Random Ramblings from the Vault...
I have to say I'm less than impressed with the new Clash of the Titans from what I've seen. Not that the trailer isn't impressive or anything, but I'm just saddened to see the sense of fun and swashbuckling adventure of the original replaced with the typical over-the-top gravity and dark tone so common in adventure films today.
- Did anyone else ever wonder how, if anyone bitten by a vampire becomes one, and so on, the world wouldn't be completely overrun by them within a matter of weeks? I know, I read too much into these things. But this is why I greatly appreciated the Anne Rice explanation of "turning" as an intentional, reciprocal sharing of blood. Always made more sense to me.
I've never been one for the "media tie-in" novels, but I must admit that Joe Schreiber's Death Troopers has piqued my interest. I could be wrong, but it might be the first Star Wars horror novel. Zombie storm troopers? This one might just be worth picking up...
- Seriously, has there ever been a more blatant rip-off than Repo Men? I think the guys who made Volcano, Deep Impact, Deep Star Six, EdTV and Wyatt Earp are all looking at that and going, "Damn, they have some balls..."
- So there's a Monster Squad remake in the works. A whole new generation of youngsters will now understand why '80s kids get all nostalgic about this one. And with any luck, they won't also get 90 minutes of kids calling each other faggots and homos...
"So when I roll on you rappers, you better be/Ready to die because you’re petty/You’re just a butter knife, I’m a machete/That’s made by Ginzu, wait until when you/Try to front, so I can chop into/Your body, just because you try to be basin'/Friday the 13th, I'ma play Jason." Big Daddy Kane, you were awesome.
- For all you discerning music-lovers out there, I'd recommend checking out Arrigo Boito's 1867 Italian opera Mefistofele--a grim and powerful work based on the Faust legend. It's far superior to Gounod's much more well-known Faust opera, and adapted directly from Geothe's epic play. I'd suggest the 1973 EMI recording, as well as the 1959 and 1985 Decca recordings.
Ebirah: Lamest Godzilla opponent ever? Yes, I think so.
- Had an absolute blast at Kevin Geeks Out About Sharks at the 92Y Tribeca Friday. Nice seeing Kevin Maher, The Family Tie director Matt Glasson, and Dread Central scribe Heather "John Landis is a murderer" Buckley. I never realized the sharxploitation subgenre was such a glorious one. Expect a full review during the week.
- Rondo Reminder! Go and cast your vote for the 8th annual Rondo Hatton Awards. These are the web's most coveted horror awards, covering the genre across all forms of media. I'm honored to see The Vault of Horror nominated for Best Horror Blog for the second year in a row. Check out all the nominees, and send in your vote via email by Sunday, April 4!
15 comments:
Gah, sad to miss Kevin Geeking Out! The next one falls during Chiller Weekend, which I may be making my way to so double grr!
On the Clash front, I'm a huuuuuuuuge fan of the original, but I'm willing to give this one a chance...even if the 3D added after filming will probably be completely unnecessary
I too have struggled with the vampire turning his victim conundrum. I always figured that once a vamp had his dinner, he snapped the neck of his host and tossed him away.
Pax's onto something. I just saw 30 Days of Night and they were all about removing the head so the victim wasn't turned. Goes with his line of thinking.
Emily, looks like I may not catch the next one either, because there's no way I'm missing Chiller. Haven't been since October 2008. Speaking of, Kate is going as well--can you say NY horror blogger meet-up?
Pax, I always get a headache watching some vampire flicks, trying to process how, if they go out to feed every night, and each victim becomes one, the entire world wouldn't be totally overrun... And by the way, any chance that you might be showing up to Chiller as well, sir?
Forest, I too liked how 30 Days of Night dealt with the conundrum.
I actually interviewed Joe Schreiber about Death Troopers a while back. It is indeed the first SW horror novel. I wasn't too crazy about it, however. A few good gory moments, but that was about it. It was also weighted down with the obligatory inclusion of a major character from the films.
This vampire infection rate issue has been the subject of some weighty calculations. See
http://io9.com/5241252/physicists-prove-that-vampires-could-not-exist
Repo Men struck me as disappointing, but I have to admit that those particular movies didn't come to mind. Volcano and Deep Impact?
It doesn't bother me that Repo Men is ripping that Genetic Opera off because I for can't stand Repo the Genetic Opera. I almost want to give them kudos for trying to take a good idea and actually use it well however sadly I'm hearing it sucks to. :(
Robert, sorry to hear that. Who was the major character?
Anon, the reason I mentioned movies like Volcano and Deep Impact is that they were also very blatant rip-offs of other movies that had just come out, or were about to.
Chuck, I'm not saying the Genetic Opera is a masterpiece, but damn does it take some balls to so obviously rip it off!
Lots of good stuff in there, but I had to stop and comment because Big Daddy Kane is awesome! That is all.
Also Death Troopers piques my interest too (and I prefer Trek to Wars), but I got burned when I read the Death Star novel and it sucked.
Put me also in the "not having a good feeling" about the Clash of the Titans remake. It looks like 300, which some folks like but doesn't jibe with the fun, fantastic vibe of the original, as you say, B-Sol.
Plus, the Kraken redesign strikes me as awful. But that may be the nostalgia talking. ;)
BTW, in point of fact the "intentional sharing of blood" to turn a victim into a vampire goes at least as far back as Bram Stoker's novel, IIRC. I'm fairly certain that Mina talks about the Count opening a vein and making her drink. Not that I want to cast aspersions on Anne Rice's inventiveness. ;)
I agree that this new Clash seems to be heavily informed by 300. And actually, I enjoyed the heck out of 300--I just think it's VERY different material from Clash of the Titans.
And I think you're right about the Bram Stoker thing... I need to double check that.
B-Sol,
In response to your question, the OT character (two actually) that appears in the book is (Spoilers, because they don't show up until about 2/3 of the way through)
.
.
.
Han and Chewie
You get a million blogging points for calling out Monster Squad for its use of the words "faggot" and "homo" as slurs and then, without any sense of irony and in your very next bullet point, calling the man who famously rapped the line "the Big Daddy law is anti-faggot" awesome. Nice.
Wow Robert, now I'm more intrigued than ever!
Anonymous, thanks for the blogging points. I'm pleased you can appreciate life's little gray areas!
I always figured that they didn't need to feed every night.
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