I SAW WEDNESDAY: SEASON 2 (THE 2ND FOUR)

Today, I (like others) got to absorb the final, four episodes of Netflix/MGM's Wednesday: Season 2 (see August reflection for the first set, which includes a cast rundown). 

The crafty continuation veered from Season 1's Kolchak/Scooby-Doo formula, with focus falling on the Catherine Zeta-Jones/Jenna Ortega's mother/daughter conflict and its bumpy remediation (punctured by Wednesday's temporary, psychic depletion), matched by a midway, comatose gimmick with a splash of sporadic Dickens (ushered by Gwendoline Christie's Larissa Weems) and spliced with the coverup tactics of Heather Matarazzo's sneaky Judi Spannagel of Willow Hill Psychiatric Facility. How's that for a mouthful! 

With that said, I found Wednesday: Season 2 to stand more on a socio-cultural platform than the previous stretch, even with its teased quandary of Hyde vengeance; Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez)'s kidnapping; an attached Thing's rebellious streak; a Bub-ish/Tarman, mad-scientist ascent (courtesy of Owen Painter's "slurp"-ish portrayal); a fleeting, Freaky Friday rift; and sealing it off, the general, Charles Addams/Can't Take It With You, cartoon/sitcom quirks. Well, what do ya know! An even bigger mouthful! 

If the truth be known, the key to Season 2's saturating flavor is buried in Season 1 and was woven through the sequel's first half, pressed by Steve Buscemi's dorky, Frump-finagling Barry Dort, who at a celebratory event labels Bruce Springsteen an "outcast" when the rough-voiced staple is indisputably mainstream and to the ho-hum degree (i.e. he's sure not the macabre-oriented vaudevillian one finds in Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie or Ozzy Osbourne), which only proves that perceptions of pop-communal derision can be fired from any prejudicial trajectory. 

The Nevermore Academy (a Hogswarts with freakin' fangs) is an excellent example of this, with the school accommodating so many special factions (for one, Emma Myers' Enid and her fellow lycanthropes, overseen by Billy Piper's wolfpack connoisseur, Isadora Capri), and though all pockets should mesh, they possess the same contradictory, competitive rifts and short-sightedness that the "normies" do. However, the normies may be more outcasts than not in this melodramatic twist. 

For example, Part 1's Anthony Michael Hall's Ron Kruger, who guides the Phoenix Cad Scouts, is more of an outsider/underdog than any Nevermore resident. And what of Hunter Doohan's Tyler "the Hyde" Galpin, so prominent in both seasons? He's a ferocious monster for sure, enough that I'd take my chances with taskmaster Kruger any day over that impulsive, bug-eyed beast, let alone Frances O'Connor's domineering, bug-eyed mom. 

Yes, indeed, this cultural contrasting, whether forged by accident or plan (by a pure flip of my imagination or Tim Burton and his fellow producers' clever intent) came to color my thinking of Wednesday in a personal way. Season 2, that is, forced me to recall my own plights within the so-called outcast faction, where its members have come across as obnoxious, selfish and apt to belittle others to cloak their own flaws. Heck, give me the boisterous, beer-bellied, football fan on a Sunday afternoon over any callous, imagi-fiction snob, and trust me, members of the former are most plentiful. I'd even go so far to say that they're now as mainstream as mainstream can get. 

As fascinating as this notion is (if, again, I'm reading it right), I'd prefer that Wednesday stress an uncluttered, detective path, but if that's not to be, an Uncle Fester series, with Fred Armisen doing a kind of Monk thing, would work as well. There are hints of the prospect in Wednesday. Perhaps they were planted in anticipation and if so, how excellent!

I saw the Slender Man...

The Slender Man is the stuff of modern myth, thanks to meme-master, Eric Knudson/Victor Surge: an elongated, spectral fabrication made "real" by pop-cultural consciousness. (A famous, murder case even sprung from the character.) A movie, therefore, based on the legend would only go to reason, and in this case it's written by David "13 Sins" Birke and directed by Silvain "The Losers" White. 

Interestingly enough, their concoction is teen-oriented. That wouldn't have seemed so strange a decade or so ago, but teens today don't generally dig horror movies, even though some might tinker with YouTube's collection of ghosts (animated smudges) and flying saucers (sun-streamed clouds).

"Slender Man'"s principals are girls, played by Joey King, Annalise Basso, Jaz Sinclair, and Julia Goldani Telles. That we have girls confronting a monster instead of boys makes sense since (contrary to what the film's backdrop suggests) the latter would be more inclined to swat one another with plastic wands in shadowy corners at literary events. (I actually witnessed this goofy ritual at one of my impromptu, book-promoting sojourns.) Anyway, the girls conjure the apparition on a giddy whim, and for their audacity, the enigmatic fiend starts to torment them in the most unusual ways.

What follows might have been culled from any number of "Friday the 13th", "Halloween" or "Elm Street" pictures, though in this instance, the events feature no excessive sex or splatter. Instead, the horror is presented in hazy, computerized form and for the most part plays in the Val Lewton vein: a nice touch.

The girls do a valiant (though often futile) job in warding off their aggressor. These struggles give the film some oomph, but the culmination isn't enough to put it over the edge (or make it in any way symbolic of conquering one's fears). It also doesn't place the cinematic Slender Man on a par with his earlier, Photoshopped incarnations. That's a shame, since the intent here was clearly to hook the young for immediate profit and fun, though I doubt this theatrical release will reach that goal.

If anything, "Slender Man" will be viewed more so after it leaves theaters, and it'll be older folks who'll try it. (In fact, there were only nine people in attendance at the Regal Cinema I attended, and we were all within the forty-something range.) Alas, the age of teen horror-appreciation is now dormant. If ever that sprightly trend should return, it'll be a generation or two down the line when the likes of "Slender Man" can be appreciated by those far braver and more imaginative than the snivelers who now populate the scene. 

GOODBYE, QUINN O'HARA...

I can't tell you how many times your curvaceous frame entered my adolescent mind, for that's how strong your presence was felt in the "Ghost in the Invisible Bikini". You also added to the joy of "Swingin' Summer" and the Jerry Lewis trio, "The Errand Boy"; "The Patsy"; and "Who's Minding the Store". You even handled horror quite well, as you proved in Larry Buchanan's "In the Year 2889"; and never failed to please when visiting such television shows as "Burke's Law"; "The Real McCoys"; and "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." You'll dance and sway forever and a day in my dreams, but undoubtedly even more so where you now belong, upon the clouds of Paradise. 

MICHAEL F. HOUSEL'S THE HYDE SEED...NOW AVAILABLE FROM AIRSHIP 27 PRODUCTIONS!!!

"The Hyde Seed" has arrived from Airship 27 Productions!!!

I wrote "Hyde Seed" in honor of those offbeat character studies found in "Twilight Zone", "Night Gallery" and "Outer Limits". 

My story focuses on former welterweight, Pepe Rodriguez, a champion-that-could-have-been, who let his chance for glory slip with the loss of love. Pepe now works as a lonesome custodian for Averton Plastics and appears an unassuming enough gent, but he harbors a secret...a demon...a creature...a weed-like Hyde that springs from out his mind. Though Pepe has kept this thing contained for more than a decade, it re-emerges when he's attacked by company thugs. Now the resentful entity plans to do as it pleases, unless the former contender can conjure the confidence to defeat it once and for all.

"Hyde Seed'"s unsettling cover was rendered by Ash Arceneaux.  Pedro Cruz, of "The Amazing Harry Houdini" fame, supplied the story's interior illustrations, and Airship 27's Art Director, Rob Davis, devised its moody back cover. 

I give my eternal thanks to publisher Ron Fortier for making "Hyde Seed" part of the Airship 27/New Pulp lineup. 

The paperback edition of "Hyde Seed'"s is currently available through Amazon at... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1946183105/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487888487&sr=8-1&keywords=hyde+seed.   (The Kindle version should be available in the near future.)

SO LONG, ROBERT VAUGHN...

From childhood to adulthood, you remained one of my most beloved heroes.You not only made "Man From U.N.C.L.E.'"s Napoleon Solo a global sensation, but were most influential in such marvelous outings as "Bullitt"; "Battle Beyond the Stars"; "Black Moon Rising"; "The Bridge at Remagen"; "Delta Force"; "The Lucifer Complex"; "Killing Birds"; "The Magnificent Seven"; "The Mind of Mr. Soames"; "Starship Invasions"; and "Superman III". I also adored you in BBC/AMC's "Hustle": a superb way to have capped your stupendous career. God bless, my friend. You will be deeply missed, but even more so, forever remembered...

RIP JOHN ZACHERLE...

Whether under the label of Zacherley or Roland, you set the standard for horror hosts to follow. You were also the best of showmen, adding insight and humor to the wonderful films you shared. Forever in our hearts, you will remain the coolest of ghouls. 

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: A Ghostly Season 4 Appears!!!

Well, folks, at this point, I really don't know what to make of an ongoing supernatural element in "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." (premiering 9/20 on ABC), but when it comes to comic-book adaptations these days, the formula for success seems to be a varied "more the merrier". 

Ghost Rider has now entered the Marvel super-spy scene. He's a cool, vengeance-driven character, who (with a different alter-ego) occupied two swell, theatrical films. His addition to the series, even if he's not Johnny Blaze, ought to make Season 4 one to remember, with a guaranteed new and refreshing direction. (I thought last season wavered between extremes and sometimes felt more like "Outer Limits", with its Inhumans approach, than what we normally find in derring-do Marvel.)

Incidentally, for the sake of the series, Gabriel Luna will play Robbie Reyes, the current comic-book Ghost Rider. (So, where does that put the potential Norman Reedus series, if it's even being seriously considered? Would a possible Netflix show be a prequel, or is even that just another hopeful extension of fanboy speculation?) 

Guess we'll just have to see how it plays out, but for the time being, the Ghost (as he'll be referenced on the show) must elbow his way among existing characters: Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg); Melinda May (Ming-Na Wen); Alphonso MacKenzie (Henry Simmons); Jemma Simmons (Elizabeth Henstridge); Leo Fitz (Iain De Caestecker); Holden Radcliffe (John Hannah); and of course, Daisy Johnson/Skye/Quake (Chole Bennet). (Yeah, the whole Daisy deal is far from over and will occupy a portion of the new season, no doubt, but in what way will it link to the Ghost, if at all?)

Season 4 could be a defining moment for the series. It all depends on how elaborate and/or clear-cut the producers/writers are this time out. I'm confident they'll do well, but gosh, if only we could get a stronger link to the "Avengers" movies (or vice versa), that would be most beneficial. Got my fingers crossed, since there's speculation that the Ghost's mythology may connect somehow with the upcoming "Doctor Strange", but if Season 3 was any indication of the way things are played, I've a hunch we may also face more of the same ol' distanced-at-best approach.

Collectible Time #69: Moebius/Yagher Burgess Meredith Penguin Kit

Moebius has done it again, with its third in the 1/8 scale Batman '66 model kit series (see "Collectible Time #19": Feb '15). 

This Jeff Yagher sculpted kit sports a phenomenal resemblance to Burgess Meredith, right down to his famous, waddling pose. It also comes with an earthy, penguin-adorned base, which complements the figure, as opposed to distracting from it. (Incidentally, Pengy can be displayed with his umbrella either open or closed. Cool! Oh, and dig that crazy, Aurora-styled box artwork. Neat-o!)

I bought my kit at Z&Z Hobbies (no surprise there); it runs about $35 through most retailers: a most reasonable fee in this age of overpriced products. 

Can't wait till the Burt Ward Robin makes the scene. (The Meredith Penguin sure took long enough to arrive, and if there's any criticism I have of Moebius, it's the constant delays. The company's kits are superb, but come on, guys, let's try to keep those promised deadlines. Robin was set for release prior to Pengy, after all, so what gives?)

ENGAGE YOUR SENSES WITH FERENTINO'S AFTER HOURS: EPISODE 3

Michael and Jennifer Ferentino have produced yet another spectacular and surreal episode of After Hours: now available for viewing on YouTube. (You can also easily access such through the show's Facebook page at...https://www.facebook.com/groups/123880838018832/.)

In case you’re not yet hip to the scene, After Hours is the Ferentinos' wonderful hybrid of classic MTV and otherworldly anthology shows, like Twilight Zone and Night Gallery, with Michael acting as our sophisticated (and affably arcane) Rod Serling-esque host. (Check out my July and June posts on the previous offerings.)

Episode 3 presents another super mix of sight and sound, centering on the spellbinding work of U.K. artist Kieran Mahon. Mahon’s music, like Mr. Ferentino's imaginative Bedtime for Robots compositions, is sweeping and at times, delightfully disturbing. In this respect, Mahon's material is uninhibitedly offbeat, but also exudes a consoling, gradual-build jubilation, where the weird and the mystical mesh without hitch. Mahon's work is also spiritual (at least to me): not hymn-like by any means, but equipped with a transcending, electronic ascension that sends one toward the clouds or more precisely, another dimension. (The episode's presented video accompaniment only adds to the euphoric strangeness.)

To accompany Mahon's fine samplings, Episode 3 presents additional psychedelic imagery and splendid, untamed audio. (Bedtime for Robots' "Sham" and "Easter" are strong cases in point.) During the presentation, the concoctions stretch, pulsate and hypnotize, making the half-hour journey a winner to anyone who hankers for material beyond the norm.

I urge you check out After Hours when you can. (Heck, treat yourself to a three-episode marathon.) Nothing else compares to it on any entertainment source today. I'm confident that the series is here to stay, and we should all feel blessed for its trailblazing manifestation!!!

Collectible Time #65: Jonathan Myers Nosferatu "Symphony of Horror" Prints

My talented friend, Jonathan Myers, is working on an epic, graphic-novel tribute to F.W. Murnau's chilling, silent "Dracula" adaptation, "Nosferatu". To keep us content while his Max Schreck salute is completed, he's offering three atmospheric prints, culled from his dark work in progress. The series, like the developing novel, is entitled "Symphony of Horror", and its entries are available through Society6, with each print measuring a stylish 7" x 10". 

"Nosferatu Deathbird" (above) represents the Count's eerie control over the elegant, young couple featured, with menacing, shifting eyes and a clawed hand of disquieting command. The blue backdrop meshes well with the Count's circled orbs, accented by earthy browns and a sprinkle of glowing yellow. 

"Shadow of Nosferatu" (below) offers another chilling angle of the Count, with his haunting, contemplative countenance stationed in the lower portion and smoky, ascending plumes standing in lieu of his unraveling thoughts. 

Last but not least is a design of Gothic furnishing called "Nosferatu Clock": layered in rich detail and ominous atmosphere. The deep-blue backdrop sets off the grays and brownish reds, giving the structure both distinction and a quality of dread. 

One can, in fact, order the prints framed (as I opted to do), but in either format, one will surely be pleased with the results, particularly if one fancies the 1922 Murnau classic or simply Gothic horror in general.

Visit the Society6 Myers "Nosferatu" page for details on pricing and availability at... https://society6.com/search/prints?q=jonathan+myers+nosferatu. Truly, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to obtain three of the best "Nosferatu" tributes ever to rise from the grave!!!

I saw the Killing Joke...

Before I saw "The Killing Joke" (dished up now as an apparent "Suicide Squad" warm-up), I read it: that is, I purchased Alan Moore and Brian Bolland's '88 graphic novel. At the time, the publication was all the DC rage: a mere year before Tim Burton's "Batman", which incorporated the novel's concept of how the Joker biochemically came to be. 

The novel is considered a classic. As such, it seems strange that it's taken this long for an adaptation (animated or otherwise) to reach film.

Nonetheless, the time has finally arrived, and as with the "Dark Knight Returns" two-part animated adaptation, the big question is, does "Killing Joke", the movie, live up to its comic-book foundation? I'm happy to report--heck, yes!!!

That the film, directed by Sam Liu and adapted by Brian Azzarello, adheres to the original source is to its advantage, though it also offers an affluence of additional footage: a sort of mini-film within itself, but that's all right. Once the story gets rolling (and alas, it does take a spell), it successfully sways between terror and poignancy, just as the original story does. 

Beyond the spirited (and unique-to-the-film) Batgirl, prologue, we're finally introduced to the Joker, who's presented as an aspiring comedian, struggling to provide for his family, but turns to crime (of the Red Hood sort) to compensate for his monetary failures. However, just prior to his first, big job, he learns that his wife and unborn child were killed in a home mishap. Their deaths lead to his complete, mental breakdown and to supplement his psychological alteration, he falls into some toxic goo, and well, you know the skin-bleaching rest.

As in the novel, the movie focuses on Batman's intent to unravel his foe's origins. He visits Arkham to get the nitty-gritty (and to prevent the strong chance that one will likely kill the other someday). However, he finds a decoy in the Joker's place. Yes, the Clown Prince of Crime has escaped once again, with mayhem naturally ensuing, this time with Commissioner Gordon and his daughter, Barbara (Batgirl, of course) becoming casualties of his spree: the latter shot and the former placed in a carnival "arena", where the Joker intends to prove (primarily to Batman) how fast madness can consume one. 

The novel concludes on a demented, but gleeful note, and the film mirrors this celebrated turn. The movie's style, however, is more in tune with the '90s Batman animated series: not religiously so, but close enough to appeal to those who've yearned for a return to that style of cartoonery. Also, from the '90s series, Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill are back as Batman and Joker respectively, which solidifies the tense, sentimental feel. (Ray Wise and Tara Strong also do a swell job vocalizing the Gordons.)

Gordon's sideshow-based torture is undoubtedly what earned "Killing Joke" a R-rating. Personally, though, I didn't find the intensity anymore over-the-top than in other "adult" oriented, DC animated features, but perhaps the extended, insinuated nudity is what confirmed this one's designation. All the same, sissified kids won't handle any of it very well, but I don't see it proposing a problem for those youngsters whose parents actually discuss such in-depth content with them. Heck, as hard-hitting as "Killing Joke" may be, it's still a worthy morality tale: more good for the soul than bad. 

It's also a damn good character study and an appeasing escape after those "Son of Batman" in-fighting offerings. Sure, it's grim and borderline sadistic, but it's still traditional Batman, with the conflict flowing just the way it should for this particular hero and villain. No matter how one slices it, whether on the printed page or on the screen,"Killing Joke" hits the maniacal mark.