Mothra is actually based on a serialized Japanese novel called The Luminous Fairies and Mothra.
Mothra was supposed to battle the unused monster Bagan in a never-realized 1990 film called Mothra vs Bagan. Elements of that script, along with the similarly never made Godzilla vs Gigamoth, were utilized in the 90's version of Godzilla vs. Mothra.
Mothra is said to bear a resemblance to an European Peacock Butterfly.
During the DVD commentary for the South Park episode "Mecha-Streisand," series co-creator Trey Parker revealed that his favorite Japanese monster movie is Mothra.
After finishing Gravity's Rainbow, author Thomas Pynchon was rumored to have been working on a Mothra novel. However, this turned out to be untrue.
Wikipedia claims that Mothra's distinctive chirp was created by speeding up Anguirus' roar. That section also claims that Mothra was never realized by a person in a costume, which is disputed here.
In the movie Pokémon: Giratina and the Sky Warrior, Mothra's chirp is used to create Giratina's cry. The film was distributed by Toho (better known as the studio behind the Godzilla movies) in Japan...
In the American dub of The Magic Serpent, Mothra's chirp is used as the voice of a giant bird. Similarly, the film's dragon now has Godzilla's roar and the giant toad uses Rodan's cry.
The popularity of Mothra among women in Japan prompted Toho to make the 90's version of Godzilla vs. Mothra.
When Mothra was released in America, the distributor suggested that theaters should display radioactive materials in their lobbies in order to build publicity for the film!
Eagle-eyed daikaiju fans might notice how the eyes of larval Mothra are red in her cinematic debut, yet they turn blue in Godzilla vs. Mothra(aka Godzilla vs. the Thing in America). In fact, they stay that way for the remainder of the old school Godzilla movies).
If you look at official reference guides, Mothra is much larger than Godzilla when she appeared in Mothra and had to be scaled down for her appearances in the Godzilla franchise.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Batman: The Stone King
From his appearances on The Adventures of Superman radio show to the numerous "record/tape and comic" releases, Batman has always had a rich history in the world of audio dramas. The latest company to contribute to this legacy is Graphic Audio, with their series of adaptations of novels starring DC comics characters. Some of his appearances are as part of major crossovers, some are solo adventures and the Justice League of America dramas have him as a supporting cast member. Said dramas tend to focus on a single League member, although others argue that these are just JLA stories with a single member promoted on the cover. In this case, I'll be looking Batman: The Stone King, based on the novel of the same name by Alan Grant.
Why is a horror website reviewing a comic book themed audio drama? Well, let's look at the plot: a mysterious pyramid is unearthed in Gotham City in the aftermath of a dam burst. Said pyramid is filled with symbols associated with black magic. Needless to say, an ancient evil is unleashed and Batman is the only Justice League member left uncaptured as the entire world is in peril. Horror fans might also appreciate the interesting insights on the nature of fear that are sprinkled throughout the plot. Be warned, as there are minor spoilers ahead...
Why is a horror website reviewing a comic book themed audio drama? Well, let's look at the plot: a mysterious pyramid is unearthed in Gotham City in the aftermath of a dam burst. Said pyramid is filled with symbols associated with black magic. Needless to say, an ancient evil is unleashed and Batman is the only Justice League member left uncaptured as the entire world is in peril. Horror fans might also appreciate the interesting insights on the nature of fear that are sprinkled throughout the plot. Be warned, as there are minor spoilers ahead...
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Tuesday uEtsy: HorrorCrafts
[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.]
HorrorCrafts (http://HorrorCrafts.etsy.com)
You'll find a lot of homemade jewelry on Etsy.com, which is great, because no two stores are exactly alike. In fact, it is the uniqueness of HorrorCrafts that makes it this week's Tuesday uEtsy Spotlight.
One of the more interesting pieces that HorrorCrafts offers in its store is this Ouija board themed bracelet. The photo charms give it a very mysterious look, perfect to complement any gypsy wardrobe or add a bit of spookiness to your work day. Imagine seeing your Vice President walking in, full formal work suit and this baby around his/her wrist. Corporate merger or spiritual takeover? BOTH.
HorrorCrafts offers many types of photo-bracelets. From vintage horror comics, to classic anatomy drawings, up to non-horror themes like Andy Warhol and Frida Kahlo. One example is the Classic Tattoo bracelet, fror those who want something less expensive (and less permanent) than the actual thing.
But horror fans be not afraid. HorrorCrafts has bracelets with zombies, famous monsters, and even of candy skulls for Dia de Los Muertos. Which brings us to the next object, a Dia de Los Muertos ring.
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Look at that classy piece of artwork. Seriously, imaging rocking that this coming November. I don't care what else you have on. That is some serious pull for the Day of the Dead. Get all the skeletons turning bleached-yellow with envy as you come strutting down with this on your finger.
Perhaps you're a classy gent or lady who thinks that brooches are the way to go. Perhaps you've lost your wrists in a tragic accident that has you pursuing your finger-themed revenge on a world that's done you wrong? You too can look classy and suave with some of HorrorCraft's wooden pin/brooches. They feature the poster art from classic movies and some of the greater stars of monsterland.
Who wouldn't want to have a blend of Christopher Lee/Coltrane 'Blue Train' on their chest? I'm serious. Look at that. If not your thing, how about some Steve McQueen with The Blob?
We don't usually say this around here, but that is BAD-ASS.
We were afraid of showcasing this last piece because our coffers are a bit thin at the moment and if we had the right shillings available, we would have gotten it ourselves. Along with the brooches, rings and bracelets, HorrorCrafts offers two-sided pendents. One of their better ones features the late Lux Interior and The Cramps.
Along with the horror-rock icons, there are punk rock medallions (Dead Kennedys, The Clash), Horror stars (Leatherface, Evil Dead) and such. Thankfully, HorrorCrafts also does custom orders so if someone swipes up the pendent before we dig up the right coins.
Head over to HorrorCrafts today. You'll find that everything is high quality and very reasonably priced. They do custom jobs and customer service is key with HC.
And join us next week for another Tuesday uEtsy spotlight.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Benediction (of sorts)
Here at GdL16, we are thoroughly against bootlegging, specifically the bootlegging that some companies do when they make reproductions of movies without getting the proper legal right to do so.
But, with that said, I just downloaded an mp3 of a "Weird" Al Yankovic demo that was clearly recorded from an episode of the Dr. Demento show nearly thirty years ago. And the hiss, static and evident sound that someone recorded this on a cassette deck has brought back the sensation of when I used to do the same thing. Just teenage and the radio held all that promise. I had a shoebox full of mix-tapes, actual mix-tapes with songs I had caught off the radio. Wild sounds. Amazing things, these wild songs of radio that could be captured with the press of a few plastic buttons on a very low-end stereo. Promise, though. Each of these cassettes held so much magic.
There's something to be said of the times lost, mainly that it's never really lost. There will always be a way to go back. Death is never the ending, perhaps could be theme of this post. Someone will always be able to upload an experience you thought you would never find again, out there for you to easily download in the early hours of a new morning.
Happy Sunday. Happy Digging.
But, with that said, I just downloaded an mp3 of a "Weird" Al Yankovic demo that was clearly recorded from an episode of the Dr. Demento show nearly thirty years ago. And the hiss, static and evident sound that someone recorded this on a cassette deck has brought back the sensation of when I used to do the same thing. Just teenage and the radio held all that promise. I had a shoebox full of mix-tapes, actual mix-tapes with songs I had caught off the radio. Wild sounds. Amazing things, these wild songs of radio that could be captured with the press of a few plastic buttons on a very low-end stereo. Promise, though. Each of these cassettes held so much magic.
There's something to be said of the times lost, mainly that it's never really lost. There will always be a way to go back. Death is never the ending, perhaps could be theme of this post. Someone will always be able to upload an experience you thought you would never find again, out there for you to easily download in the early hours of a new morning.
Happy Sunday. Happy Digging.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Spook Show Bela
While looking through the online preview of Gary Don Rhodes' excellent Lugosi: his life in films, on stage, and in the hearts of horror lovers, I came across a reference (#57) to a never-realized 1948 spook show featuring Bela Lugosi. The idea of him doing a spook show did make sense. After all, he did have his own coffin and theatrical producers would cast him in plays in order to cash in on his name. These would tie in perfectly with the world of the spook show.
What is a spook show? Spook shows grew out the phantasmagorias of the 18th century, where "magic lanterns" (an early form of slide projector) were used to create images of specters and skeletons on screens (or smoke) in darkened theaters as the show's host would pretend to summon the dead in fake magical ceremonies. Multiple projectors, often on moving platforms and using glass slides with moving parts, were used along with sound effects to heighten the effect. Fully describing the history of phantasmagoria could easily take up this entire entry, so I instead invite readers to look at the two part "The Lantern of Fear" article at Grand Illusions.
What is a spook show? Spook shows grew out the phantasmagorias of the 18th century, where "magic lanterns" (an early form of slide projector) were used to create images of specters and skeletons on screens (or smoke) in darkened theaters as the show's host would pretend to summon the dead in fake magical ceremonies. Multiple projectors, often on moving platforms and using glass slides with moving parts, were used along with sound effects to heighten the effect. Fully describing the history of phantasmagoria could easily take up this entire entry, so I instead invite readers to look at the two part "The Lantern of Fear" article at Grand Illusions.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Gemora Greatness
In honor of Asian Heritage Month, let's take a look at the life and works of legendary gorilla suit maker/actor Charles Gemora.
Charles "Charlie" Gemora was born on August 15th, 1903 in the Philippines. Stowing away on a ship headed for America, Gemora arrived in California and made money selling portraits on the street in front of Universal Studios. His talent was quickly noticed and he was soon working in the special effects department. This led to his first onscreen role in 1928, a role that became a defining part of his career: a gorilla.
Charles "Charlie" Gemora was born on August 15th, 1903 in the Philippines. Stowing away on a ship headed for America, Gemora arrived in California and made money selling portraits on the street in front of Universal Studios. His talent was quickly noticed and he was soon working in the special effects department. This led to his first onscreen role in 1928, a role that became a defining part of his career: a gorilla.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The Ded Dave Show Show
We're always a fan of independent horror and cinema, so it was very kind for the folks over at The Ded Dave Show to clue us in to their little corner of the world, letting us know about their upcoming necro-cabaret of sorts:
Just because Michigan might be dying (cross our fingers it doesn't) doesn't mean it has to take it lying down. Or take it at all. C'mon, Detroit. Death didn't stop Dave and it sure as hell won't stop anyone from hitting up Theatre Bizarre this Saturday.
Here's the promo for the event with its host, Eduardo Gallagher.
"May 22, 2010 brings The Ded Dave Show SHOW to Theatre Bizarre in Detroit! Join the cast and crew for a complete night of live zombie entertainment! Three episodes will be shown on a giant screen, there will be zombie burlesque, a zombie eating contest, a best zombie costume contest, Eduardo Gallagher and his Mallet of Doom, and MORE!"Look, if you're in Detroit already, good chances are that you're dead or will shortly become so. Might as well get on with the appropriate festivities. Zombie Burlesque. Contests. Three uncensored Dead Dave shows. Beer (21+). Seems like a great idea of a Saturday night.
Just because Michigan might be dying (cross our fingers it doesn't) doesn't mean it has to take it lying down. Or take it at all. C'mon, Detroit. Death didn't stop Dave and it sure as hell won't stop anyone from hitting up Theatre Bizarre this Saturday.
Theatre Bizarre (967 W State Fair Detroit, MI 48203)
Admission: $5 for humans/$3 for zombies
18 and older ONLY
Here's the promo for the event with its host, Eduardo Gallagher.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Tuesday uEtsy: Jerry Shirts
[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.]
Jerry Shirts (jshirts.etsy.com)
This week's Tuesday uEtsy spotlight is Jerry Shirts, an Etsy store offering some really unique artwork on a different medium - old records.
It was this portrait of Cleveland's own The Ghoul that caught our eye. Since it's painted on a 12" record, Jerry Shirts says it can "be turned into a clock or hung as is." We think that it's good enough on its own, but if you want to convert it to have a classic horror host of the midwest tell you what time of day it is, this is the product for you.
On top of that, Jerry Shirts showcases some real talent. Take a look at the Night of the Living Dead record for sale. Want to have Karen Cooper keeping track of you? Who wouldn't?
On top of that, Jerry Shirts has Ash (Evil Dead), Regan MacNiel (The Exorcist) and such classic monsters as Frankenstein, The Creature from the Black Lagoon and The Mummy on old turntable favorites. Check out the image below of cult-hit 'Nightbreed,' vividly portrayed on a 12".
Along with horror both classic and new, Jerry Shirts offers painting of punk icons (Circle Jerks, Agnostic Front) and some stylistic renderings of Sanity, Guilt and meth-mouth.
Some of Jerry Shirts's more 'traditional' artwork showcases some of the founding fathers of horror rock: The Misfits. Both Jerry Only (above) and Doyle Von Frankenstein (below) are rendered on 8x10 canvas. Buy them both along with his Danzig portrait and stage your very own Misfits reunion.
A great steal for the prices offered, Jerry Shirts is a classy way to decorate your workplace, living room, bedroom or general punk-rock-horror hang-out place of choice. Head on over and check out his store today to see what he has available for you.
Along with the Etsy store, you can also find Jerry Shirts on MySpace.com (http://www.myspace.com/artforyoubyus) and on Facebook
Monday, May 17, 2010
Free (Legal) Download: Pig
Everyone seems to be offering free downloads lately. Rue Morgue has a free music album, Orbit Books and Black-Chandelier.com both have free wallpaper, and Yog-Sothoth has a monthly free download!
So it should come as no surprise that we want in on that action. Some of you might remember how Adam Mason's mostly one-take gorefest, Pig, was briefly available at various horror sites for its streaming online premiere. Although that promotion is now over, you can still see it before it comes out on DVD. Just send a request to Mr. Mason via email and he'll hook you up. He'll even give you the HD quality version if you ask nicely! Oh, and tell him that Gravedigger's Local 16 sent you!
So it should come as no surprise that we want in on that action. Some of you might remember how Adam Mason's mostly one-take gorefest, Pig, was briefly available at various horror sites for its streaming online premiere. Although that promotion is now over, you can still see it before it comes out on DVD. Just send a request to Mr. Mason via email and he'll hook you up. He'll even give you the HD quality version if you ask nicely! Oh, and tell him that Gravedigger's Local 16 sent you!
Friday, May 14, 2010
He's The Boogeyman...and He's Comin' to Getcha!
I've followed professional wrestling for more years than I'd like to admit, and there have been some "spooky" wrestling gimmicks over the years. Recently, I've been thinking about terrible wrestlers with terrific gimmicks. What better place to start than with The Boogeyman?
The Boogeyman is actually Marty Wright. Hardcore WWE followers remember Wright as the man kicked off $1,000,000 Tough Enough for lying about his age. Claiming to be thirty, Wright was actually forty, five years past the cutoff date for eligibility.
This didn't stop Wright from signing to a WWE developmental deal late in 2004. WWE is insufferably weird as a company.
In WWE storylines, The Boogeyman was part of UPN Network Executive Palmer Canon's "new talent initiative," a refugee from another UPN show. I won't mention the storyline past this point, as I value my brain.
The Boogeyman appeared on both Raw and SmackDown! to sing nursery rhymes and confuse the shit out of people. Here he is bothering John Cena:
Our favourite forty-something clock-smasher torments JBL:
The Boogeyman couldn't wrestle at all, aside from the token pumphandle slam and/or chokebomb. That's not why he was in WWE. No, The Boogeyman was pure spectacle and face paint. I don't know even now what he was supposed to be. The Boogeyman ate worms, smashed a clock on his head and danced funkily before entering the ring.
On the flip side, WWE's gimmicks in 2005-06 included Kerwin White, the Smackdown Juniors (my God, the Smackdown Juniors), Simon Dean, The Dicks, Shelton Benjamin's mama, The Spirit Squad, crossdressing Big Vito and Pirate Paul Burchill. The Boogeyman fit right in.
The Boogeyman's greatest feuds, if I can use the term "greatest" to describe The Boogeyman, were with JBL and Booker T. Said feuds happened early in The Boogeyman's run, during the winter and spring of 2006. Marty Wright suffered a torn biceps during the Booker T/Boogeyman feud, and his character's momentum would never recover.
To be fair, Marty Wright was injury-prone. His WWE debut was delayed after he hyperextended both knees during a house show match against Doug Basham. It's never a good sign when a wrestler is injured before (s)he debuts.
Then again, Randy Orton, Batista and Edge are frequently injured. Their places in the WWE hierarchy are assured. They also don't play dancing, worm-eating, quasi-supernatural entities, which takes care of the longevity issue.
The Boogeyman was released by WWE twice, once in 2006 and again in 2009. I'm surprised The Boogeyman had enough staying power to last until 2009, although The Boogeyman was shunted to WWE's version of ECW in 2007.
The Boogeyman had a good run. He bit an oversized mole off Jillian Hall's face. A feud with Finlay and Little Bastard brought the world Little Boogeyman. Say what you will about The Boogeyman, but at least he's memorable - not the good kind of memorable, but far less embarrassing than this:
The Boogeyman is actually Marty Wright. Hardcore WWE followers remember Wright as the man kicked off $1,000,000 Tough Enough for lying about his age. Claiming to be thirty, Wright was actually forty, five years past the cutoff date for eligibility.
This didn't stop Wright from signing to a WWE developmental deal late in 2004. WWE is insufferably weird as a company.
In WWE storylines, The Boogeyman was part of UPN Network Executive Palmer Canon's "new talent initiative," a refugee from another UPN show. I won't mention the storyline past this point, as I value my brain.
The Boogeyman appeared on both Raw and SmackDown! to sing nursery rhymes and confuse the shit out of people. Here he is bothering John Cena:
Our favourite forty-something clock-smasher torments JBL:
The Boogeyman couldn't wrestle at all, aside from the token pumphandle slam and/or chokebomb. That's not why he was in WWE. No, The Boogeyman was pure spectacle and face paint. I don't know even now what he was supposed to be. The Boogeyman ate worms, smashed a clock on his head and danced funkily before entering the ring.
On the flip side, WWE's gimmicks in 2005-06 included Kerwin White, the Smackdown Juniors (my God, the Smackdown Juniors), Simon Dean, The Dicks, Shelton Benjamin's mama, The Spirit Squad, crossdressing Big Vito and Pirate Paul Burchill. The Boogeyman fit right in.
The Boogeyman's greatest feuds, if I can use the term "greatest" to describe The Boogeyman, were with JBL and Booker T. Said feuds happened early in The Boogeyman's run, during the winter and spring of 2006. Marty Wright suffered a torn biceps during the Booker T/Boogeyman feud, and his character's momentum would never recover.
To be fair, Marty Wright was injury-prone. His WWE debut was delayed after he hyperextended both knees during a house show match against Doug Basham. It's never a good sign when a wrestler is injured before (s)he debuts.
Then again, Randy Orton, Batista and Edge are frequently injured. Their places in the WWE hierarchy are assured. They also don't play dancing, worm-eating, quasi-supernatural entities, which takes care of the longevity issue.
The Boogeyman was released by WWE twice, once in 2006 and again in 2009. I'm surprised The Boogeyman had enough staying power to last until 2009, although The Boogeyman was shunted to WWE's version of ECW in 2007.
The Boogeyman had a good run. He bit an oversized mole off Jillian Hall's face. A feud with Finlay and Little Bastard brought the world Little Boogeyman. Say what you will about The Boogeyman, but at least he's memorable - not the good kind of memorable, but far less embarrassing than this:
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Ghost Hunting with the Muppets
It's no secret that we here at Gravedigger's Local 16 love puppets, especially the Muppets. So you can imagine how delighted I was to find this ghost-hunting demonstration by Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker, straight from the official themuppetlabs Youtube channel:
I was originally going to save this for the next installment of my "horror trivia" series, but it just felt right to do it now: Dr. Honeydew's gorilla detector invention, as shown here, bears an uncanny resemblance to the head of Mechani-Kong from King Kong Escapes. Methinks someone at Jim Henson Studios was a fan of Japanese monster movies...
I was originally going to save this for the next installment of my "horror trivia" series, but it just felt right to do it now: Dr. Honeydew's gorilla detector invention, as shown here, bears an uncanny resemblance to the head of Mechani-Kong from King Kong Escapes. Methinks someone at Jim Henson Studios was a fan of Japanese monster movies...
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Tuesday uEtsy: Meatspider Studios
[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.]Meatspider Studios (http://meatspider.etsy.com)
Coinciding with a recent visit to Providence, today's Tuesday uEtsy Spotlight is all things C'thulu thanks to MeatSpider Studios (http://meatspider.etsy.com).When it comes to Lovecraft, ol'squidface C'thulu is the star of the brand. And his top billing comes through wonderfully with Meatspider Studio's sculptures.
Want a new way to celebrate? Meatspider also has ornaments. Decorate your Christmas/Holiday/whatever tree with this festive C'thulu ornament. Deck the halls with the cries of joy for the old nameless ones in style.
Other starts of the Lovecraftian stage are featured with Meatspider Studios. You'll find Dagon and Hastur, all ready for you to purchase and bring into your home. Head on over to Meatspider Studio's Etsy page (http://Meatspider.Etsy.com) or at their home page (www.Meatspider.com) and on MySpace (http://myspace.com/meatspider.)
Monday, May 10, 2010
Invasion Of The Surf Bands
Great news for all our readers in Massachusetts: Daikaiju and SPF-4 will be playing at the Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA on May 12th! In case you don't know, Daikaiju is an amazing surf rock band inspired by Japanese monster movies and this show is only part of their ongoing "Flight of Garuda" tour. Said tour started in March and the name either refers to the legendary bird-creature or the combat aircraft (named after the aforementioned bird-creature) that appeared in Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. For more information about the tour itself (and band), please visit the official Daikaiju website. Here's a schedule for today's show in New York, along with the rest of the tour stops:
05.10 - Brooklyn, NY - Shea Stadium
05.11 - Syracuse, NY - Half Penny Pub
05.12 - Northampton, MA - Ironhorse Music Hall
05.13 - Bridgeport, CT - Two Boots
05.14 - Baltimore, MD - The Metro Gallery
05.15 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Party Barge
05.17 - Cleveland, OH - Now That's Class
05.19 - Lexington, KY - Al's Bar
05.20 - Louisville, KY - The Rudyard Kipling
05.21 - Huntsville, AL - Crossroads Music Hall
The Surf Zombies (along with The Meerkats and The Flamin Camaros) have a bunch of Iowa gigs coming up as well:
05.14 - Meerkats: Cedar Rapids, IA - Checkers Tavern
05.15 - Meerkats: Anamosa, IA - Knucklehead's Pub and Grub
05.21 - Surf Zombies: Cedar Rapids, IA - Tiki Eyeball preparty at Sub City
05.22 - Surf Zombies: Cedar Rapids, IA - Day gig at Ellis Park (12 noon, 2 sets)
05.28 - Meerkats: Cedar Rapids, IA - Next Door
06.12 - Meerkats: Anamosa, IA - Knucklehead's Pub and Grub
06.25 - Meerkats: Fort Dodge, IA - Roman Inn
06.26 - Brook and Joels’ High School reunion
06.27 - Erik and Kyle play gig
07.16 - Meerkats: Cedar Rapids, IA - Checkers
07.17 - Surf Zombies: Fort Dodge, IA
08.20 - Surf Zombies: Flying Eyeball reunion in QC
08.21 - Surf Zombies: Flying Eyeball reunion Car Show in QC
09.25 - Flamin Camaros: Cedar Rapids, IA - Shuey's Restaurant
10.23 - Meerkats: Cedar Rapids, IA - Roller Girls Party at Next Door
10.30 - Flamin Camaros: Cedar Rapids, IA - Shuey's Restaurant
12.24 - Brook (of The Surf Zombies) plays at St Mark‘s
I highly recommend contacting The Surf Zombies with any questions as to the exact locations of certain events. Oh, and both Daikaiju and The Surf Zombies (and many more) will be covered in more detail during the upcoming "Freaky Tiki Surf-ari" series.
05.10 - Brooklyn, NY - Shea Stadium
05.11 - Syracuse, NY - Half Penny Pub
05.12 - Northampton, MA - Ironhorse Music Hall
05.13 - Bridgeport, CT - Two Boots
05.14 - Baltimore, MD - The Metro Gallery
05.15 - Pittsburgh, PA - The Party Barge
05.17 - Cleveland, OH - Now That's Class
05.19 - Lexington, KY - Al's Bar
05.20 - Louisville, KY - The Rudyard Kipling
05.21 - Huntsville, AL - Crossroads Music Hall
The Surf Zombies (along with The Meerkats and The Flamin Camaros) have a bunch of Iowa gigs coming up as well:
05.14 - Meerkats: Cedar Rapids, IA - Checkers Tavern
05.15 - Meerkats: Anamosa, IA - Knucklehead's Pub and Grub
05.21 - Surf Zombies: Cedar Rapids, IA - Tiki Eyeball preparty at Sub City
05.22 - Surf Zombies: Cedar Rapids, IA - Day gig at Ellis Park (12 noon, 2 sets)
05.28 - Meerkats: Cedar Rapids, IA - Next Door
06.12 - Meerkats: Anamosa, IA - Knucklehead's Pub and Grub
06.25 - Meerkats: Fort Dodge, IA - Roman Inn
06.26 - Brook and Joels’ High School reunion
06.27 - Erik and Kyle play gig
07.16 - Meerkats: Cedar Rapids, IA - Checkers
07.17 - Surf Zombies: Fort Dodge, IA
08.20 - Surf Zombies: Flying Eyeball reunion in QC
08.21 - Surf Zombies: Flying Eyeball reunion Car Show in QC
09.25 - Flamin Camaros: Cedar Rapids, IA - Shuey's Restaurant
10.23 - Meerkats: Cedar Rapids, IA - Roller Girls Party at Next Door
10.30 - Flamin Camaros: Cedar Rapids, IA - Shuey's Restaurant
12.24 - Brook (of The Surf Zombies) plays at St Mark‘s
I highly recommend contacting The Surf Zombies with any questions as to the exact locations of certain events. Oh, and both Daikaiju and The Surf Zombies (and many more) will be covered in more detail during the upcoming "Freaky Tiki Surf-ari" series.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Entrar...REY ZOMBIE!!!!
‘Enter…Zombie King’ is a good movie, though not without its flaws. In fact, how ‘Enter…’ overcomes some of its challenges gives the movie a unique charm to it.
During a scene early in the movie, Mercedes, lead female antagonist, steps out in a modest bikini.
“It’s a little cold for that, no?” inquires Ulysses, lead champion of justice.
“With this crazy weather, I’m just glad it’s sunny. It’ll probably be raining frogs tomorrow.”
It’s clearly snowing in late winter, with about half-a-foot of snow on the ground. But never the less, Mercedes isn’t going to let some snow prevent her from catching some sun. Similarly, despite being filmed in Canada during very Canadianesque weather, the movie will still pull out the leis, mascaras and zombies as if it were deep below the Mexican border.
‘Enter….Zombie King’ (also listed as ‘Zombie Beach Party’) is a nouvelle-grind, loving tribute to many of the camp and underground elements of cinema and pop culture. Clearly, it’s homage to the El Santo movies (and 1971’s “Los Campeones Justicieros,” which amassed a squadron of famed luchadores) is evident. Additional tributes to beach movies, cult cinema, skin flicks and surf culture can be seen in ‘Enter…Zombie King.’
And, of course, there are zombies.
I’m a bit mixed on this movie. I like it but I want to like it more. I think that perhaps, in trying to appeal to its influences, ‘Enter…’ loses a bit of itself. The movie is a good one but there are ingredients here that could have been tweaked and altered to make it a better movie than what it was. I’d seen it before a few years back and when watching it again, I was kind of surprised by the “mild nudity” that the back label warned me about. I think I was shocked that I hadn’t remembered it, considering the lovely displays from Sarah Murr and Contessa Oblivan (and the boat scene with Fire Amazon and Little D.) I remember the plot, and while geat, the random flesh-for-fun-and-profit was not essential to the story. Great sex of skin by all those involved, though.
For those curious, ‘Enter….Zombie King’ details philosopher/wrestler Ulysses as he reunites with Mercedes and her brother, The Blue Saint. The three attend a zombie-wrestling exhibition put on by the estranged Tiki, former tag partner to US. A girl ends up dead from ZOMBIE ATTACK and this has Tiki on the run.
During the course of the movie, a lot gets done. Tiki’s name is cleared. The truth behind the zombie attack is revealed to be the plot of another luchadore from Ulysses’s past, who now goes by the name ‘Zombie King.’ The death of the original ‘Blue Saint’ is resolved and the threat of the zombie hordes is defeated (OR IS IT DOT DOT DOT QUESTION MARK)
It’s a fun movie, though. A tighter focus might have made it more of a classic, having it trim off some of the excess and restructure it to accommodate everything. There’s a lot more story involved and I think it was a bit of a mis-step on focusing on it.
And, perhaps my main conflict is summed up with the Blue Saint. His name is a so-obvious-it-hurts reference to El Santo and Blue Demon, the patrons of classic lucha libre. But his name didn’t really factor in to his personality or the overall story. He could be called ‘El Canadian Jr.’ and it wouldn’t directly affect the movie. Different mask, different name, same character, same story. Giving him/the movie a life of its own instead of falling on references would have given the movie more of the edge it needed. When I first saw the DVD case in Best Video, I was excited at the prospect and during the movie, I wanted to see it succeed. I came in with a solid B/B+ effort but I was pushing for an A.
But, it’s a independent movie. There are always a hundred things beyond a filmmaker’s control for every one thing they can get a handle on. Just that the movie got made, that it looks good and offers a good viewing experience is a triumph in itself. I give mass respect for all those involve, from its conception to actually making the movie, to even having it available for me to purchase today. That’s an A+, right there and all should be proud.
I do want to say: The ending to the movie could not have been done any better. Without ruining it, both the combination of timing, acting and sound overlay with the closing scene and the opening seconds of ‘Doppelganger’ from 2-Pump Louie make it a perfect way to end the movie (and leave a good opening for any potential sequel.) There’s no dialogue said and no exaggeration of the drama; the truth of the scene and its implications is there for the viewer to comprehend as the movie fades to black.
Of course, there IS a sequel, called ‘Curse of the Iron Mask,’ which seems to be a tribute to the women’s prison/ Isla: She-Beast of the SS films of the seventies. I’ll be sure to pick that up when it comes out on DVD. ‘Enter…Zombie King’ is available now and I do suggest you give it a try.
During a scene early in the movie, Mercedes, lead female antagonist, steps out in a modest bikini.
“It’s a little cold for that, no?” inquires Ulysses, lead champion of justice.
“With this crazy weather, I’m just glad it’s sunny. It’ll probably be raining frogs tomorrow.”
It’s clearly snowing in late winter, with about half-a-foot of snow on the ground. But never the less, Mercedes isn’t going to let some snow prevent her from catching some sun. Similarly, despite being filmed in Canada during very Canadianesque weather, the movie will still pull out the leis, mascaras and zombies as if it were deep below the Mexican border.
‘Enter….Zombie King’ (also listed as ‘Zombie Beach Party’) is a nouvelle-grind, loving tribute to many of the camp and underground elements of cinema and pop culture. Clearly, it’s homage to the El Santo movies (and 1971’s “Los Campeones Justicieros,” which amassed a squadron of famed luchadores) is evident. Additional tributes to beach movies, cult cinema, skin flicks and surf culture can be seen in ‘Enter…Zombie King.’
And, of course, there are zombies.
I’m a bit mixed on this movie. I like it but I want to like it more. I think that perhaps, in trying to appeal to its influences, ‘Enter…’ loses a bit of itself. The movie is a good one but there are ingredients here that could have been tweaked and altered to make it a better movie than what it was. I’d seen it before a few years back and when watching it again, I was kind of surprised by the “mild nudity” that the back label warned me about. I think I was shocked that I hadn’t remembered it, considering the lovely displays from Sarah Murr and Contessa Oblivan (and the boat scene with Fire Amazon and Little D.) I remember the plot, and while geat, the random flesh-for-fun-and-profit was not essential to the story. Great sex of skin by all those involved, though.
For those curious, ‘Enter….Zombie King’ details philosopher/wrestler Ulysses as he reunites with Mercedes and her brother, The Blue Saint. The three attend a zombie-wrestling exhibition put on by the estranged Tiki, former tag partner to US. A girl ends up dead from ZOMBIE ATTACK and this has Tiki on the run.
During the course of the movie, a lot gets done. Tiki’s name is cleared. The truth behind the zombie attack is revealed to be the plot of another luchadore from Ulysses’s past, who now goes by the name ‘Zombie King.’ The death of the original ‘Blue Saint’ is resolved and the threat of the zombie hordes is defeated (OR IS IT DOT DOT DOT QUESTION MARK)
It’s a fun movie, though. A tighter focus might have made it more of a classic, having it trim off some of the excess and restructure it to accommodate everything. There’s a lot more story involved and I think it was a bit of a mis-step on focusing on it.
And, perhaps my main conflict is summed up with the Blue Saint. His name is a so-obvious-it-hurts reference to El Santo and Blue Demon, the patrons of classic lucha libre. But his name didn’t really factor in to his personality or the overall story. He could be called ‘El Canadian Jr.’ and it wouldn’t directly affect the movie. Different mask, different name, same character, same story. Giving him/the movie a life of its own instead of falling on references would have given the movie more of the edge it needed. When I first saw the DVD case in Best Video, I was excited at the prospect and during the movie, I wanted to see it succeed. I came in with a solid B/B+ effort but I was pushing for an A.
But, it’s a independent movie. There are always a hundred things beyond a filmmaker’s control for every one thing they can get a handle on. Just that the movie got made, that it looks good and offers a good viewing experience is a triumph in itself. I give mass respect for all those involve, from its conception to actually making the movie, to even having it available for me to purchase today. That’s an A+, right there and all should be proud.
I do want to say: The ending to the movie could not have been done any better. Without ruining it, both the combination of timing, acting and sound overlay with the closing scene and the opening seconds of ‘Doppelganger’ from 2-Pump Louie make it a perfect way to end the movie (and leave a good opening for any potential sequel.) There’s no dialogue said and no exaggeration of the drama; the truth of the scene and its implications is there for the viewer to comprehend as the movie fades to black.
Of course, there IS a sequel, called ‘Curse of the Iron Mask,’ which seems to be a tribute to the women’s prison/ Isla: She-Beast of the SS films of the seventies. I’ll be sure to pick that up when it comes out on DVD. ‘Enter…Zombie King’ is available now and I do suggest you give it a try.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
It's Zombie Awareness Month!
As you visit your favorite horror websites or Twitter feeds, you might notice an image of a gray ribbon. The reason for that is because May is Zombie Awareness Month. This tradition was started by the fine folks at the Zombie Research Society, who are also offering a special giveaway each day of the month!
We're also celebrating in our own special way. Several of this month's posts (past and future) will involve zombies in some way and Strange Jason will be reviewing Enter... Zombie King and Die You Zombie Bastards! Stay tuned!
We're also celebrating in our own special way. Several of this month's posts (past and future) will involve zombies in some way and Strange Jason will be reviewing Enter... Zombie King and Die You Zombie Bastards! Stay tuned!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Hometown Horror
My town of New Haven holds a Grove Street Cemetery, which I wrote about before. The gates beckon that THE DEAD SHALL BE RAISED. While walking there recently, I decided to snap a few pictures. You'll find that there are a couple plaques on the welcoming lodge up front.
New Haven isn't the most spooky of New England Towns, though it's getting pretty scary due to the rising random-death-by-murder rate. Fuckers be dying around here for no real reason. I keep asking "what the fuck is happening to New Haven?" but I guess it's always been like this. Dei Gratia.
At the Grove Street Cemetery, you'll find some plaques. The first one isn't all that special, more or less establishing that this graveyard is important to the town. There are some other gravesites out on the edge, more towards Westville, East and West Haven. If you want your body buried right in New Haven, Grove Street is where you want to go.
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IN ORDER TO BE COME IMMORTAL,
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New Haven isn't the most spooky of New England Towns, though it's getting pretty scary due to the rising random-death-by-murder rate. Fuckers be dying around here for no real reason. I keep asking "what the fuck is happening to New Haven?" but I guess it's always been like this. Dei Gratia.
At the Grove Street Cemetery, you'll find some plaques. The first one isn't all that special, more or less establishing that this graveyard is important to the town. There are some other gravesites out on the edge, more towards Westville, East and West Haven. If you want your body buried right in New Haven, Grove Street is where you want to go.
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By the grace of god, or 'Dei Gratia.' When I have some free time and the weather isn't miserable, I'll have to snap some pictures of the actual graves. It's a nice site that's well kept.
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Here's the real reason I took some pictures. New Haven is home to Yale, which in itself has enough freemasonry/Skull and Bones/Secret Society cultism to keep any person busy. Walking by, I happened to spot some chalkings that seemed interesting enough.
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I didn't bother to take any pictures of the Latin above it, since it said the same thing.
FIRST ONE MUST DIE.
Eh. I wouldn't really lose my shit over that. Yeah, the coupling of opposites - yeah, big fucking deal. If you want to be spooky, but out some fucked up opposite-coupling, like so:
That is not dead which can eternal lie. And with strange aeons even death may die.
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So what we have here is seven size-10 footprints outlined in chalk in a half-circle with some vague crypto-cultish bullshit in front of a cemetery that has THE DEAD WILL BE RAISED welcoming you. Either I smell some drama-club level initiation bullshit or some kids decided to be some level of deeeeeeeep which in our world, deep is only measured on how far down you want the body.
My home town. Spooky and fucked up but I love it.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Viva El Santo!
What better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo that to look at the most famous luchador enmascarado (Masked Mexican wrestler) of all time, El Santo?
Born as Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta in 1917 and started wrestling sometime in the 1930s. He actually went through several names before he adopted the name we all know and love: Rudy Guzmán, El Hombre Rojo (the Red Man), El Demonio Negro (The Black Demon) and El Murcielago II (The Bat II). But this string of names came to an end in 1942, when his manager convinced him to join a new team of rudos (brawling, tough guy wrestlers, who sometimes act as villains) he was putting together. Rodolfo was offered a choice of three names: El Santo (The Saint), El Diablo (The Devil) or El Angel (The Angel). This team gave him both his name and trademark silver mask, as they were to wear silver costumes. The choice was allegedly due to the popularity of the Saint and the striking image of The Man in the Iron Mask. That July, "El Santo" was introduced to the world. He went on to form a tag team called La Pareja Atómica (The Atomic Pair) with the legendary Gory Guerrero (father of many famous pro wrestlers, including Eddie Guerrero).
The 1950's were an incredibly important decade for El Santo. In 1952, he battled (and defeated) the Blue Demon and his tag team partner, the Black Shadow (who Santo unmasked). This led to a long-running feud between the saint and the demon, which was carried over in certain degrees when the two made the leap to feature films, with some portraying the two as enemies and others depicting them as partners.
Born as Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta in 1917 and started wrestling sometime in the 1930s. He actually went through several names before he adopted the name we all know and love: Rudy Guzmán, El Hombre Rojo (the Red Man), El Demonio Negro (The Black Demon) and El Murcielago II (The Bat II). But this string of names came to an end in 1942, when his manager convinced him to join a new team of rudos (brawling, tough guy wrestlers, who sometimes act as villains) he was putting together. Rodolfo was offered a choice of three names: El Santo (The Saint), El Diablo (The Devil) or El Angel (The Angel). This team gave him both his name and trademark silver mask, as they were to wear silver costumes. The choice was allegedly due to the popularity of the Saint and the striking image of The Man in the Iron Mask. That July, "El Santo" was introduced to the world. He went on to form a tag team called La Pareja Atómica (The Atomic Pair) with the legendary Gory Guerrero (father of many famous pro wrestlers, including Eddie Guerrero).
The 1950's were an incredibly important decade for El Santo. In 1952, he battled (and defeated) the Blue Demon and his tag team partner, the Black Shadow (who Santo unmasked). This led to a long-running feud between the saint and the demon, which was carried over in certain degrees when the two made the leap to feature films, with some portraying the two as enemies and others depicting them as partners.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Tuesday uEtsy: Vicki Death
[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.]Artwork by Vicki Death
(http://vickideath.Etsy.com)
All right. You've committed that you're going spooky. You have accepted that you are odd and strange, through and through. Zombies are your sunflowers. Cobwebs, vampires and all things dark and dreary make you happy. You are a creepy-crawly.
You're eventually going to have to upgrade your quality of merchandise. Sure, going gonzo over the Halloween selection each year is sure to generate a worthy display for your living space but instead of shelling out the cash over some plastic, do yourself a favor of considering this week's Tuesday uEtsy spotlight, Vicki Death.
Her Estsy site reads that she is "[i]nspired by the love of Horror and tattoos." And it shows. Vicki Death's artwork demonstrates a lovely style, capturing the hotrod and zombies feel common the horrorpunk and psychobilly scene.
But, as seen in the Bela Lugosi portrait, Vicki Death has some demonstrative talent which means that you're getting quality. Everything is handpainted and really, you're not going to find prices this competitive. A 5"x7" inch original painting under fifty bucks american? It's a steal.
Let's say you have a hot (freshly dug up) date and you've got them to come back to your place. What do you want them to see when you walk them in - the entire set of plastic toppers off of some Halloween novelty candy items you got from target? Or do you want to wow the fangs off of them with some original artwork. Look, blood and mad science can only get you so far in your love and professional life. Save yourself some stress and when you feel like it's time to spruce up your tomb, check out Vicki Death.
Also, find Vicki Death at:
http://vickideath.blogspot.com
http://www.myspace.com/vickideath13
www.twitter.com/VickiDeath
Monday, May 3, 2010
An Evening With PuppeTose
An Evening With PuppeTose
‘An Evening With PuppeTose’ is the darkest of the PuppeTose Theatre productions we’ve reviewed so far; it’s also perhaps the most intelligent of the four. What makes it so astounding is that it is the chronologically second, following 1999’s ‘Valley of the Robots,’ with ‘Random Stories Grab-Bag’ and ‘PuppeTose Street’ following after.
‘An Evening With PuppeTose’ is the darkest of the PuppeTose Theatre productions we’ve reviewed so far; it’s also perhaps the most intelligent of the four. What makes it so astounding is that it is the chronologically second, following 1999’s ‘Valley of the Robots,’ with ‘Random Stories Grab-Bag’ and ‘PuppeTose Street’ following after.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
It's Free Comic Book Day!
Ah, Free Comic Book Day. A day of free comics and special sales at numerous comic book stores that falls on the first Saturday in May of each year. 2010 marks the 9th annual celebration of the event since its creation in 2002.
Although past installments have carried horror-related titles and there are plenty of tie-ins between comic books and horror, but comic stores deserve our support for also carrying horror magazines, trading cards, models, DVDs, etc.
For more information, please visit the official website and its Wikipedia entry. That's where we learned something that should be of interest to our German readers: they're getting their own version of the holiday on May 8th!
Although past installments have carried horror-related titles and there are plenty of tie-ins between comic books and horror, but comic stores deserve our support for also carrying horror magazines, trading cards, models, DVDs, etc.
For more information, please visit the official website and its Wikipedia entry. That's where we learned something that should be of interest to our German readers: they're getting their own version of the holiday on May 8th!
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