TOP TEN END OF THE WORLD MOVIES!

The end of the world is on everyone’s lips today.   So in light of that here’s:  “The Top Ten End of the World Movies!’

Nostalgia, NPR and NORTH BY NORTHWEST!

Linda Holmes blog “Monkey See” has an interesting post today about classic films and nostalgia.  The piece was inspired by a screening of North by Northwest and what happened afterwards while she exited the theater:

On the way out, I heard this, sighed contentedly by someone near me who sounded like he would have been quite a few years away from being born when the movie was released in 1959: “That’s the way films were back then.”

What? No.

That is most certainly not the way films were back then. That is the way this film was. And this film was one of the greatest movies made by one of the greatest directors of all time starring someone who would be on any list of contenders for the title of Most Flawless Movie Star In Hollywood History. So, yeah. It’s pretty good.

She goes on to add:

Not only does this kind of misdirected nostalgia overestimate the degree to which Everything Is Terrible These Days — an attitude that tends to make people incurious and lazy and less likely to discover what is new and good — but it tremendously undervalues the artistry that goes into a classic film.

So is Ms. Holmes right?  Is this all nostalgia is?  The misguided love for the best of the past?  And the belief that it represents all of the past?

Labor Day DVD and Blu-Ray Sale (40% Off)!

If you’re a fan of rare and obscure genre movies, you probably already know about VCI.   They make available a wide variety of rare titles on DVD and Blu-Ray with the best transfers they can muster.  And many of their titles are only available through their website. And they really do have great stuff.  Cult movies, classic serials,  crime and detective, b-westerns, obscure British films, science fiction, martial arts, UFO/paranormal and much, much more!

One problem:  They can be a bit pricey.  But for a few days that problem is solved.  Because they’re having a 40% off sale from now until September 6th in honor of Labor Day!  Yup, you read that right:  40% off!   To participate all you have to do is enter the coupon code “laborday40″.  Obviously without the quote marks.

To get start shopping now, visit the site here.  You’ll be glad you did.

Kevin Smith Gets Reality Series!

Kevin Smith has been claiming he’ll retire from directing after his next film.  So how’s he gonna make a living?  That Clerks cash can only go so far.  Well, one way might be through reality television.  And this year he’s dipping his toe in this genre with “Secret Stash” which will be set in his New Jersey comic shop.  It sounds like a geek version of “Pawn Stars”.

We have grown tired of reality TV in all its forms.  But we’ll give this one a look:  (a) because it examines geek culture; and (b) because it’s Kevin.  But, frankly, we can’t see us sticking with this one unless it’s something real special.

Video: RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES!

Fascinating behind the scenes featurette on the some of special effects in the new hit film Rise of the Planet of the Apes.  Those folks at WETA sure are masters at what they do!

Video: HUMAN VS. ZOMBIES!

Zombies are the pork fat of movies.  They just make everything tastier.  Here’s the tasty synopsis of this film:

Students on summer break are exposed to a deadly virus, a neuroinvasive organism that is spread rapidly thrStudents on summer break are exposed to a deadly virus, a neuroinvasive organism that is spread rapidly through direct human contact. The infected are enslaved by the invading “swarm” intelligence and driven by an insatiable appetite to consume human flesh. Returning home, the students spread the infection to their fellow classmates and other unsuspecting townspeople. One by one, more students fall victim to the plague, triggering an epidemic that spawns a horde of ravenous zombies.

We don’t know who’s more ravenous:  The zombies in these films or us zombie fans with our insatiable hunger for more zombies?  We think the latter.  Because we really do want more  zombies.   In comics, in books, on TV … and most importantly … in movies!  And we doubt this will change for quite a while.

Oh, and another thing that makes this movie tres cool:   It’s based on a moderated tag game of the same name which has been sweeping college campuses in the last few years!  For more info on that click here.

“Cheat Sheet” for David Lynch’s DUNE!

It’s 1984.  You’re an exec at Universal.  One of the films on your release schedule is David Lynch’s adaptation of Dune.  It worries you.  You were hoping for another Star Wars. But you got someting else.   A weird and confusing film.  Not much you can do about the former.  It’s in the can.  But maybe you can do something about the latter. So you make up a glossary and have theater owners distribute it to the patrons.

Did this work?  Hardly.  The film still flopped.  But it did create one of the most sought after bits of movie ephemera ever created.  And now, we here at GRN, can give you look at that weird bit of movie memorabilia.  Here it is as a PDF file that you can view, copy, even print.

Now you too can learn what a “crysknife” is made from, what the empire’s “human computers” are called, and the meaning of Paul’s secret name “Usul”.  Of course, fans of the novel already knew this stuff.  Or most of it. (The film added a few ideas of its own.)  But it’s still great to peruse this bit of movie marketing history.

Video: THUNDERCATS Test Footage!

This is a CGI test for a proposed Thundercats movie.   This has been on the net for a few days and has already received the usual critical drubbing.  However, some of that has been a bit out of control.  Like this comment on Youtube:

Thank god this was stopped dead in it’s tracks. I mean really, is it so much to ask for a more adult story AND impressive visuals out of Hollywood? Why do we have to pick one or the other and sometimes get neither?

Um, an “an adult story” for Thundercats?  Thundercats?!?  Do you remember Thundercats?  Hell, you don’t even have to remember it:  It’s a show called Thundercats!

But if you don’t remember Thundercats watch a bit of it after the jump.

J.J. Reveals More “Super 8″ Plot Details!

J.J. Abrams, after keeping much of this of his upcoming film Super 8 a secret for over a year, has finally begun dropping plot details.  Here’s what we now know:

The movie is set in Ohio in 1979.  It’s about a group of six kids making a Super 8 zombie film.  While shooting this film, they photograph a trail wreck.  They also photograph an alien climbing out of the wreckage.

This is quite close to what was already guessed at.  But it verifies that the movie is a period piece, and that the children are junior filmmakers.  But Abrams thinks this is more than audiences need to know:

To me, all people need to know is that it’s an adventure about a small town and it’s funny, it’s sweet, it’s scary and there’s a mystery: What is this thing that has escaped? What are the ramifications of its presence? And what is the effect on people? … But I know that’s not enough. Look, I feel we need a little bit of a coming-out party because we are up against massive franchises and brands and most people don’t know what ‘Super 8′ means. We’re a complete anomaly in a summer of huge films … and we don’t want to be so silent or coy that people don’t care or don’t hear about it.

It may be the anomaly but it’s the film we at GR are looking forward to the most.  And we miss the days when studios could keep the plots of movies under tighter wraps.  And we admire J.J.’s ability to come close to that.

Not on DVD Clip Pick: MEGAFORCE (1982)!

If one were to construct a guilty pleasure movie from scratch, you’d probably come pretty close to Megaforce.  It has it all.  Overblown central concept.  Bad casting.  Bad acting.  Lots of stunts and explosion.  Unintentional humor.  Intentional humor that isn’t funny.  And, most importantly, a we’re-making-a-hit attitude that suffuses every frame of this disasterpiece!  Yup, it’s a very impressive thing.  And as if that weren’t enough:   It has Hal Needham (Cannonball Run) at the helm and stars Barry Bostwick (Rocky Horror Picture Show).  This puppy oozes cult cred.

But, sadly, this  mega-cult classic isn’t on DVD.   That’s why we’ve chosen it to inaugurate our new feature “Not On DVD Clip Pick”.  And we chose a clip that displays Megaforce in all its  glory.  This clip has the action, the acting and the attitude that Megaforce fans love.  Or to put it another way :  It’s mega-fun, mega-fantastic  … it’s Megaforce!  Three and a half minutes of video you’ll want to watch over and over again.