2017

Posted on November 25, 2017 by Ryan C. (fourcolorapocalypse)

I survived the abomination that was Doomsday Clock #1 by the slimmest of margins, and with that in the rear view mirror, it’s time to take a look at stuff that arrived at my LCS or via the USPS this week that I actually liked —

The fifth and latest self-published issue of Alex Graham’s magazine-sized solo series Cosmic BE-ING (yes, that’s how you spell it), originally solicited for Winter 2016, is finally here, and to say that this guy is one of the most intriguing cartoonists in the small press scene these days is an understatement of quasi-criminal proportions. Graham’s juxtaposition of the otherworldly and the mundane is meticulously delineated by means of painfully intricate “head-trip” designs and a keen eye for everyday observation. No one else is even trying to do the sort of comics Graham does; he truly exists in a sub-genre unto himself. This time out…

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Music Video of the Day: Young OG — 4am in Dallas (2016, dir by X Prophecy)

Posted on November 25, 2017 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Hi, everyone! Lisa here with today’s music video of the day!

So, I’ll be honest with you. The main reason that I picked today’s video is because Dallas is my hometown. I love it and I love the fact that this song is not only about Dallas but it was actually filmed here as well.

One thing you’ll notice about any video, movie, or TV show shot in Dallas. There’s always going to be at least a few shots of the Bank of America Plaza in the background. That’s the building that non-Dallasites tend to refer to as being “that big green building.” There have been so many nights where I looked over my shoulder, saw that building behind me, and I somehow knew everything would be okay.

Enjoy!

A Movie A Day #319: Northville Cemetery Massacre (1976, directed by Thomas L. Dyke and William Dear)

Posted on November 24, 2017 by Jedadiah Leland

You can’t always tell a book by its cover and that is the case with the Spirits, the nicest motorcycle gang to ever roll across America’s highways. When they come across an old couple on the side of the road with a flat tire, they don’t rob the couple. Instead, they change the tire. When they come across a young man named Chris (David Hyrly, who is overdubbed by a young Nick Nolte), they invite him to join them on their journey. When they are arrested, they sit in jail and roll a joint. The Spirits are solid dudes. But because they are rebels who live outside of straight society, they will always be picked on by the Man. After a redneck deputy rapes the Chris’s girlfriend, the deputy blames the Spirits. Soon, the Spirits find themselves under attack and are violently picked off one by one. In self-defense, the Spirits start to arm themselves. It all comes to a head in a violent confrontation in Northville Cemetery.

Made for a miniscule budget. featuring a largely amateur cast, and graphically violent, Northville Cemetery Massacre is an overlooked masterpiece, the type of movie that Sam Peckinpah would have made if he had worked on AIP biker movies instead of westerns. The Spirits are innocent and, as long as no one hassles them, peaceful but the rest of the world only sees their motorcycles and their leather jackets. The rapist deputy is one of the most evil lawmen in film history but because he wears a uniform and know the right people, he knows that he will never have to face justice. The ambiguous ending proves that the filmmaker’s had more on their mind than just cashing in one the tail end of the biker genre’s popularity. Adding to the film’s strength is a country-rock score from former Monkee Mike Nesmith and the casting of members of a real-life motorcycle club, the Scorpions. What the Scorpions may have lacked in acting ability, they made up for in authenticity.

Northville Cemetery Massacre was made in the early 70s but it wasn’t released by Cannon Films until 1976, at which point the biker genre was close to dead. Northville Cemetery Massacre provided audiences with one last chance to get their motor running, head out on the highway, and look for adventure with smoke and lightning and heavy metal thunder.

One Hit Wonders #9: “In the Year 2525” by Zager & Evans (RCA 1969)

Posted on November 24, 2017 by gary loggins

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A futuristic ballad about the danger of technological advancement and dehumanization spent 6 weeks at the top of the Billboard charts in 1969. Properly titled “In the Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus)”, this was the first and only hit for folk-rock duo Denny Zager and Rick Evans:

1969 had been a banner year for science fiction themes, with the films PLANET OF THE APES and 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY becoming box office hits a year earlier, popular novels from Kurt Vonnegut (SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE), Michael Crichton (THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN), and Ursula K. LeGuin (LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS) being published, and a young Brit named David Bowie releasing his LP “Space Oddity”. Of course, that was also the year Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon, and the possibilities for space exploration seemed endless. But some doomsayers warned of the impending takeover by machines, where mankind would become a slave…

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Artwork of the Day: 101 Acts of Love

Posted on November 24, 2017 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The hour is late so I won’t say too much about this poster for this 1971 film. According to the Grindhouse Database, this movie only has a 46 minute running time so it must have been 101 very quick acts of love.

I like the fact that the quote from “Dr. Ann Foster” doesn’t actually say anything about the movie, just the subject matter. Why, it’s almost as if Dr Foster was just some randomly quoted person who, in all probability, never actually saw the movie!

Music Video Of The Day: Inner Smile by Texas (2001, directed by Vaughan Arnell)

Posted on November 24, 2017 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Happy birthday, Erin Nicole!

That’s right! Today is Dazzling Erin’s birthday! One of the reasons why I love working on this site is because I get to work with my sister. Not only has she always been there for me (which is not as easy as you might think) but she’s always willing to listen to my ideas, no matter how crazy they are, and I know I can always depend on her to either help me make those dreams come true or to patiently explain to me why it might not be a great idea to try to schedule a new film review to post every minute over a 24 hour time period. (That was originally my plan for Halloween until I was gently reminded that would amount to 1440 posts in one day.)

Along with doing artist profiles, Erin is also usually the person who picks our artwork of the day. (Val Troutman was inspired by Erin’s artwork of the day to start our music video of the day feature.) She’s also an excellent photographer in her own right, as you can find out by cliking on this link!

I picked today’s music video because it’s for a song that’s prominently featured in a film that Erin and I absolutely love, 2002’s Bend it Like Beckham. The video for Inner Smile features Sharleen Spiteri, the lead singer of Texas, doing her best Elvis Presley impersonation. The video itself is disguised to look like one of those Elvis documentaries that occasionally pop up on PBS but, if you watch it carefully, there are hints that we’re not actually seeing Elvis. (Keep an eye on the belt that Sharleen holds up at one point.)

This video was directed by Vaughan Arnell, who has been directing videos since 1984! (On the imvdb, he’s credited with 49 videos in total.)

As is noted at the end of the video, this video was actually filmed in front of a live audience with Sharleen in full Elvis costume.

Also, I know someone’s going to say that the main reason that I like this song is because the group is named Texas. Well, sure, that’s definitely not a bad thing. However, the band itself is Scottish.

Enjoy!

Lisa’s Editorial Corner: 10 Things For Which I Am Thankful In 2017

Posted on November 23, 2017 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Well, it’s that time.

Every Thanksgiving, I come up with an even-numbered list of things for which I’m thankful. I know some people are saying that we shouldn’t be thankful for anything this year. These are the people who say that, because they’re miserable, it’s somehow offensive that everyone else isn’t miserable.

But you know what?

Fuck that.

No one tells me what to believe or whether or not I can celebrate a holiday. That freedom is something that I’m very thankful for! Here’s a few more things that I’ve been thankful for this year:

I’m thankful for this site. Arleigh Sandoc founded Through the Shattered Lens in December of 2009 and, about four months later, I posted my very first review on this site. A lot has changed since that first review. New contributors have added their own unique perspectives to this site and I’d like to think that, on a personal level, I’ve grown as a writer since I wrote that first review. But one thing that has always remained consistent is just how much I love doing this. I’ve posted over 4,000 posts on Through the Shattered Lens and I’ve had a blast writing every one of them!

2. I’m thankful for our readers. Seriously, you are the ones who make all of this worthwhile. We currently have somewhere around 28,000 subscribers and to each and every one of you, I say, “Thank you.” Thank you for reading and thank you for commenting. Just as I hope I’ve introduced some of you to some new movies, quite a few of you have also inspired me to take a second and third look at some of the films I’ve reviewed.

3. I’m thankful for all of the brave women (and men) who have shared their stories in an effort to make this world a safer place.

4. I’m thankful that this was the year of Twin Peaks. On this site, starting with the original series and extending all the way through the end of the Showtime revival, we shared our thoughts on everything Twin Peaks this year. Years from now, we’ll still be debating why Laura screamed.

5. I’m thankful that this has been a great year for genre films. While so many of the year’s “prestige” films fell flat, 2017 will always be remembered as the year of War of the Planet of Apes, Wonder Woman, The Lego Batman Movie, Beauty and the Beast, Split Kong: Skull Island, Get Out, It, Spider-Man, The Big Sick, Logan, and Thor: Ragnorak.

6. I’m thankful for networks like TCM, which introduce classic movies to new viewers.

7. I’m thankful for my friends in the Late Night Movie Gang. Every Saturday night, we watch a movie. Sometimes the movie is bad and sometimes, the movie is really bad. But we always have a blast.

8. I’m thankful that, in just another few weeks, I’ll be able to see The Disaster Artist.

9. I’m thankful for the artists who, in this time of rampant conformity, are still fighting to maintain their own unique and individual vision.

10. I’m thankful for Chinese food. Seriously, who doesn’t love Chinese food?

Happy thanksgiving!

A Movie A Day #318: The War At Home (1996, directed by Emilio Estevez)

Posted on November 23, 2017 by Jedadiah Leland

The year is 1972 and it is Thanksgiving week in small town America. The Colliers are getting ready for the holidays. Maurine (Kathy Bates) is intent on preparing the perfect Thanksgiving meal. Bob (Martin Sheen) is keeping an eye on his car dealership and wondering why kids today are not as respectful as they once were. The two Collier children are coming home from school. The youngest, Karen (Kimberly Williams), is hoping she can keep the peace because she knows that her older brother, Jeremy (Emilio Estevez), has returned from Vietnam a changed man. Suffering from severe PTSD, Jeremy is haunted by flashbacks and angry at everything, especially his father. The only reason he even attended college was so he could be near his girlfriend (Carla Gugino) and even she has told him that she no longer feels comfortable around him. When Jeremy returns home, his family first tries to ignore the problems that he’s having adjusting to civilian life but Jeremy is determined not to be ignored.

Emilio Estevez famously agreed to appear, for free, in the third Mighty Ducks films in return for Disney agreeing to produce and distribute The War At Home. Unfortunately, this heartfelt movie has never gotten the attention that it deserves. While Estevez’s direction is never subtle and the script , which was based on a play, is often heavy-handed, The War At Home is redeemed by the powerful performances of Estevez, Bates, Sheen, and Williams. Bates is especially good as the perfect homemaker who is revealed to be smarter than anyone realized. The War At Home is a good but overlooked film that is still relevant today.

Happy Birthday Boris Karloff: THE OLD DARK HOUSE (Universal 1932)

Posted on November 23, 2017 by gary loggins

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William Henry Pratt was born on November 23, 1887, but horror movie icon Boris Karloff was “born” when he teamed with director James Whale for 1931’s FRANKENSTEIN. The scary saga of a man and his monster became a big hit, and Universal Studios boss Carl Laemmle Jr. struck while the horror trend was hot, quickly teaming the pair in an adaptation of J.B. Priestley’s 1927 novel THE OLD DARK HOUSE. This film was considered lost for many years until filmmaker and Whale friend Curtis Harrington discovered a print in the Universal vaults. Recently, a 4K restoration has been released courtesy of the Cohen Film Collection, and a showing aired on TCM this past Halloween. I of course, having never seen the film, hit the DVR button for a later viewing.

THE OLD DARK HOUSE has not only been restored to its former glory, but is a delightful black comedy showcasing…

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The Lesson of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Posted on November 23, 2017 by Dazzling Erin

Every year, I watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and every year, I ask myself the same thing. Why didn’t Charlie Brown just say no?

At the start of the special, when Lucy again challenges Charlie Brown to kick the football that she’s holding, why doesn’t he say no? Why does he think that a national holiday would actually make Lucy hold the football long enough for him to kick it?

When Peppermint Patty decides to invite herself over for Thanksgiving dinner, why doesn’t he say just say no? Peppermint Patty (aka Priscilla) may not take no for an answer but why not at least try?

When Peppermint Patty tells him that she’s invited Franklin and Marcy over for dinner, why doesn’t Charlie just admit that he only knows how to make “cold cereal and maybe toast?”

When Linus suggests that he could have two dinners and then Snoopy and Woodstock volunteer to cater the whole affair, why doesn’t Charlie Brown say no? Doesn’t he know that anything he does is destined to go wrong? Couldn’t he see Snoopy wrestling with the folding chair and just said, “No, this isn’t going to work?”

When Peppermint Patty yells about only getting toast, popcorn, pretzels, and jelly beans for Thanksgiving, why doesn’t Charlie just kick her off of his property? No one would have blamed him.

And, when Peppermint Patty invites herself to go to Grandma Brown’s condo for Thanksgiving, why doesn’t he say no? Why, after all she’s done to him, does he still want to give her a good Thanksgiving?

It’s all about faith. All of the Charlie Brown holiday specials deal with faith. Not just spiritual faith (though that was always present) but also faith in the goodness of humanity (even if it is sometimes hard to find) and optimism for the future (even if Charlie sometimes didn’t share it).

Just as Linus believed in the Great Pumpkin, Charlie believed in Thanksgiving, a holiday where we give thanks for and appreciate our friends and family, even if they are sometimes crabby or if they don’t realize that pretzels and jelly beans are a great meal. Just as Snoopy believed that he could be a World War I flying ace and a published writer, Charlie Brown believed that a dog and a tiny bird could cater an entire holiday affair. And, just like how he’ll never stop believing that the little red-haired girl will someday notice him, Charlie Brown will never stop believing that he’s going to kick that ball. Charlie Brown never stops believing that things could go well even though they never do. He never stops believing that the next day could be better than the last and even if his friends and his dog aren’t perfect, he never stops being thankful for them.

That’s the lesson of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Never stop believing. Never lose track of what you have to be thankful for. Never let a dog and a bird cater your Thanksgiving dinner.

Happy Thanksgiving!