Horror Toys of Neca- Toy Fair 2013

NECA always has one of the most awesome booths to visit. Especially if you, like me, are a huge horror fan. Here is some kick ass toys that will please all of the gore loving toy collectors out there:

These Predators are based on the old Kenner toys that had a bunch of colored Predators totally out of continuity. Cool idea if you think about it.

When you buy the Predators, they will/ are coming with skulls. All of which can be hung in this upcoming trophey room. It's a special treat for the long time collectors and based on the scene in Predator 2.

The Space Marines vs. Aliens 2 packs are coming soon, & they look badass!

 The Aliens all come with gory bullet-hits! Winning!

From the upcoming Carrie remake we are getting two toys of Carrie White. This one is the nice prom version.

 And, this one is her covered in pig's blood. Both look freaking great!

 

 Bobblehead based on the Alien from the first film.

 This bobblehead is based on a cool scene from Predator 2.

While, not horror, Robocop is a splatter film. And, Ed-209 rule s! As, does its toy!

You have read this article action figures / Alien / Aliens / bobbleheads / Carrie / horror / NECA / NYC / Predator / Robocop / Toy Fair / toys with the title Aliens. You can bookmark this page URL http://thestoryoc.blogspot.com/2013/03/horror-toys-of-neca-toy-fair-2013.html. Thanks!

My Love Letter to Aliens

WARNING: SPOLIERS ABOUND!

With the sort of Alien prequel Prometheus opening this Friday, I thought it would be a great time to talk about what is not only my favorite entry in the series, but also my favorite sequel ever made as well as my second favorite movie of all time: James Cameron's Aliens.

Aliens takes place 57 years after what occurred in the first sci-fi/ horror classic. Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) wakes-up from hyper sleep, when her ship is found floating in space. She is haunted by nightmares and learns that her daughter is dead. But, a space colony has been set-up on the planet where she her crew encountered the acid bleeding beast. When contact is lost with the colony, she is asked to help space marines go in and help the colonists. She agrees, only under the condition that they wipe out the monster. When, they get there, they find hundreds of them, as well as a new terror in the form of the giant and deadly Queen Alien.

Aliens is one of those movies that when I first saw it; it made me wanna make movies. It remains one of those films that changed my life. While, I like and deeply respect Ridley Scott's terrifying Alien, this movie blew that film away. I always felt, that this is one of those very rare sequels, that manage to top their classic first film. It's a superior movie in every way. One, that never fails to leave me with my jaw dropped, no matter how many time I seen it.

And, I seen it many, many times. One of the few movies (the only other two are Scarface and Hellraiser) I've owned in every format imaginable: VHS, LD, DVD, and now blu-ray (given to me as a gift for my birthday, May 29th). I watched it on blu-ray last night, and man, it looks and sounds amazing, better than ever! I've preferred the director's cut, since I first saw it on LD ages ago. It's the only way I watch, the movie. It's a longer and, I think better cut. It makes a great film, even better. 

Once the action starts it rarely lets up. It moves at a breathtaking pace with some of the most exhilarating action scenes ever caught on film. That said, it never though forgets it's horror connection, and remains quite scary. Much of that fear revolves around Ripley finding and becoming surrogate mother to Newt (Carrie Henn), a little orphan, whose parents were wiped out by the alien creatures. We don't want anything to happen to this little girl. Weaver's performance as the tough, but badass motherly figure shines here. It's this heart of the movie that takes it well beyond the brainless action film it could have been.

Also, adding to the heart of the film is the relationship between Ripley and Cpl. Hicks. It never feels forced and works perfectly. Rounding out the cast is the amazing Lance Henrikson as the good hearted android, Bishop, Bill Paxtons' wonderfully quotable Hudson ("Game over, man! Game over!"), Janet Goldstein's tough chica Pvt. Vasquez, and Paul Rieser's sleazy and despicable Carter Burke. Burke is truly one of horror's biggest assholes. Ever!

This is one of my major reasons why I despise Alien 3 sooo much. To kill Bishop and Hicks is bad enough, but to kill Newt is a sin. You just destroyed the heart of the second film. It shits on everything this movie accomplished. That that sequel is stupid and uninvolving surely doesn't help either. Thank God, director David Fincher went to better things!

Back to Aliens. There is also the pounding and driving score by James Horner. The music gives the movie the perfect mix of military, horror, and the grandiose. The music played during the movie's most exhilarating scenes remain one of my favorites ever.

The FX work by Stan Winston is jaw-dropping. The creatures look amazing. And the Queen, she's a sight to behold. Big, scary, and nasty. The movie doesn't flinch on gore either, surpassing the splatter of the first film. Blood is splattered, people get blasted with acid blood, a chestbuster rips out of a victim, and aliens explode on camera. But, it's Bishop's implaing/ bisection that is the coupe-de-grade of the movie. It is one of the most spectacular in the history of cinema.

Heavily influenced by the Vietnam War (something clearly important to Cameron as he wrote Rambo: First Blood part II), Aliens is THE perfect mix of sci-fi, horror, and action. It is a movie that I will always hold near and dear to my heart. Even when I feel shitty, I pop this one in and it makes me feel better, exhilarated and ready to kick some ass. Cameron was one of my movie making heroes. Along with Terminator 2, as well as Terminator and even Piranha 2: The Spawning, I looked up to his style. Now, not so much. Oh, well. But, regardless this film, called by my hero and late-great horror critic Chas. Balun, "as perhaps the greatest monster movie ever made", is fucking god on film. All hail Aliens and remember: "Get away from her, you bitch!"

You have read this article action films / Alien / Aliens / Gore / horror films / James Cameron / movie reviews / science fiction / Sigourney Weaver with the title Aliens. You can bookmark this page URL http://thestoryoc.blogspot.com/2012/06/my-love-letter-to-aliens.html. Thanks!

The A-Zs of Horror, Pt. 1 (A-M)

Alphabetizing is fun! And educational, as well! I love horror movies and know that many of you do, too! Baring that in mind, I give to you a list to that is sure to be an instructive and important part of your day! Maybe of your life! Here's the first half:

A is for ALIENS- In horror movies, aliens never want to be our friends. Nope. Instead, they can start as an egg laid by their giant queen mommy which has a crab like critter that comes out and then sticks to your face after which it lays another egg down your throat that grows and bursts out of your chest then grows up to be a monster with acid blood that has a second mouth inside it's own mouth that rips through your skull, or he might be a hunter from another world, or they may wanna turn us into food (be it cotton candy, fast food, etc!), or they maybe slugs that possess us or reanimate the dead, or it might be a being that can copy other living things, or... well, you get the idea!


B is for BLOOD- Blood and gore has been in horror movies for many years, now. Hammer studios were one of the first to flirt with it, but it was HG Lewis' cult favorites like Blood Feast and Two Thousand Maniacs that gave our earliest taste of extreme gore. Meanwhile, George Romero's Night of the Living Dead bought it to the mainstream. Since, then movies, and just horror films, have been spilling the red stuff, and making us gorehounds very happy!

C is for CANNIBALS- One of the most extreme sub-genres in the horror film, cannibal movies can be pretty rough to watch. From the extreme (Cannibal Ferox, Jungle Holocaust, and, of course, the classic Cannibal Holocaust) to the erotic (?!) (Emmanuelle and the Last Cannibals) to the rather silly and fun (Zombie Holocaust, which has three things listed here!), most of them came from Italy. American movies can have cannibals too as Ravenous proves or the most famous cannibals of all, Hannibal Lector and a dude and his family from Texas.




D is for DRACULA- The most famous of all blood-suckers was born in Bram Stoker's classic novel. Bela Lugosi gave the first official movie performance based on it. And, while a million movies have been made about Drac and tons of guys played him since then; Christopher Lee remains THE definitive portrayal of the most famous of all vampires.







E is for ENTITY- An entity is a spirit, but few are as evil and perverse as the one in the movie of the same name. It stars Barbara Hershey as a woman repeatedly raped by the unseen force in graphic and horrifying scenes. Supposedly based on a true story, this underrated movie has one vile fucking ghost.







F is for FREDDY KRUEGER- A child killer is burned alive by parents pissed at him being let go by the court system. He becomes something much worse, as he kills teens in their sleep. The best of the slasher villains Freddy is one of horrordom's greatest, most evil, and most entertaining baddies. Plus, he surely helps coffee stock go up!







G is for GODZILLA- The first movie (Gojria) was meant to signify the horrors of nuclear warfare. The King of the Monsters would go to play villain and hero in many movies after that. He battled the army and both good and evil monsters. To this very day, he reigns supreme and keeps his crown. For no monster can ever be as great as the big G!!!!!!!!!!



H is for HALLOWEEN- Of course, it's every horror fans favorite holiday, but it is also the name of John Carpenter's classic, that would inspire many a rip-off, sequel, and remake. It also gave us Michael Myers, perhaps the scariest of all slasher villains. Pure evil, Myers does not seem to love his family very much (like his sisters, niece, etc) or anyone else for that matter. But, at least we know he is always busy on this holiday! Though, that's probably not a good thing for those living in Haddonfield... Which also begins with the letter H! Double score!




I is for ICHI THE KILLER- This ultra-violent modern classic by shockmaster Takashi Miike this ranks as one of this best films. It also happens to be one of his most extreme. And, coming from him that is saying A LOT! At times, it is funny, but other times it is damn fucked up. The nipple slicing scene ranks as one of cinema's most shocking and hard to watch moments. Ichi, himself, is one of the most insane and fucked up characters in all of filmdom. A perfect example of why I love Asian cinema so much.

J is for JASON VOORHEES- The unstoppable killer of Camp Crystal Lake drowned as a child, but when he saw his revenge seeking mom get her head lopped off, he came back to exact murderous vengeance on all who come to the infamous camp. The best reason to never go into the woods can never die. He also does not approve of you having premarital sex or doing drugs. Talk about being a party pooper!



K is for KING KONG- It's one of the finest, if not in fact the finest, giant monster movie ever made. But, the character himself a giant ape with a thing for hot human chicks. That usually leads to bad things happening to him, but hey that's what you get when you think with your other head! Kong would go on to battle Godzilla and even his own evil robot double, as well as being remade twice. Plus, he even had a kid in a terrible, terrible sequel. Will Kong ever return again? Who knows. Just remember when he does he will surely kidnap a hot chick and take her on a date to the top of a building! Now is that not romantic?

L is for LESBIAN VAMPIRES- That most favorite of exploitation subgenres, has been with us for quite a few years now. Jean Rollin is the most prolific filmmaker to go down this route, while Hammer has done a few of their own, including the wonderful The Vampire Lovers. But, Vampyres remains the best of them all. Since, then DTV movies have inundated the market with lots of cheap-o softcore material. For an endless list of rugmuncher bloodsucker movies, try Seduction Cinema. Also, of note is that this type of movie will give you wood, and I don't mean the kind that you drive into the heart of the undead (unless that is you thing, in which case, goddamn you're a sick, wierdo!)

M is for MAD SCIENTISTS- They're geniuses, and they are crazy. They make living beings out of dead body parts, or re-animate corpses, or they try to explore other dimensions that make your pineal gland grow and turn you into a monster, or they connect you ass to mouth with two others to make a human centipede! In other words, they do NOT make science fun for you. But, they do remind you that science geek in class could have the ability to make zombies. So, leave him the fuck alone!


----------------
Now playing: Sister Sin - On Parole
via FoxyTunes

You have read this article Aliens / alphabet / Dracula / Freddy Krueger / Godzilla / Gore / Halloween / horror / Ichi the Killer / Jason Voorhees / King Kong / lesbians / Vampires with the title Aliens. You can bookmark this page URL http://thestoryoc.blogspot.com/2010/06/the-zs-of-horror-pt-1-m.html. Thanks!

The Top 10 Sequels Ever

Sequels are a something that has existed for ages and is, for better or worse, a major part of the movie world. Summer always brings us sequels (OK, fuck that the whole fucking year is always filled with sequels), and this summer is no different. This month, alone, we get a prequel, that seems to have completely reinvented a series in Star Trek and another that is directed by the guy who did the wretched Charlie's Angels movie and is a PG-13 entry in an R-rated series (and movies like Robocop 3 and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome already proved that idea always sucks cock and swallows) in Terminator: Salvation.

And, while we can all mention and think of countless of horrible, terrible, miserable sequels that should be shit on and buried never to be seen again, this blog is about the best of the best. Now, it is more than likely that you will feel differently about this list, and that you think I omitted some movies and whatnot. If so, tell me what films you think should be on this list.

But for now here goes my list. Enjoy.

10. - I know part 3 gets a lot of love, and rightfully so, and that, too, is a HUGE personal favorite of mine, but I think, overall, this is the better film. Sleazier and more violent than the original classic (though NOT better), this one ranks as one of the most exploitative and down and dirty mainstream action films ever made. It also has some pretty badass lines by my hero Charles Bronson. Too bad, we never got the unrated cut released on DVD overseas.

9. - The greatest movie of the golden age of horror, this classic manages to top the wonderful original. A true classic of American cinema.

8. - The sequel to the greatest American made action film is probably the second best American made action film! A bigger and more violent sequel this one is full of great stunt work, amazing set pieces, bloody violence (including a guy who gets sucked into an airplane motor, an icicle to the eye, throat slashing, gory squibs, headshots, etc), some really funny one-liners, and nail biting suspense.

7. - This is one of those films that solidified my love of horror and splatter. More of a remake than an actual sequel, though Raimi says that it is a sequel, this wonderful mix of humor, over the the top gore, and horror remains Raimi's best work. Bruce Campbell fucking rules, and you know it!

6. - I always call this film the thinking man's zombie film, cause it is. A smart gorefest with great acting and phenomenal FX work by Savini. The ultra-bloody climax remains one of the best the genre has ever seen.

5. - Considering how great the original is, it is mind boggling to see how amazing this movie is. I simply love how this movie cuts between the rise of power Don Corleone and Micheal's current position of power. A phenomenal movie, sequel or not, it also has some pretty somber and sad moments, as well as some of the best acting in this entire list.

4. - One of the most important and influential horror movies ever made DOTD is a perfect movie. Romero's directing and writing is in top form as are Savini's FX work and the cast's acting. Funny, smart, exciting, ultra-gory, and scary.

3. - Hey, we all know Lucas has shit all over Star Wars, in recent years, but this movie is one of the greatest films ever made. There is no movie I have seen more times than this one. Amazing FX work, great dialogue and acting, and a wonderful plot makes this one a masterpiece. From the jaw dropping battle on Hoth to the then shocking revelation this darker, more brutal film manages to amaze each and every time I watch it. Get on your knees and worship this film, now!

2. - One of my favorite movie going experiences, ever, I think this movie tops the original. Going in a more action oriented manner, than the nail biting suspense of the original (which truthfully tops some horror movies, in that respect), this movie is wall-to-wall excitement, with some of the best FX work, around, including amazing CGI and excellent make-up work by Stan Winston. It also has a lot of heart and is sort of moving, actually. Shit, the ending made me cry, when I was younger, but the mushy stuff never interferes with the kick ass action.

1. - This genre hybrid of sci-fi, action, and horror is my second favorite movie, ever. Exhilarating, touching, scary, gory, and featuring great acting and some of the greatest make-up FX work, ever, by way of the late-great Stan Winston, this movie is a fucking perfect, gift from the heavens. This is perhaps the single greatest monster movie ever made. And, it is a sequel that blows the classic first film out of the air hole and sends it deep into space (by no means is this a disrespect to the original, as it is a classic of both horror and sci-fi, in it's own right, I just greatly prefer this movie).

One more thing, today is Mother's Day, and I would love to wish all the mom's reading this a very Happy Mother's Day! And, to the rest of you I hope you all have something nice planned for your moms. They deserve it!

----------------
Now playing: Sepultura - Murder
via FoxyTunes

You have read this article action films / Aliens / Bride of Frankenstein / Dawn of the Dead / Day of the Dead / Death Wish II / Die Hard 2 / Evil Dead 2 / horror films / sequels / Terminator 2 / The Empire Strikes Back with the title Aliens. You can bookmark this page URL http://thestoryoc.blogspot.com/2009/05/the-top-10-sequels-ever.html. Thanks!

The Top 10 Horror Films of the '80s

The 80s were a huge time for horror. The success of the Halloween, Friday the 13th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street franchises saw an almost never ending batch of slasher films get released. Meanwhile, the birth of the VCR allowed more movies than ever to be accessible to viewers, many due to their graphic content could never play in theaters, expect for the most limited of releases, if it all. It also presented the genre with shit loads of controversy, as movies like I Spit on Your Grave, Maniac, Faces of Death, Silent Night, Deadly Night, etc spawned protests, outrage, and anger from critics, feminist group, and the right wing. Whatever the case maybe this is the era that sealed me as a horror fan for life, as by 1987, I was renting horror movies nonstop and reading Fangoria and Gorezone magazines.

10. - This is the greatest zombie film that is not Re-Animator or made by George Romero. Fulci's atmospheric mix of the supernatural and zombie films is his masterpiece. The gore set pieces are astounding, not the least of which is the little girl who gets the top of her head blown off. It also features two great leads in the beautiful Catorina MacCall and David Warbeck. Awesome stuff.

9. - This is the thinking man's zombie film, as Romero takes on the military and man being it's own worst enemy. The dialogue between the characters is classic. Rhodes (Joe Pilato) is a great villain, and, perhaps, worse than the zombies. He and his cronies' sexist words to Lori Caridelli's character (along with all the goings on in the movie) help seal this as the darkest entry in the series. But, beyond all of that DOTD also features THE best gore in Romero's movies, zombie or not. Savini's work is at top form, and the climax is completely and utterly jaw dropping. While, this film was dismissed upon it's initial release; it is now considered a classic. I have to say that I always liked this movie, and it has only gotten better with time. Oh, and Bub rules!

8. - While, this movie feels more like a remake of Sam Raimi's classic The Evil Dead, Raimi swears that it is a sequel, it's just Ash is so stupid he does the same exact thing twice (at least that is Raimi's explanation)! Regardless of what it is, Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn manages to top the amazing original. The mix of over-the-top gore and humor makes it one of the best "splatstick" films ever. It also insured that star Bruce Campbell would become a cult fav. Gotta love the whole, possessed chick gets her head stomped on, then has her eye sent flying into a pretty girl's screaming mouth! And, there is no denying the amazing camera work that Raimi incorporates in it. Regardless of one's feelings about crap like Spider-Man 3, Raimi will always be the guy who made the Evil Dead films!

7. - Cronenberg's biggest mainstream hit (up to this point) remains his best film, I think. The acting, writing, score, gore, heart, and amazing FX make this one perfect, in my book.

6. - Joe Dante's masterpiece is the single greatest werewolf film ever. Sure it spawned horrid sequels, but fuck e'm. Let's concentrate on this classic. The cast is amazing, as is Bottin's FX work. The first transformation scene is one of the finest moments in the genre. The love for the genre just drips from this movie. There are so many nods, winks, and tributes to the horror film, that it only makes it better in each viewing. And, what about the scene where the lovely Elizabeth Brooks gets it on with Christopher Stone and wolfs out? Or what about the classic ending? Or... well you get the idea!

5. - Sean Cunningham's classic may have gotten ripped by critics upon it's release, but the movie went on to make a shitload of money and spawn a total of ten sequels! It introduced horror villain, Jason Voorhees (but only as the freaky mongoloid in the water), and along with Carpenter's Halloween helped define the slasher film, i.e. they were ripped off a million times. But, the fact is this classic works where it others fail, because the characters are likable and well written. Also, the movie builds the suspense all the way till the exciting and violent climax. But, of course it is impossible to talk about this film and not mention Savini's astounding FX work. The gore, even though cut to get an R (by the way, fans rejoice, the movie is, along with the first two sequels coming uncut, finally, to DVD in February), is hard stuff, with the pretty girl getting the ax to her face, Jason's mommy losing her head in slo-mo, and most classic of all, Kevin Bacon getting an arrow through his neck, all shining as great moments in slasherdom.

4. - British writer Clive Barker had already made a name for himself with his sexually and violently explicit works of fiction, like his seminal Books of Blood, when he made the jump to write and direct this adaption of his novella The Hellbound Heart. One of the most exhilarating debuts by a director since The Evil Dead or Re-Animator, Hellraiser was gorgeous to look at and highly original in a genre where ripping off Friday the 13th, Gremlins, Jaws, etc was the norm. It gave us a new villain in Pinhead and the Cenobites, and featured some great acting from the cast, was sexy thanks to villainess Claire Higgins, gave us a horror goddess in the stunning Ashley Lawrence, and awashed in gore. The S&M images of the leather clad Cenobites and the whole hell is where pain and pleasure meet set it light years ahead of it's competition. The ending with villain Frank saying "Jesus wept", right before getting ripped apart by the hellish hooks is a classic horror moment.

3. - With slasher films already filled with Halloween and Friday the 13th wanna-bes, Wes Craven's defining masterpiece breathed new life into the slasher film. Surreal and scary Craven made the most of the low budget story of child-murderer Freddy Kruger who returns from the grave. The whole fact that he then invades teen's dreams, and if you die there you die in real life was wonderfully original. Freddy would go to become the single most popular horror villain of the era, followed very closely by Jason and Michael, but whereas the sequels, injected more humor in the films, the original has but a few one liners from Kruger. Mostly he is kept dark and scary. The FX work is stunning, moreso when one thinks of how little the film cost. Johnny Depp's classic death, where his bed shoots gallons of blood is yet, another defining moment in the genre. And, beyond of all that one of the genre's greatest, and prettiest, heroines was introduced in Nancy (Heather Langenkamp). In all one of the finest horror films, ever made.

2. - James Cameron had a tough job in front of him. He had to make a sequel to one of the most famous, influential, and downright scary sci-fi/ horror films ever made. But guess what? He succeed! Not only that but he totally blew away the original classic. Stan Winston's godlike work on the FX ranks as the best, EVER. The Alien Queen is one of the greatest monsters in film history. The pacing is adrenalinized and rip roaring, and the movie perfectly mixes action, science fiction, and horror. But, while it is a very gung-ho and exciting film; it also has a lot of heart. At, it's core is the story of this woman, left without a child, who now has this little girl she has to care for. It succeeds it making you care and does not turn into some wimpy mush. Of course, the movie does not forget nor abandon the horror genre. Witness the nail bitingly intense scene of Ripley (Sigorney Weaver) and Newt trapped in the room with the facehuggers, or absolutely amazing splatter moment, where good android Bishop (Lance Henrikson) gets ripped in half by the Queen (after impaling him in her tail) spraying white, milky robo-blood everywhere.

1. - This my absolute favorite film ever. I have been in love with this film since I saw it at about twelve years of age. Every single thing about this film is perfect. The characters are played by great actors, with Jeffery Combs and David Gale giving amazing performances. The script is fun, whitty, and funny, and very over-the-top. Babara Crampton, as Megan, is one of the most beautiful women to ever grace our beloved genre. Her scene where Dr. Hill (Gale) gives her head, with his decapitated head is truly one of horror's greatest and most infamous scenes. Despite the very low budget, the gore and zombie FX are fucking flawless. Stuart Gordon's debut adaption of H.P. Lovecraft short story is truly one of the most fucking kick ass movies ever made. Watch it, if you never have. Watch it again if you have!

You have read this article 1980s / A Nightmare on Elm Street / Aliens / Day of the Dead / Friday the 13th / Hellraiser / horror / horror films / Re-Animator / The Beyond / The Fly / The Howling / Top 10 Lists with the title Aliens. You can bookmark this page URL http://thestoryoc.blogspot.com/2008/10/the-top-10-horror-films-of-the.html. Thanks!