Black Friday persists in 2010

No signs that the masses are catching on to the consumer sham that is Black Friday.



Then there's this perspective...



I like how she mentions football. Football is key to Black Friday's success. It preoccupies the men just long enough not to notice the damage being done until it's too late. In the future, every major holiday will revolve around spending sprees and football.

People seem to have yet to learn that Black Friday is just another way to dump the leftover inventory of stuff that everyone already has. This year, boys want Bey Blade and girls want Zoobles. Thanks to the maximum-hyped, forever ingrained in our culture clearance shopping spree known as Black Friday, they'll be getting Rise of Cobra and more Barbie, in what is becoming the new (corporate mandated) childhood tradition of "let-down" gifts. Move over, senile old aunt with the drug store toy aisle plastic, hello everyone else in the family with the Toy'R'Us two year old (two lifetimes already, by a child's recognition,)out of style, uncool "Door Buster"

On the other hand, why couldn't Black Friday be used as a convenient excuse for some urban camping? Obviously it's a heartier type doing this up north, but why couldn't some adventurous folk begin dismantling this whorish new tradition by actually using space in line as a legitimate campsite? There are probably some great uses for all the open space of a big box retailer parking lot whenever the store is closed. Just show up, set up your gear, interview with the news crew, then later, after hours, break out the booze. The next day the news crew is back to see you pack up and leave when everyone else is just starting to show up, and you've made an positive impression on the general populace, if not the corporations.

House (1977) vs. Deep Discount .com

I've seen a great many movies in my slowly diminishing life. I'm talking thousands of hours of film watching. Some great, some not so much. Some weird stuff, some shocking stuff, even some stuff that defies categorization.

Then there's "House"




"House" is the creation of Nobuhiko Obayashi, an art film guy from the sixties who was working in advertising when the offer came to direct a new kind of horror film. Boy did he ever! The movie is positively the most bizarre attempt at horror I've ever witnessed, utilizing virtually every known film making technique, and turning all horror cinema cliches inside out. It is so visually daring that keeping up with subtitles is next to impossible. So deranged is this film, that a synapses won't help much in describing it, suffice to say that it involves several 70's idols going to a haunted house and getting picked off one by one. Yet, that is is only a small part of what is going on in this film, which really must be seen to be appreciated or understood. It is so great, and Criterion did such a great job, that I hardly even mind that it took Deep Discount.Com over four weeks to ship it to me.

Seriously, Deep Discount, what is your problem? Everyone knows that shopping on said site can result in surprising shipping options, but who can complain when it's free? One week, two weeks, yes, that is all very much like it was expected in the twentieth century. But four and a half weeks? A scary (or completely bizarre) movie ordered a week before Halloween cannot rightly be expected in time for the party, but now it's almost Thanksgiving, and the horrific 'Ween sugar buzz has been replaced by frequent trips to the bike trail and bathroom scale. For the extra $4. it would've been worth going to amazon. You said it was in stock, Deep Discount!

Happy Halloween!

Flash off for Pumpkins on The Wall.

There was a heavier focus on Halloween and all things macabre this year at MZ HQ. For Starters, lot's of scary movies, including my new favorite "Count Yorga, Vampire" aka "The Many Loves of Count Yorga."



Yorga is classic gothic 70's vampire shtick. Star Robert Quarry can go from smooth to creepy in a flash, and I like how there is no need to explain his presence amongst the swinging So Cal hipster scene he decides to exploit. There is no explanation for any of this, really. It's some of the most ridiculous stuff I've seen in years, but sufficiently ghoulish. I can't comment on the Actors double chin in the sequel, since along with watching scary movies I've also been eating too much candy.



This year I was blessed with of those rare opportunities to enhance two young peoples lives in untold ways, forever. My nephew and niece had never heard of "Devils' Night" and, apparently, neither have some of the more recent transplants to the greater Pittsburgh Metro Area, so I will summarize; Devil's Night occurs the night before Halloween, or in some cases the night before trick or treating, and basically involves various levels of harassing ones neighbors, usually for not passing out candy the year before. Kids around this region are encouraged to engage in this behavior on this annual occasion. Naturally, my 8 year old nephew and 6 year old niece loved the idea, so I started them of with "Tic Tacking" aka ringing the door bell and running, and gradually worked them up to throwing a rock through a kitchen window. What a great tradition, terrorizing the neighborhood!



Passing out candy was more fun this year due to a seasonal itunes playlist, and most importantly, colored lights. Colored lights can transform a space and should be employed at every legitimate occasion. This year I used the lighting color to enhance my costume. I enhanced my awareness by drinking several beers and eating entirely too much candy. Not enough kids do this anymore. We used to have to line up at every house and then return home to unload the 10lb pillow case from our FIRST trip. The good thing about fewer kids trick or treating is more candy for me.





I wish I had my camera! I stumbled upon a new cornstalk maze. Not a very large maze, but fun, and always a little bit creepy thanks to that Stephen King movie.



"That pumpkin is weird. Hey, what's that sound?"

"Something Wicked This Way Comes"

We are in the middle of a Disney 80's Live-Action revival of sorts. "Tron Legacy" is fast upon us, and a "The Black Hole" remake is said to be in the works. Various companies are actively producing toys, comics, and video games related to these titles, and a host of internet commentary abounds. The love is well deserved, yet for all this appreciation for these oddball "Dark" classics there is a distinct lack of awareness for the third great Disney Live-Action feature from this era, the awesome, near masterpiece 1983 film "Something Wicked This Way Comes."



"Something Wicked This Way Comes" is one of the films that almost broke the House of Mouse. Expensive and fraught with production problems, it would sadly be lumped in with The Black Culdron as an example of what Disney would NOT be doing again(good luck, Guillermo.) But then the company launched it's paid cable service, The Disney Channel, and SWTWC found it's audience. I remember watching this film over and over as a kid, never tiring of the bizarre situation the two boys come to find themselves in as a dark carnival appears in the middle of Autumn, inciting rash behavior with grave consequence among the towns folk.

This is a creepy flick. Not necessarily scary, but very atmospheric and effective. Basically a coming of age story that is steeped in the macabre, SWTWC makes up for it slow narrative by featuring an ongoing situation in which children are at peril. The production is full scale, with Jason Robarbs and Jonathan Pryce chewing up Ray Bradbury's script, while taking turns delivering great archetypal characterizations. All throughout the film I was checking out the Dust Witch, and I'm reading the credits and see she's played by and I'm like, WTF!?


Still don't love the 80's? I give you Pam Grier in a Disney Film.

That, and Several ghoulish visual effects set pieces, hundreds of Tarantulas, a dwarf, plus some awesome, once-state-of-the-art/ laughable composite imagery sequences vault this potentially so-so endeavour into the realm of "Horror Classic." Not in a crap your pants/ scar your children sort of way, but rather, in a "that was charming, oops, now I have to go down to the basement for laundry" kind of way. A scary movie that is intended mainly for kids, yet with the passage of time it becomes even more effective for adults. Tinged with the horror of regret, SWTWC makes it mark by being one of the most subtle genre films of the decade in terms of story, as portrayed by the most opulent production considerations of its era. It truly is worthy of it's Tron/ Black Hole lineage, even as it heads off in it's own unique direction.

M1 1:1 scale Godzilla 1989 vinyl recast bust

Here is the the great vinyl kit recast from the actual prop used in the film "Godzilla Vs. Biollante," built and finished by Dean Dimersky. These were produced by M1 in the late 90's.









It's definitely 1:1 scale, but that's in terms of the suitmation. Otherwise this thing would be as big as a house! I'm sure there's company out there working on that project. Better start making room in your collection.

Paul McCartney Destroys Console Energy Center

Is this guy something, or what?

Even at the ripe old age of 68, Paul McCartney continues to prove that he is the world's greatest living entertainer. You see, when you're the world's greatest living entertainer it's not enough to continue to write and record inventive pop songs decades after a lesser artist's relevance would cease to be in question. No, this calls for something more, and in this old fart's case it means ripping up a live show with a style and finesse that belies his years and shames other would-be superstars. Anyone who witnessed either of Sir Paul's two sold out shows at the new Console Energy Center in Pittsburgh is surely now suffering from a serious case of Perma-Grin, or otherwise going through a type of withdrawal.



The set list is ridiculous. Solo, Wings, and, of course, plenty of Beatles tunes were performed with the type of vim and vigor that makes one seriously consider the vegetarian lifestyle the man continues to push. The band took several breaks while Paul remained on stage alone with a guitar, a ukulele, or on piano, and who can blame them since three hours is a long time to be doing anything (unless your Paul McCartney playing live, that is.) My mother commented that she never saw him so much as take a drink of water.



There were two obviously highly orchestrated but nonetheless thoroughly enjoyable encores, including a a wildly imaginative WETA meets Peter Max style animated sequence. There is no way a fan could witness his performance and come out feeling like he/she was let down. At $250.00 a pop for half-decent seats, it's a remarkable feat to leave an audience satisfied, while still adhering to the first rule of show business.



In discussing the event after the fact, it occurred to me that the major strength demonstrated by the legendary performer is his ability to take a huge stage presentation in front of a gazillion people and make it feel intimate. On the one hand, each and every one of his fans already has his/her own personal relationship with Sir Paul, whether he knows that person exists or not. He understands this and is very respectful of it, and it comes through as he performs, as he relates a little anecdote, even as stakes out his next position on the stage. On the other hand this is also a guy who isn't afraid to put his opinion out in the forefront and get vaguely political, whether it concerns meat, Obama, or a killer rendition of "Blackbird." Even waving the Union Jack in front of a bunch of Republicans (I guess in PA the Dems also have that "Front Row" kind of money)is a little nuts when you think about the current state of politics in the USA, but here is this wrinkly old Limey doing just that, and you have to hand it to him. It seriously reduces the epic scale of the production by getting inside your head, regardless of your own personal stance. Not many performers can accomplish this without ruining their careers, but in Paul's case what are you going to do about it? Seriously?


Live...


...And Let Die!

Finally, and apart from the stellar performance and production, apart from a sparkling new facility that has yet to be defiled by Flyers fans, there is the all-encompassing nature of Paul McCartney's audience. It's the truest and greatest achievement any artist could ever hope for. The unification of seniors and young people, families, dating couples, classic rockers, indie rockers, preppies, yuppies, burnouts, freaks is astounding. All of these wildly different personality types dancing and singing along with each and every song is something you don't get to see every day and in our increasingly fragmented pop culture it becomes a sort of emotional experience. For a few hours, nobody is cooler, or smarter, or better off than anyone else in the room. For that short time it's a politics of Beatlemania, with everyone sharing in our agreement of, and love for one of the men who have brought so much joy to the world for so long.


All photos by Carol L. Appleby

I tease the man about his age, but he is timeless, and his live performance is something that should not be missed. I am grateful to have experienced it with my mom and her best friend, Janet, two first wave Beatlemaniacs, all of us seeing our hero for the first time. It's never too late, but don't put it off any longer.

SDCC still blows excepts for this one thing...

I can't believe anybody cares about the Comic Con. Well into the 21st century, bloated celebrity panels and gimmicky promotional items now officially suck. It's like the place has everything but comics. No thanks.

At least this time there was one actual surprise, and that was the revealing of the new monster design for Legendary Pictures forthcoming remake of Godzilla. Well, we don't know if it's a remake or what, but it's a new Godzilla, and it looks more like what we expected the last time a U.S. studio attempted such a thing.



The big square is the gimmicky crap that I don't like; you can put it in front of a web cam when you're on some page and it makes the thing look like it's breathing fire or something, but not really. It didn't look too effective in the demo, and probably just detracts from the concept art itself. Gimmicks.

As far as Goji him/herself goes, sure, why not. It's a little GMK, a little Millenium, and most likely the intial forays into the actual look of the finished product, but it's all very encouraging. Legendary promised fans something more like an actual Godzilla movie, and this is the first evidence to suggest they understand just exactly what that is.

Last year was the TR2N demo real, I guess this is it for this year, since I've been aware of everything else for months. SDCC isn't getting any better. Bring me back the Jubilee Con!