Nothing fills people with dread more than the words ‘based on a true story.’
It was this claim that instilled absolute terror at the mere mention of Amityville. Even the director of the live action Scooby Doo movie scored a huge horror hit with his remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which was based on the original TCM movie instead of the story of Edward Gein. As far from the truth as that movie was, it still served to scare the hell out of a lot of people. I’ll admit the original still freaks me out. But that’s horror.

The trailer for the new thriller The Strangers is pretty intense and it looks scary as hell. I love the use of a creaking rusty swingset and a skipping record to jump though quick cuts of this poor couple terrorized by anonymous, masked, psychopathic strangers. Its very effective, and different than the LOUD BOOM! FLASH! SAME VOICEOVER FOR EVERY SINGLE MOVIE! trend which has become the predictable thriller trailer trick.

The Strangers really is based on a true story. There were three murders that night. Two bodies were found bludgeoned and stabbed to death in a resort cabin, and three years later 95 miles away, the remains of their 13 year old daughter were unearthed. The case is still unsolved, and there were never any suspects. The killings were totally random and not premeditated. That’s scary, and it’s what makes even the idea of this film unnerving. Its definitely on the must see list.

If nothing else, this film should help out frugal vacationers by knocking down the price of cottage rentals at Keddie Resort in Plumas County, California.

I never felt the urge to see Super Size Me. That movie always seemed like a cheap shot at a faltering giant. ‘Wow, nothing negative has ever been said about McDonald’s before, what an original idea!’ What’s next, Smoking: It may or may not be good for you! I read Fast Food Nation, even before it became a movie starring Avril Lavigne. I read Slaughterhouse: The Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect, and Inhumane Treatment Inside the U.S. Meat Industry. Well, I read the book flap in the store. Needless to say, Super Size Me seemed like a waste of time for someone as knowledgeable and in tune with the world as me.

Years later when it was finally broadcast on one of the five stations we get without cable I watched it, but only because I was too lazy to get up and change the channel. To my surprise, it turned out to be a pretty good movie. Morgan Spurlock is a likeable, down-to-earth guy, who really went out on a limb with this crazy experiment. It was interspersed with humor, real facts about obesity, the politics of cheap food and shady business practices. Wesley Willis was even in the soundtrack! By the end you really hope he’s going to survive the damage he’s done to his body. In other words, the message was strong, and I felt dumb for thinking he was some dork with a bad mustache trying to cash in on a fad.

When I saw the trailer for his new film Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?, my first thought was, ‘Damn, this guy is hardcore!’ I’m sure the politico’s will crap on this film for his lighthearted approach to the subject, but if there’s one thing Spurlock can do well, its to get his point across to the masses. Even if he doesn’t and the film flops, you’ll have to admit this guy has balls, and I’m going to stand in line and pay to see them.

A few nights ago I was watching TV with my girlfriend when a trailer for the new film The Stone Angel came on. My mind raced during that thirty second slot. I began to feel angry that somebody had remade this awful movie. Admittedly, I occasionally get stone and cement confused; this is why I lasted only one summer as a masonry apprentice. Somehow I had mistaken it for ‘The Cement Garden’ by smarmy englishman Ian Mcewan. This was a book that, to put it mildly, I didn’t love. After reading it I threw it from the window of a moving bus. Don’t worry, crap is biodegradable.

While replaying the story in my head, trying to remember what I disliked about it so much, my girlfriend suddenly blurted out, “I read that book.”
“You did?” I replied, thinking, ‘Why would she read a book about incestuous siblings and dead parents encased in cement slabs? That wouldn’t appeal to her…or would it? Is there something I don’t know? Is somebody buried in our basement? Who is this stranger, is she armed?!?
“Yeah, I read it in school. I don’t remember anything about the story except that it was written by Margaret Lawrence.”
“Margaret Lawrence? She’s Canadian!”
A wave of relief rolled over me as I acknowledged my error. I’m 98% sure she doesn’t own a gun, and in retrospect, we don’t even have a basement.

You know this will be a good film because book was powerful enough to be banned by religious zealots…although those are the same folks who were offended by Ernie and Bert. It stars Ellen Burstyn, a very powerful and accomplished actor. If you’re not familiar with her work you should stop reading right now, run to the video store and rent everything she’s been a part of. After her performance in ‘Requiem for a Dream’ I still think of her as a hopeless drug addict. I’m sure this would please her immensely.

Unlike her role in Requiem, I’m pretty sure this flick won’t make you want to swan dive from the 18th floor.

Happier Times?

When I was visiting Japan a few years ago we went to Yoyogi Park on a Sunday afternoon. There were so many performers lining the walkway it was incredible. Every ten to fifteen feet or so you’d run into a new band, street performer, dancer, musician, comedian, or some other kind of performance or costume that I couldn’t quite describe.
My favorite was the first group was saw at the front gates of the park, The Tokyo Rockabilly Club. A circle of eight to ten massively pompadoured, tough looking leather clad rockers, all dancing to Japanese rockabilly played over a small boombox so loudly that it was distorted almost beyond intelligibility. And damn, these guys could really cut a rug. Usually in the middle of a song one of them would take a ‘dance solo’ while the others clapped and encouraged him to go harder, when he finally exhausted himself the group would all start dancing again.
It was very strange, and very cool. Unfortunately our camera had about 10 seconds of film when we got to the park, but these clips should give you an impression of what a performance is like. If you’re ever in Tokyo make sure to head to Yoyogi Park on a Sunday afternoon, you won’t be disappointed.

Damn, this lady can shred!

Her name is Belinda Bedekovic, and she’s the self proclaimed ‘fastest finger on the remote keyboard’ in the world. Aside from completing her album TORNADO ON THE REMOTE KEYBOARD, she has also been offered a love explosion inside of her by Borat.

I you want to learn more, visit her site and maybe buy some video cds by clicking this link: Belinda Dekovic

What the hell is wrong with those morons, this video is brilliant. Not only is it catchy and entertaining, it also demonstrates why you shouldn’t eat cleaning products and features washroom sign sex and a talking toilet. Brilliant!

I was honored to receive an email from Lance Bakemeyer of the Hillbilly Hellcats this morning regarding our clip of the zombie dance from Dead and Breakfast. In case there was any misunderstanding, that wasn’t the Hillbilly Hellcats music the zombies were dancing to, it was Zach Selwyn of the country rock band Zachariah and the Lobos Riders (quite an interesting cat).

The Hellcats had three tunes in this movie, Roadkill Cafe, Dead Man’s Party, and Hillbillies on Speed which you’ll hear in this next clip.

Be forewarned, if you don’t like blood and guys you might want to watch it with your eyes closed.

Buy these albums, you won’t regret it. These guys rock.

In keeping with our musical zombie theme, here’s a scene from the horror/musical/comedy Dead and Breakfast. This movie boasts a fantastic soundtrack by the Hillbilly Hellcats, as well as some great tunes that narrate the story, blood, guts, violence and everything else you look for in a family film. This particular clip shows and undead horde converging on our heroes who’ve barricaded themselves inside a bed and breakfast. Unlike the rest of the film, they suddenly stop their assault and begin…dancing?

A great film, available for rental from out sponsors.

continue reading "Dead and Breakfast"

Here’s a cool video that originally aired on CBC Sept 27, 1977. Hana Gartner decides to find out what this punk thing was all about by interviewing Canadian punk legends Teenage Head, The Viletones and The Poles between sets at a five hour show.
Apparently she didn’t dig it too much. She asks Steve Leckie aka Nazi Dog why he cuts himself, and while speaking with Frankie Venom she told him, “I’ve been listening to you this evening, and the Viletones, and if I may be honest the only thing I got out of it was a headache.” Frankie responds, ‘Oh gee, yeah? Tough.” Also features interviews with punk girls who slash themselves because they’re bored and much more.

To find out more about these punk legends:

http://www.viletone.com/

http://www.teenagehead.ca/

http://www.michaelejordana.com/

Here is an excerpt from Takashi Miike’s brilliant horror/comedy/musical The Happiness of the Katakuris. The story is based around a family who move to the country and buy a bed and breakfast in order to be closer together and away from the city. Unfortunately, the B&B is so isolated they don’t get any guests at all for a very long time. When they finally start getting borders, they all mysteriously die.

This scene takes place after their very first guest commits suicide and the family discovers his body.

This movie is a hilarious mix of everything Miike does well, and some fine songs to go with it.

This is a clip from Metal, A Headbangers Journey with Necrobutcher and Blasphemer, recorded during the Wacken metal festival.

The flagging rockabilly revival has been revitalized, spearheaded by none other than Netherlands own Rockin’ Henri!

In less than a year this prolific songster has already posted about 200 original songs, nearly all recorded in what seems to be the front room of his grandmothers house, wearing the same blue and black bowling shirt. On top of this he fronts several bands and has released his first official full-length album, Great Rockin News.

All of his songs are really good, but in our opinion nothing has quite the bite as I’ve got a girl named Gretsch.

This is how you handle a heckler, I love the guy at the end yelling for his money back.

From one of the greatest, noisiest, loudest garage punk Jet Rock’n'Roll bands ever to come out of Japan, comes the greatest Rock’n'Roll horror zombie musical ever - Wild Zero. This movie has everything; Guitar Wolf, zombies, exploding heads, trans gendered love affairs, microphones spitting fire, UFOs, gunfights, car chases…what more could you ask for?

This scene takes place during a Guitar Wolf gig while they perform Roaring Blood, and should give you a good idea of what to expect. The guy in the tight white shorts is an evil club owner bent on killing them,

The DVD also features a drinking game. A pint glass appears whenever a character drinks, says “Rock ‘n Roll,” or combs their hair, or when a head explodes, something else explodes, or fire shoots out of something. Again, what more could you ask for?

This movie is also available for rental from GreenCine. Sign up, they’ve got nearly everything.

One of the highlights of the WWF back in the 80’s was when Roddy Piper was given his own segment, Piper’s Pit. He was the greatest heels in the history of the sport, and my all-time favorite. In all of the Pits classic moments, the most memorable was undoubtedly when Jimmy ‘Superfuly’ Snuka appeared as a guest on his show.

This clip is extra incredible, because it not only contains the Superfly interview, but also his follow-up interview on TNT where Vince McMahon and Lord Alfred Hayes asked him to justify his actions.

If you need more, check out Roddy’s autobiography, an interesting and hilarious read.

Trollkotze (translation: Troll’s Vomit) is a Black Metal comedy band from Germany.

Featured here is the brilliant song, Im Märchenwald (In the Fairytale Forest), which comes from their first album The Microwave is down. It seems their releases are limited editions, very limited. They only printed 10 copies of Microwave, and their second album Violence in the Forest which featured such anthems as How come the Beer in the Bass? and Gib mir Deinen Stromkram(Give me your current stuff) was limited to 25 copies. They are currently recording their eagerly awaited fourth album, I’m sure it will live up to everyones expectations.

Without further ado:

Thats a bold statement, but I stand behind it. After you see this video you’ll have no choice but to agree. My grasp of German leaves a little to be desired, but the music, the visuals, and the tone of this evil dirge says everything you need to know.

Usually black metal fans are very laid back, but this audience goes insane. Its a little scary to watch, it reminds me of the beatlemania epidemics of the 60’s.

From the un-acclaimed and always tasteful comedy duo Hot Doy Boy, comes this exhilarating take on rural life and the wonderful characters who inhabit these peaceful pastures of love and happiness.

I’m not going to describe what happens in this clip, because you have eyes and ears. Other parts as well, hopefully.
This was one of the cool extras from the directors cut DVD, which also includes alternate endings and deleted scenes.
If you’re a fan of the Evil Dead series make it a point to see this one.

This is the movie you’ve been waiting for all your life. Professional wrestler Koji Taguchi faces his greatest opponent, perhaps the fiercest competitor ever to step inside the ring, a giant squid! Non-stop action, wrestling, life changing obstacles and triumph of the spirit, this movie has it all, even a touching love scene with a beautiful young and the handsome giant squid.