Movie of the Week: The Neanderthal Man

"The story concerns a deranged scientist (Shayne) who develops a formula which will cause animals to regress to the form of their primitive ancestors, and tries it on himself with disastrous results." from wikipedia

couldn't find a video

-Swinebread

Movie of the Week: Canadian Mounties vs the Atomic Invaders

Sorry no vid... this time

-Swinebread

Movie of the Week: Cat Women of the Moon

see link for trailer here


-Swinebread

Galaxy High School

I picked up the Galaxy High School DVD set. It’s a fun little cartoon from 1986 that only lasted one season. Basically, it’s your not-so-standard high school drama with two earth kids that interact with all kinds of weird alien creatures, and corny sci-fi at an intergalactic school. The show was imaginative for it’s time and has a pretty good soundtrack. Of course, you have to throw logic and reason out the door and just enjoy the crazy antics of the characters. GHS has obviously been released to ride the success of Andy Mangles’ cartoon boxed sets like Dungeon and Dragons and the Filmation programs that have come out the last few years. He clearly didn’t produce the Galaxy High School DVD as it has absolutely no extra features and is not digitally re-mastered, but then at ten bucks, it’s a great deal. Oh those Saturdays… they had lots good-natured gems, and GHS is one of them.





-Swinebread

Mutant Swinger from Mars

Long lost trailer from 1958



-Swinebread

Indy 4

I went to see Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull last Sunday night. The Verdict: I was disappointed. George Lucas’ sticky fingers are over this film and frankly it’s a mess. There’s too much CG, and there’s not enough care and attention paid to the plot and characters. People were introduced in such a haphazard manner and so I never cared about them for the entire movie. Basically, the Indiana Jones franchise has moved closer to something akin to the Mummy Movies… and I hate those films. It’s not as bad as say the Star War Prequels but I guess that’s not saying a lot.

I didn’t have a problem with 1950s setting, which includes things like cold war paranoia, atomic age sci-fi and Rock and Roll. It was actually fun to see Indy dealing with these things and they’re very endemic to the time. Remember both movie serials and the pulps (which Indy epitomizes) both died in the 1950s, so the sense of handing off the franchise to a new generation was fine.

I guess when it comes down to it there weren’t that many surprises because everything was broadcast so far in advance long before it happened. So, to enjoy Kingdom of the Crystal Skull you have like the ride but the CG heavy effects and plot problems constantly took me out of the film. Monkeys anyone?

Here is what I liked in no particular order (spoilers):



Indy survives a nuclear explosion! That was very cool. Ridiculous yes, but a nice meeting of pulp age and the Atomic age.

Cate Blanchett was great as the main villain.

Indy’s discussion of his time in WWII, maybe we’ll get at book about those adventures.

The valley was destroyed at the end of the film

The alien-lost world was sound as a idea if not the execution.

The Marcus Brody Statue thing was nice

Jokes about Jones age.

The motorcycle chase

traditional stuntwork used

The fencing jokes and gags.

Making Mutt a greaser.

Just seeing Indy in the old gear again.

I actually like the whole X-Files aspect of the film.



Here is what I disliked in no particular order (spoilers):


Too much exposition dialog. Show don’t tell.

LeBeouf as Tarzan flying through the air at 70 miles an hour with a monkey attack, not fun just silly.

I hated George "Mac" McHale being revealed as a traitor early in the film. That made him superfluous and unlikable for the whole movie.

Why was Harold Oxly in the film? This character had no other point than to mutter exposition. He was one character too many.

The Indy meeting with Marion moment was hijacked by being in the middle of too many other events going on.

Why were there some Brazilian Capoeira guys in a Peruvian cemetery?

Digital grading was used and it made the characters look unreal or fake at various points in the film. It was unnecessary

Seeing a CG prairie dog in the fist 10 seconds of the movie was not a good omen.

Wow, that Nevada base was not well guarded and it’s funny that guys that speak only Russian can just traipse through 1950s US.

It didn’t seem like the Soviets really needed Dr. Jones.

Too many nods to previous movies and unfortunately they got in the way of the story.

Too predictable

Did I mention the Monkeys?




Missed Opportunities: 


I wanted an opening sequence that was only tangentially connected to the rest of the story like the previous Indy films.

I wanted Spalko to make more of a pass at Mutt. (I’m just sick like that).

-Swinebread

Favorite Martians

Last Sunday, I watched coverage of the Phoenix land on Mars. I’m happy that it landed safely and that the mission has been such a success so far. It was fun to see the crew get so excited by the whole process. The Phoenix also made me think that if we’re going to waste billions of tax dollars, it should be “wasted” on exploring our solar system not on a stupid war like the Iraq debacle.

All this info about the new Mars mission also got me thinking about my favorite Martians from fiction, comics, and film. Too bad Mars is a dead planet.


Marvin the Martian

This soft-spoken alien packs a big disintegrating punch. He’s the first Martian I remember and he’s one of the funniest Looney Tunes ever IMO. What’s even more fantabulous is that he’s on the official mission patch for the Mars Rovers.
This is Marvin's best appearance in the famous cartoon Duck Doddgers in the 24th and ½ Century:


And just because Marvin is so cool here’s his first appearance in Haredevil Hare from 1948:



War of the Worlds Martians

H.G. Wells created something both exciting and shocking with his WotW Martians. Every alien invasion and sci-fi horror story ever written owes so much to these grotesque blobs that pilot tripod death machines. Regardless of whether they’re plausible or not they’re still very scary and have shown up and been reinvented numerous times. You just gotta’ love ‘em.

The High Overlord and Skar

In 1973, Marvel Comics published a post-apocalyptic series in the pages Amazing Adventures. In this title, the Martians from H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds came rushing back to earth and conquered our planet in the year 2001 and this time they inoculated themselves against the our planet's microbes. Almost two decades later, the earth is much transformed by the invaders into an almost Barsoom-like place and a hero, Killraven, rises to battle these Martian conquers. His most fearsome reoccurring enemies were Skar, a cyborg assassin, and the High Overlord, a Martian that had his alien body modified to fit inside bipedal suit of armor. They’re wild and wacky, but these two sci-fi evildoers are great pulpy villains none-the-less.

Mars Attacks Martians

I’m much too young to remember the Trading Cards but the movie was a real hoot. These gross looking Martians almost conquered the world using every trick known to the atomic horror genre. These little nasties are a great antidote to “serious” invasion monsters from films like Independence Day. It was almost a relief when they blew up the federal government. Too bad they couldn’t withstand Slim Whitman.



Dejah Thoris

This Red Martian hottie hails from Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Barsoom and makes the grade because of her wild adventures with John Carter, her regal rule of the city state of Helium, and her lack of clothes. Sword and Planet has never seen anything better.


Martian Manhunter

I’d never been particularly interested in J’onn J’onzz until I read The New Frontier and watched Justice League: The New Frontier animated movie. I’m finding his desire to understand humanity and his alien nature fascinating. He’s kinda’ like half Spock and half Klaatu with superpowers.
J’onn J’onzz with the Kents at Xmas:



Martian Chronicles Martians


The introspective and telepathic aliens of Ray Bradbury’s Martians Chronicles are eerie and haunting. They turn the invasion scenario on its head by being the victims of Human colonization (in a metaphor of western frontier migration). They are not particularly malevolent like other Martians and are unable to deal with the threat the Human setters represent. Ultimately, they pass away except for a few ghosts and their cities are the ruins that the humans build a new Mars based culture upon.

Here's a scene from the 1979 TV adatption of The Martian Chronicles. (The TV show was OK but it is dated)



-Swinebread

Vampira's Last Interview

The April issue of Rue Morgue contains the last interview ever conducted with the grand dame of horror Vampira.

Just prior to her passing earlier this year, Rue Morgue was fortunate enough to have the final conversation with Maila "Vampira" Nurmi, the world’s first horror host and glamour ghoul. Plus: Her long-time friend Dana Gould paints an intimate portrait of Nurmi from her halcyon years to her golden years, a look at the new Vampira documentary, as well as her last feature film appearance in the Ed Wood-penned I Woke Up Early the Day I Died.

It’s so sad they didn’t record any of her shows for posterity’s sake. I have a chilling feeling that I would have been a huge Vampira fanatic if her TV appearances were available nowadays. Here’s the only bit of video we have. The intro to her show.


There are lots of wonderful pictures of her so that’s something…


What I like most about Vampira, besides her overt goth sexiness (hubba hubba), is that she changed the perception of women in horror. No longer did the members of the “fairer sex” need to be the victims, but they could be the monsters as well. She paved the way for all the other scary gals that came later. If modern horror has a ghoulish godmother Vampira is it. She wasn’t a big star but she should have been.

-Swinebread

Justice League: The New Frontier

Using the “Justice League” title with “The New Frontier” is somewhat of a misnomer as Darwyn Cooke’s original comic dealt with the transition from the Golden Age of superheroes to the Silver and the period just before the creation of the Justice League of America. But the Justice League is a recognizable brand and tying this project to that brand makes sense from a marketing standpoint.

But is it any good? Yes, it is good. I was a little worried because the online chatter had been mixed, however, I realized after watching JLTNF that most folks who were disappointed wanted something else and not Darwyn Cook’s amazing work. What they wanted was some sort of tie-in to the Justice League cartoons, this is simply crazy as the New Frontier story could never connect to those shows because it’s set in the 1950s and it's different in theme to those shows.

The story is very faithful to the original comic, but it does drop most of the mini-plots to focus in the main thrust of the story, that thrust being the rise of a new era of heroes and a threat to human existence on the planet. The story was so faithful in fact that there weren’t any surprises for those of us that have read the New Frontier comic book. So, the film’s enjoyment comes from seeing a great story animated, with excellent voice acting. It would be interesting to hear reactions from folks that haven’t read the original.

There are a few things to keep in mind. Much of JLTNF focuses on lesser-known characters in the DC Universe. The big three, Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, have supporting roles. The main storyline focuses around Hal Jordan and the Martian Manhunter. The New Frontier is infused with events and the ethos of the 1950s and very early 1960s. Not knowing anything about the time period could reduce someone’s enjoyment (I’m thinking about you Dana Perino). This movie is certainly for the older crowd as suicide, murder, and horror figure into the plot of the film.

It’s a good film and despite some of it’s darker elements. The New Frontier gives a fresh take on the concept of heroism and what it really means. Many of the topics from the show resonate and that’s part of the appeal beyond the amazing artistic style. The idea that some shadowy crap is going on but at the same time there is still great hope for a new future truly resonates. That’s part of the brilliance of Justice League: the New Frontier.


Here is what I liked in no particular order (spoilers):



Darwyn Cooke’s original drawing style and designs are intact and look wonderful when animated.

I like the way Cook draws women and, by extension, how they appear in this film. They’re my kinda’ sexy.

The Martian Manhunter is great character. I never knew much about him before but both the comic and the movie have peeked my interest. He’s a great combination of sci-fi and noir.

Now we have a good reason for the new look Batman.

I like the Lovecraftian elements. It’s almost like the age of the Superhero finally overcomes its pulp origins with The New Frontier.

They kept the nod to John Henry in and I appreciated that.

I enjoyed the voice acting

The 1950s look of the story really helps convey how exciting the dawning of the silver age was.

I bought the cheap, single DVD version and was surprised by some good extra features like a Justice League doc, and commentary tracks.

Wonder Woman’s invisible plane bit is pure genius.

The “not so good” side of the 1950s is touched upon.

Events seem more connected in the film than in the comic.


Here is what I disliked in no particular order (spoilers):

Something is a little off with the Hal Jordan/Green Lantern storyline but I can’t quite put my finger on it.

Why didn’t The Martian Manhunter just impersonate one of the astronauts instead of showing up at the last minute and trying to ride the rocket from the outside?

I don’t think this film works well cross culturally.

I would have liked animated sequences rather than static images for the end speech.

Sometimes the horror aspects and Cooke’s style don’t quite work together. (Although, I think they work better here in the film than the comic)

Trailer:


WB's site for the film here


-Swinebread

"... The Creature Has Made It All the Way To Downtown Los Angeles…”

I just finished up Steve (30 Days of Night) Niles’ Giant Monster. It’s a fun Sci-Fi horror comic with some nice twists on an old genre. It’s well scripted with moments of dark humor. If I didn't know better, I'd say that Giant Monster seems like it was made to interest major film studios. Hmmmmmm… I’m not completely on board with Nat Jones’ art style though, but I like the rendering of the Monster itself so that’s something. Here again, it appears that Boom Studios is ahead of the curve as a slew of American Kaiju films are sure to be green lit following the success of Cloverfield. And to ride that success, Boom is releasing this comic on-line for free (grrrrr). See it here


-Swinebread

Kai-ju-ju

I saw Cloverfield last weekend but I didn’t have time to do a review so here’s a quickie.

When I was a kid I remember watching quite a few Godzilla movies and wondering what it would be like for the folks at street level if a giant monster was really smashing through a city. Well, with Cloverfield that’s what you get along with the added bonus of home movie camera work, which means jump cuts and garden hosing. It was better than I thought it was going to be and the film is a nice parody of Echo Boomer values and current anxieties. It’s quite scary at times but also very energetic with direct visual references to 9-11, and the Iraq War. Cloverfield is the rebirth of the 1950’s giant monster movie reinterpreted for the modern age.

Here is what I liked in no particular order (spoilers):



The homage to the Escape From New York poster.

The timing was excellent. “Accidentally” stumbling upon moments that advanced the plot often felt very natural despite the absurdity of the subject matter.

The monster is not always shown on screen

When we do see the monster it looks like a cross between a kaiju and a Lovecraftian horror.

Generally being surprised several times during the film.

I’m glad they didn’t make it (or most of them didn’t make it) but that could change with a sequel I suppose.

Special effects were well done and deliberate rather than being used to fill up the screen with nonsense (i.e. Star War prequels)

The way the film went from night to day was subtle but effective.

The origin of the Monster is unknown unless your paying attention at the end.

The baby monsters are scary and fun especially in the subways.

The infected chick’s death was classic movie horror.

I liked the whole leaning tower section.

Nods to Aliens, and 28 Days later to name just a few horror films referenced.


Here is what I disliked in no particular order (spoilers):

 


Is everybody in New York a twenty something?

OK we could still use a few more moments of stillness to keep out eyes from popping out of our heads

The pretty people with their pretty problems section went on just a little too long.

A little too focused on one demographic? Maybe not but… there were other movies before 1990 out there.

New York again?

Most of the characters were not interesting people at all. (But that’s the point right)

I sure hope we don’t get a whole slew of movies shot with shaky camera movements now.


Missed Opportunities (spoilers): 



Umm None I can think of… ...maybe a joke at the expense of the American Godzilla?


Warnings:

My SO got sick during the movie and had to close her eyes halfway through. If its easy for you to get motion sickness or you’ve gotten ill in a movie before, skip Cloverfield on the big screen.

Veterans of Combat might have a problem with some of the actions scenes.


-Swinebread

Watch... The Astro Zombies!

-Swinebread

Speaking of Ray Harryhausen...

-Swinebread

20 Million Miles to Earth

I had the distinct pleasure of watching Ray Harryhausen’s 20 Million Miles to Earth. This wonderful monster movie was recently re-released on DVD for it’s 50th anniversary in color. This was one of Harry’s films that I hadn’t seen yet and I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a delectable 1950s, atomic horror treat.

A secret mission to Venus by the American Military spells trouble for Europe when a returning US Spaceship crashes off the coast Sicily. A reptilian alien, brought back by the crew, hatches from a gelatinous egg and grows unnaturally huge in earth’s atmosphere. Because of bungling and mistreatment the enraged creature rampages through Rome in a climatic battle causing death and destruction.

20 Million Miles to Earth has everything a classic science fiction fan could want; stiff acting, repressed sexual tension, “funny” foreigners, cold war allegories and amazing effects. Setting the film in Italy is pure genius; in fact it’s downright sexy! There’s just something so right about a cosmic beast battling troops in the remains of the forum and the coliseum. It’s a well-paced movie for a ‘50s film, and still exciting with tons of B-movie clichés twisted just enough to keep it interesting. It’s well done and a nice break from the overproduced sci-fi stuff we see today.

The DVD comes in a two-disk set with lots of goodies including, a retrospective documentary, a colorization process short and an interview with Harryhausen. The colorization of the film is quite good, although it's not as great as Ray Harryhausen raves it is. The monster and the coliseum are some of the best-colored parts of the film but there are some weak spots. For the purists, the DVD also includes the original black and white version.

20 Million Miles to Earth proves that without Ray Harryhausen, fantasy films would have been a whole lot less fun. This film was an international blockbuster in its day, and it’s easy to see why.

Note: Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, It Came from Beneath the Sea, and The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms are all set to get the same colorization treatment.

Here is the theatrical trailer:


-Swinebread