Day Six: Rifftrax: Reefer Madness

Sometime early last summer, Deep Discount ran their semi-annual 25% sale, and I ordered a Rifftrax box set of 10 movies, along with some other things. DD sent me half my order, and the rest was backordered....and backordered.....finally last week the rest of my order - which was this box set and a handful of other movies, arrived. (I think DD kind of wanted me to forget the order - they kept sending me emails saying they hoped to send it out in a couple weeks, but that I was more than welcome to cancel the rest of the order if I wanted to. I'm all, uh-uh bitches, I want my cheap-ass movies. I'll wait.)

It ended up coming at the perfect time - there's a couple October favorites in the mix.  But I started with Reefer Madness - somehow or another I have managed to never see this movie, and I thought it sounded like fun.

Reefer Madness wasn't quite what I expected - for some reason I thought it would have more of a documentary type feel - but Mike Nelson and co. made for an enjoyable funny evening. Otherwise I think this film would be interesting as a time capsule type of thing, but I don't think it's anything I would watch again.

Rifftrax isn't quite Mystery Science Theater - but it's fun and in some ways, less intrusive than MST - fewer jokes and no silhouetted forms covering the screen.   Not that I mind that during MST - this is just a different format.

Last fall I went to a local theater to see Plan 9 on the big screen with the Rifftrax experience - in that format they frequently cut away to the Rifftrax gang live in the theater, doing their thing.  This format is quieter, more intimate - it's almost like having a couple of funny friends along to watch a movie with you.

By the way, I see Rifftrax will be doing the same thing this year with House on Haunted Hill - and I was set to go until I found that it was the same evening as the NOLD Puppet Show - and I think you all know where my loyalties lay in that regard. 

Yeah, boyeeeeeeeeeeeeee, I'm gonna go see zombie puppets at the Oriental that night.

Day Five: Awesome Halloween Box

Okay, so it's technically day 9, but Mama had a hell of a week, so we've got some catching up to do. Never fear, I've been slavishly watching movies all day just for your benefit (I'm so selfless) so I'll be posting my reviews and other Halloween themed things I've discovered in the last few days.


One nice thing that happened yesterday was the delivery of a package I wasn't expecting (don't you love that!) from Grandma Firefly.


What I got was a little Halloween care package courtesy of Hallmark:

The Dancing Frankenstein was inside the cool Halloween box, that screamed when I opened it. 

Neato!

A nice way to end a long week and a great start to my self imposed Hermit style weekend. It's my last one before I need to pack for my trip, so Mama is putting her feet up and indulging in movies that all kinds of bad for me....including one that's probably bad for everyone....but in a good way.....more on that later.

Boo,
Mama Firefly

Day Four: Krypt Kiddies

I think anyone who has hung around the Firefly Ranch for any length of time knows that Mama likes creepy dolls. I'd have a hard time topping the creepiness of Sam from Trick R Treat (currently haunting my bedroom) or my Zuni warrior from Trilogy of Terror (hanging out in the living room) but I think one of these could give them a run for the money:

Check out Krypt Kiddies -


Not only do they have some jacked up baby dolls:

They also have some CRAZY looking clown dolls.

 If you really want a treat, go to the website and look at the custom made babies.

Day Three : Buried

This was the finale for the Milwaukee Film Festival last night.

All I knew about this movie going in was:
Ryan Reynolds.
Buried Alive.
Cell Phone and Lighter included.

I highly suggest if you're going to see this - and it opens in wide release next weekend - that you avoid knowing much else.  I think letting the events unfold in front of you (vs going into the movie knowing who he is, where he is, and how he got there) will make for a much richer movie experience.

Buried is not a fun movie to watch.  I'm glad I saw it, I'm happy I saw it at the venue I did, but it was NOT an enjoyable night at the movies. And I'll never watch it again.

How's that for a recommendation?

Creeped the F**K out,
Mother Firefly

Day Two: Blood Junkie

The Milwaukee Film Festival finished up last night, and I was at the Oriental for the finale. Every year the Festival shows ONE horror movie, and I always manage to see it, and their choices are usually good.  In previous years I've seen House of the Devil, Severance, and The Signal.  So this year I opened up the catalog to find my ONE horror movie, and holy crap.....there was one.....and two....and three......FOUR, count 'em, FOUR genre movies.

Except.

I couldn't make it to two of them.

Sigh.

Blame bad planning and totally spacing on the dates for the festival and neither myself or Papa Cash taking any time off for it.  I don't know what changed this year, MFF, but I like it.  Do it again. Mama says so.

Anyway, one of the films I saw was Blood Junkie.

This little treat was filmed in Wisconsin, and it's a kind of 80's flashback "Let's Go Into the Woods and Get Ourselfs Kilt" deal.  The write up in the catalog compared it to Evil Dead, but I'd put it more in the realm of movies like The Forest and Don't Go In The Woods.

Blood Junkie reminded me of the kind of thing you see at Horror Conventions, a movie that goes down better with an alcoholic beverage and a bunch of genre fans looking to have a good time. I don't know if it would be as much fun watching it alone in my living room - where I watch most of my horror movies.....but it's still better than a lot of low budget fare out there - or than a lot of the movies with a budget ten times as big (or more).  It was an easy on the attention span 75 minutes, and the film did a good job of making it look like the 80's all over again.  

Website for Blood Junkie here.http://bloodjunkiemovie.com/

Day 1: Halloween Tips

*This is actually a repost from last year......but it's one of my favorites, so I thought I'd start off the season with it.  I didn't write it - and I'm not sure who did. I added the pictures, and a couple of my cats were happy to help out with the Halloween Tips. Okay, maybe not THAT happy about it......

Keep in mind for Halloween, it is worthwhile to remember a few
simple rules to help keep this season healthy, happy and SAFE!!
Please use these helpful hints this and every year.

1. When it appears that you have killed the monster, NEVER check to
see if it's really dead.

 

2. Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even as a joke.

3. Do not search the basement, especially if the power has gone
out.

 

 

4. If your children speak to you in Latin or any other language
which they should not know, shoot them immediately. It will save you
a lot of grief in the long run. However, it will probably take
several rounds to kill them, so be prepared. This also applies to
kids who speak with somebody else's voice.

 

5. When you have the benefit of numbers, NEVER pair off and go
alone.

6. As a general rule, don't solve puzzles that open portals to Hell.

7. Never stand in, on, or above a grave, tomb, or crypt. This would
apply to any other house of the dead as well.

8. If you're searching for something which caused a loud noise and
find out that it's just the cat, GET THE HECK OUT!

 

 

9. If appliances start operating by themselves, do not check for
short circuits, just get out.

 

 

10. Do not take ANYTHING from the dead.

 

 

11. If you find a town which looks deserted, there's probably a good
reason for it. Don't stop and look around.

12. Don't fool with recombinant DNA technology unless you're sure
you know what you're doing.

13. If you're running from the monster, expect to trip or fall down
at least twice, more if you are female. Also note that, despite the
fact that you are running and the monster is merely shambling along,
it's still moving fast enough to catch up with you.

14. If your companions suddenly begin to exhibit uncharacteristic
behavior such as hissing, fascination for blood, glowing eyes,
increasing hairiness, and so on, kill them immediately.

 

 

15. Stay away from certain geographical locations, some of which are
listed here: Amityville, Elm Street, Transylvania, Nilbog (you're in
trouble if you recognize this one), anywhere in Texas where
chainsaws are sold, the Bermuda Triangle, or any small town in Maine.

 

 

 

16. If your car runs out of gas at night on a lonely road, do not go
to the nearby deserted-looking house to phone for help. If you think
that it is strange you ran out of gas because you thought you had
most of a tank, shoot yourself instead. You are going to die anyway,
and most likely be eaten.

 

 

 

 

 

17. Beware of strangers bearing tools. For example: chainsaws,
staple guns, hedge trimmers, electric carving knives, combines,
lawnmowers, butane torches, soldering irons, band saws, or any
devices made from deceased companions.

18. If you find that your house is built upon a cemetery, now is the
time to move in with the in-laws. This also applies to houses that
had previous inhabitants who went mad or committed suicide or died in
some horrible fashion, or had inhabitants who performed satanic
practices.

19. Dress appropriately. When investigating a noise downstairs in an
old house, women should not wear a flimsy negligee. And carry a
flashlight, not a candle.

20. Do not mention the names of demons around open flames, as these
can flare suddenly. Be especially careful of fireplaces in this
regard.

21. Do not go looking for witches in the countryside.... you might
find us!

Mother F.

Countdown To Halloween

I'm running a little behind this year - partly due to the end of the Milwaukee Film Festival, which is wrapping up tonight.  But - the cool part is that the last two films I'm seeing are in the genre, so they'll be my Day Two and Three posts....more to come on those later.

This year is also going to be a little tricky considering I'll be spending a week in Orlando, but I'm hoping to get some posts done before then to help fill in, and also to be doing some posting about Universal's Halloween Horror Nights.

Let the Halloween Blogging Begin!!