Evil Dead II poster, Evil Dead II horror movie, Evil Dead II Ash character, Ash and chainsaw in Evil Dead II, 1987 cult classic Evil Dead II

Artist’s Blog #146 – Evil Dead II (1987)

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Believe it or not, Evil Dead II is an action-packed movie. It’s not Arnold 1980’s action-packed but, it keeps you watching and on the edge of your seat. Of course, a lot of the on-edge is watching out for the next jump scare. These were commonplace in Evil Dead II and sometimes almost got me while watching on my cell phone. I can only imagine that a theatrical showing would have caused a viewer to jump. At first, Evil Dead II has a consistent pace but once the demon take over stuff starts, it hits the throttle and doesn’t let off. As with The Evil Dead, this one is creepy. While the story is essentially the same, there are new characters and some iconic events in the series occur. Perhaps the most notable is Ash replacing his hand with a chain saw and creating a shoulder sling sawed-off shotgun.

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Children of the Corn Movie Poster from 1984

Artist’s Blog #145 – Children of the Corn (1984)

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I wonder with Children of the Corn if there’s any truth to the following observation. Looking at this movie from I guess what would be either a sociological or psychological (maybe both) perspective, how would this be different if the main characters were not children? In American society, we typically put different values on children. I’m not an anthropologist but, I don’t think this is a global norm. Children of the Corn was filmed in Iowa but takes place in Nebraska and the town is run by a religious cult of children. The two characters that enter the town and must face the children are often hesitant in resistance and compassionate towards them. I hypothesize that we likely would be in America if this were real. However, if the town were run by adults, how might this movie be different? I suspect it would be much more violent.

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Jolly Chimp cymbal toy, Monkey Shines movie poster, retro horror toy, George Romero movie art, creepy monkey toy

Artist’s Blog #144 – Monkey Shines: An Experiment in Fear (1988)

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Several years ago, I wandered into my favorite thrifting spot for a break from painting. As I was leaving, I went by the glass case to gander at the items they considered treasure. I noticed a retro toy that I had seen on a movie poster. It was an authentic Jolly Chimp toy – the monkey with striped pants and banging cymbals. I had the attendant let me look at it. The creepy toy’s condition was poor but, the box and the toy were there. I paid the $10 and took the piece home for my shelf. Had it not been for the Monkey Shines: An Experiment in Fear poster, I wouldn’t have even cared about the creepy toy. Get in your wheelchair and read my thoughts on this George Romero oddity but goodity from 1988.

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Artist’s Blog #143 – Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey (2023)

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I wasn’t into Winnie the Pooh too heavily as a child but, I remember the books and television show. We watched a lot of Muppet Babies. From what I found quickly on Wikipedia, Winnie the Pooh was born in 1926 so, that’s almost a century ago. As Winnie the Pooh is now public domain, because of its age, you can make horror movies with the same name. Copyright infringement is something Hollywood must be conscious of. Anyway, from what I remember of the story, I was always curious about what happened or what would happen when Christopher Robin grew up. At some point, he would have to abandon his imaginary friends. Would they disappear? Would another child adopt them? What would happen? Clearly, someone with a creatively twisted mind and a budget had the same questions. Christopher Robin has messed up, badly.

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Clint Eastwood as the Man with No Name, iconic scene from A Fistful of Dollars, classic spaghetti western movie, Clint Eastwood in western attire, Eastwood’s character in action

A Fistful of Dollars (1964)

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A Fistful of Dollars is a ninja movie without the black suit, weapons, and Taijutsu. If you’ve been reading my blogs, you’ll know that ninja movies from the 80s are some of my favorites. You can read one on Revenge of the Ninja here and another on Ninja III here. I am a product of the ‘80s ninja craze in America, so I have studied about the art. Eastwood’s character is what a ninja would have really been like in feudal Japan. Ninja rarely wore black but rather were the “gray man” and fit in with their surroundings. Trickery and psychological manipulation were huge and lesser-known skills of the shinobi. Eastwood’s character uses these beautifully. Firefights and fighting are not too heavily used though which gives the film a nice feel and it keeps the focus on the character’s wit.

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Pulp Fiction (1994)

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Let’s talk about Jules and Vincent Vega. Vega’s bad luck ultimately leads to his demise, which raises a curious question: Is he deaf in the bathroom? Meanwhile, Jules gets a lucky break, surviving what should have been a deadly gunfight. After the bullet holes reveal his miracle survival, he changes his ways and, as far as we know, survives both the movie and the life of crime. Marsellus Wallace, on the other hand, has terrible luck when Zed picks him first, making Butch much luckier. Butch, however, cares enough to help Marsellus, and that’s where Marsellus gets a little lucky. Butch’s luck continues when Marsellus lets him off with a warning: “There is no us, and leave town today.” It’s definitely a better deal than the alternative.

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The Beach Girls and The Monster poster, vintage beach movie poster, 1960s monster movie artwork, retro surf culture image, classic horror film poster

The Beach Girls and The Monster (1965)

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Night surfing just doesn’t sound like a good idea—though, to be fair, I’d need to learn how to surf during the day first. If you’re into surf culture, this movie is a must-watch. Here’s why: The Beach Girls and The Monster includes a fair amount of filler. Normally, I’m not a fan of filler, but it works here. The movie features authentic vintage surf footage, projected within a 1960s high-end home, giving viewers a genuine taste of surf culture and ‘60s technology. This pairs perfectly with the movie’s score. The opening song, “Dance Baby Dance,” written by Frank Sinatra Jr., is a catchy surf rock tune. The soundtrack seamlessly transitions between surf rock and music reminiscent of The Pink Panther skulking around.

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Everly (2014)

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Hello, I’m Gordon Ramsey. Nice to meet you. Today’s meal is a dish called “Everly.” For the main course, we serve Salma Hayek. On the plate, there’s a generous portion of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Commando and a biscuit drenched in Rambo-style blood and gore. To the right, you’ll find a bowl of soup featuring a mix of Baytown Outlaws and Gotham. Finally, we lightly season the meal with a dash of Japanese weirdness. I’m passing Everly to the next round of Master Chef but will pass on seconds. Alright, it’s just regular ol’ me again – let me explain this analogy in more detail.

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