Blog From The Monsterverse

If you don’t hang out at the Classic Horror Film Board, your should. Not only is it the home of the Rondo Awards, but it’s the best place to discuss your favorite horror films and horror film stars.

It’s also populated by a number of talented artists, one of which is the prolific Zombie Dad, AKA Roger Koch. With the help of his daughter, Jen Fox (Jen the Zombie) on the CHFB, they created a nifty holiday take on Hitchcock’s PSYCHO that really brought home the meaning of Christmas for me.

Click on the image to get a better look at how Norman and his Mom like to bring in the Holiday’s. And feel free to drop by the CHFB to see what other artistic wonders are being displayed.

Pop culturists will remember when Cocoa Cola risked tampering with their tried and true product of many decades when they introduced New Coke. This was one of the bigger blunders on the part of a major international merchandiser. Fans of the long running James Bond franchise wondered if a similar disaster awaited the introduction of New Bond in Casino Royale (2006), a back to the beginning approach meant to bring the Ian Fleming character up-to-date for the younger generation who saw the Bourne spy thrillers films as the new benchmark in action/thriller cinema.

That producers Barbara Broccolie and Michael Wilson were on target was seen in the best reviews for a Bond movie in some years and box office of nearly $600 million worldwide. With that success the only question could be, “What will they do for a follow-up?” The answer is Quantum of Solace. Spoilers follow.

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Cinematical calls to our attention that artist David MacDowell created this highly unlikely mash-up of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY and GODZILLA. Apparently it’s part of the Kaiju Monster Invasion, Miami Beach Fine Art Show in Florida, which opens today.

For more information go to their MySpace page here.
And don’t forget to check out their picture gallery, there’s some more great kaiju inspired art there.

Click here to view the original Article.

I finally caught up with M. Night Shyamalan’s sophomoric “green” movie, THE HAPPENING (2008). Not once, but twice. First, I watched it with FXRH, then later the same day with Ryan Brennan.

You may ask, “Why on earth would you do that?” The answer is simple –- it’s fun.

I’m gonna paraphrase the Peter Sellers Charlie Chan character from MURDER BY DEATH (1976) in regards to the ultimate explanation for what causes THE HAPPENING:

“Idea very interesting. There only one problem –- is STUPID!!! Is stupidest idea I ever heard!!!”

Enjoy.

Sh! The Octopus (1937) is one of those Old Dark House films in which a group of strangers find themselves in a remote hotel, mansion, or, in this case, lighthouse, on a dark and stormy night. Secret panels, hidden passageways, lights going on and off, screams in the dark and possible murders punctuate the proceedings. In many, if not most, entries in this genre comic relief also figures largely. The Bat (1926), The Cat and the Canary (1927, 1939, 1979), Seven Keys to Baldpate (1929 or any of the other six adaptations), The Bat Whispers (1930), One Frightened Night (1935) and The Old Dark House (1932) itself, all mix humor with horrific elements, as does this short (54 minute) feature.

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There were only four of us again this week –- me, FXRH, Kezilla and The Kid –- and it was at Kezilla’s place.

Kez already had an advance screener for THE DARK KNIGHT (2008) running when we got there, so we watched most of that while we talked and ate chips, salsa, pretzels and Cheez-Its. Kez’s wife Carrie also made some guacamole that was wonderful. I usually just eat a couple of bites of the stuff, but I must’ve had half a bowl this time.

As for the Batman movie, I don’t think it’s as great as everyone else does, but it’s ten times better than BATMAN BEGINS (2005) for sure. As many others have reported, Heath Ledger is absolutely terrific as The Joker. I think it was Kez who pointed out that the tick of Ledger constantly licking his lips is truly inspired.

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IN THE WAKE OF THE ARGO

William Harper Littlejohn, or “Johnny” as he’s called by his friends, makes the archeological discovery of a lifetime: The mythical Golden Fleece exists!  And what’s more, he knows how to find it. So with Doc Savage and the rest of the Iron Crew in tow, Johnny and his friends make an unlikely set of new Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece. And as mighty as the Man of Bronze is, how will he fare against the gods of Greek myth?

Source cover for this mash-up was Bantam Doc No.45, THE MEN WHO SMILED NO MORE, by James Bama.  Talos is a frame capture from one of my favorite Ray Harryhausen films, JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS.  The Golden Fleece was created from various parts of a ram.

For a look at an alternate version of this cover that I didn’t take to finish, click to read the rest of this post.

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Dracula, The Dark Prince (2000) is a TV movie also known as Dark Prince:  The True Story of Dracula.  The film purports to tell the tale of the historical figure from whom author Bram Stoker took the name for his fictional character, the vampire Count Dracula.  There is enough fact on display to suggest that screenwriter Tom Baum did some at least cursory research but it is used loosely and most of the story is fiction.

The film begins with Vlad (Rudolf Martin) brought before a Greek Orthodox tribunal to determine whether or not they will sponsor his new bid for ruler of Romania.  He recounts his activities in flashback for the majority of the film’s running time until its latter stages when a couple of twists are introduced.

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The actual title to this is DAS BIEST IM BODENSEE (1999, made for German television) which literally translates to THE BEAST IN LAKE CONSTANCE. I watched a good transfer with absolutely wretched subtitles full of mispellings, grammatical errors and long stretches of dialogue with no subtitles whatsoever. Still, it was easy enough to follow.

Genetic scientist Mark Lehman (Stefan Reck) is furious to discover that evil CEO Dr. Josef Keppler (Peter Ruhring) and his toadie Dr. Henning Stove (Andrea Zogg) have used his research to create a nasty amphibious critter that escapes the second it’s brought to life. The creature finds its way into Lake Constance and goes on a killing spree.

Lehmann is fired, so he reconnects with estranged wife Eva (the maturely good-looking Barbara Rudnik), who quit the same corporation years before because she saw where her research was leading –- genetically engineered soldiers. She now runs a lakeside camp for troubled teens. When one of them is killed by the beast, she and her husband decide to go after it –- and the corporation.

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Ernie, The Autobiography (Citadel; 2008; $24.95; 256 pp.; illus.) is a fun, easy read by one of America’s most beloved character actors, Ernest Borgnine.

Ernie is written in the “voice” of the 91 year-old star of television’s McHale’s Navy, writer Jeff Rovin “smoothing it all out.” Borgnine (Borgninos in Italy) starts with his nomination for a Golden Globe earlier this year and how that award inspired him to tell his story. We learn of his parents, Italian immigrants, and other family members who were laborers. His mother was unhappy with her husband’s lack of ambition and income coupled with his drinking so took little Ernie back to Italy for a few years, returning when the future Oscar winner was 7 years old.

Borgnine was a Boy Scout, one badge short of Eagle Scout, who joined the Navy in 1935. He mustered out in 1941, before Pearl Harbor, and stayed out, at his dear mother’s request, until drafted. He spent his war years training recruits.

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