Dark Recess

The Thing (2011)

2011-10-03T09:07:00.000-07:00

HOW DARE YOU?!!!

Do you remake Citizen Kane?

Do you reboot The Godfather?

Do you reimagine Star Wars?

(okay if you're George Lucas,I guess my rant means nothing to you)

So how can anyone remake,reboot,reimagine, John Carpenter's iconic sci-fi/thriller,THE THING?!!!

It's Sacrilegious ,no?

Enter producers ,Marc Abraham ,Eric Newman and writer Eric Heisserer who wanted to stay true to the essence of Carpenter's masterpiece and hired accordingly,first time director Matthijs van Heijningen.

Primarily renowned as an award winning commercial director,Heijningen had two criteria before he accepted the job :1)Hire Norwegian actors and 2) Utilize practical effects.That alone shows you what kind of movie the filmmakers wanted to bring to the screen and how much they respected the original film's feel.

Here's a quick synopsis:

Taking place three days before the events of The John Carpenter film,paleontologist, Kate Lloyd(Mary Elizabeth Winstead)is recruited by scientist,Sander Halversen(Ulrich Thompson) and his assistant Adam Goodman(Eric Christian Olsen) to join a Norwegian scientific team that has stumbled across a crashed extraterrestrial spaceship buried beneath the ice of Antarctica.They discover a frozen corpse of a creature that has seem to have died in a crash eons ago.

After recovering the creature in a frozen block of ice,they transport it back to their base and conduct an experiment that frees the alien from its frozen prison.Kate joins the crew's pilot (Joel Edgerton) to keep it from killing and imitating them one at a time,using its uncanny ability to mimic any life form it absorbs through digestion,and potentially reaching civilization.

So that is pretty much the plot in a snowball.

What I LOVED about this prequel is that it pays homage to the vision that John Carpenter had back in 1982 while not bastardizing the original that is so often the case in today's reboots.Director,Heijningen said that remaking Carpenter's version would be like drawing a moustache on the MONA LISA .Heijningen creates a visual time capsule that transports the moviegoer back to '82 ...from the painstaking reproduction of The Norwegian "Station 31" set piece to using practical creature effects that would make original film's special effects legend,Rob Bottin beam with pride.Heijningen's direction is fast paced and energetic.His slow burn storytelling is king here.Building the tension without losing momentum.(Heijningen has said that he would love to take a swing at another Universal property"An American Werewolf in London",after this outing... he could totally do it justice.)

Joel Edgerton has been having a great time as of late with WARRIOR and now THE THING.Edgerton brings a familiar gruffness that may remind purists of Kurt Russell's "MacReady" in the original but Edgerton convincingly owns his role as "Braxton Carter" without aping Russell's legendary hero.

The star in this prequel IS Mary Elizabeth Winstead .While easily compared to Sigourney Weaver's "Ripley" in the ALIEN franchise,Winstead brings about a conviction and believability to the role of Kate Lloyd ,that Ripley would be honored to kick some alien tail with.Winstead,once crowned a scream queen can now take on the mantle of "Queen of Badassery"!!!

This film is a fun popcorn flick,filled good old fashioned scares that is reminiscent of a simpler time when films were meant to fill you with terror and horror and not numbingly shock you with buckets of puss and blood.

This film is not your Daddy's THE THING ...it's this generations THE THING!!! Welcome it!Embrace it! Heck ,let it take over your body and happily do the crab walk across the cineplex floor!!!

THE THING opens Friday, October 14

'til next time Cabrones!!!

Insane for BRAIIIIINS!!!

2011-04-28T14:06:00.000-07:00

If y'all are like me and are tired of the whole Vampire THIS, Zombie THAT, nonsense as of late...

Have got some good news for you.

Award-winning Writer,Artist,Critic,Editor,Filmmaker of the upcoming short film

The Captured Bird, and all around BAD A$$,

Jovanka Vukovic,comes to the rescue with ZOMBIES!An Illustrated History of the Undead.

Vukovic is the perfect representative to be our tour guide through this awesome journey of Zombieville(I hear it's nice there in the fall but the over barring locals can sometimes make you want to run for the hills).

This book not only gives the us an interesting history of zombies,with its origins in Haiti,but takes the reader from early literature to it inception on the silver screen in the 1930's -to present day.

It was in the latter part of the 60's when a young filmmaker by the name of George Romero introduced audiences to a new renaissance of zombies. A chapter is dedicated to Romero and his everlasting influence on the zombie culture. Romero is and forever will be "The Godfather of Zombies".

Hell ,you need another reason to get book..The Godfather himself,wrote the forward.

In my opinion Romero's words alone are well worth price of admission here.

Jovanka also delves into how the zombie culture has gone transmedia ...not only infecting novels,comics , movies,television,gaming ,mobile devices,social networks,flash mob/zombie walks ...it's a epidemic that is indeed growing.

This book is written in a fashion that not only informs the reader but entertains us.

Jovanka's vast knowledge in horror truly flexes its meaty muscle here.

If Yale taught a class in Zombism 101...this would be the text book.

Not just filled with fact after colorful factoid...this book is splattered with deep,rich,almost delicious photos...not only a great resource but a beautiful edition to devour.

Thank You, Jovanka!!!

You have renewed my faith not only in all things scary and ghoulish...but have shown me that

the zombies genre is far from reaching its dead (or in this case undead) end.

'til next time Cabrones!

CAL McDONALD:Detective Tales

2011-04-26T22:59:00.000-07:00

Cal McDonald did some harm,ee-i-ee-i-OH!

and did some harm on a vamp and pig(that's police officer,you Justin Bieberians),ee-i-ee-i-OH!

with a gunshot here,pimpslap there,here a shot,there a slap ,everywhere a gunslap.

Cal McDonald did some harm,ee-i-ee-OH MY GAWD!

hmmm...a-yeah.

Tell us a story Grandpa...

So I've been a big fan of Steve Niles,waaay before 30 DAYS OF NIGHT was a movie..you 'member graphic novels, don't ya boys and ghouls?You know those books with pretty doodles that are turned into mediocre summer blockbuster moving pictures...yeah.
Steve is credited as bringing the horror genre back into comics and boy has he.

He has written for all the big comic companies,bringing his unique sci-fi /horror-centric writing style to the best of the aforementioned comic giants stable of characters.

But it is Niles' creator owned cast of creepies that showcase his awesome talent.

Cal McDonald is just one of those.

From the successful CRIMINAL MACABRE trade paperbacks and novels,comes an all new

self published novel,CAL McDONALD:Detective Tales Vol.One

Along with artist, Kelley Jones, Niles brings us two new short stories furthering the misadventures of our hard boiled,anti hero ,detective.

First off ,the stories are great.

An easy read that is meat and potatoes good....no filler,just good old-fashioned storytelling.

The art by Jones is as gritty as the story that the illustrations enhance.

Cool stories?Check!

Cool Art? Check!
What more could you ask for?

Well what makes this collection even cooler are the little touches,These little bonuses that when given to you from the big companies seem gimmicky...are just plain cool here.

Each issue is inserted in a plastic bag marked "EVIDENCE" and is rubber stamped on the inside with a a smoking gun...Now are you gonna find this at Barnes & Nobles...probably not .You know why?...cuz there isn't an ISNB number .In fact inside the novel it even says " #$&* ISNB numbers"...I laughed when I read that and knew that I was in for something fun.This digest-sized collection feels very handmade .I envision Niles having paper cuts and red stamp ink all over his Cthulu shirt putting this book together...which is probably not the case...but it MY vision dagnabit!
Still not convinced?

Here's how the book opens..

"Hendricks was bleeding to death by the time I reached him near the intersection of sewer tunnel.He'd had his side ripped out like a bite out of a melon.His upper and lower intestines were splashed on the cement like vomited Udon noodles.

he didn't have long.

The thing had gotten him.

I was was on my own,in the sewers, against one of the freakiest things I'd ever encountered,and all I had was a Glock with a single cartridge and a shotgun with two shells."

Huh?...Huh! didn't I tell you.

If you are still not sold ,I think "The House of Big Ideas" is cloning Spiderman again.

So in short..this is a very cool book from some very cool folks.

ee-i-ee-i GO! buy this book already!

BUY IT!!!!

'til next time Cabrones!

LEGEND OF THE FIST: The Return of Chen Zhen

2011-04-22T14:01:00.000-07:00

Synopsis:

In 1920's China, the nation is divided by infighting,Japan has become the most powerful force in Asia,taking over Northern Shanghai. With the city torn in half ,the popular nightclub "Casablanca"becomes a hotbed for spies,mobsters,English officials and the Japanese military-all looking to gain control of the country,with little regard for its citizens.

Legendary Chinese folk hero Chen Zhen(Donnie Yen) returns to China pretending to be wealthy playboy "KU" during the day and masked avenger at night ,determined to stop the Japanese invasion.Zhen becomes entangled with sultry show girl Kiki(Shu Qi) who has a secret all her own.Zhen's secret past catches up to him and he is forced to face impossible odds .

The opening action sequence that takes place in Europe ,where Chen Zhen and the allied forces fight against the Nazis ,is one of the best kinetic martial arts fights I've seen in a while....definitely well worth the price of admission.

Though director Andrew Lau(INFERNAL AFFAIRS) tries his best to mix martial arts and drama a la Ang Lee.

The attempt at a FISTS OF FURY / LUST/CAUTION mash-up,unfortunately falls short.

Now being a child of the 70's...1970's not 1870's,silly...

I was brought up on a healthy first run diet of classic martial arts cinema from the likes of Bruce Lee, Sonny Chiba, and Gordon Liu.

I was and am a fan of those legends as well as Jackie Chan ,Sammo Hung, and Jet Li.

Donnie Yen ,even though legend in his own right still hasn't been able to make it big here in the U.S.

Maybe with this film and the current release of "Ip Man",Yen just might crossover.

Yen is definitely the saving grace here..his charisma and martial arts prowess save this film every time he jumps into action.

Even though this film is far from perfect,the one/two punch of the fight sequences and Yen's Martial artistry well make up for it!

LEGEND OF THE FIST : The Return of Chen Zhen

opens in limted release April 22nd

"Sucker Punch" Drunk

2011-03-22T23:21:00.000-07:00

SUCKER PUNCH is a visual and audible KNOCKOUT!!!

....unfortunately, its plot and acting is merely a baby tap

Here's a quick synopsis:

Set in the 1950's,locked away in an asylum run by Madame Gorski(Carla Gugino) and orderly,Blue Jones(Oscar Issac) a young woman named Babydoll (Emily Browning) retreats to a fantasy world where she is free to go wherever her imagination takes her.Determined to fight for her real freedom ,she enlists four women--Rocket (Jena Malone),Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens),Amber (Jamie Chung),and Sweet Pea(Abbie Cornish)--to join her and escape the terrible fate that awaits them.With a virtual arsenal at their disposal,the allies battle everything from samurai to serpents,while trying to decide what price they will pay for survival.

I fell in love with this film last year at The San Diego Comic Con without seeing a single frame of footage.With the promo pics of the cast and the stunning maquettes produced by Gentle Giant Ltd., I. WAS. HOOKED. I knew back then that this movie would not disappoint.

And I was right.(kinda)

"Sucker Punch"'s director and co-writer Zack Snyder( "Dawn of The Dead","300","Watchmen", and the forthcoming Superman reboot"Man of Steel") describes the movie as "Alice in Wonderland with machine guns.

This movie is more scary tale than fairy tale.

There are two reasons that make this film entertaining.

Visually ,Snyder can frame shots like each one was a painting.

The color palette in the dream sequences are rich and delicious.

The computer generated images(and there are PLENTY) are breathtaking.

Each quest that our heroines embark upon looks more beautiful than the last.

Parts of the film were like a video game come to life.

Snyder's trademark slo-mo action sequences( seen as a one trick pony) are well utilized here.

I wished that it went even slower so that I could gaze at all the awesome images in the frame.

To steal a term from director Guillermo del Toro...the images are not merely "eye candy "they are "eye protein"...visually ,I wanted more of the fantasy sequences.Unfortunately, there were only four set pieces.

Another aspect that make this film entertaining was its soundtrack

At certain points during the movie ,I felt like it can almost be described as a two hour music video.

Supervised by composer, Tyler Bates ..the music that accompanies the film is as much a major player as the effects and the dialogue.Actually several songs are performed by Babydoll herself,Emily Browning.You get the obligatory heavy guitar riffs that were prominent in Snyder's "300" but the soundtrack on top of the great sound design and effects are well orchestrated here.

Bad Ass chicks ,with knives and guns fighting samurai,steam-punk Nazi zombies,orcs,dragons,and robots.All these elements equal to "Geek-Porn".

What more can a Fanboy ask for,right?

Well there's a little thing called plot and interesting dialogue(ouch).

The story lacked focus at points.Though the story jumped back from reality to fantasy to hyper-fantasy...it wasn't cohesive.It felt jumbled and jarring.Hot chicks in a hot mess,indeed.

The performances were adequate at best ,Cornish and Malone are stand outs here.Malone seems to be the only actually trying "act" here.One might think that Browning would be the acting anchor.On the contrary,her performance is apropos of her namesake...artificial ,wooden, plastic,not unlike a... babydoll. Hudgens and Chung are merely background scenery.Casting Snookie from" Jersey Shore" and The Geico Geeko would have been more entertaining,but maybe not as sexy.

As much as I knew this film was gonna be a feast for the eyes...I also knew that the storyline and performances were going to leave a lot to be desired.

This movie is much like a sexy ,stunning,supermodel who can sing her a$$ off...but when you sit down and want to talk to her,everything that comes out of her mouth is utter nonsense and laughable.

If you can overlook the less than stellar plot and performances...this is popcorn escapism at its best.

Catch this flick on the big screen..you'll lose a lot if you wait to see it in the comfort of you own living room.

'til next time,Cabrones!!!

BATTLE:LAme

2011-03-15T22:48:00.000-07:00

...Aliens invade earth and through insurmountable odds the humans triumph over the invaders...

Stop me if you've heard this one before.

Well I wish someone would've stopped me form seeing "BATTLE:LA"

Normally at this juncture,I give you a brief synopsis....but I think I've spoiled it enough for y'all already.

Well my mother always said ,if you have nothing good to say ,don't say anything at all...............................................................

Actually ,the film isn't THAT bad .

Our hero in this two hour commercial for the USMC is Aaron Eckhart.

Eckhart plays Staff Sgt.Michael Nantz, a career soldier with demons that taint his reputation and haunt his soul.

Eckhart is actually the saving grace of this film.

His performance was a highlight for me.

A modern day John Wayne.

As Captain America ,as Captain America can be.

(in fact he would've made a great Cap)

Eckhart saved humanity from the aliens..but his performance could not save this movie.

Unfortunately the rest of the cast is a waste too.

It was great to see Latinos dominate the cast..but ALL of them wasted their talent here.

Ramon Rodriguiez does a decent job here as Lt. Martinez.

(fun fact:IMDB has Rodriguez tapped to play Bosley in the TV reboot of Charlie's Angels...interesting)

Michelle Rodriguez as Tech Sgt.Santos was waaaaaay better in AVATAR.

and shamefully ,Michael Pena as Joe Rincon has moments..I just wish there was more.

The draw here is the "realism" of how the film feels.

Director ,Jonathan Liebsman(Texas Chainsaw Massacre:The Beginning)

was inspired by real world battle footage.

I wish Liebsman would have used a chainsaw to shave about 30 minutes off this movie.

The way it was shot along with the special effects make this a film that will work only on the big screen...the viewer will lose a lot on their TV when this is released next week on DVD(just kidding).

Bottom line...I would have rather sat at home and watched a double feature of "Independence Day" and "War of The Worlds" than have sat through this movies.

Columbia /Sony greenlit this approx. $100 Million movie and

Universal said "NO" to Guillermo del Toro's "At The Mountain of Madness" ?

...really Hollywood?

maybe del Toro should shop ATMOM over at Columbia.

'til next time Cabrones!!!

"Biutiful"-ly Honest

2011-01-29T01:08:00.000-08:00

Shocking.

Tough.

Raw.

yet...Biutiful.

These are only a few words that describe Alejandro Gonzalez Inarraitu's latest cinematic masterpiece,"Biutiful"

"Biutiful" is a love story between a father and his children.This is a journey of Uxbal(Javier Bardem), a conflicted man who struggles to reconcile fatherhood ,spirituality,crime,guilt and mortality admidst the dangerous underworld of modern Barcelona.

"Biutiful" is a film filled with raw emotion.

Not only was I invested in this film ...I was immersed into this world.

The underbelly of Barcelona is not only the setting, it is itself a major character in the film.

One feels the electricity,the grit,the almost stifling atomosphere that surrounds this world.It is so real ,by the third act I was emotionally spent.

Bardem's recent Oscar nomination is so well deserved.

His performance is one filled with truth and realism.

Inarraitu has a way of taking the movergoer on a a emotional bumper car ride.

A true testement to his masterful filmmaking.

I had the pleasure of attending a very special screening and Q&A with Inarraitu,where he discussed the various aspects of making this very personal film.

Personal in the sense that there is a outpouring love that went into weaving this tale.

Before filming commenced on his last film ,"Babel" he suffered the loss of one of his children.

He channels that grief in to "Biutiful" that adds to this cathartic journey.

If you are a fan of his previous films "Amores Perros","21 grams" and the aforementioned "Babel"..."Biutiful" continues in the vein of masterful storytelling.

The Criterion Collection: CRONOS

2010-12-14T23:33:00.000-08:00

To double dip...or not to double dip?

That is the question!

When George Lucas decides to release STAR WARS on Blu ray,you know and I know, that you are going buy it...yet,AGAIN!!!!

For me,it'll be my gazillionth copy of that film.Beta, VHS,Laser Disc,DVD..Arrrgh!!! :)

You know I've gotta see Slave Leia in all her glory and Jar Jar in all his....no ,waitaminute...hesa still needsa to die!

Well boys and girls..I've got a film for you that is well worth the double dip.

It is Guillermo del Toro's CRONOS.

This time around ,it is given The Criterion Collection treatment and well deserved.

Out of print and harder to find than the male genitalia in Disney's Little Mermaid one sheet poster. Del Toro's first film ,CRONOS remastered and transferred for the first time in HD,Criterion does not disappoint here.The disc is lush,the colors and sound POP!It is truly the way del Toro intended it to be viewed.

For those of you few who haven't seen it(and shame on YOU)

here is a quick synopsis:

CRONOS, a highly unorthodox tale about seductiveness of the idea of immortality.Kindly antiques dealer Jesus Gris(Fererico Luppi) happens upon an ancient golden device in the shape of a scarab,and soon finds himself the possessor and victim of its sinister,addictive powers,as well as the target of a mysterious American named Angel(Rod Perlman).

If the beautiful remaster and transfer were not enough...

It is the supplemental material that make this disc ,KING!

First off you get the rarely seen ,unreleased 1987 del Toro film ,GEOMETRIA remastered for this exquisite edition with new music provided by Warner Brother's Animation composer ,Christopher Drake.*Fun Facts* not only is del Toro's mother ,Guadalupe one of the stars in the short,but del Toro himself provides ALL the voices in Italian.

And the extras keep coming .There are all new interviews with del Toro, star Ron Perlman, Academy Award winning cinematographer,Guillermo Navarro, and star Ferderico Luppi.

But for me the diamond amongst all these gems is a walking tour of The Man Cave or Bleak House by the man himself ,Guillermo del Toro!!! If The Smithsonian had a Geek wing ,it would be similar ,but not as awesome as this glimpse into del Toro's mind brought to life.

One could spend hours going frame by frame and still not truly appreciate all the wonders collected .*Fun Fact* There is a bronze statue in the backyard of Ray Harryhausen,one of only three in existence ,one owned by Peter Jackson, one by Harryhausen and the last owned by del Toro himself.

The peek into the man cave is worth the price itself...True Geek Porn!

Convinced yet?...you better be.

So go recycle all of your Diet Dr. Pepper cans and double dip,triple dip...heck, quadruple dip!!!

buy this edition...BUY. IT. NOW! :)

Show Criterion that all of del Toro's masterpieces need...no,deserve The Criterion treatment.

'til next time Cabrones!!!

"...The tastes of the many ,outweigh the tastes of the EWWWWWW!"

2010-10-04T22:19:00.000-07:00

And so I paraphrase the almighty Spock....Well,this pretty much summarizes my opinion of Tom Six's "The Human Centipede" out on DVD October 5th.

Ever since the film's made its infamous horror film fest circuit run,"The Human Centipede" has been the much talked about horror film to see.After seeing the trailer,one pretty much gets the gist of what the film is about.

Here's a short synopsis... two female tourists get stranded in the backwoods of Germany,only to find refuge in the company of a former plastic surgeon who specialized in separating Siamese twins.Now the fun begins...After drugging the two tourists and tranquilizing a third "patient"...Herr Doctor,reveals his plan to create the first Siamese triplets by connecting his three unwilling participants via their gastric systems(let the hilarity ensue...NOT!).

This movies running or in this case crawling"joke",runs/crawls an hour too long.My gag reflexes got quite the work out.No real scares here, just a "horror" film that is quite horrific. Now ,I'm not being a horror snob..it's just that this film is equivalent to a horror snuff film.I get the whole fascination with the current rash of "gore-porn"...but The Human Centipede makes Eli Roth's "Hostel" look like "My Little Pony :The Movie".

Six has found his niche..the first film generated enough buzz to spawn a forthcoming sequel.

Six likes to shock..so I don't see him branching out to do mainstream films...We'll never see "Tom Six Presents :Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"...cuz that would give the term turtles are "bottom feeders" a whole new meaning(rim shot). Now even after ALL that ,if you feel that your curiosity is still piqued...then go for it and experience it for yourself. Don't say I didn't warn ya! This film will leave a bad taste in your mouth...literally!

SHOCKtober!!!!

2010-10-02T22:43:00.000-07:00

Well my little demons...October heralds in 31 days of zombies,ghouls ,witches and sons o' b......

oh you know :) We start off with the last stop of Guillermo del Toro's The Fall book tour.

http://http//store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/67808

Then 8 Days of Horror flicks at Screamfest LA

http://http//www.screamfestla.com/

..then The Reaper Awards
http://http//reaperawards.com/

..then The Weekend of Horror.

http://http//www.creationent.com/cal/woh.htm

At The Mountains of Madness art exhibit.

http://http//www.gallerynucleus.com/gallery/exhibition/249.

then The 2nd Annual Long Beach Comic Con.

http://http//longbeachcomiccon.com/

The Premiere of The Walking Dead

http://http//www.amctv.com/originals/The-Walking-Dead/

and a little event called Halloween..Damn ,I NEED a clone..check back here for pics,chicks, and tons o' Twix!

"What an excellent day for an exorcism"

2010-09-30T23:46:00.000-07:00

INDEED!!!

In fact it was an excellent evening!

For one night only the extended director's cut of "The Exorcist" played nationwide on September 30th, to near capacity crowds.From the east coast to west coast ,the nation was possessed for an evening to enjoy William Friedken's masterpiece on the big screen."The Exorcist",often re imagined but never improved upon...Shows moviegoers what an indelible effect this classic had and has on the Horror genre.To coincide with the newly remastered bluray out October 5th ,Warner Bros. gave audiences a sneak peek at never before behind the scenes footage of the making of The Exorcist.Does this classic still hold up after its initial release some 30years ago?...HELL, YES!!!...so exorcise that money from your piggy banks and go out and re-experience "The Exorcist" in all its glory....it'll make your head spin!

THE FALL

2010-09-05T08:04:00.000-07:00

"This is not the end.It is not the beginning of the end.But it is perhaps, the end of the beginning."

-Winston Churchill

When we last left the world that Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan created for us in The Strain, New York City was slowly but surely being blanketed by a plague that can only be described as Viral Vampirism.Where The Strain introduced us to the real-life ,practical biologies of how Vampirism can manifest and spread,The Fall builds on those said biologies and runs wild.

The Fall ,the second installment of The Strain Trilogy brings back our heroes,Eph Goodweater,fellow CDC doctor Nora Martinez,veteran vampire hunter Professor Abraham Setrakian , vermin(now vampire) exterminator Vasiliy Fet, and Gus Elizalde, newly crowned leader of a wild bunch of vampire slayers.These "heroes" are ready to serve up all varieties of bad-assery on every creature of the night.

To our heroes opposition return The Master, who unfolds his ultimate endgame,assisted by the reclusive multi-millionaire,Eldritch Palmer. Palmer himself thrives to gain from his evil alliance with The Master.To aid the Master in his quest to infect all mankind are former rock god (now Vampire General) Gabriel Bolivar and the Master's minions at his disposal(I will leave this review spoiler -free,because if I were to describe these "minions",I'd freak myself out ).

And in the middle of all this are The Elders who were previously mentioned briefly in The Strain...the part that they play in this struggle for humanity is craftily revealed.

In The Strain, the reader was embraced not unlike a vampire with its narrative. In The Fall,the reader is now enveloped in the tale .Invested before,but now fully immersed.

Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan have hit their stride with The Fall .The story is dark ...how dark you may ask?..close your eyes tight!...Even darker than that.

Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? If there was in The Strain,it has been extinguished here. Even the quiet moments are equally as jarring as the action scenes,a testament to great writing.

One feels the impending doom...but like our heroes,the reader will dust themselves off and fight(or in this case,read) on. Page turner seems so cliche but not in this case,the story never lets you catch your breath.The Fall hits the ground running.The back stories effectively give the reader even more insight to what drives these characters to accomplish their agendas.To del Toro and Hogan's credit, The Fall (as in The Strain) is broken up into scenes rather than chapters, further effectively keeping the reader enthralled and interested.The story latches onto the readers jugular and never lets go.

To say I've fallen for The Fall is an understatement.It is del Toro and Hogan's best effort to date. Where sparkling vampires that walk out in the daylight have figuratively driven a stake into the vampire culture's heart....The Strain Trilogy resurrects the genre and puts it back on top of it's respective pedestal.

If The Strain was a delicious blood feast..The Fall is a heart-y and satisfying second helping !

Vampire-Con Film Fest 2010

2010-07-12T23:15:00.001-07:00

"It was a dark and stormy night..."
Who am I kidding? This is sunny California!!!
And so is the setting of the 2nd Annual Vampire-Con Film Fest!
http://www.vampire-con.com/slash/index.html
This a festival that celebrates the ever so popular genre of VAMPIRES!
Throughout the three night fest a wide variety of Vampire-centric films were shown.
The event was held at the legendary, New Beverly Cinema
http://www.newbevcinema.com/
The premiere evenings affair titled"Summer of Vampire Love"
featured the films,
"The Fearless Vampire Killers' by Roman Polanski
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061655/
and "Dracula Has Risen From The Grave" starring Christopher Lee
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062909/
The closing night, titled "Saturday Night Vampire Fever"
featured director Werner Herzog and Klaus Kinski starring in "Nosferatu The Vampyre"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079641/
John Badham's 1979 version of "Dracula"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079073/
and George Hamilton starring in the classic comedy "Love at First Bite"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079489/
And "torta'd" in between these Vampire-riffic nights,
was a vampire themed night ,touted to spice up the festivies.
"There will Be Sangre" was the festivals' co-presentation with LatinHorror.com
http://www.latinhorror.com/
The evenings' pachanga began with a screening on the 1931 Spanish version of "Dracula"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021815/
A couple fun facts about this version of the film.
-Dracula ,starring the iconic Bela Lugosi shot his now classic version of the film during the day and then when film wrapped for the day,the Spanish crew filmed their version utilizing the same sets at night.Praised by fans to be the better shot version of the two for its risque wardrobe and dramatic camera work.-Star Lupita Tovar is the grandmother of Chris Weitz,the director of Twilight Saga's"New Moon"
(so... the fang doesn't fall too far from the tree).
The second feature for the evening was the erotic ,vampiric gore tale"The Blood Spattered Bride"(La Novia Ensangrentada)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069029/
What a night,what a feast,sorry...fest!
A couple of Gran Gracias to all the Vamps involved.
To Micheal Togan,The Togan Family and staff at The New Beverly Cinema.
Thanks for providing the venue for such a wonderful festival and for continually presenting
classic genre films to the fans!
To Quentin Tarantino,for not only providing the print of "The Blood Spattered Bride" from his personal and vast library collection,but for saving the New Beverly Cinema !
The New Beverly Cinema is a landmark theatre here in Los Angeles,that continues to provide
nostalgic films of days gone by and current genre based movies to all film fanatics!
Thanks, Quentin!
A BIG Gracias and Bienvenidos to my West Coast Comadre and fellow Latin Horror.com collegue
Irene"La Loba" Villalobos!!! Cannot wait to share more Horrorifically fun times!!!
And last...but not least, the ever so wonderful individuals at Vampire-Con
To The lovely Wendi Mirabella,Lotti Pharris Knowles,Heidi Johnson, and the equally lovely John Knowles and staff...Gracias for honoring me with the opportunity to co host this great evening.I hope that is a the beginning of wonderful and long association!
The things we have planned for next years pachanga ,make me do the salsa in my sarcophagus!!!
Gracias once again to my Blood Brothers and Sisters!!

Mortality is the "Splice" of Life.

2010-06-02T23:39:00.000-07:00

Once again I had the great fortune to attend the premiere of Vincenzo Natali's "Splice"

http://www.splicethefilm.com/

here's a quick synopsis:

Clive(Adrien Brody) and Elsa(Sarah Polley) are a pair of brilliant scientists whose cutting-edge experiments in genetic engineering make them superstars in their field. As devoted to their careers as they are to one another, they start conducting unauthorized experiments with new animal species that show great promise. Drunk with their god-like powers, they introduce human DNA into one of their creations,the result is Dren(Delphine Chaneac),an amazing strangely beautiful creature of uncommon intelligence and an array of unexpected physical developments. While Dren inspires maternal feelings in Elsa, she evokes something far-from-paternal in Clive, something that poses a threat to them all. Then, when this seemingly perfect organism makes a final, shocking metamorphosis, it is mankind itself that is threatened.

If their first mistake was creating Dren,their second is letting her live...

Words to live(or die) by.

From the opening credits one can sense that this film is not a "Species" re-imagining,

you get totally immersed in to this movie.

Director ,Vincenzo Natali(who also co-wrote the story and screenplay)

is quite the filmmaker.As the film progresses,you know the proverbial bag o' dookie is gonna hit the fan(you know that "dookie"is an actually medical term ...go on "Google" it.I'll wait 'til you come back......you know I'm joking ,right?)and the strange thing about it is ... you are going to want to watch as the horror unfolds.One of the main ingredients of a great thriller.

This film will make you feel uncomfortable...not "Human Centipede" uncomfortable,but heeby jeeby(another medical term )uncomfortable.

Brody and Polley work well together...their performances are a true collaboration.Oscar -winning Brody ,doesn't pull the old Nicholas Cage and use his Oscar as a crutch .Brody does a great job.And I have to say this is Polley's best effort to date.The stand out here is ,Chaneac. Her performance as Dren ,the bird/reptile/America's Next Top Model ,is a scene stealer...you don't know whether to be attracted to her or freaked the hell out.(freaking out ,still kid of a turn-on ,no? TMI,grandpa,TMI.)

Guillermo del Toro(one of the producers along with Joel Silver) calls "Splice"...the movie that has everything...The perfect Date movie!"...hmmm,to me"Splice" is a great Horror/Thriller flick with plenty of scares.A perfect "Date Movie"? I guess ...if your date was the aforementioned "Human Centipede".(again...not necessarily a bad thing)

Good o' Horror is back,Baby!!!

and it's name is "Splice"

"Splice" opens nationwide, June 4th

I'm such a "Loser"!!!

2010-04-22T23:04:00.000-07:00

....and I kinda like it!!!

here's a quick rundown on the plot.

THE LOSERS

Members of an elite U.S. Special Forces unit are sent into the Bolivian jungle on a search and destroy mission. The team -- Clay, Jensen, Roque, Pooch and Cougar -- find themselves the target of a lethal betrayal instigated from inside by a powerful enemy known only as Max. Presumed dead, the group makes plans to even the score when they're joined by the mysterious Aisha, a beautiful operative with her own agenda. Working together, they must remain deep undercover while tracking the heavily-guarded Max, a ruthless man bent on embroiling the world in a new high-tech global war.

I got the opportunity to attend the Red Carpet Premiere of 'The Losers".

Here's my spoiler-free review...

This film is based on the DC/Vertigo graphic novel created by Andy Diggle and Jock.

Comic to Film adaptions have for the most part ,been pretty underwhelming these days.

If you are a purist and loved the source material that this film is based on..you are setting yourself up for some serious PAIN!

Though some of the action sequences are fully realized in the film version...the story is where the main differences lay.Director, Sylvain White and writer ,Peter Berg pretty much bastardized the graphic novel and produced a film that though entertaining ,vaguely resembles the comic.

There are your cringe worthy cliched slo-mo "Armageddon" walk ,to an ending so sweet...my teeth fell out.

Where "Kick-Ass" went right..."The Losers" went wrong.

don't get me wrong...this is actually a positive review(though it would be hard to tell ,form my three paragraphs of whining) I believe folks that are not familiar with the comic will like it.

The cast is great ...Chris "Captain Human Torch" Evans owns his role and is a joy to watch,as is Jeffery Dean Morgan as Clay.Zoe Saldana also brings on the heat (and it's not only because she is HOT!!!)She does another great job as the reigning Queen of Geekdom (yeah...i just coined that term).But the one actor who steals every scene that he's in ....is none other than Jason Patric!Yes ...THAT Jason Patric ,his role as Max may just jump start his career and dissolve the bad taste in every ones' mouth from"Speed 2: Cruise Control"

Overall this is a pretty fun movie.I enjoyed it.

If you are looking to see the graphic novel come to life...you better check your hermetically sealed bag and board at the door and enjoy this popcorn movie!

THE LOSERS opens wide 4/23/10

Wizard World Anaheim 2010

2010-04-21T23:03:00.000-07:00

Wow!

What a weekend!

This weekend showcased the triumphant return of Wizard World to California...Anaheim to be exact,home of a mouse named Mickey!

Wizard pulled out all the stops...Bringing in top-named talent from the world of comics and celebrity!This years attendants included comicbook luminaries such as Stan "The Man" Lee,Simon Bisley,Arthur Suydam, and legend ,Tony DeZuniga of Jonah Hex fame.But the big draw of the weekend was the reunion of the 1960's TV show ,"Batman"!!

Adam West, Burt Ward ,Julie Newmar,Lee Meriweather,and Yvonne Craig...yes folks ,all under one roof! Other notable celebs of yesteryear and today were William Shatner, Mickey Rooney and Doug Jones of the Hellboy movies and Guillermo del Toro's ,Pan's Labyrinth.

This con had something for the young and not so young!

There were rows and rows of toys and collectibles as well as gear and fine works of art, catering to all the geeks.The cons' artist alley was full of very talented folks from comics to voice actors..i told you this awesome con had something to appeal to everyone!The Panels were mostly at capacity, especially "The Empire Strikes Back 30th Anniversary" with Lando Calrissian himself, Billy Dee Williams.

The attendees at Wizard World Anaheim were treated to a weekend of fun ,excitement and wonder.

I only hope that this great con rolls around next year....it's gonna be tough to top this one,but knowing Wizard..it will!!!

Monsterpalooza 2010

2010-04-10T19:16:00.000-07:00

Vampires,Werewolves and Zombies..oh my!!!

I had the pleasure of attending Eliot Brodsky's MONSTERPALOOZA

http://www.rubberroom101.com/monsterpalooza2010/

Monsterpalooza is convention that celebrates all the talented artists that are in the make-up and creature effects business.Everything imaginable that relates to creature effect were well represented this weekend.The line-up at Monsterpalooza was like a who's who in the Horror/Sci-Fi/Fantasy industry.From artists William Stout and Bernie Wrightson to legendary effects artists Steve Wang and Mike Hill were in attendance to display all their stunning work.

Location.Location.Location.
Because the convention was held in Burbank ,CA(the home of Universal,Warner Bros.,and Disney) this con brought out a lot of the industry's most notable and talented, who work and live in and around Burbank.Seen shopping and perusing the exhibit floor were such luminaries as Guillermo del Toro,Rick Baker,Drew Struzan,J.J. Abrams,Mike Elizalde ,Steve Niles and more.All King 's of their craft.

If you have ever wanted to see life-sized busts and models ,this is the show for you.This show takes one across the velvet rope .Where you can get up-close and personal or "Face to Fang" with theses works of art.One can truly appreciate all the hard work that goes into creating these masterpieces.One of the awesome features of this show was the walk-through museum.On display there was a life-sized T-Rex head,a 4' Kong head.a Hannibal Lector set complete with jail cell and Clarisse Starling drawings,and more.Truly indescribable.Something one would have to see for themselves.

Another cool aspect to this show is the accessibility to these masters of this industry.All the professionals there were willing not only to sell their wares but to give out advice and knowledge about their craftsmanship.

All in all a great show .

This show runs April 9-11th

'Kick-Ass" kicked my ass..and I LOVED every minute of it!

2010-04-06T01:19:00.000-07:00

Hey All!

Just got back from a sneak peek of Matthew Vaughn's new film ,"Kick-Ass"

http://www.kickass-themovie.com/

And boys and girls...whatta ride!

Adapted from the Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. Marvel /Icon graphic novel by the same name.

'Kick-Ass" tells the story of Dave Lizewski, a comic-book fanboy, who decides to take his obsession as inspiration to become a real-life superhero. As any good superhero would, he chooses a new name -- Kick-Ass -- assembles a suit and mask to wear, and gets to work fighting crime. There's only one problem standing in his way: Kick-Ass has absolutely no superpowers. His life is forever changed as he inspires a subculture of copy cats, is hunted by assorted violent and unpleasant characters, and meets up with a pair of crazed vigilantes, including an 11-year-old sword-wielding dynamo, Hit Girl and her father, Big Daddy.

Gonna make this as spoiler -free as possible for y'all.

The film is pretty faithful to the graphic novel..some liberties were taken,but all for the greater good.Vaughn along with screenwriter Jane Goldman,turn Millar's great comic into an even greater flick.(yes folks, it's a "Flick" not a "Film".Flicks are made to be FUN.A film would be "Schindler's List".Last time I checked,Schindler didn't use jet-packs and Gatling-guns to defeat his enemies.Maybe in the Michael Bay reboot of "Schinder's List".Movie tag for that film..."he's gotta list and boy is he pissed".But I digress..where was I?..oh yeah,"Kick-Ass")

The cast is great. Aaron Johnson(Kick-Ass) does a decent job as the zero turned hero.(btw..dude's from England.Totally convincing as a New Yorker..that alone earns some kudos or at least a "Nature Valley's " multi-grain health bar...yeah I went there...Don't forget to tip your waitress).

Christopher Mintz -Plasse as McLovin..i mean Red Mist is okay in this...though i kept on thinking ,"dude,that's McLovin...jigga,jigga,wha'?".

Nic Cage ,normally hot and cold in most of his films(mostly arctic,icicle ,dead of winter, cold)as Big Daddy turns out to be surprisingly very good in this role.I'm gonna say it, but this is his best role in a looooooong and I mean loooong time. I'm not gonna spoil it for you kiddies,but when Cage has dialogue in his Big Daddy mode...it is laugh out loud hi-larious!

But the stand out performance goes to lil' Chloe Moretz as Hit-Girl.She does such a great job.Funny, foul-mouthed, lethal and adorable.(weren't those the names of Snow White's Dwarfs or Santa's Reindeer?I always get those two sets confused)Moretz puts on such a memorable performance especially in the third act,that this movie should be called "Hit-Girl".One of the highlights in the flick for me was John Romita Jr.'s artwork come to life.It gives a whole new meaning to "motion -comics"

Is it perfect? No.With a budget of around a rumored $25 million( lunch money these days) Hollywood may rethink spending a billion Spiderman 3 dollars in the future and focus on storytelling.

Bloody...check! Funny...check! and overall enjoyable!(there are those stupid reindeer names again)...Check!!!

It's kinda hard to fit a five issue comic into a two hour flick(yeah, there's that word again)but I think purists and moviegoers alike will definitely get their money's worth.

"Kick-Ass."..Kicked -Ass!!! Cliche ,I know but actually true.

Kick-Ass opens April 16th

Update...those of you in L.A.

here's a fun and oh so cool event with tons o' swag and prizes to give away!

http://www.comicsoncomics.com/category/blog/

The "Legion" Heirs

2010-01-10T19:58:00.000-08:00

"When God loses faith in mankind,he sends his legion of angels to bring on the apocalypse.
Humanity's only hope lies in a group of strangers trapped in a desert diner and the Archangel Michael."....and so goes the synopsis of Sony Pictures "Legion" legionmovie.com (opening January 22).

I had the pleasure of attending an exclusive panel and sneak peek of the film at The Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention http://www.comicbookscifi.com/ .

In attendance were the films director, Scott Stewart and cast members, Tyrese Gibson(Transformers),Adrianne Palicki (Friday Night Lights) and Doug Jones (Pan's Labyrinth).

The Red Band trailer was shown along with and exclusive fight scene between the angels ,Michael(Paul Bettany) and Gabriel(Kevin Durand) to the near capacity panel. After a a quick Q & A ,the cast and director signed movie one-sheets for the fans. As a surprise ,also in attendance was actress Jeanette Miller who plays "Gladys" the creepy lady in the movie trailer http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi3208906009/

Tyrese kept the audience in stitches saying that Miss Miller kept on flirting and touching him.

Director Stewart said that if the film (though self-contained ) does well ,he has planned for a trilogy. A big "Thank You " goes out to Bruce of the LA ComicbookSciFiCon ,John Zander,Tyrese, and of course ,the incomparable Doug Jones .This film actually looks cool....hey, how can you go wrong? It's got Doug Jones as a freaky Ice Cream Man.

Steve Wang lecture at The Cinema Makeup School

2009-11-22T19:07:00.000-08:00

Predator, Monster Squad, X3,Hellboy,and more.

Steve Wang's credentials pretty much speak for themselves and they sure do speak volumes

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0911036/

Along with Dick Smith ,Rick Baker,Mike Elizalde David Marti,and the late Stan Winston, Steve Wang has been one of the innovative pioneers that have kept creature effects alive and well.

I had the rare opportunity and pleasure to attend a lecture given by Steve that was held at The Cinema Makeup school in Los Angeles http://www.cinemamakeup.com/

The 3 hour plus lecture gave the lucky attendees the step by step look at how a full body makeup appliance is made.For me personally after seeing all the labor that goes into creating such a creature effect ,I truly appreciate all the masterful artistry that goes into fabricating it. On display throughout the lecture, Steve brought along some of his creations.The full body makeup and animatronic head of the tooth fairy from Darkness Falls http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0282209/

and a Sammael skull from Hellboy.The workmanship that went into all the models on display were breathtaking.

Steve is currently working on Marvel Entertainment's "Thor "and is a producer and director of the CW kids show Kamen Riders http://www.kamenrider.com/

Screamfest 2009 Spotlight:Before The Fall (3 Dias)

2009-10-19T23:21:00.000-07:00

From Writer/Director Javier Gutierrez comes the The Screamfest premiere of his film "Before the Fall (3 dias) http://www.beforethefallthefilm.com/index.html

A giant meteorite is about to collide with Earth. The planet is gripped by despair and chaos. The inhabitants of Laguna listen to the news in terror. Ale, a frustrated young man who lives with his mother, decides to spend his last days shut away, getting drunk and listening to his favourite music. But his plans change when he is forced to help his mother to protect his brother's four children when Lucio, an ambiguous, disturbing stranger appears.

Cast: Victor Clavijo, Eduard Fernandez, Mariana Cordero, Juan Galvan
Directed By: Javier Gutierrez
Written By: Juan Velarde, F. Javier Gutierrez
Produced By: Antonio Perez

Before the Fall (3 Dias) screens at Screamfest 2009 on Sat. Oct.24th at 7:00 P.M.

here is the full schedule and link

http://www.screamfestla.com/films.php

Screamfest 2009

2009-10-15T22:44:00.000-07:00

'tis the season!....the haunting season!

This week is the start of the 2009 Screamfest.

http://www.screamfestla.com/index.php

Where for two weeks 10/16-25 ,films from around the globe are featured

celebrating the genre of horror and science fiction and all things in between!

here is the schedule of the films and shorts that will be featured

http://www.screamfestla.com/films.php

So gather your friends and someone to hold on to,

for Screamfest LA is here!!!

The Reaper Awards 2009 Pics

2009-10-15T01:03:00.000-07:00

Dave Parker and Tad Hilgenbrinck

Sophie Monk

Thomas Dekker

Blake Reigle

Joe Lynch

Adam Green

Steve Barton

Sid Haig

The Reaper Awards 2009

2009-10-14T23:40:00.000-07:00

On a dark and stormy night at the haunted Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, the inaugural 2009 Reaper Awards http://www.reaperawards.com/about.html were held.

Celebrating the best in cult classics ,modern films and direct to video releases all encompassing the horror genre. Sponsored by Home Media Magazine and Dread Central .com ,the evening began with a celebrity filled red carpet and cocktail reception.

Such horror luminaries as Sid Haig (the Devil's Rejects), Sophie Monk (The Hills Run Red), Steve Barton, Director's Adam Green(Hatchet), Joe Lynch (Wrong Turn 2), Blake Reigle (Beneath the Surface), and Dave Parker (The Hills Run Red) were in attendance.After dinner, the "Grimmys" were awarded to films in categories such as Best Zombie, Best Vampire/Werewolf, etc.

here are the winners

Best of Show
Hellraiser Box Set, Anchor Bay Entertainment

Best DTV Release
Alien Raiders, Warner Home Video

Best Packaging
Hellraiser Box Set, Anchor Bay Entertainment

Best Boxed Set or TV Series
Dexter: The Complete Third Season, Paramount Home Entertainment/CBS/Showtime

Best Re-release
Friday the 13th: Deluxe Editions (Parts 1-6), Paramount Home Entertainment
Best Blu-ray Disc
Ghostbusters, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Best Indie/Foreign
[REC], Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Best Theatrical
The Last House on the Left (2009), Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Best Zombie
Quarantine, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Best Slasher
The Last House on the Left (1972), 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment/MGM

Best Slasher
Laid to Rest, Anchor Bay Entertainment

Best Ghost Story
The Haunting in Connecticut, Lionsgate

Best Vampire/Werewolf
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Best Re-mastering
Hellraiser, Anchor Bay Entertainment

Lifetime Achievement
Michael Felsher, Red Shirt Pictures

This was truly a great event.It presented the opportunity for these types of films to be recognized for the true art form that they are.

Special Thanks to Kyra Kudick and Erin Foley of Questex Media and Thomas K. Arnold of Home Media Magazine and Steve Barton of Dread Central .com http://dreadcentral.com/

Hope to see you Ghouls and Gals next year!!!

Screamfest 2009 Spotlight :Bajo La Sal

2009-10-10T22:35:00.000-07:00

Director/Writer Mario Munoz's film ,Bajo La Sal (Under The Salt) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1110207/

gets The Red Carpet treatment at next weeks Screamfest 2009 http://www.screamfestla.com/index.php

Munoz's film centers around a series of murders that lead Commander Trujillo (Humberto Zurita, Propiedad Ajena) to Santa Rosa de la Sal, a small salt mining town, where he meets Victor Zepeda (Ricardo Polanco)- a lonely teenager who works in his father's funeral home and spends his free time making crude animated horror films. Victor's strange behavior and hobby make him a suspect in the brutal crimes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7-HHasohnU&feature=fvw

Trick 'R Treat

2009-10-07T23:42:00.000-07:00

This is totally gonna date me ,but oh well here goes!

I long for the days when I would seat in front of my TV for hours and watch The Twilight Zone ,The Outer Limits,Rod Serling's Night Gallery,Tales From The Crypt,and films like Creepshow or Twilight Zone :The Movie.

A good anthology series or movie hasn't been seen in a while ...Until now.

Now out on DVD/Blu-Ray,digital download,On Demand,Cave drawing(actually not really,though I'd love to see it) Is Michael Dougherty's Trick 'R Treat.

http://trickrtreat-movie.warnerbros.com/

Reminiscent of the anthology series mentioned above ,Trick 'R Treat brings back the old school feel of scary storytelling.Told in a non linear fashion,the film follows four intertwining tales that tie up all their loose ends by the flicks finale. Think of a Halloween film in the vein of Quentin Tarantino.

I liked this film.It's creepy,scary and most importantly,fun.

There are some twists and unexpected turns that are the meat and potatoes of any good anthology series and film.What I like to call the "a-Ha " moments (no, the 80's new wave band doesn't make a cameo...I told you I'd be dating myself)! The moments in a movie when you go "a-Ha..I didn't see that coming! "To Serve Man" is a cookbook? WTF!" Now, if I just spoiled that episode of The Twilight Zone for you..that's what you get.Shame on you for not seeing that one.

Destined to be a Halloween Classic ,Trick 'R Treat is indeed a treat.

El Boy's Sick +Six+Six Launch!!!

2009-10-07T01:02:00.000-07:00

here's something a little different...check it out!
http://elboy666.blogspot.com/

The Long Beach Comic Con 2009

2009-10-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

A seaside convention hall, where seagulls majestically fly over .The temperature a perfect 78 degree with the sea breeze flowing through ones hair(not mine,but I'm sure it was flowing through someones hair) and ones face basking in the beautiful Southern California sun.

In the background cos players,comic geeks, collectors,and professionals alike roam through the convention hall doors.

This was the setting of the inaugural Long Beach Comic Con 2009.

http://www.longbeachcomiccon.com/index.html

And it came just in time...I was having withdrawals from The San Diego Comic Con.

The scale of this con was an eighth of Monster we all know as SDCC.

The vibe was electric.The day began with a ribbon cutting ceremony by the one and only Stan "The Man" Lee and then the participants moved into the convention hall.Once in the hall comic companies the like Aspen ,Top Cow,IDW, and Boom! Studios were well represented. Video game giant, Nintendo was present to show off and preview some of their games.As well as a wide variety of vendors.The highlight was the Artist Alley.Over 50 artists from all over the country were there to talk to fans and admirers.This con ,though small in scale had some big guns there, Jim Lee, J. Scott Campbell,Whilce Portacio, Amanda Conner and David Petersen to name a few.Also the up and coming talented young guns were there like Eric Canete,Philip Tan, and Ruben Martinez.There were how-to panels.roller derby girls ,wrestlers.and movie previews. One of the highlights was Michael Dougherty's "Trick 'R Treat.Like San Francisco's WonderCon ,fans have the opportunity to spend some quality time with some of the creators they admire.All the attendees that i talked to from fans to professionals were all happy with the turn out. I had a blast.It is my hope that the nice people that run The Long Beach Comic Con,bring their awesome 3day sideshow back next year .I see it only getting bigger and better! I cannot wait...is it 2010 yet?!

ZOMBIELAND,how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

2009-09-29T22:16:00.001-07:00

..." Nut up or Shut up!"

or so the movie tag line states.

This is pretty much the anthem of Rueben Fleischer's Zombieland.

http://www.zombieland.com/

I won't spoil the plot,but come on..if you're gonna see a movie the words "Zombie" and "Land" in the title,you pretty much know what your in for.

In short,The U.S.(maybe the world) is overtaken by zombies.We follow the travels of Tallahassee(Woody Harrelson),Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg),and sisters Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) as they set out on their cross country jaunt that begins back East and heads out to the West coast(which holds the promise of a zombie-free life).And with all trips ,it's not the final destination that's important but what happens on the way there.In the case of this film ,killing zombies is the short order or the day...ALL DAY,EVERYDAY!

I LOVED this film!!!

I enjoyed this film(heck, I'm gonna call it a "flick",cuz movies that are just plain fun...are not "films", they are "Flicks").It's an enjoyable "flick" on so many levels. It's funny ,scary,and(dare I say) heartwarming. In the vein of Guy Davis' graphic novel ,"Zombies That Ate The World "and Edgar Wright's "Shaun of The Dead" this flick takes a tongue in cheek perspective on the zombie genre (oooh "genre"...that's a pretty hoity toity word for a "flick" grandpa!..."Shut up!!!")

Harrelson is in fine form,probably his best performance in a loooong time .Yes folks,"White Men" can jump.shoot,slash and decapitate some zombie tukis.Stone is great as the elder grifter here,alluring and funny! Breslin is in her funniest role since "Little Miss Sunshine" just as adorable but this time brandishing an automatic rifle. Stand out performance goes to Eisenburg.

Seen as the "Poor Man's Michael Cera",Eisenburg may just break out of that moniker.As our narrator for this journey ,he brings forth a boy next door/everyman likability.Cera's doppelganger ,no more!

The exchanges between him and Harrelson are what one would see if Clint Eastwood and a young Woody Allen did a zombie movie.

So...if you're like me (old,bald,500 lbs, alarmingly good-looking with impeccable movie taste) your zombie loving butt will venture out into your local multiplex and enjoy the hell out of this flick.

'til next time America...."Nut up or Shut up!"

What a Guy (Davis) !!!

2009-09-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

Okay...so ever since I could remember,I've been a Batman Guy.When I was a kid for Halloween I would dress up as Batman (Every year,All year)..even as an Adult circa 1990 for Halloween, I was Michael Keaton Batman.(how old am I again?)

Then came my obsession with everything Hellboy.(I could speak volumes on why I love lil' Anung Um Rama..but there is not enough space here..maybe some other time) Sure...I've cheated on the Dark Knight and the Harbinger of Doomsday,through out the years ...but i always came back to them.Along with my obsession with Hellboy came my obsession of the B.P.R.D.(The Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense).Mike Mignola (creator of Hellboy) entrusted his creation of the B.P.R.D. to John Arcudi and an artist i had barely knew,Guy Davis. I loved the stories..but LOVED the artwork even more.

Over the years I would admire Davis' line work and could not wait for the next B.P.R.D. installment so that i could salivate over the artwork(stunning colors added by the wonderful Dave Stewart...btw,he's waaaaaay more talented than that Eurythimics dude who shares his namesake) 30 days was a long time to wait...so i sought out more of Guy's work and stumbled upon The Zombies That Ate The World.Stellar!
Guy also contributed animated comics to Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth and Hellboy 2 DVD's.

I'm not an original art kinda guy(nor independently wealthy or I would be an original art guy)
but had the opportunity purchase a page an a commission and i do not regret it one bit .They are amongst my most treasured possessions(the kind that you would never sell).
I would now and again peruse Guy's website http://www.guydavisartworks.com/

and i saw this character of his called The Marquis."Meh" I thought to myself...cool ,but i don't get the hat thingy and all. So I passed it up (no ,I pretty much ignored it...I'm such a dumb-ass) Then I saw that Dark Horse Comics was re releasing The Marquis: Inferno in Trade Paperback book form.http://www.darkhorse.com/Books/15-859/The-Marquis-Inferno-TPB I figured that I would give it a chance( one of the smartest things I've done).

I LOVE THE MARQUIS!!!! There I said it! It's not only the story and the stunning artwork, it's the subject matter and MONSTERS!!! Gorgeous! Guy is one of few artists in my opinion that can draw awesome and honest to goodness scary monsters( the kind that nightmares are made out of )

So... Batman,Hellboy,please make room for your brother, Le Marquis ...for he is here to stay!!!

Do yourself a favor and pick this up..you will not regret it!

And if you don't ...Le Marquis will be looking to exorcise your inner demon with his bad ass pistols and sabre!

Vampire -Con 2009

2009-08-26T00:18:00.000-07:00

It is the middle of August,…Summer’s flame ever so slowly diminishes .It is here in the City of Angels as the sun sets over the town known for its’ tinsel, the dead and undead congregate. Angels were welcome indeed, only if they checked their wings and halos in the coat room. This is the setting for the inaugural. Vampire –Con 2009. http://www.vampire-con.com/brood/For 3 days they convened, for a blood lust that for years had been suppressed….now they have been outted…and loving it!!!
With the advent of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight,HBO’s True Blood, and Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan’s The Strain, the love for Vampires has resurrected.
Vampires and all that entail its’ resurgence into the popular culture had a place to flaunt its fangs.
The Convention began with a two day film festival at The New Beverly Cinema(from The Lost Boys to The Hunger) that attracted all the creatures of the night (Most notably Rose McGowan ,a Vamp in her own right).
The third and final day brought a change in venue , The Henry Fonda Theatre.
It was here that fangs (amongst other things) were flaunted.
The theatre was filled with an array of vendors to sell their wares. From Axes (custom gothic guitars),custom coffins to potions…a myriad of books and specialty items were there for purchase also .The convention also offered scheduled panels that discussed various topics all with the common theme of Vampirism. The highlight of the day was the crowning a The Vampire-Con’s Vampirella 2009.The online voting for the event’s Queen of The Damned was narrowed down to two worthy Vamps .A winner was chosen, Nela Swan (photo above)to a delight of the crowd.
As Twilight approached …the event ended with a classy ,wonderful ,and dare I say sexy Vampirella Ball .All of those who were there to partake in this Danse Macabre, partied into the wee hours to bring an unfortunate end to a fun filled weekend.
What made The Vampire-Con enjoyable was that the organizers have total respect for the genre and have the vision to see that the vampire culture needs to take its rightful place in the sun(so to speak).The convention paid homage to all forms of the vampire culture from Nosferatu ,Bela Lugosi to the aforementioned Twilight. Vampires and their need to celebrate will not take a stake to the heart anytime soon. .I for one hope that The Vampire-Con resurrects itself next year...this is one Daywalker that is looking forward to it.
A gran muchisimas gracias to the lovely Dee Dee Debartlo of Harper/Collins for the donation of The Strain novels and the equally lovely Wendi Mirabella for organizing this event!

Thank you Ladies!!!

Guillermo:The Vampire Slayer

2009-07-30T00:14:00.000-07:00

Today comes this news

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006649.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&ref=ssp

Could it be?

del Toro first pitched The Strain to FOX as a TV series ...but FOX wanted it to be a comedy(True Story)...anyone remember George Hamilton in Love At First Bite or Eddie Murphy's Vampire in Brooklyn? How did those vampire comedies work out?*crickets*...Lost Boys,maybe.

It could work...The Strain TV bible is out there...and Noxon sure knows her bloodsuckers.

Are there too many vampire projects out there already?

Probably...

Maybe Noxon & Co. can put a little "BITE" (pun totally intended) into the competition.

I for one, would LOVE to see it...

Casting choices anyone?

Drop me a line...

Insane for The Strain

2009-06-22T23:57:00.000-07:00

Well, after months of anticipation.

A Coast to Coast World Premiere Book Launch.

Rave Reviews...(Worldwide rave reviews, mind you)

New York Times Top Ten Bestseller.(come on now...was there any doubt)

I have finally finished reading The Strain...Yay!!!

Again those who know me know that I am not a reader.

The extent of my reading are books that have a lot of pretty pictures

with tons of "Pows" and "Booms" and "Zowies"

Guillermo told me that I would "effing love this book"(his words,kinda) and...........

damn it, he was right(I hate when that happens)

As my buddy Parker put it...it's CSI :Vampires.

The story is fresh .The characters are (excuse the pun) fully fleshed out.

Another aspect I liked about this book was that the chapters were broken down into settings ,so that it puts the reader in the mood and sets them up for the story to unfold.

The pacing and beats are all there and keep the reader interested.

For those who know Guillermo,there are little easter eggs or "winks" to people and things that he likes.

I liked that aspect of the book too,it made it more personal.

The CSI parts of the book were not too techie(is that a word.?...if it isn't ,it is now)

but at the same time the descriptions were not dumbed down.One could fully understand what was being explained.

The gore is unforgiving...and I LOVE it! These Vampires don't *sparkle*(there's a t-shirt)

"The Strain-These Vampires don't Sparkle ,Mother Effer!!!"

I won't go into the plot or spoil stuff for you boys and girls...you're just gonna have to pick up the book ...and shame on you for not having the book already (Gary points his finger at you and shakes it in DISAPPROVAL.Shake.Shake.Shake.)

okay here's a spoiler...are you ready?

(SPOILER)

(shhhhh...Darth Vader is Luke Skywalkers's Father)

(END Of SPOILER)

(now you can't say I never gave you anything)

Twilight?...PUUUULEASE!

Vampire Academy?...."oh no you didnit, girlfriend!!!"

Rice's Lestat can Suck It!!!(oh yeah ,I went there)

Go buy the book.

Read it.

Tell your friends about it.

Have them buy it.(you don't want the swine flu on you copy)

Heck ,even better ...buy the 14 hour unabridged audio book version,Narrated by the one,the only, Ron Perlman.(also available on itunes)

all B.S.aside...it's a great read.

400 pages of F.U.N.

F.angtastic. U.nrelenting....N.octurnal?.something or the other(i can't think of anything that starts with "N")...oh yeah,N.ut-shrinking ,wet your underoos vampire gore!!!

Let me know what y'all think.

ENJOY!!!

IMATS Pics

2009-06-20T21:39:00.000-07:00

The Real Dick Smith and ME

IMATS Pics

2009-06-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

IMATS Pics

2009-06-20T20:25:00.001-07:00

IMATS LA 2009

2009-06-20T19:15:00.000-07:00

Had the opportunity to attend the International Make up Artists Trade Show (IMATS),

being held this weekend in Pasadena ,California. http://www.makeupartistshow.com/

The IMATS is the equivalent of The San Diego ComicCon (SDCC)

but instead of comic geeks it is a convention for Make Up Artists.

The main exhibit hall is filled with makeup industry companies selling their wares

and also technical school trying to enroll perspective students.

There was a make up fashion show ,a student competition (this years theme :Gothic),

There was also a small museum with some props.

Outside of the exhibit hall there were several rooms that held panels and workshops.

Highlight of the day for me was running into Makeup Effects Legend, Dick Smith and chatting with him for bit.

Dick Smith Fun Fact:

Dick Smith has four fingers on his left hand

He had an accident while on a job ,that ripped the skin off his wedding ring finger.

The finger was so disfigured that he decided to have it permanently removed,not only for aesthetic reasons but for cosmetic reasons as well.

Since he works with his hands he thought that the deformed digit would somehow displease or disgust his clients.(that's a lot of "d's")

Smith had the cosmetic surgeon move his pinky closer to his middle finger.The surgeon did such a stellar job,that looks like he was born with four fingers.

(fun for a factoid,but fun for Dick Smith....not so much)

Tribute To Dick Smith Photos

2009-06-19T01:48:00.000-07:00

Dick Smith and Me...

... actually no. It's Kazuhiro Tsuji's larger than life homage to Dick Smith

this bust is AMAZING!

Dick Smith's makeup tips magazine

Rick Baker's Letter to Dick Smith asking for a job.

I Don't Know Dick...

2009-06-19T00:02:00.000-07:00

...Dick Smith ,that is.

The makeup legend whose credits include The Godfather,The Exorcist ,Altered States and Amadeus

http://www.dicksmithmake-up.com/enter.htm

But ,I got to know this Legend a little bit better last night.

I had the pleasure of attending a fantastic event ,

It was The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

"Tribute to Dick Smith:The Godfather of Special Makeup Effects",

held at the amazing Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

The Master of Ceremony was none other than the legend himself

Master Makeup Effects Artist,Rick Baker.

It was a star-studded event(make up effects -wise)

Anyone who is anyone in the Makeup Effects industry was in attendance.

Everyone from this years Oscar winner Greg Cannom to Spectral Motion's Mike Elizalde.

The evening began with video clips of Smith's early days in television.

Then there was a panel discussion with Actors ,Linda Blair(The Exorcist) and Hal Holbrook(Mark Twain). Smith students Andrew Clement (Star Trek 2009), Shane Mahan (Iron Man), John Rosengrant (Aliens),to name a few.

as Rick Baker said,this was a" love fest"...all paying homage to Dick Smith.

The nearly 3 hour tribute was filled with laughter ,tears and admiration for a man who is an artist ,innovator,and mentor to all those who make their living as makeup artists.

The special evening came to a close with Dick Smith complimenting Rick Baker , and telling him that Baker's work is so phenomenal that he surpasses Smith himself,Quite a compliment.

The final clip of the evening was a video message from New Zealand.

Where Weta's Richard Taylor,Director's Guillermo del Toro, and Peter Jackson sent a special greeting to Smith. They joked and said that everyone has been influenced by him and should hyphenate their names Guillermo del Toro-Smith ,Peter Jackson-Smith.a great moment,indeed.

The screen faded to black and said (and I paraphrase)

"Can't wait to see you here in NZ,Thanks,Dick!"

WOW!!!

Cannot wait to see the Godfather's magic on some Hobbits;)

New York Times Best Seller,"The Strain"

2009-06-13T12:04:00.000-07:00

After only one week,

The first installment of the del Toro/Hogan vampire trilogy "The Strain" ,has entered The New york Times best sellers list at #9!!!!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/books/bestseller/besthardfiction.html?ref=bestseller

and here's an accompanying related article

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/21/books/review/InsideList-t.html?ref=bestseller

also it's a best seller in Spain under the title "Nocturna"

Mignola's "Right Hand-Bag of Doom"

2009-06-10T22:39:00.000-07:00

Howdy Y'all !!!

Have you been wondering to yourself,

"Self...where can I find a tote-bag that will carry all the swag i pick up at the Comic book conventions this year?"

...where can I get a bag that the folks at the market will be wondering....Where the Hell(boy) can I get a bag like this?!

Well, your prayers have been answered.(considering if you've been praying for this Ginormous bag)

From the mind of Hellboy creator Mike Mignola, comes the world premiere of his "Skeleton-Head" tote bag.

Details

….12oz. durable cotton twill with web handles

20”W X 15”H X 5”D

This is a good size bag for many uses

…$15.00 plus $4.00 for shipping and handling.

...$ 9.00 for International shipping.

Preferred payment is Paypal

but will take checks and money orders if you want to send to our PO Box and don’t mind waiting 10 days.

The email address is skeleton21 @ me . com

And the PO Box is

Mignola

PO Box 750

Manhattan Beach CA 90267

Get your inner del Toro on!!!

2009-06-08T23:42:00.000-07:00

Enjoying Guillermo del Toro's and Chuck Hogan's" The Strain "so much that you can't wait for the movie...

Have a vision of real vampires spreading their strain throughout the world...

need an outlet to exorcise these inner demons from the "Dark Recess"*plug*,*plug* of your mind?

...well have I got news for you,boys and girls.

grab a camcorder and some unwilling buddies and make your own fan flick trailer.

Your fan trailer could be picked by the authors to premiere in Canadian theatres this August(hey, it's not the United States,but they have free medical and that whole bacon thing, eh!)

check it out ...if you dare!!!

http://www.spreadthestrain.ca/

http://www.youtube.com/spreadthestrain

Across The Pond.

2009-06-07T09:03:00.000-07:00

Joel Meadows, Publisher of Tripwire Magazine

http://www.tripwire-magazine.com/

Posted these pictures of Guillermo's signing at Forbidden Planet for The Strain .

Tripwire will have an interview with Guillermo in an upcomong issue.

These pics are from Joel's blog

Walls and Bridges

http://joelm1-joelmead.blogspot.com/2009/06/bullish-behaviour-on-saturday-morning-i.html

The photo on the right is the sleeve used in the European edtions of the book,

very cool photos from Joel and the turn out looks great.

The Strain is Spreading!

2009-06-05T00:00:00.000-07:00

Q&A from TIME

http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1902395,00.html

Early Reviews

“Film director Del Toro (PAN’S LABYRINTH) and thriller writer Hogan (THE KILLING MOON) treat a vampire outbreak as a massive public-health crisis, with chilling results. When a plane arriving from Berlin goes completely black on the runway at JFK, losing all electrical power and contact with the outside world, authorities expect to find a tense hostage situation on board. Instead, they discover that almost everyone on the plane has mysteriously died, presumably during the very brief interval between the time it landed and the moment a SWAT team stormed the cabin. Suspecting a disease of some kind and fearing its spread, authorities call in Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, head of a CDC team set up to deal with just this sort of fast-moving, potentially catastrophic epidemic. What Dr. Goodweather and his team gradually discover, however, is something much stranger and potentially even more dangerous: a species of parasitic worm that gradually turns its host into a bloodthirsty something that very closely resembles a vampire. Soon they are operating well outside the realm of established science, especially after they team up with Abraham Setrakian, a Holocaust survivor and former academic who now operates a pawnshop in Spanish Harlem and has dealt with this sort of thing before. Armed with Setrakian’s knowledge and an extensive arsenal of anti-vampire weaponry, the CDC team sets out to control the outbreak by attacking its source. The book boasts a plethora of arresting images and many terrific macabre touches. Del Toro and Hogan also succeed in constructing a driving plot and delivering a gripping conclusion. Great characters, a semi-plausible premise and a flair for striking scenes get this trilogy off to a first-rate start.”

— Kirkus Reviews

“Director Del Toro (who won an Oscar for PAN’S LABYRINTH) makes a dramatic splash in his fiction debut, the first volume in a vampires vs. humanity trilogy, coauthored with Hogan (PRINCE OF THIEVES). Just as a jumbo jet on a flight from Germany to New York is touching down at JFK, something goes terribly wrong. When Ephraim Goodweather, of the Centers for Disease Control, investigates the darkened plane, he finds all but four passengers and crew dead, drained of blood. Despite Goodweather's efforts to keep the survivors segregated, they get discharged into the general population. Soon after, the corpses of the tragedy's victims disappear. The epidemiologist begins to credit the wild stories of Abraham Setrakian, an elderly pawnbroker who's the book's Van Helsing figure, and concludes that a master vampire has arrived in the U.S. The authors maintain the suspense and tension throughout in a tour de force reminiscent of Whitley Strieber's early work.”— Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“This one’s sure to get a lot of interest.... The story offers a solid mix of horror and thriller elements.... The first installment of a projected trilogy.... You should expect to wait in breathless anticipation of volume 2. With a movie likely in the offing, this could become the next big horror franchise.”— Booklist

“Have your heart medicine close: THE STRAIN may sneak up on you—and it’s scary enough to kill. I loved it.”— Gregory Maguire, bestselling author of A LION AMONG MEN and WICKED

“Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan have crafted a deliciously creepy story that will literally make the hairs on your neck stand up. THE STRAIN is Bram Stoker meets Stephen King meets Michael Crichton. It just doesn’t get much better than this.”— Nelson DeMille

“The first in a trilogy that soars with spellbinding intrigue. Truly, an unforgettable tale you can’t put down once you read the first page. I can’t wait until the next one.”— Clive Cussler

“Blood and apocalypse mix in a terrifying story that feels like it was ripped from today’s headlines. Vividly wrought and relentlessly paced, THE STRAIN haunts as much as it terrifies. I cannot wait to see where Del Toro and Hogan take us next.”— James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of THE DOOMSDAY KEY

“Every few decades the vampire genre grows a tad anemic, as it were, and the lore of the Undead threatens to die on us. But then along comes a Richard Matheson or Stephen King and...license renewed. This time around the reanimators are Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan with their terrifying new novel, THE STRAIN, an unholy spawn of I AM LEGEND out of SALEM’S LOT.”— Dan Simmons, author of DROOD and THE TERROR

Newsweek

http://www.newsweek.com/id/200010

"No Geek Left Behind "...Indeed!

2009-06-04T21:59:00.001-07:00

"No Geek Left Behind" has been Guillermo del Toro's mission statement on his current book tour for "The Strain" http://www.thestraintrilogy.com/ .

This being the second stop on his tour (that drops (oh yeah hip-hop terminology ,Yo) in New York today and then across "the pond" to London this weekend.The full tour schedule on the books site above),del Toro again did not disappoint .He happily signed and sketched for another 4 hour marathon at Borders in West LA.Beginning the event with an introduction and a Q & A.Entertaining as always ,he charmed the crowd with his wit, knowledge, and stories all sprinkled with his infamous colorful language.

Those who have had the pleasure of meeting him or seeing interviews in various media formats, know that del Toro is one entertaining gentleman.He's the guy you want as a best friend ,that you tell your other friends about and then they want to be his best friend too(if that makes sense).This self professed "geek" is totally "The Cool Kid" ,who can hang with the captain of the football team and be admired by the Chess Club.

A TRUE Renaissance Man.

As the ever winding line came to an end...he was a man who was spent,yet satisfied that he got some face time with his peeps(oh yeah old school hip-hop terminology,Yo).The cool thing for him...he gets to do it again tonight.And in New York.(rest assured my fellow geeks on the east coast ,you to will be wowed with wonderous tales and get a sketch to boot) Counted out? Gyped?Left behind?.... Not on del Toro's watch.

The Strain Book Tour Pics: Part Deux with a Vengence

2009-06-03T12:27:00.000-07:00

The Strain Midnight Launch Pics

2009-06-02T10:07:00.001-07:00

The Strain Midnight Launch Pics

2009-06-02T09:44:00.001-07:00

After Midnight

2009-05-31T17:10:00.000-07:00

Hollywood.

Midnight.

Neon filled store fronts.

Windows fogged and smudged with hand prints

lingering ,like blood stains from a brutal crime scene.

Excitement and anticipation so thick,

you could cut it with a rusted machete.

They came from near and far.

Waiting.

Watching.

Wanting.

Wanting to get in.

Lurching ever so slowly to get inside.

...for inside, there is something.

...something that they crave,desire,and yearn for...

a scene from a horrible,cheesy student zombie flick?

a Meet and Greet with The New Kids On The Block?

Nah!

Waaaaay Cooler!!!

It is the much anticipated World Premiere Midnight Launch

for the first installment of Guillermo del Toro's Vampire novel

The Strain http://www.thestraintrilogy.com/

About 200 fans showed up to press the flesh with the one and only Guillermo del Toro.

Fresh off a plane from New Zealand (where he is in preproduction for the Hobbit) del Toro eagerly greeted the crowd.

Prior to the midnight launch Guillermo talked to the press ,

some of them who traveled as far as Mexico to cover the event.

Before he sat down to begin his nearly 4 hour signing, he told the crowd that he had adopted a new cause

..."No Geek Gets Left Behind".

He said that he would stay as long as fans were there and would sign and sketch in every ones books.(What a guy!)

So the line snaked throughout the store,fans bringing all sorts of memorabilia to get signed.

Guillermo being the genuine gentleman that he is,he spent time with every fan...and i mean EVERY fan. He would take the time and try and find something in common with everyone.

Being the well read man that he is (add to that being one of the biggest "Geek"), Guillermo can ALWAYS find some commonality.

One of the oddest things about the evening was

...you never knows what kind of fans Guillermo has.

His fan base is so diverse.There are the kids who love him for the Hellboy movies(that's me)

there are the people that respect him for being the brilliant director that he is(that's me)

there are the folks out there that love him for his wit and the way he can spin a tale(heck that's me too) and then there are the celebrity fans(so, not me) who are in awe of his talent.

The celebrities that showed up that morning were ones that you would never expect.

How about Disney's Zac and Cody(Dylan and Cole Sprouse)..Huh?

oh yeah...actually two of the nicest kids. And how about Tyrese Gibson of Transformers fame.

R & B singer, heartthrob, Actor...del Toro fan? Yup!!! Classy,cool guy.

All in all ,what a great event...and this is just the first stop on his book tour!

Special thanks goes to

DeeDee and Shawn of Harper-Collins,

Gaston and Staff of Meltdown Comics,

Gary,Jeremy,and Tyler of Exile Entertainment,

Last but not least....My Compa,

GUILLERMO DEL TORO

one of the best, most generous ,genuine people

I've had the pleasure of ever knowing!

Thank you,

Gracias por todo!!!

This Ain't Your Daddy's "Land Of The Lost"

2009-05-30T23:56:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna throw it out there and say that I was a fan of 1974"Land Of The Lost " TV series...Yes my friends ..I AM that old! Caught this bad boy when it was first run! BooYah!!!(maybe I shouldn't brag)

..."Continue with your story Grandpa Gary"...

It was a fun show about scientist/explorer,Rick Marshall and his two kids and their doomed raft trip down a dimensional portal to a "Land Of The Lost".

Had the opportunity to attend the premiere of Will Ferrell's new comedy and re imagining of"Land Of The Lost".

This time around scientist Rick Marshall(Will Ferrell) ,fellow scientist/love interest,Holly(Anna Friel, ewww,in the series Holly was his daughter,unless your into that..still...ewww,you perv )and tour guide,Will(Danny McBride) take that doomed expedition.

No spoilers here folks.It's an okay film...I've seen Ferrell in better/funnier films...this one was again,okay.If I could sum it up as a pitch then it's "Jurassic Park" meets" Step Brothers"...Tons of dinosaurs,old series mythology,mixed in with potty humor(two words DINO.URINE.)..overall that's not necessarily a bad thing.(the re imaging...not the urine ,silly).

Drag Me To Hell

2009-05-29T23:38:00.000-07:00

Raimi IS back!!!

...and boy am I glad he is.I had the chance a couple of weeks ago to attend the premiere of the movie.When I first saw the trailer I was hooked! This film made me forget the debacle that was Spidey 3.I know,I know..it had it's moments.but "Emo Peter Parker"...REALLY?

You would think that a movie that cost almost 500 mil to produce and market would have been a little better.Enough Spidey rant...now back to Hell.The story was fun, kinda "Hitchcockian"(is that a word,it is now)it's ending was predictable,but the journey there was a fun ride.what I noticed the most was the actually moviegoing experience .The film was an exercise in sound design .Chris M. Jacobson did a great job with the mix...it made me feel like I was there.Sound design? Really Gary?...Yeah,really!

If you love Raimi's Evil Dead Trilogy..you're gonna love "Drag Me To Hell".Alison Lohman is the female Bruce Campbell!(and that's a good thing) The effects are at times "cartoony" but totally "Old School Raimi."I won't "spoil" anything for you...Hell(pun intended) ,the title says it all.There are tons of" jump out of your seat" moments.Which made the viewing even more fun.Hopefully,this rejuvenates Raimi to put the fun back in Spiderman.I for one am hoping for a "Drag Me To Hell" Trilogy.When the movie ended i felt beat up(again,totally in a good way)To sum it up."Drag Me To Hell" is...Creepy.Gory.Bloody.and uncomfortably Funny.

The Strain Reviews

2009-05-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

For those of you who are not aware,Guillermo del Toro has written a vampire horror novel called The Strain http://www.thestraintrilogy.com/
It is the first of three novel co-written with Chuck Hogan .
The novel is set to be released June 2, 2009, beginning with a Midnight World Premiere Launch at Meltdown Comics in Hollywood. http://www.meltcomics.com/blog/2009/05/18/meltdown-presents-midnight-signing-with-guillermo-del-toro/ and book tour set to follow across the country. Here we are a little over a couple weeks away from the official release of the novel and the reviews are coming in...here is an online review
check it out !
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/fiction/article6342853.ece

Welcome!!!

2009-05-21T22:08:00.000-07:00

Welcome one and all!!!
The purpose of this blog is to create an environment for all fans and friends to come together and discuss all things Guillermo del Toro and more.
Whether it be news,movie reviews,questions,rumor,...whatever.
It is my desire to bring you the latest in news related but not exclusive to
del Toro and Pop Culture .Furthermore,this would be the forum to confirm or dispel rumors of current or future projects (heck, we may start a few).
Question?...Do you have any?
Do I have the answers?
...Perhaps.
And if I don't... I'll find them(or fabricate something good)
This blog is only as good as you help me make it.
Got a scoop? or want to tell me what a less than stellar job I'm doing...
feel free to send all comments to garydeo AT deltorofilms.com
So before you take your lunch ,pull up your keyboard and take a Dark Recess .