Blog From The Monsterverse

There was no meeting the previous week due to general post-Thanksgiving sloth.

Except for Oldmanster Reed, we were all in attendance at FXRH’s place, although I’m sure some of us wished we weren’t –- for the first few hours, at least. I’ll explain…

FXRH decided to upgrade to a new receiver (the Onkyo TX-SR606) because it allows for several HDMI inputs (I’m remembering four) so that he can unify his system. It also allows for 7.1 surround sound and he added two speakers midway between the front and back speakers which creates ‘moving’ sound between front and back, or vice versa.

But FXRH didn’t anticipate some problems in setting up the new receiver, particularly with these expensive ‘banana’ plugs he’d bought that were supposed to make speaker-wire hookup a snap. The instructions for these things are lame, lame, lame and so they kept coming undone whenever FXRH tried to attach them.

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The Twonky (1953) is one of only a handful of films written and directed by Arch Oboler Jr., one of the big names in radio back when radio meant something. His most famous radio program was Lights Out! a sort of radio version forerunner of TV shows like The Twilight Zone, One Step Beyond or Thriller! Terror was created in the mind’s eye through dialogue, sound effects and music. Unfortunately, Oboler was never able to duplicate his success on radio in motion pictures, nor did he ever find a truly suitable vehicle to showcase his talent.

The Twonky concerns a philosophy professor Cary West (Hans Conried) who is left alone with the new television purchased by his wife (Janet Warren), away for a birth in the family. The purchase is treated as an unusual event, natural in the days when television was still in its infancy and many homes did not have set at the time of this film’s release. It’s an odd looking television in a blond casing with the sort of legs that might be seen on a French provincial end table. It sports a V-shaped antenna with little knobs on the ends. When West absent-mindedly prepares to light his cigarette, the TV (the Twonky of the title) shoots a white, laser-like beam at it, igniting his smoke. It does the same when he presents his pipe.

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IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE
When the USA’s first manned spaceship to the planet Venus crash lands in the Mediterranean near a Italian fishing village, Doc Savage is asked to help in the recovery. The Man of Bronze and his Iron Crew travel to Italy, only to discover that astronaut Col. Robert Calder wasn’t the sole survivor to travel 20 million miles to Earth!

Combining James Bama’s cover illustration for Doc Savage No. 37, HEX with a screen capture from 20 MILLION MILES TO EARTH brings Doc Savage face to face with one of Ray Harryhausen’s most enduring creations, the Ymir.

View the original cover to HEX after the jump.

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Spies-a-Go-Go (1964) is a pretty silly little movie. Yet, it’s surprisingly entertaining schlock. This Alpha Video DVD is retitled The Nasty Rabbit after the animal that is the center of attention.

The rabbit is nasty because it carries a vial of deadly bacteria. Russian spy Mischa (Mischa Terr) is sent to drop the cute carrot eater on the Continental Divide where the biological nightmare will be unleashed. However, secret agents from around the world are on to the plot and set to intercept. Operatives from Britain (Liz Renay, using the name Melissa Morgan), Mexico (Ray Vegas), Japan (John Akana), Israel (Jack Little), Germany (Hal Bizzy) and the U.S. (Arch Hall Jr.) are represented. They all end up on a ranch owned by Gavin (Hal Bokar) where they run around in Keystone Cop fashion for most of the picture’s 90 minute running time before the final fade-out.

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If you don’t hang out at the Classic Horror Film Board, your should. Not only is it the home of the Rondo Awards, but it’s the best place to discuss your favorite horror films and horror film stars.

It’s also populated by a number of talented artists, one of which is the prolific Zombie Dad, AKA Roger Koch. With the help of his daughter, Jen Fox (Jen the Zombie) on the CHFB, they created a nifty holiday take on Hitchcock’s PSYCHO that really brought home the meaning of Christmas for me.

Click on the image to get a better look at how Norman and his Mom like to bring in the Holiday’s. And feel free to drop by the CHFB to see what other artistic wonders are being displayed.

Pop culturists will remember when Cocoa Cola risked tampering with their tried and true product of many decades when they introduced New Coke. This was one of the bigger blunders on the part of a major international merchandiser. Fans of the long running James Bond franchise wondered if a similar disaster awaited the introduction of New Bond in Casino Royale (2006), a back to the beginning approach meant to bring the Ian Fleming character up-to-date for the younger generation who saw the Bourne spy thrillers films as the new benchmark in action/thriller cinema.

That producers Barbara Broccolie and Michael Wilson were on target was seen in the best reviews for a Bond movie in some years and box office of nearly $600 million worldwide. With that success the only question could be, “What will they do for a follow-up?” The answer is Quantum of Solace. Spoilers follow.

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Cinematical calls to our attention that artist David MacDowell created this highly unlikely mash-up of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY and GODZILLA. Apparently it’s part of the Kaiju Monster Invasion, Miami Beach Fine Art Show in Florida, which opens today.

For more information go to their MySpace page here.
And don’t forget to check out their picture gallery, there’s some more great kaiju inspired art there.

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