Night of the Living Dead (1990)

As I sit down tonight, I wanted to finish with the last movie I watched last week that I haven’t had time to review. While many people will shun this one because it is a remake (and I was one), it does deserve to be seen. That movie is the 1990 zombie flick Night of the Living Dead.

Plot/ The unburied dead return to life and seek human victims.

I will be one of the first to admit that I had stayed away from this one for a long time. As a fun of the original masterpiece, it was difficult for me to even consider watching a remake that in my opinion was not needed. However, after the tragic passing of George Romero, I wanted to venture back into this influential world and give the remake a shot. Directed by Tom Savini, this one was actually much better than I expected, and I am disappointed that I waited so long to give it a shot. Clearly made for a different generation of viewer, this version does off many of the same social commentaries that made the original so powerful. The zombie make-up is amazing, the updated characterizations (especially Barbara) work really well, and it is fun to watch everything come to life in color. Yes, the colorization does take away from some of the darker atmosphere and there was much less gore than I would have expected with Savini at the helm (but, I do understand because the film stayed true to the original), but those are but minor flaws in the overall world of the living dead. In the end, this movie was much better than I anticipated and it is a movie that is worth watching (at least once). If you have not seen it, give it a shot.

Bigfoot: The Movie (2015)

As I sit down and try to catch up on some of the flicks I missed reviewing over the past week, I would be out of my mind to forget this one. While it is far from Oscar worthy, it is what it is. This is the local (for me) 2015 creature feature Bigfoot: The Movie.

Plot/ Bigfoot has come to the town of Ellwood City, PA and is causing BIG problems. Now it's up to four town locals, Chuck, Dale, Burl, and Kate to take him down.

When I rented this one at Family Video, I expected a no-budget schlockfest that would harken back to some of the great low-budget, straight to VHS entries, and that is exactly what I got. This Kickstarter-funded entry may not be the best movie, it may be completely unbelievable, and it may lack the big budget effects that many films have, but it is funny. Being from SW PA, I could relate to the characters as I see many of those stereotypical characterizations in real life on a daily basis (believe me, these people are real and this is likely how some would act if a sasquatch was on the loose. The performances are definitely uneven and the there are some head scratching moments, but honestly, this adds to the campy fun that is contained within the storyline. Who knew that a female Bigfoot could become a potential tourist destination? In the end, if you are searching for a serious Bigfoot flick, this one is definitely not for you. However, if you are looking for a creature feature that is more camp than substance, this one is for you; especially if you are from Southwestern Pennsylvania and grew up with some typical yinzers and jagoffs.

Big Brother is Watching - 1984

As we move through 2017, it is clear that there is an assault taking place on open-minded thought and free speech. Everywhere you turn, there is censorship to the highest degree. On top of that, the social networks, computer companies, and governments are admitting that the track your every move, manipulate your viewing exposure and read your emails. 

Over the past few years, many actions have helped pull back the shroud on the Ministry of Truth that is in full effect. Between the release of the Snowden files and the amazing work of WikiLeaks exposing the real face of the media, there is hope. As people around the globe begin to wake-up and see the Police State that is developing. Hopefully, changes can be made to stop the totalitarian regimes and prevent a complete transition into a full dystopian nightmare. 

We are truly in the Big Brother era. With that in mind, I am heading out today to see a stage adaptation of the classic 1984 at the Prime Stage Theater.  A full review of this compelling story will come tonight. 

The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Hollywood Theater (Pittsburgh)

Last night was awesome! Finally, after three years here in Pennsylvania, we made our way to another showing of the cult classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This showing, at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont, was backed by the Junior Chamber of Commerce Players (steelcityrockyhorror.com), who were tremendous. This performance will ale be part of a documentary in the film, Rocky Horror Saved My Life, which was filming throughout. 

The atmosphere rocked, the people friendly, and all had a good time. Plus, what made this showing even better was the fact that we decided to take three of the daughters to it for their first time. Sure, because of their ages, they did not take part in some of the early fanfare, but I am sure, their lives were changed for the better after experiencing the awesomeness of Rocky Horror with a cast.

Here are some pictures from last night:

You Can Help Support the Road Trip of the Dead

Many people believe that the birthplace of the zombie genre is centered in the Pittsburgh area. That comes for a great reason. Director George A. Romero has centered many of his masterpieces in and around the Steel City. Horror fans from across the globe hit the city and the surrounding area to find these horror hotspots. Of course, much as that landscape has disappeared over the years and they discover a much different backdrop.

Today, a couple of independent filmmakers (with help from Pittsburgh original, Iron City beer) are setting out to create a movie focused on these horror fans. Unfortunately, what they find is not what they expected and their documentary runs awry.

With any low-budget entry, the filmmakers need support to give their vision life.  At this point, they have secured commitments for horror icon Tom Savini, and Night of the Living Dead alum Gary Streiner (Living Dead Festival) to make appearances in the film, which is a reality-based slasher instead of the somewhat predictable zombie entry.

To help with this endeavor, creators William Sanders and Kevin Kriess launched an Indiegogo campaign to help fund the film and could use all the help they can get to boost their subsidy efforts. Road Trip of the Dead looks like an awesome project and one that should make any SW Pennsylvania horror fan excited to help out; for more information on this movie, check out their facebook page or their Indiegogo site.

Happy Birthday H.P. Lovecraft

Today was an interesting day. While my class was going over some practice solder boards prior to building their fiber optic voice link, I was reminded that it was H.P. Lovecraft’s birthday. Next to Edgar Allan Poe, Lovecraft is one of my biggest influences in my creative process and is a literary genius. While some of the adaptations of his movies have not been great, his influence can be seen all over horror cinema.

During the viewing of The Thing (2011) for my last review, I was reminded of that influence, as many of the creatures depicted in that film had many Lovecraftian traits. Honestly, I would prefer the aliens in this world being more Reptilian than Lovecraftian, as we would have a chance against the Reptilians.

Of course, the realm of Cthulhu is one of many different paths, and the ancients of the mythos are some of the most interesting ever created. But, were they created, or did they come from some lost part of history? Could Cthulhu be the ancients legends talk about from Planet X? Yes, that may be a stretch, but the fact that the Necronomicon made its first modern appearance in the works of Lovecraft, may be an insight to some other power and understanding at work.

Sure, I am speculating with this thought, but there is truly so much that we do not understand with history and science, that links are sometimes ignored that should be seen differently.

Now I can move onto one other topic that came up in class, a recent UFO sighting near Pittsburgh. One of my students captured an interesting red glowing orb moving erratically in the sky on Sunday night and captured a couple of images. While there is not a ton of detail, the fact that these sightings are on a semi-regular basis, does add some evidential proof. Couple that with the fact that this is a student at an aviation school, and the notion of a mistaken craft identity can be somewhat dismissed as well.

While the idea of UFOs and H.P. Lovecraft may be somewhat unrelated to most observers, to me, both have origins that lie at the heart of what is most likely Forbidden History.   

Videodrome (1983)

With January in the books, it is hard to believe how fast that month went by. Of course, it does help when you are focused on a goal or an agenda. For me, it has been spreading the word about the Constitution and how no one has the right to walk on our greatest document. Unlike some people, I plan to stand against the tyranny and work to keep our liberties in tact. Tonight, I decided to venture back into a simpler part of my life, 1980s, with the David Cronenberg classic Videodrome.

Plot/ A sleazy cable-TV programmer begins to see his life and the future of media spin out of control in a very unusual fashion when he acquires a new kind of programming for his station.

It had been a while since I had enjoyed this Cronenberg classic. This was one of the first surrealistic flicks that I watched as growing up in the 1980s, and I believe it is still one of the best of the genre. By all accounts, this is a great film, and one that has stood up to the test of time quite well. In fact, it may be quite relevant today. I understand that this is not truly about mind control, but, some of the horrors outlined in this flick are almost commonplace today. For some, the layered storyline may be confusing and turn them off, but as a fan of surrealism, this one is right on the money. The cinematography was awesome, the visual effects work, and the performances are solid, especially James Woods and Debbie Harry. More importantly, the storyline is amazing, featuring multi-layered journey into another realm. In the end, this one is definitely not for everyone, especially the close-minded. However, it is a true piece of cinematic history that must be seen. 

PlayHouse (2003)

I am a sucker for low-budget or no-budget horror, especially when they are filmed in the local area (Pittsburgh). Having watched the low-budget snoozer yesterday, I was actually cringing a little at the thought of watching the next flick I have sitting here. Fortunately, I sucked it up and decided to watch PlayHouse (2003).

Plot/ After years hiding in the shadows, the ancient ghosts of an old Pittsburgh theater make their presence known once again. When theater employees and students start dropping like flies # and in gruesome fashion - a bumbling detective and two incompetent local cops start a hilariously spooky and disgusting search for the truth. Five students may have what it takes to find the answer... but will they survive the search? Will they be terrified? Will girls run around in their underwear?... Yes. Discover the secrets of the PlayHouse.

Wow, nothing like two no-budget Indie flicks in a row for me (at least this one is based near home in Pittsburgh)… However, while this flick comes across as a no-budget entry, there is definite some potential here inside Hunter F. Roberts one-man show. Yes, the sound ranges from good to poor, the storyline is all over the place, the sets are below average and there are some hiccups in the technical arena, but somehow, there is something entertaining and somewhat original inside.  Once this black comedy starts rolling, it feels like a tribute to some of the great semi-comedy horror classics to the past (complete with the characters, blood and guts).  One thing biggest surprises, besides the large amount of very good effects featuring blood, an allotment of bodies and limbs and puke, was the acting, which was actually decent in most cases (the costuming – Not so much).  While this flick is not for everyone, fans of no-budget horror should enjoy it (and get some laughs). If you do not like that type of faire, stay away.