You can subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, via search word "ALL-STAR VIDEO"
or, you can listen here:
http://traffic.libsyn.com/allstarvideo/MIAMI_CONNECTION_podcast.mp3
Monday, September 9, 2013
Podcast: MIAMI CONNECTION
This week we discuss the wonderful MIAMI CONNECTION.
You can subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, via search word "ALL-STAR VIDEO"
or, you can listen here:
http://traffic.libsyn.com/allstarvideo/MIAMI_CONNECTION_podcast.mp3
You can subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, via search word "ALL-STAR VIDEO"
or, you can listen here:
http://traffic.libsyn.com/allstarvideo/MIAMI_CONNECTION_podcast.mp3
Friday, September 6, 2013
REVIEW: THE GATE (1987)
THE GATE
Director: Tibor Takacs
85 Minutes, PG13
1987
My memories of The Gate are some of my earliest movie memories of my entire life. Having two older sisters, parents that were really into ZZ Top, and a Budget Mart gas station down the street growing up, meant I got to watch movies that probably weren't appropriate for a preschooler.
While The Gate may not appear to be a kid's movie. In my mind, it is. It stars kids. It's about being a kid. It's a story about your weird metalhead neighbor, about growing apart from your older siblings, and opening the gate of hell in your backyard.
Most horror films of this era were marketed towards young teens. I feel, as a PG13 film, The Gate aimed slightly lower.
Glen is your average kid. He has a sweet Huffy, a scruffy old dog, and lives in the standard suburban two story. Just like I did.
The film opens with Glen (Stephen Dorff) riding his bike up to his house, getting into his treehouse and having it fall and collapse. He wakes up from a nightmare to hear heavy machinery removing the very same tree, leaving in massive hole in the ground.
Glen and his friend Terry find a weird crystal in the hole. It burns Satanic images on to their Sesame Street Magnet toy doodle pad thingy.
The movie proceeds to the mundane suburban life. Terry is really nerdy and really into sweet metal bands like Venom and The Killer Dwarves. Glen's sister Al, is becoming a mature young lady and she doesn't have time to play with Glen and his baby toys anymore.
When Glen and Al's parents go out of town, Al has a sweet party when the mature kids practice levitating and trying to do all sorts of other goofy "occult" things 13 year olds do.
In conjunction with the massive hole in the yard, the "occult,"Al's "boyfriend" dumping the dead family dog in the hole, and listening to metal records in reverse, Terry, Al, and Glen unleash hell onto the earth. . . in the form of tiny claymation demons. Then lightning rolls in, eyes start showing up in people's hands, in a nutshell the apocalypse happens.
KID'S MOVIE:
Viewing this as a child left many images in my head. The eye in the hand being the strongest. But along with the mundane, facts of life, such as siblings growing apart, the death of the family dog, the weird metal head neighbor kid. The Gate really recreates childhood forces evil upon it and destroys it. Terrifying for a kid. Entertaining for an adult.
If I ever have kids, I'm totally making them watch this when they're 6.
- M. McSlam
Director: Tibor Takacs
85 Minutes, PG13
1987
My memories of The Gate are some of my earliest movie memories of my entire life. Having two older sisters, parents that were really into ZZ Top, and a Budget Mart gas station down the street growing up, meant I got to watch movies that probably weren't appropriate for a preschooler.
While The Gate may not appear to be a kid's movie. In my mind, it is. It stars kids. It's about being a kid. It's a story about your weird metalhead neighbor, about growing apart from your older siblings, and opening the gate of hell in your backyard.
Most horror films of this era were marketed towards young teens. I feel, as a PG13 film, The Gate aimed slightly lower.
Glen is your average kid. He has a sweet Huffy, a scruffy old dog, and lives in the standard suburban two story. Just like I did.
The film opens with Glen (Stephen Dorff) riding his bike up to his house, getting into his treehouse and having it fall and collapse. He wakes up from a nightmare to hear heavy machinery removing the very same tree, leaving in massive hole in the ground.
Glen and his friend Terry find a weird crystal in the hole. It burns Satanic images on to their Sesame Street Magnet toy doodle pad thingy.
 |
| "Metal up your ass!" |
When Glen and Al's parents go out of town, Al has a sweet party when the mature kids practice levitating and trying to do all sorts of other goofy "occult" things 13 year olds do.
In conjunction with the massive hole in the yard, the "occult,"Al's "boyfriend" dumping the dead family dog in the hole, and listening to metal records in reverse, Terry, Al, and Glen unleash hell onto the earth. . . in the form of tiny claymation demons. Then lightning rolls in, eyes start showing up in people's hands, in a nutshell the apocalypse happens.
 |
| I had nightmares about these dudes before liquid metal. |
KID'S MOVIE:
Viewing this as a child left many images in my head. The eye in the hand being the strongest. But along with the mundane, facts of life, such as siblings growing apart, the death of the family dog, the weird metal head neighbor kid. The Gate really recreates childhood forces evil upon it and destroys it. Terrifying for a kid. Entertaining for an adult.
If I ever have kids, I'm totally making them watch this when they're 6.
- M. McSlam
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Rant: IT SUCKS TO BE A KID
As we embark on a month of movies that messed us up as kids, movies meant for kids that are crazy disturbing, and just plain movies we remember helping shape us, I started to think about my own childhood.
Being a kid sucks. You're small and have no income, and your limbs are weirdly gangly and awkward. You fall down a lot, get gravel in your hands, and have to go to bed early. School is a drag, and bullies abound. Other kids (including you) suck, and that's who you interact with most of the time. You have all these dumb rules you have to follow and you are always in the process of being socialized, because you are basically a wild animal birthed from the loins of a citizen of human society. And, if all that weren't bad enough, you feel as though your parents don't understand or trust you, which got me thinking about Tobe Hooper's 1986 remake of INVADERS FROM MARS.
I've never seen the original film (yes, what blasphemy, be up in arms about it please). This one is disturbing enough for me, thank you. I was watching it a few nights ago, and I didn't realize I had actually seen this movie as a kid until I was about 45 minutes into it. There is an image that is seared into my brain of a teacher leaned over a sink as a young boy walks into his science classroom. The teacher turns around to reveal she has a frog hanging out of her mouth!
This image is terrifying enough as an adult, but as a kid, I remember it freaking me out. I'm not sure what context I saw the film in, but images became more and more familiar as it went on. Perhaps on TV...?
Anyway, what struck me as an adult is the idea that no parents ever believe kids in movies. There is a secret kid world where fantasy is reality, and parents never have the imagination to accept this until it's too late. In the case of Invaders, they become terrorists controlled by the Martians. But, in general, I can think of about ten movies off the top of my head where parents don't believe their kids. Often, it comes to the detriment of those untrusting old jerks who have no imagination, ie: The Stuff.
But, back to Invaders. Where The Stuff is truly about the dangers of capitalism, Invaders seems to be about CONTRA. You know, that sweet NES game where two marines go off killing an alien invasion.
Whereas Contra was made in 1987 (the year after Invaders was released) it seems to me the plot is a bit cooler than that of Invaders. Actually, I don't understand the plot to Contra, but after you beat it, it reads,
"CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE DESTROYED THE VILE RED FALCON AND SAVED THE UNIVERSE. CONSIDER YOURSELF A HERO."
That's pretty rad, if you ask me. Both involve Marines going down into the alien lair and burning them out with flamethrowers and rocket launchers. Both involve my childhood. And, in a weird way, have influenced how I view childhood.
David, the protagonist of Invaders, hunts down the marines to get help fighting the aliens, but also believes it might work to just talk to the aliens to convince them to leave. The general responds with, "Marines have no qualms killing Martians!"
David tries anyway, but in the end the Martians don't care for talk and it's the Marines that get the job done. And, it seems to me only a child solves all problems that way...
-J. Moret
Being a kid sucks. You're small and have no income, and your limbs are weirdly gangly and awkward. You fall down a lot, get gravel in your hands, and have to go to bed early. School is a drag, and bullies abound. Other kids (including you) suck, and that's who you interact with most of the time. You have all these dumb rules you have to follow and you are always in the process of being socialized, because you are basically a wild animal birthed from the loins of a citizen of human society. And, if all that weren't bad enough, you feel as though your parents don't understand or trust you, which got me thinking about Tobe Hooper's 1986 remake of INVADERS FROM MARS.
This image is terrifying enough as an adult, but as a kid, I remember it freaking me out. I'm not sure what context I saw the film in, but images became more and more familiar as it went on. Perhaps on TV...?
Anyway, what struck me as an adult is the idea that no parents ever believe kids in movies. There is a secret kid world where fantasy is reality, and parents never have the imagination to accept this until it's too late. In the case of Invaders, they become terrorists controlled by the Martians. But, in general, I can think of about ten movies off the top of my head where parents don't believe their kids. Often, it comes to the detriment of those untrusting old jerks who have no imagination, ie: The Stuff.
But, back to Invaders. Where The Stuff is truly about the dangers of capitalism, Invaders seems to be about CONTRA. You know, that sweet NES game where two marines go off killing an alien invasion. Whereas Contra was made in 1987 (the year after Invaders was released) it seems to me the plot is a bit cooler than that of Invaders. Actually, I don't understand the plot to Contra, but after you beat it, it reads,
"CONGRATULATIONS! YOU'VE DESTROYED THE VILE RED FALCON AND SAVED THE UNIVERSE. CONSIDER YOURSELF A HERO."
That's pretty rad, if you ask me. Both involve Marines going down into the alien lair and burning them out with flamethrowers and rocket launchers. Both involve my childhood. And, in a weird way, have influenced how I view childhood.
David, the protagonist of Invaders, hunts down the marines to get help fighting the aliens, but also believes it might work to just talk to the aliens to convince them to leave. The general responds with, "Marines have no qualms killing Martians!"
David tries anyway, but in the end the Martians don't care for talk and it's the Marines that get the job done. And, it seems to me only a child solves all problems that way...
-J. Moret
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Interview: JOSEPH LARSEN
I continue with my interviews of the people around Minnesota that I think are doing fascinating things around film. This week: Joseph Larsen.
Joe Larsen is a filmmaker, programmer, VHS enthusiast, theater manager and friend. This is our conversation about how he got into movies, what he's up to now, and what he has planned for the future.
Check it out here.
http://allstarvideo.libsyn.com/interview-with-joseph-larsen
Or here.
http://traffic.libsyn.com/allstarvideo/Interview_with_Joe_Larsen.mp3
-J. Moret
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Box Art: MAYHEM
Directed by Joseph Merhi
1986
78 mins.
City Lights Home Video
Collecting physical media is a quickly dying hobby. Digital media is becoming more overwhelming and prevalent. Streaming services offer a seemingly unlimited amount of titles. However, the titles on Netflix and others are pushed at you based on their restriction rights with the hopes of gaining the most profit. Likewise, the temporary nature and inferior quality of that digital content offers no sense of ownership. However, not all physical media is better than the box it comes in, ie: MAYHEM
So, this started as a regular review, but as I was writing I realized I dont care near enough about this movie to actually write a review. Sure, it's enjoyable enough, and I'm happy with the time I spent on Mayhem, but I need not spend any more.
And, we get to the back of the box. First, a dude in a hilarious wig and mustache getting gunned down. Alright, you've got me interested. A man in a white button-down shirt throwing himself backward while being shot next to dude full of blood, and Buzz from Home Alone next to that, yelling. Sold. Oh, and if you notice the dude who did Special Effects...
-J. Moret
1986
78 mins.
City Lights Home Video
Collecting physical media is a quickly dying hobby. Digital media is becoming more overwhelming and prevalent. Streaming services offer a seemingly unlimited amount of titles. However, the titles on Netflix and others are pushed at you based on their restriction rights with the hopes of gaining the most profit. Likewise, the temporary nature and inferior quality of that digital content offers no sense of ownership. However, not all physical media is better than the box it comes in, ie: MAYHEM
So, this started as a regular review, but as I was writing I realized I dont care near enough about this movie to actually write a review. Sure, it's enjoyable enough, and I'm happy with the time I spent on Mayhem, but I need not spend any more.
Joseph Merhi was a straight to video producer for most of his career. He has become synonymous (at least in my mind) with goofy action sequences, overly bloody violence and awkward Cinemax-like sex scenes. His production company (PM Entertainment as in Peppin-Merhi), released such gems as Rage and Skyscraper.
Mayhem is Merhi's directiorial debut. And, though it is a first film, it is wildly successful at being a Merhi vehicle. The acting is superbly terrible (when I first saw David Prior's Night Wars, I wished that I could watch an entire movie starring the car salesman. Well, the lead in this, Raymond Martino, is about as close as it gets.) The character development is insane. For instance, Dino yells at his cat like a jealous husband, and then it cuts to his real wife as the cat. He only eats healthy and gets down on his friend Zigi for eating hamburngers. However, he also kills without hesitation. Anyway...
Mayhem is Merhi's directiorial debut. And, though it is a first film, it is wildly successful at being a Merhi vehicle. The acting is superbly terrible (when I first saw David Prior's Night Wars, I wished that I could watch an entire movie starring the car salesman. Well, the lead in this, Raymond Martino, is about as close as it gets.) The character development is insane. For instance, Dino yells at his cat like a jealous husband, and then it cuts to his real wife as the cat. He only eats healthy and gets down on his friend Zigi for eating hamburngers. However, he also kills without hesitation. Anyway...
The Box
I was with my friends Nick and Meghan Geiken in Sioux Falls a few weeks back. We were hunting around Family Thrift Store and brought up a few tapes to fhe counter. The clerk asked us if we'd like to see the back room. Without hesitation, I said of course, and my heart began racing. In a garage in the back, Nick and I climbed atop boxes, lawn mowers and more to find a wonderful treasure trove of tapes. We were told we had 15 minutes, so we began tossing anything somewhat interesting into a box. Hence: my acquiring Mayhem.
I was with my friends Nick and Meghan Geiken in Sioux Falls a few weeks back. We were hunting around Family Thrift Store and brought up a few tapes to fhe counter. The clerk asked us if we'd like to see the back room. Without hesitation, I said of course, and my heart began racing. In a garage in the back, Nick and I climbed atop boxes, lawn mowers and more to find a wonderful treasure trove of tapes. We were told we had 15 minutes, so we began tossing anything somewhat interesting into a box. Hence: my acquiring Mayhem.
The box art was interesting enough for me to snag it. What really caught my attention, however, was that PM logo and that amazing tag line... and THE BACK. The back is incredible. First, the tagline.
"First it was the child molestors, the Dope Pushers and the Pimps. Now it's the Police. Can he survive?"
Without having an annoying discussion of the grammar and semantics there, I just want to point out how funny I find that list of villains. It's also pretty misleading, but I need not go into that.
And, we get to the back of the box. First, a dude in a hilarious wig and mustache getting gunned down. Alright, you've got me interested. A man in a white button-down shirt throwing himself backward while being shot next to dude full of blood, and Buzz from Home Alone next to that, yelling. Sold. Oh, and if you notice the dude who did Special Effects...
-J. Moret
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