El Cosmico here, with random spewings. I'm gonna just jam all of these in here so I don't push Herc's stories down too far on the front page. More efficient fun for you!
First, our pal(?) Dynamite Jack shares his feelings about this week's BUFFY. Me, I watch Buffy, I like Buffy, but when people keep telling me "Dude, it's the best-written show on television!", I have to pause and say...no, no, it's just good fun. People are so strange. Anyway, here's Jack.
Got a sneak peak at this Tuesday's Buffy the Vampire Slayer and I have to say it packs a wallup (sp?). I've seen alot of shows that deal with losing a loved one and this one is the closest to capturing what it's like in those first few moments. It's a very painful episode to watch in that regard. Remember the last minute of last week's episode? It's like that for the entire hour.
This isn't to say there isn't humor in it because there is such as (spoiler) Willow constantly needing to change her outfit and Xander punching a wall and getting his hand stuck-that kind of humor.(spoiler over)
One scene that I found particularily poigniant is when Buffy tells Dawn the news. We see the scene from the perspective of her art class looking on as Dawn breaks down. An amazing scene. There are alot of scenes like that where you can tell that this is a very personal story that Joss Whedon is telling here. I don't want to give away everything but you can tell he's been through this before. Too much of it rings true.
Is there any movement on this year's storyline? Nope. Glory and the gang have the week off. In fact the only scenes from previous episodes is the scene where Buffy finds her mom so you know from the start that this ep is not going to deal with the story arc and just deal with the loss of a character.
I won't go into any more spoilers except to say the very last shot is haunting. Herc can back me up on this one. Hope you can use this.
Dynamite Jack
Sorry if this is a little bit of a scattershot review. Just got through watching this episode and still trying to recover. I'm sure Herc will write a more complete review.
Indeed he will. Thanks, Jack. Next, our pal(!) evilbaby has a follow-up to certain discussions regarding RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, and THE FOG. Well, great. Here's the evilbaby...who is apparently on some sort of mission; as we have so often seen, when fans show great amounts of interest, good things can happen. Otherwise, jack shit will happen, because most folks are lazy slack-ass bastards. So, go do something, why don't you?
Tonight I am attempting to start a letter writing campaign to get the "Return of the Living Dead" trilogy released on DVD in the near future. I've posted the info in all the necessary discussion groups and heck, I'll do it here too in case you wanna help. The 3 films are owned by 3 different companies so if you have trouble counting, that's 3 letters.
The first film was released in the early 80's. Accompanied by a punk rock soundtrack, it's considered to be the "Scream" of zombie films (it recognizes zombie movies in it's world, the "rules" on how to kill them and abruptly throws them out the window!) Lots of gore and scares with just the right amount of humor.
One of the most quotable flicks of the 80's as well. My fav line? As the 3 hapless workers in the warehouse have encountered the first 'brought-to-life-corpse-from-toxic-gas-lost-by-the-army' thing they attempt to "kill" it by puncturing the brain as they had seen it done in countless other "Living Dead" flicks. When they see it had no affect, one of them cries out "WELL IT WORKED IN THE MOVIES!!!!"
MGM owns the home video rights to this one. If you want it on DVD then
write to them at;
MGM Home Entertainment
2500 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90404-3061
Part 2 came a few years later. Though it was nowhere near as good, it still had it's moments (and was still "self-aware".) It focused more on the humorous aspects which, to my knowledge, had never really been done before with a zombie flick.
Warner Brothers owns this one, write to them at;
Warner Home Video
4000 Warner Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91522
Part 3 came out in the 90's. If you think you missed it in the theaters, you did as it was a direct-to-video release. A shame too as, in a strange way, it was a love story. Gory yes but the teenage couple who star in the film bring about a whole new emotional aspect never before seen in zombie films. Dead? Doesn't stop their love. Yes, it also brings back the gore from part 1 so horror fans need not be worried.
Trimark (now Lion's Gate Entertainment) owns this one. E-mail them at;
or send "snail-mail" to:
Lions Gate Entertainment
5750 Wilshire Blvd. #501
Los Angeles, CA. 90036
These are not merely 'eat your flesh'-mindless drivel. No "dead" film has ever approached it's subject matter in the way this trilogy did (not even George Romero's trilogy attempted this stuff.) Gore, horror, comedy, romance all wrapped up in a "self aware"-"Scream" like presentation. They deserve to be on DVD.
These films won't get to DVD unless the companies know there is a demand for them so they can make money. Write them and let 'em know!
~evilbaby
Wonderful help for a worthy cause from evilbaby. Next, we are updated regarding previously stated matters upon these pages...MORE EVILBABY!
I forgot to mention "Big Trouble In Little China" will be in anamorphic widescreen (I just assumed people would count on that but there are always worry warts!) Also, the documentary will be brand new, not some old re-tread.
Now as for "The Fog", MGM had re-issued it on VHS late last year and
there *was* word it'd have it's DVD debut this August but I recieved a
letter from MGM stating that there is "no scheduled release" which of
course is a major let down. I suggest to anyone who wants it on DVD
(even if it is a bare bones disc..this IS MGM we're talking about here
folks) to wite them and demand it. Their address is:
MGM Home Entertainment
2500 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90404-3061
~evilbaby
Man, evilbaby sure does know everyone's address, eh?
-El Cosmico
UPDATE: Our pal evilbaby has a bit more to say:
Just want to say thanks for mentioning my "return of the living dead" trilogy DVD campaign, i think it'll really help!
as an update (and i'm hoping either you or Harry will mention this on the relevant page) DVD Insider has started an on-line petition for the trilogy (apparently for those who can't be bothered with writing real letters) and here is the URL;
http://www.dvdinsider.com/spotlight/contests/petition_livingdead.asp
Maybe all of this will cause MGM to release part 1 on DVD...even if it'd be a 'bare bones' release!
So thanks again to aint-it-cool-news!
