To clarify, this isn't a review of the 1946 Universal film. No, this was among the debut lineup of the extremely short lived Hollywood Premiere Network, Universal's disastrous foray into the syndicated television market of the early 90's. I wasn't aware of this series until 1997 when it reran on the Sci-Fi Channel.
Before I go any further, if you're looking for a review of this that's both funny and informative, I'd suggest going to Phealous's site over in the links and checking out Obscurus Lupa's Manic Episodes.
Monday, February 16, 2015
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Essential Showcase: Spectacular Spider-Man volume 1
Digging through the archives and the dusty vaults, I found another interesting treasure. Essential Spectacular Spider-Man volume 1 contained issues 1 through 31 of Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man (1976-1979). The idea of a hero headlining two books is common place now and even in the 1940's, but Marvel in the 1970's tended to have their characters in their own titles, crossovers aside.
The idea of this series was to focus on more on Peter Parker, rather than Spider-Man. By this point, Peter was still a college student and dating Mary Jane. Flash Thompson had returned from Vietnam, and the Green Goblin and Jackal were dead. This volume shows the origin of the Lightmaster, the return of the Enforcers, and the debut of the Hypno Hustler. It shows the story that reintroduced Flash's girlfriend Sha-Shan and has them rebuild their relationship. It also shows the end coda of the Champions.
The stories are bronze era Marvel at its finest. Peter is trying to grow and efforts are made to move him forward. The villains introduced are a mixed bag; the Lightmaster never got above the B list, whereas the Hypno Hustler became a punch line for the 1970's. The Beetle has a decent story, and we see the introduction of Carrion. We also have enough appearances of the White Tiger to almost make him the official co-star.
Bill Mantlo's handling of the characters is amazing. The book is worth it for that alone, but combined with the work of Archie Goodwin and Frank Miller before he went off the deep end, this is something to consider buying.
The idea of this series was to focus on more on Peter Parker, rather than Spider-Man. By this point, Peter was still a college student and dating Mary Jane. Flash Thompson had returned from Vietnam, and the Green Goblin and Jackal were dead. This volume shows the origin of the Lightmaster, the return of the Enforcers, and the debut of the Hypno Hustler. It shows the story that reintroduced Flash's girlfriend Sha-Shan and has them rebuild their relationship. It also shows the end coda of the Champions.
The stories are bronze era Marvel at its finest. Peter is trying to grow and efforts are made to move him forward. The villains introduced are a mixed bag; the Lightmaster never got above the B list, whereas the Hypno Hustler became a punch line for the 1970's. The Beetle has a decent story, and we see the introduction of Carrion. We also have enough appearances of the White Tiger to almost make him the official co-star.
Bill Mantlo's handling of the characters is amazing. The book is worth it for that alone, but combined with the work of Archie Goodwin and Frank Miller before he went off the deep end, this is something to consider buying.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Friday the 13th (1980)
Friday the 13th (1980) , dir. Sean S. Cunningham, Georgetown Productions Inc./Sean S. Cunningham Films
Since this is the first Friday the 13th of 2015, why not look back at the first Friday the 13th? The story has been told and retold a hundred times since the early 80's, but let's just focus on the film's own merits.
Since this is the first Friday the 13th of 2015, why not look back at the first Friday the 13th? The story has been told and retold a hundred times since the early 80's, but let's just focus on the film's own merits.
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Beware the Batman: Control
"Control" Beware the Batman Cartoon Network, 21 September 2013
-recap time. Remember Dr. Jason Burr and the whole cortex thing? It's going to play a part in this.
-recap time. Remember Dr. Jason Burr and the whole cortex thing? It's going to play a part in this.
Monday, February 2, 2015
Essential Showcase: Supergirl volume 2
From high atop my crackerbox palace, I see the wonders of all ages...and fewer things were wilder than the Silver Age of comics. DC comics at the time were seriously mental. Marvel may have had the pathos and cosmic drama, but did they have a tiny army of flying people?
For this time out, I'm cracking open Showcase Presents: Supergirl volume 2. Containing all Supergirl stories from Action Comics I#283 through 321 (1961-1965), we see how the character of Kara Zor-El developed.
Introduced proper in Action Comics I#252 (May 1959), Supergirl's early stories had a kind of left over feel to them. One could even think DC was simply rehashing some old Superboy stories. To wit, Supergirl has to fend off a pesky neighborhood boy who is convinced that that Linda Lee has superpowers and most of her adventures ended with no one being aware of who she was. She also fought against being adapted, as being with parents might expose her powers, but she was finally taken in by the Danvers.
For a while the stories followed a similar formula, but things started to change with Action Comics I#285. Superman decides it is time for the world to know of her existence, so he highjacks all the television signals in the world to announce he has a cousin.
One odd thing I noticed about the stories collected here is Kara herself. She changes. Superman always seemed to be a vaguely 30-ish, whereas Kara is introduced as a teen. She is adapted, graduates high school, and we see here her going to college. We also see the introduction of new supporting characters Lena Thorul, Lex Luthor's psychic sister, who adds a new dimension to the Super/Luthor dynamic. Kara also gets some new villains and in a rather surprising twist, her parents.
Yeah, it turns out her parents survived her home planet's destruction by putting themselves in a Phantom-Phantom Zone. From the stories collected here, it isn't made that big of a deal.
Not a bad read, and filled with plenty of Silver Age craziness to keep most readers guessing. There is enough material for one more volume, possibly, although this came out in 2008.
For this time out, I'm cracking open Showcase Presents: Supergirl volume 2. Containing all Supergirl stories from Action Comics I#283 through 321 (1961-1965), we see how the character of Kara Zor-El developed.
Introduced proper in Action Comics I#252 (May 1959), Supergirl's early stories had a kind of left over feel to them. One could even think DC was simply rehashing some old Superboy stories. To wit, Supergirl has to fend off a pesky neighborhood boy who is convinced that that Linda Lee has superpowers and most of her adventures ended with no one being aware of who she was. She also fought against being adapted, as being with parents might expose her powers, but she was finally taken in by the Danvers.
For a while the stories followed a similar formula, but things started to change with Action Comics I#285. Superman decides it is time for the world to know of her existence, so he highjacks all the television signals in the world to announce he has a cousin.
One odd thing I noticed about the stories collected here is Kara herself. She changes. Superman always seemed to be a vaguely 30-ish, whereas Kara is introduced as a teen. She is adapted, graduates high school, and we see here her going to college. We also see the introduction of new supporting characters Lena Thorul, Lex Luthor's psychic sister, who adds a new dimension to the Super/Luthor dynamic. Kara also gets some new villains and in a rather surprising twist, her parents.
Yeah, it turns out her parents survived her home planet's destruction by putting themselves in a Phantom-Phantom Zone. From the stories collected here, it isn't made that big of a deal.
Not a bad read, and filled with plenty of Silver Age craziness to keep most readers guessing. There is enough material for one more volume, possibly, although this came out in 2008.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Mortdecai (2015)
Mortdecai (2015), dir. David Koepp, Infinitum Nihil/Mad Chance Productions/Odd Lot Entertainment.
So, is this the worst movie ever? After watching it, I can safely say I've seen worse. I've also seen better.
So, is this the worst movie ever? After watching it, I can safely say I've seen worse. I've also seen better.
Saturday, January 31, 2015
The Toxic Avenger (1984)
The Toxic Avenger (1984), dir. Michael Herz/Lloyd Kaufman, Troma Entertainment 1984
Troma, at this point, is almost a genre unto itself. Back in the day though, Troma was just another film studio out of New Jersey. Its biggest films were mostly softcore sex comedies, but 1984 changed all of that.
We open at the scenic Tromaville Health Club. Janitor Melvin Furd (Mark Togal) is your typical 98 pound of nerd. He tries to keep the place clean, but that is problematic as he is harassed at almost every turn by local bullies/hit and runs drivers Bozo (Gary Schneider) and Slug (Robert Prichard) and their girls Wanda (Jennifer Babtist) and Julie (Cindy Manion). Things come to a head when Melvin, tricked into wearing a tutu and kissing a sheep, falls from the second story of the club into an open container of toxic waste.
One transformation sequence later, puny Melvin is now the Toxic Avenger (Mitch Cohen). He makes a splash on Tromaville and its citizens, mostly by tearing the criminals and other assorted scumbags that plague Tromaville apart with his bare hands. This doesn't unnoticed, however, and soon the good people of Tromaville start to love their 'monster hero'. The bad citizens, including Mayor Peter Belgoody (Pat Ryan, Jr.) are less than pleased. Can Toxie protect his girlfriend Sara (Andree Maranda) when the National Guard is called out?
After all this time, does the film still hold up? It is low budget as all get out and the violence flows as much as the nudity, but damn if Lloyd Kaufman doesn't know how to shoot a scene. Cheesy, but a good kind of cheese.
Troma, at this point, is almost a genre unto itself. Back in the day though, Troma was just another film studio out of New Jersey. Its biggest films were mostly softcore sex comedies, but 1984 changed all of that.
We open at the scenic Tromaville Health Club. Janitor Melvin Furd (Mark Togal) is your typical 98 pound of nerd. He tries to keep the place clean, but that is problematic as he is harassed at almost every turn by local bullies/hit and runs drivers Bozo (Gary Schneider) and Slug (Robert Prichard) and their girls Wanda (Jennifer Babtist) and Julie (Cindy Manion). Things come to a head when Melvin, tricked into wearing a tutu and kissing a sheep, falls from the second story of the club into an open container of toxic waste.
One transformation sequence later, puny Melvin is now the Toxic Avenger (Mitch Cohen). He makes a splash on Tromaville and its citizens, mostly by tearing the criminals and other assorted scumbags that plague Tromaville apart with his bare hands. This doesn't unnoticed, however, and soon the good people of Tromaville start to love their 'monster hero'. The bad citizens, including Mayor Peter Belgoody (Pat Ryan, Jr.) are less than pleased. Can Toxie protect his girlfriend Sara (Andree Maranda) when the National Guard is called out?
After all this time, does the film still hold up? It is low budget as all get out and the violence flows as much as the nudity, but damn if Lloyd Kaufman doesn't know how to shoot a scene. Cheesy, but a good kind of cheese.
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