Matt sat down with the men in charge of Cecil Con. Cecil Con is April 4th in North East, MD at Cecil college. It’s a free event. They discuss the creation of the convention, the guests, the panels and all things geeky.

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Today in my blog Every Damn DVD I did a write-up of the forgettable (but still fun) redneck slasher movie American Gothic. In my write-up I mention that the VHS cover was great but the DVD cover definitely lost something. I provided a shitty side-by-side comparison below for a better example:

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As you can see, the original cover had small little details, and those details made the cover all the more terrifying. you throw in some blood, a knife, a different facial expressions and the screaming teens in the window and you’ve got a classic VHS cover.

This isn’t the first DVD that completely destroyed the magic of the original VHS cover. The VHS cover for Alligator used to stare at my from the Blockbuster shelf. I obsessed over it trying to build up the courage to rent it one day. If the VHS cover was the same as the DVD version,  I’d have never had an interest in it.

AlligatorCompare The VHS shows us that frightening beast just staring right into you. It’s far more effective than this shitty cartoon of an Alligator tearing up the sewer. It just doesn’t have the same impact.

For well over a decade, VHS was king. There was something magical about going to the video store and looking at all those beautiful covers staring back at you. I was a member at so many video stores growing up. First there was Movie King (which didn’t last very long), followed by a Blockbuster, and beyond.

I was absolutely terrified of horror movies as a kid. I didn’t want anything to do with them; I refused to watch them as I knew they’d give me nightmares. Clearly this was bullshit though. My parents did a great job of instilling fear into me, but even as a kid I loved the morbid. My favorite movies were things like Beetlejuice, Monster Squad and Ghostbusters. My favorite cartoon was Toxic Crusaders. I loved monsters and mutants and ghosts and  ghouls.

The horror fan that was inside of me was constantly trying to break free. This is probably the reason why every trip to Blockbuster included me roaming the horror section and just looking at VHS tapes. I’d obsessively tough boxes and stare at the covers. How can you just walk past this as a kid and not want to know more.

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Then came West Coast Video. I don’t know why this video store randomly popped up in my town. They didn’t have a fighting chance against the Blockbuster (made evident by their life span of roughly a year, maybe two). But by the time West Coast Video appeared I had see Scream and accepted that I was a horror movie fan.

Last Year I decided to watch wrestling. I found that I really enjoyed it. A year later I have a subscription to the WWE Network, over 20 Wrestling DVDs, merch for my favorite wrestlers and an extensive knowledge of wrestling history so vast that a lot of people think I’ve been watching since I was a kid. I tell this story so that you understand something about me. When I find something I like, I dive in head first. Horror was no different.

I went to west coast video every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I  would just work my way through the aisles and rent anything my heart desired. So many of those VHS tape covers are forever burnt into my retinas.

The thing about VHS covers is they were the biggest liars. The better the cover the more likely the film was garbage. That’s something anyone who was tricked by this…

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or this…

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could tell you.

These are bad movies, some would even call them terrible movies. But I would gladly hang posters of those covers on my wall. They’re works of art.

When DVD rolled around this art form died. Instead of a well planned photoshoot, or a beautiful artistic drawing we get photoshopped heads. So many photo-shopped heads. There’s a handful of companies like Arrow and Scream Factory that get it. They still appreciate the that these were a lost art, something from childhood we didn’t appreciate it until it was gone.

VHS TAPE COVERS! I SALUTE YOU!

Matt Kelly is the host of the Saint Mort Show Podcast and co-host of the Reddit Horror Club. He also runs the Every Damn DVD blog. Matt will be crying about the loss of his local video stores for years to come but something off his Amazon Wishlist will always cheer him up.

This week on Saint Mort’s Nostalgia Nightmare Matt watches and reviews Scream Factory’s Blu-Ray release of Exterminators of the Year 3000. It’s a Mad Max Rip-Off done in a way that only Italian cinema could successfully get away with. Let’s watch!

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Before I discuss this movie I have to address the minor elephant in the room about its release. When Scream first announced plans of releasing this it was to be a double feature with Cruel Jaws. When this was first announced I flipped my shit. I literally posted on a ton of websites and forums losing my mind about this. I couldn’t believe I lived in a world where something as mind-glowingly amazing (and terrible) as Cruel Jaws was going to be released on Blu-Ray. For those of you who don’t know, Cruel Jaws is a wanna be Jaws rip-off (sometimes even advertised as Jaws 5) that skipped the whole annoying “building a shark” thing in favor of stealing footage from various Jaws movies and Jaws rip-off films like Great White/The Last Shark. I couldn’t even wrap my head around how Scream Factory was going to legally release it… turns out they couldn’t either. A few days later they announced that due to the multiple pieces of copyright infringement they were just going to release Exterminators of the Year 3000 on a solo Blu-Ray. It hurt… but I’ve learned to live with it.

I would like to take this moment to just say to whoever is reading this from Scream Factory that you can totally make up for this by finding a way to put Great White/The Last Shark on Blu-Ray. Thanks!

So what is Exterminators of the Year 3000? Well take Mad Max and slash the budget down to roughly $500 and you have this incredible piece of Italian cinema. The film takes place in the Year 3000 (as the title suggests). After nuclear war has turned Earth into a massive desert, water is a rare commodity (sounding sorta familiar yet). The film follows Tommy (a young boy with a bionic arm) and a loner (named Alien) as they search for a well while avoiding bikers and Crazy Bull (their blood-thirsty leader).

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I had no clue what to expect from this movie, if I’m honest I kept putting it off… but within the first 5 minutes I knew I was in for a movie I was genuinely going to enjoy. The film is packed with solid special effects, well done chase sequences, a dark sense of a humor and a boy with a bionic arm. I know I mentioned it once already but I mean, that’s pretty off the wall and amazing.

If you’re like me and enjoy having movie nights with friends filled with beer, pizza and B-movies than you’re in luck. That is 100% what Exterminators of the Year 3000 is.

Exterminators is now available on Scream Factory’s website. The release comes with an interview and a commentary track from actor Robert Iannucci. Also out today is the double feature of Blacula/Scream Blacula Scream

Matt Kelly is the host of the Saint Mort Show Podcast and co-host of the Reddit Horror Club. He also runs the Every Damn DVD blog. Tax season was not kind to Matt os cheer him up and get him something off his Amazon Wishlist to watch.

This week for Saint Mort’s Nostalgia Nightmare we’re going to be discussing New Year’s Evil which is now available on Blu-Ray from our friends at Scream Factory. Let’s see if this one drops the ball or not (ZING!)

I love Slasher films. LOVE them. Scream was my first major introduction to horror movies and turned me into someone who NEEDED to feed on horror movie content. I’ve made it a goal to see as many slasher films as possible and even own an unreasonably large amount of documentaries and text books on the subject.

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New Year’s Evil managed to avoid my sights for years. I didn’t even know it existed until it was briefly mentioned in Going To Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film (a must have for any serious horror fan). It wasn’t until last year I finally got to see it when it was briefly on Netflix Instant watch. I really wasn’t blown away by it, but at the time I watched it I was also in the middle of moving into my house so I had it on but I didn’t have my full attention on it.

This time I did all the chores I needed to have done, turned off the phone and really focused on the film. It is still one of the lesser 80’s slasher films, but it is however not a terrible movie.

The plot centers around Diane (aka Blaze), a TV personality hosting a televised New Years Eve Punk Rawk party. While taking callers on the air she begins talking to a man going by the name Evil. Evil threatens to kill a “Naughty Girl” she loves every time it strikes midnight in a different time zone. The cops are reluctant to take the threats seriously, assuming it’s a dark prank from the creepy crowd her shows tend to draw in. After each murder he calls back in and plays the recording of the murder over the air.

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The film is unique as we know what Evil looks like within roughly 20 minutes of the movie. It’s not so much a mysterious whodunnit as much as it’s a WhoIsItAndWhy? The movie does contain some clever editing, some enjoyably cheesy music (specifically it’s theme song and the song Dumb Blondes), a cool mask for the killer to wear and a fairly unique premise. Even by 1980 the slasher film had already established itself as the “unknown, masked killer stalking high school girls from the trees”. This took a slightly more suspenseful twist which is interesting at least.

The biggest problem with the movie is how overwhelmingly mediocre it is. It’ll never be a movie good enough to recommend to a friend, or bad enough to watch with a group of friends. Dread Central’s Matt Serafini’s review reference to it as an ideal “late night horror fix” and I think that’s exactly the way to watch it. This would be a fun movie to have randomly discovered on USA in the 90’s.

Now as you’ve probably figured out I’m a Scream Factory fanboy. Even if I wasn’t being asked to review movies for them I’d still be a fanboy. I don’t think anyone at Scream Factory thinks that this is a masterpiece of slasher cinema but they still celebrate it as if it were by throwing in a new commentary track and a new collection of interviews with some of creators and stars behind the film.

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While I’m not the biggest fan of New Year’s Evil, it’s still an interesting definitely worth watching if you’re a horror fan. Scream Factory has really put out a handful of other good (but painfully underrated slashers) like Terror Train, The Town That Dreaded Sundown, The Burning and Sleepaway Camp.

Matt Kelly is the host of the Saint Mort Show Podcast and co-host of the Reddit Horror Club. He also runs the Every Damn DVD blog. Since Philadelphia just got slammed with a little bit of snow he’s going to probably spend the next weekend inside staying warm watching TV and dreaming of summer. Get him something off his Amazon Wishlist to watch.

This week Matt is Joined by Shane O’hare of the Geekscape Games podcast. We discuss the origins of the podcast, the Amiibo addictions of his co-hosts, his DJ career, getting his cohosts drunk and breakdancing at San Diego Comic Con.

This episode is powered by the Phantom of the Opera blu-ray available from Scream Factory. Pick up a copy at www.screamfactorydvd.com

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Welcome to another edition of Saint Mort’s Nostalgia Nightmare. This week I’ll be reviewing Phantom of the Opera from 1989 now available on Blu-Ray from my friends at Scream Factory. Much like last week, I’d never seen this film prior to this viewing but I sure as hell remembered it’s box-cover. Let’s see how it is.

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I’ve always had a weird obsession with Phantom of the Opera. I blame it on Gremlins 2: A New Batch, as well as an old book of classic horror movie moments that my grandfather had in his basement. I loved the look of Lon Chaney’s original make-up and would frequently imagine the iconic music and the moment when the mask is lifted off revealing his true face.

That being said, it’s rare that I find a version of Phantom that I genuinely love. I like the classic Lon Chaney film and I can appreciate the musical, but I definitely don’t love it. For some reason nothing has reached that unattainable excitement for the original film (that I didn’t even see until after college). I do however love gory 80s/90s horror movies, so I went into 1989’s Phantom of the Opera with high hopes.

I can recall the box cover from my younger days of wandering video stores, but for one reason or another I never rented it (I’m willing to assume it’s because I still hadn’t seen the original). I can’t say that this movie’s transfer has never looked better (since I have no previous viewing experience) but what I can say is that this doesn’t look like a movie that’s 25 years old. The transfer gives it the picture quality of a movie released in the last 2-3 years.

That being said, I walked away from this movie not knowing how to feel about it. Robert England puts in a great performance and while I’m not a fan of the Phantom’s make-up Kevin Yagher’s other effects are pretty impressive. There are definitely things here, however, that don’t work for me.

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I started off kind of confused; the movie does a sudden flip from modern day to the victorian era that occurs so suddenly that if you sneeze or blink you’ll miss it. The movie is slowly paced but when it gets good it’s “severed head in a soup pot” good.

There’s a lot to like hidden within the movie but the actual journey to those moments can be tedious and boring at times. The movie also ends in an awkward abruptness, it’s obvious that they were setting up a sequel (which despite my lukewarm opinion of this movie I would have loved to have seen) that never came to fruition due to its poor box office performance.

However, since this is a Scream Factory release it doesn’t matter the quality of the film because the Behind the Mask Retrospective making of documentary on the DVD is packed with interesting stories about the history of the Phantom. If you’re a fan of this adaptation you’d be doing yourself a disservice not picking up this up for that making of and commentary track alone.

If you haven’t seen this adaptation but you’re a fan of 80’s gore and/or the Phantom of the Opera story than this might be worth checking out, but I think you’re actually better off checking out Phantom of the Paradise (also from Scream Factory). In fact, the screenplay writer even mentions watching Phantom of the Paradise for inspiration while writing. Both have extremely similar plot-lines (both being inspired by both Phantom of the Opera AND the story of Faust) but Phantom of the Paradise has the tongue-in-cheek fun (and memorable musical numbers) that this adaptation is lacking.

Saint Mort is the host of The Saint Mort Show and Reddit Horror Club podcasts. He also posts reviews in his Every Damn DVD blog every single week. He’s also the Phantom of his Apartment and attacks anyone who speaks ill of his DVD collection. If you’re generous enough give him some more DVDs to defend from his Amazon Wishlist.

 This week Saint Mort is joined by Neil Katcher one of the co-founders of the Mortified Movement and co- producer of the Mortified Podcast (now available on iTunes). We discuss Mortified origins and even dive into some of Matt’s own childhood memories, while Neil psychoanalysis Matt. 

This episode is powered by the Vampire Kiss/High Spirits blu-ray available from Scream Factory. Pick up a copy at www.screamfactorydvd.com

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Welcome Back to Saint Mort’s Nostalgia Nightmare. Glad to see you enjoyed it enough last week to revisit. Continuing in my Scream Factory Blu-Ray reviews I’ve got another double feature. Today you can own their double feature release of Vampire’s Kiss and High Spirits. Let’s dive in!

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Not only have I never seen either of these films prior to this Blu-Ray appearing on my doorstep, I’ve never even heard of one of them. I wasn’t sure what to expect going into it. Over the course of 5 hours I watched Vampire’s Kiss twice (once normally and once with commentary) and High Spirits.

Let’s start with Vampire’s Kiss. I’d heard many things about this movie, specifically that it’s one of the most Cage-iest of Nicholas Cage movies. I was not lied to in the least. The movie is bizarre, confusing, unintentionally funny at parts and a chore to watch at others.

The movie tells the story of Peter Loew, a womanizing literary agent who spends all day in the office and all night at the clubs and having one night stands. One night he takes home a vampire named Rachel who begins feeding on him nightly. Or does he?

Vampire’s Kiss is all about questioning what is reality while following an unhinged businessman that’s wrapped up in all the sleeze, culture and status of the 80s. Basically it’s American Psycho if Nicholas Cage played Patrick Bateman.

It’s got some fantastic moments in it and has notoriety for a infamous still which has become a meme (Scream Factory was smart to include that still on the back of the Blu-Ray). The commentary track between director Robert Bierman and Nicholas Cage is interesting to say the least. The two think highly of the movie and Bierman makes a few references to stylistic choices but then saying things like “I think I did that consciously”.

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If you can get past Cage’s awkward accent choice (he sounds like he’s doing a bad Keanu Reeves impression) and the dark comedic cruelness it’s not a bad film to watch… once. You’ll most likely never watch it again (unless you listen to the commentary track)… the same can’t be said for High Spirits.

I had a lot of fun experiencing High Spirits for the first time. I’m willing to believe that if I saw this movie when I was a child I’d hold it with the same level of nostalgic praise that I hold movies like Monster Squad and The Goonies.

Looking at this cast it’s amazing that I’ve never heard of this film. It’s a fantastic ensemble featuring such infamous actors as Peter O’Toole, Daryl Hannah, Liam Neeson, Jennifer Tilly, Steve Guttenberg and Beverly D’Angelo.

The movie follows Peter Plunkett who’s about to have his castle repossessed. In order to keep his property he tries to claim it’s haunted to scare the Americans that are visting the castle (including the daughter of the man repossessed the castle). When their fake ghost stories are discovered, real ghosts begin haunting the castle including Mary and Martin.

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Many centuries ago when Mary and Martin were married, Martin murdered Mary for infidelity. Every night the two are forced to re-enact that night. That is until one of the Americans Jack (Guttenberg) stops Martin, putting an end to cycle and causing Mary to fall in love with him.

I hope this film finds a decent resurgence from this Blu-Ray, as it’s a fantastic Halloween movie with ghosts, romance, comedy and a handful of good jump scares.

The most baffling thing about this film is that it’s written and directed by Neil Jordan, a man known for films of more adult nature like The Company of Wolves, The Crying Game and Interview with the Vampire.

Doing research to do these reviews/writeups I can’t understand how Vampire’s Kiss was more critically well received. It’s an interesting film but for very unintentional reasons. High Spirits is a much more enjoyable film overall.

Pick up a copy of the Vampire’s Kiss/High Spirits Blu-ray Today!

Matt Kelly hosts The Saint Mort Show and the Reddit Horror Club as well as writes for Geekscape and his blog Every Damn DVD. He’s also going to spend Valentine’s Day night in the basement watching horror movies while his roommate has sex. He’d love it if you bought him something on his Amazon Wishlist to convince him to take that shotgun barrel out of his mouth. 

Welcome to Saint Mort’s Nostalgia Nightmare. Every week, Matthew “Saint Mort” Kelly will either review an upcoming release that he’s been sent or ramble about some of his horror favorites that you should revisit. This week, Matt reviews the upcoming Scream Factory release of the Love At First Bite/Once Bitten double feature Blu-Ray. Let’s begin!

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The first thing that I noticed about this particular Blu-Ray release is its lack of special features. Essentially, there aren’t any (aside from some vintage movie trailers or radio spots). It’s understandable given that it’s two movies on one disc and space is limited, but it didn’t stop me from feeling a little let down given how incredible Scream Factory’s special features usually are.

Prior to this release I’d never even heard of Love at First Bite so of course I started with that. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but based on its title and its placement beside Once Bitten I assumed it was another teenage vampire movie. I was wrong.

The story follow Count Dracula (George Hamilton) after he has his castle repossessed and is forced to move to New York. He falls in love with famous model Cindy Sondheim (Susan Saint James) and begins to date her despite her crazy ex Dr. Jeffery Rosenberg (grandson of Van Helsing). The movie’s humor is just as wacky and irreverent as that description seems.

It’s a pretty unique twist on the Dracula mythology by flipping roles. The count is now our hopeless romantic hero and Van Helsing is the villain that we want to see fail. While I love that twist the film is still far perfect. That doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have some great comedic moments; I particularly enjoyed a reoccurring joke involving Rosenberg’s (Richard Benjamin) clueless attempts to expose Dracula which include (but are not limited to) shooting him with silver bullets and holding a Star of David to the vampire’s face.

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I’d also be doing a disservice to the movie to not praise the fantastic performance from Arte Johnson as Reinfeld. Moments like him cackling with glee while watching a movie about rats attacking a women or crying while watching a commercial for Raid are just the right level of absurdist comedy to make this an enjoyable experience.

I don’t know how frequently I’ll rewatch Love at First Bite, but I’m certainly glad Scream Factory gave me the ability to experience this movie for the first time. However I think the main reason many people will be getting this Blu-Ray is for the second feature the 80’s vampire/teen flick classic Once Bitten.

I remember hearing about Once Bitten back in 1993 just as Ace Ventura was making Jim Carrey a household name to kids my age who couldn’t watch In Living Color. It became a fairly regular feature film on Comedy Central. I’d always seen the film in its TV-edited version. Maybe it’s because of this that I don’t remember how much homophobic humor is in the movie.

I think there will be a ton of critics who point to these moments (specifically the ‘Fags in the Shower’ sequence) as a reason to dislike or avoid revisiting it. I’m not one of those critics. I was raised on movies like Porky’s, Revenge of the Nerds and Hollywood Knights. We as a society have come and a long way and that’s great… but I still find something super charming about the close minded 80’s teen humor and like it or not homophobia is a big part of that.

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Most people only really think about Once Bitten because it’s a pre-famous Jim Carrey vehicle, but there’s more to the movie than that. It’s basically American Pie with Vampires. In order to maintain her eternal beauty and vampire countess must drink the blood of a virgin. Cut to Mark Kendall (Jim Carrey) and his group of friends trying to get laid. Mark believes he’s struck a sexual goldmine with the seductive Countess but he begins having weird cravings, an inability to sleep and weird dreams. It’s up to his on and off girlfriend Robin Pierce to take his virginity before the Countess drains him of all is blood.

This movie is way funnier than I remembered it. I still am a firm believer that in general My Best Friend is a Vampire (released two years after Once Bitten) is the superior Vampire Teenage film, but it’s undeniable that Once Bitten is a classic for a reason.

After watching this double feature I immediately felt like there should be another double feature from Scream Factory of Rockula and My Best Friend is a Vampire. So if anyone from Scream Factory is reading you should get on that for Saint Mort. Thanks in advance!

Get your own copy of Love at First Bite/Once Bitten from Scream Factory. It’ll be released February 10th, but you can pre-order right now! Also released the same day is the double feature of Vampire’s Kiss/High Spirits (look out for more about this next release next week).

Matt Kelly is the host of The Saint Mort Show, the co-host of the Reddit Horror Club and the blogger behind Every Damn DVD. He has an unhealthy love for horror movies, wrestling and punk music and wants you to buy him something nice off his Amazon Wishlist because free stuff is always nice. We at Geekscape can not support giving Matt free stuff but you can do what you want with your money. But that money would be better spent buying stuff from Scream Factory for yourself.

I’ve been trying to get Awaking Mercury on the show for about two years but we finally got our schedules to sync up. The band came over and we talked music, get into a long discussion about early christian rock and they perform two songs.

This episode is powered by Scream Factory pick up some DVDs from www.screamfactorydvd.com

 

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Continuing their on going track record of keeping horror classics alive Scream Factory has some great titles coming out this March.

unnamed-2For starters on March 3rd the Blaxploitation classic Blacula (and its sequel Scream Blacula Scream) on a double feature DVD and will feature a commentary track from Film Historian David F. Walker (author Reflections on Blaxploitation: Actors and Directors Speak) and a new interview with Richard Lawson of Scream Blacula Scream.

For those of you not familiar with this cult classic it tells the tale of African Prince Mamuwalde (played by the intensely entertaining William Marshall) who visits Count Dracula only to end up being transformed into a vampire. After two centuries of being trapped in his tomb he gets unleashed onto the mean streets of Los Angeles.

The underrated sequel pits the titular vampire against some voodoo power and stars cult favorites Richard Lawson and Pam Grier.

That same day they’re also releasing the Italian Post-Apocalyptic Exploitation Fan Favorite Exterminators of the Year 3000.

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Eagerly awaiting the release of the newest Mad Max movie? Well you can fill some time with this post-apocalyptic future where the earth is a desert and water is the most precious substance of all. A band of survivors turn to a mysterious stranger to battle a ruthless gang of motorcycle psychos for control of the wasteland and the water. A glorious crash of guns, nuclear fallout, and synthesizers make this a must-see for anyone who’s been longing for the day in which they can finally get beyond Thunderdome.

With a commentary track from the director Robert Iannucci makes this film’s blu-ray debut just that extra level of special.

They’ve also announced the upcoming releases of Invaders from Mars, The Babadook and recently they acquired Stigmata.

Keep your eyes open on Geekscape.net for some upcoming reviews for their February releases Phantom of the Opera, The Love at First Bite/Once Bitten double feature as well as the  Vampires Kiss/High Spirits double feature.

 

Matt Kelly is the host of the Saint Mort Show available on Soundcloud as well as the sole writer of the Every Damn DVD blog.

I met Liz Kunkle this summer when we attended a wrestling house show together. A few weeks ago she invited me to an art show she was apart of. This was the first time I ever heard she was an artists but I was blown away by how talented she was. Beyond being a talented artist she’s a very well-spoken as well as funny person.

If you live in Philly make sure to check out her art show in Philly February 12th:
www.facebook.com/events/1610151869218026/

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I stumbled upon a video on Reddit one day featuring James discussing the issues with Reddit’s self promotion rules. It was at this point that I wanted to have him on the podcast. After finding out about his website The GoodPack I knew I HAD to have James on the show.

The GoodPack provides it’s subscribers with new albums from great unsigned bands from across the globe. I love this idea and this site and by the end of the episode I’m a pretty big fan of James as well. Check it out their site and enjoy!

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Before their show last week in Philly Mishka Shubaly & Star Anna came by the basement and talked about sobriety, their early days of music and the music that Star and Matt love but Mishka can’t stand.

Check out info on their tour as well as their music at www.mishkashubaly.com and www.staranna.com

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This week I sat down with Chelsea Christer the brains behind the The Matches documentary. We talk about what the band means to her, the way she got started in filmmaking and her Dr. Who.

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Last night I was in my living room watching the Scream Factory blu-ray release of Night of the Demons. My roommate wandered downstairs from his bedroom to smoke a cigarette and saw me watching it and snarkily stated “Oh yeah, this definitely deserves to be seen in Hi-Def”.

To this I say to my roommate… yes, yes it does. That’s the magic of Scream Factory (as I’ve said before), they understand horror fans. They know that while most people look at a movie like Final Exam or The Town that Dreaded Sundown they see a poorly made, cheap horror film that a horror fan sees something worthy of the Criterion collection treatment.

That’s why I couldn’t be more existed to read that on February 10th they’ll be releasing such Vampire Rom-Com classics as Love at First Bite and Once Bitten (starring a very young Jim Carrey) as well as High Spirits and Vampire’s Kiss. Even more incredible is that Vampire’s Kiss will include commentary from the eccentric Nicholas Cage. Honestly the only thing missing to make this the ultimate Vampire comedy collection is (my personal favorite) My Best Friend is a Vampire (Dear Scream Factory, I know you’re reading this… make that happen).

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The highlight of their February line up is the Blu-Ray release of New Years Evil on February 24th. This is one of the most bizarre “holiday themed” slasher/thrillers out there. This Scream Factory release is going to come equipped with director’s commentary and a making of featurette.

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In other news yesterday Scream Factory announced the release of the amazingly terrible Howling II: My Sister is a Werewolf will be released on Blu-Ray this summer. Today Candyman II: Farewell to Flesh was made available on their website.

Check out the first of what will be a monthly bonus episode for the Saint Mort Show. The Saint Mort Commentaries. This first episode features past guests Eric Bigas of Team Goldie & Cassettes, Josh Hechinger author of The Grave Doug Freshley, Bear Beater Bunyan and my friend Bryan Silva (who at the time was the camera guy for the never completed web-show). This month we watched the 1953 classic Robot Monster.
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Below is the movie from YouTube, below that is the Saint Mort Show episode (commentary starts at 4:21)

It’s that time of the year where people do their end of year lists. The problem with this is that it’s hard to really know or understand the cultural significance of something until time has passed a little. If you look at best picture winners in the past you’ll find a collection of “what was that movie” compared to the nominees that are still significant these years later.

This isn’t looking at these films and albums in lens of “this was the most important release of this year” or “this made the biggest impact”. More so this is a list of 10 Albums and 10 Movies that were overlooked, forgotten, wrongfully disliked or are simply worth rewatching/relistening to when looked at through the lens of nostalgia.

Top 10 Albums of 2004

10. Wilco: A Ghost is Born
I’ve always had mixed feelings on Wilco. I was first introduced to them via Beavis & Butthead and got really into their first album (A.M.) which was a fun Alt-Country album. As they got more and more Indie I didn’t enjoy them as much. I still think they’re a good bad and understand why critics love them, but the music just never connected with me. A Ghost is Born is the exception. It features some of Tweedy’s catchiest material in years as well as some of his best guitar work. The closing song “The Late Greats” might be the catchiest (as well as most fun) song Wilco has ever recorded.

9. I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody’s Business
I liked the Early November, but I was never a super fan. I thought I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody’s Business’ self-titled release however is a strong contender for the best thing Drive Thru Records ever put out. It’s such a weird little project of sounds and genres that it’s hard to not get caught up in it’s immediately infectious sounds. “The Best Happiness Money Can Buy” is easily one of the top 10 catchiest songs of the 2000’s.

8. Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama: There will be a Light
Every once and a while I pop a CD into my car and right away I know I’m in for a real experience. That’s the case for Ben Harper and the Blind Boys of Alabama more than any other album on this list I only vaguely know of Ben Harper but this past year I heard a friend perform Well, Well, Well off this album and wanted to hear the original. I was rewarded with 11 beautiful gospel tracks including the heartbreaking “Mother Pray” and the catchy “Church on Time”

7. Brazil: A Hostage and the Meaning of Life
Brazil was a mostly blind buy for me. They covered a Police song on the Punk Goes 80’s comp that I thought was decent enough and when I saw their CD at a used CD store I figured what the hell. I didn’t expect what came out of my speakers. I assumed I’d hear some form of pop punk, I did not plan for a sound that can only be described as a melting pot of Coheed & Cambria, The Blood Brothers and 60’s Garage rock. The band immediately became one of my favorites by the end of the opening track “A Hostage”.

6. The Polyphonic Spree: Together We’re Heavy
I remember the day Polyphonic Spree was unleashed on the word. Their catchy hit Light & Day was unavoidable and immediately with their gowns and positivity we as a cultural just assumed they were a cult. They probably are (or were) but that didn’t stop me from drinking the Kool-Aid that is their music. Their debut album was filled with great songs as well as lots of filler. Their follow-up however is the best album they’ve ever released. Each song is packed with so much variety and gorgeously upbeat lyrics that it’s been difficult to not love every second it’s been on. If you only know the band as a one-hit wonder I highly recommend checking out songs like “Hold Me Now”, “Diamonds” and “Two Thousand Places” off this record.

5. The Streets: A Grand Don’t Come for Free
The Streets will always be one of my favorite bands. All Five of their released appeared on my Top 10 albums list of their respected released year and three of them are in the Top Five. While Original Pirate Material painted a picture of life in London, A Grand Don’t Come for Free is a story presented in hip-hop. What’s great about this record is that you can listen to all 11 tracks at random and they work as individual tracks but when listened front to back it still tells a very clear story that’s easy to follow. While it’s definitely not my favorite Streets album A Grand Don’t Come for Free was one of the most impressively different releases of 2004.

4. The Avett Brothers: Mignonette
Much like the previous mentioned Streets the Avett Brothers have a pretty impressive output of perfection. They release roughly an album a year and have made my top 10 for basically every single year. Over the years Avett Brothers transformed from a country/bluegrass trio into more of an indie rock album. Mignonette is basically that perfect transition album between the two sounds. If you’ve never heard Avett Brothers this is a really great starter album.

3. Tom Waits: Real Gone
Let’s talk 2014 real quick. 2014 was the year I got into Tom Waits. This was actually the first album I heard by him ($1 at a yard sale). I was immediately hooked and bought 4 other Tom Waits releases this year. The 2000’s saw a weird thing in Waits music. It’s still the funky blues/rock with his signature raspy voice but this album has a heavy hip-hop influence in it. Specifically record scratches and Wait’s own unique style of beat-boxing. The opening track “Top of the Hill” will get stuck in your head instantly. You’ve been warned.

2. Rilo Kiley: More Adventurous
When I first heard Rilo Kiley all I knew about the band was that it was the girl from The Wizard and the Rat from Boy Meets World. Thankfully the band turned out to be insanely talented. The name of this record comes from the band’s desire to try something new and be “more adventurous” in their sounds. What they uncovered was the winning combination of sounds that they needed. Equal parts indie rock and 60’s rock the album is full great lyrics, interesting music and a beautiful perspective on themes like break ups (“Portions For Foxes”) and death (“Ripchord”).

1. Modest Mouse: Good News for People who Love Bad News 

Not only is this my album of 2004 but I think it’s Modest Mouse’s best release. Now I know that there’s a bunch of Modest Mouse fans out there losing their shit right now because the “earlier stuff was better” or their last album “We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank was such a massive improvement on this one”. Well those people can write their own list but Good News for People who Love Bad News was the band doing their unique sound while finding a way to make it accessible. Their single “Float On” was unavoidable in 2004 and I have fond memories of driving home from work with a group of co-workers just rocking out to this album front and back over and over again. Each year I find a new song that I obsess over. Issac Brock’s lyrics are humorous, cynical but still weirdly upbeat in a way that he’s never written before or again. Be it songs about death like “Ocean Breathes Salty” (For your sake I hope there’s really a heaven or hell but I won’t hold my breathe, you wasted life why wouldn’t you waste death) or the shockingly poppy “The View” (If it takes shit to make bliss then I feel pretty blissfully). This is that perfect mainstream album with indie cred that sums up what 2004 was in music.

Top 10 Movies of 2004:

10. The Incredibles
After 10 years it seems like Pixar is finally considering doing a sequel to what most of the world knows is their best film. What makes The Incredibles so special is that it works as both a commentary on Super Hero movies while still being a great super-hero movie. It also preaches the message that “not everyone is special” in a way that kids of all ages can appreciate. Pixar’s winning blend of comedy and drama has kept it going as one of the best film studios for the last two decades and The Incredibles exemplifies every reason that they deserve the longevity that they’re blessed with.

9. Team America: World Police
With the release of the controversial (and overrated) The Interview it’s interesting to reflect on the fact that 10 years ago we were making fun of North Korea in the form of a Ronery Puppet. 10 Years from now The Interview will be remembered as a controversial film that’s mostly filled with offensively unfunny jokes and Team America will still be an incredible satire on America and Terrorism.

8. Mean Girls
If you had told me that Mean Girls would become one of my all time favorite movies when it was released I’d have called you insane. I put the movie off for a long time. My friend Colin would always talk about the movie and referred to it as “Heathers-lite”. Finally I decided to rent it and was blown away by how quickly I fell in love with it. I think it’s safe to say that this will always been seen as Lindsay Lohen’s peak.

7. I <3 Huckabees
This is without competition the strangest movie of 2004. While it doesn’t have as many weird visuals as Eternal Sunshine, nor the unique style of Wes Anderson it has one of the strangest plot-lines I’ve ever seen. It’s one of those films that requires multiple viewings. Sadly this film will always be tainted by a very public meltdown that you can find on youtube pretty easily.

6. Sideways
If I recall correctly this was the Indie darling of 2004. I got around to watching it my freshmen year of collect when it was originally released on DVD. I wanted to see it because I loved Paul Giamatti. I bought the book and read it over a two day period than rented it and watched the movie. It’s one of those rare “as good if not better than the book” movies with solid performances from everyone involved. Paul Giamatti manages to make us like Miles even when he’s doing awful things like visiting his parents just to steal money from them, or allowing his friend to lie and cheat on his fiancée. Sideways is one of those movies where you know it simply can’t end well while simultaneously hoping it does.

5. The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou 

For years I’ve heard people call this the worst Wes Anderson film. First off, that’s not true, the correct answer is Darjeeling Limited. Secondly, while it’s not as perfect as Rushmore and Royal Tenenbaums I’ve always really loved the way this film looks. Anderson’s unique way to blend cinema with plays has always been impressive. This film contained some interesting stop-motion and great music throughout. If you’ve been writing this movie off or don’t remember it being as good as your other Anderson favorites I definitely recommend giving it a rewatch.

4. The Girl Next Door
I didn’t expect to like this movie at all. Instead of just liking it I loved it. As far as I’m concerned this was the last great Teen Flick. It does everything you want to see in a Teen Flick. It depicts high school in a semi-realistic light, it throws in ridiculous and over the top situations and it addresses genuine high school fears. What I like about this film over many other teen flicks is that genuine fear isn’t “I’m not popular” or “this girl doesn’t like me” but “What am I supposed to do with my future”. Every actor brings their A game, the comedy works and the drama surprisingly works as well (a real rarity for teen flicks).

3. Shaun of the Dead 

For years I’ve said the Return of the Living Dead is the greatest Zombie movie ever made. I still believe this but Shaun of the Dead is the only movie to give it a run for it’s money. I remember walking into a movie theater and seeing the theater cardboard cut out promotion for this movie and being very curious about it. I never got around to seeing it until a year later when it was released on DVD but I instantly fell in love with it. This was the first film I’d ever seen where the first 45 minutes is all set up to the next 45 minutes of punchlines. It helps that those first 45 minutes are also very funny. The first (and best) Zom-Rom-Com is a probably the most culturally significant release in 2004.

2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
There are few films that had a better trailer than Eternal Sunshine. The fake infomercial told you absolutely nothing about what you were about to watch, so obviously I couldn’t wait to see it. What I got was a film that is one of the most visually compelling experiences ever created. The best part of this movie is that I get a different story from it every time. It’s one of those pictures so leveled with metaphor and symbolism and messages that it’s impossible to not get something new out of it each time you watch it.

1. Garden State
I don’t doubt that people will argue with me about this number 1. Certainly many of the previous titles listed have had a larger cultural significance. One could even argue that Garden State isn’t THAT great a movie. Some would even say it doesn’t belong on a top 10 at all. Well to those people I say Fuck You this is my list. There are few films that have meant more to me than Garden State. It’s one of those films that I saw at the exact right moment in life. Every single time I watch it I’m transported back to that time. It’s the movie I watch when I have writers block, it’s the movie that I watch when I’m depressed, it’s the movie I watch when I just want to hear great music. It took all my power not to put the soundtrack on the best music of 2004 list. There are going to be hundreds of people who will talk shit on this movie, but I’ll never be one of them.

Brian Kelly is back again. He visited me for Christmas and we shoot the shit and play a new game. Brian tells us the plot lines of movies he only watched when he was high and the results are pretty insane. 

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After well over a year of trying to schedule out a podcast recording Juan came over to watch the WWE TLC pay-per-view on Sunday and we knocked out a podcast while he was here. We talk briefly about his band Founders but mostly go on a tangent about television and wrestling. Afterwards Juan performs a new song off the band’s upcoming EP.

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I will admit it. I’m a Scream Factory Fanboy.

This past weekend I enjoyed such titles as The Incredible Melting Man, The Nest and Nightbreed  (The Cabel Cut) on blu-ray. These are films that barely deserved to be released on DVD getting Blu-Ray releases with amazing transfers, great special features and most importantly the respect they just barely deserve.

It might seem to a non-horror fan that I’m trashing Scream Factory but it’s completely the opposite. Scream Factory is out there saving B-movies from obscurity, but more than just that they treat these paupers as if they were princes. It seems their planned February 17th release of Phantom of the Opera 1989 is no different.

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Freddy Kruger himself, Robert England, stars as the titular character in this gory version of Gaston Leroux’s novel. Directed by Dwight H. Little (Halloween 4) and with make-up from Kevin Yagher (Nightmare on Elm Street 2, 3 & 4) Phantom of the Opera is the culmination of classic gothic horror and late-80’s gore.

Scream Factory is celebrating this film by giving it a beautiful transfer and special features that include a trailer, commentary from England and Little who also are included in the making of documentary that also includes brand-new interviews with actors, Jill Schoelen and Alex Hyde-White, Screenplay writer Duke Sander, Make-Up Designer Kevin Yagher, Make-Up artists John Carl Buechler, Everett Burrell & John Vulich as well as composer Misha Segal.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Thanks to Scream Factory it’s never been a better time to be a horror fan.

 

You can pre-order your copies of Phantom of the Opera at Scream Factory

 

Matt Kelly is the host of The Saint Mort Show Podcast (found on SoundCloud and here on Geekscape.net) and the Reddit Horror Club.  He also is currently trying to watch all 2,000+ DVDs he owns at his blog Every Damn DVD. He also writes for Geekscape because he’s blackmailing Jonathan London.

I spoke to Brian Burger two years ago when he started filming Jennifer Help Us. Now his film (shot entirely on an iPhone) is playing festivals and getting lots of great press. This is literally an hour of two strangers becoming best friends as we realize we love the same movies, music and both dreamed making a film version of Zombies Ate My Neighbors.

Check out the trailer for Jennifer Help Us

The song during the intro is Chorus1 (Demo) by Rosetta.

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This week I’m joined by David Edwards of Inde Vision Films. We talk about Empire Records, Driving from Mississippi to PA, High School Film Projects and what’s going on in the future of Inde Vision.

The song during the intro is Pagan Holiday by Harley Poe.

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Ashen Phoenix is back! This time with model Hollyhocks! Holly is a charming and eccentric model/cosplayer who opens up about her favorite characters to cosplay as, her life as a single mom and her love of 90’s everything. Also before the interview check out my brief interview with Kevin Hock the writer of Fantasy Killer an amazing new horror/comedy comic book.

The song during the intro is #nudesforsatan by Ichabod Crane.

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Tommy Avallone is one of my most frequent guests, he appeared back in Episode 1 but he hasn’t been on for over a year. Tommy’s film I Am Santa Claus is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray and will be on Netflix November 25th. It was great going into Philly and talking to Tommy about the movie, Santa Claus and wrestling.

The song during the intro is We’re All Theme Parks by Team Goldie.

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This week I was joined by the members of Rivers Monroe. We sit down and discuss touring, songwriting and tangents galore. They even close out the show with an acoustic rendition of their song Meteors.

The song during the intro is Beware the Burning Bats by Johnny Neutrino & the Secret Weapon

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Way back in episode one I was joined by Matt to promote Team Goldie. Since appearing on the show he’s recorded the theme song to the podcast, made Team Goldie a full band, put Team Goldie on hold and formed a new band called Cassettes. We sit down talk about music, wrestling and Matt even performs an acoustic rendition of his song Morgan Freeman. The song can be found on Cassettes upcoming EP Stresslemania.

In the beginning of the episode I also talk about past (and future) guest Tommy Avallone’s new documentary I Am Santa Claus. Get a copy at www.iamsantaclausmovie.com

The song during the intro is There’s Just You by Brian Fitzy from his appearance in Episode 91

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Concluding my trend of October Horror Guests this week I’m joined by Kyle Kuchta. Kyle returns for our Halloween special to talk about Kyle’s documentary Fantasm and how you can buy it on his website. After that we discuss all the Halloween traditions we have and horror movies we plan to watch and what we dream of getting the chance to remake.

The song playing during the intro is Monster Squad by There Are Monsters.

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Continuing the trend of October Horror Guests this week I’m joined by Chris and Jeff of Chilling Tales for Dark Nights. They’re just two of the many people that help make this popular YouTube channel keep running.

The song playing during the intro is True Romance by Punchy’s Pilots.

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It’s October so it’s time to talk Halloween and Horror Movies (more than I usually do anyway). I’m really stoked to sit down and talk to Chris and Josh of The Video Graveyard and hosts of The Good, The Bad, The Wretched as the website has been a long time source of my horror fandom.

The song playing during the intro is A Melancholy Association With A Tragedy by Those Galloping Hordes off their album Things I Grew Up With.

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