Category: Horror

“The Last of Us” – Season 1 (2023) starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey / Z-View

Posted on by

The Last of Us: Season 1 (2023)

Teleplay by: Craig Mazin & Neil Druckmann (episodes 1 & 9); Craig Mazin (episodes 2 – 6, 8); Neil Druckmann (episode 7)

Directed by: Craig Mazin (episode 1); Neil Druckmann (episode 2); Peter Hoar (episode 3); Jeremy Webb (episodes 4 & 5); Jasmila Žbanić (episode 6); Liza Johnson (episode 7); Ali Abbasi (episodes 8 & 9)

Stars: Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Anna Torv, Nico Parker, Merle Dandridge, Keivonn Woodard, Jeffrey Pierce, John Getz, Scott Shepherd, Storm Reid, Ashley Johnson, Nick Offerman, John Hannah, Terry Chen, Ian Rozylo, Graham Greene, Sonia Maria Chirila, Andy McDermott,  Christopher Heyerdahl, Nelson Leis, Elaine Miles, Marcus Aurelio and Adrian Hein

Tagline: Save who you can save.

The Plot…

2023.  Twenty years ago a pandemic caused by a bizarre easily transmitted fungal infection turned most of the world’s population into mindless mutant killing machines. Society collapsed.

Joel (Pascal) currently lives in a city under military rule.  Joel and his partner Tess (Torv) plan to escape the quarantine zone and head into the wilderness.  Joel’s brother is there somewhere with a group of freedom fighters.  As Joel and Tess make plans for their escape they encounter Marlene (Dandridge).  She can provide them with needed equipment if they will take Ellie (Ramsey) with them.  Ellie is an orphaned fourteen year old with a lot of attitude… and she just may be the key to a cure.

Joel, Tess and Ellie head out.  They will quickly discover the infected aren’t the worst thing they will have to deal with.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Last of Us is based on the popular video game of the same name.  I’ve never played it and didn’t know the story ahead of seeing the show.

Every episode contains twists, but none as brutal as in the first episode.  It should have been obvious looking at the posters, but I had avoided everything I could in regard to press for the show.  I was gobsmacked by how much I came to care for a character I had never seen before.

It’s interesting how time is played with throughout the series.  The first episode features a scene on a talk show that takes places 30 to 40 years before the start of the pandemic.  A scientist is talking about the dangers to humans that fungi could present with minor changes to the environment.  That was clever.  Each episode features flashbacks to strengthen the present story.

The characters are well cast, well written and well played. Of course not enough can be said about Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.  They are supported by an amazing supporting cast. Standouts include Anna Torv, Nico Parker, Merle Dandridge, Jeffrey Pierce, Storm Reid, Nick Offerman, Graham Greene and  Elaine Miles.  Some of these characters appear in just one episode or a few scenes in one episode.  The attention to detail in getting the right person in each role, no matter how small pays off.

Joel (Pascal) and Ellie (Ramsey) are the heart and soul of the series.  Yet sometimes the people they meet take center stage. In episode three, titled Long, Long Time, Joel and Ellie become supporting characters, but this chapter remains essential viewing to The Last Of Us story.  Long, Long Time ranks with the best single episode of any continuing drama ever.  With each new outing we learn more about Joel, Ellie and the world they live in.  I wouldn’t want that reality, but I sure love visiting it.

The Last of Us is making the right choices in every department.  I look forward to season two.

The Last of Us: Season 1 (2023) earns 5 of 5 stars.

EERIE ARCHIVES VOLUME 3 is Coming!

Posted on by

Eerie Archives Volume 3 is available for pre-order now.  It’ll be 256 pages and feature one of my favorite Frank Frazetta covers.  It drops on October 10, 2023.  Here’s the lowdown…

Cousin Eerie is back with a casket full of blood-chilling tales of terror and the macabre!

Eerie magazine was one of the finest horror comics magazines ever published, and the original issues are expensive and hard to find. Eerie Archives Volume 3 presents another collection of fearful fables in a value-priced softcover format by a host of comics greats, including Archie Goodwin, Joe Orlando, Angelo Torres. Jeffrey Jones, and more. Includes adaptations of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Telltale Heart” and “Masque of the Red Death.” Foreword by Gail Simone.

Collects Eerie magazine issues #11–#15.

  Deal me in.  Pre-Orders are available now.

CREEPY ARCHIVES VOLUME THREE is Coming!

Posted on by

Creepy Archives Volume Three will drop on September 6, 2023.  It’ll be 288 pages of comic greatness topped by an awesome Frank Frazetta cover.

Cast your bloodshot eyes and feed your fetid imagination on the deliciously deranged tales of terror unearthed from the spine-chilling pages Creepy magazine!

Featuring virtuoso turns by comics legends Archie Goodwin, Frank Frazetta, Steve Ditko, Neal Adams, Gray Morrow and other masters of the macabre, Creepy proves that fear can be fun!

Collects Creepy issues #11–#15 in a value-priced paperback edition and includes original letters pages, text features, and ads.

  Deal me in.  Pre-Orders are available now.

“The Ghost Breakers” (1940) starring Bob Hope & Paulette Goddard / Z-View

Posted on by

The Ghost Breakers (1940)

Director:  George Marshall

Writer:  Walter DeLeon based on the play The Ghost Breaker by Paul Dickey and Charles W. Goddard

Stars: Bob Hope, Paulette Goddard, Richard Carlson, Willie Best, Pedro de Cordoba, Virginia Brissac, Noble Johnson, Anthony Quinn, Tom Dugan, Paul Fix, Lloyd Corrigan  and Robert Elliott

Tagline:  The two stars of “The Cat and the Canary” find love and laughter in a haunted house!

The Plot…

On a voyage to Cuba Mary Carter (Goddard) and Larry Lawrence (Hope) develop a flirtatious relationship.  Mary is going to Cuba to claim an inheritance. Larry ended up on the ship by accident.  When Mary is told about ghosts and zombies on the land and mansion she’s inherited, Larry decides to stick around.  The mansion is just as creepy as she’d been told.  It’s full of secret passageways, walls with hidden panels, and a painting that looks just like Mary. When what appear to be ghosts and zombies show up, it may be time to sell!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Due to the success of The Cat and The Canary, the studio wanted to quickly re-team Hope and Goddard. The Ghost Breakers fit the bill. Although they play different characters, the plots of both films are very similar.

This is the third time the play The Ghost Breakers was made into a film.  The first two versions were silent.  It was remade for a fourth time as Scared Stiff in 1953 with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.

The Ghost Breakers (1940) earns 3 of 5 stars.

“The War of the Gargantuas” (1966) / Z-View

Posted on by

The War of the Gargantuas (1966)

Director:  Ishirô Honda

Writer: Ishirō Honda, Takeshi Kimura, Reuben Bercovitch (story)

Stars: Russ Tamblyn

Tagline:  Can a Country Survive When Two Gargantuas Battle to Death?

The Plot…

Two giant gargantuas have appeared.  The green one is evil, attacking, killing and eating people.  The brown gargantua is gentle.  Both are believed to be causing the havok.  When the military is called out to kill both, the battle is on… man vs gargantuas and gargantua vs gargantua.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Russ Tamblyn reportedly didn’t get along with Ishirô Honda and often ignored his directions.  Tamblyn also improvised many of his lines.  This created a problem with Tamblyn’s audio track had to be re-recorded and he didn’t remember exactly what he said in each scene.  Plus Tamblyn took a real laidback attitude in each scene.  All of this adds up to Russ Tamblyn being the weakest part of the movie.

The movie is at it’s best when the gargantuas are battling with each other, the military or attacking people (whether on land or at sea).  Seeing the monsters crashing through buildings, throwing ships or using full grown trees as clubs will bring out the kid in you.

There are a couple of truly creepy scenes: one is when the sailor is looking down into the ocean water and a gargantua is looking up at him, the other is when the gargantua is up to his shoulders walking in the ocean preparing for his next attack.

The War of the Gargantuas (1966) earns 2 of 5 stars.

“The Raven” (2012) starring John Cusack, Alice Eve, Luke Evans and Brendan Gleeson / Z-View

Posted on by

The Raven (2012)

Director:  James McTeigue

Writer: Ben Livingston, Hannah Shakespeare

Stars: John Cusack, Alice Eve, Luke Evans, Brendan Gleeson, Kevin McNally, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Jimmy Yuill, Sam Hazeldine, Pam Ferris, Dave Legeno  and Michael Shannon

Tagline:  The only one who can stop a serial killer is the man who inspired him.

The Plot…

When a serial killer uses methods from Edgar Allan Poe stories to dispatch his victims, Detective Fields (Evans) reluctantly turns to Poe (Cusak) for help.  This only inspires the demented killer to up the ante by kidnapping Poe’s  fiancée and setting a timeline for her murder.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Edgar Allan Poe may have been an insufferable alcoholic, but to make an insufferable alcoholic the sympathetic hero of a movie is a tall order.  I did like how the ending aligns with real-life events in Poe’s life.

Luke Evans and Brendan Gleeson are welcome additions in any movie and they shine in The Raven.

My favorite scene is the night of the party when a masked rider (the killer?) enters the ballroom on horseback.

Had the movie centered on Detective Fields a sequel would have been very cool since the final scenes seem to set it up.

The Raven (2012) earns 3 of 5 stars.

“We Have a Ghost” (2023) starring David Harbour & Jahi Winston / Z-View

Posted on by

We Have a Ghost (2023)

Director:  Christopher Landon

Writer: Christopher Landon based on the short story Ernest by Geoff Manaugh

Stars: Jahi Di’Allo Winston, David Harbour, Anthony Mackie, Isabella Russo, Tig Notaro, Tom Bower, Sean Boyd, Jennifer Coolidge and Peggy Walton-Walker.

Tagline: Set your spirit free.

The Plot…

The Presley family has just moved into an old house that they got for a rock-bottom price.  Kevin (Winston) isn’t happy about the move, but the family is looking for a fresh start.  Kevin’s dad, Frank (Mackie) is always looking for a get rich quick scheme and they never pan out.  While in the attic, a ghost named Ernest (Harbour) makes a poor attempt at scary Kevin.  Kevin manages to film Ernest.  When Kevin’s dad gets a hold of the video he has a plan to use it to make money.

Kevin and Ernest develop a friendship.  Ernest cannot remember all the details of his life, but thinks if he could it would help him to move on.  Meanwhile the CIA has seen the video of Ernest and they’re ready to move in…

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

We Have a Ghost has some funny scenes and a wonderful cast.  Unfortunately it has as many scenes that miss the mark and a running time that goes a bit too long.

Jahi Di’Allo Winston and David Harbour have good chemistry.  Anthony Mackie does the best he can with what he’s given.  The writers make him an unlikeable loser at the start so when he does come around, it’s a little too late.  We Have a Ghost is probably best enjoyed by children in late elementary or middle school.  Your mileage may vary.

We Have a Ghost earns 2 of 5 stars.

RIP: Bert I. Gordon

Posted on by

Bert I. Gordon died on March 8, 2023 at the age of 100.  Mr. Gordon was a writer, director, producer, editor, special effects artist… perhaps it would be best to simply say, he was a filmmaker.

Bert I. Gordon had an interest in making films from an early age.  He received a 16mm camera for his thirteenth birthday and began making home/fan movie.  Mr. Gordon served in the air force during World War II.  After the war he began making television commercials and editing films for television.

In 1955, Mr. Gordon co-wrote and directed his first feature film, King Dinosaur.  He would go on to direct (and often serve as producer, special effects artist, writer/co-writer) on 23 additional films throughout his career.  Most of Mr. Gordon’s films were in the horror or science fiction genres.  Because his initials were BIG and many of his films dealt with giant monsters, Bert I. Gordon was nicknamed Mr. BIG.

Some of Bert I. Gordon’s best known films include: The Cyclops, The Amazing Colossal Man, Attack of the Puppet People, War of the Colossal Beast, The Spider, Village of the Giants, The Food of the Gods and The Empire of the Ants.

Bert I. Gordon’s films were and still are a staple of horror hosts and horror movie fans everywhere.  My favorite of his films is The Amazing Colossal Man. If you’re a regular viewer of Svengoolie on MeTV, you’ll see several of Mr. Gordon’s films each year.  What director wouldn’t love to have his movies in regular rotation?  What an honor that these low budget films still attract huge audiences.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bert I. Gordon’s family, friends and fans.

“Duel” (1971) directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Dennis Weaver / Z-View

Posted on by

Duel (1971)

Director:  Steven Spielberg

Writer:  Richard Matheson

Stars: Dennis Weaver, Jacqueline Scott, Gene Dynarski, Lucille Benson, Tim Herbert, Charles Seel, Shirley O’Hara and Carey Loftin.

Tagline: A duel is about to begin between a man, a truck, and an open road. Where a simple battle of wits is now a matter of life and death.

The Plot…

David Mann (Weaver), a salesman, is having a bad day.  He had an argument with his wife and she’s still ticked.  He has another stop to make before heading home and it’s a long drive both ways.  Mann’s day is about to get a lot worse when on a remote section of road an old tanker truck is creeping along.  Mann finally gets a chance to pass and does.  Almost immediately the tanker takes the lead back and then quickly slows down.  As Mann tries to pass again, the trucker tries to force him off the road. The trucker makes it clear he plans to kill Mann.  Miles out on a deserted road, what chance does Mann have?

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Duel was the tv movie that put Steven Spielberg on the map.  He had directed a some television episodes (Marcus Welby, Night Gallery, The Name of the Game, The Psychiatrist, Columbo and Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law) prior to helming Duel.  The response to Spielberg’s tv movie was so good that Spielberg was brought back to shoot additional scenes to bring the film to feature length.  Duel was given a release in Europe, Australia and even a limited US release.

Richard Matheson provides the screenplay based on his short story of the same name.  Matheson’s resume contains so many winners and Duel is on that list.

Dennis Weaver does an excellent job of acting especially since he’s often the only person on screen.  It’s interesting to note the number of other performers who actually appear in the film because it’s Weaver and the trucker from hell that we remember.

I watched Duel when it premiered.  I was spending the night at my grandparents.  My grandpa and I watched together. (We both liked it a lot.)

Duel earns 4 of 5 stars.

“Curse of the Werewolf” – Two Good Reasons To Share This Photo!

Posted on by

I have two very good reasons for sharing the above photo:

  1. I recently re-watched Curse of the Werewolf.
  2. The wolfman design from Curse of the Werewolf is still the best designed loup-garou ever.

I’ll bet you thought I was going to make a Mel Brooks joke, didn’t ya?  If you’d like to see a bigger version of the photo, you can thanks to I Bought That Comic.

“Killer Klowns from Outer Space” (1988) / Z-View

Posted on by

Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

Director:  Stephen Chiodo

Writer:  Charles Chiodo, Stephen Chiodo

Stars: Grant Cramer, Suzanne Snyder, John Vernon, Royal Dano and Christopher Titus

Tagline: Alien bozos with an appetite for close encounters

The Plot…

When a couple discover an ship of hostile aliens has landed on the outskirts of a small town, no one believes it. That’s because the ship looks like a big top and the aliens resemble clowns!

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Killer Klowns from Outer Space has become a cult classic thanks to video, dvd and television showings.  It probably works best with a rowdy crowd in the mood for low-budget silliness.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space earns 2 of 5 stars.

RIP: Ricou Browning

Posted on by

Ricou Browning died on February 27, 2023, from natural causes.  He was 93.

Best known as the actor who played The Creature from the Black Lagoon in all of the movie’s underwater scenes, Mr. Browning was much more.  Over the course of his career Ricou Browning was an actor, stunt man, writer, producer and director.

Ricou Browning was born in Fort Pierce, Florida and he majored in physical education at Florida State University. Mr. Browning worked as a performer at both Wakulla Springs and Weeki Wachee Springs.  When a camera crew came to Weeki Wachee it was Mr. Browning who showed them around and swam underwater for their test shots.  They liked what they saw and Ricou Browning was offered the part of the Creature for all underwater filming.  Mr. Browning could hold his breath for extended periods of time and that was a plus for the role.  Mr. Browning was brought back to play the Creature in both sequels, Revenge of the Creature and The Creature Walks Among Us.

As an actor Ricou Browning appeared in: Creature from the Black Lagoon; Revenge of the Creature; The Creature Walks Among Us; Sea Hunt (tv – 1 episode); Flipper’s New Adventure and Flipper (tv – 2 episodes).

Ricou Browning wrote or co-wrote: Flipper; Flipper’s New Adventure; Flipper (tv – 33 episodes); Salty; Island Claws; Flipper (1996) and Flipper (tv – 34 episodes).

Ricou Browning severed as director for: Flipper (tv – 37 episodes); Thunderball (2nd unit – underwater sequences); Around the World Under the Sea (underwater sequences); Gentle Ben (tv – 14 episodes); Off to See the Wizard; Island of the Lost (underwater sequences); Hello Down There (underwater sequences); Primus (2 episodes); Joe Panther (2nd unit); Hot Stuff (2nd unit); Caddyshack (2nd unit);  Salty; Mr. No Legs; Nobody’s Perfekt (2nd unit) and Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach (2nd unit).

Ricou Browning performed stunt work for: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (stunt diver); Don’t Give Up the Ship (Jerry Lewis’ underwater swimming double); The Heavenly Kid (stunt coordinator); Opposing Force (stunt coordinator).

Ricou Browning will forever be linked with one of the Classic Universal Movie Monsters, The Creature from the Black Lagoon.  If that was the only thing he ever did, Mr. Browning’s legend would live forever.  As you can see from his resume, he was a rare talent who could do it all.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Ricou Browning’s family, friends and fans.