“…..the only thing that has not changed since the world began is LOVE.”
The first feature length film that Buster Keaton wrote, directed, produced, and starred in, 1923’s Three Ages tells us a timeless tale of love. It is the same story told across three different time periods: stereotypical caveman times, Ancient Rome, and the modern era (in this case, the 1920s). In each story, all of which are laced together and play out in divided segments, the Boy (Keaton) falls for the Girl (Margaret Leahy), who is also being heavily courted by the Villain (Wallace Beery). The Villain also happens to be the choice of the Girl’s parents (Joe Roberts and Lillian Lawrence). The Boy attempts to best the Villain in a number of hilarious sequences.
Buster Keaton and Margaret Leahy.
The Boy challenges the Villain to hand-to-hand combat in the caveman era, a chariot race in Ancient Rome, and a game of football in the modern era. He also uses jealousy to try and draw the Girl away from the Villain. In one of my favorite moments in the film, the Boy pretends to fall for the Amazon (the uncredited Blanche Payson, who towers over Keaton at 6’4″ tall), and ends up in trouble with the imposing lady. Other excellent moments include Keaton’s brilliant maneuvering in order to score a touchdown and the complete destruction of his car as he races to beat the Villain to the Girl’s home.
Buster Keaton and Blanche Payson.
The most iconic moment in the film takes place during a police chase through the modern city. The Boy attempts to jump from one building to another and fails, falling through awnings and eventually landing in a firehouse. While performing the stunt, Keaton was supposed to make it to the other building but crashed into the side of the building instead. He fell down into a net and was injured, missing three days of work. When he returned to the set after recovering, he loved the look of the failed pratfall so much that he expanded upon it. It has become the most referenced moment from Three Ages.
Keaton was supposed to jump to the other building top but slammed into the wall instead.
The film as a whole didn’t fare very well with contemporary critics. Many of them found the story too expansive, especially for a Keaton film, and they believed that the comedy suffered as a result. They also criticized the performance of Leahy. Others loved the slapstick segments but believed that the plot was too convoluted. For myself, I really enjoyed this film. Keaton delivers plenty of laughs and executes some hilarious stunts.
Keaton, Leahy, and Wallace Beery.
Sadly, this would be the only feature film in Margaret Leahy’s career. She was previously cast in Within The Law (1923), but was unceremoniously fired by director Frank Lloyd, who also told her that she needed to lose ten pounds. After working on Three Ages, Leahy failed to secure more roles and would eventually become an interior decorator. She died of an apparent suicide in 1967 at the age of sixty-four.
I definitely recommend watching Three Ages. It’s a very funny film that highlights Buster Keaton’s amazing stunt and slapstick work.
Christie Parson loses her father in an apparent swimming accident, but she believes that he was murdered. When more people in her town go missing, she and her boyfriend, Greg, zero in on the local mortuary owner, Hank Andrews, and his bizarre son, Paul, as potential suspects. Throw in a few seances, a killer with a fondness for stabbing people with a trocar, and strange electrical issues at the Parson home and you’ve got 1982’s Mortuary.
While it certainly won’t win any awards, Mortuary is a pretty decent slasher flick. It stars Mary Beth McDonough, best known for her work on The Waltons, as Christie Parson. Greg is portrayed by David Wallace. Christopher George, a stalwart of slasher films in the 70s and early 80s, stars as Hank Andrews and his real life wife, Lynda Day George, appeared as Christie’s mother, Eve. While all of the cast do a great job, the real treat here is a young Bill Paxton as the awkward Paul Andrews. He bumbles his way through the film, crushing on Christie and working for his father at the mortuary. He also has just enough creepiness in him to immediately make him the prime suspect.
While I won’t give the film’s ending away, I will say that its climax is absolutely bonkers. The entire film plays out in an unhinged manner, but it really is a decent flick. Bill Paxton really sets the tone with his performance, and Christopher George brings the sinister vibes with his performance as well. It’s pretty obvious that McDonough was desperate to shake loose her milquetoast image as Erin Walton with this film, as she appears in some skimpy clothes in a number of scenes and engages in some very un-Walton-like sex scenes. Contrary to popular belief at the time, she does not appear nude in the film. A body double was used for those moments in the film. Sorry, John Boy!
The film is available on a number of streaming services for free at the moment. If you’re a fan of whacky slashers, I definitely recommend checking out this movie. It’s also cool to see Bill Paxton in an early role prior to his eventual success. It’s also sort of neat to witness Mary Beth McDonough’s attempt at breaking free of The Waltons.
Thanks for reading my post. The killer in this film is pretty obvious right from the start, but Mortuary is still worth giving a look.
Have you ever thought of presenting a panel at a pop culture, comic, or anime convention? I’ve presented panels since 2009 and have only increased the amount of panels I’ve presented at conventions as the years have passed. For the last few years, I’ve usually presented a minimum of two panels at most of the conventions that I’ve attended. I’ve also presented panels at festivals and online as well and have been invited to sit in on panels with other hosts. Attendance for my panels has varied from one person to over thirty and no matter how many people show up, I always give them my full presentation.
Photo taken by Louisiana Comic Con staff.
Most of the conventions that I have presented panels at have been in the small to mid-size level. A few examples include Louisiana Comic Con, CoastCon, Wizard World NOLA (now Fan Expo), CyPhaCon, Calcasieu SerialFest, a number of library-based conventions, and the defunct BayouCon. The largest convention that I ever presented a panel at was Wizard World NOLA.
So, after saying all of that, I thought that it might be cool to give folks a few tips on how to present and/or host a panel at a convention. I hope that these steps will help you on your way to becoming a regular panelist at events. Let me know if you’re ever giving a presentation and if I’m at the event, I’ll do my best to attend your panel!
Pick your topic: This is the most important step in the process. There are a ton of ways to approach picking a topic to talk about in your panel. You can choose to talk about something that you love, research a topic that you are unfamiliar with and want to know more about, take the “dangerous” route of discussing a topic that involves politics or religion, or create a simple and fun trivia panel to entertain your audience.
Decide on your presentation form: In most cases, panels will either be one person discussing a topic (similar to a lecture) or a panel of multiple people discussing a topic with a host guiding the conversation. You can also have a basic Q&A panel where you or a guest answer questions from the audience. Once you’ve decided on your form, the fun begins!
Research, research, research: Research your panel topic. Cover all of your bases. Have references handy if needed (I’ve never used them, but I always have them). When presenting a panel, you may run across gatekeepers for whatever topic that you are discussing. Some of them may attempt to trip you up. It’s rare, but it does happen. The good thing is that if someone like this attends your panel, other audience members will usually come to your aid if you run into a roadblock. You want the information that you give to be factual unless your panel is opinion-based or just for fun.
Set your time frame: Most conventions will request that you keep your panel under an hour in duration. Shoot for forty-five minutes and you should be fine.
Summarize: Once you’ve got your panel drawn up, make sure to write a brief, one paragraph summary of your panel. Why? Because when you submit panel requests to conventions, they will most likely ask for a brief description of your panel to determine if it is a good fit for their programming and so that they can use the description in the schedule if they select panel.
Submit your panel: The easiest way to submit panels is to go to the convention website and locate the panel request form. Of course, this varies by convention, but most of them follow a simple form that includes your name, your organization’s name, your panel title, a brief description of the panel, and the times that you will be available for the convention. Even if you are the best friend of the convention’s director of programming, you will need to fill out the official panel submission form. Sure, you might email the director (if you know them) and let them know that you’ve submitted your panel, but it’s best to just fill out the form and wait for a response.
Wait for panel approval or denial: It may take a few weeks before you get a response from some conventions about the status of your panel submission. Don’t bug the convention for a response. Just wait a few weeks and, if you hear nothing, try emailing the programming director about the status of your panel. If your panel is denied, simply accept the denial and move on to the next convention.
Make needed preparations for your panel: This step is crucial and probably the most involved. Make sure to secure a hotel room and/or transportation if you’re traveling for a convention. Don’t wait until the last minute to book a room. Be sure to have any supplies that you need for your panel at least a week ahead of time. If other people will be assisting you in your panel, make sure that they also have a hotel room and/or transportation, and, like Batman, have a contingency plan if anybody skips out on your panel.
Get your pass for the event: Almost all of the conventions that I have presented panels at offer you a free single-day pass for the event if you provide programming for them. It’s their way of saying “Thank you” for providing them with content for their event. In one case, a convention required me to purchase a pass for their event. I managed to get around this by acquiring a press pass. I’ve also attended this particular event as a member of a fan group. In most cases, fan groups are given two passes to an event and other passes can be purchased for a discounted fee. I’ll be blunt and say that I am not a fan of having to pay admission to provide content for an event. The way that I see it, if I’m presenting panels at an event, I should at least be given a day pass since I’m providing content. That twenty, thirty, forty, or more dollars that I have to pay for a pass could go to a deserving artist, vendor, concessions, or a celebrity autograph or photo op.
Advertise: Tell people about your upcoming panel. Create an event on social media. Engage your followers on social media and ask them to attend your panel. If you have the means or manage to get a sponsor, have a giveaway at your panel. Advertise the giveaway to increase the size of your audience! Be sure to bring stickers and business cards as well, as you will want folks to seek out your social media accounts and your website if you have one.
Present your panel: When the big time finally arrives, do your best while presenting your panel. If the crowd loves you, you may be asked to provide more panels at the event in the future. If a convention gives you a day pass for the event, show them how much you appreciate it by putting on an excellent panel. Support vendors, artists, photographers, celebrity guests, and more by mentioning them in your panel and buy something from them yourself.
When it’s all over, be sure to thank your audience and the convention staff for allowing you to present your panel!!!!!
I hope that this post proves to be helpful to anyone that is interested in presenting a panel. If you have any questions, send me a DM or hit me up on social media.
A villain modeled after the classic pulp hero called The Shadow, the guy who played Bluto in the live action Popeye (1980) movie, tons of blood and almost as much nudity, and a really messed up, puzzle-loving kid come together in 1982’s Pieces. The film, directed by Juan Piquer Simon, is a Spanish-American slasher film that borrows elements from giallo cinema to give viewers an exploitation film that has turned many stomachs over the years.
The film begins with a mother discovering her son putting together a puzzle of a nude woman. Disgusted and enraged, she makes the boy go get a bag for her to collect the puzzle and any other pornography that he might be hiding in his room. Ranting and raving, the mother tears through the boy’s toy box, uncovering nudie magazines and other items. When the little boy returns, however, he has an axe with him. He proceeds to hack his mother to death and then continues piecing together his puzzle. When police arrive on the scene, the boy hides in the closet and then rushes out to the safe arms of the police and his aunt, claiming that someone murdered his mother. His mom’s head is discovered in a closet.
Many years later, young women are savagely murdered by an unknown assailant at a Boston university. The killer cuts the women into pieces with a chainsaw. Specific body parts are missing at each crime scene. Arms are removed from one woman, another girl’s torso is gone, a head is missing from one young lady’s body, etc. A detective attempts to build up a case and uncover the murderer with the help of the lover of one of the victims, Kendall. Kendall tags along with an undercover agent, Mary, a former pro tennis player acting as the new tennis coach. Suspects begin to pop up all over the place include the local groundskeeper and a popular professor. Can Kendall, Mary, and the detectives uncover the real killer? Why is the killer collecting body parts? Watch Pieces to find out!
The film stars Christopher George as Lt. Bracken, his wife, Lynda Day George, as Mary Riggs, Ian Sera as Kendall, Paul L. Smith as Willard the groundskeeper, Edmund Purdom as the Dean, Jack Taylor as Professor Brown, and numerous young women in various states of undress as the victims of the killer. The acting is…..okay. The film dubbing is worse.
The kills in this film are brutal and surprisingly realistic at times. A few of them are obviously fake, but the aftermath may be hard to stomach for some viewers. From being stabbed to death in a water bed to being sawed into multiple pieces via chainsaw, this movie leaves little to the imagination. The gore is excessive. There’s also a ton of nudity in this film. There would have been more nudity, but one of the actresses in the film, Carmen Aguado, a real-life aerobics instructor who appears in the movie, refused to have her aerobics class perform in the nude. She said that classes aren’t held in the nude. Director Simon was upset with this, but when almost all of the women that were in the scene refused to appear in the nude, he relented. Leticia Marfil was given a role in the film when her mother, a member of the film’s makeup department, told Simon that she wanted to be an actress. Simon took one look at the young, beautiful woman and immediately increased the amount of nudity in her scenes. Marfil was upset by the situation but wanted the job, so she agreed to appear fully nude in the film. Her career would be cut short when she walked away from acting after only receiving roles that required nudity. Oh, and ladies, Simon didn’t leave you out of the equation, as Ian Sera has a full frontal male nude scene in the film.
After reading about how Simon insisted on nudity in the film, he comes off as a pervy old creep in my opinion. While some nudity is no surprise in slasher films, the excessive amount of it in this film, both female and male, is almost more upsetting than the excessive gore. The film is very twisted, from plot to direction, and I’m really not a fan of it as a whole because of what I’ve learned about Simon and how he intentionally added nudity to parts of the film. What a creep.
If you’re a fan of slasher films or of giallo, it’s worth watching Pieces one time. Despite the creep vibes from Simon, the film is a decently executed slasher flick. Will I watch it again? Probably not, but it’s mainly because of how sleazy Simon came off in my research for my review.
As always, thanks for checking out this cult classic with me. See you soon!
Based upon a portion of Chapter 7 of Bram Stoker’s legendary Dracula, The Last Voyage of the Demeter gives us a glimpse into the horrific events that unfold aboard the doomed ship as it makes its way to England. There were only eighteen found entries in the captain’s log from the Demeter, and writer Bragi Schut, Jr., uses these entries as an outline for the 2023 film, expanding upon and adding to the story to flesh it out into a near two-hour display of horror.
There really isn’t much need to discuss the plot of the film, as it is fairly basic: The Demeter is headed to England to deliver cargo and along the way, crewmen systemically go missing or die violent deaths. The surviving crew attempt to discover the source of the murders and stay alive as well. If you’ve read Dracula, you know how this story ends. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t end well.
While the Demeter may be loaded with a bunch of boxes of dirt and Count Dracula, the film’s cast is loaded with an amazing group of actors. The film’s star is Corey Hawkins as Dr. Clemens. Horror fans will most likely recognize him as Heath from The Walking Dead. He has appeared in a number of prominent roles in films and on television such as in Straight Outta Compton, Kong: Skull Island, and 24: Legacy. Considering the other acting heavyweights that are aboard the Demeter with him, Hawkins stands out from the rest and does a brilliant job as Clemens. The ship’s captain is Liam Cunningham, perhaps best known for his work in Game Of Thrones, Dog Soldiers, First Knight, and Doctor Who. David Dastmalchian appears as Wojchek, the Demeter’s first mate. My readers will know him from his amazing work in the first two Ant-Man films, The Suicide Squad (2021), Dune, and The Dark Knight. Aisling Franciosi appears as Anna, a “stowaway” who warns the crew of the ship of its horrible fate. She portrayed Lyanna Stark in Game of Thrones and has appeared in a number of films recently. The film also features Woody Norman as Toby, Jon Jon Briones as Joseph, Stefan Kapicic as Olgaren, Nikolai Nikolaeff as Petrofsky, Martin Furulund as Larsen, and Chris Walley as Abrams. The Nosferatu-inspired Dracula creature is portrayed through a combination of practical and CGI effects. Javier Botet wears the suit and provided the mo-cap sequences of the monster. Botet has featured in numerous genre films and shows as various monsters. Some of his work includes the Insidious franchise, the REC franchise, Game Of Thrones, Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark, Mama, and It.
The film is very good, especially considering the very confined setting of a ship and an even smaller cast. The CGI looks a tad cheesy at times, but director Andre Ovredal does a brilliant job of keeping the film moving at a good clip. His direction, the cinematography of Tom Stern, and the music of Bear McCreary combine to give the film a relentless atmosphere of doom and desperation. One of my favorite scenes in the film is when the remaining crew make a final stand against Dracula and can literally see the coast of England, and safety, just off in the distance.
Although it is well known that none of the Demeter’s crew survive its ill-fated voyage, the film does end with a glimmer of hope and the potential for a sequel. There are also three nods, two obvious ones and a third fleeting one, to another creature from the Universal Monsters collection of creatures. I won’t say which monster is hinted at, but if you’re a hardcore fan of the classic Universal Monsters, you should have no issues catching all three of these nods.
The Last Voyage Of The Demeter is a very good film. While it might appear to be just another creature feature, it has an intelligence about it that makes it more than the sum of its parts. A brilliant cast, tons of amazing atmosphere, and a tale that keeps you intrigued makes seeing this film on the big screen worth it. Corey Hawkins’ star will only rise in my opinion and I can’t wait to see his next project.
Thanks for checking out my post. Please go see The Last Voyage Of The Demeter on the big screen. We need more horror films like this one!
Landing smack in the middle of what many have dubbed the “Golden Age of Slasher Films” (1978-1984), The Prowler (1981) does a whole lot with the very little that it has going for it. It drops a rather unique looking murderer into a standard slasher plot, gives him some of the most amazingly executed kills via the practical effects hands of Tom Savini, and managed to hold my interest for its entirety. While its basic plot won’t dazzle anybody, its kills will make viewers take notice.
The film opens near the end of World War II. A young woman is writing a “Dear John” letter to her boyfriend who has been fighting in the war. That young woman, Rosemary, and her new beau, a wealthy young man named Roy, end up on the business end of a pitchfork whenever they leave the graduation dance to make out at a local pavilion. Over thirty years later, the school that Rosemary attended is about to have their first graduation dance since that dreadful night, and unluckily for the school, the killer has returned to keep his murderous tradition alive.
Preparing for the dance is sweet and lovely Pam and her less sweet and more sexually active friends, Lisa and Sherry. Ready to celebrate the festivities with them are Sherry’s boyfriend, Carl, Lisa’s boozing beau, Paul, and Mark, a local deputy who is also Pam’s boyfriend. Mark is in charge of the town while the sheriff is on a fishing trip. When word begins to spread around town that a prowler has murdered in a nearby town and may be headed their way, Pam becomes anxious. Mark reassures her that everything will be just fine……but Mark is wrong. One by one, a fatigue-clad slasher begins murdering the local college students. Mark tries to get in touch with the sheriff, but to no avail. It’s up to him and Pam to put a stop to the killer. Will they do it? Watch The Prowler to find out!
The film stars Vicky Dawson as Pam, Christopher Goutman as Mark, Farley Granger as Sheriff Fraser, and Lawrence Tierney as Major Chatham. It also stars Lisa Dunsheath as Sherry, Cindy Weintraub as Lisa, and Joy Glaccum as Rosemary. Granger and Tierney both had legendary careers in film prior to being in The Prowler. Dawson appeared in a number of ABC Afterschool Specials in the 1970s and early 80s. Goutman became a prominent director and producer of multiple soap operas. Weintraub and Dunsheath continued working in film and television.
While the film fared poorly at theaters and with critics, it was praised by fans of gore and practical special effects. Seriously, other than the unique look of the killer, the main reason to watch this film is to see Tom Savini’s work. Savini played the slasher in all of the kill scenes, as he wanted to make sure that the sequences were executed correctly. The most popular kill in the film is the death of Carl, which I won’t spoil for you here, but I was also very impressed with the death of Sherry. She is stabbed through the torso with a pitchfork and lifted off of the floor of the shower. Lisa Dunsheath was nude in the scene, and the pitchfork looks like it is really penetrating her waist. Other deaths in the film are just as brutal and gory. In fact, the film was heavily censored outside of the United States due to the convincing nature of its kills. Savini claims that his work in this film is his personal best.
The Prowler may not be the most trailblazing slasher out there, but it’s definitely worth checking out for the brilliant work of Savini. It moves a little slow at times and the entire film is shot in a soft focus similar to a Hallmark movie….but this definitely ain’t no Hallmark movie!
Thanks for checking out my look at the cult classic The Prowler. I’ll see you again real soon!
“First day of school. Strange city, new house, no friends……I’m psyched!”
Brandon and Brenda Walsh, Dylan McKay, Kelly Taylor, Steve Sanders, Andrea Zuckerman, Donna Martin, and, heck, even David Silver, are names that are synonymous with the 1990s. Those names, of course, are a list of the primary characters from Beverly Hills, 90210, one of the most successful shows from the 90s that remains popular to this day. The show focused on the day-to-day lives of a core group of teenagers making their way through life at upscale West Beverly Hills High. At the center of the group are Brandon and Brenda Walsh, two new transplants to the area from Minnesota. While their fish-out-of-water predicament initially drove the series, they ultimately became quite comfortable in their new surroundings and the series became more dramatic and, at times, ridiculously intense.
Although most of the people who were alive during its initial release (including myself) remember it as a wildly popular show, Beverly Hills, 90210 actually started with a whimper. Fox, the show’s home network, managed to save the series by releasing a “summer series” giving viewers original programming at a time when most networks were showing reruns. This move by Fox would result in the series running the entire decade and having ten seasons.
In the series, Brandon Walsh came off as the most level-headed guy in the group. He always seemed to be looking for a way to make everyone as happy as possible. His twin sister, Brenda, was a tad bit more rambunctious and seemed to ease into life at West Beverly Hills quicker in my opinion. She has an on-again-off-again relationship with the school’s local rebel, Dylan McKay, and forms strong friendships with the school’s apex snob, Kelly Taylor, and Kelly’s friend, Donna Martin, a kindhearted but ditzy girl who struggles in school. Brandon befriends Dylan and the school’s resident spoiled brat, Steve Sanders. Brandon also forms a strong bond with Andrea Zuckerman, a hard-working and highly intelligent student who has a crush on him. Then there’s David Silver, the freshman who desperately wants to be a part of the cool kids club. He is rather annoying at first, but ultimately matures into a fairly decent guy.
All of the primary characters in the series deal with terrible issues, but on a level much higher in some cases thanks to their well-to-do lifestyles. Depression, drug abuse, alcoholism, rape, the deaths of friends and family, pregnancy, learning disabilities, and infidelity are just a few of the many issues that members of the group faced. As a result, all of the characters changed, matured, and became different people by the end of the series.
The primary cast:
Jason Priestley as Brandon
Shannen Doherty as Brenda
Luke Perry as Dylan McKay
Jennie Garth as Kelly
Ian Ziering as Steve
Tori Spelling as Donna
Gabrielle Carteris as Andrea
Brian Austin Green as David
James Eckhouse as Jim Walsh, Brandon and Brenda’s father
Carol Potter as Cindy Walsh, Brandon and Brenda’s mother
There were a number of characters brought in for brief arcs that would change the lives of the main characters. Some would go on to have starring roles in the series while others would only be around for a few episodes. Some of the most impactful were Christine Elise as Emily Valentine, an unhinged bad girl who has a relationship with Brandon, Mark Damon Espinoza as Jesse Vasquez, a law student who impregnates and ultimately marries Andrea, and Rebecca Gayheart as Toni Marchette, who marries Dylan despite the fact that her father had Dylan’s father murdered in a mob hit.
Shannen Doherty was famously fired from the series before Season Five began and this would trigger a revolving door of new characters that would star in the series. It also triggered the exit of a number of the other main actors in the series such as Gabrielle Carteris, James Eckhouse, and Carol Potter. Carteris was written out of the show after her pregnancy (which was included in the series) and Eckhouse and Potter’s characters were moved to Hong Kong so that the series could focus on its now young adult cast.
Kathleen Robertson (Clare), Tiffani-Amber Thiessen (Valerie), Hilary Swank (Carly), Vincent Young (Noah), and Jamie Walters (Ray) are just a few of the many actors brought in to replace exiting characters over the last five seasons of the show. Luke Perry exited the show after the sixth season, eventually returning in the last two seasons. Jason Priestley left the show after its ninth season. Douglas Emerson, who starred in the first season of the show as David’s awkward best friend, Scott Scanlon, was famously killed off in the second season of the series by an accidental shooting. Writers of the series were forced to drop at least one character in the series due to budgetary reasons and decided that Scott was the weakest character on the show.
I was a massive fan of the series for its first five seasons. So were a lot of other people. I had posters on my wall and even grew out my sideburns and styled my hair into a pompadour just like Brandon and Dylan. I was insane enough to be the only guy at my school willing to wear a 90210 t-shirt in public and was often ridiculed as a result. The show was very popular with teenage girls and (at least in my opinion) was also very popular with young guys who did not want to admit that they watched it. I had crushes on pretty much all of the main female characters over the course of the series and a few of the recurring ones as well. My first big crush was on Jennie Garth and I then moved through crushes on Carteris, Doherty, and Spelling. When Emily Valentine was introduced in the second season and then later returned in the fourth and fifth seasons, I only had eyes for Christine Elise! I got to meet her recently, which was very cool. I also had a crush on Kathleen Robertson’s Clare for a long time as well.
The popularity of the series began to slowly die after the fifth season, but it remained one of the most successful shows on Fox until its cancellation in 2000. Melrose Place and Models, Inc. were spin-offs of the original series. A reboot arrived in 2008 on the CW entitled simply 90210. There was also a Melrose Place reboot. A six episode reunion series was released in 2019. As much as I hated the character of David Silver, I loved seeing him return on That 90’s Show in a hilarious episode that parodies Beverly Hills, 90210.
Whew! Sorry that I got a little long-winded there, but there was a lot of information to cover on this show. I loved and still love Beverly Hills, 90210 and hope that you enjoyed this trip down memory lane with me. See you at the Peach Pit!
In loving memory of Luke Perry (1966-2019) and Joe E. Tata (1936-2022).
Hell descended upon H-Town once again as the Houston Horror Film Festival returned to the Houston Marriott Westchase over the weekend. The event was a massive success, with an excellent crowd on Friday evening and a shoulder-to-shoulder group in attendance on Saturday. I was unable to attend on Sunday, but more on that later. For now, let’s talk about the festival.
As I’ve mentioned quite a few times over the last few months, HHFF was absolutely loaded with awesome guests. The event also featured some amazing independent films. I arrived on Friday afternoon and after checking into the festival early, I headed to my room to clean up (because it was friggin’ hot) and change into my The Ghost Who WalksPhantom shirt. Why did I put that on, you wonder? My primary mission for the weekend was to acquire Billy Zane’s autograph. I was the third person in his line and waited for him to arrive. When he did get there, I managed to get an autograph and a few photos with him. It was cool, but rushed, as the line was growing behind me. In all honesty, I wish that I would have waited to get his autograph because I noticed that he spent a lot more time with fans later in the evening and on Saturday.
After meeting Mr. Zane, I headed over to Lee Waddell’s table. For those who don’t know, Waddell was the original Ghostface in the Scream films. He’s the guy that “killed” Drew Barrymore on screen. He was a riot. He talked with me and all of the other guests for a good while. He also gave out limited edition “Original Ghostface” wristbands to the first lucky fans to meet him. After acquiring his autograph, my next mission was meeting the lovely PJ Soles from Halloween, Carrie, Private Benjamin, Stripes, Rock N’ Roll High School, and so many more amazing films. I completely wigged out and told her that I loved her! She was very nice and was really happy that I went with a Riff Randell autograph. I wish that I had better control of my nerves at the time, because she was as sweet as could be to me.
After meeting the love of my life, I visited with one of my biggest crushes from high school. I was ridiculously infatuated with Emily from Beverly Hills, 90210 back in the day. She was the wild girl of my dreams and I got the opportunity to meet the wonderful lady that brought her to life, Christine Elise, who also starred in Child’s Play and the Chucky series. Elise definitely put a lot of herself into the character of Emily, as she oozed “bad girl” cool. I really enjoyed meeting her.
My final autograph of the night came from the lovely Kristy Swanson. I’ve met her before, getting a Phantom autograph from her, so I decided to get a Buffy The Vampire Slayer autograph from her this time. She was as sweet as she could be to myself and every other person that came to her table. She also gives the best hugs of any celebrity that I’ve met!
I spent the rest of the evening perusing the many vendors and artists at the festival. I purchased a few items including some awesome Scream coasters for my daughter. I retired for the evening a very happy horror fan.
Day Two was all about having fun. I slapped on my Pugsley costume and headed to the event. I debated on getting a couple of more autographs but ultimately decided to hold off because I wanted to roam around and check out a few films, visit with friends, and maybe take a few photos. I did all of this in spades on Saturday. I had an amazing time. I made more vendor purchases, won a free ticket to Purgatory Scream Park, and was even asked by Lee Waddell to take a selfie with him in my Pugsley costume. I must admit that a few people called me Uncle Fester and one person called me Wednesday! It was still a lot of fun to take photos with people. I will most likely bring Puglsey (and Thing) back with me next year.
Now for the reason that I had to skip out on Sunday. After attending the festival on Saturday, I went to Mass, as I’m Roman Catholic. Near the end of the service I felt strange. I blacked out for a split second and apparently slammed my shoulder into the pew in front of me. I was sitting at the back of the church, so no one was around me to assist me, but after I came to (it was literally for a split second), I was covered in a cold sweat. I sat down for the remainder of the service and managed to walk to my car. I cranked up the AC and once I felt confident enough in myself to drive, I made my way to the local grocery store and picked up supper from the deli. I got back to my hotel room and recovered. So what happened? Silly ol’ me didn’t eat for nearly twelve hours, sweated excessively at the festival, and clocked over five miles on my feet. I exhausted myself. After recovering, I slept in a little late on Sunday morning and made the decision to make my way slowly back to Lake Charles, LA. I stopped at Buc-cee’s and had a brisket sandwich and a Body Armor drink. Then I stopped in Bridge City, which is out of the way but avoids the hell that is Interstate 10 in Beaumont, TX, had a snack, and drank some Gatorade. After that, I drove up to Mauriceville, and grabbed supper from the deli. I’m perfectly fine, I just need to watch myself closely when I go to events. While I’ve never blacked out before, I have exhausted myself a few times from all of the walking at events.
So, kids, Houston Horror Film Festival was a huge success. I just need to learn how to pace myself, eat at events, and stay hydrated. I missed out on getting Shawnee Smith and Heather Matarazzo’s autographs (something that I was going to do Sunday), but I hope to have another opportunity to meet them in the near future. Overall, it was an amazing experience and I can’t wait until next year!
Thanks to everyone that took photos with me and thank you for checking out my post. I honestly can’t wait until next year!
Big, loud, completely ridiculous…..Yep, that about explains Meg 2: The Trench, but it’s absolutely fun to watch. This is the type of film that makes “professional” critics turn up their noses and websites like Rotten Tomatoes have a field day of hate reviews. Well, I’ve never really cared for the opinion of professional critics and I’ve never understood why Rotten Tomatoes is so special, so take it from an average dude that’s watched a ton of movies: Meg 2: The Trench may not be Shakespeare, but you’ll definitely have a great time watching it.
Jason Statham returns as Jonas Taylor. Joining him from the first Meg film are Cliff Curtis as Mac, Page Kennedy as DJ, and Shuya Sophia Cai as Meiying. New additions include Jing Wu as Jiuming Zhang, Meiying’s uncle and the new head of his family’s research company, Skyler Samuels as Jess, Melissanthi Mahut as Rigas, and Sergio Peris-Mencheta as Montes. Sienna Guillory also stars as Driscoll, the primary financier for Mana One’s research.
In the film, Jonas Taylor continues his battle against environmental criminals. Mana One has continued researching the Mariana Trench and also has a young megalodon named Haiqi in captivity. The captive meg’s behavior has become erratic. Hoping to understand what might be happening, Zhang convinces Taylor to join his group that submerges into the trench to study the megalodons and to explore new regions. Haiqi escapes captivity and follows them into the trench. They uncover an illegal mining operation which blows up much of its work in order to hide its operation. Montes, part of the illegal mining group, attempts to kill Jonas and the surviving members of the Mana One expedition. Taylor and a few others survive, but Mana One has been taken over by a saboteur when they finally reach the surface. Thanks to the excessive heat generated by the mine explosion, two male megs follow Haiqi to the surface and go on a feeding frenzy. Other things escape the trench as well. Can Jonas save the day one more time? Watch Meg 2: The Trench to find out!
While I will admit that the film gets a bit bogged down by the whole mining plot, the rest of the film is exactly what one would expect from a film about giant sharks eating things and Jason Statham using harpoons, jet skis, and sheer masculinity to fight them. Page Kennedy steals almost every scene that he is in throughout the film. His character gets a much bigger chunk of the movie to play with and he adds a ton of humor to the movie. Cliff Curtis is reliable as always as Mac and Shuya Sophia Cai gets into all sorts of trouble as Jonas’ stepdaughter, Meiying. The human villains are pretty much forgettable, but the real stars are the sharks and the other creatures that rise up from the trench to eat anybody and anything in their way.
This is a popcorn flick, folks, and if you go into the theater expecting something other than sharks, explosions, and completely ridiculous fun, you’ll be disappointed. Check your brain at the door and have a little escapist fun with Meg 2: The Trench. Oh, and Steve Alten’s books that this film and its predecessor use as a framework for their stories are definitely worth checking out as well.
Thanks for checking out my review. I’m currently at the Houston Horror Film Festival and I’m having a blast. I’ll have a full report on Monday about this excellent event.
When senior track star Laura Ramstead collapses and dies after winning a race, her teammates mysteriously begin dying at the the hands of an unknown killer in 1981’s Graduation Day. Critically panned, the film was still a financial success, pulling in over twenty million dollars against a budget of only $250,000. The film was produced by IFI and Troma Productions and would later be distributed by Columbia Pictures.
In the film, Laura’s sister, Anne, arrives in town to accept an award in Laura’s honor at the upcoming high school graduation ceremony. The track team’s coach, George Michaels (yeah, I know), has been ostracized by the community, as he has been blamed for pushing Laura too hard and causing her death on the track. Laura’s teammates are getting ready for graduation. As graduation day approaches, Laura’s teammates are murdered or go missing. The principal doesn’t seem to be too phased by all of the deaths, but the local authorities begin a hunt for the killer. Anne, Coach Michaels, and others become suspects in the murders. Will the real killer be revealed? Watch Graduation Day to find out!
As stated before, the film was critically slammed. I actually enjoyed it, however, as it’s a rather unique film as far as Troma productions go. For starters, it’s pretty light on gore for a Troma film. It doesn’t have as much nudity as one would expect in a Troma film, either. It also has a pretty solid, if a tad generic, plot. The kills are excellent and a few of them are absolutely Troma-tastic. Without giving too much away, there are decapitations, impalements, a good ol’ fashioned football rapier stabbing, and, my personal favorite, a pole vault puncture pad!
While the acting performances are hit and miss, I cannot deny that the cast is actually pretty solid. Anne is portrayed by Patch Mackenzie. Coach Michaels is played by Christopher George. The teen cast is played by a lot of non-teens including Tomas Hintnaus as Laura’s boyfriend, Peter, Denise Cheshire as Sally, and Carl Rey as Ralph. Vanna White appears in the film as Doris. This is one of her earliest roles. She obviously went on to a very prolific career as the letter turner on Wheel Of Fortune. The film also featured Scream Queen Linnea Quigley who wasn’t initially in the film. She replaced the original actress that played Dolores in the movie as that actress refused to do the required nude scenes.
Overall, Graduation Day ain’t too shabby. It’s one of the many cookie-cutter slasher flicks that came out in the early days in an attempt to cash in on the success of prominent slasher films such as Halloween and Friday The 13th. Despite this, the fact that it features Linnea Quigley, Vanna White, and Christopher George, and the fact that it’s a very un-Troma-like Troma film, it’s worth checking out for yourself.
Thanks for revisiting Graduation Day with me. Are you a fan of the film? Let me know in the comments section.
Ken's Alternate Universe! 