Random Fun

If you are planning a trip to Tampa, Florida you may already have a list of places you’d like to visit while you are here. I’m sure most of those lists are pretty much the same. Unfortunately, few of those lists likely contain the Tampa Theatre. Who wants to visit a movie theater on their vacation, anyway? You do. Yes, it’s a beautiful historic building dating back to 1926. Of course, you can grab some popcorn and soda and enjoy both recent releases and classic films there. The pipe organ performances alone are worth the price of admission. It was the first commercial building in Tampa to have air conditioning (man-made air, it was advertised at the time), so it’s never a bad idea to get out of the heat. And if you’re into those haunts and ghosts that have populated our 31 Nights of Terror, then you absolutely can’t afford to miss Tampa Theatre. You see it’s also been described by more than one international paranormal expert as the most haunted site in town. Do I have your attention now?
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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.

Bang it here to watch the music video for Man Created A Man

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.

Over the years I’ve had quite a few chances to hang out with Sara Karloff, Boris Karloff’s daughter. I’m happy to count her as 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. 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

William Malone created quite a few scares in his career with the likes of FeardotCom and the Masters Of Horror highlight Fair-Haired Child. Malone’s last film to date is the impressive Parasomnia. Enjoy a conversation with William Malone. Bang it here to listen in: William Malone Podcast

I had the opportunity to chat with Declan O’Brien twice about his latest films. He’s a product of the “Roger Corman school of filmmaking” and has brought the Wrong Turn series back to life. To listen to one of my chats with Declan, bang it here  Interview. Bang it here to join the second conversation: Declan O’Brien

“…Til the one day when the lady met this fellow, and they knew that it was much more than a hunch
that this group must somehow form a family. That’s the way we all became the Brady Bunch.”

Sept 26th, 2019 Marks the 50th anniversary of the debut of The Brady Bunch.

Has it really been 50 years? Nothing make me feel as old as when a film or television show I watched as a kid celebrates some grand anniversary milestone. It’s like birthdays without the ice cream cake. On September 26^th, The Brady Bunch celebrate its 50th anniversary. And we’re talking about The Brady Bunch 50th Anniversary TV & Movie Collection. They call it the Bradiest collection ever, and that’s no exaggeration. The 31-disc collection features just about anything that was ever associated with the name Brady. I’m surprised there isn’t a complete collection of New England Patriot football games for the last decade or so. What you will get is pretty impressive:
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Most of the time we’re telling you what we think here at Upcomingdiscs. I thought it would be nice to use 31 Nights Of Terror to let you hear what the filmmakers themselves have to say. We have talked to many of them over the years. Take some time to “chill” with some masters of horror.

Sara Karloff has been keeping the memory of her father alive for decades. Boris Karloff was one of the true masters of horror. Sara’s a friend and it’s always great to talk with her. Join us for one of those talks. Sara Karloff Interview

Joe Dante reached out to us a few years ago. It was a great honor to talk with him. We share a love for classic horror and Dante is truly a master filmmaker. Joe Dante Interview

David Hewlett is known mostly for his work as the annoying but brilliant Rodney on Stargate: Atlantis. When I caught up with him he had just worked on the horror film Debug. It was one of my favorite interviews. David Hewltt Interview

Thomas Dekker played characters from Captain Picard’s son to John Connor in the Terminator series. He also worked on a film called Fear Clinic. That’s when I got the chance to chat with him. Thomas Dekker Interview.

Felissa Rose was 13 when she appeared in Sleepaway Camp. Imagine my surprise to see her years later in Zombie Killers. That’s when we ended up having our nice talk. Felissa Rose

Declan O’Brien has been a real friend to Upcomingdiscs. He turned around the Wrong Turn franchise and then did it again with the Joy Ride films. He puts his budget on the screen. I talked to him twice. Wrong Turn Interview & Joy Ride Interview.

It has been “Ten years of film,” the Gasparilla International Film Festival touts proudly upon its program magazine. It’s certainly a feat to be proud of for a festival that has had its share of troubles over the years and at one point was seriously close to never happening again.  But in 2016 the festival is ready to kick things off on a beautiful spring day in the heart of downtown Tampa, Florida at the Tampa Theatre for its opening night film Eye in the Sky.  The red carpet is rolled out for this big-time affair that has drawn a fair amount of media attention and plenty of festival-goers to fill the historic theatre to experience this moment when Hollywood comes into our city to put on a cinematic show.  And over the next few days film fans will be flooding down the aisles to look upon the screen, to take in a few films and have a chance to experience a film with the potential to be the next great classic, or perhaps its only public viewing.
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The Black Knight satellite is one of many tantalizing so-called true tales that are circulating on YouTube and various cable outlets like the History Channel. I say so-called true tales because many believe stories about aliens are total nonsense. But not everyone believes so. A National Geographic survey says 77 percent of all Americans believe there are signs that aliens have visited Earth. A Harris poll says 68 percent of all Americans believe that Jesus is the son of God. A HuffPost/YouGov poll shows that 45 percent believe in ghosts and 64 percent believe in life after death. A 2009 CBS poll said 78 percent believe in the afterlife. I could go on, but it is all in the same general range.
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Popular opinion and so-called critical opinion often seem to careen off cliffs like lemmings in increasingly unpredictable ways guided by whims and subtle shifts in the proverbial winds. I find myself shocked by things praised and things condemned. Sometimes I feel like a little boy who sees a naked emperor while everyone else is shrieking how much they love the new elegant ensemble. In this case, I’m seeing a lovely presentation while there are many who are whining.
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This last Friday night Upcomingdiscs was invited to attend the 10^th annual scare fest at Busch Gardens in Tampa. They call it Howl-O-Scream, and what a scream it is, literally.
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The following cautionary tale is brought to you by the folks at Fox and American Horror Story:Asylum out on DVD/Blu-ray.

Whilst the criminally insane remain under the care of sadistic medical staff in the second chapter of the Emmy winning series, American Horror Story: Asylum, released this week, we are going to look at our favorite medical villains who prescribe the maximum dose of patient dread and suffering. Are you sure you want that warm sponge-bath sir …?
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What is horror? It is something truly terrible that we are afraid of. War is full of horror, but we tend to compartmentalize that as a fact of life or simple necessity. So we’ll put war aside, because the unspeakable atrocities that occur during war are sanctioned by international law. But it is difficult for me, because the unspeakable nightmare that is war throughout history is the ultimate in horror. When we see the enormously popular The Walking Dead or World War Z, we are seeing a metaphor for war.
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The tight-knit cast and crew of Attorney at Low weren’t about to let a little rain — ok, it was a lot of rain — dampen their spirits during the movie’s June 1 world premiere. So nobody objected when the red carpet was transported from the sidewalk to the inside of the historic Zephyrhills Home Theatre, as everyone involved with making the indie comedy got the star treatment.
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We catch up with iconic film director Tim Burton to find out more…

Frankenweenie is described as a semi-autobiographical project. Does this mean the younger characters in the movie are based on your classmates from school?

The kids in the movie are based on various real people, but they are also based on horror icons like Boris Karloff, Peter Lorre and dubbed Japanese movies that I remember seeing as a child. They relate to movies and actors, as well as real people that I remember from my childhood. 
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Whenever the 31 Nights of Terror rolls around, I find myself trying to be a little creative or come up with something different. Now, at first glance, a few top five lists does not scream any sort of real creativity. However, these are not your conventional list five movies and have intellectual conversation where everybody just ends up disagreeing. Oh no, I guarantee you will smile, laugh or at least be encouraged to write my webmaster and demand that I go back to my old job of stalking Alyssa Milano at baseball games. Now that’s really creepy. Let’s go shall we?
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Faithful readers might remember the name David Annandale. He’s been a member of the Upcomingdisc family since it started. You may have also noticed he hasn’t been reviewing much of late. That’s because he’s busy getting his novels published. That’s right our man David is hitting the big time. We want you to check him out. So, here’s an excerpt from his exceptional horror book: Gethsemane Hall.

In the dream, he was back at St. Rose’s Church, going through the funeral again. He knew he was dreaming because he felt the pain of repetition, sensed the sadism of a force that would make him experience ritualized loss once again. Knowing that he was dreaming didn’t diminish the pain. The anguish pressed him down, a granite weight, as he tried to stand for the hymn. The injustice of the re-enactment was colossal and could only be for the benefit of a cruel deity’s amusement. Something was laughing at him. He looked up. Standing above the altar was a large wooden crucifix, its Christ bigger than life. The Christ was laughing at him. Now he was looking at the face in close-up, was staring into its wide mouth, could see where the red paint of its throat had chipped, saw lips peeled back from tree-ringed teeth. He couldn’t see Christ’s eyes. He couldn’t see anything but the laugh, the maw of red disappearing to black. The laugh itself was looking at him, the mouth so contorted with mirth that the very expression had become sentient. He tried to yell back at it, to give back his hatred, but the laugh was too huge, too strong, visible even when he closed his eyes. The laugh grew from howl to tsunami roar. Its register climbed hysteria’s ladder, from exultation to frenzy, and finally it was the scream of the heart of the universe.

Want to read more? Of course, you do. Pick up the book today and be sure to keep an extra light on when you’re finished reading. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Master storytellers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (executive producers of Lost and writers of TRON: Legacy) invite audiences to experience an intriguing twist to the classic fairytales of Snow White, Pinocchio, Red Riding Hood and many more in their thrilling new fantasy series Once Upon A Time. Packed with enchanting icons from the world’s most beloved stories, the show stars a host of talented actors including Ginnifer Goodwin, Josh Dallas, Jennifer Morrison, Lana Parrilla and Robert Carlyle.

We chat to actress Jennifer Morrison – who plays Emma Swan in the show – to find out more…
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With the first season of Once Upon A Time about to be released on Blu-ray and DVD, we catch up with acclaimed actress Ginnifer Goodwin to discover more about the fantasy show. What does Ginnifer think of the two characters she plays? Why does she think the series has become so popular? And what secrets can she uncover about the first season? Read on for the answers…
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ABC’s popular thriller Revenge follows the story of Emily Thorne [played by Emily VanCamp], a new arrival in the Hamptons. By all appearances, Emily is a friendly and sophisticated ‘girl next door’, whose disarming charm and generosity allow her seamless access to the restricted circles of Hamptons’ high society. But the affluent, exclusive world she’s immersed herself in is tied to a dark family history, and Emily Thorne is anything but what she seems.
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As promised, here’s more in our weekend coverage of Pixar’s Brave. On Sunday we’ll be posting a review. In the meantime check out this Witch’s Brew.