31 Days of Halloween - High School of the Dead - Episode 12 "All Deads Attack"

I come into the last episode, hoping that the pace would pick up. In the last two episodes, there was a lot of talking (which has run about 50/50 interesting/repetitive) and not much action. But, we do have a number of plot-lines that need to be wrapped up - the nuclear strikes, Shido's sex bus, the evacuation of the compound, the rise of a "we love zombies" movement among the refugees, and, most importantly, whether our heroes head off on their own again.

The episode starts with the nukes in flight. But, not all is lost. A flotilla of US and Japanese warships are positioned to shoot down a group of Chinese ICBMs (Dong Feng 21s). Three of the missiles are intercepted; however, the ship that was supposed to shoot down the fourth has been overrun by zombie sailors. The weapon detonates over Japan, a high-altitude burst designed to generate a crippling electromagnetic pulse (EMP). This entire sequence, is extremely well-done. It is tense, well-animated and makes me wish more of the series had this serious tone to it.

The EMP destroys electrical equipment and electronic devices across the Japan. At Kansai Airport, Rika (remember her?) immediately realizes what has happened and says "all of our nights are going to be darkness itself." That's cheery.

At the compound, a few minutes before the bomb goes off, Shizuka remembers Rika's phone number. She jumps around a lot and almost smothers Alice with her boobs. There's a very odd moment where she has a hard time using a cell phone. I know she's been portrayed as kind of a bimbo, but here she seems mentally challenged. She gets through to Rika just as the nuke detonates.

Saya knows what's happening immediately, because Saya knows...everything. Shido's bus slams into one of the barricades. He survives, but the bus is surrounded by zombies heading for the compound. This is the last we see of Shido, his fate unknown, although when we see the bus later in the episode, it is empty.

Back in the compound, Saya provides an explanation of what an EMP is and the effects it has, along with helpful graphics. Before this gets to be too much like a physics class, a horde of zombies attacks the compound. They overwhelm the front gate and flood inside.

The refugees are quickly slaughtered. The survivors try to rush through the undead mob, while our heroes load up in the Humvee and take off, to continue the search for Rei and Takashi's parents. Soichiro and Yuriko are last seen surrounded by zombies.

Our heroes are last seen on foot, approaching a mall. The end.

This episode is definitely better than the last two. The actions scenes are exciting, the characters jettison the dead weight - the under-developed characters in the compound - and the series ends as it began, with our heroes on their own, trying to survive.

I really enjoy the series as a whole. The animation is top notch. The action scenes are exciting and creatively constructed. The characters are well-developed, even if, near the end of the series, there is a tendency to repeat character traits already established. The themes of the series - growing up and getting out into the world on your own, examining how different people deal with trauma, the fragile nature of civilization - are looked at in thoughtful ways, through both action and dialogue. The tonal shifts can be a little jarring; however, for the most part the mix of humor and horror is well-balanced. Check the series out. If you are a fan of zombies or action/horror anime you'll enjoy it.

Best Line: The leader of the Zombie Benevolent Society as she chops up an attacking undead. "It's all your fault...I was trying very ahrd to help you."

Best Kill: Discovering the effect a bundle of dynamite has on the undead (see right).

Fan Service: Although we have a couple of candidates, I have to go with Shizuka jumping on down...and up and down...and up and down. If she's not careful, she could give herself a boob related concussion.

Bonus: There is an OVA ("Drifters of the Dead") which you can check out below. It's not very good; 22 minutes of our gang on a desert island, wearing skimpy swimsuits, hallucinating because of some leaves they burn, engaging various sexual pairings...oh, and Takashi has sex with a couple of zombies. The end.

31 Days of Halloween - Episode 11 "Dead Storm Rising"

The last episode had a lot of talking without much character development, other than Kohta demonstrating why he should not have a gun. However, it did set up a number of conflicts to bring the series to a close. These include: Shido learning of the compound; the group trying to decide if they want to remain with Saya's parents of head off on their own; the adults treating our heroes like kids; Takashi on the verge - but just on the verge - of nailing every chick in the group; and Saya's parents deciding who will come with them and who will be left behind when the evacuate the compound. Do they pay off?

On the bus, Shindo, who has appointed himself mayor of Crazytown, is giving a speech to his orgying (orgified?) flock about how they are "unspoiled" and that he wants them to "cleanse" him of his sins. All while crying. And his followers seem to love it. My followers never like it when I cry and rant about my sins. I need new followers.

This is the face of someone I would follow...absolutely nowhere.

Back at the Saya family compound, some of the survivors are expressing doubts that the dead are actually rising. Saya gets into an argument with the leader of the Soon-To-Be-Dead Skeptics Club, which devolves into a diatribe on the part of the latter about Soichiro controlling them with violence, the plight of other Asian countries, and being forced to be "murders" by "pigs of exploited classes" and "high school kids who are intoxicated by their violent power." Hey, wait, is this Occupy Zombieland? In the aftermath of the confrontation, Kohta explains that the skeptics are trying to cope with the new reality by denying it. Then, for no particular reason, Takashi is pronounced leader of the group by Kohta and Saya.

Elsewhere, Soichiro is giving Saeko a rare sword (to pay off a debt of honor owed to her father) and a history lesson. All in super-creepy tones. Saeko says she is unworthy of the sword, etc. Whatever. We know she's going to take it, so why not just say "thanks" and go hack off some zombie heads?

Rei provides Takashi with an ego boost, saying she should never have broken up with him and that she loves him. This leads to nothing - well, Takashi does say he's not certain whether he wants to kiss her or smack her - and she leaves. As she does so, she crosses paths with Saeko who is on her way to see Takashi. Rei and Saeko have an odd moment where Saeko says they are...well, something...and Rei tells her not to bring it up. Uh, what? You can't introduce a mysterious plot element right before the series end. Bad writer! No Scooby Snacks for you!

Yes, anything you say, I will do.

At the barricades, Shido's bus pulls up. The guards, overcome with the desire to save breasts (image at right) let them in. I quite understand. We get a Shido flashback, about his father (a member of the Diet), who was mean to Shido's mom to the point that she killed herself. We do learn why Rei hates him - he failed her one year, forcing her to repeat a class at the behest of his father, as a way of teaching her father (a detective investigating him) a lesson.

Wait, that's why she hates him? I had hoped for something a little more meaty. Also, how does that teach anyone a lesson? Granted, it's not a great thing to have happen;; but, on the scale of things to do to a rival's family, this isn't that epic. You want epic revenge, check out the ending of Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus.

Rei confronts Shido, but this is so boring, that I don't even care. It's supposed to be dramatic and Soichiro urges Rei to kill Shido, but it comes across as padding. Soichiro then kicks out Shido and his students, the one's who have been "infected with [his] evil." How does Soichiro know this?

Uh...I have no words.

In a more interesting plotline, a US Ohio-class SSBN gets a launch order. They are to fire Trident missiles against "Romeo Kilo" (North Korea) and "November Charlie" (Northern China, I guess). The missile launches are being tracked by the crew of the International Space Station They can see that ICBMs are also being fired from Russia. The episode ends with one of the astronauts saying "it's Armageddon."

The episode ties up some plotlines (e.g., Shido and Rei), while also examining themes of denial in the face of powerlessness and different concepts of personal and family honor. We get more background info on a few of our characters; but this strikes me more as filler than dramatically necessary. Shido is a murderous, sex-crazed nutjob because his dad was mean to his mom? That's what we're going with? It would have been better to not give him any motivation. For that matter, leaving Rei's hatred for him more nebulous would've worked better as well. Ultimately, the problem with this episode is not the lack of action; it is that the discussions and revealed character motivations are either repeats or not dramatically satisfying. The skeptics are in a laughable state of denial, Shido's transgression against Rei lacks drama, Takashi's qualms about being the leader are underdeveloped...none of the major plotlines work well in this episode. Still, it does end on a high note, with the gang coming to a decision crisis (evacuate with Saya's parents or head off on their own) and with the Great Powers adding another dimension of chaos and destruction to the zombie apocalypse.

Best line: Soichiro to Saeko: "Go ahead, touch it. You will not stain it's power." Hey, He's talking about the sword, you pervs.

Best kill: None this episode. Shido kicks one of his students off the bus at the beginning of the movie and the poor kid is torn apart, but it is off screen.

Fan Service: Have to go with Shido's student using her boobs to gain entrance to Soichiro's compound. Respect the power of boobs.

As a bonus, here's the "Honest Movie Trailer" for World War Z.

Yay! Posting!

Apparently, spending three days rocking out to some awesome bands, followed by 16 hours in airports leads to a lack of posting. Huh.

Anyway, posting will recommence...now!

More Halloween Coming

Your humble narrator has been in Vegas at the Life is Beautiful music festival. I'm still recovering from the concentrated awesomeness, but Halloween ain't over yet. Posting will resume late today.

Poster(s) of the Day - Warlords of Atlantis (1978)

I have never actuall yseen this movie. But I remeber seeing th e trailer asa kid and thought it looked pretty neat. How neat? Check this out:

Doug McClure! Giant Octopus! Mod-Haired Aliens! Rubbery Special Effects! Exclamation Points Everywhere! This movie has it all. Okay, the trailer has it all. The movie might be these scenes and then 85 minutes of Doug doing a crossword puzzle.

But we're not here or the trailer. We're here for the posters. And look at these beauties!

Of the four posters, this is the least interesting. While we have some nice action, the fish monster eating someone and a chick being menaced by a tentacle (no, this is not hentai) it also has an awful lot of white space. And the prominent tagline doesn't really do much for me.

Okay, this is better. It's the same art, but the poster is laid out more effectively. The action is the centerpiece. Centering it on the Frazetta-esque here and the damsel in distress sells the action and adventure aspects of the movie more effectively that having it reduced to a sidebar.

While the art is a less polished, this poster pops. The title emerging from the underwater city is cool, as well as the way the elements of the poster frame the title: monsters, heroes, diving equipment...okay, that last one doesn't work so well. One other nice touch; the advertisement for the novelization in the lower left corner. You don't see that on movie posters any longer.

Okay, I have no idea what country this is from. India, maybe? Anyway, I like how colorful it is with the bold yellow and orange giving it a lot of energy and are a nice counter-point to almost black of the water. It's a little less action packed than the first two posters, but you still get a nice sense of how this film is a pulp action throw-back.

Now, i just need to see the movie.

Air New Zealand Has Another Amazing Air Saftey Video

A couple of months ago, Air New Zealand was criticized for a great air safety video featuring Sports Illustrated bikini models (see here to learn more about how to buckle your seat-belt). Come on guys, it's about AIR SAFETY. Why do you hate safety?

Anyway, I think they've topped it with this Middle Earth themed video. Check it out.

31 Days of Halloween - Highschool of the Dead - Episode 10 "The Dead's House Rules"

Kohta REALLY likes his gun.

After the last episode, which effectively combined decent action and character development, this episode is both busy and repetitive. It does show how dangerously disturbed everyone is becoming. It also indulges in some teen angst cliches, although that is to be expected. This is High School of the Dead after all.

It starts promisingly enough. One day after Takashi and Saeko arrive at Saya's home, Takashi and a nude Rei are in bed. Shizuka enters the room, hands covered in goo and starts massaging Rei's back. After the credits, Rei gets mad at Takashi because he used her "boobs to balance an AK-47." That's a pretty good reason. Takashi leaves the room and makes Saeko briefly uncomfortable by leering at her in a kimono.

Saya's mom knows how you make an entrance. With boobs. That's how.

Saya shows up, pissed at life in general and her parents in particular. She takes it out on Takashi, then stalks off to find Kohta, her preferred whipping boy. He's cleaning his guns in the garage. She explains to him how the urban infrastructure will soon be failing and even her parents' fortress-like compound will become untenable. Meanwhile, Saya's mom, Yuriko, tells Takashi of her husband Soichiro's plans to evacuate people out of the city, but only those who can survive.

Our heroes gather to discuss their options; either remain - and lose their autonomy - or head off on their own. While Takashi tries to be reasonable, Saya starts ranting about what a hard life she has, how tough it was being the daughter of rich, powerful people, etc. Takashi gets pissed and brings her to her sense with a dose of tough love, that involves violent shaking. Not cool, man, not cool.

At the appropriate dramatic moment, Saya's father returns home at the head of a supply convoy. One of his men who has been bitten. He's in a cage (why was Soichiro lugging a cage around with him?) and has turned into a zombie. Soichiro kills him, saying it his duty to put his former retainer (and friend) out of his misery. He also does it to make a point; that the zombies are not friends or family members any longer.

For some reason, this causes Kohta to have some kind of breakdown about the problems of using swords. Sure, why not. So he runs off, grabs all of his guns and then is confronted by an group of adults who want him to turn his weapons over to them. Given how unstable Kohta actually is, this might be a good idea. Meanwhile, Saya is telling Saeko how things have changed ("there are no more kendo tournaments and koi ponds"). Why doe s Saya think that no realizes this?

Kohta turns into a blubbering - albeit heavily armed - heap.

Soichiro finds his men about to beat up Kohta and take his guns. He asks what is going on and Kohta cries and says without his guns "they" will make fun of him again. Saya finally shows up and says that Kohta has been doing her father's job of protecting her.

The episode ends with one of Shido’s minions who has infiltrated the compound reporting that he will be welcome there. Back on the bus, Shido is overseeing an orgy. Because that makes perfect sense in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. The end.

This is a slow episode. In part, that's because a couple of new characters are introduced (Saya's parents) and have to be rapidly sketched out. Much of the dialogue is repetitious, particularly, Saya repeatedly explaining how "nothing is the same anymore." I think every gets that. Also, after seeing Kohta's behavior, I wouldn't want him to have a gun. For the most part, though, the problem with the episode is that nothing much really happens. No decisions are made and we learn nothing new about the characters, except the Saya hates her parents.

There are some good elements. The "coming of age" theme is brought to the forefront with our teen heroes thinking of returning to the zombie infested world (i.e., the adult world) to find their own way, to leave the literal and symbolic home and domineering parents. Also, the epilogue with Shido's Bus of a Thousand Delights is kind of disturbing. It's just a glimpse. But we see enough to know how this corrupt adult has assumed power; by allowing his charges to give into some of their baser impulses, as long as they follow him.

Best Line: After Saeko talks about the rarity of the koi in the pond at Saya's home she responds with, "So you're an expert in kendo and you have a part-time job at Pet Smart."

Best Kill: Kind of sparse this episode, but I do like the aftermath of Soichiro killing his retainer. The man's severed head floats in a fountain, staring at the gathered humans. There is a missed opportunity. It would have been creepier to have the head still animated, with eyes moving and mouth snapping.

Fan Service: There's not a lot in this episode. However, we do get a shot of Rei's bare behind. So, I consider that a winner.

31 Days of Halloween - High School of the Dead - Episode 9 "The Sword and Dead"

Takashi and Saeko out for a relaxing drive.

So, Saya's mom is a fuchsia haired babe? Who would ever have guessed. I would have, that's who. Does anyone in anime have a normal, natural hair-color? Why not, Japan, why not?

Anyway, when we last saw Takashi and Saeko, they were trying to find a safe route through zombie-infested neighborhoods. They spot Saya's house, a hilltop mansion. They find an amphibious ATV in a motorcycle shop, drive through a horde of zombies, and make it to sand bar in the middle of the river. Of course, Saya gets soaked in the process, leading to see-through shirts, gratuitous underwear, slinky cocktail dresses, etc. But enough of that. Let's have some character development!

Be careful, Saya! You could put an eye out with those things.

While on the sandbar, Takashi probes Saeko about past boyfriends (see what I did there). She says that she may have been in love...then gives a sitrep on the local zombie population. That's our Saeko...always on mission. After killing a bunch of zombies, Sako freezes when confronted by a pair of undead rugrats. Takashi has to shoot them, then pull her away. They take refuge in a temple. Takashi helps her out by presenting her with a real sword, her now dry school uniform and a chemical toilet. He's so thoughtful. Saeko explains that she froze up not because of the kids. It was because she almost killed someone our years before when he attacked her on the street. She confesses that, as she was beating on his with her bokken, she enjoyed it ("I fought until there was nothing but blood and bones. it was bliss, absolute total pleasure." yikes!). She thinks that this makes her unworthy of love.

Zombies; not so good with stairs.

Takashi reassures Saeko that anyone with boobs like hers has to be a good person. Logic! It is implied the two of them hook up as the screen fades to black. The next morning, they emerge from the temple. Zombies are everywhere. Saeko is unable to face them. Takashi decides to convince her to fight by roughly squeezing one of her boobs while giving her a pep talk. I like the pep talk, but the whole thing with her breast is kind of weird. I don't think would actually help a young woman get over a traumatic experience.

However, since it's Takashi his version of tough love works and Saeko is ready to use her new katana to chop some zombie heads off. After wiping out the undead - and possibly orgasming...or, at least, looking very, very happy - Saeko and Takshi make it to Saya's place, arm in arm. Saya sees this and is not happy. And, since Saya is the single greatest character in the series, her pain is my pain. The episode ends with everyone reunited, and Takashi narrating, saying he accepts Saeko's darkness and wants her that way so he can survive. The end.

Saeko ready for a night out clubbing...or clubbing zombies.

This episode is very character oriented. Although it starts out with a bunch of an service shots and includes some pretty good violence, it really is about Saeko and Takashi. Saeko's back story is interesting and Takashi's self-serving desire to see Saeko embrace her violent nature lends some grey to his character. This is one reason why the series is more than just violence and boobs. The creative team has taken the time to make characters that have depth, that are interesting, and have complex motives. Saeko's background helps explain why she is so proficient with her sword; it is not just about being a good fighter. She derives satisfaction from it.

I will say, the whole boob squeezing thing is probably the single oddest moment in the series. It is similarly to the thug who groped Rei in Episode Four. I'm not sure if that is the parallel the series creators want us to make, but it does lend some darkness, both to Takashi and to the rampant sexuality.

Note: For some reason, I got it in my head that Alice was called Sally. I've gone through my posts and corrected that. I assume the name Alice is a reference to Resident Evil.

Best Line: Saeko after being due to Takashi's driving soaked a second time: "Jesus Christ, do you actually enjoy getting me wet or something?" Hey, we all do.

Best Kill: Saeko in a slinky cocktail dress, lecturing a zombie on his hygiene before hitting hard enough to send him hurling through the air.

Fan Service: We get a lot of shots of Saeko in various stages of undress in this episode, but I'm going to go with this one:

Well, at least Taakshi doesn't get nosebleeds or say "I like turtles" when he sees a hot chick. He just because more cartoonish.

Bonus: Pretty sweet animated music video for Rob Zombie's 'American Witch.'

"

Pointless Remake News - Cabin Fever

I don't have a problem with remakes, per se. We've seen some that are pretty good. For example, John Carpenter's version of The Thing is as much of a masterpiece as the 1951 original. The recent remakes/reboots of the Planet of the Apes franchise have been great films. The Magnificent Seven is a wonderful remake and re-imaging of The Seven Samurai (as is Battle Beyond the Stars). One can easily find movies that have been successfully remade, some loosely connected to the original, others very closely. Usually, what a worthwhile remake does is bring something to the screen that the original didn't. It can be a new theme, better effects, a different tone, a different setting...something that sets the new film apart. It also helps if the source material has some depth to it or reflects a story-telling archetype. For example, The Seven Samurai is such a primal story - a group of imperfect heroes helping the underdog against an oppressive force - that you can easily see it being made time and again.

Then, there are remakes that make you ask "What. The. Fuck." In that category is the announced remake of Cabin Fever. I enjoyed the original. I thought the first sequel was terrible and the prequel left a lot to be desired (see here for that review. But the basic concept - flesh eating virus infects group of people leading to gooey survival horror fun - could still lend itself to new movies. So, why remake the original? And why use the exact same script? Yes, that's right.

This is what Deadline is reporting;

Eli Roth’s 2002 horror comedy Cabin Fever is getting a remake, with the original movie’s writer-director Roth returning as executive producer. He won’t have to do much writing this time, though: The plan is to use the exact same Roth-Randy Pearlstein script that was shot in 2002, and with a cast already moved in, it puts the project on the fast track. Shooting begins this week in Portland, OR.
The new version will star Teen Wolf‘s Gage Golightly, Dustin Ingram, Samuel Davis, Matthew Daddario and Nadine Crocker. Travis Zariwny (Intruder) is directing.

I quite honestly don't understand this. First, while the first film was fun, it's not exactly a household name. Second, why use the exact same script? Are they that lazy? That dumb? Neither the sequel nor prequel are any good, but at least they told original stories. I don't care if this shows up on Netflix; I'm not watching it. And I watched Strippers vs Werewolves, so yo know my viewing bar is set pretty low. If we stop watching lazy shit like this, they'll stop making it. I'd rather watch the worst original story than a cynical money grab like this.

31 Days of Halloween - The Green Slime (1968) With Slimey Alien Spoilers

I first saw this movie late one night when I was about 12. That's probably the best time and age for the film. I still enjoy watching it; but the part of me that really likes it is my inner 12-year-old.

Synopsis

It is the future. A large space station orbits the Earth, commanded by Vince Elliott (Richard Jaeckel). A massive asteroid is spotted on a collision course with Earth. Commander Jack Rankin (Robert Horton) is sent to the space station to lead an expedition to destroy the asteroid. He and Vince were once friends, but had a falling out. In part, this was due to a decision that Vince made that got some men killed. Vince is also engaged to Lisa (the oh-so-hot Luciana Paluzzi) who once was Jack's girl.

The mission to the asteroid is successful. However, a member of the science team inadvertently brings back a strange organic substance, the Green Slime. It rapidly evolves into s horde of squat, tentacle-armed electricity generating monsters, whose blood generates more creatures. Despite the best efforts of the crew, the station is soon overrun. Jack and Vince rig the station to burn-up in the Earth's atmosphere; but Vince is killed in the process. The aliens are destroyed, Vince gets to die heroically and Jack gets Lisa. Happy endings for everyone. Well, not so much for Vince. Or the Green Slime for that matter. So, happy ending for the arrogant, annoying guy and his hot ginger love monkey.

Analysis

Luciana Paluzzi.
Do you think I'm NOT going to post a pic of a hot redhead?
Do you know which site you are on?

Toy-like miniatures. Rubber suit aliens. Unlikeable characters and clunky dialogue. A cheesy rock song with lyrics like;

What can it be, what is the reason
is this the end of all that breathes, and
Is it something in your head?
Will you believe it when you’re dead?”

In other words...completely awesome! Or, perhaps some other word!

One way to look at this film is as the side of a cinematic coin shared with another sci-fi movie that came out the same year, 2001: A Space Odyssey. While it may seem heretical to mention Kubrick's masterpiece with this firmly b-movie space opera, they do represent two types of sci-fi cinema that are still jostling for dominance. 2001 exemplifies a mix of hard science and metaphysical musings. The Green Slime is pure space opera, science fiction as an adventure movie with no pretensions of anything else. The characters in 2001 take back-seat to the technology. They are cyphers with the artificial intelligence HAL showing more personality than the men who created him. Kubrick was purposeful in what he did; his future man has reached a dead end. In contrast, the characters in The Green Slime are more "human." That they are cliches involved in melodramatic conflicts doesn't detract from the fact they are much more "alive" than their counter-parts in Kubrick's film. The color palette is starkly different. 2001 is very sterile, with lots of whites, blacks and greys. The Green Slime is a riot of color, from the bright red asteroid to the brightly colored walls and uniforms on the space station. While the future depicted in 2001 looks plausible, The Green Slime looks more like pop art.

Space opera remains more popular than the cerebral science fiction film. While the latter exist (Moon, Melancholia, and Her are recent examples), most science fiction films are more closely related to The Green Slime. While effects technology has advanced to the point that even modest budgeted films can look good, they still have space opera sensibilities. A film like Avatar, for example, looks amazing. However, it is populated by bombastic characters not out of place in a movie like The Green Slime and the story is a simplistic framework for colorful action scenes. For a time, it looked like science fiction films might take a more serious route. 2001 was seen as a masterpiece, The Green Slime as a juvenile example of B-movie sensibilities. With the success of Star Wars, however, the action-adventure space opera became the dominant style of sci-fi cinema. The children of the Green Slime live.

The Green Slime are coming for you! Well, not really.
THey're just heading out for coffee and bear claws.

Verdict

The Green Slime is a fun movie. It is bright and fast paced. The characters are archetypes and played with the intensity of wood chippers. The story is straight-forward; survival horror in space with a love triangle subplot. The effects are, um, quaint. The silly monster suits and extensive, but toy-like, miniatures add to the charm of the movie. Check it out.

Bonus: The rockin' theme!