FOR THE FUN OF IT:

 

PEACEMAKER RETURNS

At first I was confused (if not curious to a fault) about WB/DC/HBO Max's Peacemaker, whether it be Season 1 or now Season 2, considering that the Snyderverse came to "die," and how one cinematic/television segment might then usher the next (and should it?), but is any universe truly meant to be dead in DC's multi-layered scheme? Of course not.

What we have now is a subtle, atmospheric hybrid that continues to drag bits of Zach Snyder's remnants into fresh turf, allowing torch-carrier James Gunn to grant John Cena's bullet-headed, daddy-issue protagonist, Christopher Smith, the chance to enter The Twilight Zone and all the reflective, doppelganger patches it serves. That means our main man moves from his introductory, Suicide Squad-sprung base, but with new characters (e.g. Rick Flagg Sr.) on board, as old buddies and foes still hold their own (e.g. temperamental Emilia Harcourt who takes more shit than she deserves and disagreeable Auggie Smith, whose living memory stirs more than Chris may want or can handle).  

There's a point when Nathan Fillion's Guy Garnder, the controversial Green Lantern, returns, partnered with Hawkgirl and Maxwell Lord. Interesting, but where might it go? Where, in particular, might the promised Lantern series head, based on this tease? 

For the sake of Peacemaker #2's premiere (the first of eight episodes), we see Smith's progression deepening, with dimensional doorways presented, but does that mean the awkwardness will subside once a new track is entrenched? One thing appears possible, if  not probable: The Peacemaker is more inclined to seize the bull by the horns along an alternate avenue and will no longer be just as wannabe champion (i.e. a misunderstood underdog who means well), but a real, all-around, all-American hero. And why not? He certainly has his heart in the right place, but in Gunn's ambivalent plan, will that be enough? 

Even though the opening episode insinuates a clear-cut intent (unless I saw only what I wished to see), there's still much more to discover, contemplate and be surprised by, or so I'm deducing. 

I'll report back in October after it's over, or will it be over? Hmmm. In the sneaky sector of modern, parallel DC, foreseeing any trajectory is never a given. 

TERRIFIC TEAM-UP IMAGE: WORLD'S FINEST

MORE LILITH, MORE MONDO CREEPY (FEATURING BLOODSUCKA JONES 2)

The ultimate, curvaceous specter, Lilith Von Bloodworth, returns to haunt a spankin' new Mondo Creepy!

The latest episode (conjured from Lilith's cozy, VHS hub) contains a super-charged, hip sequel: writer/director Justin Armao's Bloodsucka Jones vs. The Creeping Death. And as far as follow-ups go, this is one of those sweet rarities that actually exceeds the trailblazing hijinks of the first. 

For the second chapter, our '70s-styled hero, played by the suave Preston Gant, is joined by his irreverent but resilient entourage (played by Matt Kelley, Brian Girard, Jessica Derks, Erin Holt, William Cutting and Mr. Armao) to combat a zombie army (i.e. the Creeping Death). Jones' smokin' sidekick, Vanessa (Maria Canapino), swings into action, as well, lending a welcome serving of athletic cheesecake to the far-out proceedings. (BTW: My friend, Kelly Kitko, aka Erin Kelly Decker, the tempestuous witch of Ansel Faraj's Loon Lake, cameos in an agile, snowball sequence. Dig it!) 

To bridge the movie's energetic giddiness, Ms. Bloodworth's wit again strikes a super-keen verve, adding a great, comely punch to the main feature's groovy shenanigans.

As guided by the ethereal Lady Lilith, Mondo Creepy's popularity keeps growing. This latest episode is but another cultist case in point. 

Engage our ghostly host's spirited presentation at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EY5asYJxLI

PINUP TIME: TURA SATANA IS VARLA WITH FRIENDS

 

MONSTER TEAM-UP: I SAW TALES OF DRACULA 2

Directors Joseph DeMuro and Thomas E. Rice, with screenwriter Dwight Kemper, hit it out of the Gothic park yet again with the sterling sequel, Tales of Dracula 2: Dracula Meets the Werewolf.

Like its Wolfbain Productions predecessor, the follow-up, which picks up not long after the first left off, makes the best of its titular specimens and in a crafty, sometimes humorous, twofold way. In a broader manner, it acts as an effective nod to Universal's House of Dracula and Columbia's Return of the Vampire. 

To instill its eerie splendor, Tales of Dracula 2 is shot in throwback black-and-white by cinematographer Michael J. Rudolph and enhanced further by Thomas Rice's visual effects, Johan Back Monell's suspenseful score and Ron Chamberlain's detailed, makeup designs. The culmination brims of nothing less than practical, old-school charm.

The plot contains two, prime quests. One deals with the werewolf, Creighton Reed, played by Tom Delillo (who channels Lon Chaney Jr. with a brush of Raymond Burr) as he seeks a cure for his lycanthropy. The other deals with Dracula, played by Wayne W. Johnson (tapping Bela Lugosi with an undercurrent of Zandor Vorkov and Gene Simmons), who seeks the destruction of a powerful cross that could annihilate him once and for all.  

Ultimately, the monsters meet and clash, but in the interim, other characters enter, including the late Mickey Rey's Abraham Von Helsing; Samantha Sloma's Jessica Von Helsing; John Carey's Dwight Renfield; Mary Liz Adams' Ingrid, Dracula's bride; Olga N. Bogdanova's gypsy girl and fellow lycanthrope, Marina; and Jon Campbell's Radu, King of the Werewolves and Dracula's competitive brother. (Alonnie Milligan, Dwight Kemper, Joseph DeMuro and Tom Elder comprise the superlative, supplemental cast.) 

I've experienced endless elation from the first (cliffhanging) Tales of Dracula, and this sequel does an excellent job extending the ambitious foundation, while leaving its dungeon door open for a third. For those of us who love golden-age, monster movies, this one is built to please, as it disinters the nostalgic chills of those Saturday, UHF matinees that made our childhoods so special. Check it out and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

Tales of Dracula 2 is available for purchase on Alpha DVD at 

https://www.oldies.com/product-view/72674F.html

and

https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Dracula-Meets-Werewolf-DVD/dp/B0FBKMS1MD

WISE WORDS: