MONSTERZERO NJ’S MOVIE MEMORIES: HAPPY 42nd ANNIVERSARY THE HOWLING (1981)

HAPPY 42nd ANNIVERSARY THE HOWLING (1981)

The Joe Dante werewolf classic turns 42!!

The Howling was released 42 years ago, and its anniversary has brought back memories, as I saw it with friends at a special preview screening, weeks before it’s March 13th release, at the now long-gone Stanley Warner Theater in Paramus, NJ. Preview screenings were quite common back in the 80s before there was an internet and were used to spread advance word of mouth to promote movies before websites like Rotten Tomatoes and Bloody Disgusting did the job as they do now. As such, we didn’t know quite what to expect as the only knowledge of the movie came from Fangoria articles and brief commercials on TV. There was no Youtube to view trailers either. If you didn’t catch a trailer at your local theater with another movie, you missed it.

 

Howling heroine and future horror queen Dee Wallace knows there is something lurking in the woods!

For those unfamiliar… The Howling is a true horror classic and is regarded as one of the best werewolf movies ever made. Joe Dante, fresh off of Roger Corman’s Piranha, re-teamed with writer John Sayles for a fun and spooky tale of lycanthrope loose in the California hills that was based on a book by Gary Brandner. After a traumatic close call with a strangely animalistic serial killer named Eddie Quist (Robert Picardo), young newswoman, Karen (Dee Wallace) is sent to a holistic retreat by her therapist, Dr. Waggner (Patrick Macnee) for treatment. But unknown to Karen and her husband, Bill (Christopher Stone), The Colony is actually a haven for werewolves that the therapist is trying to civilize…and that a certain, Eddie Quist was one of his ‘patients’. Some of the pack have other ideas and are looking at Karen as their next meal.

 

Rob Bottin’s amazing transformation FX that beat Rick Baker’s American Werewolf work to theaters by five months!

We all loved it! It was fun, scary and Rob Bottin’s make-up, gore and werewolf transformation effects blew us away. The mix of twisted humor and horror elements was perfect! It’s been my favorite werewolf movie ever since…sorry American Werewolf in London. Personally, I am not a fan of the sequels that followed and was very disappointed at the route they took with Howling II, which has now become a cult favorite all these years later after initially being scorned. Why they didn’t do a direct sequel and bring back Marsha (Elizabeth Brooks) was beyond me and how they screwed up a sequel that starred the great Christopher Lee, I’ll never figure out.

 

There is something malevolent and hungry stalking a remote retreat in the California woodlands.

Accepted by horror fandom as a horror classic and one of the best werewolf movies of all-time, The Howling has remained effective all these decades later and Rob Bottin’s prosthetic transformations effects still lauded as a far better than any CGI could hope to be. Dee Wallace is also renown as one of the queens of modern horror and it’s still counted as one of legendary filmmaker Joe Dante’s best movies!

HAPPY 42nd ANNIVERSARY THE HOWLING (1981)

-MonsterZero NJ

 

MONSTERZERO NJ’S MOVIE MEMORIES: HAPPY 40th ANNIVERSARY FORBIDDEN WORLD (1982)

HAPPY 40th ANNIVERSARY FORBIDDEN WORLD (1982)

The doomed research station on the planet Xarbia!!

Roger Corman’s production of Forbidden World was released 40 years ago today and I was there opening night with friends, at the now long-gone Stanley Warner Quad Theater in Paramus NJ. A big fan of Corman’s films already, I couldn’t wait to see this, especially after having seen and loved Corman’s Galaxy of Terror the previous November on Thanksgiving Night. It was an absolute blast, with its combination of babes, blood and beasts, and the energetic music video editing style was way ahead of its time! A fun flick!

Sexy space scientists perfectly dressed for a lurking genetic mutant on the loose!

Forbidden World is directed by director Allan Holzman with an almost psychedelic music video style, as it tells the story, written by Tim Curnen, R.J. Robertson and Jim Wynorski, of a soldier, Mike Colby (Jesse Vint) sent to an isolated research station on the remote planet Xarbia to deal with a genetic experiment that has gotten out of control. Colby not only has to battle a growing and hungry genetic mutant, but handle not one, but two hot and very horny female scientists (Dawn Dunlap and June Chadwick). The type of B movie they just don’t make anymore. One of the last of its kind. Crack a few beers and enjoy!

The constantly evolving mutant in its most lethal form!

-MonsterZero NJ

 

HAPPY 96th BIRTHDAY, ROGER CORMAN!

The legendary director/producer of countless classic exploitation and B-movies turns 96 today! A Happy and Healthy Birthday, Roger Corman!

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If you haven’t picked up this great book about Roger Corman’s career, YOU SHOULD! (review HERE)

-MonsterZero NJ

CULT CLASSIC CUTIES: LYNNE MOODY!

Cult Classic Cuties are characters from some of our favorite cult classics and midnight movies who captured our hearts and/or actresses who got our attention, but sadly never returned to these types of flicks. They’re femme fatales and final girls whose sexy stars shined only briefly, not quite achieving scream queen status. And this installment’s cutie is…

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LYNNE MOODY!

With this being Black History Month, this installment of Cult Classic Cuties is going to feature a beautiful actress who despite a long and prolific career, that appears to be still going, has only performed in two horror films in the five decades that she has been working. Lynne Moody’s first feature film was the horror classic sequel, Scream Blacula Scream in 1973 and she has been acting in movies and television ever since! Her only return to the horror genre was another cult classic chiller, The Evil with Richard Crenna in 1978!

(You can read my full review for the movies she’s appeared in by clicking the highlighted titles!)

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Lynne Moody as Denny, the girlfriend of wannabe voodoo lord turned vampire, Willis (Richard Lawson).

Denny unknowingly chatting with a monster in Scream Blacula Scream!

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Moody as Felecia, a young woman tasked with renovating an apparently haunted house in The Evil.

Felecia and friend scream at one of the many horrors of The Vargas Mansion in The Evil!

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So, we have another beautiful and talented actress who only made two stops in the horror genre despite a decades-spanning career. Both films are cult classics in their own right and thus Lynne Moody definitely qualifies as a Cult Classic Cutie!

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Be sure to check out our Cult Classic Cuties (click right here for the link) section to see more crush worthy ladies from cult films and midnight movies!

-MonsterZero NJ

BARE BONES BOOK REVIEW: CELLULOID WARS: THE MAKING OF BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS by ALLAN HOLZMAN

CELLULOID WARS: THE MAKING OF BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS by ALLAN HOLZMAN

Battle Beyond The Stars is a cult classic Roger Corman production that was made to cash in on the Star Wars sci-fi craze of the 70s and 80s, but is now recognized on it’s own merit. Allan Holzman was an editor on the film and after four decades, has released his journal of the making of this legendary flick that he wrote while the film was in production.

This is a wonderful and fun look at the making of a cult classic by a man whose task it was to put all the fractured pieces together and make a movie out of them. Holzman’s entries detail a very troubled production, populated by a large group of artists and creative people struggling to make it all work, delivering an FX filled epic on a shoestring budget and tight schedule. There are tales of cramped work spaces, unexperienced directors, demanding producers and almost unusable footage. We get Holzman’s account of trying to make an almost impossible release date, with FX work falling dangerously behind and the shots he was getting, an editor’s nightmare to piece together. It’s is a fascinating look at filmmaking, especially from the perspective of the unsung editing process. It’s also a fun look back at how legendary producer Roger Corman made movies back then and a nostalgic look at how some now acclaimed film talents, like James Cameron, John Sayles, James Horner, Gale Anne Hurd and Holzman himself, started out.

If you love movies, Roger Corman films, are a fan of some of today’s most heralded filmmakers, or all of the above, this is a must have book that also features some great bonus interviews with model builders and FX legends Robert and Dennis Skotak and Battle’s costume designer Durinda Wood! Allan Holzman is planning a sequel about his directorial debut on Corman’s Forbidden World and one can’t wait for that after enjoying this delightful book.

-MonsterZero NJ

COOL STUFF: ALLAN HOLZMAN’S CELLULOID WARS-THE MAKING OF BATTTLE BEYOND THE STARS!

ALLAN HOLZMAN’S CELLULOID WARS: THE MAKING OF BATTTLE BEYOND THE STARS!

Can’t wait to start reading this! Director and editor Allan Holzman (Forbidden World) has released his journal about the making of the 1980 cult classic Battle Beyond The Stars! The book is loaded with anecdotes, interviews and photos from the production of one of Roger Corman’s biggest and most famous flicks. Holzman was an editor on the film and below is the official description of his tome from the back of the book itself!…

“The Year was 1980, and SCI-FI had the motion picture industry in its grip…

The first producer to rush to meet the demand for more SciFi Adventure was Roger Corman who gambled on making the biggest picture his studio, New World Pictures, had ever undertaken. He hired a bunch of hungry, talented filmmakers to produce Battle Beyond The Stars including future award winners James Cameron, John Sayles, Robert & Dennis Skotak, James Horner, Gale Ann Hurd, Jimmy Murakami, and many others… including the author of this book, ACE and Emmy award-winning editor, Allan Holzman.

Taken from Holzman’s diary during production, Celluloid Wars offers an insider’s view of the production headaches that turned into lifelong lessons and the thought process behind the “Roger Corman School of Filmmaking.” This is a case study of a film that according to Nerdist.com “…succeeds in being a fresh, fun, charming sci-fi romp with some excellent effects and damn fine music.”

You’ll see it all – the highs, the lows, the winners and the losers, and all the drama in between – from the point of view of the editor who had to weave all of these different elements and emotions together to help create one of the most successful movies ever produced at New World Pictures, launching a dozen movie careers, and changing the face of Hollywood forever…

BONUS

• Exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes photos with Special FX gurus Robert & Dennis Skotak on their experiences producing eye-popping visuals on a pennywise budget.

• Costume designer Durinda Wood discusses creating the unique looks for Battle, and how that movie allowed her to create the look of the Borg in Star Trek: The Next Generation.”

Celluloid Wars: The Making of Battle Beyond The Stars can be purchased on Amazon.com!

 

 

MonsterZero NJ

COVER PHOTOS: Amazon.com

 

HAPPY 95th BIRTHDAY, ROGER CORMAN!

The legendary director/producer of countless classic exploitation and B-movies turns 95 today! Happy Birthday, Roger Corman!

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If you haven’t picked up this great book about Roger Corman’s career, YOU SHOULD! (review HERE)

-MonsterZero NJ

TOMB OF NOSTALGIA: BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS (1980)

BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS (1980)

(Remember, clicking the highlighted links brings you to other reviews and articles here at The Movie Madhouse!)

Never one to pass up an opportunity to make a buck on a trend, Roger Corman put this space opera into production with the hopes of capturing a little of the Star Wars lightening in New World Pictures’ bottle. The story finds the inhabitants of the peaceful planet of Akir, under siege from Sador of the Malmori (John Saxon), a ruthless warlord who conquers worlds and uses spare body parts to keep himself young and tyrannical. Not able to defend themselves, village elder Zed (Jeff Corey) sends the rebellious young Shad (Richard Thomas) out to hire mercenaries to defend their planet against the invading army. Can Shad find warriors bad and brave enough to take on Sador and his planet-destroying Hammerhead starship?

As you can tell by the story description, this is more a take on Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai than a retread of George Lucas’ box office titan, though Star Wars rip-off it shamelessly still is. No more obvious than the planet name Akir, which is a tribute to the legendary Japanese director, whose story is being appropriated here. The fun script is by John Sayles (Piranha, The Howling) and it’s directed with a comic book flare by Jimmy T. Murakami, who previously had experience in animation. The film never makes a joke out of the proceedings, but is loaded with humor and plenty of innovative SPFX on a small budget, as designed by James (Terminator, Aliens, Avatar) Cameron. The action is fast and furious, there is a variety of ships to go along with the motley group of mercenaries and it’s all a good time as intended. Sure it’s only got about a fifth of Star Wars’ budget, but the film has loads of heart and the hard work and imagination of everyone that worked on it shows through. The FX can be cheesy and there are a few spots where things slow down a bit, but otherwise it is a cult classic in it’s own right and how can you not like a movie that has a spaceship with a set of boobs…only in a Roger Corman flick, folks!

The cast really make this work especially well. All the actors get the tone and none of them treat the material like a joke, yet still have a good time with their roles. Richard Thomas makes a noble hero as Shad. A young man willing to risk all to save his world and people. Darlanne Fluegel is pretty and resilient as Nanelia, who joins Shad on his quest and becomes his first love interest. John Saxon is simply on target with his portrayal of Sador. He gives him a sense of malice and villainy, yet is careful to never carry him too far into over-the-top territory, so he stays threatening. As our warriors, we have George Peppard as “Space Cowboy” a space trucker caught up in the fight, Robert Vaughn as Gelt, an outlaw on the run, Sybil Danning as the beautiful but arrogant warrior woman Saint-Exmin, Morgan Woodward as the reptilian Cayman, who has a personal grudge against Sador, as well as, a heat communicating duo called The Kelvin and a group of five clones, who act and think as one, called The Nestor. And let’s not forget Sador’s army of patchwork mutants, too. A colorful and diverse group of characters if there ever was.

A cult classic in itself, this is a fun low budget space epic with loads of heart. Sure, the sets are cheesy, as are some of the SPFX, the dialogue corny and the pacing a little erratic, but this movie is a lot of fun. The cast all get the material and give it their all. The imagination of James Cameron and his FX crew is up on screen and it has one of James Horner’s best scores. A Roger Corman cult classic that may have been inspired by George Lucas’ surprise blockbuster, but has earned an identity and place in B-movie history all it’s own.

-MonsterZero NJ

Rated 3 (out of 4) Sadors.

 

 

 

 

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HAPPY 94th BIRTHDAY, ROGER CORMAN!

Photo by Angela George

The legendary director/producer of countless classic exploitation and B-movies turns 94 today! Happy Birthday, Roger Corman!

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If you haven’t picked up this great book about Roger Corman’s career, YOU SHOULD! (review HERE)

-MonsterZero NJ

TOMB OF NOSTALGIA: BUCKET OF BLOOD (1959)

BUCKET OF BLOOD (1959)

(Remember, clicking the highlighted links brings you to other reviews and articles here at The Movie Madhouse!)

Walter Paisley (Dick Miller) is a busboy at The Yellow Door, a coffee shop for beatniks and bohemian artists…what we would call a Starbucks today…and wants to be revered like many of the artistic types that frequent there, especially in the eyes of pretty co-worker Carla (Barboura Morris). In a series of unfortunate events, Walter kills his landlady’s cat Frankie and hides the body in some clay that he intended to use in a sculpture. He brings the cat to the shop and everyone becomes infatuated with it, especially Carla. Now Walter has discovered a way into Carla’s heart and it will only take some clay and a few corpses to do it.

Horror/comedy is directed and produced by Roger Corman from a script by Charles B. Griffith, who also wrote the original Little Shop of Horrors. It’s not the first collaboration between Corman and leading man Miller, but it is one of their most famous and one of Miller’s few leading roles. It also unleashed a slew of cameos by Miller playing characters named Walter Paisley in the films of up and coming Corman alumni years later. The flick is a comedy of errors with Walter making his first kills by accident, but as his “sculptures”, are getting him the attention he wants, he soon starts killing his subjects to be immortalized in clay. Obviously, things will get out of hand for the bumbling Walter.The satire may not click today as it specifically targets the beatnik culture of the 50s, but one may still appreciate the dark humor of Walter’s newfound art and the art crowd’s overwhelming reaction to it. It’s not a long movie at only 66 minutes and the jazz infused score by Fred Katz is quite nostalgic. On a production level, the film was shot in true Corman style for AIP on a budget of only $50,000 and in 5 days on the sets from another movie.

There is a small cast. Miller is likable and sympathetic as Walter. He’s abused by his boss Leonard (Antony Carbone) and ignored by those he wants attention from. Even when he starts to kill for his newfound hobby, he remains more tragic than unlikable, only becoming downright creepy in the last act. Barboura Morris is pretty and charming as Carla. She’s sweet and seems to always like Walter, though he doesn’t see it. Carbone is slimy as Leonard, who is benefiting financially from the art community’s new prodigy. Even when he discovers Walter’s gruesome secret, he chooses to profit until guilt finally overcomes him. The film also has a small role from 70s game show host and TV icon Bert Convy as an ill-fated undercover cop.

This early Corman production may be dated at this point, but it is still fun and it made Dick Miller a movie fan household name. Miller rarely had lead roles and this one would earn him a long career of character parts and cameos that lasted for sixty years. A perfect example of early Corman thriftiness and one of Dick Miller’s most famous roles.

-MonsterZero NJ

Rated 3 (out of 4) sculptures surprisingly titled “dead cat”.

 

Farewell and RIP Dick Miller (1928-2019)