crazy castle man

Photo by L. Draco

The story behind this is worth going into.

MOTW- Skydon

This is one of my least favorite episodes.  It goes on forever, and the monster is just a tank, most of the time.

RIP Michiaki Watanabe

THE 5.6.7.8'S / MOTHRA（モスラの歌)

                        

Hardy Boys books, old school

 

Growing up I loved reading these books.  My school library had a few of them, and so did the city library.  Eventually I owned about 10 of the books.  They are easy reads, even back then, but I quite enjoyed them.  I also liked Nancy Drew and the much rarer Tom Swift, Jr.   I of course, wanted to read them in order, but that was not going to happen.  I knew friends who had a few of the books as well.  They are pretty fun overall, and not much of a mystery to older eyes.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

A woman inherits her father's house when he dies.  This helps, since she just got evicted.  It is in a small town in Oklahoma.    She brings her two kids so they can spend the summer going through the house to see if there is anything worth salvaging.  Surprise surprise, the owner of the house was a GhostBuster, but we don't know which one.  The mysteries continue as ghosts start showing up, and the family has to figure everything out to save both the town and possibly the planet.

GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE - Trailer

Space Ghost Coloring book (1968)

 

It seems like Hanna-Barbera licensed a lot of their properties right at the tail end of the original TV run.  I had several of these coloring books, but since I was very young, they got destroyed quickly and easily.  I have looked around for this one, but it is either not available or ridiculously expensive.  I have found some scans online, which are cool.  I don't remember many of the actual stories, though.  It is a great cover.

MOTW- Zambolar

 

Zambolar is a heat projecting monster.  It was awakened by land developers and burned down everything that was around it.  The intense heat made it hard to deal with, but Ultraman and the Science Patrol finally managed to stop it.  Yet another creature that had to be destroyed due to the destructive force it possessed.   It had been near a chemical plant which would have caused a lot of damage had it exploded (there are plenty of cities in the US that can affirm this sort of thing as well).

Svengoolie 'Forbidden Planet' Film Facts (2022)

                  

Conversations With Phantoms (2020)

I am not sure how I found out about this wonderful book.  I think I was googling some information about Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park (1978) and there was a post about it.  So I went looking for it and found it.  It is a real labor of love, and very enjoyable.  Writer Ron Albanese loves the movie, but is not blind to the faults in it.  I like to think it's the same kind of attitude I have with this, and many other, movies and show.  He interviews a lot of people from the movie, including former KISS manager Bill Acoin and directer Gordon Hessler.  The writers, producers and many other people are interviewed as well.  He also writes about the characters in the movie and gives backgrounds on everything.

Sven- Forbidden Planet (1956)

 

This blog has a few posts about this wonderful movie, but I don't think I have ever actually reviewed it.  Of course, it has been reviewed for almost 70 years now, and there probably isn't that much more I can add to it.  I knew Sven would have to cut some scenes from it, since it runs 98 minutes, but they let us know and most of the edits would only be noticeable to someone who knew the movie very well.  You know, like me.  What was fun is that my sainted mom, Agent F, watched it with me last night.  She had already seen the repeat of Columbo.  I am almost sure this was the first time she had seen the movie.  I think what sealed the deal was when I told her that it was one of the inspirations for Star Trek.

Batman promo ad

 

I really enjoy seeing these ads for television shows from old TV Guides.  They appeared until the late 70s.  I think the cable TV explosion made the guides change things a lot since all those ferkin channels took up so much more space. I am glad people saved these, and I should go through my small collection of TV Guides to see what is in them.  Who knows what treasures I could find?  I am so glad the Batman series got released on Blu Ray.  That was a long time in coming, I'll tell you what.  I am still amazed the Green Hornet wasn't released when the lame movie came out several years ago now.

Forbidden Planet - It's still coming!

                  

Ms. Marvel 02- Crushed

 

Kamala needs to hone her new powers, so Bruno is there by her side to help her.  They also are trying to figure out where the bangle is from.  It was from her grandmother, who got it from her mother, Ayesha.  Kamala's mother does not want to spill any beans.  How has she not noticed the bangle on her daughter's arm?  Damage Control has an agenda, and are looking into this new superhero, whom they are sure is dangerous to people.  Finally we see where the conflict is going to be, or at least part of it.  It is a bit cliche, though.  I mean, ho hum, a government agency goes slightly rogue.  Bleah.  Also, Kamala has a crush on a new guy, which does not make Bruno feel good.  The travails of youth.  Kamala is called Dark Light or something dumb, but still dresses like Carol Danvers.  She gets a little cocky when she saves a kid, but then her visions almost cause her to lose control.  The mystery of grandma is starting.

MOTW- Keronia

 

Keronia is an alien plant monster from the Amazon.  For some reason it decides to begin their invasion of Earth in Japan.  One assumes the form of Goto, who was on assignment in the Amazon.  "He" infiltrates the Science Patrol HQ (this has happened before, where are the security measures?) and attempts to take it over.  Of course who would suspect a plant of being an alien?  The whole of the Science Patrol does seem rather naive and trusting of all people that claim to be from another country.  It lays seeds around the town as well.  The invading fleet is destroyed in an aerial battle and Ultraman defeats the giant Keronia.

Godzilla vs. Megalon (1976) - Restored US Theatrical Trailer (720p)

Spider-Woman promo

 

Somehow I missed this cartoon when it aired on ABC for the 1979 cartoon season.  I am sure if I had known about it I would give it a glance, but I knew at that time superhero cartoons tended to be very boring, as in the action was more limited than the animation.  After watching it now, I mostly enjoyed it, though there was a lot of inconsistency with Jessica's powers.  It seems like the writers just made them up on the spot.  Of course, her origin was different than the hastily created comic book, but then, it has changed a lot since then anyway.  I am starting to hate retcons these days. 

Sven- Frankenstein 1970 (1958)

 

Baron Victor von Frankenstein, the last of the infamous family (well, until we me Frederick, maybe?) was tortured by the damn Nazis for not cooperating with them.  He continues with his experiments, but needs more money.  So he lets a movie studio shoot a movie about his family in his castle.    Did Frankenstein also invent reality TV?  Nothing about this can go wrong at all, can it?

Page 4 Dinosaurs

The next two issues- before the legendary 30 anniversary issue are nearly done.  They will be stop-motion part 2 and a full color issue dedicated to dinosaur parks and dinosaur accessories.  And a lot about dinosaurs as well.  It started out as as me wanting to update the Dinosaur Land booklet, since I love it as it is, and eventually they will run out of them.  I would think, though they may have a thousand more boxes of them in storage.  I would like to think so, since I will eventually return there and I may buy a bunch more of the booklets for gifts.  Perhaps surprises to give to people as well.

Frankenstein 1970 - Trailer

                        

Ms. Marvel 01- Generation Why

 

Kamala Khan is a junior in high school and loves superheroes.  She and her pal Bruno are planning on going to AvengerCon.  Both of them are going through the trials and tribulations of teenage years, which are familiar to any who went through them (unless they have turned into an adult, shudder),  Kamala is from a traditional Muslim family and her favorite hero is Captain Marvel.  There is some mystery about her grandmother,  Kamala wants to give her Captain Marvel costume some flair of her own heritage, which is a wrist band from the old country.  This wrist band gives her powers right in the middle of the costume contest.  Is this magical or alien?  Yet another mystery to explore.

MOTW- Woo

Woo is a kind of imaginary bumble snow monster of Japan.  A village terrorizes an orphan girl, and the monster shows up to avenge her.  It takes the Science Patrol and Ultraman a long time to catch on to what is really happening.  Ultraman does fight the beast, and doesn't know bumbles bounce and disappear.  He doesn't kill it, but once the snow girl lets her life go, Woo disappears.  The end.

Svengoolie 'The Monolith Monsters' Film Facts (2022)

                   

The Primevals (2022?)

 

I was doing a bit of research about this movie for the part 2 stop-motion issue of Xenorama and people keep talking about it being made.  It has turned into the Holy Grail of stop-motion movies now.  I think a documentary about the making of this movie would be pretty fascinating.  I think I would enjoy the movie, though I also think many fans have sky high expectations of how great this movie is going to be.  This could lead to being greatly disappointed if and when the film is ever completed.  I hope it is good, with a coherent story and good script and not just excellent effects.  

Sven- The Monollith Monsters (1957)

 

A familiar looking meteorite brings some odd rocks to planet Earth.  It lands in the desert, scattering these black fragments all about.  When a windstorm blows over a water tower, odd things begin to happen.  Anything containing silicon and water that touches the rocks begins to petrify.  The heroes of the movie try to figure out how to stop the petrification process.  Much like the Martians in War of the Worlds, the rocks can be stopped with salt water.  However, the rocks are growing to towering size, falling over and then growing again.  The shards are on the path towards town.  Now that they know how to stop the meteoric menace, can they figure out how to deliver that much salt water in the middle of the desert?

Godzilla vs MechaGodzilla

 

The original and best version, that is.  I recently got a great article about this movie, and it will be featured in Xenorama #40, the 30th Anniversary issue.  I am really grateful for all the contributors to Xenorama over all the years.  I also love this movie a lot, and think it is the best of the five 70s Godzilla movies.  It is really engaging and just fun.  I could watch it once a month, if I had the desire to do so. I like to make my viewings not so frequent, though.

The Monolith Monsters (1957) - Official Trailer

                         

Perils of Penelope Pitstop

 

This is my DVD set of The Perils of Penelope Pitstop.  It was released on May10, 2005.  I don't remember exactly when I bought the set, but it wasn't too long after that, I am sure.  I got the other two related sets all around the same time frame.  Last night I finally opened the set to watch the show.  I mean, I removed the actual plastic wrap from the set.  I can't believe I have had this at least 15 years without ever watching it.  I remember thinking I should watch this.  I had opened Dastardly and Muttley almost immediately.  That is the show I saw the most when growing up.  I watched all of Wacky Races last year, and finally got to this show.  It sure is in great shape now, I'll tell you what.

MOTW- Goldon

 

There were two Goldons, though it has been a while and I only remember one in this episode.  The Goldon survive by eating gold.  Solid gold.  While underground they didn't bother people.  One eventually surfaces to eat the gold from one of the two mines in Japan.  It also endangers people and destroys a village.  It was only dangerous do to the immense size.  Thus is was doomed to be destroyed by Ultraman.  Once it was dead, the gold was either extracted or perhaps the beast itself was melted down.  I hope the second one learned a lesson and stayed underground for the rest of its possibly very lonely life.