100 Posts and Oh, By the Way......

I'VE GRADUATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hells, yeah. It's official and I'm now the new owner of a Master's Degree in Nursing -AND a rice cooker. I picked up one of those last week too. Not sure how I made it this long without one. Although hopefully the graduate degree will come in handy as well.

And that's why it's been fairly quiet at the Firefly ranch lately. It's certainly not due to a lack of films that might have piled up (due to Amazon's rocking Halloween and Black Friday sales).

No, it's been because of prepping and presenting version 4.0 of the clinical project, finishing up last minute things for my classes, and getting ready for a boss-ASS party that myself and the P. Cash hosted last weekend. Add starting a new job and adjusting to working days again has left Mama F. very busy and too tired to make it through a movie, let alone do any of my usual Christmas activities.

Usual activities meaning = making cookies + Black Christmas + a martini.

I didn't plan on making my graduation post my 100th post of the year - I didn't even realize that I'd posted 99 times this year till yesterday. 100 is not that many considering how prolific many other people are - but it's already twice as many posts as I did in 2008 - and with everything else that was going on this year, I'm pretty frickin' happy with what I managed to get done. I still plan on doing more by the time the year is over, and my goal is to double the amount of posts again next year.

So thanks to everyone who's been following and reading my blog, and my fantastic friends and family who helped with and came to my party. Thanks for supporting me for the last three years and understanding when you didn't see or hear from me for weeks at a time. And a special shout out to my girl, Mandy, for making laugh so hard on Saturday I cried my makeup off. Not only did she make me laugh, she also was nice enough to babysit the devil baby purse all night. Now that's a friend!

Let the scary movie reviewin' commence........

Mother Firefly



Photo Source: Awkward Family Photos

Rudolph is Coming and He is PISSED

I have to give a shout out to something that won't mean anything to those of you who don't live in Milwaukee - but like our wonderful local Night of the Living Dead Puppet Show - it's just another reason I'm glad I live in this city.

Even if you are from around these parts, unless you're one of the lucky people already holding tickets to this weekend's last bunch of shows, I'm sorry to say you're out of luck. In fact, if you are holding a ticket, you're among the elite, since this tiny theater located in the Alchemist Theater and Lounge only holds 50 people. In fact, the Alchemist asks that ticket holders show up at least 20 minutes early - getting there late could mean that they sold your ticket to someone on the waiting list. Yes, there's a waiting list - because this show is worth it.

When I heard about this show last year, I knew I had to see it. I'm a HUGE Rankin/Bass fan, as I've said many times, so I dragged the P.Cash along to see it with me. Even though he claims to never have seen the original Animagic special (Really? It's been on TV every FRIGGIN year since 1964....so go figure), he still liked it. But I still think that being familiar with the Rankin/Bass version and Sam the Snowman, Hermie the Elf, the mean skinny Santa, and Rudolph's completely unsupportive parents make the play that much better. So this year I went with a friend and loaned her my DVD so she could refresh her memory.

I thought it'd be fun a second time, but what I didn't anticipate was that it would be even better. Most of the cast has returned, and while they were fantastic last year, they've completely honed their characters and are completely friggin' AWESOME this year. (And the caramel appletinis they serve at the bar are pretty damn good too!)

Especially outstanding are Joel Boyd as Rudolph and Jeremy Eineichner as Sam the Snowman. My friend who attended the show with me put it best: Boyd is nuanced beyond his years. The kid is 15? 16? and is amazing. In fact, the whole cast is completely downright incredible - not only are their impersonations of such well known characters spot -on, the comedic timing (and improvisation) is just, well, it's killer.

So unless you are able to bribe someone to give up their tickets (and it'd be worth it if you could), you're going to have to wait and hope that the pissed off reindeer comes back for round three next year. Additionally - the director announced that a Kenosha theater group has purchased the rights to the play and they'll be performing it next year as well. Just as I said about NOLTD Puppet Show, I think this show deserves to be seen all over the country, and I hope that next year's shows end up in it being purchased to play in even more places.

So while you probably can't see it this year - start counting down for the next holiday season and put the Alchemist Theater on your radar. (I also saw their Dracula play last October and that was pretty spectacular as well) This is definitely a theater I'll be keeping my eye on in the years to come.

Here's a brief YouTube clip filled with scenes from the play - unfortunately I think it's a little too hectic and I think it could have done without the background music - but it'll still give you some idea of what they're doing. I believe it's from last year's performances:

Final Girl Film Club: The Wicker Man

Gather around, everybody, because it's time for Final Girl Film Club and.....

The Wicker Man!!!!

No, not this piece of Monkey Crap:


But this classic film:
Yeah. This movie rocks.

If you've seen either version -The Good One or El Piece-io Crap-o, you know the basic story. Cop gets letter to investigate a missing girl on an island. Cop goes to island. Island is full of wonderfully weird people that confuse and irritate Cop. Is there a missing girl, really?? What are these people really doing on this island? And what's up with all the daggone rabbits, anyway???

Edward Woodward is fabulous as the investigator looking for the missing girl. This is a dude that takes his job seriously in spite of finding himself among people and customs that are completely foreign and sacrilegious to him.

The Wicker Man is possibly one of the first films (and still one of the only, sadly) to take any kind of pagan religion in a serious light and attempt to explain some of the ideas and attitudes behind it. Unfortunately, the end of the movie finds pagans doing the typical evil movie type 'stuff'', but on the other hand, you've got to give the filmmakers credit for not succumbing to Happy Ending Syndrome. (Even the remake of Wickerman (aka Nic Cage Needs To Pay His Mortgage) managed to avoid that particular pitfall).

Enough rambling. On with the List!!!


Things I Love about the Wicker Man:


1. Chocolate Bunnies!!


2. How suddenly the movie becomes a musical (and a naked musical at that)


3. Witchcraft via door knocking and humping!


4. Intense admiration of art as a way to resist previously mentioned door knocking and humping
5. Fiddling provided by Julian Lennon ;)
6. If I'd been able to shout out the phrase 'PHALLIC SYMBOL!!', I might not have been so bored in junior high:

7. Ingrid Pitt. The lady makes any movie like 10,000 percent better.

8. Christopher Lee rockin' his Neil Diamond hairdo:
9. Righteous Indignation provided by the great Edward Woodward (RIP):

10. Horny Puppets:

11. Chris Lee Rocks the Prince look:

12. Whee! I'm a cow!

13. Pagan Clown Beatings:

14. Chris Lee rocks the Cher look:
15. Screw Happy Endings!!!

Mother Firefly

Krampus is Coming!

How in the HELL did I manage to exist this long on the planet and not know that last night -December 5th- was the night that Krampus comes to town??? It's like having Halloween again in December!!!



From Wikipedia:
Krampus is a mythical creature who accompanies Saint Nicholas in various regions of the world during the Christmas season. The word Krampus originates from the Old High German word for claw (Krampen). In the Alpine regions, Krampus is represented by a demon-like creature accompanying Saint Nicholas. Krampus acts in conjunction with Saint Nicholas; the latter gives gifts to good children, while the Krampus gives warnings and punishments to the bad children. Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus in the first two weeks of December, particularly in the evening of December 5, and roam the streets frightening children and women with rusty chains and bells. In some rural areas the tradition also includes birching by Krampus, especially of young females.



Here's some different versions of Krampus from the same Wiki page:


And finally, video:




I want a Krampus Parade in downtown Milwaukee and I want it NOW.



Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,
Mother Firefly

Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers - 20th Anniversary of Best Titled Movie Ever?

20 years? How did I manage to go 20 years without ever laying my eyes on this little piece of B-Movie 80's insanity?


The title pretty much tells you everything you need to decide if this the kind of story you want to hear more about. We also have a religious cult, a runaway (played by Linnea Quigley), and the private investigator (complete with cheesy voice over) who stumbles on to the cult while looking for Linnea.

I won't try to pretend that this Fred Olen Ray film is a masterpiece of cinema, but I will point out some of the things that make this movie a fun way to spend your evening. (Although liberal amounts of alcohol wouldn't hurt either)




Fun 80's Hair:
Is that Rod Stewart in drag?


Girls with chainsaws!

Signs in case you get lost:

And even a handy dandy Public Service Announcement:
Always, ALWAYS, protect your black velvet paintings of The King before you engage in chainsaw madness.

And, of course, more blood and boobies than you can shake a stick at!

Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers may not be an epic piece of cinema, but it does go back to a time when people were willing to make a movie and not take themselves so GD seriously. Not that I don't appreciate serious horror - but I also appreciate people who have fun with the genre as well. The quality of the movie, unfortunately, is terrible (there's a disclaimer at the beginning apologizing for that) and I could have done without the cheesy detective voice overs, but overall it's fun and a good example of what cheesy independent horror was like in the 80's.

Also -I have to raise my glass to these women. These ladies look like they're hauling around the real deal in this movie - you can tell by the way they lift and move these suckers (and the amount of smoke) that they were doing it the old fashioned way. Tell me that you'd see any of our A-list (or B-list) actresses of today slinging around a real chainsaw. We'd either get a CGI version or a stunt double.

I also have something to mention that is completely off the subject - but I was reminded of it when I sat down to write this review - as I picked up this DVD (for five bucks, of course!) last year during the biannual Deep Discount DVD sale. For about the last six or seven years, I've bought a fair amount of movies through DDD. Their prices have always been good, they have free shipping, and they're always running sales. I especially look forward to their twice a year 20% off sales (which was actually 25% off the last time). November is one of the times they run it, so I was looking forward to picking up some box sets and a few other films that I didn't want to pay full price for (big surprise there).

I'm also a huge fan of Mystery Science Theater, and I've been collecting the box sets since they started - and I usually buy them during this particular sale at DDD. About a month ago, I logged on to my account to see which set I bought last time, and to see how many sets had come out since then.

I was pretty shocked to find that all the MST3K sets on DDD were over 55 bucks - sets that used to run around 35-38 dollars. Then - a few weeks later when it was time for the sale to start - DDD announced the sale by saying everything was 40% off - and no need for a coupon code this time! Needless to say, 40% off meant that the sets were right around their usual cost - maybe a couple of dollars cheaper, but not even close to the price I'd been paying.

I can't really be mad at DDD for not running the same sale - but what I am pissed about is how they raised all the prices two weeks before the 'sale' - and then announced that everything was 'on sale'. Now that the sale is over with - the sets are varying in price from 36 to 54. Looking at the prices of other movies on my wishlist, some are slightly more expensive - some are cheaper (!)- and some are exactly the same.

I don't know how DDD came up with the 40% off everything - and what prices they starting from before they subtracted 40% off - but I'm really disappointed by what's been one of my favorite places to order movies until recently. But in the last year, I've found myself going with Amazon for better deals. I hope that this company can get it together and be a little more straight forward with their 'sales' and their pricing.

My two cents,
Mother Firefly

El Chupacabra!!! (A Day of Great Art!)

I spent last Saturday at the awesome Art Vs. Craft Show here in Milwaukee, and came home with a few really cool goodies. The show calls itself 'an alternative market for innovative and handmade work'. I've been to it three times since it started a few years ago, and it never disappoints.




Behold, the Chupacabra!


This was my graduation present from a good friend who I attended the show with :)

Courtesy of Christina Ward Creatures.

Let me tell you, this woman makes all kinds of fabulous creatures including feral cats) and her monsters were selling like hotcakes at this show. I lost track of the number of people I saw carrying around a Chupacabra at the show. And she also sells them to you in these fabulous t-shirt bags (t-shirts that she cuts and sews to make bags with handles- mine came in a Megadeth tshirt/bag, of all things). Unfortunately, her Etsy shop is empty now, but hopefully she'll have items for sale again soon.

I also got this great messenger bag by Jimbot:
Trust me, my photography is not doing it justice. It's comfy to carry, it's freaking HUGE and it has pockets on the sides, and zippered pockets inside.

Not only does he make great bags (I carried this today and I'm not sure how I managed to live without it until now - where have you been all my life, Jimbot??) but he's a fabulous artist. His paintings are beyond yummy.

I'll definitely be looking to pick up some of these soon.
Go to his website and check out his gallery, etsy shop and blog.

I also picked up some awesome zombie prints from Matt Cipov:
You can buy this and other great zombie prints at his Etsy shop here.

Plus - when I bought the zombie prints, he gave me a free sticker with a zombie on it that says 'Ask Me About My Zombies' (!!!!)

I was so pumped to see so much how much scary/horror/sci-fi art was available at the show. Can't wait for the next round.

In the not-scary category, I also picked up a great set of really yummy soaps from Biggs and Featherbelle.
If you check out products on their website, and wonder if something smells good, trust me, IT DOES. It's a small company run by two sisters (mom was also at the show this weekend). They also do shows all over the country - so check here to see if they'll be in your city anytime soon.

Support an artist for the holidays - zombie prints for everyone on your Christmas list!

Rarr!
Mother Firefly

Boris Karloff Blogathon

Did you enjoy the Boris Karloff Blogathon? I hope you went to Frankensteinia: The Frankenstein Blog to check out the list of bloggers and read the entries.

As I said recently, horror movies and their classic icons are a huge part of my childhood - and Boris Karloff is one of those people that I don't remember a time when I didn't know who he was. There have been so many great contributions and fantastic essays from some wonderful bloggers out there -that I don't know that I have much that's new or interesting to add to the conversation.

But since Mr. Karloff is such a big part of my childhood memories - I thought I'd focus on that and talk about my favorite memories of him and his movies in my life.



1. Frankenstein
Yes- pretty obvious. Besides just how wonderful the film is, Boris Karloff and his portrayal of the monster are associated with one of my absolute favorite monster memories of very early childhood. I've mentioned several times how my mom and I used to spend our Saturday afternoons watching Sir Graves Ghastly host classic horror movies. I don't know how old I was when this started, but I do know by the age of four, I was as familiar with the stories of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolfman, and The Mummy as I was with the characters on Sesame Street.

One of my absolute favorite memories of those times was when I was watching Frankenstein with my mom, and the famous scene with the little girl and the flowers came on. My mom explained to me that the monster didn't intend to hurt her, that the monster wasn't actually mean - and that everything he did in the film had to do with how people treated him like a monster based on how he looked. This must have really affected me because for one) I still remember the conversation, and two) I wasn't really ever afraid of the monster. (Remember the list of scary things under my bed? Notice that Dr. Frankenstein's creation wasn't listed...)


In fact, my mother's explanation had the opposite affect on me - and to this day I feel all warm and fuzzy when I see that big old guy with the bolts in his head. It's probably why I used to collect 'Frankensteinia' and also why a really good way to make me cry is to make me watch the scene in The Monster Squad when Phoebe and the Monster join hands. Makes my little black heart go squee every time.

I'm sure it also made me aware for the first time that things are going on in films that we don't always notice at first glance. I'm not sure why my mom felt the need to explain this to a four year old, but I'm very glad that she did. Not only did it give me a great memory that I still cherish, but I'm sure that it also led me to start looking for more under the surface in films - espcecially horror films - and I'm sure it's a big part of why I'm writing this blog today.


Karloff's voice alone is the reason for at least two more of my favorites from childhood:

2. Mad Monster Party:














3. The Grinch That Stole Christmas:



















4. The Boogie Man Will Get You:

Once upon a time I was a very poor college student earning my first degree. Those were the days of bologna sandwiches and ramen noodles for dinner, and also the days of a very ancient VHS player that loved to act up on me right when I needed it the most. Take, for instance, the night that some cable station was running a marathon of Peter Lorre movies, so I put a new tape in the player and left it to go all night long. The next day, I had a great time watching the Lorre-athon, but especially I really got into the last film that they played, which starred Lorre and Karloff. Until - the tape suddenly stopped and I realized that I'd been foiled again by my electronic piece of crap.
I searched for this movie for years - and somewhere along the way even forgot the name of it. All I had to go by was that Lorre and Karloff were in it, and that Lorre kept a kitten in his pocket that he seemed to have put there absentmindedly. Finally (God Bless IMDB) I was able to rent it, but only after it being on my most wanted list for a decade. Not too many unfinished films have plagued me in this way and for so long.

5. Black Sabbath:






This was a Christmas present about five years ago (from my mom, of course!). I ended up being alone on Christmas night and I decided to watch this. It went perfectly with a winter's night. I thougth it was deliciously creepy and the segment with Karloff was the scariest.





Please check out the fabulous list of bloggers and their posts on Boris Karloff on Frankensteinia: The Frankenstein Blog.