My days were numbered there, which I realized from day one. Why was I there in the first place then? I’ve been asked that by several people now. My main reason was Jay of the Dead, whose friendship and kindness renewed my faith in horror podcasters coming together to do great things. He left the show and put me in charge of it, which I did out of respect for him and the great show he had started.

We all know that podcast suddenly stopped in a rash of controversy — which boils down to a certain member of the podcast becoming irate over a comment I made about Argento. Amazing! We came up with a story to cover it all up so that nobody looked bad and that the highly-cherished reputation of das Netzwerk would remain untarnished.

I was begged to stay on das Netzwerk — despite harsh treatment and my suspicions that things may not be what they seem. Repeatedly begged to stay. So I returned to solo-casting with The Electric Chair. That lasted for 3 episodes on das Netzwerk, at which point I left, continuing the show on my own. The reasons for this are many. Let’s just say that my leaving coincided with heated disagreements over the treatment of podcasters and leadership decisionmaking.

In fact, just before I left das Netzwerk, my friends on Devour the Podcast were thrown out under controversial circumstances.

So, I’m in the very awkward position of no longer supporting or promoting das Netzwerk, while still having many friends there who make wonderful podcasts, and are all-around great people.

The beginning of the end? We’ll see. But I’m gonna keep doing what I love to do. Thanks to everyone who has show their kind support throughout all of this!

http://electricchairshow.com

I just threw a few bucks at an upcoming project that I really believe in, and think will be exceptionally cool. It’s called Way Down in Chinatown. It will have a very film noir feel, and will be very original.

Learn more about it, and support the project!

In the wake of the abrupt — and rather unexpected — demise of The Weekly Horror Movie Podcast, there was a rush to keep me involved with the Horror Palace. Crazy. The rest of the crew of TWHMP formed Horror Metropolis (AKA The Bi-Weekly Horror Movie Podcast), and that left me to put on a show of my own. Again. It’s a lot of fun to do this one, as I’m focusing on bringing lots of different people onto the show — actors, directors, writers, musicians, podcasters, and so on.

Some day, when I’m old and depressed and need money really badly, I’m going to write a book about my podcasting “career.” Oh, the stories I have to tell.

But I digress from what I was originally intending this post to be about: telling you about The Electric Chair. The first episode went up last Sunday, and I had the opportunity to talk with actress/model Melanie Robel, who is very talented, and a great person. Every Sunday a new episode will be posted, and I’m having a blast talking with all sorts of great people.

Check out the show, and let me know what you think. I’m making every attempt to behave myself this time around.

I’m working on a standalone web site for the podcast, and I’ll keep you updated on that.

Here’s some important stuff to know.

The Electric Chair | official website | iTunes | RSS | Twitter | Facebook

I’m very saddened by the news, and I’m glad that I met him and spoke to him on many occasions. I first met him in 2008, when he was the special guest for the promotion of the Eerie Horror Film Festival at the Millcreek Mall (first photo below). At that time I interviewed him for the Midnight Podcast, and was really impressed with how kind the man was.

Since then I’ve talked to him on many occasions, and he was always willing to hang out and talk. I always looked forward to seeing him.

The last time I encountered Mr. Hinzman was at Horror Realm 2010, and had to snap another photo with him because he was decked out in all his zombie glory (second photo below).

I’ll be watching Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Flesheater (1988) in his memory.

Take a listen to it now.

It’s a controversial topic among horror fans. I tend to agree with most of what the author says about the use and misuse of digital effects. Where do you weigh in? Was he too tough on modern horror using digital effects?

He did make a comment that I can’t completely agree with, however. He says that “modern US horror cinema is defined by lazy cash-ins, spin-offs and other defilements of legendary films.” Lazy cash-ins and spin-offs: yes. Defilements of legendary films: get over your hatred of remakes because of the alleged untouchable holiness of the originals. I’m tired of hearing this kind of argument.

Just had to put that out there.

“Modern horror: Lay off the CGI and bring back prosthetics”

No joke. While it’s basically a marketing ploy for the increasing number of zombie movie fans (and those convinced that the zombie uprising could actually happen), the bullets are live ammo, ready for use in a variety of firearms.

If you read to the end of the article, they mention that bullets intended to be fired on zombies causes a concern for people dressed in zombie costumes. I could totally see something very bad happening as a result.

Read the article at BlueRidgeNow.com»

As you know, I’ve been a contributor on the wildly successful Weekly Horror Movie Podcast over at the Horror Palace. We just released episode 14, which includes a mighty battle over the original The Last House on the Left, and also a surprising announcement: Jay of the Dead, the current host, is leaving the podcast because of unrelated circumstances.

Before making this announcement, I was approached and asked to take over the show’s responsibilities, and I accepted. Episode 15 has been recorded, and will be posted this Sunday.

I’m honored to be overseeing this fine podcast, and am excited to keep things rolling with Terror Tovey, Doctor Shock and Billchete.

What do you think? Obviously, you’re wrong if you disagree.

Read the press release (PDF, 619Kb)

I’ve been podcasting again. It’s an addiction that one doesn’t easily shake.

Since the demise of the Horror Jungle, I’ve been podcasting with a group of men that I love more than life itself. BillChete, Doc Shock, Terror Tovey, and Jay of the Dead are my fellow critics on The Weekly Horror Podcast. Each week we assign movies to each other to watch and critique, and our diverse backgrounds and tastes in horror makes for some great discussion (and arguments).

It’s part of the Horror Palace network, where many other wonderful horror podcasts reside.

And stay tuned for exciting announcements regarding the podcast! You’ll giggle like a little schoolgirl.

But before I start, I have a couple comments. First of all, I’ve never seen a truly bad movie at this festival. Sure, there were some I didn’t care for, but the quality is consistently excellent in the films chosen. Secondly, I was very tired the day I went. This definitely affected my experience of the features, since they were obviously longer.

Worm

UK | Directed by Ray Vernava | 11min

Very weird, very cool! It’s a surrreal fantasy horror piece . . . or something like that. This one is hard to explain, but well worth the watch. Watch the trailer.

Dead Friends

Canada | Directed by Stephen Martin | 11min

An original tale, for sure. I didn’t care for the makeup, but it involves a zombie (always a plus in my book) and some fun humor. Watch the trailer.

The Corridor

Canada | Directed by Evan Kelly | 99min

My first feature-length film of the day was a good one. It was a strange supernatural tale that for some reason kept reminding me of The Shining. But I kept falling asleep during this one — I’m not sure whether it was the movie, or my severe lack of sleep that caused this. I think I needed to pay more attention than I did to really get this movie. Watch the trailer.

Bad Moon Rising

Australia | Directed by Scott Hamilton | 8min

Awesome werewolf short, complete with a sweet transformation scene that reminded me of An American Werewolf in London. You gotta watch this 1-minute excerpt.

St. Christophorus: Roadkill

Germany | Directed by Gregor Erler | 26min

A faced-paced thriller about a guy who endures an extreme amount of pain after witnessing an accident on the road. I loved this one. Check out the official website, where you can watch the trailer (among other things).

Donner Pass

USA | Directed by Elise Robertson | 86min

I love a good cannibal movie, and this made me happy. It’s all based on the Donner Party, and the legends surrounding it. Great production value: acting, violence and gore effects were wonderful. Watch the trailer.

Mea Maxima Culpa

Canada | Directed by Eric Spoeth | 25min

Black and white and based on Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart, this short was very enjoyable. Good acting, and good expansion on the original story. Watch the trailer.

Augenblicke

Germany | Directed by Martin Bargiel | 19min

I think I was too tired for this one, as it was really surreal, having to do with blurring the edges of the real and the imagined. Too much for my tired mind to wrap around. I’m sure it was good. Watch the trailer.

The Black Box

USA | Directed by Jason Balas | 81min

I think I was so confused after Augenblicke that the disorientation spilled over into this movie. I guess it’s a post-apocalyptic, futuristic kind of thing, but I really have no idea. I need to try to watch this one again. Watch the trailer, and look for links on that page for other trailers for this movie.

The Living Want Me Dead

USA | Directed by Bill Palmer | 23min

This was my favorite short of the whole day! A man subjects himself to scientific tests for money, and consequently develops a condition in which he gives off a pheromone that causes people to turn into bloodthirsty killers. Brilliant and extremely enjoyable. Bravo! Watch the first scene and sneak peek.

The Millennium Bug

USA | Directed by Kenneth Cran | 98min

My favorite feature of the day! I was pleasantly surprised by this, as I had no idea what it was about. It’s New Years Eve 1999, and a family is headed into the mountains for a holiday getaway. They encounter inbred hillbillies, a cryptozoologist and an enormous creature that surfaces once every thousand years. All practical effects (“No CGI” was actually the movie’s mantra), which was pulled off masterfully. I liked this movie so much that I went out and bought it on DVD immediately, getting to meet the director. What a way to end the day! Go to the official website to watch the trailer and order your own DVD.

Their new album came out today, and since I could get it at Best Buy for 8 bucks with a coupon, I figured I’d go out on a limb. I haven’t really liked anything they’ve done since Michale Graves left the band, and Jerry Only resorted to taking over vocal duties. Let me tell you this: Jerry Only is a mediocre bassist at best, but his bass skills are light years ahead of his vocal abilities.

And that really sticks out on “Devil’s Rain.” He belts out forgettable choruses sounding like he’s drunk and trying to sound like Graves and Danzig at the same time.

The songwriting is abysmal. The one time I listened through the album, there was no point at all where I thought, “Hey, this sounds cool.” It was bland, uninspired, and forced.

On Facebook, I commented on my disappointment with the album, posting it on the official Misfits page. There were many others who did the same. Shortly thereafter, my comment mysteriously disappeared. So did the other negative ones. And they’ve blocked me from interacting on their Facebook page at all now.

This really upsets me. If they’re that paranoid about someone seeing negative reviews of their albums, then that’s a sure sign that they realize their lack of listenable material. They’re getting old — the Misfits are essentially a nostalgia act at this point — and know that the band’s days are numbered.

How sad. Gone are the glory days with the likes of Glenn Danzig, Doyle, Michale Graves, and Chud. Now all we have is Jerry Only desperately clinging onto the corpse of a band that died in 2000.

You’re looking at a fan of everything the Misfits did until 2000. I am now sickened and saddened by post-2000 Misfits, and will never make an effort to see one of their shows or buy any more albums (unless by some miracle we see a reunion of Graves, Doyle, Chud and Only — or even something with Danzig, as weird as that would be).

RIP Misfits.

Take this post, for example. It’s new content.

However, that is not the end of my zombie movie reviews and recommendations. I will regularly post to this website, and I also have another podcasting project or two in the making. Keep checking back! Things are very exciting.

Please visit and support my former Horror Jungle co-hosts. They are truly wonderful and talented people. This is their information, which I stole from the Horror Jungle site

BillChete

• Horror Jungle Website
• Email

Boss Butcher

• The Bosses Fan Website
• Twitter
• Email

Dr. Shock

• DVD Infatuation Website
• Twitter
• Email

Joe Mummy

• Christiana Productions Website
• Facebook
• YouTube
• Email

HellHunter

• Blogger Fan Website
• Twitter
• Email

Bloody Lizzy

• Platypi Studio Website
• DeviantART
• Etsy
• Email

KC Canton

• DownRight Creepy Website
• iTunes
• Facebook
• Email

It’s an imaginative title, I know. On August 1, 2011, the UK will see the DVD release of Cowboys & Zombies, previously released here in the States under the title of The Dead and the Damned.

I was excited about this. The combination of zombies and the Western genre has been pretty successful, with games like Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare and books like Eric S. Brown’s How the West Went to Hell. I had high hopes for this independent effort, written and directed by Rene Perez and starring David Lockhart, Camille Montgomery, Rick Mora, and Robert Amstler.

The movie opens with a pretty decent gunfight, but really drops off from there. A bounty hunter is strapped for cash, and goes after a notorious Indian who is wanted for rape and murder. The citizens of the old Western town find a strange glowing-green meteorite and open it up, releasing CG radiation and turning them all into angry, fast zombies. And you can pretty much figure out where it goes from there.

My two biggest problems with this were the lack of originality — there’s really no guesswork here — and the dragging plot. I thought of Creepshow as soon as I saw the meteorite sequence — the Stephen King meteorite segment. And there are just so many traveling sequences. You see a lot of walking around. I almost fell asleep during the drawn-out, actionless dialogue scene between the bounty hunter and the Indian.

Not to mention the blatant CG that plagues the film. I already mentioned the radiation being computer-generated, but a lot of the blood is unquestionably CG and sticks out badly.

I might as well add that I had a problem with the lead actor as well — David Lockhart has the bounty hunter. He comes across as neither rugged nor tough, and his soft, high-pitched voice doesn’t help.

But I will say that I enjoyed the look of the zombies. I loved the sequence inside the house when the blind zombie is stalking the girl. The makeup was done very well, and the scene was pretty well done, even if there were some things about it that didn’t make much sense.

Yeah, I was disappointed by this one. Lots of promise, with little delivery. I give it a 3/10.

Watch the trailer, then browse through the pictures below.

On episode 1, I recommended the classic Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (1974). I then recommended Dance of the Dead (2008) on episode 2, and on episode 3 recommended Boy Eats Girl (2006).

Agree? Disagree? Don’t care? Post a comment and let me know.

Thank you all for listening and coming to my site. I truly appreciate everyone.

I love IPA’s. This was confirmed the moment I tasted Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. I was very anxious to try the 90 Minute and 120 Minute varieties, having heard such good things about them.

A couple years ago, I was fortunate enough to be visiting a friend in Pittsburgh who had been saving a bottle of 120 Minute for upwards of two years, waiting for the right time to open it. He was generous enough to open it right there and share it with me. I was blown away — it’s the brandy of beer. Absolutely amazing.

Many people have told me that 90 Minute is their favorite of the three, but I’ve never been able to locate it. I could only find it by the case, which runs nearly $60. It’s not that I can’t afford it, but convincing my wife that a case of beer is worth $60 is impossible.

The other day I was fortunate enough to find a 4-pack of it for $11. Worth every cent!

I’m not a beer geek, so I’m not going to go on about head and lacing and citrus fragrances. It’s surely a nice-looking beer when you pour it in the glass, and is like the 60 Minute IPA, but richer, tastier, and fuller. Don’t get me wrong — I LOVE 60 Minute — but this just amps up the enjoyment without overdoing things. It’s not overly rich or flavorful; it’s just an awesome beer.

I will buy this whenever I get the chance (and whenever I can get away with spending the money). A+!

This movie has a very Saw vibe. Four women wake up in an underground cell, remembering nothing. They are drugged and subjected to a series of horrifying experiments. On top of this, the women are visited one at a time by the killer Surgeon, who cuts a number into each woman’s skin — the exact time that he’s coming back to kill them. The movie takes a number of unexpected twists and turns, leading to an ending that is truly surprising.

I have to say that I’m amazed at what the filmmakers did with a very low budget, especially in the effects department. There is lots of blood and gore, the vast majority of it being practical (not CG). I only saw a couple quick CG enhancements to the effects, and they did not detract from the scene at all. It all plays into the psychological nature of the movie — they’re messing with the actors’ (and the viewers’) heads, leaving everyone to try to figure out what is really going on.

It’s also very good on a technical level. A lot of careful attention was paid to camera placement and movement, and stylized, creative lighting was utilized to the fullest extent. It’s all edited together very well — even though it’s a longer movie, the pacing is very good and never left me bored or over-stimulated.

The acting is pretty much what you’d expect from a micro-budget film. A couple of the characters are done well, while most are mediocre at best. But they weren’t helped by the fact that there wasn’t much character development — I really didn’t care for any of them that much. Most of the movie is focused on the psychological horror of the situation, not on growing deeper with the characters.

A few specific problems I had:

• I just didn’t get the killer Surgeon. Why was he there? Several things didn’t make much sense to me.
• After the experiments and subsequent questioning, the women were given the chance to ask the doctor one question. Why didn’t they ask what was going on? They never thought of that until the end.
• The main character was awfully calm upon discovering the Lovecraftian tentacle bug monster. She was even clearheaded enough to use the creature to her advantage. I think that any normal person would have crapped their pants and collapsed in a sobbing heap. Or maybe that would just be me.

All in all, this was a very interesting movie to watch. It’s a Saw-like psychological horror film, lacking the fine polish of a big-budget film, but still delivering some nice gore and unexpected twists.

Thanks to my friends at Organic Marketing for sending this!

You can download this on the music page.

While I certainly get a good laugh at these comments, I’m not engaging in any kind of back-and-forth with such people. Sorry trolls!

The Midnight Corey podcast won’t continue. There’s too much controversy, and too many crazy people out there who are taking things way too seriously and who have too much time on their hands. If you’re interested in listening to the podcast, all the episodes are available on the podcast archive page.

My original music is also available again on the music page.

I will still be posting whatever comes to my head, and doing various reviews. Enjoy, all you sensitive Internet people.

Welcome to a podcast among podcasts.

This time around, I waste your time babbling about Witchboard (1986) and Siege of the Dead (2010). I talk about the beer I tried this past weekend — the Samuel Adams LongShot Homebrew Contest pack.

Here are a couple zombie shorts I recommend: Crawlspace | Undead Cadenza

My original song for you is called “Bananastick.”

“Teenager stabs himself to death onstage at open mic night in front of shocked crowd at coffee shop”

“The Walking Dead novel is all about the Governor”

Another reason why Samuel Adams is an all-around fantastic company: they make outstanding beer, and they support individual efforts like this.

The 2011 contest is going on right now. So if you’re creative in the ways of beer brewing, you should definitely check into this.

I’ll be giving my opinion of the beers in my next podcast. Cheers!

Everything is right in the world, now that I’m back podcasting.

I review Pinocchio’s Revenge (1996), play some original music, and ramble on for a while.

Other music: Bullroarer

I will definitely get back to podcasting regularly, and appreciate your patience while I get used to being responsible for a brand new human life.

Thanks! Feel free to keep those podcast dollars rolling in during this time.

It’s like an earful of blood!

This week, I finally get around to talking about Dr. Blood’s Coffin (1960), as well as The Burning (1981) and Monster Dog (1984). We hear from our good friends Misfitboy, Spooky Bill, Skeptical Zack, Mastiffman, and Jeff Bromley.

Spooky Bill’s Pathophysiology of the Living Dead!

My original song this time around is “Wheelchair.”

At some point during the podcast, I announce a new giveaway contest.

Other music: Twin Stumps | Alice Cooper

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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I went to the football game with my Dad, my brother, his wife, and my 11-year-old nephew. We were surrounded by drunken, cocky WVU kids. Anyone can talk big when they’re full of booze, and the things they said during the game did nothing to help my view of West Virginians.

My dad and I were sick of them screaming obscenities into our ears, and we both turned around, looked at the big drunken mountain boys, and asked them to watch their mouths around my nephew. The tough-talking college kids suddenly transformed into little puppies with their tails between their legs, as they repeated apologized, insisted they were Steelers fans (since we were wearing Steelers stuff), and vacated the area shortly thereafter. I wholeheartedly believe that they had to go change their underwear, based on the looks on their faces. Real tough guys.

Yeah, Pitt got creamed. Not that I’m a diehard Pitt fan anyway. The football was enjoyable, but the booze-filled mountain people that stumbled in from WVU made me decide that I probably won’t go to another college football game. Don’t get me wrong — I love busting on people, and being busted on. But when obscenities are being hurled around young kids, I’m just not into it.

On a positive note, Heinz field is beautiful, and the view from the stadium is great.

The next day, we shot guns. Before the government takes them all away from us, I’m going to shoot as much as possible. You can make a pretty good guess about whose faces I pictured on the target.

In this week’s podcast, I talk about episode 4 of The Walking Dead, and also give my Netflix Instant recommendation: The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009). There are a handful of voicemails of death, an original song called “The Count,” and that’s about all.

Other Music: Melvins

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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Another week of weird here at the podcast. I was overly ecstatic when I received the Invisible Invaders (1959) DVD this week, and I talk about the movie as the final zombie movie of the 1950′s.

Episode 3 of AMC’s The Walking Dead aired this week, and I talk about it, along with Voicemails of Death from Spooky Bill and Betty from Maryland.

I attempted to watch Body Snatchers (1993) on Netflix, but ran into some very unexpected issues.

So, if you’re wanting to watch something on Netflix Instant Watch, I recommend you see Subspecies (1991).

I got a wonderful greeting from Jonny T and the wacky crew over at Jonny’s Cult Films Podcast! Quite possibly my favorite message ever.

I wrote and recorded a zombie song (not Zombi 2) called “Alone.”

Other music: Melt-Banana

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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The only zombie thing I talk about this week — other than the limited-edition “Midnite Mausoleum Presents The Italian Zombie Movie Part 1&2 – Summer Camp Special DVD” on sale this weekend at Horrorhound Cincinnati — is the second episode of AMC’s The Walking Dead. Spooky Bill also left a voicemail of death about the show.

Since I seemed to have misplaced Invisible Invaders (1959), I instead talk about Bride of the Gorilla (1951). If you have Netflix, I strongly urge you to watch the classic Un Chien Andalou (1929).

This week I play another version of “Watershed.”

Other music: PC Worship

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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This week I talk about the movie that many people call the worst movie ever made: Plan 9 From Outer Space (1958). And, even though every other podcast in the world is talking about the first episode of The Walking Dead on AMC, I will also talk about it. Sorry. I also manage to work in a plug for the newest Melvins album, Bride Screamed Murder.

I also recommend that everyone go watch House of the Devil (2009), and play the review I did for James Melzer’s podcast UNLEASHED.

The original music this week is the acoustic version of my song “Watershed.”

Other music: The Dead Milkmen | White Suns

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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Happy Halloween!

I consider you all to be trick-or-treaters knocking on the door of my podcast. Your treats are in the form of me talking about a whole pile of movies (warning: some have razor blades hidden in them, while others are poisoned). These movies include:

• Teenage Zombies (1957)
• Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
• Puppet Master (1989)
• Dolls (1987)
• Summer School (1987)
• Paranormal Activity (2007)
• The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)
• The Food of the Gods (1976)

Thanks to Victor: here’s the sweet unofficial animated opener to The Walking Dead

Original music: “Dripping Blood From Crushed Heads”

Other music: Thrones

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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In a very sleepy episode, I talk about the movies Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) and Child’s Play (1988). Original music is another Zombi 2-inspired song called “The Boat Can Leave Now.”

Other music: Mogwai

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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I welcome Eric S. Brown back to the podcast this week, and we talk about all kinds of cool stuff — most namely, his first hardback, Season of Death. You can get it here.

I talk about the movie Creature with the Atom Brain (1955).

I went to the Eerie Horror Film Festival this past Saturday, and tell you all about the people I talked to, and the films that I watched:

• “Attackazoids, Deploy!”
• “Arthur”
• “The Curse of Micah Rood”
• “They Came From the Attic”
• “Findher”
• “Patient”
• “One Track Mind”
• “Deep River: The Island”
• “Bottles”
• “Ghosts Don’t Exist”
• “United Monster Talent Agency”
• “Tinglewood”
• “Cabine of the Dead”
• “Danger.Zombies.Run.”

In this week’s original music, I cover “Soul to Squeeze” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Other Music: Coachwhips

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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BONUS!

An exclusive still photo from the film!

For the first part of the show this week, I ramble on and on about Cinema Wasteland this past weekend, and about the Eerie Horror Film Festival this weekend. However, I eventually get around to talking about Womaneater (1957), Bloodsuckers from Outer Space (1984) (with Eric AKA @bguglyhryscry), Lake Mungo (2007), and the sweet CD from Buzz Works, Zombie Influx.

Other stuff I talk about . . .

• New trailer for The Walking Dead (thanks to McPierce)
• Bradford Zombie Walk (thanks to Zombie Headhunter)
• Help Badhammer play video games for children’s medical research!

Original music: “Rocketship”

Other music: Butthole Surfers

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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All kinds of goodness this week. I talk about the Boris Karloff zombie movie Voodoo Island (1957), and 3 new releases that Arrow Video sent me: The Horde (2009), Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Day of the Dead (1985). I also recommend the movie It’s Alive (1974) on Netflix Instant Watch.

Two beer reviews! NoCal Mike and Brian in Colorado tell you about some great beers.

My original song is titled “Under.”

Stuff I talk about:

• Eric S. Brown’s upcoming Season of Death
• “How to Make a Zombie, Haiti-Style” (thanks to Victor)

Other Music: Box Elders

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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This time around I ramble — a lot. Mostly about Horror Realm, but also about other things of interest such as the movie Scared Stiff (1953), Full Moon Entertainment’s Demonic Toys (1992), and Dead Lantern‘s newest movie, Outpost Doom (2010).

Thanks to Jonny T, I play you my splendid cover of Abba’s “Waterloo.”

Zombie stuff:

• Left 4 Dead downloadable content / digital comic
• Rob Zombie’s newest movie: The Lords of Salem
• Rob Zombie’s Halloween project

Other music: Boss Hog

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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As I get ready to head off to Horror Realm for the weekend, I bring you another astounding podcast.

I talk about the unofficial sequel to I Walked with a Zombie(1943) — Zombies on Broadway (1945). Also, I give a Netflix Instant Watch recommendation: the movie Mom (1991).

Zombie Stuff:

• New book: Night of the Living Trekkies (with SWEET trailer)
• Boy Scouts vs. Zombies
• Milla Jovovich claims there with be another Resident Evil movie

Original Music: “Mail Order Zombie (Send Us Your Cash)”

Other Music: PED

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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The only movie I talk about this week is I Walked With a Zombie (1943). But there’s a ton of other stuff going on — the Review of Beers from Brian in Colorado, voicemails, strange things, and an original song called “Flyin.”

I also talk about these highly interesting zombie things:

• New series on FearNET: Zombie Roadkill
• Leftover Salmon’s Halloween Show: “Zombie Jamboree”
• Survival of the Dead 2-disc Ultimate Edition
• The Walking Dead on AMC
• Zombieland 2 in 3D

Other Music: The Italian Zombie Movie

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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Joining me this week is author and reviewer of beers, Brian Kaufman (AKA Brian in Colorado)! We have a great discussion about his book Dead Beyond the Fence, movies, music, and lots more. Get his book! Brian also provides us with this week’s Review of Beers.

We return to Bela Lugosi’s zombie films, as I talk about Bowery at Midnight (1942) and Voodoo Man (1944).

The original music is a heart-wrenching song of love, loss, and the American Dream, entitled “Pretty Pony.”

Other Music: Blah Blah Blah

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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What a beginning to the weekend this has been! My Friday evening, which is usually peaceful and relaxing, was suddenly full of adventure and intrigue.

I’m having something of a party tomorrow night, and decided to go out for beer after dinner. I jumped in my car and headed to my favorite beer shop. I came out with armloads of Dogfish Head and Yuengling, eager to get back home and put it on ice. I inadvertently made a wise decision: to get all the beer warm.

I got in the car and the engine wouldn’t turn over. I just heard a clicking as the lights dimmed. And then my key wouldn’t come out of the ignition. I Googled the problem on my Blackberry, and based on some quick research, I concluded that the battery was dead. It was amazing to me that one moment, everything was fine, and the next moment, the battery kicked it.

I called my wife, asking her to bring jumper cables. I was tempted to drink a beer in the parking lot as I waited, but two things occurred to me: 1) the beer was warm, and 2) it may pose a legal issue, as open containers of alcohol in public places are frowned upon by the police.

When my wife arrived, I popped the hoods and began to work. I was horrified at the amount of corrosion on my battery terminals. It was like a cake decorator had gotten into the engine and coated my battery with multi-colored icing. But it smelled like rotten eggs, and smoked as I tried to jump the car.

In the middle of all this, a white van full of young hip dudes rolled up beside us. I was adjusting the jumper cables, and they rolled down their windows and told me about these sweet stereo systems they had in the back of the van, and that they were selling them off for cheap. They were very giggly.

“No way,” I said.

They sat there and insisted that I look at the speakers.

“I’m kinda busy here,” I said. “I’m trying to get my car jumped.”

They proceeded to make fun of me and cuss me out. Then they drove away. All I can say is that if your job is to drive around on a Friday night, scamming people and acting retarded, then you’re a pansy loser. How much do you make for giving up your evenings? Minimum wage? Maybe ten bucks an hour? Run along, kids. I’m going to relax while you work.

So I called the police after getting the license plate number. They transferred me to the State Police, who proceeded to be very rude with me, saying that they get calls about these people all the time, and that they are perfectly within their rights to sell their stuff.

You have to be kidding me! So, it’s perfectly fine to drive around with a load of cheap junk and sell them to suckers by telling them that you’re overstocked and just want to “unload” the speakers for cheap to make a quick buck since the boss screwed up. That’s perfectly legal, and has the blessing of the cops!

My guess is that the cops are getting paid off by these guys. That’s the only reasonable explanation for this.

So, I got the car started up — finally — and rolled over to Advance Auto, which was just across the street. These are the words of the man who changed my battery when he saw the obscene amount of corrosion on my battery: “Holy shit.”

He had never seen a battery that bad. I felt bad that he had to work so hard to clean up the mess and replace a lot of parts that had been eaten away; but at the same time I felt pretty cool that I brought them the worst-looking battery they’d ever seen.

Now it’s over and done with. I thwarted the white van speaker scam retards once again (this makes my 4th encounter — read about my first 3 here) and conquered the frightening situation of my car not starting.

And the weekend is just barely beginning. I’m a bit frightened now to think about what the party has in store for me tomorrow.

This week, we stop in the year 1943 to look at Revenge of the Zombies, the “sequel” to King of the Zombies (1941). I also review the newly-released movie Meat Grinder (2009).

Brian in Colorado tells us about a beer named after a river, and Spooky Bill phones in his thoughts on the Voicemail of Death.

For original music, I cover the Marty Robbins song “El Paso.”

Stuff I talk about:

• Episode 1 of The Zombie Mob is live! Join McPierce, Tom Berdinski, Keith Latch, and me for an inspiring discussion of Zombie Lake (1981).
• Ninjas Vs. Zombies on DVD
• Music video banned from TV in the UK: “We Are Water” by HEALTH (thanks to Jonny T)
• Yummy Corpse Bread! (thanks to McPierce)

Other Music: Omazing Grace | Argumentix

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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The only movie I talk about this week is King of the Zombies (1941). Brian in Colorado gives us a second-hand review of beers, and we get to hear some Voicemails of Death. The original music is called “Bass.”

Stuff I talk about:

• Hammer House of Beer
• “Two infant skeletons found in 1920s LA building”
• “Ohio’s Bedbug Battle Escalates with EPA Crisis Meeting”

Other music: Clockcleaner

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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The bad luck podcast! #13 on Friday the 13th.

My one-man horror short is marching along . . . watch the progress at http://youtube.com/adelphik

This week,  I talk about the Bob Hope zombie movie The Ghost Breakers (1940), as well as the drugged-out hippie frenzy called Gold: Before Woodstock. Beyond Reality. (1972). Brian in Colorado reviews a beer with fruit in it!

Other stuff I talk about:

• The zombie Starburst commercial (although I do not endorse Starburst) – thanks to Victor
• Charlie Adlard will play a zombie extra on The Walking Dead TV series (thanks to McPierce)
• Terrifying deep sea dwellers! (thanks to Jonny T)
• More drama on Twitter!

Original music: a cover of the song “Slow Drip” by The Burt Bacharak Fight Club

Other music: Conan the Barbarian the Musical | Guinea Worms

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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This week, I’m joined by author Robert R. Best, and we get to talk all about his new book Ashton Memorial. Be sure to check it out!

Brian in Colorado brings us a wonderful tale of beer discovery in this week’s Review of Beers.

Just a reminder: if you were one of the winners of the Eric S. Brown and David Dunwoody Zombie Flash Fiction Contest, please send me your address! You’re holding everyone up.

If you don’t know already, I’m making a short horror movie. You can watch the progress on YouTube.

On this show, I ramble about:

• A cool video with Greg Nicotero talking about how he made a zombie for The Walking Dead TV series (thanks to McPierce)
• Trailer for low-budget zombie movie Dead Genesis
• The Man They Could Not Hang (1939)

Original Music: “No Code for That”

Other Music: The Functional Blackouts

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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Also listen to me on UNLEASHED

Sounds easy.

I’m vlogging about it on Youtube, and the introductory clip was just posted today. Have a look . . . buy the ticket . . . take the ride.

This one’s coming out a day late this week.

Please help out James Melzer!

I talk about Robert R. Best’s newest book Ashton Memorial, the second in his zombie trilogy. I review a zombie music video for the song “Lose Control” by keep you honest, the newly-released movie Kaiji: The Ultimate Gambler (2009), and The Walking Dead (1936).

Cool stuff:

• Thanks to Ertrov: The Walking Dead TV show trailer bootlegged from Comicon
• The 2010 International Cheetham’s Zombies Photo-Cookie Model Search | Zombie Cookies | Cheetham’s Zombies | Winnipeg Free Press article
• Thanks to McPierce: International relations theorist explains how to handle zombies

Original Music: a cover of “Big Rock Candy Mountain”

Other music: The Burt Bacharak Fight Club

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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The time has come! The stars are aligned! The winners for the Eric S. Brown and David Dunwoody Zombie Flash Fiction Contest are announced, and all three are read on the podcast. I am honored to welcome guest readers James Durham and James Melzer! Thank you to everyone who entered their zombie flash fiction. Background music during the readings is from Zombie Influx from Buzzworks.

This week, I review Zombies of Mass Destruction (2009). I also review the more obscure Karloff zombie movie The Ghoul (1933) — and so does Misfitboy. Brian in Colorado talks about his trip to a Renaissance Festival in this week’s review of beers.

My original song is another one of the songs I’ve written about Zombi 2. It’s from the perspective of the doctor’s wife, titled “What Am I Gonna Do Now.”

Other things I talk about . . .

• The Walking Dead TV show news from Ain’t It Cool News
• The Walking Dead contest, motion comic, and set visit with Robert Kirkman
• The Walking Dead Comicon poster (thanks to Ertrov)
• “Another worker plunges to his death at iPhone manufacturer Foxconn”
• “Woman thought she had powers: murder trial”
• “Man claims to see ‘demons,’ strangles cat and beats up girlfriend”

Other music: Prison | Haggis Rising

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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Also listen to me on UNLEASHED

Welcome to this week’s circus of suffering!

I review a whole bunch of stuff. Danzig’s new album Deth Red Sabaoth; The Last Zombie comic written by Brian Keene; The Crazies (2010); and Revolt of the Zombies (1936). Angrypuppy also sent in his review of Revolt.

The Review of Beers is a battle of the titans, by Brian in Colorado. Thanks for the article about the carload of zombies from Brian . . . from elsewhere, and the news about Dead Rising 2 from Zombie Command.

I perform a cover of the obscure Beck song “Satan Gave Me a Taco.”

Other music: The Oranges Band | Fecal Coproboys

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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Listen to me on other podcasts: Library of the Living Dead | UNLEASHED

We received 58 entries for the Eric S. Brown and David Dunwoody Zombie Flash Fiction Contest! Thanks to everyone who entered. Our judges are evaluating the entries as we speak.

I review the movie Vampire, just released in the UK by Stax Entertainment. Also, I go way back to the very beginnings of zombie cinema and talk about White Zombie(1932). Brian in Colorado gives us this week’s Review of Beers, and my original music is a cover of a White Zombie song. Voicemails of Death also abound.

Articles I talk about:

• “Two arrests at Liverpool airport after attempt to smuggle corpse onto flight”
• “London court jails man for killing wife with remote control”
• “Chinese woman has corrective surgery 15 years after horrific car accident twisted her legs the wrong way round”

Other music: Bare Wires

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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Listen to me on other podcasts: Library of the Living Dead | UNLEASHED

The time for submitting your entry for the Eric S. Brown and David Dunwoody Zombie Flash Fiction Contest is very short — the 4th of July! Uncle Sam wants YOU to submit a story!

On the show, I get to talk about the newest release by awesome horror band DieMonsterDie — Fall To Your Knees. Thanks to Mike at Cadaver Lab for turning me onto these guys! Go to DieMonsterDie’s official web site, where you can learn more about them, buy their albums, watch sweet videos, and more. You’ll hear the songs “How Many People Do I Have To Kill, Before You Know I Love You” and “A Priest and a Zombie Rent a Fishing Boat as Friends” during the show.

We hear from Ertrov’s friend Mitch, Spooky Bill, and CarnageCake.

I watched two movies this week, and give them both a review: Doghouse (2009) and Offspring(2009).

My original music this week continues in the story of Mr. Bass’s Planetoid — “N.O.W.”

The articles I talk about:

• Songwriters: Send us your original song on the tragedy in the Gulf (thanks to Misfitboy)
• Salmon-Flavored Vodka
• Motive sought in death of 5-year-old girl killed in Shelton
• Good Samaritan saves woman with severed legs

Some guy named Root Rot appears on the latest Dark Hours podcast.

New horror site: the Corpse Collective.

Check out Eric S. Brown’s Bigfoot War.

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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Listen to me on other podcasts: Library of the Living Dead | UNLEASHED

This week, I get to talk to the director of Bikini Girls on Ice, Geoff Klein. I reviewed the movie a couple weeks back — visit its web site.

I got a Voicemail of Death from Evil Nate, and Brian in Colorado sent in this week’s “Review of Beers.”

Articles I talk about . . .

• “Husband, Sister Dug Up From Graves”
• “Killer ate victim ‘to steal soul’”
• “State Backing Films Says Cannibal is Deal-Breaker”
• “Jeremy London Survives Bizarre Kidnapping Incident”

I review the movie Diary of a Bad Lad, which is arriving in the UK on DVD on June 28, 2010. Check the film out at its official web site.

Go listen to The 13 Skulls podcast, where the host TJ talks about the unexplained. Definitely worth subscribing to!

Original Music: From my old podcast (Podcast M). “Short Long Long Short Long Wait”

Other Music: The Black Bug | The Italian Zombie Movie | Spose (thanks to Misfitboy)

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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Listen to me on other podcasts: Library of the Living Dead | UNLEASHED

This week I’m joined by Crash and Russy from the horror rock band Boy Eats Gurl. You can listen to them and find out more about them on their web site, on their MySpace page, and on their Facebook page.

Don’t forget to send your 500-word zombie flash fiction in for the contest by July 4.

I’ll tell you all about my adventures in going to see Phish this past weekend in Ohio. You’ll hear a lot of Voicemails of Death from a lot of wonderful people. I review the movies Army of Darkness (1993) and the upcoming DVD release of Resurrecting the Streetwalker (2009). I talk about a few news articles that caught my attention, as well as bringing you brand new original music.

• “Cannibal sliced off parts of grandmother and ate them.. while she was still alive”
• “NC Man Claims Close Encounter With Blond Bigfoot”
• “The Pentagon’s Newest Project: Zombies”

Other Music on the Show: Boy Eats Gurl | Phish

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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Listen to me on other podcasts: Library of the Living Dead | Library of Horror | UNLEASHED

Of all the bands I’ve gone out to see throughout my life — starting with the Pittsburgh stop of They Might Be Giants’ Apollo 18 tour when I was 15 — Phish is the most wonderful, consistent group I’ve seen. Even if you just listen to any of their readily-available live recordings, you’ll hear that they strive to stretch the bounds of their music and deliver new experiences to their audience. And to rock.

Last night was a fantastic Phish show. The highlights for me were “Sample in a Jar,” “Mike’s Song” segued into “Weekapaug Groove,” “Character Zero,” and “The Squirming Coil” as their encore/closer. I always get chills when Page pounds out the last bars of that one.

I took all these pictures on my Blackberry Storm, so the quality sucks on some of them.

The crowd was thick, hot, and impatient. Bottlenecks going in, and worse bottlenecks trying to get out afterward.

The weatherman called for scattered thunderstorms, but it never rained until well after the show. While I’m glad that we didn’t get dumped on while Phish played, I was actually praying for the rains to come and alleviate the humidity. I was coated in sweat the whole time.

Phish has the best light show. Period. Chris Kuroda is a brilliant lighting designer, and is as much a part of the band as any of the four playing on stage.

Balloon Guy. This hippie kept running through the crowd with ornate balloon animals, and seemed to really like running around the area we were standing in.

]]> http://midnightcorey.com/2010/06/phish-blossom-cuyahoga-falls-oh-6-12-10/feed/ 3 http://midnightcorey.com/2010/06/midnight-corey-4/ http://midnightcorey.com/2010/06/midnight-corey-4/#comments Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:11:06 +0000 Midnight Corey http://midnightcorey.com/?p=390

We’re all raising awareness this week about all the awareness-raising going on.

I talk about the Eric S. Brown and David Dunwoody Zombie Flash Fiction Contest, and how awesome it is. I encourage you all to read Bryan Wolford’s first serial novel, 48 Pieces. I make a few comments about the final episode of Lost. Also, I bring up the Twitter confrontation that went down earlier this week. Fun stuff! I tried the beer that supposedly tastes like pot: Hazed & Infused Dry-Hopped Ale by Boulder Beer Company. Spooky Bill called in this week’s single voicemail.

And listen closely, as I reveal how my parents tell me they decided on my name.

Three movie reviews this week: Bikini Girls on Ice (2010), Kill Your Idols (2004), and Dead Moon Rising (2007).

My original music for you this week is another cover. I owe Creedence Clearwater Revival and John Fogerty a huge apology for my version of “Bad Moon Rising.”

Other music on the show: Rad Bear | Phish

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

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Listen to me on other podcasts: Library of the Living Dead | Library of Horror | UNLEASHED

Here’s what you gotta do:

We want a zombie story from you. It has to be completely original, and be no longer than 500 words. Here’s a good article to help get you familiarized with flash fiction if you’re new to it.

Type it up, put it into the body of an email message (along with your name), and send it to: corey AT midnightcorey DOT com. Please put “Zombie Flash Fiction Contest” in the subject line.

All the entries will be read by Eric S. Brown and David Dunwoody, and they will decide on the top three stories.

The prizes:

• First Place: Bigfoot War by Eric S. Brown; Empire (first edition, signed) by David Dunwoody
• Second Place: How the West Went to Hell (signed) by Eric S. Brown; UNBOUND & Other Tales (signed) by David Dunwoody
• Third Place: Kinberra Down (signed) by Eric S. Brown and Jessy Marie Roberts

The three winners will also be read on an upcoming episode of Midnight Corey’s podcast.

The deadline:

Your entries must be received by 11:59pm on July 4, 2010. Say happy birthday to America by writing a 500-word zombie gorefest!

The contest has officially begun, so start writing! Multiple submissions are allowed (in separate emails, please), but please limit to 3 entries per person.

A huge thank you goes out to Eric S. Brown and David Dunwoody for offering their books and judging expertise!

I’m pleased to welcome my friend Eric S. Brown to the podcast this week! We talk about all kinds of things: War of the Worlds Plus Blood, Guts and Zombies Simon & Schuster pre-order . . . Bigfoot War is his “best non-zombie book” . . . the sequel to Rats from Season of Rot is titled Undead Down Under and comes out this October in hardcover . . . Brethren of the Dead, the sequel to The Queen, comes out next year . . . his demon/zombie western How the West Went to Hell . . . the post-apocalyptic zombie western The Weaponer will be released later this year . . . his upcoming comic Agent Death and the Angels . . . Anti-Heroes, his upcoming book with David Dunwoody . . . frozen alien planet book Kinberra Down . . . and an upcoming contest!

I ramble about:

• Tales from the Grave (2006)
• Red Dead Redemption (Xbox 360)
• HopDevil Ale by Victory Brewing
• Voicemails
• First image from The Walking Dead TV show

Original Music: 7 (originally by Prince)

Music: Pissed Jeans | Mr. Bungle

Voicemail: 814-806-2828

Subscribe to Midnight Corey: RSS | iTunes

Listening to me on other podcasts: Library of the Living Dead | Library of Horror | UNLEASHED

The 2-year-old Indonesian smoker loves to listen to my podcast with his first smokes of the day.

This week, I address my concerns with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, movies and TV shows I’ve been watching, music, and lots more. I review the zombie movie Killing Spree (1987), and play my song “Blood Comes From Your Throat” (watch the video).

There are also Voicemails of Death this week.

Zombie Stuff:

• Day by Day Armageddon: Beyond Exile can be pre-ordered at Amazon.com
• African zombie movie The Dead is playing at Cannes | stills/trailer | hardships | Facebook group
• Day of the Dead to be remade . . . in 3D!
• Survival of the Dead DVD and “Ultimate Undead Edition” Blu-ray to be released in the US on August 24

The Microsoft zombie vs. shark commercial

Music: Deathraid | The Intelligence

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Listening to me on other podcasts: Library of the Living Dead | Library of Horror | UNLEASHED

This is a song about Susan. I originally wrote it faster and heavier, but was never really happy with the arrangement and my vocals. It kinda sucks. So I reworked the whole song, and even made a little video to go along with it that follows the story.

I’ve decided to podcast again . . . why not. Call me and leave your comments on the resurrected Voicemail of Death: 814.806.2828, or leave your comments on the blog.

I ramble about:

• George Romero
• Bled White (2009)
• The Zombie Combat Manual
• Attack of the Vegan Zombies (2010)
• writing
• original music: “Bend That Light”

Music: The Styrenes

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Listening to me on other podcasts: Library of the Living Dead | Library of Horror | UNLEASHED

Edmund Fizgerald Porter, Great Lakes Brewing

The first thing that flashed through my mind was my bone-crunching version of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, which I had put a lot of work into a couple weeks ago. Finding this beer is clearly more than a coincidence. However, being that I wasn’t quite sure what a porter was, I almost passed it up. The label promised a taste that is “smoky, robust, dark and bittersweet.” After a few minutes of deliberation, I finally decided to give it a try. It was $8.49 for a sixer, which is relatively reasonable at Wegman’s.

It turns out that porters are pretty heavy. Not quite like a stout, but still very dark and rich. The description on the bottle is accurate, with the warmness of chocolate and coffee in the forefront. I’m surprised that it’s only 5.8% ABV, as I’m used to darker beers being stronger. On the initial sip, I wasn’t too sure I’d be able to drink more than one or two, the taste was so rich. Not bad by any means, but very full. Well, let me tell you this: it’s not all that hard to drink more than a couple. In fact, it gets easier and easier.

It turns out that Cleveland has managed to do something right, as that is where Great Lakes Brewing is located.

And it turns out that I officially like porters (so far). It’s not a party beer, but rather one to sit down and enjoy with a good hearty dinner — or on a sinking vessel on Lake Superior. I recommend it!

I love this book. It’s a comprehensive, entertaining guide for zombie fighting, written in a military style. In this well-organized and well-written manual, Ma covers everything you need to know about fighting the living dead, complete with helpful illustrations and “Combat Reports” — interviews and accounts of encounters with zombies. It’s a great blend of straightforward instruction and short storytelling.

The first section covers the facts about zombies: what they are, what they aren’t, and how they function. I was particularly thrilled with the first misconception discussed: that zombies can run.

Next, the focus is turned to those fighting the zombies. Physical fitness, health and wellness are discussed in terms of zombie combat, so that those confronting the living dead can prepare as much as possible. A lot of time is spent on weapons of all kinds — traditional battle weapons, swords, knives, blades, clubs, etc. — as well as weapons that can be found in certain settings: the farm, the garage, the kitchen, and more.

Ma brings it all together with the final section, Combat Strategies and Techniques. Your chances of success in a skirmish with the undead will soar as all kinds of techniques and situations are covered.

“For those who have never encountered a walking cadaver, the techniques described in this section may seem vicious, brutal, perhaps even excessive and gratuitous.”

Of course, the humor is implicit. The straightforward, deadpan delivery of the manual and conversational tones of the Combat Reports are inherently funny when the subject is zombies.

It’s a great read. Roger Ma’s zombie knowledge is unparallelled, and I can only hope to have him at my side during the next zombie outbreak. Go buy The Zombie Combat Manual right now.

Rating: 10/10

Bled White web site

The movie takes place after the zombie apocalypse has struck, and what’s left of society is reordering itself to deal with the flesh-hungry “zombies.” People are doing whatever it takes to survive, and we follow several plot lines that intertwine. We follow two hit men, a family, and a couple running a hotel. The scenes aren’t necessarily chronological, creating a darker kind of Pulp Fiction feel. Things happen at the beginning of the movie that don’t quite make sense until it’s connected to something else later on.

The filmmakers explore some interesting territory and have come up with some original ideas — a big plus in my book. We see the conflict between those who believe in “killing” the zombies and those who want to them” live” in hopes of a cure being discovered. Themes of cannibalism, cheating, and survival vs. killing are also in the mix.

The characters are pretty nicely developed, and the actors perform much better than I was hoping for. Some are excellent (the lead hit men), some are mediocre, but none are bad.

On a technical level, they did a great job with a low budget. The whole movie is high-contrast, allowing for a lot of lights and shadows. They managed to film the whole thing during the winter, something not often seen in zombie movies. It works really well. Overall, the shot selection and cinematography were well done. The suspense they’ve created is wonderful. The editing and pacing, along with the good score and sound effects, make for great atmosphere.

Now for the zombies. Even though they run, they look good: pale with lots of blood and light blue cloudy eyes. The makeup is good — they must have spent a fortune in blue contacts. Nothing looked fake. However, the zombies growl and roar and sound demonic — a little too over-the-top for me. This could have been just as scary (probably scarier) with slow zombies.

The effects were good, and they kept it mostly practical. They used some digital effects — fire, gunshot flares, clouds going over the moon, etc. — but they don’t overindulge in digital effects like a lot of low-budget movies tend to do.

All in all, this is a very good low-budget movie — fun and gory. Also a breath of fresh air in the over-saturated zombie movie market.

Rating: 7/10

But then things went weird for the band. Creative differences began to show through on Digimortal, the followup to Obsolete. It wasn’t a great album, and the band seemed to be in limbo for a while. Madman guitarist Dino Cazares left the band after a falling-out with vocalist Burton C. Bell. Bassist Christian Olde Wolbers switched to guitar, Byron Stroud (from Strapping Young Lad) took over on bass, and Raymond Herrera remained on drums.

They released Archetype — which I love. A few years later came Transgression, which was lukewarm (although I’d still listen to that over Digimortal any day). I figured they were still growing with the rearranged lineup, although they were pulling away from the element of death metal and getting awful pop-sounding on some tracks (like that U2 cover?!).

Then they kind of wandered away from each other. Christian and Herrera began playing in Arkaea, and Burton decided to reform Fear Factory with Dino back on guitar, Gene Hoglan (from Strapping Young Lad) on drums, and Byron remaining on bass. Controversy abounds, and you can read all the (supposed) details on the Wikipedia page.

While I love Fear Factory, I became disinterested in them. All the bickering and problems kind of turned me off. I’m not fully convinced that I like Burton or Dino. I like the Strapping Young Lad guys, Christian and Raymond.

Which brings me back to my original statement: I was hesitant to pick up their February 2010 release, Mechanize.

And to be honest, this is about what you would expect from a Fear Factory album. Dino has come up with some really cool riffs, and the mega-robot-drummer Hoglan adds larger-than-life heaviness to the mix. Burton adds some welcome growls this time around, but his vocals aren’t anything you haven’t heard before. He maintains his ability to do death metal screams and melodic singing within the same song, which ain’t easy.

While this is an album I’ll probably listen to fairly regularly, it’s really nothing new in the realm of Fear Factory. At times I feel like I’m listening to Demanufacture or Obsolete. I’m fairly certain that the purpose of this album was to re-establish cred with an increasingly disillusioned fan base.

Innovation it isn’t. However, it’s an enjoyable album that FF fans will appreciate. Hopefully, Mechanize is a stepping stone to further growth and creativity in the band.

Rating: 7/10

Order your copy from CreateSpace or Amazon, or check out the official web site.

Why? They were each $19.99.

The teenage guy behind the counter wasn’t impressed by what I was buying. “Something to keep you busy,” he dully remarked as he bagged them.

I knew neither of these games were big hits — they both received pretty lukewarm reviews. But something pulled me toward these games. Today, let me tell you about Prototype.

This is an amazing game. You’re an shapeshifting anti-hero given free reign in New York City. You can consume people and steal their memories and appearance. Your powers include super jumps, super strength, super speed, and a vast array of weapons (like the giant claws seen above). As you go through the city slaughtering the police and military, you earn more experience, which rewards you with more powers and stronger abilities.

Sure, there’s some kind of story that goes along with it. But it’s so much fun to terrorize the good citizens of New York, that I really don’t care about actually doing the missions. I’m not ignoring them completely — you have to complete missions to gain more abilities and powers — but I spend an enormous amount of time between missions bringing death and destruction to the city.

My only real complaint is that there’s not much variation in the scenery or the people throughout the city. The playable map is very large, but everything pretty much looks the same.

I love this game. It’s a steal right now for twenty bucks — go get it.

A special thanks to Jason from SRS Cinema for really hooking me up this weekend! It was great to meet and hang out with him.

Kyra Schon was the first guest I talked to, and she was really nice. She was selling really cool, high-contrast Karen Cooper  posters, and I couldn’t resist picking one up.

Howard Sherman played my favorite zombie: Bub from Day of the Dead (1985). Great guy!

Ian McCulloch was the lead actor in Zombie (1979), and is completely astonished by the popularity of the movie. One thing that surprised me about Mr. McCulloch is that he told me he’s never seen any of Romero’s zombie movies — he said he just doesn’t have the desire to. He also told me that he met Romero recently, and Romero refuses to watch Zombie (or any of its sequels) because he thinks they’re all ripoffs of his work.

Al Cliver played Brian in Zombie. I learned some fascinating things from Mr. Cliver — namely that Brian’s voice in Zombie is not his. All his lines were overdubbed, and he doesn’t know who did them. Also, I asked him what it was like to work with Lucio Fulci. He responded, “He was a son of a bitch.” He explained that despite Fulci’s reported temperament, they became good friends and made many films together.

You know who Ottaviano Dell’Acqua is, whether you realize it or not. He’s the iconic Conquistador zombie that appears on the majority of Zombie materials (including my shirt). He was a really fun guy, and very energetic.

I also talked with Richard Johnson, who was really cool. For some reason I didn’t think to snap a picture with him. I love his first line in Zombie: “The boat can leave now. Tell the crew.”

Beatrice Ring played the lead role in Zombi 3 (1988), and is every bit as beautiful as she was when she made the movie. Zombie 3 is notorious for the nightmarish production it went through — Lucio Fulci directed most of it, but later on, Bruno Mattei stepped in to finish it at the insistence of the studio. I asked Beatrice about how crazy the process was, and she said that it wasn’t as big a deal as everyone makes it out to be. She worked with Fulci the whole time, and wasn’t even aware of Mattei’s part in it. “It happens all the time, in lots of movies,” she explained when she talked about reshoots and studios bringing in a different director to finish a film.

When I was at Horror Realm last fall, I somehow missed speaking with Jim Krut, the helicopter zombie from Dawn of the Dead (1978). So I made sure that I got to meet him this time around, and I’m glad I did. He’s very tall, and fun to talk to.

Gary Ugarek is the creator of Deadlands: The Rising and Deadlands 2: Trapped, and was there to support Jim Krut, who also starred in Deadlands 2. I ended up talking to Gary for a long time, and he’s a really down-to-earth guy.

This is the second time I’ve met Tom Savini. I’m a huge fan of his work, and he’s truly a master of what he does. Despite that, I haven’t been very impressed with him personally. Both times I’ve talked to him, he seems annoyed that I’m there — it’s like he doesn’t want to be there at all. Disappointing.

It was a blast hanging out with Tom Berdinski and the cast/crew from The Italian Zombie Movie. Tom is a good friend, and I was excited to meet him and others whose passion went into these unforgettable films. They truly know how to have a good time. And if you haven’t seen parts 1 and 2 of The Italian Zombie Movie, you’re definitely missing out on something special — so go buy it!

Speaking of good friends, here’s one that you’ll all know — Misfitboy. He’s every bit as cool as he comes across in his reviews, and I was honored to hang out and have a few drinks with him and Mrs. Misfitboy.

This double 8-string electric guitar made specially for Saw V is a thing of beauty. It belongs to Sonny Lombardozzi, whose shredding skills are inhuman. He’s a really cool guy, and now that I’ve checked out his music, I’m a huge fan! Find out more about Sonny at his web site.

I almost had my jugular ripped out.

What happens at Cinema Wasteland stays at Cinema Wasteland.

Okay, enough history lessons — let’s get to the plot. By the way, the 3D version of Creature from the Black Lagoon is amazing if you can find it. It does have great underwater effects! A large explosion is seen as a narrator gives a short speech on earth. The film then shows a beach with strange footprints coming out of the water. The waves slowly wash over them, leaving the viewer the obvious question: what was it?

Meanwhile, scientists are digging into a wall of dirt and rock, uncovering an odd-looking skeletal hand. Later that night, two men are wakened in their tent by a monstrous shadow. The thing tears down the tent, slashes one man with a sharp claw, and kills both of them. The skeletal claw is sent to a lab so it can be determined what species it is from. Dr. Carl Maia, who discovered the hand, assembles a crew of scientists to find more fossils in the “black lagoon.” Among the crew are Dr. David Reed, Kay Laurence, Dr. Mark Williams and Dr. Edwin Thompson. They board the boat, the “Rita,” driven by Lucas, who tells them a tale of “gill-man,” a legendary creature who, millions of years ago, may have been a throwback to the human and amphibious race — a cross-breed, if you will. It is then we get our first glimpse of the creature, coming up from the lagoon to grab a large bird and pull it down to the deep lagoon.

It soon becomes apparent that the legend is real and two battles begin. One is for the capture of the creature for study purposes, or to let it stay in its natural environment. Second is the ever-famous battle for the love of a woman (Kay), which was common in these types of films. In a brilliant scene, Kay goes for a swim in the lagoon. The creature sees her and has never witnessed such beauty before, swimming inches away from her, slightly grazing her leg, wondering what she is. Kay panics and gets out of the water. The gill-man then begins his pursue of Kay by jumping onto the boat and causing chaos.

Eventually it is decided that the scientists will use rotenone (a drug that is used to capture fish). Then they put the creature in a cage, but unfortunately it doesn’t hold the beast for long. The creature breaks out and seriously injures Dr Thompson. Lucas thinks it’s time to leave the cursed lagoon, but cannot, because the creature has blocked off the only exit with giant logs. Williams decides to go underwater to try to remove the debris, but is confronted by the gill-man and is killed. Using the rotenone on the creature gives Dr. Reed enough time to remove the barricade created by the gill-man. Later that night, the gill-man comes on board, kidnapping Kay and taking her to his cave somewhere within the lagoon. Yes, its’ like King Kong underwater, but I’m fine with that! The rest of the team manages to find the gill-man’s subterranean lair, and after a brief fight the creature is shot and falls into the darkest depths of the lagoon.

This is without a doubt my favorite Universal monster film, and seeing it in the 3D form (the way it was introduced to American audiences) was amazing, especially the underwater shots! Ben Chapman, who played the creature, would have to hold his breath for over a minute in some scenes.

On a scale from 1-10, Creature from the Black Lagoon is a perfect 10! If you should happen to want to buy the movie, I would recommend the legacy collection. It comes with all three creature films, several documentaries, anda lot of other photos, trailers, etc. You can get it at Amazon.com for around $20 — a steal in my book.

Well, that’s it for this time around. Once again, thanks to Corey for allowing me to continue reviewing some of the drive-in classics! See you at the drive-ins! This is Misfit boy and I’m out!

I learned something funny from the girl who worked at Burger King on Clifton Hill, the main tourist drag leading to the falls. This was the coolest Burger King I’ve ever been to — nothing special about the inside, but the outside featured a giant Frankenstein monster clutching a burger.

Since American dollars and Canadian dollars are so close in value right now, it’s not really worth doing the currency exchange thing. Every place we spent money at in Canada accepted American dollars, and gave change in Canadian dollars. The girl who helped us at Burger King was thrilled when I happily accepted Canadian dollars as change. She told us that Americans get upset all the time about having to accept Canadian money, calling it “fake” or “monopoly money.” She seemed genuinely offended at this.

What I took away from my trip to Canada is this: you gotta respect their cash.

1. The Sheetz parking lot, Kittanning, PA

This was probably around 1998. I was living in a very small apartment just across the alley from the Sheetz convenience store in Kittanning, PA. I was just getting something to eat there before I went to the bank to cash my paycheck. A young Asian guy came up to me and asked if I’d like to get some really awesome speakers for next to nothing. I checked them out; they were tall Dynalab speakers in impressive-looking packaging. He and the driver of the van showed me magazines that priced the speakers at $1299.

The warehouse overstocked his van, giving him 6 but only invoicing for 4, he said. He wanted to get rid of them before they got back to the warehouse, where they would have to return the speakers. So the Asian guy asked me for $600. I had nothing close to that amount of money available, going to college full-time and working part-time. All I could spare was $200, but only after I cashed my paycheck.

They agreed, giving me an invoice saying something about two speakers being paid for. They put the speakers in my trunk and followed me to the bank. I gave them the cash and split.

My plan was to sell the speakers and make a few bucks. I didn’t have Internet access at my place, so I went to my parents’ house and got online. I was unhappy to discover that Dynalab speakers were part of the White Van Speaker Scam. But I took out a free ad somewhere asking $600 for them. Never heard anything. I called the number on the invoice, which indicated that the company was based out of Export, PA. I got an answering machine, and I left a message, but never heard back.

So the speakers sat at my apartment for a couple weeks. One weekend, I had a bunch of people spend the night after my friend Tony’s wedding. One was a fraternity brother, and he was really interested in the speakers. He gave me cash down on them, and sent me the rest when he got back home. I made $100 bucks on them, and he kinda got screwed.

2. Parking lot at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania

This wasn’t long after the first encounter. I was commuting to the main campus of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and would often go back and forth to my car during the day. After my final class one day, a white van was prowling around the parking lot beside the football field where I had parked. When I neared, a man leaned out the passenger-side window — the Asian guy!

He asked if I wanted to look at some speakers, and I just shook my head and grinned. This pissed him off, and he scowled at me, flipping me off. I didn’t expect that! They drove away.

3. Millcreek Mall parking lot, Erie, PA

A couple years ago I came out of the mall and was about to get into my car. A white van pulled up to me, and a guy asked if I wanted to buy some speakers. Once again, I shook my head. “No,” I smiled.

When they drove away, I decided to take action. I followed their van in my car and called the police. I explained that I had been ripped off by guys like these, and that they approached me at the mall. The police said they wouldn’t do anything — basically blowing me off. The white van turned onto the interstate, and I just continued home.

What did I learn?

Why didn’t I think of this first?! Tricking people into buying crappy speakers out of a van for 2000% profit, with the blessing of the law enforcement. It’s amazing what people can get away with.

I saved my progress on the computer and went downstairs. Evening had already come, and I desperately wanted to focus on my work – I needed to get ahead so I could justify leaving town for a couple days to visit my brother in the next state.

I figured the cat had eaten something she shouldn’t have. A year ago, I brought a new plant to the house, unaware that it was poisonous to cats. She chewed on a stalk of it and spent the night at the animal hospital. All I could hope for this time was that she wouldn’t throw up on the carpet – that was horrible to clean up.

Rounding the corner to the kitchen, I stopped when I saw her white and gray stripes in the middle of the room. She buried her face in the rug under the table, her sides pumping in and out as her breathing accelerated.

Crouching down, I whistled to her. “Jasmine, come here girl.”

She took no notice, letting out another pitiful moan.

I whistled again with the same result. I moved closer to her, but hesitated – Jasmine could get downright vicious when feeling threatened, annoyed, or sick. One second she’d be purring on your lap, and the next she’d tear into your arm with her teeth. The scars on my hands were a testament to the battles we’d fought.

This was one of those situations: she didn’t want to be bothered. But I reached for her anyway, wanting to move her off of the rug. She spun around, baring her teeth in a wide-eyed hiss, the hair on her back standing on end. I flinched at the wild look – I’d never seen her that angry before.

That’s when I began to think I had lost my mind. Too much work that week; too many long days; not nearly enough sleep.

The cat grew. Jasmine had weighed a healthy ten pounds, but her size more than doubled right in front of me. Joints popped and bones adjusted to accommodate her new girth. Her ears grew longer, and two small bloody horns erupted from her forehead. New teeth pushed through her gums and her jaw expanded to accommodate them, creating a jagged smile. Another more menacing hiss escaped as her mouth opened wider.

Her toes cracked as giant claws grew into place, burrowing into the thick brown rug. Her tail lengthened, swatting the chairs from under the table.

Terror clutched me – it was hard to breathe. Jasmine’s eyes expanded, then went completely black: shark eyes. They were eyes that held nothing, pulling me in. My heart thumped and blood pounded into my head. I fought to take a breath, weakened at the sight of Jasmine’s transformation, all of which had happened within a few seconds.

She hunched down. I threw my arms up in front of me as Jasmine launched, baring her teeth and drawing up her claws. I ducked, swatting her to the side and somehow avoiding her swinging nails. The cat-thing sprang back to its feet and lay its ears back, arching its back for another attack.

On my hands and knees, I scooted around the island in the middle of the kitchen, out of Jasmine’s sight. Her claws clicked off the tile as she followed, her distorted shadow slinking along the tile. I suddenly jumped to my feet and ran. Jasmine hissed and spat.

She caught up with me on the stairs, slicing the back of my heel with her claw. I felt the blood trickling down my foot as I dived into my office, slamming the door behind me. Jasmine hit the door so hard that a tall lamp in the corner tipped over, knocking a picture off the wall. It snapped apart when it hit the floor, cracking the glass.

I cursed, locking the door and collapsing into the soft desk chair. In the darkness I noticed small dark blotches on the carpet – blood from my foot. The door thudded again and I flinched, shaking. Jasmine screeched, shaking the walls with every assault on the door.

The only escape was through the window. The desk blocked it, and I had to awkwardly bend over it to slide the glass up. A rush of frigid winter air smacked my face. As thud after booming thud began to crack the door, I worked the screen loose and shoved it out.

The second floor window was about twelve feet up from the snow-dusted ground. Only in my pajama pants, t-shirt and socks, I crawled over the desk, sending pens, paper, and folders all over the floor. I shifted around and stuck my feet out, desperately grasping for the edge as I slid through.

The door burst open and Jasmine howled, crashing into the room. My fingers slipped from the edge of the window and I fell, slamming to the frozen ground feet-first. My lower legs exploded with pain – there wasn’t enough snow on the ground to break the fall. Gritting my teeth, I rolled over and rose up onto my throbbing legs.

Voices. I couldn’t understand what they said, but they sounded like they came from the front of the neighbors’ house. I moved my stiffening legs as fast as I could, clenching my jaw as the pain welled up, hearing the clicking of the Jasmine-beast as she came to the open window above.

I didn’t look back, pushing off the corner of my house and hobbling over to the neighbors’. Rounding the front of the house, I stopped and breathed in relief when I saw them. Marcus and his wife Summer stood in their driveway, silhouetted by the single light fixture on the garage.

The pain was too much for me and my knees buckled. I groaned when my legs struck the hard turf, and I fell backwards into the drifted snow.

Marcus calmly made his way over to me. He crouched down.

Engulfed in pain, I thrust a hand to him, gasping for his help. He moved closer, bringing his face down to mine.

His features came into clear view, even in the darkness. Inches from me, he opened his mouth to reveal oozing, jagged teeth. Bones creaked as he smiled.

Seconds before I died, I caught a glimpse of his eyes – black shark eyes. They captured my gaze as Marcus slashed my throat with his thick, pointed nails. A jet of blood splashed onto his face, wrinkled and distorted from its former youthful appearance. Summer appeared as I blacked out, a lurking shadow behind Marcus. They tore into me.

So here is the plot. “For every action there is an equal and opposite re-action,” narrates the voice at the start of the film. A volcano erupts on a distant island and causes tremors across the North Pole, causing a giant glacier to crack and collapse, revealing our giant menace (yes, a giant insect in the North Pole — don’t ask, I don’t know either). OK, insert even more stock footage, and finally 15 or 16 minutes into the picture the film finally starts. On a small military station manned by two men, a distant buzzing sound is heard before the roof collapses on top of them. Meanwhile, Colonel Joe Parkman is worried that something is wrong with the station, so he sends out a search team. When they arrive they find the station is destroyed. A giant claw falls on top of them, nearly crushing the two searchers (he he, giant claw)! They take it back to the lab for investigation. After more [YAWN] chattering they finally figure out what it is! Yeah. They send out a plane to see if they can find it after it appears on the radar, and the plane never comes back. Surprise [insert more boring dialogue] and then the mantis finally strikes! OK, as if the poor Eskimos don’t have enough to deal with — polar bears, living in ice, gamera at one point (never vacation in the north pole) — the mantis attacks and the Eskimos flee.

The giant claw, as I referred to earlier, is actually a hook from the mantises giant pinchers. MORE DRAMA THAN THE MIDNIGHT PODCAST!!! Sorry Corey. Here comes the giant puppet! The mantis shows itself eventually right outside the base of Red Eagle One, as it’s referred to. Seeking a warmer climate, the mantis moves towards the USA. OK, enough already, the mantis tours Washington and New York, where it is rammed by Parkman and bails out of the plane at the last second — that was close! In the end, the mantis is trapped in a highway tunnel under the streets of New York!

Spoiler alert!! The mantis hides in the tunnels of New York, wounded and dying. Then the military comes in to gas the creature. The end.

On a scale from 1-10 I would give this a 4, BUT the MST3K version would be a 9! Go figure. Thanks Corey, and I’ll see you at the drive-ins for Creature from the Black Lagoon! This is misfit boy and I’m out!

http://dr-pus.podomatic.com/entry/2010-03-20T20_13_04-07_00

A Little Dead Podcast » A Little Comic Book Update (for 03 March 2010)
My friends at A Little Dead Podcast asked me to review the 4-issue release of The Crazies, and I had a great time doing so.

Dead Lantern Splattercast » The 3rd Annual Splatcademy Awards
This was fun, as I gave a highly slanderous presentation for Best Director.

These were some of my favorites. Radiation played a big role in these films, along with atomic test sites. Now there is a documentary out there narrated by Billy Mummy called Attack of the 50 ft. Monster Mania — it’s an amazing doc. That goes through the years of giant bug and monster films.

Universal Pictures didn’t release this film on DVD until 2006. I, on the other hand, bought a laser disc transfer at a horror convention for $20 (pirates that sell copied movies should have their Achilles tendon cut and forced to run a marathon). But anyway, the actor that stars in this film is one of my all-time favorite actors, Mr. John Agar. He was in films such as The Mole People, Revenge of the Creature, The Brain from Planet Arous, and King Kong (1976) (he had a cameo as a city official), among many others.

Now, back in the 50’s, these types of films were popping up at drive-ins all across the country. Kids couldn’t get enough of them! I think the only bugs that were never made into monster movies were dung beetles and horse flies. I mean, Hollywood was pumping these films out left and right.

So here is the plot:

A man staggers through the Arizona desert until he collapses, and we see his face is deformed beyond recognition. The reason: 2 scientists have injected themselves with a growth serum that makes food grow twice its normal size for the growing number of people in the world. This experiment is being conducted by Professor Deemer a recluse who has decided to try his serum on lab animals (guinea pigs, lab mice, rabbits, and a TARANTULA). The animals are growing at an alarming rate. As he is working on his experiments, Paul (his other assistant) enters the room with a mangled face that only a mother could love, and injects Deemer with the serum. A fight ensues and a fire breaks out. Glass starts to shatter and the 3-foot tarantula escapes while Deemer puts out the fire. Deemer buries Paul in the desert and must find a replacement. Local authorities find the first assistant (Eric) and conclude that the cause of death is acromegaly,a rare disease. They ask Deemer if they can conduct an autopsy, and he declines. Dr. Matt Hastings (played by Agar) is upset by this, as the sheriff decided Deemer knows more about it than Matt. The next day Deemer invites a new assistant, Stephanie Clayton (or Steve as she is referred to), to work with him.

Meanwhile, the tarantula is loose and attacks a herd of horses. A car accident is discovered and the victims were devoured. Matt finds a pool of liquid by the remains and confirms it’s insect venom. As the film moves on, Matt and Steve begin a relationship as the tarantula is causing a deadly rampage across Arizona (the two drunks that get eaten by the tarantula is a classic 50’s death scene). Back at the lab, Steve has growing concerns about Deemer, who is beginning to deform also. He finally tells Matt and Steve what is going on and that the tarantula escaped.

Then, one evening as Steve is getting ready for bed, the tarantula (now the size of a house) is staring at her through the window! The tarantula destroys the house killing deemer but Matt shows up in time to save Steve. The tarantula moves into the small town and attacks. Machine guns and dynamite are ineffective, so it’s time to call the military.

SPOILER ALERT!

The military sends in fighter planes to drop napalm on the giant beast, and guess who the jet squadron leader is? Why, it’s none other than Mr. Gran Torino himself, Clint Eastwood! The napalm burns the tarantula and destroys it at the end, right before it enters the town.

I loved this film, and I would have to give it at least an 8 out of 10 for pure fun and enjoyment. If you like this one, you should also try Earth vs. the Spider — the MST3K version is hilarious!

Well that’s it for Tarantula! See you next time at the drive-ins! This is misfit boy and I’m out!

Here’s the plot:

Mitch MacAfee (played by Jeff Morrow, who stared in such epic films as The Creature Walks Among Us, Kronos, and This Island Earth — he came back to the horror genre in 1971 for Octaman) is running radar tests while flying his plane when he spots a UFO. Nothing shows up on the radar screen but the military sends out a squadron of jets to investigate. Nothing is found. When Mitch returns to base, army officials are furious with him. Eventually they start to take him seriously after planes start to disappear.

The reason: a bird, “a bird as big as a battleship,” has been devouring plane after plane and their crews. This giant bird is from outer space and is even equipped with a force shield! Now it’s up to Mitch, his mathematician girlfriend, and the military to stop the winged horror! Mitch finds the bird’s giant egg and shoots it full of holes. This enrages the creature and it heads right towards New York City. Mitch and some scientists create some sort of anti-matter ray gun to stop the menace. In case anyone has yet to see this film, I wont give away the ending — BUT I will say it’s nothing short of hilarious. At one point in the film, the Giant Claw destroys major buildings in New York.

It’s a film worth watching. Many horror hosts of the 70’s would play this film quite a bit. And the bird itself looks like Warner Bros. cartoon character Beaky Buzzard. Yes, it looks that bad, but I would give it a 5 out of 10 for bad one-liners and even a space ship can be seen in the distance (stock footage from Earth vs. the Flying Saucers was even used!). Give it a watch — after all, it’s not a long film, and who wouldn’t wanna see one of the worst monster films ever made??!!

Well, see ya next time at the drive-ins! This is misfit boy and I’m out!

Days of the Drive-Ins

The drive in days are long gone (well most of them anyway). I used to love going on the weekend to see some of my favorite horror films. Unfortunately not many were shown at the nearest one by me. I always wondered how great it would be to raise some money & show a “movie madness” night. Imagine going to see Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead at the drive-in! Or even older horror films from the 50’s. well, those are the films I will be talking about. We’re going back in time when CGI had no definition. Special effects consisted of wires, puppets, and of course cheap makeup. But to me, those were the best.

I’m so nostalgic a person (I know this sounds dumb) I would take a drive-in DVD I have with a bunch of promos that they would show in the good old days, and I would splice it together with some of my favorite b-movies, take my equipment outside and watch some movies under the stars with my favorite beer. Sounds like a waste of time but it still gave me that feeling of being there. Anyway, I asked some people in the ages of 50-65 what their favorite horror films were at the drive-ins. NOTLD always came up, and everyone and their mother have reviewed it already. But I have found some good ones and some not so good ones that still have a place in my heart.

So with that, here are some of the films that were mentioned to me that I will re-watch and review.

THE GIANT CLAW
TARANTULA
THE DEADLY MANTIS
CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON (in 3-D)
THE GIANT BEHEMOTH
GODZILLA

And possibly some others. As always a special thanks goes out to Corey for allowing me to do this. See you at the driveiins!!

misfitboy

But I really had no idea what I would be subjecting myself to. This movie was so bad that I couldn’t finish it, despite the fact that we get 2 kills in the first 5 minutes. I’ll give this a very generous 1/10.

Thank you to @thedarkhours on Twitter, who reportedly scored this article from @MikeCadaverLab.

To summarize, Dangerous Jamie wrote an open letter to Gorezone Magazine, respectfully criticizing their lack of proofreading and their continuous exploitation of women. Since then, Gorezone has threatened the author with legal action (calling the article “slander”) and has sent scores of its “faithful” readers to comment. The comments attack Dangerous Jamie personally, and are threatening. Gorezone readers have promised to spam the site until it crashes. The editor himself has commented (various spelling/grammar errors blemish his post), and he behaves just as ridiculously.

He posted his email address, so if you feel like you want to respond to Gorezone’s unacceptable actions, feel free to email him (I have): b.hammond@gorezone.co.uk

I’m not surprised. This has been my experience with so much of the “horror community” since I’ve become more and more involved in it in the past three years or so. “Horror fans” (many of whom often consider themselves to be the be-all-end-all of horror) who write, publish, blog, podcast, or whatever, tend to be hyper sensitive when it comes to criticisms about their own product, taking anything other than “Great job!” as a personal attack. And “horror fans” who religiously cling to some figure in horror — whether it’s an actor, director, magazine, podcast, blog, or whatever — also take criticism toward their beloved figure as a direct, personal attack (under the guise of being “loyal” or “faithful”). These people are no different than the terrorists who carry out actions because of their loyalty to Al Qaeda. That’s right.

I hold some pretty unpopular opinions. There have been times when I’ve expressed them — respectfully, thoughtfully, and without namecalling/attacking/etc. — and I am mobbed by angry Internet people who hold a different opinion, and don’t think that I am entitled to mine. It’s happened time and time again — I’ve experienced it directly.

It’s sad. Diversity of opinions is a wonderful, healthy thing to have. Yes, some people are right and some are wrong, but when respectful debate rots away to attacks, namecalling and threats, it’s out of hand.

The “horror community” already has enough negative stigma attached to it — everyone knows that. And things like this do nothing to clean up that image.

And while you’re there, check out all the other great stuff Melzer has to offer. It’s well worth your time.

http://jamesmelzer.net/2010/02/unleashed-ep-12-peter-clines/

A LONG, LONG, TIME AGO… IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY . . . George A. Romero and George Lucas intertwined like a bastardized Siamese twin. (Well, not really but if they did) the result would be STAR WARS – DEATH TROOPERS.

First off, I am a fan of the original Star Wars films but I have to admit, I was not a big enough fan to read all the books that followed the first 3 films. I first heard about this book on the Midnight Podcast and to be honest it didn’t really peak my interest much (big mistake on my part.) I read some reviews and a lot of people were saying “Oh, it’s not Star Wars, it’s too violent and gory for this type of book. Now that peaked my interest. So I was fortunate to stumble across the audio book. I was NOT disappointed! Zombies and Star Wars? I’m on board!

No Luke Skywalker or jedis in this book — as a matter of fact the only original characters in this book are Han Solo and his faithful sidekick Chewbacca. There are references to Darth Vader from time to time but that’s about it. My thoughts on that: “Who cares?” This book is a classic horror novel that peaks your interest around chapter 8, grips your ears and does not let go until the end! Anyway, the story.

2 teenage brothers, a female doctor, 2 smugglers and a sadistic imperial guard are on board the “Purge,” a prison vessel carrying the scum of the galaxy. It has thruster problems and is in need of desperate repairs. Out in space not far away is an abandoned star destroyer. A group is formed to board the vessel for much-needed parts for immediate repairs. There is no sign of life on board. While searching the vessel one soldier sees something on board but never gets the chance to tell anyone about it. Eventually on their return to the Purge it becomes clear that there was something on board, a deadly virus that the empire had been working on for some time that wiped out the entire crew of the destroyer. On their return to the purge, some of the men start coughing and become ill. Within hours the virus spreads throughout the ship infecting all species on board. Now, there is a slow build of characters at the beginning but that’s to be expected. Only a few are immune to the virus, and soon guards and prisoners start dying off quickly. The 2 teenage brothers are in a cell and are released by a guard who feels sorry for them due to their age. He dies shortly after. Dead bodies litter the ship, and it’s described in gruesome fashion at times. Eventually the bodies disappear. But not for long. The brothers make it to solitary confinement where they meet Han and Chewie. At this point death is just the beginning. The dead soldiers and prisoners come back to life hungry for flesh. And the battle for survival begins.

Now I don’t want to give too much away and ruin such a well-written story. But I will say the zombies in the book are like the ones in Land of the Dead. Eventually they start to learn, as in using weapons, climbing, etc. Don’t let this turn you off in any way! It really works for the book. Now my only problem with it is the end is a little weak, but when the dead eat people, it is described if full gory detail.

I really enjoyed this book. If you can find the audio book, it’s packed with great sound effects, ships soaring through space, blasters, etc. I would recommend the audio book with high ratings. It helps to picture a film inside your head and almost makes you feel like you’re on board with the survivors! So if I were to rate this from 1 to 10 I would have to give it a high 8. Thanks to Corey goes out (as always) for letting me ramble about one more little gem I came across. This is misfit boy and I’m out!