HK and Cult Film News's Fan Box

Friday, May 31, 2019

MORE Rare 3 Stooges Comedy Scenes! (From "Swing Parade of 1946") (video)





In this Monogram release, the Stooges are dishwashers...

...who help a singer (Gale Storm) and a nightclub owner (Phil Regan) find love.

Some of their earlier MGM bits with Ted Healy are reprised...
...as well as scenes from their Columbia shorts.

The film was made after Curly's initial series of minor strokes... 
...which noticeably affected his performances and appearance.

Although the film has the usual low-budget Monogram atmosphere...
...the boys do their best to liven things up.

And despite his ill health Curly has some great moments.

One sequence reworks bits from "A-Plumbing We Will Go" and its remakes.

Finally, the Stooges get the formal treatment during the big finale.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!



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Thursday, May 30, 2019

THE ODDS -- DVD Review by Porfle




Writer-director Bob Giordano (the upcoming GATES OF FLESH) isn't fooling around with his feature film debut, the nail-biting suspense thriller THE ODDS (2018).

Not counting a brief fantasy scene or two, the whole thing takes place in one dingy warehouse room with a table and two chairs, wherein a stunning contest takes place--one woman, billed as "The Player" (Abbi Butler, THE BENCHWARMERS, KILLING CHRISTIAN) competes with a number of other unseen players around the world to see who can survive a series of challenges, while the "Game Master" (James J. Fuertes, "Doom Patrol") oversees his own player while keeping track of the others' progress via an earpiece.




Naturally, each round consists of an increasingly difficult and painful task that will have viewers cringing in sympathetic pain.  The Player must continue until the others either fail or drop out, in hopes of winning a million-dollar prize as gamblers wager on the results. She's doing it all for her daughter, a worthy goal which drives her on.

The Game Master, meanwhile, offers helpful advice and sympathy as he talks her through each round and gives first aid to her increasingly grievous wounds.  He's so nice, in fact, that we begin to suspect his actual intentions.

Before long we even start wondering whether or not he's lying to her about how the game is progressing elsewhere. Is he just toying with her to satisfy his own sinister sadistic impulses?

 


Giordano keeps us guessing about this and other things, but the main question that drives THE ODDS along with such edge-of-the-seat suspense is how bad will the next round be, and can she get through it?

The first, holding her hand over a candle flame until the number of players has decreased to a certain minimum, seems bad enough, but turns out to be child's play.  Before it's over, she will have put herself through perversely creative agonies that might be described as self-inflicted torture porn.

As the tasks intensify, so does the conflict between Player and Game Master until fascades fall away and true faces emerge.  The stakes are ramped up as well and the rules keep changing until she's not even sure if he's still following them or making new ones up as he goes along.




It's the classic two character, one setting conflict drama that works well on stage and is even more impressive when pulled off this deftly on the movie screen. Director Giordano succeeds in keeping things well-paced and visually interesting with creative camera angles and editing, while both lead actors are so into their roles as to be utterly convincing.

While it's hardly as unbearable as the Russian roulette sequence from THE DEER HUNTER, those who agonized their way through that will have a good idea of what they're getting into when they watch THE ODDS.  It's a harrowing and dramatically intense experience, and even manages to give us a slam-bang shoot-em-up ending to go with its final plot twist. 


Official website

PROGRAM INFORMATION
VOD: Available on Apple iTunes and other Leading Digital Providers
DVD: Available at Amazon and Walmart.com
Directed/Written by: Bob Giordano
Starring: Abbi Butler, James J. Fuertes
Producer: Alan McKenna
Distribution: 4Digital Media
Run Time: 107 Minutes
Rating: NR
Genre: Horror
Aspect Ratio: 16x9 (1.78:1)
Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo and 5.1 Surround
Language: English (no subtitles)





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NEON To Release Bong Joon-Ho’s Palme D'or Winner "PARASITE" on October 11, 2019




NEON TO RELEASE BONG JOON-HO’S PALME D'OR WINNER 

“PARASITE” 

ON OCTOBER 11, 2019

May 30, 2019 – NEON, which just World Premiered Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite to critical acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival, will be releasing the unanimously chosen Palme d’Or Winner on October 11, 2019 in Los Angeles and New York, positioning the title as a prime awards season contender in the international film category and beyond.  The lauded film will receive a traditional arthouse platform release.

Parasite, which critics described as “brilliant,” an “exceptional pitch-black tragicomedy” and a “nerve-racking masterpiece,” marks Bong's comeback to Korean language film following Okja and Snowpiercer. It is also his fourth collaboration with Song Kang-Ho (Snowpiercer, The Host, Memories of Murder) who stars in the film. Parasite marks the 5th collaboration between NEON CEO, Tom Quinn and director Bong Joon-Ho. Quinn released Bong’s Snowpiercer to become one of the highest grossing multi-platform titles of all time.

Bong Joon-ho brings his singular skillset home to Korea in this pitch-black modern fairytale.

Meet the Park Family: the picture of aspirational wealth. And the Kim Family, rich in street smarts but not much else. Be it chance or fate, these two houses are brought together and the Kims sense a golden opportunity. Masterminded by college-aged Ki-woo, the Kim children expediently install themselves as tutor and art therapist to the Parks. Soon, a symbiotic relationship forms between the two families. The Kims provide “indispensable” luxury services while the Parks give the Kims a way out of their shabby circumstances. But this new ecosystem is fragile, and soon enough greed and class prejudice threaten to upend the Kims’ newfound comfort.

Kwak Sin Ae and Jang Young Hwan from Barunson E&A Corp produced, with CJ Entertainment handling international sales and set to distribute in Korea.

At Cannes, NEON also acquired Celine Sciamma’s highly acclaimed Portrait of a Lady on Fire, which won the Best Screenplay award.

The company recently garnered an Academy Award® nomination for Border, Sweden‘s entry for best foreign language film.   At Sundance, NEON premiered Todd Douglas Miller’s stunning cinematic event Apollo 11, which just surpassed $8 million at the box office, as well as John Chester’s The Biggest Little Farm.  The company has been picking up some of the hottest acquisitions, nabbing the rights to Alejandro Landers’ Monos starring Julianne Nicholson; Ljubomir Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska’s documentary Honeyland; Chinonye Chukwu’s Clemency, starring Academy Award® Nominee Alfre Woodard; Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala's horror film The Lodge; Abe Forsythe’s Little Monsters; and Julius Onah’s Luce.


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John Wayne's Coolest Scenes #40: No Turning Back, "The Big Trail" (1930) (video)




With frontier scout Breck Coleman (John Wayne) gone, the wagon train begins to lose hope.

Evil trail boss Flack (Tyrone Power) claims Coleman has abandoned them.

But Coleman returns just in time to remind everyone why they must go on.

It's a big acting moment for the young John Wayne in his first starring role.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!



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Wednesday, May 29, 2019

Shark Thriller "47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED" -- See New Trailer HERE!




47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED

Release Date: August 16th, 2019 (In Theatres Nationwide)


Genre: Horror
Director: Johannes Roberts


Synopsis: The film follows the story of four teen girls diving in a ruined underwater city, who quickly find themselves in a watery hell as their fun outing turns into heart-stopping fear when they learn they are not alone in the submerged caves.

As they swim deeper into the claustrophobic labyrinth of caves they enter the territory of the deadliest shark species in the ocean.

WATCH THE TRAILER



Cast: John Corbett, Nia Long, Sophie Nelisse, Corinne Foxx, Sistine Stallone, Brianne Tju, Davi Santos, Khylin Rhambo, Brec Bassinger



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Floating Rocks in "The Terror" (1963) w/Jack Nicholson & Boris Karloff (video)




In 1963 Roger Corman directed Karloff and Nicholson in this low-budget quickie...

...on sets left over from other films.

Nicholson's then-wife Sandra Knight costars.

As the film nears its end, Karloff, Knight, and Dick Miller wrestle in the raging flood waters.
Nicholson hurries to the scene.

Suddenly a stone wall gives way and the water is filled with...

...FLOATING ROCKS!


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!



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Tuesday, May 28, 2019

TERROR IN THE SKIES -- DVD Review by Porfle




Filmmaker Seth Breedlove (ON THE TRAIL OF BIGFOOT, THE MOTHMAN OF POINT PLEASANT, THE BRAY ROAD BEAST) once again indulges his fascination for cryptozoology with the documentary TERROR IN THE SKIES (Small Town Monsters, 2019).  Those also interested in the subject should find this latest foray into the mysterious world of phantom crypto-creatures to be a worthwhile diversion.

Breedlove goes way back in history to our first known encounters with large flying birds known by the Native Americans as "Thunderbirds" (they were often reported seen as a harbinger of approaching thunderstorms). 

These giant vulture-like beasts were reported to attack humans and even carry the smaller ones away to be consumed in a cave which one explorer claimed to have discovered strewn with human bones (this cave has never been found).


Flash forward several centuries to the areas of Illinois and Missouri that border the Mississippi River, and Breedlove's research turns up a wealth of eyewitness accounts of the huge flying creatures spanning the decades all the way up to 2016.

One of the most harrowing accounts is that of a mother who looked through the window to see her small son being carried away but surviving the encounter when the bird lost its grip.  Pets and livestock have also been seen to be swept up and taken into the skies.

Much of the documentary consists of scenic footage taken by the film crew in both rural and urban locations in the Illinois area (we see them doing so in the DVD's "production diary" bonus feature), which was then skillfully edited along with a lot of interesting interviews with learned researchers, witnesses, and other related parties to produce a fast-moving, pleasantly watchable experience enhanced by well-rendered animations, reenactments, newsreel footage (real and simulated), and other media. 


There's even some actual film footage purported to be of a genuine "thunderbird" sighting, although, being unsubstantiated, this must be taken with a grain of salt along with most of the documentary's other claims. 

Still, much of the eyewitness testimony sounds convincing, and we're shown newspaper clippings that tell of various "flaps" (periods of widespread sightings) which abound with firsthand accounts.

Breedlove goes on to explore Chicago's famous "Mothman" sightings, consisting of a terrifying human-like figure with large black wings that has been seen both in the city and surrounding environs. As in the bird-creature segments, he is careful to keep his film from becoming a full-fledged endorsement of such sightings while managing to present enough evidence and conjecture to leave the possibility of their veracity wide open.

 
Even for those who are skeptical that there are gigantic, man-eating birds or humanoid moth monsters roaming the skies over the Midwest, TERROR IN THE SKIES is a thought-provoking collection of personal accounts, historical records, and other materials over which to ponder and try to come up with an answer. For those inclined to believe, the answer is already there and the film is an exciting affirmation of how truly filled with unknown wonders our world can be.


Pre-order it from Small Town Monsters

Release date: June 7, 2019




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"Steamed Hams" But With A Live Audience ("The Simpsons") (video)




From the Season 7 episode of "The Simpsons" entitled "22 Short Films About Springfield"...

...comes this popular segment in which Principal Skinner hosts a disastrous dinner for Superintendent Chalmers.

It has since become popular (or was a few years ago anyway) to alter it in various humorous ways.

Here is our take on it.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!



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John Wayne Eye-Poked By A Hat Brim: "Texas Cyclone" (1932) (video)




In "Texas Cyclone" (1932), John Wayne and Tim McCoy...

...deal with a lowdown cattle-rustlin' hombre (Wallace MacDonald).

Watch young Duke get a hat-brim poke in the eye for his trouble!


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!


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GEMR Offers Fans a Chance to Win An Officially Licensed "Child's Play 2" Chucky Doll From Trick or Treat Studios, Signed by Director Tom Holland!




IT'S CHILD'S PLAY...FOR THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS!

GEMR'S COLLECTION COMPLETE OFFERS A LOOK AT SEAN CLARK'S SCREEN-USED CHUCKY DOLL


AND OFFERS THE ULTIMATE CHILD'S PLAY CONTEST FOR FANS

Gemr Offers Fans a Chance to Win An Officially Licensed Child's Play 2 Chucky Doll From Trick or Treat Studios


Signed by Director Tom Holland!



Unearthed by the docu-series Collection Complete (which takes an in-depth look into the lives of artists and the collections that fuel their work, as presented by Gemr, an app for collectors worldwide), the show’s latest episode takes a look at the impact of horror cinema on Los-Angeles based filmmaker and collector Sean Clark, as well as one of the items which reside within his jaw-dropping private collection of screen-used props: a Child’s Play doll from 2017’s Cult of Chucky.


A deep dive into Clark’s life-long fascination with genre film, the episode focuses on his preschool introduction to horror via the films The Exorcist and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, screen-used items from the latter director’s 1981 film The Funhouse which now exist in Clark’s collection, and one particularly creepy Good Guys doll which shares a shelf in his home with another diminutive demon, the evil Annabelle from The Conjuring films.

The series’ seventeenth episode (future installments are set to showcase other items in Clark’s collection, including a screen-used Hellraiser box and The Resonator prop from 1986’s From Beyond), past episodes of Collection Complete have ventured into the personal collections of filmmakers Mike Mendez of Tales of Halloween fame and designer, artist and pinup Micheline Pitt, among others.

Giveaway
What’s more, for the next four weeks, those who create a free account at Gemr.com’s horror club HERE will have a chance to WIN an Officially Licensed Child’s Play 2 Chucky Doll from Trick or Treat Studios (valued at over $500.00!) signed by the original Child’s Play director Tom Holland!

Collection Complete Horror Club Giveaway link: https://landing.gemr.com/ChildsPlay

Subscribe to the series' Youtube channel here to see previous episodes of Collection Complete, and for more on Collection Complete, ‘like’ them on Facebook here and follow them on Instagram at CollectionComplete and on Twitter at @CollectionComp.

ABOUT GEMR
Gemr is the leading platform for collectors to discover, display, discuss and buy & sell collectibles.  With over 75 million collectors worldwide, Gemr offers a vertically-integrated platform for all levels of collecting. Gemr currently has over 570,000 useres and over 540 unique clubs covering anime, gaming, horror, sci-fi, sports and more. Visit Gemr at www.gemr.com or download the app to join the Gemr world. 

Links
Subscribe to Collection Complete YOUTUBE channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuD4UbaSPjPV8sm78UdjF5A/featured

Collection Complete Episode 2.9 link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG9auaqJMz0&feature=youtu.be

Collection Complete Mid-Season 2 Trailer link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqPaIfatXmQ
 
Collection Complete Official Sites and Social Media

Official Site: www.collection-complete.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CollectionComplete
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/collectioncomplete
Twitter: https://twitter.com/collectioncomp


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Monday, May 27, 2019

RONDO -- DVD Review by Porfle




"Sex. Murder. Revenge." is the tagline for the colorfully noirish RONDO (Artsploitation Films, 2018), and it's as good a summary of the action as you could ask for.  Even better if you preface it with the words "Really, Really Twisted" and then add a few expletives such as "Yikes!" and "Holy squibs, Batman!"

Indy filmmaker Drew Barnhardt has written a doozy of a weird-but-fun script and directed the heck out of it by spinning his low budget into cinematic gold that looks as sharp and visually interesting as most movies you'll see on the big or small screen. And he has the kind of cast to work with in which there is no weak link.


Paul (Luke Sorge) is a PTSD-plagued war vet living with his sister Jill (Brenna Otts), who sends him to a therapist for help. Her diagnosis is odd--she not only suggests Paul keep drinking, but recommends he get a "good lay" and turns him on to a local fetish group that meets in a high-rise apartment where the password is (you guessed it) "Rondo."

The narrative up till then seems pretty straightforward, albeit with some distinct tongue-in-cheek touches like an overly arch narrator dispensing exposition and a bone dry, deadpan sense of humor that really comes into play after the "therapist prescribes drunken fetish orgy to disturbed war vet" moment.

What to reveal without spoiling it...?  Suffice it to say that once Paul says the magic word "Rondo" he enters into a world of illicit sex of the extremely weird kind.  And since RONDO is a horror-thriller with the tagline "Sex. Murder. Revenge.", things don't go well. In fact, Paul finds himself hunted by very bad people and his sister Jill gets sucked into the whole very sordid and very, very bloody affair.


It's sexy but in a "I feel so dirty" kind of way, and then comes the violence and extreme gore and nail-biting suspense which Barnhardt stages like a seasoned pro, pulling off several whiplash-inducing plot twists that yank the rug right out from under us. 

This is especially true during the scene where a couple of ruthlessly efficient killers invade Jill's home late at night while she and Paul are asleep, and in another sequence later on which finds Jill foolishly offering herself up as a sexual submissive in hopes of infiltrating the "Rondo" collective. 

Hitchcock fans may recognize a couple of plot elements that are very similar to PSYCHO and darn near as effective, including the introduction of a strong, take-charge character halfway through the story who we feel is going to really get to the bottom of this whole demented business and kick a few bad guy butts.



I also kept thinking that the oddball dialogue, quirky characters (especially the irredeemably vile villains), and off-kilter situations which quickly escalate into nerve-wracking peril for the protagonists were a lot like what might happen if Quentin Tarantino and Dean Koontz got peanut butter on each other's chocolate and vice versa.

Anyway, you got your prolifically-homicidal bad guys, your good guys drawn into a (seemingly) inescapable death trap of horror, graphic violence and gore, that irresistible Tarantino/Koontz sort of zing, and a director who makes it all look good. What's left? Ah, yes...revenge. 

That's where we find out that the tagline isn't just three separate words, but the ingredients which blend together into one of the most satisfying "revenge porn" endings you'll ever see.  As good as RONDO has been up till then--and it's been very, very good--it's during the last five or ten minutes when several dozen well-placed squibs give us that warm, fuzzy feeling that all's right with the world.


Official webpage

Watch the trailer

Buy it at Amazon

    Format: DVD
    Catalog: ART65
    UPC: 851597006759
    Number of discs: 1
    Country: USA
    Language: English (captions available)
    Rating: NR
    Year: 2018
    Length: 88
    Audio: Dolby 5.1
    Aspect ratio: 1.77:1    

    Bonus features: Director's commentary,
                    music commentary,
                    deleted scenes (with and without commentary),
                    art featurette,
                    two trailers



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Rare Three Stooges Comedy Scenes! (From "Time Out For Rhythm", 1941) (video)




In this Columbia musical-variety feature, Rudy Vallee plays a talent agent...

...plagued by three overly eager would-be performers, the Three Stooges.

After several unsuccessful auditions, they finally get their big chance!


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!



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Sunday, May 26, 2019

Laurel & Hardy's Most Disturbing Endings! (video)




As funny as Stan and Ollie were, they had a morbid streak...

...often ending their comedies in grotesque style...

...which one might consider more nightmarish than funny!

"Midnight Patrol" (1933)
"Going Bye Bye" (1934)
"The Live Ghost" (1934)
"The Bohemian Girl" (1936)
"The Bullfighters" (1945)

(SPOILERS!)

I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!


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Saturday, May 25, 2019

John Wayne's Coolest Scenes #39: Mistaken Identity, "The Big Trail" (1930) (video)




Frontiersman Breck Coleman (John Wayne) thinks he's greeting an old friend with a kiss.

But it's really a stranger, the very prim Ruth Cameron (Marguerite Churchill).

Shifty riverboat gambler Thorpe (Ian Keith) has unsavory designs on Miss Cameron.

And the two men clash for the first time of many.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!



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Friday, May 24, 2019

"ARMSTRONG" -- Harrison Ford Stars in Dramatic Neil Armstrong Documentary -- See Trailer HERE!




"ARMSTRONG"

RELEASE DATE: July 12th, 2019 (In Theatres & VOD)


Harrison Ford Stars in Dramatic Neil Armstrong Documentary
 

Synopsis: ARMSTRONG is a dramatic and emotional documentary that features never-before-seen family home-movie footage, along with still and moving images that chronicle Neil Armstrong’s incredible life.

With the support of the Armstrong family, including his two sons Rick and Mark, the film details his near-death experiences as a fighter pilot in Korea, his test pilot days, the drama and excitement of the Gemini 8 and Apollo 11 missions, and the challenges that followed his extraordinary fame.

The film will launch into theaters and on demand July 12th to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first moon landings.

WATCH THE TRAILER



Director: David Fairehead
Genre: Documentary; Biography; STEM


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Was This Moe's Favorite Line? (Three Stooges) (video)




Moe had a certain line of which he seemed particularly fond...
"I'm gonna get myself a cheap lawyer!"

If it wasn't his favorite, it was certainly in the top three.

RHYTHM AND WEEP (1946)
MONKEY BUSINESSMEN (1946)
SQUAREHEADS OF THE ROUND TABLE (1948)
MUMMY'S DUMMIES (1948) 
PALS AND GALS (1948) 


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!


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Thursday, May 23, 2019

Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard and BD Wong Reprise Their Roles For Universal Studios Hollywood’s New Mega Attraction, “JURASSIC WORLD--THE RIDE”




Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard and BD Wong Reprise Their Roles as Owen Grady, Claire Dearing and Dr. Henry Wu For Universal Studios Hollywood’s New Mega Attraction, “Jurassic World—The Ride,” Opening this Summer

Plus, a First Look at the Ride’s Mosasaurus, Inside the Ride’s Massive Aquarium Observatory Tank

 

Universal City, CA, May 23, 2019 – Stars of the JURASSIC WORLD films Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard and BD Wong reprise their roles as Owen Grady, Claire Dearing and Dr. Henry Wu, bringing their characters from the silver screen to Universal Studios Hollywood’s much anticipated mega attraction, “Jurassic World—The Ride,” opening this summer.

This marks the first time the cast will appear as their iconic characters outside of the JURASSIC WORLD films for a theme park attraction.  As part of original content created exclusively for the new ride, Owen, Claire and Dr. Wu will shed light on their interactions with the dinosaurs along with facts and information about the imposing prehistoric creatures that first roamed the earth more than 65 million years ago.

This spectacular new ride will feature an original storyline that will take guests on a breathtaking excursion through the theme park as depicted in Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s film, JURASSIC WORLD.  It will soar to new heights with the addition of iconic dinosaurs from the movie, including the colossal Indominus rex and the magnificent aquatic Mosasaurus in her natural habitat.

For the first time, JURASSIC WORLD fans will have the chance to see this impressive creature and become immersed within her massive Aquarium Observatory.  Appearing to span over 60 feet in length and tipping the scales at over 30K pounds through stunning state-of-the-art visual effects, the Mosasaurus is a sight to behold as she moves just inches away from guests throughout her glass enclosure filled with the equivalent of 3.5 million gallons of water.

Universal Creative collaborated with Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) to bring the Mosasaurus to life and to capture the realism of her underwater environment using a combination of spectacular visual effects and cutting-edge technologies, including the use of motion parallax, a technique that shifts the guest’s perspective of the Mosasaurus as she moves throughout the tank.

The team also employed a series of lighting enhancements allowing the aquarium to intuitively shift from day to night, as well as visual changes to the environment during inclement weather, thus creating a variety of visual scenarios guests can experience based on when they experience the ride.

“Jurassic World—The Ride” captures the essence of the blockbuster movie and comes to life in collaboration with the award-winning and inspired minds at Universal Creative, the Academy Award®-winning special-effects visionaries at Industrial Light & Magic, a division of Lucasfilm, Ltd., Universal Pictures and acclaimed filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Colin Trevorrow and Frank Marshall.

When “Jurassic World—The Ride” opens this summer, guests will be welcomed to a dramatically reimagined space reflective of the hit films.  A fresh entry statement, stonework landscaping, and a contemporary redesign of the iconic JURASSIC WORLD gates, illuminated with billowing flames, will create the framework for the all new aesthetics.

Once guests pass through the queue, they will board specially designed rafts that will navigate the lush environs of dense vegetation and traverse new areas besieged with towering dinosaurs meandering at just an arm’s length away.  Encounters with such docile creatures as the Stegosaurus and Parasaurolophus will quickly turn awry as predatory Velociraptors and Dilophosaurus begin to wreak havoc, turning guests from spectators to prey.  When the Tyrannosaurus rex begins to battle one of the attraction’s new ferocious dinosaurs, the rafts will spill down a treacherous 84-foot waterfall as the sole means of escape.

Located adjacent to the ride will be a new elaborately themed “Raptor Encounter” where Blue, the beloved Velociraptor from the JURASSIC WORLD franchise, will engage guests in daring face-to-face encounters.

In addition, a new interactive “Dino Play” area will incorporate educational components within an inspired space where children of all ages can explore and excavate giant dinosaur fossils.

To see Universal Studios Hollywood’s new marketing campaign, It Just Got Real in support of this summer’s opening of “Jurassic World—The Ride,” click here.

With so much to see and do at Universal Studios Hollywood, the new California Neighbor Pass invites guests to experience 175 days of fun for $149 when purchased online. Visit https://www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com for more details. Blackout dates and restrictions apply.

More information is available at www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com. Like Universal Studios Hollywood on Facebook and follow @UniStudios on Instagram and Twitter.

Universal Studios Hollywood is The Entertainment Capital of L.A. and includes a full-day, movie-based theme park and Studio Tour. As a leading global entertainment destination, Universal Studios Hollywood delivers highly themed immersive lands that translate to real-lifex interpretations of iconic movie and television shows. Attractions include “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™” which features a bustling Hogsmeade village and such critically-acclaimed rides as “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey” and “Flight of the Hippogriff™”, and the highly-anticipated Summer opening of “Jurassic World—The Ride.”  Other immersive lands include “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” and “Super Silly Fun Land” as well as “Springfield,” hometown of America’s favorite TV family, located adjacent to the award-winning “The Simpsons Ride™” and DreamWorks Theatre featuring “Kung Fu Panda Adventure.”  The world-renowned Studio Tour is Universal Studios Hollywood’s signature attraction, inviting guests behind-the-scenes of the world’s biggest and busiest movie and television production studio where they can also experience such thrill rides as “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” and “King Kong 360 3D.” The adjacent Universal CityWalk entertainment, shopping and dining complex also includes the all-new multi-million dollar, redesigned Universal CityWalk Cinema, featuring deluxe recliner seating in screening room quality theatres, and the “5 Towers” state-of-the-art outdoor concert stage.


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Tarantula Girl ("Mesa of Lost Women", 1953) Dances To "After Dark" ("From Dusk Till Dawn", 1996) (video)





Tarantella: Tandra Quinn ("Mesa of Lost Women", 1953)

Music: Tito & Tarantula ("From Dusk Till Dawn", 1996)


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!


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Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Daniel Dae Kim Rounds Out Stellar Cast Of Joe Penna's Sci-Fi Thriller "STOWAWAY"




DANIEL DAE KIM

ROUNDS OUT STELLAR CAST OF JOE PENNA’S

SCI-FI THRILLER ‘STOWAWAY’

Anna Kendrick, Toni Collette and Shamier Anderson also star;

Principal Photography will commence 11th June 2019



Los Angeles, CA (May 22, 2019) – XYZ Films announce Actor/Producer Daniel Dae Kim (3AD Productions “The Good Doctor,” “Hawaii Five-0,” “Lost,” upcoming Always Be My Maybe) will join Academy Award® nominees Anna Kendrick (A Simple Favor, Pitch Perfect) and Toni Collette (Velvet Buzzsaw, Hereditary), along with Shamier Anderson (Race, Destroyer) in director Joe Penna’s sci-fi thriller Stowaway, which marks the second feature from Penna and Ryan Morrison, the duo behind the Cannes Official Selection Arctic, which released earlier this year.

Stowaway will be directed by Joe Penna and co-written by Penna & Ryan Morrison, who will also serve as executive producer and editor. XYZ Films will produce alongside augenschein Filmproduktion, RISE PICTURES, and RainMaker Films in association with Yale Productions, with RISE Visual Effects Studios providing VFX. XYZ and CAA Media Finance are arranging financing for the film and handling worldwide sales which continue during Cannes.

On a mission headed to Mars, an unintended stowaway (Anderson) accidentally causes severe damage to the spaceship's life support systems. Facing dwindling resources and a potentially grim outcome, a medical researcher (Kendrick) emerges as the only dissenting voice against the clinical logic of both her commander (Collette) and the ship's biologist (Kim).

Daniel Dae Kim starred in ABC’s iconic series “Lost,” and CBS’s reboot “Hawaii Five-0,” as well as films including Hellboy, The Cave, Insurgent, Mirai, Ms. Purple. He will next be seen in Netflix’s upcoming Always Be My Maybe alongside Ali Wong, Randall Park and Keanu Reeves.

Principal photography for Stowaway is set to commence on June 11th in Germany.  Filming will take place at Bavaria Studios in Munich and MMC in Cologne, with funding support from the FilmFernsehFunds Bavaria, Filmstiftung North-Rhine Westfalia and the DFFF.

XYZ Films is in Cannes with an additional slate of films that include Lorcan Finnegan’s Vivarium starring Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots, which premiered in competition at Critics’ Week on Saturday. XYZ is also handling sales on Benson & Moorhead’s Synchronic starring Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan, Richard Stanley’s Color Out Of Space starring Nicolas Cage, and Jim Taihuttu’s The East with Marwan Kenzari and Martijn Lakemeier.

Kim is represented by UTA; Brillstein Entertainment Partners; Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman, Inc.; Anderson is represented by CAA and Mosaic; Collette is represented by CAA, United Management and Finley Management; Kendrick is represented by CAA; and Penna and Morrison are represented by CAA and Management 360.

About XYZ Films:
XYZ Films is an integrated content company whose mission is to empower visionary storytellers from every corner of the planet. As an independent production company and worldwide sales agency, the company is uniquely suited to identify talented filmmakers and bring their stories to life. XYZ was founded in 2008 by Nate Bolotin, Nick Spicer, and Aram Tertzakian. XYZ recently won the 2017 Sundance Grand Jury Prize for Macon Blair’s I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore.

About augenschein Filmproduktion :

augenschein Filmproduktion was founded in 2008 by Jonas Katzenstein and Maximilian Leo and is based in Cologne and Hamburg. The company has produced more than 20 feature length films and its focus lies on director driven movies with global appeal.

augenschein is currently presenting at the Cannes Filmmarket 7500 written and directed by Oscar nominated Patrick Vollrath and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, which was acquired by Amazon Studios in a global deal negotiated by FilmNation alongside Endeavor Content. augenschein’s latest titles include Ana, Mon Amour which was awarded with a Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution at Berlinale, Hunting Season, winner of the Venice Critic’s week, My Happy Family, which debuted in Sundance and was sold to Netflix, and Los Perros which premiered in-competition at Cannes Critic’s Week.

About Rise Pictures:
RISE PICTURES acts as the film and television production arm under the RISE banner and co-produces, finances and produces a diverse slate of films and television programs with storytelling and visual effects demands – creating exciting and immersive new worlds for global audiences implemented by RISE | Visual Effects Studios. RISE PICTURES stands for a wide spectrum of both commercial and innovative cinema and television. The company is spearheaded by Ulrich Schwarz, alongside Sven Pannicke and Robert Pinnow. Currently RISE is co-producing Constantin Film’s major international animation production Dragon Rider, based on award-winning author Cornelia Funke's children's fantasy novel.

About RISE | Visual Effects Studios:
RISE | Visual Effects Studios was founded in 2007 by Sven Pannicke, Robert Pinnow, Markus Degen and Florian Gellinger in Berlin, Germany. The award-winning company has roughly 100 permanent staff members in addition to 100 freelance artists in Stuttgart, Munich, Cologne and Berlin, making it one of the biggest VFX studios in central Europe. RISE has become "partner in crime" for directors like Tom Tykwer (Babylon Berlin, A Hologram for the King, Cloud Atlas), Guy Ritchie (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.), Gore Verbinski (A Cure for Wellness), and studios including Marvel (Captain America 1-3, Iron Man 3, Doctor Strange, and Guardians of the Galaxy), Netflix (Dark), Sony Pictures (The Dark Tower), and Europacorp (Renegades). Its sister production company RISE PICTURES develops its own original content and co-produces films and series for international audiences.


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Stooges On Fire! Three Stooges Doing Their Own Fire Stunts (video)




Of all the dangerous stunts the Three Stooges did over the years...

...few matched the times when they were literally set on fire.

Moe flirts with flame in "A Plumbing We Will Go" (1940).
In "Pardon My Backfire" (1948), Moe lights up for real.
And again in the "A Plumbing We Will Go" remake, "Vagabond Loafers" (1949).
All three are set ablaze in "Income Tax Sappy" (1954).

But most harrowing of all...

...is Shemp's extended fire stunt in "Heavenly Daze" (1948).


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!



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Tuesday, May 21, 2019

John Wayne's Coolest Scenes #38: Matters and Things, "The Big Trail" (1930) (video)




Breck Coleman (John Wayne) returns to the wagon train after a long absence...

...to the surprise of the bushwackers who thought him dead.

Breck makes it clear that he still has unfinished business with them.


Read our review of "The Big Trail" HERE.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!


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"Cinderella: Anniversary Edition" On Digital and Movies Anywhere June 18 and on Blu-ray™ June 25 -- See Trailer HERE!




“Cinderella: Anniversary Edition”, the newest release in the Walt Disney Signature Collection

On Digital and Movies Anywhere June 18 and on Blu-ray™ June 25



In honor of its upcoming 70th anniversary, the timeless animated classic “Cinderella” waltzes into the highly celebrated Walt Disney Signature Collection and the hearts of a whole new generation.

The enchanting tale, which showed us that dreams really do come true — and inspired countless fans to reenact the Royal Ball and Cinderella’s infamous midnight dash — arrives home Digitally in HD and Movies Anywhere on June 18, and on Blu-ray™ and DVD on June 25.

WATCH THE TRAILER



The Anniversary Edition of “Cinderella” offers two all-new extras: “Cinderella” trivia and fun facts, hosted by Ruth Righi and Ava Kolker from Disney Channel’s “Sydney to the Max,” and “In Walt’s Words: Enhanced Edition,” a special edition of “Cinderella” featuring fascinating production details, original storyboards, archival photos, thumbnail sketches and transcripts throughout the feature film.

Hours of classic bonus material celebrates the masterful animation, memorable music and long-lasting impact of “Cinderella,” showcasing Walt Disney’s core group of animators, the art of Disney Legend Mary Blair, the original demo recording of the film’s title song and Cinderella’s iconic glass slipper.

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Monday, May 20, 2019

Dead Guy Comes Back To Life In 3 Stooges Comedy ("Pals and Gals", 1953) (video)




During a poker game in "Out West" (1947)...

...the Stooges slip bad guy "Doc" Barker a doctored drink.

Doc reacts badly, but survives.

In the loose remake, "Pals and Gals" (1953), much of this footage is repeated...

...only this time, in a newly-filmed scene, "Doc" dies. 

Or does he?

Oops! Thanks to a bit of careless editing, Doc's is back!


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!


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Sunday, May 19, 2019

"RONDO" -- A Pulpy World of Sex, Murder and Revenge Served Piping Hot From Artsploitation Films -- See Trailer HERE




Pulp-Drenched Rondo Out on DVD & VOD June 4th
Part Black Comedy, Part Slasher, Part Revenge Thriller. All Exploitation!

Paying homage to the grindhouse features of the 1960s & '70s, Drew Barnhardt's Rondo is a darkly sexual, craftily stylized and wildly entertaining crime and revenge melodrama. 


This film festival and critics favorite will come out on DVD and VOD June 4th.


“Twisted” - Bloody Disgusting
“A classic in the making” - Starburst Magazine
"A pulp novel come to life…thoroughly entertaining.” - Haddonfield Horror
“A modern day low-budget exploitation masterpiece.” -  Nightmarish Conjurings
"Amazingly blackly funny and extremely violent!" - Beneath the Underground
“Its sleaze is a class act." - Eye For Eye

Synopsis: Paul, a troubled young veteran, is told by a psychiatrist that sex is the solution to his dependency and drinking problems. But things turns out otherwise as Paul and his sister are sucked into a criminal underworld where sex and murder are daily specials and revenge is served piping hot.



WATCH THE TRAILER


Title: Rondo: Director: Drew Barnhardt; Starring: Luke Sorge, Brenna Otts, Ketrick “Jazz” Copeland, Gena Shaw; Country: USA; Year: 2018; Running Time: 88 minutes; Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1; Language: English; Aspect Ratio:  1.77:1; UPC: 851597006759; SRP: $14.95

Special DVD Features:

    Director’s Commentary
    Delete Scenes
    Selected music commentaries with composer Ryan Franks (27 min)
    The artwork of Rondo (poster art and lobby cards set to music) (3 min) 



Copyright © 2019 Artsploitation Films, All rights reserved.





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STAR WARS Ending Set To Chris Squire's "Safe (Canon Song)" (video)





Just an idea we thought might be fun to do...

...for fans of Star Wars and Chris Squire (legendary bassist for Yes).  







"Safe (Canon Song)" can be found on Chris Squire's excellent solo album "Fish Out Of Water."


 

I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!


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"BLOOD VESSEL" Scares Up Cannes Premiere - Action, Adventure and HORROR!




Film Mode Entertainment

Scares Up A Cannes World Market Premiere for

"BLOOD VESSEL"

Clay Epstein’s Film Mode Entertainment features a remarkable cast, state-of-the-art visual effects and raises the genre bar for action adventure horror films


CANNES (May 19, 2019) -- Clay Epstein’s Film Mode Entertainment is thrilled to announce the World Market Premiere of BLOOD VESSEL. The new action adventure horror film stars NATHAN PHILLIPS (THESE FINAL HOURS), CHRISTOPHER KIRBY (STAR WARS: EPISODE III, THE MATRIX RELOADED), ROBERT TAYLOR (THE MATRIX), ALYSSA SUTHERLAND (Vikings) and JOHN LLOYD FILLINGHAM (EXAM, RUSH).

The cast boasts combined box office earnings in the hundreds of millions of dollars (US).

Screenings in Cannes take place on May 14 at 11:30 a.m. in Palais B and again on May 17 at 10:00 a.m. in Gray 3.

"We're extremely excited to show BLOOD VESSEL for the first time to buyers in Cannes,” said Clay Epstein, President of Film Mode Entertainment.

“The stunning visual effects are so impressive, interwoven with an exhilarating storyline; our clients are in for the ride of their lives.”

BLOOD VESSEL is directed by JUSTIN DIX, an award-winning director and special effects supervisor who played an integral role in the special effects team behind THE BABADOOK, the multi-award winning psychological horror feature. DIX heads up Wicked of Oz studios, which caters to the ever expanding film industry in Australia and has played a part in practically every Australian genre film to come down the pike in recent years.

Having worked with such iconic directors as George Lucas and Roger Donaldson, DIX’S first feature film, CRAWLSPACE, nabbed numerous awards, including best special effects, best music, best sound design and best picture at top film festivals around the world.

Co-written by JUSTIN DIX and JORDAN PROSSER, BLOOD VESSEL takes place somewhere in the North Atlantic, in 1945. Barely surviving on a life raft in the middle of the Atlantic they are forced to seek rescue from a passing Nazi ship. Once aboard, they discover the ship to be abandoned, with signs of a bloody struggle. As they investigate further, they discover pillaged Romanian artifacts and an enemy far deadlier than those they faced on the battlefront.

“The team we assembled was top notch and it shows in the special effects. We’re thrilled Film Mode is bringing BLOOD VESSEL to market. They’re a great fit for this uniquely thrilling, and captivating film,” said Dix.

No stranger to sci-fi thrillers, producers STEVEN MATUSKO (THE OSIRIS CHILD, BETTER WATCH OUT, TERMINIS), STEVEN MCKINNON (BUOYANCY) and BRETT THORNQUEST (THE OSIRIS CHILD, BETTER WATCH OUT, TERMINIS) are at the helm of the action adventure horror film.

Film Mode Entertainment is representing the world excluding Australia and New Zealand.

About Film Mode Entertainment
Film Mode Entertainment is a leading worldwide sales agent, production entity and distribution company, focusing on commercially driven feature films of all genres and budget sizes. Film Mode represents projects at all stages of the filmmaking process, often as Executive Producer, with the aim of helping producers and distributors achieve maximum exposure for their films. Film Mode’s recent titles include CRYPTO starring Kurt Russell, Luke Hemsworth and Alexis Bledel, BAILEY AND DARLA starring Brittany Snow,Sam Richardson and Vivica A. Fox, STAGE MOTHER starring Academy Award-nominee Jacki Weaver, Lucy Liu and Adrian Grenier, BURN starring Josh Hutcherson and Suki Waterhouse, and RABID, a reimagining of David Cronenberg’s 1977 Cult Horror Classic, directed by the Soska Sisters. Previous releases include SUGAR MOUNTAIN starring Jason Momoa, and THE GOOD NEIGHBOR starring Academy Award nominee James Caan. Film Mode accelerated their growth and expanded their capabilities by entering into a partnership with SCREEN MEDIA, representing their catalogue of over 600 titles, including WHAT’S EATING GILBERT GRAPE starring Leonardo DiCaprio, who was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his performance, and MONSTER, starring Charlize Theron who won an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actress for the film. The company also has its own distribution arm, as well as a documentary label, DocMode. Film Mode is based in Beverly Hills, CA.


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Saturday, May 18, 2019

CANNES FIRST LOOK -- Agata Alexander’s "WARNING" Featuring Annabelle Wallis




First Look of Annabelle Wallis Who Plays ‘Nina’ in Agata Alexander’s Sci-fi Thriller

"WARNING"


Warning explores the meaning of life when vastly disparate lives collide in interweaving stories set in the near-future earth. 

The ensemble cast includes Alice Eve, Rupert Everett, Thomas Jane, Tomasz Kot, Garance Marillier, Alex Pettyfer, Patrick Schwarzenegger and Annabelle Wallis.

Produced by Anova Pictures and Film Produkcja. The Exchange is handling foreign sales and ICM Partners is handling North America.


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How To Eat Walnuts The Curly Way (3 Stooges, "Dizzy Detectives", 1943) (video)





Moe, Larry, and Curly are cops on the verge of a big case.

But first, Curly takes time out for some walnuts.

He doesn't have a nutcracker, but that doesn't stop him.

Then he throws the filling away and eats the shells!


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!


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Friday, May 17, 2019

John Wayne Vs. Forrest Tucker: Furious Fight Scene From "Chisum" (1970) (video)




(SPOILERS!)

John Wayne and Forrest Tucker play competing cattle barons in Lincoln County.


They're destined to eventually go head to head in a fight to the death.

While this is one of Duke's most exciting and furious movie fights...
...he was unhappy with how often his stuntman's face was visible.

Still, both actors did a lot of their own fighting in this scene.


I neither own nor claim any rights to this material.  Just having some fun with it.  Thanks for watching!


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Creature Documentary "TERROR IN THE SKIES" Soars to Digital HD June 7th -- See Trailer HERE!




Small Town Monsters Announces Release of "Terror in the Skies"

Documentary of Encounters with "The Chicago Mothman" Across the Prairie State


Available on DVD and Digital HD June 7th

   
Los Angeles, CA -- Small Town Monsters has announced the nationwide Digital HD and DVD release of Terror in the Skies.  Director Seth Breedlove explores hundreds of years of terrifying reports of encounters with massive, winged creatures around the Land of Lincoln. From Alton's man-eating Piasa Bird legends to recent Chicago sightings of a creature said to resemble West Virginia's infamous Mothman, Terror in the Skies takes an in-depth look at a centuries-old mystery.

The latest folklore documentary from the team behind the miniseries "On the Trail of Bigfoot", Terror in the Skies will be available to rent or own on Amazon Instant Video, Vimeo OnDemand, DVD and VIDI Space starting June 7th, 2019.


Terror in the Skies promises to open viewers' minds to the possibility that such a beast could exist by way of believable witnesses and fascinating photographic, video and audio evidence. Small Town Monsters made waves in 2017 with their documentary The Mothman of Point Pleasant, which Terror in the Skies acts as a "spiritual sequel" to and one that will be concluded in 2020 by the final chapter in their Mothman trilogy, The Mothman Legacy.

Terror in the Skies is narrated by author, musician and television personality Lyle Blackburn. It is co-written by Seth Breedlove and Mark Matzke, with cinematography by Zac Palmisano, an original score by Brandon Dalo, and sound design by Jason Utes.


SRV Films and Santino Vitale handled VFX and the film contains original illustrations by Matt Harris and Brian Serway. The film is produced by Seth and Adrienne Breedlove. Authors Loren Coleman and Troy Taylor are featured alongside numerous others.

Journey to the heartland of the Midwest in this new documentary which offers an in-depth look at an ongoing phenomenon.  Director Seth Breedlove contacted numerous witnesses and investigators who claim to have seen massive beings in the sky as recently as last year. One of the most recent, and popular stories in recent years has been an ongoing wave of sightings of a red-eyed, shapeless creature dubbed "the Chicago Mothman".

Terror in the Skies (Official Trailer)



Pre-order on Vimeo
Pre-order on DVD from Small Town Monsters

Terror in the Skies: English / USA / 68 min


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Thursday, May 16, 2019

SAINT BERNARD -- Blu-ray Review by Porfle




Okay, who else thought this was going to be about a big monster dog like "Cujo"?  Me too, but SAINT BERNARD (Severin Films, 2013) is so much more than that, thank goodness. The first thing we see, for example, is a raw chicken on the verge of a parachute jump from an airplane.  Things just get way weirder from there.

For those of you who have always wished for a sequel to ERASERHEAD, this may be as close as you'll ever get.  In that film, however, it's the rest of the world--the real world, so to speak--that's bizarre and surreal, and the hero, Henry, tries to make sense of it. 

Here, Bernard lives in what we know as the everyday world, but can only perceive it all through his own full-blown insanity. So his attempts to find a place in the real world and live a "normal" life become nothing more than a series of incredibly bizarre waking nightmares. (These are just my interpretations, mind you--yours may be completely different.)


We first meet him, in the only part of the movie where he actually looks happy, as a young boy who wants more than anything to be an orchestra conductor.  In the first surreal segment, which I can only deduce is a figment of Bernard's unbridled imagination, we see a wood carver fashioning a baton for the boy from a large chunk of wood, which he then wields as confidently as baseball ace Roy Hobbs swinging his "Wonderboy" bat in THE NATURAL.

Bernard has the gift of discerning musical patterns from things in everyday life--clocks ticking, water dripping--but has trouble making such orderly sense of life itself.  His grown-up self, played by Jason Dugre (SKINNED DEEP) will be no less confused, and we'll discover that he has become progressively removed from what we would consider "sanity."

This manifests itself in what must be some of the most bizarre, surreal imagery ever created for a motion picture.  Most of it springs from the fertile and clearly fervid mind of writer-producer-director Gabriel Bartalos, whose special effects expertise has graced many films such as DARKMAN, UNDERWORLD, and FROM BEYOND.  His production designer also deserves much credit for helping to create some of the most freakishly strange environments and props imaginable.


Bernard's descent into madder madness is also represented by the stark white tuxedo that he always wears. It starts out clean and pure, like Bernard's innocent, unsullied nature, and then gets progressively soiled and stained as he is forced to interact with reality on both an intellectual and tactile level.

The whole thing really gets underway when Bernard attempts a concert performance which is on a grand scale in his mind, but in actuality is nothing more than him making an ass of himself in front of a few family and friends in a near-empty concert hall. This is where we still see traces of the real world outside of Bernard's twisted perception, and how it is made utterly strange by the deep-seated insanity which has overtaken him.

At one point midway through I realized that I was looking for a story and not finding it. But in the middle of this jumble of grotesque, senseless imagery, there was a kind of story, which was the story of Bernard looking for a story in his life and not finding it.  As an aspiring musical conductor he looks for the tick-tock beat in everything which he can control and cajole with his "Wonderboy" baton.  But it is nowhere to be found.


Just like in most nightmares, nothing makes sense and that's how they are designed to torment us.  Bernard strives for stability and resolution, and either he is too insane to find such things or the world around him is too insane to offer them. The more he searches, the crazier the nightmare becomes.

Each person Bernard meets, or thinks he meets, is more incomprehensible than the last, as are the situations surrounding them.  Trying to seek help at a police station involves climbing through a trap door into a hallway that's ankle-deep in broken bottles and trying to communicate with a monstrous troll referred to as "Chief." 

Meeting his potential love interest, Miss Roadkill (Katy Sullivan), in an alleyway goes from an act of icky sexual aggression on the part of this whacked-out street harpy to sudden, extreme horror when a truck runs over her legs and turns them to bloody stumps.  The driver, who actually has no legs himself, then berates her for spoiling his driving record while hopping around emptying a large bag of table salt over her gaping wounds.


Oh, and I left out the part about the clumps of barbershop hair that have gathered and entwined themselves into stick figures stalking the streets, which for some reason come to Bernard's aid.  The disembodied head of a St. Bernard dog figures into all of this as well, which, in one amusing scene with Andy Kaufman's pal Bob Zmuda as a money-grabbing priest, sort of becomes a symbol of religious faith if one wishes to mentally pursue such things.

I won't even go into the finale--my mind is still trying to process it. It does involve Bernard's weird Uncle Jack, and a creature that's the pinnacle of the film's makeup and practical effects artistry.  One final mention of the story's continual references to wood and water. And look for Warwick Davis atop a huge pile of--you guessed it--wood.

I spent the entire running time either trying to make sense of it all, or trying to make sense of the fact that none of it made any sense. Sometimes I labored to find the symbolism in what I was seeing--I know it was there, some of the time anyway--and sometimes I just sat back and let the weirdness overtake me. Either way, I was totally engaged with SAINT BERNARD from start to finish, and felt a little more crazy and a little more sane for having watched it.


Buy it at Severin Films

Special Features:
    The Making of Saint Bernard
    Trailer





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Full Casting Announced for "APOLLO 11 - THE IMMERSIVE LIVE SHOW"!




"APOLLO 11" - THE IMMERSIVE LIVE SHOW

FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR
APOLLO 11 - THE IMMERSIVE LIVE SHOW


18 CITY NORTH AMERICAN TOUR LAUNCHES THIS JULY
IN THE ALL-NEW LUNAR DOME AT THE ROSE BOWL


Los Angeles, CA -- May 16, 2019 -- APOLLO 11 - The Immersive Live Show announces full casting for its world premiere in Los Angeles this July. Performances begin July 5th. As we approach the 50th anniversary of man’s first steps on the Moon, the time has come to tell one of the greatest stories in human history. Los Angeles will be this exciting and new truly immersive live show’s first stop of an 18-city tour over the next three years.

The cast of 20 actors includes Mike Bash (Ensemble), Raquel Cain (Sydney), David Edelstein (Lewis), Jackson Kendall (Ollie), Brian Knudsen (Lewis), Brianna McClellan (Elizabeth), James McHale (Ensemble), Herb Mendelsohn (Older Ben), Pete Navis (Ensemble), Levi Petree (Ensemble), Christian Prentice (Younger Ben), Dennis Renard (Ollie), Dylan John Seaton (Ensemble), Jessie Sherman (Ensemble), Malachy Silva (Frank), Ken Stirbl (Older Ben), Tory Stolper (Elizabeth), Tom Trudgeon (Frank), Nick Waaland (Younger Ben) and Tyler Marie Watkins (Sydney).


“Our aim is to create a unique once-in-a-lifetime theatrical experience. We are literally taking audiences with us to the Moon and returning them safely back to earth, and we are incredibly excited to have secured this extraordinary and talented cast to tell our story,” said APOLLO 11 producer Nick Grace.

APOLLO 11 invites audiences to go on an epic journey to the Moon and back. The story of the 400,000 individuals it took to accomplish this mission is told through the eyes of Ben, a retired NASA Aerospace Engineer, as he recounts those heady days to his granddaughter Sydney, who finds her eyes turning away from her smartphone and up to the sky as she dreams about the endless possibilities of space. This celebration of one of mankind’s greatest achievements takes audiences of all ages on the ride of a lifetime and inspires future generations to imagine what comes next.

Staged in a groundbreaking, purpose-built venue, APOLLO 11 is a truly immersive live show performed by 20 actors under 40,000 square feet of stunning 360° video projection and brought to life by world-class theatre design, a full orchestral score and life-size rockets.

APOLLO 11 is produced by Nick Grace Management, SwissApollo and Mat Churchill Productions in association with UnUsUaL Entertainment and Sliding Doors Entertainment.

 APOLLO 11 is written by Todd Kreidler and directed by Scott Faris. Creative Producer is Anthony Van Laast. Set and Costume Design by Leslie Travers. Video Design and production by Treatment Studio. The music is composed and arranged by James Seymour Brett. Lighting Design by Bruno Poet and Sound Design by Bobby Aitken. Original concept by Lukas and Bettina Viglietti.

APOLLO 11 will perform in 18 cities across the U.S. with the tour launch on July 5th at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles. Due to popular demand, as of May 19th, APOLLO 11 will be adding two additional weeks of performances in Los Angeles, with the engagement now running to August 11th. Engagements in Orange County and Houston have also been announced with more cities coming soon.

For more information about APOLLO 11 - The Immersive Live Show please visit apollo11show.com.

#Apollo11ShowLA #Apollo11ShowOC #Apollo11ShowHOU


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