Madman

Hey folks I have returned! I know not nearly the impressive staple as clouds parting and a booming voice from above but I must make do. So what is true to form with this blog? How about a 80s slasher film about a legendary mass murderer? Yeah one day it will be the musings of an Albert Brooks film or possibly Glenn Ford Western. Instead howzabout a crazed lunatic that has been summoned in Bloody Mary fashion? On the edge of your seats yet? This is Madman a.k.a. Madman Marz a.k.a. The Legend Lives

Jeez, most bad acts just get the hook.

Well if it wasn't an obscure Indie Horror movie, the alternative titles clearly has made its way telling me the stars have aligned. Probably not for the better. Let's get into this, shall we?

Our opening credits are shot more like end credits and have a pronounced piano score but hey who am I to judge? I think I can also hear a synthesizer. My God those things were rampant in the 80s.

It all started during a campfire at North Sea Cottages, a special retreat for gifted children... No seriously, that is the tagline intro to the scene. Then Professor Charles Xavier drafted this gifted youngsters in his school for the gifted and they had to fight Magneto. No wait, yeah that's a different retreat and far more gifted youngsters.

No zombies in the hot tub. I checked.

Instead we get to hear a little diddy about Madman Marz, hiding in the woods looking for victims. We are treated to what one could only conclude as flashbacks of Madman Marz's greatest hits or slayings while the song is going on. SLEEP TIGHT KIDS! Oh and severed heads float around here, zombies pop out of the ground, stay off the moors and beware of wolves. There. That will shut them up about canoe rides.

This editing choice I find out later is actually later footage of the film spliced in. Congrats film! You are your own spoilers! I mean, what the hell? I do my level best not to give much away and the damn movie is doing it for me.

Okay before we go any further down this rabbit hole, I have to be honest. With that in mind, TP (Tony Fish a.k.a. Tony Nunziata of Madman and performer of Song of the Fifth Wind and I Don't Need Words) and Betsy (Actress/writer/director Gaylen Ross of Dawn of the Dead, Madman and Creepshow) are the real drawing power in this movie. The supporting cast means well but unfortunately they really don't have the training or natural talent. No fault to them, it's just line delivery is very clunky or they simply could not word it as well to sound more fluid.

And there on the handle,was a hook...

Trust me, Betsy looks pretty bad ass toting a boom stick around. I'm watching this and my brain kicks in as I find myself saying, "Francine of Dawn of the Dead? What are you doing here?"

Naturally we have a dumb ass kid that doesn't take the legend seriously and proceeds to quietly chant Marz's name summoning him into the woods. Smooth, kid. While you're being a complete ninny hammer, why not get Candyman and Bloody Mary as well? I mean your self-preservation skills are so low and all, maybe all three will duke it out on who gets the next kill.

Our teens to twenty somethings all group off and Marz starts cutting a bloody swath through the grounds. With not knowing where everyone is, clearly we need to form search parties, SHOUT THEIR NAMES REALLY LOUD and hope for the best. Doesn't that sound keen?

At least people are arming themselves. Almost unheard of in a slasher film. Usually they grab an ax handle or a rock and try to fend of the killer, but this time we got folks packing heaters. A roscoe, a piece, the difference. For those too young to know these terms, I speak of guns.

As the night is rapidly dwindling away, the survivors just know if they can make it out of the campgrounds and get to the cops, everything will be alright...or will it? DUN DUN DUN!!!

Now some Fun Film Facts...or just odd news attached to this particular flick. As this was supposed to be happening during mid spring, the early winter had to be combatant with painting leaves of the trees and the bushes green on location to give the illusion. Really makes you feel for the cast, doesn't it?

Our Madman Marz, Paul Ehlers received the news his wife went into labor. So unable to get out of his eerie mountain man murderer apparel, Ehlers greeted his son Jonathan in full makeup including fake blood and overalls. Let's just hope the lad didn't imprint on that.

With a feel of being a hybrid of Friday the 13^th, The Burning and Bloody Mary, I have seen this same formula handled better. Again not a bad film but it didn't really strive to do something of real note.

Well...there goes his modeling caareer.

S.W.A.T. Season 1

Hey all. Welcome back. This is my first real foray into 2020. Was a bit disappointed no cyberpunks or shadow runners. Those that got this reference, thanks. With the small screen still keeping us entertained we have a re-emergence of the popular 60s to70s to 80s show getting a revamped look with things like Hawaii 5-0 and Magnum P.I.and hell even MacGyver has a new running. So it was not all surprising that another cop show has gotten the love once again. With its predecessor starting in 1975, this updated version is ready for the mean streets of L.A. This is S.W.A.T.

Nah just protein shakes, light chicken and weight lifting.

Many a Criminal Minds fans were devastated with Shemar Moore vacating the series but rest assured ladies and gents, Chocolate Goodness is stepped into the role of Sgt. Hondo, team leader of S.W.A.T.and has a fine collection of bad asses. (Sorry I went Apone there for a moment) With a heated debate over police conduct, Hondo's former team leader has been taken off the force and he has been placed in charge during a rough issue of an unarmed kid getting shot.

With his team of LAPD, Deacon (Jay Harrington of Coupling, Summerland, Desperate Housewives, The Inside, Private Practice, Burn Notice, Benched and S.W.A.T.), Hondo's second-in-command, streetwise and hot heated Jim Street (Alex Russell of Almost Kings, Bait, The Host, Carrie, Cut Snake, Unbroken, Goldstone, Rabbit, Only the Brave and S.W.A.T.) tough girl with a heart of gold, Chris Alonso (Lina Esco of CSI: NY, Cane, Heroes: Destiny, Drop Dead Diva, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, 15 Minutes, Open, Flaked, Kingdom and S.W.A.T.) sharp and easy going Victor Tan (David Lim of Castle, Soap in the City, Hollywood Heights, Supergirl, Criminal Minds, Quantico, 5^th Passenger and S.W.A.T.) and door knocker and heart of the team, Dominique Luca (Kenny Johnson of The Shield, Cold Case, The Undgodly, Saving Grace, Sons of Anarchy, Burn Notice, Dexter,Chicago Fire, Blue, Bates Motel and S.W.A.T.) they are trained and experienced in almost every feasible scenario and prepared to expect the worst.

Freeze Lil Wayne!

With joint leadership of the youngest Captain Jessica Cortez (Stephanie Sigman of Miss Bala, Pioneer, Artic Monkeys: Snap Out of It, The Bridge, American Crime, Narcos, Spectre, Shimmer Lake and S.W.A.T.) and veteran coordinator and Commander Robert Hicks (Patrick St. Esprit of Black Dawn, Crusade, ER, Walker, Texas Ranger, We Were Soldiers, Angel, Tremors, JAG, Saving Grace, The Chicago Code, Super 8, Sons of Anarchy and S.W.A.T.) the two work together prepping units, dole out assignments and try to make some sense of order out of the chaos.

Too much pretty for the streets there.

What is great about this series is simple. We have everything from character based story lines, existing subplots that will carry over to the next season, racism issues and being handling in more of a positive light. I mean you have a Hispanic female captain, S.W.A.T. Team leader is a black man, a young Asian man hearing from his family how he should be in a career through MIT instead of being a door kicker with S.W.A.T. We have tension, action, good character development and some updated stories from the original series.

With a solid cast, crew and writers, this season tugs on some heart strings, gets the die hard action fans plenty to see and shows these people are human flaws and strengths. Family issues, community being disgruntled with LAPD and a variety of criminal scum. Personally as I am two and a half seasons behind, I look forward to reviewing Season 2. So let's all thank CBS for bringing this into the 21st century.  

 On a personal note, sorry about the screenshots, Netflix wasn't working so I had to go to a freebie streaming site and yeah it is LOADED with Ads. Hence the black ink. Again sorry about that.

So Mexican and beer after work? I'm buying.