Yearly Archives: 2009
“Silent Night, Bloody Night” (1974)
Studio: Armor Films Inc. Starring: Mary Woronov, Patrick O'Neal, James Patterson, John Carradine Directed by: Theodore Gershuny Rated: R Running Time: 81 min. Synopsis: A man inherits a house from his grandfather and wants to sell it to the town. Then mysterious murders start happening ...
“Black Christmas” (1974)
Studio: Ambassador Film Distributors Starring: Olivia Hussey, John Saxon, Margot Kidder, Keir Dullea, Andrea Martin, Art Hindle Directed by: Bob Clark Rated: R Running Time: 98 min. Synopsis: Sorority girls are being harassed by disturbing phones around Christmas time and one of them winds up ...
A Very Fanboy Christmas 2009
Seasons greetings all you Fanboys and girls and welcome to the 2009 edition of A Very Fanboy Christmas. 2009 was a rough year with the economy in the dumper but, fear not, for I have enlisted the aid of Econo-Claus ...
“Tales from the Crypt” (1972)
Studio: Amicus Productions Starring: Joan Collins, Peter Cushing, Nigel Patrick, Patrick Magee, Ralph Richardson Directed by: Freddie Francis Rated: PG Running Time: 92 min. Synopsis: Five tales of horror based on stories from EC comics of the 1950's. REVIEW A very excellent work of horror and one ...
Time Warp Toy Box ’09 – Part 3
For our third and final week of Time Warp Toy Box for the 2009 holiday season, I wanted to focus on some of the more bizarre playthings I have encountered in my research. Please note that all of the items ...
“Silent Night, Deadly Night” (1984)
Studio: TriStar Pictures Starring: Lilyan Chauvin, Robert Brian Wilson, Gilmer McCormick, Toni Nero, Britt Leach, Linnea Quigley Directed by: Charles E. Sellier Jr. Rated: Unrated Running Time: 85 min. Synopsis: A teenager whose parents were killed when he was a kid by a man dressed ...
Time Warp Toy Box ’09 – Part 2
As was expertly portrayed in Bob Clark’s modern Christmas classic, A Christmas Story, boys have always had an obsession with firearms. Unlike Ralphie, we may not have all considered a BB gun to be the holy grail of Christmas presents, ...
The Star Wars Holiday Special
Many of you Star Wars fans may remember or want to forget, The Star Wars Holiday Special that aired in the late 70’s. It has been talked about, laughed at, and disregarded for many years. Being a Star Wars fan ...
“The Funhouse” (1981)
Studio: Universal Pictures Starring: Elizabeth Berridge, Shawn Carson, Cooper Huckabee, Kevin Conway Directed by: Tobe Hooper Rated: R Running Time: 96 min. Synopsis: Four teenagers spend the night in a funhouse and witness a murder. REVIEW The Funhouse is one of my favorite Tobe Hooper films, next ...
Time Warp Toy Box ’09 – Part 1
Welcome to the 2009 holiday season! Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year and my annual excuse to dig around in my electronic toy box. Since all of you Fanboys (and Fangirls) have been so good this ...
“Tourist Trap” (1979)
Studio: Compass International Pictures Starring: Chuck Connors, Jocelyn Jones, Jon Van Ness, Tanya Roberts Directed by: David Schmoeller Rated: R Running Time: 90 min. Synopsis: A group of friends stumble across a wax museum and a killer who turns his victims into mannequins. REVIEW If you’re looking ...
Show Review: Renninger’s Antique Extravaganza 2009
According to the promotional material sent out for this show, the Renninger’s Antique Extravaganza is the “largest gathering of antique and collectibles dealers in Florida”. I have no doubt that this claim is true and if there is a larger ...
“Nurse Sherri” (1978)
Studio: Independent International Pictures Starring: Jill Jacobson, Geoffrey Land, Marilyn Joi, Mary Kay Pass, Prentiss Moulden Directed by: Al Adamson Rated: R Running Time: 88 min. Synopsis: A nurse is possessed by an evil spirit of a dead man and he makes her go around ...
Texas Terrors: The Late Night Films of Larry Buchanan Part Two
Mars Needs Women (1967) For reasons that have been lost to time but must surely have been monetary in nature, American International Pictures was pleased with the results of Curse of the Swamp Creature. Larry Buchanan was given the green light ...
“Hustler Squad” (1976)
Studio: Crown International Pictures Starring: John Ericson, Ramon Revilla, Karen Ericson, Crystin Sinclaire Directed by: Cesar Gallardo Rated: R Running Time: 98 min. Synopsis: A group of women are trained to take on a Japanese army. REVIEW Another bad movie from Crown International, that’s certainly not one ...
Texas Terrors: The Late Night Films of Larry Buchanan Part One
By the mid 1960’s, television had firmly established itself in almost every American home. As local stations began to expand their programming days, they tapped into a market of second shift employees and insomniacs that had previously gone without entertainment ...
Horror Mags of the Late 80’s
There have been many horror magazines throughout the years, going way back to 1958 with Famous Monsters of Filmland. As for me, the pinnacle days of collecting these horror mags was in the late 80’s, where a slew of these ...
“Targets” (1968)
Studio: Paramount Pictures Starring: Boris Karloff, Tim O'Kelly, Peter Bogdanovich, Nancy Hsueh Directed by: Peter Bogdanovich Rated: R Running Time: 89 min. Synopsis: As an old horror actor retires from the business, a new terror begins when a young man goes on a shooting rampage. REVIEW A ...
DVD Review: “Children of the Corn (2009)”
Released By: Anchor Bay Release Date: October 6, 2009 Number of Discs: 1 Approximate Running Time: 92 Minutes Special Features: Interviews, Behind the Scenes Footage Suggested Price: $26.97 The Source: Stephen King’s 1977 short story about a rural town where children kill the adults and build a ...
“Dementia 13″ (1963)
Studio: American International Pictures (AIP) Starring: William Campbell, Luana Anders, Bart Patton, Mary Mitchel, Patrick Magee, Eithne Dunne Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola Rated: Unrated Running Time: 75 min. Synopsis: A rich family in Ireland who are still mourning the death of the family's youngest, ...
Halloween Horror Nights 2009
The theme of Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights this year seemed like something right up my alley – Ripped from the Silver Screen. The poster boys for the campaign were Chucky, the Wolf Man, and the puppet from the Saw films. ...
“Midnight” (1982)
Studio: Independent International Pictures Starring: Melanie Verlin, Lawrence Tierney, John Amplas, Greg Besnak, John Hall, Charles Jackson Directed by: John Russo Rated: R Running Time: 88 min. Synopsis: A teenage girl hitchhikes with two college boys that wind up in a town where they're not ...
“Combat Shock” (1984)
Studio: Troma Entertainment Starring: Rick Giovinazzo, Veronica Stork, Michael Tierno, Leo Lunney, Mitch Maglio Directed by: Buddy Giovinazzo Rated: Unrated Running Time: 96 min. Synopsis: A Vietnam vet deals with the horrors of society after the war. REVIEW Bizarre, is one word you can describe this movie. ...
Welcome Back to the Grindhouse
From the mid 70’s through the late 80’s, a cultural phenomenon sprang up in heavily populated urban areas. Theaters, many of which dated back before motion pictures to the days of burlesque, began to specialize in showing exploitation films that ...
Special Edition: Spooky Empire 2009
It has now come an annual Halloween tradition to attend Orlando’s mega horror convention Spooky Empire. The full title of the event is Spooky Empire’s Ultimate Horror Weekend. For me the show always delivers, it is packed with tons of ...
“Demon Seed” (1977)
Studio: MGM Starring: Julie Christie, Fritz Weaver, Gerrit Graham Directed by: Donald Cammell Rated: R Running Time: 94 min. Synopsis: A woman is terrorized by a computer with a mind of its own and it keeps her captive in her own house. REVIEW This below average science-fiction ...
Spooky Empire 2009
Somehow the name Spooky Empire just doesn’t sound as impressive as Screamfest but the title Ultimate Horror Weekend would be misleading. Since another convention in Los Angeles apparently owns, and legally defends, the Screamfest name, we’ll just have to refer ...
The Night of the Living Dead Experience
So far in my life, two motion pictures had a major impact in my life, those two being, Star Wars and Night of the Living Dead. When seeing Star Wars at the age of 4 in 1977 it gave me ...
“The Fog” (1980)
Studio: AVCO Embassy Pictures Starring: Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, Tom Atkins, Hal Holbrook, John Houseman Directed by: John Carpenter Rated: R Running Time: 89 min. Synopsis: A strange fog goes across a beach town and the mystery inside the for, terrorizes the ...
Retroween: A Collection of Characters
Collecting is a very personal hobby. The only rule is that whatever a person collects, it must be meaningful to them. For many people, this is an opportunity to catch up on something they may have missed out on earlier ...
“Private Parts” (1972)
Studio: MGM Starring: Ayn Ruymen, Lucille Benson, John Ventantonio, Laurie Main, Stanley Livingston Directed by: Paul Bartel Rated: R Running Time: 87 min. Synopsis: A runaway girl finds her long lost aunt who runs a hotel in a seedy part of L.A. which a killer ...
Living Fanboy: The Great Star Wars Haul
My apologies to Chris Woods for paraphrasing the title of his column but this week’s article seems like a logical extension of his theme. I have been a collector for the majority of my adult life. It is a passion that ...
“Anthropophagous” (1980)
Studio: Filmirage Starring: Tisa Farrow, Saverio Vallone, George Eastman, Zora Kerova Directed by: Joe D'Amato Rated: Unrated Running Time: 88 min. Synopsis: A group of tourist go to an island where it's inhabited by a crazed maniac. REVIEW First off, I have to say that this movie ...
Series Retrospective: Our Gang
The Our Gang series was originally produced as one and two reel film shorts intended to precede feature presentations in theaters. The series lasted for over twenty years, with multiple cast changes, and the simple and honest stories made them winners with ...
“Magic” (1978)
Studio: Twentieth Century-Fox Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Ann-Margret, Burgess Meredith, Ed Lauter Directed by: Richard Attenborough Rated: R Running Time: 107 min. Synopsis: A ventriloquist on the rise tries to runaway from fame and tries to find his high school crush, but when he finds her, ...
The Fabulous Thunderbird
When I first saw a movie listing for the Thunderbird Drive-In in Ft.Lauderdale, I was certain it had to be a typo. How could a drive-in movie theater possibly have fourteen screens? Surely that must have been screens 1-4 and ...
“Slaughter High” (1986)
Studio: Vestron Pictures Starring: Caroline Munro, Simon Scuddamore, Carmine Iannaccone, Donna Yeager Directed by: George Dugdale, Mark Ezra, Peter Mackenzie Litten Rated: Unrated Running Time: 92 min. Synopsis: Former students are invited to their class reunion five years after their graduation. Is this a trap ...
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century
Some people remember Buck Rogers from short stories, comics, radio, or serials, but I remember him from the late 70’s and early 80’s television show, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. That’s how I was first introduced to the character ...
A Day in the Life of an Astro-Zombie
A Day in the Life of an Astro-Zombie In December of 2008, I sat at a table in the Benihana Steak House in the Las Vegas Hilton listening intently as Ted Mikels described his latest feature film which was currently in ...
A Day in the Life of an Astro-Zombie
In December of 2008, I sat at a table in the Benihana Steak House in the Las Vegas Hilton listening intently as Ted Mikels described his latest feature film which was currently in pre-production. This new project would be the ...
“The Hand” (1981)
Studio: Orion Pictures Starring: Michael Caine, Andrea Marcovicci, Annie McEnroe, Bruce McGill Directed by: Oliver Stone Rated: R Running Time: 105 min. Synopsis: A comic strip artist's hand is cut off in a freak car accident and the hand comes back and kills the enemies ...
Loose in Las Vegas: 2009
The major lament I had regarding my 2008 trip to Las Vegas was how brief it was. Compared to my return in 2009 though, that visit seems leisurely. As frantic as it turned out to be though, I still couldn’t ...
“Superchick” (1973)
Studio: Crown International Pictures Starring: Joyce Jillson, Louis Quinn, Thomas Reardon, Tony Young, John Carradine Directed by: Ed Forsyth Rated: R Running Time: 94 min. Synopsis: A stewardess lives three different lives with three different men around the country. REVIEW Another 70’s sex comedy/action from Crown International ...
Forgotten Horrors: A * P * E
Forgotten Horrors: A * P * E In 1976, King Kong was big business. The big budget remake of the RKO classic from Dino De Laurentiis was one of the most eagerly anticipated releases of the 1970’s and Paramount pulled out ...
“The Devil’s Nightmare” (1971)
Studio: Cetelci S.A. Starring: Erika Blanc, Jean Servais, Jacques Monseau, Daniel Emilfork Directed by: Jean Brismée Rated: R Running Time: 88 min. Synopsis: Seven people spend the night in a castle that is haunted by a succubus. REVIEW A very eerie and scary horror gem from Italy ...
Movies That Scared Us for Life
Several weeks ago I did a column on the top ten movies that scared me for life. Since this is such a subjective topic and unique to the individual being scared, I also sent out an invitation to anyone reading ...
“Four Flies on Grey Velvet” (1971)
Studio: Marianne Productions Starring: Michael Brandon, Mimsy Farmer, Jean-Pierre Marielle, Bud Spencer Directed by: Dario Argento Rated: R Running Time: 102 min. Synopsis: A drummer is being stalked by a killer who saw him accidently kill a man. REVIEW I’ve been waiting a long time to see ...
Hippiefest 2009
Hippiefest 2009 Everything old is new again, or at least it certainly seemed that way on Friday, August 7 at Daytona’s Peabody Auditorium. This was the latest stop of the Hippiefest 2009 concert tour and the entire area outside the box ...
Summer Memories: Baseball Hall of Fame
Baseball, America’s pastime, the great sport that throughout its many years has celebrated triumph, fought controversy, and made us believe. There are many legends that played the sport or took part in it. Many of them are honored in one ...
“Don’t Look Now” (1973)
Studio: Paramount Pictures Starring: Donald Sutherland, Julie Christie, Hilary Mason, Clelia Matania Directed by: Nicolas Roeg Rated: R Running Time: 110 min. Synopsis: After their daughter drowns, a couple moves to Venice where they meet a psychic who sees there dead daughter. REVIEW Mixing stylish photography, shocking ...
Manson at the Movies
August 2009 marks the fortieth anniversary of one of the most bizarre series of murders in American history. In the early morning hours of August 9, 1969, members of a group known as “The Family”, acting under the instructions of ...
Another Year in the Trenches
Another Year in the Trenches Greetings Retrorama fans! Yes, it’s actually that time again and Retrorama is celebrating its second anniversary on Nolan’s Pop Culture Review website. This has been a great year for me, especially going on to the content management system and taking a greater ...
“Splatter University” (1984)
Studio: Aquifilm Starring: Forbes Riley, Ric Randig, Dick Biel, Kathy LaCommare Directed by: Richard W. Haines Rated: R Running Time: 78 min. Synopsis: A killer pops up on a college campus and the whole school is terrified and wondering who the killer is and when ...
DVD Review: “Terror of Mechagodzilla”
Released By: Classic Media Release Date: April 29, 2008 Number of Discs: 1 Approximate Running Time: 169 Minutes Special Features: Audio Commentary, Art Gallery, Women of Godzilla Featurette Suggested Price: $16.93 The Source: The twenty-one year run of the original Godzilla film series comes to a conclusion with this fifteenth and final installment ...
“City of the Living Dead” (1980)
Studio: Dania Film Starring: Christopher George. Catriona MacColl, Carlo De Mejo, Antonella Interlenghi, Giovanni Lombardo Radice Directed by: Lucio Fulci Rated: Unrated Running Time: 93 min. Synopsis: A priest hangs himself in a graveyard and opens the gates of hell. A woman tries to go ...
Summer Memories: Old Forge, NY
Last month, I wrote about the theme park, Enchanted Forest, this month I’ll be writing about the town that it is in, Old Forge, New York. Of course most of the time I was in Old Forge it was to ...
Movies That Scared Me for Life
In a recent issue of Scream Magazine, contributors were asked to write articles on a movie or movies that scared them for life. These were films that had made a lasting impression in the author’s minds that remain with them to ...
“Blood and Black Lace” (1964)
Studio: Allied Artists Pictures Starring: Cameron Mitchell, Eva Bartok, Thomas Reiner, Ariana Gorini Directed by: Mario Bava Rated: Unrated Running Time: 88 min. Synopsis: A killer stalks women at a fashion school in this Mario Bava classic. REVIEW This Mario Bava classic is an early giallo film ...
When I first heard about the Film Florida Legends Award, I knew immediately that Florida filmmaker Bill Grefe was a prime candidate to receive one. Once I had secured the contact information for the nominations, I wasted very little time sending ...
“The Prowler” (1981)
Studio: Sandhurst Starring: Vicky Dawson, Christopher Goutman, Lawrence Tierney, Farley Granger Directed by: Joseph Zito Rated: R Running Time: 89 min. Synopsis: A killer stalks students at a graduation dance that might be the same killer of two from thirty-five years ago. REVIEW This is another film ...
DVD Review: “The Monster Squad: The Complete Collection”
Released By: Virgil Films and Entertainment Release Date: June 23, 2009 Number of Discs: 2 Approximate Running Time: 300 Minutes Special Features: Show / Episode Synopsis, Stills Gallery Suggested Price: $29.95 The Source: College criminology student Walt takes a night watchman job at Fred’s Wax Museum. When he activates his home made ...
“Tombs of the Blind Dead” (1971)
Studio: Interfilme Starring: María Elena Arpón, César Burner, Lone Fleming Directed by: Amando de Ossorio Rated: Unrated Running Time: 101 min. Synopsis: When a young woman stumbles on an abandoned town to camp for the night, The Knights Templar rise from the grave and seek ...
Ted Bohus: The Deadly Interview – Part 2
For those readers tuning in late, this is the second part of a two part interview started in last week's column. http://www.crazedfanboy.com/npcr09/retropcr482.php ET: When you came up with story for The Deadly Spawn were you already being conscious of the budget and keeping it ...
“Videodrome” (1983)
Studio: Universal Pictures Starring: James Woods, Deborah Harry, Sonja Smits, Peter Dvorsky Directed by: David Cronenberg Rated: R Running Time: 87 min. Synopsis: An owner of an independent TV station tries to get a torture show to play on his network. But the show turns ...
Ted Bohus: The Deadly Interview – Part 1
While millions of people in this world may consider themselves Fanboys of one type or another, it is only a lucky few who get to realize their dreams and join the ranks of the filmmakers they admire. Ted Bohus is ...
Summer Memories: Enchanted Forest
As a kid when school was over for the year and summer was about to begin, the one thing I looked forward to was going to Enchanted Forest amusement park. The place was an hour north of me in a ...
Forgotten Horrors: The Deadly Spawn
The 1980’s were a time of major change for low budget horror fans. We witnessed the death of independent releases at the box office as movie theaters were purchased by the same studios that provided them with films. Smaller distributors ...
“Prom Night” (1980)
Studio: AVCO Embassy Pictures Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Leslie Nielsen, Casey Stevens, Anne-Marie Martin Directed by: Paul Lynch Rated: R Running Time: 90 min. Synopsis: A killer my be on the loose at the night of the prom to seek some revenge from a murder ...
Series Retrospective: Land of the Lost
A predominant theme throughout much of the Saturday morning world of Sid and Marty Krofft is a character or characters becoming lost and then trying to find their way back home. H.R. Pufnstuf, Lidsville, The Lost Saucer, and even Far Out Space Nuts all ...
“Raw Meat” (1972)
Studio: Harbor Ventures Starring: Donald Pleasence, David Ladd, Sharon Gurney, Christopher Lee Directed by: Gary Sherman Rated: R Running Time: 87 min. Synopsis: A savage man who lives underneath a subway in London feeds off the living in order to survive. REVIEW A good scary creepy horror ...
Saturday Morning Fever: CBS 1975
The end of May brings with it television ratings sweeps weeks and both season and, in some cases, series finales. It also heralds the kick off of summer repeats until the fall season finally arrives in September. On a recent ...
“Hell High” (1989)
Studio: DGS Productions Starring: Maureen Mooney, Christopher Stryker, Christopher Cousins Directed by: Douglas Grossman Rated: R Running Time: 79 min. Synopsis: Teenagers harass their school teacher who has some demons in her past. REVIEW I first saw this film back in 1990 on Cinemax. I thought it ...
Standing in the Lonely Light of the Silver Moon
One year ago this month, the projector lights of Jacksonville’s last drive-in movie theater, The Playtime, went dark for the final time. It was a sad passing that left Florida, once one of the most plentiful states for outdoor theaters, ...
“He Knows You’re Alone” (1980)
Studio: MGM Starring: Caitlin O'Heaney, Don Scardino, Lewis Arlt, Tom Rolfing Directed by: Armand Mastroianni Rated: R Running Time: 94 min. Synopsis: A killer targets brides to be in a small town while a detective tracks him down. REVIEW This underrated slasher film from the 1980’s in ...
Summer Blockbusters of 1989
Every summer, the season is always jammed packed with big hit over hyped blockbuster movies coming out at a theater near you. Nowadays, there’s about at least 8 or 10 or more, big movies that get released from May to ...
Forgotten Horrors: Blood Massacre
Considering the troubled nature of this film’s production, a more appropriate title for this article might have been Blood Massacre Massacre. What could have been director Don Dohler’s best and most commercially viable film to date ended up as not one ...
“Policewomen” (1974)
Studio: Crown International Pictures Starring: Sondra Currie, Tony Young, Elizabeth Stuart Directed by: Lee Frost Rated: R Running Time: 90 min. Synopsis: A policewoman tries to stop a girl gang who are smuggling drugs and gold lead by an old lady. REVIEW Policewomen is sort of like ...
DVD Review: “Glen and Randa”
Released By: VCI Entertainment Release Date: April 28, 2009 Number of Discs: 1 Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes Special Features: Interview with Director Jim McBride, Alternate Scenes and Outtakes, Theatrical trailer Suggested Price: $19.99 The Source: A post-apocalyptic Adam and Eve leave the safety of their rural community in search of a city ...
“Trip with the Teacher” (1975)
Studio: Crown International Pictures Starring: Zalman King, Brenda Fogarty, Robert Porter, Robert Gribbin Directed by: Earl Barton Rated: R Running Time: 91 min. Synopsis: Two brothers hold hostage a teacher and her students in the desert. REVIEW Here’s another film from one of the BCI Grindhouse Box ...
FX 2009: Another View
At this year’s Florida Extravaganza Collectibles Show (FX), Lisa Scherer Marsters Ciurro and I covered a lot of convention and collectibles related topics as we canvassed the aisles. One of our discussion items was photographs, which consisted mainly of my ...
FX 2009
The twenty year mark is a major milestone for just about anything these days. With the turbulent times collectibles shows have experienced, it is especially impressive for them and not many have survived to claim the honor. The 2009 Florida ...
“Blood Beach” (1981)
Studio: Compass International Pictures Starring: David Huffman, Marianna Hill, Burt Young, John Saxon Directed by: Jeffrey Bloom Rated: R Running Time: 92 min. Synopsis: People start disappearing on a California beach and the police and the community are trying to figure out who or what ...
Cheech & Chong: Still Smoking After All These Years
In the late 1970’s, I was a big fan of Saturday Night Live (especially Mr. Bill). I wasn’t even a teenager yet but my parents would usually let me stay up late on Saturdays to catch the show as long ...
Toys in the Attic Part 2
Last month I talked about some of my old toys that I had as a kid. Most of them are up in my attic in New York. In the first part of Toys in the Attic, I wrote about different ...
Fishy Tales: Weeki Wachee
Somewhere north of Clearwater and just south of Brooksville, well off the beaten path, is a little section of Florida that still clings desperately to the magical innocence of the state’s golden age of tourism. Weeki Wachee still looks very ...
“The Teacher” (1974)
Studio: Crown International Pictures Starring: Angel Tompkins, Jay North, Anthony James Directed by: Howard Avedis Rated: R Running Time: 98 min. Synopsis: The summer before going to college, a young man has an affair with his former high school teacher and best friend of his ...
US 19: The Highway That Time Forgot
Back in the days before most people had even heard of something called a “theme park” and high end tourist attractions usually included gardens and boat rides, the road sides of Floridawere littered with all manner of eye catching ephemera. ...
“Pick-up” (1975)
Studio: Crown International Pictures Starring: Jill Senter, Alan Long, Gini Eastwood Directed by: Bernard Hirschenson Rated: R Running Time: 80 min. Synopsis: Two girls hitchhike with a guy driving a mobile home that get stuck in a swamp and have a wild trip together. REVIEW From the ...
OzFest 2009
It’s hard to believe but 2009 is the 70th anniversary of one of the all time classic motion pictures, The Wizard of Oz (it was originally released on August 25, 1939). It also marked the fourth anniversary of the Southeast Wizard of ...
“Don’t Answer the Phone” (1979)
Studio: Scorpion Starring: Nicholas Worth, James Westmoreland, Ben Frank, Flo Lawrence Directed by: Robert Hammer Rated: R Running Time: 85 min. Synopsis: A killer out in Hollywood calls a talk radio show and stalks the woman who is hosting it. REVIEW One of the many films with ...
Gasparilla Film Festival 2009: Bill Grefe
I have known Bill Grefe for close to ten years but in all that time we had never met face to face. We exchanged a few phone calls and plenty of E-mails, even a few letters, but we never managed ...
“Fiend” (1980)
Studio: Starring: Don Leifert, Richard Nelson, Elaine White, George Stover Directed by: Don Dohler Rated: PG Running Time: 90 min. Synopsis: The guy next door is not what he appears to be when people around town start to wind up dead. REVIEW Don Dohler’s second film, Fiend, ...
“The Alien Factor” (1977)
Studio: Cinemagic Starring: Don Leifert, Tom Griffith, Richard Dyszel, Mary Mertens, George Stover Directed by: Don Dohler Rated: PG Running Time: 80 min. Synopsis: Three aliens invade a small northern town and the people there all band together to try and stop them. REVIEW This film is ...
Toys in the Attic Part 1
When you’re a kid, the best thing in the world are toys. If it’s an action figure, toy truck, or even a board game, you cherish it. Growing up I had tons of cool toys from the 70’s and 80’s. ...
MEGACON 2009
With recent discussions of a perceived decrease in fandom and the current downturn in the economy, I was eagerly awaiting this year’s Megacon to see if it would be affected. Last year, the show had more attendees than I have ...
Comic Book Confidential: Watchmen
Comic books were the medium that taught me to read or at least inspired me to with a desire to know what the Justice League characters were saying as they fought supervillians and monsters. I gradually lost interest in them ...
“Don’t Mess with My Sister!” (1985)
Studio: Starring: Joe Perce, Jeannine Lemay, Jack Gurci, Peter Sapienza Directed by: Meir Zarchi Rated: Unrated Running Time: 85 min. Synopsis: A bored husband messes around with a belly dancer and gets a man killed while his wife finds out and sicks her brothers on ...
DVD Review: “The Giant Spider Invasion 2 Disc Director’s Cut Edition”
Released By: Synergy Entertainment Release Date: December 23, 2008 Number of Discs: 2 Approximate Running Time: 196 Minutes Special Features: Audio Commentary, Image Galleries, Interviews, News Footage, Australian 8mm Film Version Suggested Price: $19.99 Reader Advisory: This week’s DVD review is of special significance to me as it represents my first screen credit ...
“I Spit on Your Grave” (1978)
Studio: Cinemagic Pictures Starring: Camille Keaton, Eron Tabor, Richard Pace, Anthony Nichols, Gunter Kleemann Directed by: Meir Zarchi Rated: Unrated Running Time: 100 min. Synopsis: A woman is brutally attacked by a group of men in the forest and left for dead. She survives the ...
“Delirium: Photo of Gioia” (1987)
Studio: Dania Film Starring: Serena Grandi, Daria Nicolodi, Vanni Corbellini, David Brandon, George Eastman Directed by: Lamberto Bava Rated: Unrated Running Time: 96 min. Synopsis: Someone starts killing models from a magazine called Pussycat and the killer's ultimate target is the magazines owner, Gloria. REVIEW Not to ...
The Yellow Submarine Chronicles Part Eight: It’s All Too Much
The thirtieth anniversary of Yellow Submarine in 1998 saw a resurgence in popularity that even the Beatles and MGM could not have anticipated. Fans were eager to recapture this portion of Beatlemania and Yellow Submarine CDs, videos, and all manner of related merchandise lined ...
“House on the Edge of the Park” (1980)
Studio: F.D. Cinematografica Starring: David Hess, Annie Belle, Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Christian Borromeo, Lorraine De Selle Directed by: Ruggero Deodato Rated: Unrated Running Time: 89 min. Synopsis: Two men terrorize a group of high society socialites in a house in New Jersey. REVIEW This is a film ...
The Encyclopedia of Horror Movies
Over the years I collected many different books on the subject of horror films. Most of them were very good and provided excellent information on the genre, some were so-so that didn’t really deliver, but one that I consider the ...
The Yellow Submarine Chronicles Part Seven: Many Years from Now
Special Note: The Yellow Submarine Chronicles was originally scheduled to wrap up in December with this installment, effectively ending the series in the last month of the film’s 40th anniversary year. While researching the final portions of the article, I discovered ...
“Beyond The Darkness” (1979)
Studio: Starring: Kieran Canter, Cinzia Monreale, Franca Stoppi Directed by: Joe D'Amato Rated: Unrated Running Time: 91 min. Synopsis: A man digs up his recently dead girlfriend and props her up in his castle while him and his demented servant kill and eat some of ...
A Look Back in Wax
Every so often, National Geographic runs an article on a scientist or research group that has discovered a species of plant or animal in some remote rain forest that was thought to be extinct for many years. I had a ...
“The Demon” (1979)
Studio: Starring: Cameron Mitchell, Jennifer Holmes, Craig Gardner, Zoli Marki Directed by: Percival Rubens Rated: R Running Time: 94 min. Synopsis: A killer is stalking a number of people, mainly young women. A psychic who is hired by the parents of one of the killers ...
DVD Review: “All Monsters Attack”
Released By: Classic Media Release Date: April 29, 2008 Number of Discs: 1 Approximate Running Time: 138 Minutes Special Features: Audio Commentary, Image Galleries, Ishiro Honda Biography Suggested Price: $16.93 The Source: In 1968, the waning Godzilla film series was revitalized by the strongest installment of its original run, Destroy All Monsters (All Out ...
Holy Senior Sidekicks Batman! An Afternoon with Johnny Duncan
Daytona Beach,Florida is associated with many things including Bike Week, Spring Break, and NASCAR. The motion picture industry doesn’t usually come to mind but the city is trying to change that. This past weekend, Daytona based Blue Heron International Pictures ...
R. I. P. – Ray Dennis Steckler
There is never a day that goes by that I don’t stop for a moment and consider myself one incredibly lucky individual. Throughout the course of my life, I have had the opportunity and good fortune to meet many of ...
“Westworld” (1973)
Studio: MGM Starring: Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin, James Brolin, Dick Van Patten Directed by: Michael Crichton Rated: PG Running Time: 88 min. Synopsis: A new kind of fun park where a person can relive the wild west and other different worlds, goes out of control ...
WPIX Channel 11
Nowadays there’s about over 500 channels on every cable box or satellite TV. You would think with all those channels you would find a real great channel with everything you would want to see. For me, that one great channel ...
Welcome 2009 and 1969 Revisited!
Welcome 2009, you couldn’t get here fast enough! 2008 seems more like one of those years we escaped from rather than one that fades quietly into the sunset as its successor takes its place. The losses to the Fanboy community ...
“Sleepaway Camp” (1983)
Studio: Starring: Mike Kellin, Felissa Rose, Jonathan Tierston, Paul Denagelo Directed by: Robert Hiltzik Rated: R Running Time: 84 min. Synopsis: Campers fear for their lives as a killer stalks them and many suspect a number of people at the camp. This is a classic 80’s ...