Posted in: Podcasts by Gino Sassani on October 27th, 2019
One of the joys of my life has been some of the people I have met and developed a relationship with over the years in the film industry. I regret that I never had the opportunity to meet some of the actors who are no longer with us. At the top of that list is Boris Karloff. To me, there is absolutely no equal in horror filmdom. Over the years I've had quite a few chances to hang out with Sara Karloff, his daughter. I'm happy to count her a friend. She was very instrumental in getting me some attention for my tribute song Man Created A Man. She has inherited that kind generosity that Boris was so known for. I had the chance to talk with Sara again. Thanks to the Universal release of the great Universal Monsters Collection on Blu-ray, we got together once again to chat about Boris Karloff. This time you get to eavesdrop, and you won't even have to swear out a warrant. Bang it here to listen to my chat with Sara Karloff: Sara Karloff Interview
Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on October 26th, 2019
This will be our last giveaway for 31 Nights Of Terror. We’re giving away Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein on Blu-ray. Bela Lugosi returned to the role of Dracula for the 2nd and last time for this farce. It was also the final appearance of Lon Chaney, Jr. as The Wolf Man. It marked the end of an era and it’s going out to one lucky winner.
To win a copy of this prize, follow these instructions.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 25th, 2019
It was 1962, and Ursula Andress emerged from the tropical island surf sporting a provocative swimsuit, and a tradition was born. The seductive scene would become the first iconic image in a line that has lasted a half a century and counting. Fifty years; 23 movies makes it the longest running film franchise in motion picture history. He had many faces over those 50 years: Sean Connery, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, George Lazenby, and even David Niven, Peter Sellers, and Woody Allen in a 1967 spoof. For the last three films, he's been played by Daniel Craig. They all had somewhat different styles. They all had a line of beautiful women. They all faced different challenges and foes. But they all shared the same name: Bond...James Bond.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 25th, 2019
"In May 1980, Fidel Castro opened the harbor at Mariel, Cuba with the apparent intention of letting some of his people join their relatives in the United States. Within seventy-two hours, 3,000 U.S. boats were headed for Cuba. It soon became evident that Castro was forcing the boat owners to carry back with them not only their relatives, but the dregs of his jails. Of the 125,000 refugees that landed in Florida, an estimated 25,000 had criminal records."
One of those refugees was Tony Montana
Posted in: Contests by Gino Sassani on October 22nd, 2019
31 Nights Of Terror is still going strong, and our friends over at Shout Factory have given us something that's really going to whet your chops. It's The Universal Horror Collection Volume 2 on Blu-ray. You get four fantastic hidden gems from the Universal library. Three of the films feature Lionel Atwill, one of the underrated stars of that era's atmospheric horror films. You get Murders In The Zoo, which is an old favorite of mine and features some of the creepiest scenes you can imagine. Some of this stuff could never be done today. The Mad Doctor Of Market Street, The Strange Case Of Doctor Rx and George Zucco in The Mad Ghoul. These are pristine masters, and each film gets its own disc.
To win a copy of this prize, follow these instructions.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 22nd, 2019
"Come and see. Come and see. The death of humanity upon a shore of corpses, broken heads, spilled guts, scorched flesh. Come and see the young tearing each other's throats out. Rivers of poison will flow through the halls. Oath breakers. Philanderers. Murders will wade through those rivers. Come and see. Come and see."
When Vikings started five years ago, I found it to be quite an ambitious task for a network that usually featured documentaries and reality shows about odd jobs. I approached this one with some caution. Now I've thrown caution to the wind for these compelling characters. I was particularly drawn into the lead. Travis Fimmel was outstanding as the Viking leader Ragnor Lothbrook. When his character was killed off after three years, I suspected things would be winding down for this experiment. I could not have been more wrong. Alex Hogh Andersen plays Ivar, his crippled son, who rises to be more powerful and more brutal that Ragnor ever was. The actor shares many of Fimmel's characteristics, both in his physical look and the way he carries himself. It's one of the most perfect father-and-son casting pairs I've ever encountered. Because of Andersen, the show has been reborn, and there's still a lot of life in this series. The release of the first half of Season 5 is another strong contribution to your home entertainment library.
Posted in: Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 22nd, 2019
"Is that where a blind cop kidnaps an Uber driver?"
That pretty much tells the story of Stuber. The title is a combination of the lead character's name, Stuart and Uber. With the advent of Uber, the entire concept of hiring a ride has changed significantly. Taxi drivers are swiftly becoming a thing of the past, and ride-sharing aps like Uber and Lyft are taking over the market to the point that taxi companies do not even exist in some cities any longer. I have to admit, I'm not so sure I'm completely on board with the idea of regular unregulated folks out there picking up complete strangers who happen to have hailed them via their cell phones on an anonymous app. It's a bit dangerous for both parties, and it's not surprising that the horror stories have been appearing in the news about these ride experiences going horribly astray. That's the fear or reality that serves as the central theme for Stuber. While I'm sure the first Uber horror film is either in production or at least being written as I type these words, Stuber opts for the more comedic and action-oriented version of the idea. But make no mistake. More is coming.
Posted in: No Huddle Reviews by Gino Sassani on October 22nd, 2019
Lucille Ball was originally a radio personality starring in a popular comedy, My Favorite Husband. It was here that she began to develop the character she would continue to play for decades in television through several shows, all bearing her name in one form or another: I Love Lucy, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy, and Life With Lucy. See the pattern? Anyone who was a fan of the radio show would instantly recognize the red-haired actress even though they had never actually seen her on the radio. That exaggerated cry was already a staple of her physical comedy, even when she couldn't be seen. She had also toured for many years with her real-life husband Desi Arnaz. When they could not convince a network to film a pilot of a show featuring both of them, they made it on their own dime. CBS was so impressed with the pilot they reimbursed the couple, and in 1951 I Love Lucy hit the airwaves.
Posted in: Random Fun by Gino Sassani on October 22nd, 2019
Hey Gang! Upcomingdiscs is on Youtube
For all of you classic horror fans, this is a song I wrote about my love for the old Universal greats. I was fortunate enough to have Sara Karloff (daughter to Boris), Ron Chaney (Grandson to Lon, Jr.) and Bela Lugosi, Jr. present when I debuted the song. Now I'd like to share it with all of you.
Posted in: Random Fun by Gino Sassani on October 18th, 2019
One of the best parts of this job is that I get to talk to some great people in the movie business. Sometimes a legend will reach out and want to say hi to us. Some of those come from the horror movie world. I thought it would be fun to share some of those classic interviews with you guys.
I had the honor to speak to the great Joe Dante. A graduate of the Roger Corman movie machine, Dante has established his place in film history with such films as The Howling, Gremlins 1 & 2, Matinee, and the original Piranha. Find out why he’s one of the best. Bang it here to listen to my chat with Joe Dante.
