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AWESOME-tober-fest 2013: Return of the Living Dead (1985)

Posted in 80s, monsters, movies, pop culture, zombies with tags AWESOME-tober-fest, AWESOME-tober-fest 2013, Halloween, holiday, monsters, movies, pop culture, reviews, zombies on October 4, 2013 by Paxton

Today I return to what I remember as one of my favorite zombie movies, The Return of the Living Dead. I saw it a few times back in the day and loved it. I even had the poster on my bedroom wall for years. I personally don’t think zombies are that interesting of a monster (have I said that a few times this month?) so I like it when a movie plays with the genre and gives you something you don’t expect. Like humor. This is a funny zombie movie.

Anywho, back in the day, I was unaware of the interesting history behind this particular movie and it’s origins with the godfather of zombie movies, Night of the Living Dead.

After the success and controversy over Night of the Living Dead, director George Romero and writer John Russo parted ways. Romero left with the rights to make his “of the Dead” sequels and Russo received the rights to any “living dead” movies.

After Russo’s split with Romero, in 1978 he wrote a serious Night of the Living Dead sequel called Return of the Living Dead. Russo shopped this around to studios as a script. It was bought by producer Tom Fox. Tom Fox gave the book to Dan O’Bannon who re-wrote the script to be more humorous and further differentiate it from Romero’s movies. This new humorous and irreverent zombie movie bears little resemblance to Russo’s original story. The movie was originally supposed to be in 3-D and directed by Tobe Hooper. However, Hooper dropped out and O’Bannon went ahead as director.

The movie was finally released in 1985.

The movie is sort of a humorous side-quel to Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. As explained in the beginning of the movie, the zombie ghouls in Romero’s movie were caused by a chemical called Trioxin. When the army was cleaning up the bodies and contaminated soil, some of their trucks mistakenly delivered their cargo to the Uneeda Medical Supply warehouse where they sat for like 20 years until two warehouse workers mistakenly crack open one of the drums, release the chemical and cause corpses to start rising from the grave again. And all hell breaks loose.

The zombies in this movie are a little different than the usual zombies you are used to. They can speak. There is a scene in which our heroes actually interrogate a zombie to find out why they eat humans. Several times zombies use a CB radio to call more paramedics and cops so they’ll have more brains to eat. Oh, and this movie was the genesis of the idea that zombies eat brains. Romero made his zombies cannibals who ate human flesh. These zombies can eat flesh, but they NEED brains and many walk around screaming “BRAINS!” You even see a few zombies using tools like hammers and clubs. They can also open doors and set up elaborate traps like using a pulley to pry open locker doors where people are hiding. It’s a little odd to see that now because most zombies these days can’t speak and shamble along just grunting. But I kinda liked it.

Linnea Quigley

If nothing else, this movie is fun. Low rent and cheesy, but fun. The main teens are a bunch of punkers, suitably dressed and named things like Suicide, Meat, Trash, etc. Of course, Linnea Quigley plays the slutty Trash and spends the middle part of the movie mostly naked running from zombies. Then running around as a zombie. The character of Freddy is played by Thom Matthews who the very next year would go on to play Tommy in Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives. Then, in 1988 he’d appear in the sequel, The Return of the Living Dead Part II, but as a completely different character. Not sure how that works as I haven’t seen any of the FOUR sequels they made to this movie. But I plan on giving them a chance.

And if you haven’t seen this movie, and you like cheesy 80s horror, then give this movie a chance. It’s still pretty entertaining.

And I can’t say enough how good the original soundtrack is with punk and hard rock and roll tracks all over it with bands like The Cramps, 45 Grave, TSOL and SSQ.

Also, check out the blog Countdown to Halloween for more Halloween-y, bloggy AWESOMEness.

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AWESOME-tober-fest 2013: The Purple Smurfs (1981)

Posted in 80s, cartoons, monsters, pop culture, TV shows, zombies with tags AWESOME-tober-fest, AWESOME-tober-fest 2013, cartoons, Halloween, holiday, monsters, pop culture, The Smurfs, TV shows, zombies on October 3, 2013 by Paxton

The sixteenth episode of Season 1 of The Smurfs cartoon was called The Purple Smurfs. It aired in October 1981. purple_smurfs_title This particular episode of The Smurfs has become infamous as the “zombie smurfs” episode.

We start off with Papa Smurf waking up on the wrong side of the smurf this morning. He gets pissed at all his little smurfs cause they aren’t working hard enough and starts acting like kind of a smurfing smurf to everyone. Check him out below dressing down Lazy Smurf for sleeping on the job. I mean, the dude’s NAME is Lazy, why are you surprised?
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After bottling up the continued mental and verbal abuse of Papa Smurf, Lazy Smurf goes off to chop some wood in the forest and encounters the rare and elusive “purple fly”.

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Yes, that’s its name, “purple fly”. I know because Papa Smurf calls it that later in the episode. The “purple fly” bites Lazy on the tail which turns him into a mindless purple smurf monster that only says “GNAP!”

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Zombie Lazy Smurf goes on a smurf tail biting rampage and starts turning the entire village into purple smurfs. Papa starts freaking the f**k out as all of his precious smurfs are getting smurfed into zombies.

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At first, Papa Smurf is able to identify the problem; the “purple fly” biting Lazy Smurf. But it’s been so long since this has been a problem that he can’t remember the solution (what?!). So Papa gets a team to go out into the woods to find this “purple fly”. It’s unclear whether this “purple fly” is only 1 fly or a whole species of fly. However, if there were a bunch of these things flying around the forest you’d think they would have been a problem in more recent memory and Papa would know what to goddam do about this situation. But he doesn’t so he has to improvise.

So Papa and his “purple fly retrieval team” go to the EXACT spot in the forest that happens to contain this rare zombie creating fly. He then captures it with a net that has holes that are clearly big enough for the fly to escape, but doesn’t for some reason.

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Papa starts experimenting on the fly but can’t seem to figure out a cure for the purple zombie smurfs. And these zombie smurfs are getting worse. They are spreading like wildfire and they have become incredibly smart. Zombie Hefty Smurf actually steals some blue paint and paints himself to look like a regular smurf so he can move around and bite smurf asses covertly. Like a ninja. A zombie smurf ass biting ninja.

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Not sure how or why the heart tattoo on Hefty’s right arm isn’t painted over with blue. I don’t think paint works like that.

So eventually, while fighting the purple smurfs, all of the smurfs are transformed into zombies except Papa Smurf. And, of course, he’s surrounded.

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He manages to escape that ring of purple smurf zombie death (check out zombie Smurfette in the upper left) and gets to his little hut where he keeps the cure. But not before he gets bitten and turned himself. Just as his hut catches on fire. The Smurfs are DOOOOOOOOOMED!!

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What happens? Tune in next time, same smurf time, same smurf channel.

Honestly, this is a fun episode. I enjoyed the purple smurf shenanigans. It had much of the zombie tropes you’d see in low budget horror movies of the 80s. And surprisingly, this entire cartoon story is based on a storyline that appeared in the original Smurf French comic strips back in 1959 (a full NINE YEARS before Romero’s Night of the Living Dead).

Check out this episode if you have a chance. It’s easily found online.

Also, check out the blog Countdown to Halloween for more Halloween-y, bloggy AWESOMEness.

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Nerd Lunch Extra Helping – Run-DMC

Posted in movies, music, rap, Run-DMC with tags movies, music, Nerd Lunch Podcast, podcasts, pop culture, rap, Run-DMC on September 18, 2013 by Paxton

While Nerd Lunch is on hiatus, I got together with Matt Ringler from Schlock Treatment and Tim Lybarger from The Neighborhood Archive to discuss Run-DMC and their entire musical catalog. But since this week is the 25th anniversary of their fourth album, Tougher Than Leather, we try to focus on that.

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We begin by talking about our first experiences with rap music. We talk about how we discovered Run-DMC, our favorite Run-DMC albums and songs and we even touch on the long forgotten Tougher than Leather movie that was released the same year as the album.

Lots to talk about and discuss in this episode. So don’t be a sucker MC. Download this episode today and relive the glory days of one of raps greatest musical groups.

Download this episode from iTunes or listen to it on Feedburner.

Or listen to this awesomeness online right here.

Nerd To Dos:

We didn’t do them this episode, but Matt and Tim do have some related recommended reading for you to check out.

Matt says for a good history on rap as a genre, check out Dan Charnas’ The Big Payback.

Tim recommends Adam Bradley’s Book of Rhymes.

Suprisingly, I’ve not read any books on the subject of hip hop. That kind of surprises me that I haven’t yet. But, a book I’ve had my eye on for a few years now is:

Raising Hell: The Reign, Ruin, and Redemption of Run-D.M.C. and Jam Master Jay

I go ahead and rank Run-DMC’s albums in order from best to worst

Posted in music, nostalgia, pop culture with tags music, pop culture, Run-DMC on September 16, 2013 by Paxton

Today marks the 25th Anniversary of the release of Run-DMC’s fourth studio album, Tougher than Leather. I was introduced to rap music in the early 80s by two groups. The Fat Boys and Run-DMC. I continued listening to both groups throughout my youth in the 80s and 90s. As a matter of fact, I still listen to them. For me both, but especially Run-DMC, ARE rap music. The prototypical rap group. Copied hundreds of times over.

So, on this anniversary, I’ve decided to make a very personal list of ranking Run-DMC’s studio albums in order of my personal preference. This was a really hard list to make because the first 3 albums are so historically important that I hate to put anything above them. But I have to forget the overall value to pop culture and just talk about the albums I listen to the most.

Here we go.

Tougher than Leather (1988) – Like I said, it’s really hard to rank these first three spots. Run-DMC’s first three albums are so important in the history of rap and hip hop that I struggle to not automatically put them first. As a matter of fact, these three spots have changed at least three times since I wrote this article a few months ago. And they may change again tomorrow. *shrugs* Anyway, for me, beginning to end, Tougher than Leather is my favorite. And not just because its birthday is today. Back in ’88 when this dropped, I LIVED the album. I wore out my copy. Pound for pound this has more good songs on it than any other album. BUT, it’s really close. The title track is similar to King of Rock but with a much harder rock backing track. I LOVE THAT SONG. My second favorite song on the album is Run’s House. It begins with Run’s famous monologue in which he opens many of their live shows, “We’ve had, a whole lot of super stars on this stage here tonight. But I want y’all to know one thing, this is…MY HOUSE!” And how awesome is Mary, Mary? They actually sample The Monkees and make a great song. Other kick ass songs include They Call Us Run-DMC, Beats to the Rhyme, How’d You Do It, Dee?, Papa Crazy, Miss Elaine and Ragtime, which is a fun derivation of the regular Run-DMC track. Reggae-influenced. It’s very reminiscent of a rapper called Slick Rick as, and it sounds weird on paper, the guys use very a very proper, clipped, but subtle, accent throughout the rhyme. It works because the song is sort of weird, too. Plus, you get to hear Jam Master Jay actually rap on the track.

Raising Hell (1986) – Commercially, this was Run-DMC’s most successful album. Part of that came from their cover of Walk this Way with a special appearance by Aerosmith. That cover is considered by many to be the first commercially successful fusions of rock and rap. Depends on how you look at it. Run-DMC’s earlier tracks Rock Box and King of Rock both successfully fused rock and rap before this. King of Rock being a fairly big commercial success. But nothing like Walk this Way. This IS a fantastic album, though. The title track on this album is pretty awesome and follows in King of Rock‘s footsteps. It’s Tricky is probably their second most popular song and is a sort-of sequel to Can You Rock It Like This? from King of Rock. Other great songs include My Adidas, Peter Piper, Hit It Run, Dumb Girl and You Be Illin’. Dumb Girl is one of their “conscientious” rap tracks similar to Hard Times or It’s Like That from their first album. You Be Illin’ is a fun track similar to You Talk to Much from King of Rock. And let’s not forget…”Son of Byford, brother of Al…..” Lots to really like on this album and it’s easy to see why it’s so important and popular.

King of Rock (1985) – It’s deceptive that this album is THIRD on my list. This is the album I discovered first probably in late ’85 or ’86. And it was INCREDIBLY hard not to rank it first. Incredibly hard. Any other day I MAY rank it first. Mostly because King of Rock is probably my favorite Run-DMC track of all time. King of Rock is awesome and showcases the group’s great, high energy backing tracks and awesome lyrical assault. Second best song on the album is probably Can You Rock it Like This? which, like I mentioned above, is a prototype in style and lyrical content to It’s Tricky. You Talk Too Much is a fun, goofy track that I mentioned above is a precursor to You Be Illin’. You can’t go wrong with this album. Other good songs are You’re Blind and It’s Not Funny which is similar in style and structure to Hard Times from the previous album. And Darryl & Joe (Krush Groove 3) is a great old-school rap track. As you can see, Run-DMC’s song stylings will have elements present throughout all of their albums. They are remarkably consistent while also always trying something new on each album.

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Review of Oz Book 15: The Royal Book of Oz (1921)

Posted in books, Classic literature, movies, Wizard of Oz with tags Book Report, books, movies, Oz books readthru, pop culture, reviews, Ruth Plumly Thompson, Wizard of Oz on September 5, 2013 by Paxton

L Frank Baum died in May 1919. Baum’s final Oz book, Glinda of Oz, wouldn’t be published until 1 year later in 1920. With Baum now gone, Reilly & Lee, decided to continue the Oz series with a new author. They selected Ruth Plumly Thompson to write the fifteenth book in the series. John Neill would return to illustrate the book as he had the previous thirteen books. However, Baum would get author credit on the cover and not Thompson.

It has been said that this book was written off the final Oz notes Baum left in his typewriter after he died. It has never been proven without a doubt that Baum even left final Oz notes. Regardless, it is pretty much a given that this book is all Thompson. Thompson trying a bit to write in the style of Baum, but still 100% Ruth Plumly Thompson. I really love Neill’s cover for this book.

The story itself is interesting. HM Wogglebug, TE gets the idea that he is going to chronicle the royal lines of Oz in a book called, of course, The Royal Book of Oz. While pitching the idea to Ozma, Wogglebug insults Scarecrow (former ruler of Oz and current Emperor of the Winkies) by saying he wasn’t born from a royal family and, in fact, has no ancestry. It is interesting to note that this is the first time that we see outright annoyance and dislike towards HM Wogglebug. In earlier books, characters would imply that he’s tiring to listen to, but nothing outright. In this book, the characters effectively come right out and say, “We don’t f**king like you. Go away.” Especially after he insults the Scarecrow.

So the Scarecrow runs away from the Emerald City back to the pole on the farm Dorothy found him. He slips down the pole to the Silver Islands that exist way below Oz (and far enough down to not be considered a part of Oz).

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Scarecrow tumbles down the bean pole to the Silver Islands

We learn the background of the Scarecrow and how he is the vessel for the spirit of the leader of the Silver Islanders. We meet his family and learn how he came to be on the pole when Dorothy found him. However, as these things tend to do, events turn sour and Scarecrow is trapped in Silver Islands and Dorothy and company must set out to find him. And we learn other cool things like Oz characters CAN die if they are taken out of Oz. It’s Oz’s magical fairyland properties that are keeping its citizens effectively immortal. And we get to meet Sir Hokus of Pokes, an elderly, valiant, well-meaning knight who would show up in three more Thompson Oz books (one with the character center stage) and one of John Neill’s books.

Like I said, on the surface, I like this plot. I like learning back story to a main character. We see a similar back story for the Tin Man in The Tin Woodman of Oz. However, and I hate to say this, but the entire endeavor feels hollow. It feels like Thompson is mimicing Baum’s style but can’t replicate his heart. There is so much sincere, heartfelt innocence and imagination in Baum’s books, you can’t help but love them. This book felt like a shallow copy. Thompson used less of the puns and clever dialogue Baum was known for while simultaneously using multiple plot threads that Baum rarely used. So I guess, in a way, she didn’t really follow Baum’s style at all.

Overall, I was just bored with this book. I wasn’t engaged in the story and for the last half just wished it was over. This is the first time that has happened in my reading of the Oz books. There were one or two Baum books I didn’t fully enjoy, but I was never bored or wished it to end. So, no, I can’t really recommend this. However, John Neill’s artwork is again the centerpiece. Truly great illustrations.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t envy anyone following in Baum’s footsteps. And this was Thompson’s first effort. Thompson eventually wrote 18 more books after this so I assume she gets better the further she moves out of Baum’s shadow. Looking at the list of her books, a few of them do look interesting; The Cowardly Lion of Oz, The Yellow Knight of Oz and maybe Pirates in Oz, We’ll see how many I actually get to.

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