Playback (2012)

One thing I hate about being caught up in watching a vintage TV series, is that I tend to stay away from movies until I am done with it. Fortunately for me, I have been able to break away from Kolchak just long enough to fit a few movies in. The first one that I watched was the 2012 title Playback.

Plot/ When a group of high school students dig into their town's infamous past they unwittingly unlock an Evil that corrupts and destroys them. Possessing its victims through video playback and using them for malevolent purposes, it closes in on one specific soul, threatening to expose the town's deepest, darkest secret.

Any time I randomly grab something at Family Video, I have no idea what to expect. For me, the is was not a great choice, but it did have just enough to keep me interested. In fact, there was some things that definitely stood out, like the gore, nudity and a non-linear storyline that was well paced. Yes, some of it went unanswered and left some questions, but that is OK in my book. Sure, some of the acting was uneven (some creepy) and the characterization was a bit off, but I always expect flaw in films I had never heard of.  In the end, this was nothing special and is destined to be forgotten. I would not buy this one, but if you catch it onDemand or on Netflix, there are worse choices out there.

Sacred Flesh (2000)

  

After spending yesterday dissecting the kitchen, I decided to take a break today and relax with some Netflix. I have been spending time engrossed in the original Kolchak: The Night Stalker, I decided to venture into something else. My choice for the morning was some nunsploitation in 2000s Sacred Flesh.

Plot/ A number of people who have devoted their lives to God find themselves undone by desires of the flesh in this unusual erotic drama. The abbess of a convent invites the leader of a group of monks to visit her and offer needed advice. A wave of sexual temptation has begun to flood the convent, with the Mother Superior aving bizarre sexual fantasies about Mary Magdalene, and many of the other nuns suddenly attracted to each other.

This was an interesting flick and one that helped pass 73 minutes with ease. Now, I am not saying this was a good flick by any means, and honestly, if you are not a huge fan of nunsploitation, you should not even give this one a second glance. This semi-porn plays on the look of the nuns and the erotic moments they create and nothing else. The plot is incoherent; the script ridiculous, there is little to no atmosphere and the timeframe does not match the storyline.  In fact, other than some appealing sex scenes and a large amount of nude nuns, there is really nothing here. In the end, this piece is for fans of nunsploitation, if you do not know what that is, just stay far away.

Nazis at the Center of the Earth (2012)

With the weekend coming to an end and me starting my first vacation from the institute, I wanted to get into the proper mindset. With that, I definitely wanted to find something mindless, as I may need it to help pass some time. Ironically, there are companies out there like The Asylum, which make those flicks all the time. My selection for last night was the 2012 cheesefest Nazis at the Center of the Earth.

Plot/ Researchers in Antarctica are abducted by a team of masked storm troopers. They are dragged deep underground to a hidden continent in the center of the earth. Here Nazi survivors, their bodies a horrifying patchwork of decaying and regenerated flesh, are planning for the revival of the Third Reich.

First off, anyone expecting a masterpiece should stay far away from this one. This may be one of the most ridiculous flicks put out by The Asylum, in fact, the plot was so utterly ridiculous that I was on the floor when the homage to the movie They Saved Hitler’s Brain popped up. Almost everything about this was wrong for a serious attempt at horror, but what they created was a hilarious and somewhat gory cheesefest that is rather entertaining in a mindless way. Sure, the acting was uneven and the scripting worse, but somehow it worked in a crazy way. If you want a good movie, stay away. If you want a mindless horror comedy, it is not a bad flick to waste some time with.

Rift (2011)

After taking some time to dive into the real world of UFOs and Aliens after my class at the institute built a working UFO Detector, it was time to get back at it. My selection for the evening was from Maverick Entertainment, 2011s Rift!

Plot/ Several college students are brutally murdered in a small college town and the killer is still on the loose. In an attempt to seek the truth, a journalism student misguidedly finds herself in a storm of intrigue, jealousy, devil worship, and the haunting of misunderstood forces that roam the college town. Will she discover the town’s long buried secrets? Or will she find out that some secrets are better left concealed?

This indie flick was a bit better than I hoped for when picking it up. Yes, it is by no means a great movie, but it is a solid entry with some originality and was decently entertaining. The characters were upright, the pacing was on target and the story built. Unfortunately, while the story was interesting, it was all over the place and decently clichéd. In addition, the acting was uneven and some of the cinematography was lacking in the typical low budget areas (sound, lighting, etc.) In the end, this was a watchable mixed bag of supernatural and slasher elements. Would I run out and watch it again? No, but it did hit the spot last night.

From Building a UFO Detector to Revisiting Kecksburg

This has been a fun week at the Institute as we are coming to the end of the quarter and have had some free time. During that time, my awesome class and I actually focused on and built a UFO Detector from some plans we discovered. Of course, we modified it some by adding a vintage AM radio in place of a bell, but the electromagnetic and electronic fundamentals are all in place. Working on this detector, we decided to watch some documentaries on local UFO sightings, including probably the most famous Pennsylvania incident, Kecksburg. Here is an article I wrote on the subject a few years ago, amazingly much of it is still relevant today.

On December 10, 2005, over two hundred experts, researchers, witnesses and visitors gathered in the rural town of Kecksburg, PA to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Kecksburg Incident. An incident that remains one of the most mysterious and controversial UFO related occurrences in United States history. Unfortunately, even after 40 years, questions remain on what exactly happened.

In fact, the only thing that is certain after all this time is something did crash in this small town, forever changing the make-up of this community, almost tearing it apart at the seams.

From the outset of the afternoon, it was clear that this amazing ensemble of people were here for more than a party, many interested bystanders were there in hopes of information and disclosure. The ceremony started with researcher Stan Gordon presenting a historical look at what exactly occurred on December 9, 1965. Gordon has been researching the Kecksburg Incident for three decades and is the pre-emanate expert on the subject.

As a researcher and Pennsylvania native (I grew up a mere 25 miles from Kecksburg), this topic has always intrigued me. As with everything that I research, I cannot find enough information.

“Regardless of what came down, we need to know the truth,” states Gordon “what was so important that our government still holds it secret after 40 years.” I do not think anyone could have said it better. What was so important? Especially when you consider the fact that the official US government stance on Kecksburg is “our searchers failed to find an object,” found in a small blurb in the unclassified Project Blue Book papers. This information isn’t even correct in those pages, listing the location of the incident in Acme, PA.

Eyewitness testimony and accounts totally contradict the government statements, it reveals that there were a lot more than three government officials in the area and something was found and recovered by the US military. The first reporter on the scene Bob Gatty, reported, “he was greeted by a group of military officials when he got to the scene,” in his initial newspaper reports.

The Kecksburg Incident almost disappeared from the map, until the television program Unsolved Mysteries returned it to the mainstream in 1990. The show brought out new evidence and witnesses. Witnesses that place this mysterious “acorn shaped” object first at Lockbourne AFB in Ohio, and then finally at Wright Patterson AFB, the actual home for Project Blue Book and ironically in the original flight path of the object on the afternoon of December 9th. Witnesses in Ohio have stated that they saw two plains take-off and follow the capsule after it passed over the base.

So what could be so important that our government would cover-up its recovery? For the longest time, one of the theories that had a large amount of backing was the recovery of a failed Russian Venus Probe, Cosmos 96. After all, Cosmos 96 did return to earth’s atmosphere on December 9th, 1965. If that was the case, a cover-up would be understandable at that time during the “Cold War.” Unfortunately, government data, including the orbital coordinates of the craft, and even the Russian Space Agency has ruled out this possibility. Besides, the size and shape of Cosmos 96 does not match that of the “acorn shaped” debris reportedly recovered by the government. Cosmos 96 was cylindrical shaped, but it measured only three feet in diameter, not the 15-plus feet documented in eyewitness reports in Kecksburg.

More importantly, it was discovered that no other man-made space debris entered the atmosphere on that date. Researchers know that pictures of the debris were taken prior to its removal from the wooded area, unfortunately, like the other documentation requested, none of these pictures can be found.

True to form, NASA released a statement on December 8th, 2005, stating that the debris was actually the Russian Craft, unfortunately, they claimed to have “misplaced the craft and all of the documentation,” making their statement useless.

The one thing that makes that statement is interesting though is that it was not provided to researchers previously, even after the organization was actually taken to court by the Coalition of Freedom of Information (CFI) and the Sci-Fi Channel in 2002. Both NASA and the Department of Defense were placed in the spotlight after these groups were denied information during the preparation of a 2002 documentary.

These stonewalling measures are still being practiced by these organizations, as I have witness by the denial of my own Freedom of Information Act requests. I provided the United States Army and Department of Defense with specific detachment information, location, date and time and have received only a “we no longer have records over 25 years old” answer, written almost 30 days after the case was opened by their offices. I don’t know about you, but two weeks to provide that specific answer doesn’t add up.

CFI received a boost in their fight against the government, when former President Clinton Chief of Staff John Podesta joined the fight. Podesta is one of the biggest advocates against government secrecy and has been responsible for the release of over 50,000 previously classified documents. While Podesta remains a skeptic on the existence of extra terrestrial beings, he pushes for disclosure if it exists.

During the press conference announcing the suit, Podesta states, “people should know the truth, can handle the truth and it is the law!” Podesta’s statement rings true for Kecksburg and the many hidden incidents that have occurred throughout history that have been washed away by our leaders.

While this case remains in the hands of our federal court system, with no apparent end in sight, new witnesses and information is still being discovered daily. These strides, while small, may eventually lead to the discovery of what exactly happened in this rural community.

 

The Dead Want Women (2012)

On Sunday night, I treated myself to some of the true independence of Tromaville with the ultra low budget flick Kill. While not perfect, I decided to stay in that surreal low budget arena with something from old faithful Charles Band, in 2012s The Dead Want Women.

Plot/ Beginning at a stylish mansion in the roaring 1920's, a socialite, flappers, and the men who love them come to their ultimate demise. These ghosts continue to haunt the mansion throughout the decade. Now they've come back to haunt and chase after a new generation of beautiful girls.

First off, anyone expecting a masterpiece should be shot in the head for they must be zombies already. I mean with a title like The Dead Want Women and being a Charles Band / Full Moon flick, you should have a good idea on what you are about to watch. Honestly, this was about what I expected when I picked it up, complete with uneven acting, cheesy effects, an outrageous storyline and boobs (and I was even shocked at how soon they appeared on the screen. On top of those normal items, this one had a solid soundtrack and decent cinematography as well. Sure, it was far from coherent, lacked a lot plot and some of the performances were wretched, but to me that was all right. Sure this was not a good film or pure cheesefest and I have seen better from Band and Full Moon, but it was an interesting journey and one that I glad to have watched.

Kill (2011)

Last night as I was settling down for my Father’s Day movie, I decided that I wanted to venture into the world of true independence. Yes, something from Troma, as their flicks (no matter how bad) always seem to have something interesting in them. My selection for the evening was Kill from 2011

Plot/ Six strangers awake to find themselves the new tenants of a mysterious old house. Terrorized by insane Tiki-men in masks and taunted by their deranged captors,it soon becomes clear that only one singular action will save them: Kill.

I really love Troma and the true independent cinema that they produce. Of course, with that true no-budget independence, there are many facets of their films that need to be overlooked when reviewing them like sound, special effects and cinematography quality. Ironically, this film actually had some positives in these areas with solid sound, decent cinematography and good effects.  Unfortunately, with this one, a poor script that keeps the dialogue stuck in neutral takes down the unique storyline. Couple that with the typical uneven and uncomfortable acting and it makes it a hard feature to watch. In the end, even with the solid effects, grisly moments and a decent ending, this was a struggle to watch (although, it is much better than Poe, which I suffered through this weekend).  However, if like me you love true independent cinema, you may want to watch for the Tiki-Men and ending, they are pretty good.

The Innkeepers (2011)

After a night of murders and strange killers, it was time to find something a bit different for my pre-Father’s Day viewing. While I could have watched SyFy for an evening with one of their crazy creature features, I decided to find something a bit more believable. With that in mind, I decided on the Ti West paranormal flick The Innkeepers.

Plot/ During the final days at the Yankee Pedlar Inn, two employees determined to reveal the hotel's haunted past begin to experience disturbing events as old guests check in for a stay.

It had been some time since I watched a solid ghost story. I am tired of all the hand-cam or found footage stuff; I wanted just a sound spooky flick like the ones from my youth. Guess what, that is exactly what this one is. This is just one of the straightforward, slowly paced, flicks with just enough creepiness to keep your attention throughout. Sure, the flick may lack an abundance of scares, and there is no gore, but it is a tremendous story and would be a perfect flick for dark and rainy night. This Ti West flick is not for everyone, as the pacing is slow and it did not totally capitalize on the atmosphere that was ripe for the taking, but it is well worth watching.

Poe (2012)

While I love no-budget indie flicks, some just make it so difficult to watch. While I know they work under extremely strict confines of funding, there are some parts of a film that should be there regardless of budget. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. One such film is my next review, 2012s Poe.

Plot/ Brilliant and wealthy Dr. Andrew Casey is a serial killer who goes by the name 'The Chef'. One night eleven years ago his wife found out. He was arrested and imprisoned at Marathon County Asylum for the criminally insane. Eleven years pass and he is released, completely rehabilitated and moves to Los Angeles under the alias Mr. Jack Conway. Yuppie and former teacher, Johnathon Poe, a descendant of the famed writer Edgar Allan Poe and a brilliant writer in his own right is about to form a bond with the chef as the great doctor begins his spree of killings and cannibalism again.

This is the epitome of no-budget indie flick. There is so much wrong with this one that it may take me a while to get to it, but for something that had to be filmed for something below a shoestring budget, it did keep my interest longer than some. Of course, this one suffers from the typical sound, picture and scripting flaws that plague these flicks. In fact, the whole premise is a bit out there, but more than anything, much of the poor acting is what makes this one fall flat. Sure, the characterization and storyline does not help the acting much, but there was a lot of room for improvement. In the end, while this one had some interesting moments, it was extremely hard to watch and I could not do it again.

Madison County (2011)

After taking a few days off from watching movies and looking at the paranormal unexplained world from a more scientific eye, it was time to get back to some entertainment.  The first flick I grabbed for my Fathers Day weekend viewing was the 2011 low budget entry, Madison County.

Plot/ A group of college kid’s travel to a small, mountain town called Madison County to interview the author of a tell-all book on the accounts of several grisly murders that happened there. However, when the kids get to Madison County, the author is nowhere to be found and the town’s people act as if they have not seen him in years. They also say that the killer never existed and the murders never happened. However, when the kids start digging around to get their own answers, they find out that the stories may be more real than the townspeople are letting on!

When I saw this box at Family Video, I was drawn in by the thought of a pig-masked psychopath and that is what I got. Unfortunately, this one does little to rise above or set itself apart from some of the other flicks in the backwoods setting. It is definitely full of cliché.  I will say that the quality of filmmaking was there (minus some editing flaws) for such a low reported budget, giving hope that with a bigger budget movies from Eric England could be something. There was an extremely uneasy and believable atmosphere throughout. However, there was some pacing issues early on, the characterization never hit home with everything sort of running together and there was a lack of gore (a lot of blood splatter though), all things that hurt the film overall. In the end, it was a bit too subdued and lacked originality. Sure, I would not run out and buy this one, bit it did have some entertaining moments and could help pass a couple hours if you need to.

Unexpected Paranormal Guests

Over time, a haunting can loose its power, almost dwindling away to nothing. However, a haunting will sometimes be recharged, especially in areas that possess a high amount of energy. While recharging a haunting is an inexact science, these following factors seem to provide a link. The factors are renovations, aura similarities, electrical fields or medium contact.

As ghost hunters, we would like nothing more than to experience the full force of a haunting, complete with full bodied apparitions, detailed sightings and viable evidence. However, recharging a haunting can also bring forth some unwanted side effects, one being demonic entities and potential possession.

               

Aura similarities usually take place when the spirit inside the location and a person in the house share a similar being and aura. When this happens that spirit may absorb energy from the person, providing a means of growing stronger. This can happen at any time, with any object. Remember that a spirit does not always attach itself to a location; it can attach itself to an item as well. Surely, everyone has seen haunted items on Ebay, don't laugh, some of these may be real.

               

Large electrical fields provide a great breeding ground for the paranormal. It is a known fact that paranormal activity is higher around electrical fields. The elevated energy field provides a great power source for spirit activity and a calling card for other unexplained activity including UFO sightings.

               

Medium contact is one of the most documented ways to interact and recharge a spirit. This contact can be made during a séance or by using an Ouija Board. Unfortunately, using these tools to contact the dead has been known to create many unexpected results and open doorways that are often more powerful then originally hoped for.

               

These dominant and unwanted demonic entities often find their way into this realm after being invited during what was conceived as a harmless act, usually by people dabbling into some form of divination they are unfamiliar with. Playing with Ouija Boards, automatic writing or other necromantic practices are usually the common tools used to open these vortexes, with Ouija Boards and automatic writing being the most familiar. Please note: You will never know exactly what you are contacting when you use these tools. It is quite possible that you could open a doorway that allows a malevolent spirit into this world instead of your original target. Always use caution!

               

I am sure that everyone reading this has heard of the Ouija Board, the Parker Brothers game that has caused uproar almost from the day it hit the shelves. From the French and German words for "yes," oui and ja, this game has brought divination into the mainstream. While some call it good-willed fun, others consider it work of the devil himself.

               

Precursors to the Ouija Board have been around for centuries, used by ancient oracles to communicate with the dead. Some form of these legends are sprinkled throughout history in many different and diverse cultures from China-to-Greece-to even-Native Americans, where they used these practices to find missing items or to obtain information from the unseen world.

               

Originally developing a huge following during (and after) World War I, when many citizens were caught up in attempting to contact their lost beloved's, the game found a second life in the 1960's and 70's as society started to readily accept occult and supernatural practices. Movies such as The Exorcist and Witchboard also provided a boost to the potential dark side of their being, while casting an even more unfavorable light onto them in religious circles. Even today, Ouija Boards are still at the heart of many debates and their uses, helpful and harmful, continue to be a hot topic amongst ghost hunters.

One of the lesser known ways of divination that has a potentially dangerous after affect is automatic writing. Automatic writing is the use of the subconscious mind and spirit world to produce messages from the other side. If used properly, this can be a great tool. Many best-selling writers actually claim that they use this when working on novels, letting their mind take them to a higher level of being. Unfortunately, it also has a dark side. The use of automatic writing can also act as a homing beacon for evil, if it is used improperly.

               

In the case of both the Ouija Board and automatic writing, when a demon is conjured using these means of contact, it usually extremely difficult to vanquish. As a ghost hunter, you should never attempt to work on an investigation if you even suspect a demonic entity is present. Always contact a demonologist, a priest or someone specifically familiar with dealing with this type of phenomena; their experience will be a valuable asset during the entire ordeal.

You Can Help Save the Bigfoot Discovery Museum

On a day when I was reminiscing of my days in the field as a researcher, and possibly preparing to get back at it, a small nugget appeared on my timeline on twitter (@ScarletCircus). The famed Bigfoot Discovery Museum in California is facing a grave period and may be forced to close. In fact, if a little over four thousand dollars are not raised by June 29, this landmark may not just close; it may see all of its assets auctioned off.

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the museum and have to say it is not only an entertaining place to visit, but it is also one of the more educational locations I have seen focused on this mysterious cryptid. In meeting with proprietor Mike Rugg, you find a man dedicated to discovering the origins of Bigfoot and person who has risked everything in this endeavor, all the while never asking for anything in return, not even an admission fee. 

While this is admirable, it is definitely hard to maintain facilities to house one of (if not the best) Bigfoot related collections known. Not to mention, the vast amount f knowledge that he freely hands out.  Now you can help save this collective of knowledge by visiting (if you are nearby), donating or browsing through his web-store, which can be found on his website.  Even if donating is not in your cards, swing by the website and view some of detailed content available, such as the Discovery Project Newsletter or the links to the YouTube page that has a lot of solid Bigfoot related commentary. 

Much like the Save the Chapel initiative dedicated to saving a piece of Horror History, this is worthwhile cause that can help save a tremendous resource in the Bigfoot research community. For further details, visit, http://bigfootdiscoveryproject.com/, for all of the latest happenings.

Chupacabra: Mysterious Cryptid or Government Experiment?

During a talk with my mother over dinner the other night, she raised the possibility of me doing some paranormal investigations for the local historical society. As some readers may know, at one time I had a chance to spend a lot of time in the field researching the different facets of the Cryptozoological or Paranormal realms. Unfortunately, over the past few months I have been limited in getting out as I am becoming used to my new surroundings now that I am retired. This conversation though sparked me to look at some of my past research, like this article on the famed Chupacabra.

There is a mysterious creature roaming the wilderness throughout the vast reaches Spanish-speaking cultures. From Puerto Rico to Chile, and to an extent, every country in between, this hated creature of the night has come from nowhere, to prey on innocent farmers and their livestock. This creature is the Chupacabra.

The name Chupacabra, translates to goatsucker in Spanish, was named by farmers for the creature's source of quarry in their earliest attacks. The Chupacabra's earliest victims were goats and other types of livestock. These attacks would happen at night, with the owner discovering their animals drained of blood from small puncture wounds in the neck early in the morning after an attack.

So what is the Chupacabra? As most cryptids studied in Cryptozoology, there have been no specimens recovered, leading to a wide variety of descriptions and theories to its existence. In most accounts, there are some similarities, so we will start there with our description.

In most cases, the Chupacabra is a bipedal creature roughly four to five feet tall. Most reports describe this fascinating creature as a cross between a "Grey" alien hybrid and a small erect bipedal dinosaur. The creature's humanoid appearance comes mostly from the size and shape of the head and eyes. The long oval-shaped head houses large alien-like red, or in some case black eyes. The creature is also said to have some vampire-like qualities, having four large fang-like teeth that aid it during its attacks. In most cases, this cryptid has two small arms with a three-fingered clawed hand, two strong hind reptilian-like legs. It also is said to have spinal quills line its back. Quills that some witnesses claim are used for flight.

One of the mot interesting facets of the legend of the Chupacabra is its ability to change colors at will. Most descriptions report that this creature is covered in thick black hair. In the dark, it will change to black or a deep brown color, while during the day; it will change to green, green-gray, light brown or beige, depending on its location and surroundings.

So where did this creature come from? The modern story of the Chupacabra originated in the small Puerto Rican township of Canóvanas, where numerous sightings sprouted up in the mid 1990's. However, in many ways, El Chupacabras was preceded by a Puerto Rican monster known as the Moca Vampire, which came to being during a UFO flap in 1975.

The sightings of the Moca Vampire are eerily familiar to those of the modern Chupacabra, where farmers discovered a large number of small animals and livestock murdered after a rash of UFO sightings. When these small animals were discovered, investigators discovered that they had been totally drained of blood. The only sign of this tragedy were small puncture wounds on the animals and strangely, they did not discover any signs of struggle.

These encounters started again in March 1995 and the legend of the Chupacabra was born. From that day until today, this legend continues to grow with the creature migrating as far north as the United States.

Estimates and reports have the Chupacabra being responsible for the deaths of over 2000 animals ranging from other livestock to household pets. These animals are discovered with the same pattern of circular holes about 1/4" - 1/2" in diameter arranged in either pairs of a triangular fashion. The locations of these wounds vary as well, with reports finding them in the neck, chest, belly, and anal areas of the victim. In some cases, there are also reports of missing organs, with no visible means of extraction. In most cases, these organs dealt with the reproductive or sexual organs, and the eyes.

One of the more interesting facts discovered by researchers, is that the majority of attacks lead to instantaneous death to the prey, with an almost euthanasia technique, that limits the amount of suffering felt by the prey.

While there are many theories to what the Chupacabra is, I personally feel that it is a government experiment gone awry. It is a known fact that many large pharmaceutical companies are housed throughout Spanish-speaking locations and often fly under the radar when it comes to oversight, especially in the realm of genetics.

In some reports, even the United States government has dabbled into the area of genetic mutation. Could the Chupacabra be a genetic mutation of individuals exposed to a dioxin-based chemical agent and gamma radiation? Until one is captured we will never know.

Another popular theory has the Chupacabra being of Alien origin. In many cases, large triangular shapes and unexplained lights are seen in conjunction with sightings. Researchers have found that these cases have been documented throughout Puerto Rico. To me, while interesting, the UFOs or triangular lights do not take the government off of the hook.

Throughout the years, some experts have claimed that the Chupacabra is nothing more then attacks from stray animals such as dogs or illegal exotic animals. Unfortunately, with the way the prey is euphemized. If wild animals were responsible, wouldn't there be more of a struggle and wouldn't the prey struggle to survive? Throughout my years of research, I have never found a wild animal had the ability to instantly kill its prey.

While I have yet been able to arrange a trip to Puerto Rico or South America in search of the Chupacabra, I maintain that something exists. Although, from a Cryptozoological aspect, I feel it is more of an out-of-control government experiment, with a sinister background.

Zombie Crawl in the Monroeville Mall - June 24, 2012

The guys at Monroeville Zombies have come together with the group from Save the Chapel to organize the ZombieCrawl in the Monroeville Mall on June 24, 2012.  That’s right, a Zombie Walk inside the famed Monroeville Mall, home of the George Romero classic Dawn of the Dead.

This event, sponsored by: The It’s Alive Show; Screaming Brain Studio; & Funhouse Arcade, is an event that is a must for zombie enthusiasts in the Pittsburgh Area.

Schedule:

10:00 AM – Arrival and line up
10:30AM – Zombie Crawl
12:00 NOON – Zombie Museum Party with games, celebrities, refreshments,
2:00PM – Zombie Costume & Talent Pageant

All proceeds will benefit the Save the Chapel movement, an organization dedicated to rebuilding and preserving a part of horror history, the Chapel seen in the opening scenes of the classic Night of the Living Dead.

All participating Zombies are encouraged to donate a non-perishable food product, to help support the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Intermedio (2005)

Well, I never made it to Family Video last night after dinner and was stuck with my pay channels and on Demand for a movie. Needless to say, I was not optimistic, as nothing truly caught my eye on Friday. What did I choose? The 2005 supernatural entry Intermedio.

Plot/ A group of four teenage friends become trapped in a Mexican border tunnel where they fall prey, one-by one, to tortured ghosts who haunt it.

I had a bad feeling about this one when I selected it from The Movie Channel on Demand, and that feeling was right on the money. This low budget entry from The Asylum really offered nothing but cliché and bad CGI. Honestly, it was a perfect entry for the SyFy Channel and their cheesefests. This is actually unfortunate, as there was potential there for some great atmosphere if done right. Unfortunately, the sets look like a bad amusement park ride, the acting is uneven at best and the scripting does nothing to build tension.  In the end, there is some blood and it had a few moments, but this is what it is; a cheesy low budget B movie targeted at the SyFy Channel crowd, and if you like that you should enjoy this one. If that is not your cup of tea, stay away.