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.
While preparing for CoastCon back in 2015, I blogged about essential items that every good geek and nerd would need in order to survive a weekend at a comic or pop culture convention. A few years and a few conventions later, I’ve decided to update that list. Sure, most of the items on here are the same as on my old list, but I’ve added a few more items and wanted folks to have a fresher list to seek out instead of my ancient post from 2015. I now have over fifteen years of experience in attending conventions of all sizes (except the big ones like San Diego Comic Con, which my introverted heart has no desire to attend), have made a few feeble attempts at cosplay, presented panels, been a featured guest, and even got suckered back into running events with a good friend of mine after a disastrous experience over a decade ago. I’m no expert, but I’ve got a decent amount of knowledge about the convention scene and I’m happy to share some of it here. I hope you enjoy this list!
1. Money
Yep, cold, hard cash is king at conventions. You’ll need a lot of it if you plan on buying anything from merchants (you really should), snagging awesome art from cool creators (again, you really should), getting autographs, buying food and drinks, or donating to charities at conventions. Most conventions allow you to purchase tickets, photo-ops, autographs, and other items online in advance these days. Many let you purchase things with a credit card on site, as do many vendors. The only problem with this is that some of the venues that host events have poor Wi-Fi and credit card machines just won’t work. That’s why I highly recommend bringing plenty of cash money in your pockets to events.
2. Comfortable Shoes
Be sure to bring a comfortable pair of walking shoes! You’ll be walking long distances and standing in long lines, so protect your feet. Even at smaller events, walking is a necessity and if you use a tracker to see how many steps you take or the distance you travel, you might be shocked by the results!
3. Backpack
Backpacks or messenger bags are essential to any convention survival kit. You can use them to carry all of the cool things that you’ll be purchasing and the free swag that you grab as well. As a rule, I always make sure that I have a backpack that can I can fit a binder in that will protect autographs and prints from damage. Since I’ve been doing presentations at events for a few years now, my pack also needs to be able to carry my laptop and a power supply as well. It’s also cool if it comes with a water bottle holder because the next thing that you need for a convention is…..
4. Water
Hot guy photo for the ladies? Check. Don’t worry guys, I’ll get you later in this post.
Water is a necessity at any convention. With all of the walking, standing, talking, playing, goofing off, and general tomfoolery that you’ll be getting into, you’re gonna sweat…..a lot. If water isn’t your thing, be sure to bring some Gatorade, energy drinks, or something to hydrate your body. Most events do not allow outside drinks but will have them on hand for purchase. That said, if you bring a backpack, many checkpoint officers will ignore one bottle of water. Oh, and speaking of sweat…..
5. Personal Hygiene Products
Nope, Spidey. Your spider-sense isn’t tingling. That dude in front of you just stinks!
It’s pretty sad that I even have to mention this, but folks need to wash their bodies the night before or the morning of an event. You should also toss some deodorant or body spray into your bag before heading out as well. Why? Because people are nasty! Every single event that I’ve attended has folks that arrive at the opening of the convention who smell like they’ve just completed the Boston marathon. That’s not cool! If you’re a cosplayer in a heavy suit, I expect you to be a tad funky, but if you’re just some random dude in jorts and a Dragon Ball Z tee shirt, you better smell decent. Some people aren’t fans of body spray but I’d much rather smell that than a heaping helping of swamp ass!
6. Camera
Since most folks already have a camera on their phone, this item might seem like a no-brainer and it really is. However, some folks like to take professional photos at events and they’ll be slugging around a camera, a camera bag, and most likely a tripod or something else to prop their camera with throughout the day.
7. Fandom tees, caps, socks, etc.
Want to make a few new friends at a convention? The fastest way to do that is to slap on your favorite Phantom t-shirt or that old Batman cap that you’ve worn to conventions for years. No matter what your fandom(s) might be, if someone sees you wearing your fandom on a shirt or other item, they’ll probably want to talk to you. It’s the easiest conversation starter in the world and it will almost always work.
8. Food
See, guys???? I told ya that I’d take care of you after you saw that Jason Momoa photo.
Almost all conventions prohibit outside food. That’s just a fact of life. Plus, many of them offer some pretty amazing food choices at their events. What I’m talking about here is food that you can tuck in your pocket like a candy bar, a small bag of peanuts, protein bars, or other items that will help get you through the day. Also, if you’re staying at the host hotel, bring stuff to make sandwiches or whatever your favorite quick meal is and keep it in your room. You’ll be able to use the money you would have burned at a restaurant on vendor items at the convention!
9. Portable Power Bank
Here’s an item that wasn’t on my old list. A portable power bank is essential for any person that takes a lot of photos, chats, surfs the web, or relies on their smart phone a lot. Many conventions now have an app with programming and other information that you may need to access throughout the day as well. While your phone’s battery may not run out, you might want to give it a boost about halfway through each day of an event. Charge up your power bank before the event and toss it into your backpack. A solar charging power bank is best, since you can recharge it throughout the day without the necessity of a power receptacle.
10. Sharpies
Yes, comic artists, celebrities, and other folks at events will probably have a few Sharpies at their disposal, but what if you’re hanging out at the host hotel’s bar and strike up a conversation with that guy or girl from that series that you love so much? Perhaps you buy them a drink and become fast and decide that you want on autograph. What’s a guy to do? Whip out that Sharpie in your pocket and ask them to politely sign whatever it is you have handy. Some celebrities will happily sign items for you, but others may tell you to wait until you see them at their table. In either case, respect their wishes. It’s still cool to keep that Sharpie nearby in case you do get the chance to snag a signature!
11. A Lanyard With Your Name On It
Another item that wasn’t on my first list but that I’ve learned to be helpful is a lanyard with your name on it. Why would you need this, you ask? Well, when it’s time to get that personalized autograph from your favorite sci-fi actor, all you have to do is flash your name tag at them and they don’t have to worry about misspelling your name! Simple and cool, and folks will appreciate you for making their job easier!
12. Extra Clothes
This one goes hand in hand with the personal hygiene products. If you get funky, use your body spray or deodorant and change your shirt! If you’re staying at the host hotel, you can easily slip up to your room and change your entire outfit.
13. Stickers
Stickers are cheap and can be purchased in bulk. They also don’t take up a lot of room. If you have a blog, event, or just really love a certain fandom, you can have custom stickers created for a nominal fee. But why do you need stickers? Simply put, they are a great way to promote your event, YouTube channel, or social media pages and they can be used to strike up conversations with new people. Also, if you hand out free stickers to folks, they’ll think that you’re pretty cool.
14. Cosplay Repair Kit
Cosplayers put a lot of work into their costumes. Many of their projects are intricate and require hours and hours to get just right. Cosplayers also rip their costumes, have pieces fall completely off of their costumes, and sometimes break their props. What’s a cosplayer to do in such an emergency at a convention? Well, if you’re a nice person, you bring a cosplay repair kit with basic items such as glue, tape, needles, thread, scissors, and other things that will either repair a cosplayer’s costume or at least fix it temporarily until they can permanently repair them later. They will appreciate your help and if you make a habit of bringing a repair kit with your to events, they will remember you as well.
15. A Costume
Beku Cos as Catwoman. Photo by Vodka Photos.
Some fans take their fandom to another level. Many will combine their love of crafting or tailoring with their fandom and make amazing costumes. Others have zero skills when it comes to creating things but put in the work to make a costume that they are proud to show off at events. Other folks buy a costume off of the rack and call it a day. No matter what type of cosplayer you are, if you love a certain series, cartoon, etc., show off your love in a costume. Oh, and if you see Beku Cos (above) at an event, tell her hello. She’s really cool!
16. A Kind Heart
Lastly, the greatest thing that you can bring to a convention is a kind heart. No, I’m not saying that you need to be the creepy guy offering free hugs to all of the cute cosplayers, I’m simply saying that you need to be nice. Yes, lines will aggravate you. You’ll get tired. You might miss out on meeting your favorite comic artist. Don’t let that stuff bother you. Instead, enjoy yourself. Smile at people. Tell them hello. Offer help to someone if it look like they may need it. Some of the friendliest people in the world attend comic conventions. Be one of those people!
I hope that you’ve enjoyed this list! I always have free goodies for folks with me when I attend conventions. Don’t hesitate to approach me if you’d like to talk. I promise that I’ll be nice!
Equal parts campy, exploitative, and just plain dumb, 1962’s The Brain That Wouldn’t Die has its moments of brilliance, but they get lost in a sea of silliness that made this film a cult classic. The film stars Jason Evers as Dr. Bill Cortner and Virginia Leith as his fiancee, Jan Compton. Cortner is a surgeon alongside his father, who doesn’t agree with Bill’s unethical practice of experimenting on humans. While inexplicably driving at a high rate of speed to get to his secret lab at his family’s country estate, Bill flies off of the road in a one car accident. Sadly, Jan is decapitated. Hoping to save her, Bill takes her head to his lab where he and his assistant, Kurt (Anthony La Penna), manage to revive Jan’s head and keep it alive. Amazingly, Jan can breathe and talk without lungs and receives sustenance from Bill’s “andreno serum.” Bill believes that he can sustain Jan in this state long enough to procure the right body for her. He goes on the hunt for the perfect body while Jan realizes that she has acquired telepathic powers thanks to the andreno serum. She soon learns how to control one of Bill’s failed experiments and plans on using it to put herself-and anybody that gets in the way-out of her misery. Does Jan get ahead of Bill? Does Bill find the perfect body for Jan? Watch The Brain That Wouldn’t Die to find out!
Despite being filmed and completed in 1959, the movie didn’t find a distributor until 1962. American International Pictures released the film on a double bill with Invasion Of The Star Creatures. The film was heavily edited for theaters, with most of the gore, an exploitative cat fight between strippers, and a nude scene cut from the release. The European version of the film kept all of these elements. It was directed by Joseph Green and co-written by him along with Rex Carlton.
Along with Evers, Leith, and La Penna, the film starred Bruce Brighton as Bill’s father, Eddie Carmel as the monster controlled by Jan, and a number of attractive women that Bill preys upon in order to find the perfect body type. The women that Bill attempted to lure back to his lab were portrayed by Bonnie Sharie, Lola Mason, and Playboy Centerfold Marilyn Hanold. The Web, a very groovy, sexy theme played each time that Bill goes on the hunt, actually received a cast credit in the film as well. Adele Lamont portrayed Doris, Bill’s ultimate victim in the film.
Each time that Bill approached women, he would attempt to avoid others that might see him with them. Unfortunately for Bill, someone almost always showed up to unknowingly save his potential victims. Every “hunt” sequence was creepy. No, not in the “there’s something out to get me” way, but more like a “pervy dude gawking at women” way. There’s an extended driving sequence in which Bill looks at women walking down a street. The camera focuses on the women for very long periods of time. When Bill goes to a strip joint, the camera cuts between looks of seduction from the strippers to looks of disgust from the “average” women that happen to be there with their boyfriends or husbands. Then we get to see a seductive dance by a scantily clad Bonnie Sharie and then a gratuitous cat fight between Sharie and Paula Maurice that, while having no nudity, just feels dirty to watch. We then see Bill attend a beauty contest just in time for the swimwear competition. When he’s tipped off about an old college friend, Doris, who is now an artist’s model, Bill walks into one of her sessions where a group of men are quickly snapping photos of her with hungry looks in their eyes. If you see the American theatrical version, you’ll get to see Adele Lamont in a bikini. If you see the European version, you’ll see Lamont posing in the nude. Much like with the stripper fight and the swimwear competition, this scene is creepy and exploitative. There’s nothing sexy about it all.
The Doris Powell (Adele Lamont) photo shoot scenes in the American (L) and European (R) versions of the film. This is the safest screen cap that I could find of the European version.
Despite the very pervy and exploitative feel of the film overall, there are some flashes of brilliance. The cinematography and music built up frantic and creepy moments in the film. I was particularly fond of the high speed drive that ended with the decapitation of Jan. Much of the sequence was shown from the viewpoint of the tires on the vehicle. I also loved how random closeups of highway signs would flash during the sequence. The frantic music only added to the chaos. I also liked the special effects in the film.
The main things that made me dislike this film were the extended exploitation scenes and the long sequences, with little to no dialogue, that often took place. Bill runs like crazy to get to his lab in order to save the head of Jan, but he seems to meander, fall over, and look away in anguish for far too long. There are also extended scenes without music that pull you out of the film for a bit.
The Brain That Wouldn’t Die is by no means a masterpiece. In fact, it’s more garbage than greatness. That said, it’s worth watching at least one time. Just be ready to wash your hands after viewing this cult classic.
Thanks for checking out my post. See you again real soon.
Welcome to another installment of YouTube Wednesday! I’ll be taking a look at one of NECA’s Sci-Fi and Horror Blind Bags. Each bag supposedly contains twenty-five dollars worth of sci-fi and horror goodness. Yours truly decided to take a chance and, well, it’s just okay. Check out the video and let me know what you think!
The bag isn’t terrible, but it was a bit underwhelming. I really love the Fly pin, but everything else will most likely go to friends, family, and strangers. If you see me at a convention, lemme know what you want and I’ll give you the Zonko’s shoelaces, the anime carabiner, or the zombie magnet. Oh, and Zonko’s is the joke store in the Harry Potter books and films. I don’t know why I didn’t catch that.
Thanks for watching my video. There’s a ton of awesome things coming in the near future!
Ken's Alternate Universe! 