Get Your 80’s Goldblum Fix with Transylvania 6-5000

Image April 30, 2018 Dev Crowley Leave a comment

It seems these days the world is coming up Jeff Goldblum. That sexy salt and pepper sumbitch is everywhere and I don’t see a single person complaining. But Mr. Goldblum isn’t new to the party. He didn’t share himself with the world starting from Jurrasic Park. No…there is a movie before that in particular when I was first introduced to him before he was Dr. Ian Malcolm. I’m talking about Transylvania 6-5000 (1985).

This movie is a goddamn gem. It was written and directed by Rudy De Luca. It stars Jeff Goldblum as Jack Harrison and Ed Begley Jr. as Gil Turner. Both men star as tabloid journalists looking for a story to save their jobs. When a video is found showing a possible Frankenstein’s monster attacking tourists in Transylvania, their editor sends them on a trip to find the monster or find themselves a new gig. Stakes are high and the duo head to Transylvania to find the evidence.

Immediately Jack gets a love interest in the form of Elizabeth (Teresa Ganzel) in all of her big eyed, high pitched glory. Gil is the bumbling dope of the two and immediately embarrasses them. At their hotel owned by Mayor Lepescu (Jeffrey Jones), they are greeted by the strangest butler, Fejos (Michael Richards) and over their visit meet a ragtag group of hilarious classic monster movie rip offs like Odette (Geena Davis) a “vampire,” Radu (John Byner) and his wife Lupi (Carol Kane) the hump-backed servants, a wolfman (Donald Gibb) and Dr. Malavaqua (Joseph Bologna) the mad scientist.

There’s a scene where Gil gets backed into a lake where he is knee deep in water. Out of the murky water rises a hand that immediately grabs his business casually dressed Begley dick. The reaction is perfection and is hands down one of the funniest scenes in the movie.

I have seen Transylvania 6-5000 at least a dozen times and it never gets old. Geena Davis is hilarious, Jeff Goldblum does his Goldblum thing, and Begley Jr. is a hot mess in the best sense of the word. See this movie…you’ll thank me for it.

Home Video Releases, Retro Reviews

Review: Arrow Video’s “Killer Klowns From Outer Space” Showcases Epic Never Before Seen Interviews and Features

Image April 29, 2018 Patti PaulterGeist Leave a comment

In space, no one eats ice cream!

As we head into the official 30th anniversary of the Chiodo Bros.’ cult-clown-classic, the prestigious restoration of retro beloved titles Arrow Video has released a beautifully restored version of the film that made us question that cotton candy you acquired at the county circus and fair. Chock full of all-new special features including a never-before-seen 24-minute interview with all three Chiodo brothers that offers a glimpse into the filmmaker’s wild-imaginary world and the origin of their passions leading up to Killer Klowns From Outer Space.

With a brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative opening with the Trans World Entertainment logo (BONUS), the differences in color and quality here are top-notch when compared to previous releases of the film. Perhaps the most predominant aspect of this brand-new visual look of the movie is the magnificent detail of the clown faces and suits you get to see now. So if you ever need a photo-still for those DIY Killer Klown Halloween costumes, this is the version you want as every last indent of each clown’s mug is seen as clear as Gordon Ramsay’s polished silverware.

Among the retrospective interview with the creators of killer popcorn kernels, the special features included with the 30th-anniversary disc are worth every damn penny you spend on this ultimate release of the cult-horror. A never-before-seen look at the auditioning process of the “klowns” is included with instructing the candidates in full-costume how to walk and move like a creepy as hell, vengeful alien clown, as seen below in a screen-shot I took from the excerpt.

I literally can’t believe I just wrote that last sentence. Jesus and JoJos, I love my job.

The circus of special features is only beginning as we move unto a new 11-minute interview with the original members of The Dickies, a tour of the Chiodos studios, and all-new interviews with stars Grant Cramer and Suzanne Snyder along with important members of the production cast. In Behind the Screams, we get a retro VHS style look at the behind the scenes action of the movie and we also, of course, have the beloved deleted scenes and a decent amount of bloopers from the movie. Because with a movie as silly and fun as Killer Klowns, you have to know there’s some gems from that cutting-room floor.

Even if you have one, two, or 6 copies of this movie already, THIS is the one you’ll definitely need in your collection. On that note, I’d like to personally thank Arrow Video for sending me a copy to review for this site, as it obviously didn’t disappoint. You can pick yours up by heading straight to Arrow’s website by clicking here.

News

Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ Movie To Begin Shooting This Summer!

Image April 27, 2018 Patti PaulterGeist Leave a comment

And in one fell swoop of nostalgic glory in one day, 90’s kids everywhere are creaming their jeans. Not only did we get news that an Are You Afraid of the Dark movie is slated for a Halloween 2019 release, but that Guillermo del Toro’s vision for the beloved Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books seems to not be as “Cold as Clay” as we had perceived. As news came today via Deadline that the movie is being financed AND projected to be filming as early as this Summer in Toronto.

“Internally screaming”.

Guillermo del Toro is slated to produce the film along with a credit for co-writing the script alongside Daniel and Kevin Hageman. Sean Daniel, Elizabeth Grave, Jason F. Brown, and J. Miles Dale are also on the roster as producers for the Alvin Schwartz film adaptation with director André Øvredal (Autopsy of Jane Doe, Trollhunter) at the helm.

CBS Films and Entertainment One are co-financing the movie with Sierra/Infinity and E-One reportedly distributing the feature in Canada, U.K., Australia/New Zealand, Germany, Benelux, Spain, Austria, and Switzerland making it available to buyers for the first time at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. While in the USA, CBS Films will distribute the film through good ole’ Lionsgate.

Now excuse me while I go breathe into a paper bag as I can’t even get a grip on all this beautiful news at the moment. Stay tuned as we learn more about this already established (in my eyes) national treasure.