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[JohnIan101]

Past Tense - So Hungry Part III


Think about this - there is a whole generation there who have never known a world without the dead coming back to life.



I missed it the first time, the creators of "Shaun Of The Dead" (2004); writers Simon Pegg (left, star in the U.K. flick) and Edgar Wright have a cameo as zombies in the downtown bazaar attraction, 'have your photo taken with the dead'.

I had heard of about they're cameos, but could not figure out where they were, then the moment became so obvious.

Was never good at finding Waldo anyway.

A bit more...



Romero's daughter, Tina has a bit part - the soldier that shoots down the ghoul who walked into the electrified fence. Sway.

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"Land" got banned in the Ukraine by the Culture Ministry in 2005.

Why?

In the 1930's the nation went through hard times, a tremendous famine, millions died - cannibalism happened. You can pretty much guess why it's banned.

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The film got a single, one night re-release, the director's cut - shown in thirty-six theaters nationwide on October 17th, 2005, the day before it's home video release. Shown at Regal Cinemas, Edwards Theaters and United Artists Theaters.

The event had a taped interview with Romero (recorded on September 15th, 2005 in Toronto, Canada), "Conversation With Director George Romero".

I remember wanting to go see it, but none of those theaters were near me.

Was presented by Fangoria Entertainment. Man, finding that poster image was a pain in the ass.



That interview isn't on DVD. Above is from a tiny and short video from the interview; 00:00:43 clip. Internet mojo was good that night.

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Recommendations.

I'm showcasing five Halloween suggestions for three weeks, since my last post (week four) will hit four days before Halloween - would be pointless; you should already have an idea of what to watch that night.

Most can be found in your local video rental shops. A very few can be found in stores. The best bets is to find them online, cheaply, through Ebay or from Amazon's resellers marketplace where you can purchase used/new DVDs. Or even at pawn shops.

Granted, some can be found on Netflix and such streaming services.

"Attack The Block" (2011)
Lambeth, South London. A group of teens living in an impoverish neighborhood, create their own kind of entertainment; theft and vandalism. Their lives are changed drastically when an object falls from the sky, impacting a car. What the gang finds is a nocturnal creature, deadly and the first of many to descend from the stars; the invasion begins tonight. The teens take refuge in their twenty-five story rundown apartment. All their skills and audacity come to play as they become unlikely heroes. A horror comedy. A film worthy to be spoken in the same breath as "Shaun Of The Dead" (2004).
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment - 2011 - R

"The Bay" (2012)
A mockumentary. On July 4th, 2009 an epidemic occurred at Claridge on Chesapeake Bay, Maryland. Hundreds died, there was a cover-up. This chronicle is made up of various found footage (camcorders, cell phones, web cams and security video), digital evidence edited together by a local novice television reporter who was there when it happened. In short this is parasite feature, but reality based. The organisms in question are REAL, shown here as mutated from pollution (steroids among others). Much of what happens occurs off camera, just audio off a stationary video. Things start off slow and rush towards a bloody and creepy conclusion. This is an ecological horror movie. You’ll think twice about drinking tap water. Some hate this movie, others love it (I did), can't say where you'll sit.
Lionsgate - 2013 - R

"The Crawling Eye" (1958; black & white)
The mysterious deaths of two climbers (missing their heads, frozen below ambient temperature) brings a United Nations science investigator, Alan Brooks to Trollenberg, Switzerland. He visits the local research station, an observatory and meets Professor Crevett. The dead men and a strange radioactive cloud atop a nearby mountain might be related. Soon Trollenberg becomes covered in dense fog, there is something within; slithering, hungry, deadly and not of this Earth. A last stand is made at the observatory, humanity’s final hope. This movie appears to be the inspiration for the Stephen King novella, “The Mist”. This DVD is called the Widescreen European Edition.
Image Entertainment - 2001 - NR

"Knights Of Badassdom" (2013)
The crushing loss of his girlfriend (she dumped him) has Joe in the slumps. It is his two best friends; Eric and Hung who decide to save him by kidnapping the brokenhearted. Joe wakes up at a LARP (Live Action Role Playing) event, "The Battle Of Evermore". Joe himself, a former gamer is not in the mood for this nonsense. But goes along with it since his buds have put so much effort to cheer him up. What was suppose to be a fun weekend turn into a genuine odyssey. A real demon, a succubus was accidentally conjure by idiots who bought a grimoire online - thinking that it was a prop book. The unholy entity is murdering unsuspecting gamers. Realizing what's going on, Joe and his friends must save the day, be more than pretend heroes. A horror comedy. CGI was used to enhanced the effects, but for the most part this was old school visuals, man-in-suit.
Entertainment One Film - 2014 - R

"Wes Craven’s Invitation To Hell" (1984)
Made for ABC TV movie (aired May 24th, 1984). A scientist and his family move to a gated community, "Warm Springs"; they are invited to join the local health spa. The father is a government contractor, working on a proposed mission to Venus. His department is responsible for the space suits. Very fine membership print; sign up, you surrender your soul. He never joined, but his wife and kids did. In order to save his family he dons his suit and enter Hell itself through a portal at the spa. Not the greatest of movies, but the concept alone is reason to watch, deserves to be remade proper.
Artisan Home Entertainment - 2003 - NR

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Just Because.

Sexy costumes for the ladies.



Thought Chucky and Scissorhands were clever genre icons to transform sexy. A nice touch having "Good Guy" printed on the overall, that was Chucky's doll toy line.

Just so you know, there's a porno called "Edward Penishands" (1991) from Video Team, Sikki Nixx as the title star. It spewed out two sequels; all three came out in the same year. Featured such lovely ladies as Bianca Trump, Madison, Angela Summers and Jeanna Fine to name a few. Was going to post the DVD cover (originally on VHS and LD), there's no nudity, but opted to play it safe.

Poor Edward did not have one for each finger. No, he didn't have hands period, just a single penile digit per wrist. That's so sad, not even opposable thumbs. *shakes head*

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So? Who's that pretty dead girl?

Don't give me that look.



Above left pix; far left is director George A. Romero (glasses) with special effects maestro Greg Nicotero (blue shirt), pointing to her contacts.

Can not recall if she appears in the feature. The red head was in studio in full make-up for Romero and film makers to examine the effects for the feature.

It's possible she's not in the film.



She could be one of the staff at his workshop.

I would like to see her, minus make-up. *nods*

As mentioned last PT, this month you're getting one new Past Tense each week. Next week (October 13th, 2016) our dark delicacies is an American remake of a foreign flick.

One last bit...



Once again Asia as Slack. Argento is daughter of Dario Argento, renown Italian horror filmmaker. The guy directly responsible for "Dawn" ('78) getting made.

He paid George to write the script and flew him from Pittsburgh, PA to Rome, Italy with free lodging for him and Christine. Dario also co-finance the movie for the European release rights with his own edits; renamed "Zombi" with new music added by Goblin. The rest is history. Romero used existing library music (from DeWolfe) for his film, did not have the budget for an orchestra.

Before you ask... Yes, that's Asia's real tattoo - goes all the way to her crotch. I'm not into tats. Porn star, Teagan Presley got transformed into a biker chick with all her tattoos. Damn shame. That and breast implants, she didn't need them. Guy loved her because she was natural - was.

Okay more more.

"Land" was released on VHS on the same date, it sold for $29.98. People were still buying cassettes back in 2005. This was the R rated version - presented in full screen.