Black Mountain Side Review

I watched an interesting horror B-movie recently - Black Mountain Side.

You could tell it was going for a The Thing feel, and it sort of pulled it off.  I liked how it was set in Canada, and liked how I was able to put my Anthropology degree to work in understanding what the cast was talking about!  :-) 

The "monster" was...odd.  Yet it got creepier the more it came up - the fact of whether you don't know if it is real or in their heads makes it even more creepy.

Give it a watch if you like atmospheric horror movies like The Thing, you might just enjoy it.

Howl & Hidden Movie Reviews

I took the time to watch a few movies, and came across a few horror gems:

Howl:

Quite obviously a werewolf movie, this is a UK film that was surprisingly good.  The werewolves weren't the usual ones you see in movies, and were more of demony-looking than anything else.  Still, very good movie with a good cast and a strange setting - a train stopped in the middle of the countryside.


Hidden:

By far the best of the two, this one took me by surprise - especially the ending.  It felt like a Twilight Zone episode, just longer and better produced.  Most of the movie taken place in a bomb shelter, and has only three cast for the most part.  The flashbacks of what is going on are particularly good and the very end was fantastic.  Highly recommended!

Lots of Weird War 2 Goodness!!!

Today I have quite a few miniatures to show you.  First up are some DUST Warfare/Tactics models, which I had finished quite a while ago but was waiting for some decals to show up:

These are the Axis Laser Grenadiers, and were quite easy to paint.  I tried out doing camouflage on the pants for the first time, and I must say it spices up the models some.  The helmet and shoulder decals are the German Heer ones from Warlord Games.  The cross on the chest is from I-94 Enterprises (GR 106 on the page I've linked to).  It was my first time using decals from I-94, and I am very happy with them.

Up next are some German soldiers with Vampir sights.  They came out recently from Warlord Games, but I can't find them on the website now.

All have been given heads from West Wind's Secrets of the Third Reich line of miniatures.  I think they fit in to the Weird War theme better with the heads!

Coming in at the end are some miniatures from Warlord Games that I am very proud of how they came out.  I like the poses and the face on the SS officer.

The miniatures that I used are German Waffen-SS officer with MP38, Waffen-SS firing Stg-44 Assault Rifle, Waffen-SS running with Stg-44, and Waffen-SS with Stg-44 Assault Rifle.  Three have been given German Gasmask Figure Heads. 

I am very pleased with how they came out!  I had to do some filling with putty to make the heads look where I wanted them to, but otherwise were an easy conversion.  The ones with the helmets have decals from Warlord Games, same as on the other miniatures in this post.

As you can see, I have finally set up my photography area.  So no more sad pictures from the painting mat!

Painted while listening to:  The Last Town by Blake Crouch

I finished this one off and I really enjoyed it!  Action-packed from start to finish, and the ending could leave room for a sequel but who knows.

Sadly, I have come down with a nasty cold a few days before I head up for two weeks of work.  I didn't do any painting today, but did get to watch a fun show:

The Blood Beast Terror is a typical B-movie romp with Peter Cushing.  It doesn't get very good reviews, but I enjoyed it!

Thriller: Fan Favourites (DVD Review)

I recently read Robert E. Howard's Pigeons from Hell for the first time, and was looking online for more information on the story.  I came across a reference to an episode of Thriller being based on this story.  I checked it out further and ordered the Thriller: Fan Favourites dvd online from Chapters.

Thriller is before my time, being a tv series running from 1960-62.  All of the episodes on the dvd are in black & white, and are quite atmospheric.  Here is a run-down of the episodes, taken from a review on Amazon.com:


The Purple Room (Season One, Episode 7): With Richard Anderson, Rip Torn and Alan Napier. Unscrupulous relations try to convince a man that the mansion he just inherited is haunted.

The Watcher (Season One, Episode 8): With Richard Chamberlain. After a psycho murders a teenager, he next targets a young couple.

The Cheaters (Season One, Episode 15): With Harry Townes and Jack Weston, based on a Robert Bloch (Psycho) story. A pair of eyeglasses gives the wearer an unusual gift, but it comes with a hefty price tag.

The Hungry Glass (Season One, Episode 16): With William Shatner, Russell Johnson and Donna Douglas. Ignoring ghostly tales, a young couple insist on purchasing a home by the sea.

Well of Doom (Season One, Episode 23): With Richard Kiel. A wealthy man is held captive by a powerful sorcerer and his faithful minion.

The Prisoner in the Mirror (Season One, Episode 34): With Lloyd Bochner and Marion Ross. Another sorcerer! This one escapes from a mirror, trades bodies with a historian, and causes plenty of trouble.

Pigeons from Hell (Season One, Episode 36): With Brandon DeWilde. Two brothers with car trouble spend a terrifying night in what they think is an abandoned Louisiana mansion.

The Grim Reaper (Season One, Episode 37): With William Shatner (again) and Natalie Schafer, another one by Robert Bloch. A cursed painting may spell doom for those that possess it.

The Weird Tailor (Season Two, Episode 4): With Henry Jones and George Macready, another by Bloch. Trying to awaken his son from death, a man commissions an odd suit of clothing.

The Incredible Dr. Markesan (Season Two, Episode 22): With Boris Karloff and Dick York. A young couple is forced to stay with a creepy uncle, dark secrets are revealed.



This is a great dvd, full of fantastic stories - check it out if you're bored with the gore-fests shown at the movies today!  ;-)

The Tractate Middoth on BBC

Last night I had a chance to watch the new video of the M.R. James story The Tractate Middoth. 

I thought it was a very good adaptation of the short story, with lots of atmosphere and memorable characters.  Of course there isn't ever going to be a movie that completely replicates the story exactly, and this version has its bits that doesn't jive with the original.  Overall, I enjoyed it and recommend you spend a half hour of your time and get into some M.R. James goodness!  :-)

The Whisperer in Darkness

I was able to sit down tonight while the wife was away at a housewarming party and watch "The Whisperer in Darkness".

I really enjoyed their previous movie, The Call of Cthulhu and I enjoyed this one as well!  I thought it moved a bit slowly at times and I don't remember their being a little girl that needs to be rescued or aerial battles...but I still enjoyed it.

The movie manages to provide a great atmosphere.  The part where he's listening outside the window of the house was great!  I also liked the brain case machine - the visuals were excellent.  I know that the machine didn't project their faces in the story, but I realize that they have to make changes when making a more visual movie.

All in all I enjoyed this movie.  It makes me want to go back and re-read the story once again.  

Cast a Deadly Spell

Day two of the bachelor weekend ends up with a ton of painting and some yummy taquitos while watching Cast a Deadly Spell.  This is another one of those movies that I've been meaning to watch forever but never felt in the mood/got around to it.

Packed with stars, this Lovecraft-inspired movie really brought across a 40's noir.  In this world, magic exists and the protagonist (Lovecraft) is the only private detective that has not taken up using magic.  An interesting story ensues, the Necronomicon turns up and David Warner (love that guy!) gets eaten by an Old One.

Now that I've finished it, I realize that I did see the very end of the movie on TV a long time ago.  Overall, it was good and I enjoyed it - especially the casting the runes part (being an M.R. James fan, this part really sttod out).  It's not really my type of movie, but I'm glad I watched it as it does really stand out and the Lovecrafty goodness was better than some of the "Lovecraft" movies that I've seen!  :-)

Iron Sky

My wife is off for a girls' weekend in Spokane, so myself and the dog (Rocky) got to have some quality bachelor-time....we watched Iron Sky.  This is a movie that I've been meaning to watch for quite a while.  It's about what I thought it would be, a funny and over-the-top movie about space Nazis.

If you like those silly pulp movies and have an open mind to Nazis existing on the dark side of the moon, you'll enjoy this show.  I found it funny that most of their technology hadn't changed since 1945.  Space zeppelins, flying saucers, and a swastica base on the moon - good stuff!  Check it out!

Vidocq

I painted up one of my own models, Vidocq.  Based on the movie of the same name (which is awesome!), this miniature has a bit of a Lovecraftian twist to it.

I went with yellow for the face mask, which I thought the colour of which turned out quite well!  I tried a new way of doing the metal on the blade, by mixing some grey to the metal paint to cut down on the metallic-ness of the paint.

The base is a 40mm one from Model Display Products, which are great to paint.

If you haven't seen the movie, check it out!

Next week I'll have a big update of Urban War Viridians!

Yeti Hunters

I have always had a fascination with the Yeti.  When I saw the Courageous Mountaineers pack from Pulp Figures, I knew I had to get it!  They were perfect for Yeti hunters!

I had a blast painting these, and really pumped them out in no time - I just wish there were more miniatures like them...
I like how the girl came out - the orange really makes her stand out and the eyes turned out well.

The bases are from Model Display Products, which are highly recommended.

If you're looking for some movie inspiration, have a look at the movie The Abominable Snowman with Peter Cushing!  It's one of my favourites.

A while ago I read Tom Slick and the Search for the Yeti by Loren Coleman.  I hadn't heard of Tom Slick before, and it was an interesting read.

Ravenous

I picked up the movie Ravenous a few years ago but never got around to watching it...until now.  My wife was out with her family and I thought I'd watch it, as she probably wouldn't like it. 

I didn't know what to expect going into it - I knew it had cannibalism or something as part of the plot, but didn't know how far it would go!

I won't give anything away, but if you like historical movies (1840's) set in a desolate environment (mountainous California in winter), with great acting and lots of blood and guts, give this movie a try.

The Raven

While my wife was out with her friends last night, I sat down to watch The Raven.  I have had this movie for a while, but didn't get around to watching it until now.  I am always on the lookout for movies like these, with a great setting (especially the 19th century) and moodly atmosphere.

John Cusack was good as Poe, but not really as I imaged Poe to be in real life.  I always saw him as more of a depressed, antisocial sort of fellow.  But Cusack does LOOK quite a bit like him, which was great!

I thought the plot was okay - it's all been done before.  Copycat killer killing people like in his stories.  The movie was what I expected it to be - a good historical romp with a good setting.  If you like historical movies like this or are a Poe fan, check it out!

Werewolf: The Beast Among Us

I saw Werewolf: The Beast Among Us at my local Walmart one weekend, and told myself to check it out online when I got home.  I usually do this in order to prevent me from wasting money on a crappy movie.  However, everything I read about the movie online was relatively positive so I thought I'd give it a go.

I really enjoyed the Victorian horror feel to the movie (a European setting from the looks of it).  The characters in the movie were all well portrayed and well acted.  All of the "good guys" were distinctly different, with the arrogant aristocrat who threw the silver knives really standing out.  Of course, the plot was a bit silly, but I was prepared for that.  It is also quite gory, with body parts and blood all over the place - definitely not for the squirmish!

Overall, a very good campy movie!  I was pleasantly surprised by it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys B movie horror in a Victorian setting.

Gravestones

I mentioned in a previous post how I was on a terrain kick.  I picked up a Renedra Gravestone Set in the summer and was lately inspired by The Man Cave's posting of his graveyard - so I thought I'd give them a go!

The base is 0.40" plasticard, with clipped edges which were then sanded to make them smooth.  I used white putty for the base groundwork and added some mixed sand for the "grey" areas.  The flock is superglued on and drybrushed with brown and tan paint (the flock was tan to begin with).  I threw on some Antenociti's leaf litter and some Army Painter Highland Tufts to top it off.  I'm happy with how they turned out and have a new batch in the mix.

On a different note, I watched Outpost: Black Sun the other night when the wife was out.  I heard about it on The Lead Adventure Forum and was a HUGE fan of the original, so I immediately went on to Amazon.ca and picked up a copy!

I really liked it, but the "machine" near the ending wasn't really to my liking and to fanciful.  But considering it's a movie with semi-unkillable Nazi zombies, I'll let it slide!  Check it out if you enjoyed the original or like Nazi zombies.  I picked up the Blu-Ray version and it looks fantastic.

Two Ellies

Sorry for the lack of updates - real life gets in the way sometimes.  I've been taking an accounting course at the local college and that's been sucking up a lot of my spare time.

Anyway, I have two Harwood Hobbies miniatures for you.  Quickly painted, I know they're not my best - damn these photos for showing me all of my painting mistakes!!!  :-)

These two will be used in a gothic horror setting - with Evil Ellie as a vampire or lesser werewolf.

I also watched a few movies that I discovered lately.  Both are based on the M.R. James story "Oh Whistle and I'll Come to You My Lad".  Both are called Whistle and I'll Come to You - the newer one stars John Hurt.

The 1968 version was by far the best version, but I didn't like the main character's eccentricity and thought the movie could have been better laid out.  I don't know if the person who wrote the screenplay wanted the protagonist to seem crazy in order to make you doubt if the ghostly occurances really did happen...

The special effects are not too bad, remembering that this is an old film!  I liked the spookiness with the bedsheets at the end the best, which is taken well from the short story.

The 2010 remake had its spooky moments, but is BARELY based off of the story.  Meh.

Hell House Review (Book and Movie)

A few weeks ago I was in the mood for a good haunted house story.  I remember watching The Legend of Hell House a while ago and thought I'd give the book a listen to since I liked the movie.  Hell House is a book by Richard Matheson, in which he spins the tale of four investigators and their experiences in "Hell House".

I really liked the audio book I downloaded on www.Audible.com, which had great narration.  The author really gets across the atmosphere and feeling of the haunted house very well, and throws a few twists in there to keep things going.  It kept my attention to the end, the only off-putting thing I can think of is the overly sexual nature in parts of the book.  However, I feel they are justified with the perverted background of the house and the owner (I won't spoil it for you - read it for yourself!). 

The movie that was made based on the book was The Legend of Hell House (1973).  I really enjoyed this movie when I watched it a few months ago, and I remember being scared and confused by it as a child.  The actors chosen for the characters were spot on, and it's always good to see Roddy McDowall perform!  The movie adaptation was very close to the book, and I felt that the movie makers really captured the feel and scariness of the book quite well.

Audible.com

A few months ago the location of my day job changed to further downtown, so I had to start taking public transit.  My wife was kind enough to get an iPod for me to ease the pain!  I had always heard about Audible from the D6 Generation podcast, and thought I'd give it a try.

Recently I listened to I Am Legend by Richard Matheson.

The narrator was INCREDIBLE, by far the best one I have heard to date.  It was good to listen to this story again, as I hadn't read it since university.  I was constantly reminded of Vincent Price in The Last Man on Earth when listening to it, as it is the best movie adaptation of the novel (in my opinion).