Random Film of the Week(end): Mother’s Day (1980)

Posted on May 11, 2014 by geelw

As horror movies from the era go, Mother’s Day hits all of the right notes genre fans should appreciate, which means this oldie’s NOT for the squeamish or anyone who hates a bit of nastiness in their fear flicks. Riffing off on better movies like Deliverance and gore classics such as I Spit On Your Grave and Last House On The Left, co-writer/director Charlie Kaufman (no, not THAT one, this one’s Troma Picture’s Lloyd Kaufman’s brother) cooked up a mean little revenge movie with a few twists and turns. It’s at turns scary, sick, and funny, and as noted, NOT for everyone, so beware if that goofy poster piques your curiosity and you decide to go in cold.

While more of a cult film than actual “classic,” this one’s got some pretty sharp teeth, bites really hard and deep. When three gals set out on their yearly camping trip, they run afoul of a pair of crazed brothers and their even more unhinged mother who’s not even close to a sympathetic character. The old bat has her boys kidnap and put the three girls through hell in some disgusting torture and abuse scenes that are still effective and hard to watch today. One girl dies from her injuries, but the other two survive… only to return loaded for bear in order exact revenge on their former tormentors…

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Happy Mother’s Day (Or Else)…

Posted on May 11, 2014 by geelw

Some get along with Moms they love
and gift them with that velvet glove
The other group, they’re not above
the want to find a cliff, then shove.

But whether you choose love or hate
You must admit there’s no debate
You’re here because yes, it’s your fate
(Now quiet down and clean your plate!)

Some moms are fit to raise their broods
and never seem to reach bad moods
But others haven’t got the goods
(Their kids get left out in the woods)

But even if Mom’s good or bad,
know she’s the only one you’ve had
And whether you’re now glad or sad
In most respects, you can’t be mad!

So, raise a glass, drink of your choice
and let your Mom know with your voice
just what you’re feeling, gals and boys
(But not too loud, now – noise annoys!)

(I’ll add video credits later tonight, as I had to write this in a hurry!)

Random Film of the Week: Psycho II

Posted on May 6, 2014 by geelw

Well, it’s Mother’s Day this week as well as my birthday (tomorrow, so you still have time to get me that gift or else!), so I’m going to have fun with this week’s pick. While seen as sacrilege to some fans of the original movie, for my money Psycho II is a nice surprise that does well at following up on Norman Bates’ life post-release from the institution he ended up in thanks to his deeds in the original.

Screenwriter Tom Holland and director Richard Franklin get some great (albeit limited) mileage out of Anthony Perkins here as he portrays Norman as trying to live the “normal” life, but ends up instead plagued by forced memories from the past intended to drive him back to his old ways. Or perhaps he’s hallucinating all that bad stuff? Whatever the cause, bodies start piling up (well, the actual death count is small compared to other films of the era), the mystery deepens and it’s not until the final reel that things become clear with a double twist corker of an ending that’s still amazing… Continue reading →

As Long As YOUR Mother’s Day Wasn’t Like This, It Was An OK One…

Posted on May 12, 2013 by geelw

Hey, a little Bugs Bunny goes a long, loooooong way, folks. Of course, the next time you’re at your mother’s place or she’s with you and someone orders coffee or tea, I’m hoping this clip pops into your head at some point. She’ll understand perfectly if she remembers this old gem, but if not… well, you sure have some fast explaining to do, right?

Bethesda Underground Mother’s Day Surprise: Oh Yeah, And He Broke That Lamp, Too…

Posted on May 10, 2013 by geelw

Awwww! Here’s a pretty cool and amusing video from Bethsoft with Arkane Studios producer Seth Shain and his mom having a fun little discussion about what he does for a living. Hmmmm… I guess he needs to go buy her a console and a copy of Dishonored for Mother’s Day, huh? Well, that’s what I’d do after telling her I was a doctor all these years. OK, he didn’t, but let this be a lesson to all you lazy sons and daughters out there who get through life wanting to stab your own mom with a cold spoon for not letting you have the car that one time or reading you the riot act for staying out too late and forgetting to tell her where you were going or which one of the soon to be jailbirds you were out with. Little things mean a lot, so get to it this weekend, I say. That’s my good deed for the month, mind you – after this, it’s back to open season on the rubes, so watch it…

Random Music Battle Time: Blur vs. Liberace (Well, They Both Kind Of Win)…

Posted on May 10, 2013 by geelw

While waiting for a game to download the other day, I randomly Googled something and got something else entirely, and with a little brain work and rewriting here’s one result of that mistake: Song 2 by Blur, meet Song 2 as performed by Liberace. Yeah, it was a tough battle, folks… but believe it (or else), the results were a dead tie at the end of the voting. Well, actually, one half of my brain was bouncing up and down and the other was laughing, so that’s how that all worked out.

Liberace DVD Of course, Liberace gets the last laugh (and probably wins the bigger prize) because hell, he was a lot more talented (and funnier) throughout his long career than Blur will most likely ever be (or have been… hey, are they still even around?). That and you won’t lose your hearing from listening to too much of his music with the volume way up (well, depending on your age, you probably have some hearing loss if you’re a Liberace fan, ha ha).

Anyway, the fine folks at Shout Factory and Timeless Media Group have actually just released Libreace: The Ultimate Entertainer on DVD this week, so you can go see for yourself (c’mon, be brave! Expand those musical horizons! I won’t tell…) for a mere $13.98, which is a bargain considering what’s on the disc. Hey, get it as a Mother’s Day gift for someone old enough to appreciate that man’s work and you’ll get a few cheeks pinched afterward (make sure you’re sitting sown when you hand over that package)…