Maxwell's Silver Hammer - MR. Steve Martin

  

Ten years ago I posted a video from YouTube with this version of the song.   I had said it was the only thing to like about this movie, and I still stand by it, but now it seems less funny.  Go figure.  How did this movie ever get made?

Run, Holly, Run! (Kathy Coleman, 2017)

 

I just got this book and started reading it.  Kathy, now Kathleen, played Holly on the hit Saturday morning TV show, Land of the Lost, and this is her story.  I have not read much of it yet, but what I have read is pretty amazing.  Kathleen comes across as genuine.  She's telling her story and so far has pulled no punches.  I don't know if I could be that honest about my life.  She hasn't even been cast as Holly Marshall yet.  I know she has been doing the convention rounds.  I would love to meet her and get the book signed.  I'll be doing a more in-depth review in a future issue of Xenorama, since it pertains to the subject matter.

Sven- The Beast Must Die (1974)

 

Sven showed this again last night, and it's a pretty enjoyable werewolf movie.  It is based on James Blish's story "There Shall be no Darkness" from 1950.  I've read that story as well, and it's a scientific take on the lycanthropy curse.  That's a hard sell, since how would a human turn into a wolf without magic, but it's nice to see that sort of explanation attempted.  Big game hunter Tom Newcliffe invites several people to his English mansion, then tells them one amongst their number is a werewolf and he intends to kill that person.  It's a mystery as to who is the cursed person.  The surprise twist is who is the werewolf.   The end it pretty cliched by now, though.  It didn't surprise me the first time I saw the film.

What If... the World Lost Its Mightiest Heroes?

 

It's SO nice to see Agent Coulson again.  He is just the best.  I really need to catch up on the last two seasons of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. at some point, just to see what happened to him.  Having said that, I was a bit worried about this episode, thinking it was going to be a bit dark.  It sure was.  However, the whole premise of this episode is flawed.  It had nothing to do with the Avengers, but rather an event which has nothing to do with them.  Also, had they told us what the divergence was, the mystery would be no mystery.  It was hopeless to try. (spoilers, see what I did there?)

Unknown MOTW- T Rex

 

The Land Unknown is a pretty fun movie, and even the slightly ungainly monsters don't really take away from the pulp feel.  Had the dinosaurs (and other prehistoric animals) been better looking it would have been a classic of the genre.  The Tyrannosaurus rex is our main menace, aside from the crazy dude who has been trapped in this lost world for years.  Rex would later appear under the name Spot for the Munsters, I think.

The Rolling Stones - 2000 Man (Official Lyric Video)

 

In honor of the passing of Charlie Watts today.  I've never actually heard this original version.  I first heard the KISS version.  I believe the Stones are now done touring with Charlie gone.

Prehistoric Soundtracks

 

This CD has all of the musical cues from three of the Hammer movies that Mario Nascimbene did.  They are good, but the first is the best, then it does down in order of the movies.  It is 23 tracks, so it's a nice long CD.  I was gifted a copy of it a while back, so I don't know if the actual disc is discontinued or not now.  I've been doing some research on Mario (for a future endeavor) and thought about the music from these movies.  I like it all, though I love the One Million Years, BC music the most, since that's what I almost literally grew up listening to.

House of Horrors (1946)

 

Sven has shown this movie before.  It's pretty interesting, but aside from Martin Kosleck and Rondo Hatton, it's nothing that makes it must see.  I like Martin a lot, and was a little surprised that Sven didn't mention The Flesh Eaters (1964).  That's the best movie I have seen him, but he's pretty much the star there.  It's nice to see Alan Napier in this movie though.

RIP Shin'Ichi "Sonny" Chiba

 

Sonny Chiba in The Golden Bat

Sonny passed away on 8-19-2021 at the age of 82.  He was best known for this Streetfighter series of movies, and for some flick he made with Bill.  I appreciate all those movies he has made, but more so his early movies, like The Golden Bat (1966) and that he formed the Japan Action Club.  The JAC was responsible for the great stunts and fight scenes for many of Toei Studios superhero output, like Kamen Rider, Kikaida and the Gorrangers.  It's pretty safe to say without Chiba-san there was have been no Power Rangers phenomenon. I don't blame him for that, though.  RIP Chiba-san, thanks for all the memories!

What If... T'Challa became a Starlord?

This was a really fun episode.  I'm still not sure about the title... "A" Starlord?  How many of them can there be?  Seems like having more than one would make it less special.    But that's just me. 

Since I avoid spoilers, I didn't know that Chadwick Boseman had recorded his part before his untimely passing.  That made this very bittersweet and even more touching.  Many other original voices were present as well.  I'm really impressed that so many actors will reprise these roles.

THE CHURCH - The Unguarded Moment

  

This is a great song- it's my favorite one they ever did.

MOTW- The leapin' Lizard!

 

While Dr. Curt Connors is a wonderful man who loves his family and is one of Spider-man's best friends, he did turn himself into a monster bent on taking over the planet.  At least at first.  The Lizard would later on become sort of an anti-hero, who would accidentally help Spider-man on occasion.  Sort of a lesser of two evils, if you will.  I always enjoyed these stories.  I also liked Spidey being friends with the Connors.  I don't know if Curt ever sussed Spider-man's secret ID, but I think he did and just never let on.  He was a cool guy like that.

What If... Captain Carter were the first Avenger?

The first episode of What If...? has Peggy Carter taking Steve Rogers' place after he is injured.  This happens right before he gets into the chamber for the injection/potion/vita rays.  She then takes on the mantel of Captain Carter and heads out to do a lot of the same things Captain America did in his first movie.  Of course, she sacrifices herself to stop Hydra (and hey, they mention ratzis in this show) and then shows up again some 70 years later.  How did Nick and Hawk know where she would show up?

All in color?

 

Most of the latest issues of Xenorama have been in black and white.   I've been recently thinking about offering a full color version again, but I am on the fence about it.  I think the comic book issue would have been way more fun in color, since you lose a bit of the fun that way.  I do have a full color issue in the works, since it won't work any other way.  Perhaps I will upload some of them in the future.

kiss tried to kill me

This is a great song and video.  Go here to watch it!

what if?

I read a lot of the first run of this fine and fun series, until the stories began to have more gloom and doom in them than I liked.  But those first two years were pretty great.  I would like to read them again, though I remember the first twelve issues pretty well.  I was still learning my Marvel history at the time this series started, and I quite enjoyed seeing the different ways Marvel history could have gone.  I read there was a second run of the series which expanded upon some of these original stories, but I kinda liked them being standalone for the most part.  Aside from this issue, which had a sequel, I don't recall any other stories that had a part 2.

motw- Mogera

Mogera appeared in the epic outer space invasion movie The Mysterians (1957).  It's sort of explained that it was used to dig the base around the Mysterians Base, but it really is just there to add a cool looking monster to the movie.  What was unknown to US audiences for a long time is that there were two Mogera in the movie.  The second digs under a Markalite and gets crushed when the tunnel caves in.  I can see why it was edited out of the movie, since it didn't add anything to the final battle. 

Little Orphan Annie

 

I got this first volume a while ago, due to Xenorama contributor's article on Annie in the comic book issue (#32, on sale now at Amazon!).  I never knew much more about her than the movie and that song.  I hadn't read more than two or three of the strips either.  

Boy howdy, I'll tell you what, I love this strip.  I was able to find this first volume for a good price.  It has been pretty well read and had no dust jacket, but it's still intact.  The art is a bit rougher than it would get, and the story is finding it's tone.  Sometimes I do think Annie gets treated poorly a little TOO much, but that could just be me.  She always comes out well in the end. 

Black Friday 1940

I had never seen this movie before, thanks Svengoolie!  Since it didn't involve monsters, it never interested me as a kid.  It's a pretty good movie, involving gangsters and brain transfers.  It's got a really good cast and some great performances as well.  I don't know how much I would have enjoyed it as a kid, but I quite liked it now.

WCW Midnight Express vs Midnight Express

                                              This is 15 minutes of tag team greatness.  Listen to how hot the crowd is for the formerly hated Jim Cornette and his Midnight Express.  Jim Ross and Bob Caudle really put Beautiful Bobby over during this match.

RIP Beautiful Bobby Eaton

 

Bobby Eaton passed on today at the age of 62.  His wife had passed on the month before.  I did not properly appreciate Bobby when I first watched wrestling, but that's a tribute to how well he (and his partners and managers) did his job.  Since then I have learned far more about him.  By all accounts he was a wonderful person as well as a great wrestler.  I got to see an Express vs Express (Midnights and Rock and Rolls) in the mid-80s, and it was great.  Thank you for all the great memories, Bobby.

MOTW- Taurus

 

Taurus was a demon summoned to retrieve an ancient book of magic from four dopes who had no business carrying it around.  They actually managed to kill this giant.  This is astounding, since they did nothing but make bad decisions one after the other in this film.  The film is Equinox (1971) which is a pretty fun movie if viewed in the right mindset.  The monsters are all pretty cool and ol' Taurus here is probably the best looking one.  He's never named, but the filmmakers called him that.  It's best to Beware the Ape Creature, though!

Ka-Zar and Zabu

This was the first time I had met Ka-Zar and Zabu.  I knew nothing of their backstory, including that the original Ka-Zar was created as a pulp hero in 1936.  He transitioned to the comic books in Marvel Comics #1 and was a mainstay for several years at Timely.  He was created by Martin Goodman, who later became the publisher for Marvel Comics.  The first modern appearance of the character was in X-Men #10, 1965. This was not an ideal issue to start with, I gotta say.  It's a reprint from the black and white Savage Tales #1 (this version is toned down, apparently).  I must not have been impressed, as I didn't read many more Ka-Zar stories after that, nor buy any more books.  I loved the idea of both characters, and being in the Savage Land was always fun.

Xenorama 33

 

I put the finishing touches on the next issue of Xenorama, which will feature magic and fantasy movies and television shows.  The page count is a bit smaller than than the last issue (and in retrospect, I should have limited that one to this length, since I would have more material for future comic book based issues.  Live and learn, right?) but it is still chock full of goodness- witches, magic monkeys, sorcerers supreme and a several Sinbads are all present!  All this and more will be available soon!