho concentrated on producing
more Tokusatsu, such as UCHU DAISENSO ~aka~ THE GREAT SPACE WAR; BATTLE IN
OUTER SPACE. It would be 1961 before
another Kaijû came along, in MOSURA ~aka~ MOTHRA. One of Toho’s most popular monsters, Mothra
became a recurring star in the Kaijû Eiga, with some variation of the Kaijû
appearing in no less than 14 movies, spanning all three eras.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span class="CreaturescapeTextChar"><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> 1962
saw the return of Godzilla himself, along with a guest, in KINGUKONGU TAI
GOJIRA ~aka~ KING KONG vs. GODZILLA. The
original Japanese version was intended to be light-hearted and comedic; aimed
more at children. Godzilla himself
underwent several changes, even to the point of the Kingoji suit having a
softer, friendlier appearance, thereby creating the worst looking Goji in the
series.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span class="CreaturescapeTextChar"><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">However, an absolutely abysmal
editing job on the part of Universal, the film’s co-producer and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>
distributor, ladled on the melodrama with edited-in segments of “UN News”
broadcasts featuring no-talent American actors, and ruined the intent of the
film’s creators. What should have been a
funny, enjoyable comedy now gets its laughs for the entirely wrong reasons.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span class="CreaturescapeTextChar"><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">And let’s take the opportunity to
dispel a myth that has sprung up concerning the Japanese, as opposed to the <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region>, versions of this film: That Godzilla wins in the Japanese version
and Kong in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region></st1:place>
edit. Kong is the winner in both, and
was intended to be from the beginning.
The only difference is in the sound effects in the last scene; in the
Japanese version, you hear Godzilla’s roar as well as Kong’s as Kong swims
away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="CreaturescapeTextChar"><b><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
</span></b></span>
</div>
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<span class="CreaturescapeTextChar"><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">The Mid-Showa Films—(1963-1969)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="CreaturescapeTextChar"><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> Though
1963 didn’t see the release of a film starring one of the more popular Kaijû,
it did give us a very good movie that blended the Kaijû and Tokusatsu
formats. </span></span><strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal; text-transform: uppercase;">Kaitei gunkan ~aka~ UNDERSEA
BATTLESHIP; ATRAGON </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal;">was a skillfully done Sci-Fi epic, and introduced us to Manda, a
dragon-like sea serpent that was the defender of the undersea kingdom of
Mu. The original Manda was destroyed by
the Submarine Gotengo, but there were obviously others, as the Kaijû has made
repeated appearances.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal;"> 1964 was a big year for Toho’s growing
stable of Kaijû. Not only were there two
Godzilla films released that year (the only year that would see twin Goji
releases…) but it would also produce <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">Uchu
daiKaijû Dogora</span> ~aka~ SPACE MONSTER DOGORA; DAGORA, THE SPACE
MONSTER. <o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal;">While this
would be this Kaijû’s only appearance, it was a memorable one, and it is
deserving of more attention than it gets.
Looking like a gigantic space jellyfish, Dogora was certainly one of
Toho’s strangest Kaijû; at least, until much later in the series.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal;"> Also released in 1964 was MOSURA TAI
GOJIRA ~aka~ MOTHRA vs. GODZILLA; GODZILLA vs. THE THING. Always a popular Kaijû, Mothra’s second
appearance is the one most western audiences remember when they think of the
giant moth.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal;"> But the best Kaijû film of 1964, and
the one that had the greatest impact on the Showa series, was </span></strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; text-transform: uppercase;">San Daikaiju: Chikyu saidai no
kessen</span><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> ~aka~ <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">Three Giant Monsters: The Earth's Greatest
Decisive Battle</span>; GHIDRAH, THE THREE-HEADED MONSTER. This was the seminal film of the Showa
period, transforming the three main Kaijû, especially Godzilla, into the
anointed protectors of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region></st1:place>. It also introduces the quintessential villain
of the series, King Ghidorah. Ghidorah,
three-headed dragon monster, would plague Godzilla throughout the franchise,
appearing in no fewer than seven films in all three periods.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> 1965 brought
the return of King Ghidorah, this time with a new name and under alien
control. KAIJÛ DAISENSO ~aka~ WAR OF THE
MONSTERS; GODZILLA vs. MONSTER ZERO, was basically a continuation of the
previous film; only this time, Ghidorah was under the control of the Xilians, a
race of aliens bent on world conquest.
While this was the first time aliens made such an appearance in a
Godzilla film, it certainly wouldn’t be the last. Alien races soon became a staple plot point
of the Godzilla writers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> The other
Kaijû film released in 1965 should be familiar to regular readers of this
column… a couple of months ago I listed it as one of the three worst movies in
my collection: <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">Furankenshutain tai chitei kaijû Baragon </span>~aka~ FRANKENSTEIN
vs. THE SUBTERRANEAN MONSTER BARAGON; FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD. Though in its original form it might very
well be a decent Kaijû Eiga, it was so horribly chopped down for the export
market that it lost all of whatever charm it might have possessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> Godzilla
returned in 1966, in what was his weakest Showa outing thus far: <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">Gojira,
Ebirâ, Mosura: Nankai no daiketto</span> ~aka~ GODZILLA, EBIRAH, MOTHRA: BIG
DUEL IN THE SOUTH SEAS; GODZILLA vs. THE SEA MONSTER. You know, over the years Kaijû lovers have
had to put up with some rather outlandish creatures; giant moths, a giant
animated rose, Raymond Burr… but Ebirah the giant shrimp has to take the
prize. Fortunately, the other film
produced that year was much, much better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">Furankenshutain no kaijû: Sanda tai Gaira</span>
~aka~ FRANKENSTEIN’S MONSTERS: SANDA vs. GAIRA; WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS, was a
direct sequel of the previous year’s FRANKENSTEIN CONQUERS THE WORLD, but far
exceeded the earlier film in terms of quality.
The Kaijû, Sanda and Gaira, were the offspring of the Frankenstein’s
Monster from the previous year; unlike that monster, these two were somewhat
interesting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> Continuing
the trend of the previous two years, Toho released two Kaijû films in 1967, one
featuring Godzilla, and one that didn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> The Godzilla
franchise continued a decline in quality began when Honda left the series as
director, after GODZILLA vs. MONSTER ZERO, with <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">Kaijûtô no Kessen: Gojira no Musuko
~</span>aka<span style="text-transform: uppercase;">~ </span></span><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on"><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; text-transform: uppercase;">Monster</span></st1:placename><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; text-transform: uppercase;"> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Island</st1:placetype></span></st1:place><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; text-transform: uppercase;">'s
Decisive Battle: Godzilla's Son</span><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; text-transform: uppercase;">; Son of Godzilla</span><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">. This, Jun Fukuda’s second
outing as director of a Godzilla film, marked the beginning of the series’
shift to cater to the children’s market.
The </span><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">Musukugoji suit used through much
of this film (the Daisengoji suit was used for the underwater scenes…) had a
much softer, friendlier appearance, similar to the Kingoji suit used five years
previously. The plot was also rendered
kinder and gentler, though certainly not better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> I’d like to say that
Toho’s second production of 1967 was better, but that would be stretching the
truth. KINGUKONGU NO GYAKUSHU ~aka~
KING KONG’S COUNTERATTACK; KING KONG ESCAPES was purportedly a sequel to
KING KONG vs. GODZILLA, though in fact it bore no similarity to the previous
film. In comparison, it was fairly
decent; though the plot, as in many Kaijû Eiga, was superfluous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> 1968 saw the release of
only one Kaijû film, but it also marked the return of Ishirô Honda to the
director’s chair of the Godzilla series.
He quickly restored the franchise to some semblance of its former glory,
giving us one of the best Goji-films ever:
</span><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">KAIJÛ SÔSHINGEKI ~aka~
MONSTER INVASION; DESTROY ALL MONSTERS.
Featuring virtually every Kaijû yet encountered by Godzilla, plus a few
that had made solo appearances, DESTROY ALL MONSTERS had everything a Kaijû
epic should… massive destruction; alien invaders; mega-Kaijû battles; and, of
course, King Ghidorah getting his ass kicked.
It’s still one of my favorite movies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> Once again, Toho returned to the formula of two Kaijû films
for 1969, with one being a Godzilla picture.
<span style="text-transform: uppercase;">Gojira-Minira-Gabara: Oru Kaijû
Daishingeki ~</span>aka<span style="text-transform: uppercase;">~
Godzilla’s Revenge</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"> was Honda’s
next-to-last Godzilla film, though his run didn’t end soon enough. Easily the worst of the franchise’s
fifty-year run, GODZILLA’S REVENGE was a Goji-film for the Sesame Street crowd;
a juvenile romp seen through the eyes of a young boy who befriends Minilla, the
son of Godzilla. Whether this happens in
the boy’s imagination or not is uncertain; but this somehow gives him the
ability to defeat an entire gang of criminals.
The genius that had been behind the special effects of the Godzilla
franchise from its inception, <strong><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Eiji Tsuburaya, was bedridden during the filming, (he would die within
months…) and Honda supervised the effects work himself. Most of the sequences featuring the various
Kaijû were stock footage, cobbled together from earlier films.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal;"> The
second release that year was a return to the Tokusatsu / Kaijû blend of a few
years before. </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal; text-transform: uppercase;">Ido zero daisakusen</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal;"> ~aka~ LATITUDE ZERO: GREAT MILITARY BATTLE;
LATITUDE ZERO, was one of the most eccentric Eiga released by Toho, with the
crew of a submarine named the Alpha doing battle with the evil Dr. Malik,
played by Cesar Romero. Yes, I’m talking
about the Joker. One of Malik’s
creations is a 100-foot lion; with giant condor wings surgically grafted on,
and for some reason named the Black Moth.
As Kaijû goes, perhaps not the best concept, but then, maybe that could
be said for the film as a whole.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal;"> <o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
</span></strong>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">The Late Showa—(1970-1975)<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal;"> 1970
was the first year since 1963 without an appearance from Godzilla, or in fact
any of Toho’s other A-list monsters. But
that doesn’t mean the year was Kaijû-free, with the release of Honda’s </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal; text-transform: uppercase;">Gezora, Ganime, Kameba: Kessen!
Nankai no daikaijû</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal;"> ~aka~ </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal; text-transform: uppercase;">Gezora,
Ganimes, Kamoebas</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal; text-transform: uppercase;">: </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal; text-transform: uppercase;">Decisive
Battle! Giant Monsters of the <st1:place w:st="on">South Seas</st1:place></span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal;">; YOG: MONSTER FROM SPACE. One of the better late Showa films, it’s
unfamiliar to most American viewers, but the excellent Tokyo Shock / Media
Blasters disc, sold under the title </span></strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; text-transform: uppercase;">Space Ameoba - Gezora, Ganime,
Kameba </span><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;">is worth seeking out.</span><strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="CreaturescapeText" style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Yoshimitsu Banno briefly assumed
the helm of the Godzilla franchise in 1971 with</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";"> GOJIRA TAI HEDORÂ ~aka~
GODZILLA vs. HEDORAH; GODZILLA vs. THE SMOG MONSTER. Purely a environmentalist’s infomercial, it’s
a very boring outing for the Big G despite a few interesting segments,
including a scene of Godzilla flying, using his nuclear breath for rocket
propulsion. So poorly was this film
received that the Godfather of the G-franchise, Tomoyuki Tanaka, exploded in
rage at Banno, informing him that he had ruined the series. A new Godzilla film was immediately rushed
into production, and a planned sequel to GODZILLA vs. HEDORAH was quickly
cancelled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="CreaturescapeText" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";"> <strong><span style="font-weight: normal; text-transform: uppercase;">Chikyû kogeki meirei: Gojira tai Gaigan</span></strong>
~aka~ EARTH DESTRUCTION DIRECTIVE: GODZILLA vs. GIGAN; GODZILLA ON MONSTER ISLAND,
released in 1972, marked Jun Fukuda’s return as director, with a better effort
than usual from him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="CreaturescapeText" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">True,
there is a certain level of silliness that Fukuda just couldn’t avoid,
including a scene where Godzilla and Angirus are speaking to each other. While this was done in the original Japanese
edit through the use of cartoonish “word balloons,” in the English-language
version we actually hear the Monsters speaking.
Still, in comparison to the previous GODZILLA vs. THE SMOG MONSTER, I
can live with a little silliness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="CreaturescapeText" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">1973’s
GOJIRA TAI MEGARO ~aka~ GODZILLA vs. MEGALON was the most interesting Goji-film
of the 1970’s, and while aimed almost exclusively at the youth market, still
manages to entertain. It was also a
vehicle for one of Toho’s most spectacular publicity campaigns, one which
invited children to design a character for the film. The winning design was an Ultraman-like
character named Jet Jaguar. This heroic
robot was able to use martial arts, fly, and grow to enormous size to battle evil. He and Godzilla quickly unite to battle
Megalon and Gigan, in a Kaijû fight that must be seen to be believed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="CreaturescapeText" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">1974
gave us a new evil Kaijû to root against, a new ally for Godzilla, and marked
the Big Guy’s 20<sup>th</sup> anniversary.
GOJIRA TAI MEKAGOJIRA ~aka~ GODZILLA vs. MECHAGODZILLA; GODZILLA vs. THE
COSMIC MONSTER was also Jun Fukuda’s last turn as director; unfortunately, it
worked no better than most of his films.
It did introduce the villains of the last two Showa films: Mechagodzilla, a mechanical replica of
Godzilla designed to beat him in combat; and the aliens from the Black Hole who
created him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="CreaturescapeText" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">We
were also introduced to a new Kaijû protector of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region></st1:place>, Kingushîsâ, or King
Shisa. In the English-language version,
this became King Caesar. King Caesar is
the embodiment of the lion-dog guardian spirits (or Shîsâ…) that are
represented by statues on the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">island</st1:placetype>
of <st1:placename w:st="on">Okinawa</st1:placename></st1:place>. This would be his only appearance until <strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">GOJIRA: FAINARU UÔZU</span></strong>
~aka~ GODZILLA: FINAL WARS in 2004. (See
my review of GFW in Creatures Featured, elsewhere on the CreatureScape site…)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="CreaturescapeText" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">The
Showa era ended, not with a bang but a whimper, in 1975. Ishirô Honda returned one last time to the
director’s chair; but he had very little to work with in <strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">MEKAGOJIRA NO GYAKUSHU ~aka~
MECHAGODZILLA’S COUNTER-ATTACK; TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA. The plot was little more than a rehash of the
previous film, and not even Honda’s talent as director could overcome the
film’s negatives. The series ground to a
halt, and would lie dormant for nearly the next decade.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
</span></strong>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Heisei
Era—(1984-1995)<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="CreaturescapeText" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Heisei era (also known as the “Versus” era in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region></st1:place>…) began, as did the Showa,
with GOJIRA ~aka~ THE RETURN OF GODZILLA; GODZILLA 1985, released in 1984. It ended just over a decade later with GOJIRA
VS DESUTOROIA ~aka~ GODZILLA vs. DESTOROYAH.
A much darker series, it ignored everything that had occurred following
the original, 1954 film. This Godzilla
was no protector of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Japan</st1:country-region></st1:place>,
and gone too were the kid-friendly plots of the late ‘60’s-early ‘70’s. The death of Godzilla at the hands of
Destoroyah in 1995 ended the Heisei era with one of the best, albeit most
emotional, outings in the franchise’s history.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="CreaturescapeText" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Millennium
Era—(1999-2004)<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="CreaturescapeText" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";">Following
the failure of Tristar Pictures’ 1998 version of GODZILLA, directed by Roland
Emmerich, to capture the affections of the Kaijû faithful, Toho decided that
the public was ready for the return of the real Godzilla, and the Millennium
era began with <strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">GOJIRA NI-SEN MIRENIAMU ~aka~ GODZILLA 2000: MILLENNIUM; GODZILLA
2000. </span></strong>(See my review of
G2K in Creatures Featured, elsewhere on the CreatureScape site…)<strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">
Easily the best-looking Godzilla production yet, the special effects had
progressed to the point where CGI sequences were used for the first time in a
Godzilla film (I don’t count GINO…) and work wonderfully in combination with
the Suitmation techniques pioneered by Toho.
The Millennium era would only last five years, but produced some of the
franchises most memorable films.
Certainly GODZILLA: FINAL WARS must be considered one of the best since
the heyday of Ishirô Honda.<o:p></o:p></span></strong></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong><span style="font-family: 'Goudy Old Style', serif;"><br clear="all" style="page-break-before: always;" />
</span></strong>
</div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Future of
Kaijû Eiga—(?)<o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
<div class="CreaturescapeText" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="CreaturescapeText" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<strong><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">With the end of the Millennium era, and Toho’s reluctance to discuss
future Godzilla films, fans are left to wonder how long it will be before that
familiar roar is once more heard rising from the waters of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Tokyo</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">Bay</st1:placetype></st1:place>. For Godzilla to have fought his last battle
is incomprehensible to me, as I’m sure it is to many of my fellow
Goji-fans. Godzilla, as others have
observed before me, is a force of nature; an elemental being, whether for good
or bad. He’s not a dinosaur run amok, or
an experiment gone wrong. He simply…
IS. To imagine that coming to an end
would mean the death of something that I’m not prepared to see die. And if I’m lucky, I’ll never have to be.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-8761264130827509922014-10-29T03:06:00.000-04:002014-10-30T11:36:07.955-04:00Packing for Transylvania<br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRX6Pm6jYTk6n-qY5yvMB8ScbWzHKlkLT3CbjI3zaNZuC1dAVSRfSxv8AyZBP4vVRYIzs0svzDbJ3r-Gjt4wiTTzVygCHIjg3ClfOUa6rJJNNoAECdHNQ8Nub_AirHqf3TH6LZVk6DEw/s1600/ManCrates-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVRX6Pm6jYTk6n-qY5yvMB8ScbWzHKlkLT3CbjI3zaNZuC1dAVSRfSxv8AyZBP4vVRYIzs0svzDbJ3r-Gjt4wiTTzVygCHIjg3ClfOUa6rJJNNoAECdHNQ8Nub_AirHqf3TH6LZVk6DEw/s1600/ManCrates-collage.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Recently,
Alexandra of </span><a href="http://www.mancrates.com/gifts-for-men" target="_blank">Mancrates Gifts for Men</a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">
contacted your friendly ol’ Unimonster.
Mancrates is a site that specializes in manly gifts for manly men (<i>so, of course they came to me, natch</i>)—no
frou-frou wrapping paper or frilly bows … the lucky recipient of a Man Crate
gets just that, a crate and a crowbar.
The crate comes packed with a chosen assortment of everything a man
could wish for—well, almost everything.
From video games, to barware featuring your favorite team’s logo, to
enough beef jerky to carry you through any movie marathon or from the earliest
pre-game show on Sunday morning through to Chris Collinsworth’s final words
fifteen hours later, mancrates.com will box it up and ship it out. And the question that Alexandra and mancrates
wished to pose to the Unimonster was, “If you could have us crate up a kit to
help you survive in a horror film, what would it contain?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzxTU3jalJXEbIhUjHoWTFU_W5m3oTAB_nKyW279-xN6PWHL4eIAAwLJj4HzCf5Ltl6y2qFMs7PeBgY4OEtPl4Ip9cSKztuVQ0uKeaQVH1CRuIJwZfWznjYe5HL-1b5RSYCHhBQZfXDs/s1600/Horror-of-Dracula-dracula-17205140-1944-1515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzxTU3jalJXEbIhUjHoWTFU_W5m3oTAB_nKyW279-xN6PWHL4eIAAwLJj4HzCf5Ltl6y2qFMs7PeBgY4OEtPl4Ip9cSKztuVQ0uKeaQVH1CRuIJwZfWznjYe5HL-1b5RSYCHhBQZfXDs/s1600/Horror-of-Dracula-dracula-17205140-1944-1515.jpg" height="249" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Most
horror fans, when posed this question, would think ‘zombie apocalypse’ and
start assembling weapons, ammo … and giant, economy sized cans of pudding. Personally, I’m going to go in another
direction. I already have weapons and
ammo, and I’m not all that crazy about pudding.
What I am crazy about is classic horror—vampires and werewolves, mummies
and monsters, ghosts and ghouls. And few
have done classic horror as well as Hammer Films. Beginning in 1957, this British studio
resurrected classic horror from the depths to which it had plunged following World
War 2, making it ‘cool’ again for a generation of movie goers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLt2uDxyLNrkFrpFi6j2ghmHC8Q9Uf8l0dU2_KbUVoCFce-L5B8avaP3nPArnOmZAu8Fbgo5TxRzB8b41tbMsVS8Cva5PhsTVU9KkQnxvL0UDPhvLwbMcsGmexW0Vdn2AEyWqWEBzlAk/s1600/Furneaux,+Yvonne+(The%2BMummy).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLt2uDxyLNrkFrpFi6j2ghmHC8Q9Uf8l0dU2_KbUVoCFce-L5B8avaP3nPArnOmZAu8Fbgo5TxRzB8b41tbMsVS8Cva5PhsTVU9KkQnxvL0UDPhvLwbMcsGmexW0Vdn2AEyWqWEBzlAk/s1600/Furneaux,+Yvonne+(The%2BMummy).jpg" height="216" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yvonne Furneaux-- The Mummy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iYBM0A01HsGFLGWwFeFwfLMm0JG8lB6-PfZXodE2u1ffY4EEwO9qDv4Nf85drLzb3mq6yYpoYg1_h6fU8ZDQazLJzkpTc2szjEOmOeUclxfuPC76i_NiSAxtN1XpvT6d3gF1nVwJ1OQ/s1600/MOBLAUR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iYBM0A01HsGFLGWwFeFwfLMm0JG8lB6-PfZXodE2u1ffY4EEwO9qDv4Nf85drLzb3mq6yYpoYg1_h6fU8ZDQazLJzkpTc2szjEOmOeUclxfuPC76i_NiSAxtN1XpvT6d3gF1nVwJ1OQ/s1600/MOBLAUR.jpg" height="320" width="250" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yvonne Monlaur-- The Brides of Dracula</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibY5sOHhT4F7xArCBKJ8gvZG4AvrltEcVA_-0EjQ3P8tJSj661e5FN3aynm2gF0iMjDH02NaMvtAIZDD00oMTA79jMMECSnaFTjk9S6BZs9W4PvB9jAvNVfnVXMLicIt-k9xvOSkzcFf8/s1600/Yvonne-Romain-lingerie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibY5sOHhT4F7xArCBKJ8gvZG4AvrltEcVA_-0EjQ3P8tJSj661e5FN3aynm2gF0iMjDH02NaMvtAIZDD00oMTA79jMMECSnaFTjk9S6BZs9W4PvB9jAvNVfnVXMLicIt-k9xvOSkzcFf8/s1600/Yvonne-Romain-lingerie.jpg" height="320" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yvonne Romain-- Curse of the Werewolf, Night Creatures</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">And
that’s the horror film into which I’d place myself. One of the great, period horrors of the late
1950s, when Hammer was at it’s peak, artistically speaking. There are several reasons for my
selection. First, no one’s starving in a
Hammer film. In fact, the vampires
usually do one the courtesy of a sumptuous meal before the fangs come out and
they get down to business. Second, while
I’ve never been accused of being a fashion plate, I do like to bathe and change
my clothes more than once a year. And
lastly, we have the lovely ladies of Hammer Horror. Now, if I have to fight my way through hordes
of undead walkers, then Carol and Michonne are my picks. But for sheer good looks, give me Hammer’s
three Yvonnes—Yvonne Monlaur, Yvonne Furneaux, and Yvonne Romain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">So
now that that’s decided, I need to pack for the trip. The first thing mancrates will be putting in
that box is some holy water. I’m not
talking about some tiny little vial—I want a gallon jug, preferably blessed by
both Popes. And a Hudson sprayer. Throw in a box of crucifixes … the more the
merrier. Why Peter Cushing could never
bother with packing more than one has always baffled me. A little foresight and he wouldn’t have had
to improvise with a pair of candlesticks.
Besides, vampires, at least in Hammer’s take on the species, tend to
travel in packs. Two more items to take
care of the vampire set—a good, heavy mallet and a brace of stakes. Maybe eighteen or twenty in a quiver would be
nice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNU1GKBf6xUuzJ4RSncrfhY07ZhJfAg_k8XhiIkUtCh_KL9JXo7XQMTDYvHJ6KJZsbrUC4y6LAXZC__OQvOMkGNsuNHfkMx9jW-IrtM7MTOceE6VU9sDeE6Q2jTZUODnAsc-j0VOn9Fjw/s1600/WebleyMedium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNU1GKBf6xUuzJ4RSncrfhY07ZhJfAg_k8XhiIkUtCh_KL9JXo7XQMTDYvHJ6KJZsbrUC4y6LAXZC__OQvOMkGNsuNHfkMx9jW-IrtM7MTOceE6VU9sDeE6Q2jTZUODnAsc-j0VOn9Fjw/s1600/WebleyMedium.jpg" height="210" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Now,
compared to vampires, werewolves are relatively easy to kill, if one knows the
secret of how to do it. Silver bullets;
a box of fifty should be sufficient. But
not just any cartridge will suffice. I’d
like to keep things as period authentic as possible. So let’s start with a handgun that’s quintessentially
Victorian, with a bit of a ‘Steampunk’ vibe, the Webley Mk. I, chambered for
the .455 cartridge.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">One
last item needs to be taken care of, and then mancrates can nail my crate shut,
cover it in duct tape, and ship it out.
As Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, and a host of their fellows
demonstrated time and again, one simply does not battle monsters unless one is
suitably attired; at least, not if one is a gentleman. I’m not sure how a tweed jacket or white tie
and tails helps a person kill monsters … but why take a chance?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8289052302706613417.post-235128101506014832014-10-05T21:17:00.000-04:002014-10-05T21:17:25.436-04:00Hangin’ with My Horror-peeps: Unimonster’s Crypt goes to HorrorHound Indy 2014!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYn3JRHVfMGAzJFjV0v5ILQmEhYnipK3lcCZSsQ_PtTwh1XG-WFV1F5_N6nRvARm6o4G3CXf8lNsUZwhOA2jDaiTIvkgDxcLDHrrwzNo0kW-t9z_kK1c2ZlvEDyXF9l23F_wXgec1EQuM/s1600/10562526_10204283954126272_1253144123958886664_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYn3JRHVfMGAzJFjV0v5ILQmEhYnipK3lcCZSsQ_PtTwh1XG-WFV1F5_N6nRvARm6o4G3CXf8lNsUZwhOA2jDaiTIvkgDxcLDHrrwzNo0kW-t9z_kK1c2ZlvEDyXF9l23F_wXgec1EQuM/s1600/10562526_10204283954126272_1253144123958886664_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As
long time readers of these pages will attest, I love conventions. The chance to gather with your fellows, to
bask in an environment so fully given over to something that’s so much a part
of who you are, whatever that might be, is regenerative and exhilarating. Even the Unimonster can tire of Horror, and
even the Unimonster occasionally needs to be reminded of why this genre has
held him enthralled for a lifetime.
Nothing does that like a convention, and rubbing shoulders with those
who share that love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2spJyHxbfJVUu2OBFbicf2mTOMqJKeEyatOezXD66K9lLveKBlraPQxskKDZmPyjTKrQKf6Az8PilN73Z5gmNmMhS8AV-w2dQyYFl-ii6LfpsehwUzAEm152Y6A5V9jdOZGWcqylRec/s1600/10288740_10204284017007844_6299024151857882402_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl2spJyHxbfJVUu2OBFbicf2mTOMqJKeEyatOezXD66K9lLveKBlraPQxskKDZmPyjTKrQKf6Az8PilN73Z5gmNmMhS8AV-w2dQyYFl-ii6LfpsehwUzAEm152Y6A5V9jdOZGWcqylRec/s1600/10288740_10204284017007844_6299024151857882402_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCPAuIRJH1Loc8Ip49tMbUaNHsRmukMyS1fjw64P6QPB72VnmguRz21FKrketPj8pJKl26qi7m6Mx-UsV2a2bmTkooTb7e2NQavhtSY2ZBtGEw7LVIDWfNBiZCvVTLTUIK0BMsjFDwho/s1600/10612932_10204284018247875_1057477432440314040_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCPAuIRJH1Loc8Ip49tMbUaNHsRmukMyS1fjw64P6QPB72VnmguRz21FKrketPj8pJKl26qi7m6Mx-UsV2a2bmTkooTb7e2NQavhtSY2ZBtGEw7LVIDWfNBiZCvVTLTUIK0BMsjFDwho/s1600/10612932_10204284018247875_1057477432440314040_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">For
several years now, the HorrorHound Weekend has visited Indianapolis’ eastside,
haunting the Marriott East hotel the first weekend in September, making it the
perfect lead-in to the fall season, and the beginning of the extended
bacchanalia that is the celebration of Halloween in the Crypt. For most of that time, I’ve been attending
the convention, and have happily watched it grow into a major event on the
calendars of central Indiana Horror fans.
As usual, this year I and the Crypt’s devoted photographer (and
Uni-sister) Cathy Willis arrived early, but not so bright, at the
soon-to-be-jammed venue, secured our parking spot, and walked next door for
what has become a pre-convention tradition for us, breakfast at the Lincoln
Square restaurant. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Normally,
this doesn’t warrant mentioning, as in the past the food has been
enjoyable. Not great, not spectacular,
but good, well-prepared, and filling; just what’s needed to fuel us up for a
busy day. This time it was not. In fact, both Cathy and I found the food to
be so disappointing as to merit special attention here. I hope that this was just an aberration, and
next year it will return to its previous level of satisfactory service. Unfortunately, the staff of the Unimonster’s
Crypt will probably remain ignorant of the answer, as our pre-convention
breakfast will in all likelihood shift to the nearby Bob Evans.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Once
we’ve checked in and gotten our credentials in order, my first priority is
connecting with old friends who I only get to see at conventions. This year, I was lucky enough to run into
Count Gore De Vol practically upon walking in the door. The Count is an old friend, and a reunion
with him is always the highlight of a convention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOttn4jH4j3H78Tdy8vCG901uJtpazd69ESgUG1mvU_iwRjBRdnLJYGdn4YzCXVdIltCFm_zXDwtlTFDJNfT79RDAduZ3_ZHgSPB462FKDMAHh_CE2bAIDo6zHGb3TCKJIW7fewLafvu8/s1600/10688419_10204283990767188_7947352198648552155_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOttn4jH4j3H78Tdy8vCG901uJtpazd69ESgUG1mvU_iwRjBRdnLJYGdn4YzCXVdIltCFm_zXDwtlTFDJNfT79RDAduZ3_ZHgSPB462FKDMAHh_CE2bAIDo6zHGb3TCKJIW7fewLafvu8/s1600/10688419_10204283990767188_7947352198648552155_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Another
familiar face was Tom Sullivan, the Special Effects wizard behind the original <i>Evil Dead</i>. One of the first interviews I conducted as
the Unimonster was with Sullivan, at the 2004 Horrorfind convention in
Baltimore, and it was a pleasure to reconnect with him here in Indy. It was also a pleasure to introduce Cathy to
him, as together we were able to convince her that <i>The Evil Dead</i> is a movie that she should see—hopefully sooner
rather than later.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
next old friend of the Crypt that we encountered was artist Chris Kuchta (<i>The Monsters in Monotone: The Horror Art of
Chris Kuchta—28 February 2009</i>). I’ve
been a fan of Chris’ artwork for years now, ever since I interviewed him for
the Crypt, and that art has only gotten better.
I’m no more an art critic than I was then, but I know what I like, and I
like Chris’ art!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFHs8TTIbeJggYNn3uRE0tP2fWAApwklaorF8RnKOQX7f-sG0GUJ7mRZ5DNOcW1hBHhqkO3Qz1PYvmHKmYMd-5L6E6Y3u9v1rJjo3SN2VliTekymO4fELeLmfd4kGmGfDXoqOvFbTKDA/s1600/10646775_10204283962406479_6825085389448422455_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFHs8TTIbeJggYNn3uRE0tP2fWAApwklaorF8RnKOQX7f-sG0GUJ7mRZ5DNOcW1hBHhqkO3Qz1PYvmHKmYMd-5L6E6Y3u9v1rJjo3SN2VliTekymO4fELeLmfd4kGmGfDXoqOvFbTKDA/s1600/10646775_10204283962406479_6825085389448422455_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> After renewing old acquaintances, the next item
on my agenda was touring the HMA-Mask Fest exhibits. The HMA, or Halloween Mask Association, has
been an integral part of HorrorHound Indy for several years now, and for me,
one of the highlights of the convention.
For someone whose childhood was spent fixated on the ads for Don Post’s
iconic creature masks in the back of <i>Famous
Monsters</i> magazine, it’s like letting a chocoholic into the Hershey’s
factory. The artists and craftsmen who
make up the HMA never fail to disappoint me with their creativity and
imagination, and this year was no exception.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmPNbQcckbiRLLQcQNPPyve3GCiPrbMrzAEVA8dbpdTO3w0wdsBLjb8jdGHuK6QXczxZjoYbgSIocpKnCozREGjTJ7FraksAA7EmNPw_mhbF6iUdECghuZxxD9E9pWM2ueuZZUTEg1VGs/s1600/10700425_10204283964926542_4074604304126105193_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmPNbQcckbiRLLQcQNPPyve3GCiPrbMrzAEVA8dbpdTO3w0wdsBLjb8jdGHuK6QXczxZjoYbgSIocpKnCozREGjTJ7FraksAA7EmNPw_mhbF6iUdECghuZxxD9E9pWM2ueuZZUTEg1VGs/s1600/10700425_10204283964926542_4074604304126105193_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
Mask room holds far more than just masks, however. Dark arts and crafts of all types are on
display here, and one of the first tables we stopped at belonged to Evil
Pumpkins [</span><a href="http://evilpumpkins.com/"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">http://evilpumpkins.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">],
owned by a Tennessee couple, Tanya and Jeano Roid. Dealing in handmade jewelry, sculptures, and
other curios, they specialize in, fittingly enough, evil little pumpkins. Pumpkin necklaces, pumpkin pins, pumpkin magnets
… and my favorite, pumpkins in graveyards.
Their pumpkins have a unique look, a blend of the comical and the
macabre, kind of like Scooby-Doo with rabies.
However you describe them, they work for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpK-Eb1we5HjFUTSy3-e-HBAK0tlZA2ihcSfLsykn926shDF8EyM7zR9B55TWPhQUscovkW9GrC7kkSc2MtKOr4GTnmlSqmf6CIATXACUYlPu3QS9P4ac4R3n3kIaKm8giW6k20aJI14c/s1600/10700243_10204283958646385_8223606427639710774_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpK-Eb1we5HjFUTSy3-e-HBAK0tlZA2ihcSfLsykn926shDF8EyM7zR9B55TWPhQUscovkW9GrC7kkSc2MtKOr4GTnmlSqmf6CIATXACUYlPu3QS9P4ac4R3n3kIaKm8giW6k20aJI14c/s1600/10700243_10204283958646385_8223606427639710774_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Their
most interesting product, however, is their ‘Evil Dead Dirt’, dirt taken from
the former site of the cabin used for the filming of Sam Raimi’s 1982 classic <i>The Evil Dead</i>. Such tangible connections to history, whether
of the cinema or real world, have always held great significance to me. I once owned a chunk of the Berlin Wall, and
one of my most prized possessions is a working speaker from a Drive-In
Theater. A vial of soil taken from the
filming location of one of my favorite movies would be a prized addition to my
collection, and to many of yours, as well.
Check out their site, listed above, which will direct you to both their
Etsy storefront, and their Facebook page.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyE7YyfFhGvZ45YyZRQyPG7nFZmVs2xxHtSXcd4e1fmzvZoc2f9zYp52tzSpOjVfQalC5apd00veMnOFLJfzAvkg41M9KGPwdKqXQLin5KWzHoE2k1QBo6CSwnWCDcV3jglWmzT7U3j8/s1600/983798_10204284013167748_9216192204430447115_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyE7YyfFhGvZ45YyZRQyPG7nFZmVs2xxHtSXcd4e1fmzvZoc2f9zYp52tzSpOjVfQalC5apd00veMnOFLJfzAvkg41M9KGPwdKqXQLin5KWzHoE2k1QBo6CSwnWCDcV3jglWmzT7U3j8/s1600/983798_10204284013167748_9216192204430447115_n.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4c0BLkqiuhrSYdV4K53Rv3I74xPdLqnL-naMbh8zwx-VEUtIrCVofBH4uPaLZHT__kSOnFFbxW5huv0DvL8XBfrKcow6fP0izheT1BDXqpDTFNOLyR9yvYewmgarwkIHI02wVRrqgut8/s1600/10539181_10204284009687661_8765085217520621152_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4c0BLkqiuhrSYdV4K53Rv3I74xPdLqnL-naMbh8zwx-VEUtIrCVofBH4uPaLZHT__kSOnFFbxW5huv0DvL8XBfrKcow6fP0izheT1BDXqpDTFNOLyR9yvYewmgarwkIHI02wVRrqgut8/s1600/10539181_10204284009687661_8765085217520621152_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Another
young artist deserving of your attention is John Lanouette, owner and creative
force behind Enchanted Sculptures [</span><a href="http://www.enchantedsculptures.com/"><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">http://www.enchantedsculptures.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">]. What made his display stand out from the
hordes of gore-covered zombies, slashers, and demons surrounding it was the
fun, almost whimsical nature of his work.
Rows of foam rubber anthropomorphic candy corn, friendly gargoyles, and
smiling vegetables ready for harvest evoke memories of a simpler, more innocent
Halloween, and while those memories may be very distant for the Unimonster,
they’re still capable of summoning a smile or two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMl2eGX4t2H8B54quLgZgu7oMmeDIA0N970V2OGznC26gSsVf9m0mdeY3GH7ZHPizzmVXYeYzHU05ROeU5Hy1mZGVN677DfKHxQRP7mmoaynsh-tYop4ho6Q0olcW0OVXyBEi-7cFz1s/s1600/10644104_10204284008807639_3785453580742696777_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMl2eGX4t2H8B54quLgZgu7oMmeDIA0N970V2OGznC26gSsVf9m0mdeY3GH7ZHPizzmVXYeYzHU05ROeU5Hy1mZGVN677DfKHxQRP7mmoaynsh-tYop4ho6Q0olcW0OVXyBEi-7cFz1s/s1600/10644104_10204284008807639_3785453580742696777_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Eventually,
we made our way to the main exhibit hall, containing the dealers’ room. As always, this room was the center of most
of the activity, and the location of most of the people attending the
convention. For many of the attendees,
this was the convention, the place where they could mingle with the stars,
check out new merchandise, or track down that long-sought collectible.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVXLa-LKdA4tSTSBNLcEpMwmwRdCCyJyjKTh7dVW19loycfFrpdPZjQQivQ83zMN5_2ejz1mn4WDVPbK3TMEv59TwZkcuozhx96IcY-4wjt2LOVDik9hEA2munftpcoJO9ux499EsHU0/s1600/10636943_10204284002087471_2416931134255323851_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVXLa-LKdA4tSTSBNLcEpMwmwRdCCyJyjKTh7dVW19loycfFrpdPZjQQivQ83zMN5_2ejz1mn4WDVPbK3TMEv59TwZkcuozhx96IcY-4wjt2LOVDik9hEA2munftpcoJO9ux499EsHU0/s1600/10636943_10204284002087471_2416931134255323851_o.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">One
negative that must be mentioned is the poor level of customer service provided
by the convention volunteers. While it’s
understandably difficult dealing with the large crowds that attend horror
conventions, those who represent those conventions need to remember that their
attitudes and action will define how the experience is remembered by those that
they are there to serve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">That
issue aside, however, I, as always, left the convention feeling refreshed and
renewed, and fired up for the Halloween season to come. Ready for another year of bringing you the
best … and the worst … in the world of Horror, Science-Fiction, and Fantasy
entertainment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Goudy Old Style","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">(<i>The Unimonster’s Crypt wishes to thank
Nathan Hanneman and the staff of HorrorHound for their kind assistance and
hospitality.</i>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Unimonsterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01048158495368388208noreply@blogger.com0