I saw Cowgirls vs Pterodactyls...

Prolific writer/director/producer Joshua Kennedy always delivers satisfying productions. For an old-timer like me, that means he understands the type of storytelling that was once employed to ensure that any cinematic product, no matter the budget, would entertain. 

Kennedy's latest endeavor, Cowgirls vs Pterodactyls, is no exception. It, like such seasoned adventures as The Valley of Gwangi and The Beast of Hollow Mountain, is an exuberant, dinosaur western.   

In this instance, we're introduced to Rebecca Crawford (Madelyn Wiley), a schoolmistress who embarks on a quest to retrieve her spouse (Jonathan Tamez), who's been snatched by (of all terrifying things) a petulant pterodactyl. To abet her mission, Crawford is joined by cathouse madame, Debbie Dukes (Haley Zega) and famed gunfighter, Bunny Parker (Carmen Vienhage). There's no guarantee that the school marm's  man will be found alive, let alone intact, and to make matters worse, there are plenty of other flying reptiles about (including a cute, wee one) to bungle the ladies' chances for success. 

Kennedy's fine-tuned script is a genuine gem on all pistol-packin' points, and his amusing sequences complement his lovely leads, who each excels in her own charming and nuanced way. To further bolster their gratifying scenarios, Hammer/007 goddess, Martine Beswick bridges events with witty narration, and scream queen, Dani Thompson fills the inviting interludes as cool-headed bad gal, Doris Yates.    

For the film's fruitful visuals, Ryan Lengyel, who crafted the stop-motion effects for Kennedy's mythology masterpiece, Theseus and the Minotaur, rises to the occasion again, presenting winged specimens that are not only threatening, but ripe with personality in the O'Brien, Harryhausen and Danforth vein. And to heighten the creatures' calamity, House of the Gorgon composer, Reger Clark bestows Cowgirls vs Pterodactyls with a catchy, cowpoke score. (His invigorating title track is one of the best compositions to grace celluloid in quite a spell.)

Though there are a number of anticipated fantasy films slated for 2021, Cowgirls vs Pterodactyls is without question the one to see. As it turns out (and as comes as no surprise), it's another towering triumph for Kennedy and his tried-and-true Gooey Film Productions. Huge kudos on another job well done, Mr. Kennedy.

FYI: Cowgirls vs Pterodactyls can be viewed on Amazon Prime, and its vibrant Blu-ray release, with plenty of edifying extras, can be purchased at https://store16974340.ecwid.com/. 

SCARY MONSTERS #113: A SCREAM QUEENS & HOUSE OF THE GORGON HOMAGE!!!

Don A. Smeraldi's Scary Monsters #113 is an absolute must for horror-vixen fans, covering such stunning scream queens as Barbara Steele (dig that striking, Scott Jackson cover), Karen Black, Carolyn Kearney, Dee Wallace, Jeanne Bates, Musetta Vander, Gloria Holden, Janet Leigh, Marli Renfro (Leigh's "Psycho" body double), Jamie Lee Curtis and many more in a comprehensive gallery that will leave readers gasping in lustful delight. 

To make the issue's 178 pages all the more enticing, dear ol' Dr. Gangrene offers an in-depth, threesome interview with the beautiful, iconic stars of my favorite film of the year, writer/director Joshua Kennedy's "House of the Gorgon". (See April '19 for full review.)

"House of the Gorgon" features Hammer sirens Caroline Munro, Martine Bestwick and Veronica Carlson; and let's not forget the dashing Christopher Neame.  (That's right--the one and only Johnny Alucard from "Dracula: A.D. 1972.")

That Scary Monsters highlights this modern classic and its stars is most appreciated and in my estimation sets the mag on an even higher, prestigious perch.

BTW: Issue #113 also offers a charming article on affable actor, Aron Kincaid, by Tim Lisanti, entitled, "The Beach Boys vs the Creature of Destruction". How's that for extra splash?

If by some crazy chance, you still need convincing, check out #113's ghoulish, video preview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-h-PxjyfKbI.

Grab this sensational submission today at your local bookstore or order straight from the Scary Monsters mad lab:
https://www.mymoviemonsters.com/store.php/mymoviemonsters/pd9736371/_scary_monsters_magazine_113__women_of_the_silver_scream_issue_preorder_now.

I saw Joshua Kennedy's House of the Gorgon...

There are Hollywood directors who aspire to recapture a distinct, old-school flavor in their endeavors, but somehow fall short in the process: perhaps because as much as they wish to recapture the past, their egos dare to redefine it. 

With Joshua Kennedy, there is no such threat, for the humble but commanding writer/director/producer continues to hit the mark with each homage he spins. 

Kennedy's latest accomplishment is another tribute to Hammer's "The Gorgon" (his favorite film), entitled "House of the Gorgon". The filmmaker's first "Gorgon" homage was "The Night of Medusa" (see May '16 post); prior to such, he dispatched the succulent, Hammer salute, "Dracula: A.D. 2015" (see Oct '15 post). "House of the Gorgon" tells the terrifying, turn-to-stone tale of a young woman haunted by sinister, spectral sisters with a legendary link, thanks to her spouse's supernatural abetting.

Even beyond its bewitching premise, "House of the Gorgon" is notable for including such Hammer headliners as Christopher Neame, as Father Llewellyn; Caroline Munro, as Baroness Bartov; Martine Bestwick, as Euryale; and Veronica Carlson, as Anna Banning. That these attractive, talented stars have been teamed so many years after Hammer's heyday is astounding in its own right. To see them again at the top of their game (never once missing a beat) is a full-fledged, historic treat. 

Accompanying the veteran ensemble is Georgina Dugdale, as Isobel Banning and Jamie Trevino, as Christine, with Kennedy as demented Dr. Julian Pritchard; Gus Kennedy as brassy Bailey; Tom Pearson as haughty Hans; and Marco Munoz as kindhearted Karl (along with a nifty cameo by famed Femforce writer, Mark Holmes). For the Kennedys and Munoz, this marks a "Theseus and the Minotaur" reunion, which Gooey Film followers will appreciate.

"House of the Gorgon" also benefits from Kennedy's inspired direction, which flows in the sumptuous style of Terence Fisher. The skillful execution ensures that the story stays doleful, eerie and refined, as any proper Hammer salute should.  

To supplement the latter, "House of the Gorgon" features awesome, period-piece art direction by Lauro S. Hinojoso; fantastic, Freddy Francis-tailored cinematography by Martin Torres; luscious lighting by Rosa Cano; and a brooding, Bernard-esque score by Reber Clark. These important additives prove cozy yet edgy, keeping the film's aesthetic and emotional aspects high, no matter what the scene. (For all intents and purposes, "House of the Gorgon" looks as though it was made in the late '60s/early '70s: precisely the point. The result may, in fact, be Kennedy's most polished production to date.)

By the time the credits roll, one will have found "House of the Gorgon" a glorious, gorgeous love letter to Hammer's filmmakers and their faithful fans.

Though other films in release this year may draw more hype, "House of the Gorgon" is the one to see: the one that proves beyond any doubt that classic, Gothic, movie-making still holds a precious place in cinema's expressive heart.