Tom Atkins: The Television Diversity of a Genre Icon

Published April 3, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Personally, I like to get well rounded by visiting the donut section at the 7-11 one too many times.

Others, thankfully, show their versatility off in other ways. Honored genre actor Tom Atkins (The Fog, Halloween III, Night of the Creeps), for example, proved his elastic mettle in a couple (early career) made for television movies.

With Hesseman in Tarantula

As Buddy in 1977 nature-gone-wrong horror Tarantula: The Deadly Cargo (which was actually nominated for 2 primetime Emmys for sound design), Atkins provides an easy going joviality to his party happy pilot. He works well off of (fellow character actor) Howard Hesseman and their early demise, nicely, sets up the terror-ific, multi-legged antics that follow.

With Brooks and Tanya Roberts in Murder

Meanwhile, Atkins is given much more to do as Jack Vance in the 1983 Mike Hammer flick Murder Me, Murder You. Vance, a notorious arms dealer, provides our silver haired gent with the chance to intermingle masculine bravado with an almost childlike neediness. Atkins’ tender scenes with the sexy, surprisingly eclectic Randi Brooks (TerrorVision, Looker), whom plays his secretary/lover Arla, are almost creepy in their sensitivity and he, also, handles the character’s vocal handicap (an intense stutter) with natural ease, as well.

Atkins will be appearing the weekend of April 4th – 6th, 2014 at Cinema Wasteland, the true film buff’s paradise, in Ohio.

http://www.cinemawasteland.com

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

30 Seconds of Terror: Jack

Published April 1, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

If our truest fears are those that originate in our youth…then masterful director/writer Jake Jarvi (of Pineapple Boy Films) proves that its all child’s play – in half a minute – with his truly fun piece, Jack!

The winner of Studio 360’s 30 Seconds of Terror contest, this bloodcurdling gem was acclaimed (and given first place honors) by none other than (judge) Wes Craven!

Check it here:

…and then be sure to keep up with all of Jarvi’s pop culture antics at http://www.youtube.com/user/pineappleboyfilms

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

ShaLenn Madness!

Published March 29, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

So, I had this uptight designer make me a baseball cap consisting of nothing but ice. I was just trying to be as cool as some of these awesome independent exploitation directors that I know. It didn’t work. Still, my consolation prize is that I can promote these spine tingling ladies and gents until time freezes over or my bloodstained weave falls out. Here goes…

Cory J. Udler, founder of ShaLenn Productions and that awesome king of Wisconsin filmic craziness, is at it again! His brilliant freak-out on American values and small town perversion, Mediatrix, is now available on VHS (see photo above).

First Day of Girl filming.

And…continuing in that film’s delirious vein, he is now hard at work on his next feature, The Girl Who Played with the Dead! Featuring performances from (former) Fangoria goddess Shannon Lark and cult icon Lloyd Kaufman, this epic is sure to push all of Middle America’s (way too) fuzzy buttons.

You can keep track of Girl at:
https://www.facebook.com/thegirlwhoplayedwiththedeadmovie

…and purchase Mediatrix at http://www.incestdeathsquad.com.

In a parallel universe, this HAS to be the perfect couple: director Cory J Udler and BGHF!

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

Film Jerks!: Tony

Published March 27, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Where I grew up tony always referred to someone with money…or a tiger.

For British director Gerard Johnson the meaning is a bit more deadly, though, as evidenced by his concise 2009 murderous treatise, Tony: London Serial Killer.

Recently, the Film Jerks!, courtesy of head commando, Derrick Carey, explored this dark gem.

So, join Carey, filmmakers Jason Zuleger, Glenn Buettner, Mark Krawczyk and myself as we navigate the critical confines of a tentative yet truly twisted mind:

http://filmjerks.podomatic.com/entry/2014-03-25T09_44_43-07_00

Until the next time (while you keep busy searching for that VHS copy of Hider in the House) – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

The Backside of Horror: Marklen Kennedy, “Witchcraft V: Dance with the Devil”

Published March 26, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Let’s face it, half the fun of horror and exploitation is seeing some hot bodies frolicking around in the buff. And while I worship the female form, I believe exploitation definitely veers into the exploitive when only gorgeous women are on display while their male counterparts remain chastely buttoned up. Therefore, The Backside of Horror salutes the filmmakers and actors whom even up the score a bit by showing us instances of hot and juicy male flesh in their bloody celluloid fantasies.

After Jenny disappeared down that endless pothole and Matt met his fate at the claws of that errant werewolf, I finally caught up in that forth grade one legged tent pole race!

Similarly, after exposing enough female flesh to cover a football field in the first four low budget (surprisingly popular) early 90s Witchcraft entries, the producers finally wised up and gave the viewing world what it truly desired – some fresh and happy ass cheeks…of the male variety…in 1993’s Witchcraft V: Dance with the Devil!!

Here, the series’ holdover character William Spanner, in the handsome form of actor Marklen Kennedy, truly shook what the goddess gave him in an extended shower sequence.

Of course, this occurrence was just a momentary blip in this femme decorated collection. In the next several Witchcraft films, Spanner was as chastely covered as a Catholic priest. (Well, maybe that was not the analogy I was looking for. Oh, well…)

Until the next time, SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

The Bloody Wonderful Fies Sisters!

Published March 22, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Oh, I have tried to be cool. A lot. Sometimes, I succeed. Other times…

But some folks are just naturally cool. Take the amazing Fies sister, for example. The primary forces behind the (unfortunately) short lived BleedFest, a monthly West Coast event honoring femme based contributions to exploitation filmmaking, these two are truly exciting creative voices.

Brenda has produced many a vibrant short while Elisabeth wrote and directed 2009’s award winning The Commune, a mysterious shocker with 70s undertones.

Now, you can keep up with everything these two are doing by following their adventures, here:

https://www.facebook.com/FiesSisters

Feels good to be cool, huh?

Until the next time…SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

(Bad) CGI Fridays: Disaster Zone: Volcano in New York (2007)

Published March 21, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

When is it too darn hot? Well…when visiting Jamaica in the off season or, perhaps, when a tropical phenomenon attacks the East Coast.

Yep, in 2007’s Disaster Zone: Volcano in New York, the city that never sleeps bubbles and warps beneath some of the worst technical lava effects ever put on top of celluloid! As an overzealous scientist tapping into the earth’s core, perennial bad guy Michael Ironside (Scanners, Visiting Hours) steals the show, here. Meanwhile (Christine princess) Alexandra Paul leads the rest of the over earnest cast.

The best moment in this Sci Fi masterpiece? When one of Costas Mandylor’s (Saw series) sand hog worker’s guts spill out due to volcanic laced water – a surprising moment of grue in this fairly tame production.

Runner up: When a group of friendly homeless guys expire due to the gases emitted from the build up of the eruption. Some dudes just can’t catch a break, no?

Oh, well. Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

Anne Baxter: Ritual of Fabulousness!

Published March 20, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

In grade school, two (supposedly) darling twin sisters used to regularly manipulate me out of my place in the lunch line. Too bad I didn’t have the divine Anne Baxter (1923-1985), who smartly outmaneuvered diva-licious Bette Davis in the 1950 classic All About Eve, around to give me some (nail sharp) pointers.

Baxter, who won an 1946 Oscar for her performance in The Razor’s Edge, had plenty of practice in devilishness, though. Six years before Eve in the deliciously outrageous Guest in the House, Baxter worked her poisonous magic as the sinister Evelyn Heath. Determined to win over the artistic Douglas Proctor (Ralph Bellamy), Baxter/Heath rids herself of her rivals with glorious stealth. A wise maternal character ends this prime villainess’ run of good luck, though. In a move of operatic goofiness, Baxter’s character goes over a cliff due to her character’s major downfall, a supreme fright of pet birds!

In 1970 television flick Ritual of Evil, Baxter shows her universality. Here, she shades her character Jolene Wiley with fine layers of sensitive hopelessness. A faded Hollywood icon, Wiley drowns herself in drink and the wrongheaded notion that a Satanic cult might restore her former glory. With a voice crackling with whiskey undertones, Baxter reigns with sexy glamour and emotional empathy. While Louis Jourdan’s erudite psychiatrist uncovers the mystery behind the coven and, ultimately, saves the day here – it is Baxter’s eternal smokiness that steals the show.

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

Astro Radio Z: Witchcraft 5 – 8

Published March 18, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

“And I’ve got no defense for it.
The heat is too intense for it.
What good would common sense for it do?

…’cause it’s witchcraft, wicked witchcraft” – Coleman, Leigh

Recording artists like Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee may have thought they understood the supernatural arts when caressing their vocal cords along Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh’s classic tune Witchcraft. But if they never watched one of the 90s B Movie films baring that name, then they actually knew nothing of the tormented, tedious joy that the guys of Astro Radio Z (including host/founder Derrick Carey, Mark Krawczyk, Glenn Randall Buettner and myself) have experienced in our cape shrouded viewing journeys.

Yes, this time we wicked cinephiles endured the vampiric, long lasting effects of Witchcraft 5–8.

Whether you find us masters of insanity or just plain crazy, you might enjoy the results below:

http://astroradioz.tumblr.com/post/79860603007/the-boys-are-back-to-tackle-witchcraft-5-8-do

Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan

The Backside of Horror: Bojesse Christopher, “Sometimes They Come Back…Again”

Published March 11, 2014 by biggayhorrorfan

Let’s face it, half the fun of horror and exploitation is seeing some hot bodies frolicking around in the buff. And while I worship the female form, I believe exploitation definitely veers into the exploitive when only gorgeous women are on display while their male counterparts remain chastely buttoned up. Therefore, The Backside of Horror salutes the filmmakers and actors whom even up the score a bit by showing us instances of hot and juicy male flesh in their bloody celluloid fantasies.

Sometimes, I look like such a demon upon waking that I even frighten my Incredible Hulk action figures. (And you wonder why I am in my 40s and live alone!!!)

The magnetic Bojesse Christopher, who truly enlivened such efforts as Sleepwalkers, Meatballs 4 and Point Break in the 90s, also rises like a devilish entity in 1996 sequel shocker Sometimes They Come Back…Again. But, soon Christopher’s Vinnie takes on a much more pleasing — and temporarily naked — form.

Of course, the evil Vinnie is eventually dispatched – but not before providing plenty of menace to co-stars Michael Gross and (a young) Hillary Swank…and plenty of eye candy to desirous viewers in the know!

Until the next time…SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan

http://www.facebook.com/biggayhorrorfan