Anime Absurdity: Rosario + Vampire

Welcome back to the week! Again sorry for the lay over to Sunday but I only possess so much energy...and migraines are a bitch. Moving on, we are taking a look at some of the more popular animes of the last 10 years. Thankfully I have narrowed down some titles thanks to some of my Anime friends and it was most appreciated. Today we look at school life as a teenager but with the difference being I think the student body may be a bit more than expected. This is Rosario + Vampire.

So, has Oz changed much Jack Pumpkinhead?

Average student Tsukune has failed entry exams for almost every school in Japan. When it looks like Tsukune will have to be home taught, his father finds a flyer on their doorstep for the Youkai Academy. For the rest of the round eyes confused on this word, Youkai (Japanese folklore of monsters, spirits and demons) so a world of wonder and utter madness await our unsuspecting lad. Now often the manga and the anime with diverge into different presentations of the story but in this case they show more of the root of their being but there is not a lot of indept examination of the characters themselves. Crossing from home and through a tunnel of the bright sun shining day, is a realm of lava moats, castles and darkness. Ahh King Bowser is at work! Ominous crows and a dark woodland forest path later, the foolish lad sallies forth into this disturbing castle. At no point does the brain, instinct or every good ole' fashion fear kicking warning him. Admiral Ackbar nowhere to be found screaming, "It's a trap!" so the boy is left to his own devices.

Cue jingle sound and twinkly lights.

Concerned for his well-being Tsukune is attempting to skip out of school and run for the hills (Cue Iron Maiden) until he run smack dab into Moka Akashiya, the most loveliest girl his lids ever have to clap eyes on. The naive but good natured teen seems smitten by her and proceeds to hang out with her when he realizes there is something different about her...oh yes it could be her fangs.

Many a comedic moment in this series offering up monsters galore both male and female and because of Tsukune's good nature, the girls seem to gravitate to him. Maybe it is innocent blood, his heart will make a wonderful sacrifice to a dark deity and the like but he needs to fight them off with a crucifix and a stick. Apparently the boy's pheromone signature drives the girls crackers as he is actively pursued by a succubus, a witch and an ice creature. And before you menfolk ask, yes there is booby, upskirt jokes and many a time of them running around in their bra and panties. So glad we got that all cleared up.

With a great animation, wonderful music and voice work being top notch it is not too difficult to figure out what drew most folks to the series. The monsters vary in multiple folklore as we have lizard men, a fiery fox creature, mermaids, werewolves all with hair colors in their humanoid forms ranging in colors of the rainbow to only ones I have seen in yarn. Moka's flashbacks about Human scholastic are a bit on the vague, I was hoping to see a goofy mob of pitchforks and torches but alas none came to pass. I do love the talking bats that announce they're talking bats. Yup a momentary distraction from the action scenes, love scenes or general chaos. 

Yikes, he's got that Legend of the Overfiend look in his eye.

 

Phantoms of the Year!!!!

Hello and welcome back my readers. No, I am not writing this from beyond the grave so put your various religious items down and cease warding my presence off. Coming back from Christmas vacation away from the computer for days on end, I barely looked at my phone. Really that was a blessing in of itself. As the last remaining days of the year are upon us it is only fitting and fair we do a tally of horror revolving around the impeding New Year... because I really could not sit through that many rom coms with New Year's as the theme. Seriously, some of those will turn your stomach as well cause your eyes to bleed out like you got a visit by the Men of the Blue Sun Corporation, two by two with hands of blue.

Mouth harps distort your voice... I guess.

  

So we will be looking at products of the 1980s as well as something a little more current. I guess the 90s were too busy cranking out alternative and hip hop to bother with New Year's horror movies but hell if I can avoid 90s catch phrases that frankly made me want to choke someone until they were bluer than a smurf, that is also a good thing and should be viewed as such. So gather around your tech of phones, tablets and computers and get ready to read how I am ranting and raving, sludging my way through this festering cinema crap for your reading pleasure. Who knows, we may actually find some entertaining films... but I highly doubt it. Ta ta.

Cindy Lou Who's trip to Manhattan ends in tears!

Atomic Monsters Week!

Howdy gang! This week I thought we would take a look at poor men sweating profusely in rubber suits, flailing at one another over miniature cities and buildings and trashing the landscape.  Furthermore I thought we would tap into the atomic mutation monsters as well and simply call it Atomic Monsters Week.  Catchy I know but so is the flu.

Just crashing town, folks!

This phenomenon of large creatures starts in the 1950's as it is a source of terror and concern of what the atomic stockpiles and reactors may have effect on the environment and as Science Fiction seems to have a leg up in political and social commentary the Americans and the Japanese have brought us a myriad of entertaining films and some out and out B-Movie stinkers.  So grab that dull machete and let's start hacking our way through the titles.  Should be entertaining, educational and a tad goofy.  Y'know, a normal write up.

Horror of 1970 Week

Howdy campers!  Welcome back to another helping back to my roots.  For more than 3 years I was self-inflicted into a niche that was nothing but horror and sci-fi movies.  The occasional TV series here and there but mostly became a bit too proficient in spotting my scream queens of yesteryear and modern era.  Observing actors and actresses that are so far removed from the Oscars the last award they got was in Little League, The Boys Scouts or possible The Brownies.  F-Grade films is what I speak of and the odd thing is I found them entertaining from time to time.  Oh not every one of them was a gem but somehow there would be a defining moment,actor or musical score that captured my attention.  

Cute but there is the whole eternal damnation issues.

Alas most of these films do not exist in this current timeline and I found a certain fascination with the year of 1970 and its horror genre.  The true hallmark of the thriller slasher, touch-up on the traditional monsters and transition from red dye to the blacken red caro syrup mixture since the 1980's.

So dust off your bell bottoms, break out your Zep or Pink Floyd and spark one for me.  This should be a wild ride or a disappointing canter.   Let's find out.

Sci-Fi Fantasy Week: Willow

Welcome back travelers of yore and we shall enjoy Day 5 of Sci-Fi Fantasy Week and we will look deeply into the story arc that brought us excitement and adventure with a compelling tale of good vs. evil no matter your height and made anyone with the last name of Peck a living hell on Earth.  So saddle your horses, sharpen your blades and may your deities look upon in favor.  This is Willow.

Hmm wonder if there will be another Leprechaun flick at the ready.

High Aldwin: Magic is the bloodstream of the universe. Forget all you know, or think you know.  All that you require is your spoiler.

Star Wars creator George Lucas and writer Bob Dolman (Little Shots, Cowboy Joe, Willow, Far and Away, The Banger Sisters and How to Eat Fried Worms) create a ingenious drama about a reluctant hero, a mere dwarven farmer named Willow (Warwick Davis of Return of the Jedi, The Princess and the Dwarf,   Leprechaun, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The Unbroken and Doctor Who) with the dreams to be a wizard from a tiny village must journey on a perilous adventure for the sake of a child.  Willow’s species are known as Nelwyns or as the humans call them, pecks.   Yes imagine the joy that could bring.  I guess if you snare four of them you have a bushel.   Moving right along; our young farmer, husband and father of two leaves with 4 warriors and the council magistrate to find a Dakini(Human) to claim the child that brought terrible danger to their village.

Jim Morrison of the Dark Ages.

The village wizard informs the lot the child is prophesied to bring down the tyranny of the heartless Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh of Frenzy, The Changeling and Return to Oz) and they must be wary.    Our party encounters a boastful warrior trapped in a crow’s cage (an ancient hanging gallows that allow prisoners to die of thirst or asphyxiate being high up) calling himself Madmartigan (Val Kilmer of Top Gun, Tombstone, Batman Forever, Heat Kiss Kiss Bang Bang andPlanes) and he states he will watch the baby if they let him out of his cage.  

I tell ya Earl, Helm's Deep looks festive this time of year.

Being passed over by about 300 armored warriors the party feels they have no choice but to trust this man and hands the baby to him.  Moments after such the baby has been snatched by brownies (fairy folk) and Willow chases after them to be led to the fairy queen of the forest who speaks of the child as she will be a force for good in the lands but she has chosen Willow as her protector.   

Just a few notes to make about this film offhand.   Shot with Panavision anamorphic lens and followed up with Vista Vision (a process similar to 20^th Century Fox but allows a better widescreen system to shoot onto a larger area giving a finer print) giving a better print for 35mm.  Industrial Light and Magic managed the transition shots, scale model and stop animation creatures.

Don't get short with me mister!

The director of this particular sword and sorcery saga is none other than Ron Howard (Skyward, Night Shift, Splash, Cocoon, Parenthood and Backdraft) and given his area seems to be mostly romantic drama, coming of age and edgy drama this was a real stretch out of his comfort zone to provide the world with a truly clever film with some amusing dialogue and spellbinding creatures.  The classic struggle of righteous vs. nefarious was captured rather well and I would insist that Sci-Fi Fantasy fans give it a viewing.

Sci-Fi Fantasy Week: Clash of the Titans (1981)

Hail Sci-Fi Fantasy fans and welcome to Day 4 of Sci-Fi Fantasy Week.  Thought we would go a bit old school as if that has not been the theme thus far and head to the ancient mythos of Greece.  From petty and wrathful gods to creatures of unspeakable terror, the lands are froth with danger and wonder but one man dares to shake his fist in defiance against such barbarism.  No not that Kevin Sorbo guy, I speak of Perseus. So grab your mystic shield, DO NOT look at the Medusa and release the Kraken!!!  This is Clash of the Titans.

Hiya folks, I'll have a virgin on the rocks!

Zeus: Perseus has won.  My son has spoiled.

Hera: A fortunate young man.

Zeus: Fortune is ally to the brave.

King Acrisius of Argos proceeds to loathe his daughter Danae for her beauty and has her imprisioned. Methinks the king is a bit of a diva.  When that dirty old god Zeus (Sir Laurence Olivier of Othello, The Shoes of the Fisherman, Oh!, What a Lovely War, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Dracula) comes around for a booty call via Danae and impregnates her, Acrisius has both Danae and newly born grandson Perseus sent to their deaths in a wooden coffin.   Well Zeus took that poorly and calls down the thunder for Acrisius and most of his kingdom by releasing the last Titan, the Kraken to lay waste to all of Agros.  Danae and Perseus make their journey safely to the isle of Seriphos where the child grows to manhood.

 

Lost my train of thought...

Thetis, the sea goddess (Maggie Smith of Nowhere to Go, Othello, The Honey Pot, Hook and Richard III) so proud of her petty and cruel son Calibos (Neil McCarthy of Zulu, Where Eagles Dare and Time Bandits) is engaged to Princess Andromeda (Judi Bowker of The Adventures of Black Beauty, Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Ellis Island and Menace Unseen) of Joppa ; in spite of destroying the Well of Moons and slaying several of Zeus’s beloved flying horses with the exception of Pegasus.  For these heinous acts, Zeus transforms Calibos into some hideous devil and exiled by his own people.  Probably through the aid of a few well placed stones and pitchforks.

The land of Joppa is not "faun" of Calibos.

Thetis whisks Perseus in the night with a wind transporting him to an amphitheatre in Joppa where he is befriends by a kind old poet name of Ammon (Burgess Meredith of Twilight Zone, Batman, Mr. Novak, Rocky and Grumpy Old Men) .  Perseus sees Andromeda and is smitten by her but Ammon warns him of a curse she is under on how she cannot marry unless a riddle is solved.  And if that doesn’t work maybe he can twist time like Prince of Persia and start anew.   To give his boy a leg up, Zeus gives Perseus three magical artifacts, a helm of invisibility, a shield and a finely crafted sword worthy of any warrior.     Mutilating Calibos in the swamps, Perseus is betrothed to Andromeda and momma Thetis does not care for this at all and demands Andromeda is sacrificed to the Kraken.  Desperate to save his lady love Perseus and a handful of the king and queen’s men go to search for a way to defeat the Kraken.

I’ve got just a few notes on this particular film.  The stop motion effects are done by creature FX and producer Ray Harryhausen (The 7^th Voyage of Sinbad, Jason and the Argonauts, One Million Years B.C., and Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger) with a series of scale models and super imposing.  Yes loads of blue screen effects so I am sure the youngins are rolling their eyes but come on; Ursula Andress was in this flick still looking yummy.  Give credit where it is due.

Just peepin',son. Prop me next to the bed for the real action.

Blog 275!!!! The Beastmaster!!!

Hey hey, hey boys and girls!!! Welcome back to Director of the Week: Don Coscarelli and I bet you would like to hear about Phantasm II… Well it is archived so look it up.  That’s right I reviewed it ages ago but don’t worry my little munkins I have another film in mind that spawned two sequels and even its own TV series of three seasons worth.  So don your loincloth, commune with nature and talk to the animals. This is The Beastmaster.

He is...Chest Waxer!!!

Dar: I have my eyes…I have my cunning…and I have my spoiler.

Based on the award winning sci-fi fantasy writer Andre Norton (Astra, Beast Master, Carolus Rex,Witch World, Trillium and Estcarp Cycle), Don Coscarelli and writer Paul Pepperman (The Beastmaster, Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time and Beastmaster: The Eye of Braxus) collaborate to bring this tale of kings, tryants and monsters to life.

This is the story of Dar (Marc Singer of V, A Man Called Sarge, Watchers II, Dead Space, Dan Turner, Hollywood Detective, Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time and Angel Blade), son of King Zed (yes, that is his character’s name) who was claimed from his mother’s womb by an evil witch in order to end the Empirical order and install the dark, menacing high priest Maax (Rip Torn of Tropic of Cancer, Slaughter, Cotter, Payday, City Heat, Men in Black and Wonder Boys) leaving him free to reign Hell on Earth.   The witch women prepare young Dar for his ritual sacrifice when a poor villager swooped in and rescued the boy.  Good timing on his part.

Tuesday Night is deep fried toddler night at the Sizzler.

The villager raised Dar as his own son and begins to notices how the boy is adept to fighting from their sparring lessons.  Proud father he is, he also notices the strange interaction the lad has with the animals around them.  It is almost as he is speaking with them.   No sooner is the village joy and prosperity is ruined (Cue Conan the Barbarian incidental music) as the villages is sacked, pillaged and burned to the ground by beast like warriors known only as the Jun Horde.   Dar being the only survivor of this horrific attack, vows revenge and journeys (while not listening to Journey) to the land of his father’s former kingdom with only the death of Maax on his mind.

I have just a few tidbits on this particular film now. The kingdom and surroundings are mostly scale model representations and a bit of superimposed pictures but the way it is shot only a persnickety film student would be hip to it.  Minatures modeler Bret Culpepper (The Beastmaster, Human Highway and The Jupiter Menace) working in sync with Visual Effects Cinematographer William Cruse (City on Fire, The Amityville Horror, TRON, Repo Man, Firestarter and The Haunted)really bring the A game in this delivery.  

Wardrobe malfunction in Sci-fi Fantasy!!

Between the copious amounts of stuntmen, not to mention animal trainers you get the feeling this was an impressive production value.   The story is a bit cliché of the seeking vengeance aspect but it was a pretty common theme in loads of genre films, TV and books.  All in all, this was pretty enjoyable and one of the few sci-fi fantasy films I could watch again.

Horror Grab Bag Week

Hidey ho readers and welcome to the week entitled Horror Grab Bag Week.  I will dip into random and obscure horror films ranging as far back as 1974 to 1990.  Should be an interesting trip not unlike of mushrooms or California Red. I am striving to find the forgotten gems and hopefully less of the vomitous of the current horror era.  The focus is based on camera angles, creativity in story in both background and characters as well as is it genuinely scary.

My humble opinion is the horror genre is so much better with a more or less original story. whether it is a ghost story, a fantasy land besieged by vampires or legions of the dead rising from the gates of Hell, gimme something to leave me with chills and a possible fright.  So let's roll them bones and see what we get.

Hello...BOoOoOOOOy!!!

Action Pack Week: Xena: Warrior Princess

Hidey ho boys and girls!!  Welcome to day 2 of Action Pack Week and we are kicking off with a former enemy turned ally of Hercules. Destroyer of nations, ravager of townships our villainess turned over a new leaf thanks to Hercules’…influences. This warrior princess strives to do good in the world from city to city and redeem her wicked ways.  So don that armour, sharpen your blade and polish that round killy thing.  This is Xena: Warrior Princess.

Never anger a warrior woman and her round killy thing.

Spoilers are most surprising…

The Warrior Princess known as Xena (Lucy Lawless of Tarzan, Spiderman, Vampire Bats, Battlestar Galactica, Angel of Death and Spartacus: Gods of the Arena) has turned from her killing ways and utter barbarism.  She vows to do right by those she has wronged for so long.  As her story progresses a young bard that craves adventure, excitement and really wild things.  Her name is Gabrielle (Renee O’ Connor of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys- Hercules and the Lost Kingdom, Darkman II: The Return of Durant, Alien Apocalypse, Boogeyman 2, Diamonds and Guns and Ark) and together they travel and thwart warlords, tyrants and the occasional monster here and there.    Another thorn in Xena’s side is the continuous pursuit of a certain god of war Ares (Kevin Smith of Desperate Remedies, Young Hercules, Xena: Warrior Princess, Riverworld and Warriors of Virtue: The Return to Tao) and his plans for her consists mostly of back to her blood shedding ways and devotion back to him.  Through this one warrior he has absorbed more terror and fear via battlefields than any other of his protégés.   Also it is blatantly obvious he has the hots for her.  

Ladies, please. Plenty of Autolycus to go around.

Renaissance Pictures created the Hercules spin off Xena in 1995 and both series ran back to back as a compliment to one another. Naturally like most spin offs the show’s originator has to appear in at least one maybe two episodes and so a two part cliffhanger was created dragging both Kevin Sorbo and Michael Hurst on down to Xenatown.  While this was more or less Rob Tapert’s baby and boy did he run with it; the creator of the Xena character as well as the series is writer John Schulian (Miami Vice, Jag, Midnight Caller and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys) using the cliché archetype of dark warrior rethinking the path of life and wither it should be bathed in blood or somber with good deeds.

This malefactor of destruction becomes a positive role model for generations alike and had so much cult followings of various ages.    A few points I would like to make about the show.   The show seems to give Xena almost the same demi-god status as Hercules when in fact she all 100% mortal.  With skill, cunning, strategy and a spine forged of steel she commands men and women alike into battle or faces it head on her own.  Protecting those she cares for seems to agree with her new calling as a hero.  

Sea god feeling a bit blue.

The production offers the same standing as Hercules: The Legendary Journeys in that they use the Raimi camera techniques such as: Shaky cam(POV of creature, entity or roaming monster) projectile cam (an intense focus of a blade or arrow travelling faster than the human eye could really calculate), fist cam (A mock up of the hero’s fist pummeling a villain or lickspittle of said villain) and dolly track.  Yes it can be campy and silly what with the reoccurring characters of Joxer the Mighty (Ted Raimi of Maniac Cop 3: Badge of Silence, Darkman, Floundering, Seaquest 2032 and Spiderman) and Autolycus, King of Thieves (Bruce Campbell of Evil Dead, The Adventures of Brisco County Jr., Spiderman) it can get a little zany but all in all it is girls kicking butt, taking names and winning the world’s hearts again and again.

Action Pack Week: Hercules: The Legendary Journeys

Long ago when the Earth was young, the gods were excessively cruel and humanity was regards as nothing more than feces: to wit they feared the Day of the Excruciating Pooper Scooper, one man stood for justice.  He possessed a strength never known to the little mouth breathers and they heralded him as a hero.  So grab your waterskins, stock up on rations and don’t forget your 40 lb war boat.  This is Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

That's not a rock monster, it's a rock lobster!!

Who can say what the spoilers truly stand for?

In 1995, Renaissance Pictures created five TV movies loosely based on the Greek mythological demi-god Hercules.  A man born of both man and god, fathered by Zeus the king of the gods he held strength to the likes that humanity had not seen prior and lemme tell ya these people were recording this all down on parchment. 

Bad dog!!

Hercules (Kevin Sorbo of Hercules and the Amazon Women, Kull the Conqueror, Dharma and Greg, Andromeda and The O.C.) journeys the lands aided by his partner (no not that kind of partner, just a sidekick) Iolaus (Michael Hurst of Death Warmed Over, A Moment Passing, Hercules in the Underworld and Bitch Slap)thwarting demons, monsters and overthrowing tyrants.  Occasionally getting into squabbles with Hercules’ half brother and full god of war Ares (Kevin Smith of Desperate Remedies, Young Hercules, Xena: Warrior Princess, Riverworld and Warriors of Virtue: The Return to Tao) our heroes rescued damsels, fought wars and attempted to farm in-between battles.  With superhuman strength, knowledge of melee and blunt weapons and good old fashioned fisticuffs our hero seeks to bring a sense of order where there is chaos.  And what is a hero without his fair share of villains wanting his head on a pig pole?  Aside from Ares being his primary source of torment Hera, queen of the gods loathed her stepson who was a symbol of Zeus’ infidelity and the bane of her existence apparently.  The spleen this woman vents on a guy… sheesh.

After the inception of TV movies, a series was created with the title of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and lasted for six seasons with a substantial cult following.  Created for the US of A but filmed in New Zealand the standing of this show went worldwide and got the typical explosion of merchandise from t-shirts to action figures.   Given this is a Sam Raimi/Robert Tapert creation there is a lot of slapstick, inside jokes and pop culture references to boggle one’s mind.   The popularity of this series resulted in the spinoffs of Young Hercules, a prequel series of Hercules adventures as a lad as well as Xena: Warrior Princess. 

Not a friendly critter.

 The series was a bit campy and silly in portions but generations of the myths’ fans had their fill and enjoyed them thoroughly.  I do count myself among them in the fact after chatting with more than a few of the cast members including Kevin Sorbo and just pointed out how much these adventures and mini-movies.  It is my opinion that the shows came later such as The New Adventures of Robin Hood, Beast Master and Jack of All Trades got a fair shake because of the sci-fi fantasy fans of this era.

70's TV Week: Battlestar Galactica

What’s happenin’ sports fans?   Back this week to bring you a view of television years past.  Some of which is thoroughly enjoyable, some slightly sexist and some very creative.  So strap in your cockpit, stand by my command and get ready to launch.  This is Battlestar Galactica.

Port nacelle needs polishing.

Spoilers may very well be the salvation of humanity…

Our series hails from the mind of TV producer and writer Glen Larson (Quincy, M.E.  , B. J. and the Bear, The Fall Guy, Magnum, P. I. and Knight Rider) bringing together a ragtag group of rebel fighters comprised of an ancient race of humanity.  Through this storyline it claims humanity was born far, far away in a completely other civilization before Earth had even formed bacteria.  The Twelve Colonies of Man or Kobol (The planet of humanity’s origin) separated to different portions of the galaxy to colonize various planets in the hopes of creating not so much an empire but a commonwealth.  The odd part is all these planets are roughly in the same binary star system (a celestial body of more than two stars in the same orbital rotation of one other) More than a thousand years has drug on in a war of Humans Vs the Cylons (A series of robots created to be warriors for a long dead reptilian race, it is speculated by many of the survivors of Galactica that the Cylons turned on their masters and wiped them out).

Starbuck is not a WOMAN!

One human man Count Baltar (John Colicos of Forbidden Journey, Anne of the Thousand Day, Raid on Rommel, Star Trek TOS, and The Starlost), traitor to the 12 Colonies apprised the Cylons on how best to wage a sneak attack thus annihilating the colonies in a vicious and swift battle.     220 ships left after this seething assault one lone capital warship Galactica protects the surviving homes as they search of a new home and a place for peace.  They embark on a quest (and who doesn’t love those?) to find the legendary 13^th colony their history spoke of.  A planet designated as Earth.  Commander Adama (Lorne Greene of Bonanza, Sailor of Fortune, Earthquake, Roots, The Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald and Galactica 1980) leads Galactica to the best of his abilities alongside his Executive officer Colonel Tigh (Terry Carter of The Phil Silvers Show, Foxy Brown, McCloud and Benji) they guide their overworked and understaffed fighter pilots and bridge crew to dangers untold.  Adama’s own son Apollo (Richard Hatch of Santa Barbara, All My Children, The Streets of San Francisco and Battlestar Galactica 2004 remake) is a fighter pilot alongside his buddies and fellow pilots Starbuck (Dirk Benedict of Chopper One, Charlie’s Angels, The A-Team, Murder She Wrote and Alaska) and Boomer (Herbert Jefferson Jr. of Detroit 9000, The Streets of San Francisco, World War III, The Devlin Connection and Apollo 13)

Here are little fun facts about the show for you all now.   All the colonies are both species of human and planet are named after the Zodiac constellations.  The bridge set cost of build was just shy of 2 hundred thousand dollars. This was the first weekly television series that budgeted over a million dollars per episode due to special effect processing the re-use of previous footage throughout the series when they could.  Don Johnson was up for the part of Starbuck but the Southern accent killed that gig for him.  Hmm Don Johnson as Starbuck…Interesting.  

Space...through fish eye lens.

Now this particular latter 70’s show lasted 22 episodes and was revived in 1980 as Galactica 1980 and unfortunately between the farfetched writing and lack of real coherent story telling it this series followed its predecessor.   Lasting all of 10 episodes it took 24 years to resurrect for a whole new generation, but that they say is another story.   Growing up with this show I enjoyed every facet with the exception of this unnecessary robo-dog Dagget.   Of course I found out later it was 3 different chimpanzees that got rotated in costume.   Bobo, put on the suit!  Bad Bobo!  No fling poop in suit!  Well this show had the feel of a Star Wars adventure, I didn't have to wait 3 to 5 years for it to be told.  Excitement, dogfights, gambling, wooing the pretty ladies.   Folks they are a bunch of space pirates and frankly I was alright with that.

The Boys are back in town!

Say, what do you call a show with two pretty boys with hand-to-hand, firearms melee weapons training? Welp about this time them Winchester boys got themselves in a peck of trouble banged up the Impala and shook Pappy about.  So pop this DVD in, grab a soda and some chips.  This is Supernatural Season 2.

Spoilers can be found at a crossroads…

Hospitalized after a major car accident Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles of Days of Our Lives, Dark Angel, Dawson’s Creek and My Bloody Valentine) wakes from a coma under mystical means as his father gave his soul to save his boy to the same demon that took his wife.   Brother Sam (Jared Padalecki of Flight of the Phoenix, Gilmore Girls, House of Wax, Cry Wolf and Friday the 13^th) informs Dean what happened to Dad.The irony was steeping against the Winchesters to an epic level.  This season we have more than a few familiar guest stars appear this season, such as: Emmanuelle Vaugier (Saw II and Painkiller Jane) Dan Gauthier (Tour of Duty, Teen Witch and Son in Law) Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica, Burn Notice, Warehouse 13, Dark Blue and The Firm) Gary Cole (Midnight Caller, Office Space, Crusade, Family Affair, Kim Possible, Wanted and The West Wing) to name a few.  Our young hunters are trying to carry on the mission their father assigned with to safeguard them and preserve them, sacrificing their normal childhood but giving them skill and will to spare future children the losses they have felt.  Wither from bad jokes, cheeseburgers or half assed bonding moments the brothers are there for each other as best as they can be.  The yellow eyed demon that slew the boys’ mother has been concocting a plan that has span over 2 decades and our heroes must thwart his plans.

 We are also introduced to Ellen (Samantha Harris of The Evidence, The 4400, Gray Matters and V) a former hunter now bar owner of her own roadhouse for hunters.   This season also has one of the better villains The Trickster from episode 15.   This is so worth the watch, folks and no not to be confused with the Flash’s villain played by Mark Hamill.

A few things of note pointing out the FX linked to this series.  TV and movie makeup crew Andrea Manchur (Sanctuary, X-Men: The Last Stand, Kyle XY), Toby Lindala (X2,The Butterfly Effect, Final Destination 3 and Lost Boys: The Tribe) and Julie Beaton-Pachauer (X-Men: The Last Stand, Scary Movie 4, TRON: Legacy and The Cabin in the Woods) which in junction with some of the CGI, handheld cam, zooms and fair amount of dolly track the creatures have scope, definition and frankly are creepy as hell.

Seasoned Visual Effect supervisor Ivan Hayden (Stargate SG-1, Andromeda, Special Unit 2, Damaged Care and Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed) along with Grant Lindsay (Warriors of Virtue, Voyage of Terror, Air Bud 3, Superbabies: Baby Geniuses and Andromeda) have brought us spooks, specters and demonic effects that could very well rival most movie productions.   As each season seems to progress, the writers up the ante and the monsters seem to be a bit wilier to thwart the Winchester boys.  So grab a copy from CD Universe, Netflix or heck hit your local video store if you have one in your neighborhood.

Hellboy...don't tell me you never heard of it?

What is it that makes a man a man? Is it his origins, the way things start…Or is it something else, something harder to describe?   Hey folks I thought this would be a good kick start to Guillermo del Toro week if we tackled a film a great deal of us know, like or dislike, love or loathe.  Now without further adieu…This is Hellboy.

Skip to the part where I can kill a spoiler

In 1993, San Diego Comic Con’s second titled comic was released by comic artist/writer Mike Mignola (Wolverine, Daredevil, Power Man and& Iron Fist) Hellboy was a monster, a demon that championed on the side of good and taught Christian morals. Hellboy was contracted by Dark Horse Comics in 1994 and is a title to this day.   Mignola stated in a interview for the movie he got tired of drawing men and women in tights, panel after panel and really like making monsters instead. So why not make a monster a hero?

Collaborating with writer Peter Briggs, del Toro and he start hammering through the pages of Mignola’s Red Right Hand of Doom story arc and place a father/son relationship that Hellboy and Professor Broom did not have in the comics.   That being said, let’s get to fun!   In 1944 on the shores of some remote ruins in Scotland a natural connection of ley lines, the Nazis are attempting to cross a dimensional gate to a realm uncharted by sane men.   From a substantial gunfight between US forces of the newly founded Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense and the Nazis, Russian scientist, paranormal expert Grigori Rasputin (Karel Roden of Blade II, Bulletproof Monk, The Bourne Supremacy and The Abandoned) delves in a realm where angels dare not tread and is sucked through the portal, all seems well but Professor Broom points out that portal worked both ways and was open long enough for something else to have gotten through.    A search of the premises comes up with a small ape like child, red as a fire engine and a right hand composed of stone.   Cut to 2004 and young FBI agent John Myers (Rupert Evans of Sons & Lovers, Fingersmith, Emma and This is David Conrad) entering the world of the BPRD and informed there is much more going on this little blue green planet by Professor “Broom” Bruttenholm (John Hurt of Alien, History of the World: Part I, The Hit, 1984,Beyond the Gates and V for Vendetta).  A brief introduction with the aquatic Abe Sapien (Doug Jones of The Time Machine, Men in Black II, Adaptation, Doom and Pan’s Labyrinth) a vault about 8 inches thick is open to reveal the man or demon of the hour, Hellboy (Ron Perlman of Beauty and the Beast, The Magnificent Seven, Crime and Punishment, Cronos, Blade II and Star Trek: Nemesis)   

A few issues being in the BPRD, if you do not really have an area of expertise and just a grunt with a gun you have the live span expectancy of a red shirt.   You are on Hellboy’s team and we never heard of you?  Bye bye cannon fodder.   This film with its crane shot, hand held and a fair amount of dolly track with anamorphic scope gives you that chestnut of being there in the action without a fraction of the collateral damage.  An enjoyable monster flick, you can show to the kids and they will thank you for it.