The Cathode Ray Mission

Femme Fatale Friday: Soledad Miranda

2012-01-27T00:07:00.001-05:00

Photos custody of Cold Blooded Beast and Soledad Miranda.com.

Hump Day Posters: Mucha Lucha

2012-01-25T00:07:00.001-05:00

Sunday Smackdown

2012-01-22T22:27:00.000-05:00

This week's battle involves two masked bastard's who heart sharp knives and dead teenagers.

Vs.

Up first is Micheal Myers. Old Double M really needs no intro. Sister killer, baby sitter terrorizer extraordinaire, Mike's track record well known to horror fans. He's not that fast, but what he lacks in speed he makes up for by being a knifey stabby Juggernaut of doom.

His opponent hasn't been around as long but is just as well known. Ghostface first appeared in Scream (1996) as a disguise used by two teenagers during their killing spree in the town of Woodsboro. Used primarily as a disguise for each of the antagonists in the subsequent Scream films to conceal the killer(s) identity while conducting serial murder. Though every iteration of Ghostface is human, they all exhibit extreme durability against physical harm, high levels of physical strength and an almost supernatural stealth ability, able to appear and disappear in seemingly impossible situations. As well as sharing a preference for taunting their victims by phone.

Place your bets, sharpen your knives and read up on your horror film rules. It's time to get slashed.

Last week's winner

Though they fought tooth and claw, our werewolf battle ended in a draw.

Femme Fatale Friday: Briana Evigan

2012-01-20T00:44:00.000-05:00

In Blackest Night

2012-01-18T13:15:00.000-05:00

https://www.google.com/landing/takeaction/

Hump Day Posters: The Poster Art of Sean Hartter

2012-01-18T00:05:00.000-05:00

Check out more of Mr. Hartter's great artwork here.

Obscure Pleasures Private Peep Show single review

2012-01-16T16:13:00.000-05:00

By Daniel Th1rte3n (Formally Indrid 13)

One of the aspects of writing for The Cathode Ray that I enjoy is being able to discover and explore new musical endeavors that may not be familiar to our readers, and in turn allow said readers to enjoy these artists for themselves. Such a group of artists is Birmingham England’s Obscure Pleasures, whom indulge the listener in dark panoramas of electronic sensuality.

Obscure Pleasures are on the verge of releasing their new single Private Peep Show, and it is a fascinating microcosm of libertine sexuality set to an irresistible beat evocative of the decadent 1980’s (as well as the 1780s).

The track begins with a short interlude of ambient sound, that evokes a sense of entering a new world, a world a bit darker than that which we may be accustomed. As the song proper starts, it takes on a tone that brings to mind not only Bauhaus, but also the soundtrack work of John Carpenter, while still remaining fiercely unique.

The vocals, both warm and raw, offer a dichotomy (especially in contrast to the electronic soundscape) that perfectly suits the songs overall theme: that of pleasure and pain being inexorably linked. The Marquis de Sade once remarked; “It is always by way of pain one arrives at pleasure”, and this track could stand as testament to that aesthetic. The lyrics make beautiful poetry out of a subject that to some may not be suitable to their palette, and yet in turn the listener is compelled to listen regardless of where you derive your source of pleasure from.

As the piece progresses, it once again reinforces its dual nature, as the electronic gives way to strings (which in turn elicit a sense of 1780’s libertine leanings, mixed firmly with 1980’s glamour and debauchery).

As the track comes to end we are offered a somber piano litany as the lyric “All I want is you to suffer, all you need from me is pain” echoes with both malice and tenderness. And therein we find the challenge to ourselves. Where do these lines blur within us, and how do we chose to express it?

To learn more of Obscure Pleasures, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/obscurepleasures

Private Peep Show will be available for digital download on 1/30/2012

If you live in the London or Manchester area, catch Obscure Pleasures on tour with William Control on February 6th and 7th!

Sunday Smackdown

2012-01-15T21:17:00.000-05:00

This week's battle is between two Academy award winning actors, both playing wolfmen.

Vs.

Will Randall is bit by a wolf while driving home in Vermont. Will starts to become more aggressive, taking on the characteristics of a wolf. One night he wakes up and hunts down a deer. The next morning Will finds himself on the bank of a stream, with blood all over his face and hands. Will inadvertently bites his rival Stewart, who then becomes a werewolf himself. Eventually the two battle it out in a one on one werewolf battle leaving only one of them alive.

Lawrence Talbot, world-renowned Shakespearean actor, returns home after his is killed by a beast on the moors. He visits a nearby gypsy, attempting to learn what killed his brother. The beast attacks the camp and Lawrence is bitten by it. He transforms into a Wolfman, stalking the woods and killing many locals before finding the beast that cursed him and peace.

The moon is full, time for a werewolf vs. werewolf battle to the death.

Last week's winner

Charlie Bronson dished out a beating to old Tyler Durden.

Femme Fatale Friday: Carrie Fisher

2012-01-13T00:15:00.000-05:00

Hump Day Posters: G is for Giallo

2012-01-11T02:05:00.000-05:00

Are you asking me to remove my trousers : My Top Fifteen favorite films of the year

2012-01-09T01:21:00.001-05:00

Well as another year draws to a close it's time to take a look at my favorite films of 2011. It was a weird year, wasn't great, but it wasn't as terrible as 2010 was. Even with the ups and downs of 2011, I watched a ton of stuff. The early part of the year saw me go crazy for kung fu films. I had a Shaw Brothers marathon and a Sammo Hung one. I started watching and collecting Doctor Who on DVD like a madman. Memorial Day I held my 2nd Werewolf marathon. Then I finished the year watching Christmas horror films for the holiday weekend. Like last year the list encompass all the films I saw for the first time this year. Stuff like Scott Pilgrim and Kick Ass, both of which I loved won't be on the list. Why, well those are just too mainstream for this list. Only the weird, crazy and obscure stuff is allowed.

Honorable mention: Hobo with a Shotgun (2011)- Based on an award winning fake trailer. Hobo to me is more a tribute to Troma then it is to Grindhouse films. Anyway you slice it though, Hobo is a bloody good and over the top time.

15-Shadows Run Black (1986)- A cocaine fueled slasher riot that asks the question: Do you like to watch magicians play with their metal balls? And what future star left this film of their resume?

14-Old Dark House (1932)-James Whale's macabre humor is in full effect here. Eccentric characters, a creepy old mansion and Karloff as the bearded and mute butler Morgan. This sucker is deserving of being regarded as a classic alongside Whale's other more well known Universal horror films.

13-The Dark Power (1985)- Lash La Rue is da man! Indian mummies versus a bunch of collage kids, with Lash to the rescue. We actually get to know the kids a bit before the horror starts. The film succeeds on walking a fine line between humor and horror. It all leads up to a climactic whip face off between our hero and a whip wielding mummy. What he didn't know is: you don't mess with Lash and his whip!

12-Kiss of Death (1973)- Funky Shaw Brothers revenge flick starring their resident ass kicker Lieh Lo. When a young factory worker is viciously gang-raped by a group of low level criminals, she catches a incurable VD ("Vietnam Rose"), She sets out to kill her rapists and gets badass Lieh Lo to teach her how to do it. Kiss is sleazy grindhouse thrills of the highest order.

11-Cannibal Apocalypse (1980)- Cannibalistic Vietnam vets! Lead by John "I'll kick your ass" Saxon. An absurdly entertaining mix of Italian cannibal and zombie films and First Blood and The Deerhunter. Only in Italy would they come up with an insane mix like this.

10-Doom Asylum (1987)

Doom Asylum is dumb and proud of it. The characters are blithering idiots, the killer included. Everyone of the victim's wanders off before meeting their untimely end. The killer's quips are worse then anything Freddy ever let fly. Nobody here is taking it seriously, it's all in fun. And that helps with the enjoyment. Sex and the City star Kristin Davis shows up as the resident nerd, wearing huge glasses. Cult movie babe Ruth Collins steals the film as the leader of a bad all girl goth band. Plus this film turned me on to the wonderful world of Tod Slaughter.

09-Crimes at the Dark House (1940)

"Curse your trousers!"

Speaking of Mr. Slaughter. In this film he plays a the false Sir Percival Glyde. Having had murdered the original and taken his place. Slaughter's villains are mustache twirling schemers. The joy of this film and the other films he's stared in is simply seeing him in action. He plays it over the top and completely unhinged. But not in a Plan 9 kind of way. No, there's a knowing look in his eye as he hams it up. He's having a blast and so is the viewer.

08-Nightbeast (1982)

Last year I watched Don Dohler's Blood Massacre. I had to see more of Mr. Dohler's films. They're fun, well made and have a ton of heart. So along comes Nightbeast, Don Dohler's ode to rampaging aliens in sliver jumpsuits, gentleman's perms and weird foreplay. Nightbeast is what the monster movies of today are not and should be, unabashed fun. There's that word again, fun. Anyways. I'll never look at sex the same way again thanks to this film.

07-Terminal Island (1973)

What if Tom Selleck had been the star of Escape from New York? Okay, his character in this isn't anything like Snake, but the story has more then a few things in common with Escape. In the "near" future capitol punishment has been done away with. Instead of prison, felons (men and women alike) are sent to Terminal Island. " There are no guards inside the prison, only prisoners and the worlds they have made. The rules are simple: once you go in, you don't come out." Hey, wait a minute... I have no idea if this film influenced Carpenter or not, but whereas that film is a ultra cool sci-fi thriller, Terminal Island is pure grindhouse groovyness.

06-Watch Out, We're Mad (1974)

The film that kicked off my obsession with Terence Hill and Bud Spencer. In many ways this film makes me think of team ups of Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung in Hong Kong. Our two heroes mix it up with a crazed mobster and his equally nuts psychiatrist Donald Pleasance! Hill and Spencer mix it up with numerous thugs and killers sent by the mobster. The cause of all this is the boy's trashed dune buggy and their efforts to get compensation from the mobster. Once you hear the theme song by Oliver Onions (Guido and Maurizio De Angelis), you'll never forget it.

05-Homicidal (1961)

William Castle's little Psycho clone has one thing that film was lacking, a Fright Break! If the climax was too intense, those who wanted to could leave and get a refund. But in so doing you had to sit in The coward's corner in the lobby till the film's end. And then sit there as the other movie goers left. Walking right by you. I wonder if anybody ever did leave during the fright break? But even with that gimmick, this is one is more restrained then other Castle flicks. It still packs in the thrills and a neat twist ending.

04-The Bells of Death (1968)

Awesome tale of revenge from the Shaw Brothers. Many kung fu and swordplay films from the late '60's tend to show their age, but man this film doesn't. After watching it for the first time I was shocked to see that it came out in '68. It sure doesn't look or feel that way. There's an energy to it that pulls you right along with the story. A number of the Shaw Brothers productions from this time as good as they are tend to slow a bit at the midway point, Bells of Death pace never lets up. Early in the film we see the hero track down an old swordsman to train him so he can get revenge. After a brief fireside talk the film jumps ahead years and we see our hero again, fully trained and ready to take revenge! I love that! No five hour training montage here.

03-Nightmare (1981)

Oh early '80's with your floor model tv's, feety pajamas, plush carpeting and masked killer, was there any better time for horror films? You may not agree with me but I can not get enough of vintage '80's slasher films. I have to see them all, good and bad. Nightmare is one I've been dying to see ever since I saw the trailer years ago. It looked so gnarly. Boy howdy it did not disappoint. It plays like a mix of Halloween and Maniac. A troubled psycho, he even gets a mask, a family being stalked and a horny babysitter! An effective, gory and sometimes freaky slasher gem.

02-Sledgehammer (1983)

This here is my favorite SOV film. It's tough because I love Boardinghouse loads, but that film is a tad tangential. After a brief murder at the beginning we get some dudes and their "foxy" ladies partying for awhile. After all the '80's hijinks the horror finely kicks in during a ghost story. You know what? I really enjoyed the low rent tomfoolery half as much as the stalk and slash half. The film at times manages an almost surreal feeling do to a creepy looking killer, odd and frequent use of slo-mo and a effective score. But don't let that put you off, this film is also goofy as all hell.

01-Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural (1973)

A truly haunting little film that mixes Lovecraft, vampires and Little Red Riding Hood. Like Messiah of Evil, Suspiria and Let's Scare Jessica to Death (Three of my favorite '70's horror films), Lemora creates a eerie atmosphere that pulls you into it's world and keeps you transfixed to the screen. Cheryl "Rainbeaux" Smith is perfect as young Lila Lee and considering how her life would end it makes her character somewhat tragic. I'm still not sure what the heck is up with the film's ending, but that's one of the joys of '70's horror.

Sunday Smackdown

2012-01-08T19:50:00.001-05:00

This week's battle is a down and dirty fist fight.

Vs.

Tyler Durden, a soap salesman (There's more to him then that, but I don't want to spoil it) who forms a "fight club" for men to beat the hell out of each other and be men. Eventually more fight clubs form across the country, and under his leadership, they become the anti-materialist and anti-corporate organization called "Project Mayhem". Tyler plans to erase debt by destroying all the buildings that contain credit card companies' records.

Charles Bronson (born Michael Gordon Peterson, 6 December 1952) is an English criminal often referred to as the "most violent prisoner in Britain". In 1974 he was imprisoned for robbery and sentenced to seven years. While in prison he made a name for himself as a loose cannon, fighting fellow convicts and prison guards alike. All these fights added years to his sentence. Regarded as a problem prisoner, he was moved 120 times throughout Her Majesty's Prison Service and spent most of this time in solitary confinement.

I can't tell you about fight club, but I tell you that there's going to broken teeth a flying, blood spraying and two bare chested sweaty dudes beating the hell out of each other.

Last week's winner

Was a tie, neither Robocop nor the T-1000 prevailed.

Femme Fatale Friday: Katie Featherstone

2012-01-06T00:02:00.000-05:00

Hump Day Posters: Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971)

2012-01-04T11:52:00.000-05:00

The Control Project.

2012-01-04T00:35:00.000-05:00

How many times have you wished that you could be a part of a piece of work from one of your favorite artists? Well, if you are a fan of Aiden and William Control, you can! William Francis has recently gone completely independent of any music label, and is asking his fans to help him bring his new William Control music to life via The Control Project. There are many different packages to choose from, and each offers something unique in exchange for your donation (the ultimate being a personal acoustic William Control show!) Head here and watch the video for details: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WGgb8lMVeOM

Sunday Smackdown

2012-01-01T20:11:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! Let's start 2012 with a bang!

Vs.

Veteran Police Officer Alex Murphy was serving with the Detroit Police Department when it was taken over by the private corporation OCP. He was partnered with Officer Anne Lewis, when during a pursuit of crime lord named Clarence Boddicker which ended in an abandoned steel mill, Murphy was captured and beaten by Boddicker’s gang before being executed by Boddicker. Somehow Murphy survived and was transported to a hospital emergency room, where the doctors tried in vain to keep him alive. After he was pronounced dead, the body was seized by OCP, citing release forms Murphy signed when he joined the force. The RoboCop Program, led by OCP executive Bob Morton, used what was left of Murphy's face and portions of his cerebrum and cerebellum in a cybernetic body, in effect, resurrecting Alex Murphy as RoboCop. RoboCop quickly proved to be an effective weapon against crime in Detroit.

The T-1000 is made of "liquid metal". It is a incredibly advanced Terminator, composed entirely of a mimetic metal alloy, making it capable of rapid shapeshifting, near-perfect mimicry and rapid recovery from damage. It was sent by Skynet back in time to murder a young John Connor, the future leader of the Human Resistance against the machine uprising. It assumes the identity of a LAPD officer in it's hunt for John Connor.

It's time for the cybernetic cop to face off against a liquid metal cop.

Last week's winner

Psycho Santa punished the naughty Santa Slayer with ease.

Femme Fatale Friday: Bridget Fonda

2011-12-30T00:07:00.002-05:00

Hump Day Posters: Blaxploitation 3

2011-12-28T00:25:00.000-05:00

Christmas Sunday Smackdown

2011-12-25T20:11:00.001-05:00

It's time for a holiday themed rumble.

Christmas eve, 1971, Billy Chapman, a little boy, goes with his parents and younger brother Ricky to visit their grandfather for Christmas at a mental institution. Billy's grandfather is in a catatonic state, when Billy's parents go off with the doctor, leaving him alone with Billy. Grandpa starts talking to Billy, and tells him the "truth" about Santa Claus: Santa not only gives presents to good boys and girls, but punishes the naughty ones. As his parents return, Grandpa goes back into his catatonic state. On their way home they are waylaid by a robber dressed as Santa. Billy's parents are brutally murdered. Billy and his brother are sent to St. Mary's Orphanage. In 1984, Billy, who is now eighteen years old gets a job at a local toy store. When he's forced to wear a Santa and sees a female coworker raped he freaks out and goes on a killing spree.

The Santa slayer (Don't Open Till Christmas). He's a killer who likes to wear a plastic mask and kill anybody dressed as Santa. All of this is due to a traumatic incident involving someone wearing a Santa costume when he was growing up. You don't get naughtier then this dude.

The stockings are stuffed with body parts. The mistletoe is covered in blood and the only ones stirring are psychos. It's time for the killer Santa to face off against the Santa slayer.

Last week's winner

Cherry Darling beat the machine girl Ami in a fairly close battle.

'Tis the Season for Horror

2011-12-24T12:20:00.010-05:00

Nothing say Christmas like a few maniacs, a traumatized childhood or two and lots of knives. So between all the gift giving and present openings, I'm going to indulge in a X-mas themed marathon.

So far I've watched...

Such a weird little film. I love it immensely and hope someday it gets the deluxe DVD treatment. A creepy old mansion, an escaped mental patient, sepia flashbacks and a mute John Carradine, ringing a bell, What's not to love?

Yuletide count: We get a Christmas tree, some holiday decorations and lights, a few gifts getting wrapped, a bit of snow and a very creepy rendition of silent night.

Aldo Lado's Last House riff is equal parts classy and sleazy. If you want a holiday film that's the complete opposite of A Christmas Story, well you can't go wrong with this epic of Italian nastiness.

Yuletide count: One beat up Santa, a groovy looking Christmas tree and a few presents.

Speaking of sleazy, they don't come much sleazier then this. Caroline Munro shows up as herself and belts out a tune. A poor St. Nick get's his wang shorted. And in my favorite scene some punks harass a poor Santa on a bike.

Yuletide count: Lots of Christmas cheer here. Many dead Santa's, lots of decorations and one mean present.

Big dumb fun. This film has become a holiday staple for me in the last couple of years. Where else can you witness Bill Goldberg slaughter Chris Kattan and James Caan! Plus Dave Thomas cracks me up as the strip club going Pastor Timmons.

Yuletide count: One big pissed off Santa and some killer reindeer. A bunch of holiday decorations and trees. And one massacred bunch of carolers.

Here's a remake I dig. The script is witty at times. The girl's are hot. The gore's not bad. And the film looks slick. Though I feel the film gives us way too much back story on Billy and Agnes. The flashbacks are scattered about in a way that derails the action.

Yuletide count: Lots of Christmas cheer on hand. Roaring fires, egg nog, Christmas trees aplenty, tons of lights and one dead Santa.

Bob Clark's other Christmas masterpiece. Of course I don't have to tell you about this one, it's a classic. What I will say about is that's it's atmosphere is damn near perfect. Clark captures the bleakness of winter in such a way that you feel the chill of the wind and hear the crunch of snow without even being there.

Yuletide count: We have a Santa with a white guy afro. Some drunken Christmas party antics. Presents and decorations galore. and one nice old tree.

Naughty! Punish! My second favorite Christmas movie of all time.

Yuletide count: One low key Christmas party, strangulation with lights, A few Christmas trees and one very uncomfortable session of sitting on Santa's lap.

Renting a copy of this many years ago I was expecting to get a sleazy good slasher outing like Silent Night, Deadly Night. What I got instead was disappointment. Were was all the killing? Nothing freaking happened for half the movie and then when it did, it didn't last long. Most of the film was about this poor sod named Harry who lives and breathes Christmas melting down till he finally snaps. What a freaking bummer. A couple years ago a friend of mine rented a couple of DVDs and invited me over. Well the first one he popped in was Christmas Evil! What a difference ten years makes. My tastes had matured. Not only could I enjoy the film for what it was, but for what it was doing. It's a charming film that affirms Christmas time, while at the same time showing how it can be perverted. It's a great Christmas film. It's become mandatory yuletide viewing for me and my favorite Christmas movie.

Yuletide count: A bunch of Santa's, lots and I mean lots of Christmas decorations, presents, trees and Santa's groovy '80's van.

Happy Holidays!

Femme Fatale Friday: Sarah Michelle Gellar

2011-12-23T00:07:00.004-05:00

Hump Day Posters: Season's Slayings

2011-12-21T06:06:00.010-05:00

Sunday Smackdown

2011-12-18T19:54:00.000-05:00

This week two hot chicks with big....um, guns fight it out.

Vs.

When mass quantities of the deadly biochemical agent known as DC2 (codename "Project Terror") are unleashed on a rural Texas town, turning most of the residents into deformed bloodthirsty psychopaths or "sickos" or zombies. Cherry Darling, go-go dancer extraordinaire and master of many "useless talents", loses her right leg to a "sicko" attack. Her sometimes boyfriend El Wray replaces Cherry's missing leg with a modified M4 Carbine with a M203 grenade launcher attachment. For maximum zombie killing badassery.

Ami Hyūga was a typical high school girl, leading a normal life but that changed when her brother and his friend were killed by bullies led by Sho Kimura. As Ami tracks down Sho, she is surprised to discover the bullies' are associated with a sinister ninja yakuza family. When she goes for revenge, she soon finds herself in over her head with her left arm being lost. Barely surviving, Ami escapes and seeks out shelter from two kindly garage mechanics, the parents of her brother's friend. They fit her with a multi-barrelled machine gun prosthetic. Ami proceeds on a killing spree against the murderers of her loved ones.

Last week's winner

Liz beat the wicked firestarter Charlie five to three.

Femme Fatale Friday: Alison Haislip

2011-12-16T06:06:00.006-05:00

One of the best reasons to watch G4 nowadays.

Hump Day Posters: Wolfen (1981)

2011-12-14T07:00:00.001-05:00

Sunday Smackdown

2011-12-11T18:39:00.000-05:00

To warm the cold air outside this week's battle is a pyrokinetic throw down.

Vs.

Charlene "Charlie" McGee a young girl possessing pyrokinesis—i.e., the ability to create fires with her mind. She was born with her abilities due to her parents (Andrew McGee and Victoria Tomlinson) having participated in a government-funded experiment during college. Both parents were injected with an unknown amount of a drug known as Lot Six, which, among other things, had been proven to alter the subject's chromosomes and pituitary gland.

Elizabeth 'Liz' Sherman had a normal childhood until her pyrokinetic abilities manifested when she was ten. Raised a Catholic, Liz felt that the fires were a result of her sins, and for a short time managed to keep the fires under control by a combination of prayer and force of will. In July 1973, at age eleven, she again lost control. The resulting blast destroyed an entire city block and, among the thirty-two fatalities, took the lives of her parents, brother, and pet dog. Liz was taken in by the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense in May 1974, where she learned to control her power to some extent. In 1980, she became an agent. Her childhood trauma has left her bitter and she often leaves the B.P.R.D. only to return shortly afterwards.

This should hopefully prove an interesting battle, fighting fire with fire.

Last week's winner

Proving he's still the baddest in the land, Blacula beats Blackenstein 8 to 0!

Femme Fatale Friday: Jane Goldman

2011-12-09T06:06:00.004-05:00

Writer of X-Men: First Class, Kick-Ass and The Debt, among others.

One by one an A to Z trip through my dvd collection

2011-12-08T18:29:00.000-05:00

17 Again (2009)

Director: Burr Steers
Writer: Jason Filardi
Stars: Zac Efron, Matthew Perry, Michelle Trachtenberg and Leslie Mann

Well it's been awhile since the last one but what the hell.

First things first. I got this DVD for two (Three if you think about it.) reasons. It was cheap and Michelle Trachtenberg. Like a moth to a flame or a fool and his money...

The film opens in 1989, with young Mike O'Donnell (The always effeminate Zac Efron) getting ready for the big game. He's the star player on the high school basketball team and is hoping to impress some big shot talent scout. Isn't that how it always goes in this type of movie? Anyway, Cut to the big game and all is looking swell, until his girlfriend shows up. She whispers something in his ear and he goes back to the game. She leaves and he decides to ditch the game and follow her. Turns out she pregnant. We're then meet grown up Mike (Matthew Perry), he's split from his wife, estranged from his kids, living with his nerdy best friend Ned (Thomas Lennon) and fired from his job. So, everything great right? Mike does what any middle-aged guy about to get divorced does, goes to his old high school to pick up teenage girls! Okay, so that's not why he's there. No, he's there because it was the only place where he was special. I guess, I'm not really sure, but I like my hitting on teenage girl's theory more. Anyway while he's looking at his high school photo, an old janitor asks him if he wishes he could be 17 again, hey it's the title of the movie! Anyway, he says yes. While driving he sees the same janitor on a bridge, the janitor jumps and Mike jumps in after him. Before you can say Kazaam! Mike wakes up the next day as Zac Efron. What follows is just what you'd expect. A big game, a new understanding of his family, his life and the usual antics one finds in a film like this.

I know, this may sound like I've done some crack, but...I enjoyed this movie. It's no better or worse then similar themed films from the '80's. Going into it with next to zero expectations of being entertained, I was. It wasn't laugh out loud funny nor original, but it held my interest throughout it's running time. Not anything I'd rush to watch again anytime soon, but it entertained me for an afternoon.

Besides...

I mean really. Too bad she didn't dress like that in the film.

Hump Day Posters: Chino (1973)

2011-12-07T06:06:00.001-05:00

Sunday Smackdown

2011-12-04T20:00:00.000-05:00

The battle that never happened but should have.

Prince Mamuwalde, the ruler of an African nation, seeks help from Count Dracula in suppressing the slave trade. Dracula refuses to help and transforms Mamuwalde into a vampire and seals him in a coffin. Mamuwalde's wife, Luva, is imprisoned and dies in captivity. In 1972, the coffin is purchased as part of an estate by two interior decorators and shipped to Los Angeles. They open the coffin and become Prince Mamuwalde's first victims. Blacula has risen from his grave!

Eddie Turner steps on a land mine in Nam and loses both his arms and legs. His fiancee, Doctor Winifred Walker, asks her former teacher and colleague Doctor Stein, who has recently won a Nobel Peace Prize for "solving the DNA genetic code" for help. Doc Stein gives Eddie new replacement arms using his trademark DNA treatment, and Eddie seems to recover. Malcomb, Dr. Stein's assistant confesses to Doctor Walker that he loves her, but she intends to marry Eddie as soon as the surgeries are completed. So a jealous Malcomb sabotages the "DNA solution" used during Eddie's leg surgeries, thus transforming him into Blackenstein: The Black Frankenstein!

Vs.

Blacula. Blackenstein. Both blaxploitation icons. Both bad ass mutha's, but only one of these bad brutha's can reign supreme!

Last week's winner

This time Freddy wins in a tight 3 to 2 victory.

Femme Fatale Friday: Lacey Chabert

2011-12-02T00:08:00.003-05:00

Hump Day Posters: Godzilla 2000 (1999)

2011-11-30T06:06:00.002-05:00

Sunday Smackdown

2011-11-27T20:16:00.001-05:00

This week it's Freddy vs. Jason the remake.

Vs.

Freddy Krueger, a power plant worker and a child murderer/molester. Krueger was also worked as the groundskeeper at Badham Preschool. Though Freddy initially appears to have been wrongly accused, the parents, after observing slashes on the kids skin and clothes consistent with his trademark glove, burn him to death rather than turn him into the police to spare their children the trauma of having to testify against him in court.

In 1980, a young Jason Voorhees witnessed his mother beheaded by a camp counselor, who was trying to escape Mrs. Voorhees's murderous rampage at Camp Crystal Lake. 30 years later, a group of vacationing friends run afoul of a now grown Jason. This Jason likes to set traps and is much faster then the original.

We've seen the original Freddy vs. Jason, now it's time version 2!

Last week's winner

Intergalactic hunter and all around badass The Predator took home another trophy. Beating Boba Fett 8 to 5.

Femme Fatale Friday: Christina Hendricks

2011-11-25T06:06:00.008-05:00

Hump Day Posters: Godzilla (Gojira) (1954)

2011-11-23T06:06:00.011-05:00

Review: Novus Ordo Seclorum

2011-11-22T22:13:00.000-05:00

By indrid13

William Francis has never been afraid to expose his listeners to new perspectives on universal subjects such as love (and its close relationship with pain), theological hypocrisy, and art’s role as a belief system (not unlike the 19th century English movement of Aestheticism, which counted Oscar Wilde amongst its members). On “Novus Ordo Seclorum”, the latest William Control release, Francis has taken these themes to exciting new places, once again holding a mirror to a vain and narcissistic society to reveal the decay that festers just below the surface.

The album begins with “New World Order”, a rough translation of the Latin phrase that comprises the EP’s title. This track is a call to arms for the listener to change their perspective on the world. Society isn’t working the way as intended; people are led astray (and in turn made to suffer) by leaders whose only beliefs are in currency and antiquated ideals. In this track, it is mentioned a poet should be called upon to reshape society, which brings to mind the philosophies of Aestheticism mentioned above. The tempo is kept fast for most of the piece, and William’s voice is rich and full against the keyboards, once again providing an excellent series of contrasts that I feel is the hallmark of his sound. The almost chanting backing vocals offer the perfect complement to the subject matter, as they underscore William’s words of a new faith based on creativity.

Next is “Disconnecting”. This piece is almost Shakespearean in its themes of a love betrayed. References to ancient Rome are given, perhaps as a nod to Pablius Virgil, the Roman poet who’s fourth Eclogue contains the phrase “Novus Ordo Seclorum”. Although keyboards are featured prominently, this particular song is less electronica influenced then the others appearing on the album. William presents the lyrics in a crooning fashion that truly conveys the heartbreak felt by the song’s subject.

“Love Is Worth Dying For” explores the relationship between pain and love, a continuing theme in William’s work (such as “Strangers” from Hate Culture). While the subject matter is dark, and may not be every listener’s cup of tea, the points William makes are valid (whether or not Francis means them metaphorically or not is open to interpretation), and like all good art, it challenges the audience.

“1963” (note this track is only available on the physical CD of “Novus Ordo Seclorum “) is a New Order cover that is right at home on this release as it contrasts a love gone horribly wrong juxtaposed with ultra-listenable (some may even say happy sounding)hooks. William always provides excellent versions of others material (for example his gorgeous rendition of “Can’t Help Falling in Love” from Noir), and this is no exception.

“Perfect Servant” deals with the darker side of pleasure, not unlike “Love is Worth Dying For”, but on this piece the style is reminiscent of 80’s era synthpop (a style that may be unfamiliar to some of today’s listeners). While bondage may not be understood by all, the love and pain antecedents are brought to the fore here, which links it thematically with many past pieces from the William Control catalog (such as My Lady Dominate from the noir album). As one who immensely enjoys 80’s electronica, I found this track a welcome and refreshing take on a classic style.

Finally comes “The Optimist Within Me”. This track seems to represent William’s farewell to the ways of old. His hatred of the decayed society manifests itself in his witnessing its demise, uncaring and unremorseful. And while unsure of what the new ways will bring, anything has to be better than what came before. William makes a bold choice to end the album with a dark and melancholy track, as most would have left the listener with an upbeat representation of what is to come. It is with this unexpected, unflinching honesty that William makes his mark. There is always hope, always joy and love, but are we willing to explore the road less travelled to arrive at a better place?

William Control’s “Novus Ordo Seclorum’ can be purchased here: http://williamcontrol.bigcartel.com/, and it is highly recommended that you do!

Color Me Blood Red: An Interview with Dante Tomaselli

2011-11-21T23:12:00.004-05:00

When I last spoke to horror director Dante Tomaselli he'd just wrapped filming on his fourth feature film, Torture Chamber. It's been a privilege to be able to do these interviews with Dante. They've not only shown the progression of Torture Chamber from idea to film, but give insight into Dante's creative process. Hope everyone enjoys the interview!

How did editing and soundmixing go?

Dante Tomaselli: Before I started picture editing, I spent a few months watching all the footage, getting to know every detail. It got to the point where I could go to any sequence in my mind. After a month of editing, I began the sound mix and as you know, I've always placed a strong emphasis on the sound design, I need complete control over it. I wanted the soundtrack to feel like a seance...or incantation, a spell being cast. A place where people feel powerless and dominated by forces they have no control over. I wanted a kind of Black Mass feel. I collected many thousands of layers of sounds. All kinds of sounds, they could come from anywhere, I place no restrictions. I'm a sound hunter. So I purchased these sounds and mixed them like colors of paint on a palette. I divided the sounds into categories like...low tones, glacial, staccato, and suspense. Months earlier, throughout the writing of the screenplay, I was listening to Halloween 3, music by John Carpenter and Alan Howarth. Just like when I was a kid, I had this album playing constantly....It made me feel younger...and more aligned with the images that I was channeling. I love all those early John Carpenter movies and soundtracks, Halloween, The Fog, Christine... At the same time, the soundtrack to Torture Chamber is personal and it's a continuation of the world I've previously created...a space where picture and sound bleed into each other. You never know what's around the next corner. Colors and sounds are pristine. There are many gates, tunnels, windows, doors, holes. Each portal takes you to the next. For months, I'd go to the post sound studio in NYC and mix Torture Chamber with the engineer, just like making an album. Just me...alone with the engineer...and my sounds. Aside from some dreamy horror piano and subtle strings that I incorporated, tracks composed by Joseph Bishara, I kept this score orchestra free. I'm really getting tired of big budget Hollywood soundtracks. They're so assembly line. Don't get me wrong, I love orchestral music...but I hear the same music in movies, over and over again. It's like an annoying formula. I wanted the sound design on this film to be mostly indecipherable. Subliminal. It's a mixture of moans and breaths and brooding low toned synths and pulses. A witches brew of sounds. I prefer an electronic soundscape. I've always admired composers like Wendy Carlos, Tangerine Dream and Giorgio Moroder.

From first conception, to finished film, how long has Torture Chamber been in your head? And how has it evolved and changed since its beginning?

Dante: Well, I was very depressed when I didn't get to shoot The Ocean, the movie I was planning. I had it all ready-to-go with Adrienne Barbeau as the lead. I was so looking forward to shooting the film in the unique locations I scouted in Puerto Rico. I had Adrienne Barbeau over my apartment in New Jersey and we went over the character; it was a dream come true. I thought the money was there. It wasn't. Some more time passed, too much time...and soon Adrienne was starring in a play about Judy Garland...so she wasn't available for a period. Around this time, I was told that the money was in fact in place and we had to cast someone quickly. I knew that Margot Kidder read the script and was interested in the lead...a psychic haunted by visions of a watery apocalypse. The money turned out not to be there again. I paused and found some new producers. Soon Dee Wallace read the screenplay and came onboard. We were all ready to start production...again. Dee was so committed and loved the script. We had beautiful conversations where I felt her depth of emotional attachment to the project. I was so moved. When the money wasn't there again, I felt like I betrayed her and everyone because in the end it all goes back to me. I'm the one to blame for not getting the film off the ground. Consciously or unconsciously, I create the events that happen in my life. So I was depressed and defeated and angry. I channeled that rage and conjured a new low budget horror film. Torture Chamber. I wrote it throughout 2008. I knew I wanted to create a movie about a demon of blasphemy and murder. Something that returned to the puzzle-like feel of my early films, but faster-paced and more engaging. I wanted to create pure cinema...on a low budget. When I visualized Torture Chamber, it had a kind of epic exuberance. I imagined unspeakable sin...eternal damnation...a family in deep psychic pain. Around the end of 2009, everything started to come together financially...and in early 2010, I was literally planning the shoot. During this time, I was scouting locations non-stop. In late May, I started principle photography. I shot Torture Chamber in 19 days. For the entire rest of the summer, I immersed myself in the footage...and then in September and October I began picture editing...Next was the sound mix. It was December...January...winter...There was so much snow in New York City. So many snow storms. I was in my own little world, constantly hunting for sound fx and previewing all kinds of compositions in my mind, editing layers of audio design in my mind. I was in a trance. It was just me alone with my movie...and my hand-picked sounds. I finished my first cut in the summer of 2011 but it was too long. Once I trimmed, and I trimmed a lot, twenty three minutes, the sound temperature changed. I spent a few more months in the studio, giving the film more of an aggressive, nightmarish vibe.

Working with your actors, where there many rehearsals before filming? How much leeway did they have to ad-lib? How much input did you give them about their characters?

Dante: There was some rehearsal. This was the first time I was working with many child actors and I had a casting agent, Pamela Kramer, who helped me find these performers through her database. With Pamela, we had some rehearsals together in a studio in New York City. Mainly, I believe once on set it all begins to click. Everything falls into place when the actor is in the frame, in the world of the scene. I give pointed input before the camera rolls but once we are shooting I allow for experimentation and ad-libbing...if it feels right. Whatever works. It's an exploration to deliver the best scene. Overall, though, everyone pretty much adhered to the script. We had tutors on set, as required through child labor laws, and those actors could only perform for a limited time. Scheduling was rough. Plus our locations were spread out around New York and New Jersey, in all different locations.

There's a tendency in modern horror films to make characters unlikable and stupid. What steps did you take to make your characters different than the usual horror victim?

Dante: I don't really watch most modern horror films but I know what you're saying. I do believe in the lone disposable victim, though. I've had one character in every film...a random death...that sets the tone. At the core, this is definitely a movie about a family in deep psychic pain. The characters are revealed through dreams, flashbacks and hallucinations. They're revealed though their surroundings. Torture Chamber is about madness, being trapped in childhood. There's a scene in the kitchen during a family dinner. It's the heart and soul of the movie and spotlights the unhealthy family situation. We see that the mother is very religious and conservative and has a special bond with her older priest-son. The Dad is disconnected, drunken, chain-smoking cigarettes, immersed in a sports game that is droning in another room. And there's little Jimmy, without his facial scars, innocent looking, frightened. The food looks intimidating. He just can't eat. Everything around him overwhelms...shapes, feelings. Young Jimmy, a pyromaniac, sees his brutish father as a cloud of smoke. There's emotional violence in the air.

What challenges did you face budget wise?

Dante: Well, the budget on this film was $200, 000 so I really had to plan each and every shot way in advance. Other independent films have been shot in 19 days, it's been done before, but usually when you have a low budget like this and such a small amount of shooting days, you try to consolidate and film all in one main area. I did the opposite on this film. I allowed the locations, and there were many, to be completely spread out, all over New Jersey and New York. The crew had to pick up and move to another site a lot. And there's a lot of artwork and production design in Torture Chamber. So many props and sets for a film of this budget. Plus my crew was fairly large, as usual. I had such a talented, hardworking crew on Torture Chamber. We had crew and some actors...staying in a motel in a small mining town in New Jersey and other crew members were picked up each day in a van or truck that would bring them back and forth to the locations. Many craftsmen I've worked with already were there but there were just as many new entities involved. Prior to the shoot, I spent almost a full year looking for the right settings and I had the NJ Film Commission helping me all the way. NJ Film Commission...invaluable. The locations, the settings, were so specific...and an important part of the fabric of the movie. Scheduling the production was a logistical nightmare. Everyone around me was saying it was impossible...too many locations. How can we ever move the crew around so much? But I stood my ground and made sure, for the most part, that we filmed in the settings that I scouted and fallen in I love with. Before filming, I did a lot of storyboarding...and fantasizing.

Who's been handling those cool posters for the film? They definitely evoke a 70's feel.

Dante: Sean Hartter has been handling most of those posters. For Torture Chamber, I would message him about what I needed. Like for one poster, I said I needed a possessed boy's face on a black page. I supplied him with the tagline, Jimmy is 13-years-old. Possessed by an unholy power...Sean came back with a fantastic poster. He knows that my films are 70's style and he injects that into everything. My favorite poster that he created from scratch, Jimmy is 13-years-old. And he has escaped...It's an outline of grinning boy with a white possessed-looking eye. It's very Italian horror, which matches this film. I think Torture Chamber rides the line between arthouse and grindhouse. Sean's poster of the shadowed boy captures that and makes it very accessible and appealing. Sean also contributed a few sound textures in the movie. I created the smoky poster with Christie Sanford as Mrs. Morgan, burning, singeing. Should all sinners be damned? That's actually a tagline for Desecration that I never used. It fit the world of Torture Chamber.

In many of the stills we've seen so far there's a Gothic feel to the settings. Were you influenced by any of Hammer's films?

Dante: There is definitely a Gothic feel to the entire movie. I'm not influenced by Hammer's films, though. I do love British horror like Nicolas Roeg's Don't Look Now, Pete Walker's films and Tales from the Crypt. The images in Torture Chamber came from the deep pit of my psyche. The places I conjure are nightmares that I need to replicate. My nightmares, growing up, were extreme. Sometimes I still fear putting my head on the pillow and going to bed. I try to replicate the look and feel of those childhood terrors. Colors and sounds are pristine. I see in my mind a misty image bursting with light, color and design. Glowing, electrified. Usually someone is trapped. In Torture Chamber there are people constantly trapped. We shot a big portion of the film in an actual underground mine in New Jersey. I was so glad because for a while, it seemed that I had to shoot certain sequences on sets. Shooting in the cavy mine perfectly matched the idea of the movie being encased in rock. After a while you begin to feel buried under there and it looks like the caverns of hell.

The world seems to get crazier every day. Do you feel we need the cantharis that horror provides more than ever now?

Dante: Oh definitely. For me, making these films. it's almost like painting. That's exactly how it has always worked for me. Horror films are a form of...art therapy...though it's rarely ever described that way. You can't get to the light without going through shadows. I'm a Scorpio and it's my nature to move through the rocks in shadows. Torture Chamber is encased in stone. That's a repeating image, in all my films. In a past life, or vivid nightmare, I was buried under rocks.

How does this score compare to your previous ones?

Dante: It's very electronic...and satanic. Right from the opening credits theme, which I composed, there is a wall of sound...churning, swirling. It's a bit of a preview of the collection of sounds to come. It's best to experience this film in stereo...loud. Any other way diminishes it. You get the feeling of floating, dreaming, being locked in a...psychedelic dungeon. You won't know where it's leading, suddenly the audio takes a turn. As the movie progresses, sounds trigger colors and patterns and vice-versa. Shapes are emphasized. Shapes of sound. Sometimes it should feel like an out-of-body-experience...or ecstasy trip. Taste color. Touch sound. I had some excellent composers on board like Joseph Bishara, Kenneth Lampl and Allison Piccioni. They never actually viewed the footage. That was my wish. I would give them direction, descriptions of scenes and they had the script. I like to know what's in a composer's imagination. That's more interesting to me. It feels fresh and experimental when it's juxtaposed with the right images. If it doesn't work at least I tried. As the film's main score composer and sound designer and writer and director, it's my job to pull all the details together. In addition to Bishara, Lampl and Piccioni, I had a few other of freelance musicians contribute some devilish sound textures or sound fx that I mixed and edited with other sounds, layers of audio paint that I own. My brother, Michael Tomaselli contributed some twisted aural textures and pulses. He composed the opening and closing themes to my first film, Desecration. As a listening experience, Torture Chamber's ambient tracks are ethereal and brooding. It's a soundtrack for a dark-night-of-the-soul.

Many independent horror directors broke into making studio films by directing for one of the franchises. Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween. How would you feel if you were offered the chance at one of these franchises?

Dante: I love every one of those movies, especially Halloween, so I'd be honored and excited.

How close are you to locking down distribution?

Dante: I just finished the film so I really can't answer that yet. I know it's definitely on the horizon.

Have you thought about what your next film will be?

Dante: Alice, Sweet Alice. A re-imagining of my cousin, Alfred Sole's 70's horror movie. Yes, the mask will be back. We've got to keep it in the family. There's something in the blood.

http://enterthetorturechamber.com

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Torture-Chamber/147512888619829

Sunday Smackdown

2011-11-20T18:13:00.001-05:00

It's hunting season this week on the Sunday Smackdown. And what better hunters to have her then two icons of the sport.

Boba Fett. That name alone just conjurers up all sorts of cool. Just don't think about that whole Sarlacc Pitt debacle. A child clone of bounty hunter Jango Fett, who is raised Boba as a son. He witnessed Jango's decapitation by Jedi Master Mace Windu. Years later Boba captured smuggler and Rebel hero Han Solo, and brought him to Jabba the Hutt for the bounty. Mr. Fett carries numerous weapons on him, plus the ones in his armor, which is also tricked out with a jetpack.

The Predator is from a race of extraterrestrial hunters. After he lands in Val Verde via starship. The Predator begins hunting down a United States Army Special Forces group, stationed there to rescue kidnapped Cabinet ministers. Our alien hunter dispatches the soldiers one by one with a vast array of weaponry until just one of the team, Major Dutch Schaeffer is left. Like Boba Fett this ugly motherfucker brings tons of weapons to the hunt, not to mention the thermal optics in his helmet and camouflage wrist gear.

Vs.

It's hunting time! who will be crowned the galaxy's deadliest hunter?

Last week's winner

Mr. J showed Jigsaw a magic trick or two and won in a very decisive nine to nothing battle.

Femme Fatale Friday: Kristen Bell

2011-11-18T01:40:00.000-05:00

Hump Day Posters: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)

2011-11-16T01:11:00.000-05:00

Sunday Smackdown

2011-11-13T17:21:00.001-05:00

This week two master schemers face-off. One a crazed criminal, the other a serial killer.

The Joker aka The Clown Prince of Crime. Joker's only desire is to upset social order through crime. Unlike the previous film, TV and comic-book depictions of the Joker, this one eschews gag-based weapons common to the character, in favor of knives, firearms, and an array of explosive devices. He also excelled at forcing others to have to make life and death decisions based on letting someone live or die. Such as when he threatens to blow up the city to manipulate people into escaping on two boats that he has rigged with bombs, one filled with civilians and the other with convicts; he threatens to blow them both up at midnight unless one of them destroys the other first.

John Kramer aka The Jigsaw Killer. Kramer a former civil engineer dying from an inoperable tumor. After a failed suicide attempt, Kramer experienced a new respect for his life and set out to force others through deadly trials to appreciate their own lives by testing their will to live through self-sacrifice. The tests were symbolic of what Jigsaw perceived as a flaw in each person's moral character or life. The Jigsaw name was given by the media for his practice of cutting puzzle pieces out of the flesh of those who failed their ordeals and died, symbolic of their missing survival instincts, but Kramer never used the name to refer to himself.

Vs.

I'm interested to see how this battle goes. Both are master manipulators with plans within plans. Let the head games begin!

Last week's winner

The hulking Micheal put Jacob Goodnight to bed. Permit like. Seven to nothing.

Femme Fatale Friday: Marisa Mell

2011-11-11T06:06:00.002-05:00

All photos custody of Cold Blooded Beast

"...otherwise we'll get mad!"

2011-11-09T15:38:00.001-05:00

Hump Day Posters: Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)

2011-11-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

Sunday (Monday) Smackdown

2011-11-07T23:18:00.001-05:00

This one's a day late because I wanted Dan's cool interview to sit up top there for a couple of days. So, anyway on to this week's battle.

Both of our fighters this week were portrayed by Prowrestlers on the big screen.

In one corner we have Jacob Goodnight (Glenn Jacobs aka Kane). A dangerous psychopathic killer with a religious fixation due to his crazy ass mother. He has a thing for taking the eyes of his victims, plus he's handy with an ax.

Facing him is Michael Myers (Tyler Mane). After slaughtering his white trash family and spending years at Smith's Grove - Warren County Sanitarium, he escapes and goes on a bloody rampage trying to find his younger sister. Michael is handy with all sorts of knives especially big kitchen ones.

Without further ado and whatnot let the battle commence.

Vs.

Last week's winner, well after a colossal battle it all ended in a draw! Five votes to five, with one undecided. I was really surprised by the split on this one. I expected it to be more one sided.

A New Order of the Ages: A conversation with William Francis

2011-11-05T21:04:00.001-04:00

By indrid13

When I spoke to William Francis earlier this year, his band Aiden had just released their album “Disguises” (http://www.amazon.com/Disguises-Aiden/dp/B004LE11AE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1320327045&sr=8-1). Since that time, William and Aiden have released a follow up CD entitled “Some Kind of Hate” (http://www.amazon.com/Some-Kind-Hate-Aiden/dp/B005J3VB9C/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1320327301&sr=8-3), as well as announcing a new collection of writing entitled “Prose and Poems”, a follow up to 2009’s “Flowers and Filth” collection, and a new EP from William Control (Francis’ dark electronic solo work) entitled “Novus Ordo Seclorum”. Now, William has once again taken time out from his hectic schedule to chat with me about his art.

November 29th sees the simultaneous release of your new book, "Prose and Poems", as well as your new EP "Novus Ordo Seclorum" (You can pre-order both right here: http://williamcontrol.bigcartel.com/). I would like to speak about each work individually. Let's start with "Prose and Poems". What is your process like for composing poetry, and does it differ from the process you employ when writing lyrics?

William: Yes the process is completely different. With song writing I am usually trying to fit the narrative inside of a melody and have to change the words around for it to fit. Poetry is a little more strange. Although I write it with music in my head, I don't necessarily have to fit the pieces together like a puzzle. It's a lot more free, if that makes any sense at all.

Will "Prose and Poems" primarily feature newer writings, or does it encompass various periods of your writing?

William: Yes, it's some of the stuff I have written since “Flowers and Filth” came out. There is never a time when I stop writing. I have an unhealthy fear of becoming a leper or losing my fingers in a lawn mowing accident or some calamity where I lose my ability to get this stuff out of my head.

Do you prefer one form of writing above another?

William: Are they really all that different? No I don't think I do. One appeals to my inner demons and the other appeals to my outer. I have so many different versions of myself inside my skull its frightening. Sometimes they get drunk and fight one another and I feel a panic attack coming on. Here comes the panic. So I write to quell the voices, I write to soothe the nerves. I write because without it, I'm inside of a padded room drugged out on chlorpromazine and lithium, wondering what year it is.

Moving on Novus Ordo Seclorum, how did you decide upon this quote from Virgil's fourth Eclogue, and how does it relate to both the contents of the CD as well as your current view of the music industry?

William: Translated it means "A New Order of the Ages", which is exactly what we are seeing happen throughout the world. With the Arab springs in the middle east, the protests here in America, the war on women, and a cascade of other grievances we all have within our hearts. There's one song on the new EP in particular that relates to these atrocities and how, we, as a species need a new world order, how we all need a new kind of faith and something to believe in.

Would you be willing to describe some of the new songs found on the CD?

William: I'd rather it be more of a surprise and left to the imagination. I will say that there is Sex, Violence, Love and a yearning for change that we all desire.

Do the book and the CD work together to present a complete piece spread over two distinct mediums, or are they separate in their overall theme?

William: They are as separate as one could make them. Like I said, they are a collection of writings over the past year and a half or so that encompasses a lot of different things I have felt in that time. It would be quite a difficult task keeping something like this a cohesive endeavor.

One of the elements that I find fascinating about your art is your delicate and skillful balance of diametrically opposed elements. Modern lyric writing and Victorian aesthetics, true love and the profane, electronic instrumentation and the richness of your voice...all play off from one another to create a dynamic whole. As I am fascinated in an artist’s process, would you describe how you strike such balances in your art and how much importance do these dynamics play when you are creating?

William: Well first I must thank you for such gracious remarks. As far as balance goes? I am not formally trained in anything, music or otherwise. I have no knowledge of how to write or piece music together the right way. I grew up learning to play guitar to Misfits, Violent Femmes and Nirvana records. There really isn't that much thought that goes into it really. I have a recording studio that allows me the luxury of experimentation and delivery. I have a few synthesizers a drum machine and a plethora of guitars and amps. I write until I think it sounds good. It's really quite un interesting. My apologies.

On the subject of opposing elements, I adore when you mix acoustic elements into the electronic soundscapes of the William Control releases. Your rendition of "Can't Help Falling in Love" is stunning, and "Soliloquy" is haunting. Have you ever entertained the notion of releasing an acoustic album?

William: I have entertained that idea quite heavily yes. I will most likely do that sometime here in the near future.

Moving on to unexpected audio releases, last year you released a series of readings of work by Edgar Allan Poe. Are there any plans to continue your readings, and if so what titles or authors would you like to interpret next?

William: Yes, yes, yes! I loved doing that. I had such a great time. It is really quite difficult though and takes a lot more time than you would imagine. I'm sure that I'll get back into it. I have spent the last few months building a new recording studio and have been so busy recording the Aiden and WC records that there hasn't been a lot of time for the readings. I would like to do some works by other authors. You'll just have to wait and see.

Do you have a final message for our readers?

William: Get ready for a new adventure.

Femme Fatale Friday: Kat Dennings

2011-11-04T00:14:00.000-04:00

Hump Day Posters: Godzilla (Gojira, aka Godzilla 1985: The Legend Is Reborn) (1984, Japan)

2011-11-02T00:35:00.000-04:00

And to all a goodnight

2011-10-31T23:04:00.000-04:00

Hope everyone had a really great Halloween.

Sunday Smackdown

2011-10-30T17:50:00.000-04:00

This week in honor of tomorrow being Halloween it's for a battle of horror Icons. Two three monster teams locked in a battle to the finish. All six combatants are all legends in their own right.

Team one consists of three Legends. Dracula (Bela Lugosi), The Wolf Man (Lon Chaney Jr.) and The Monster (Boris Karloff)

Facing off against them is a team who dominated the '80's and changed horror. Freddy Krueger ( Robert Englund), Jason Voorhees (C.J. Graham) and Michael Myers ( Dick Warlock).

It's a All Hollow's Eve battle of monster Icons!

Vs.

Last week's winner was Cropsy with five votes to Madman Marz's three votes.

My Top Ten picks for Halloween viewing 2011

2011-10-29T22:25:00.003-04:00

It's almost that time again. So, time for the annual Halloween top ten. I can't believe I've been doing these since 2008! Time, where have you gone? This year my picks run the gamete, from big budget to no budget. From goofy to sleazy. The one thing they all share is that each one brings a essential element to the Halloween viewing experience.

10-Time Walker (1982)

Halloween just wouldn't be the same without a shambling, bandage covered mummy. Universal and Hammer had their mummy epics, hell there's even the Aztec Mummy films. Time Walker takes the mummy flicks of old and updates them to the early 1980's. It also throws a few twists into your stranded mummy epic. I won't spoil the ending, but when I saw this as a kid it was certainly a surprise. The action takes place in the most '80's of horror locals, the collage campus. In fact if it wasn't for the mummy lurking about you might mistake this for a campus set slasher.

9-The Basement (1989)

A Super 8 homage to the Amicus horror anthology films of old. Though a tad grungy and a little goofy at times, The Basement works as a neat little anthology. The stories certainly aren't the most original, but they get the job done. At barely an hour, it never outlives it's welcome. Plus there's the added treat of one of the segments having a Halloween theme.

8-Night of the Demons (1988)

A horror romp filled with plenty of Halloween atmosphere. The story is fun and you can tell the actors are having a blast. The characters are quite memorable, especially Angela. Speaking of Angela, she does one heck of a wild and sexy dance accompanied by a killer Bauhaus tune. Crazy punks, coffin sex, some of the grooviest animated opening credits ever, the most uncomfortable lipstick scene put on film and a great ending gag make this an essential for Halloween viewing.

7-Hell Night (1981)

A great little gem from the '80's. With Linda Blair, an old Manor, collage hazings, a deformed killer and really bad '80's hair. From the slasher genre's golden age, Hell Night takes the already familiar stalk and slash tropes and adds a classy, almost Gothic vainer to them. It's is a sorority slasher by way of Scooby-Doo and Hammer. There's plenty of haunted manor hijinks involving elaborate pranks and secret passages before the slasher business starts. Depending on your tastes there's Linda Blair's amazing cleavage, Suki Goodwin bringing out the sexy underwear and Vincent Van Patten wearing some really zany boxer shorts. Speaking of Van Patten, his character goes down as one of the best in slasher film history.

6-Tales from the Darkside (TV Series 1983–1988)

"The Darkside is always there waiting for us to enter; waiting to enter us."

For four seasons Darkside creeped me the hell out. That opening narration and the negative footage, that's some scary shit for a kid to take in at 2am. Add to that the odd way a lot of episodes played out and the low budget filming. Major spook factor. You can't go wrong with episodes like Trick Or Treat (pilot), In The Closet (s1ep8), Halloween Candy (s2ep5) or Seasons of Belief (s3ep11). Damn, all this Darkside talk makes me want to crack open the DVDS and start watching!

5-The Nesting (1981)

Halloween ain't nothing without a good haunted house. But, you know what's better then a haunted house? A haunted brothel! What's scarier then not being able to escape a haunted house? Being scared to go outside. See the heroine is a mystery novelist who suffers from agoraphobia. Her fear of going outside is just as great as her fear of the ghostly goings on. There's a couple of really good gore set pieces and a neat scene involving a lake.

4-Children of the Corn (1984)

Halloween and corn go hand in hand. Popcorn, candy corn, Children of the Corn. The Corn films always bring to mind the harvest festivals associated with the 31st. The first COTC film is still the best of the bunch. Sure the narration is goofy and the darker ending of King's story is nowhere to be seen, but we do get a couple of classic villains (Isaac and Malachai), Linda Hamilton and ton of quotable lines. "Outlander! Outlander! We have your woman!"

3-Pieces (1982)

Pieces is the ultimate Halloween party film. It'll either have people rolling in tears, grossed out or running into the night shrieking for their lost sanity. It's just insanely funny and gory. It never, ever gets boring and is a classic Grindhouse/drive-in flick. Plus who could forget the classic "BASTARD! BASTARD! BASTARD!" line or the kung fu instructor's suprise attack.

2-Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
A yearly staple of my Halloween viewing. Sure there's no Myers sulking about, there is however that insanely catchy Silver Shamrock jingle. I'll never understand how someone could steal part of Stonehenge, but what the hell. That's one of Halloween III's charms, along with the all powerful mustache king Tom Atkins and a slinky and sexy Stacey Nelkin. The score by John Carpenter is also on of the best of the series and highly recommenced.

"Two more days 'til Halloween/ Halloween/ Halloween/ Two more days 'til Halloween/ Silver Shamrock."

1-Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Living in upstate New York, Halloween always brings to mind "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving. This is one of the best adaptions and perhaps my favorite Burton film. While it does change quite a bit of the story, it's done in such a way that it adds to rather then detracts from the viewing experience. The cast is perfect and not a one feels out of place. There's no Keanu Reeves in Dracula going on here. Depp practically inhabits the role of Icabod Crane. He makes Crane a intelligent and heart broken coward, who becomes a hero and it never seems out of character him becoming one. Sleepy Hollows visual style mixes Hammer and Universal with Bava and Argento creating one of most striking looking films in Burton's career.

Femme Fatale Friday: Lily Cole

2011-10-28T06:06:00.002-04:00

Model, actress, Dr. Who guest star and all around hot ginger.

Hump Day Posters: Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

2011-10-26T01:11:00.000-04:00

Invisible Light

2011-10-24T16:48:00.000-04:00

Sunday Smackdown

2011-10-23T18:27:00.000-04:00

I've never went to camp as a kid. And if horror films have thought me anything it's a good thing I didn't go. There's about a million wackos out there in the woods who get their jollies offing anybody foolish enough to go to camp. Now, Jason maybe the most well know of these maniacs lurking in the woods, but the battle consists of two other freak job killers. These two are not as well known nor as popular as The man in the hockey mask, but they each have their own fan base.

Cropsy, the alcoholic and masochistic caretaker of Camp Blackfoot fell victim to a prank by a group of boys that goes wrong. It leaves him horribly burned. Five years later, Cropsy is released from a hospital, wearing a heavy coat, sunglasses and hat to hide his burns. He murders a female prostitute in a rage. He then sets out back to the camp where he was burned, his mind set on vengeance.

One night Madman Marz killed his whole family with an axe, and was later convicted, hit in the face with an axe, and hung, only to break free from said noose and disappear into the woods Now anyone who says his name above a whisper will awaken him and cause him to come back and kill.

Vs.

Last week's winner was Pamela Sue Voorhees who beat Norma Bates. For being only a head she sure kicked a lot of ass.

Femme Fatale Friday: Barbara Steele

2011-10-21T00:35:00.000-04:00

All photos custody of Cold Blooded Beast

Hump Day Posters: The Blair Witch Project (1999)

2011-10-19T00:27:00.000-04:00

Sunday Smackdown

2011-10-16T19:05:00.000-04:00

This week's battle may be the biggest one ever to be featured here. It's truly one for the ages. A balls to the wall, no holds barred fight to the finish. Both fighters are lean mean horror machines. They are responsible for two of cinemas prolific killers. This battle could be too intense for some viewers, so precede with caution.

Let's meet our combatants.

The corpse of Mrs. Norma Bates was last seen hanging out in the basement of her house. Her son Norman hid her down there from prying eyes. In life She was quite cruel to her son Norman, raising him to believe that all women save for her where evil. When Norman is a teenager, she mother meets a man named Joe, whom she begins dating, and plans to marry. He convinces Norma to open a motel. Norman grows insanely jealous of them, believing that she has abandoned him for her boyfriend, and poisons them with strychnine, making it look like a suicide.

The corpse (head anyway) of Pamela Sue Voorhees was last reported to be seen in a shack inhabited by her son Jason. Because of his deformity, Pamela never sent Jason to school, and was extremely overprotective of him. After Jason drowns at Camp Crystal Lake Pamela began hearing voices telling her to kill. A year after his death she kills two counselors. After the camp is closed she sabotages any attempts to reopen it. It was on one of these attempts that Voorhees was beheaded by one of the camp counselors she's tried to murder.

Let the epic battle of the corpses commence!

Vs.

Last week's winner was Mr. Barlow who put a stake in Janos Skorzeny. Eight votes to one.

Femme Fatale Friday: Edwige Fenech

2011-10-14T06:06:00.008-04:00

All photos custody of Cold Blooded Beast

Support the Curse of the Phantom Shadow

2011-10-13T19:29:00.001-04:00

Want to help support a cool independent film?

Mark Ross is an independent filmmaker in the Las Vegas area. He's currently in production on a short concept film, Curse of the Phantom Shadow. The film pays homage to:

B Movies
Dick Tracy
Batman
Spy Smasher
The Shadow
The Phantom
Republic Movie Serials
Comic books
Pulp Novels/Magazines of the 1930s/1940s

Go to this link and learn how you can support The Phantom Shadow!

Hump Day Posters: My favorite Hammer horrors

2011-10-12T06:06:00.002-04:00

Sunday Smackdown

2011-10-09T19:11:00.000-04:00

Growing up in the '80's there used to be a plethora of '70's made for television horror films in heavy rotation on every weekend.Many of these where downright creepy. For me two of the creepiest where The Night Stalker and Salem's Lot. This was in large part due to the two film's vampire antagonists. Mr. Barlow and Janos Skorzeny. Both have traveled the world killing for a long ass time. Both enjoy blood (of course), run down hiding places and throwing people around like rag dolls.. So, let's see what happens when these two creepy ass bloodsuckers throw down.

Vs.

Last week's winner

I thought this would have been a closer battle. Oliver Reed's Werewolf won in a fairly one sided battle. I really thought Chris Lee's Monster would get more votes then he did.

R.I.P David Hess

2011-10-08T20:42:00.000-04:00

Femme Fatale Friday: Louise Jameson

2011-10-07T00:07:00.004-04:00

All pictures custody of Not Tonight Dalek.

2011-10-06T19:05:00.002-04:00

Hump Day Posters: Dementia 13 (1963)

2011-10-05T00:24:00.000-04:00

Baron Victor Frankenstein-Master of Disguise

2011-10-04T00:59:00.001-04:00

And perhaps my favorite one, here he simply calls himself Dr. Stein.

Sunday Smackdown

2011-10-02T18:08:00.000-04:00

Universal had their great monster rally films. So why not Hammer? I know Hammer wanted to put a different spin on the classic monsters. But I would have loved to had seen a few of their monsters mixing it up. So here is one my dream match-ups of Hammer creatures.

Vs.

The Monster (Christopher Lee) versus The Werewolf (Oliver Reed) in a Technicolor bloodbath!

Last week's winner: All hail the power of Bronson! Harmonica put away the other three with only Django coming close to giving him a problem.

Femme Fatale Friday: Lauren Bacall

2011-09-30T00:05:00.001-04:00

Fell completely for her after seeing The Big Sleep for the first time.

Photos custody of Dr. Macro's High Quality Movie Scans.

Hump Day Posters: Hannie Caulder (1971)

2011-09-28T00:05:00.000-04:00

Sunday Smackdown

2011-09-25T17:41:00.000-04:00

Something a bit different this week. This week we have a Spaghetti Western Fatal four way shootout!
The combatants are four men who are very good at shooting the hell out of the old west. Each man here is a fast draw with numerous and I mean numerous kills. This shootout involves only pistols, no Gatling guns...Django!

The Man with no name - Clint Eastwood (The Dollars Trilogy)
Django - Franco Nero (Django)
Harmonica - Charles Bronson (Once Upon A Time In The West)
Sabata - Lee Van Cleef (Sabata films)

The battle begins at noon on a dusty street, bullets will fly and the music will be awesome!

Last week's winner....It was a tie!

Femme Fatale Friday: Grace Park

2011-09-23T00:37:00.000-04:00

Hump Day Posters: My favorite westerns

2011-09-21T01:44:00.000-04:00

Sunday Smackdown

2011-09-18T17:23:00.001-04:00

Our battle this week involves two assassins who just happen to be in school.

Hit-Girl, raised by her ex-cop father Damon Macready / Big Daddy to be a one girl crime killing machine. Besides being adapt in every weapon under the sun, swearing like a sailor, and being completely unhinged she also likes hot-coco.

Gogo Yubari, a young associate of Tokyo crime boss O-Ren Ishii, is a severely disturbed 17-year-old schoolgirl who takes a gleeful delight in killing. She is O-Ren's top assassin and bodyguard. Gogo is proficient with the meteor hammer. A large chain weapon with a weighted end.

Vs.

Time for the battle of the high school hit girls.

Last week's winner

Gabriel walks (Sorry) away with an easy win over his angelic opponent

Femme Fatale Friday: Devon Aoki

2011-09-16T00:02:00.000-04:00

Hump Day Posters: Silent Hill (2006)

2011-09-14T00:09:00.000-04:00

Sunday (Monday) Smackdown

2011-09-12T21:23:00.000-04:00

Welcome to a special Monday night edition.

This week it's a war in Heaven. On one side we have Gabriel. He's part of a second war in Heaven, instigated by a group of angels who refused to accept God's elevation of man over all other creatures, including angels. Gabriel has a strong hatred of humanity. He wishes to change Heaven. His opponent is Michael. Michael's mission was to kill a baby deemed the next savior of mankind. He disagreed with God's orders, still having faith in the goodness of humanity.

Vs.

Let the heavenly brawl commence!

No post

2011-09-11T16:03:00.000-04:00

Last week I said I'd have a Sunday Smackdown today, but the more I thought about it the more it just seemed like I should wait. Being what today is, maybe I'll have a special Monday edition tomorrow.

2011-09-11T08:06:00.000-04:00

Femme Fatale Friday: Carla Gugino

2011-09-09T06:06:00.007-04:00

Hump Day Posters: Drew Struzan

2011-09-07T00:52:00.000-04:00

Labor Day and Maniacs

2011-09-05T22:32:00.001-04:00

Hope everybody had a great weekend. Sorry there was no Smackdown Sunday, but with the movie marathon and unexpectedly going out of town yesterday it got lost in the shuffle. But I'll have a new one up next Sunday.

Amazing

2011-09-05T17:10:00.002-04:00

Slashing me, slashing you (ah-haa)

2011-09-03T21:53:00.003-04:00

I'd been thinking about a Slasher marathon for awhile know and...Damn! Someone beat me to it! How can you top awesome like that? You can't, but you can sit back, chill with some cool Slasher films and enjoy the ride.

So this weekend as summer comes to a close I'm hanging out with maniacs and scantily clad coeds for a long weekend of slasher hijinks. My criteria for this is that the films have to fall in between (1978) to (1996), why you may ask? Well, because I'm goofy like that. That and those are the years that Halloween and Scream came out. Also none of the big boys are invited to this party. Myers, Voorhees, Krueger and Leatherface aren't welcome. But your Prom Nights and your Slumber Party Massacres are fine though.

The final body count is...Ten films

The Last Slumber Party (1988)
Nightmare (1981)
Sorority House Massacre (1987)
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982)
Night Screams (1988)
Cheerleader Camp (1988)
Camp Fear (1991)
Happy Hell Night (1992)
Future-Kill (1985)
Doom Asylum (1987)

And yes I like ABBA dammit!

Femme Fatale Friday: Anne Hathaway

2011-09-02T07:10:00.003-04:00

The Cathode Ray Mission

Femme Fatale Friday: Soledad Miranda

Hump Day Posters: Mucha Lucha

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Briana Evigan

In Blackest Night

Hump Day Posters: The Poster Art of Sean Hartter

Obscure Pleasures Private Peep Show single review

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Carrie Fisher

Hump Day Posters: G is for Giallo

Are you asking me to remove my trousers : My Top Fifteen favorite films of the year

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Katie Featherstone

Hump Day Posters: Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971)

The Control Project.

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Bridget Fonda

Hump Day Posters: Blaxploitation 3

Christmas Sunday Smackdown

'Tis the Season for Horror

Femme Fatale Friday: Sarah Michelle Gellar

Hump Day Posters: Season's Slayings

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Alison Haislip

Hump Day Posters: Wolfen (1981)

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Jane Goldman

One by one an A to Z trip through my dvd collection

Hump Day Posters: Chino (1973)

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Lacey Chabert

Hump Day Posters: Godzilla 2000 (1999)

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Christina Hendricks

Hump Day Posters: Godzilla (Gojira) (1954)

Review: Novus Ordo Seclorum

Color Me Blood Red: An Interview with Dante Tomaselli

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Kristen Bell

Hump Day Posters: Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla (1974)

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Marisa Mell

"...otherwise we'll get mad!"

Hump Day Posters: Godzilla vs. Gigan (1972)

Sunday (Monday) Smackdown

A New Order of the Ages: A conversation with William Francis

Femme Fatale Friday: Kat Dennings

Hump Day Posters: Godzilla (Gojira, aka Godzilla 1985: The Legend Is Reborn) (1984, Japan)

And to all a goodnight

Sunday Smackdown

My Top Ten picks for Halloween viewing 2011

Femme Fatale Friday: Lily Cole

Hump Day Posters: Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

Invisible Light

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Barbara Steele

Hump Day Posters: The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Edwige Fenech

Support the Curse of the Phantom Shadow

Hump Day Posters: My favorite Hammer horrors

Sunday Smackdown

R.I.P﻿ David Hess

Femme Fatale Friday: Louise Jameson

Hump Day Posters: Dementia 13 (1963)

Baron Victor Frankenstein-Master of Disguise

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Lauren Bacall

Hump Day Posters: Hannie Caulder (1971)

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Grace Park

Hump Day Posters: My favorite westerns

Sunday Smackdown

Femme Fatale Friday: Devon Aoki

Hump Day Posters: Silent Hill (2006)

Sunday (Monday) Smackdown

No post

Femme Fatale Friday: Carla Gugino

Hump Day Posters: Drew Struzan

R.I.P David Hess