A Second Look At "Season Of Witch" aka "Halloween III: Season Of the Witch".

Probably the most underrated sequel in all of horror.....

In one aspect, I get why this gets a bad rap. The film dawns the "Halloween" moniker which means one thing; Michael Myers. In this one, Michael Myers isn't anywhere to be found (unless you count his brief cameo on the TV at the bar). How in the hell are you going to make a "Halloween" movie and not have Michael Myers in it ? A perfectly clear example of false advertising.

Then again, Tom Atkins is in it. Granted, no Michael Myers but he is a bad mother fucker in his own right.

Instead of murdering teenagers, Halloween III is an invasion flick centered around an annoying jingle that's the rage with all the kids.

I know, not as cool as seeing teenagers getting slashed with a kitchen knife. But, it does get better......

In another aspect, I don't see why it gets a bad rap. It's a pretty solid film. Typical invasion fare in here. You can clearly see the homages for "Invasion Of The Body Snatchers" in this one. I dig this film quite a bit and you can too !

How ?

One major complaint I've heard and read: "Well, I would've like it better if it didn't say Halloween.". You just answered your own question. Just ignore the fact its suppose to be affiliated with the Halloween franchise. That's how I watched for the first time and continue to watch it. Trust me, after you get over that hurdle; you might actually like it just as much as I do.

Most (not all) sequels are bad. This one isn't. Give it a shot.

Discovered On VHS: Ghost World (2001)

Shit, was this really released 13 years ago........

I was 14 years old and my film obsession was in full swing. I had skewed away from the mainstream films at that point. Wasn't old enough to see the good stuff and the stuff I was allowed to see went from bad to worse. At this point, this was when I started getting into cult movies. Armed with my own 13' TV/VCR combo, I had bought Alex Cox's "Repo Man", Romero's "Dawn Of The Dead", and "National Lampoon's Vacation" on video that summer. Needless to say I didn't need to waste my time with my local theater had to offer.

One quick funny story about a movie experience I had in '01. My father took my brother and I to see Tim Burton's "Planet Of The Apes". On the way home, my father asked me what I thought. "The only thing I enjoyed about the movie was the Jay and Silent Bob trailer in the beginning" was my response. I can safely say that was the last time my Dad asked me my thoughts on anything.....

I vaguely remember "Ghost World". I remember watching the trailer and thinking "what the fuck ?". Back in those days, I don't think too many people researched a new movie before seeing it. In those days if the trailer looked awesome or interesting; that meant the entire movie followed suit. All I knew the movie was based off a weird, non super hero comic book and the main characters where 2 girls.  How good could this movie be ? Not that great considering there where no zombies, family vacations, or Emilio Estevez in this movie.

Fast forward 12 years later. I was rummaging through videos at a thrift store and I came across this:

The cover looks cool, I am finding Thora Birch strangely attractive, it's rated R, it's a screener copy, and it's only 99 cents: what do I have to lose ?

I bought a pile of videos that haul and I watched it this first. From start to finish, I was glued. The humor was dark, dry, and different. For a low budgeted studio film, it looked like a indie picture. The cast was diverse and great. All in all, it was a very unique film and I enjoyed it immensely. I fell in love with this film. Aside from the reasons above I can't tell you why I enjoy this film so much.

When I watch a movie from around my time, I tend to think about the year the movie was released. This was 2001, comedies where either from the gross out or PG-13 equation. "Ghost World" wasn't either, it was in a league of it's own. It definitely stood out from all the other comedies of the day.  Judging from the fads in '01, I can see why it wasn't it hit. No one had interest outside of seeing someone fucking a pie or a big screen adaptation of a 70's TV show.

Definitely one of the last batch of films to be christened with the "cult film" label. Not too long after this film, Hollywood only concentrated on pictures that would make money. You don't see too many cult films anymore. You see films that have that potential but to see an actual cult film is rare. I've only seen three in the theater in recent years: "Grindhouse", "Tenacious D: The Pick Of Destiny", and "The Lords Of Salem". Sad that "cult" is becoming a thing of the past. Then again, I enjoy the films that already are cult films.

Wind Up Workin' At A Video Store...

Sometimes, in that very rare occurrence, I get asked if I ever had a job at a video store. Well, I almost did. It's a very short story....

 Twas the summer of '06. I was a 100 pounds lighter, out of school, confused as fuck about the future, and was in need of employment. I did a 3 month stint at this place my old man worked at for 15 years. That went smooth until I got stuck with a group lead who had it out for my father. They got rid of my old man, only right to get rid of the son. Being stubborn and bit fearful of factories, I decided I should find another line of work. My options where limited considering I was 19, your typical non stoner slacker, and I lacked job skills. I wasn't prepared to go back to the glorious, booming world of fast food. I spent almost 2 years doing that. Fuck that. Work at one of those places for a week and you, just like me, will have no hope for humanity.

My luck would change, it just so happen a retail chain had a few spots open.....

Me at a video store ? That was my dream job. I get to spend all day talking about movies, looking at movies, and free rentals; sign me up. Filled out the application and a few days later I got an interview. Not going to lie, It helped that I knew someone working there.

The interview went okay. Considering I wasn't much to look at, I made sure to impress the manger by my abnormal knowledge of films, my passion for organization, and how I am stickler for suggesting films. By my account, it went alright until she asked one simple question: "So, what are your favorite films ?". I froze and then I blurted out the following; "Apocalypse Now", "A Clockwork Orange", "Back To The Future Part II", and "Dawn Of The Dead". They are my favorite films and they are pretty impressive films for a 19 year old to consider his favorites. The manager just looked at me, and by the way she looked at me you would've thought I named off  "Deep Throat", "Behind The Green Door",  "Dude, Where's My Car", and "Tinker In The Stinker". After that question, the interview ended.

In the end, I didn't the job. Shortly after, I got another job that I am thankfully still at and that pays a lot more. Was it luck ? Was it fate ? I don't know nor do I question it. I do know this, three years after that interview they closed. Don't worry, you're humble narrator reaped the benefits of that closing and made out quite handsomely by buying some nice titles for dirt cheap.

The Best Bands That Never Went Past The Sliver Screen.

To begin with, I loathe watching an actor trying to be a musician. It irritates me to no end ! I really didn't feel this way until I seen "Auto Focus". Watching Greg Kinnear not only bastardize the life and times of Bob Crane (horrible casting decision by the way), but watching him mimic being a drummer was torture. I mean you're a fucking actor, act like you can play the drums ! I know not everyone is a natural musician but you as an actor are suppose to make me think otherwise. Mark Wahlberg, whose the furthest thing from being metal; convinced me he was in a front man in a metal band. And that dude use to be known as Marky Mark.

On the flip side of all that, I've seen some bands in films that convinced me they where real. For me, they where so good I was sadden to know they their lifespan only existed the runtime of the movie. Maybe, in that rare occurrence, that one song on the soundtrack. In this list, I've complied a list of bands I felt where good enough to go beyond the sliver screen.

1. Stillwater from "Almost Famous"

It helps that the guy behind Stillwater's creation use to be a writer for Rolling Stone. Cameron Crowe has been around some of the greatest talent of our time. With that said, would you expect anything less from him when creating a fictional band ? I loved how they where a hybrid of the many 70's rock acts he interviewed. Aside from the extended cut, I bought the "Bootleg Edition" for the Stillwater CD.

2. Spinal Tap from "This Is Spinal Tap"

I love how they parody rock music. A genre that I love and cherish. But at the same time, they are not bad musicians. That was the irony of Spinal Tap; their poking fun at the ridiculous world of rock music but at the same time they can craft some good rock songs.

3. Wyld Stallyns From "Bill & Ted"

Granted, we never heard a Wyld Stallyns song. But judging from how they brought world peace, had George Carlin as a mentor, won the battle of the bands, and had a most excellent journey through time; we can safely say they probably would've been something awesome.

4. The Lone Rangers From "Airheads"

Aside taking a radio station hostage with water pistols, they nailed the music and the lifestyle of a 90's hard rock band to a tee. The drummer and bass player had shit jobs (the singer was voluntary unemployed), the singer was on a ever ending quest to get their demo in the right hands, they only had a few copies of the demo, they didn't suck enough to get popular, and they where desperate to make it. That was real life. It use to be like that for a local musician. I love "Airheads" because it was believable (except for the hostage bit). It was made at a time where being a rock star could still be a possibility.

Fun fact: "Degenerated" is actually a Reagan Youth song......

5. Crucial Taunt From "Wayne's World"

Come on, they had a mega babe for a lead singer !

6. Beef From "Phantom Of The Paradise"

The sheer genius of this film is that it's a complete satire of music of the 70's. You had the singer/songwriter (Winslow Leach), the nostalgic bands trying to market past musical fads (The Juicy Fruits/The Beach Bums/The Undeads), the female vocalist (Phoenix), and glam band (Beef). Beef had this Kiss/Alice Cooper quality to them.

7. The Stains From "Ladies And Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains"

Probably the only really good fake punk band in cinematic history. This film was made when punk was dead, new wave had taken over, and the american hardcore punk scene was in it's infancy. So really, we have to marvel over The Stains in a way because of those circumstances. This film as a whole could've been a trainwreck if not done right.

8. Steel Dragon From "Rock Star"

Loosely based on Tim "The Ripper" Owens's Cinderella (the concept, not the band) story. I loved how the band was these metal guys and Marky Mark. The songs and the imagery made Steel Dragon believable for me. With all the flaws this film had, I enjoyed "Rock Star". And yes, I own it on DVD.

9. School Of Rock From "School Of Rock"

How do a bunch of private school kids rebel against the man ? Start a band with Jack Black.

And last, but not least.....

10. The Wonders From "That Thing You Do"

What's not to love about the The Wonders ? They had that one song, toured the country, made a brief cameo in "Weekend At Party Pier",  the drummer was a genius, and then they quickly faded into obscurity. A simple tale really.....

I loved how they kept playing "That Thing You Do" throughout the movie. Oddly enough, I never get tired of hearing it.

A Second Look At Richard Kelly's "Southland Tales".

During my junior year of high school, I fell in love with a little film called "Donnie Darko".  After years of watching classic cult cinema, "Darko" assured me in a small way that cult was making a small comeback. I didn't expect a big new wave of cult cinema but something told me that I would see some new cult gems from time to time. Something else told me that Richard Kelly's next film with either going to be a massive hit or be a misunderstood opus. That misunderstood opus would become 2007's "Southland Tales".

One of those films I've watched, that I've found myself very intrigued but at the same time going "what the fuck is this ?". Beautifully shot and executed very well. However, there's so much going on. To be frank, this movie is a mess. Underneath this mess lies a masterpiece. That's the real beauty of this film. Critics and internet hipster film dickhead critics didn't see that. It wasn't a "powerful, moving film" or a "Wes Anderson/Bill Murray vehicle" so, they essentially said "fuck you Kelly ! Go back to making movies about a dude in a bunny suit !".

This was one of the few end of the world flicks I found to be believable in a sense. Not by situation but in a environmental sense. Think about it, most end of the world movies take place in a post-apocalyptic/over imagined/most ridiculous setting. Granted, the film is set in 2008; I think it passes for 2008. For me, if your going to portray the world ending at least make it believable. Don't spoon feed me a over desolate society that ignores it surroundings and are shocked when the world ends.

I think this film has some strong commentary as well. Kelly is essentially taking a look at economic and social issues that plague this country. He's doing in a comedic, sci-fi fashion. This is a film that's overlooked now but in the future will be looked as genius. This film joins the ranks of "Brazil", "12 Monkeys", and "Blade Runner"; misunderstood classics in the making.

To wrap it up; if you loved "Darko" as much as I, I recommend it. However on the flip side, this film requires more than one viewing to soak it all in. Kind of like "JFK".

The Films I Watched In 2013

Managed to watch 115 new (being new to me or new release) films last year. One of my resolutions was to keep track of how many "new" films I watched in 2013. Thanks to www.letterboxd.com, I was able to keep track. I plan to do the same for this year as well. This year, I plan to watch more "new" movies than I did last year.

Before I reveal with my next "Top Ten" list, my philosophy is you're never too old to enjoy a "classic film". Keep that in mind as you go through my list....

The Top Ten Films I Seen For The First Time In 2013 And I Enjoyed:
1. Ghost World
2. Empire Of The Sun
3. Brubaker
4. Aliens
5. Urgh ! A Music War
6. Silent Night, Deadly Night
7. Bullitt/The Getaway
8. The King Of Comedy
9. New Jack City
10. Mystic River

Honorable Mentions
-Ralph Bakshi's "Wizards", "American Pop" & "The Lord Of The Rings"
-Duel
-The Original Django with Franco Nero
-Re-Animator
-Swimming With Sharks
-Cat's Eye
-Bad Lieutenant: The Port Of New Orleans
-The Great Escape
-To The Devil...A Daughter
-Jaws 2
-From Beyond The Grave


To Check Out My List Of Films I Seen In 2013: http://letterboxd.com/repoman87/list/the-films-i-watched-in-2013/

To Check Out My Favorite Films Of All Time: http://letterboxd.com/repoman87/list/my-favorite-films-of-all-time/

The Beers, Blu-Rays, Books, Films, Gadgetry, & Tunes Of 2013

BEERS:
Started a new hobby in 2013....

Years ago, my family took a vacation to the east coast. All my sixteen year old self wanted to eat while vacationing was fast food. It was on that vacation, my Stepfather introduced me to the concept of taking in local cuisine. "You can get Taco Bell anywhere. You can't eat at the Philadelphia Fish Market in Columbus" he says. Years later, he opened up the same concept but with beers to me. Don't settle for the shit you can get at the gas station, go to grocery store and find something you can't get at the gas station. It first started with Rogue's Dead Guy Ale, and spiraled from there. Now, I am on the hunt for a good quality beer.

Here's the beers I enjoyed the most in 2013:
1. Rogue's Dead Guy Ale
2.Wild Blue Lager
3. Hobgoblin
4. Young's Double Chocolate Stout

I also got pretty festive around the fall this year with beers as well. Here are two of my fall favorites:
1. Rogue's Pumpkin Patch Ale
2. O'Fallon's Pumpkin Ale.

Blu Ray's:
13 years ago, I welcomed with open arms the divine entity known as the Digital Versatile Disc. My Dad was the first in my family to get one. A few years later, I got one for myself.. Finally, a format that caters to film nerds ! While I was embracing this, most of my peers where like "Fuck you and you're CD that plays movies. VHS is here to stay ! My children and I will be watching Austin Powers 20 years from now on video.". A few years later, everyone jumped on the DVD bandwagon (I mean they had no choice right ?).

I also couldn't persuade people to watch movies in Widescreen. "You're stupid if you enjoy watching a movie with those black bars on the top and bottom of you're screen" people told me.  Funny how that one turned out....

Flash forward to 2006, and the introduction of the Blu Ray format. I found myself on the other side of the fence. "Fuck Blu-Ray ! The ivory castle for which DVD is built upon will stand tall for generations !". I just didn't want to accept the fact that I probably had to re-buy my collection. However, I did make the HD jump 2 years ago. Since then, I am embracing and loving high definition. Re-buying my collection does suck. However, re-buying & watching a brand new transfer has breathed new life into the films I love. I am simply re-discovering my favorite films through this format.

I am, little by little upgrade some of my favorites to Blu-Ray, here's my favorite purchases of 2013:
1. Heavy Metal
2. Jaws
3. The Edgar Wright Three Flavors Trilogy (Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz, And The World's End)
4.  The Goonies/Gremlins/Gremlins 2: The New Batch
5. Anchorman, The Rich Mahogany Edition Fan Bundle

and last, but certainly least: The Tarantino Collection. Such a wonderful representation of his work. Every Tarantino masterpiece (sans "Django" which was release way after) is in this set. Which is surprising considering most box sets centering around films from a director usually have a few not included due to licensing or studio politics. Not with this set. I think every director whose worth a fuck should have a set like this.

Want a bit of irony ? The worst Blu-Ray release I bought this year was The Lords Of Salem. The transfer is as amazing as I remember seeing it in the theater. My complaint is there are no special features ! Rob always gives us more bang for our buck when it comes to buying one of his movies. He usually has includes a lengthy "making of" documentary, a deleted scenes reel, music video, isolated music score, and a trailer. This is a pretty bare bones release. My only theory is that the studio didn't want to pour money into the home video release considering the film flopped. Hopefully this film will develop enough of a cult following to warrant a special edition release. If that happens, I will gladly buy another copy.

Books:
Let's get literal for just a minute......

One of the resolutions I made this year was to read more. I am happy to say that I actually made good on that ! Been a worthwhile endeavor to say the least. I plan to read more than just autobiographies & horror novels next year.

Rather that rate them, here's what I read this year:
1. "Christine" By Stephen King
2. "Rotten" By John Lydon
3. "Official Truth" By Rex Brown
4. "Foxy" By Pam Grier
5. "The Girl Next Door" By Jack Ketchum
6. "Red Dragon" By Thomas Harris
7. "I Am Ozzy"By Ozzy Osbourne
8. "Firece" By Kelly Osbourne
9. "I Am Legend" By Richard Matheson (RIP)

Films:
Don't really go to the theater that much anymore. I am not really interested in what comes out anymore. However, from time to time I do make exceptions. Here are my exceptions:

1. Lords Of Salem
2. The World's End
3. Through The Never
4. The Wolf Of Wall Street
5. Anchorman 2
6. Star Trek Into Darkness
7. American Hustle
8. This Is The End


Films that where released last year that I seen this year and overly enjoyed: Argo & Django Unchained. 

Film wise, there was one film that did disappoint me. A Good Day To Die Hard wasn't all that great. Don't get me wrong, it was great to see Willis play John McClane again. However, it could have been way better. If it couldn't be better, then why didn't you let Live Free Or Die Hard as the last film of the series ? That was a great way to end the McClane saga. This last entry looked like it was done in 2 weeks.

Last, but not least the documentaries I watched this year:
1. Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet
2. Sound City
3. Robert Williams, Mr Bitchin'
4. Mission To Lars
5. Everyman's Journey

The "what the fuck?" award goes to Room 237. As a fan of Kubrick, it was interesting but at the same time I have to ask: who comes up with this shit ? Personally, I don't think Stanley Kubrick took the time to put "hidden meanings" in his films so that they are discovered and explained in a documentary years after his death. Kubrick's was a genius and a master showmen, not a lunatic. But I guess if you're a conspiracy theorist who lives in their mom's basement, I guess you think the exact opposite.

Gadgetry:
Discovered the joy of streaming music this year. I am in love with my Google Music subscription ! Ten bucks a month and I have a endless amount of music at my fingertips. Let's me enjoy old favorites, discover new music, and let's me listen to new stuff. Omits my blind buys entirely. I highly recommend anyone who loves music such as I to get a streaming  service.

Also, I've played around with Hulu Plus. Better selection than Netflix. Just saying.....Not ruling out Netflix because they do have "Comic Book Men".

Tunes:
Rather than do the whole "top 10" and "honorable mentions" bit, I decided to lump it into one list. I mean if I liked it as much as my top ten, why separate them ?

"13" by Black Sabbath
"Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor" By Rob Zombie
"Clockwork Angels Tour" By Rush
 "Flashback " & "Girls Night" EP's By The Alcohollys
"Adam Ant Is The Blueblack Hassar In Marrying The Gunner's Daughter" By Adam Ant
"Tears On Tape" By H.I.M.
"Anthems EP" By Anthrax
"The Winery Dogs" By The Winery Dogs
"Walk Through Exits Only" By Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals
"Year Zero" By Ghost BC
"Winter Kills" By Devildriver
"Through The Never Soundtrack" By Metallica
"Unnatural Selection" By Havok
 "Serpents Unleashed" By Skeletonwitch
"Worse Than Dead" By Iron Reagan
"Revolution Rise" By Kill Devil Hill
"Hail To The King" By Avenged Sevenfold.
"Queensryche" By Queensryche

I also went to some bad-ass shows this year. Seen Cheap Trick, Ghost BC, Iron Reagan, and Adam Ant for the first time this year ! I also went to the best concert I've ever been to this year:

Super huge fan of all 3 bands on this bill. The fact they where coming close to me on a off date from the dreadful touring festival they where was a blessing. The answer was clear: I had to go ! Aside from being there, I had to make it memorable.

I vowed to myself that if Zombie came back and offered a meet & greet package I was going to get one. I made good on the promise. It's definitely an awesome feeling to be able to cross something off you're bucket list. My advice to everyone: if the right opportunity is given, go meet your heroes. Don't ever shy away from doing it. Probably one of the best days of my life.

Well, that's it for this year. I hope you've enjoyed reading this. I've enjoyed writing this. For The Beers, Blu-Rays, Films, Gadgetry, & Tunes Blog, until next year !