Classic science fiction film starring Charlton Heston as an astronaut stranded on a planet where apes rule and humans are slaves/brutes hunted for sport and used for medical experimentation. The proceedings move along at a fairly steady pace thanks to Franklin Schaffner’s able direction. Ground breaking makeup work by John Chambers and a pun-filled, satiric script by Rod Serling. This movie caught the public’s imagination and four sequels, each weaker than the last, were spawned as a result. Very striking beginning to this film as Heston is the last astronaut to enter hyper sleep and the space ship passes through star fields [More]
Legendary science fiction and fantasy writer Harlan Ellison has passed away. Call him an iconoclast, outspoken, a larger than life character who didn’t suffer fools, especially those he felt tampered with the integrity of his work. He reached a settlement with CBS 40 years after his script for “Star Trek”-TOS, “City on the Edge of Forever” had been delivered to reclaim his share of the profits generated from his work. He had more impressions on the television industry collected in his series “The Glass Teat”. Acidic observations to say the least. I count Ellison as an early influence in my [More]
“A Quiet Place” is a great horror/suspense picture about the need to keep as quiet as possible in any activity you may be involved in or chance the risk of being mutilated and dismembered by some mysterious creatures straight out of one of your worst nightmares. We don’t find out the origin of the monsters this time out, maybe more on that in “A Quiet Place 2” slated for release later this year. Speech isn’t even advised unless there is some form of audible mask such as a water fall or falling rain. Wow. That is quite a life restriction. [More]
At one time, Phil Spector was one of the most innovative music producers in the world. He utilized an approach where he would hire a hire a group of musicians to carry out his musical ideas in the recording studio and literally create orchestras with multiple guitarists, keyboard players, percussionists, singers and what have you. The resultant thick sonic tapestry became known as The Wall of Sound. It was an influential technique that caught the ear of Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. Wilson would pursue similar orchestrations of instruments using The Wrecking Crew, a group of accomplished players for [More]
Great Sixties science fiction/horror film from master fantasy director Mario Bava. Two ships in outer space end up setting down on an alien planet. After losing communications with one of the ships, the crew of the other vessel goes to investigate. Many of the occupants are found dead, having seemingly lost their minds and killed each other. Many crew members cannot be found. It appears that there is an alien presence on the planet that has taken over the bodies of one of the space crews. A struggle to survive the alien vampires and escape the evil planet and get back into [More]
Very cool compilation of different zombie types that are found in movies and TV. We find that there may be multiple ways to be turned into a zombie including plagues, solar flares, voodoo, etc. The general consensus is, though, that in order to end a zombie’s miserable existence is to your advantage to severely wound or damage the head area of said zombie. If your aim is steady and accurate enough, use a gun or rifle to shoot the zombie in the head. Seems to do the trick in most cases. Always nice to watch these cats shamble around on [More]
We have lost another Great One. We now live in a world now without Lemmy Kilmister and that void will never be filled. Lemmy was a well known, larger than life personality. He played a very distorted, loud, bass guitar with his rock and roll band, Motorhead. He was also a key figure for many years in the space rock outfit, Hawkwind. In the distant past, Lemmy was renowned for his large drug intake. It probably is amazing that he lasted this long! He was outspoken, crude, hilarious. Lemmy was a true believer in the spirit and power of rock and roll. [More]
The Big One! Aliens invade our airspace and threaten our way of life. The Earth counters their incursion. Our efforts amount to naught. Surprise, surprise, it takes American ingenuity to break through the aliens’ defenses. Adrenaline fueled, special effects heavy, feel good peon to Humankind working together and preserving the sanctity of freedom and The American Way. LOL! You’ll love it!!! Pop Corn Hall Of Fame Award Winner!!! Yay!!!!
Monte Hellman was a director with three very iconic movies that can be counted to his credit: “Ride In The Whirlwind” (1966), “The Shooting” (1966) and “Two Lane Blacktop” (1971). “Whirlwind” and “The Shooting” were two Westerns which featured both Jack Nicholson and Warren Oates. Oates also appeared in “Blacktop”. I can only recommend that you seek out these titles and explore their worlds of existential angst and sad depictions of idealized lives and dreams shattered in a moment’s notice. All these movies have achieved cult status as they demonstrate the bleaker side of life that can catch us unaware. [More]
A covert rescue mission is green lighted to rendezvous with the previously lost in space starship, Event Horizon, which has mysteriously reappeared near the planet Neptune. The pursuit is on to find out just where the massive ship has been spending its previous 7 years. The ensuing journey uncovers a rather unpleasant foray into a world of unimaginable depravity. Having navigated a blackhole to use as a portal to a distant world has propelled the Event Horizon into a virtual living Hell In Space. The Event Horizon crew was sacrificed. Will the crew of the Lewis and Clark rescue vehicle [More]
Very creepy tale of mounting tension and dread that follows a family falling apart. The characters at first appear to be involved in a haunting but what eventually surfaces is a tale involving the rebirth of a demon who needs a young human host. The person selected as the future host is less than thrilled to be bestowed with the “honor” and therein lies the hideous rub. It is being enacted against his will and appears to be a family tradition of resurrecting evil deities but definitely to the benefit of a minute minority. Dysfunction in its highest form to [More]
This video short starts out in a forest with the innocent taping of the flora and fauna. There is movement on the trail ahead of you. Is it a deer? No, something a bit out of the ordinary shows up in your viewfinder. What is it? See something alien? You’ll be surprised at what shows up!
Very unnerving, black and white film of the book by Shirley Jackson. Things go bump in the night, frequently, in a gloomy mansion being investigated by ghost hunters. The creepy surroundings are dimly lit and expansive, ghostly, unintelligible conversations are overheard. Shadows crawl. Effective, tense direction provided by Robert Wise. Are the hauntings real or simply created by our imaginations?
This immortal classic has been making the cable TV rounds this holiday season and “Alien”, for me, still holds up as my favorite science fiction/horror film EVER! I have always been partial to the first part of the film where the crew find out about the strange “distress” signal they are sent to investigate, up until Kane (John Hurt) is brought back to the ship from the surface of the planetoid with a “guest” attached to his face. There is nice cast interaction and an effective depiction of a trek across a rather hostile planet. The rollercoaster ride of horror aboard ship which [More]