Category: Horror

The Creature from the Black Lagoon is Back!

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As many of you know, I’m a big fan of monster movies. Especially the classic monsters… Frankenstein, Dracula, The Wolfman, and of course, The Creature from the Black Lagoon.

So you can imagine my reaction when I found out that a new series of original novels based on these characters was coming out later this year. You can read about The Creature from the Black Lagoon‘s novel HERE.

Don’t worry, I’ll keep you posted on new additions to the series.

Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Roy Rogers… Bill Black

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My buddy, “Wild” Bill Black is a writer, penciler, inker, editor, publisher, chief cook and bottlewasher for AC Comics, an independent comic company that he created over 20 years ago. Bill has been favorably compared to Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Roy Rogers — and that’s just the comparisons that Bill uses when talking about himself!

Okay, okay… all kidding aside. Bill has been running AC Comics [the company that he really created] for over 20 years, but now he’s bringing his comic creations to the silver screen… or at least your tv screen… if you have a dvd player.

I guess now Bill will add Roger Corman to his list of comparisons!

How ‘Bout Some Free Cell?

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Remember last week when I was telling you about how cool Stephen King‘s new novel, Cell, sounded? [If not click you can click HERE.]

Anyway, if you think that Cell is something that you MAY like, then you might want to pick up the current issue of Entertainment Weekly [the 2006 Preview issue]. It features the first two chapters of Cell with some cool illustrations by Tomer Hanuka.

My guess is if you’re interested enough to read this far, you’re going to love the novel.

Stephen King and Zombies

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Civilization doesn’t end with a bang or a whimper. It ends with a call on your cell phone.

So begins the book description for Stephen King‘s latest novel, Cell, which will be released later this month.

I first talked up Cell last August. At that time I posted:

King describes Cell as “a violent piece of work, which comes complete with zombies set in motion by bad cell phone signals that destroy the human brain. Like cheap whiskey, it’s very nasty and extremely satisfying.” Stephen King and zombies! Count me in.

This is the first Stephen King book that I’ve been excited about in years. I can’t wait to read this bad boy.

Stephen King and zombies. Why that’s a combo right up there with M&Ms and peanuts.

The Sleaze-Filled Saga

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I like M&Ms. I like peanuts. I really like M&Ms with peanuts. I like peanut butter and I like chocolate… but I really like Reese’s Cups. See a pattern?

Ok… now try this…

I like Quentin Tarantino movies and I like Robert Rodriguez‘s movies… but I really loved From Dusk Til Dawn.

Here’s another…

I like movies and I like books about movies… so I really loved Rebel without a Crew by Robert Rodriguez.

So what does all this have to do with today’s post?

Well… Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez are joining forces to create a movie called “Grind House.” The cool thing is that “Grind House” will actually be divided into two separate movies [like a double feature that you could have seen at the drive-in, back when they had drive-ins]. Tarantino’s will be called “Death Proof” and Rodriguez’s “Planet Terror.” They’re even going to make some fake coming attractions trailers for the complete “drive-in” experience.

So how could this get any better, you ask [and I’m glad that you did]. Tarantino and Rodriguez are going to team to create a 250 page hardcover titled GRIND HOUSE: THE SLEAZE-FILLED SAGA OF AN EXPLOITATION DOUBLE FEATURE that will be filled with cast and crew interviews, hundreds of full-color photographs, never-before-seen conceptual art and an in-depth history of the grindhouse genre by the directors themselves.

So we’ve got the movie and the book… now if someone will just remember the candy!

Which Kong is King

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Peter Jackson’s King Kong is a worthy successor to the original King Kong.

The original King Kong is considered a classic. It inspired generations of film makers and paved the way for a new genre of movie which spawned countless imitations in film and other entertainment media. Consider all of the King Kong riffs that you’ve seen in tv, comics, novels, etc. Yeah, the original King Kong is the gold standard.

Peter Jackson’s King Kong is going to be dismissed by some pureists who won’t consider anything but the original King Kong to be the best. For many film buffs,the original King Kong is THE movie that made them love film.

The original King Kong touched them in a way that no other film ever did before and when they watch it they recapture that feeling. They’re taken back to a time and a place that was special. No matter how good Peter Jackson’s King Kong is, it won’t be able to rekindle those feelings and will therefore fall short. Heck, I’d feel the same way about any Rocky movie that wasn’t made by Sly Stallone.

Ok, so how good is Peter Jackson‘s take on the big ape?

That I can answer. It’s absolutely great. Easily one of my two favorite movies of the year.

First of all, my hat is off to Peter Jackson. King Kong has been the film that he’s wanted to tackle since before he became a filmmaker. Everything that he’d done before Kong was just to prepare him for Kong.

Everything about the movie is near perfect. Loved the cast. The special effects were flawless. The music and editing were as well. The screenplay, while based on the original King Kong screenplay, kicked up the action and took me to a place that was familiar but much, much more dangerous. All aspects of the production combined to create a movie-going experience that was truly an experience.

Before I go on, let me say that if you haven’t seen the movie, you may want to stop reading since I’m going to discuss aspects that contain SPOILERS…

… Still here… ok then…

Some folks have complained that the first hour is too slow. I went in thinking that this might be the case, but for me, it wasn’t. I enjoyed the character development.

I loved the look of the island. The natives were realistic and frightening. Come to think of it, even the island looked frightening! And you’ve gotta love the way the native got onto the ship!

And then the appearance of Kong. Man, he looks so real. And I’m not just talking about his physical appearance. He moves like a giant ape should [note I said should, not does]. His fur gets matted and stuff gets in it.

I think it’s cool that Kong’s scarred and older looking. He’s a warrior on an island that demands you fight to survive. His battle with not one, but three tyranesarous rex [at the same time] was nothing short of amazing. All the while he’s fighting them, he’s protecting Ann… even as he throws punches, climbs, dodges and falls. He’s not called “King” Kong without reason.

But there’s more to King Kong than just the baddest mo on the island. Kong is the last of his kind and his loneliness is apparent. I also love it that Kong is intelligent. He has a sense of humor and enjoys the beauty of a sunrise. If you haven’t seen the movie, then my last sentence probably has you scratching your head. If you’ve seen the movie then you know it will break your heart before the movie’s end.

I love the search for Ann in New York… the frantic, wild search for just the right women and then how everything slows down and nothing else in the world matters once you find her. The escape with Ann is exciting and then the interlude on the ice. Beautiful. Unexpected and so sweet. It was at this point that I could feel the tears forming. Because the interlude wouldn’t last.

Kong‘s climb up the Empire State building still had one more surprise. If you saw the movie, you know what I mean. Kong places Ann in a place of safety and sits next to her. He looks out at the horizon and sees a sunrise and “tells” Ann it’s beautiful. Now the tears were flowing…

… because here came the planes. And you know the rest.

So is Peter Jackson’s King Kong better than the original King Kong?

Who’s to say? Comparing the original King Kong to Peter Jackson’s King Kong is like comparing an athlete from 1933 to one from today. Odds are that today’s athlete is bigger and faster but does that make him better? Does it really matter?

I guess that’s why sports leagues create their own Halls of Fame. Different athletes from different time periods can be honored and there is room for all who deserve a spot.

Peter Jackson’s King Kong deserves a spot next to the original King Kong. Let others then argue which Kong is King.

As for me, I’ll spend my time watching them both!

The Original “King Kong” rates an A+. Peter Jackson’s King Kong rates an A+.

It’s Rated for Me, By George

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Next week marks the release of the latest [and possibly last] zombie film by George Romero.

Land of the Dead lived up to my expectations as a fun zombie movie and I look forward to adding it to my dvd collection.

But of course things are never simple.

You see, Land of the Dead is being released in two versions… rated and unrated.

I was leaning toward the rated version since it was the film that I saw at the theater. Still… the idea of more bang for the buck was appealing. Then I read THIS INTERVIEW with George Romero where he comments on the unrated version:

I think it’s only about five minutes longer. I don’t remember exactly. But half of that is made up by a scene that I didn’t think worked as well as it might have.

So my mind is now made up. It’s the rated version for me. Why go for a few minutes more gore and a scene that Romero cut because it didn’t work?

Welcome to the Party!

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Way back on November 16, 2003, I posted an item about the first issue of a comic that I’d read and fell in love with. That comic, The Walking Dead, was one of the freshest comics that I’d read in years. It instantly made my “pull list.”

A few days later, I posted that the first issue was quickly selling out along with a link to an interview with Robert Kirkman. In February of 2004, The Walking Dead was already my favorite monthly comic!

In April of 2004, I reported that Tony Moore, the regular artist on The Walking Dead had decided to leave and that Charlie Adlard would be taking over with issue 6. The quality of The Walking Dead didn’t miss a beat.

With the recent success of comic books turned into movies, Jeb Whitlock of JoBlo.com suggests that The Walking Dead get the chance.

All I can say is, “Welcome to the party, Jeb!”

Talk About Sick Covers

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Over at Dial B for Blog they’ve posted The Top 5 Sickest Comic Book Covers Ever!

Their choices include:

5] Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen [#110] operating on Superman‘s brain and turning him into a computer [potentially sick, but really more silly]

4] Star Spangled #124 which features a man being lured to commit suicide by two ghostly figures [maybe scary, but hardly sick]

3] Superboy [#189] walking in to find his father has hung himself [now that’s sick for a kid’s comic]

2] Adventure Comics #269 showing a powerless Krypto forced to watch home movies [now that’s kind of funny!]

1] Sandman Mystery Theater #58 which features a close-up of man who’s been shot in the head lying in a pool of blood. [Ok, that is sick]

Now I realize that they were talking about sick comic covers that were geared towards kids, but when I read the topic I immediately thought of the two covers posted here and here.

No Fun Today

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I try to keep the focus of my ZONE posts on fun stuff; things that I find interesting and hope that you do too.

This entry isn’t about the comic convention that I went to last weekend, the great book that I’m reading, or even the tv shows that I’ve enjoyed this summer

Nope.

This entry is about the horrific wake left by Hurricane Katrina.

Daytona was hit by three hurricanes last year. Three! And I’d go through six more, to avoid one like Katrina.

The worst part was not when the storms were hitting. By far the worst was when the storms had passed and we were left to deal with the aftermath. Flooded streets. No power for days. Which meant no air conditioning, no refrigeration, no hot water or warm meals. And then there was the damage. People left homeless. Businesses wiped out. People injured or killed as a direct result of the hurricane.

We experienced all of that. But on a scale no where near the one facing the survivors of Katrina.

Don’t worry, I’ll be back with a more upbeat topic tomorrow. Maybe I’ll post up pics and a con report, or tell you about The Killings of Stanley Ketchel, or even the tv shows this summer that have kept me entertained. But until then…

Our thoughts and prayers are with the millions of families facing the days ahead.

Like Cheap Whiskey, Very Nasty and Satisfying

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Today while surfing the net I came across a couple of items that should interest most ZONErs.

The first is that several authors [including Stephen King, John Grisham, Peter Straub, Neil Gaiman, Lemony Snicket, Michael Chabon and others] are participating in an auction for charity where the winning bidders will get to name a character in each author’s novel. How cool is that?

The second item of interest is directly related to the first, in that Stephen King‘s participation in the auction involves a new novel titled Cell. King describes Cell as “a violent piece of work, which comes complete with zombies set in motion by bad cell phone signals that destroy the human brain. Like cheap whiskey, it’s very nasty and extremely satisfying.” Stephen King and zombies! Count me in.

And come to think of it… maybe I should take a shot at the auction as well. A zombie named “Big Beatty” is just too cool not to give it a go.

This Fall, Kong Will Be King

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Without a doubt,this fall Kong will be King

Pretty much every movie fan in the world knows that Peter Jackson’s King Kong will be released on December 14th. What many of us didn’t know until just recently was that Warner Brothers had finally decided to release the orginal King Kong to dvd on November 22nd.

What makes this release even cooler is that Peter Jackson is also contributing to the dvd release. Jackson has created a two hour, seven part documentary titled: “RKO Production 601: The Making of Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World.” What will really get Kong fans going is that “part of the documentary focuses on the mysterious ‘spider pit’ sequence deleted from the film before its theatrical premiere.” The dvd will also contain a recreation of it as well as features on director Merian C. Cooper, and commentary tracks by legendary stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen and others.

Of course to maximize their profits, Warners is releasing Kong in not one, not two, but THREE, that’s right – THREE editions.

I don’t know which version, I’m going to get, but you can be sure that one will find it’s way into my collection!