Godzilla sequel: How will Mothra make sense?

Anyone who knows Donny Winter, founder of the internet message board Kaiju Galaxy, also knows that he's a HUGE fan of MOTHRA, the winged monster arguably the most famous Toho kaiju(giant mysterious beast) after, well Godzilla of course! Take a listen by clicking on the below video as Donny offers his thoughts on the announcement that Mothra will be a featured monster in the sequel to the recently released Godzilla(2014) which was produced by Legendary Pictures:

Ozark Mountain Daredevils - "Jackie Blue"

They might be giants: ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN(1958)

As I've gotten older I've found, and to my chagrin, that my interest in low(er) budget, 1950's sci-fi and "monsters on the loose" movies has waned somewhat. Still, I like to dive into one of these films every once in a while. I just watched one of them on TCM(Turner Classic Movies) this past week: Attack Of The 50 Foot Woman, directed by Nathan Juran and starring Allison Hayes, William Hudson and Yvette Vickers. This movie has been lampooned over the decades for its cheap special effects and high "cheese" factor. I still think it's a fun way to blow off an hour and a half(actually a little less) every year or two.

In this movie a young female socialite named Nancy Archer(played by Allison Hayes) who has been ignored by her cheating husband(played by William Hudson), encounters a beeping spaceship with blinking lights while driving along a countryside road. The occupant of the spaceship, a bald, radioactive extraterrestrial alien giant, appears.  The alien giant is radioactive(what a shocker) and Nancy's exposure to the alien causes her to grow into a giant herself, topping out at fifty feet tall!


Nancy Archer, now an angry 50 foot tall giant, erupts out of a house she's been sequestered in by a local doctor and immediately goes looking for her philandering husband. The giantess terrorizes the town's locals as she finally gets her hands(literally) on her husband...(no other spoilers)

Attack Of The Fifty Foot Woman(1958) can be viewed on YouTube but is also available on DVD(released back in 2007). Click the link to see this movie for sale on DVD(part of the "Warner Archives" collection) at WBShop.com: ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WOMAN DVD

This film is also part of a three movie, 2007 DVD set released by Warner Brothers called Cult Camp Classics I-Sci Fi Thrillers, paired with "The Giant Behemoth(1959)" and "Queen Of Outer Space(1958)". Click this link to see it for sale at Amazon: CULT CAMP CLASSICS I - SCI FI THRILLERS

A trailer:

Star Trek Fan's $500,000 Memorabilia Collection

How long could you last without your mobile phone?

How long could you last without your mobile phone?

Click the link above and find out. If you believe the article(and poll) 47% of Americans say they are addicted to their cell phones. 24% say they would feel "naked" if they were without their mobile devices for 24 hours or longer.

And me? I've been using a Samsung Freeform III cell phone for the past two years and before that a Samsung Freeform. These are very basic phones with a camera, texting and the local and long distance calling capabilities as well as having alarms and other nice(but basic features).

These Samsung Freeform cell phones are now widely considered antiquated dinosaurs in the mobile communications industry which is just fine by me since, at age fifty two, I'm something of a dinosaur now myself (an allosaurus or dodo bird depending on who you ask). I've found my cell phone to be convenient and a very useful tool of my trade(gardening/landscaping work). I am planning to upgrade to an "android" style cell phone before year's end but I won't be spending any large amount of money for one either. Am I addicted to my cell phone? Nope. I never will be either!

Street tough: DREDD(2012)

I watched Dredd(2012) again on Blu Ray a few nights ago. This movie, directed by Pete Travis, has quickly become a favorite of mine. Karl Urban stars in the title role as Judge Dredd, one of a cadre of judges who, working for the Hall Of Justice, serve as the law on the streets of Megacity One, a colossal city industrial complex of 8 million people that stretches from New York City to Boston, MA. These judges serve as both judge, jury and executioner for those criminals unfortunate enough to cross them. This comic book character first came to the big screen back in 1995 in "Judge Dredd", a movie I think is decent but hardly did the title character any justice. While Sylvester Stallone, who played the character in the '95 film, managed to convey the rugged, no nonsense physicality of Judge Dredd the campiness of the movie and the comic relief element courtesy of Rob Schneider IMO detracted from the film. In Dredd(2012) there is no camp and no efforts by the director to inject humor of any kind into this movie. The film is a straight forward, full force R rated and gritty action affair that for me much more effectively captures the essence of Judge Dredd, especially his intimidating presence and the manner in which he dispenses "justice" to criminals.

The title character never removes his helmet in this movie, a major plus for me and I also like the performance of Lena Headey as the ruthless, brutal villain in this movie, ex prostitute turned crime(and drug) lord "Madeleine Madrigal" aka "Ma Ma". For Dredd(2012) to work the title character needs a truly evil villain and "Ma Ma" is absolutely that.

 The special effects are marvelous as Judge Dredd, accompanied by a rookie, probationary "Judge" named Cassandra Anderson(who's also telepathic), takes on the "Ma Ma clan", a small army of thugs inside a two hundred story apartment structure. Dredd and his rookie partner systematically eradicate Ma Ma's thugs, punching and blasting their way through them as well as a trio of corrupt judges hired by "Ma Ma" to kill Dredd and his partner. Fans of this character and action movie fans who haven't seen this movie should do so. You won't be disappointed!

So far there has been no official word on whether there will be a sequel to this film. Actor Karl Urban has stated he would be willing to reprise the role of the mercurial, no nonsense Dredd. There is, as far as I know, at least one fan petition online in support of a sequel. I absolutely hope one gets made!

A trailer:

This movie looks terrific on Blu Ray and can be purchased on BD at Amazon by clicking the link: DREDD(2012) Blu Ray

The Herculoids(1967) - complete animated series/WBShop.com

One of my fondest childhood memories growing up as a pre-teen was watching Saturday morning cartoons. Space Ghost(1966), Frankenstein Jr.(1966), Galaxy Trio(1967) & Birdman(1967). I have purchased nearly all of them on DVD from WBShop.com(Warner bros). My favorite of these '60's Hanna Barbera cartoon series is without a doubt THE HERCULOIDS, which originally aired on CBS in 1967. In this series a group of unique and powerful creatures live peacefully on their home planet of "Quasar", constantly forced to defend their home planet from hostile alien invaders and other mutant monstrosities. The creatures known as "The Herculoids" are:  1) Gloop and Gleep, a pair of living, shapeshifting, blob like creatures - 2) Tundro who resembles a rhinocerous-triceratops(dinosaur) hybrid and fires exploding energy rocks from its horn- 3) Igoo who is a giant ape possessing a body made of rock-Igoo is sheer brute force and finally 4) Zok, a winged dragon who can fire laser beams from its crystalline eyes.

Living with these fabulous creatures is Zandor, his wife Tara and their son Dorno. When 'The Herculoids" fight together they are essentially unbeatable in combat. This series is marvelous and is filled with imaginative and menacing alien villains as well as destructive and malevolent monsters all of who square off against our hero Herculoids. The character of "Zandor" is voiced by Mike Road, who also provided the audio of "Igoo" in this series.

Click the link below to buy this classic animated TV series from WBShop.com:

Herculoids, The: Complete Original Animated Series-Movies & TV: On Sale-WBshop Savings  WBshop.com | Warner Bros.

The Evolution of Godzilla (1954 - 2014)

I haven't seen Godzilla(2014), the new G film from Legendary Pictures yet because of a very busy work schedule right now. No matter as I'll buy it on Blu Ray later this year. Godzilla has undergone many changes to his appearance during his sixty year cinematic career. The iconic movie monster, created by the Toho Motion Picture Company(located in Japan), has provided me with a lot of thrills(and laughs) over the years. I've been a fan of this monster since I was a kid. Now, at age fifty two, I'm still a huge fan of Godzilla and probably will be into my senior years.

My favorite Godzilla rendering is 'Kingoji", the Godzilla design used in 1962's King Kong Vs Godzilla. I'm also a great fan of the "Mosugoji" design from 1964's Mothra Vs Godzilla and the "Soshingeki" G design which Toho used from 1968-1972. The only Godzilla "suit" design I actually dislike is the "Musukogoji" design from 1967's Son Of Godzilla.

To date Godzilla(2014), directed by Gareth Edwards, has generated $477.5 million in worldwide box office receipts and has yet to be theatrically released in Japan(it will be on July 25th). Hopefully this new American made Godzilla movie will be well received in Japan.

The new Godzilla movie is, according to many sources, part of a planned trilogy of Godzilla films, all being produced by Legendary Pictures.

Go Godzilla!

Styx - "Superstars"

Myth Busters: Jason And The Argonauts(1963)

I don't usually buy Blu Rays of movies when I already own the specific movie on DVD but I do make the exception now and then, especially when it's a film I like to watch annually. Jason And The Argonauts(1963) is one such movie. It's a Columbia Pictures action-fantasy film originally theatrically released in 1963, directed by Don Chaffey and produced by Charles Schneer. The movie itself is based on Greek mythology.

In this movie "Jason", a Thessalonian trying to reclaim his rightful crown as king of his country, recruits a group of soldiers and athletes in Greece to embark on a journey to find and bring back a golden ram's head and fleece which Jason believes will bring peace and prosperity back to his home country which has been plagued by famine and civil war. Local shipbuilder "Argo" builds a ship for Jason and soon these men have set sail, the goddess Hera(played by Honor Blackman) literally watching their backs as a wooden figure of the goddess sits on the stern of the vessel. Jason, despite his general disdain for Zeus and the rest of the gods, grudgingly accepts the offer of assistance from Hera...and he'll be glad he did later in the movie.

In their search for the "golden fleece" Jason and his crew of "Argonauts" encounter various spectacular and deadly characters along the way including: a 150 foot tall bronze, sword wielding statue come to life called Talos, two winged, gargoyle like creatures called "harpys", a seven headed, serpentine monster called the "Hydra" and a horde of sword wielding skeletons borne from the slain Hydra's teeth. There's also a scene in which a giant sized Poseidon(god of the sea) appears to help the Argonauts navigate through a bottleneck of dangerous, moving rocks which employs miniatures and trick photography.

To bring all of these fantastic creatures to life in this movie (the late) Ray Harryhausen employs his special "stop motion" effects. Harryhausen's effects can be seen in many other movies but I've always liked them best in Jason And The Argonauts(1963). The Blu Ray of this movie cleans up the film noticeably although in many scenes I couldn't tell much difference between the BD and the DVD. Extras include a trailer, various audio commentaries and a terrific featurette on the influence of Ray Harryhausen on movie special effects. 

For anyone who enjoys the various "Sinbad" films and other sword & sorcery and/or fantasy films I'd recommend Jason And The Argonauts(1963)!

A trailer:
 
The Sony Home Entertainment Blu Ray release(2010) for sale at Amazon: JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS(1963) Blu Ray