NinetyForChill -The #Podcast: SkimbleSHANKS presents The Nightmare Before Christmas and Ally

Films Researched for this Podcast: Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) and Uncaged (2016)

NinetyForChill.com: The #Podcast

Episode 39: SkimbleSHANKS presents The Nightmare Before Christmas and Ally.

Ally from Ally's Accessories Shop on Etsy comes back to NinetyForChill to determine if Cool Movie Darth's vibe of "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas" being overrated has any validity. Fans of this feature seem to buy anything Disney puts on Freeform. CM Darth must know. Is Henry Selick's film the reason for spayed and neutered millennial monsters?

 

 

Ally sensed some desperation in my quest to line up a guest (We were a couple for the better part of four years, so its good that she is catching on to that...nearly two years removed), but she is not a big horror fan. After what Disney has done to the holiday in the name of profit, I offered her a chance to provide something spooky. Since I have purchased her two Sally Funko Pops!, little are twisting was needed for her to jump at the chance to talk about the Chris Sarandon and Katherine O'Hara romance flick.

Actually, Ally may have jumped at this title because she just wanted to add it to her collection. Here is to hoping she purchased the Blu-ray. It was not a part of the break up, but her settling on standard definition drove me nuts.

"The Nightmare Before Christmas" has been a feature that I have been meaning to rewatch for at least 10 years. I think the commercialization of the feature has left a bad taste in my mouth. Hot Topic was my place to find pleather and faux barbwire jewelry. Making space for cheap Sally dresses felt like a slap in the face.

It might not be those who were also in junior high that made me question this feature's credibility. I think it was the younger millenials and members of generation Z. Generation X parents thought this flick would be better for them than your atypical Disney fair, and just put it on to distract them. But after "Hocus Pocus", I ponder how they missed the signs that our favorite monsters would have their fangs removed? With that said, if you are up for a "Monster Squad" podcast, send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com

What Ally and my conversation comes down to is, whose does the feature belong to? Henry Sellick would go on to direct well-regarded stop motion features like "Coraline". Danny Elfman's score and vocal performance steals the show. O'Hara's sedated performance has to be appreciated. Ally might go to bat for Ken Page as Oogie Boogie.

To make this episode totally about Ally, we return to her Trash Feature Reviews with "Uncaged". This was 2016's attempt to update "An American Werewolf in London" with "Superbad". Obviously Rogen and Goldberg did not pen this low budget flick, so it is not worth a rewatch, but the effects and premise can make it a 1.75-movie. On Letterboxd, I will round it up to a two.

My Twitter account is @catbusruss. This is where I want your hate to be directed if you disapprove. Otherwise, positive feedback would be best displayed as subscriptions to my podcast and five-star reviews. Lets work that algorithm.

As for this month, I am looking for people who want to chat about horror movies for October. If you think you have a film or franchise that you are an expert on. Send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. Most franchises have at least on feature that will qualify for NinetyForChill. The runtime just needs to be between 74 and 99 minutes. We have four episodes to fill.

 

I have been asking for weeks for assistance in composing an episode dedicated to vampire features like "The Lost Boys" trilogy, "Near Dark", and the "Underworld" movies. Here is to hoping that this bunch of critiques will stir up some inspiration in my audience to step up and hold off on the garlic. If this is a topic you up for discussing, feel free to send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. All I need is a half hour on Zoom to get this done.

I hope I am impressing or at the very least amusing you with this podcast and I am open to any and all criticism. My biggest want is more guests and more suggestions on what to chat about (@catbusruss, russthebus07@gmail.com@coolmoviesdarth). If we can get 3 hours out of "Little Nicky", the possibilities are endless. Thanks for visiting.

 

After WrestleMania Backlash, I will tell you that we need to take zombie pro wrestling back. My suggestion is that we finally get my low-budget zombie movie, "Main Event of the Dead" off the ground. The script lacks a lumberjack match, so you know it has got to be better than the "Army of the Dead" advertisement. Ask for a treatment or give me suggestions on how to get it to a crowd-sourcing stage with an email to russthebus07@gmail.com.

 

Uncaged 2016 - IMDb

Night of the Living Dead: Film Analysis for MCOMM 224

Current mood: lazy

Dialogue from George A. Romero's 1968 horror classic, "Night of the Living Dead":
"We'd all be better off us three working together."
"We may not enjoy living together, but dying together won't solve anything."
"Beat em', burn em', they go up pretty easy."

These lines could all be associated with the Civil Rights movement, the last being a description of a lynching. From interviews with the co-writer/director, he considered the film to be a message about racism (the film's first sequel was about consumerism and its third sequel about corporate greed). His message was delivered to an unprepared audience with a black protagonist by the means of zombies. With the support of critics and horror film enthusiasts, this maybe one of the longest lasting messages about the subject.

The critics:

• "George Romero's remarkably assured debut, made on a shoestring, about a group of people barricaded inside a farmhouse while an army of flesh-eating zombies roams the countryside, deflates all genre clichés," Elliot Stein of the Village Voice.


• "Over its short, furious course, the picture violates so many strong taboos -- cannibalism, incest, necrophilia -- that it leaves audiences giddy and hysterical," Dave Kehr of the Chicago Reader.

The horror enthusiast:

• "One of the best films ever made, and possibly the most influential horror movie of all time," Alex Sandell of Juicy Cerebellum.


• "Arguably the greatest horror film ever made - and one of the greatest in any genre - 'Night' is also the ultimate B-movie," Lucius Gore of ESplatter.

Romero released a great horror film, and when one includes how radiation leads to the "Night of the Flesh Eaters" (one of the films working titles), it seems to be a great time capsule of all the things that would scare someone growing up in the 1960s. Also, Gore's claim that it is the "ultimate B-movie," led to its original success. The film was not rated, so anyone could see it.

Teenagers accustomed to a monster flicks like the cheap, British, relatively bloodless battles between Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee were in for a surprise. What they saw were zombies eating the charred remains of a couple from a truck explosion, and a head shot as the solution to all undead concerns. Some were shocked and some enthralled either way word of mouth spread about this B-movie.

It was shot on a shoestring budget, and most of the techniques used to shoot the film were of little sophistication like most B-movies. The opening sequence of a car driving to a graveyard as the credits rolled was almost painful to watch because the viewer immediately knew that every shot only had one angle. Also, the time of day of when events take place is hard to figure out. The sun shines for the zombie hunters all the time while the farm our characters hide at is always pitch black. Fortunately, once the zombie threat is established, the poorly lit shots and closed-in sets created the suspense that the film thrived on, and this allows almost all directing flaws to be forgiven.

There were no A-list actors, and the characters are one dimensional. The lack of dimensions let the B…C…D-listers give the performances of their careers. I was especially impressed by Judith O'Dea as the traumatized female lead. It was what one should expect to see from Janet Leigh, if her character survived the shower attack in "Psycho".

The acting and directing were good enough to let the brilliantly written script shine. Zombies were not needed for most of the film's second third because the viewer is stuck trying to figure out how to survive a zombie holocaust. Do you side with Ben who wants to fight the threat or Mr. Cooper, who wants to hide from it? Divisions about strategy and the need to be right are constant, and the audience can almost forget about the zombie hordes preparing to take the farm house. Romero's drama away from the zombies is what keeps the viewer interested in the film, and he delivers with the violence as a reward for the patience.

Romero's story and message were the only things he wanted the audience to enjoy, so he was willing to just go out and make a cheap film, and hope the audience gets it. If anything, this was his way of being considered as a director for larger projects. He was just extremely fortunate that "Night of the Living Dead" is perhaps the greatest horror film of all time.

 

kogaionon.tumblr.com

 

Night Junkies: What "Twilight" should be with no increase in quality.

There is no such thing as a dramatic B-Movie. So nothing that naturally happens due to the low budget can take away from lousy actors giving their heart (and most likely their digestive track) to their role.

Even if a movie is dramatic with an edgy idea and shot on one handheld camera, it may not be classified as Indie. This is especially true when the score and action sequences are reminiscent of every B-Movie made this millennium.

In this state of limbo, one can find "Night Junkies", a movie that is the vampiric attempt to address the concept of addiction.

Vincent is a typical addict whose only concern is to get his next hit. Since his addiction is to blood, he has to stay indoors during the day, so developing relationships ends at his clamping down on his victim’s throat, but when he meets the defiant stripper Ruby, he thinks he found the girl of his dreams. Too bad he had to complicate their attraction by taking a nibble out of her.

Now Ruby is a reluctant vampire, but since this is merely an addiction, she sets out to conquer it. Vincent is reluctant of going cold turkey, and when the strip club owner and a wannabe Jack the Ripper are on her tail, having those undead powers may come in handy. It may be more important for Vincent and Ruby to accept what they are at least until no one wants to take vengeance upon them.

There are a lot of great concept introduced in Night Junkies and even the occasionally well written scene, but otherwise the film makes one want to take up an opiate to sit through it. By no means is this a great vampire movie, and since it cannot be that, the addiction storyline fails. Wretched editing and transitional effects that seem to be poor knock offs of those from Highlander: The Series makes it a total mess of a picture. It is honestly a rare thing for me to admit, but Night Junkies is a movie that fails on every level.

If there is anything that can be taken away from Night Junkies, it is what it is like putting up with addiction in the third person. This comes from personal experience, and after a bankruptcy caused by the unappreciative, it is an experience that no one should be a part of. Perhaps if you are considering saving a down and out whore from herself, you should watch Night Junkies. Sitting through movies that no one can appreciate is part of the ordeal, and if you do not have the simple sense to avoid putting up with that, Night Junkies is your Naloxone.

Cinefiles - Colorado Springs Independent

 

NinetyForChill: - SkimbleSHANKS presents StageFright 1987

 Films Researched for this Podcast: StageFright (StageFright: Aquarius) (1987), The Lost Boys (1987), Heatseeker (1995), Repo: The Genetic Opera (2008), and The Deep Ones (2020)

NinetyForChill.com: The Podcast

Episode 38: SkimbleSHANKS presents StageFright 1987. (A Good Year for Horror Saxophones).

Van Damme/Van Dam expert, Gregory Carl, comes back to the pod in a musical mood. Cool Movies Darth decides to introduce him to a film that could be the perfect partner feature with "The Lost Boys". This film is from an Argento and Fulci apprentice, Michael Soavi's "StageFright: Aquarius".

 

 

Gregory originally wanted to discuss Darren Lynn Bousman's "Repo: The Genetic Opera", but I have been in talks with a previous guest about doing that feature for a while. I still asked for some brief thoughts about that horror musical before we dive into the film that I suggested. "StageFright" is not a musical, but I doubt you can truly have a slasher musical. "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" did not do much stalking.

But for a slasher film, I think the premise makes more sense than most. Yes, the teenagers needed to escape the Sawyer family's compound in Texas, but at least they had a lot of exits to escape through. In "StageFright", both doors are locked and the building is sound proof. No one can hear you scream. This kind of gives the feature a bit of gothic horror feel like "Alien".

With that said, this feature makes me wish that Dario Argento would have directed some space horror. It would look beautiful, but the intensity of the gore would make it too intense for regular audiences. If people were running for the bathroom during Ridley Scott's classic, they would be stampeded if Argento had that script.

This just leaves me with telling you about the things from this flick that would have improved "The Lost Boys". They both share a love for saxophone scenes, so why not industrial drills and chainsaws?

 

We had a fun conversation, but it did have a lot of technical and ancillary difficulties. My side of the audio from this Zoom is fine because Skimble was content and Eva is stoic. Gregory has a few kids and not a lot of privacy.

 

In the end, his son helps save the day when Zoom was having connection issues. I was rather impressed by the kid's knowledge for his age. The kid cannot be much older than 10, and he made my knowledge at 14 seem insignificant. And I was the nerdy kid.

Unfortunately, we ended up needing to do this pod in two meetings when Zoom did kick him out. This resulted in me getting to finish the conversation, but I failed to have Zoom record the second half. Thus, I do my damnedest to establish a narrative with my side of the conversation. On the flip side, you should be sold on this movie before we get that far in our chat.

With that said, my Twitter account is @catbusruss. This is where I want your hate to be directed if you disapprove. Otherwise, positive feedback would be best displayed as subscriptions to my podcast and five-star reviews. Lets work that algorithm.

As for this month, I am looking for people who want to chat about horror movies for October. If you think you have a film or franchise that you are an expert on. Send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. Most franchises have at least on feature that will qualify for NinetyForChill. The runtime just needs to be between 74 and 99 minutes. We have four episodes to fill.

 

I have been asking for weeks for assistance in composing an episode dedicated to vampire features like "The Lost Boys" trilogy, "Near Dark", and the "Underworld" movies. Here is to hoping that this bunch of critiques will stir up some inspiration in my audience to step up and hold off on the garlic. If this is a topic you up for discussing, feel free to send an email to russthebus07@gmail.com. All I need is a half hour on Zoom to get this done.

I hope I am impressing or at the very least amusing you with this podcast and I am open to any and all criticism. My biggest want is more guests and more suggestions on what to chat about (@catbusruss, russthebus07@gmail.com@coolmoviesdarth). If we can get 3 hours out of "Little Nicky", the possibilities are endless. Thanks for visiting.

 

After WrestleMania Backlash, I will tell you that we need to take zombie pro wrestling back. My suggestion is that we finally get my low-budget zombie movie, "Main Event of the Dead" off the ground. The script lacks a lumberjack match, so you know it has got to be better than the "Army of the Dead" advertisement. Ask for a treatment or give me suggestions on how to get it to a crowd-sourcing stage with an email to russthebus07@gmail.com.

 

Cinema of the World

B-Movie Horror Film Series - Mil Mascaras vs. The Aztec Mummy / Song of the Dead

Mil Mascara vs. The Aztec Mummy --- Song of the Dead

When you go to see a B-Movie, you have to bring friends with you. One of those friends has to be relatively inexpensive alcohol, and the others have to at one point in time had a pulse.

I'd say the friends have to be alive, but when the modern B-Movie line up has to have at least one zombie flick, it would be inappropriate to deny them entrance. Actually, it might be educational that way. It would show the living dead what would happen to them if the messed with us.

Of course, there is the problem of letting the patrons carry weapons into a theater, but come on. When it comes to the Peoria Theater, we are all adults there. Drunk, immature adults.

When I viewed "Mil Mascaras vs. The Aztec Mummy", I had left my emergency flask of Johnny Walker Black at home, and my only friend was my infamous notebook (that being the opinion of the independent pro-wrestling scene). Fortunately, the little book was an awesome wing man, drawing the attention of the other patrons. They wanted the critic's opinion infused with their viewing experience, so I was quickly accepted into their family. Thus I was ready to survive "Song of the Dead".

At bars, it is easy to feel alone in a crowded room, but at the Peoria Theater, that is not the case. It is like the voice in your head can interact with everybody. I believe the next "B-Movie Horror Film Series" will be August 28, 2009, and you are more than welcome, and thoroughly encouraged to check it out.

Mil Mascaras vs. The Aztec Mummy

Director: Jeff Burr

Co-director: Chip Gubera

A black sheriff?

If only Mel Brooks was the director of this film. Could you imagine a Mexican wrestling A-List movie, and the corresponding Broadway musical.

As for Willard E. Pugh, the former mayor of Detroit ("RoboCop 2"), I guess if you want to serve the public, you got to go where the jobs are. Even if the job is the Police Chief of the Mexico City Police Department, one cannot be too picky.

In a world where everything takes a back seat to wrestling championships and trippy photo shoots, The Aztec Mummy has risen. And with the Jewel of Tanawa, he can control the minds of the most influential people in the world.

The only one who can save the world is the brilliant scientist, ambassador of international goodwill, and most importantly, the wrestling legend Mil Mascaras, The Man of a Thousand Masks. Mil's immunity to the effects of the jewel and bastardized use of the Hyrule's Triforce, the Mummy will pull out all the stops to defeat the descendant of the family who put him to rest centuries ago. Our hero will have to face off with blood thirsty Aztec servants, possessed opponents, and lousy Harley Race commentary to save the world.

Can Mil Mascaras overcome the demonic threat to the world, find true love, and the secrets to his mask? Or will the USA go and nuke their southern neighbors before the Mummy can come to power?

Personally, I'm a Cuba Gooding Jr. fan, but if Pugh's attempt to be the stereotypical black guy were not poor enough, it seems like he asks himself "WWCubaD."

As for Mil's performance, I was pumped to find out that he speaks nearly fluent English (thank you WWE Classics of Demand), but unfortunately his ADR is pathetic. Still no one can complain about the film's wrestling and the luchador performances. Blue Demon Jr. just knows how to rock the cape.

The movie does offer some clever dialogue:

The only bride you'll have is my fist, and I'm afraid it'll be a painful consummation.

Okay, outside of the Aztec Mummy need for a bride with a Zelda tramp stamp (birthmark...right), the rest of the script is too funny in that proper B-Movie way.

Poisoning you. Now I have something else to charge this Mummy with.

The good guys just have to be super idealistic. Yes, it would be better for society if we could bring all criminals to justice, but he's a freaking mummy with the mobility of Jabba the Hutt's head droid.

Give the Mummy credit for his wrestling ability, but I respect almost anyone who owns wrestling boots outside of Central Illinois. He is portrayed by Jeffrey Uhlmann, who also acts as the robot who saves our heroes to set up for the movie's epic climax.

They try to throw everything into this movie. Fiftyesque robots, twin vampire lesbians, nukes, decapitations, and every possible transitional scene you could think of. Thus the need for extra booze was needed.

The film drags because it had to have everything. Each scene offers some B-Movie glee since they went there, but you are immediately pleading for them to get to the next scene.

You need to watch Mil Mascaras vs. The Aztec Mummy with a wise audience to enjoy it fully. Otherwise, Mil v. Mummy can be a strenuous ordeal. If you love B-Movies, this flick delivers. Just make sure that you come to this one prepared, or you risk possible brain trauma.

https://willthrillville.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/mil-mascaras-aztec-mummy.jpg

Song of the Dead

Directed and Written by Chip Gubera

There are a lot of great Zombie movie ideas, so they should all be put on film (like "Main Event of the Dead", my pro-wrestling comedy, feel free to ask for a treatment by e-mailing russthebus07@gmail.com). Video just doesn't do the deceased justice. Then again, if a wig on grass is suppose to represent a smashed head, and you have are trying to use Lucas swipes and De Palma split screens, you do have to give some thought to my previous declaration.

In this must expose your breasts for a young female lead role (be it living or undead) that does everything it can not to piss off George A. Romero, the President of the USA (Reggie Bannister of the "Phantasm" franchise) along with his red, white, and blue sequenced sports coat had the sad job of informing us of the latest Islamic Extremist attack on America. Terrorist had mixed the Jihad Reanimation Virus (or JRV) into a mosquito pesticide. The result, USAF has sprayed our great country with the Zombie Apocalypse's catalyst.

Surprisingly, the rural communities are hit hardest because so many unknown bodies are buried out there (Thank you Ted Bundy). The story follows Sandy, her Gun-Ho brother and father, her mentally unstable yet extremely fashionable boyfriend Brad, and the mysterious Arthur whose hobby gives him knowledge of 20 more zombie terrorist that may attack. These survivors are trapped at their summer home outside of Kansas City, and they came to their last stand with a soundtrack and jazz hands.

It is hard to be happy with a Zombie, Musical, Comedy that only has one tribute to thriller. That is what the audience seemingly came to see besides for gore and boobies. As the flick is played, the audience is trying to figure out how to make can a better version of this.

Oh for the days of Super 8, the format you couldn't immediately mass produce. This is not "Evil Dead", so this movie would not exist in a simpler time.

So immediately, you have to appreciate Song of the Dead, for all of its thriftiness. The Air Force uniform with only a flag on the left shoulder, the BB gun that the actor has to be the folly artist for, and the chainsaw they chose to ignore budgeting gas for, etc., leaves the audience respecting the nerve of the "filmmaker" to try to get away with this zombie flick.

"You could totally see that one zombie cop a feel off the topless zombie chick."

"He didn't get paid for this, so let him have that at the very least."

I don't know how this movie can technically be called a comedy beyond the laughs the budget restrictions create. The musical numbers are suppose to be for laughs, but the songs are very hit and miss. The audience is left having a ball laughing at the fact that they are singing and dancing, not the lyrics.

The only thing that is very funny about the film is the relationship between Sandy [Kate Gorman (not the Kate Gorman)] and Brad (Travis Hierholzer). There was actually time spent on making these characters play off each other very well, and to make sure that there was something funny about every dialogue exchange between them.

Kate Gorman is a ham, but this is a B-Movie musical, so I cannot say that is a negative thing. All of the actors with the exception of the Sandy's brother (Steve Williams who has no clue about the concept of acting) give everything they have to make this film a B-Movie gem.

I don't want to say their efforts are wasted (especially by Conrad Gubera who played Sandy's father), but Song of the Dead is just a cheap film, not a B-Movie. It is disappointing to see so much heart misused, especially when it is not splattered across the screen.