The Private Eyes (1980) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - February 27, 1981

Considering its Old Dark House plot trappings and Gothic Mansion setting, I am bewildered that I gave The Private Eyes a pass on the big screen. We'd gone and seen The Prize Fighter (1979), the movie that Conway and Knotts had made prior to this, and really enjoyed it. I also had a raging crush on Trisha Noble, who had a supporting role, thanks in large part to my loving the short-lived cop show Strike Force, on which Noble was member of the primary cast.

Fright Flicks - Trading Card #40

Alien (1979)

 

Project UFO - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - February 26, 1978

Project UFO was this short-lived buzzkill of a show I remember watching and being disappointed by, as all the weird incidents and encounters were given logical explanations. Still high from a recent viewing of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, I wanted more magic and wonder and less reason and rationality.

The episode that aired on Feb 26 was Sighting 4002: The Joshua Flats Incident, which was the second episode of the series (so it looks to have been a mid-season replacement) and is probably one that I watched, even if I don't remember it.

The IMDB synopsis reads: Prominent citizens of a town report seeing a UFO, but investigators cannot get information from them and turn instead to an eleven-year-old boy. No memories shaken loose or stirred up. So it goes.

Alien 3 (1992) - Trading Card #4

Datalog: Approx. 0:700 Hours, Day 1

The EEV crashed on the planet Fiorina 161, a class C prison facility. I was unconscious when Medical Officer Clemens rescued me from the wreckage. He told me the others didn't make it. Hicks and Newt died in the crash. Bishop was damaged beyond repair.

It has been so very long since I have watched Alien 3 from start to finish, that I do not remember if this shot/plot point made it into the theatrical release version. Ripley's rescue and recovery were streamlined for pacing reasons, I think.

This card also reveals the film's biggest creative swing... in that the fan favorite characters of Hicks and Newt had died in the crash. Bishop, although described as being damaged beyond repair, would be given a more tactile death scene. Because Lance Henriksen was the only Aliens cast member allowed, or sweet-talked into, an onscreen appearance in the film.

I do think this could have worked, if the script had been tightened and the film allowed more focus on Ripley's grief and trauma.

Horror Planet [Inseminoid (1981)] - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - February 25, 1983

I remember reading about Inseminoid/Horror Planet in the pages of Fangoria magazine and getting/being super excited/interested in it. When I finally did see it I was happy to not be all that disappointed with it, but was dismayed to learn that the shock ending had been spoiled by one of the gorier still shots used in the magazine coverage.

Fun and nasty little movie, though.

Fright Flicks - Trading Cards #39

Ghostbusters (1984)

Or how I react on the inside whenever somebody interrupts me when I'm reading... [In the context of the film scene, not the joke on the card.]

The Turquoise Mask by Phyllis A. Whitney - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - February 24, 1974

Advertisement for a New Mexico set tale of gothic romance and murder from Phyllis A. Whitney. The Book Graveyard and Paperback Warrior have succeeded in perking my interest in returning to the genre of gothic suspense/romance for the occasional read.

I have no idea how good, or bad, this offering might be, but it has been added to the search list in my "Handy Dandy Notebook" I plan on taking during my visits to any and all visits used bookstores I might encounter during my travels.

Alien 3 (1992) - Trading Card #3

Datalog: Approx. 0:700 Hours, Day 1

I don't know how long the Emergency Evacuation Vehicle had been hurtling through space before it made a crash landing on an unusual planet. If I had decompressed too quickly coming down through the atmosphere, I would become violently ill - but it could have been worse.

The most interesting thing about this set of Alien 3 trading cards was my discovering that they appeared to have a different storyline presentation than of the film I saw on the big screen. This might have been due to the cards being created before the story alterations were made. Maybe.

Seven Days in May (1964) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - February 23, 1964

I think this might be my favorite John Frankenheimer movie. Tense and believable from start to finish, Seven Days in May gets me to the edge of my seat every time I watch it.
 

Fright Flicks - Trading Card #38

Predator (1987)

Criminally Insane (1975) / Satan's Black Wedding (1976) - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - February 20, 1976

A double-feature of two exploitation movies helmed by Nick Millard, credited as "Nick Phillips" on Criminally Insane and as Philip Miller on Satan's Black Wedding.

The IMDB has the runtime for both Criminally Insane and Satan's Black Wedding as one hour and one minute apiece. Well, okay.

Criminally Insane tells that tale of an obese woman that kills anyone that dare try and stop her from eating. Satan's Black Wedding appears to be a vampire film of some sort. Character actor George "Buck" Flower, who I know best for his appearances in numerous John Carpenter movies, shows up in Criminally Insane as a detective.

Beyond that, you are on your own!

Alien 3 (1992) - Trading Card #2

Datalog: Date and Time Unknown

In hypersleep, light-years are condensed into human seconds. And all is peaceful. None of us were aware of the chaos going on in the ship's bulkhead. The Sulaco's sprinkler system must have been automatically activated to contain an onboard fire, our cryotubes were ejected into the EEV. But a fire may not have been the only danger one board.

Colossal (2016) - Soundtrack

A dark comedy wherein giant monsters act as the embodiment of addiction and abuse? Sign me up!

Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis both shine as damaged people that have very different reactions to learning they have giant monster avatars capable of wreaking havoc, destruction, and, of course, death in South Korea, of all places.

Bear McCreary's excellent score, like the film itself, is all over the place, by design. While there are grand orchestral flourishes worthy of a giant monster movie, most of the score is as quiet and uneasy as Hathaway and Sudeikis' characters. Because, despite its giant monster flourishes, Colossal is a lot more grounded and human than one would think.

All that having been said, it should come as no surprise whatsoever that my favorite track is #6 - The Most Irresponsible Thing. I think it is a perfect underscore for a truly unsettling moment when an abuser gets to flaunt and flex the power he has over the abused to someone incapable of either challenging or neutralizing that power.

Parents (1989) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - February 19, 1989

This is one oddity I really regret missing seeing on the big screen, but the unaddressed issues of untreated anxiety, depression, and childhood trauma kept me from being truly comfortable venturing out and doing things for myself, by myself. So there were quite a few cinematic delights I missed out on experiencing. So it goes.

"What were they before they were leftovers?"

"Leftovers to be."

Fright Flicks - Trading Card #37

An American Werewolf in London (1981)

 

The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976) - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - February 18, 1977

Great title for an okay movie. While it does have its moments, the crime(s) being unsolved keeps the movie of a satisfying ending. "The killer could be here right now, watching the movie with you," just does not work, or age, all that well.

Alien 3 (1992) - Trading Card #1

Datalog: Date and Time Unknown

All seemed well. Hicks' injuries were serious, but not critical. And Bishop was in need of major repair. But we were finally heading home. Our ship. the Sulaco, was fully operational when Hicks, Newt, Bishop and I entered the cryotubes for an unknown length of hypersleep. But it didn't stay that way.

Although neither version of Alien 3 comes close to "sticking the landing" of following-up or concluding the events and ideas of the far superior Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986). I do think that there are some admirable creative big swings taken in this compromised and unfocused film.

The major problem here, much like with the equally flawed and maligned Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989), is that the story feels unfinished. The script really needed to go through a few more drafts. One that would whittle the number of prisoners down to a level allowing for a roster of more memorable, or at least identifiable, characters and, in theory, allow the film's themes of faith, suffering, and free will (i.e. choice) to be better contextualized.

The 'Burbs (1989) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - February 17, 1989

 

Fright Flicks - Trading Card #36

Fright Night (1985)

 

Nightbreed (1990) - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - February 16, 1990

The marketing team at 20th Century Fox dropped the ball, then tripped over it and took a long tumble down the stairs when they tried selling Clive Barker's mythological creature feature as something more akin to a slasher film or psychological thriller.

While deeply flawed, and I must admit that I have only seen the theatrical cut as of now, I do think Nightbreed showed that there was much more to Barker than just sex and gore. Too bad the movie did not do all that well, because genre cinema needs more imaginative movies like this one.

Lady Death: Dark Alliance - Trading Card #71

The Ringmaster

The Ringmaster, one of the spirits who guides the Insane Clown Posse toward Shangri-La. He is a member of the Dark Carnival and he seeks retribution for unsavory acts by humanity.

Another card collection concludes... on to another...

My Bloody Valentine (1981) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - February 13, 1981

This Canuxploitation slasher craze cash-in, and beloved minor cult classic, got a delightful two-for for its holiday themed release. You see,Valentine's Day would fall on a Saturday in 1981, just like it is in this year of our mythical-lord 2026, which meant the film would open on the very appropriate, and ironic, date of Friday the 13th.

Legend has it that the film was butchered by the MPAA in order to get that mandated R-rating. Some (if not most) of that cut footage was restored by Scream Factory. So if you are interested, check it out. 

Fright Flicks - Trading Card #35

The Fly (1986)

 

Dracula's Bride (1980) - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - February 12, 1981

Judging by the cast list, I thought this was a re-release of Dracula Sucks (1978) under a different title. However, according to its trivia page at the IMDB, Dracula's Bride is a different movie. One constructed from "separate footage" that was shot by William Margold. An alternate title for this film seems to be Lust At First Bite, although that has also been cited as the alternate title for Dracula Sucks, as well.

My ill-informed guess is that this is the hardcore version, while Dracula Sucks (1978) may have been a soft core version. I think.

I have not seen either version, from beginning to end, but I do know that Reggie Nalder (who played Mr. Barlow in the first Salem's Lot mini-series and was the henchman of Dracula's Dog) was mortified to learn that the scenes he had filmed for what he had been told was a soft core sex comedy were also used in the hardcore version.

Lady Death: Dark Alliance - Trading Card #70

Chastity

Chastity is a master of martial arts and an expert assassin. Those who know of her cringe and those who do not, but meet with her have little time to reflect.

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed (1969) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - February 11, 1970

Considering the amount of pre-release tampering that is alleged to have been done on Frankenstein Must De Destroyed, I was surprised to read that, when asked which of his own films were his favorites, Terence Fisher (in an interview in Vol. 4, Issue 3 of Cinefantastique magazine) said this was one of them. That, of all his films, Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed was the one he most enjoyed making.

As far as that supposed tampering goes, I heard there was a "last minute" decision it "spice up" the film with a sexual assault that, according to an interview with Veronica Carlson that appeared in (I think) Fangoria magazine, had both Cushing and Fisher apologizing to the actress throughout the filming of the scene.

Another ill-advised "last minute" inclusion was the comedic investigating carried on by Inspector Frisch (Thorley Walters). One could excise both the assault and Frisch scenes from the film and be left with a tighter, leaner, and far better paced movie, I think.

My favorite hammer Frankenstein's remain The Revenge of Frankenstein and Frankenstein Created Woman.

Double-billed with Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed is Dracula Has Risen from the Grave, the middle section of Hammer Film's trilogy of direct sequels to [Horror of] Dracula. While an interesting and entertaining enough follow up to Dracula Prince of Darkness, picking up more or less where that film ended, and leading directly into Taste the Blood of Dracula, I have to say that I prefer and enjoy both Prince and Taste a great deal more than Grave.

It is not bad, I just find it a tad slow and, because of that, it has tested of my patience at times. Other times, not so much.

Fright Flicks - Trading Cared #34

Alien (1979)

"Hello my baby, hello my honey, hello my ragtime gal!"
 

Clash of the Titans (1981) - Soundtrack

One of the few Laurence Rosenthal scores I have in my collection. The other one, also from Intrada, is the soundtrack for Meteor.

Turns out there was a solid reason for why Rosenthal's name and work is not all that familiar to me, then and now. Most of his work appears to have been for television and period dramas. Which is not my usual viewing of choice. Although he did compose the theme to Fantasy Island and the score for the 1977 version of The Island of Dr. Moreau.

His score for Clash of the Titans is superb and has me wishing he had been able to work in the arena of fantastic cinema more often.

Nothing But Trouble (1991) - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - February 10, 1991

Although I had a certain morbid curiosity about this film when it crashed and burned at the box office in the early months of 1991, I did not see it until it was on home video.

Nothing But Trouble is an utterly bizarre and bonkers horror-comedy. Think National Lampoon's House of 1,000 Corpses. Really.

It tries, and fails spectacularly, at being something very weird and very different. Outside of Dan Ackroyd, who wrote and directed, I think only John Candy and Taylor Negron seemed to understand the assignment and role with it. Chevy Chase and Demi Moore both seemed stiff and embarrassed about being in the movie and I don't blame them.

All that being said, I do revisit the Mr. Bonestripper scene every so often.

Lady Death: Dark Alliance - Trading Card #69

Smitten

If her looks don't smitten you then the swords will. If you need an assassin, look Chastity up.

When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth (1970) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - February 9, 1972

Of the four prehistoric fantasy films that Hammer Film produced, this is the only one I have seen from start to finish. An entertaining little piffle that not only shows dinosaurs and humans co-existing, but that also postulates the moon was birthed from the area that would become the Pacific Ocean.

Okay...

Fright Flicks - Trading Card #33

A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)

 

The Sentinel (1977) - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - February 6, 1977

My memories of when I first became aware of The Sentinel, versus when I first saw it, are as murky as the film's narrative. I know that I saw a static image of the film during the Science Fiction Film Awards ceremony that was broadcast in 1978. Where The Sentinel was nominated for Best Horror Movie and up against The Hills Have Eyes, Dogs, Kingdom of the Spiders, and The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane. The winner was the very deserving The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane.

I also know that I first saw The Sentinel on broadcast television, but I do not recall it being broadcast on a major network. The film might have been a tad too sleazy and off-putting for one of the big three. That it had not been all that successful at the box office also did not do it any favors in selling to ancillary markets, either. Even with some minor edits for content and, most likely, time, the movie still proved unnerving and unsettling. It also traumatized my dad, of all people.

In 1979 or 1980 I read a book by Jeffrey Konvitz called The Guardian, which turned out to be a sequel to his novel The Sentinel. Which was the source material for this movie. I did not read The Sentinel until 1981 or 82.

I do know that when MCA Home Video released the film, I did rent it and watch it. But that had to have been in 1987 or 88. I think.

Scream Factory released the film on blu-ray, which I just so happen to own. So I give it an occasional watch. Like every other film directed by Michael Winner, it is blunt, uneven, violent, gross, sexually graphic, and exploitative. This is one of those movies that leaves its viewers feeling in need of a shower or cleansing bath.

Great score by Gil Melle, thought. That, along with counting the bonkers number of recognizable and underutilized actors in the cast, is the best thing about the movie.

Lady Death: Dark Alliance - Trading Card #68

Jade

Jade was turned by the Blood Goddess Purgatori a long time ago. She now has chosen her role and place in the world. She's endured much, caused much death and destruction, but now wishes to make amends with the world.

The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - February 5, 1988

After the creative misstep that was Deadly Friend (1986) Wes Craven returned to form with this atmospheric and effective horror film interpretation of the nonfiction book of the same name by Wade Davis. Although, yet again, the studio (this time Universal) insisted that Craven jazz up the scares with some nightmare sequences.

While not a huge hit at the box office, it did do modest to effective numbers, but nowhere near enough to give Craven the industry capital to make something outside of the horror genre. So it goes.

Fright Flicks - Trading Card #31

The Fly (1986)

Videodrome (1983) - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - February 4, 1983

I have taken to referring to Videodrome as Q-Anon: The Movie, not because there is any sort of tangible connection between this 1983 cult classic and the Internet conspiracy theory that radicalized and inflamed people from various walks of life.

No, it was more the thematic similarities between Max Renn's self-destructive search for the information about the mysterious program called Videodrome and how it warped his perception of reality to the point he became a controllable avatar for powerful forces he never came close to understanding.

Videodrome, whether it was consciously intended to be or not, is a film about radicalization and delusion. Of losing one's self in another's constructed and contrived presentation of reality. It has aged beautifully well into the perception melting and distorting world of the Internet and social media.

Long live the New Flesh, same as the Old Flesh.

Lady Death: Dark Alliance - Trading Card #67

Morgana

Morgana was Death's servant before Lady Death. When she and the Diva of Death meet the body toll will be high. Only once can hold the mantle of Death's Avatar.

The Entity (1982) - Newspaper Ad

Oakland Tribune - February 3, 1983

The Entity is the other Frank DeFelitta novel I can recall seeing in numerous, if not every, bookstore or spinner rack, back in the day. Just as was the case with Audrey Rose, I have yet to crack it open and give it a read.

And, just as was the case, yet again, with its film adaptation, I have yet to actually see it. I do remember seeing the TV and newspaper ads, as well as reading some lackluster reviews and hearing the indifferent word of mouth around school.

Sidney [J.] Furie, the film's director, has had quite the eclectic career, though. His most infamous film might be Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987).

Quentin Tarantino used a snippet from Charles Bernstein's score for the film to excellent effect in Inglourious Basterds (2009).

Fright Flicks - Trading Card #31

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

The Freddy Franchise, as it was quick to become know as, returned to form with this stellar sequel that expanded the mythology in an interesting way that, sad to say, was never adequately explored or exploited in the subsequent entries.

Wes Craven being involved, albeit in a somewhat limited fashion, in the creative process no doubt helped, as did the hiring of Chuck Russell and Frank Darabont. Of all the Freddy sequels, I think Dream Warriors is the best.

The Mummy (1932) - Newspaper Ad

San Francisco Examiner - February 2, 1933

Boris Karloff's second iconic monster for Universal is poised to shamble into San Francisco Bay Area theaters. Although the programmer-style sequels are interchangeable retreads - telling the exact same story over and over, beat-for-beat - the first movie is actually quite good. A superlative and subtle performance by Karloff (The Uncanny) making The Mummy all the better.

Lady Death: Dark Alliance - Trading Card #66

Victoria Noble

Victoria Noble is an unassuming librarian who's just been invited to a parallel universe that exists within NYC. She has yet to learn who is friend or foe and why she, but not others, is able to see another plane of existence.