Did you know that there is a Child’s Play-inspired film from Mexico? If you didn’t, you can thank Vinegar Syndrome’s new label Degausser Video for making 1993’s Herencia Diabólica available for the masses to watch. Or at least for the Vs hardcore fanbase, Chucky completists and anyone else who needs something like this in their lives.
Director Alfredo Salazar, known for his writing connection to the 70s Santo film series, also serves as the writer here to bring us a film seemingly inspired from the Child’s Play franchise. While it has been recently labeled as the “Mexican Child’s Play” (there’s a special feature on the disc with that very title), the killer doll concept is where the comparison should start and end. Despite having some seeds planted by that franchise, Salazar delivers a story that blossoms into something unique.
Tony (Roberto Guinar) receives a letter...
Director Alfredo Salazar, known for his writing connection to the 70s Santo film series, also serves as the writer here to bring us a film seemingly inspired from the Child’s Play franchise. While it has been recently labeled as the “Mexican Child’s Play” (there’s a special feature on the disc with that very title), the killer doll concept is where the comparison should start and end. Despite having some seeds planted by that franchise, Salazar delivers a story that blossoms into something unique.
Tony (Roberto Guinar) receives a letter...
- 3/15/2024
- by Geof Capodanno
- bloody-disgusting.com
The highly-anticipated premiere of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is drawing near, and in order to hype us up for what’s coming in two weeks’ time, the producers have released the final trailer for the upcoming MonsterVerse film, which will once again see Godzilla and King Kong team up against a shared enemy. You can check out the trailer here:
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is set to be released internationally on March 27, 2024, with the US premiere scheduled for March 29, 2024. Warner Bros. is distributing the movie, which is going to be the latest – and fifth overall – installment in its shared MonsterVerse fictional universe. The movie will be a direct sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), which saw the two titular monsters become allies after a heated battle.
In this movie, the two monsters are going to have to team up once again to defeat a common foe, one...
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is set to be released internationally on March 27, 2024, with the US premiere scheduled for March 29, 2024. Warner Bros. is distributing the movie, which is going to be the latest – and fifth overall – installment in its shared MonsterVerse fictional universe. The movie will be a direct sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong (2021), which saw the two titular monsters become allies after a heated battle.
In this movie, the two monsters are going to have to team up once again to defeat a common foe, one...
- 3/14/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
"It has all led to this... Fight together or face extinction!!" Only a few weeks until this lands in theaters. Warner Bros and Legendary have revealed another official "Legacy" trailer for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, opening in theaters at the end of March (here's the other official trailer). Once again directed by Adam Wingard, in The New Empire the two mega monsters Godzilla and King Kong have to team up to take on a "colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world" - which seems to be some kind of vicious "Red Ape" massive chimpanzee along with other mega monsters that will happily destroy all of humanity. GxK also delves further into the histories of these Titans and their origins, as well as the mysteries of Skull Island & beyond, while spending more time in the Hollow Earth realm where Kong is from. The Godzilla x Kong cast features Dan Stevens,...
- 3/13/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
These days, Peter Jackson is best known for directing big budget spectacles. He took the Hobbits to Mordor, he cast Benedict Cumberbatch as a dragon, he brought us the sight of a motion-capture King Kong smacking around a bunch of dinosaurs. But when he was just getting his career started, he was making very different kinds of movies: horror comedies that were drenched in blood and pretty much every other bodily fluid you can think of. In 1992, he brought the world what may be the bloodiest film ever made: a zombie comedy he would call Braindead, but many fans know it as Dead Alive. And if you haven’t seen this one yet (you can watch it Here), it’s the Best Horror Movie You Never Saw.
Peter Jackson never had any formal film school training, and not just because they didn’t have such courses in his home country of New Zealand.
Peter Jackson never had any formal film school training, and not just because they didn’t have such courses in his home country of New Zealand.
- 3/8/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
In this FandomWire Video Essay, we explore why the Monsterverse worked and the Dceu failed.
Check out the video below:
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Monsterverse vs Dceu
Since debuting in 2013, the DC Extended Universe has been one disaster after another for Warner Brothers. Massive critical and fan backlash, constant shake-ups in creative direction, and increasingly dwindling box office plagued the once promising franchise before it was finally put out of its misery by The Flash; though Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom might still be canon depending on who you ask.
Yet at the same time, WB has helped spearhead another cinematic universe that might be the only one besides Marvel to work out in the long run. The Monsterverse: a series of films and TV shows adapting beloved Japanese kaiju such as Godzilla, alongside original monsters and American icon King Kong for good measure.
Check out the video below:
Subscribe & hit the Notification Bell so you never miss a video!
Monsterverse vs Dceu
Since debuting in 2013, the DC Extended Universe has been one disaster after another for Warner Brothers. Massive critical and fan backlash, constant shake-ups in creative direction, and increasingly dwindling box office plagued the once promising franchise before it was finally put out of its misery by The Flash; though Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom might still be canon depending on who you ask.
Yet at the same time, WB has helped spearhead another cinematic universe that might be the only one besides Marvel to work out in the long run. The Monsterverse: a series of films and TV shows adapting beloved Japanese kaiju such as Godzilla, alongside original monsters and American icon King Kong for good measure.
- 2/24/2024
- by Reilly Johnson
- FandomWire
Actor Mark Wahlberg discussed an intense experience from filming the comedy Ted 2 involving a deleted scene. Despite never making the final cut, Wahlberg was forced to memorize a random list of 57 movie character names, and five years later, he still wakes up “saying that shit.”
The comedy Ted 2 was released in 2015 as a sequel to Seth MacFarlane’s original 2012 hit film, with Mark Wahlberg reprising his role as the titular teddy bear’s best friend. The plot involves Ted fighting to gain legal recognition as a person, rather than mere property. Wahlberg’s character John is Ted’s longtime buddy who helps him in his legal battles and silly misadventures.
Mark Wahlberg Can’t Forget Deleted Ted Scene That Made Him Recite 57 Names
Mark Wahlberg as Sam Sullivan in a still from Uncharted
While making a recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show, in the cut Ted 2 segment,...
The comedy Ted 2 was released in 2015 as a sequel to Seth MacFarlane’s original 2012 hit film, with Mark Wahlberg reprising his role as the titular teddy bear’s best friend. The plot involves Ted fighting to gain legal recognition as a person, rather than mere property. Wahlberg’s character John is Ted’s longtime buddy who helps him in his legal battles and silly misadventures.
Mark Wahlberg Can’t Forget Deleted Ted Scene That Made Him Recite 57 Names
Mark Wahlberg as Sam Sullivan in a still from Uncharted
While making a recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show, in the cut Ted 2 segment,...
- 2/22/2024
- by Nivedita Dubey
- FandomWire
Writer/director/producer/editor Ed Wood‘s 1957 film Plan 9 from Outer Space has long been considered to be one of the worst movies ever made, if not the worst of the worst… although most genre fans have seen a lot worse than that one. Composer and B-movie fanatic Somtow Sucharitkul is clearly a fan of the film, as The Hollywood Reporter has broken the news that he is giving Plan 9 from Outer Space an opera adaptation!
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Plan 9 from Outer Space: A Really Grand Opera by Somtow Sucharitkul is “currently in the libretto stage. Rehearsals will begin in earnest next year. Sucharitkul plans to release a teaser suite from the opera next fall and to premiere the full opera in 2024. Torsten Neumann, director of the Oldenburg Film Festival, Germany’s leading indie film fest, is producing.”
Sucharitkul had this to say about his opera plans: “Plan 9 is,...
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Plan 9 from Outer Space: A Really Grand Opera by Somtow Sucharitkul is “currently in the libretto stage. Rehearsals will begin in earnest next year. Sucharitkul plans to release a teaser suite from the opera next fall and to premiere the full opera in 2024. Torsten Neumann, director of the Oldenburg Film Festival, Germany’s leading indie film fest, is producing.”
Sucharitkul had this to say about his opera plans: “Plan 9 is,...
- 12/19/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
When the classic monster movie King Kong was released in the US in 1933, it had the biggest opening ever recorded, and little wonder – who could resist the fantastic story of a giant lovesick ape on the rampage in New York city!
Since then Kong has returned to the screen numerous times, not least in the 1976 version King Kong, starring Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange, with Kong himself brought to life by special effects legends Carlo Rambaldi (Et) and Rick Baker (American Werewolf in London). Directed by John Guillermin (The Towering Inferno) and produced by the legendary Dino De Laurentis (Flash Gordon) this blockbuster features a stirring John Barry score, action set pieces, stunning scenery, groundbreaking effects – it’s arguably one of the greatest King Kongs ever. To celebrate the towering release of the film in a stunning 4K restoration, here’s a look at Kongs onscreen from the 1931 original all...
Since then Kong has returned to the screen numerous times, not least in the 1976 version King Kong, starring Jeff Bridges and Jessica Lange, with Kong himself brought to life by special effects legends Carlo Rambaldi (Et) and Rick Baker (American Werewolf in London). Directed by John Guillermin (The Towering Inferno) and produced by the legendary Dino De Laurentis (Flash Gordon) this blockbuster features a stirring John Barry score, action set pieces, stunning scenery, groundbreaking effects – it’s arguably one of the greatest King Kongs ever. To celebrate the towering release of the film in a stunning 4K restoration, here’s a look at Kongs onscreen from the 1931 original all...
- 12/7/2022
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
One could feel a great disturbance in the Force when Kino Loy (Andy Serkis) showed up in "Andor" season 1, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror at the thought of what the Supreme Leader Snoke truthers were about to do with this casting reveal.
Serkis, of course, famously earned his motion-capture bonafides playing Gollum in director Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy in the early 2000s. He would only continue to pioneer the newfangled art of mo-cap acting over the next two decades, taking on parts as legendary as King Kong, as emotional as Caesar from the "Planet of the Apes" movies, and as dastardly as the First Order's head honcho Snoke in the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy. Now, thanks to his turn in "Andor," Serkis has joined the proud tradition of actors tackling multiple roles in a galaxy far, far away.
Yes, all galaxy-brain conjecturing to the contrary,...
Serkis, of course, famously earned his motion-capture bonafides playing Gollum in director Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy in the early 2000s. He would only continue to pioneer the newfangled art of mo-cap acting over the next two decades, taking on parts as legendary as King Kong, as emotional as Caesar from the "Planet of the Apes" movies, and as dastardly as the First Order's head honcho Snoke in the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy. Now, thanks to his turn in "Andor," Serkis has joined the proud tradition of actors tackling multiple roles in a galaxy far, far away.
Yes, all galaxy-brain conjecturing to the contrary,...
- 11/3/2022
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
You may have heard that last week's episode of "Andor" caused a bit of a stir among certain circles, but not for reasons you may have expected from this unapologetically adult-skewing and serious-minded "Star Wars" series. After spending several episodes soundly rejecting the urge to fill this series with the usual assortment of Easter eggs and deep-dive lore references and distracting cameos that remain so prevalent in other franchise media, "Andor" creator Tony Gilroy made a surprise casting decision in episode 8 that reverberated throughout the fanbase.
After first appearing in the sequel trilogy under motion-capture as Supreme Leader Snoke, the return of Andy Serkis in "Andor" as a completely different character altogether -- a prison inmate and supervisor who crosses paths with Cassian Andor, known as Kino Loy -- immediately sent viewers running to connect the tenuous dots for their fan theories. But while some found this to be an...
After first appearing in the sequel trilogy under motion-capture as Supreme Leader Snoke, the return of Andy Serkis in "Andor" as a completely different character altogether -- a prison inmate and supervisor who crosses paths with Cassian Andor, known as Kino Loy -- immediately sent viewers running to connect the tenuous dots for their fan theories. But while some found this to be an...
- 11/3/2022
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
A new kaiju movie is coming to Netflix from Norway, and it looks like a blast. Today we have a trailer for "Troll," and we're not talking about the oh-so-delightful denizens of social media who will argue with and threaten you over even simple statements such as, "I like cheese." No, these are the trolls of folktales and legends, and they're much bigger than you might expect from the beginning of this trailer.
"Troll" comes to us from director Roar Uthaug (who also has a story by credit for the film). He's responsible for "The Wave" and 2018's "Tomb Raider" starring Alicia Vikander and Dominic West. The script was written by Espen Aukan ("Baby Boom").
When I say this is a kaiju movie, it's because this troll is huge, but also because the human characters discover a giant footprint, leading the dismissive officials to ask if this is King Kong.
"Troll" comes to us from director Roar Uthaug (who also has a story by credit for the film). He's responsible for "The Wave" and 2018's "Tomb Raider" starring Alicia Vikander and Dominic West. The script was written by Espen Aukan ("Baby Boom").
When I say this is a kaiju movie, it's because this troll is huge, but also because the human characters discover a giant footprint, leading the dismissive officials to ask if this is King Kong.
- 11/2/2022
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
King Kong – the giant ape who is the main character in the film series of the same name. He first appeared in the 1933 film King Kong and has since appeared in various sequels and spin-offs. King Kong is typically portrayed as a giant gorilla or ape, who is incredibly strong and intelligent. He is often depicted as being aggressive and violent but is also sometimes shown to be gentle and caring. King Kong is one of the most iconic movie monsters of all time and has been featured in various forms of media over the years. King Kong
The 84 Year Journey of King Kong...
The 84 Year Journey of King Kong...
- 10/28/2022
- by Tony Matutai
- TVovermind.com
Click here to read the full article.
While filming Dune in late 2019, Oscar Isaac mentioned a passion project to one of the film’s key producers — Mary Parent, vice chairman of worldwide production at Legendary Entertainment.
It was not a sci-fi blockbuster — a genre Isaac has come to dominate in franchises like Star Wars and Dune — nor was it a prestige series in the vein of HBO’s Scenes From a Marriage, which he executive produced and starred in alongside Jessica Chastain.
It was a comic book. About a cop who walks around with a bullet hole in his head.
The result of that conversation is now upon us. With the publication of Head Wounds: Sparrow, from Isaac’s Mad Gene Media and Legendary Comics — the publishing arm of the Burbank-based production company behind films like Dune and Godzilla vs. Kong — Isaac, 43, further diversifies his professional résumé.
No longer is...
While filming Dune in late 2019, Oscar Isaac mentioned a passion project to one of the film’s key producers — Mary Parent, vice chairman of worldwide production at Legendary Entertainment.
It was not a sci-fi blockbuster — a genre Isaac has come to dominate in franchises like Star Wars and Dune — nor was it a prestige series in the vein of HBO’s Scenes From a Marriage, which he executive produced and starred in alongside Jessica Chastain.
It was a comic book. About a cop who walks around with a bullet hole in his head.
The result of that conversation is now upon us. With the publication of Head Wounds: Sparrow, from Isaac’s Mad Gene Media and Legendary Comics — the publishing arm of the Burbank-based production company behind films like Dune and Godzilla vs. Kong — Isaac, 43, further diversifies his professional résumé.
No longer is...
- 10/27/2022
- by Seth Abramovitch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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“Double W. C. Fields”
By Raymond Benson
Kino Lorber has been releasing the W. C. Fields catalog in high definition, upgraded from previous releases on DVD, and two more have come to the fore—You’re Telling Me! and Man on the Flying Trapeze, two titles that don’t immediately come to mind when one thinks of top tier, classic Fields pictures, but never fear—they’re hilarious and worth a look.
You’re Telling Me! preceded The Old Fashioned Way and the brilliant It’s a Gift (both previously reviewed here at Cinema Retro), all three of which appeared in 1934, while Fields (real name—William Claude Dukenfield) still had a working contract with Paramount Pictures. Man on the Flying Trapeze was released in 1935, a return to a “Fields comedy” after the actor took a sidetrack sojourn, courtesy of Paramount, into more high-brow fare.
“Double W. C. Fields”
By Raymond Benson
Kino Lorber has been releasing the W. C. Fields catalog in high definition, upgraded from previous releases on DVD, and two more have come to the fore—You’re Telling Me! and Man on the Flying Trapeze, two titles that don’t immediately come to mind when one thinks of top tier, classic Fields pictures, but never fear—they’re hilarious and worth a look.
You’re Telling Me! preceded The Old Fashioned Way and the brilliant It’s a Gift (both previously reviewed here at Cinema Retro), all three of which appeared in 1934, while Fields (real name—William Claude Dukenfield) still had a working contract with Paramount Pictures. Man on the Flying Trapeze was released in 1935, a return to a “Fields comedy” after the actor took a sidetrack sojourn, courtesy of Paramount, into more high-brow fare.
- 4/25/2022
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Before we delve too deeply into the weeds, this viewer finds it imperative to make two big caveats. First, any finished movie, as Tfh Fearless Leader Joe Dante often preaches, is a bit of a miracle. Completing a project, especially a low-budget indie like Bride of the Monster (1955) that culled resources together from disparate backers and was at one point shut down three days into production due to a lack of funds, is a feat to be applauded. I am fully aware of that reality, even though I will take pains to explore the many shortcomings of this notoriously flawed cheapie chiller. Second, the actual protracted production of this picture, which was at one time to co-star Bela Lugosi and his fellow Universal monster luminaries Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney Jr., is as compelling as the movie itself. So we’ll be touching on some behind-the-scenes morsels, too.
Bride of the Monster...
Bride of the Monster...
- 5/11/2020
- by Alex Kirschenbaum
- Trailers from Hell
Screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski have created another fascinating off-kilter biopic, “Dolemite Is My Name,” starring Eddie Murphy as cult movie legend Rudy Ray Moore. Alexander and Karaszewski previously wrote such films as “Ed Wood,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” “Man on the Moon,” and the series “The People v. O.J. Simpson.”
Alexander and Karaszewski recently spoke with Gold Derby editor Zach Laws about what drew them to Moore’s story, how Murphy got involved, and how moviegoers have reacted to “Dolemite Is My Name.” Watch the exclusive video interview above and read the complete transcript below.
See‘Dolemite is My Name’ exclusive video: Eddie Murphy reveals how the dream cast was brought together [Watch]
Gold Derby: Scott and Larry, you guys have written films and television shows about people like Ed Wood, Larry Flynt, O.J. Simpson, Margaret Keane, Andy Kaufman. Why Rudy Ray Moore?
Scott Alexander: He sounds...
Alexander and Karaszewski recently spoke with Gold Derby editor Zach Laws about what drew them to Moore’s story, how Murphy got involved, and how moviegoers have reacted to “Dolemite Is My Name.” Watch the exclusive video interview above and read the complete transcript below.
See‘Dolemite is My Name’ exclusive video: Eddie Murphy reveals how the dream cast was brought together [Watch]
Gold Derby: Scott and Larry, you guys have written films and television shows about people like Ed Wood, Larry Flynt, O.J. Simpson, Margaret Keane, Andy Kaufman. Why Rudy Ray Moore?
Scott Alexander: He sounds...
- 12/30/2019
- by Kevin Jacobsen
- Gold Derby
French director Pascal Laugier’s first English-language feature, “The Tall Man,” wasn’t seen by many, perhaps because that convoluted mystery-thriller with Jessica Biel wasn’t really the straight horror film it appeared to be. Maybe that explains why Laugier’s first film in six years returns to the terrain of his more successful 2008 breakout, “Martyrs.” While not as graphically icky as that film, his new “Incident in a Ghostland” adds up to much the same thing: It’s thoughtfully, even elegantly crafted, light on plot, character development, and explication, but very heavy on the torture inflicted on terrified young women. For some horror fans, such “extreme” content in a relatively upscale package made “Martyrs” special, and they may enjoy a similar frisson here. The rest of us will again feel a tad queasy about the way Laugnier meticulously showcases sadism while seeming comparatively indifferent to matters of basic storytelling logic and suspense.
- 6/22/2018
- by Dennis Harvey
- Variety Film + TV
You pick up a lot of baggage when you live to be 100, a sentiment confirmed by the long, long movie career of Bob Hope. His unofficial status as the preeminent entertainer of the 20th century is open to debate but he was without a doubt that era’s most conspicuous comedian. Marlon Brando’s infamous dismissal, “He’ll go to the opening of a market to receive an award”, was mean-spirited but it had the sting of truth; for over eighty years Hope was everywhere, for better or worse.
Living up to his nickname, “Rapid Robert”, the 31-year old Hope shot out of the gate in 1934 with a series of quick-on-their feet comic shorts revolving around his unique presence as a leading man and comical sidekick rolled into one. It wasn’t long before he was starring in pleasantly prosaic musicals like The Big Broadcast of 1938 and handsomely mounted...
Living up to his nickname, “Rapid Robert”, the 31-year old Hope shot out of the gate in 1934 with a series of quick-on-their feet comic shorts revolving around his unique presence as a leading man and comical sidekick rolled into one. It wasn’t long before he was starring in pleasantly prosaic musicals like The Big Broadcast of 1938 and handsomely mounted...
- 8/15/2017
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
Since the 1980s, comics artist Drew Friedman has been making a name for himself with his unmistakable, hyper-detailed style and ghoulish sense of humor. His work has depicted the underbelly of show business in particular and the seamy side of American life in general. His work is populated by sweaty, aging comedians, misshapen losers, and grotesque B-movie stars, including the hulking, bald Swedish wrestler Tor Johnson of Plan 9 From Outer Space fame. Now, filmmaker Kevin Dougherty wants to make a full-length documentary about the scarily talented Friedman, affectionately entitled Vermeer Of The Borscht Belt, and is turning to Kickstarter for funding.
The proposed feature film will cover Friedman’s entire life and career, tracing his development from underground comic books to the covers of major magazines. Friedman’s own life is interesting, too. His father is the acclaimed writer Bruce Jay Friedman, whose film credits include Splash and Doctor...
The proposed feature film will cover Friedman’s entire life and career, tracing his development from underground comic books to the covers of major magazines. Friedman’s own life is interesting, too. His father is the acclaimed writer Bruce Jay Friedman, whose film credits include Splash and Doctor...
- 12/1/2016
- by Joe Blevins
- avclub.com
March 22nd’s Blu-ray and DVD releases are an eclectic bunch, featuring a handful of cult classics, a thriller with the likes of Val Kilmer and Michael Madsen, Goth Katie Holmes fighting against the oppressive nature of her educational system, cowboys taking on prehistoric creatures, and a special edition of Fear the Walking Dead’s inaugural season. Yes, there’s truly something for almost every genre fan.
Notable home entertainment releases arriving this Tuesday include Disturbing Behavior (from The X-Files alum David Nutter), The Black Sleep, Donovan’s Brain, Kill Me Again, All Hell Breaks Loose, Curse of the Poltergeist, Cowboys vs. Dinosaurs, and as mentioned above, Fear The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season Special Edition.
The Black Sleep (Kino Lorber, Blu-ray)
Newly remastered in HD! The masters of classic horror, Basil Rathbone (Tales of Terror), Bela Lugosi (Dracula, White Zombie), Lon Chaney, Jr. (The Wolf Man) and...
Notable home entertainment releases arriving this Tuesday include Disturbing Behavior (from The X-Files alum David Nutter), The Black Sleep, Donovan’s Brain, Kill Me Again, All Hell Breaks Loose, Curse of the Poltergeist, Cowboys vs. Dinosaurs, and as mentioned above, Fear The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season Special Edition.
The Black Sleep (Kino Lorber, Blu-ray)
Newly remastered in HD! The masters of classic horror, Basil Rathbone (Tales of Terror), Bela Lugosi (Dracula, White Zombie), Lon Chaney, Jr. (The Wolf Man) and...
- 3/22/2016
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
It's an All Star monster rally -- Lon Chaney Jr.!, John Carradine!, Bela Lugosi!, Basil Rathbone!, Tor Johnson! -- with Akim Tamiroff in there pitching as well. It's considered a must-see picture, and this HD presentation is nothing to sniff at. Added bonus: a Tom Weaver commentary. The Black Sleep Blu-ray Kl Studio Classics 1956 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 82 min. / Dr. Cadman's Secret / Street Date March 22, 2016 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95 Starring Basil Rathbone, Akim Tamiroff, Lon Chaney Jr., John Carradine, Bela Lugosi, Herbert Rudley, Patricia Blake, Phyllis Stanley, Tor Johnson, Sally Yarnell, George Sawaya. Cinematography Gordon Avil Film Editor John F. Schreyer Original Music Les Baxter Written by John C. Higgins, Gerald Drayson Adams Produced by Howard W. Koch Directed by Reginald Le Borg
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Older monster kids know that the 1956 chiller The Black Sleep existed for years only through stills in Famous Monsters magazine. We saw tantalizing...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Older monster kids know that the 1956 chiller The Black Sleep existed for years only through stills in Famous Monsters magazine. We saw tantalizing...
- 2/23/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
“Greetings, my friend. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives!”
Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space screens Thursday September 3rd at 7:00pm at Schlafly Bottleworks
Ed Wood’s 1959 masterwork Plan 9 From Outer Space is nowhere near the worst movie ever made, as anyone who’s seen it might testify. What can be said about it? It defies any traditional movie-making conventions and does it without any shame whatsoever. Wood had to have the cast baptized in order to make this bizarre film, and that’s the least strange thing about it. The original title Grave Robbers from Outer Space was later ditched, but Criswell mentions it during the intro nevertheless.
Plan 9 is promoted as “almost starring Bela Lugosi” because he died before the film could even get finished, and...
Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space screens Thursday September 3rd at 7:00pm at Schlafly Bottleworks
Ed Wood’s 1959 masterwork Plan 9 From Outer Space is nowhere near the worst movie ever made, as anyone who’s seen it might testify. What can be said about it? It defies any traditional movie-making conventions and does it without any shame whatsoever. Wood had to have the cast baptized in order to make this bizarre film, and that’s the least strange thing about it. The original title Grave Robbers from Outer Space was later ditched, but Criswell mentions it during the intro nevertheless.
Plan 9 is promoted as “almost starring Bela Lugosi” because he died before the film could even get finished, and...
- 9/25/2015
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Marvel Studios is taking its biggest risk yet with Guardians of the Galaxy, banking on an obscure team of heroes to bridge the gap until the next Avengers flick roars into theaters. But there's an even larger obstacle standing in the way of box-office success: Dave Bautista.
To the uninitiated, Bautista is a six-time world champion in Vince McMahon's wrestling circus, and one of the most iconic squared-circle stars of the last decade. In Guardians, he plays intergalactic warrior Drax the Destroyer, which is unquestionably his biggest role to date.
To the uninitiated, Bautista is a six-time world champion in Vince McMahon's wrestling circus, and one of the most iconic squared-circle stars of the last decade. In Guardians, he plays intergalactic warrior Drax the Destroyer, which is unquestionably his biggest role to date.
- 8/1/2014
- Rollingstone.com
Release Date: Available Now on DVD! Written By: Steve Bingen, Paul Bunnell, Mark D. Murphy, George Wagner Directed By: Paul Bunnell Starring: Will Keenan, Creed Bratton, De Anna Joy Brooks, Reggie Bannister, Les Williams, Jed Rowen, Kate Maberly, Paul Williams, Kevin McCarthy, Heather R. Provost
Review by Daniel Xiii.
Give All Of Your Love To Johnny X!
Ya know what the best part of livin’ the rock n’ roll lifestyle of a rollickin’ reviewer is? No, it isn’t the mountains of cash, the mansions full of lovely ladies, or the non-stop adulation from tens of people. No, fiends, for me the best part is discovering obscure gems of cinematic rad-assness that I can turn you cats and creeps onto! To that end, let me lay a real treat on you: The Ghastly Love Of Johnny X!
Now to start this she-bang off right, I gotta say that I enjoy...
Review by Daniel Xiii.
Give All Of Your Love To Johnny X!
Ya know what the best part of livin’ the rock n’ roll lifestyle of a rollickin’ reviewer is? No, it isn’t the mountains of cash, the mansions full of lovely ladies, or the non-stop adulation from tens of people. No, fiends, for me the best part is discovering obscure gems of cinematic rad-assness that I can turn you cats and creeps onto! To that end, let me lay a real treat on you: The Ghastly Love Of Johnny X!
Now to start this she-bang off right, I gotta say that I enjoy...
- 7/10/2014
- by Holly Interlandi
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
The North Pole is abuzz with activity as the big guy and his reindeer team are about ready to roll. But I think we can all remember one particular Christmas when a certain Pumpkin King made Santa's trip a little difficult. Today's Slay… The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Easily one of the most beloved holiday films for horror fans, not only has the exquisite vision that is The Nightmare Before Christmas become iconic, it also kept Hot Topic in business until Harry Potter and Twilight came along. It's a beautiful love story that is appropriate for everyone from children to adults, and the best part…it's all about horror! However, in the gentlest of ways.
From the two-faced Mayor to the werewolves, vampires and (my personal favorite) the Tor Johnson-esque guy with the axe in his head ("Bunny!"), everyone has their most beloved Nightmare Before Christmas character. Danny Elfman's music is brilliant,...
Easily one of the most beloved holiday films for horror fans, not only has the exquisite vision that is The Nightmare Before Christmas become iconic, it also kept Hot Topic in business until Harry Potter and Twilight came along. It's a beautiful love story that is appropriate for everyone from children to adults, and the best part…it's all about horror! However, in the gentlest of ways.
From the two-faced Mayor to the werewolves, vampires and (my personal favorite) the Tor Johnson-esque guy with the axe in his head ("Bunny!"), everyone has their most beloved Nightmare Before Christmas character. Danny Elfman's music is brilliant,...
- 12/22/2012
- by Doctor Gash
- DreadCentral.com
”My girlfriend still doesn’t know why her sweaters are always stretched out.”
Of the eight collaborations between Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, most of my movie buff friends will choose Ed Wood as their favorite, yet it was the least successful at the box-office, grossing less than 6 million dollars in 1994. Chronicling the man’s rise to “personal success” and his overwhelming desire to become the next Orson Welles, Ed Wood charted the director’s fascinatingly manic career; from Glen Or Glenda, to Bride Of The Monster, to Plan 9 From Outer Space. These were three of the most shamefully undesirable disasters “Hollywood” has ever produced, but to Ed Wood they were gold. Wood was a man who had the utmost level of zest for his so-called “art” and would never back-down to the barrage of criticism he would constantly receive. To him, Glen Or Glenda was a highly personal film,...
Of the eight collaborations between Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, most of my movie buff friends will choose Ed Wood as their favorite, yet it was the least successful at the box-office, grossing less than 6 million dollars in 1994. Chronicling the man’s rise to “personal success” and his overwhelming desire to become the next Orson Welles, Ed Wood charted the director’s fascinatingly manic career; from Glen Or Glenda, to Bride Of The Monster, to Plan 9 From Outer Space. These were three of the most shamefully undesirable disasters “Hollywood” has ever produced, but to Ed Wood they were gold. Wood was a man who had the utmost level of zest for his so-called “art” and would never back-down to the barrage of criticism he would constantly receive. To him, Glen Or Glenda was a highly personal film,...
- 9/14/2012
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Widely regarded as the worst film ever made, the Ed Wood classic Plan 9 from Outer Space is on its way to Blu-ray so you can see all those cardboard sets come to life in glorious 1080p!
Look for the flick starring Bela Lugosi, Gregory Walcott, Tom Keene, Mona McKinnon, Duke Moore, and Carl Anthony in stores on March 6, 2012 from Legend Films. No word yet on special features if any at all.
"This is it! The most popular Atomic Age cult film of the twentieth century. Winner of two Golden Turkey Awards for Worst Picture and Worst Director of All Time, the immortal Edward D. Wood, Jr.! It's all here, the not-so-special effects, aliens in skating skirts zooming around in string-powered flying saucers to implement the ninth plan of Earth's conquest (the first eight failed) with an army of zombies (well, three actually), Vampira, Tor Johnson and Bela Lugosi in...
Look for the flick starring Bela Lugosi, Gregory Walcott, Tom Keene, Mona McKinnon, Duke Moore, and Carl Anthony in stores on March 6, 2012 from Legend Films. No word yet on special features if any at all.
"This is it! The most popular Atomic Age cult film of the twentieth century. Winner of two Golden Turkey Awards for Worst Picture and Worst Director of All Time, the immortal Edward D. Wood, Jr.! It's all here, the not-so-special effects, aliens in skating skirts zooming around in string-powered flying saucers to implement the ninth plan of Earth's conquest (the first eight failed) with an army of zombies (well, three actually), Vampira, Tor Johnson and Bela Lugosi in...
- 2/8/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Tim Burton and Johnny Depp make the world's worst director look charming, despite some historical fact-bending
Director: Tim Burton
Entertainment grade: A–
History grade: B+
Edward D Wood Jr made low-budget Hollywood films in the 1950s, including Jail Bait, Night of the Ghouls and Plan 9 From Outer Space. In 1980, Plan 9 was voted the worst film of all time in the Golden Turkey awards. Wood was posthumously voted worst director.
Talent
It's 1953, and aspiring film-maker Eddie Wood (Johnny Depp) is thrilled to hear that a producer is filming the story of a famous transsexual. The reason? Wood himself loves wearing women's clothes, particularly angora sweaters. He pitches himself as writing, directing and starring – "just like Orson Welles did in Citizen Kane". The result – Glen or Glenda? – fell slightly short of the critical acclaim bestowed upon Welles's movie. The New York Times said "It isn't quite a camp classic, although...
Director: Tim Burton
Entertainment grade: A–
History grade: B+
Edward D Wood Jr made low-budget Hollywood films in the 1950s, including Jail Bait, Night of the Ghouls and Plan 9 From Outer Space. In 1980, Plan 9 was voted the worst film of all time in the Golden Turkey awards. Wood was posthumously voted worst director.
Talent
It's 1953, and aspiring film-maker Eddie Wood (Johnny Depp) is thrilled to hear that a producer is filming the story of a famous transsexual. The reason? Wood himself loves wearing women's clothes, particularly angora sweaters. He pitches himself as writing, directing and starring – "just like Orson Welles did in Citizen Kane". The result – Glen or Glenda? – fell slightly short of the critical acclaim bestowed upon Welles's movie. The New York Times said "It isn't quite a camp classic, although...
- 11/17/2011
- by Alex von Tunzelmann
- The Guardian - Film News
The Movie Pool creeps up on the new DVD release of the horror classic The Black Sleep!
DVD Specs
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 enhanced for widescreen TVs
Running Time: 81 minutes
Rating: Not rated
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles: None
Special Features: Trailer
The DVD is offered as part of MGM's "Limited Edition Collection" on DVD, which are available from select online retailers and are manufactured only when the DVD is ordered. The DVD features a simple menu with no menu for chapters or scenes. Chapters are set every ten minutes. Manufacture-On-Demand (Mod) DVDs will play in DVD playback units only and may not play in DVD recorders or PC drives. This DVD did not play in our laptop DVD drive but did play in our Toshiba DVD recorder.
The Set-up
A falsely-convicted doctor is saved from the gallows by a brilliant scientist (Basil Rathbone), who fakes his death and takes him to a dark,...
DVD Specs
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 enhanced for widescreen TVs
Running Time: 81 minutes
Rating: Not rated
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitles: None
Special Features: Trailer
The DVD is offered as part of MGM's "Limited Edition Collection" on DVD, which are available from select online retailers and are manufactured only when the DVD is ordered. The DVD features a simple menu with no menu for chapters or scenes. Chapters are set every ten minutes. Manufacture-On-Demand (Mod) DVDs will play in DVD playback units only and may not play in DVD recorders or PC drives. This DVD did not play in our laptop DVD drive but did play in our Toshiba DVD recorder.
The Set-up
A falsely-convicted doctor is saved from the gallows by a brilliant scientist (Basil Rathbone), who fakes his death and takes him to a dark,...
- 5/7/2011
- Cinelinx
Yonkers - Ernie Kovacs is the patron saint of innovative TV comedies. His impact can be felt on everything from Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In to Monty Python’s Flying Circus to Saturday Night Live. Shout! Factory’s The Ernie Kovacs Collection gives a survey of his short yet stellar career that ended in 1962 with his death. Over the course of six DVDs, you realize this guy truly revolutionized what you could do on TV.
The boxset doesn’t have any of the episodes from his original Three to Get Ready show that aired on Philly TV. But we get a healthy helping of his other shows that allowed him to bounce between NBC, CBS, ABC and even the legendary DuMont. Along with creating comedy shows, he hosted talkshows, gameshows and even variety shows. He even contributed to Mad Magazine. His famous mustache and cigar popped up all over the dial.
The boxset doesn’t have any of the episodes from his original Three to Get Ready show that aired on Philly TV. But we get a healthy helping of his other shows that allowed him to bounce between NBC, CBS, ABC and even the legendary DuMont. Along with creating comedy shows, he hosted talkshows, gameshows and even variety shows. He even contributed to Mad Magazine. His famous mustache and cigar popped up all over the dial.
- 4/28/2011
- by UncaScroogeMcD
Uncle Forry has been very active this month. In a New Yorker Magazine article by Daniel Zalewski, Monster-kid and maestro Guillermo Del Toro evokes Forry’s spirit and credits him as a big influence for him and other genre filmmakers. The Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy director has amassed a remarkable memorabilia collection of his own.
Make sure to follow this link to the article: Show The Monster – Guillermo del Toro’s Quest to get Amazing Monsters Onscreen. I thanked Gdt for bringing Forry back to us for a time in the article. His one-word e-mail response? “Yeah!” That says it all. Yeah!
"Tor Johnson, Forry Ackerman and Verne Langdon way back when ... "
Note: A big, “Hope You’re All Better” to Peter Jackson who reportedly had a recent hospital stay for stomach issues. We’re all wishing you’re 100% better by now. A fond farewell to two of Forry’s favorite femmes,...
Make sure to follow this link to the article: Show The Monster – Guillermo del Toro’s Quest to get Amazing Monsters Onscreen. I thanked Gdt for bringing Forry back to us for a time in the article. His one-word e-mail response? “Yeah!” That says it all. Yeah!
"Tor Johnson, Forry Ackerman and Verne Langdon way back when ... "
Note: A big, “Hope You’re All Better” to Peter Jackson who reportedly had a recent hospital stay for stomach issues. We’re all wishing you’re 100% better by now. A fond farewell to two of Forry’s favorite femmes,...
- 2/21/2011
- by GoJoeMoe
- DreadCentral.com
Swedish wrestler Tor Johnson, also known as the Super Swedish Angel, was the Super Swedish Angel of death in Ed Wood’s “Plan 9 from Outer Space,” in which he played Inspector Daniel Clay, raised from the dead along with Bela Lugosi and Vampira in a bizarre alien plot to show the human race the error of its ways. He went on to also appear in Wood’s “Night of the Ghouls” and “The Beast of Yucca Flats,” ultimately appearing on-screen more than 40 times — often, in the early part of his acting career, in uncredited roles.
Choice Quotation:
Ruler (John Breckinridge): Yes, he’s a fine specimen. Are they all this powerful on planet Earth?
Eros (Dudley Manlove): This one is an exception, Excellency.
Photo: Ronald Grant Archive
10 Best Wrestlers on the Big Screen: #2
10 Best Wrestlers on the Big Screen: #4
http://www.movingpicturesnetwork.com/23215/...
Choice Quotation:
Ruler (John Breckinridge): Yes, he’s a fine specimen. Are they all this powerful on planet Earth?
Eros (Dudley Manlove): This one is an exception, Excellency.
Photo: Ronald Grant Archive
10 Best Wrestlers on the Big Screen: #2
10 Best Wrestlers on the Big Screen: #4
http://www.movingpicturesnetwork.com/23215/...
- 2/18/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Network
Swedish wrestler Tor Johnson, also known as the Super Swedish Angel, was the Super Swedish Angel of death in Ed Wood’s “Plan 9 from Outer Space,” in which he played Inspector Daniel Clay, raised from the dead along with Bela Lugosi and Vampira in a bizarre alien plot to show the human race the error of its ways. He went on to also appear in Wood’s “Night of the Ghouls” and “The Beast of Yucca Flats,” ultimately appearing on-screen more than 40 times — often, in the early part of his acting career, in uncredited roles.
Choice Quotation:
Ruler (John Breckinridge): Yes, he’s a fine specimen. Are they all this powerful on planet Earth?
Eros (Dudley Manlove): This one is an exception, Excellency.
Photo: Ronald Grant Archive
10 Best Wrestlers on the Big Screen: #2
10 Best Wrestlers on the Big Screen: #4
http://www.movingpicturesnetwork.com/23215/...
Choice Quotation:
Ruler (John Breckinridge): Yes, he’s a fine specimen. Are they all this powerful on planet Earth?
Eros (Dudley Manlove): This one is an exception, Excellency.
Photo: Ronald Grant Archive
10 Best Wrestlers on the Big Screen: #2
10 Best Wrestlers on the Big Screen: #4
http://www.movingpicturesnetwork.com/23215/...
- 2/18/2011
- by admin
- Moving Pictures Magazine
Filed under: Columns, Cinematical
Welcome to Adventures in B-Movie Land, the monthly column where I take a look at some of the strangest, cheapest and worst films ever made ... and explore why you have to see them. Look for new entries during the second week of every month.
The Motion Pictures:
'Glen or Glenda' (1953), 'Jail Bait' (1954), 'Bride of the Monster' (1955), 'Plan 9 From Outer Space' (1958) and 'Night of the Ghouls' (1959).
Also Known As...
'I Led Two Lives,' 'He or She?,' 'I Changed My Sex,' 'The Hidden Face,' 'Bride of the Atom,' 'Graverobbers From Outer Space' and 'Revenge of the Dead.'
Featuring the Talented...
The legendary (and at the time, completely forgotten) Bela Lugosi, the incomprehensible Swedish wrestler Tor Johnson, the incredibly inaccurate psychic Criswell, Wood's long-suffering girlfriend Dolores Fuller, Ed Wood himself...
Welcome to Adventures in B-Movie Land, the monthly column where I take a look at some of the strangest, cheapest and worst films ever made ... and explore why you have to see them. Look for new entries during the second week of every month.
The Motion Pictures:
'Glen or Glenda' (1953), 'Jail Bait' (1954), 'Bride of the Monster' (1955), 'Plan 9 From Outer Space' (1958) and 'Night of the Ghouls' (1959).
Also Known As...
'I Led Two Lives,' 'He or She?,' 'I Changed My Sex,' 'The Hidden Face,' 'Bride of the Atom,' 'Graverobbers From Outer Space' and 'Revenge of the Dead.'
Featuring the Talented...
The legendary (and at the time, completely forgotten) Bela Lugosi, the incomprehensible Swedish wrestler Tor Johnson, the incredibly inaccurate psychic Criswell, Wood's long-suffering girlfriend Dolores Fuller, Ed Wood himself...
- 1/16/2011
- by Jacob Hall
- Moviefone
Filed under: Columns, Cinematical
Welcome to Adventures in B-Movie Land, the monthly column where I take a look at some of the strangest, cheapest and worst films ever made ... and explore why you have to see them. Look for new entries during the second week of every month.
The Motion Pictures:
'Glen or Glenda' (1953), 'Jail Bait' (1954), 'Bride of the Monster' (1955), 'Plan 9 From Outer Space' (1958) and 'Night of the Ghouls' (1959).
Also Known As...
'I Led Two Lives,' 'He or She?,' 'I Changed My Sex,' 'The Hidden Face,' 'Bride of the Atom,' 'Graverobbers From Outer Space' and 'Revenge of the Dead.'
Featuring the Talented...
The legendary (and at the time, completely forgotten) Bela Lugosi, the incomprehensible Swedish wrestler Tor Johnson, the incredibly inaccurate psychic Criswell, Wood's long-suffering girlfriend Dolores Fuller, Ed Wood himself...
Welcome to Adventures in B-Movie Land, the monthly column where I take a look at some of the strangest, cheapest and worst films ever made ... and explore why you have to see them. Look for new entries during the second week of every month.
The Motion Pictures:
'Glen or Glenda' (1953), 'Jail Bait' (1954), 'Bride of the Monster' (1955), 'Plan 9 From Outer Space' (1958) and 'Night of the Ghouls' (1959).
Also Known As...
'I Led Two Lives,' 'He or She?,' 'I Changed My Sex,' 'The Hidden Face,' 'Bride of the Atom,' 'Graverobbers From Outer Space' and 'Revenge of the Dead.'
Featuring the Talented...
The legendary (and at the time, completely forgotten) Bela Lugosi, the incomprehensible Swedish wrestler Tor Johnson, the incredibly inaccurate psychic Criswell, Wood's long-suffering girlfriend Dolores Fuller, Ed Wood himself...
- 1/16/2011
- by Jacob Hall
- Cinematical
Pahrump - Call it Hof Vegas. Dennis Hof of HBO’s Cathouse no longer wants me to warn readers that his Bunny Ranch empire is in only Reno and not Las Vegas. He’s bringing his style of adult fun to the outskirts of Sin City. He called up the hotline from the middle of Crystal, Nevada to spread the news. The sounds of hammering and drills came from his end of the phone.
“We’re moving around here and getting some things done,” Dennis Hof said. “I bought two 35 year old rundown, rat trap brothels. What you’re buying is the licenses.”
The two old names were Cherry Patch Ranch and Mabel’s Whore House. The new places are Love Ranch and Dennis Hof’s Cathouse. “Those are name that are synonymous with good times.”
There are no good times for the former owner. He got arrested for bribing a county official.
“We’re moving around here and getting some things done,” Dennis Hof said. “I bought two 35 year old rundown, rat trap brothels. What you’re buying is the licenses.”
The two old names were Cherry Patch Ranch and Mabel’s Whore House. The new places are Love Ranch and Dennis Hof’s Cathouse. “Those are name that are synonymous with good times.”
There are no good times for the former owner. He got arrested for bribing a county official.
- 11/16/2010
- by UncaScroogeMcD
I feel as if this Mystery Science Theater 3000 review is the toughest one I’ve ever had to do. Not because the films themselves are hard to review. I’m one in the belief that MST3K works on so many levels and am always in the mood to watch the gang rip into some of the shittiest films in the history of filmdom. To review the films would be benign, mainly because do you review the films themselves or do you review the content of the comedy? And how can one review comedy in general?
Mystery Science Theater 3000 Volume Xviii has some of the best episodes, one of which I had forgotten existed up until watching it again. Shame on me, I know. The films are Lost Continent, Crash of the Moons, The Beast of Yucca Flats and Jack Frost (no, it’s not the Michael Keaton film...
Mystery Science Theater 3000 Volume Xviii has some of the best episodes, one of which I had forgotten existed up until watching it again. Shame on me, I know. The films are Lost Continent, Crash of the Moons, The Beast of Yucca Flats and Jack Frost (no, it’s not the Michael Keaton film...
- 9/6/2010
- by James McCormick
- CriterionCast
Wrestling stars are muscling their way into cinema multiplexes – but can WWE really beat Hollywood on its own mat?
Brace yourself, adjust the volume controls and get ready, in a very real sense, to rumble – because the wrestlers are coming. The good news, at least, is that they're not here to grapple or drop-kick, but instead to emote, frown, wisecrack and demonstrate the full range of the emotional register.
This summer, the drip-drip of Us wrestling's incursions into mainstream cinema under the aegis of World Wrestling Entertainment's in-house movie production arm, WWE Studios, has shown its first real signs of becoming a surge. In August, former WWE wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's ascent into legitimate crossover status resumed with the Us release of The Other Guys, a Will Ferrell comedy in which Johnson co-stars. And, this month, current ace face John Cena's new film, the WWE-produced Legendary, is also released.
Brace yourself, adjust the volume controls and get ready, in a very real sense, to rumble – because the wrestlers are coming. The good news, at least, is that they're not here to grapple or drop-kick, but instead to emote, frown, wisecrack and demonstrate the full range of the emotional register.
This summer, the drip-drip of Us wrestling's incursions into mainstream cinema under the aegis of World Wrestling Entertainment's in-house movie production arm, WWE Studios, has shown its first real signs of becoming a surge. In August, former WWE wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's ascent into legitimate crossover status resumed with the Us release of The Other Guys, a Will Ferrell comedy in which Johnson co-stars. And, this month, current ace face John Cena's new film, the WWE-produced Legendary, is also released.
- 9/2/2010
- by Barney Ronay
- The Guardian - Film News
Hamsterdam, MD - News at 4:20. As part of the celebration for the upcoming season of Weeds, Glick University polled over 4,000 Americans about what TV News personalities they wanted to see get high during a broadcast.
Naturally there were ground rules including the disqualifications of news organizations that contain notorious on air potheads. This meant no votes were collected for the cast of The Daily Show, Colbert Report and Fox and Friends. You think Steve Doocey is sober? Hard to think that any of those folks have eyes that aren’t pied 24-7.
10, Bill O’Reilly (Fox News) had a lot of folks who reacted that it’d be like, “Dude, I’m getting high with dad.” Of course this initial elation is cut down with the horrifying fact of “Dude, I’m getting high with dad and it’s just not someone I need to party with.”
Rick Sanchez...
Naturally there were ground rules including the disqualifications of news organizations that contain notorious on air potheads. This meant no votes were collected for the cast of The Daily Show, Colbert Report and Fox and Friends. You think Steve Doocey is sober? Hard to think that any of those folks have eyes that aren’t pied 24-7.
10, Bill O’Reilly (Fox News) had a lot of folks who reacted that it’d be like, “Dude, I’m getting high with dad.” Of course this initial elation is cut down with the horrifying fact of “Dude, I’m getting high with dad and it’s just not someone I need to party with.”
Rick Sanchez...
- 7/23/2010
- by UncaScroogeMcD
Bonanza is one of those shows that most people have heard about, maybe hum the extremely well-known theme song too, yet haven’t seen or wouldn’t really bother seeing. I certainly never went out of my way to look for it, nor did I care to, since I was content with it being one of those things I just missed the boat on, like being an Edo-era ronin or attending Caligula’s cocktail parties.
Started airing fifty years ago on NBC, the long-running western (14 seasons, for a total of 430 hour-long episodes) is one of those TV landmarks that new viewers today might assume daunting to get into—even for Western fans like myself—but now that Paramount has officially released a sharply remastered DVD of the first season, watching it for the first time, it’s surprisingly easy to sit back and get into, as it has a bit...
Started airing fifty years ago on NBC, the long-running western (14 seasons, for a total of 430 hour-long episodes) is one of those TV landmarks that new viewers today might assume daunting to get into—even for Western fans like myself—but now that Paramount has officially released a sharply remastered DVD of the first season, watching it for the first time, it’s surprisingly easy to sit back and get into, as it has a bit...
- 9/25/2009
- by Arya Ponto
- JustPressPlay.net
Burbank – Chat Fatigue is coming.
Forget swine flu (or H1N1); Chat Fatigue will be the sickness that will overtake millions this fall. The group most susceptible to this are NBC viewers. Now that Jay Leno will be taking over the 10 p.m. slot from Monday to Friday (starting Sept. 14) on the Peacock network, viewers will get four hours of people sitting behind desks and talking directly to the camera.
Can the average viewer really handle going from Leno to local news to Conan O’Brien to Jimmy Fallon to Carson Daly? How many guys in suits and ties sitting behind a desk do you want to experience after an 8 hours of work day with guys in suits and ties sitting behind desks? They’re all going to stare at you through the boob tube and jibber jabber. Kinda like the doofus with the desk next to you at work.
Forget swine flu (or H1N1); Chat Fatigue will be the sickness that will overtake millions this fall. The group most susceptible to this are NBC viewers. Now that Jay Leno will be taking over the 10 p.m. slot from Monday to Friday (starting Sept. 14) on the Peacock network, viewers will get four hours of people sitting behind desks and talking directly to the camera.
Can the average viewer really handle going from Leno to local news to Conan O’Brien to Jimmy Fallon to Carson Daly? How many guys in suits and ties sitting behind a desk do you want to experience after an 8 hours of work day with guys in suits and ties sitting behind desks? They’re all going to stare at you through the boob tube and jibber jabber. Kinda like the doofus with the desk next to you at work.
- 9/15/2009
- by UncaScroogeMcD
The December DVD release of End Game sees the continuation of the grand tradition of casting pro wrestlers and reality television contestants in starring film roles. Olympic gold medal winning amateur wrestler turned professional wrestler Kurt Angle stars as a psycho-sexual serial killer stalking a stripper played by "Survivor: Amazon" winner Jenna Morasca. I can assure you it is every bit as good as it sounds.
Quite a run for pro wrestlers in genre films of late. Last month brought us the horror comedy Dark Rising with WWE's Christian and this month will see the release of Albino Farm co-starring WWE's Chris Jericho. Now Tna's Kurt Angle joins the fray as a master of disguise serial killer stalking a stripper while playing mind games against the cop hot on his trail.
I scored perhaps the first review of director Bruce Koehler's End Game and let me tell you it...
Quite a run for pro wrestlers in genre films of late. Last month brought us the horror comedy Dark Rising with WWE's Christian and this month will see the release of Albino Farm co-starring WWE's Chris Jericho. Now Tna's Kurt Angle joins the fray as a master of disguise serial killer stalking a stripper while playing mind games against the cop hot on his trail.
I scored perhaps the first review of director Bruce Koehler's End Game and let me tell you it...
- 9/3/2009
- by Foywonder
- DreadCentral.com
Join the Rifftrax Live: Plan 9 From Outer Space Screening!
Rifftrax Live: Plan 9 From Outer Space is a special one-night, in-movie theater event being held by Ncm Fathom Events in which former Mystery Science Theater 3000 stars Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy (pictured in grey shirt, Tom Servo) and Bill Corbett (pictured in blue shirt, Crow T. Robot) will be reunited in high definition for the first time ever on the big screen. They’ll offer an evening of live commentary, jokes and sarcastic asides from the Belcourt Theater in Nashville, Tn but you can see (and hear) it at a theater near you. The event will take place on Thursday, August 20, broadcast in more than 430 movie theaters nationwide.
Nelson, Murphy and Corbett, of course, were the mainstays of the beloved MST3K (which even begat a film version, in part thanks to former Starlog Managing Editor-turned-Universal Studios executive...
Rifftrax Live: Plan 9 From Outer Space is a special one-night, in-movie theater event being held by Ncm Fathom Events in which former Mystery Science Theater 3000 stars Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy (pictured in grey shirt, Tom Servo) and Bill Corbett (pictured in blue shirt, Crow T. Robot) will be reunited in high definition for the first time ever on the big screen. They’ll offer an evening of live commentary, jokes and sarcastic asides from the Belcourt Theater in Nashville, Tn but you can see (and hear) it at a theater near you. The event will take place on Thursday, August 20, broadcast in more than 430 movie theaters nationwide.
Nelson, Murphy and Corbett, of course, were the mainstays of the beloved MST3K (which even begat a film version, in part thanks to former Starlog Managing Editor-turned-Universal Studios executive...
- 8/6/2009
- by no-reply@starlog.com (Allan Dart)
- Starlog
12 Rounds is either one of the best tributes to action films of the last two decades or a horrible rip-off with nothing unique to say or show – it’s a genuine toss-up. But even if you can’t decide whether or not 12 Rounds borrows too much or the right amount, one thing isn’t debatable: John Cena has no place acting. The movie itself has problems left and right, but what’s really proven by the time credits roll is that action stars don’t just require muscular bodies in tear-away shirts, some acting is required. Bruce Willis didn’t rock our faces off in Die Hard by just being tough as nails – no, instead he threw in some acting to make John McClane endearing and even funny.
Detective Danny Fisher (Cena) and his partner Hank Carver (Brian J. White) took down the wrong criminal on the wrong night, a...
Detective Danny Fisher (Cena) and his partner Hank Carver (Brian J. White) took down the wrong criminal on the wrong night, a...
- 7/9/2009
- by Lex Walker
- JustPressPlay.net
Welcome to the first installment of a new column here at Fangoria.com, Back Catalogue. Sometimes the Catalogue will cover new releases of older films, and sometimes it will feature exactly what the title implies, back catalogue items. These will normally be from smaller specialty labels that have formed the backbone of the horror fans ability to build a truly representative collection of their favorite films. I'm proud to start this column back up after a two year hiatus and promise to work hard to recommend films that you're in danger of forgetting about, have maybe never heard of, or that might be ready to go out of print.
I'm also proud that the first edition of Catalogue is all about Synapse Films. Anybody who goes to conventions and has stopped by the Synapse table has not only seen first hand the amazing array of labor of love releases and Special Editions they produce,...
I'm also proud that the first edition of Catalogue is all about Synapse Films. Anybody who goes to conventions and has stopped by the Synapse table has not only seen first hand the amazing array of labor of love releases and Special Editions they produce,...
- 4/29/2009
- Fangoria
Time for another edition of Fangoria Crypts, where we feature the habits and collections of horror fiends from all over the globe, and go inside their crypts to check out all of their gory goodies and see exactly how they live the Fangoria lifestyle.
This time we're visiting a man who has a very unique collection of custom-crafted life-sized busts and statues, featuring horror icons from Universal, Hammer, and more. Let's enter the Fangoria Crypt of Mike Shumsky...
Fangoria Crypts Bio Sheet
Name: Mike Shumsky
Occupation: Inventory Manager
Crypt Location: Chicago
Website (Or Myspace, Etc): None
Your Bloodlust:
Classic Horror recreations by world class sculptors and artists such as Mike Hill and Thomas Kuebler
First Horror Film:
My mom got me hooked at a very young age - not sure which one she let me watch first on TV but it was probably the original Frankenstein. The first one...
This time we're visiting a man who has a very unique collection of custom-crafted life-sized busts and statues, featuring horror icons from Universal, Hammer, and more. Let's enter the Fangoria Crypt of Mike Shumsky...
Fangoria Crypts Bio Sheet
Name: Mike Shumsky
Occupation: Inventory Manager
Crypt Location: Chicago
Website (Or Myspace, Etc): None
Your Bloodlust:
Classic Horror recreations by world class sculptors and artists such as Mike Hill and Thomas Kuebler
First Horror Film:
My mom got me hooked at a very young age - not sure which one she let me watch first on TV but it was probably the original Frankenstein. The first one...
- 3/18/2009
- Fangoria
People often complain about sequels to works that were perfect and complete in the first place. But the truly discerning can easily see that Gone With The Wind needed to be followed up with Scarlett, that the plot threads left dangling by 1976’s King Kong had to be tied up years later in King Kong Lives and that the daring themes of the Sci Fi Channel flicks Boa and Python cried out for further exploration in Boa Vs. Python.
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- 2/13/2009
- Fangoria
Say what? A sequel to the 1961 z-grade cult favorite The Beast of Yucca Flats? Really? No joke?
If you've never seen Coleman Francis' crap classic The Beast of Yucca Flats, frankly, I'm not sure if you're better or worse off for it. The black & white schlocker was about a defecting Russian scientist being pursued by the Kgb getting caught in an atomic blast test that transforms him into a man monster that roams the deserts of Yucca Flats terrorizing an ordinary family. One of the reasons for its notorious badness is the original soundtrack got lost somehow during production leaving Coleman Francis to record a rambling nonsensical narration track to try and make some sense out of what was already pretty senseless to begin with. Not to mention the monster just being Ed Wood mainstay Tor Johnson with a few cheap-looking make-up disfigurements on his face.
Not exactly a...
If you've never seen Coleman Francis' crap classic The Beast of Yucca Flats, frankly, I'm not sure if you're better or worse off for it. The black & white schlocker was about a defecting Russian scientist being pursued by the Kgb getting caught in an atomic blast test that transforms him into a man monster that roams the deserts of Yucca Flats terrorizing an ordinary family. One of the reasons for its notorious badness is the original soundtrack got lost somehow during production leaving Coleman Francis to record a rambling nonsensical narration track to try and make some sense out of what was already pretty senseless to begin with. Not to mention the monster just being Ed Wood mainstay Tor Johnson with a few cheap-looking make-up disfigurements on his face.
Not exactly a...
- 2/6/2009
- by Foywonder
- DreadCentral.com
Here I thought this whole colorization thing had more or less died out in the Eighties. Guess not. I'm with most people in thinking that if a movie was made in black & white, then it ought to be viewed in black & white. Besides, something about the colorization process has just never looked right to me. Don't tell that to Legend Films; restoring and colorizing black & white movies is their bread & butter.
On October 21st Legend Films will be releasing several newly colorized old horror films onto DVD that most probably never thought would warrant the colorization treatment. Those films are 1964's The Last Man on Earth, a loose adaptation of Richard Matheson's I Am Legend starring the legendary Vincent Price; Roger Corman's 1961 monster-comedy Creature from the Haunted Sea, and given how utterly silly-looking the title monster appears I can only imagine it'll look a thousand times sillier in...
On October 21st Legend Films will be releasing several newly colorized old horror films onto DVD that most probably never thought would warrant the colorization treatment. Those films are 1964's The Last Man on Earth, a loose adaptation of Richard Matheson's I Am Legend starring the legendary Vincent Price; Roger Corman's 1961 monster-comedy Creature from the Haunted Sea, and given how utterly silly-looking the title monster appears I can only imagine it'll look a thousand times sillier in...
- 9/24/2008
- by Foywonder
- DreadCentral.com
NEW YORK -- This debut feature well demonstrates that aspiring filmmakers looking to achieve cult status might want to avoid bringing to mind the legendary director Ed Wood. Using as one of its main visual devices a large rubber mask of Tor Johnson, the late wrestler immortalized by his starring turn in "Plan 9 From Outer Space", "Rhinoceros Eyes" wears the influence of Wood and far too many other cult directors -- including David Lynch, the Brothers Quay, Jan Svankmajer, Tim Burton and David Cronenberg -- far too heavily.
The influence of Cronenberg can be easily explained, since writer-director Aaron Woodley happens to be his nephew. His film tells the story of Chep (Michael Pitt of "The Dreamers"), a taciturn and socially withdrawn prop house employee. Despite the well-stocked paraphernalia on hand, Chep is forced to improvise when approached by Fran (Paige Turco), a beautiful Film Production designer who has some unusual requests.
Desperate to win her affections, Chep is forced to go to considerable lengths to satisfy her outlandish needs, which include a pair of genuine rhinoceros eyes, a vintage prosthetic arm and an actual human finger. Donning the aforementioned mask, he goes on a series of thievery expeditions, finding his quarry in such places as a porno movie set and the home of an elderly couple. As he pursues these objects of desire, Chep starts to lose his grasp of reality, as evidenced by various inanimate objects coming to life (courtesy of stop-motion animation) and offering unsolicited advice. Meanwhile, a detective (Gale Harold) obsessed with old-style movie musicals begins to investigate the mysterious thefts.
Oddly bereft of scares or tension, the film is mainly notable for its sustained atmosphere of weirdness. But while the filmmaker has managed to create a fairly stylized atmosphere on an obviously low budget, the proceedings have a slack quality that induces tedium. For too much of the film's running time, quirkiness stands in for genuine wit, and the screenplay is most notable for its derivativeness. Not helping matters is the lead performance by Pitt, who here lacks the charisma to make us empathize with his bizarre character.
The influence of Cronenberg can be easily explained, since writer-director Aaron Woodley happens to be his nephew. His film tells the story of Chep (Michael Pitt of "The Dreamers"), a taciturn and socially withdrawn prop house employee. Despite the well-stocked paraphernalia on hand, Chep is forced to improvise when approached by Fran (Paige Turco), a beautiful Film Production designer who has some unusual requests.
Desperate to win her affections, Chep is forced to go to considerable lengths to satisfy her outlandish needs, which include a pair of genuine rhinoceros eyes, a vintage prosthetic arm and an actual human finger. Donning the aforementioned mask, he goes on a series of thievery expeditions, finding his quarry in such places as a porno movie set and the home of an elderly couple. As he pursues these objects of desire, Chep starts to lose his grasp of reality, as evidenced by various inanimate objects coming to life (courtesy of stop-motion animation) and offering unsolicited advice. Meanwhile, a detective (Gale Harold) obsessed with old-style movie musicals begins to investigate the mysterious thefts.
Oddly bereft of scares or tension, the film is mainly notable for its sustained atmosphere of weirdness. But while the filmmaker has managed to create a fairly stylized atmosphere on an obviously low budget, the proceedings have a slack quality that induces tedium. For too much of the film's running time, quirkiness stands in for genuine wit, and the screenplay is most notable for its derivativeness. Not helping matters is the lead performance by Pitt, who here lacks the charisma to make us empathize with his bizarre character.
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