As a sequel of sorts to an earlier post by Weird Jon, I thought I would compile a list of websites I enjoy. Well, with the exception of the ones already listed on the sidebar...
Cold Fusion Reviews - One of my favorite bad movie review websites. I love the comments given by the Hieratic Head of Ezra Pound at the end of each review.
Digital Monster Island - The best place to go for reviews of giant monster movies on DVD.
Squonkamatic's IMDB and Amazon reviews - Interesting reviews from one of my Latarnia forum pals.
British Horror Movies - "Dey're Briddish movies - I can tell by de way dey tawk!"
Sci-Fi Japan - Incredibly in-depth reviews and news on all things Japanese science fiction and horror. The articles on the Ultraman and Space Giants legal controversies are must-reads!
The HMA - The HMA, or Halloween Mask Association, has an amazing gallery of monster masks.
Haunted Attraction Magazine - The online version of the famous haunted house/hayride/etc. magazine. Includes free article uploads!
Hauntworld - Another great magazine devoted to haunted attractions. This site holds a special place in my heart due to it having the the article that inspired my user name.
Grindshow.com - Sideshow gaff (prop) manufacturer Doug Higley's website, complete with pictures and user testimonials. The "atomic fish" is very similar to the "atomic mystery monster" attraction noted above.
Cinematic Treasures - A website devoted to the noble goal of preserving classic movie theaters.
MonsterTalk - At long last, a skeptical cryptozoology podcast!
Orgone Research - Don't let the name fool you, this website has nothing to do with serious research of that junk science. Instead, it offers a variety of articles and musings by my JREF forum buddy Matt Crowley. The debunking of so-called "Bigfoot dermal ridges" is not to be missed.
Dr.Hermes Reviews and Retro-Scans Daily - The good doctor offers a wide variety of movie and literary reviews, including plenty of horror stuff (of course) on his website, while his Livejournal offers scans of posters, covers, ads, and more!
Atomic Monsters - No, this didn't make the list due to the name. The clever, well-written reviews are what won me over. Fast connection speeds and Flash are a must for viewing the site.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Free Comic Book Day is Coming!
Don't forget, tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day 2010! That's right, comic shops all over America are giving away free comic books and having special sales on May 1st. Don't miss out on this!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Edison's Frankenstein
Originally debuting as a self-published work in 1996, Edison's Frankenstein is back in an expanded and updated edition that's more than double the original's page count (along with a tie-in DVD-R release of the film). And the timing couldn't be better, because 2010 marks the 100th anniversary of the original silent Frankenstein film's release!
Author Frederick C. Wiebel, Jr. presents a wealth amount of information in a way that never seems boring or "dense" to the reader. Not only does he chronicle the complete genesis of the silent film's creation (including reproductions of short film's "script" and intertitles), but the book also covers the history of early American cinema and the Edison company (along with biographies of the film's stars and details on company founder Thomas Edison). Some horror fans might be tempted to skip the non-Frankenstein portions of the book, but that would be a very foolish mistake. I found the biographies of Charles Ogle (who played the monster) and Mary Fuller (who played Dr. Frankenstein's fiancée) to be particularly interesting, due to how Mr. Ogle's career changed and how Ms. Fuller was involved in the creation of movie serials. I was also surprised to learn that Warner Brothers and Universal both owe their existences to Edison Studios.
Other chapters cover the creation of Mary Shelley's original tale, stage adaptations (and how they may have influenced the monster makeup used in the 1910 film), other Frankenstein films (and the 1910 version's possible influence upon some), and the saga of formerly "lost" film finally getting released on home video. There are plenty of pictures from a variety of sources, with the ones from the titular film and other silents being of understandably lesser quality due to the well-worn nature of their source prints. A few other pictures are somewhat pixelated, possibly due to the conversion for the .PDF file for the e-book version (more on that later). According to an e-mail conversation I had with the author, there were no such problems with the original scans. On the plus side, most of the pictures look great and many of the Universal Frankenstein's monster pictures should be familiar to (and please) monster kids old and new.
Like many, I had assumed the scant few film clips available from the film in the 90's were the only usable scraps from otherwise completely deteriorated film reels. The truth was that there was an honest-to-goodness conspiracy to keep the film from being released in full!
Author Frederick C. Wiebel, Jr. presents a wealth amount of information in a way that never seems boring or "dense" to the reader. Not only does he chronicle the complete genesis of the silent film's creation (including reproductions of short film's "script" and intertitles), but the book also covers the history of early American cinema and the Edison company (along with biographies of the film's stars and details on company founder Thomas Edison). Some horror fans might be tempted to skip the non-Frankenstein portions of the book, but that would be a very foolish mistake. I found the biographies of Charles Ogle (who played the monster) and Mary Fuller (who played Dr. Frankenstein's fiancée) to be particularly interesting, due to how Mr. Ogle's career changed and how Ms. Fuller was involved in the creation of movie serials. I was also surprised to learn that Warner Brothers and Universal both owe their existences to Edison Studios.
Other chapters cover the creation of Mary Shelley's original tale, stage adaptations (and how they may have influenced the monster makeup used in the 1910 film), other Frankenstein films (and the 1910 version's possible influence upon some), and the saga of formerly "lost" film finally getting released on home video. There are plenty of pictures from a variety of sources, with the ones from the titular film and other silents being of understandably lesser quality due to the well-worn nature of their source prints. A few other pictures are somewhat pixelated, possibly due to the conversion for the .PDF file for the e-book version (more on that later). According to an e-mail conversation I had with the author, there were no such problems with the original scans. On the plus side, most of the pictures look great and many of the Universal Frankenstein's monster pictures should be familiar to (and please) monster kids old and new.
Like many, I had assumed the scant few film clips available from the film in the 90's were the only usable scraps from otherwise completely deteriorated film reels. The truth was that there was an honest-to-goodness conspiracy to keep the film from being released in full!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Tuesday uEtsy: LipsTattoo Designs
[Etsy.com's tagline is "Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade." Coincidently, there's a lot of spooky on Etsy, and each Tuesday, we highlight one of the sellers. If you're looking to spruce up your look, redecorate your tomb or get a gift for that special something in your afterlife, Etsy.com is a place for spooky econo.]
LipsTattoo Designs (http://lipstattoo.etsy.com)
From the UK, we have LipsTattoo Designs, offering their handmade jewerly for all things creepy. LipsTattoo Designs was an early supporter of GdL16 on Twitter. We're glad to spotlight them for this Tuesday uEtsy.
Applicable for both boys and ghouls, LipsTattoo is perfect if you need some unique accessories to compliment your style. Broches, Badges and bows for your hair are all offered, along with some specialty items like death lily greeting cards or a specially painted teapot.
There's definitely a unique look to all LipsTattoo Designs which captures the more playful side to creepy and weird.
Most of these pieces are a steal, specially if you're located in the UK. But shipping across the pond is incredibly reasonable.
http://LipsTattoo.Etsy.com
We recommend LipTattoo Designs for this Tuesday uEtsy. If you would like to nominate an Etsy seller for future Tue.uEt Spotlights, drop a line here.
We recommend LipTattoo Designs for this Tuesday uEtsy. If you would like to nominate an Etsy seller for future Tue.uEt Spotlights, drop a line here.
Monday, April 26, 2010
PuppeTose Theater Presents: Random Stories Grab-Bag
PuppeTose Theater Presents: Random Stories Grab-Bag
There’s a neat scene in ‘Premonition,’ the first of three stories in PuppeTose Theater’s Random Stories Grab-Bag. A dragon stalks the character Helgi, a soothsayer within a castle and despite there being no real frame of reference other than both are the trademark PuppeTose puppets. Through choices in editing, the scene effectively conveys a heightened sense of drama in a short period of time with ‘actors’ that are nothing more than wires, strings and shaped pieces of painted newspaper and flour.
There’s a neat scene in ‘Premonition,’ the first of three stories in PuppeTose Theater’s Random Stories Grab-Bag. A dragon stalks the character Helgi, a soothsayer within a castle and despite there being no real frame of reference other than both are the trademark PuppeTose puppets. Through choices in editing, the scene effectively conveys a heightened sense of drama in a short period of time with ‘actors’ that are nothing more than wires, strings and shaped pieces of painted newspaper and flour.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
RIP Video Oasis
I'm bummed. You see, I was looking up the contact information for one of my favorite video stores and discovered that they had since closed their doors. I even tried calling to double check. It's a bit odd for me to count Video Oasis as one of my favorites, seeing as how I only visited once and never rented anything, but I think the following will explain why.
I first learned about the store through its reputation back in 1995. Its selection of cult and obscure titles from all genres was often praised in the It's All True column of the now-defunct Editorial Humor. That column, along with the paper's profiling of local events in Massachusetts, set Editorial Humor apart from other humor piece/comic reprint papers (like Funny Times) due to their focus on everything weird. Be it crackpot inventors, television shows, movies, or the strangest the internet had to offer, It's All True would tell you everything you needed to know. It also sponsored/promoted "Channel Zero," a showcase of various bizarre movies and television shows (and occasionally things like bad poetry) that traveled from one venue to another. I remember reading that an installment about Japanese superhero programs was held at a bar, while others were presented at indie movie theaters.
I first learned about the store through its reputation back in 1995. Its selection of cult and obscure titles from all genres was often praised in the It's All True column of the now-defunct Editorial Humor. That column, along with the paper's profiling of local events in Massachusetts, set Editorial Humor apart from other humor piece/comic reprint papers (like Funny Times) due to their focus on everything weird. Be it crackpot inventors, television shows, movies, or the strangest the internet had to offer, It's All True would tell you everything you needed to know. It also sponsored/promoted "Channel Zero," a showcase of various bizarre movies and television shows (and occasionally things like bad poetry) that traveled from one venue to another. I remember reading that an installment about Japanese superhero programs was held at a bar, while others were presented at indie movie theaters.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Tuesday uEtsy: Justin Erickson
In honor of the new Roky Erickson release coming out today, who better than Justin Erickson to kick off our inagural Tuesday uEtsy.
Etsy.com's tagline is "Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade." It's a clean and simple way for the Internet to have a crafts fair. There's a lot of creative people out there and they're willing to sell you stuff at reasonable prices.
There's a lot of spooky on Etsy. Most of it is reasonably priced for this economy. If you're looking to spruce up your look, redecorate your tomb or get a gift for that special something in your afterlife, Etsy.com is a place for spooky econo.
Justin Erickson (www.justin-erickson.com) is a Toronto-based artist with a particular passion for the horror and the macabre. He's a Sheridan graduate and he currently works as a Graphic Designer for Rue Mourge Magazine.
His Etsy Shop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/JustinErickson) has prints of his work for sale. Most cost just twenty bucks american (not counting shipping.) You have some spooky pin-up models, sincerely macabre pictures and a peanut-butter-chocolate series of combining Lucha Libre with Classic Monsters of Filmland.
If it's la noche de el vampiro or you just feel like decorating your walls with some attractive ghouls, head on over and pick yourself up some from Justin Erickson.
Etsy.com's tagline is "Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade." It's a clean and simple way for the Internet to have a crafts fair. There's a lot of creative people out there and they're willing to sell you stuff at reasonable prices.
There's a lot of spooky on Etsy. Most of it is reasonably priced for this economy. If you're looking to spruce up your look, redecorate your tomb or get a gift for that special something in your afterlife, Etsy.com is a place for spooky econo.
Justin Erickson (www.justin-erickson.com) is a Toronto-based artist with a particular passion for the horror and the macabre. He's a Sheridan graduate and he currently works as a Graphic Designer for Rue Mourge Magazine.
His Etsy Shop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/JustinErickson) has prints of his work for sale. Most cost just twenty bucks american (not counting shipping.) You have some spooky pin-up models, sincerely macabre pictures and a peanut-butter-chocolate series of combining Lucha Libre with Classic Monsters of Filmland.
If it's la noche de el vampiro or you just feel like decorating your walls with some attractive ghouls, head on over and pick yourself up some from Justin Erickson.
Monday, April 19, 2010
PuppeTose Street Vol. 1 & 2
PuppeTose Street Vol. 1 & 2
Despite the name, PuppeTose Street isn’t a parody of Sesame Street, though both utilize puppets and seem to be about learning. But those taught by Fuller and Milo are not the lessons of Muppet-stock. Along with Gypsy Bitch, Louis Lackluster and the landlord, Buford T. Hick, the cast of PuppeTose street teach you a lesson or two with each episode.
Despite the name, PuppeTose Street isn’t a parody of Sesame Street, though both utilize puppets and seem to be about learning. But those taught by Fuller and Milo are not the lessons of Muppet-stock. Along with Gypsy Bitch, Louis Lackluster and the landlord, Buford T. Hick, the cast of PuppeTose street teach you a lesson or two with each episode.
- Sharing — “If you’re going to have sex with passed out women, you NEED TO WEAR A RUBBER.”
- Personal Responsibility — “Remember: When hiding your intoxicants, make sure you’re not too intoxicated to remember.”
- Be Prepared — "Zombies are so fucking stupid. I wouldn't be a stupid zombie. I'd be a - smart zombie. I'd know how to get brains.I'd have brains IN RESERVE. I'd have a system of when I got all fucked up 'cause I needed a brain and I couldn't find one - I would have one. And nobody would fuck with me either, 'cause I would be dead."
Saturday, April 17, 2010
It's Record Store Day!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Maybe you saw this mentioned on an Attack of the Show segment recently but there's a site called Kickstarter, where creative sorts can set up an account to help find funding for their projects. Transylvania TV, something I mentioned a while ago, has something set up for their Halloween Special. If you like their stuff, feel about floating twenty bucks their way or more. It's like a pledge drive and you get something better than a Tote Bag.
If any of you readers of GdL set up your own Kickstarter, let us know. We're all about passing the world along.
If any of you readers of GdL set up your own Kickstarter, let us know. We're all about passing the world along.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
It Came From Amazon
Like many horror fans, I check out Amazon.com a lot: Looking for deals and new releases, doing research for future articles or just checking out old cover art to kill some time. More often than not, I'll happen upon something that I hadn't set out to look for, but still find interesting enough to squirrel away the link for future use. And, well, the future is now:
What's the point of making an action figure based on the 1910 version of Frankenstein's monster if you're going to radically alter the look of the creature to the point it's unrecognizable?
Jim Knipfel's The Buzzing seems like a really odd novel. It's got a human private eye whose last name is "Baragon" and despite references to Godzilla movies and other Toho productions being fictional, the Seatopians from Godzilla vs. Megalon are treated as if they exist within the book's universe.
Someone made a kaiju themed hip hop group. Wow.
This is the greatest DVD cover ever made.
What's the point of making an action figure based on the 1910 version of Frankenstein's monster if you're going to radically alter the look of the creature to the point it's unrecognizable?
Jim Knipfel's The Buzzing seems like a really odd novel. It's got a human private eye whose last name is "Baragon" and despite references to Godzilla movies and other Toho productions being fictional, the Seatopians from Godzilla vs. Megalon are treated as if they exist within the book's universe.
Someone made a kaiju themed hip hop group. Wow.
This is the greatest DVD cover ever made.
Monday, April 12, 2010
This Is Just A Tribute
Glen Danzig, Doyle and Jerry Only don’t need to get back together. If they ever do, I know five million people who will drive, fuck and/or kill for tickets for that Misfits reunion but at this point, those three (plus Robo) don’t need to get together.
What brought this up? I found youtube videos of not one but TWO (!) GWAR tribute bands – Wharghouls and The Heat Seeking Moisture Missiles. How much brass do you have to have to attempt making a GWAR tribute band, knowing that you need some resources to ever come close to the fantastic spectacle of the original act? I tip my hat to those two bands for coming together for a mutual love of GWAR and the music. These two bands have brass by the ton.
Tribute bands are a strange animal. When living in a tri-city area, there was a club that seemed to spend three nights a week hosting a tribute band.
BANDNAME: A TRIBUTE TO ORIGINAL BAND was always in the listing. BADFISH: A TRIBUTE TO SUBLIME. EARTH: A TRIBUTE TO BLACK SABBATH. DARK STAR ORCHESTRA: A TRIBUTE TO THE GRATEFUL DEAD. And fuck, how many KISS tributes are out there? If there’s any band other than GWAR that seemed un-tribute-able, I would have to say Motorhead. That’s just a bit too close to heresy for me but who knows?
I know Badfish has been around for years and there are some Beatle Tribute acts that rake in the dough. If you can put on a decent replicate of something that is no longer available (such as Badfish and the Beatles) then it makes sense that it would be lucrative.
And it also seems to make sense. Tribute bands are different than cover bands. Cover bands are just that – bands that play covers whereas tribute bands pay tribute to one specific act. They look like the act, act, play the music; it’s a close imitation, a tribute to the band. In doing that, it makes the music and the band in question (the one receiving tribute, not the actual tribute band) seem larger than life; the original members were needed to facilitate the music’s creation but after that, it was meant for the fans. This is a little artsty-fartsy thinking that borderlines on hippie shit (or, internet piracy.) There’s money involved, licensing and permissions. Ask any Frank Zappa tribute act about whether the Zappa Family Trust thinks the music is owned by the fans and they’ll wave their Cease And Desist orders in your face.
But it’s nice to think about it, on the fuckedupthinking level. Which brings me back to the Misfits – the Misfits don’t ever have to get back together because the spooky music scene is to me, in essence, one giant Misfits cover band.
Hell, if you play death rock, pyschobilly or spooky surf, aren’t you required to play a Misfits cover? If you see Black Pyramid, ask Gein to show you his tattoos of Glen Danzig. There’s the Crimson Ghosts, who play surf renditions of Misfits songs. Last Halloween, a band called TV Casualty played in Philly, featuring Ted Leo, Adam Goren members of Paint It Black/Franklin. There’s MisFats and MsFits. Misfits shit is sold en masse in HotTopics across the world. Misfits bands live from Japan to Europe and everywhere in between.
If I were to hear Glen sing ‘Horror Business’ again, it would be a pleasurable novelty but it’s 2010. ‘Cough/Cool’ is thirty-three years old and ‘Walk Among Us’ is turns twenty-eight this year. Seeing some horror band bust out a cover, no matter how twisted or bizarre it might be, will be more important to me. I wasn’t around for the original Misfits. There are people involved in spooky music who spent school lives and summers with the Misfits, who saw the original incarnations in person and boycotted the fake renditions that have come out since 1997. To them, the actual Misfits are important but to the countless others who came after 1984, it’s more the music than the musicians.
If Jerry and Glen were to settle the stupid shit between them and work out a tour in 2012, marking the 35th(!) anniversary of the Misfits, I hope that all those who saw those four boys from Jersey get a chance to see them play one more time. For those who weren’t there, the music has been around and will be around for those who come after us, played by bands paying tribute to the sounds that make their heads shake and bones rattle.
Or not. We all might be dead. Fuck it. Have a drink and be happy either way, ghouls.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Nixon and Hogan Smoke Christmas
When the Nixon and Hogan Smoke Christmas screener came in the mail, I was psyched. The accompanying promotional material described a plot about two stoners' Christmas wish for marijuana going horribly wrong when Santa accidentally brings some zombie weed instead. As if Santa turning into a zombie wasn't bad enough, Nixon and Hogan have to juggle finishing Santa's delivery route and keeping Sasparilla the Weed Witch from stealing Santa's magic!
Further online research had told me the production company specialized in gory, over-the-top low budget horror comedies set in Strangeville. "Cool, so it'll be like a Troma movie" I had thought. Perfect to watch with my brother and our visiting from out of state cousin (who loves Troma films), right?
Wrong.
I thought we were prepared. I thought we could handle it. I was very mistaken...
Further online research had told me the production company specialized in gory, over-the-top low budget horror comedies set in Strangeville. "Cool, so it'll be like a Troma movie" I had thought. Perfect to watch with my brother and our visiting from out of state cousin (who loves Troma films), right?
I thought we were prepared. I thought we could handle it. I was very mistaken...
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
My Own Easter Egg
A couple days late, but still smelling fresh, I have found that Troma has a Hulu Channel. (Was this covered here on GdL before? How long have I been out?)
You've got all the Toxic Avenger movies, Killer Condom, Cannibal! The musical and Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell (as well as some others.)
You've got all the Toxic Avenger movies, Killer Condom, Cannibal! The musical and Nymphoid Barbarian in Dinosaur Hell (as well as some others.)
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Easter Egg Hunt
Although the term "Easter Egg" can refer to something hidden in anything from a computer program to a web browser, horror fans generally think of hidden surprises on DVDs when they hear the term. Since it wouldn't be much of a hunt if we just listed how to find hidden features on certain horror DVDs, we've opted to set up a link to help you search for "Easter Eggs" in the depths of alt.horror.
Also, we've hidden some articles that discuss certain Easter Eggs amongst the following:
Holidaze:
Happy 4th of July!
Happy Father's Day!
El Día de los Muertos
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Happy Birthday Godzilla!
News 'n Reviews:
Pieces
Winterbeast
Cat in the Brain
Lost and found
Old news and new news
Is this the end of civilization as we know it?
Happy Easter!
Also, we've hidden some articles that discuss certain Easter Eggs amongst the following:
Happy 4th of July!
Happy Father's Day!
El Día de los Muertos
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Happy Birthday Godzilla!
News 'n Reviews:
Pieces
Winterbeast
Cat in the Brain
Lost and found
Old news and new news
Is this the end of civilization as we know it?
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Friday, April 2, 2010
Zero Punctuation Attacks "The Darkness"
but with humor, not a magic missile.
But what is Zero Punctuation? Back in July 2007, Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw embarked on an (as he put it) "experiment" to see if he could make a video game review on Youtube using only audio and images (mostly still, some animated). The subject of the review was the Playstation 3 demo for the horror-themed video game The Darkness (based on the Top Cow book of the same name). So, direct from his Youtube channel, here's the hilarious and NSFW review:
Happily, the experiment was a success and Yahtzee was later approached by the online gaming magazine The Escapist to feature further installments there. Its success also led to the creation of his own humor website, Fully Ramblomatic. Check 'em both out!
But what is Zero Punctuation? Back in July 2007, Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw embarked on an (as he put it) "experiment" to see if he could make a video game review on Youtube using only audio and images (mostly still, some animated). The subject of the review was the Playstation 3 demo for the horror-themed video game The Darkness (based on the Top Cow book of the same name). So, direct from his Youtube channel, here's the hilarious and NSFW review:
Happily, the experiment was a success and Yahtzee was later approached by the online gaming magazine The Escapist to feature further installments there. Its success also led to the creation of his own humor website, Fully Ramblomatic. Check 'em both out!
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