Tobe Hooper's amazing and insane Lifeforce has just come out on blu-ray, and it is as nuts as I remember from seeing it in the theater many moons ago. Based on the Colin Wilson book "Space Vampires", Lifeforce is probably most remembered for the lengthy and impressive nude scenes performed by Mathilda May, who gamely walks around London in the buff because space vampires don't need no clothes. Yes, London, because this is a fanciful world where England is in the space race. In fact the biggest leap in the film is the idea that the U.S. and England would actually cough up the cash for a joint space mission, and the U.S. would allow the HQ to be in London!
What impressed me most on this re-view of the movie is how casually our stalwart and mostly British scientists (including Frank Finley and Patrick Stewart) take the greatest discovery in human history. Texas-drawling astronaut Steve Railsback and his shuttle crew find a space-craft hidden in Haley's comet. Cue some cool John Dykstra special FX as our spacemen float into the ship and come across three naked humanoid forms inside crystal cubes, including the aforementioned (and did I mention impressive?) Ms. May. Just looking at Mathilda provokes a lot of eye-acting from Railsback and the other astronauts -- her beauty is seductive, ya see. Stuff happens and the aliens are eventually brought back to Earth for study.
But the discovery of alien life seems about as exciting to these scientists as deciding between beef or fish for dinner. They schedule the dissection of the seemingly dead female alien in the middle of the night, and send one schmucko with a scalpel into the dissection room to do the deed. No one else is even watching -- guess they have better things to do than be there when someone CUTS OPEN THE FIRST ALIEN LIFEFORM EVER DISCOVERED. Upstairs in his office, the lead scientist dozes off (!) in front a video array while scalpel boy gets busy -- only to have the female alien snap awake. Schmucko is getting his soul-essence sucked when the sleep-deprived head scientist finally snaps out of his stupor and calls "security". The naked alien lass strolls around the lab while a crack force of three oblivious Bobbies -- one of whom offers the naked female space vampire a sandwich to settle her down -- basically watch her walk off into the night.
I will say that you really don't know where the hell this movie is going, which is a plus -- there is a lot of whacked out shit going on in this thing. And the blu-ray transfer is pretty spectacular. But otherwise, there's a reason this hasn't risen higher in the pantheon of classic sci-fi...
Sunday, June 23, 2013
So Many Demos, So Little Time!
I'm back! With reviews!
PETE HAM/Keyhole Street: Demos 1966-67:
A great 2 CD compilation of unreleased demos by Pete Ham, the tragic lead singer who went from The Iveys to the amazing Badfinger. (AKA the guys who gave us "No Matter What" and "Without You.") Given there are already two CDs of Ham demo-type stuff available, it's impressive that there's still so much left to be unleashed. This project was created and crowd-funded by Ham's son, and it's a classy package. Dozens of demos (mostly Ham on guitar, over-dubbing his own vocals), in excellent quality. Ham was a power-poppy guy from the very start, and so unlike some demo compilations, these are very fun and listenable. The crowd-funding part of the project is over, but you can still buy the CD set by going to http://www.pledgemusic.com/artists/peteham .
DEL-LORDS/Right For Jerry Vol. 1 and Vol. 2:
The fantastic Del-Lords have come back with a vengeance, first with a new album ("Elvis Club" -- buy it!), and now for super-fans this two CD set of demos from their earlier era. Some of the tracks appeared on their studio albums, some not, but either way you get two new albums of prime Del-Lords. Check out some sample tracks and order from http://del-lords.com/music/
PETE HAM/Keyhole Street: Demos 1966-67:
A great 2 CD compilation of unreleased demos by Pete Ham, the tragic lead singer who went from The Iveys to the amazing Badfinger. (AKA the guys who gave us "No Matter What" and "Without You.") Given there are already two CDs of Ham demo-type stuff available, it's impressive that there's still so much left to be unleashed. This project was created and crowd-funded by Ham's son, and it's a classy package. Dozens of demos (mostly Ham on guitar, over-dubbing his own vocals), in excellent quality. Ham was a power-poppy guy from the very start, and so unlike some demo compilations, these are very fun and listenable. The crowd-funding part of the project is over, but you can still buy the CD set by going to http://www.pledgemusic.com/artists/peteham .
DEL-LORDS/Right For Jerry Vol. 1 and Vol. 2:
The fantastic Del-Lords have come back with a vengeance, first with a new album ("Elvis Club" -- buy it!), and now for super-fans this two CD set of demos from their earlier era. Some of the tracks appeared on their studio albums, some not, but either way you get two new albums of prime Del-Lords. Check out some sample tracks and order from http://del-lords.com/music/
Friday, May 24, 2013
Parker's Last Stand
More thoughts as I play movie catch-up --
PARKER: Jason Statham IS "Parker", Donald Westlake's thief with a heart o'gold (ish). When Parker's criminal crew turns on him post-State Fair heist and leave him for dead, it's more or less obvious where this story is headed: bloody revenge! Bloody, I tell you! Unfortunately for the real bad guys (led by Michael Chiklis), Parker shrugs off multiple bullet wounds like paper-cuts and, well, mayhem ensues. I like Statham in just about everything he's done, but I can't say I always like the movies (I'm looking at you, "Blitz"!). This one falls somewhere in the mid-range... nicely done, but a story involving Jennifer Lopez as a down-on-her-luck real estate agent insinuating herself into Parker's life really slows things down. Also, I'm as game as anyone for stories about thieves, but the moral world presented here is pretty damn murky. "Civilian" characters aid and embrace Parker without a second thought. This guy may give carnival dolls to cute little kids, but he's also a multiple murderer, and sheltering him from the police is not only stupid, it's a felony. And the ending, which I believe was meant to be heart-warming, is frankly pretty bizarre... unless your only idea of happiness is a big stack of cash, regardless of how many people died to get it. Oh well. I still kind of enjoyed it!
THE LAST STAND: This was Arnold Schwarznegger's first starring role post-Governor-ship, and it was sort of a curious choice. He's actually fine in it, playing a older small town Sheriff forced to confront a bunch of heroin cartel murderers, but the rest of the movie just asks for a few too many "gimmes." I'll buy that a billionaire Mexican cartel guy can hire enough goons to break him out of custody in Las Vegas. I'll buy that said goons can arrange an impossibly complex escape plan. What I can not buy is that after doing all this, the cartel guy's next move is to drive a really fast car from Vegas to the Arizona border and then into Mexico. And I really can't buy that the entire Federal Government, who are following said speedy car most of the way by helicopter, can't stop him. No, that job falls to Arnold and his small town misfits, who use the local gun-collector's artillery to wage World War III on the cartel forces. The tone of this movie is quite bizarre, going from deadly serious to goofier than hell in the blink of an eye. Johnny Knoxville plays the eccentric gun collector in a performance that makes Jerry Lewis look subdued. But in the end I come back to the fact that Schwarznegger is fun to watch...
PARKER: Jason Statham IS "Parker", Donald Westlake's thief with a heart o'gold (ish). When Parker's criminal crew turns on him post-State Fair heist and leave him for dead, it's more or less obvious where this story is headed: bloody revenge! Bloody, I tell you! Unfortunately for the real bad guys (led by Michael Chiklis), Parker shrugs off multiple bullet wounds like paper-cuts and, well, mayhem ensues. I like Statham in just about everything he's done, but I can't say I always like the movies (I'm looking at you, "Blitz"!). This one falls somewhere in the mid-range... nicely done, but a story involving Jennifer Lopez as a down-on-her-luck real estate agent insinuating herself into Parker's life really slows things down. Also, I'm as game as anyone for stories about thieves, but the moral world presented here is pretty damn murky. "Civilian" characters aid and embrace Parker without a second thought. This guy may give carnival dolls to cute little kids, but he's also a multiple murderer, and sheltering him from the police is not only stupid, it's a felony. And the ending, which I believe was meant to be heart-warming, is frankly pretty bizarre... unless your only idea of happiness is a big stack of cash, regardless of how many people died to get it. Oh well. I still kind of enjoyed it!
THE LAST STAND: This was Arnold Schwarznegger's first starring role post-Governor-ship, and it was sort of a curious choice. He's actually fine in it, playing a older small town Sheriff forced to confront a bunch of heroin cartel murderers, but the rest of the movie just asks for a few too many "gimmes." I'll buy that a billionaire Mexican cartel guy can hire enough goons to break him out of custody in Las Vegas. I'll buy that said goons can arrange an impossibly complex escape plan. What I can not buy is that after doing all this, the cartel guy's next move is to drive a really fast car from Vegas to the Arizona border and then into Mexico. And I really can't buy that the entire Federal Government, who are following said speedy car most of the way by helicopter, can't stop him. No, that job falls to Arnold and his small town misfits, who use the local gun-collector's artillery to wage World War III on the cartel forces. The tone of this movie is quite bizarre, going from deadly serious to goofier than hell in the blink of an eye. Johnny Knoxville plays the eccentric gun collector in a performance that makes Jerry Lewis look subdued. But in the end I come back to the fact that Schwarznegger is fun to watch...
Friday, May 17, 2013
The Fury Of The Evil Dead Texas Chainsaw...
Been catching up on my uber-gory movies recently -- pretty much spoiler free for those who care!
TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D: The original Chainsaw was one of those eye-opening horror movie events for yours truly. I can't remember where I put my cell phone last night, but I can still remember sitting in the nearly empty Village theater in Beaverton Oregon on the Friday the original Chainsaw opened back in 1970-something. It was quite an experience. During the famous scene where Leatherface plops a pretty young thing on a meat hook, an older woman in the almost nonexistent crowd stood up, shouted "I thought this was going to be a detective movie!" and stormed out. Me, I stuck it out to the bitter end, and to this day I can't think of another movie that's beat the original Chainsaw's trifecta of extreme mood, freaky characters and unsettling bravura horror scenes. Tobe Hooper, Kim Henkel and crew spun some seriously messed up movie magic with their crazy little movie...
I've also managed to catch most of the sequels/prequels/remakes. Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, also directed by Hooper, was pretty widely dismissed when it first came out, but it's a minor masterpiece. Completely different from the first movie, pretty much a black comedy, but any movies that pits Dennis Hopper (!) against Leatherface in a chainsaw battle is a winner. After that, things get a bit soggier. There was a Chainsaw 3 with future Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen as a freaky family member. An off-shoot-ish remake featuring a pre-stardom Matthew McConaughy and Renee Zellweger. Then the two Platinum Dune efforts, which were closer to the tone of the original but were still beating the original formula -- kids arrive at spooky house, cross creepy family, mayhem ensues -- to death.
So I was pleasantly surprised that the latest Chainsaw effort tried something new. Essentially beginning twenty minutes after the end of the original 1972 movie, TC3D (which I saw flat on blu-ray) is about rejiggering the franchise in a different direction. Yes, a pretty girl brings her pals to a creepy house and mayhem ensues, but then there's a turn about halfway through the movie that I found fun. I will say that some of what follows asks the viewer and requires a couple characters to more or less forget that our friend Leatherface is a brutal mass murderer, but okay. Bottom line, Chainsaw movies certainly aren't for everyone, but if you are predisposed toward this sort of entertainment, then this is a pretty good one.
EVIL DEAD (2013): I can also remember where I was to see the first Evil Dead -- the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles, a packed midnight Festival show before the official release. I believe I was sitting behind Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo and I'm sure there were other like-minded celebs in house, because E.D. had amassed quite a rep among horror fans. Suffice to say the crowd went nuts. Who would have guessed that many years later I would adapt and expand the original Evil Dead movie in graphic novel form (from Dark Horse, buy it!) and actually get to work with creators Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell on multiple projects.
The new Evil Dead is essentially a remake, but glossier and WAAAAY bloodier. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Director Fede Alvarez clearly loves the original but isn't slavish to the story, offering some intriguing change ups. I caught this at the end of its theatrical run -- I was the only guy in the entire theater at my local multiplex -- so I can't offer any reports on audience feedback. Look, I will always prefer the Evil Dead world where Bruce Campbell's Ash is taking it on the chin, but as an adjunct, this one rocks right along. However, nothing in the new movie beats the excruciating moment in the original when a demon jams a pencil into a character's ankle. That STILL gets a wince...
THE FURY (1978): Recently issued on limited edition blu-ray, this Brian Palma movie is rarely mentioned when discussing Mr. D's filmic contributions. I remembered kind of liking it back in the day, but seeing it again elicited one of those "what wuz I thinkin'?" moments. John Cassavettes at his creepiest plays a CIA type guy who is collecting kids with telekinetic abilities. Kirk Douglas is another spy, and father of a gifted son (VERY creepy Andrew Stevens). For some reason, the Cassavettes character stages a bloody massacre involving multiple terrorists to separate Douglas from his son -- there must have been an easier way! -- but Kirk survives and spends the movie trying to track his wayward son down. Meanwhile, pretty Amy Irving is also a telekinetic who is roped into Cassavettes' organization and discovers she can make mean girls bleed when they piss her off.
The tone of this movie is bizarre. Douglas (who must have been pushing 60 and does multiple scenes shirtless) is trying to track down the guy who kidnapped his son and arranged a massacre. But he's downright jovial while doing it. He breaks into an apartment during a chase to lay low, ties up a bickering couple and makes friends with the dingy mother-in-law (!) in a scene of low comedy. Douglas spends what feels like hours coloring his hair white, putting a pillow under his shirt and otherwise altering his appearance -- only to be identified by the bad guys as soon as he walks out the apartment door. He then kidnaps a couple of off-duty cops at gun point, including a VERY young Dennis Franz, who is terrified that the ensuing car chase will put a dent in his brand new Caddy. This scene goes on for-evah and, hold on to your sides, the car doesn't make it.
The Fury is most famous for its bloody climax, where the uneasy combination of spy movie and science fiction thriller finally collide and heads (well, bodies) literally explode. Those scenes are kind of fun. But the fate of the Douglas character is one of the more anti-climatic moments in film history. I have a great affection for nutty 70's movies, but this one is just kind of not-great...
TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D: The original Chainsaw was one of those eye-opening horror movie events for yours truly. I can't remember where I put my cell phone last night, but I can still remember sitting in the nearly empty Village theater in Beaverton Oregon on the Friday the original Chainsaw opened back in 1970-something. It was quite an experience. During the famous scene where Leatherface plops a pretty young thing on a meat hook, an older woman in the almost nonexistent crowd stood up, shouted "I thought this was going to be a detective movie!" and stormed out. Me, I stuck it out to the bitter end, and to this day I can't think of another movie that's beat the original Chainsaw's trifecta of extreme mood, freaky characters and unsettling bravura horror scenes. Tobe Hooper, Kim Henkel and crew spun some seriously messed up movie magic with their crazy little movie...
I've also managed to catch most of the sequels/prequels/remakes. Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, also directed by Hooper, was pretty widely dismissed when it first came out, but it's a minor masterpiece. Completely different from the first movie, pretty much a black comedy, but any movies that pits Dennis Hopper (!) against Leatherface in a chainsaw battle is a winner. After that, things get a bit soggier. There was a Chainsaw 3 with future Lord of the Rings star Viggo Mortensen as a freaky family member. An off-shoot-ish remake featuring a pre-stardom Matthew McConaughy and Renee Zellweger. Then the two Platinum Dune efforts, which were closer to the tone of the original but were still beating the original formula -- kids arrive at spooky house, cross creepy family, mayhem ensues -- to death.
So I was pleasantly surprised that the latest Chainsaw effort tried something new. Essentially beginning twenty minutes after the end of the original 1972 movie, TC3D (which I saw flat on blu-ray) is about rejiggering the franchise in a different direction. Yes, a pretty girl brings her pals to a creepy house and mayhem ensues, but then there's a turn about halfway through the movie that I found fun. I will say that some of what follows asks the viewer and requires a couple characters to more or less forget that our friend Leatherface is a brutal mass murderer, but okay. Bottom line, Chainsaw movies certainly aren't for everyone, but if you are predisposed toward this sort of entertainment, then this is a pretty good one.
EVIL DEAD (2013): I can also remember where I was to see the first Evil Dead -- the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles, a packed midnight Festival show before the official release. I believe I was sitting behind Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo and I'm sure there were other like-minded celebs in house, because E.D. had amassed quite a rep among horror fans. Suffice to say the crowd went nuts. Who would have guessed that many years later I would adapt and expand the original Evil Dead movie in graphic novel form (from Dark Horse, buy it!) and actually get to work with creators Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell on multiple projects.
The new Evil Dead is essentially a remake, but glossier and WAAAAY bloodier. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Director Fede Alvarez clearly loves the original but isn't slavish to the story, offering some intriguing change ups. I caught this at the end of its theatrical run -- I was the only guy in the entire theater at my local multiplex -- so I can't offer any reports on audience feedback. Look, I will always prefer the Evil Dead world where Bruce Campbell's Ash is taking it on the chin, but as an adjunct, this one rocks right along. However, nothing in the new movie beats the excruciating moment in the original when a demon jams a pencil into a character's ankle. That STILL gets a wince...
THE FURY (1978): Recently issued on limited edition blu-ray, this Brian Palma movie is rarely mentioned when discussing Mr. D's filmic contributions. I remembered kind of liking it back in the day, but seeing it again elicited one of those "what wuz I thinkin'?" moments. John Cassavettes at his creepiest plays a CIA type guy who is collecting kids with telekinetic abilities. Kirk Douglas is another spy, and father of a gifted son (VERY creepy Andrew Stevens). For some reason, the Cassavettes character stages a bloody massacre involving multiple terrorists to separate Douglas from his son -- there must have been an easier way! -- but Kirk survives and spends the movie trying to track his wayward son down. Meanwhile, pretty Amy Irving is also a telekinetic who is roped into Cassavettes' organization and discovers she can make mean girls bleed when they piss her off.
The tone of this movie is bizarre. Douglas (who must have been pushing 60 and does multiple scenes shirtless) is trying to track down the guy who kidnapped his son and arranged a massacre. But he's downright jovial while doing it. He breaks into an apartment during a chase to lay low, ties up a bickering couple and makes friends with the dingy mother-in-law (!) in a scene of low comedy. Douglas spends what feels like hours coloring his hair white, putting a pillow under his shirt and otherwise altering his appearance -- only to be identified by the bad guys as soon as he walks out the apartment door. He then kidnaps a couple of off-duty cops at gun point, including a VERY young Dennis Franz, who is terrified that the ensuing car chase will put a dent in his brand new Caddy. This scene goes on for-evah and, hold on to your sides, the car doesn't make it.
The Fury is most famous for its bloody climax, where the uneasy combination of spy movie and science fiction thriller finally collide and heads (well, bodies) literally explode. Those scenes are kind of fun. But the fate of the Douglas character is one of the more anti-climatic moments in film history. I have a great affection for nutty 70's movies, but this one is just kind of not-great...
Wednesday, May 01, 2013
Me And The Great American Pitch Fest
I've never done one of these events before, but I guess there's a first time for everything. Barring some unforeseen disaster, I'll be visiting the Great American Pitch-Fest in Burbank on June 1. I am part of the "free" side of the show, so anyone who wants to come by is welcome and it won't cost you a dime. I will be available to discuss my work on Hemlock Grove, Falling Skies, Battlestar Galactica, Heroes... you name it, and if I can remember the details, I'll try to offer what may pass for advice.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Hemlock Grove Is ALIVE. It's ALIVE...
Okay, holy crap, how did I go over a month without a real post? Well, it's simple: it's been a little busy around Casa Verheiden, AKA "the bedroom office."
Hopefully by now folks know that Hemlock Grove, the show that occupied much of my 2012, has debuted via streaming on Netflix. 13 episodes, and every stinkin' one of them can be watched, devoured, analyzed, rewatched and rewatched again. (Are you picking up a theme?) The reaction has been fascinating. I learned long ago not to take criticism personally, so the drinking of the last week has been celebratory, not reactionary. (Well, most of it.) Still, I'm not sure I've ever been involved in a show that polarized opinion quite as much Hemlock.
That said, I am amazed and heartened by the reaction to the show on twitter, the audience reviews on Netflix and IMDB (by actual viewers!) and the fact that poor lil' Hemlock actually reached more viewers the first weekend than (the excellent!) Netflix series House Of Cards. We knew we were making something a bit off the wall and different, and it's fun to see that there are a lot of folks out there that get that.
It's also been fun to get feedback from people who has seen all 13 episodes, as opposed to the first three that were sent to reviewers. When we told folks that the show was a 13 hour movie, we kind of meant it. Fashioning a critique based on the first three episodes is a little like watching the first 15 minutes of a feature film and banging out a review based just on that. To be fair, not everyone falls in love (ahem) even after watching all thirteen. But that's okay. The show's not for everyone, and there are plenty of other viewing options available.
The twitter feed (#hemlockgrove) has been especially hypnotic. I'm no math whiz, but there must be hundreds of thousands of comments by now, and I'd say a good 85% seem positive. I first started with twitter on Falling Skies, and I have to admit, I've gone from a skeptic (140 characters? What can you say in that?) to an addict.
There has been no decision re: a Hemlock Grove season two at this writing, so we shall see. But for those who yet to have a taste our wares and haven't joined Netflix, you can get a free one month trial subscription and give it a shot. Meanwhile, I'll be back with more news soon...
Hopefully by now folks know that Hemlock Grove, the show that occupied much of my 2012, has debuted via streaming on Netflix. 13 episodes, and every stinkin' one of them can be watched, devoured, analyzed, rewatched and rewatched again. (Are you picking up a theme?) The reaction has been fascinating. I learned long ago not to take criticism personally, so the drinking of the last week has been celebratory, not reactionary. (Well, most of it.) Still, I'm not sure I've ever been involved in a show that polarized opinion quite as much Hemlock.
That said, I am amazed and heartened by the reaction to the show on twitter, the audience reviews on Netflix and IMDB (by actual viewers!) and the fact that poor lil' Hemlock actually reached more viewers the first weekend than (the excellent!) Netflix series House Of Cards. We knew we were making something a bit off the wall and different, and it's fun to see that there are a lot of folks out there that get that.
It's also been fun to get feedback from people who has seen all 13 episodes, as opposed to the first three that were sent to reviewers. When we told folks that the show was a 13 hour movie, we kind of meant it. Fashioning a critique based on the first three episodes is a little like watching the first 15 minutes of a feature film and banging out a review based just on that. To be fair, not everyone falls in love (ahem) even after watching all thirteen. But that's okay. The show's not for everyone, and there are plenty of other viewing options available.
The twitter feed (#hemlockgrove) has been especially hypnotic. I'm no math whiz, but there must be hundreds of thousands of comments by now, and I'd say a good 85% seem positive. I first started with twitter on Falling Skies, and I have to admit, I've gone from a skeptic (140 characters? What can you say in that?) to an addict.
There has been no decision re: a Hemlock Grove season two at this writing, so we shall see. But for those who yet to have a taste our wares and haven't joined Netflix, you can get a free one month trial subscription and give it a shot. Meanwhile, I'll be back with more news soon...
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
So What's New In Tennessee?
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/tenn-lawmaker-allegedly-drove-90-mph-while-masturbating?ref=fpb
My favorite part of this story? "Recalling dozens of complaints in recent years, Terry Christian, a Kingsport detective, told WJHL that Blakely's behavior has gone on "for so long an (sic) nobody's addressed it." I guess his insanity was Grandfathered in...
My favorite part of this story? "Recalling dozens of complaints in recent years, Terry Christian, a Kingsport detective, told WJHL that Blakely's behavior has gone on "for so long an (sic) nobody's addressed it." I guess his insanity was Grandfathered in...
Friday, March 22, 2013
Hemlock Grove: The Trailerpalooza!
A handy compilation of trailers put together by Aaron Douglas, who plays Sheriff Sworn on Hemlock and the legendary Chief on Battlestar Galactica...
Hemlock Grove, April 19, only on Netflix.
First Trailer -- HEMLOCK GROVE -- A Netflix Original Series [HD]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlZUsPcChgI
Hemlock Grove: UK Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwN1Sx7PNVU
Hemlock Grove: IGN Exclusive Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwTw03j5_Tc
Hemlock Grove Trailer - "Gypsy" - A Netflix Original Series (HD)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIL0u2RUR9M
Hemlock Grove Trailer - "Blood Angel" - A Netflix Original Series (HD)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW_QF7SIJ_s
Hemlock Grove Trailer - "Suspects" - A Netflix Original Series (HD)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HjbcEfqLws
Hemlock Grove Trailer - "Grisly" - Netflix (HD)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WweCmgr7fyA
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Tri-Corner Hats
So some really severe elderly folks at CPAC are outraged that Rob Portman has endorsed same sex rights after discovering his son is gay. That's to be expected. But when did cosplay become a thing among the conservative crowd?
http://deadstate.org/cpac-attendees-condemn-sen-rob-portmans-endorsement-of-marriage-equality-video/
http://deadstate.org/cpac-attendees-condemn-sen-rob-portmans-endorsement-of-marriage-equality-video/
On Vinyl...
A veteran record (as in vinyl records) collector finally gives up the ghost...
http://www.avclub.com/articles/has-the-vinyl-revival-gone-too-far,93610/
I dumped most of my vinyl collection -- at least 2 or 3 thousand discs -- five or six years ago. Lack of space X convenience of CDs + cost of storage room to house all that stuff = bye bye. I did keep most of my singles and a few of my fave platters, but otherwise my collection is hopefully entertaining the swingin' hipsters who found them in Amoeba L.A.'s used-vinyl area...
Where I would disagree with the writer is his comment about not finding much difference between an MP3 and a vinyl record. After too many concerts and lengthy drives with the car system cranked to 11, my hearing ain't what it used to be, but I can still tell the difference between a thin, tinny MP3 and, well, non-MP3 playbacks. What worries me (and worries audiophiles way more) is that an entire generation has grown up with the thin MP3 sound and have become culturally adjusted to that sound quality. The fat bass and richer horns and deeper vocals that come from a fully realized recording may actually be negatives for those folks...
BTW, I still buy a (very few) vinyl records, but less for the record than the graphics. One thing we have lost in our i-tunes/spotify/whatever else age are the amazing covers and liner notes that graced many seminal LPs. Strictly as art, there are some mighty impressive pieces out there. As music, I'm happy with the CD or lossless version...
http://www.avclub.com/articles/has-the-vinyl-revival-gone-too-far,93610/
I dumped most of my vinyl collection -- at least 2 or 3 thousand discs -- five or six years ago. Lack of space X convenience of CDs + cost of storage room to house all that stuff = bye bye. I did keep most of my singles and a few of my fave platters, but otherwise my collection is hopefully entertaining the swingin' hipsters who found them in Amoeba L.A.'s used-vinyl area...
Where I would disagree with the writer is his comment about not finding much difference between an MP3 and a vinyl record. After too many concerts and lengthy drives with the car system cranked to 11, my hearing ain't what it used to be, but I can still tell the difference between a thin, tinny MP3 and, well, non-MP3 playbacks. What worries me (and worries audiophiles way more) is that an entire generation has grown up with the thin MP3 sound and have become culturally adjusted to that sound quality. The fat bass and richer horns and deeper vocals that come from a fully realized recording may actually be negatives for those folks...
BTW, I still buy a (very few) vinyl records, but less for the record than the graphics. One thing we have lost in our i-tunes/spotify/whatever else age are the amazing covers and liner notes that graced many seminal LPs. Strictly as art, there are some mighty impressive pieces out there. As music, I'm happy with the CD or lossless version...
Monday, March 18, 2013
Me, Hemlock Grove, WonderCon
Just announced, there will be a Hemlock Grove panel at WonderCon this year, 6:30PM on Friday March 29. Here's the official blurb:
6:30pm - Netflix's "Hemlock Grove" - Room 300DE
From executive producer Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) and based on Brian McGreevy's novel of the same name, Netflix's Hemlock Grove is a riveting one-hour murder mystery series that revolves around the residents of a former Pennsylvania steel town. When 17-year-old Brooke Bluebell is brutally murdered, any of Hemlock's peculiar inhabitants-or killer creatures-could be suspects. Through the investigation, the town's seamier side is exposed, revealing nothing is what it seems. Beautiful, terrifying, and graphic, Hemlock Grove is unlike anything else in its genre. Appearing are executive producers Roth, McGreevy, and Lee Shipman and cast members Famke Janssen (X-Men), Dougray Scott (Mission Impossible II), Bill Skarsgård (Anna Karenina), Landon Liboiron (Terra Nova), Penelope Mitchell, Freya Tingley, Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica), and Kandyse McClure (Battlestar Galactica).
And other executive producer me. Come on down!
6:30pm - Netflix's "Hemlock Grove" - Room 300DE
From executive producer Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) and based on Brian McGreevy's novel of the same name, Netflix's Hemlock Grove is a riveting one-hour murder mystery series that revolves around the residents of a former Pennsylvania steel town. When 17-year-old Brooke Bluebell is brutally murdered, any of Hemlock's peculiar inhabitants-or killer creatures-could be suspects. Through the investigation, the town's seamier side is exposed, revealing nothing is what it seems. Beautiful, terrifying, and graphic, Hemlock Grove is unlike anything else in its genre. Appearing are executive producers Roth, McGreevy, and Lee Shipman and cast members Famke Janssen (X-Men), Dougray Scott (Mission Impossible II), Bill Skarsgård (Anna Karenina), Landon Liboiron (Terra Nova), Penelope Mitchell, Freya Tingley, Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica), and Kandyse McClure (Battlestar Galactica).
And other executive producer me. Come on down!
Sunday, March 17, 2013
John Carter FROM MARS dammit
I picked up the Kindle version of the book "John Carter and the Gods Of Hollywood" because the reviews were effusive and I like your basic exploration of why bad things happen to good movies as much as the next guy. JC and the Gods is a scary thorough examination of the machine that produced and then attempted to promote the recent John Carter movie. The gist of the author's thesis is that the movie both fell through the cracks during a regime change at Disney and/or was intentionally or unintentionally sabotaged on the publicity side by folks who just didn't get it. Per the author, movies like The Avengers were drawing up enormous media oxygen while John Carter simply wasn't getting the same level of attention. According to the writer, it was basically the endless missteps in the promotional campaign for Carter that led to a less than stellar opening and big box-office trouble.
I should mention that I hadn't actually seen the movie itself before I started reading the book. After learning about all the missteps on the Disney side, I finally got around to a sit down with the movie itself. And guess what? It's just not very good. Obviously everyone involved tried to make a great, epic, sprawling fantasy out of a classic piece of Edgar Rice Burroughs adventure -- but in the end the magic just wasn't there. And sometimes that just happens.
On a much smaller scale, I've become gunshy these days when folks tell me that one of my TV scripts is bound to be "the best of the season," because it seems like those are inevitably the episodes where another shoe drops and they become the problem child. It's not that anyone sets out to do a lousy job -- and I really don't like the snarky piling-on that occurs when a John Carter comes along -- it's just that sometimes things just don't work out. It's not great for Disney stockholders or fans hoping for the further adventures of John Carter, but not a diabolical crime either...
I should mention that I hadn't actually seen the movie itself before I started reading the book. After learning about all the missteps on the Disney side, I finally got around to a sit down with the movie itself. And guess what? It's just not very good. Obviously everyone involved tried to make a great, epic, sprawling fantasy out of a classic piece of Edgar Rice Burroughs adventure -- but in the end the magic just wasn't there. And sometimes that just happens.
On a much smaller scale, I've become gunshy these days when folks tell me that one of my TV scripts is bound to be "the best of the season," because it seems like those are inevitably the episodes where another shoe drops and they become the problem child. It's not that anyone sets out to do a lousy job -- and I really don't like the snarky piling-on that occurs when a John Carter comes along -- it's just that sometimes things just don't work out. It's not great for Disney stockholders or fans hoping for the further adventures of John Carter, but not a diabolical crime either...
Sunday, March 10, 2013
12 Years Old. Yes, 12 Years Old.
Want to see a 12 year old kid named Caspian Coberly play Red House on guitar in the style of Jimi Hendrix? The video is here...
http://www.caspiancoberly.com/
Want to see me trying to learn a chord? I didn't think so...
http://www.caspiancoberly.com/
Want to see me trying to learn a chord? I didn't think so...
Hemlock Grove Is Screaming to Stream!
Years in the writing, months in the producing, and now it's just weeks before Hemlock Grove debuts on Netflix. April 19, to be exact. Members of the cast and crew, including yours truly, will be discussing the evolution of the show at an upcoming fan event that will be announced "soon" -- but meanwhile, here's the poster:
What exactly is Hemlock Grove? Well, despite the poster image, is it not a 13 episode treatise on the hazards of hand-feeding your pet wolf. It IS, in fact, a suspenseful thriller about a small Pennsylvania town plagued by multiple murders, and the unlikely friendship that develops between two "opposite sides of the tracks" high school boys investigating the crime(s). More to come as we close in on the release date. April 19! All episodes at once!
What exactly is Hemlock Grove? Well, despite the poster image, is it not a 13 episode treatise on the hazards of hand-feeding your pet wolf. It IS, in fact, a suspenseful thriller about a small Pennsylvania town plagued by multiple murders, and the unlikely friendship that develops between two "opposite sides of the tracks" high school boys investigating the crime(s). More to come as we close in on the release date. April 19! All episodes at once!
Thursday, March 07, 2013
New! New new!!
AMERICAN COMIC BOOK CHRONICLES: THE 1960's, 1960-1964: From the fine folks at TwoMorrows press, this is the first in what I hope is a lengthy series of volumes exploring the wild and wooly history o' comics. Written by comics historian (and fellow Capa-Alpha * member) John Wells and generously illustrated with hundreds of full color images, this edition explores an especially cool moment in comics history. If not precisely the birth of the silver age (most folks say that started when the new Flash debuted in 1956), then it was certainly the birth of the Marvel age of comics, with the debut of the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, the Hulk, the rebirth of Captain America, Thor, etc., etc., etc. But there were all sort of other comics available in those days, from a panoply of publishers long gone. ACG, Gold Key, Charlton, Dell, Harvey and more. John's written a conversational and comprehensive history here and TwoMorrows has given the book the deluxe treatment. Well worth checking out.
MESSAGES IN A BOTTLE - COMIC BOOK STORIES BY B. KRIGSTEIN: 240 full color pages of exquisite work by Mr. Krigstein, one of the finest artists to ever grace the world of comics. Delicate pen work and incredibly lay-outs abound in this comprehensive volume that includes his best EC stories. Anybody who believes today's comics are as good as it gets needs to give this a look. And look Ma -- not a superhero in the whole bunch.
MARVEL FIRST - WWII SUPERHEROES: 450 pages of full color Golden Age "origin stories", from superstars like the Human Torch, Sub-Mariner and Captain America to obscurities like "The Fin" and "Rockman", this is a raw injection of 40's comics madness. Up until the 80s, I think these type of stories are what most of the public had in mind when someone said "comic book." Crazy heroes, primitive but often exciting artwork, and stories that have fever-dream logic when they have any logic at all.
COLLECTED COMICS FONDLING/Dark Horse Presents 1986-2000: A print-to-order publication, I picked this up because it promised to index all 157 issues of Dark Horse's flagship title (+annuals). Which it does. But there are also reviews. And I didn't make it past page one, where there was this gem re: Dark Horse Presents #2: "Wow, does (Concrete creator Paul) Chadwick ever try hard to be cute. His Concrete story this issue is completely useless, inconsequential diversion... Maybe I'm missing the point." Well, yes, you are. Anyone who can't see the artistry and charm in my pal Paul's Concrete stories is a hopeless case, and yes, I am biased. Oh well.
* Capa-Alpha is a comics-related amateur press alliance that was formed in the early 60's and continues to this day. Members write and publish fanzines that are gathered each month by a Central Mailer, who distributes the collection to members. I've been publishing my own apa-zine for Capa-Alpha off and on since 1971...
MESSAGES IN A BOTTLE - COMIC BOOK STORIES BY B. KRIGSTEIN: 240 full color pages of exquisite work by Mr. Krigstein, one of the finest artists to ever grace the world of comics. Delicate pen work and incredibly lay-outs abound in this comprehensive volume that includes his best EC stories. Anybody who believes today's comics are as good as it gets needs to give this a look. And look Ma -- not a superhero in the whole bunch.
MARVEL FIRST - WWII SUPERHEROES: 450 pages of full color Golden Age "origin stories", from superstars like the Human Torch, Sub-Mariner and Captain America to obscurities like "The Fin" and "Rockman", this is a raw injection of 40's comics madness. Up until the 80s, I think these type of stories are what most of the public had in mind when someone said "comic book." Crazy heroes, primitive but often exciting artwork, and stories that have fever-dream logic when they have any logic at all.
COLLECTED COMICS FONDLING/Dark Horse Presents 1986-2000: A print-to-order publication, I picked this up because it promised to index all 157 issues of Dark Horse's flagship title (+annuals). Which it does. But there are also reviews. And I didn't make it past page one, where there was this gem re: Dark Horse Presents #2: "Wow, does (Concrete creator Paul) Chadwick ever try hard to be cute. His Concrete story this issue is completely useless, inconsequential diversion... Maybe I'm missing the point." Well, yes, you are. Anyone who can't see the artistry and charm in my pal Paul's Concrete stories is a hopeless case, and yes, I am biased. Oh well.
* Capa-Alpha is a comics-related amateur press alliance that was formed in the early 60's and continues to this day. Members write and publish fanzines that are gathered each month by a Central Mailer, who distributes the collection to members. I've been publishing my own apa-zine for Capa-Alpha off and on since 1971...
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Fear! 2013!
I saw the band Fear in Portland Oregon in 1979. The best part of the experience was arriving way too early for the show and sitting next to lead singer Lee Ving at the bar before the performance. Meaning me and my buddy Stan actually "had a beer with Fear." I wish I had some miserable experience to report, but Lee was actually a nice guy and seemed to enjoy blabbing to two enthralled Oregon kids.
It was an amazing show. Fear in their prime = AMAZING.
Here's Lee Ving with Dave Groel of Nirvana doing Fear in 2013. He's still AMAZING.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK_nI_2QRGo
It was an amazing show. Fear in their prime = AMAZING.
Here's Lee Ving with Dave Groel of Nirvana doing Fear in 2013. He's still AMAZING.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK_nI_2QRGo
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Crashmobile
For some reason I've been obsessing recently over an old toy called "Crashmobile." I guess it's a sign of getting older or dementia or who knows what, but I remember buying several of these as a kid and having no end of fun smashing them into the wall and watching them explode. So now it's all about finding one (or two or three) of them again to relive what was probably a less exciting childhood adventure than memory allows.
They were called Crashmobiles because that's exactly what they did. There were several models in different sizes, but the design was more or less the same across the CM spectrum. You would squeeze the sides and roof of the car together over a springy-lever connected to the front bumper of the car. Roll the car forward, bonk the bumper, and KAPOW. The lever would be triggered and the thing would burst apart, usually while the child operator was making horrific screaming noises ("aghh, gahh, my legs are broken, I've been decapitated, aghhh, agghh!!!). Then you would carefully gather the parts, rebuild it and repeat. Until the car broke for real (something that usually happened really fast) and you had to steal 20 cents from your Dad's sock drawer (sorry Dad) and run to the supermarket for another.
But you have to admit. There's something genius about selling a toy that's MEANT to be broken.
What the image below doesn't really sell is just how tiny the Crashmobile Jr. really was. Like, three inches long and maybe an inch across. Also, this image is from later in the life of CM Jr., which was a mere 19 cents when first unveiling. And finally, someone must have stored this one in their dirt closet, because fresh Crashmobiles weren't usually this dusty.
Anyway, crashmobiles. What can I tell you. As a child I was easily amused...
They were called Crashmobiles because that's exactly what they did. There were several models in different sizes, but the design was more or less the same across the CM spectrum. You would squeeze the sides and roof of the car together over a springy-lever connected to the front bumper of the car. Roll the car forward, bonk the bumper, and KAPOW. The lever would be triggered and the thing would burst apart, usually while the child operator was making horrific screaming noises ("aghh, gahh, my legs are broken, I've been decapitated, aghhh, agghh!!!). Then you would carefully gather the parts, rebuild it and repeat. Until the car broke for real (something that usually happened really fast) and you had to steal 20 cents from your Dad's sock drawer (sorry Dad) and run to the supermarket for another.
But you have to admit. There's something genius about selling a toy that's MEANT to be broken.
What the image below doesn't really sell is just how tiny the Crashmobile Jr. really was. Like, three inches long and maybe an inch across. Also, this image is from later in the life of CM Jr., which was a mere 19 cents when first unveiling. And finally, someone must have stored this one in their dirt closet, because fresh Crashmobiles weren't usually this dusty.
Anyway, crashmobiles. What can I tell you. As a child I was easily amused...
Monday, February 18, 2013
Human Nature
I will fully admit to reading the occasionally human interest/gossip piece online. There sure are a lot of celebrities/politicians/etc. doing a lot of interesting/odd/scandalous stuff. But it's the reader comments that always bring me up short. Today, to pick a piece at random, there was a story about actress Maya Rudolph being pregnant with her fourth child. That was it... married actress is having another kid. Seems innocuous enough, until you get to the comments. For instance this (of course anonymous) gem, among the first few:
"Another worthless HuffPost piece. No one cares that Maya can't keep her legs crossed."
Can't keep her legs crossed? Are we now at a place where married sex that leads to pregnancy is considered "dirty?" If all women "kept their legs crossed" there would be no human race, though (silver lining!) there would also be no bizarre internet trolls posting pointlessly ugly comments about something that's actually kind of sweet. But the hits just keep on coming...
"What did Maya's left leg say to her right leg? Nothing! They've never met!"
"Is this one of those Hollywood freaks that supports abortion? I wonder if she believes her fetus is alive yet?"
"Another worthless HuffPost piece. No one cares that Maya can't keep her legs crossed."
Can't keep her legs crossed? Are we now at a place where married sex that leads to pregnancy is considered "dirty?" If all women "kept their legs crossed" there would be no human race, though (silver lining!) there would also be no bizarre internet trolls posting pointlessly ugly comments about something that's actually kind of sweet. But the hits just keep on coming...
"What did Maya's left leg say to her right leg? Nothing! They've never met!"
"Is this one of those Hollywood freaks that supports abortion? I wonder if she believes her fetus is alive yet?"
"Ugly people have ugly kids... won't someone stop Maya Rudolph from
reproducing? She looks like someone took a dump on her face"
Remember, all this for a nothing news blip about an (sorry, commenter #4!) attractive actress getting pregnant for the fourth time with her husband. No scandal, just someone havin' babies.
I draw few conclusions from this anecdotal exploration. Except that the human race can be a sad, sorry bunch sometimes...
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
The Wood Bookshelf...
There seems to have been a Wally Wood renaissance recently... here are the latest arrivals creaking my overworked bookshelves...
THE EC STORIES OF WALLY WOOD/Artist's Edition: Okay, this is incredibly cool but truly obsessive. IDW is putting out a series of massive volumes offering full-scale black and white reproductions taken from the actual original art by various top notch comics artists. This edition, featuring the truly glorious work of Wallace Wood, is 144 pages, 25 x 19 x 1" and weighs in a 9 lbs! What you get are incredibly detailed images of the original art from several classic EC stories by WW, right down to the publisher's stamps, hand-written notes, coffee stains... you can even make out the brush strokes inside large areas of black. The detail is amazing and Wood definitely deserves the deluxe treatment. IDW's also done similar volumes for Dave Stevens' Rocketeer and most recently Gil Kane's early Spider-Man. The first edition is long gone and is going for $500-ish on Amazon, but search and you may find the second edition for slightly less. So no, these are not cheap, but so it goes...
WOODWORK: Okay, you're getting physical therapy after reading the Wood "Artist's Edition" but still want more? Check out "Woodwork", also from IDW, which is an American version of a museum catalog released in Spain in 2010. The text is in English and Spanish and there are hundreds of illustrations in B/W and color from the entire run of Wood's career. I am still working my way through this, and if the word definitive means anything, it means something like this. And it's quite a bargain (on Amazon, anyhow), 352 pages for $32.00.
CAME THE DAWN (The EC Comics Library): You've seen the faux original art and read up on Wood's bio, now how about some more stories? Fantagraphics has gobbled up the EC library and is releasing a series of hardcover collections of scattered works, including this one featuring tales illuminated by Mr. Wood. These EC stories have been reprinted many times, but there is always a new audience who didn't spring for earlier editions and deserve a chance to enjoy the goodness. Personally I prefer EC's war books to their horror and sci-fi titles, but they're all at least interesting. These collections are relatively inexpensive ($18.00 on Amazon) with excellent (black and white) reproduction, so buy it and tell all your friends that you've got Wood!
THE EC STORIES OF WALLY WOOD/Artist's Edition: Okay, this is incredibly cool but truly obsessive. IDW is putting out a series of massive volumes offering full-scale black and white reproductions taken from the actual original art by various top notch comics artists. This edition, featuring the truly glorious work of Wallace Wood, is 144 pages, 25 x 19 x 1" and weighs in a 9 lbs! What you get are incredibly detailed images of the original art from several classic EC stories by WW, right down to the publisher's stamps, hand-written notes, coffee stains... you can even make out the brush strokes inside large areas of black. The detail is amazing and Wood definitely deserves the deluxe treatment. IDW's also done similar volumes for Dave Stevens' Rocketeer and most recently Gil Kane's early Spider-Man. The first edition is long gone and is going for $500-ish on Amazon, but search and you may find the second edition for slightly less. So no, these are not cheap, but so it goes...
WOODWORK: Okay, you're getting physical therapy after reading the Wood "Artist's Edition" but still want more? Check out "Woodwork", also from IDW, which is an American version of a museum catalog released in Spain in 2010. The text is in English and Spanish and there are hundreds of illustrations in B/W and color from the entire run of Wood's career. I am still working my way through this, and if the word definitive means anything, it means something like this. And it's quite a bargain (on Amazon, anyhow), 352 pages for $32.00.
CAME THE DAWN (The EC Comics Library): You've seen the faux original art and read up on Wood's bio, now how about some more stories? Fantagraphics has gobbled up the EC library and is releasing a series of hardcover collections of scattered works, including this one featuring tales illuminated by Mr. Wood. These EC stories have been reprinted many times, but there is always a new audience who didn't spring for earlier editions and deserve a chance to enjoy the goodness. Personally I prefer EC's war books to their horror and sci-fi titles, but they're all at least interesting. These collections are relatively inexpensive ($18.00 on Amazon) with excellent (black and white) reproduction, so buy it and tell all your friends that you've got Wood!
Monday, January 28, 2013
Orson Welles On Peas
There are few things more fun than hearing Orson Welles' sonorous voice. Except, perhaps, hearing Orson Welles chew out some British advertising twits who keep asking for more/better/different takes for their frozen peas commercial...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhWM4_pIKVg&feature=player_embedded#!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhWM4_pIKVg&feature=player_embedded#!
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