Radioactive Dreams

Plot :

In the mid 1990's an atomic bomb is dropped in which two young boys are forced to hide out in an underground bunker. For nearly ten years the two boys have nothing better to do besides reading old 1940's detective novels and practice dance steps. Finally after tunneling their way out, the two find the world they once knew now turned into a vast desert wasteland. Searching for a couple of girls and adventure, they get more than they barged for. The boys run into their share of trouble including mutant motorcycle gangs, cannibals, gun wheeling children, and punk rockers of the fallout nuclear generation. Dressing and acting like the detectives in the stories they grew up reading, the two are stunned when their forced into this very strange new world and hunted for holding a set of very important keys that could mean life and death for all the young survivors of the ruined world.

Low Down:

I think it's pretty clear how much of a Christine fan I am. Earlier this year just by chance I was looking up one of the lead actors John Stockwell. John played Dennis in Christine, the helpless best friend of the boy who gets possessed by the haunted beautiful car. I knew him from other works such as Cougar in Top Gun, who “held on too tight and lost his edge.” and Michael Harlan in the very underrated sci-fi comedy adventure My Science Project. I was beyond surprised to see that John Stockwell had a pretty steady career in the 1980's before switching sides of the camera and becoming a director. The two movies that stood out the most to be was Radioactive Dreams and Dangerously Close both directed by Albert Pyun. The first two things that jumped out to me about these films was first having John Stockwell as the lead, and second the amazing artwork on both posters. I am a huge fan of old school 1980's airbrush cover-work. It brings back many happy memories of my childhood looking at all the colorful and eye popping VHS artwork. This past spring I picked up Radioactive Dreams at Monster Mania in Cherry Hill NJ. When I bought it, the man selling me this copied DVD laughed asking if I had ever seen it before. Replying no, he said I was in for a treat. That this movie was a post nuclear action adventure musical. Of course I was intrigued. Radioactive Dreams has plenty of flaws, of the main things being it's budget and storyline. I think it has perfect elements for a fun movie, but the many plot holes keeps this movie from truly staying in the cult worthy limelight it deserves. This movie has a clever story with the two teenagers acting like two 1940's Pis, an even amazing storyline, great visuals, and a dance scene at the end that can't make you help it and smile. I'm stunned the Post Nuke Shuffle didn't catch on and isn't a staple to dance at during weddings and birthdays. This is a movie I would love to see restored and finally put on a DVD release it deserves. This is back when the 80's was a crazy awesome time in which such amazing gems were made. I hope someday more people will learn about this movie and it can finally get the credit it deserves. In many ways it was very ahead of it's time and a fun adventure movie to pop in before moving on to the stylish crime mystery Dangerously Close.

Four stars for a very awesome rocking movie!

Funeral Home 1980

PLOT - A young woman arrives at her grandmother's house, which used to be a funeral home, to help her turn the place into a bed-and-breakfast inn. After they open, however, guests begin disappearing or turning up dead.

For several years I somehow mixed up this movie with Mortuary 1983 (I wonder why...) so this past spring when I went to Monster Mania in Cherry Hill, the second I saw the cover to this baby, I just needed to pick it up.

This movie was released in the year 1980. The same year a certian summer camp re-opened by the name of Crystal Lake and all Hell broke loose. This was a magic time before the slasher boom had fully started, making this movie not fall into the dark abyss so many other movies with unseen killers that were released early on in that decade. Yes it isn't your typical slasher. Of course there's elements that would make you believe it was (A killer who lurks in the shadows, a creepy house, a pretty young girl, and plenty of strange suspects in a small town). But I would have to argue this movie is more of a mystery that had a very settle style that these Canadian filmmakers captured. Of course there's the very clear tips of the hat to Psycho, but I would say they weren't ripping off the 1960 classic. They were just taking some of the best elements and putting it into this very well written storyline. Mind you for some horror fans the lack of blood and slow pace might be a turn off, but I found this movie the perfect film to pop in on a hot summer night. It has a charm to it that feels as if it should have been made for TV, yet pulls some punches and has some creepy moments you have to give credit where it's due for this being a standalone film. The VHS artwork is amazing, the soundtrack haunting and beautiful, and of course the very clever shocking ending.

Five stars in my book!

Pet Sematary

Yesterday I traveled up to Worcester MA to visit my very talented friend/tattoo artist Shane Murphy. Slowly but surely I've been working on getting leg sleeves since I promised my father I wouldn't get any on my arms (even though I have a tattoo on my hand...go figure) what I've been trying to do is have my legs covered in what I love best...film.

Shane is an amazing artist who's crazy talented and did this sweet Chruch tattoo for me from Pet Sematary for me. Not only am I a huge fan of the movie, the novel is by far one of my all time favorite books. I found it fitting to get this since I'm a Stephen King nut. Next month Shane will be working on my next piece which I'm beyond excited for...Sam Raimi from Intruder, Yep that's right...mulllhahahaha!

Most unrated songs in horror movies

I'm a firm believer that music is very important in film. Let it be an amazing or haunting score, a rocking soundtrack you need to find, or a song that just so happened to stick out and every time you hear it you think of that certian movie it appeared in. Here is a list of what I believe are the top 5 unrated songs in some very awesome horror films.

1) "Power Of The Night" - Critters

2) "Bump In The Night" - Witchboard

3) "Unbelievable" - Night Of The Comet

4) "Nightmare" - A Nightmare On Elm Street

5) "Strange Things Happen - TMC 2

Hottie Of Horror

HOTTIE OF HORROR

There are many cuties in the world of horror. One that holds close to my heart is our favorite teen vampire killer Mr. Charley Brewster. 

The original Fright Night was a favorite of mine growing up and a very big part of my childhood. There's just something about William Ragsdale. Maybe because he really does seem like the typical boy next door. I loved him in both Fright Night movies and still haven't had the honor of meeting him yet. We'll forgive him for Mannequin II...Jesus...