Some love it, some pretentious film nerds hate it. If you went into the theater expecting the original Evil Dead, you’re an idiot. The Evil Dead was remade twice (Within the Woods) prior to the 2013 offering produced by Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell, the sick fucks responsible for the original movies. It was a different movie each time, with the same basic plot points.
Very little was changed this time around, besides toning down the campiness and raising brutality to a whole new level. The production design was beautiful, the blood and gore plentiful, the nods to the original film clever and humorous.
My only complaint about the new Evil Dead is the marketing. While the debut red band trailer was badass, the reaction video trailers were stupid. Maybe that trick fooled people into going to see the first Paranormal Activity, but Evil Dead is not some lame found-footage film from horror amateurs without a budget.
And then there were the one-sheets.
The original Evil Dead flicks had some ridiculously cool poster work and promo materials. Ash, skeletal hands, chainsaws, blood. What the hell happened?
Coal Chamber, the so-called “spooky-core” alt metal/nu-metal band that had a huge impact on the music scene of the late 90s, is back on the road again.
As much as it pains me, I won’t be making it to their stop at The Rave in Milwaukee this Friday. So instead, let’s watch their debut video for “Loco” from 1997 directed by Nathan “Karma” Cox:
The dark, experimental and almost cartoon-ish nature of Coal Chamber’s visual aesthetic, as well as the gritty textures swirling into the controlled frenzy of their signature groove will always move me on some primal level.
I am not a toy collector, but there is something particularly nostalgic for me about the original Beetlejuice action figures. Toys from that particular period of time could still be weird, gross, imaginative and a little dark – all of which were accomplished quite well in the Beetlejuice series.
There are removable heads, shrinking heads, exploding guts, a grave playset complete with headstone and crawling with bugs, and a plethora of brightly-colored dead people that transform into hideous creatures from the Afterlife.
Also on the list of things to acquire are some original Dune toys, including the coveted sandworms of Arakis. They will look great next to the skulls, bones, weird antiques and vintage taxidermy.
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Check out The Backwater Gospel, a disturbing and gritty animated short about a 1930′s Dust Bowl community that goes berserk when the undertaker rolls into town, a man who’s presence always precedes death.
This is official video for the song “Hell Broke Luce” by Tom Waits, from the 2011 album Bad As Me.
If you have never seen Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell’s original 1978 short film Within the Woods, the precursor to the original Evil Dead, now is the time to do it before the new Evil Dead hits theaters. If you can stomach the vintage VHS patina.
Within the Woods (1978)
“I learned many years ago – don’t kick a sleeping dog in the ass.” – Wally
I have no idea what this means, but thank you, older generations, for your infinite wisdom.
Some new teaser posters have been released for the upcoming Bates Motel from A&E, a prequel series to Alfred Hitchcock’s original 1960 Psycho, focusing on the teenage years of Norman Bates.
Despite the fact that the annoyingly bad acting of Freddie Highmore is what we have to expect from Norman Bates himself, I have high expectations. Creepy old house, crazy mother, shady roadside motel, demented and perverted taxidermist kid and sexy teacher Keegan Connor Tracy. She would look great in Norman’s basement. Just saying.
These new posters seem to promise a dark, slightly off-kilter small town David Lynch feel that looks hopeful. Girls handcuffed to sinks, people burning in the sky…what could possibly go wrong?
While Norman Bates was originally based on Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein, along with other cinema monsters such as Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs and Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it seems as though Bates Motel is going to take Norman’s origin in a different direction.
As long as it involves girls and taxidermy…I’ll be happy.
It’s official – I am giving up the countdown to the End of the World. I keep running out of time. Also, there must be a few better things to be doing with our final days of existence.
Like watching Christmas trees exact their brutal revenge on humanity for years of mistreatment in a short film by Jason Eisener, the man responsible for the exploitation grindhouse flick Hobo With A Shotgun.
Please welcome Treevenge into the Mental Shed Christmas Classics:
Celebrating day 13 of the End of the World countdown with a Mrs. Claus zombie pin up.
